[tCotR] - Ilsa Smith

[Serendipity]

She was standing by the manhole and heard the footsteps. They were unmistakeable as she had heard them so many times before. A simle ccrept onto her lips and before she even had time to respond, she was up and being spun. His lips made contact with hers and she kissed him back for a brief moment before being put down. She chuckled a bit and shook her head towards him. "You and your light, Robert." She commented for a moment and then nodded, only because it was important to him, she spoke. "May Lux bless you, Robert."

She felt silly saying it but, whatever kept the man happy, she was willing to do, just as she was with everyone she loved. "And Im well, Robert. Thank you but you knew that, silly. Hasnt been that long since you saw me, silly." She commented and then, she noticed the way he wwas standing and smirked a bit. She was going to begin the agrument about her handling herself down here but her brain reminded her this was not the time. There was a job to be done so, she let it go for now.

Just then, he began to talk. She nodded her head softly, realizing now that in her travels, she had not seen one single hunter soldier or anything else either. The thought was not only odd, but to be honest, a bit unsettling. Something had to be killing them off or attracting their attention. Trouble was, she had no idea what. She closed her eyes and looked through her minds eye for the girl again. A soft sigh escaped and she spoke. "Shes still i the sewers. We have time, Robert. We just have to find her."

Her eyes opened and she could see the look of defeat already upon his face. She stepped in front of him and shook her head. "Stop that. We will find her. You worry too much." She commented and then, he spoke. She chuckled and reached down, lacing her fingers with his and then, she began to walk in the direction she had already been, pulling him along. "You need to cheer up, Pratt. Come on. We can ahndle anything down here. Ill keep an eye out and you... you look for all the little nooks and crannys she could possibly have slipped into. Dont worry about who else is down here, eh? We can do this!" She commented. She was trying to amp him up, getting him going once again. He needed to believe they could get this done or, she would be going about it alone soon. She wouldnt have that.

[Jonah]

He forced deep breaths in and out of his lungs as he always did and he forced his grip to relax on the phone so it wouldn't shatter on him. That would do him no good in the short or long term. He needed to think.

She had a bounty so she was being seen in public doing something. Crow was especially unhelpful because the bounty report did not identify what she had done or where she had done it at. It wouldn't be that hard to find someone to track her but that wasn't an option he was willing to consider. There was no reason to pull more people in on this than necessary. Too many in the city were trigger happy. No, he would have to do this on his own.

The best plan he had was just to systematically wander until he found her, crossing off sections of the city as he cleared them. He spent the most time in two places; the sewers and Wickbridge and that had been true since before his issue. If he had turned someone, it probably happened in one or the other and both humans and vampires were creatures of habit. If she spent time in one or the other in life, that was where he should start.

Shoving his phone back in to his pocket, he stomped through the sewers. For a moment, he considered stashing his weapons, he didn't want to scare off his childe when he found her, but she had a bounty and if anyone else found her...well, better safe than sorry.

Looping the strap of his assault rifle over his shoulder, he was distracted and didn't hear voices as he came to one of the many crossroads and stumbled in to a slight woman he didn't recognize but he seemed familiar to him in some way. Adjusting the gun, he started to simply move past her, muttering out, "Scuse me."

[Jonah]

She opened her eyes.

She had fallen asleep.

She didn't know how much time had passed.

She didn't know if they were still looking for her.

What she did know, was the ache in her belly and the burn in the back of her throat. She needed to feed. Part of her wanted to stay in the little crack. It was safe and she could ignore everything. The pain in her belly reared up at her then, punishing her for even considering not tending to it. She had tried to ignore it a few times and it was always worse later. Blood everywhere...

She pulled her feet closer to her, making sure no part of her was showing and found a loose bit of concrete and tossed it out of the hole and waited. No scuffling towards it. No hushed whispers. Silence after the echo faded away.

Sliding towards the opening, she slipped out and stood, one hand still in the darkness so she could pull herself back in if she needed to. Soft breaths and still nothing, and then she was off. Running as fast as she could towards the exit she had always used.

[Robert Pratt]

He nodded his head and looped his arm around her, pulling her to him as they walked on through the sewers, heading North West.

"Remind me of your powers"

He asked as he drew all of the shadows from the surrounding area, leaving patches of grey where they had been, but revealing what hadn't been able to be seen before. It was a nifty little power that he had, being able to remove the shadows from anywhere and at anytime. He even created a little globe light in his hand to light the tunnel ahead and around them, concentrating to pull all of his inner goodness to a concentrated point in his hand which then seeped out to create the little globe light.

They walked for a few minutes, seeing nothing and no-one for a time and walking in silence so as not to scare anyone off. However, after Serry had answered with her powers, they turned a corner and Robert froze. There, up ahead was a woman. She didn't look much, and could even be described as waiflike with how thin she was. But illuminated by his light, Robert couldn't mistake the face that was currently staring at him and making him shake in fear, rooted to that spot. He managed to whisper out of the corner of his mouth, aiming his voice at Serry and hoping she'd listen to him.

"Serry..... run. *******.... run. Get out of here, now. Don't let her get you!"

He managed to move his legs, that were shaking like jelly, to stand in front of Serry, blocking Serry from the woman ahead and trying to protect her. His mind was already drifting back to his blood thief days as he looked at the woman ahead - and he was **** scared at the stories and tales he'd heard from before.

"Yekaterina...."

He said, by way of recognition, and flexed his hands - trying to think about what the **** he could do to stop her from getting to Serr, so that she could get away safely. However, before either of them could move, the redhead he'd been looking for, ran around the corner behind Yekaterina and stopped like a rabbit in the headlights. Robert was now torn. Barrel by Yekaterina, grab Ilsa and leg it to save her and himself. Let her go so that Serry could get away. He had no idea.

"****..."

And his light went out, letting Darkness fall.

[Serendipity]

She walked with him and then perked an eyebrow up at the question. A laugh escaped her, though quiet to his words. "Which one?" She smiled and then continued to speak. "Well, I have al of my natural powers which is insipiring people or I can make it to where you cant and dont want to attack me with pacification. I can also intimidate you or make any random human attack you..... Im curious *** to what exactly youre asking. I know quite a few now.. Ive been trained extensively at this point in many areas, babe."

She was walking now next to him and all of the sudden, things seemed clearer. Lighter as well. She looked over and saw the little ball of light and smirked. "Okay, that I cant do." She commented with a soft laugh. "Though, I have to admit.... that comes in handy. I wanna learn how to do that." SHe commented softly, bumping her shoulder into his gently and chuckled.

She continued walking with him, however, keeping a strong eye out for anything that could help them in the location of Roberts newest obsession. After what seemed like at least an hour, though she knew had only been a few moments in scilence, they both stopped. Mostly, she stopped because of him and the figure in front of them. She was nervous that it was the woman they were looking for and scared any noise she made would frighten her off. Everything seemed to get even worse moments later, however. Roberts words made Seren get terribly nervous and she could tell how scared he was. Still, her head shook. She refused to leave him alone.

As he stepped in front of her, she finally gripped to his shoulders and moved out from behind him, uttering a few words with her eyes closed. It only took a moment and a telekinetic shield popped up around them both.. "Telekinetic shield is raised, Pratt. Whats wrong? Tell me. And I dont need you to protect me. Who is that?" She asked, feeling scared and yet, terribly concerned and very intrigued at what would scare Robert Pratt in such a way so easily. Just then, someone came 'round the corner. It was a face she had never seen before. Dirty. Feral almost. Covered in blood. It had to be her. "Robert...." She whispered and then, everything went dark.

After a brief moment, Seren's eye readjusted to the darkness once again and she spoke. "If someone is going to use violence, I can make sure it isnt against me. Its the best I can do. If you can make it past them, Robert. Just go. Get her and ill handle this." Serendipity's eyes never moved from the figure in front of them now. If there was going to be a fight, eyes always on the target. The moment they stray, youve already lost. She had learned that from Rocklin and now, it would possibly come in handy.

[Yekaterina Ostrovsky]

Katya had to work hard to keep her composure at the all too endearing welcome from Pratt. The laughter still threatened to bubble up, even as she swallowed it back down and somehow managed to keep a straight face throughout. It never failed to amuse her - or amaze her, for that matter - that the blood thief she'd barely known by face over a year or so ago still managed to look like he was about to wet himself in terror by her mere presence. She gave a wane shake of her head before replying in her usual clipped, cool tone.

"Pratt."

It had been ages since they'd crossed paths; the last time had been on that hunt that wretched telepath wraith had sent her on. Enver had insisted on inviting the blood thief along, though she couldn't really complain. After all, she'd invited him. She wrinkled her nose in vague disgust as she contemplated what to do next. Toy with Robert? Make his cute little girlfriend think she really had any desire to hurt either of them? Or turn on her heel and keep hunting? That wretched creature was here somewhere; it probably wouldn't take much to cripple her. She had to smile to herself at the thought; she'd gone round-for-round with Niklaus just the other night and managed to beat the **** out of him as much as he had of her. She was getting stronger again, she could feel it.

But her thoughts cracked and fizzled with the sudden sensation of something just behind her. Was it a wraith? Or one of those bloody paladins, perhaps? She turned slightly, though she kept equal attention on the pair to her right as she caught sight of what looked like a very feral young vampire.

"Aha," she murmured quietly, already taking the safety off of her darling AR. Katya raised a brow at Pratt and his girlfriend, as if daring them to cross her as she took a careful step closer to the hunted creature left to her own devices.

[Robert Pratt]

Robert would normally have made a fuss, growled, grumped and what have you with Serry stepping around him and into harm's way. However, that woman, Yekaterina, the Blood Thief Butcher, The thing that went bump in the night and came for all those you knew before you too, finally vanished - was standing there looking at him with what he perceived to be a predatory and hungry smile. He was rooted to the spot, even as Serry spoke under her breath just beside him. Even when a shiver ran down his spine as Yekaterina spoke his name. It was as if someone had glued his shoes to the floor and shoved a rod up each leg, his spine and his arms. He was stuck there like a rabbit in the headlights about to be run over.

He felt the shield come over him and let the power enter him as he stared down the woman before him. He could see Serry getting her gun out, from the corner of his eye and knew that all hope of a non-violent night was well and truly over and done with. A small sigh escaped his lips and when the gun was pointed at the poor woman he'd been looking for, that's when his brain kicked his body into action. Pride before a fall and all that, he'd sacrifice himself for the good of that woman to help her see there was another way than that of a monster. He'd not let her become a monster like Yekaterina, he couldn't.

With a glance to Serry he reached out and stroked her hip, the only thing he could do quickly that wouldn't break her concentration. Then, wrapping the shadows around him and vanishing from sight, he set off at a sprint to close the distance between himself and the woman, Ilsa. He knew that she wouldn't see him coming, and she looked fairly slight and slim - so as he ran, he opened his arms as he planned to scoop her up and run with her, run away from the sewers and back to Solace with her where he'd help her and teach her. Anything, other than letting the ***** take her to whatever hell she'd have planned for her.

[Serendipity]

Vera was drawn, her eyes were focused and she was in deep concentration. So deep in face that she had not really noticed the fear that was resoonating from Robert. He was right next to her and she couldnt feel it. That was odd for her. For a Allurist in general. Her thoughts though, stayed on the woman ahead of them. She could feel something in the air. Something violent. It wasnt going to happen tonight. Her assult rifle was held tight, her Vera. She loved her gun. Bullets in the chamber, begging to be fire. She just needed a sign.

Almost at the same time *** the woman had spotted the feral girl, she felt Robert's hand move against her hip. Her gun rose at the perked up brow, daring the woman. Seren was never one to be afraid of anything and this woman, this one woman, was indeed nothing special in Seren's eyes and she was making it a point to let her know too. It was aimed and then, Robert vanished from the corner of her eye. "****...."

She knew when he did this all too well. She knew what was happening. She muttered under her breath and sent her magic towards him, pushing it into him. An inspire should help. She knew he was shadowed. She knew his plan. She also knew that if he managed to get his hands on the girl and sweep her away to Solace..... she would be left alone to clean up the mess.

Slowly and quietly, she rose her gun and took aim. She would be ready for anything that was about to happen. Robert had a mission. A goal. Serry would see that goal was achieved no matter the cost to her. Robert was light in the world of utter darkness. Light needed to shine and prosper. She missed the light. The sun. Robert had replaced the gap where the sun and light used to be and filled that void. Now, she would do anything to keep it going, even if it wasnt for her. Even if it cost her everything so now, aimed, she waited for the night to reveal the rest of its plan. Her nerves were on edge but, she remained ever steady.

[Yekaterina Ostrovsky]

A slow, wolfish smile formed over Katya's lips at the ridiculous show. This chick was plain old adorable with her gun drawn and pointed at her, as if the tall blonde among the four occupants of this particular stinking tunnel was the actual threat. As Robert disappeared into shadows, the Killer cast a dose of darkness at the other female, letting it fall over and cloak that little corner of the sewer, then activated celerity, figuring one thing or the other would slow the other two down. She didn't know the female, but she knew fairly well from his posts on the Crow and his own constant crowing that Robert had a cute little way of spouting off religious nonsense and twisting everything to suit his means. And had severe issues preserving secrecy in addition to that.

Not this time, not if she could help it. Not even with one of his cult followers here with a gun trained upon her; that was nothing, in her estimation. But letting this little wild thing run amok, worse, dousing her in Robert's special brand of crazy and running amok, could prove disastrous. With a dark chuckle, she easily outpaced the male and within seconds had the wild girl in her grips, held tight by the collar and away from her until she could subdue her.

Like a cat with her prey, Katya simply shot a smirk in Robert and the woman's directions, her own AR now drawn and at the ready with her free hand. "One more move from either of you, and you won't ever find her. Understood?" Her voice snapped like a whip through the air, a bare trace of accent lacing the words as her gaze moved between where Robert should be and his girlfriend a short distance away.

"I would ask if you people are insane, but I already know the answer for at least one of you. This is the danger to you, to me, to all of us. She can be educated after she's been neutralized." The words all but snarled, in a tone she knew, from the old Broussard days, might just have Robert standing up straight and listening. "I don't give two shits for the Crow, or the amount on the girl's head, but its pretty damned obvious this one has been causing trouble." She eyed them with a raised brow, challenging either one to deny that the feral, clawing little beasty in her grip was the furthest thing from sane or reasonable.

"Tell me what you were planning on doing with her and perhaps we can deal. Otherwise..." She let the word hang in the air between them, the meaning behind it more than obvious.

[Jonah]

The woman was startled by Jonah's bump in to her and lashed out at him, drawing a gash in to his belly with her long claws. Tangled red hair whipped behind her as she took off running away from him and his mind finally clicked in to gear as he realized this was the woman he was looking for.

He started to call out for her to stop but she was already disappearing in to the darkness. He gritted his teeth and took off after her. She was quick and agile but in her fear she wasn't doing much to try and hide the direction she was going and Jonah used his long legs to try and close the distance between them. She had a good head start though and her foot steps had stopped and been replaced by voices disagreeing about something.

Unslinging his rifle and holding it loosely at his hip, he stepped around the corner and in to the standoff. His eyes settled on Yekaterina, a woman he didn't know but who had his forgotten childe in her grasp. Keeping his gun aimed at her but low, he ignored the others in the room, "What's going on here?"