Beware of Ferrics Bearing Gifts

[Odelina Meltzer]

She shook her head weakly. "Arresting people out of convenience and outright lying in order to comfort ourselves and them, is not helpful. It does not help the investigation and it does not make the city any safer. If we come across as trigger-happy, we lose whatever trust we may have had."

Theoretically, it could have been true. Maybe the arrogant and short-tempered Masello was indeed both a lot more cunning than he appeared, and a willing suicide bomber as well. But how likely was that?

"And the gala and the Justice Hall? I very much doubt one man is responsible for all of them."

[Ferric Vintas]

Despite his best efforts, Ferric couldn’t help but continue to smile. He was sure she wanted to be taken seriously, but that was too much. The result was a twisted grin that looked like he was in a bit of pain. Through gritted teeth, he jovially told her, “You have no idea how endearing your idealism is, Odelina.”

After a bit of recovery, he continued, “But you misunderstand me. I’m not saying they’re going to accuse him of planting the bombs; that is surely a fool’s errand, as you say. They’ll go after him simply for neglecting his duty to guard the blasted thing. Hm…” Ferric paused reflectively, the smile vanishing from his face. “Poor choice of words, that. Regardless, he failed to perform his duty of guarding the wall and is the easiest of those involved to let go.”

“Like yours truly, he’s rubbed plenty of folks the wrong way in the past. Nobody will be sad to see him go; Farius isn’t exactly guard material and we both know it. I just hope he doesn’t drag Sisara down with him.”

[Odelina Meltzer]

She let out a strained sigh. To think, that for a moment she’d genuinely believed it was possible to have an actual conversation with Vintas.

“You mistake ‘idealism’ with the desire to get one fucking job done properly, but suit yourself. Are we finished here? It’s not like I’m going to have any part in this joke of an investigation.”

[Ferric Vintas]

Ferric stopped laughing immediately at her hostile response. “…It seems I’ve misstepped. I apologize.” He frowned, and though his eyes narrowed he was looking ambiguously in Odelina’s direction instead of directly at her. He took a deep breath and the edge of his lip twisted contemplatively.

In a voice slightly higher than his usual cadence, he told her, “Though I still don’t know what I’m saying to earn your ire.”

[Odelina Meltzer]

Ferric's last words were so unexpected she burst into laughter, until pain forced her to stop. "Oh Changers. Is that it? You have no idea what your words sound like to other people? That would certainly explain a lot."

She closed her eyes, in a mix of amusement or exhaustion. "You know what the Guard urgently needs, Vintas? Better employee screening. Much better."

[Ferric Vintas]

Ferric leaned back, raising his left arm in front of his chest. His voice became uncharacteristically defensive. “Everything I’ve done has been for the benefit of others.”

He rolled his shoulders again. “Besides… if the screening was better, Sisara never would have made it in. I’ve got her pegged as ex-thief.”