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Post by Kai Rose on Dec 29, 2020 23:02:38 GMT -8
The final collapse of the warehouse had been a straightforward affair. Kai had preserved specific pieces of glassware that had a good view of the laboratory for proof of what they had witnessed as proof that Ambrosia and Marquel had been producing the Rose Water drug. Subtly contacting Solomon to confirm the brief facts of what happened, she indicated that the Changeling bodies needed to burn in the Hollow - along with the equipment therein. The integrity of the laboratory would rapidly degrade and the Hedge would reclaim what rightfully belonged to it. After all, two Spring Courtiers fucking off did not have the same demand for response as two Spring Courtiers being found dead among cartel kills.
She had invited Solomon to meet them at a 24 hour drive-in burger place in Summerlin. It was a good enough place to hand over a small box of glassware and have a chat in the car. This mission was accomplished, but there was so much more behind this. What the Inquisitor wished to do to answer all the questions this very long night's operation had raised was up to him.
Kai knew two things: she'd done the right thing, and she was exhausted. Sleep would be sweet release.
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Post by Solomon on Dec 31, 2020 0:45:45 GMT -8
A pale knuckle taps at the glass of the vehicle, and it takes more than a few seconds for the pair of Summers to register they're looking at the same Knight.
The gaunt, parchment-grey skin had smoothed, catching moonlight with a silvery enamel. The fire-brand pinpoints in black sockets had shifted to humane; scarlet irises with regular expression and a lack of predatory alarm bells that scratched at the back of one's mind. Solomon didn't look as pinched or tired, and frankly it took years of disdain off of his face. He looked friendlier than the Magistrate of Nightmares, at least.
He was wearing plain clothes with a trench coat, and black button up, cocking a single elegant eyebrow as he waited for his report.
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Post by Kai Rose on Dec 31, 2020 0:53:36 GMT -8
Kai had been munching on a greasy cheeseburger, the fatigue difficult to see on her crystalline face but clear in the shifting colors in her aura. When the Knight knocked on the window, she unlocked the door to let him in. A foil-wrapped burger was offered to the Knight. It was only polite.
"Mission accomplished. As I mentioned on my last call, we met Fawkes at a gangland gathering. Got him to tell us what we needed to know and convinced him to help us find Lucky. Turns out these guys had the Arrayer's guns, so we had common cause. Once we got there, we breached the place, fought our way to their Hollow, and opened the Gate. We found their lab. Marquel drew on us, so we put him down. Ambrosia tossed magic, so we fired. Fawkes finished up Lucky and the mortal gangsters. We did the clean-up with his guidance, and he gave the guns back to Sweeney and Apollo. Our identities were not broken with any of them, including the Arrayer or Apollo. Masks and disguises. The bodies and the Hollow have been destroyed and released back into the Hedge."
A thumb hiked back at the trunk.
"I've got glassware back there that I can use to show you what they talked about in the lab, if you want. Ambrosia mentioned the name of her boss: a Lyre, which Fawkes thinks is an alias. I suspect it's Stheno, but that's a whole new set of questions."
The burger was gestured at the Elemental next to her.
"Oren's one hell of a tracker, and a good partner to boot."
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Oren
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written by Hiver
Posts: 242 
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Post by Oren on Dec 31, 2020 7:18:37 GMT -8
"She wasn't hard to find. Cumbersome, though, with all the kiddies. Nasty bit of work. If there's one thing you never want, is the cold shoulder of a Sun Banisher. It's likely to have slit your throat before you've noticed it glint."
There is the ghost of a smile, a sardonic shiver, heightened and played for laughs. There was no mistaking the shimmering of twisted glass.
"You should have seen us. When I say, it was some of my best work, I don't use the term lightly. She was as fierce as the noonday sun, sir."
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Post by Solomon on Jan 1, 2021 13:05:49 GMT -8
Solomon's eyes tracked the burger, but made no motion to accept it. A notebook emerged as he listened to Kai explain the series of events, ornate pen scratching occasionally.
"That is...surprisingly cut and dry," he noted, nodding to the pair. Given his established personality, they got the feeling that this was the closest Solomon came to giving a compliment. "The Sun Banisher being involved isn't ideal, but it's better to have him onside than obsessively tracking us down as his next project." The Hunter was aware of Fawkes and his quirks, to some extent at least.
Putting away the notes, he takes the burger as some sort of piece offering; not remembering the last time he had eaten. "Thanks- The fact that you're dropping that name, Rose, means you know more about that Court than the average numpty. I assume both of you understand that tossing around that theory will eventually bite you. There's a way to investigate and confirm."
The Fairest seems to mull his own statement, balling the empty grease and foil in silence. He didn't seem to have any qualms about the quality of the meal. "Lyre is so fucking obvious. It's a lure," he explained. "If you get far enough to hear the hint, and understand the connotation, she expects you to keep digging, and find something that she deemed acceptable to toss at you. Someone gave Marquel and Ambrosia permission to fire themselves. You've confirmed that. Lyre is a Claviger. And no, I don't have a list. The Antler Crown's inner policing eludes me." Now that the Knight of Scales was pleased and not exclusively communicating in glares and growls, an odd rhotic accent crept in that was a challenge to place.
"Best work? Explain what's on your mind, Oren. This must have been an experience." His attention trained on Kai, prompting her to let the Mirrorskin go first, rather than allowing his given nature to map to her response.
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Post by Kai Rose on Jan 1, 2021 22:14:54 GMT -8
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Oren
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written by Hiver
Posts: 242
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Post by Oren on Jan 2, 2021 13:14:44 GMT -8
"The reconnaissance, sir. I was Masked the entire time. Where it mattered anyway...Fawkes never saw my real face."
Real was a tough word to say. It felt like a lie that desperately wanted to be true.
"I want to go back in. In the future. You won't need a...what's the word? Informant? Yea, you won't need someone from the outside on the inside. I can do it and keep some birds on my shoulders...and if Spring is anywhere near those operations, you'll know as soon as I do. Just tell me who to be, and I can be."
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Post by Kai Rose on Jan 2, 2021 17:47:29 GMT -8
Kai waited, letting Oren explain his piece, his desire, his wish to pursue the war further in his own special way. Terminator 2 here knew what he was about.
"Yeah, I... breathed in her hate. Stheno's. It led to a complicated picture of her Court's entire middle nobility. They're a fucking nightmare, and there are people I know and care about who are trying to look cool. As far as I can tell so far, while not everyone appears to be in it as deeply, the only Springs of noble rank that didn't ping as involved this underworld gong show are the Queen, Sir Nimbus and the Sunset Prince." She looked to Oren. "The fact that we know that needs to be kept under lock and key. I'm going to play this your way." That last was directed to Solomon, who she returned her attention to.
"And I do want to play this out, sir. I get why you sent us where you did, had us look at what you did, and fair enough... but I think you'll find that I don't need that sort of motivation. What I can tell you is that I'm in, if you'll let me be. I can't stand the abuse of our power that this drug represents, and I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg."
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Post by Solomon on Jan 2, 2021 18:30:10 GMT -8
The Fairest's vision goes dark, as a light sweeps over in the turn of a moon phase. There's a sharp intake of breath as he blinks, mien returning to normal.
"Sounds good, Oren," he said, brow furrowing as he measured his social options and fell back on the direct. "And what's your feelings on grinding a shiv into another Lost's ribcage like a fucking xylophone?"
He didn't sound mad. In fact, his tone was so frustratingly neutral that it was unclear on what the right answer was. Solomon blinked again, mulling Kai's statement as he kept his attention on his notes.
"There's layers to screening and assessment. Optics do matter, as you seem to understand, and having the right perspective on what motivates a sensitive internal investigation will ultimately serve to benefit you."
The inquisitor took a moment to light a cigarette, not asking Kai or Oren if they welcomed the smog in the vehicle.
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Oren
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written by Hiver
Posts: 242
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Post by Oren on Jan 3, 2021 5:42:12 GMT -8
"But, alas...Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends, Let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods, Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds: And let our hearts, as subtle masters do, Stir up their servants to an act of rage."
The words flowed from him like water. Those glass eyes shone against the smog.
"That's how I feel about it, sir."
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Post by Kai Rose on Jan 4, 2021 14:46:50 GMT -8
Kai gave a nod, not really reacting to the smoke. She didn't really dig it, but hey. "Yes, there is," she agreed. It went both ways. The fact that he was game for some ruthless activity told her plenty about him, just as it told him plenty about her. She watched the Knight through the rear view mirror as answers were requested and given, curious to know how he felt about their answers -- especially Oren's, who was being very Elemental in the form of his replies.
Fair enough. The guy had been scrubbed clean of identity, by the looks of it. A dark thought in the break of sanity: had she been responsible --
"So, in the spirit of being measured and cautious - what's next?"
That was always the question.
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Post by Solomon on Jan 4, 2021 16:40:39 GMT -8
Solomon was easier to read in the moonlight. The Knight seems to be genuinely surprised that things were falling into place so nicely, to the point where there was suspicion on when the other shoe was going to drop. It was almost like watching a Pitbull finally catching a car in its jaws, and then not knowing what to do with it.
"Make some friends in Spring that aren't a waste of time. Layer your interactions and find out which Claviger it is. What to do from there depends, really. Going in hot will likely get you both quietly spiraling new addictions while your reputation erodes and your housing closes down. This will be slower, but it's going to require a bit of undercover with your intent."
It was time to use some well-meaning Emeralds.
Luckily the Court had them in droves, and they were used to it.
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Post by Kai Rose on Jan 4, 2021 23:22:53 GMT -8
"I've got some good in-roads there thus far. I bet after the investigation into Buck's murder attempt is done, there'll be some real strong respect there." She smiled, more to herself than anything. "Frankly, it'll be warranted if I can solve that one. It's a complicated mess in the timeline. Plus, are these narcos really beloved by all? Surely, there've got to be Spring Courtiers among them that want to see a different world, right?"
She paused, pulling some fries out of the bag and offering them to Oren and the Knight.
"Speaking of which, Sir Solomon, I... well. I think part of proving that I'm for real in this case is selecting a Knight and walking the path. Are you interested in working with me in a longer-term arrangement?"
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Post by Solomon on Jan 6, 2021 21:35:27 GMT -8
"No. But Americans also don't love slavery, but support for-profit prisons and eat Nestle chocolate," the inquisitor sniffed. The allegory wasn't exactly poetic, but the intent was clear — most in the Freehold relied on Spring for a comfortable life they could only dream of.
He took a couple of fries; he wasn't the type of Unicorn that preened or pretended he was some kind of monolith among subjects.
His personality could use some work, though.
"I'll accept vassalage. I think an allegiance oath shouldn't be done in the back of a sedan at a drive-in, however... Call me old fashioned."
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Post by Kai Rose on Jan 6, 2021 21:40:31 GMT -8
"Fair enough," Kai replied with a nod, shoving a fry into her face. God, she was hungry -- and tired. "Sleep first, though? Or was there anything you wanted to cover before them?"
It was like, four in the morning and she'd been in battle.
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