Snippet #2375504

A new voice appeared and with it came new questions, asked in a torrent. Caine tried to speak an answer as they came, but the woman no longer cared for an answer. After all this work they put him to, alone no less, these higher ups couldn't even be bothered to hold a conversation, ordering him around yet again. And it would seem they couldn't even pay attention to who they were talking to, giving visual directions to the blind. No matter. Things would get done one way or another. If it had to be done, it would be. But... the complications? Who was she?

Caine winced in pain from his shoulder wound as he stood up carefully. He was exhausted, and the battle with the magician (strange to think there were others here) had near depleted his strength. There would be revenge, of course. No one who messed with Itex would be allowed to get away. Soon enough, he and others would find out the whereabouts of these interfering mask-users and take care of them. It was difficult to escape from Itex, especially if they were looking for you. They'd get what was rightfully coming to them. Itex wasn't in the wrong, of course. Right. Caine rubbed his shoulder, wincing again. He was tired, and it was time to get going. He reached his hands to his mask and sighed. "It's all on you now, Kaden. Don't you dare fail us."



Kaden pulled off his mask, starting from the sudden shock of the cold, the wet, the pain. Cursing, he shoved the mask in his bag and gasped from a throbbing shoulder. "Blasted Caine! I had an umbrella in here! Use it! And gods, what did you do to yourself? Here it... gah!" Pulling out the umbrella from his bag and opening it, Kaden winced again from the pain. Sitting back down, he leant against the wall, the umbrella slightly blocking the steady downpour, slightly protecting everything in his bag, though most were probably on their way to ruin anyhow. He examined the package, wet as everything else from the rain, and sighed.

I suppose I'd better get going. Cherry Park, was it? Thirty minutes, thirteen seconds. Nine minutes leeway. Less, now. Running would be cutting it close, and most of Kaden's argen had been spent earlier, on the balloon, on the movie. There wasn't enough for a taxi. The subway would have to do, and Maybelle station was close enough. Packing up everything and adjusting his umbrella, Kaden stood up with a wince. He felt the bandaged wound on his shoulder and brought his hand away, damper still than it had been. Blood. Great. The projectile, whatever it had been, hadn't hit clean, leaving what was probably a larger cut than normal. It was painful, at least...

Kaden began walking at a rushed pace, figuring out where exactly he was and heading toward the subway station. Once there, he paid the required amount to get to Academy Square and waited for the train. It was scheduled to arrive in two minutes, approximately 8:55, but at least he wasn't standing out in the rain. Though, he wouldn't be dry any time soon. It wasn't a busy time of night: the worktime rush was over with, many were still out partying or whatever they did on a Friday night, and the rain kept many others at home, except for the sad few still with things to do and places to be. There was a couple, late to party. There was a man pacing back and forth, something definitely on his mind. A woman here on the phone with a friend, a pair over there arguing. A kid running by, dragging his mother. A group of friends laughing at some joke another had made or maybe at nothing at all. Others here and there, but none paid much attention to Kaden as he stood leaning on the wall. Well, except a man nearby, who offered him a smoke, only to be ignored. The subway arrived, and Kaden got on.

It would be some time still until the train arrived at Academy Square station, so Kaden sat back and relaxed. It was strange, though, that the two others assigned to this mission, even the leader of the mission himself, hadn't arrived. Instead, there were two others, one maybe a random passerby, the other more likely an intentional interferer. Both had known of Masks, neither was Itex, and they hadn't seemed to know one another. Was there an information leak? Had the others encountered trouble, for whatever reason divulging this information about the meeting? But the Hanged Man... he was supposed to be "monitoring the security" of the chat. If something had happened, might there be more that would? It would be worth it to be a little cautious, even if there was someone with cloak and ribbons waiting for the meeting. But still, to have to doubt even those in Itex? If so... well, that was a topic for another time. Who was that other mask user, and how had Itex not known of her? Too many questions had been raised for Kaden's liking, and it was likely too few would be answered by the end of the night. Either way, next stop: Academy Station, and Kaden got off as the doors opened, a few others exiting, a few entering. Kaden headed toward the park.

The trees gave some protection from the rain, but not much. It was unlikely there would be many people here, and there weren't. The contact would be around. She would be, somewhere. Kaden wandered, looking for a cloak. Eventually... ah, there. There was someone, it seemed a woman, in the middle of Fountain Square, the black cloak and red ribbons distinctive. She was idly running a hand through the water, and she turned at his approach. It had been about thirty-three minutes since the call, but better late than never. "Good evening, ma'am. A beautiful night, isn't it?"