Scattered

[Aria]

Whatever games were being played Aria didn't want anything more to do with. Nox was a god. He should die! But he was a god. He would die but not today.

There were easier targets. And easier ways to get the weapons she needed to kill the gods. Those who killed Dane. She would find him. No matter what he thought to hide in the power, to mask who he was. Aria would find him.

There were safe houses around the world. Safe houses, with clothes, and food and weapons - weapons most of all. Her sword was still missing. ZARS agents were having a difficult time finding it. She had a feeling no one was even looking. Aria wanted her sword back!

But guns were better against gods. Though cutting someone open was far more fun, far greater a conquest. But gods were not close targets.

Aria knew of a safe house. It was quiet. She walked in and found a few friendly faces. They were wary and they should be. They offered her clothes and food and Aria gratefully took it.

The clothes didn't fit as well but the food was warm and edible and the bathroom had a large tub. Aria wanted to wash the blood from her skin. She wanted to drown in the blooded remains of her obsession. He was gone - forever. And this was all that remained of him. And it would wash down the drain like his ashes would when Nox was done with him.

Nox hadn't killed Dane. But he'd burnt the body insuring it! There was no fury at hit. No hatred no angst. Aria was done feeling things. But the gods and the Atharim would pay for their transgressions. All of them.... and when she was done here - they'd know the price...

[Aria]

Aria sat in the bathroom pulling her gloves on and letting her senses go. She knew where ever creature great and small was in this small safe house. There were four people walking the halls for the last time. Aria pulled the knife Dane had once used to kill a Dranaika. Her sword still missing and her daggers would leave too unique of a footprint for someone to find. The knife was a simple kitchen utensil - a crime of passion.

Aria felt the gun at the small of her back - if necessary!

It was easy to cut the power. It was dark outside, the lamps were lit on the street but the blinds were drawn. What little light there was would be plenty to see by, but Aria didn't need light to see.

She had them in her mind. Knew they weren't curious and cautious. And stupid!

One slipped away to check the breakers Aria had just pulled. There was no flipping the switch, it was gone, in her pocket. The power cut the cameras as well as the lights, an advantage for later.

The man never stood a chance as Aria drew her knife across his throat while her hand covered his mouth. Blood soaked her gloves but it didn't matter. She could take a bath again.... drown in her own misery.

One by one they came to check on the power. One by one they fell silently to Aria until there was one left. He was calling for back up. So much for a bath... Aria let him finish his call before she came up behind him. Aria smiled as she drew the blade across his neck before he completely turned to see her. Never knew what hit them... The next one wouldn't be so easy...

[Aria]

Before Aria left she downloaded the list of all active Atharim around the world and their tracking information to her wallet. She also pulled the same information for every god in their system.

If there was one thing Aria learned from Nox and Dane - fire was a very good way of covering ones tracks. But Aria didn't have the means that they did, nor the control. Gas and gun powder would have to do their job for her.

There were also a few other Atharim tricks of the trade. Fire was a good means to hid many things, so were bombs. It didn't have to rattle the world, just take down the building.

Aria sighed as she dropped a match into a puddle of gasoline she had poured on the ground and watched as the trail lit up the room. Aria turned on her heel, pulled up the hood to her coat and stepped outside into the cold air. Aria walked casually away from the building... soon it would ignite the gun powder and ammunition in the small armory and the gas kitchen stove that had the burner left on. Aria wouldn't stay to watch. She didn't care about the casualties that were around the building. It was an acceptable loss as she walked to her next destination....

[Nika Raskov]

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Previously
The microdrones had swept the area while she'd worked her way over. It paid to be in shape. Now the little guys zipped about, in a morphing perimeter like carpenter bee-sized sentries. Big Brother loomed nearby too, disguised tonight as a Papa John’s delivery drone. He even had a pizza. Well and her firepower should she need it. Hopefully not though. It was quiet...

The assassin stood in the shadows on the roof of a building overlooking the remains of what had been an Atherim safehouse. It was an unnecessary endeavor, sticking to shadows that is, while employing Quantum Camouflage. Or maybe nothing nowadays could be too paranoid given the demise of Baccarat Mansion, the fucking Regus and now this. The hovering LED crime scene holo strips squaring off the the ashes and rubble really said it all. The authorities had found evidence a crime, she was guessing -wild shot here- arson since the building had burned down.

There was a small collection of hodgepodge items serving as a memorial too; flowers, pictures, teddy bears, an LED candle...and a traffic cone. That was funny. She hoped when she died, someone remembered her with a traffic cone. Then again, Nika didn’t have any friends that weren’t machines. Just a corpse then. No strings.

There really wasn’t anything more for her to do here. Sure she could’ve ASC’d/Google to pull up the news but that left a digital trail unless she went underground but that too raised different kinds of alarms. Sometimes creepier alarms. Better in person. Plus, most of the news was some lie or another crapped out by the CCD and its lackeys. Also, Nika wasn’t really for pawing through the ashes. This was a normal type of fire; petrol, probably and natural gas whether that was part of the plan or just an added bonus didn’t really matter. Not big picture. She’d used those materials herself enough to recognize the result. The Baccarat? Well that was an entirely different monster. Nika wasn’t going near that shit.

Bottom line here? There were still traitors amidst the Atherim and that did not sit well with her. That house had cameras. Everything had cameras. She needed a secure terminal to access the meat and potatoes. She had to visit a safehouse. Awesome. The assassin was not too thrilled about that.


To Be Continued...


Edited by Nika Raskov, Jan 31 2018, 12:07 AM.