It's a hard knock life. . .
Right, time for the wrap up to the one-shot you all played a while ago.
The hum of the blades of the helicopter dropped in pitch. "Mayor Kurtis, we've arrived at the spot." The angular man in the back of the helicopter nodded, repositioning his glasses on his face.
"I see" was his response in a smooth bass tone as he adjusted the collar of his jacket. He then pressed against the side door, popped it open and stepped out. The uniformly dressed troops piled out behind him, as the men from the other helicopters stormed out of theirs and formed up into squads, each man checking and priming all of his own equipment. Kurtis raised his hand over his head, and each of the squads stopped their movements. He then advanced on the ward and it's progenitor. "Mr. . . Zagan? Interesting. Where are they?"
"They who?" Sariel asked
"The ones your watching."
"Underground. Push the lobby button in the elevator."
"Thank you." Kurtis smiled, moving toward the ward.
"Sir, One more thing. . ."
* * *
Ardency and Felicity were a ball of nails, teeth and hair on the floor of the room reeking of gunpowder. Another shot fired off from Thorn's shotgun into the body looking like swiss cheese on the floor, and the rest of the room was watching the spectacular cat-fight, jaws agape. There was the sound of ripping fabric, and a gawdy acrylic nail came flying from the writhing and undulating form on the floor, along with a screech of fury. Things had degraded from coherent words a long time ago. There was a flash of bright purple from behind the white and pink of Felicity which soon overcame her, and in a blur of clashing colors, perched atop the young exorcist, smashing her into the ground. Ardency drew back her arm, her smile as wide as the tear in her stretchy purple v-neck as she readied herself for an acrylic-filled coup de grace.
A gray-clad arm reached out, grabbing on to her outstretched arm as the room filled with clacking and thuds. "I'm sorry, I can't let you do that." came the silken bass voice of Mayor Kurtis. "You'll find your completely surrounded, and out of options Ardency, now surrender."
"You! You're-" She began, struggling to her feet, but a deep bellow from Kurtis cut her off. The force of the scream shook the room, and sent Ardency into the far wall when Kurtis let go of her.
"Resisting is NOT surrendering." Kurtis clarified gesturing to the two wounded manifestations, "Bag them, I have some business with Mr. Thorn." He moved slowly, his hand outstretched to Thorn, as 15 troops on either side of the subterranean performance hall covered the neutral manifestations with bright silver bags. "Mr. Thorn, I'd like to thank you on behalf of Paradigm industries, if it wasn't for your efforts we would not have been able to track down these dangerous beings." He grabbed on to the Young business owner's hand and shook it firmly. "I am the mayor of the Custodial Retention Division of Paradigm Incorporated, Kurtis, and I have an offer for you. As your company has been integral to the operation of the city many times, and quite beneficent to Paradigm, we're willing to offer you an opportunity to become one of our subsidiaries. We're willing to finance your whole operation, and open up negotiations for how much you'd be willing to join for at a later date."
Thorn paused for a moment, before starting "While I-" and was cut off by a loud gasp and a shout.
"The exorcist is coming around Mayor!" one of the troops kneeling by her announced, the other waiting patiently to hand her the ornate wooden box that had started all of these headaches.
"Ahh, good." Kurtis replied, turning back to Thorn, "I understand this is neither the time nor the place to start contract negotiations, so I will call you sometime during the week on this issue. For now, that box should be returned to Vatican, Paradigm would like to ensure that it gets there, and offers you this:" as he spoke Kurtis signaled a troop, who presented a black leather briefcase, opening it to reveal thick wads of $100 bills. "If that is not sufficient for this job, we'll gladly tack on a signing bonus when you get back. If you choose not to take the job, then consider it a gift from Paradigm. I'm afraid I must withdraw for the time being, I'll contact you after you've returned." Kurtis began to move to the elevator which had the 5 remaining troops in it. "Oh, one more thing, sorry about this," He turned, tossing the battered Thorn Industries badge of Sariel Zagan on the ground in front of the elevator. "I'd suggest getting all the manpower you can before I contact you again, it makes your profit margin in this business much larger." And with that the doors closed, taking their occupants up and out of the theater.
The hum of the blades of the helicopter dropped in pitch. "Mayor Kurtis, we've arrived at the spot." The angular man in the back of the helicopter nodded, repositioning his glasses on his face.
"I see" was his response in a smooth bass tone as he adjusted the collar of his jacket. He then pressed against the side door, popped it open and stepped out. The uniformly dressed troops piled out behind him, as the men from the other helicopters stormed out of theirs and formed up into squads, each man checking and priming all of his own equipment. Kurtis raised his hand over his head, and each of the squads stopped their movements. He then advanced on the ward and it's progenitor. "Mr. . . Zagan? Interesting. Where are they?"
"They who?" Sariel asked
"The ones your watching."
"Underground. Push the lobby button in the elevator."
"Thank you." Kurtis smiled, moving toward the ward.
"Sir, One more thing. . ."
* * *
Ardency and Felicity were a ball of nails, teeth and hair on the floor of the room reeking of gunpowder. Another shot fired off from Thorn's shotgun into the body looking like swiss cheese on the floor, and the rest of the room was watching the spectacular cat-fight, jaws agape. There was the sound of ripping fabric, and a gawdy acrylic nail came flying from the writhing and undulating form on the floor, along with a screech of fury. Things had degraded from coherent words a long time ago. There was a flash of bright purple from behind the white and pink of Felicity which soon overcame her, and in a blur of clashing colors, perched atop the young exorcist, smashing her into the ground. Ardency drew back her arm, her smile as wide as the tear in her stretchy purple v-neck as she readied herself for an acrylic-filled coup de grace.
A gray-clad arm reached out, grabbing on to her outstretched arm as the room filled with clacking and thuds. "I'm sorry, I can't let you do that." came the silken bass voice of Mayor Kurtis. "You'll find your completely surrounded, and out of options Ardency, now surrender."
"You! You're-" She began, struggling to her feet, but a deep bellow from Kurtis cut her off. The force of the scream shook the room, and sent Ardency into the far wall when Kurtis let go of her.
"Resisting is NOT surrendering." Kurtis clarified gesturing to the two wounded manifestations, "Bag them, I have some business with Mr. Thorn." He moved slowly, his hand outstretched to Thorn, as 15 troops on either side of the subterranean performance hall covered the neutral manifestations with bright silver bags. "Mr. Thorn, I'd like to thank you on behalf of Paradigm industries, if it wasn't for your efforts we would not have been able to track down these dangerous beings." He grabbed on to the Young business owner's hand and shook it firmly. "I am the mayor of the Custodial Retention Division of Paradigm Incorporated, Kurtis, and I have an offer for you. As your company has been integral to the operation of the city many times, and quite beneficent to Paradigm, we're willing to offer you an opportunity to become one of our subsidiaries. We're willing to finance your whole operation, and open up negotiations for how much you'd be willing to join for at a later date."
Thorn paused for a moment, before starting "While I-" and was cut off by a loud gasp and a shout.
"The exorcist is coming around Mayor!" one of the troops kneeling by her announced, the other waiting patiently to hand her the ornate wooden box that had started all of these headaches.
"Ahh, good." Kurtis replied, turning back to Thorn, "I understand this is neither the time nor the place to start contract negotiations, so I will call you sometime during the week on this issue. For now, that box should be returned to Vatican, Paradigm would like to ensure that it gets there, and offers you this:" as he spoke Kurtis signaled a troop, who presented a black leather briefcase, opening it to reveal thick wads of $100 bills. "If that is not sufficient for this job, we'll gladly tack on a signing bonus when you get back. If you choose not to take the job, then consider it a gift from Paradigm. I'm afraid I must withdraw for the time being, I'll contact you after you've returned." Kurtis began to move to the elevator which had the 5 remaining troops in it. "Oh, one more thing, sorry about this," He turned, tossing the battered Thorn Industries badge of Sariel Zagan on the ground in front of the elevator. "I'd suggest getting all the manpower you can before I contact you again, it makes your profit margin in this business much larger." And with that the doors closed, taking their occupants up and out of the theater.