san_fransokyo | Surprise! Reunion.

Alistair Krei was having a good day. Then again, things had really seemed to be going his way. Krei Tech had successfully set up portals throughout San Frasokyo, and the people coming through those portals were just fascinating. Sure, there had been some minor setbacks the first go around, but Abigail Callaghan was back, and yes he had checked up on her. Not that she'd been thrilled to see him, but she seemed more understanding than her father had been, and she wasn't in bad health of anything. So yes, Krei took that as a success. Not only that, but he was in talks with Hiro to help fund Big Hero 6 and hopefully further a project to develop more Baymax models. Not that anything had been decided there yet, or that Hiro had even given him the go ahead - had they even talked about it yet? - but he was a good businessman. He planned to convince the young genius that it would be beneficial for all of San Fransokyo.

He left work late that evening, but that was nothing new - he often worked late. Krei buttoned his suit jacket closed as he paused outside the black car that was to take him home. Who'd have ever thought things would go so well after Callaghan nearly destroyed it all? The thought made him smile a little in satisfaction, and nodding once, he climbed inside the back passenger seat. "Home. No detours will be necessary tonight," he addressed the driver through the open partition, but he was already looking down at his cell phone and not paying any attention to the man driving. It was his usual driver, of course, and they didn't talk much anyway.

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"Robert, that was an accident!" Funny how much he's using that word. "I didn't mean to walk off with Hiro's microbot. Yes, I wanted his tech, I admit it, but I wouldn't steal it, like you would."

But he does notice the microbots, and he isn't able to show nearly as much bravado in the face of this new discovery. If only it were possible to cower even further against his side, but there's no where to go. At first, he'd thought Callaghan had just been wearing that trenchcoat. Now, he knew better.

"How... how are you controlling the microbots?" he asked fearfully.

"You're 'accident'-prone," Callaghan points out, sounding anything but amused. His dark expression only clouds further at the question, a ripple-like motion emanating through the metal with him as the epicenter. "And you ask that like I'm going to tell you."

Or could tell him. Which he can't, not wholly. But like hell he'll admit that.

"That was one time, Robert - one time," he says pointedly, leaning forward a little as if momentarily forgetting where he was, surrounded by all those microbots. But he hasn't forgotten completely, just hoping his old 'friend' won't actually do him any real harm here.

"What's this all about, then? Or were you just hoping to intimidate me?" It wouldn't be the first time.

"You can look me, in the eye, and tell me that there was only one accident?"

Callaghan leans forward as well, his distrust - and dislike - of the other no clearer than now.

"Only one on your conscience, Krei? Only one time where your thirst to impress, to prove yourself, took precedence over any little doubts or delays that would have taken seconds to account for...?"

The slight snarl in his features...well. Regardless of what Alistair does or does not say to that, Callaghan's stance is clear enough. He doesn't believe it in the slightest, and that is what this is all about. That is why he's here.

Because even if it was only once, once was - and is - enough.

Yes, Alistair is well aware of the other man's hatred for him, as he has been for some time now. But he still doesn't understand why Callaghan hates him so much. Yes, his daughter had been lost, but then she had been found. Crisis averted, right? But he knew it wasn't that simple, and he was fine never having anything to do with Callaghan ever again. Unfortunately, the former teacher wouldn't let it go that easy.

It's not exactly easy to remain brave in the face of Robert and all those microbots. After all, Krei was at his mercy. He could have killed him, and there would have been just about nothing he could have done to stop it.

"Robert, I'm the CEO of the largest tech industry in San Fransokyo - or this side of the world. The technological world is growing in bounds and leaps every second, and it waits for no man. I can't stand idly by because one man says I must," Krei speaks firmly, trying his best at bravado, but it's still weak in the face of all that anger and rage. "What happened to your daughter was an accident, but she's the only person we ever lost. I assure you something like that will never happen again."

He could kill him, and promises or not, it wouldn't be difficult to make it look as though he hadn't been involved at all.

Accidents happened.

But even if Robert's face continues to darken, even if the microbots continue to have their occasional twitch-ripples as Krei speaks, there's no move made for the man's throat. Or...any other part of him.

"For your sake, I hope that's true. Because if I hear even a rumor to the contrary?"

The microbots still didn't go for Alistair's throat. They were more subtle for that. Moving up from the floor to the seat around Alistair, though, to the walls, the ceiling, overwhelming every surface around him and with dagger-like points aimed in his direction?

Robert's smile was as sharp as the unspoken threat.

"I don't trust you. I never will. But for the sake of old times, I'm giving you a single chance."

Between the two of them, too many accidents had happened.

Krei is proud of himself for not cowering again, at least not before the microbots surround him. See - he wasn't a completely coward. But his old friend didn't let up then those ridiculous microbots moved closer and they were everywhere. He might have been cowering just a little bit then, because hey - he liked his life. It was a really good life, and as a man who kept in good shape for his age, he didn't want to leave it anytime soon.

"Okay, alright. You won't hear any rumors," he assured him, both frightened and more than just a little annoyed by the entire thing. "But I'm not the one with all these microbots, Robert. I'm sure the police are going to be on the lookout for a man just out of prison. And whatever you're doing with these things can't be legal."

This really wasn't about Robert, or so he hadn't intended to make it about him. But if Krei really wanted to press the point...

The microbots slid back over towards Callaghan, setting in place as he leaned back. "I'm quite aware that I'm a wanted felon, and that I've crossed too many lines to even think about going back to the life I once had." Even if by some miracle all those crimes went away, the history wouldn't, and his disgrace was only getting worse by the day.

But the sharp smile remained.

"Making sure you stay in line isn't a bad retirement, everything considered."

Well, Robert wasn't exactly mentally stable in Krei's mind, and anything to put the blame back on him. And this man had tried to kill him, as well as Hiro and his little friends, not to mention the whole Tadashi incident. So yes, Krei would try to turn this back around on the other man, because he had far more guilt than he did in the current situation.

But the microbots sliding away from him did allow him to relax a little, reaching up to absently straighten his cuffs.

"But you... you could stop all of this, Robert," Krei tried one last time, not liking the idea of this wanted felon watching his every movement for the rest of his life. "You could just make peace with it all. It's not too late. Hiro is a very forgiving young man."

Why wouldn't someone want a wanted felon taking it upon themselves to keep them from screwing up? It's like they have something to hide.

(Well, no. Robert can think of many reasons. None of them seem very important right now, because he is trying to take the steps he believes are necessary. He always has been.)

"Hiro can be," he allows after a moment's pause. Hiro...did have opportunities to be unforgiving, but only one was taken. Attempted. "But the state isn't. This is where things are, Alistair, and this is where they will be for the forseeable future."

So don't screw up.

Surprise! Reunion.

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oh hey sorry for disappearing FOREVER geez

do i need to bring out the i never thought you were coming back again pic

please don't, i'll be good!

/pats. also seriously though no worries about delays; I can get to points where I take a week+ x_X

ok i don't feel as bad now!

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