Mar 18 16:45:00 107 PA - The Alibi
From Chronicles
Kingsdale - The Alibi The club is a liberal mix of modern and classic styles with a dark, warm lean to the hardwood and metal decor, dressed up with velvet and leather. Set up about the stage with attached DJ station and dance floor at the center, the entrance is set to one end of this, the bar to the other. The entrance itself is tightly controlled. There are always two well dressed people at the front, a bouncer to check each person coming in and another watching the drum and closet lockers that hold all patron weapons.
A broad , semi circular stage extends from the center of the widest wall, rising two feet, with lights rimming the edge and hidden in scaffolds high above. A rich red velvet curtain lies ready to sweep about and veil the stage itself from view. The DJ booth is set up right next to the stage, set into the same wall. With a thick window and biometric locks on the two side doors, one to the stage and the other to a set of stairs down, the equipment within is secure. Within a C shaped desk and racks hold the sound equipment, all linked into a central computer. All done up in sleek, dark cases, mixing well with the warm, wood paneling of the booth's exterior.
A dance floor is central to the club, laid out in a broad circle before the stage. Laid out in a semi circle opposite the stage side of the dance floor are a series of round tables, with smaller two person sized ones at the edge, with larger four person tables in the next row and a few grand six to eight person tables on the outer edge. All staggered to make for the best view for all to the dance floor and stage. To one side of this central focus is the bar, a broad affair taking up much of the shorter wall in width. The bar itself is a mix of modern and classic, with the simple, elegant hardwood design of the bar itself mixing with the display of alcohol behind it, opaque plastic shelves lit from within to highlight the wide selection of common and uncommon liquors for sale. The barstools themselves, lined up in a neat row, mix dark metallic stems with comfy red leather seats.
It may be a bright and sunny afternoon, but that's no reason to stay outside. Especially when the beer is inside. The brew here is good, and worth parting with his iron, which explains Brady's presence at the bar. One boot is up on a stool rung as he leans his back against the bar's edge, nursing his bottle. His baby blues are on the rest of the club, primarily those eager, energetic, and bouncing folks on the dance floor.
Maya is one of those eager, energetic, bounding folk on the dance floor, clearing her part of it easily with the heavy shoes she wears, her arms over her head, and her voice raised to shout along with the lyrics. A change of pace, to something slower, more romantic brings her steps towards the bar, slowly at first, and then at a run, "Brady!" The yell is happy, Maya's face brightening as she launches herself at Brady, a full body, enthusiastic leap into his arms and a hug. Bottle or not.
Ducking into the club is another figure, the door closing quietly behind him. James is tall - very tall - and slender, clad in black suit and long black coat, with a white stetson nudged to hang from its string rather than stay on his head indoors. Empty holsters at his belt suggest that the bouncers had their way. He eyes the eager, energetic and bouncy folks on the dance floor and skirts it on his way to the bar, eyeing Maya and Brady warily as he gets closer.
There aren't many things worth spilling a beer over, but Maya could be one of those things. Brady doesn't have a chance to set the bottle down, but he keeps hold of it as he's Mayanated. It's a good thing he's braced against the bar, and it's bolted down. That's one piece of furniture they shouldn't shake too bad. "Well, howdy, Tails! I was wondering if you were still wandering around. Been a little scarce." His arms wrap her up so's she don't slide off and fall. He's a gentleman like that. A very widely grinning one.
Maya laughs, hugging tightly, her enthusiastic welcome finishing with a large kiss for Brady before she slides down and reaches out to snag for his beer bottle. "I've been tied up at work." The grin that comes with it reveals that she is perfectly aware of the double meaning, "First the bombing and then this murder. Care to share coffee sometime?" A glance around them lands on James, and she extends the grin to him, her eyes dancing.
James makes his way to the bar, nodding politely to the grin extended by Maia. Rather than try to make himself heard over the music he gestures to the barman, using the universal sign for 'something to drink'.
"Always got a pot brewing for you." Brady chuckles. "When y'ain't tied up at somewheres else. Heard about some of that. Suppose that kept you elbow deep in work. Still found some time to come out and play, though." He then follows her grin to James' nod and gives one of his own.
By the bar, Maya is leaning against Brady, having just wriggled out of a hug, and James is nearby, ordering a drink. "I get this thing called time off now the patients are mostly dead." Maya's cheerful announcement is spoken as she turns to the bar staff herself, wiggling her fingers for attention, mouthing "Usual please." at them. Curiousity killed the cat, but luckily Maya is not feline, as she turns to James, "Hi, I'm Maya, that is Tiny, are you new in town?"
James returns Brady's nod with another of his own, offering an ever so faint smile along with it. "James," he replies to Maya, then adds, "Charmed, ma'am, I'm sure. Been here a few days now. Since about ten minutes after th'bomb. An' yerselves?" He's polite, but a fragment of his attention remains on the bartender and the finding of a drink.
Vixen comes into the Alibi with a bit of lag. The armored young woman requiring a few minutes to hand over numerous small weapons she keeps on her person. But eventually the items are handed over along with her helmet. Once that is all done, she moves into the nightclub itself. She moves towards the bar, her expression relaxed and neutral. She comes upon Maya and Brady. as she approaches the bar, recognizing the woman. She pauses near and offers a simple, "Hey." Her eyes flicking over him, then towards the one they speak to, studying James quietly.
Brady just had his beer filched, and now she's ordering? Then there's Maya's introducing him, too. "Better watch it, Tails. Liable to get yourself in hot water." He holds up a hand to ask for another bottle, while the other swats Maya's backside to make his point. Then it lingers to make sure. "Ain't doing bad so far," he answers James, "and showing up after a bomb sounds better than being there before."
"Did you see the bomb? I only saw the results, it was fascinating! Really interesting choices..." She trails off, and then shoots Brady a grin over her shoulder, offering his bottle back as a large glass of purple iced ...something is delivered, alongside James' drink. She leaves it on the bar though, turning as Brady swats her backside, indignant for an instant before she spots Vixen. "Vixen!" The other woman is clearly about to receive an enthusiastic hug, as Maya turns to her.
James retrieves his beer about two seconds after it's delivered. "Thanks," he says to the bartender, then hehs. "Got that right," he says, agreeing with Brady, and then he nods politely to Vixen. "Ma'am." With the greetings done, he necks half the bottle in one go. "Ahhh. That's better." The faint smile returns to his lips as he watches Maya turn on Vixen, the tall man falling silent again.
Vixen will accept the hug to come. It will seem to help her mood a little. She doesn't smile, but her expression smoothes a little and she'll give back the hug. Carefully though, given her plated status. "That's me," she replies archly. Lingering as long as Maya wants to linger. She will return James' acknowledgment with a faint grimace. "Ma'am is for old women. Vixen." she reminds him.
Brady reclaims his bottle and starts to empty it to make room for the impending replacement. His baby blues follow Maya's new attack to the new target, and he bends his brim to Vixen overtop a grin. "Ain't many that can say Howdy better than Tails..."
Maya hugs Vixen tightly, finally bouncing back to lean her hip against the bar, reaching for her drink. "Vixen, that is James. He was there when they blew up the junkyard, isn't that cool?" The words tumble out quickly, one after another, before Maya pops the straw from her drink into her mouth, taking a large slurp. "I'm friendly." The mock affronted dignity in the look given to Brady as she releases the straw is perhaps ruined by the straw itself. "I could just shake your hand from now on, and give your hugs to James here..."
"Vixen, then," James says to Vixen, inclining his head politely, and then he adds, "James." A grin. "Or we could ask Tiny ter give me th'hugs instead, reckon that'd turn a head or two." He winks at Brady, ice blues meeting baby blues.
Vixen glances towards Brady at his comment, her mood settling again. Maya's enthusiastic note on James' presence at the explosive Dregs events prompts her to look towards the man before she returns attention to and addresses Maya. "Yeah, real cool." Her tone making it pretty clear she hasn't much care for those events. But she does give James a polite enough nod at his words. She then looks past them towards the bartender. She catches a tender's gaze and requests, "WHiskey, straight." And she slips out some credits to hand over for the eventual drink.
"Turn a few green, too, I reckon." Brady laughs to James and shakes his head at Maya. "Never said there was nothing wrong with how you do it. Hell, everybody oughtta be friendly like that." His smile slips on over to Vixen as she steps up to the bar.
Maya's look turns speculative, moving between Brady and James, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Oh I think you should do it." Her grin widens slightly at Brady's comment on her greetings. "James, don't you like girls?" The laughing comment is clearly meant light heartedly, teasing and amusing Maya. Vixen's tone at the Dregs comments goes straight off her back, water and ducks respectively.
James seems to take Maya's words as some sort of invitation, the tall man turning and stepping in to try and sweep Maya up in his arms, provided she doesn't object too much. His smile has turned devilish and secretive, the planes and angles of his face lending itself to the expression as his coat flares out theatrically with the movement. Perhaps it's a trick of the light, but there's something oddly malevolent about the smile that doesn't quite fit with the brief wink that comes with it.
Vixen doesn't ease up too close. Just enough to hand over credits and, a few moments later to take the glass that is brought her way. The tumbler held loosely as she eases back a step again. Hovering without committing to settle. Makes sure that she won't be in the way when James goes for Maya. Which she watches without comment, but with subtly narrowed eyes as she sips from her glass.
Brady has to laugh again, as James does... well, probably just what he would've done. "Watch yourself. She bites." It's not really much of a warning, though. After swapping out his empty for the bottle on the bartop, he looks Vixen and her shrinking eyes. "If you're feeling left out, I can oblige." The chivalrous gentleman, still.
Maya doesn't object, laughing instead, resting an arm around James' shoulders as she is swept up into his arms. The four are standing at the bar on this bright sunny afternoon, apparently drinking a collection of beer, whiskey and some type of purple liquid over ice. She twists, hugging the man holding her, before squirming to be put down. "I only bite when you like it." Maya's response is almost indignant.
James drops a momentary kiss on Maya's head for good measure, then sets her down with care. That done, he turns the smile on Brady. "Your turn?" he offers with a grin, adding another wink. "I'd hate ter deny yer, y'know, if that's the kinda thing yer lookin' for." Again, there's something just a little 'off' about the way that smile stretches across his sharp face, and it's hard to tell whether it reaches his eyes.
Heading into the club Zyvis is stopped just inside by the bouncer types, who try to take his sword and pistol and check to make sure his knives are just that, knives and not anything more potent than that. It doesn't go over well at first until he is shown that nobody will be able to steal his weapons and he is given the key and id tags. Even then he only takes them after he checks the locker out and the drum out. Keeping the tags tight in a hand, Zyvis is directed towards the sign about psychic powers and the psi-stalker just looks at it blankly then looks at the guards, "I don't read chicken scratchings." Is said simply so -that- has to be explained as well. Once all that is done, only then does Zyvis finally make his way into the club proper, a scowl on his face.
"No." Vixen's response to Brady a simple, flat denial, lacking in kindness or meanness. Simple, straight. Her tumbler lifted to sip from, the whiskey nursed slow. And after she watches James quietly. Attention might be something someone likes, but her attention is more thoughtful.. guarded than might give one a warm fuzzy. She's standing near, but not committed to lingering by more than the time she's spent near them so far.
"Don't mind if I do..." Brady takes a good shot from his brew and sets the bottle on the bartop. There was Vixen's denial, so James' neighborly offer is much better. He pushes off from the bar to step over to James and Maya, to take his turn. That turn is for Maya, but he doesn't let in on that until the last second, and his hoisting her up in a hug. He has to top the kiss to the forehead, too, so promptly lifts her up more to drape her on his shoulder with a laugh. That way, the kiss he plants on her hip can fix any left behind from his earlier swat.
Maya shoots James a grin, as she reaches for her drink, taking a slurp. Her glance between the others isn't thoughtful, the woman relaxed as she turns to put the drink down on the counter, just in time before she is swooped up. The hug is alright but she protests at the kiss on her hip, squirming. "Tiny! Put me down!" If he does, she slides down his body, giving him a mock serious look.
A flicker of annoyance is masked so swiftly it may never have existed at all, and James is soon chuckling at Maya's predicament. "Just gotta go one better," he compliments Brady, before retrieving his beer and taking another long drink from the bottle. His gaze flicks in Vixen's direction and he salutes her with a small motion of his beer-holding hand, a signal so tiny it'd be easily missed by anyone but the recipient.
It's just about then that Zyvis finally makes it to the bar, he gives a slight nod to Vixen but doesn't seem to recognize anyone else so, they do not get greetings of any sort. Finding himself a place to settle in comfortably, he takes a look around the club, eyeing all the stuff centered around Maya for a moment but gives no indication of any response to it one way or the other. When finally asked what he wants, he orders the most potent drink he knows, "Water."
Vixen only half watches the horseplay. She's mostly considering James quietly. And when he looks towards her again, the salute is not responded to at once. Though after a moment she says, "What'd you do around here, new boy?" Her tone smooth. She doesn't catch the nod that Zyvis gives her. Too focused on James. But she does notice his voice and glances towards it. Water is an uncommon order. A faint recognition of his appearance, she studying him in the way one does when they see something out of the ordinary.
Brady doesn't keep Maya up in the air long. "Alright. Don't get your britches in a bunch." He even helps her with the sliding to return gently to the floor. A grin and wink over his shoulder are his brief answer to James before he looks back to Tails. There's no telling what might come after her almost-serious look.
Maya leans into Brady, narrowing her eyes at him, folding her arms across her chest. The movement leans her elbows into his ribcage unless he pulls away. "You know, Tiny, you should treat me with more respect. You know, I spend all day with officers calling me ma'am." She turns her head slightly, narrowing her eyes more, almost wrinkling her nose with the effort before she grins and reaches for her drink.
"This an' that," James replies vaguely to Vixen. "Y'know, whatever'll keep a roof over m'head an' a cold beer in m'hand on a hot day." He finds somewhere to lean, smiling faintly as Maya gets put back down again, and then he too glances over at the new arrival.
Water arrives and Zyvis takes the glass, taking a drink from it, well, a small sip more for appearances than any real need to slate thirst or the like. He doesn't seem to notice, nor care that people are checking him out. Must be something he's used to. He instead looks over towards Maya at her latest words and a smile touches his face, "Ma'am." He offers forth with a lift of his glass of water to her in salute, smile widening to show a hint of teeth in amusement.
"Drifter," Vixen replies to James, her voice not giving a positive or negative to that evaluation. She seems to be considering that still. Zyvis' entry into things draws her attention again. She considers him and then asks, "Stalker, right?" Again, not putting a spin either way on things there. "I remember seeing you before. NIghtingale, right?" For now her tumbler goes unsipped, held in a low, casual carriage. "Ma'am? Alright.../ma'am/," Brady bends his brim to Maya, but he's still grinning, "but ain't that for the old or proper ladies?" He finally takes a slight step back, probably because of those elbows. Then another, towards the bar. Could be that his brew is there, too.
Maya follows that step back, deliberately using her elbows into his ribs. "Old? Proper?" She narrows her eyes again, screwing up her face at him, oblivious to the tensions between the others. "I'll show you how old and proper I am." Her hand reaches out to snag his bottle of beer and she lifts it above his head, a dare in her eyes.
"Kinda," James replies to Vixen, then glances down at his wrist. "An' a drifter whose break's up. Time ter be movin'. Pleased ter meet yer, ladies an' gents." He downs the last of his beer, then sets the empty bottle on the bar.
Zyvis smiles at the goings on out away from the bar between Maya and Brady but then he looks over towards Vixen, "I certainly hope so." He says good naturedly, "Otherwise I got the real short end of the genetic stick if I look like this with none of the benefits." For all the 'tension' that might exist, it doesn't seem to affect Zyvis much by all appearances. "Yes, the Nightingale. Spoke to your man after you left for a bit." He looks over towards James, gives a fraction of a nod, just enough to be polite to a person he doesn't really know before his attention is split between Vixen, and the Maya/Brady possible beer spilling.
Vixen nods her head to James, moving slightly to give him a clear path to leave. "LAter," she offers, considering him a moment before she looks back to Zyvis. "Do I have anything to apologize for? Probably wasn't the most comfortable meeting, all things considered." She's progressed from watching Brady and Maya fool around for the moment.
Brady takes her up on that dare, and not the one involving the snatched beer. Instead, with at least one elbow preoccupied, he steps back closer to her. "Yep. I think you should. Over coffee?" There is not so much tension or threat of alcohol abuse that that can't handle things all polite and neighborly-like. It can't be that bad, really, since he's still grinning.
The others clearly forgotten, Maya leans into Brady, lowering the beer slowly. "Coffee." The single word is an invitation, and she presses a kiss against his lips, her hand sliding to his collar before she steps back, tugging the man with her, heading for the exit. A brief wave of her hand to the others and they are moving to the bright, afternoon sun.
James waits for Maya and Brady to get clear before he follows; Zyvis' nod is returned, as is Vixen's, the tall man apparently polite. He heads for the door, reclaiming his weapons as the inner doors close behind him.
"Not at all." Zyvis says to Vixen, turning his attention back in her direction. "I thought we got along fairly well. Is that surprising?" He asks curiously, "I mean, once we got the initial 'I am not afraid of you.' thing out of the way." He takes a drink of his water. No reason to keep paying attention to the pair who are leaving but he does comment on it. "Seems to happen a lot when I'm around... women run away." He grins.
"Let's just say, Leo's had some bad experiences," Vixen replies simply. "And, well.. its a natural thing when someone is sort of hard coded to see you as food of some sort." She shrugs, not showing much opinion on that in an emotional sense. "But if things when fine, there's not much to say about it that will make things better. Don't know much about folks like you, truth be told. Never knew any, really."
"So he said." Zyvis says with a nod, "I didn't pry to much, wasn't my place." He shrugs a bit and takes another sip of his water. "But I can understand why he would be leery of me, not knowing me and given how the Coalition uses people like me..." He shrugs a bit, looking back over the dance floor before he looks back towards Vixen, "I am used to people treating me with fear, derision, and hatred just because of what I am."
"I guess I can't say I know what you mean exactly, but I sort of do," Vixen replies. "Not cause of what I am, but how I am, I suppose. Not so bad as all that. Just.. being different." She shrugs a little. "You seem find with it, though. Which is good. Don't try and screw around with him and I think you'll be fine. And we'll be fine too." Perhaps a little protective warning in her tone, but she doesn't seem to care to linger on it much. She lifts her tumbler to take another sip.
Zyvis sighs, "That's more annoying that anything else." He admits, "The constant 'warnings'." He shakes his head, "If I were going to go about hunting someone, would I make all nice with them and their friends? Not a very good hunting tactic." He takes another small sip of his water. "I am a sentient being, and not a slave to my instincts after all. Just like any human." He shrugs a bit afterwards.
"Something to be said for getting in close before you strike," Vixen opines, though she does so lightly. "But like I said, I don't know too much about how you are. There was a chick I knew.. she was all about being an animal and that sort of shit." Her expression darkens as she mentions this chick. "Real dangerous.. real nasty. So you might understand why I'm feeling a bit cautious. But I'm not going to heap her bullshit on you. But it has left me a little wary."
"Fair enough." Zyvis says with a chuckle, "If I were the animal type, I don't think the Police would have accepted my application. That's what I came to celebrate." He says with a smile. "As for getting in close, sure, but it tends to take longer than a week, and going more than that without eating is... not fun." He wrinkles his nose at that. "I like to see myself as a wolf, or a cougar. I hunt out the parts of the herd that make it weak so as to strengthen the herd." He gestures around, "In a civilization like this, it means I hunt down the dark elements that hurt society. I did the same thing in the Burbs until the Coalition tried to forcefully recruit me."
"She got in," Vixen points out, but she seems to let it go there. "Won't find much Coalition love here. Some lunatics, but they're always out there." She smirks then and says, "Vigilante, huh? At least you have a purpose besides trying to make things better. So it isn't really a waste." Her expression turns thoughtful as she leans against the bar now and wonders, "So how do you do it?" She motions a little. "Feeding. I hear a lot of things.. some of it is pretty gruesome. Figure it might be best to get it from the source."
"Really?" Zyvis asks to the first comment but then shrugs, "Well, I'm not like that." He then considers, "Yes, always some people willing to give up their freedom for safety. The Coalitions just the biggest kid on the block lately." He takes another small sip of his water, raising an eyebrow, "Are you sure you really want to know? It might be a bit of a let down after the stories you've heard." He grins.
"Hi, I'm Vixen. I like hearing what's truth. Rumors and shit are for people that have time for that sort of drama," the young woman replies, a sly edge given to her flinty voice. "Personally, I'd rather know how to defend myself or defend Leo if some beast-like stalker or one that just has bad intentions ever zeroes in. Do you just feed on magic types? Or is there something you get off just anyone? C'mon, gimme the whole thing.. I'm not squeamish."
Zyvis raises an eyebrow, "Alright." He pauses for a moment, looking thoughtful, "I am not sure exactly how it all works, I can't give you the metaphysics of it or anything like that. You, you require food to live. Food and water. We, require energy. It's not just life force, we can't feed off just anyone. We can only feed off the -right- kinds of people or creatures. Psychics, Mages, magical creatures... those we can feed off, and we have to. If we don't, we'll die of starvation just like a human would die without any food or water." He begins, "We -don't- have to kill in order to feed... but it is hard not to. Instinct is very powerful, like, trying not to gasp for breath after you've been drowning."
Vixen listens, casually swirling the remains of her whiskey casually as she watches Zyvis. Her expression thoughtful. "So i don't have to worry about any of you coming after me.. I'm about as normal as they come. If you don't count the cyber." She smirks a little and adds, "So you wanna kill deep down, but you try not to? Sounds a bit like her.. though I guess you're not too bad at suppressing that?" She pauses there, considering the man carefully and thoughtfully.
"Oh, I -can- suppress it, when I have to." Zyvis says, "It depends on what I am hunting and wether or not killing it is the better course of action. When we kill something, it provides a better meal. A lot better. When we are raising our young, we have to kill in order for there to be enough food for the little ones." He shrugs, "Since they can't hunt for themselves any more than an infant human can walk, talk, or grow crops." He then considers, "A lot of wether or not we can resist killing is based on our individual strength of will. It's a struggle for us all, but some can resist it easier than others." He looks towards her, "Like your Leonard. I could feed off him without killing him. In fact, it would leave him completely unscarred. It would just... weaken his abilities until he recovered his energy."
"I wouldn't approach him on it until you get chummy with him," Vixen replies with a casual grin. "I'll remember all that. Good to know just what's real. Even if it ain't so crazy. Some people seem to think you have to have sex to feed and other shit like that." Her smirk replaces her grin and she casually motions to nothing at all with her glass. "Now I can say I know what its about, even if I don't know the mumbo jumbo about it."
Zyvis chuckles, "I won't." He takes a sip of his water, very slowly lowering the level of the liquid. "Truthfully, there's enough good hunting around that I don't really need to worry about it. The dregs are full of things that are better off dead, there is also the wilderness. Plenty of dark things out there that make a good meal." He smiles, "I'm Zyvis by the way." Finally introducing himself. "Now that I've been accepted into the Police, I figure I can do some good for the city directly, and eat, at the same time."
Vixen smirks. "Yeah, lots of shit in the Dregs," she replies. "But don't go looking there to make things better. PLenty of people have been caught up in that and get ground underfoot over it. But if you're just eating some bad people, sure.. no problem." She pauses, then leans in towards him and says, "BEst to not talk about being police around here. The Dregs are noman's land for officials. Not sure if you got that of your boys back there, but the police, the military.. they don't come in here official. And there ain't no law but what you can enforce personally."
"Oh no." Zyvis says with a wicked grin, "In the Dregs I'm just one predator amongst many others. Same as the Burbs." He chuckles, "It reminds me of my old home in many ways. The Coalition didn't exactly patrol the Burbs either. It's an environment I am very used to." He then lifts his glass in a half-salute, "I appreciate the warning however." He looks over the crowd, "Besides... everything dies. Death is not something I fear."
"Maybe, but I'm not really eager to punch out." Vixen tilts her head and then shrugs. "Not that I've got much to do as of late. Still, I'll think up something eventually." She sighs and lifts her glass, swallowing the last third of her drink in a heavy gulp. Her voice rasps as she firmly sets the glass on the bartop. "Anyway.. just giving the usual speech for new fish, though I suppose you're not quite that new in a way." Zyvis tilts his head to the side, focussing his attention on the woman, "New in town, perhaps yes. Not new to survival in this world of ours no." He grins at that, amused enough to even show his sharpened canines. "If you are bored enough, maybe you would be interested in hunting down that invisible escaped arena monster with me."
Vixen grimaces faintly and says, "Why should I risk my neck because those morons at the Arena decided to pull up something they couldn't control?" She shakes her head. "I was there, saw that thing fucking with the security trying to suppress it. It can go invisible and its cunning. Only reason I'm armored up is cause I'm sure the thing is probably hidden in the Dregs and I'm not going to chance running into it when I'm not ready."
"I know, which means it will taste good." Zyvis says with a grin, "And it probably has properties about it that will make it worth a small fortune to alchemists." He shrugs, "Besides, I can see invisible things when I want to." He considers, "I am guessing it has made a lair somewhere, and who knows what other valuables might be left from it's victims."
"A year ago, I probably would have been more interested in that. Creds aren't really a draw to me," Vixen replies. "I'm not rich.. not really, but rich is sort of relative, ain't it? I mean, compared to how I grew up, I feel pretty loaded." She then considers him. "You can see things like that, huh? That guy that just left.. Brady? He was there too. Not really sure how.. but I think he saw it." She shakes her head a little and says. "I'm not really a fighter either. Not compared to the 'heroes' around here." Her smirk returning for the mention of 'heroes', quotes added in tone.
Zyvis nods, "Fair enough then." Zyvis says with a shrug, "Was just an offer. It would of course make you a touch less paranoid when walking around the Dregs to know it's dead too." He chuckles, "Heroes huh? Kingsdale having a shortage? I would have expected heroes to go gunning for it long before now."
Vixen shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe they already have been and haven't really been succeeding. So lets say we do hunt it down. What sort of plan you got for that anyway? After all, you've never even seen it. I suppose I didn't either, really.. invisible and all. But it's not really easy to take on. Wasn't for a bunch of guys. And you're one guy. No offense."
"Have to track it down first. Get a lay of the situation, see what it is. See if I recognize it or if it's something totally new." Zyvis says with a shrug, "Once I know what it is, or at least get a fair approximation of it's abilities I can try to come up with a plan. It's some sort of animal though from what I understand, which means it'll be likely operating on instinct more than anything else. If it was smart it would have already left so as to not be hunted." He then smiles wryly, "Besides, I am just one guy right -now-. If it's to formidable for me to take on alone, that is why I am looking for hunting partners. It's ok though, if you aren't interested. I don't hold it against anyone."
Vixen smirks faintly and says, "I'm just tossing ideas," she says. "Way I see it, this thing likes to play. It took out the force field that holds things on the arena floor. But it stuck around a bit until things got a little too hot. Didn't try and run out immediately. Wasn't just trying to escape, was toying with the security.. picking them off, bait and switching.." She shakes her head. "I think its still around. And probably somewhere around here. Where it can hide. Not sure just where.. this place has all sorts of hidey holes. Lots of ruins, barren places, bolt holes." She shakes her head a little. "But I got an idea for you if you."
Zyvis nods, listening intently to what she is saying, "Please, feel free. The more information I have the better. It would help my hunt, and I am not so egotistical that I think I know everything there is to know about anything."
"Well, its more a way to even up the playing field," Vixen replies. "But it assumes you can draw it out and where you want it to be. See, since its invisible, even if you can see it, don't mean the ones you roll can. Depends if thermal can see it or not. Might not. But.." She grins and she says, "If you can cover it with something.. paint or whatever, it won't matter what's making it invisible. It'll be clear as day to everyone until it can clean up." She and Zyvis are at the bar and its a blustery midday, the time moving past towards later afternoon.
"That's a good idea for sure." Zyvis says with a nod, "You could even use something as simple as a bucket of paint..." He sits at the bar, a glass of water held in one hand about a quarter of the way empty. "Assuming the paint sticks to it. Anything like a tarp or the like would likely just get ripped apart given the stories I heard of it killing a juicer right quick. They're a good deal tougher than a tarp." He chuckles amusedly. "I am hoping it does have a hole somewhere. If we can keep it pinned to a single area, keep it from moving around and taking advantage of it's mobility..."
Making her way through the checkpoint Tirzah smiles at the guards, even giving a wink before leaving their porbing for the actual club and its bar. She appears to be in very good spirits. Completely elated actually. "Give me a four by four, its time to celebrate." She motions to the bartender, taking an empty stool and taking a look to see who else is present.
Vixen nods at what Zyvis says and she considers a moment before she replies, "Well, yeah.. assuming it would have a place you can trap it in. Guess it depends how smart it is. But the bucket idea.. not so good unless you can get close to it. If you want to go low tech, balloons could be used. If you wanted to get more fancy, could jury ring something. Just depends what the details of your plan turn out to be." She shrugs her shoulders a little.
"Well." Zyvis says to Vixen, looking over towards Tirzah a moment and lifting his glass of water to her in an affable greeting before he looks back to Vixen, "If we track it down to it's hole, it's liable to be able to smell someone or notice it's being tracked. So it might have to go down very quickly." He hmmms, "If that happens, a bucket is just as good an idea as any other. Depends on if I can find other hunters though."
"Hey Vixen, catch." Tirzah exclaims before sliding a credstick across to the vid mistress. "Your find from the com monitering paid out as told. Thats your twenty thousand, and I'll still keep an eye out for any gadgets you might like." She reports, looking quite happy to pay up. "Don't know if will be looking to go out again right away, so you can take a break if thats better. Gonna talk to my crew see if we can adjust our methods to lessen expenses. The Coalition did a number on a lot of armor." She explains before looking to Zyvis. "Hunting? Who? Why? And what does it pay? Oh and I'm Tirzah, nice to meet you." She greets, smiling invitingly.
Vixen blinks at Tirzah and looks towards her as the woman speaks. Soon enough to snap a hand over the credstick. She arches a brow slightly and wonders, "You want me to keep monitoring?" Not really expecting that. She slips the credstick into her coat casually, not questioning the sum or other things. "Not really looking to make a career out of it. And if you keep hounding the deadboys, they'll eventually take exception. And considering you're not real subtle.." She leaves that there and looks to Zyvis. "Well, if you want someone to help you set up some sort of trap, I suppose I could help with that. I know a bit about jury rigging and security. Wouldn't be hard to put up motion sensors, UV strips.. can't be hidden to everything, after all. But don't expect frontline action. Not really my bag."
"I'll think about it, see how hard it is to track and find before hand. Might be I could use that sort of help." Zyvis says to Vixen after her business with Tirzah is concluded, at least for that moment. To the newest arrival he looks over towards her, "Thinking about hunting down that invisible killer that escaped the arena." He answers, "No real money in it, except what it's body would be worth to alchemists or the like. I just think it is probably going to be tasty." He grins amusedly, "How often will I be able to eat something like that?"
Tirzah blinks, nodding slowly to Zyvis. "Wow, now there's a true literal predator. Nice to meet you. Front line action is my bag though. I'm not terribly expensive and I am extremely potent. So if you need any support in that venture, or others, consider me." Tirzah suggests before looking back to Vixen. "Probably best not to moniter until we decide we're up to going out again. Don't want something to come up and goad us into something we're not ready for. So i'll keep it local for a few months, start looking progressively outward after the honeymoon."
"Just make sure you stand behind her." Vixen deadpans to Zyvis before considering Tirzah. "We'll see how it goes. Not hard to listen, but I don't spend all my time sitting and listening. Got triggers to filter out interesting things, but but it can still provide hours of crap to sift through." She looks to the stalker then and considers him. "Give me some warning. If there might be a little cred in the thing, could hunt up some equipment. I'm sure the idiots at the arena might want it alive.. they'd pay heavy for that, but they didn't seem to have a clue how to knock it out, so not much chance of that kind of pay off."
"Hmmm, maybe it'll knock out if I manage to get my teeth into it. If it's always invisible, it might be dependent on that sort of energy." Zyvis says with a shrug, "But I wouldn't count on that at all." He looks between the pair and then looks at Tirzah for a few long moments, "You are hunting the Coalition?" He asks, "I am sure you get plenty of volunteers but... I would be interested in that. I owe them payback for taking my sister from me."
Tirzah snorts shaking her head as she puts her drink down. "Hell no. I went and took something they have no right to burry in a vault a mile under Chi town sure. But actually hunting them? Thats barking up the wrong tree I'm sure. Not that I mind the paying job with the opportunity to show them what they are so afraid of. Just not one to swing a bat at that big of a hornets nest." She clairifies before giving a grimace and nod to Vixen. "And she has a valid point. I'm not known for being delicate on hunts. My usual trade mark is extra crispy."
"As long as you learn to aim a bit better," Vixen notes to Tirzah, a bit of dark amusement coming to her. She then shakes her head, eyeing Zyvis. "Last thing you want to do is make yourself a problem with the Coalition. I've heard if you get enough of their attention, they'll start hunting you. Unless you like living on the run or in a hole in the ground, better you not play around with that. Don't figure the council would like having shit stirred and the stirrer making their way back here. I already got personal experience in how paranoid they can be when it comes to that sort of thing." Her eyes shift to Tirzah amid saying that. "Hiatus is good. And you should try and disguise your style. Keep doing things the same and eventually your face will get learned. S'why I prefer matte black and anonymous." She motions at her armor.
"Ah. Pity." Zyvis says with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'll keep you in mind should I track this thing down and need the extra firepower." He takes another drink from his glass of water and looks back out over the floor of the club. "If everyone keeps their head down and does nothing, they'll just pick us off one by one anyways." He says softly to nobody in particular. "Guess the best I can hope for is Tolkeen hurting them real bad and stopping them in their tracks." He then looks back towards the pair of them, "It is good money though, if you can pull it off. Their equipment is pretty top notch by all accounts."
"Their equipment being top notch actually negates most of the good money. I took four on my raid, we did some damage, got what we wehnt from. But we took damage too. Around four hundred thousand to each of them, and one of them's gonna break even after armor, another wont. My own repairs will come out of my pocket as my claim doesnt exactly have a monetary value. So its hard to profit like that, even with some of the best people. But I think if I tune the group a bit we can reduce the drag. But there will always be some give and take in that line of work." Tirzah notes calmly before taking another sip to consider Vixen's comment. "Actually in my defense. My aim is better when someones not putting the one the rest of the group is trying to shoot at in a head lock."
Vixen smirks a little. "One thing I know, there will always be people who go out and do things," she notes to Zyvis. "And they're welcome to it. Never got trained as a soldier. I'm a backroom sort of operator. I hack it, crack it or break into it. Or tighten it up if its mine. Or I monitor it." She looks to Tirzah at the defense, but only hangs on to that smirk. Her head shaking as she leaves it lie. "Anyway, I'm not real eager to get on their hit list. LIfe's been full of trials for me. Things have been normal for a while. Don't want to upset that too much. Gotta find the right balance, I guess."
"Well I wouldn't try to hit them head on." Zyvis says with a shrug, "But that's neither here nor there." He takes a sip of his water and falls silent, letting the other two talk for a bit about things since he wasn't involved in any of that. He rubs a hand over his bald head though and straightens up, pushing his glass away in obvious preparation for rising to his feet. "Well," He says, but he doesn't get up, just straightening up it seems. "What do you do then, if it's not directly aimed at the hornets nest?" He asks Tirzah. To Vixen he smiles, "I wasn't trained as a soldier either, just came naturally."
"I do a lot of things, guiding, protecting, hunting, testing. Latently I'm into find fixing and creating as well. Looking to find a way to bridge all that profitably. Maybe a business of sorts, just general probelm solving to leave it open with my own flavor to it. That is what all that boils down to after all. Solutions, arcane solutions. Has a ring to it. But that'll take money too. two hundred fifty grand to get my on place not far from here thats good sized. No small sum for sure. And that would only be the start." Trizah elaborates, filling out her side of life freely.
"I'm naturally subtle most times," Vixen replies to Zyvis. "Especially when it comes to poking a bear." She glances at Tirzah and says, "I've considered something like that, though not much need for facilities. Maybe open a little security consulting business. Since that's what I know. But.. just not feeling the pull so much."
Zyvis nods, "I am not sure what I'll be really doing. Right now, just settling on surviving. This hunt though, could be just enough excitement to keep me around." He smiles wryly, "Not like I have been getting a lot of employment offers. Some crazy woman went about trying to hire me for a horse of all things..." He shrugs, "That didn't work out."
Tirzah nods, taking a moment to sip her drink and consider Zyvis one more time. "Well you're already coming off better than the last psi stalker I met. To her I was just a main course. I took it as a compliment, but really when she invited me to live with her boyfriend I had to wonder if I was to be some live in cow." She notes before smirking at Zyvis. "You're not even drooling over my aura. much more polite."
"Crazy woman? Horse?" Vixen gives Zyvis a curious look. "Got details on that? Horse ain't really worth much. Might have been more worth it for a decent cycle. Been considering seeing if I can get a better one for myself." She glances towards Tirzah, then nods. "He's fine, yeah."
"Give me time," Zyvis says to Tirzah with a grin, "Catch me when I'm hungry and I might be doing that soulful stare." He winks at her then and then answers Vixen, "I don't know her name. I was at the Gym and she tried to offer me a job as mercenary escort for a trip to Newtown. Her offer of payment: One untrained warhorse. Not even compensation for recharges on e-clips. Tried to pass it off like she was doing -me- a favor." He shakes his head with a smirk. "Then, get this, after I said sure, I'll do it, just as a favor like she started to insult me right and left. Saying how she had much more powerful people going than me for free. Eventually I ended up telling her I wouldn't go after she kept going off like I wasn't going... so she got what she wanted I guess. Crazy woman."
Tirzah snickers at the story, not catching any references. "Oh there will always be people like that around. Got a mouth but no idea how to use it. Some consider me to be that sort of girl. I think I just know how to use it too well, a sometimes lapse on when thats a bad thing."
Zyvis snaps his finger, rattles off a radio frequency, "That's the frequency she gave me though. Don't know if either of you recognize it. Said she'd let me know the time to go on it."
"Yeah, not knowing when to keep your lips sealed is bad," Vixen agrees, glancing towards Tirzah. SHe then nods at Zyvis. "So is getting a bit to thick in the head when you make strong friends. Cause those friends won't always be there. And won't always step in when you get into trouble." She shakes her head slightly. "Sounds like she was loaded on something to me. Or I'd hope so, cause if not its even worse."
Tirzah looks at the frequency and shakes her head. "Would be someone green I think. Probably her first mission for herself and probably too soon. Talking big to stoke her own fires against her insecurity and such. But you probably dont what to be bored with her whole abstract psycholigical profile. You can do whatever you need to do. Thats all the matters. So do what you feel is right, and let everyone else sort themselves."
"Well, it doesn't matter at this juncture anyways." Zyvis says with a shrug, "Considering that the payment was only worth like an e-clip, let alone what would happen if my armor was destroyed and I'd be out a large chunk of credits. Seems to be a foolish job to take to begin with. I was just trying to be friendly. If I wanted to be alone then coming to a city makes no sense at all." He smiles a little wryly, "I don't know if she was drugged up or anything, she was working out at the gym so..." He shrugs towards Vixen, "Anyways, that's all in the past. Doesn't really have much bearing on today."
Vixen nods at Zyvis, then considers TIrzah. But she doesn't say anything. Instead, she looks to the stalker again and straightens. She puts a hand into her coat, fishing for a moment before she flicks out a white card to hand to him. "A PO Box on there. YOu want to get in touch with me, drop me a note." It has more than that, of course. The old cards are still present. It has a term, 'Vixen's View' on it and a radio frequency. Though as she hands it over she says, "Don't mind the frequency, its dead air now. I should get home. Got some stuff to do."
Tirzah nods, taking up her drink again. "See you around Vixen." She bids before taking a long swallow from the strong drink. "Whew, all the pressures off and I dont know what to do with myself." She says mostly to herself with a sigh before smiling dreamily. "I should go find Sage, she'll know what to do with me.."
Zyvis reaches out to take the card, "Kay... I'll learn how to read to get right on this." He says with a smile to Vixen but he pockets the business card just the same. "Have a good evening." He offers to her before he looks over towards Tirzah, "I know that feeling very well. Boredom is the worst. Always makes me itch just to do... something." He shrugs a bit and smiles, "So you're heading out too?" He asks, "Supposed I should introduce myself before you go. I'm Zyvis."
Vixen pauses, considering Zyvis. "Number 2435. Just go there and ask them about it, drop the card in there. Get them to scribble on a date or place, guys down there are pretty decent about that." She then turns, a hand lifted as she gives a general, "C'ya." The young woman heads back towards the front. And will be there a minute or two getting her collection of small weapons back and situated before she goes out, locking on her helmet.
"Yeah I think so. Nice talking to you really Zyvis but Sage is my air. Being with her keeps me in the manageably complacent state. So best get my next fix before it wears off and I get unstable." She bids, smilely warmly as she pays her tab. Then standing she'll down the rest of the drink in one go. "See you around."
"I'm sure we'll bump into each other again. If you get any interesting work... let me know hmm? I'll try and hunt you down should I find that beast and it'll be profitable for you to join in." Zyvis says with a smile and a wave, "Have a good night." He turns his attention back to the crowd at large.
