"So," I said, letting a small smile settle on my face as I looked across the table at Marlon. "Now that you understand the full picture, do you see why I told you that with me involved, your chances of actually taking Callighan down go from possible to probable?"
Marlon stared me for a long moment. Then he chuckled.
"If you are anything close to what that yellow-tentacled monster is," he said, "then yes. I see it."
"I can't actually summon yellow tentacles, to be clear," I said. "And I'll be honest with you, Gaspar is probably a stronger Host than I am right now. He's had longer time with his Symbiote, and whatever he's been doing with that time, it wasn't nothing." I paused. "But I'm what you've best. And I intend to make it count."
"If you're confident enough to sit here and say that after everything you just described," Marlon said, "I'll take it at face value."
I leaned forward, folding my hands on the table.
