05-01-2014, 12:13 AM
Aria probably would have felt a flutter of emotions from Takeo, though possibly not in the order of magnitude she might have expected. There was surprise, but so small as to only be registered beneath anger, disappointment, sadness and, above all, recognition. Her confidence, her stride, the glove, that jacket - they were all pointing at a woman Takeo hadn't been expecting to see here. Let alone one that was talking to him, or taking a late night constitutional with him. And then, another emotion settled in. Resolution.
Jun's quiet interruption may as well have been screaming in his ear, as wired as he suddenly felt. She was picking up something in the alley - a knife - and Jun persisted. "I'm taking her out."
"No,"
Takeo hissed under his breathe. He flicked his fingers and Jun was gone. No more chimes, no more distraction.
Takeo lowered himself enough to have a look at the face of the dead woman in the street. She was beautiful, in a monsterish sort of way, and one sharp tooth protruded from a slightly curled lip. He wondered what she might have been doing here - and why Aria seemed confused by her. As the newly declared Atharim rejoined him, Takeo rose to his feet, prepared to strike. He had only one small knife on him tonight, but a few concussive pellets. He assumed she could hold her own in a close fight, but if she made any move for her coat, he strongly doubted Jun would heed his order.
The sounds of feet running drew Takeo's eye, briefly, to the north. A man was out for a jog, at least that was the impression. Also Japanese, the man looked the part - snug running shorts, reflective stripe down the sides of his breathable shirt, white ear buds in, and red-lit sneakers. But he was breathing easy for his pace, and he slowed to a stop a little too slowly, taking in the macabre scene a little too easily. And, of course, Aria would likely feel his steeled nerves and even less surprise than Takeo had shown earlier.
"Get out of here!"
Takeo barked, and the man turned and fled without a second thought. He wouldn't go far though, as Aria might guess. Probably no more than the end of the street, in fact. And, sure enough, his footfalls were too quickly just another quiet echo in the chilly night air. Ren never was very subtle.
Aria had been honest with him, and she hadn't tried to kill him. Either the Atharim had some other scheme up their sleeve, or she truly had no knowledge of his history with her kind. For her sake, Takeo hoped it was the latter. For his sake as well. They might both make it out of this dark alley alive. And maybe a little more.
"I take it this was another hunter's prey?"
Takeo said, pointing at the dead woman between them. He eyed the knife in her hand, then stared into her eyes. Searching. "You're not like any hunter I've seen before."
He had to see how much she knew, which meant he had to return some of the honesty, and hope she didn't ask too many questions of her own. Sure he knew about the Atharim - maybe all Priveleges knew these sorts of things. "Why did they leave it here for anyone to find?"
Jun's quiet interruption may as well have been screaming in his ear, as wired as he suddenly felt. She was picking up something in the alley - a knife - and Jun persisted. "I'm taking her out."
"No,"
Takeo hissed under his breathe. He flicked his fingers and Jun was gone. No more chimes, no more distraction.
Takeo lowered himself enough to have a look at the face of the dead woman in the street. She was beautiful, in a monsterish sort of way, and one sharp tooth protruded from a slightly curled lip. He wondered what she might have been doing here - and why Aria seemed confused by her. As the newly declared Atharim rejoined him, Takeo rose to his feet, prepared to strike. He had only one small knife on him tonight, but a few concussive pellets. He assumed she could hold her own in a close fight, but if she made any move for her coat, he strongly doubted Jun would heed his order.
The sounds of feet running drew Takeo's eye, briefly, to the north. A man was out for a jog, at least that was the impression. Also Japanese, the man looked the part - snug running shorts, reflective stripe down the sides of his breathable shirt, white ear buds in, and red-lit sneakers. But he was breathing easy for his pace, and he slowed to a stop a little too slowly, taking in the macabre scene a little too easily. And, of course, Aria would likely feel his steeled nerves and even less surprise than Takeo had shown earlier.
"Get out of here!"
Takeo barked, and the man turned and fled without a second thought. He wouldn't go far though, as Aria might guess. Probably no more than the end of the street, in fact. And, sure enough, his footfalls were too quickly just another quiet echo in the chilly night air. Ren never was very subtle.
Aria had been honest with him, and she hadn't tried to kill him. Either the Atharim had some other scheme up their sleeve, or she truly had no knowledge of his history with her kind. For her sake, Takeo hoped it was the latter. For his sake as well. They might both make it out of this dark alley alive. And maybe a little more.
"I take it this was another hunter's prey?"
Takeo said, pointing at the dead woman between them. He eyed the knife in her hand, then stared into her eyes. Searching. "You're not like any hunter I've seen before."
He had to see how much she knew, which meant he had to return some of the honesty, and hope she didn't ask too many questions of her own. Sure he knew about the Atharim - maybe all Priveleges knew these sorts of things. "Why did they leave it here for anyone to find?"