TNR: Gabriel's people

[Thomas Black] Tuesday night Regulars

It had been a while, it wasn't common place, what was an idea set out to get as many magi together and drunk on one night lasted but a few weeks. Still it served a purpose which was twofold to have a good night and network. So when North (The stranger that she had been for a month or so) called him up and asked about TNR how could the Hollower refuse.

The need to consume was strong in him recently, a darkness had been taken into him and he struggled to find release. The summoning of fear itself had done little to give him back what he had lost but it put him on a path. Between that, working the underground for Ashley and working it for himself and the tasks of others (Hard gruelling tasks) he was a busy man. Nights like this were needed, and the man could drink.

Sat down in one of the back booths the tell tale rising of smoke signalling to anyone remotely mystically aware the resident Hollower had taken up his hollow throne. He had a beer in front of him, a tequila shot on standby and a paper. He had a betting pen behind his ear as he was looking over some good odds. It always helps to have something on the side. Thomas was pale, a touch more than english pale at that, but the darkness around his eyes had faded today at least.

Small favours.

[Emily Littleton] For a moment, today, sometime around mid-afternoon, the mercury rose past the little mark that denotes freezing. There was hope, for a moment, a slightly less frigid sort that almost hinted at a coming Spring. This deep in the frozen world, though, Emily knew better than to latch on to such hope. Winter came and stayed for long months here in Chicago and the snow didn't abate. It thawed into grey-toned slurries and refroze into fatal patches of black ice. It took on a saline crunch some days, and others it was crisp white and brilliant.

Just now, right now, the snow was falling as a light mist. A thin veil that blurred the edges of the world around her. Emily walked with her head bowed slightly to keep the light flurry out of her eyes. She's dressed in slacks and a soft, amethyst colored sweater. Her heavy winter coat keeps the cold at bay. Her hands are tucked down into the pockets, until she needs one to push open the heavy door of the Hung Drawn and Quartered.

She loosed the buttons of her coat as she made for the usual table with the usual suspect sitting there, already wreathed in smoke and insinuations. With a wry smirk, she unwound the slate blue scarf from around her neck. She slid into the bench across from him, raising her eyebrows a little as she did.

"South," she says, by measure of greeting, and tonight there's warmth enough in it to bridge the gap between last year and this. "A Happy New Year to you," she adds, shrugging off her coat and letting it rest beside her on the bench.

She's a little more polished now than when last they met. The veneer a little harder to find seams in, a little harder to crack through. There's still the smirk, and that says something, but the winter has chilled the Singer a little too thoroughly. It's taken away some of the sadness, but left what in its wake?

[Lara Wrathburn] Others might be here for the company tonight, for their groups or for the simple company of others, but Lara was a lone wolf tonight, as she had been for some time, the loneliness never really bothered her, but sometimes you just needed something to cut the edge. So tonight before she headed off to who know's where, she stopped here...at the hung drawn and quartered for a drink or three.

In comparison to Thomas' the cultist was looking quite well. A pair of red leather pant's with a black midriff baring tight shirt were hidden beneath a ankle length leather coat. She was dressed for any place she could think off, nothing specialized, but entirely functional, you never did know where a night might take you.

As she stepped into the bar with her coat tight around her body to keep out the cold [club clothes were not meant for cold weather] she scanned the bar briefly, before heading for the bar itself. If she had seen Emily and Thomas, no sign was given. But then she seemed to be intent on her goals tonight...places to be...people to see.

[Emily Littleton] [Awareness: Anyone else out there? Bueller? Is Ashley hiding in the shadows, ready to give me Chantry based work to do on my night off?]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 5, 6, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)

[Thomas Black] ((Per & Awareness.....come on Kas this will set the tone for the entire night.))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 4, 6 (Failure at target 6)

[Thomas Black] ((You bastard))

[Lara Wrathburn] [Per+Awareness: Cause Lara can't help but be curious]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6)

[Thomas Black] Thomas had not undergone better taste in clothes but an improvement in matter. He was at the point now where what was old could be new and what was broken could be fixed, he could weave cotton into silk and tattered rags into suits...so it brings up an interesting point on why he dressed so....common. The answer was only really understanding by understanding Hollow Ones.

He was comfortable with who he was and what he did.

Oh he might moan about what he doesn't have but that was his right, the poor have to cry out, but he wouldn't really change anything. So as his head rises up from the odds flowing over his eyes as Unrelenting Reverence comes over he offers a smile. Dress in a loose black T-shirt with a rare show of definition (But Emily knows what Thomas can do to people physically, Lara too in fact, how the hooligan takes over), that long tan coat, thick blue jeans and even with such control over matter his converse still look like they're ready to fall off. It does not go as high as she might remember, but it's there. The winter had been long for Thomas, so long and he became what he consumed, it was cold so very cold and so he grew cold with it. "North, 'ows tricks, if I don't got me tens all waxed up I'd say yer cumin' on stronger with the vocals, you been back over the pond to the pope lands."

He gestures to the seat opposite as he circles a few names and folds up the paper jamming it down the side of the booth as he puts the pen behind his ear. "Yeah, 'appy New Year an that jazz pet, just closer to the end." Dry sarcastic wit from the hollow one, but when it came to happiness they could but a dampener on anyone's bonfire...

His attention was on Emily he had not seen Lara walk in and at the moment he was struggling to even sense Emily never mind the Cultist who resonance he has become intimately familiar with. He blinks a few times as he picks up the tequila shot and lifts it to his mouth neck tilting back just a touch to see it off as he cringes slightly and then taps the shot glass on the table. "Lets get fucked up!"

[Thomas Black] ((understood by understanding))

[Emily Littleton] [Subterfuge: I hide things.]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) Re-rolls: 1

[Thomas Black] ((Per & Sub...those cracks are gone....but are you hiding things?))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 8, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)

[Emily Littleton] There's relief and regret mixed in when a certain Adept's resonance is not amongst what she picks up from the pub's patrons. There's a twinge of something Subversive though that piques her interest, but fails to draw her attention or her tug her smile in strange directions. Whatever it is she notices goes unremarked upon, unmentioned.

"I was home for holiday," she confirms, flagging a passing server with a lifted finger, and then a tip of her head. She orders a Newcastle before they slip away again. "Well, more or less. I saw my parents in Marseilles, but I spent a few days in Manchester on my way back to this lovely January weather."

It's true. The crisp Northern notes of her accent are clearer than they'd been in the past. She sounds a little more practiced, as if she'd been honed of her worse habits before returning stateside. Rather it was only that her accent seemed less muddled that was remarkable; she'd always carried these notes with her. They had always marked her as Other.

Thomas is already on Tequila, but Emily's starting with something milder. There's likely a reason for that. She's not likely to tell him. This is North, the monkey who'd not kissed him in an elevator. She had ways of keeping things secret that he'd never have imagined.

"How've you been?" she asks, pointedly eyeing the disappearing swatch of paper and then letting that painfully watchful weight of her blue eyes catch the details of his visage, land on his eyes for a moment. It was a question, but also a challenge to answer as he would. She pushed, Emily did, but only when it suited her.

Her pint came, and she accepted it with a quiet nod. It is raised in salute to Thomas and the cheer is: To Tuesday.

[Lara Wrathburn] She'd managed to get one shot onto the table before her sense's had graced over Emily's resonance. Thomas's resonance was hard enough to manage at times, Dilute it and infuse it with Emily's and you just might have a recipe for something profound..or something very painful to sit around.

Lara's brow raised as her skin tingled, feeling those Resonances roll over her body and into her mind before she took a deep breath and lifted the whiskey to her lips and let the burn of the alcohol scour the feeling from her, if only for a fleeting moment. She nodded to the bartender, a tantalizing smile seeing that the shot is poured with speed and alacrity.

Maybe she had plan's, plans that couldn't be interrupted with a random convergence of mages these things happened quite often after all. Or maybe she simply wanted to drink in peace, regardless of her reasons Lara remained at her seat, allowing the pair of them to enjoy themselves for now.

[The Four Horsemen] [Looks like it's awareness time - (Conquest)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 6, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)

[The Four Horsemen] [(War)]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 7 (Failure at target 6)

[The Four Horsemen] [(Famine)]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)

[The Four Horsemen] [(Death)]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 7 (Failure at target 6)

[The Four Horsemen] It was the day before the full moon, and outside a delicate dusting of snow swirled about on the Chicago breeze. A good night for grabbing a drink at a favored pub with a few friends, where the warmth of the alcohol and the atmosphere could soothe away the winter chills, and people might feel free to be less inhibited (to let the moon stir their blood.) The Spring semester had just begun, and many bars near campus had filled up with returning students looking to cut loose and unwind (perhaps irresponsibly) before settling back into the daily grind of higher learning. The Hung Drawn and Quartered was one such bar, being a favorite among some groups of students (good beer without steep prices - can't go wrong there,) and it was reasonably busy tonight, but not so much that the visiting magi would have trouble finding a booth.

And Thomas, Emily and Lara were not the only Awakened beings who'd decided to venture here tonight. There were others - strangers in a strange land - and those others had been... busy. Very busy indeed. Tonight was a reprieve from less pleasant matters (or was it?) One of them had spotted this place the day before and made a reference for memory. The locals drank here. It couldn't be too bad.

Now the door swung open, and four people filed in. At the head of the group was a tall man in his early thirties wearing a dark leather coat with wool at the collar and a knit hat. He pulled the hat off once they were inside, revealing short, sandy-colored hair. He was a good looking guy, this one. Handsome in a very classical sense. Just behind him stood two women, one light-skinned and athletic with a beat-up leather jacket and wild, dark brown hair; the other darker-skinned and more delicately built, huddled into a white parka with a fur-lined hood. Bringing up the rear was... a shadow: nondescript, barely noticeable. At 5'8" he was shorter by a fair margin than the other man, without the bulk of noticeable muscle. He had on a black hooded sweatshirt beneath his coat, and with the hood drawn up, it was difficult to make out his face.

The woman with the leather jacket stepped around the tall man, striding toward an empty booth adjacent to the one that Emily and Thomas had taken. "We'll need a pitcher and a bottle of Jameson," she barked in a commanding tone at one of the waitstaff as she slid into the back of the booth. The others followed her over, and the hooded man slid in on the opposite side, but the smaller woman and the sandy-haired man remained standing, watching the booth next to them curiously. The woman glanced over at the bar (at Lara), then up at her companion meaningfully, before she too slid into the booth.

After a moment of further consideration, the sandy-haired man stepped up to Emily and Thomas and held out a hand. "Ah, more locals?" His smile was warm and friendly enough. Sociable. "My name's Gabriel." A glance about the room and then a softened voice. "Celestial Chorus. My friends and I thought we'd make use of your pub for the evening. Hope it's alright."

[The Four Horsemen] There's resonance here, and a lot of it. All four of these newcomers are Awakened.

The first (Gabriel) is probably the strongest force. He is like his namesake (angelic in the old-testament sense): Triumphant, Ardent and Commanding.

The next is only slightly less powerful, but its dangerous instability makes it stand out. This is the woman in the leather jacket, and she is Chaotic, Destructive... Vengeful.

Then there are two more. The other woman is a cyclical creature: she waxes and wanes (like the moon, like the seasons.) The hooded man is merely a whisper on the back of the neck. Something cold and spectral... something as certain and unavoidable as death.
to Emily Littleton, Lara Wrathburn

[Thomas Black] ((Come on he pointed it out to me man! Per & Aware))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 5, 7 (Success x 1 at target 6)

[Thomas Black] He nods when she confirms what he guessed. He looks down at the table as he lets his own mind go back home in memories. It is only a second or two, he didn't have many good ones in there. "Sud 'ave gone to the London pet, seen sum robin English Cities..." The tease the taunt, he plucks the cigarette from the ashtray and place sit in his lips the cheery alright half way down.

Secrets...he might not know hers but he knew and had enough. Something he is sure is the Choir singer would not want to hear some of them, and that's why he never tells. "Pet, Tommy always 'as his fingers in sum pies, you know me all hat of the bus an shit." A small curve of a smile that does not lead to any answers just more questions. He picks up the pint and nods as he clanks it against hers and plucks his cigarette from his lips.

"Cheers 'eres to TNR."

He brings it to his lips and puts half of it away until a shadow comes close and he stops as he puts the pint down then his hand comes up and wipes his mouth as he places the cigarette back in. He tilts his head to Emily when he introduces himself "Bloody 'ell, you can smell yer own." He smirks "Don't fret squire, 'ave a pew 'an robin nite." He smirks

Wanders, vagabonds Thomas had a soft spot for travellers. His eyes do glance past the man at the company he kept.

[Emily Littleton] So it wasn't Lara's presence that ended up tipping Emily's evening toward something more a little less indulgent. When the Four Horsemen swing in through the wide and heavy doors of the HD&Q, the Singer shifts a little to sit more straightly at the wash of resonances that drape her senses, flooding out whatever it was that Thomas was smirking about in the moment.

That he was smirking at all gave her reason to lift her chin in acknowledgement, just before her attention shifts to surreptitiously follow the newcomers' progress through the room. As if by happenstance -- which, of course, does not exist -- they alight at the booth neighboring Emily and Thomas's own. His smoke wafts into their space. It's not enitrely hospitable, and yet? And yet there they are, all four o'er-brimming with Otherness, smack dab in the middle of the Dean's favorite pub.

There ought to be a bat signal for moments like this.

Instead of asking after their credentials, Emily's smile widens at Thomas's greeting. She extends a hand to Gabriel and, in her crisp but not entirely pure accent, offers: "Emily Littleton, of the same."

Her hand is still somewhat chill. Her grip is firm, but not too tight.

"It's a public establishment, though favored by our Deacon. I don't imagine you'll have any trouble," she tells him. Emily uses the more common parlance to explain Ashley's weight in the Awakened world, and still make it sound like they're welcome here.

[Lara Wrathburn] When it had just been Emily and Thomas at the other end of the room, the pulse of resonances had been tolerable, easily ignored in favor of the drink and the pleasant appearances of college students, they're antics more then enough to entertain.

But now....now Lara's eyes widened as the room flooded with the resonances of four additional mages, mages unknown to Lara, each of them adding to what was now a deluge of sensation. She took it, and let it wash through her and out past. It would mean that she would no longer be able to focus on her drinking, or on the frat boys who eyed her, but at least the feeling would ebb.

Turning, Lara also took in the men and women who had come from without, her deep green eyes sliding over each form, watching Gabriel as he introduces himself to Thomas and Emily. She turned back then, and with one final rise of a shot glass, she let her last shot of the night slide down her throat before turning...and standing.

Time to see what this convergence was all about.

[The Four Horsemen] Thomas didn't introduce himself formally, and Gabriel seemed to make note of this, but he was either polite or relaxed enough not to feel the need to press for information. Emily, on the other hand, shook his hand and said that she was of the same Tradition that he was. Grey-blue eyes seemed to spark with interest when she said this, and his smile grew broader (pleasantly surprised, perhaps.) "Oh, wonderful. It's always a welcome change to run into a Tradition-mate on the road. Especially one who is not so uptight as to mind spending time in a pub."

He retracted his hand and settled them both into the pockets of his coat for a moment as Emily continued to speak. She mentioned that this was a favorite hang-out of the Dean, and he seemed amused by this. "Ashley drinks here? I suppose I should have guessed." (Evidently, they'd met.) A glance over his shoulder then, as Lara approached from the bar, and he offered her a smile as well, holding out his hand once more. "Hello to you too. Gabriel. Chorus. Nice to meet you."

And then, on impulse: "Would you three like to have a few drinks with us?"

In the booth, someone made what sounded like a snort of irritation.

[Thomas Black] He blinks at Emily and the wide eyes...did he say something wrong, if he did she might need to get post it notes and leave him a memo. He sits back, as relaxed now as he was when they came in, there was something else here though something familiar but it was silenced now by the four newcomers. He pulls out another cigarette and lights it off the cherry of this one as that then gets put in the ashtray and stubbed out. His eyes goes past them again this time putting a sensation to each of them.

"You guys makes sum bloody spicy meatball don't ya." They must be a cabal, they did not have the look of casual drinkers. Curiouser and curiouser. His eyes flick back to Gabriel obviously the PR man if the woman ordering was anything to go by.

"Why don't you guys pull up yer pew an join us, two ships in the nite eh?" He grins to them so enticing. He had no idea what Emily was thinking, or how the Emissary (Yes he did not know she had quit, he was very much removed from Chantry politics) was intending to work this. Then in the same breath Gabriel offers and he grins. "Custy"

They know Ashley (Or knew of), Thomas loved free information. His eyes flick to Lara and ahis head tilts...that was unexpected still he shrugs as he looks over to Emily. "Thats a robin offer mate, you sure yer sound with that one of yer mates seems to 'ave 'er knickers in a twist." He stands and now offers his hand "Thomas, Hollow One, most folks call me Tom or Tommy, am free an easy so don't fret." He winks as he lets him go introduce himself to Lara and he looks over to Emily.

"Mince an Tens, catch there chevy an lets get sum brass." His accent really comes out and that's the strongest cockney Emily has heard him speak. ...all slang.

[Emily Littleton] [Awareness as Empathy: You know Ashley? Aaaaaaand... there's four of you in her favorite pub? Aaaaaaaaaaaand... the world hasn't exploded how? -- Really, I'm just looking for cues and clues here.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 2, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)

[The Four Horsemen] [He does indeed seem to know Ashley, but not well. There isn't much to notice in his voice or expression when he speaks of her, so perhaps he hasn't formed much of an opinion yet. A little respect, perhaps. At the least, he doesn't seem to dislike her. It's also possible that he mentioned her name by way of making himself and his gang seem a little less alien and threatening. (He probably was, indeed, the PR man.)]
to Emily Littleton

[Emily Littleton] [Ling + Wits]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 2, 3, 9, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)
to Thomas Black

[Thomas Black] Thomas laid it on THICK but she starts putting it together, Mince Pies = Eyes....

"Eyes and ears, catch there faces and lets get some facts"

Cockney code
to Emily Littleton

[Emily Littleton] She says Deacon.

He says Ashley.

Emily's expression belies her familiarity with the Deacon, and the little surprise could be one of many things. She's surprised that he's on a first name basis with their Number One. Or she's surprised that they've met and he still has all his fingers and toes. Or she's just feigning that surprise, because it's a polite way to segue to the next topic at hand. There's a pleased note to her smile, but the wryness never completely leaves it.

"A few of us have to have some sense of humor and moderate indulgence," she tells him, on the topic of their Tradition's usually stodgy stereotype. Strange that the Singers, here, are likely the front men for their collected groups. Emily has an ease and seems well accostumed to making friends on the fly, and Gabriel is friendly and smooths things over easily with the way he greets them all.

Emily gathers her pint to her, but her attention never strays far from the likewise blue-grey eyed Singer and his companions. Lara and Thomas are not her cabal, but for tonight they are her side of the Us and Other equation (Like it or lump it, Little, they're what you've got).

"We're outnumbered," she says, as if this were a simple social feat of numbers and nothing more. "We'll move to your table."

Which would mean Thomas has to juggle his smoking things, and whomever sounded irritate would have to deal. Ah, there's that good will toward men and inter-Tradition tolerance she was telling Nathan about earlier in the afternoon. When Gabriel extends his hand to Lara, Emily offers the Cultist the same professionally polite but not entirely friendly smile. She's on her better behavior tonight, but they aren't the best of friends.

In fact... the last time Emily had been drinking with Lara...

... on that note she catches Tom's eye and grins. It's one of those cat-got-the-canary grins. She caught the cockney, and he'd trained her up right; she even understood this time (hence the smug pride in that grin). She nods, and lets the smile fade away as she gathers her coat up in one arm and slips out of her side of the bench.

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara sways up to the booth and looks down at the hand that is extended out to her. She seems to consider it for only the briefest of moments before she slips long dexterous fingers into the man's outstretched hand and shook. "Lara, Cult of Ecstasy." She responds honestly enough, not like that particular information was difficult to come by given the other two mages present. "You and your...friend's are a hard group to ignore." She comments to the man as she consider's his offer.

In that moment her eyes flickered over to Thomas and then Emily, an understated but knowing smile splashing across painted, pouty lips. "Hello Tommy boy...Emily. You too look like your having fun."

Her eyes then flicker over to the other booth, meeting gazes if any are looking in her direction as she waits for a decision to be made. "I'll have a seat." She says to Gabriel, willing to sit down and and relax with strangers, but then she has never been one to shy from new company, and if the others were coming...thats good too.

[The Four Horsemen] Thomas finally seemed to realize just how much resonance was swirling around him, and like any good information gatherer, he pounced on this, offering up an invite at roughly the same moment that Gabriel suggested they have a few drinks together. This seemed to please the Chorister, who grinned in a like-minded sort of way after taking in Thomas' name and Tradition (or lack thereof, in this case.) The Hollow One made mention of the athletic woman's seeming prickliness, and at this Gabriel seemed a touch apologetic, in the manner of a dog owner who knew that their favored pet had a bit of a temperament problem. He shrugged (as if to say: what can you do?) and added, "Don't mind her. We've just had a long week." (Hence the urge to drink, perhaps.)

Lara accepted his hand and introduced herself, and for a moment Gabriel's smile turned into something a bit less polished and bit more instinctive (the way that men across the world smiled when confronted with something extremely pretty.) "Excellent," he added, when it was decided that the locals would move to the outsiders' booth. "Come, have a seat then." He held out his hand in a welcoming gesture, then moved first to slide into the booth at the athletic woman's side. She fixed him with cold, dark eyes for a long moment, then said, "Fine, we'll see if the home team can hold their liquor." The woman glanced at the trio, eyed them each measuringly, but didn't introduce herself. At that moment, the server returned with glasses (of two varieties,) a pitcher of the house beer and a bottle of Irish whiskey, which she set on the table with a smile before moving off to take someone else's order.

The seating order here was as follows: on one side, Gabriel (on the outside) and the prickly woman, and on the other, the hooded man was tucked against the wall behind the second woman. He slid the hood from his head and glanced up at everyone, revealing pale blond hair and strikingly bright blue eyes. He offered a small smile, bot said nothing. The woman at his side, on the other hand, was a little warmer and more at-ease. She scooted in to make room, and nodded to them, offering her name. "Nora Rye. Verbena. Good to meet you. This is Evan," she gestured to the blond man, "and the lovely lady across from me is Anya. She's a Cultist."

Anya looked at Nora menacingly, then she opened the bottle of Jameson and poured herself a shot.

[Thomas Black] He winks to Emily, and looks over to Lara hoping that she might have heard it as well, he was training up her to understand his slang when he laid it on but it was not as light-hearted as the word play with Emily. He was teaching Lara for much needed survival. He leans down and picks up his cigarettes placing them in his coat the zippo get placed in his pocket, he picks up the paper and in a very old fashioned English way puts it under his arm as he walks on over to their table one hand coming up to pluck the cigarette from his lips as he at least tilts his head upwards and sideways to blow the smoke away from them.

"Succ, 'ows tricks pet, everythin' robin I 'ope?" He acts like it has been days when it was perhaps more a day or so ago. "TNR, me an North kickin' up a storm 'gain, 'ave ourselves a gary an do it large." He nods his head to all those around the table. "Evenin' folks, names Tommy, or Tom, or Dick if ya fancy it." He grins that last name for Anya as he sits down after Gabriel has done so. "'ope you don't mind folks....coffin nail" He gestures to the cigarette, he might say it out of politeness but as Lara and Emily knew Thomas would not stop smoking for anyone.

Emily was right on one thing, if this went up shit Creek without a paddle all they had was each other, North, Succ and Thomas. Thomas cringes slightly, he put a tenner on who would come out looking worse and it would not be one of the girls. Still that was a bit too jaded even for his tastes now, they could be honest to god travellers...

And then again perhaps not?

He grins, as comfortable here as he was over there. "Nice to meet ya guys, you in town for long?" A simple question that would open up the conversation to more questions and answers. He was ready to answer some of there's in return.

Thomas Law 5: 'Thoust must give to receive.'

[Emily Littleton] While they were a cabal, Emily et al were most decidedly not as tightly grouped. Though the sentiment of we've had a long week transcends all sorts of cultural and geographical divides. Emily wouldn't be surprised if the Celestial Host themselves had long weeks, and longed for alcohol or a similar indulgence to help smooth them away. Drinking with her Tradition-mates was not exactly how the local Chorus rolled, though she was as keen as any of them to see how this played out.

The Diplomat's Daughter (and that is very much who she has been and what she draws on now) brings a chair over from a neighboring table. She drapes her coat over the back of it, and pulls it up the end of the booth they're all sharing.

After Thomas introduces himself, Emily's clipped accent chimes in with her name. "Emily," a pause. "Littleton. I'm with the Chorus," she adds, though they've doubtless heard this from just across the booth moments before.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," she tells them with, and it rings true. She's pleased. It is always nice to meet new people. To Thomas's inquiry, she adds her own, "What brings you through Chicago."

Only Emily says Through and not To. She surmises, from Ashley's missed presence and the phone call she has not received from the Dean just yet, that Gabriel's cabal is passing through.

[The Four Horsemen] [There's another hint of resonance here. Something much softer than the others, and Emily and Lara won't feel it until they get in close. It seems to be coming from Nora (but is not of her) - an echo of tranquility.]
to Emily Littleton, Lara Wrathburn

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara noted that instinctive draw from Gabriel, it would be so easy to fan those flames and see where they would blow, but for now she simply slides into the booth next to Nora and flashed the woman a warm and ingratiating smile. "Hello Nora, we'll be sharing bench space for now I suppose, hope you don't mind." Lara certainly doesn't seem to as she looks Nora up and down before looking over the others at the booth in equal measure.

The others have started in on the idle chit-chat, where are you from, where are you going, please tell me your not here to kill us all. Important things to know for certain, but Lara had her own way of going about things. Her eyes lock on her fellow cultist, the abrasive and abrupt nature of Anya not phasing Lara in the least. "What Path?" She asks of the woman, quite obviously talking to her now as she reaches over and plucks up the bottle of whiskey and pours herself a shot.

Its an offering, and at the same time a challenge, Anya had wanted to see if the local's could hold their liquor, and when Lara wanted to...she could hold plenty of it. Two small women pitted against each other was thing thing of guy fantasies the world over, and it might just take place right here and now...if Anya rose to the bait that is.

A brief look is spared to Nora, that smile returning to her lips as she inquires. "More then I can chew?"

[The Four Horsemen] There were more introductions, and people set about unbuttoning and removing their winter coats. Nora left hers on (she didn't have the build for colder climates,) but unzipped it to reveal a low-cut white shirt beneath. Anya had already situated herself and tossed her coat over the back of the booth, leaving her in a gray and black ringer T. The skin along her arms was scarred in a handful of places. Gabriel slid out of his own coat as Thomas sat down, reaching up to hang it beside Anya's. He had on a black henley, and a thin leather cord wrapped around his neck and disappeared beneath his shirt (a pendant of some kind, perhaps.)

Evan kept his coat on as well, and though he seemed curious about those around him (unlike Anya) he seemed content merely to disappear into the background, which he did... eerily well.

Drinks were poured then, and Nora and Gabriel seemed content for the moment to stick to the beer as they focused on conversation. Anya ignored the softer stuff altogether and downed a second shot of whiskey before Lara could even have a chance to challenge her. At the question (what Path?) Anya glanced up at her Tradition-mate. "None, any more. Used to be Hagalaz." And there was a smirk, there. As if she was proud of it.

When Lara glanced at Nora and asked if perhaps she'd bitten off more than she could chew, the Verbena actually chuckled. "You have no idea."

Thomas asked how long they were in town for. Emily asked what they were doing here. After settling in and sampling his drink (it seemed to be to his liking) Gabriel answered both of these questions. "Hopefully we won't be in town much longer. We have some business to take care of. A loose end, so to speak, of the men in black variety. Once we track him down, we can get out of your hair. I heard that you've been having a bit of trouble with the Technocracy lately?"

[Thomas Black] He blows the smoke upwards stopping for a moment as he tilts his head looking at the ceiling. "They need sum work done on that, I might just know a guy...looks like robin wood" All mutterings as he brings himself back to the conversation, there might be some profit in it as well.

Find a Joiner... Gets mentally noted

There were too many people here to get a good read on them as individuals, of course you could read a lot from their body language (Or what they wanted to show). He was sure Lara could lure one or two off, he doubts Emily would be on the same page but they would be easier to get a handle on in small groups of one or two, together there resonances came together merged and felt....well honestly they felt right to Thomas. They felt like the beginning of an end...

He wanted to consume it, to take it in and make it his own...he was waiting for the end after all, the big one, the show stopper...why else live? He leans forward and picks up his beer, already have drunk and brings it to his lips taking a large gulp eager to feed that consumption something.

"Guys if you came to do sum drinkin' you came to the isle place, welcome as guest drinkers to the TNR, Tuesday Night Regulars, now since were all seated 'ow 'bout I order us sumthin' that will take the rest of the varnish off that ceilin' a real tiddley, you feel me...? " He plucks the cigarette from his lips as he blows the smoke upwards and tab gets crushed in the ashtray and glances around the four newcomers. His eyes also go to the drinks in front of them noting who was having Alcohol and who was playing designated driver. He looks up only counting three as he makes out Eddy...hmmm how did he miss him. He shakes his head looking away forgetting he even thought that.

He tilts his head and nods to Gabriel when speaks of problems and he makes sure he words it carefully giving enough to answer but also redirecting it "Well you know squire, the Smiths are the Smiths, there like flies to shit, an to be fair in this day an age shit is everywhere." He gives Gabriel a knowing nod. Lara had already made head way with the cultist. This was good.

"So yer kinda like..." He clicks his fingers this was to the group "It's on one of yer more shockin' box channels, blonde guy, mullet..." His fingers click loudly as he puts his hand on the table "Yer like Dog the Bounty hunter an crew, save younger, an Shazam an stuff...So, you 'ad to know this was comin'" He picks up his pint "Who you after, an wat 'ave they done?" It seemed strange to him that they would be tracking down a some agents or even a project unless they had something very valuable to offer or killed someone very close to these people. That means there might be something to be gained from this, that made him interested.

He pulls the cigarette packet from his pocket and tosses it by the ashtray "Feel free to grab a cough, knock yerself out."

[Lara Wrathburn] [Per+Alert, your all nifty...what else do you have we should know about.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 4, 6, 7, 9, 9 (Success x 4 at target 6)

[Emily Littleton] There's a silver glint around Emily's neck, but the pendant that chain supports has slipped behind her sweater. She hasn't called its resonance forward in awhile, but its silent, steady heartbeat calls out Home, home, home. Somewhere in a pocket of her winter coat is a string of stone beads that are Steadfast and fast taking on a touch of Reverence.

Like Gabriel and Nora, she is sticking with pints at the moment. It seems the wisest course of action with not one but two Cultists in their midst. But, for now, she's working on her brown ale, the one she carried over with her from their initial table. The one her fingertips stay near to, if not touching, while they all easily converse.

Thomas and Emily have an interesting dynamic. He's much more in your face and willing to talk around a point. She keeps back, and will misdirect until they don't recognize daylight at dawn. If they were to actually work together, they could be quite a team.

North and a Southie, friends?

Right. If they could somehow set aside their long-standing cultural differences and be a model for their respective kinsmen, they could potential do something together that didn't devolve into yelling or drinking. If. Biiiiiig if.

"If you've spoken with Ashley, then I'm sure you're well abreast of our current situation," Emily says, in a familiar and easy sort of way. It's almost like hand-waving this point of conversation. She's clearly the political pressure at the table, however devoid of title she is at the moment. If he asks again, he'll have to confess that he did not, in point of fact, have all that telling of a conversation with Ashley. If he affirms, then Emily will have given nothing away.

"Understandably, it's in our best interest if your loose end is tidied up quickly. I'm sure she offered assistance?" Another delicate question, but it sounds more like a line report verifying that they have clearance before moving on with a sensitive topic.

She shares her attention around the table, but really Emily's talking to their Emissary of sorts. It's not rude; it's expedient.

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara had removed her coat of course, revealing leather pants and exposed midriff, all of which she was quite comfortable with. She drank casually in opposition to Anya's a smile on her lips at the woman's intensity, maybe it was something she enjoyed seeing, something she liked, or maybe she just found the woman amusing.

"I take it you got bored?" She comments to Anya as she sucked back yet another shot of whiskey as her eyes travelled around the table innate curiosity drawing her to each face in turn. She let Tommy talk about the important stuff, she would make her own observances about these individuals, each of which might later come in handy....especially if their plans for one man in black in particular happened to go south.

Her eyes turned to Nora then and smiled as she pointed to the womans low cut white shirt. "Trade you tops." She says with a chuckle, sizing up the womans general reactions and maybe, just maybe trying to get a look at what else might be hidden inside that coat of hers.

Tommy was going straight in, Emily was misdirecting them, and Lara....Lara was going so far into left field that one might wonder what exactly it is shes trying to get at..but then maybe thats what it works.

[The Four Horsemen] Thomas suggested that he order something stronger for them to drink, and naturally Anya was the first to respond to this. "Bring it on then, Dick." (Well, he had told her that she could call him that. Evidently she'd taken him up on it.) She also reached across the table and plucked out one of his cigarettes, giving a brief but curt nod of thanks. A moment later a lighter appeared in her hand and she lit the end, pulling in a long drag that she blew out in Gabriel's direction. The Chorister didn't react to this.

To Thomas' question about whether they were bounty hunters, Gabriel's brows furrowed. He didn't seem to like the association, though it hadn't really offended him either. "Not exactly. We're not bounty hunters. More like... resistance fighters. We're trying to push back the tide of oppression that's clamped down on our world. We represent the Rogue Council."

When Emily mentioned that Ashley must have filled them in already, Gabriel nodded and took a drink from his glass. "A bit, but not much. We only spoke in passing. Sadly I haven't had the time to sit down with her, though I'd like to. She did offer assistance though, which is much appreciated. Right now it's really just a game of cat-and-mouse. I'll see where he is and then... he'll figure out we're coming and disappear again."

Lara asked if Anya had gotten bored. Anya looked at her coldly. "Let's just say I figured out that the Chorus wasn't our real enemy any more."

To the Disciple's request to change tops, Nora glanced over and smiled out of one side of her mouth. "No thanks. I rather like mine. And I doubt I'd fill yours out as well as you do."

[Lara Wrathburn] [Per+Emp Lara sees your connections!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6)

[Lara Wrathburn] [Per+Awarenes: Ohhh shiney!]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 2, 3, 5, 5, 8, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6)

[The Four Horsemen] [Anya subterfuge - no you don't! Er... assuming I don't botch with my 2 dice here]
Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 5, 6 (Success x 1 at target 6)

[The Four Horsemen] [Gabriel subterfuge]
Dice Rolled:[ 4 d10 ] 7, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6)

[Lara Wrathburn] [Oh no you don't slippery little hider]
Dice Rolled:[ 6 d10 ] 5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 9 (Success x 6 at target 7) [WP]

[Thomas Black] Lara, Emily, Thomas...

They had little to no experience working with each other for anything, yet here they were bouncing off each other and playing on what was offered. At a moment when the talk had died down he asks the waitress to bring some tequila, strong stuff. He goes into his pocket and digs deep pulling out the money to pay for it. "Pet, am gonna show ya 'ow you do a gary, suggest you pick sumone to carry hat." Thomas could drink, he had Ashley under the table last week which wasn't as easy as it seems the midget number 10 was a fierce drinker but he won out. He downs the rest of his beer as Emiliy and Lara offer their words, the conversation flowing nicely, he get the bottle of tequila and turns back to the group as he opens it up and pours himself one, Anya one and of course Lara one.

Let Emily get her answers, let them slip up and reveal themselves, let Lara...well whatever Lara was doling which might be seduction, how does a woman seduce another woman...and why was he not watching more...no focus Tommy focus.... No Thomas had faith in Lara, she had a plan he was sure.

"So Gab...don't mind me callin' ya Gab do ya" He carries on like he doesn't in that way the two other ladies knows Tom to be "Wat yer tryin' to say then, is yer the Rebel alliance an yer goin' up 'against the Empire..." He smirks. "Which one is Han...which one is Chewie, WAIT... who's Luke an Leia...bit weird that isle, Luke 'avin' hots for 'is sister....Mr Lucas is a bad man...but yeah anyfrog, wats the rebellion doin' on hoth then, you never did mention why you were huntin' 'im. It makes sense you either tracked 'im 'ere or you've been on the hunt for sum lemon..." He offers a charming enticing smile, bringing back round to what he wanted.

"Trust me, am a man with germans in many pies, I can 'elp ya perhaps, if you let me, but thats yer call." He lays on the charm thick, he wasn't lying he might be able to help them, but he wanted them to at least open up with him.

You either liked or hated the cockney, he was about to see how they would respond.

(Cha & Exp: I'am a wheeler and dealer, am also a man with lots of friends in lots of places, I can be your Han, come on you can trust me, give the Tom a bone!)
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 5 at target 6) [WP]

[Emily Littleton] Lara had her side of the table locked down. This, Emily could appreciate the Cultist's flair in moments like this. It was a tack Emily would likely never take (then again [never in an elevator]) with guests, but it seemed to be effective at getting the newcomers a bit off their games. Thomas was rolling out the cockney equivalent of the red carpet, offering harder booze and his estimable skills.

This round, then, Emily sips from her beer and more or less keeps quiet. There's a poise to the Singer that is absent from the others, a sort of straight-backed je ne sais quoi that marked her as Other, that spells out even more clearly than her accent all the places she might have called home.

"My network is not as expansive as Thomas's," she tells Gabriel with a quiet sort of humility (or reticence). "But I would be happy to put you in contact with my Praecept, and of course to assist you more directly if I can."

This offers without giving anything away about her skillset, which is, perhaps, the hint itself.

[Lara Wrathburn] Anya remained cold to Lara's approach, its not something Lara is suprised by, not if the woman had been Hagalaz, they were a cold bunch...not to prone to joyous moments of life, not from what Lara had heard at the least. "Well, they couldn't all be bad could they?" She says with a knowing smile on her lip sand an encouraging tone in her voice as she leaned back and watched the group interact.

Her eyes slide back to Nora then and she shakes her head enthusiastically. "You'd look glorious in this top." She said as she showed it off, as much for Gabriel's benefit as for Nora's. "The material stretches to fit any figure. But its not scratchy or sweaty like spandex." She grins as she offers her counter proposal to the woman, even as her eyes wander to the bag at Nora's belt and her eyes light up.

"You know how to accessorize!" She says with a laugh as she almost leans across the woman to take a look, playing up what they might already think about her. "What a lovely bag."

She doesn't touch it yet, she doesn't want to set them on guard, at the same time shes doing her very best to distract Gabriel with her movements.

[Emily Littleton] [Per + Subter (Evasion)]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 6, 9 (Failure at target 6)

[Emily Littleton] [Aware as Empathy: ... Since everyone's clearly telling the truth.]
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 5, 5, 7, 8 (Success x 2 at target 6)

[Emily Littleton] [Subter re-roll: This time, for reals.]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 1 at target 7) Re-rolls: 1

[The Four Horsemen] [From what Emily can gather, no one is lying right now. By all accounts, they do indeed seem to be exactly who they say they are. As far as the underlying emotions go... the group as a whole seems to be a little tired and stressed, as if they've been on the road for a long time, and there's definitely frustration there as well, though... Gabriel is proving next to impossible to get much of a read on at all. Anya is by far the most unstable element in the group though. Something has made her angry and hurt, and she's on the defensive. Like someone who expects to have to defend themselves at a moment's notice.]
to Emily Littleton

[The Four Horsemen] Thomas did is best to convince the group that he'd be helpful, and to his credit... there was certainly interest on at least a couple of faces (Gabriel's in particular.) The Chorister smiled warmly at the offer. "That might actually prove useful, thank you. Evan has all the information we've collected so far. Wouldn't hurt to pool our resources, if we are indeed of the same mind." (That is, one would assume, if they were likewise supportive of the Rogue Council and its mission.) "If you have an e-mail address we could send it to?"

At the same time, Lara was busy shmoozing with Nora, who gamely played along with the casual flirtation right up until the point when Lara pointed out her bag and leaned in to have a look. At this, the Verbena seemed to tense, and she pulled her coat closed quickly so that the edge of the soft leather disappeared once more. "Careful," she added with a sly smile. "Get too curious and I might have to use it."

Gabriel of course had glanced over during this interaction. It was a bit hard not to notice Lara, especially when she leaned over like that, though his interest was understandably muted. (He was a Chorister, after all.)

And then suddenly, there was a crash as glass shattered against the ground. Anya had fixed Gabriel with an expression containing barely-controlled rage shortly after he'd agreed to share information with Thomas, and now she lunged onto the table after flinging her shot glass, spilling a couple of drinks and generally making a total mess of things as she stalked across the table and jumped down onto the ground. "Fuck you, Gabriel," she growled, before grabbing her coat and leaving.

This display was met with general horror from the rest of her group (except perhaps for Evan, who seemed merely thoughtful.) Gabriel watched her go, then sighed heavily and put a hand to his face. "I'm... really sorry about that." Some beer had gotten on his shirt, and he gestured for Thomas to stand up so that he could slide out of the way of the spill. "She's... not always this bad." But if he had any insight into the woman's volatile behavior, he didn't seem inclined to offer it. "Here, let me pay for the drinks at least." And he fished out his wallet and dropped some money on the table (in a dry spot). It was more than enough to cover everything they'd ordered.

Nora meanwhile, had managed to avoid getting hit with anything, mostly due to the lightning-quick reflexes of the blond man sitting next to her. She did seem angry though, and after likewise attempting to dislodge herself from the booth, she shot Gabriel a warning glance. "I told you this was going to happen."

Gabriel returned the look, but didn't say anything to her. Instead he regarded the group at large. "I... really should go after her. Give Nora and Evan your contact information, if you can. She can give you ours." And, with that... he'd grabbed his coat and was out the door, intent upon chasing down his cabal-mate.

[Thomas Black] Thomas looked to Gabriel and shakes his head "Email is an unsecure means of communication, if peeps like Info-slut can hack Police files an the like, then me bloody Cmail ain't gonna do jack, nah I don't do email...." He nods, and it might come as a surprise to Emily that Thomas apparently did know something about computers. "With the Smiths in town the digital frog is not...."

SMASH

"oh..." Says Thomas as he stands up and moves aside for Gabriel "Knickers all ready twisted eh." A light chuckle, not really moved by the display one way or another. "I'll give me dog info to to Nora don't fret." He looks down at himself and wipes some of the various drinks from his pants. "'ave seen worse, that was fairly calm. Give me a USB stick, or actual paper records, we will get together an do lunch....well with one of ya"

He looks to Nora and grins "So pet, looks like you've been voted secretary, tis a 'ard life."

[Lara Wrathburn] Lara gives up her information as well...or at least some form of information to Nora with a friendly smile and an offer to meet up at a later date. She smartly kept any reaction to Anya's outburst carefully under wraps.

Shes up then, her leather jacket donned as she winks to Emily and Tommy. "Catch you two later..." She says with implications under her tongue as she walks out.

[Emily Littleton] It is, perhaps, telling that Emily's first reaction to alcohol fueled misbehavior in the Hung Drawn & Quartered is not abject horror. Yes, her brow creases and yes, she's careful to make sure none of the spilt beer or harder liquor gets onto her clothes -- up to and including moving out of the direct path of the spill, if at all possible -- but really, it doesn't surprise her in the slightest that seven Willworkers were unable to have a civilized conversation about tense events without descending into volatility.

Thomas is telling Gabriel that email is insecure, while Emily is scrawling an address on the back of a blank business card and handing it to Nora.

"I've a secure address, or as close to that as you can get." If that raises any eyebrows, she explains easily: "I've known a few Adepts." The Virtual kind, no doubt, from the context here.

"It was a pleasure, Gabriel," she tells him before he goes. Emily will tell them each that, using their names, except Evan's. Whose she cannot remember. Erik, maybe? Or possibly Dave. This despite the fact that Gabriel just mentioned it aloud. It was a slipper thing, like Wharil's had been long, long ago.

"It's fairly easy to get ahold of me," she tells them, despite not having handed out her phone number or other digits. If they'd already met Ashley, they'd meet others who had her on speed dial fairly soon. "Let me know if I can help."

[The Four Horsemen] Nora has indeed seemed to find herself in the position of secretary, a part she played with reserved dignity despite the fact that her attention remained clearly on the door that Gabriel and Anya had just left though. She took everyone's information (whatever they chose to give,) then borrowed a slip of paper and a pen from the nondescript man standing next to her and wrote down both Gabriel's cell phone number and Evan's e-mail address. At Thomas' concern, Evan smiled knowingly and pulled his hood back up. "Mirrorshades can't crack my e-mail." (It was the first - and only - thing he'd said the entire night.)

"It's true," Nora offered supportively. "Kid's some kind of prodigy."

But they had to clear out to go catch up with Gabriel and Anya, so once things were settled between them, the remaining two offered quick goodbyes and left to track their companions.

And the rest of the bar's patrons went back to what they were doing while a poor, dejected server came over to clean up the mess. When she noticed the cash on the table, she picked it up and pocketed it, murmuring, "Well at least he tipped well."