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The weather's turned cool during the late evening hours, bringing about some low cloud cover which occasionally allows the moon to peek through. For most people living in the city it's life as usual, late enough to be inside with the start of another work week right around the corner.
In Neena's case her work had already begun. Three days of scouting, identifying, and tracking have led to this moment. One of the local drug dealers has made parts of the Greenwich area his base of operations. Now she knows who to look for, and where to look for him.
From all appearances the guy's a complete amateur. Too set in his ways, too close to the proverbial action. He stands alone, slumped back against a wall with hands shoved deep into coat pockets and a half-burned cigarette hanging from his lips. He's watching the few people left roaming the streets, less subtle and more like a hawk. Most people knew to avoid him, anyway. Subtlety isn't required on his behalf.
He seems a little surprised to have completely missed a shockingly white-skinned woman appearing off to his side. Close. "Gees, lady, ya gonna give me a heart attack!"
"Not the kinda trip I'm looking for," the albino almost merrily replies. "Heard you were the dude to find for a good time?"
The dealer tries to pull himself together, still a bit stunned. He's already reaching for an inner coat pocket, "Yeah, I—"
While his head is dipped forward a ghostly white palm snaps out, a blur under the hazy yellow streetlight as it connects with the bottom of the dealer's nose. There's a soft, mushy *snap!* then he simply collapses where he had stood but a moment earlier, his body left twitching.
*
Akihiro had been watching too, quiet from the rooftop. His muscles tense for a moment before he leaps down, landing next to the albino woman. "While I appreciate what you're doing here doll, I was looking to kick his ass." The teen doesn't sound too unhappy about it, more like it was a minor disturbance in his plan for the day.
"You make a habit of skulking around and killing dealers?" He places his hands into his pockets, casually looking the woman over. Despite his casual demeanor, he's defensive, clearly ready to defend himself if he has to.
*
There's all sorts of unexpected things happening tonight! There's also more than one defensive-minded person to be had. The first item removed from the dealer isn't his product, or even his wallet. It's a small Mauser .32 sidearm which the woman easily plucks from the back of his waistband, just as she realizes she's not quite as alone as she had anticipated.
Still in a crouch she spins about on her heel, leveling the small weapon at the unexpected witness. It's kept close to her person, not so easy to grab or knock away. Pale blue eyes stare back at the man (teen?,) hardened..but also a little surprised.
"He had it coming," she cryptically replies.
"Now the question is, do you?"
*
"Depends on who you ask. But trust me, if you try you'll want to use more than that little gun." Akihiro shoots the woman a wink, before taking a couple of steps forward. "Now, how about you point that somewhere else." He doesn't get too close, but he does assert that he means business.
*
Something's wrong, here. Aside from a New York Albino stealing from a dead drug dealer. This guy can't be very old yet he isn't phased at all by the weapon, or the threat. In fact, he seems more -amused- than anything.
It's not the kind of response she's looking for. Not. At. All.
Still, he doesn't strike her as being a threat and she's still got some work to do. The pistol finds a new home, now at the small of her own back, before she goes for the rest of the goods. -Now- it's time for drugs, wallet, and cash retrieval.
"It's not the size, it's how you use it," she automatically replies. As if the statement had been drilled into her mind over a very long time. It would seem to not be as important as the next thought on her mind, as now she makes eye contact with the guy and pointedly asks "And why did -you- want to kick his ass?"
*
"I spent the last week or so locked up I don't even know where after getting kidnapped. First thing I do is come here to get more smoke, and the asshole shorted me. Didn't wanna kill him, just teach him a lesson." Akihiro explains, lifting his shoulders in a slight shrug. "I can't get high, but it's a matter of honor."
*
Wait, wait. Kidnapped? Can't get high? -What?-
The albino processes all of this then glances off to the side and shakes her head. "And I thought my week was messed up."
Finding more than one bag of Mary Jane on the dead guy she glances back to the peculiar teen and tosses one of them his way. "Maybe that'll pay off his debt to you." Then she hesitates once more, debating what to say next. Curiosity ultimately wins out. She follows up with "I don't see what honor has to do with anything, but how is it that you're immune to the trip?"
With the question asked she stuffs the rest of her findings into various pockets, including an extra magazine for the pocket gun.
*
Akihiro catches the tossed bag with ease, tucking it into his pocket. "I heal fast. Why I told you you'd need more than that gun. You have more sense than most people, usually I'm showing them my claws at this point." A brief pause, "So you just nab their shit and move it yourself?"
*
A slight frown soon follows. This lady isn't buying the excuse. As far as the 'claws' go Neena simply looks at the guy's hands, thinking he's being more figurative than literal. Who has -claws,- honestly? She's not seeing anything resembling claws, here…
Eh. He's young, clearly misguided, and a druggie. It's easy enough to write off for the moment.
"Community service," she quickly replies while standing upright, once again trying to completely dodge and dismiss the matter. "I have no interest in dealing this crap. All I want is to find out where it came from. Got any leads?"
Hey, can't hurt to ask!
*
Akihiro lifts his hand, two literal claws extending from between his knuckles. "Really the only thing you need to worry about cleaning up is the shit like opium and cocaine. Nobody's getting hurt from a little marijuana. But, yeah. I know where they're moving it out from, if you want to clean a little house."
*
A couple of things happen with the woman as soon as the two claws are brought out into the open. She takes a quick half step back and to the side, instinctively clearing herself some space while various muscles, notably in her shoulders, grow quite tense. To her credit there's no jumping or yelping in surprise, no 'deer in headlights,' no gasp of surprise. She stands her ground, just as someone who had been trained to do so might.
"That..is some kinda unreal."
Inclining her head slightly, she says "Then tell me where I can find the bad stuff. And maybe add in there some sort of description of whatever the hell you are, because -that- is -not- normal," she almost demands while motioning to the claws.
*
"A mutant, I guess." Akihiro replies with a slight shrug. "Lot's of unusual shit happens every day, I mean I know people that can read minds from miles away. Not sure how claws and being hard to kill are that different." He pauses for a moment, clucking his tongue. "Last I heard, it was stashed in a warehouse not too far from here. Can sniff it out for you if you want."
*
There's that word again, 'mutant.' It's something for Neena to investigate further, when time allows. At the moment there's bigger items of interest, all of which come courtesy of the Clawed One.
Here she actually raises an empty hand up in silent protest. "Hold up. You know someone that can -read minds?-"
Gaaaame-changer…
She pulls out another one of the dealer's bags. "It's yours if you can find me that warehouse and tell me everything you know about the psychic."
*
"I'll let them know you're interested, and I'll show you just to show you. Like I said earlier, I don't get high. May as well be smoking a cigarette." Akihiro explains once more. "Wanna go ahead and take them out, or want me to let you know where it is so you can have all the fun?"
*
Claws knows where to find the drugs, he's willing to show the way, -and- he's offering to help out. For someone that claims to heal fast and has weapons hidden right in his hands she would be a fool to turn down the offer.
This time when Neena smirks there's some honest emotion behind it. "That would just be selfish of me. Let's go get you your fight."
*
"Cool, then follow me." Akihiro says easily enough, turning to head off in the direction of Hell's Kitchen. "Not too far from here. But you might want to make sure you don't get shot, and to stay away from me if I get shot too much. Tends to get ugly."
*
"I try to make a habit of not getting shot," she replies while keeping pace with the taller guy. "We don't all 'heal fast.'"
Once more into Hell's Kitchen. With any luck she'll see her pal from three days ago…
"You got a name to go with those claws, or am I going to have to come up with something which is likely only going to amuse me?"
And why does this all seem -way- too damn easy..?
*
"Akihiro Howlett." Akihiro introduces himself, "What about you?" It really doesn't take too long before they're out front of a warehouse in a shady part in an already bad neighborhood. "So, you prefer stealth, or making noise?"
*
It's an unusual name, though so is the person who uses the name… It seems only fitting that her response would be peculiar, as well. "Friends call me Domino," she replies while only being half-truthful.
Upon seeing the warehouse she's quickly looking over what can easily be seen from their vantage point, her expression set in a slight frown. "I like to keep it quiet as long as possible, but distractions have their place. What intel do you have on their operation? I'd guess light patrol, unless we're hitting them at the right time."
Oh, and a more important question. Turning her head to look at Akihiro, she asks "If you knew this was here why didn't you do something about it before?" Unless he had been waiting for someone to come by and lend a hand..? But that seems unlikely.
*
"I don't start trouble unless I have to, usually. But I'm in the mood for a little fun." Akihiro shrugs easily. "I can do quiet. Place is ran by one of the local families from what I can tell. Shit's tense right now, so last I saw there was a pretty heavy guard. So, I can't promise they won't notice us. But they don't really stand a chance either."
*
"So we can easily shift the blame for this hit and let the families duke it out while we kick back with a brew," Domino replies in a much more relaxed voice.
Having missed the opportunity before she checks the chamber on the small Mauser she lifted off of the dealer then secures it somewhere quick and easy for her to get to. "Let's split up and blindside 'em. If you're really so unconcerned about being shot then feel free to draw their fire if they do notice us. My Doctor says I'm allergic to bullets."
*
Akihiro nods slightly, "Alright. Let's knock this out then." He casually heads over to one of the side doors, seems to sniff around it for a moment, before popping a previously unseen claw insisde his wrist out and sliding it by the doorknob to open the door. "Stay low, I'll keep an ear out." He drops to sneak in, disappearing into the building.
*
Okay, make that -three- claws per hand. There can't be any more than three… There isn't enough room for any more! Still, it's a neat trick for getting inside in a hurry. Just a few steps in and the albino finds, and claims, a crowbar for her own use. "Yeah," she confirms while drifting off in a different direction.
This..is a familiar feeling. It gives Domino a sense of purpose. The world at large may be changing quickly but tonight in this warehouse it's a familiar old pattern.
The first of the guards she takes out dies by his own blade. He never had a chance to realize it had gone missing. Little by little her arsenal continues to grow.
*
Akihiro has clearly grown accustomed to the idea of people dying, because the first guard that looks over to where he is gets a pair of claws in his eyes before being lowered carefully to the ground. It seems like he knows where everyone is at, because he moves around them with ease, stabbing unsuspecting guards without any issue for the moment.
*
Things seem to be going well for the two at first. Unfortunately, nothing good lasts forever.
One of the guards is just reaching up to light a fresh cigarette when Domino's ambush takes him by surprise, fumbling a lit Zippo within his frantic hand. As he falls to the floor the small metal lighter bounces across the concrete floor, coming to land within a puddle of oil probably left from a leaky vehicle that no one had bothered to clean up before. It's a one in a thousand shot, the patch of oil almost instantly igniting and spreading outward to everything within its reach.
On the upside, now she doesn't need to worry about how to dispose of the drug cache!
On the downside it isn't going to take everyone else long to realize that their building is now on fire.
It could have happened to anyone, right?
*
Akihiro smells the fire before he sees it, attention turning towards the flames. "Shit." Rather than dispose of the guard nearest to him quietly he tackles the man, driving a fist into his face and knocking him out. The gun he dropped is scooped up and turned onto the guard across the way, who takes a bullet to the face.
Unfortunately for Akihiro, he was seen as well. Rather than flee the warehouse the two men open fire on the teenager, emptying their clips into him. Rather than going down he howls in rage as the bullets are already starting to push out of the wounds they made.
*
As it turns out, 'Claws' is indeed drawing their fire! When their weapons start hammering rounds in his direction the sound inside of the warehouse is positively deafening, causing Domino to initially duck for cover until she realizes they aren't being aimed at her. Yet.
And there Akihiro stands. -Stands.- Yelling in anger. While being shot!
Alright, point made. Instinct plays her next move, quickly drawing the small Mauser and taking aim. At Akihiro. Firing once.
Dropping one of the guys behind him. Shooting clean through the mutant.
"Less shouting, more stabbing!" she yells out as her earlier-found crowbar gets slung out into the open, whipping through the air before it smashes against another man's gun and drops it to the floor.
Then he takes Mauser Bullet #2.
*
Akihiro just stands there for a moment, breathing heavily. He seems to be concentrating on something, what exactly nobody but he can be too sure of. However a moment passes and he rushes into action, vaulting over a rain and effectively disemboweling a guard, and shooting his friend in the face. At this point all of the wounds he gathered are closed completely. "No survivors or that blows our plan out of the water!" he shouts over, shooting one of the last guards between the shoulder blades.
*
Domino's voice calls out once more amongst the shots, "Now you're singing my song!"
Another guard gets a rifle wrenched out of his hands a moment before the stock clubs him in the head. He's already sprawled out on the ground when she puts another of the small .32's into his skull.
It's almost neat and tidy compared to Aki's efforts. There isn't enough blood to put out the flames but it'll at least buy him some space in the meantime.
The albino's about to get riddled with bullets as well until she slips on a spent casing and hits the floor hard, knocking the wind out of her but keeping the hail of bullets from finding their mark. In response there's a massive boom as the rifle catches the enemy gunner through the chest, the shot knocking him backward and tearing a hole through everything it touches.
Already the air is getting harder to breathe as thick smoke claims the enclosed space. Most of the opposition is already dealt with, many of the ones that remain now searching for an exit instead of a target.
*
Akihiro pops up, putting a bullet in each of the escaping guards before vaulting over and running over to where Domino is. He reaches out to offer a hand, "Alright, let's get the fuck out of here!"
*
Where the hell did he come from? Nevermind! When the hand is offered Domino will take it, though she makes a grab for yet another dropped weapon just an instant afterward. This trip won't be for naught, darnit!
"Cars..outside..!" she grunts between harsh coughs. It's not like their original owners are going to need them any longer!
There's something else getting into the limited air now, too. Setting fire to piles of drugs within an enclosed space is going to lead to ..interesting results.
*
Akihiro wraps an arm around Domino and leads the woman through the smoke outside to the nearest car. "You alright?" is asked as he puts his fist through the window, opening the door and helping the woman in. If the drugs in there did anything to him, he isn't showing it, rather he's working at quickly rigging the car to work before pulling out and whipping out away from the burning building.
*
"Be fine," Domino croaks as she drops into the passenger seat. She lucked out, getting the wind knocked out of her means she didn't breathe too much of the smoke in.
Glancing in the mirror shows the warehouse going up in flames, and with it her ultimate goal. "Dammit to Hell," she hisses under her breath. Then she gives Akihiro another look. "You weren't joking about healing fast. How do you do that?" Like it's something he could up and explain to her!
*
"Not sure, got it from my father. Heals about as fast as I do." Akihiro says, slowing down as they get away from the flames. "Definitely useful, I'd be dead ten times over without it." He turns his attention to Domino for a moment, before looking back to the road in front of them. "So what's next? We ditch the vehicle and part ways, or you planning something?"
*
Domino considers his answer, and his following question, in silence. A couple of thoughts roll through her mind as the stolen submachine gun idly rolls around in her hands.
At least the evening wasn't a -total- loss for her.
"If it's all the same to you, I could use this car. Bit down on my luck when it comes to resources lately. Didn't have any more plans for picking fights with mobs of angry and well-armed goons tonight." Pushing herself further upright with a wince, she says "I've found that it's important to pace yourself with these encounters."
*
"Power to you. I don't need it." Akihiro says in regards to the car. "How about we go get a drink and relax a little, eh? Not dying is always a cause to celebrate." He shoots Domino a wink, turning off to park the car now that they're away from the scene.
*
"That..sounds like a fantastic idea," Domino agrees with a thin smirk. "Though I saw you getting shot to pieces back there. -Can- you even die? Because that sounds like it would lead to a whole lot of celebrating for you." Pause. "Not that it's necessarily a bad thing," she adds with a careful shrug.
*
"Pretty sure I can. I mean, I know my dad is about a hundred, give or take, and doesn't look but thirty. Know I've been shot in the head a few times, and I'm still here. Think it's just hard to kill me." Akihiro doesn't look certain though. "May have to just wait and see if old age does it. Not something I'm excited about though."
*
"Sounds like I've been missing one hell of a party," Domino mutters while gently rubbing at her forehead. "No sense in waiting for the end to find you, though. There's always something more to be done."
Like take a damn shower. The inside of the car smells like a bonfire, no thanks to these two.
*
"Oh, I can think of something to do." Akihiro grins, "Plenty of fun to be had before we have to worry about that. " He looks down at the various holes in his shirt, sighing quietly. "I'm gonna stop wearing my good clothes into the city. Always something happening to ruin them."
*
Here Domino arches a brow, passing Akihiro another sidelong glance. "Only if it involves drinking or acts of violence. I usually don't destroy entire warehouses with people I've just met. Tonight was a real luck of the draw."
*
"Don't worry, I don't put out on the first date." Akihiro teases, stepping out of the car and closing the door behind him. "I'm gonna go shower, but we should go out for drinks when we aren't covered in blood. I stay out in Westchester, so asking around Harry's out that way will probably be the best way to find me."