Ambitan looked at the ground before looking back up, "You're right. What does that have to do with anything?"
"Don't let that spirit die kid. Seen too many cases like you. Passion smothered by filth," the bouncer advised.
"Okay thanks for that and all but you still haven't answered my question," Ambitan said as he got visibly antsy.
"Calm down kid, I mean no harm."
"You're telling an anxious dude to calm the fuck down? You think that's going to work?" Ambitan scoffed. "I don't know where you're pulling this from but you just revealed a bunch of shit I wasn't prepared for and said some shit bout a revolution or something that isn't connecting right now."
"Consider it an offer. If you want to learn more then you'll have to head inside. Name's Vergil by the way," he said introducing himself.
"Ambitan. Now, Vergil, you seem like a nice man but I don't know what to think about you anymore. You just dropped a lot of confusing shit on me. You were just denying me entrance but now you wanna let me in?"
"Don't know bout you but that's sort of suspicious. And while you've earned a smidge of trust by not simply hurling me in, for all I know that's a whole ass smuggling ring."
"I understand your caution. That's a good thing. Think on it if you want, but don't reveal what's happened here, or else bad things are going to happen…"
"Is that a threat?" Ambitan bristled, ready to take off at a moment's notice.
Virgil sighed, "Just don't okay. For all it's worth it won't be something I'll take satisfaction in."
"I know we haven't had the best start but there are people who are dissatisfied too. Think about it. Changing this broken system… or would you rather attend some fancy party where you play the jester for a bunch of snobs and uppity folk?"
"Mull it over for a bit, reclaiming what's been owned to us. Doesn't it sound nice?"
"Words are empty though. You've lived longer, shouldn't you already know that by now?" Ambitan retorted.
"Screw it, at least I can say that I tried. If you want to be a part of the movement then just show up here again tomorrow. Unless you actually wanna be a puppet for the rich?"
Virgil waved off Ambitan before taking vigil at the door to the bar once again.
Confused, Ambitan decided to just listen to the man and started walking back. This time he took a different route than previously opting to take the path of safety and security over speed.
At this time the Neo Police were patrolling certain sectors, and while those people did indeed make him nervous, it was a lesser of two evils situation.
Roswell Street was a bustling area, not comparable to that of the commerce area but still relatively busy. There was less neon lighting here but in its place, it had the homeless, the prostitutes, that sort of folk.
People milled all around, but then suddenly, somewhere in the distance, there was a flash of light and a piercing gunshot. There were screams and people started to trample for the exits.
Seeing what was going on, Ambitan decided to immediately dip out of there.
'So much for supposed safety.'
Before the herd could catch up to him, Ambitan had already 'ran' out of there. Or at least the best he could with his limp leg and all.
It seemed like there was no other choice but to use the previously taken path, as he walked through the sounds of chaos still followed through the streets.
Some bystanders asked what was going on, but Ambitan simply told them that he didn't have a clue either, just that everyone had gotten freaked out.
The trampling footsteps still thundered and gunshots still barked in the air. Presumably, the Neo Police was attempting to restore a semblance of order.
Then there were the screams of pain. Deep guttural screams that twisted the soul in all sorts of ways. Before when he was getting mugged, that Unaffiliated had gotten shot so many times that he wasn't able to produce sounds.
But this. This was different.
Terror spread throughout, jumping from one person to another. Like a virus, it infected the people's minds causing them to think irrationally as they began to prioritize themselves.
Some unlucky fellows were pushed and knocked over in the mad dash to escape. Prostitutes, the homeless, the ones down on their luck. All these people struggled against one another in some desperate bid to make it out alive.
Trampled under the feet of ashing people, they clawed and screamed, but they were drowned out in the chaos.
Ambitan had to pinch himself to convince himself that this was real, that was actually happening.
The gunshots still counted off and as the chaos got closer and closer Ambitan, ignoring the burning pain in his leg, took off in a pseudo sprint, trying to maintain some distance from the chaos.
Turning the corner, Ambitan proceed to beeline to the route he had used previously and dived down there to reach his hovel.
Pushing open the flap he collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily. Ensuring to lift his right leg to take the brunt off of it now, he sighed.
'What even happened down there?'
'It shouldn't be another small mugging, that would have been settled quickly. So what on Earth happened?' Ambitan thought.
'Could it have been another rug lab incident?'
Such a conclusion wouldn't be that far off, after all, there had been such an event about 2 months ago from what Ambitan could recall.
'It could've also been another faction shootout,' there were just too many possibilities for Ambitan to consider.
Ambitan shook his head to clear his thoughts, as long as it didn't affect him then it wasn't his concern.
'What could Vergil have meant with he said?' Ambitan thought. 'Could that firefight have been Vergil? He was speaking about revolutions and all that.'