FVR
Chapter Twenty-Seven.
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In the dead of night, a sudden, piercing scream shattered the dark calm, jolting Joel awake. His heart raced as he sat up abruptly, eyes darting around the dimly lit room.
It was Zach. He thrashed in his bed, ensnared by a nightmare's grip. His anguished screams reverberated through the small chamber, filled with a raw terror and pain that Joel couldn't process.
Gareth, Damon, and Ali, all appeared undisturbed by the noise - whether it woke them or not, Joel couldn't tell. Tobias, Jordan, and Callum, on the other hand, all jumped up at the noise, their eyes wide with alarm. They scanned the room to see a small slice of what war really did to a person, only to silently surrender to the warm embrace of their sheets.
Joel eventually succumbed to exhaustion again, letting the sounds of the night fade into the background. Then, in what seemed to be the very next moment, his eyes fluttered open to the soft morning light.
The day before had come and gone far too quick for him to process all of the events that had happened, which played on his mind the moment his had head hit the pillow; but those thoughts drifted away like dust in the wind in the face of his fatigue. He had half-expected to lay awake until dawn, but now, as his eyes opened, and the light of a new day filled the room, his mind felt strangely refreshed. He was still no closer to having a chosen direction, but he felt more assured than ever before of his choice to stay in the game.
As he rose his head, however, his heart sank at the sight of the empty beds around him.
Panic surged through him - the fear of having teleported again gripped his mind.
No, no no no, his mind raced, not when I've just found people!?
Faint voices echoed from outside, rising in a slight intensity. The muffled sounds of Ali's voice brought a welcome bit of peace before it moved further away, and Joel realized he was simply the last to wake up.
I've not gone, he breathed a sigh of relief. I'm still here! He exhaled loudly and fell back into his pillow, then glanced over at the empty bed beside him. Even Gareth is up, eh?
He took a moment to wake up fully, then sat up and looked around the room, which still had the guys' equipment sprawled around. Alone for the first time in a while, he decided to take a moment to himself.
"Character page," he said quietly, opening up and looking at the unchanged stats and narrowly changed proficiencies.
《Joel Bailey》《Level: 28. XP: 10666/12777》《Class: Runner》《Skill points: 0》
《Title: Friend of Vulpine Felis》
《Mana Capacity: 50/50》
《Strength: 30+6》
《Magic Power: 0》
《Agility: 52+8》
《Perception: 10》
《Physical Defence: 30+15》
《Elemental Defence: 20》
《Critical Chance: 3%》
《Critical Damage: 50%》
《Status Resistance: 0%》
《Equipment Loadout 1: with Dozrak'een longsword》
《Equipment Loadout 2: with Kyrstil training short sword》《Equipped》
《Equipment Loadout 3: [+]》
《Active Skills:》
《Dash: Beginner. Level 1. XP: 500/500. Push forwards up to 10 meters at double your agility. Cooldown: 10 seconds》
《Dash: Novice. Level 2. XP: 720/2500. Push backwards up to 10 meters at double your agility. Cooldown: 10 seconds》
《Passive Skills:》
《Endurance: Novice. Proficiency: 10/100》
《Shield of Resolve: Max Level. The first strike from an enemy is negated》
《Unyielding Pace: Max Level. So long as you are in combat, you will be able to run indefinitely》
《Sword Wielder: Novice. Level 2. XP: 1110/1250. Gain 20% strength and 3% critical chance when equipped with a sword》
《Insight: Beginner. Proficiency: 7.4/100. Can perceive small details about a person》
《Quick Reflexes: Beginner. Proficiency: 9/100. Slightly heightens reaction times, enabling the user to react faster》
《Shield Wielder. Beginner. Level 1. XP: 250/250. Gain 10% physical defence when equipped with a shield》
《Ascension to level 2 locked. Conditions for ascension: 5 skill points. Dozrak'een must be slain for the first time - does not have to be slain by the player》
《Mana Sense. Novice. Proficiency: 11.1/100. The ability to detect internal mana》
《Mana Expansion. Beginner. Proficiency: 0.5/100. Extend your mana outside of your vessel to react with the world》
Joel rubbed the sleep from his eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess. There's so much, eh? He thought silently to himself. So many things to learn and expand upon, and I've barely scratched the surface. He took a deep breath and moved to sit with his legs swinging over the edge of the bed. Then there's the actual fighting and the wider story... Just what kind of game are they creating here? It was the same question, and yet he felt no closer to an answer.
The wave timer remained frozen, likely indicating that the wave was still underway and that Aurora was battling it somewhere. However, Joel couldn't be sure. Regardless of the reason, he felt a sense of freedom this morning without the constant countdown hanging over him. A sense of freedom, and a glimmer of hope.
He stood up and stretched, his thoughts drifting back to Aurora. The south is too dangerous for her, so she needs someone to secretly take her to the frontline? What an insane plan. He shook his head in disbelief. But Beatrice's isn't any saner - convincing Aurora to marry Damon? I guess people used to marry for such political reasons, but still...
Joel paced the room for a moment, trying to clear his head. I should take the time to focus on my mana expansion while the guys aren't around, he decided. The sooner I level this, the sooner I can have a shield, and if I had a mana shield during that fight against the Uranatalo, I would have been much better off. He paused, considering the implications. But it also means accelerating my joining into The Breach... And closer to... Man... I just don't know.
He sat back down on the bed, feeling the weight of his decisions pressing on him. "One step at a time," he whispered to himself. "One step at a time."
Closing his eyes, he dived into the pool of his internal mana. Sensing six beads that he could move, he grabbed two and tried extending them out. It was like juggling with the hands while keeping a football in the air with the feet - it took a tremendous amount of concentration, but eventually he managed it.
Once the beads were extended, Joel noticed that the visible area around them seemed to have grown - if only a little. He moved them around, close together, encasing what he felt were the edges of the room, until they dissolved. He grabbed another couple and continued the process until his mana seemed to touch something familiar.
It's like a faint husk of mana? But... it's inside something? What is that?
Joel moved the bead around the object, and saw it light up in his mind. He opened his eyes and looked in the direction, only to see Ali's bed.
The fuck?
Joel stood up, the creak of the wooden floorboards breaking the morning silence in the room.
With his curiosity piqued, he approached the object cautiously, his steps measured and quiet. He knelt beside the bed, his fingers hesitating before lifting the covers.
Partially hidden, but easily found, a piece of manazite ore lay beside a leather bag filled with dozens more. "Manazite?" He breathed.
It wasn't left out carelessly; rather, it seemed Ali had hastily stashed it. Why does he have this? Is he even allowed it?
Joel's mind raced, replaying the events of the previous night. He recalled Ali’s reserved behavior, the furtive glances as they entered the castle, and the unease in his words when he talked about the nobles within the carriage. Joel hadn't found his actions especially peculiar, considering the world he lives in, but actively speaking out about the nobles was probably very dangerous, let alone taking their ore.
The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place as Joel connected the dots between the voices outside and the manazite in front of him. They're questioning the group about this?
The muffled sounds of raised voices filtered in from outside, growing closer. Joel strained himself to hear, catching snippets of the heated exchange as it approached.
They're definitely talking about the manazite ore, no doubt about it.
His heart pounded as he realized the gravity of the situation. If Ali was caught with this, it could mean serious trouble, he thought deeply but found himself hesitating to act.
Joel knew Ali might have his reasons, and he might even understand them, but he lacked information and was worried of the mortality of either option. Betraying Ali wasn't in his character, but doing nothing seemed as much a betrayal as being the one who turned him in. It's just a game, Joel!
"Shit," he muttered, opening his inventory and placing the manazite inside.
He immediately felt sick with guilt and fear. I'm now complicit... Heck, I'm not just that - I've actually stolen it... If they find out...
His thoughts came to an abrupt end as the door crashed open and several Tier-Three guards entered; Ali was held tightly in the firm hand of one of them.
In that moment Joel realized that he didn't know if characters had a way of checking his inventory, and all the blood left his face as he felt faint enough to collapse.
"Move aside," one commanded. Joel read the name Reynard, above his head and raised his empty hands in a silent plea as he stumbled backward.
The guards wore richly embroidered doublets of deep blue velvet, adorned with the empty crest of House Waters - a blue banner symbolizing purity and serenity. Their trousers were fine dark leather, reinforced at the knees and thighs with discreet but sturdy padding, and their polished boots bore intricate silver-etched patterns akin to the murals within the grounds. Their attire, tailored for both elegance and combat, exuded nobility and power. Yet, it was all too immaculate and too pristine for guards who had seen the horrors of real combat, like the soldier's Joel had seen in Kyrstil.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
As Joel watched the guards enter the room; he couldn't help but feel as though he were simply biding time before inevitably being found out. The pours on his skin itched with a fight or flight response that echoed the most intense feelings he had felt within the game.
"Which is yours?" Renard asked, nudging Ali who reluctantly gestured to his bed. "Search it!" Reynard commanded a subordinate.
A guard stepped further in to search Ali's bed, pushing Joel aside as he did. Joel noticed the absence of callouses on his hands, the lack of bags under his eyes, and his perfectly groomed hair. They commanded respect as nobles and people with lots of mana, but their appearance betrayed their inexperience - the very thing that backed up that respect.
Joel recalled the words he had heard the night before: even an Unblessed can kill a Tier-Three if the circumstances are favorable.
Just how favorable would they need to be right now? He thought, waiting to be found out.
Renard wore a particularly smug expression, his eyes filled with a mix of disdain and amusement as he looked at Joel panicking.
Joel felt threatened enough to glance down at his blade, and thought to the words within A.C.C.E.P.T and whether he had enough luck to outweigh them all.
As the remainder of Joel's group entered behind, the air in the room grew thick with tension. Zach caught Joel's eye and shook his head, silently mouthing, 'don't.'
He spoke a thousand words with that gesture. Don't make a scene. Don't question them. Don't make any rash actions. But perhaps most importantly, they screamed, don't look so fucking guilty.
Joel swallowed his fear and tried to steady his breath. He could feel his guilt written on his face - Reynard just hadn't seen it yet.
The presence of these nobles had sharply become a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play and the precarious situation Joel found himself in within the game. He was, after all, an Unblessed and a convict. He held no station or authority, and could be executed if he didn't obey their laws.
Joel’s heart continued to pound. They know... why do they know? He glanced at Ali, who stood defiant but cornered. Dumb enough to steal, but smart enough to stay silent.
Protecting Ali meant protecting the group, and Joel couldn't imagine what the consequences would be if the nobles discovered the ore, but he knew he didn't want to find out.
After a few moments of carefully searching, the guard practically ripped the bed apart, tossing blankets and pillows aside with reckless abandon. Finding nothing, he turned to his superior with a frustrated shake of his head.
"Search the other beds," Reynard ordered, his voice laced with impatience.
One by one, the beds were searched, each resulting in the same empty-handed frustration. Throughout the search, Ali wore a confused look, his eyes latched onto Joel with a growing sense of worry. Joel returned the look, his expression mildly impassive but his mind racing. Don't fucking search me don't fucking search me!
The guards upended mattresses, rifled through personal belongings, and scrutinized every corner of the room. The tension mounted with each fruitless search, the silence punctuated only by the harsh rustle of fabric and the occasional clink of metal.
"Nothing," the guard reported, his tone clipped and irritated. "I told you, sir, I can't sense any manazite here."
"There are dozens of explanations for that!" Reynard clenched his jaw in frustration.
"True that may be sir, but the ore should be reacting with my mana in some small way."
Renard clicked his tongue. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the room. Ignoring his subordinates words, he looked for some clue or sign that would lead him to what he sought. "Where else has he been?" Reynard demanded, his gaze momentarily meeting Beatrice's before he regretted his tone. He looked up to Flona, who stood in the hallway, "Where?" he repeated, his tone stunted.
"From his arrival, he had not left the room since a few moments ago," Flona replied with frightening certainty.
Reynard's expression darkened like a storm cloud ready to burst. He muttered under his breath, "then he's planted the ore close by!" He turned sharply to his men. "Guards!"
The guards search became increasingly frantic. They scoured high and low down the hallway, investigating every possible hiding spot Ali might have had access to, while also using their mana sense to detect any hidden traces of the ore.
Joel and Ali continued to exchange tense glances whenever they weren't being looked at - their visible worry mounting like a rising tide.
Zach remained composed and obedient, his face a mask of neutrality, concealing any hint of emotion, while Jordan seemed completely captivating by the whole thing, waiting for the drama to start. Tobias and Callum, on the other hand, seemed ready to run.
Damon and Gareth had yet to make an appearance.
As the seconds became minutes, the tension faded to one of embarrassment. Despite the thorough search, the guards had found nothing. They looked in every nook and cranny, every vase, and drawer, and even checked under floorboards. But the elusive - or imagined - manazite ore remained out of their hands, unbeknownst to them that it was real, and hidden within Joel's secret inventory.
Beatrice leaned close to Flona, her voice a low murmur. "Could the miner have given a false statement?" Flona asked on her behalf with a smirk. Her tone was calculated, adding a droplet of doubt in a sea of certainty.
Reynard's frustration boiled over, his face contorted with rage. "The incompetency of these fools..." he spat, his anger barely contained. His earlier smugness had evaporated, replaced by the bitter sting of failure. With a final, exasperated glance at Ali, he turned on his heel and strode away. "We're leaving!" he barked, the words echoing through the tense silence.
Zach grabbed Joel's shoulder. "Grab your things. We need to leave, now," he whispered urgently, his voice barely audible.
"I'm ready to go," Joel replied, thinking of how he doesn't have much to carry these days.
The rest of the group hastily gathered their belongings and the room filled with the sound of hurried packing. Joel's heart was still racing as he paced back and forth while he waited.
They moved with a sense of urgency, driven by the need to escape before the nobles could return or realize their mistake. As they exited the room, they spotted Commander Beatrice in the corridor, waving away the guards. She stood tall, her presence commanding and authoritative.
"Commander," Joel said, offering a respectful, but avoidant nod, his voice a little too quiet to hold any real confidence.
Beatrice chose to ignore him and looked to Zach. "Be careful," she said meekly, her graveled voice low and serious. "The roads ahead are treacherous." Her vision glanced briefly to Ali, before turning away.
With a firm nod from Zach, and an impassioned salute, he hurried to the exit while the others followed.
***
Outside, they were greeted by the cool air of morning and the gentle whisper of the departing tempest as its reign of unrest ended.
The group made their way down the stairs with an anxiety that spoke of their lack of control, and their own confusion. Joel looked back, wondering if they were being followed, then opened his mouth to speak, but Zach quickly interjected. "Stay quiet until we're out of the city," he hissed, his eyes darting around nervously.
Tobias had no intention of speaking as he scurried down the steps, but the silence was clearly grating at Jordan.
At the bottom of the stairs, Damon waited beside a carriage, his expression tense.
"Good job," Zach said as he climbed in.
"It's fine, but you owe a Waters boy a coin," Gareth said from the front of the carriage with an amused smile.
The group piled into the carriage, the tension palpable as they settled into their seats.
The carriage jerked forward, the horses' hooves clattering against the drying cobblestones.
No one spoke. The silence inside the carriage had become heavy with unspoken fears and uncertainties. Though Joel could feel Jordan's curious eyes scan everyone in the carriage.
Joel's heart continued to pound in his chest. He glanced at Ali, who sat across from him, his expression a mix of relief and lingering worry.
The sound of the carriage on the cobblestone streets brought with it a strange sense of nostalgia. Only a few days ago, Joel had been taken from the city as a captive - a prisoner facing a life of servitude and war. Yet, just the night before, he had felt a sense of belonging - playing a game that rewarded his efforts and surrounded him with people he felt he could trust, only for that trust to be shattered the very next morning.
He looked over to Ali, whose hair covered his eyes, and wondered what had possessed him to steal. What drove him to risk his life for a bunch of rocks?
As the carriage traveled through the final parts of the city, Joel looked out the back in an attempt to avoid the scrutiny of Zach's frustrated gaze and Jordan's prying eyes.
The sky, still heavy with dark clouds, hinted at the recent turmoil, while the first rays of dawn pierced through, casting a soft, ethereal light over the city, which contrasted with the bleakness of the citizen's current situation.
The water from the storm hadn't been noticeable near the castle - from so high up - but down here, parts of the street had turned into rivers. The houses, sturdy but worn, bore the marks of the torrential downpour. People moved about, their expressions weary, their clothes drenched and clinging to their bodies. Some carried buckets to bail out water from their homes, while others tried to salvage what they could from the muddied streets.
The carriage drove through, leaving waves in its wake that broke against the very lives they were told to protect.
Joel, now acutely aware of it, saw more people with mana burns everywhere he looked; their skin marked with the telltale signs of deep scars or bandages. He thought of Beatrice and how she had Flona and others who could help, then wondered who helped these people.
His mind drifted to Beatrice's proposal to help the Unblessed and then to his conversation with Flona... The action and the outcome would be good, so would the intent or the manner in which it happened really matter? Surely, we should want to help these people? Even if her methods are... odd...
Joel turned to Zach, who sat fidgeting anxiously. "Can we help?" He asked, strangely hopeful for a positive response.
Zach seemed to hold back a laugh. "You want to fucking help others right now?" He snapped, his neutral mask discarded to reveal visible frustration. Joel recoiled slightly, taken aback by the outburst. Seeing Joel's reaction, Zach softened, a quiet guilt flickered momentarily in his eyes. He sighed. "We help by not helping," he said, his tone calmer but still firm. Joel returned a perplexed look. "We're in the military," Zach continued. "To them, we're part of the problem. If they're seen accepting our help, it'll cause trouble for them with their neighbors and the nobles, not to mention for us; we never know what they'd do to an Unblessed military brat out of sheer frustration."
"That would happen?" Joel asked, wondering if they'd actually be attacked. Zach gave a knowing nod. "So, we do nothing?" Joel asked with a rhetorical note of disbelief in his voice.
"We fight in The Breach. That's what we do." Zach replied as if it was more than enough. He then leaned over the front of the carriage and gave a quiet order to Gareth. "Take the side road once we're out of the city."
Gareth nodded in acknowledgment, and the carriage fell into silence again, only to highlight the struggle of those outside; their cries, their calls for help, and their anger towards the nobles.
Joel sat back, processing Zach's words and the aftermath around him. He wanted to help, but the path was murky and fraught with danger, and he had enough to contend with as it was.
As they neared the edge of the city, Joel's thoughts remained heavy with the moral complexities of their world. He was determined to survive, and to uncover the truth behind the mysteries that surrounded them, even if that meant betraying a few of his morals. It's just a game, he reassured himself again. It's just a game.
***
The carriage rumbled out of the city, tracing the road along the wall until it reached a quiet crossroads. The journey continued in tense silence until Zach leaned over the front and signaled Gareth to halt.
With a creak and a rustle of sodden leaves, the carriage pulled over to the side of the road.
They found themselves secluded beneath the canopy of tall trees, their damp and beaten branches having survived the chaos of the day before.
Here, far from prying eyes and out of earshot of any passerby, the setting offered a temporary sanctuary from the nobles for them to speak.
Zach's itchy demeanor betrayed the storm of emotions roiling beneath his composed exterior. His jaw was clenched and his knuckles were white from gripping the edge of his seat. There was a hint of worry and panic in his eyes, no longer masked by the facade of a calm authority.
Taking a steadying breath, Zach addressed Ali with measured restraint. "Ali," he began, his voice betraying the effort to maintain composure. He paused, collecting himself before continuing, "what happened?"
Ali shifted uncomfortably, a flicker of fear lit up his eyes. For a moment, he seemed on the verge of fleeing the carriage, but the weight of Zach's gaze anchored him in place. He glanced briefly at Joel, then stayed silent.
It was the first time since meeting him that Joel had seen Ali completely lacking control, and it made him look frightening, as if Joel couldn't be sure what Ali's next action would be.
Zach clicked his tongue and turned his gaze to Joel, repeating his question. "What happened?"
Joel felt a weight press down on him. Caught between a potentially ill-placed loyalty to Ali and the need to be truthful, he hesitated, wanting to choose neither option. The danger has passed, he told himself, Zach will understand... right? His breathing struggled as he prepared to speak, but before he could utter a word, Ali's voice broke the silence.
"I took them," Ali admitted quietly, his voice tinged with something other than remorse. "But I don't know where they've gone," he admitted, his eyes glanced over at Joel.
"You!?" Zach stopped, caught with multiple thoughts, "what the fuck do you mean, you don't know where they've gone!?"
"They were on my bed." Ali replied immediately, confusion in his voice.
"Then where the fuck did they fucking GO!? Did they grow fucking legs and stroll the fuck on out!? Eh!?" His anger rose to the surface as he stood and hit the air - clearly controlling himself enough to not damage the carriage or hurt anyone inside it.
Joel's mind raced with thoughts. He wondered what would happen if he stayed silent, what would happen if he gave Ali the ore later, and what would become of his relationship with the group as things stood. In a moment of anxiety, however, he decided honesty would be the best option. These are people I want to trust, and want to trust in me... His hesitation was exhausting. He dreaded what came next.
Fuck...
Joel, being sure to wait for the watchful eyes of the group to glance away from him, opened his inventory and selected the bag of ore. He tried his best to act as if he'd pulled it from under his shirt, then held it out in front of him.
It's safe to say that nobody knew what to say. Ali was stunned that Joel actually had them, while Zach seemed utterly confused to be seeing them at all. The others just watched with their mouth's agape, waiting for Zach's reaction. But as the moments passed, the reaction didn't come.
Zach remained silent, his previous anger now overshadowed by something deeper. He grabbed the bag of ore from Joel, then stepped out of the carriage. In a swift motion, he hurled the bag as far as his strength allowed, and the ore disappeared into the dense undergrowth of the forest.
The group looked on, unsure of what to say.
"We never speak of this." Zach finally said. He reentered the carriage, his eyes filled with a seriousness that spoke of his resolve. "We. Never. Speak. Of. This." He reiterated slowly and carefully, being sure to get a nod from everyone. "Gareth." Zach said, sitting back down.
Gareth pulled on the reigns and the carriage began to move again, leaving the evidence of their crime behind.
Zach, now sat opposite Joel, leaned in. "What happened?" He asked a final time, his voice now more familiar to the one Joel had come to know.
"I... Um... Didn't know what to do," Joel said, his shaking hands betraying his nerves. "I heard you talking outside about the ores, so I grabbed them."
"But... but they were next to you?" Callum said, stunned. "They used mana sense?"
Joel shrugged, he didn't have an answer. He knew it sounded impossible, but without knowing the rules of the game he couldn't risk letting on too much about who he was.
"You stupid cunt." Zach muttered, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and concern. "They'd have hanged you instead of him. You know that, right?" His tone was sharp, the weight of the consequences clear in his voice.
Joel's back shivered at the thought. He felt a fleeting relief in knowing he had saved Ali's life, but the risk had been immense. Did I make the right choice? He wondered silently, his stomach twisting with doubt. What if Zach never trusts me again?
The weight of his actions gnawed at him as his hand shook with the memory of the ores' weight. He sat there in a childlike silence, fearful and sad, feeling as though he had just lost something he might never be able to get back.
"And yet," Damon interjected, finally speaking up, his voice adding a much needed calmness, "it likely saved all our lives," his expression reflected the seriousness of the situation.
The group exchanged uneasy glances as the weight of Damon's words sank in.
"The crimes of the one are often caused by the influence of, or with the awareness of, the many," Zach clarified.
"You mean that him stealing them ores really would have gotten us all killed?" Callum asked, casting a reproachful glance at Ali.
"It wouldn't be unheard of," Gareth replied quietly from the front of the carriage; his knowing tone added another layer of regret.
Zach gave Joel a pat on the shoulder, "you're a stupid cunt. But you did the right thing." Joel felt a wave of relief wash over him with those words and the two of them shared a sincere smile. Zach then turned to Ali, whose eyes were still shielded behind his hair. "If Cedric or the Commander knew of this, you'd be executed. You know that?"
Ali stayed silent.
"How'd they even know?" Jordan asked, finally feeling as though he could talk.
"The miner said he saw Ali take some," Zach replied.
"What did he have to gain from saying anything?" Joel questioned, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Face," Zach explained with a grim shake of his head. "It may not have been his fault, but it was under his watch that the creature appeared. Miners died, and the ore was delayed. He likely felt he needed to regain the nobles' trust so that he could continue to mine."
Joel's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why would he possibly want to continue mining after what he saw? He nearly died!"
"It's work," Damon chimed in quietly, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the carriage.
Another realization sank in for Joel: principles and morality were often sacrificed here - not just for him, but for everyone. The more he played, the more he'd find out where his line really was, and just how far he'd overstep it.