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Lancaster
It took some time, getting used to the cold again. Even if the weather was starting to tame, it was still freezing for the Australian native – who’d not had to handle the Canadian Winter as a human yet. Any temperature was a challenge for the newly-made human, but he would never complain. Instead, he often found himself laughing when out in the weather and others out on the street looked at him like he was insane. Maybe he was, a little. They couldn’t understand what he had been through. If they did, they might let him laugh and leave their judgment at home.

Lancaster
The sun was out despite the chill and Lancaster made the most of it, too. He couldn’t wait until summer, until he could finally hike into the Canadian mountains and see it in the day time. He could finally do everything he’d intended to do when he’d human, and landed in this silly city by accident. The dogs he had on leads were not his, though he began to ponder the idea of getting one of his own. They belonged to one of his employees who’d gone on holidays, and they’d asked him if he would dog sit. He’d happily said yes.

Lancaster
He meandered from the busy part of the city toward the parklands, where he might let the dogs run around for a little bit. There were other people out walking their dogs, too – and he let loose a sigh of absolute content. He felt… normal. It felt good.

Tierney
"Calm, Stoirm." Tierney said, tugging on the lead that she knew the large white dog wasn't fond of. She, herself, didn't quite like that she needed to keep the animal on a leash, but for now, in the city, it was better. It helped her keep a better hold on her beloved pet while her shoulder was still in repair. 'Take it easy, Tier.' Her mother had encouraged her, telling her father that for once, he'd been too rough on his daughter during training. Of course, only Tierney knew that it hadn't been from training - the injury had been received by surprise. A man, a -vampire- had attacked her out of no where, and it hadn't been that damn neanderthal whom she'd helped Samson and Sawyer curb. This one had been different, older. His hair had been dark, and there'd been something, well, if Tierney knew any better, darker. It hadn't gotten only her in Wishbone. A man by the name of Alastor had been attacked and sent to the hospital, but would pull through. She knew he would.

Tierney
She'd checked all the windows and doors - there were alarms and cameras in place, and somehow, he'd gotten in without notice. Tierney didn't know what to think, really, and neither had her mother as she'd looked at the injury after Tierney'd finally showed her. She'd had worse, really. Especially after that arrogant prick, but that didn't mean it failed to hurt. "Stoirm." The name had the blanc suisse sitting down, the animal's fur blending in with the ice that covered the ground. Her lips twitched, amused, as she pulled her jacket closer to her form once they reached the park. Leaning down, she removed the leash and allowed the animal to begin roaming free, a sigh escaping past her lips as she ran immediately for a pile and dove straight in. "Strange." She muttered, shaking her head before she looked around, pausing at the sight of more dogs before she picked up a patch of snow, balling it up.

Lancaster
The park, Lancaster assumed, would be busier in summer. Even in Autumn or Spring, if there were such things in this country. There weren't too many out and about walking their dogs on this cold Winter Day -- Winter nearing its end -- but that didn't mean the park was empty. A dog as white as the snow streaked past Lancaster's two, he didn't even know their breeds. And for all their regality, they were still just dogs. And they still just wanted to play. Their tongues lolled from their mouths and they tugged on their leads; he cooed at them as he leaned down and, one after the other, released them from their binds. They ran off, headed in the same direction as the white streak. Lancaster followed at a meandering pace, pushing the sunglasses from his eyes, hoping that a scuffle wouldn't break out. He squinted -- he was still sensitive to the sun, regardless of how much he loved it.

Tierney
There was minor concern about the other dogs, not that she doubted Stoirm would fail to defend herself. Although she was getting older, and despite her health, she was as energetic as she'd been as a pup. Tierney threw the ball of snow, Stoirm returning only to run past her causing the ginger to smirk. "Menace." She called. When the two dogs drew closer, Tierney lifted her hand out to allow them to sniff her before they took off after her own. She lifted her head, then, to greet the man with them as he drew closer before her lips parted and words failed to come out. 'Vampires can't be out in the sun.' Her brain screamed at her, but she didn't pay it any mind as she felt gobsmacked. She waited until he was close enough and then lifted her hands, thrusting out her palms and sending a wave of heat in his direction. No hesitation, no warning. She didn't play around, not with the undead.

Lancaster
Lancaster was a sociable guy. He started conversations with people on the street as if he'd known them forever; and it wasn't always small talk, either. In fact, he mostly deplored small talk, and instead went straight for the heavy hitting stuff. He'd been ready to strike up such conversation with the red-head who appeared to be the owner of the white streak -- whom his own dogs seemed only willing to play with, rather than grapple with -- when he was hit by a blast of heat. Fire? Had to be something akin to fire the way it burned -- it burned through cloth and set his scarf on fire, it reached his skin and the scent of barbecued flesh reached his nose. He screamed and went down, the snow at least might provide reprieve. This... this was not something that would heal. He no longer had that power. Was he going to die here in the park? An unhappy ending after he'd only just been mesmerised by the beauty of life. "...stop!" he shouted, still groaning in quiet agony, trying his best to fling still-burning cloth from his body and burning his fingers in the process.

Tierney
Anger surged through Tierney's form as she heard the shout, her hand going to where her favored Beretta was kept underneath her jacket as she pulled it out and thumbed off the safety. "You didn't stop when you attacked me or the man you nearly killed a few days ago." As she spoke, Tierney took aim. She considered hitting him again with the heat, but when she took in the burning flesh, she hesitated. Had it ever been like that before with a vampire? Her eyebrows furrowed as she set the muzzle towards his chest. "Who the **** are you and why the **** did you attack me?" Her gaze took in the injuries. It was different, it was... wrong. This was the man who had attacked her, though. She was positive of it. She'd memorized his face in the security feed.

Lancaster
"****," Lancaster cursed. No help was going to come from this woman. Why should it? He'd finally dropped and rolled himself in the snow, though it was too late. The damage was done. She had a gun aimed in his direction and he squeezed his eyes shut. He almost wished he believed in a God so that he could pray right about now, but it would do no good. He was on his knees, head bowed, burnt palms held up in surrender. He was unarmed, and meant no one any harm. That was the irony of it, in the end. It was like his Hyde had been cut out and set free; Lancaster had never wanted to hurt anyone, and had hated that he'd been so good at it. "It wasn't me! It... he looked... looked like me but it wasn't..." he struggled to suck in air. "It wasn't me!"

Tierney
Tierney waited, her handgun still trained on the man as she considered it. The injuries were severe, she knew it, but rather than do something about it, she looked him over. 'The wounds are worse on him than they would be a vampire. Some would be healing by now.' She thought, taking note of some of the smaller, surface burns. Nothing was healing. She'd just attacked a human. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she stepped closer, keeping her aim steady. Stoirm and the other two dogs were barking, but playing. Where Tierney was the aggressor, her pet was choosing to play. "It was a damn near perfect copy then." She snarled, but reached down and healed the damage she did. "Get up, slowly." She stepped back, her freehand curling around the grip of her firearm as she waited.

Lancaster
Lancaster hadn't thought ahead to how badly he was burned or maimed he would look once he was healed; the agony was so absolute that he couldn't figure out where it was coming from, or how spread out the burn was. He could feel it when he talked, like he'd breathed it in and it had scorched the back of his throat. He could feel it when he moved, the discomfort of the denim of his jeans melted into burnt sinew and muscle. Until... it eased. He hadn't even felt her touch, but he soon became aware of the consequence. A healing touch. Thank ****. He let out a breath, and then another. The air billowed from his lips, hot in the chilled atmosphere. He hummed his relief, only slowly blinking his eyes open as he was told to slowly get up. "I think I'd really prefer to just... stay here for a second," he said. He rolled onto his back, sucking in sweet, life-giving air. The fact of his mortality, so frail and flimsy, was slowly setting in -- and he wasn't sure he had it in him to stand just yet.

Tierney
"I'd prefer not to have a rip in my shoulder, but we can't get all what we want." In the back of her mind, she was reminded that she needed to ease herself back on sarcasm and focus on being personable. This was why she preferred the internet, her hacking. She didn't mind leaving the attacking to those who were more physically inclined to do it. "The guy who attacked me, I take it I'm not his first injured that's come looking for payback?" She

Tierney
questioned, finally tucking her gun back away.

Lancaster
"No," Lancaster said, tipping his head back to watch the woman who still regarded him warily, weapon still aimed in his direction. He wasn't out of the woods yet. If he told her that he couldn't lie, would she even believe him? He knew, also, that his voice still retained some power; there were a small scratching of abilities he'd kept -- harmless, they were, but helpful in most ways. When he spoke, he was as sincere as he was ever going to get. "I myself am not immune to his rage. I'm not spared," he said. Adrenaline still surged through his veins, but once it died down he'd no doubt start to feel the cold, what with all that flesh now exposed to the atmosphere. "I'm guessing you're not a stranger to the uhm... goings on in this city?"

Tierney
"Far from it." She said, the snarl fading to a scowl as Tierney ran a hand through her curly hair. "I should probably buy you a coffee and a shirt given frostbite isn't pleasant." She looked towards Stoirm as she pounced on one of the other dogs and the second chased her. "I know that vampires are in Harper Rock. I know they've returned after ages of not being here." She flicked her safety back on, her arms folding in front of her chest as she stared down at the man she'd nearly killed. Although she was apologetic, it didn't show. Her expression was blank as she considered that there was a vampiric copy of the man running around. "First the damn evidence hacks and now this. What sort of loopy land have I stepped back into?" She muttered to herself.

Lancaster
"Evidence hacks?" Elliot asked. He wasn't much of a hacker himself, and in the last few months, years, even, as a vampire, he'd mostly been alone. He hadn't talked to many about the politics of the city, about the underground workings of it. It was a right place at the right time kind of scenario was far as the cure was concerned -- it was one thing he'd actually leaped into action for. He sat up, now, having gathered enough of his wits to do so. It also helped to no longer have a gun aimed his way. "It's a good story, I promise..." he said. He wasn't about to say no to the coffee. He stood, and let loose a wolf whistle to try to summon the dogs back to his side.

Tierney
"There's evidence hacks, and then there's email fragments to which I'm referring to." She said, a sharp whistle of her own being given to which Stoirm responded to without question. "The 'evidence' I refer to being that the government is full of **** not knowing about his kind and trying to mend the issue instead of killing them all." Tierney, truthfully, didn't feel there was need for vampires to die once they were cured. She didn't like people, she didn't bother lying about it either, but she didn't think they needed to die. Both species were considerably stupid, if it came down to it - hers and theirs. She just hunted them. "I've got time and cash. There's a decent coffee shop down the road I go to often enough."

Lancaster
To that, Lancaster frowned. The dogs rushed his feet, their noses prodding at his destroyed clothing, curious about the smell of cooked flesh that still clung to the remnants of attire. He managed to get one clipped to a lead but the other lead, unfortunately, had been ruined in the fire. He tied what was left of it to the collar and would just have to hold on tight. "It's going to be a very short conversation if you continue to have that attitude," he said, gruffly. "His kind...? Yeah, okay. Probably best if they're gone for good but not all vampires are the same. To say that they all should be eradicated it like Hitler trying to eradicate the Jews," he said. Harsh, but true.

Tierney
"I never said they were all the same, but I've been attacked enough to know I don't particularly like them." She said, looking at the lead and then offering Stoirm's out to him. "She'll listen. Use this." The white dog leaned into her side as she scratched at her back, "However, if you take into consideration the amount of careless deaths and the high amount of murders that have gone in this city, one could say they do the same to humans." Tierney worked near the river, she knew there were heads floating around there - she'd seen fishermen pull them up. "And regardless of human on human violence, it's still a contributing factor. And a significant one at that."

Lancaster
Lancaster held out a hand to wave away the offered lead. Though the two dogs were not his, he knew they would behave themselves. And he had a good enough hold on the one with the broken lead -- it was a mind over matter thing with dogs, really. She'd feel the tug of something at her neck and assume she was as strongly tethered as before. "What's still a contributing factor? I'm confused," he said. "My point is, if you stopped to talk to them before you attacked, you'd find that there are plenty of vampires out there who'd sacrifice anything for a cure. The violence in this city has nothing to do with point of view," he said. He began to walk, though wasn't really sure of the direction.

Tierney
"Vampires killing humans lifting the murder rate of the city." Tierney said, keeping Stoirm without the lead as she tucked it away. At the mention of the cure, Tierney glanced at him, "What do you know of it?" She asked, before she gave a shake of her head, "The emails I've searched through reference it. The government couldn't even keep track of all of their subjects, let alone possibly create something that fails to have any severe symptoms." She was very aware of how emails could be altered, manipulated and changed. "Which creates the entire concept of a cure moot if one considers it. People can be good or bad, vampires can be good or bad." Her father and friends would likely shoot her for saying as much, her hand reaching out to direct the man in the proper direction before following suit, Stoirm happily trotting beside her, "And you can't exactly stop and talk to someone unwilling to talk. The one I mistook you for was far from wanting to talk so much as rip me to pieces. He did rip my employee to pieces."

Lancaster
Lancaster scoffed, then grunted. Whatever he could deny, one thing was still for sure -- that thing that was out there, ripping people to pieces, was all Lancaster's fault. If he'd not stuck it out, if he'd not taken that cure and suffered through to the bitter end, that creature wouldn't be out there. "Yeah. I know about it," he said. "The cure? It's not all sunshine and roses," he added, at which point a violent shudder wracked his limbs. The adrenaline was gone. The cold was setting in. "Look, I gotta go home. Shower, put on some clothes that'll actually keep me warm. If you really want to know the whole story, meet me later. Lancaster's. Do you know it?" he asked, stopping on the path. Where he'd been so happy-go-lucky only ten minutes before, now he wasn't particularly in the mood to chat.

Tierney
Tierney eyed the man as she stopped before giving a nod of her head. She'd heard of the bar through the grapevine, been by it a few times. She'd been more of one to stick to her computer rather than go to large outings, but a story intrigued her. "I know it, yes. I'll be there." She watched Stoirm perk up as she spotted a bird to which Tierney flicked at one of her ears for. "I can meet you there late on this evening."




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This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat in the The 8th Dimension Mall area. Participants and rewards were: Lancaster earned 2475 RPP. Tierney earned 2318 RPP.

PsychoCliff
PsychoCliff quit

Lancaster
The confrontation in the park wasn't ideal, but Lancaster was beginning to think that he was going to have to get used to them. The dogs were returned to their home and Lancaster returned to the pub; he told those working that he had a meeting, and reserved one of the booths in the back -- one of the quieter ones. He'd wait for ... he realised, then, that they had not exchanged names. He'd been too flustered, too distracted by the fact he'd nearly been killed while out walking dogs. He'd hoped for a normal life again, but that wasn't going to happen, was it? With a sigh, he folded into the booth, head in his hands while he waited.

Tierney
It hadn't been one of Tierney's finest moments, nearly barbequing a man in the park. But, in her defense, she'd been attacked by what, his evil doppelganger? She didn't linger long as she left Stoirm with her mother, the woman looking at her with a curious expression as her daughter only collected her tablet and keyboard. "I'm going out again." She said, not waiting for an answer after catching a sight of her mother's bandaged arm. She didn't want to talk to her. Not now, anyway, after she'd allowed herself to be fed on again. The journey to Lancaster's wasn't too long out as she left Swansdale, entering the bar with minor reluctance. Rather than allow her hand to cover over the butt of her gun, she looked for the strange man whom she'd nearly killed. When she found him, Tierney asked, "Did you prefer a more public place in case I tried to murder you again?"

Lancaster
Questions had been asked about Lancaster's attire, of course. What on earth could have burnt his clothes but not his skin?! He mumbled nothing words as an answer and waved away the questions; he couldn't lie, and he wasn't going to tell the truth. He'd gone upstairs and changed into a pair of jeans and a single-layered shirt, plaid, red, now rolled up to the elbows. He didn't plan on going out again, now. There was no point putting on a jacket. It didn't take long before the woman showed up, and when Lancaster turned his face up to look at her, his eyes were bloodshot and tired. Now he was starting to look his age. He proffered a hand. "Maybe. Elliot Lancaster," he offered his name. "Do you want a drink before we get started...?"

Tierney
"I wouldn't have healed you if that were my intention." It was meant to sound uplifting, but Tierney had issues when it came to being forward, her gaze going to the hand before she took it a moment later, "You own the bar. Tierney Savage." Her father had mentioned it every now and then. He'd mentioned it had been rumored to be owned by a vampire, but at least she'd be able to tell her father that no, it was not. She'd nearly killed him. "Domaine Carneros Sparkling Wine, if you have it, would be fine." She removed her jacket, red hair tumbling over her shoulders as she set up her tablet and set it off to the side for now. "If not, Parducci is fine or anything the house favors." She didn't have a preference of flavor, and in reality, those were simply her favorite brands. She liked organics, but they weren't absolute when it came to specific things. Alcohol was rarely something she spent enough time sampling in her household.

Lancaster
Lancaster nodded and slid from the booth. He didn't wait at the bar to make the orders, simply moved behind it. He grabbed two glasses and, though they didn't stock the Domaine, they did have Parducci. He poured one for Tierney, and one for himself. Back at the table, he placed one glass before Tierney and slid into the booth. His body ached; his bones creaked. Part of being alive, he guessed -- he'd have to start swimming again. "Right. So where do we start?" he asked.

Tierney
Her eyes followed after the man, the need for a pen and paper significant. Instead, Tierney set her tablet down on the table and began to type out small things about their earlier encounter. She was keeping notes, that much obvious before she pulled her collection of emails. Afterwards, she turned it entirely to face the man to see. "You mentioned the cure isn't all sunshine and roses. What do you know about it?" The tablet was pushed forward. Information for information. "I've been gathering these for months now, it's not everything as I haven't bothered to update anything past my hard copy."

Lancaster
Lancaster's eyes dropped to the tablet, squinting so that he could read it. A sigh forced from his nose as he rubbed at his temple, the words seeming ludicrous to him. These... fragments that were so at odds with Lancaster's own experiences. Was this before the cure had been stolen, or afterwards? Was Lancaster himself one of these test subjects? He skimmed, mostly. "I'd love a copy of these, if possible," he said. He could look at them properly later. "I don't know what that 'rare' side effect is they're talking about, but that evil twin? That's a side effect. About the only one I've experienced, so far," he said, pushing the tablet back toward Tierney with two fingers. He watched her carefully, waiting for her reaction.

Tierney
"That explains the reaction from earlier when I said their kind. You're still struggling on the separation." It was a guess that she worded as a statement. The cure was real. A cured vampire was sitting in front of her. "I can send you a copy of the link I update over time." Her gaze didn't waver despite the thoughts going on in her head. How long, how safe. When did he turn, how old was he? Was the age he sat in front of her accelerated to make up from lost time, or was it natural? "So your evil twin is a vampire, a perfect copy of you where you once were." She folded her arms as she leaned forward, disregarding her glass of wine. "When?" She decided was the best way to go about.

Lancaster
The questions were to be expected; if she didn't ask the questions or suggest theories, Lancaster would wonder if there was something wrong with her. He shook his head. "For one, I'm not struggling with the separation. I have no regrets -- except for the fact my Hyde is running around slaughtering people. It's not even that I'm the one copping the blame, it's... I feel responsible," he mumbled, pushing his fingers through his hair. He'd had no one to really talk about this with. He would talk to anyone who'd listen. They needed to know what the consequences were. Why not make the information public? He was a vampire, he was now cured. Would they believe him, when he said he had a doppelganger running around? "It's like the vampire part of me was sliced out and given its own life," he added. "It was... a couple of months ago, I guess. If there were going to be any worse side effects, I figure I'd have experienced them by now."

Tierney
"Really? I would assume having the other half of you nearly getting you killed is a significant struggle." Her eyebrow lifted before it fell again, but Tierney fell quiet as she began to listen. "If you have this issue, that means the government still allowed the cure to be processed and they still went ahead of testing. There are multiple out there, but one is missing. Subject 25." Tierney tapped her finger against her tablet to make a point. "How does a vampire return to life? They're dead. No heartbeat. No blood coursing through their veins aside from what they consume."

Lancaster
"Oh, of course it's a struggle. It's a pain in the ***. But I know I can defend myself, if I need to. I know what's coming. They do not," he said, referencing the innocents that his Shade regularly attacked. And again, he shook his head. "The government doesn't have the cure. The laboratory was raided. Blown up, right? I was there. It's how I got the cure. I was looking for it. I didn't want it to be destroyed. A paladin got it. Some guy by the name of Gideon," Lancaster said. "I told him about the Shade as soon as I learned of it, so that hopefully he would stop giving out the cure. At least until they'd figured out how to... do it without letting loose a monster."

Tierney
"Some of us are trained for it and yet it still knocks us down." Tierney said as she pulled her shirt aside just enough to reveal the bandage beneath it. "So how do you stop Edward Hyde?" Her jaw shifted slightly before Tierney lifted her hand to collect her wine glass and take a sip. She merely gave a shake of her head and didn't clarify much further on Longslade. However, when the mention of a paladin and Gideon came to light, Tierney was glad that she swallowed beforehand. Otherwise, she would have choked. "Gideon. Brown hair, occasionally looks as if he could use a shower or two?" Could it have been under her nose this entire time? There weren't many she'd seen in the city with the name. Tierney hacked enough systems, too, to know where to find it.

Lancaster
"Er, longish brown hair? That'd be the guy," he said, eyeing Tierney curiously. If she was a Paladin it was no skin off Lancaster's back. He was no longer a vampire, and thus should not be in danger. Though he'd want to have a long, hard discussion with Tierney about the specifics of vamprism. Namely, leave them the **** alone because they're not all bad people. "To answer your question? Clearly I haven't stopped him yet. He takes a swipe at me more often than not and disappears before I can get a hold of him. And the other question? I don't know the science of how vampires come back to life. It differs between paths. I always just ended up somewhere random close to the rift, naked as the day I was born."

Tierney
"That... mm." She kept her comments to herself. It was clear there was an inward struggle as the sorcerer pulled up her sleeves and began to tap at her tablet screen. The notes made were simple and likely would later make sense only to the hacker. "That's what he did to my employee. Popped in, ripped him apart. I tried to heal my man, I was attacked. I didn't even get a shot off." She stopped talking as she heard him say paths, her curiosity in place. "Interesting."

Lancaster
"Yeah, no. I'll answer questions about the cure but if you want to know all about vampires in order to have some upper hand, I'm giving you nothing," he said, leaning back in the booth and taking a swig of the wine. Wine, he had to remember he was drinking wine and not beer. It was bitter as he swallowed, but it provided a little calm and clarity. "I'm sorry about your employee. Does he have family? Do they ah... need anything?" he asked. He didn't know who all the victims were, and nor could he honestly give them all what they needed. He'd have nothing left. "If you find out anything else, any way to... stop it, I want to know," he said. He'd wanted to know ever since he'd found out, but hadn't known where to start, or who he could go to.

Tierney
"I wasn't going to ask about vampires." She said as she continued typing, "I have enough tricks up my sleeve to get answers if I want them. I don't feel the need." Her hair fell over her shoulder before she frowned, leaning back. "He had a daughter whom my parents have taken in for now while they look for her mother." Tierney collected her wine once more, crossing her leg underneath herself. "Well, logically it is still a vampire. Trap it, kill it would be the best bet, however, at the same aspect, it will still return." Her hand went to her shirt as she properly rearranged it to her blouse.

Lancaster
"Oh, God," Lancaster groaned. A daughter that was now without parents. Lancaster felt the loss keenly as if he'd been the one to have killed the father. Logically, he knew that he shouldn't think that way. He had no idea this was going to happen when he took the cure. He couldn't have even imagined that by trying to cure himself of darkness, he'd condemn countless others to death at the hands of a vengeful maniac. Lancaster rubbed at his face with his hands even while he nodded. "Exactly. Killing it won't do anything except make it angrier. It has to be trapped, I guess," he said.

Tierney
"She's surrounded by people who cares for her, Elliot. She's young, she'll know her father died protecting a friend. It won't hinder the wound, but it'll help her accept it." Her green eyes studied the man in front of her. For a former vampire, he felt guilt. She could see it in the way he took the death of a father. "He knew there was a chance one day, just as I do. Sorcerers, Paladin, Blood thieves. We accept it." She took a sip from her wine and stared down into the glass. "Shock cages, perhaps on a massive scale?"

Lancaster
Lancaster shook his head, but he said nothing else about it. How many children had lost parents in this city? How many parents had lost children? And here Lancaster was, happy to be human. Happy to be able to try, in time, with the right person, for children of his own. Why would he bring them into this world? Just to accept that one day he might die and leave them fatherless? He cleared his throat and focused on the latter subject. "Maybe. But it's not like he sticks to a schedule. And he's not stupid. From what I've seen of him, he's... he's me. As I was. As lucid as I was, as powerful and skilled as I was. Just... angry. So angry," he said, shaking his head. "That kind of rage... I think he'd exhaust the shock cages before long."

Tierney
"If he's you and he's angry, that simply means you're going to have to outsmart yourself as if you were darker." It sounded so simple, Tierney was aware of that, but sometimes the best answer was in front of them. She gave a frown as she considered it all. She tried to think about what all would be done. It was possible exhausting the shock cages would certainly happen. But what if they were maintained, reinforced and strengthened? She needed to look for what the scientists used to contain the test subjects that didn't cooperate. Hadn't she seen some in there that were mentioned in the emails? "It's possible, but it could slow him down."

Lancaster
"Yeah, that it could," he said. He didn't want to shoot down every possibility before they'd even tried it. They, he thought. Were they even a 'they'? It was possible Lancaster was in this alone; he'd have to figure it out on his own. Where could he even get shock cages? Should he set them up upstairs, in the loft? Maybe he should hole himself up as bait for a few nights, a week even. Get food, water. Books. Eventually, he would come. He even laughed a little. "That's kind of funny, you know. Outsmart him as if I were darker? That's not how it goes. He has all the darkness in him, and left none behind for me. Just the... guilt and the shame. He's got none of that."

Tierney
Tierney leaned forward as she listened to him. A shake of her head given shortly before she spoke, "Vampires are human, correct? Emotions, senses heightened? Darkness, regardless, still remains within you. You still will have to outsmart him, even if it isn't there." Her lips still remained in a frown, "Because if he is you, then you are him. Yet he is driven to kill. And if he attacks you, perhaps he is driven to kill the one whom created him."

Lancaster
"Then he should have killed me already," Lancaster said. He was human again, and he didn't have the power that he used to. He was drawn to the wilderness, to the fae -- he was still here. Maybe it would be worth looking for a sorcerer, someone to help him regain a little power, something more to defend himself with. Himself, and those he chose to get close to. And Lancaster could have defended himself, could have denied everything, but she was right. He nodded. "I recognise him, that's for sure. I recognise that piece that was inside of me. How... easy violence was. How good I could be at it. It was never intentional, mind. And that's what you have to remember, okay? Vampires... they're just human trying to deal with this thing they've been given, this darkness that can be hard to control," he said, leaning forward, his hands flat on the table.

Tierney
"Are you sure he can, or has wanted to? He could be toying with you. Like a cat batting at a mouse, mocking you." She took another sip from her glass and set it down as she listened to him. Tierney tried not to argue as he said that vampires were just human. She'd seen mindless slaughter. She'd been there when her father had pulled heads from the river. Truthfully, Tierney still couldn't stand the smell or sight of fish in the city. She didn't eat it unless she knew it didn't come from the rivers of Harper Rock, nor the lakes. "And what of those who don't care about their humanity? Those who kill without need? You can feed from a human and not end their life, but so many choose to." Tierney thought about her mother and the disgusting habit she had of allowing them to feed on her. Tierney herself had been bitten once, and it had made her so very ill. She slept for days, as if she were allergic to them. "There might be some who are good, but there are too many willing to throw it all away for power. That want to kill us."

Lancaster
To that, Lancaster nodded, too. "You're right, yes. But don't judge all on the actions of a few. Don't shoot first and ask questions later, unless you're certain," he said. "That's all I'm saying," he said, shifting so that he could take another swig of wine -- wine that should be sipped slowly, but was now all gone. If Lancaster wasn't careful, he could turn into an alcoholic. He'd had an issue with alcohol before. That was a hole he'd been dragged from by the roots of his hair. "And that could also be something to think about. I didn't... I mean it didn't occur to me. Maybe he can't. Maybe he knows something I don't. And maybe I can't kill him, either. Not completely. If we are... each other, I mean. Parts of each other. Maybe neither of us can exist without the other..."

Tierney
Tierney gave a small shake of her head, but the clenched jaw showed that she'd consider it even if she didn't want to. At least, that was the plan for now. Deal with the guilty, the known. The small sorcerer lifted and dropped her shoulders in a shrug. She didn't typically sit inside the circle. After all, she did spent the majority of her time surrounded by plants and computers. She could see patterns and shapes easily, but Tierney still preferred to consider the backdoors. Places that she could get into without noticing. And when it came to strategy, that was the same piece she did. "Wouldn't that mean that being cured is completely moot, not being able to live while the other remains, not being able to die without taking the other with you?" It reminded her of Harry Potter, but Tierney chose to keep it to herself. Sawyer harassed her enough regarding the subject of her computers and plants.

Lancaster
"I don't know. I really don't. As I said, I'm not a scientist and I don't understand how it worked or why. I wish I did. I wish I'd demanded all the paperwork so I could at least learn, figure it out. I wish I'd asked more questions but it honestly... it took weeks. And I was so ******* ill," he said. He recalled some of the **** he'd gone through, the lucid days mixed in with the rest. He'd nearly lost his ******* mind. "I really do hope that when I do die, he'll be coming with me. Sincerely. And even if I knew it'd kill me too, I'd kill him if I could," he said. He had to drive that point home. It didn't matter. He didn't even have to consider the possibility, because it didn't matter.

Tierney
"I'll do some more research. It might be better now that I have a lead to go off of surely past an assumption of it being a possibility." Gideon. She was rather annoyed, really. There'd been a few days where her security systems had been tripped, but she knew it was still buggy. She knew people were still not used to the new systems she'd installed into Longslade. Now, she'd go back and see if she could find some tapes. Find something to link Elliot Lancaster definitively to the testing and the cure. "Theoretically, if it would be under that same concept of killing you would kill him, than when I burnt you senseless, I likely did the same to him." She said as she finished off her wine and ran her hands over her face. "I would like to release all of this, publically. At some point."

Lancaster
The mention of it had Lancaster's eyes widening, his mouth dry. "Yeah okay. Maybe not that bit about... killing me might kill him. We're not sure of that yet, and I'd really prefer to be sure before I commit myself to suicide," he said. Even telling people it could be a possibility was suicide. He'd be dead before sunset tomorrow. "I ah... I'm happy to talk to people. I'd like them to know about the Hyde, about how to stay safe. I'd like other vampires to know, too, somehow. So if they're offered the cure, they don't take it," he said. Though he assumed there were those out there so desperate to be cured, so consumed by their own self worth, that they wouldn't care about the lives they'd put in danger by doing so. "There were some of those emails, too -- it made it sound like there were people out there who'd cure every vampire they found, whether the vampires wanted it or not. They need to know, too. They need to know they'll be condemning this city to death if they were to cure every vampire..."

Tierney
"I wasn't suggesting it. I don't kill people. Note I did heal you once I realized what I had done." Tierney removed her hands from her face and then rolled her good shoulder. A nod of her head was given, understanding. "That would help, I'm sure. There are ways to release videos without having it traced back." She thought of the faction and wondered what they would say. "Also, Gideon and his brother are no longer working with whom I'm connected to. We aren't the good guys, but we are not killers. Even vampire thralls, they're innocent." Tierney didn't like humans very much either, but she much preferred them to vampires. She liked animals and plants above all else. "I plan to release those slowly. Test waters, gain interest slowly. If it doesn't work, I'll likely see about planting a virus within an email and having it open across computer screens."

Lancaster
"Yeah yeah, you've mentioned. I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about everyone else," he said. There were quite a few trigger-happy people in this city. People who attacked him first without asking questions. And not just now, either. It had always been that way, would always be that way. This city was a hotbed of violence, and people reveled in it. "And who is it you're connected to? What's your goal, your aim?" he asked. Who, exactly, was he talking to?

Tierney
"Then keep it to yourself." She shrugged, "At least your suspicions. There's other things that fall within the city." She drummed her nails against the table as she considered it. Should she tell him? "Right now, it's only a few friends and I." Friends, really, was the loose term. Tierney did get along with them all, so far. She knew Sawyer the best, but she'd been getting on with Talia. "My own family, the Savages." She knew it wasn't the best sounding name when one tried to reassure that she wasn't evil. "I don't have a goal or aim, but I've found this information and I felt the strength of your doppelganger first hand. I lost a friend. I don't know about vampires being good, but I have evidence before I do things. I don't think the species should be getting along, but I don't think I need to be causing any trouble for those who decide to. I want the violent vampire out of my city. I want humans to be safe."

Lancaster
"Why would you not want us to get along?" Lancaster asked, a little dumbfounded. The information he'd been given hadn't been much; there surely wasn't an invitation, though he was starting to wonder whether he should do some research and try to gather a group of his own. He'd had a group, once. A family. Where were they all, now? Unaffected by his change, he knew. Otherwise... "There are people who sell blood packs on the black market. They used to be cheaper, but now they cost a fortune. Some people can't afford them. If humans are afraid of vampires, it's harder for them to get what they need to survive. It creates resentment and breeds violence. If there was some semblance of peace, if humans helped vampires, that's one less vampire who's lost control because they're starving," he said, impassioned.

Tierney
"Because I don't even trust the majority of humans, let alone vampires." She answered honestly. "I'm studying to be a botanist. When humans don't take care of the world they live in, the ecosystems are the first to be destroyed." She scratched at the side of her nose. "I understand what you're saying. I do. It's just... difficult."

Lancaster
"Yeah, right," he said. The conversation wasn't really going anywhere. She understood, but did she really? He could see where she was coming from. Most humans were opportunists. They were not good people. Those not-good people were turned into vampires and they became worse. It was a vicious circle, and only the underdogs wanted to make it right. Most were intent on destruction and death, as if that would fix everything. Lancaster glanced up at the bar; it was getting later, and thus busier. The noise around them had increased as people drifted in after their shifts. Happy hour. "I need to be getting back to work. If you have any other questions, you know where to find me," he said. "And ah... link me to anything you put out there, yeah? Maybe I'll add my own two cents..."

Tierney
Tierney's gaze drifted to the people increasing in the bar and her nerves were starting to rattle. She didn't like crowds. It was a bit of a relief when he said he needed to get back to work and she gave a nod of her head. "I'll bring you a hard copy and a soft copy of everything I gather later on after I transfer it. If you're ever around Wishbone's Apothecary, I'm usually the one who opens in the morning." Tierney gathered her things, collecting what she'd brought with her. "Thank you, Elliot. For discussing it all with me."

Lancaster
"Thank you, Tierney, for not killing me," he said with half a mirthless smirk. He stood, ready to collect the glasses before he returned to the bar. He had no idea why he would need to go to an apothecary, but it was good to know where she'd be if needed. "Please pass on the word that the guy who works at Lancaster's bar is... not the droid they're looking for..." he added.

Tierney
"I'll be doing so. And I'll see about creating something that will... pause our mutual enemy, if I can." She said with a smirk of her own, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the reference.




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