Strikhedonia (Cyberpunk Squad [Joy and Kole])

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Sober

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If blood could truly run cold, it did. And for a second, Joy's heart stopped.

It started up after that tense second and her head turned just enough to confirm that Kole karkin' Harper had indeed sashayed next to her. And, before she could speak, Geller was moving.

And when he moved, things never ended well.

Things happened too fast for Joy to intervene, she simply jumped back with an expression of anger, disbelief and above all annoyance as he smashed Kole over the head, one word forced from the lump in her throat instantly in a reactionary response too instinctive for words, "HEY!"

It was the same tone she used when telling her vornskrill pup off, who at this point was far better mannered than he was. At once, if possible, Joy would try and wedge herself between the two men -- Though, she was a hair late to that, and it was entirely possible that Kole would have enough time to land a hit on Geller before the Nyriaanan Detective could get in between to stop the madness from furthering. She was banking on the fact that her presence would be enough to deter them, but then again...

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Spoiler: Interacting With

[member="Cadmon Geller"] [member="Kole Harper"]

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Wanna Fight

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Kole was on edge when it came to Cadmon, he didn't trust him as far as he could throw him. And a man like that couldn't be thrown very far. As the glass flew Harper's right arm raised up defensively, absorbing the impact as it shattered around him. Though he too raised the glass in his left hand, hurling it towards Cadmon's thick head as he reached for the stool. Yet it was more than likely he could endure more than that, and so Kole made the hasty decision to roll over the bar itself. Narrowly avoiding the stool from crushing him like some insect.

​The first thought that came to his mind was instant suspicion and curiosity. Geller was defending something, whether it be her career or something darker he didn't know. Though the latter seemed more interesting, and so it was what he clutched onto. The wet and sticky bar he rolled over had plenty of glasses on it, all of which now shattered on the ground he had fallen onto. Laying on his back, staring towards the ceiling, Kole's hand rushed for his blaster in it's holster. Aiming it at the edge of the bar itself, waiting for him to poke his head over. Though Harper wouldn't shoot, but let the man know this was where it ended if he so chose too continue.

Question time.

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[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"] | [member="Cadmon Geller"]

 

[Cadmon Geller]

An arm shot up, glass shattering over his coat as the detective went over the bar. Instinctively his hand went to his thigh, wrapping around the magnetically accelerated revolver and yanking it free. Then of course, Joy managed to get in front of him and he stopped in his tracks. "This is personal." Cadmon growled, attempting to move around the Nyrinnian so that he could promptly shoot him dead, but the second he began to try and shift his position, he knew the woman was not going to let him budge.

He bit his tongue to stop himself from calling out Harper as a cop, both because that risked the closest thing he had to a friend right now, and Kole could just as easily rat him out as Sith. Either one of them spilling would be a death sentence. So, Geller stood motionless, an unflinching scowl cemented on his face as pure rage burned behind his eyes. He could still see them lying there, lifeless as they were shot in the back, denied even a proper death.

That would not go unanswered, and he would have his pound of flesh. "He will ruin whatever chances we have of stopping this animal when he speaks. He has to go." The soldier almost pleaded, hatred boiling over in every syllable. Cadmon knew she wasn't going to budge, but the words still came.

[member="Kole Harper"] | [member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Sober

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"Hey, we need to calm down. All--" Joy's eyes meaningfully looked back to Kole, with a deep-rooted meaning behind them, "--Of us." The raw emotion in Geller's voice had rocked her to her core, but she didn't let that show. She'd never heard him like this before. When they were under fire after her car was shot down, he hadn't been this mad, nor at the site of the explosion, or at any of their little meetings in between. He'd kept a level head, a far-too-smart mouth, and a steady aim. When he tried to move around, Joy raised her hand up, only an inch away from his chest, as if to try and stop him.

This was something else entirely, something borderline impossible to understand. He was right. Personal.

Joy couldn't even begin to fathom what could have possibly happened between the two, but that wasn't important. What was important was making sure this didn't evolve into something worse. Patrons had already begun to slowly trickle out of the bar at the sign of trouble, the Rodian bartender cowering behind a shelf of booze in the corner. Danger wasn't a new face around here, but it was a scary one all the same, especially with these two going at it? They'd rip this bar to shreds.

There was an edge to her eyes as she looked up to Geller, her own form of pleading, "What's the outcome if you decide to turn him into red paste? Nothing good." She was appealing to logic, when emotion ruled his head, but it was all she had, "We need to be smart."

For now, her attention was squarely on him, though every few moments her eyes would check to see where Kole was at, to ensure he wasn't an active threat to either of them. If he did become one, then she knew her world would shatter. So it was just a matter of keeping things together with tape, glue, and prayers to the ancestors.

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Spoiler: Interacting With

[member="Cadmon Geller"] [member="Kole Harper"]

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Crystal Checking In

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It was with a slow and cautious movement that allowed Kole to stand back up and onto his feet. The blaster didn't find itself back within it's holster, and remained with it's barrel almost lazily aimed at Cadmon. With a tense jaw he stood firm, the air in his lungs coming and going with aggression; Harper's chest raised and lowered with the same tension. Blue eyes shifted back and forth between both Geller and Joy, unsure of what to make of all this. Yet from the observations he made earlier and now, they were close. Too close.

"You finished?" Kole asked with a certain animosity, his gaze unwavering as it fell solely upon Geller. Allowing a few moments to pass before then speaking to Joy without even looking at her, "Let's take a walk, Joy." Slightly flicking the gun in the direction of the door. "You too." Speaking to Geller, nodding his head towards the exit.

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[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"] | [member="Cadmon Geller"]

 

[Cadmon Geller]

With you, no, no he'd never be 'done'

His free hand was clenched tightly into a fist. He knew he could've just tried to go around, to tear apart Harper and be done with it. But something in the eyes looking back up at him kept him planted. "Fine." He grumbled, his hand unfurled, sliding into one of his pocket and withdrew some credits which he promptly tossed over the bar to the Rodian as payment for the damages.

Before the day was over he was going to smash Harper's head through duracrete and put a slug through it, they didn't need him here and they certainly didn't need him alive to rat on them. He was probably dirty anyway, that was the only way Cadmon had ever been able to rationalize why practically no one in the underworld actually had any damn information on him.

Gun still lazily leveled with Harper's general direction, Cadmon simply scowled, he'd move when she did, and he'd kill the bastard if he went too far with his line of questioning or didn't get the big picture. Probably would shoot him even if he did.

[member="Kole Harper"] | [member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Sober

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A loud exhale of relief left Joy, a sound she couldn't suppress. For now, something like peace was brokered. Whether that would remain would be seen, but still; at least this tiny bar wouldn't get ripped to shreds, "All right. A walk." She kept her gaze firmly on Geller as she addressed the other detective, that same glint of 'don't you fething dare' in her eyes.

She began to slide past him, towards the exit that Harper had been indicating at with his barrel. Even though she wasn't necessarily the target, the crosshairs loomed over her like an executioner waiting to strike. The majority of the patrons had left -- The ones who remained to watch simply returned to their drinks and entertainment now that the fun had moved on. Her joints felt stiffer and her soul heavier once she passed through the threshold of the bar, back into the crowded streets of 1313's nightlife.

Things weren't ideal.

Turning slightly, she waited for Geller and Harper to catch up, and hopefully, wouldn't catch either them about to start fighting to the gladiatorial death again. Because next time she wasn't sure if she could get in between them in time.

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Spoiler: Interacting With

[member="Cadmon Geller"] [member="Kole Harper"]

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Crystal Checking In

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This is bad.

Beneath his boot the glass continued to be whittled down into smaller and smaller specs that would soon only turn into a reflective speck. Kole stood still as the two began walking to the door, but only for a second as he forced a large exhale in frustration, confusion and pity. With each step he then took shattered glass and splintered wood fell from his coat, as it was loosely imbedded within after that brief scuffle. The bar had seen better days but it would survive, yet Harper gave no coin, he remained on edge.

Once finally standing outside in the dark, barely lit street of Level 1313 he gave the chance for Joy to explain once more, and with any luck the neanderthal wouldn't begin throwing things. "Explain. All of it." It was a disappointment, really. As far as he knew there was no logical reasoning behind it, and perhaps she was a mole; a criminal herself. His gaze was filled with contempt as he felt concern, unsure if he really wanted the truth.

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[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"] | [member="Cadmon Geller"]

 

[Cadmon Geller]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Outside Bar, Undetermined Time

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Leaving the establishment, Cadmon gave Joy a hard look, he fething dared, just not yet. Not long ago Harper had been just another hitman on Alliance payroll, knowingly or not. Ragmar's "Raiders" had indeed been a mercenary group, one operating in Alliance territory at that, but they'd been providing security for frontier settlements at the edge of the Alliance's grasp, not raiding and murdering. All it took was one Alliance marine getting shivved in a back alley to give them the excuse they needed, no one was going to question a damn thing when it came to putting down vets from the losing side.

The bastards.

Exiting the bar, weapon still in hand, the commando stared daggers at the other man. The second Joy moved, Cadmon was going to tear his fething head off and let his body fall all the way to bottom. Pass it off as Coratanni or something. Maybe she'd understand after the fact, maybe she wouldn't, he'd go after the beast alone if he had to. Blood called for blood, always.

Kole demanded answers rather boldly for a dead man, but Geller let him ask, Joy's answer would be more than sufficient. She was already doing more than the rest of the force about the animal running rampant on the streets, not that Harper was good for dealing with actual threats anyway.

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[member="Kole Harper"] | [member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Sober

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"We're working together."

That sounded really bad. Kriff.

"Working together to take down someone worse. Beast of J-17?" Hopefully that would get some gears turning in Harper's head, at least Joy prayed, "He's going after everyone. Innocents, CSF, Coratanni, anyone on the streets. Someone like that needs to be stopped." In her mind's eye she could see the burning apartment building, helping the people, triaging them. If the beast had been off the streets how many more people would be alive right now?

There was no room for hesitation. Meeting Harper's gaze she scowled at what she saw there, shaking her head with a surprising amount of venom in her voice, "And you know better than I that the department's not going to give this the full attention it deserves. They'll only start to care once something really, really, really bad happens, something we could prevent if we get him ourselves." Her eyes wandered back to Cadmon out of reflex.

That was all she had. Would it be enough? May the office of Internal Affairs have mercy on her soul.

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Spoiler: Interacting With

[member="Cadmon Geller"] [member="Kole Harper"]

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | The Less I Know The Better

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Internal Affairs was a tricky trade, really. It was a public office with dedicated members who wore such a title in the open, but not Kole. The man's background made him perfect for the role, but he could do good elsewhere. A secretive member of IA that worked cases like any other Detective. Maybe the work load was too much, but Kole preferred to be occupied with a busy mind. It kept it from wandering elsewhere... to darker places he'd rather it not go. Escaping reality, if but for a moment, was the greatest joy he could find these days.

Kole knew Joy was no liar, the aggressive sincerity to her words told him so. From start to finish he agreed entirely, and Kole despised the fact. It was a question of morals. The law could not answer for it was too black and white in this regard. One thing pressed on his mind, a simple question he had to ask. "What happens to Geller after this?" Whether she told the truth or not, it didn't matter. Kole only hoped Joy's reply claimed he was to be locked away, answering for his crimes. He only ever wanted to do what was right.

His expression was blank, a resting face of uncertainty. Not for a second had he glanced towards Cadmon throughout his process of thought, and stared at Joy before and after asking his very simply yet important question.

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[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"] | [member="Cadmon Geller"]

 

[Cadmon Geller]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Outside Bar, Undetermined Time

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The man really did have to be a special talent for being blunt, even if it was irrevocably stupid. "Well first, I'm gonna blow your skull out." He answered nonchalantly, the rage subsiding in favor of cold indifference. "Then I'm gonna get off world." Cadmon concluded matter-of-factly, saving the bit relating to Harper likely having trouble dealing with foes who actually were aware they were in a fight.

Damn animal.

His eyes drifted down to Joy on instinct, meeting them for a moment before flicking away, instead resting on the ruins of the bombed out tenement building where the ruins had already been picked clean, the belongings of the survivors long gone, leaving them with nothing but the cold streets. The Beast was doing far more than just killing people, he was taking any semblance of hope from those who managed to survive.

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[member="Kole Harper"] | [member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Sober

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"Hey, I don't want anybody to get shot except the enemy and that's only if we can't bring him in." Joy slipped her hands into her jacket pocket, sighing quietly in irritation. They were like fighting Akk Dogs, neither one looking to back down or relent from the challenge of dominance between them. Of course, in this case, it ran much deeper than that. But still.

Admittedly, Joy hadn't thought that far ahead -- Foresight wasn't her strong point. Maybe she had been hoping, with his services to the CSF, 'debts' would be forgiven. Immunity deals on the table, maybe? But perhaps that wasn't that realistic. At the end of the day, Cadmon was right; good wouldn't wash out the bad. Scratching the back of her head, the Detective only managed to answer, "And I guess we'll see what happens once this bastard is off the street. That's my priority right now. Getting the Beast in a cage."

It seemed that maybe Kole had finally started to understand. Hopefully.

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Spoiler: Interacting With

[member="Cadmon Geller"] [member="Kole Harper"]

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | The Less I Know The Better

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By now it was difficult to convince Joy he wasn't working on behalf of Internal Affairs with this matter, and her career's life fell upon his shoulders, and he took on the weight. Unless Cadmon attempted to kill Kole, Joy needed him. Geller's threats didn't make an impact on Harper; he'd heard it all before, the tough guy act was overdone and had gotten stale. The stoic individuals blank stare unwavering as he spoke to the woman with a bland tone, "When this is done, so is he." Thrusting his left index finger in the direction of the criminal.

​Whether he wanted it or not, it didn't matter. The law was the law, and someone like Kole had no hopes for changing it or how it operated. Perhaps immunity was a viable option, but Geller wasn't worthy of it. Assuming that Cadmon had a reason of his own to settle this score; not just out of the kindness of his heart. There weren't many people that worked that way, and this man wasn't one of them. That much Kole knew.

His final look to Joy was expectantly, as if he was agreeing it needed to be stopped. Which this Beast certainly did. The situation was uncomfortable, made him feel uneasy. Though sometimes you have to wake up from the fantasy world you find yourself inside. It wasn't as black and white as it once seemed.

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[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"] | [member="Cadmon Geller"]

 

[Cadmon Geller]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Outside Bar, Undetermined Time

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If he had any kind of response to Harper's bold assumption, he didn't share it out loud. Instead Geller remained utterly silent. Whether Kole had no idea what he'd done or not, it didn't matter, some men never bothered to see anything other than what was on the other end of their blaster, they never questioned what politically motivated lies were fed to them, they just did as they were told. He expected it from soldiers, it was what they were trained to do, but from law enforcement? He'd have expected some sort of greater commitment to due process.

Yet Harper still thought himself a righteous man, on the right side of morality, when in truth he was just as much a dog on a leash as Cadmon had been. At the very least he could see that now. His detective tried to mediate the tension, admirably even, but she likely already could tell just how deep the animosity ran. She also knew that while Harper would jump on a chance to arrest Geller, Cadmon would just as soon shoot him in the back, execute him as he had those thugs on 1316.

He was a violent and dangerous man after all, a remorseless killer who looked out only for himself. At least according to his GA Dossier. Why would they ever lie?

"We're gonna need intel. Intel you two can't come by."

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[member="Kole Harper"] | [member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Sober

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She chose to not directly address Kole's be-all end-all statement. It was a threat, one promising certain and swift ramifications for her... Associate? Would-be partner? Perhaps even a friend? Describing her relationship with Cadmon felt like describing the nature of the universe at this stage. Still, Joy couldn't spend too much time arguing semantics with Harper, when she knew it'd be near impossible to get him to budge from his position against Geller. They were simply forces destined to clash, and the Nyriaanian couldn't exactly change that in the span of a few seconds.

"He's right. CSF can't be everywhere at once, especially considering half this planet wants us out of their business and turf anyhow, and half of them wouldn't talk to us like they'd talk to Geller."

Shades of grey. T'was always shades of moral grey. Her shaky heartbeat started to steady, though -- She was relieved things had started to get, well, not as tense.

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Spoiler: Interacting With

[member="Cadmon Geller"] [member="Kole Harper"]

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | The Less I Know The Better

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"Give me everything on the beast, then." There was no room for an error, a lapse in judgement, or clutching at straws. Not only Joy's career was on the line, but Kole's too; and it was all he had, whilst Nascimento may very well of had more things to love about life. Harper had to be absolutely certain that there was something tangible, that they were truly doing what they claimed. Both of his hands found their way into the pockets on his coat, a thumb protruding from each. A soft two steps backwards taken, standing beneath a neon pink light that washed over his face before he leaned against the wall.

Nothing was ever so black and white - colour always found a way to seep on in.

If only Geller knew Kole's background was as a soldier, perhaps then the connection would make sense. The lifestyle never dwindled within him, a man quick to action with a loaded gun and a memory of orders. That was Kole Harper. Though he always offered a choice, unfortunately Cadmon and the Raiders received no such thing. Maybe things would be different, yet Kole was a man doing as he was told back then. A dog on a leash, but now he roamed free, facing his own demons.

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[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"] | [member="Cadmon Geller"]

 

[Cadmon Geller]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Outside Bar, Undetermined Time

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"Besides his literal calling card, we know nothing, that's the problem." He said bluntly, the specialized sidearm finding it's way back to its holster as the trio were bathed in neon light. The man had done well enough at covering his tracks, and there was no freely given information he or Joy had been able to come by so it seemed. But unlike her, there were more than a few ways he could go about obtaining some if he got his hands dirty for the right information broker.

So he would.

"Give me a few days, I'll see what I can find out." He offered, the hostility in his voice still present, but faded for the most part. He had bigger things to worry about than his own vendetta or the judgments of a CSF detective, at least not Harper's. Cadmon had refrained from this course of action in hopes that he wouldn't have to stick his hands so deep into the mud for once in his life. As always, he was wrong.

Why was he always wrong?

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[member="Kole Harper"] | [member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"]​

 

[Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | Sober

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A flush of utter relief flooded through Joy. Finally, de-escalation, for now. Geller's plan of going solo didn't exactly thrill her, but, it really was the only way forward, and the only way to continue past this.

She glanced over to Harper afterwards, eyebrow raised curiously, "Does that work for you?" It was a genuine question. One that direly needed an answer. One word from Harper to pretty much anyone else in the system and her badge would be stripped, Geller would be hunted off world but most importantly, their chase would be over. That had been hanging over their heads this entire time but at least Kole seemed to be on the same page as them now.

"It works for me. I can keep following up on what I found out."

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Spoiler: Interacting With

[member="Cadmon Geller"] [member="Kole Harper"]

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Coruscant, Level 1313, Bar, Undetermined Time | The Less I Know The Better

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"Yes." Kole lied. If there was anything he didn't want it was a lack of evidence, or leads. Although, there was one, 'his calling card', whatever that may be. Kole wasn't aware of it, and as far as he knew there was nothing but a pursuit on the pieces this man leaves behind. Putting him away, or killing him even, was the only true end goal of this investigation. Kole only lied because there was no point in denying them this, turning them over. Perhaps it was 'unlawful' to a degree, but it served it's purpose all the same. It wasn't as if he could stop them either, that much he knew for certain.

He glanced left, he glanced right, he pushed himself off of the wall. Kole's hands ran down his coat briefly, patting down whatever grime came off of that wall and stuck to him like glue. "Keep me in the loop." Harper continued, nodding his head three, brief times. His hands shifted up towards his collar, folding it over to cover his neck and parts the lower half of his face. There was nothing left to be said, and something inside him knew the more he heard the more he wanted out.

With a few steps back onto the street Kole vanished into the vast crowd, filled with several species of aliens as well as humans, even cyborgs. If there ever was something Kole was good at, it was being a faceless nobody in a crowd.

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[member="Joy Erantes-do-Nascimento"] | [member="Cadmon Geller"]