((This thread (at least to start with) is for Ash, Cecilia, Ravage, and Unique. Other threads will be created, split, and combined as necessary. IA, Jack, Lilly, Radon, and Roy will begin in a different thread to be posted shortly, titled "Walk the Line, Chapter I: Tipping Point".))
The Evernight Chronicles, Chapter I: Usual SuspectsIt begins, as these things so often do, with a murder.
Cecilia has been sleeping for a few hours behind a dumpster in back of the Crimson Angel, a rundown brothel & casino down near the far end of the Strip run by a grumpy but kind old lady with a scarred leather face and arms like steel cables, named (for some unknown reason) Mama Pickles.
Mama Pickles leaves blankets and scraps of food out behind the dumpster for those in need, so Cecilia is sleeping warmly and with a nearly-full stomach for once... which makes her rather grumpy when the man in the expertly-tailored black suit wakes her by stepping deliberately on a piece of broken glass with a patent leather shoe.
He's tall and athletic with a blonde crew-cut, wearing sunglasses even in the perpetual gloom of Evernight. Cecilia can see metal winking from beneath his sleeves, and he's wearing a conspicuous shoulder holster packing a loaded energy pistol. His entire bearing screams dangerous confidence.
The man stares at Cecilia from behind his dark mirrors for an uncomfortably long time, before finally speaking in a smooth, cultured baritone.
"Miss... Cecilia, is it? My name is Detective Strom, of L.U.C.R.E. Security. Would you please come with me? We'd like to ask you a few questions." On cue, a sleek black
streetcar silently rolls up behind him on transparent phantom wheels. The passenger door opens, and he gestures inside.
Half an hour later, Ash is methodically bashing a dent in the punching bag. Zero had drawn something on it in masking tape which he swore was the Boss, but really it just looks like a smiley face, so everyone calls it Happy. It's late at night (well, not really, but Ash is still used to North, it's hard to break the habit), and everyone else is out grabbing a bite to eat, leaving Ash (since he doesn't eat) to hold the fort. As usual.
What isn't usual is the fact that the doorbell rings. Normal business comes to the back entrance, and special guests always call first... so this must be something strange. Ash stops beating Happy into submission and starts to wipe his forehead, then remembers he doesn't sweat. Damn, being a Lifetorn is weird. A man should sweat when he punches things.
Standing at the door is a dude in a black suit and completely useless shades. Ash has seen his kind before... it makes him sad for a moment, thinking of Roy and the way their lives have diverged. But then he's back at this goon in front of him, who's staring like he's never seen a Lifetorn before.
"Mr. Bishop? My name is Detective Strom, of L.U.C.R.E. Security. We need to speak with someone from your... agency. Would you please come with me? We'd like to ask you a few questions."Behind Strom sits a sleek black
streetcar on ghost wheels, humming with silent power. The passenger door is open.
The bell on the door tinkles a half-hour later, and since Unique has been assigned to Hostess duty for this shift, she turns, putting on her brightest, softest smile (which is quite bright and soft, of course). Ah, a new customer, not one of the regulars, and the expensive cut of the suit is a good sign. The gun in the shoulder holster isn't a turn-off, you see a lot of that in this part of Evernight, just off the main Strip. He has a real nice
streetcar sitting at the curb behind him, too -- Unique gets a glimpse through the door before it closes.
Before she can say the speech welcoming him to Carousel, the man speaks.
"Miss Unique? My name is Detective Strom, of L.U.C.R.E. Security. Would you please come with me? We'd like to ask you a few questions about one of your... clients."
"Ravage! Get up! Boss says you're going with this guy, um..." Half an hour later, Gurp the half-orc wrangler bangs on Ravage's door, and Ravage can see the black-suited man standing beside him. The man murmurs something to Gurp, who continues,
"...right. Strom. Detective Strom, of Loogie Secrets or whatever I don't care anymore." The half-orc wanders off.
Apparently Strom went past the limits of Gurp's admittedly limited attention span. He steps into the doorway.
"L.U.C.R.E. Security, actually. Would you please come with me? We'd like to ask you a few questions, and your... Employer... has authorized you to leave the complex for a few hours for this purpose."Strom holds out a daypass with Ravage's name on it. Apparently this man has quite a bit of influence -- Ravage has only ever seen one daypass before, and it was hanging around the neck of Arvo Leeth, the Champion at the time. The Champion always gets special treatment.
Strom waits expectantly.
