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C I V I L
W A R


35


"Knowing is not understanding

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"Knowing is not understanding. You can know a lot about something and not really understand it."


Lagos, Nigeria
March, 2016







KABUL HAD BEEN IN AND out of jail throughout his teens, and, after finishing his house arrest, had been approached by one of Patrizio's employees. He had been searching for a job at the time, and couldn't help but accept a complete life of crime. He'd worked for Patrizio for the past two years, which meant his current age was twenty-one.

This Lucy and James had all learned throughout their plane ride across the broad skies of Nigeria.

He was a talkative kid, who piloted the quinjet with ease while glancing back at them whilst sharing his life story. Lucy knew he was nervous, feeling awkward in the silence that had settled as soon as they'd entered the vehicle. So he opened his mouth and talked to fill the air with something other than silence.

The pair didn't really mind–he cracked jokes that actually made them smile, and it made Kabul feel a lot better about himself and his current predicament. Patrizio had always been judgemental of him, reveling in his authority.

Lucy had no particular interest in flaunting such things.

They landed in a warehouse building owned by Klause. Kabul, Lucy and James exited the vehicle with two duffle bags in hand. She'd changed into her sleek white uniform, kevlar entwined across the fabric. It was the same exact gear she'd been wearing against Ultron, though she'd reconstructed her torn sleeve.

James remained in civilian clothing–a navy blue shirt with his favorite brown leather jacket pulled over his shoulders. He wouldn't be amongst the crowds of people, and if he was, he could say he was on vacation.

It had been a precaution–staying separate–just in case things went awry.

Alpine had reacted badly to Kabul, so she'd curled up in James's jacket, her head poking out between the zipper. James slid his hand over her head as Lucy zipped open one of the bags, pulling out a pair of keys.

"Heads up." She remarked as she threw the keys to Kabul.

He caught it, looking down at the metal.

"The vehicle to your far left." She said, waving her hand over to the otherside of the warehouse.

Through the short line of cars, there was one faux police SWAT vehicle, all fit with the Nigerian police force written across its dark exterior. It was an obviously illegal vehicle to have, but everything Lucy had been doing for the past few months was illegal, so it wasn't exactly a big deal.

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