[OPEN] That sign isn't for me because I didn't read it

GIDEON

pulled out all your stitches

Gods, but they had a lot of stupidity to let out. Gideon turned to face Bart (reflecting, briefly, that he looked a lot like the last idiot that had given him trouble in Torchline) and merely shook his head at the first point. "If any of the Old Gods were to take over the bodies of their followers - something I've never heard of, anyway - it would not be the same. The Voice is corrupt due to her very nature, the way she grasped at power she did not deserve. Her implants that allow her to do these things are unnatural. If the Old Gods were to control our bodies, it would be through their actual power." The distinction was clear to him.

As for Mabel and how she ended up with he and Cian...for a moment he considered simply admitting to it. After all, it had been the right thing to do. The girl had been dead the moment the Voice had set her sights on her. But he knew the people here were still blinded by the Ascended's human appearance.

"How swiftly you all rush to defend these monsters and blame an honest man of the cloth." He shook his head as if deeply disappointed. "The 'child', as you call her, though I believe 'machine' to be a better word, was helping the Order with a task. Willingly, until her fellow Ascended encouraged rebellion and the Voice concurred. " That was all he'd say: honestly, Gideon was struggling to come up with a convincing story on the spot, exhausted as he already was.

It seemed he was wearing out his welcome for good now. Holding up a hand towards Maeve, he shook his head. "I won't need an escort. All I ask from you people is that you listen. Ask the right questions. Can you say you truly know your Ascended 'friends'? Or do you merely know machines made to say things to get under your guard? I hope you find out before there's a knife in your ribs."

With those parting words, Gideon activated his compass and disappeared.

Hubris is a bitch