Mental Bloc - IC

[Committed Hero]

Ash and Lex

Desiderio’s is an upscale restaurant downtown, favored by upwardly mobile workers for power meetings and multiple-martini lunches. Lex has noon reservations with an attorney named Howard Perdue, the contact who has promised him quick relief from his legal troubles.

Ash is sizing up her latest mark, a venture capitalist who comes here to woo new money. Every Tuesday he's at the restaurant by himself, however.

Reed

You have met with a representative of "the guru" on five occasions; an older man named Howard. He's convinced you that the organization he represents works to help Actives, as they call psionically active people like yourself. Actually, things have proceeded slower than you had expected because they have apparently been willing to abode by your concerns about privacy. Finally they have agreed to let you accompany Howard to meet a potential recruit.

He called your cel at 10:00 to arrange to meet you in front of the VA hospital at 11.

 

[Shayuri]

"And to start with...madam?" the waiter inquires.

Heh, I bet you'd just love for me to order wine and give you an excuse to throw me out.

"Just some water," Ash tells him with a smile. "Thanks."

He leaves her with a menu and a place setting where the napkin is folded in a neat little pyramid. Ash is aware of, can feel, the discomfort of a few people near her table. They've tried to seat her away from the others as much as possible, but even on Tuesday, the place has too many to keep her completely isolated. In her threadbare jeans with the hole in the left knee and her ratty old sneakers and her grey on dark grey camo fatigue jacket with the mesh vest and tank top underneath...she looks more like she's either been dumpster diving for clothes, or like she's some kind of wacko militant survivalist with a massive budget crunch. Neither was far from the truth, but the last part at least had a temporary solution.

The solution was sitting five tables away, by himself. Just like he had the last two Tuesdays. He was a 'venture capitalist.' It meant he lent money to startup companies, in the hopes that they'd hit it big. It also meant he had a good sized wad, because nothing made clients feel good like flashing a big roll of bills.

Ash was just about out of money...and just about ready to leave this town. It was a good combination. Once she'd gotten his wallet and phone, she'd head straight for the bus station. By the time the cops were up to more than scratching their asses, she'd be on her way to another state. With any luck, it'd be at least another day after that before they put the pieces together and got involved. And she'd be back in the woodwork by then, living on what Dr. Venture Capitalist had in his pocket. Ash one, world nothing.

"Would madam care to order?" the waiter prods. He'd come back. With a basket of bread.

She grabs a slice of steaming sourdough bread and wiggles it at the waiter, picking up the menu.

"Almost ready," she says with a grin.

 

[Phoenix8008]

Lex arrived early at Desiderio's as part of his normal routine. '30 minutes of time spent upfront can save you whole chunks of your life in prison.' he thought to himself. He had learned that the hard way before. Keeping his sunglasses and his leather duster on as he walked inside from the street, he felt the comforting weight of his Desert Eagle hanging below his left armpit...just in case. His nice clothes fit in well with the style of this place, and his straight blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail to keep it out of his way. Stepping in the door, Lex searched the room for any hint of trouble. The glow of his eyes was blocked by his sunglasses as he looked for ...'other things' in the room as well. He gave a small start as he spotted the girl sitting at a table across the room. Not that he wouldn't have noticed her anyway dressed like she was in this place, becasue she stuck out like a nark in the prison yard. But the fact that he could see her glow, just like his own but stronger, meant that maybe his 30 minutes wasn't early enough. Because it seems that somebody has planted a little backup here just in case things went ...badly at this meeting.

Now that he had the lay of the land scoped out though, there was nothing to do but wait. Following the waiter back to the table in the corner near the door to the restrooms and the kitchen, Lex took his seat along the back wall so he could see everybody else in the room without being snuck up on. Most especially, he kept the grunge girl in his sight even as he sipped his ice water and waited for the meet to start. Assuming that the girl was backup for the guy Lex was meeting with, he admired her commitment to not giving herself away. She never once glanced his way. In fact, if he didn't know better, he'd say she was casing the lonely rich dude up the aisle a bit. 'Sure she is. That's just part of the act I bet. Knowing my history if they get into playing good cop/bad girl, she can jump up and do something obviously illegal and then us 'criminals' can escape together. Then I'll have the tail with me instead of them having to find or follow me. Really damn clever, these people.' he gives a mental salute to the girl who refuses to look his way...

 

[Committed Hero]

Outside the VA Hospital - Reed

Howard is late, which is something hasn't been before. It's not the first time that things have changed, so you've learned to adjust. In this particular case, you tailed him home to an apartment the last time you met. It's a fairly short drive from the hospital. After about twenty minutes, you start to wonder if something serious is wrong.

Inside Desiderio's - Lex and Ash

Shortly after noticing the young teen, Lex sees two large men rise and approach him through the crowd of lunchgoers. Either ex-military or ex-con, by the look. One of them, however, gives off a vibe unlike any you've felt before. It's like his soul is a black pit, pulling your senses closer to nothingness his body conceals. Consciously, you struggle to remain unaffected by this sensation.

"Mister _?" the other one asks.

Ash is buttering her slice of bread when her phone buzzes. It's a text message from an address she doesn't recognize.

"Ashley? We need your help. He needs your help."

 

[Phoenix8008]

Blinking behind his sunglasses like he's trying to clear water out of his eyes and make his vision clear again, Lex looks up at the two burly men nearing him as the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Trying to act non-chalant as he crosses his arms left over right in front of him, he attempts to casually get his right hand within quick grabbing distance of his gun. Dammit! he yells at himself Maybe I can make a run for it through the kitchen if I need to...

"Mister _?" the other one asks.

"Yeah? What the frak you want?" Lex asks with more bravery in his voice than he feels in his head. Two against one...great, just great man. I am so going back to prison for this drek.

 

[Committed Hero]

"We're with the boss," the talkative one replies, motioning to a man seated at a table against a far wall. You hadn't met this Perdue guy in person, so you are unsure if this is legitimate. Still, you follow and take a seat at the empty place.

"What'll you have sir?" a waiter asks.

 

[Phoenix8008]

Lex is bullied into following the two bruisers over to the other table. Sitting down on the outer edge of the booth and hoping that the tough guy doesn't force him to scoot over and be blocked in, Lex surveys what he is now considering to be 'the opposition'. He spends a moment of silence looking over the man in front of him and checking to see if he is 'special' too. (Detect Psionics)

Thinking quick, Lex decides to try an old trick and see what he can learn. "So, you must be Mr. Parker that I'm supposed to meet here, right? I see you got here early too. What's with the goon squad here? I thought this was supposed to be a friendly meet and greet, not a strongarm operation."

 

[Committed Hero]

You're at a table, and they don't seem to be hemming you in. No one there seems to be registering any sort of talent, except for the silent man whose soul seems empty.

"He'll have a beer," says the third man as you settle in. "Parker is a new one on me. No one here by that name," he smirks at his bodyguards, who do nothing in return.

A waitress returns with a glass of beer. It looks good, especially since you told yourself you'd try to go easy on the booze now that you were a free man.

 

[Phoenix8008]

Paranoid and not caring if he shows it, Lex doesn't do anything with the beer besides look at it longingly. Switching his stare up to the man who spoke, Lex asks "Okay then, what is your name? You see if there is one thing jail teaches a man, it's not to trust anybody till they've earned that trust. So, since I've never seen you before and I came here to listen, you better start talkin' unless you want me to start walkin' Mr. ...?"

 

[Committed Hero]

"My name is Perdue. You haven't forgotten the name of the man who got you out, have you?"

He looks at your untouched beer. "I honestly don't care whether you can handle the alcohol. It's not like I'll be telling your PO. There are more important things to worry about."