Open Carnival

[Colleen]

[BCOLOR=transparent]As the Palace’s opulent ballrooms and banquet halls reached a bacchanalian fullness, Colleen realized that the optimal time for her task had arrived early. Martini in hand, she coasted through the kaleidoscopic crowd inconspicuously. Rum and cachaça perfumed the central hall as people clustered near the artifacts. The young agent approached the nearest display case and looked on in wonderment. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The impressive bronze hand stood majestically on black velvet, its upward reach implanting pangs of elevation and yearning in its viewers. Discovered on a deserted beach off the southern coast, the statue was thought to be a maritime [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]ex-voto[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] tossed overboard by distressed seafarers in hopes of divine intervention. She adjusted her white gold bracelet before resting her delicate fingers on the case’s black wood frame. As her gaze lingered on the votive offering’s outstretched fingers and delineated palm, she was briefly reminded of her longing to fit in at ACME. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Colleen indulged in a last glance before walking toward the next artifact, thrilled at having covertly planted the first SpyGrazer. She regarded the micro tracking device as her own offering in exchange for the renewed intent that pulsed through her. [/BCOLOR]

 

[Eugene]

[fieldset=Posted with:][with]24[/with][/fieldset]

“Damn it.” Eugene took a second from elbowing through the crowd to glance at his watch and swore. Euge, along with Agent Storm, had volunteered to remain at Galeao International Airport in order to secure the ACME widebody. It had proven to be a costly mistake for the duo, timewise. Local police, seemingly proving they were in the drug kingpin’s pocket, had descended upon the immobilized aircraft at the departure of the bulk of ACME forces. If they had thought the two remaining men would be easy pickings though, they were sorely mistaken. Somehow, Euge and Deric had managed to escape without it becoming a physical altercation, but it had cost them several hours. Thusly, they were the last agents to arrive at muster and Euge attempted an inconspicuous sprint towards the hotel entrance.

Pausing at the door to catch his breath, Euge nodded at Deric, who discreetly mirrored his confirmation before the two men pulled their masks down and pushed through the door.
“Moose, checking in.” Euge intoned quietly, and received a hurried acknowledgement.

“Calamity also checkin’ in,” Deric said with a slight brogue, “fashionably late, of course”. This was his first assignment after spending 18 months undercover with the IRA. Basically, he arrived at ACME and was then shuffled onto a plane for Brazil. He was still dealing with some jetlag and the tuxedo he was loaned wasn’t quite fitting right. The left sleeve was too long and the pants stopped about three inches above his ankles. Deric may be a “hulking farmboy” but even he knew this penguin-suit screamed ‘cheap rental.’

Entering the hall, a few things caught Euge’s eye. First was the unmistakable visage of Barbas Chuate, proving to be a good match to his file pictures. The second was a tuxedo clad hotel employee standing close by, red hair sharply contrasting her blank white mask. As the woman turned to observe the newcomers, Euge realized why she proved to be so eye catching, and realized her sudden scowl likely couldn’t mean anything good.

“Makin friends already, flyboy?” Deric quipped after following ‘Moose’s eyeline.

 

[Ann Tickwittee]

"Hello darling. Have we met before?"

Ann shook her head with minimal motion as she responded. "No, I don't believe we've had the opportunity, unless you have frequented the museums of Cairo or San Jose." She offered a repressed smile, allowing her eyes to momentarily flit around the room in an attempt to locate one of the agents she was theoretically here to aid. Complacently unsuccessful, the archaeologist refocused her eyes on the blonde woman. "I'm Ann, by the way," she offered courteously.

"I'm not very familiar with anyone here, but I was truly fascinated by this admirable collection and inevitably came to see it."

 

[Pete]

[fieldset=Posted with:][with]20[/with][/fieldset]

Nevon Blair wasn't someone who knew what to do in foreign countries. He knew English and only English, with maybe bad comprehension in a few languages. He was here as Babou the ocelot to Pete Moss's Savador Dali.

"I think I lost my tail," Nev whispered to Pete.

Pete nodded, "That's good, I was wondering why that guy was following us."

Nevon doubled back and stared at Savador Pete.

"Wait, what guy?"

"Your tail?" Pete shrugged.

"I meant my tail!"

"Oh! Tail-tail!"

"Yeah, my ocelot tail-tail," Nev re-thought, "Wait, so who was following us?"

"What?"

"When I said I lost my tail and you thought it was a detail and not a tail-tail?"

A group of beautiful Brazilian models swayed by and giggled at the sound the boys were making from repeating the word 'tail'. Nev suddenly felt embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Nev, they probably thought you were cute." Pete tried to help, but between the two of them, Pete knew he looked more like a catch in a Savador Dali tuxedo than Nev's Ocelot-in-a-suit.

Nev barely had time to retaliate when Barbas Chuate, their target for the mission arrived with the kind of fanfare you'd expect for someone with a lot of money. He was barely a yard from them.

Pete just stared.

"Uhm... Steak checking in," Nevon replied with a whisper and nudged Pete out of his thoughts, "We're right in front of Grub."

"Yep, Koala," Pete also checked in, "Grub smells like tobacco and leather."

 

[Olga L. Glebovi]

It had taken the poor stylist almost 4 hours to straighten Olga's hair, then another hour to restyle it into a french twist when they discovered that the party's theme had changes from 1001 Arabian Nights to American 1920's gangster.

"[I think I'd have preferred the veils]" she told her date, Dimitri, as she surveyed the room over her 5th glass of "weak-as-sh***" Champaign. He only nodded, hinting at his disappointment in not being able to wear the Ifrit outfit she had picked out for him.

"[Why are we here again?]" She inquired after a full minute of boredom.

"[Because we need his money and he needs our territories.]" Dimitri said as he gestured towards the famous eggplant in the middle of the room.

"[Oh. Right.]"

Olga hated dealing with politics and often left that work to thinkers like Dimitri. However, it was her security racket on the line, so she had to make an appearance - even if she mearly posed as arm candy.

She had been dolled up and forced to wear a pair of stilettos with a black mermaid gown that made walking impossible. She looked exquisite, but felt idiotic whenever she had to shuffle herself from one spot to another.

"[Ugh. It'll be years before we can talk to him. I'm going to the ladies room.]"

She abandoned her date before he could protest and downed the rest of her drink. The mercenary then hunted down a replacement flute and shuffled out into the hallway, where she threw away her shoes. Who would notice she wasn't wearing them under her floor-length fabric tournaquit anyway?

The new glass of champagne was half gone when she noticed a couple of guys going on about tails. She paused as something about the one range a bell in her head, but she could place where she had seen him before.

Olga was about to go up the the man an ask, but Dimitri had sought her out. ["They're seating people. We have to go back in"].

Damn it. Olga's face read her displeasure as she followed her face man back inside. This party better pan out or I just might kill someone.

 

[Acton Roux]

The mysterious woman that pulled him out of confusion gave Acton a clearer understanding of the current situation. Without much interpolation, he began moving towards communicating her message to Vic the Slick.

Ideally, the doctor was well utilised as VILE's messenger in addition to his other roles. He was quiet, very discrete, and extremely low in profile as he travelled only 'dans la nuit'. The party's booming atmosphere grew sombre for an instance prior to the entrance of a gaudy man of clear opulent tastes. He walked in a distinctive swagger past Acton and into the main areas where he may more greatly show his power. This was a man, Roux noted, who must have grown up with humble means and granted greater wealth quickly and unscrupulously.

After the precession moved away, Acton Roux ducked into the Brazilian air so he may privately communicate.

"Alors -V- où es tu?" he sent to the Conman, "J'ai quelque chose d'elle."

As he glanced back while awaiting a reply, the doctor deciphered with some curiosity that the opulent man was now eying someone. Former acquaintances, perhaps?

((All mentions in this post received prior approval.))

 

[Molly]

"What did you see?" Nace asked, seeming to whisper in his date's ear, "And I agree we should keep an eye on the bloke."

"He's always checking his phone and then looking up for cameras or something," Molly observed. She caught the dark haired man's glance and immediately looked away, alarmed that he may have seen her staring at him.

To her luck, the live band began to play a slow tune. She pulled Nace closer to the dance floor, mindful to keep within sight of both the man and the ballroom's only exit.

"Hope you know how to slow dance, boyscout," the blonde goaded.

Since arriving in Rio two days ago, Nace lived up to his image of being a straight arrow, if not edging on over-restrained. The previous night, while having pasteis at a street food stall, a pre-carnival parade passed by and the two of them were pulled into an impromptu Samba. Molly remembered her steps from a dance lesson with Gudrun Nygård, but was surprised to see Nace joining her. He was by no means a master of the Latin dance, but he didn't protest once and she couldn't remember seeing him laugh that much in the entire time she'd known him.

Clearing her mind of the previous night's thoughts, and getting back to the mission Molly placed a hand on Nace's shoulder and moved so that he could get a view of their suspect, "He's not still looking this way is he?"

 

[Nace Bilby]

"Good observation." Nace commented at Molly's answer to his question.

The band playing the slow song was one that caught Nace's attention, not the least due to the fact that Molly had pulled him closer and he found himself facing the lovely blonde, her left hand in his right, his left hand finding itself at the flair of her hip.

He found himself smiling and remarked, "I do know how to slow dance, contrary to popular belief."

The he past two days of Rio had been quite an interesting experience for Nace. The moment of the Sudden Samba as he would later call it was one that he wasn't likely to soon forget. He admittedly had practically no knowledge of Latin dance, and having told Molly this he let her lead that particular dance. He had enjoyed it, laughing with her.

Having to double up during the trip also meant for some moments also that he wasn't likely to forget. For instance there had been the argument about both of them sharing the bed the first night. Molly had actually been lying on the floor in protest over the matter before they both wound up using the bed. The first nights had passed normally but the most recent one would pass with them having awakened spooning, with Molly holding on to one of his hands as they did so.

That had led to a discussion or rather almost did before work intervened and they had to get ready for this great stake out.

He felt Molly's hand move from his right hand to his shoulder and Nace felt both of them moving closer, his other hand finding itself around her waistline. Hardly the time to be thinking of how her closeness was causing his heart rate to go up slightly.

Bloody complicated. But for once bloody complicated isn't bad. Nace thought and Molly moved and Nace also got a look at Vic before quickly returning to look into Molly's eyes, "Not that I noticed, he seemed to be glancing at his phone this time around."

Right, work now and sort out this feelings bit later. Nace thought. These past forty eight hours were the first time he had enjoyed any interval of time with a woman in a long time.

 

[Sophie]

[fieldset=Written With:][with]16[/with][with]18[/with][/fieldset]

From behind the intricate ripples of her pelagic mask, her features coloured in contrition. "I'm terribly sorry," the apology came briskly, "are you all ri--"

But the doctor never got to complete her question as her companion interrupted the words with a dramatic charade of concern over the entrance of the masked stranger, Barbas Chuate seemingly quite forgot. At the distraction, Sophie made a quick study of the jester before her. His mask was familiar and with the awareness of the number of VILE agents in the venue, the astute lady had made her deduction of his identity quickly enough: Joe Kerr. She remembered reading his dossier for a directive in the Russian Far East.

In the crowded room and with most of its occupants focused on the entrance of Barbas Chuate or the festivities about, Sophie was relieved that the exhibition of tricks from Evgeni derived no additional attention. With a smile, she placed a hand on the checkered arm of her companion to calm him and directed her words to both men, "I'm all right. There was no harm done."

“That’s a relief,” replied the Jester, conveniently ignoring the antics of her counterpart.

“Let me guess, he--” Joe stopped to gesture at the Russian, “would be the jealous boyfriend?”

Her smile did not falter as Sophie turned to glance at Evgeni. "Hardly," came the good-natured reply as she wrapped an arm around his, "he knows I only have eyes for him."

Evgeni grinned like a champion.

With that, she extended a hand towards Joe, "My name is Selma Elysia. You do not seem local."

Taking the hand, Joe planted a chaste kiss on it and gave a quick gentlemanly bow.

“Giuseppe Salvatore, and it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms Elysia. And what is the name of this lucky man who is your date?”

“My name’s Geno Mikhalov,” the Russian answered with his alias, “You’re talk to lucky man.”

“I do not doubt it,” replied Joe with a hearty laugh.

Behind the laugh, Joe quickly appraised the couple in front of him. They did not seem local, and lacked the distinct air of the other celebrities in attendance. He also knew they weren’t VILE, which left only two possibilities; either they were associated with Barbas Chuate or they were associated with ACME, the latter of which seemed a far more appealing option.

“So, what brings such a lovely couple to a place such as this? No doubt you yourselves are not locals either.”

The Russian attempted his most haughty expression and raised his nose ludicrously. “Da, we’re not locals! How you’re think? We’re gots more ruble in Brazil than Brazil’s gots ruble.” He winked, obviously very convinced in the intelligence of his response.

Without batting an eyelid, Joe turned to the Russian’s better half, “Uh… I’m terribly sorry but my Russian isn’t very good. Would you care to translate?”

"He means--” Sophie laughed and waved her hand lightly, “the art, the beach, the Carnival... It's all very exciting," The look in her eyes was sharp as they settled back upon Joe, assessing his mask, his body language, and the outfit he wore. "What about you? Are you here for the carouse or for reasons more vile?"

Behind his mask, the Jester let out a wry grin. Contemplating his words, his responded carefully but cheerfully. “I assure you, Ms Elysia, that unlike you and your partner, I am here strictly for pleasure.”

At that moment, the band began to play a slow song.

“Speaking of pleasure, may I have this dance, Ms Elysia?”

Turning to ‘Geno’ he added, “...with your permission of course, Mr Mikahlov.”

If Evgeni seemed complaisant, it must have been because of the audacity of the request, but Sophie only turned to grant her partner an impish wink, the play of light on her mask as she stepped forward to take the proffered hand, “You may.”

 

[Lee]

Lee Jordan as 'Jason Teil' was under cover among Barbas Chuate's team. He adjusted his suit a little as the kingpin made his way into the room. ACME agents were impressive, all of them acting completely natural, but Jordan knew all eyes were on Chuate tonight.

The suspected drug lord was under watch by a lot of international organizations, but he's been keeping a nice clean backdrop recently. Lee's job was to figure out an opening for Barbas, something feasible that he'd make an offer on. But so far, chances have been nil. To fully avoid entrapment charges, the agency needed to do this by the book. Barbas had to make the offer on his own. And as the weeks passed Jordan became increasingly frustrated. This was way they needed the Carnival Sting-op, and why they needed to finally make physical the mythical Swiss Banker Dominic Geiser.

Lee shook hands with Barbas and the larger man made huge hand gestures, exerting the fact that this was his town, and he was surrounded by his people. It was a show to make sure Jordan trusted him, and this was a good sign.

Ushers started seating people for a little dinner and entertainment, and Chuate was sat at table number 1, in the middle of the room and closest to the stage. To his left and right were a few empty seats, guests privately invited who haven't yet arrived, and Lee Jordan or 'Jason Teil' stood in waiting.

"And where is your banker?" Barbas cocked his head towards the disguised agent. It was the question Lee dreaded most, but he played it as calmly as he could.

"Mr. Geiser should be arriving soon," his reply wasn't entirely to the kingpin's satisfaction and Chuate shrugged before turning away. Jordan exhaled. @Tanya Erzin would be bringing in Dominic Geiser any minute now.

 

[Jason West]

[fieldset=Copost with:][with]44[/with][/fieldset]
A small smile flitted across Derrin’s face at the familiar voice.

“Didn’t know you were here too.” Then, to answer his query. “Yeah. Bodyguards at the West door, and they’re lookin’ antsy. Must mean that Grub’s making his way here. What do you think I should do?”

“Enter with them, and see what you can pick up. I’ll be recording.” Jason replied.

“They should be seating for dinner soon.” the young woman noted, pretending to be interested in a chipped nail as the bodyguards strolled by. “Do you think you can get me close enough to their table to record anything?”

“I think I can get you close enough if I can change the electronic seating charts…”

“You’re going to have to be quick.”

“...and I’m in. All changed. You’ll be sitting at the table next to his.”

Derrin entered the room tentatively, and was led to her seat by an usher, who sure enough seated her to the right of the center table, well within earshot of the high profile group. She picked up the gilded seating card with her alias Catalina Flores printed on it with wonderment.

“You’re good.”

“I certainly try my best when it comes to these things. Wouldn’t want you getting a scratch on that little peashooter of yours.” Jason replied.

“Is that all for now, Control?” Derrin asked pointedly, trying not to scowl.

“Thats it for now.”

 

[Mikal]

[ This post involves moving the party and NPC Barbas Chuate. It has been approved by @Ivy ]

From his position in the shadows Mikal Darsha could see Lee Jordan trying to smooth things over with Barbas Chuate. It did not seem to be going well. Very close by, @Derrin was the nearest agent to the pair, having gotten her alias of Catalina Flores on the seating chart thanks to ACME's @Jason West. She would be the best backup in case anything goes awry.

"And where is your banker?" Barbas cocked his head towards the disguised agent.

"Mr. Geiser should be arriving soon," [Lee's] reply wasn't entirely to the kingpin's satisfaction and Chuate shrugged before turning away. Jordan exhaled.

As the lights began to dim, some people were seated while others were still dancing or had standing positions. Through his microphone Mikal heard chatter that there were some unexpected guests, possibly thieves from a different organization, though his mission objective was to watch Barbas, and that would be what he focused on. He would let ACME's trained team deal with that for now.

There was a small pre-opening announcement of the party's guests of honors and sponsors. Barbas Chuate made a big show by standing at his table and bowing, then he smiled broadly when his charitable feats were mentioned.

Mikal was jarred by a tap on his shoulder and the Israeli turned to see @Tanya and a suited man. It took him two seconds to recognize that the second guest was @Chase Devineaux in disguise as Dominic Geiser.

"Very good." Mikal nodded, quickly assuming the role of a bodyguard for the 'Swiss Banker', "This way, sir."

Escorting Devineaux to the table, Mikal realized something was off. While there was Lee and Barbas was an extra seat, placed in, perhaps at the last moment since all the silverware was shifted. He immediately tapped his radio, "Control, there is extra seat at main table... I do not think it is for one of us."