This was not good.
This was in fact, the single farthest thing one could get from good short of being dead.
The cool fall evening meant that many people would not be out at a time like this. Just as well, Rasteva would hate to be seen like THIS. Leaves rustled wildly as something small and dark zipped over them. A cloud of smoke so black that it absorbed all light coiled and darted across the ground. This in and of itself was already odd. Even odder that the cloud of smoke was TALKING.
"Absolutely unacceptable! to think that I, Rasteva would be degraded in such a manner!" The Cloud darted across the ground erratically, all the while a deep voice bellowed from within. "Such an embarrassment, that is all this is. To be laid to ruin by WEAKLINGS, my power stolen by the unworthy. How could I allow such a thing to happen?" Only the wind answered the cloud of smoke, and it was an unwelcome answer at that. The cloud began to thin, almost in danger of dissipating completely.
Needless to say, the voice was not amused.
"Unbelievable! To think that I would be stricken down by a mere breeze! I must hurry if I cannot find a form I-"
The voice stopped short, footsteps echoing towards them. Someone was coming.
This was good, better than their current predicament. Whoever it was that approached was sure to have something on them that Rasteva could use as a temporary form. Once there they could make plans to regain their former strength.
But they had to act quickly.
The wind was beginning to pick up tremendously and Rasteva cursed themselves internally. Each gust of air only dissipated their smoke form further and they were getting dangerously close to falling apart altogether. The Daemon tried to collect their form as much as they could only to have someone walk straight through their body, causing them to unwind once more.The Daemon let out a sound of irritation as the Human rushed past "How rude! If I had a good and proper body, you'd be regretting that!"Rasteva silenced themselves, realizing that the human had long since left and wouldn't have heard the Daemon anyway. And what could have Rasteva done if they had? Given them a severe coughing fit? The Daemon's ego shrunk a few sizes, the realization of how powerless they were fully hitting them. When they had a body they were strong, but now they were nothing.
Less than nothing.
But that could all change.
Shaking off the intrusive thoughts Rasteva resumed their previous course of action. "A body. I need a body. Any body will do. And once I am strong enough I can begin regaining my former glory. But until I have a physical form-" The Daemon cut themselves short, taking notice of a human idling nearby.
Perfect.
Or at the very least, better than nothing. The wisp of smoke darted towards the unwary Human, quick as a Viper hunting their prey. All the while the Daemon was hoping, praying, that the Human held the one thing they needed.
Only then could the real work begin.
This was in fact, the single farthest thing one could get from good short of being dead.
The cool fall evening meant that many people would not be out at a time like this. Just as well, Rasteva would hate to be seen like THIS. Leaves rustled wildly as something small and dark zipped over them. A cloud of smoke so black that it absorbed all light coiled and darted across the ground. This in and of itself was already odd. Even odder that the cloud of smoke was TALKING.
"Absolutely unacceptable! to think that I, Rasteva would be degraded in such a manner!" The Cloud darted across the ground erratically, all the while a deep voice bellowed from within. "Such an embarrassment, that is all this is. To be laid to ruin by WEAKLINGS, my power stolen by the unworthy. How could I allow such a thing to happen?" Only the wind answered the cloud of smoke, and it was an unwelcome answer at that. The cloud began to thin, almost in danger of dissipating completely.
Needless to say, the voice was not amused.
"Unbelievable! To think that I would be stricken down by a mere breeze! I must hurry if I cannot find a form I-"
The voice stopped short, footsteps echoing towards them. Someone was coming.
This was good, better than their current predicament. Whoever it was that approached was sure to have something on them that Rasteva could use as a temporary form. Once there they could make plans to regain their former strength.
But they had to act quickly.
The wind was beginning to pick up tremendously and Rasteva cursed themselves internally. Each gust of air only dissipated their smoke form further and they were getting dangerously close to falling apart altogether. The Daemon tried to collect their form as much as they could only to have someone walk straight through their body, causing them to unwind once more.The Daemon let out a sound of irritation as the Human rushed past "How rude! If I had a good and proper body, you'd be regretting that!"Rasteva silenced themselves, realizing that the human had long since left and wouldn't have heard the Daemon anyway. And what could have Rasteva done if they had? Given them a severe coughing fit? The Daemon's ego shrunk a few sizes, the realization of how powerless they were fully hitting them. When they had a body they were strong, but now they were nothing.
Less than nothing.
But that could all change.
Shaking off the intrusive thoughts Rasteva resumed their previous course of action. "A body. I need a body. Any body will do. And once I am strong enough I can begin regaining my former glory. But until I have a physical form-" The Daemon cut themselves short, taking notice of a human idling nearby.
Perfect.
Or at the very least, better than nothing. The wisp of smoke darted towards the unwary Human, quick as a Viper hunting their prey. All the while the Daemon was hoping, praying, that the Human held the one thing they needed.
Only then could the real work begin.
The evening was possibly one of her favourite times to be out during the fall. It was cool and quiet, much to her liking but the reason she was out was all be it, not a very fun one. Walking home from across town was not usually the best alternative but she had little choice.
Today, just didn't seem to be her day. Angel missed the bus. She ran low on cash for a cab. The subway was probably the closest option for her but she would have to walk across town for it. So here she was... walking. Through the park. At sunset. Sure, there was still a little light, but she wasn't quite fond of walking around town at night. Even with her boxing skills, it just made her plain uncomfortable. The only bright side to this situation was the little foster dog she had been tasked to care for, tugging happily at the little blue harness around it.
It was a small dog, likely some sort of mutt. Old, grey and black fur and scraggily looking white hairs poking out from various places around it's face. The poor thing was almost kind of ugly, really. But Angel didn't mind. She still thought it was the most adorable thing, with it's little snaggle-tooth sticking out from its lips and how it snorted whenever it breathed. Perhaps, not the best form for Rasteva but, 'any body' could certainly extend to a frail, helpless, ol' pooch such as this one.
As the wind picked up, she could only bury her chilly face further into her scarf, one gloved her holding it over her face. The old dog didn't seem to be bothered by the cold fortunately as it happily toddled along in front of her. The cold air was starting to make her long for her warm apartment already. Her fingers momentarily slipped into a pocket as she halted. The dog had lagged behind her as she had been daydreaming and had began sniffing a park bench. While it was doing this, Angel managed to dig out her phone and read a text from one of her roommates.
Today, just didn't seem to be her day. Angel missed the bus. She ran low on cash for a cab. The subway was probably the closest option for her but she would have to walk across town for it. So here she was... walking. Through the park. At sunset. Sure, there was still a little light, but she wasn't quite fond of walking around town at night. Even with her boxing skills, it just made her plain uncomfortable. The only bright side to this situation was the little foster dog she had been tasked to care for, tugging happily at the little blue harness around it.
It was a small dog, likely some sort of mutt. Old, grey and black fur and scraggily looking white hairs poking out from various places around it's face. The poor thing was almost kind of ugly, really. But Angel didn't mind. She still thought it was the most adorable thing, with it's little snaggle-tooth sticking out from its lips and how it snorted whenever it breathed. Perhaps, not the best form for Rasteva but, 'any body' could certainly extend to a frail, helpless, ol' pooch such as this one.
As the wind picked up, she could only bury her chilly face further into her scarf, one gloved her holding it over her face. The old dog didn't seem to be bothered by the cold fortunately as it happily toddled along in front of her. The cold air was starting to make her long for her warm apartment already. Her fingers momentarily slipped into a pocket as she halted. The dog had lagged behind her as she had been daydreaming and had began sniffing a park bench. While it was doing this, Angel managed to dig out her phone and read a text from one of her roommates.
The Dog did not seem to notice Rasteva's approach though for a split second, the Daemon reconsidered drawing closer at all, sure that the creature would alert the human nearby. The woman did not seem at all aware of her surroundings, face buried in one of the small glowing devices that Human's were so fond of carrying around. Had Rasteva been at all capable, they'd have breathed a sigh of relief but instead focused on the task at hand.
The cloud zipped forward, surging around the small furry creature. The Dog let out a terrified yelp for a brief moment before the cloud of smoke enveloped the creature and silenced it abruptly. The little canine was helpless to stop the Daemon from entering its body, and Rasteva was pleased with how easy it was to overtake it. The creature was simple minded, lacking the self-awareness to struggle against the invasion put upon its mind. Rasteva could sense the creature's fear and confusion, the Dog simply unable to comprehend what was happening to it.
It was a simple matter to snuff it out.
Rasteva stretched their legs, testing their new body carefully. TheDog....Or what had passed for its consciousness, no longer existed. To all outward appearances, the furred creature was no different from any other member of its species, and indeed internally it possessed all the biological functions of any other animal. But its mind had been overtaken and replaced by Rasteva. The dog's head turned to stare at the Human standing nearby with beady eyes. It did not seem as if she'd noticed what had happened, and so Rasteva allowed themselves to relax for the moment.
Their new form was small. It was weak. But it was the best that Rasteva could do on such short notice. They simply lacked the power to channel and project a form of their own, though they hoped that they would be able to discard their current body for a more dignified one later one.
The colors also did not suit the Daemon.
The little Dog ambled closer to the Human to stare up at her. Rasteva was not sure what to make of her, never having observed a Human up close. She was odd looking, but the Daemon was of the opinion that ALL Humans looked strange. They could sense no power coming from her either, so Rasteva was safe under the assumption that she'd not come across any other Daemons. This was good, thus far. In their present state, Rasteva could not afford to clash with another of their kind. Especially after what had happened.
The Daemon felt a surge of rage at the thought, their fur poofing out from their small body in barely repressed anger. Their power had been torn from them, unrightfully so. And now it rested in hands that didn't deserve them, scattered all over the planet. Rasteva was not sure HOW they would go about locating even the smallest fraction of it. But the Daemon would not rest until they'd regained their former strength and glory.
But how to go about wrenching it from the unworthy?
The Dog stared at the Human again, eyes betraying a keen intellect that went beyond animal understanding.
The Human. She was the key. She would be the one to uplift the Daemon.
There was only the small matter of convincing her.
Richard watched the digital display over the Elevator's doors in silence, the numbers on it changing at what felt like a Snail's pace. He wasn't late for his meeting with the CEO. He was never late. But that didn't make the wait any more bearable. The Chief of Security grumbled softly, a gloved hand coming up to fiddle with his tie. These meetings were not uncommon, Lorette took the safety of the building and all inside of it as seriously as she did the rest of her duties. However, she rarely called Richard to her Office so late in the evening, especially without making sure to schedule an appointment with him beforehand. He knew that the matter had to be serious if Lorette was willing to go off schedule and mentally prepared himself for the worst.
The Elevator dinged softly as it finally reached the top floor, and the doors had barely opened before Richard stepped through them. The floor was eerily silent, the Receptionist's desk empty in the dimly lit area. The Chief of Security set off at a brisk pace towards the imposing double doors situated just beyond the large desk, his footfalls muffled by the plush carpet on the floor. He didn't even make ready to knock as the CEO's voice rang loudly from within her office. She had expected him to arrive on time as he always did and wasted no time in bidding him to enter. Years ago, Robert had found her perception and timing unsettling, but now he could only appreciate the efficiency it afforded him. The massive office was as dimly lit as the rest of the floor and Richard could make out Lorette's form as she stood facing the floor to ceiling windows at the opposite end of the room. The many lights illuminating Arnvista cast a soft glow around the room, and for a moment the CEO was silent as she stared out at the busy streets.
"Lorette, do you think you can skip the dramatics this time and tell me why you called me up here?" Richard closed the heavy wooden door with a small grunt before turning to face the woman once more. Lorette pivoted sharply on a heel to face Robert, a stern glare leveled on him. A lesser man might have shrunk back from her gaze, but Robert had found himself under it for many years now and it had long since become exhausting to constantly cower before her.
"I will be leaving for Tokyo in a few hours. Ms. Oshiro will be accompanying me there. As you are well aware by now, Sato-Yamasaki Genetics will be doing business with us going forward and I will be visiting their Headquarters to finalize our agreement." Richard sighed and sank into the chair seated in front of Lorette's imposing black desk. "I'm going to go ahead and assume there's more. I can't imagine that you'd call me all the way up here for something you could have told me in a text message." Richard leaned back in the plush chair, spinning it side to side as he eyed the CEO carefully. As was usual, her face betrayed none of her inner thoughts, but the man was not stupid enough to believe that she had nothing else planned for him. "This is a very crucial time for us Mr.Solberg. Sato-Yamasaki will, of course, be sending some of their own people overseas to assist in future projects here in the States. And while I have the utmost trust in them you are well aware of what is at risk should we allow anything to slip past our notice."The Chief of Security nodded silently, waiting for her to continue. "I need you go about finding a security force for our new Research facility. Nikhil will give you the details on what he needs specifically."
Richard leaned back in the chair to stare up at the ceiling in silence for a moment, not quite ready to voice his thoughts. He could feel Lorette's gaze continuing to bore into him and knew that she would not wait all night for a response. "So, you're taking the Lieutenant on a vacation overseas and leaving me to round up some new people along with maintaining the security of this building AND a Research Facility out in the middle of nowhere with Nikhil?" Robert looked back at Lorette, his blue eyes narrowed. "Did you know that I own a home, Lorette? I have a house, with a roof and a bed. At some point this year, I'd like to sleep in it." Lorette's expression and tone did not change, seeming unbothered by the man's quips. "Junior Officer Kinnaird is more than capable of carrying the workload with you Robert. Her....exuberance aside, she's proven to be more than effective at her job. She can handle things here while you are out with Nikhil. Allister will be staying behind as well and I'm sure that he can keep an eye on things while we're both away."
Lorette moved away from the windows, her footsteps ringing loudly on the polished stone floor as she approached the sulking Chief of Security. A gloved hand settled gently on his shoulder and gave it a small reassuring squeeze. "It will be fine Richard. I know that I'm asking a lot from you right now, but you that it's only because I know you're capable of doing it." Richard glanced up at the woman, the small smile gracing the edge of her mouth not escaping his notice. "And besides, it's not as if I sleep in my own house any more than you do in yours. Sometimes I wonder if I'll forget where it is one day." The hand moved away along with Lorette as she walked away before coming to pause before the double doors of her office."I will contact you when we land. Please turn the lights off when you leave." Robert didn't bother watching her as she left, and once the doors had slammed shut the Office descended back into silence.
Richard rubbed tiredly at his face and resigned himself to his fate, knowing there was no point in crying over things as they were. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen, pulling up a familiar number. The phone rang twice before the person on the other side picked up. The voice on the other end was thick with exhaustion, no doubt its owner had been asleep before Richard had called, but he wasted no time on that. "Kinnaird. I know you're off but I need you back at the Office. Something has come up-Are you crying? If you want to cry, then do it on your way over here. Now move your ass." Richard ended the call to loud tearful protests on the other side before tucking his phone away, muttering balefully to himself. "At least she can say that she got some sleep tonight...."
Matsuko grinned stupidly at her phone's screen, a string of expletive-riddled messages displayed prominently on the backlit surface. "Audrey is PISSED. This is wonderful, she's probably going punch the first person to start with her.....Oh God, I hope it's Allister. I would pay any amount of money to see that." She looked across the aisle towards Lorette, the CEO's expression as unreadable as always. "Tell the Junior Officer that if she plans to assault Mr. Schoen, that she needs to do it when she's not on Company time and property." Matsuko let out a short laugh, tapping idly at her phone. "So what's the plan once we get there? I'm not sure that I'll be of much help, Allister usually goes with you to these things and I don't like leaving Richard and Audrey alone unattended." Lorette continued staring out the plane's window, her voice even as she watched the clouds roll by. "Don't be ridiculous Ms. Oshiro. Your presence will be indispensable at this meeting. I will need you to remain observant once we arrive at Sato-Yamasaki Headquarters. Pay very close attention to their Security measures, and keep a close eye on the people that they choose to present to us. We are there to forge an agreement with them, but I'd feel better knowing how they operate."
A gloved finger tapped idly at the armrest of her seat, and Lorette pressed on. "And I need you to translate for me." Matsuko lofted a brow, eyeing the CEO quizzically. "You speak Japanese pretty decently if I remember. What do you need me to translate for?" Lorette's gaze slid over to the Lieutenant, her voice remaining even. "I speak the language well enough, but not enough to catch any subtle nuances in everyday conversation. Something that is quite important when conducting business."Lorette resumed staring out the plane's window. "And as far as they know, I don't speak it at all. I want them lulled into enough of a false sense of security that they might think me ignorant of everything that's going on. They may very well let slip something that they don't want me to hear."
Matsuko pursed her lips, brows knitted together. "You think they might be up to something?"Lorette did not make any movement to confirm or deny the other woman's question. "Hanshiro Sato does good business, but I hear that he enjoys gloating. He has no love for Americans either, though you wouldn't know it. Currently, I don't know if he plans to make the same offer that he's giving us to any of our competition. But I do know that if given the opportunity to gain the upper hand, he will take it. I want you to keep your eyes and ears open while we are there Ms. Oshiro. Is that understood?" Matsko nodded silently, knowing that Lorette would see it one way or the other. "You've got it." Matsuko grinned at Lorette. "I hope you aren't keeping tabs on me like this, you know."
"No, I am not. I've seen how you live Matsuko and the thought of having to watch you depresses me."
"That's pretty rude coming from someone needing my help as much as you do!"
"If you thought that by leaving Audrey and Richard behind, that you'd be free of any suffering, you were wrong Ms. Oshiro."
Right...Great."
The cloud zipped forward, surging around the small furry creature. The Dog let out a terrified yelp for a brief moment before the cloud of smoke enveloped the creature and silenced it abruptly. The little canine was helpless to stop the Daemon from entering its body, and Rasteva was pleased with how easy it was to overtake it. The creature was simple minded, lacking the self-awareness to struggle against the invasion put upon its mind. Rasteva could sense the creature's fear and confusion, the Dog simply unable to comprehend what was happening to it.
It was a simple matter to snuff it out.
Rasteva stretched their legs, testing their new body carefully. TheDog....Or what had passed for its consciousness, no longer existed. To all outward appearances, the furred creature was no different from any other member of its species, and indeed internally it possessed all the biological functions of any other animal. But its mind had been overtaken and replaced by Rasteva. The dog's head turned to stare at the Human standing nearby with beady eyes. It did not seem as if she'd noticed what had happened, and so Rasteva allowed themselves to relax for the moment.
Their new form was small. It was weak. But it was the best that Rasteva could do on such short notice. They simply lacked the power to channel and project a form of their own, though they hoped that they would be able to discard their current body for a more dignified one later one.
The colors also did not suit the Daemon.
The little Dog ambled closer to the Human to stare up at her. Rasteva was not sure what to make of her, never having observed a Human up close. She was odd looking, but the Daemon was of the opinion that ALL Humans looked strange. They could sense no power coming from her either, so Rasteva was safe under the assumption that she'd not come across any other Daemons. This was good, thus far. In their present state, Rasteva could not afford to clash with another of their kind. Especially after what had happened.
The Daemon felt a surge of rage at the thought, their fur poofing out from their small body in barely repressed anger. Their power had been torn from them, unrightfully so. And now it rested in hands that didn't deserve them, scattered all over the planet. Rasteva was not sure HOW they would go about locating even the smallest fraction of it. But the Daemon would not rest until they'd regained their former strength and glory.
But how to go about wrenching it from the unworthy?
The Dog stared at the Human again, eyes betraying a keen intellect that went beyond animal understanding.
The Human. She was the key. She would be the one to uplift the Daemon.
There was only the small matter of convincing her.
Richard watched the digital display over the Elevator's doors in silence, the numbers on it changing at what felt like a Snail's pace. He wasn't late for his meeting with the CEO. He was never late. But that didn't make the wait any more bearable. The Chief of Security grumbled softly, a gloved hand coming up to fiddle with his tie. These meetings were not uncommon, Lorette took the safety of the building and all inside of it as seriously as she did the rest of her duties. However, she rarely called Richard to her Office so late in the evening, especially without making sure to schedule an appointment with him beforehand. He knew that the matter had to be serious if Lorette was willing to go off schedule and mentally prepared himself for the worst.
The Elevator dinged softly as it finally reached the top floor, and the doors had barely opened before Richard stepped through them. The floor was eerily silent, the Receptionist's desk empty in the dimly lit area. The Chief of Security set off at a brisk pace towards the imposing double doors situated just beyond the large desk, his footfalls muffled by the plush carpet on the floor. He didn't even make ready to knock as the CEO's voice rang loudly from within her office. She had expected him to arrive on time as he always did and wasted no time in bidding him to enter. Years ago, Robert had found her perception and timing unsettling, but now he could only appreciate the efficiency it afforded him. The massive office was as dimly lit as the rest of the floor and Richard could make out Lorette's form as she stood facing the floor to ceiling windows at the opposite end of the room. The many lights illuminating Arnvista cast a soft glow around the room, and for a moment the CEO was silent as she stared out at the busy streets.
"Lorette, do you think you can skip the dramatics this time and tell me why you called me up here?" Richard closed the heavy wooden door with a small grunt before turning to face the woman once more. Lorette pivoted sharply on a heel to face Robert, a stern glare leveled on him. A lesser man might have shrunk back from her gaze, but Robert had found himself under it for many years now and it had long since become exhausting to constantly cower before her.
"I will be leaving for Tokyo in a few hours. Ms. Oshiro will be accompanying me there. As you are well aware by now, Sato-Yamasaki Genetics will be doing business with us going forward and I will be visiting their Headquarters to finalize our agreement." Richard sighed and sank into the chair seated in front of Lorette's imposing black desk. "I'm going to go ahead and assume there's more. I can't imagine that you'd call me all the way up here for something you could have told me in a text message." Richard leaned back in the plush chair, spinning it side to side as he eyed the CEO carefully. As was usual, her face betrayed none of her inner thoughts, but the man was not stupid enough to believe that she had nothing else planned for him. "This is a very crucial time for us Mr.Solberg. Sato-Yamasaki will, of course, be sending some of their own people overseas to assist in future projects here in the States. And while I have the utmost trust in them you are well aware of what is at risk should we allow anything to slip past our notice."The Chief of Security nodded silently, waiting for her to continue. "I need you go about finding a security force for our new Research facility. Nikhil will give you the details on what he needs specifically."
Richard leaned back in the chair to stare up at the ceiling in silence for a moment, not quite ready to voice his thoughts. He could feel Lorette's gaze continuing to bore into him and knew that she would not wait all night for a response. "So, you're taking the Lieutenant on a vacation overseas and leaving me to round up some new people along with maintaining the security of this building AND a Research Facility out in the middle of nowhere with Nikhil?" Robert looked back at Lorette, his blue eyes narrowed. "Did you know that I own a home, Lorette? I have a house, with a roof and a bed. At some point this year, I'd like to sleep in it." Lorette's expression and tone did not change, seeming unbothered by the man's quips. "Junior Officer Kinnaird is more than capable of carrying the workload with you Robert. Her....exuberance aside, she's proven to be more than effective at her job. She can handle things here while you are out with Nikhil. Allister will be staying behind as well and I'm sure that he can keep an eye on things while we're both away."
Lorette moved away from the windows, her footsteps ringing loudly on the polished stone floor as she approached the sulking Chief of Security. A gloved hand settled gently on his shoulder and gave it a small reassuring squeeze. "It will be fine Richard. I know that I'm asking a lot from you right now, but you that it's only because I know you're capable of doing it." Richard glanced up at the woman, the small smile gracing the edge of her mouth not escaping his notice. "And besides, it's not as if I sleep in my own house any more than you do in yours. Sometimes I wonder if I'll forget where it is one day." The hand moved away along with Lorette as she walked away before coming to pause before the double doors of her office."I will contact you when we land. Please turn the lights off when you leave." Robert didn't bother watching her as she left, and once the doors had slammed shut the Office descended back into silence.
Richard rubbed tiredly at his face and resigned himself to his fate, knowing there was no point in crying over things as they were. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen, pulling up a familiar number. The phone rang twice before the person on the other side picked up. The voice on the other end was thick with exhaustion, no doubt its owner had been asleep before Richard had called, but he wasted no time on that. "Kinnaird. I know you're off but I need you back at the Office. Something has come up-Are you crying? If you want to cry, then do it on your way over here. Now move your ass." Richard ended the call to loud tearful protests on the other side before tucking his phone away, muttering balefully to himself. "At least she can say that she got some sleep tonight...."
Matsuko grinned stupidly at her phone's screen, a string of expletive-riddled messages displayed prominently on the backlit surface. "Audrey is PISSED. This is wonderful, she's probably going punch the first person to start with her.....Oh God, I hope it's Allister. I would pay any amount of money to see that." She looked across the aisle towards Lorette, the CEO's expression as unreadable as always. "Tell the Junior Officer that if she plans to assault Mr. Schoen, that she needs to do it when she's not on Company time and property." Matsuko let out a short laugh, tapping idly at her phone. "So what's the plan once we get there? I'm not sure that I'll be of much help, Allister usually goes with you to these things and I don't like leaving Richard and Audrey alone unattended." Lorette continued staring out the plane's window, her voice even as she watched the clouds roll by. "Don't be ridiculous Ms. Oshiro. Your presence will be indispensable at this meeting. I will need you to remain observant once we arrive at Sato-Yamasaki Headquarters. Pay very close attention to their Security measures, and keep a close eye on the people that they choose to present to us. We are there to forge an agreement with them, but I'd feel better knowing how they operate."
A gloved finger tapped idly at the armrest of her seat, and Lorette pressed on. "And I need you to translate for me." Matsuko lofted a brow, eyeing the CEO quizzically. "You speak Japanese pretty decently if I remember. What do you need me to translate for?" Lorette's gaze slid over to the Lieutenant, her voice remaining even. "I speak the language well enough, but not enough to catch any subtle nuances in everyday conversation. Something that is quite important when conducting business."Lorette resumed staring out the plane's window. "And as far as they know, I don't speak it at all. I want them lulled into enough of a false sense of security that they might think me ignorant of everything that's going on. They may very well let slip something that they don't want me to hear."
Matsuko pursed her lips, brows knitted together. "You think they might be up to something?"Lorette did not make any movement to confirm or deny the other woman's question. "Hanshiro Sato does good business, but I hear that he enjoys gloating. He has no love for Americans either, though you wouldn't know it. Currently, I don't know if he plans to make the same offer that he's giving us to any of our competition. But I do know that if given the opportunity to gain the upper hand, he will take it. I want you to keep your eyes and ears open while we are there Ms. Oshiro. Is that understood?" Matsko nodded silently, knowing that Lorette would see it one way or the other. "You've got it." Matsuko grinned at Lorette. "I hope you aren't keeping tabs on me like this, you know."
"No, I am not. I've seen how you live Matsuko and the thought of having to watch you depresses me."
"That's pretty rude coming from someone needing my help as much as you do!"
"If you thought that by leaving Audrey and Richard behind, that you'd be free of any suffering, you were wrong Ms. Oshiro."
Right...Great."
Angel hadn’t noticed the tiny yelp the old pooch had let out before being taken over by this unknown cloud of smoke. The sounds of a couple passing sirens from a few emergency vehicles, had her attention distracted until she could turn back to look back down at the dog once they moved towards her.
“You done sniffin'?” she smirked a little at the dog but didn’t take note of the way the dog was looking at her. She began walking again, clicking her tongue. “Let’s go, Butterball.” she said now likely revealing the name of the snaggletoothed pooch Rasteva had taken over.
She was sure her roommates; Percy and Saorise were going to love the little foster dog when she returned home. A little heartstring tugged at her, knowing she wouldn’t be able to keep the old dog but she was happy to look after it until she had to give them back.
Past the park, it didn’t take long to finally reach the subway, after a couple twists and turns through downtown. Upon reaching the stairs to the subway, Angel had halted, turning to the dog and smiling now. “Okay, Butterball. Gotta’ carry you from here. Don’t want you to slip.” she was honestly just talking to herself, quietly but who knew if the dog was really listening. The pooch itself, well... It was rather heavy. Old age didn't help it's weight problem much but Angel didn't seem to have trouble lifting of carrying it.
Angel picked up the little dog carefully in her arm and was swiftly off down the steps, down into the subway. Using her subway card, she was through and to the station platform in no time, the dog being held with the gentleness of a infant to her chest as they waited for the subway car to arrive. The lights were dim and Angel could only yawn and hope the subway would be there soon.
“You done sniffin'?” she smirked a little at the dog but didn’t take note of the way the dog was looking at her. She began walking again, clicking her tongue. “Let’s go, Butterball.” she said now likely revealing the name of the snaggletoothed pooch Rasteva had taken over.
She was sure her roommates; Percy and Saorise were going to love the little foster dog when she returned home. A little heartstring tugged at her, knowing she wouldn’t be able to keep the old dog but she was happy to look after it until she had to give them back.
Past the park, it didn’t take long to finally reach the subway, after a couple twists and turns through downtown. Upon reaching the stairs to the subway, Angel had halted, turning to the dog and smiling now. “Okay, Butterball. Gotta’ carry you from here. Don’t want you to slip.” she was honestly just talking to herself, quietly but who knew if the dog was really listening. The pooch itself, well... It was rather heavy. Old age didn't help it's weight problem much but Angel didn't seem to have trouble lifting of carrying it.
Angel picked up the little dog carefully in her arm and was swiftly off down the steps, down into the subway. Using her subway card, she was through and to the station platform in no time, the dog being held with the gentleness of a infant to her chest as they waited for the subway car to arrive. The lights were dim and Angel could only yawn and hope the subway would be there soon.
Rasteva felt a brief surge of panic when the Human woman grabbed hold of them. Had they been discovered? And so quickly? The Daemon was positive that she hadn't noticed their approach and subsequent possession of the Dog, but now they were not so sure. She'd been content to drag the Daemon all over the city up until now, and Rasteva wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
The woman's touch was overly warm and soft, and Rasteva's concern briefly gave way to disgust. To be so close to a Human was bad enough, but being TOUCHED by one was a step too far in the Daemon's opinion.
There was also the small issue of the name 'Butterball'. The Daemon wasn't sure what the term meant, but they didn't like it.
They did not understand what their kin saw in Humans. Other Daemons went out of their way to call the creatures useful and interesting, but Rasteva was inclined to disagree on both fronts. Unfortunately, the Daemon was now in a position that required them to bank on those statements being true. Rasteva could not tell if the woman would be much use to them in the long run, or at all. But they knew that they had to try. If the worst came to worst, they could simply make their escape and find someone better suited to the task.
The Daemon's thoughts were cut off as the woman carried them down a set of stairs, to an underground tunnel of sorts. This confused Rasteva a great deal. They were almost positive that Humans did not make their homes under the earth, but they truly could not be sure. Rasteva let out a sigh, though coming from the dog it sounded more akin to an irritable whine. If they planned on getting anywhere in the world of Humans, they'd have to start taking note of their behaviors and customs.
A rather depressing thought.
For now, they would have to observe the woman silently and learn what they could of her. Rasteva wasn't exactly looking forward to it, but the Daemon was nothing if not methodical in their actions.
And it wasn't as if they didn't have time to spare.
Richard strode across the roof of Apex HQ, his coat whipping furiously in the wind created by the Helicopter some distance away. The surly man climbed into the aircraft, clutching several thick files in his hands. Richard was in no mood to look over the Resumes of potential hires while heading to an inspection, but he had no choice. As much as he trusted Audrey to maintain the safety of the building, he preferred to do the hiring himself.
His mood had NOT been made any better by a particular Officer all but begging Richard to look at one file in particular. After giving the man a somewhat curt dismissal, Richard had to fight back the urge to throw the file in particular away out of spite. He didn't like ass kissing, and he didn't like being told who to hire by someone beneath his pay grade. Still, Richard flipped the file open, eyes narrowed as he scanned the papers inside.
Everything checked out, and the applicant certainly had all the credentials that they required. But a few points gave the man pause and he was hesitant.
Richard had never been a gambling man. Never had anything good come of it, and the Chief of Security knew that now, at all times, was not the time to be making wagers. Not with so much at stake. Still, the man's eyes lingered on the papers in front of him. The best they could do was simply put them with the other Officers in the main office to get a feel for them. It annoyed Richard greatly, but it was all that could be done currently. The hiring process for the new facility would take MONTHS, and Richard needed fresh recruits far sooner than that.
Grumbling to himself, the man snapped the file closed and pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly punched in a number. He waited as patiently as he was able to as the phone rang and wasted no time in speaking when the person on the other end picked up. The Chief of Security was curt and barely gave the person on the other end any room to speak, simply stating a time and date that they were to appear at Headquarters for an interview.
Richard ended the call as abruptly as he'd started it. Tossing his phone aside, the man resumed flipping through the files, a frown on his face. Very few of the applicants made the cut at all, and every one recieved the same irritable call to set an appointment for their interview. At another time Richard woud have been more polite, amicable even. But now.....
Now he was not sure how much patience he had in him.
The woman's touch was overly warm and soft, and Rasteva's concern briefly gave way to disgust. To be so close to a Human was bad enough, but being TOUCHED by one was a step too far in the Daemon's opinion.
There was also the small issue of the name 'Butterball'. The Daemon wasn't sure what the term meant, but they didn't like it.
They did not understand what their kin saw in Humans. Other Daemons went out of their way to call the creatures useful and interesting, but Rasteva was inclined to disagree on both fronts. Unfortunately, the Daemon was now in a position that required them to bank on those statements being true. Rasteva could not tell if the woman would be much use to them in the long run, or at all. But they knew that they had to try. If the worst came to worst, they could simply make their escape and find someone better suited to the task.
The Daemon's thoughts were cut off as the woman carried them down a set of stairs, to an underground tunnel of sorts. This confused Rasteva a great deal. They were almost positive that Humans did not make their homes under the earth, but they truly could not be sure. Rasteva let out a sigh, though coming from the dog it sounded more akin to an irritable whine. If they planned on getting anywhere in the world of Humans, they'd have to start taking note of their behaviors and customs.
A rather depressing thought.
For now, they would have to observe the woman silently and learn what they could of her. Rasteva wasn't exactly looking forward to it, but the Daemon was nothing if not methodical in their actions.
And it wasn't as if they didn't have time to spare.
Richard strode across the roof of Apex HQ, his coat whipping furiously in the wind created by the Helicopter some distance away. The surly man climbed into the aircraft, clutching several thick files in his hands. Richard was in no mood to look over the Resumes of potential hires while heading to an inspection, but he had no choice. As much as he trusted Audrey to maintain the safety of the building, he preferred to do the hiring himself.
His mood had NOT been made any better by a particular Officer all but begging Richard to look at one file in particular. After giving the man a somewhat curt dismissal, Richard had to fight back the urge to throw the file in particular away out of spite. He didn't like ass kissing, and he didn't like being told who to hire by someone beneath his pay grade. Still, Richard flipped the file open, eyes narrowed as he scanned the papers inside.
Everything checked out, and the applicant certainly had all the credentials that they required. But a few points gave the man pause and he was hesitant.
Richard had never been a gambling man. Never had anything good come of it, and the Chief of Security knew that now, at all times, was not the time to be making wagers. Not with so much at stake. Still, the man's eyes lingered on the papers in front of him. The best they could do was simply put them with the other Officers in the main office to get a feel for them. It annoyed Richard greatly, but it was all that could be done currently. The hiring process for the new facility would take MONTHS, and Richard needed fresh recruits far sooner than that.
Grumbling to himself, the man snapped the file closed and pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly punched in a number. He waited as patiently as he was able to as the phone rang and wasted no time in speaking when the person on the other end picked up. The Chief of Security was curt and barely gave the person on the other end any room to speak, simply stating a time and date that they were to appear at Headquarters for an interview.
Richard ended the call as abruptly as he'd started it. Tossing his phone aside, the man resumed flipping through the files, a frown on his face. Very few of the applicants made the cut at all, and every one recieved the same irritable call to set an appointment for their interview. At another time Richard woud have been more polite, amicable even. But now.....
Now he was not sure how much patience he had in him.
As far as Angel was concerned, she didn’t notice a difference in the dog she held in her arms. She had one earbud in one ear, playing soft music that was likely just noise to Rasteva. Angel shifted back and forth, tapping one foot to the rhythm she listened to, looking like she was mouthing the words a little to herself.
It however, didn’t take long for the subway car to be heard pulling into the station. Down the dark tunnel, the lights lit up the tracks and out from the darkness pulled the large metallic car, it’s wheels screeching slowly to a stop as it came to the station. The car halted and the familiar chime of the doors rang, before it’s red shutters pulled open, letting crowds of people off the strange underground vehicle.
Angel waited patiently for most of the crowd of people to pass her as they went to exit the subway station before she finally stepped inside the car. The jingle sounded and the doors were shut once again. The car wasn’t very full, honestly it was rather empty. So, Angel had a decent choice for seating.
The woman carried the dog over to a double seat beside the window, setting the dog down so it could have a decent view outside, while she sat to the side. Mostly, the sound of the subway was the loudest thing in the car, but everyone really kept to themselves, save for a few teenagers talking amongst themselves as the car pulled away from the station now.
The trip through the subway was a fairly long one. At most, they spent a good hour riding through tunnels, save for the few times the car passed over open air tracks. It was growing late and it had become apparent as Angel yawned various times but kept her attention down to her cellphone that vibrated every so often. Every so often, her hand reached down to give the dog a gentle scratch and pat on the head with her short nails. It seemed the next stop was theirs though. From the dark tunnel, lit up only by strings of lights on the walls, the car pulled out into an open air station, built over the streets. Slowly, it came to a stop and Angel reached down to pet 'Butterball'. "Almost home! C'mon you..." she said gently lifting the dog into her arms again.
Through the station, Angel felt a few drops of rain on her face and sighed. Of course it was going to rain just before she got home. Well, whatever. Down the stairs and back onto the street again, she kept the dog in her arms so she could jog back now, not wanting to be completely soaked when she walked into the apartment building.
It was too much to hope however. By the time, they actually reached the apartment building, Angel was soaking wet and so was the dog. Stepping inside, the apartment building, she set Rasteva down and wiped away the water from her face as best as she could, trying to catch her breath.
The building's lobby was actually fairly nice. A moderate amount of security and likely recently renovated, you could still smell the new paint on the walls. It was sleek and modern looking but still felt cozy. Angel tugged the leash lightly as she began walking towards the elevators. "Well, here we are Butterball... I'll need to find a couple towels for us both, huh." she said with a slight, tired smile down at the dog.
It however, didn’t take long for the subway car to be heard pulling into the station. Down the dark tunnel, the lights lit up the tracks and out from the darkness pulled the large metallic car, it’s wheels screeching slowly to a stop as it came to the station. The car halted and the familiar chime of the doors rang, before it’s red shutters pulled open, letting crowds of people off the strange underground vehicle.
Angel waited patiently for most of the crowd of people to pass her as they went to exit the subway station before she finally stepped inside the car. The jingle sounded and the doors were shut once again. The car wasn’t very full, honestly it was rather empty. So, Angel had a decent choice for seating.
The woman carried the dog over to a double seat beside the window, setting the dog down so it could have a decent view outside, while she sat to the side. Mostly, the sound of the subway was the loudest thing in the car, but everyone really kept to themselves, save for a few teenagers talking amongst themselves as the car pulled away from the station now.
The trip through the subway was a fairly long one. At most, they spent a good hour riding through tunnels, save for the few times the car passed over open air tracks. It was growing late and it had become apparent as Angel yawned various times but kept her attention down to her cellphone that vibrated every so often. Every so often, her hand reached down to give the dog a gentle scratch and pat on the head with her short nails. It seemed the next stop was theirs though. From the dark tunnel, lit up only by strings of lights on the walls, the car pulled out into an open air station, built over the streets. Slowly, it came to a stop and Angel reached down to pet 'Butterball'. "Almost home! C'mon you..." she said gently lifting the dog into her arms again.
Through the station, Angel felt a few drops of rain on her face and sighed. Of course it was going to rain just before she got home. Well, whatever. Down the stairs and back onto the street again, she kept the dog in her arms so she could jog back now, not wanting to be completely soaked when she walked into the apartment building.
It was too much to hope however. By the time, they actually reached the apartment building, Angel was soaking wet and so was the dog. Stepping inside, the apartment building, she set Rasteva down and wiped away the water from her face as best as she could, trying to catch her breath.
The building's lobby was actually fairly nice. A moderate amount of security and likely recently renovated, you could still smell the new paint on the walls. It was sleek and modern looking but still felt cozy. Angel tugged the leash lightly as she began walking towards the elevators. "Well, here we are Butterball... I'll need to find a couple towels for us both, huh." she said with a slight, tired smile down at the dog.
Rasteva hated the Subway.
The Daemon did not KNOW what a Subway was, of course. They simply had no word for a Human contraption, but they knew that it was an awful place to find oneself.
It was loud, unbearably so. Between the massive machine roaring from out of the tunnel, and the dozens upon dozens of Humans all rushing about and yelling, the Daemon wasn't sure how much more of it they could take. Worse still the woman STILL hadn't released them from her grasp. On some deep level, Rasteva was glad that they didn't have their powers because they were certain that they'd have killed everyone present by now.
The small dog's ears flattened against its skull as the woman dragged them inside the subway car. Rasteva felt a surge of relief flow through them when they saw that the car was mostly empty. They only truly allowed themselves to relax once the woman set them down on the seat next to her, and the Dog immediately pressed themselves against the window. Looking through it, Rasteva could not see much. It seemed to be endless stone walls, though on occasion the Train did move above ground. The Daemon had no idea where they were, though that did not bother them very much, they had no real interest in where they were going, just WHEN they would get there.
Rasteva could not be sure how long they traveled, but soon enough the woman was scooping the Dog into her arms again. Rasteva resisted the urge to struggle from her grasp, not wanting to alert her to the fact that something was wrong. All the same, the Daemon did NOT enjoy being carried from one place to the other and found the whole thing to be degrading.
The fact that it had started to rain only worsened the Daemon's mood.
Rasteva had never experienced the feeling of being cold and wet and immediately hated both sensations. It was truly awful and the Daemon was not sure how any creature could tolerate it. The Woman seemed about as pleased as Rastva and she hurried along to escape the weather, something Rasteva was marginally grateful for. The building she led them into was rather large and somewhat ornate. The Daemon was puzzled by it all, wondering if they'd reached the woman's abode and if so, why it was so large. The Dog paused to shake water from its fur, making a bit of a mess in the process before following after the woman. There were still more questions than answers swirling around the Daemon's mind, and Rasteva was beginning to wonder if they would EVER learn anything of importance.
But at least they were out of the rain for the time being.
Massive clouds of dust and dirt were kicked up as the Helicopter touched down, and Richard was forced to press a handkerchief to his nose in order to avoid breathing it in. Nikhil’s laughter came from behind him as he exited the Chopper, the sound taking on a metallic tone within the helmet that the Lead Researcher always wore. Richard scowled, swiping futilely at the dust in his eyes before standing up straight.
Though he’d never admit it out loud, Richard had always found Nikhil’s helmet unnerving. Not being able to read someone’s face while speaking to them made it harder to judge their moods and motives. Something that Richard relied on in his work. But that wasn’t even the half of it. Even now, Richard could feel the thing scanning him, inspecting him and filing away whatever it found for future reference. He felt exposed under Nikhil’s metallic gaze and it wasn’t a feeling that Richard enjoyed in the slightest.
“Take that ridiculous thing off, and then we’ll see how much you’re laughing Nikhil.” The masked man cocked his head as he stepped forward to stand next to Richard, a gloved hand clapping the Chief of Security’s shoulder. “Come Richard, a cloud of dust is all that’s required to take you down? I suppose I’d best inform Matsuko that she’ll be taking over for you then." Richard growled and slapped the other man’s hand away, drawing another laugh from him. “A bit testy today aren’t we? Come along then, at least when you see the Facility and all the work that awaits you, you’ll have a reason to be angry.” The Researcher strode away, leaving Richard to sulk in the settling dust alone.
He managed to catch up to Nikhil easily enough, and the Chief of Security fell into stride beside him. A squat concrete building came into view and Richard frowned to himself. “I thought this was supposed to be an entire Facility Nikhil. I’m not seeing much out here.” The masked man led Richard through a chain link fence surrounding the building, nodding at several armed guards stationed by the door. “No there is indeed not much to see up here…..” Richard didn't have much time to puzzle over the Researcher's choice of words as Nikhil flashed an I.D. badge to the guards and they were quickly ushered through. Nikhil held the door open for Richard and allowed him to head inside first where a short hallway greeted the two of them, and at the end, a pair of polished Elevator doors sat. Richard lifted a brow, casting a puzzled glance at Nikhil. “An underground Facility? This is a first for us.” Richard kept stride with Nikhil as they walked towards the elevator and waited as the Researcher swiped his I.D. card at a panel just to the left of the Elevator doors. “Well, Lorette wanted something a little more secure for our work with Sato-Yamasaki. And that’s not accounting for the space required for this project.” Nikhil glanced over at Richard and stared at him from beneath his visor. “I should also take the time to inform you that you’ll need to be preparing to screen the people they’re sending over.” Richard let out a low groan, pressing his back against the far wall of the Elevator. “Of course I do.”
Nikhil continued to ramble on, not paying any mind to the other man’s poor mood. “This facility is located One Kilometer underground and stretches over Five Kilometers wide. At present we have close to One Thousand Employees that will be stationed here, but you can expect more to join on in the future.” Richard hummed, a gloved hand rubbing at the stubble on his face. "Five Kilometers? That's a hell of a lot of space you're asking me to cover." Nikhil nodded at the other man. "Indeed it is. But I don't think it should be a problem for you and Afnet. At least I HOPE it won't be." Nikhil stared pointedly at Richard's coat, and the Chief of Security gripped the edge with a frown. "Afnet is damn good at what they do. Don't you worry about that."
The elevator ground to a halt and the doors opened silently. Nikhil stepped through and Richard followed close behind, craning his neck back to stare up. The Facility stretched many stories above his head, and he could see people running to and fro through windows lining the halls on each level. Nikhil had kept walking, forcing Richard to run after him in order to catch up. “The Facility takes the shape of a hollow inverted cone with each level wrapping around the entire circumference. As you’ve noticed by now, they all face inward towards the center. There is a reason for this, for at the very bottom here….” Nikhil stepped across the walkway to look over the edge of a safety railing. Richard followed him and looked down as well. About a good hundred yards below them Richard could see orange vested workers scurrying across the top of a massive glass surface covering the entire bottom of the facility. The Chief of Security lofted a brow, glancing up at Nikhil. “A Containment Unit, Mr.Solberg. One of many, I assure you. But by far the largest we have.”
Richard looked back down at the Containment Unit. It wasn’t very different from the same boxes used to contain particularly unruly Daemons, but it was far larger than necessary. The Chief of Security could see a pressurized gate at one end and knew that it led elsewhere, most likely another lab. “This is…..Nikhil. Why is it so damn big?” The man’s eyes roamed over the workers, all of them welding various metal supports to the edge of the Unit. “Reinforced pretty heavily too. And I’m sure that you’ve got all kinds contingencies inside so that whatever gets thrown in there stays put too…..This isn’t regular for us…” Richard pushed away from the railing to face the Researcher fully, his face drawn in a tight frown. “Nikhil, you know that I have to ask. What in the Hell are you doing down here?”
Nikhil simply stared at Richard, his expression unreadable beneath his ever present Visor.
“We are preparing for the future Mr.Solberg, and for whatever it might bring.”
The Daemon did not KNOW what a Subway was, of course. They simply had no word for a Human contraption, but they knew that it was an awful place to find oneself.
It was loud, unbearably so. Between the massive machine roaring from out of the tunnel, and the dozens upon dozens of Humans all rushing about and yelling, the Daemon wasn't sure how much more of it they could take. Worse still the woman STILL hadn't released them from her grasp. On some deep level, Rasteva was glad that they didn't have their powers because they were certain that they'd have killed everyone present by now.
The small dog's ears flattened against its skull as the woman dragged them inside the subway car. Rasteva felt a surge of relief flow through them when they saw that the car was mostly empty. They only truly allowed themselves to relax once the woman set them down on the seat next to her, and the Dog immediately pressed themselves against the window. Looking through it, Rasteva could not see much. It seemed to be endless stone walls, though on occasion the Train did move above ground. The Daemon had no idea where they were, though that did not bother them very much, they had no real interest in where they were going, just WHEN they would get there.
Rasteva could not be sure how long they traveled, but soon enough the woman was scooping the Dog into her arms again. Rasteva resisted the urge to struggle from her grasp, not wanting to alert her to the fact that something was wrong. All the same, the Daemon did NOT enjoy being carried from one place to the other and found the whole thing to be degrading.
The fact that it had started to rain only worsened the Daemon's mood.
Rasteva had never experienced the feeling of being cold and wet and immediately hated both sensations. It was truly awful and the Daemon was not sure how any creature could tolerate it. The Woman seemed about as pleased as Rastva and she hurried along to escape the weather, something Rasteva was marginally grateful for. The building she led them into was rather large and somewhat ornate. The Daemon was puzzled by it all, wondering if they'd reached the woman's abode and if so, why it was so large. The Dog paused to shake water from its fur, making a bit of a mess in the process before following after the woman. There were still more questions than answers swirling around the Daemon's mind, and Rasteva was beginning to wonder if they would EVER learn anything of importance.
But at least they were out of the rain for the time being.
Massive clouds of dust and dirt were kicked up as the Helicopter touched down, and Richard was forced to press a handkerchief to his nose in order to avoid breathing it in. Nikhil’s laughter came from behind him as he exited the Chopper, the sound taking on a metallic tone within the helmet that the Lead Researcher always wore. Richard scowled, swiping futilely at the dust in his eyes before standing up straight.
Though he’d never admit it out loud, Richard had always found Nikhil’s helmet unnerving. Not being able to read someone’s face while speaking to them made it harder to judge their moods and motives. Something that Richard relied on in his work. But that wasn’t even the half of it. Even now, Richard could feel the thing scanning him, inspecting him and filing away whatever it found for future reference. He felt exposed under Nikhil’s metallic gaze and it wasn’t a feeling that Richard enjoyed in the slightest.
“Take that ridiculous thing off, and then we’ll see how much you’re laughing Nikhil.” The masked man cocked his head as he stepped forward to stand next to Richard, a gloved hand clapping the Chief of Security’s shoulder. “Come Richard, a cloud of dust is all that’s required to take you down? I suppose I’d best inform Matsuko that she’ll be taking over for you then." Richard growled and slapped the other man’s hand away, drawing another laugh from him. “A bit testy today aren’t we? Come along then, at least when you see the Facility and all the work that awaits you, you’ll have a reason to be angry.” The Researcher strode away, leaving Richard to sulk in the settling dust alone.
He managed to catch up to Nikhil easily enough, and the Chief of Security fell into stride beside him. A squat concrete building came into view and Richard frowned to himself. “I thought this was supposed to be an entire Facility Nikhil. I’m not seeing much out here.” The masked man led Richard through a chain link fence surrounding the building, nodding at several armed guards stationed by the door. “No there is indeed not much to see up here…..” Richard didn't have much time to puzzle over the Researcher's choice of words as Nikhil flashed an I.D. badge to the guards and they were quickly ushered through. Nikhil held the door open for Richard and allowed him to head inside first where a short hallway greeted the two of them, and at the end, a pair of polished Elevator doors sat. Richard lifted a brow, casting a puzzled glance at Nikhil. “An underground Facility? This is a first for us.” Richard kept stride with Nikhil as they walked towards the elevator and waited as the Researcher swiped his I.D. card at a panel just to the left of the Elevator doors. “Well, Lorette wanted something a little more secure for our work with Sato-Yamasaki. And that’s not accounting for the space required for this project.” Nikhil glanced over at Richard and stared at him from beneath his visor. “I should also take the time to inform you that you’ll need to be preparing to screen the people they’re sending over.” Richard let out a low groan, pressing his back against the far wall of the Elevator. “Of course I do.”
Nikhil continued to ramble on, not paying any mind to the other man’s poor mood. “This facility is located One Kilometer underground and stretches over Five Kilometers wide. At present we have close to One Thousand Employees that will be stationed here, but you can expect more to join on in the future.” Richard hummed, a gloved hand rubbing at the stubble on his face. "Five Kilometers? That's a hell of a lot of space you're asking me to cover." Nikhil nodded at the other man. "Indeed it is. But I don't think it should be a problem for you and Afnet. At least I HOPE it won't be." Nikhil stared pointedly at Richard's coat, and the Chief of Security gripped the edge with a frown. "Afnet is damn good at what they do. Don't you worry about that."
The elevator ground to a halt and the doors opened silently. Nikhil stepped through and Richard followed close behind, craning his neck back to stare up. The Facility stretched many stories above his head, and he could see people running to and fro through windows lining the halls on each level. Nikhil had kept walking, forcing Richard to run after him in order to catch up. “The Facility takes the shape of a hollow inverted cone with each level wrapping around the entire circumference. As you’ve noticed by now, they all face inward towards the center. There is a reason for this, for at the very bottom here….” Nikhil stepped across the walkway to look over the edge of a safety railing. Richard followed him and looked down as well. About a good hundred yards below them Richard could see orange vested workers scurrying across the top of a massive glass surface covering the entire bottom of the facility. The Chief of Security lofted a brow, glancing up at Nikhil. “A Containment Unit, Mr.Solberg. One of many, I assure you. But by far the largest we have.”
Richard looked back down at the Containment Unit. It wasn’t very different from the same boxes used to contain particularly unruly Daemons, but it was far larger than necessary. The Chief of Security could see a pressurized gate at one end and knew that it led elsewhere, most likely another lab. “This is…..Nikhil. Why is it so damn big?” The man’s eyes roamed over the workers, all of them welding various metal supports to the edge of the Unit. “Reinforced pretty heavily too. And I’m sure that you’ve got all kinds contingencies inside so that whatever gets thrown in there stays put too…..This isn’t regular for us…” Richard pushed away from the railing to face the Researcher fully, his face drawn in a tight frown. “Nikhil, you know that I have to ask. What in the Hell are you doing down here?”
Nikhil simply stared at Richard, his expression unreadable beneath his ever present Visor.
“We are preparing for the future Mr.Solberg, and for whatever it might bring.”
The elevator soon arrived and once she and Rasteva were inside she hummed and pressed the twelfth floor button. The doors shut and the tiny metal box began moving upwards. The feeling wasn’t entirely pleasant, feeling most like one’s stomach dropping but one grew used to it.
Twelve floors up and the elevator lurched to a stop now, allowing the doors to open to a rather, freshly painted hallway. Extremely fresh, to be frank. Most of the hallway was painted but it seemed it wasn’t quite finished yet. The ladders and paint buckets had been set aside, likely by the workers who finished much earlier in the evening. Across the hall, Angel walked up to her door now labeled ‘1204’, pulling out a pair of keys from her pocket. With one hand, she jingled the keys for a moment, looking for her apartment key.
Once found, she jammed the key into the lock and turned it, revealing the apartment before them. “Percy! Saorise! Guess whose’ home!” she called into the apartment as she stepped inside with the dog. The apartment was dim with the few lights that were lit currently. The apartment was open concept and a decent size. Comfortable enough for three people to live in. From around a small decorative screen, a television was flashing with the late night news, playing at a low volume. It didn’t take long for a man to pop up from the blanket covered couch. “God, finally! Took you long enough to get home. Where were you?” he exclaimed. The man looked young, likely a little younger then Angel herself. His dark black hair styled in a slightly messier way. He peered at Angel with his pale blue eyes for a bit before he finally he noticed the dog.
He instantly perked up and made quite an expression of excitement. It looked rather silly. “Percy, this is Butterball. Our foster dog!” Angel smiled before Percy practically cheered. “Dude, it’s so cute! Oh my go- Saorise! Saorise! There’s a dog!” he yelled and from one of the bedrooms soon rolled out a young, pale and rather fragile looking girl in a wheelchair. “I heard dog. What d- Oh my god, dog!” Saorise, had near white, platinum blonde hair and rather pretty silvery eyes. Almost like an expensive porcelain doll. Angel smiled at both of her roommates reactions as she leaned down to remove the leash from Rasteva. It seemed he was free to wander around and get used to the new surroundings now. “I know! It’s name is Butterball, that’s freakin’ adorable.” Percy chimed happily to himself.
“Percy, can you get some towels? We’re soaked if you haven’t noticed.” Angel said, carefully removing her drenched jacket to hang it up over on a hall tree. The man blinked before he practically sprung off the couch. “Sure!” he said quickly disappearing into a nearby room - likely the bathroom and re-emerging with several towels, tossing two to Angel and placing the third beneath the dripping coat hung up so it wouldn’t drip all over the wood floor.
Saorise rolled up to the dog in her wheelchair slowly and smiled down softly to the dog. In a gentle voice she spoke to it. “Hello, Butterball…” she said leaning forward and offering one hand to sniff. If the dog seemed comfortable enough, she try and pet it, but not before Angel suddenly crouched down, one towel draped over her head and the other in her hands. Rasteva was quickly wrapped in a warm, towel. Likely just pulled from the drier in the bathroom, Angel patted down the dog, perhaps a tad roughly but it was just to make sure it was dry. “Welcome to your new home, Butterball.” she giggled a bit, happily.
Twelve floors up and the elevator lurched to a stop now, allowing the doors to open to a rather, freshly painted hallway. Extremely fresh, to be frank. Most of the hallway was painted but it seemed it wasn’t quite finished yet. The ladders and paint buckets had been set aside, likely by the workers who finished much earlier in the evening. Across the hall, Angel walked up to her door now labeled ‘1204’, pulling out a pair of keys from her pocket. With one hand, she jingled the keys for a moment, looking for her apartment key.
Once found, she jammed the key into the lock and turned it, revealing the apartment before them. “Percy! Saorise! Guess whose’ home!” she called into the apartment as she stepped inside with the dog. The apartment was dim with the few lights that were lit currently. The apartment was open concept and a decent size. Comfortable enough for three people to live in. From around a small decorative screen, a television was flashing with the late night news, playing at a low volume. It didn’t take long for a man to pop up from the blanket covered couch. “God, finally! Took you long enough to get home. Where were you?” he exclaimed. The man looked young, likely a little younger then Angel herself. His dark black hair styled in a slightly messier way. He peered at Angel with his pale blue eyes for a bit before he finally he noticed the dog.
He instantly perked up and made quite an expression of excitement. It looked rather silly. “Percy, this is Butterball. Our foster dog!” Angel smiled before Percy practically cheered. “Dude, it’s so cute! Oh my go- Saorise! Saorise! There’s a dog!” he yelled and from one of the bedrooms soon rolled out a young, pale and rather fragile looking girl in a wheelchair. “I heard dog. What d- Oh my god, dog!” Saorise, had near white, platinum blonde hair and rather pretty silvery eyes. Almost like an expensive porcelain doll. Angel smiled at both of her roommates reactions as she leaned down to remove the leash from Rasteva. It seemed he was free to wander around and get used to the new surroundings now. “I know! It’s name is Butterball, that’s freakin’ adorable.” Percy chimed happily to himself.
“Percy, can you get some towels? We’re soaked if you haven’t noticed.” Angel said, carefully removing her drenched jacket to hang it up over on a hall tree. The man blinked before he practically sprung off the couch. “Sure!” he said quickly disappearing into a nearby room - likely the bathroom and re-emerging with several towels, tossing two to Angel and placing the third beneath the dripping coat hung up so it wouldn’t drip all over the wood floor.
Saorise rolled up to the dog in her wheelchair slowly and smiled down softly to the dog. In a gentle voice she spoke to it. “Hello, Butterball…” she said leaning forward and offering one hand to sniff. If the dog seemed comfortable enough, she try and pet it, but not before Angel suddenly crouched down, one towel draped over her head and the other in her hands. Rasteva was quickly wrapped in a warm, towel. Likely just pulled from the drier in the bathroom, Angel patted down the dog, perhaps a tad roughly but it was just to make sure it was dry. “Welcome to your new home, Butterball.” she giggled a bit, happily.
Rasteva was not sure how much more they could take. First moving machines, and then moving rooms. The Daemon was wet, cold and most importantly they were TIRED. Clearly, the form they'd stolen belonged to an older out of shape creature, the body getting too worn out for most physical activities. Pain and exhaustion were very new to Rasteva and the Daemon didn't like either sensation in the slightest.
Mercifully the room stopped moving and the small dog wobbled out of it only to nearly recoil at the overbearing smell of paint assaulting their nose.
Clearly, Rasteva had made a poor decision in their choice of a vessel.
Rasteva resigned themselves to suffering in silence as they followed the woman and began to consider all the options that lay before them. They were unsure how to approach the Human without terrifying her. No doubt she'd be uncooperative with a being that had forcibly posessed a creature that she was obviously fond of. They couldn't threaten her either, at least not in the state that they were. Rasteva was in no position to do much of anything as they were, though the woman did not know that.
Their thoughts were cut off as the Human arrived at what Rasteva assumed was her home. She stopped to greet two more Humans, something that puzzled the Daemon. Were they companions? Caretakers? The Daemon had never bothered to reach out to Humans. Much less learn their customs as they considered even thinking of Humans for any stretch of time to be wasted energy. It was becoming more and more apparent that Rasteva really hadn't thought their grand plan through. It had been one born purely of desperation and no small amount of fury. But they knew that there was no turning back for them. They'd come too far, and had already settled on THIS particular Human. It wasn't as if Rasteva had any other options anyway. The next Human could very well be no better than the one that they'd chosen. They might very well be WORSE.
No. Rasteva had made their decision and would see it to fruition as best that they could.
Rasteva did not like the new Humans any more than the first. One was overly loud and exciteable, something that grated the Daemons nerves. The other was quieter though she seemed to be quite frail. Rasteva wasn't sure how to feel about it. Humans were already a species cursed with an inherent weakness, so it was puzzling to come across one that seemed worse off then the rest. Rasteva backed awa slowly as she rolled herself closer to them, seeming to want to touch them. They had no intention of attacking the Human, but the Daemon was still unused to physical contact and was hoping to avoid more if at all possible.
It wasn't as if their feelings mattered anyhow, for as soon as the thought crossed their mind Rasteva fell under assault. The small dog thrashed a bit in the soft confines of the towel, trying in vain to escape but the woman's grip on them was strong. They were no longer cold and damp, but Rasteva still found it quite rude to be abruptly swaddled without any prior notice.
Once the little dog was free they scampered off into the apartment, small beady eyes taking in every detail of the abode. Rasteva did not what even half of the strange things they saw were, but the Daemon still comitted them to memory. They were immediately drawn to the strange glowing box against one wall, and Rasteva watched the images play out over the screen intently. This was clearly a Human contraption of importance, given how intently the male had been watching it earlier and Rasteva resolved to pay close attention to it.
Settling themselseves down on the floor, the Daemon felt relief flood their body. The day had been long an arduous for them, and nothing seemed better to them then relaxing for a moment. It was an odd sensation, to rest after exertion but it was not wholly unpleasant.
It wasn't as if they hadn't earned it, anyhow.
Mercifully the room stopped moving and the small dog wobbled out of it only to nearly recoil at the overbearing smell of paint assaulting their nose.
Clearly, Rasteva had made a poor decision in their choice of a vessel.
Rasteva resigned themselves to suffering in silence as they followed the woman and began to consider all the options that lay before them. They were unsure how to approach the Human without terrifying her. No doubt she'd be uncooperative with a being that had forcibly posessed a creature that she was obviously fond of. They couldn't threaten her either, at least not in the state that they were. Rasteva was in no position to do much of anything as they were, though the woman did not know that.
Their thoughts were cut off as the Human arrived at what Rasteva assumed was her home. She stopped to greet two more Humans, something that puzzled the Daemon. Were they companions? Caretakers? The Daemon had never bothered to reach out to Humans. Much less learn their customs as they considered even thinking of Humans for any stretch of time to be wasted energy. It was becoming more and more apparent that Rasteva really hadn't thought their grand plan through. It had been one born purely of desperation and no small amount of fury. But they knew that there was no turning back for them. They'd come too far, and had already settled on THIS particular Human. It wasn't as if Rasteva had any other options anyway. The next Human could very well be no better than the one that they'd chosen. They might very well be WORSE.
No. Rasteva had made their decision and would see it to fruition as best that they could.
Rasteva did not like the new Humans any more than the first. One was overly loud and exciteable, something that grated the Daemons nerves. The other was quieter though she seemed to be quite frail. Rasteva wasn't sure how to feel about it. Humans were already a species cursed with an inherent weakness, so it was puzzling to come across one that seemed worse off then the rest. Rasteva backed awa slowly as she rolled herself closer to them, seeming to want to touch them. They had no intention of attacking the Human, but the Daemon was still unused to physical contact and was hoping to avoid more if at all possible.
It wasn't as if their feelings mattered anyhow, for as soon as the thought crossed their mind Rasteva fell under assault. The small dog thrashed a bit in the soft confines of the towel, trying in vain to escape but the woman's grip on them was strong. They were no longer cold and damp, but Rasteva still found it quite rude to be abruptly swaddled without any prior notice.
Once the little dog was free they scampered off into the apartment, small beady eyes taking in every detail of the abode. Rasteva did not what even half of the strange things they saw were, but the Daemon still comitted them to memory. They were immediately drawn to the strange glowing box against one wall, and Rasteva watched the images play out over the screen intently. This was clearly a Human contraption of importance, given how intently the male had been watching it earlier and Rasteva resolved to pay close attention to it.
Settling themselseves down on the floor, the Daemon felt relief flood their body. The day had been long an arduous for them, and nothing seemed better to them then relaxing for a moment. It was an odd sensation, to rest after exertion but it was not wholly unpleasant.
It wasn't as if they hadn't earned it, anyhow.
Angel watched the go toddle off into the apartment to explore it’s temporary home before she dried herself off. Percy, now having moved to the kitchen with Saorise, watched Angel disappear for a moment into her bedroom to change into a pair of fresh clothes before remerging, tossing the towels into a nearby basket. Percy smiled to his roommate. “Well, Butterball seems happy enough. How old is she?” the excitable man asked, leaning into the marble countertop.
Saorise seemed busy making a pot of tea as Angel wandered into the kitchen. “The shelter said they think she is fifteen?” Percy proceeded to whistle. “Wow, she’s pushing it.” he replied, gazing over at the pooch, inspecting the television. “Seems to like the television at least.” he snickered.
Angel smiled as she watched the dog explore before she pulled a sealed container from the fridge. A plate was pulled out and she popped the container in the microwave for a little bit to warm it up. “Are those the leftovers you labeled for us to not touch?” Saorise asked now, watching Angel curiously. The darker woman nodded though laughed a bit. “Hah- Well, not really leftovers. I made some meals for Butterball ahead of time and labeled them my leftovers so you two wouldn’t get suspicious.”
The man blinked at the dog’s homemade food Angel had made before pursing his lips. “Man, you’re really going to pamper it. No kibble?” he seemed skeptical but Angel shrugged. “If Butterball doesn’t eat it, I might buy some kibble. But for now, it's home meals.”
Pulling the warmed food from the microwave, she spooned some onto a plate and clicked her tongue at the dog, trying to get it’s attention. “Butterball!” she smiled, kneeling down with the plate before placing it down. Angel stood up and also went ahead and filled up the dog bowl she had brought home with some fresh water for the pooch.
The meal, Angel had so kindly prepared for the dog seemed to consist of ground turkey, cooked through with vegetables such as carrots, spinach, brown rice and peas, all nice and hot and pretty fresh. Meanwhile, Saorise went ahead and made herself some tea, steeping it in a mug before looking to Angel and Percy. “Tea?” she offered and Percy shook his head, now leaving the kitchen to seat himself back onto the couch. Angel, however smiled. “Sure. Girl, did you pick up more of that creamer?” Idle conversation. Nothing, Rasteva was likely interested in at least, mostly stuff about groceries - until finally Percy piped up again. "How'd the job search today go, Angel?" Percy leaned his head back on the couch so he could gaze at them upside down as they sat in the kitchen.
Angel, only sighed. "Nothing. No calls either. Nobody around here is hiring apparently." Saorise soon cut in softly. "You'll find something..." she was cut off by Percy however. "Something better then that bloody bar. Terrible place."
Saorise seemed busy making a pot of tea as Angel wandered into the kitchen. “The shelter said they think she is fifteen?” Percy proceeded to whistle. “Wow, she’s pushing it.” he replied, gazing over at the pooch, inspecting the television. “Seems to like the television at least.” he snickered.
Angel smiled as she watched the dog explore before she pulled a sealed container from the fridge. A plate was pulled out and she popped the container in the microwave for a little bit to warm it up. “Are those the leftovers you labeled for us to not touch?” Saorise asked now, watching Angel curiously. The darker woman nodded though laughed a bit. “Hah- Well, not really leftovers. I made some meals for Butterball ahead of time and labeled them my leftovers so you two wouldn’t get suspicious.”
The man blinked at the dog’s homemade food Angel had made before pursing his lips. “Man, you’re really going to pamper it. No kibble?” he seemed skeptical but Angel shrugged. “If Butterball doesn’t eat it, I might buy some kibble. But for now, it's home meals.”
Pulling the warmed food from the microwave, she spooned some onto a plate and clicked her tongue at the dog, trying to get it’s attention. “Butterball!” she smiled, kneeling down with the plate before placing it down. Angel stood up and also went ahead and filled up the dog bowl she had brought home with some fresh water for the pooch.
The meal, Angel had so kindly prepared for the dog seemed to consist of ground turkey, cooked through with vegetables such as carrots, spinach, brown rice and peas, all nice and hot and pretty fresh. Meanwhile, Saorise went ahead and made herself some tea, steeping it in a mug before looking to Angel and Percy. “Tea?” she offered and Percy shook his head, now leaving the kitchen to seat himself back onto the couch. Angel, however smiled. “Sure. Girl, did you pick up more of that creamer?” Idle conversation. Nothing, Rasteva was likely interested in at least, mostly stuff about groceries - until finally Percy piped up again. "How'd the job search today go, Angel?" Percy leaned his head back on the couch so he could gaze at them upside down as they sat in the kitchen.
Angel, only sighed. "Nothing. No calls either. Nobody around here is hiring apparently." Saorise soon cut in softly. "You'll find something..." she was cut off by Percy however. "Something better then that bloody bar. Terrible place."
Rasteva STILL hadn't gotten used to the name 'Butterball' and probably never would, but the Daemon knew they'd have to answer to it to avoid suspicion. The small dog moved to their feet, bones creaking with the effort and they could not help but scoff internally. Their vessel was on old and weak one, this much was clear to the Daemon. Their own power would keep it from giving out altogether for a time, but they could not know for how long.
The little Dog padded into the kitchen, pausing briefly to stare at each of the Humans intently before turning their attention to the food set in front of them. Rasteva had never eaten before, Daemons had no need of such things and so for a moment, Rasteva was at a loss. They stared down at the plate of food in confusion, wondering as to what it could be and what it was for. The Humans seemed interested in them, and overly so. No doubt waiting for the Dog to do something. Rasteva paused then for a moment, sifting through the little Dog's memories for some sort of information before finally settling on a decision. It was far easier to let their physical body do what was natural to it than attempting to puzzle it out.
Eating was a new experience, and Rasteva could not honestly say if they liked it or not. Their body, clearly enjoyed the act but the Daemon's mind was of a different opinion. At the very least, the Humans seemed to have lost interest in them, moving on to chatter about something that had caught their interest. Whatever it was, it had no bearing on the Daemon though after they finished their meal they wandered towards the Humans to stare up at them again.
They were such odd creatures. They made odd sounds, and they moved strangely and looked odd too. Rasteva could not see the point in inhabiting such strange looking bodies, and wondered why anyone would choose to do so.
Then again, if they could have changed their forms, they wouldn't have been Human at all.
The little Dog let out a small huff before waddling off to stare at the television again. Another Human was talking on the screen about things that the Daemon did not truly understand, but suddenly a picture flashing across the screen caught their notice.
"In tonight's Buisness news, CEO of Apex Implementations Lorette Lécuyer is rumored to have headed overseas to seal the deal on new partnership with Sato-Yamasaki Genetics. Apex Implementations is both a private Security and transportation company, so the partnership comes to the surprise and confusion of the business sector, especially when Hanshiro Sato's own disinterst in expanding into other sectors is taken into consideration....." The Human continued to ramble on, but Rasteva did not bother to listen and instead focused on the image of the woman on the screen. She was not familliar to Rasteva, the Daemon did not know who she was in the slightest.
But even in their current form they could see the aura of power surrounding her form in the image on the screen.
It was as white as snow, and near her head their formed a mane of feathers. Rasteva knew of only one creature that would dare to take such a form, and the thought of them was enough to enrage them. The little Dog began to bark at the television, fur bristling in anger. Rasteva recognized the Daemon on the screen as clear as day.
They were the one who started all their troubles, after all.
The little Dog padded into the kitchen, pausing briefly to stare at each of the Humans intently before turning their attention to the food set in front of them. Rasteva had never eaten before, Daemons had no need of such things and so for a moment, Rasteva was at a loss. They stared down at the plate of food in confusion, wondering as to what it could be and what it was for. The Humans seemed interested in them, and overly so. No doubt waiting for the Dog to do something. Rasteva paused then for a moment, sifting through the little Dog's memories for some sort of information before finally settling on a decision. It was far easier to let their physical body do what was natural to it than attempting to puzzle it out.
Eating was a new experience, and Rasteva could not honestly say if they liked it or not. Their body, clearly enjoyed the act but the Daemon's mind was of a different opinion. At the very least, the Humans seemed to have lost interest in them, moving on to chatter about something that had caught their interest. Whatever it was, it had no bearing on the Daemon though after they finished their meal they wandered towards the Humans to stare up at them again.
They were such odd creatures. They made odd sounds, and they moved strangely and looked odd too. Rasteva could not see the point in inhabiting such strange looking bodies, and wondered why anyone would choose to do so.
Then again, if they could have changed their forms, they wouldn't have been Human at all.
The little Dog let out a small huff before waddling off to stare at the television again. Another Human was talking on the screen about things that the Daemon did not truly understand, but suddenly a picture flashing across the screen caught their notice.
"In tonight's Buisness news, CEO of Apex Implementations Lorette Lécuyer is rumored to have headed overseas to seal the deal on new partnership with Sato-Yamasaki Genetics. Apex Implementations is both a private Security and transportation company, so the partnership comes to the surprise and confusion of the business sector, especially when Hanshiro Sato's own disinterst in expanding into other sectors is taken into consideration....." The Human continued to ramble on, but Rasteva did not bother to listen and instead focused on the image of the woman on the screen. She was not familliar to Rasteva, the Daemon did not know who she was in the slightest.
But even in their current form they could see the aura of power surrounding her form in the image on the screen.
It was as white as snow, and near her head their formed a mane of feathers. Rasteva knew of only one creature that would dare to take such a form, and the thought of them was enough to enrage them. The little Dog began to bark at the television, fur bristling in anger. Rasteva recognized the Daemon on the screen as clear as day.
They were the one who started all their troubles, after all.
The three roommates had fallen into their general state, lounging with small chatter between Angel and Saorise with Percy piping up to say something every so often as Angel went about setting down various dog toys and pillows around the apartment, unsure where the dog would decide to sleep at all.
Still, the bark had caused them to perk up, Percy looking down at the dog near him before smirking. He snickered. “Whatsamatter’ girl?” The man seemed to chuckle and say in a rather endearing voice. Angel and Saorise only laughed a little and soon returned to their conversation. However, with the cup of tea in hand, Angel had stood up straight now, yawning rather loudly.
With a sigh she peered out the windows for a moment before turning towards her bedroom door. “I think I’m going to go to bed. It is rather late…” she hummed as Saorise nodded. “Go ahead. I’m probably going to soon as well.”
Angel looked across the room to where Percy and the dog were and smiled now, hoping that Butterball would notice the dog bed she had laid down in her room. “Don’t stay up too late, ya’ll. G’night!” she said as she walked along to her room with her tea. Saorise was next to leave the kitchen and roll back to her room, turning off all the lights in the main area, leaving Percy alone on the couch as he watched tv and browsed his phone once more.
However with a quick pause, Angel poked her head out of her room and patted her leg, calling over Butterball with a little whistle and smooching noise. “Butterball, come! You can sleep in my room tonight.” she smiled excitedly, hoping the dog would cuddle up to her honestly. She could care less about it sleeping in it’s dog bed or sleeping with her, she was just excited to have a dog in the house… even if it was temporary.
Still, the bark had caused them to perk up, Percy looking down at the dog near him before smirking. He snickered. “Whatsamatter’ girl?” The man seemed to chuckle and say in a rather endearing voice. Angel and Saorise only laughed a little and soon returned to their conversation. However, with the cup of tea in hand, Angel had stood up straight now, yawning rather loudly.
With a sigh she peered out the windows for a moment before turning towards her bedroom door. “I think I’m going to go to bed. It is rather late…” she hummed as Saorise nodded. “Go ahead. I’m probably going to soon as well.”
Angel looked across the room to where Percy and the dog were and smiled now, hoping that Butterball would notice the dog bed she had laid down in her room. “Don’t stay up too late, ya’ll. G’night!” she said as she walked along to her room with her tea. Saorise was next to leave the kitchen and roll back to her room, turning off all the lights in the main area, leaving Percy alone on the couch as he watched tv and browsed his phone once more.
However with a quick pause, Angel poked her head out of her room and patted her leg, calling over Butterball with a little whistle and smooching noise. “Butterball, come! You can sleep in my room tonight.” she smiled excitedly, hoping the dog would cuddle up to her honestly. She could care less about it sleeping in it’s dog bed or sleeping with her, she was just excited to have a dog in the house… even if it was temporary.
The Humans didn't seem to notice how upset Rasteva was, only one of them giving the Daemon a cursory glance and they soon quieted themselves. In all honesty, Rasteva wasn't sure what they expected. The Humans had no idea as to what was troubling the Dog. They were not aware of what they were, or that creatures like Rasteva existed at all.
But that didn't make the Daemon any less angry.
The image on the screen had since been replaced by something else, but Rasteva continued to stare at it intently. They had expected to come across other Daemons in their journey, that was the whole point of it after all. What Rasteva had NOT expected was to see the very same Daemon that had ordered their destruction within the Void.
"Rend them asunder."
The words had never truly left the back of the Daemons mind since that fateful day. In an instant, everything had been taken from them, and now they came to find that the cause of their trouble was not far from them.
The little Dog turned away from the television in a huff, thoughts in turmoil. A large part of Rasteva wanted to find their foe, to in turn rip them to shreds as they had ordered for Rasteva to be done. But the Daemon knew that such a thing was pointless and impossible as they were. A small part of them was GLAD that no other Daemons could see them in the state that they were as no doubt they would laugh at Rasteva.
The Dog began to pace around the living room, it's little legs pumping furiously as if to mirror the cogs turning in their mind. What would they do now? What COULD they do? If Rasteva were to be caught, it would surely be the end of them. They still hadn't even bothered to inform any of the Humans nearby as to what they were, and Rasteva doubted they'd be of little if any help against another Daemon right now. With every passing moment, it seemed as if Rasteva's goal was farther and farther away.
So caught up in their thoughts was the Daemon that they barely noticed the Human woman calling them by their given name. Rasteva let out an inward sigh at that but toddled over to her all the same. They stared up at the woman pointedly for a moment, not sure of what she wanted at first. Judging by the still open door to her room, she apparently wanted the Dog's company and so Rasteva decided to enter and make themselves comfortable for the time being. They were not sure what Humans saw in maintaining close contact with others, it had never been the interest of Rasteva or any Daemon to maintain friendships. Or at least that was the case before everything went to Hell.
Rasteva watched the woman move around the small space, seeming to make herself comfortable for the night and decided to follow her lead. The small Dog flopped onto the floor and lay there silently, though their thoughts were still a jumbled mess. At this rate, Rasteva was going to drive themselves crazy from stress and so they made the conscious decision to try and sleep for the moment. When the morning came, they would simply have to try and come up with a proper plan.
Richard stood in the center of the massive Containment Unit, staring up at the reinforced ceiling in silence. Nikhil stood a few feet away, seeming to not be looking at anything in particular though it was hard to tell through his ever present Visor. The Lead Researcher chattered on, feeding Richard a constant stream of information. “The inner walls are an ablative surface, hardened against particle beams, nuclear and conventional explosions, and corrosives. Each wall of the Containment Unit is layered with reinforced steel, fifty centimeters in thickness. It's not obvious because we're standing in it currently, but this chamber is pressurized as well in the event that anything contained attempts to take on a gaseous state.” Richard turned in place, eyeing the large chamber critically. "And you're telling me that the corridor beyond the blast doors over there is the only way in?" Nikhil nods and gestures towards the sealed doors reaching almost to the ceiling of the Containment Unit. "Yes, it is. It's a straight shot two hundred meters to the service Elevator we took down here, also sealed with blast doors. The Elevator shaft is layered with these same doors vertically, twenty in total and spaced five meters apart."
Richard let out a thoughtful sounding hum and rubbed at the stubble on his chin." Alright. We can set up a Killing Corridor right outside the doors. Place Guards at alternating lengths down the entire hall and have them ready to Suppress in the event of a containment breach." Richard gazed up at the transparent ceiling and frowned slightly. "And that? They're gonna cover that, right?" Nikhil nodded and looked up at the ceiling along with Richard. "Yes, they are. A series of Automatic Blast Gates are layered overhead, but we're keeping them open right now. Observation will be conducted through security footage only, until such a time that we feel that the contained subject poses no immediate threat." Richard nodded and lifted a hand to make a circular motion up towards the top of the Containment Unit. "This three-sixty view you've got overhead is a good thing. If anything starts trying to break through the top, we can get people on it from all sides. Hopefully, we won't be put in a situation where it comes to that, but...."
The Chief of Security paused, and gave Nikhil an even stare. "So this Future you were talking about earlier, the one we're preparing for. It doesn't sound like you're expecting anything good to come out of it." Nikhil looked down at the floor momentarily before simply shrugging at the other man. "To be honest, I am not expecting any problems to be had down here. Nor do I foresee a scenario in which we'll have to put this particular Containment Unit to use." Richard lofted a brow and folded both arms across his chest to stare pointedly at the Lead Researcher, impatience written clearly across his face. "Nikhil, start talking." Nikhil scoffed audibly from beneath his visor and strode towards the doors, gesturing at Richard to follow him. "We at Apex are not concerned with what this Containment Unit MIGHT be used for. As I've said, our primary focus has always been on our ongoing work with Sato-Yamasaki Genetics." Nikhil passed through the pressurized doors with Richard close behind him. "However once it became apparent that our work would require more space, and more people, and only the best equipment money could buy, Lorette was forced to pursue other options for making this Facility a reality." Richard frowned at the other man's back. "Such as?" Nikhil came to a halt before the Elevator, swiping his I.D. card through the reader. "American Tax Payers, Mr.Solberg. You can get anything built, so long as it has the Government's seal of approval on it."
The Chief of Security stilled suddenly, and Nikhil could see the gears working in his head. "This Facility was never for us, was it Nikhil? There wasn't a moment that it was about our work." The masked man let out a rueful laugh. "Oh, in theory, it was. A state of the art facility meant to house our greatest work and combined knowledge in one place. But in practice it will become a Military Base in all but name, Lorette didn't even want to build underground you know. She said it was something only a Cartoon Villain would do and found the whole affair tasteless. However, since The American Government will foot the bill for us, we required to listen to any 'suggestions' they might have had about how this Facility would function. This includes housing any specimens that happen to catch their fancy. And of course they're allowed to wander in and out as they see fit, but I doubt that will be happening so long as that Containment Unit stays empty."
Richard gave Nikhil a withering glare at that, not holding the same confidence as him. "And how can you be so sure of that Nikhil? There are a whole lot of Daemons out there. What exactly are they hoping to put in that box of theirs?"
"The term you should be using is WHO, Richard.Daemons do have names after all."
But that didn't make the Daemon any less angry.
The image on the screen had since been replaced by something else, but Rasteva continued to stare at it intently. They had expected to come across other Daemons in their journey, that was the whole point of it after all. What Rasteva had NOT expected was to see the very same Daemon that had ordered their destruction within the Void.
"Rend them asunder."
The words had never truly left the back of the Daemons mind since that fateful day. In an instant, everything had been taken from them, and now they came to find that the cause of their trouble was not far from them.
The little Dog turned away from the television in a huff, thoughts in turmoil. A large part of Rasteva wanted to find their foe, to in turn rip them to shreds as they had ordered for Rasteva to be done. But the Daemon knew that such a thing was pointless and impossible as they were. A small part of them was GLAD that no other Daemons could see them in the state that they were as no doubt they would laugh at Rasteva.
The Dog began to pace around the living room, it's little legs pumping furiously as if to mirror the cogs turning in their mind. What would they do now? What COULD they do? If Rasteva were to be caught, it would surely be the end of them. They still hadn't even bothered to inform any of the Humans nearby as to what they were, and Rasteva doubted they'd be of little if any help against another Daemon right now. With every passing moment, it seemed as if Rasteva's goal was farther and farther away.
So caught up in their thoughts was the Daemon that they barely noticed the Human woman calling them by their given name. Rasteva let out an inward sigh at that but toddled over to her all the same. They stared up at the woman pointedly for a moment, not sure of what she wanted at first. Judging by the still open door to her room, she apparently wanted the Dog's company and so Rasteva decided to enter and make themselves comfortable for the time being. They were not sure what Humans saw in maintaining close contact with others, it had never been the interest of Rasteva or any Daemon to maintain friendships. Or at least that was the case before everything went to Hell.
Rasteva watched the woman move around the small space, seeming to make herself comfortable for the night and decided to follow her lead. The small Dog flopped onto the floor and lay there silently, though their thoughts were still a jumbled mess. At this rate, Rasteva was going to drive themselves crazy from stress and so they made the conscious decision to try and sleep for the moment. When the morning came, they would simply have to try and come up with a proper plan.
Richard stood in the center of the massive Containment Unit, staring up at the reinforced ceiling in silence. Nikhil stood a few feet away, seeming to not be looking at anything in particular though it was hard to tell through his ever present Visor. The Lead Researcher chattered on, feeding Richard a constant stream of information. “The inner walls are an ablative surface, hardened against particle beams, nuclear and conventional explosions, and corrosives. Each wall of the Containment Unit is layered with reinforced steel, fifty centimeters in thickness. It's not obvious because we're standing in it currently, but this chamber is pressurized as well in the event that anything contained attempts to take on a gaseous state.” Richard turned in place, eyeing the large chamber critically. "And you're telling me that the corridor beyond the blast doors over there is the only way in?" Nikhil nods and gestures towards the sealed doors reaching almost to the ceiling of the Containment Unit. "Yes, it is. It's a straight shot two hundred meters to the service Elevator we took down here, also sealed with blast doors. The Elevator shaft is layered with these same doors vertically, twenty in total and spaced five meters apart."
Richard let out a thoughtful sounding hum and rubbed at the stubble on his chin." Alright. We can set up a Killing Corridor right outside the doors. Place Guards at alternating lengths down the entire hall and have them ready to Suppress in the event of a containment breach." Richard gazed up at the transparent ceiling and frowned slightly. "And that? They're gonna cover that, right?" Nikhil nodded and looked up at the ceiling along with Richard. "Yes, they are. A series of Automatic Blast Gates are layered overhead, but we're keeping them open right now. Observation will be conducted through security footage only, until such a time that we feel that the contained subject poses no immediate threat." Richard nodded and lifted a hand to make a circular motion up towards the top of the Containment Unit. "This three-sixty view you've got overhead is a good thing. If anything starts trying to break through the top, we can get people on it from all sides. Hopefully, we won't be put in a situation where it comes to that, but...."
The Chief of Security paused, and gave Nikhil an even stare. "So this Future you were talking about earlier, the one we're preparing for. It doesn't sound like you're expecting anything good to come out of it." Nikhil looked down at the floor momentarily before simply shrugging at the other man. "To be honest, I am not expecting any problems to be had down here. Nor do I foresee a scenario in which we'll have to put this particular Containment Unit to use." Richard lofted a brow and folded both arms across his chest to stare pointedly at the Lead Researcher, impatience written clearly across his face. "Nikhil, start talking." Nikhil scoffed audibly from beneath his visor and strode towards the doors, gesturing at Richard to follow him. "We at Apex are not concerned with what this Containment Unit MIGHT be used for. As I've said, our primary focus has always been on our ongoing work with Sato-Yamasaki Genetics." Nikhil passed through the pressurized doors with Richard close behind him. "However once it became apparent that our work would require more space, and more people, and only the best equipment money could buy, Lorette was forced to pursue other options for making this Facility a reality." Richard frowned at the other man's back. "Such as?" Nikhil came to a halt before the Elevator, swiping his I.D. card through the reader. "American Tax Payers, Mr.Solberg. You can get anything built, so long as it has the Government's seal of approval on it."
The Chief of Security stilled suddenly, and Nikhil could see the gears working in his head. "This Facility was never for us, was it Nikhil? There wasn't a moment that it was about our work." The masked man let out a rueful laugh. "Oh, in theory, it was. A state of the art facility meant to house our greatest work and combined knowledge in one place. But in practice it will become a Military Base in all but name, Lorette didn't even want to build underground you know. She said it was something only a Cartoon Villain would do and found the whole affair tasteless. However, since The American Government will foot the bill for us, we required to listen to any 'suggestions' they might have had about how this Facility would function. This includes housing any specimens that happen to catch their fancy. And of course they're allowed to wander in and out as they see fit, but I doubt that will be happening so long as that Containment Unit stays empty."
Richard gave Nikhil a withering glare at that, not holding the same confidence as him. "And how can you be so sure of that Nikhil? There are a whole lot of Daemons out there. What exactly are they hoping to put in that box of theirs?"
"The term you should be using is WHO, Richard.Daemons do have names after all."
((I know if there a OOC or OCC for this, I should ask there, but I don't know if this RP has one, so, may a Felyne join?))
Ricky wrote:
((I know if there a OOC or OCC for this, I should ask there, but I don't know if this RP has one, so, may a Felyne join?))
While I appreciate your interest, this is strictly a 1×1 RP.
Angel admittedly was a bit disappointed in the fact the dog didn’t want to cuddle at all but perhaps that was just her love of dogs making her want to give the dog all kins of affection. Still, she ha been tired. It didn’t take her long to fall asleep.
Rasteva would soon find however, that an alarm clock started ringing beside her bed around seven in the morning. It seemed to be emanating from that little glowing device the humans called a ‘phone’. Groggily, within five minutes the woman had reached over to her phone and tapped the surface causing it to silence.
She simply rolled back over, seeming to ignore the alarm designed to tell her to wake up… until it went off again ten minutes later much to her annoyance. With a loud yawn and a stretch, she silenced it again, pulling her phone over to her so she could actually turn it off now. Angel grumbled to herself about something as she began to really wake up. Mostly out of habit but it seemed humans spoke to themselves a lot.
The dim morning light was creeping through the curtains and Angel soon sat up, pulling one half of the curtains away from the window. It was still raining and she groaned a bit. “Of course…” she said quietly before standing up and looking through the closet for something to wear other then her pyjamas.
Soon, looking down at the dog she sighed. She was going to have to take the dog out to go to the bathroom. Oh well. It was fresh air. Even if it was wet and humid air. A pair of stretchy exercise pants soon adorned her, along with a plain t-shirt. Much better then her pyjamas. She slipped on a large sweater and now a pair of socks, intending to take the dog outside. Angel would bend down and stroke the little dog, humming. "Sorry, 'bout the alarm..." she said towards the dog with a few pats before moving to open her bedroom door into the apartment, looking around for where she put the leash and harness.
The apartment was quiet now, in contrast to last night but it seemed one of the roommates, Saorise was already gone. Likely off to work earlier in the morning. Percy however had his bedroom door closed and was probably not awake yet.
Rasteva would soon find however, that an alarm clock started ringing beside her bed around seven in the morning. It seemed to be emanating from that little glowing device the humans called a ‘phone’. Groggily, within five minutes the woman had reached over to her phone and tapped the surface causing it to silence.
She simply rolled back over, seeming to ignore the alarm designed to tell her to wake up… until it went off again ten minutes later much to her annoyance. With a loud yawn and a stretch, she silenced it again, pulling her phone over to her so she could actually turn it off now. Angel grumbled to herself about something as she began to really wake up. Mostly out of habit but it seemed humans spoke to themselves a lot.
The dim morning light was creeping through the curtains and Angel soon sat up, pulling one half of the curtains away from the window. It was still raining and she groaned a bit. “Of course…” she said quietly before standing up and looking through the closet for something to wear other then her pyjamas.
Soon, looking down at the dog she sighed. She was going to have to take the dog out to go to the bathroom. Oh well. It was fresh air. Even if it was wet and humid air. A pair of stretchy exercise pants soon adorned her, along with a plain t-shirt. Much better then her pyjamas. She slipped on a large sweater and now a pair of socks, intending to take the dog outside. Angel would bend down and stroke the little dog, humming. "Sorry, 'bout the alarm..." she said towards the dog with a few pats before moving to open her bedroom door into the apartment, looking around for where she put the leash and harness.
The apartment was quiet now, in contrast to last night but it seemed one of the roommates, Saorise was already gone. Likely off to work earlier in the morning. Percy however had his bedroom door closed and was probably not awake yet.
The screaming of the alarm jolted Rasteva from their sleep with a start, and the little Dog scrambled to their paws with a surprised yelp. The Daemon could only look on in disdain as the sleepy Human rolled over to fumble with the noisy device before going back to sleep. It did not last for very long, however, and Rasteva scurried towards the bed to stare angrily up at the Human. She either didn't care or notice as they did so, simply dragging herself out of bed with a fair amount of grumbling. Rasteva scoffed internally and wondered if all Humans were so lazy while following her out of the room.
The apartment was dark and quiet, a blessing from the rowdy night before. Rasteva was not sure if they had it within themselves to tolerate more talking and touching, and so they relished the relative peace for the time being.
The little Dog followed the Human around closely, still eyeing everything within the apartment with both interest and suspicion. The Daemon was still unsure of their surroundings and wasn't sure if they'd ever be truly comfortable but could admit that it was a step up from the cold windy streets.
The Dog finally settled themselves down on the floor, waiting for the Human to finish.....Whatever it was that Humans did, the Daemon certainly couldn't be bothered to care. They hoped that whatever it was that she had planned didn't involve going back outside, but they doubted it.
Alone with their thoughts, Rasteva could not help them from taking a rather dour turn. As of yet, they were in no danger but that could change without warning. Rasteva was barely able to defend themselves from harm, and they knew that the Human wouldn't be of much help in that regard. It was becoming more and more difficult to not worry over the future and the challenges it might bring, and Rasteva hoped deeply trouble would not arise. The Dog turned to stare at the now silent television, a soft chuffing sound escaping them. The Daemon could hope and dream all that they wanted, they knew that even if they went out of their way to avoid trouble, it would find them all the same.
Richard stared towards the end of the darkened hallway with arms clasped firmly behind his back. Nikhil stood next to him, his visor glowing dimly in the darkness. "You've seen every inch of this Facility, Richard. Is this necessary?" The taller man held up a gloved hand to hush the Lead Researcher. "You know damn well it's necessary, Nikhil. Do I sit around telling you how to do YOUR job?"
Nikhil's gaze could be felt even from beneath his visor, and it wasn't happy. "No, but the Junior Officer certainly does, along with the Lieutenant. You should really do something about that." Richard shook his head and chuckled. "I can certainly try, but don't count on it. Those two are a handful on their own, yanno?" Nikhil grunted, flapping a gloved hand at Richard in a flippant manner. "Very well then, get on with it."
Richard reached for the edge of his long coat and gave it a gentle tug. "Alright Afnet, let's get to work."
The coat fluttered softly from the tug before stilling, and around the man's feet, a pool of shadow began to form. The shadow suddenly split in eight directions, covering the floor, walls and even the ceiling of the hallway in shadow. Scaled spines suddenly breached every surface, and a rumbling voice came from both everywhere and nowhere at once. "I hear and I see....Everything."
"Don't be so dramatic, and get to work."
The voice let out an irritable grumble, and a massive dragonlike head suddenly appeared from the ceiling to stare down at Richard with golden eyes. "Why are you always so rude to us, Richard?" Another head appeared from the floor, a frown on its scaly face. "You have no sense of humor, and even less of a falir for theatrics." six more heads suddenly materialized from the walls, all chiming in.
"Yeah, no fun at all!"
"Always so serious!"
"Loosen up a little!"
"All work and no play, makes for a dull Richard."
"I think he was just born like this, to be honest."
"Wow, that is a depressing thought."
Richard groaned, both hands covering his face as Nikhil chortled next to him. "Please, for the love of God just get to work." The heads silenced themselves in varying degrees before they all split off in different directions. All throughout the facility, a reptilian head would burst from the shadows to stare around critically, before disappearThe chief of Security sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. "Unbelieveable. What am I doing in life to deserve this nonsense?" Nikhil's only reply was another chuckle, and a pat on the shoulder before walking away and leaving Richard in the darkness.
"Great."
All throughout the facility, a reptilian head would burst from the shadows to stare around critically, before disappearing again. Afnet's many necks snaked through pipes and between walls, vents rattled loudly with the beasts's passing as they probed every square inch of the massive facility. Richard stood stock still, the shadow at his feet that stretched off into the facility keeping him in place. Every now and then one of Afnet's heads would return to inform the man of a blind spot in their security, and Richard would scribble notes on a clipboard.
It was another hour before Afnet finished their work, relaying all that they'd found, and they returned promptly to the Chief of Security. The man sighed and patted each of the eight reptilian heads affectionately, shaking his own at them. "Maybe next time less theatrics, yeah?" Afnet's heads all stared at each other in confusion, before shaking at the man in the negative. "We cannot do such a thing I'm afraid."
"Nope!"
"Not at all!"
"Why would we?"
"I still think you should give it a try!"
The heads all began to chatter amongst themselves, all remarking on how Richard could stand to loosen up and the poor man could do nothing but watch and listen.
"I just HAD to get the Daemon with eight mouths."
The apartment was dark and quiet, a blessing from the rowdy night before. Rasteva was not sure if they had it within themselves to tolerate more talking and touching, and so they relished the relative peace for the time being.
The little Dog followed the Human around closely, still eyeing everything within the apartment with both interest and suspicion. The Daemon was still unsure of their surroundings and wasn't sure if they'd ever be truly comfortable but could admit that it was a step up from the cold windy streets.
The Dog finally settled themselves down on the floor, waiting for the Human to finish.....Whatever it was that Humans did, the Daemon certainly couldn't be bothered to care. They hoped that whatever it was that she had planned didn't involve going back outside, but they doubted it.
Alone with their thoughts, Rasteva could not help them from taking a rather dour turn. As of yet, they were in no danger but that could change without warning. Rasteva was barely able to defend themselves from harm, and they knew that the Human wouldn't be of much help in that regard. It was becoming more and more difficult to not worry over the future and the challenges it might bring, and Rasteva hoped deeply trouble would not arise. The Dog turned to stare at the now silent television, a soft chuffing sound escaping them. The Daemon could hope and dream all that they wanted, they knew that even if they went out of their way to avoid trouble, it would find them all the same.
Richard stared towards the end of the darkened hallway with arms clasped firmly behind his back. Nikhil stood next to him, his visor glowing dimly in the darkness. "You've seen every inch of this Facility, Richard. Is this necessary?" The taller man held up a gloved hand to hush the Lead Researcher. "You know damn well it's necessary, Nikhil. Do I sit around telling you how to do YOUR job?"
Nikhil's gaze could be felt even from beneath his visor, and it wasn't happy. "No, but the Junior Officer certainly does, along with the Lieutenant. You should really do something about that." Richard shook his head and chuckled. "I can certainly try, but don't count on it. Those two are a handful on their own, yanno?" Nikhil grunted, flapping a gloved hand at Richard in a flippant manner. "Very well then, get on with it."
Richard reached for the edge of his long coat and gave it a gentle tug. "Alright Afnet, let's get to work."
The coat fluttered softly from the tug before stilling, and around the man's feet, a pool of shadow began to form. The shadow suddenly split in eight directions, covering the floor, walls and even the ceiling of the hallway in shadow. Scaled spines suddenly breached every surface, and a rumbling voice came from both everywhere and nowhere at once. "I hear and I see....Everything."
"Don't be so dramatic, and get to work."
The voice let out an irritable grumble, and a massive dragonlike head suddenly appeared from the ceiling to stare down at Richard with golden eyes. "Why are you always so rude to us, Richard?" Another head appeared from the floor, a frown on its scaly face. "You have no sense of humor, and even less of a falir for theatrics." six more heads suddenly materialized from the walls, all chiming in.
"Yeah, no fun at all!"
"Always so serious!"
"Loosen up a little!"
"All work and no play, makes for a dull Richard."
"I think he was just born like this, to be honest."
"Wow, that is a depressing thought."
Richard groaned, both hands covering his face as Nikhil chortled next to him. "Please, for the love of God just get to work." The heads silenced themselves in varying degrees before they all split off in different directions. All throughout the facility, a reptilian head would burst from the shadows to stare around critically, before disappearThe chief of Security sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. "Unbelieveable. What am I doing in life to deserve this nonsense?" Nikhil's only reply was another chuckle, and a pat on the shoulder before walking away and leaving Richard in the darkness.
"Great."
All throughout the facility, a reptilian head would burst from the shadows to stare around critically, before disappearing again. Afnet's many necks snaked through pipes and between walls, vents rattled loudly with the beasts's passing as they probed every square inch of the massive facility. Richard stood stock still, the shadow at his feet that stretched off into the facility keeping him in place. Every now and then one of Afnet's heads would return to inform the man of a blind spot in their security, and Richard would scribble notes on a clipboard.
It was another hour before Afnet finished their work, relaying all that they'd found, and they returned promptly to the Chief of Security. The man sighed and patted each of the eight reptilian heads affectionately, shaking his own at them. "Maybe next time less theatrics, yeah?" Afnet's heads all stared at each other in confusion, before shaking at the man in the negative. "We cannot do such a thing I'm afraid."
"Nope!"
"Not at all!"
"Why would we?"
"I still think you should give it a try!"
The heads all began to chatter amongst themselves, all remarking on how Richard could stand to loosen up and the poor man could do nothing but watch and listen.
"I just HAD to get the Daemon with eight mouths."
It didn’t take her long to find the leash and harness. Turning, she glance around for the dog until she set eyes on them. “Alrighty. Let’s be quick.” she said, quickly moving up to Rasteva and once again, slipping the harness and leash onto them. Moving to the door now, Angel was quick to slip on a pair of rain boots, though she pause for a moment to see which jacket she could take.
Grabbing a fairly large jacket, she glanced back towards Percy’s bedroom for a moment before slipping it on. “I’m sure Percy wouldn’t mind if I stole his jacket for a bit.” the woman muttered to herself walking back over to Rasteva. Taking the leash in hand, she made a little click noise with her tongue and moved toward the door, snagging her keys.
Down and through the lobby once more with that just, lovely stench of paint still lingering in the halls, once they were at the front door to the building, Angel pulled up her hood and gazed out towards the street. It was foggy. Really foggy. Not to mention it was raining. But she could barely see ten feet in front of her. Pursing her lips, Angel opened the door and moved to step out, holding the door so the little dog could toddle after her. It was creepy, sure but it wasn’t like she couldn’t drop some clown trying to mug her with a few good punches.
At least there was a park a block over or so. No subways today! As they began walking towards said park, at least the rain wasn’t cold like the previous night. With the humidity, the rain was… lukewarm at best. Angel didn’t find it very pleasant herself, what with the particular smell the city seemed to give off whenever it rained.
Grabbing a fairly large jacket, she glanced back towards Percy’s bedroom for a moment before slipping it on. “I’m sure Percy wouldn’t mind if I stole his jacket for a bit.” the woman muttered to herself walking back over to Rasteva. Taking the leash in hand, she made a little click noise with her tongue and moved toward the door, snagging her keys.
Down and through the lobby once more with that just, lovely stench of paint still lingering in the halls, once they were at the front door to the building, Angel pulled up her hood and gazed out towards the street. It was foggy. Really foggy. Not to mention it was raining. But she could barely see ten feet in front of her. Pursing her lips, Angel opened the door and moved to step out, holding the door so the little dog could toddle after her. It was creepy, sure but it wasn’t like she couldn’t drop some clown trying to mug her with a few good punches.
At least there was a park a block over or so. No subways today! As they began walking towards said park, at least the rain wasn’t cold like the previous night. With the humidity, the rain was… lukewarm at best. Angel didn’t find it very pleasant herself, what with the particular smell the city seemed to give off whenever it rained.
Rasteva didn't know what was going on, but they didn't like it. Their concern only grew when the woman put the leash and harness onto them and began to tug them towards the door.
Rasteva did not want to go outside. It was cold there, and it was wet. Outside was AWFUL and the Daemon would have been content to never set foot out there again.
Sadly the Human had other plans in mind and managed to get them out the door.
It was marginally less awful than yesterday, though Rasteva was still displeased to find themselves wet again. They scampered after the woman, and kept close, eyes peering around the fog critically. The Human seemed to be ill at ease as well, taking a cursory glance around the area as well. The Fog was thick, and the poor visibility coupled with the early morning silence made it all the more unsettling.
The little Dog sniffed the air curiously, ears pricked forward suddenly. Rasteva could not place it, but all at once the fog felt unnatural....Or at least different from what passed as natural on this world. Their beady little eyes stared at a particular point in the fog and the Dog began to bark loudly and a man's voice suddenly came from the direction they wer elooking in.
"Oh goodness! I'm sorry to have startled your Dog like that!"
Footsteps sounded softly on the wet pavement and a well-dressed man suddenly came into view. The Little Dog continued to bark at him and the man stopped well out of reach so as not to upset it before offering Angel a small smile. "Sorry about that, I didn't expect anyone to be out here so early." The man tipped his umbrella back to peer up at the grey sky. "And during weather like this, too. I'm only out here because I need to get to work." The man chuckled softly as the Dog stared up at him, letting out soft barks every now and then. "He seems to have calmed down a bit, I belive. Good, I'd hate for such a ferocious beast to take a bite out of me."
The man's smile was dazzling, to say the least, and his demeanor was friendly. He seemed overdressed to be walking around out in the fog, Suit and tie neatly pressed beneath his long coat. Rasteva, however was not fooled at all. The Dog could senese the presence of a Daemon clinging to the man, and it backed up slowly to press close to the woman's leg.
The man's eyes flicked down to the Dog, and he smiled again. "Nervous, are we? I don't blame you, meeting odd men in the middle of the fog is usually cause for concern." The man's hand suddenly shot out towards the woman and held it out for her to shake, his voice jovial. "But I can promise you that I'm not as odd as I seem, I just like making dramatic entrances. I'm Allister Schoen, and it's lovely to meet the both of you."
Rasteva did not want to go outside. It was cold there, and it was wet. Outside was AWFUL and the Daemon would have been content to never set foot out there again.
Sadly the Human had other plans in mind and managed to get them out the door.
It was marginally less awful than yesterday, though Rasteva was still displeased to find themselves wet again. They scampered after the woman, and kept close, eyes peering around the fog critically. The Human seemed to be ill at ease as well, taking a cursory glance around the area as well. The Fog was thick, and the poor visibility coupled with the early morning silence made it all the more unsettling.
The little Dog sniffed the air curiously, ears pricked forward suddenly. Rasteva could not place it, but all at once the fog felt unnatural....Or at least different from what passed as natural on this world. Their beady little eyes stared at a particular point in the fog and the Dog began to bark loudly and a man's voice suddenly came from the direction they wer elooking in.
"Oh goodness! I'm sorry to have startled your Dog like that!"
Footsteps sounded softly on the wet pavement and a well-dressed man suddenly came into view. The Little Dog continued to bark at him and the man stopped well out of reach so as not to upset it before offering Angel a small smile. "Sorry about that, I didn't expect anyone to be out here so early." The man tipped his umbrella back to peer up at the grey sky. "And during weather like this, too. I'm only out here because I need to get to work." The man chuckled softly as the Dog stared up at him, letting out soft barks every now and then. "He seems to have calmed down a bit, I belive. Good, I'd hate for such a ferocious beast to take a bite out of me."
The man's smile was dazzling, to say the least, and his demeanor was friendly. He seemed overdressed to be walking around out in the fog, Suit and tie neatly pressed beneath his long coat. Rasteva, however was not fooled at all. The Dog could senese the presence of a Daemon clinging to the man, and it backed up slowly to press close to the woman's leg.
The man's eyes flicked down to the Dog, and he smiled again. "Nervous, are we? I don't blame you, meeting odd men in the middle of the fog is usually cause for concern." The man's hand suddenly shot out towards the woman and held it out for her to shake, his voice jovial. "But I can promise you that I'm not as odd as I seem, I just like making dramatic entrances. I'm Allister Schoen, and it's lovely to meet the both of you."
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