2/1/2003

01:10 AM

Logfile from Sebastian.

 

                                Penthouse 2                                

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It is a penthouse, a swanky penthouse at that. Plenty of windows, wood flooring, elegant lines and a modern look. You've got your sunken living area, long and dark dining table close to the windows that overlook a balcony decorated with topiary and such. Off to some side is the way towards the bedroom, double-doors left open just enough to get a hint of a large bed and more expensive furniture. All in all, it looks like a place that could use a far better description.

Lexie(#249), Malachai(#306), and Dylan(#310) are here.

Exit: Hallway (to Penthouse Level)

 

Sebastian fears for his lease. Although, that might just be a moot point now considering possible further events. Cocktail environment, anyone? Finger foods and an open bar. Shall we see how onisenshi react after getting liquored up when they are together. "Lexie... are you smoking again? Please make sure to do that /outside/." Dramatic sigh. He'll have to house train her.

 

Lexie zips back into the apartment, wide-eyed and closing the door behind her after telling the seishi she nearly ran into to go to another floor. "Hoooly shit, there was company outside." She comments, lit cigarette still dangling. "I'm smoking in here.  We need to get this done. I'll smoke outside next time, I swear."

 

There is a rustling sound. It's coming from Sebastian's wallet. Hopefully said wallet is not in Sebastian's pants at the moment. Suddenly a business card fights it's way out of the leather enclosure and floats to the ground. The black writing on the card swirls and slips off the side of the paper stock and forms legs on the underside. Scurrying across the floor, it heads towards the nearest open space on the wall and leaps up. The card itself flutters to the ground, but the ink slides across the panel and thins out into lines roughly forming a door. A flare of red and black and the 'door' opens up. Malachai emerges, fashionably late. "I do hope this is the right place?" he asks as he sticks his head through and looks around.

 

Dylan enters from the bathroom, one hand brushing his hair back from his face.  "Well, at least yours is clean." He's not going to explain that. "I see I've arrived in time, then? I won't be able to stay long, as I have a pressing engagement that I'm afraid I simply cannot miss. I do hope this is important?"  He has pain to dish out to others in creative ways.  "Ah, Malachai, so glad you could make it. You know, as entrances go, yours are fabulous."

 

Sebastian would have gotten all kinds of jollies from Malachai's entrance. Too bad it wasn't in his pocket and was in the coat that was draped over a chair. Damn. The things he misses out on. Someone remind Seb to check to make sure nothing was stolen from that wallet. He does lift a glass in greeting to Malachai, "Lucky for you, I didn't shred the thing. Welcome, Malachai." And then Dylan shows up. Well, if there is one thing that you can't deny this group, it is great entrances. "Dylan."

 

Lexie gapes, cigarette nearly falling out onto the carpet.  "Doesn't anyone else use a door anymore?" She's glad, though.. Kai was out there, and this meeting is pressing.  "Siddown and have a drink, boys. We're going to go over our timetable and plans to hit the Metropolitan meuseum of art. It'll be our first full mission together, so we need a success, as we can't summon /any/ of the Yin gods without our target."  She takes a swig of her bourbon, sighing happily at the warm feeling it leaves in her throat.

 

Malachai closes the door behind him as he walks in, the ink marks of the frame fading out and vanishing completely. He then cruises by the bar to pour himself a glass of gin with a twist of lime before looking to find a spot to sit. "Ah, even if you had torn it up, Sebastian, I do believe I've handed out enough cards to all of you that I've met so far to ensure that at least one was viable." He smiles as he holds up another card to hand over, as the original is now blank. "Please, take another. In case of emergencies, I could always provide you with assistance or an escape route." He half bows to the miko in passing and nodding at her debriefing as he sits on the couch. A raised brow is directed at Dylan while he continues to smile. "A good entrance can make for a long lasting impression, Dylan. I see you are in one piece despite your hasty exit the last we saw you?"

 

Dylan beams at Malachai.  "Ah, then I'll make sure that I keep that card safe.  My last exit? Oh, that. Yes, quite fine. You'd be surprised what a little water can do for you."  A rather exaggerated bow is given Lexie.  "I take it you're well?"  He's not going to gloat, he doesn't have to.  "Ah, so we do have a purpose? How wonderful. Please tell me it's interesting? If it's that we have to lay low and keep out of sight, I'm going to be desperately disappointed."

 

Sebastian drops down into one of the many plush seats provided, glass held carefully in his fingers so that the amber liquid within doesn't spill over. But as Malachai offers another card, Seb takes it and makes a show of settling the thing in his pocket. "Maybe next time having you appear will be a much more entertaining experience." A wink to Malachai and then he is looking back to Dylan with a wry grin. But he adds after Lexie, "This will require /everyone/ cooperation if it is to be pulled off right." No, he won't look to Dylan as he speaks that last.

 

Lexie smiles dryly. "Well, now that you've ruined any possibility of an alliance with the Seiryuu and we're massively outnumbered, we need to move quickly to get our summoning scroll."  She looks at Dylan like he's the crud on the bottom of her boots after walking through a particularly ripe cow-field.  "Anyways, we also need to centralize operations as well. The garage is being sold and I'm moving in here until we can get a nice front and building for our business. I suggest you all consider doing the same."  She pours herself another glass. "There will be two teams. One team will be sniffing out possible Yang artifacts to steal and torching what they can't take. Dylan, Malachai, you'll both be on the team with me going after the scrolls.. Ours and any others that look useful. I need to know both of your skills, when it comes to disguise, escape, circumventing surveilance, and fighting."  And if Dylan pisses her off, she'll be happy to shoot him and leave him for the seishi to find.

 

"Sorry I'm late."  Morwen apologizes perfunctorily as she breezes in.  "Damn board meetings, they always take too long."  she explains as she takes a seat, absorbing the information that Lexie spews.  "I've got a building in mind."  she volunteers almost immediately.  "

 

"Sorry I'm late."  Morwen apologizes perfunctorily as she breezes in.  "Damn board meetings, they always take too long."  she explains as she takes a seat, absorbing the information that Lexie spews.  "I've got a building in mind."  she volunteers almost immediately.  "My division has purchased a new lab building out near the center of New York, since we could get a good deal on it.  But the operations won't be expanding into that building for several years yet.  It would make an ideal interim base."  After this suggestion, she falls quiet and listens to the operational plan.

 

Malachai thinks he's demonstrated more or less what he can do. "I am an expert in artifacts actually. A good many items in the museum were donated by my family. I can provide escape routes, I can interfere certainly with any visible surveilance equipment." If he can't tell where the cameras are, he can't cover them over with ink. "Fighting, I am no slouch, but my... creations can be deadly as well if need be." He nods back at the miko. "I will be able to sense which scrolls may be pertinent to our cause as well."

 

Dylan shakes his head, crossing his arms in front of him.  "I destroy things, I don't hide them. If there's a sprinkler system in that place, I can take down nearly anything in my path. I can pick locks, cause pain, and make sure that the electrical equipment in the place is useless. However, I am willing to learn to do anything that it might take."  At this, he smiles rather snake-ishly.  "If the other side tries to interfere, I will very much enjoy persuading them not to do so. Shall I try to take out a few of their number until our foray into felony?"

 

Sebastian simply sits back in his chair, looking over to Lexie with a wry grin. But, then Morwen enters, and in a way far more traditional than the others. Too bad. Here he was hoping for some more enjoyment to the evening. He does look back to Malachai though, "Do you think you'd be able to alter us though? As in make us look like something else? Possibly seishi?" As Dylan speaks, his lips draw into a soft smile. "Would a museum have something like that? Water? Or something else that wouldn't be to detrimental to their pieces?"

 

Lexie steeples her fingers, absorbing the information in a somber manner. "Okay. Dylan, you'll be in charge for nuking the alarm and surveilance system, and you'll be on point in case we encounter any resistance. I'm certain they have a sprinkler system with all that precious artwork, and if not, we'll bring you a super-soaker."  She pauses, glancing at Malachai. "We're going to case the meuseum a few days before. I want you to leave cards.. Not with your name, per se, but something folks won't look at, like a meuseum leafelet, in places where they might crawl out of where people won't notice them. We need viable escape routes in place.  Secondly, I need to know if you can disguise us to look like someone else, in case there are somehow any witnesses.  Our /first/ priority is to get our stuff and some of theirs, torch what's left, and boogie. If a few folks get killed or hurt from the other side in the process.. Well, they shouldn'tve interfered."  She takes a swig of her drink. "Morwen, we're on an even tossup. Minai, Reese, and Sebastian are on the artifact team. Dylan, Malachai, and myself are on the scroll team. Pick whichever one you think you like."

 

Morwen smiles wickedly.  "I think I'll be with the artifact team."  She twirls her fingers and produces a small vial.  "I can put this in a pressurized can.  A few sprays of my special acid, and a thousand years of longevity will melt and resolve itself into a small steaming puddle."  She pauses for a moment.  "That applies to security guards, too.  I wonder if I could make an attachment to a super soaker..."  She eyes the vial speculatively. 

 

The artist in Malachai flinches at the thought of torching items in a museum, but his more pragmatic side wins out in the end. It always does. "I can leave a few cards around, not difficult with a little tacky on the back, just stick them under railings, drop them in vases, etc. As for disguises..." He grimaces there. "I could forseeably make the images to cover us, but it takes time to work with that much color paint." Ink is easy, it's black. "The colors have to blend properly or it will be obvious that they are not real. Best too if I have photographs to work with." He snaps his fingers and reaches for another business card, handing that one over to Morwen. "If you ever need a quick exit, this will create one. Just concentrate your energies on it and it will head for the nearest open space on a wall, then turn into a door." SHe missed his entrance after all. "It'll open up into the backroom of my gallery, so try to close the door after you. I do hate mobs bursting in unexpectedly."

 

Dylan grins maliciously.  "This will be most fun. I will, of course, follow any instructions that I'm given, though I would appreciate the option of snagging one or two of those who might appose us? I have theories, but if I can keep them from working together, we may have a much easier time."  He'd just love to break them all one at a time, but he may not have the time to do so.  "With your permission, of course." This last is said directly to Lexie.

 

Sebastian shoots a grin at Morwen, eyeing the vial with a rather interested look. "That could be convenient." But then he is left to frown at Malachai and all of the preparations it would take to make an image. Ah well. And then Dylan's words earn another wry smirk. "One of these times, Dylan, I'd love to see exactly what it is that you do to those pretty little seishi that you find so enjoyable. You must invite me next time you feel the need."

 

Lexie rubs at her chin. "The more you play those games with them, the more they band together.  But allright, fine, fine.  If you think you know what you're doing. Just don't mess up." She murmurs to Dylan, before downing her glass.  "Allright. Sebastian, please work with Morwen and that building to set up our dummy corporation. We'll need equipment for Morwen, cold storage for Reese, weapons, and living quarters. I have some ties in the mafia still if you need weapon access, but I suspect you both have your contacts. We can't move in until we can mask the chi of that many of us living in one place.  Also, we need a warehouse.." She glances at Dylan, "Were some of us can bring our.. Pet projects and not reveal our location.  Mm, Malachai, we're counting on you for some of the decoration. It's nice when someone can draw a person's needs.  Now, we need a method of communicating between parties if anything goes wrong or the timetable is thrown off.. As we're going to damage a large chunk of the Met with this plan and don't want our hands caught in the pie.  Ideas?"

 

Malachai ponders the list of needed preparations. "I can certainly decorate. 'Designs' that come to life and defend the building when needed." Like ward traps spread out all over the place. "As for communications, hmm might we resort to mundane means if need be? What's our time table on this? It would go quicker for my own preparations..if I can get a supply of fresh blood. Fresher the better." For small projects he tends to use his own, but he refuses to bleed /that/ much.

Morwen takes the business card, eyeing it curiously.  "Convenient.  Instant escape."  she lifts her eyebrows.  "Thank you, Malachai.  In return..." she reaches into her clothing and pulls out several more small vials.  "These are filled with an extremely potent acid.  A few drops will each through inches of solid steel.  Twist there to open, and push on the other end to get it to come out.  Works great on handcuffs."  she notes.  "Those games only band them together if they think it's /us/.  If we can get them to think that it was one of their Seishi acting, that causes dissent among their ranks."  She grins and waves airily.  "Weapons should not be a problem.  I do some disposal work for the mafia from time to time--they owe me."  She thinks for a moment.  "We could always go the high-tech, low-magic route and use radio headsets to communicate.  And these business cards here should easily facilitate escape."  She eyes Malachai.  "How fresh does the blood need to be?  Will medical blood suffice?  It's usually not all that fresh, though."

 

Dylan beams at Malachai.  "If you need fresh blood, we should work together."  He has other motives, but that one will suffice for now.  "Pick your target, and we'll keep them.. on tap?"  Morwen's words elicit a beaming smile.  "Why, my dear comrade, I believe you're onto something there. If they can't see you, and they think it's one of .. I'll just have to find out who they consider enemies. This shall be fun."  Lexie is given another nod, this one of thanks.  "I believe I will have a new hobby."  Yay.

 

Lexie looks relieved; She nearly got her block knocked off /again/ for the twelve-year-old Dylan kidnapped recently.  "Are any of you good with demolitions? We need a 'terrorist' orgnanization to start blowing up random buildings, car-bombings around the city to set us up with a patsy for some of our work. "  She peers at the nearly-gone bourbon, sighing. "I can donate a little, as I suppose we all can, if the need is immidiate. Reese can bring in the equipment to do so.  Radio headsets are good; Please get us seven or so sets on a private band, Morwen.  As for the timetable.. We need to be in, mess up thesecurity systems, and out, within twenty minutes. If we can't take out the alarms, ten. It'll be tight."

 

Malachai pockets the acid carefully with a grateful incline of his head towards Morwen. "They may come in handy, thank you." He then shakes his head at Lexie. "No explosions from me, sorry. But if funds are needed, I have much to my disposal that I can contribute without traces." That about wraps it up for what he can do. To Dylan he grins wryly. "Working in tangent, I suppose it will be necessary. It need not be from anyone particularly special to contribute." Heck, in a pinch, he could use Dylan. ;)

 

Morwen shrugs at Dylan.  "Trivial tactics--sow dissent among your enemies.  And nothing does that like circumstantial evidence that points to one as obvious."  she smiles.  "The seishi are known to have had conflicts between them.  We, say, call two enemies and tell them to come meet us at a certain place, at a certain time.  We kill whoever gets there first, and leave before the second arrives.  We will, of course, leave enough evidence to implicate the other."  she nods at Dylan.  "Talk to me once you find out.  We can have a little Seishi modus operendi research party."  She draws back with a slight shudder.  "Not me.  I /like/ my blood where it is--in my veins."  She nods, making a mental note.  "Can do, Lexie.  I'll give you all a little tutorial in their use beforehand." 

 

Dylan thinks about this for a moment as he pockets the vile offered over.  "If there is water in any system, and any way to make steam, I can cause an explosion. I don't work well with fire, I'm afraid, but I'll be more than willing to help." Malachai is given wide grin.  "And if you're good, I'll even donate, myself. It could be interesting."  Let's not forget that Dylan is sadistic.  He might enjoy it.  "I'll take in a few subjects for you, at the very least."

 

Lexie rubs at her nose, taking a swig right from the bottle this time. "So someplace with, say, water-powered radiators, like some of the older buildings? Good. Just pick a few random targets and make them go boom, at various intervals. Sebastian's finding us a splinter group to blame it on. It's entirely setup for something later. " She's willing to give blood to the cause, herself. Hardly bothers her.  "The problem with seishi is the madder they get at 'atrocities', the harder they'll fight. Keep in mind we're outnumbered in total here, people.  We don't want them /all/ coming down on our heads. Mind you, the Yin now wish us to engage them;  But that doesn't mean we'll get stupid.  Even though we're abandoning our peaceful policy, it won't hurt us at all to keep confusing several parties. I'd suggest, although we'd need to discuss it, concentrating on one set of seishi at a time, possibly.  The Genbu and Byakko seem to still be somewhat weak.. While there's a good number of Suzaku and Seiryuu that I know of. Let's pool our info on them as we get it. Likes, dislikes, weaknesses.. Names, addresses, strengths."

 

Malachai nods at the long term plans. "I can begin the projects of the paintings once I have sufficient materials. I could duplicate the images of the seishi once I've seen them. As far as I know, I've only encountered... three so far. To my knowledge at least. I can begin there. I will definitely need a place to keep these out of sight until we can use though though."

 

Dylan grins wickedly.  "Oh, that would be enjoyable. I can list a few.. Lexie, love? At the risk of enduring another shot of your anger, might I ask exactly which one our dear doctor is? I believe that the way to that one is through his mirror, and that could topple the lot of them, if used properly."  The man shrugs, then, looking at the others. "The rest I can investigate as time permits, though I may have to resort to a few... pleasant measures. I'll attempt to keep my fun more.. subtle. That should suffice?"

 

Morwen shrugs.  "I can supply explosives?  I'll press the button.  Someone else can make and plant the thing."  she shrugs.  "Though it might not be a bad idea to just supply some radical groups with the weapons they need and point them in the directions we want.  It'll certainly take the heat off us."  she suggests, looking critically at her fingernails.  "Guerilla warfare is the key.  Don't injure them, annoy them.  Make them lose their tempers.  Sabotage.  Shut off the heating and cooling where they live.  Make their water pipes burst.  Throw a baseball through their windows.  Viruses attacking their computers.  Nothing directly attributable to any of us, but very obnoxious."  She spreads his hands.  "I know nothing but the rumors and legends about them.  But I hear that you've been rather friendly with some of them, Lexie.  Are there any weaknesses we should exploit?"

 

Lexie folds her hands, expression dour. "Kai is Amiboshi. And I'd like to request that you all continue.. Or start.." She glances at Dylan, "To keep your hands off of him. He's a special case.  Anyone else, I don't care.  Anyways, if you can begin compiling information, Dylan, at least you'd be doing something useful."  She nods over to Morwen. "You supply, and Minai or myself can plant for the buildings which Dylan can't get.  I'd like you to look into that possibility of weapons supply as well; We'll get the seishi off our backs a bit if they're going after the local psychos, and the imbalance it'll cause will shake NYC society up a bit.  As for weaknesses.." She pauses, rubbing her chin. "Well, I know a good number of them now, and less of them are likely to try and kill me, but I haven't fought them so I honestly don't know most of their powers.  I do know what makes them stronger, however, and that's hitting them, obviously and directly, where it hurts.. Such as children, family, or lovers.  That won't do us any good. Which ones can you make facsimilies of, Malachai? We need to knock over the Met /soon/."

 

Malachai answers after a moment. "It was a little girl, a tall silvery haired man that Reese was bothering, and some obnoxious blonde with a temper and a foul mouth."

 

Dylan shakes his head.  "I haven't had any dealings with any man with silver hair, and the child was an accident. She nearly knocked me back into the fountain, and instinct took over. You have my apologies for that. Perhaps I should bring you a few unconscious specimens, Malachai?"  With that, he sits back, listening to the rest. Information is good, information he doesn't have to work to get is even better.

 

"Consider it done."  Morwen assures with a genial air.  "The crackheads on the streets will suddenly have a good degree of access to assault rifles, shotguns, and hand grenades.  The police will be busybusy."  She ponders for a moment.  "'Be weak where you appear to be strong, and be strong where you appear to be weak.'" she quotes.  "I think we need to, first of all, find out our weaknesses.  And, second, find out what the Seishi believe our weaknesses to be, and exploit that."  She ponders.  "At the very least, please divest their pockets of any items that they might contain.  We can plant those to frame them."

 

Lexie finishes off the bottle entirely (wasn't it full when she got here?) and notes, "The little girl is Anana. She's a Genbu. And the dark-haired Genbu that nearly ambushed me in the lobby said she called him screaming. As for the silver-haired one, that's Tokaki.. Lee Pelham.  He's a cop on NYPD, and a Byakko.  Dunno who the blonde is.. Mm.. Make two Tokaki masks, one for each team, and two of the blonde. The kid is useless, none of us are that small.  Just pick some other folks you see on the street or something, and stick them in. It doesn't matter who they think it is, as long as it ain't us, kapice? Just match gender, general build, and height if possible. We'll make do."

 

Malachai nods and is already mentally making plans. They will eventually surprise the heck out of the miko cuz it's Brice and not Tokaki that'll appear on canvas. And lookee, two of Suboshi as well. That's going to go over really well isn't it? "Cop? He didn't look like a cop. I guess he was off duty. No problem, I can make do."

 

Sebastian returns from whatever he was doing. Could have been the bathroom, could have been taunting the next-door seishi, but more than likely he was on the phone arranging something. He enters back into the room, glancing over the others, "I apologize for that. So, what have I managed to miss out here?"

 

Lexie pauses a moment, then nods. "Hey Sebastian, I almost forgot.. I have dogs. You don't mind dogs, do ya? I'm attached to 'em, so I'll need to bring them over. Already spoke to the family about the garage sale." Not the family.. The 'Family'.

 

Morwen stands up, stretching langurously.  "Since we seem to have disintegrated into the nitty gritty, I think I'll go start with the arrangements.  I'll have the lab prepared soon, and the rabid New Yorkers armed."  she grins.  "Good luck to you all.  I'll see you on the museum raid."

 

Dylan stands, giving a nod to the others.  "Now that that's settled, I'm afraid I really must run. I have information to collect, after all, and not all of it by enjoyable means."  He has to look at boring old plans and walk around in search of water to make a nuisance with.  "Do give me a call if you need me?"  Is said as a card is dropped on the table as he wanders off.  "I'm sure we'll all be seeing eachother soon."

 

"Dogs." My, isn't is pretty how Seb smiles like that? And such a faux smile it is. "Charming." Although it is anything but. "I'll be sure to find a good place to have them kenneled. Or maybe the neighbors will take them." He can hope, right? He nods to the others as they start to move on.

 

Lexie shakes her head. "My dogs stay with me." She states, firmly. "I'm sure they won't be much of a bother." She writes down the number, although she's unwilling to put the actual card in her wallet. How mistrusting. "I'll bring them over tomorrow."

 

Malachai rises as well, smoothing down the rumples of his pants and straightening up. "I should go make my preparations as well. I do so hate having to make do with my own blood for this till another supply can be found. With the number involved though, I'll need to begin as soon as possible." He bows to the miko once more and to Sebastian as well. "Thank you for a rather formulative evening and of course for Seb's hosting. Keep in touch." His door reopens with a toss of another business card. He hopes Sebastian doesn't think he's littering on purpose. "Good night."