Archived La Vie de Luxe

[Narrator]

El Halcon C-5ed in a moment later. He pulled his usual disguise tight over him, wondering if it'd be sufficient. Rembering the Chief's advie even he wondered how well a masked wrestler in a trenchcoat could be discreet. Also, he wondered why he needed a spanish translating device. As a native of Mexico, he believed he spoke spanish pretty well. He'd just need to remember to use his european spanish verb-modifiers.

"I come on boat from San Francisco." He greeted Missy, remembering a phrase from the ACME code book that was part of his training. Even to Missy his actions must have seemed to be totally rookie.

 

[Eugene]

Eugene Grovington half leaned against the desk in front of his class, who were listening to his lecture with varying degrees of alertness. The period was almost over, and everyone, including the instructor, was anxious to finish.

"Alright class; be ready for your exam next week. I'll see you then." Euge had spotted Chase Devineaux slip into the classroom moments earlier, and used this opportunity to excuse the class early.

The class filed out of the room with very few noting the famed detective standing in the back. Eugene gathered some papers from his desk and gestured for Chase to join him in his office down the hall. Eugene had been hearing rumors about activity in Luxembourg, and suspected Chase's appearance here and now had something to do with it.

 

[Vic]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Vic the Slick scratched his scalp through the gel-hardened hair on his head. He had been following Carmen's directions for 12 hours straight. Now he was in Notre Dame des Neiges cemetery in Montreal, looking for a bronze statue called L'ange à l'aile brisée by some guy named Alfred Laliberté. Carmen said it wouldn't be too hard to find since most of the bronze statues by Alfred Laliberté had already been stolen and probably melted down by petty thieves for cash. Vic tends to agree with petty thieves, cash was always better to have in the hand than two statues in a bush, whatever the saying was.

When he finally found it, the Angel with the Broken Wing, he was surprised to find that he sort of liked it. Vic put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. It's a male angel with an arm outstretched to the sky. The rest of the body looked like he was falling, but his face looked like he didn't need any help. Vic could see why Carmen might want to save this thing, take it before some jerk melts it for money. With a digital camera, Vic took a snapshot of the bronze statue and the surrounding area. Then he marked it on his map so he could come back with a team at night.

 

[Chase]

((This post occurs after Sir Vile's release -- highly recommended reading.))

Office of Eugene Grovington, ACME Academy, San Francisco, California

Eugene Grovington, from what Devineaux could tell, had the sort of calm mannerism that came with most talented pilots. At only 30, an age where most pilots are at the height of their careers, Grovington looked like he was ready to settle down, teaching classes at ACME Academy. Chase was skeptical of the pilot's true intentions. Devineaux once taught at the academy as cover for less plausible positions. To this extent, 'it takes one to know one'. This was also why Chase Devineaux decided Eugene was dependable, and why he wouldn't mind owing the flyboy a favor.

The detective didn't like to mark himself as man with preferences, but there were certain things he would rather do without. One such thing was the C-5 corridor.

"I need help, Euge," he stated as soon as the office door shut, "I'm heading to Luxembourg. I'd take airline, but the falcon's going to be a problem. Anything you can do for me?"

 

[Eugene]

Eugene paused for a split second when he heard Chase's request. That cinched it: there was something big going down. Euge quickly regained his composure and sat down at his desk. He was itching to ask what was going on, but held his tongue. One of his cardinal rules was to never ask his employer's business. No, Eugene would find out some other way.

"I can have a 777 on the tarmac and ready to depart in two hours. I'm sure Chief Weller will want to allocate some resources to support the agents already on site." Eugene glanced up at Chase, who nodded his approval and left the office.

"You caught all that?" Eugene seemed to speak to the empty room.

"Yes. Blancher will be bringing it in. ETA 30 minutes." IRIS replied.

30 minutes with nothing to do but grade homework.



[OOC: Anyone that wants to can catch this flight out. No layovers!]

 

[Chase]

Exiting Euge's office, Devineaux thought about the necessities of a 777, but he was content to leave the thinking to experts. He set his watch - two hours until departure. Everything, plus the falcon, was ready to go, but the 120 minutes would give him enough time to recheck his plans.

* * * ​

Ivy Monaghan's current location, The ACME Martial Arts training facility
Chase arrived and placed himself at the door, barring exit to the training area where Ivy frequented. She said so this morning that she would be here. "Got a minute?" He spoke with urgency.

 

[Ivy]

[[Written with Chase via Site Chat and then edited.]]

Having just dismissed her class, Ivy was surprised to see Chase Devineaux at the doorway of the training room. She hadn't even changed out of the Judogi uniform and he already seemed like he had work for her to do.

"If this is about Nevon, I've already told him not to lurk around the front of your office." Ivy said as she started to clear the foam mats.

"It's not about--" He paused, "Wait, Nevon Blair?--Nevermind--That's not why I'm here." Chase glanced outside to make sure Ivy's students were far out of earshot, then he shut the door. "Has Chief Weller ever talked to you about me?"

Ivy raised an eyebrow. She had originally taken his actions as an indication that something serious was going on, but she choked back a laugh at the question about Chief Weller.

"Sure, Mr. Devineaux... you're the number one topic in our staff meetings." Ivy crossed her arms and shifted her weight, "But really... what is this about?"

"Nothing." Earlier today, Chase suspected Special Operations Trainee Melissa Wayward of being someone other than the statement on her files. After some searching, he found that it was Chief Weller who instated her training. He couldn't understand why this sort of thing had to be kept from him, but he wasn't sure if he could afford a lengthy explanation about one of his operatives to someone outside the department.

Perhaps it was the hour pause after Chase said that it was 'nothing' but Ivy was starting to get impatient. She moved her hands in a circle away from her as if to gesture him to talk. "Okay... I thought I was the sarcastic one. Does this 'nothing' have to do with you and Chief and the dynamics of ACME's very cohesive work environment?"

"Has he ever said anything along the line of not trusting me?"

"No." Ivy replied definitively. "Chase, did you do something to make him not trust you?"

Carmen Sandiego was in my office this morning... "No," Devineaux shrugged, "that's why I'm asking. He hasn't mentioned... anything? Asked a few unusual questions, maybe?"

Ivy rolled her eyes. She started formulating a question that might make his answers easier but stopped before speaking, leaving her index finger pointed in his direction. Then smiled and went back to rolling up another foam mat. "I don't know what you do in special ops, but you're not getting information out of me without giving due reason."

Chase looked at his watch--90 minutes until departure--and locked his tongue to the inside of his cheek before deciding to continue. "What if I told you that I think Chief is having me under surveillance?"

"I honestly wouldn't be very surprised, Chase. We're all under surveillance to a certain extent here... and you carry more of a risk than any of us."

"Define 'risk'?"

"Well... where do I start? You've probably had the most face time logged with ACME's greatest enemy, Carmen Sandiego... and it doesn't take a genius to see that those encounters weren't always unpleasant."

When does it take a genius to do anything? Chase thought with some bitterness. "You're suggesting I leave it?"

"I'm saying... if you don't have anything to hide, then this wouldn't be a problem."

"Right, it's not a problem."

"Right. Chief is just looking out for you... well, for all of us. You know he'd never do anything if it wasn't in the path of his moral compass."

It was true, and Chase nodded. He recomposed himself, shaking off whatever was left of the thought for now.

"Thanks, I needed that rational angle."

"No problem. You know that's what we do here."

"Yeah, I get it."

"Hand me the last set of mats on your way out?"

Chase Devineaux did as he was asked then said his farewell. He checked his watch again--a little over an hour to spare before Luxembourg.

 

[E. Mayhew]

El Halcon said:
"I come on boat from San Francisco."

Turning to look at the source of the voice Missy nearly slapped her forehead. A Mexican wrestler in an ill fitting trench coat and his bright green mask on still. Among thoughts of 'Well now I'll blend in... everyone's got a luchador following them around here' Missy smiled.

"Must have been a long trip." she replied, still keeping her eyes peeled for her wanted suspect. Convinced he probably wouldn't be around this area Missy turned back to El Halcon, encouraging him to walk with her leisurely as they talked. "We've got to get you to invest in a few men's suits. Those would probably help hide that muscular frame." Knowing enough about Mexican wrestling she knew asking him to remove the mask for cases would probably be futile. And get her a lecture she was not in the mood for at the moment.

Stepping around a few tourists and native speakers Missy continued to glance between the El Halcon, the people around them and occasionally the picture in her wrist communicator.

"So... what did they send YOU here for?"

'Pleaase don't tell me you're my backup... this Jordan guy is 120 wet, I hardly think I'd need backup to take HIM out...'

 

[Narrator]

[El Halcon Verde]

"It is my first mission. Listen, I know this case may be of....sensitive nature," El Halcon tugged on his trenchoat collar as he spoke. "If it suits you, you may help me better to blend in any way you like, or we may split up. No esta un razon we should both be so obvious." El Halcon put a hand over his chin. "I understand our target may not be so easy to subdue, so I suppose that is why I'm here." He put his fists together. "If el ladrino wants to get tough, I can be tough right back."

(Spanish: There is no reason, The thief. (masculine))

 

[Eartha]

Eartha didn't take many tours around Luxembourg, but in the morning, she made it a point to powerwalk down streets with names she liked. Stopping by a local market on Grand-Rue, she spotted a Luchador and his side kick. He was dressed like he wanted to not be seen, but that bright green mask caught her attention. Bright green was one of her most favorite colors!

Carmen said not to talk to people, so Eartha was going to walk away. But a LUCHADOR, in Luxembourg! There has to be a show somewhere she doesn't know about. Walking closer, she heard the side kick speak English.

"Hullo!" She greeted with a wave, "Where is a Luchador and his sidekick going today?"

 

[Lee]

Lee Jordan was following Eartha Brute's day to day routine. Now he was on Grand-Rue pretending to be checking out some plants in a streetside shop while the suspect powerwalked. Just when he thought it was getting even more boring, Eartha suddenly got into a conversation with some people from a traveling circus. From where Lee was standing, it looked like maybe a venetian clown and his manager. Lee moved to another shop a little closer to hear what they might be saying.

 

[E. Mayhew]

El Halcon said: "I understand our target may not be so easy to subdue, so I suppose that is why I'm here." He put his fists together. "If el ladrino wants to get tough, I can be tough right back."

Missy's nose wrinkled a little. "I don't know if you've seen this guy... he's not exactly the kind of man you need to body slam..." she said softly, about to say more when a large and imposing figure approached them.

Eartha said: "Hullo!" She greeted with a wave, "Where is a Luchador and his sidekick going today?"

An immediate statement of being no one's sidekick was on the tip of Missy's tongue when her eyes took in the full view of the woman who'd spoken. THAT was Eartha Brute. One of Carmen's finest. And strongest. THAT would be the kind of person someone like a Luchador would need to be present to chase after. Right. Good. But she'd spotted them. Right. Not good.

Not missing a beat Missy turned to El Halcon and gave him a slap across the chest (which, thanks to his well built pectoral muscles was the equivilant of slapping a brick wall).

"Are you happy? You can't even go on vacation without someone noticing you..." Missy said, withdrawing her hand to give it a shake. Ow. Turning to Eartha she gave a smile. "It seems you have spotted us... or him." Motioning towards the man in the trenchcoat. It would be bad to introduce him by his real name, wouldn't it? Uh oh. "May I present... El Maestro del Absurdo of Mexico City." The tone she used was a bit grand, the type of flare one might use to present a celebrity or someone who thought themselves one.

As her eyes looked towards the muscled woman she spotted, not far behind her, the man SHE'D been looking for. Lee Jordan.