Looking Into The Light

[Lara Wrathburn] The Hung Drawn and Quartered was not Lara's usual hang out, it was a little to quiet, a little to....up and up for her tastes of late. But it was always a good place to start, a good launch pad for the days events, and so here she was striding through the door into the old pub and smiled impishly at the bartender. She placed her order at the bar, and then pointed to an open booth, her chosen destination.

She strode towards the booth and pulled off the ankle long leather coat that covered her body and tossed it into the corner of the booth before sliding in behind it, stretching her long legs out along the length of the bench on her side and rested her back against the wooden wall, with a sigh she sat there like a queen or a countess waiting to be served, that impish smile remaining upon her features.

[Callista Alexander] ((Awareness-ho!))
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 6, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)

[Callista Alexander] Sat at the bar is a tall, slim woman. Short, dark hair is held back from her face with a clip. Callista's propping up her head with both hands, each elbow sat on the bar either side of a text book. A half-full (or half-empty?) glass of diet coke sits ignored on the bar near her.

She feels something itching at the back of her head. A feeling of something Mesmerising, Subversive, but Premeditated. Like a rabbit in the headlights of a VW camper van, with a bunny-driver. Looking up, she watches Lara settle herself into the booth.

[Callista Alexander] ((bunny-hating driver))

[Lara Wrathburn] [Per+Aware?]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)

[Lara Wrathburn] It was no doubt that Callista was a beautiful woman, one could not be surprised that she was on TV, in the media, and doing quite well for herself. Lara was beautiful in her own way as well but it was verging on a darker beauty a harsher aspect as of late, hair that had once been a brilliant red was now nothing but jet black, and the once firmly straight bob cut, had become asymetrical and almost knife like in some ways.

She was considerably shorter then Callista, topping out at 5'5 only the heels of her boots making her taller.

She reclined happily in her chosen booth, long dexterous fingers smoothing out her deep red halter top as she too suddenly looked up with a curious look in her eyes. The deep green orbs eventually meeting Callista's and that impish grin spread wider into a devilish smile as she recognized what she was looking at. She leaned forward then, almost sitting up and waved at the woman. "Care to join me?" She asked, the smokey almost sultry tone of her voice reaching Callista.

[Thomas Black] The door opens and an exhale of smoke greets one of the students leaving, it was one of those show downs where you wonder who will step aside. They see something in the eyes of that man that makes them move aside first as Thomas walks in, the two students have a few words between themselves then leave the Hung Drawn and Quartered, 5 seconds from now they'll forget what they're angry about, 10 seconds from then they will have forgotten this encounter altogether.

He has the hood on the black hoodie up hiding his eyes, that long tan 'wheeler & dealer' overcoat, ripped blue jeans and old worn quite possible 'dead' converse slapping against the ground where he walks. The people around him might not notice him due to his arcane but his presence is felt, everyone starts consuming more, the people eating, the people drinking, the couple kissing everyone tries to take a little bit more than they would. Eyes wander as he heads to the bar elbows coming down on the hard wood as he leans forward one foot placed on the rest at the base of the bar, some smoke still escaping his lungs from the cigarette he had outside. He wasn't here for anything in particular it was just the closest place when he decided he was going to get fucked.

[Callista Alexander] ((And again, anything from Tom...? ))
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 8 (Failure at target 6)

[Callista Alexander] The universe is once again playing its games with Chance, bringing two of the city's Awakened together in the same place. Two people among millions, and they both end up here.

Slightly wary - never having met the other woman before - Callista nods, replying, "sure, why not." She pulls a bookmark from the front of the book that's sitting on the bar and slips it into the open pages, before closing it and stashing it in a small rucksack by her feet. Slinging the bag across her shoulder and picking up her drink, she heads to the booth to settle into the other seat.

Of Tom she's oblivious, beyond a sudden Hunger. The drink is finished by the time she reaches the booth.

[Thomas Black] ((Per & Awareness, lets see if he is on form))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 7, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara feels the hunger as well as it slides into her and her stomach starts to gurgle in anger. She was glad she had ordered food before she had arrived at her booth, which followed not far behind Callista, as the mage arrived so too did a platter of jalapeno poppers and fries, along with a bloody mary. Lara nodded to Callista as she arrived.

"I'm Lara." She said slowly, an appreciating smile as she looked the woman over before leaning back and gesturing to the empty side of the booth. "Take a load off, have something to eat. Your new here arn't you?" She asked as she inclined her head at the woman.

[Thomas Black] This was the hard part, remembering to play the game correctly, he would be at this bar all day long if he let the game hide him, so it became like a light switch.

He turns it off, sticks his hand up and lures the bar maid to him. "Afternoon pet, two shots of whiskey an a pint of larger, none of that bottled crap neither." She goes off to get his order as he waits, once she places the drinks in front of him he hands over the money, waits for his change and as soon as it is in his hands it is switched back on. Well not switched back on more he lets his focus shift, it's natural state was on, it took a little conscious effort to let people see him.

He sniffs the air, there were two more here, one he has sensed before and one he was intimately familiar with. He didn't need to Search for that, Subversive, Mesmeric premeditative to settle in his gut. He had consumed that three course meal many times, and would continue to do so for many more. He downs one whiskey and picks up the second as he turns eyes looking about the tables until they rest on Lara and Callista.

The woman that Jarod saved. He smirks darkly as he downs the other whiskey and picks up his pint wondering if this was something he could gatecrash or should

[Callista Alexander] "Callista," she replies as she slips her jacket off and sets it on the seat next to her, on top of where the bag has already been placed. Callista gives a friendly smile to Lara as she realises that her glass is dry. Waiting a moment for one of the bar staff to notice her, she waves the empty glass - although she hasn't been here often, she's always been drinking the same thing. Easy for the staff to figure out what she wants.

Turning back to the other woman, to the conversation, she replies to the question. "Yeah, I'm new here. Moved over a few weeks ago now, still learning the city. Mainly the tourist attractions so far, but there have got to be some more interesting areas of the city about."

Interesting. Dangerous? Possibly. But to someone with Callista's inquisitive mind, that just comes with the territory. Besides, there's got to be some decent article material buried under the fake shine of the city.

"How about you? Are you native?" Callista picks up a fry and idly chews on it.

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara listened to Callista as she talked, a popper held between two hands and rolled about gently as if to get the feel of it, bringing the smell to her nostrils. "Well...welcome to Chicago." She said as she eyed the woman, really sized her up in regards to her inquiry. "Your curious about...interesting places are you?" She asked as one fine brow raised up into the air.

"Well stick around honey, and I might show you a place or two. " She laughs a little as she pushes the fries towards her. "Come on, eat up, lean girl like you could use a few fries." She says playfully expecting the woman to take more then one.

"As to myself...well I'm certainly not a native, but I've been here for a while now, I've gotten to know the city, get a good feel for it you know?"

[Thomas Black] Once he has finished cringing from the whiskey he walks over to the table with the two women, he puts his pint down with a small 'bang' to announce his presence. "Evenin' Suc, evenin....well you." He never did get her name as he gestures for Lara to move over. "Don't chinese me joinin' ya do ya?"

He acts like they don't and pending Lara moves over for him he takes a seat next to her. His hand reaches out and brings his pint closer "Well ain't this all hat in the bus an shit eh...so we meet again pet, 'ows tricks, Catman save ya then bone ya? Wudn't suprise me guy can't keep it in his pants if you bloody paid 'im." Theres a cheeky smirk, his eyes still shielded by the hoodie.

He looks over to Callista "Soz I 'ave you at a disadvantage pet, lets get the cogs goin' at least for the mo....West side, hot black chick, small gang chantin', tornado, now think hat....you were there with Jarod aka Catman...and there was sumone else isle....me." He quickly runs through it to jog her memory make this less awkward now he was in her presence once more. He picks up his pint as he glances to Lara "New look pet, nice."

[Callista Alexander] Callista grins. It's not the first time someone's commented on her size, and it probably won't be the last. "Thank you, for the welcome and the fries. I don't want to leave you short of tasty potato badness, though. Besides, I ate recently. These things just cry out to be picked at."

"As to interesting places, there's only so much of a story you can pick up from official sources. I have a couple of unofficial ones, but there's always going to be a certain slant on the information. It's only right that all sides get attention, don't you agree?" Plus getting to know the underside of the city will mean that she can start picking up on where those on top of the city meet up with the bottom feeders.

And then there's Tom, who does indeed get a blank look. Callista really had never seen him before... Had she? The blank look changes to outright confusion as she tries to understand what the man is talking about!

An eyebrow raises as she asks, "Suc..? Chinese..? Hat in the bus..? I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about. As for getting boned," Callista looks straight into Tom's eyes, a faint smile tugging at the edges of her mouth "there isn't a little hint of jealousy there, is there?"

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara had been enjoying herself with the fresh fish, she had already learned a great deal of the woman in the few minutes they had shared together and the fact that she was a reporter....well that was just awesome. She was all smiles to the woman.

But then in came the cockney, Lara gave him a wry grin and a raised brow as he stood there, spouting his dialect but when he tried to take over her bench...well she just wasn't having it, she kept her legs out for as long as possible up until the point the man would have actually sat on them and she scoots into the corner with an annoyed look. "Did I say you could sit down here Tommy boy?" She asked with a 'your a bad boy' look before looking over at Callista.

"Don't mind him, hes cockney, and cocky, and well...he might be full of cock, I'm not sure on that." She says with another wry grin to the man. She did however reach up and adjust her hair slightly with a grin. "Thank you for noticing." She said before looking back to Callista. "Your right, all sides should get attention...if they want it."

[Thomas Black] He sits on those legs if they don't move, so it is a last minute thing "Suc, you didn't say I cudn't." He offers her that charming grin as he looks over to Callista. He had been here all of about 30 seconds and she was already trying to play word games with him. She smiles faintly tugging at her lips he nods "Of 'is looks, course am jealous pet, the guy looks bloody robin, plus 'e is loaded, but don't look a gift horse in the mouth, the guy is an utter cock, an by utter I mean the ultimate." This is the point where he gets the feeling he has seen her before, as in before the Tornado. "Of the boned, jealous of you?" He looks her up and down, he even puts one hand on the table and looks under the table before sitting back up "....well yer all isle pet, but not a lot on the rack an a lil' boney put I'd plow ya robin. Still no Suc though like am no Catman, wat can you do isle?"

"Oh an thats Suc as in Succibus." Clarifying it for Callista as he thumbs Lara. "I don't know if you two 'ave done names yet, if so do 'im 'gain 'cos I 'ave no soddin' idea who you." He points to Callista" Are but yet 'ave this feelin' 'ave seen ya before." He then glances to Lara "Pet only one of us is full of cock...wait was that a compliment...Now am confused."

[Callista Alexander] Callista smiles more fully for a moment, amused by the fight over the seat. These two obviously knew each other well enough, and there doesn't seem to be too much anger between the two. Then, things become a little clearer. "Cockney, that's something British, right? Some kind of rhyming thing?"

Words games? Well, it's what she does. Maybe it comes from hanging around politicians too much, but they're certainly a tool to be used. Robin? Not a clue about that one. Rich and a cock, she gets. "Can't say I'm complaining too much about that sporty little number he has." She leans forwards a little, chin resting on interlaced fingers. "Having something with that much power behind it does have its advantages." Like getting away from a tornado. "I don't know why you'd be jealous of lil' boney me, though. Unless you're hoping to get into Jarod's Calvins?"

Then, full circle, back to introductions. "My name's Callista. You might have seen me in the news, I started working for Channel 9 a couple of weeks back." She reaches out a hand, offering a shake. "And I guess you're Tom."

[Lara Wrathburn] "Call him Tommy boy...or boy. Its really about the best he deserves." Lara says gently prodding the man in the side with a boot she smiles impishly at the man if he glares back before turning and looking more directly at Callista. "I thought I had seen you before, probably while i was flicking channels one time, I have to admit...I don't really watch the news to much, I find it to be a bit...over saturated."

She said with a shrug completely ignoring Thomas' comment about cock, or who precisely was full of it. She seemed to pay far more attention to Callista at the moment, curious perhaps. "So, your interested in the underbelly to expose it, to bring its dark and spectral form screaming into the light are you?" She asked as she laced her fingers infront of her.

"Is that wise?"

[Thomas Black] He blinks at Callista "Jarod ain't fine pet...oh." He clicks his fingers getting her meaning "Nah I don't swing that way, 'ave told that sod not to get behind Tommy for rent." He takes her hand, his own was cold to the touch. "A jorno, just robin." Said sarcastically, it basically meant she was nosey, and he had enough problems trying to keep things from Molly. "Well thanks for leavin' me behind to run for me life, real nice of ya pet." Dead pan, a cold moment as he picks up his pint and has a sip as he puts a pack of cigarettes out on the table. She mentions his name and he frowns slightly, he never told it which means someone else has.

Meanwhile Lara asks some questions and it seemed that he walked into a conversation mid way, so he goes quiet sitting back letting the two women talk especially because this topic was...worrying.

[Callista Alexander] There's a shrug for Lara. "It's a minor channel among dozens, so I'm not surprised you skipped over. As for dragging things into the light? Not quite. People who deal with that side of the city know what they're getting themselves into, in general at least. But the people who run this city, who believe themselves to be above the law? Those who siphon off cash from the projects desperate for it, which would help those in desperate need of help, so that they can line the pockets of their friends? That is that I want to shine a light on.

"As for whether it's wise?" The slight woman shrugs. "Probably not. But who else is going to try?"

She turns back to Tom, the smile leaving at the 'thanks' he was giving. "He offered a fast way out of a dangerous situation. What was that you were saying about gift horses? Given the choice of a sports car or trying to outrun the damned tornado, which would you go for? If you're pissed that he left you behind, take that up with him. Not me."

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara smiles bemusedly at the woman who would dare to poke at the hornets nest like that. It was something impressive, something daring, and Lara couldn't help but like it. She looked briefly over at Thomas meaningfully. "Be nice Tommy boy, save your angst for the guy, not for her." She said before looking back to Callista

"Those are noble goals you have honey, I hope they work out for you." She says as she at last takes a bite out of her jalapeno popper and her eyes flutter, pure enjoyment flashing across her face. "Ohhh now....that...that was worth the wait."

[Thomas Black] He pulls out a cigarette not caring if he can or should smoke as he brings out a zippo and listens to Callista and what she intends to do in her chiverious jornualist duty. Hand over heart he can say he isn't one of those people he is close enough in some aspects.

He just smirks at her as he lights his cigarette His expression was one of amusement "Tissue for ya issue, nowt pete with it pet, glad you didn't lose any sleep, this place is cruel, it is cold an at sum lemon yer gonna 'ave to 'member that you need to watch out for number one. I got nuthin' but respect for wat Catman did, he saved 'ho he wanted to save an left 'ho 'e wanted to leave, thing is if yer gonna leave sumone to die you sud really make sure it 'appens. Otherwise yer just bein' fuckin' sloopy. My point behind this is this...Searchlight...don't mine me callin' ya Serachlight do ya?" He carries on like she doesn't "Well thing is Search, next lemon it cud be you left behind. Bears keepin' in Chinese."

He smirks as smoke exhales his lips "Suc is isle though Search, german over stawberry my issue ain't with you, so for that you 'ave me apology an also robin to see you rockin' out with yer pair Niagara there pet. Just 'member you don't 'ave a three to hat them up though eh." A wink as he lays on the cockney thick and gestures for either woman to take a smoke.

He wasn't to worried, this conversation would soon fade from Callista memory and as for Lara...well they were two peas in a pod and this awakened journalist bared keeping an eye on. As his eyes flick to Lara because when a woman like that made a noise like that you looked.

[Callista Alexander] ((Um, what?!))
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 7, 8, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara enjoyed the popper so much, that she almost failed to notice the phone go off in her pocket. She pulled it from within and looked it over and frowned before pocketing it once more.

"Sorry folks, I have to dash." She says as she grabs her coat and crawls quickly and uninterestingly over Tom's lap, before standing. "Enjoy the food alright?" She smiled to Callista and then looked to Tommy. "You behave now." She said before heading for the door, gone as quickly as she came.

[Thomas Black] ((and for the very good roll, here is what it should have sounded like

He smirks as smoke exhales his lips "Suc is right though Search, hand over heart my issue ain't with you, so for that you 'ave me apology an also good to see you rockin' out with yer pair balls there pet. Just 'member you don't 'ave a dick to back them up though eh." A wink as he lays on the cockney thick and gestures for either woman to take a smoke.

---Why you still reading, it's all up there *s*))
to Callista Alexander

[Callista Alexander] Lara's sudden departure leaves the two of them alone, a plate of rapidly cooling food between the two. Much like the temperature. "So, what, not having a useless piece of meat dangling between my legs makes me any less able to stand up for myself? I think I prefer having my thinking organ above my waist, thank you."

But Callista slows herself down before she says something she'll really regret later. Eyes closed for a moment, a deep breath, and she's calming down again.

"So he wasn't just expecting you to follow along too? I don't know either of you well enough to assume that he intended for you to die there. What happened between the two of you?"

She falls back into familiar patterns, diverting attention away from herself. In a way, it's her own kind of defense. People are usually only too happy to talk about themselves, and a good ear can pick up an amazing amount from what's said - and what's left unsaid.

[Thomas Black] It was a fine strategy and one he uses a great many times, letting someone talk and talk telling them all your secrets while they tell you nothing, or just enough to sate that curiosity. So if she was expecting Thomas to go on and on then she was very much mistaken.

Smoke coils from his nose, the cigarette demanding to be consumed, the smoke left to wander as was his nature. He catches her eyes as the hood raises justa touch and she can see his pale skin, his hollow and dark eyes "Yer pretty aggressive verbally pet, so riddle me this, wat did I do to you to make you act like this?" He places the cigarette back into his lips "Or are you gonna constantly get yer heckles on shit I say 'cos it's just words, you don't like 'ow I say 'im you deal with it, but yer takin' this very close to a line pet." A beat a cold long beat.

"We don't like each other, thats it." And that was it, they had a disagreement. Jarod took it to the next level leaving Thomas behind, an selfish act very much in that primal nature Jarod embodied, that of the cat.

[Callista Alexander] Calmer, now. The heat of the moment passing, Callista's gaze softens a little. At least until she catches a better glimpse of Tom under his hood, and gives an involuntary shiver. She looks down at the plate of cold, greasy food.

"I just don't like people assuming what I can and can't do, just because I'm a woman, or because of the way I look. I've worked damned hard to get here, been through crap that I'd rather forget about. So, no, I'm not going to get wound up by everything you say."

She looks up again and continues, "but be careful writing things off as 'just words'. They carry an awful lot of power, enough to bring death and destruction. And I'm sure a man like yourself, " not that she has much of an idea what kind of man he is yet, "understands that a badly spoken word can ruin an awful lot."

She gives up on trying to find out about Tom and Jarod's history, something to worry about later. Although later, this whole conversation will have faded into obscurity.

[Thomas Black] (Wp, can he play nice?)
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 3 at target 6)

[Thomas Black] Faded until the next time they meet when it will come back, and should they meet more and more then it might be retained by her one day. Thomas use to be full of life, and a very different man than the one sat across from her. He notices that shiver and pulls his hood further down to cover his eyes once more. His jhor was becoming more physical. He takes the cigarettes from the table and places them in his pocket.

"You've told me all I need to know pet. Plus yer easy to wind up...robin to know, I don't give two shits an a fuck if you were a man or a woman." The cigarette in his lips rolls between thin lips. "But if you want, I cud whip us up a violin an I cud play it while you give that speech 'gain." A tease, a more light-hearted tease but it was too easy to pass up. He holds up one hand in a peaceful gesture otherwise they'd be at this all ngiht and then it might get physical and he had no intentions of hitting a woman he would in self defence. To taste that fear she'd have. He breathes in a deep inhale of death...he holds it in his lungs then breathes out ready to move the conversation on.

"So, you been doin' the shazam for long...an you a round table?"

[Callista Alexander] "Don't," Callista says as Tom pulls down the hood. "Don't feel like you have to hide that for me, whatever that is. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I've just never seen eyes quite like that before." Worth asking about? Definitely? Is she really expecting a straight answer? About as much as she's expecting the the table to sprout a mouth and join in the conversation. Whether he pushes the hood back up or not, the woman sat opposite Tom does her best to hold back any further shivers. The light is still shining, and it's not only there to burn away lies and corruption. Whether or not she can do anything to help him back into it, or if he's accept any kind of help from her, are completely different matters.

Settling back into the padded seat, getting comfortable again, she replies to Tom's teasing. "Try being a woman in a man's world for a while, you'll see how easy you get to wind up sometimes. If you're a man, you can look like you've just been hit by a bus and still get the decent positions. Not so easy if you're not a peroxide, pneumatic blonde." She shrugs.

"As for, shazam? Bending? A few months, really. And.. round table? That doesn't sound familiar. I guess I'm more the type to sit cross legged on a mountain somewhere. Are you a tradionalist, or do you tend to do your own thing?"

[Thomas Black] "Roundtable, my term for the trads, so yer a Jackie." Alas no slang will help her on this one, Thomas made up his own for the magical talk, it's all a learning curve now on in. "Me pet, am hollow." In more ways than one. No the hood doesn't rise any higher as he picks up his pint and downs it right there and then.

"Think of it this way pet it cud be worse an as for yer bendin'." He chuckles, he cannot help it it sounded so very gay. "I'd be careful, yer in the public eye, don't want the smiths findin' ya otherwise they'd fuck you ever which way from Tuesday, turn you into one of them, an am guessin' blonde ain't there number either." Thomas feels for her as much as he can now, that TV job, that life it hangs very much on a knife edge one false move, one story that she takes too far, some truths can only be uncovered with putting it all on the line which would put her in the firing line and she wasn't a plain mortal, not anymore.

"Yer bold still doin' that with yer Shazam, must be that pair you carry." He stands dropping the near finished cigarette in his pint. "It was robin meetin' ya Search."

[Callista Alexander] Which is something Callista has yet to face. Oh, she's been told about what she may have to risk along the way. But it's one thing knowing, intellectually, that something's there. It's quite another to actually face it. Only time will tell if it's a fire she'll be able to find a way out of before she's burned too much.

"Thanks," for the warning. "I'm certainly not going to be standing in front of a camera and working my shazam any time soon. But, then, maybe that's why I'm looking for the darker side of the city. Somewhere that it's easier to do what needs to be done without attracting the wrong kind of attention."

Taking hold of her empty glass, she raises it in toast. "Nice meeting you, Tom. Look after that pair of your own."

[Thomas Black] ((Fade to black))