Children of The Divine (IC)

[Jay 2K Winger]

Location: Exhibition Hall

The Shadowman swings his head in Jack's direction as the Aztec-kin moves off. "You know I know you're lyin', Childs. I no truth-seer like Jager, but I know when someone's tellin' me a blatant lie."

He's now blindfolded and tied up with his hands behind his back, sweeping his head from side to side, as if trying to see through the strip of cloth, or to get a better earful of what's going on.

Location: The Palazzo Casino

The escaping Su touches down as Lupo goes sliding past and through the doors. She pauses as she reaches the outside, and flashes them a grin. "Thanks for the fun, Hammer."

The police were still distracted and most of the civilians had cleared out of the way, so there were few people around to see what happened next. There was a great tearing sound, and a great sensation of Wrongness for the scions present. A tear appeared in the air, rippling with rainbow light, then was pulled open by a tall, blond woman. Her glasses gleamed from the light of the hole, and she stepped out of the way on her side of the tear.

With a cheeky air-kiss, Su thrust her sword in the direction of the tear, then glided off again, this time at greater speed, the wind suddenly at her back. Even before Fiona could stop her, the Asian woman was gone through the tear. As soon as she was through, the blond woman stepped back in front of the tear, then pulled it shut. It sealed up behind them.

Everyone's ear-pieces

Selene broke in, just after Su's escape through the rainbow gate. "Timing is bad, but got into security cameras. The woman security guard had it."

[Scorpodael]

Jack looks amused as he turns back to Matt, smiling a rather nasty little smile. "What lie? I have a definite preference for returning your hat later rather than sooner. I have a somewhat more marked preference for never returning it at all, of course, but..." He gives a shrug, and walks back to Aiden, looking at him intently, before looking at the knife at his side, and then at Matt's hands. "What do you think? Would it be a good idea to make him bleed for a while?"

[Naamah]

"No one is every happy to be captured unless it's part of their plans." Aiden bites his lip, closes his eyes, curses in his mind a couple commonly-known divinities of luck. "Or they know they've got a quick rescue on the way. Don't work into his plans. Move quickly."

His hand goes into his pocket, fingering one of the vials, measuring the chances. On one hand, perhaps a lead - on the other, if Matt worked his cute little mouth enough, there might be Issues. The shadowy figure had already made enough hints - the last thing he needed were his allies to start asking questions, and then a fight to break out, and Someone to hear, and...

"Let's try a slightly more subtle approach, if you don't mind."

He discreetly feeds one of the vials into a crevice in the ring, then slips it back into his pocket. He goes to Matt, considering him - a little smile, as he brushes the back of his hand against his cheek - and then triggers the spring and plunges the needle hidden in the ring into his upper arm.

"Truth serum. Magic, at that." (The last is a lie, but very convincingly told.) "I'd rather not have a pretty one like you sliced into strips for jerky. So ... maybe you could tell me what mountain you're having your ceremony on, and I could talk these gentlemen into dropping you into the nearest shadow - with the vast majority of your bits and blood still contained within you. Wouldn't that be preferable, mon frere?"

[Chanlin]

Emmett: The Palazzo Hall

Emmett sighs at the news of the gem, "At least things weren't a total wash." He looks at their prisoner and waits to see what his answer to Aiden's question will be.

Fiona: The Palazzo Casino

Fiona narrowly dodged sword girl's return chair by doing a baseball style sliding dive. She rolls to her feet and is after her again and dives just shy of making it into the portal and instead face plants into the front door. She stands whirls back with her staff like a baseball bat and knocks the nearest slot machine off its base with a shouted curse.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Location: The Exhibition Hall, The Palazzo, Las Vegas

The Shadowman shakes his head at Jack. "See, now you're jus' buildin' on top of it all."

When the truth serum is injected, Matt the Shadowman grunts and shakes his head a bit, swaying slightly as the stuff starts to take effect. It takes a little time, of course, but when it takes hold and Aiden asks his questions, the Shadowman's head rises slightly, still blindfolded.

"You wanna know the truth, mon chere?" Now he smiles. "I coulda gotten loose any time I wanted."

What happens next happens fast. The bound man's shadow suddenly springs to life, and the strips binding his wrists are sliced through. Moments later, the shadows thrust outward and strike with enough force to knock the wind from those around him. Just after that, the flickering lights finally give up the ghost and go out. The only lighting left is provided by the hall's display spotlights directly above each exhibit, and Aiden's flare.

There's a rush of movement, and Fred Dutch can be heard grunting and hitting the floor. Then a set of hands grabs Aiden by the upper arms and drags him over until the two are back lit by the display that should have held the Heart of Winter, with the Shadowman using Aiden as a sort of human shield. And he's got his hat back.

"You want to know where we callin' down the hammer, mon chere? How's about I show you?"

To the outside observers, it's as though the two drop out of sight as if through a hole in the floor. But when they checked, the floor was solid.

Location: Somewhere in Denver

The trip through the shadowy realm is... well, dark. And cold in a way that cuts straight to the bone. It seems to last forever, but it also takes mere moments.

Aiden and Matt the Shadowman emerge as if falling out the end of a slide in an alley. It's not a truly comfortable landing, but the Shadowman is soon back on his feet, brushing himself off as he puts his hat back on. He looks down at the disoriented Aiden and gives a bit of a bow.

"Hope the trip is worth it, cap'n." He grins, then turns and runs to the end of the alley, where an SUV pulls up for him. Sitting in the driver seat is a hulking figure of a man, crawling with tattoos. Aiden would recognize him as MacBride from his Past-watch vision.

Even though the man is a good distance away and not very easy to see details, the man exudes that aura of undeniable menace that would trigger flight responses. Aiden might realize that the feeling the man's presence triggers is supernatural (Divine, even) of origin, but that doesn't make it any easier to ignore.

MacBride barely glances at him, though, just waits for Matt to jump in the backseat, then drives off toward the highway south.

It's a little colder than it was in Vegas. And Aiden's ear-piece is no longer working.

[Chanlin]

Emmett: The Palazzo Hall
Emmett tries his com after the disappearing act, "Aiden... you ok?" Pause "Aiden..." He heads over to where Dutch was hit and gives him a hand up. "Selene, please tell me Aiden is still in the Palazzo somewhere...."

[Jay 2K Winger]

Location: Exhibition Hall, The Palazzo (Emmett, Jack)

Dutch has a bruised jaw and groans as Emmett helps him up. "I don't claim to know what's going on here," the Palazzo security guard says, "but evidently some bad folks duped me into thinking Ms. Ieyasu was on my security team and stole the Heart."

Sevilla's voice calls out from his hiding place. "What's happened to it?! Who took it?! Damn you, what did you people do!?" From there, he lapses into Spanish and just settles for remonstrating and cursing at everyone in general.

Over the ear-pieces (Everyone but Aiden)

"Negative. He's off the cameras somewhere. And out of comm range, wherever he is. Johnny's here, and trying to see if he can narrow down where Aiden might be. Get back here as soon as you can. We'll regroup and figure out where to go from here."

Location: The Strip outside the Palazzo (Lupo, Fiona)

Solomon comes back around and helps Lupo to his feet, then glances at Fiona's temper tantrum. "I heard what's goin' on," the Aussie says. He hands Fiona a key to the room at the Mirage. "You two, get back to Johnny's room, we'll reconvene. I'll see what I can do about clean-up, and get Luke to Divine med-care."

[Scorpodael]

Jack grimaces, and looks at Sevilla's hiding place, before heading over to one of the downed zombies, and kneeling next to it. "Did you hear what that Shadowman said, Emmett? Seems likely that Aiden's been taken to where they're doing the ritual. Even odds that he'll be a blood sacrifice. Aiden said something about a mountaintop for the ritual, too; MacBride and their lot are supposed to be in Denver, aye?" He says, sounding more annoyed than anything else, really. Not particularly panicked or anything. But there's something that he's been wanting to try for a bit, but hasn't really had the occasion to do so- something inspired by one of the old Swamp Thing comics. He reaches out a hand above the inert corpse, and tries to exert his growth influence toward the intestinal flora that may or may not be present in the corpse. If it fails, he won't be particularly surprised, of course, since, strictly speaking, he's not really dealing with plants, per se, but it's worth a few moments to try on an inert corpse. And if nothing happens, no one will be aware that he failed at it, either.

[Chanlin]

Emmett: The Palazzo Hall

Emmett tries to reassure Dutch and Mr. Sevilla, "Consider us on retainer to recover your stolen property. Some of us are good at locating lost things."

He turns to Jack, "I don't suspect they have that in mind for Aiden. Or at least that Shadowy fella doesn't seem the type. Anyway, I'll see you back at the hotel."

Emmett and Fiona: The Mirage

Fiona took the key from Solomon with a huff and just about stormed out still clearly upset.

Back at the room in the Mirage she heads to the mini bar indiscriminately mixes a few drinks into a glass and then downs it in a single chug and then belches loudly. "Well, I feel better." It's about this time Emmett walks into the room and regards her rather dubiously. He takes a moment to use his soul gaze on her.

She frowns at him, "What the hell you lookin at?"

Emmett doesn't even blink at this, "Apparently a monkey..." This response sends Fiona into a fit of giggles.

[Naamah]

From luxurious hotel to dazzling casino - then to chaos and shadows. Aiden floats through the darkness - bone-chilling, frightening, but a touch intriguing, if he had to be honest to himself. The shadows to him feel almost corporeal - brushing against his legs and chest as he is led.

And then unceremoniously dropped into a fucking alley.

He curls up as he falls to the ground, protecting his head, his stomach churning from the havoc inter-spatial travel tends to impart to the novice. He looks up as Matt's hat is reapplied and blinks to the bow, then watches him sprint away. The sight of MacBride makes him quiver in a way he will later think was sliightly exaggerated.

And then they drive off.

He pouts briefly, sighs, and stands up. It's a chilly night wherever he is, and he pulls his suit jacket close to him.

"Guys? This thing working?"

No answer out of the earphone. He shrugs - makes sense - and slips his hand into his pocket for his phone.

...which is not there.

He slaps both pockets - both his phone and his wallet are missing. Thinking back, he realizes that the shadows were corporeal - and pickpocketed him.

"Why you miserable, arrogant, son of a... probably very nice woman who certainly didn't deserve a tart of a son like you!" he shouts at the end of the alley. There is, thankfully, no answer.

Aiden kicks the asphalt and starts to explore his surroundings.