For the sake of spinsaweb....

[terry_cassidy]

Siryn looked over the assembled. "Right. Derek and Claire, start combing through his New York. Anyone who's good at tracking, you're with them. Dr. Harper, that means you and your hounds, I'm thinking. Eiko, how are ye at processing a crime scene, should we find one? And who'll be tending to Sarah while this is going on?"

Comments

[derek_bliss]

The stench of the Hudson assualts Derek's nose as soon as the PINpoint dumps him at the edge of Hell's kitchen. He snarls, but it's too late to be ready to block the sensory violence. Instead, he takes several shallow breaths, forcing out the immediate sting and vile until it regulates into something tolerable.

Compared to this stench, he notes to himself, Utoland is a positive Eden in the smell department.

It takes him several minutes and a lot of nasal scouring to find a trace of Peter's scent among all the other conflicting olfactory clues. But he sticks with it until the trail is clear and followable, then starts off, sliding along walls and into shadows. He avoids human contact as much as he can--those that get too close get his best deadly glare and the threatening body language to go with it. Derek doesn't bother with words.

Only one resident is stupid enough to test him, and the fool is left in a dark corner, buried under trash, unconcious with broken arm and bloodied nose.

The retired hunter is in no mood for idiocy right now. He just wants to find his friend and take him home. Moving swiftly as Spiderman's scent track grows stronger and newer, Derek gains speed--as much as a man of his natural build could--arrowing for the hidden alleyway where the body lies.

[man_of_means]

Greed stops his travels as he smells a familiar scent. His eyes search frantically, as he closes in on the scent of the being he knew only as Spiderman. He spots Derek as he closes in, and meets him part-way.

"Yo man, what's up? I heard the Spider got whacked!"

[derek_bliss]

Derek pauses, whipping around at the voice. For a moment, distracted by his own intent, he looks wild and ready to literally tear the face off anyone in his way.

The look fades quickly though, and he straightens.

"Greed," he nods, "Yeah. I'm looking for him. Scent says he came this way."

[man_of_means]

He taps his nose lightly, and points ahead.

"Same here, man. Should be near."

He transforms quickly.

"Just in case."

[rauchnorr]

She peels herself off the wall, trying to pretend she had expected that, as she realizes this creature's. . . change was not the result of her sudden appearance. Something is ahead. Doubtless no threat, because they spoke, but still. . . she pops her wristblades and takes up guard position behind the ooman.

She hopes he won't turn into anything icky.

[derek_bliss]

He won't. His body is human, just jacked high in certain sensory aspects.

But that does them no good when they reach the alleyway and find the body already gone.

((Nate's player already posted finding the body on his own LJ...we're going to find nothing but an empty alleyway. Sorry about that.))

[derek_bliss]

((Nate's player has already posted finding the body in his own journal. We'll have to settle for finding the scent where he was, but not the body))

Derek nods. They were already in the company of a predator; Greed's true form really wasn't going to be that much more of a problem.

"This way..." he said quietly, loping off in that direction. Shortly afterwards, they found the alleyway...the scent was there. Fresh. As was another. Also fresh.

But no body.

"Shit."

[rauchnorr]

She circled around him as courteously as possible. Yes, the surface here was depressed as though a heavy weight had lain here for some time. There was a slightly cooler spot where something had cast a shadow.

Beside it. . . she moved a little closer, suppressing a gag, and then stood upright.

"Something kicked the ground here. Two feet. Very deep--it pushed off." She looked up, cautiously, and saw only high building walls. No footholds. "It flew? Does that make sense?"

[derek_bliss]

Derek listens to the words, studying the area with sight and scent as she spoke, nodding occasionally as the information was presented.

"Yeah, it could. Some humans here have that ability. Give me a minute, let me check in..."

Derek raises his PINpoint to his mouth, his lips moving only slightly as he calls Terry. There is a brief exchange, and he nods again, lowering his wrist.

"Another searcher found him," He said quietly, "If we can't find any clues, we're to return to home."

[rauchnorr]

The ooman looked. . . saddened. This was getting awkward fast.

"You go. There was mention of keeping a. . ." she paused, scrambling for the words, and replayed Eiko saying "crime scene. The one telling us to search said that it should be guarded. I will keep anyone from intruding."

She moved past him again, standing at the mouth of the alley, prepared to warn off any more roaming natives. Really, did they have nothing better to do?

[derek_bliss]

Derek nodded. Although his demeanor would have been hard to read for another human, he had no doubt the predator...and Greed as well, could probably get cues from other sources than humans did.

And she was right. His task and part was over with. He was more than happy to have done, and go find some way to deal with this that didn't involve fighting with his own immune system.

"I'll let Eiko know you're keeping watch. They should arrive soon. Thank you."

He hesitated, then offered his hand, wondering if she understood the gesture.

"Name's Derek, by the way. It was good to work with you."

[rauchnorr]

She studied him for a moment, then recognised the display that he held no weapon, and held hers out in return. "I am," she stopped the recording and used her own voice to say, "Rauch'norr." She flicked back through her archive and rapidly assembled: "To help brings honor."

And considering how. . . jumpily she's reacted to so many strange creatures, she should continue. She returns to her guard position and prepares for a long wait.

[derek_bliss]

"...Ra-uch...'n...orr," Derek repeats carefully, and as closely as his own human mouth, tongue, and throat would allow. He nods, gently shaking her offered hand before releasing it.

"You are honorable," he added, "and it was an honor to work with you. Quiet watch to you. Perhaps we'll meet again."

[rauchnorr]

Much to her relief, it's a standard hunt. She cloaks, having noted that natives react poorly to her, and not wanting to make things more difficult.

Clues are at a minimum; the ground is too cold to take impressions. The biggest problem is wanderers. Once, something that could have been the path left by a dragging foot was obliterated by a vehicle.

She turned as the ooman scuffled briefly for a moment with another native, a no-weapons, nonlethal fight that vastly confused her. Then he seemed to catch a scent. All she smelled was the foulness of garbage, but she left off checking behind a pile of boards and followed after him.

They are intercepted by one of the odd ones she can't identify. Oh, she's met this one. She uncloaks and tips her head towards him.