Fantasy Code: Feral

[Bolts]

Barry looked towards Beth as she spoke directly to him. Though he was surprised, his cringed smile turned soft and endearing as she signed "please" to him. He signed back Ok before giving her a thumbs up. Though it isn't a traditional language to learn, he was glad to see people taking an interest. In fact, silent languages would most likely be a great help during stealth and infiltration missions if this regrouping was for such a case. Barry's train of thought was cut short by the sudden shift in moods via laughter. He looked over to the older woman and overhearing the name James Sterling Carswell. During his younger years, that was a name that came up every so often. Although it wasn't his taste in entertainment, he had to commend the man on acting front. To see him now, in such a disguise, humbled Barry's expertise slightly. It seemed he still had a bit to learn and so he did a quick study of the makeup use. He didn't have much to say if he could with the barriers of humility and mild star-struckness. Killerclown Flutterby (catching up)

Noticing everyone making their way to the cafe, Barry whistled lightly for BB to join him. Gliding over, she perched on top of his head. It was a quick walk but the smell of drink and food filled the air. Before everyone got settled,Barry prepped himself a cup of Earl Grey and BB a thimble of sweetened liquid. While BB dipped her beak into the small cup, her partner seemed to scan the room. Most were in confusion where Amber and Simon remained stiff and professional. The small device was started and images were placed onto the wall for all to see. The run down of Feral activity caused Barry to raise an eyebrow while sipping from the cup while BB raised her eyes towards the images half listening to the information. It had been some time since Feral had done anything active wise. Hearing Simon's story of Team Delta caused Barry to place the cup down and gaze at his hand. There were still faint scars from everyone fighting the Nian. On BB's end, She blew small bubbles by the sudden rush of information.

"Did you say 20 stories tall!!? Holy cow and I thought the dragon dog thing a year ago was big! ...Now I wonder how big a holy cow is. Probably Merlion siz-" Her racing thoughts were cut short by Barry who lightly coughed while gazing down at her. "R-right! What Best Beth said. Let's hear what this mission is all about! If it's a split in the party, you can bet I'll get info between them quicker than a cheetah after 10 espresso shots!
SilverFlight Flutterby zCrookedz
(in area): Lioness075 Killerclown Brendanfp deer

 

[SilverFlight]

Alec moved about the space behind the bar like he was born to it. Flowing past and Beth and Manjano with grace and skill.
"I had a few barista jobs to help get me through vet school." He explained, flipping the glass before filling it with the milkshake mix he'd been churning in the blender.
He slid it down the counter to Duik's waiting paw.
Lioness075 Flutterby

Duik's ears pricked at the mention of 'The Jaguar' and he turned to listen to Jim more closely.

Calista listened to the exchanges within the group.
"Agent Heartland's correct. As far as anyone but our local contacts are concerned. We are not in Singapore."
She surveyed the room while Amber stood just by the projection on the wall.
"The Ferals have been buying weapons from major providers under the name of a decoy company called 'Neotech'. Some of their purchases have been large enough to have been flagged by our algorithms and when we followed up we found that Neotech was a front." Amber flipped the projection to an image of several animals and one man, standing or loading reinforced metal crates onto a truck. The side of the crate read "Kane Industries" and Alec nearly dropped the new glass he was holding. Fury tore through him and he had to turn away from the projection for a moment just to regain his composure. His father was selling weapons to the Ferals, and Alec would bet that he knew exactly who they were too.

"Our job, is to track the "Neotech" representatives to their source, " Calista continued, "and try and pinpoint what are hopefully some of the Ferals Higher-ups, so a portion of the team will be posing as weapons dealers, provided with some of the watch's unlisted inventions. Whatever they want to use these for, it's big, so we've really got to sell it."
Amber flipped the projection to a newspaper heading that read in Mandarin, but the translation was laid out below it: "Bonding clinic robberies solved, crime ring brought down, animals remain missing."
"The second part of the mission is to investigate this case. It was reportedly solved, however we know that this crime ring was set up as a patsy by Feral agents, who've taken the unbonded animals to a location somewhere in Singapore city. We are to recover the animals if we can but our top priority is finding leads on Feral and why they stole so many animals from clinics in the first place...with any luck..." Calista added, glancing at Simon seriously, "...we'll stay as far away from the ocean as possible."
deer zCrookedz Lioness075 Bolts Brendanfp Killerclown Flutterby

When Jim announced who he had played on screen there was an audible gasp from the barstool and Duik nearly slipped from it in utter shock.
"You're Jim Sterling Carswell..." He said, a little redundantly.
"Who now?" Alec asked, having replaced his composure and was now genuinely curious.
Duik made a sound of utter disgust, turning to Jim apologetically, "Ignore him, he's a philistine."
"Hey!"
The hyena slipped down from the stool and ran over to Jim, his eyes starry. "You are THE Jim Carswell! The Jaguar! 1979 television show based of of the longstanding comic book series of the same name. You. Are. A Legend!" Duik made a high-pitched noise and began to dance in place, giddy with excitement. "I'm working with The Jaguar!!!"
Killerclown

"Hey Spots. Save it until after the briefing." Calista snapped irritably, turning back to the others. "I'd like to hear feedback from the team now. The key here is to pick teams for these missions that mesh well and will get the job done. Let's hear your thoughts."

Alec thought for a moment. "I know my way around bonding clinics, and I'm used to the procedure and paperwork for moving animals. They're not easy to move, I could probably dig up a few leads."

 

[Flutterby]

Beth noticed the way the older agent's face reddened, but she couldn't tell if she had annoyed him or embarrassed him. A part of her felt bad, but most of her decided that it was better he receive her correction than have it come from someone else. Someone like Strong, or Calista.. or Simon.. Manjano.. well, the majority of people in the room had a tendency to make their suggestions sound more like stabs.
His use of the word 'missy' made Totus ruffle his feathers, stretching his wings with a glare over at the man. His Beth was a smart, kind young woman- there was no need to condescend her as a 'missy.' Beth felt it, and gave her owl a glance, and a tiny shake of her head. As he continued to speak, she also had to include a shrug. She had no idea who or what the Jaguar was, so obviously neither did Totus. It must mean something to someone, based on the way it was said.
Killerclown

They didn't really pay attention to what Duik said, although it made it clear he was some sort of movie star, because Calista and Strong continued with the briefing. They were taking a two-pronged approach in Singapore, going after the weapons and the animal trade. Beth frowned silently, her mind drifting back to their most recent assignment. Officially, they had been after drug traffickers, but many of those guys tended to multitask. The conditions of any living things in their custody had been completely atrocious. Beth had vomited at the first few recoveries.

Totus met her eyes, clacking his beak softly to draw her back to the present. Her brows furrowed, his head tilted. Her jaw tightened, his primary feathers twitched. No words were exchanged, out loud or otherwise. Beth looked away first, with a frustrated sigh, and looked up at Calista.
"The owl and I will need a moment." Her tone was irritated, and Totus looked like he might bite her.
They turned back to each other, whispers flying between them, oblivious to the others in the room as they snapped at one another.
"You can't handle more of that."
"I think what you mean if we, if I remember correctly-"
"This is not the same. Separation, maybe, but the animals-"
"How is it that I am more sympathetic-"
"You are just more soft, and I will not allow that to make this decision."
"Soft? You are the most outrageous little-"
"Please, whether you like it or not, the truth is-"
"We have a very different idea of truth. If you want to go with the weapons team, then be my guest, I'm sure we will survive another mission on our own, its really-."
It came to a screeching halt, in the middle of her statement. Totus suddenly smacked his wings against his sides, and hissed harshly at her. Beth's mouth snapped shut. The silence between them lasted for what felt like forever. Totus broke first, turning away halfway.

Totus mumbled, not completely under his breath, "Your out-of-control bleeding heart is the most infuriating part of you."
Beth didn't look at him when she almost growled, "It has to balance your selfish bird-brain."

She cleared her throat, and said to Calista, "Totus and I will join the weapons team. Most of our skills aren't helpful in urban areas, but our recent experience may be useful." When she took another sip of her tea, she set her cup back down much harder than she meant to, the plunk loud enough to be heard across the room. She blinked several times, and Totus's frame drooped visibly as she avoided his eyes.
SilverFlight

 

[Killerclown]

Alec moved about the space behind the bar like he was born to it. Flowing past and Beth and Manjano with grace and skill.
"I had a few barista jobs to help get me through vet school." He explained, flipping the glass before filling it with the milkshake mix he'd been churning in the blender.
He slid it down the counter to Duik's waiting paw.
Lioness075 Flutterby

Duik's ears pricked at the mention of 'The Jaguar' and he turned to listen to Jim more closely.

Calista listened to the exchanges within the group.
"Agent Heartland's correct. As far as anyone but our local contacts are concerned. We are not in Singapore."
She surveyed the room while Amber stood just by the projection on the wall.
"The Ferals have been buying weapons from major providers under the name of a decoy company called 'Neotech'. Some of their purchases have been large enough to have been flagged by our algorithms and when we followed up we found that Neotech was a front." Amber flipped the projection to an image of several animals and one man, standing or loading reinforced metal crates onto a truck. The side of the crate read "Kane Industries" and Alec nearly dropped the new glass he was holding. Fury tore through him and he had to turn away from the projection for a moment just to regain his composure. His father was selling weapons to the Ferals, and Alec would bet that he knew exactly who they were too.

"Our job, is to track the "Neotech" representatives to their source, " Calista continued, "and try and pinpoint what are hopefully some of the Ferals Higher-ups, so a portion of the team will be posing as weapons dealers, provided with some of the watch's unlisted inventions. Whatever they want to use these for, it's big, so we've really got to sell it."
Amber flipped the projection to a newspaper heading that read in Mandarin, but the translation was laid out below it: "Bonding clinic robberies solved, crime ring brought down, animals remain missing."
"The second part of the mission is to investigate this case. It was reportedly solved, however we know that this crime ring was set up as a patsy by Feral agents, who've taken the unbonded animals to a location somewhere in Singapore city. We are to recover the animals if we can but our top priority is finding leads on Feral and why they stole so many animals from clinics in the first place...with any luck..." Calista added, glancing at Simon seriously, "...we'll stay as far away from the ocean as possible."
deer zCrookedz Lioness075 Bolts Brendanfp Killerclown Flutterby

When Jim announced who he had played on screen there was an audible gasp from the barstool and Duik nearly slipped from it in utter shock.
"You're Jim Sterling Carswell..." He said, a little redundantly.
"Who now?" Alec asked, having replaced his composure and was now genuinely curious.
Duik made a sound of utter disgust, turning to Jim apologetically, "Ignore him, he's a philistine."
"Hey!"
The hyena slipped down from the stool and ran over to Jim, his eyes starry. "You are THE Jim Carswell! The Jaguar! 1979 television show based of of the longstanding comic book series of the same name. You. Are. A Legend!" Duik made a high-pitched noise and began to dance in place, giddy with excitement. "I'm working with The Jaguar!!!"
Killerclown

"Hey Spots. Save it until after the briefing." Calista snapped irritably, turning back to the others. "I'd like to hear feedback from the team now. The key here is to pick teams for these missions that mesh well and will get the job done. Let's hear your thoughts."

Alec thought for a moment. "I know my way around bonding clinics, and I'm used to the procedure and paperwork for moving animals. They're not easy to move, I could probably dig up a few leads."

Jim smiled at the energetic hyena and was about to say something when he heard Calista interrupt him. Jim just shrugged at his energetic fan and turned around towards Amber and Calista, his grin still plastered on his face. As he replayed the roles the agents were to play in this operation in his mind, the idea of playing an arms dealer started to sound better and better. Jim then though to himself, with his grin widening as he did so," I have the perfect persona for this type of situation. He then said to Calista and Amber," I wish to volunteer myself for the Neotech part of this assignment. I already have the perfect "persona" in mind for this task. But, i might need a wheelchair in order to complete it. If that is okay with you." Jim then sighed as if in bliss as he thought to himself," This is almost like the good old days." Artemis however, just looked at Jim with her brow raised, wondering why in the hell would he need a wheelchair for Undercover Work.

 

[zCrookedz]

Simon watched as Callista began explaining the mission to the rest of the team. Neotech and the bonding facility all fit within the Feral MO from past experiences. Simon was seriously impressed with the intel group of The Watch to have picked up on the flags like they had with them having been so minute. At the sound of the Kane industries, Simon glanced across the room to Alec behind that counter of the small cafe. Seeing him nearly drop the glass in his hand, Simon felt a bang of remorse for the guy at the mention of his fathers company being a distributor for these weapons that the Ferals were using to kill and take companions. It seemed that this mission was going to be a little more personal for Alec as it was for Amber, Simon, Callista and Jimbo.

Simon glanced down to Jimbo after that thought, and saw the gorillas eyes wide and unblinking at the screen before them. Simon didn't have to wonder why, he had known Jimbo's interest in the Neotech portion of the mission before this. In fact he had counted on it. The gorilla tore his eyes away from the screen and glanced up at Simon.
"Is that the "secret" equipment that Nigel and the armory have been working on for the last couple of weeks?"
"I believe so. Though, you would know better than I would."
"I just figured they were working on some knew fancy gadget for The Watch. I wonder if any of it will actually work or if its just for show?"
"I imagine that they are going to need a show and tell Jim. Think you are up to the task?"

Jimbo gave Simon a smirk as he got to his knuckles and moved over towards him. Simon smiled and his head swiveled to the 3 that had already agreed to the Neotech portion of the mission. Duik being separate from Alec might look a little suspicious unless they found someone to go with them to pose as Duiks partner. This gave Simon an idea.
"Amber, you know Jimbo isn't going to pass up an opportunity to get his hands on those weapons. He and I will also sign up for the Neo tech mission. However, if Duik is going with us without Alec we will need a stand in for Duiks partner. I would like to suggest Agent Halton come with us and pose as Duiks partner."
Simon had thought about suggestion Manjano to come with them. The lad had grown exponentially with his training and he might be a good match with Duik since he and Falarion were both canine-esc creatures. But if he was going with the weapons, he wanted to know there was more than enough on the other team that could handle a tight situation in case it arose.
"I have a feeling that for an infiltration mission like this, the more with disguise background's the better."
Jimbo glanced up at Simon with a smile.
"No matter how hard they try Simon, neither of them is going to be able to hide your ugly mug."
SilverFlight Flutterby Killerclown Bolts

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Manjano	Companion: Falarion
Attire: Khaki beanie with most of his white hair showing above his forehead, icy blue eye contacts, khaki leather jacket, plain white t-shirt, light jeans, brown converse	Location: The Watch Café
Tagged: zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby (Beth and Totus), SilverFlight (Calista, Amber, Alec, and Duik), Bolts (BB and Barry), Killerclown (Jim and Artemis), Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto), deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu)

When Beth brought up that they should be disconnected from any close friends during this mission, Manjano silently agreed with her. It was a smart move, especially if the team needed to go undercover. Any contact they made outside of the team could compromise their mission entirely.

Noticing Falarion's excitement and hearing him exclaim about some jaguar, Manjano was confused and thought, What in the world are you talking about, mate?

Falarion immediately replied in thought, The Jaguar, Manny! How do you not know him? Even I do!

Raising an eyebrow at his companion, Manjano thought back, You were pretty much the only one in our family that ever watched TV.

Falarion blinked at this. Oh yeah. My bad.

Just then, the man replied saying that he was in fact the actor for The Jaguar. Falarion leapt down from his bar stool and yipped in delight. It did not take long for Duik to join him in his excitement, but the two were told off by Calista for being sidetracked. Falarion whimpered at being scolded and immediately folded his ears against his head.

Manjano merely sighed at this and then nodded at Alec's comment before focusing on Calista and Amber's debrief again.

As it was made clear that the team would be splitting up to either be fake weapons dealers or to help with the animals kidnapped, Manjano looked at Falarion and saw he was still anxiously glancing over at Agent Heartland every once in a while. As this man made it clear that he would like to be with the weapons team, Manjano sighed and decided that it certainly sounded more interesting than hunting down stolen animals. Plus, it was obvious that Falarion was dying to be wherever Agent Heartland was.

Just before Falarion could voice that they would be joining the weapons team, Beth and Totus suddenly seemed to at each other's throats. Eyes wide at them, Falarion whimpered and then trotted around the bar to join Manjano's side, bothered by anyone fighting, especially companions. Manjano pat Falarion's head and thought to him, Don't worry, nearly everyone here has fought with their companion at some point. As long as they can work things out, it's not necessarily a bad thing for them to be fighting.

Falarion still did not like this and merely harrumphed in reply.

Once Beth and Totus had reached a conclusion together, Manjano felt himself inwardly sigh with relief to hear that they were joining the weapons team. That would make it much easier for Manjano to play his part if he knew someone on the weapons team. He had no doubt that his sister would be joining the animal rescue team. She had a big heart and loved animals of all sizes and kinds.

While quiet, Manjano spoke up just loud enough for everyone to hear him after Simon and Jimbo had finished speaking, "Falarion and I will join the weapons team." It would be the first words that the new agents had heard from him. He was not known for saying much among his old teammates, and so Manjano hoped none of the new members expected him to be a good conversationalist later on.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra Sinciato	Companion: Luness
Attire: Icy blue color eye contacts for both eyes, black tank top w/ kawaii baby tiger on front, tight black jeans, and black converse	Location: The Watch Café
Tagged: deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu), SilverFlight (Amber, Calista, Alec, and Duik), zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby (Beth and Totus), Bolts (BB and Barry), Killerclown (Jim and Artemis), Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto)

Leandra had noticed and heard Falarion's barely-contained excitement, but had been baffled throughout his encounter with one of the new agents. Bewildered, Leandra glanced over at Xiao Hui, Laohu, and Luness.
"Any idea what in the world Falarion's so worked up about? Is that new guy famous or something? Xiao Hui, did we miss something in our attempt to catch up on pop culture?"

Luness quietly chortled at Leandra's confusion, even though she was equally confused. Shrugging, she merely returned her attention to the debrief and continued to listen to what they would be doing next while Leandra absentmindedly was trying to remember all of the movies she had watched with Xiao Hui over the past year. They had done so many movie marathons, it was kind of hard to remember the actors in all of the live-action ones.

As Beth and Totus had some small argument, Leandra decided instantaneously that she and Luness would be on the animal team. There was no way she was going to miss out on rescuing a bunch of unbonded animals that were kidnapped by such a ruthless enemy. Who knew what cruel experiments they could be doing on the animals right now? Leandra's heart went out to the animals and after most of the team had voiced their choices, Leandra abruptly said, "Luness and I will be joining the animal rescue team. Those bastards will regret ever harming those animals and especially will regret inadvertently crossing us."

Luness smiled and bobbed her head in agreement before adding, "I will most certainly help keep any rescued animals warm and comforted after we successfully rescue them."

Leandra had a strong feeling that since Alec was joining the animal rescue team, at least it seemed that way, then Xiao Hui and Laohu would no doubt be joining the same team. This got her excited and Leandra had to contain a squeal of delight to be going on missions with her close friends once more. They were not complete strangers this time and many of them had learned how to better work with others or even fight with others over the past year. Surely, they would not sustain as many injuries this time around.

 

[Flutterby]

Totus looked around the room crossly. Beth had blocked out the tiny window he had into her mind, furthering his annoyance. He wasn't annoyed at her- he was angry with himself for pushing her into saying things she normally wouldn't, and into a mission she didn't want. But they would not, ever, be separated again. Not while he was still breathing. And he was right, in the technical manner. Their recent missions would align them more with the false weapons deal, than with the information gathering. That didn't make it any easier to have her angry at him.
To make matters worse, the older man ( Killerclown ) that Totus had decided he did not appreciate made his pick. At least they would also have Simon and Jimbo. That put the owl somewhat at ease- they were more than capable.

Beth listened to the rest of the team form with her eyes on the last little bit of tea in her cup. Her face twitched into a partial frown when the actor man, Agent Carswell, announced he would join the weapons team, and would need a wheelchair to do it. She couldn't quite put a name to what it was, but something about that man was starting to bother her. All she knew was that trying too hard to be inconspicuous, often made you entirely noticeable. She nodded quietly to Simon's suggestion, giving Barry ( Bolts ) a smile. Her mind was a really lonely place without Totus's presence, but she couldn't have him in her head right now.

She almost breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Manjano ( Lioness075 ) speak up. Beth turned her head to look at him, noting that Falarion was all but cowering next to him, and he had what looked like a cocktail in his hand. That's the kind of drink I should've gone with. The thought was coupled with a flash of guilt, but she shoved it away. She had gotten a lot more comfortable with alcohol in the last year, out of a weird kind of necessity. She flashed a goofy thumbs-up, mostly for Fal's benefit.
As she turned back to her tea, Beth thought, At least the animals will have Leandra- she's got a real soft spot for them. It won't matter so much that I'm not there. And Alec is a vet. It'll be fine. Her heart still felt heavy in her chest.

 

[deer]

Xiao Hui & Laohu

The young woman froze in her seat when Beth mentioned China and if the mission was connected to Singapore. Laohu felt the air tense around Xiao Hui and he could only keep calm in his position, not wanting to alarm those around them especially Leandra and Luness who were right sitting beside them. Xiao Hui's mind flashed back to her father and despite her being approved of being with the Watch and not back home this time around, Xiao Hui still felt concern whirl around her almost feeling stick to her stomach. The phone calls and the letters never missed a beat through the past few months. Her Father had made sure she was kept up-to-date if she were ever whisked away again on a "family emergency". The aftermath of the last mission was still engraved in her heart and mind, a feeling of dread took over as she found herself panicking.

Laohu's attention drifted over towards Barry and BB, though moreso BB than Barry as he listened to her babble about the Nian. A small rumbling noise escaped Laohu's lip as he shook his head at the hummingbird. He was grateful for the small hummingbird, if it wasn't for her or Leandra, Laohu knew he would sure have lost his temper and who knew what would happened during the moments they had been captured. But, the feeling heaviness in his chest remained as he tried to get Xiao Hui to look over at him, wanting to soothe and calm her down.

"Hui, look at me." He echoed loudly through their mind link, quickly grabbing Xiao Hui's attention as he gazed into her eyes.

Xiao Hui stared into Laohu's emerald green eyes as he hummed a small lullaby her mother used to sing to her in her head, calming down her nerves. Swallowing back her nerves, Xiao Hui relaxed her shoulders and loosened her grip on her hands. The small Nian was in Beijing under the protection of her House and a small part of her missed the little one. Laohu had felt the same. But, she knew the Nian would be in good hands as she remembered the little animal took a liking to her father's spirit animal. Two mythical beast seemed to suit each other.

What seemed to have felt like hours was only mere seconds between Xiao Hui and Laohu as Xiao Hui's attention was brought to the matter at hand when she took note of Duirk and Falarion's excitement. Xiao Hui could only furrow her brows in confusion as Laohu chuckled merrily, feeling influenced by his friends' excitement. Catching Leandra's glance, Xiao Hui could only shake her head and politely smile at Leandra's question, feeling bad that she wasn't up-to-date with pop culture though felt better knowing she wasn't alone.

Whispering, Xiao Hui responded, "He seems to be some sort of celebrity. But, his face. . . I can't quite remember if I have seen it before. I am sure if we did see him in any of the movies we watched, we would have remembered." As Xiao Hui finished her observation, Laohu sighed if it was a good idea having the older male on the team. His ego seemed to have a hold of him, but even more so, Laohu wondered what his skills were. Everyone was filled with surprises and Laohu couldn't wait to see the male and his lioness in action.

Soon, Calista continued the briefing as Xiao Hui's eyes flickered back to the screen taking in the mission slowly. Weapons dealing. Xiao Hui studied the image closely, committing the picture to memory as she sucked in a breath. However, when Amber continued on after Calista, Xiao Hui and Laohu's eyes narrowed as they read the Mandarin headline on the screen. Laohu scowled at seeing that animals had been stolen from bonding clinics. Bonding was important. It made him who he was and more. It was a bigger part than just one being, but two.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Hui found herself conflicted, not knowing where to go and to be on what team. Her skills were diverse and she could sense that Laohu wanted to be where the ones who were lost. She could only imagine what was being done to the animals without their sentiment knowledge. Laohu, on the other hand, could feel for the animals taken and whatever those Ferals did to them, it would be far worse than he ever gone through before he met Xiao Hui. The animals taken didn't know any better. Did they even have a choice?

Xiao Hui's eyes gazed over at Laohu as he stared back at her. Her heart hammered against her chest as she bit her lip weighing her options. The mission in Paris with Agent Strong and Gigi didn't go as she planned when she took charge in the plan of the exchange despite her skill in business transaction. At the same time, she wasn't sure she was ready to go full-fledge into a mission that could endanger more lives if she wasn't careful. She knew Laohu's heart but she also felt herself leaning towards one more than the other but she was torn.

At the sound of a loud plunk, Laohu's attention went towards Beth and Totus in concern. But, as her teammates began stating which team they were going to be an asset to, Xiao Hui took a deep breath, her hand trembling slightly as she hid her hand behind her back. Alec, Leandra, and Luness were going to be recovering the animals. Manjano and Falarion, Beth and Totus, Simon and Jimbo, Jim and Artemis seemed to be heading in the team of the weapons trade. Xiao Hui's leaped from her chest as she heard weapons. Her father had recently told her of their success in a trade in Beijing. She had been part of many exchanges with her Father. But, with her luck, would she be more of a burden or help?

Getting up, Laohu shook his legs, stretching as he spoke up, "I will be joining the animal rescue team." He stated, not looking at Xiao Hui's expression as he turned to grin at Leandra, Luness, and Alec.

Frowning, Xiao Hui blinked at Laohu hearing that he made his decision. Looking over at Duirk and Alec, her heart dropping slightly. Was Duirk was really going to separate himself from Alec? At Simon's mention of bringing another Agent to be Duirk's partner if they were separated, Xiao Hui shook her head. Should she-? Xiao Hui looked towards Laohu for help but she felt jilted by the tiger who had already left her side, trotting over to Alec, standing next to him.

"Are you taunting me now, Laohu?" Diverting her attention away, Xiao Hui turned her attention to Leandra and Luness. She knew they could handle themselves, especially with healing the animals taken. But, at remembering Simon's suggestion of bringing all those who are master of disguises, Xiao Hui's attention was on BB and Barry, smiling softly at them. Her eyes glanced across at the others as she knew everyone must have improved since last time. So had she.

Finally, coming to a decision, Xiao Hui took a deep breath, "If what you say is true, Simon, and Duirk and Alec are. . ., " she started, not able to finish the sentence. Her eyes glanced nervously over at Alec, Laohu, and Duirk. Xiao Hui took a deep breath. "Perhaps there's no need to ask Agent Halton to join us? My decision will be based on that." She decided, not able to come to a conclusion before she continued, "Business deal runs in the family, especially weapons. However, splitting up into teams that not only mesh well but also having skill sets that covers all grounds would be helpful as well, I believe." She finished, stating her opinion, realising she was allowing her decision to be based on another than her own.

"You're avoiding, Hui."

tags: SilverFlight , zCrookedz , Lioness075 , Bolts , Killerclown , Flutterby

 

[SilverFlight]

As Alec listened he grew more and more uncomfortable with the way people were talking, but it was when Duik spoke again that he decided enough was enough:
"Great! Xiao I could be your companion! I can get Claude to make me up all fierce, like, maybe with a spiked collar," The he gasped and looked at Falarion with bright eyes, "matching spiked collars!" It was obvious that most of his knowledge of gangs and weapons dealing came from television.
"Absolutely not." Alec put the glass down a little harder than he'd meant to.
"Wha?" Duik turned back to his partner like he had just told him Santa Claus wasn't real.
Alec's gaze flicked briefly to Xiao, something inside him warring with his better judgement. He seemed almost...panicked.
"Duik, you're coming on the animal team, no 'but's."
"That whole sentence is butts! Alec!" He fixed Alec with an adamant look and said through gritted teeth: "This is THE Jaguar."
"D, don't fight me on this. Please."
Duik, still glaring at his partner switched to the mental link to continue.
Alec, its not going to be like last time, this is Xiao we're talking about!
You don't know that! She could be...my dad could have somehow--
Somehow what Alec? That's paranoia talking. You sound completely loco.

Alec slid out from behind the bar as Duik came up to him. He knelt in front of the hyena and put a hand on the top of his head.
"Duik...I can't go through that again." He said quietly.
"You won't bro, I'll be with the team. I promise I won't leave them. I'll be safe."
There was a long pause before Alec inhaled slowly. "Ok."

~~~

The flight to Singapore was relatively uneventful. Amber had split the teams up before even leaving the complex, sending them from different airports on different flights. Each member had been given everything they had asked for, and Alec, had been given something he hadn't: Leadership of the animal rescue team. He looked even more uncomfortable than he had in the briefing, standing at the bar in the hotel lobby, a cocktail left forgotten beside him. The lobby was spacious, with an indoor fountain taking up a quarter of the space, an open restaurant on the other side and a miniature casino. At the back an entire wall was made of glass-pained windows displaying a large, sandy beach not a stone's throw from the doors. Alec was brooding through his glasses at a piece of paper in his hand. He had done his hacking hours before and came up with a few places they could start their search. His ID told everyone he was a facility safety inspector; In Singapore, that was like an all-access pass.

Duik's fur had been dyed a darker colour and the red of his mane stained deep black. He'd been practicing his scowl on the way over, though Claude had warned him that his disguise was almost fully-reliant on him keeping his mouth shut. He'd been fairly diligent so far.
Amber and Calista sat together at a table big enough for them all.
"Singapore law enforcement is VERY strict." She cautioned, "So you are all going to be model citizens. We can't afford attention. Now, let me hear a rundown of your personas."

deer zCrookedz Lioness075 Bolts Brendanfp Killerclown Flutterby

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Manjano	Companion: Falarion
Manjano's Attire: Red-Brown Hair Dye, Dark Green Eye Contacts, Maroon Suit, Black Shirt, Black Dress Shoes	Falarion's Attire: Dark Brown Eye Contacts, Dark Orange Fur Dye, Black Fur Dye on Mane and Legs, Cream Fur Dye Underneath Snout and on Belly and Tail
Location: Singapore Hotel Lobby
Tagged: zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby (Beth and Totus), SilverFlight (Calista, Amber, Alec, and Duik), Bolts (BB and Barry), Killerclown (Jim and Artemis), Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto), deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu)

Being as close as he was to Alec and Duik, it was impossible for Manjano and Falarion to not overhear parts of the pair's argument. They exchanged a bewildered look, but the two stayed quiet and did not butt into the conversation. Perhaps if Manjano could get Leandra alone before the mission started then he could try to pass on the information to her. Since Alec would be with her, there was a chance Leandra could try to reassure him or something. Manjano was no good at such things, but he knew his sister was brilliant at it.

Falarion had briefly gotten excited with Duik about the spiked collars, but shrank back to Manjano's side when Alec began arguing with Duik. No matter what Manjano told him, Falarion always hated arguments between companions. At the mention of butts from Duik though, Falarion seemed to perk up again as he snickered at Duik's retort.

Manjano gave him a look and Falarion tried to look more serious, which he had not improved on over the past year. Sighing, Manjano muttered, "You know, you are going to have to actually try to look serious during this mission or you'll give us away, Fal."
Letting out a harrumph, Falarion tried to not look too offended. The biggest problem was simply the fact that Falarion was not too serious in general and so trying to be something he was not had a tendency to be very difficult for him. Maybe he should ask Barry for acting advice sometime.

Before Manjano and Falarion left the café, though, they were approached by Beth. Considering Beth's idea, Manjano nodded in agreement.
"At least I won't have to say much, if anything at all. That'll help Fal stay quiet, too."

Falarion scowled at this, starting to get irritated by the constant reminder. If Manjano kept this up, it was going to be a very long mission.

On the upside, they both got to be close to Beth and Totus for the duration of the mission. This thought softened Falarion's scowl.

~~~~~

Once they had arrived at the hotel, Manjano and Falarion made their way to the hotel lobby. Falarion snickered each time Manjano tugged at part of his suit jacket. He had very rarely ever wore one in his life and was not entirely certain of the attire. It made him feel uncomfortable, more so because he absolutely knew he could never afford such a thing. As the pair entered the lobby, Manjano sighed and rubbed the back of his neck while trying very hard to not continue tugging at his expensive suit.

Meanwhile, Falarion happily trotted along the lobby, his claws clicking and announcing his presence. His ears were pricked forward and he felt immensely pleased with the fur dyes and how he looked right now. In Falarion's opinion, he looked amazing. Thus, he trotted with pride.

Manjano almost immediately gravitated towards the comfort of an alcoholic beverage and Falarion nearly slipped on the smooth lobby flooring when he tried to keep pace with Manjano. Standing near Alec, Manjano ordered an Americano, which had quickly become his go-to drink as of late. He personally would have liked something stronger, but knew better with his previous mission experiences with the Watch. He had to be attentive and ready to fight if need be.

Nodding at Alec, Manjano then snagged his drink and joined Amber and Calista at a big table. Falarion promptly took a seat beside his companion and looked around eagerly for everyone else. Falarion was curious to see what Duik looked like now.

Manjano focused on the mission at hand, though and paused uncertainly when asked for their personas. Manjano had not entirely considered this and wondered if being a mute would be the best bet for him. But then Falarion would have to speak for him and he would probably screw that up. Manjano then had a better idea and decided that Falarion could be the mute. It would be a good excuse for him to be quiet the entire time and it would discourage him from giving anything away.

Hearing Manjano's idea mentally, Falarion whimpered and folded his ears against his head while tucking his tail underneath himself.
"You're not serious, are you, Manny?"

Folding his arms, Manjano merely stared at Falarion, who whimpered again before pawing at his seat. Sighing, Manjano then looked to Amber and Calista. Speaking quietly, Manjano decided to get this part over with, "I'll be Lawrence and my companion will be Lang. Lang will be a mute, and we will be hired bodyguards from Australia."

Leandra had helped Manjano think of names for himself and Falarion before they had left for Singapore. After all, Manjano did not know any Chinese, but Leandra knew a thing or two about the language. She had come up with the idea of naming Falarion, Lang, which was Chinese for wolf. Ignoring any attempts to say it properly, it could be a unique name for Falarion without Manjano messing it up trying to say it correctly.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra Sinciato	Companion: Luness
Leandra's Attire: Dirty Blonde Hair Dye, Hazel Eye Contacts, Khaki Traveler's Jacket, Cream T-Shirt, Khaki Pants, Cream Tennis Shoes	Luness' Attire: Crimson Feather Dye, Dark Orange Eye Contacts
Location: Singapore Hotel Lobby
Tagged: deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu), SilverFlight (Amber, Calista, Alec, and Duik), zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby (Beth and Totus), Bolts (BB and Barry), Killerclown (Jim and Artemis), Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto)

Smiling when Laohu decided to join her team, Leandra scratched behind Laohu's ear and said, "We're totally going to be successful now that you're on our team, furball."

Yet, her smile faded when Xiao Hui decided to join the weapons team. The opposite team of her own companion, Alec, and Leandra. Furrowing her brows, Leandra gave Xiao Hui an inquisitive look, but decided against saying anything for now. Perhaps she could get an explanation from Laohu later on.

Leandra had noticed Alec and Duik whispering to one another in what seemed to be concerned tones, but she could not understand any of it since she was farther away than Manjano. Before she had the chance to mention it to either Xiao Hui or Laohu, the group was gathering up and getting ready to leave. Biting her lip, Leandra decided against saying anything for now, as everyone was focused on preparation for the mission.

Luness flew to Leandra's shoulder and nudged her cheek encouragingly before the pair moved on towards their makeovers.

~~~~~

Entering the hotel lobby, Leandra already had a broad grin and was trying to contain her excitement. They were finally going on missions again! Of course, there was always a chance for injuries, but who cares?! They were going to be super secret agents and save animals! Leandra could not help herself and squealed in delight just as she sat at the team's big table.

Luness glided along the hotel lobby alongside Leandra and was mindful to land on the top of her seat to avoid slipping and sliding on the table's surface.

The pair eagerly glanced around, as they were curious to hear everyone's personas. Just after Manjano spoke, Leandra realized with an inner face palm that she had not decided on a persona for herself yet. She totally forgot amidst all of her excitement and had only helped Manjano and Falarion with their own.

Luness bent down to nip at Leandra's hair and she let out a surprised yelp before waving a hand at Luness and startling the phoenix into the air. Flying around and then landing on top of Manjano's seat instead, Luness thought, Dear, we need a person just like everyone else. I understand your excitement, but these missions are very important and we cannot ruin them for everyone else.

Sticking her tongue out at Luness, Leandra then thought back, Yeah, yeah, whatever. Do we even need one if we're rescuing the animals? Aren't we just helping 'inspect' the place?

Luness nodded, but added, We still need new names and backgrounds, though.

Sighing, Leandra then spoke up, "Okay, so I'll be Samantha and Luness can be Xerceis. I'm not really practiced in hiding my accent, so I suppose we'll just have to be foreigners who picked up the inspection job."

 

[Flutterby]

As the briefing broke up, Beth stood to take care of her cup. Totus flew out of the cafe on his own, leaving her staring after him with a sigh. We're on the mission now, you dumb bird. She shook her head slightly, and turned away. Setting her face into a more positive expression, Beth raised a hand quickly, and called, "Hey, Manjano."
She made her way over, and then said, "We're going to need covers, in Singapore, and so I was thinking... I know guns, and you're a scary silent type, so what if we went as a gun expert and bodyguard? Maybe even as associates of whatever wacky thing Carswell has planned? Hey, Agent Carswell!" Before leaving the cafe, she framed herself and Totus a position within the weapons team that would fit her idea for a cover pretty much perfectly.
Lioness075 Killerclown
~~~~~
The covert affairs of this part of the Watch felt alien. They had spent the last year dropping into whatever wilderness, doing some tracking (and usually some shooting), and then hopping onto a helicopter out. No personas, no disguises. Just down and dirty raids. She had liked that part, at least.
Agent Heartland had her hair dyed the deepest chocolate brown possible, without being entirely black. They dried and flat ironed it until it laid straighter than a ruler. She scowled when they dyed her eyebrows as well, but the look she received told her not to argue. The colored contacts were worse, changing her bright blue eyes to dark brown. Her eyes blurred a little at first, but they adjusted quickly as she turned to look at her owl.
Totus was died completely white, with tiny black spots, and had extra plumage glued into his own feathers, much to his annoyance. He quickly turned into a snowy owl. They were lucky he was large for a barn owl- that made him only a little small for a snowy. He got his own contacts, and Beth could feel his hate for them instantly.
Beth spent some time in the armory, picking a rifle, sidearm, and knife to take along, while Totus's glue finished curing. By the time he had dried and fluffed, they were being hurried onto the plane. She'd have to worry about what they had packed for her wardrobe later.
~~~~~
By the time they reached the hotel in Singapore, Beth and Totus had thawed.. somewhat. They were speaking, because Totus had given his version of an apology on the plane, and Beth had accepted the logic behind this decision. With Alec on the other team, they were lacking in the marksmanship area. That was enough of a reason to pacify her, for now.
So when she opened the travel bag she had been sent with, Beth and Totus shared a look, and the owl chuckled softly. "At least Im not the only one that will be uncomfortable." Everything inside the bag was either black, gray, or white. Even she had more color in her wardrobe than this.
"Better than the fatigues from Williams." She mumbled, as she started piecing together an outfit. She wasn't sure if she really meant it, though.
~~~~~
The dark suit looked strange against her skin, especially since she was used to seeing herself in creams and blues. But as she passed a mirror as she stepped off the elevator, she couldn't deny that she looked a lot like her mother, with the darkened hair and eyes. She had noticed that the pants were a slimmer cut, and the white blouse underneath a silkier fabric than she would have chosen for a suit- it toed the line between 'high-powered business woman' and 'secretly a high-end escort,' Maybe that was the point. She was just glad that she blended in with what seemed to be an endless number of business people running around the city. Totus rested on her shoulder, completing their mono-chromatic presence.

Her heels clicked softly as she approached the table. Her eyes drifted toward the bar, and then toward Manjano's drink, but Totus tightened his grip on her shoulder. Beth took a seat at the table, on Manjano's other side, and Totus stepped off her shoulder onto the table. She gave Manjano a nod, and introduced herself and Totus."I am Ada Demir, and this is Cael. Turkish background, American upbringing. I am along as another educated opinion on weapons. Lawrence is my associate, and protection." The name rolled off her tongue as easily as she had hoped, making her glad she had chosen such a familiar one. She cast a quick glance around at everyone else, noting their disguises.
SilverFlight

 

[Bolts]

The mute and bird read carefully as the new information came about. When the weapons came up, BB started bouncing up and down in joy. With all the boring messages she had been sending the past year, finishing off a weapons dealer sounded like an action movie. Barry on the other had was not too enthusiastic about said mission. However, he saw the readiness of his small companion. His only saving thought was the fact that BB was very hard to track, let alone hit. While the information over Neotech was coming out, the hummingbird turned to Barry and stopped bouncing up and down. "Ahh Hey now BarBar. We got this. What's the worse thing that will happen, you lose your voice again? Please, don't think I didn't check you out during your training over the year. You're a pretty good aim and we have had to do the sneaking around before. Just do you alright?" She said as she flew up to his shoulder. Barry looked to BB before lowering his shoulders in a sigh. He nodded to her and gave a reassuring smile. Thanks. He signed quickly before the next part of the mission came up.

Noticing that clinics were the other choice, Barry leaned into the table as he focused more. Seeing how animals were still missing as clinics were getting hit hard fumed Barry. This was a big part of accepting The Watches invite aboard. Even after dealing with weapons and infiltration from his darker days, he never liked the thought of animals getting separated or taken. It took a lot of courage for him and BB to go separate ways for the year with small interactions throughout it. Furrowing his brow, he looked to BB who stared at the screen. "Oh yeah, pack that up and send off to Get-the-heck-out-of-heresville." She whispered as she looked to Barry. Though she seemed disappointed she wasn't fond of the idea either. Then the question was presented to them all, who would go where? There was lapses of silence as the team figured out where to go. Hushed arguing from some, immediate responses from others. While BB and Barry thought quietly among each other, their concentration was broken by Simon's suggestion of Barry going with the weapons team. Some pressure was placed upon his shoulders now as a few of the members nodded or agreed. It wasn't till Xiao pipped up about the suggestion. Baring in mind the input from everyone, he made his decision. BB was simply staring at him, waiting to give the queue they worked on for years. He moved his mouth as BB's voice started. "Thanks but B-Bird and I are going to save some animals. Morals and all that you know? I'll be sure to help out with make up and disguises for those who need it! You'll do fine without us and I'll have BB pass any info along if possible." Smiling, Barry was happy to know they were on the same page. He raised a bottle for BB to drink from. "Please Bar, you need someone looking out for you. As much as I would love to handle some top of the line weapons, I could see it in your eyes. NOW LET ME AT THAT JUICE!" She announced while digging into the liquid.
deer zCrookedz Lioness075 SilverFlight Brendanfp Killerclown Flutterby
------------------------------------

Though the plane ride was long and jet lag was annoying, the pair made their way to the hotel with ease. They did basic stops to take a look around to get a sense of the environment. You never knew who was watching or where some good vantage spots would be in case of emergency. Even if the Watch wasn't officially there, groups that they were dealing with were still cautious as proven by how long it took to find them after a year. While Barry did his typical look around, BB was spinning and fluttering about at the new places to see. All she wanted to do was get lost in the crowds and shops. She halted herself when the thoughts came to mind. She was better at keeping to the plan though it annoyed her to no end.

As they entered the hotel for the meet up, those in the lobby would see a longer black haired gentleman with dark brown eyes. He wore business casual clothing with a small grip on the shoulder for BB to easily place down on. BB on the other hand had her feathers colored to be less lustrous and colorful to an earthy brown. "Alrighty B-boi. We need some new names. Now, if you have any objections, raise your voice. I will be the glorious, amazing business woman Glamorella and you will be my lackey Biff!" She whispered closely to his ear. Barry rolled his eyes before staring at her cringed look. "Ugh... fine Biff.. You will be Allen then. Guess I, the amazing Glamorella, well go by Helen.

SilverFlight and others as the come into the hotel.

 

[deer]

Xiao Hui & Laohu

A small yet genuine smile displayed on her lips at Duirk's enthusiasm. She couldn't help but feel slightly relieved despite the heaviness she felt in her heart and the nauseating feeling in the pit of her stomach. However, at Alec's insistence of Duirk not being part of the weapons team and not getting separated, her eyes landed on Laohu, Leandra, and Luness for a brief moment. She couldn't explain it, but something told her she would be better on the other team and Laohu hadn't pressured her to choose what he wanted. But, it would be the first time that her choice relied on others. Xiao Hui didn't bat an eyelash at Alec's concern and insistence that Duirk stayed with him, instead, she was more relieved by it. But, the brief look of stress and perhaps. . panic on Alec's face made her heart sink.

Laohu, on the other hand, furrowed his brows as he looked between Alec and Duirk. There was something more to this mission and Laohu couldn't quite put his claw on it. However, Laohu knew that it wasn't just him or his companion's concern of this mission, but everyone seemed to have felt the same: the sharing of sentiments. Just from reading the room and observing the interactions, Laohu could feel that everyone's bond had been closer and the team was beginning to look more like a team than individuals placed randomly together. He could only think optimistically of the situation as his eyes landed back on Xiao Hui.

If Xiao Hui had to admit to herself, a part of her hoped Duirk would oblige and stay on the animal rescue team. The thought of being without Laohu once again scared her, however, it would not be their first time being apart. Was she foolish to want to prove to not only others but herself that she can handle infiltration missions? Laohu could only shake his head at her thoughts as he growled under his breath at Xiao Hui's lack of confidence. He hated the fact that she allowed her failure of the last mission weigh on her so much. "It is alright to have emotions. No one blames you, Hui." Xiao Hui could only blink back whatever tears were ready to form around her eyes as she turned away. Her father's voice echoed in her ears, "The Heir is not suppose to show such weakness."

Shaking her head, Xiao Hui sighed inwardly, wanting to get rid of the useless thoughts and emotions. However, she needed Laohu and wished he came with her. But, Laohu trusted Alec and so did she, however, did Alec trust her?

collaboration: zCrookedz and deer​

Soon, the debrief was ending and the group began to make their way out of the Cafe. Laohu gave a small nudge to Duik before he bowed his head at Alec and made his way towards Xiao Hui's side, sticking close to her for the next few hours they would have with each other.

But, as Xiao Hui's attention was brought back to her teammates, Xiao Hui's eyes landed on Simon and Jimbo. Would partnering up with Simon and Jimbo help ease Alec's worries for Duirk? Two birds with one stone, maybe? Laohu looked up at Xiao Hui, nudging his head against her hand to get her attention as he huffed in approval at her idea. Nodding, Xiao Hui smiled softly at Laohu, as a plan and a thought came to her mind in regards to the four of them: Duirk, Simon, Jimbo, and her.

"Hi Simon. Hi Jimbo." She called out, making her way over to them, giving them a small awkward wave of her hand.

As Xiao Hui neared, Simon and Jimbo seemed to be having a heated discussion with each other but, it wasn't until Simon heard her voice that the pair stopped and turned to her.

Simon smiled and nodded to Xiao as she waved to them. "Hi Xiao, Laohu. Everything alright?"

Xiao Hui nodded, slightly nervous as she chuckled, "Do you have time right now? May I ask you something?" Her eyes glanced briefly between Alec and Duirk before Laohu nudged her. "In regards to our mission?"

Simon's smile grew a bit wider and he chuckled in his throat , "For you two, we have all the minutes you could need. Whats up?"

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Hui started, "During deals, there are "two" lines. The arms dealer plus the arms dealer's bodyguard and sometimes a translator. Going into a deal without a bodyguard will raise suspicion despite having a spirit animal. With the size of our group, I do not believe we should all separately decide to become individual arms dealer but instead work together in small teams. I fear of the same results of what happened last time with the exchange between Agent Strong and Gigi and so having all of our cracks and bases covered, sounds best."

She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in.

"With that in mind, would you like to partner up with me? And you can choose being the front line or second line?" Xiao Hui asked softly, hoping Simon and Jimbo would agree.

Simon's smile grew to a toothy grin at Xiao's request and he nelt down to scoop the young girl up into a great big hug as he laughed. "Xiao! You are a genius I swear! Jimbo and I were just trying to figure out our role and were not having much luck at all with ideas. This will work perfectly! We will watch your back, your front, and every angle in between!"

Xiao Hui's eyed widened in surprise as Simon scooped her up into a big hug and Laohu chuckled at the male's antics. With a slight yelp and squeal, Xiao Hui relaxed her shoulders, giving Simon a hug as she shook her head. It is just Simon, it's okay. Nodding, Xiao Hui smiled gratefully, "I could not agree more! Perhaps 4 heads are better than one!"

Jimbo scoffed at Simon and placed a hand on Simons arm to let Xiao down. "Its a good thing too, Simon was about to try his hand at speaking Russian. Which would have ended so badly for him."

As Xiao Hui's feel touched the ground, Xiao Hui laughed softly, looking over towards Jimbo, nodding. "Aw, I am sure Simon would not be too bad. How about we teach him a few words?" A grin formed on her face before sigh of relief escaped Xiao Hui's lips knowing she would have Simon and Jimbo with her during the deal.

Laohu grinned over towards Jimbo, giving him a nod. "''Sup, Jimbo." He chuckled softly, his tail whisking back and forth, attempting his paws at an American dialect.

Jimbo's eyes fell on Laohu, and the ape couldn't help but smirk a little bit at the tigers attempt. "Not bad stripes. Not bad at all. Little bit more practice and well have you singing classic country songs before the end of this mission."

Grinning a toothy grin, Laohu laughed, shaking his head, "We will see about that. I always thought a cowboy's hat would look nice on me."

Time spent with Duirk, Simon and Jimbo seemed to have flown by in a blink of an eye. Duirk had eased her worries and spending time with the hyena was nothing short of a good time. Laohu, on the other hand, attempted his best to help ease Alec's worries and help him with anything he needed. Although Laohu wasn't as energetic as Duirk, Laohu did love to have a good time and tried his best to loosen his "new" companion.

However, as it was almost time to board the plane to Singapore, Xiao Hui took a breath as the make-up and costume artist began to work their magic on both her and Laohu. However, Laohu this time was more apprehensive than normal, refusing and making trouble for the workers.

"I will not be abused in this manner!" He roared, almost shaking the whole room.

Xiao Hui rubbed her tempels, sighing as she sent a glare towards her companion. "Laohu, you are being a child! It will go away."

Laohu huffed, climbing ontop of the table as he growled at the hairstylist. "Go away? No. No one touches my fur. Much less make it orange!"

Clicking her tongue, Xiao Hui apologetically smiled, "Laohu, just for this mission. If not for me, how about for the other animals? What about them?"

At those words, Laohu hushed softly, glaring at Xiao Hui for taking the route that would considerably make him feel guilty for being a troublemaker. Groaning, he plopped down on the ground, refusing to look at anyone as he sighed in defeat. "Do your worst."

The plane ride towards Singapore went smoothly without a hitch despite being separated from the animal rescue team. She could only hope that Laohu and Alec were getting along alright though Duirk's attempt at scowling during their trip eased her mind. Soon, the team had arrived to the hotel lobby and Xiao Hui couldn't help but look at Duirk's change in fur colour. It seemed much more tamed than Laohu's change but Xiao Hui couldn't help but absentmindedly gently touch Duirk's mane as she knelt down next to him before heading towards the big table.

"Hi, Duirk. Are you ready?" She tilted her head to the side, smiling softly, before getting up on her feet. Her brows furrowed slightly at the fabric that seemed to cling to her skin as her hair (now colored a lighter shade of brown) had been pinned up into a high-pony tail, quite out of her way, with a slight edge to it as it wasn't slicked back. Xiao Hui had on a dark tux and a pair of long, dangling feathered earrings to match. The young woman fluidly moved through the area with a certain allure that gave off a few intriguing looks her way. Regardless, Xiao Hui's light hazel contacted eyes looked ahead as her heels clicked against the floor before she sat down at the table. Her eyes wandered to where Simon and Jimbo were before she smiled, nodding at them as she heard Agent Strong's words.

Looking at Duirk, Xiao Hui slipped into an accent as best as she could, "My name is Inna," she paused for a moment before looking over at Duirk, "And yours?" She tilted her head to the side.

Laohu, on the other hand, nudged Alec, signaling to head over with the others. "Are you coming, partner?" Before he took note of Alec's expression, knitting his brows together. "It will be alright, have a bit of faith. Will you name me? I am not well-versed with Western ones."

tag: SilverFlight , Flutterby , Lioness075 , Killerclown , Bolts

 

[Killerclown]

After the briefing ended, Jim immediately sprang forward towards the disguise department, completely refusing offers from Watch employees to do his makeup with a haughty," I do my own make-up thank you very much." As he started to prepare his disguise, Artemis came up to him and said," What are you planning this time, little brother?" Jim rolled his eyes and sighed when he heard her call him little brother. Artemis had always called Jim little brother from the very first time she started talking up until now, and it has always annoyed him. Jim turned around and said to the lioness," If you must know, i am making a arms dealer persona. His name shall be Alexandrov Robert Georgiy , international arms dealer. This disguise shall be simple and will need only a few modifications to my body." Jim then grinned as he reached for a electric razor and turned it on. Artemis gasped in horror as Jim started to shave his head and face, saying to him," You are shaving your head for this!" Jim just chuckled and said to her," Of course I am. This is a completely different person i am doing. Besides, Alexandrov used to be a Spetsnaz operative, so him being bald makes perfect sense." Artemis just stared disbelievingly at her eccentric partner as he continued to shave his head while humming the Soviet National Anthem.

Singapore

As Jim arrived in the hotel with the rest of the group, he looked like a completely different man, He was currently wearing a red sweater, blue jeans, and brown loafers. On his face was a pair of wire-rimmed glasses and a fake scar running down his cheek. His once gray hair and goatee was gone, leaving him totally and totally bald. The most notable difference however, was that he was in a wheelchair. Apparently, his new persona required a wheelchair, which was currently being pushed by a hotel attendant. At Jim's right was Artemis, who, besides having a few scars and other fake healed wounds riddled all over her body, looked completely unchanged. As she walked with Jim, she kept a close eye on the attendant, making sure he didn't try anything to harm her " little brother." When Jim made it to the table, the first thing he did was tip the attendant. As the attendant bowed and walked away, Jim over heard the group introducing the names of their alter-egos. Jim immediately grinned cockily and said to the group in a thick, Russian accent," Good evening, ladies and gentle men. My name is Alexandrov Robert Georgiy, infamous Russian arms dealer and former Spetsnaz operative. With me is Anastasia, my lioness companion and bodyguard. Unfortunately, she is mute due to a damned Triad trying to slit her throat." Artemis as Anastasia just nodded at the group.

 

[Flutterby]

Beth glanced up as Xiao approached, surprised to find that she had a hard time recognizing her, even with just a little hair dye and colored contacts. But then, she hadn't seen Xiao in a year, so maybe it was more that than the fact that she was in a disguise. She was working with Duik, who was also dyed- they made a striking, exotic pair.
Beth leaned over toward Manjano, scowling a little at the shifting of weight on her head. They had added extensions to her hair, increasing the length down to her mid back, and it made her feel like she had a bag of rocks attached to the back of her skull. AT least it the front was pinned back, creating a sleek half-up look that kept her face clear.
"Let's hope this new agent's disguise isn't even more conspicuous than he is on his own," She whispered, drawing a churring chuckle from Totus. The owl also snuck a glance at Manjano, glad Beth had another human to joke with. Jim, who she was talking about, was rolling toward table. He was indeed in a wheelchair, complete with an accent and a very specific backstory, and apparently their second mute on the team.
deer Lioness075
Beth cleared her throat, and added, "Mr. Georgiy, here, is the organizer of this specific operation, or co-organizer if you'll be joining us, and has brought us on to help with the inventory." She glanced at Jim, hoping his focus would shift to blending with the team before they left the hotel. These types of negotiations hadn't gone well for them in the past.
"Do we know the specs of what we're dealing with?" She asked Strong, and glancing for Jimbo, figuring she should be well-versed if she was going to be a weapons expert. It had sounded like the inventory wasn't something you could buy on the open market. Totus straightened up- he had been dozing a little, but the mention of the mission specifics perked him up.
Killerclown zCrookedz SilverFlight

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Manjano	Companion: Falarion
Manjano's Attire: Red-Brown Hair Dye, Dark Green Eye Contacts, Maroon Suit, Black Shirt, Black Dress Shoes	Falarion's Attire: Dark Brown Eye Contacts, Dark Orange Fur Dye, Black Fur Dye on Mane and Legs, Cream Fur Dye Underneath Snout and on Belly and Tail
Location: Singapore Hotel Lobby
Tagged: zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby (Beth and Totus), SilverFlight (Calista, Amber, Alec, and Duik), Bolts (BB and Barry), Killerclown (Jim and Artemis), Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto), deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu)

While a bit uncertain of how well things would play out for the team, Manjano definitely felt better knowing that Beth would be with him. The last time their team had attempted to be different people had not ended well. Several had been injured and Manjano knew Falarion had been seriously injured. He was not going to risk Falarion's life like that again. While he tried his best to keep these thoughts and feelings from Falarion, part of the reason for why Manjano was making him be a fake mute was because he feared Falarion being seriously injured again. The maned wolf had been so quiet and withdrawn after his serious injury had kept him from running and playing like he loved to do. Manjano swore to never let that happen to Falarion again.

Hearing Beth's joke, he grinned at her and then rolled his eyes. Muttering back, he replied, "Something tells me that an actor is going to try too hard for this." The man had already exhibited his ego and Manjano doubted he would bother to hide it anytime soon. The man's companion seemed calmer and more like someone that Manjano would not mind hanging around, but the man was just too off-putting for Manjano. Most people greatly disliked being away from their companions too long and Manjano could understand that feeling big time.

Manjano's thoughts were interrupted by a Russian accent and he glanced around the table to find the new agent in a wheelchair. His companion was riddled with fake scars and Manjano blinked at the slight absurdity of it. One or two scars for show, sure, but he had to wonder if the scarring was overkill. The man had not failed to prove Manjano's comment correct. Listening to the man describe himself and his companion, Manjano blinked yet again when he mentioned his companion being a mute after her throat got slashed. While Manjano was not much of a medical professional, he had to wonder if one's throat being slashed could lead to one being a mute. Where were the vocal cords in an animal's throat? Leaning back in his chair, Manjano dismissed his thoughts with a mental wave. It was up to Amber and Calista to decide if anything was off with their personas anyways. He would waste everyone's time if he were to question someone's persona, especially someone who was a stranger to him. He would most likely just start some pointless argument.

Meanwhile, Falarion had his muzzle on the table and looked like the epitome of boredom. He let out a muffled sigh and only perked his ears when the Jaguar actor began speaking. He sounded weird and his companion looked scary now instead of kind and wise as she had looked before. Not liking how everyone had to be so serious and scary, Falarion sighed again and distracted himself by people watching strangers in the lobby.

Content that the others could do the talking while he focused on simply protecting those on his team. If all hell broke loose, though, he would protect Falarion first, Beth second, and Totus third before protecting the actor and his companion. He did not know the man and his priorities were for those closest to him. Of course, if only the man or his companion were threatened then he would have to act to protect them first. He had to play his part, after all. He would ruin their ruse if he protected an associate over the 'boss'.

 

[zCrookedz]

After the meeting had adjurned and the plan had been set with Xiao, Simon went and found Jean Claude and Genevieve in Infiltration to get suited up. And suited up he and Jim were. With there goal to impersonate guards, the pair were both uplifted with suits that made them look "official and sharp" according to Cluade. Jumbos suit was more or a sleeveless vest with his leather holsters slung over each shoulder. His pants matched Simon's, a white pin striped pair of black pants that also matched Simon's suit. His suit had sleeves, but the buttons along the cuffs opened wider than they normally would. This was so Simon would "return it in tatters" according to Genevieve. After they were suited up and had gotten their equipment, they headed for the airport with the others.

The flight over had been a rough one for Simon. Not so much the physical flight itself, but the emotions of it had made the short flight feel excruciatingly long to him. Every now and then he would let his guard down and the memories of his first flight to Singapore would trickle in. Luckily, Jimbo was there to help staunch the trickle with his own support and comfort. The two spent a great deal of their flight going over what they had decided would be their persona. While admittedly, Simon was not the best actor in the world, after his trip to Beijing he had learned a great deal on the art of infiltration and acting. He had even sought out Jean Claude's help for some tips on how to make a persona feel more natural while on a mission. This helped a great deal, and by the end of the flight Simon and Jimbo were both satisfied with their identities. Granted, the pair were just going to impersonate a pair of Russian Guards for Xiao, so they would probably do very little talking.

Once they had arrived in the hotel with the others, Simon and Jimbo found their way to the others in the meeting room. They smiled to Xiao and made their way over to her as she explained her name. Simon folded his arms and cleared his throat.
"Ve are, Gregor and Luka. Very 'ail from matha Russia, to protect Mrs. Inna during ze weapons deal."
Jimbo gave Simon a exasperated glance and began rubbing his temples.
"Oi, vey.."

 

[SilverFlight]

When Alec heard the tiger's voice it was as if he snapped out of a trance.
"Yeah," he said quietly, finding Laohu's side and putting a hand on his huge head, more to draw strength than to give it.
"You look good Laohu." He said casually, and he meant it. "A name huh? Howabout...Leroy? That was the name of the stuffed toy tiger I had growing up. In that makeup you look just like him." Alec attempted one of his roguish smiles, but this one fell short of its usual charm.
Polite conversation aside, Alec's stomach was churning. He couldn't believe he had agreed to let Duik go on a mission without him...Maybe there was still time...
Alec shook his head, chastising himself.
"I need to learn to let go." He said softly, the tiger's sensitive ears would have been able to hear it, but no one else would as he approached the table to listen to what Amber had to say.
Duik leaned into Xiao's hand as she pet him. "Ready steady Freddy." He grinned, winking to let her know he had broken his character. "I mean uh, yes. Let's go...I'm Vasily. I guard Inna, the buyer, along with her employed guards. I also like Spanish telenovellas, but that is something I do not talk about in public."
deer

Amber nodded at Manjano, her expression betrayed confidence in his abilities. Calista gave him a thumbs up.
"There are a lot of foreigners working in Singapore," Amber explained to Leandra, "You'll fit right in."
"Besides," Alec added, "I think everyone but Xiao and Amber are going to stick out pretty well here."
"The personas might not be as relevant for the animal rescue team, but its always good to have one, just in case we need to deal with any paperwork." Calista finished.
Lioness075

Beth introduced herself and Calista nodded in approval. "You'll be one of the talkers then. Don't mess up."
Flutterby

Calista crossed her furry forelegs, looking up at BB with skepticism. "Keep it frosty bird. Limit the eccentrics while you're on duty."
Bolts

When it came to Duik and Xiao Calista rolled her eyes at the enthusiastic hyena, it was obvious he was trying to impress his tv star hero.
Jim passed the test without a critical remark, the equivalent of a glowing review from the civet.
Killerclown

When Simon spoke, introducing his persona and that of Jimbo both Amber and Calista just stared at him. Amber began massaging her temple while Calista pointed at him with a glare.
"You're demoted to a silent role. Don't open your mouth again."
zCrookedz


Amber regarded them all very seriously after they had made their introductions.
"The specs for the weapons are in this dossier." She said quietly. "The weapon you're selling is a high-grade pressure canon, capable of diverting a herd of elephants. The power source and the tech are all compact and state of the art. The Ferals seem to be going for big. This weapon should be one of the biggest. The actual tech is loaded into your vehicle. Jimbo is familiar with its operation, he'll handle the demonstration for you. It's your job to sell it as better than what any of the authentic dealers brought. The transfer won't actually be made at the rendez-vous, this is basically just a show and tell. If we win the contract we'll be given critical information on the higher-ranking officials in the Feral organization."
"As for the rescue," Calista added, "Alec has tracked down several possible holding facilities the animals could have been placed. Its basically a big shell game, you need to track them down before the Feral's get the papers through to move them out of Singapore. Once they're gone from the city, we will never be able to track them down. These buildings likely are used for your average, everyday things and likely the general staff may not even know the animals are there, they will likely be guarded by Feral agents however, so go in prepared for resistance. Your gear is in the van parked in lot 9 under the hotel."

Alec tried to shake his uneasy feeling, but it just wouldn't go away. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that it took him a long while to realize the hotel lobby was emptying. People who weren't headed outside were piled up by the window overlooking the beach.

"What's going on?" He asked, a little confused. He stopped a nearby server and repeated the question for her.
"Oh! The whales! They have come too close to shore and now many in the pod have beached themselves!"
Alec frowned. "A mass stranding?"
Without waiting he stood up and went to the window, biting his lip at the sight that greeted him:
At least a dozen baleen whales, each as long as a school bus were lying haphazardly along the strand. People were already rushing out with towels and buckets, to help keep the whales wet while they figured out what to do.
"This is awful." Alec said softly.
"Hey! That isn't our problem." Calista said firmly.
Alec turned to her, his face set. "We have to help." Then, he looked at the others, waiting to hear what they would say.
Bolts deer zCrookedz Lioness075 Flutterby Killerclown

 

[Bolts]

Just as everyone was coming together, BB heard the familiar voice of Calista. Though she was about to start another series of gibberish, her mouth closed shut with a light tap of the beak and her feathers ruffled. "Y-yes Sir! Er.. I mean Ma'am! I MEAN SIR MA'AM! WAIT NO I MEA-" Barry quickly but lightly pinched her beak closed. It was quite apparent the small bird was flustered after her call out. A light hushing sound emitted from Barry as he released BB. Shoving a thumb towards Amber, BB turned her attention to the finally bits of information that would be presented to the group. "Right, professional." She said in an embarrassed and equally disappointed tone. She settled on Barry's shoulder while he seemed to be taking notes. The directions were pretty clear for the rescue squad. Check out the potential holding areas and be on guard for enemies. It seemed the directions were already in order thanks to Alec so there was no need for information scouting other than where exactly, in said buildings, were they keeping the animals. With any hope, they would find a hefty portion of them right away since surly there was more than one. It wouldn't be wise for the enemy to keep all their eggs in one basket after all and they would most likely keep in contact between each point. Barry would keep that in mind if something like it should arise. As they finished up the meeting, Barry slipped BB a note. "Hey, it's alright to be excited. I get the feeling after a whole year. I know it's a bit tricky right now but if you remember enough, I would love to hear one of your famous 'Little Birdie stories' once we get back. If you focus enough, you may get to enhance your story as well!" He held it up for the small bird to read. Though he was calm and focusing on the information he still bent a smile hoping his companion could find a middle ground in her mindset.

"Oh BarBar! Thank you." She said cuddling into his neck. "It's a deal then, you're going to listen to the whoooooooole thing." She snickered. A mild alarm in the group rose as Alec rushed to the window. The two over heard the stranding of whales and the leader of the group having a sense of urgency. Barry stood up to check the scene out for himself. Though he didn't personally see beached whales, he did hear of them in the news from time to time while in California. It was definitely going to be a process to keep such a number alive till real help could come but it was still possible. The pair looked at one another and nodded. "Y-you know ma'am, though beached whales happen from time to time, but a large amount all at once doesn't seem too good. Maybe something is wrong over there for a reason?" She said nervously to Calista knowing she could very well be overstepping. Barry wrote quickly while BB spoke out. "I would like to help them. I just wanted to input that Feral could be behind it in order to attract attention somewhere else. That way, they can move large cargo with more ease. Though, I still morally would like to help the whales." He handed it to Alec to read first since it was his urgency that is causing the divide. "We are under Alec's lead after all. I am not much of a push whales kinda bird but I can totally find people with buckets to help out if you need!" It may not be the best start to a mission after a year, but with any luck Barry's thoughts may lead the pair out of a tight situation.
SilverFlight
(others near by) deer zCrookedz Lioness075 Flutterby Killerclown

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra Sinciato	Companion: Luness
Leandra's Attire: Dirty Blonde Hair Dye, Hazel Eye Contacts, Khaki Traveler's Jacket, Cream T-Shirt, Khaki Pants, Cream Tennis Shoes	Luness' Attire: Crimson Feather Dye, Dark Orange Eye Contacts
Location: Singapore Hotel Lobby
Tagged: deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu), SilverFlight (Amber, Calista, Alec, and Duik), zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby (Beth and Totus), Bolts (BB and Barry), Killerclown (Jim and Artemis), Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto)

Leandra grinned as her friends in turn introduced themselves. This mission seemed like it was going to be tons of fun, at least it was going to be fun for her team. The other team was likely to face danger, but Leandra felt confident that her brother and even Falarion could handle themselves now. The most curious of the group at the moment seemed to be Alec and Duik, who had originally been the only two to separate until Xiao Hui and Laohu followed suit. What was up with those two? It was the weirdest thing for them to do and Leandra was prepared to pester Alec about it the moment she got a chance.

Luness, overhearing Leandra's thoughts, flew back to Leandra's chair and landed on its back before saying softly, "Just try not to overwhelm the poor boy, dear. You and I both know how easily he gets flustered when even trying to discuss Xiao Hui."

Snickering at this, Leandra whispered, "But that's the best part, Lune!"

Before the two could discuss it any further, Jim and Artemis made their own entrance and Leandra had to resist the urge to let her jaw drop. The man was now in a wheelchair, as he had mentioned before, and Artemis was covered in fake scars. Trying to regain her composure, Leandra snorted when the man introduced himself. Maybe it was just Leandra being herself, but she could have sworn he was trying a little too hard. Alas, it seemed that Amber and Calista approved, so Leandra could not say anything about it. She hardly knew the man and knowing that he was a famous actor made her feel less inclined to want to talk to him. He just weirded her out a bit and he seemed to like talking about himself more than anything. Leandra was definitely not the type to like egotistical people. It seemed as though Falarion was very excited about meeting the actor, though, and Leandra wondered if he even cared how the man liked talking about himself.

As the weapons team got settled into their roles, Leandra could tell her brother was very content to be in a silent bodyguard role. He would certainly play it well, but Leandra worried about Falarion being able to stay quiet the whole time. He had bursts of energy all day long and he could very well get excited over someone's unique companion. Oh well. That was her brother's job to worry about Falarion and take care of him anyways.

Soon the last few teammates were trickling in and then Simon and Jimbo introduced themselves. Leandra could not resist dropping her jaw at Simon's horrible attempt to be a Russian. Just as Jimbo began rubbing his temples, Leandra burst into laughter, unable to contain herself.
"Oh my god, that...haha...that was terrible, Simon!"

Luness shook her head at Leandra's antics and nudged her mind, Dear, you are not entirely helping everyone get into their roles by laughing like this. Not all of them are comfortable here.

Snickering now, Leandra took a moment to regain her composure before she grinned and gave Simon a sarcastic thumbs-up.

Luness sighed at this, but did not say anything else.

As everyone was told if they were good to go or not, Leandra began to grow bored until around the same time as Alec, she noticed people were leaving the lobby in a slight rush. Something was going on and sure enough, a passing server mentioned beached whales.

Eyes wide, Leandra shot to her feet and Luness squawked in surprise before catching herself mid-fall. She flew up to Leandra's left shoulder, as Leandra ran for the nearest window. Seeing the stranded whales, Leandra furrowed her brows and pursed her lips before Calista spoke up about it not being their problem. Glancing at Alec now, Leandra knew he was feeling differently about that and so was she. But she had a realistic mindset intertwined in her from how she had grown up and Leandra asked quietly, "Alec, what could we even do for them?"

Pausing to look out the window again, Leandra added softly, "We could end up wasting a day or more trying to help these guys get back in the water. Then we'd miss our opportunity to save the unbonded animals that were kidnapped. We don't have enough time to save them all..." She trailed off after saying this and rubbed the back of her neck. The telltale twin sign of being nervous or stressed.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Manjano	Companion: Falarion
Manjano's Attire: Red-Brown Hair Dye, Dark Green Eye Contacts, Maroon Suit, Black Shirt, Black Dress Shoes	Falarion's Attire: Dark Brown Eye Contacts, Dark Orange Fur Dye, Black Fur Dye on Mane and Legs, Cream Fur Dye Underneath Snout and on Belly and Tail
Location: Singapore Hotel Lobby
Tagged: zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby (Beth and Totus), SilverFlight (Calista, Amber, Alec, and Duik), Bolts (BB and Barry), Killerclown (Jim and Artemis), Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto), deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu)

Manjano's thoughts were interrupted when Simon and Jimbo arrived and introduced themselves. Manjano felt the urge to copy Jimbo when he began rubbing his temples. Simon's attempt to be a Russian was horrific and would ruin their mission in a heartbeat. Unable to help himself, Manjano groaned and then rubbed one of his temples. Luckily, he was not the only one to realize how terrible it was and Simon was quickly demoted to a silent role. That would most likely save their team and mission, so Manjano had no complaints.

Luckily, his own persona was quickly approved and Manjano merely nodded in response to Amber and Calista. He was a bit surprised when he saw Amber's expression. Was that supposed to be the equivalent of being proud of someone? It was not an expression Manjano was entirely used to receiving and he felt a bit perplexed even as the others quickly moved on.

Absentmindedly, Manjano began rubbing Falarion's head and the maned wolf sighed again. Glancing down at him, Manjano thought, You do know you can't just drag your paws everywhere and act like a chastised child, right?

Belatedly, Manjano realized how terrible that might sound just as Falarion responded, I did not ask for a silent role here! I love talking and running around and being more energetic, but now I have to be silent thanks to you!

Surprised by how frustrated Falarion sounded, Manjano merely blinked at the maned wolf. It was highly unusual for the pair to ever fight and it was starting to feel like a fight to Manjano.

With a huff, Falarion leapt down from his seat at the table just as the whales were mentioned. Trotting away and towards a window, Falarion peered out and was able to just barely see the whales along the beach. Listening to everyone's input, Falarion remained silent. He had an aching feeling that there really was nothing they could do. None of them were strong enough to help the whales get back into the water. They would need some machinery and it would take time for them to set up the rescue operation. Time that they really did not have.

Manjano had remained at the table, though. While it was not pleasant to know whales were beached and likely dying, he knew there was nothing the team could do to help. It was just a waste of their time and one of the teams was supposed to be rescuing those kidnapped animals anyways.

 

[deer]

Xiao Hui & Laohu

With Alec’s hand on his head, Laohu walked with Alec in fluid motion as if they were bonded companions. Laohu wasn’t used to speaking out-loud with Xiao Hui, relying on their mind-link, but for the mission, perhaps he would be able to get used to speaking out-loud more often than using the mind link as a crutch most of the time. At the mention of Leroy and the sentiments behind the name, Laohu chuckled, nodding, “If it’s a name befitting of me, I will be honored to live up to the name." He softly said, his ears flicking back and forth before his eyes wandered to the mirror. A small inward sigh escaped his lips as he looked at his new orange coat and not natural snowy, white fur. However, Laohu's attention flicked back towards Alec's, hearing his lowly uttered words. But, before Laohu responded to Alec’s words, Laohu merely saddled up closely against Alec’s side for reassurance as they headed towards the others not wanting to speak of the matter in case others heard. Laohu made a mental note to speak about it later with him for two reasons. One, to get to know the male that seemed to have Xiao Hui's trust and two, to make sure their mission would be successful. “Maybe one of those headset Duik had could be useful.” Laohu muttered lowly, wondering if it could be use as an accompaniment comparison to a mindlink.

“Spanish telenovellas?” Xiao Hui whispered towards Duirk, amused before continuing, “We should perhaps watch one, one day. I don’t believe Leandra and I ever went towards that genre or had a mind to watch one.” But, as Duirk mentioned his cover name and addressed his and her position towards Agent Strong and Calista, Xiao Hui smiled, still keeping a gentle hand on Duirk’s head as she petted him. It was odd to not have her big cat by her side, but, she was still grateful to have Duirk by her side knowing he'd help her get her mind off of her thoughts. However, when Simon and Jimbo appeared, Xiao Hui bit back her laughter as she gave Simon and Jimbo a wink when they spoke, feigning their accent which was much too obvious.

Once everyone settled, Laohu found his eyes drifting around, watching in curiosity as he listened to his friends’ personas and their covers. Laohu couldn't help but take notice of both Luness and BB's toned down colored feathers, a matching threesome that all three of them had to settle with "earth-toned" colors rather than their usual, exotic and colorful looks. But, what made Laohu furrow his brows even more was Agent Heartland's disguise of her having to hide her natural blue eyes and to dye her hair the color of Hui's own natural hair color. Nevertheless, deciding to keep his mouth shut of the appearance changes in his friends, Laohu could only inwardly sigh as he looked towards Leandra, feeling satisfied to know he would be on the same mission with her. It would help to have her on the team, especially if Alec hadn't been like himself since Duik's surprise announcement of separation. With a glance towards BB and Barry, Laohu felt at peace, seeing that it was team of people he knew well and got along with. Just like old times with a small change. His lifelong partner wasn't with him.

Xiao Hui, on the other hand, couldn't help but bring a small smile to her lips as she looked over at Agent Heartland, noticing the extra hair length, empathizing with her in regards to the heavy weight on her head. She could only bite back her distaste as her nose scrunched up in dislike, slightly remembering the last time she had to wear a traditional Chinese hair piece and hair style that made her feel like a bobble head. But, as Xiao Hui's eyes landed on Manjano and Leandra, Xiao Hui bit her lips at the difference in the twins. They could really pull it off well, however, they looked so different than how they usually were, in fact, everyone did. It never ceased to amaze her how well the make-up and disguise department worked.

Both Laohu and Xiao Hui made mental notes to call all of them by their cover names. However, when it came to Jim and Artemis, Laohu flinched at the mention of the Triads. They weren't a group to be trifled with nor should their names be effortlessly slipped out of someone's tongue that didn't belong to the group. A tongue no more. Laohu furrowed his brows a small growl escaping his lips as he looked towards "Alexandrov" and "Anastasia" glancing at them. Laohu had been impressed, seeing how well-disguised both of them were but wondered what Xiao Hui thought of their story. He didn't approve of the idea of mentioning the Triads. "Are you, Alexandrov," Laohu began, addressing the older male, "in a rivalry with Inna's side?" He questioned both him and Inna seeing that the both have decided to use a Russian ruse.

Xiao Hui, on the other hand, kept quiet, refusing to slip up as she didn't pay any mind to hearing the male speak about the Triad so freely in conversation. If she wanted to keep her cover, it was best to stay in role than allow her personal thoughts and feelings to get in the way. She slowly looked on over towards Laohu before briefly looking between "Alexandrov" and "Anastasia". "Should you even question it?" Xiao Hui rose her voice, her tone slipping into a Russian accent as she clicked her tongue, shaking her head as a slight scoff escaped her lips. Flipping her hair slightly to the side, Xiao Hui could only fold her arms, muttering under her breath towards Duirk. "Goodness."

Not a moment sooner, Agent Strong and Calista approved of the roles one-by-one. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when most of her teammates thought of the idea to have a dealer and then a few guards as backup than everyone individually being separate arms dealer. Xiao Hui looked towards Agent Heartland and Agent Sinciato with a slight nod before Xiao Hui grinned at Simon and Jimbo as she mouthed, "It's alright, you two." At that, she winked.

As Agent Strong and Calista spoke in details about the weapons specs and the rescue mission, Xiao Hui furrowed her brows, listening carefully to the instructions. Canons. It would be the first time canons were mentioned directly with her. It wasn't usually traded, done before, but rare. On the other hand, Laohu nodded at hearing the animal rescue mission. He hoped they would be able to check each facilities in a timely manner. There has to be a way going in and out without dividing and conquering. Those, to him, never seemed to be the best plans.

Soon, the lobby started clearing out and Xiao Hui wondered in confusion at what was happening. Laohu trotted over to where Alec was headed and his eyes widened. The whales had come too close to shore. Knitting his brows together, Laohu could only bob his head in agreement with Alec. They needed to help them. There had to be a way to do so without causing attention that they were Watch agents, right? Xiao Hui looked between Laohu and Alec taking note that it would be hard to deny their want to help save the whales. However, hearing Barry and BB's side, Xiao Hui found herself agreeing with them. It could be a misdirection, a way to bring attention towards the whales to easily move cargo. Laohu's eyes stared into Xiao Hui's as he heard all of her thoughts, nodding in agreement with her.

"I agree with Barry and BB. There has to be more to it than just the surface. Is there a way to safely bring them back to sea?' Xiao Hui started, looking towards Agent Strong and Calista. "It may not be our problem now, but we can't turn a blind eye even if this is a misdirection." With a thought in mind, Xiao Hui tapped her chin, "If the Ferals are behind it, perhaps this can be used to our advantage. There has to be a warehouse somewhere along the beach, couldn't there be? There can be evidence stored around that will not only help us but the animal rescue team, wouldn't it?"

"It may sound like speculation and a wild goose chase, but, even if it isn't the case, as part of the animal rescue team, we shouldn't leave any stones unturned. We are the rescue team." Laohu emphasized before continuing, "if the crowd is already trying to help the whales, we just need someone with enough expertise to help guide and lead them." Laohu stated, looking towards Alec before his eyes landed on Leandra and Luness, hoping to change their mind. "They just need a little direction and push. Are we allowed to borrow some of the Watch's equipment that is under the radar?"

tags: SilverFlight , Lioness075 , zCrookedz , Bolts , Killerclown , Flutterby

 

[zCrookedz]

Simon's overly proud grin slowly shrank until it was an expressionless concentration as Callista told him not to speak again. He had thought his accent was perfect, after all he had watched all of the best movies with Russian characters in them; Rocky IV, Air Force One, Golden Eye, and of course Rambo First Blood. Simon huffed in protest, and began to open hi mouth to speak again. Sensing his partners intent on putting Callista in her place with his "accent" once again. Jimbo raised a fist and punched Simon in the thigh with a pretty substantial amount of force. The charlie horse that envloped Simons leg sent him sprawling to the floor while the lumbering Gorilla hovered over him chuckling to himself.
"I agree with Callista. No more talking unless spoken to. Even then, short words. Like we practiced on the plane. Let Xiao and Duik do the talking."
After removing himself from the ground, Simon and Jimbo listened to Amber and Callista go over the briefing. When they spoke about the canon that they were going to be "selling" Jimbo stiffened at the thought of being able to show off the weapon. The pair had met with Nigel before leaving who had finally unveiled the weapon to Jimbo. It was quite the piece of work and ever since it was all the ape could do not to think about it.

Simon and Jimbo continued to watch and listen as Callista and Amber finished giving them the last of the details for the mission. As the briefing began to draw to a close, Jimbo glanced around and began to notice like many of the others that the hotel was beginning to empty rather quickly. He nudged Simon in the hip causing him to look down at Jimbo and then around them.
"What's going on?"
Simon's eyes caught on the server who stopped before Alec and he over heard him tell Alec of the beached whales. Simon's bushy brows furrowed and he to turned towards the window. Strolling over with a slight haste, Simon and Jimbo peered out the window down towards the beach below. Sure enough, a small pod of whales had gotten very close to the sore line, and several of them were now laying on the beach. Simon's jaw clenched and he pulled himself away from the window to rejoin the others. He over heard many of them wanting to go help, which he felt was absolutly nessicary as well.

Feeling his partners call to action, Jimbo grabbed Simon by the wrist to pull both his attention and any of the others around them as well.
"Hold on one second. Leandra has a good point, we could end up wasting a lot of time out there helping those creatures. Whats more, those of us who are to be involved with the arms dealing may not want to pull to much attention to ourselves. If we are seen by any one involved in the arms deal doing something like this, it may blow our cover for the whole mission."
Jimbo released Simon's wrist, who ran his hand through his hair in frustration as he glanced from Amber, to Alec, and then to the window again. He glanced miserably back at the window and then to Jimbo.
"Jim, we gotta do something."
Jimbo sighed and then overheard Laohu's idea for using Watch Tech to help the whales. Jimbo began to shake his head in frustration.
"The only "under the table" tech we brought was the canon. We might be able to use it underwater to fire blasts of water at the whales to keep them from drying out, but they still need to be moved. You can't really drag or push them without hurting them. What you really want to do....is lift....them......!!!

Jimbo's eyes widened at the end of his sentence and he reached over and popped Simon in the same place he had given him the charlie horse a few moments ago. Simon yelped and dropped to one knee again, his eyes furious with Jimbo. But Jimbo wasn't paying attention to Simon's glare. He reached for his collar and pulled the back of the jacket out a little so to reveal Simon's bare neck and back. Under his white botton up shirt, was a black mesh that stretched across Simon's torso as far as could be seen. Jimbo smilled and took a step back from SImon.
"Simon, gimmie your SHIRT!"
Simon's brow furrowed even more into a inquisitive look.
"Jim, you have a shirt. What do you need mine for?"
Jim rolled his eyes and huffed in exasperation.
"Not your shirt shirt. Your SHIRT. The SHIRT Nigel gave you after we got back from Hong Kong. What did he call it? The Strength Heightening and Intensifying Reaction Torso. S.H.I.R.T!

Simon had his jacket off and was working on the under shirt before Jim had finished. As he unbuttoned the white collar shirt, Simon revealed a slightly padded black material that covered his muscular frame. It had what appeared to be circuitry that wrapped around every single one of the major muscles built into the tight nano fabric. Simon gestured to his back, and Jimbo went behind him and undid the zipper that ran the length of the spine. Jimbo peered over Simon's shoulder to the group and then landed on AMber and Callista.
"After Hong Kong, Nigel began woking on this thing to help enhance operative's strength during situation where they might be crushed by a wall of ice. Simon and I have been calibrating it so Nigel can get numbers off of it, but its a functioning prototype. It enhances the wears upper body strength 10x's. Since I'm undoubtedly the strongest one in the group, if I wear it, I should be able to help lift the whales back to the water where they can swim away. But while I am working on one whale, someone can be using the canon to keep the other whales wet. But it should be someone from the arms dealing team. That way we don't build to much suspicion."
As he finished, Jimbo felt the zipper climbing up his spine slowly as to not catch hairs, waiting for Amber and Callista's approval.

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