(Untitled)
Who: The Troublesome Four; Inspector Javert | chose_death, Gabriel | trickster_mk2, Naomi Hunter | scientize, and Greed | nestingdevil
What: The gathering of four very different individuals on a dinner "date." It's to discuss business and deal deeds, really.
Where: Starting Point ➥ Devil's Nest
When: Monday Evening.
Rating: Considering the very nature of these people, pushing R.
( Read more... )
What: The gathering of four very different individuals on a dinner "date." It's to discuss business and deal deeds, really.
Where: Starting Point ➥ Devil's Nest
When: Monday Evening.
Rating: Considering the very nature of these people, pushing R.
( Read more... )
He reached the double-doors of the 'Nest and tapped his toe against them, pushing them wide open. "I haven't been completely honest with you, so I suppose I should tell you now." He leaned up in the frame, hip-checked the wood and placed a forehead against the cool surface. Smiled with all the wickedness he could as he fished around his jacket for a smoke. "I lost a friendly match - nothing big, nothing important." He found the smoke he was looking for and shoved it between his teeth. Speaking around it, his voice gave off a hiss. "I don't make myself a betting man, but when I do - and I have been - it's all in. You know." Matches appeared in his fingers and he swept them on the side of his new pants, igniting the tips. Brought them to the cigarettes and inhaled. Puffs of smoke billowed out from his nostrils, sliding between his teeth.
"He wants information and business is booming! But he thinks he owns me. That was his ante, anyway. But you can't own something that wants it all." Greed pivoted to get a better look at Gabriel. "But I've got information for him that'll suit his fancy. As long as the 'Nest isn't a target, we can keep up the charade. No skin off my back and he seems to need it." That look - it was the sharpening of his eyes, his own desire creeping up to the surface. It was a beautiful ugly, a twisted mess.
But it went away with a pull of his shoulders. His eyes closed and he plucked the cigarette from his mouth, ashed it on the front-step of the bar. "Besides, I like them. The two of them. Quite a pair, the deadly duo. If they can play me like that well - they're worth keeping." Because Javert may think he has the rights to Greed, but Greed was beginning to think that he had the rights to him. To him and his wife. Something stolen in secret.
He turned shaded eyes back into the dark, watching the streets for any pulse of life.
"I figured you should be privy. I'll give the rest of the 'Nest the run downs, so they know. Don't want to get caught off guard, after all. Though, it looks like we've found a comfort zone. Javert may be one cold-hard prick, but I can respect a human that can hold his own. He doesn't ever seem to falter."
A click of heels set Greed turning right back into the bar. He saddled next to Gabriel.
"And that wife of his - well." Cracked smiles all around. "If you've met her like she says you have, then you know why I'm interested. Don't worry - I know where the line is drawn. No ill wills."
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To Greed, the man made a sharp signal like the call of a Commander to come to arms, beckoning him and his date outside with the fearsome lead head of a cane. The cane was large and thick enough to double as a cudgel; harmless upon a first glance, but when one paused to consider the stout hand gripping it, the strong legs and back casually swinging it near his hip, it quickly impressed upon the observer a menacing threat. The man wore a long coat, massively inappropriate for the summer weather and buttoned from chin to calf. Another drag of the cigarette, another spark and a set of well-polished buttons shined primly.
It was Javert, lacking one lady accomplish. He was alone.
That task completed, Javert took his place beside the front entrance like a black sentry or a statue and waited. When the men chose to exit, they would find their business partner with his hat pulled low over his face, arms crossed forbiddingly over his chest, and his cigarette half-sucked away down the recesses of his blackening lungs.
It was time. Hurry up!
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"Javert will believe what he wants, he's stubborn like that." The angel murmurs, slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Well... that was interesting. Surprising, but... well, what a web the four of them seemed to be tangled in. Javert he's Pardoned, at least, almost, forgiven him his past, whatever that was. Naomi... oh, Naomi, Gabriel appreciates her friendship more than he can voice. And then there's Greed, master and yet someone else thinks they've got a hold of his strings?
"I don't think the others need to know about the.... arrangement." He said, after a moment. After all, Javert would only come to Greed, surely? Why undermine his own position with the others at the 'Nest if there was no need? But Greed was boss, Gabriel could only advise, and certainly if Javert ever showed up at their door, Gabriel was going to wonder about his purpose. Although, as soon as he got his mind-reading mojo back, well, this would all be a lot easier.
Especially at the mention of him and Naomi. How? What did Greed know? The angel's head has snapped around to look at him, but has no chance to answer. Javert was still hidden in the darkness, not yet on the doorstep, but Gabriel could feel him heading their way.
"Javert." He said, nodding towards the door, and then hung back. This was Greed's business deal, he was just wing-man, here to be useful. Ha, it clearly wasn't a date in any way shape or form. Just business. And that, frankly, was a relief. He could play the possession, that was easy enough. But anything more was just complicating things. Muddying the waters and Gabriel didn't need that. Angels didn't need confusion.
And there, out in the darkness, matches flared. Just as Gabriel had said, the man was there, and it was 11pm. Who would have expected anything less?
Gabriel hung back though, waiting for Greed to go out first, letting him have the privacy to make his own greetings, and the angel followed behind. He'd never been much of a vanguard, but it seemed appropriate for the time being, and gave him the chance to grin widely at Javert, very much aware of what had based between the two of them. And... well, Gabriel was rather enjoying this, the dramatics of it all. If Javert knew about the arrangement between the angel and the embodiment of sin, did he wonder if Gabriel had revealed all? This evening was going to be so much fun.
He slid from his stool at last, after Greed, and wandered after them, into the darkness outside.
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A flick of light caught his eye, swallowed up in his shades. He laughed again, pure mirth. Of course Javert was calling him - no surprises there. The man thought he owned him after all. Greed slouched his shoulders, stuck one heel out and proceeded into the dark. It seemed to glide right over him, sliding against the black of his suit, shrouding him. His sunglasses went pitch-black and his eyes were sealed beneath. "Oi, oi, oi - right on time, as expected."
Gravel and dirt crunched beneath new boots and Greed fell into his usual slouch. He tossed his cigarette to the ground, extinguished by a heel. "I didn't keep you waiting, did I? That would just be bad for business." The homunculus took up a pace, a bit of a brisk one. After all, he was in no hurry to disappoint Javert - things were just starting to get interesting.
Angel in tow, it seemed like the most unsavory grouping of men.
"Where's your wife? She's not skipping out on us, is she?" Greed was close to Javert, stealing away any sort of comfort space. "It'd be a real let down if it was just us guys." He toed a rock, tossing it down the path with a bored expression. The lights of the bar were fading as they went. Greed took one look back, if not just to survey his turf.
There was no need to worry, really. Most of the city enjoyed the place and didn't make much of a habit to cause trouble. Still, Greed was a creature possessed. Maybe there was a slight hint of concern, but it didn't seem to show up on that devil's smile and that may-care slink the man seemed to prefer. "Gabriel," Greed extended his tattooed hand back to his partner, then forward to Javert. "-Javert. I hear you two have met a plenty, so no introductions are in order. We're all friends here."
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Javert raised his head from his thoughtful bow and met Gabriel directly in the eye. It could not be said whether that No, so straightforward and resolute and delivered like the bang of a gavel, was intended for Greed's probing about Naomi, or for the absurd reference to the three of them being bosom pals. Slowly he disentangled his arms from one another. His gaze lingered; he returned to himself again with a twitch in his jaw and glanced at Greed to explain himself.
"She is fixing up for a house party. You know women! She is playing host to an intimate dinner in that marvelous tenement-barracks of a home. I came to collect you. Guide you on your merry way, so you will fawn over the fruits of her excessive yet earnest labor. And, of course, I am meant to be appropriately social for the night." Javert rolled his eyes in a light flavor of sarcasm. He created a gentle beat with the rap-tap of his cane against the ground and plucked the cigarette out of his mouth. He became suddenly fascinated with the softly-glowing ash at the tip of his tobacco tube, and lowered his intent stare accordingly. A sluggish grin stretched his mouth from ear to ear, coffee-and-tobacco-stained canines glinting tigrishly in the moonlight. "The opportunity to get our talk done and nab a quick smoke beyond her earshot did not escape me. So! Here I am."
He looked again to Greed. He was unable to repress another glance to Gabriel.
"And here you are."
Javert considered them both without moving, vaguely contemplative. He helped his mental processes along with a slow pull of the cigarette. His brow contracted abruptly, pupils swiveling to man and angel in turn. He pressed his lips together in a thin, flat line.
"Do you have everything? Come with me."
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Gabriel noticed the glances, couldn't help but notice them. He was an angel after all, he knew when attention was directed his way. Javert wasn't very pleased to see him, that was obvious, obvious to anyone but he couldn't help but find that horribly amusing. He winked suggestively the next time Javert looked his way, unable to resist reacting in some way. And then he shoved his hands back into his pockets, pulling out a bag of multi-coloured candy buttons.
"Naomi does the best spreads. Honest to Dad, she makes enough food to feed the five-thousand. And trust me, I was there. Even the really hungry ones would have been happy." He says idly, matching his pace to the other men and happily chewing away. He had no appetite to ruin anyway, he'd eat to match the pace of those around him. And probably drink them under the table.
He smiled knowingly at Javert again, before looking to Greed. "I can go on ahead... if you want to talk business, gents." Although, frankly he had no intention of doing anything of the sort. He wanted to eves-drop, listen in, to get to the bottom of this and find out exactly what it was that Javert wanted to get out of Greed, what sort of information the Inspector wanted. It was all a little cloak-and-dagger, really, but exciting none the less.
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But Greed's tone was a bit on the quiet side, the boasting quite over and done. His voice was smooth laced with hints of mischief. He practically sank into the dark stretch of road and only the glint of his teeth or the catch of lamp-light on his shades illuminated him. Other than that, he seemed to be but a shadow tailing both the angel and the chief. "I told you before - I make mine privy to what needs to be out in the open. No secrets." Unless they were of personal interest, then Greed kept those for himself. A hoarder, really.
"I have an update for you, Chief. A few of them, actually. Business has been good," the homunculus sneered in the dark. His pace lapsed into a lazy two-step crawl that seemed to match the scene. Like this was all for the dramatics. "Not sure if you want a taste of it now or later. I'm sure your wife could handle it, but - " A finger in the air. "-that's entirely up to you. She said your business was your own, so. It's your call." And it was. Because Greed had no intention of painting himself Javert's collared devil, but he would give him the information. Feed it plainly, like he did everything.
A light flickered and for a moment, the dark seemed to play coy. Was that red behind his sunglasses?
"It's not the criminals you asked for - the seedy underbelly. But the monsters." He slouched, pushed his shoulders forward. Had he been a mere man, his spine would have been complaining years ago. It didn't and never would, however. "The monsters are plenty. Seems I'm attractive bait for the lot. Don't know what they're getting into, though."
The air smelled of pure night - chilled on the edge of fading humidity. It smelled good to Greed; something savory, like the meal that was promised. "Oi - you didn't work your woman too hard, did you? That'd be awful." Not a single ounce of caring, really. But he played the card. "Poor gal - you'd think her husband would let her rest her feet once in a while."
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It was a short walk to the nearest teleporter, which would whisk them on their way to barracks building A. The travel distance was not so long, and they could easily make the journey in less than a quarter of an hour. Javert, who dared to cast Archangel Gabriel a dull, blank blink when he suggested that he go on ahead, opted to stall with a little bit of a slow, meandering gait. What difference did it make to Javert if Gabriel left or stayed? He was a heavenly, ethereal angel. Javert was not about to issue the commands to him, not when Gabriel could evidently overhear whoever or whatever he wanted. Javert was the judged and the damned; it was not the other way around. He gave the Being a light shrug and kept his pace.
Javert bobbed his head in a thoughtful bow and rolled his cigarette between clenched teeth. He considered Greed's information carefully, took notes on the red flash he caught through the dark.
"Your monsters interest me. They are as much the seedy underbelly as your standard cutthroats and thieves," he urged on without raising his contemplative noggin, thin lips maneuvering around the cigarette. "I want an inventory of them." He looked at Greed closely, alert and grim.
"Any bloodsuckers?" he probed knowingly, a mysterious glint in his pale eyes. "The brutes with the fangs?"
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It was the talk of monsters though that really got his attention, maybe him stop and frown and look at Javert as if the man not only had two heads but was wearing ridiculously tall hats atop both. Blood-suckers? Vampires? Of course. And Gabriel knew there was one here. One who had come to the ‘Nest before. He couldn’t help but glance at Greed, wanting to know exactly what he was going to say.
Gabriel didn’t say anything at all though, because this wasn’t his business. Greed was in Javert’s pocket, and yes he was in Greed’s, but he was just a hired hand in all of this, and he certainly hadn’t been asked the question. Surely where he was from, monsters were just the stuff of legends, something ordinary police inspectors would never have much chance to come across. Or was this something Javert had learnt all about in the place before, the place he had met Naomi?
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The homunculus fell into the slouch, coiled on the edge of night with a smile. Oh, he hoped there would be a reaction. Javert, no doubt, would tie his entire face in knots - keep everything under a mask and shield. That was just the kind of man the Chief was. Greed had accepted it, even it would be a little disappointing not to get a jolt out of the man. He shrugged his shoulders.
And Gabriel? It'd probably be a hoot to him, or a disaster. Greed was playing a pretty risky card, giving them all the info. It might turn the tides a bit.
"No names, unless you really need 'em. I'm not out to take the guy's head - he had his fill of what he wanted, and isn't that what the 'Nest is all about?" Greed quickened his pace so he wouldn't be left behind. "What business do you have with the undead anyway? Got a private score to settle?" He leaned over his own hips, sliding right up next to Javert with purpose. "He hasn't crossed me, so let's not start a war on the whole vampire race, hmn? He seems pretty taken to the idea of having a personal blood bank, should I be kind enough to allow a nip."
Greed cast a look at the sky, made with all the dramatics of the theater. "Besides, he owes me a debt. That means he's owned by me until then. I plan to collect if things get nasty. But he seemed pleasant enough."
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... Or was it simply that he had a bad rendezvous with a bloodthirsty fanged beauty, wherever he had come from last, if it was not his first life?
"He!" was Javert's initial comment, spoken like a hiss through grit teeth. He rolled the cigarette to the opposite corner of his mouth; the smoke plumed and puffed and unfurled through broad nostrils. He peered at Greed closely, huddled so near each other that they shared the same air, two veritable full-grown men huddled around a handful of dying embers. This foxy monster was difficult to get a complete reading on, even for someone as perceptive, patient and observant as the former inspector of police.
"Your work is not to concern yourself with my business. You are to tell me about it. Your ideas about what I'm after are your own. Keep them," he rattled off swiftly and lightly, after a time of silence. "But don't forget that I will respect all terms of the arrangement." That included respecting what Greed owned, to a certain extent. He lowered his lids and cast the creature a sly look through thick lashes. His cigarette was running low, and he could see they were nearing the teleporting machine soon enough.
"Now, was he all?" Javert resumed blandly. "One lone wolf? Who is content to use you for his chef-de-cuisine? No trailing along any dandyish black-haired tarts? No vixens in opera dresses? No mindless bodyguard-lackeys with the dead eyes?"
Here Javert flashed his own shining, yellow canines, beaming beneath the moonlight. It gave a rather horrific cast to his bestial face. Smiling in no way improved the impression he made.
"Well! While we are on the topic of the fantastic, then; how about wolf-men or sorcerers?"
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Whatever Javert thought about vampires though, and whatever Greed was going to tell him… well, that didn’t much matter. Gabriel knew what was hanging around in town, knew there was one so-called wolf-man, and maybe Javert would think that the super-powered humans counted as conjurers. There were certainly a few… abnormal people about. People that probably didn’t want to be thought of as monsters, and Kiba wasn’t dangerous, if he gave him the distance and respect he needed.
Gabriel wasn’t being asked though; he kept what he knew to himself. Greed hadn’t asked Gabriel any of this, hadn’t wanted to know what the angel might know, but Gabriel would volunteer it later. After all, Greed needed to be kept in the loop right?
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Thinly-veiled insidiousness was there, dripping off of Greed. True to his word, he did not make a show of hiding his true nature. He was, after all, an open book. "If there were, as you put it vixens, I would have already claimed the bragging rights. No such luck, though." A pout, as if he were disappointed. And maybe he was a little bit - sure, the vampire had been a fun thing. A good experience under his belt and something to keep his eyes on, should he need use of such a creature. But he obviously wasn't getting the whole show.
"No wolf-men. Had a - I don't know what you'd call it - a magician in? Could make things out of thin air. Not like alchemy; he didn't use anything to break down and create what he made. Just proofed it right out of thin air. Taught him how to play pool." Pursed lips played coy. All of this was thrown to Javert like a joke. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Greed turned his head back to Gabriel. "And what the hell is a Lost Boys?"
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