Crisscrossed - {Private}

[Maderu]

Sorcha, who seemed so full of life when she entered the bar, dwindled rapidly at Niko's question. To Cal, it was like the flame that lived inside her was snuffed out and it was unnerving to see a girl so full of life one second become so cold the next. Just as he was about to offer a drink, or maybe suggest that they talk about this later, Sorcha spoke up and the words rung to Cal's core.

"A swirling gray mass that felt as if yer were starin' straight inta hell. That was what Darcy stepped inta." Her eyes became dazed and distant as if even know she couldn't stand to recall it. "One of his eyes bled red and he smiled that of a mad man. I remembered wonderin' ta meself how I ever thought that was human. Thought maybe he be possessed, whatever got him walked straight ta that hell, without even lookin' back. Don't remember much more, I think I fainted, when I woke up, it was the first time I saw my Jacky cry. I honestly don't think that after a year there be much of the man that I loved, but I have hope, and so long as I have it, Jacky won't give up."

There wasn't supposed to be more, those monstrosities that he took care of a few months ago, those failures...those were supposed to be the last. To think they had more, like him, was nerve jangling. Were there others? No..then why did it have to be him to open the gate, wasn't he the only successful one? This didn't make any sense. "Impossible." The word was silent, barely spoken at all, escaping from his thoughts just as this guy had escaped his radar. Why hadn't they known, what had kept this one safe for all those years.


Jacky scowled and reached shakily into his pocket to grab a pack of cigarette's, taking one out and placing it on his lips, but having no intention of actually smoking it. "Tis why I didn' want ta tell em. I've heard rumors that your Auphe is barely stable as it is, but I needed someone ta help me fend off those green lovin' bastards long enough fer me ta find a way inta Tumulus, find a way ta get Darcy back. Ya don't have ta get involved in me mess, and I don't want ya to. Darcy wouldn't want others involved, so all I ask is that ye help against the glasitigs, I'll handle the green men."

[- Lord_Francois -]

He knew, he suspected, but as she spoke it was confirmed and he could feel the tension from Cal. He let his gray eyes drift over to Cal for a moment or two, wondering what kind of questions had gone through his head when he heard there were more out there, that Darcy had opened a gate and vanished into that hell. He tapped Cal with his foot, softer this time just to get his attention and gave him a calm look. He breathed slightly looking at Sorcha. “We’ll help; we’ll do what we can, not only to get the glasitigs off your back, but to help you find Darcy.”


“Into Tumulus, are you insane?”

[Maderu]

Those emerald stones widened slightly making her look much younger than she should be, but now that Cal really looked she had to be at the latest in her mid twenties. Probably not much older than they were, maybe the same age even. Doesn't that mean that Darcy and him were in the same batch? Were there others? Did he even want to look? Those questions spun around his head in a dizzying pattern, making him sick to his stomach, still as much as he wanted to tell this woman no, to completely ignore this job entirely, he couldn't. That sincerity in her eyes, that grateful smile on her face, she had so much love and he couldn't help but look at her and wonder if Niko would react in a similar matter. If Cal lost all sense of himself and returned to that hell, would Robin and Niko search for him like this? That above all the other reasons is why he couldn't force himself to turn her away right now.

Hastily, almost desperately Sorcha reached forward and grabbed Niko's hands, tears pouring freely from her eyes now. "Thank ye, thank ye so much. I just wanted ta say goodbye, but if ye can get him back... I don't even know what I would do, but I would be so grateful..."

Cal let out a heavy sigh, trying to release some of the weight from his heart. "Yeah..we'll get him back." Let's just hope there was something left to bring back, otherwise Cal would have to take him out like the others.


Jacky put his hands on his head and cursed Gaelic under his breath. "How else am I be gettin him back. I came ta ya because I thought ye might help, least with the glasitigs. I don't be needin yer help, nor do I spect ya ta understand. I need ta get him back Robin, I made him and her a promise, and it be one word I don't want ta go back on."

[- Lord_Francois -]

Niko didn’t smile back, would have if he could just to reassure her that they would do what they could to help get him back. But in all honesty he didn’t hold much hope in getting Darcy back, or even back as the same person. If they got him back it would most likely only be long enough for her to say goodbye and then they would have to kill him.

For the longest time they thought Cal was the only one and Cal was already paranoid enough about passing along then gene pool. Niko was proud of his brother for that, it was very grown up of him, a sacrifice he shouldn’t have had to make, but he couldn’t say that he didn’t agree that it was a wise decision. But hadn’t Cal said the Auphe told him that he was the only success? The other mistakes he had killed off in that house, but Darcy was different, if he was like Cal… that meant that there could be possibly be more, and how many more? And they could possibly be less caring about spreading such a gene through the human race.

Niko couldn’t smile back, but he ever so slightly tightened his hands around Sorcha’s. “We’ll do what we can.” He looked back at Cal. “Cal, go get Robin and Jacky. Tell them that we will take the job.”

Robin arched his brow at the cursing, understanding it perfectly. “What is he to you anyway?” He quickly lifted his hands to cut him off before he said anything. “Don’t, believe me I understand better then most. I’ve been with these two long enough, and Caliban is…moody. So what is it about Darcy that you are so determined and willing to go into Tumulus to get him back?”

[Maderu]

Cal gave a simple nod and stood up. He didn't want to be around her anymore, it was all too surreal. Never, with all that the Auphe had told him did he think there would be another success like him. They'd always said, isn't that why? There was some jealously deep inside him, a whisper of hate that wondered why this guy got to live a peaceful life. He didn't have to deal with the Auphe hunting him down, watching his brother; his only blood, sacrifice everything for him. Hell the guy even had a girlfriend, apparently didn't even care about passing on that monster gene to another generation. Yeah he'd let her have the goodbye, but there was no way he'd let the man live. Even if there was something left, he'd kill it.

Determination shone through Cal's eyes as he left the room. This was his duty, to make sure his extended family didn't spawn, they sure as hell would die with him. There was no other way.

Sorcha sighed when Cal left and retracted her hand, the tears fell freely now and she didn't even bother to hide it. "Thank ye..." She whispered over and over again, not having any other words to express her gratitude the way she wanted.


Jacky's eyes softened, and he leaned heavily against the wall. Memories are all the old ones hang onto, they live on after those they shared them with have died. "Darcy was thrown away, the Auphe didn't want him, but they did keep him fer quite a while. Yer's was lucky, only a few years of his life be takin away, fer Darcy...it be much longer. After they figure'd he couldn't gate, that he be defective that simply tossed him. I happened on him, he be raving mad going through trash bins like they were some sort of gourmet meal. Could only speak Auphe he could, very few could understand that grotesque noise. Not knowin' what else ta do, I took him in, fed him, taught him ta speak proper. Then I took him ta his home country of Russia ta search fer family, not any left, when they took him the Auphe killed em. Found out he'd been with them monsters fer two years human time, don't want ta imagine how long that was fer him. Yet even with those memories foggin up his mind, he was so gentle, stronger than I ever could be. That be when I took him ta Ireland, realized he didn't age, I thought maybe..." Jacky cut off, it didn't need to be said what he'd hoped for; just a companionship that wouldn't die. A person, instead of just the memory.

Cal heard the conversation, well enough to gauge what Darcy might have gone through, but it didn't make him feel any better. Had that guy really retained memories... and managed to stay sane? It didn't seem possible, and Cal wondered what that said about him. Once Jacky had finished, Cal cleared his throat and stepped up. "Niko says we'll take the job, but just so we're clear I'm not planning on saving anyone."

Jacky glared but nodded his head, as if he'd already known. "Aye, I know. I let him go a long time ago, but tis ain't fer me. Never has been, but thank ye for takin it. I know how difficult it must be."

"No, you don't." Was all Cal said before walking away and heading back inside.

[- Lord_Francois -]

There were a lot of things that Robin could say while Jacky talked and told the story about Darcy. Though he didn’t think that Cal or Niko would agree that Cal had gotten off easy when it came to the Auphe; Cal only was taken a couple of months but had lost two years of his life, that part was true. But the brothers had lost the rest of their lives running from those things, evading them trying to stay one step ahead but never getting far, and then the ended up where, where they ran into him, and what happened? The Auphe took Cal again to open a gate into the past so they could have another go at world domination. Then year after year they showed up, they thought they were done. He might not have been with them that long but Caliban hadn’t had it easy.

He couldn’t gate, that would dampen his usefulness to the Auphe considerably but he had obviously learned to do it or he wouldn’t be in that cold barren hell.

He looked over when Cal came up, frowning when he said that he wouldn’t save anyone, he was afraid Cal would have this kind of reaction. And from the look in his eyes he finally seemed to have caught onto what they were dealing with. He shook his head, but looked at Jacky before turning to follow Cal back into the bar.

[Maderu]

Cal came back in and sat down, wondering how in the world this situation could get any worse. So more or less they had to take down some green guys and their sisters then find a way to either go in after Darcy or lure him out. Yeah, nothing about that plan sounded like smooth sailing, and since there was no way Cal would go in there, they'd have to try and get Darcy out here. That's not assuming he wasn't even in Tumulus and instead was raping and killing somewhere they could even begin to guess. In response to those thoughts, Cal placed his head on the table, it was going to be a long couple of days.


Jacky followed Robin back inside and was greeted by Sorcha running up to him and clamping him down in a tight embrace. "Did ya hear? They be helpin us out, we'll finally get ta see our Darcy again. We get ta say goodbye." The last sentence was a whisper, meant only for Jacky, and he smiled in response.

"Aye I heard love, but stay of this business, ya hear. Fer my sake and less yer own." Jacky patted her shoulder and she pouted in response, but gave a hesitant nod and walked out to return to whatever vehicle she came in. Jacky watched her leave then went to sit at the table. "So details...right."

[- Lord_Francois -]

Niko didn’t say anything to Cal when he came back in, but they would be having a long conversation about this later. He merely looked at his brother when he put his head down on the table, less then professional when you were in front of the client but giving the circumstances…

He looked as she ran over to hug Jacky and then she left to go wait outside, Robin went to get a drink and came back with an even stronger one and put it down in front of Cal.

Niko nodded carefully at Jacky. “From the beginning.”

[Maderu]

Jacky smiled, back to his old self now that Sorcha was out of the picture, a definite weak point in the Puck's defenses. "Where Darcy be concerned, he used ta be more human than Auphe, cept for the agin. It be the only thing that kept him different from your average meat bag. Tis only changed, I guess it be 'bout a year ago now. But we shouldn't be concerned 'bout that just yet. The Leprechauns primary concern. Two brothers, a mean pair, thay'll do anythin ta get their charm back. Can't kill em, not less ya want a few hundred people ta die. Killin somethin that old comes with consequences. I don't recommend fightin em in the park, the woods respond ta em in a bad way fer us. Glasitigs are easy, kill em like a normal person ya would. Should be here by tamorrow, don't have much more information than that. Anythin else ya like ta know?"

[- Lord_Francois -]

“And you stole the charm because you needed the luck to get into Tumulus?” Robin said, still sneering at the whole idea of this. “You would need the luck to get into that hell. Though even trying it a suicide mission, I wouldn’t suggest that good luck if you succeeded getting to. That’s bad luck if you managed to get there, even by accident let alone on purpose.”

He downed his glass, but not all of it because after they had come back into the bar he had switched his glass for a full on bottle.

“And if he can gate now, how do you even know he’s still in there? He could be anywhere by now, and…lets say for ******** and giggles, that you managed to get into that wasteland of rainbows and ponies and things that would eat you alive. Its not like there is a detailed map of the place, how would you even expect to find him there? More luck?”

Niko wanted to tell him to shut up, they both knew that Robin could drink but he wasn’t even close to drunk yet. This kind of talk was just one of his many perks of having the Puck hang around them. He wanted to tell him to be quiet and he reached up to rub at his eyes slightly from the noise. He couldn’t tell him to be quiet though because he was right. “We can handle the Glasitigs, we’re not worried about them, or the Leprechauns when they finally show up into town. I told Sorcha that we would help you find Darcy, so that’s my biggest concern right now.”

[Maderu]

This was a tense subject, and Cal didn't want to have any part of it. Yeah he'd participate in helping to locate the lost lamb, but there was no way in hell he'd let the guy leave alive. Him opening a gate and going there was out of the question, he'd insist on going alone and knew that Nik would never allow it. So they'd probably reach an impasse when it came to a discussion about that. Which brought up the question of how in the world they'd even locate the guy, as Robin so bluntly put it, he could be anywhere.

"He's not here." Jacky stated before Cal's thoughts could head in any other direction. "Do ye even realize how big news an Auphe bein around is after ye went and blew em all ta high heaven? If Darcy lost all sense of himself, don't ya think the supernatural community be spoutin and yellin' 'bout a wild Auphe? So far the only Auphe I've been hearing of, is yers."

Cal tightened his fists at that last sentence, but the puck had a good point. The Auphe would be big news anywhere and most puck's from what he'd seen had an extensive contact network. If he had lost his marbles there would be deaths, and if he was sane he'd return home. No man would leave a beautiful girl like that...unless...he'd come to the same conclusion as Cal. Or maybe he was just over-thinking things.

"As fer those who are after me, if ye start underestimating them and put yer focus on Darcy, you'll get yerself killed. The old ones are not trifling matters, but ye humans can't ever grasp that. Seein is belivin and all that."

[- Lord_Francois -]

Niko’s gaze hardened as he looked at Jacky. “In the end all goes back that this is really about Darcy. We can handle it, you cannot handle what you are going into and that place. And I would appreciate it if you would refrain from comparing my brother to those bastards again.” Under the table he tapped the back of one of Cal’s hands; in fact he tapped the beads around his wrist.

He could agree with the puck about there being deaths and causing commotion, but he didn’t have to put up with him insulting and offending his brother, it wasn’t good for his health in the long run.

[Maderu]

Jacky smiled unpleasantly at Niko's words. Oh they could handle it, but he couldn't? Somehow he seriously doubted that, and his green eyes moved over to the half breed to contemplate before turning back over to his perfectly human brother. "Aye I'm sure you have enough faith in yer brother ta open that gate and go in and retrieve Darcy. Or he could open the gate fer ya and let ya meander in that hell where time be not exactly workin the way ya want it ta. I'm sure yer in find shape ta eradicate whatever lurks there, or maybe we can all go together and have ourselves a picnic."

Cal tightened his hands on the beads before lifting his head up and glaring at the b*****d. "Don't assume you know me or my brother." He spoke each word slowly and deliberately spilling venom into every single word, if he had fangs he'd be baring them about now.

The puck retaliated with a stern look of his own. "So are ye saying that ye can go inta that hell and come out the other end without losing yer mind? Or that ye'd be willin ta risk yer family?"

Just because the puck had a point and had hit the nail on the head, that didn't mean that Cal wanted to give the smug jerk satisfaction. "I'm saying, if you want our help at all you better back off."

Jacky held up his hands in a surrendering motion and moved backwards so they were no longer face to face. "Aye, but in exchange, don't doubt my willpower ta do what needs ta be done."

[- Lord_Francois -]

“Cal…” Niko spoke not harshly, but stern enough to get his attention before he looked back at Jacky. “I have the upmost faith in my brother that he can handle anything in front of him. I do not doubt your willpower to do what it necessary to get Darcy back, Jacky. You wouldn’t be trying to get into that hell if you weren’t. But you haven’t seen it…you can talk about it all you want but until you’ve faced off those monsters face to face several times over then you can criticize my brother and I. I am cautious, yes. But only because I know what a risk it is.”

[Maderu]

This conversation was going no where fast. Cal just wanted it over and done with, but what was Niko willing to do for this complete stranger? Yes they wanted and needed to kill this guy, but if he was in Tumulus that complicated things. "So I guess I'll acknowledge the elephant in the room. How exactly are we going to get this guy? I hate to say that this b*****d has a point, but I'm not going to be opening up a gate, at least not one I'm willing to let Nik go through."