Colin's posts

"Well, optimally, it'd be as soon as possible." Vincent responded. "However, once I relay the information that I have an expert that will be on their way, the time is basically yours." he said further.

"How much time do you require?" he asked.

"No longer than a week would be preferred." he went on.

"As for things like a passport and such, we'll arrange a private jet for you, or have someone use mana to get you there, or provide you with your own talisman so you can teleport yourself." Hal then said to Mira.

"Because this dig is significant for the mage community, potentially, we have a massive grant to do what we want with." Vincent laughed. "Getting a needed expert out there comfortably and quickly, while still making sure there's a paper trail, is no expense, should the need arise." he assured her further.

"So just tell me how much time you'll need to get things in order."

Savra looked at him concernedly, as Ryker turned back and rejoined the two of them. Savra noticed that the female looked... horrified and terrified, but also had a blank look in her eyes, as she just quickly pulled away from where she was, seemingly on autopilot.

"Well, then." Ryker said, clearing his throat.

"Now that THAT unpleasantness is out of the way, let's go back to the vehicle." he suggested.

"Eke, you can let your sugars normalise a little, and rest up for a bit, before we get back to driving." he suggested.

Vincent put down his mug, and took a small breath, gathering his thoughts, before looking at her.

"I am currently in the middle of an archaeological dig." he told her. "While my main focus in them has been Ancient Egypt, this is something that is relatively new to me, and world itself, actually." he went on.

"In Greece, something was noted at the base of Mount Olympus." he continued. "Further exploration revealed that it was a hidden doorway, and even further looking into it yielded a secret passage." he explained. "I was called in to be part of the team, and we discovered a rather labyrinthine set of corridors and hallways, each leading to various rooms where we found many different artefacts and various clues about Ancient Greek, and the Gods of Mount Olympus." he revealed.

"However, we found a room that appears to be that of an ancient armoury of sorts." he then said. "And while the excavation and delving team has general knowledge, and also we have many specialists there, we realised we do NOT have one that knows about weapons, modern or ancient." he continued.

"I asked my sister if she knew of anyone that could fit the job, and she spoke to Agent Sharp here." he then said.

"And I knew that YOU are a woman that has extensive knowledge about weapons. Their history, their functionality, they are your passion, they are your life. Not to sound too dramatic." Hal commented.

"Would you be willing to accompany me to the site, and look at the various weapons we've discovered underground?" Vincent asked Mira.

When she turned back around, she saw that she wasn't the only other person there.

Hal was behind his desk, as usual, but she also saw Vincent Remmington sitting in one of the chairs that were there, sipping on a cup of tea. He smiled at her as they locked eyes, before Hal spoke.

"Indeed I did." he said to her.

"Agent Greyson, I've called you here for a special reason." he told her.

"Dr. Remmington here needs a specialist on weapons. And I know your expertise extends to more than just making them." he continued.

"Are you willing to hear him out?" he asked.

"Gotcha!" Ilias called back. "I'll leave everything as it is, and make sure the file's properly backed up!" he told her.

Zeke nodded in response as Mira said what she did to him.

"Cool." he said.

"At least that didn't happen while we were actively sparring." he told her. "Not that I think it'd have been dangerous or anything, neither of us get distracted from things like that, just saying it's convenient that the announcement was made when we were taking a break, so to speak." he reasoned.

"Anyway, later Mira." he finished.

With that, he waved to her as he left, and Mira saw Ilias was still in the recording/observation deck, making sure the file saved properly, and he would put a copy on a properly labeled thumb drive. He was good for that, after all.

"I'll lock this place up when it's done, and leave the drive in your office!" he called to Mira.

Zeke just laughed.

"It's fine." he said.

"Even if you went through it, it would have barely touched me. Worst case would have been 1 or 2 stitches." he assured her. "But lemme know when you want to test that again." he then said further.

Before she could respond, however, they heard Hal's voice come over the P.A. system for the entire building.

"Agent Greyson report immediately to Agent Sharp's office. Agent Greyson, to Agent Sharp's office." he said.

"...wonder what THAT'S all about..." Ilias muttered.

Zeke deftly dodged the axe blade that came swinging down towards him, and used the sword he was armed with to parry the blade. The one wielding the axe then brought it down towards him once more as he landed, but he used the shield he had also been given to block the attack, though the resulting clash caused his bones to shake within his body, seemingly.

Normally, such a battle would be something worrisome, especially between two coworkers, and on business property, but this place was far from normal. The business was known as 'The Unit' to those in the know, and the two were 'fighting' in a specially designated area. One for weapon testing. Specifically, the axe was being tested by the one that had created it... a rather vertically-challenged woman with bluish-green dyed hair. She'd also crafted the weapons that Zeke was using, but those, while well-made, were meant specifically for testing her more pride-and-joy weapons.

Zeke then jumped back when she brought the axe back, and looked at his shield.

"Woah, woah, woah!" he exclaimed.

"Looks like you created quite the cut in this shield." he commented, looking at the groove that the blade had left. "And the sword's starting to look a little on the scuffed side, too." he went on.

"Mira, do you want to continue?" Ilias asked from the observation booth off to the side, addressing the female. Mira had asked someone to observe and make sure the recording devices were working properly, and let them know if there was an issue, or get help if something went wrong. The gorgon-kin had been one that had free time, so he volunteered. And Zeke was chosen as the sparring partner, because of his weapons proficiency, and his combat training. If anyone could give her weapons the proper testing, it was him, whether he was using them, or having them used against him.

"Looks like you got plenty of footage, already." he then commented. "Got close to 2 and a half hours of sparring on here." he added, looking at the current size of the file being created as they spoke.

The woman appeared to be stunned from Eke's change in attitude, and his draconic display, before she started to sputter and look scared... as well as seem to grow even angrier.

Ryker just sighed and walked towards Eke, handing him the juice as he did so.

"I'll finish off the conversation." he said as he did so.

With that, Savra saw him lean in quite close to the woman, and they seemed to be having a slight chat... though he could also almost feel the darkness emanating from Ryker.

The woman looked ready to leap down Eke's throat when he made the juice comment, but her eyes widened when she saw the cash that Eke was offering her.

She grinned, before swiping it, and looking at him.

"Good kid." she said.

"Maybe I'll not take this rip-off merchant to court." she said further.

"Now I suggest you move, before you accidently get hurt." she finished, starting her vehicle.

The woman was silent, as Ryker and Savra looked at each other, and then back towards Eke.

"Uhhh..." Ryker mumbled.

"Hoo boy..." he muttered under his breath.

The woman was caught off guard by Eke's smile, but just looked away.

"...it's nothing. None of your concern." she said.

"I should expect places like this to rip off customers, anyway."

The woman looked sharply at him, before cracking the window down.

"What!" she snapped.

"What do you want!" she demanded.

"And it better be GOOD. I am NOT having a good day." she then growled.

Ryker was silent as he saw this, before sighing.

"....greeeeeeat..." he mumbled.

Taylor looked stunned again. Almost... starstruck.

"Woah, woah, woah." he said.

"Helscape, tomorrow? Forgotten Dreams?" he asked. "That show's been sold out for the longest time!" he exclaimed. "I tried to get a reserved seat for it, but I was about 5 hour too late." he lamented.

"But you can get in there for it?" he asked her. "And... and... you're asking me to join you?" he asked further.

Alice merely smirked slightly.

"I am." she confirmed.

"Then I... I happily accept!" Taylor responded.

It seemed like everything was coming together for him right now. The woman of his dreams had asked him to a show he wanted so badly to see. It was almost too perfect. But he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

'Future's looking bright.' he thought to himself... with NO idea how right he was, on a grander scale.

"...uh? My plans?" Taylor asked.

He then paused and thought about it, before shrugging.

"Nothing special." he said.

"Only things I had close to plans were ordering in a pizza and watching a movie I downloaded earlier this week." he told her. "So nothing that can't be moved to literally any other night." he assured her.

"...why?" he then asked.

In his heart, he knew where that question generally led to, but his mind was stopping him from hoping. I mean, she was way out of his league... right?

Savra went and sat down beside him, leaning against him to give him comfort, as they waited.

About 10 minutes later, they heard the door open forcefully, and heard the woman.

"I WILL GET A LAWYER OVER THIS!" she screamed, as she marched past Eke and Savra, giving them an indignant look as she did. And another minute after that, while she was still getting ready to leave in her car, Ryker stepped out.

"Juuuust what everyone needed today." he muttered.

"Sorry that took so long." he apologised to Eke.