chicago ♔ give them all that they can drink and it will never be enough

[sirstickuphisass]

♬ blood - my chemical romance

WHO || Rose, Dimitri, Amrita, Lila, Aurelius, Tia, and Eric [closed]
WHAT || Investigating the crime scenes
WHERE || The alleys of Chicago, IL
WHEN || April 5th [ backdated ]
HOW || Actionspam

The Knights split up, Tia taking Rose, Dimitri, and Amrita in the rented vehicle towards two of the more distant sites from the hotel, while Eric leads Aurelius and Lila through the back alleys of the city to somewhere nearby. It's late by now, and Chicago is alive with the sights and sounds of nighttime in the distance. A light rain falls, dripping off the overhangs of the roofs above and pooling against the sidewalks.

Comments

[bittersweeter]

[Minotaurs, so those are real. Good to know. Lila makes a mental note to google that as she hurries after Dean -- she is sticking near the guy with the guns, okay, the Dhampir stakes don't do it for her.]

[likeagod]

[Dimitri follows after Dean as well, glancing back to make sure Rose is close. They will have more luck overpowering these creatures if they're working closely.]

That's good to know.

[littledhampir]

[Without even needing to use the link, Rose has fallen into rear guard, as if knowing Dimitri would expect her to, keeping a closer eye on Davin and Dean than her surroundings, half expecting Dean to pull a surprise staking out of nowhere.]

Any tips on how to kill em? [Looking around (Spot Check: 20 - total.)

Though Rose worked on the theory that not much survived being stabbed in the heart.]

[likedillinger]

You wanna find a way to neutralize those horns, stat, because those suckers can gore you before you can blink. [ he stops right at the door, and turns back to giver her a humorless jackass smile ] Other than that, you're the big bad hunter pack. You ready to admit I might know more than you? [ annnd before she can answer he yanks the door open so she can't, the little bell clinking softly.

it looks like any little pizzeria... a few tables and booths, a long counter, and the unusual addition of an old school jukebox in one corner. an "employee's only" door is visible behind the countertop entrance.

a young teenage boy bobbing his head along with his mp3 player mops up the floor... and rose would be the first to notice that his entire body is slightly transparent.

one customer sits at a table reading a newspaper that blocks his face. ]

[littledhampir]

[Rose's mouth opens to deliver a smartass comeback when it's cut off by the door opening, the hint of a scowl touching her features as she makes a point of thinking loudly through the link;

Can I please wipe that smirk off his face when we're done with him?

Apparently the whole 'it's rude to stare' thing had never been taught to Rose, the brunette looking pointedly at what in her mind was probably a ghost, but with a Vampire around she couldn't know that for sure, not with Davin interfering with her nifty undead sensor.]

[bittersweeter]

[Dean is the best.

Rose may have never been taught to state, but Lila just plain wasn't taught manners and since she doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary about Casper, she just walks up to him and snaps her fingers to get his attention, like hey, hey over here, hi, yeah, attend to me, peasant.]

You guys have cinnamon sticks, right, is that a thing here?

[likedillinger]

[ he continues bobbing his head, as if entirely unable to hear or see lila, not even looking up at the snapping. strains of miley cyrus can be heard out of his headphones.

dean rolls his eyes, apparently also missing the guy's transparency, and hits the bell on the counter to summon up some service. ]

[likeagod]

[As they all make their way inside, Dimitri holds the door open before taking a place beside it, in a position where he can control the exit and still keep an eye on his companions.

He's also trying to somehow get a look at the guy who could potentially be hiding behind that newspaper. (Spot 28)]

[likedillinger]

[ even the big bad hunter dean clearly isn't expecting what bursts out of the back doors when he rings. a grayish-black creature with tubular arms, a snake like bone structure, and serrated spine, comes swinging out of the back along a convenient coat rail that runs the length of the ceiling. he's dressed in a small uniform and yanks a pad out of his pocket with his foot, a pencil with the other ]

What can I get ya?

[ his name tag reads 'tony'. dimitri, meanwhile, would notice horns sticking out behind the paper. the figure is rather, well, hulking and wears a pinstripe suit. ]

[bittersweeter]

[Maybe it's her penchant for nightmares or just her will save of 23 but Lila blinks at Tony in startled confusion (it's is not everyday you encounter a furless monkey type.... thingy) for a couple seconds before her stomach takes over. If you think she was joking about the food part you were seriously wrong and clearly do not know her at all.]

Cinnamon sticks. [She smiles once her brain snaps together again, eyes very obviously curious.] What are you? [More like what is tact? At least she just sounds curious and not like "dude you gross", its more accurately "please tell me all about yourself, you would make a great nightmare, lets be bros". Diplomacy 33, please let's chat, you have a fan.]

[likedillinger]

[ he doesn't look offended. but then again, it's hard to say with... that face. also he scribbles down the order. ] Choker. [ his voice is gravelly, and curt, but it seems more out of a low intellect than because he's being rude. he looks expectantly at the others, and dean manages: ] ... I'll have a beer.

[littledhampir]

[Rose's tact level is slightly higher than Lila's... basically only because Lila beat her to the question, Rose staring wide-eyed at their server... until Dean spoke.]

Of course you will. [Then directed at the.... Choker?! Really? What sort of a name was that!] I'm... good thanks.

[Possibly cause Rose didn't trust anything served to her by - that. Also because. Ghost boy. Come on surely somebody else has seen him - her eyes being drawn back to his translucent figure..]

[likedillinger]

[ dean totally doesn't notice the ghost (spot roll of... 3 plus w/e), but he does decide to just ask the choker straight up: ] So is your boss in? Wanted to ask him about the secret sauce. [ there's that winning charm or whatever. the choker leers down at him with those alien eyes, even as he reaches a long spider-monkey like appendage to the cooler to retrieve a beer for dean.

"Family secret. The boss does not see anyone without appointment." ]

[bittersweeter]

Ugh, rudeness. We have an appointment. [Ah there is that entitled charm y'all know you were missing in your lives. You know what it sounds like, silver spoon, trust fund, exceptionally entitled bitchiness. Yep, that's it.]

Hi, I called like two weeks ago, talked to some monumentally unhelpful guy, Michael or Mitchell or Matthew or, whatever, he's useless and unimportant. Anyway, he said that your big boss would meet me today, around nowish, and that you totally had cinnamon sticks. I did not fly all the way from Manhattan on of a freakin' red eye just to talk to your little minion over here. [She waves a hand dismissively at Davin like ew, gross, I am worth more than a minion thank you so very much.] So, I don't know, it'd be grand if you could let him know we're here. Otherwise we're gonna have to toodles and take my Daddy's offer with us and I think your boss might be a little peeved. [Bluff 38.]

[sirstickuphisass]

[ davin's mouth falls open a little, but the choker studies her with beady black alien eyes, blinking a few times. finally it lets out a weird hrmming noise that reverberates from its chest, and extends a leg to point at the employees door.

"The boss is with someone now, but you can wait inside."

dean's eyebrows go up a little in obvious surprise/almost respect, but he quickly covers that up and gruffly heads towards the door. in her head, she hears eric's voice on a relieved sigh. ] Not bad. Although walking in the front door puts you on everybody's radar now. Just be careful, alright?

[bittersweeter]

Thank you. [Lila gives Tony a bright smile, like freaking finally someone who accepts sense, and turns to face Rose and Dimitri. Outwardly, she is still Miss Priviledged 2013, but inside she is preening like an entire ostentation of peacocks. Interrogating vampires is not her thing, hell getting info from bartenders is not her thing. But this? Getting what she wants by aggressively lying? This is her thing.]

Come on, you can't babysit me out here. [Look, they pretty much fit the bill for bodyguards, she works with what she has.]

[likeagod]

[Dimitri glances from Lila to Rose, giving the latter a nod before he moves from the door to fall in step beside the blonde, ready to play the part of bodyguard.

Let's be real, it's not far off at all.]

[littledhampir]

[Though Rose's expression remains almost blank, the fingers that curl her hands into fists probably say more than anything she might be thinking through the link, lips pressed into a thin line as Dimitri nods at her.

She hesitates only half a second before following his lead, forced to commit to the plan whether she likes it or not.]

[likedillinger]

[ a spot of 17+ will notice the large hulking minotaur put the newspaper down and move to follow them slowly as they disappear through the door. they pass through a kitchen full of disenchanting smells and into a creepy warehouse hallway that's so dimly lit that anyone without low-light vision has to really watch their step. the air feels dank, and there's a distant disturbing dripping noise to add to the ambiance. they pass by several doors, each unmarked, and dean pauses to look through the tiny slit window of one into the pitch darkness. anyone else who stops can make a listen check of 15+ to hear the muffled screams beyond. ]

[bittersweeter]

[Lila is too busy looking forward to see the Minotaur (spot 6), which is unfortunate because she would want one. Her nose wrinkles in distaste as they walk. Jesus, have they heard of Febreze?

But she does catch the scream, pausing behind Dean. (Listen 17) She would.] Mmm, sounds like home.

[likeagod]

[Oh he sees you mister minotaur (spot 26), though Dimitri had expected as much, given the earlier warning. He can't do anything about him yet, but at least he's aware of his presence and location in case things get ugly in a hurry.

It's probably a good thing that Dimitri doesn't hear the screaming (Listen 12), or it would have taken a lot of self control not to go looking for the source.]

[littledhampir]

[Apparently Dhampirs are just really good at spotting a Minotaur (spot 26 - because even their spot checks have to match) and equally bad at listening (Listen 10), Rose's eyes darting around before settling on Davin, more curious as to why he was being so quiet and not because she had missed him or anything.]

You're being quiet. [Voice pitched low as she fell into step with him, (Sense Motive 19 cause she still isn't sure how much she can trust him).]

[likedillinger]

[ dean frowns down the hallway but jerks his head to lila ] Keep moving.

[ meanwhile, davin, trailing along in back, waits for the others to outpace them a few before giving rose a withering look.

"Maybe because I'm not sure what's left to say now that you've got us all marching to our deaths. Maybe it's better this way." ]

[bittersweeter]

You're the one that stopped to sightsee. [Such a childish retort. It's a surprise she doesn't stick her tongue out.]

[likeagod]

No bickering.

[Because that's the last thing they need to be doing right now.]