Want to Make A Deal? (Honest and JaK)

After he finished his examination of Butterfinger's escape JaK turned to see how Honest was doing with the interrogation of Balthazar. Upon doing so JaK heard the oh so familiar sound of a shot fired, followed by Marlo Suda's image standing over the body of the now dead man. The smoldering gun was in the hand of the former Red Dagger Elite's palm while blood splatter encased the ground and a bit of Marlo's boot. Afterwards JaK's accomplice shakily spoke that the job was done and they could go home, but for JaK this was far from over.

Many assumed Sage was a badass, a guy not afraid to do what needed to be done, but again, despite all that he had never crossed that line. The line Liev had just crapped all over. The line between hero, villain, and the in between had definitely been blurred and JaK didn't know who to blame for smudging it. JaK had always presumed Honest was more of a bleeding heart than a fighter, a warrior, or even a savior, but now....Now he had shown exactly how far he would go. The question was still begging in JaK's mind...Was that even necessary? Hell, even if it was, did he have the right to do that? What a mad man, a serial killer or a super villain did they had limited control over, but JaK and Liev, they were Titans! They were supposed to be the good guys and JaK wasn't going to lie to himself, he had almost done the same thing many a time, but with the knowledge of what his partner had just done in his mind JaK had to wonder... Could he ever trust Liev again?

"Y-Y-You shot him...in cold blood like that? The hell are you doing!? Ya were under cover, but were still Titans dammit!!"

JaK had a random outburst, but then quickly calmed himself and just looked at Balthazar's image. It wasn't the first time he had seen a dead body or the first time he had watched one of his teammates kill, but every time it made him question if it was really him who was the renegade of the Titans here; Zack, Grace, and Liev had all knowingly killed other living and breathing human beings. Some deaths may have been admittedly unavoidable, but wasn't it their job as heroes to find out? Sage was trying to reconcile with his teammates decision in his head. He told himself it was necessary, that it had to be done to keep their covers, that man had been a killer, Honest's cover might have corrupted him, but no matter which way you slice it Honest had made a call that any soldier in the field might have made to preserve the mission and JaK couldn't condemn him for it. Morally, however, JaK didn't know what to think.

"You're right....Lets get out of here."

That being said, JaK removed his eye-patch that came with the guise of Fusion. His voice was cold to be quite honest. Originally they might have built a rather close, or closer, bond then what they had in the last month or so, but with that singular act JaK had now pushed Liev to the brim of his emotional spectrum. No longer a teammate, a friend, or partner, but a stranger...someone he worked with and that was all. In the days that had passed JaK realized he had been wrong about Liev alll that time; he had proven himself a competent combatant, skillful liar, masterful technician and then he shattered JaK's image of what he thought he knew once again by proving he was what they fought [i]against[i/]. If even Liev could fall too such an end, what hope did JaK have? How long was it going to be until he came upon a situation where he would have to make the same choice, and what was scarier, would he ever stop once he made it?

"Splendid."

JaK looked on as the men had come to aid Honest. It's a good thing to, because JaK wouldn't have lifted a finger to aid him. It's kind of poetic in a way, in fact an oxymoron or even ironic, one of the of those words fancy lit. writers would use to describe the situation. The rough and tough Titan simply had an issue with killing, it was the one line he wouldn't cross. He knew there were people he couldn't save, he knew people would die on his watch, but he would never take someone's life by his own hand. He had tried it before, didn't work out for him. Simple reason; it's too easy...WAY too damn easy. Just like it's easy to do what you want, it's easy to take what not yours when you can, it's easy to just run away, but the problem is when does it all stop? Liev on the other hand was fine? Had he been corrupted, JaK wasn't so sure anymore. Honest was his code name, but JaK was just now getting the complete irony behind it. JaK genuinely thought he had began to understand the guy. He thought he knew what kind of person he was. Boy had he been wrong, hence the name. Honest had fooled him and apparently even fooled himself if he truly believed the babble he spat about being a hero. Being a 'savior' was being just that, a savior, all the time. Not half the time and then the rest the executioner. If there were others they couldn't save or wouldn't, fine, but JaK would never be the executioner and that's where he and Liev were forever going to differ until the day JaK was finally brought to his level or was killed. To be quite honest, minus the irony of course, but just the simple plain old truth of the matter; JaK never wanted to be anything, like, near, or on the same level as this guy.

"I don't want your rank, a gold star, nuthin but what was promised to me. The Titan's names cleared along with any other offences against us....."

JaK then looked with contempt towards Honest. They were back to where they began when all of this first started, in fact, they were actually worse. Where before JaK didn't like him, he now had reason to loathe him. Liev was a liar, a murderer, and yet claimed to be the make up of what heroes are made of by even holding the namesake of the Titans. JaK may not be the best role model for kids out there, but what he did believe in, he stood behind firmly. His teammate, however, he did not know how he could go on. How could he even be honest with himself when he had to justify his own motives every day, when he had to pretend everyday to be something/someone else, how did he even live with himself.

"...Give your congrats to him and your titles. You know by now he can play any part he feels, why not a government dog to."

Along with Titan, hero, killer, murderer, God, executioner, jury, victim, etc...As JaK pondered these thoughts he walked away rather disgusted and exited the room. This was not a victory today, a lot of people had to die over largely simple notions of ideas and greed.

"Oh, haven't you heard General?"

JaK spoke matter of factually, sharing no feelings for the man beside him, but rather contempt. His justifications, wait no, his reasoning for what he did provided no excuses for Liev calling himself a hero. Yet, at the same time was an avid liar and now apparently and unrepenting death seeker. If Honest had not saved so many lives JaK would qualify him in same category as a Benedict Arnold, a fake, phony, and any other word for turncoat he could think of.

"Killing anyone who's dangerous is the most effective way to deliver justice. It's simple, it's easy, and the best thing about it for people like him is like he just said...Hell never have to truly look at himself in the mirror after he does it because you can always wear a mask."

JaK then slammed both hands upon General Whitberg's desk and stood to leave, he was done here. He had done what he came to do and any more time with Liev might cause him to forget his manners. However, JaK of course had a few parting words as he exited the doorway. Not waiting for any clever retort, not waiting to see the look on Honest's face when he said this, not caring about the generals response. Just talking as he left and then going back home. He had enough deceiving others and being deceived to fill two lifetimes.

"But, no matter what you do, you know without those masks on...you're just as ugly as the choices you make....And no matter how you try to change it, like one's looks, the true nature of your choices will never change...They'll always be hideous deep down, just like you."

Honest sighed at Whitberg’s reply; he should have expected such from a Government goon, but hey, he wasn’t lying. At least he told the truth and made no promises that he could keep. But before he could reply, JaK had began ranting and raving about morals and obligations, masks and lies and how he was evil and blah, blah, blah.

Then, just when Honest had tuned out the ex-cooperative to a most satisfying level, he had left. The great JaK had left the building with the knowledge of what Honest truthfully, really, genuinely was, which happened to be anything but what his codename implied. That was the cherry to Honest’s appealing, misguiding lie.

He coughed, stood, stretched, yawned, and smacked his lips as if waking up from a lovely and satisfying dream. “What he said,” the actor replied soporifically and quite sarcastically, “especially the part about it being simple, easy, and effective... justice, of course, but I do suppose it can describe the rest of his words quite well. A lovely exit, yes, and with a very dramatic feeling to be left with. I suppose that’s my cue, too, so thank you very much, fare-well and such and such, nice to meet you; just can’t beat you, but hope to never see you or ever have to be you, especially because you’ve made me need a buzz. Th-th-th-th-th-thaaaaaaaaat’s all folks! Auf Wiedersehen, Lang lebe Deutschland!”

He took General Whitberg’s hand, shook it and smiled, then turned heel and headed out the door, hoping to phase the U.S. Official with his salute of ”Long live Germany!”