Post by Eden on Jan 3, 2011 15:04:50 GMT -5
Jouten and the paper sisters had decided to check the branches for information about where Rumor was. The first one they stopped at in England gave them great results since the leader their had known exactly where Rumor was. Tou had been able to tell them that Rumor had been expecting the four to show up in England and had left instructions for Tou to send them to the Great Victorian Branch. The small group had made their way to Australia not meeting any resistance the entire way and picking to use Michelle's bird familiar to cross the desert to the large building that dominated the center. As they neared it they noticed that the security of the building itself seemed to be heightened and on alert. There were soldiers positioned at all vantage points on the roof and patrolling the grounds each armed with a dangerous and wickedly powerful weapons. As the four landed they were approached by the branch leader who seemed pretty happy to see them.
"It looks like Rumor's ability to predict people hasn't changed" Kyle said shaking their hands in turn after introducing himself to them all. His hair was flecked with pieces of metal and there was a black line running along his nose from where he had hastily rubbed his face without noticing there had been oil on it. "He is in my office right now so I will take you guys there" he told them as Michelle put down her battered briefcase clicking it open and forcing the paper back inside before closing it again.
The group followed Kyle through the building looking through the glass viewing panels to see scientists working with test tubes or black smiths pounding away making all form of weaponry imaginable. Twice Kyle stopped to check with some of his underlings smiling the entire time. It was obvious that everyone that worked in this particular branch enjoyed their time working there even if they were making weaponry. While they all enjoyed themselves it was blatantly obvious that none of them were brutish or blood thirsty as one would expect the people working in such a place to be.
Finally after ten minutes the group made their way to a large pair of metal double doors with Kyle's name on a plaque above the door with his title written beneath it. He pushed the doors open revealing a large open office that only had two lamps and a desk with a chair behind it turned to the window and four other chairs facing the desk itself. Kyle ushered them in before leaving the room and silently closing the doors behind him.
Rumor turned around in the chair smiling at the group. He was older now probably around his mid twenties and looked tired for some reason. His hair had been grown out and seemed to be going prematurely gray. He kept it tied back now so that his eyes were clearly visible and while they had once been a bright piercing green they had now dulled and looked almost lifeless as they looked upon the group. The smile he gave them didn't reach those eyes and no other emotion was portrayed there.
"Its glad to see you all here" Rumor said rubbing his forehead gently. "I hope that you didn't find anything problematic"
The four began telling him of their travels leading up to their encounter with Catellanus in Paris. Now while Rumor had stayed quiet and didn't seem at all phased but once they got to talking about the strange boy and his powers including how when he died the same thing that Rumor was capable of doing happened to him. This part had set Rumor on edge and by the time they finished telling him everything that had happened between their last encounter and now he was worrying his lip with his top teeth. Once they finished he pushed the chair back roughly stand up with his hands placed on the desk.
"Okay this is really important that you guys tell me something else and you have to work really hard to remember if this man touched any of you with his bare hand" Rumor said looking between all of them his eyes searching for something.
Maggie and Michelle shook their head and turned to look at the other two. Anita simply nodded her head looking at Jouten who also agreed that he had been touched by the strange man.
Rumor cursed his luck picking up the blank pieces of paper from the desk walking around it and grabbing Michelle's briefcase. "Your four need to stay here that guy will probably be here soon and he will be able to sense that I'm here as well since I'm sure he has been tracking you guys since you left Paris" he told them pushing the metal doors open. "I need you guys to stay here no matter what happens in order to stand a chance fighting this guy I need to be able to fight to my fullest and that won't be possible if I'm worried about you guys" Rumor continued before turning to Kyle who had been standing of to the side of the doors waiting for them to finish up. "And you I need all the outer security to be brought in and for the building to go into complete lock down" came his order before he rushed down the hall to the front gate.
Kyle gave the remaining people in the room a curious look before running down the hall to send out the order to his people before the building was locked down in an impressive show of defense. large metal bars moved over every window facing the outside and the front doors were locked so securely that Fort Knox would be jealous. People began leaving their work watching through the bars on the windows to get a look at what was happening outside.
"It looks like Rumor's ability to predict people hasn't changed" Kyle said shaking their hands in turn after introducing himself to them all. His hair was flecked with pieces of metal and there was a black line running along his nose from where he had hastily rubbed his face without noticing there had been oil on it. "He is in my office right now so I will take you guys there" he told them as Michelle put down her battered briefcase clicking it open and forcing the paper back inside before closing it again.
The group followed Kyle through the building looking through the glass viewing panels to see scientists working with test tubes or black smiths pounding away making all form of weaponry imaginable. Twice Kyle stopped to check with some of his underlings smiling the entire time. It was obvious that everyone that worked in this particular branch enjoyed their time working there even if they were making weaponry. While they all enjoyed themselves it was blatantly obvious that none of them were brutish or blood thirsty as one would expect the people working in such a place to be.
Finally after ten minutes the group made their way to a large pair of metal double doors with Kyle's name on a plaque above the door with his title written beneath it. He pushed the doors open revealing a large open office that only had two lamps and a desk with a chair behind it turned to the window and four other chairs facing the desk itself. Kyle ushered them in before leaving the room and silently closing the doors behind him.
Rumor turned around in the chair smiling at the group. He was older now probably around his mid twenties and looked tired for some reason. His hair had been grown out and seemed to be going prematurely gray. He kept it tied back now so that his eyes were clearly visible and while they had once been a bright piercing green they had now dulled and looked almost lifeless as they looked upon the group. The smile he gave them didn't reach those eyes and no other emotion was portrayed there.
"Its glad to see you all here" Rumor said rubbing his forehead gently. "I hope that you didn't find anything problematic"
The four began telling him of their travels leading up to their encounter with Catellanus in Paris. Now while Rumor had stayed quiet and didn't seem at all phased but once they got to talking about the strange boy and his powers including how when he died the same thing that Rumor was capable of doing happened to him. This part had set Rumor on edge and by the time they finished telling him everything that had happened between their last encounter and now he was worrying his lip with his top teeth. Once they finished he pushed the chair back roughly stand up with his hands placed on the desk.
"Okay this is really important that you guys tell me something else and you have to work really hard to remember if this man touched any of you with his bare hand" Rumor said looking between all of them his eyes searching for something.
Maggie and Michelle shook their head and turned to look at the other two. Anita simply nodded her head looking at Jouten who also agreed that he had been touched by the strange man.
Rumor cursed his luck picking up the blank pieces of paper from the desk walking around it and grabbing Michelle's briefcase. "Your four need to stay here that guy will probably be here soon and he will be able to sense that I'm here as well since I'm sure he has been tracking you guys since you left Paris" he told them pushing the metal doors open. "I need you guys to stay here no matter what happens in order to stand a chance fighting this guy I need to be able to fight to my fullest and that won't be possible if I'm worried about you guys" Rumor continued before turning to Kyle who had been standing of to the side of the doors waiting for them to finish up. "And you I need all the outer security to be brought in and for the building to go into complete lock down" came his order before he rushed down the hall to the front gate.
Kyle gave the remaining people in the room a curious look before running down the hall to send out the order to his people before the building was locked down in an impressive show of defense. large metal bars moved over every window facing the outside and the front doors were locked so securely that Fort Knox would be jealous. People began leaving their work watching through the bars on the windows to get a look at what was happening outside.
