A Mountain of Information

[Nox]

Nox woke in pain.  But Dorian's people had been in and left instructions - a lot of them.  But most importantly they'd left drugs.  Nox looked at the bottle and frowned at it before setting it back on the table still closed.  Maybe later.  

Nox knew he could find Raffe for help.  He knew he could ask and the other man would ask, but Nox didn't like asking.  He knew if Raffe helped him they wouldn't be getting done anytime soon.  Sharing a bed had been platonic, but it had only been exhaustion keeping Nox from more.  He was afraid of the things he might have implied in their conversation as he set the lotus plant in the window so it could get the light.  It looked better than it hand.  Nox smiled happily at it.  It was permancney.  He was home.  It wasn't a mansion, and it wasn't even a house, but this room was his - and Raffe was here.  That meant home more than anything else.  

He sighed as he used the power to help himself get dressed. Alone in his room it seemed stupid that he hadn't thought of it earlier.  The power was his other hand now.  The pain and the darkness drifted on the edge of the power.  It was empty once he had reached past the sludge.  Nothing affected him.  But this was no way to live.  Aria had lived like this - in the void of nothingness and she had gone crazy.

Nox dropped the power and the pain and hunger flooded his system.  It was good Raffe was not there as Nox left.  But he did take the time to drawl out a simple note to Raffe and leave it tented on his bed.

I'm off to meet with the Ascendancy's people. Then to the Vega estate to visit Christian and Ana then to the park via all the public paths and maybe I'll get to see the hunter who tried to kill us.  I have a card he won't be expecting.  I hope to be home before you start working maybe with a bite to eat.   Nox

@"Raffe"

Nox didn't take the public route to the Kremlin.  He didn't want the Atharim to find him before he'd had time to speak with the Ascendancy.  He kept to the shadows and the places Sage knew where there were no cameras or limited ones so no one really could get a good visual of who he was.  It was something he'd done before growing up.  But with Sage's information on his wallet it was so much easier.  Sometimes it was good to have a stalker hacker for a friend - other times not so good.

Jay had sent a response back

Double or nothing my shit is worse than your shit.

Nox laughed and spoke out his own reply, since typing it out with one hand wasn't going to work.  

We'll have to compare notes when you get back to Moscow. One of us is going to be shit face b the end of I'm sure. @"Jay Carpenter"

It would only be a competition with Jay.  His smile took him into the Kremlin.  He looked around at everyone in the dress suits and he should have felt out of place with his jeans and t-shirt.  He'd left the tattered hoodie at home on his bed, the comfort of it needed but the button-down shirt hung around his shoulders in its place was at least in better condition - if not exactly presentable.  Nox stopped at a desk, he absently rubbed the bandage around his arm through the shirt that hung loose and formless in place of the arm that was there.  Nox told himself it hurt more but it was partially an embarrassed move he just didn't want to admit his failure to himself.  "My name is Nox Durante, I'm supposed to meet with someone about an important matter."  Nox pulled out his wallet ready to show the text in case he needed proof.