Bust a Deal, Spin the Wheel {Taran}

[Dimitri Brevic]

Dimitri sighed as he approached the decrepit apartment building. He hated doing menial jobs like collecting gambling debts from dead beats. But since his exile from Europe, he was doing whatever he could do to get back in the good graces of the Russian mob and slowly rebuild the power he once had in it. This would probably be another typical boring job, just knock the door in, scare the deadbeat, take the cash. He looked around in disgust as he climbed the stairs. America...Land of the American Dream..this certainly wasn't it was it?

He approached the door, which was just as ragged as the rest of the building around it. He reached out to see if he felt anyone in the apartment, and much to his surprise, this one was actually home. He stood for a moment and considered his options. He could easily just kick the door in, this guy wasn't supposed to be THAT dangerous. But maybe this one would require a more subtle approach. A few grand wasn't really worth making a huge scene over and possibly exposing himself or his organization. Dimitri reached up and politely knocked. He heard what he thought was a TV being muted or turned off.

"Open up, we have business to discuss"

The man behind the door may have been expecting someone else or not, but the thick Russian accent that Dimitri refused to drop probably alerted him to who was standing outside his door.

[Taran Korakas]

In all seriousness, the last thing Taran wanted to hear was a russian dude at his door.  He'd turned the TV off, expecting it to be his sister initially, and then stopped dead in his approaching the door when he heard that.  Not his sister.  Okay, then.  Not good.

"Uh.  Be right there!" he called out, aware that the dude obviously knew he was in there.  He'd turned the TV off.  RETARD! WHY'D YOU DO THAT?!  He had to handle this differently than he would have otherwise because of that little mistake.  Great.  He didn't want to leave anything of his in the apartment, but he knew it was bound to happen.  Anything he didn't want found was hidden, and hidden well.  He was a raven, he liked shiny things (including shiny $100 bills), and he knew how to keep a stash hidden.  He'd be back for anything that wasn't hidden outside of the apartment, which wasn't much. 

For now, he took the seconds he had before 'be right there' was no longer going to work, and jumped out his open window, shifting in midair and taking off.

[Dimitri Brevic]

Dimitri still possessed quite a bit of his "gifts" from his mortal life. He would get hunches and feelings, and they were always right, and the infusion of vampire blood had only strengthened these abilities. He could feel that something was about to go bad when the man replied "Be right there" Something in the back of his mind screamed to him that his "target" was going to run, and run fast.

Dimitri wasted know time lifting his foot and kicking in the door. It flew off the hinges and crashed into the living room of the apartment. He rushed through the door just in time to watch a man leap out the window, then become a Raven in midair. "Fantastic" he muttered to himself in Russian and rushed to the window. He too jumped out, but instead of flying he teleported to a building slightly behind the Raven, the bird probably couldn't run forever and he wouldn't escape Dimitri's sharp eyes.

The chase was on.

[Taran Korakas]

Being followed only made him more sure that this was a bad thing, but he wasn't about to just land and give up.  So the guy was a vampire.  That wasn't too unusual in Taran's world, but it meant that this could hurt worse than he'd like if he was caught.  That meant he had a very specific destination in mind.

Midnight.

He was one of the few shifters that would think Midnight would be safer, but that was how it was.  As a guard, he was treated rather well, and sometimes being at the Devil's side was better than standing across the field from him.  He was going to have to haul ass, and stay well out of reach while he flew, though.

Fortunately, flying that far wasn't nearly as difficult or long as driving or walking.  Taran made good time, and as soon as he touched down, he was on the run again.  Best to get somewhere with people who knew him and would back him up, just in case the vamp followed.  At least nobody could teleport into the building, though.  There was firestone to prevent that.  He'd have to stop on the grounds and walk in the main entrance.  That gave Taran time to run.

[Dimitri Brevic]

The Raven seemed to have a purpose in his flight other than just simple evasion. Dimitri let his mind wander, hoping his gifts would give him some sort of warning or idea of what to do. But no, they decided to remain dormant for the moment. He kept up as best as he could, eyes locked on the Raven, teleporting as quickly and precisely as he could. It was a good thing he had fed right before coming to collect on this debt.

Dimitri appeared 3 or 4 seconds after Taran hit the ground and for some reason he began running after the shifter instead of simply teleporting in front of him. He looked to his left and noticed a large piece of brick laying in the dirt. He snatched it up and flung it at the Raven. He watched in satisfaction as it hit the man and he lost his balance. Dimitri quickly closed in on him and grabbed him by his collar.

"Where is our money? My comrades have been very lenient with your payments, but you are not cooperating even after they have shown you kindness. I would hate for things to ugly or painful, so please...just hand over what you owe."

While most people would have been angry after the long chase, Dimitri was simply not. It was not in his nature to get angry quickly over trivial business matters like these. There was no hint of anger in his voice, and instead of shouting he was speaking softly and almost gently to the Raven. And as he was talking to him he began to slightly survey his surroundings. He felt vampires, many of them older and more powerful than him. Then it dawned on him, this bird had led him to Midnight...but for what purpose?

[Taran Korakas]

If Taran hadn't already known this was a vampire, he'd have known within a few seconds of landing.  One second he was running, and then he suddenly wasn't.  He was suddenly impacting the ground, a sharp pain in his shoulderblade, and he rolled into it out of practice (he got knocked around a lot) and momentum.  That brick was thrown HARD.  He'd be amazed if something wasn't broken.  After practically eating dirt, he tried to roll back up to his feet, but all he managed to do was get himself as far as his knees before the man had him by the collar.  He wanted to shift out of instinct, but he knew better. 

His human body was hardier than the bird, and if his wings were damaged, he'd be stuck in bird form until they healed.  He wasn't going for that.

He didn't fall limp yet, instead holding himself up.  As mentioned, this wasn't the first time he'd been knocked around, and he knew that even vampires could be knocked off balance if the weight of a human body was suddenly pulling down on them.  If he had an opportunity, he'd be taking it.

"I don't have it!  I said that on the phone, why don't you assholes ever listen?" he shot out, remembering quite clearly that he'd said exactly that earlier.  He didn't have it.  So, what was this creep going to do?  Would Tanith feel the trouble he was in?  If this vampire tried something funky, would she know?  What of Midnight?  He hadn't made it inside to safety, but would anyone come outside if he screamed?

With a place like this, it was impossible to know.

"What are you going to do?"

[Dimitri Brevic]

What was he going to do? That depending on how apologetic Taran could be, and thus far he wasn't helping himself much. Dimitri's associates wanted him to knee cap Taran as a warning, but Dimitri found such tactics to be slightly outdated. He could be brutal yes, but he was also smart. Shooting a man in the knees would only make him run further, and shooting a shifter in the knees well...it would heal quite a bit faster than a normal human. Dimitri was a business man, and he wanted to get whatever he could out of Taran. If the raven thought he would find safety in Midnight of all places, then there was more to him than met the eye. If he was a pet, which Dimitri doubted, his master would no doubt punish him worse than anything Dimitri would do at the moment, and if he was something else, then perhaps Dimitri could exploit that to his advantage.

He reached behind his back and pulled the Tokarev pistol from the small of his back. The old gun was large and scary looking enough that people usually complied just by seeing it. He held it so Taran could see it. Then he released the shifter and leveled the gun at him.

"What I am going to do is ask you a few questions..then we will proceed from there depending on your answers. Why don't you have the money if you had already been warned to have it? And why have you led me here...I know this is Midnight, and I know a bit more about it than you may think. My associates wants you maimed as a warning, but perhaps you and I can make some other arrangement?"

And still Dimitri had yet to raise his voice. Perhaps those that called him cold were right, to a certain extent.

[Taran Korakas]

That old gun may have been large and scary enough to make some people comply, but Taran wasn't 'some people'.  When he saw it, all he wanted to do was bolt, preferably in a way that harmed the vampire and gave him a head start at running, or flying.  Flying was a better idea because it made a smaller target of him.

His associates wanted Taran maimed?  Well, Taran didn't want that, so they were going to have to figure something else out.  If he bled over this, the next time he saw Dimitri, he'd make sure he returned the favor.  Maybe with a nailbat.

"I just don't have it, numbnuts!  If I knew why I didn't have it, don't you think I'd have done something different?!" he demanded, taking note of the fact that the vampire had given up his grip, and Taran had just a few more points in his favor.  He wasn't answering the other question, though.  He had other things to think about, including just how quickly he could kick Dimitri in the knee and shift before he got shot.  Even vampires didn't like having their knees busted.

[Lothaire]

Lothaire was on his way out of Midnight to teleport into the city to deal with some business matters when he came upon the scene in the grassy area in front of the fortress. He recognized Dimitri, and instantly reached for his own gun since he saw that Dimitri was holding a man at gun point. As he leveled his gun and walked forward toward the pair his eyes grew slightly wider. Dimitri was holding a Midnight guard at gun point. Regardless of the guards status...it was lucky Lothaire was the first one to come across this scene and not one of the older vampires that had been there longer...or Jesh herself. That would have ended with Dimitri's death he was sure, and probably with something not so great for the guard either. Lothaire knew he had to act before the situation got further out of hand, or anyone else walked out of Midnight.

"Dimitri...friend, what seems to be the problem? Is there any particular reason you are assaulting one of our Raven Guards? Did he do something to offend you? Let us sort this out before someone else comes out that door and ends this on their terms!"

Lothaire looked at his watch and sighed...he was going to be late. But that would be worth it if he stopped any unneeded blood shed on the steps of Midnight.

[Dimitri Brevic]

Numbnuts? Taran was really trying Dimitri's patience at this point. He wasn't angry yet, simply annoyed. Apparently Taran had no plans to pay him the money he owed. He was about to swing the gun down and knee cap the shifter out of spite, and because the raven hadn't answered all his questions. But that gut feeling hit him, and gave him pause. Maybe...Maybe...YES this one was worth more to somebody whole. He kept the gun leveled at Taran as he thought about what his next move should be.

Dealing with an Avian would be tricky if he went for a kidnapping, maybe he should just march Taran up to the broad doors of Midnight and demand the ransom from whoever was in charge there. If the raven thought Midnight was safe then he must mean something to somebody there. Dimitri was pondering this when he heard his name spoken. He looked up and saw Lothaire carefully approaching with his gun also drawn. But then the word Guard was spoked and Dimitri looked to Lothaire slightly perturbed.

"Lothaire...so this is your Midnight? I was unaware he was an ...employee here. He owes my associates money for a bad bet, and I came to collect and he fled here. They want him maimed, but I offered to assist him..and so far he has been uncooperative."

Dimitri looked down at Taran. He wanted answers, and the money. If Taran worked for Midnight then perhaps something could be arranged. Midnight did have some interesting perks after all. Dimitri stared at Taran for a moment and then decided to as his questions again, perhaps with a Midnight vampire like Lothaire at his side Taran would be more forthcoming with his answers.

"I know why you have brought me here..you can seek safety amongst those that dwell here. If you have the skills to guard a fortress such as this then perhaps we can work out a way for you to perhaps work your debt off for us? I am not a fool like my comrades, but do not doubt me or push me. So, shall I maim you or do you want to make a deal?"

[Taran Korakas]

Make a deal?  Taran was sometimes the sort of guy to do that, but Midnight and his sister had his loyalty.  Midnight because they could fuck his shit up and they paid well, and his sister because she was the only thing in the world he loved.  Those were pretty big reasons, and even if he'd agreed to Dimitri's 'deal', it wouldn't go well.  He talked to the cops, his sister specifically.  He briefly considered agreeing just so that he could tell her what he found out in that situation, but he wasn't interested in ending up dead if he got caught.

Having Lothaire show up could have been a good thing for him, if the two vampires hadn't seemed to know each other.  His instant of hope was squashed with a mental tirade of curses as his eyes slipped shut for a moment in silent frustration.  This wasn't going to go well, but he hoped if he got his ass beat, Tanith didn't come running. 

"I don't think the Mistress Jeshickah likes her employees splitting their loyalties," he said instead, and there was a good reason for it.  If he was working for both of them and she wanted Dimitri's people squashed, she'd have to worry about who Taran might be more loyal to.  That didn't work for Taran, because he was betting she'd kill whoever's loyalty she doubted.  "And I don't want to end up dead because she doesn't think I'm loyal to her."

He'd have to take the beating, if it came down to it.

[Dimitri Brevic]

Taran seemed unsure of what to do, that was not very reassuring to Dimitri. He really didn't  care if he had to hurt Taran, but if he could make yet another connection to Midnight, he would do it. Dimitri knew that his mob days were probably running out, and he might end up taking Lothaire's offer of protection in Midnight. If he had another set of eyes and ears in there via Taran..that wouldn't be a bad thing at all, and perhaps showing him mercy here would inspire some sort of appreciation in Taran.

"I am not asking you to split any of your loyalties, and I'm sure if I tried anything of the sort, Lothaire would put a bullet in both of us. The deal is this, I know that one day I may need some help, perhaps it will be something small, perhaps not. But I will not involve you with my associates, it will simply be a personal favor to me. I know more about you than you think...thats why I am not so rash and foolish as to shoot you. You are a sensible man...lets just say you owe me one?"

Dimitri would collect on his favor, there was no doubt about that. He would also do him harm if he had to, but not here, not in front of this fortress where he worked. Really, Taran had put Dimitri between a rock and Midnight, and Dimitri did not like being there. Dimitri looked over to Lothaire, who had holstered his gun and was just standing there with his arms crossed.

"Lothaire, what do you believe? Do you think I will do harm to his reputation here if I offer him this way out of a bad situation?"

[Lothaire]

Lothaire was...amused by the whole situation. Unlike Dimitri and Taran, Lothaire wasn't in a hard spot. He could easily just leave. But, Taran worked for Midnight, and Dimitri was a business associate, and perhaps even a friend.  Seeing that this wasn't really something that concerned him, Lothaire holstered his gun and just stepped back to watch. He listened to what Dimitri offered, and honestly Lothaire wouldn't have been so lenient. He would have beaten the shifter, and beaten him badly. But Dimitri was a business man, not a Trainer, and not a Midnight zealot like Lothaire, so perhaps he viewed humans and shifters as equals.

"Dimitri, I think you are playing a dangerous game, and it is unfortunate I walked out in the middle of this. I cannot allow you to harm him here unless you can prove to me that he wronged YOU personally. I do not think that is the case. I have lived here under the protection of Jeshickah's employees and I just can't cross her. She is the one that built this place, she is the one that shelters us and allows us to practice our delightful trade so openly.  You have been a good supplier of women for my human brothels...and I respect you Dimitri, but I will have to retract my offer of help and protection here if you attack him. I understand what you must do, but you can't do it here, in front of me..."

Lothaire stood his ground defiantly. He was older than Dimitri and stronger too he felt. And then there was that fun trick he had developed with projecting images. He thought Dimitri was smart enough to handle this, but there was a bit riding on Taran...who could seek shelter from Lothaire, or take Dimitri's deal...which Lothaire would make a point to ignore.

[Taran Korakas]

So....Lothaire wasn't going to let this dude kick his ass here?

Sweet!

Dimitri wasn't hanging onto him any longer, and had really only kept him on his knees because he hadn't wanted to be shot, but with that news, he pushed himself to his feet and took a few steps back.  Distance was good. 

"I'll pull some money together, but I'm not promising anything in the way of favors.  I have other loyalties, and I'm not fucking them up," he asserted.  He wasn't going to be stuck between Midnight and Dimitri, or his sister and Dimitri, and that was that.  He'd have reneged on his promises in that case, anyway, and betrayed the vampire.  He wasn't the most trustworthy. 

[Dimitri Brevic]

Dimitri listened intently to Lothaire. He knew that the older Vampire's loyalty would lie with Midnight. He was obsessed with the place and with his "trade".  He looked back to Taran who seemed relieved. When Taran jumped to his feet Dimitri slid his pistol back into the small of his back. He started at Lothaire for a moment, then turned back to Taran.

"It looks like you pick your...friends...wisely. I will delay your payment, because something just...isn't right here. I will be checking up on you. Oh, and don't think of going to the police...I doubt they can help you, and we do have certain connections there that protect us. But I want a payment tomorrow, as much as you can scrape up. You better thank Lothaire for being here and keeping you in one piece."

Dimitri was staring into Taran's eyes, and into what he could access in his mind. Taran seemed very concerned with Midnight, which, given his bloodline was understandable. But he kept flicking thoughts of a sister around. That was interesting. Dimitri would likely follow up on that before taking further action, especially if Taran brought him any amount of payment. Dimitri was a smart business man, and running around knee capping people just wasn't smart.