Carver only chuckled confidently at Winn's accusation.
"Oh, come now. What a ridiculous thing to say," he merely replied, shaking his head in an exaggerated show of denial.
"No... That's not entirely the case. Your evidence there wasn't planted, but rather, I realized that it would be such good bait. Besides, when it comes to people working in the UN, I couldn't imagine there'd be any place I'd be able to hide it anyway. You know how what they say, the government's always trying to spy on your private affairs," he said casually.
"Cute," Ginoza said, the only thing he could muster to spit out.
Continuing from there, Carver spoke again as though he could read Toboe's mind.
"I suppose it would be a bit overdramatic to just kill you and leave you somewhere for someone else to discover... Not even I can deny that it'd be bad for optics if we had to report your untimely deaths, but I simply can't have you continuing to interfere in my plans. Especially when Master Revan is reaching such a critical state in his own plan," the old man monologued.
"I suppose the compromise is that we'll simply have to make you... disappear. You understand, right? There is such a thing as bad publicity, you've made me realize."
"Now, then. Men, why don't you--" Carver began, before a strange sound rang out throughout the warehouse.
Clack clack.
"Huh?"
Out of seemingly nowhere, a small, metallic orb suddenly rolled toward Carver and his group of underlings, and in just a few seconds, Carver's eyes widened as he realized what it was meant to be. The proper name for it was "thermal detonator," but the others in the room would probably better recognize what it was meant to be if it was called...
"GRENADE! Get out of my way, you buffoons!" Carver suddenly cried out, stepping back and even pushing one of his own soldiers toward the thermal detonator to make room for himself.
"Wha--" The masked guard in question could only utter out before the orb exploded in a fiery blaze, a thick smoke forming followed by the sounds of blaster fire. Red bursts of energy as though from a laser gun.
Backup had arrived.
Pew! Pew!
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ginoza swiftly drew a revolver and aimed toward the dispersed group, shooting at each of the armed men that he could spot through the mist!
View attachment 10146
"Everyone, get back, especially those who can't fight!" He called out, shooting at the disarrayed men alongside the unfamiliar presence who seemed to have a laser gun.
Though Akane was technically armed, she elected to stay back in front of Toboe and Umi. She'd never forgive herself if she let people as young as them get hurt, even if Toboe did have powers.
Eventually, as the mist cleared up, it was clear that Carver himself was the last man standing, as both Ginoza and whoever had just saved them elected to leave him well enough alone. As the old man found himself alone, the tables suddenly flipped out of his favor, the mysterious helping hand finally stepped out from the side, his blaster still smoking.
View attachment 10148
"I just can't leave some of you people alone, can I?" Carth Onasi, senior officer of the United Universes, said with a wry chuckle.
"O-Oh, Mr. Onasi! How did you...?" Akane gasped out in amazement.
"Honestly, I realized how easy it could be for this to become a PR disaster, more than it already is, so I decided I'd... check in on you all to make sure you handled this delicately. Looks like I made the right call," he said.
"We had it under control," Ginoza said gruffly, both men having their guns pointed at Carver who was still recovering from the shock of what had just happened.
"You're welcome, all the same."
"What...! T-This doesn't change anything!" Carver exclaimed, unable to admit defeat even as there was no one left on his side.
"If you touch me at all, the rest of the media landscape will have your heads for this!"
"Save it for the courts," Carth shot back, using his free hand to reveal a recording device that he evidently had been making good use of just now. Looking back toward the rest of the group, he smiled wryly.
"You folks alright though?"
@Jeremi @Yun Lee @Takumi @Lucky