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Sidestep watched as Ortega twitched on the ground, struggling to get up. He tsked, lightly pressing the heel of an armored boot against the other man's head.
"Give it up Charge. It's over for you," he growled, the vocal distorters in his suit twisting his voice into something menacing. The fact that Sidestep could do this without fear of repercussions meant that Ortega's efforts were futile- he had been beat to a bloody pulp, just like back at the Museum Gala.
Sidestep and Charge both knew that backup wouldn't be coming. Sidestep made sure that Argent, Herald, and Steel were busy elsewhere. Hollow Ground was nowhere nearby, and the Special Directive... well, Sidestep wouldn't be here if he knew that he wouldn't be here if they were.
That meant that Sidestep could do whatever he wanted to Ortega. He killed Blaze, afterall. It wouldn't be hard to snap Ortega's neck in the position he was currently in. And yet...
"B - before you kill me, won't you tell me who you are?" Ortega's voice was strained, clearly stalling in a vain attempt to survive.
Sidestep found himself chuckling, removing his boot off of Ortega's head. He walked around him, cape billowing behind him until he was standing in front of the battered, bloody man. As he kneeled in front of him, his hand gingerly taking ahold of Ortega's chin and lifting it up to face him, he realized that he was never planning on killing him in the first place.
"Now, why would I go and do that?" Sidestep chuckled, watching as Ortega ground his teeth together.
"I - if I'm going to die, don't you think - ?"
"I wasn't asking about that."
Sidestep grinned behind his mask as Ortega paused, emotions visibly flitting across his face. Confusion. Realization. More confusion.
"I know I've killed a hero. Massacred all of those people, back at that pathetic little museum," Sidestep's other gloved hand started gently stroking his cheek, and he watched with glee as Ortega's eyes widened further, watching as Sidestep smeared Ortega's own blood on him in what could only be described as a tender gesture.
"And yet..." Sidestep stopped moving his hand, both of them still on Ortega's face and chin. "I don't think I want to kill you anytime soon."