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 Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 12:28 am
Market Dome The Market Dome, the southeastern-most of the four domes. Smooth cobblestone streets are lined with ornate iron-wrought streetlights, delicate white flowers in full bloom, and shops. You can buy anything here, from fresh meat and produce to shiny new gizmos to the latest fashions. There are plentiful gourmet restaurants and theatres here too...the Market Dome is the perfect place to spend a romantic evening. Or rather, it would be, if it wasn't currently deserted.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:48 pm
 As they reached the market dome, Sam took a moment to look around. She even went so far as to remove her glasses. "Wow...this is a really nice section of town." She may have been rich, but she recognized places that were wonderfully set up. She moved over to one of the doors and removed the bobby pin holding most of her hair in place, letting it tumble about her shoulders. But as she tried the door, and it opened easily she stepped back and looked at Kael worriedly. "I'm really not liking this at all." her green eyes bright with worry and trepidation.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:06 pm
He was frustrated, no small amount, at first when he didn't get an answer regarding the company. He looked at their settings, and nodded, but he didn't answer at first. Even without fuel for the fire, he was mulling over how CC Inc. might have been involved, what their trick might be, how they'd cover this one up (or at this point more if they needed bother do more to cover it up), and just what he'd do when he got ahold of the people running the show.
"It's every bit as dead as the rest of the city..."
He glanced back around the shops and resteraunts surrounding them, rather than into the building. A very nice place, it was pretty to look at, and probably romantic in the evening or night rather than morning. More importantly, there were a lot of packed things that were set up to look pretty instead of hold up tight, which meant they wouldn't be too hard to get into.
Especially with how something this important could open with a touch.
"...if things get too sticky, we cut and run to the shops. There's plenty enough ground to hide and maneuver in there to make some ground, or buy time at least. Just... better keep the radios on..."
He put his hand on her shoulder, stepping into the room infront of her.
"Not to seem chauvinistic or anything here, but I think I better take point..."
He unstrapped the thick strap belted across his chest and took it down, buckling it tight through his belt instead, testing the security. One hand on the sheathed knife, half hidden behind him by the coat he was still wearing, and the other on the pommel of his sword. Just a moment, for a sense of familiarity and comfort as he took one last moment to look and listen carefully for the room ahead of them. He'd been confident enough barging around before when he had a solid escape plan and some armed back up, but even if she could fight he felt differently when it was a woman who might end up at risk, even if he hadn't been picking up on her cautious vibe.
Kael stepped inside.
"...well, let's have a look-see."
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:18 pm
It was just a building, the front of a cafe and nothing overtly wrong as they stepped inside. There was even eight day old food on the tables of some of the places. "Eww..." Sam muttered, but continued following behind Kael as they stepped further in. The light was on, but dim. As if the setting for a romantic dinner for two. Or in this case, multiple couples of two. But it was still clear enough to see.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:33 pm
Kael didn't speak at first, checking around for places something could hide, glancing at the doors inward, and finally even making sure to glance upward incase something was hiding up there. Once he'd been convinced nothing was going to pop out and say "boo!" in this particular room, he relaxed just a little, and started walking past the tables to check behind counters and anything else in the area where something might be concealed.
"...my compliments to the chef..."
There was one important thing to check in this room if it was clear of all danger, before they moved further in.
See, the fact was food was abandoned atop sewers, which meant purchases had been made the day everyone disappeared. And being that food purchases were made, he was betting on there being some kind of cash register or other set of notes and cash storage nearby that he could check exactly what date that had been on in.
"...I should make a reservation. Y'know, for some time when it might be a little less crowded."
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:36 pm
She giggled a bit as she moved closer to Kael till she was facing him even as she looked about the room herself. "AGHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, and you never saw a person jump so high or so far right into Kael. Her pack and all. This was not bound to be pretty. If he was properly heroic, he'd at least get his arms up to catch her first.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:50 pm
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:52 pm
"--nghn!?"
He jumped, at the scream more than anything- but we were talking about a flinch of a jump, not like her, bowling into him.
Kael got his arms up in time to catch her as her weight slammed into his chest, making a deep sound of the breath being knocked out of him as he stumbled backward into the nearest table behind him.
s**t! Trouble-
Not entirely heroic, but then, this was the guy who specifically instructed people all of the time not to call him a hero.
Hand on her already it took half a second to wrap his entire arm around her, half lifting her weight so he could spin round and face the way she'd been looking when she screamed- and while he had his left arm wrapped tight around her, holding the woman aside, his right clasped over the hilt sticking out between them. In half a second more he had four feet of sharpened, tapering steel in his hand, red eyes wide and casting about, teeth half-bared.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:55 pm
And the danger? A rat, it's beady little eyes glowing red and teeth gnashing on a hunk of bread that had been left out. Sam blushed a deep bright red and looked up at Kael sheepishly. Here she was, toting more ammo than a small tank, and a rat had frightened her.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:01 pm
Kael blinked.
Deep breathing. For a moment his face went a nice dark red to contrast the bright red she was turning, and whipped the sword in front of him, and shouted at the thing. "Get!"
It'd make him feel a lot better if it ran, if not, he'd just curse under his breath a few times as he sheathed his sword. Closing his eyes and only half paying attention, he gave her a few firm pats on the back and finally let her go, stepping away.
"Christ."
He shook his head and let out one looooong, shakey breath.
"...could you scream 'rat' next time, so I know to stop short of hacking something in half?" A few more gasps and small, meaningless motions before he gave a little chuckle, trying to disarm the situation.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:07 pm
The rat bared it's teeth at Kael, but then scurried off it's 'prize' in hand. Sam on the other hand was trembling as she was set back down again. Her eyes were glazed over slightly, as if she didn't even see Kael there. She was clasping the arm with her bracelet to her chest, and tears were welling up in her eyes.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:21 pm
Now, they were supposed to be in deep s**t. They were supposed to be in real, serious trouble, and they were supposed to be trying to get the job done so they could figure out how to stay alive in this place and then haul a**.
Somewhere between the typical anti-hero formula that applied here and the fact that Kael did these things with a sense of dark humor specifically so he didn't become a bitter, hard-assed old man at his age, the tears had a pretty distinct effect.
"Uhh... hey, hey... Sam..."
It slowly faded to a breathy whisper and he just stared for a moment, feeling helpless.
"It's no big deal... I mean... hey, c'mon there Sam."
You'd assume that wasn't really working. In which case his hands would start to rise, only to flinch and pull back, pausing and staring at her in a moment of indecision.
And then he stepped forward, setting on hand on her shoulder and another on her cheek. His thumb went up, your typical tear-wiping motion practiced on younger cousins and a girlfriend or two, but the thick leather gloves made it come dangerously close to poking her in the eye. He bent over too, though it wasn't quite the same effect with someone a full 5'6" as it was with a tiny little thing- faces were just a little closer than comfort allowed.
"Hey, Sammy-girl, your alright."
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:43 pm
It was safe to say that she looked up, so their faces were even closer, and her bottom lip trembled dangerously. Her eyes had lightened to an even brighter green. Her tongue darted out and she licked her lips as she slowly nodded. "J...just a bad memory." and she tucked her head under his chin, against his chest while she swallowed, and tried to regain her composure, her voice then a little breathless, and her pulse making her faint vanilla perfume waft up under his nose. "I'll be fine in a moment."
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:50 pm
He already had hands on her, but the clinging up against him brought on a briefer similar reaction to before, his arms sorta floating for a moment before he just wrapped them around her and hugged her in tight.
The vanilla perfume started wafting up and for a moment he didn't seem to notice, and then he consciously shifted, making sure he wasn't pressed against her too low down. Something about a woman clinging and the perfume going straight into his nose had an effect enough to put him on alert before too much more started waking up.
Kael knew for all his strong will, a good half of it was instinct and he wasn't always great about fighting those to the degree he should. Temptation was not going to be a good thing.
One long, stiff breath, putting it all out of his head and just trying to relax and gather himself again, pulling the scattered pieces of his attention back together so he could handle what was going on, and more importantly what was coming up.
"...it's okay."
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:53 pm
After a moment more, Sam lifted her head and looked up at him, giving his chin a light peck. "Give me a gun and a target any day. Rats scare the living bejeebus out of me." She still trembled while she spoke the quip, but she was pulling herself together, and that was something at least. But she didn't move out of his hold just yet, just looking at him as if trying to figure him out.
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