06-01-2018, 02:21 PM
"So what's the plan?"
Jay's question filtered through all the ear pieces worn by the Nine. Communications was the backbone of any team. Other than trusting that your team were competent and did their job, nothing else was more important.
So it bugged the shit out of him that they were walking into this room without a clear plan beyond 'keep VIPs alive.'
There were enough people lost to conversation and the air of their own divinity that their entrance went unnoticed by most. Those closest, however, physically moved back to make room. Without the immaculate white-tie tuxedos, they stood out, but there were enough exceptions to the rule that it wasn't a complete shock. Members of the military, Custody or Legion alike, were dressed in uniform rather than the attire of the average civilian. Most likely assumed the Nine were some obscure military branch.
"Let's split. Keep to pairs. Circle perimeter clockwise. Watch windows and doors. There will be Vegas in the room, and likely undercover agents of the Ascendancy as well. Not to mention his own detail. Flag people of interest and alert the group to watch their patterns. We are looking for two things: anything out of the ordinary or anything so ordinary that it must be fake."
There were a few murmurs of agreement, but he wasn't exactly filled with confidence that the whole group would do as he suggested. He shared a worried glance with Samuel - who had been a firefighter before this. The others were all recruited because of their strength in the power and bringing particular skillsets to the Nine that contributed to their ferocity. Samuel was a firefighter and first responder. Another had been a surgeon. Police. Intelligence officer. And a few military personnel. But the only special forces' trained Ascendant was Jay himself. Unless Commander Vellas counted, but nobody knew his background. Only that he was scary as hell and knew what he was doing. But as he wasn't here yet...
Karim's voice followed. "Great idea, Carp. Let's go."
Jay breathed a sigh of relief and easily fell into step alongside Samuel.
Karim and Jun strolled away together.
Julian and Dominik were basically joined at the hip. The pair glared at Jay before departing.
Sanjay and Allan and Anthony formed the final triad.
Jay smoothed out the sleeves of his coat and shrugged. Each pair seemed to simultaneously reach for the power like they read one another's minds. It was only a little. Nothing like what Jay knew they could control. But as they split, his ability to discern exactly where they stood diminished. Like the distance made it harder to track where the channelers walked, only that they were present. It was a disorienting feeling.
Like most others, his eyes were eventually drawn to the curtain of smoke curling the end of the hall. Only where others saw the effects of the power, Jay could almost feel its looming presence like a shadow behind one shoulder. Ascendancy had to have been the creator. No one else made sense.
He peeled his gaze from studying the smoke to the people themselves. The grandeur of the palace seemed secondary compared to those filling the space. There had to be a billion dollars' worth of jewels in the room. A single pair of shoes alone probably cost more than his first car. Though, really, that wouldn't take that much given that he basically willed that old junker of a truck together himself by sheer force of determination, sweat, and arm power.
But he couldn't stop staring. "You know, it's kind of disturbing,"
he said it to himself more than Samuel, although the other man certainly heard. He had also been studying the smokey curtain.
Jay's eyes swept over the fields of color. The jewels glinting like stars in the sea of black tuxedos. The clink of crystal and the laughter of the self-impressed. He thought about his baby sister at home who was going to die and there was nothing to do about it. At least nothing that the doctors in Des Moines, Iowa could do. Doctors in Moscow? Maybe. Money could buy anything, right?
Jay squeezed his eyes shut a moment. This line of thought would take him no where. The rich were rich and the others were not. Everyone had their lives. He repeated it to himself until he believed it. Who cared about the motive for tonight? Their money would go to Africa: Ascendancy promised it himself. The Legion would do what they did in Sierra Leone. People would be better off. There were probably a million little sisters on the continent without access to the basics. Jay was taking care of his family. Now let these people deal with nations full of innocent kids. Just don't think about it. Don't think about it.
Do your job. The moment of doubt was smothered soon enough by denial once more. That by the time he looked up, he felt better.
But when he did finally look up, it was only to be stopped in his tracks, a blinking statue.
It was quite possible his heart was going to stop right then and there. In fact, it would have been a relief if it did.
But he couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips.
Jay's question filtered through all the ear pieces worn by the Nine. Communications was the backbone of any team. Other than trusting that your team were competent and did their job, nothing else was more important.
So it bugged the shit out of him that they were walking into this room without a clear plan beyond 'keep VIPs alive.'
There were enough people lost to conversation and the air of their own divinity that their entrance went unnoticed by most. Those closest, however, physically moved back to make room. Without the immaculate white-tie tuxedos, they stood out, but there were enough exceptions to the rule that it wasn't a complete shock. Members of the military, Custody or Legion alike, were dressed in uniform rather than the attire of the average civilian. Most likely assumed the Nine were some obscure military branch.
"Let's split. Keep to pairs. Circle perimeter clockwise. Watch windows and doors. There will be Vegas in the room, and likely undercover agents of the Ascendancy as well. Not to mention his own detail. Flag people of interest and alert the group to watch their patterns. We are looking for two things: anything out of the ordinary or anything so ordinary that it must be fake."
There were a few murmurs of agreement, but he wasn't exactly filled with confidence that the whole group would do as he suggested. He shared a worried glance with Samuel - who had been a firefighter before this. The others were all recruited because of their strength in the power and bringing particular skillsets to the Nine that contributed to their ferocity. Samuel was a firefighter and first responder. Another had been a surgeon. Police. Intelligence officer. And a few military personnel. But the only special forces' trained Ascendant was Jay himself. Unless Commander Vellas counted, but nobody knew his background. Only that he was scary as hell and knew what he was doing. But as he wasn't here yet...
Karim's voice followed. "Great idea, Carp. Let's go."
Jay breathed a sigh of relief and easily fell into step alongside Samuel.
Karim and Jun strolled away together.
Julian and Dominik were basically joined at the hip. The pair glared at Jay before departing.
Sanjay and Allan and Anthony formed the final triad.
Jay smoothed out the sleeves of his coat and shrugged. Each pair seemed to simultaneously reach for the power like they read one another's minds. It was only a little. Nothing like what Jay knew they could control. But as they split, his ability to discern exactly where they stood diminished. Like the distance made it harder to track where the channelers walked, only that they were present. It was a disorienting feeling.
Like most others, his eyes were eventually drawn to the curtain of smoke curling the end of the hall. Only where others saw the effects of the power, Jay could almost feel its looming presence like a shadow behind one shoulder. Ascendancy had to have been the creator. No one else made sense.
He peeled his gaze from studying the smoke to the people themselves. The grandeur of the palace seemed secondary compared to those filling the space. There had to be a billion dollars' worth of jewels in the room. A single pair of shoes alone probably cost more than his first car. Though, really, that wouldn't take that much given that he basically willed that old junker of a truck together himself by sheer force of determination, sweat, and arm power.
But he couldn't stop staring. "You know, it's kind of disturbing,"
he said it to himself more than Samuel, although the other man certainly heard. He had also been studying the smokey curtain.
Jay's eyes swept over the fields of color. The jewels glinting like stars in the sea of black tuxedos. The clink of crystal and the laughter of the self-impressed. He thought about his baby sister at home who was going to die and there was nothing to do about it. At least nothing that the doctors in Des Moines, Iowa could do. Doctors in Moscow? Maybe. Money could buy anything, right?
Jay squeezed his eyes shut a moment. This line of thought would take him no where. The rich were rich and the others were not. Everyone had their lives. He repeated it to himself until he believed it. Who cared about the motive for tonight? Their money would go to Africa: Ascendancy promised it himself. The Legion would do what they did in Sierra Leone. People would be better off. There were probably a million little sisters on the continent without access to the basics. Jay was taking care of his family. Now let these people deal with nations full of innocent kids. Just don't think about it. Don't think about it.
Do your job. The moment of doubt was smothered soon enough by denial once more. That by the time he looked up, he felt better.
But when he did finally look up, it was only to be stopped in his tracks, a blinking statue.
It was quite possible his heart was going to stop right then and there. In fact, it would have been a relief if it did.
But he couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips.
Only darkness shows you the light.