A Most Unique Outlook (Open!)

[Jana (DELETED 5000)]

She had to move out, soon. The apartment in the Quarantine wasn't the place for her, not anymore. Her roommates were terrifying, but she couldn't tell them that she knew. That she knew they weren't human. That she was well aware that the containers in the refrigerator weren't full of red wine.

It had gotten so bad that she was even considering being homeless. But she had one last resort before homelessness was her only option. She just had to force herself to go there.

To the place her grandparents had met, where her mother and father had spent their first evenings. To the apartment building that seemed to call to her as her beginning. Her origins. But without a car, it might take some getting to. Harper Rock was a dangerous city, a place she shouldn't have come to alone. But she was here now.

She spent a few nights in the CW Grand Casino, picking pockets, something she'd avoided for a while. But after a few nights, she left. Now she was in a country bar - she hadn't caught the name, but she liked to watch people try and fail on the mechanical bull. Settled in the corner near the attraction, sipping a strawberry margarita, her gun tucked into the back of her jeans, she observed the crowd.

Her eyes trailed over a knot of gangsters near the other side of the mechanical bull's little pen, if one could referr to the padded floor as such, and she smiled.

"Deborah Rose Vaughn, you'd better not be thinking what I think you're thinking!" the familiar voice of her grandmother trilled through her mind.

"I'm doing what I have to in order to survive, Nana," she murmured, draining the remaining frozen concoction and setting it down, tugging her shirt over her weapon as she stood. "If I don't, who knows what they'll do?"

"This isn't your place, my dear. Contact the authorities. This is their field, not yours!" Her grandmother was becoming insistent, but by now she was standing beside the table of gangsters, one hand on her hip, the other idle by her side.

"Hey, boys," she said smoothly.

"Get lost," one of the men said dismissively.

"Is that how you treat a lady?" Jana laughed. "You need serious help if you don't even know your manners."

"I said, get lost, *****," he growled, turning on her now. "Or are you deaf?"

"This is a public place, not really the best if you're planning something. Unless it's something you don't want anyone to hear about." Jana's blue eyes skimmed over each face, studying the warring contempt and lust in each save the one speaking. He was just flat pissed off at her, and she honestly liked it. "That the situation, boys?"

"Why would we tell you?" he said, standing. "Unless you're one of us, you don't get to know jack ****."

"Good. I wouldn't want to know." Her survival instincts were starting to kick in, but she'd never been the type to back down from a challenge. Especially from someone like this man she was face to face with. She knew exactly how to deal with his type, usually. "What do you say to meeting me out back? Been a while since I had some decent target practice. The quarantine's full of moving targets, but nothing as fast as the living."

[Badal]

Country Bars weren't usually my taste. However, the music was better than what blared in other bars and clubs. They were both an assault on the ears this one just much less. All of the rustic charm of the place had an appeal to most. To me it was just garish. However, I would have taken "Achy Breaky Heart" and "God's Gonna Cut You Down" over something that sounded like the love child of a dial-up internet connection and an emergency broadcast signal.

People were dancing about, conversing, and doing everything else people did. I sat amongst them. Smiles and nods were given. When individuals asked if they could sit me I gave them a sympathetic look, "Sorry. I'm waiting for someone." It was a lie. No one was coming. I was here trying to learn more about the city, the inhabitants, and everything else I was able to dissect.

My dark blue suit rested comfortably against me. With a black button up shirt and matching tie I know I looked out of place. Especially if someone saw my dress shoes instead of some kind of boot monstrosity. Just because I was emerging myself in the crowd didn't mean I had to be uncomfortable.

A group off to the side had caught my attention. Looking at them on and off through the night I was making note of their features. All of the little things that would have made them stand out from a police line. Everything that would have made research to come that much easier.

"I smell blood in the water Danny Boy," My Dark Friend said off to my left. He was a fragment of my shattered schema that only I could see. Children had imaginary friends that they saw. Sometimes individuals with issues thought they ACTUALLY saw something. I knew My Dark Friend wasn't real. That deep down one of us was a fragment of the other.

In a world and society that sometimes claimed reality was nothing more than sensations, that meant in my reality My Dark Friend was very real. We had an interesting relationship. Usually he talked at me, but even in the silence I felt his presence, always watching. When the two of us came together in unison horrific things happened to deserving people...like the gangsters off to the side.

I felt my eyes widen as a female went up to them. She was standing up to the group. My Dark Friend leaned in close and asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I gave a nod and stood up. The only thought on my mind was "Prey." These people were prey. And I did not want an innocent person being added to the blood that was probably already on their hands. Both feet carried me closer and closer to the group.

Part of the conversation grazed my ears and I responded from behind with a smile, "She has just as every right to be there as you do gentleman. Unless your name is on the legally binding document that issues one of you as the proprietor of such a fine establishment then you do not have the authority to deny her right. Likewise she to you, but your verbal insult could be seen as a means of provocation. Perhaps even verbal assault depending on the judge," I flashed an award winning smile toward the group. Raising my hand out toward the group, "Don't mind me. Just a P.I. It's my job to snoop. And it'd be awfully unbecoming of fine gentleman such as yourself to strike a lady down in the club. Although, you have a legally binding alternative. Sign the waiver upfront. Absolve the club of anything that could happen to you, be it through your own actions or the actions of another, and step into the back." The smile on my face continued, "We can even make it more interesting. There's how many of you? And what? Two of us?"

Signaling to the woman I smiled, "If you don't mind being an 'us' for the purpose of the fight." Then my attention went back onto the group, "I mean. She's a woman and a rather tame looking one, and me...I'm an asshole in a moderately priced suit that walks around like he owns the place, and has probably put some relative of yours in a jail cell somewhere because I'm more effective than a cop," yeah...I didn't care about things known as rules and I covered my tracks.

Before giving them a chance to leave I raised my hands in a "I give up fashion." It was time to hook the bait, "I mean unless you guys want to be called p*ntas on the streets," I knew one of them had to understand the gravity of my insult. People did stupid things when they were angry. "I understand. I'm sure your bosses will understand what kind of b*tches they employee because they couldn't keep some people in line."

[Mordechai]

Mordechai sat at the end of the bar nursing an empty bottle. Although he sometimes worked security to help Prudence out, tonight he was just out. A little time to himself to let his mind wander, in surroundings he was comfortable in. Other than a few drunks with a Napoleon complex, most people left the hulking male to himself. His very aura seemed to make most shy away. Tonight no one was bothering him as he peacefully sat in his darkened corner. There were a few gangbangers near the back, seemed like there was always a few. He used to beat them and toss them, but they had mostly learned to behave when the giant was in the house, so unless they started trouble he generally left them lately.

Raising the empty bottle to his lips once more he let his dark eyes scan the rest of the crowd. On his second glance around he noticed a slight human ginger rising from the area around the bull, and heading towards the tables in the back where the 'bangers were. He dint move yet, but had a feeling things were headed south, and probably fast. Starting to slide from his stool the massive killer watched as another human moved up next to the woman. A male this time. Mordechai didn't recognize either of them. Now standing he rested one shoulder against the wall and decided to hang back a bit and see what these humans were up to. Maybe they were just 2 more crackheads looking for a score. Gods knew he had pulled enuff dimebags and meth off of the ones he did beat to supply a small country's habits. Yeah definitely a time to observe, there was always time for action later.

[Prudence]

"Thanks for stopping by and helping out, Mordie." Prudence said as she passed him by, a tub full of cups, silverware and plates in one of her arms. Lately, security had been laxed, with not having seen hide, nor hair of Cliff in weeks. So, she did what she had to do and she sought out Mordie to give her a helping hand. She didn't think he'd mind, not with him being with DD and the fact that even though they had their tiffs from time to time, they were still friends. Deep down.

As she moved across the length of the room, the woman looked over all the patrons, the customers and then her staff. Things appeared to be moving as they should be; people enjoying themselves, servers doing their job and the atmosphere appeared to be typical of those who stopped in. An occasional loud ruckus, followed by laughter and then some joking, but all and all aside, things were fine.

Or so she thought. Until something caught her eye from the corner. Prudence sighed, put the bucket of dishes down and put her hands on her hips. One of her tenders, Lacy, was quick to snatch the bucket up and whisper something about '**** going down.' The redhead was just about to go over, when someone else decided to take the initiate. Still, she didn't move from her spot, with hands on her hips as she watched how this would play out. If someone wanted an *** kicking, they'd persist with tormenting the woman. If not, they would get wise and smarten up and move on. Either scenario worked for her, and she suspected it was more or less the same with Mordechai too. So, they would just have to wait and see.

[Jana (DELETED 5000)]

Jana glanced at the man who'd come up to her, talking to the group just as she had. She liked him already. "What was that about a back room?" the redhead asked of this other man, tilting her head like a curious canine might upon seeing something new. "I didn't see anything about that. Mostly just wandered in 'cause it looked safer than the street." She carried herself like someone who knew what she was doing, but in reality, hell no, she did not.

You're lucky I'm dead, her grandma murmured, like a whisper right in Jana's ear; this was new, as was the weird feeling of her grandmother's hand on her shoulder. I can still scold you, Deborah Rose Vaughn! You stop this or I will --

Threats won't work, Grandma, Jana thought back at the ghost of her grandmother. As you said yourself, you're dead. I'm a grown woman, Grandma. Let me be me, just as you were you when you were alive. Agreed?

The sudden silence on her grandmother's part left her uncertain, but she somehow knew that even though Rose didn't approve of her granddaughter's course of action, she would let things play out. So she grinned at the man who'd approached. "I would appreciate the help, my new friend," she said, her posture relaxing slightly as she scanned the group. Five gangbangers versus a P.I. and a singer. That would be a hilarious mix, but she knew she'd probably end up on the floor within minutes, no matter who joined the fight. "What've you boys got to say about this, hmm? Two against five? Odds are certainly tipped towards you."

"I say," the clear leader of the group of five said, standing up, "that you might need something better than a kitchen knife." His eyes flashed to the odd shape between her right leg and the leg of her jeans. This statement made Jana's fingers itch to pull out her handgun, right then and there. "You two are ******* stupid."

"No, you're the stupid ones. Trust me. Did any of you even graduate high school? Or whatever the ******* Canadian equivalent is..." The sarcasm poured from Jana's mouth before she could stop it, and at the look on the leader's face, she knew she'd fucked up now. Big mouth always gets me in trouble! she thought, trying to keep her face blank.

[Badal]

"Then you have nothing to loose! You have numbers and brains on us," I heard myself in a very chipper voice. My eyes went to My Dark Friend who looked...panicked.

"We can't kill them! The ritual's not right Danny Boy! We didn't prepare!" he all but screamed at me. Running his hands back over his head he groaned. "We can't kill them! It's not right!" We were a creature of habit. A monster that was meticulous when striking. Victims always knew why they were going to die. That they had been hunted by something that may have been good, but years of hunting monsters corrupted it. Like Nietzsche talked about in various points.

I didn't mind. I was human only in name. Killing someone all willy nilly like this went against every protocol established. Honestly it wouldn't have felt right. Their deaths would have been like eating carob when you truly craved chocolate. Deep down it wasn't the same and you would have known it.

A plan started to form in my head. An eyebrow went up for a moment then lowered. I knew what was going to happen. Muttering very low I said, "We're not going to kill them. Maiming does not mean death," the emotion was out of my voice in the whisper that went unheard by all thanks to the club's commotion. I didn't need any normal ears to hear it. My Dark Friend was able to hear everything I said and sometimes thought.

"You're going to mark them aren't you!?" joy filled My Dark Friend's voice. A few noises escaped his lips as he was processing a new idea I didn't confirm nor deny. "This could be neewwww. This could be fun!"

His devious joy danced upon my person. I tried to ignore it. "So come on the five of you. I mean it's all legal if you just sign a piece of paper. Don't you want to know what it's like to do whatever it is you allegedly do without the legal ramifications by Johnny Law. What do you say?" I felt like I was trying to convince a child to do something that they didn't want to do.

In reality I knew they killed. Sometimes hunters were able to identify each other. It really shouldn't have been this hard. Instead of saying anything more I went to the backroom. Either six people were going to join me and it was going to get messy, or there wasn't going to be blood shed. That was the challenge I laid down to the rest of the group.

[Mordechai]

Mordechai's preternatural hearing easily picked up both sides of the ongoing conversation. With a small smile he slipped the glock from its hidden holster and tucked it onto the shelf around behind the bar. This looked like it might be fun. The massive killer left his two SWHRT9B in their boot sheaths. All involved were humans, he would need no weapons. The male carried himself as if he had some kind of training.

Letting a small wave of power out, he watched as it settled over the male, sending back bits of information to him. A paladin, he had been right, some training, but not overly strong. A moment longer and the power wrapped the female, normal, but slightly stronger and faster than most civilians he had met in this cursed city. The gangster were laughable, if he was the type to laugh, for the most part, they weren't even worth his time. The conversation was interesting though, it sounded almost as if the male was trying to incite them to enter the 'Back Room'. Silently rising from his seat he kept to the edge of the room as he slipped first towards, then into the back room. If they came it would be interesting to watch, and maybe he might even play a bit with the winners, if not, well, Pru would check the room sooner or later, and they hadn't sparred in awhile. He would get practice either way.