My doppelganger did it. (private)

Continued from Doppelganger and I'll see you in my dreams

Kyle sat in his jail cell tapping his ill fitted shoes. They had taken away his belt, tie, and shoelaces, just in case.


‘I plan on dying somewhere a little bit cleaner, thank you!’ He yelled at the guards as they slammed the jail cell and left him alone.

Tap, tap, tap.

Slumped against the wall, he picked at the metal cot beneath him for approximately six hours until another officer came by and told him his lawyer was there. This was the same lawyer who was represented him when he had been arrested, falsely thank you, for the Babylon murderer’s murder. He couldn’t remember his name since it had been Nova who had brought the little guy. Nova was nowhere to be found, nor did she answer her cell, so he called the only other person he could think of that would actually show up and bail him out.

As he waited, Kyle continued supporting the concrete wall behind him and dangled a long leg off the cot. At least his headache had subsided, plus control of his conscious was nice, too. It did make him wonder though; just how close was he to completely losing his mind? He imagined his reflection attempting to rape a coworker. His doppelganger was a misogynistic rapist. Yeah, that was awesome.

Kyle threw his head back, bouncing it off the wall in frustration.

Maybe it was the Eternity? Did it have mental side effects? Did it cause homicidal behavior, inducing self destructive acts and alcoholism? No wait, he was already an alcoholic. Kyle snapped his fingers. Smoking. He had started smoking. Oh and the nightmares. He clapped his hands together with a smile.


‘Yeah, I’m losing my fucking mind and in jail for attempted rape because of my addiction to a vampire drug. Of course!’ He shrugged, laughing to himself.

Tap, tap, tap.


‘Fuck, I’m screwed,’ he said with a sigh.

Simon Huntington 14 years ago
Simon went into the Nachton City Jail alone leaving a brooding Ellis smoking on the sidewalk out front. As he climbed the steps up to the entrance, he considered the strangeness in Evan's charges. Attempted rape and resisting arrest. Well the latter he could see, but the former wasn't him at all. And why call him to bail him out? Pulling the door open, he walked into the large marble lobby of the city jail looking for his contact in the department. It wouldn't take much to bail him out, but getting the charges dropped was another thing.

It took him almost a full hour of talking to one of the ADA's and the young lady's attorney to get her to drop the charges, forgoing bail all together. Of course the amount that had to be transferred to the alleged victim was sizable enough to annoy him as they walked him to the waiting area to collect the idiot reporter.

Sitting in one of the uncomfortable chairs, Simon reflected on his evening. He was supposed to be having sex right then. He sighed unhappily. Ellis was still outside doing something, that much he could tell. She had been extremely agitated when he told her it had been Evans calling and why. He offered to drop her off at the Grand Piazza, but she elected to come with him. Her aura was angry, irritated, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on. It couldn't have been what he thought he felt. Why would Ellis be afraid?

The scuff of feet broke his concentration. Walking out with his lawyer, Kyle was holding a thick manila envelope in one hand and what appeared to be shoelaces in the other. Standing slowly he watched Evans as he approached.

Jesus he looked fucked up, Simon thought. Evans hair was long and unkempt; he was sporting a harsh looking 5 o'clock shadow which only deepened the bags under his eyes and his face was thin and pale. He stopped in front of Simon, he could smell the alcohol on him.


Simon held out his hand to Evans. 'You're drinking again?'
Kyle Evans 14 years ago
Kyle peeked into the manila envelope they handed him and made sure all his affects were there. The first thing he pulled out was his shoelaces, followed by his tie. He refused to move until he had his tie back on, but the shoelaces would wait.

The smallish lawyer had come in, letting him know that the charges had been dropped and they were releasing him.

‘They’re dropping the charges?’

‘Mr. Huntington took care of it.’

Kyle paled. ‘What do you mean, ‘he took care of it’?’

The smallish lawyer rolled his eyes. ‘This is not television, Mr. Evans. No one was ‘off’d’. She was, however, paid off. I suggest you do not contact her further.’

Kyle promised the lawyer that he would not and practically ran out of the jail cell. As they walked out into the waiting area, he saw Simon sitting in one of the chairs, looking bored as hell. His question did not surprise him.

‘It’s been a rough couple weeks.’ Kyle switched his shoelaces to his left hand and shook Simon’s hand. ‘Thanks for coming. There wasn’t anyone else I could call.’

‘Nova?’

‘I don’t know where Nova is,’ he replied quietly and took a seat. Lacing up his shoes, he did not comment further on his invisible girlfriend. Simon stood for a moment and then sat next to him, picking up a shoe and lacing it up for him.

Kyle reflected on his situation. He was sitting in the city jail waiting area, lacing up the shoelaces they had taken away from him for fear of committing suicide, and a vampire was helping him. Simon was decent enough not to question him about what had happened with Beth, not yet anyway, and handed him his laced up shoe. Slipping both shoes on, he tied them quickly and then dumped out the contents of the manila envelope next to him.

His watch, wallet, a flask, his Starburst pills in a brown pill container, and belt. Simon reached over and picked up his flask, opening it. Kyle immediately took it back.

‘I don’t share.’

With a grin, Simon stood and waited for Kyle to finish. They walked out into the large hallway leading down to the spiral marble steps. Checking his watch, he saw that it was already 9 pm. He popped a Starburst and took the steps silently.

‘Listen. I appreciate what you did for me.’
Simon Huntington 14 years ago
‘Oh you appreciate it, that’s good.’ Simon said without looking at him. He licked the corner of his mouth and kept going down until he reached the bottom of the steps. They walked a few paces toward the entrance, their footfalls echoing off the high cathedral ceilings. ‘Were you going to tell me why you tried to rape that girl?’

Kyle made a noise akin to a moan and sigh.

‘You really didn’t try and rape her, right?’ He reached out and pulled Kyle by his arm, stopping him. ‘Because if you really did, then I’ll take the five hundred thousand dollars I had to pay her out of your ass, Kyle.’

‘It’s not what you think.’

‘Then please,’ he said slowly as he took a step closer to Kyle, ‘tell me what I think it should be.’
Kyle Evans 14 years ago
‘It was a misunderstanding.’

‘A misunderstanding? You pushed her up against the wall and gave her a concussion, Kyle.’

‘Oh, Jesus. Really? I’ve been going through some things. I’ve been having these headaches….’

‘Headaches?’ Simon stepped closer to Kyle until he was within inches of his face.

Simon had about 3 inches on him, which really wasn’t much, but with the immortal strength and vampire crap, it was plenty enough to scare the shit out of Kyle.

‘Those are pretty expensive headaches,’ Simon said with a sneer.


Kyle began to babble, and upon hearing himself, he took a step back and put his hands up. ‘I don’t know exactly what happened, but Simon you know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t do something like that. I…,’ he sighed and was surprised to feel the sob escaping from his chest.

‘I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what’s going on in here!’ He pointed to his head, pleading with Simon. ‘I don’t know if it’s the Starburst or the Eternity. I don’t know if she jumbled something up when I was attacked.’

‘She?’

Kyle froze. What had he said? Did he say ‘she’?

‘I don’t know, I don’t remember.’ He blurted it out and it sounded just as unconvincing as when he told Carol months before. ‘I…’ The clickety clack of shoes distracted him, making him turn his head toward the noise. Simon waited quietly with his own confusion when a familiar face peeked up over the steps into the lobby.

It was Yuu.
Yuu 14 years ago
Yuu stepped out of her car without waiting for the Merc to open her door. She was emotionally drained after having screamed and cried in her completely not private home. Having thoroughly terrorized her bodyguards, she dressed and headed out to the courthouse to meet with Captain Hughes.

Wearing white Burberry stretch sateen pants with a ruffled trim silk and cashmere sweater, Yuu stopped a moment, waiting for her Merc. The evenings were warming up, so she wore her quilted double-breasted white jacket open. The smell of cigarette smoke made her crinkle her nose and she looked around to see where it was coming from.

Ellis stood by one of the columns of the steps, smoking her cigarette with a smile on her face. Without a word, she gave her a wink and then looked away. Yuu sighed with an eye roll and proceeded up the steps.

The Merc made it up to the top and opened the door for her, to which she murmured a thank you, and then continued up the short steps to the marbled lobby. She wondered if Ellis was here, then maybe Simon was as well. No sooner had she reached the top step and began walking to the spiral staircase, she spotted Simon in the middle of the large lobby speaking to someone.

Imagine her surprise when the person he was talking to turned, revealing the even more disgusting and disheveled face of Kyle Evans. Yuu narrowed her eyes and continued walking toward them. Simon noticed her and gave her a polite nod. Kyle stepped forward to meet her, opening his mouth to say something.

She didn’t even hesitate.
Simon Huntington 14 years ago
Whatever was going on with Kyle, Simon was fairly certain that he really wasn't capable of hurting that girl, much less anyone. Yes he's a selfish, self-centered pig, but a rapist? Simon thought he was a decent judge of character and his gut was telling him that Kyle was telling the truth. Still, it sounded like total bullshit, until he mentioned his attack.

'Wait a minute, what do you mean 'she'?'

Kyle turned toward the distinct click of heels, much to Simon's annoyance. It wasn't as if the same exact thing hadn't landed him in jail. Following the reporter's gaze, he saw Yuu coming up the steps into the lobby. Well, he could kill two birds with one stone. With a polite nod, both Simon and Kyle stepped forward to greet the new District Attorney, the youngest in the city's history. If people didn't see the death of the old DA James Weatherby suspicious, his temporary replacement should.

Kyle slumped his shoulders and again held his hands up to Yuu. Simon wondered how well they knew each other. He found out.

'Yuu...Miss Yuukaku, let me apolo....'


Kyle didn't get to finish what sounded like an apology. Yuu walked right up to Kyle and then punched him dead in the face. The reporter was not prepared for it and he took a step back, losing his balance, landing right on his ass.

Yuu took that moment to begin cursing, each word with a well planted kick. 'You want to apologize?' Kick. 'For which part, you fucking prick?' Kick.

'Yuu, let me expl.... Oof.'

Simon waited, waving off a few security guards and the Merc who stood behind her, letting Yuu get her aggressions out. After four or five well placed kicks, Simon stepped forward and pushed Yuu back.

'Jesus Christ, woman! I'm trying to apologize!' Kyle yelled from the ground.

'You ASSHOLE!' Yuu yelled back.

Simon looked at the Merc as he held onto Yuu and politely asked,
'Why is Miss Yuukaku kicking Mr. Evan's ass?'

'She is NOT kicking my ass.'

'Oh yes she is,' Simon said with a laugh. He looked at the human Merc who had been with her earlier in the day.

'Don't you dare.' Yuu glared at the Merc. 'I will make your life a living hell.'

Simon leaned in close to the Merc and said,
'And I'll kill you. What happened?'

The Merc made his choice. He stepped up to Simon and whispered in his ear. After a few moments, Simon's eyebrows rose in surprise, Yuu turned three different shades of red, and Kyle finally managed to get up off the floor.

'Let go of me,' Yuu said quietly to Simon.

'Calm down, Miss Yuukaku.'

'Fine.'

'No.' He still had his hands on her arms. Simon pulled her closer and whispered to her as she refused to look at him. 'I said...calm down.'

With a long sigh, Yuu nodded.

Simon looked at Kyle with less than pleased eyes.
'Go wait outside.'

Kyle opened his mouth to complain.

Simon sighed, his patience wearing thin.
'Go. '

Straightening his tie, Kyle gave Yuu a final glare and walked out of the lobby.

Simon looked down at Yuu and released her gently.
'You want to tell me what purpose beating the shit out of him serves?'
Kyle Evans 14 years ago
Kyle angrily pulled at his jacket, wiping the dust from the ground off his arms and back. He stormed out of the front entrance with a scowl growing on his face. Irritation was gathering strength at the base of his neck thinking of the inconsiderate bitch. It wasn’t as if she didn’t enjoy the whole thing. In fact, he did her a favor.

Then Kyle stopped a moment. Where had those last thoughts come from? The tell tale thump of his headache resurfaced again, not as intense as before, but almost lying in wait, waiting to spring itself on him. Letting the cool evening air blow some of the steam off, he sighed looking up into the night wishing he could see the stars. The smell of cigarette smoke wafted over to him, making him look around for the culprit when his eyes fell on someone standing at the bottom, near the columned railing. He descended down the steps slowly, never taking his eyes off the silhouette. With each step, his grin grew and something inside him shifted.


‘Well, well. Hello, Ellis.’

Ellis turned, her cigarette making its way up to her pouty lips, and gave him a suspicious glare. She looked around, clearly uncomfortable, but then relaxed, flicking the ashes off her cigarette.


‘Aren’t you the vision in white and silver?’
Ellis Duban 14 years ago
Ellis gave him a long look, from his head to toe and back again. He was standing to the right of her, but she made no move to face him. Instead she turned her head back across the street, giving him a side look that was neither a greeting nor an invitation.

‘Yeah,’ she said quietly. ‘Your nose is bleeding.’ And indeed it was, the smell of the fresh blood tingled in the back of her throat, but she did not give him any reaction. Taking the cigarette out of her mouth, she lowered her hand again, flicking more ash.

Kyle creeped her out, plain and simple. He looked like utter shit and smelled like stale cigarettes and scotch. Ellis leaned back against the column casually, but remained cautious of him as he reached up and touched his nose, pulling back bloodied fingers.

The sight of blood used to be exciting for her, literally making her stomach growl, but as time goes by the thrill of seeing it diminishes. It's a valuable commodity, but the ease of obtaining it was ridiculously simple, thus taking away the thrill factor. He rubbed his fingers together, staring at them. Then, with the back of his hand, he wiped his nose, leaving faint traces of it.

'I get it all?'

Ellis didn't reply.

Kyle walked over to a parked car and leaned down to look at his reflection in the mirror. He cleaned up his face, and before turning way, smiled at his reflection.
It made her shiver.

‘So what did Simon bail you out for?’

‘Attempted rape and resisting arrest,’ Kyle replied as easily as ordering lunch. He turned from the car and looked down at her with a faint smile.

Her hand was halfway up to her mouth when she paused and looked at him fully. ‘Attempted rape? Are you serious?’

Kyle shrugged, ‘It was a misunderstanding,’

Ellis licked her lips slowly, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth. Simon would have made the whole thing go away, which meant a lot of money just went into the ‘save Kyle Evans ass’ fund. Shaking her head, she flicked her cigarette ashes near his legs.

‘You’re getting expensive, Kyle. You owe Simon big time.’

‘I owe him shit.’
Kyle Evans 14 years ago
Kyle blinked. What did he just say?

‘What did you just say?’

Ellis took a step closer to him, looking scarier (and maybe a little hotter) than Death himself. He owed everything to Simon.

‘You owe everything to Simon.’


Kyle blinked again. He was saying things again, things he had no idea he was even thinking until it came spilling out. His head throbbed a little, but it was nothing like earlier. Unconsciously he rubbed his blood stained fingers and shook his head.

Rolling his shoulders he felt himself smile down at her again, despite her readiness to rip his throat out.
‘Calm down, kitten. I agree, I owe him my thanks for bailing me out of that bullshit, but really…who owes who more?’

She was trying to intimidate him, her gorgeous green eyes, furrowed perfectly tweezed eyebrows, right down to those pouty god damn lips. Ellis was sex on a stick and it was a wonder she scared anyone. Looking at her curves, he reached down and took her hand with the lit cigarette.

‘I would have gotten probation anyway. I have a clean record. I am a pillar in the community.’ Even he had to laugh at that one and did so with a huge grin. Kyle plucked the cigarette from her fingers and tucked it in between his lips. With both hands he held onto Ellis’, rubbing his thumbs in small circles around her soft, tanned knuckles.

‘And I know more secret things than you think.’

Kyle inhaled deeply on the last bit of the cigarette and flicked the butt out into the street. He exhaled the smoke through his nose as he continued to caress her hand. She was not happy; her expression and body language was quite apparent, but for some reason Kyle was enjoying the shit out of himself. There was no fear, no worries…nothing.

‘So.’

Ellis gave him a dark look, waiting.

‘Why are you here? Waiting for Simon?’

Again she did not reply.

‘Oh, so are you and Golden Boy (a term he had not used since he had said it to Nova after Ellis' supposed death) are back together? I had heard you broke up, what with him trying to kill you and all.’

‘Tread softly, Kyle.’ The threat was very clear and very real in her eyes, but Kyle kept on keeping on.

‘Did you tell him we…’ Kyle winked at her. ‘You know.’

There, a flicker of fear behind those green globes of sugary goodness. ‘He wouldn’t care.’

Kyle brought her hand up to his lips, hiding his smile behind it. Then he leaned in and whispered in her ear. ‘You sure about that, kitten?’
Ellis Duban 14 years ago
It was taking everything to control her temper. Not because she was afraid she'd snap Kyle like a twig, but because Simon was standing about one hundred feet away. She could feel him near, but not what he was feeling. Still, she took no chances and held a tight rein on her emotions as she dealt with Kyle.

Syrupy sweet threats weren't Kyle's style, but whatever he's going through, that and an aggressive sexual libido she had not witnessed in years, was the result of it. He was on something for the Eternity he had taken, she knew that; the 'starburst' from Nova's lab. Starburst wasn't suppose to have any side effects, at least nothing traceable, as of yet. It could be post traumatic syndrome from her attack on him - but that usually involved depression, not sexually deviant behavior. No, something else was rattling Kyle's cage, as of late.

As he caressed her hands, she watched him, taunting her with his veiled threats. Simon probably would be hurt if he found out she had slept with Kyle, but she didn't think Simon was above doing the same thing. Unconsciously the twang of jealousy passed through her at the thought of it, and the fear from Kyle's question flashed across her aura.


His lips brushed her cheek as he pulled back from whispering in her ear, then he
gently brushed them across the skin of her hand, kissing her knuckles making desire stir at the pit of her stomach. Still, there was something about Kyle that reminded her of unpleasant times. Not all men mean well - kisses led to other things and sometimes unwanted things, but that wouldn't matter. It was a fine line between want and fear with Kyle. Forbidden fruit coupled with a miserable fear she knew all too well.

'What do you want, Kyle?' His smile grew and she squashed down the queasiness in her stomach.

'Oh, Ellis. Can't a guy just be friendly?'

'We're not friends.'

'But we could be.'

'And if I still say no?'

Kyle shrugged, his smile faltering. 'That would be a shame.'

'For who ? Me?'

'No,' he said as the smile fell from his face. 'For Simon.'

That was it. Ellis reached up with her other hand and gently touched Kyle's hand. In the darkness, they looked like lovers sharing a quiet moment, just on the edge of kissing. She took great pleasure in the coming irony. Gently, Ellis squeezed her hands.

Kyle immediately fell to his knees, the pain obvious as it creased his face. Ellis looked down at him with an adoring smile, squeezing just hard enough to almost break his fingers. He grunted, squeezing his eyes shut, and then he began to plead with her.

'Ellis...my hands...'

She squeezed just a hair harder.

'Oh Christ, Ellis...' He muttered through gritted teeth.

'Now Kyle, I want you to pay attention and listen. Are you listening?'

'Yes! Yes! I'm listening!' Tears started to roll down his cheeks.

'Are you sure, because I want you to understand what I'm about to say to you?'

'I'm listening!' His voice squeaked out with pain.

She had to hurry before he passed out from the pain, but Ellis couldn't resist.
'You have no idea just how close to death you are, dearest. Under the circumstances though, Simon wants you alive, so I would be hard pressed to kill you, right here, without Simon being a little disappointed.'

Kyle's eyes were narrowed slits, but he watched her with cold, blue eyes.


'But consider this a promise, Kyle, not a syrupy sweet veiled bullshit threat like yours.' Ellis leaned down, pressing her lips against his ear.

'I will kill you, Kyle. Slowly...gloriously...but first - I'll kill your family: your mother in Las Vegas, dear ole Uncle Thorpe, the crusty Editor of the Nachton Times, your old childhood friend - the cop, Rene, your aunt who lives in Ohio, and your fucking maid, Therese. I'll kill everyone close to you, Kyle. Then, your precious Nova, and I'll do that with great pleasure. I'll fuck with you like a cat plays with its food before I rip your fucking face off. No means no, pookie.'

Ellis raised her eyebrows, eliciting a strained nod from Kyle. The veins in his neck pulsed loudly in her ears. Quietly, she finished.

'Don't ever...threaten me...again.' Then she kissed his cheek gently and stood up straight, looking down at him with all the contempt and hate she could muster. Then, Ellis dropped his hands.

Kyle immediately doubled over and cradled his hands. She watched him grunt from the pain for a few moments before she reached down and picked him up by his jacket, slamming him against the column. Ellis watched as he tried to recover from the stunning pain. Once he was steady on his feet again, she let go and straightened his jacket for him. He refused to look at her.


'We're done now, Kyle.' She straightened his tie, tightening it just a tad too tightly. Taking a step back, she nodded at his appearance. 'Get a haircut and shave, you look like hell.'
Kyle Evans 14 years ago
The distinct crunch of breaking bone filled his head as Ellis gently squeezed on his fingers. It was as painful as a kick to the groin and just as debilitating. His head swam with pain, pushing his headache to insane proportions. He dropped to the cold, wet cement, the ground biting into his knees, but that pain paled in comparison. Finally she let him go and he almost crumpled onto the sidewalk. Flexing his fingers, he could move all but two and the pain from that stupid act almost made him throw up.

Ellis grabbed him by the jacket and hauled him up to the column, slamming him against it. He believed every single word she had said. She wouldn't hesitate to kill everyone he ever knew, everyone he loved - including Nova, despite her being close to Simon. Retribution like that held no loyalty, no boundaries...she would do what made her so powerful to begin with, the unconscionable. Common sense filtered back into his head as Ellis kept him upright.

A thin sheet of sweat covered his body, mixing with the nauseated sweat droplets running down his neck. Once again he had blurted out a lot of nonsensical bullshit, bullshit that he would have never even considered saying even in his deepest drunken moments. It was if his common sense had taken a long trip with no forwarding address. The scary thing was how erratic his memories were becoming; like a UHF channel, transmitting on a weak signal, with images blinking in and out of the white static.

She helped him with his jacket, cleaning him off before she took a step back and looked at him. A haircut and a shave, she suggested. Lowering his hands, Kyle tried to stretch his fingers only to be rewarded by a sharp pain that radiated up his arm to his head.

'Should get that looked at,' she said with a smile.

With a throbbing head, Kyle stepped away from the column and turned away from Ellis, walking down the sidewalk. Part of him was angry and embarrassed - she humiliated him by making him drop to his knees. The other part of him wanted to scream out and tell her everything, but with every step he took away from her, that part returned the recesses of his mind, locked away.

With renewed irritation, Kyle caught his reflection in a car window. The reversed Kyle banged on the glass, screaming out to him, but he just kept on walking.

((OOC Kyle out))
Simon Huntington 14 years ago
'Miss Yuukaku....Miss Yuukak...Yuu? Yuu, stop.'

She wouldn't stop griping about her situation - how she's followed day and night and subjected to, as she put it, 'bouts of retarded mania from the likes of idiot reporters'. Simon didn't see interjecting with the fact that she let him invade her personal space by choice as a good thing, so he let her rant for a few minutes. But now it was just getting annoying. He held his hands up and barked at her.

'Stop!' Yuu finally did, her face flushed red with embarrassment and her chest heaving with angry excitement.

'Your situation has not changed, Miss Yuukaku. I won't apologize for the security and invasion of privacy. It's either that, or you're dead.'

Deflated, Yuu sighed, nodding her head.

'I suggest keeping away from Mr. Evans in the future.'

The annoyed glare returned but Simon let it pass without contention. 'I have a job to do.'

'As do I, Miss Yuukaku.'

'You let him go. Why would you let him go?' Her contempt was palatable, if not annoying.

'I owe him a favor.'

It was all Simon would say, not that she even deserved an answer. Straightening up from looking down at the little woman, Simon looked around the near empty lobby. Tai was nowhere to be seen, not that it mattered. Turning to his Merc, he relayed more orders to him as Yuu flexed the hand she had hit Evans with. Reaching out, Simon took her hand and checked it.

'Double up surveillance in the areas surrounding Miss Yuukaku's residence.' Simon continued speaking to the human Merc as he checked the growing bruises on Yuu's hand. 'Employ the Mercs with blending around her off....'

Simon stopped for a moment as the faint feeling of fear crossed through the weakened bond between him and Ellis. He could sense where she was and looked toward the doors, but he was just on the edge of what he could feel from her. Fear and other stronger, raw emotions had a way of traveling long distances. It was gone as quickly as it had come.

'I'm sorry, sir?' The Merc asked.


Simon blinked and looked back at Yuu's hand. 'Employ the blending Mercs surrounding her office,' he continued without missing a heartbeat. Letting go of Yuu's hand, he nodded to her and then stepped away from both her and the Merc.

'Aye, sir.' The Merc turned to Yuu and waited.

Simon slipped his hands in his pockets as he took the steps down to the doors. There was a flurry of emotions coming from Ellis now and not altogether pleasant. Pushing through the doors, he took the steps with just a hairs worth of urgency, but only saw Evans walking off to the right down the street. Ellis was standing where he had left her.

Walking toward her down the steps, he hooked his thumb over his shoulder at Evans.
'Hey, did you talk to him?'

Ellis was flipping her silver lighter open and closed. Snap. Snap. Her expression was thoughtful and their aura had settled, but she stared off in the reporter's direction.

'Hey.' Simon reached out and stopped her hand from snapping her lighter closed. Ellis finally looked at him.

'Sorry. Was just thinking of something.'

Simon turned back toward Evans and watched as he disappeared around the corner when he reached the end of the block.

'Seems off?'

'Just a little.' She sighed quietly, her eyebrows furrowed together. 'You see Yuu?'

Leaning back against the column, Simon let out a soft chuckle. 'Yes. Yes I did. She took a poke at Kyle.'

'Oh. That explains the bloody nose then. What did he do to deserve that?'

Simon scratched his chin.
'Apparently he had his way with her earlier in his office.'

'She pressed the charges?'

'Oh she let him. I think that's why she was so angry.'

'Are you serious?'

'Oh yeah.'

'Huh.' Again Ellis had that concentrated look again.

'Penny for your thoughts.'

Ellis snorted. 'Please, I'm not that cheap.'


Grinning, he hooked his arm out and Ellis curled hers around it.
'Come on.'

((OOC - Ellis and Simon out))
Yuu 14 years ago
Yuu kept clenching her hurt hand as she rambled on with her complaints to Simon. He at least had the decency to listen to her tirade, but his patience was noticeably wearing thin, as was hers. The humiliation Kyle had caused was like Lance Armstrong, even with one nut, he kept on rolling along. Now that her so called bodyguard had spilled the beans, she fumed enough that steam rising from her ears would not be a surprise.

Kyle had used her. HER, for Christ sakes. And for information that couldn’t have been relevant to him, except as a front page story. And that son of a bitch managed to shake off a felony assault charge, thanks to Huntington.


‘You let him go. Why would you let him go?’

‘I owe him a favor.’

Yuu rolled her eyes as Simon turned and began giving more orders to completely erase even the tiniest bit of privacy left in her life. Blending Mercs, what the hell was that? She looked down at her hand again – it was throbbing now. She was probably lucky she didn’t break it.

Suddenly Simon reached over and took her hand without a word to her. He continued talking to the Merc as he ran his fingers over hand, gently squeezing, looking for breaks. Her first reaction was to jerk her hand back, but she squashed that feeling and just let him do what he wanted. A slow simmer began again – relinquishing control was something she would never get used to. Giving up her power was akin to being taken advantage of – maybe that was why she was so angry at Kyle.

Simon’s hands were strong and callused. Just how old was he, she wondered? What was he when he was human? Looking up at him, she watched his easy assertive authority. None of the Mercs said anything about Simon, but as she looked into the face of her human Merc, she saw the awe in his face. Simon’s authority was gained by trust and respect, not through violence and domination. A security officer of some sort, she figured, and a position higher than soldier.

Something caught his attention and he looked out toward the entrance. Yuu and the Merc looked in the same direction and saw nothing. Then he finished what he was saying, and with a final look at her hand, released it and walked away.

Yuu watched him through narrowed eyes. There was so much more going on beneath that brooding exterior. Her Merc moved beside her, watching Simon walk away as well. Yuu turned and looked at him.


‘What’s your name?’

‘Sullivan, ma’am.’

‘Sullivan, I meant what I said about making your life hell.’

The Merc blinked slowly and returned to his slow search of the lobby. ‘Yes, ma’am'.’

‘I’m impressed how you can make ‘Yes, ma’am’ sound like ‘screw you.’

The Merc finished his search and held a hand up to the spiral staircase, his hand hovering just above her lower back. He smiled and said, ‘Yes, ma’am.’

With an eye roll, Yuu walked toward the stairs.


((OOC Yuu out))

Kyle continued in It just keeps getting better.
Simon and Ellis continued at Inevitable