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Post by pristorn on Mar 7, 2011 15:53:44 GMT
The quick exchange of words on his cell caused Julian to feel infinately better.
"I'll be right over, Julian. We can talk more then."
Atleast Phillip could offer some sound advice. Julian glanced at his cellphone a moment, considering calling the police as well, but decided against it. His usual visitors cared little for uniforms, and the current occupants would most likely have troubles explaining themselves also.
For now, he'd simply have to do the best he could without the authorities. Dahlia seemed a good soul, regardless of her past transgressions. How could Julian even consider himself a priest of any sort if he did not believe totally in the power of redemption?
Julian returned to the present as he caught sight of Hue. The man was doing something with a bottle of water. Raising a curious brow, he surveyed the strange ritual by the door, then noted as Hue examined the large stained-glass windows. What was he up to?
"Hue...you've been helpful with Dahlia, and I see you are a capable man..." Julian began as he walked over to confront the gentleman, "but it's obvious you're more then just another passerby...what are you doing? If I didn't know better, I'd think it was some sort of ritual or such. With the current circumstances, I'm willing to accept a great deal. What are you planning?"
Julian spoke plainly. It was obvious that an encounter with Dahlia's boss could indeed errupt into violence. He feared for the mission sure, but more so, he feared for the people he currently housed within.
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Post by Bogwoppit on Mar 7, 2011 17:33:20 GMT
rise up to do thy biddingThe car pulled up outside the scruffy building, and for a moment Rebus simply sat, looking out of the window at the place with narrowed eyes. Something felt... off, but he couldn't put his finger on what it could be.
This was where Dahlia was, lying low... he could sense her, almost taste her presence. The part of him which was almost completely human by now knew she was here as well as he knew where he was himself. He was desperate to see her, to make sure she was alright, to question her, to ask why Daniel would say the things he had said about her... to hurt her for leaving him...
But another part of him, that purely reptilian part which still belonged in the depths of Hell, that part of him knew something was wrong here. There was a presence, a shadow of light if that was possible, which prevented him from jumping from the car and smashing the big double doors open. Whatever it was it presented a danger to him, he just knew it, and in his haste he had come here with no back-up other than the pathetic Kenny who squirmed at his side.
He waited, growing more tense with every passing second.
Finally he made up his mind. Opening the door, he pushed Kenny out onto the street.
"Go and get her!" he commanded, and sat back, pulling the door closed and snapping down the lock.
his master's voice
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Post by Bogwoppit on Mar 7, 2011 21:10:34 GMT
is there a God up there?Saturday was officially Phillip's day off. Apart from writing his sermon for the following day's numerous services, the day was pretty much his own.
He hated it.
He had nothing to do. No real friends, no family. His housework and cooking was all done by the capable but scary Mrs. Carson. So when the phone rang he was pleased to hear Julian's voice on the other end of the line, and even moreso to hear the young man needed his advice. Not that having a problem was a good thing of course, but... it made Phillip feel useful at a time when he was feeling pretty much useless.
He walked over to the mission, collar pulled up against the sharp breeze which heralded the approach of Fall. A sleek, new-looking Mercedes was parked up outside across the street, and it looked so incongruous in this setting that Phillip did a double take. The mirrored windows gave no clue as to the occupant however, and Phillip continued, climbing the steps and pushing open the door, unlocked during the day.
who cares?
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fabledtales
Fallen
Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain.
Posts: 148
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Post by fabledtales on Mar 7, 2011 22:32:14 GMT
Kenny looked at Rebus quizzically, he actually hesitated, and then of all things, told him to go get her. He stared into his blue eyes, but like always, he didn't allow anyone to read him. Kenny was more likely to help the girl dissapear then hand her over to Rebus. He looked at the building, then back at the car, and just shook his head, "Down the god damn rabbit hole I'm falling" he muttered to himself.
Kenny sighed and rubbed his head, went for the door, found it open surprisingly, and went in. He was met with several bodies in the place and he held his hands up, "Hi...Um I think my friend is here, her name is Dahlia? Look, she got hurt earlier, I want to make sure she's ok, plus I know she's detoxing, can you show me where she is, or ask her to come down?" Kenny's voice was soft, non threatening. He quickly reached down and clicked her cellphone to call his again.
--
Dahlia had fallen asleep with the phone in the bed, and the phone had slowly navigated to her stomach as she tossed and turned, assassins never slept well, sleep was dangerous. She almost jerked awake as the phone vibrated against her stomach, but unfortunately for her, it didn't wake her up completely, just enough to know what she was dreaming.
Dahlia stood at the edge of a crowd, looking nervously about. She hated crowds, they were dangerous for people like her, but Meri had begged her, and she had the night off, no reason to spend it in the apartment brooding. She bit her lip, "Meri come back, don't make me look for you in this damned crowd" she muttered.
Dahlia's hand jumped to her beretta as Meri jumped at her wearing a mask and roared at her. "Jesus chr-- Meri you're going to get yourself shot jumping at me like that!" Meri giggled and stuck her tongue out as she took off her mask. "What is that ugly thing?" she asked Meri. Meri smiled, "Its an angel mask, and its not ugly, here" she said handing her an even uglier mask, "I'd get you an angel mask but you wouldn't fool anyone. You're the demon so you have to chase me and seduce me to fall" she said putting back on her mask. Dahlia smiled and put on the demon mask, and let herself be lost in the moment, chasing after her friend through the crowd.
But there was many demon and angel masks, and Meri was a small girl like her, and she soon lost her. As she searched for her friend in the crowd, she began to see masks too real, more like latex, or not fake at all. She stopped and looked around, jumping, as for a moment a face she couldn't decipher that was man or woman jumped at her face, but when Dahlia looked again it was a mask.
As she looked around the masks began to change from real, to fake, to real again. It started to make her uncomfortable, and she put her hand on her gun, taking off her mask and dropping it to the ground. In the background the people counted down and as they got closer to zero, it began to blur more and more, and Dahlia panicked, trying to find the quickest way out of the crowd.
Was she high? She felt sober, but as she pushed her way, faces sometimes angelic, sometimes demonic, and sometimes masks looked at her, she cringed as a few stank like sulfur so much her stomach churned. Just when she thought it was too much she tripped and went down in the crowd.
She heard the cry as the first minute of the new year came, felt movement, like the crowd was about to move and she was going to be crushed, and then everything went cold...silent.
She looked up from the ground, and the crowd was gone. She stood up, she was in a 4 way intersection and the city was dark, none of the power was on, and a fog covered the streets only allowing her to see so far. She looked up to see a blood red moon. Dahlia shook her head, she was confused, so confused. She turned around but all she saw was the intersection, and a dark city.
She suddenly felt horribly vulnerable, terribly afraid. She took out her beretta, turning the safety off and putting one in the chamber. But nothing was there, nothing was threatening. She realized her fear was of her own doing. She dropped the gun, trying to breathe, but as she just began to calm down, she felt a familiar presence. She turned around and her skin crawled and her heart stopped beating completely.
A man with dark eyes, black hair like hers, but skin so pastel compared to hers stood in front of her holding a bloody axe. "Hello daughter" he said in a clearly demented voice. She made to run away but fell down as chains pinned her to the ground. She could only watch in horror as he raised the axe, and came down, her hands raised, and she let out a blood curdling scream, the last sound that is heard before a murderer takes a beating heart.
Dahlia screamed in fear and fell out of the bed as her mind finally melded with her body, still trying to escape her father. It took a minute to realize where she was, she put her hand to her heart, still feeling the beats of life. She moved, her legs joining the rest of her body on the ground and hugged her knees, swallowing tears. No matter where she ran to, her father was the shadow that haunted her, the demon that whispered in her ear that sapped her strength like a vampire. She put her hands to her head, breathing like she taught herself when she awoke from these night terrors. --
Kenny heard the scream, more a yell of surprise then scream and looked at the others, "Um..I'd really like to go check on her now, please" he said getting more worried.
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Post by sonata on Mar 8, 2011 21:03:57 GMT
Hue’s attention was turned from the windows to Julian as the preacher curiously approached him. At the man’s question, Hue made a face that had his eyes glance to the ceiling before falling straight to the floor. ’Better not think I’m a nutcase. You’d be the last person to think that, he thought. “It’s a ritual I’m sure you’re quite familiar with. I was blessing the doorway in case we have some…unclean visitors.”
As soon as he said visitors, the church doors opened and a strange young man walked in. On first inspection, he seemed nervous or slightly paranoid of his surroundings, which made Hue’s brows lower suspiciously. He had managed to get through the door, so he obviously wasn’t corrupt.
Hi...Um I think my friend is here, her name is Dahlia? Look, she got hurt earlier, I want to make sure she's ok, plus I know she's detoxing, can you show me where she is, or ask her to come down?
“What’s a matter? Forget your suit?” Hue questioned. He then turned a wild honey eye over his shoulder to Julian. “Can you go inform the lady about this guy?”
The prophet rested his hands upon his hips as he continued to watch the stranger like a sentinel. A few moments after, another man entered. He noticed that he managed to get through the door as well, and assumed that he was either a visitor or one of Julian’s friends. If the man was a cold-blooded assassin, well, he would have fooled him. He didn’t seem to have the look of a killer.
Hearing Dahlia’s haphazard scream gave Hue the chills as he embellished the thought of some monster or creep managed to get through her window. He was being too paranoid. Those monsters were going to drive him crazy one way or another. Holding his hand out to Kenny with his palm up, indicating the universal gesture for stop, Hue’s lips parted into a light grin as his brows knitted tightly together.
“Woah; calm down there, Buddy. She ain’t goin’ nowhere. So if you’ll please, do yourself a favor and be patient. But if you’ll answer my question, did you come alone? She was expectin’ somebody that she said would be wearin’ a suit, and you ain’t wearin’ one unless you left it at the drycleaners.”
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Post by pristorn on Mar 9, 2011 2:39:58 GMT
Julian found Hue's response surprising, but offered a slow nod in understanding. His years of pouring over old texts in Rome had shown him a few unusual practices. If Hue felt that such protection was useful, who was Julian to argue? The man obviously only meant well by it, though he questioned the significance of it.
"It did seem familiar...though I believe you'd need holy water to make it effective..." Julian looked Hue over a moment. He certainly did look like any priest he had ever met.
At the opening of the doors, Julian was surprised to find himself on guard. He remained silent as Hue questioned the individual, and noted absently at his ability. The man seemed capable in a pinch. God always did work in masterious ways.
At the mention of Dahlia, Julian offered a quick response, "I'll go see if she's awake."
His steps to the staircase halted at the sudden scream, and Julian raced the rest of the way to Dahlia's room, opening the door to look around the room, obviously nervous.
"Are you alright?? Dahlia??"
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fabledtales
Fallen
Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain.
Posts: 148
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Post by fabledtales on Mar 9, 2011 16:01:48 GMT
Kenny smiled, "Yeah, that would be my boss. I am no suit, I'm half crazy from the drugs I used for ten years" he said, smiling a little awkward to try to emphasize the fact. He sighed, "I wish I came here alone" was all he said not saying anything more. He clicked her cellphone again. --
Dahlia quickly covered herself as the priest came in and blushed, "Yeah, I'm ok, just bad dreams" she said softly, her face said she was clearly hiding something. The phone vibrated again and she sighed and picked it up, "Kenny? What the heck, I'm trying to sleep!" her words sounded like they were meant for a yell but they were soft. "Um..you're going to kill me...and I'm downstairs". Dahlia sighed, "Excuse me Julian please, so I can get dressed".
When he closed the door she put on her damp pj's and grabbed her beretta, putting one in the chamber but keeping the safety on. She went over to the mirror in the room and took off her bandage. She had a stitched, deep cut on the corner of her forehead, it was red and swollen. "My perfect face is ruined" she muttered to herself. Her hair was tangled so she just put it over her shoulder, she looked like hell, and still felt like it. Her blue eyes were still quite pale but at least they weren't dilated anymore, but her skin was still not its golden color. She sighed and slipped on the hospital slippers, having left the apartment a little quickly, and made her way to the stairs.
She sighed at the stairs, and slowly made her way down, her head wasn't spinning, but she was exhausted, and her knees threatened to give out on her. She breathed a sigh of relief as she made it to the last stair, the hospital slippers weren't exactly great on the hardwood floor.
"Kenny what are you doing here?" she asked softly. Kenny immediately got a guilty look on his face and rubbed the back of his head again, clearly a twitch. "Um..your favorite person is outside" he said. Dahlia looked at him like he was drunk for a minute, then the concussion allowed her a thought. "What the hell Kenny, I asked you to talk to him!" she said, yelling. The yelling was not good, and she put her hand to her head. "I'm sorry, he's...I don't know. I can't tell if he's pissed...or" Dahlia folded her arms, "Or what?" Kenny rolled his eyes, "Or worried".
Dahlia shook her head, "What?" Kenny shrugged, "The way he was acting at the club before I called you, it was more like me when you go off on one of your little tangents". Dahlia shook her head again, "Ok I wasn't expecting that". Dahlia sighed and put the gun in the back of her pj's and headed for the door. "You're seriously not going to talk to him" Kenny said, going over to her. "What am I supposed to do, if I don't he'll just get pissed and hurt these people" she said looking at Julian and Allen, and shook her head. "Innocents are not dieing for an act of selfishness" she said, looking into Kenny's brown eyes before going out.
(Outside)
Kenny came out after her, "Dahlia, I think it was Daniel who accused you". Dahlia stopped at the bottom of the steps, "What?" Kenny just nodded and she put her hand to her head. "Ok ok, just back me up, whatever I say" she said softly, leaning into Kenny. Kenny used that to hug her, which surprised Dahlia, "Um, ok" she said. Kenny let her go, "I was really worried about you, you got to me babydoll".
Dahlia smiled and touched Kenny's arm gently, "Its good to have a friend I can trust, I love Meri, but she's not out there in hell's gate with me, and I certainly don't feel safer with Eric watching my back". Kenny nodded and she looked over at the car she knew to be Donn's.
She looked back at Kenny, "Its like he knew something bad was waiting for him in there" Kenny said, pointing to the halfway house. Dahlia smiled, "That guy Hue, don't think he'd take to snake too well" she said before heading across the street, Kenny staying only a step behind her.
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Post by sonata on Mar 10, 2011 7:39:17 GMT
"Your boss, eh?" Hue repeated. "Why don't he come inside? 'Have some coffee - some breakfast. Does he like bagels? Or, how 'bout some water. Yeah, some water."
Hue waved the bottle of water before Kenny's face. "He done wanna make an injured girl get outta bed, does he?"
There was movement on the stairs behind him and Hue once again turned a golden eye over his shoulder to regard Dahlia coming down the stairs looking like a zombie. As soon as she laid eyes on the young man he had been talking to, nothing else seemed to matter. Hue remained silent as she exchanged words with her associate and the two eventually left outside.
When the mission doors closed, the sound of them slamming against the doorstop echoed throughout his mind. Hue stood there staring at the doors not knowing what to think of that girl or "Kenny" as she had called him.
"Guess we got nottina' worry 'bout now," he finally spoke. The prophet didn't know what to say about those seeking sanctuary and healing, and then when they have it, they go crawling right back into the mess they tried to leave. It wasn't his business what that girl chose to do, but he was sure Julian and his friend would be disappointed after trying to do so much to help her.
All Hue thought in anticipation was if she became a host for some devil, and she tried to come back, he was going to shoot her right in the face. As the prophet headed for the steps to return to his room, he shouted a suggestion to Julian, "Might wanna lock up in case some clowns try an' come in here. If any do, let me know."
The little boy returned from the kitchen with a Granny Smith apple almost as big as his face. He nibbled on it silently, licking the tart flavor from his pink lips before he followed after Hue—one hand on the railing and the other pressing the apple to his face—as he followed him upstairs.
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Post by pristorn on Mar 12, 2011 16:51:19 GMT
As Dahlia left the mission, Julian felt slightly deflated. A growning sense of failure resided deep in his mind. Could he have done more for her? He certainly couldn't fight a gang....and she had left on her own accord.
That didn't mean she wasn't coming back. She has left believing she could talk her boss down. Maybe she would work things out. That only left her problem with addiction, and a trouble Julian was more experienced in dealing with.
Nodding at Hue's advice, Julian paced over to the front doors, but instead of locking them, opened the doors to look out onto the street. If there was trouble, Julian wanted to atleast have a chance to offer assistance.
Ambrose, whom had watched the exchanges with a animal curiosity, now sat patiently at Julian's side, its ears up as if waiting for a command.
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Post by Bogwoppit on Mar 14, 2011 17:04:20 GMT
is there a God up there?Well, he seemed to have walked in on something important judging from all the tension and serious faces Phillip encountered as he walked in. Several people were crowded into the entrance hall, and the priest could sense their fear and confusion. He almost called out to Julian as he saw the young man disappear up the stairs, but decided to wait, instead taking up an unobtrusive position beside the main door until Julian reappeared, shortly followed by a young woman.
The two other men present could not have been more different - one, perhaps forty, furtive, worried, jumping as Phillip had entered the mission behind him, looking over his shoulder and breathing an almost audible sigh of relief to see Phillip and not... who? Somone he was obviously afraid of. The other man was younger, taller, surer of himself, quietly confident of his abilities, whatever they may be.
The young woman and older man left, and Julian stepped up to lock the door before Phillip took a step forward to reveal himself. As he did so the other man walked back up the stairs.
"Julian," he said quietly, placing a hand on his friend's broad shoulder. "What's going on?"
who cares?
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Post by Bogwoppit on Mar 14, 2011 17:10:01 GMT
rise up to do thy biddingThe snake-demon sat in the car, impatiently tapping blunt fingers on the steering wheel as Kenny disappeared in through the big door. He was worried, more than he would ever admit, even to himself. Briefly he wondered what his master would have to say if he ever found out Donn had feelings for a human woman. He would probably laugh, and then throw Donn into the deepest darkest pit of Hades. He laughed at the irony. Most demons would like that, but not Donn. He had grown to love his place on Earth far too much to ever again feel comfortable down there.
After what felt like hours the door opened again, and Rebus' heart thudded hard in his chest as Kenny came out, followed closely by Dahlia. He watched them as they walked across the street, Dahlia muttering something to Kenny and the guy nodding. As they approached Rebus threw open the passenger door and leaned across.
"Get in," he growled, his gravelly voice low and menacing.
his master's voice
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fabledtales
Fallen
Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain.
Posts: 148
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Post by fabledtales on Mar 14, 2011 20:34:20 GMT
Dahlia gripped her jaw, she had to stay here, where she had a small measurement of control, and she knew it. She really didn't have the stamina to tango with Donn today, but she had to try to put up an effort. Her head started to pound, as if warning her of her low stamina but she ignored the pain, like so many times before.
She shook her head no, folding her arms, actually putting a look of annoyance on her face. "This is a good place to lay low for a while Donn, till the heat cools off from the coppers." She looked into his blue eyes, letting him see this was not a fight she was about to back down on easily.
She sighed and let her arms down for a second, putting her hands on her hips. "Look, someone wanted me very dead, laying low here while getting clear headed is the best thing, I'm going to call my contact tonight, get some intelligence on what the hell happened".
Her voice was calm and low, despite the fact that it took a lot of strength not to collapse in the street, but women were beings of pain, and a headache and exhaustion was nothing compared to the pain they felt in their lives. Dahlia used the pain to build up her fortitude, she intended to win this argument.
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Post by pristorn on Mar 15, 2011 1:29:19 GMT
Blinking in surprise at Phillip's sudden appearance, it took Julian a moment to remember he had called him. Still glancing out at the gathering across the street, Julian answered Phillip in an unneeded hushed tone, as if he were easedropping.
"The young lady is named Dahlia. She came here wanting to get clean and asked for my help, Phillip. She also apparently has to do with some gang-types...it's all very bad business I know, but I couldn't turn a soul away that asked for my help."
Julian offered an audible sigh, raising a hand to massage the bridge of his nose, "She talking to her boss now I guess. The car across the street. Am I doing the right thing, Phillip? This could certainly be trouble for the mission, but she needs help..."
Julian trailed off, glancing to his friend and mentor.
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Chocolate
Fallen
Ashes Ashes We all fall down
Posts: 102
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Post by Chocolate on Mar 21, 2011 4:52:10 GMT
Tyson had finally was able to get to the half way house. He was supposed to be on another 'look out' for Donn's gang, but what Tyson really wanted was to see Dahlia again. It was like a need to protect her, to make sure she was safe.
He looked like a completely new person. His hair almost buzz cut like. His shaggy hair gone, it was like a sin. His ice-blue eyes heavy with sadness, and deep purple bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. A new tattoo lay on his arm, the Russian tattoo. It proves that he is in the gang. How much he resented that tattoo, it labeled him.
A collar wrapped around his neck, with a tag. It read 'The Underdog'. A gift from the boss.
Tyson walked into the halfway house, his eyes scanning the area. He quickly walked to the three men, hearing Dahlia's name. "Dahlia, She's here? Please, I need to see her." His voice seemed desperate, tired, in pain. The young teenager looked like he was about to pass out from lack of sleep. His eyes pleaded, his face laid in a smoldering pain, barely visible, but noticeable if you're good at reading people.
(Did this at Midnight >> Don't judge.)
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Post by Bogwoppit on Mar 21, 2011 11:53:33 GMT
rise up to do thy biddingBloody Hell but this woman was infuriating!! Why the hell couldn't she just do as she was damn well told?? Rebus sighed, and dropped his hand from the door handle, looking up at the girl in resignation.
"If it's any consolation I didn't believe him," he muttered, barely audibly. "Just... do what you've gotta do ok? Don't get into any more shit, and for fuck's sake don't bring any of the fuckers down on me."
He straightened in his seat, frowning at Kenny who looked amazed at his semi-civilized tone. He knew he should grab her and drag her into the car, make her come with him, but his mind was buzzing with other, more important things. Human's problems seemed nothing in comparison to the greater picture which had presented itself to his master.
his master's voice
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