Tragic Loss and New Footholds

[Angelika]

Angelika's arrival in Moscow was unceremonious as it should be.  There was no one to greet her at the airport.  There were no signs, no limos.  Just her baggage waiting to be claimed.  The Atharim were a secret organization that made no one think twice.  Angelika was a researcher first and foremost - that she worked for the Church was not something most knew.  Sante knew of course.  He knew her job.  He was a freelancer within the organization.  Someone they paid when someone needed help cleaning up a mess.  The Atharim weren't his only clients.  They'd met once upon a mission where the dreyken had escaped and killed three priests in the Vatican before it was put down.  That was over 20 years ago - how time flew when you were busy and having fun.  Their son, Simone was 7 going on thirty.  Such a strong head on him, so like his mother.  The thought brought a smile to Angelika's lips as she walked down Nikolskaya Street where the Baccarat Mansion once stood - where a crater now sat.  The entire building was gone -  melted.  

Such a tragic loss.  But with loss came new beginnings.  Eventually, things would settle down, but the more curious things in Moscow were happening.  Terror and gods reigned the modern world, but it was the unknown monsters from two hunters.  Granted those hunters were dead or worse now, but still, the problem remained of these unidentified creatures.  And the only way Angelika was going to find them was to find the traitor.  The girl was dead, but he wasn't.

He was being tracked and hunted by the Inquisitors and Angelika knew it would be no time before they found him.  And in the meantime, she would set up her lab here in Moscow, but first to commender a safe house with the right facilities to do the job.  It would need containment for the creatures as well as a place to set up the sterile facilities she would need.  Containment was of the utmost importance.

[Angelika]

Angelika's new lab had everything she needed except there was another person who occupied half the lab. His things had spread onto the other side of the lab in the absence of another researcher. It was odd for this many Atharim scientists to need space, but Moscow was hoping now that Apollon had declared himself openly. It was part of the reason she was here. It was a nexus of power.

The man was a curious fellow. He was an inquisitor and just happened to be the one following the godling she wanted to question. Being lab mates was going to be profitable if she could ever meet him. Apparently, he was in the field hunting Durante. But the boy was a god, a traitor and he was likely going to be dead if she couldn't convince him it was in his best interest to help them.

His equipment was mostly chemical in nature, Angelika didn't know his work line and why an inquisitor needed lab space. But it wasn't any of her business. The containment areas were the first thing she was interested in. She hoped the man wasn't using them. But for now she'd check the security systems...

[Angelika]

The security systems all checked out. All the seals were intact and any airborne contaminants would remain sealed. The systems were all working. Now she just had to get a sample. She needed a hunter for that. There was one specific hunter she wanted, but for now she'd have to do with another. She sent out a query on to the network.

Chupacabra Live Capture needed

There had been a report of men in white cloaks capturing these creatures in the tunnels in Moscow. Perhaps that was a good place to start. The report was filed by the traitor who she wanted alive. She needed him more than the Atharim knew.

She sent a message to the Inquisitor hunting him.

Need Durante alive for questioning in my research. Apprehend with care. Please.

She added please in hopes of appealing to human decancy. Which the Atharim didn't always have much of.

[Jerry]

After Jer followed the drone to the grate, he had tried to follow them, but it was pointless. After he'd lost sight of them he was never going to find them in the tunnels - especially not with Durant's knowledge of them. He made his way back to his lab. But not because he needed to research or make anything but because he had messages from one of the scientists from the Atharim in his lab. He was not happy about that, but he wasn't happy about her second order either - Durante alive.


He stalked into his lab, "Who gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

[Angelika]

The inquisitor stormed into the lab and Angelika just turned with her lab coat and her current test in her hands. "Inquisitor, how nice of you to show up." She purposefully ignored his growling accusation.

She lifted the sample of blood. "Did you know that chupacabra parasites thrive in Type O blood, while AB- can inhibit their growth."

From the look on his face, she knew he didn't but he stared at her waiting for an answer. "I assume you speak of Durante? Durante has knowledge of creatures only found here in Moscow. From his accounts, and that of his partner, neither have seen any before. And from their description, I believe no one else has. So we either have gods creating new monsters or someone is creating new monsters through science. Either way, we have to stop these creatures as much as the gods." She chuckled softly to herself. "Don't you think it's a stupid idea to kill our only source of information. Even if he is a reborn god. He is one of us. How do you think he lost that arm?"

[Jerry]

Jer growled. He had seen as much in the reports himself. "He is a fucking god."

The godforsaken woman smiled. "He bested you. And he bested the archangels sent after him. Maybe you should think about that. He may have only survived the first, but from your expression, I think he beat you with room to spare. He's 2 and O. And he's killing monsters in the tunnels where you can't follow him. In swarms from the reports. Think about it, Inquisitor Schneider, how do you destroy other gods. With gods. We once worked with the old gods so the stories say. Think before you kill. Maybe you'll learn something. "

Jer growled again. "I will try to keep him alive, but I can't guarantee it." Jer was upset. He seethed as he turned around and left the lab for her safety. Home was not likely to make his mood any better - a run might.