Oct 27 18:41:48 108 PA Lost in the park

From Chronicles

Jaxain raises an eyebrow, "You think so?" He chuckles, "Came off a bit strange to me, but no biggie." Jax shrugs, laying down in the grass to rest his weary muscles. "Well, there must be a reason the rumors started, people don't just talk shit about the Alibi for no reason." He smiles. "It was a good night though."

Tek comes wandering into the park looking miserable. His coveralls are wet, seeming that he has been out in the rain for a while. His gaze flickers from side to side and he keeps stopping to turn around and look behind him, even starting back before turning back around and continuing on forward. The longer you watch the more it seems he is lost. It is apparent as he gets closer that he has not seen your group as of yet, even though he is less than a stones throw from you.

Jaxain can't see so well in the dark either, but he does think he might recognize the figure approaching. "Tek?" He asks, propping himself up on his elbows. His shoes are lying on the grass next to him, and his bare footed form is spread out and relaxed. He reaches forward and starts to massage the calf muscles on his left leg. "That you?" He's had people try to rob him in the park before, but mostly weren't wet OR making that much noise when they walked.

Bella glances over. Even if she can see the guy better she dunno the face. "If't is he's all soakin wet." She's still smirkin. Just gives the new guy some. "Gonna go jump inna lake 'r somethin? 'R did ya already?"

Stopping Tek turns and relief spreads across his face, "Friendly faces..." he steps over closer to you, "Hey Bella, Jax" smiling he gives a nod in greeting, "I have been lost for hours wandering around in what seems circles. Where the hell am I."

Jaxain laughs, "Not exactly in your element, eh?" He smiles at the other man. "We are about a fifteen minute walk from Main, it's somewheres over that way." He says, pointing in a vaguely eastish direction. "Not exactly the safest place to be at night." He looks at Bella. "I know it was the Lady, I just meant I ain't heard no rumors about the Alibi. So something tells me there might be something *behind* the rumors there." He shrugs. "But you say it's clear, right?"

"Yep." Bella nods at Tek. "Ain' safe. Monster maybe jump outta the dark 'n eat ya up." She's only teasin. Ok. She's grinnin anyways. Shrugs at Jax too. "Ain't heard nothin bout the Alibi neither. Maybe means there's somethin goin on there?" Now a nod. "Yep. Could be people startin stuff ta get people lookin'a wrong way. Maybe y'oughtta be checkin 't out?"

Tek's eyes widen a bit and he looks around nervously, "Monsters? Here?" he steps in a little closer, "You are joking right?" looking around a again he mutters something about armor next time under his breath

Jaxain nods at Bella, "Ummm, Ok I guess that makes sense... so you think that someone is trying to put focus on The Lady as a distraction?" He doesn't have any reason to believe otherwise. "It seemed alright when I was there, I guess." He shrugs. Looking at Tek, he gives a small smile. "Well, there are reports of attacks, robberies and unsolved murders in this park... but only a night, really. And they don't happen all THAT frequently." He looks around himself, "Bringing armor is nice I guess, but it also gives people something to rob from ya."

Bella pokes Jax again. "Ain't sayin that. Sounded like what -ya- was sayin silly." She flops back on her hands. Sorta half sittin. Don't care bout bein inna skirt much. "Always gangers 'n shit runnin round 'ere. Lookin fer easy pickins. Ain' so bad. Ya wanna find more stuff go walk inna Dregs. Don't even gotta be dark out ta get mugged. Beat. Grabbed. Dead. Whatever."

Tek nods and seems to relax slightly, "Well I appreciate the information. I am still getting familiar with the area."

Jaxain nods to Bella, "Yeah, gotta watch out in the dregs. Sure it's great to have armor and weapons, but that just makes you a tastier looking target sometimes." He gives Bella a confused look. "OH... I didn't mean to say that..." he shakes his head. "But I guess it makes sense..." He moves on to his other leg, massaging the sore muscles. "How'd you get all wet by the way?"

"Gonna do mine too?" Bella grins at Jax. Swings a leg over ta drop on his. Then she looks back over at Tek. "Yeah. How'd ya get all wet? 'N how'd ya get lost in 'ere? Ain' that big."

Sure, it might be dark in the Plaza Park where everyone knows only the foolhardy, the brave, the powerful or the stupid go at night. Sure, it might be chilly. Sure, there may have been people coming and going, some of them friends, some of them strangers. But dammit, more than four decades of life, more than two of them having been the peacekeeping and war-making kind earns a man certain privileges. Privileges such as sitting on a wooden bench, looking up at the stars and trying to pick out constellations that sync-up in some meaningful way with Glenn Miller's 'In the Mood.' If not? Then an older man is entitled to a little 'me' time, lost in contemplation about family and times long gone. Then, only then, can anyone expect said person to take notice. It is now that time. Gabriel stands from where had been sitting motionless, stretching his arms to the sides. "Bella, Jax, how're you doing? Looking into that helmet fix, Tek?" Yeah, that's right. It also entitles a man to just blurt his way into a conversation that he knows absolutely nothing about. Suck on that, life.

Tek shrugs and says to Bella, "Well I just got into the park, I can't seem to find the Nut & Bolt again. Which is where my Rover is parked and I have been wandering around for a while and it was raining pretty good earlier." then looking to Gabriel as he emerges from the shadow, "Helmet? It would be no problem to do I already have the tools I would need. Just need the parts and some time."

Bella grins up. "Heya Gabe. Doin Ok. Just chattin bout stuff. Rumors 'n clubs 'n stuff." She's got one leg dropped on Jax's legs. Maybe get it some rubbin like he's doin ta his. Since he was runnin. Other one's flopped onna grass she's sittin on. "Whatcha doin? Helmets? Somebody break theirs?"

Gabriel starts to wander over, not that he'd ever really been far away. In his common drawl, he asks, "Why Bella, you little minx. Are you going off and trying to subvert our noble friend into entertaining your desires? Poking him in all the right places? Little tickling while whispering sweet nothings in his ear?" He taps his earlobe. "You know, that language of yours that no one can understand?" He chuckles at that, and looks to Tek. "Yeah, yeah. If I can find someone to sell me a cheap multi-optics helmet, as long as it won't take away its ability to take a hit, I'd pay you to build it in. Maybe I can take out the existing thermals and adapt 'em to do something else." Then a small creeping smile. "Now that I have something better anyway."

Tek smiles and nods, "Just let me know when you have the parts and I can take care of the rest. The Thermal I remove will be in working order and I could even work it into the helmet that the multi-optics come out of if you want." "Who? Me?" Bella grins. Looks all innocent. Maybe. Ok not really. At all. "Oh. Gettin new stuff. Cool. 'N ain' nothin wrong witha way I talk." Her tongue pokes out at him. Then sucks it back in when she looks at Tek. "So. Yer a fixer-upper. Cool. Know who ta talk ta when my shit breaks."

The old soldier nods at Tek and Bella at the same time - somehow. "I think you're going to have a 'flamey shooter' laying on your doorstep pretty soon, Tek."

Tek chuckles, "I am good with weapons of all types, but better with weapon systems. Robots are my specialty but combat vehicles are my second favorite to work with though tinkering of pretty much any kind tickles my fancy. Ohh and if you have any computer issues I can be very helpful in that regard as well." he stoops down to one knee as the conversation progresses, "I was talking with Bart and am seriously considering signing on with his outfit, being new in town was wondering if any of you have had any dealings with him and how those turned out?"

Bella smirks. "Oughtta get me more flamey stuff. It's fun." Tek gets a shrug. "Dunno much bout 'im. Went huntin dinos with 'im. Sorta. Maybe somethin 'fore that. Ain' got me blowed up yet?" She smirks more. "Ok. There's that one time. Weren't his doin thought."

With his lips quirking to the side for a moment, Gabriel does his best to honestly answer Tek's questions. "He's quite deliberate. I personally don't think that I've seen him make the best choices of targets when it comes to fulfilling a mission quickly and efficiently, or protecting others fighting with him. He's not unskilled or incompetent, those are just my observations. I'm sure that he's excellent as long as there are larger numbers of people supporting him." Then the man shakes his head. "The thing that I personally avoid about him is the company he keeps. I won't name names, but a number of them aren't the kind of people whom I'd want my name associated with; thus.. I have yet to work with him in a capacity where he has chosen the soldiers." He's then quiet, but quickly adds, "Oh yeah.. he's a merc, and he likes his money. If you're on a mission and you get the shit blown out of you, don't expect him to drop a dime in your direction to help in any way." Then he's quiet. Quiet. Yeah, he's done for now.

Tek nods as he listens, "I can understand not giving names but could you hint at what kind of unsavory you refer? I have worked for several Merc companies in the past and it seems most have unsavory types almost seems to be the nature of the beast... No?"

"Ouch." Bella scowls at that. "Guess he's a big fat selfish ass. Fun. Maybe I oughtta go onna 'nother mission thing with 'im. Then when he gets blowed up 'r chopped inta bitty pieces I can get alla creds he's been keepin."

It doesn't take Gabriel long to hint. In a flat drawl, "If I said that some people consider one of his common affiliates to be a borderline psychotic, would that mean anything to you?" He holds up an index finger, perhaps trying to make an important point. "I'm not knocking his skills, though with the caveats I've already said. But I have seen him leave a man to die as he collected his own reward. Associations and trustworthiness? I personally find those at least as important as the ability to shoot something or give the enemy a good knock on the head." Looking at Bella, "You've been with him, too? What don't you tell Tek what you think of him. Maybe I'm wrong. It does happen... occasionally." He offers the young man a wink of an eye to prove that no, he isn't actually that hung-up on himself.

Tek smiles with a nod, "Well I appreciate your cander, like I said I was just considering joining up with him. I am not exactly combat ready, without some power armor or weapon system that I do not own to control I am fairly useless in a major conflict. Right now I would consider myself support. Fixing weapons and armor and the sort." he smiles and looks to Bella to see if she has any additional information to add as Gabriel asks her.

Jaxain was busy massaging his sore muscles during the mainstay of this conversation, giving Bella a wink as he gently removes her leg from his lap so that he can reach his own. "I dunno, Bart seems like a pretty straight shooter to me. Maybe he figured that the man he left behind was in good hands already." He shrugs, "It an easy mistake to make, I suppose. I think he's good for his word, though your," he says, looking at Gabriel, "Point is good. He's more interested in the money than the mission."

Bella frowns again. "Well. Pissed me off onna dino hunt thing. Asked if I was gonna go. Asked him when't was goin down. Told me one thing. Was another." She moves her leg back onto Jax's. "Ended up makin me walk halfa damned night justa catch up. Then got the li'l dinos 'fore I could do nothin. Then ran off 'gain." A shrug. "I figgered fack it 'n left. Came back 'ere. Weren' nothin fer me ta do."

Gabriel grins, and in a Kentucky twang offers up, "I'm here for candor - I try to always be polite out of respect for my parents and my family, but I try to pass out any honest information that I have to give." He is gathered with Tek, Bella and Jaxain in the dark night beneath a cloudy but currently rainless sky. He and Tek remain standing, though Bella and Jaxain seem to be in the middle of their own private wrestling match as to whose leg gets to go where.

Tek shrugs, "A Merc out for the money?" he chuckles a bit, "How strange, but leaving people behind what sounds like twice is a concern. I might join up and sit back and fix stuff for him just for a paycheck but I still have not decided."

Jaxain smiles at Bella and rolls his eyes, starting in on massaging her leg since he has finally finished on his own. He is wearing running gear, simple tight shorts with a black t-shirt, and he is still steaming from the evaporating sweat from his extended runs around the park. His new running shoes he has removed and set on the grass beside him as he nods to Gabriel, giving a meaningful look which is lost on others. He looks back at Tek. "Bella still got paid, even though she wasn't able to make the meeting point. That one, I wouldn't completely blame on Bart, and he could have kept her share but didn't." He gives her a smirk. "Though she did miss out on the fun."

Tap. Tap. Tap. A figure steps through the gloom, wide-brimmed black felt hat tugged low, little bits of him visible as he passes the uncertain street lights. A bit of olive oilskin duster. The silvery flash on the tip of the tightly-bound umbrella he's using as a walking stick. The quiet jangle of dulled spurs. There's a flick, flick, and a brief flare of light as he pauses, and Sebastien's face is a map of angry red scars in the glow of a cigarette as he eyes the group gathered in the park.

"Was borin." Bella sticks her tongue out at Jax this time. "Went fer the fun. Creds're nice but weren' why." She could complain lots more. But she's gettin her leg rubbed. "Least I didn' starve. Found a nice guy 'r two sharin a snack." One last shrug. "Bout the only fun I got outta the whole thing. Hiya Seb!" She grinning again 'fore she even looks up at the guy inna hat inna dark.

"Nice shoes, Jax. But you're going to need something sturdier for the great outdoors," Gabriel advises. "What's your best time for a lap of the strip?" He listens to Tek with a contemplative smile, neither here nor there in judgment of any kind, save to remind, "Paycheck's are good. But for me, I like to keep my name pristine. Anyway, good luck, Tek. I'll look out for you for the that helmet fix." Now, there could be any number of was with which one might address someone appear out of the darkness in such a dramatic fashion. A greeting, a cheer, a gasp, a mime attempting to get out of box while simultaneously pulling a rope. Gabriel goes a different direction. "Hey! They fished out you out of the river!"

Tek turns as the new person approaches keeping his eyes open but remains silent for the moment.

Jax's face drains of color slightly at ... something... Bella said (judging by the look he gave her), and he removes her leg from his lap again, gently, and does his best to hide a shudder as he stands back up. "Ummm, yeah." he says, facing Gabriel. "They kinda suck. Had some pretty major blisters on my feet too..." He looks down at the shoes. "My last pair of boots got damaged in an explosion." He tilts his head to the side, considering something. "It was about 10 minutes, I think." Looking at the newcomer, he gives a smile and a nod of his head. "Hey, good to see you again. How are things?" He asks, raising his eyebrows at the end of the question.

His eyes sweep them, colorless in the monochromatic light, and a stream of smoke blows up from under the brim of his hat as he steps up from the path towards their bench. The tip of that umbrella lifts, lazily whipped in a broad arch to his side, and as he's closer than spitting distance Sebastien jabs it into Bella's chest to lean on the umbrella's crook, red-lit face peering down at her. "You," he utters, the cigarette bobbing in the corner of his mouth, "did not tell me about this work."

Bella cocks a brow at Jax. "What?" But she don't getta chance to getta answer. Getsa point of an umbrella jabbed in her chest. And leaned on. She smirks up at Sebastien now. Perks up the other brow. "What work? Goin out 'n huntin dinos? Weren' nothin. Missed mosta it. Why? Ya miss me?"

A lifetime's worth of experience has told Gabriel to wisely back away slighly as a possible argument begins to blossom between friend and acquaintance. Plus, it gives him a place to loosen his weapons quietly, in case someone decides to really bring down trouble that might interfere with his own pleasant evening. Tek also takes a step or two back and watches the proceedings, having not met the new fella he keeps a watchful eye in case he needs to run for cover.

Jaxain isn't as wise as Gabriel, or as smart as Tek, and he simply balances himself on one foot (with some difficulty) while he tries to put his shoes back on. He had opened his mouth to say something to Bella, but saves it as she seems otherwise occupied. His eyebrows raise, and he hops a step to avoid falling over as he watches the proceedings. Sebastien tilts back his head, eyes widening as he peers down at little Bella, and his face lights briefly in another draught of cigarette smoke. "I thought we had an arrangement," he broaches, bits of ash falling like snow as he speaks. "You; use some sense, and follow my plan. I; keep you alive." His head tilts to the right, nostrils flaring. "How does sneaking into the woods to play Tiny White Hunter fit into that arrangement, I wonder?"

"Yer the one figgered I oughtta go out. Help more. Shit like that." Bella stands up. So she don't look so tiny. Ok. Not as much anyway. Lets her poke Sebastian inna chest back too. "Was helpin 'n stuff. Ain' that parta yer big plan?"

Although he enjoys the man's use of rhyming technique, Gabriel now has a safe thirty feet between the argumentative odd couple. In fact, he makes a mental note to write up a script about this event and send it in to that Bridge Beau guy who broadcasts the news on Channel 5. As he unbuttons the front of his his already loose jacket, he suggests quietly, "Hey, Hopalong!" - Jax obviously being the target - "Get over here, I'll show you how you're still using your knees too much." Subterfuge, perhaps. A way to get someone's attention, definitely.

Tek has not backed up as far as Gabriel but he has a little distance as Bella stands up and starts poking back, their words may seem friendly enough but he is still just observing from the side lines trying to get a better feel for the situation. Jaxain has both of his shoes on by now, but hasn't finished tying the laces. He gives a strange look to Sebastien, which is just as ignored as everything else. He shrugs, and starts tying his shoes. "Yeah, coulda been dangerous, I guess..." He starts saying, then he looks up as Gabriel speaks and he makes his way over, laces untied. "Ok, wicked!" he says, only glancing back at the other two now and then.

"I did," Sebastien replies, tongueing the cigarette so that it falls in a cascade of sparks between the pair. "Fighting vampires. With my help." His eyes never leave Bella, and he steps closer to press her back with the umbrella as one of those boots crushes the burning ember to nothing beneath him. "You're not invulnerable. This world is alien and violent towards your kind. Right now, death could come from above." He lifts that umbrella from her chest then, leaving a dimple in her shirt, and turns it sideways to hook the crook behind her neck and tug her forwards. His dark eyes peer down at her as he utters, "Think. Please." He pauses a breath, and two.

Bella is tugged to him. And don't mind. Her poking finger goes around his shoulders with her hand. And the other one. Leg comes up to hook round him even. And she coos. Sorta. "Aww. Were all worried bout me weren'tcha? Soon 's we find some out somewheres we can go get 'em. Don'tcha worry none. Ain't stupid. But can't be all cooped up inna city alla time." Then she's playin with his ear. "'Less yer gonna make it more 'xcitin fer me here?" Yep. They're all friendly.

Gabriel remains ready, knowing both people well enough to know that he doesn't know them well enough when they're together. He helps Jaxain over to his location, all of his gear loose. Fleshy people don't live very long if they let their guard down. "Damn, Jax. Rub some dirt on those blisters and play through the pain. Ya don't want to go into battle wearing sneakers... you can't get anything like mine, but someone around here has to sell something resembling combat boots." A chin is jutted in the direction of the public display of affection. He toys with his long-barreled pistol's grip and asks his student, "Don't suppose you know anything about the love-in?"

Tek seems to be out of place and starts to wander over closer to Gabriel and Jaxain but keeps an eye on the reunion/lovers squabble and keeps listening. Feeling a bit out of places he puts his hands in his pockets just watching still.

Jaxain isn't all that concerned by the pain, and just shrugs. The shoes, which he said he just bought recently, already look a few weeks old. "Yeah, I'm gonna see what I can find... Damn sneaks'." He says, bending down to tie the shoelaces. "Ummm." he gives Tek a nod as the other man approaches. "Yeah, I got some idea. Not certain though, going to have to clarify my knowledge before I write a report." He smiles.

Sebastien stiffens a moment, and releases that umbrella to dangle from her neck. "You know where they are," he points out, and he sinks fingers into the flesh of Bella's shoulders to push her back. "You told me to stay away." "Maybe." Bella gives him that much. She don't give nothin more. Keeps hold so he can't push her back. "But it's fer ev'rybody's good. This's diff'rent. Ain' like what yer used ta. Shit. Ain't what I'm used ta neither. It's all business-like 'n stuff. Ain' nobody dyin. 'N that's better ain' it?"

There's a fine line between polite patience and simply standing aside as your otherwise friendly evening is shattered. It may be healing itself, which is good enough reason for Gabriel to chime in. Or not, at Bella's last words. To them, he only gives a tight smile and a simple nod. "Jax, remember the stories I've told you about where I grew up? Well this is exactly like watching Shakespeare in the Park, except the actors are terrible and the dialogue makes little to no sense. No, wait... it's exactly like Shakespeare in the Park." He grins at the younger-if-not-taller man. Perhaps a joke lost to the ages.

Tek nods to the group as he heads off to the east as Jax had advised earlier and melts into the darkness