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James Bond      In the far, far north of France, lying near the mouth of the river Somme, there is a seaside resort town known as Royale-les-Eaux. The nearest Warpgate is an hour away, and Royale-les-Eaux doesn't get much traffic this time of year. It seems a sleepy town, nestled before a cluster of hills which conceals a natural spring. Just looking at the town tells a story.

     The buildings are a mishmash of old and new, aging and refurbished. Where the bricks of one building sport peeling, faded paint, another building just a block away seems brand new--pristine, even. SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS grow more dense the closer one gets to the town's crown jewel, and they too follow this pattern.

     By the coast, an old and faded HARBOR is host to an arrangement of boats as eclectic as the town's buildings. Yachts, speedboats and other luxury craft float in place, serving mostly as unused badges of wealth during the cold winter. Further into the sea, the dark waters are dotted with fishing vessels, as well as the rare luxury vessel, determined to get their money's worth despite the cold.

     In a way, Royale-les-Eaux is a town undergoing a slow, constant conflict. The sleepy fishing village and the extravagant tourist resort, over years, decades, devour each other like coral, slowly vying for control over the rock upon which they're situated. The POLICE STATION, the LIBRARY and other public buildings seem mainly on the side of 'sleepy fishing village.' Though there are exceptions, some are even old enough to have scars from the first world war.

     Resting upon one of the hills, on the opposite end of town from the harbor, there is the crown jewel of the resort. The elegant CASINO ROYALE demands attention even from the harbor. Its tall, wide plate glass windows offer patrons the ability to see the entirety of Royale-les-Eaux stretched out before and beneath them. Standing guard in a meticulously managed courtyard just below the windows, there is a line of expertly trimmed, tall topiaries, a hedge maze, and a fountain which runs even during this seasonal slump. On either side of the casino, streams run from a spring further in the hills, pooling into ponds that sparkle in the winter sun.

     The closer one gets to the casino, more extravagant the businesses--jewelers, couturiers, and especially the HOTEL SPLENDIDE, where your benefactors have arranged for you to stay. The HOTEL SPLENDIDE bears distinct influences from the Victorian era. The CASINO ROYALE, on the other hand, is pure 50s, with bold, angled roof, not unlike a raised pair of wings ready to lift off.

     In this modern era of 1987, both buildings speak to a seemingly bygone refinement, but at this time of the year, even that isn't enough to bring big crowds. Consequently, you more or less have your pick of places to go, without worrying about crowds. Where will you go?
N'Raha     Never let it be said that N'raha didn't know how to look good. He was a handsome miqo'te, after all. Even if his race was a bit on the short side, he could still cut a commanding presence in a room by just... projecting himself a little bit. But not tonight. Not tonight. There are a LOT of emotions inside of the catman tonight and he'd rather not ruin this operation, so inside they will stay.
    Besides, he's got a chaperone/partner this evening. He adjusts his tie a bit, the smart cut green suit shifting a bit as he looks out across the floor of the CASINO ROYALE. "What do you think, Riku? Ever been in something as gaudy as this?" A beat. "They didn't have the Gold Saucer where you're from, do they?"
The Janitor      The CASINO ROYALE is a shining beacon of opulence. But even silver tarnishes, even marble floors dirty. Even a temple to Mammon needs a groundskeeper. Somebody has to do that job. And today, that somebody is nobody.

     Today nobody is wearing a gray boilersuit and matching flat cap. Nobody's eyes are hidden by her bangs and the brim of her hat. Nobody is unobtrusively scrubbing the walls and floor near the poker tables with a rag, a near-invisible ghost in her sheer mundanity among the rich and the stylish.

     There's something in that nobody's posture that says: don't look at me. Don't think about me. I'm not important.

     Move along.
Deelel France, Deelel had heard of the nation before, yet had never visited any version of it. Had there been the time she might have explored a bit to learn more about the place and its art. There was however no time for this, as there was a mission the watch had been recruited for. Which took priority over any personal desires Deelel might have. Maybe after the mission is done she could go exploring so long as they hadn't gotten into to much trouble with the locals.

There's some brief comm chatter about the mission and she makes note of it. She'd thankfully made some preparations to get the sort of clothing she'd needed to function in the Casino.

It was a sort of the fancy sort of dress you might expect for this sort of place. It was black her strange circuit lines which would be easily mistaken for tattoos on her arms would be exposed and strange disc on her back would still be there but it seemed like it was some hopefully crazy Paris runway sort of deal.

She was glad to know Riku and N'Raha would also be in the CASINO ROYALE browsing the floors playing a few of the games briefly but clearly seeing what she might be able to pick up on, in regards to their target or the poker game they were going to be running.
Nova Terra     Nova clicks the display for her suit into place on her wrist. It comes to life. She taps a few commands into it and soon enough the compact reactor on her back spins up, starting to glow a little. The display signals a ready status. Nova grabs a couple of knives from the large case in her room, sliding them into slots on her armoured boots. She then glances at the disassembled sniper rifle and psi-blade...

    "Not today." She may have to talk to people... Obvious weapons might cause problems. Nova closes the equipment case, sealing it shut before walking out onto the balcony. She vaults the railing, falling down to the street below. She then ducks into an alley and quietly makes her way towards the harbor.
Big Boss Big Boss is not on-site. He is in the command room, looking over monitors and listening to comms, as his agent, Stalker Bloodhound - today known as Tobias Hutter - moves through Royale-les-Eaux. He's dressed in a fine suit of the era, the type that fits the wealthy casino-goers. Dark hair and dark eyes - he doesn't stand out as 'foreign' to this world, or even Europe.

'Tobias Hutter' enters the Casino Royale, and moves to check in with the front desk and get some chips. He acknowledges N'raha with some shock, if and only if other guests are doing so to the cat ears and tail, but ignores him otherwise. The man smiles politely as he talks to the front desk, too, a perfect gentleman. His accent is Austrian.

Meanwhile, Outer Heaven is getting to work. Talking to sources, doing reconnaisance and intel, they start looking for the most important question, if it isn't obvious. Where is Le Chiffre, and who, besides him, can tell them more about him? Does he have a girlfriend? A friend here? A social circle?
Riku     This isn't really what one would consider Riku's 'kind of place'. But then again, when you're an edgy teenager, few places are. He isn't dressed up in a nice suit, he's still wearing his normal casual clothing as he walks through the town, avoiding the main thoroughfares. He's not here to be a tourist.

    No, instead he opts for something of an independent surveillance methodology, working his way around the area and looking around for anything that might be unuusal. Or maybe /too/ normal. Sure, he's used to spotting unusual /supernatural/ events, but who knows what might happen around here?

    After an initial lap around the area wherein N'raha follows Riku through several holes in space through a Dark And Unpleasant Place, coming out on rooftops and other unexpected and out-of-direct-sight-from-the-street locations, they stop in at the Casino. Riku shakes his head at the question. "I've never been to anything like this. Some of the rich people at my school have some noble manors, I hear, but I don't go to them." He says it matter-of-factly enough to more or less mask his Opinions on the subject.

    He looks around, frowning. "Mingle a bit. I'm going to see what I can see from higher up."

    Riku promptly slips out of the area before his lack of fancy-ass suit draws too much attention and he slides out onto the grounds, getting out of casual observation before he's suddenly climbing up the wall of the Casino, efficiently pulling himself up in physics-defying ways to scale to the roof and mantle on the edge, looking around before he makes a decision to haul himself up to it and use it as an observation perch. SOMEONE has to be talking about the current events, right? It's just they won't all be in the same place... He needs to know who to keep an eye on.
Amelris Belthrone      As an high class, high profile event, this calls for a lot of people from very different places. Amelris just /cannot/ NOT be there at this. Fortunately, this whole little /investigation/ gives him the perfect excuse to do something a little crazy, to flaunt his things a little bit.

     There is another catman that appears on the premises, except his destination is the rather very nice Library rather than the big, glamorious CASINO, altough it might become a target later. Also fortunately, it is not quite evident that the catman is such a feline.

     The man, standing at a good five feet eight, is wearing a glamorious turban of silk and satin, with a lovely pearl at the center of it all that ties it all together. A bright brown feather tops it all off, covering most of his head. Over his eyes are red-lensed Pince-nez, copping up his eyes with a lovely red tint. The man is dressed in a wonderful complet, sharply cut white suit, buttoned up to great perfection without a fripped line in sight. His pants are long, loose and following of the same sharply cut fabric with well-polished black shoes at the bottom. A long cape, folded into the veston carries down all the way to his knees.

     It is such a personnage, wearing the best of Ul'dah and Manderville Fashion, that is entering the Library.

     "OH WONDERFUL!" He declares, a notepad out and drawing with an extravagant silver pen. "Such AUTHENTICITY! Such HISTORY!"
James Bond THE CASINO N'raha, Riku, Deelel, 'Tobias Hutter,' and... that's it, actually. No one else. They enter the casino.

     The CASINO ROYALE is mostly empty, this time of year. Roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker tables abound, but not a slot machine in sight. Your only company, aside from the polite, quiet attendants, staff and security, are a scant few patrons. Through the plate glass windows, you can see the whole town, and, in the distance the harbor. The interior is just as lavish as the exterior. There's a spot for a pianist in the center of the main room, with a beautiful baby grand on display and cordoned off. With no musician and so few patrons, the casino is almost oppressively quiet.

     Although there are few patrons here, that in itself is valuable intel, in a way. The game is only a week from now, right in the middle of the winter slump. That suggests that Le Chiffre is either in a serious hurry to make some money, wants as few prying eyes as possible, or both.

     Efforts by Riku and Stalker Bloodhound to find persons of interest lead them both to the same place. There is a GRAY HAIRED MAN sitting in the outdoors lounge by himself. He is moderately well-dressed, suggesting a decently successful career in public service. He seems like he belongs here, and has an air of relaxed confidence about him. He doesn't seem as if he'd mind company, nor does he seem to have noticed the janitor. She's in range to overhear any conversations, but of course, it doesn't matter--she just works here.

THE HARBOR

     Nova checks out the harbor. Of all the areas in town, the harbor is the most densely packed. It's mostly residential, with a few stores and restaurants. Like the rest of the town, it's undergoing the struggle between the original residents and the rich holidayers. Amidst the old and cracking buildings there is the occasional spark of something new and expensive. Here and there, the odd house lies empty, its owners either departed for greener pastures or forced out by circumstance. For now, this part of town seems a necessity, however, as the town's small fishing fleet keeps money coming in during the colder months when the holidayers are elsewhere. Most of the boats that are docked are luxury crafts, as the fishermen are out in force today.

     It is likely the yachts which draw her attention, silenbtly bobbing. It's easy for her to sneak in between them--even though this area is the most densely packed, most people will assume someone like Nova owns whatever yacht she creeps into, if they even see her at all. Speaking of creeping into yachts, there is one that strikes her eye--ELLIPSIS, or so the vessel is called. It seems even sleeker and more pristine than its fellows. Perhaps it's the kind of boat someone would buy with money that didn't belong to them?

LIBRARY

     The LIBRARY seems small and forgotten, compared to the other buildings in Royale-les-Eaux. There are two librarians here. One is a young North African man in horn-rimmed glasses and a cozy-looking turtleneck, manning a blocky computer behind the front desk. He looks surprised, but happy to see Amelris. The other is an older woman, who has likely spent most of her life here. She is currently occupying herself with a microfilm machine further in, and seems quite pleased to have gotten it working.
The Janitor      Nobody takes a careful look at the people entering the casino while still studiously cleaning behind the frame of a painting. She stuffs her rag in her pocket, makes some kind of silent reptilian estimation, and then picks up her mop and bucket and walks out. On her way she looks up at Riku sitting atop the wall, just in passing, as if he's nothing particularly remarkable.

     "Sir," the janitor says, in a voice that's as bland as gray dishwater, "you can't be up there."
N'Raha     Right, well. Raha's been ordered to stay close, and that means... keeping an eye on Riku as he flits around from place to place, through the Dark or the Never Never or whatever they're calling it these days. That's fine. He can't do that. He's got to walk places.
    Harumph.

    That said, N'raha WILL stop by the front desk to change out some gil to chips and other casino cash monies. Important to have local currency, after all.
    hen, the second place you go to at the casino. The bar. or find one of the ladies handing out free booze. Not that those are common in the off season, but, well. Barring free booze, he heads out onto the lounge, his ears and tail flicking a bit at the chill, but that uh, tequila sunrise, or whatever they call an Ul'dah Surprise here will have to warm him up. A glance to Stalker, and Raha shuffles around a bit. He's... probably a bit more visible than Riku or Stalker, and certainly more than a Janitor Who Isn't Here.
Nova Terra     Nova avoids the crowds as much as she can as she makes her way into the harbor proper. While it's not impossible that some of these people might know about the target, the situation does not lend itself well to open questioning. They don't want to tip the target off. So Nova continues with her original plan of checking out the yachts docked here.

    Making her way across one of the harbor jetties, Nova brings her visor down over her eyes. She begins to glance over the yachts docked here, her HUD starting to report back basic statistics. Nova figures that there target might be the flashy type, thus likely the type to go big or go home. So if she can just find...

    Ah hah. Nova smirks a little as she looks over the Ellipsis. That one seems like a good a start as any.

    Nova starts to make her way towards the large yacht, blue light washing over her as she fades from view. She would prefer to not be seen, if she can help it.

    Boarding the Ellipsis, Nova stops to take a moment and reach out with her mind to try and find if there is anyone on board. She's expecting security. The man himself would certainly be a pleasant surprise too.
Amelris Belthrone      AMELRIS BELTHRONE stands at the entrance, looking very pleased for a few moments before entering the Library proper. A brief circular glance is given all around, spots the man at the counter and he immediatedly walk his way over there.

     "Greetings, my young fellow!" Amelris lets out, tapping on his notepad -- leatherbound, at that! -- beaming at him. "I am a visitor in these wonderfully damp lands." He closes his book, looking at the woman, flashes a charming smile whenever she sees it or not then return at the young man. "It is /wonderful/ to see such ancient buildings full of history! Have you books on such? May it be possible to visit??"
Big Boss It's quiet. Empty. Good. 'Tobias Hutter' approaches the gray haired man, approaching to take a seat in the lounge. Public service, huh? He might know some things. "Quite the cold weather, isn't it? Nobody comes and plays games like this, which makes it the /perfect/ time to get a spot of gambling in."

"After all, that's when all the interesting people come out. Not the desperate, but the...unique ones, like myself. Those who surprise you when they play." He smiles, starting a conversation on his own even though he wasn't invited. "Are you the desperate, or the unique? I'd imagine the latter, otherwise you wouldn't be sitting in a lounge alone, now would you?"
Deelel The Casino isn't as bustling as Deelel might expect it to be. Given it's a low season, there logically would not be many people around vacationing here. Still, the games are taken note of. Roulette, blackjack, baccarat and poker games are common. She does note there's not a single slot machine in sight. The spot for the Pianist is noted by Deelel who takes a moment o admire the baby grand that is on display.

With her touring the Casinos leaving nothing much save that their target being willing to run a major poker game here? During this season says a lot, she will find herself, drifting towards the grey-haired man is there seem to be a small bit of life here. She'll make her way to the outside lounge and find a good spot to sit down and order a drink of her own. She's just playing is casual a she seemed to have come out for some air, it's not like she knows N'Raha, or Riku. She also does not take notice of the janitor who is just doing their job here. She does give the man a curious look or two as she waits on the drink she ordered. When Tobias speaks up Deelel smiles and speaks up.

"The weather might indeed be a bit dreadful. Still, it could make for a memorable game that one won't be able to forget. After all, it's as you said it would draw out memorable people to such a thing.
The Janitor      ... and nobody is there on the jetty, walking obliviously behind the invisible Nova with a bucket in one hand and a mop on the other. Probably obliviously, anyway- with her eyes perpetually shaded, it's a little hard to tell. But she isn't here for the assassin. Jane Doe drops the bucket on the planks before leaping up with a clearly unnatural agility, abandoning her pretense of being any sort of ordinary custodian. She grabs the yacht's railing with one hand and pulls herself aboard before knocking on its door.

     "Bodyguard," she says. "We need to talk."
Riku     Riku looks over the situation and finds that there's a Person of Interest down there. He might handle this problem, but he gives first shot to people who have better social ability than he does.

    What's of more note is that someone noticed him up on the roof of the Casino. The words surprise him, and he looks down directly at the Completely Unremarkable Janitor. He has no response for the nondescript person as they pass, just a squint. He was sure he didn't get seen as he got up there...

    Either way, if that person saw him, others might have. He quickly mantles back off the edge of the roof and then drops down, hitting the ground with a grunt, then working his way over to look nondescript as he can nearby while Stalker Bloodhound and the man talk. He watches to see if anyone is watching /them/. He's not as good at blending in as that Janitor. Most people aren't.
James Bond CASINO

     It's pretty easy to get chips, no matter your currency. These people run a business more directly related to money than most, and so they are in the business of taking yours without much hassle. The barrier surrounding the 'caisse' comes up chin-high to most of you. The 'caissier,' essentially a glorified bank clerk, sits on his stool and dips his hands into his piles of notes and plaques, which rest behind him on shelves level with your waist, in most cases. He has a cosh and a gun to protect him, as well as another 'caissier' with his own protection. This system makes theft impossible by all but the most limber and quick among you. The 'caissier' can open an account fot you, so that you may exchange your money for chips without having to carry them with you.

     You may also take them now, and try your luck at the games, if you're feeling bold.

     THE GRAY HAIRED man seems just fine with striking up a conversation. "I am Rene Mathis," says the GRAY HAIRED MAN to 'Tobias Hutter.' In English. "Neither desperate nor unique," he says with amusement coloring his French accent. "Just another idler in a country full of them, dear boy." MATHIS smiles amiably at 'Hutter' and company. "Perhaps you will join me, and we will idle together." There are no free drinks, sadly--but Mathis pays for Raha's, as well as anyone else who wants one.

     Riku doesn't see anything, at first. But, with patience, he sees. A Corsican man with dark sunglasses and a cane. He's watching the Watch members, even though he tries to conceal it.

THE HARBOR

     Nova feels the presence of another mind, almost immediately. It is sleek and deadly, but unsuspecting. It is the mind of a killer, or at the very least, a professional. Not someone who will just roll over, in other words. Whoever it belongs to is in the cabin, just a few steps below her. She will almost certainly be unwelcome once she's in--but that's kind of her thing, isn't it?

     Nobody warns the guard.

     Nova can hear steps coming up the stairs. She doesn't have much time. There is something brewing in the mind--suspicion. Has she been made?

THE LIBRARY

     "Yes, please, come in," says the younger librarian in French. It probably sounds like a bunch of Elezen words. "There's a lot of history here." Eagerly, he leads Amelris around with polite pointing towards the different sections in the library. "Over here we have general French history, lineage, that sort of thing. World history is there--and if you're looking for history on Royale-les-Eaux,"

     "Royale," corrects the older librarian with a mildly annoyed tone.

     The young man isn't at all discouraged. "...then you can use the microfilm there!" He blinks, realizing Amelris may not know what that is. "It lets you look at old newspapers, and Marie just got it working again. If you're looking for something more specific, just ask--between the two of us, we'd be glad to help you. ...we don't get many visitors..."
N'Raha     N'raha gets a sense of Ishgardian influences here. It was that sort of snowy and... French. He'll have to harass Amelris about that at some point. For Reasons.
    A paid for drink is a welcome gesture though, and the catman's ears wriggle a bit as he slides over and takes a seat with MATHIS. He extends a hand and smiles to the man. "N'Raha. I'm on a bit of a vacation myself. My boss insisted, we just had a... a large account get closed, so everyone got told to sod off for a few weeks to enjoy." He shrugs and sips his now Free Beverage. Tequila isn't something you get a lot of on Eorzea and the taste is unique, at least. A good burn.

    Though, the catman doesn't look much like a banker or a businessman. Business cat.

    He glances out over the lounge and the snowy landscape. "So. Forced idling, I suppose."
R
Big Boss 'Hutter' laughs. "Idling together, eh? That sounds quite fine by me. Tobias Hutter." He'll have one drink, out of politeness, but no more - can't cloud the senses. And, then, he asks the important question. "Are you here for the big game? Or just on your time?"
James Bond      THE ECHO

     As the younger librarian instructs Amelris on the use of the microfilm reader, his words gradually blur into the background. He's getting a vision.

     Not far from here--assuredly within the city limits--there is a man on a phone. His office is a mess, and the calndar on the wall indicates the vision is some years in the past: 1980. He is clearly frustrated, upset. A window nearby reveals hills, a stream, and a view of the very tops of the highest buildings in Royale. The sight of the Casino Royale and the Hotel Splendide leaves no doubt in Amelris' mind.

     "What am I to do with the surplus, monsieur? I have a not insignificant supply..." The man is clearly on the back foot in this conversation. His hand strokes his brow in frustration. "...do you have any idea how long that would take? How severely this lawsuit has... no. No, of course not." The man sighs, as the other person has evidently hung up. He places the phone back on the hook. Then, in a sudden fit of anger, he reaches for something. A torpedo-shaped bottle of water, labeled 'Eau Royale.'

     The man hurls it against the wall, where it shatters, and so does the vision.
Nova Terra     Nova does notice the nondescript person, but initially dismisses her as a nobody. However, that quickly changes when Nova notices her board the same yacht and proceed into the cabin, towards the only other mind on the boat she can sense.

    What's going on?

    Nova remains cautious for now, not proceeding any further. But once she feels the shift in the man, Nova silently swears. She's not sure of the specifics, but the suspicion rolling off the man can only mean a couple of things. Was she made? If she was and does nothing, she risks being caught by surprise. If she wasn't, but acts anyway, she just announced her presence for no reason.

    She doesn't have long to decide...

    'Damnit!' Nova reaches down to silently draw one of the knives she had stored in her boot and moves up to prepare an ambush. Nova would rather take action than just wait and hope for the best.

    As the man exits the cabin, there's a briefly perceptible ripple in the air as Nova moves to bring the knife up to the man's throat. It's not a lethal blow though, just a threatening one as Nova keeps the weapon there. Despite being invisible, the pressure of the sharp blade can likely be felt against the skin. Though it doesn't cut, yet. The invisible Nova questions firmly, "Who are you and who are you working for?"
Riku Riku notices the guy watching the Watch. The irony is lost on Riku for the moment, because he's being informed that he's needed for other things. He relays the intel to the others so the Watch knows that the Watch is being Watched, and instead takes his leave of the Casino, stepping into an alleyway that briefly fills with a hole of darkness. Riku steps through, and is gone in a moment.

    The other end opens out into another alleyway in the harbor. He pops out, looks around and simply makes a beeline towards the yacht. With a quick leaps, he flips onto the ship himself, immediately converting a pivot off of the railing into a flying kick towards the Janitor. It's only after he hits or misses that he quips, "Hey. You shouldn't be here."

    Nova's handling the subtle stuff. Riku's being pretty overt. This might have just saved Nova from getting 2-fered.
The Janitor      Jane Doe pounds on the door more vigorously, still oblivious to what's happening on the other side. "You're made," she says, leaning in until the brim of her cap almost touches the metal. "I saw a man with cat ears. I saw a teenager with gray hair. Do you know what that means?"

     When that exact teenager comes at her, she doesn't react like any kind of ordinary person. The broom in her left hand comes up, bracing against the flying kick- it splinters in the middle as she grabs the other end with her right, but redirects Riku's heel just enough to miss her head as the wooden shaft snaps in half. She immediately tries to shove one serrated, splintered end into his eye socket with a plunging reverse grip, already bringing the other half around in a sweeping slash.

     "Shut up."

     Even locked in mortal combat with an Obvious Protagonist, her mind is clammily empty, more like a predatory reptile than a human being.
Deelel The good news is if Deelel needs to get chips it should be easy for her to do so. Right now though she doesn't seem to be focusing on that, Tobias has done a really good job leading in on thing and she smiles at Rene Mathis. She also accepts his offer of a drink.

"I am known by as Deelel, that doesn't seem so bad of a way to pass the time at all. At least the company is interesting here."

Over the comm comes the warning that things are about to get hot and there's another actor where who isn't on their side at all. This could get very messy, quickly, she makes a few plans. Riku's warning is heeded and she'll take an idle curious glance at the person who's watching them, under the guise of just looking about the room as one might do from time to time. She's all smiling on the outside as she wonders what's going to come up next. So she will make ready for trouble to find its way here after all whoever Riku has left to deal with? May not be alone.
Amelris Belthrone      So far so good! Desperate librarians at being useful! This should be, uh, useful. Amelris follows along, looking at the microfilm with some clear glee and whatever else he points at. "Of course, of course! This is why I have come, visiting here! It is good to learn local histories, very polite! I would expect same from any other visit my own hometown! There is pride in knowing where you come from and sharing it."

     He approaches the microfilm, clearly some sort of magiteck contraption, he's pretty sure he's seen things like this before. "Ahhh! I see, very modern, very modern indeed!" The disguised Miqo'te comments... and as he is being taught, he furrow his brows and gently lean his head forward, holding a hand to his head.

     ...and he's done about when the young man is probably done explaining, aware of new things.

     "I see, I see. This is clearly very specialized equipment indeed!" He taps his chin, pushing away the headache of the Echo pushed on his poor brain meats. "Tell me..." His voice lowers. "Is there some problems with the name of the town? Has it changed for some reason over the years?"
James Bond CASINO

     MATHIS is cleverer, or more informed, than he initially appears. He seems to take pleasure in suprising the others. "N'Raha," he says, as his first example of this behavior. "I would be without a clue, but for your ears, dear boy. A miqo'te, no?" If he can guess that, he probably knows more--especially since the names of Watch agents are public knowledge, following the Ad Coelum and Ketchikan incidents. It might do to be careful around him. That warm demeanor evidently conceals a sharp mind.

     Hutter's question draws a knowing smile from him, and a sedate nod. "Oh, yes, most certainly. Though... I'm afraid the pot is too rich for my blood. No, I think I shall be quite content to... Watch." He seems amused by the question, as if the two of them are playing a game only they know the rules to. The emphasis on the last word is clear--as is his glance towards Deelel. He had his suspicions, but she apparently confirmed them.

THE HARBOR

     Things are quickly escalating here. The bodyguard comes up, a curly-haired man in a loud shirt, with a vest, pressed slacks, and sensible shoes. Precisely the type of man who'd spend his time here, were it not for the vicious-looking combat knife gripped in his hand. He sees nothing, however. Nothing but the ripple of air as Nova moves.

     At first, things are tense. He says nothing, testing her without being able to see her, just trying to see how long he can hold out before she pushes the knife. He doesn't have to hold out long before the sound of a splintering broom gives him an opportunity. At least, he sees it as one. Struggling against her invisible grasp, the bodyguard blindly attempts to stab with the knife. gritting his teeth in determination. He won't budge--but there must be something worth that loyalty, musn't there?

     He's left himself open, nevertheless. If she can deal with him quickly enough, she might have a moment or two in the cabin, while Riku and the janitor fight abovedeck.

THE LIBRARY

     The older librarian is the one to answer his question. "It was called Royale, once, and that was good enough for us. Years ago, someone got the idea to bottle the spring water--the very one you see running down either side of that eyesore casino," she bitterly utters with a shake of her head. "They sold it in these absurd little bottles, and called it Eau Royale."

     "It was pretty successful, for a while!" This, from the younger librarian, sipping idly at a mug of coffee. "The bottling plant brought in a lot of money, during times of the year the casino couldn't."

     "Yes, yes," says his older counterpart. "And the commune, in their infinite wisdom, decided to change the name of the town, just because of Eau Royale." She chuckles knowingly. "Then Perrier and Vichy caught wind of it. A lawsuit followed. Copyright infringement, you see." She traces the shape of the bottle with her hands. "After the lawsuit, the plant could only sell it locally, and the money slowed to a crawl. Now the town has that ridiculous... rider, with nothing to show for it. Merde..."
N'Raha     The catman, for his part, does not miss the statement. Even with the bit of word play finagling that's going on. He hits things with an ax, but he's not entirely a meathead. Just mostly. Also, he wasn't here to be covert, at all. It's hard to be covert when you're N'raha.

    That said, he sighs and plants a hand over his heart. "Oh, you wound me, Mr. Mathis. But, well. I suppose I am here to Watch as well. To be honest, though, the vacation really is on orders." His ears droop a bit and he sips at his beverage. "After the last few months, some time off is... a good thing, probably." A moment to once again fiddle with his tie.

    An acknowledgement that he knows you know, MATHIS, and you win that opening hand.
Nova Terra     The bodyguard's intuition is pretty good. Nova is briefly distracted by the sudden battle between Riku and the janitor. It gives him the moment he needs to deal with Nova's weapon while using his own.

    There's a slicing sound and grunt of pain, the air rippling as Nova quickly backs off from the bodyguard. Light washes over her position once more as she reappears, one hand still holding her knife, the other holding her side where there's a cut in her Ghost suit, a little blood trickling out.

    The glowing optics of Nova's visor stare at the bodyguard as she says, "Fine. We'll do this the hard way." The hand hold her side quickly rises towards the bodyguard, a blast of telekinetic energy flashing out from Nova towards him as she attempts to knock him back down into the cabin hard. And hopefully knock him out too.
Riku     Riku is expecting a janitor on the floor and a quick interrogation.

    What he gets is a broken broom, his aerial balance jostled, and he watches that splintered wood strike at his eye. It widens, the seconds slowing as neurons struggle to comprehend and decide on a reaction.

    Instincts take over where neurons fail. Confronted with an imminent lethal injury, lizard-brained self-preservation overrides orders and with a flash of darkness interrupts the incoming chunk of wood with a bat-winged blade, slicing a couple inches off the end. It's enough for the rest of Riku's bran to catch up moments later, the Deuteragonist hurling himself to one side. Even if he doesn't lose an eye, the other half rips across his side, making him pay for his hubris as the initial exchange ends.

    Pain has a way of reorienting things. Riku hits the deck, skidding backwards in a three point crouch as red drips onto the sealed wood deck. It seems he agrees with the Janitor's request, as he says nothing more. Unlike the Janitor's, Riku's expression and mind are roiling. She might even be able to smell the rich anger, the bitter pain, the melange of other things trickling under the surface in contrast to the untrammelled purity.

    But he doesn't speak again. Talk is cheap. Instead, he launches forward, kicking into a physically impossible dashing slide, trying to take the Janitor's legs out from under her. At the same time, his shadow paints the wall to one side, the blackness irising open as a huge, clawed fist smashes out to try to take her down from another direction.
Big Boss Hutter feigns ignorance, and feigns it well. He doesn't get the 'Watch' clue, apparently, and instead just continues. "It'll be one good game. Perhaps on par with the World Series, a new Johnny Moss to be crowned." Poker terms and people. He's either done his research, or he's a poker buff and that's why he's playing.

"I'm going to take it all. I don't /need the money/ - Botswana does that well enough - but pride is on the line, you understand."
Amelris Belthrone      The Disguised Miqo'te listens in with attention. Amelris is good at listening as well as occassionally nodding firmly, stoically. Which is what he is doing, explaining the woes of the town's name changes.

     "Quite an unfortunate series of event!" Amelris declares, adjusting his pince-nez. "Who would imagine that local, up and coming enterprizes would be crushed so cruely by others jealous of it's success. Alas, it is all too common." He shakes his head, bitterly snapping his tongue in a disapproving matter.

     He looks up at Marie. "Are they still in buisness to this very day? Where are they located?"
Deelel Well old habits die hard, and this is one of those mistakes one makes which seems minor. Which could have farther-reaching consequences than she realizes she will just run with it for the moment. She will take a moment to sip at her drink for a moment.

"True such a game could have stakes that could render most people looking for new employment if they lose. Still, it would be entertaining to watch such a high stakes game."

She's caught his hint as well, there's nothing that can be done about that after all. So she just keeps going and better tries to watch her step.

She looks to Tobias for a moment.

"Quite the bold statement."
The Janitor      Jane rolls her neck, going easy and loose as she watches Riku bleed. There's still no feeling in the texture of her mind or in her eyeless gaze, but the pause indicates something like... satisfaction, maybe? No.

     She leaps over his sliding kick easily, retaliating by trying to stab downwards with her sharp chunk of wood and slide it between his ribs- but the fist blindsides her, and without her feet on solid ground, there's only so much she can do. Twisting midair, she plants her shoes on the onrushing fist and bends her legs to bleed off its momentum, then rolls elegantly as she's knocked backwards by the blow and hits the deck.

     Dropping the fragments of the broom, the Janitor grabs the leg of a folding deck-chair as she stands and snaps the springloaded furniture shut, hefting it menacingly.

     Then she hears the struggles belowdeck. There's a visible moment of hesitation as she makes some coldblooded calculation.

     Then she leaps over the railing towards the water, swings around with preternatural agility while breaking the folding chair apart to salvage a long spike of metal from it, and- whether by foreknowledge or murderous intuition- finds what must be some combination of power cables and fuel lines to impale with the same very conductive iron rod right next to the water line.

     At the exact moment that she flips back up onto the deck with a flaming spike in her hand, an explosion goes off behind her, causing the yacht to start to list to one side. "You lose."
James Bond CASINO

     "Indeed it would," says Mathis to Deelel. "A glorified pimp, hosting a poker match for rich and eccentric souls the world over." He knows the host. But what does he mean by 'glorified pimp?' "And a hot-shot poker buff with aims to take it all. You'll have your work cut out for you, dear boy. That Le Chiffre is allegedly a wonder with numbers--perhaps that's why they call him Le Chiffre." He chuckles.

     The CORSICAN MAN that Riku reported is gone. MATHIS seems to notice this. "Ah, how tiresome. Our friend with the cane has taken his leave of us." The tone--the fact that he even pointed it out, is an invitation. Go nuts, if you want. He's not one of ours. He smiles at Raha. "Perhaps you will find time off is not so different from work, no?"

THE HARBOR

     The ship is sinking, quickly. Already, waterlogged papers, books, and the odd bit of light decor can be seen floating in the cabin, as the yacht lists. The bodygard slams into the cabin. The impact knocks him unconscious, and he rolls all the way off of the boat. Unless she can breathe underwater, Nova's choices are now slim--but there is time. There's no telling what the janitor just cost her, but if she's fast, she can scoop up some of the papers. With luck, her support crew might be able to salvage something legible from them. Still, there isn't /much/ time. She only has a few seconds before the Ellipsis completely disappears into the inky, cold depths. Better get to scooping!

THE LIBRARY

     Marie nods at Amelris. "Yes, but considerably less so than before. That big distribution center of theirs is just wasted space, when they can just drive a few truckloads downhill. If you take a right going out of here, head towards the casino. You'll see the Hotel Splendide--old, tall. Take the road that leads uphill from there. You can't miss it."

     New Location Discovered: EAU ROYALE BOTTLING PLANT
N'Raha     The catman perks a bit, his ears having missed the passage of the Odd Fellow. "Hnnn. Has he now? Well." N'raha smiles at Mathis, and then gamely slides out of his spot at the lounge table. "Maybe I should see just what sorts of games Offworlders bet on, then." His tail flicks a bit, the tip puffing out ever so slightly.
    He bows to MATHIS and then murmurs. "I'm sure we'll see each other again, here. Something tells me that." A fangy grin, and then the Warrior of Light saunters back inside, sipping on his drink and trying to spot the MAN WITH THE CANE.
Riku     If Riku can tell she's effectively emotionless, he's not really catching it. He does, however, almost catch a broomhandle in his ribs, but thankfully the Janitor seems to lack the power of double jump which would have allowed her to have her cake and eat it too. The exchange ending up a wash, Riku rolls to his feet, swivelling his blade in his hand in preparation.

    He, too, hears the struggles belowdeck. He doesn't hestitate, however, charging forward to try to stab her. It's when she bolts to make her move that Riku changes tactics. His shadow stretches down the side of the ship, and into the water.

    When the Janitor pops back up, declaring that he's lost, Riku smiles. "I guess you didn't see me change the rules."

    A moment later, there is a lurch from below as the yacht stops listing to one side and begins to be pushed, holding the yacht up in the water.

    If the Janitor looks, she might see a twisted black creature underwater below the yacht, thick muscular arms pushing up on the ship from below to counterbalance and attempt to move the hole in the ship out of the water. This should buy Nova time, at the very least. He can't undo what's gotten flooded out already though. He's no wizard.
Nova Terra     Normally Nova can breathe underwater. Her suit is designed to let her operate on hostile planets and in space, after all. Unfortunately, the hole that the bodyguard put in her suit with his knife has unfortunately broken any seal the suit might have had. And not expecting to require life support on this mission, she didn't bring any patches.

    Besides, being trapped inside a sinking boat is not a pleasant thought. So Nova hurries.

    The Ghost works her way through the cabin, trying to identify any materials of interest that she can recover. She doesn't try to wade through the rising water to retrieve them though, instead simply pulling them into her grasp with her mind. She stays for as long as possible, some time hopefully bought through Riku's efforts, before quickly making for the cabin's exit.

    The Ellipsis finally sinks down under water and for a moment, there is nothing.

    Nova's head finally pops out of the water as she takes in a deep breath. She slides her visor up off her eyes onto her head and looks around, before making her way back to the jetty with everything she acquired.

    Climbing back up onto dry land, Nova mutters, "I hope this was worth it..." She looks at the stuff she managed to acquire.
Deelel Deelel says "A glorified pimp..."

That brings up even more thoughts about the nature of the game's host. It also lines up with the intel about why the host of the game's financial issues. Being he went into the adult entertainment industry just as brothels and related things were banned. She thinks about this as she sips at her drink. As the chat continues she does take note that the CORSICAN MAN Riku had tipped them off to has vanished.

She will drink some more and try to spot where they ran off to as the man notes that the guy who vanishes wasn't one of MATHIAS' own associates she takes the information as interesting and worth noting. So there could be several players here involved in this situation. Where did that other man /go/?
The Janitor      Jane looks back over her shoulder at the huge shadowy creature lifting the yacht out of the water, shifting her footing to match the deck's new angle. Whatever goes through her head, she seems to figure the yacht is eventually more or less screwed regardless- it's still leaking burning fuel into the water, and eventually it'll either fully combust, sink beneath the waves, or both.

     So instead of trying to stop Riku, she picks up another folding chair from the deck, sprints past him to the edge of the deck, plants one foot atop the railing, and takes a flying leap off. A shadow comes over Nova as the alleged janitor is silhouetted against the sun, folded chunk of metal and wood held over her head in both hands.

     For most people, engaging multiple Elites at once is a death sentence. Jane Doe doesn't seem to care. She tries to bring the chair down on the back of Nova's head with all the crashing momentum of her fall, like some deranged pay-per-view finale.
Amelris Belthrone      A NEW LOCATION FOR QUICK TRAVEL.

     "I see." Amelris replies, beaming a bit, just not enough to show off his very sharp feline teeth. "Thanks you very much for the information!" He gives a slight bow. "I shall give it a look, it's not every day you get to see such history in person." He pauses, then pick up one of the maps on sale. Libraries have maps of town on sale, especially small towns like this. "I shall also take this."

     After a brief moment of pleasantries, Amelris retreats from the Library to make a bee line to the bottling manufactory. So, it is still in usage... and yet, there is the distribution center that is not being used. If he's correct on his hunch, that's probably the best place to look.
James Bond      CASINO

    At first, Raha and Deelel don't spot the man with the cane. Then they hear it. /Clink./ It's coming from above them. Looking up reveals nothing--but that's because the outdoor lounge is under the roof. It helps keep people from getting rained on. There's an easy way up there, an access stairwell for cleaning staff to scrub the roof clean. MATHIS points it out with his pinky, without dropping his drink. He smiles slyly, once he knows that one of them sees it. Then, he quietly excuses himself.

     There, on the roof, their prey. The handle of the cane lies discarded beside him. The majority of the cane now serves as the barrel of a high-powered rifle. From his vantage point up here, the CORSICAN MAN can see the HARBOR. He can see a yacht, in particular, sinking and rising as three very small dots in the distance have some sort of altercation near it.

     He appears to be lining up a shot with the rifle. That's bold, to say the least. Or perhaps stupid. There doesn't appear to be a suppressor on it, and even if there were, everyone below could hear it perfectly well.

HARBOR

     Riku's quick thinking allows Nova to pull more than she otherwise would have. Some of it looks pretty important. Letters, notes, ledgers. There's a wealth of information there just waiting to be salvaged. Unfortunately there is also a folding chair waiting to collide with her cranium. She's able to get the information, and herself, on dry land--but the fight isn't over.

EAU ROYALE BOTTLING PLANT

     The BOTTLING PLANT is just barely witin the city limits. On foot, it's about an hour's walk. The road leading up to it has a lot of bends. It'd probably be fun to ride a chocobo on at high speed. It's also uphill, so it's a little tiring. Once Amelris gets there, the sun is starting to go down. There is a gate meant to keep people out, but it's easily vaulted.

     Things have shut down for the day--he didn't even pass any cars as he walked up here. The surroundings are heavily forested. The plant itself is built on top of the stream, but not in such a way that it prevents tributaries from running downhill into town. That was probably the result of some agreement between the commune and the owners. There are only two trucks parked here, both branded with fading logos for the water--there's not much point in keeping them pretty when Eau Royale is purely a local good.

     The facilities are otherwise in good shape, if not particularly pretty. The exception is the distribution center the librarian mentioned. That place looks like a run-down piece of shit. Even the windows are dirty, and the chain on the door is rusty. Invitingly so.
Nova Terra     Nova is taking a quick moment to catch her breath after getting back up onto the jetty, when she senses something behind her. The Ghost turns around just in time to see the chair coming down towards her head. It collides, hard, Nova stumbling to the side. She's saved from a large dent in her head by the visor that had been sitting on her head. It breaks apart after the impact, pieces falling around around her head.

    Nova takes a few more uneven steps, blue light beginning to wash over her. But it flickers, bits and pieces of Nova appearing and disappearing repeatedly. The Ghost moves a hand to hold her head where she had been hit, groaning a little. She seems to be having some trouble concentrating.

    Attempting to keep this strangely dangerous janitor at bay, Nova launches a haphazard blast of telekinetic force in her direction. It's not very strong though. But it should hopefully keep the nobody away for a few more moments, until help arrives.
Deelel Deelel can't seem to find the man at first, then she hears the man's cane. The Clink is enough for the program to turn her heads up but she sees the lounge's roof so she can only logically guess he's up top pon the roof. MATHIS excuses himself given what might be going on she can't fault him but she does wonder just who is he. Even more importantly whom he is working for. She will set down her drink give N'Raha a look before she's going to make her way up to the roof, with all due speed.

She will reach the roof finding the man she sees the man having a high powered rifle and he's making a shot likely to the harbour given what's going there's a good chance he's going to be targeting one of her comrades, so she makes a call.

She pulls her ID disc off her back powers it up and tosses it not for the man but going for the rifle to damage it if she' lucky or at least throw off the aim.

"Seems this game has become far more thrilling than I expected at this point."
Riku Riku knew the Janitor's goal was to clean up. They wouldn't be blowing out the yacht if they weren't. She sprints past him, but Riku is right behind. The moment he leaves the ship, the Eidolon vanishes, the yacht instantly collapsing into the waves. The goalposts have shifted. The game has entered a second round.

    The Janitor descends on Nova like a ton of highly agile bricks. Riku lands next to them, a salvo of burning black fire slamming down in a spread pattern. The Janitor will dodge. That's how she seems to be wired. A shadow lashes out, ripping up several crates of fruit that have been left sitting around, and hurls them to follow up. Surely, they would be able to take the Janitor down.

    But that's not the actual goal. The goal is to just fill the area with chaff while Riku opens a portal of blackness below Nova, dropping her through it like she had suddenly stepped onto an open manhole. Within, she'll find herself in a world of shadows and blackness, a dim path before her. The instructions have been given. He trusts her to follow them.

    Because he's not going. He plants himself between the Janitor and Nova's escape, closing it behind.

    It'll be up to him to survive the results.
Amelris Belthrone      Amelris have gotten rid of the more glamorious clothing on his way to the plant, shunting them back into it's aetherial storage, taking a more causal look of a vest, some loose worker pants and a berret, hiding his ear and his tail with a long coat. The trek there is a little annoying, to be certain but you do not become an adventure while you are afraid of long walks. He looks around the area, frowning a little at the sheer look of disrepair the place have. He's seen more run down industrial places from the Garleans, however.

     Discovering the door with the chain is something of an interesting breakthrough. A brief look around is given to make sure things are pretty quiet and not too populated with guards, if need be before returning to the chain. He look it over, before summoning his rapier up with a brief pulse of Aether, giving it a quick swing at the rusty chain, cutting it just enough to get it loose so he can open it up -- and in enough of a 'good state' that he can put it back when he leaves.

     This done, summoning a muted ball of darkened light, Amelris press in.
The Janitor      The purported custodian takes a step forward, dropping the mangled remains of the chair and picking up a jagged shard of Nova's visor- an odd weapon, but she grips it expertly like a prison shiv. Rather than make another immediately aggressive move, she just watches the other assassin stagger and reel for a moment, studying for a kill-spot even as she casually leans out of the way of Riku's fire-blast. There isn't the pithy indignity of a one-liner or the courtesy of a condolence. Jane is entirely ready to attempt to murder her without a word.

     It's just as she switches her grip on the visor-shiv and steps in, shoulders tensed for the next ugly strike, that the telekinetic blast catches her wholly off-guard. It may not be particularly focused, but it still hits Jane wide open, knocking the wind out of her lungs and sending the coup de grĂ¢ce just barely off-mark as she lunges. The janitor makes one more attempt to rip the soggy papers from Nova's grasp while falling forwards, likely giving the ghost the head-start she needs to escape.

     And then Riku's fruit-crates. She rolls onto her back and kicks up, somehow parrying two of the rather large crates with the shiv before catching one against her chest and reeling backwards. That'll leave an ugly mark. She takes another "moment", then- not to catch her breath, because she doesn't show any sign of exertion so far, but to weigh her options. It'd be easier to disengage here. He has superpowers and she has a shard of glass.

     Better, though, to teach whoever sent him a lesson.

     Jane hurls the piece of glass at eye-level, directly trying to provoke some kind of flinch response, and then pulls the dirty rag from her pocket and darts in. It's wound around both of her hands like a garrote. Looping her leg behind his to trip him, she tries her best to cinch the rag around Riku's neck, simultaneously choking him and trying to use him as a human shield against his own lashing shadow!
N'Raha     The catman's attention is forced to be dragged up to the roof, as the sniper is called out and... well.

    The catman isn't quite as agile or nimble as some of his friends, but what he is instead is burly and quick. He grumbles, working the tie loose around his neck, and moves to back up Deelel, loosening buttons as he goes. Clark Kent isn't turning all the way into Super Man, but Raha needs room to move.

    This is also blatant as hell in an empty ass casino. There goes any pretese of cover as he charges up staircases and emergency exits.
James Bond CASINO

     Deelel's ID disc flies true. It strikes the CORSICAN MAN in the wrist just as he pulls the trigger. He wheels around, tossing the rifle to the ground moments after its thunderous crack. The CORSICAN MAN darts for the edge of the roof. He's trying to make his escape, but on the return trip, Deelel's disk knocks him off of the side before he can get his bearings. A brief shout is promptly silenced by a nasty thud.

     In the distance, sirens are heard, angry and French. It would be a good time to leave.

HARBOR

     The bullet goes wide, striking not Riku or Nova, but the janitor, piercing her thigh. It's just the distraction Riku would need to make his escape, now that Nova has made hers.

     Speaking of Nova, she's scored herself an armful of waterlogged correspondence, files, and ledgers. Now that she's got some breathing room, she can find a safe place and get them to someone who might be able to restore them.

BOTTLING PLANT - DISTRIBUTION CENTER

     This building is empty. Utterly, oppressively empty, save for one thing. It's a truck, parked in the depot, but unused and very unlike the others. It has no branding, sports an open bed instead of a trailer. It is also a different make, and appears newer than the ones outside, with no signs of wear and tear evident. In the bed there is a thick canvas tarp. In other words, it doesn't belong here.

HOTEL SPLENDIDE

     Like the casino, the hotel is quiet this time of year, but the owners will not turn away customers. Money spends the same in winter or summer. The main lobby is grandiose, with marble floors, pillars, gold leaf trim, a crystal chandelier and a very high ceiling. A dark-haired man in a designer suit, accompanied by a smartly-dressed brunette woman, briefly exchange words with the clerk at the front desk. Waning, orange sunlight filters through the windows.

     "The name on your reservation, sir?"

     "Bond. James Bond."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnzgdBAKyJo
Nova Terra     Just as the janitor lunges for the evidence in Nova's hand, she pulls it back in an attempt to keep it safe, clutching it to her chest. Jane may or may not have been able to grab some of them, but she won't get another chance to try. At that moment, the blackness opens beneath Nova, swallowing her.

    Nova slips into that dark world. She focuses on following the instructions given to her, turning right at the third path and continuing forward. She's peripherally aware of Riku not joining her, but doesn't delay for him. As much as kicking that janitor's ass might be satisfying, it's not the mission. Getting the intel back is and Nova will see it done.
Deelel The man falls, there's no time to react to it. Any information the man had died with him as he meets the street. There's no time worry about it, she hears the sirens, it's time to pull out. She gives a warning to her comrades over the radio. From under her dress, she pulls out a baton, which unfolds into a series of wireframes surrounding her which take on the shape of a small light jest, she doesn't even pause as she just flies off as fast as she can go.
Amelris Belthrone      "Oh-ho." Amelris lets out, whistling low to himself as he discover the truck and the bed. "Well, well, well. It seems like I have a little secret in my little hands..."
Riku     Riku isn't really expecting witty repartee from the Janitor. She feels more like a force of nature in many ways than a proper human. His stance shifts a bit on that realization. Not that he was holding back before, but... There is a difference, to him. As Jane smashes her way through the crates, Riku grits his teeth. She's absurdly good, and he doesn't see an ounce of actual supernatural power. What /is/ she?

    A shard of glass is enough, however, in the right hands. She hurls the glass at him, and Soul Eater moves, parrying the shard of glass just like she parried the crates, deflecting it out of the way.

    But it puts the blade out of position to react to the Janitor. A moment later, he's falling, the rag cinched around his throat. He pushes forward, attempting to flip her over his back. That would ruin her attempt to garotte him, but he just doesn't have the leverage. The shadow bobbles and wavers, seemingly unable to focus and strike at Jane. What is holding it back? Surely it can get around him. But his sight begins to dim, oxygen burning out in his lungs...

    Fate saves him. The bullet strikes Jane, and in that moment, Riku gets enough leverage to drive his elbow back, loosening the grip just enough for his Eidolon to surge up before him and launch him /and/ the Janitor across the harbor into another pile of crates. The impact breaks them apart, sending yet more fruit everywhere...

    And in the chaos, Riku is gone, a black portal swallowing up some errant fruit as it closes, the Eidolon vanishing once more as Riku makes his slim getaway.

    The impression has been made.
The Janitor      Jane straightens up again, red blossoming through her gray boilersuit, and adjusts her cap as she looks around- calmly, as always- anticipating another shot, or a retaliation from Riku. Neither ever comes. The sniper is down, and Riku is gone, and there's nothing but a few scraps of soggy paper to show for the encounter.

     She reaches into the hole in her thigh with her bare fingers, shoves the dishrag inside without flinching, and walks into town with the burning, sinking yacht behind her. Time to get a change of clothes.