Sour Blood [Open to those taking part]

[Alexandrea]

To say that Alexandrea was startled by the sudden appearance of 'Red' would have been a gross understatement.

"Red? Where did you come from? Dang, woman. If you ever become one of my kind? I put my money on the Shadows Path."

The offer of aloe lotion made Alex smile, she had only asked for it in jest, not having any expectations that it would do her any good but she took the lotion from the human with a bright smile, she would at least give it a try.

"Thank you, you are very kind..."

Alex spread the lotion over her burned skin, amazed that it really did help to ease her discomfort.

"Well wow!, that really does make it hurt less! Thanks 'Red'!"


She looked around at the humans she was with, although two of them she thought she could call friends? Alexandrea still felt kinda out numbered. She wished Odin or Kira or Madison or anyone else she trusted was at hand.

"Well, I think this is it, doesn't look like anyone else is going to show up. So we should get a move on, yes? We'll need someone to watch the exit so we can all get out safe. I'll go ahead with Red and Mike to keep them safe if Anemoi guards the door. It that okay with you, Anemoi?"

Alexandrea gave him her best smile as she used pacify ((at that time called seduction)) and confuse on the human both at once.

"Please, Anemoi? Make sure no one sneaks up behind us?"

[Mike Barone (DELETED 2047)]

Mike jumped, how the hell did that woman get in here without anyone noticing. She was outside then she was in here. Were they completely sure she was human? He stared at the small group until he notice one of the snake robots trying to get out of the bag, he shoved it back inside.

He would have to agree that he would like to get going but then it was suggested that Anemoi stay at the door. "Shouldn't we stick together...since there so few of us..." he said timidly. He asked Windy here because he was a fighter, Mike wasn't. Even if Alex was more than human, he had no idea what laid ahead.

[Anemoi (DELETED 2809)]

Anemoi raised an eyebrow. How the hell did that woman get in here? She was outside when they got here and no one notice her come in? He had no idea he was on the same page with Mike, was Red really human? He was trained to be sneaky but he wasn’t sure about what she just did.

When Lexster brought up going with Red and Mike, “No way in hell.” He said, he wasn’t about to have them go on without him. Mike called him here for a reason, he was to protect Mike, not her. As she smiled at him, his only thoughts was to bash her head in but his reactions were completely different. His head became fuzzy, “Alright..” he said but still glared at the woman, though there was still a part of him going what the hell did he just say and wanting to kill this woman. A part of him knew what just happened, Kira had done it before, the first night they met.

[Amalea]

Ignoring the question on where she had come from, Amalea laughed softly at the idea that she'd make a good Shadow. Her money would be on Mystic or Telepath, though she had no plans for ending up a bloodsucker at any point. She smiled as she answered the unasked question, "I always keep some on hand. Never know when it'll come in handy with all it's uses."

Nodding in agreement to Alex's statement about the four-some being the only ones from the city to show. She really didn't want to think about running in to the Europeans at this very moment. While waiting, she hadn't seen anyone else enter the building nor had anyone else been in the area. Either they hadn't arrived yet - which was her hope - or they were already lurking inside the building.

She carefully listened as Alex put their plan into action. Mike's protests weren't out of place. Had she been in his place, she would have had a similar thought. It was Anemoi that had drawn most of her covert attention. She knew what the vampire was doing, having been around them and knowing the power well. Biting her lip, she waited, silently sighing in relief when he agreed.

"I don't think we have much of a choice about splitting up, honestly. Mike's got to control the robots, Alex is most likely the best fighter, and I have the information on what we're after. I don't think anyone expects you to fight, but a look out is needed and you're the best choice." Slipping a hand into a pocket of her bag, she drew out a pair of long-range radios. Handing one to the Greek and the other to Alex, she explained, "These should help. If any of us run into trouble, we can let the others know. Remember, the goal is to get out in one piece."

[Alexandrea]

"Thanks Red. But I think it's best for you to hold the radio or Mike." Alexandrea handed the one Amalea had given her back. "I think I should keep my hands free for fighting."

To punctuate her point, Alex checked her weapons. Two long daggers in each boot that she always had and a glock tucked in the waistband of her pants in the small of her back. She moved it to the front and then drew out the sword that was strapped to her back. "I suggest we stick to the walls and follow then around the building to the right. Check for secret doors, I've been in here before and I know there is at least one."

Alex nodded at Mike. "That's your que, Mike. Set those little friends of yours off ahead of us, if you will please."

[Mike Barone (DELETED 2047)]

Mike stared at Windy, he went from no to alright. What happened? He looked at Alex, did she just do something to him? While he did see a point of making sure no one sneaks up on them but they were better in numbers. "Alright.." he said, giving up on them trying to stay together. He hoped Windy would be alright by himself. He took the bag he had and moved towards the wall. "Secret doors? Would think we would be looking for one of those to take us where we need to go." he said.

He took out a couple of the snakes, setting them off ahead of them. Hitting against the walls as they moved forward. He ran a hand over the walls, hidden passageways, yeah that was an adventure alright but he didn't see any standard pull a book on a bookshelf or twist a candle stick.

He followed after his robots, checking the walls for anything that was different. He stopped, feeling something different about the one he was at, he pressed on the wall. He heard a click. What he was expecting was to have to push the wall more to get it to move but it gave away too quickly and he fell forward, and falling right into a empty spot on the floor. Sliding down a slide that was dark, he could see anything. "****!" his voice echoed down the tunnel until he came to a sudden stop and his body flung forward and he tumbled into a wall. "Ow.." he mumbled as he got to his feet. He felt around for his bag that fell with him.

"Holy ****, let's not do that again!" Rude Robot said from his backpack.

"Shhh!" Mike hissed, he had no idea if this was a trap or a quick way to get to the lower levels. He felt in the bag of robots and found a robot that had built in flashlight for eyes. He turned it around the room, it was a small square room with a way out though.

[Anemoi (DELETED 2809)]

Anemoi took the radio, he liked what Red said more than anything Lexster said but he didn’t like being left behind at the door. He took a stance by the door, leaning against the wall as Mike took off with his robots. He heard the young man cuss and the echo of his voice. He sighed, he held up the radio to his mouth. “And you already lost the boy, over.” He said. Part of him was amused, he was sure he was alright then the other part wished he could jump down where ever he was at to help him.

[Amalea]

She nodded at Alex's comment about keeping the radio while slipping the clip on the small unit over her waist band. With a single hand rooting around in her bag, she pulled out a couple small earpieces, one she handed off to the Greek. Fitting the remaining one in her ear, It'll sync up with the radio," was her only explanation. Only then did she turn to her own weapons double check as she listened to Alex's suggestions as her command to Mike to unleash his robots. This was one area she was willing to defer to the vampire, given she had the better senses of them all.

Watching as a set of the robots was unleashed, she commented, "There's more than one secret door, I think. I've heard tale of one in a couple different locations. This might take a while." With a slight frown at the thought, she followed Mike's example and headed to the nearest wall to start checking. She had gone about halfway down the wall without success before she heard a thud and turned. Anemoi's voice crackling across the radio confirmed her thoughts about the cause of the noise given it had been fairly brief.

"Hey Alex, looks like we lost Mike down one of the secret passages," her voice was kept low but at a level the woman would hear.

[Alexandrea]

Despite her ulterior motives to limit just how many people would have access to the ritual Red had information about, the truth was that having Windbag stationed at the door was actually very reassuring. Did she like Anemoi? Not one bit. Did she trust him? A little. Not on a personal level but sh believed he was competent and sincere in his desire to protect Mike. Alex didn't have any idea if the human pretty boy would have Red's back but she suspected he might. Her own backside however, Alexandrea was positive she had to look out for herself.

She continued to bring up the rear, letting the humans walk between the trap seeking robots and her own self, checking behind them every few steps and straining to hear anything out of the ordinary. The click from the wall Mike was at drew hr attention immediately but before she could race to his side, he was gone. With a frown she nodded to Amalea that she knew already about Mike and went over to the still open passageway to peer down into the darkness.

There in the darkness was two small points of light and at first Alexandrea grew alarmed. But once she saw it was just another robot and that Mike seemed unharmed she calmed down quickly. Not wanting to cause any more noise, the vampiress sent to the young man's mind.

*Hey Mike. I can just barely see you. Nod if you are alright, okay? I'll be right down and we'll find a way to get you out.*

Alex turned her thoughts to Red next. * I think we should go down there with him, and stay together. Unless it's a one way trip and there is no way out, in which case I'll just have to climb out with Mike on my back. So I'll go down first and see what there is to see. I'll let you know if you should stay put or join us.*

[Mike Barone (DELETED 2047)]

Mike set another robot out to check out the path that he saw down here. He heard a hiss then the smell of burning wires, he was very familiar with that smell. He had melted quite a few wires while making his robots. He looked up at the hole he fell from. "I'm fine! There's a way out but its trapped!" he said. "Robot might have tripped it though!" he called out again.

He dug out another one, setting it down the same path but did not end up like the other. He let out a sigh, maybe there was only one trap.

"Sacrifice my brothers and sisters, you're awful!" Rude Robot said from his backpack.

Mike blinked, "Ah...like you care." he grumbled. The thing only cared about himself. And these ones didn't even have genders either. "I can make more.." he added, which he would do. He would always be making more until he was ready to make the one robot he had planned. It would be better than all the others, and a better AI then the stupid ball with legs in his backpack.