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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 13:01:51 GMT -8
Watching Ivory under the true sight of magic and mundane, reality split into layers. The explosion of Glamour thundered through the Fairest's body, with a force and pressure that breached the cracks of the Mask. The twists were revealed, splitting along the surface as the Lost's bloodstream became alight in a lightning strike of atoms and ideas: science and magic become one on this side of the tracks. It was just as integrated as any Changeling, not battling against time to simply exist, synthesized as an anchor. This chemical had been woven by the hand of a true artist.
As the sun rose, Rowan arrived at the familiar garage with more questions and a renewed anger born from his Fear. It would take another half hour for Loki to pull up on his bike, sans Bindi, as he removed his helm as squinted at the Darkling with his good eye.
"So, I got people calling me saying some addict is hovering by my business. This is a nice neighbourhood, but you gotta be a little more subtle. Some niño pequeño with a new strap and a point to prove might get the wrong inspiration."
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Post by Rowan on Jan 6, 2021 16:32:39 GMT -8
Rowan did look like shit. He was a ghost of himself, an afterthought. His Mask looked gaunt, with dark circles under his eyes and one dubious clothes. Under it, however, he looked much worse. It was a being made of smoke and shadows, with wispy hair and eyes that reflected the light a little too much, like an animal caught in headlights. He was still in cargo pants and t-shirt, his cap pulled down low to cover his eyes from the daylight. In his new form, he found himself to be sensitive to it. His cold demeanour was gone, replaced with a persistent feeling that he wasn't quite tangible. More than ever, he seemed immaterial, translucent even, ready to be dispersed by the slightest breeze.
He looked up when Loki arrived and steeled himself. His answer was a cold open, to make sure the Torrent knew this wasn't a social visit. "Funny you should say that. I didn't sleep - had someone I know overdose on Rose Water in front of me. Like one of your Halcones."
He kept his eyes on Loki, trying to gauge his reaction, any shifts in body language. The Darkling spent enough time hiding things that he could see it in others.
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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 16:57:01 GMT -8
The Elemental blinked. As the Palewraith talked, he recognized Rowan's affect and voice.
"So. If you wanna start shit in front of my business, I'm going to whoop your ass again...Worse this time. Or," he thumbs towards his bike, "We can talk somewhere more appropriate."
The man appeared to be an open book, the complaint about the overdose being bounced as Business As Usual with the hardened Summer as he was more concerned about neighbourhood reputation.
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Post by Rowan on Jan 6, 2021 17:09:39 GMT -8
"Sure, let's do private. I'm not trying to start something with you."
He brought up his hand, holding a paper bag with a bottle of Maker's Mark in it. A peace offering, one he had intended for himself before changing his mind. Subdued anger washed off of him in slow waves as the Darkling didn't try to conceal it. He let Loki lead the way as he approached the bike.
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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 17:20:14 GMT -8
In some bizarre twist of Elemental Logic, the Chevalier proceeded to park the bike in front of a modern duplex. One the keypad was dialed and Loki unceremoniously tossed his jacket on one of the leather couches, Rowan realized there wasn't some twist Hollow lying in wait and he was in the man's actual house. Bindi barked until she registered the sharp and short whistle, settling on the carpet as her tail wagged. A ball was nudged towards the Darkling, the Pomeranian's attention coyly elsewhere when it tapped his shoe. "Little early for whiskey," Loki said, tossing the man a glass as casually as the beer bottle from before. He leaned against the frame separating the room from the kitchen, where one of those pullup bars were installed into the frame. "Which Halcone? There's a lot of them."
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Post by Rowan on Jan 6, 2021 17:46:19 GMT -8
What was it with people and big houses around here? Was it some sort of Changeling milestone no one had told him about? Some way to cement their existence in Reality, proof that they were there? Or maybe it was indulgence, born from a Durance of misery. Ready for the antics this time, Rowan caught the glass against his chest. He set it on the closest flat surface he could find - he wasn't drinking. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his antique flip phone and found the hospital receipt pictures once more. He gave the phone to Loki and then bent down to take the ball. He wasn't certain what the etiquette here was, so he simply tossed the ball across the room.
"His girlfriend works at Babylon Investors, for a guy named Vasquez. He's in a psych ward now, being treated for depression."
He considered his words, what he had found, what he had seen. The image of Ivory on his bed flashes in his mind and he shook his head.
"Who in turn seems to be working with a woman who isn't Latin." Pause. "Maybe the Wah Ching are also involved, too."
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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 17:57:24 GMT -8
Bindi watched the ball bounce along the hardwood, detaching from her spot to trundle after it.
Loki took the phone, squinting at the names involved and rolling them through his memory. "...And this guy sold a drug to your friend that almost killed them? Rose Water's new. Popular. Don't know how it fucks people up just yet, so this might be a side hustle."
He nods as Rowan talks, scratching at the eyepatch, "No. Bad intel. We don't work with the Wah Ching."
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Post by Rowan on Jan 6, 2021 18:08:28 GMT -8
He nodded. Maybe they were competitors then. That was good to know. "No, he overdosed the same way. We, um, relieved Vásquez of this particular vial. My friend made a dosage mistake."
'And I didn't stop her', he added mentally. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "I doubt this is a side hustle. Do you know what Rose Water is made out of?"
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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 18:17:58 GMT -8
The Fireheart snorted, spreading his arms as he smirked, "Do I look like a chemist?"
He disappeared into the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, "Remind me why are you coming to me? I thought you were wanting to complain about your friend's situation." The sound of a grinder started as Bindi returned with the ball. Her tail swished as she dropped at at the Darkling's feet again.
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Post by Rowan on Jan 6, 2021 18:30:11 GMT -8
He picked up the ball and threw it again, grateful for the distraction.
"Loki, Rose Water is Fey. It's literally Glamour mixed with chemicals and distributed to the mundanes."
He let his words sink in, both to make sure that the Elemental understood what he was saying and that he had heard him in the first place.
"I need intel on who makes it." He left the rest unsaid. He didn't need to say out loud what the Courtier could feel rolling off off him. Maybe it wasn't a big deal, objectively. Maybe it wasn't a problem, but it was personal at this point. Ivory cared about this Elizabeth lady ans she wasn't in a position to help her anymore. So it fell to Rowan to help them both.
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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 18:41:25 GMT -8
There was a gap of silence as it indeed was allowed to sink in. Loki's head popped out of the kitchen, brow furrowing, "You can do that?"
The coffee maker beeped, and he returned to the living room, offering Rowan his own cup. "Either you guys, or Spring, probably," he said taking a drag from the dark liquid. "You said Vasquez had a vial, can I see it?" His head cocked, the light behind the patch roiling for a moment as Rowan felt his skin burn.
"If you doubt it's a side hustle. Who the fuck was selling it, Rowan? You're being cagey and it's kind of annoying."
Bindi jumped to catch the ball, a low snort escaping as she missed and it bounced from her nose, before disappearing around the corner to find it.
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Post by Rowan on Jan 6, 2021 18:54:51 GMT -8
Rowan reached into his bag and took out the vial. The sticker was still on it, the dumb flower sticker till on it. He had wanted to throw it out, but he decided against it. For exactly this reason.
"I'm not telling because I don't. Know. We stole this vial, people saw some at Spring parties. There was some at Mabon."
He took a deep breath to not get angry. He didn't want to share unchecked info. "I have no idea who makes it, but it's a masterpiece. The resources to make it... It's too much investment for a side hustle."
"My only solid lead is that woman I told you about. I was going to go see the Halcone next, see if he knows something. Unless she rings any bells?"
He took another pause. Summer played straight, so he needed to follow suit. "Look, I came to you because either the Halcone was one of the sellers or one of the buyers. Either way, he knows something."
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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 19:30:16 GMT -8
Loki sniffs, holding the vial up to the light as he lifted the eyepatch and the hollow socket coughed with fire, scanning it in a manner that went beyond professional curiosity. His expression darkened momentarily, handing the vial back to Rowan, "Y'know. I've hunted down a lot of bad people. There was this Darkling once that stalked by talking to items he lifted at all the parties. He could find out each and every keeper of that item. Your boyfriend before he gave a present to you, who he purchased the bracelet from, where that bracelet was manufactured..."
He sipped his coffee, waiting for Rowan.
"If you're asking to talk to the Halcone in this mental ward, I can just ask him who his supplier is."
Blink.
The Mantle of Summer's Wrath flared again.
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Post by Rowan on Jan 6, 2021 20:20:05 GMT -8
His own Mantle rose up in response, quite weak when compared to the Chevalier. The radiation irked him and tore off wisps of smoke from his exposed skin. He pulled on his cap to cover his eyes. He had been forgetting the power dynamic because of his tunnel vision. He accepted the coffee but didn't drink it. He couldn't. He blew on the cup to chase away the steam.
"If that is the extent you're willing to help, I'll take it. Although I can't imagine this is good for the Cartel in the long run."
He was tempted to leave it like that, just be all angsty and mysterious, but he had a sneaking suspicion it wasn't going to fly.
"Las Vegas has a lot of tourists looking for a good time, so this thing is going to spread. How long until Hunters come knocking? Or Privateers?"
He sank against the wall, almost into the wall, as his expression fell. "It's personal for me, but I get that it's just another Wednesday for you. I'm asking for your help, feel free to turn me down."
Rowan was tired. The sleepless night was catching up to him, but he dreaded his dreams and what they would bring. He was crashing and only his resolve, as well as the impending promise of caffeine, pushed him on.
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Post by Loki on Jan 6, 2021 20:58:11 GMT -8
"Yeah, I know," Loki sighed, jaw knotting, "I picked up that trick. It seemed pretty useful, though I'm not as good as a Darkling. How's Ivory doing?"
He took another sip as the dog sat next to him. "Man, You're talking to the Knight Commander of the Chevaliers, and a child of gang violence. Don't fucking tell me how to run my house." Bindi got a scratch as he checked himself, her quiet panting the only sound in the room.
"So you found this designer drug. You won't tell me why or how. But it leads you to going into a business, and picking through employee records, which let you find out where a dealer is, because his girlfriend thinks she can't do better." He set the empty mug down on the side table, before picking up the dog that was comically dwarfed in his arms. The collar jingled a bit as he gently worked his hands through the thick coat, and the dog closed her eyes.
"You find out he's in a psyche ward, following an overdose. You assume it's because of the same drug, unless there's another piece of evidence you haven't told me. Anyway, you find the drug in the manager's office, Vasquez, and then sometime in between, Ivory almost dies from it and you show up in front of my garage." He blinks again,
"See why I'm a little confused? Now you're talking about how I need to check my people, because Hunters might get a whiff of the problem. Rowan. I get it. It's a problem the gangsters under me are circulating it in the first place, after I told them not to. I plan on fixing that... is that why you're here? Is that what you want to hear?" The hollow shine of his pupil flared as he watched the shapeshifter.
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