The Machine [Open/Accepting]

[lil_lollypop1]

((Nope. He's not going to die yet. >: D ))


The knife hit her shoulder as she run, but though it hurt, she still kept running. "Z-Zil" She called, worried and went after him. She jumped onto the truck, barely gripping the edge and climbing up the side. She then began to crawl over towards him. "Zil, are you alright?" She called with tears in her eyes. "You moron." She said, grabbing his hand. "Don't make me do this sort of thing to you."  

[Ayame-Yuura]

Zil lay on his back, keeping his upper body up by leaning his elbow on the roof of the truck. He looked indifferent as Shadow climbed up. He felt like he was with one of those undying humanoid robots he watched in the movies then and was seriously quite ticked about it. His leg was still bleeding and he did not move it. "You're the moron", he said, kicking her and causing her to roll off the side of the truck. He gripped his laptop protectively, laying his head back down on the roof of the truck.


((OOC: So you're not gonna maim him? Good call. ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

She gripped the edge of the truck, barely keeping her from falling off the side. "D-damn it Zil. I will find you, and I will find out everything! Mark my words!" She yelled before letting pushing her legs off the side so that she would be enough off the road that she wouldn't get hit. She then, reluctantly, dragged herself back home and patched herself up.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"You all will in time", Zil said, closing his eyes before Shadow dropped from the truck. He got off on his 'stop' and limped to his secret lair, patching himself back up as well.

"You didn't catch him?", Kyrell asked, opening the door for Shadow.

The phone began to ring. As soon as it was answered, a man with a low, jolly (even teasing) voice said in a thick Montinaguan accent, "Is it that Shadow? Your help, we need, maybe. Big pay, guaranteed. Same place as before. Seven o'clock sharp. May you?"


((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

Shadow was about to answer the prince when her phone went off, and she answered it first. "What? Sure." Shadow replied then hung up. "Work..." She sighed. "I shot Zil in the leg, but he made his get-away on a truck after kicking me off." She replied.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"H-He kicked you off a truck?" Kyrell asked. It didn't at all seem like him. He sighed and let it pass. He put his fingers to his temples, sighing again what seemed a heavy truth that weighed him down.

In the warehouse of a particular Montinaguan crime group at around seven o'clock, there was loud laughter and the sound of glass bottles clinking. They all circled a man in a black trench coat, asking him questions about this and that, relating to the time while he was the rebel leader.

"Brother Zilaius! Why so glum? Tsk tsk tsk! Your time away has not served you well", a thin scraggly man with sharp and defined features asked, circling him and mockingly putting a butterfly knife to his throat although the red head did not flinch so much as move.

"Ack! Elizier. Put zat away!", a loud, fat man that had talked to Shadow on the phone pushed the other man's butterfly knife away. He then looked to Zil. "Now then. Take a seat. Take a seat, old friend. This matter. You speak of it? Why now? Why now, brother? Talk to us, you do not in three years! And now, seek help, you do? Why do you?"

Zil was stoic. His eyes were like daggers. He stood like a lone, imposing tower among them. "Revenge.", he said and they all laughed.

"Good old Zil. Back to his good old ways!", one of the other redheaded Montinaguans said as he spluttered laughter.

"You want to join us. Revenge is it you seek, yes?", the fat man replied. He was seemingly the leader of the rowdy pack and some of the subordinates called him Frederico.

"I'm asking you to join me", Zil said simply and they burst into laughter once more.

Frederico laughed as well, wiping a tear from his eyes before making everyone sit down at the table so they could talk. "Not to insult you, old friend!", he said. "It's been just such a long time. Now, everyone. Quiet." The others didn't stop and he banged his fist on the long table. "Quiet!" When they did, Frederico cleared his throat saying, "I'm expecting anyone. She's coming any moment now. Let's talk about this in a bit, yeah?"



((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

Shadow said nothing and went to go take a bath and clean her wounds. Luckily, the wounds weren't too deep, and she could move just fine, though there was some pain in her shoulder. She dressed in her usual attire and stocked up on extra supplies. After all, when meeting a client like this, one could never be too careful. "Stay here and take care of the house. I have a client to meet." She told Kyrell. "I'll be back in about 2 hours." She said before leaving.

Shadow arrived, punctual as usual, and looked around the werehouse. She didn't have close ties to this crime group, which made here a little uneasy, but she made sure to take precautions before entering. "You called?" Shadow asked, folding her arms.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"Speak of the devil!" Frederico said, clapping his hands. He looked to Zil and said, "In a bit, we discuss, yes?"

Zil grimaced as Shadow came close. He said to them, "I'm afraid I don't have time. A simple yes or no would suffice. We've talked about this before"

"Come now. So rude in front of our guest?", Frederico sneered. "Is that how she would have it?"

The others clapped and cheered with fiery delight saying in unison, "Ooohh!"

"Frederico. Enough of this. I did not come to be ridiculed. Only to make a proposal. I'm taking my leave", Zil said.

Just then, two of the big guards seized either side of him.

Zil glared at Frederico and said, "You know how this ends"

Frederico frowned, remembering that Zil had reverted back to his old self. The self he was when everyone in the warehouse was still part of the rebels and trying to escape war-torn Montinagua under the leadership of an extraordinary woman. He held up his hand with a frown and the guards let him go. "I was beginning to think you have truly... gone soft... You know? After Commander Azymus shook you up. Maybe shook you up, she really did"

The others laughed at the innuendo, continuing to drink.

"Sit down, sit down. No leaving till I say you can" Frederico said. "But I see you have regained yourself. You are again the weapon we were all once proud of. Welcome back, brother. Welcome back!", he clapped for the man and the rest of the crowd did so as well, at the thought that Zil was back to his unforgiving and cutthroat ways. Frederico turned to Shadow, gesturing to a seat beside himself. "What can you tell us about the east coast? Safe place, is there The north east...", he shook his head. "Become dangerous for... transporting goods" Of course, he meant smuggling.

Zil sat down indignantly, listening. The faster he could leave, the better.


((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Is that why you tried to hack my computer, Zil?" She asked, folding her arms with irritation. "You do realize I don't keep information like that in my computer for a reason." She said, then turned back towards the man speaking to her and sat down beside him. "I'll talk for $2,000. Sound fair?" She told him. Of course her services weren't free.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

Frederico laughed. "$2000? Double it. $4000! Make it good" He then looked to Zil and back to Shadow, "Ahh, good boy Zilaius, yes. Bu no. Not a part of us. To join he doesn't. Here to make negotiation, yes. You know him?" Frederico asked, looking between the two and sensing some tension. He grinned maliciously and said, "How would you like... Know Zilaius' full story in exchange for ze information?" He chuckled.

Zil planted a knife on the table and said with a tone seething with rage, "She's not interested" He looked up at Shadow and his expression was half-pleading and half-angry. One could not tell what really it was.



((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

Shadow was silent for a moment, narrowing her eyes while looking at Zil dully when he said that. "Yes, Zil and I know each other. In fact, he gave me this, this morning." She said, lifting her jacket to show the bandage. "You know, after he tried to hack into my computer and I shot him in the leg for running away. Then he tried to kick me off a truck. Tried is the key word there, but I decided to let him go for old time's sake. Since he won't tell me what the hell he's thinking personally, I think that would be a reasonable trade." She replied. "Bring me a map." She said as if going to show him all of the best smuggling routes.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"Oh, tsk, tsk. Not all women are her, Zilaius", a man said, shaking his head also with a thick Montinaguan accent but he spoke straight unlike Frederico.

"Magnifico! Fantastic!" Frederico said kissing the air, so it seems. "Gold for the story of a rat. Well, a powerful rat." he shrugged. "Ve have ourselves a deal, yes?", Frederico offered his hand to Shadow as a large map was brought and spread on the table.

Zil was staring down Frederico when he said this as though he had no intention of letting him live if he does go on with this. The guards were at his sides again, pointing a gun discreetly at his side for good measure. The others didn't see this though. It just looked like two big guys towering over the man.


((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Yes." Shadow replied, taking his hand and shaking it. She then pulled out a pen and looked at the map for a moment. "First off, avoid here, here, and here. They've set up new nets to catch smugglers in this area, and they're moving his way." She started. "As you know, these two areas are gang territory and over here is the Diethelm soldier patrol. If you want to avoid bribing and other gangs, here's your area. It used to be slums, but the Diethelm public works cleared it out hoping to build a new section over it. Under here is access to the old subway system, and it will take you as far as here." She said, showing the trail. "If you do want to use other gangs and form partnerships, I suggest going to the Don of this area. They've got the Diethelm soldiers there in their back pockets. He deals like the devil, but he's good to his word. He'll probably give you this route." She said, showing it to him. "Any questions?" She asked.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

Frederico looked enthusiastic about what Shadow said. "No, no. I believe all clear you've made it. Well done, mademoiselle! Zis is... Zis magnifico." He looked at the map quite pleased as she had covered all areas he was planning to survey.

"You could have asked me", Zil said a little begrudgingly, followed by an even more spiteful, "And now you intend to sell me out while making me watch? You're as pathetic as ever"

"Now, now. Quiet you before they stick a gun up your arse", Frederico said with an immediate frown followed by a wide Cheshire grin. "Now shall I tell you a story?", he asked while more liquor was brought to the table by some girls in fishnets and heavy makeup. It was quite obvious that they were foreign girls. The Montinaguan ladies were probably kept somewhere safe as not many curvaceous redheaded females could be seen around the area. "Drink, drink. You'll need it" he said, turning to Zil who did not touch the beer that was on the table in front of him. A bottle of champagne was opened for Frederico and Shadow and the older man began to poise himself to tell a pretty long story. A biography, one might say.


((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

Shadow looked at Zil with irritation. She had asked him before, and Zil wouldn't talk. She sat back comfortably and took up the beer given to her. "Thank you very much for your praise and hospitality." She told Frederico lifting her glass as if toasting to him. "I'm ready, whenever you wish to begin." She said, taking a sip of the beer, it was different and definitely not what she was used to, but she liked it.