2014.09.14:The Black Forest Lab II
| The Black Forest Lab II | |
|---|---|
| Wormwood accepts the mission | |
| IC Date | Sunday |
| IC Time | Evening |
| Players | Velok (Storyteller), Misa, Wormwood |
| Location | Prospect |
| Prp/Tp | The Black Forest Lab |
| Spheres | Mage and Mortal |
Log
Canyon Park Crossroads - 306 Living Room
In a word: utilitarian. In a shorter word: cheap. The apartment consists of a living room, one bedroom and one bathroom, along with a couple of closets.
The living room is fairly open, light brown carpet and wallpaper that used to have a decorative pattern back in the Reagan years, but has since faded to a uniform off-white. In the place of furniture here there is a small collection of cushions and pillows, in one corner is something that looks almost like a tent fashioned from a collection of thin, semi-transparent fabric. The tiled kitchen is set off by a counter, with a fridge, microwave, gas range stove, and double sink. Much of these likely see little use.
The bedroom is just wide enough for a queen-size bed, if you don't mind bumping your legs on the wall on one side. The bed here however is most definitely not a queen. It is likely intended for use by one person, but two could use it well enough if they were smooshed close enough together. The sliding doors of the closet are heavy, mirrored from top to bottom, and tend to catch on a bump and slip off the track. There is also, stereotypically, a mirror on the ceiling. The bathroom has a toilet, a sink, and a shower bath, which for some reason was installed closest to the door instead of further away.
Wormwood knocks on the door about 5 minutes after receiving the text message. Either he was already here or somewhere RIGHT nearby when he got it, or he is also the Flash.
It's a rather dark night at the CanyonPark Crossroads near the time the meeting was supposed to happen. When the alert went out to Wormwood, Velok was already present within Misa's apartment. He seems to have shown up in jeans, a blue teeshirt, a hoodie, and his bow/tube attached to his back. At this point, he seems to have shed his hoodie onto the nearby couch, yet keeps the weapons. He's standing in the kitchen boiling something within a pot. "Well this is certainly familiar." He comments before the knock comes, his head turning to peer in the direction of the door. He makes an idle glance to whatever/wherever Misa is.
Misa jogs right over to the door, the sound of the unlocking of several deadbolts can be heard from the door before it finally opens. "Hey sweety! Come on in. I got some drinks in the fridge if ya want. Sorry no couch, but plenty of sittin space."
Wormwood is quicker than a pizza. His pale, bald face pokes through the crack in the door briefly once it begins to open, though he waits on the other side until the 'come on in' is uttered. His long, lean legs carry him inside, and he stops once in the living room, turning his head in Velok's direction, noting the bow, and then glancing back briefly towards Misa before surveying the interior of the living room. "Where did your couch go?" He asks curiously, glancing towards the refrigerator. "Also...why here? Does one of you live here?"
Velok's head is turned so he can peer towards the door, stepping away from the stove when Wormwood comes in. His face remains neutral while those eyes dart all over the man. The faint look of recognition plays across Velok's brow, having seen the man before but never conversing. At some point he gives a polite smile and a nod of his head. "You must be Wormwood." The man says, leaning back against the counter and letting Misa answer the three posed questions.
Misa shakes her head. "Never gotta couch. Didn't feel like haulin it up those stairs." she explains. "Alright intros, obviously I'm Misa, my place. This is Velok, sure you've heard about him some." she giggles. "And yeah that's Wormwood. I worked with him before, he's good."
"A pleasure." Velok says, in that particular tone of voice that indicates it's not really a pleasure, but it's the polite thing to say, so say it he does. The man is wary, a normal trait for someone working with someone within a suspicious field for the first time. "You left a note for me to get a hold of Misa, at one point." Their only real interaction of sorts, other than occasionally being in the same place at the same time. Velok turns his head to look back to the stove and adjusting the kettle. "Tea?" He asks of Wormwood. A touch of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal meeting.
(The group talk for a while and get to know each other a little better and ease any tensions. Potential payment methods are arranged before the conversation moves back to the mission.)
"One of the first real eye openings I had when I came to the city was an ooze monster..." Velok says, going slightly off track. His eyes flit up to the corner as he remembers, nodding appropriately. "Someone that bursted into a considerable amount of flies. It was...gross, I think is a good word." His eyes return to Wormwood and he nods. "I'm not particularly asking for you to like me, only to get the job done. Liking me to a point might help, but it's not required. I would just hope that you don't become a problem for me." Velok nods a quiet agreement to the discussions of effectiveness in payments, but then Wormwood's actual question gives him pause. So much so is his surprise that he has to take a drink from the warm cup as he stares towards the man. "You want to know about my ex girlfriends? I didn't think they'd be entirely difficult to find, simply look for the women that hate me the most."
Wormwood listens to what Velok has to say, and nods. "Yeah, Ooze monsters live in the sewer, apparently...it's strangely appropriate. Anyways...yeah, that's fine. As long as you don't think me having talked to any of your exes is a problem, then we should be fine. I don't have any strong opinions on anyon that would sway me one way or the other yet." He shrugs. He grins, then he laughs. "Cool your jets, I was using clever innuendo...but I have been looking for you for a while, and have been wanting to talk to you about a few things. So if this job will be an opportunity for me to finally sit down with you and get an audience for a little while, that should do it. Plus, Misa owes me another favor now, so..."
Velok nods, recollecting again. "I believe his name was Abraxus. Strange man. Stranger...thing." The British man shrugs and relaxes further into the pillow. "I believed the quickest ways to know someone's negative qualities is through exes. If you've managed to gain information out of any of them, or find them, then there is little I can do about it." Velok does smile along with Wormwood. "Well, found, I have been. I admit I do keep myself fairly busy, as I have no doubt you will understand considering what I will be asking you to do. I can give you the audience you want after things have been completed. As for Misa..." He says, looking up towards the woman, then back down into his tea. "What she owes you is between her and you." Velok pushes himself up into a standing position, turning and walking back towards the kitchen. He opens a drawer, retrieving a manilla envelope and placing it down in front of Wormwood. "As I said, I'll be needing you to go to Germany and break into a well guarded facility." He begins, watching Wormwood and waiting for him to take the folder. A symbolic offering and accepting of terms.
Wormwood remains in his seat, not seeming to be disturbed or moved by anything, really, despite his hyperactive and unusual temperament. "Sure, that sounds good." He glances over towards Misa briefly, and then it's back to Velok, with the envelope. "Sure, I think I probably have some built up sick-leave at the hospital I can use for a little while. Shouldn't take that long if we do it right...where in Germany?" He reaches up and takes the envelope without hesitation, it's perhaps a bit uncouth that he begins to open it then and there.
Mission Accepted! "If it's done right, it shouldn't take too long at all. The risks will be lower as well." Velok returns to sitting down within his samurai stance, smiling once more as the folder is opened. The folder itself doesn't have all that much within it. Pictures, mostly, but a couple different documents. "Germany." He says rather straightforward. The first picture is one of Germany, the type you'd find on wikipedia or what not. There's a part circled in red near the southwest section. Above the circle is scribbled the words 'Black Forest'. The next few pictures is one that might have been taken by a satellite. It shows a large clearing in the middle of a densely wooded area, with significant space between the treeline and a large, barbed wire, chainlink fence. A single building sits in the middle of the fenced off area, one story tall. The roof is flat but shows air conditioner units, as well as ventilation units that one might find on the top of hospitals. From the various images, one can easily assess that the building is well guarded, though taken at different times and days, so impossible to tell very much within the way of strength
The next couple pictures are different. They show a black suburban with a man in a black suit with white dress clothing and black circular sunglasses. He's looking backwards, out of frame, as he stands near two children. (http://www.cityofhopemush.com/wiki/images/0/08/Leverage-Simon.jpg) The two children are both blonde, but the pictures don't get very good looks at their face as they're climbing into the suburban. They both look around the same height and same age. The scarce pictures show a 'moment in the life', the two children getting into the car, then the man with sunglasses, then the car driving away.
Misa busies herself in the kitchen a little longer slicing up some carrots in a rapid, and not particularly chef like way... but it certainly gets the job done efficiently. All the while she has a smile on her face as she hums quietly. She dutifully avoids looking at the files as they are being shown. "Anything I can make either of you since yer here?"
Wormwood busies himself looking through the files. Taking out each piece of paper from within and looking at it in turn. "Black Forest?" He asks aloud. "...isn't that where ham comes from?" And then it's back into the files. "This guy looks like he's a steampunk alchemist." He states as he looks at the picture of Simon. "...and it looks like you've got some sort of secret, underground lab complex in this remote forest. Or a Meth superlab. Look at them vents. Too big for that little building, look at that exhaust volume." He goes through all the pictures. "Kid, same kid." He says, apparently not being able to differentiate two blonde children, and then he's back to the first page. He looks up and over at Misa. "Fine, thank you." Then glances over to Velok, curiously.
Velok glances back to Misa and her cutting, watching for a moment. "Oh, whatever you're having. I'm not particularly picky." He returns his attention to Wormwood, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't actually know. I guess? Maybe?" For a first question though, it does make Velok smile. "He seems to enjoy those glasses, and that suit." The assessment draws a relief from Velok and, for the first time, he starts to grin. "Excellent. Very good. The odds of it being a lab facility are high enough that I thought your expertise would be necessary. I'm not entirely sure how...sneaky...you can be, but the two people who will be accompanying you should be able to get you within the facility. I have no idea what's inside, but I'd like to know. I ahve a feeling that the man DOESN'T want me to know, so I want to know even more." It's that desire for information fueling Velok on this one.
With the first set of photos sorted through, the next set are revealed. Two smaller snapshots, individual, seem to have been taken in a happier time. ( http://www.cityofhopemush.com/wiki/images/3/3c/Leverage-Billy.jpg ) "Billy," Velok points out, gesturing towards the first. ( http://www.cityofhopemush.com/wiki/images/a/a5/Leverage-Suzie.JPG ) "And Suzie." Velok points out the second. "The man that looks steampunk is named Simon. He's the primary target, but I do not believe you'll see him within this assignment. Should you, then aborting would be preferred. He is...dangerous."
Misa mumbles to herself about all of them looking the same as she tosses the carrots into a soup, still just content to watchthem talk.
Wormwood is listening to Velok, but to be entirely honest he doesn't seem to be taking this as seriously as the matter requires. SEEMS...it's probably pretty hard to tell what Wormwood is ACTUALLY thinking at any given time, to be honest. "Yeah, I don't know what else it'd be if not SOME sort of chemical or biotech lab..." He looks up and over, then shrugs. "I've been stealing medical supplies from hospitals ever since I've worked in them and have never been caught. The expired stuff that's still good, goes to the homeless, or gets sold. Instead of clogging up trash cans." He shrugs again. "Who else is in on this, besides Misa?" He asks curiously.
Again, the danger bit, maybe not THAT seriously. "How many identical blonde kids are there?" Wormwood asks, mirroring Misa's sentiments, before he looks up and over at Veloks. "Sure, if you wanna save him for yourself, that's fine with me."
"It's not necessarily a matter of keeping him to myself, it's more...this isn't necessarily someone you just run forward and throw rocks at. I came close to getting him several months ago, failed, and he disappeared. A failed attack and things go cold again. I would prefer that not happening." He nods at the thought of stealing medical supplies, apparently neither shocked nor appalled at the revelation. He turns and glances back towards Misa for a moment when her name comes up. "You'll be joined by a woman named Cynthia. I believe you know her. When I mentioned I was looking into hiring you, she provided a reference to your talents." The smile returns as Velok looks back to Wormwood. "Simon was last spotted bringing these kids to this place. I don't know if they're still there, or why they were there, but if they were, there's something important about this place. What's inside, or even the complement of guards, I don't know yet. Only what you have there.
Misa giggles and shakes hear head. "And because we prolly want to go in fairly quiet, we prolly aren't gonna wanna open up the operation by cloggin up those vents, or flooding them with ether." he says with a pout.
Wormwood listens to Velok and nods every now and then. "I dunno, I can throw rocks pretty good, and it's really satisfying when you hit someone with one...but okay." He shrugs and says. "Yeah, I understand. Don't want to blow your load too soon until you're ready." He nods again. "Yeah, we've worked together before, but I haven't heard of her being around in a while, good to know she's still active." He listens again, then nods. "Gotcha, recon, stealth, don't get caught. Anything else? Oh...shit, gummi bears come from there. I'm bringing back gummi bears."
Gummi bears? Once more the look of curiousity draws across Velok's face and he takes a glance back towards Misa. "If you...find...gummi bears..?" he tries to offer but obviously he's just too confused. Velok returns his eyes to Wormwood and nods. "A plane will take you to Germany, you won't need to worry about things like customs or passports. A car will be available to bring you near where you'll need to go, and the rest is up to all of you. There's not very much information available from me, the rest will be up to you. Find out what's happening in the building. If you find the kids, great. If you find Simon, not...great. I want to know what's going on inside and, if you have an opportunity to help set his plans back or cause a bit of chaos, feel free to take it."
Misa offers Velok a bowl of soup by putting it on the table and waves one more about in front of Wormwood with a grin. "Plenty left if ya want some. And yeah I'll getcha some gumi bears." she says with a nod. "Making sure the info at least gets back more or less important than the resta the mission?"
Wormwood nods his head. "If I find 'em, I'm bringing them home." He then whistles. "A private jet, huh?" He nods to all the other things Velok says. "Sure. Gotcha. Stealth, Recon, Chaos. All good things. I think I'm more or less briefed...when and where is the plane gonna be?"
With soup being done, Velok firmly accepts by standing back up. He takes the platter of tea, moving it carefully towards the table. "Cynthia has formulated a contract in regards to this." He says offhandedly, setting the tray down and plopping into a chair with far less grace or flair as he sat down earlier. As he does, he tells Wormwood when and where the plane will be, then nods. "She'll have it ready and written out for when the plane leaves. It's fairly straightforward. You aren't secretly working for Simon already, you won't be switching sides and betraying the people you're with...things like that. It won't be a problem, will it?" He asks, glancing back to Wormwood.
Wormwood listens to what Velok has to say. He nods, then shrugs. "Uhh...sure. That sounds fine. I mean, I guess I'll have to READ it first before I sign it, but she's never screwed me over before, so I guess the girl is trustworthy." He offers a shrug, shifting on his pillow, and then glancing over towards Misa briefly, with a questioningly raised bald eyebrow, then he just shrugs at Velok again. "Still, everything still sounds good."
Velok agrees, tasting the soup and smiling towards Misa. "I fully agree. You'll need to read it before signing it. I would prefer if you sign it, if you agree with it. If you don't, I'm still going to request your services. Just...don't expect the other two to trust you. If there's obvious awkward loopholes in it, don't worry about it." He nods and turns to watch Wormwood, nodding. "The folder is yours to study. Perhaps learn the difference between the two blonde kids faces, it might come in handy. Otherwise, if you have no other questions, I'll look forward to success."
Wormwood nods his head slowly. "Sure, yeah, If I agree with it, I'll sign it. And if not, well, I guess distrust, but...I seriously hope not." He begins stuffing items back into the folder slowly. "Well, I'll try, maybe if I squint." Once everything's back in the folder, he stands up from his pillow, and offers a hand to shake. "To success? Just, if you can, let me know a few days in advance before it's time for the flight, so I can take time off of work."
Velok reaches up and takes the hand, accepting the shake. "To success. Or at least, a little chaos and fun along the way." He winks, standing up from the table and bowing slightly to Wormwood. "Thank you for coming down. It's been good to meet you."
