Racing the Storm

Nick22 · **Reply #840 on:** January 26, 2015, 02:19:56 AM

I'll come along " Marita said as she grabbed her belongings from the truck, and began following Tony. ' Should be near the river, right?' she asked.
-
marie and rose grabbed their supplied and headed safter vErgil, a drink sounded nice after the length cab ride ' so what kind of drinks do they serve in this part of Egypt, Vergil?' Rose asked as she carried her knapsack on her back.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #841 on:** January 27, 2015, 03:22:51 AM

Flora shook her head. "I--uh, think I'll stay with the group," she smiled, feeling jumpy.

Emilena laid a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "It's okay," she consoled. "This isn't Titus Desert. Nothing that bad is going to happen."

"But aren't we like...raiding a secret fortress or something?" Flora shuddered. Ever since Titus she could never feel comfortable in the desert.

"Yeah, but there's no way its going to be as bad as Titus." Emilena dropped her suitcase in front of Flora. "Though if you insist, carry my stuff. I'm going with the boat group."

(OOC: Do the characters have weaponry?)

bushwacked · **Reply #842 on:** January 27, 2015, 07:13:54 AM

Axel stretched as he climbed out of the taxi, working out the knots that had started to work their way up his back. He took a gulp of fresh air - after a long journey cooped up in the back of a taxi, with a window that refused to wind down and a driver for whom personal hygiene was a myth, the rat had been on the point of suffocation.

Feeling a little better, Axel waved a hand quickly to Tony as he walked down towards the waterfront. "Yeah, I'll come." Heaving the strap of his bag over one shoulder, he fired a disgruntled look at the driver, who reciprocated with a bored roll of the eyes, and set off after the ferret. Axel slowed as he neared Emilena, who was also heading in the same direction. "Hey, uh... I didn't get a chance to say before but... thanks for trying to help Lily and me with..." He shrugged. "Even if it didn't exactly go to plan."

Rio watched Emilena and Axel following Tony, then looked up at Flora, shielding his eyes against the sun's glare. The folf didn't exactly seem happy. What the hell happened in Titus? "Don't worry about it," he started, shrugging on his Captain Super Man backpack - he'd had almost nothing to bring along - and making for the bar. "We can just..." Getting closer, he noticed a sign hanging above the bar's doorway. Beneath the arabic, 'No sell to under 18' was written in english. Rio swore loudly. "Oh goddammit!"

"Shut up," Triste hissed, her eyes flicking around, scanning the crowd that was flowing in the streets around them. It had been too easy for Veranus to follow them before, and because of that they'd almost lost everything. She was determined not to let that happen again. At Vergil's side, she quickly examined the faces of the patrons sat around as they entered the bar. A few looked up, disinterestedly noting the new arrivals, but none seemed to be taking any particular notice of them.

Serris · **Reply #843 on:** January 28, 2015, 02:30:21 AM

(Egypt)

Anne adjusted her sunglasses. The smell of tobacco still lingered in her coat and nostrils thanks to a driver who seemed to be constantly smoking. Her steel horseshoes remained but her brass knuckles were concealed inside her pants pockets. Uncharacteristically, she carried a small purse.

"Never thought I'd see you carrying something that a filly would carry." Soren cracked a smile as he nibbled on catfish kebab.

Anne's ears flattened and she gave the finger to the Human. She noticed several billboards advertising numerous algal oil industries as well as fish farms -- Egypt had become a major algae oil and fish farming country thanks to its vast amounts of open space, brackish water and copious amounts of sunlight.

--------------

(Corona)

Marion waited outside Mace's office. Her prostheses had been replaced as had her flying frame. She scowled as she looked at a picture of the city's skyline of gleaming steel and glass towers.

The Human simply could not believe this. She had important information to relay to Mace and the secretary had scheduled her in for an appointment...five days later. She stared at the disinterested Gila Monster and gritted her teeth. That fucking pencil pusher had just gotten some valuable intel outdated!

She knocked on the ornate wooden door again.

Pterano · **Reply #844 on:** February 02, 2015, 08:58:17 PM

((Sorry guys... I'm really depressed... and I can't write effectively when I'm depressed. I'll try to post more frequently.))

Tony waited for those accompanying to grab their stuff, and he began walking down to the waterfront. He was told he could rent fast, reasonably priced (for him) and relatively well equipped boats. "Yeah." Tony nodded to Marita's question, and glanced about, shoving a hand in his pocket as he carried his bag over his shoulder.

"Hmmm?" he asked, glancing over at Axel now. Even in the relatively comfortable weather of this part of the world, he wore his flat cap, and smiled as the rat elaborated. "Oh hey... yeah... no problem. I mean I'll always try to look out for you guys... regardless of whatever present company may think or feel." He shrugged here.

"I mean come on... you were like... the first one in that group to even show me trust or kindness so... I haven't forgotten that." he stated, his eyes moving from the rat to down to the waterfront, scanning the boat selections they had. Whistling as he saw several yachts bobbing up and down along the quays, the ferret nodded.

"I'm all for that one." he said, pointing out a rakish looking white and silver yacht with wood paneling on the floors. Tony figured her to be about 75 feet long. There were plenty others like it on the river, some bigger than that one, and so they'd blend right in. A sign out front read it was for rent, or sale, if the buyer was interested enough. "Whaddya think?"

Vergil noted Triste's caution, but figured it was all right... he didn't sense Varanus after all, and that was a good sign. He had learned to pick up on him the last time they'd encountered one another, and he was ever presently searching for that.

Looking at Triste as he headed inside, Vergil figured on asking her what had been on his mind awhile now. "You know... I don't think I ever found this out but... had you ever met Rex before? Any read on what he was like before... well you know... ever serve with him, or... well you lived in his time... both when he was fighting the Alliance and later on when he rebelled. Thoughts on him as a leader? Any indication of why he might've turned traitor?" Vergil inquired.

"It's just I'm still curious... I feel if I come to understand him... understand how he operated... then maybe I could understand... everything. More about myself and this mission... and why Rex was after that ship in the first place."

"As for what they drink here..." he turned to face Rose. "Your guess is as good as mine. Tropic stuff? Egyptian stuff? Haven't the slightest idea." he chuckled.

"Mr. Sardolemuel will see you now." the receptionist told Marion, and nodded for her to go inside.

Serris · **Reply #845 on:** February 04, 2015, 03:48:30 PM

(Egypt)

Soren nodded. An algal oil tanker with Arabic writing on it motored past them on the river. He pondered something. Algal oil tankers were enormous and inconspicuous...could Varanus hide something within a tanker?

"Looks good to me," he said.

Anne smiled. "Yeah! We can go for a river cruise at the same time.

--------------

(Corona)

Marion entered the luxurious office and took a seat in the plush seal leather chair. She took out a small memory card and placed it on the table.

"Five days ago, I spotted the same Human and Shetland Pony Augment that I had previously seen in Bolivia accompanying Vergil. I spotted them at Big Wong's Authentic Cantonese Cuisine -- a known Triad meeting place. This memory card contains pictures of them. Right now, I do not know of their whereabouts."

bushwacked · **Reply #846 on:** February 05, 2015, 07:34:40 AM

Axel gazed longingly at a large boat with a large, powerful (and probably incredibly loud) engine fitted, and adorned with bright red racing stripes along the side of the craft. At Tony's suggestion he tore his eyes away. "Yeah, that's, ah... probably the safer option." Another time...

Looking around, Axel spotted a small wooden shelter a small distance up the waterfront. "I guess that's where you pay," he said, pointing as he started to make his way over. As he got closer, he could see that the shelter was entirely filled up by a rather overweight man who'd managed to squeeze his considerable bulk into the small space. Two beady eyes gleamed in the shade offered by the structure as the man stared at the rat who walked over and stopped in front of him.

"Hi," Axel smiled. "How much to take that boat out? The one over there?"

The mass in the shelter growled in arabic and spat a glob a phlegm between Axel's feet.

Axel's smile vanished, and he took a hasty step back. "Ah..."

--------------------------------------------------

"I never actually served with Rex, no," Triste said, taking a seat at a table that would let them see the entrance of the bar - and anyone coming in. "But I knew of him while he was still in the Federation. As a leader he was... gifted. He knew how to make people listen to him. Follow his orders. Believe in him. And he was extremely intelligent." She fixed her eyes on Vergil. "That's what made him so dangerous when he went rogue. As for why he went rogue in the first place... well, we never determined the exact reason."

Triste paused as a patron walked past, her eyes tracking him until he walked out the door and turned out of sight. "He had his own ideas about how the Federation should operate. And when you combine that with his drive to always succeed then..." She sighed. "Maybe it was inevitable."

Pterano · **Reply #847 on:** February 07, 2015, 01:48:12 PM

"Yeah that's right... believe me I plan to ENJOY this cruise while it lasts." Tony agreed with Anne, nodding his head and smiling. "Cause it looks like we got at least an hour before we reach our destination if not more, depending on how long it takes to the clear the dams and such."

He noticed Axel practically get verbally slapped by the thick Arabic the rotund man who looked like he belonged in some back street deli was using. "All right hold on... I'll handle this..." Tony stepped forward, and began yammering in the same tongue the corpulent guy was using, the two exchanging seemingly heated words, but finally, after a moment or two, the man seemed to acquiesce after Tony flashed some credits in his face. Taking the payment, he nodded and handed the ferret proof of rental and a receipt.

"Right!" He grinned, walking back to them now. "Managed to get a good deal. Bartering is the norm in these parts, and you never pay full price for anything if you know what you're doing. So according to this..." he glanced at the sheet of paper. "It looks like... keys are in a safe in the cabin... combination is on this paper." he tapped it with his claw.

Vergil nodded slowly. "Yeah... I can see that then. I wonder what he and Kalis saw when they went to go finish off the Alliance... what made them change their mind? They weren't really joining the Alliance but... well I suppose it doesn't matter. What they did was ultimately wrong and cost a lot of lives. No denying that." he stated, watching the door as well before shifting his orange eyes back to her.

"So... would you allow me to buy you a drink?" he asked.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #848 on:** February 07, 2015, 03:33:22 PM

Upon noticing that Tony had solved the language barrier, Flora sadly put the auto-translating megaphone back into her bag and Emilena breathed a sigh of relief. "Great, let's get the hell out of dodge. The quicker we're on the water the fewer eyewitnesses we leave behind."

She folded her arms. "Where did our useless teammates get off to now?"

Nick22 · **Reply #849 on:** February 07, 2015, 06:28:43 PM

Good that you Speak Arabic, Tony, because mine is virtually nonexistent " Marita said ":Don;t do much business with that part of the world. looking over at Flora she motioned to her.'come have a seat with me Flora.
_
Rose bought four bottles of beer Marked 'Stella' , and had Marie hold three of them as they headed towards a open table, close to where Vergil and Trieste were. ' we're saving a couple for Marita." Rose explained ' didnt know alcohol was allowed here' Marie said looking at the bottle " they've been making beer here for thousands of years ' Rose said opening up a country guide and flipping through it ' since the days of the pyramids, if not longer. " The Pyramids, sole surviving wonder of the ancient world, still towered over the desert.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #850 on:** February 08, 2015, 07:47:19 PM

"Oh, did you buy alcohol?" Flora scampered forward. "Sweet! I love going to foreign countries because they never realize I'm underage!"

Indeed the bartender didn't seem to speak English, or at minimum he didn't bat an eye as Flora grabbed the Stella and sniffed it. She wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue. "Ew. I was spoiled by those African Cocktails. Well, I can fix this." She fished a travel bottle of cough syrup out of her back pocket. "You bought the drink, so I'll supply the drank." She started pouring it into Marita's beer. "This'll make that potable potent."

Emilena clicked her tongue. "Could we, like, take the boat for a test run?" she asked the other teammates on the dock. "And pick up the waypoint while we're at it? We can retrieve the others on the trip home."

Nick22 · **Reply #851 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:41:47 PM

we'll go then ' marita said, and climbed aboard the boat as Flora spiked her drink with the syrup. " No drinking Flora Until we reach the end of the trip' she said. now get on board, and we'll try this craft out. Tony, naturally will be driving " She smiled at Tony.

bushwacked · **Reply #852 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:46:32 PM

Axel had a quick look at the paper Tony was showing them, then nodded. "Alright, let's get the keys then get our asses in gear." At Emilena's suggestion, he bit his lip. "We need Vergil to make the waypoint... thing... work, but maybe one of us could head over to the bar and get the others, while the rest of us get the keys." He shrugged. "It'd save us time."

From the side, Rio raised his hand. "I'll go." He'd been eyeing the box of credits that the large man in the shelter was holding as carefully and watchfully as if it were a newborn baby. Upon careful consideration, he'd decided the risk of accidentally getting wedged in one of the man's many folds was too high. "I get to drive the boat for a bit, though, right?"

"Ah... yeah. Sure. Tell them to meet us back here." Pleased by Axel's affirmation, Rio turned and sped away in the distance of the bar, not seeing the rat shake his head and mouth no at the others once the boy had turned around.

--------------------------------------------------

"I'll have a water," Triste said, the corner of her mouth twitching in what passed for a genuine smile. "Need to keep a clear head for what happens next. You three should take it easy too," she warned Marie, Rose and Flora. "We need to be focused for this."

She turned her attention back to Vergil. "So when we get to the waypoint, do you-" She was interrupted by the sounds of a commotion at the entrance, and her head quickly snapped to the side so she could see what was going on. Triste caught a glimpse of a scrawny, tanned kid being plucked up by the scruff of his neck and effortlessly carried out of the bar that he'd just tried to enter by one of the bar's staff.

"No, you don't... goddammit, I know people in here, you prick, just..." Rio struggled helplessly. Just as he was being taken out the door, he caught sight of Vergil and the others. "Hey! We got the boat! We-" Rio didn't get to say anything else as the man flicked him through the doorway and out of the bar like something unpleasant he'd found on his finger.

Triste sighed and started to rise. "Looks like that water's going to have to wait."

Serris · **Reply #853 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:10:26 PM

(Egypt)

Anne let out a sigh of relief as Axel said that Rio would not be piloting the boat. She climbed aboard the gangplank after Soren. At the same time, she had her hands in her pockets, which were concealing her stolen brass knuckles.

Soren sat on a deck chair aboard the ship. He noticed that a hookah sat on a elegant glass table. "So who goes in first?"

The Shetland Pony mare looked at the hookah and smiled.

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(Corona)

Marion looked at Mace. She tried to decipher his nearly unreadable expression. "What are my orders, Sir?"

Pterano · **Reply #854 on:** February 09, 2015, 02:50:57 PM

((Sorry for the somewhat meh post; don't really have a lot of time right now))

"She's standing right in front of me, apparently." Tony said in response to Emilena's question about useless teammates. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought you meant the useless teammate that couldn't escape a castle without Vergil's help, RIIIIIGHT." he said, grinning at her here. Best way to nullify her stupid sarcasm was fire back with intelligent sarcasm. "The teammate that can actually ACTIVATE the waypoint is back at the bar getting a drink, like he already said. But yeah, we'll send someone along to fetch him." He nodded as Rio left, and appeared relieved that no, Rio wasn't driving the boat.

He headed down to the dock with the others, and peered into the big yacht. "I'll go first... get the keys, start her up, and we'll shove off once everyone is here. Shouldn't be much longer anyway... they're usually good about moving..." He headed into a luxurious cabin, with padded chairs, royal blue carpet, and fridge. Opening the fridge with a modicum of curiosity, Tony noted it was empty. "Hmmm... let's put our water bottles in here... we're gonna need 'em later on after all." he stated. "Best keep 'em cold."

Heading to the large safe mounted on a bulkhead, Tony input the numbers, opened it up, and retrieved the keys. "OK got 'em! And yes, I do like the idea of me driving." he said, smiling back at Marita.

Vergil nodded, but was interrupted by Rio coming up to them, promptly getting denied entry, and telling them the boat was ready. He sighed. "Yeah... sorry about that... I'll try and make it up to you somehow." he said, giving Triste a sincerely apologetic look. Standing up, he nodded at the others, and headed for the exit.

"You all right?" he asked Rio, offering to help him to his feet by outstretching his hand. "Lead the way, young squire. We'll be right behind you." he said gamely.

Mace looked at Marion and frowned. "So... do you know what Vergil is actually after? Have you been able to determine his goal? Is he after something called... Torment's Cataract?" he inquired, giving Marion a steely look with his gray eyes now.

Nick22 · **Reply #855 on:** February 09, 2015, 03:56:26 PM

Marita took a seat next to the fridge " Nice digs. Feels almost like a luxury cruise, minus the chattering guests and all you can eat buffet. Did you get in touch with your dad Tony, to let him know you're alright?" she Asked.
_
rose and marie picked up thier bears and followed Vergil and Trieste out of the bar towards the docks. Rose was holding two bottles, Marie just one.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #856 on:** February 10, 2015, 08:19:56 AM

Yesterday there was no possible way Emilena would have allowed a comment like that to fly, especially not from Tony. At minimum she would have acidly reminded him about his track record with fighting ten-year olds, but Lily's warning was still fresh in her mind. Lily wasn't part of the team anymore, but she would no doubt be crossing their paths again, and she had been very clear about what happened if the team considered Emilena a hindrance...so Emilena merely bit her lip and counted silently to ten before boarding the boat.

"Why did you buy alcohol if you weren't even planning on drinking it?" Flora complained loudly, hopping on the boat. Her face brightened when she saw Tony. "Hey! I heard you and Marita were in a relationship; so are we! Wanna have a threesome? You can be on top, that way your masculinity isn't threatened."

Nick22 · **Reply #857 on:** February 10, 2015, 01:26:15 PM

Marita facepalmed at Flora's comments- that girl had no inner filter whatsoever. ' first , Flora. i bought it to drink later, after we found the waypoint. and second, asking Tony for a threeway isnt a good idea.' Marita said shaking her head. ' he might be up for it, he might not, but thats not something you come out and ask a guy in public, to his face."

bushwacked · **Reply #858 on:** February 10, 2015, 03:36:53 PM

"Here it is." Rio signaled towards the boat, then hopped on after Flora. Glancing back at Vergil, he nodded. "Thanks for the hand up back there, man," he said. As he entered the cabin, he caught the end of what Marita was saying and grinned. "If you don't ask him to his face, how the fuck else are you gonna ask him? A letter?" Rio straightened. "I've had millions of threesomes," he boasted, looking down his nose at Marita (although, since she was much taller than him, it was more like looking up his nose at her).

"You don't even know what a threesome is," Axel's voice drifted through a window above the fridge, from where he was examining the boat's engine outside.

Rio started, then pouted. "Yeah! Yeah I do! It's..." He frowned. "... It's when you have sex three times, like, really really fast."

"That's exactly what it is."

Triste shook her head as she sat down in one of the expensive looking chairs and spread out a map on her lap. Tracing the route they'd have to take, she looked up at the others. "The waypoint isn't too far away - it'll take us about an hour... an hour and a half to get there."

"Alright! Just checked the engine - just quickly, anyway - and it seems good to go," Axel announced, stepping into the cabin, his shoes whispering against the carpet as he wiped his hands on the back of his trousers. He saw Tony holding the keys. "Should we set sail, captain?"

Nick22 · **Reply #859 on:** February 10, 2015, 04:24:57 PM

a threesome is when there are 3 people involved in having sex ' Marita said ' and since you are 13, Rio, you are well underage for any sort of sex. an adult is not even supposed to touch you, let alone bang you, at your age. normally I'd not be so frank about such things, but Flora cant keep her thoughts to herself,bless her heart, and you have a mouth that never stops yakking.' She cracked at Rio. she then overheard what Trieste was saying. " so 90 minutes huh. whats the over-under on having 15-20 of those killer robot things there? I mean , there's been more of them at each waypoint, hasn't there? There were 6 at the first one, 9 at the second.. "
_
Rose and Marie Climbed on board and headed over towards the fridge to put their beers away. ' nice digs ' Rose said appreciatively as she took a look around before choosing a seat ' she pulled out some Egyptian coins she had gotten for the beers ' Something to toss into my coin jars at home ' she said ' a couple pounds and few piastres' she added.