Lopera: What ... What is this place?
Major Kasyan: Some kind of old estate by the look of it.
The soldiers, experienced in jungle warfare, crouch low, hiding their forms in the shade of the tall walled structure.
Lopera: The last shots we heard came from somewhere near here, but there are no signs of any battle.
While there's no sign of battle, a quick investigation soon reveals that within the estate are a large force of Zeno rebels, along with members of the Apostles Brotherhood.
Major Kasyan: If there wasn't a fight, it could mean that Sandro escaped, or he was captured.
Major Kasyan: Then this is the estate the mutineer we interrogated mentioned.
Major Kasyan: There are some oddly dressed people here, besides the rebels and Apostles.
A few strangely dressed individuals sporadically move between the doors and the courtyard, their dark clothes not suited to the Brazilian sun.
Lopera: Manus Vindictae.
Major Kasyan: Look at all these crates. The wood looks bone dry—these must have been brought in recently.
Major Kasyan: This may be their main base of operations. If so, we have an opportunity to deal a lethal blow to them here and now.
Lopera: Be careful. There's someone over there. See that strange, black-haired woman? Those claws of hers don't look like fashion accessories.
Major Kasyan: My God, what is that she's eating? Is that ... human!?
Lopera: Look closer, Major. It's turkey, just an old dry one.
Major Kasyan: That's one big turkey leg.
Major Kasyan: So, what's in God's name is going on here? Rebels, the Brotherhood, clawed cultists?
Lopera: It doesn't matter. Zeno can handle them all the same way.
A small gray pellet bounces in Lopera's hand.
Lopera: Take them out first, ask questions later.
Lopera: Be careful. I have a feeling that the turkey-eating mujer will be a toughie.
GAMEPLAY
???: No! No, no, no!
???: I don't know anything. I don't know!
Lopera: Who are you?
She lowers her eyes, refusing to answer. Lopera doesn't care.
Lopera: And you're with Manus Vindictae?
???: Y-Yes.
Lopera: Then you're going back with the rest of these prisoners.
Her head flutters like a banana leaf in a hurricane.
???: No! I didn't mean that! Please, I haven't any idea who these people are or why they came to São Paulo!
???: I-I only came out here looking for food, and might I say that turkey was utterly revolting.
The bizarre and apparently very hungry woman had been a powerful opponent. Ordinarily, she might be intrigued by her story, true or not, but she had other things on her mind.
Lopera: I need to ask you about a couple of people.
???: O-Of course!
She nods eagerly—desperately.
Lopera: I'm looking for a man named Rodrygo. Middle-aged, tan brown skin, wearing a vest.
She nods frantically, hoping to trade her answers for freedom.
???: I think I saw him, yes! The large man that came out from the forest, he was with someone else; a young man ...
Lopera: A young man?! Could that've been Sandro?
???: I'm afraid I don't know. I didn't know any of them, I swear, I'm not lying!
???: The Brotherhood took the old man and locked him in the basement. The younger man ran away into the forest.
???: I-I could find him for you! I have an excellent sense of smell, if I do say so myself.
Lopera: Forget about it, girlie. You've got bad news written all over you.
???: Please, let me go! I'll be good! I-I'll never see those bloody Manus Vindictae again!
Lopera: You don't really think I'm just going to let you go, right? Sorry, lady, you're going straight to the Zeno lock-up until we know what to do with you.
???: L-Lock-up?!
???: I've told you everything! Please, please, Miss, why can't you just let me go?!
???: I don't want to go to jail! I won't! I won't!
She springs forward, her claws slicing the air, almost scratching the soldiers holding her back.
Zeno Soldier: This wacko cultist's getting out of control!
???: I am not! I'm not in any kind of cult!!
Lopera: Just get her moving. Those arcanum restraints have a time limit.
Two soldiers drag the struggling prisoner away to a particular cell on a particular base.
Rebels, the Apostles Brotherhood, and now Manus Vindictae, the complexity of the situation is now far out of hand.
But she still has one clear and unequivocal purpose—find Rodrygo and, through him, Sandro.
She cannot fail her mission.
Major Kasyan: This must be the basement.
Rodrygo lies slumped in a corner, unconscious and covered in blood.
Lopera: Yeah, that's him, Rodrygo.
A set of frayed ropes lies around him, along with a sharp, blood-stained stone.
Major Kasyan: He might be bleeding out. I'll check on him.
Major Kasyan steps forward to lift his head, checking for signs of life.
Major Kasyan: —!
Rodrygo suddenly bolts up, seizing the major by the throat, then pulling him close to make him a human shield.
Lopera: Kasyan!
The sharp bloody stone is pressed up to Kasyan's carotid artery—as at the same moment, her revolver is pointed to Rodrygo's forehead.
Major Kasyan: Lope ... He ... doesn't—
Rodrygo: Shut up!
Rodrygo: Drop the gun, or Zeno loses another fine officer, today.
Lopera: Rodrygo, you have no way out!
The hand holding the stone shard trembles, leaving a red gash on Kasyan's neck.
Major Kasyan: Ugh!
Rodrygo: What are you even doing here?!
Lopera: I told you that you'd never keep me locked up.
Lopera: Where is Sandro?
Rodrygo: No! You know I'll never tell! He'll be free of all this soon!
Anxiety and desire churn in Lopera's stomach. Her patience wears thin.
Lopera: One last chance, Rodrygo. Keeping your mouth shut won't help you now. Zeno will find him.
Rodrygo: Sandro isn't involved in any of this. I'm the one at fault here.
Lopera: He isn't involved?
Rodrygo: And Sandro, he's just a kid.
Lopera: I've had it with your lies!
Lopera: You wanna explain why this "innocent kid" had dealings with the Apostles Brotherhood?
Rodrygo: Only because of his idiot father—
Lopera: "Father?" Do you really think you can play the hero here?
Lopera: Did you even once stop to think what would become of Sandro after all this?
Lopera: You're just turning him into another you! A total moron!
Lopera: A turncoat traitor, selling out everyone he knows for a bit of cash!
Lopera: If he grows up to be like you in the end, then he'll be just another conman—always on the run with not a single person that cares whether he lives or dies!
Lopera: Or I can take Sandro back with me. Zeno can turn him around, teach him what honor means.
Rodrygo: Sandro will never go with you! I'll never let Zeno take him!
Rodrygo: An army that brutalizes neighborhoods, then kills its own officers, and you have the gall to tell me about "honor"!?
Lopera: That's never happening again.
Rodrygo: Heh. Little birdie, once there is a first, there will come a second, and a third.
Lopera: You don't know anything, old man.
Father & Rodrygo: No, you're the one who doesn't get it!
Father: I struggled my whole life! Who helped me?! Who gave me a damn thing?!
Father: Nobody!
Father: Everything I have—my family, my property—I earned it, and I'll protect it by any means necessary!
Father: I've never killed anyone innocent; I just did what I had to do. You think every one of them wouldn't have done the same, if they were in my shoes?
Father: I'm sorry about your friend, but it wasn't my fault.
Father: Of course, I care about you. Your friend, her name was Nydia! See, I remember. I'm not as uncaring as you might think.
Lopera: You're lying!
Father: No! Listen!
Father: Don't say it! Don't you open your mouth! Pray I don't hear your voice again today!
Father: Damn you! Just go to your room!
Lopera: I'm never setting foot in that room again!
Lopera: I'm not afraid of you! I'm not afraid of anything. I'll run away. You can't lock me up!
Father: Where will you go?! Take one step outside, and those brutes will tear you apart!
Lopera: Nydia, Laura, and their parents ... They hated you, not me.
Lopera: I've done nothing wrong!
Father: Is that so? What makes you think you deserve to stand here, to live as you do?
Father: I should kick you out, send you back to the banana plantations! Let you experience the disease and death I took you away from! Then you'll see! Then you'll behave!
Lopera: No. Never.
Father: Don't you think you've got their blood on your hands too?!
Lopera: Nothing like that!
Father: You, you have no idea what you're doing!
Lopera: Fine! Then I'll stay ignorant!
Major Kasyan: Lopera!
Lopera: ...
The major grabs Rodrygo's falling body by the arms, gently lowering it to the ground. The shot echoes over and over against the cramped stone chamber, leaving their ears ringing.
Major Kasyan: There's nothing pleasant about a bullet grazing your face.
Major Kasyan: But it's better than a slit throat. I owe you, Lieutenant.
Lopera: Sorry. I'm glad you're okay.
Lopera: Sandro is still out there.
Major Kasyan: Are you insane?
Kasyan shakes Lopera by the shoulders, but quickly stops. The girl looks ready to fall apart.
Major Kasyan: Forget it. I don't care about your orders or mine. Don't go after him. Let it go.
Major Kasyan: I'm taking you back to base to recuperate.
Lopera: But the admiral said ...
A soldier rushes in, interrupting their conversation.
Zeno Soldier: Major, we heard a shot! Is everything okay?
Major Kasyan: I was taken hostage by a prisoner, but Lieutenant Lopera here saved my life.
Zeno Soldier: Your aim is still as flawless as ever, Lieutenant.
Zeno Soldier: Unfortunately, I have something urgent to report.
Zeno Soldier: We found the body of a young man on the perimeter. Seems he died about ten minutes ago.
Zeno Soldier: Gunshot wound, looks to be self-inflicted.
Major Kasyan: My God, this is a dark day.