closed ♔ we'll outrun the dawn

[everyredcent]

In the Shadows - Amy Stroup

WHO || Christos, Katniss (for now)  [closed]
WHAT || As the Knights pack up to leave for America, Christos has a conversation with Katniss
WHERE || A parlor at Knights HQ 
WHEN || End of 2017
HOW || Actionspam (single thread)

[ Preparations to move the Knighthood to the SHIELD headquarters in Las Vegas are well underway, and the place is filled with activity as people begin packing up what they feel they may need, and making difficult calls about what to leave behind. 

Some are busy making even more difficult calls.

Katniss found a note left for her on her pillow, instructing her to come to a particular parlor at a particular time, in a familiar enough handwritten script.  There must, as always, be a reason for his subterfuge in choosing not to use Drakenet to send the message, but there's something ominous about this meeting that casts an extra tension over the scene.  As she pushes open the door, she would see that he is seated at the piano at the far end of the room, his fingers tracing over the keys, without actually playing anything.

As she steps closer, his fingers come to a stillness, and he speaks without looking fully back: ]

You are certain you're alone?

Comments

[anthophobia]

[Katniss is honestly more comfortable with his subterfuge, and she's had her share of paranoia about this whole situation. She remembers very well what she saw in LA and her circle of trust has never been very large.

Even less so with things so crazy around here.

She moves through the room toward where he's sitting.]

Yes.

[No one really pays attention to her anyway. She likes it that way.]

[everyredcent]

Good. [ he nods slightly to her to sit on the other end of the bench. she would probably notice that there's a mirror over the piano that is angled perfectly so that anyone sitting at it can see the door clearly. ] Circumstances have changed. Obviously.

What do you make of this decision, given what you saw, in the thick of it?

[anthophobia]

[She was going to sit there anyway, so she does so without further prompting. She doesn't comment on his mention of the circumstances. It's an understatement and they both know it.]

I think they're sending a lot of people off to die. [So blunt, as always.] Between the military presence and the monsters, we'll be constantly surrounded. I doubt I even saw the worst of it.

[A full-scale attack just seems stupid. A small group had a chance to get around if they stayed hidden, and it's the only reason she came back alive. Frankly, she's shocked they all did.]

[everyredcent]

I imagine you didn't. [ there's a slight twitch in his cheek, but only the slightest ] And I'd have to agree. The level of mismanagement occurring within this organization has only gained momentum by the day since Wynn's absence. To the point where it is about to get every member of the Knighthood killed.

There's no sense to it, and there's no arguing them out of it.

[anthophobia]

It's like they're just determined to prove something and they're screwing everyone else in the process. It doesn't help that they're basically guilting everyone into following their plan.

[The guilt trip doesn't work on her, but certain obligations will have her see it through if necessary.]

Yeah, 'cause they'll look stupid if they back out now.

[everyredcent]

Worse, even. They're fully convinced that they're right. Wynn may have been many things, but arrogant to the point of foolishness was never one of them. He understood when to exercise caution - and when to not tip one's hand. I can't say that there remains much of that finesse at the helm anymore.

Which brings me to the point.

There's still exactly one person who I think is approaching this sensibly, although there are those who put no more stock in his authority.

[anthophobia]

[She turns her head slightly to look at him, brows furrowed.]

Who?

[everyredcent]

Jack Chessing. [ he lets that hang there, ostensibly to... get a read on how she feels about the JACK IS COMPROMISED BY THE MIND MASTER rumors ]

[anthophobia]

[Her jaw tenses and she blinks once. She's not sure what to think of that. She always thought of Jack as a decent leader from what she could tell, but she also doesn't really know him at all. There's also the fact that he was supposedly compromised and then bailed.

Then again, the people who decided he was compromised are the people that they're talking shit about right now so she already thinks their opinions are questionable at best.

She trusts Christos, so if he's on Jack's side, then it's easy to figure out where she's going to land.]

Do you think that's what he's doing? Trying to deal with this whole mess?

for francesca

[everyredcent]

[ genesis 30:3 - the mountain goats

the same day, there comes a rapping on francesca's door... ]

Re: for francesca

[socialgraces]

[ after a long moment, she pokes her head out, a bit concerned about who might be on the other side. seeing christos, however, she relaxes, and opens the door wider to face him. ] Hi.

[everyredcent]

[ there's a tension in his entire frame when she opens the door, the lines of his expression draw into a serious and grave aspect that surpasses even the usual bar. ] I need to talk to you. Privately.

[socialgraces]

[ she immediately moves aside, gesturing for him to enter. ] Come in.

[everyredcent]

[ he steps past into the room, pausing for a half moment as his eyes skate around, taking in the decor so to speak. he doesn't sit down, but waits for her to shut the door before speaking. ] I'm not quite certain how to put this. So I won't waste time with it.

I've been in contact with Jack Chessing since he left, and the other members of his team. They're formulating an alternative approach for this Blade situation, one that doesn't involve recklessly throwing ourselves into the line of fire to no avail.

Francesca, I don't believe it is wise to follow Hasmed and Solace to America. So I don't intend to.

[socialgraces]

An 'alternative approach'? [ it's clear it's taking her a moment to process everything he's just said, and she appears posed to continue along this line of questioning, when a look of realization suddenly crosses her face, and a much more pressing question comes to mind: ] Wait. Are you leaving?

[everyredcent]

[ unlike in his conversation with katniss, there's at least a hint on his face of exactly how much it means he'll be leaving behind, and an acknowledgement that it isn't easy. but of course, she fully knows just how much this place and these people have been the only home he's known for so long. ]

With Katniss.

[ there's a slight beat, before he comes out with it: ] Come with us.

[socialgraces]

[ she's nodding her head before she manages to vocalize any kind of response, the sincerity and vulnerability of the moment leaving her a bit breathless ] Alright.

[ she clears her throat ] When are we leaving?

3am, the ballroom

[everyredcent]

[ WHAT UP LADIEZZZZ time to make some move silently & hide checks ]

[anthophobia]

[Move Silently 32, Hide Nat 20 (42)]

[socialgraces]

[ dressed in all black, and carrying only the necessities, francesca will rely upon the many secret passages hidden within the castle walls to make her way to the ballroom (hide 30, move silently 34) ]

[everyredcent]

[ like ghosts, the three of them move through the hallways at night. while there are some people awake or moving about here and there, they go entirely unnoticed, and push open the doors into the ballroom, where christos waits in the shadows (hide 44, move silently 41). when they are both in, he steps out, revealing himself, dressed in his trademark black cloak, the hood raised to obscure his features. ] No trouble?

[anthophobia]

[Katniss is also dressed all in black, having brought only her bow and her leather jacket with her. Her hair is tied back in her usual braid.

She shakes her head at the question.]

None.

[socialgraces]

[ Francesca shakes her head, as well, but still glances around intently, understandably uneasy ] Shall we?

1/2

[everyredcent]

Let's. [ he moves to the doors, glancing outside before slipping them unlatched easily, and moving to press them open...

when abruptly the glass begins to glow red, and a patchwork of rounded shapes begin to appear across it in sharp black outline, snapping open abruptly to reveal that they are a number of slitted reptilian eyes that look remarkably familiar... ]

[nolifeking]

[ kamen shinpu to chapel no kane - yasushi ishii

christos' hand drops off from the handle, and he takes a single step backward, as the door seems to swing open of its own accord. standing there in the door frame, which he fills utterly from the top to the ground, is the hellsing family vampire, wearing his trademark long red coat and hat, and fixing them with a leering grin that showcases his sizable fangs. ] Going somewhere?