Start Ups Hidden

[Taengoo]

Eyeris subtly glanced in Xavier's direction, but otherwise kept sipping her tea.

Her heavily alcohol-infused tea.

 

[Prez]

Nicolette looked over too, her features scrunching in confusion. "You try that again and the building will set on fire," she tried to joke.

 

[Hector]

Xavier closed his eyes and stayed silent for a long moment. "I suppose that's a good point." He mused as he stood up and slid the ashes into the trash.

 

[Prez]

"Hm," Nicolette simply said to herself, watching the scene in mild confusion.

 

[Hector]

"It's nothing." Xavier said in a tone of voice that made it abundantly clear that it wasn't nothing. He looked to the door. "It merely appears that I have... business... to attend to."

 

[Alolan Ninetales]

"Hey snag me some dinner while you're at it then," Rose joked as she looked to Xavier.

 

[Hector]

Xavier sent a smile Rose's way. "Sure thing. I am a master chef after all." He replied before heading for the door.

 

[Prez]

"Business with you?" Nicolette incredulously asked. "Highly doubt it's just," she mused, air quoting the rest of her sentence. "Nothing."

 

[Midorikawa]

"Business usually doesn't include burning papers," Adrian commented once Xavier left.

 

[Hector]

Xavier heard Nicolette's remark as he exited and he rolled his eyes, not bothering with a response. There was no need for him to get distracted after all.

 

[Alolan Ninetales]

"Eh it's not a big deal," Rose replied, "As long as we're safe and still kept hidden, I won't pry into his life."

 

[Midorikawa]

"I'm fine as long as his life doesn't threaten us."

 

[Alolan Ninetales]

"You just basically said what I said," Rose replied with a sigh, "Anyways, let me finish breakfast."

 

[Midorikawa]

"Your point? Am I not allowed to express my opinion as well."

 

[Prez]

Nicolette silently agreed with Adrian, but she wouldn't act on such opinions. "It's still pretty early, I guess," she mused. "We're all tired and cranky."

 

[Alolan Ninetales]

"Express one that doesn't sound just like mine," Rose replied with a joking smile.

----

Her eyes fluttered, but she couldn't see much. Most of the room was dark except for a small light above her. The woman's body was writhing in pain as she felt her blood searing. However, she was too weak to even move, let alone cry out. It was to the point that her restraints weren't as tight as they used to be because her captors knew she couldn't escape or fight back. How long was she even in here? She couldn't even answer that anymore. It wasn't like there was a clock around to give her any indication of passing time. It would only be a matter of time before her life ended anyways, right?

 

[Hector]

Xavier allowed his thoughts to drift as he walked through the city. He had to wonder who had talked to the press, meaning who had seen what had happened and lived to tell the tale. He chided himself mentally for such an error, he was usually far better than that. He shook his head, he needed to focus. Who had been left alive to leak the truth of the matter. Everyone in the target's party had been slaughtered, all of his bodyguards as well... nobody had been in the private room at the... With a smile, the truth revealed itself to him. He had neglected to make sure that nobody on the restaurant staff had seen into the room from outside the glass doorway. It must have been a bartender or a waiter who had seen the carnage from the safety of outside the room. And the time that Xavier had spent speaking to the prey after the battle would provide way more than enough time for a panicked front of the house staff member to flee the scene.

He sighed, would such a person be foolish enough to come back to work at the same restaurant only days later? He had to hope so, because it was his only lead. Xavier knew that it was one of the tenets of being a successful hunter never to return to the scene of the crime, especially not so soon. But he didn't have a choice. He had allowed a leak to escape that night, and such things had to be taken care of as soon as possible. So go back to the scene of the crime he did. It was early enough in the day where the place would mostly be empty of patrons, but late enough where it would be open for an early lunch as not to raise suspicion.

Sliding through the front door, Xavier slipped off his gloves and made his way to the bar. Barkeeps always knew things, and as such it would definitely be the right place to start. He smoothly swung himself onto a stool and grabbed the attention on the bartender with a quick wave of his hand. He expected to be greeted with a smile and an offer of refreshment. Instead he got a gasp. In that moment, Xavier came to realize the truth. He'd expected to have to work for it, but instead the leak had fallen right into his lap. And now he had to seal the deal. The bartender tried to run, but Xavier wasn't having any of that. He smoothly leaped over the bar and drew one of his blades, placing it at the man's throat. With his free hand, he grabbed a wine bottle from the wine fridge underneath and popped the cork off with the blade. "Now, now there's no need for that. I'm just here to talk. Walk with me." Xavier growled under his breath. The message was made loud and clear. Looking around, he was thankful that the bar area was empty. He would be quick and it would be clean. Leading his victim outside, he ducked the pair around the back of the restaurant into an alley. Xavier smiled at what he saw. The generator would provide exactly what he needed for disposal.

"I won't say anymore, I won't tell anyone anything, I'll leave this city, I'll do whatever you want." The young man was pleading but if had been able to look Xavier in the eye he would see that there was nothing approaching mercy there.

"Your mistake was being born human." Xavier muttered quietly. "For I am the end of all humanity. For the sins of your species, I shall cleanse the earth so that my people can live without fear." Flipping his blade into the air, he kicked the hilt, sending it directly through the bartender's throat. As the frankly innocent victim bled his last, Xavier downed the wine in the bottle and held it up to the man's throat. "By the way, thank you for the dinner. Not for me, but for a friend." He added as he filled up the wine bottle with blood before sliding the cork back into the bottle and removing the blade, sliding it back into the holster after cleaning it on the dead man's shirt.

"The presentation lacks something. Wine and roses is what Myn would suggest. Wine for a rose is close enough I think." Xavier cut off his musings as he got to work on disposal. He walked over to the generator and located the propane tank. Working quickly, he drove his blade through the tank, beginning the process of a gas leak. Moving over to the generator itself, he began cutting into the machinery. Sparks began to fly. It was nearly time. He nudged the still bleeding corpse of the bartender over to the generator. He turned away from the scene and walked away. He was nearly a hundred yards away from the restaurant when he heard the explosion. The body would be charred beyond recognition, all traces of the crime purged by fire. Tossing the bottle up and down as he walked, Xavier allowed himself a smile. A spring entered his step and he began to whistle as he walked, no real destination in mind.

 

[Taengoo]

"You could, I don't know, say it in a different language," Eyeris offered (un)helpfully, draconian irises boredly flicking over to Rose. "I think he's fine. Pretty sure we've all done something 'bad' in our lives, so it's not like his so-called crimes make an actual difference."

With that, the manakete finished the herbal tea laced with alcohol, getting up to leave. "I'll be back in an hour or so. Got some things to take care of."

 

[Alolan Ninetales]

"Clean up the evidence," Rose called out, knowing good and well that Eyeris could take care of herself.

 

[Prez]

Nicolette chuckled in response to Rose's advice.