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Thread: Furious

  1. #76
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    Erik took the hand and picked up a corner of his mouth. "Thank you," he said simply. "I hope to do so again." He pointed behind him to Dante's car and nodded, "Good car for a good racer. I imagine that you didn't learn to drive that way from racing though. Too utilitarian... Then again, you can never judge a book by it's cover." He took his hand back and thought for a moment about that one. It might not have been a very good illustration if the Dice didn't have anymore libraries and was all digital. He shook his head a little and continued his thought.

    "It looks like you used to be in pretty well with the twins and Min Sun," He held a hand up to disquiet any remarks. "Don't worry, I'm not meddling, I've heard that from Min Ji already... heh... No no, I was wondering if you had any pointers about them I should know about. Jack here is helpful with that, but he's obviously not as well off with them as you." Erik wrapped his arm around Jack's shoulders and squeezed.

    "Hi Dante," Jack said and held out a hand. "I'll leave you two to conspiring," he said sort of sheepishly.

    Erik let go as Jack turned away and looked kind of disappointed. "A-alright... You're still my best bud, ya know...? Heh..." He looked back at Dante and shrugged. "Dunno what's up with him!"

    ----------

    "... So that's how it went down," Jack finished saying on the phone. "He's trying to get himself embedded into the Chimaeras. He's speaking with Dante right now. Think he'd remember the Iceni?"

    "Hmmm..." Jack heard over the phone. "I see... Kind of odd that Dante comes back the same night. I wonder. Things usually don't happen in this universe without a reason. Find out why he's back though, and where he's been. Erik might be doing that right now, but see if you can get the... how would you say... 'scoop'?"

    "Yes sir. What about the idea of joining with the Chimaeras?" Jack asked.

    "Looks like you'll need to learn Korean. I'm surprised you haven't already. Actually... I'm surprised that Erik already doe-... Oh... Yes, that's right. I forgot." Jack heard a few chuckles over the phone. "Never mind, it's nothing. Heh. Some people... Carry on and follow Erik wherever he leads you. Keep checking in though. He is your charge, so that means as much as he is your superior, it is my order that you hold his leash. He will respect and submit to that. A pity that I have to do that with him... Otherwise, he'd be more dangerous than what I sent him to get rid of. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, yes sir I do. He's quite dangerous when he wishes it to be. He has the odd feeling of being an unstoppable force though. Whatever he puts himself to, he just does. It doesn't matter how he gets it, he gets it. Sort of unsettling. He almost killed a dozen people tonight in that maneuver," Jack replied, concerned.

    "But did he?" Rosso asked. "No. No use fretting over someone's judgment if they end up right in the end. A risky maneuver for one person may be every day for another. That happens to be the case with Erik. He takes what most people consider to be risks... For some reason, most of the time, it just isn't. I don't think even he understands how it works a lot of the time, but it does. I just need you to keep the beast behind bars until the right time. Otherwise, I need you to neutralize him. Not, unless absolutely necessary, to kill him." The phone clicked and the conversation was over.

    "Yes sir," Jack said in whisper, and put his phone in his pocket.

    -----------

    Rosso gently put his phone away and patted his pocket. "Well. My boy is doing well. Kind of a lot for Jack to handle, I see, but that's alright. Something to stir up Jack will make him a more useful agent." Rosso smiled and his escort smiled back. "Well, let's get this mess cleaned up then, eh?" She nodded and started dialing on her phone.

    Rosso walked a ways and looked over the board room he had only moments ago been talking to men in. Now blood caked one wall and where five other men were, there were only four carcasses. One out of five wasn't bad. Rosso could live with the deaths of four nearly innocent men, if it meant one of those bastards were dead.

  2. #77
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    Dante nodded slightly at Erik's comment. "Jane and I both thank you. She certainly gets the job done. And that is too true." he interjected smoothly as the other man paused. The comparison was not lost on him. Dante was not too far removed that he forgot the comforting feel and smell of a well-printed book. "Too many people consider what they see to be all there really is." he continued, calmly aware of just how accurate that comment was in his own case. "I prefer to let people's actions dictate my views on them." He paused, declining to say more at the moment, and looked back at Erik as he awaited, feeling quite certain the other was not finished yet.

    His eyebrows quirked upward slightly at the next statement, and gave the impression he was to say something even though he wasn't. Instead he nodded once as Erik continued, wanting to see where this was headed. A shrewd notion slipped quickly into his mind, and he was quickly rewarded with confirmation of just that thought. "Ah, I do see." he began, nodding again, "The Chimaera's are certainly an excellent way to get oneself immersed into the Dice." Oh come now, that cannot be all you wish to know. he thought as he said this. His eyes shifted to the arrival, whom he had seen at the start with Erik. "A pleasure." Dante replied kindly, giving a slight smile as he shook Jack's hand. He looked back to Erik as Jack left, shifting a shoulder in a slight shrug.

    "Well now, to answer your question." he paused there, looking around for a moment as he collected his thoughts, thought he glanced at nothing in particular. "You should know your manners, particularly in the Asian scene, obviously. One would not want to disrespect a Chimaera of importance. Possibly more important than that, however, would be this. Do not make any promises that you cannot keep." he met Erik's eyes. He did not do so with any edge of challenge, but of frank sincerity. "I don't say that lightly. A broken promise to the Chimaera's would likely end with... unfortunate consequences." His mind absently flickered back to years before, though he quickly ripped it back to the present, though he let no trace of his thoughts show in his expression.

    "I suppose short of that, I cannot help you much. I'm quite sure you have a store of knowledge about how the Dice works." he shrugged at Erik's curious expression, "Anyone who comes here, especially asking questions about any of the clans, would be incredibly idiotic to do so without doing their homework first." He gave Erik another genuine smile, letting the pause stretch for the moment. "Now then, since you wanted to know something, I guess fair's fair." he added now, grinning slightly, "What brings you to the Dice?"
    Last edited by LordKain; 05-01-2009 at 18:31.

  3. #78
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    Stacey Cunningham

    (Another damnit-I'm-bored-time-to-make-a-second-character character :3 Again, no guarantees she will be sticking around, RP with her at your own risk lol)

    Stacey let out a breath as she passed through the crowds on the street. Even though it was late at night, Dice's streets were filled with people. Unlike the day however, where the crowds would consist of mostly businessmen and women and other assorted 'up and ups', at night they were packed with a much younger crowd, on average, and one that was infinitely more fun. She had only been in the city for a few months now, but it was well enough to get herself noticed where she had wanted. The reason for her traveling to Kain's Dice was a complicated one, on no small part because, well, there was no reason. That may not have been exactly true, for there was the fact that Stacey had earnestly wanted to get away from anyone that would readily recognize her family's name. The Cunninghams were not ostentatiously rich, but they had influence. Most people could boast that their family had been around for generations. In Stacey's case it would be an understatement. The Cunningham family had been around from hundreds of years, they were one of the oldest families to have a completely documented history. Many people would be glad of that, feeling a swell of pig-headed pride that their family was doing so clandestinely well in the world today.

    Stacey, on the other hand, could do without it. Family ties were nice and all, and she would be lying if she did not admit they came in handy, but too many people counted on everyone else to get them out of trouble. Stacey preferred to take matters into her own hands, if the situation called for a direct approach. That was one of the surprises about her, no doubt given greater weight due to her appearance. She was on the shorter side of a hundred and three quarter centimeters, and her frame was almost delicate. That's not to say that she looked frail, simply that she was a very stunning appearance, even in the Dice, with her soft lightly tanned skin and incredibly bright grey eyes. Anyone who knew her would know that liberties were not to be taken with her, and she was quick to inform interlopers into her personal space as well. And in the event certain people needed a more physical emphasis on this point, well, that was one reason her enjoyment of the martial arts served her well.

    But returning to the matter at hand, Stacey had used what connections she had to procure the means to travel to the Dice, and escape her family's influence for as long as she felt was necessary. She had integrated into the Dice's society remarkably quickly, and found herself a good cluster of friends. At present she was working at a restaurant a little ways away from the downtown area, as well as being enrolled at the sole university near the city. Though she was almost twenty-seven she didn't believe learning should stop just because you finished a degree or two. Of course, those were merely slips of paper to be used to convince others you 'knew what you were doing', nothing to base your life upon. Which brings up another of the city's more attractive features.

    Stacey's lips perked up at this thought, for at that moment of her mind's wandering she glimpsed a fine specimen of just that. Easing to the side of the crowd, and of course closer to her eye's target, she tucked a lock of greyish-silver hair behind her ear. Perky and tight rear-end, she thought as she bit her lip gently, Gorgeous body, she actually felt a shiver go down her spine, Mmmm and just listen to that rumble. She giggled softly, despite the fact that she detested the sound of herself giggling, as the simply delicious Lamborghini Reventón slipped past the sidewalk. No doubt it was driven by some beef-head that thought he knew how to handle it, she guessed, but that did not detract from the car itself. That, of course, would be Stacey's other passion: racing. Legal or not she loved it. And not that NASCAR type crap either, but real cars driven by real people. She grinned as she kept walking, wondering what her friends would think if they could hear her thoughts. With friends she was not quite so guarded, but she knew that levels of secrecy were good for anyone, and so that was why she had friends of all sorts.

    (Meh, I suppose it passes. Dunno what I'm gonna do with her, but I'm sure somehow she'll get thrown into the mix ha)

  4. #79
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    Erik smiled and pointed at Dante, almost wagging his finger. "Ehhh... you... Well..." He thought about it a moment, noticeably. "I'm here to kill someone. Or something." It wasn't that he discarded his comment about the Chimaeras. It was that conversation had moved on. "I can trust you with that, I think. I like to imagine I know you rather intimately, sharing a lap on the track with you. You can tell a lot about a person from two things best, and three things only. Golf, and racing. Time is the third, but isn't the best, because you actually have to invest your life into being around the person for long periods and it is always a crapshoot." He smiled. "A lot of people say being there when someone dies, but I never feel that way. I always feel I never knew them enough."

    He jokingly punched Dante's shoulder. "So then. What brings you back to the Dice? I don't know your situation and I know you just came back. Rather, I infer it. But then I infer a lot of things and don't particularly like being called an idiot. Though i suppose I should be. The Dice is a rather colorful place, and complex. I know what I hear, but I never gave it much thought. The Dice is like everywhere else, but grimier. Right? But who knew there were so many hotties!" He smiled. He chided Dante on saying anyone who didn't research the Dice was a fool, or rather more accurately, an idiot.

    "Either way, you helped me out free of charge. What is it you do in the Dice? Maybe I can make it worth your while to work for me," he offered. "You're either an idiot to give free advice or someone trustworthy. I think highly of the later choice."
    Last edited by Jolly Rensha; 11-01-2009 at 03:08.

  5. #80
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    Dante tucked that first little bit of information into his brain. "Well I certainly hope it is no one that I know." he replied, his voice admirably grave, but then threw Erik a smile. He fell silent again, taking the time to absorb the other's words. His mind was still working, of course. Secretly he wondered if Erik was quite so smart to tell Dante this. He did not doubt Erik's intelligence for a moment, however, merely the tactfulness of revealing this little bit of info. Course, this was the Dice. But then, even in the Dice, people did not go around casually announcing they were going to kill someone. Beyond that, what would Dante do with that info anyways? The answer to that was simple: nothing. He may not know this man all that well, but he was, essentially, confided in. Dante wouldn't readily break that confidence. In fact, just about his only reason to do so would be if what had been said may affect someone he did know.

    As he was thinking he pulled his lips into a wry smile as Erik commented on knowing people, nodding slightly in emphasis. He wondered if they would race again. That would be interesting, tonight wasn't the only way he raced after all. A light chuckle arose from his throat after Erik popped his shoulder and proposed his question. Erik seemed to like to talk, at least that was the initial impression he gave. It was likely a cover, Dante figured, but it wasn't something to dwell on. He had a feeling he would know better relatively soon.

    "Oh nothing special, really. I just felt it was time to get back home." he answered with a light shrug. "Figured people missed me, wanted to get back to workin, yadda yadda." he waved a dismissive hand and grinned, "You know, the usual. You are right about the Dice, though. But for a few things it is essentially anywhere else. I wouldn't say grimmer... darker, perhaps?" He thought for a second, then nodded as if approving of his word choice. He turned then to the topic of what he actually did. "Well I'm your average gearhead." he cracked another smile, "I own the Black Lotus, over near the Chimaera territory. Quaint little shop, and I suppose if you ever need some work done you are more than welcome to see what we offer." he gestured at the Iceni in the background. "Feel free to bring her along if you like. I do not remember having the pleasure of working on on. Could be wrong, of course. Not many people can appreciate that car as a racer, which is strange." he shook his head, the gesture sad, "They're all hyped about the new Stingers. Man, I swear one day they are going to make a racer so small it'll vanish into oblivion."

  6. #81
    Post Fiend Geco's Avatar
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    The Dojo

    “Can I steal a moment of your time, or am I interrupting playtime?” he asked sardonically. The twins were surprised. Almost simultaneously they craned their necks towards the sound, like a gazelle on the open plain catching the scent of a nearby predator. All around the scene being acted out was like some depraved orgy of indulgence. It was more like the hallucination of heroin addict void of any connection to the fabric of reality. Shapes blurred, noise elevated to the point of non-existence, and the camera rested its focus on the dark wraith in the middle of the herd.

    A man, in his early 30s, stood with the dignity of a king amidst the throng of pawns, each as indistinguishable from the next. From head to toe he was a creature of darkness. Wrapped in a long, but tightly flowing black coat the hovered just above the ground. Matching wool tailored pants and sea-island cotton shirt covered the rest of his body. Even the gloves and boots shone with the brilliance of the abyss. The lone piece of colour was a finely crafted plum vest with silver crosses patterned across the front.

    It was the more volatile half that answered his challenge, “You can try to steal whatever you’d like – some things aren’t taken so easily Ronin.” The fangs he revealed as he smiled belonged to a wild animal. Long, thin hair, shiny as silk, yet pale as ash, snaked its way across his face, like the web of a spider luring its victims towards it.

    Fangs disappeared behind pale lips. Dakkon’s face was a monument to arrogance and disdain. “Your games are of no concern to me Min Ji. Your time, however,” he paused to reflect on her face, as if studying a precious artifact in a museum, “Is something considerably more valuable. I would not dare waste it.” Fire’s counterpart, water, merely raised his left arm to check the time, provoking a laugh from Dakkon, “Point taken.” Reaching into the pocket on the inside of his coat he handed the pictures to Kwan Gi.

    Two pictures, each capturing a different scene of carnage, he glanced at them one last time before letting go. “These people were ripped apart, quite literally – I think the pictures speak for themselves.” He gave them a moment to digest the brutality, “Something did this to them, something in our city. It might not seem so now, but this is our, all of ours, problem. Whatever is doing this knows and cares nothing for boundaries or territory. It will continue to do this indiscriminately until it’s stopped.”

    Dakkon looked each of them in the eye for a long moment, “Jack has asked that if you wish to help stop this you meet him and other community leaders at the Pagoda tomorrow morning, 10 a.m.” His eyes floated to another person he had the same message for - fortuitous for him to find her here as well. “Don’t be late,” he delivered the final instruction before sliding like a specter through the people in front of him.

    “Asuka of the Black lotus…” he gave almost the same speech to her as he had to the twins, complete with her own set of photos to study. His attention was pulled away during the conversation only once when he saw a familiar, but old face in the crowd. So Dante was back. He had no time for pedophiles anyway.

    Having completed his objective he turned his back on the Bacchanalian revelers and proceeded back to his dark metallic Mercedes Benz SL65 AMG. The whole time the outlandishly long katana that was his trademark stayed firmly in the grip of his left hand, like an extension of the man himself - Dakkon Blackblade.

    (OOC: Hope you guys liked my intro. Samurai Jack and the Ronin are back baby.)
    Last edited by Geco; 16-01-2009 at 04:12.

  7. #82
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    The Song Twins (Min Ji & Kwan Gi)

    OOC: Welcome back Geco! And I loved the way you "used" the twins in your post. :) Hopefully overtime and working weekend is a memory in the past so I'll try to be more active now.

    IC: Repulsive, was the first thing that came to Amanda's mind. She didn't hide the fact that she wasn't enjoying the way he looked at her, rather the opposite crossing her arms. Glancing at her brother she could feel the change in him and for the first time in many years she became truly worried as she changed the weight on her legs. Dakkon would probably not notice any change in Michael but to her the change was obvious. His otherwise stiff demeanor had if possible become even more stiffer as he studied the pictures. Whatever it was the Chimaeras would be involved, one way or another. The look he gave her while Dakkon was talking confirmed that.

    She ripped the pictures out of his hands as soon as Dakkon left them with a time and place. Amanda didn't consider herself being effected by much, having seen plenty that girls her age had not, but these images were a bit repulsive. Just like Dakkon's fanged smile and stare. These photos were not ordinary clan hits, not even in the underground parts of Dice.

    "Don't tell Lindsey," Michael said, throwing a glance at their baby sister standing by her own gang by the red mazda.

    "Don't you think it's better she knows?" Amanda objected as the two headed towards their own car, Amanda by the steering wheel as always. "Whatever this is, she is better off knowing. If there is anyone out there..."

    "Not yet," Michael interrupted her as he closed the door. It wasn't often that he was so determined as he was now. He usually let her take the lead, but when he did object so firmaly as he did now she knew he wouldn't back down.

    They rode in silence on the way back to the Song's Mansion. Michael could feel his sister shoot him some worried glances from time to time, but said nothing to calm her. He was deep within thoughts. He was eager to get back so that he could call Mr Pak. Despite what he had told Jack and Erik later tonight Mr Pak trusted him enough to make his own decisions. In truth they would most likely never meet Mr Pak. But that wasn't his reason for wanting to speak to Mr Pak. The pictures in his hand were.

    He wanted to know what the old Korean knew. Knowing him it would not be the first time he had heard of it. By now he was used to Mr Pak not telling him everything, something that still annoyed him, perhaps even more than it annoyed Amanda. Her grievance was just with being left out of the loop, but his was more of a personal blow. On a bussiness level. Without knowing everything how could Mr Pak trust him to make the right decisions. He was one of Mr Pak's closest confidant, if not the closest, and yet he was kept out in the dark when it came to some matters.

    An hour later he called Jack.

    "Hi Jack, this is Kwan Gi." He paused to let the other end speak. "I'm afraid Mr Pak is unavailable, but I've been authorized to discuss the terms with Erik. You are both welcome to Villa tomorrow night at eight."

    OOC: Geco - wanna switch time over to the meeting?

  8. #83
    Post Fiend Geco's Avatar
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    The Dojo

    The Arch Angel Tristan

    Night moved in on the city like a virus. The supple underbelly of Dice was ripe for the contagion the darkness brought with it. Streetlights bent under the pressure, fighting to stave off the gloom and despair, but like any good disease it found a crack in the defense to exploit. Shadows took whatever they could get their hands on and turned it into something sinister. People, buildings; nothing was off limits.

    As a beacon of salvation and a symbol of incorruptible virtue for the residents to see – this was why he walked the streets at night. Life in Dice was bad, but the Dojo, well, the Dojo was like the garden of Eden surrounded by a desert of sin.

    Just over six years ago the Dojo had been like any other place in Dice, just another cyst in a rotting cesspool of filth. Until Samurai Jack and his Ronin fought to take back their home. It started small out of the tragedy that befell Sabra’s sister. Jack had been dating her at the time, and along Sabra and his friend Dakkon the three took justice into their own hands. They realized the city was only lost if there was no one left to fight for it, so they fought. Simon the Templar joined later, on his own private crusade to clean up the city he had found natural allies in the Ronin.

    And so block by block they fought; pushing back the gangs, the pimps, the drug dealers and all the other scum that accumulated over the years of neglect. Gradually the landscape changed. The Dojo claimed more territory and was a bastion of good for all those who believed in it. It began attracting the upstanding citizens of Dice who joined the cause. Six years and hundreds of battles later what started in a run-down pub now engulfed ten square blocks on the east side of the city.

    Tristan was one of the new Ronin who had joined the cause, but he had made his presence felt in a very short time. They had dubbed him the Arch Angel, the Protector in the night, the person who watched over them as they slept.

    Shimmering golden strands of hair swept across his left eye as he turned into the alley. A leather-clad hand brushed the hair off to the side, a whiff of the leather’s soothing aroma filling his senses. As soon as he placed his hand back at his side however he caught wind of another smell, one of blood and death. He had hoped the message had been wrong, but as he turned on his flashlight he could see the mutilated corpse only a few yards away and realized he wasn’t that lucky.

    Staring down at the body he could see that this time it had been a woman in her late twenties. A doctor, on her way home from a late night at Saint Sulpice Hospital judging by the scrubs she was still wearing. He bent over the body, his mind quickly changing the urge to tear into a healthy rage at the injustice before him. Lifeless hazel eyes stared into his own jade pools until, finally, he could bear it no longer, and he gently shut her eyelids.

    Standing straight he pulled the cell out of his coat pocket and typed in two numbers. The speed dial recognized the code and started to make the call. A subtle click alerted him the phone had been answered, the females voice was tired and strained, but as deep and alluring as ever. “Sorry to wake you Sabra, it’s Tristan. There’s been another attack.”

    “Shi…” the voice trailed off as she swore, “Where?”

    “Alley on Altar St, between Forrest Ave and Goling,” his voice was even, like reciting facts from an encyclopedia.

    “I’ll tell Jack tomorrow before the meeting. Follow protocol.”

    “Right,” he shut the phone on itself, effectively ending the conversation. Protocol: investigate the scene, secure evidence, inform local law enforcement, and perform an independent follow up. He got to it.

    (OOC: I'm going to post again and in that post I'll move it to morning. Just trying to get everyone up to speed on what I'm cooking ^_^)

  9. #84
    Post Fiend Geco's Avatar
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    3 a.m.

    Dr. Paul Atwell


    Flashing sirens and a collage of police cars greeted him at the scene. Opening the van doors he stepped out into the early morning dark. The grand ‘Versalife’ logo on the side was instantly recognizable and he swelled every time he saw it. Heartless and ruthless were generally the adjectives used when people described the pharmacy industry, but Versalife had shown that itself to have a soul and put the health of people first.

    Versalife’s coming to Dice had been heralded as a new era of hope and prosperity by the Mayor himself. It was tangible proof that life, in what had been one of the bleakest cities in the United State, was getting better.

    And now this. His team moved swiftly out of the van having prepped their gear during the trip. There were no chances being taken as each member had been forced to dawn the biological contamination suit, standard procedure when dealing with an unknown potentially highly toxic and infectious disease.

    They moved towards the perimeter of the scene, Paul placing himself in the lead. A patrol officer made his way towards them, he’d obviously been waiting for their arrival. “We’ve got it trapped in a dumpster, it’s taking 6 guys just to hold the lids down on it, that thing is like something out of Frankenstein.”

    “I’ll head there now. How are the officers who got it in there?”

    “Those guys look like someone did a good number on them, lots of surface scratches mostly. Heh, knowing them two this’ll be one more thing they can brag about to all the fresh recruits from the academy every year,” the officer said without a hint of concern.

    Paul was glad to hear that, and it brought a smile to his face, “Well Officer Douglas, take these three,” he indicated to three of his team members behind him, “Show them to the two officers. We’ll have to check them out just to be sure.” Douglas nodded and led over half his team away. Those officers would have to be put into isolation, tested, and monitored closely for the next several days to ensure they were not infected with whatever it was that had taken over the subject, but he had learned long ago that causing undue stress or concern was never necessary.

    Before he had completely gone off he turned back, holding up a finger, “One more thing Doc, just so you’re prepared before you go in there.”

    “Shoot.”

    “Those guys said it was definitely human, only not human.”

    “What do you mean human but not human?” he was puzzled.

    “Like a vampire. Ya I know,” Paul had forgotten to check his reactions and was sporting a dumbfounded look, “It sounds stupid, but that’s the word they used.” Officer Douglas shrugged his shoulders and continued on his merry.

    “Come on. Let’s go see this for ourselves,” he waved for the lone remaining person behind him, his personal assistant Sara, to follow him as the crossed the canary yellow tape into the realm of the unknown.

    As he walked up to the dumpster he could see it moving. Every second a loud bang seemed to bounce up along the brick walls of the alley and into the otherwise desolate night. Six men were struggling to keep the lids shut, and whatever was inside was not giving them a moment to rest. One cop, who must have been the ranking officer, nodded his heads towards the pair as they approached, but wasn’t willing to risk leaving his post to formally greet them.

    “Evening Doctors, so glad you could make it,” was all he could manage between swears and grunts. Paul could see the sweat brimming on some of the men’s foreheads. They had obviously been holding it in, whatever it was, for a long time now. At least they had followed the orders he had given them over the phone to limit the exposure as there were no other people around.

    “It was such a lovely invitation it would have been rude to turn it down,” the joke elicited a few chuckles from the men, but judging by the sudden ferocity of the resistance from inside the dumpster he gauged he should get to work. “Sara, prepare a sedative. Can you tell me what’s inside?”

    “It’s a man from what we can tell, but it’s behaving more like a beast right now,” each words was followed by an exasperated breathe. He’d need to keep this short, only vital information.

    “Size?”

    “Like a buck seventy, maybe six feet tall, but it feels like he has five times that in strength.”

    “Bear with us gentlemen. We’ll start with a regular dosage for those proportions and work from there.” None of the cops responded other than to grit their teeth and bear down as best they could. “Now this is where it will get tricky. I need access to a vein to knock him out right away, otherwise you could all be here for another 15 minutes or more.” Unanimous groans of dissatisfaction told him they were willing to shoot for the vein.

    “So how’d you like to do this Doc?” one of the men asked.

    “Let him get his head out, then use the lid to pin his head in place. Be prepared to grab his arms on each side as they’ll probably get free too. Once he’s pinned I should be able to get at his neck.” They nodded, whether in approval or acceptance he couldn’t tell, but they were ready to try it. Sara handed him the syringe. He made sure it was firmly in his grip before he turned back to the police.

    “Alright gentlemen, on the count of three, 1, 2, 3!” he yelled in conjunction with the cops easing off the lid, and the window was enough for the lid to fly open and the upper body of a man, who indeed looked more like a raging beast, flew up to greet them.

    Instantly after, before the thing had time to get oriented, the lid was slammed down onto its back, forcing it down on one leg. Thankfully his plan worked, and he cast up silent thanks for that. The thing’s neck was pinned between the edge and the lid and officers had taken care to neutralize the arms. Not knowing how long the window of opportunity would last Paul dived in, plunging the sedative deep into its neck.

    Seconds passed and it seemed to get weaker, the officers were not taking chances though and retained strong restraint. After three minutes it still had not passed out, and was continuing its struggle to escape. Almost too casually for the situation, Paul took another syringe from his assistant and injected another dose into the wild thing. A minute later it seemed as if the drugs had finally been enough the man went limp.

    Hesitant hands began to weaken their hold and ever so gradually a more relaxed atmosphere returned amongst the group. Smiles filled their faces that the ordeal was finally over and no that no one had been seriously hurt. It was a minor victory, yet it was worth celebrating that night.

    “Right,” he began, “the rest of my team is looking over your two friends just outside. Why don’t you let them check you out as well?”

    “Sure thing Doc,” he turned to the rest of his men, “Let’s go fellows. Thanks for the help Doc.” Paul smiled through the clear visor of the suits helmet.

    Once it was just he and Sara he took a step towards the creature to examine it more closely, “What the hell are you?”

  10. #85
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    OOC: I'll leave you to what Erik says to Min Sun, and her reply SoHee. It's long enough. ^_^

    It's also high time we move to the next day and give toby a chance to get in on the story. We can always retro-post, or even agree on what was said/happened off the pages.

    IC:

    "I'll be by," Erik said and smiled. He gave a good pat on Dante's shoulder, "But I think you're lying about why you came back." He narrowed one eye and nodded slightly, "You might fool others about it, but you're a deeply spiritual man I think. You zoned out when you were driving. I could tell when you rolled the window down in that one turn; you looked like a pitbull."

    He looked over his shoulder a brief second and saw Jack on the phone and then hang up. "I'll get back with you later man. Maybe at your shop. I'll have Jack show me the way to it." He pointed a finger gun at Dante, "But I know you're lying." He grinned and walked a step backwards before turning.

    ----------

    "What's up?" Erik asked Jack, nodded toward the phone call. He knew it was with Rosso.

    "Nothing," he said. "Just reporting in, that's all." It was true, mostly. Jack was wary of Erik, not the least of all that he was once at his mercy begging for life a couple years back. In the Vindicare, there was no room for personal differences. There were bigger and scarier fish to deal with than Erik, and Jack knew it. He counted his blessings.

    "K..." Erik said, knowing it wasn't all. "I'm kinda tired. Time to sleep?" he asked. It had been a long flight, and Jack was all too aware of it himself. For a time, he made it twice a week.

    "Not yet. Got one more stop," Jack informed him. "The Dice is just waking up anyway. You still have to go to the Ragnarok."

    "Right..." he said back, less than enthused. "That's fine and all, but I'm going to ask Min Sun to come with..." He turned around, stopped then faced Jack again, who was trying to look pleased about it. Not that he didn't want to spend time in the company of a spontaneously combustible female who was probably PMSing. Who wouldn't? "And... try to give him some space... Don't call him unless you need to. He's a busy guy, you know?"

    Jack nodded and smiled, "Sure thing Erik. You got it buddy."

    Erik's brow furled a little, "Come on man, feel the love! Don't patronize. Go with the flow. Get into the groove!" He grinned and went to offer his company to Min Sun

    -----------------------------------
    An hour later


    "Venustas," he spoke, and moved some dark hair from her face. He just looked at her a moment as they lie in his ridiculously luxurious bed. "You are so beautiful in every way that you even have beauty in your name." He smiled as an approving parent, proud of his confidant and lover. The only person he could truly trust. "I have a request of you," Rosso stated, looking her in the eyes with her utmost attention.

    She smiled with her doe-like eyes and voluptuous red lips, ready to appease the love of her life, companion, and head. "What is it, Ro?" she said, the willingness in her voice that was so soft and melodic that it sounded as if the spirit of a violin had been instilled in it. And how he loved to hear her speak to him so personally when they were alone. They were not alone enough, of late. It would seem that that would continue for now.

    "I am going to leave you in charge of the Vindicare for a time. I will simply be referred to as unavailable for a while," He was as blunt as a blackjack to the back of the neck. Her eyes glassed over and her lips parted, wanting to say what her eyes already had. Why now? He was not so insensitive as to give no reasons for his departure. "Though Jack and Erik have things under control, I must make myself part of this mandate. I have plans for Erik, and a purpose for Jack's future in mind. I would like to make sure that they are well founded and that, from the background, I am available when necessary. I have that wanderlust feeling boiling up, telling me that the Dice is calling." Rosso closed his eyes and nodded once, "Now that Corbis is a dead ashtray, I know I can leave it in your hands without worrying about you." He knew it wasn't enough to make him stop worrying about her.

    Though Venustus was dissatisfied with his decision, she respected it. Their first duty was to the Culto, regardless what their personal feelings were. Rosso was better at it than she was, and she always knew it. Her mouth closed and she nodded. She was the only person Rosso could trust to manage the Vindicare in his absence. "Okay, Ro. But be kind to yourself," she said longingly.

    "My dear, I wish I could be. It would be a waste to not use my abilities to their full." They both knew it was true.

    Bzzz... Bzzz...

    Rosso touched her face and she moved her head into his hot palm, closing her eyes and feeling safe in his affection. He sighed and turned, reaching for his phone. He read the message and put it down. "Deus damno ea... If I didn't keep my contact information secret from all but a few I would have no job at all but to answer texts, emails, and phone calls..." Rosso pulled the covers back up to his chest and looked back at her.

    "They have a meeting with the Chimaeras tomorrow night. I'd like to get there before that happens," he said. "I have to leave in a couple of hours, for the time difference." She nodded in understanding.

    "I..." she started. A tear started to form in the corners of her reddish-brown eyes. He touched her shoulder and eliminated the distance between their bodies.

    "I know, me too," he replied.

  11. #86
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    Stacey Cunningham

    "Cunny! Hey Cunny! Over here!" a voice called out of the heads of the crowds. Stacey looked up, blinking as, despite herself, she felt a blush hit her face as she saw one Roxanne quite literally standing atop a chair with one hand leaning on a light post as she waved to her. I'ma kill her, I swear one of these days... Stacey thought with a quick look around and hurried over to her friend. "Whassup Cunny?" Roxanne grinned as she neared, ignoring the quelling look Stacey threw at her. The nickname 'Cunny' was obviously a reference to her last name, and Stacey had been quickly saddled with it after befriending Roxanne. Though incredibly inappropriate, and borderline embarrassing at times, Roxanne couldn't care less and seemed to enjoy springing it on Stacey at any point that seemed good to her. Naturally, Stacey had to fight back.

    "Nothin' much, Kimber." she replied pointedly, earning a satisfying grimace from the other girl. Roxanne's given name was Kimberly, which she hated, though not as much as the nickname her older brothers had adorned her with: Kimber. More than once Roxanne regretted telling Stacey about that. "Fine fine ya brat." she said, though grinned again as she hugged Stacey. The third element of their nightly trio arrived just then as well. "Hey! Hand's off my *****!" came the voice of Violet, Roxanne's counterpart. She stopped next to them with her trademark grin, as usual full of mischief and amusement at practically everything, and the two friends parted. Stacey stuck her tongue out, earning a laugh of delight from Violet.

    The late arrival was clad in an outfit that seemed to intentionally oppose Roxanne's. Where Roxanne was wearing a pair of black cargoes with a short sleeved black v-neck, Violet wore an dusty rose miniskirt and a midriff-bearing off-white tank. Roxanne's grin warmed into a smile as Violet drew close, making no effort to hide her approval of Violet's outfit. "Wooo baby!" she whistled, slipping her arms around Violet to draw her even closer, "Ain't no girl as sexy as mine!" Stacey rolled her eyes with a smile as two two kissed in their usual 'Oh my God, the world's ending!' sort of way. There was never a doubt that those two were firmly in love, their every action or word, even the way they looked at each other, shouted that out to the world. Stacey silently observed them, noting the leering looks and catcalls a few of the men walking past threw out.

    Roxanne and Violet were two of the best friends she could ever have asked for, and the fact that they came as a package deal didn't hurt at all. The three of them were all around the same age, and formed a nigh-infamous trio in the circles that they traveled in, most notably because of their abilities on and off the track. They especially delighted in provoking the opposite gender with false hopes of seeing more of them, usually together and in some darkened room. Playing to men's emotions, especially their more base desires, was always fun in their minds, though that is not to say they are cruel about it, or careless. Stacey was leaning back against the post as she watched them still, her thoughts broken off as their voices intruded into them.

    "Mmmm you know I love that skirt, dah-ling." Roxanne said with mock pomp, her exploring hands provoking a peal of laughter from Violet, who playfully batted her hand away. "Oooh you naughty girl!" she giggled before nipping at Roxanne's nose. "Alright you two, get a room or something." Stacey said, deciding to remind them of her presence, not to mention those around them. Violet snapped her fingers. "Ooh I like. You lead Stacey, we'll follow." she replied with a wicked smile on her lips. She 'oofed' lightly as Stacey jabbed a few fingers into her side. Leaving it at that, they turned and headed down the sidewalk, Roxanne in the middle with her arms draped casually around Violet and Stacey. "So what's on the menu tonight?" asked Stacey as they walked, the crowd parting as they passed through it.

    Her eyes moved about as they walked, drinking in the looks they received from those around them. She admitted that it must be a sight, at least for those hormonally-imbalance men, the three of them walking with arms around each other, each with their own aspect of beauty to them. Violet had it practically made in the body department, her current clothing was accentuating it perfectly. At the moment Roxanne was going for the butchy yet attractive lesbian look, one of her favorites. Clothing none too revealing, her cargoes of the male variety, yet there something always exotic about her face and eyes. Stacey was an amalgamation of them both, perfect to complete their trio of looks, complementing them both even as they complemented her. Though she admitted to her own cuteness, to a degree, she would rather consider herself average on the scale of looks. Like Violet she had a toned body, though her T'n'A sections were not quite so voluptuous as her friends, and as with Roxanne she had an incredibly cute face. Stacey simply had something about her, something which made her stand out in a crowd, something which one simply couldn't place their finger upon. Presence, perhaps. Or, possibly more likely, it was her amazingly colored hair which hung past her shoulders, those exquisite silver locks. In any case, Stacey didn't care too much about it.

    "Oh it's a light meal tonight," Roxanne answered with a grin, "A couple cuties to race and then we'll be on the Rag." True to form, she didn't miss a chance to be obscene. The Rag referred to the Ragnarok, possibly the best known of the Dice's casinos. Going there was always an experience to remember, and they likely only added to the splendor of the place, along with every other young female in the building. "I could do with a race or two." Stacey mused, a smile playing on her lips. "Don't hog them all now, dear. You know I love getting some action." Violet added in with a flash of teeth, to which the three of them laughed merrily.

  12. #87
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    Dante and Asuka

    Dante gave a slow shrug at Erik's speculation on his reasons. He chuckled a little as Erik concluded. "Hm pitbull? Interesting." he mused, smiling affably. "German Shepherd, I'd rather say; they are so lovable. Pitbulls are such nasty fellows." his smile grew slightly. It was about then that Dante felt something twitch in the back of his brain, and he diverted his attention from Erik momentarily. Quickly his eyes found what he sought. He looked back at Dakkon as their gazes met, giving the man whom he had met on several occasions a brief nod before they returned to their respective conversants.

    Erik returned his gaze to Dante and uttered a few more sentences, and again asserted his belief on Dante's reasons for returning. "Again with this lying! Oh you do me such injustice, good sir!" he exclaimed quietly, his hand raising to his forehead in a mockery of swooning. Laughing once more, he inclined his head to Erik. "I shall certainly look forward to it, Erik. Enjoy the Dice."

    They departed from each other, Dante heading for Asuka a moment after Dakkon left her. As he went, he mused inwardly about Erik's comments. Lying he surely wasn't, per se, though that did not mean he would tell all his reasons. But he would let Erik, and anyone else, believe what they choose to. In fact, apart from his crew, the only person whom he wished to be completely honest with was Min Sun. She deserved that much from him, at least.

    --------------------------------------

    “Asuka of the Black Lotus.”

    Asuka turned to the source of these words with a perked eyebrow and a smile upon her lips. "My my my, such formality." she inquired in an amused tone. "Hello Dakkon." She looked back upon the man before her, one of the more honorable of the Dice's citizens. In fact, Dakkon, and his fellow Ronin, were perhaps one of the best things that had emerged out of the city. Taking the proferred images, she glanced down at them as Dakkon continued. Her face tightened slightly as she took in the scenes displayed in them. Gruesome was possibly best to describe them. Asuka did not say much in response to what he had to said, after all there was really nothing to say until he was done. When he did finish, she nodded again. "Well I don't quite see how much we can do," she began, practically lying through her teeth even though she knew Dakkon would be well aware she was, "But if there's something like this running loose, I'll be damned if we won't do what we can."

    He departed without another word and she looked back at the pictures. "What the bloody hell was that about?" Solaris asked as Tekk and himself approached her. Dante returned, however, before her reply began, and he quirked an eyebrow at her. She relayed the conversation to him and the others, depositing the pictures into Dante's hands. If he felt sickened by the carnage depicted, he did not show it, and he let the other two see. "Well. Let's get back to the Lotus. We have things to talk about."

    --------------------------------------

    An hour or so later they had arrived at the shop and exchanged words with Lily and Grizzly, informing them of the nights events. Shortly thereafter, Asuka set to task finding out what she could about these attacks, making brief contact with their usual sources of information in the city. Once that task had been completed, she went in search for him, eventually locating Dante in the office that very few had ever seen. He was toying with something, though as she spoke and broke his thoughts she blinked and it was gone.

    "She needs to know." she said quietly as she leaned on the doorframe. "I know." came his reply after a moment, without looking up at her. He stood and took a turn about the room, ending with his back to her. "Three years I've know that. Three long years." His words came out slow, almost wearily, and they carried with them a sense of emotion rarely seen from their owner. He looked back at her and smiled sadly. "It's been so long I fear it's too late." Asuka strode slowly into the office, her deeply compassionate gaze hold his, and rested a hand on his shoulder. "At the risk of sounding corny, it's never too late for the truth." Her voice was quiet, removed from the usual playful nature she portrayed. The truth was she felt more than a little concerned about Dante. As much as she may heckle him about being gone with a trace for so long, she was his closest friend, and forgave him regardless. And to see him in this frame of mind was disconcerting. True she was one of only two people he would really open up to, but even those times, for herself at least, were rare occasions.

    "Easy for you to say. At least I told you lot what was going on." he answered with a sigh, his shoulders sagged slightly. "And she should understand just as well." he grunted softly in disagreement, "I didn't say she'd forgive, but she should understand." He let those words linger between them for a few moments before he spoke. "I was just so... scared." his voice trailed away and her hand squeezed his shoulder. The words didn't surprise her, she knew all to well what had transpired that night three years back. But if only she knew the extent of it, he thought bitterly, She'd not be so keen to understand. The night his brother died, Dante all but frightened them all. Their calm and collected, always in complete control leader had raged, violently. The loss of his brother had obviously wounded him deeply, and he seemed ready to take it out on the world around him. He didn't make a move to harm the crew in the slightest, but his anger was enough to make them flinch. Something seemed to halt him, make him aware of himself, and he realized that he had to leave. It was too much, the Dice was too painful for him to stay in, and so he left, not to return until he could once more be himself. But if only they knew the truth...

    At a loss for any other words, he instead covered her hand with his and turned away from her arm with a step towards her, the movement causing her arm to hook around his neck as he drew her close. She was his closest friend, his greatest confidant, he knew it as well as she. He also loved her as deeply as he could any woman, yet it was a different sort of love. The sort which formed between friends such as they, yet one he would refuse to deny to even the most jealous of lovers. The crazy thing was that even though Asuka, as well as the others, might feel that Dante was their rock, unflinching throughout anything, she was his also grounding place. As close to him as a sister or a wife, he wondered if she suspected how much he valued her presence. Never more than friends, albeit despite those odd occasions of sinful pleasures of the flesh, he still wished that she would always be around for him. Their arms went around each other fully as they looked upon each other's face. She was close, so very close, her presence comforting as they hugged. Perhaps if this moment had stemmed from something other than what it did, then their embrace would be quite different. But not now, and Asuka wouldn't ever think to intrude like that even if Dante asked. For right now, on his mind was only one woman, as always.

    (A bit of editing, just in the last two paragraphs. Yay, minor character revelations ftw)
    Last edited by LordKain; 25-01-2009 at 05:17.

  13. #88
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    Dr. Paul Atwell

    Labs lights flickered on with a groan. A barely audible hum lingered in the background and was quickly drowned out by the doors being forced open and a stretcher being rolled into the middle of the room. They stopped carting their… patient… beside a built in hospital bed and fluidly transferred the body over.

    “Strap him down, tightly,” he added. If this thing woke up who knows how long they’d have until it broke loose. “Molly, prepare an IV to keep him sedated.” His attention drifted to the other two men on his team, “Start running all the tests. We’re going to need every scrap of information we can get. Sara, start researching the symptoms. See if you can find previous medical cases that can shed some light on what’s going on.”

    While his team buzzed like workers in a beehive Paul stood next to the bed overlooking his latest patient. His mind had been trying to figure out what sort of disease could cause a human to behave like it had. Rabies would have been the common go to answer for anyone outside the medical profess, but rabies had never presented itself like this in a human before. There was no denying the uncanny resemblance to how the man had acted like an infected rabid animal would have.

    As his eyes scanned the man it was hard to believe that the body lying comatose next to him had been capable of everything he’d seen and heard. His frame was somewhat skeletal, as if he’d been starved recently. Other than that, there appeared to be no physical problems with him. He even would have described his expression as peaceful.

    Something was amiss, and he and his team were going to get to the bottom of it.

    Samurai Jack

    Morning in the Pagoda was resplendent. Sunlight poured into the peaceful obelisk and reflected off the slightly mirrored interior to radiate its crowning brilliance throughout the entire interior. Lush plants and flowers accounted for much of the décor and acted as a perfect compliment to the faint echo of a waterfall from deeper within. The entirety of which was to create a very serene and tranquil effect for the Pagoda’s residents and patrons – a perfect mirror opposite to the larger world outside the Dojo.

    Jack stepped out of the shower, dried himself off quickly, and slid the plush red cotton towel around his waist. His bedroom was still and lifeless, the clock on his bedside table showed a calm 7:12. Leaving his bedroom he crossed his living room, picking up a remote as he headed towards his kitchen, and hit two buttons. Shutters gently parted causing light to spill into the room. As he opened the cupboard to grab his favourite blend of coffee the relaxing melodies of John Mayer came over his 7.1 surround sound system.

    He left his penthouse loft at the top of the Pagoda at 8:25 dressed in a matching pinstripe dress pants and vest, a sapphire blue shirt – cuffs rolled up to his elbows, and a white and blue diamond patterned tie with flecks of gold. The outfit served to flatter Jack’s boyish features, namely his platinum blonde hair, pushed forward into a relaxed fohawk, and sparkling ice-blue eyes.

    Today was going to be interesting. His private elevator rang out with a familiar ding as he reached his offices on the 4th floor. Strolling out of the elevator he could see the space was just starting to buzz to life. It was here that the Ronin operated from – granted for most of their work they didn’t need much filing room.

    Sabra was waiting for him in his office. She was the spitting image of a goddess as she sat patiently and confidently on his leather couch, her legs neatly folded. Her creamy mocha skin and dark hazel eyes were like gravity slowly drawing you closer. Rising from her resting position she walked over to his desk, closing the space between them.

    “Dakkon called in. Says the invitations were all delivered last night,” her voice was smooth and angelic, but always there was a hint of playfulness. It reminded him of being serenaded on a cloud, or so he imagined.

    “Excellent. I’m sure the hotel staff has the meeting facilities set up. There was no need for you to come here personally,” he gave her a friendly smile.

    She shifted her weight before she replied, “Tristan also called. There was another attack. He sent the photos to your email already.” What good there had been in his morning vanished beneath the blunt force trauma of another innocent death. It didn’t matter that they had already moved to take action, the fact that they hadn’t been fast enough would weigh on his mind for the rest of the day. Everyone had their fuel, anger at the way things were around him was Jack’s.

    “Anything else?” all traces of the smile were gone, replaced by a hard business exterior.

    “Yeah, one more thing,” she smelled his foul mood, “The cops said they caught a man last night that was behaving like a rabid dog. Some lab coats from Versalife came and took him to do research.” Her eyebrow was slightly cocked, but her question hung in the air.

    A long pause hung between them as he looked from the pictures he had opened from Tristan’s email back to Sabra. “You have time today?” Her grin made his insides shiver with an electric tingle. “Let me know what you find out then.”

    “Can do Jack. Have fun in your meeting,” she jabbed, spun, and walked out of his office.

    (OOC: sorry for the delay, work has been sucking all my creative energies lately. Post about coming to the Pagoda - it's a high rise that is a hotel, shopping mall, bank, apartment complex all in one - and I'll start the meeting in my next post)

  14. #89
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    Dante and Asuka

    (Bah, don't worry about it. I've been writing the last half of this for two days cause I couldn't think lol)

    The next morning Asuka was once more in search of Dante. It was usual that he awoke before the others, and though Asuka had thought to rise first and await him, she had not managed to do so. This morning Dante was occupying himself in the garage, in the section devoted to his own beauties. The shop was larger than your usual auto shop, no doubt because of the variety of vehicles they worked on. It was also because of the attached garage where they not only stored a majority of their own cars, but also where they held cars to be worked on or even let their more frequent customers store their vehicles if need be, though that was a rarity. Most people would wonder why the Black Lotus crew kept their cars in the location of their work, though it would be rightly assumed that it was, in part, in order to help is displaying their mechanic prowess. The other reason was not so obvious: they actually lived at the shop.

    There was a large area which extended downward into the ground, which was where they actually contained the larger portion of their assorted vehicles and their living areas. Not a square centimeter of which appeared on any blueprints or models anywhere. They were remarkably spacious and detailed, providing the illusion that they were not underground, short of the missing windows of course. It was a good setup (which Grizzly liked to joke that is reminded him of a military facility, only more welcoming), and provided them with anything they needed either above or below. Tekk enjoyed commenting that the best thing was that there was no morning commute. The question of where the whole things had come from had come up only a few times, and that was long ago, though Asuka had her own ideas. She alone knew best how much Dante was worth, though it was likely the reality of it would astound even her.

    Dante had pulled a few of his own up into the upper garaging area and several tool carts were loitering around them. At the moment he was sitting on a stool next to the open driver side door of his newest acquisition: a 2040 Evo XX which he dubbed 'Eva'. The inside door panel was pulled off and laying on the front seat, which he was investigating for some reason. The other two where Tracy and Tiffany, a 2016 Merc-Benz SLR and '33 GT-R V-Spec respectively, both in similar stages of work. He reached back for something in the tray beside the stool and instead found Asuka's hand, who pulled him up as he fluidly turned and stood. "Mornin' sunshine." he said with a smile, to which she shook her head with a wry grin. "I should say the same to you. Man, Dante, you never sleep do ya?" she laughed lightly as she said this, emphasized as Dante shrugged innocently with upturned hands. "I've only been up for an hour. Not my fault you lot like to sleep in." he replied with feigned demeanor of superiority.

    "Oooo very nice, who're you trying to impress?" he whistled as he looked at her fully. She had dressed in a pair of leather pants, despite the promise of a sunny day in the forecast, which she paired with a light blue sleeveless shirt. Asuka grinned and turned, rewarding Dante with a look at her wonderfully accentuated body, "No one in particular, my dear." He grinned and shook his head in mock reproach as he stretched. "Well all the same, it's not exactly meeting-wear." he lazily shook a finger at her. She snorted softly in amusement. "Oh yes, and I see you are much better." she indicated Dante's attire which included a pair of comfortable looking dark blue jeans and a rusty half-buttoned shirt. "Hush, you. I'm comfortable." he countered with a tone of mock dignity.

    Asuka glanced over the nearby cars and said to him, "Well it's good to see you trust us to keep your things and nice and pretty." She was joking, of course, and he knew it. He shook his head. "Nah, just a few, hm, modifications." A eyebrow rose in question at this, but he shrugged. "We'll get to that, why don't you tell me what we've found out?" She nodded and extracted a PDA-like device from somewhere on her person and used the touchscreen to pull up a few notes. After a minute or two of briefing he nodded once. Some would be amazed at the amount of intel the Black Lotus, namely Asuka and Dante, were able to acquire. It was relatively easy, however, assuming one had the means and knowledge of where to look. Between the two of them, they had plenty of both. "Should be an interesting day." he murmured as he idly scratched his jawline. Though exteriorly calm his mind was buzzing like a frantic hummingbird. Something about this whole thing was bothering him, something other than the obvious, but he couldn't place his finger on it. A flicker of movement caught his attention and he lifted his eyes to look at the wall chrono, which had just changed to 0900. "Almost that time. C'mon, let me show you this before we go." he said finally, gesturing for her to join him at the door panel.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------

    The Pagoda was roughly a half hour from the shop, though the Monday morning traffic could always become problematic. Besides, Dante despised being late to such an event. They pulled out of the garage on a pair of identical black Honda XXX cycles, gifts from Dante's late brother when they were brand new in 2038, and sped down the road. Daylight was of little concern to them when compared to their nighttime escapades, though in the interest of the city's denizens they were kind enough to take it easy. Illegal they may be when racing the streets, they were not reckless. The HUD on Dante's helmet visor blinked to life and displayed for him several bits of information such as date/time, weather, various information about the cycle, and a mini-map of the immediate area. With a few short phrases it swiftly reconfigured to show just the time, speed, and the map overlaid with constantly updated traffic information.

    "Looks like the highways are jammed." Asuka's voice said over the com device at his ear. "Always is." he replied and sent a route update over to her own system, letting her know how he planned to head. Knowing she had it he took a sharp turn, heading instead for the less traveled surface roads. They weaved between the steadily thinning traffic, taking the twists and turns through the buildings before finally breaking free into open road. With a whoop Asuka pulled up next to Dante, throwing him a gesture before plowing ahead. Behind the helmet he grinned and followed, racing up on his own sleek steed. They made good time as they cut through the less than safe sections of the a couple of the other clan territories. Their progress was not impeded on this day, though it was a simple matter to stop and let them know just who they were talking to. It wasn't fear that kept them in check. Even the newest of the members knew to respect Dante. His dealings with them all lent neutral ground to everyone at his shop, and not one of the clan leaders would choose to disrespect the Black Lotus. It was almost like being an honored citizen, in the underground at least.

    Just shy of forty minutes after leaving the shop they pulled up to the wondrous structure that was the Pagoda. Surely there was other buildings in the Dice that were far more grand than it, but that was purely aesthetic. The Pagoda represented something peaceful and just, a will that few in this city actually shared. It was one of the few places in the city, short of the Black Lotus, that made Dante feel simply right. They left their bikes near the front, the precision crafted gyroscopes and weight distribution mechanics Honda had developed keeping them perfectly balanced on their two wheels.

    Being early they enjoyed the comfort of not only having arrived first, from the looks of things, but having the time to loiter. Dante spared some time to enter the bank that was housed there, the only one in the Dice he trusted with the shop's money. After a quick transaction he emerged, rejoined Asuka, and they headed for the reception desk, from which the majority of the 'front office' duties were directed throughout the day, to inquire about the meeting.

  15. #90
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    OOC: is everyone still waiting for me or has this thread grown inactive?

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