Preparations/Phase 1

[Mael Feu]

"Incompetent. An utter waste of, not only my time, but the time invested in you all at the Syndicate." It wasn't heard in the tone of his voice but the three men, who stood now a bit demurred in the dimly lit concrete building, could tell by the way that Mael was holding on to the length of rope in his hand, that he was anything but pleased.

"When you can't even make a simple restraint what good are you to me."

Length of rope in his hand shot out towards the three with an easy flick of his wrist, skidding the floor to stop in front of their feet. He turned around, putting his back to the trio, while making progression towards the chair which had held him only moments before, remnants of rope around the seats legs.

They had had a very simple task to do and had failed. For Operatives, a couple cycles away from graduation, they had proven themselves to be very green. Three of the top who were highlighted for their abilities to restrain a person. Sure, put advanced systems in their hands and they can do anything, but give them something as simple and mundane as common rope and they're lost.

Worse than pathetic.

A kick of the chair to hook it with his foot and pull it closer before he sat down. "Do it again. And do it right."

There was someone on the Syndicate's list that they wanted taken care of and, no matter how he felt about it, some things had to be done.

[Pazuzu]

Meanwhile, at a secluded location across town . . .

Sunrise.

The steel eyes of the man called Pazuzu regarded the fiery colors of red and orange stretching across the sky with a calm detachment before hardening and turning back to the pitiful face, or rather what was left of it, of the creature cowering in front of him. "It looks like your usefulness has reached it's end."

The one remaining eye left partially hanging in it's socket widened as the remainder of it's jaw worked soundlessly in a silent plea; 'No! No, no, no! This wasn't the deal!' Bang! The gunshot vibrated, echoing off the nearby walls. Pazuzu stood brushing the remnants of the creature from the front of his military style black trench coat.

Another dead end.

Two hours later and the man found himself regarding the sign leading to the Tel'Ranaemyn Inn with the same detachment as the sunrise. It meant nothing. He was here. At last. It had taken time, with no small amount of resistance from his part, but he was here. Walking with a brisk pace up the walk, across the porch and over the threshold.

Let the games begin.

[Firefly]

Firefly, meanwhile, had gone back to her room, securing the door with as much furniture as she could muster in this hole she had found herself in. She almost felt giddy.....that had been her first communique with HQ in awhile, and it was good to hear that they still valued her extensive skills as a field agent....even if no one else did. After carefully removing the false bottom of her rather sizable trunk (it's rigged to give someone that decided to be too nosy a no-face), she started lifting her real tools out, one at a time, carefully laying them out on the bed.

She was halfway through field-stripping her fifth gun for a dose of oil and TLC when she decided to let Blondie-Bear in on her plan. In part, anyway. So, she snatched out her phone, dialed his number, and waited as it rang. If he didn't answer, fine. Her message could be delivered face-to-face as well. As for the jackasses that threatened her that night....well, no one from the Syndicate had told her to treat them as if they were anything, so you never know what can happen in a fight, what with "friendly" fire and all......

[Mael Feu]

When the ring of that certain phone was heard there wasn't any question of who it could be. It was the Syndicate. An individual person, a conference call, the head man, didn't matter, to him it was simply 'the Syndicate' and the call was always about business of some matter.

He was walking along a mildly busy street in the heart of a town that wasn't near the vicinity of the Inn when the phone in his pocket rang. On the first ring he picked the ear chip out of his pocket. Ring two had him popping the collar of his cavalrymen style jacket, making it cut directly under his jawline. Ring three and his hands were casually hanging out the pocket of his pants while he continued his stride without missing a step. Anyone calling him knew to wait at least four rings before he picked up, anymore than that, then he was either ignoring the call. Worse case scenario would have him unable to take the call - but that would never happen.

Cocky bastard.

Fourth ring he shifted his jaw and the line picked up. "Go." It was his way of answering that phone and it was only thing he said while continuing to navigate his way through the streets in the same manner he had been before.

[Firefly]

He was free with commands, wasn't he? Cocky little prick, and he KNEW she liked it when he....anyway. "Mael. Not at liberty to discuss particulars, since the walls may or may not have ears, ya know. Let's just say that the firefly cage let the little lost one know the mission was still a go, and that you and I, unless I missed something, are still a team."

She waited a moment, running her tongue across her upper lip as she caught a shadow pass beneath her door. With a forcibly casual smile, she finally continued. "Don't worry, baby. I'll be gentle. See ya soon.....oh, and I won't be wearing anything too confining.....just use your imagination on that one."

She glared at the door as she hit "end" on her phone. Was there someone out there listening? She'd killed for much, much less on several occasions. At any rate, the dirty talk was half-meant, half-code. He knew that if she was being wire-tapped or eavesdropped-on, she would slip into the kind of stuff that would throw the nosy one off. This one, though....if he or she wasn't something special, would be going without a nose. Soon.

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