8/4/1934

[highfivepriest]

Who: Jimmy, Theo, eventually Betty~
Where: Downtown Abaton, fairly close to the iffier parts of town.
When: August 4th, 1934
Why: Go go stakeout! They are so going to mess this up. And intro-ing Betty~

Comments

[ironhanded]

To his credit, Jimmy was doing an overwhelmingly good job at keeping to himself for the most part, also. It didn't take anything near rocket science smarts (which as good, because he wasn't in possession of anything near rocket science smarts) to figure out that the Bianchessi underclassman had less than distaste for him, and while he didn't know exactly what he did that had somehow fostered this painfully apparent dislike, he knew not to aggravate an open wound when he saw one.

Sour company aside, though, he also knew better than to let the cloud hanging about the fussbucket's head damper his day. In direct contrast, Jimmy seemed to be in a perfectly good mood, probably because very few students ever had the necessity or permission to get out of the strict Adessi curfew laws, and like with everything else unfamiliar, Jimmy met it with headstrong enthusiasm and curiosity - and for good reason. The town, although familiar, seemed to change faces once the sun went down. The stuffiness of it seemed to melt away to a brisker, less congested sense of ease.

It was rather refreshing, really.

"Do you have any idea where, exactly, we should be hiding?" he asked, probably the first real semblance of conversation between the two of them that night. He figured he'd ask - just in case Theo was huffy enough to not even want to talk to him.

[highfivepriest]

"Hm?" Theo took another sip of his cappuccino and raised his eyebrows at Jimmy. His planner was flipped to another section, this one bookmarked with newspaper clippings and a small, city map that had a a number of outlines and X-es in red ink written on it that he unfolded. "Right, about that," he said, as if this sort or preparation was completely normal (for anyone besides himself). His voice dropped just barely low enough to not be easily overheard from nearby tables, his tone perfectly casual while he adjusted his reading glasses.

"From what rumors of previous victims I'd heard of earlier, for most of the summer, everything was centered around these small boroughs, the ones closest to that rundown old bridge you checked out earlier." Theo's finger tapped the mess of notes on the map to accentuate his point, then moved on as he spoke. "The gentleman that the first article was written about was only three or four blocks away from the bridge when he was hit, on this stretch - not the nicest neighborhood, either. …And then we have our latest article subject, who was hit about a block from this restaurant while leaving a bar, at about ten at night. To tell the truth, I don't think we'll have to do much hiding at all if it keeps going further out like it has. There's plenty of streets nearby that fit the scenes of previous attacks."

At which point Theo finally gave Campbell a patient look, obviously expecting the other boy to have kept up with him so far. "I was thinking about cutting out all the trouble of limiting ourselves to only one position and see how effectively Aequitas could keep out of sight and look for signs of obvious trouble from overhead. Then we narrow it down." Because while the persona was huge and metal and unwieldy, it was also perfectly adept at floating above the ground. Aequitas did seem to be feeling uneasy about the very idea, static crackling in Theo's ear, but the boy hardly gave it any thought.

[ironhanded]

Jimmy's eyes widened, and he leaned back. "It lets you control it like that?" Granted, Jimmy hadn't exactly tried ordering Caledfwlch around, largely because he depended on the persona, and also, he wasn't particularly eager to find himself at gigantic swords-point in case it didn't take too well to orders outside of battle. Caledfwlch's edges were really...rather sharp, and it seemed to have a no-nonsense personality that Jimmy appreciated, but didn't fancy challenging very much.

Nonetheless, he nodded. "Cal can help," he said, and there was no murmur in the back of his mind in opposition, so Jimmy figured that was as much of an approval as he was going to get. "Cal's pretty quiet too. We should probably keep out of sight anyway - at least one of us. The people under the bridge told us that the thing likes to target single victims."

That meant, of course, that someone was going to have to be bait.

[highfivepriest]

The younger boy gave a little shrug, pretending that the thought that Aequitas wouldn't listen to him at all simply hadn't crossed his mind (of course, in reality, it had taken an entire night of "discussion" with the persona, complete with throbbing headaches and the curious flickering of the bedside lamp, before they had exhausted themselves into a compromise). "It's just give and take."

"That's certainly workable," he replied, eyebrows furrowed at the map as he thought. Oh, of course he knew what Campbell was implying, how could you not? The idea of bait had struck him before, but he hadn't actually intended on getting quite so …hands-on about it. After all, there were plenty of targets wandering around town already; why not just let Aequitas tail them? But that had been his plan before he'd given into Locrine's Buddy System idea, and while the other boy wasn't always the best company to have around, having anyone as backup was much safer than going out alone. …Besides the fact that Campbell would never stand for it.

"How fast can Cal react?" Because, quite frankly, if you were planning to go against someone (or something) that ran people over at top speed, you had better make sure that the person watching your back was able to stop whatever went after you, first. Even from what little experience he'd had in using Aequitas' attacks, Theo knew that his persona was painstakingly slow to charge up; which was all very well and good when there was time to plan ahead a few steps, but in this case the only possible outcome was roadkill.

[ironhanded]

Jimmy fell quiet at that, in the rare occasional way that only happened when he was trying to converse with Caledfwlch. His eyes lowered, and he nodded curtly a few times before looking up with a confident, almost cocky smile. "Fast enough, he says. He's wondering if you mean that you're going to go out there first." A pause, and rather than relay a message, it seemed Jimmy's own thoughts caught up with his mouth, and he added, incredulously, "You're offering to be bait?"

[highfivepriest]

He might have been half-volunteering, but he definitely wasn't going to enjoy it.

Theo snapped his planner shut, tucking his pen into the binding. "I doubt Aequitas could keep up, when it comes to actually being on the offensive. You'd probably be run down like the rest before I could do anything. Doesn't leave us with much of a choice, does it?"

At that, he finished off his cappuccino, looking far less bothered by the whole thing than he felt. Logically, it made sense. Maybe leaving his safety in Campbell's hands weren't theoretically the best idea, but you worked with what you had. "Besides, we're not looking for a fight. Just an evaluation of what, exactly, has been prowling around," he mentioned. "It may very well decide to ignore us and pick off someone else instead."

Like that made it any safer.

[ironhanded]

"We have to stop it, too, if that's the case," Jimmy protested, frowning at the flippant attitude with which Theo seemed to throw out the subject. Not knowing better, the boy left Jimmy with an impression of someone who was wholly unsatisfied with being part of this 'persona' thing altogether, and was doing his best to get through it with minimal effort on his part. While Jimmy could agree that the demons' plight was not theirs, he wasn't all too happy about working with someone who clearly disliked him and had very little enthusiasm to spare.

Downing the rest of his water in one swell gulp, Jimmy set his empty glass down onto the table (softly, and without a clank as some might have expected - he was brought up with manners, after all) and stood up. They were no longer in school uniform, but two boys their age sipping casually at cappuccinos this late at night probably made for an odd image anyway, but while some things, like clothes, could be changed to hide their upbringing, mannerisms and high-class preferences were a little more difficult. Jimmy pulled his sweater tighter around his body, avoiding the curious glances of the other late-night patrons.

"That the plan, then? Let's go find a street. And by the way - you're welcome." He gave Theo a cocky smile at that. "Don't worry, I won't let you get run over."

[highfivepriest]

"I don't doubt that, but it should be our last resort." Theo took off his reading glasses and folded them, slipping them and his planner into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. The upperclassman was obviously was raring to go, and there was nothing to be gained by keeping him waiting - not to mention the fact that they really were starting to look a bit out of place the longer they stayed. Best to pay and get out of there.

…Especially with Campbell making cocksure comments like that. Maybe being in constant mortal danger for the night would be worth the quiet. His shoulders stiffened just the slightest bit, and he couldn't help the slight edge to his voice, "I would hope so. It'd be quite the mess to explain in the morning." Then, before Campbell could get much of a word in edgewise, he was already doffing his hat and leaving a couple bills on the table to cover for their bill and tip.

"Let's get going, then, if you're all set. Find someplace a little quieter, to start with." Someplace to let Aequitas out to get some real work done, without terrorizing anyone or drawing attention to themselves.

[ironhanded]

For Theo's bill and tip - water was free of charge, and while not a stingy person in the least, Jimmy had enough energy and knowledge of it not to stuff himself full of caffeine before an important mission. Plus, he simply didn't have much of a taste for coffee, and though he was acutely aware that it was one of those gentlemanly, acquired tastes that he would one day (have to) grow into, he didn't mind sparing himself when he could.

"Just waiting for you," Jimmy shot back, already bouncing a little on his feet. He was warming himself up, but he probably looked just looked hyperactive to Theo. "Further downtown, near the bridge - I heard it likes to hang around there. There's a lot of places to hide too, the last time I checked. Let's go."

[highfivepriest]

"Good," he huffed, lips set in a firm line at the other boy's energy. He was tempted, just so so tempted, to let out some remark ("Yes, Campell, I know you heard it frequents the neighborhoods by the bridge, because I told you that moments ago, maps and everything-" ) but settled for a brusque exit from the cafe's outdoor patio and the barest of backwards glances towards Jimmy, a silent sign to catch up with Theo as he stalked off through the city late at night. Something that would be probably a bit more difficult than the other boy would have guessed considering that, as lacking as Theo was concerning anything athletic, he was perfectly adept at moving faultlessly through city foot traffic.

The poorer downtown districts hardly earned Theo's favor: claustrophobic buildings and dirty gutters you got used to in any big city, but whereas some boys his age might have found a sort of thrill with the chance danger of possibly being mugged (or worse) at any moment, the idea of it all settled with him as lightly as lead. Though the alley they did find themselves ducking down was blissfully vacant, tucked between two small shops and mostly hidden from the windows of endless tenement housing that faced so many streets, the younger boy would not be surprised in the least if they happened to be interrupted by a wayward crook wandering the streets this late. Even after his persona rose out from behind him silently, chrome catching the weak light from the street lamps.

"Shall we get started?" As if it wasn't a little late to be asking, with Aequitas already hovering at his shoulder like some absurd, foreboding parrot.

[ironhanded]

It was challenging, in a way - Jimmy was not exactly disproportionate, but like many boys his age, he had arms and legs longer than he knew what to do with quite yet, and at the tender balance between boy and man, sometimes even walking with the right posture was challenging, let alone maneuvering through a human maze. The only saving grace of the whole ordeal was that Theo was exceptionally easy to pick out amongst a crowd. No one else seemed to be in quite as much of an impatient hurry on this leisurely weekday night, and as the crowds thinned out near the southern parts of town, no one was quite as well-dressed. Even Jimmy himself was tenfold more casual than his underclassman counterpart. It looked like (it always looked like) Theo had spent the better part of the day trying to iron out every wrinkle on his body, save for the ones that gathered near the downturns of his mouth and the dip of his brow on his face.

A little late to arrive in the right location than Theo, Jimmy approached with somewhat of a contrasting saunter, distracted as he was by looking over his shoulder. "Did you see that lady that just walked by? I swear she bumped into me on purpose. I think she was trying to reach into my trouser pocket," he said, sounded a little affronted, perhaps because of the sorry excuse of pickpocketing, perhaps because someone thought he would be susceptible to it, perhaps because a lady would try such a dastardly act indeed.

When he turned around, he immediately took a precautionary step back. "Oh," he blinked, looking up at Aequitas' floating back. This was only the second time he had seen the persona - if the first (frenzied, panicked, and in the dark) even counted. "He's here already." He raised a hand in greeting, unable to tell if it was facing him, or if it had a face at all. "Hello there. Just a moment, I'll call Cal."

A look of concentration came over his face, and within seconds, the tall, imposing silhouette of Caledfwlch took form in front of Jimmy (always leading).

[highfivepriest]

Now just because he happened to do an exquisite job of starching everything on laundry days didn't mean it took him all day to do so. Only a good part of the morning. But he did it because he was worth it.

Aequitas looked back in unison with Theo and bent just ever so slightly at the other boy, silver scales bobbing almost invitingly in the hole that was its midsection. Aside from the nagging and careful bursts of electricity and static, which Theo wasn't so certain anyone besides him would get the brunt of that treatment (even now, as soon as he even dared think of the word "nag", a delicately tiny arc of electricity flew from one of Aequitas' legs to his ear, making him flinch), the scales were probably the closest the persona could get to showing any kind of obvious emotion.

Theo himself couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at how Jimmy addressed Aequitas - it all seemed a bit too casual, didn't it; like you were just passing the phone receiver off to someone else? - but, although polite in the slow nod of his head, didn't seem so much as a blink in Caledfwlch's presence. Well, 'didn't so much as a blink' was most likely due to the fact that when you were faced with an obviously sharp sword about as tall as you were, the last thing you ever did was take your eyes off of it.

"Excellent. I say keep Cal with us just so we don't leave ourselves completely defenseless, if it's not too much trouble. And as for you," He spared a look up at Aequitas, who despite it's lack of facial features, already didn't look too pleased with the idea of going so far from it's host. Maybe it was the way it hovered just a fraction closer to the boy, or the agitated wobbling of its scales, but in either case Theo seemed determined not to let it sway him, his voice completely unbudging. "You know what to keep an eye out for."

Squealing tires, wakes of destruction of public property, terrified locals… the usual signs of general mayhem. It was always a good place to start.

[ironhanded]

Jimmy nodded, and Caledfwlch, although not one for orders, simply hovered before him. It was a stoic persona, and did not seem to communicate much. Rather, his agreement was implied by the fact that he didn't move ahead on its own, making it almost comically unlike its master (if you could call them that). Glancing out at the street, Jimmy couldn't see a soul wandering past. The area was almost like an abandoned ghost town, if they didn't know better. Perhaps the locals had taken special care not to be caught out alone and unawares given the recent news.

"Be careful," Jimmy said, unnecessarily perhaps, but it was better to say it nonetheless (ironic, considering who it was coming from). He pressed himself closer to one of the walls of the alley without actually touching the probably-dirty brick. The shadows did a well enough job of hiding them, even with Caledfwlch's tendency to catch and reflect light.

[highfivepriest]

It was surprising how well Aequitas could blend into the dark despite all the chrome, especially once it rose straight up above the rooftops and out of the glow of the street lights in that unnerving silent way it moved; it wasn't hard to see Aequitas if you knew what you were looking for, but the chances of that were slim. One second it was there, and the next Theo was left alone with only a vague nudge in his head as to what general direction the persona had gone - up, making small circles above them as it watched the crowded neighborhood.

"Hardly need to remind me," Theo finally replied after a few moments, not even giving the other boy a glance as he walked by him out of the alley and onto the corner, eyes narrowed at the barest hints of shadow up in the air that was his persona. Aequitas seemed to be going even further towards the old bridge, blinking out of even Theo's sight behind taller buildings, hesitant to go too far. A boring twenty minutes passed (with Theo hardly looking any more pleased by the fact that he wouldn't be getting run over right off the bat, as if his checking his watch wasn't enough of a hint) before the loud bang of a backfiring car echoed through the streets, loud as any gunshot.

Off went Aequitas, dipping down low in what looked to be surprise before jetting up over another rooftop, snagging a shirt from a clothesline on the sharp fender-like points of metal sticking out from around its head, and disappearing. The midair scramble certainly earned a vexed huff from Theo, one that was drowned out by another roar of a backfire echoing off of the brick tenement buildings. So it hadn't been just a one-off mistake.

"…That went faster than I thought," he muttered, trying to brush off the fact that both backfires had sent him jumping in his skin.

[ironhanded]

As soon as Theo left, Jimmy pressed back to the wall, sliding up toward the end of the alley. Unfortunately, though there was no fence or railing to block him, there was a giant sword floating his way, and with a muttered, "Cal," Jimmy nudged away Caledflwch's bottom tip from his direct line of vision. The gesture was met with an echo of a rumble from the persona, though it did inch far enough from the wall for Jimmy to peek around the corner.

At the sound of the backfire, Jimmy almost jumped straight toward his fellow classmate - by nature, he was an act-first-think-later sort of boy, after all. Thankfully, he managed to hold himself at bay before the entire plan went awry. Right, he reminded himself, Wait for it. He had complete faith in his reflexes, and his persona's wasn't too bad either (even if Caledfwlch probably couldn't jet through the air and into clotheslines quite as...gracefully as Aequitas could) - he was confident that Theo wouldn't be suffering any injuries despite being bait. Jimmy just had to make good on his claims.

"Stay ready, Cal," he muttered, eyes trained on the horizon, as far down the road as he could see. Any minute now.

[highfivepriest]

They definitely didn't have to wait long. Scant seconds after the last backfire, Aequitas rounded the corner, knocking over a trashcan behind it, that ridiculous shirt finally ripping loose in the wind as the persona made straight for it's host. Theo had already started backing up a few steps, prepared for the worst should he have to run for cover. You could hear the engine roaring ever closer - maybe not the most in-tune roar, it fluttered in and out, a sure sign that something was wrong: Carburetor? Something with the fuel intake, that was for sure, and he could smell burning oil already.

For a moment Theo thought that the car would drive right on past, coming up too fast to possibly think of turning onto the side street. Aequitas was already hovering in his face and forcing him to keep moving back from the rusted old chassis that had squealed to a dead stop in the middle of the road, the car's headlights turned off, and the familiar static crackle in his ears reached a new, panicked pitch. Theo's eyes flickered between the wreck of a car sitting in the road and the shadowed alley where Campbell was waiting; this could either turn out to be a false alarm or-

No sooner had he even thought it, but the car swerved onto the side street, rubber burning and and smoke curling from under the hood. Odd, funny even, with the way Theo could have sworn that it (or the driver, as was the case, even if you couldn't see anyone behind the glass in this dark) was studying them in a way, but not exactly dangerous yet… Until the engine revved with a positively unholy gusto and the headlights turned on to highbeams in a flash, blinding Theo for the precious few moments it took for it to put itself in gear with a sputtering shriek.

Well, at least they'd finally be putting those reflexes to the test. Ducking for cover was all well and good, unless, of course, the shadowed wall you'd blindly retreated against was the exact same wall that four tons of rusted, bloodthirsty steel was peeling out towards.