[Domovoi] All Hell...

[Drayson]

Life for Officers Sokolov and Konstantinov. The Ascendancy's announcement hadn't even reached every corner of the world yet, but every precinct in the CCD had been swamped with calls. Much like the stories of the witch hunts of old, everyone and their dog were already trying to capitalize on the new reality. 'My neighbor is using black magic to kill my petunias!' 'my frat-buddy used magic to steal my girlfriend' 'A witch cursed me and turned into a goat.' Officers throughout the CCD were already compiling lists of the weirdest and most outrageous claims, a coping tactic to deal with the new reality.

Of course, there were other problems; some officers simply could not cope with the announcement; throughout the CCD, officers simply did not show up for their shifts that day. The sudden announcement had caught the Custody Domestic Protection Service off guard. There had been little time, or really any ability, to really brace their people on what was coming. A real trial by fire.

It would not take long before protests and demonstrations would begin. Violence would begin quickly if efforts weren't made to keep it in check. Violence against magic users; the fear of the unknown. Violence against the government, for not 'protecting' them from magic users. Violence using such things as excuses.

Sokolov and Konstantinov had drawn the midnight - noon shift. Domovoi was short staffed even at full roster, and was the only task force of it's kind in the CCD. Where other districts were trying to shoulder the burden themselves, Moscow had the benefit of an 'experienced' pool of officers and detectives to fall back on. And that experienced pool's grunts, the handful of rank-and-file officers, were hard pressed to keep up with all the paperwork.

Both men looked both exhausted and energetic at the same time; physically, they were wiped. They had spent all night driving around Moscow, following up on the more noteworthy calls and complaints. Of course, 9 out of 10 had proven to be busts. People using the growing fear and uncertainty of the new climate to try to get revenge, ruin reputations, or just for the attention for themselves. But for all the ridiculous and shallow calls they had investigated, some good had come of it.

A teen girl, a magic user, identified and removed from a dangerous home situation. An open case file on a young man, linked to over a dozen sexual assaults.

Sokolov entered the briefing room where everyone else had gathered, and dropped himself heavily into one of the empty chairs. Konstantinov was hot on his heels, a steaming cup of terrible office coffee in hand, "Afternoon, gang."
He held the cup out to Sokolov, then after a moment's hesitation in which his partner didn't take it, looked to find Sokolov was already asleep, seated with his face planted into the outside wing of the chair. The position looked terribly uncomfortable, but Sokolov was a self-professed master of sleeping anywhere.

Other members of the task force were filtering into the office; those whose shifts were ending, and those that were about to begin. Captain Alexsandrov was already in his office, and would speak to the gathered members of Domovoi in short order.

[Calvin]

Calvin listened back and forth to the discussions being had, but felt a little out of place. He was the FNG - and only now was he finding out that this is what Domovoi dealt with.

Calvin didn't regret his decision to take this post, but he was still a new cop. These other guys had more to offer. In reality, Calvin was good at taking orders. When the other officers entered, Calvin took a seat as well. There would be a briefing soon.

[Ivan Sarkozy]

Dorian returned and handed Ivan a list. Ivan frowned and scanned it, his eyebrows raising. "Holy shit!"
He looked at Dorian- the poor guy looked tired, resigned even and Ivan's heart went out to him. The guy had made his choice. A choice that could see him killed. But he did it, had done it. Ivan smiled at him. This was a good man, a good pop."This is awesome. Thank you Dorian."
He passed it over to the Doc for her to look at.

At least they wouldn't be completely caught unawares. Then the monitor caught he eye and he stared at it. One step forward, one step back.

A noise made Ivan look up and he saw Sokolov and Konstantinov come in and wander over. They looked tired as they dropped into their chairs, Sokolov letting his head rest on his chest with his eyes closed. Konstantinov had bags under his eyes. It had been a long night for both of them, obviously. The Cap too. Either he was in his office or on the way.

In any case, things were moving fast, too fast. The live feed from Red Square showed the crowd getting larger and larger. It wasn't violent, not yet, but the supporters and the protesters weren't being shy as they tossed about slogans and chants. There was also a police presence- you don't get a large crowd in front of the Kremlin without that.

That itch Ivan felt just kept getting stronger. Ascendancy had publicly outed them. Guys like Smiley prolly woulda laid low. But there were others who wanted attention. This would be the perfect place for it. Andlain could show up. If not him, someone else. Something was going to happen. He could feel it.

He looked at the Cap's office and then decided. He had to go. He looked at the two officers, the Doc, Vega and the new guy. "That crowd is getting ugly. And this could make Izmailovsky Square look like a picnic. I'm going to head over there. Let the Cap know. I can be reached there, if he needs me."


He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.


Edited by Ivan Sarkozy, Jul 26 2016, 12:32 PM.

[Dorian]

Everyone was trickling in. The world was getting more and more chaotic as the moments passed. The protest could turn violent. But Dorian did not think even Ivan's own talent would win him any battles. What truly did the Sergeant know about killing a god? Granted he was far better equipped than any Atharim ever, except perhaps an Atharim god. And Dorian knew one precisely - so did Ivan.

When Ivan left, Dorian followed him out the door, when they were sufficiently far enough away Dorian called out "Ivan."


Ivan turned. "Look, what you did in there....I know what that meant for you to do. I'd like to stay and help but I can't. Something's gonna happen."


Dorian nodded. "I won't take much of your time. We do what we have to do in this job. You remember the boy we met after Volodin met his end?"


Ivan frowned as if surprised. "Yeah....Nox. We went hunting in the tunnels. He helped me."


"I never caught his name. If I look him up in our system or the Atharim system they will know I've spoken to him and anyone with whom I speak will be put to question. There is no doubt in my mind about what will happen to me. I need allies. He is like my son. He is like me. I need his contact information."
Dorian couldn't believe what he was going to do. "I need to strike a bargain to insure the safety of my son."


Ivan looked at him for a moment and then nodded. He pulled out his wallet and brought the info up for the sync. "You're a good man, Dorian."


Dorian laughed. "That is not what you were saying a few hours ago."


Ivan laughed and shrugged. "Hey, I can admit I was wrong."


Dorian smiled. "Stay safe, Ivan. You don't know the extent of what awaits you out there."
Dorian couldn't go with him. He had other things to worry about - his son being the top priority but that was for a later time.

Dorian took a look at the contact and changed the name that was sent over via the sync. "CI". Dorian sent Nox a text - "We need to speak, I have a secret to share with you. --Dorian Vega"

Personal stuff aside now. Dorian stepped back into the meeting room and waited for their illustrious leader to make an appearance. The doc was staring at the names. "Dorian, we don't want to know what this cost us do we?"


Dorian smiled. "No, Doctor, you do not."


[[with Ivan]]


Edited by Dorian, Jul 26 2016, 12:57 PM.

[Calvin]

Calvin listened. This was going to be some deep shit. Fear would be everywhere, and fear made people do stupid things. Even here, where most people at least had knowledge of such things, Calvin could smell the fear from people. He hoped everyone here could at least control it.

Ivan left to deal with the issue at the Kremlin, and Dorian returned. Dorian had given Ivan some sort of list of names which he had handed to Alex. Alex was perusing them. How Dorian got it, Calvin didn't know.

Dorian was something else. The scent rising off of him differed than most of those in the room. Calvin wasn't quite sure what it was, but it was different. Fear and stress? Something else entirely. Calvin wasn't sure.

Calvin leaned over and whispered to Dorian. "You okay?"


Despite the smile that the man had given earlier. Calvin could tell something was off.

[Dorian]

Dorian looked over at the new guy, his brows furrowed in concern. He had a lot of his mind but it shouldn't be showing that bad. He nodded. "Everything's great."
He voice dripped with sarcasm. He lightened the bite with a soft smile. "Apologies. There is just a lot going on, here and personally."


Yeah, personally was a whole new ball game - he son was a god. He had just betrayed the Atharim and Martin specifically. He was to be a hunted man, thankfully he was an officer of the law, he couldn't just disappear, someone would notice. But it wouldn't stop them from going after Cruz. Or Ana. Shit was just piling up and he was making it worse being the cop he was. He wouldn't even be here if it weren't for the Atharim. He'd have gone into something else - anything other than join his father at Jivana. Maybe he should have been the good little boy his father wanted - living the lie with Ana. She understood - she loved Christian. He could have had someone. Dorian sighed. Life was falling part and there was nothing he could do about it now. The world was crumbling under his feet and his personal life was going to take the biggest hit.

[Calvin]

Calvin nodded in understanding. His sarcasm, Calvin saw a defense mechanism, and Calvin wouldn't hold it against him. "Don't worry about it,"
he said in regards to the policy.

Fear. The air still smelled of it. Even here where people were used to supernatural things. Something pegged at Calvin's mind. Something that he could bring to the table, and then he remembered.

"With all this fear in the city, we might want to keep an eye out for nightmare attacks"
He said, addressing the whole crowd. "It's a possibility to consider in any unexplained deaths while asleep. Just something we should keep in mind."


Bringing the nightmare into the discussion would likely mean that he would have to explain his abilities to those at the table, but it was information this group needed to know.

[Dorian]

Dorian watched as the good doctors eyes shot open wide at the mention of nightmares. Short of the Atharim there were only a few type of people who would even know about those creatures - creatures that feed off of a sleeping person's fear. Dreamwalkers being the least of their worries and rogue wolfkin the greatest. Alex nor Calvin were Atharim. Neither sported the tattoo so that couldn't be it.

Dorian unconsciously smoothed his cuffs on his sleeves making sure they covered his own tattoo. There was no reason for him to share what he knew. Not on this matter. He'd already risked too much. There was nothing they could do about a nightmare. While easy to kill unless a nightmare was stuck to a household for some reason they would bounce from house to house and feed upon them.

Dorian asked in all curiosity and hoped that they took it as disbelief or the idea that he was talking about the innocuous nightmares that were not real. "And what do you expect us to do against nightmares?'
It's not like they could patrol dreams.

[Calvin]

Calvin could check in on nightmares, that he knew. Finding them in the dream was possible, but doing so too much would put him in a danger that was more ethereal than the physical.

Dorian feigned disbelieve. At least Calvin thought he was. Something about his scent changed, but he wasn't sure what. Some of these senses were still new to him.

Calvin was, however, trained in the dream. A quick scouting at night would be fine. But doing so would reveal his abilities. It was quite the conundrum. Calvin looked at Alex who knew of his nightmare as well as what he could do before turning back to Dorian.

"I could keep an eye out for them. Unexplained nightly deaths though are something we should keep track of."


He wondered if the people gathered would think him insane. Calvin wasn't, and he had proof that nightmares were dangerous. The three-clawed scar on his chest would be a lifelong reminder of that terrible night.


Edited by Calvin, Aug 6 2016, 12:22 PM.

[Dorian]

Dorian sighed. "To what end Calvin? These unexplained deaths as you happen in their sleep with no explanation. What are we going to do? Do you capture a nightmare and bring it to justice? We have bigger problems than finding more work to do. Don't you think?"


Dorian knew he was being rude. But even if this man was a dreamwalker, what were the cops going to do about deaths that had already happened? You can't stop a nightmare in the dream. Nightmares were physical manifestations yes, but by the time a body is found they are long gone. Dorian didn't know how to convey the problem without revealing what he was. Without revealing he was a vigilante out to kill those with strange unique powers. Leave the nightmares to the Atharim. They know how to handle them, know how to track them. This was a rookie cop what did he know of nightmares or monsters.