Dead of Winter (CA - Robin, Uno, & Bob)
Quote from Adriana on October 31, 2023, 4:38 pm"You got somethin' to say, say it. We can level. Not gon' sit here and give you an itemized list of my work, though. Got bodies in the field still, runnin', y'know?-can't retire, got a job to do, but doin' it quietly. Keepin my business tight, and clean. Y'know, in a manner of speaking. That's what we agreed on. Or, has our agreement come to an untimely end?"
He raised a brow and there was danger in the way he worded his last question. His bodyguard tensed, finger always on the trigger.
"You got somethin' to say, say it. We can level. Not gon' sit here and give you an itemized list of my work, though. Got bodies in the field still, runnin', y'know?-can't retire, got a job to do, but doin' it quietly. Keepin my business tight, and clean. Y'know, in a manner of speaking. That's what we agreed on. Or, has our agreement come to an untimely end?"
He raised a brow and there was danger in the way he worded his last question. His bodyguard tensed, finger always on the trigger.
Quote from Indy on October 31, 2023, 4:47 pmTheir words had already went to murder, a taste the air, the promise of chaos but a trigger's pull away. Yet where the younger might lean into this moment, as the bodyguard did, the wiser and sager knew when to lean back. The moment was young. It needed to grow, to evolve, to become more than it was. Steele did not react to the bodyguard, because those who lived for the first moment would know nothing of the final.
He looked to Darius. Nothing in his expression suggested amusement. It was a face made for deadly serious, and nothing else. Yet there was an attempt to it. A quirk of something attempting to be a derisive smile and failing.
"Let's take an accounting of your work, shall we? There have been fifteen missing person cases in Pinerich and Middlecrest this year. Six bodies found. All brutal. Suspected animal attacks. Sloppy, Darius, and without finesse. Frankly, I'm surprised your own kind haven't taken care of you themselves.
Then there's the body's they haven't found... have you been growing your numbers? I don't seem to recall that face, before," he glanced to the bodyguard.
He sneered, "You spread that virus like it's your greatest weapon. So then. How much have you grown since we last met? Can't all be strays either.. fifty? a hundred? At least an odd dozen you or your pack turned yourselves. I won't even get into your carelessness as a man, but I digress".
His voice pointed, aiming, discerning, "We made an agreement, based on a tool I found valuable. Your performance has been lackluster. Your tool? Weak. Nothing about the end is untimely. It's overdue".
His gaze narrowed, "Unless you can tell me what it is I've gotten for this arrangement I made to you in pity".
Their words had already went to murder, a taste the air, the promise of chaos but a trigger's pull away. Yet where the younger might lean into this moment, as the bodyguard did, the wiser and sager knew when to lean back. The moment was young. It needed to grow, to evolve, to become more than it was. Steele did not react to the bodyguard, because those who lived for the first moment would know nothing of the final.
He looked to Darius. Nothing in his expression suggested amusement. It was a face made for deadly serious, and nothing else. Yet there was an attempt to it. A quirk of something attempting to be a derisive smile and failing.
"Let's take an accounting of your work, shall we? There have been fifteen missing person cases in Pinerich and Middlecrest this year. Six bodies found. All brutal. Suspected animal attacks. Sloppy, Darius, and without finesse. Frankly, I'm surprised your own kind haven't taken care of you themselves.
Then there's the body's they haven't found... have you been growing your numbers? I don't seem to recall that face, before," he glanced to the bodyguard.
He sneered, "You spread that virus like it's your greatest weapon. So then. How much have you grown since we last met? Can't all be strays either.. fifty? a hundred? At least an odd dozen you or your pack turned yourselves. I won't even get into your carelessness as a man, but I digress".
His voice pointed, aiming, discerning, "We made an agreement, based on a tool I found valuable. Your performance has been lackluster. Your tool? Weak. Nothing about the end is untimely. It's overdue".
His gaze narrowed, "Unless you can tell me what it is I've gotten for this arrangement I made to you in pity".
Quote from Adriana on October 31, 2023, 5:19 pmThe bodyguard was unflinching and silent in the presence of Steele.
"See my hair, Steele? Gettin' old, an y'know, so's my stock. Crew needs rotated. Some get old n' die, some skip town, some cross me an end up north side of the barrel- happens. Gotta bring in new blood. That's the business, always been that way."
"You can't assume I'm responsible for all them bodies. Got nothin to show for it. Gave you exactly what you asked for them years ago, didn't seem to care then. What's different all the sudden?"
The bodyguard was unflinching and silent in the presence of Steele.
"See my hair, Steele? Gettin' old, an y'know, so's my stock. Crew needs rotated. Some get old n' die, some skip town, some cross me an end up north side of the barrel- happens. Gotta bring in new blood. That's the business, always been that way."
"You can't assume I'm responsible for all them bodies. Got nothin to show for it. Gave you exactly what you asked for them years ago, didn't seem to care then. What's different all the sudden?"
Quote from Indy on November 1, 2023, 8:05 am"I want to know what kind of person I made a deal with," his eyes were unflinching, "I knew the man you were, but you aren't that now are you? Even that man had his problems... but was a man nonetheless".
His countenance weighed Darius'. Both of them were old now, greyer than color to their hair. Was it a comfort that even werewolves could age, grow old, and die? Even they were not immortal. But even old and even without his bodyguard, you could not underestimate a person like Darius.
"All I see is an animal," he said finally, "An animal that can posture itself to look like something else for a moment, but still an animal. Tell me it is what manner of beast you are, and we will go from there".
"I want to know what kind of person I made a deal with," his eyes were unflinching, "I knew the man you were, but you aren't that now are you? Even that man had his problems... but was a man nonetheless".
His countenance weighed Darius'. Both of them were old now, greyer than color to their hair. Was it a comfort that even werewolves could age, grow old, and die? Even they were not immortal. But even old and even without his bodyguard, you could not underestimate a person like Darius.
"All I see is an animal," he said finally, "An animal that can posture itself to look like something else for a moment, but still an animal. Tell me it is what manner of beast you are, and we will go from there".
Quote from Adriana on November 1, 2023, 2:10 pm"You ain't exactly got a claim ta heaven, bout to find out for sure though, keep this up. Who you preachin' at? Your eyes gone bad, too? This ain't a chapel old man. Naw, tell you what, why dont'chu head on back the way you came, 'fore you find out exactly what kinda animal I am."
It wasn't a question. A certain danger could be felt in the air, and the bodyguard lifted the barrel of the weapon at Steele with a steady hand.
"You ain't exactly got a claim ta heaven, bout to find out for sure though, keep this up. Who you preachin' at? Your eyes gone bad, too? This ain't a chapel old man. Naw, tell you what, why dont'chu head on back the way you came, 'fore you find out exactly what kinda animal I am."
It wasn't a question. A certain danger could be felt in the air, and the bodyguard lifted the barrel of the weapon at Steele with a steady hand.
Quote from Indy on November 1, 2023, 2:15 pmEvery good hunter knew how to toe the edge of life and death itself. To take life required the acknowledgement of one's own mortality. In the same breath a hunter hunted, he may just as soon be hunted. Steele had decades of experience to sense this fine boundary, and how to inch within a millimeter of it if need be.
He was in millimeters.
"I came what I wanted to say, out of respect to the man I knew. Next time won't be a warning".
He turned as soon as he came, walking back to the car without another look behind him.
Every good hunter knew how to toe the edge of life and death itself. To take life required the acknowledgement of one's own mortality. In the same breath a hunter hunted, he may just as soon be hunted. Steele had decades of experience to sense this fine boundary, and how to inch within a millimeter of it if need be.
He was in millimeters.
"I came what I wanted to say, out of respect to the man I knew. Next time won't be a warning".
He turned as soon as he came, walking back to the car without another look behind him.
Quote from Adriana on November 1, 2023, 2:18 pm"Let 'em go." Darius said. They wouldn't exchange another word, nor would the bodyguard wouldn't let his weapon down until Steele was in his car and had driven away.
"Naw... see if he gets away with it. We'll set 'em straight."
"Let 'em go." Darius said. They wouldn't exchange another word, nor would the bodyguard wouldn't let his weapon down until Steele was in his car and had driven away.
"Naw... see if he gets away with it. We'll set 'em straight."
Quote from Indy on November 1, 2023, 2:52 pm***[Later that night]***
It was half past midnight when he heard him. The bespeckled teen was still awake, fiddling with the mechanisms of his hand-gun and re-loading the clip. Over and over again, the clatter of bullets falling, pressing it inside, sliding it into the handle. He looked up as he heard the rumble of Steele’s car and the beacon of headlights. Something in him congealed and condensed, growing into a nastier and nastier lump by the second.
It’ll be over by now, he decided, He’ll have done it. Nothing to worry about, I’m sure.
The door opened and Steele glanced between the teen, the dismantled gun, and the bullets.
“Go to bed,” he muttered, irritation dripping in his voice.
He put the bullets back in the clip and started to put the gun back together, but didn’t seem in any particular rush. The bridge of his nose pinched.
“Where were you?” he asked, like he didn’t already know.
Steele glared at him, sensing obstinance but evidently not in the mood to wrangle with it directly. He plopped onto the couch and reached for a cigar.
“Did you do it?” he asked in a small voice, his hands motionless, “Is she… is-she…”
Steele’s gaze drifted towards him, the lit end of the cigar momentarily blinding him from the weight of his eyes. Was something in it.. sympathetic? He clacked the empty gun hard on the table heavily and his shoulders tensed.
“I’m not a child! You can tell me what you did, where you go, what you do! Why you vanish – you don’t have to keep things from me too like you did her – and I have a right to—”
“Shut up,” Steele said, but still the flicker of softness remind in his gaze. Glasses fell quiet, feeling something shake at his shoulders while his jaw clenched to a line.
“I have better things to do than hunt her down,” he said at last.
“Then is she—”
Steele raised a hand, “No idea. Where she headed, it depends on the mood of the monster”.
Glasses didn’t know what to say so he stared at the few stray bullets. Any other word eluded him, as did action, so there he stayed.
“Go to bed,” Steele growled, and suddenly the teen was at his feet.
Glasses motioned vaguely to the mess, “But what about—”
“I’ll take care of it. Just get some sleep”.
***[Later that night]***
It was half past midnight when he heard him. The bespeckled teen was still awake, fiddling with the mechanisms of his hand-gun and re-loading the clip. Over and over again, the clatter of bullets falling, pressing it inside, sliding it into the handle. He looked up as he heard the rumble of Steele’s car and the beacon of headlights. Something in him congealed and condensed, growing into a nastier and nastier lump by the second.
It’ll be over by now, he decided, He’ll have done it. Nothing to worry about, I’m sure.
The door opened and Steele glanced between the teen, the dismantled gun, and the bullets.
“Go to bed,” he muttered, irritation dripping in his voice.
He put the bullets back in the clip and started to put the gun back together, but didn’t seem in any particular rush. The bridge of his nose pinched.
“Where were you?” he asked, like he didn’t already know.
Steele glared at him, sensing obstinance but evidently not in the mood to wrangle with it directly. He plopped onto the couch and reached for a cigar.
“Did you do it?” he asked in a small voice, his hands motionless, “Is she… is-she…”
Steele’s gaze drifted towards him, the lit end of the cigar momentarily blinding him from the weight of his eyes. Was something in it.. sympathetic? He clacked the empty gun hard on the table heavily and his shoulders tensed.
“I’m not a child! You can tell me what you did, where you go, what you do! Why you vanish – you don’t have to keep things from me too like you did her – and I have a right to—”
“Shut up,” Steele said, but still the flicker of softness remind in his gaze. Glasses fell quiet, feeling something shake at his shoulders while his jaw clenched to a line.
“I have better things to do than hunt her down,” he said at last.
“Then is she—”
Steele raised a hand, “No idea. Where she headed, it depends on the mood of the monster”.
Glasses didn’t know what to say so he stared at the few stray bullets. Any other word eluded him, as did action, so there he stayed.
“Go to bed,” Steele growled, and suddenly the teen was at his feet.
Glasses motioned vaguely to the mess, “But what about—”
“I’ll take care of it. Just get some sleep”.
Quote from Indy on November 1, 2023, 3:12 pmThe first ring he did nothing. The second ring, he busily sorted stacks of papers that he had lay out in front of him by the glow of a lamplight. And the third ring he smacked the button so hard to answer that his finger hurt.
"I thought I told you not to come crawling back," he snapped, noisily sorting papers with the phone pressed against his shoulder and ear.
The first ring he did nothing. The second ring, he busily sorted stacks of papers that he had lay out in front of him by the glow of a lamplight. And the third ring he smacked the button so hard to answer that his finger hurt.
"I thought I told you not to come crawling back," he snapped, noisily sorting papers with the phone pressed against his shoulder and ear.
