OOC: Timestamp: Dyo 40, 81382; 10:00 PM Character: Claude Valaan Location: Outside a small tavern hidden away from the rest of the port. Clothing: Brown shirt and brown pants with a black leather coat over it all. Claude is also fully armed with his usual set of weapons. BIC: Claude fixed his eyes upon the dusty old building. This peculiar structure was on the outskirts of the port, some distance from the coastline. Most of its windows were boarded over, preventing anyone from seeing inside of it. The building had started to rot in certain parts, causing it to almost blend in with the surrounding sand and rocks. Claude listened intently for any abnormal sounds. Having somewhat recently awoken himself from a deep meditative trance, Claude's felt loose and refreshed--his senses felt particularly sharp. Nothing but the sound of distant waves and a few wild insects could be heard, though. Claude slowly looked to the left and then to the right before taking a slow and deliberate step towards the abandoned inn. He reached his right hand forward and gripped the brass knob, opening the door. Claude walked into the inn. Electrical lamps had been placed in various areas. Most of the old wooden tables and chairs had been shoved away into corners where they rotted. Claude immediately noticed two familiar figures. Sitting on a bar stool, Kertush turned his head slightly towards Claude as Claude walked towards Kertush. "Have a seat, care for a drink?" spoke Kertush, chuckling a bit. "No thank you," replied Claude, unmoved by the words. As he walked towards Kertush, Claude gazed at Cassandra who stood behind the bar. She grinned somewhat from Kertush's comment. Cassandra's smile faded as she returned Claude's look and the two former partners locked eyes for a few moments before Claude broke eye contact to sit down and talk to Kertush. "What did you want?" inquired Claude after sitting down on a bar stool beside Kertush. "Ah, that's the Claude I know," Kertush chuckled a bit, a big grin on his face, "always eager to dive into business matters. I'll get to that later. How have you been these days? Its been a while since we've exchanged words." "Business has been a bit.. slow.." Claude's rigid posture contrasted sharply Kertush's posture which was more relaxed. However, Kertush did not seem the least bit perturbed by Claude's adamant manner. "I see, I see... Things haven't been going too well with me either. That's why I've called you here tonight." Kertush smiled, staring Claude right into the eyes. Claude kept his own gaze steady and waited for Kertush to continue. "You see, the past few nights, my shipments have been getting... How should I put it?.. intercepted." A look of annoyance replaced Kertush's smile as he broke eye contact with Claude and looked towards the main door which was still open from when Claude walked through it. "Cassandra, could you close that door?" Kertush motioned towards the door with a wave of his hand. Cassandra nodded and did as she was instructed before returning to her place. All the while, Kertush held one of his hands up to his face as if he was thinking. "Now look, I'm usually a nice guy, but the ones who have been giving me trouble are not willing to make negotiations. I've tried everything, everything, ya' know? Buuut... nothing works. I'm trying to run a business here, hard to do it with little brats screwin' things up. They've left me with no choice.." Kertush looked back into Claude's eyes, the smile re-appearing on his face. "I've got another shipment coming into the docks here tonight in about one hour. It would mean a lot to me if you could... keep it secure." Claude nodded. "We're willing to help you. You have no need to worry about tonight's shipment." He extended the claws of his left hand and ran his thumb over them, breaking eye contact with Kertush to look down at his digits. "Thank you, pal. You are a great friend. Be careful, the mischief makers are well armed. Based on what I've heard, I think there are about five of them. Also, keep an eye out in your banking account next week. Expect to find some extra.. currency." Kertush pulled a small device from his pocket and placed it on the bar. "Its a map, it will show you where the shipment is coming in. Good luck." Claude nodded and grabbed the device, pocketing it. He retracted his claws, got up, and started walking towards the door. He was about to pull the door open when he heard Kertush quickly speak up. Claude turned and looked at Kertush as the dragon began to speak "Whoah, whoah, wait a minute. I almost forgot. Someone is coming to this inn to meet you. I wanted to send another with you." Even though Claude's face did not change, Kertush, for some reason or another, felt that he had to offer an explanation. "Look, I know you can get the job done alone, but I want to make sure that those responsible for the previous accidents don't get away." 'Who?" Claude glanced at Cassandra. Surely not. "I think you might recognize him when you meet him. He is somewhat notorious in the underworld." Another grin appeared on Kertush's face, however this particular grin had a wicked look to it.
It was a dark night. It was a perfect night to die. A shadow disassembled and broke off from a wall outside the inn before sliding closer to the door. They called him Adder. He was a sleek, sultry creature, acid-colored, dressed in a black-as-sin trenchcoat, hiding numerous weapons and equally dark pants, his eyes eclipsed by black sunglasses. His real name was Aiden. The arden leaned against the wall of the crumbling building where he was planned to meet the other killer and lit up a cigarette, the immolating splash of brightness abruptly receding into a long gray thread, climbing up into the edges of his sight before finally collapsing into invisible and untraceable corridors of darkness. And he imagined not one flame, but a million orange and blue tears cremating a body, this labor, and in it he saw a sudden burst of light – more like an explosion – flinging the smoldering powder upon the area. A burning snow, falling everywhere, erasing everything, until finally it erased all evidence of itself and even of him. Well. Wouldn't that be nice - the perfect disappearing act. His eyes shifted behind the sunglasses to latch on the figure of another arden. He untied his two-toned hair from its loose ponytail and let it stream over his neck. He cocked his head. Smiled wickedly. "Well," he cooed, grinning, flashing his fatally sharp teeth. "I'm pretty sure you're the one I've waited for - Claude, is it? If you aren't, then... well. I'll have to take care of that." He extended one paw for a firm handshake. "They call me Adder."
Claude had opened the door to the run-down building just as Kertush was finishing speaking. The timing couldn't have been better. Claude turned his head towards the arden who arrived. "...I'm pretty sure you're the one I've waited for - Claude, is it? If you aren't, then... well. I'll have to take care of that." The darkly clad visitor then proceeded to extend a hand and introduce himself. "They call me Adder." His left eye cocked slightly with the edges of his lips curled upward slightly as if he was amused, Claude turned to fully face Adder. "Adder..." The name drifted into the silent air and lingered before fading. Claude reached towards the paw extended towards him and shook it. This motion was done with much grace, but the grip of the handshake was firm. After a moment, Claude released his grip and withdrew his paw back to his side before speaking again. "You are correct. We are Claude.. It is an honor to be working with you tonight." Kertush and Cassandra watched as the scene unfolded before them. Kertush had chosen candidates whom he thought might work well together. Unfortunately, neither Kertush nor Cassandra would not be able to see the end results of this meeting. Claude stepped outside and closed the door behind him, separating Adder and himself from Kertush and Cassandra. Although Claude wasn't the chatty type, he appreciated the fact that those who worked together performed at their best when they had developed a rapport. What Claude knew of this dragon wafted to the surface of Claude's mind. Claude's memory did not fail him as he recalled reading somewhere about Adder's service in the military for a few years. Claude withdrew the electronic map Kertush had given to him and glanced at it. He recognized the location of the docks at which the boat would arrive with its shipment. Claude held the small square towards Adder. "This is the map that Kertush gave to us. It shows the location of the shipment we are to protect tonight." Claude glanced at Adder, however, instead of looking into two eyes, Claude saw himself on the surface of two darkly tinted shapes. "We assume that you've previously spoken to Kertush about what he wants done tonight--yes?" Claude hoped that Adder already knew the details. Waiting for Kertush to rant about his troubles once more would waste precious time.
His coat curled around him like great, inky-black wings, the very tips of his own protruding from the back. He smiled, fatally sharp teeth barely hidden behind his lips. How easy it would be to shred apart that throat, a sickly, twisted little voice hissed. How easy to tie him down, and - "You are correct. We are Claude. It is an honor to be working with you tonight." "We?" he said in an apoctolyptic baritone like crumbling buildings. "As am I. Nice to work with someone else, for a change." Like the other arden, Aiden knew that Kertush and Cassandra were watching them; he followed Claude outside, walking besides him with his hands in his pockets, one firmly fastened around a thin knife - he'd use it if he needed it. As soon as they exited the inn, he withdrew his sunglasses from his face and folded them - he no longer needed protection from the sharp, glaring lights - to reveal his eyes. They were white and lightless as the eggs of spiders. "I've gone over it with him in full detail, gujsmaj," he said, tongue flowing easily from one language to the next. "We're to protect the shipment, and - if needed - " And he added the next part with a wicked grin. " - get rid of the scum."
As the acid colored dragon revealed his eyes, Claude shifted his focus to the area between Adder's eyes, at the base of his muzzle. Claude studied Adder as Adder made his response. Eyes like stone pressing at the arden, Claude seemed to hope his eyes could probe into the depths of the assassin's mind and reveal something profound. [This one has some spunk,] thought Claude as he observed. He also sensed.. perhaps some condescension? Not a surprise. The Ego had probably begun creating comparisons, trying to gratify itself. Adder's response did not bring any further enlightenment to Claude, though. After the last syllable escaped his partner's mouth, Claude looked away towards the direction of the ocean and nodded. The hand which had offered the small map to adder closed shut and a mild crunch could be heard. Claude opened his hand and looked down at the remnants of the machine. To most, it was now an unusable device and was safe to discard. Claude knew better though. He picked out a battered hard-drive the size of his thumb-claw and tossed it into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it as he might a fried snack food. The taste of glass and metal mingled slightly with the blood of a few lacerated gums. It was like an appetizer for what would occur later tonight. Claude dropped the rest of the scrap metal into his pocket. As the parts settled into his pocket, jingling somewhat, Claude's bowels let out a small mutter as they wondered what to do with Claude's choice of aliment. "Let's get going." Claude started walking towards the docks which were quite a distance away. The walk would take about thirty minutes. Claude normally might have found a faster mode of transportation. However, he wanted to use the time to learn more about the one whom he would be dancing with tonight.
<blockquote>Aiden, dressed in tatters of flawless Mafia suit, walked with a twisting, smoke-like grace - he moved softly enough as to appear to almost be floating. The acid-wept arden was completely in his element amongst the shadows and silhouettes that haunted the night. He poked his lips out at Claude - was it a grin or a sneer? - as he swallowed the computer chip. "Tasty?" he jested in his husky, rumbling baritone, his broad hands slipping into the pockets of his trenchcoat. His right hand fingered the cold steel of his handgun's edge at the other side of his coat, which was lined on the inside with everything from knives to ammunition to guns. Aid cleared his throat, methodically cracking each and every one of the knuckles in his fingers. "So. How long've you been working for Kertush?" His bleached-stone eyes wandered over the other arden's frame. They were both fit for this job.</blockquote>
Claude heard the question but waited for his thoughts to organize themselves before answering. He did not turn to face Adder when he replied. This was not out of disrespect, but rather because Claude did not want to slow his pace and arrive at the docks late. "We first met Kertush five years ago. Kertush was searching for someone to assist him with his business adventures.." Claude paused for a moment. "For one reason or another, Kertush felt that we, out of all of the possible others he could have chosen, were whom he was looking for. Maybe it was random--not entirely sure.. Anyways, a five year contract was signed between us. Five years of various jobs passed, the contract expired, and a new one has not been written since." Claude shook his head slightly. "Kertush found someone else to work as his... personal employee.. However, he still hires us often to carry out jobs such as these.. I don't know why Kertush refused to sign a new contract between us, though." Actually, Claude had a fairly good hypothesis, but he dared not to share it. He appreciated the value of secrets. After Claude finished revealing a bit about his past, he spoke up again, but this time, with questions of his own. "What about you, Adder? How did you go from working for the government to taking jobs from guys like Kertush?"
<blockquote>Simple enough - an exchange of history. Of course, if Claude was going to give him a piece of his past, then Aiden was going to have to give him some of his own. Inwardly, he crumpled; his gut lurched, his muscles ached - and yet he kept it all behind a mask of hard composure. Watani was the dense irretrievable past, the dead childhood, dead, cold dead on its slab, and no mercy existed in the world or out of it to slap it back to life again. "I met him in Watani," he said, "after I ran away from home in Bhim. I did a few odd jobs for him there... he was satisfied with me, but then I chose to join the U.S.R. and work for the government for a while, few exterminations for the Graders." He grimaced. "Then I came back to these jobs. I fit in better."</blockquote>
"Mmhmm..." Claude slowly nodded his head. "At times, we've considered trying to find a job, working for the Graders.." Claude mused to himself for a few moments, letting the silence ferment the thoughts that were processed through his mind. "Although, the fact that you say that you didn't fit in makes us wonder if we ourselves would match up well with such a job." With a slightly raised eye, Claude turned to look at Adder, hoping that the arden would expand on what had been said. The glance was brief and Claude resumed looking in the direction he had been looking towards before. Claude recognized the area somewhat. Hi partner and he were somewhat close to the docks now. Not much farther to go.
