Same Old Routine

[Allan]

Nothing was the same after coming back from the tunnels.  Allan had a taste for battles before, it wasn't like they hadn't gone on missions before with Vellas.  But this was different.  There was never any real threat to his life before this fight.  Those things didn't care if we lived or died -- they prefered us dead if anything.  And Nox and his infinite wisdom had seen to all their precautions because he'd understood the monsters they fought.  He was arrogant and Allan wanted to hate him, but he didn't think hating him because he was good at his job was exactly the most logical thing to do.  But he at the Ascendancy's ear and that irked him most!

But he had to push all that aside and return to the day to day life of one of the nine.  The boring training.  The routine drills.  The patrols.  The one off missions here and there.  It all seemed very mundane after battling with others like him in an all out fight for his life.  There were other monsters in the world -- he wanted to hunt them -- kill them.  It almost drove him to pick up the bottle again.  It pained him to sit idle.

Allan took on anything and everything he could to keep his idle hands busy.  Including sneaking visits to the Ascendancy's chambers to read the book the Atharim had lost the day they attacked Nikolai Brandon.  It made Allan smile that he had something no others did -- access to this volume.  But that was another days reading -- today he was to meet a man -- a specially trained man and give him a tour of the place.  And to be of whatever service he could be.  He had become a glorified babysitter.  He hoped it was more to othat.  But he'd rather be doing things elsewhere.  But he waited for the man at the entrance to the underground facility.  Someone would show him the way here.

[Ninacska]

Following the little disturbance in DV, Reed found herself stationed at The Garden, code name for a military base in the two hours outside Moscow. No gardens, exactly, but the grounds were fertile soil for building something impressive. A few hundred people reported the Garden on a regular basis, and Reed was lucky enough to have her own quarters in the barracks. Her promotion gave her that much. The private nature of her work did the rest.

She passed the command center on her way to the hole that the Custody said was her office. The people inside were always busy, but today the ant-hill had been kicked. Her expression fell bland as she watched through the windows. If she was aware of the reason they were all freaking out, she didn’t show it, and moved on.

Her office was at the end of a long hallway. Carl met her outside.

He was a soft man in his thirties with unkempt black hair and glasses too big for his face. He wiped at his mouth like he’d just chugged some coffee and handed her something. Carl had shown up one day and Reed was informed he was going to be one of her analysts. She knew nothing about him except that there was no way in hell he’d pass even the easiest of PT standards, and true enough, all she had to do was watch him shuffled under her gaze to know he was civilian. The only other thing she knew about him was that he was only here to keep himself out of jail. One of those - come work for me or you can rot in a gulag - type of positions. Reed was fine with it. Kept the fuckers motivated.

He followed her into the office.
“Ma’am there’s something you should, uh, see…” he stammered, but for all the effort it took to say actual words, his fingers waggled a blur. Moments later a compilation of screens were illuminated.

There were files, background reports, training logs. All of them centered on one man.

But front and center was a Spets commander codenamed Overseer.

Reed had never had the pleasure of meeting this woman. Though she knew exactly who she was. If only by reputation.

The video log played, and Reed waved Carl out.

Any commander with a lead on a channeler in special forces was practically would piss their pants over excitement. Overseer got a hefty bonus, which Reed approved right away. Then she put in the orders that Corlinson be transferred to EoA, report to the Facility, and submit for testing. The info was passed on to Commander Vellas.

A hint of a smile tugged her lips as she sent Michael a message. 

“New toy for you. Delivery today.”

As soon as he arrived, her system was flagged and Reed was ready to sit back and enjoy the show.

[Leon Corlinson]

'What a whirlwind of a week'. Leon thought to himself as he looked at the passing scenery from the back of the sedan. After days of repeated debriefings and all manner of tests, it was determined that he would be sent to the a place called the Facility. A place where those with the same talent are taught and trained, to continue their service for the Ascendancy, they said. He had but a few moments to reconcile the information before they handed over his orders and kit from his bunk and tossed him on the first plane to Moscow.


He took out his wallet, and after he sent a quick message to his parents informing them of his arrival in Moscow, he continued to scroll through the local news feed. Coming across a video about a nightclub, two men in a love triangle, a rather spicy video of the same reporter with her own dalliance, a claim to be a god? ‘Is this really what makes the news here?’


He looked up when he felt the car begin to slow down, and looked overwhelming presence of the Kremlin. It’s storied history and architecture in the flesh paled in comparison to the words and images on the screen he’d seen throughout his life. The car came to a stop outside a small door while he shouldered his rucksack and got out. An individual met him at the door, informing him that he would guide him to where he needed to be.


Leon nodded and followed dutifully, while looking at the various décor and people that moved about. It didn’t take overly long to see another man waiting to come into view. His guide, after seeing him, excused himself and went about his way. Leon came towards the fellow, nodding in greeting before he came to stop before him, holding out his hand. “Leon Corlinson, reporting in.”

[Allan]

He didn't have to wait long before the clerk brought their latest recruit for the Facility. Not everyone was Military in the nine, but most of them were. But some were regular guys just like him. Allan held out his hand. "Allan Rykovi. This might be the last time you see the sunlight for a while. I'm going to grab a sandwich and a coffee while we are topside. You want anything?"

Allan lead the way towards the front of the Kremlin that lead out into the Red Square. There was a food cart outside and it was one he frequented often. He stopped at the desk and tapped his hand on top. "Kelly, sweetheart, can you have Corlinson's bag delivered to his bunk, while I show him around topside before we descend into the bowels of the Kremlin?"

The woman at the desk smiled and nodded. "Of course, anything for The Nine."

Allan didn't wait for Leon's reaction as he stepped towards the door and started talking. "At least it's a nice day today before you descend into hell." Allan said looking up into the blue sky. "It was raining the day I came in." It had fit his mood at the time too -- sad and depressed and trying not to drink. Never a good combination.

The cart was several meters away and Allan ordered the base sandwich they served and ordered a cup of coffee. He let Leon order before he turned his attention to the giant monument that now stood where the Mausoleum once stood. "Ever think you might do something like that one day?" He nodded towards the Ascendancy's creation. It was awe inspiring and one of the reasons he was grateful for the Ascendancy's blooming friendship.

[Leon Corlinson]

“Pleasure, Allan. That sounds good.” After shaking his hand Leon followed along Allan’s pace deciding to keep his questions internally for now, assuming clarification of expectations and such will be forthcoming. Thankfully his new guide didn’t talk much, which allowed him to look around the Kremlin as they walked. Leon did notice that the amount of idle chatter taking place within the vaulted halls lend to it’s sense of security.


“Thank you, miss.” He flashed the individual named Kelly a smile as thanks while he passed over his bag and quickened his steps to catch up to his partner. ‘Nine? Also That’s the second time his mentioned the day’ “The rainbow comes after the rain.” Allan's tone didn’t seem to be willing to entertain an interjection at the moment, so he left well enough alone. ‘We’re probably on a schedule.’


Leon ordered a hot dog, with the cart owner’s recommended toppings, and a bottle of water before stepping out of the way. His eyes laid on the magical workings of the Monument the Ascendancy brought into creation. Allan


“Who knows? I scarcely know how to access… it... the seidr or whatever it is, let alone…” he vaguely waved his hand towards the monument. “Can you?”

[Allan]

Allan sighed, he'd never done anything so grand. He was made into a fighting machine, and not much use for anything else. Maybe a little healing here and there, but nothing on par with what he'd seen done in by Mr. James. "I've a handle on it. But never anything so big. And definitely not as strong. We'll work on your control." It was after all part of the reason he was here. "There are too few of us who have the power, and even fewer with that kind of power or skill. And some of those shouldn't even have the power." The boy in the tunnels surely didn't deserve it. He deserved to be hunted by his own even if he saved the city and the Ascendancy liked him -- perhaps that was why he didn't like him. Didn't matter, he'd not see him again anytime soon.

"The facility is deep and dark get as much sunlight as you can. We won't be seeing it for a good while. Get used to artificial lights." Allan nodded back the way they came.

At the Elevator Allan swiped his key card and they decended into the bowels of what they lovingly called home. But it was not the home he wished for -- he still longed for the days of the white picket fence and his love. But those days were over -- long long over. His mood shrank away into the darkness the sun's fleeting light would sour it even further and he'd wish for another drink -- one he'd deny himself in leiu of the dark light inside. It was it's own addiction. It's own need. A new need.

"Once you've been trained and cleared you'll have a key card and be cleared to come and go as your schedule permits." The way down was long and torturous if you were blind folded, but there were none such here this day.

At the bottom Allan smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Welcome home." He stepped into the hall and pointed down one way. "Training and Barracks that way. And Medical and research facilities this way." Allan said walking the other way towards the medical facilities. "Dr. Weston and her team will want to evaluate you first and get a baseline. We'll want to get that out of the way soon as possible, so you don't feel like the lab experiment we are to them."

[[ ooc: don't have to rp the poking and proding, just mention it's done cause Dr. Weston is no longer playing we just NPC she's here mostly. ]]

[Leon Corlinson]

Leon grunted in agreement that there surely had to be bad actors with access to these abilities. “I look forward to working with you, Allan.” He took Allan was assigned to be his trainer, given his word choice, but was earnest his in statement. Leon was looking forward towards this new process, but he assumed that Allan’s comments were true, if a bit overly dramatic, but he understood. An avid outdoors-man himself, being relegated to being contained for an unknown period of time would be taxing.

Leon nodded at his words before he turned his attention skyward, allowing his senses to overtake his consciousness for a brief moment. He enjoyed feeling the sun’s warm bathing him while a wisp of the wind caressed him with it’s cool kiss for as long as Allan’s would allow. The breeze carried the telltale scents of the city, which was less preferable to those of the waters of his memories of Greece or the cliffs of Iceland, but it wasn’t distinctly unpleasant. Rolling tires of passing vehicles, relaxed conversations those walking by, and the vendor behind the hawking his foodstuffs all helped him remember why he chose to serve like his father before him.

‘The generous and bold have the best lives.’ was the common adage that his father would repeat when questioned about his abundant kindness. Both of his families were culturally, but almost genetically he would say, motivated to make sure that their family was taken care and help was given when asked. With grumbling and complaints freely vocalized family takes care of their own. “Strong people don’t push those weaker down, my little bird, we lift them up.” Was his mother’s usual response to his childlike protestations about going to help family or someone else in the community. ‘The Ascendancy has given us a chance to build something better, all must do their part.’

He returned to his conscious thought when Allan began to move back towards the building. Once the elevator doors shut and their descent began, Leon crossed his arms over his chest, his fingers pressing against his body, counting the seconds as the fell into the earth. ‘About sixty-two seconds.’ His reconnaissance gathering was second nature at this point for him; it was a good way to avoid the… character building exercises he would receive if he failed. ‘Assuming about a two meter per second rate… roughly 120 odd meters down. Shit on a stick he wasn’t kidding.’

“Ég kem aftur heim.” (I am home)Leon listened intently to the descriptions of the layout as they moved towards the medical wing, he saw a couple of individuals stepping out into the hallway, awaiting their arrival. “Seems like they also would like to get started. Excuse me.” He flashed Allan a quick grin before pressing on towards the white coats, and moved into the room under their direction.

“Please remove your clothing, wear the gown provided, and move over here to the scanner.” A lady, with her hair pulled into a tight bun, gave her clear and concise instructions. Her tone informed him that she expected compliance, two silver bars on her shoulders only accented the command in her voice. “Understood, Captain.”

Time, in the Facility, seemed to lose it’s importance. Leon wasn’t entirely sure how long the testing took, but he returned to the hallway, glancing down the hallway to get his bearing.

[Allan]

Allan didn't wait around but he checked back every so often to make sure Leon hadn't been released. And when he was he found him standing in the hallway looking down the halls. "You'll be walking around this maze in no time." Allan nodded down the hall towards the barracks. "Doc treat you alright?"

He lead the way down the hall and pointed out points of interest. The cafeteria, the training room, the rec room until they reached the barracks. They each had their own small room with a small facilities much like a prison might have had. They were likely old cell blocks that had been converted. "This is yours. You can take some time to settle in. I'm going to get changed and run some exercises in the training room if you'd like to join me."

[Leon Corlinson]

“I appreciate the handholding.” Leon listened intently to what was where in this maze of a facility. When Allan asked after his time with the medical team, “It was professional, if nothing else.” His genetic information was already in the CCD system, he kept his questions to himself during the testing. He took notice during his time in service, that those that held ranks signified with metal were tight lipped. ‘Maybe since I’ve come into this power, it would be good to measure any changes.’

 
He looked at his room, lingering out in the hall a moment, taking it in. The sterile, blandness of the environment clung to the walls like a fart in an elevator. There wasn’t much you could do about it until it passes. “I’ll take you up on that offer. I’ve let the grass grow under my feet the past few days. I’ll meet you there.”

[Allan]

Allan nodded and headed to his own room to remove the uniform and changed into a pair of sweats and a white tank top. Comfort wasn't always the best form to practice in, but there was no telling how long they'd be at this if he were inept at reaching the power without conquering some sort of block. They all had to deal with it. Very few men he'd met came to the power without having found a way to survive. Those that didn't were either dead. Everyone he knew had suffered the sickness. That included the Atharim brat who plagued his thoughts once again. He'd flung flows like they were nothing. Allan still didn't manage more than keeping his flows going one at a time, the kid had learned faster than he had and Allan hated him for that just as much as he had the interactions he and the Ascendancy shared. Allan wanted to growl but instead he pulled upon the power and headed out into the training room.

The training room held the standard workout equipment in one corner, a gun range down another hall, but the channeling course and sparing rings took up most of the space that constituted the training room. Allan stood in the middle of the room and drew upon all his power. The source raged inside him and the light grew to a crescendo before he threw a fireball down towards the end of the room where fireproofed paneling lined the wall. The power charred yet another spot into the blue color and Allan smiled imagining the Atharim brat at the other end of the target. He'd probably bat it away with ease or cut it with a slice Allan never even saw. But it was still a satisfying image watching the fireball splatter against the wall. If only...