Multiple Settings Group of immortals (inspired by TOG) - rp thread

[__Space__]

(the RP thread)

 

[LadyOfStars]

Coast of Alaska...


The steady beating of the helicopter's blades were the only constant as their transport carried them away from their frosty island and out to the middle of the ocean. There amongst the vast blue, a single speck of black could be seen rising and falling on the waves. it sat still, engines dead and the entire ship dark on the exterior. "We're here." The pilot announced, her voice filtering into the headsets of the passengers whom she was completely unfamiliar with. As far she she knew, they were wealthy citizens pay for a tour of a ship and she was just the chauffer. The helicopter kicked up dust as it hovered over the deck of the ship, slowly descending onto the black pad. Standing several feet away from the helicopter as it landed, was someone the group would be very familiar with, their liaison, Robert Singer.

Dressed in a proper suit , the older man had gone grey and his weight had fluctuated over the years that the group has worked with him. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching the blades of the chopper come to a stop and the doors of the vehicle slide open. First person off was Alex, as always, and Robert greeted her with a nod and a firm handshake. "Sorry about the detour through, Alaska, but you know the importance of secrecy better than anyone." He looked to the rest of the group as they climbed out the helicopter and gave them all a casual wave of his hand. "Let's get inside before someone picks us up on a satellite." He said with a smirk. "We've got a lot to talk about." His smile faded as soon as he said that and he lead the team down into the ship's interior where only the most necessary of crew members were present. Everyone kept their eyes down and focused on their tasks, choosing to avoid drawing Robert's ire for a chance to look at some civilians. There was a lot to talk about, but they had to do it somewhere that they wouldn't be interrupted or easily overheard. "This is us. Watch your step." He raised his leg and stepped over the high threshold of the room and then letting everyone else in before he closed the door.

At the end of the table, where Robert usually sat, were a stack of files with the words classified stamped on the outside of them. "How've you all been? I haven't seen you lot in....a few weeks?" Robert seated himself at the head of the table, unbuttoning his jacket which would have been too tight otherwise. "I've gained a few pounds...if you couldn't tell. Wife doesn't like it, but then again...she doesn't like that I disappear for weeks at a time and she can't get in contact with me...so I'll let her hate my weight."

Sincere tilled his head in confusion, annoyed and slightly insulted that Robert was speaking to them about him and his wife's personal affairs. His eyes slowly wandered around the room, landing on Alex as if asking for permission to engage, but he went ahead with it anyway. "I thought we were here for a mission briefing, not a chance to catch up with...old friends?" He used the word loosely as he looked at Robert, viewing the man more as a means to an ends rather than a friend. "If there is no mission, I could be on my way back to Egypt right now, or on a beach anywhere in the world."

Robert cleared his throat and loosened his tie. Years of working with this group and he still had trouble with some of the personalities in it. He was supposed to be their handler and keep them in line, but in truth he was glad to keep his life after every interactions with them. Especially after having seen what they were capable of. "Anyone else wanna speak?" Robert said, gesturing to the rest of the group and choosing to ignore, Sincere.

BuggaBoo __Space__ kevin frecckkles

 

[__Space__]

The door to the helicopter slid open, and Alex stepped out first, as she always did, before pushing her sunglasses back onto her head and walking up to Robert Singer. She greeted him with a nod - more of a gesture of politeness rather than respect - and returned his firm handshake. She did a quick silent headcount of the team before Robert’s voice pulled her back into the conversation. “We’ve got a lot to talk about,” he said, and his smile faded a bit too suddenly - and it could’ve been innocent, of course. But the government - power - dealt lies and masks, and the Spartan knew better than to trust one. Not after Rome.

Her eyes flicked subtly sideways towards her nearest team member and found Cookie. She sent a quick look - a silent question whether she noticed it too, a silent request to keep her attention up - before glancing back at the man ahead of them. Perhaps it was the long, blue distance between them and land, or the fact that they weren’t exactly on ally territory, but her overprotectiveness of the team lit up. Better over-cautious than sorry, or however the saying went.

Stepping over the high threshold, she sat near the head of the table where their liaison was, subconsciously putting herself between him and her team. She cast a quick glance towards the files stacked near him as he talked, eyes tracing over the ‘classified’ stamp, before quickly snapping back to Robert when the man spoke again.

Feeling Sincere’s eyes on her, she sent him a small shrug, knowing well that he wasn’t going to wait for her permission, and then fought off the urge to curl her lips in amusement when she heard her friend chide the official. When Robert spoke once again, Alexandra tilted her head slightly to the side as well, mirroring Sincere’s move - perhaps it was something she picked up from him over the ages, or vice versa - her left eyebrow raising ever so slightly. Annoyance bristled at the back of her mind. She wasn’t fond of Singer wasting their time with small talk, much less so of him disregarding Sincere so openly. Her expression was stoic, because if she’s learned anything over the years it was self-control, but a dangerous flame sparked in her blue eyes.

“As riveting as your marital problems are, Sincere is right,” Alexandra spoke, sarcasm coating her words. “We’re not here to discuss our personal lives and we have better things to do than listen to stories about yours,” she added, her tone almost chastising. For someone immortal, she had little to no patience for bullshit. This was their job, a mission, and missions held no place for being friends with government liaisons, small talk or any such nonsense.

The man reached up to his tie, only to remember that it was already loosened. Meetings with the Old Guard were never particularly pleasant, nor was the reminder of how much older and experienced they were than him, despite looking a few decades younger. Those meetings never could be, really. Even on a ship belonging to the government, it was him trapped in the room with them, not the other way around. A polite, unbothered mask was glued to his face as he shifted in his seat instead, the material suddenly less comfortable than a moment ago.

“What do you want from us now, Robert?” Alex asked, her eyes flicking pointedly to the stack of classified files besides him.

“Right,” he nodded, as if settling his mind back on the job. “I called you here for a mission briefing, as you might’ve guessed.” He reached up to the classified files, and slid them slightly closer to himself. “But before we move onto that, I wanted to applaud you on your last,” he continued. “I trust you haven’t ran into any trouble during it?”

kevin BuggaBoo frecckkles LadyOfStars

 

[frecckkles]

scroll

The Newbie

RUNE

mood

Jetlagged

tags

LadyOfStars
__Space__
kevin
BuggaBoo

They grimaced as they exited the helicopter, the wind from the ocean blowing their hair wildly. They were usually one of the last ones off, letting the others take the brunt of greeting the liaison. The ship they were on stood huge, the ocean bordering every side. It was enough to give them chills, but then again that could be from the wind.

They followed the group, listening intently as Robert talked about...useless stuff. Usually, that's how it goes though, they learned. The group meets up and then they get bombarded with information whether it pertained to them or not. They were confused when Alex even agreed that she found Robert's marriage issues interesting, are they just out of the loop here? Is it normal to find interest in that kind of information? They never truly cared about things like that, then again that requires actually talking to people to even hear about it.

Rather than watch Robert fiddle with his tie for the umpteenth time, they let their eyes wander. The room they were in was a decent size, with a wooden table taking up most of the space. Was that cherry wood? Interesting choice of wood for a table, they mused. It looks to be a conference room, which made sense since they were... well in a conference of sorts. Several black desk chairs sat idly on each side of the desk, with one at the very front - Robert sitting in that one himself. They took a chair towards the back, not really bothering to look at the others if they were. Their legs ached from the helicopter ride, still not used to being cooped up in places for a period of time. They've only been on the team for about a year, but adapting seemed to be harder than anything else.

The files on the desk were the next thing to hold Rune's interest. Standard manila with the classic 'CLASSIFIED' to boot. Each one seemed to have a good amount of papers within them, obviously something to do with their next mission. “I trust you haven’t ran into any trouble during it?” Robert's voice filled their ears, almost grating. His voice was a bit more nasally than what they're used to, making it kind of distracting. What were they talking about? Oh right, the last mission.

The last mission went by without a hitch, at least they think it did. It was hard to read how their companions felt about it, usually one of them finding an issue with every mission they go on. They didn't even particularly like the work they did, but Rune would rather be here then back in their hut wasting away for another two hundred years. They almost wanted to open their mouth and ask to get on with this. Their mouth stayed close though, not wanting to step out of place. They couldn't really gauge where they stood on the team, nor did they really believe they had much sway over most situations.

"I mean - well - obviously it was a success if you guys are standing in front of me." Robert continued, a pained smile on his face. Rune let a soft smile grace their lips, the nervousness of their 'boss' rolling off him in waves. "And none of you seemed to have died, but it's just a precaution to ask how it went." Man, he's doing a lot of digging, they thought, but then they heard their own voice saying it out loud.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[BuggaBoo]

---

---

~ "Cookie" / Niki ~ ​

---

Spoiler: In the Helicopter

The sound and vibration of the whirling blades lulled her as always.

And oh, but the soothing, slow rhythmic sound of the low frequency music from her earbuds. And as always, she felt comforted by that pulsating meditative thrum. That and her earbuds would help to block out a tirade or two from the big man beside her. Augustus. Lids dipped momentarily, before snapping open with a start. Perhaps the big man would chastise her for not being more alert like a mother would to a lazy daughter. But it mattered not for despite how easy it was to set off that hair trigger temper of his, she could just as easily tune him out. Lengthy, muscular arms reached and stretched then slowly chestnut haired head lowered back onto the lumpy potato that posed as a head rest. How many centuries ago was it when she finally stopped barking back at him to the point of nearly coming to blows? Too many wasted years arguing. It was better to just walk away. A sigh before turning her cheek.

A slow blink from long-lashed lids. Her vision blurred then hazel eyes focussed once more on the expressive yet intent hidden eyes of the svelte man who sat across from her. Sincere. The lushness of his lashes perhaps challenged her own, she surmised, but she would never let him know it. Eye contact. On cue the pair winked at one another. Oh how she hated getting caught staring at him. It just fuelled that complex of his that much more. A heartbeat longer and she blinked. Of course that glint in his silvery eyes... gloating that he won that round of 'Staredown.' A smirk from his lips, a sigh from hers. But of course her own lips could not help but hint at a smile before she turned a fine tan cheek from him.

Another slow blink then hazel eyes slid over to trace the mouth movement of the pouty-lipped woman sitting beside Sincere. Slighter in stature yet much larger than life she was. Alexandra. Her presence was quite something else was it not? Fiery. Undeniable. Ancient. Once more she found her own lips could not help but pull up in a smile; she admired the mannerisms of their leader. The Spartan slowly but surely made sure she dominated the argument or whatever animated conversation transpired between she and her most trusted and best loved confidant. Impressive in so many ways... oh and to the ends of the earth would she go should those pouty-lips give such directives... but then again... she would just as soon barely restrain that desire to just knockout punch those lips and do just whatever the hell she pleased--

--without looking at her, and still mid conversation, Alexandra sent subtle signals to her; basically asking 'anything you notice/irregular/unsafe?' An elbow scratched before stroking her own forearm in reply; 'unconfirmed; keeping eyes open.' Dammit. Alexandra's unspoken connection with her was just like... The smile faded. Hazel eyes lowered. A momentary look inward and soon enough that wistful mist swept across her eyes. Yes, Alexandra was much too much like her beloved twin.

So yeah, if the Spartan ever caught a rightcross across the face, it would be warranted.

Suddenly the Mayan's eyes popped wide and all soft lulling sleepiness in the helo cabin was lost from her. Instantly she turned off the music playing in her buds. The big woman then reached into her pack and was at the window, pressing into the newest member of Immortals. Rune. Binoculars held tightly to her eyes, she adjusted and as soon as the implement focussed, she let out a gasp of happy surprise. With her other hand, she reached for the observant, yet standoffish, new face.

"Here. Girl, look at this..." even over comms it was quite noticeable; Cookie's smokey sounding voice was not normally this animated with joy. Was that a hint of a giggle? Regardless, she passed the binoculars to Rune and directed her vision to the dark images in the distance breaching, leaping in the current of the blue oceanic expanse. "Orcas. They are so beautiful... majestic, no? It is a good omen, Unita... it is..."

Yes, Cookie was not that warm and welcoming with the newest member, however, she was coming around after seeing the Immortal's skill and tenacity in the field. Especially in the wilds outside civilization where both she and Rune found a common love and expertise. Others may have noticed that ever since the last job, Cookie had called Rune 'Unita' several times. It was a term of endearment. It was a play on Rune's name without the 'R' and the Spanish for one; "Una." The -ita modifier effectively translated the nick name as 'little one.'

And with that, her imposing form leaned back and found position once more, resting her head on the lumpy potato headrest. And as always the sound of the whirling blades lulled the big once-Mayan-royal, the presence of her beloved Immortal family blanketing her, and her undying trust bestowed upon each of them giving her peace of mind to fall sound asleep.

---

She dreamt.

A pod of Orcas had surrounded her and invited her to swim with them in the ocean. But how could she? She could not hold her breath like they nor swim so fast. Her hand caught the huge, black dorsal of one and away they went, descending deep into ocean blue. She was enthralled, overjoyed and most of all welcomed. She felt like she belonged. And it was true because she saw outside herself and saw that her body was now giant, sleek, black and white; she was Orca now, just like them. But what was that beneath them? What was that dark, dark shape that seemed to grow with each passing second as they swam? No. It was not growing... It was--

She woke.

Hazel eyes focussed instantly. They were about to land on a gigantic ocean vessel. It looked military but of course it had no badging.

Without emotion the pilot stated, "We're here."

Without realizing it, Cookie whispered out loud for no apparent reason, "And we're not Orcas..."

---​

Onto an empty chair to her left she tossed her full length leather trench coat. A sigh before taking a seat beside it. She hated these conference rooms, especially when she knew that she would not be able to spot all the hidden cameras. Hell, she knew for a fact that there would be cameras underneath the tables. Of course, they would be there to check for any sudden movements for hidden weapons or any other untoward actions. But still she would never wear a skirt in such rooms and chose to wear black khakis today. Well, perhaps Sincere would welcome such oggling as worship, but the thought of letting pervie techs get off on staring at her crotch felt too wormy and slimy.

She did however have too many buttons undone on her dark blouse, allowing the tops of her orange bra to peek out anytime she moved. Oh and yes, there was a generous amount of cleavage spilling out too. The mole on her left breast could most definitely give one an honest reason to stare if only to wonder what that thing was doing there. Hypocritical, yes, however it was intentional. Wandering eyes of their liason could be enough to throw him off a bit and expose more 'tells' when he spoke. That and she did not tell her team that she intended to 'shine her headlights' so to speak. One, their genuine surprise would lower his suspicion that anything was up. And two, the woman can be unpredictable; 'Cookie does as Cookie does' afterall.

The team had preset seating arrangements for certain situations and so the big woman took her place opposite of Alex and just inside her peripheral vision. The look given earlier by the Spartan to the Mayan had been the cue and Cookie signalled what set they would be seated. The scarlet flower behind her ear she removed and readjusted; the signal that she was ready to 'Regard.'

Cookie loved animals and over a millenium she learned about unspoken language since animals could not speak. And that knowledge helped her 'whisper' to them and communicate on a less than human scale but one greater than most humans would recognize. 'Regarding' was the applicable skill that came of it. When she interacted with humans she was able now to recognize cues in speech, facial expressions and body language.

---​

The first thing she noted was how the files were dead in the open. This was a first. Normally he would open with more of a relaxed tone and ease into the mission. In essence, Cookie noticed Singer treated the team of Immortals the way a trainer would treat wild animals; they would gauge their hostility first yet respect the threat the animals posed. But today... Cookie saw what Alex saw; he was a little too eager and forward with getting this mission pushed on the team.

Right out of the gate Singer's eyes were 'caught in her headlights' so to speak. Cookie noted that his eyes 'noticed her mole' as soon as he talked about his marital situation. His voice and body movements tried to play off the underlying distress; something truly wrong with his marriage perhaps? She pretended to not notice that he made two more small glances at her. Once at the orange material of her bra and the other a moment longer than the last on 'the mountain range view' when both Sincere and Alex piped up regarding his small talk. The gambit was working; he was being thrown off his game.

The middle-aged man shifted in his seat uncomfortably and afforded another glance at Cookie's chest. Was this man finding the sight of her boobs as some kind of comforting place to turn his attentions to? Ewwww...!

"We on a bigger boat, Señor Singer... moving up?" the big woman smirked yet hazel eyes held no humour. Her r's were rolling too; one sign to let the others know that something was up, "...orrrrr just compensating...?"

Without breaking eye contact, she pulled at her lapels to make the sight of her chest at least a bit more modest. The barb was not meant to be humourous. It was meant to get a reaction to confirm marital problems and use them as a talking point. But that was not what she discovered. Singer recoiled a bit when she said 'moving up.' As if she hit on something she should not know about. Is this why he was pushing to get this job done without placating them first?

“What do you want from us now, Robert?”

Alex's question allowed him a moment to recover his stoic facade. Cookie pressed her tack no further. She wanted to see where this went. And instantly there was that crack in his voice when he asked about any incident on their last mission. Why in the actual eff in the face would he ask that? They were the Immortals, how dare he even think that they would have any single iota of--

Trust. He said 'trust.'

Normally his comment was a statement rather than a question; I see you had no problems dispatching what was required of you or something to that effect. Never a question. And the word choice this time; Trust. Dammit. Cookie was mentally punching herself in the face for 'pulling the drapes on the view' too soon. If that view was a resting place of comfort, she could have said something to prod at him regarding his question. Why would he rile them up. He knew that for a fact such a question would be a slap especially to Cookie--

Especially to me... Just who the hell are you hiding your nervousness from, Señor? Us here or...

Hazel eyes shot into his bue ones and instantly he looked away and resumed his normal accolade of their past mission success. If he was trying to hint something to her, he was either too nervous or too unskilled to do so under the watchful hidden electronic eyes and ears dotted throughout this room.

Time to redirect. She would watch as another would prod.

---​

One hand reached over and scratched her forearm then she leaned forward, elbow resting now on the cherry wood tabletop. As Singer droned on about protocols and questions, she rested her chin in her palm, fingers drumming away on her cheek.

Signal. Right hand. Right side of face. Rune was up.

"Man, he's doing a lot of digging..." said the blonde tipped new face.

Whether or not they meant it to sound like a slip up mattered not. It was effective. Unita had literally called him out and he continued on, ignoring them. But Cookie saw it. The tips of his ears brightened pink that much more. He was embarrased for getting called out. Or ashamed...?

Their handler's pale hand patted a bit too aggressively upon the classified files. "I only ask to see if you had anything else to add to your reports because..."

The man took a moment to find composure. Or courage...?

"...that last job you did... I'm afraid it's incomplete. There is a secondary component to it that must be executed."

With his last 3 words he patted the manila folders, each time more forcefully. There was never a 'Sequel' to any job they had done for the US government in all the years the Immortals had exchange service for secrecy. And never before had Singer acted so out of character before. Or out of control...?

She could feel Alex's presence, pressing her, expectant for a status report. Cookie clenched her jaw then signalled. She scratched her elbow before stroking along the length of her forearm; status unconfirmed.

Was someone handling their handler?

Cookies mind had a momentary flash, recalling the dream during her nap. What was that dark, dark shape that seemed to grow with each passing second as they swam?

No. It was not growing.

It was getting closer.

---

---

 

[kevin]

Augustus stepped out of the helicopter, eyes scanning the area for any potential dangers. He brushed his hair back with his hand and cleared his throat. The wind from the helicopter blades was blowing his hair everywhere and to be frank, it was pissing him off. He did his greetings and then followed the rest inside. He wasn't too happy to be here because he thinks it is unnecessary but for the group, he's doing it. Augustus grabbed a chair and sat, waiting for someone to speak. He noticed the manilla folders Singer had and that caught his attention. Whatever is inside those folders would be the reason why they are here.

He sat and listened to what the others said to Singer and what he had to say back. Trust? What the hell does that mean? Augustus leaned back in his chair as he continued to listen to Niki and Singer. Observing her facial expressions and tone of voice, Augustus knew something had to be up. He wasn't asking for trust, he was stating it. And he knew that Singer was hiding something from the group. He watched as Singer's ears turned red when Rune called him out.

By now, Augustus was so deep into this conversation he hadn't noticed himself about to flip his chair. He adjusted himself in his seat before speaking, "So Singer, we can tell there is something you aren't telling us. It's rather tiring and boring to sit here and play this mental guessing game of what fucked up bullshit you aren't telling us." Augustus leaned back in his chair as he let out a shaky breath. He was happy to be protected by the government but he did not like being called in for meetings or conferences that didn't involve the team going on a mission. At any given time, the tables could turn and the group could be locked up. The government is fucked and corrupt and that's what was slowly starting to anger Augustus.

Trust was one thing that Augustus didn't just hand out to anyone. What would have come of Augustus if he just trusted everyone who asked for it? He'd get nowhere in life. But now, this is interesting. He wanted to know what was inside those folders that Singer had aggressively hit. If it was something good then he wanted it. "Singer, I think you should go ahead and open those folders up for us. Stop making us wait because, to be frank, I'm rather bored here and you lying to us is only making me angry.", Augustus locked eyes with Singer as he gave him a death stare. His stare made Singer freeze up because it was like communicating threats without having to speak.

After a few silent and very awkward seconds of staring into Singer's eyes who had now turned even paler than he already was, he finally grabbed the stack of folders and started fiddling with the corner of it. Augustus eyeballed the folders as he waited for the man to either speak or just open the folders.

"As I mentioned earlier...", he cleared his throat, "I need trust from you all. For me to open these folders and show you what's inside is going to take me a lot of courage. Getting your trust is what would help me."

Augustus started clenching his jaw whilst his hands shook. He was now fairly mad with the man because he just kept on dragging and dragging the situation. All he had to do was open the fucking folder and everything would be just fine. Augustus rolled his eyes and exhaled slowly.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Robert Singer - Government Liaison & Handler

Robert could hear the disdain that was growing in the group's voices and for some of them it was clearly written across their faces as well. They wanted answers and he was scared to deny them any longer. "We messed up." He said as he raised his hands in a surrendering fashion. "And by we...I mean my team." He grabbed the first folder, flipped it opened, and then scattered the contents across the table for them to see. Several dozen photos were laid bare for the group to analyze.

Sincere was first to reach out, grabbing hold of a photo where an emblem was clearly displayed on the side of a ship. "These are the same guys that were involved in the shipping crater fiasco. We just handled them." The old Egyptian furrowed his brow, throwing the image back down on the table and folding his arms across his chest. "How are they back up and running so quickly? We sunk their supplies."

Singer inhaled a deep breath, filling his lungs with the courage to speak. "Well...we didn't secure the supplies." Robert explained. defeat heavy in his as he pushed his glasses back on his nose. "The higher-ups thought that it would be impossible for them to salvage anything from the encounter, but satellite surveillance shows that we were wrong." Singer leaned back in his seat and rubbed the back of his head. His eyes slowly trailed to Alex, knowing that she would be the only one who could keep the group tame after hearing such news. "If their goal is the same as before; to make landfall in the country somewhere, then they'll do a lot of damage with those weapons. We're sending you all back out to finish the job." His hand trailed down from his head to his shallow beard and he slowly rubbed his chin.

Sincere pursed his lips and leaned back in his chair. He looked to Alex and scratched at the back of his ear, signaling that he believed Robert to be lying. He then dragged his hand across his throat, communicating that they shouldn't act yet and should wait. "We've done our work this time and we think they're going to try to make land fall in Mexico, just south of the border where we can't officially get to them and they'll be able to arm some very dangerous groups. So we need you all to intercept them and a team will arrive to take the cargo off your hands before they ever make it to Mexico. " Robert looked around the room, his eyes trailing over the faces present.

 

[__Space__]

Repeating the word 'trust', blushing a bright pink at Rune's comment, his nervous movements... Singer was either an absolutely terrible liar, or was trying to come off as one.

Status unconfirmed - Alexandra picked up the report from Cookie easily, and while it did nothing to answer any of the questions jumping around in her mind, it did support her assumption that something was up. So, keeping her eyes on Singer, she let the rest of the team take over with their (less than subtle) comments. The gesture itself gave her a warm self of familiarity. As responsible as she felt for the team, it was... nice to have people by her side, ready to step in when she faltered, to be able to communicate with using nothing more than body language.

When Singer spoke once more to - finally - answer their questions, Alexandra watched him closely. Irritation bubbled when she heard of Singer’s team mess-up and Alex wasn’t sure if it was more because of their incompetence, or because this too felt like an act, like a lie. The fact that he admitted to his mistake so bluntly immediately drew her attention. Governments rarely admitted to missteps - was it why he acted so off moments before? Pride, an obligation to a reputation? Maybe so - but the Spartan couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more behind his attitude today.

The photos scattered on the table and Alexandra peered at the one Sincere was holding, before listening to Singer’s explanations. The defeat in his voice sounded genuine, but Alexandra could not be sure the reason behind it was too. She met his gaze when his eyes trailed over to her, but kept hers undecipherable. Alex didn’t appreciate the implication behind his look - that her team had to be reigned in like animals, and that Alex was going to do so at his request. Sure, perhaps the Old Guard’s comments were less than subtle, but they got them an answer. Sincere’s advice, on the other hand, was much more appreciated. Especially since it agreed with her own opinion - it was too risky to act just now. Picking up one of the photos, Alexandra leaned back in her chair, pushing back a loose strand of hair behind her ear- a signal to stall, just for a few more moments, just to let others speak before they acted. Any longer could’ve raised Singer’s suspicions and any shorter could push them into a dangerous situation.

Tracing the edge of the photo gently, Alexandra took a moment to analyze it. It looked legitimate, and in agreement with Singer’s story. But then again, even photographs could not be trusted these days, too easily manipulated by ‘Photo Shop’, or whatever it was called. Placing the photo back on the table gently, Alexandra gazed back at their liaison. “You want us to stop them before they cross the border,” - before they ever make it to Mexico, he said - “, and therefore on your land. You can act there, can you not?”

Singer nodded. “We could, of course,” he agreed. “But it’s too risky. They could cross the border before we’d catch them, and we’d have to involve border control, and it could quickly escalate into an international incident and-” realizing he was starting to ramble a bit, he cleared his throat. “And I trust you understand how quickly this could turn into a mess?”

Not gracing him with an answer, Alexandra tapped twice on the photo closest to her, one showcasing the recovered cargo. “Would it not be better to destroy these weapons instead of recovering them? Just in case your team messes up once more?”

 

[frecckkles]

scroll

The Newbie

RUNE

mood

Jetlagged

tags

They were next to look at the file. The file itself was neat, but written like a mess. Someone obviously had to rush this report and didn't care to check over their work. Annoyance ran through their blood, just what was this game Singer was playing?

She nodded towards Alexandra, a sign that she agreed with her. This whole situation rung alarm bells in their head, they pushed the file back to the middle of the table. Disgust on their features. They kept their mouth shut though, not wanting to interfere again.

"I - well - yes, that's something that we could do." Singer coughed, trying to hide the sputter. His face still tinged an unsightly red. He hated going through these meeting with these immortals, their gaze seeping deep into his soul. Rune just watched passively as he tried - and failed - to get his act together.

It should be near impossible to salvage anything from that cargo. Rune saw with their own eyes and hands in the disposal of everything. It should be eons under the sea by this point, not able to be rescued.

"But as we've seen before, recovering the weapons should be more effective than destroying them." Singer continued, finally seeming to get himself together. It's just like a game of hot potato but someone is going to die at the end. They let out a soft sigh, wishing to be anywhere but stuck in this damn room. They tapped lightly on the underside of the table, enough for their team to hear. They preferred to communicate in morse code during situations like this.

... ..- ...

They tapped it out again, making sure someone heard them. Singer asked for trust, but he sure wasn't getting any from Rune.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[kevin]

Augustus watched the old man open one of the folders containing pictures. He scattered them on the table and his fellow immortals grabbed one each and examined them. From what Augustus understood, they didn't complete the mission. Augustus furrowed his brow and leaned in to grab a photo. He looked at it for a few seconds and then threw it back down on the table. Why did they have to go back to this mission? Something was fishy and Augustus wanted to know what the real truth is.

"I am just a bit lost here, Mr. Singer. We, all of us, saw those crates go down into the ocean. They should be long gone by now. And you sit here and tell us that those motherfuckers went down and brought it back up? No. I refuse to believe that.", Augustus clenched his jaw and leaned back in his chair. He was hoping that his teammates were thinking the same thing. It was very suspicious, the whole thing.

Augustus looked around at the others and sighed. It was going to be a long next couple of days. But before Augustus agreed to do anything, he wanted to know if there was something else SInger was hiding. His movements, facial expressions, and tone of voice show he's not fully telling the truth. Whatever it is SInger is hiding from him and the others would soon be revealed whether Singer liked it or not.

 

[BuggaBoo]

---

---

~ "Cookie" / Niki ~ ​

---

Hazel eyes traced the middle-aged man’s motions as he admitted his team had messed up. He gazed directly at Alex and seemed to be pleading with his eyes for her to calm her rabid wolf pack.

But there it was again. His tell; pushing his glasses up when he did not have to. Re-securing them upon his face as if to re-secure the ‘facts’ he just stated. Cookie caught Sincere’s motion to Alex and confirmed his findings by scratching at her brow; Untruth. Seconded.

Mexico. Cartels? Coup? What was the plan with the weapons? She shoved the question aside for the moment; what did she care really? It was not her problem. The problem Cookie had was with the entire situation in this room. Singer was not acting like Singer. Where was the placid yet crisp and well-worded man they met with over the years? Who was this blabbering mouthpiece, pushing an agenda that obviously he did not have confidence in delivering. And selling it to the Immortals. And to himself… how is your wife, Señor…? ¡...Anda...! Do you even know 'where' your wife–

She caught Alex’s signal to stall; there was no need to respond, she knew exactly why. And then of course, there it was again. Cookie caught on exactly what Rune had caught. That word. Trust. Hazel eyes slid back to their leader.

“Would it not be better to destroy these weapons instead of recovering them? Just in case your team messes up once more?”

As Alex spoke, Cookie signalled back to Rune that she caught it. Then just like Sincere had done, she subtly slid fingers across her neck; hold off for now.

There was something about how he answered Alex's question. More rambling. As she regarded him, she caught Singer's fingers fidgeting as he claimed that recovering the weapons was more 'effective.' And even more intently she regarded him as Augustus spat venom and directly challenged Singer’s claims.

“What you refuse to believe and what is actually happening are two different things,” said the liason yet not making eye contact with the fuming Roman warrior.

Once more he turned to Alex as the voice of reason, “In all your years alive, you know, and have seen first hand, what money can do for the rich and powerful; influence is synonymous with how deep your pockets are and how sharp your guillotine is. Alexandra of Sparta, these men are all the above and they do not take no for an answer. If they want those containers that badly, they will stop at nothing to get them. Even if it means paying teams of experts to rip them off the ocean floor and do with the contents therein however they pleased.

"Now that cannot happen. We are here to stop that. And you will ensure it.

"The contents of those containers will be held in remand until we can confirm their country of origin. Is that good enough for you and your team?“

Cookie smirked. Finally... the Singer of old was here. Not once did he use the word ‘trust’ again. Nor did he push up his glasses. The Mayan scratched her brow then instantly adjusted the scarlet flower tucked behind her ear; truth. All of it.

“And if not… then how about this…?” Singer leaned forward, rested his elbows upon the table and clasped his hands together, “once the mission is executed… we will not need your services for a time. You will all be erased for 42 weeks. Confirmed.”

Blue eyes glinted as he looked around at each and every single one of them confidently, “That’s right, team. Time. Off.”

---​

That normally stern and clenched tan jaw dropped open. Time off. And over 9 months?!

Hazel eyes darkened and drove deep into Singer’s eyes. No flinch. No backing down. He even nodded at her as if to get her approval. The big woman nodded back while sliding her hand across her forearm; status confirmed.

Cookie breathed a sigh of relief.

Then in Cookie fashion; a sudden and unpredictable twist a heartbeat later: “Intercept and Secure cargo, no? And this is ‘no witnesses’ protocol again, Señor Singer?”

The imposing Mayan grabbed at her wrist and began to massage it. A sure sign she craved violence. Oh, and yes, Singer knew that. He took a breath and nodded solemnly at her.

But that is not exactly what she was expressing. The Immortals would instantly recognize this as a red flag sign that they needed to talk. Like reeeeeeeeeallllly needed to talk.

There was a reason she merely glanced at the photos and did not reach for any of them. Out of all of them, Cookie was known as the point and shoot type in Singer’s profile. They did not have her ‘Regarding’ skill listed. And that is exactly what did with the photos. She saw something in 3 of the photos that the others may have missed. The satellite images that he allowed to be displayed... He or his team did not think any would notice since the images looked like top quality potato tech was used to snap the pics. Either that or they messed up again.

...Or were they planted…

Regardless, Cookie was itching to get out of this conference room so that they could all talk openly. Hopefully Sincere could silver-tongue their way out of this room and out in the open air on the main deck. But then again…

All of a sudden all residues and thoughts of that dark shadow that swam beneath them had been pushed aside.

Over 9 months of disappearing without a trace…? Confirmed! My gosh, how long had it been since they had such time for themselves. How long had it been since they were not shackled to their agreement. How long had it been since they were free?

---

---

 

[LadyOfStars]

Sincere/Antoni/Anansi

Singer picked up on Rune's tapping, recognizing it as morse code, but being too rusty to translate the tapping fast enough. He inhaled deeply, the realization setting in that the group was communicating with one another without speaking. They didn't trust him, but he could tell that the promise of free time had started to change some minds. Sincere's expression didn't reveal much, but the silence that the Egyptian exhibited spoke volumes. The government had him pegged as greedy, narcissistic, and unpredictable, so him not complaining about something was a good sign in Singer's book.

"Si, Cookie." He said to the woman across the table. Sincere chuckled when he heard the man speak Spanish, a clear attempt to sway Cookie to his side, whatever side that was. It was very clear that many of the people at the table were unhappy with this mission and some were suspicious of it, Singer promising them time off was almost a guarantee that there was something off, as if he was trying to sway them or buy their compliance. Before anything else could be said, a tap on the wall came as a signal to Singer. "Well, you all have your mission and the window of opportunity is closing. " He said as he pushed back from the table. "The helicopter is prepared to take you to the target, weapons are ready on the chopper as well." He gestured to the door, sending the immortals on their way. The meeting had been tense and it was tough to not let his frustration out on the group. He'd been working with them for years now and sometimes was proud to be their handler, but today was one of those days where he wished to just sink the ship with them on it.

As the group would leave the room, they would make their way back to the deck. Having a skeleton crew meant the deck was still empty, just their ride sitting and waiting for them. Staying far from the edges, Sincere brushed his hair out of his face, fighting the winds whipped up by the helicopter. "Dear old Robert just tried to buy us with time, our own time that we are entitled to. As if we need permission to live our lives." He looked over at Alex for a brief moment before he looked to Augustus, who had openly called Robert declared Robert wasn't telling them the truth, even after others seemed to agree not to. "Listen, we know your emperor wasn't the most tactful, but try not to follow in his footsteps yeah? Try to pick up on the group's cue and follow suit...if you can."

He then turned away from the group and started towards the helicopter. He didn't want to be suspended in the air over the ocean, but the sooner that they got this mission finished, the sooner he could do some traveling. Away from the inept members of their group.

 

[BuggaBoo]

---

---

~ "Cookie" / Niki ~ ​

---

Did he really have to? Hazel eyes rolled in unison with Sincere's chuckle.

The little bit of Spanish really was a bit over the top. He should have left it at a mere nod before ending the meeting; the mention of time off to warm them up to the next job was sus enough. Still a smirk pulled up at the corner of the womans pink lips. Within periphery sight of Alex, she waited for the Spartan to accept the meeting's dismissal. Upon their leader's 'go', Cookie stood, not even a casual glance at Singer. Oh, but she could feel his gaze fall upon her. His eyes traced her big, Mayan form as she leaned over before standing up from her seat. Wellllll, to be more precise, his eyes traced the opening of her blouse, seeking her pair of big, Mayan assets.

But right before he got his jollies off on one last peek, one tan hand pressed at the 'V' where each side of her blouse met, securing her pair of big, Mayan assets from his over-eager blue-eyed leer. With her other hand, she reached up, snatched the scarlet flower from behind her ear and tossed it at their liason with a casual flick of the wrist.

"Ey. For your beautiful wife. Remind her, Señor Singer; Sólo tengo ojos para tí... 'I only have eyes for you...'"

A bold face wink she tossed him. Another stone face was his reply, but it was obvious that yet again his ears flushed a bright pink.

Cookie picked up her full-length trench coat, and in a single fluid motion, she slid right into it. Eyes forward, she followed the rest out the doorway but of course, Cookie just had to be Cookie. Without looking up nor breaking stride she reached up and flipped a middle finger right into the security camera lens on behalf of all Immortals around the world.

---​

Topside now, the woman cinched her overcoat close, but allowed the cold, salty breeze to breathe right through her chestnut hair.

"Dear old Robert just tried to buy us with time, our own time that we are entitled to. As if we need permission to live our lives."

"Meh. At least his Español is improving, no...?" no smile accompanied the sarcastic quip but hazel eyes twinkled with humour. But the mirth therein was shortlived, "It's the price we pay for what we gots ourselves into. We have to ride it out as always--"

A breath she took as Sincere continued, his tone was one of complete and utter scorn for Augustus. Cookie held that breath. Normally she would have made a smart remark about Sincere's dickishness, inadvertantly diffusing the situation a bit, but she let it go. Yes, Cookie herself was guilty of letting her own whims go against the wishes of the Immortals, but Augustus' temper... this time it was inexcusable. They had a gameplan, a well coordinated one at that and he veered off, went too rogue even for Cookie's taste. A tilt of the head, a side-eyed look she gave the Roman warrior before letting out a bit of a sharp, almost disdaining, exhale.

Her gaze then slid over to Alex. Another breath then dark boots clomped over to their Spartan leader, "I gots a strong belief that the containers we sunk were not the mark, Axe."

Yes, Axe. It was a nickname that was a mix of part of Alexandra's name and the word 'ace'; the highest card and represented the number 1. And yes, axe as in chop it off too. "In 3 aerial pics from satelite: 3 containers, 3 exact same markings, exact same corner. Strong belief that's what we are intercepting."

Hazel eyes graced the faces of the others, intent on pressing them almost urgently,"But ey, listen... Ceree, Unita, Auger... fam, all we have to do is just complete this one job and we are gone for over 9 months. Guaranteed. Yes, Singer is covering for something, but that's not our problem..."

'But that's not our problem.' Cookie's catchphrase because she felt nothing for the consequences of their completed tasks for Singer and his team. Over the past century and a half, the imposing Mayan had ceased questioning the motives of the group; just point and shoot was her M.O. And so yes, she held true to her catchphrase for over a hundred years now. She never thought at any one time that any means of violence nor extreme measure taken to keep the Immortal's true nature secreted away was too excessive nor her problem.

Except for this one time... Nikté Ja Kookay Itzamarra truly wished that it really was not her problem.

Regardless she awaited her Immortal family members' responses as they marched towards the helicopter.

---

---

 

[__Space__]

In all your years alive, you know, and have seen first hand, what money can do for the rich and powerful; influence is synonymous with how deep your pockets are and how sharp your guillotine is. Alexandra of Sparta, these men are all the above and they do not take no for an answer.

Oh yes, she has. She’d seen money poison the minds of too many people to count, gold drenched in the red of greed. And staring back at Singer, she couldn’t help but wonder: were his employers also the type of men who wouldn’t take no for an answer? She knew the answer, of course. So she nodded back to him, politely, the gesture empty to anyone who knew her better than their handler. Nonetheless, it seemed to satisfy him, his gaze leaving hers.

But - there was truth interwoven in his words. He meant what he said. A quick glance towards the Mayan nearby confirmed her guess. Perhaps for the first time during this meeting, Singer was being honest.

Still. Something was off. Something raised her alert, scratching at her at the edge of her mind.

And then he made his offer - 42 weeks off - and despite herself, Alexandra felt her heart sink. A part of her would’ve rather spent those 9 months at work rather than in her thoughts, the part that was equally hyperfocused on her mission (her purpose) as it was desperate to drive her mind away from the edge of a crisis. Alexandra felt her age in her bones when she shifted in her seat. But - her team deserved a rest, a break. She couldn’t deny them that.

Maybe 42 weeks in some tropical destination of Sincere’s choosing would be nice.

With a sharp knock, her thoughts were interrupted. Singer urged the meeting to close, and her team looked at her in question. Alexandra nodded, dismissing the meeting on her end, and stood up.

Alexandra’s mind was set already. Singer must’ve known, because he led them to the helicopter, weapons on deck and the Spartan thought back to the conversation - yes, his employers were definitely the type of men that didn’t take no for an answer.

There were three main reasons why Alexandra wanted to go along with the mission.

The first one was, as always, the protection their job offered them. She had a responsibility to keep her team safe. It’s been a few centuries, but during dark nights, in dark rooms, when her mind slipped into dark places, Alex swore she could remember the hell she was put through during the Dark Ages as if it was yesterday. Dark, sadistic smiles, dark intentions hidden behind pious words, with pain being the only constant in a- no. Her team would never go through that.

Then there was the time off - a part of her rebelled, but another craved a break. Besides, her team probably would’ve liked one, too. And then there were the ethics of their whole job, of course. The walk back to the deck was mostly occupied with her thoughts, the sea breeze hitting her skin just as the decision solidified in her mind.

Her eyes met Sincere’s, and Alex knew what was coming before the words even slipped through his lips. A tiny, dark sense of satisfaction and amusement curled at the bottom of her heart - because yes, she still held that grudge against Rome and no, she doubted she’d ever stop - but it was immediately pushed down by reason.

“We cannot afford to lose our tempers like this,” she chided the Roman bluntly. She quickly realized that her comment probably did the opposite of diffusing the situation. Alex wasn’t going to take back her words, of course, so she just added, “save that energy for the fight.”

Eyes locking with Cookie’s, Alex met her halfway. A slight crease appeared between her brows when she heard her ‘report’ - she missed the markings. “If that was our mark, then what did we sink?” she asked rhetorically. She nodded - a gesture somewhere between respect and thanks - glad that she could count on the Mayan having her eyes open.

But that's not our problem.

Alexandra felt herself frown, immediately displeased at the comment. The warmth her eyes held a moment ago dissipated.

“It is our problem.” Alexandra countered, her gaze not leaving space for discussion. “Consequences of one’s actions always are,” she added as her gaze trailed over to Singer. If there was something nefarious going on behind the scenes, they were the ones with red on their hands.

Turning away from the helicopter for a moment, she walked up to their handler, who stood off behind them. “I’m not agreeing without my team’s input,” she said, pushing down the impulse to just take the mission. “But as soon as our course is set, you’ll be informed,” she added, sparing a glance at the helicopter. Shaking his hand goodbye, Alex squeezed a bit harder before letting go, and lowered her voice slightly, “and if I learn that whatever you’re hiding poses a danger to my team, your wife will become a widow a few decades too soon.”

And with that, she turned around towards the helicopter.