Colin's posts

Azazel hung his head slightly.

"Yeah." he said.

"I'm guessing you're pulling a serious disappearing act." he told her.

"Not that I can blame you." he went on.

"The underworld is really in a tizzy now." he then informed her as they started to walk.

"...even Lilith is starting to utilise her clout to gather forces against the Fallen." he whispered.

Azazel shrugged.

"Sure." he said.

Casey and Blair shared one more hug, before the latter headed back to his department, waving along the way. The other two watched until he was gone, before Azazel looked at Casey again.

"Been a bit." he commented.

"Anyway, where y'headed?" he asked.

"Judging from the general direction... Evan?" he guessed.

Blair returned the hug, let go when she pulled back, paused, and nodded.

"Sure." he replied.

"I can afford to be away for 5 minutes." he told her.

He quickly alerted the others there that he'd be disappearing for a short bit, and the two of them left the department, making their way towards Evan. As they walked, Casey felt a familiar mana that was getting stronger and stronger... until Azazel turned a corner.

"Woah!" he exclaimed, almost running into them.

"Sorry 'bout that." he apologised.

"Sorry, dear. You're not my type. Missing some equipment." Blair responded with a light chuckle.

"But I get the sentiment." he told her.

"Anyway, you said you were going to talk to Evan." he then said. "From what I've been told, you have an hour to do so, and probably should right now." he suggested with a sigh.

"He'll be even sadder if you leave without saying goodbye." he lamented.

"And take care of yourself, okay?" he asked.

"I don't want anything happening to my future mother-in-law, and the best mother I've had in my life."

"..." Ilias was silent for a moment, and then sighed heavily.

"Right." he said. "If we talk to Blair now, and get to work, we should be able to get something like what you want done in... an hour or so." he told her. "And it'll be a ring, as that's the simplest to make, really." he continued.

"...so you're going to try and go into hiding, huh?" he then asked her quietly.

"I... can't say as I'm surprised." he admitted.

"But it's a shame you feel the need to do this." he went on.

"We'll do all we can to try and maximise your chances of going undetected."

The three of them entered the room, and once they were seated, Ilias grabbed a clipboard.

"Now then, what sort of things are you looking for?" he asked.

"What kind of person are you aiming to look like? Do you just wish your feline features hidden?" he asked further. "And yes, I realise that these questions may be stupid or obvious, but... it's protocol." he lamented.

"Also, what... well, what do you want the glamour to BE?" he then inquired.

"A ring, a broach, an earring or two, a bracelet, what?" he asked her. "We can do... pretty much anything." he chuckled.

"Well, we DO have our separate lives." Ilias responded. "But yes, I agree that we should be keeping up with each other more." he admitted, as Helena squirmed out from beneath his hair and extended towards Casey.

"...Helena remembers you." he chuckled.

"And yes, we are amazing with glamours." he then said. "Since Blair started working here, our glamours have been some of the best EVER." he laughed.

"I'm sure we can provide you with whatever you want or need." he continued.

Hal returned the hug and nodded at her.

"You're welcome, Casey." he responded, before heading off, as Ilias opened the door, watching Hal leave.

"He get called away or something?" the gorgon-kin asked.

"Yeah." Casey responded.

"Fair enough. Anyway, come in, come in." he then said, stepping out of the way so she could.

"And hello and welcome to the R&D department."

"I'll hold you to it." Hal said to her, showing his confidence that they WOULD survive this. Outwardly, anyway.

With that, they arrived at R&D, and Hal's cell phone chimed. He looked at it and sighed quietly.

"Excuse me a moment." he told her. "Seems I'm needed elsewhere in the building right now." he said. "However, when you're finished your business with R&D, and meeting with your son, come to my office." he continued.

"I'll have your travel arrangements planned for you." he finished, as they saw Ilias heading towards the door.

"Talk to you later." he finished, with a kind smile.

"He will be." Hal stated with certainty, taking out his phone and sending what she guessed was a text. And probably to the man in question.

"He's slated to catch the plane at 2:00 this afternoon." he told her.

"He'll be leaving in a couple of hours, and you can ride with him there as well." he said further.

"And yes, being a regenerator DOES give him some protection. Not to mention he has NO mana, so he flies RIGHT under their radars." he added with a light chuckle.

"But. Is Scotland all right with you?" he asked. "Or do you prefer somewhere else in Europe?" he inquired further. "My pilots are pretty good about last-minute route alterations. Seriously, they're amazing. Worth every penny I pay them."

Hal nodded in response.

"I can." he said.

"We have small corporate planes ready for whatever reason." he told her, before pausing and thinking about it.

"...actually..." he mumbled.

"I recall that Agent King is leaving early this afternoon to investigate something in Scotland." he remembered. "Is there anywhere specific in Europe you wish to be dropped off at?" he asked her.

"They can do a stopover to drop you off if you like."

Hal miss-stepped for a second, most likely due to not expecting such a request, but he corrected himself immediately, and nodded.

"Of course." he said.

"You have my word that I will look out for him and help protect him as best I can." he told her.

"And yes, he IS working today." he confirmed. "You can head to his office after you finish your business with the R&D department." he suggested, as they continued down the corridors.

"Also, that is a fair point on your teleportation mana." he sighed. "If you like, when we finish your business here, I can arrange for transportation to anywhere in Europe you like." he offered.

"Assuming you haven't already arranged transportation."

"You ARE free to come here whenever you like." Hal told her. "The protections and barriers I have up ARE some of the best. But given that Zeke, as well as his father and uncles and aunts, can bypass them, I don't know how well they'll hold up." he admitted.

"I HAVE been told that Fallen DO lose a significant amount of their power when they do fall, but they've never been this organised before, apparently." he went on.

"So this is all uncharted territory." he sighed.

He then placed a hand on one of her shoulders, gently draping his arm over her upper back.

"But we're doing all we can." he said.

"If nothing else, we'll go down fighting."

"I see." Hal responded.

"Well, I know we live in a world of miracles, but sometimes you just can't make a wish and have it-" he started to say, before he rose his hand up. "-granted..." he continued, snapping his fingers. "...just like that." he finished.

Instantly, Casey felt... something.

She almost felt like there was a shroud over her, but she was clearly not wearing one. Nor did anything LOOK different. But she felt it. And she also felt somehow... a little more lighthearted and... slightly carefree. Barely.

"I'm not sure how well such a thing would protect against those of the celestial realm, but... I do hope you do well out there." he then said, looking at her.

When she looked back, he winked.