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 Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:54 am
Bright blue eyes continuously checked the every entrance and exit to the spot she'd chosen to meet the recruits who she thought might be interested in taking on a mission. Lokiari just prayed that none of them passed this little tidbit on to Wraith - she'd heard about the situation and, being who she was, concluded to solve the problem as well as she might on her own. After careful examination, though, things appeared to require the assistance of a few people, and so, reluctantly, she had nabbed a few of the newer people to join up with her.
Tapping her hands lightly on the bench she sat on in the garden, she hoped they wouldn't delay too much longer. She wanted to be gone and, hopefully, back before Wraith even knew they'd been gone. Since their path took them to India, the blonde knew that Wraith might be less than receptive about this trip. Especially with a handful of new recruits who might not know the ropes very well.
Their first meeting was to be set up with an Indian Don, one of the leaders of the Indian Mafia. A meeting that could quickly go sour if anyone were to take one step out of line. With a sigh, Lokiari took up her gentle drumming on the bench once again, wondering how much longer it would take for everyone to show up.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:14 am
Puffing, Lai made his way down the passages of LOTUS trying hard to meet up with the one called Lokiari for a mission. He was deeply excited; he was going to travel and not to just anywhere but to India. The Russian had only read of the place and the climate that awaited but regardless he was happy to go. He packed what he figured he would need, but since he did not have much, his bag was extra small and extra light. It bounced up and down on his back, with its contents rattling loosely inside.
The young man rounded a corner and came upon the meeting place that had been chosen. The only other person he saw was a woman who he immediately knew had to be Lokiari herself. Lai slowed his pace, trying to hide the fact he was rushing, and corrected his dark red skirt as he walked over. He wasn't sure if she had noticed his arrival, but he cleared his throat and made his presence known anyway.
"I apologize for being late. I assume you are Miss Lokiari correct?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:56 pm
"I'd say you are correct sir."
Einar's voice drifted from an area close by yet more than likely out of sight of the duo that had just recently entered the gardens, and as his sentence ended the sound of rustling leaves and creaking branches filled his silence. The young man had made his way out to this area earlier that day, perhaps because he wanted to scout out the company who was coming or perhaps because he really liked being in the trees and bushes, getting a view of the land, but for whatever reason he'd been there when both Lokiari and Lai arrived.
"I'd say 'long time no see' in regards to both of you, but since when has time ever mattered to LOTUS?"
He stepped out from wherever he'd been resting and into the clearly, dusting a few straw twigs and leaves off of his clothing. He was dressed in his usual attire that he never seemed to take off regardless of the weather, though he had an addition today of what looked to be a tool satchel around his waist. Several of the pockets bulged, but that could have simply been an illusion.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:18 pm
With a quiet chuckle as the Russian man came darting up, huffing and puffing, Lokiari gave a nod as he corrected his skirt and asked who she was. Before she could give him a verbal affirmation, the Norwegian named Einar strode up towards the two of them, confirming who she was before she even could. Pouting just a little in his direction for answering for her, she gave a shrug at the next sentence, "I daresay time doesn't matter much except to strong friends, not simple acquaintances."
Smiling at both men, she gave herself one last opportunity to glance around and ensure neither Shee nor Wraith were around before continuing, "You both sure you're all right with going to India?" After a short pause for their agreement - or disagreement, though she doubted there'd be any, she gave a wink and a grin to Lai, "Because you know we're going without Wraith's permission, right?" Giving a short nod in the direction they'd be taking, she added, "We'll be heading this way. I've arranged us a ride to India that'll be under Wraith - and Shee's- noses. If you'll follow me?"
Quietly leading the way, not really checking to see if either man was following her, she wound her way towards their destination, remaining ever vigilant for Wraith or Shee to appear and catch them. "If you have any questions about what we'll be doing, feel free to ask them, boys."
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:29 pm
As soon as his question was answered not by the one he asked, Lai turned towards the garden doors and smiled as Einar came in.
"Good evening comrade. You missed a leaf." The Russian pointed to a reddish leaf in the Norwegian's blonde hair. "It seems to matter since we are all here trying to correct it right?" A grin from Lai was directed at Einar before the brown haired man turned to Lokiari. At the woman's question he nodded. "I am perfectly fine with it. Rather excited actually."
Her next question caught him a bit off guard, he knew it was under Shee's nose, but not Wraith's. When she started walking, Lai kept up with her. They'd have to get out fast if they didn't want to be seen.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:36 pm
Einar gave a nod of thanks to Lai as he pulled the leaf from his hair amd crushed it between his fingers, pausing only for a moment to admire the color. He'd always loved the autumn and winter foliage around his home more than the spring and summer since flowers gave him miniature allergies and green was too boring, and as he rubbed his fingers together and let the fragments fall he couldn't help but chuckle a bit at Lokiari's little temper.
It was easy enough to ignore and he concentrated on her message instead about this being snuck underneath the noses of Wraith (whom he'd never met to his memory) and Shee (whom he had met to his memory), and the thought of doing something slightly forbidden was exciting. To say the least.
His footsteps kept in time with the other two as he followed wordlessly, his actions speaking much louder than his words, and the only hint of noise that came from his direction was the occasional clang of something from his tool belt. It took him a moment to actually decide that getting information would be the best thing do to - so he did.
"What exactly are we going to be doing? I got the general idea from when you first explained it, but I think we need to know more."
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:38 pm
Pleased to hear that neither Einar nor Lai were perturbed or put off by the thought of sneaking around under their leader's command, Lokiari couldn't help the smile that rose to her face as she strode along at a decent pace. She gave them both a slight nod to indicate that this was good, though she opted not to tell them that if they failed, they might get into a tiny bit of trouble. The tall Norwegian woman wasn't quite sure the Russian could handle it - he looked rather...effeminate...and she hadn't really spoken to him enough to know if that wore off on his personality and how well he handled himself in situations yet to spring that on him.
Though she had heard the slight chuckle from Einar, she chose to ignore the man from Norway. While he was amusing, this really wasn't the time to get into it and have a bit of a game. Not when they were trying to get out of Lotus without being caught.
A small, barely audible sigh greeted Einar as he questioned what exactly they were doing. To be honest, she only knew they were to meet up with an Indian Don to find out about a pirate some members of Lotus had had a run in with in the past. Shrugging, she said, "To start, we're heading to India, to sift through what an Indian Don has to say in regards to a certain, slippery Captain that some members of Lotus may have dealt with in the past. After that...well. That depends on if we gain any entail - and where it takes us."
Gesturing towards their final destination, she gave the pilot a short wave before indicating the others should board the small plane. "This is our ride. Board quickly so we can get out of here before they catch on to us." Smiling, she boarded the plane and took a seat of her own.
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:50 pm
As Einar posed his question he listened to Lokiari's response as he was curious himself. Her answer interested him greatly. Mafia dons and pirates, this was more interesting than a desk job type mission.
As they walked Lai couldn't help but wonder what sort of woman Lokiari was. He wasn't used to women around his age so he would keep his distance, naturally, and try to be as polite as possible regardless. He hoped she would be polite as well.
Upon seeing their means of travel, his heart sank. A plane. Something he had never been in before and had read a book about spectacular crashes throughout history. Inwardly the Russian prayed the plane was well looked at and had its mechanical parts taken care of. He'd rather not like to die in a fireball explosion. Outwardly he smiled, trying not to show his fear of the vehicle and heights and boarded after Lokiari, sitting close to the emergency exit. Just in case.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:49 pm
Einar had no problems whatsoever getting onto the plane, his eye scanning the 'relic' up and down. He'd only ever seen one like this in the pages of his history book, or in the films they showed at his school during the academy days, so to actually be able to go into one was a little bit thrilling.
He couldn't help but notice Lai's apparent unease (the smile and seat where a dead give-away to him) at the whole situation and he made to clap his hand down on the other man's shoulder in a sign of comfort, but he didn't know how the Russian would take to contact, and therefore decided against it. He'd reassure him later when they reached their destination - if they made it, that is.
"Shall we get underway before anyone does notice us? I don't believe Shee is as dumb as we're lead to think."
Einar spoke as he took the closest seat to the door, his feet crossed and his posture relaxed. Flying was no sweat.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:08 pm
Lokiari, too, noticed the slight unease of the Russian, and flashed him a grin, "Don't worry, its not as bad as you might think. Take off can be a little rough, so can landing, but once you're in the air - its great. Promise!" Although it was a bit of a stretch, she reached over and patted him on the shoulder, entirely oblivious to the rules of "personal space" and grinning like a silly fool the while. While she wasn't quite a fool, she sometimes found that behaving in a silly manner could take people's minds off their own troubles, lower their guard, and otherwise just make them focus on the fact that she was behaving like an idiot. It wasn't a tactic she always enjoyed using, but she figured it was worth a shot to put the poor man at ease in a place he was obviously uncomfortable.
Mid-pat, she heard Einar suggest they get under way and gave a short nod to him, "Soon as the pilot is ready, we'll be in the air," with a smile as the plane's engines roared to life even as she spoke. "Shee isn't dumb, I think most people just think she is because she seems to stay more in the background than Wraith does. We needn't worry too much if she catches us, I think. Wraith is the one who is more liable to lose his temper." Scooting back into her seat and buckling up the belt as the plane began to move forward, she indicated Lai should do the same. Einar appeared to be at ease, so she wasn't too concerned with reminding him of basic safety in a plane.
The plane took off easy enough, and within moments they were in the air and distancing themselves from Lotus headquarters. When they were finally a 'safe distance', to where it didn't matter anymore if Wraith found out they were missing, Lokiari let out a small sigh of relief before turning her attention to what lay ahead of them. Pulling some files out of the small pack she had put in the plane earlier, she handed them to both Lai and Einar.
"This shows you who we'll be meeting and gives you a few short details on him. His name is Chota Rajan and currently, the people in India are very...interested in their religion. So we will need to be careful and watch out step. Any questions?"
She knew she wasn't really giving out loads of details, but truthfully, she didn't have tons of answers. Lokiari had managed to sneak the barebones information out, and that was just about it.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 2:28 pm
Lai shut his eyes momentarily to sort of ease his mind about it. His two companions were fine with this contraption, and he trusted Einar's judgment most of all. He had heard the man had been a pilot, so he would know a great deal about planes. His eyes opened has he felt a clasp on his shoulder and looked up to see Lokiari grinning wide at him.
Lai, extremely uncomfortable around women his age, momentarily went white then flushed pink. He felt the muscles in his body lock and involuntarily moved to the right armrest of the seat trying to avoid the woman. After she had leaned back he relaxed and curled as much as he could by the window, looking out over the strip the plane was on. He listened to Lokiari chatter about Shee and Wraith. As the plane came to life he fastened the belt tight and kept the buckle close to his hands.
Once the plane's wheels had come off the ground, Lai felt his heart beating in his chest again. The movement from nearby made him turn his head and he took the file Lokiari had offered, opening it as soon as it had touched his other hand. He listened to her details about the Don and India and shook his head 'no' when asked about questions. Lai flipped through the file multiple times, reading and rereading, trying to get the information to stick in his head. He felt he might need it.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:15 pm
"I have a quick question about the nature of their religion. Is this man considered holy amongst any of his followers or do they simply see him as a man with power? I can't imagine a Don not having one or two fanatics at his beck and call, and it isn't uncommon for the name of some God to be used as a lever."
Einar was studying the papers as well, his face serious and concentrating despite the obviously lax posture of his body. He'd slumped down in his chair as was resting his feet on the back of the seat in front of him, the papers resting either on his lap or in his hands. His left hand was resting behind his head as a makeshift pillow and every now and then he moved it up and down to rub against his dirty blond hair.
"Also is this Don we're meeting the only one in the area with power, or is there another faction we should be aware of? Does he simply monopolize everything due to his name and position, or does he have assistance from their religious center?"
His questions seemed a little vague, but Einar was weak when it came to affairs that dealt with different Gods.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:13 pm
"I also have a question."
A disembodied voice? How interesting.
Not disembodied, though. Sitting in the co-pilot's seat, Moira Vontage peered around towards the back of the plane, where the other new recruits were sitting. "Hi." She grinned, waving from her spot. Did it look like she was getting up? No, ma'am. Moira was in the co-pilot's seat, she was seeing everything a co-pilot would see, and Gods be damned if she was gonna up and sit with the normal folks when she could pretend to be a co-pilot. Pfff.
"How long're we stayin'?" Really, the entire conversation Moira had overheard, she hadn't really heard. She'd been muttering at the pilot under her breath, to try and remain incognito. Now, however, was the opportune time. Well, since this particular plane didn't have a separate cockpit, so she couldn't get on the radio and freak people out that way.
Maybe next time, though... "Is it a long-term mission, or a short-term mission?" Moira grinned. "And finally, are any of these questions annoying you yet? How 'bout now?" Whatever had gotten into Moira seemed to have bit hard, she was looking pretty eager about going to India to meet with Don Rajan.
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:18 pm
Slowly arching an eyebrow at Lai's apparent discomfort with her proximity and touch, Lokiari wanted to ask him why he was so nervous, particularly around her, but chose it would be best to not confront the Russian on such a topic in front of another person. Particularly another man - that might wind up proving a little too awkward even for her!
What a strange man. I'll have to corner him later to ask about who he is...
Mental note made, and files handed out, she settled back into her seat, quite content with the idea of flying. And more than a little pleased at the thought of getting out and stretching her legs. As Einar asked a question, her lips pursed in thought as she tapped her chin. That was a good question, and one she could only make conjectures about - the files she'd hijacked didn't say too much. "To be honest, the files I borrowed didn't say too much on that. Judging from the fact they are in India, and he is a prominent Mafia don, I would imagine he is likely a follower of Hinduism."
There was a short pause, as she heard a familiar little Italian's voice interrupt her response. She couldn't help but roll her eyes and grin in the woman's general direction, "I see you decided to sneak away from your little Shane to join us, after all. Pleasure to have you, Moira." Gesturing towards the seat, she added to the boys, "Lai, Einar, that is Moira. Moira, this is Einar and Lai." Lokiari waved her hand in the general direction of each person as she spoke their name by way of introducing everyone to each other.
That said and done, she continued to answer the questions that were asked, doing her best to answer them as close to in order as she might.
"So what that means, Einar, is there's likely to be a few gods, or goddesses, that they follow. This all depends on the person, though, so I can't say for certain who - or what - they follow. I imagine, though, if they're at all fanatical or devout, they'll have statues indicating who they follow. So we'll base our actions in regards to their religion on that."
Lokiari paused to catch her breath before continuing, "Since India is fanatical in its religious fervor at the moment, that suggests he's bound to have at least one or two devout followers in his inner circle. The only way to appease fanatics, is to include them, after all."
Another short pause as she mulled over whether he was the only Don in power. Her mind flickered over the file she had read, "According to the file, he's the only one currently at the rank of "Don" in the area we'll be in." Turning her attention back towards Moira, she shrugged, "The length of the mission depends entirely on how quickly we gather intel and figure out what step is next."
Again, Lokiari paused, before turning to look at everyone, "I hope that answers your questions?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:53 pm
At the sight of the newcomer, Lai sunk. Another one my age. Why? Though once Lokiari said "your little Shane" he felt better. She was married. Okay, he could be all right. At the introduction, he poked his head up and nodded, half smiling. His stomach felt off. After introductions he slouched in his seat, placing one hand over his abdomen and holding the now closed file with the other.
With eyes closed he listened to Einar's questions and the answers he received to them, making notes of this and trying to think of ways to ensure everyone came back late. A voice in the back of his mind hoped the mission was short and that they were on the ground soon.
At Lokiari's question Lai opened one eye and said "None at all."
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