[ The time, 2:15am. The date, May 18 2091... very early in the morning. The place? RNYC's Old Town, not the most picturesque of places. You're currently near the corner of 104th and Technology, within spitting distance of the PT Sector. Technology Drive, as a relatively major N-S road, is fairly wide, but at this hour there's not going to be many people around this far east. ] [ To your left, facing north, are the blocky grey concrete tenements of RNYC's distant history, the chrome of hammered-on Pipes and the dark black of fire escapes crawling on the outside like extremely geometric ivy. On your right, the road ends in a short wall; on the other side of it the similarly blocky expanse of PT sector factories extends into the distance. ] [ Apparently, you've got the advantage on Platina in terms of arrival; sadly, there's not a lot in terms of cover here on the road, which is probably why she agreed to it. What will our heroes(?) do, particularly when Ms. Fortescue arrives? Let's find out! ] (SNIPERS ON THE FIRE ESCAPES) (WE HAVE TO MOVE, MR. PRESIDENT) (That's what Yue is for. Hopefully. And why Roch gets to shoot her in the back of the head if she screws up.) (It's win win!) (You may begin posinnnnnnnnnnnnnng) (Oh. Do we all have standard comm devices now?) (And are we already in position?) (Truth; I'm from TC. Everyone from TC knows how to use a gun. It's totally standard.) (Like a boy and his dog.) (Well... I'd imagine you left Momo's at maybe 1am. So whatever you can pick up in an hour and 15 minutes, you have.) (Well, it's something we generally end up getting in ATC games because it's necessary, so.) (I'm not... handing them out. If you don't own them, you don't have them. e_ea) (Let's just all start at the same place and then work stuff out?) (Just to get this going. ;P) (Stop at the Radio Shack and get some walkie talkies. Ha haw.) (Yeah, really! Future walkie talkies!) (NINE PM. DECIDE AND LET'S GO.) * Katherine is back in suit, completely, hooray, hooray. She glances around at everyone, once they get close, and then says, "So... Xavier, Thren... know what Platina's going for here?" * Yue is off slightly to the side, arranging and tinkering with her rifle for the meet-up. It isn't like she has any value showing up at face, so she's tuning it for sniping. Two minds, one body... still makes it a bit weird to just hand you over. * Zak is standing off a little ways, hands in his pockets, keeping an eye out for whomever. [ Xavier shakes his head. "No, I really don't. You're the one she hired, after all..." ] * Rochelle is there. She hasn't been saying much; she hardly looks like she's paying a lot of attention. But she didn't run into anything on the way, so that's good. ("Roch?" "What?" "That... that's a utility pole." "...is it?") (XD) * Katherine sighs and says, "Right. Fantastic. She knew exactly where to send you to get some choice information." (Tomorrow, it's found with 4 shuirken embedded in it.) * Katherine then looks over between Yue and Zak, "You two got your comms set up?" * Yue slowly raises her cellphone, which has a cord with a set of earbuds attached to it to her ears. * Zak tweaks his hand in his pocket. ~Roger, Captain Metalpants. Readin' you 10-4 on the five by five." (Hm. One of those should be different.) (Damn utility poles.) (Oh god.) (Hahahaha.) [ Kat's comment gets a blink from Xavier. He is not wearing a headset because that would be... sort of pointless. "What do you mean by that?" ] * Yue glances up towards some of the choice picks of fire exits and declares, "I'm going now." She sifts away. * Katherine glances to Yue, then back to Xavier. "Okay. Let's say you wanted to figure out exactly what happened a year ago in TC." * Rochelle glances at Yue, too, with something that might almost be annoyance. [ "I wouldn't even know who to ask, Kat," he says truthfully. He was dead at the time. ] * Katherine snorts, then replies, "What's the next best thing to a video recording of the fight you died in? A little personal experience." * Katherine gestures upwards. "So she sends Xavier to go get touchy-feely, and bam." * Rochelle nods. [ "Doesn't that assume she already knows where to look?" ] * Katherine glances after Yue, the gone, then adds lowly, "Thren, the story of what happened to general people and the reality are a little different. But everyone knows it went down in TC." The big crater kinda gave it away. [ Xavier mmms in the back of his throat a bit, then shakes his head. "It's possible, but I think it'd mean Platina knows more about Xavier's power than HE does. This... isn't exactly usual and intended behavior." ] * Yue might even find a nice, secluded rooftop to brood, er, snipe on... or if the angle is better, just one of the tiers of the fire escape. More cover and all. * Katherine snorts and says, "A snail knows more about Xavier's power than he does." * Katherine then looks over at Roch and says, "So, Roch. You up to watching Yue for me?" ~Maybe she was just scannin' for anything she could get?~ * Rochelle nods. "Sure." * Katherine half-smiles behind her faceplate and says, "I figure if she flips you know what to do." * Rochelle shrugs. She just might, at that. [ The height of the roofs makes them too tall for a shot on the street; the fire escapes are a better bet, and there's two across an alley with a good bead. ] * Katherine then nods at Zak and replies, "Pretty much. I'm not figurin' she knows exactly what's goin' on, but... she knew Xavier could get close enough." And the people wanting Thren's stone... (Can we get Dicey in here?) Someone knows what the hell's going on. [ For a moment, Xavier is silent. Then he says, quietly, "You know I won't tell her anything, and I'm pretty sure Xavier doesn't know." ] * Zak shrugs, and walks off for an alleyway, where he can watch the transaction go down. * Katherine shrugs. "Like you said. Maybe she didn't know everything. Just gotta know enough." Her helmet looks down to Xavier's hand. "Roch gave you the rock everyone was looking for, too." * Katherine turns around in a 360 circle, looking around. "Just... gotta hope her panic causes a mistake." * Yue picks the closer one, and draws a little sigh as she sets up shop. Rifle stand, corner view, scope. Her dark clothes make for a good blend half past one in the morning. Think it's a good idea for one of us to hold it? * Katherine looks over at Roch, then at Xavier, then just pulls out her gun and says, idly, "Maybe. It's your twos' thing." * Rochelle looks to Xavier, then. It's his call. [ A brief look of indecision flows across Xavier's face, before he glances at Kat, then at Roch. He digs in a pocket and pulls out the stone, holding it out in his hand, palm-up. The stone -- Thren's, the powder blue one -- lays there. "It's up to you. But... it's just a stone, I think." ] * Rochelle shakes her head. "I don't." Since it's up to her, she takes it and tucks it back in her pocket. (Dicey? Pretty please?) Hey, um... Thren? (Dur, sorry.) (Thank you!) [ The blond is about to turn back and watch, but blinks and looks back at Roch when his name (well, someone's name) is called, with an inquisitve expression. It's the same sort of childish-looking thing that was perfectly adorable on Thren's youthful features but on Xavier's lanky face is... odd. ] * Rochelle hesitates for one brief, nervous moment before darting in and up to give Xavier a short and awkward kiss. "Thanks," she says before scurrying off and into position as quickly as possible. ~RNYC's tres skeleton this early. Creepsville.~ * Katherine 's suithead doesn't move, but it's not like it has to to watch that! She doesn't do anything funny, though. She does check her gun's clip and comm back to Zak, ~Not so bad when we're not in the old part of town. S'why we're here.~ * Rochelle climbs up into position to shoot Yue if she does anything particularly stupid. [ The whole thing takes Xavier by surprise; he stands there watching her leave as the sound of an approaching vehicle portends the arrival of Platina Fortescue, hopefully. Zak is concealed in an alley! Yue and Roch are occupying a nearby fire escape. ] * Yue glances back at Roch moving in behind her, and stares at her for a long moment. But then the sound of the vehicle catches her attention, and she narrows her profile in against the side of the building. * Zak frowns at the vehicle from his hiding place. * Katherine says lowly, to Xavier, "Yeah, she's opened up a lot, it seems." 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-2) and gets a natural 11 for a result of 9. (DR1) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-2) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 6. (Hooray!) (It's like you don't even need to roll.) (This is what I have instead of combat skills or anything more useful. Leave me alone. :P) (I bet other precogs get some serious headaches around you. "This is happening! ... wait not yet... okay now this .... that other thing again... oh god my synapses taste like brie) (Anders seemed to take it okay!) (Ha ha.) [ He doesn't have time to reply; around the corner of 105th comes a sleek black car, which stops about a block away lengthwise, blocking the road. ] * Rochelle coms, ~Careful. More people might show up.~ * Katherine moves slightly around Xavier and replies to the comm with, ~That's why you're around, people. I've got information to squeeze out of someone.~ ~Can't look any harder unless you pay for more eyes.~ (DO IT) (ZAK-SARON, THE BEAST WITH A THOUSAND EYES) (A shuriken for each eye!) (Giving new meaning to "a cold stare") [ Xavier turns to follow Kat, staying a bit behind her. The door of the limousine -- for it can be nothing else -- opens, and out of it steps a perfectly-groomed, perfectly gunmetal color-clothed Platina Fortescue. She sees Xavier, which gets a nod, and then she sees Kat in a fucking EXO, which gets a raised eyebrow. ] * Katherine replies to her raised eyebrow, over speakers, with, "Wasn't as much of a cakewalk as you said. Brings out bad habits." [ "So I've heard," the Dunno employee responds smoothly. "Still, you did what I asked, and now I'll be taking Mr. Aurin back to Red Sweden with me, if you don't mind. The money is already deposited in your accounts, if you care to check." ] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RE3h-SOdYQ&fmt=18 -- the BGM for this scene, BTW) * Katherine smiles slightly behind her faceplate. "Yeah, well, there's a problem with that. I trust you know what his SCA mod is, yes?" [ Xavier says nothing, even when Platina turns and bores her icy gaze into his face for a moment, then back to Kat. "He 'speaks' to machines. I'm sure you've seen as much for yourself by now. Considering his work for Dunno it's a valuable talent." There's a beat, and though her sangfroid doesn't crack, there's an edge to her statement nonetheless. "One I intend to leave with shortly." ] (I parsed that as icy glaze.) (Xavier now tastes of cardamon!) (And lemon? I like lemon glazes.) (Roch and yue! Sensory rolls, pwease.) (HA count?) (Yes ma'am.) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-4) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 4. (Made!) * Katherine looks back at her. "I don't believe you. I mean, I saw him do it... but I don't believe you. Because if that's the truth, taking him to TC makes no damn sense." 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Yue (2d6-2) and gets a natural 10 for a result of 8. (I think that is a failzorz.) [ Yue is a little too focused on her sniping position to notice, perhaps, but Rochelle can tell: the shadows in the alley are too deep, and it's LITERALLY too quiet. Not figuratively; things that should be making noise -- your own breathing, for example -- are muffled unless they're right IN your ear, like the comms. ] (Oh, fuck dammit, not again.) * Rochelle looks for the source as she coms, ~Happening again. Everything's getting muted.~ ~Heat wave in the alley. Hate this frakkin' shit.~ * Yue takes a deeper breath as she remarks, ~Cover my back, will you. I have to line the shot.~ ~Wait, who're we SHOOTING?~ [ Platina chuckles at Kat. "Whether you believe me or not isn't of much consequence. I'm an expediter, Ms. Parker. I am given tasks and I make them happen. The whys don't concern me overmuch, and I have no intention of answering any problematic questions in any case." Xavier seems blissfully oblivious to all of this because he doesn't have a comm on. ] * Rochelle nods to Yue. (PLATINA IS EVIL ZOE CULLODEN) (OH FUCK THAT MEANS THERE IS AN ALIGNMENT SWAPPED DEADPOOL. HE IS LAWFUL CHAOTIC INSTEAD OF CHAOTIC LAWFUL) * Katherine mms as she listens to the input, then says, flatly, "So... I've got a problematic question for you. Maybe you'll want to answer it. Why are the people who attacked us in TC here, right now, preparing to attack us?" [ Xavier blinks, turning to Kat with a ?_? expression. Platina looks... blank, as if she doesn't understand the question. "...oh! Perhaps you mean him?" ] * Katherine glances to Xavier, then back to Platina. "Him?" (One sec.) (As in, pause one sec.) (Okay. Give me one sec to get all this out before people start throwing poses out.) [ She raps a knuckle on the limo. The front door opens and from inside a figure... not so much exits as 'unfolds', due to his bulk. His massive, black suit-wearing bulk. You may recall him from your tete-a-tete in Box City, perhaps? Silently, he reaches inside the limo and, with one hand, produces another familiar figure... ] [ ...the sniper from TC, thoroughly unconscious and still wearing the clothes he wore then. The big man holds him by the scruff of the neck like a doll, hanging him in midair. Platina waves a hand at him. "This one, I mean." ] [ MEANWHILE: The alleyway has a sudden and very nasty shift in temperature, so sudden that the concrete is patterned over with frost. Zak, Yue, and Roch can all make a sense check with a -4 bonus. ] 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zak (2d6-4) and gets a natural 9 for a result of 5. (HA again?) (If it's mind I totally missed) (Yeah, HA always applies if I say 'sense check'.) (Otherwise made) 2d6-6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Yue (2d6-6) and gets a natural 7 for a result of 1. (I awesomed.) 2d6-8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-8) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 0. (I SURE MADE THAT) (Jesus fuckbeans.) * Yue tenses lightly as the big man and the sniper comes into sight, and her scope shifts over towards the two... but then the change in temperature forces her to answer to the more immediate problem. [ Yue and Rochelle notice, right away: movement to their left. Across the alleyway, on a parallel fire escape, is the firebug from Box City, staring at the wall in confusion as it frosts over. Zak doesn't see the individual in particular, but he CAN sense there's someone on that fire escape. ] (NOW we may pose.) (Sorry, there was a lot of simultaneous action I wanted to get out of the way first.) (Swap poses!) (Yue/Roch/Zak get a surprise 'round' on the firebug if they want to take some sort of offensive action.) * Katherine looks to him, then to Platina as she says, "He's part of it." She nods at that guy. "Real good to see him again, too." (...I've clearly blown your minds and you can't pose.) * Rochelle coms, ~Fire guy on the escape across.~ She aims at him and... well, and fires, because frankly he tried to kill her and she really didn't appreciate that. ('that guy' being the big one.) (I'm looking for his name now.) (Nah. I'll take some initiative! Free init. Give me an extra -2 to my roll plz.) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-4) and gets a natural 3 for a result of -1. (Like I needed it.) (Well there may not be combat involved, lemme see what Zak and Yue do too. ^_^) * Zak spins around and attempts to freeze the guy in place. 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Zak (2d6-4) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 4. * Yue lets out a brief noise and wheels around. ~Target locked in place.~ Her scope homes in on the firebug, and despite not having full access to her hands right now, she can make that kind of a shot. (frizzle, mah nizzle) Brokkr, yes? (And... full attack, since it's surprise.) (rollllllllllll eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet) 2d6-7 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Yue (2d6-7) and gets a natural 6 for a result of -1. (Ahaha. Okay, again: lots of simultaneous blah blah so cut me some slack) (Oh right, called shot too.) (And I forgot the scope bonus. Bwar. This is like playing D&D.) (You hit him anyway, shaddap.) (I want to headshot him!) [ Neither Platina nor Brokkr -- for it is indeed he -- seems interested in confirming any names. Platina opens her mouth to say something, but then there's the sound of gunfire from the alley which, let's face it, is hard to disguise. She, Brokkr, and Xavier all turn their heads toward the alleyway at the sound... ] (It's not an instant kill. >_>) (I know, but I can call head, ne?) [ ...of Roch and Yue firing basically in unison and scoring a pair of perfectly aimed hits. Why? Because Zak has the drop on our fiery friend and has rooted his legs to the floor with a thick pair of icy boots. He's too busy paying attention to that to notice that he's being fired at and, frankly, after one bullet impacts his chest and the other just below the jawline he goes down in a spray of blood. ] (Okay, make with the posing again.) (Haha, we're awesome!) ~Uh. Super gomen, Kat. Squelched a gawker on the escape.~ (He's not dead.) (He took a shot to the jaw!) (BUt he just took a bullet to the head, which... is sort of the problem with that whole system. He's not dead because he hasn't taken sufficient damage but he just took a bullet to the head. This is why I hate called shots.) * Katherine frowns a touch and comms, ~Not killing civvies, now, are you?~ before saying, over the speakers, "Now, you can start being straight with me right about now?" (Well as Mecha pointed out, I did call it late, sew.) * Rochelle keeps aiming at the fire guy. He could move, and then she could kill him! If he moves. AT ALL. * Zak heads for the fire escape ladder. Best to check if he's dead. Your big friend here tried to take us all our earlier today. * Yue resumes her position, and aims towards the big guy next. She has the advantage of Roch also shooting, so potentially her cover ain't blown. 2 / 3 shots remain. [ Brokkr continues to give Kat a ten million megawatt =_= expression. Platina, on the other hand, chuckles faintly and shakes her head. "Did he? They have so much latitude in their roles, occasionally they can be... high-spirited." She doesn't really sound like she cares. "Regardless, you appear to be tooling around with this man's partner," she adds, indicating the sniper, "so we both have things we're not saying, hmm?" ] [ Xavier, meanwhile, is watching the alley, not Kat and Platina; the sound of gunfire has given him a very concerned expression. Zak gets to the top of the fire escape to find their quarry alive, badly injured, and thoroughly unconscious. ] ~Space Jesus, he's still alive. Fuckin' miracle.~ * Zak rips off pieces of whats-his-name's clothing to try and stem the bleeding from FACESHOT. ~Make sure he doesn't do anything.~ * Katherine replies, with a thin smirk, "Yes, but the difference is that your not saying things is trying to get me killed." [ "Says the woman with two snipers on fire escapes?" ] * Rochelle goes about aiming at black dude. (He's wearing black! He is white.) (It's a nice contrast!) * Katherine shrugs. "Hey, I only got one sniper. But you attacked us first, earlier today, so like I said. How about you cut the crap." 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-2) and gets a natural 10 for a result of 8. (WHY. DR2) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-2) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 4. (Okay!) [ This entire thing is getting to Xavier/Thren a little bit; he gives a desperate-looking glance to Kat, before looking toward Platina. He seems like he wants to speak, but isn't 100% sure he can pull off being whoever he's supposed to be, since there's no way of knowing who Platina EXPECTS. ] * Rochelle stares, and her eyes glaze over, but she doesn't do much else. * Zak tries to save the firebug. Hell, he'll try to cryogenically freeze him if that's what it takes. (Zak's such a sweet guy.) (Kat never really thought he had the heart to kill anyone with his own hands.) [ Brokkr shifts a little; the man in his hands waves back and forth like a pennant with the motion. He glances at Platina, who nods once, then turns back to Kat. "Well, alright. We'll 'cut the crap', as it were. Give me Xavier and we'll go. If you persist in troublesome questions, there will be consequences. And please believe me when I tell you that you're not in a position of bargaining strength." ] (You're talking like he HASN'T killed someone before.) * Rochelle coms, ~Something's... really, really wrong. With Twilight. Just don't know what...~ (He's at least killed purples!) [ Eitri -- the 'fire guy' -- actually does not appear to be in much danger of dying, per se; in fact he's even stopped bleeding out heavily, partially because of Zak's treatment and partially for some... unknown reason. But he's not waking up any time soon, for sure; his breathing is still slow/shallow. ] * Zak frowns, then pulls out several balloons from his inventory screen and ties Eitri to the fire escape. For good measure he ices him down to it, then hops over the railing to go look at what's happening with Kat. (You alive in there, Yue?) (yeah.) ~Wrong... with Twilight? The city?!~ [ Platina's grey-eyed gaze fixes on Zak as he emerges, but she says nothing; instead she's waiting for Kat's response. ] ~Yeah. Something about this.~ (I... didn't actually emerge, but actually in light of Roch's post I retroactively will do so.) (Ah, sorry. Misread.) * Katherine is silent a moment, then reaches over to grab Xavier by the arm with her free hand to pull him against her, and if that doesn't go badly, her gun comes up to his head. "Sorry, Platina. Tired of you fucking around with me on this one." ~Like, she's doing stuff to it right now?~ (Ahahaha oh this is going to be glorious.) [ Xavier looks genuinely surprised, this much is clear; certainly, too surprised to stop Kat. It's helping the appearance that he's still Xavier! ] (Hahaha.) (It sure is!) (Also helps that Kat's got a mask on.) * Rochelle winces. ~I don't know!~ She shifts her aim from the black dude to Platina. (Haha, well. This is going to be TERRIBLY amusing.) * Yue queries to Kat, ~What are you doing?~ [ Kat may be pleased to know she gets a look of genuine surprise out of Platina for a moment, but it doesn't last long. She steps aside and taps the glass on the limo's rear door window, which leaps to life as a TVNet screen. The image is split into four; all four sights are immediately recognizable to Roch and Zak (and possibly Kat and Yue) as key city infrastructure points in Twilight City. ] * Katherine comms back, ~Getting her to show her hand.~ [ The silver-haired Dunno exec turns back to the group. "I gather you're familiar with what you're seeing?" ] * Zak was in the process of charging towards Platina, but as soon as he can see the screens he skids to a halt, a look of incredulity on his face. (And yes I did mean "sight" as in "a thing seen", though 'site' would have been acceptable.) * Yue stares towards the monitor with a growing look of unpleasantness. She shifts over to look at how the big man is doin'. * Katherine snorts and says, "Yeah. Which only proves I'm right. You don't send a geek for a walk and then threaten to destroy a city to get him back." ~She fuckin' can't! You can't let her!~ [ Brokkr is very carefully watching Kat and Xavier, in fact. The man in his grip is still unconscious. ] * Rochelle doesn't say a word. [ A cold smile spreads across Platina's face. "Ah, you catch on quickly. You may be right, but the point is that I will quite happily blow massive holes in Twilight City if I must. Things are bad enough there already," she says, suddenly lancing a gaze at Zak before turning back to Kat, "are they not? I'll even throw in this young man to sweeten the deal, as it were. Two lives for... well, a mass of cockroaches, frankly, but I'm sure somebody is attached to them emo (attached to them emo) (I bet that cut off.) emotionally." ] * Zak clenches his fists. He looks sincerely, genuinely angry. [ Xavier's now-blue eyes creep up to Kat's faceplate, in an inquisitve manner. ] * Rochelle stares, then coms, ~She'll do it.~ * Katherine 's head tilts down to Xavier, back to Platina, then replies, flatly, "And all I have to rely on is your worthless word that you won't just do it anyway?" * Yue tightens a look around her face, ever so subtly, as her pupils dilate further. ~Let me end her.~ (Reality warp.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-2) and gets a natural 6 for a result of 4. * Rochelle shakes her head. ~Won't matter. Kill her and it'll trigger.~ ~Figured. You sure, Roch?~ ~Yeah.~ ~Fuck.~ [ Her smile doesn't waver. "I frankly wouldn't mind seeing that place reduced to a hole in the ground, but an exploding city -- even one nobody cares about -- would really be such a bother. And if you're thinking of putting a bullet in my head, I wouldn't unless you've got some marshmallows to roast." ] * Zak is caught up in some sort of spiral of internal rage, like his brain is still chewing over the enormity of the insult. * Katherine clenches her teeth, then finally goes, ~You owe me an explanation, Yue.~ She then lets go of Xavier and replies, "You flip that, and you will die." I don't even think I'll have to do it. [ "We all will someday, Ms. Parker," Platina says in a measured tone. Rubbing his neck, Xavier stumbles forward and stands apart from Kat, looking between the two women for a moment and then fixing his gaze on Zak. ] * Zak manages to work out, in halting syllables, "I ... SWEAR... it." * Zak looks back at Xavier, and his rage measurably hiccups before regaining its speed. * Katherine smirks, but waits until Zak finishes to add, "It'll be fast. You won't even get to enjoy having X back." [ Yue and Roch may (or may not, depending) notice that the opposite, ice-encrusted fire escape is now covered in a 'bubble' of dense, impenetrable matte black. ] * Rochelle glances. ~Black stuff over fire guy.~ [ Zak gets a long look from Xavier... an intense one, in fact, before the lanky blond walks toward Platina. "Alright." This is all he says. As he walks toward her, Brokkr effectively slides the sniper at you across the ground like a hockey puck; he lands about at Kat's feet, groaning heavily. ] * Yue snarls slightly, and then just drops the quick version on Kat. ~Would be nice if you could get the other guy.~ ~Don't you DARE fucking shoot!~ * Katherine replies, with sarcasm in her voice, ~Well, you have so much lattitude in your role. I'm sure you can be high-spirited.~ She reaches down with one clawed hand, gun still out, to pick up Yue's friend by the neck. She then says to X, "Nice knowing you." [ Platina has stepped aside to open the limo door; Xavier stops right in front of it but doesn't turn around. "Y... yeah. Same here," he says, before getting in the limo. At a gesture from Platina, Brokkr starts backing up while she herself gets in as well. ] * Yue folds her rifle and starts down the fire escape, with an annoyed and pensive look on her face. ~He's gone.~ * Katherine comms back, ~He... was gone a year ago.~ [ Presuming a lack of interference, Brokkr is the last to get in the limo; it then drives off, leaving you alone on the road once more. The black aura disappears from the fire escape; what's left under it is a mostly slagged/melted fire escape, some balloons, and no sign of Eitri. ] * Rochelle lets out a small sigh. She turns and heads down the fire escape. * Zak unclenches his jaw. "No. He left X. Before he got in the car." * Yue looks none too happy as she approaches Kat. * Katherine is silent a moment, then just repeats, ~He was gone a year ago, Zak.~ [ The man in Kat's grip groans a little louder; fortuitously, he is waking up, or something like it. ] * Zak heads back to the fire escape to check on Eitri. [ At close range, it's clear he's been... not treated very well as a guest of Dunno Corporation. ] * Katherine grips him tighter and turns towards the approaching Yue, before throwing the guy at her and saying, "You owe me a goddamn explanation, yes?" * Yue tries to catch the guy's fall with her big gingery metal hand, and then sets him down. She stares back up and breathes through her nose, and responds, "Sure." * Rochelle walks up, looks at Yue, looks at Kat, and somehow succeeds in not saying, 'Told you so'. (Thank you, I didn't need to hear it!) (XD) [ The sniper slumps to the ground and lies there, frankly. His eyes don't open but a hand comes up and grips his dark-skinned forehead. ] (There's one laaaast reveal and then we'll call it a night.) * Katherine keeps her helmet on, and adds, "And it better be good, too. Because right now she's got almost exactly what she wanted." * Zak comes back from the fire escape. He doesn't say anything, but he's clearly unhappy. * Yue rubs her temple for a moment, and pulls up again. "My mission is to investigate this man's disappearance and locate him." * Katherine crosses her arms across her suit. "DRAUPNIR? Why that guy wanted the stone? Something useful, Yue." * Yue pockets her hand and responds, "Our investigation is with DRAUPNIR... I'm only a secondary agent." She stares down to the sniper and says, "But he, on the other hand - if DRAUPNIR took him out, it's probably because he saw something." * Rochelle eyes Yue. Maybe she *will* get to shoot her. [ "Ngh... go easy on her," says the man on the ground. Eventually, he sits up, making the universal face for 'have been tortured and unconscious for a while', viz: >_<. Eventually he opens his eyes, which are a dark lavendar color, and glances around. One hand waves a little, and he looks between everyone as he introduces himself. ] [ "Soma McLochlane, Calhoun Electronics OCDS," he says, waving his hand. "This is my too-good-at-her-job partner, Yue Rohay. Now..." He glances around, raising an eyebrow or two. "Where the fuck am I?" ] (I.... will destroy you. Later.) (... that cannot be his real name.) (You really don't remember my ATC 3.1 character, do you?) (I didn't want to just let him die!) (I do remember him!) (He even has the same damn power!) (I DO, that is why the destruction) (He is reborn in guise of iron to stand for the ideals of ACROSS.) * Yue slowly puts her hand to her face and rubs her face. In one fell swoop, Soma has somehow conveyed more info than she has withheld in multiple sessions. Good job, Rohay. "Somewhere we shouldn't be for long," is murmured. * Yue tries to help the Soma up, at least. That's just professional. * Katherine glances to Yue, then replies, still with her arms crossed across herself. "Red NYC. Oldtown. And Platina now has Xavier. So why are Calhoun and Dunno fighting over this shit?" Because, I'm telling you, you people keep picking the wrong people to fuck with. [ With Yue's help and -- probably -- her support, Soma gets to his feet and gives Kat a curious glance. "Something strange is going on at DRAUPNIR," he says, and again his gaze flits to the Krogstads for a moment. Somehow, though, it keeps coming back to Kat. Perhaps because she likes to wear an EXO for fun. "Something big and dangerous. I just don't know what yet." ] * Rochelle watches, expression blank. She doesn't seem to have anything to add just yet. * Katherine comms, to Zak and Roch, ~You two just wanna go home and forget this?~ * Yue listens to Soma talk, and then pulls away after he's steady. Unless he's gonna fall over, which is likely. "I need to report..." is murmured. * Zak looks at Katherine, and in what is probably the clearest and lowest voice you have ever heard him use, says, "I am going to freeze her blood solid." [ That gets a smirk out of Soma. "Yue, could you stop being so perfect for five fucking seconds? Call them *tomorrow*." He is professionally oblivious to Zak's fury. ] * Rochelle coms to Zak and Kat, ~Gotta find out how she has TC wired. Or there's no point.~ * Katherine looks back to Zak, then to Roch and nods. ~That's your job, then, Mayor.~ * Zak nods absently. * Katherine then turns to Soma and Yue and adds, "We're still in. Can you get something tracking them?" (I need to be in bed like yesterday) (Yeah, we'll close it up shortly.) * Yue makes an unamused but vague noise as she remarks in response, "It's my job." She glances to Kat and wants desperately to fall back to 'I gotta clear this with the higher-ups', but goes with, "I'll see what I can do," despite herself. (I blame myself for not noticing the similarities) [[ The Calhoun employee glances at Yue for a moment, before looking back at Kat. "I doubt it. Platina's always been a very methodical planner... and if she really does have Twilight wired, it's probably not safe to piss her off before she gets to Red Stockholm. If it helps," he adds, glancing to the Krogstads, "I don't think she'll set them off now that she's got what she wants." ] (HAHA this is what I get for wiki-ing and GMing simultaneously) * Rochelle tilts her head and asks, even though Yue *didn't* say she was clearing with higher ups, "Who do you report to?" (Um yeah, he wasn't in the wired convo. ^^) (?) (He didn't respond to any comm statements? Kat asked if he could track him, which he said no to.) (Oh, okay.) (That's what the first part of his statement is in ref to.) (Also, nix Roch's question. For some reason I totally missed Soma saying they were with Calhoun.) (What I meant was the [[ .) (That is so why I switched back to <<) * Rochelle turns to Zak. "Could just call in and have people check on the wired sites while we do whatever." I have to think about it. * Yue looks to Soma and says lowly, "Command is alright with bringing the others in on this, and it would help with our assignment." [ "I can get you some teams to help out," Soma says to Zak. "Just say the word. But listen..." Yue's statement catches his attention... he inclines his head at her, nods, then turns to Kat. "Can we go somewhere else? I was kinda beat up and pumped for info while they were holding me and I'd really like a shower. I have a lot of info to give you, anyway." ] (The paranoid in me says 'don't go back to the apartment.') (The sane person in me says, 'Todd would not have possibly trapped the apartment.') (Which one do I listen to? ;_;) (The sane one.) (Because it is late.) (And I am finally rid of Xavier.) (If you do not decide in 5s I will kill you tomorrow) (OOPS EVERYONE DIED) (Haha. BAD END, SHURIKEN EVERYWHERE) * Katherine looks over to Zak, then back to Soma. "As long as you're giving info. Let's go." * Rochelle nods. And doesn't shuriken people, because why would she do that? [ He nods. "Good. Oh, one more thing..." He pauses, reaches into his jacket, and after a second of fiddling, turns to Roch and throws something at her. "Catch." ] * Rochelle catches it. She blinks at the stone, then nods. "Thanks." * Rochelle tucks it in her other pocket. Now she has 2x rocks! [ Xavier... and possibly Threnody... are gone. Platina's motives are as uncertain as ever. And really, who ARE Soma McLochlane and Yue Rohay? Whoever they are, they're willing to help... and Twilight City is safe for now. What does the future hold? FIND OUT... NEXT TIME!]