Leo's Home -- "Safe House"

Leo paced quietly, looking out his window into the chilly Italian night. Business had been slow, as of late. Clients didn't seem to be pouring in... And he couldn't seem to find any of his usual guild members. Drifters; you can't trust any of them. Of course, Leo understood this. He seemed to be the most stable one of the bunch, always preferring to stay in the comfort of his home. He could stay some where nicer, but suspicions were high. With the rate of murders, planned, that is, on the unfortunate rise, Leo had to stay as "under the radar" as he possibly could... There was no need to make someone start... Thinking.

Pop! The floorboards were acting up; they hated it when Leo paced. In fact, his whole apartment seemed to dislike it when he took on a nervous demeanor. Agitated as he was, his mind was speeding around like an alter boy after mass. Surrounded by religion, Leo was constantly bombarded with the thoughts of Hell. If it existed, he stood at it's gates. Where the hell was Isabella? She had promised to be here by noon. The sun was far past noon.

Isabella had no concept of time, at least, that's how Leo saw it--or, at least, how he made sense of her horrible punctuality. Correction, her lack of punctuality. Tell her meet you at noon, she comes at dusk, meet her at midnight; Oh, did you say midnight? I thought you said midday! She would wriggle her way out of anything. Her crafty nature and over-all appeal were all in her favor--she was great at what she did. If they need an actress, she was their girl... If they need a thief... Well, she wasn't so great. She drifted in an out of the house, never really committing; she wasn't even a member of the guild. Women....

Leo closed his eyes and cracked his knuckles, resting his hands on the antique couch that took up most of the room within the make-shift meeting room; his now-empty living room. He could live on the bare essentials, but Isabella had insisted that he put in some sort of furniture. Heaven forbid he have a bare spot within the room. Damn women. He stared at the door and wished, hoped, waited, for anyone, anything, to ease his weary nerves.

Alan had been out all night nearly praying that one of the basted priests had had a 'falling out' with one of the nobles in the city, Oh how he hated them he used to have been among them but he had been doing to well and the Pope had started to look upon him with what some may call a respect, But before he could be given and a small reward for his services by the Pope some of the other priests corrupted by their envoy had tried to take him out, The men had been poor and not able to afford a proper assassin and so they tried to do the dead themselves and failed miserably, When he had been attacked Alan had stood his ground and lucky for him one of the spanish guard had come around the corner and protected Alan and had killed the priest, Since then Alan new he hadn't been safe so he had used one of his connections to help him disappear and then Leo had taught him to become what he was now An killer A Assassin.

Alan walked into the creaking house to see Leo pacing and the floor creaking in time with the steps, "Hmm" Alan murmured as he thought If Leo was pacing he was annoyed or stressed, Mind you he did have things to worry about The number of clients seemed to have decreased lately as well as Leo had his girlfriend to look after, The girl had so sense of time and everyone knew that that stressed Leo . Alan walked over to Leo "Hey Leo" he said before putting his hand on the mans shoulder, Once he had done this in the other order and nearly lost his head for his troubles and Alan was making sure that he wouldn't make that mistake again.

It was often said that a women should never be out alone after sunset. The night was dangerous, it was unpredictable, and certainly no place for a lady to be by herself. It was then, after all the respectable, well-raised people had scurried off to the safety of their homes, that the Rome's more unsavoury citizens slithered out onto the streets. They were easy to spot - clad in black, face hidden, usually hunched over in an attempt to conceal whatever they had under their cloaks - but not so easy to evade. Especially if one was an innocent, defenceless woman who hadn't had the sense to head indoors as dusk had fallen. Easy prey, in the eyes of these shady characters.

Of course, it wasn't so much of a problem if you happened to be one of these shady characters.

So thought an amused Maria Gallo as she stole down the deserted street. Her pace was sauntering and easy, the pace of someone who had nothing to fear. And she didn't. Even if one of the dangerous, often drunk men that clogged the streets at that hour was stupid enough to try something on her, Maria's single dagger, held snugly at her thigh, assured that she would never be without the means to defend herself. So it was with confidence that she walked, her hips swinging smartly and her lips pulled into a permanent smirk of self satisfaction.

Only when she reached her destination - the living quarters of one Leo D'Arcangelo - did Maria stop. She tossed back her hood with the drama only someone who had been pined and ogled over for her entire life could have, her dark tresses rippling down her back. She appraised the apartment critically. You'd think that someone who had Rome's most infamous group of assassins at his command would live somewhere less...average. But then, she was part of that group, so she wasn't exactly in the position to judge.

She shrugged, and rapped on the door. Under normal circumstances, Maria would've simply invited herself in. But about halfway to the apartment she had made an impulse decision to give manners a try.

Alan though for a long while he had no idea what to say to his friend, A knocking on the door woke Alan from his thoughts, Alan rushed to the door behind Leo and watched as Leo opened the door, The hope Alan had felt rushed out of him though his breath it had not been Isabella but instead Maria, Alan looked over to Maria and gave a small smile "He is just worried".

Alan watched as Leo paced up and down making the floor squeak in protest which made it hard to think, After several minutes Alan jumped up a hopeful expression trapped on his face as he looked over to Leo "I suggest we go search the Duchesses house and find her, After what should three professional killers fear at such a place I alone have taken my targets out from under the noses of the nobles in the middle of such houses at least twenty times".