After the Dawn (IC)

[Zagrin]

Sting
March 9th - 2:23 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

Footsteps? Someone other than us is down here? Well it doesn't sound like they're coming closer, so...ah, damn it!

Without putting much more thought into it, Sting charged towards the nearby set of stairs that he heard the noise coming from. He couldn't say for certain whether the source of the footsteps was friend or foe, but it seemed as though the reason they'd begun their flight was due to his unexpected arrival in this area. It's possible there may have been another reason, but he didn't want to see what would happen if he was right. After all, Sting had been on enough of these kinds of infiltration missions even before joining Blacksteel to know that losing the element of surprise this early in the mission would be...troublesome, to say the least.

Thus, it only made sense that as the infiltration specialist of the team, he would go and tie up this potential loose end.

Hopefully they aren't too quick on their feet. This place seems like a pain to get around if you don't know its twists and turns...

[Egophobia]

Operator Grapevine
March 9 – 2:54 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

“The effects of Oripathy on fetuses and children,” the Sankta echoed Muelsyse's words with a degree more displeasure than she’d allowed herself to show earlier. Dust was part of Rhodes Island, after all, and Warfarin couldn’t get on her case for ‘damaging relations with our partners' if she was just talking to a coworker. “I won’t not make any assumptions, but their organization’s track record does not inspire in me much confidence in their methodology or intentions.”

She followed the combat Operators into the Tourism Center and glanced around at the damage. She was used enough to seeing destroyed public spaces and the remains of civilian life, but that didn’t make it any less miserable. No bodies piled up in the corners of the room, though. Captain Brinley was rummaging through a drawer and must not have heard Grave Moss calling.

“Captain Brynley,” she spoke, only after she was certain there wasn’t anything for the Feline to knock her head against if startled. “This is Dust, of Rhodes Island’s Rocky Mountain branch. I would ask that Blacksteel recognize her as friendly and let her pass through their encampments.” She paused for a moment before transitioning to the second point. “She’s also wililng to show us to the Infected Quarter, provided that’s where the lab is, but only if we hurry. She has a shipment of medication that she needs to return with and administer.”

[arkturus]

Operator Valravn
March 9th - 2:54 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

Valravn poked her head through the door after Grapevine and took in the ruined office.

“Fyuuuuu~”

The liberi pursed her lips together and made a whistle-like sound as she approached a pin-cushioned sofa to poke one of the many projectiles sticking out of it.

“They sure did a number on this place. Shame, I was hoping for a comfy seat.”

She quietly wondered if there were any other paramilitary operators besides Dust stationed here or if the tiny vulpine had fought off the Bolivarian insurgents all by herself. From what she had seen earlier, the Rhodes Island operator was not someone to cross lightly. She grimaced, remembering the technique Dust used to dispatch an insurgent point blank.

“Captain Brinley,” she spoke, only after she was certain there wasn’t anything for the Feline to knock her head against if startled. “This is Dust, of Rhodes Island’s Rocky Mountain branch. I would ask that Blacksteel recognize her as friendly and pass through their encampments.” She paused for a moment before transitioning to the second point. “She’s also wililng to show us to the Infected Quarter, provided that’s where the lab is, but only if we hurry. She has a shipment of medication that she needs to return with and administer.”

“Right, wasn’t the infiltration team supposed to find the lab with the VIP? We haven’t heard from them yet so should we just start investigating the city? Find out where the insurgents came from? Divide and conquer and all that.”

[Plue]

Operator GraveMoss
March 9 – 2:54 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

GraveMoss's gaze lingers enviously on the sleeping caster as she straightens herself out from the contortions required to not demolish the doorframe on the way in. She was quite used to having to deal with door designers who had no regards for personal protection, not even scraping the sides.

“They sure did a number on this place. Shame, I was hoping for a comfy seat.”

"No sleeping~" What a terrible thing to have to say. Gravemoss apologized in her heart to the clawed operator.

"Birdy ands Taily, be lookings for maps~" Pointing at some of the wrecked stands with paper pamphlets and brochures scattered across the floor.

“Right, wasn’t the infiltration team supposed to find the lab with the VIP? We haven’t heard from them yet so should we just start investigating the city? Find out where the insurgents came from? Divide and conquer and all that.”

"They are only mattering if theys are in the way~ No findings trouble that does nots pay~"

This mission was just to fetch a person, everything else was just a hassle, and she had no desire to increase the number of hassles. Now, if the mission paid more for clearing them out... but Miss Hots had not said anything about that.

Stepping around the wreckage she leans over the counter to look down at the other leader waiting for DiagDoc to finish talking before languidly chiming in.

"Short Bows beens helpful, Short Blue~ Did you be finding anythings mores interesting yourselfs~?"

[Elyrin]

Infiltration Team
March 9th - 2:23 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia


At the sound of footsteps, Sting was off. Nuriel barely caught sight of the man as he flew down the metal steps, on the hunt for his mysterious target.
The stairs led down to another level all too similar to the previous one, along with more stairs, as well as clearly unsafe bridges with no railing leading across the manmade chasm, the bottom open to the frozen wastes. More relevant to the immediate situation was a man fleeing across the nearest bridge. Probably feline, from the look of his tail, but not much else was visible beneath several layers of dirty winter clothing. The man nearly lost his footing as he fumbled with the zipper on a backpack, but he recovered quickly and returned to a steady gait after a brief moment.

Judging from the distance and the target's running speed, Sting could probably catch up with him... in about 3 seconds. Maybe less if he really pushed it.

---

Assault Team
March 9 – 2:54 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia


"Hm?" The feline tail disappeared behind the desk, quickly replaced by Jessica's head. "Oh, hey guys. No worries, Secure Squad isn't going to cause any trouble for Rhodes Island. I've got, um. 'News' would be pushing it?"

Jessica frowned, though it was difficult for her ears to droop in disappointment when they were already just about flat against the top of her head.

"There are some maps mixed in with the brochures but, um, they seem pretty useless? The ones I found only had Rocky Mountaineering and subsidiaries on them..." Sighing, Jessica vanished once more behind the front desk and pulled open another drawer. Or tried to, at least. After a bit of rattling and clunking there was a sound like a hammer smashing metal as she had clearly run out of patience. "The power's on, and there's a computer here, but it's locked. There's no hacker on the Secure squad, so I was hoping someone might've, uh, written it on a sticky note, or something...?"

[Plue]

Operator GraveMoss
March 9 – 2:54 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

GraveMoss lets an audibled sigh out at the news of lack of available directions to be found. "Mn~ Would you be thinking asking captures worthwhile~?"

Lips creasing in a frown as she rolls weighty thoughts around in her head. The location of this place... Rhines... they had lots of money, more money than people who liked to be in places where lots of sicks were. Hide and seek is the worse when you have to seek...

"The power's on, and there's a computer here, but it's locked. There's no hacker on the Secure squad, so I was hoping someone might've, uh, written it on a sticky note, or something...?"

Leaning over the desk she stares at the blinking cursor on the screen. "Are you not just needing to be typing password in~? Are they different from the computer back at base~?"

Even she had managed to remember that quickly enough.

[Elyrin]

Assault Team
March 9 – 2:54 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia


"The captures?" Jessica's face once more appeared from behind the front desk, grimacing. "We, uh, beat them up pretty bad. Seemed like they weren't expecting a full team to kick their door down? The conscious ones haven't said anything useful yet. They're tied up in some offices back there, if you wanna talk to them? That's probably fine..." Jessica absentmindedly jerked her thumb towards a door in the back left of the reception room.

Are you not just needing to be typing password in~? Are they different from the computer back at base~

"Um?" It took the feline a moment to formulate a response to that. "Y-yes, Grave Moss. I need to figure out the password before I can type it in. You, uh, didn't leave your Blacksteel password as the default, did you...?"

Jessica's eyes turned away from Grave Moss, instead meeting Grapevine with a look of moderate concern.

[Plue]

Assault Team
March 9 – 2:54 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

"It always works~?" Moss replies guilelessly with a shrug of her armored shoulders. Why would she change it if it worked?

Nodding to herself at the exceedingly common look of comprehension on Jessica's face that is very common among other Blacksteel leaders she moves over to the indicated doorway.

"Maybes theys attacked with having a betters map~"

Pushing open the door and stepping through as she hunches in on herself again for the size and a half too small doorway.

[Elyrin]

Assault Team
March 9 – 2:55 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia


"B-but, Moss, that's not- do you even...?" Jessica began some attempt at protesting as the pilosa shrugged off her concerns and pushed forwards. She seemed to see the futility of it, though, and simply sighed instead of finishing her sentence. "Leave well enough alone, I guess?"

The feline stared down at the computer screen for a few moments, her frown deepening, before shaking her head and posing a question to no one in particular.

"They... they wouldn't, would they?" Jessica tapped a few keys at the front desk computer. "Okay, not password. Or admin. That's a bit of a relief, actually..."

---

Moss turned the knob on the door Jessica had pointed out and carefully began wriggling her way through the barely-large-enough frame. Two more of Jessica's men were waiting inside - a guard and a sniper, going by their weapons - with several prisoners lined up on the floor with their hands tied. A mix of young men and women in scraggly winter clothing, with a couple in their mid-20s, perhaps, mostly perro with a couple of liberi. And every one of them was now staring slack-jawed at the enormous suit of power armour attempting, with some difficulty, to make its way into the room.

"Oh, Assault Captain." The guard, a pythia with several axes strapped to his belt, nodded towards Grave Moss. "Here to, ah, have a word with the prisoners? We can get out of your way, if you like."

[Plue]

Assault Team
March 9 – 2:55 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

GraveMoss straightens herself up as she navigates the doorway towering over everyone else in the room as she looks down at them.

"Here to, ah, have a word with the prisoners? We can get out of your way, if you like."

"Mn~ No needs to be bothering~ Should be fines for you to be hearing~ Be keepings ups goods works yes~"

Turning her armored face to the prisoners she lowers herself in a crouch in front of the closest Liberi. The prisoner able to see their own reflection in her polished helm. "Hello~ Moss would be hopings you might be havings maps of the city~ Woulds be finding most agreeable would nice prisoners be willings to gives~"

A metallic sound rings through the room as she taps her finger against where her cheek would be.

"Ah~ Or would happens to be knowing where Rhines Labs beings~" Stressing her pronunciation of the name of the lab to make sure she didn't misspeak.

[Zagrin]

Sting
March 9th - 2:24 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

Sting quietly watched as his target seemed to return to a more steady pace after fumbling with his bag. It seemed as though his target was under the impression that he had given his would-be pursuers the slip? It was possible, after all it wasn't as though Sting had made much of a ruckus while chasing after the feline. Really, it wasn't much different from when he had to trail after some elusive marks back home, though he certainly could without the bone-chilling cold or walkways that the city's health and safety department had clearly missed.

Still, now wasn't the time for nostalgia, he still had to decide how he would deal with this guy. It didn't seem as though the man was wearing any military garb, so perhaps a civilian? Well that meant the stab 'em and chuck 'em route was a no go, or at least not without the risk of being hit with the biggest pay cut of his career.

Life really was more simple back home. Now, how am I going to do this...

Sting lightly rubbed his chin as he surveyed the route to the feline.

Three seconds.

Three seconds would be enough to close the distance, but then what? Give a hearty hello and hope he doesn't take off again?

That wasn't happening.

He couldn't stab him, but maybe just a light 'tap' would be okay?

Some merit to that idea, but he didn't much feel like dragging him around if he ended up accidently knocking the guy out.

Or maybe...yes, it would take a little effort, but getting past him wouldn't be too difficult. The rest of the team would catch up soon enough, so not like he'd be able to double back to try and escape and Sting felt pretty confident he could take him on if the worst came to it...probably, anyways.

With a slight nod to himself, Sting took off towards the feline before finally becoming a blur...

Fast Redeploy - Hornet Edition

...and seemingly reappearing in front of the feline, a beaming grin plastered across his face.

"Hey, Buddy! I thought for a second there that I might not catch up with you. But hey, now that I'm here...mind if you could answer a few questions for me?"

Though he came at the matter with a carefree air, one of his hands was already resting on his karambit, ready to draw it if necessary. Hopefully this guy wouldn't try do anything stupid...

[arkturus]

Assault Team
March 9 – 2:55 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

"They... they wouldn't, would they?" Jessica tapped a few keys at the front desk computer. "Okay, not password. Or admin. That's a bit of a relief, actually..."

“Hmm? Already trying to snoop on the juicy office drama?” Valravan sidled up to Jessica to peer over her shoulder at the contents of the smashed open drawer before giving the feline a sideways smirk. “Poking around in people’s belongings? Jessica~, I didn’t know you had it in you~”

She glanced over the office desk for any clues to the computer’s password. Sadly, like senior op said there didn’t seem to be a nicely written post-it note with a password.

“Well, maybe there’s a clue around the office somewhere, perhaps the desk of a less diligent clerk.”

Valravan started looking around the office to see if any direction caught her eye.

“Might be fun to poke at their stuff. Sure beats getting involved with Captain’s interrogation or trying random words until we get lucky. Like ‘Retribution’ or ‘Swordfish’.”

[Elyrin]

Grave Moss
March 9 – 2:55 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

Hello~ Moss would be hopings you might be havings maps of the city~

Every single prisoner had no initial response but to stare blankly at Grave Moss. Perhaps it was the mismatch between the towering behemoth standing before them and the voice coming from within? Maybe the question itself, so absurd in its mundanity? Maybe they just didn't understand Victorian?

"Ah~ Or would happens to be knowing where Rhines Labs beings~"

Nope, the followup brought the group out of their stupor, they definitely understood Victorian. One of the younger-looking girls gasped, one man averted his eyes to stare at the floor, and a couple others began whispering to each other... in Bolivarian, presumably. None of them seemed interested in actually answering the question.

---

Assault Team
March 9 – 2:55 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

“Hmm? Already trying to snoop on the juicy office drama? Poking around in people’s belongings? Jessica~, I didn’t know you had it in you~”

"I-I'm gathering intel! Well. Trying to. Not snooping..." Jessica weakly protested Valravn's slanderous assertions as the liberi practically stuck her nose in the open desk drawer. Sadly, all it held was some printer paper and extra staples. "Still nothing. Maybe it was too much to hope for..."

Might be fun to poke at their stuff. Sure beats getting involved with Captain’s interrogation or trying random words until we get lucky. Like ‘Retribution’ or ‘Swordfish’.

"Wait, weren't you just making fun of me for snooping? Isn't that worse?" Giving up on her hunt, Jessica stood up from behind the desk and began streching her back and legs. "Uh, there's another room and some stairs way in the back. Room was a break room, I think. Medics are treating the wounded in there. Offices are upstairs, I sent a couple guys up to start digging a minute before you got here. "

---

Sting
March 9th - 2:24 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

One second, and then another. The feline ahead caught Sting's footsteps behind him and glanced over his shoulder just in time to see a black and yellow blur brush past him. He barely caught himself in time to avoid slamming directly into the Entoma.

"W-What?!" Forward at Sting, then back over his shoulder again. Could a man really move that fast? "How the fuck...? Actually, who the fuck?!"

Steel flashed in the man's hand as he brandished a knife. A cheap looking switchblade, the kind you could pick up at a corner store, held in an unsteady hand.

"You think you and your buddies can just kick the door down and waltz in, asshole?!

[SleepMode]

Operator Vitro
March 9th - 2:23 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

"Yes, let's not waste our time in here. More slugs might be on their way if we linger too long."

Even as the unopened nests were near hatching, Vitro looked at the oozing slug carcasses with a look resembling apprehension at the order.

Although he is intimately familiar with its acidic and venomous cousins, contact with Glacial Slugs was a rarity due to their specific habitat temperature. Although the prior scuffle was a nuisance, the opportunity to stay behind a moment longer for samples was a tempting decision. The Liberi could already see its use: cooling Arts-induced burns, longer-lasting agents to treat high fever, and depending on whether he can extract them properly, even find the flora that encouraged this effect post-Originium mutation.

If not just its medicinal properties, but also its practical use; for those without access to Ice-aligned Arts, to seal or degrade raw material through its chemical reaction is too great to ignore—-

"Let's go after him."

…But the Squad Leader had a point: how the slugs ambushed the team prior and her knowing cadence indicates. Though not particularly robust, it was not like the Operator had any means to fend them off should they encircle him. Indeed, better to heed the wisdom in caution than some reckless FOMO.

Stifling a slight huff, the Liberi nodded before leading the team forward beside Asura.

“...Affirmative. Catching up to Sting before he runs into more trouble.”

[Egophobia]

Operator Grapevine
March 9 – 2:57 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

The Sankta wasn’t unfamiliar with computers, anything that helped with her work was worth knowing, and all the better if it meant she didn’t need to wait for the landship’s experts to reach her in the queue whenever something broke down or jammed. Stealing passwords was beyond her ken, however, and so she met Jessica's worried look with one of muted sympathy before excusing herself from the discussion tp find somewhere out of the way to set her equipment down. Mn, her hands still ached. It wasn’t the fieldwork, she was used enough to hauling her own gear. Casting Arts was still as unpleasant as ever, though.

After a moment though, and with the aches receding a little quicker now that one of her hands wasn’t curled around the strap of a bag or the haft of her cane, she decided that she ought to be doing something. Besides, Dust only had a few minutes to spare.

“I’ll be just a moment,” she said, looking to the Vulpo. “If whatever we are doing here takes too long and keeps us from accompanying you, I’ll at least see you off before you go.”

She paced off in the direction Grave Moss had thumped off to. Nobody outside the door, but the company’s agreement with Blacksteel didn’t give her license to just barge into a detention cell, so she knocked.

“Operator Grave Moss, can I assist you? If nothing else, I can offer to treat them if that would speed things along. I cannot keep Operator Dust waiting while she has a patient to attend.”

[RacingeR]

Operator Asura
March 9th - 2:23 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

“Acknowledged.” Asura replied to Nuriel’s order crisply. She paused for a moment, her thoughts quickly accelerating into a new line as she analyzed the situation. Nuriel was here, Muelsyse had turned out to be fairly decent in a fight, and they wouldn’t be too far behind Vitro. Which meant that given the lack of likeliness of them being attacked…

Asura started forward, hunching slightly as she accelerated and broke into a sprint. Her injury hadn’t affected her mobility despite the inconvenient location, and while the exertion made it hurt, she was able to move out at the same speed as Sting despite her limp. She was going to feel it afterwards, but regardless…

The Lupo bounded down the stairs rather quickly, with an almost lazy grace. She wouldn’t be catching up with Sting that fast, but she didn’t really need to. She got to the end of the stairs and into the position she wanted just in time to witness Sting making his way past the runner, and said runner pulling out a knife to make his objections to the interruption of his afternoon stroll clear.

So Asura decided to weigh in with an argument of her own.

Three stakes had come out from her bag by themselves, trailing behind her like alien wings, and as she fell to one knee on that position, not bothering to waste any more time running when she didn’t need to. One of the stakes floating around her suddenly disappeared from sight.

And it reappeared a bit behind the Feline, digging into the bridge’s metal with a loud screeching noise. The projectile itself had been almost noiseless, but its landing hadn’t been so, intentionally calling the runner’s attention to the existence of a sniper behind him.

“Why, it would seem we indeed can~” Asura’s voice carried through towards the duo in the bridge, answering the man’s words. Her golden eyes narrowed into slits, the two remaining stakes pointed directly at the target. “So I would recommend dropping that useless weapon and surrendering. It’d be less painful for you than being subdued, wouldn’t you say so?”

She could’ve easily peered from the railing above and shot from there. In fact, given her job, that would’ve been definitely the optimal move from her part, but she’d taken the decision of following from behind after a few considerations. Mainly, it was probably better for the intimidation factor if he had better sight of her, and her projectiles. It would also increase the psychological feeling of being surrounded.

Besides, it’d make them waste less time. If the man was feeling stupid, even after a warning shot from above he might try to tangle with Sting to make it harder for Asura to shoot projectiles, or even try something as silly as running back from the bridge, from under her hypothetical position on the railing, or running back the stairs to try and charge her team. Now she was placed as a buffer between them, and he couldn’t deal with her without giving his back to Sting, and vice versa.

It was painful as hell, and made her feel a bit silly, but it was the most likely course of action to make the situation less messy and increase the chances of recovering an intact prisoner more likely to give answers.

[Zagrin]

Sting
March 9th - 2:24 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

"W-What?! How the fuck...? Actually, who the fuck?!"

Sting couldn't help but chuckle at the man's panicked response. Even as he pulled out his weapon, Sting didn't bother to respond in kind, his stance instead relaxing even further as he realized how ill-equipped his opponent really was.

"Do you even know how to properly use that thing?"

It seemed pretty safe at this point to assume that who he was dealing with was not a part of the Bolivarian army. It was doubtful that their standards had fallen that low after all. So perhaps he was dealing with was a survivor of whatever had happened to this place?

"You think you and your buddies can just kick the door down and waltz in, asshole?!

"Well-"

However as Sting was about to deliver to his response, the loud screech of metal cut him off and made him cover his ears for a moment.

Are you trying to wake the whole city...?

“Why, it would seem we indeed can~ So I would recommend dropping that useless weapon and surrendering. It’d be less painful for you than being subdued, wouldn’t you say so?

Ah, good old-fashioned intimidation with the threat of bodily harm. A classic tactic to try instill cooperation with a target, especially the cowardly ones, but not one that Sting was particularly fond of in this situation. The poor guy was clearly way in over his head and already posed little to no threat. Even with weapon in hand, the chances of him somehow fighting the two of them off and making a getaway was... practically zero. So bringing out the figurative, and perhaps literal, sledgehammer to break his kneecaps if he didn't comply with her orders was a tad overkill at this point. Not to mention if he really was a resident of the city, it would probably pay to try and establish cordial relations, especially if he's familiar with the layout of this maze of an underbelly...

But then when you've got a hammer, I suppose everything looks like a nail...

Sting coughed a little to try and get the Feline's attention back at him then leaned forward a little with one hand cupped around his mouth and began to talk in a silent manner so as to prevent any potential censure that may arise from his diplomacy.

"Uh buddy, I suggest you do what she says for now. I haven't known her that long, but let me tell you, she's a little..."

As he trailed off, Sting brought his free hand to the side of his head and began twirling in a circular motion.

"So for both of our sakes, could you just put the knife away and listen for a bit. Promise you, buddy, we ain't trying to hurt you."

With that, Sting returned to his previous posture and resumed speaking in a more normal manner."

"I just want to have a little chat about...well, about this place. I mean there's no way how things are right now is normal, now are they?"

[Elyrin]

Infiltration Team
March 9th - 2:25 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

"Do you even know how to properly use that thing?"

To his credit, the feline didn't seem to be remotely intimidated by the man in front of him. He raised his knife to head height and crouched down, getting ready to lunge at Sting.

"I know where to stick it, Bolivarian prick! Right up your-"

The sound of screeching metal cut the man off mid-sentence and he practically jumped out of his own skin, dropping his knife on the walkway. He looked over his shoulder to see Asura some distance behind him, two metal stakes apparently floating in the air around her.

"Shit. A Caster?! Shit!"

The feline glanced down at his switchblade, laying not far from his feet. For a moment he seemed to contemplate going for it, despite all logic and reason clearly showing he had no chance. But that reason won in the end, and he sighed, shoulders sagging in defeat.

"I just want to have a little chat about...well, about this place. I mean there's no way how things are right now is normal, now are they?"

"Huh? Fuck're you talking about? Didn't you guys...?" The man looked over his shoulder towards Asura again, staring at the Lupo for a few moments before returning to Sting and staring a few moments more. "Oh. You guys, uh, you're not Bolivarian. Are you."

[Ayakashi]

Nuriel
March 9th - 2:25 PM
In the Belly of the Beast
Rocky Mountain, Columbia


"Sigh..."

A little bit of initiative from her fellow squad member was welcome, even if Nuriel hadn't specifically told Asura to catch up to sting. Well, splitting up the party wasn't very smart, but with the speed of progression of every single element, it was hard to stay together yes. If only Sting had a little bit of restraint when it came to initiating pursuits, but well, doing something was better than doing nothing at all, eh?

She turns towards the VIP and Vitro, the two final members left with her, and says:

"Apologies for making you jog, but let's catch up to these two. I worry that they might unwarrantedly stab someone in their enthusiasm for getting their job done."

And with the instructions delivered, she turns around and begins a full sprint to catch up to Spring and Asura -- hopefully in time before any collateral damage was done.


=====

Wishful thinking, though no one was hurt yet it seemed.

Nuriel arrived late onto the scene, but for now, there seemed to be some sort of standoff between her two fellow operators and an unknown party, a single individual from the looks of it for now.

"Sting, Asura, who is this?"

[Plue]

Grave Moss
March 9 – 2:55 PM
Rocky Mountain Tourism Center
Rocky Mountain, Columbia

GraveMoss nods as they very clearly react to the name of the lab.

"Glads yous are understandings~"

"Woulds be mosts kindlys ofs yous providings directions to RHINE LABS~"

She doesn't move a millimeter. Doesn't change the tone of her voice at all, still that sing songly lackadaisical drawl.

And yet...
And yet there is no one in that room who cannot feel that the words said this time have an undeniable weight to them.

She lets the room sit in silence waiting for their response.

“Operator Grave Moss, can I assist you? If nothing else, I can offer to treat them if that would speed things along. I cannot keep Operator Dust waiting while she has a patient to attend.”

Not replying right away to the grumpy doctor, instead addressing the prisoners again, "Anys ofs yous needings medical treatment~?"