Forgotten childhood memories

He mentioned the gloves and she grit her teeth. Showing him? "What kind of perversion are you in to?" She asked, not taking them off. While she normally wore her scars with pride, she was not going to end up as some rich guy's fantasy. "Maybe I should figure out your name and tell your wife all about how you are in to young women with gloves," she rolled her eyes. She was a shitty escort, and she was sure that as soon as he left she would get called out. She turned around, looking at him with her pink tinted eyes, her lips painted red to match the dress. "Maybe I just don't like getting my hands dirty," she said, narrowing her eyes at him, "or maybe there's nothing underneath the gloves, maybe its only purpose is to attract curious men like yourself." He seemed to like mystery a lot for a man that was himself so mysterious, hell she didn't even know his name. "Why don't we play a game?" She suggested. She didn't take him as a man that played many games, but he would have to put up with hers or simply leave.
If he for some reason agreed, she would stop a waiter as he passed by, asking for drinks. Moving over she sat down in front of him. "You are a business man, so I suppose it wouldn't be fun without a little something on the line," she smiled. Her smile was actually fairly attractive, her full lips curling her eyes gleaming a bit. "We each take turn asking questions, and if we don't want to answer, we drink," she said just as a waiter came with a bottle and two glasses. She was a human, and she didn't have good experiences with alcohol, but he didn't know that. Maybe she could use that to her advantage. "Seeing as you are the patron, I'll let you go first - see I can be polite."

Of course he wanted to ask her first thing about the gloves and she hadn't expected anything else. She chuckled, letting her gloved finger run around the rim of the drink he had pushed over to her. "My hands and my forearms," she said quite matter-of-factly tilting her head a little to the side. She was telling the truth, wasn't she? Leaning back she looked at him. His stoic face, his strong brow, his nice clothing. "My turn it seems ... Do you know anything about the leak in the Blocks?" she asked. It was sort of a catch-all; If he drank then she knew he knew something but was keeping it secret, if he said something then she would also know whether or not he knew anything. She wasn't interested in playing the escort. No, talking was something she knew to do, and people seemed to want to talk to her. At least when she was in a good mood.

So it seemed he was annoyed with her, or at least that was her guess even if he kept a stoic face. Watching him pick up his drink she hummed at his question, waiting for him to down it before answering. "Among other places," she replied, sure she had grown up in the Blocks but she wasn't sure she would claim to be from there. She was from a lot of places and during the last year or so South was more her home. But she would perhaps always have a fondness for the Blocks, they were where she had learnt most of her things growing up. "But I guess you could say it used to be my home," she added, just so he didn't feel as cheated this time around.
"If you were an animal, what type of animal would you be?" Perhaps a basic question, but she wasn't looking to draw much suspicion to herself. Although it seemed she already had. You could learn a lot from someone describing themselves as some sort of animal, often see what they wanted to be or aspired to be. Even if it was simple, she felt like she also needed to know what he was like. "I mean, seeing as you didn't really like me calling you a panther," she chuckled.

Her answers were definitely not narrowing anything down, but at least now it made somewhat sense that she was interested in the chemical leak. Not that that meant that Samuel would just spill information, especially about the leak. Her addition made him shrug. That didnt really matter much to him.
Her question made him scoff as it was definitely a silly question. He wouldnt say that he often wondered what type of animal he would be. He made a slight shrug. "It's not something I've given much  thought." he admitted, to then hum, lean back and think about it. She said he hadnt liked being called a panther and it actually made him chuckle. "I never said I disliked it. I was just curious as to why you were making that assumption. But I guess you are true. Though I would honestly see myself as a modern vulture." he said. He picked up a drink, lifting it up to inspect. "Did that answer your question well enough? Or do you want me to drink?"
Whatever she chose he did. And then he would ask his question, "You are not just here to be an escort are you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. A waiter entered, Victor to make sure everything was fine. Though seeing Raven with the tattooed stranger wasnt opting for a pleasant expression from the lanky guy.

Hearing him actually chuckle was strange. She would've thought he didn't have it in him, not with that face of his, but she didn't feel scared by it either. It was weird. She was supposed to be the bottom of the food chain right here and yet he seemed to be humored by her being so out of bounds. "So a bird of prey with a tablet?" she asked, raising her brow a little at him as he lifted his drink. Fairly, he had answered, so she wouldn't have him drink unless he wanted to himself.
It was his turn once again, and as he had asked his question a waiter entered. Out the corner of her eye she could already tell who it was. "I'm here for the same reasons you are; networking and opportunities," she said with almost a challenging smile. Victor being there was making her feel distracted a bit, but she was trying not to do anything. This guy had the opportunity to send the waiter away, and she suspected that Victor already hated what he was seeing right now. While they had been together he would've flipped his shit seeing anyone like this with her. Turning her eyes to Victor, she smiled a little, "will you bring us some more drinks? It seems as though my dear patron is thirsty," c'mon Vic, don't get jealous about this shit. Then she turned her eyes back on the man in front of her. "What is your name?" she asked. He didn't have to say his full name, hell for all she cared he could give her a false name right away, but she was feeling that he was perhaps more interested in her than he was letting on.

He reached for the drink. She should've expected the mysterious man to wanting to stay mysterious. But it seemed lady luck was on her side as a man entered where they were sitting. A small satisfactory smile crept on her lips, but she felt like she knew that name. Something in the back of her mind, but she knew she had never seen him before. He got up, and the way he seemed almost stiff again was a bit surprising. Had he softened up to her while sitting here, or was she just imagining things? His blunt response made her chuckle, getting up as she stopped him before he could leave. Her gloved hands working rather quickly, rolling up his sleeve on both sides so you couldn't see the ash stain. "Good evening, Mr. Prideux," she said before letting him leave with the man.
When they were gone she slapped Victor on the arm, not wanting to hurt him, but at least get a reaction from him. "What the fuck were you doing, standing there like an idiot?" she hissed at him, shaking her head as she went past him, wanting to go back to the party. This guy was hiding something, but perhaps she could get her answers from another willing suspect. Preferably someone too drunk to avoid her questions.

"If he knows, he isn't spilling anything," she replied before she left. It strangely didn't take long for her to find some men who were boasting about their businesses, but it was a woman who caught Raven's attention. Most of the guests were men, and Raven hadn't really expected anything else, so this woman surprised her. Maybe it was the way that she commanded a room? But she had a feeling that staying close to her would at least give out some information.
In fact, it seemed that the woman was quite taken by Raven's appearance, playing lightly with her hair, flirting with the human, despite her not flirting back. "I just love it when you play coy," she muttered in her ear, Raven's eyes focused out on the room, feeling the woman's hand run along the younger woman's collarbone. "Sorry dearie, I have to attend a meeting ... But stick around and I'll make sure you are taken well care of," she said, Raven turned her head to look at the woman, a faint smile on the young woman's lips. "Can't you take me with you?" she pleaded. The woman hummed, considering it before looking at the men who each were busy with their own things. "Alright dearie, but you'll have to behave - I don't like naughty girls," making Raven nod her head.
The woman got up, leading the way away from the party. Raven looked around for Victor, but she couldn't see him anywhere! Okay, she guessed she would have to trust that this would lead somewhere. And rightfully so. Being taken to a back room, a couple of couches filled with what she presumed to be rich and powerful people, the woman excused herself being late, "pardon, dear friends, but this little bird made me lose track of time - do not worry, I'll deal with her if anything slips out from our meeting," the woman was a lycan, big and strong. Her skin was dark and her hair put back in masterful braids. "Now, please continue - I believe I interrupted you, Mr. Prideux."

In the backroom, Samuel was showcasing a couple of kids who had been taken from The Blocks, having gone through a couple of cases just when they were interrupted. He nodded at the business woman to then see Raven. His eyes narrowed only slightly, but he didnt have anything to say. It was up to any individual to bring someone along if they wanted, they just had to be sure that that person could be discreet. "No worries." he said politely, before he placed a random kid's face on the table passing it around. "Now unlike the other case, this is what the leak does to kids who have not built up the immunity like the girl I showed you before." he said, giving people some time to pass the picture around and look at the wounds that were caused by poisoning. "But the other girl's glowing eyes, is that due to mutation?" - "Possibly. We havent gotten that far into figuring out her mutations. She is not the easiest young girl to deal with so testing is limited by her temper." Samuel just had to say plainly. The person hummed and handed the picture to Raven. A slight rustle above made him lift his eyes, but he seemingly paid no mind to it, it could've just been someone upstairs moving a table or a heavy chair.

Raven felt like she had stepped in to the wrong room, and yet now she couldn't leave. The woman pulled her down in her lap, and she didn't really look too pleased by it, but she had a role to play. Looking at the picture, she handed it on to the woman who was now under her. She knew that kid. Little Cara. She wasn't more than a few years younger than Jane had been. The lady beneath her could feel Raven being upset, pulling her close as if to comfort her, but it was all a ruse. "My clients are worried if the leak spreads in to South; We have quite the business there and would like to keep that intact," the woman said, touching Raven's thigh rather possessively.
Raven feel like she had to block out a part of herself, just to be more present in the room. And in this moment she just looked to Mr. Prideux. Was he behind this? Was he the reason that she had lost her sister and so many more? He might've seen himself as a vulture, but she saw him as a snake! The venom he seemed to spread in to this world, hurting all of those kids, she felt repulsed by him. Didn't he have kids of his own? He sure looked the ripe age to at least have a few kids. Unless his wife saw his cruelty too and refused to spread her legs for him, which frankly Raven wouldn't blame the poor woman.
"You deal in South as well, Mr. Prideux; Are you not worried of how close the gas is coming to the border?" another man budded in but a third shook his head, "Pardon me, but don't any of you see the potential here? If these kids evolve, even if it's just a dozen, they could be worth their own weight and more in gold!" The different rich people started arguing amongst themselves, and Raven felt like she was going to be sick. "I need to go powder my nose," she whispered to the woman she was sitting on. Getting up, with her permission, she walked towards the door that lead to the bathroom. She grabbed on to the sink, shaking as she was trying to process what she had heard. They knew? They all knew and they didn't even care! Those were her people back there! Dying and coughing and suffering every day because these rich people wanted to play gods. Her hands around the sink made the porcelain crack, and she let go of it quite quickly as she was shaking still. She needed to calm down. She needed to go back in there and hear more.

The other people's worries were quite valid but Samuel didnt seem too concerned. He did notice how Raven seemed to change, mostly because his view had him face almost everyone. The rich man's remark of the possibilities made Samuel sigh. "While it makes sense that mutated kids would be a great product to sell, there is only the liability of the kids' personalities and history. Besides, who here really want to risk being marked as a slaver?" he asked, seeing Raven leave in the middle of him talking. He couldnt imagine what she felt like, not even if he tried. He carried on, answering the question from before. "Well of course it is worrisome that the leak has gone out of control, but there is currently nothing to be done about it. While it was my company's responsibility a few years back, I am not responsible for that area any longer. You will have to consult the firm controlling it now, though no one has heard from them for years it seems." he just openly disclosed, now that Raven was gone.
"Excuse me." he said after a bit, leaving to check up on the human, though he wouldnt have under any other circumstances. Maybe it was the reminder of what he had lost, though he didnt think along those lines.

The other people were still arguing as the daemon left, some wanting nothing to do with the leak and others wanting to find profit in it. Raven on the other hand was feeling herself sweat. How was she going to go out there and face all of those monsters? Closing her eyes, she leaned back against one of the stall doors, shivering still as she tried to control herself. But it was as if every time she closed her eyes she saw that picture, that poor girl, her eyes glowing and she was clearly in pain. It looked like all the kids down in the Blocks, how starved they were, how hurt they all were.
Looking at herself in the mirror she knew she couldn't leave tonight without having done something. This information was scary, but if this Mr. Prideux was behind it all, this might be her only chance to get close to him. It was decided. She would have to try and get close to him, at least close enough to kill him. Looking down at her gloved hands, she felt scared of herself. She hadn't felt this scared since her strength had shown and she nearly killed Victor. There was a knock at the door, and she suspected that the woman had come to get her, or maybe touch her more now that she had excused herself to a private area. "Just a second," she said, having forgotten she hadn't even locked the door. She turned on the faucet, letting it run, hoping it would deter anyone from coming in just yet. But then again, these rich people seemed to do as they pleased.

He could hear her in the little stall-like room and for a second he wondered whether he had made the right decision or not. "You looked rather affected by what you heard in there." he said, adjusting his collar a little in the mirror, moving a stray hair back into his slicked back style. He eyed her stall. "So you are from the area where the leak is affecting most? Or you at least know the kids affected, judging by how you looked at the picture of the girl we picked up. Am I hitting close?" he said and the way he said it was just so stoic and yet it was an attempt to play her nerves as if they were just a harp.

Someone entered, and she held her breath for a small while until he spoke. Him. Gritting her teeth she had to restrain herself from not bursting through the door, knocking his teeth out on that stupid stoic face of his! He started asking questions and she realized that this was all this was to him. A small game with no real consequences to him. Taking a deep breath she came out of her stall, closing the door behind her and hopefully hiding the broken sink in there. "I reacted that way because I lost my sister to the gas leak," she said, being rather truthful, but she wasn't looking for sympathy. Not that she wanted it from a sleazy businessman like him. Pulling her gloves up a bit, she adjusted her hair. "And I'm sorry that I can't pretend to not care like you, but I guess I'll never be a vulture," she said more calmly than she felt. Looking at his reflection in the mirror she thought what would be the easiest way to take him out. He looked strong, but she wasn't sure what he was. He hadn't felt cold, so not a vampyre, and he was not a lycan, no he wasn't even remotely as warm as the woman she had been sitting on. "All I truly want is for the leak to stop and the air down in the Blocks getting cleaned," she said, turning to look at him, "but I suppose someone like you don't care when there's money to be made and children to be experimented on."
Her hand folded in to a fist, taking a step forward. This was it. A quick blow, and then she could maybe strangle him? She had the strength. Reaching out, she touched the fold on his shirt, adjusting it a little. Maybe some kindness, that he would look presentable in death? "I have a feeling you don't care much for other people than yourself; I guess I should pity your wife, but I suppose it takes a cold heart to love one of ice," she said before she felt the ground beneath her shake. Her eyes widened. What was going on?

"I'm sorry if my humanity offends you," sure her emotions were on her sleeves right now, she was as easy to read as an open book - didn't he think she had heard all of that before? How many times had she not gotten in to a fight because she couldn't stop herself? How often had Winston not scolded her for being such a hot-head?
As he grabbed her hand she frowned, looking at him as he informed her of his wife's circumstance. Or rather the fact that she was six feet under somewhere and rotting. Then why was he wearing that ring? "Let go of me," she said as the rumble started to happen. She barely got time to react as he pulled her in. What? Why was he doing this, "let go of m-!" her yell getting cut off as the building collapsed around them, the ceiling crumbling and falling on top of them.

When she finally woke up alarms were ringing, smoke everywhere and she could smell the burn from a fire not far from them. Victor! She had to find him! She got up, her dress ruined and her gloves as well. Of all the places she were, she was lucky. Nothing had landed on her, but not far from her she saw the man that she had wanted to kill not so long ago. He was stuck beneath a boulder of ceiling, covering her mouth she started coughing as the smoke was thick and filling the air. Turning she wanted to leave. She needed to find Victor, she needed to know that he was safe. But something in her made her unable to just leave this man behind.
Laying down on the floor she crawled to him, reaching out to check his pulse but she couldn't feel anything through her already ripped gloves. Taking them off in frustration her naked hands reached out. He was alive. "Lay still, don't move," she told him, not sure if he was even aware of what was going on. She couldn't even be sure if he was going to survive this, but hadn't it been for him shielding her, she would've been dead by now, right? Moving slightly she ripped a part of her dress up, wrapping the fabric around his mouth and then ripping another piece for herself. If this was smoke, they could die fast if they weren't careful.
Moving to her feet, she was shaking, but she knew she had to try. Her hands grabbed under the boulder, her fingers digging in to the concrete as she closed her eyes to focus. Lift. Just lift. It's nothing more than a pebble, she told herself before she began putting her strength in. The boulder tough and stuck slightly, but she managed to get it up and away from him. Coughing, she bent down once more, assessing him before she started dragging him away from the rubble and away from the heat of the fire. They were fairly lucky as this area had contained a lot of water pipes, so the floor was covered in water and so were they. "I got you," she muttered, pulling him with her as she crawled, straining her body, but she wasn't going to leave him behind.

Raven didn't want his thanks. She was weak for saving him, and she knew that, but she just couldn't leave him. She managed to get him dragged over to a wall that was still somehow standing. She checked on him, her hands shaking a bit, but it was a given from how the world seemed in shambles right now. He told her to go check the hallway, and she nodded, letting him rest there while she crawled her way out in to the hallway. Her eyes were burning at this point, and strangely they slightly glowed the pink color they had. But of course she didn't notice that.
Out in the hallway she saw someone moving people around. Had help already arrived? "Over here!" she coughed, her whole body convulsing. Even though her lungs were strong, nothing could withstand the burn from fire smoke. Her vision was starting to get blurry as her eyes felt like they were on fire, "please, someone's hurt back here," she pleaded.

As the figure grew closer, Raven thought that maybe she could come out of this unscathed. Maybe she could rectify what she had tried to do, because this was clearly not had been wanted from her from above. Then someone came closer, and the eyes alone made her freeze up. "Jay?" she muttered. Was she imagining things? Then everything happened so fast. Wasn't real? Fake? And then a sharp pain in her leg that made her scream out in pain, shaking as she looked down at her leg. The dust flying down from below made her cough, falling back as her hand went to her leg where blood was practically spewing out. Her body felt weak. She might've been strong, but this loss of blood was deadly even to the strongest of mortals.

She fell unconscious shortly after, the only thing she remembered was a shadow of smoke carrying her. Part of her thought that she had died. Maybe this shadow was taking her straight to the bad place because she hadn't been able to restrain her thoughts. Perhaps because she hadn't even been able to protect her own family.
The next thing she remembered was something soft against her back, and a stinging in her leg. Her hand moved under the duvet, but she could only feel some gauze fabric being wrapped around her thigh where the stab had been. Her eyelids flew open, sitting up too fast and it made her grunt as it tore at her sewn wound. "You need to lay still, miss," a servant told her, and her eyes moved to look at the servant confused. "Wher-?" she didn't get far before she started coughing, bending forward as her longs were hurting.

Mr. Prideux? Her body felt like convulsing. She had saved him, but she hadn't expected him to do anything for her in return. In fact she had thought that perhaps he would've rather left her. She had heard more than she should have, so she was better served dead, right? The servants gave her something to drink, making her stop coughing for now.
As the knock was heard the servants scurried off, heading through a secret door in the wall. She looked a bit confused, but then realized she probably had to give him permission to enter. Though it seemed weird. Her arms! She covered herself up under the duvet, "Come in," her voice rough, but loud enough for the man on the other side to hear.