A Night to Wander-Open

[Isi Runasimi]

Isi matched Linx’s light smile. It was good that he understood the need for privacy. “Still prefer your bike?” Isi questioned as she started the car. She quickly reminded herself that she needed to snap the seat belt. Somehow the bloody police were pulling over people who didn’t buckle up. How they knew someone wasn’t wearing a seatbelt Isi still couldn’t guess. But she did not want to be pulled over. Her nice car gave way for lots of police to wish to pull her over but there were far more lovely fishes to ticket in New York, home of what seemed to be the luxurious upper upper class.

The car purred along the streets as Isi drove in the typical New York fashion. You drove swerving in and out of the lanes. Since it was later during the night there was barely any traffic besides cabs. Most New Yorkers preferred to take a cab or walk because owning your own car was quite expensive if you lived in the city. You had to fight for a parking spot (literally) or pay bills equal to an apartment for a spot in a parking garage. Not many people could fork over an extra thousand dollars for a parking spot when you already had a thousand dollar plus apartment bill a month.

“What weapons do you have on you?” Isi asked. She kept her right eye on Linx as she drove. She would not give him a weapon until she trusted him. And she wouldn’t be able to trust him until he saw a vampire turn to dust before his own eyes. If Isi shot a vampire Linx would think she had just murdered someone, he would point her own gun at her and pull the trigger since Isi would have a gun of her own trailed at him. That wouldn’t be a good situation to be in.

Isi parked the car along the sidewalk with a parking meter. She pulled a pair of heat seeking binoculars out of the glove compartment. It was military grade but it wasn’t top stuff. Isi had no contacts in the military to get the cool new state of the art stuff but the stuff the military was done with worked just fine. It was better than the stuff available in spy shops. With her gloved hands she put three quarters in the parking meter. That would buy enough time.

“Alright. Let’s go.” Isi replied as she put her gloved fingertips in her pockets. She was familiar with this area. She had staked it out a few weeks ago and was planning on returning to find the stragglers. Hopefully they would run into someone crazed by hunger. In a few more blocks they would enter an area that even the toughest of guys avoided with their crews.

[Vincent]

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Yeah, I still prefer my bike, thank you very much! It's vintage, cost me most everything I earned in the military. Fastest production bike ever made, and if I can start bringing in more money, it'll be even better, mainly cause it could use a good overhaul. Excellent mobility and speed, and plates are harder to catch than on a car." he says with a shrug. Besides, wasn't like he'd ever have the chance to own a nice and high end car anyway, so best to not dwell on what might be, rather than what is. He sighs and shakes his head, watching the buildings slip pass in the dark of night, wondering once more what he'd managed to embroil himself into. Oh well, least it wouldn't be like that time in Guatemala...he hoped.

Her next question got her a raised brow in a questioning glance. Odd indeed. "I carry a forty five and combat knife. That's all I need." he answers slowly, wondering why she needed to know. Oh dear. He got himself into something dangerous. Perhaps it would be like before, throwing himself into a situation without all the details. If he needed a weapon, who was he going to have to use it on? Someone else, or his own companion? Was she just checking to see whether or not he'd be a threat? All of a sudden, this was starting to seem a really bad idea. Isolated in hostile territory, carted off to god knows where. Oh well, he'd have to work within the parameters given to him. He runs a mental inventory, combat knife on right side, gun on left. Need be, he wouldn't have to draw his weapon, but put a bullet through his jacket and into her. Bah, he liked this jacket, but not enough to save it and end up killing himself.

When she pulls out the thermal goggles, his brain kicks into overdrive. All of this was wrong. She had to be looking for something out of the norm, something that either gave of little, or way more heat than a normal person. If she was trying to find a regular person in an area like this, she'd be better off with a heartbeat sensor. No, this was going from bad to worse, and he just knew it. He slips out of the car, reaching into his back pocket and pulls out a pair of gloves, slipping into them quickly. Kevlar gloves, riot gear for the Security Forces Daggers, right index cut away to make it easier on the shooter. Alot of them had heavily relied on their sensitive fingertips, for most everything, and even the thin layer of kevlar would've thrown them off.

He vaguely recognized the area as a demilitarized zone of sorts, a no mans land. This could go one of two ways. Either she was here to take him out, hired hit perhaps, or they were the ones hunting. He leaned towards the latter, but still remained wary. Possible reasons she wanted to kill him. Money, enemies from SpecOps days. Supporting evidence, weapon, cleaning DNA and Fingerprint evidence, tracking, following, leading, isolating. Military Grade equipment. Top dollar vehicle, unknown customizations. Idea number one? Highly likely. Possible reasons on the hunt? ...He'd get back to himself on that one. Supporting evidence? Damn. He scanned the area quickly, taking it in, possible escape routes, cover positions for a firefight. He'd have to be quick on his toes, keep his wits about him, and hope for the best. He followed after her, a step behind and to her right. Enough reaction time to throw himself to cover if need be.

[Isi Runasimi]

“True. I never thought of that.” Isi replied. She wondered briefly how much money the man had made in the military. Whatever it was though, it wasn’t enough. “But if I was ever caught I would just change my identity. Again.” Isi shrugged as she drove. The car was licensed under her alias instead of her real birth name. “But what happens when you’re going a hundred and they throw spikes at you or another car doesn’t see you? Or if some moron tries to help pull you over?” Splat! There was a video on Megavideo where this guy on a small 150 bike was on the highway trying to outrun this one cop car. He was doing a pretty good job of it. Then these two trucks decided to work together and help the cop out. These were very large white delivery trucks and they pulled together. The driver sped up and easily could have died. In the end the cop car got trapped behind the two large trucks and the rider escaped. Though he could have died very unpleasantly.

“I see. Well. Just keep your weapons in their holsters. You won’t need them.” Isi didn’t like the idea of Linx carrying weapons but she couldn’t fancy herself confiscating them either. She felt naked when she didn’t have her gun. To ask for his would be suspicious. If he drew his at her she could disarm him but that would possibly equate to a broken arm and he would therefore be useless as a partner. She was not aware of the thoughts going through Linx’s mind. She had not thought to kill him and had not thought that he thought she would try to. She was wary of him walking behind her one step and to the right though she reasoned that was because she was leading them of where to go. Though it was making her uncomfortable she did not let it show.

Most of the buildings had planks of wood over their windows. There were faded warning signs labeling the buildings as dangerous, condemned, no trespassing, etc… What damage to be done had already been done so this place was pretty much left alone by humans. There was graffiti everywhere marking territories but such places had long since been left abandoned. Even the homeless seemed to know better. Isi had only come across maybe twenty or thirty homeless persons in her whole span of a hunter in this area. Considering the amount of homeless on the streets it was a very low ratio in this area.

Isi put on the Goggles. If she were looking at herself in the mirror she would look downright hilarious. She had a serious expression on her face, lips stern and goggles on. Hilarious! She looked around for the series of colors that let her know the person was not a person but a member of the undead. “Bingo!” Isi whispered when she spotted something one block over. She put the Goggles away. The thing was probably looking at them now. “Let me tie my boot!” Isi said as she bent down and put away the Goggles in her purse. She made a move to lift up her pants leg and she reached into her boot, unsheathed the knife and cut her leg. She could feel the warm blood dripping down her leg in a slow rhythm.

For some reason vampires really loved to try and kill Isi even when she wasn’t hunting them. She had no choice but to take offense. She could be gambling or enjoying a margarita in a restaurant when a vampire (and mortal men too) would saunter over and ask her to join him or invite himself to her table. It sounded pretty silly when Isi thought this to herself. She couldn’t even imagine saying it. And then there were times when she was just walking through the city late at night when the disgusting creatures would attack her and try to make her prey only to be on the other end of her gun.

She reasoned that Linx would be too polite to stare at her while “tying her boot” so he would look away and not see her cut herself. The thing could smell her blood. It would be on their trail. Hopefully it would attack soon so that Linx could see it in action.

[Vincent]

He shrugs. "If the rider's skilled and confident enough, it's not too big a problem. Unlike some of these amatuers playing at the big leagues, those of us that know what we're doing don't get caught. Government and Law Enforcements worse nightmare are people like you and I. Specialists in our fields, highly trained and smart enough to know what the hell we're doing." he says with another shrug. He scowls to himself. Stupid amatuers irritated him. He'd trained himself from a young age to be a soldier, and with his best friends help, he'd succeeded with ease, and knew everything he'd ever need to.

He chuckles skeptically. "Won't need em? Ha, that's a riot. Lady, whatever you're up to, I'm gonna need it, I can tell already. But don't worry, I know when discretion's needed." he says with a shrug. He runs mental inventory and prep as they move, "It may not mean much, considering we've just met, but I've got your six, no matter what." he says in a soft tone, knowing somehow that this wasn't something illegal, but something that needed to be done. Call it warriors instinct, ESP, whatever. He just chalked it up to experience, living each day on the battlefield, dancing the border of life and death. It left you more aware, sharpened your instincts. He knew enough now to trust them, and they told him to trust her, and back her up with everything he had.

He waits for her as she "Ties her boot." He'd heard just the slightest scrape of steel, something he wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't been listening for it. Moments after, she slid it away, and he left it unmentioned. She had her reasons, and she didn't trust him enough yet to explain it or let him in on it yet. He'd be patient, he understood trust had to be established with time, and she seemed set in her ways, and he would respect that. "After all this, mind telling me your name? I like to know a bit about my partner, more incentive to protect them and guard their life without any doubt or hesitation." he says, flashing her a quick grin, noting the sudden interest of someone down the block, reading it in the sudden shift of their body.

He laughs and smiles, acting completely normal, words coming out from his smile under his breath. "Contact one block up, single tango, no signs of backup." he says, offering her his arm in a gentlemanly fashion, brushing his fingers against his jacket as he did so, making sure the saftey was off without reaching inside and tipping his hand. He chuckles again as a familiar tingle runs down his spine, like the carress of a lover. That familiar brush of adrenaline, thrill and fear. Fear of the unknown, thrill of the fight. Just like old times. "Well my mysterious and lovely friend and benefactor, it seems you certainly know how to show a guy a good time. I think I'll have to stick around you more often. What's our plan then? Ambush, I suppose?" he flashes a wolfish grin at her, body alight with energy, senses heightened above his norm, ready for anything.

[Isi Runasimi]

“Hmm. That’s true.” Isi agreed. Though accidents did happen to even the best of them. She was a woman of few words unlike her new friend. There was nothing to add so she said nothing. She saw the figure on the googles stay where he or she was at. It would probably wait until they passed it and then strike when their backs were turned. Some creatures were like that, others tried to use their powers and their sheer good lucks to draw in their pray. Isi grinned. The thing might have thought it was a kill one, get one free special.

“I hope so.” Isi replied. “I hope so.” She understood the meaning of Linx’s words. Yet appearances could be deceiving. What if the vampire was a woman or a young child? It happened. Good hunters died because they couldn’t kill a woman or the child reminded them of their own kid. “Alright. You probably will want to unholster your gun later but don’t worry. Okay?” Isi sounded slightly cryptic with her words. Linx probably thought she was psycho. Normal jobs didn’t require guns.

Isi stopped and met Linx’s eyes. Telling another person her name was something she had never done before in her life. “My real name’s Isi. But the name on my fake I.D. says Sarah.” Isi answered after a long pregnant pause. “I’ve never told anyone my real name before.” It sort of went without saying that Linx should take her name to the grave, even if he was ever tortured he should keep her name out of his thoughts and out of his throat. Would Isi regret giving away her name? If Linx didn’t want to work with her she could always kill him.

Isi took his arm as if she were his date. She had seen couples do this many times but it was her first time ever taking a man’s arm as such. It was odd and uncomfortable. “Good a loner.” They were probably just an ordinary couple on their way home from the movies, or tourists visiting New York who had gotten horribly lost. This was actually quite fun. “An ambush sounds fun. But let’s wait for him to ambush us. Trust me, he’s not expecting us to have weapons and I doubt he will have weapons. He has other … strengths.” Isi took off the goggles and stuffed them away. She had to give Linx credit. He was brilliant at recognizing the situation. Another less skilled man would have assumed he was homeless but the man that would soon be before them was their target.

[Vincent]

He nods, laughing again, raising his voice slightly to let it carry on the still night air. "Of course I've never been to New York! Like I said, I think the Carnegie's this way." he says, leading her slowly. He was moderately suprised she'd given him her real name, and he knew it wasn't something she did often or lately. She'd placed a certain amount of trust in him, and he refused to let her down.

"So, what are this guy's other strengths then? Must be pretty damn good to not need a gun." he murmurs softly, senses tuned outwards. He went through his head of what it could possibly be. It couldn't be entirely natural, considering she'd found it using thermals, didn't use a weapon so excellent at hand to hand. Or...a memory began drifting to the surface, a rumor he'd heard long ago. Someone had said that humans weren't at the top of the food chain, that there was an entire world out there hidden right in front of them. While most wrote it off as myth, it was real. He never put much stock in it, but never entirely discounted it either.

Some said it was a world of monsters, others a world of unseen heros and miracles. He didn't know what, if any of it was true, but what if it was? Was Isi part of that world? Or was he just a fool? He chuckles and mentally chides himself. 'Easy Linx, easy. Keep yourself grounded in reality. Even if it is a mythical beast, especially even, you can't afford any mistakes.'

[Isi Runasimi]

“I just love the horses, dear. So romantic! I hope we get the white carriage again. It reminds me of the movie Cinderella.” Isi was trying to play the part of an actor. Her hand was still on Linx’s arm. If need be she estimated that she could be on her gun in three seconds. She was better on her right hand but she wouldn’t be any type of professional if she couldn’t shoot as well from her left. Isi arched her back and tried to pout her lips.

“You don’t want to know.” Isi replied under her breath. Her voice was barely a whisper. She did not want to say anything because it would be bad if the vampire caught wind that they weren’t tourists and knew about supernaturals. The figure then was slanting against the wall on the street. He lite up a cigarette and pretended to smoke it. The new ones always did. They tried to be as much like their old mortal life before.

The vampire then threw the cigarette to the ground, stomped on it and headed towards their direction. ‘Get Ready,’ Isi thought to herself.

ooc - You can control the vampire if you want.

[Vincent]

Linx nods and chuckles once more, "My dear, you're far lovelier than Cinderella!" he says, playing along with the charade. He continues walking slowly, casually watching the area around them, noting with a bare disgust that their opponent was trying to act cool and casual.

"Damned fool amatuers." he mutters under his breath, and he smiles nervously as the target approaches them, playing the tourist with ease. Amatuers, they had no chance playing with the big kids, it'd be like taking candy from a baby.

"Evening, correct me if I'm wrong, but you folks are looking for the Carnegie right? Allow me to show you the way." the man said with a smile, turning to lead them down an alley. Linx reaches a hand into his pocket, "But sir, the Carnegie is north! This way is west!" he says, looking at something in his hand the vampire presumed was a compass.

He growled, impatient. Why should he have to lead them on? He was a vampire, the elite of the elite among the creatures of the night! He fed when and where he chose, and mortals be damned! He snarled in sudden fury, rounding on them, to be met by a cold smile. He blinks as he feels something pressed into the underside of his throat, and Linx chuckled.

"Surprise dickface." he says, squeezing the trigger and letting the full metal jacketed round tear into it's skull, destroying it's brain and most of the top of it's head, slamming it back to a wall. He frowns. "Ah hell, I'm sorry. I should've remembered, ladies first." he says with a smile, releasing her arm, replacing his weapon and stepping over to examine the corpse, noting few oddities to it. "So, wanna tell me why I just killed a guy?" he says, lighting up his own smoke as he did so, crouched beside the corpse and looking up at her. He'd trusted her in return to take out the target without hesitation or questions, and he'd hoped he hadn't been wrong.

[Isi Runasimi]

“Oh dear you flatter me.” Isi of course sounded as if she did not think she was quite so pretty. It always amazed her that she was quite beautiful. Every day she woke up and looked in the mirror thinking that her amazing looks were just a trick. As if she was truly ugly though was hypnotized. “But I agree. I am fairer than Cinderella. Though just not so nice. Rawrr.” Isi laughed. She was quite a horrible actor. Isi was trying to agree with Linx’s under his breath ‘amateurs’.

“Oh so very kind of you, Sir.” Isi replied. She had to bite back the distaste in her mouth as she said the word ‘sir’. The man was leading them down an alleyway which surprised her because the streets were deserted and he could have taken them then and there (or tried to). Perhaps because there were two of them.

Isi laughed when Linx said the carriage was the other way. “Ouch. That’s got to hurt!” Isi replied as Linx squeezed the trigger. That was so very cold-blooded. It turned her on immensely. “That’s alright. Gotta give one to the new guy.” Isi picked up her gun. “Just watch.” She said as she pointed her gun at the vampire. Soon enough the vampire hissed though his eyes rolled back. She shot him again with her specialized bullets straight into his heart. “Do you believe in vampires? I sure as hell hope so.” Now the vampire was dead. He would be ashes as soon as the sun rose.

[Vincent]

He deadpans from her to the hissing beast on the ground. His eye twitches and his gun flashed free once more, roaring to life. As her round tore through its heart, he emptied his clip to turn the things head into a bloody paste against the wall. "Fuck you asshole, you do NOT get back up when I shoot you." he he says flatlt. Stupid git, he thinks to himself before sighing.

"So, vampires huh? Whether I believe or not isn't an issue, considering it's obvious we just killed something inhuman. Nothing can have a bullet scramble it's brain and get back up. Besides, I've heard rumors. Government organizations, created and tasked with the handling of things out of the ordinary." he says with a shake of his head. He swaps out his empty clip for a new one, chambers a round and holsters it, turning back to Isi.

"What now then? I assume you're a hunter of the undead. Following this, I can safely assume you've hired me on to help, and I use the term loosely, slay these nightmares. Were I sane man, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself and crawl back into ignorance." he pauses for a moment to stare at the corpse.

Many thoughts and emotions ran through his head as he remained silent, before tossing his head back and laughing, long and fierce. He shakes his head and faces her once more, fire in his eyes. "But any son of a bitch that preys upon the weak and defenseless deserve nothing less than death. Besides, no one's ever accused me of sanity!" he says with another chuckle. He smiles brilliantly at her gesturing for the path back to the car, "What now then?" he asks her pleasantly, his tone casual, like asking one what they wanted to do after catching a movie. Killing humans never sat well with him, but he'd killed, and he'd kill again. He was already stained with blood, and he didn't see the need for anyone else to be involved if they didn't have to.

[Isi Runasimi]

“You don’t want to be in the sane club. We get better guns!” Isi replied. She thought over his comment about the government organization. That was something Isi had never known or heard of. It was good to know because knowledge was power. But why had Isi never heard such a thing before? Not even a scant whisper. Perhaps it was because she had never joined the military. Isi never had the desire or lust to follow in the hands of others orders. She did things herself her own way when she felt like it.

Isi took out of her purse a packet of money tied with a paper money clip. “Here. Five grand. Part of our deal.” Isi said as she threw the money at Linx. “Now we get the hell out of here and let the sun do its job. You never know about anyone lurking or dialing 911, not that I think there’s anyone here to witness but better safe than sorry.” Isi put her gun away and moved the trash bin so that it blocked the body from any casual peepers.

“I’m sure you have questions.” Isi replied as she put her fingers in her pockets and strode out of the alleyway. She should have been prepared to answer many questions though she was not. The answers should be easy enough.

[Vincent]

He shrugs, eyes distant. In battle, he could forget all his troubles and worries and just live for the fight, after which they always came back to haunt him. He offers a light smile and chuckle before responding, "Better guns huh? I like my hand gun." he says with a shrug.

He stops for a moment to collect his shell casings, just in case someone did find the body and the police came looking. When she holds out his pay, he accepts and stares at it for a couple moments, before pocketing it with a shake of his head. "I don't want you to think I'm in this for the money." he says softly, "I'm doing it because someone has to protect these people, even if they're too afraid or ignorant to admit they need it. After a while, you only need to pay me enough to get by." he says with a shrug.

He starts back for the car, walking beside Isi with steady and even strides, a light smile on his lips, one that didn't quite reach his eyes however. "Questions? No, can't think of any. Lower core temp, enhanced abilities and senses, anything else I can research." he says with a shrug, before one does work its way into his thoughts. "Actually, will we be working together or individually?" Tacticly, it mattered, but was unimportant. He just hated being alone.

[Isi Runasimi]

“I’m in it for the money.” Isi replied coolly. Though perhaps she was in it because she liked to kill. When you had someone tied on an execution type table in the middle of nowhere it brought on this amazing rush. It was almost like being addicted to hardcore drugs except the only one who got hurt was the one tied down. Isi would never ever admit that she liked to kill. The feeling of her knife thrusting into flesh, knowing that the creature was damned helpless and could do nothing. The hunter became the hunted! “If you say so.” Isi hummed. “More money for me then!” She seriously doubted that Linx would pass up on the money when he learned about how much there was to be made. If you found a bank statement or looked at a vampires computer, the older ones had always major money and major items in storage facilities. There was literally millions to be made and Isi spent is as fast as she stole it.

“I would prefer together. No offense but I would like to keep a watch on you. Not to mention vampires are tricky. As soon as you’re going to kill one and they realize it they try and offer you immortal life.” Isi frowned as she spoke. She opened the flaps of her coat to hide the sides of her face as she kept it partially down. “And of course there are other factors to be taken into consideration.” How would Linx handle a couple? A man and a woman? He had the physical ability to kill the man but few men could kill a woman even if she would kill him the first chance she got. “But I mean other questions. You don’t want to know if werewolves and ghosts are real?” Isi replied. She herself had never met a ghost and doubted their existence. But she knew of werewolves. Linx seemed to be thinking very rationally as if they were discussing a political campaign.

[Vincent]

He shrugs. "Money, ultimately is nothing to me. Without the trappings of wealth, I can be free. Untied to anyone, or anything. I don't have family to look after, nor friends. After the military, I disappeared, cut contact with them, called it good." he says softly, his face and silver eyes impassive, betraying none of the pain and loneliness he felt.

He sighs, shaking his head to clear his mind, handing her a small card. "Name and number for me. And don't worry about keeping an eye on me, I'm sure I can think of more than a few tactics they'd use." he says lightly as his thoughts darken. He knew because they were the exacts tactics he would, and had, used before. He'd been part of Special Forces, but deeper than that, he was BlackOps, the governments Wetworks man. He did what had to be done, no matter the cost to eliminate their enemies.

"Immortality? Ha, that's a riot. Nothing is forever, and I've no interest in living longer than I should, I have no reason to. Once my time has passed, I'll fade quietly into obscurity." he says with another shrug, eyes far away from the here and now, before he gazed upon her once more, offering a sad smile.

"I'm kind of a loner. I never get attached to anyone if I can help it. Too many times in the past I've become attached. In the end, you have only yourself to rely on." he mutters harshly the last bit to himself, thinking bitterly of times long since passed. "Werewolves and ghosts? Babe, I just found out vampires were real. I'm going home and drinking myself under the table. I'll deal with these things tomorrow, and add a couple more kills to my count. I need to hone my technique anyway." he says with a light laugh, glad for her company. Being alone was tough, especially with the truth he was now forced to face. But somehow, her genuine question and confusion made it bearable.

[Isi Runasimi]

If Isi was sociable she would have suggested that Linx take some money and send it home to his family. Because your family was still your family, except of course if they were filthy werewolves! Isi had no family, not that she wanted one. She ‘hummed’ at all the right places when he spoke, never passing judgment or stating her own personal thoughts and opinions on the matter. She took his card and put it in her pocket. “You carry your name and number on a business card? I’d burn the remaining ones. What happens when your clothing gets torn in a scuffle you thought would be easy and someone calls 911 and the cards fall? Police name you a person of interest immediately.” This was elementary 101. “Wear gloves. If I am to understand, all military personnel are fingerprinted like common criminals.”

“I hope you won’t drink on the job.” Isi muttered as she checked on his card in her pocket to make sure that it was there. She had never gotten ‘under the table’ before and had never had more than four glasses in one night, never on the job. Alcohol would slow your reaction time, not by much but when you were literally hovering between life and death when both possibilities could happen it was best to not take any chances. “You also misunderstand. I certainly think you will do a capable job. However, if I don’t get certain bank statements and antiquities I won’t be able to pay you. Understood?” Isi did not like having to spell such out. It made her sound very cruel. But she certainly couldn’t afford her lifestyle and hunting without taking money that the dead did not need. Not to mention she had a love of fine art, statues and jewelry.

"Oh. And don't worry. Ghosts aren't real. I think. I've never met a ghost but I have come across several werewolf. For the most part, leave them alone unless it's unavoidable. They are damned hard to kill and one scratch is fatal. Understood?" The last thing Isi needed was her new partner scratched. Isi wondered if when Linx drunk himself under if he would get mugged and his five grand stolen. It was the way she pictured things if he did actually get under the table, passed out.