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Post by S☆E on Apr 27, 2018 18:07:12 GMT -6
"So how d'ya think things are going out there, Jingo?" Ernest asks, reclining in his cockpit. "We haven't heard anything back from Fawn or Dropkick. Knowing Dropkick they're probably relaxing a bit before go-time. Hell, I would. Fancy hotel and casino, aliases, stuff all paid for? I'd have me some fun. Speaking of-" he pauses, and the sound of a can being opened up is audible over the intercom. "I'm glad that Cinco guy was able to sneak me a mini-fridge in here."
After another long pause Ernest gives a loud aaaahhh~ of satisfaction. "Tsingtao. Longest-running brewery in the country. So, Jingo, looks like we'll be sitting here for awhile yet. Got any good stories from your time in the service? If you've got one to share I'll share one next."
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moo!!
Cosmic Kiddie
Posts: 63
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Post by moo!! on Apr 27, 2018 18:19:16 GMT -6
Sean sunk his teeth into a doughy steamed bun, its bright red juices spilling down his cheek. His brows furrowed contemplatively as he chewed. When he finally swallowed, his expression brightened. What he’d ordered certainly smelled good, but he hadn’t expected its flavors to surpass its scent. Sean wasn’t even sure what type of meat he’d ordered until the rich flavor of well-seasoned pork graced his tongue. Vague hand gestures were enough to pay for his meal, but stopped just short of actually figuring out what he was paying for. “Haven’t had a meal this good in months. Years, maybe. Almost forgot what it was like to eat something my stomach doesn’t immediately reject,” he grumbled, wiping the red juice from the side of his mouth with a cheap napkin. “Turns out a dash of spice works miracles. How are your noodles?” There wasn’t a response at first. Aside from not wanting to talk with her mouth full, Lin had the look of someone who was thoroughly overwhelmed. Her face had turned pink all the way to her ears and tears were beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. See, she’d picked something weird: eel noodles. Or noodles and eel, as the two weren’t mixed together, but set aside on opposite sides of the disposable bowl. She picked at them separately as they walked, obviously hesitant about the choice she made. Eventually she had the idea to shove both noodle and eel into her mouth, and that’s where the expression on her face came from. It was a combination of sweet and salty, slimy (or smooth…?!) and firm, hot and cold. It was— “ Weird.” She managed to say after she swallowed the food. Her eyes were still watery, but there was a (somewhat painful-looking) smile on her face. “But good, actually. I get it. They contrast the textures and flavors well, though this… eel, was it? I’ve… never quite tasted anything like it. It’s slimy and smooth, and the sauce just adds to that feeling. Kinda made me gag a little because I wasn’t expecting it.” “Now where have I heard that line before?” Sean mused, taking another meaty bite of his pork bun. “Wait, what?” “Nothing, nothing.” They strolled past the fragrant food vendors and into the realm of jewelry, antiques, and knicknacks. Peeking out from under the canopy of a nearby building stood a tall rack of masks. From science-fiction to fantasy, traditional to contemporary, man to beast, there was a mask to match anyone’s aesthetic. Sean and Lin approached the stall. “One-hundred and fifty yuan for any mask you like,” the merchant said. “Each comes in a complimentary black display box. Take as long as you need to decide.” “Will do,” Sean replied. The merchant was far from clueless, but something about the man’s demeanor made him think that the man valued discretion. The two could have spent hours poring over each and every mask and still overlook a handful of them. Sean meandered towards a large selection of terrifying and demonic masks on display, occasionally calling to Lin to show her a particularly cartoonish mask. She poked through masks adorned with various critters both vicious and cute, briefly trying them on in front of a nearby mirror. The two gravitated to a section between them where mythical beings like unicorns and jackalopes hung from the racks. Sean finally settled on the [mask of an azure dragon], while Lin decided on a similarly striking [white-and-red kitsune]. Perhaps unintentionally, both masks reflected the eyes of their wearer. Lin stepped forward, methodically counting the money they’d been given for their mission – and then taking the amount due. “Three-hundred yuan total, I believe,” she said, handing over the money with a small bow, “Here you go, sir.” “Very much appreciated,” the merchant replied as he counted the yuan she had given him. Satisfied, he carefully placed the masks in cheap black boxes and bagged them in a generic plastic bag from a nearby grocery store. “Do keep an eye on that bank account, will you?” He said with a wink. The pair decided to head back to the casino. They had plenty of time to go over the plan once more before the bar opened, but the weather was starting to become overcast and the threat of rain loomed heavy over their heads. Just before they wiggled their way out of the busy street market, Sean stopped dead in his tracks. “Actually, I need to uh… grab one more thing right quick.” He didn’t give her the chance to object before he was once again lost among the crowd. It couldn’t have been more than a couple minutes before Sean returned, the strings of a small jewelry bag peeking out from his pocket. He scratched the back of his head as a bead of sweat (or perhaps a wayward droplet of rain) dripped across his brow. “Sorry about the wait.” “… it’s fine.” While Lin was curious, she decided against asking what that was about. “Well then. If everything’s in order… we should get going.” She gave the grey sky a worried glance. It wasn’t entirely because of rain, but because it seemed so ominous considering what they were heading into. Superstition, maybe, but she hoped it’d stay only that and nothing more as they went back to the hotel for the final point of their mission.
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on Apr 29, 2018 0:56:24 GMT -6
"I'm sure things are going just fine for Fawn and Dropkick," Myra replied, casually scrolling through pictures of cats on her phone. "Dropkick isn't the type to go quietly into the night... or do anything else quietly, for that matter. The fact that we haven't felt any explosions is confirmation enough for me."
"Afraid that I haven't been in the service long enough for many war stories... and none that I'd enjoy telling." She paused, mulling it over in her head. "That being said... boredom is starting to settle in, so I'll give it my best shot."
Myra slid her phone into a pocket in her piloting suit and drew a deep breath.
"These shiny new machines we're piloting? I was a member of the crew that retrieved them," she began. "It was with my old team, the Wildcats. An egotistical bunch if ever there was, always ready to prove that we were the best in the force. On that day, we were sent to follow the descent of a Martian cruiser that had just been shot out of the sky. Watching that ship fall into burning pieces in the atmosphere felt like laying in the grass and watching a meteor shower..."
Myra's voice trailed off as she lost herself in the memory.
"Most of their crew were already dead by the time we arrived. There were still a few Martians that had survived the fall, but not enough to pose a significant threat... or so we thought. All it took was one AA to keep us on our toes, each pilot hardly daring to approach. Our enemy didn't make a single mistake, but... they were simply outnumbered. My blade was the one to deliver the killing blow. A nice, clean kill to spare the pilot any unnecessary pain... or at least, that's what I told myself. Truth be told, I just didn't want to scratch too much paint off their machine."
"Nemea is every bit the beauty now as she was back then." Myra paused. "Now it's your turn."
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Post by Charredgp on May 2, 2018 22:32:08 GMT -6
And nothing happened.
……...Wait, off in the distance, some move- nah it was just someone screwing up his pool shot.
Seems like their new ‘friends’ were there to stay, even if they were uncomfortably large.
Lana squinted behind her shades, feeling a vague feeling of discontent at the two imposing strangers planted around them. Her eyes flashed from side to side, going for another strategy. She outstretched her arms and yawned, wrapping her hand around Gabe’s back and nestled in close for another whisper. “Okay, don’t judge me, but...do you want to pretend to use the toilet and go there?”
Gabe still didn’t trust it. Two big burly dudes, showing up after they’d been spying? Sure, they were kicking ass at it so far, but it was too convenient not to be an ambush. He gave Lana an affectionate nuzzle back, as disgustingly handsy, slightly drunk newlyweds are wont to do. Probably, he’s no expert.
He leaned forward to give Lana a peck on the cheek, setting his latest of many finished drinks onto the counter. While in truth he barely felt more than a bit tipsy at this point, he did his best to seem a bit more out of it than he really was, slightly unsteady on his feet as he made a show of looking around for a bathroom, avoiding where the actual entrance was hidden. “Save my seat, hun, I’ll be right back.” He said, making his way to the fabled door with the brazen confidence of a drunken idiot.
The large, mysterious men did not budge an inch or even turn to give Gabe so much as a passing glance as he made his way towards the back. They did, however, stop drinking. In fact, no one looked at him as he approached the door- well, minus a few glances from those that clearly did not appear to be local.
Well, if nobody had stopped him so far, this was clearly the way to the bathroom. Gabe continued on his overly-confident path to the door, letting himself in for at least a peek before “realizing” this wasn’t where he meant to go. “Oh geez, that ain’t right. They gotta label these better for when people gotta pee.” He said to anyone who might be listening.
What initially appeared to be a quick peek, quickly turned into (at least to perceptive onlookers) a rough, forced grab. Half of the newlywed couple was now behind the door (not making much noise) while the other half was at the bar. Surrounded by burly, imposing looking men, who were no longer drinking anything.
Lana had expected greatness from Gabe as he seamlessly went to initiate their plan. However, what she didn’t expect was...this kind of display. Admittedly, the original idea wasn’t the brightest. The execution however? She was at a loss for words as her ‘husband’ made an inebriated trek to the target. It was for the better that she had her shades, for the wide eyes in disbelief clashed against her trying not to laugh. With successful access to the door, Lana let out a hearty chuckle before aiming to follow the path Gabe set for her. “Hehehehe, are you okay honey? You look silly there.”
Lana, as she would find out, would meet the exact same fate Gabe did, well- not quite. For one, the fist didn’t come towards her face, and instead a peculiar odor assaulted her nose for just a second before-
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on May 3, 2018 7:26:13 GMT -6
The clock struck six o'clock sharp as ‘Cedric MacGilleain’ and ‘Brianna Muenster’ stepped into Dizzying Heights. The bar was abuzz with activity, a revolving door for overeager gamblers. The duo split as they entered. Sean nonchalantly approached the bar counter, leaning one elbow over the table. “What’s tonight’s special, barkeep?” “Our local special is wuliangye, a five-grain baijiu with a strong aroma. If you’re looking for something more mellow, I would recommend a mojito with fresh mint.” “The latter sounds just dandy,” Sean answered. His eyes quickly darted to the clock that stood on the wall behind the bartender. “My date would appreciate my breath smelling nice and fresh, so how about ye add… oh, six sprigs of mint?” “As you wish, sir.” The mojito arrived minutes later, carrying the scent of freshly-cut mint. He offered the bartender his keycard. “Hope ye don’t mind me paying early tonight.” As the bartender swiped his card, Sean took a long gulp from his drink. He immediately regretted that decision as the carbonation fizzled down his throat. Trying his best to keep his cool, he held his fist to his mouth and suffered silently as the drink settled into his stomach. The bartender returned Sean’s keycard. Nothing seemed different about it, but there was only one way to find out. Sean and Lin regrouped outside the bar, nodding to one another in confirmation. Together they approached the elevator and stepped inside. Lin spied a camera in the top right corner of the elevator, likely meant to confirm their identities. Sean slid his keycard into a barely-visible slot below the elevator’s buttons, causing the machine to make a soft whirring sound before spitting his keycard back out. Lin quickly followed suit and the two waited in silence. “Thank you for your patronage tonight Mr. MacGilleain, Ms. Muenster.” A soothing, robotic voice spoke from a speaker on the ceiling. “Your discretion is of utmost importance to us here at the InterContinental Nin-Yo. For your privacy, please don your masks now.” The two glanced towards one another. From here on out, there would be no turning back. They placed their masks over their faces as an additional two buttons lit up below the others. As opposed to a soft yellow glow, the new buttons were outlined by a dazzling blue. They pressed the button for the bottom floor in unison, cautiously watching the door as the elevator carried them below the ground floor. [ Champagne Charade] Azure light poured into the elevator as its door cracked open. It was as if the elevator had submerged into the river itself, massive aquariums lining the casino walls. From electrifying eels to poisonous puffer fish, all sorts of fish inhabited the outer walls of the casino. Sharks swam along the casino floor, wide-grinned and ravenous; their black-and-white suits were all that distinguished them from the creatures inside the fish tanks. Sean and Lin stepped outside the elevator, sparing only a moment to take in the atmosphere. Their prey lurked nearby. With only a blurry picture to go off of, it would be difficult to track the white-suited man down among the crowd. It would be easier to ask around, maybe rough up a few drunken big shots, but doing so would risk attracting unwanted attention. Even if they succeeded in finding their mark, it wasn’t worth endangering the other teams by alerting the Martians of their presence. They approached the gaming table, where cash could be exchanged for chips. Lin pitched in the minimum amount, splitting the chunk of chips with Sean. Their bets would have to be modest. Any big jackpots might make too big a splash, while playing it too safe might make them seem out-of-place. It was counter-intuitive, but Sean insisted that their best bet was to have fun and keep an ear out for anything suspicious. As the night waned, they couldn’t escape the feeling that they too were being watched…
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moo!!
Cosmic Kiddie
Posts: 63
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Post by moo!! on May 3, 2018 12:52:34 GMT -6
After two-and-a-half hours of gambling, Sean and Lin reconvened on a balcony that overlooked the casino’s main hall from the second floor. Any hope they had of cashing out tonight were dashed as they wagered the last of their chips in a round of Texas hold ‘em. With no chips and no leads, the two struggled to come up with a new strategy.
“This is getting us nowhere fast,” Sean grumbled. “We need to change our approach… but I’m afraid I don’t have any good ideas.”
“… well.” She was going to regret this, but she’d just wasted two hours drinking and chasing after a vague, unknown mark. The desperation was starting to settle in. “Any idea is a start, so… what were your other ones?”
“So bear with me on this one because it’s a doozy, but…” Sean gulped, an unusual display of anxiety from him. “I need ye to stab me.”
Lin blinked at him. Once, twice, then a third time. The statement didn't feel real, like it was a stand-in for something else. Something less horrifying, preferably. "You… might need to explain that one to me."
“Well… he’s a doctor, aye?”
“… yes.”
“Don’t doctors have to take a uh… what was it called again… Hypocritical Oath?”
“Hippocratic, but yeah. Go on.”
“That one. Stands to reason the good doctor would feel bound to help someone in ‘mortal peril’… even if they were a complete stranger.” Sean paused, taking a deep breath. He was keenly aware of the gaping hole in his plan. “There’s no guarantee that this will work. Even so, I’m positive it’ll get some kinda reaction out of him. That’s where ye come in.”
Lin watched him closely, biting back the urge to immediately shoot the plan down. It wasn’t as if Sean didn’t know what he was proposing, but it was a lot to handle. “… gotta figure out who it is, right?” She turned her eyes towards the crowds of people below. “And then what? Follow him and leave you behind? Or if they decide to ship you off to the hospital… we’d either get separated, or we’d miss our chance.”
“If ye’ve got a better plan, I’m all ears. Believe it or not I’d rather avoid being stabbed.”
Lin was silent for a few minutes. “No, I don’t.” She wasn’t really sure what else to say. “Sorry.”
“Can’t blame ye. Not like ye came up with this terrible, no-good, very bad idea.” He sighed, lifting up his shoe to remove a thin, compact switchblade. He had hidden it in case of an emergency, but he hadn’t expected it to be used on himself…
“Try not to hit any major arteries, would ye?” Sean cautiously slipped the knife’s handle into her hand, closing her fingers tightly around it.
“I-I…” She stared down at her trembling hand, the presence of an actual weapon robbing her of her voice. “Wait.” Linnea looked up at him, finally managing to choke out the words. “Are we… are we doing this here? Now?”
“Ye know what? That is a fantastic point,” Sean admitted. He held up a single finger, then walked down the short flight of stairs and bolted straight towards the nearest catering bot. It was the same model that offered them champagne in their hotel rooms. After a quick exchange of cash, he returned with a hefty bottle of wine. He popped the lid and took a long gulp, and then a second, and half of a third— before tearing it from his lips and pushing it towards her.
“Liquid courage.”
Lin took the bottle and stared at it. She was incredibly grateful for this, but— “I meant more… being here. We’re only somewhat hidden, and all it takes is for someone to walk up those stairs and we’re fucked.”
That gave Sean an idea.
“The bathroom. That’s where we’ll pull this off.”
“But won’t it be suspicious if we both go into the same bathroom…? Someone could be watching.”
“Nobody would bat an eye,” he assured. “See, it’s common for couples to… err… well, when a mommy and daddy bird love each other very much… hrm… lovers go at it in the bathroom when they’re too drunk and horny to make smart decisions, alright?”
She wasn’t sure whether to be amused, embarrassed, or frustrated that Sean felt it was necessary to explain this to her. Maybe a little bit of all of the above. Feeling the burning in her cheeks, Lin sucked in a deep breath. “I—… while I wasn’t quite asking about sex, I appreciate your endless wisdom on the matter, Mac. I was worried about the fact that the more perceptive patrons might link us together if you walk out bloodied, but you’ve made a good point.” She raised the bottle to her lips and chugged. Admittedly it was a little longer than she should have gone for, but she showed enough restraint to leave some for Sean later. He would need it more than she did, after all.
“Ah,” he replied, more than a little embarrassed at his own misunderstanding. “Well as long as we’re on the same page, we should try and make it convincing.”
Sean loosened his tie and popped the first few buttons on his collar, tugging at its band. He tousled his own hair, then adjusted his mask to match. Finally, he lifted his chin up into the air. “Ye have lipstick on, aye? Just… leave a couple marks here and there.”
Lin side-eyed Sean as he went about his preparations. On one hand, his eye for detail was admirable. On the other, it was a bit much, but if that was the look he was going for, then so be it. She pressed the side of her hand to her lips and reached up to touch it against his neck and chin. The resulting marks were a little faded and smudged, but visible. For her own part, she went with something subtler: pulling out her ponytail to let her hair fall freely past her shoulders, unbuttoning her shirt just a tad more for that extra bit of spice— It finally hit her how ridiculous she must have seemed, considering whether or not to go one button further, strategically showing cleavage. Jesus. She cleared her throat, her mouth pressed into a thin line despite the redness of her face. “Now we go.” With a voice that carried an air of finality, she marched straight for the bathroom without a backwards glance.
“Wait for me, lass—!” He stumbled as he followed her inside. The layout was nearly identical to every other restroom in the hotel, only with aquatic wallpaper and the smell of the ocean wafting through the air as opposed to the lemony scent of generic floor cleaner. Sean almost allowed himself to forget that he wasn’t here for a good time.
Lin led them into one of the restroom’s many stalls, as spacious and as clean as the ones in the upper floors. Before, she appreciated the tall doors and relative privacy of the stalls; now, however… everything seemed cramped and isolated. “Take a seat.” She motioned to the toilet, setting the bottle of wine down in one corner. The switchblade was clutched tightly in her hand, and even with all the alcohol there was still a slight tremble present.
“Aye.” He followed her instructions diligently, settling onto the toilet with his hands clutching tightly against the seat. “Happen to have anything I can bite down on?”
"No, sorry, I don't think I have anything. I guess you could use the toilet paper, but otherwise..." She shook her head and stepped forward, flicking the switchblade open. “Before you start stuffing it in your mouth, though: arms, legs, or would you rather be surprised?”
“Hmmm… give me the ol’ Muenster Special,” he teased, rapidly shoving toilet paper into his mouth.
“… Muenster Special. Geez. Alright.”
With a sigh and a shake of her head, Lin got down on one knee in front of him, her free hand lightly brushing along his leg, and running up and down along his forearm – a gesture not entirely unlike girls feeling up a man’s muscles, especially as she lightly squeezed and groped – but instead of feeling for muscles, it was for veins. Mostly. She swallowed hard as she did this, finding a spot on his left arm that didn’t seem like she’d hit anything. She tried not to let her touch linger for long lest she give away where exactly she’d strike. A second after her hand curled around his wrist, she swung the blade down on the designated mark, driving it deep into his arm. She’d vastly overestimated the amount of force needed to puncture skin; when she cracked open an eye to peek at the damage, the only part of the blade visible was a small sliver of steel between fabric and handle. “A-aaaahhh…” As her mind began to register the ramifications of her actions, her voice came out quiet and broken. And without thinking, she tore the knife back out.
Blood leaked steadily from the wound, staining Sean’s pinstripe suit a deep scarlet. His other hand caught Linnea by the wrist, giving it a tight, almost desperate squeeze. A deep exhale through his nose. He spit out thick wads of toilet paper, being careful not to accidentally swallow any. Saliva dripped from the sides of his mouth.
“Just like that,” he seethed through gritted teeth. His eyes raised to match her own. “Not bad for my first time, aye?”
His hand inched his way down her own, unfurling fingers wrapped tightly around the handle. One by one he loosened her grip on the switchblade. Sean carefully took the knife into his own hand, wiping its blade on a spare sheet of toilet paper. He sheathed the knife before sliding the weapon back into his shoe.
“Now go,” he whispered. “Rather not have to go through this song and dance again.”
Linnea didn’t react as the switchblade was pried from her hands. Her eyes were locked onto the stab wound, slowly realizing what she had done. It was one thing to treat wounds, it was another to make them. She’d never stabbed anyone before, and to do it to a willing ally… Unable to muster up the strength to say anything, she slid the bottle of wine towards Sean and retrieved the saxophone case he’d been dutifully carrying around. It wasn't like he'd be able to make use of what was inside now, anyway. She stepped towards the door, hesitating before it. She needed to say something... “If we ever need to do this again… I’ll take the receiving end.” She was serious, too. “For now, I’ll be nearby.” With that, Lin slipped out of the stall and exited the restroom.
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Post by S☆E on May 3, 2018 14:03:35 GMT -6
Within minutes Stepan’s van swung into the opposite end of the alley. “Vick, Mik, what kept you? This is job time, not scenic roadtrip time.” Stepan asked as the two men from earlier stepped out of the front seat. “Ey, fuck you Step.” the driver Vick said with a laugh. “You guys took the street bikes. This beater can’t keep up so don’t give me that shit.” “Some ‘getaway driver’.” Stepan shot back with an exaggerated eye roll.
Vick curtly flipped him off and popped open the rear door. “Alright we’ve got two zip-up wetsuits, two rebreathers, one of those scuba jet things and a modified Glock for underwater shooting. We got a few regular pistols as well if you need ‘em. AP rounds, silencer, Skeltech laser sight, the works. Xiao rigged em up herself last week.” The other man, Mik, whistles appraisingly. “So that’s what her ‘secret project’ was. I’m surprised she let you take them, Vick.” Vick snickers, holding up one of the pistols to examine it. “She didn’t. She’s just shit at hiding her toys.”
Kara motioned towards her bag in the back. “I got some extra weapons in there already, and a couple meters of detcord too. The modified pistol might come in handy, though I hope it won’t because that would mean a very precarious situation...”
Stepan cackled, picking up two of the kitted-out pistols. “Xiao would be pissed if she knew, Vick. Good work.” He slides them into a side holster and picks up the bags with the wetsuits and gear. “Alright, enough horseplay. Is time for work. We do not want Lestrange to fall alseep waiting.”
At a spot farther along the industrial shoreline the two of them zip wetsuits over their gear inside a stack of wide concrete pipes. “Alright Kim, is go time. I am ready to earn my paycheck,” he says, flashing her a thumbs-up. Kara, with her rebreather already in, nods and returns the gesture, sliding into the water with the scuba jet. Stepan follows after her, the two of them swimming towards the far end of the target dock. Amid algae-slicked chunks of concrete and sunken trash the two of them glide through the sun-dappled water, Kara guiding the scuba jet and Stepan carrying the gear with Glock in hand.
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Post by S☆E on May 3, 2018 15:31:18 GMT -6
"So you're the one that brought the Arlington to us? I owe you a drink, Jingo." Ernest says, chuckling. "That's a good story. Sounds like your unit handled themselves pretty well. Let me think a sec..." A long pause stretches between them as Ernest sits, thinking for a suitable yarn to spin. "Alright, I've got one. This was about sixteen years back, right before the Six-Month War. Wait, was it really that long ago? Man, time sure goes quick. Anyway, I was part of a squad, the Haymakers. I tell ya, I ain't seen another group of hungrier bastards in my life. They were a bunch of men and women who'd been 'relocated due to irreconcilable differences with their squad'. Hardheaded hardcore assholes all of 'em, and I was no better." he adds with a wry smile.
"When I was your age I was quite the hellraiser. Reckless, arrogant, thought any problem could be handled with enough force. It's no wonder I fell in with that squad. Our slogan was One Good Punch. When command needed something hit hard and fast, we were put to task." He stops to take a drink before continuing. "Some drug smugglers had holed up in an old mining station we'd pursued them to. Intel showed that they'd used it as a bolthole in the past so our CO had sent a few soldiers there ahead of us days before to rig the station with explosives just in case. We landed right on their heels and put on a good show, trading fire and pushing them deeper into the station until Colonel Vellers gave us the fallback order. Didn't lose a single soldier. Back on the ship the crooks hailed us, wanting to make a deal since we had them cornered. Colonel asked if we wanted to just blow the station with all the bastards inside. I remember cheering along with the rest of the squad, fist in the air."
"The old man didn't do it though. He told the smugglers that we'd already rigged the station and if they didn't surrender peacefully in three minutes they wouldn't be missed. They responded in less than one. We moved in and took them all into custody. A few of them tried to struggle. They were made examples of. When the Haymakers ask you to do something, it's because you don't have a choice." Ernest takes a revitalizing gulp from his cold beer. "It's a good thing we didn't blow them up. A bunch of ESU soldiers destroying an colonial station and killing spacers inside would've been a scandal. Might've even sparked the Six-Month War declaration a couple weeks earlier. It's weird thinking about it now, after it's all said and done." Crushing the can in his hand he tosses it into a small bag next to the little fridge. "Well, there's my bit. A story for a story. What did you think of it?"
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on May 3, 2018 15:58:52 GMT -6
"I think you're a better storyteller than I am," Myra mused.
----
From a crack between the stalls, Sean watched drunkards stumble in and out of the restroom. Time passed like a slideshow before him. The pain washed over him in waves, the feeling of flames flooding into the laceration interrupting a constant, dull ache. He could feel his heartbeat throughout his entire arm. Whether it was blood loss or the alcohol setting in, Sean struggled to remain focused on the task ahead. This is no time for a break, he thought to himself.
The restroom cleared for only a moment. It was enough for him to slip out from the stall unnoticed, escaping onto the staircase that led to the casino’s main room. Sean leaned against the wall, the pressure forcing more blood to escape from his wound. It left a long trail of red across the aquarium glass as he marched forwards, bottle of wine held loosely in his other hand.
The few who noticed him turned a blind eye, hastening as they passed. They see a guy make a mess all over this fancy fish tank and they don’t even bat an eye? He had expected at least one person to call for help, but masks seemed to have deferred all social responsibility. As he approached the main room, Sean brought the bottle of wine to his lips and emptied the bottle into his mouth before dropping it straight onto the floor. Shards of glass were sent scattering across the floor as crashed against the ground, punctuating the sounds of laughter and merriment that echoed throughout the room. He soon followed the bottle onto the floor, slumping against the aquarium.
There was no immediate response, rather, it seemed the casino was halfway between continuing their evening unhampered, and having a collective faint. A fair amount of nearby onlookers seemed to stare in a mixture of confusion and fear at the nearly incapacitated space Scotsman.
“M-M-MURDER!”
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Well, no, not quite.
Following that statement were a few screams, well, really more shrieks- and a rush of people towards the center of attention. Perhaps some of the drinks had given the gentlemen and ladies an inspiration of courage to investigate- or pilfer. It became readily apparent that none of them, or well, mostly none of them, had any idea of what to do. One gentleman shook Sean by the shoulder, as if trying to get his attention, while others merely inspected him, noting the trail of blood that led to the body.
It wasn’t until one gentleman, dressed in all white, approached that the concern had begun to fade.
A suit tailored to perfection, a mask adorned with a simplified, sleek snake across its visor, and a smile that would be hard to forget. Dusky dark skin, with nearly sheer white gloves and a light pink tie, certainly did little to help the man blend with the crowd. His dark brown almost chestnut hair was combed to the side, and judging by the lack of any other noticeable accessories, it seemed he was the type to neither show nor tell.
Without so much as moving, smile still very much affixed, he motioned to a nearby patron. A few whispers and a nod later, the patron’s hushed voice grew louder as he took command of the situation, the man in white watching impassively.
Sean was laid out, arm lifted in an attempt to stop blood loss, pressure applied in hopes of stopping the bleeding. Soon enough, more ‘official’ medical attention arrived in the form of some hotel EMS, who took over from the patrons. The issue then, had mostly been dealt with. A round of congratulations went throughout the patrons to congratulate themselves on saving a life, while the man in white slipped away.
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...
That’s how you thought this story was going to end, eh?
It took him only ten minutes to quickly scope out the trail of blood, briefly investigating the bathroom, before returning to the casino. Though he hadn’t returned through the same hallway, instead circling up the second floor balconies that framed the main room, gunning it for…
“Ah, you must be the woman of the hour.”
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moo!!
Cosmic Kiddie
Posts: 63
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Post by moo!! on May 3, 2018 16:29:07 GMT -6
Somewhere between the man in white’s time on the main floor near Sean, his short adventure into the hall, and his return to the main room- his smile had grown. The man kept his distance from what he could only presume was his ‘spectator’. A woman who as far as they had known, he had no reason to believe was the perpetrator in this event.
“Always a pleasure to meet fans. Let’s talk, though I have business later, so let’s not get too fussed about the details.”
Woman of the hour. A phrase that made her skin crawl. She’d watched her partner get carted away and her quarry slip through her fingers. The chatter of the casino seemed to die down to a muffled background noise in her head as she considered her situation. And then she heard that, clear as a bell. “… alright.” Linnea turned her head slightly towards the white-clad stranger, peering at him through one eye. This was one of the possible outcomes, she knew. It didn’t stop her from feeling any less exposed and alone. “Impressive, how you were able to get that crowd under control.”
“Under control? Oh no, not at all! Attending a stab wound is easy, though these ‘fine people’ certainly wouldn’t be the type to know…” He shrugged off her comment, his laugh much louder than anyone would have given him credit for.
“I’m more impressed about this little ‘play’ the two of you- ah, it is two, yes? Wouldn’t want to leave anyone out- anyways, staging something like this was quite something. I suppose security isn’t what it used to be.”
The man walked over to the railings, both palms placed on the edge, the man slowly leaning over to peer a view below. “I’m going to be honest, I thought it was going to be more entertaining to watch the crowd struggle until the EMS got here, maybe if I was lucky your friend would bleed to death- but thank God I noticed that stab wound in time!” He spun around, then leaned onto the railing, a smirk on his face.
“So tell me, what is it you want? Assassination? Information? Oh! Blackmail?”
She watched him carefully, gritting her teeth at his words. “Just information. I’m curious why someone like you would be here.” She didn’t make any sort of gesture to denote what exactly she meant, though. “But I don’t think I’ll actually be getting an answer, will I.”
The man scratched his chin, tilting his head to the side. “Uhm… I’m here to gamble? Honestly, not really much else to it. Were you trying to like, I dunno, intercept Martian plans?”
He leaned in, that grin of his widening. “Oh, don’t tell me you know.”
“… can’t say I do,” Lin said slowly, leaning away, “Considering I’m still wondering why you’re here. Not in this casino, not in China – on Earth. V-Tech isn’t a part of the military; they make medicine. You guys should be back there helping people.” Under the kitsune mask, her red eyes narrowed into a glare. “And this casino isn’t good enough to warrant the trip, doctor.”
“I’m a CEO, when did I have to actively take part in what my company was doing? Psshaw, that’s none of my concern.” He tapped the railings, smile fading ever so slightly. “Besides, you don’t look like anyone who would know a good casino from a bad one, why exactly are you getting up in my face? Oh no no, looks like the ESU is stepping out of its bounds again…”
This guy. She bristled, her hands making their way to the saxophone case beside her. “I could say the same thing about the MR invading Earth.”
“Well, not really… After all, one was warranted, the other… Not so much!” He leaned forward, his gaze hidden behind that mask, but it was hard to imagine him not giving Lin a stare.
“I don’t know if you have a gun stored away in there, or something worse. Either way, I insist we keep this professional.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing anything otherwise, but fine.” She took her hands off the case, letting them fall to her sides. “So. I don’t believe you decided to go out of your way find me just so I could ask questions, especially with your business later, so why all this?”
The man’s fingers continued to tap against the railing, his gaze affixed onto a nearby wall, a quiet hum emitting from his throat. “Mhmm... How do I put this… I guess you could say I was bored?”
His attention turned to her.
“I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting any attention here, but I’m not stupid. I noticed you two together, and the fact you hadn’t given so much as a brow perk to your friend laying bloody on the floor was enough for me to want to… Know.” He slipped from the railing, taking a few steps towards Linnea, apparently not concerned by any threat she would leverage his way. “Was it a bait? Did you want to draw me out? Just because I have a medical license, you expected me to attend to your friend at a moment’s notice? These were- are questions I want answered.”
Defiance and a desire to seem brave gave her the strength to stand her ground, but that was it. She would have loved to snap back with a witty retort, but nothing came to mind between her rising panic and oncoming inebriation. Nothing good, anyway. And so, Linnea said nothing.
“Nothing? Not a peep? Oh boo, it’s unfair to rile me up like that.”
His hand, slowly, reached out to grip Linnea’s chin. He was by all means taller than her, and he set to force her to face up, locking her gaze onto him. “Fine. We don’t have to talk then. I won’t have to kill you either, after all, even if you finished too early… Well, I was still entertained.”
The good Doctor’s grip tightened ever so slightly, but he quickly released her before she could muster an effective response, took two steps back, and spun around. “I’ll be off then, toodles.”
Now he was just…
...Walking away…
...Slowly.
The confrontation left her shaken, but it could have gone a lot worse. Lin rubbed her chin with one hand, taking a moment to breathe as she watched him go. The other hand went back to the case, fingers toying with the lock. The doctor left his back wide open – intentional, she was sure. He wouldn’t just be casually walking away if there wasn’t some form of protection close by, but a small part of her burned at the possibility that he expected her to not act. --Click. She had to do something. She’d stabbed someone for this and she hadn’t gotten anywhere despite that. But Linnea couldn’t even bring herself to speak. The case was unlocked and slightly cracked open, but Lin made no move to grab what was inside. She shook with fear and anger as if filled to the brim, but she couldn’t move. And after a tense couple of minutes: Click. Lin locked the case once more, grabbed the handle, and began to walk the other way.
She had to find Sean.
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Post by Charredgp on May 5, 2018 11:07:20 GMT -6
When Lana came to, there were a few things she noticed right off the bat. For one, she was sitting down on a somewhat uncomfortable wooden chair. Two, she was tied- well, mostly tied. There was definitely what seemed to be rope around her legs, and likewise her arms were stuck to the bottom back of the chair. She could, however, speak, so that was pretty sweet. Number three, however, was probably heart breaking.
Her shades were gone.
The room she was in, seemed pretty dinky. It appeared to be an office, albeit an extremely sparse one- with much of the room giving the impression that construction had never truly finished. A wide table sat directly in front of her, a few feet away towards the back. A large, shaven Chinese man sat there, eyes initially focused on the laptop in front of him, but soon shifting to focus on her as she came to.
The only light to enter the room came in through a wide set of windows behind the man, and it initially seemed like it was just them two, until the sound of shuffling feet and shaking wood alerted her to her right.
Also tied to a chair was none other than her partner! Except not only were his limbs bound, but a bag was over his head- only the rest of him seemed to be visible. The two burly men from the bar were also present, flanking both sides of Gabe, one of them armed with a mischievous looking submachine gun, the other, what appeared to be a machete.
{“Seems like our rising star is awake.”} Were the first words Lana heard, in mandarin this time. She was greeted with a wide, far too cocky grin from the man sitting before her, who appeared to be the leader.
The athlete arriving at consciousness had felt for her, at first, a lengthy process. A putrid yet sweet scent was only now leaving her nostrils, lessening the dizziness from her senses. The sensation of floating above air lingered within. Then, a very unfamiliar voice addressed her in a very familiar language. Her eyes came to life, joints locking up in the sudden realization that her limbs were bound. Not to mention, her disguise gone and Gabe in a similar state.
Her first instinct was to respond, a whisper of a syllable in Mandarin almost escaping her jaw. But while their operation may have seemed thwarted, she didn’t want to throw away all their cards just yet - just in case. “What’s...going on?” Lana persisted, still attempting to be in character as nothing more but an innocent tourist.
{“Act the fool all you want, your boyfriend has a high price on his head.”} The man’s voice, stern and gruff, made it clear he was experienced. His eyes honed in on Lana. Despite his sound, he looked more like a relaxed, older uncle who had retired. A plain white polo, hiding the hint of a tattoo along his chest.
{“We saw your PDAs and your IDs, we know you’re ESU troops.”} The man snapped his fingers, and the machete armed man walked over, positioning himself towards Lana’s front right side, blocking the view of Gabe behind him. {“It would be a shame to put down one of China’s own brightest stars… But orders are orders, and your acts of terrorism you perform in the name of the ESU will come to an end, today.”}
Lana immediately recoiled as the armed giant approached, her torso stiffening up as the machete she was being threatened with glimmered in what little light broke through. Their cover was thwarted after all, wasn’t it? With her body bound, she did what she could - talk. “You mean to say that me and my partner’s affiliation is an act of terrorism? What do you gain from trying to kill us both?” Her brow furrowed. {“You can’t justify this kind of murder as being kind to our country.”}
Apart from his breathing, Lana could be assured her partner was alive by the pained groan coming from him. Gabe mentally cursed himself out enough to make his old drill sergeant blush, the only thing that hurt more than his face being his wounded pride. So stupid. As it was, he was blind, had a guard, maybe more, on him, and had no idea what was going on. A brief test of his restraints told him they felt a little loose, but he didn’t want to draw any attention to himself yet.
While he mostly had no idea what was being said, not knowing Mandarin, he didn’t doubt that little question in English wasn’t for his benefit. It sounded about right, at the very least. Even if they were just some street gang, they’d probably have found a reason to kill them for interfering, let alone what was presumably a much bigger syndicate if they were getting AAs. Another gentle tug on the ropes around his arms. There was some wiggle room. He just needed to know when all eyes weren’t on him and he could maybe do something…
{“Freeing our country of the tyranny of the ESU is its own kindness, is it not?”} The man answered, leaning forward ever so slightly, his eyes dashed to the laptop for a brief moment, a grin forming on his face. “Gabriel Crwydryn, Alaina Feng Zaephord, Cain Augustus Bernard, Kara Qureshi, Sean Alistaire Roland, Linnea Fletcher…” A pause. {“These are familiar names, correct? From what I understand, some of your comrades appear to be in this city right now…”}
The man stood up, his figure more apparent. Though clearly in his late forties, the man was well-built, either having been in this position for much his life or having undertaken it recently from another position of power. He stepped over, his footsteps loud along the wooden floorboards, stopping in front of Lana.
“Perhaps… If you were to contact them for us, and arrange a certain meeting so that we can meet, perhaps then we will show you a hint of mercy.”
Even down to the names of her comrades - it wasn’t just a matter of Lana and Gabe running into trouble, but a matter of most of the crewmates being in jeopardy. The number of viable ideas was quickly dwindling, but all the lenses from this gang were starting to weigh on her. Her foot twitched - somewhat loose from the ropes..? - before relaxing. “I will...contact them to meet you.” She said with resignment in her eyes, teeth gritted. “Bring back my PDA, please...I won’t try anything funny.” A sliver of emphasis on the “I”. Hopefully what she was saying would make sense to Gabe. Lana was already noting the creaking of the floor; a big tower to topple.
There was a nod by the boss, and though he seemed pleased, his face quickly became serious as he motioned for his lackey to hand her the PDA. {“Undo her arms, but wait.”} The boss tugged on the cabinet within his desk, pulling out a handgun he had stored away. {“Good, I’ll keep an eye on her.”}
A few quick swipes with the machete and Lana’s arms were relatively free, though now she had a pistol trained at her face. Her PDA fell into her lap, apparently having been kept by machete grunt within his pockets.
“Go. Work. Let us see the message as you type it.” He motioned to his guard, who quickly stood behind Lana, his gaze falling on the PDA and her hands- while his machete was still by his side. Although having been quiet for much of the event, the lackey finally spoke up.
{“I can’t believe the birdy’s information was true…”}
{“Quiet, don’t give them ideas.”} Snapped his boss, brows furrowed.
...birdy?
The semblance of slipped information had distracted Lana for the moment, but she was still stuck in the hot seat. Her fingers hesitantly danced as her hands were released and now holding her PDA once more. Thumbs shaking from the weapons staring at her, ready to strike at any time. Her contact list flashed and scrolled repeatedly as she had to decide; who would get the message first.
Emerald eyes briefly flashed to what she could see left of her partner, before returning to the screen. With a brief inhale, she decided her contact, and began to read out as she typed so everyone could listen.
“Hi hi there Sean, how are you? Me and Gabriel are doing good. I didn’t know that he hated vodka so much. He is so easy to beat up when sparring, too--”
Lana felt something sharp press against her back, nudged just in front of the seat she had been reclining on. {“Tell him to meet at Changfengwei. Shipyards. Pier 3.”} So spoke the grunt behind her, and she could no doubt feel the boss’s stare drill a hole in her forehead.
Just smile, Lana. Just smile. She proceeded to maintain one, albeit quite nervously as she could feel the walls around her getting smaller with threat. “Hahahahaha. Anyways, Sean, could you meet us at Changfengwei. Shipyards. Pier 3? Gabriel says he can’t wait to sea you.”
{“Good.”} And with that, the lackey retracted his blade from her back, allowing the soldier some breathing room. {“Simple as that.”} There was an uncomfortably long silence, the PDA resting in Lana’s lap, still, no one quite making a move to tie her up yet again.
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on May 5, 2018 12:47:33 GMT -6
Bzz-bzz-bzz.
Sean turned towards his nightstand. The hotel EMTs had dressed his wound, but he insisted they not escort him to the nearest hospital. He was instead told to drink plenty of water and was even given a lychee-flavored lollipop to suck on. Though it seemed a tad patronizing, he admittedly enjoyed the flavor. He pulled the PDA off his nightstand and opened the message, cocking his head to the side as he read its sender.
His reaction to the words displayed on the screen was visceral. Everything about this text rubbed him the wrong way. Sean quickly realized that this was his intended reaction, the first paragraph existing entirely to unsettle and disturb him before getting to the meat of the second. The intention was clear: meet them on Changfengwei Island, by the shipyards, at the third pier… and bring a whole mess of guns. Even if the whole thing smelled fishier than the river nearby, he couldn’t just ignore the text.
There was a soft thud at the door – less of a knock and more as if someone was resting on it, followed by slight scratching and fumbling. After a second or two there was a beep and the door swung open. “A lollipop. Really.” Linnea walked into the room with a slight stagger in her step, turning the lock behind her as she did. Despite the emotional torture that was the trek from the casino – all by herself, too – she couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Sean just sitting there with a bandage on his arm and a sucker in his mouth. But there was a persistent tension in the air even though they were mostly done with their mission – results be damned, of course. “Something wrong?”
“Oh, nothing really… just a little achy is all.”
Sean averted his eyes from Linnea. He told himself he couldn’t have helped it, but the fact of the matter was that he had left her to the wolves. It was only by a massive stroke of luck that she had returned at all. Leaving her with all the guns had only made himself feel a little better; to her, they were nothing but a burden. He slid off the side of the bed, nearing her.
“Let me grab that for ye,” he cooed, freeing the saxophone case from her grip and hoisting it over his shoulder. “How about ye get some shuteye before we take off? Be a waste to rent out a room for two nights and only take advantage of one.”
“But I—… ggh…” It continued to gnaw at her, but she couldn’t figure out what to say. Something still didn’t feel right. She felt like she could – should – do more. But then again, considering how things went when she did try doing something… Lin sighed, putting her hand against her forehead as if it’d help stall the lightheadedness. “… yeah. Maybe.” She took a few slow, shaky steps to her bed before looking back at him, managing a small (albeit very tired) smile. “Same goes for you, too. I’d imagine your first time was pretty exhausting.”
“The first time always is,” he remarked. His expression softened and his resolve steeled as he looked back at her. “I’m heading out for some fresh air. There should be water bottles in the mini-fridge, make sure ye hydrate yerself before nodding off.”
“Fresh air?” She perked up just a bit, her eyes trailing down to his bandages. “Should… you really be going out like that? They know we’re here – or were here – and who knows how many of them there are--”
“—Mmmgh?!” The sudden presence of something sweet in her mouth stopped her mid-speech. It took a second of touching her fingers to it that she realized: this was the lollipop Sean had been sucking on.
“If they wanted us dead, they wouldn’t have wasted their golden opportunity,” he reassured her as he unlocked their weapons cache. Sean removed a compact handgun that read Babil 385, laying it onto the bed. “But keep this close by… ye know, just in case.”
There was so much going on and she didn’t know where to begin. At the very least, the shock of the whole thing gave Sean the opportunity to explain himself – and for her to actually listen. When he finished, however… “I—geh—okay fine but was it really necessary to shove your lollipop in my mouth?! You know, the one you were using?”
“Worked, didn’t it?”
She opened her mouth to respond, then closed it with a frown. There was no arguing with the truth. There was, however, expressing exaggerated annoyance. She ‘slammed’ [read: furiously but gently placed] the gun on her nightstand and flopped onto the bed with a huff, turning her back towards Sean as she began to amass the towel animals. “Hmph. Have fun with your ‘fresh air’, then. Try not to get stabbed a second time.” … you know, she never did take the lollipop out of her mouth.
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on May 6, 2018 10:46:23 GMT -6
The ride towards the island was quiet as the taxi passed through the toll bridge. They weren’t far from where Team Gamma had been dropped off, as Sean recalled, but he couldn’t be sure whether or not they were actually nearby. Men were likely stationed around the shipyards either way. If even one of them knew where Gabe and Lana were being held, he was prepared to start breaking fingers. For a moment he entertained the possibility that his friends really were just planning to meet him by a secluded pier… a short burst of air escaped from his nose. Not likely. Sean kept one eye trained on the taxi driver as he peeked inside his saxophone case. Having left a handgun with Lin, three weapons remained: a second Babil 385, a disassembled Cerberus AR-K, and (Sean’s personal favorite) an M7 Hyper 120. He reached inside and quietly removed the handgun, holstering it on the left side of his belt, leaving the blazer to obscure it from sight. The others would have to stay inside the case for now. He could only hope that he wouldn’t be up against anything that would require more firepower… “You can stop here,” Sean interrupted, tapping the taxi driver on the shoulder. “Stay safe tonight. I would recommend driving straight out of this island.” The taxi driver seemed to get the picture. The yellow cab came to a halt on the side of the road to let Sean off, driving away the moment he closed the door behind him. He slung the saxophone case over his shoulder, reminding himself that he was still in civilian territory. The shipyards weren’t far now; after taking a moment to make sure nobody was nearby, Sean pulled out a scope he had borrowed from the disassembled rifle and peered towards the shipyards. Drydocks housing the incomplete hulls of freighters lined the coast, and a quick look brought to view a few things. For one, most of the freighters-to-be were emptied out, the drydocks themselves were fairly sparse. Machinery and equipment were present, as well as some materials- but no sign of life. Well, none until he zoomed over a freighter that seemed to be not quite… As dark… There seemed to be lights within the superstructure of the freighter, and a closer inspection revealed movement, and also… Well, there seemed to be someone aiming a rather long rifle at him. [ Dead Man’s Gamble] Sean dove for cover behind the nearest row of bushes. He lowered his profile and crawled from behind the shrubbery, praying that the lookout somehow hadn’t spotted him. Sean mulled over his options as he slowly approached the active freighter; he could assemble the rifle and take out the sniper from behind cover, but that would immediately alert the others of a hostile presence. With two hostages on their side he could scarcely afford to lose the element of surprise. And if he didn’t have the element of surprise, insanity would have to make do. The road in front of him was quiet. He wouldn’t have to look both ways before crossing, but there was little to block him from sight until he reached the docks on the other side. Sean hoisted the sturdy saxophone case over his shoulder, angling it to block incoming shots from the lookout. Then, he made a mad dash for the other side. His legs carried him faster than they ever had before, adrenaline almost bursting through his veins. For a moment, he couldn’t even feel the wound in his arm. Sean bull rushed the nearest construction vehicle, the shock of the impact against the yellow loader pulling him back to reality.
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Post by Charredgp on May 6, 2018 22:27:42 GMT -6
Within the hull of the unfinished freighter were… Crates. Crates upon crates. Despite the exterior, it seemed that the hull was being used as a makeshift base- a place where illegal activities could be consummated. Within this base, in a shoddy looking room, were Gabe and Lana. The two were once again tied up, this time both had bags over their heads. Their bonds had been tightened considerably, though with effort it wouldn’t be impossible for the two to attempt to break them.
Gabe looked no worse for wear, though it seemed the thugs had taken a liking to rough housing him a bit while he was transported, allowing him to crash into the floor of the van and subsequent room. Lana was no better- sure, she had her limbs on her, but if they were trying to be a little careful with Gabe, then Lana had certainly received the worse end of their share. The constant movement and manhandling had no doubt cause some pain, ire, or both.
They were, however, alone. Free to speak.
While Gabe’s PDA was still on him, it wasn’t as if they were entirely free of a watch. There was a guard posted outside their door, and every so often he would peek inside to check on them. Their room was… Dingy, to put it lightly, with a single lamp held by a thin cable hanging from the ceiling. It was hot.
Gabe was mad before. Now, he was beyond pissed, even if his expression was mostly blank. The pain that echoed through his whole body from the rough housing and transportation, a constant reminder for him as they waited in the room. The blindness meant there wasn’t much he could safely do, but at this point he was hardly expecting to be allowed to see after already being bagged once. For now, all he could do was hope Sean knew what was happening, and work on his bonds whenever he felt safe to do so. Which wasn’t very often.
From Lana, there was an occasional twitch of the wrist, or her foot. There was still the growing desire to make their escape, especially considering only one guard seemed to have his eyes on them. But some of it was from the reminder of pain tingling along her joints - the bruising on her wrists only discoloring further. The bag on her head was a perfect veil to make sure no one could see the ashamed expression on her face.
“Gabe.” She spoke, muffled from behind the cloth. “Please forgive me, okay? I thought we could do well together, but, this turned out so bad, and I’m sorry…”
How could she blame herself for all this? It may have been her idea, but he should have known better. He’d been the one to open the door, to act like everything was okay. He’d been the one who didn’t even try when they were caught. He was the one who had let her down. And now he’d made her think this was his fault.
“No. Cause it ain’t yer fault.” He replied back. His voice was deadly calm, but it was clear he was biting back a serious outburst. “I’m the idiot who just wandered into what we knew was enemy territory. I got us caught. I got ya hurt.” His voice caught, almost imperceptibly, at the last sentence, fists tightening until his knuckles were white. “I’m sorry. I got us, and maybe even Sean and Lin killed now.”
“Hey, it was my idea to send you there in the first place, you know.” The quiet that was settled in the room was slowly giving Lana some second wind, finally lifting her head up. Even if she didn’t know where she was facing, she was hoping it’d be in the direction of the door. “No...no, this isn’t as bad as it could be, right? We can get out of here, and Sean is coming for us.”
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Post by Captain Ameijin! on May 7, 2018 0:00:14 GMT -6
Sean’s eardrums buzzed. He could feel his own heartbeat thump-thump, thump-thump, yet the world around him was strangely faint. His first instinct was to pat himself down, half-expecting to find a fresh bullet hole that adrenaline had numbed him to. Luckily, everything seemed to be in good order. When he replayed the scene in his head, Sean realized that he hadn’t heard any shots ring out into the night, either. He allowed himself a slow sigh of relief, peeking through crevices in the machine to get a better look at the half-built freighter. Though he couldn’t see much from this angle, Sean could hear the voices of men speaking in the distance as his ears attuned to their surroundings.
Not that he could understand a lick of it. He inched closer to the rusted dry dock, bolting between abandoned heavy machinery and loosely placed crates that littered the concrete. After some time, he approached the zig-zagging stairwell that climbed up the side of the dry dock.
Sean’s approach was greeted with the sight of a man walking up the steps, a pistol in hand but his attention focused on the steps before him. For what it was worth, he seemed to not have noticed the sound of Sean approaching.
His breath was still and his steps deliberate. For every step the man took, Sean matched it with one of his own, climbing two steps each. Soon his shadow eclipsed that of his opponent. Before the man could react, Sean’s arms had wrapped around his neck and stifled any attempt to scream or cry for help. One hand gripped the man’s lower jaw and the other grasped the back of his hair. With an abrupt twist, the man’s body fell lifelessly backwards.
Cling-clang-clang...clang…
Their grip had loosened on the pistol they carried, clattering loudly onto the stairs below. Sean heaved as he forced the body over the side of the railing. He swiped the pistol from the ground and secured it with his belt as he raced further up the stairwell.
The setting sun helped obscure Sean’s continued approach. Climbing the stairs led to the main deck, and this was a far more arduous task- the sniper with the rifle was stationed on top of the superstructure, gazing around the site. At the distance Sean was at, which was to say very close, there was no chance of being spotted.
...by him.
Stationed by the door into the superstructure were two more men, each of which gripping a submachine gun in one hand, the other stifling their yawns. They were still not the only ones remaining, with another three patrolling the deck, pistols along their waist. The mood of the scene seemed to be relaxed- alert, but not concerned. As far as Sean was aware, they had no idea.
He could only take a short peek above deck before ducking back down. Sean mulled over his options, removing the switchblade from his shoe and popping out the blade. He clenched the handle between his teeth. It was far better than toilet paper, he thought, climbing over the railing of the stairwell. The pain in his forearm surged throughout his arm, threatening to drop him onto the concrete below. His teeth grinded against the handle of the blade as he inched his way towards the side of the ship.
Soon he was clear of the men guarding the door to the superstructure. His fingers were just barely visible from the deck, obscured by the dimming light. One of the guards began to approach, walking closer and closer to the railing. The man stopped less than a foot away, gazing out into the distance. A short grunt.
Just as the man turned back around, Sean hoisted himself over the railing and grabbed him by the collar. He pulled the man roughly backwards, jamming the knife held between his teeth into the man’s neck. A short gurgle. Sean pulled the man the rest of the way off the deck, letting his body drop over the side. He lifted himself the rest of the way onto the deck, hiding behind the corner of the lookout’s tower.
There was, thankfully, nothing for Sean to run into while he hid behind the tower. Still they had failed to notice him, and he was getting dangerously close to the entrance. As he hid behind the superstructure, he became aware that there were multiple ways inside- though not multiple ways out. A hole from unfinished construction was just behind him, away from the superstructure.
He could see the faint light of a lantern below, indicating they kept the next floor down illuminated.
Sean let the bloodied knife fall from his mouth and caught it by the handle with his hand. He wiped the blade clean with his other sleeve, then folded it into the handle before placing it back inside his shoe. Never underestimate the utility of a switchblade, Sean thought. He drew his pistol from the holster at his left side and turned off the safety. After taking a moment to make sure none of the patrols could see him slip inside, Sean plunged into the unfinished crevice.
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