Aerin Thomas: He pulls the hybrid up to a parking spot near Bliss's place and kills the engine. The man is dressed in the usual get-up...the leather treanch over a button-down shirt, crimson today, and black slacks. He reaches over, across the seat, and gathers up Tori in the carrier. Out of the car and up to the apartment he heads.
Aerin Thomas: And a *Knock knock knock*
the door goes.
Brianna McCarthy: She rounds the corner,
head tucked slightly. A couple bags dangle from one hand, the other is hooked
into one of her own belt loops. Wrinkling her nose at something, she heads up to
the apartment, lifting fingers in a wave to Aerin upon seeing him.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
He opens the door for Aerin with a demonic grin,
but then the expression softens when he sees Tori, and he very delicately
touches her nose with the tip of one finger. "Hey tiny thing. Your mother didn't
go for introductions last time. Your daddy's more polite, I bet. Come in." He
steps back, letting Aerin in, and waving at the two women in the living room.
"Come bring Tori to meet everyone, and then we'll get her settled."
Aerin Thomas: He smiles to Brianna,
nodding to her, and then turns when the door opens. Tori looks up at Bliss,
blinking slowly in a state of half-sleep. Aerin smiles to Bliss and nods. "All
right. Good to see you." He gives the man a quick hug, and slips into the living
room.
Marika Seagrave:
She's lounging on the couch like she owns the
place, in a manner very much like Bliss.' There is a little less aggression, and
especially when Bliss is looking at her, hints of submission. Her long black
hair is streaked with bright blue and green, then braided. Unlike the man she
seems to be imitating she looks like a Lord (PB 3), pale skin and dark eyes.
Despite the hair, she wears little make-up, just blue eyeliner and blue
lipstick. Torn black jeans and a battered black denim jeacket have definitely
seen better days. A white tee-shirt with a rose and celtic knotwork and boots
that can be glimpsed through tears in the jeans up to nearly the knee complete
the outfit. She's smiling, but she hasn't perfected the cat that swallowed the
canary smile of Bliss.' Both Aerin and Brianna gets casual waves as they come
in.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
He returns Aerin's hug, very careful of Tori.
Aerin Thomas: He nods to Marika, smiling
politely. "Hello."
Brianna McCarthy: She flicks a wave to
Marika, watching her momentarily, before she holds up the bags to show Bliss she
got dessert for him. That's moved to the counter in the kitchen, before she
heads back out.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"That, is Marika, who came to join us all the way
from the land of real winter. Storm loved me so much she decided to try for a
matched set, apparently." He chuckles. "So I'm to train her. Think the world
could handle more than one of me. Drink? Usual?" He lets Aerin move up to them
on his own with Tori, ducking into the kitchen.
Brianna McCarthy: She lowers her head with
a little grin, as if she was going to say something and then decided against it.
"Nice to meet you formally, Marika."
Aerin Thomas: "Usual, please." He nods to
Bliss, then looks to Marika with another smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Markia.
Aerin Thomas. And if you want to get all official about it, Cliath Philodox,
Children of Gaia." He nods to the baby girl in the carrier. "And my daughter,
Tori Dream."
Marika Seagrave:
She flashes Brianna a smile. "Same."
Marika Seagrave:
"Did I look official?" She shakes her head. "Cliath
Shadow Lord Philodox."
Brianna McCarthy: "Fianna kin." Hey. She's
special.
Aerin Thomas: "No, but who does, in this
city?" He grins.
Phone -> Aerin Thomas: ((just because I'm a pain and
wanna play with fox too!) Aerin's phone buzzes away in his pocket!
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"I do," he says from behind Aerin, as he drops a
glass on a table by where he decides Aerin should go. "You want to find her a
place?" Tori gets another light touch to her nose.
Aerin Thomas: He blinks as his phone
buzzes, and he opens it up. "Hello?"
Aerin Thomas: ((DLP))
Marika Seagrave:
She smiles then flashes a pierced tounge at
Aerin. "Yeah. You people are all laid back freaks."
Brianna McCarthy: She glances down, and
then pulls her cellphone out of her pocket, lightly stepping out of the way as
she answers it. "Hello?"
Aerin Thomas: "Sounds like a good idea,"
he nods to Bliss. He moves to follow him.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
He leads Aerin off to his bedroom to put Tori
away.
Brianna McCarthy: She chews a lip,
retreating fully from where Bliss and the others are for now. "Hey Jamie."
Aerin Thomas: Tori is placed in the room,
and once Aerin makes sure the little girl is all set and safe, he heads out,
back to the main room with Bliss.
Brianna McCarthy: A faint chuckle. "I'm at
a friend's right now. Just trying to keep my voice down."
Shadow's Blissful Silence -> Aerin Thomas:
Bliss' room is done in blue, mostly dark. Nothing
here is for show, and it's not made for presentation like the living room. It's
clean, though a little more cluttered. There is a carefully constructed nest of
pillows with a little depression in the center for Tori on the floor.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
He comes back with Aerin, letting him and Brianna
get settled (and off the phone) before he starts anything.
Brianna McCarthy: Her eyes get wide. "Uhm.
Let... me check with my friend."
Brianna McCarthy: "Jamie." It's mildly
exaspertaed before she covers the phone -really well- and sticks her head out,
murmuring. "Bliss? I've got a friend on the phone- Ahroun Fianna. You want him
to come over and get involved?"
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Ahroun Fianna? Is he...I dunno...any better at
this than we are?" He frowns, just slightly.
Aerin Thomas: He takes a seat wherever his
rum and Coke was laid, one leg folding over the other. He listens quietly.
Brianna McCarthy: "If you're talking about
fixing people, ah, no. He's an Ahroun. Fianna. If we do run into who we think we
might, though, we might be able to do hack and slash." She shrugs a little.
Aerin Thomas:
d10: Per+Empathy (Bri): 6,7,2,5,2,2,7,
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"I wasn't planning so much on the hack and slash.
I was seriously planning to keep Aerin and whoever else somewhere like the
cabin, and bring our sparrow to him. I guess he'd be help with the bringing."
Aerin Thomas: He raises an eyebrow,
looking from one to the other. Well, THIS was getting interesting...
Brianna McCarthy: "If you'd prefer, I can
take stuff down now, and see how he could help afterwards..."
Brianna McCarthy: She glances at the
phone, briefly, nose wrinkling. "I can hear you. Just a minute."
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
Bliss shrugs. "Bring him in. Impolite to shut out
our new friends." There is a dangerous glitter in his eyes. "Especially when I
haven't met them yet."
Brianna McCarthy: She nods slightly to
Bliss, and then brings up the phone to her ear with a little snort. "Jamie? The
adress is" and she rattles the adress, as she slips into the other room, her
voice muffled again.
Marika Seagrave:
She pulls back a little and lets her head fall
back a little, watching Bliss with slightly widened eyes.
Aerin Thomas: He takes a drink from his
glass and leans back, relaxing. Interesting indeed...a little shrug, and he
looks to Marika. "Liking New York City so far?"
Brianna McCarthy: She rubs her head.
"Yeah. I'll see you when you get here."
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
There is a soft huff as Brianna disappears again
and he drapes over the couch beside Aerin. "So, I was thinking a little
kidnapping, a little friendly questioning, and maybe a little salvation." He
rolls over to look up at Aerin. "I'm good for all but the salvation part. And
you were the only option either Brianna or I saw."
Brianna McCarthy: She closes the phone,
and then pokes her head out, smiling. "Hey, Bliss? Got a minute for me?"
Aerin Thomas: "Okay..." He looks over at
Bliss, eyebrow raised. "Who, exactly, are we saving?"
Marika Seagrave:
She opens her mouth to answer Aerin, but stiffens
when Bliss starts talking, and closes her mouth again. She gives Aerin a bright
smile and a fluttery hand gesture, but no further answer.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Well, I'm not sure. I'm thinking they either are
or were people. Brianna can explain better. Or, if she needs me, Marika. You
want to let him know what's going on? I'll be back in a minute." He sits back
up, runs the side of his face over one of Aerin's cheekbones, and then glides
over to join Brianna.
Aerin Thomas: He nods to Bliss, and looks
over to Marika for the answer.
Marika Seagrave:
Her eyes track Bliss until he's gone, and then
she looks back to Aerin. "New York is nice. I spend almost no time in the city."
[Ravyn: Perception/Empathy]
Aerin Thomas:
d10: Per+Empathy: 9,5,8,4,4,5,5,
Marika Seagrave -> Aerin Thomas:
That girl is terrified of Bliss. As if any moment
he could just descend on her and devour her. She definitely wants to be like
him, and she's definitely studied him, she certainly seems to practically
worship him. But other than respect and fear, there seems to be almost nothing
to their relationship.
Aerin Thomas: He watches her for a
moment, smiling. Something to file away for later...now would be the wrong time.
Business, and all. "Understood. I like the outer parts of the state...something
about the city that draws me back, though." He chuckles. "So, anyway. What's
this target for salvation?"
Marika Seagrave:
She starts to flip over a stack of face-down
prints, some with writing on the backs. "There's an artist who we think has come
under the influence of the Wrym, quite possibly a Dancer that a Silver Fang is
here hunting who is named Haunts the Night. She's...supposedly capable of
summoning whole armies of banes and captivating even the most noble Garou, but I
think she may have taken her packmate's death a little too hard. Have you met
Camille?"
Aerin Thomas: "Can't say that I have," he
answers with a bit of a frown. "I've had a bit of a successful crash course in
dealing with Issue-laden Fangs over the last couple of months, though, so I know
how they can get."
Jamie Randall: A dull, heavy rap sounds at the door.
Aerin Thomas: His eyes shoot to the door,
and he gets the insta-ready tension to his frame. With a look to Marika, he
stands up, moving to get the door. Bliss was rarely particular about who greeted
guests. "Pardon me," he says to Marika. "Unless you'd rather..."
Brianna McCarthy: She slips back out,
smiling to Aerin. "I got it. S'probably Jamie." And she checks the peehole
first.
Marika Seagrave:
"This one is one with rank and power. Anyway,
she's hunting this-" She leans toward a print but stops at the rapping. "Ummmmmmmmm...."
Jamie Randall: Indeed it is. The big Scott stands,
glowering at the door, which, given the way those little peep holes distort the
image, looks rather comical.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"She's got it." She offers Aerin a print. "But
this is what she's hunting."
Brianna McCarthy: She unlocks the door,
and let's him in with a bit of a smile. "Hey."
Aerin Thomas: "All right." He nods, but
stays close to the door. Probably Jaime...but might not be. He stays in the
hallway, fairly close to Brianna, just in case.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
(*ahem* Bats that post to the correct NPC.)
Aerin Thomas: When she seems satisfied, he
moves back to take the print, looking it over.
Jamie Randall: "'Ey, darlin'," he rumbles, hand reaching
out to touch Bri's cheek briefly as he steps inside. Tall and broad shouldered,
Jamie moves with a smooth, easy step. His handsome face is animated; his green
eyes are expressive beneath pale lashes and his firm lips mobile and as quick to
frown as they are to smile. Shoulder length red-gold hair is pulled back into a
tight club at the back of his head, falling just over his collar. He's dressed
comofortably in well pressed blue jeans and a crips black button down, the
sleeves rolled up to his elbows, leaving his lightly furred forearms bare.
Brianna McCarthy: She closes the door, and
nods to each person as she speaks. "Jamie Randall, I'd like you to meet Aerin
Thomas, and Marika. Marika, Aerin, Jamie Randall. Bliss should be out in a
moment."
Jamie Randall: "'ello," he says, nodding slowly to each,
his large hand settling lightly against the small of Bri's back.
Aerin Thomas: "Hey," he says to Jamie,
smiling a little, before looking back to the print.
Marika Seagrave -> Aerin Thomas:
The print she hands him is surreal, a woman
standing before a lake with green mist wafting off it toward her, waving a
curling tendril away. Brilliant artwork, and that mist, the shadows in the water
scream of dark things. But to Aerin, the woman may not. Standing in a posture he
recognises from the night she prowled the house with a sword as defensive, Siren
is facing off something in the water. [And it's the same with the harlequin
picture, whatever else is in these pictures, Siren isn't with them, if the
paintings have anything to say about it.]
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
He does indeed come out, and nods at Jamie, the
very picture of formal civility. "Welcome home," he says to Jamie, eyes sliding
from his face to his hand on Brianna and back. "Can I offer you a drink? Marika,
if you would be so kind...."
Aerin Thomas: He freezes mometarily as he
looks at the picture, exaimining it. A slight widening of the eyes, before he
blinks and looks back to Marika. "Who is this artist? And tell me about
Haunts-the-Night."
Jamie Randall: "Thank ye," he says, nodding slowly to
Bliss, his face serious but polite, his smile guarded.
Brianna McCarthy: "Jamie, Shadow's
Blissful Silence. Bliss, Jamie Randall." She says, incling her head to the Lord.
Marika Seagrave:
She lets Aerin have the print and nods to Bliss,
looking expectantly up at Jamie with a little wave.
Jamie Randall: "Whiskey, if ye 'ave it lass," he rumbles,
tugging lightly on one of Bri's curls before his hand settles at his side.
Brianna McCarthy: She head moves just
faintly with the tug- that's not something new. Everyone does it. "If you want,
I can still talk to that guy that seemed... obsessed with the paintigs." She
says, eyes flicking to Bliss.
Marika Seagrave:
Aerin's demand catches her of guard. "His name is
Kevin Alexander, he lives in-hold on." She smiles apologetically and darts into
the kitchen.
Jamie Randall: "Paintings," he asks softly, glancing down
at Bri.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Have a seat. No reason to hold court standing.
Do we need anything else?"
Brianna McCarthy: "There's an artist,
Kevin Alexander-" she nods at Marika's words, "That's been drawing, painting...
creating art that seems to depict Garou, or Black Spiral Dancers. One of the
people that has come up in his paintings several times is believed to be
Hunts-the-Night. A rather psyhcotic Dancer killer, who can supposdly summon
armis to her. The artists says he gets his inspiration through dreams."
Jamie Randall: "Thank ye," he murmurs, nodding to Bliss as
he looks for a chair to settle his large frame into.
Aerin Thomas: He frowns, but nods, moving
to the other prints unbidden. He picks them up and starts looking them all over.
He's frowning, mind racing as he looks each over. Idly, he pulls out a cigarette
and places it between his lips, then pulls his lighter.
Brianna McCarthy: She leans easily
against a chair somewhere, green eyes blinking slowly. "The kid I mentioned,
whom I ran into, seemed... obesessed with those paintings. He looked at them
like a lover. I've got his name and number, so. Not sure if would help, but..."
Aerin Thomas: "What else do you know about
Hunts-the-Night besides that?" He lights the cigarette and then goes back to
flipping through the prints, his face a calm mask.
Marika Seagrave:
She returns, offering Jamie his whiskey and
promptly taking the lone chair.
Brianna McCarthy: She shakes her head
slowly to Aerin, and glances to Bliss. "One of her packmates died, right?"
Jamie Randall: "Thank ye," he says, settling back, one leg
folding over the other as he sips from the glass, expression thoughtful.
Listening.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Little. Cammille made it clear I am not to stalk
her prey." He gently shoves Aerin toward the couch behind him, almost playfully.
"And I'm not playing games with her. This woman is new in the paintings, and
she's been informed. I'll stick to figuring all the puzzle around her for now."
Aerin Thomas: He doesn't move when Bliss
shoves him, continuing his way through the paintings. Nothing of playfulness in
his stance. "Okay, and what about Camille?" The cigarette is held in his lips,
occasional drags that are exhaled out his nose.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Yeah. Apparently she killed one of Camille's
packmates. Along with half the population of Garou killed in the last two
decades." He sighs. "She's probably just a good crescent moon who got in a good
few favors. I've seen what even a passable one can do, and believe me, if there
was a Dancer with the kind of power she's off about in New York, there would be
some serious signs. But the spirits haven't seen her, Camille's been
interrogating and coaxing and bribing and begging since she got here. No one has
seen her. Until these paintings, I was sure she was entirely in the wrong
place."
Jamie Randall: Jamie's eyes flick towards Bri and then
away, settling on Aerin and Bliss, brows furrowing as he watches and listens.
Brianna McCarthy: "Could she be using the
artist as a lure for us?" She murmurs.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Camille is an Adren Silver Fang Philodox who is
looking for a chance to destroy me, but I think half that is her need for
something to destroy. She's bitter. She's from outside the area as well, and I
don't have the channels to dreg up the skeletons in her closet. Wrong tribe." He
leaves his hand outspead on Aerin's chest, not pushing anymore.
Brianna McCarthy: "Or for Camille." A
little tilt of her head.
Brianna McCarthy: She nods slowly to Bliss
Aerin Thomas: "I don't think so," he says
quietly. "I'm more thinking these are a warning. Prophecies, perhaps." He looks
up at Bliss, frowning deeply at the man's assessment of Camille. "An Adren with
an axe to grind. Fucking beautiful."
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"I don't know. To what end? What would she want
us for, doll? If she is to be our prey, we must be very careful. We would have
to learn about both the creature herself and Camille. How many sides would you
fight on?"
Brianna McCarthy: She nods slowly again to
Bliss, understanding fully what he's saying.
Jamie Randall: "Is this a recon then," he asks softly.
"Hunt and find rather then attack?"
Aerin Thomas: When he's done with the
prints, he sets them down on the coffee table, picking up his drink as he
straightens out and moving to lean against the wall near the window.
Brianna McCarthy: "I think... our
intention was to get the artist?" She glances to Bliss for confirmation. "And
question him. Possibly save him if we can. Troy also mentioned using his pack to
look into him."
Jamie Randall: He nods. "Bri, would ye 'and me those, luv,"
he asks, nodding towards the prints as he sits up, downing the whiskey before
setting the glass aside.
Aerin Thomas: "And the artist is who I'll
be talking to, then?" He takes a swallow from the rum and Coke.
Brianna McCarthy: She nods, leaning
down and scooping up the photos to hand to Jamie silently.
Jamie Randall: "Thank ye," he rumbles, giving her hand a
squeeze as he takes them and begins looking through them slowly.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"I'm not after, I'm after what I'm certain is a
pack of Dancers that doesn't include her. Allied with her perhaps, but not
including her. They're enough for me. If they're very closely entwined and I
play everything right, we get Camille's help and lose only a little of the
credit. She's too hell bent on vengence to execute a proper assumption of our
efforts." He follows Aerin, though he doesn't get right on top of him. "You want
to check on Tori?" He asks gently.
Brianna McCarthy: She nods to Bliss,
resting against a chair again.
Marika: From
her nice safe space where she's not caught too close to any of the drama between
people she watches, waiting for someone to snap.
Jamie Randall: He narrows his eyes slightly, glancing up
at Bliss and Aerin before looking back to the prints.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"I was thinking either the artist, or one of his
enthralled fans, or both." He runs a hand through Aerin's hair. "I've upset you
again, somehow." The last sentance is all warm concern, even a hint of apology.
Aerin Thomas: "Not 'till I'm done with
this," he says, holding his cigarette up, about half-done. He smiles very
faintly, thin-lipped.
Jamie Randall: Jamie takes a slow deep breath and lowers
the pictures. "Bri, where's the loo?"
Brianna McCarthy: "I can talk to the
enthralled fan." Quietly, tilting her head.
Brianna McCarthy: She glances at Jamie,
and then murmurs where it is.
Aerin Thomas: "No, you haven't upset me,
Bliss. You've done nothing wrong." He shakes his head, and sighs. "I haven't
even gotten close to losing it this full moon so far. Guess it was my time to
get pissy."
Jamie Randall: He nods and stands, pausing to touch her
cheek softly before stalking down the hall towards the bathroom.
Aerin Thomas: He glances over at Jamie,
watching him intently as he leaves the room.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Fine. I'll check on her. She's been formaly
introduced now." He walks past Aerin, brushing lightly against him. Practically
everyone here is in a mood now it seems.
Aerin Thomas: "Thank you," he murmurs to
Bliss, distractedly.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
Even with that last statement, he still walks
off, though now it's more like walking off to check on a baby than outright
stalking out of the room.
Brianna McCarthy: She watches Jamie go,
and then Bliss go, and then glances to Aerin. And then to the floor and the
walls now and then.
Jamie Randall: The toilet flushes and the tap is turned
on...Nice and cold.
Marika Seagrave:
"So, not to sound like the voice of reason, but
are you guys going to get over the multiple counts of whatever the fuck is up
between you and be useful, or are you going to continue your really
counterproductive insanity?" She asks the question very quietly, so as not to be
overheard by the two who vanished. "Because I have no idea what's going on, but
this is kinda intense in a bad way, yeah?"
Aerin Thomas: He sighs, and finishes up
his drink with another swallow, then moves to set it on the coffee table. "So,
when do we get the artist?"
Brianna McCarthy: She lifts her eyes to
stare at Marika. She doesn't say anything for a moment, and then replies, quiet
simply, "Yes."
Brianna McCarthy: She glances over to
Aerin. "I don't think we decided on that. How are we going to snatch him without
anyone noticing, too. I've only seen him at public showings, to be honoest."
Aerin Thomas: An glance goes to Marika...to
his credit, only slightly irritable. He's holding together well, still. "My
issue is...personal. I'm fine. The artist. When?"
Jamie Randall: Jamie makes his way back into the room,
face and shirt collar damp.
Marika Seagrave:
"Where is he? Do you know? How hard would it be
to get him somwhere alone? Does he like women? Men? Power? Ice cream? What's our
lure?" She shrugs. "And are we ready to catch him now?"
Aerin Thomas: "Anyone can be gotten to,
Brianna. It's just a matter of finding out how." He sets the glass down and then
stubs out his cigarette. His demanor is all business, almost a little cold. "So,
what do we know about Mr. Alexander? He's got to live somewhere. Does he only
work independantly?"
Brianna McCarthy: "Like I said, I've
only seen him at public art showings. He was always alone at those when I saw
him. He seems like the nervous folk, so I assume it be hard to get him alone. I
think talking to the guy enthralled with his paintings might give mre insight
into him, possible. Or we could stalk him for awhile."
Jamie Randall: "Bri could stalk 'im," he says, glancing at
her. "She seems 'armless enough an' I'm bettin' the lad willnae see 'er comin'...An'
she can take care o'erself."
Marika Seagrave:
"Stalking is good. If we can get someone to
cooperate, we might be able tag him with a spirit. But I dunno any Theurges
here." She scuffs at the floor with one foot. "You guys?"
Brianna McCarthy: "I'm not stealthy
though. I can't stalk." She glances up to Jamie, fingers tapping on the chair.
And then she snaps her fingers. "He's in school. He goes to school. Troy asked
him if he did commisions, and he said it depended on the subject, and if he had
time with school and all."
Aerin Thomas: "No." He looks at Jamie,
expression resolute. "No kin stalking potentially corrupted individuals on their
own. Not that I doubt your skill, Brianna," He says, looking to her. "But who
knows how many Banes, Spirals, or what-have-you may be around this kin."
Brianna McCarthy: "Not arguing with you
there." She quirks a grin to Aerin. "I'm good with the stabbing, but not THAT
good."
Jamie Randall: "There's stalkin' like a 'unter Bri an'
there's stalkin' like yer lookin fer a mate," he rumbles, glancing at her. "I
mean fer ye te stalk 'im and get te know 'im."
Aerin Thomas: "I know a Theurge. One in
Troy's pack, too. Laidan." He nods. "That would be a possibility."
Brianna McCarthy: "I didn't connect well
with him when I talked to him. I really think I should talk to the enthralled
guy first. He was EXTREMELY attentive to me, eager to talk." She nods to Aerin.
Marika Seagrave:
"I can stalk. I mean, I'm not as good as R-as
Bliss, but I can stalk. I've never stalked bane-infested people before, just
more normal ones. But almost everyone I know who has experience with that died
getting more of it." She shrugs, not so much sad. Death is just a fact of life
to her.
Aerin Thomas: He nods to Brianna. Yes,
with Bliss gone, he's taking control. "Sounds good. Brianna, talk to the
enthralled guy. I'll see what I can dig up on the artist. Shouldn't be that
tough, especially if we have a name and knows he's going to school. High school,
do you think, or college?"
Jamie Randall: Jamie purses his lips, listening as he
resettles on the couch, one hand sliding out, towards Bri before dropping back
to his side.
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
"Spirit-tagging would give warning we were coming
though, even more than a shadowing Garou. It is something kin are better for,
things like this. It's why Bliss has Cloud out there. She just looks like
another bite of food, not like a threat. If I went, I'd be a threat."
Shadow's Blissful Silence:
(*ahem* Again.)
Brianna McCarthy: "If I went stalking him,
I'd need at least a little bit of training. I suck at stealth. I'll look up the
enthralled guy, bring mace and a knife. And high school. Later high school
Aerin."
Aerin Thomas: He frowns, looking to Marika.
"Well, we're not at the spirit-tagging yet...we're just considering." He thinks.
"I might be able to dig up more without following Mr. Alexander around. But
that's not a 100% chance." He scowls a little, considering thoughtfully.
Marika Seagrave:
She frowns, biting at her lip. She seems
perplexed. But much like Aerin, without Bliss hovering nearby, perfectly capable
of being more than self assured enough to carry a discussion.
Aerin Thomas: "All right. That's easy,
then." He nods to Brianna. "High School students are simple to get ahold of. I
can hack into the school's database, get ahold of his records, find out where he
lives." He looks to Marika and Jamie. "You guys be ready for when we need to nab
him."
Marika Seagrave:
"I'm just saying, it's great if you're following
close, but not if you plan to watch awhile. I mean, not unless you've got a-"
She sighs. "Irrelevant, right?"
Marika Seagrave:
She nods to Aerin. "Good for that."
Jamie Randall: "There any other kin tha' could do the
stalkin'?"
Brianna McCarthy: "We don't even know if
we need the stalking, so maybe we can come to it when we come to it. See what
Aerin will find in the files."
Aerin Thomas: "No need to stalk if I can
get an address. Otherwise...something to consider." He nods to Jamie. "For
now...kidnap patrol. Get your Boy Scout knot-tying skills up to snuff."
Jamie Randall: "Cannae I just knock the blighter out?"
Marika Seagrave:
"Cloud not so much. She's not...subtle. And she's
living in the same place, so he might know her face. Not Raven anymore. And
we've no other kin here. Not that are ours."
Brianna McCarthy: She glances towards
where Bliss went, and then back to the group, nodding to Marika. "I don't think
I know any kin who could either. Not one's you guys know, at the very least."
Jamie Randall: "Nae ones we know...but ye do know a kin
that maybe could do 'et if we needed, lass?"
Brianna McCarthy: "Maybe. HUGE maybe.
Gigantic maybe. Like, most likely not maybe." She shakes her head.
Jamie Randall: He nods.
Aerin Thomas: ((*beats computer*))
Aerin Thomas: "I know one or two. It's
possible...we'll see." He looks to Brianna and nods to her assessment. "Get me
to a computer first...then, we'll cross the stalking bridge when we get to it."
Brianna McCarthy: She nods silently to
Aerin.
Aerin Thomas: "And yes, Jamie, you can
knock him out if you have to. However, if I'm going to be talking to him, I'd
rather it not be after a Garou sent him into the world of unconsciousness."
Jamie Randall: "I'm at yer disposal, Aerin, in any way ye
need me. Ye kept yer 'ead when the young Lord an' I didnae..."
Jamie Randall: "And I didnae say I'd be knockin the wee
laddy-buck intae a coma, jest out...For a wee bit."
Aerin Thomas: "It's a talent." He smirks a
little. "You shoulda seen me around, say, May. Was a much different story." He
nods to Jamie, then looks around the room. "So. Brianna finds the artist's #1
fan, I hack in and get the artist's address...any questions?"
Brianna McCarthy: She shakes her head
to the question thing. She knows what she has to do. Should go out and buy some
mace first.
Aerin Thomas: He looks to Jamie and Marika,
waiting to see if they have questions.
Marika Seagrave:
"And I just wait for you or Bliss to call?"
Jamie Randall: "Tell me when ye need me, aerin. I'm
there."
Aerin Thomas: "Well, whether I can get the
address of the high school database or not will be something I'll know very,
very soon. Like, as soon as I can get to a laptop with a broadband connection,
or better yet, a T1. You get me to one of those, and I'll be a very happy
camper."
Brianna McCarthy: "Only computer I have
is at the apartment, and... it's not hooked up yet."
Jamie Randall: "I ken nae a thing aboot computers."
Aerin Thomas: "No home computers, unless
we have to." He shakes his head. "If we have to, I'll use my laptop at a WiFi
location. That's about the best anonymity I'll be able to find, if we can't get
to a business's connection or government instutution."
Marika Seagrave:
"I have a laptop, but not the T1." Marika offers.
I'm guessing they have to be installed?"
Brianna McCarthy: "We can use Knight
Enterprises." She looks up again. "Secure business connection."
Jamie Randall: "Or ye can rent one a' one o' them labs,"
he suggests, brows furrowing.
Brianna McCarthy: "I work for Knight
Enterprises, they have a lot there, I can get us in no question."
Aerin Thomas: He snaps his fingers and
points to Brianna. "That would be beautiful. Any difficulty with the concept of
some highly illegal, very unauthorized computer entry from one of your
terminals?"
Jamie Randall: He nods slowly and glances at Bri. "Jest
be careful, darlin'."
Brianna McCarthy: "... I doubt it. I know
nothing about computers and things but... they have a lot. And we do, do work
from there. Kin run, they gotta do SOME illegal stuff."
Brianna McCarthy: She cracks a small
smile. "I'm not doing anything. I'll just be watching. I know shit about
computers."
Jamie Randall: Her smile is returned and he reaches out to
brush fingers over her hip, nodding.
Aerin Thomas: "Awesome." He nods. "I'll be
sending this off through a bunch of other IP's, anyway, but still...you never
know." He nods. "We're good, then."
Brianna McCarthy: "You want to go now?"
She asks Aerin, head tilting faintly.
Aerin Thomas: He nods. "Let's do it."
Brianna McCarthy: Another nod. "You gonna
drop Tori off at home?"
Jamie Randall: Jamie stands slowly, stretching the kinks
out ofh is back before he moves to stand quietly behind and slightly to Bri's
left.
Marika Seagrave:
[Which is awesome but Fox has dinner in like 30
minutes, I'm not sure how well that does for time. And as it's Wenesday, no idea
on my schedule for the week yet. *sigh*]
Brianna McCarthy: ((That's okay. We can
always say Ita made him stay home?))
Aerin Thomas: ((Depends on you, Fox. Once
we get into the building, it would be a matter of some rolls, Aerin talking like
Glass Walker for a little bit, and hopefully, an address. We can schedule this
for later, or try to do it now or whenever. I'm easy. Just not cheap.))
Marika Seagrave: [Or put Van in charge of arrangements and try to sail through it on a couple rolls and then cut. Whichever you guys want to try.]
Marika Seagrave:
[I'm up for trying, the finding itself shouldn't
take long.]
Aerin Thomas: ((I'm good to go for it,
personally.))
Brianna McCarthy: ((That's fine by me))
Marika Seagrave:
[Kay. Midtown Business?]
Aerin Thomas: ((I'm SO there. *G*))
KNIGHT ENTERPRISES
Aerin Thomas: Well, the man's dressed
like someone from out of the Matrix, so it makes sense that he's walking into a
respectable business, about to do some serious computer hacking. He's following
Brianna's lead, heading along with her.
Brianna McCarthy: She head is like it's
nothing, which it isn't as she's hear every day. She runs a hand through her
hair, looking mildly stressed, and eyes move around to spot Van. She had called
him earlier, while Dream was dropping off Tori.
Spook:
They're met in the lobby by a man who sweeps off the recpeption desk the instant
Brianna is through the mirrored glass doors. Surrounded by people in suits
carrying laptops, PDAs, and wearing earpiece cell phones he seems the only
person in the lobby to escape that fate. "Hey. We've got you a conference room,
with all the specifications you asked for. If you'll just step this way. Haven't
yet made your aquaintance, but it's always a pleasure meeting a friend of
Brianna's." Aerin is offered a hand, but Spook is already leading them toward
the elevators.
Aerin Thomas: "Perfect." He nods to Spook,
moving along as he shakes the offered hand.
Brianna McCarthy: "Thank you Spook." She
smiles to him, briefly. "Spook, this is Aerin Thomas. Aerin, Spook."
Aerin Thomas: "A pleasure, Spook."
Spook:
"Spook." He steps into the elevator and once they're in and the doors are closed
nods. "Sixteenth floor, conference 17C, west wing." The elevator begins to move.
"I trust you'll find it's what you're looking for."
Brianna McCarthy: She crosses her arms
lightly, falling silent. She doesn't do computers- Aerin does, or Spook, or Van.
Not her.
Aerin Thomas: "I'm sure I will." He nods,
leaning against the wall, sparing a glance over at Brianna. He gives her a
supportive smile...they're on the right track, in the task at least.
Spook: He
nods to Aerin at the introductions. "Definitely." [Delete his introduction since
Bri beat him.] He steps out of the rather swift elevator and into the hall.
Brianna knows security gets tighter than this, but to Aerin four guards for one
door is likely still impressive. Spook walks past them, down a hallway, and to a
solid metal door that opens as he gets to it. He waves them inside.
Aerin Thomas: He keeps his eyes alert as
he moves, giving the guards a brief once-over as he moves past, out of habit,
not concern. He heads in through the door and looks around.
Brianna McCarthy: She follows after Spook,
and then slides inside once Spook gives them the okay.
Spook:
Inside is not exactly a conference room, though it has some bearing on one. A
table with six laptops hooked up to various wires is in the center, with nice
gray leather office chairs. There is a large flat LCD screen on one wall, and a
square of smaller screens on the opposite wall. On the far side of the room are
two benches with wires and plugs and all kinds of equiptment. Near the entrance
are a couple of couches. "All purpose room. We thought it would do. Lines are
monitored for traffic, nothing should get back through here. Especially not for
what you said you need." He smiles. "Have at it."
Brianna McCarthy: "Thanks Spook." She says
again, quietly.
Spook -> Aerin Thomas:
[And, perception/alertness, since he might
care....]
Aerin Thomas: He grins widely as he sees
the room. "Beautiful." He nods to Spook. "Very, very nice. Thanks." He heads
over to one of the terminals and slides his trenchcoat off, draping it over the
back. He cracks his knuckles and sits down, looking to the monitor, and finally,
the neck is popped to either side. And he gets down to it. ((Finding a list of
all high schools within the community via standard WebSearch, and then heacking
directly into the schools, and if not there, the School Distract's records for a
Sophomore, Junior or Senior by the name of Kev9in Alexander.))
Aerin Thomas:
d10: Per+Alert: 5,2,9,1,9,5,
Spook: Kevin
Alexander is found easily, he's on the webpage for his school, as an exceptional
artist. They list all his upcoming gallery shows.
Brianna McCarthy: She flops onto a couch
and tugs her knees to her chest.
Spook -> Aerin Thomas:
Those machines in the back by the benches look
suspisciously like they're made to attach to people directly, some of those
machines look like machines you see in hospitals more than businesses and some
things just seem to hook people to cables.
Aerin Thomas: "So far, so good." He prints
the page of the kid's upcoming shows...now, time for the fun part. he pauses and
looks back to the machines by the benches...and pales, visibly, some of his good
mood very much having drained away.
Brianna McCarthy: She watches Aerin, and
then rises to rest a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Aerin Thomas: Brianna's hand brings him
out of his momentary fugue. A sigh escapes, and he shakes his head. No time to
freak out over the past...time to deal with the present. He twitches once
visibly, and nods to Brianna, getting back to work. The man goes to pull some
IP's from a couple of public access servers, connecting through them, and then
to the high school's database, looking for Student Records.
Spook: "You
okay?" Spook asks, still leaning on the wall near the door. He makes no move
toward Aerin, though he does sound concerned.
Aerin Thomas:
d10: Int+Computers (WP): 10,3,3,3,7,5,6,
Aerin Thomas:
d10: Specialty: Bright: 10,
Aerin Thomas:
d10: Specialty: 5,
Spook -> Aerin Thomas:
[And for the mechanical part. Go ahead and roll
to search and snatch up files and info.]
Spook -> Aerin Thomas:
[Which you've already done. 8) NM]
Aerin Thomas: "I'm fine," he says tersely,
focusing on the computer monitor in front of him. His jaw is set as his fingers
fly over the keys, working on making the connection. One brief pause gives him
time to light cigarette, and he lets it dangle from his mouth as he works.
Brianna McCarthy: She keeps that gentle
hand on Aerin's shoulder, silent support.
Spook: Aerin
pulls up the student records quickly, available to print and/or save.
Spook: [And
must vanish in like the next five minutes.]
Aerin Thomas: Suddenly, he grins, widely,
talking to the computer on the other side of the connection. "Bow at the
awesomitude of my elite skills, noob." He smirks, obviously a self-deprecating
comment...this WAS just a High School network, after all. He prints it out, as
well as saving it onto the desktop, which he immediately uploads to his Online
XDrive.
Brianna McCarthy: She smiles a little bit
at Aerin, squeezing his shoulder and then dropping her hand.
Spook:
There is a soft chuckle at the comment from Spook. "Got what you wanted, I take
it."
Aerin Thomas: And of course, he backs out
of the connection before uploading it...
Aerin Thomas: "Damn skippy," he comments,
backing out and closing down the connection. He backs away from the computer and
stands up, moving to pick up the printouts. He can't help but look over at the
plug-in machines, shivering a little bit. "Where did those come from?" he asks,
as conversationally as he can.
Aerin Thomas: "And what do they do?"
Brianna McCarthy: She stands just behind
Aerin, arms loosely crossed again.
Spook: "We
built them. And I've never been exactly sure. Something about spirits and tech
and some long list of detail that's another language to me."
Spook: [Sorry
for the delay there.]
Aerin Thomas: He nods with a little
flinch. "Got it. Well, we're good...thanks, Spook." He smiles, calmly enough,
and looks to them to lead the way out. He has to think a moment before he
remembers to grab his trenchcoat.
Brianna McCarthy: "Bye Spook." She murmurs
Spook: "Yeah,
I just love them too." He smiles and escorts them as far as the elevators. [And
I have to run, thanks for coming out. *hugs*]
Brianna McCarthy:
d10: per+emp: 10,5,9,8,5,9,
Brianna McCarthy: ((Bye bye, thank you))
Aerin Thomas: Once outside, he just keeps
walking, away from the building. Headed from the car.
Brianna McCarthy: Outside a hand slips
into Aerin's and squeezes tightly. She's right there. At his side.
Aerin Thomas: He flinches at the sudden
touch, actually jumping before he realizes who it is. He takes a deep breath and
sigh, stopping for a moment to collect his thoughts.
Brianna McCarthy: "Sorry." She says
softly, withdrawing her hand immediately.
Aerin Thomas: He shakes his head. "No, I'm
sorry, Brianna. Not your fault, I just..." He takes a deep breath. "I don't
like...biojacks. Implants. Things like...those." He shivers a little.
Brianna McCarthy: "I understand." She
murmurs. "Want me to drive you home?"
Aerin Thomas: He nods, a little shaky.
"Please, if you would. I'd appreciate it." He looks at the papers, tightly held
in his hand. "We got what we needed...that's what's important."
Brianna McCarthy: "You did good." She
reassures him, her voice warm. And then slides into his car, fixing the seat
as... he's way WAY taller than her.
Aerin Thomas: He nods quietly and slips
into the passenger seat, slumping back and looking out the window. He's dead
quiet for the entire ride home.