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Post by mavspade on Jan 23, 2022 19:19:30 GMT -8
The days were short in the winter months, and the sun had begun to set by the time the investigators could meet up. It was a quiet spot, off the main streets, about halfway between where Alecto had been snooping, and the meeting with the Market had taken place. It was outdoors to the side of a bar, quite enough to talk, but not so empty to be suspicious anyone passed by. After all, Vegas was always more alive at night anyways.
A brief text exchange with Lucky Jack provided the constable an update on their situation. Impressed, the summer courtier however wasn’t ready to jump to conclusions, instead awaiting to see if the team could make direct connections between the Teenagers and the Au Pair
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Post by Henley on Jan 24, 2022 22:22:13 GMT -8
"Hi, Alecto."
Henley sipped his Starbucks as he got out of the car in the quiet place to chat. The Nymph had a straw in his mouth and he was crushing a strawberry lemonade refresher. He'd offered Blaze a ride in the Benz. No sense riding apart.
"Spoke to the Whistler. It whistled, for sure. The goods that got jacked haven't made it to the Market. We're after a trap hunter that favors the young, humans where it can. Some call it the Au Pair, which is just fucking tacky. It's being a bold little shitbird with the Wards weakened, trying to grab kids. It doesn't grab mementos and bobbles, which is weird for it, and it usually doesn't get help. It seems weak to time in some way - time isn't allowed inside, whatever that means."
Sluuuuurp.
"When you want to find the Au Pair, bring a honeycomb into the Hedge. Break it and whisper the name of the one you once loved, and a sprite will find you and guide you to the enemy. Hob support, as promised. What you got?"
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Post by Blaze on Jan 25, 2022 13:03:05 GMT -8
Normally, Blaze tried to avoid any shows of luxury, but there was no sense declining Henley's offer. Unless someone goes at it with an investigation kit she was never here anyway, and it was nice to get out of the mass-produced car the Torrent normally drove. She follows the Nymph to the meeting location and nods when he's finished referring what they learned.
"We got your text. Do you think there's a link between the infection and the stolen goods? Like they're used to stop it or something? Kind of makes you wonder what is the Au Pair getting out of that."
The hobs never do anything for free, as evidenced by their meeting with the Whistler.
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Post by Alecto on Jan 25, 2022 13:36:16 GMT -8
The Beast had given them a heads up about her new Mask, looking like a teenaged boy as he glanced up at Henley and his Starbucks.
"It could be a bunch of things. The mementos might be Banes to a rival, or it's just a game to get kids to swear to bargains. String them along that if they get enough treasure, their friends can be fixed. How do Hobs get their glamour?"
The teenager's head cocked, eyes narrowing, "Sounds like time is its own Bane, if it isn't allowed in its Hollow."
His jabbed a thumb back towards the neighbourhood, "If we jump right in, we'd be at a huge disadvantage. There's a gathering happening tonight and I figure I can try and dig around, hopefully get them talking... Can either of your turn invisible? If it's botched, we can be intimidating, but more eyes that can see magic and back me up would be welcome."
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Post by Henley on Feb 3, 2022 13:12:54 GMT -8
The plan sounded good enough, a sensible investigation to try to put two and two together before diving into a dangerous situation. He gave a thumbs up.
"Yeah, I'm fine with that. I can go into the ethereal and bring someone with me. So if Blaze can go invisible, I can pull you out if needed - or carry her. Whichever. Shall we?"
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Post by Blaze on Feb 4, 2022 14:24:56 GMT -8
"I can't turn invisible."
She states matter of factly, and there's something ever wondrous and strange about the fact that it actually needed to be clarified.
"I can go with Henley if he's able to take me along. Unless you could use someone with you during that meeting in the open?"
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Post by Alecto on Feb 5, 2022 16:32:43 GMT -8
"Nope. Not unless you can change your Mask out," Alecto explained. Having an adult hovering around would throw the open conversation she was looking for with her tight guise. "Henley. You're rich, right? Got any grease you can spare?"
The Beast was being brazen, but at this point her eyes were sharp and her aura glimmering with the hunt her Mantle demanded. Social niceties were somewhere in a forgotten corner as the image of the human teenaged boy vibrated with excitement.
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Post by Henley on Feb 6, 2022 22:21:27 GMT -8
It didn't take long for Henley to hit an ATM and draw a bunch of money for Alecto to bribe her way around. These were teenagers. Their definition of bribery was pretty small.
"Ghost time, then. Allons-y."
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Post by mavspade on Feb 7, 2022 9:38:26 GMT -8
The party was already in full swing. The home was packed with teenagers and early college students. Most of which had gathered in the backyard. The music coming from a handful of Bluetooth speakers struggled to be heard over the chorus of chattering voices. Beer cans and party cups were strewn about. The backyard was busy with a game of beer pong while the rest of the party filtered itself into social groups huddled around talking. Laughing and drinking. Alecto conjured the contract of Hostile Takeover as she came to the house. The loophole was granted earlier as she acquired mail during her earlier investigation. The magic weaved its way through its walls, turning the security system a blind eye to her disguised presence. Henly called upon the Whispers of Morning. Carrying Blaze provided them both the security of being cloaked in the ephemeral of dreams, making them incorporeal. Invisible and unburdened with physical form, the two could maneuver around the party together unhindered. The party was teaming with teens, young adults, and a couple of adolescents. The group they were looking for could be anywhere, from the main floor to the second basement or backyard. The party wasn't going to last forever, and little did Alecto, Henly, and Blaze realize that time was already working against them.
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Post by Henley on Feb 7, 2022 14:55:46 GMT -8
For his part as he carried Blaze, who was observing through Fae sight, Henley merely observed Alecto for any issues or signs of observation or danger.
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Post by Blaze on Feb 10, 2022 13:41:46 GMT -8
It was a weird feeling to be not just invisible but also immaterial. It was weirder still to be that while literally carried by another person, and the fae senses picking up on minute traces of magic didn't alleviate that in the slightest. The Elemental was focused on making out anything supernatural in this ostensibly mundane gathering.
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Post by Alecto on Feb 13, 2022 20:35:04 GMT -8
Despite being a stout teenager, the Beast still moved with purpose and grace as Alecto lapsed into the shallow networking requirements of Every Party Ever. Sliding cold into conversations with poise and confidence, he flashed cash and ordered pizza and shelled out for drugs; but not so much as to come off as desperate and annoying. Questions about who he was and who invited him were navigated; the guy was friendly and easy with his income. Asking questions about people he was interested in meeting, it only took about thirty minutes.
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Post by mavspade on Feb 17, 2022 13:59:51 GMT -8
Blaze and Henly took a look around the party. Moving like ghosts through the sea of pubescent partiers and drinkers. Blaze opening her senses to the supernatural could ping five individuals soaked in glamour. Individual body parts seemed to steam with fae power in long sickly whisps of smoke. Some were arms, hands, or feet. One even eye showed signs. Blaze gave Alecto the heads up, giving her a target to maneuver towards.
Through adept social maneuvering and no small use of money, Alecto navigated the mire of teen social hierarchies. Before grasping a lead that brought her closer to the targeted group of teens. It was the purchasing of drugs that broke the dam. Pulling the fresh face into some of the more 'edge' crowds and landed in a conversation with Marco. Marco's 'group' as it was looking for help, some sort of gig that they were tight-lipped about.
The group and the hanger on's had gathered in one of the basement rooms. Music was blaring, and the lights were low for 'ambiance .'Alecto figured there were four of them part of that group. The leader, Marco, was roughly 17, maybe 18 years old. Dyed purple hair and a fashion sense suggest alt or other ill-defined fashion sense of rebellion. Notably, he was wearing gloves on his hands and a loose-fitting jacket, a size too big for him. The other two boys with him, one was his age, the other a few years younger, leaned against the wall giving Marco some space. Alecto couldn't help but notice they too seemed to conceal parts of their body.
As the teen( Alecto) was brought in, a momentary distraction entered the scene, Shelby. She was dressed chiefly in a masculine manner, ripped jeans, a hoodie, and sporting a new spot of green dye in her hair. Approaching, she leaned in and gave Marco a kiss on the cheek before handing him a beer.
"What's your name?" Marco asked, cracking open the beer and eyeing the new kid that had caught his attention at the party.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Henly searched for any signs of trouble with Blaze. Blaze indicated one of the 'marked' kids was in the living room near the window, seeming to be keeping watch. Henly, however, noticed something most everyone else was glossing over. A simple grey soccer mom Van had parked itself down the block and had been sitting there now for fifteen minutes. No one had entered or left the vehicle.
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Post by Henley on Feb 17, 2022 16:28:55 GMT -8
Henley clocked the van, glancing toward it with a frown. Looking over at Blaze, he cocked his head over toward it in a silent inquiry of whether or not she wanted to check it out.
He wasn't going first. That would be crazy talk. He was a fucking stock broker.
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Post by Blaze on Feb 19, 2022 13:53:58 GMT -8
For her part, Blaze pointed out the kid keeping watch. This was beginning to feel like a personal retinue of scouts or soldiers, and the Torrent didn't like it one bit. It reminded her of the life before. She understood Henley's silent inquiry and nodded back - the Elemental wasn't sure how far she can go to still be covered by the Contract, but she was willing to take point.
There was probably no need for stealth yet. If anything could see through their intangible state, mere shadows and silence won't be covering them either.
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