Big Bear Lake and Los Angeles, CA

.......

[centre]Alex Ryder[/centre]

[centre][/centre]

Alex put the phone down, lit a cigeritte and then walked to the window to look out on his grounds. He saw only a couple of people on the grounds the poor gardener for one who was still clueless to why Alex kept all these people at his mansion. He kept his light off as the sun was shining through his window. He smiled when he heard metal on metal in the garage and thought 'they are trying to fix my old beat up car'. He noticed someone taking a stroll round the outer wall of the complex and he knew it was Misery. He wished she felt safe here but he knew her and knew she never felt safe anywhere. The others pretty well kept to themself unless he was giving them assingnments but other than that nothing. Alex was a little on edge after the phone call but he was not going to exclose the information he had learned to anyone because it was his responabilty to keep them safe even if they don't see it.

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Vash was typing at god knows what speed on the computer, trying to enter an advanced password in Kanji on his phone, with no avail. "Ugh.. Mein gott. After so much vork, and even zhis isn't doing it's job." He groaned, turning his phone and the computer off, standing up and looking outside to see who was out there. He spotted Misery, Alex and... Who was that? he muttered, peering closer to see who was dressed up in a pink dress. His face went blank when he realised it was Lili. "That idiot. When will she realise she'll get noticed easily?" He sighed, smiling to himself.

Lili ran towards Alex, a big smile on her face. She stopped when she got near enough, and put her hands neatly infront of her in a maid-like fashion. "Sir, vould you like a drink? Tea? Coffee? Any food? Ve have a wunderbar Cheese Fondue!" She smiled, and stood neatly, waiting for his reply. Vash just facepalmed from the window. "Vhy is she so veird?"


(( Attempting to type Swiss and Leichtenstinian accents is difficult. >w< ))

"Okay." Anna spoke calmly into the transceiver radio, hoping that the connection wasn't fuzzed out, and that they could hea her. She stood in her room, the highest point of the Ryder's Mansion, with a good view in all directions. Lately, however, she couldn't help but notice that there have been some suspicious people coming by every once in a while. They haven't done anything but observe the area. Anna doesn't know what they want or have planned, but there's a sinking feeling that something's wrong. Add the fact that, two weeks ago, she was grabbed from behind and got a nasty beating before she could get away, and the whole time, her assailents seemed... professional. Never revealing their identity, or even giving hints to who they are. Anna's no idiot- she figures those two incidents have something in common. "Bro, there's strange activity out in the front gates... again.You wouldn't mind checking it out, right?"

Without waiting for an answer, Anna shut off the connection, and then lay flat on her bed.

[i]It... it might be some of Dad's friends. Coming for revenge? After all this time....? Perhaps. I'll need to look into this carefully."

She turned her transmission on, once again, this time to William Talbot; the right eye, and that eccentric girl being the left eye. She pressed the mic to her mouth and started talking, sonding slightly nervous but friendly at the same time.

"Talbot! Can you run a search on a certain someone for me? Please?" She gulped. "It's my father, Derek Keane. Show me all of his associates as they come up."

Artemis had a smile on her face. Now, this wasn't an unusual trait, it was just she was happier now that she was fixing a car. Not only was she fixing a car, she was fixing her old friend that was now her boss' car and she loved it. It was going to take some work but she was perfectly fine with it. Deciding to take a tiny water break, she leaned away from the car and whipped her forehead, unaware of how much motor oil and grease was on her hand and now her face. Noticing how dirty her hands were, she quickly washed her hands, scrubbing a lot until her hands were some what clean. She then walked back out and grabbed her water bottle and took a drink before getting back to work.
"Hows it going on your side Eliazar?" She questioned.

William's eyes flicked open at the sound of his name, and he was sitting up and swinging his legs around to the floor even as he reached for his radio. He listened intently to the words that emerged from it - Anna's words - as he rubbed at his eyes, focusing on his bedroom. He'd got to bed late the night before, after spending an unproductive night drinking Jack Daniels to celebrate the renewed functioning of his arm.

The emotion in her voice came straight through on the radio, and Will frowned momentarily, his head tilting almost unconsciously to one side as his agile mind began processing all he knew of Anna's family history. Which, given the job he did for Alex, was rather considerable. "On it now," he replied, his only-recently-woken-up status lending his voice a husky quality that was, nevertheless, clear. He reached for his omnipresent laptop, opening it up.

Still one-handed, William waited impatiently for his software to start up, then, a few taps of the keyboard later, he had what he wanted. He downloaded the information to his own drive, then e-mailed it - on the secure connection - straight to Anna. "Anna: I've sent their files straight to your laptop." He suddenly sounded amused, then sarcastic. "One of them is, apparently, newly deceased. I wonder how that happened."

Dropping the receiver onto his bed, William put his laptop to one side and stood, heading to the wardrobe opposite his large bed. Dressing swiftly, he chose, rather simply, a black shirt and jeans, then pulled on his jacket and gloves.

David sat in his room, eyes closed as he pictured it in his mind. He’d only saw it once, and even then it had been from a few feet away but that would be enough. He opened his eyes slowly and let his hand move, patterns within patterns as he painted. He could kill a man in a moment, lie without blinking an eye, trick people into thinking he was someone else but it was always the forging that made him work the hardest. It took patience and skill, one stroke and it would all be ruined. He worked patiently in the dim lit room of his, he could hear the sound of movement in the house but he didn’t let it distract him.

It seemed as though hours went by till he was done, he placed the brush back with the others and stood, stretching his well-kept and maintained body as he poured himself a glass of wine. It seemed as though he’d only moved into this place a day ago and yet he already felt at home here, he would probably feel that way till the moment he chose to leave. He took a sip of wine, letting the taste wash over his mouth as his eyes studied the painting before him. Perfection at the moment, now it needed to dry and that would take time. He stood and dressed slowly; taking the time to make sure every detail of his suit was correct.

It was important to dress for whatever role you were taking on, he added hints of wealth but the type of wealth that a modest person would have. An embroidered Handkerchief and tie, clearly expensive but not too showy; a pair of cuff links that looks plain as could be but anyone of high society would recognize them as being top of the line. Naturally it was all a front, a mask for him to wear. He always took to trying out his different identities when walking the house, it helped him get used to the person he was supposed to be. He took another drink of wine as he put a wallet in his pocket, it had a driver’s license and debit cards all made out to a Mark Chevrole. If checked they would all be completely real, the person behind them wasn’t though.

David took the wine and his new person and stepped into the hallway as he moved towards the dining room, he needed a snack. He mentally recited the history he had created for Mark, one that was completely fictional but would check out to the T. This was how it was done, to pretend to be someone you had to become that person. His steps echoed down the hallway as he drank, it wouldn’t get him drunk but the taste was amazing.

"I need a cigarette and a stiff double of scotch" Eli grunted from underneath the car. "Nearly all of these damned bolts have rusted, I'm gonna need to cop them if I'm going to replace the drive train."
He pushed himself out from underneath with a grunt, standing and cracking his back. His hands caked black with congealed oil and the dirt from years of mud kicked against the under body of the car.
"I'm going outside for that cigarette. the scotch will have to wait though. If you need me, come find me."
With that Eli was exiting the garage through the back door onto the grounds. He fumbled around for a second until he could get his pack out and extract a cigarette. He lit it and crushed the menthol pack in the filter. Enjoying the cool burst in his chest.
"That old clunker..." he muttered under his breathe, exhaling a stream of smoke.

"We will speak again soon, Felix," Alessandra whispered, smiling through the phone. The boy on the other end spoke a small goodbye, then hung up. Taking a quick breath, Alessandra stood up and set the phone on its base.

Alessandra glanced around before making a prompt entrance into the subway train, taking a seat near the very back. Under her dark sunglasses and hat, she peered around the train, taking notice of each passenger in sight. Alessandra had been on high-alert for the last month; she didn't plan on having a brush with death a third time.

Despite the limp that still clung to her left leg, Alessandra was on her way to a training facility. She couldn't afford to lose any more time, and her recovery wasn't advancing as fast as she had wished. If she wanted to prevent what had happened in her last job, she had to begin bettering herself as early as her body would let her.

Artemis nodded slightly as he walked out. She smiled slightly as she finished fixing what she was working on. She picked up her lucky wrench and moved onto the next thing that needed her attention. She smiled as she figured out the problem and started to repair it. She really just wanted to speed around in baby but she knew she still had work to do.

Misery was walking around the complex she now should call home but for some reason she just does not. She started this ever since decided to live here, Walkign around the complex wall checking to make sure the wall was not breeched at any point mostly for her own sanity but also for the others she has only now come to trust.Once she was satifsifed that the wall was not breeched then she started to walk to her work place.

She was half way acroos the lawn when she got a call.
"Hello, Jasper.......go on......yes....yes....right.....is that all you got......yes....yes....Good bye Japer that will be all"

Misery continued to walk non-chalunt to her work shop, but what Jasper has told her has stirred her, but she was determand not to let it affect her. She pchanged into work clothes on and picked up her weapons and walked to Anna's room and walked in

" Hello Anna sorry for the intrusion but do you want to go for some shooting practice "

Misery was going to smile but decided aganist it. She was waiting for her answer.

The info quickly was sent form Talbot to herself, and Anna smiled grimly, mentally preparing herself to see it. He had said, Talbot told her that there's been a death. She immediately accessed the files on her laptop, her eyes skimming the text until she found her father's name, newly deceased. A hard lump forced its way down her throat, still unsure if she loved him for being a father, or hated him for all the things he's done. Anna sighs, figuring that she'll never find out. After casting one last suspicious glance out her window to the courtyard, she returned to the monitor.

After her father's death, a few of his inmates escaped. According to the jailer's testimony, the escapees were acquaintances with her father, even on a friendly level; bonding in prison. Anna tilted her head with distaste, but then she shut her laptop, after putting the names into her memory permanently. A knock on the door; but before Anna could move, it was forced open by Misery. She gave a polite smile to the woman, knowing that Alex put a lot of faith into her.

"Hello Anna." Misery said, unsmiling, and Anna gave her a nod of acknowledgement. "Sorry for the intrusion, but, do you want to go for some shooting practice?"

Anna let out a sigh, but quickly masked herself with a facade of cheerfulness. She walked up to Misery, unholstered her handgun, and attached herself to the hip, giving her a warm smirk.

"Any time, Misery." Anna said, beaming. "You're amazing, Misery. I'll get better just by watching you!"