Archived La Vie de Luxe

[Lee]

Lee sneered a bit being armlocked by the clown. He hated this kind of comaraderie it's so genuine and heroic, it made him sick in the stomach. Leading the team to a small oneroom apartment above a local tea and coffee shop called "Joli", Lee showed them the map he had on the wall about where Eartha was spotted. He had papers on VILE's activities in the area, including any suspicious activities that might not be linked to VILE at all. He also had some photographs he took of Eartha talking to people, along with the dates and notes at the back.

"She's near Am Tunnel," Lee said showing the file with Eartha's profile, "Bought an apartment, put a down payment and everything, think she's using a different name." He passed around all he had so the other agents can have a look. "Sorry about the mess in this place, I got it cheap, shop downstairs makes it hard to find."

 

[Chase]

That went well, of all the possible outcomes Devineaux projected in his head, this was the most favorable. Despite, he did not feel any lighter. Perhaps a wiser man would cut discrepancies at the bud and cancel Melissa Wayward's advancement into Special Operations. That could make things easier, but any thought on future actions vanished when he saw Jordan's choice of a 'safe house'.

As soon as they entered the establishment, Chase shook his head. In the spirit of 'hiding in plain sight', renting space above a café might seem smart, but it was next to negligence. Coffee shops were public places where anyone from anywhere could sit, blend in with the crowd, and observe your entry and exit at almost any time of day.

You're lucky this is a low-level case, Devineaux thought as he listened to Lee Jordan's explanation, if I had sent you to Amman, you'd be in trouble. Placing his communicator on the table as he reviewed the files, he noticed Phoenix's dot in a stationary position. Good bird, stick around, I'll be there soon. A few seconds later, the green dot changed into a red zero with a bar across it and disappeared. Checking again, the location was only streets away from Am Tunnel.

"Where is Eartha's apartment?" Chase asked, putting a mark on his falcon's last known location, then showing Lee the screen, "Somewhere there?"

 

[Eugene]

The abrupt disappearance of Phoenix's signal attracted Euge's full attention, and he began spooling up the chopper in response. In the 20 seconds it took for the turbine to get to full speed, Euge sent a text message to Chase:

"Lost Phoenix tracker signal. Mobilizing to investigate. May be able to get camera fix on last known location. Orders?"

The communicator indicated a successful transmission, and Euge hastily stowed it before lifting off. The lack of helicopter traffic around Am Tunnel meant he would have to move carefully to avoid arousing suspicion, and lingering in one spot or circling like a vulture at low altitude would attract too much attention. The only option left was to climb and hope the uplink from the high zoom camera would be enough for Chase to work with.

Euge bought the helicopter into a high hover just outside visual range and waited for Chase's reply. No sense in blowing his cover without accomplishing something.

 

[Lee]

Lee Jordan looked at the mark on Chase's communicator with both eyebrows raised. It's exactly where he marked Eartha's apartment too. At the same time, a message from Euge saying "Lost Phoenix tracker signal. Mobil..." partially showed up at the bottom of the screen. So that's what happened...

"Yeah," Lee nodded, looking hard at Chase's face for a reaction, "around there." He didn't take Phoenix, but giving the man the bad news felt good anyway, Lee didn't know why. "Gotta be more of VILE there to take out Phoenix, Eartha wouldn't see a falcon and think enemy."



((LOL, mate! Lee wouldn't survive 3 days doing what Mikal does, ai?))

 

[Chase]

Jordan was right on Eartha's inability to identify the bird as a threat. Whoever took Phoenix knew it belonged to ACME and caution was necessary. Chase thought to tackle this alone... it would be easier. He looked to Missy. While attempting to decide whether he should trust her, the glance reminded him of something she once said... about teamwork.

Might as well...

"Right, this is now a search mission. Euge, take the skies, don't get spotted. Jordan, you're coming with me," that decision was easy, "Verde, Wayward, I'll need you watching exits. I'm guessing Eartha will want to leave the city if she knows we're here," he looked to the Luchador, "You take the out-bound," then to Missy, he nodded, "that makes you in-bound."

Marking the locations on the communicator's map, he continued, "I'll know when you're in position, no one acts until I say so. Any questions before we head out?"

 

[E. Mayhew]

"I'll know when you're in position, no one acts until I say so. Any questions before we head out?"

Yeah, Missy thought to herself, how long do I get to pack my things before you kick my ass all the way back to Boston.

"None here." she replied calmly though the pitch of her tone showed a sort of annoyance that she was sure none of the new cadets would catch. Her left hand reached into her inner jacket pocket, producing a small pair of binoculars and an ear piece. Placing the binoculars into the outside jacket pocket she carefully fixed the ear piece and covered it with a bit of hair as her other hand reached for her communicator, syncing it up.

"Channel's on. Call if you see anything."

With that she turned to leave.

Thats right, she told herself. Savor the moment... its the closest you'll ever come to being an agent.

 

[Lee]

((OOC: Mates, I'm writing that El Halcon and Missy are in position to move us on, if that's wrong, say so ai? Many thanks!))


Lee Jordan got up and gathered his things as soon as the instruction was said. No use for more talk, he figured.

Leading the team out the door, he got them promptly to Am Tunnel and to the street and apartment in question. Lee could see a helicopter nearby, nice and quiet, ACME's getting good. Lee had a motor bike parked near the area and he showed that to the team too, so they'd know that he had the speed if something was needed.

"There's the apartment," Lee pointed for Chase to see. "It's on the third floor. Eartha likes stairs."

Lee looked at the communicator and saw that both El Halcon and Missy were in position, "So?" he asked Chase, "what now?"

 

[Carmen]

Luxembourg, near Am Tunnel, a few minutes earlier...

In the time that it took certain members of ACME to move from "Joli Café" in central Luxembourg to Eartha Brute's inconspicuous third floor flat near Am Tunnel in Gare Distict, Radio Luxembourg played half way through their 'Classics' hour, and a V.I.L.E. henchman arrived at the apartment with a cage to transport the falcon. As he left, Carmen picked up a very subtle pulsating sound. First believing it to be motor from a passing car, she glanced outside to find the streets bare.

"Eartha, turn off the radio," she spoke urgently. The sound was almost inaudible, but years of practice granted her the ability to confirm its source. Someone was scouting the area, hovering... a helicopter.

Within an instant, Carmen flowed, like water. They found out about the bird much quicker than she would like, but this was not the time to dwell on missed steps. Whether or not she had taken Phoenix, the plan was botched, and Chase was bound to cross paths with her ultimately. Readying herself to leave, she gave instructions to the only other person in the premise.

"Eartha, go," she was firm, "leave town, head southeast, I'll have someone meet up with you." Without looking directly at her friend, she raised her voice, "Now, please."

 

[Eartha]

Eartha didn't quite understand what Carmen was doing until she was told to head out. Head out? Leave the apartment? But why?

None of her questions were answered as she packed to run. There wasn't much in the apartment she needed, and everything else could be left. Eartha took one last look at Carmen then went down the stairs, taking the south emergency exit and started heading out of town. First, she needed to get to the train station, which was practically next to Am Tunnel.

 

[Carmen]

Dressed warmly in her black riding clothes and boots, Carmen glanced at the digital alarm clock next to the bed, then once again outside the window. Her Ducati remained in an alley nearby, and further down the street, she could see people going about their daily chores.

After a moment of silence to plan her route, she turned up the television, and then sanguinely walked out the door to the north exit and her motorcycle. Unlike Eartha, she would be heading towards the fire, drilling into the stony heart of Luxembourg.



[[ACME, Eartha and I have completed our brief bridge, it is now your move.]]

 

[Eugene]

(OOC: got permission to move people in and out of the apartment building. Thanks everyone!) Chase said:
Euge, take the skies, don't get spotted.

"Easier said than done," Euge thought to himself. The tightly packed buildings meant he would constantly have to circle in order to cover all the exits and alleyways, which reduced his chances of not being spotted. Whoever took the bird probably knew ACME was coming anyways, so stealth was already out the window.

Euge's train of thought was interrupted by a small vehicle stopping in front of the apartment building. The sole occupant entered the building carrying a large covered cage. They emerged less than a minute later still carrying the cage, and turned to leave town. Euge forwarded the imagery to the agents along with the direction the vehicle was travelling, but kept the camera trained on the building.

Watching the apartment paid off. Euge had circled around to the back of the building and saw a figure climbing out onto the fire escape. The build topped with green hair meant only one thing: Eartha. Euge watched as she made her way through the alley and on to the main road before turning towards Am Tunnel, or possibly the train station to get out of the city. Euge alerted the ground pounders to Eartha's presence and movements, and continued to watch the building.

"Come on, there has to be more," Euge hissed to himself. Sure enough, a woman in black riding leathers emerged from a side door moments after Lee and Chase had walked in the front. Helmet tucked under her arm, she strode briskly up the block and ducked into an alley out of his field of view. Her timing was too convenient, and Euge tagged her as a 'person of interest' and moved up to see where she had disappeared to.


((Heh, person of interest is putting it mildly when it comes to Carmen))

 

[Chase]

((Taking us ahead in Luxembourg while the Blue Moon Masquerade continues. All players mentioned below gave permission for this post.))


Heading inside the apartment building with Lee behind him, Chase played it by the book, revealing his badge then asking nicely at the front desk for the keys to apartment 34. The receptionist cooperated. As they closed in on Eartha's door, the sound of laughter from a TV blared from the other side. The Special Agent knocked first, and when there was no answer, he used the key card.

On first impression, the light fruity scent of a woman's perfume merged with the smell of toffee and chocolate that floated in from the dessert shop outside. Much of the place was empty and free of clutter. Devineaux turned off the television, making an inspection in the silence. The bed had been disturbed, and the stuffed bears on top of it were tussled; the closet was empty, with drawers opened and hangers lying about. Someone left in a hurry.
The sound of a motorcycle starting alerted Chase to the window.

A rider dressed in black took a red Ducati out of an alley near the apartment and sped down the street towards the city. A mild rush raised his temperature as he eyed the vehicle's coincidental exit.

"It's the Ducati," he said clearly into the communicator as he quickly wound his way out of the building, "follow that red bike!"