knightsoflegend | new orleans ♔ some people they call me monster

Entry tags:

new orleans ♔ some people they call me monster | some people they call me saint

WHO || Rafael, Buffy, Spike, Des, Jack, Thomas, Myri, Finnick, Elena, Gar, Kat, Burt [closed]
WHAT || The Knights infiltrate NOVA to try to locate the experiments and relics mentioned by Chad & company. Shenanigans ensue.
WHERE || NOVA HQ, New Orleans
WHEN || Sunday, Nov 18th, 2012
HOW || Actionspam, don't sweat tag order! Keep it a rollin'.

Months ago, Finnick learned from Burt Becksworth about a number of construction projects Chad had contracted on the building. At the time of discovering the occult room, it was assumed the construction was to create the secret areas behind the auditorium, however, Kat's finally managed to hack into NOVA financial records and trace the contracts down.

It seems there was another, much more expensive, project, adding restructuring to the locked off basement level, to which there is no access through the public elevators. Schematics show that there is one accessible elevator shaft that goes to the lobby, which requires a key to activate the lower floor. Thomas considers it a better bet, however, to use the nearby quarry underground entrance through which construction trucks used to reach the site. Thomas will be leading a team through the underground tunnel in hopes of finding a space large enough to host the 'experiments' that Chad and company were afraid of the Knights discovering while nosing around the building.

Meanwhile, Jack wishes to discover if there are any remaining 'relics' in the building, and if so, to confiscate or document them. The heightened security within the building has made access much more problematic, and its taken awhile for him to acquire the security protocols necessary to be able to create a looped camera feed. Now that's everything's in place, he'll be infiltrating the building to override the cams, allowing Buffy, Elena, and Rafael to join him on the fourteenth floor for one last sweep of the occult room.

The situation has also grown more complicated in other ways since eavesdropping on Chad's cabal. In a gutsy move, Burt Becksworth has created an inescapable situation for Rafael and Finnick, forcing them to comply in preparing for an album and tour, lest they destroy their own reputations and become infamous in the business for backing out of their 'contracts' and letting down legion of NOVA fans. Finnick is an ideal situation to try and discover more about Burt's plans, however, and perhaps to find out incidental information concerning Chad's "Back the Fans" tour.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She spots him as well (21) just as Buffy is nudging her, and she nods, looking off a bit so that she isn't caught staring, and wait for him to glance over at them so they can continue to follow orders.]

[ rafael spots them in his sweep of the room, granting them the tiniest nod before getting up and heading to the elevator. the doors ding open and he steps inside.

♬ taiseidou no basatsu - yasushi ishii ft. tabei tatsuo

the front desk is nearby, between the girls and the elevator bank, and as the doors close on raf, a tall, blonde man with short, spiky hair approaches the secretary. a very tall man. in fact, a towering man, of a height with Wynn, likely 6'7", dressed in gray priest's vestments. a spot check of 14 or higher would note a large, wedge-shaped scar on his left cheek. a silver cross dangles at his chest.

the secretary starts to say "Can I help you" before looking up, and adding "... Father" with a note of complete surprise as she takes in his ensemble.

he offers her a pleasant smile, drawing a piece of paper out of his cassock to hold up in front of her. he speaks in a heavy scottish brogue, and there's writing visible on the back of the glove he holds aloft (a 16+ spot can read the words "Speak with dead" emblazoned over a drawing of a cross). ] I certainly hope so, child. Maybe ye can tell me if you've seen this man.

[ she only glances at the picture for a moment, before giving him a quizzical nod. "That's Rafael Giovanni, one of Mr. Beckworth's artists." she glances over her shoulder towards the seat raf recently vacated. "...He was just down here."

the priest follows her gaze, eyes lighting as they land on the empty chair, as if the news immensely pleases him. ] ... Was he now.

[ without looking away from the spot, he adds: ]

An' where might he have gone?

Uh-oh. [ buffy's spot of 18 means she notices all of these things. the scar, the words on his gloves. it doesn't mean anything to her - not yet - but the religiosity of it all does remind her of something she'd spoken to jack about (nat 20 wis). catholic. things that mark him as a religious man. he'd asked those about mr. gray, but now she was on the alert for it. especially considering how many demons had been prowling around. there have been ... run-ins as such, when their mission paths cross with ours, he'd said.

even if it was coincidence, it meant someone was trying to follow rafael, which meant someone was going to get in the way of them finding relics. if it wasn't coincidence, it could mean drawing attention to rafael's connections to them.

she worries at her lip, glancing between the priest and the elevator that rafael just disappeared into. then she looks at elena. ]

Go after him. I'm gonna keep this guy from following. I'll catch up if I can shake him. [ her willingness to be decoy had nothing to do, of course, with the hope that he might be connected with what jack mentioned. escargot?

she makes a small but urgent gesture towards the elevator, then turns and makes her way to the desk. ]

[Elena quickly memorizes the man's appearance and special features (spot 23) during the time that Buffy is formulating her plan. This man is obviously formidable, and though she's had no idea who he might be or why he's looking for Rafael, the point is that he is.

She wants to protest, to tell Buffy that it's dangerous, but she can tell that she's already made up her mind as she gestures and then starts to walk away.

So Elena only hesitates for a moment before she makes a soft, frustrated noise, and turns to head towards the elevators, one of them opening as she makes her approach.]

Hi!

[ buffy approaches the desk, and smiles at both the father and the desk attendant. ]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, did you say you were looking for Mr. Giovanni? I'm his assistant. [ bluff 11 ] Maybe I could help. What do you need?

[ wow a whole eleven, huh

yeahhhhhhh no.

the priest turns slowly to look down at her, sliding the picture away into his coat as he affixes her with a hard gaze. ]

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination t'him: and a false witness who breathes out lies is one of 'em. Mind yerself, child, lest such wickedness turn to mortal sin. [ he's so good with people. ]

[Elena catches this entire portion of their conversation as she steps into the elevator (listen: nat 20), though the rest is cut off as the doors close and it starts to move upward.

An elevator moving up 14 floors has never felt so slow in her life.]

Well, it was lie about the assistant thing, or be honest about how tacky that outfit is, and I was always taught if you've got nothing nice to say... Maybe that's why your Lord just isn't for me. [ she claps a hand on the top of the desk. ] You caught me. I'm not his assistant. But, I do know where he is, and I'd be happy to take you to him just as soon as you tell me what you want. [ bluff 26 ]

Dinna what else is to be expected from a self-professed heathen. An' I'd say it's better to dress as a man o' the cloth, than tramp about like a common whore. [ gotta love the way he says that word. it sounds like 'HOOR'. say it out loud. it's fun.

his eyes move to the elevator and he gives a creepy smile as his gaze lights on the numbers moving up to 'fourteen' on the middle bank that rafael took. ]

I don't doubt ye could, but it seems I don't need your help. Might be in your best interests to stay out of me way. [ he brushes past her, straight towards the remaining elevator, as elena's bank hits '6' ] An' to stay away from him until our business is done.

[ god it's so hard not to just put this asshole down in the middle of nova for that comment. buffy's expression twitches and her fingers itch to curl into a fist. one of them balls up, but she keeps is steeled to her side. she inhales deeply through her nose, keeping her lips tightly pressed in a line to stop herself from saying anything she'll regret, or that might ruin this.

but then he's moving around her and she loosens up immediately, because she's better at action than communication anyway. ]

H-Hey! [ she navigates herself in front of him again, holding up her hands to try and stop him or slow him down. ] You know, funny thing about us common whores, we're not so good at doing what's in our best interests.

I'm trying to help you out here. Rafael's a friend of mine, and he's asked to be left alone. But if you just tell me what you need, I'm sure he'd be willing to make an exception and squeeze you in. At, you know, a soonish time that, uh, isn't now.

[ yeah it's like stepping in front of a freight train. he'll just keep walking. he slaps a palm against the elevator button and the final available bank opens. he looks again at the glowing 14 in the middle and grins widely. ]

I gave you one warnin', young lady. That's more than I might usually offer, so I suggest ye take the chance t'get outta here before I change my mind.

[ he steps into the elevator fully, having to duck to get within, and then turns around, to fix her with that ghastly smile ] Y'might do well to learn to associate with better company than heretics. It's too late for him.

Ye might still save yerself. [ annnd the doors start to close ]

[ elena finally arrives a few moments after that's all going on, and the doors ding open into the hallway.

raf's visible just leaning out the doorway of the auditorium, and when he sees elena, he nods with his head for her to follow him into the large purple auditorium, starting to walk down the aisle towards the stage without waiting for her, hands shoved in the pockets of his suit. ]

[She jogs more than walks out of the elevator, hurrying after him. She has no idea if she's about to be followed by Buffy or the priest from downstairs, but she knows she needs to inform him of what's going on.

Once she's close enough that she can harshly whisper and hopefully still be in earshot, she does so.]

We might have a problem.

[ buffy watches the doors close, then books it for the stairs. she begins to hurdle up them in a desperate attempt to get to the fourteenth floor before the priest can (fort 16, dex 13). ]

[ gurl's gon' be running awhile. that's a lotta stairs.

rafael glances down at elena, brow furrowing as he says: ] What kind of a problem?

There was a man downstairs, asking about you. He knows you're here. Buffy's trying to stall him, but...

[She's speaking quickly, an indication of the vibe she got off this guy.]

He's really tall, blonde, dressed like a priest, with glasses. Pretty heavy accent. Scar on his cheek. The back of his glove had a drawing of a cross and the words 'speak with dead.'

A priest? [ he pauses near the front of the stage, and seems to pale a bit, looking at her sharply ] Elena, Buffy is in great danger.

[Her stomach tightens; her instincts had screamed that very thing, but to hear it from someone who knows this situation better than herself.]

We have to help her. [It's her first reaction, because she doesn't want her to get hurt. Logic sinks in second.] If he's looking for you, you're in danger too. [She's trying to think a mile a minute.] What should we do?

You should do nothing but stay out of his way. [ he seems to remember something and casts a hesitant look over her shoulder towards the stage ] Jack is already within the secret room behind the stage. The door should be open. Alert him that there's a dangerous man approaching.

[ he seems to be steeling himself against something inevitable ] I will be fine. You need not worry about me. Stay safe.

This is not your fight. Any of you.

You realize that only makes me worry about you more, right?

[Ugh, worst feeling ever. Her instincts want her to stay right here and help, but she also knows that, in a fight, she's nearly useless. That's what Buffy's for, and she should be here first, if all works out the way her friend wanted.]

Be careful.

[And then she's going to do as she's told, because she has to warn Jack, too. She just prays that Buffy gets here to help him.

She turns and starts running toward the back of the stage to find this open door.]

[ She'd hear the noise of ponderous footsteps approaching as she makes her way onto the stage towards the curtains. gatz. gatz. gatz.

right before she vanishes behind it, he appears, a long, silver bayonet in each hand. rafael reaches beneath his suit jacket and draws forth two guns, turning to face him. ]

Rafael Giovanni. Ye have been judged. And found wanting.

[ behind the curtain, it's mostly dark, but there's visible light coming from a small door that's ajar, which leads into a bedroom. jack is here, standing in front of a rectangular panel on the wall that's slid away to reveal another secret door.

... floor 13 for buffy. ]

[ GOLLY ALL THIS RUNNING IS EXHAUSTING but not really bc ... buffy. just survive til she gets there, rafael ... ]

[Oh god, Buffy. Hurry. ;;

She bursts into the bedroom, breathing quickly, and spots Jack. She barely has time to take in the rest of the scene before she speaks.]

Rafael is in trouble!

What's the matter? [ he turns towards her immediately, placing one hand on his gun.

in the meantime, buffy breaks up the stairwell into the hallway. ]

Guys, we need to go, some guy's -- [ buffy's urging comes out as she bursts out the door into the hallway, but she stops dead when she sees the priest has beat her to the punch. her eyes widen and she tenses, seeing the knives. ] Here.

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