The block feels watched. An idling van with no driver, a pawn shop window dark but not empty, faint chalk runes in the gutter hint at an old resistance route. Somewhere down a blind alley, a saxophones distant notes curl through the brick canyons, echoing promises of secrets and danger. This corner is where your crew waits for the deal that could break Seattles hidden empire or bury you in it.

It is morning/span>/span/b73F(22C) degrees, and there are a few wispy white clouds in the sky. The mist is heaviest At Autumn and Lake/span>/span“It really isn’t a laughing matter,” Arachne murmurs toward Obadiah, adjusting the strap of the harness strapped high against the top of her thigh as she takes in the street corner of pioneer square, skimming the area. And then, she spots the nondescript white van, sighing. “Don’t tell me we’re getting in the van?”

Stepping out from mirrorspace onto the street, Esme draws in a soft breath. “Never gonna get used t’ that entirely.” She mumbles, casting a glance over the space. She briefly peeks in the pawn shop window and then over at the flickering neon sign of the bar. “I think we’re getting in the subway tunnels.” She tells Arachne, like that’s any better.

And just like that, the group has arrived at historic Pioneer Square, in beautiful Seattle. Here is where the city was founded, and is the oldest part of the city proper. Around them is all manner of people ranging from the homeless to the very wealthy. To the south the stadiums peek out over the buildings, to the north is downtown proper.

“There is no subway in Seattle,” Obadiah grumbles to Esme with a long suffering sigh. He glances at the van then back to Gabriel, “Can you go fetch Sera from the lobby?”

Gabriel is looking around the moment he steps out of the mirror, commenting mostly to himself, “Oh hey, Pioneer Square. Wonder if Underbelly is still open..” then he spots the van Arachne mentions, “Van isn’t the worst place to stake out.” after that he looks to Obadiah and asks, “Yeah. What was the mirror setting again?”

Obadiah says “40002 “

Alice steps through the mirror behind Obadiah, putting a hand to her mouth as she holds down whatever sick the trip starts to cause her. This time, she manages it pretty well, but as she glances around, her face starts to fall, their location not a particularly fun one to her. “Creepy…”

“Right,” Obadiah says then and motions to Alice and Arachne. “What have you two learned?”

It truly isn’t any better to Arachne as a glance is spared toward Esme, a glimmer of distaste shadowing her gray eyes before she heaves a delicate sigh, resigned to whichever fate that awaits them without complaint. “Well, whatever it takes to get the job done. When will we do the briefing to plan this out? When Gabriel returns with Sera?” she asks Obadiah, looking to him.

Alice takes a deep breath, then launches into her explanation. “Seattle is controlled by a bunch of vampire houses,” she describes, “That’s kinda public. They aren’t friends with each other, and it seems like they all want the blood for something else. Big mean super old vampire wants it as a political weapon, creepy biotech science lady wants it to make vampiric super soldiers.” She breezes through that quickly, then describes the bank itself. “We’ve got two options… well, we’ve got one real option. The quiet route is through the old Underground in Pioneer Square.” She looks around at the others, waiting for questions or concerns.

Gabriel steps back through the mirror with Seraphina, “Found her.” he quirks a brow at something he just barely catches, “Vampiric super soldiers?”

Stelle wobbles a bit and hovers near Alice a little more once through the mirror, stormy blues obscured by shades. She remains silent during teh redhead’s explanation and then comments, “Vampiric super soldiers.”

“Last time I got separated, I ended up being shot out into Camelot, and had to avoid being devoured… Before I ended up back in the right tunnel to El Dorado. It was … an experience.” But soon the two of them are with the rest of the group, and she releases Gabriel’s arm. “Hello. Sorry.” Seraphina doesn’t say much more, though, to listen to what Alice is saying.

“And here they are!” Obadiah says flashing a grin to Gabriel and Seraphina before turning his attention back to Alice as she has impeccable timing on the whole sharing data and then nods to Gabriel and Stelle, “I am sure it will be fiiiiine.” He pause then and looks to Arachne, “And you said you were going to talk to Matt?”

Esme’s brows lift at the information, making a thoughtful sound. She nods a greeting toward Seraphina as she says, “Well we definitely don’t want any ah that bullshit t’ happen.” She figures. “Any idea what we’re gonna have t’ do to get -in- once we get to the Underground side of where the bank is?” Though she looks toward Arachne as Obadiah inquires.

Arachne folds her arms lightly across her bustier, lending her attention to Alice when she shares the information she’s gathered, right in time for Gabriel and Seraphina to overhear as they melt into reality and return to the group. “That matches the information we’ve gathered,” she echoes, manicured nails tapping twice at her phone to bypass the lockscreen and review the data. “Eris Blackbriar is the leader of House Morrigan. She’s a blind oracle, capable of limited accomplishment with foretelling prophecies. There is a rumor that she had a tryst with Fang Volkov that ended horribly, a bestial vampire known on record to despise her. Eris, however, has an acute interest in the Founder’s Blood in hopes to empower her prophetic abilities.”

“Right,” Obadiah says putting his head on his chin as he thinks thing through. “So the only other context my contact in the Concordant was able to provide is that there are two approaches, the front door, pose as Gabe’s assistants or something, and try and bluff our way in, or like Alice said through the tunnels.”

Obadiah walks to the van, because of course it is his van, and opens the back door, pulling out a tube and laying it on the hood, unrolling the blue prints. “If we go through the front door, we can walk but… if we get made that way will likely be blocked to us. If we go through the tunnels, we should come out here… In a supply closet that we will have to assume is protected physically by alarms.” He looks up then and adds, “And that gets us into the facility. Once we are inside we have to get into the vault, grab the magically warded canister and gee tee eff oh before the…” He motions to Gabriel and Stelle.

“I’m coming in hot and blind, here,” Seraphina says apologetically. “But vampiric super soldiers?” She whistles softly, nodding now to Arachne’s news. The catsuit clad woman reaches behind her to a large bag to pull out a bow. “I’ve brought wooden arrows but something tells me that if we have to fight, it may not be enough…” She tells Esme, “As for the vault, I’ve brought some gear to try to get it opened without force. But there is always that option, ultimately.”

“While we’re all totally charmin’ individuals I’m not sure we can con our way through an entire charade, even with silver tongues and magic eyes.” Esme lightly scratches at her jaw. “I have…some climbing gear and a can of hairspray.” She asides to Seraphina, just you wait – that hairspray will come in handy for something. “There is, ‘course, the option of splitting. Half try to go through the front, the other half work from the underground an’ if one of us gets busted the other still has a chance.”

Alice shakes her head, looking over the blueprints. “Splitting is suicide. If it goes bad, the folks heading through the front will probably be turned into swiss cheese. It’s supposed to be VERY heavily guarded,” she insists, and taps on the supply closet Obadiah mentioned. “If we could somehow get through the closet without setting off the alarm, we should have an easier time just getting into the vault, right? And then we can just bolt.”

“A necromancer would have been a wonderful accompaniment to the team,” Arachne muses wistfully after a moment of contemplation toward Obadiah, drifting along to join him at the front of the van as schematics of the building are unfurled. “I imagine diplomacy and utilizing the fact that we are the Illusium Court is off the table for a reason,” she surmises, skimming everything over. “We do have my particular abilities to leverage if we go the route of the tunnels, as there isn’t much that I cannot get into save for the most advanced and sophisticated systems,” she mentions. “Splitting is not necessarily suicide,” she points out toward Alice. “But we are at a disadvantage regarding the soldiers, and what it is they’re using to enhance their abilities.”

creeps on the women for a moment

Gabriel rubs his chin and thoughtfully considers the options as he looks over the blueprints laid out, “Wouldn’t have to completely bluff. I’m a vampire and I’m from here. That should be enough to at least garner some curiosity. Could use that to get through the door or use it as a cover if we get caught going through the closet.” he looks around the group briefly and adds, “Think maybe the tunnels would be best and fall back on that if we get caught. Stealth first, bullshit second, fighting last if everything else goes wrong.”

“We could always try,” Obadiah says to Arachne before looking around, “I mean there are a lot of well connected and pretty people here. Surely they could be easily distracted.” He lifts a shoulder to Gabriel, “That sounds as good a plan as any.” He nods to Esme and Seraphina, “I mean, splitting the party is _always_ an option.”

“I have a small gift of persuasion if necessary, but I can only charm one at a time.” Seraphina offers out to the group, eyes shifting between them all, “Could try to convince one of the guards to start a fight with another, as distraction?”

“I’ve seen similar work on those pesky little kobolds, afterall.” Seraphina says to Obadiah, hands spread lightly in a shrug.

Arachne scans over the schematics, tapping Obadiah’s shoulder. “Walk us through what’s expected,” she encourages him. “If we take the tunnel route, and come out in the pantry, what’s the layout and where specifically is the target expected to be? Do you have details regarding guard rotations, the security on the inside, whether or not there’s wards that would detect anomalies or foreign magic signatures?”

Esme nods in agreement, ultimately.”Splitting is a plan C sorta option.” She works her hair up and out of the way into a bun as she talks. “If people think going through the front first is viable, then I’ll go with it, but trying from the Underground first and bullshitting from there as we need to I think would be smoother. In theory.” She hms. “The only concern from there is the alarm, but it sounds like Arachne could potentially take care of that one.”

“If we split we should only send a couple of people through the front.” Gabriel suggests, going on to elaborate, “I could pose as a vampire curious about utilizing the vault for my own purposes and have another person or two with me as a servant.” as Arachne asks the more important questions he gets quiet and waits for the answers.

Alice agrees with Esme with a nod, adding, “I agree, splitting’s low on the list. I still think the tunnels are our best bet, but I’ll defer to the folks who have to do the real fighting if things go bad. I’ve got my dowsing equipment if we have trouble finding the vault, too,” she wonders.

Obadiah nods to Arachne and flips through some pages of the blueprints walking the team through what is on the page. “So, if we come out here, we can proceed directly up this hallway here to the main vault room. From there it will be magically warded,” he motions to Arachne, Alice, and Seraphina, “That is where you three come in. The magical wards.”

“The guard rotations are pretty standard. 8 hour shifts, 2 on the desk with the receptionist some unkown number doing rounds every fifteen minutes. The families don’t trust each other, so everything is designed with the idea that no one person should be able to get in but there is always a failsafe. The Keeper runs the facility and has a master key to everything.”

“Now for the fun part,” Obadiah suggests with a fiendish smile. “Why would a fox guard the hen house? I believe that the guards aren’t actually vampires. If they were, it would be too tempting to drain the strategic reserves. Why not use thralls?” He pauses then and looks over the blueprints one more time and says, “If I was doing this by myself, I would go to the front desk, some how, through illusions or my charming personality, get accecss to the main facility, hypno the guards, and then… well that is were I get stopped.”

suggests, “If it comes to that, I can go with you,” Seraphina says to Gabriel, “But the less interaction with super soldiers hyped up on powered blood the better.” She looks back to the schematics, eyes scanning the chart. “I’d love to learn a little more about hacking into security systems, I just have nimble fingers…” She looks to Alice and Arachne when the three of them are pointed out specifically. “Thralls,” she snaps her fingers. “Yes, probably you are right, Obie. So smart!”

Esme considers the blueprints, arms loosely crossed over her chest as she thinks. “Do we have any idea who this Keeper is? Do they stay on site? Do any of the guards at all after the vault code or entry access? Or is it just this Keeper and the Families?”

“I don’t think the super soldiers have been made yet,” Alice reassures Seraphina with a smile. “I think we’re equipped for either approach, friendly style or sneaky style. The only thing we shouldn’t do is get ourselves into a huge blowout fight.”

Arachne tilts her head to the side as she follows along Obadiah’s finger along the schematics. “What time is the next guard rotation and how long does it take for the guards to complete the shift change? We likely don’t need to worry about going through the front door if we can get our hands on either a supervisor or senior guard on rotation, as they’re likely going to have the credentials and ability to get us in the right direction.” A glance is spared to the rest of the group. “I don’t imagine any of you have the charm that allows for the replication of identification on a whim, do you?” she wonders, hope fleeting, but grounded in pragmatism that it’s likely not a stroke of luck today someone would. “Thralls are likely, but it doesn’t completely erode that there won’t be some super soldiers on the premises.”

Esme shakes her head about the charm, though furrows her brow like it made her think of something else.

“I don’t have any charms,” Obadiah confesses to the team with before giving a smirk, “I want a faecloth hat. Anyway.” He thinks and nods again, “What do you think Alice? Any insight on the guard schedule?”

“Thralls make the most sense. Families of that size and influence would have tons and you don’t have to worry about trust.” Gabriel muses, considering what everyone is throwing out there, “Super soldiers definitely haven’t been created. If one house had access to that the others would be wiped out. It’d be something everyone would know about in short order. Though, it’s entirely possible they’ve got some proper vampires amongst the higher ranks.” then he turns to Alice for the schedule.

Alice furrows her brow, checking her notes with some concern. “Malin mentioned that the ‘Front Door’ – that’s through the Cathedral in Capitol Hill – is going to be really heavily guarded. If I had to guess, most of the guards are going to be front-loaded in anticipation of a frontal attack. The patrols… probably two guards at a time.” Is she drawing on real knowledge, or has she watched too many heist movies? “The deeper we go, the less likely they are to post a lot of people, I think. I doubt there will be any solo guys that are easy to pick off, though, and they might have static guards posted at important doors.” She manages to keep it together for that sentence, but she starts to wither once she’s finished, too many eyes on her.

Esme listens to what Alice inputs, considering the blueprints. She checks her watch briefly. “You said 8 hour shifts on the desk and fifteen minute patrols right? Well I’d hedge my bets that it’ll be in about thirty minutes or so for the next patrol rotation. Standard rotation is typically three shifts.” She tsks, “And I don’t imagine there being more than ten guards on site at a time. You want just enough cooks in the kitchen, ya know? Not too many idle hands.”

Obadiah looks over at Esme and nods slowly, “Yeah that seems about right.” He glances around the group then, “So… through the tunnels or through the front doors?”

Gabriel interjects to add, “If we take too long with the planning of it we could catch an overlap of shifts and have more to deal with. My vote is tunnels. It at least gives us a chance to be quiet, and if it goes wrong we’d be catching them by surprise.”

“I vote tunnels,” Alice says, but she holds her hands up. “But I’ll defer. We’ve got some people who could really weasel their way through the front.”

Esme says “yeah my vote’s the tunnels for Plan A“

“My vote’s for the tunnels as well,” Stelle replies, shrugging a bit, “It seems a bit safer to me.”

“Tunnels,” Arachne casts her vote as well.

Alice glances at Seraphina, as if her vote matters after that many tunnel votes.

“Tunnels,” Seraphina casts in her vote. “While we could potentially get through the front with a little glamour and mind control, there’s no telling what sorts of wards the guards have even put on their minds.”

someone rolls up the blueprints and stuffs them in the van. “Then we are walking. Did you know that when Seattle burned….” He then proceeds to recount the tale of Seattle’s underground while walking over to a door in an alleyway and leading the team downwards.

Obadiah rolls up the blueprints and stuffs them in the van. “Then we are walking. Did you know that when Seattle burned….” He then proceeds to recount the tale of Seattle’s underground while walking over to a door in an alleyway and leading the team downwards.

Dark and dank the tunnels under the city are moist with the high water table and poor ventilation. Starting in Pioneer Square the tunnels are very touristy, cleaned up for people to look at and learn the history of the area, but as Obadiah leads them deeper, following the map and blueprints, they turn darker. Likely Seraphina or Obadiah had to ‘turn on the lights’ for those that couldn’t see in the dark as they crossed under I-5 and started making a southern approach to Capital Hill

Capital Hill is known for its eclectic personalities, festivals, and general opposition to the status quo, but here, under the city in the sewers, all that can be found are rats and the occasional homeless person.

As they get to one door, marked as a service maintenance hatch, Obadiah stops and says, “Here we go… I think this will open to the shaft which will lead to the closet. Does, uh, someone want to try to open it?”

As the team moves deeper through the tunnels, there comees an inner glow from Seraphina. Though the catsuit blocks most of this light, it casts a bright white glow across her features where skin does show, helping to light the path, as well as sharpen the shadows.

Alice very much cannot see in the dark, and starts to complain until Seraphina starts to glow, then snaps her mouth shut. She keeps a crystal handy, dangling it off her belt in case she needs to pathfind with it, but is otherwise content to wander through the tunnels, sticking close to Stelle as the darkness presses in on the edges of the light. She looks up at the hatch, and grimaces. “Maybe someone who’s really strong, she offers.”

Stelle nods and tries to grow closer to the front, staring up at the hatch. “Euh… I suppose it would not be too hard, no? Is it locked?” She asks, testing the door before she puts much force into it.

Obadiah tries to open the door. “Yep. Locked.”

Gabriel follows along with the group, not minding the dark too much but certainly preferring when a bit of light shines around. Once they reach the hatch he looks up at it curiously, offering, “I’m sure Stelle or I could pry it open, but if it’s locked we might want Arachne to give it a shot.”

Arachne has cast herself to the role of a silent party, regulating her breathing to no more than what is necessary, as strong stenches always leave her fighting a migraine. “I’ll attempt,” she volunteers, slipping forward when Obadiah confirms its locked.

Seraphina pulls out a velvet bag of goods, untying it and unrolling the material to reveal various glinting lockpicks.

Stelle nods and says, “I have euh… tools for breaking them open, no? But something quieter would be better.”

Esme trails behind a little, partially distracted by just observing the Underground itself, but she pulls herself back into focus as the door is attempted to be opened.

“I have my tools with me.” Seraphina says to Stelle. “Best to keep it quiet, no bombs .. yet.”

Seraphina mentions aside to Esme, “Or hairspray and fire.” There is a wink.

Esme flashes Seraphina a grin

Arachne casts an admiring glance toward Seraphina’s revealed treasure of lockpicks. “I can appreciate a woman who comes prepared for anything,” she murmurs, before turning her gaze to the locked entryway, moving in close to inspect it as her ring begins to fade the every edges of her.

Needs someone to pop out of hiding for a moment

Needs the unseen person to pop out of hiding for a moment

Seraphina speaks to the air, “I haven’t carried these in a while, but it is always good to be as prepared as you can.” She admits to the group she can see clearly with the aid of her soft glow, “But I am still always forgetting something. I’ve been told that I would lose my head if it were not attached.”

Arachne tries her best to tease the lock open but, alas, she can’t get the hook to rake those pins just right, and breaks a pick.

“No one can be prepared for everything, darling. And sometimes, the fates just work against us,” Arachne tells Seraphina as she draws away from the door, surrendering it to someone else. “Today is that day for me, it seems.”

Stelle pulls a solid bar of steel from her pouch, eyebrows raising momentarily as she motions vaguely towards the hatch. “Force it is, no? Unless someone has another idea.”

Seraphina gasps when Arachne’s pick breaks. “I hate that…” Then, she approaches the door, light on her feet, sticking to what shadows she can, which is a major feat since she illuminates most of them to non-existence just by existing. “I’ll give it a go.”

Gabriel tsks as Arachne fails to get through the lock, “If we’ve got another quiet option that’s probably best, otherwise we’ll have to force it and hope no one hears.”

“We should allow Seraphina to try, before we resort to brute strength,” Arachne recommends to Stelle, stepping aside and pocketing her broken tools, hovering ready to assist Seraphina.

Stelle nods and holds herself aside, hand held towards the hatch instead.

Seraphina smiles at Stelle and Arachne, their nearness helping to cast further shadow in case of survellience. She pulls out a slender pick from its hold in its velvet wrap. She kneels by the door so that she has eye sight with the lock itself. “Wish me some luck!” This is sent to Obadiah.

grins and winks at Seraphina. “Good luck!”

“See this is why you bring a team,” Obadiah says to no one in particular when Seraphina gets the lock free and the door swings open, allowing the team to pass.

“Its like why mission impossible was like five people, and the A-Team is like 6 people. Mystery Inc is four and a dog.” He pauses as he rattles off all the bad TV he has wattched over the years before finally suggesting to Gabriel, “Obie’s Angel’s has a nice ring to it,” Obadiah says wobbling his head in thought, “Think I can get them to say Good morning Obie when I call? Probably not.”

With her tongue poking out, Seraphina tries to wiggle her slender pick into the lock until there is a tiny ‘click’ sound, an indication that she may have been able to bypass the lock. “I … think … I have it.” And she does. Up she goes to her feet so that the door may be opened. The pick isn’t stored away, though. Instead, it is offered to Arachne. “To replace your broken one.”

Gabriel tells Obadiah, “They might kill you. And if they don’t I will the moment you call me one of ‘Obie’s Angel’. I say that with love though.” as the door clicks he perks up, “Ooh, seems like things are starting to look up for us.”

“You watch too much television,” Arachne murmurs toward Obadiah with a slow shake of her head in exasperation, her features warming just enough in appreciation at Seraphina’s offer of a new tool to replace her broken one. “Thank you, darling. You truly are a treasure,” she decides, then murmurs over to Gabriel in musing aside. “She would be an asset to the Court, though we are already vetting a new arrival.”

Gabriel agrees with Arachne, giving her a silent nod.

“Indeed,” Obadiah tells Arachne and Gabriel, though at which part is left nebulous. He smiles again at Seraphina and the looks to the Orderites, “Ready?”

Esme nods, “Yeah, let’s move.”

Alice nods emphatically, stepping up to take her place in the breach of the door, making sure Stelle is in front of her. “Ready,” she says.

“Just for the record,” Seraphina says quietly, rolling up the remaining tools and tying the ribbon into a bow again, “I will totally say ‘Good morning, Obie’ when you call next.”

Gabriel glances around at the dark decor, commenting quietly to his companions about vampire aesthetics, “God we really are predictable aren’t we?”

“Incredibly. So help me Fate if the guards pop out looking like Blade cast rejects I am going to have words with management,” Obadiah says to Gabriel before winking at Seraphina with a certain wryness.

As they all descend through the false ceiling he looks around, “Alright. So, I would presume that the door is unlocked from this side, so unless Stelle wants to Koolaid man the door.” He pauses and looks at her, “Please Koolaid man the door.” He thinks again then shakes his head, “Later, later. Ok focus Mercer. Right so, once we open the door we will probably have 15 to 30 minutes to get up the hallway and into the vault room before the guards appear.”

“I desire the Koolaid man the door,” Stelle replies quietly but she’s a woman of restraint and she holds herself near Alice, hovering once again. “That sounds like enough time though, no?”

“As long as we move quick,” Alice agrees. “I’m worried about the wards, but with three of us…”

Seraphina tells Stelle, in a whisper, “It’ll be fiiiiine.” It is a word that seems to be used, often, and often to detriment.

Esme glances curiously over the locked cabinet with the protective runes, “Any chance that holds something we should look into getting?” She wonders quietly but nods about the time frame of moving. “And if they’re humans and don’t have protections we might be able to buy a little extra time too if we need.” She adds, “I’m no expert in application, but if a fourth might help a little with taking them down quicker I can try to assist maybe.”

“Best to lean closer toward fifteen than thirty, if that’s the window,” Arachne supposes toward Obadiah while she stoops down, lacing her boots tight and working her ring onto the tip of her thumb, always ready to fade away. As Esme brings attention to the cabinet locked by protective runes, she turns her head to look over at it.

“If I were a betting woman, I’d say that is where the good stuff is, so yes?” Seraphina says to Esme.

The wards are pretty trivial and with enough effort, the cabinet is easily popped open. Inside is a bunch of restricted magical items, tombs detailing the inventory from years and years ago, and a key.

Alice draws in a breath as the wards falter beneath the ministration of three magicians, before she peers in, eyes wide. “Ohhh… OHHHHHH,” she says after. “That key, we’re gonna need that, I bet. And look at all that…”

With her eyes closed, the glow from Seraphina brightens ever so slightly, adding some power to the ritual performed by Arachne. When she opens her eyes, her inner light does dim, expending that much more energy to help. She smiles at Esme, noting, “Not what I thought but I bet that key opens something special.”

Esme peers inside the cabinet when it’s opened, suppressing an impressed whistle but her brows lift. “Yeah definitely going to need that key…” Even as she’s definitely going to try and snag – not any of the magical items, but at least one of the ledgers for later review.

Seraphina ticks her chin over to Gabriel, “You’re the vampire here, maybe Arachne can glamour you to look like a lab tech or something to grab it?

“Possibly.” Gabriel says to Seraphina before lifting a brow and looking between Arachne and Obadiah, “You two know the illusion stuff. How well do you think that would work?”

“I don’t know if it works on camera.” Seraphina says, deferring to Arachne and Obadiah.

Esme tucks the ledger away safely in her bag, checking the time briefly and moving closer to the door to listen on the other side while the others talk.

“Don’t overcomplicate things,” Alice says quietly, looking over one of the ledgers instead of following the others. “We have fifteen, MAYBE thirty minutes once it’s open. Let’s just go, and go hard.”

With a quick inventory of everything in the cabinet taken, including the key, restricted magical items, and records, Arachne reviews them briefly before she turns her attention to the rest of te group before she supposes, “I can always move ahead to scout the way forward and clear a path for us,” as she tucks the things away into her bag that seem useful for the work ahead.

Seraphina holds her hands up in Alice’s direction. “Okay, okay. But it would have been cool.”

Esme nods, “Yeah, we should get moving for sure.” Agreeing with someone scouting ahead.

Gabriel looks to the door and asks the rest of them, “You guys hear that? Sounds like they might be changing shifts or doing their rounds, now might be the opportunity.”

Esme nods, “Yeah, we should get moving for sure.” Agreeing with Arachne scouting ahead.

“Rule of cool,” Obadiah says to Alice before smiling at them and just opening the door, sticking his head out and looking around. “Looks like it is clear for now. Arachne….” he looks around for her and sighs, “I hate when she does that…”

Stelle flips open her duffle bag, pulling her blade free and shrugging. “Yes, sounds like it’s time. Hopefully it does not get too loud, no?”

Arachne is invisible and no one can hear her coming or going, but sometimes things really just does not go the Queen’s way, so maybe it’s not her problem, but the problem of the people trying to go behind her like poor Seraphina.

Alas, sometimes just charging ahead into the throes of danger isn’t really a good idea. One would think that Seraphina would learn based on those who have gone before her. someone.

Alas, sometimes just charging ahead into the throes of danger isn’t really a good idea. One would think that Seraphina would learn based on those who have gone before her. Arachne.

If anyone else wants to try to make their way up the hallway undetected now is the time

Alice absolutely, positively, under no circumstances is leaving the hallway until she sees what the literally invisible person and sneaky angelborn get up to, first.

Esme draws her own bow – just in case – hopefully it isn’t needed! She tries making some headway up, confident in her own abilities even if Fate’s being a fickle bitch today.

Stelle continues her self assigned duty as Alice’s helicopter parent, making no movement until the redhead does.

Our dear sweet Summer Queen, skilled assassin that she is, the web weaver, feared among many respected by all, rounds the corner and spies the guards much much closer than anticipated. She attempt to get a vial of that deadly concoction into a thigh but he moves out of the way just in time for the needle to miss and Arachne’s wrist to strike the calf. The guards now know someone is there.

Esme and Seraphina’s attempts fair no better and when they come around the corner to assist they see the guards, the guards see them, and raise their weapons, getting ready to chase after them. (OOC: Moment while I set up the fight)

“Well, there goes the surprise,” Alice grimaces, reaching into her backpack – her whole arm dips into the thing, and when she pulls it out, she’s grasping a sword, just in case. “We’re gonna have to MOVE.”

Gabriel frowns a little, not even able to get a shot off as the thralls drop quickly, “My favorite part and you guys blitzed through it.” he stills removes the shotgun from his back just to be safe.

“Ooopsie,” Seraphina says, once the thrall is down.

“Koolaid time,” Stelle comments, ripping her chain shirt from her duffle bag and tossing it overhead. Her hair gets stuck and she hisses out annoyance but manages to get the thing on anyways. “Yes, I am sure euh… There will be more friends to make.”

holds his side and motions for the team to go towards the door, “I am sure there will be more that come. Maybe the supervisor, if we don’t get into the vault quickly!” He pauses then and straightens up, “But as Stelle correctly pointed out, no need for stealth any more.”

Esme is ready to run as necessary! “Then let’s fuckin’ move, yeah.”

“Then in the spirit of Masquerade Hunters who could not be here with us today, and very much on brand for one of them, I say,” Arachne exhales a slow breath, flicking out her daggers and wiping them clean on the thrall’s body. “Fuck it, we ball.”

Obadiah looks at Gabriel and then at Arachne and then Gabriel. “Fuck it,” he says following the queen’s lead.

Seraphina giggles at someone, her bow held high and ready to use with a wooden arrow nocked. “Let’s do this!”

Gabriel grins wide as things start to get loud, “Now the fun stuff starts. We blowing the door trying to pry the thing off its hinges?”

“Ball so hard they’ll wanna fine us,” Alice agrees, her history lessons from Miles apparently taking hold. She’s got one hand on Stelle’s back, ensuring thew two move as a unit, and surges up to follow.

Seraphina giggles at Arachne, her bow held high and ready to use with a wooden arrow nocked. “Let’s do this!” She spins about, scoping for more thralls.

“I think euh… blowing is the swifter, no? No need to try to be even a little quiet anymore,” Stelle replies to Gabriel, motioning towards the door.

“Remember that we have delicate items to take though..” Seraphina tells Gabriel and Stelle. “We want the goods, not boil them away.”

Gabriel concedes the point to Seraphina, “That’s very fair. Anyone have a crowbar or something then? I can try to pry it open.”

Stelle groans and pulls a halligan tool from her duffel bag, “Point taken. Help me with it, no? It looks euh… heavy duty.”

Stelle looks the door up and down. She’s really no expert at this but she is strong and she slams the tool in, pulling hard.

Gabriel whistles at the bar as the door starts to pop open, “I need to get me one of those later.” with that he’s craning his neck trying to peek inside.

Assisting Stelle by her own sheer force when the other woman pries at it, Seraphina tugs on the handle with all her might.

Obadiah watches as the door creaks open, alarms now blaring in the background, sounding very much like banshees in the night, klaxons spinning their red lights of alarm. “Well…” Obadiah says looking inside, “Let’s go!”

Alice moves quickly, following after the much stronger, much tougher members of the party, but making sure she’s not last in the stack lest she get got from behind. Inside, though, she starts to take stock of the wards, the magic, and the dais in the center. She starts pulling things out of the pouches of her belt: dried herbs, dead critters, various vials of gem dust… and that, combined with a tidy arcane codex she flips open, allows her to start working on the wards. “Someone cover the door,” she half-asks, half-insists hopefully. “Let’s get these wards down.”

“On it.” Esme confirms about door covering, joining that team as she angles her bow that way, ready just in case.

is muscle. She isn’t a ritualist. At the plea, Seraphina stays by the door, poised and ready. “Got it with Esme.” She winks aside to Esme.

Stelle hovers close to Alice, allowing the other duo to handle door coverage while Stelle keeps her eyes open for anywhere else someone might pop out of.

The vault’s interior is likely Esme’s fever dream. Maybe Seraphina and someone’ too, with all sorts of strange and wonderful artifacts from years gone by, likely all with stories to tell, and occult secrets to share.

The alarms are still going off and the muffled sounds of heavy boots running up the hallways can be heard by those with acute hearing. Time is running short for Obie’s Angels. Definitely maybe the last time we use that phrase today.

The vault’s interior is likely Esme’s fever dream. Maybe Seraphina and Alice’s too, with all sorts of strange and wonderful artifacts from years gone by, likely all with stories to tell, and occult secrets to share.

The alarms are still going off and the muffled sounds of heavy boots running up the hallways can be heard by those with acute hearing. Time is running short for Obie’s Angels. Definitely maybe the last time we use that phrase today.

Gabriel also joins the guarding gang, looking around with shotgun held at the ready while the magic-types do their thing.

Ambrose has trained his young padawan well in the ways of dark magic, and Alice makes short work of the mystical wards. Their is a faint hiss as the pedestal disengages and the mechanism starts to turn awaiting its physical locking mechanism’s release.

“Oh, oh…” Seraphina says, over her shoulder, to no one in particular. “Pick me up -that-.” She points to something. Really, anything, for her. A bauble. An ointment. All hold her interest. But she can’t get too distracted by these pretty, questionable, things. No, there is focus to be kept. She turns back about with Gabriel and Esme.

Esme casts a glance about at a few things, but with more pressing matters at hand she’s managed to sequester her inner-fangirl for now. “How’s it comin’?” She asks as her eyes fall back on the doorway leading out, watching for guards.

“The wards are down,” Alice reports, some of the reagents she’d been using boiling away in their vials as the magic consumes them, sacrifices for the spirits who work her will. She starts to stow them, moving quickly and a little sloppily. “Someone’s gotta open it proper now, then we need to grab and GO.”

“Who grabbed the key?” Seraphina asks, having lost track of a few things. Heads, and shoulders, and necks, and losing one of those, and all.

Upon review of the logs, you all said to take the key but no one actually took it. The closest someone came was Esme who took a ledger while saying they needed to take the key.

But Stelle got dem fast god feet so… We can just hand wave it and say Stelle went back, grabbed the key, and no one was the wiser.

Stelle should have worn her Jordans today, apparently, but back in the room she takes wide steps towards Alice and tries to insert the key into the lock. Hopefully it’s the correct key or there’s no doubt this French woman is using her hefty ‘universal key’.

As desperately as Obadiah wants to see Stelle Koolaid man the pedestal, Stelle was wise to get the key. There is a click as the old mechanism comes undone and unlocked, the canister wobbles and is free.

The canister itself is about the size of a football and weighs about 5 to 10 pounds. Inside, through a small window, is a small vial filled with what is presumably blood though it is black and thick. Easily picked up by someone. “We got it,” Obadiah says grabbing it and tucking it under his arm, “Quick! Out the same way we came!”

Arachne actually did take the key, having tucked into her bag, knowing that it would be useful later. She furnishes it, holding it up, “Here it is.”

Arachne has the key. Same effects, nothing changes, Obadiah has the canister.

Esme doesn’t have to be told twice! She takes off back the way they came, bow at the ready, just in case.

Alice finishes stuffing away what’s left of her arcane reagents, scrambling to her feet, nearly dropping her pistol in the process – she keeps a hand on it, though, looking around for Stelle first, hand on back, then moves with her.

Gabriel starts moving back down the hallway with the rest of the group, keeping his eyes peeled for any security.

Arachne drags out her pistol, thumbing off the safety and moves behind the trio as they start preparing to make their escape.

Onward Stelle goes behind Obadiah. Walls and pedestals safe for at least a moment longer.

With everyone running Obadiah leads them all to safety before the clock expires, unless anyone really wants to have another shootout.

Esme says “Well that was a lil louder than I thought it would go, but hell we did it. Definitely some interesting shit in that vault too“

exhales deeply once they make it back to the van, adrenaline starting to leave her body now that they are, more or less, safe. “I bet they got us on camera, though,” Alice murmurs. “They’re probably pretty mad at us.”

As the team resurfaces sometime later, sweaty dirty, and a little more tires, Obadiah looks quite pleased with the progress. “I want to thank you all personally for helping me with this,” he says with not small amount of genuine appreciation for everyone involved. “My contract with the Concordat will be fulfilled and we can get on with our lives for now.”

There is a pause from the man before he adds, “Maybe some day we can come back though, I at least, should stay out of Seattle for a bit. You all should too.” He pauses, “Anything else before we go? Anyone want to see the Space Needle? Mariner’s game?”

Gabriel glances back to make sure they weren’t followed and, seemingly satisfied that they weren’t, straps his shotgun back on, “Yeah that place was actually really interesting. It’s a shame we couldn’t stick around for longer.” then he tells Obadiah, “I’m craving food, but since I can’t eat any of the fun stuff around here anymore I think that’s it for me.”

“I’d be interested in coming back one day, when the heat’s died down.” Esme figures with some mild amusement. “I’m ready t’ go home though.” She nods in agreement. “And I’m sure we’ve got people on people between all of us that we can get a lil’ help with any security came footage issues.” She adds toward Alice as a reassurance.

Alice eyes Gabriel suspiciously, sidling away to put Stelle between her and him. “We should probably get home,” she insists. “I’m still fucked up from that golem this morning.”

“Cadalie once told me that in these things, wearing a mask is of value…” Seraphina says, but alas, no mask for her. “I’m sure it will all get cleared up.” She looks to Gabriel, a little frown pursing her plump lips.

“Yes euh… Buy you seem to be moving alright, no?” Stelle replies to Alice before she dips her chin to Obadiah, “I don’t really plan to come back, as much as I like the rain this city is a bit… much.”

Gabriel squints back at all of the suspicious looks, “Good lord people I meant I was wanting a sandwich. You don’t have to look at me like I’m suddenly going to eat you all.”

Esme snickers

“I wasn’t thinking that at all.” Seraphina says to Gabriel.

“While not likely, the risk is never zero,” Obadiah reminds Gabriel as he finishes up the paperwork in the car, giving everyone one last chance to say something before the leave.