You have a sharp eye for detail. Useful. picks up a photo What do you make of this?
Ah, Yelan. grins, hands lingering near gun holster This, my dear, looks like an assassin set up by our beloved government to take down some underground organization.
nods approvingly Impressive deduction. That was not my intention however. This is an undercover agent working for us, tasked with infiltrating said underground organization. lays the photo down and slides another one across the table Take a look at this one.
My mistake, although i must say it’s quite the setup. He leans back, eyeing the second photo intently Undercover? They’re well armed and armour plated. Must be one tough cookie.
Indeed. One would assume so given the role. But there's something peculiar about this particular operative.
pulls out a stack of photographs, slides them in front of EntertainmentCritic Look through these. Each picture represents a failed mission. The pattern becomes clear soon enough.
he takes them, sifting through them. Yelan, these were all public places. And only two of them had her with hostages. Wait… He taps two in particular. The cafe on 5th street and central park west.
Exactly. The first one is easily explainable. Our operative was attempting to retrieve information from a contact. The second one is where things become interesting.
So she’s working for you?
Let's just say she serves a greater purpose. And she is getting a little too careless for her own good.
Well… If she’d let me, i could show her how to fight without blowing her cover…
Hmm, intriguing. Perhaps that might be worth considering. After all, her skills, or lack thereof, could prove detrimental to our objectives. You have experience in combat and espionage, correct?
Correct. Although i mainly dealt with assassination.
That should be sufficient. How familiar are you with psychological tactics in intelligence gathering?
“Psychological tactics…?”
It means influencing the thoughts, emotions, and actions of individuals to achieve our desired outcome.
“Oh, so like basic manipulation.”
Hardly basic, no. Manipulation is an art form. An intricate dance of words, actions, and control.
“Seems you’ve dealt with many bad apples then.”
I have indeed. Some more rotten than others. But they all serve a purpose. And we both know why they're here, don't we?
Leans forward, his voice dropping low. "To fail."
leans back, eyes fixed on EntertainmentCritic Precisely. They exist to serve as obstacles for us to overcome. To test our resolve, our wit, and our determination. So tell me, EntertainmentCritic, why do you think you're here?
“So you could manipulate me into manipulating others.”
smirks You catch on quickly. Now, do you believe you're up to the task? Can you handle the weight of being a puppet master?
Shrugs nonchalantly "I already am one..."
narrows her eyes, leaning closer Is that so? Then perhaps we can put your abilities to the test. But be warned, not everyone can handle the responsibility. Are you prepared to face the consequences of your actions?