nyc ♔ don't want your hand this time | i'll save myself

[savemyself]

♬ going under - evanescence

WHO || Rafael, Isabella, Kat, Gar, Mark, Buffy, Spike, Elena, Archer, Des, Keijen, Dumage, Nadia [closed]
WHAT || The Knights head to Keijen Blade's NYC club, after Isabella storms off into a trap alone
WHERE || New York City, NY
WHEN || Saturday, March 15th [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam

What has already been a long, eventful night promises to end with a bang. (Maybe a literal one, if Archer has anything to say about it). The Knights' 'night off' at Burt's club was crashed by not only an actual goddess, but also included a visit from Nadia, extending an invitation on Keijen Blade's behalf to come to his club across the city that night.

They smelled an obvious trap, but their debate over how smart it may or may not be to walk into was rendered moot when an emotionally distraught Isabella, having admitted her feelings to a bewildered Rafael to no avail, ran off to the club alone.

Knowing that Blade has a particular interest in Violet, everyone agreed it's for the best she keeps her distance, and she returned to Des' apartment with Finnick and Luthir while the others headed to the address Nadia provided.

Gar, Kat, Mark, and Elena are remaining in the car as back-up, while Rafael, Buffy, Spike, Des, and Archer will be heading inside.

Comments

DES'S APARTMENT } Vi, Finnick, and Luthir

[nothingsodivine]

[The address Des gives the trio puts them smack in and around the area of New York that RENT would have made chic if RENT hadn't stopped being cool ten years ago. The five-story brownstone apartment is one of the oldest buildings still standing on the block, but it seems like that's due to be changed any day now, given the state its in. There are bricks missing here and there and the entire fifth floor seems to be boarded up (at least from what you can see from the street)- fascinating since Des's apartment number would put his on the fifth floor.

Inside doesn't look any better. It seems to have functioned as a hotel at one point before whoever bought it decided to make it an apartment building. The lobby carpet is a disgusting shade of red and a fake plant in one corner actually seems to be dying, given the state of it. There's two ways to get upstairs- a rickety old elevator (the kind with a cage) and a stairwell. The elevator, however, doesn't go to the fifth floor- in fact the button to the fifth floor has had a post-it note covered in tons of packaging tape placed over it with a hastily scrawled "fifth floor unavailable sorry :(" written on it. You can take it as far as the fourth floor and then take the stairs from there... or you could just take the stairs all the way up.

The fifth floor seems to have been in the process of renovations, but whoever started the project must have abandoned it months (if not years) ago. Past the stairwell is a deadzone of cobwebs and dust and boarded up rooms and at the end of the hall, the window seems to be covered in a thick sheet of plastic instead of glass. The only section of the entire floor that seems to have been touched is a ten foot square around the stairwell and right across from it is Room 501- Des's apartment.

The depressing thing is this apartment was supposed to be the penthouse suite when the building was actually in its prime. As it stands, it's two rooms- a large kitchen and living area and a smaller bedroom. Most of the furniture is mismatched and secondhand and while Des has only returned to it recently, it seems to have been properly cared for- there's no clutter, no mess beyond the piles of food cartons on the counter where Des ordered ten tons of takeout and left the boxes to fend for themselves (there are probably cockroaches over there- be wary), but the lack of clutter or distinguishing features makes it seem lonely. The apartment could belong to literally anyone and gives absolutely no indication of who Des is behind closed doors.

But the couches and chairs are comfy and the TV gets what can only presumably be stolen cable, though there's not much in the way of food around. In fact the fridge is barren save for a half-finished bottle of whiskey and an empty milk jug and one jar of salsa that's about a year out of date.]

[graveflowers]

[ so vi does not trust that elevator, thanks, she's going to be taking the stairs. this is gross, she is grossed out. and probably excessively complaining the entire time and judging des' life because he's a million years old, does he not know how to open a swiss bank account and accumulate interest to be used in renting an apartment in a building that won't give her a communicable disease?

and then the actual apartment is worse. ] Four thousand years old and the fucker doesn't know how to take the trash out? Anyone else expecting a vagrant crack fiend of be hiding in the bathroom? [ she pokes at the couch gingerly, wiping her hands on her dress. ] It's like he actually hates me. Why... why would he offer us this place unless he wants us to die from typhus. Which, wow, loads better than insanity, I guess.

[ yeah, no. no, it's not. ]

[65]

[yeah that elevator looks like a death trap. much like ... this entire building. finnick is starting to gain an appreciation for what district 12 must have been like. not that he can share this with vi since she wouldn't understand that reference. where is katniss when you need her? seriously tho wtf is this shit. he's in awe with grossness.]

Maybe the crack fiends will protect us. [what wishful thinking, finnick. he'll reward his own optimism by ... braving the fridge.] Oh hey, whiskey.

[graveflowers]

Yay. [ such yay, much bland excitement. she continues poking around and when she pokes at a pile of old take out cartons a cockroach or like a flock of them, idk, one is enough, scurries out from underneath it and she shrieks, jumping back both because she's startled and disgusted. ]

Oh my god, I'm going to choke him to death with poison ivy so when he wakes up he'll still be itchy, this is disgusting.

DOMINION | Rafael, Buffy, Spike, Des, Archer

[romanticidal]

[ keijen's club paints a dramatic contrast to burt's towering monstrosity of glass and neon. located in a shady-ass part of town, there are no red cordons and lines around the block here. the club seems to be located in the middle of an industrial block, in a one-floor building that implies most of it is actually underground.

in dark, barely legible words above the goth-looking doors is the word "DOMINION". there's no bouncer in sight, whatsoever, though there's a distant thrum below their feet of music. ]

This is it?

[nothingsodivine]

At least no one's gonna call in the gunshots.

[Des pulls his gun out of his coat and checks to make sure he has his standard nine rounds. Because, you know, he might have missed a bullet when he was checking at the hotel. Or he's just doing it because he can.] I knew I should've brought extra bullets.

BACK-UP TEAM | Gar, Kat, Mark, Elena

[rationalizes]

[ MEANWHILE, in the car. or one of them, since archer is parked around the corner with his fireworks bomb in the trunk... ]

Alright, now if something goes wrong inside, they're meant to signal us. It looks as if there's only one entrance...

[slay]

Better use 'em wisely, then. [ she climbs out of the car and sizes up the club, grimacing. yuck, how tacky. it's probably going to smell like blood and smoke inside and be even less pleasant than nightscape was. stupid evil guys. ] We're not here to kill him, anyway. [ at least, buffy isn't. buffy's here to force him to either sever the connection between his drow-god and vi, or at least tell them how to do it. violence just happens to be a happy avenue to that place. :) ]

[isisagent]

[Archer locks and loads his actual shotgun and scoffs at Des.]

Well, I'd spot you a few, but I don't carry squirt-gun caliber bullets, sorry.

Also, is it just me, or does this place seem unnecessarily ominous?
[He scans the scene, taking in all the details.]
It looks like Hell's gay bar.

[nothingsodivine]

Says you, Blondie. [He is not even dignifying that with a response, Archer.

...Okay, he's not dignifying most of that with a response. He Stewie Griffin headtilts at Archer for a second.] He's really selling the trap angle. At this point, we're gonna get down there and he's just gonna have a friggin' tea party set up to throw us off.

[slay]

It's underground, I mean, maybe he's got a minotaur waiting for us or something. [ minotaurs are on the list of things buffy is willing to kill. ]

[isisagent]

[Archer damn near drops his shotgun at that, and his eyes go wide;]

NOOOOOOoooooope! No way! Minotaur are like... Extinct, right? ...And it's not even a maze. [He whispers...] is it?

[notaroundme]

[And Elena is pouting in the backseat, arms crossed over her chest, because she should be in there with them. This place is shady as hell, okay.]

Don't all clubs have to have a back door?

[bigbad]

[Spike rolls his eyes at Archer's fear. Minotaurs probably aren't extinct, if they even exist, but they're also probably not so terrifying as they seem to be in the myth.

To super strong vampires, anyway.]

If there is a Minotaur, I'm sure we can take it. Or at least, our Slayer can.

[slay]

Call me that again and I can take you, too.

[ NOT A GOOD TIME, SPIKE. it's been a rough night and she isn't sure how she feels about it yet. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des shoves his gun back into his suit jacket, figuring trap or not, it would be better not to walk in with a GUN OUT.] Let's speculate more inside.

[HEADED IN. Hey it's better if the immortal is in front, okay. If someone starts shooting at them or tries to eat them, he'll be fine.]

[romanticidal]

[ ♬ the way you move - killer instinct

rafael moves in right behind des, yanking his suit coat to assure himself his own weapons are secure underneath. opening the door reveals a hallway whose backlit pivot doors cast a red glow down the length of the hall, bathing everything in the bizarre glow down the length of a grungy looking stairwell that manages to look almost ancient, with the strange stonework. they head down, down, and finally reach another set of doors that appear covered in flames, kind of like so. behind them rushes the thrumming beat of incredibly loud club music. rafael looks at des, and then reaches out through the 'fire' to grip one of the two handles. he looks back at them to confirm: it's just an illusion.

he glances to des, to throw open the other door in sync, so that they both have a hand free in case something's ready to spring on the other side.

however, when they're opened, what lies before them is ... actually a club scene. except this doesn't really seem like the techno dancing crowd, so much as the hanging out in numerous shady corners, doing god knows what subculture populace. the place is lit in reds and purples and bizarre gothic images are projected on stainglass 'windows' along the balcony that runs above what can only be described as more of the club's 'pit' than its floor. the whole place has a sunken architecture, and the club-goers are a mixture of goth and bizarrely sinister Shadowkind. there's a surprising amount of drow males, tieflings, potential vampires, and who knows what else here and there. red eyes, serpentine eyes, eyes with dual irises, or completely black ones cast them side-glances, from where patrons are sitting on laps, smoking strange smelling substances, drinking small vials of liquid that are literally glowing red, and more.

y'all fit in right here in your fancy wear, let me tell you. ]

[shootfirst]

Right? Oh my god, we should go in and say we're here from the Department of Public Safety to cite his ass.

[slay]

Maybe we should have changed into something ... [ buffy's purse and her nose crinkles in distaste as she looks around to take in the gaudy, gothic setting. ] Tackier.

[ with that judgment established, she'll start heading further inside. thanks for holding the doors, boys, you done good. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[man, raf and des sure look like douchebags standing here in suits with their hands in their jackets, don't they?

Des drops his hand and gives Rafael a shrug, moving further in behind Buffy. Whatever.] Just don't let 'em think you don't belong here. Follow my lead.

[He steps ahead of Buffy, grins at whoever's nearest, winks at someone he passes by, and just gives everyone the whole "charismatic son of a bitch who totally walked into this club on purpose and he and his posse are looking for a little action" routine without saying a damn word. (Bluff... 44....)]

[notaroundme]

It would be better than sitting here...

[Mumble mumble.]

[isisagent]

This ought to be good. [Archer says, to no one in particular, as he shuffles along with them.]
Guy couldn't lead his way out of a... thing which is difficult to lead your way... out of - [Archer gasps -] Like a maze.
[He narrows his eyes, as he steps a bit closer to the group and eyes the bar for Minotaur-like beasties.]

[bigbad]

[Spike, at least, can blend in a little better. He shifts his face to let his fangs come out and loosens his tie, rumpling his suit enough to look like he's just a rich-ass old vampire or something. Totally sketchy, but effective (disguise 23).]

[slay]

[ yeah, buffy has no means of making herself look like she fits in here. so their best hope is that it happens to look like these four terrifying men dragged her here against her will or something. ]

Whenever you boys are done asserting yourselves, maybe we could try to find a service door. [ spot 29?? ] He's here somewhere.

[romanticidal]

Somewhere. [ with a 26 spot, rafael sees it at the same time. in the back of the club, there are two wide, tall, ebony doors that look particularly ominous. but above all that is a high balcony, far over their heads, on which a small group of people recline in an atmosphere of almost regal decadence, looking down upon the rest. one of them is keijen blade, a leg slung over one arm of the chair. he wears a leather jacket open over his bare chest, and beside him, goblet in hand is dumage, in a black dress with tall black leather boots and long gloves. nadia is up there as well, as well as an assorted collection of other entourage members, sporting unnaturally black hair or green mohawks or what have you.

there's no visible way up to the balcony, but rafael starts pushing his way across the room at least, shouldering through the crowd. (str check 20) everyone must either make a str check or escape artist check to cross, if they follow. ]