Grey had probably the worst luck on the planet lately.
First the bugs, then the ordeal with the Vessel, and now even this small chore of procuring parts has been complicated.
Something tapped on his boot and Grey looked down at Ren. Mercifuly, Ren understood that if Grey had stopped there was a good reason. Grey shifted his position on the ladder, pointed in the direction of the holo, and held up a finger.
Complication. One target.
There were a multitude of ways to handle this, but this was Ren's game.
After a moment of thought, Ren nodded and gestured for Grey to move up. Looked like he wanted to keep going. Ren wouldn't want to kill, he may be socially deaf but he wasn't heartless. That means Grey's options were to be non-lethal.
A hard hit to the head, maybe. Choke him unconscious. Hold him up at gun point. Distract him. Fight him.
Play it by ear, Grey.
Grey slowly climbed the last rungs of the ladder before helping Ren up to the landing with him. Grey started forward, and Ren grabbed his arm.
He had a look of uncertainty in his eyes, which Grey had never seen before. Ren had been getting in trouble with the law for years by now, but had always avoided violent situations. That luck wouldn't last forever, especially now when Grey's life could depend on their success.
Unfortunately for them both, time was not on their side. The worker wouldn't stay distracted by repairs forever. After a few more seconds of contemplating Ren gave a single nod.
We move forward. Do whatever you think is best.
Grey returned the nod and steeled his nerves. He crept forward, careful to step on the grate edge closest to the railings. The whole outer shell of the building creaked with the wind, masking any sounds Grey made.
In a few more steps he'd be close enough to strike.
Tackle. Restrain arms. Cover mouth. Tie up.
With the plan locked in his mind, Grey lunged.
He slammed into the man's back, taking them both to the grated floor with a horrid shrieking of steel. The man grunted in surprise, pausing just long enough for Grey to get hold of one arm. As he reached for the second, his target slammed his head back into Grey's nose, dating him and drawing a concerning amount of blood.
With his attacker's grip loosened the worker managed to shoved Grey off him and turn the fight to an even playing field. Discarding any interest in questioning Grey's motives, he shot towards Grey before he could fully recover from being thrown off.
One hand grabbed on his neck, the other landing a punch to Grey's face, then another right after before Grey managed a pitiful defense. The two grappled for a few seconds, slamming Grey's s back against the railing, two untrained fighters straining for the upper hand.
The managed to free his hand from Grey's grip and joined it with the other around his throat and squeezed. Grey's own hands flew to his neck, trying desperately to wrench them free.
Tense moments passed as the larger mans grip tightened, marking the begin of the end to this fight. But Grey wasn't going to give up, he'd survived so much recently, he wasn't going to let a single opponent be the end of him.
Grey doubled his efforts to break free, using every last bit of strength he could muster. Yet Grey just wasnt as strong as his opponent.
But he was more resourceful.
Grey opened his mouth, sucking in the blood pouring from his nose before spitting it all in the technician's face. The man recoiled, blinded, giving Grey just enough slack break his hold but not enough to get out from his unfavorable position.
He desperately needed to make space between them. He needed room to breathe. The world around him had narrowed to nothing but his opponent and himself.
Grey gripped the railing at his back and leaned back, raising his legs to kick the technician back and create the distance he so needed.
The man staggered back, still blinded when he hit the low railing and went right over it.
And just like that, it was over. There was no triumph, no surrender, no lesson learned or treasure won.
All it took was a single moment, and a man died without a word.
The reality of it all crashed into Grey. The realization of just how insane his life has been, the sheer odds he had survived.
And yet another man died here, in far less dangerous conditions.
At his hands.
For a cable.
A cable that he would need to live, to get free of the intruder in his body.
This man may have died from Grey's direct actions, but he placed the blame squarely on the Vessel. If it hadn't taken over, invaded that one thing that was truly his, then this wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't have ever been here if it hadn't kept him alive and this man would have gone home tonight.
His thoughts began as a trickle as the adrenaline wore down, then into a whirlpool of anger, guilt, and shock. But before it could reach the apex and suck him in, he heard rustling from his side.
Grey looked over to find Ren digging into the dead man's bag.
"What...what are you doing, kid?" He asked, unable to remember their original goal.
Ren kept searching without a glance to Grey, "He was working on the holo screen. He might have the part we need for the field emitter."
Grey was aghast, simply shocked at the boys apparant callousness.
"Ren...a man just...he just died."
Ren eyes finally met Grey's, "And what will happen to you if we don't get this part? If we're still here when to police come? He's dead, he doesn't need this. We do."
The look in the young man's eyes and the wave thing of his voice told Grey everything.
So that was it. Ren wasn't was being callous, he was still thinking of the job. Of saving Grey.
He knew they needed to move fast or it was all for nothing. The technician would have died for nothing.
While Ren grabbed the part they came for, and some extras to boot, Grey centered himself.
They had to go, and there was no time to regret his actions. He'd done what he'd needed to live.
Finally, he raised himself up, took his bag from Ren, and followed the boy back inside the building.