A strange letter finds its way to you, placed where you can find it, posted to your home. Its simply asks you to come to London, tickets and money are included with a reservation to a 5 star hotel. For the few who dont have travel documents, who ever set you the letter also placed fake documents with the ticket.
Dear Sir or Madam.
You do know know me but my name is Lady Rosa Luminass, I believe I have an opportunity that may be of great interest to you. Included with this letter are return air tickets to London 1st class and a reservation for three nights at a 5 star hotel. Once there you will be contacted, if you feel you this is not to your interest please feel free to sell the ticket and reservation. But Believe me when I say, a meeting with myself will be to your great benefit.
Once you bet to London airport a car picks you up and takes to your hotel. Once checked in and in your room. You find another letter with your name on it. It simply says.
Its simply says
Meeting
lloyds Building
Address: 1 Lime St, London EC3M 7HA
Meeting room 6
Date: Tomorrow
Time: 10:00 AM
A car will pick you up.
Signed
RL
The next day a car picks you up and takes your to this building
Titus comes in from a day of training. He recent contract offer has him making his UFC debut in 2 months. He is training for his fight even though he is sure of his victory with has abilities.
Whats this a letter from a fan. hhhmmm... Seems this lady wants to meet me. I guess I can spare the time. Always wanted to see London. Thought I would be going there for a fight one day. Well it's first class so it can't be to bad.
After a shower and dinner Titus watches a bit a TV before going to be.
Upon arriving in London and checking in. He orders up some room service and checks out the building he is going too.
Wonder what this lady wants to meet about. Better get some rest.
He heads to bed for the night.
Just before the car arrives he calls up his force armor just incase things get hairy.
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27 SC
There is a warding spell you read about once, a very powerful one that could be built into a location, but it was nuts to do, 1st thing you had to do was build the location inside out. You realise reading about the lloyds Building, not only DID they build it inside out, they positivity brag about its design as modern art. Could it be...
Actions the night before and at the meeting.
All good in the hotel room, good nights sleep with nothing happening when you get to the lloyeds building you get in all is fine until you get the to WC, there is a man in there, he seems to be an attendant, HE also seem to be keeping a very close eye on every one who comes in and out of the place. Other than the cubical where you can have a poop, his eyes are always on you. Try as you might you just cant seem to get him not to. If you try and distract him, another guy comes while No1 is out, the odd thing is they could be brothers looking at Them.
You look at some images of the place, its odd ball, all built inside out, design as modern art they say on the site. O will.
good nights sleep with nothing happening
Sairiel, after checking into the hotel and reading the note leaves immediately, he will stay out most of the night, around 5:00 A.M. he will hide in a nearby church and find a balcony or small room to sleep in for four hours. Then go to meet the car.
While Sairiel is out he will observe the lloyds Building, the type of people going in and out, he will use his detect undead to see if they are involved. He will observe the security systems: electronic and guards. He will identify the entrances and exits and other possible ways to leave the building. He will not do anything to jeopardize his anonymity, only passively watch. He will observe the building until around midnight.
After midnight he will begin snooping about London to identify the local underworld personalities and begin searching for a place to purchase a firearm; he will not attempt to purchase a firearm yet.
You find a place to rest no problem, then looking over the building, you note is has a very good security system but nothing you would not expect, your just about to go when you spot something, a guy is pulled to one side, buy security and a dog and handler comes out to of a door to check the parcel he is carrying. What you note is what is just inside the door they come out of. A tall man in a suit, but you not his eyes are glowing green, just for a moment. Then its gone. Others would have missed it, but you have an eye for spotting things out of place.
You go around london until you end up in Peckam. A SnokerClub down the mine street and a bar called the Kings head. I local wideboy talks to you and spots your a yank. He talks the talk but after a while you think he's just going to rip you off, so while he go's for another beer. Your head to the door and get a taxi back into town. Your looking was fruitless and you get the idea, its going to be real hard to get a real gun here.
Ramona had just returned to France after an expedition to the Amazon. Her original intent was to touch bases with her European kin once more- it had been about ten years- however, she had been hesitant to return to Europe as of late.
The letter had changed everything.
It's been ages since I've been to England- if someone knows about us, and wants to meet with me- well, it can only mean one of two things...
Was it a golden opportunity or a trap? If it was a former acquaintance of hers, then she would not have to hide as much- she could escape if need be, vanish into the wind- and this time Chloe wouldn't be with her.
She enjoyed her night of luxury, snapped a few shots with her digital camera of the city, not minding at all if she looked quite like a wealthy tourist. That's normal at least. When the car pulls up she says to the driver in a nearly perfect West London accent with over tones of her native French and Breton, she speaks to the driver.
"Do not mind if I am not much for conversation during the drive- I've lived on a plane it seems for this week!"
Settling back into her seat, Ramona quietly pulls down her sunglasses and concentrates.
He is 100% human, a bit tubby but smartly dressed, He takes you a direct root to the lloyds Building. You guess he must have done 'The Knowledge' at some point, the way he knows the streets. He only nods and yes,
"yes mama"
Your at the lloyds Building there is good security of what seems to be the normal kinds. But as you walk in the lobby, you feel something wash over you. Like a light touch and its gone. As you walk to one of the girls waiting behind help desks, your pointed at an elevator.
"To get to meeting room 6 please take that elevator on the left, 5th floor, red corridor about half way down."
You handed a little map to help you find it.
When you go into the building you are shown to a nice meeting room 6,
I will place you in order of who comes 1st, a nice woman PA says if you need a drink of coffee, tea talker they are all in the room waiting. Also that Lady Luminass is running 10 mins late and will be along shortly. The Meeting room as glass on one side, the view over looks the city. The whole building is open a clean. Its seems like a very bussy place. The is a long table and sets for 22.
Sairiel will wait across the street for the car and driver, when the driver gets out of the car Sairiel will observe him carefully, looking for any evidence of a weapon.
if this driver is armed…I may just acquire a weapon….
Sairiel will not wait for the driver to open the door for him, he will go to the passenger side and opening the front passenger door enter the vehicle and sit beside the driver ignoring all conversation. As the vehicle goes through London Sairiel ponders
well they certainly have spared no expense…that Lloyds Building was certainly fancy, very modern…and that gentleman with the green eyes, will he be at the door today…what does this Lady Rosa Luminass want…I would be little help unless it involves the undead… of course it could just be an elaborate trap
When the vehicle gets to the building, Sairiel will ignore the driver and let himself out of the vehicle and attempt to enter the building,
Warded against what? or Whom?
Nick sits in the stall, pants around his ankles, thinking.
Makes sense, I suppose. This place must have been designed by someone who knew what they were doing. Shouldn't have expected it to be so easy.
Fight, flight or hope...Guess I'm going to have to hope that they're reasonable - they're treating me nicely enough, they must want something. Might as well see what.
A few minutes later Nick comes out, fastens the ratty belt over his black jeans, pulls the shapeless warm jumper down over it and dons his bulky parka and backpack from the hook on the inside of the door.
He smiles at the attendant, thanks him for the nail clippers - the spurious mission he'd used to try and get some privacy - washes his hands fastidiously and hands over a hundred Euro note.
He looks at his face in the mirror: dark circles under his eyes, two days of stubble, red nose and greasy hair. He smiles, runs his fingers through his hair haphazardly and leaves, nails unclipped.
Like I'm leaving these guys with a Sympathetic link
He checks his cell as he walks, sees that he's running early. Unsure if that's good or bad he slows down, then speeds up again, shrugging in resignation.
"Uh, Nick Tailor." Damn - should I have used a pseudonym? Too late now. he introduces himself to the well dressed woman at the meeting room.
He nods, tersely, as she gives her instructions and heads in. He walks a circuit of the room, looking for exits and cameras. Confident he has the layout of the room he stretches out a hand and presses it against the cold glass (leaving a smudge on the pristine beauty of the view) as he tries to work out how much force he'd need to smash it open if this goes bad, then looks down estimating distances and looking for escape routes.
He knew what was coming for him. He couldn't afford to get caught without a way out.
Next he wandered over to the coffee stand, shaking his head at the small white cups. Grabbing two of them he makes himself a pair of cups of strong, sweet black coffee and heads back to the table.
He takes a place with a good view of the door and near the window, sets up his laptop and uses the cover of the screen to do a quick incantation to check for poison in the coffees.
Simple little cantrip, but he remembered his mom and... step-dad going crazy trying to work out how that killer had been consistently choosing the only un-poisoned drink, leaving his victims to take the toxic one.
The driver is not armed and you get in the building fine
Sairiel, removing his hat, follows the directions to meeting room six, he carefully watches the layout of the building, especially where the exits are at. As he enters the room and is listening to the PA he notices the other gentleman .
well, not only is this not a private meeting it looks like I may not be the only vagabond …maybe they just want to help the homeless..
Sairiel snorts at the mental image as he sits down at the nearest chair to the door; placing his bag at his feet he nods to the pasty faced young man
no mobile phone or 3g will work in the room, its seems to be shielded
The well dressed PC shows Mr Cornelius in,
She says.
"Mr Cornelius this is Mr Tailor, he is here for the 10:00 meeting as well. If you need any thing please just press the green button here and me or another PA will be along."
She then exits
Keep it up its a good read and I like it
"Cornelius, huh?" Nick comments in an English accent "So. Do you have any idea what this meeting is about?"
curious, English, eh not far from home then
Sariel, shakes his head no
how much information do I give this Englishman
Sariel speaks easily, not hiding his Midwestern accent
no, no idea at all, I received a letter declaring an opportunity that may be of great interest to me. I'm more interested in why they think I would be interested in anything that has to do with this place; also what interests me is how they were able to contact me, I value my privacy
Sariel watches Mr. Tailor carefully for any reaction or change in his demeanor.
"Yes, I'm not sure how they found me, either."
Nick's expressions leave him as easy to read as a book. Fear, curiosity, a little arrogance. He is reassured, it seems, by the fact other people's precautions have been circumvented as well. This suggests he'd rather believe the one who called them is powerful, rather than that he'd slipped up.
He also keeps nervously looking at the window, as if checking for a way out, or a sniper.
Sariel nods his head keeping eye contact as he listens to Mr. Tailor, smiling slightly.
He seems open enough…not that reading people is my forte.
When the young man is done talking Sariel’s eyes move over the design of the room.
The room’s accommodations are reassuring; well-crafted but not ostentatious, obviously built for comfortable function rather than to overly impressive… which one of Father Raphael’s idioms would he have used?…”moderation in all things”…”form should follow function”…”a pretty trap is still a trap”…
With the last idiom Sariels attention immediately snaps back to the present.
well it’s probably not a trap, the best traps are simple; one prey at a time.
He says, thinking out loud; rather than intending to start a conversation.
"Yeah. Those sort of traps can keep getting people for years." Nick agrees.
Sariel gets up and walks over to the coffee pots and pours himself just over half a cup smiling
all things in moderation, father Raphael would be proud
he sips the black coffee, frowning
but he would not like the coffee
then adds a little cream, he returns to his chair, going the other way around the table making a complete circuit of the room, being careful to look out the window to see which side of the building they are on.
A slim woman comes is and takes a seat to one side. She has an old school 35mm film camera bag with her. She is about 6' well dressed and seems like a young designer or creative
After her comes the biggest man you have ever seen. He comes on an nods at the rest of hes about 6' 5" looks about 20 something, hes Blond with Blue eyes., He's White and Tanned. He gets a coffee and takes a seat, that seems to be having a hard time taking his weight.
After the large man comes another shorter man just behind him, he looks like he has spent time outdoors, about 5'5" 20+ again and dark tanned skin He takes a bottle of water and some biscuits but dos not drink it, you see him slip the food into his pockets. He takes a seat behind the big table as well looking at you all be saying little.
After you have all taken your seats and small Indian man comes in, he places a case on the desk. Nodding at you all he says.
"Hello Sirs and madma, I am Mr Knight I work for Lady Luminass. I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, but for security purposes. I will require have to place all you electrical items in Faraday bags and scan you for listening and other devices. If you please place Ipads, mobiles cameras of they have GPs and laptops in front of you I will hand out zip bags for you to put them into. Then if you stand for just a moment I will pass a scanner over each of you"
He holds up what looks to be a security scanner. Then hands out from the case, large zip bags that you can put mobiles and PCs into.
Then he stands and scans each of you quickly. Once done he places his scanner back in the case and bowing once more leaves the meeting Room.
what the f~$! is this guy talking about. Wonder who these other fools are?
my phone huh? Any chance you know why we are here?
Titus stands and pulls his phone from his pocket. He places it down on the table.
just make sure this gets back to me. Mr. Knight.
Titus takes his seat again and looks around to everyone.
so all you guys get a free flight with an invite here? Its a bit f&~$ing rude to keep your guests waiting if you ask me.
Then a short while after MR Knight go's outside, you see A middles aged woman with white hire walk pass the glass to the door, Mr Knight talks to her for a moment then bows and is gone. The PA comes and talks to her and say nods and then enters the room, she walks to the head of the table and placing number of folders in front of her. Takes a seat and says.
"Hello everyone sorry I am late, a last moment thing came up. So I want to thank you so much for coming to London. I promise you will not regret it. 1st things 1st , I am the Lady Rosalyn Luminuss and it was my invitation you received. I was expecting a few more but they seemed to have declined my offer. What you must all be thinking is, who am I? How did I find you? and why did I ask you here?."
She skims over the folder in front of her picking out five and placing the others to one side. She then slides a folder to each of you. If you pick it up, inside is a kind of repost in you. Not much detail and its seems to only go back a few mouths. But there you are. Photos of you, placed you have been, things you have done over the last few mouths. Its says a very small amount about your gifts, in some cases is seems to have things wrong or made up. But one thing is clear, who ever made the reposts has been keeping close tabs on you for a mouth or two. On the last page of your report is a slip of paper on which is a date over the last few days and the worlds EXTRACTION DATE Rosalyn gives you time to read over the reports and look at the images, When she feels you are all done she says.
"I will answer the second question 1st. A week ago as port of one of my operations a courier was intercepted who I was in presentation of the object I was tasked to retrieve. What I found along with item was the files now in front of you. It seems the courier was not only passing on stolen items but also information. I am sorry to say the courier is no longer alive to say who he was passing such onto, a lets say unknown party X. This X seems to want you and looking at the lack on numbers it seem this X may already have a few of the files subjects. So in fact I did not find you as such, I found out some other persons had, and decided to give each of you the chance to 'not' be 'Extracted' as the reports say. As to 'why' I did this, well that has a lot to do with who I am then we can do introductions"
She is very well spoken and business like.
If you look at her like this you are Stunned for 1d2 rounds.
The woman in front of you is a LOT bigger then human, she also has silver wings. Magic and power wise is seems to have some really hard core warding.
Nick has to ask for more bags as he unzips his backpack and starts unloading a small electronic shop onto the table.
"Not rudeness, Mr whoever-you-are. Precaution. A lot of the really dangerous stuff has a limited half life. The simplest way of dealing with it is to make people wait."
Would have stopped me Nick reflects with approval.
Nick's expression as he reads the folder quickly changes from a sort of smug boredom tinged with paranoia to outright fear and hostility. He's just about to start yelling when the old woman starts talking.
"Lady" Nick's voice slips into Texan for a second before he recovers back to an English accent "Lady Luminass, you have my attention. This folder says what I am. I'd like to know the same of you."
"Of course, I want us all to be on the best of turns. My full name is Lady Rosalyn Luminuss. What I am is extremely complicated, I am a lot older than I look and a lot younger than I feel. I have lived in London for a very long time and seen a lot of changes in that time. For a while now I have run a small agency of specialists here and in a few other places. To understand what that agency of specialists dose. Let me tell you something of where you are 1st. The Building you are in, is true free market and our world’s greatest insurance marketplaces. last year some $60 billion in profits passed thought the meeting rooms and offices of Lloyd's of London. In its current form Lloyd's has some 760 names as well as over 2500 syndicates, company's and corporations who underwrite insurance of all kinds. Everything from Space Shuttle's to Luciano Pavarotti Voice. They say if it can be insured, then somewhere in Lloyd will place a price on that insurance and insure it. But like all insurance, should the worst should happen Lloyd's members will pay up. The a Space Shuttle blows up, and they pay, a singer voice is lost and they pay. Lloyd's members will pay out whatever the sum is that they had agreed on as insurance simple so they say."
She gets up and gets herself a coffee then comes back and sits once more.
"This has been the way things have been done for 100s of years. But members need help and Lloyd as many Agents, some employed and some freelance like is, who are contacted to help Lloyd's members find clients, do the paper work right and such. Some specialise in such things, contact law, banking and so on, all very dull. Others however help the members in assigning risk assessment and payments, or as we call it 'investigation of policy'. Most agents who do this deal with more, lets say mundane contacts and policy's. I and my team on the others hand, we deal with the NOT so mundane contacts and policy's."
She takes looks out the window and then back.
"No, We get asked in when others have failed or are usable to understand the real risks they are dealing with. We get asked in when something, inexplicable is hammering risk assessment or has happened in an payment policy event. When I say inexplicable I think each of you here has some understanding of what I am alluding to. That which we shall not name, but know."
She looks at the pile of unopened folders.
"But it is very hard to find, 'specialists' with the right skill sets to join my agency of affiliates. There are, others let’s say, who seek them as well. As you can see by the files in front of you, The X's of our world. But I need skilled hands for my investigations and so I do not look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes my way. You see I am a very big believer in luck. As an name of specialists who may like what I am offering and an opportunity for me to make a team. Why A team, well I Normally would send just one or two specialists on a assignment. Of late I have had the feeling I need to make a team again. What I call an 'active branch team', one I would like 'not' to be linked to any one or group on the inside or outside here. I had one such team back in the 60s when the cold war was at its height. They performed very well, becoming very wealthy and successful. But as things cooled down the team split up each going their own way. Now I am getting the feeling again something is in the wind, something big, a time of change again. For that I am going to need an 'active branch team'. My hope today is that you here will agree to being all or part of such a specialist team within my agency."
She took another sip of coffee.
"Your thinking now, why should you take her up on her offer?. Well one, someone out there wants you already, 'if' you join our ranks then we can offer you some protection. The Luminass agency is highly respected and connected that gives me and I hope you some protection from Mr X, two we profit share, I own the company and take 60% of the price of a contact running costs and maintain it. The other 40% its split with the agent Affiliate or agent Affiliates. A typical contact is 1 to 5 Million dollars US including expenses and other costs. So you see your skill can make you very rich and bring you some safety if used right. Also you will have access to the Agency's resources. We are no James Bond organisation so no volcano secret base . Don't expect to much and our protection has all to real limits but we do as they say, have a safe house in every capital city. So there you have it, my offer and one I very much hope you will take me up on. If you say no then you are free to leave, we have never nor will we ever force or draft anyone into our ranks. I will be sad to see you go but I will wish you all the best in life and good fortune. But know this, from the moment you landed in the UK, you have been protected us. If you chose NOT to join us I am sorry but that will end. Now if you need time to talk or think please let me know I can wait outside, until you have made your minds your minds up one way or the other."
She sits back, and waits on your comments.
"Look, I would be a fool not to be interested... but this dead courier you were talking about... there are lines I don't want to cross. Killing..." he pauses "murder is one of them."
Nick looks nervous, but he has the look a good salesman would recognise. He wants to believe this deal is good.
"Arr humm well when I said 'he' I should have said 'it' an it that liked to use an already dead body as a vehicle for its convince. When it was intercepted, it put up quit a fight I have been told. In the end choosing to end itself rather than be taken. So you see on the face of it a dead body, But sometimes things are not as they seem. You of all people Mr Tailor should know that. We do have lines, keeping within the law being a very thick one but sometimes normal laws can not help with non-normal things would you not agree."
she looks around at your faces.
"Any other feed back, I would like to hear all you concerns and worry's."
After placing his phone, G.P.S. and tablet in the bag, offered him by Mr. Knight; he stands for the scanner, with his arms outstretched.
hopefully with my hands out away from my body the wrist sheaths will not set off the scanner
Sariel regains his seat, sitting quietly and carefully watches the three new inhabitants. He watches Mr. Knight leave and speak with the distinguished looking middle aged woman outside of the glass window. As she speaks he sits very still occasionally sipping his coffee listening. When passed the file his carefully looks through the binder. The most interesting photo, being shot at night, showing his eye reflecting light the same way a cats would.
the last three months not a lot of activity...been laying low…Is this all the information she has or is she stonewalling us…
Sariel continues listening and watching the rooms other inhabitants. A little surprised by the honesty of Mr. Taylors outburst.
that was almost volatile…did he slip into a different speech pattern…will she reveal as much information about herself as these folders do about us…
While listening to the entire sales speech Sariel’s mind wanders
Hmmm… Luminass…is that related to Illuminati, those are some bad M@#%^&R F!@#$R’s
“'specialists' with the right skill sets” is that what I am…
“active branch team” I wonder if Chicago is too far for a branch..
the orphanage could use the money, without hunting I haven’t been able to give them much
Sariel nurses his coffee, he uses his Detect undead ability just to make sure he is not dealing with the enemy then he stands up and speaks directly to the distinguished woman
Lady Luminass, unlike Mr. Taylor here, the killing never bothered me, as long as it was something that needed to die. You did tell us about what you do here. But I do notice you did not answer Mr. Taylors question about what you are, but we all have our secrets apparently. with that he looks around the room My question is a more pragmatic one or two really. Will we need to relocate here to London? And will we be working as a team or as solo? Sariel begins to sit down, then as if he had almost forgotten something he stands back up and inquires, as he raises his hand pointing it in the ladies general direction. Also, for personal reasons I prefer to carry Items of a delicate nature holding his hand out with his thumb up and his index finger out pointing it like little boys do when they play cops and robbers. would you be able to provide documents to allow the concealment and carrying of such Items? If not, do you have a private plane so we can at least avoid these blasted airport security checks? Or, do you have contacts at the locations we would be working; who would be able to provide the needed “tools”?
Sariel, moves his thumb, letting the hammer fall on his imaginary pistol. Then regaining his seat, he nonchalantly sips his coffee, watching for any reaction from the business woman and listening carefully to her answers.
What powers they got nothing on me.
Titus looks through the folder.
Oh they have been keeping up with my vigilante work huh. Well thats not good. Wait. s%~# they caught me healing and stabilizing those people from that drive by.
Alright lady. So it seems you have some info here. Not sure what you have on everyone else, but if your a major player here seems like you should have more infor on this X guy than your telling us. As you know I like to do the right thing and give back to those in need. What your asking is for us to help protect against some unknown. I have never met another like myself, and wouldn't want too. Lets say I'm interested here. What happens to our lives from this point. Do we go on our own way and you summon us when needed. Or as Slim over there asked do we relocate to London?
"You are both right, I should say a little more of who and what I am, and as for not meeting another like your self Mr Armstrong. If you are going join our ranks then I own you some more information about myself. However what I am about to show you will be removed from your memory's should you choose NOT to join my agency. The possess is painless and fast, You will simply have another memory of the events here today. A meeting about an inheritance that turned out to have netted you some small funds and a ticket home. All very pleasant and normal, if you choose to stay then you will remember this just fine"
She stands up and pulls a remote form under the desk. A 'click' and all the windows in the room go black. She then steps back and her form changes.
Alter Self spell, looks to be from an object.
Wings come into being and her size grows, the room also changes as she dos, the celling go's up to accommodate her now much larger size. Her clothing changes to being something almost Greek.
She now looks like this, but with out the spear. Light shines off her like daylight, her wings look metallic. She now stands some 18' tall and looks down at you from the back of the no higher room
She's an Angel, the type you don't know but there is no mistaking it.
Now she looks young again, her voice strong say.
"long ago gods or if you wish, god like beings walking the earth. They did in may forms, and in many places, they where bright into being by the minds of lesser beings. You see faith is a real power and as such can make real beings of unimaginably scope. God beings who walked the earth and worlds around, shaping them at their whim and doing as they pleased. They fought each other some times for century's. Such was the disruption and turmoil of this, the endless fighting and smiting of the gods active on the world. That nature and reality themselves came under threat. So a last war was fought. On once side the few gods who did not care or want to stop manifesting their power in the world and on the other side, the gods who could see the danger and wanted a means to safe guard reality. They wanted the great pact as they called it, A rule that NO god may act directly in the world, if a god did, all other gods would be free to destroy it and take its power. The rule was simple, a god could use proxy's but nothing more directly in the world. Having planes of there own for followers to go to after a faithful life. My creator was on the side wishing to stay in the world and do as it thought fit. This god had a faith to power it, beings to work for it. Myself being one such being, born to serve and obey with out question. But not all faiths last and so not all gods last. Once faith is lost or taken then a god wanes and go's into myth, to be held there powerless and fading. This was may makers fate in the war, its follows where taken from it, shifted to other faiths and it's power stripped. Then placed in forgotten myth to fade to nothing. When this happens, normally beings like me fade as well, with out our makers power, we cease to be. But a small few, a very small few like me. learn to live with out that power, we learn to be mortal. We gain a soul and that gives us the power to live on with out the need for a god. We don't age but we can die, just as any mortal can. This then is me, a being made by a dead god, now adrift in time. From a past so old, I think two in this room may even remember it. I have little of my old power now, such is the cost of life. But I do have experience and a good memory, they have kept me alive this long and I hope they will keep me alive a lot longer. Its why I never do field work. So do not expect me to come and help you if you get into trouble. However the agency has others who are specialised and they will if needed. One such is Mr Day, Mr Cornelius, who I think you need to see. Now let me just get things back as they where."
As she's talking she is changing back into the form of a well dressed middle aged woman. The celling comes back down and when she is done, and back in her seat, she changes the windows back to clear again. Now how ever you see, six men standing outside the windows, looking worried. She waves them away and one of them a tall man nods and sends go's last.
"As for what you do next, That is down to who is staying and who is going? Once I know who will take me up on my offer I will then talk to them about what happens next."
Before John leaves his hotel he places his tablet, laptop, all of his thieves tools in a locked case. The case is then stored in the hotel rooms safe. John lays a small lair of dust in the safe around his case so he can visually check if anyone tampered with his belongings while he is out of the room.
An olive skinned man with dark hair and piercing brown eyes knocks gently on the door twice before entering at 10:00 AM sharp. In his right hand he holds a silver pocket watch. Upon opening the door, John clicks the pocket watch closed slipping the beautifully engraved device into his suit-coat pocket. His dress is a black and white affair, clearly quality work. Italian designed for those who would recognize such a thing and tailored to fit. His eyes scan the room before he slides in taking a seat near the rear of the room. He engages in conversation with no one, but the air about him is not foreboding. He draws little attention to himself, a face in the crowd easily forgotten.
John stands up and wordlessly passes a smartphone having left any other electronics in the hotel room. He consents to being searched and nothing turns up besides the metal of the pocket watch which he will not willingly give up. He will remove it and hold it while the metal detector rechecks that area though.
Before reading the file, John believes that this must be a consulting criminal type job. Evaluate how a thief would take some item of value, once the file is open though, John's face shifts to displeasure. John reads through his file. The photos are not damning but certainly chilling as to how much of his regular activity they have monitored. John decides to offer in a bit of information. John speaks for the first time since entering the room, he speaks perfect English, though with no discernible accent. "They have documentation of a gift that has not been used in a few years. This X has been active for some time, if you were not already aware." John is filled with distrust now, knowing his own gifts but that there are others like him or worse scares him, even more so that he is now trapped in a room with a load of monsters.
John jumps up from his seat in obvious shock. "No! No! That is not possible! What is going on here. The F$#%! No! You, are you all monsters like this?"
Lady Rosalyn looks at the man panicking and they others who may be doing the same,
"Mr Smith please calm yourself. Did you hear any of what I said?"
She waves her hand and him and any other freaking out.
Waves of ecstasy pass over you, you feel great, chilled, so relaxed. Was that real, narr must have been a trick of the light, or did she just show you all a film. There is a screen, no need to get upset, hear the nice lady out, something about making a load of money and find out some thing. yerr just relax and be cool.
"WTF!! she's a F**KING ANGEL!! what have I got myself the F**K into here." Or how ever you think your PC will reacted.
John takes a deep breath in calming himself down. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me. I lost my cool for a moment." Seeing security in the window, John retakes his seat. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause a scene."
The feeling ends as everyone chills down.
"Good there not so bad now was it, and yes This X looks to have been active for some time. I just wish I had more on who it is. There are many, groups and organisations and others out there, Hidden away, its not easy to know who or where or even why at times. Most large faiths has groups with in them. Some are proxy hunters, some wish to just study. I have contacts in some. None it seems had anything to do with your surveillance. One of the tasks I have set the affiliates is to find out just WHO that courier was working for. As yet nothing, if we could find out who then we may get a name of who he was collecting then info for. You it seems where for sale, I for one would like to know was willing to pay. This is another thing I am offering, I change to looking into just WHO was hunting you and WHO they where selling you to."
What the hell kind of tricks is she playing at. Seems they wanted to impress us.
So this is stepping up to the big leagues huh? Your saying I will be able to help the masses with this effort? I'm not sure what you are lady but if you keep your end of the deal, and I see we are helping people. You can count me in. Ancient beings and gods. You sound like my mother. She is in to all that mythological crap. Me I keep to what I'm good at. Thats breaking faces and helping the less fortunate. So do I sign something or are you good with our word?
"Uhh, man? I think I might be in the wrong meeting. I don't know why you're interested in me, but I am not really all that special. I did recently take part in a alcohol treatment study that I can't really talk about, but while I am a combat veteran, I'm not really what you would call a hardened killer."
"I don't think she's looking for killers. I think she's looking for specialists." No one in this room trusts one another, not that they should, but John knows how important it is that they do if they're ever going to succeed as a team. He decides to start first, lay out what he does on the line in hopes the rest do the same. Thinking back on what the lady said, she intends to wipe their memories clean if they refuse anyways, so John assumes he has little to lose.
"I'm a thief. I'm a d#&$ good one at that. My specialty is high risk high dollar runs. My own skill set is planning, disabling of security systems, stealth, and the like. Anytime I've run with a crew, we always go in and come out clean. I don't have a drop of blood on me or any in my crews. That's what I bring to the table. Each of you has to be special to have a file in here, so time to show some faith. What can each of you do?" Even saying what he did, John holds back just a little in what he's telling but never outright lies.
Sariel looks around the table
That was one heck of a light show…Smith is right…How much do I tell…what the h@!!, gotta decide if I’m staying or going, may as well get to it
Sariel, sets down his coffee and speaks up
Names Cornelius, usually give an alias, but that would be pointless I think. Born and raised in Chicago, work in the mid-west as a type of bounty hunter. I’ve done solo work and I’ve worked with teams; had a bad experience with the last one; so I’ve been layin’ low. Frankly I’ve been considering a change. I have some skills in technology, surveillance, tracking and firearms. Thus my question about side-arms,
turning to Lady Luminass.
Which I notice you did not answer, do we get help with either transporting firearms or contacts for firearms or not. H@!! you just told us more people are after us and frankly I feel naked without a sidearm, what’s it gonna be lady? You trust my discretion and give me a little help with weapons I’m in. If you don’t trust me enough, to carry a weapon for self-defense, I’ll take my chances in Chicago.
"Uhh, man? I think I might be in the wrong meeting. I don't know why you're interested in me, but I am not really all that special. I did recently take part in a alcohol treatment study that I can't really talk about, but while I am a combat veteran, I'm not really what you would call a hardened killer."
"Mr kinsman, YOU may think your not special, but your file indicates A being has fused itself with your soul. I suspect as a means of surviving with out the need of divine power. Then that now makes you very special indeed. Presicly what did this, when it did this and how it did, I have no idea, nor dos your report, it just state this fusing happened very resently?. Which in itself is odd, as such fusing is suppose to be nearly undetectable. What the effect of this will have on you, I have no idea, every fusing or should I say 'possession' is different, some are good some are bad, it all depends on what has taken up home in you."
Nick sits entranced. Money - well he wants it, but he could get it. Safety - he just wasn't paranoid enough. But this, this is . Knowledge of how the world really works. Just the hint she dropped about Faith... he can already see ways to use that.
She knows his type. Curiosity and Power.
"Okay." he says impulsively, shocked into a Texan accent "I'm in - assuming you're legit."
"So; Smith? Yeah, I'm a Monster, b'not like this." he nods at Luminass, and switches back to a softer english accent
"I am one of the Wise. I know things. That's all. Secrets. Things Man Was Not Meant To Know. The seven words to make someone love you. What lies behind the Mirror - and how to get there. How to erase a memory." this last said with a head nod to their host
"Each secret taken from a dead monster who started just like me."
"I cannot say I'm happy to be working for someone who would employ one of the Wise, but given the circumstances I am ready to give it a go."
She lets Mr Kinsman take all that in and turns to Mr Cornelius.
"I am sorry Mr Cornelius, i should have been more clear, our My Day looks after all matters like that. He's our weapons master, and lucky we are to have him. If you agree to stay he will take you over what we offer as help, in that area."
then she looks to Mr Tailor
"I had a feeling you would agree to join us, Mr Tailor, I am pleased you have done so.
"I don't know anything about that, but I guess I'm a special snowflake. My name is Joe, and I'm an Afghani war vet. I was with the first of the five oh second in Khandahar. I was, until very recently, an alcoholic, but I covered that already. Now, alcohol doesn't even work on me. I got clean and then I got your letter, ma'am, and here we are."
She looks at the group as a whole now.
"Mr Kinsman, your a war vet, that was not in your report, in fact very little is in your. Your and unknown here, but like I said, feel luck acts to make things happen. Also we have a few vets in our ranks, all fine individuals who have seen to much of war. Mr Day being one of note. So I take it, you like Mr Tailor and Mr Smith wish to work with me. I should say Mr Smith has quite a reputation for professionalism and discretion in some our office. Once he came to light to me I asked around and it seems he has done work for others in the past. I do feel happy with him on any team. I am sorry Mr Smith your last team work ended badly. My hope is that will not be the case here. Mr Tailor says 'The wise' what he means is he knows how things work on a much deeper level then most. Things that can send a normal mind into madnesses. It take a very strong will to deal with the things he has in the past. So three out of five. Mr Armstrong I feel is also interested, I also would like you on the team Mr Armstrong. I think your mother may have talked to you about why your special. She was not wrong, Even I can see it in your form. Where it came from I have no idea but it is there. You Mr Armstrong have been in direct contact at some point in your life with a divine power. Not something that could be allowed under the great concord of the gods. I would very much like to know such an event came about."
She then looks down the table at the only other woman in the room.
"And you Ms Avala, of every one here, one of the τα παιδιά του πρώτου κόσμου would know most of what I talk of"
Ramona Avala is a tall lithe yet curvy woman with attractive angular features. She has dark, almost black wavy hair falling about her shoulders and almost supernaturally bright blue eyes. She is stoically alert and quietly scans the men gathered in the table around her. She gladly removes most of her electronics, but she reluctantly parts with her camera and allows herself to be scanned.
She goes into a meditative state, using her spirit sense to see if these colorful folks are also normal humans or other sorts...
Listening to them speak she feels as if she were at a table with a number of prattling children all around her. Most of the ones here seem so very young... Though some of them surely are not normal...
She is quiet for most of the meeting.
Ramona's eyes go wide at first, her vibrant eyes reflecting the brilliant light of the angel, and then she calms, her deep blue eyes as still as a calm sea. She has lived far too long not to recognize when she is being put under the effect of some kind of spell.
She focuses on Lady Luminass and tries to sense what she is.
She brought of her quiet reverie. She makes contact with the other woman and a smile plays across her face. Her eyes however remain stoic in their expression.
"I am indeed of the one of the daughters of the first world... Well met Lady Luminass." She answers. She turns to the others, "greetings everyone, I am Ramona Avala. Forgive me for my silence thus far. I have lived a very long time, and have survived only by maitaining a low profile. When I am among strangers, I prefer not to speak unless I must." She turns back to Lady Luminass. "I one of the daughters of one of the twelve sisters of the Misty Island. My people are the children of a goddess who has long left the world. However, through our faith, she has survived, her power mingled with nature itself. Some of us still wield her power. I look young, and I always shall, but I am truly very old. I suspect though, my lady that you are even more ancient?"
So you guys believe that s$!@ my mom talked about. That the gods of the old were and are real. I don't know. I mean I know I have gifts, but they are mostly physical. So I can heal wounds of those around me and myself. That doesn't mean I have been in contact with a god. If I was then they forgot to let me remember it. So the force I can call on to protect me, that's not like the "Force". Damn, I thought I was like Samuel L. and all Mace Windu like. So if you are asking my skill set then I would say I'm the muscle. I mean I am sneaky enough, and pretty good at manipulating people, but in a fight I'm pretty lethal. So Lady I'm not sure what more I can tell you, but I'm in. Maybe we can figure all this out.