Realistic or Modern A Night Bleeds (Closed)

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Chase Moon

Tags: Maddox KodakWolf | Steaking It! - Houston, TX​

Chase was wuffling up a storm when the scents of the steakhouse hit him. He ordered the lamb, with a small porterhouse steak on the side, and he skipped the trimmings. He just wanted meat. He'd see how filling his order was before adding in maybe a sirloin or two.

Now, even though he felt downright ravenous, Chase had manners when eating in human form. And he savored each bite all the more for it. Wuffle wuffle. The grin given to Leif was a happy one, so very happy to have tasty food.

"Yeah, I've had some of those moments. Mostly just the pain though." The wolfish grin grew, "I know it'll return, the pain, but I can live with a dull ache." Chase occasionaly had to force himself to slow down eating, he didn't want to miss a single moment of flavor.

"Oh man. I haven't had a steakhouse in way too long, apparently." He was mindful of not talking with his mouth full. Runners had to always have proper etiquette when they were on the job, and some of it just became habit. Wuffle wuffle.

"It's been a lot of rabbits, squirrels, sometimes a small deer depending on the season." One eyebrow lifted with a bit of a shrug. "You adapt. I guess we all do in some manner." Wuffle. He was also the curious sort, if that wasn't clear by now. "Does it all taste different for you?"

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

The cuffs and suppression collar didn't bother her as much as they should. If anything, they were a sort of familiarity (if not a comfortable one) amid her strange, dizzying new circumstances. This hope of freedom, of movement, was altogether alien to her addled brain, while confinement was at least a devil she knew. The frying pan may scorch every bit as badly as the fire, but at least she recognized its puffs of flame.

Winnie kept her head down as she walked, as much out of meek deference as an anxious need to keep an eye on her footing—she hadn't been making regular use of her prosthetic limb over the past few dreary months, and her mobility had tightened, stiffened, the mechanical ease with which she had learned to walk now replaced by the uncertainty that always preceded her early physical therapy sessions. She would need to get used to it again, and quickly, else she burden the coven any more than she already had.

She remained silent as her handler led her from a limousine to a private plane, only nodding or bowing her head in acknowledgment when she felt it was necessary to show that she was listening. At the mention of headquarters, she felt as if a sledgehammer had been loosed within her chest—if someone as insignificant as her had been called to headquarters, the gravity of her failure must have been far more severe than even she had thought—but she remained quiet, pliable, docile. It was not her choice to make.

When her handler offered her a small boxed lunch, she stared at it as numbly as she had the breakfast tray in her cell, but now there was the extra weight of someone watching her as she cradled the provisions in her lap. She couldn't possibly entertain the thought of eating—a privilege she had not earned—beneath a superior's watchful gaze. A rabbit should not stop to pick at clover while a hawk circled overhead.

As before, she allowed herself the thermos of water, holding it up to her lips and taking small, tepid sips as her handler spoke. "This could be another chance, or the end of the line. I don't know. I'm hoping it's another chance. Everyone deserves one."

Winnie's fingers tightened around her drink, a chilly sensation creeping up her back at the uncertainty. She couldn't see why someone who had so thoroughly failed was worthy of a second chance—surely this was her final trip, a drop-off at the landfill, so to speak. The familiar fear flitted about in her chest like an ensnared bird, but all at once a strange, sedate relief washed over her.

If this really was the end—then it was the end. No more nights falling asleep to the sole company of a leaky faucet. No more uncertainty, dejection, abandonment. No more fear—finally, it would be time to rest.

The idea filled her with an unfamiliar, somnolent serenity, as if she had been suddenly shot up with a potent painkiller. Gently placing her thermos in her lap, Winnie spoke softly to her handler: "Wherever I am needed, I will go. And if I'm no longer needed... I will go away."

( Tags: Out Of Words )​

winnie sawyer.

psychic vampire

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Morgan Feigh

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris Roje Britt-21 Coda Vinegar Bees ⬇
Location: Block C - Miami, FL​

Morgan chose the right to remain silent for the moment. He initially tried to back up when the straddling female reached for him, but Park and Banks didn't let him move far. When directed to go sit on the futon, he made his way there, taking as wide a berth as the room would allow.

He rubbed at the top of his head, which would have been scratching one of his cat ears for those with the goggles still on. Truth was, he was trying to see if he could get any dust on his hand. If there was anything left behind, but he had been decontaminated pretty thoroughly.

Rowr. He was getting mad, frustrated and just angry at the whole thing. Morgan never did a damn thing to anyone, not on purpose. And lately, his brother's been a real dick. Now he was surrounded by more pricks.

The growl slipped out as he continued to rub rather vigorously at the one ear. He bit his lower lip, drawing a bit of blood. Wasn't on purpose, he was just focusing so hard on being angry, he didn't even realize he had done so.

coded by natasha.

 

[Absurdisan]

Gavid ColdLocation: Block C​

Following down the hallway, Gavid resisted the urge to sigh yet again when Key said there would be more people than expected, but his eyes were weary and hard with disdain. This job just kept getting worse and worse, and even sheltered from the moon his head twinged, warning him of a headache. He took a deep breath. And another. This wasn’t a difficult job, just annoying. He could do it.

Then Key said it could be up to eight other people.

“Kkhr-ntr! Wr’wsen!” he cursed, his mother tongue spewing vile expletives from the dark woods of old as he threw his hands in the air. Fuming, he stuffed them into his coat pockets and listened to the rest of the description, and mentally attempted to stab Key’s face with the daggers flying from his eyes when the diminutive agent shrugged. No such luck, so he kept on following. A goodly period of silence and a couple of deep breaths later, he spoke up.

“Questions,” he said, his voice barbed but calmed once more. “I assume the duster’s suppressed, or are they one of ours? Have I met any of these people before, and which of them are subject to SAM?” He prayed to the speakers that it wasn’t all eight, but judging by how the day was going so far he wouldn’t be surprised. “I didn’t know we’d be running a prison bus - four suppressed units? Come on! I hope headquarters has answers, because I’m not in any mind to ask my questions nicely. Oh, and don’t forget” he paused, taking a moment to compose himself a bit more, “usual thing - don’t introduce them to me when we get in there, and don’t tell them what I am. I’ll figure out who is what myself.” He tapped the side of his head. “And you know I don’t like people knowing my ken. Besides, let’s make them squirm a bit. I need a chuckle.”

Was that a smile that perked up Gavid’s face? Perhaps. Just a small one. It’s the small pleasures, after all.

TagsKey Out Of Words​

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Babysitters, INC. | Current Timeline: May 14th​

Tags: Gavid Absurdisan Roje Britt-21 Coda Vinegar Bees Park Maeteris
Location: Block C - Miami, FL

Key stayed in the hallway while Gavid asked his questions. They should be far enough away from the door to make listening in very difficult even for enhanced senses. The place was built for holding supernaturals as needed, just some rooms were given a little more 'leeway' than others.

"Duster is suppressed, yes. Newly acquired, will be one of us. More or less. You might have met Coda, the half demon. And SAM? Let's just play it safe, and say all. I'll be along, too. And we'll have the usual equipment on the flight over covering what we might miss." Key rubbed at his forehead briefly.

"Three of them are not yet here, but will be soon. I will leave you in the room with the others when they arrive. Also, I need to speak with a couple of them but I'll pull them into a separate room for it and bring them back. We'll be using accommodations here tonight, and leave in the morning, hopefully." Key gave a little growl. "Assuming they don't add more to the roster."

He gave a shrug, and then continued to the door, nodding in understanding of Gavid's requests. It wasn't out of the ordinary. Key opened the door and entered first, letting Gavid enter when he wanted. Sometimes a pause had the greatest effect. The guard would close it behind Gavid whenever.

"Well, then. I need to speak with Park and Banks first and.. Roje." Key sighed and gestured at Banks to hand her the goggles. Banks took his off and held them out. "Goggles. Now. You need to be able to see your charge in the correct way."

Then Key was gesturing for Park and Banks to follow him out the door where he'd lead them to another nearby room for a briefing of sorts.

coded by natasha.

 

[Britt-21]

Interactions: Vinegar Bees Out Of Words Maeteris Absurdisan | Location: Block C

Roje furrowed her eyebrows when Parks called her "Ma'am" never has anyone called her that, and hearing it just once almost made her cringe "Yikes, Parks. Don't call me Ma'am again." she said with a slight laugh "That doesn't fit my character at all. Call me Ro, or Jay, or Roje. None of that fancy talk." after being told about the boy, she sighed and shook her head "I'll be sure to watch that kid like a Hawk then. Already sounds like a pain in my ass. Thank you." her gaze shifted over to the boy who was sitting on the futon now, scratching his head and biting so hard on his lip that it had actually started bleeding. The scent of his blood finding way into her nose fairly quickly, which caused her to ultimately roll her eyes and get a napkin "Your heard work wont be in vain...Hopefully." she then moved over to Morgan, a napkin at hand as she held it out to him "You may wanna be careful who you draw blood around." lucky for him, she wasn't interested in feeding from the source itself. Only if it was a dire need, then that would go out the window.

The door then opened up not long after and she looked over as Key brought in another guy. He was quite large, though he didn't intimidate the small vamp in the slightest. Her boss sighed and mentioned the goggles that she had to wear in order to see what her charge actually looked like "I can smell him just as clear as I would see him. But if you insist." she went over to Banks and took the goggles from him with a 'thanks' and put them on before turning to her charge, seeing the fluffy cat ears and the tail That would explain how he spreads out the dust. His tail and ears are so damn hairy. She was going to have a blast teasing this one too "Hey, kitten," the vamp said with a grin on her lips as she walked back over, watching his actions with his ears and tail "Are you gonna continue scratching yourself and making yourself bleed in silence? Or are you actually gonna speak?"​

 

[Vinegar Bees]

For the moment, Coda merely drew back, watching the rest of the room's inhabitants with slitted eyes. He would never admit it, but when he was in a room with too many people like this, things could get—heavy. It was the only word he could really pinpoint to describe it, a certain dread, a pressure that spread like a toxin through the air with the mingling of voices.

(Outside of his own head, for once.)

He didn't know what it was—not really. It itched against his skin and slowly fanned out across his veins, insects chewing him from the inside. He couldn't keep his legs still—they twitched beneath him with manic urgency, as if his muscles were screaming at him to just get out of there.

The anticipated return of Key certainly didn't help matters, nor did the man's condescending disregard for Coda—he swore he must have made it a point to speak to everyone except him, just to get his blood boiling.

Well, there was also that kid, he supposed. Coda glanced across the room, where Roje had approached the kid after donning a pair of goggles. She was speaking to him in that same teasing tone she had wielded against him during their fight, and when she called the kid kitten, Coda felt his stomach twist in disgust.

Of all things, he didn't know why this was pissing him off—could be that Key had put him in a bad mood. It was the most likely offender, either way. Coda narrowed his eyes at the kid, and then he caught sight of another figure standing in the doorway where Key had just exited with Park and Banks.

He was tall, this guy. He stood with a grave stillness, the edges of his serious face carved as starkly as if they were marble. The thought briefly flickered through Coda's mind that he had seen this man before, though they had never spoken—he was another of the coven's employees, a veteran, if Coda were to guess—and he simply stood in the doorway, silent, appraising.

Coda shifted his gaze suspiciously from Roje and the kid to this taciturn newcomer, and before the manic tension in his legs could snap, he decided he had to move. Pushing off of the wall, Coda approached the man at the doorway—as he passed the kid, he rather pointedly shoulder-checked him, flashing a quick, unfriendly scowl down at him.

What's the matter, schoolboy? One of the voices hissed. You really that threatened by some scrawny brat?

He gritted his teeth and continued towards the man standing in the doorway. Coda bristled to find that, up close, the man just cleared him in height, and he squared his shoulders in defensive compensation.

"Who are you?" he asked, about as friendly in tone as his usual greetings—which was to say not.

( Tags: Britt-21 | Absurdisan | Maeteris | Out Of Words )​

coda.

half-demon

 

[KodakWolf]

Maddox Ward (Leif Hjalkarssen)
Location: Steakhouse on the way to TX
Tags: Chase Moon ( Out Of Words ) ​

While Chase wasn't chowing the food down, it was clear how much he missed it, and almost amusing to watch. Been a while since food had a similar effect on the vampire.

"Nah, it tastes the same. But more like when you're stuffed and have to force food down; without actually being stuffed. Your perception changes over time." he didn't mind answering the questions at all, in fact it was better than some awkward silence. Plus, it kept his mind busy, together with the beer. Maybe the paranoia resulted from the extra energy that had to be channeled somewhere, if he was sitting in a restaurant booth instead of speeding on the highway.

He was never really enthusiastic about meeting new people, and the perspective of gathering with several others in the same place wasn't super thrilling. Most jobs are a lot more efficient with the minimum amount of people involved. However, he couldn't complain about Chase's company so far, and it wasn't bad to be acquainted with someone beforehand. Especially since he got the impression the shifter was just as clueless about Devlin's plans as he was.

"So you've spent some time as a wolf? Is raw meat not as good?" From the sound of it, he'd been subsisting on raw hunted game lately, and if it wasn't as good as steakhouse meat, the real question underneath would be why not just go to a steakhouse.

 

[bread-and-butterflies]

Allison Hagan

conversational Wright Wranch outfit Bug, Devlin, Shia, Tilly Out Of Words + Evelyn Maeteris + Maylee Vinegar Bees

While staring down Wright, Allison was surprised when Maylee, the soft-spoken young woman at the table, piped up to agree with her. Speaking up clearly wasn't something she was used to, though, as she seemed to flinch at the very act, and immediately apologized afterwards.


Even the preoccupied-looking woman – Evelyn, was it? agreed with them. Well, at the very least, it seemed Allison wasn't the only one being kept in the dark. Before she could give the matter more thought, however, Bug began screeching beside her. She didn't even have time to try to ask him what was wrong before Wright was using some kind of spell to quiet him.


The other magician then ran down and retrieved some “calming tea” - it looked more like some kind of magical concoction, though Allison didn't dabble much in that form of magic. After a couple of sips, Bug seemed back to his normal self, apparently with no memory of what had happened. This did nothing to reassure Allison about Wright and D'Shire's intentions in keeping Bug in the dark, but judging by how distressed Bug was, perhaps now wasn't the time. She would give Wright a chance to explain himself, after dinner. She sighed, and gave him a curt nod in assent.


As she turned to greet the women around her, Allison's face softened quickly into a cordial half-smile. “Yes, pleased to meet you as well, Tilly. And was it Evelyn and Maylee?”


Since it was clear she wouldn't be getting any more info out of Wright over dinner, and the Bug crisis was averted, she got a better glimpse at the two women. The first one to speak, Maylee, was sunk down in a seat that seemed too big for her, still a little flush from her earlier “outburst.” She looked like she might still be in high school – Allison hoped this whole moon ordeal wasn't interfering with her education.


Evelyn, however, was upright, serious – she looked like she was missing a meeting in a conference room in a skyscraper somewhere. She struck Allison as one of those people whose age is impossible to guess – Allison thought maybe mid-twenties, but Evelyn might've been a full decade older.


“As you've heard by now, my name is Allison. Bug and I just drove in from California, where I work with my coven.” She didn't want to ask outright what flavor of supernatural everyone at the table was, but she figured volunteering info about herself would give them an opportunity to disclose, if they so desired.

code by yousmelldead

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Morgan Feigh

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris Roje Britt-21 Coda Vinegar Bees ⬇
Location: Block C - Miami, FL​

Morgan glared his mightiest glare when Roje called him a kitten. Even stood up then, ears flattening against his head. Cat fangs visible with the goggles flashed as he growled and with a rawr to his tone, "My name is NOT..."

Only to get shoulder checked with just enough oomph to send him a couple of steps to the side. Nearly fell down in the stumble to right himself, and wound up sitting back down on the futon. The anger faded as it was mostly a ruse, to hide the growing fear.

And maybe, a couple of small white specks of dust clung to the tips of his ears. Just a little. It did shut him up though, and he sucked on his lower lip until it had stopped bleeding. "Whatever." His voice sounded so much like the fox with the sour grapes.

Just sayin'. Morgan was not having a good day, and no one was telling him jack beans about Brandon. "Where is my brother?"

coded by natasha.

 

[Absurdisan]

Gavid ColdLocation: Block C​

Show time. Gavid assumed his usual stony countenance as he stood in the doorway, allowing Key to swing it open. Immediately he could almost taste the magic in the room, a morass of energies that assailed his senses. Nothing terrible, though. Plenty to filter through.

Watching Key give out his first orders, he set about determining who was whom. This woman, Roje, was the vampire - they had a distinct flavour to them, their magic old and coppery. She offered a snippy remark at Key’s request, but she still put the goggles on. No need to chastise her at the moment then, but worth keeping an eye on. He was about to set his senses on the one wearing the suppression gear as he stood before another man shoulder checked him, marching a direct course to where Gavid stood.

He stepped into the room proper, hearing the guard close the door behind him, and met this impetuous youngster’s gaze. He made no move to back away or defend himself, but he did note the man’s magic - fiery, both in temperament and nature. This was Coda, the half-demon. Gavid hadn’t met him before, as Key guessed, but he got a good sense of the man just by this short walk he had taken. By the speakers, he was young. Babysitting indeed.

Gavid kept his head level and his face impassive as Coda approached, following only with his eyes. This inevitably meant that when Coda was close enough, he was quite literally looking down his nose at him. “You can call me Mr. Cold,” he said, his voice stern as he nodded at Morgan. “It would behoove a half-demon to treat our guest with more courtesy. It may not be him for whom I have been called in.”

Without so much as a glimpse to see Coda’s reaction he stepped around him, heading toward Roje and Morgan, opening his senses to pick up the fae magic drifting from him. Just as Key had reported. Speaking of the man, he saw Key head out the door with the other two agents, leaving him with the rookies. “Does anyone have an answer for this man?” His voice was loud but with only a hint of irritation, all the better to show a quietly-restrained temper as he looked around to Roje and flashed a pointed look at Coda. “We might find that things go smoother if we don't have people at each other’s throats.” Not a minute in the room and he could tell these newbies needed some serious wrangling.

TagsKey, Banks & Morgan Out Of Words | Roje Britt-21 | Coda Vinegar Bees​

​

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Nabsters | Current Timeline: May 14th​

Tags: Indy Rhyme Winnie Vinegar Bees | Location: Miami, Florida

The limo driver smirked and gestured to the flight attendant, who had the name badge of Laura. She was perk, brunette, and had the condescending smile down pat. The roll of duct tape was passed over to the guy, before she left to see about drinks.

The sound of the tape being pulled off, and torn was heard, moments before one hand gripped Indy's hair, pulling hard. "My pleasure." His other hand slapped the tape over her mouth and made sure it was stuck well. The better the stick, the harder it would be to come off later.

"I think she meant you limp dick squirrel fucker, asswipe." Yup, there was another strip pulled out and torn free. Hair tugged, mouth taped. He moved to stand where he could see both of them, that smirk deeply etched on his face.

"Well, this should be a nice, quiet ride. Thank you." He smirked, and for most of the flight, was either flirting with Laura, or in the back eating and making it known how good his first class meal was.

When they landed, additional precautions were made, one that had the limo driver nearly laughing. He showed them a device that fit in the palm of his hand, with two buttons. "This is pretty special, let me tell you what. Better... I'll show you."

He pressed a button, and a small, painful, electric shock shot through Foster, his first example. Then he pressed the other button, and Indy received the same. "There's also a proximity in this. You know those shock collars for dogs? You go too far and bzzt?" He shook his hand, "Bzzt bzzt."

Another attendant came over to unstrap them, but the duct tape was still on their face. "Be good little pets. Go out of the plane, and down the ramp to the car waiting. Trust me, you get rewarded for good behavior. Try to fight or run, and... you haven't known pain, but you will."

The car was, surprise, another limo, but with a passenger already in the back. Winnie had been unloaded from her plane and they waited for the two shifters to arrive. Once everyone was in, the car would head toward Block C.

coded by natasha.

 

[Britt-21]

Interactions: Out Of Words (interacted) Vinegar Bees Absurdisan | Location: Block C

And there's where this kid already fucked up. Kitten it is! she thought to herself, catching sight of some sparkles on the tips of his ears. Narrowing her eyes a little, she backed up slightly, just in case he tried something with those damn ears of his. His cat fangs also made him look like a kitten trying to be ferocious. Putting her hands up, she spoke sarcastically "Oh my, Kitten got fangs. Oh I'm so scared." she said with a roll of her eyes and a sarcastic laugh while putting her hands down "Sorry, kitten, your brother isn't here. He's also probably not gonna pick you up, so better get comfortable. You're gonna be here for a while." Roje had no real information on his brother, she was just going along with what she could assume. The vamp highly doubted his brother would be in a place like this. But there could always be the benefit of the doubt. "Since you're being such a good boy, do you want something to munch on? I may be an asshole, but I am an asshole with some hospitality." had to thin out the air somehow. If it got too tense, it would only irritate her and make her grumpier than usual. Slowly she began to move backward toward the kitchenette, waiting for his reply.

I wish I wasn't a bodyguard to a pussycat. Key already told me how he doesn't like violence and wouldn't resort to it. Lives up to his name. Has a meow louder than his bite. she knew if she said this out loud, that kid would wanna try to deck her in the face, only to be met with the same fate, but at a more painful level. Keeping her mouth shut to an extent was where she was going to win the race, hopefully. Her eyes shifted over to Coda and the new guy for just a moment, picking up his name. Mr Cold? Why not something cool like 'Chiller' or some shit? Mr Cold. Sounds like a name that Frozone's child would make. ah, yes, the Incredibles. A movie that grabbed many people's attention for its style. Roje had a guilty pleasure, she saw it a few times whenever she'd get a bit too bored. Her attention went back to the cat "Last chance to tell me."​

 

[Maeteris]

Evelyn Harper

So this was Bug. Evelyn could see the reason behind the name. He was chittery and talkative, his speech patterns fast and jumped from one topic to the next without clear reason. It was a bundle of headaches gift wrapped and signed exclusively for her. She made a note to avoid interactions with him or atleast have D'Shire as a proxy.

"Charmed." Evelyn told Allison Hagan, "Evelyn Harper, Harper Industries VP, New York branch." She said, the words felt rehearsed, repeated a thousand times. "You'll have to excuse me for not shaking hands. A coven you say?" Deftly, she navigated her utensils around her plate. Arranging her food in manageable little groups as the cogs turned. She hasn't heard of witches' covenants since the 1800's.

Though they havent actually been thorns in Harper side, they were vilified by mortals. Fool witches thought to dabble in the arcane and somehow exposed themselves. The last supposed witch had been burnt on a cross, her throes of death cursing her murderers down to their seventh generation.

Allison Hagan at least did not appear to her to be the stereotypical witch. No pointed hats, nary a broom nor a cloak. Her white tufts of hair did borrow to that speculation though if only a little.

If anything she seemed to be a level-headed individual -- too easily attached, cue Bug. Unless they had been acquainted prior to this whole event then that was fine.

location: Houston • tags • mood • Outfit • interactions

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Coda couldn't help a swift, sharp ripple of—what, exactly? Shame? Spite?—when this Cold guy (suffice it to say he was not in a hurry to call the man "mister") quickly pointed him out as a half-demon. The slight only worsened when Cold then passed him by as carelessly and with about as much interest as one might walk past a wet floor sign in a supermarket aisle. He bristled as he watched the man's back, bristled more as Roje continued to offer the little brat food even as the kid did nothing but whine for his brother.

Don't bother, he found himself thinking absently. Brothers are made to let people down.

Coda scowled when Cold pointedly shot a look his way, again not even bothering to feign interest. The way everyone was brushing him aside today, looking right through him, was starting to wear his nerves raw and hot. Key's dismissive scorn, Roje's infantilizing teasing (and now the way she discarded him so quickly for this kitten), and now Cold's clear keenness for his own seniority. Again and again, he was pelted with the clear indication that he was lesser, barely more than a child.

Maybe it was true. Maybe Cold did have seniority here—he had clearly been working here for a while, blending in with the chilly auras of the high-ranking magicians Coda had crossed paths with (though the fact that he couldn't even be sure Cold was a magician was a further rub of salt in the wound). Just because he had to listen to Cold, though, didn't mean Coda had to like it.

Through gritted teeth, Coda growled at Cold: "I'm not jumping at anyone's throat. I'm just here to do my job."

Not jumping at anyone's throat, sure, but even he could hear the tight hostility in his own voice.

He turned away from Cold, crossing his arms sullenly across his chest. "Which would be a hell of a lot easier if I knew what my job is. I don't know anything about anyone's brother. I don't even know why the hell I'm here! Key doesn't tell me shit—doesn't think I'm worth the wasted breath."

Briefly and impotently (once his emotions flared up, it was a nigh-hopeless quest to try and quell the flames), he wondered whether he was showing too much of his insides—he wanted to sound like a serious, task-oriented agent ready to get to work, but he worried he might be sounding more like a frustrated, insecure kid, a dog weary of being jerked along by the collar pressing into its throat.

"You, on the other hand," he said to Cold, quietly and resentfully, "I guess Key tells you plenty." It was a thinly-veiled acknowledgment that Cold had so quickly identified him as a half-demon. Coda tried to keep it quiet unless absolutely necessary, and the fact that Key could pull out that piece of information whenever it struck him made Coda seethe. Neither side of his identity sat comfortably within him: half invited ridicule, while demon drew revulsion, and Coda already got enough of both from himself.

( Tags: Absurdisan | Britt-21 | Out Of Words )​

coda.

half-demon

 

[Rhyme]

Indy
Now starring in "Cat-Napped"
Tags: Out Of Words Vinegar Bees
Location: Some whack limo
​

Indy watched as 'Laura' made her way over, wielding the roll of duct tape like she was revving up a chainsaw as her emotionless grin burned holes through Indy's brain. She watched as Laura passed off the duct tape and left, the perfect manicured smile never leaving her face. Laura you bitch, you are a traitor to all woman-kind.

The limo driver seemed to take a special pleasure in yanking back her hair, the sharp pain rocketing through her scalp. She hissed, eyes meeting his as she licked her lips just before her slapped the duct tape on, taking care to make sure it had stuck tightly. Maybe it wasn't her first time having her mouth taped over, but it was certainly the first time on a private plane.

"I think she meant you limp dick squirrel fucker, asswipe." Indy glanced over at Foster just in time to see the driver slap a piece of tape over his mouth too. She could feel the glue stretch her skin as she failed to suppress a slight smile. You're gonna need more tape, asshole.

Still... She looked carefully at Foster and the limo driver.

The driver spent the rest of the trip chatting up Laura--Laura, you better hope I don't figure out where you live--and loudly enjoying his meal. Indy had spent a while rocking her ankles and flexing her arms by the time it became clear they would be landing. Thankfully, as the ache in her muscles had become undeniable.

A small device was shown to both her and Foster by the limo driver, like a sadistic kid showing off his mutilated Barbie doll. "This is pretty special, let me tell you what. Better... I'll show you."

Shit. A violent shocked wracked Indy's body, causing her sore muscles to cease and a gasp shot from her throat, only to be blocked by the duct taped that prevented even the shortest cry. Her body jerked against the chair before it finally quit, residual currents still causing her arms to shift suddenly against her restraints. I'm not a fucking dog. She hoped her eyes could at least communicate that much.

Soon they were unstrapped and summarily warned against the consequences of escape. It was pointless, without the ability to shift and the goddamn duct tape, Indy knew better. She highly doubted, however, that any good behavior would truly be rewarded. The moment her hands were free, Indy reached up and ripped the tape from her mouth. Her lips burned as she sneered, wadding the tape into a ball and throwing it at the limo driver. "You enjoy taping girls up a little too much, pervert." As Indy stepped out onto the steps out of the plane she called one more time over her shoulder, "and capital Fuck You too, Laura!"

A limo was waiting for them. As her and Foster were shuffled forward Indy saw another small figure sitting in the back of the limousine. Guess she wasn't the only kidnapping victim today.

"You good?" She glanced at Foster, feeling her lips and the surrounding skin burn with raw exposure. She didn't particularly wait for his answer, however; for all she knew, he was still in on it.

Just before they reached the limo door Indy quickly shut her eyes, desperately trying to sense if she could shift anything--even just a fingernail into a claw. No-go. Shit. It was like that core part of herself had been frozen in cement, impossible to break into. She needed to find a way to get these cuffs off.

Once they were inside, Indy caught a better glimpse of the small girl already sat down on the long leather seats. Porcelain skin brushed with red hues laid claim to the softest collection of freckles; a picture framed in soft blonde hair. Indy had seen pictures of people like this girl, girls who model for portraits framed in the MET. With how frail she seemed, she might as well have been pulled from one of those pictures, her small bones sticking out of her skin like the edges of paper.

"Jesus."

She didn't seem to be shackled; did these fuckers resort to abducting little girls, too? What the hell had she been wrapped up in? At least the girl didn't seem to have the same shock collar that Indy and Foster were 'gifted' with, though there were small, unlinked bands around her wrists and neck. "Hey, are you okay?" She kept her voice low, fully aware someone may be listening--not to mention her trust in limos and their respective drivers had long since been summarily shattered.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay." The girl just looked so forlorn... "Did they take you too?" Indy chanced a glance at Foster, searching for any sign of recognition on his face as she slumped down into a seat.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

For a few moments thereafter, Maylee could still feel a lingering, shame-borne heat: certainly she hadn't made a great first impression on the newcomers, she thought. The rest of the group seemed to move on quickly, though, with no one confronting her for her sudden outburst, and she felt the shame dissolve into gratitude and relief. The others, she was sure, understood the sensation the moon had been filling her with, like dancing on the edge of a knife. It seemed they wouldn't begrudge a fellow afflicted.

Devlin quickly sent for a cup of "calming tea," as he called it, for Bug, but Maylee couldn't help but wonder at something implicit beneath those words. Her suspicions grew when a single sip of the tea seemed to obliterate not only Bug's panic but also his memory of it. Bug was of a "delicate" nature, Devlin had said, and she could certainly see the signs—but she couldn't help but feel a little troubled at the clandestine nature of it all, at willfully keeping Bug ignorant of something that concerned him.

She had never liked being treated like she couldn't handle the truth, even when her then-fragile skin proved her shamefully wrong.

Allison seemed to have relaxed for the moment, addressing the others at the table in a warm, friendly tone. There was something immediately captivating about her, Maylee thought—something storied in the way she carried herself and her voice. She exuded the air of one who had lived an inclement life and had emerged wise. It was the sort of aura Maylee immediately admired, an unpretentious strength.

When Allison identified herself as a member of a coven, Maylee mentally noted her as a magician—she had heard the term coven used to describe a colony of vampires on occasion, but far less often than witches, and Allison having walked in through the liquid-amber sunset without any ill effects made vampire seem unlikely. Evelyn introduced herself, too, though Maylee noticed she declined to share her elven heritage at the moment—it made Maylee feel a little uneasy, but it wasn't her place to share her companions' presumably well-guarded identities.

It was, however, her place to share her own, and Maylee felt a tremor of apprehension as she ran her tongue over the now-sandy roof of her mouth. It was clearly her turn to speak, and she could feel her blood thumping in preemptive dread.

"I'm... Maylee, yes," she said in response to Allison's earlier question. "And I'm a shifter... though, uh... I guess you could've guessed that." She held up her hands, which only a moment earlier had been on the precipice of becoming paws instead. "Wolf," she added. "Though—to be honest—it's only been a few years. Most of my life, I was just... a normal human."

It was embarrassing to admit. She was surrounded by adept magicians, born-shifters, an elf, and by comparison, she seemed so... ordinary. She wondered whether her companions would doubt her right to be there.

Hell knows I am.

There went the first Band-Aid. Now for the second.

"And... and there's something else, too." The dread was far headier now, as the second Band-Aid was by far the worse. "I... I already told Shia and Evelyn this, and... I figure I'll have to say it again when the rest get here, but..." Her throat felt thick as she swallowed a wave of bile. "I'm a hunter. Not for sport, or for money or anything—I just—I protect people from beings they can't protect themselves from." She took in a breath and added in a small voice: "The things I couldn't protect myself from."

Maylee willed herself to look up and meet her companions' eyes, to hold her fists steady at her sides and keep them from betraying weakness by trembling. "I don't hunt anyone unless they've hurt someone else first. But... I have hunted before, and... and I will, again, if someone needs to be protected."

She took another breath, adrenaline coursing rapidly through her system. Hunters had a stigma in the supernatural community, to be sure, and while Maylee did all she could to distance herself from the bloodsport type, she had faced a fair share of hostility and suspicion. "I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'm not here to hunt. But—still—it's the kind of thing I thought... I shouldn't hide from you." Her brow furrowed, her fists squeezing tighter. "I have no right to demand honesty unless I'm honest myself."

( Tags: bread-and-butterflies | Maeteris | Out Of Words )​

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Two More for Dinner? | Current Timeline: May 14th​

Tags: Evelyn Maeteris Maylee Vinegar Bees Allison bread-and-butterflies Edwin @Thropian
Location: Wright Wranch

Devlin nodded at Maylee. "Thank you for your honesty. It's going to be important to trust each other, which is why, after dinner, we can talk in the study and address concerns." He gave a smile, and eyed Shia when he returned to the table. They'd likely also talk about any of his thoughts, as his gaze kept returning to Bug and the man couldn't completely hide his worry.

It wasn't much longer when Levi and Edwin had traded the bus for a limo. Another short ride, and they were let out in front of the Wright Wranch. Devlin was somewhat occupied with the happenings with Bug, and failed to notice their arrival until Levi rang the doorbell.

Tilly was already up, having restocked a bowl of mashed potatoes. "Ooch. I'll get it, doncha mind it none." And that was how Edwin and Levi were greeted, by the slightly flour covered Tilly. "Oh more wee bairns! Com'ere."

Levi made a short 'ack' sound before he was encompassed in her arms and held to her ample bosom like a child being embraced by their overly affectionate mother. "Ye be safe! And too thin! Come in and eat. It'll stick to ye ribs it will! Welcome!" She waved Edwin in with one arm as she all but guided Levi to a chair.

He sat with a bit of an oof, and had to finger comb his hair to be just right again. "Tillyyyyyyyyyy..." Levi couldn't get mad at the woman though, and maybe actually enjoyed someone hugging him like a mother would.

Devlin chuckled, things a little less stressful with Bug keeping his mouth busy with food. "Leviathan. And.. Edwin Blunt? Please, have a seat. There is plenty of dinner to go around." And indeed there was, because Tilly was bringing out two more plates, and slapping generous portions of food on both while Devlin made sure everyone had been introduced.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Morgan Feigh

Tags: Gavid Absurdisan Roje Britt-21 Coda Vinegar Bees ⬇
Location: Block C - Miami, FL​

Morgan noticed a few speckles on his palm from rubbing at his ear, but he closed his fist to keep it to himself for now. Ears flattened when the woman kept calling him kitten, but his moment of rage had passed.

He wasn't much of a fighter, just got into trouble a lot because of his dust. Probably why his brother tended to keep him locked up as of late. And maybe he knew, Brandon had to have let these guys in the house. They weren't cops. And his brother.. maybe had gone through with the threat to sell him to the highest bidder.

Was at least a little better than his threat to sell his body parts to the black market. Well, unless these guys worked for the black market. Morgan had no clue, and now he was quickly sinking into depression.

Morgan curled up on the couch, arms folded in front of his chest, tail curled in close. The few white particles were being subtly edged out into a deep blue. Apparently, the harder and stronger the emotion was, the more got past the suppression units.

Staring at his tail, Morgan only sunk deeper as he saw the dust appearing speck by speck. The dust was always the biggest part of his problems. If he hadn't been a Duster type, no one would care about him. It only got him into trouble, and even killed.... No. No thinking about that.

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

She was silent, obedient, as her handler led her down the plane's ramp to the tarmac below and then into the cloistered interior of a well-polished limousine. It had been decades since Winnie had lived in a cramped gable-front house stocked with more unpaid bills than food, but even now she found the coven's extravagant style strange and a little frightening. Her family hadn't even owned a car, and she couldn't shake the feeling that climbing into the limo was like crawling down into the belly of a beast.

Winnie kept her hands folded neatly in her lap as she waited, squeezing her knees together to keep them from bouncing in trepidation. Even if she were on her way to her death, she couldn't help but shrink a bit beneath the anticipation. Why not just put a bullet through her brain and be done with it?

A sudden raucous outcry assaulted her ears, and Winnie stiffened, shrinking back in her seat as she watched another pair of passengers forcibly inserted into the limo—loud, unruly passengers. They were fitted with the same suppression cuffs that chafed against her own wrists, with the addition of something sinister clamped over their necks—oh. Winnie remembered her first experience with the shock collar with a shudder. She had learned fast that it was better, safer, to be quiet.

The female passenger, a young woman with husky dark hair and spitfire eyes, seemed to just be settling down after a profanity-laden fit, and Winnie felt her stomach tighten in dread at the sight—the coven did not care for defiant types.

To her surprise, the woman addressed her directly, her voice low and startlingly soft as she asked a snatch of words Winnie had been longing to hear since those sweltering days in her rundown, hungry childhood home.

"Hey, are you okay?"

In surprise, Winnie's gaze shot up to meet the woman's, and she was quickly assaulted by the thoughts swirling through the woman's head: a pulse of fear and an ache of confusion, a matchstick of defiance struggling as it was ground beneath the heel of a hard, uncaring boot—all threaded together with a pungent, fervid anger.

Swiftly, Winnie dropped her gaze back to her lap, daunted by the intensity within the woman. She squeezed her hands painfully together, gritting her teeth as the woman assured her she would be okay. Once upon a time, there had been a small, feeble girl with bruised elbows and a pigeon-toed stance who had dreamed of nothing more than to hear those words and believe them—but they had come decades too late.

"Um..." Her voice came small and thin, her body almost reflexively recoiling in anticipation of a shock. She hadn't been fitted with a shock collar in a long time, but once was all it had taken. "I'm... I'm okay. I'm, um... I'm sorry."

All at once, a voice tantalizingly familiar shot through her mind: What for? Not your fault.

She flinched, as if a needle had been driven clean through her hand. It hurt—something hurt, and she didn't know why.

No, that wasn't it. She did know why... or she had. She simply couldn't remember.

Pushing the thought from her mind, Winnie continued to address the woman in a timid voice: "I'm okay, but... you won't be if you keep fighting." She kept her voice as close to a whisper as she could, hoping the driver wouldn't take her warning as a sign of disloyalty. Whatever fate she was headed to, it had already been sealed—but she could see the fight still within this woman. Winnie didn't want to see her get hurt the way she knew the coven could hurt people. "You... you have to do what they say. They're so much bigger than you, or me..." She faltered and chewed at a tender, scabbed spot on her lip. "...they're even bigger than the moon."

( Tags: Rhyme | Out Of Words )​

winnie sawyer.

psychic vampire

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Nabsters | Current Timeline: May 14th​

Tags: Indy Rhyme Winnie Vinegar Bees | Location: Miami, Florida

Foster peeled his tape off as well, muttering under his breath, until he got zapped. "OW! YOU GODDA..OW!" Bzzt. Bzzt. Foster became a poster child for what not to do. "You.." Bzzt. "Mot.." Bzzt. "..cker!" Bzzt bzzt bzzt.

Foster was brought to his knees before he reigned in his mouth. The limo driver was just waiting and watching, as he stood up and moved to the waiting limo. There was a glorious bird flown by one particular finger on a hand, and the resulting bzzt had him falling into the limo with a definite lack of grace.

Foster was quietly seething as their bags were put into the trunk and all the doors were closed. The limo driver got into the passenger seat, as there was someone else driving. They shared a laugh before driving away from the airport.

"Hey, there are some cold bottles of water in the console if you're thirsty." Their laughter increased a bit.

Foster opened his mouth, something the first driver had been waiting for, just because. Bzzt. "STOP IT!" He was growling, but kept quiet after, eyes darting to the other one in cuffs. His voice a little hoarse. "Who're you?"

coded by natasha.

 

[Absurdisan]

Gavid ColdLocation: Block C​

Whatever small hope Gavid had for Roje quickly evaporated as she mouthed off at the captive fae - had she shown responsibility and professionalism then he could have put her to use, leaned on her to watch some of the others. But no. She was as much a petulant child as Coda, which was even more damning for a vampire who could be in their eighties.

“Roje, shut it,” he warned. “I’m fairly sure your job is not to terrorise this man. Get him something to eat and drink and leave it with him, then just keep an eye on him. Preferably quietly.” His expression was stony and his voice firm as he gave the order, and he hoped she would obey him. He had already noted the apparent pleasure she got from harassing a subdued unit, and hoped he wouldn’t have to add to that list of character flaws.

Coda had a brief moment of civility - yes, we’re here to do a job, good lad - but that was quickly squandered by more whining. And whining was what it was. The boy looked barely old enough to shave, so he may actually be as young, Gavid couldn’t guess as he lacked much experience with demons. His concerns were valid, being left in the dark was frustrating, but dealing with that frustration was part of the job. However, when he said that Key told him plenty Gavid couldn’t help but bark out a laugh.

“Ha!” It spat past his lips as his eyes wandered the room. “Key tells me what I need to know and nothing more. I might have more years in the Coven but I’m as in the dark about all this as you two are.” Turning to face Coda, he figured he could share a bit of information if it would help quell the emotions that were running rampant in this room. “We’ve got a few more coming, in suppression gear. We’ll be staying the night here then heading to headquarters, so I’d appreciate some help in keeping things running smoothly.”

He flashed a look at Roje and Morgan before continuing. “I am relying on you two to keep things in order. That means no antagonising people, and following orders. Sometimes we don’t get to know why we’re doing the things we’re told, but that’s the job. We have to deal with it and move on.” It was a plea to their better, more mature natures, and he hoped that bringing them in on the job would calm them down and make them more cooperative. It was also a test to see how they reacted, but he wasn’t going to let them know that.

TagsMorgan Out Of Words | Roje Britt-21 | Coda Vinegar Bees​

 

[Rhyme]

Indy
Tags: Out Of Words Vinegar Bees
Location: Limo​

There was a commotion beside her as Indy heard the shrill screech of an electric current running sharply through Foster's collar, followed by the sound of him dropping onto the floor of the limo. "Fuck." Indy leaned down to help him. Well, either he was incredibly deep undercover, or that was two points in the 'we both just got kidnapped and he's just an idiot' theory.

"Um..." The girl's voice was as soft and enchanting as her appearance. "I'm... I'm okay. I'm, um... I'm sorry." The girl flinched as if she had been the one receiving electric shocks, rather than Foster. Her head dropped as her body coiled inward.

"I'm okay, but... you won't be if you keep fighting." The already small voice had dropped to a low whisper. "You... you have to do what they say. They're so much bigger than you, or me..."--a small falter now, one wrong beat in a soft, sad melody--"...they're even bigger than the moon." Either that's a weird metaphor, or they also pitched her the moon speech. Noted.

Indy wasn't the mothering type. She had a single goldfish, once, when she was nineteen, and it had jumped into the toilet bowl and swam down the pipe while she had been cleaning its tank. Which, frankly, had probably been for the best. But this girl in front of her... Every fiber of her being was pulled taught, the ache to shift and curl up in her lap, to reassure her that everything was fine... She reached out her hand, but was interrupted by the sound of a trunk slamming shut. Indy quickly retracted her hand as the limo driver settled into his seat.

"Hey, there are some cold bottles of water in the console if you're thirsty." The bastards were laughing. The shrill sound of the collars rang through the car again as Foster was zapped, his loud complaint lifting Indy out of her seat as she slammed a fist against the head of the driver's seat. "Hey! Can you chill the fuck out already?! We're fucking complying you piece of--shit!" The shock threw her backward onto the floor of the limo where her head slammed painfully, the following ringing in her ears tuning out any other noises.

In the following tense silence, over the static in her brain, she heard Foster's question, his voice sounding raw.

Maybe it was the presence of the girl stirring up the sentimental half of her nature, but Indy was starting to feel concerned for the pizza thief. "It'll be okay," she muttered again, cheek pressed against the cool limo floor. Who was she even talking to anymore?

 

[Britt-21]

Interactions: Out Of Words Vinegar Bees Absurdisan | Location: Block C

Not getting any kind of reply from the Kitten, she sighed and shook her head, turning her back to him and walking up to the fridge before Mr Freeze spoke up. She paused and suddenly felt a rising anger in her soul. Her head turned and looked toward Gavid "Listen, here, Frozone. I'm not here to terrorize. I'm here to protect my charge. My boss, is also not you. It's Key. So unless Key tells me that you're my new boss, I'm not going to take orders from you." looking back to the fridge, she pulled it open and pulled out a bottle of water and closed it before moving to the cabinets, going through them and finding a small snack bag and returning back to Morgan on the futon. "Here." she said, handing him the bottle and snack bag "Stuff probably happened suddenly, so no doubt you're tired, or hungry or whatever." Roje noticed the dust on his ears and his tail getting a little bit much. Werent these cuffs meant to stop that? Before she could even think more on it, she heard Gavid speak up once again, allowing her eyes to narrow slightly.

"Trust me, I know when to take a job seriously. Especially when lives are on the line. I may have a temper, I may have an attitude and like to taunt, but that's how I operate. Things will go smooth as long as you don't piss me off." the only person who knew of Roje's antics were Key himself no doubt. It would be about time that Gavid learned what Roje was really like. When there was business, she took it very seriously. He just seen her in a position where she was comfortable and was able to mess around a little bit to get a laugh out. But it seems he wanted professionalism. So hopefully he'd leave things as is and allow her to fit into her role as easy as she would like. I swear if he's on my case... I'm going to have to ignore him just to keep my focus on kitten.​

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Block C | Current Timeline: May 14th​

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris Gavid Absurdisan Coda Vinegar Bees Roje Britt-21
Location: Miami, FL

Key gestured for each of them to sit down in the office chairs at the desk. It looked like one would expect a regular office to, desk, chairs, fake plant in one corner. "Please, sit. I need to discuss with the two of you an opportunity. An opportunity to work at a greater capacity for the Coven." He'd let that sink in first.

Park sits down reluctantly, her fingers tapped on the arm rest. They're going to mind flay her or worse kill her outright probably for letting the dust touch her. It comes as a surprise when Key actually offers them both a job. Both. Not just Banks. She looks at Banks to gauge his reaction first.

Banks couldn't control the way his eyes grew a bit brighter when he shot Park a quick look. He glanced back to Key and managed to keep his tone neutral at least. "Go on."

Key was the king of neutral expressions though. Hard to read him unless he wanted to be read. "If you accept, you'll be working at Coven Headquarters, effective pretty much tomorrow. Which means, you'd be on the flight with the others you've already met, and a couple more on the way. We expect to leave tomorrow, and it will be overseas."

He didn't let that sink in as long. "There would be no time to go back to your places, however, we can send someone to retrieve any personal items you write down. This is a limited time offer. As in, I need an answer before you can leave this room."

"Sounds... Good." She bites. Too good. Her family wont mind, that wasn't a problem, but she's been busting her ass for the force without a peep about promotion.

Here though, she coulda actually get somewhere for once and probably swim! Banks is going to jump on the offer, he's been waiting too long for this. She guesses this just leaves her then. "Yeah, sure sign me up." She says, promptly praying she didn't need to regret this.

Banks was surprised Park signed up so quickly, but he gave her a grin and then agreed as well. "Sounds good."

Key nodded his head and pulled out the usual contract. It was just one page, agreeing to uphold the Coven's edicts and rules. It had a place for each of their thumbprints, and a small needle was passed over so they could prick their thumb. It had to be signed in their blood, after all. It wasn't unusual for the Coven and they had likely signed something similar when they were first brought on board.

Oh shit, more of these old school regs. Park never likes it when blood comes into the equation. It never amount to anything good, unless its food. But she acquiesces, prickling her index and pressing it on the parchment.

"Let's face it, you're going to get into trouble without me." She told Banks, breaking the ice. Though not partnered for very long, Banks pretty much made her life in the precinct at least tolerable.

Banks gave a little scoff with a grin and signed the paper as well. "Go big or go home, right?"

Key collected the paper and tucked it away. "Very well. Your first task will be assisting myself and another with this group, both tonight and on the plane to headquarters. Three more are coming, and like the Fae, they will be in suppression units."

Key stood, gesturing for them to do the same. "I will brief you more thoroughly in the morning before we are due to leave. Until then, when the others arrive, you will each be assigned one as a temporary charge. I will make sure accommodations are prepared."

"Any questions? If not, you may return to the room, and please send So..Coda in." Banks didn't have anything, so he stood and waited for Park.

"Uh-huh." She elbows Banks playfully. "Alright, no questions yet." Yet. She's probably going to request an extended leave from the force. Well it wasn't like they're going to be missing anyone.

When they returned to the room, Banks spoke up, "Coda. Key wants you. First room on your left as you exit." Then he felt the tension in the room and moved to take a chair by the desk, and just observe what was what.

coded by natasha.