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November 28, 1999 |
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Pestilence pauses as she emerges from the subway.
Cisco walks through the alley, his back laden with an enormous pack. He doesn't seem to mind the weight, but pauses to rest or think before going further.
Damen emerges from a subway car.
Pestilence offers bluntly, "You're alive. I'm surprised."
Cisco's voice is low, quiet, "Hello Duanya. I'm sorry about yesterday."
Cisco walks through the alley, his back laden with an enormous pack. He doesn't seem to mind the weight, but pauses to rest or think before going further. He's speaking to Yosannah.
Damen quirks an eyebrow up, he seemed to have been intent on a card in his hand.
Pestilence seems about to say something to Cisco when Damen arrives. She seems only mildly surprised to see him.
Cisco catches sight of Damen, too, and nods to the other man.
Damen tucks his card away, "Well...I wasn't really expecting to have the element of surprise. He turns, regarding Cisco.
Cisco mentally projects ~ Nothing here, nothing but a patch of empty street~ The drone grows, staying soft, but constant, all around Cisco. ~ Nothing here, nothing at all. Nothing of interest, nothing nothing nothing... ~
She moves closer to Cisco as she addresses Damen, "So you're stalking me now. That's mildly funny, Damen."
Damen murmurs, "Yosannah. You and I have some business to attend to." He turns, blinking, and regards Cisco again. "Boyo, my mind is one you want to stay out of ."
Pestilence mocks, "Yes, It is a seriously fucked up mind, isn't it."
Cisco backs the few inches needed to give his over sized back pack a wall to rest on. "I'm sorry, not much control over it, and I don't care to get attacked." He adds what little of a bow he can manage with that pack."Sorry."
Damen nods, "Whatever."
He looks to Yosannah and pulls out an iron collar from within his jacket. "Don't suppose you just want to put this on, do you?"
Cisco glances at Yosannah, "What is this?"
Pestilence reaches into her jacket and retrieves a small gun. "I'd say not. Remember this little thing." She aims the weapon at Damen. "You gave this to her. Thank you." Yosannah offers for Cisco "He's crazy, Cisco. He'll kill us both."
Damen quirks an eyebrow up, "Didn't think you were going to make this easy." He glances at Cisco. "I'll admit...I'm crazy...can't help my genes...but she's possessed."Damen adds, "And I wouldn't touch her...you'll get sick."
Cisco says "Great." He smiles at Damen "Excuse me, the Duanya and I need to talk. Just about everything in this shadow is possessed. I won't touch her and neither will you, please."
"That's right, Damen. Cisco knows what I am" She smirks at Damen, "he's a friend."
Cisco gives Yosannah an odd look. "I'm a friendly hombre'. But I do not presume to know you well, Duanya."
"Shut up Cisco!" She snaps.
Damen smirks, "I wouldn't think of it." He laughs at that, "He's your pawn..." Damen rubs his jaw thoughtfully. "Another time then, "Yosannah...live life to your fullest...it's about to end." His image begins to flicker and then he vanishes.
Pestilence still holds the weapon out to where Damen once stood.
Cisco mentally projects ~ Nothing here, nothing but a patch of empty street~ The drone continues. ~ Nothing here, nothing at all. Nothing of interest, nothing nothing nothing... ~
Cisco asks "May we talk, you and I?"
She turns her head to Cisco. Finally she lowers the gun. "Certainly."
Cisco studies the woman's face. His shoulders hunch enough to slip out of the harness that holds the pack on. "That Dude Malkazil said you were expected here. And so was I. You know what he was talking about?"
Pestilence shakes his head, mildly amused that Cisco seems oblivious to what just happened. "No. Unfortunately I don't. However, I don't believe that man knows what he's talking about."
Cisco says "Did you feel some need to come here?"
Pestilence tucks the gun into her jacket, "I was curious as to whether or not you and your friends survived. The Church was being stormed when I left last night."
Cisco's stance becomes polite, but tense. "The things here don't attack me. So was what he said true, will I become ill if you touch me?"
Pestilence shakes her head. "No. Only if I will it. He wanted to turn you against me."
The back pack makes a fair seat, and Cisco leans back to rest on it. "I been hearing a lot of crazy things from a lot of people here." He shakes his head, "So why would that dude," he nods to the empty spot where Damen had stood, "Want to turn me against you?"
She follows Cisco's gaze, "He hates me and what I am. But you were here. You saved me without knowing it."
Cisco mutters, "Nice of me, hey." He looks back at Pestilence, "My name's Cisco. Francisco Martinez Myrys." He offers a hand, "Pleased to rescue you, Duanya."
Pestilence holds out her hand and clasps his, "I recall your name. Though I don't know why you refer to me that way." Her hand lingers on his, a smirk playing on her lips.
Cisco glances down at their hands, then grasps it for a firm shake. As he draws his own hand back he asks "So what happened in Sacramento?"
Pestilence releases his hand and moves up the alley, expecting him to follow, Sacramento is dead." She offers no further explanation. "I need your help, Cisco."
Cisco glances at his pack, but leaves it where it's resting. He takes a few steps after Yosannah. "Oh? What you mean?"
She stops and turns to face him, "That man, if he comes around again, he'll try to kill me. And now that you've seen what he wants to do, he'll kill you too."
Cisco says "He offered you a collar."
Pestilence nods, "Yes, that's how he plans to kill me."
Cisco says "What does the collar do?"
"I do not know how it's magic works."
Cisco takes a few more steps after Yosannah, closing the distance. "What is his name, and where is he from. I can leave word of his intents with people who would care. So is the entire Shadow of Sacramento dead, or just the city?"
"You can't keep one train of thought, can you?"
Cisco says "No, not this minute, I can't. Which train shall we hop? Sacramento? Hell's Kitchen? Deranged but intensely private assassins? What do you want to discuss?"
She reaches into her jacket again. "Later. I have an eternity to answer questions, but right now I have business." She holds out a card. "Here. On loan."
Cisco raises a brow, and reaches out for the card. Cisco bows a little. "I can't return the favor, but I will protect the trust."
"You can return the favor by contacting me if you see that man again. Or if he gives you trouble. Fair enough?"
Cisco nods. "Fair enough. Who was he?" Yosannah retrieves a card of her own, "A very dangerous Amberite. Be well Mr. Myrys..."
Later, in the Hell's Kitchen Business District...
Bryce strolls down the street, ignoring the mayhem around him.
Pestilence is standing just outside a dark alleyway. She seems to be standing next to a white mare. After a few moments it disappears as if a shadow from a nearby barrel fire.
Bryce alters his course to intercept Yosannah. He steps over a dead body and makes his way around a rabid fire hydrant.
She stands motionless, her arms crossed as she leans against a building wall. She watches Bryce intently as he nears.
Bryce speaks softly when he enters conversational range, "I would talk."
Pestilnece remains motionless, the pools in her eyes swirl lightly, "Then please do so."
Bryce says "I want to know about the Horsemen."
"You need to be more specific than that, Sir."
Bryce says "What is your prupose?"
Pestilence studies Bryce for a monent, "What makes you think you deserve to know?"
Bryce considers Yosannah a moment, "I am being polite just now. You do not want De'alund as well as my resources waiting to destroy you. I would like to ascertain the likelihood you pose a threat to our interests. The only reason I approach you peacefully is we once worked together."
Pestilence laughs, "And where did you come up with the notion that I had an interest in this De'alund place. Let alone the notion that you could *destroy* us." Her tone is mocking.
Bryce shrugs, "I have yet to find something I could not destroy, and you could not even travel to De'alund, much less destroy her. I am more concerned for her interests."
She smiles coyly, "this seems more like a test of ego's. If I can't reach your precioius De'alund, why worry?" She studies you, "You protest too much. Are you daring me to seek it out? If so, please continue."
Bryce shrugs, "I dare you. Finndo might find it amusing before he crushed you....you are missing my point. If you would explain to me your purpose, I could know you do not pose a threat to our interests, and we could continue as friends."
She stands away from the wall, "You already know our purpose, sir. Though it seems as if you are having diffulting understanding that which you know." She adds, "We cannot be friends, Sir. Not in the sense that you mean. And I could never promise that we would never threaten your interests. I am very sorry." Her words seem genuine.
Bryce nods, "So be it. Unfortunately, the next time we meet shall not be so amicable."
She offers, "I have no personal ill will against you, Sir. Do not mistake what I am saying."
Bryce says "But you and yours have a secret agenda that involves destroying the shadows of others."
Pestilence shakes her head, "It's by no means a secret agenda. And you suggest that we act discriminately and this is not the case."
Bryce says "Unless you indicate otherwise or reveal a purpose, then I must."
Pestilence considers, "Then I'll offer this. We answer to a higher power. We are no more or less that its will. That's all I can give you in the way of a comfort."
Bryce nods slowly, "And this higher power could unleash you anywhere at any time ?"
She looks off into the distance. Perhaps at the old church. "Something like that. Yes."
Bryce nods curtly, "Then nothing has changed."
Bryce turns and strides towards the cathedral. As he reaches the door a crow alights on his shoulder.
Pestilence vanishes into the darkness of the alleyway. The sound of hooves echoing after.