Flying Solo

[Emily Shale]

Tommy found himself in a bar/restaurant called Chesterfields shortly after his flight to Moscow. He was hungry and didn't really like airplane food. There was something about eating so high above the earth that he didn't like. He never understood it. The restaurant was close enough to his hotel.

Tommy had spent the flight going over the case file. Thanks to Miss Shale using a letter opener, getting a DNA sample that was good enough for sending in had been easy enough. A search through databases had yielded results and a copy of the passenger list had confirmed that the person who had sent it had been on the same plane as Miss Shale's parents. A search through DMV records had given him a picture.

That's why he was here in Moscow - to find this man who had mysteriously sent money and a note to his client, Miss Shale. To find this man - one Nox Durante: 21 years of age. American by birth and currently living in Moscow. Tommy didn't know why Durante had come to the CCD and he didn't care. It was irrelevant to his case. Miss Shale wanted to arrange a meeting with him - one by accident if possible and for that to happen, Tommy had to get a feel for what he did and why.

Low and behold, he saw his target at the restaurant. He was with a man and a woman. The tension in the man's body language bespoke that the man wasn't entirely happy with the encounter. Here, Tommy could observe and maybe if it felt right, he could meet this man. Tommy didn't think that Durante was trying to threaten his client, but if he was some sort of stalker, he would make sure that Miss Shale was safe - regardless of it not being in his contract with her.

The hostess took him to a table - her name tag read Sasha. When his waitress came, Tommy ordered a beer and looked over the menu. He would observe what he could while he was here and continue to report to Miss Shale his findings. She wasn't in Moscow yet anyways.

---

Thomas Romero

[Connor Kent]

Connor watched the kid- have to remember to call him Nox. Idly he wondered why he didn't want to be reminded about his dad. Sad, that. But not his business.

What a life to be trapped into. In the very MiB group that was devoted to hunting you down. That had to be terrifying. He remembered having that usb stick in his pocket that day in the bookstore. The older guy who showed up and decided to start lecturing on what was important. Full of himself, that one was. And almost assuredly Atharim. Something about the man pissed him off. He knew what it was. His complete assurance that his view was correct. Pure blind zealotry. That was a man that would've killed Hayden without a moment's hesitation, all in the name of saving humanity.

That man was his enemy. He'd never had enemies before. Oh, people he disliked from time to time. But never someone for whom the moment they met, he'd felt such an active dislike- disdain, even hatred- for. This kid's loyalty to the Atharim had to be weak, for him to be what he was. For the casual way he referred to the dead hunter. For the way he made himself Ayden's 'hunter' and then assured her she was safe.

Connor had given that list to Vellas. He wasn't sure what, if anything, the guy was doing with it. He'd rebuffed Ayden's offer. His attempt to strike a blow against the Atharim seemed futile. He'd have to think on that. Perhaps there was another way. For Hayden. For Ayden. For Aria. Even for this kid.

All the while, Ayden and Nox talked. Ayden had mentioned this Bas guy to him, though not a lot of details. He trusted her so he wasn't overly concerned. It was one of those things he just had to accept about her. She'd known plenty of unsavory characters in her life.

He did chuckle at the way she couldn't hide her jealousy about Aria. Between Aria's sister and this kid, he found his anger at her dulling. He admitted he was curious. And after all the emotion he'd felt just minutes ago, he didn't mind a little entertainment.

[Nox]

"I take it that doesn't surprise you at all. How do you know him? And while you are at it, who do you know this Aria?"


Nox grinned, it didn't take Aria's sense of emotions to know that this woman was jealous. He wanted to laugh, but he didn't. If he had learned one thing with Lucas was that he had to reign himself in if he didn't want to make enemies, and this man still had a gun hidden in his pocket and she had a weapon that was far more dangerous than the gun. And she looked like she knew how to use it.

"Bas is my friend. I was itching to fight, he showed me I wasn't quite so ready as I thought I was."
He didn't want to explain the issue he was having at the time. He didn't want them to find weakness in him. He wasn't weak. And he definitely wouldn't be showing these two anyway to get a handle on him.

Nox noticed a man watching them. He wasn't threatening looking and he definitely wasn't very Atharim looking, though they did come in all shapes and sizes, but almost all of them and a particular air about him. He lacked it. Nox gave the man a nod and a grin before he leaned in to speak about Aria. His beer arrived unopened and Nox's grin grew wider, he hadn't even asked for it that way.

He wove a small weave of air and put his hand on top of the bottle and popped the lid open with ease. The bottle cap in the palm of his hand. He put his elbows on the table in front of him and smiled absently. "Aria also found me when I was itching to fight. She could have left me for dead when the fight actually came at us. But she didn't. She saved my bacon a number of times in that short span of time."
Nox idly rolled the beer cap on the top of his hand before. He watched the cap twist over his fingers like his father had taught him. "She gave me something that was lost. At least she kicked started it anyway. Gave me back my purpose in life. Not that it was all that much of a revelation. But here I am. In Moscow, working with Aria to whatever ends. I owe her my life among many other things."
He sipped at his beer while still watching the bottle cap.

He looked up to the red head. "There is no reason to be jealous of her. She's completely head over heels for someone good for her. And she'd never hurt him if she could help it. He keeps her in check, as do I. She won't be kissing your fiance anymore, or hurting him either."
He turned to Connor as his wallet beeped at him.

He picked it up it was a message from Aria. "Need to talk to you. Borovsky's finally done with me." He laughed. "Speak of the devil."
Nox set the wallet back on the table and looked back to Connor. "She would like to apologize, maybe we can arrange that someday soon."

Edited by Nox, Feb 9 2015, 12:39 PM.

[Ayden]

He was friends with Bas? He didn't look like a thug. He looked like the punk kid who's always playing pranks on you at the lunch bell. He didn't look like much either, tall, skinny. But he was Atharim, not that she'd met any Atharim. Maybe they were all like him. The one that was after her wasn't exactly tall or thin like Nox here. Connor could probably break him in half. Bas definitely could.

He was a feisty one, with all this fighting. Maybe it was all about the Atharim thing. And his tales of this girl were nothing but praise, he really had it bad for her. She shook her head. She wouldn't ever really be jealous, not enough to worry anyway. But this girl concerned her, she'd hurt Connor. She hoped Connor would not go to any meeting with them without her. At the very least she could protect him from whatever this kid could do.

His phone beeped and he laughed it must have been from Aria from his comment. But he didn't share it nor did he answer it. It made her curious. Why hadn't he answered her, was it that private? She couldn't help herself. "You can answer her, we trust you for now."
Was he afraid that they'd do something if he texted her back? This boy was more mystery than the one who'd come after them. He was just so different than what she expected.

[Emily Shale]

Durante gave Tommy and nod and a smile. It didn't bother Tommy that much. He wasn't exactly being inconspicuous. It told him something though - the man could handle stress and keep calm. The man with Durante had seemed to calm a bit - he looked a little less than a panther about to pounce. Who knew what was going on between them.

In response, Tommy raised his beer in salute to the nod and smile and took a deep drink. Perhaps this could be a start of an acquaintance. Getting to know Mr. Durante would be the easiest way to learn the man's tendencies.

---

Thomas Romero

[Connor Kent]

Connor had to laugh. The kid had it bad for Aria. He could understand that. He could remember how she'd come out of the back room in just a t-shirt. Boy had he stared then. Course, that was before Ayden. He had plenty of fun staring at Ayden. He put his hand out and took hers in his, smiling at her reassuringly.

The kid seemed relaxed and when he got his beer he pretended pop the top normally, but Connor was now watching more carefully and saw. The kid seemed to enjoy playing with his power. Strangely, Connor felt a stab of something in his heart. The kid didn't look much like Hayden, not really beyond that gangly young man look that they all seemed to have at that age. Hayden had been a goofy kid too, liking to show off what he could do. Connor could see him showing off his power for little things like popping the top off a bottle.

And Connor felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. He felt a father's protectiveness. A twinge of guilt accompanied it. He'd give anything to be sitting at the table with Hayden, his lopsided smile checking out the world as he pulled on a beer. They'd never had that beer. Connor took a sip of his drink. God he missed his son. But he took a breath. He couldn't change the past. He'd promised Hayden. That very night so long ago, he'd promised him.

And his life had changed that night. For the better, for the most part. He could feel that Hayden was still in his heart. And he was safe somewhere. Sleeping maybe. It was enough for him. This kid, though, what did he have? A woman that it sounded like he had feelings for but knew it wouldn't go anywhere? A women who gave him some sense of meaning to his seriously messed up life, trapped as he was?

Connor saw the kid raise his glass to someone else in the restaurant. He was alert again. "Friend of yours?"

[Nox]

Ayden, the red head, he'd have to remember her name, not that it mattered not really he just hoped that no one put two and two together so quickly. She said he could answer her, Nox laughed. "Oh I'm sure Aria is more than busy right now. She hasn't seen Lucas in a week or more. I know where to find her and she knows where to find me in the long run. I don't need to respond to her. She's not likely to pay any mind to me until Lucas and her have spend a few hours together."


The timing really couldn't be more perfect, he was away from the warehouse and Lucas was done. He'd dropped of the keys to the place for him before stopping here. He just had to make up excuses not to head back home anytime in the next few hours. He shook his head and smiled. "No I think I'll just find her later, after I walk away from all this."
That was hoping he walked away.

The man, Connor asked about their watcher. Nox shook his head. "Nope. Seems I'm attracting all sorts of attention today."
Nox absently pulled his sleeve down over his new tattoo. He grinned. "Sadly it wasn't the attention I was aiming for."
He leaned over to Connor, "Not that your fiance isn't worth looking at mind."
He sat back in his chair and pulled a long draw from his beer. "Just don't do the married thing. Or nearly married as it is with this case."


Nox waited for her response, if she was anything like the color of her hair it would be a show that was for sure.


Edited by Nox, Feb 10 2015, 12:52 PM.

[Ayden]

Ayden thought this kid assumed a lot about his partner. She made an assumption in that. He didn't act like he was deferential to much of anyone. He was obnoxious and boisterous almost to a fault. He was cocky. He showed off nearly anytime he spoke. He thought a lot of himself and that alone made her dislike him.

And he implied that she might like him. He had this goofy grin on his face while he waited for her response. She turned to look at the man who had been watching them, he was not much, PI probably from the way he took in everything while not seeming to. Ayden had to be careful. But she wanted to put this boy in his place, he wasn't some god like his stupid cult said he was. He seemed like the type to believe he was too.

Ayden could have just flicked his ear instead she took a ball of air and punched him in the stomach. His grin only widened and he laughed through gasps of air. Prick! He laughed! She hit him and he laughed. She knew that her face was turning scarlet. She downed the double she'd ordered and closed her eyes. The burn of the alcohol took away most of her anger.

She looked at Connor with a smile then turned to Nox with a bit of a scowl. "You really are worse than the one who came at us. At least he had the guts to be honest about who he was."
Ayden stood up, "I need to use the ladies room."


It was an excuse she didn't really have to go anywhere, but she need to be away from the boy and his stupid cult.

[Emily Shale]

Tommy wondered a bit. Durante had seen him, but no worries. He could disguise himself if needed. It was another skill he had picked up in the trade. A direct approach might work if the guy wasn't too antsy. The man with him had relaxed, but the sexy red head with him was pissed off. Something happened that caused the man to double over and laugh. Tommy was actually beginning to like this Nox guy.

After a shot, the sexy red head and walked away. Tommy finished off his beer and headed over to the table and sat down. He was sitting across from Durante. "This seems like the lively table here. Name's Tommy." He introduced himself and then gave the waitress the universal signal for "next round is on me." He just randomly joined the guy's table, the least he could do is buy drinks.

Of course he knew Durante's name, but wouldn't act like he did. Looked like Nox had the soup. Tommy had thought about it, but was thinking a burger - but then again - a burger in Russia - how would that turn out?

The waitress brought over the drinks and Tommy saluted them like he had when he had been at his own table.

---

Thomas Romero


Edited by Emily Shale, Feb 11 2015, 01:18 PM.

[Connor Kent]

So not a friend of the kids. But he thought him harmless. Well, given what he- what he and Ayden could do, he supposed that made sense. Still, he'd watch the guy.

In the meantime, though, Connor had to amend his thoughts as the kid spoke. Hayden had never been like this. Still, the kid was funny. Lots of brag and bravado. Course he knew that usually meant that what they were seeing was a mask. Be abrasive and cocky to others and they kept you at arms length, if they stuck around at all. Superficiality was the name of the game.

He rolled is eyes at his comments about Ayden even as a smile formed on his face. "Kid, you're even dumber than you look."
Of course, right at that moment the kid gasped. The look on his face was quite funny, especially when coupled with the fierce one coming from Ayden. At least he had a sense of humor because laughs tried to come between gasps. Connor couldn't help but laugh. "Told ya."


Ayden got up, irritated. Connor knew better than to follow after, with her. Just give her space for a moment. In the meantime, he took another sip and said, "You know kid, there are lots better ways of getting attention."
He said it with a smile to show that he was only teasing him. Ayden was irritated but he didn't think she was really upset. At least, if she was, he didn't know why. He was enjoying being around him for some reason.

And then, strangely, that guy that Nox had claimed not to know decided to join them, taking the seat Ayden had been in while he introduced himself and ordered drinks for everyone. Connor's brows furrowed and he looked at Nox, reassessing the situation. Just because the kid had said he didn't know him didn't mean that wasn't true. Or that they weren't Atharim working together. Carefully he dropped his hands down to his pocket to put his hands on the gun again.

Drinks came, but he was having none of this fake-camaraderie crap that suddenly seemed to appear. The mirth was gone from his face. He had two guys to watch now. "Pretty forward there aren't you. Something I can help you with?"