A Tale of Two Cities

"Maybe. I kinda recognize you too. Did you ever come snooping around the police station when owning a Megadeus was still uncommon?"

Topaz: <...Oh, you're that girl. I know your father. See, I used to be a detective at that police station myself.>

*She picks up the phone and calls Roger.*

"That's cool. I was a detective, but now my life has kind of been turned upside down and I am no longer a detective. If my dad knew what I've been doing... I think..."
Luna's face screwed up as though she was about to burst into tears, but then she just wiped a hand across her eyes and smiled, "Well, all that matters is that he is safe at the end of the day."

Roger<Hello?>
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Lilith writes: You shot me?!

"No! But it is still my fault... The man on the phone was Aamon. He wanted a DNA sample or he would kill you. I gave it to him... but he still pulled the trigger. I'm sorry. I should have done something to stop him sooner."

Lilith writes: That does not make sense. Aamon had something you wanted, & the only way he'd give it to you was to cooperate. In the end, he still broke his promise. That is his fault.

"I don't know, I just feel like I could have done something, anything to change what happened..."

Lilith writes: You could, by not trying to take the blame for everything.

"But... it was my fault. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been targeted to begin with."

*Topaz nods to Luna.*

Topaz: <Hello. I'm here with someone whose father has apparently been kidnapped by the owner of the Megadeus we saw at the dam when you went to get Sulpher. Do you know anything about it? I thought she was probably connected to Beck.>

*She doesn't see Lilith's response, because Thiera swivels the chair away from the computer.*

T"All right, she needs her rest now...and so do you."
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Roger<Actually...Beck and everyone who was with him were found dead. No one's sure who did it.>

Topaz: <...I see. So that's all you know? Perhaps I should call Thiera Psyche.>

Zell lets out a sigh, "Okay... I guess you're right. But first, I wanted to talk to you about Aamon." Zell took a more serious look, "Some of the things he told me, I'm not sure if I believe it all myself, but I think you'd know better than me."

"Was my Dad among the dead?!" Luna demanded, "A middle aged police officer? Was he?!"

Roger<I'm afraid so.>
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T"What did he tell you? And why?"

*Topaz widens her eyes and steps away from Luna.*

Topaz: <...Thanks.>

*She hangs up and stares at Luna, waiting to see her reaction.*

Zell looked away for a second, slightly ashamed, "He said I was... a clone. That anyone with eyes like mine were clones, so that we can be easily told apart from the original. That means that Senthose was a clone as well." Zell sighed, "He said it was an experiment in trying to replicate lost memories using clones. The originals were killed, and with the new eyes we had, it was passed off as just some gene therapy." Zell continued, "He did say something that struck me though, he said they could never discover the origin of the experiment. Does that mean that they merely picked up from where someone left off, and if so, who?" Zell then shrugged, "As for why, he wanted a genetic sample. He said he couldn't get to Senthose's body, so he used mine. I gave him a hair sample in exchange for Lilith's life... I guess I'm a really bad negotiator, should have asked Roger to do it in my stead."

Luna just stared at Topaz before hanging her head down, the air obscuring her face.
"...Aw well..." She managed, obviously choking back tears, "At least... he never knew all the things I... I did... and now I can... keep doing it!"
She lifted her head back up, showing one eye, wide and burning with anger. She pulled out her pistol and fired it repeatedly into the phone before storming out, "Catcha later!"

T"I'm sorry, but I don't know the answers to any of those questions...although, I know someone who might. I'll elaborate tomorrow. Right now, I have some work to do. Good night."

*With that, she left the room, leaving people to their various nighttime rituals.*

Zell carries out said ritual, and goes to bed.

Topaz: <Wait, dammit!>

*Topaz draws her guns and runs after her, pointing them at her.*

Topaz: <Hey, I'm not a big fan of Paradigm-2 either, but there's gotta be a better way to settle things!>

"Ugh, fine then, let's talk about this..." Luna sighed, slumping her shoulders, "And get the guns outta my face."

Topaz: <...Okay.>

*Topaz holsters the guns.*

Topaz: <I think we should talk to Thiera Psyche, because she seems to always know something about everything that happens lately. Or we could try to get information on your father's murder from Paradigm-2 police. Though that won't be exactly easy.>

"I can see her on my own" Luna said before aiming her pistol at Topaz's head, "I'm a crack shot, y'know. Drop the gun belt and kick them over here, now."

Topaz: <No. Put that away.>

*Topaz stares at her blankly.*