Tytonidays and Nights - Group 2 [Closed]

[Jesse Fforde]

There’s a messenger.

Jesse’s not sure he’s ever had anything delivered by messenger before. It’s all very mysterious, and as he stands there in the doorway in his underwear, the cool Winter air billowing in around him, he rips the packet open. The first thing that comes out when he tips it up is a key, silver and glinting in the light that issues from the house behind him. Curious, he kicks the door shut behind him and wanders over to the couch. He pulls the sheath of papers from the envelope, and sits back to read.

Bright blues scan the page, first skimming and then reading more thoroughly. He snorts.

There’d been a stone sitting in his gut since the conversation he’d had with Velveteen only two nights beforehand. Re-reading this ‘mission’ he’d been given, along with the others of his ‘team’, that stone seems to grow legs, get up, and walk away. This seems like some kind of spy game. Some kind of… he can’t even think of the word. But the smile slowly spreads. For a third time he reads the message, before getting up and wandering into the bedroom, where he’d left his clothes and his phone. He gets dressed before picking up the phone and sending a mass message out to the others in his team: Reanna, Renee, Blake, and Roderic.

Renee he knows quite well. Reanna he doesn’t know as well as he could, but the two do get along and have bonded over specific similarities of their pasts. On top of which, they’d spent a healthy stint together in the Shadow Realm. Blake he doesn’t know at all, and he’s not sure he likes the guy so much, but maybe he should reserve judgement. And Roderic is mostly a mystery. He has all bridge and faction members’ numbers in his phone, however, and so it’s not so hard to compose the message:

I assume you all got the same delivery? Meet you all at the cabin.

Jesse isn’t much of a planner. Maybe he should have grabbed a few blood packs to take with him, assuming there’s a working fridge at the cabin. Maybe there are other things he could have grabbed in preparation for this ‘mission’, but he doesn’t. They all have tomes and if they need anything, they could just come back to the city to grab them. Right? So he packs only his weapons – his gun and his sword – and makes sure he’s summoned quite a few spirits for himself before he heads out. He lets Grey know where he’s going, before he goes.

The bike’s roar is a little louder out in the wilderness. But he takes it as far as he can before he has to get off and trek through to the cabin indicated in the packet’s message. Marsh Hill, way out East from the city. Jesse’s never been there before, and it seems he’s the first to arrive. He flicks on the lights, and immediately moves to the grate to get the fire roaring.

The fire salamander sits neatly on his shoulder, the slimy creature happy where it is. Still, with the warm flames flickering within its beady black eyes.

[Reanna]

When the knock broke the silence of her apartment, she almost hadn’t bothered.


As she held the envelope in her hand, she wished she hadn’t.


She had to re-read the missive three times to understand what she was doing, the cobwebs in her mind not even bothering to clear. How the hell was she supposed to take care of an entire team without knowing if she could take care of herself? It had barely been a week since her husband had killed himself. It had been barely a week since her world shattered and she was left alone. She’d never doubted herself before – and of course she would choose the worst possible time to wallow in self-pity. Gritting her teeth together, she rested her head against the cool wood of her door and closed her eyes.


She wasn’t about to back out. She never backed down from a challenge. It was how she was raised, how she was trained. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time. ******* step up. Take charge. It was what she was born to do. After a few seconds of a pep talk, the Russian pushed herself from the wall and grabbed her jacket and weapons, just as her phone vibrated in the pocket of her jeans. Pulling it out, she unlocked the screen, only to be met with Jesse’s name.


Check the place before you settle, Jesse. Be sure to check all perimeters to make sure it is safe. I am on my way, and I will help. The rest of you, wait until I clear it. I do not wish pain before we begin.


She didn’t bother to wait for a response. Instead, she tucked the phone back into her pocket and hooked her gun and blade on her back before sighing. She didn’t want to leave the comfort of her apartment, the silence and familiarity of where her husband used to roam. She just didn’t have a choice. She had a team depending on her, and she would not let them down. She would rather die first.


It didn’t take her long to get there, her feet sinking into the grass outside of the cabin. Inside, she could hear the fire crackling, and her eyes narrowed. She wasn’t the first to arrive, but she knew that it was simply Jesse. She merely hoped he had heeded her order to check the inside – but to settle her nerves, she would re-check when she made her way in. Tilting her head, the Russian sank her teeth into her lower lip before straightening up and dusting off her jeans. She would bother with the inside after she went through the entire grounds. As she pulled her hair up into a loose braid, she made her way around the cabin, checking every crevice, bush and entrance she could. She made sure they were all sealed and even went as far as to cover a twenty foot radius to make sure there were no lurkers.


Once satisfied, she made her way back to the front door and quietly slid in, a brow raising. “Jesse,” she whispered in greeting, accent thick and voice rough from lack of use. Despite the inner turmoil and hell she was going through, she resembled herself as she always was. Spine straight, head held high, expression completely blank. The team she had been assigned to hardly knew her, aside from Jesse. They wouldn’t be able to read the disaster of her mind behind the cold steel of her green gaze. Working her way around the cabin, she repeated her steps from outside, checking every closet, every cabinet. When she was sure they were safe, she pulled out her phone and sent another text as she leaned against the wall.


Those that have yet to arrive – it is safe. Come in the front, and be sure to bring your weapons and any provisions you will need.


Rolling her neck, she kept her phone on vibrate and turned her gaze back to the man. “We will need to make sure that we play to our strengths. This is not going to be easy. When everyone shows up, we can have a meeting to plan out how to handle this the best to our advantage.”

[Roderic]

I am working on a project for an upcoming wedding, though I don't know when that wedding will be. If the gift sits for a while, it wouldn't hurt anything. I'm cutting out circular rings from a mountain lion hide when, while listening to Kaiser Chiefs song "Ruby" when there's a knock on my door. I don't answer it. My Thing had access to it, so did Pyper, Nix and a couple other people. No one else knew where I lived, to my knowledge. I keep working. I want to start making the twenty-five leather coasters of various colors before the Christmas season comes on us. I don't like Christmas, but I know most people celebrate the holiday and that it is a social norm to give gifts. And being I don't know when this mysterious wedding between Monique and Calix will be, I follow the old adage, "The early bird catches the worm."

The knock happens again, this time with a little more oomph behind it. The person wants my attention, and I'm sure they can hear the song. I sigh, stand and turn off the small desk lamp I used at my table when I made works of art. I'm not surprised to see someone I don't know at the door. It was expected.

"Yeah?" I ask, an arm on both sides of the frame, protecting my space.

"Are you Roderic Alt-Alta"

"Yeah." I cut the dumb **** off. I don't have time for small talk anyways. "Who are you?"

He doesn't say much. Actually, he doesn't get the chance to. He pulls out a small envelope and is about to read my name again and who it's from, but I snatch it from him. "Thanks." I grab the door with my left hand, close it and head back to the desk. I open it and re-read it. I know Velveteen has a sense of humor, so I'm assessing if she's being serious or not. I shrug. I don't care I come to realize. I had a bone to pick with the fae anyways. I'd been a victim to them twice now and I owed them at least that many times. Three times would just let them know not to bother me again while I was looking for flowers, or animal products.

I start to pack a bag. I pack a few nights worth of clothes, an extra pair of boots, a small blade, some rope, and the items Skylar got me. It's a strange coincidence that she gives me a weatherproof tarp and blanket that are camouflage. It's almost too perfect. I'll have to let her know that I did use it after the task is completed. Which, while I think about it, I send her a text message only because I didn't want a full inbox of emails when I got back. It simply states I'm going hunting for a few nights. Will be unavailable. She didn't need to know anything more than that. I also follow suit with texting the same thing to my Thing and to Pyper.

As I'm doing this, I get a message from Jesse. I don't recall giving him my number, but I know Velveteen has it and from there, probably everyone else in the faction did. I'm not bothered by it. If I don't want to talk to someone, I won't. Simple as that. I reply and let Jesse know that I'll be there in half an hour tops. Then another text message comes as I zip up my pack, put it on my shoulders and start to head out, sword on my back, one strapped inside the camouflage pants I never changed out of from a hunt earlier in the evening and another in the foot of my boot. I think about taking the only gun I have, which was a small pistol, but decide against it. I want to see the fae in the face; look them in the eye when I get my revenge on their kind.

I don't know Reanna, but I reply anyways. Just one word, Thanks. I hit send, pocket my phone and head out of the apartment and over to Marsh Hill. As I hit the edge of the QZ, where the river meets it, I bring the shadows around me and cross the bank. I don't say or do anything, because I don't want to run into any cops or other people with all these swords on me. I wasn't in the mood to either talk my way out of something or kill something. Not yet anyways. I had a task to complete.

I don't survey the property when I get there. I trust that the other two have done it. It makes sense they would. Even if only one of them said they had done that. I head in, drop my sack and look around. I see a male, that I know as Jesse and then an unidentified female. I can assume logically that it's Reanna. "Hey." I say to the both of them, as I proceed to go deeper in the home.

[Blake]

It had been a few hours since the his little ginger woman had left and already he had the urge to summon her back to his side as he poured over the file in front of him. He had so many projects in the works it was hard to get any significant progress in one area when he was trying to tackle so many different things at once. Already his computer was covered in post-it notes, his desk covered in envelopes and files not to mention the drawer full of flash drives filled to capacity with random musings and outlines for a myriad of other projects. It was for this reason, among others, that Blake enjoyed the company of those he had come to call friends. Sitting as he was working tirelessly was something he could only do for so long before his mind began to ache. Unfortunately, for all his time as a vampire, Blake had a fault that was far greater than any other that plagued him. He was restless. A remnant of his time as a human perhaps? Or perhaps it was his need and desire to explore and understand everything that made him different than other vampires? Such a keen intellect and yet it proved to be his downfall ever so often.

It was just as he was nearing that point of mental exhaustion that he heard a dull ring from somewhere beneath the mountain of paperwork. Apparently something or someone required his attention downstairs. Thank god. Rising to his feet he sighed, he would have to, at the least, reorganize everything and put it in it's proper place before he did anything else but it was worth while to see what was required of him first and foremost. Had it been Velveteen or Nix or anyone else he usually associated it would have gone straight to his phone. He made sure of it. Making his way across the room he opened the door of the blue box that hid his private lift and began his descent to the floor below. His fingers massaged his temples lightly as he tried to force the fatigue from himself. Oh how he hoped there was a hunt of some kind being offered. Or maybe it was the Hebigumo foundation communicating. Both were exciting prospects. Smiling as he stepped out of the elevator in that perfectly pressed three piece suit and blood red tie he looked around. Veil was running smoothly and silently to the point he could probably drop a pin, hear it and make everyone jump at the sudden noise. This was his pride and joy. A small little well oiled machine providing to the city the basic amenities needed in this day and age.

It didn't take long for a tiny little brunette to make her way over to him. Sabrina Wilson if he recalled correctly. Without a word she held out a small slip of paper to him. She knew better than anyone that if nothing needed to be said why waste breath? It was the perfect way to operate. Not a moment of wasted time in the lives of these poor humans for whom life would pass in the mere blink of an eye. Some of them were even going to potentially die that night if fate deemed it. Unfolding the paper he read it quickly...and then reread it a few times. Apparently his time with the fae was not yet over with yet and given how recently the message had come, thanks to Sabrina's annotation of the time on the outside of the paper, it seemed as if he finally had his plans for the night. Excellent. Turning on his heel he wasted no time in sending the elevator right back up to his penthouse. It was time to prepare for war it seemed. A mission like this would never be quick and simple and easy. It was the fae after all. Nothing ever was with them. Especially given the little tidbit of information that lingered in the back of his mind. A little fragment of knowledge known only to himself and Phoenix. Or so he hoped. It brought a smile to Blake's face, the knowledge that he knew a fragment of the overall plan of the fae in Harper Rock.

Opening the door and stepping in to his penthouse he looked out the massive window that served as a wall and looked at the Hebigumo Corporations headquarters looming in the distance. Sorry guys. It's only business. It took all of half an hour for him to pack a large duffle bag which he had filled with copious amounts of ammunition, a few spare blades and a couple of different shirts and pants. Pausing for a moment and realizing that these were fae he was going to be facing he dumped the ammo from his bag and simply left it full of the clothing and the bladed weapons. It would prove more effective in the long run and besides, he had enough ammo on him for any prolonged gunfights if they arose. Bag in hand and his jacket on he headed back down the lift, this time skipping every other floor but the main one. It was time to be on his way after all. Exiting the building he nodded to the security that stood stoically near the doors, it wasn't until he had crossed the street and entered a darkened alley that he spoke softly.

"Papa, I need a favor. I want you to go to the cabin that Micah and Velveteen own. Scope it out. Keep an eye on things for me until I get there."

The shimmer in the air was all the reassurance he needed that his words had been heard and understood by the entity that called itself 'Papa'. Presumably in homage to Papa Legba. He doubted that the wraith that followed and served him was truly the Haitian Loa but there was always the possibility. It really wouldn't surprise him if it were true. Focusing for a moment he imagined the cabin and where Vel had told him it was. A vehicle would just be more attention drawn to the area that he didn't need and without a human in sight it was just as easy for him speed his way through the city at top speeds until he found himself at the edge of the forest. Taking a deep breath to steady himself he made his way through, approaching the cabin from an angle he didn't suspect many of his team mates would utilize as it was a more roundabout route. A route that would garner less attention from anyone that might be waiting for him. It wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if Velveteen or someone else was out here luring them in to some kind of trap to test them even further.

Seeing a light flickering in the cabin windows he steeled himself and grinned. Well, someone was there already. Just in time to see a familiar face walk in to the cabin he decides it's safe enough to enter and make his presence known even if his footfalls are silent. Curse of being a shadow. It's not until he drops his bag on the floor near the door that he truly makes a sound.

"I hope I'm not late."

[Renee]

There was a knocking sound coming from the other room. The woman peeked her head from under the warm blanket and looked around to make sure the sound wasn’t coming from inside her head. After a moment she heard it again and knew it had not been a dream. She pulled herself from the covers and her nice plush bed. She turned back and saw the body still sleeping on the other side of the bed and smile comes to her face. She gently pulls the top cover from the bed and wrapped herself in it as she went to answer the door.

The door swung open just as the man was about to knock again. “Hello?” She said kind of confused at the sight of the man in front of her. He extends his arm and hands her a packet. She takes it into her hand still looks confused. The man just turns and leaves before she can even question what it was or where it came from. “Thank you?” She calls out to the man before shutting the door “Asshole.”

The envelope falls to the floor as she takes it contents out and heads to the sofa. Her eyes move over it quickly before she stops to go back from the beginning, taking the time to make sure she understands everything fully before she stands and takes it to her desk and puts it in one of the drawers and locks it up.

She made her way back to her bedroom and turned on one of the small lamps, turning to make sure that the dark hair was still peeking out from the remaining covers on the bed and had not woken up yet. She pulled open her wardrobe doors and grabbed a bag big enough to put what he would need in it for a few days and began to fill it with what she would need. After that was done she quickly dressed. Black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers and her black leather jacket on top.

She turned back to the dark hair figure and lightly kissed the top of their head as she placed a key on the pillow next to them with a note explaining that something had come up. After she was back in the living room she found that she had two messages on her cell. Jesse and Reanna. She grabbed her tome and her bag and was soon at Jesse’s place.

The bike roared to life under the woman as she pulled her helmet onto her head. She pulled out and made her way through the streets. She was going to get as close as she could to the cabin but knew she would need to walk at some point. It was not long before that some point showed up. She parked the bike and made her way into the woods.

As she made her way deeper into the woods she pulled her knife out and had it ready just to be safe. The light from the cabin come into view and she relaxes herself for moment as she quickens her pace to the door. She enters and looks around.She gives a quick nod to both Jesse and Roderic. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late.” She then turns to the other two in here “Reanna and Blake I’m guessing.” She smiled at the two she was less familiar with.

[Jesse Fforde]

The first to arrive is Reanna. Of course Jesse had got her message; he’d done a brief scout of the perimeter, glancing into all the rooms – which smelled of must and dust, as if they had been shut up for a long time – and nothing untoward had turned up. He could only watch as Reanna repeated the process. The woman immediately launched into commando mode. It would seem that she had not read the contents of the envelope in the same way Jesse had. Where he had been amused, where he had assumed this was both a test and a game, and something that they could all use to have a bit of fun and test their skills, Reanna has taken it entirely seriously. What else should he expect, though? In all his interactions with Reanna, she had never seemed the smiling, laughing, joking sort. She had always been quite serious.

He laughs, but he doesn’t say anything. Even if he might not agree with Reanna’s attitude – even though he thinks she could lighten up a little (as he obviously has no idea that she’s suffering some other, nameless woe) – he still nods. Sure, yes. Good point. As much as he might think this is an opportunity to have a bit of fun, she has a point. They will still need to pool their resources. Assign different tasks to those with different strengths.

The next to arrive is Roderic. Jesse can’t say that he knows much about the guy, except that, for a while there, he might have joined Andras. He knows there’s a connection, through Phoenix. Somewhere. Although the redhead might think that Jesse had severed his bond completely, Jesse himself doesn’t see it that way. He’d only created something new on top of the bond that already exists. A broken and frayed bond, for sure. One that’ll no doubt never mend. But it’s a thing in common anyway – one that he has with both Roderic and Reanna.

In fact, in the grand scheme of things, it seems Blake is the odd one out.

Blake, who is next to arrive. The last time Jesse had interacted with Blake, it had been at the Andras gathering. When he, Remington, and Velveteen had seemingly backed Jesse into a corner. Tense, for sure. But he supposes there’s no reason he should judge Blake entirely on that one encounter. Even if there is something… something else that he has never liked about Blake. Something he can’t put his finger on. But he doesn’t let it show.

Last to arrive is Renee. Renee, whom he knows best out of all those gathered. He pats the seat of the couch beside him, inviting her to sit down.

“I have a feeling Reanna wants to take charge, here,” he says, throwing a lopsided grin in the Russian’s direction. “What she was saying before you all arrived was that we should all make a plan. Perhaps share what we think are our strengths, in accordance with this particular mission. Right, Reanna?” he says.

[Reanna]

I miss you, baby.

Her husband’s voice slowly danced into her mind, the smooth, rich baritone echoing around inside of her thoughts. It covered up the sound of Jesse’s laughter, and she felt her blunt nails as they dug into the skin of her bicep. The thin black cotton of her t-shirt gave her no protection. From the day he died, all she heard was his voice. It would sneak in at the most inopportune times and haunt her. It battled with her brother’s voice, and from the corner of her eye, she watched as the ghost danced back and forth on the balls of his feet, amusement flickering on his face. He knew she was suffering. He knew she was finally alone, that Kirill had finally let her down in the worst possible way.

Everyone she knew left her alone in the end.

Swallowing past the burn in her throat, she tried to force his voice away as he sang her the Old Russian lullaby from her childhood. He wasn’t alive. He wasn’t here with her. His voice was just another ghost. Another reminder. Keeping her nails tight against her arm, she let her cold gaze move from Jesse towards Roderic as he entered, her eyes narrowing in the slightest. He belonged to Phoenix. Altaire ran thick in his blood just as it did hers, despite her attempts to cleanse herself of the name and lineage. Phoenix had killed her sire. That was all there was to it. However, she couldn’t dwell on it now. Roderic was her responsibility, just as she was his. They were Ty. She wouldn’t let Velveteen down by leaving the man (who, admittedly, had done nothing to her personally) to the Fae.

She remained quiet until the other two entered. Blake, she remembered and respected. Their first real interaction had been him lopping her limbs off. She still remembered the pain and amusement of that evening, though she couldn’t summon the will to smile over it in that moment. Instead, she arched a brow as Jesse spoke. “I do not apologize for taking an order seriously,” she whispered, her voice sounding foreign to her own ears. Had she taken command? Probably. It was in her blood. She knew no other direction than to jump in and take charge, especially when given an order of such importance. To Jesse, it might seem like a game – but she knew the Fae were nothing to be reckoned with. Especially when they were to take samples for testing.

“Da, I do believe we need to work to our strengths. We are here under order of Velveteen. Someone that can locate the creatures we need, a few that can battle and detain it, and someone quick enough that can sneak in and take the samples we need. I, of course, will be one of those that fight it. I am much stronger with combat than anything else. We need a ritualist, a Shadow born, and combat. Who can cover those roles?”

It was the most she had ever spoken in one sentence to a group, and her gaze never wavered from them. “We can also use wraiths to scout, if other than Blake and I have those.” Her accent was thick, and she pulled out her gun to check the ammo as she waited for them to speak up.

[Roderic]

It wasn't long before it seemed everyone was making there way here. Good. Better to get the show on the road sooner than later. I didn't like letting tasks sit around for too long; my own or personal. Blake comes in after I do, maybe a few minutes later. I nod to him, but look past him when I see Renee. Out of everyone here, she is the one I know the best. I wouldn't say I feel relieved she is here, but I can trust her to see the task through. I know her determination. And I know her capabilities. I had seen it first hand a few months ago when I could have killed her.

Blake I know, only from a Halloween event. We had gotten close; in a physical sense during a dare. I have very little opinion about him, but I know he and Nix are a pair or a couple. It is not determined yet. I have not asked her. But because of this, I suppose I can consider him a creature to have some intelligence about him. Nix wouldn't date just anyone. Though, I'm not certain if that is a personal belief on my end about my sire and family leader, or the truth. Axel was a ******* slimy weasel of an idiot. But a lot of people liked him, I guess.

Jesse, I do not know. I may have spoken to him briefly once or twice. A few sentences and words. Pyper thinks highly of him. Renee and others who stem from his line. Fforde it was called. He severed his ties to Nix before I was accidentally made a vampire. I do not understand it, but I don't really care. I'm not here to make friends. Or do idle chit chat. I'm here to work. And he is here to do the same. That's where it ends for now.

Reanna is another unknown variable. I have seen her once or twice, while working on killing a target. She is effective. And as she talks, it seems like she's a natural born leader, or at least a person with a good head on their shoulders. I nod my head as I agree with her. "I am a shadow. I can do a little bit of ritualing. If you feel you are the best at combat, I will abstain from that position for the time being." I am here to be a part of a team. Each person knows their strengths and weaknesses better than I do. I will fill in wherever I can for whatever is needed to see the task completed.

[Blake]

He scanned the room as he leaned against the wall near the door. Each one of them having one particular strength or weakness that could easily be exploited in this little exercise. He remains silent as he slowly goes over in his mind what he knows about each individual and what exactly they can do. Having someone with the ability to 'look in to' others has proven beneficial to him in the past and once again, with Phoenix as his other half, it has proven useful once again.

Roderic, creation of Phoenix. A Blood Thief turned vampire. A ballsy one with a cunning mind if the hunts Blake had participated in with the man proved anything. To once be an enemy of his faction and then become a member of it after his turning? There had to be more to that man than there appeared to be. A shadow with ritualistic abilities if the words Roderic spoke were to be believed. That could prove to be very useful. It just all hinged on if Vel and Micah had a ritual site set up some where in the cabin which, knowing Micah, was a strong probability. It wasn't Roderic though Blake had in mind for performing the rituals. That task would fall to the man whom his eyes settled on next....

Jesse Fforde. The tattooed family man. It seemed that no matter what happened Fforde always rested at the forefront of Jesse's mind to the point where if the man were given a slight bit of tension in that particular department Jesse would withdraw and turtle up in both mind and body. That much had been garnered from the 'party' that had occurred the other night. A simple question about the activities of Jesse's family and Blake had been willing to bet that, had Jesse not run away from the situation, there would have been bloodshed. A liability at the very least but if Velveteen and Micah had faith then Blake would merely do as he always did and keep an eye out.

Not knowing much of the other two and reluctant to put his life in the hands of people he hardly knew Blake was firm in the belief that he was going to do his part but make sure he always had a back up plan just in case things went south. At the very least, one of them needed to survive to report back to Velveteen and Micah and explain how things had gone awry. Stepping away from the wall he fixed Reanna with a cold and serious gaze. It was game time after all. Mistakes could not be tolerated. Looking her over his hand was placed on top of her gun as he spoke softly.

"Guns are good for keeping your foes at a distance. If you're hunting fae and we want samples from them you want them close. Guns also scare away the wildlife which also gives away the presence of others nearby. I highly recommend you use a blade if you have one. If you are lacking let me know, I brought blades with me."

He turned to look at the others, his gaze once again falling on Jesse. He really hoped the two of them weren't going to have issues during this little sojourn. Accidents and wounds would more than likely be plentiful on this exercise, it would be terrible of some far worse fate were to accidentally befall the head of the Fforde lineage. His face remained expressionless as he continued on in that soft spoken voice of a man that knew what he was talking about.

"I have faith in your ritual skills. Micah has trained you. You are competent. We can do this easily....as long as you can promise me you won't **** up. We have very little room for mistakes, Jesse. Be on the ball with this **** please? I really don't want Demi-Fae running loose around the cabin."

He looked at the other three, his attitude towards Jesse almost dismissive. Those that knew him would know it was merely his nature but alas, Jesse did not know him so the anticipation of a caustic and biting remark was well prepared for. Blake's response, of course, would be just as dismissive. Attitude and pomp had no room here tonight. Back on track, he was the most likely to be able to take on a fae one on one but with his knowledge of the anatomy of the supernatural, his experimentation on the supernatural and his skill with a blade he felt as if he had the best chance of procuring the samples they would need in order to complete their assignment.

"I will volunteer to take the samples so long as I can count on the rest of you to keep our targets distracted and unaware of my presence. Also, I know we all brought a little extra of everything. Do we want to take inventory before we begin? Knowing what we have at our disposal might help us in the long run and give us different tactics and methods to try out."

He paused and looked around as he clapped his hands together. He hoped he had covered everything he had needed to cover. Of course, like any good boss, he would entertain any questions or thoughts that were put forth and answer them as best he could. He really didn't have the intention of stealing the reins from Reanna but when he saw how unprepared she seemed to be handling Fae he had no choice. Sure, they could have followed her and things would have been far more painful and still wound up completed...or they could go with Blake's plan and hopefully have minimal costs in blood and wounds. Or so he hoped. He offered the woman an apologetic smile, he'd make it up to her in some way in the future. Maybe buy her a nice shiny new gun or build her one of his blades. He'd figure that part out later.

"I suppose this is the time I ask for thoughts, questions and opinions? Or shall we just get to work?"

[Renee]

She moves over and sits down next to Jesse as she listens to those around her. In truth, she was glad she had ended up with both Jesse and Roderic on her team. Ric had his strengths and she knew he hit a target if he needed, the small scare that was near her eye was proof. If they were backed into a corner, she was glad to have these two men on her side and not the ones doing the pushing.

She turns to Reanna as brings up the wraith “I have mine that we can also use, The more we have the faster we should be able to find some or at the very least we could use one to keep an eye on the cabin if we have to go out after something.”

She knew Jesse was rather skilled when it came to rituals. There had been many times when the family would be around and he would be working away at the ritual altar. She also figured he did them often as he seemed to ask for ingredients from the family, the only other she knew to do this was her dear sister, who she was sure had learned some from him. She would not argue with him being their ritualist for this mission.

“I would be more than happy to be a distraction or bait if needed.” She said to Blake “I may not be the fastest one here but I can be rather hard to hit and I can heal myself if hit, so I can keep going for a while if needed.”

As she sat back to listen some more she was glad she could take a page out of Jesse’s book and watch. She has a feeling she was going to be spending more time listening and taking orders on this mission then doing any talking. It was going to be a great learning and training situation but the Fforde blood in her was determined to have some fun with it at least.