Endgame

Astarte liquefied some snow and brought it into the car before freezing it into a long shiv, holding it close.

Hector grinned at Tirea, then turned to Ven, "Well, I guess I don't really object to staying in a mansion while the others go and fight cops. But why? Instead of everybody doing their part we're lounging and I guess you two are babysitters."

"It's not really important for your questions to be answered."

*He sweeps his arms to the side, causing the snow tendrils to turn into ice pillars. Also, snow rises from around him & solidifies into a series of ice spikes that float around him in a move that's not a blatant ripoff.*
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Lieutenant<Kane is expecting an important shipment. Amon is going to intercept it. He wants you to be there.>

E"Yeah, I heard your little exchange. Can't say I trust your boss."

Lieutanant<So is the big bad bender afraid?>

E"You're right. He should be no match for us. After all, just look at what we did to you."

*He glares at her.*

Lieutenant<Don't forget what he did to Keter Aurora.>

E"Right again. We should probably be at the train station to arrest him personally. Him & Kane, one fell swoop."

*She points at him.*

E"Then we'll be back for you."
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V"Because you're useless. No one wants you to screw anything up. And Keter probably doesn't want you in her house, either, so don't take that for granted."

"I don't know if people in your position can afford to be calling anybody with experience 'useless', even if we are just your average fools," Hector tilted his head. "It's like you forget that our goals are exactly the same as yours. We'd follow orders and take hits if it would help us get rid of this Kane bastard, but fine, waste your time here."

*Eve raises her hands in a non-threatening way*

<Please, I'm no threat to you.>
===
*Monu smiles slightly*

<It's just not something I like to remember.>
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Tirea:<We don't trust you to help or anything really.>

"Yeah, I shouldn't have brought it up," Noct said, continuing to drive around the bay area looking for anything that might point her towards Senthose.

--

Mortal got out of the car as well, and walked over to Euryale's side, "What makes you so sure Kane will be there to receive the shipment personally?"

Lieutenant<Amon says that he will. I don't question his leadership. The man is a genius, who understands the plight of the common man like no Bender ever could.>
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"In this situation? No, you are not. Fail to see why that means that I shouldn't kill you."

*As he snaps the fingers of his left hand to an inaudible [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], the ice thorns twirl behind him slowly, in an almost hypnotic fashion.*
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*What she finds is a number of river patrols searching the bay. Airships armed with spotlights illuminate motor boats as they comb the coast, waterbenders in the back seat parting the ice as though they were opening doors. The "Waterbending Club" building that formerly served as their headquarters is swarmed with a combination of police cars & larger cargo trucks. They appear to be moving excess supplies from the RCPD into the building. The docks have also been roped off with police tape & barbed wire, with metal & water benders stationed along them periodically, using binoculars to look both out over the sea & in towards the city.*

Monu:<They seem very prepared.>
===
Eve:<But I could be of use to you. Please.>

"Good to know," Hector smiled amusedly at Tirea again before heading out and back to the dining room where the others were waiting.

Astarte clutched at her shiv.

"Indeed they do," Noct said. As she responded she turned the wheel of the car, steering clear of the docks. If there was one she she didn't want, it was to be spotted by Kane's goons.

--

"I never trust anyone who surrounds themselves with blind loyalists," Mortal said.

Lieutenant<Typical Bending ignorance. I've told you of Amon's invitation. It's up to you if you want to act on it or waste your time. Don't cause trouble while you're in our territory.>

*The Lieutenant & Chi Blockers turn & start to leave.*
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"Oh yeah? How?"

*He points his cane in her general direction.*

"And this had better not be a sexual proposition. I'm not some kind of low class rube."
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*They are now heading back to Euryale & co's apartment. If they have eliminated it & the docks as possible targets, then the only thing to do is explore further inland.*
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"He does raise a good point. We can't be as helpful when we're watching these jerks."

*Eve crosses her arms*

<Neither am I. I'm a researcher specializing in astronomical events. I can predict where and when certain events will take place. Ones that would interest you greatly.>
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<If we don't watch 'um, who knows what they'll do.>

Mortal looks down at the knocked out Chi-blockers, then at the retreating hoodlums. She let out a sigh, and looked at Euryale, "If it is true we should really check it out. What do you think?"

--

And so Noct heads further inland, seeing it as one of her few remaining choices.

OOC: There aren't supposed to be any left behind, so I'm just going to ignore that.

"I do feel a train coming in, so it's probably not an Equalist trap. I say we go. This is our chance to finally take down Kane once & for all."

*She climbs back into the driver's seat.*
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"I already know about the upcoming lunar eclipse & full moon."
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*They drive past the police station & are almost at the bank when they hear shots fire. A getaway [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] speeds out of the alley. They can make out a man & a woman wearing the Red Monsoon garb & a porkpie & cloche hat, respectively. Both also weild Purist guns, of the variety with the large cylindrical arrow chamber in front of the trigger. The man reaches back, swerving because he's not watching where he's going, & fires a few shots at them, breaking their windshield. The woman spreads her arms, causing snow to kick up all over the street like a cloud, no doubt because an alarm can be heard from the bank, as well as sirens approaching from the street & the propeller of an airship.*
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"I suppose."

*She switches the radio station.*

<...Following the disappearance of its resident Pro-Bending star, the rest of the apartment complex was quickly abandoned. No word if the events are connected. Residents reported hearing strange noises, including clawing in the walls & screams from empty rooms, as well as heat & electrical failure, & being touched in their sleep by unknown intruders. Some reports even rumor the reappearance of the angry park Spirit, which has some witnesses blaming former Council candidate Keter Aurora, who incurred the Spirit's wrath earlier this year when she desecrated its cove in the city park.>

*Ven looks over at Tirea, surprised.*

"This is in Gabe's area."

Eve:<You know of their existent, not the exact date and time they will occur. I do, or can predict it with near perfect accuracy.>
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Tirea:<Oh shit. Should we do something about it?>
===
*Monu ducks away from the bolts*

<Monsoons!>

Mortal hops in the passenger seat, and Gabe hops back in the back.

--

Noctis looks at Monu flinch, "Calm down. This is good, we can try to tail them-- Actually, it might just get us in more trouble if we're caught with some Monsoons... They already accused me of being one of them." Noct leaned back in her seat, "What do you think? Follow, or keep looking on our own?"

Monu:<Well, I was just in a jailbreak, so we can't get in that much more trouble...>

Astarte melted her shiv and turned it to a glowing orb, "Anybody hurt at all?"

Hector wandered into the kitchen and looked for nice food.

E"I think we're all good."

R"Yeah."

*Once everyone is in the car, she starts driving.*
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*A group of cop cars proceeds to race down the wrong street.*
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"I know the dates...but not the times. Even so, who says it's worth the risk to trust you?"
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"We could send them a Messenger Hawk, maybe."
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*Keter most likely has stocked every food known to rich lady.*

Astarte let out a deep breath and the water ceased glowing. She twirled her fingers, slowly spinning the orb around her hands.

Hector filled a bowl with fruit and took it back to Stefan and Eduj in the dining room, where they could eat like royalty.

*Eve shrugs*

<Even if I told you the wrong time, you'd be in the same place you are now.>

*As they approach the station, they do notice some police cars parked outside, so Euryale slows the car down & turns off the lights. She parks behind some inactive freight cars, unbuckles, & twists around to look into the back.*

E"Alright, there's a good chance that they know we're here & are going to know who we are when we get out of the car. So you'll want to be prepared for anything."

R"Right."
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"But if you're dead, you can't mislead me, tell anyone else, OR lead others to my whereabouts."
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*And so Ven & Tirea just sit there. Awkwardly.*

Eve:<You could end up in a dangerous situation, potentially fatal, situation if you do not know when the lunar eclipse is. Remember, they can last up to about one hour.>
===
*Indeed*

Astarte continued nervously playing with her orb of water and nodded.

The trio continued to eat undeserved food in the safety of the mansion.

Noct chuckled dryly, "I beg to differ." Noct thought a few moments longer, leaning back in her chair before heading after the Monsoons.

--

"This is probably going to be really dangerous," Mortal said, "But I'm sure we're up for it."

Gabe nodded, a little less confident.

*Eventually, they catch up. The man spots them in the rear view mirror, so he fires a few shots back as the woman unbuckles, turns around, & stands up. However, the shots miss wildly, embedding themselves into a street sign.*
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*Roatha looks sideways at Astarte.*

R"I'm...sure we'll be fine...."

*Euryale takes a breath, gets out of the car & quickly gets down, touching the ground.*

E"There are several cops waiting at the platform. I don't see any sign of Chi-Blockers. Wait, no--there are lookouts in the surrounding buildings, who have already been incapacitated. But how did the Chi-Blockers sneak up on them, get past their armor, & take them out, all before they could raise the alarm?"

R"Does it really matter? It just means that they won't be expecting us. I say we just charge right in. And you could come in through the ceiling, they'd never see that coming."
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V"Hey, how long do you think it will take them to figure out that we're here?"
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"...Fine. I've always wanted to say this, anyway: Come with me if you want to live."

*Placing his hands in his pockets, he turns & starts walking back the way that he came, the ice arrows falling to the ground & shattering.*