Assemble

"Debit. I try not to carry too much cash in this city."

*She looks for a machine to scan her card. If she does not see one, then she gives it to the guy.*
===========================
A"There are a lot of braided hairstyles. If you just want a simple braid, I could do a dutch braid where the hair is gathered up in the back like this--"

*She lightly pulls Taiyo's hair into a ponytail & holds it over her shoulder so she can see it.*

V"Kind of like in the movie."

A"--or I could do a Dutch Braid, which is similar, but stands out more, or a fishtail braid, which only uses 2 hair strands. It will also look different depending on how much hair I use, or how far down I go."

*She returns to stroking Taiyo's hair.*

Taiyo: "Let's try the second one."

===================================

Once the transaction is complete, he bags the bonoculars and passes them to her.

Clerk: "You be careful now out there, you hear? Streets ain't safe for no one."

===================================

Morgan: "Nah, couple blocks."

===================================

The mugger snatches the wallet. There's a strange smell following him, like something rotting.

A"Okay."

*And so she gets to that.*
============================
"Thank you. You too."

*She exits the store & looks for a private place to make a phone call.*

Jin kept on walking, and since she wasn't making an effort to keep track of Eve and Cameron over the distance, didn't answer.

Dalia waited to see if he backed off. If he did, he would probably bump into a steel creature staring at him unmoving.

Taiyo sits patiantly, trying not to move her head around a whole lot, feeling a yawn coming on.

===================================

There's around the corner, in an alley, behind the shop....

===================================

They get to a rather normal looking house, a red Sunfire in the driveway.

Morgan: "Ah hell, my sister's home."

===================================

There's screaming followed by two shots being fired before the sound of a gun on empty following it.

*She heads around the corner. Providing she doesn't see anyone, she takes out her phone & dials a number, which redirects her call to Thiera's cell phone.*
===========================
A"You don't have to hold so still, you know."

V"Stop sniffling...I can't hear."

T"But...but the sister...& the snowman...& the Prince...&...& it's just so...s-sad...."

V"It's just a stupid kid's m-movie."

T"You're c-crying, too!"

V"Am not! My eyes itch!"

*She says the latter after covering her face with her arm.*

"So?" Jin asked, looking over her shoulder to see if she could spot Eve or Cameron.

Dalia walked towards the mugger while the homunculus grabbed him and slammed him against a wall, one hand holding his arms above his head and the other squeezing his throat.

*They're probably in the shadows nearby*

Taiyo: "Oh. I just figured it would make it easier for you."

===================================

Morgan: "It means, I don't want to put up with her and thus kill my buzz, so be quick about going in."

He opens the front door, the hallways and rest of the house is quite dark. From above they can hear some noise.

===================================

Some junkie is freaking out and she probably feels like a big girl for offing him.

===================================

Gadgeteer: "Wish you'd air out some if you're coming here. Or not smokr a pack a day."

Inquiry: "What is it that Malkovich requested?"

She hands him the folder which he begins to look over."

Inquiry: "He's stepping up the ground war with the Tyranno Boys. Bears some similarities to the Dreadnaught program in the works. Likely a coincidence."

Gadgeteer: "Say, with this Dreadnaught and Lightning Bolt stuff, what are the odds of them targetting Superhumans as well?"

Inquiry: "Out of three canidates from that program only two are still alive and that program ended thirty years ago with the death of Canidate Coqswell."

Gadgeteer: "So Aeka and Cloud aren't on their radar?"

Inquiry: "Correct."

A"And I appreciate it. But it's fine. You see--"

""I have to go to the bathroom!""

*Just as they look like they're going to have to fight over it, Thiera's phone rings. She checks the number.*

T"You go ahead. I'll be right back."

*And so she buggers off into the kitchen. Ven heads for the bathroom.*

A"...So, uh, when I have this much hair done, I don't really need you to sit still. It's more of a concern that I don't pull too hard on your scalp."
=================================
T"...What's the password?"

L"You didn't give me one. You flat-out said that you only gave this number to me...hello? Were you just crying?"

T"...You're a woman."

L"Yes. I'm not dressed up right now. I didn't think it would be a problem to let you know."

T"But that's not what you're calling about, right?"

L"You're as sharp as ever."

T"Please don't be mean."

L"Anyway, the Tyranno Boys are planning something for Tuesday, at the docks. 11:30 at night. I'm going to be helping another group, & I want you on our side."

T"I will go to make sure that the conflict is resolved peacefully."

L"And I'm sure that will go over well...just promise me that you won't call the cops."

T"...Alright. We won't need them until the bad guys are captured, anyway."

L"I should warn you, the Tyranno Boys have military grade firearms."

T"My answer remains the same."

L"Really? Huh."

T"Besides, we can't guarantee that the police aren't in on it. Do you know where Raptor gets his weapons?"

L"'Fraid not."

T"The docks...maybe he's expecting a shipment?"

L"Possibly. Or it's just gang warfare. Perhaps stealing some of those dominoes?"

T"We should try to do more research, so that we're prepared."

L"I guess you're right."

T"But right now I'm having an...event. Thank you very much for the call, but if that's all, I really must go."

L"Nope. Bye."

T"Goo--"

*She rolls her eyes as she hears the dial tone. Pocketing her phone, she dabs at her eyes with her sleeve & heads back.*

Dalia took her wallet back and had the homunculus knock him unconscious and disassemble the gun. She hesitantly went to go through his pockets.

Jin took a look around and quickly tip-toed inside.

*Eve looks to Cameron, then sits down and checks the Grapevine on her phone*

Taiyo: "All right."

===================================

The two dudes are having none of that and pretty much power walk through the house and to the basement.

As for the duds outside, it is not my place to say what they see.

===================================

The guy smells horrible, like rotting meat. In his pocket she finds a small wooden box with rattling inside of it.

*Thiera & Ven re-enter the room, the former shoving her phone in her pocket.*

T"Well, that was a surprise. Looks like I have plans for Tuesday night."

V"Okay? Are you inviting us?"

*Thiera laughs.*

T"I'm not sure it would really be polite to invite you to a sting operation."

V"Oh. Then why are you telling us?"

T"I don't keep secrets from you anymore. Besides, I'm going to have to tell Aroma eventually, anyway. She's my eye in the sky."

A"I like that a lot better than 'sidekick.'"
=================================
*Finished for the night, Luna heads home.*

*Eve reads the Grapevine, very bored*

Jin followed them to the basement, trying to make some kind of plan.

Dalia cautiously opened the box to empty its contents onto a gloved palm.

Taiyo: "Becareful."

===================================

The basement looks like a guys bedroom. Not at all tidy, posters of cars, centerfold models, and movies on the walls, and off in the corner is a tv set, gaming console and some chairs. This is all seperated from the laundry room and furnace area by a few blankets tacked to the support beams.

Morgan: "Home sweet home. Feel free to sit wherever."

As Mitchell takes up a folding lawn chair, Morgan is rooting around in a dresser.

===================================

There are no recent posts from Grapevine. There are a few comments mostly from some anonymous user that leaves only racial slurs.
The most recent comment from two hours ago is from a user going by Professor. H.

Professor. H: You're slacking Ms. Psyche. You spend too much time with your friends, you'll never hope to accomplish anything.

===================================

Two red dominos fall out of the box.

*Eve's eyes widen, then she copy and pastes the name into a word document*

Cameron:<What is it?>

Eve:<I know that name.>

*Eve searches the name, ignoring any results referring to Binah*

T"I will, thank you."

A"Shouldn't you check to see if there are any new comments on your blog?"

T"I don't know. Don't you think that would be rude?"

A"I don't mind."
==========================
*She probably eventually finds some reference to Thiera Psyche, the college student, like on an academic list, or something.*

*Eve adds the first name to the word document, and the college name if it's present. Then she searches "Thiera Psyche," looking for a phone number or something*

Jin slumped down into a chair and stretched her arms.

Dalia furrowed her brow and put them back in the case before sending the homunculus back out of the world. She checked the mugger's vital signs.

Taiyo: "It's okay."

===================================

Morgan joins them with his bag, bong, and bottle of rye. Setting up his shit, he takes a hit and passes it to Mitchell.

Morgan: "Oh shit, that's tight."

He giggles and exhales. Mitchell passes the bong to Jin.

===================================

He's dead because Dalia killed him.

T"Well, if you all say so."

*So she breaks out her phone & checks it. Then frowns.*

T"This isn't good. Someone figured out who I am already."

A"What?! How?!"

T"They could be psychic...wait...that initial seems strangely familiar...I wonder if it's that man that I fought a while ago. He called himself...Doctor Hurt, or something."

*Thiera passes the phone around, & giggles.*

T"If he's trying to scare me, then that grammar is the way to go."

V"Jesus, what if he's outside the bushes, watching us?"

T"You mean the bushes that I control? What do we have to worry about? Give me a glass of water & I can make enough poison to take down an elephant."
=================================
*She lacks any kind of personal pages & cell phones are unlisted. There are services that could track down her number for free. Or she could use the student E-mail provided by the college directory.*