Case File 2018.05.26

MILLENIUM PARK | CHICAGO, IL Lachlan Blackbriar & Raina Hernandez

Since getting back from Peru and the incident at rescuing the Council assett, Nedd. It didn't take long for Lachlan to go about his usual routine in the city. Tonight his feet let him into Millenium Park, to observe those within the area, and provide another reminder as to why he did his work. It wasn't long before Raina had picked up word through some of the patrons in Mac's describing traits of her her former mentor within the Fellowhip being seen recently. He was last seen within the park, where she made her way to look for him.

It didn't take long, and Raina sits beside Lachlan to engage him in a bit of conversation, a bit more relaxed around him than in other's she'd encountered recently since her return to Chicago. However, it didn't seem like Lachlan was up for pleasantries at the moment. Cutting straight to the chase and asking her why she was there. Raina's basic and blunt answer in response to his curt question was to see an old friend. Though she'd also felt it was time to come back to Chicago after her time in the Amazon.

He frowned a bit at the term friends, that wasn't something he did... Though seeing as she was here, they might as well get to working for the night. He lead Raina up towards the northern border city limits-- with it known that Liam was in town and the recent work from Lachlan, most Reds took to operating further outside the city now. The two would make their way more to Old Town, catching up a bit on what the other had been up to since they'd last spoken with one another in person.

As they got to an area of Victorian era Chicago structures, Lachlan quizzed Raina on her observation of the area. The street of old housings and apartments being ill lit and with a heavy air with tension on edge. Raina clued in pretty quick to the Red nest within the area. Lachlan nodded and confirmed that it was a nest he'd cleared out once before, and it appears that it's found new residence once more. Then works out a strategy to have her take the front as he approaches from the back, expecting more thralls with only one real Red in there at this time.

Lachlan disappears down an alley as Raina heads towards the front approaching the small group out front asking to step inside to take a bit of a break. There was a moment of hushed conversation between two of the men before one invited her inside. Raina acted a bit too quickly in making a move against one of the thralls, that resulted in one pulling a gun to fire on her. Lachlan heard the gunshot and rushed inside, taking note that there was a hurried commotion upstairs... the kind you get when panic sets in, now the two would have less time to do their job.

He doesn't even have time to really chastise Raina for the abrupt action as one of the other men move in from upstairs to join into the fight downstairs. She tries to give an apologetic look as the fight continues, ignoring the one with the gun and leaving herself open to a shot in the rear. She was lucky that gunman was not a very good marksman to hit her more directly in the back. With the sound of the gunshot sirens were heard growing closer in the distance as someone must have alerted the cops at the start of the fight.

They were out of time so Lachlan took out his small bag and slid the ticking time bomb explosive into the center of the room as he grabbed Raina and took her out of the house. Raina was cursing in Portuguese from her injury, swearing she'd thought she'd rendered that thrall unconscious before heading inside. Lachlan didn't want to hear it, he also didn't want her doing anything on her own right now either. From that point on, he'd decided to put her back in training least Raina get herself killed. He gave her his address for her to find him after she'd had time to heal over night. Afterwards, he called it night, less than happy with the evening's outcome.

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CASTLE GYM | CHICAGO, IL Rhea Walsh & Alex DeWitt

Rhea had spent some time to herself after returning from Peru. She'd helped out where needed for their current guest Nedd, but otherwise did a fair job at being a ghost within the Castle currently. Today she couldn't keep her mind focused on burying herself within the library, so early on in the day she'd taken to the gym area and proceeded to beat up the sandbag there. Losing track of the time in the attempts to exhaust the mix of emotions running through her right now. At some point, uncertain of what time it was but it felt like only a few moments of uninterrupted quiet to her, Alex ran in with a couple of blades in hand hoping to pull Rhea into a match.

He taunted her about wanting to hit him since he'd earned a reputation for bringing some to the point of doing so with his actions. Despite his eagerness for a sparing match, Rhea tried to dismiss him with it not being a good time. Her statement doesn't seem to dissuade his intent, once Alex has his mind set on something, very little can appease him until he gets it... and he was certain that he could take anything that Rhea could dish out at him. Provided it was kept to blade or physical fighting, no magic like her wind vacuum trick. He continued to taunt her, stating if she was afraid of him that he'd understand.

She didn't particularly want to deal with a sparring match right now, even if kept to physical moves, but she also knew Alex wouldn't relent. Plus a few of his words reminded her of the past mission most recently, and that just fueled a need to get those images out of her mind. Not trusting herself with a blade because of her current state of mind she agreed to a physical sparring match, with the caveat that Alex himself doesn't cheat and draw on his other abilities as well. Attempting to level the physical playing field in this sparring match, though she'd already spent a few hours at best between breaks attacking that sandbag. Alex still may have the advantage over her right now.

Alex didn't have any qualms or stick to the usual social taboos of fighting a girl. Rhea waited for Alex to move to the center before taking position herself and bowing before launching into her first attack. Perhaps his intent was to talk and fight, which left him a bit open to her first attack that took a bit of the air out of him as she strikes his stomach. He wanted to know why she was so pissed right now. It's not like it was something Rhea had been trying to hide outside of having less contact with others inside the Castle. Gradually throughout their 'friendly' match Alex is able to taunt her enough to get Rhea off balance just enough end up getting a bit reckless with her moves.

Alex wouldn't let up about taunting her, tossing all manner of ludicrous ideas out in the open. It aggravated her more and eventually left her open for him to catch her hands after he'd avoided a leg sweep. Rhea was angry, and she hadn't been this angry or reckless in some time. Part of her wasn't certain how to process the mix of emotions, and couldn't really deny Alex's assessment that she needed an outlet. Whether it was trying to beat him up or just talking it out... He pointed out that despite not being in the mood, he'd wished back when he'd pulled away from the rest that the others hadn't let him get too far into his own headspace. He could tell she was hurting and Alex had no intention of letting her deal with it by herself.

Rhea may have pulled away since his temporary grapple and restraint. Putting some distance between them when point blank stating she'd been avoiding others because she didn't feel like talking. It didn't keep Alex from surprising her and tapping into his 'other' abilities and using his supernatural speed to close that distance and give her a big bear hug, not one to hurt or continue the sparing match. One to let her know that she was there for her. Rhea feels angry at first, at allowing him the chance to pull of the move more than Alex making it... He had a point though... A lot of the fight she had deflates, trying to shut out the tears she knows are just at the edge. The sparing match was over and while his good friend moment was to remind Rhea she could talk to him or even Liam if nothing else. Alex still couldn't resist adding in a tease about Rhea really liking at being close to him, though with her anger mostly defused at this point, it brushed off her shoulders without incident as she promises to reassess how much she feels like talking later after she rests.

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CASTLE GUEST ROOM | CHICAGO, IL Gwynedd Starling & Elena Drake

Nedd had slipped in and out of consciousness since set to rest within one of the Castle's guest rooms. She'd at times woke with a panic until locating the book and attempting to curl around it protectively between the moments of consciousness that came. As time passed and her lucidity remained for longer than brief moments, she was able to piece together that she was dressed in better clothes and safe in bed somewhere. Though her aching head and body continues to leave her worse for wear.

Elena knocked, pausing briefly before letting herself into the room, expecting Nedd to be resting and finding otherwise. She offered some tea and Ibuprofen for the headache she knew the detox from Red venom would leave in the other woman's body. It didn't take long for Nedd to take note of the Knight of The Cross helping. Elena had seen the affects of Red venom a bit too often, but it helped give her the knowledge at helping others recover from its effects. She did her best to help ease Nedd from the worst of the withdrawal her body was going through right now. The pain was bad, it hurt in Nedd's bones and feels like she were being torn apart. At some point she inquired about the others that were taken by the Reds along with herself.

Elena confirmed that most made it out but a couple were too far gone to make it back home. Compared to what it could have been, that was still very good. This was Nedd's perhaps real first-hand exposure to the Reds, anything she'd known prior had been from reading past field reports or incidents on file. She wasn't a combatant, she'd only known from a distant perspective the true violence she'd witnessed more directly and recently from The Red Court itself. Elena points out that what can be read might not convey the full truth or nature of events.

It seems like an odd thing to consider among all other thoughts after what Nedd had been through, but a part of her needed to confirm that it wasn't Liam that dressed her when she was tucked away to rest after they'd returned to their safe haven in Chicago. It was a bit of humor hinting, despite the weary tone, that Nedd was gradually on her way to recovery. She was assured that it was only the girls that helped Nedd into a clean set of clothing. She took comfort in that and did her best to settle back in and rest again with Elena watching over her throughout the night.