Predator's Predator #9 - Venturing forth.
Apr. 7th, 2005 08:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sparkindarknessI'm doing ti... i'm actually maintaining a story arc without being distracted! This must be a record... oh shiny thing *wanders off*
Ian wasted no time, hardly even noticing Lakshmi trailing behind him trying to keep up with him. He repeated Marlena’s dramatic warnings as simply as he could to the worried priest as he made what preparations he could. If Marlena’s warnings were true, he wasn’t sure how much he could prepare. Every monster had its own weaknesses, but there was a limit to how much weaponry even he could carry.
He smiled, think, he’d never carried a maximum load of weapons before. It would certainly be interesting to try. He filled two large shoulder bags before secreting numerous blades about his person. Most people didn’t look for knives - any number of people looked for guns, even in places where you never expected them, but few people looked for knives. Of course, a thin blade was a hard thing to spot. It could be nearly any shape, any size and it could lay flat against the skin so easily. The only real way to be sure you had everyone’s knives was to pat them down, and even them you couldn’t be truly sure unless you perform a strip search. Ian had no intention of allowing them that close… of course, if letting them that close would help… his clothes had sufficient give to allow weapons to be concealed in their folds but had carefully been designed by Lakshmi to ensure they clung at just the right places to encourage people to want to get close. Ian was willing to use any weapon at his disposal.
Father Michaels was making his own preparations. Ian could feel his worry, though not a twitch of it cracked the iron hard surety of the old man’s face. Ian didn’t think either of them had faced monsters that were organised and co-operating with each other on such a grand scale before. It would certainly be an interesting challenge. Ian appreciated that even if the priest didn’t - not that there’d ever be a challenge severe enough that either of them would refuse.
“I am ready. As much as I can be.” Ian reviewed his weapons unconsciously. He was paced to fight vampire, werecreature or even ghosts. Wizards could be tricky as some of the more powerful or unusual ones were hard to kill, they had special vulnerabilities or weaknesses. Most just died if you stabbed them, though. For the unusual ones, well, Ian had everything from fire, to holy water, to knives of various metals. It was likely that at least one of them would inconvenience the wizard at least.
Father Michael’s nodded. “My nephew has been good enough to find me a plan of the building in question from the property agent. It is apparently surprisingly easy to obtain such information if you sound like a prospective buyer with enough money.”
Lakshmi snorted a laugh, “Property and real estate agents really should be on our list of monsters to kill.”
Father Michaels barked a laugh, “only once we’ve finished hunting the lawyers, child.”
Ian ignored them, busy studying the plan. “Any modifications to the building?”
“Not legally declared, no.” Father Michaels’ voice made it clear how little that meant. “However, the building has been bought recently, and the plan was accurate from the time of sale - they have not been in the warehouse for a great length of time. They have not had much opportunity for any extensive alterations, I shouldn’t think.” He frowned. “There is a lot of money behind them. They bought the warehouse and the lumber company that owned it for a princely sum, more than it was worth.”
Ian nodded, “money can make things happen quickly, but there is a limit to how much the interior can have changed. There are still several escape routes…”
“I believe the goal was getting the young lady out… not ensuring none of them escape.” Father Michaels voice carefully lacked any indication of reproof, but Ian could feel his disapproval and the gentle chiding in the old priests’ stance.
“It is. I am not adverse to multi-tasking, however.” He smiled. Lakshmi took a step back. Even Father Michaels raised an eyebrow.
“Concentrate on the living, Ian, or you will merely add to the dead.” Father Michaels dropped his neutral mask, his face full of stern censure. Ian felt his smile fade, he managed to hold the old priest’s gaze, but he could feel it across his soul, causing him to flinch away… the coldness that seemed to fill him rose to the surface in the face of that harsh inspection. Suddenly, there was no difficulty in meeting Father Michaels’ cold stare.
The priest turned away, shoulders slumping a little. For a second, a brief second, he looked old, old and worn and tired. It faded so quickly that Ian would have thought he imagined it, if it weren’t for the fact he had no place left in his head for imagination.
He fished a last tube of pepper spray and a thin cylinder of highly flammable liquid into his shirt collar, and settled down to rest before he had to set off, willing his mind to calm to remove any chance of creeping doubt to fill him before battle. He was only vaguely aware of the Lakshmi’s scrutiny and Father Michael’s quiet prayer. The silence stretched, calm, peaceful and ready.
“Soooo, when are we setting off?” Lakshmi asked, fidgeting restlessly.
Ian raised one eye to her. “I set off at dawn. The situation demands it.” Satisfied, he lay back and closed his eyes.
“Unfortunately,” the old priest rumbled from where he knelt with his rosary.
“Huh? Isn’t hunting vampires during the day the best plan?” Lakshmi asked when both returned to their mediatations.
“No.” Ian said, apparently to the ceiling. Silence returned.
Lakshmi glared at them. “Why? Sunlight plus vampires equals toast, right?”
Ian sighed. “Most vampires are also aware of that fact, Lakshmi.” He said it as if that should answer all her questions. It didn’t.
Father Michaels took pity on her. “Vampires during the day are nervous and paranoid - they do not trust easily, they do not let their guard down. They know how vulnerable they are and are much harder to surprise. If you cannot surprise a vampire, you have little chance of defeating it.”
“Most vampires also retreat to cellars during the day,” Ian added, still addressing the ceiling. “Small, light proof rooms with few or no escape routes. You don’t want to be trapped in a small, underground room with a paranoid vampire.”
“Some of the older and more powerful vampires also invest in daytime security.” Father Michaels continued, ruefully. “Humans will work for money and for a lot of money they will not ask questions. Certainly not about why a building must be heavily guarded, alarmed and even trapped during the day.”
“Police are also more likely to poke their nose in,” snorted the hunter. “You can rely on them to keep their heads down at night, but during the day they like to make their presence felt.”
“So why go during the day now?”
Ian rolled his head to one side so he could balefully regard her with one eye. “Rescue mission. They can’t chase us during the day.”
“We do not know how powerful these creatures are, child.” Father Michaels said. “Especially the old one who controls them all - old legends speak of sunlight blocking some of the more… esoteric vampiric abilities. I pray there is some truth in those old stories. Perhaps the light of the sun will allow Ian to leave without being tracked.”
“Ian and me.” Lakshmi corrected.
“No.” Despite the refusal being addressed to the ceiling, it was firmly emphatic.
“You are not ready, Lakshmi.” Father Michaels admonished kindly. “Ian will train you,” Ian cracked one eye at that, but held his silence, “but not when lives rest on your abilities.”
“I’m going to rescue someone. Not trade one hostage for another.” Ian growled. Lakshmi glared at him and threw an apple from the inevitable basket at his head. He caught it without opening his eyes and absently started to eat it. He grimaced, “cheap African import again. If you want a job you can go track me down a decent European apple.”
Lakshmi threw up her hands and stormed out.
Ian wasted no time, hardly even noticing Lakshmi trailing behind him trying to keep up with him. He repeated Marlena’s dramatic warnings as simply as he could to the worried priest as he made what preparations he could. If Marlena’s warnings were true, he wasn’t sure how much he could prepare. Every monster had its own weaknesses, but there was a limit to how much weaponry even he could carry.
He smiled, think, he’d never carried a maximum load of weapons before. It would certainly be interesting to try. He filled two large shoulder bags before secreting numerous blades about his person. Most people didn’t look for knives - any number of people looked for guns, even in places where you never expected them, but few people looked for knives. Of course, a thin blade was a hard thing to spot. It could be nearly any shape, any size and it could lay flat against the skin so easily. The only real way to be sure you had everyone’s knives was to pat them down, and even them you couldn’t be truly sure unless you perform a strip search. Ian had no intention of allowing them that close… of course, if letting them that close would help… his clothes had sufficient give to allow weapons to be concealed in their folds but had carefully been designed by Lakshmi to ensure they clung at just the right places to encourage people to want to get close. Ian was willing to use any weapon at his disposal.
Father Michaels was making his own preparations. Ian could feel his worry, though not a twitch of it cracked the iron hard surety of the old man’s face. Ian didn’t think either of them had faced monsters that were organised and co-operating with each other on such a grand scale before. It would certainly be an interesting challenge. Ian appreciated that even if the priest didn’t - not that there’d ever be a challenge severe enough that either of them would refuse.
“I am ready. As much as I can be.” Ian reviewed his weapons unconsciously. He was paced to fight vampire, werecreature or even ghosts. Wizards could be tricky as some of the more powerful or unusual ones were hard to kill, they had special vulnerabilities or weaknesses. Most just died if you stabbed them, though. For the unusual ones, well, Ian had everything from fire, to holy water, to knives of various metals. It was likely that at least one of them would inconvenience the wizard at least.
Father Michael’s nodded. “My nephew has been good enough to find me a plan of the building in question from the property agent. It is apparently surprisingly easy to obtain such information if you sound like a prospective buyer with enough money.”
Lakshmi snorted a laugh, “Property and real estate agents really should be on our list of monsters to kill.”
Father Michaels barked a laugh, “only once we’ve finished hunting the lawyers, child.”
Ian ignored them, busy studying the plan. “Any modifications to the building?”
“Not legally declared, no.” Father Michaels’ voice made it clear how little that meant. “However, the building has been bought recently, and the plan was accurate from the time of sale - they have not been in the warehouse for a great length of time. They have not had much opportunity for any extensive alterations, I shouldn’t think.” He frowned. “There is a lot of money behind them. They bought the warehouse and the lumber company that owned it for a princely sum, more than it was worth.”
Ian nodded, “money can make things happen quickly, but there is a limit to how much the interior can have changed. There are still several escape routes…”
“I believe the goal was getting the young lady out… not ensuring none of them escape.” Father Michaels voice carefully lacked any indication of reproof, but Ian could feel his disapproval and the gentle chiding in the old priests’ stance.
“It is. I am not adverse to multi-tasking, however.” He smiled. Lakshmi took a step back. Even Father Michaels raised an eyebrow.
“Concentrate on the living, Ian, or you will merely add to the dead.” Father Michaels dropped his neutral mask, his face full of stern censure. Ian felt his smile fade, he managed to hold the old priest’s gaze, but he could feel it across his soul, causing him to flinch away… the coldness that seemed to fill him rose to the surface in the face of that harsh inspection. Suddenly, there was no difficulty in meeting Father Michaels’ cold stare.
The priest turned away, shoulders slumping a little. For a second, a brief second, he looked old, old and worn and tired. It faded so quickly that Ian would have thought he imagined it, if it weren’t for the fact he had no place left in his head for imagination.
He fished a last tube of pepper spray and a thin cylinder of highly flammable liquid into his shirt collar, and settled down to rest before he had to set off, willing his mind to calm to remove any chance of creeping doubt to fill him before battle. He was only vaguely aware of the Lakshmi’s scrutiny and Father Michael’s quiet prayer. The silence stretched, calm, peaceful and ready.
“Soooo, when are we setting off?” Lakshmi asked, fidgeting restlessly.
Ian raised one eye to her. “I set off at dawn. The situation demands it.” Satisfied, he lay back and closed his eyes.
“Unfortunately,” the old priest rumbled from where he knelt with his rosary.
“Huh? Isn’t hunting vampires during the day the best plan?” Lakshmi asked when both returned to their mediatations.
“No.” Ian said, apparently to the ceiling. Silence returned.
Lakshmi glared at them. “Why? Sunlight plus vampires equals toast, right?”
Ian sighed. “Most vampires are also aware of that fact, Lakshmi.” He said it as if that should answer all her questions. It didn’t.
Father Michaels took pity on her. “Vampires during the day are nervous and paranoid - they do not trust easily, they do not let their guard down. They know how vulnerable they are and are much harder to surprise. If you cannot surprise a vampire, you have little chance of defeating it.”
“Most vampires also retreat to cellars during the day,” Ian added, still addressing the ceiling. “Small, light proof rooms with few or no escape routes. You don’t want to be trapped in a small, underground room with a paranoid vampire.”
“Some of the older and more powerful vampires also invest in daytime security.” Father Michaels continued, ruefully. “Humans will work for money and for a lot of money they will not ask questions. Certainly not about why a building must be heavily guarded, alarmed and even trapped during the day.”
“Police are also more likely to poke their nose in,” snorted the hunter. “You can rely on them to keep their heads down at night, but during the day they like to make their presence felt.”
“So why go during the day now?”
Ian rolled his head to one side so he could balefully regard her with one eye. “Rescue mission. They can’t chase us during the day.”
“We do not know how powerful these creatures are, child.” Father Michaels said. “Especially the old one who controls them all - old legends speak of sunlight blocking some of the more… esoteric vampiric abilities. I pray there is some truth in those old stories. Perhaps the light of the sun will allow Ian to leave without being tracked.”
“Ian and me.” Lakshmi corrected.
“No.” Despite the refusal being addressed to the ceiling, it was firmly emphatic.
“You are not ready, Lakshmi.” Father Michaels admonished kindly. “Ian will train you,” Ian cracked one eye at that, but held his silence, “but not when lives rest on your abilities.”
“I’m going to rescue someone. Not trade one hostage for another.” Ian growled. Lakshmi glared at him and threw an apple from the inevitable basket at his head. He caught it without opening his eyes and absently started to eat it. He grimaced, “cheap African import again. If you want a job you can go track me down a decent European apple.”
Lakshmi threw up her hands and stormed out.