Itching for a Hunt

[Jacob]

The ground was a little harder away from where he'd dug the hole for the body, thankfully it didn't need to be too deep and once he got through the hard packed crust it was a little easier. And the whole didn't need to be huge for the ashes of the head.

He thought about being a terrorist. It made sense in a way that the Ascendancy would declare them such, he'd been a target many times. Nox's partner was tasked with going after him, though she sided with the Ascendancy. Jacob couldn't imagine what that had done to Nox. She was Sentient and he wondered how much influence the girl had over him despite his knowledge of what she was. And what he was.

There was always doubt.

"Know much about the Lagueux family or their fortune?" Jacob rolled his eyes as he kicked the head into the hole and doused it with the accelerant. "He wants to meet, talk about my history with Nox."

[Enrique]

The manual labor seemed to be something that Jacob liked. Ricky understood that. In many ways, he was the same. Manual labor didn't scare or bother him. It was what it was, and could be helpful if you had a lot on your mind. Sometimes, though it just needed to be done. Jacob finished the hole, kicked the head in and began to cover it in the accelerant.

Ricky gave a chuckle at his eye roll. Rich people were interesting. Most seemed to be self-centered, arrogant, or both. He'd never met Eliot Lagueux, but he knew the name. Any Atharim in Moscow for a week would know the man's name. He owed Atharim HQ and was in charge of it and the Baccarat Crystal it housed. Ricky doubted he requested to meet with people often. He likely had lackeys for that purpose. He would be much too busy deciding which suit he wanted to wear that day. Of course their were exceptions to the rule. Nox was wealthy. He just didn't show it. Ricky was pretty sure he still lived out of a bag.

It was interesting that he wanted to meet with Jacob to talk about Nox. It wasn't a secret that Nox could use the power - well - that he used to be able to use the power. He was listed as a traitor in the Atharim database, even though he still helped the cause. Ricky had seen the man go after a Dreykan with a broken broom handle. He had guts for sure. If he had a relationship with Nox, there could be many reasons why Lagueux would want to talk with Jacob.

"What are you thinking - he's trying to figure out how long you knew about him? Sussing out whether you might be one of these Shadow Faction types or not? Or do you think he's recruiting? Not accusing or anything - just curious what your thoughts are." The questions came because of his mention of the faction. Ricky was trying to put pieces together. He had no right to accuse Jacob of anything. After all, he was harboring a "fugitive" even if Marta was less monster than the people he pulled her away from.

[Jacob]

They burnt the body and the head, their fires would smell, but camp was far enough away that it wouldn't be too bad.

"I'm not sure why he wants to talk about Nox. There are rumors Lagueux is up to something. But no one can say what. Not sure if he's a shadow faction or he knows something about the boy I don't. My eyes and ears have been persuaded by Nox's, eh... finer features so we aren't getting everything we should if he were unbiased." Hayden still gave them all information concerning the Atharim. But it wasn't impartial anymore, the man had feelings for Nox. And Jacob didn't blame Hayden, but Zef was more annoyed because she couldn't keep using her cousin.

Jacob trusted Nox, but he didn't trust other godlings and Zef now had a new pet. She was one of these shadow factions which sorta made him one. Collaborationg with godlings. "I guess I'll have to wait and find out."

[Enrique]

Ricky listened. Rumors were always interesting. Ricky had been a bartender and so it wasn’t unusual for him to listen to such things. Sometimes people just needed to talk or if they were like Nox, they just couldn’t stop talking. Ricky didn’t mind. He could be that way too.

But the mention of Nox’s finer features caused Ricky to chuckle. ”Yeah - Nox is a good looking man for sure.” It was true too. Not that Ricky was interested in Nox that way. Even Marta had commented that he was attractive. She didn’t do that much -especially with adults. Ricky also knew she had a crush on one of the boys in Nox’s care.

Ricky pulled out some meat and campfire supplies to cook something, offering some to Jacob if he wanted to partake. Some couldn’t stomach food after a hunt - especially after burning a corpse close by. Their campfire was a different one though. ”Well with the way things have gone, it could be anything. With the Ascendancy throwing a wrench in the gears and the fire at HQ - there’s a lot going on. Going to be an interesting year for the order.”

[Jacob]

Jacob nodded towards the offer of food. It was down time now and he was getting a little hungry. He didn't actually remember when the last time he ate was. Maybe breakfast...

The confirmation that Nox was a handsome man made Jacob only a little sad. The boy reminded him very much of Noah especially now that he was grown. He favored his grandfather more than Jacob would like to admit and it pained him to see him sometimes.

"I never paid much attention to the politics of the Atharim. In the States it's not a thing, but here, it's almost as bad as the government politics. All the rules and regulations. The people you have to report to. I'm rather surprised Nox lasted as long as he did before going rogue. The boy was never much for rules. A damn fine hunter though. If he's a little soft now."

Jacob remebered the boy before his mother died. He was always trying to prove his worth to his father. And Bryan never really saw much in Nox -- only the one fatal flaw that he surpressed in the boy. Jacob shook his head. "Out here can almost forget about all that."