Old World Blues

Anything you might want to try out that doesn't temporally or thematically fit the serial should go here. This is an ideal space for all your what-ifs and might-have-beens, as well as for your average silliness.
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Karl the Mad
 

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Re: Old World Blues

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"And what about these two?" Marius asked, indicating the two goons he had knocked out before. "We can't leave them here, they'll be back on the street in hours at the most."

"How d' ya figger?" Charles asked.

"Think like a defense attorney, Jenkins," the vamp explained with a sigh. "Drake rewound time to before they did anything to us. Sure, we knew what would have happened, what their intentions were, but that sequence of events doesn't exist anymore. As it stands, all that's happened is I've assaulted them from behind, and you two broke into their car and went through their shit."

"An' all th' stuff we found? Fake plates, automatic weapons...?"

"...utterly meaningless after their initial rights were violated," Vlastos went on. "Oh sure, the guns might be confiscated and the car impounded for a few days, but the two of them will be back on the streets, as I explained earlier. Like you said before, Drake, you've got your badge on, so you can't just claim this was a citizens' arrest or what have you."

"This ain't Red River though, this is Hope 'n they's outsiders," Charles protested. "We c'n prove they's Dixie Mafia, I recognized 'em right off th' bat. An' I weren't about t' let them boys tear out city apart, yeah? 'Specially now we knows what they're here for!" He glanced at Three. "If any kinda fallout comes a' this, I'll take it. You 'n Vlastos gotta keep appearances, yeah?"

"Or you could just take them back to your Hall and put them under quarantine," Vlastos suggested, as an after-thought. "We're already acting extra-legally. Weren't you tailing them earlier anyway, Jenkins? Where's your car?" Charles shrugged and gestured at a late-model Charger bearing the livery of his little company, parked about half a block down the street. The same cab Drake had jumped into when he and Charles first met, coincidentally.
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IamLEAM1983
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Re: Old World Blues

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Three eyed the car. "We can store the goons for a while, Marius is right. As for our rights, our nuking the Goat's plan gave us leeway to at least broach the idea of Non-Euclidian tools to Governor Smith, last month. George designed the fob I used to keep a trace of the deleted timeline, so we have all the proof we need. They had intent, they acted on that intent in one timeline and were about to act on it when we got involved. Smoking gun. The rest only compounds the issue. Multiple plates, guns and ammo - and Marius' eyewitness account. You can argue self-defense based on the initial altercation, the rest is stuff I'll get chewed over by either Archie or Forsythe, back in Austria."

He sighed as he opened the left rear passenger door of Charles' car, one of the McAlvoys restrained in front of him. Using practiced motions, he pushed and guided the Dixie mobster into his seat.

Then came a whisper of Anglicized Black Speech in his usual surgical delivery. "Your feet are stuck to the floor of the car until I say otherwise," he told the goon.

That done, he looked back to Charles and Marius. "It isn't perfect, but it's the best we've got for now."
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Karl the Mad
 

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Re: Old World Blues

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Charles did the same thing with the second goon, although instead of precise whispering his version of Black Speech-style restraints consisted of growling softly in his ear until he was too scared to move much.

Vlastos, meanwhile, was staring at the sky, thinking. "I have an idea, of sorts," he told the others, "but it will take time." He recalled a nearby grocery store was licensed to sell blood packs, and decided that was his next destination; he needed a pick-me-up, after all. "Deal with these two however you see fit, and meet me atop that parking garage in forty-five minutes."

"Wha'cha gonna do, pally?" Charles called out, but the vamp ignored him and hurried off, tugging a hood up over his head despite the summer heat surrounding him. The human blinked, then shrugged. "Whatev, le's ditch these fellas," and he went for the driver's seat.
Last edited by Karl the Mad on Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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IamLEAM1983
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Re: Old World Blues

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Three seemed to share Charles' overall lack of enthusiasm, but he refrained from rolling his eyes or commenting on Vlastos' plans. They crossed the short distance leading to the Hall and slid into place next to the old servants' entrance. 

Stepping back out, Three fished out one of the McAlvoys, freeing their feet in the same motion. "I know you guys pack a lot of rhetoric about us Yankees, but you're about to be stuffed in the nicest jail cell that's ever been put together. Coffered ceilings, a full wall's worth of books, barred windows - and a high-tech Clank butler to keep an eye on you at all times. You'll eat what we eat - and sleep in a bed a man possessed by Lucifer's toady used to sleep in, a year ago."

They walked in, Three using a free hand to buzz Bagley. The headmaster's voice was heard, sounding obviously tinny. "Out for computer components, in with a suspect, mister Drake?
- Something like that," grunted Three. "Is the library's guest room prepped?
- The linens were changed yesterday, mister Drake."

Aidan progressed further inward, leading one of the three suspects down the West wing's main hall and back towards the front lobby. He and Charles were met halfway across by Maurice, who freed Drake of his grip on the man's handcuffed wrists, effortlessly keeping him restrained with a single hand. With Charles handling one of them, Maurice's other hand held the other one's wrists.

"Gentlemen," he told the brothers, "breakfast is at seven-thirty, lunch is at twelve, and dinner is at six-thirty. I will maintain a connection with your room's cameras at all times. Good behavior will be rewarded. I may open a phone line for your perusal at your request, but all phone calls performed will be recorded. Both Tanner and Associates as well as Lyman & Ephesian are on speed-dial, and your case will be forwarded to the HPD as required. You may receive visitors from the local police force as well as the Vienna Council, depending on the severity of your crimes. Amendments to the Superhuman Registration Act allow us to detain you for a period of up to five days. If convictions can be landed in that time, your transfer to the local penitentiary will be arranged prior to your court dates."

Three walked along for a few steps. "I'm pretty sure Doreen wouldn't have wanted either of you fellas to go sticking your necks out like this. Dixie mob pays well enough, sure, but I would've started with a stripling, if I'd been in your shoes. Someone you would've had at least some chance of intimidating."

He held up the fob watch. "You probably don't remember doing so, and that's par for the course. Another timeline we were just in says you did try your luck at messing with Marius Vlastos, though. A lot's changed in one year, and quantum data collected by a device crafted by George Murray Gammell's fellow Animates is now admissible in court. Attempted assault and battery isn't much, but it's enough to seriously sour your job prospects down South, even with the mob backing you up."

They walked into the library and from there, climbed to the second floor where Archie's decidedly luxurious take on a stockade or panic room waited behind a false bookshelf. The three men would've never seen a jail cell quite like this before: they might've only had a single bed to share, it was still one of the widest beds available on the market. They had a nice, if barred-up view of the English gardens behind the mansion, the gentle hum of noise and kinetic energy suppression runes suffusing the floor and walls. They also had a separate bathroom equipped with a hotel-grade shower stall, along with a small fireplace covered with a safety grill.

With Bagley blocking the way out, Three leaned on the wall next to the small countertop that served as an eating surface. "Alright," he said, "so we have about twenty minutes to spare," he told the theriomorphs. First off, I just want to make it clear that there's no Bad Cop in this routine. We'll hurt you if you try and hurt anyone else, but that's where my mandate stops."

He jerked his chin at their hands, now that they were freed. "You're skin-changers. You've obviously stashed your pelts somewhere. I know how hard it is to be kept away from them - we have three selkies in our ranks. If you'll tell us where you stashed them, we can get them back for you once we'll have time. When we do, you'll come with us."

Aidan smirked. "I'd be tempted to give me the wrong address if I were in your shoes, or maybe I'd have rigged a motel room with phosphine gas capsules or plain old C4. You're all bright guys - it takes some skill to swap plates across four States and pack this much of an arsenal without raising any attention - so I know you understand my reticence. Help us out, and we'll help you out."
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Karl the Mad
 

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Re: Old World Blues

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The first one scowled and looked away sullenly, but the second guy seemed nervous. "We ain't th' only ones comin' after that guy, y' know," he said, rubbing his wrists. "I'm Mark and that's Frank, by the way. We's just scouts, see?"

Frank's scowl deepened. "Ya gonna spill all th' beans, y' damn cotton-picker? Shat yer face!" he growled at Mark.

"Oh come on, like they couldn't guess half th' plan anyways!" Mark shot back. "Look, guys, it, it's easy, oka-"

"Hey chill, we're only askin' fer yer pelts, yeah?" Charles interjected. "Save th' bean spillin' fer later."

Mark looked abashed. "Uh, the Motel 6 in Sandhill," he mumbled. "Ain't no fancy traps 'r whatever, ain't had time fer 'at shit yet. We only showed up 'bout 1 this mornin'."

-------------------------------

Meanwhile, Marius was buying a couple blood packs, cringing at the cold, sterilized taste but resigned to knowing he couldn't simply claim a blood doll in broad daylight any longer. Once the transaction was complete he sucked down one of them and drew his phone out. "Call the pilot," he ordered, and the voice-activated call went through as he sucked on another blood bag. "Good afternoon, Higurashi," he said when the call was answered. "The shuttle is warm, yes? Bring it to the parking garage on 19th Street, a few blocks from Holden Hall. Yes yes, I know, just do it." He hung up, put the phone away and got a brief running start, then leaped into the air, landing atop the building in one stride. Then it was the waiting game!
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IamLEAM1983
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Re: Old World Blues

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"My colleague's right," said Three, looking back to Charles. "There's still time, and I think you'll appreciate having a few days to stew things over. We're sufficiently connected to have a lot of opportunities to offer to people who help us. Plus, if you were roped into this to protect your finances or your family from other threats, we can dig deeper with your assistance. I know how Morgana's side of Summer can be, having faced off against Mab's own people. Your fears are useful for certain people."

He jotted the address down on his smartphone. "If you're scouts, Mark, please don't use our phone line to warn your friends. Bagley will know if you do, and he'll have to start locking things down. Neither of us wants that."

Drake then pocketed his phone. "The short of it is you're on a bit of a vacation. You've got AC, books, a nice view, room service... We'll also call Doreen to let her know you're okay, maybe arrange for transportation."
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Karl the Mad
 

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Re: Old World Blues

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Mark looked startled. "N-No! Don't call Doreen!" he blurted out, almost pleading. "They'll think we're blabbin'!"

Frank just rolled his eyes. "We couldn' tell 'em nothin' important anyways, fuckhead. Remember them Oaths?"

Charles just glowered and turned to walk out. They wouldn't get anything from these two, unless they wanted another gibbering wreck like that one guy from a while back.
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IamLEAM1983
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Re: Old World Blues

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Drake shrugged. "Fine, you'll have to wait for your pelts, then. I mean, you could've asked me to petition either Lord Haskill or Lady Eirean on your behalf and negotiate for a recognition as a Court member, but since you didn't ask..."

Oberon and Titania had never stopped extending olive branches across Mab and Morgana's sides, a few people took the bait every once in a while. For now, Aidan turned and left, leaving Bagley to lock the door and let the McAlvoys stew with both their mistakes and remaining options.

"Grimley first, then the motel?" he asked.
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