CHAPTER FOUR ♔ does it run in your blood to betray the ones you love

[coldheritage]

♬ The Truth - Nonpoint

WHO || Failboat, Rafael, Isabella, Nadia  [Closed]
WHAT || After an exciting Grammy night, the Knights meet up with Nadia to hear what she has to say
WHERE || Staples Center, LA -->  Warehouse
WHEN || Feb 8th, 2015  [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam

[  The Knights' mission to stop the signal and prevent Draken's cult from spreading whatever subliminal message  was lurking beneath Keijen Blade's performance was a success.  It didn't come without its bumps in the road, however:  Alexander Anderson showed up, and the Knights ran afoul of the Mind Master.    Buffy nearly died fighting Anderson, but in the end, he was defeated, beheaded, and hopefully put to death forever.   Finnick, though, found himself thrust into a mental illusion that convinced him he might still be in the Hunger Games, and left him uncertain about whether any of his life here was real.  

Another surprise came in the form of an announcement by Nadia Reichenov, an artist working with Crombe and company, that she was changing her band name and taking things in a 'new direction'.   This direction was perhaps revealed when after her performance, she approached the Knights in Rafael's dressing room - and handed them the necklace that connects her to the Nightmare God Malaak'a, saying she was willing to tell them everything.  ]

Comments

[isisagent]

[Archer quietly waves her concerns off.]

Yeah, yeah. It's not my fault that guard duty is a friggin snooze-fest.

[He whispers back, then he kicks back and sips from his flask. At least he got a little entertainment out of Des.]

[doubletake]

[Elena doesn't even respond, because again, this is important. They're lucky they didn't give themselves away already.

Once she's finished up with Des' poor face, she turns her gaze back outwards, going back to scanning the area while remaining hidden.]

[chessing]

[ jack draws his phone out of his pocket as it vibrates, looking off into the horizon sharply for a moment as if to scan for something. he motions for the others to listen as he relays directions to gar and co as well ] We'll send a vehicle off with Elena visible in the passenger seat with a few Knights to hold off pursuers in the back. They'll draw as many of them off as they can, while another group remains here to keep anyone from entering the building. Those of you inside take the real Nadia out back, find a way to sneak her away without being seen.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des stands and looks down at Elena, giving her a firm nod, before turning to Jack.] I'll stay here.

[doubletake]

[Elena nods back at Des, then focuses on Jack, expression calm (will save 29).]

Ready when you are.

[romanticidal]

[ raf and buffy make it right around the corner just in time to hear this, his expression hardening as he too scans the skyline. ] I will help, wherever you think it best.

[slay]

In the car.

[ She gestures readily to Elena, picking up easily on Jack's exposition. Placing a hand on Rafael's arm, she looks him dead in the eye and impresses, ] Look after her.

[ Then she charges up to Des' side and nods to Jack. ] We should be able to keep them distracted here.

[nothingsodivine]

[on a dice roll of 1-20, 20 being having the tact god gave a penguin not to say the thing and 1 being saying HEY WERE YOU TWO MAKING OUT, Des rolled an 8, so...]

And what exactly were you two talking about back there?

[romanticidal]

[ FFS DES. he gets a Look from raf who also rolled the world's second to worst bluff check. IT'S STILL A TWENTY B/C HE'S AN EXPERT LIAR. but he rolled a 2. des knows. and raf's stare is basically like now is not the time desmond. ] We thought someone should keep an eye on every angle.

[slay]

[ And right on time, here's the "I'm not ESL so I know that's a #phrasing moment, but correcting or qualifying it would just come across defensive" grimace. Buffy wears it well and bites her tongue. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Every angle, huh? Des raises one shoulder in a shrug and makes a satisfied expression, before turning back to Jack, all OKAY BOSS I GOT THAT OUT OF MY SYSTEM.]

[savemyself]

[ isa makes her way around the same corner, looking around and spotting raf and buffy with a frown. idk if she thought she was going to catch them furiously making out back there or sth who knows. ] We must hurry.

[nothingsodivine]

[des's smarmy expression vanishes as he sees isa come around and he steps up to her.] Can you drive Elena away with Rafael and Archer?

[he steps even closer, lowering his voice.] For what it's worth, I'm sorry for what I said earlier.. and for not trusting you at the Grammy's. But I'm trusting you with something that matters. [he nods back at elena.] God knows you didn't ask for any of this and you don't owe us anything, but... But I know you always do the right thing. Whether you like it or not... and maybe we've all been too stuck up our own asses to appreciate how hard this all is for you.

[savemyself]

[ isabella's eyebrows knit together in confusion, and she darts a sharp glance out of the corner of her eyes at rafael and buffy, before glaring daggers back at des, even though rafael is pretending not to hear any of that. she's still visibly embarrassed, but it manifests in the way is usually does, and she reaches out to backhand him in the chest in irritation, pushing past him dismissively to address jack. ] I will drive the girl.

[romanticidal]

[ rafael looks back at buffy as if he wishes to say more, but wisely decides to hold his tongue, and just meets her eyes and nods slightly - a silent good luck, before he moves beside isabella. ] When we have lost them, we will return Elena to your hotel. [ he draws out one of the two guns he's tucked away, nods to des as he passes him, and then gestures with his head towards 'nadia' to follow, climbing into the back of the car as isabella gets in the driver's seat. ]

[doubletake]

[Elena looks between Des and Buffy as well, the slightest hint of insecurity flittering across her face before she pulls it back. Dangerous or no, the more people that follow after her, the better.]

Good luck, guys. Catch you on the flip side.

[And then she heads over to the car, slipping into the passenger seat beside Isabella.]

[isisagent]

[Archer gets his Heckler & Koch PSG-1 out of the trunk, then. He rarely ever dusts this baby off, but he's going to want it handy in case another goddamn helicopter comes after them.]

I'm not sure they're the ones needing luck, when we're the live bait.

[He grins, and gets in the car. Who's he kidding - he loves anything that sounds vaguely like a suicide mission.]

[slay]

[ Buffy watches after her with all the worry and concern of a parent sending their baby off to college because they've painted a target on Elena's back and they're only sending her with three people for protection. But they need people on all fronts, so Buffy knows logistically, she should not go with.

And she trusts Rafael. And sometimes Isabella and Archer's combat finesse. So she breaks the gaze she holds on Elena and turns to Des. ]

That was a cute moment. [ She can't help calling him out on his failed attempt at reconciliation with Isabella. Then, she rolls her shoulders, shaking off the stiffness of recovery from the last time things got ugly. An hour ago. When she almost died. ] What do you say—ready for things to get ugly?

[nothingsodivine]

I can't help but feel bad for her, being mixed up with this just because of him. Besides... she made good points back there.

[he looks down at his gun, moving on before buffy has time to wonder which of those points he meant.] I got nine bullets and a bayonet I stole off a dead Iscariot agent. I'd say "ready" covers it.

[slay]

[ Beat. She whips her head over to look fully at him now instead of dramatically staring off in the same direction with him. Dumbfounded, she repeats, ] Did you just say you've only got nine bullets?

[nepotism]

[ elena group goes here, and fred walks over, having retrieved his sword out of the car. ] I think we all feel a lot safer now, big guy. [ he claps des on the shoulder as he moves past him ]

[nothingsodivine]

[des looks at both of them like they're cray.] I came here with fourteen. My bullet case didn't really go with this outfit. Jesus. It's a nine-shooter. What d'you want from me?

[shootfirst]

For you to hit nine times. [ kat's helpful commentary as she goes to scale the fire escape ladder up to the roof again (climb 17). ]

[nothingsodivine]

Everyone's a critic.

[he steps back closer to where he, elena, and archer were hiding before.]

[slay]

Maybe don't make it so easy for us.

[ There's something breezy about how she laughs as she chills out with Fred in melee land. ]