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Darian

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Overture [20 Aug 2008|12:49am]

city_limits

[averyisgone]
Voicemail for Francess )
1 Deal | Eye for an Eye

Irony [20 Aug 2008|12:55am]

city_limits

[faith_5_by_5]
Avery's arms were wrapped around his midsection as he stumbled forward. He had been calm coming out of Rebecca's building, but only up until a certain point. About one hundred feet from her door, he suddenly doubled over with a painful cry. He felt nauseated, confused and cornered. Straightening back up and continuing his walk, he wiped roughly at his eyes.

He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, he just needed to get away. From what, he didn't know. He wanted to use his nails to dig himself out of his body. He wanted to yell and hit something. He wanted to lie down and sleep.

Instead, the vampire angrily kicked a Sun-Times box. Lousy blue thing.

Finally, Faith felt like herself again. All the effects of her trip to Vomit Land had passed, and the Slayer had all her strength back. Having already dusted a pair of vamps as they tried to break into a local blood bank, Faith felt like she could patrol for about another hour before returning home and crashing for the rest of the night.

It was amazing what 17 consecutive hours of sleep could do.

The loud bang she heard around the corner made Faith jump, and instantly she grabbed for her stake. Heel to toe, the Slayer approached the corner, listening for any other sounds. She peered over the edge of the wall, seeing nothing horribly out of the ordinary. Deciding to keep her grip on the stake for the time being, Faith took a few more steps until she saw the source of the noise.

Avery, looking rather distraught and – horribly injured. The Slayer’s face bent into a frown as she shoved the stake back into her pocket, approaching the vampire.

“Avery … what happened to you?”

What's a Spongebob? )
Eye for an Eye

New Position [19 Aug 2008|10:04pm]

city_limits

[forbes_md]
Kathleen footsteps echoed down the sterile white hall that linked to the Army’s section of St. Joseph Hospital to report for her new assignment. St. Joseph Hospital was one of the largest medical centers on the North Side, but the events of last year had placed it right next to the security wall that separated it on the opposite side of Lincoln Park. As such, it was no longer so popular with the civilian medical work force with its proximity to the wall.

The Federal Government and the U. S. Army made an arrangement with the city and civilian managers of the hospital to share the operational costs of the medical center and assist in keeping the vital hospital staffed. In exchange, the military would lease half of the medical center for its own use.

The military doctor pushed opened one of the double doors that was marked ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL, CHICAGO - U. S. ARMY MEDICAL CENTER HEADQUARTERS and entered the administrative lobby. A civilian contract worker sat behind the curved shaped receptionist counter reading something on the 24’ LCD computer screen until she looked up to see who had entered the lobby.

Kathleen in her blue army service uniform with the traditional shoulder straps embroidered with gold trim and the double silver bars of a captain, walked up and placed her black leather bound binder on top of the counter. “Good morning. I’m Captain Kathleen Forbes and I have an appointment with Colonel Wentworth, the Chief Medical Officer.” She waited as the receptionist checked the appointment log on the computer screen.

“Yes, I see your name here…just a moment, ma’am.” The receptionist made a call and let the person on the other side know that the captain was here for her appointment. After she was done with the call, “Captain, someone will be down to meet you in a moment.”

“Thank you,” replied Kathleen before the receptionist returned to what she was doing before. She then looked around and considered if she should have a seat and wait.

Before she made a decision, a staff sergeant in an Army Combat Uniform (ACU) appeared from one of the halls. “Captain Forbes?”

She turned to face the NCO. “Yes, Sergeant.”

“Ma’am, I’m here to take you up to see Colonel Wentworth.”

“Please, lead the way Sergeant.” She followed him down the hall from where he had come.

Walking with the sergeant, Kathleen felt a little apprehensive as they passed through the hospital corridors, as she always done when her situation was changed. She had been an average doctor, who had not gone particularly out of her way to gain recognition or to be extraordinary, but events had picked her and she had to step up. Before arriving to Chicago, the army taught her what they knew about sub-terrestrial biology at Fort Detrick as part of a new program. She was here to put that training into practice.

Reporting for Duty )
Eye for an Eye

Communications [20 Aug 2008|12:09am]

city_limits

[hard_edge]
[ mood | amused ]

Voicemail for Oliver )

Voicemail for Darian )

3 Deals | Eye for an Eye

Impromptu [19 Aug 2008|11:38pm]

city_limits

[doingmything]
[ mood | rejuvenated ]

The studio was empty and had been for hours, leaving Kris with nothing but her thoughts for company. Not good. She rolled her neck and stretched her arms above her head in an attempt at loosening her muscles and working out some of the tension built up over the week.

It didn’t work.

She blew out a breath and dropped her arms to her side before she tipped her head, regarding her reflection in the full length mirrors. One hand lifted to play with her hair whilst the other followed the line of a scar, brow furrowing as she attempted to recall the instance she’d gotten that injury.

Kris ignored it, moving over to where her CD player was. She ended up in a crouch and her fingertips moved to fiddle with both volume and bass until everything sounded just right. Once she was happy she rose to her feet and settled in the middle of the floor, tapping her thighs in time to the beat before flowing into the music smoothly.

Little did anyone know but Kris loved to dance, she always had.

Her eyes closed and her body turned on the tip of her toes before she rolled into the next movement as smoothly as the last, every line was impeccable and she was breathing the music. Anyone could see this in the way she found the next step and put herself into it. Lines of muscle worked in unison with the movements the Slayer expected of herself, executing one flip before pivoting on the heel of her foot. She turned beautifully and fell into her next movement, twisting her stomach and rolling her hips until the hardened lines across her stomach dipped and curled.

Long hair was caught in the palms of two hands and pushed back, skull sliding back as Kris tipped her neck into the sharper beat. The music was slow at first but quickened the same way the Slayer’s heart did as she continued to use the expanse of studio to her best, balancing on her toes and turning herself repeatedly until she hit the nearby wall. It was only a momentary pause before she pushed away and all but stomped her way through the deeper and much sharper beats, abrupt and halted. Kris moved in the same way until the music softened, smoothing out the lines that had previously jilted Kris’ body language in all the steps.

Kris turned into the next step and extended her arms, snapping around and around until she caught her weight on one hand and slid the length of her body across the floor. She was breathing hard and sweating but that wasn’t stopping her, she rose up on one hand and carried her weight until she had both feet on the ground. She waited for the next beat and wiggled her way back up, putting weight on her right leg and curling the other around her as she followed the rhythm.

The next few steps were punctuated by sharp rolls of her hips until Kris brought her unpractised routine to an end against the same mirrors that had started this whole thing. She sagged back against them and exhaled a sharp breath, closing her eyes and tipping her head back.

It took a few minutes but eventually a small smile curled her lips upwards.

Eye for an Eye

Figure of Trust [19 Aug 2008|04:07pm]

city_limits

[averyisgone]
After the binge of the other night, Rebecca made herself stay late at work, poring over proposals for the next telethon effort the foundation would be making. There was an espresso machine on the table across the room, the one she usually kept at home, and a small cup of the strong black liquid sat on her desk near the papers she was lookng over. It had gotten dark a little while ago, and she supposed that after another hour or so, she would have to have some food ordered in.

Still, it was good to be alone for a bit, especially at the end of a long day. Simone had gone to retrieve some files relating to previous efforts. There was a lot to be done before a televised plea for funds, even more so than for a dinner, and it had to be something guaranteed to catch the public's eye. She would come up with something. She always did.

The Englishwoman set aside one small batch of papers, drank some espresso before picking up the next. Thank God for caffeine.

Avery was standing underneath a streetlamp outside of Rebecca's building. The orange light cast across his features as he tapped his foot nervously, deliberating internally.

On one hand, he needed a reassuring presence. On the other, he didn't want to scare her. The vampire could only imagine what he looked like.

He began to pace a little, until something caught his eye. A window, and a flash of red hair. Rebecca. "What light through yonder window breaks?," he murmured. The quotation was strictly ironic, as his feelings for the woman were platonic.

She looked busy. Perhaps he should leave and come back another night. Despite this thought, Avery still vacillated on the sidewalk.

Rebecca was talking to herself in a low voice, practicing a possible pitch for the upcomingevent. It wa a habit she had, working out in private what she could say to properly motivate potential donors to get out those checkbooks or dig deep into their pockets. It all depended on what mood she was trying to strike, what tone.

"In closing, I can only say that so many are in need, even in this prosperous city. We at the foundation appreciate every donation that comes to us, and if our efforts are to expand to make the lives of young people better, we require..."

A movement out on the sidewalk caught her attention, and she paused in her recitation because the hour was just late enough that break ins had been known to happen. Rebecca look closely at the window, took a step towards the glass, then stopped, a bit startled.

Avery.

Her heart did something that had nothing to do with the coffee she'd been consuming, and she dropped her gaze to the papers in her hands to pull herself together. He'd said he might come by, after all. Not unannounced, necessarily, but still, he was here. Or rather, there, really. Rebecca paused, looked up from her sheaf of papers again. Avery. She smiled through the clear surface of the window, walked out of the office so she could go buzz him through the door.

Admittance )


Just Say No (Adult Content: Mild Sexuality) )


She covered her mouth with her hand because if she didn't she'd call him back to her. But he'd managed to hit her right where it hurt, in her vanity, and her spine stiffened that single extra notch. She was proud, proud and vain and arrogant, and she wasn't going to allow some boy to see how close she was to doing something even more inappropriate than kissing him.


"I'll recover," she said, once she felt like her voice was under control. "I'll call you in a few days, when I'm less busy. You still owe me that dinner."

Her mother had not raised a savage. Civillity was all she had sometimes. Especially at night when she crawled into her bed alone.


He'd liked it, damn him. It wasn't fair.
Eye for an Eye

Strangers in the Night [19 Aug 2008|04:40pm]

city_limits

[public_image]
To say he was slumming it would be something of an understatement but Nathan had felt like experiencing every side to the Chicago life, be it uptown or downtown. Currently he was in a seedy bar surrounded by fifty or more beating hearts and there was the taste of cigarette smoke and sweat on the air, hard to ignore and even harder to forget.

Nathan was having one of those weeks – he couldn’t sleep and nothing seemed to be helping, not even young innocent blood. It was getting old and he’d lived long enough to know that sitting in his motel room and brooding about it was going to solve absolutely nothing, hence why he had thrown on a pair of cargo pants and dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked like one of the crowd but little did they know that beneath the good looks and the charming smile was a monster, capable of violence like they had never seen in their lifetime.

He was currently leaned up against the bar, eyes raking over the crowd for the single more interesting face that stood out from him. He barely gave anyone the time of the day unless there was something about them that kept him interested unless his path happened to cross with them again. Like that young Avery for instance or even Fran, she had been a very… unique girl. Bet nobody but Nathan knew about her dirty little secret.

So far he’d been hit on a couple times and turned down their offers of drinks with a slow disarming smile, holding eye contact just long enough to entrance and draw them to him like a moth to a flame. It had taken almost all of their concentration to pull away from him, returning to the mass of friends huddled in the corner.

Nathan reached up and scratched at his jaw with a ringed thumb, dropping his hand to settle against the wood of the worn bar. He passed one more observatory gaze over the crowd before he turned away, smiling at the young bartender. Nathan would have stood out from the usual crowd by how he held himself and how he spoke, confidence in every one of his mannerisms.

He was older than most of the bar’s inhabitants, which didn't fail to amuse him.

Four Valium that night, and Rebecca was floating on a soft cloud as she took up space at the bar. She was very tempted to add a drink to the contents of her stomach, but it seemed like a bad proposition. She was still coherent enough not to mix her drugs, after all. At least for now

It had been necessary, though. Anything to keep her away from the phone. She would not call him. She would wait it out until they were due to see each other again. She was not that hard up. Avery. Precious Avery.

No. She would not make herself ridiculous, not without some sign from him. She had more pride than that and always had. She was Rebecca Halston-Burke, heir to a fortune and, had it not been for being born the wrong gender, a title. She was respected, and in some quarters, even feared. They'd better damned well fear her, every last one of them.

Slumming )

Nathan nodded his head. "France was fun," he said with a smile. "A lot of fun actually." Not that he elaborated on that, he was entitled to his secrets. "Anyways," he remarked a few moments later. "I have somewhere to be and I'm sure you're looking forward to getting home."

Without waiting for an invitation he clasped her wrist in his and turned it over, exposing the pale skin to the dim light of a nearby streetlight. "Goodnight, Rebecca." He leaned down and ghosted his lips and fangs over her wrist before he was gone a second later, vanishing back into the bar.

"Good night, Nathan." Odd boy. A handsome boy, but an odd one. Rebecca could still feel the fangs brushing against her wrist, and she continued the walk on her own, finishing the tek to her car so she could collapse in her own bed.

Interesting days she was living in.
Eye for an Eye

Book of Shadows [19 Aug 2008|07:27pm]

city_limits

[purityzstorms]
[ mood | contemplative ]

First Entry: Grip

This is the quite sureal. Life in Chicago appears to be unlike anything I have experienced thus far. It's proving difficult. Something inside me stirs, wrestless, as I expand my social circle. Unsure, mostly, with current events to do with people more than anything else.

I appear to be having conflicts, inwardly. There is someone in which I find myself reacting in the most peculiare ways. V is, perhaps, someone I should attempt to meet sporadically. I disslike the way I feel afterwards. Confused. I cannot understand why I react in such unnatural ways for me.

Am I losing sense of self?

Although, I enjoy meeting with M. I'm curious about them. Each time we meet up something different happens. I learn or discover something that I never considered or felt before. In some ways, this makes M dangerous, so perhaps in essence I should consider greatly how much time is spent with them. Things are unclear.

Since the e-mail from N, I have yet to speak with them. I trust however that they are busy and naturally shall contact me as soon as they have a moment. I am still flattered to have been invited here. To this complicated, yet intreguing new life.

It appears that Y trusted me enough due to being on the list of recipitents from N, and contacted me with their own concern. I must admit, there is a thrill to being sought out to help. I have found quite a magnificent store that moves around. Cloaked, it seems, from others who enjoy the prospect of being magic yet do not have the gift. I have almost all the ingredients I need, though the spell itself will have to be worked on. I must write out what I have noted down thus far, but later. This is merely a starting post.

Though difficult as it is to stay in line and be as 'good' as I can to fit in with everyone, it does have its moments where I do in fact relapse...

O understood that. Upfront as they were I matched them and one thing lead to another. They got the nutrition they needed and I got the release I craved. Old habits, so they say, die hard.

I do however believe that this is just the begining. Whatever is to come from Chicago, it will change me. I know this, as it's already happening.

Eye for an Eye

Thuggin' It Up [19 Aug 2008|12:57pm]

city_limits

[vamp_watcher]
The first thing Avery was going to do when he got back to his room was take a shower. The vampire was certain his clothes had absorbed a million different mingled food odors and cigarette smoke. Being of a cleanly disposition, it was good to finally have a source of private running water

It was a bit of a trek going back downtown, but he didn't mind. It would give him a chance to absorb the night's events and then clear his head.

He slipped his jacket back on and turned off into an alley. The sidewalks were filled with people heading home, and he just wanted a little alone time.

After leaving Hayden to his own devices, Grace wandered back through the crowd to get six or eight more beers in her stomach, and by the time things started to close down she had a fairly decent buzz going. She hung around for a while watching the bands pack up their equipment, sharing her smokes with the roadies and talking shit with them until the vans started to roll out of the parking lot, then slouched off to find a place to sit until her legs felt able to get her to her own vehicle.

You Again, Huh? )

Big Bully )

She laughed at him, the sound rusty as if she didn't make it very often, and her arms spread out to either side of her, the blade of the razor catching the light again.

"I did that already. And so did you. Have a nice night."

She put the razor away, kept backing up until she was well out of reach, then turned and ambled off to her car. The keys made that welcoming jingling sound again when she extracted them from her pocket, and she climbed behind the wheel to gun the engine with a roar when she started it. "Fuckin' kids today," she muttered, giving the other vamp a last long-distance glare before heading towards the exit of the parking lot. "No fuckin' respect."
Eye for an Eye

3am [19 Aug 2008|12:39pm]

city_limits

[whistlersmum]
You'll never find, as long as you live
Someone who loves you tender like I do
You'll never find, no matter where you search
Someone who cares about you the way I do

Whoa, I'm not braggin' on myself, baby
But I'm the one who loves you
And there's no one else, no-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh one else


Whistler threw a pillow at his locker.

"Some of us are tryin' ta sleep, Gerald!"
Eye for an Eye

Takes Time [19 Aug 2008|12:01pm]

city_limits

[faith_5_by_5]
Faith really shouldn't have had that turkey leg the other night.

For all the benefits of Slayer powers, for all the healing prowess and the strong constitution, Slayers were not immune to food poisoning -- a fact Faith realized roughly six hours after she left the food vendors at Summerfest. The turkey leg had looked and tasted fine, but somehow the Slayer knew that was what had kept her up all night, sitting on the bathroom floor using the toilet seat as a pillow.

And though Faith was feeling better two nights after the fact, well enough she decided to patrol, the Slayer could tell she was slightly off. Having already dusted one vampire, Faith had to take a couple minutes to catch her breath, something she hadn't done in a long time. Faith roamed the sidewalks of Chicago, downing a bottle of water to replenish herself, tossing the empty bottle in a nearby trash can just as she heard a snarl from the alleyway behind her.

In a moment that she guessed only Spider-Man could relate to, Faith felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up. That was a noise she recognized well; vampire. Grabbing the stake from her pocket, the Slayer moved into the alley. Heel to toe, keeping her steps quiet. The vampire probably already knew she was there, but she still wanted to keep the noise down, just in case she did have the upper hand.

This alley was darker than most, and Faith found herself stopping to let her eyes grow accustomed to it. That went against one of the first things Kathryn taught her -- never stop when surrounded by near-pitch black. A motionless Slayer was a vulnerable Slayer.

Which proved correct as Faith suddenly found herself thrust back against the wall, the force of the impact jarring the stake loose from her grasp. She heard the wood clank against the concrete below, smelling the foul odor of the creature as it snarled at her. Her eyes adjusted to the dark in time to see the demonic visage staring back at her, blood-stained lips curled in a dark smile.

"Just my luck," the vampire snarled. "In the mood for desert, and here comes a Slayer ..."

Faith didn't scream, but she did grunt loudly, using all the force she could to keep the vampire's jaw away from her neck. Its grip was strong, holding her in place against the wall, so the Slayer couldn't push him off. The best she could hope for at the moment was not becoming food. If ever there was a time where patience was needed, this was probably it.

You're a what? )

Means fine )

Faith walked far enough so she could lean up against the wall on the outside of the alley, watching Jessica walk off into the night. Partly to take a moment to herself, partly to make sure nothing jumped out and grabbed the girl -- Faith couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Jessica, frowning at the thought of how she must've been so alone, separated from wherever it was she came from. The Slayer wondered for a moment what kind of world she came from, thinking it had to be worse than this one.

No one talks Apocalypse if everything is sunshine and lollipops.

A gurgling stomach jolted the Slayer from her train of thought. Not only was Faith still a little weak, she was also apparently hungry. Hesitant to try anything too heavy, the Slayer knew eating something would help get some strength back. Fortunately, there was a place not too far from where Faith lived.

She just hoped she could get there without incident. She'd only packed one stake for the night, and Jessica had it now.
Eye for an Eye

Nothing But Sin [18 Aug 2008|10:13pm]

city_limits

[jill_at_law]
[NOTE: Takes place the day after Summerfest.]




Jill had to admit, she was a little overwhelmed as she walked through the doors of Our Lady of Victory.

Religion hadn’t really been something the agent paid much mind to; church wasn’t a weekly constant when she was a child, and naturally, her last real job didn’t allow for much time to devote to a personal savior – at least, not one that required human sacrifices and had a diet consisting of infant children.

Jill had only begun reading the Bible in the past couple months, but she was fairly certain God’s message didn’t involve eating babies.

Though Jill felt religion was something she needed to at least explore – probably a normal part of one’s fight for personal redemption – she hadn’t walked through the doors of a house of worship until now. Part of it was fear, as part of the agent was worried that no matter how much she embraced the Lord, no matter how often she begged for forgiveness, the things she’d done would be just too heinous.

Not to mention, Jill wasn’t sure Christianity spoke to her. She was willing to explore the possibility, but there was nothing to guarantee Jill would become a God-fearing Christian.

Then again, she wasn’t exactly in a position to say no without a second thought. If she really wanted to become a better person, Jill knew she’d have to explore literally every facet of herself, learn who she was so she could live better. One of the first steps was walking into Our Lady of Victory and seeing where things went from there.

Light a Candle )

Wiping away one more tear, Jill walked through the doors of Our Lady of Victory once more. At the very least, this path was an opportunity, and even if Jill found down the road that this wasn’t for her.

The important thing was that she was putting forth the effort, realizing where her life was and where she wanted it to be. And what kind of person would Jill be if she didn’t examine every possible angle?

There was no book or road map for redemption. Everyone had to get there in their own way.
Eye for an Eye

Opportunity [18 Aug 2008|12:06am]

city_limits

[luckandchance]
[ mood | working ]

The midday crowd had come and gone, and the evening crowd was yet to arrive at Smoke Eater's Tavern, and Pat O'Rourke was taking advantage of the lull to get some behind the scenes work done. Standing in the middle of the walk in refrigerator back in the kitchen of the bar with clipboard and pen in hand, he was figuring out exactly what he had left in the way of food and what needed to be ordered for the week to come. He was on shift at the Station tomorrow and wouldn't be able to do anything bar related, so all the paperwork and stock take needed to be done tonight.

Of the four patrons in the bar at the moment, two were at the bar proper chatting with the bartender and watching the TV while the other two shot pool in the back room. All four were regulars, and the two playing pool were actually brother firefighters from Pat's company. He was confident that Stever, the bartender and only employee on shift at the moment, to handle anything customers could throw at him until the evening rush started in a few hours.

Joseph had spent the last week or so hitting the pavement of Chicago, looking for work and coming up empty. It was enough to drive him back into his old wicked ways. He was attempting to make a fresh start, trying to find an above board kind of job that he could sink his teeth into before he contemplated doing anything else.

He didn't think he'd ever be able to give up being the unique acquirer of things that most people couldn't get their hands on but he could get out of the lifestyle that had nearly taken his life.

Joseph hadn't told Rhiannon just yet, figuring he'd wait until he had gotten somewhere before revealing his grand plan whatever that plan was. It was still very much a work in progress.

Dressed in a pair of low riding jeans and a dark shirt with both sleeves rolled up to his elbows, Joseph crossed off another job and then stepped in through the doors to a place called Smoke Eater's Tavern. The paper had said they were in need of a bartender and if there was one thing Joseph knew how to do was serve drinks and take care of people.

His booted feet took him to the bar where he spoke to a guy behind it, asking if his boss was in.

Trial By Fire )

Eye for an Eye

Recruiting [17 Aug 2008|08:33pm]

city_limits

[hard_edge]
[ mood | accomplished ]

The club was well on its way to being ready but it wouldn’t be a club without dancers. Bethany had already found bar staff and some security staff. It was the dancers she was having trouble with. Maybe she was too picky?

There was a littering of discarded papers on the floor beneath her well heeled feet, trampled dreams of young aspiring women with their future ahead of them. Most of them had a sob story, little did they know that sob stories would get them nowhere with one Bethany Richards. She wanted talent not melodrama.

Currently she was sat with her head tipped and eyebrow lifted as one girl wrapped unbelievably long legs around the pole and slid down it with a sensual movement. It was quite amazing and Bethany knew she had finally found the sort of dancer she was looking for.

The girl had her hips on every beat and she had the kind of body Bethany might have been envious on if she hadn’t one of the same. The only difference was that the dancer was more well endowed but wasn’t that point? She had told Bethany she had been dancing for years and she didn’t do it for some grand reason like paying for school, she did it because she enjoyed it and in her own words she was an attention whore.

It was only when she twirled around the pole and moved her stomach and hips in a way that could be illegal in some states that Bethany held up a hand, the music cut off a second later. The dancer was breathing hard and she was looking at Bethany expectantly. Bethany on the other hand was cool and composed as she rose to her feet and crossed the distance, offering the girl a flicker of red lips.

“When can you start?”

Eye for an Eye

Dinner and Movies [17 Aug 2008|11:41am]

city_limits

[izzy_shaw]
[Note: Takes place before Summerfest]

Logan checked the clock. Ten minutes to six.

Good. He still had time.

The water just started to boil, meaning Logan could pour in the pasta. The white alfredo sauce, which had been simmering for the past hour as per his late grandmother's recipe, was almost ready to have the shrimp added to it. The red wine had been stirred in an hour before, and Logan had just finished applying the Old Bay to the shrimp. At first, the Old Bay on the shrimp didn't seem to work with the sauce, but the mingling of flavors was unlike anything the former Watcher had ever tasted.

Simply put, he looked forward to sharing the family dish with Izzy.

Logan wiped his hands on a green cloth, walking across his small kitchen to light three white candles he had on what passed for a dining table. He had the television on in the background for noise, not paying attention to what was on and barely even remembering what channel it was on. The last thing Logan actually paid attention to was the previous night's game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees. He was already adopting the White Sox, but their 14-2 win the night before over the Yankees made it easier.

After all, Logan grew up a Mets fan.

Ding!

The elevator doors slid apart and Izzy stepped through and into the sixth floor hallway that led to Logan's apartment. Wariness conflicted with anticipation of going to dinner at Logan's place when they'd only been on one date -- two, counting the meeting in the coffee shop. She liked the ex-Watcher quite a bit, but the traditional attitudes drummed into her through exposure to her classmates and teachers growing up said it was too soon to be meeting a suitor in his home. Izzy felt she had a pretty good handle on Logan's personality and temperament by now and the chances that he was a serial killer biding his time were extremely small.

Then again, if she were wrong it wasn't like she couldn't defend herself.

Izzy rolled her eyes at herself and approached Logan's door, banishing the qualms to the back of her mind. Between the movies and the home-cooked meal she was looking forward to tonight, and spending time with Logan of course. With a small chuckle at herself, she raised her knuckles to the door and knocked.

Welcome )

Logan placed his hand over Izzy's and squeezed it as he gave her a smile. "Thanks," he offered. "But I'm not. Leaving Vegas was the best thing to happen to me, now that I look back on it.

"I learned a lot when I was in Denver, and things are turning out quite nicely here -- even if I did just get fired."

"They are, aren't they?" The tech-witch smiled back and leaned in for a quick kiss. Things were turning out very nicely indeed.

Izzy knew that she'd have to tell him soon about where she'd come from. Soon, but not tonight.
Eye for an Eye

Not for the Scenery [16 Aug 2008|12:27pm]

city_limits

[rhiannon_lee]
[Takes Place Before Summerfest]


The North Park Tap was a neighborhood pub a few blocks south of the Lincoln Park blockade, in the Old Town area of Chicago. Its proximity meant that in the months following the original incident, business suffered greatly as residences and businesses were vacated in favor of places less associated with that unfortunate situation. What ultimately preserved the pub was military money. Soldiers got off the clock just like civilians did, and they often went in search of cheap food and whatever beer was on tap.

The crowd was a mixed bag, but haircuts were a pretty good indicator of civilians versus military.

Rhiannon didn't care who sat on the stool next to her. In Las Vegas, she'd earned her living working in a bar that catered to demons; while she was mopping up the bits and pieces of shattered mugs filled with demon cocktails -- usually some sort of blood mixed with liquor -- she reminded herself that there was a chance she'd overhear something useful while she was down there.

The same held true at the Tap. Get enough alcohol in a soldier and one never knew what he or she would end up saying.

On this particular Friday night, she wasn't overly concerned with eavesdropping. A long afternoon of apartment hunting had pissed her off to the point that she needed a stiff drink. She sat at the far end of the bar, lazily engaging a Megatouch machine in a card game. There was a cigarette hanging between two of her fingers, which were decorated in henna designs that crawled up past her wrists like brown ivy. She was wearing a tank top, jeans, boots, and a bandana over long, brown hair. The strap of a bra dangled off her shoulder in defeat.

Shane had found some links buried in the mess of stuff he'd uncovered on the woman's harddrive and he wanted to continue tracking them down, so had grabbed himself a burger on their way back from the walk to the apartment, knowing Cian wouldn't be in any mood to sit quietly in the room. Especially with the full moon only a few nights away.

Cian had entered the bar, one he'd been to before and knew they had a decent simple menu that was food rather than some crazy concoction they referred to as 'haute cuisine' in some of the places he tried. He figured it was probably due to the clientele, something he'd found a little disconcerting at first, but grown used to after a couple of visits.

When he entered that night it was no different to most other nights, the barman giving him a nod and already reaching for a glass and filling it with Guinness. It had been another attraction, it was one of the few bars that actually imported the real stuff from home, not the pathetic knock-off copy served in other places. He hooked a leg over a stool and sat down, the large stout put on the bar in front of him. A quick chat and he ordered some food, taking a long draw from the glass when the barman wandered off to put his order in with the kitchen.

Cian turned a little, giving himself a view of the bar to the side, where the machines were lined along the wall, dragging the dollars out of punter's fingers. Annie refused to have them in the pub, saying she preferred her patrons to get somethin' for their money. He saw the woman on the end, stopping his gaze on her for a moment longer, the simple fact of seeing a woman in there alone being an oddity that drew his attention.

Are You Looking At Me? )

Mystery-Name Tourist )
Eye for an Eye

North Side Summerfest: NEAR THE FOOD/ BEVERAGE VENDORS [16 Aug 2008|02:53am]

city_limits

[city_limits_npc]
[Thread: Open to All Near the Food/Beverage Vendors]
74 Deals | Eye for an Eye

North Side Summerfest: NEAR THE ARTS/CRAFTS VENDORS [16 Aug 2008|02:52am]

city_limits

[city_limits_npc]
[Thread: Open to All Near Arts/Jewelry/Crafts Vendors]
82 Deals | Eye for an Eye

North Side Summerfest: NEAR THE MUSIC STAGES [16 Aug 2008|02:49am]

city_limits

[city_limits_npc]
On a warm summer morning in the middle of August, the second day of the North Side Summerfest kicked off on Lincoln Avenue, north of Irving Park. Thousands of people were expected to crowd the streets over the course of that Saturday, and the event's extension until ten o'clock at night guaranteed that the crowd would be a diverse sort, in the most liberal sense possible.

The festival stretched for several blocks, encompassing not only the retail stores that remained open along its route, but hundreds of vendor tents and tables along the avenue. At one end of the celebration, a large stage provided a great venue for the best of Chicago's popular, local musicians to perform before a crowd that alternately danced, jumped around, or sat to listen, depending upon the type of music.

A bit farther down the street began the vendors, which included long stretches of arts, jewelry, and craft booths, showcasing the rich, creative talent of the city's artists. Those wares could be bought or simply browed by passersby. Farther still were the majority of the food and drink vendors. Traditional fare such as hamburgers, pizza, and hot dogs was available, as well as international food from more eclectic restaurants. Seating areas of picnic tables had been set up along that area beneath the shade of trees, so that people could relax and enjoy what they'd purchased, though some simply sat on curbs and watched the crowd walk by. The smells of food and alcohol wafted far on the warm air.

Because of the awareness of increased danger after dark, a heavy presence of police and emergency crews could be felt, though their presence was more of a reassurance to people in 2013 than a nuisance or downer for atmosphere. Certain precautions were simply necessary.

By dusk, the festival was in high gear with night revellers.


[Thread: Open to All Near Music Stages]
27 Deals | Eye for an Eye

An Unexpected Twist [15 Aug 2008|02:20pm]

city_limits

[first_born_son]
Maybe he ought to give up on the whole idea of getting construction work out here.

It wasn't that hje couldn't do that work, obviously, it was simply that no one would give him more than one look before he got the polite brush-off about how he 'wasn't what they were looking for'. Frustration, never Connor's best friend, was standing entirely too close to him right now.

Hwe returned to his motel room and sulked for a while, eating two peanut butter sandwiches and watching some asinine thing on daytime TV before giving up on that too. The day was end-of-summer pleasant outside, and he watched the traffic crawl past the parking lot while he finished the last bite of bread in his hand. A lukewarm Coke washed down the end of the sandwich, and he brushed crumbs off of his shirt before turning off the set. Maybe if he went out for a while, that would help clear his head.

The Destroyer re-claimed his shoes and put them on. Halfway through tying the laces, he spotted Kris' phone number amid the jumble of items on the bedside table. He plucked the napkin out of the spare change and reciepts and smoothed it out on the wooden surface, then picked up the phone. It was almost noon, she might be at work or something, but he never knew unless he tried.

He listened to the beeps of the number, then waited as it started to ring on the other end.

Kris was actually at work, finishing up a class with the 10 to 15 year olds. The kids were progressing well and she was really pleased with them, had told them as much.

"Good work today," she said to a couple of the girls as they left on a high, bouncing on their feet. Kris watched them with a small smile on her face before her head turned when she heard the familiar ringtone of her phone.

Plans for Lunch? )

Kinda-Sorta Bonding )

She chuckled at his display of bad manners. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you." She stole another slice and ate it slowly.

He gave her that there-and-gone smile again, picked up his glass of soda. "I keep working on it," he told the Slayer. "Guess construction is still in progress."

This was a good start, though. It looked like life here in his new city was going to run a little smoother from now on.
Eye for an Eye

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