Scene #4277: The Midnight Oil

Owner	Pose
John Rizzo	Rizzo's world didn't seem like much when it first unified. In the three weeks since then, it still doesn't. All the usual things are beginning to happen it seems, with the talking heads debating the virtues of the supernations and what their presence means for the future. The lobbyists are scrabbling for purchase, as are the politicians in their pockets. If it weren't for one unassuming, short letter sent to the Union, his world could've easily faded into background noise. Something of an impromptu job application, the letter somehow managed to find its way through the Union's overworked mailrooms. Who is John Rizzo? Who would be so... bold? Strange? To send a letter to a supernation? Whoever he is, he's found himself in the Bar and Grill, nursing an old-fashioned glass. Filled with a dark, red-brown liquid, every sip invites a furrowing of his brows. He looks quite at home sitting in one of the booths, the overhead lights highlighting his haggard appearance. Little does he know, he's about to have company.
Himei	It's not unheard of for someone to contact the Union for recruitment outside their nation, but it's been increasingly rare, aside from incidents of very independent sorts(like Sigrun, in fact, would be an excellent person to have done so). It is odd for someone to do so in a situation like this though. It's attracted Himei's attention, and she's going to take a look. She'll enter... well, pretty casually, actually. This is neutral territory, after all! She's a well-known enough person that a few people might recognize her, but she's not been as active recently, so that's up in the air. The letter gives her good direction though... and the young-looking(early twenties, maybe?) woman will approach with her companions, flashing the Union ID. "Good afternoon. May we have a seat?"
Lin	Who is John Rizzo indeed? Karal Rei Lin's unfamiliar with the style of name, let alone the style of world he's from. But very few people seemed inclined to respond to the tiny alert... so she took initiative to go on that very principle. Someone has to! Even if she's completely clueless. It might be important. Unlike Himei... Lin's dressed in flowing clothes that wouldn't be out of place in the ancient times of the far east, from an Earthly point of view. That, and, well... to sit down, she has to unfasten her sword and set it down next to her. "Karal Rei Lin from the Union Elite Forces. You were looking for a word?"
John Rizzo	"Be my guest, girls." His grey eyes flash between Himei and Lin, before inclining his head towards the opposite booth. He then looks down at his drink and downs the rest of it in one go. It must've been some pretty pungent stuff, judging by the grimace on his face after the fact. The glass is set down upon the table with a definitive clink, then slid to the side. Rizzo smacks his lips, nodding in agreement with Lin. "I was hoping to do some chinning with you Union folks." He eyes Himei's Union ID just before she puts it away, grunting in thought. "Seems like you're really behind the eight ball. A lot of irons in the fire, a lot of things going bump in the night. Am I right?"
Himei	The slang is a bit dated, to be sure. Himei gets the general idea, at least, and hesitates for a few seconds before she can formulate a reply. After much internal head-scratching, she decides to answer safely. "Himei Shoutan, by the way. Nice to meet you." The ID said as much, but it's good to be polite. "Things are a little busy. Always are. I don't think we've gotten around to really scouting out your world very much, other than the usual. You know how it is... every department is underfunded and there's a backlog at all times." Himei gestures to Karal. "She's frum a much different world, but I'm from a reasonably close one, if my reading of the summary is right. Early 21st century Earth. I'm from Tokyo though, so please forgive me if I'm unfamiliar with some details." She is, however, speaking English in a generally passable manner, rather than relying on the Translation Effect.
Lin	Lin, on the other hand... doesn't quiiiiite get the slang. her eyes go wide. It's clear that her mind is revving and churning to process that. Eventually though she settles on an approach that'll be safe enough. "That mean... lots of trouble? Yeah, could say that. Always something going on." She then bows her head deeply. "Yes, what Himei said. Very different." THANKY OAU HIMEI for taking off some tension.
John Rizzo	"Charmed," replies Rizzo. He nods in agreement with Himei, quite familiar with the intricacies of bureaucracy from his time as a policeman. The redhead reaches behind him and rests his arm on the back of the bench, leaning back and getting comfortable in his seat. Those eyes scrutinize Himei first: her casual attire, the dark circles under her eyes, the hint of a possible frown on her face. Perhaps a kindred spirit, there. He then observes Lin. Perceptive eyes spot what might be a battle scar trailing up her arm as her flowing garments move. Finally, they rest upon her sword. Quite the pigsticker she's got there--and that, taken with everything else about Lin and Himei, gives him a pretty decent idea of who the Union sent to come meet him. He chuckles. "They didn't send the greenhorns to come meet me," he says, speaking on their experience. "I'd say you girls've had your share of knock-down drag-outs. And sleepless nights, too," he says with a glance at Himei. "My world's not what it looks like on the outside. What you've seen is just the con for John Q. There's a lot going on beneath the surface, especially since you fellas showed up. You're making a lot of people nervous," he says with a hard expression. "I like that."
Himei	Heh. Himei shakes her head, "No, I wouldn't call myself a greenhorn. Practically retired, these days." At her age? She clarifies, "I've been trying to get into Med School instead of military work." But back to business. Himei glances at Karal, knowing just enough to know that Karal tends to do that disruption anyway, but she keeps that to herself. "Nervous, huh? It happens a lot, during unification. And there's... not often stuff going on under the surface, but it's not unheard of. Is this something we need to be taking a closer look at, you think?" The question is asked in the manner that expects a positive answer. John should be canny enough to realize Himei's obliquely asking for more info.
Lin	"Far from a greenhorn." Lin grins rather FEARLESSLY. "The arts of war, and making the tools for it? Been trained in them since I was able to stand up straight." Well. That's a thing you don't see every day. Her expression turns more serious at this sudden change in topic. His world. Lots of people nervous. It gets her eyebrows raised, and gets her shuffling to the edge of her seat in anticipation. "This being what you want help with, I take it."
John Rizzo	"Discreetly," he says, feeling the need to clarify after Lin mentions being trained in war from childhood. "The Union's just pulling up a chair, but this card game's been going on since Cain and Abel." He gives Himei, the one from a world similar to his, a look. "Maybe you've heard the story." He then glances at Lin. "Or maybe you haven't." "Ever been afraid to pull back the shower curtain at night? Ever been walking home and feeling like there's someone behind you?" He looks from one girl to the other, continuing. "Ever read something in the news that just doesn't sit right? Maybe the details are a little too clean. Everything fits together just a little too snugly for comfort." "And then, sometimes, it's not the shadow in the alley you're afraid of, or whatever's waiting for you when you get home and turn on the lights. Sometimes it's what's inside that frightens you. /That's/ my world, ladies. The bogeyman, the hairs on the back of your neck, the quickening of your breath when you see someone on the other side of the street at night? That's what's real. Not the man on the evening news, not the burger joints, and certainly not the illusion that humanity is at the top of the food chain. The truth is the game was rigged from the start."
Himei	The summary makes Himei's lip twitch slightly. "Yeah... I kinda know the sort of world you're talking about. Maybe not exactly, but I've run into something like that." Hell, her own world had some similarities in that way. "So in your place, you have a world that has... monsters in the night, and you're one of the ones who fight them. And maybe there's some group keeping them secret." That isn't exactly just an educated guess, of course. "How... deep does this go?" Now, she has some discomfort, because as they always say... "The Devil is in the Details."
Lin	"...F-frequently, though likely for different reasons." Lin SHIVERS at this highly evocative description, so vivid that she can picture it in her mind's eye... despite having little familiarity with his world. Or Himei's. Heck, she's only once walked around on an 'Earth' world once or twice so far... "... my world is a flat land held fast against a sea of chaos by the poles of Fire, Water, Air, Wood, and Earth, brimming with life and full of danger. The age I'm from's built on the ruins of far greater civilizations and powerful magics that have endured for millenia. Gods and demons and people working for them are in no short supply, many travel openly. The man you see across the street might well be a criminal of the worst sorts... but all of us fear it when that man turns out to be more than he seems... such dangers are quite real. The Fair Folk, ghosts, and strange monsters mean few are brave enough to travel by night." She shakes her head. "I doubt it's the same, but I'm no stranger to supernatural trouble."
John Rizzo	"Deep," he says. "So deep that not even one of the monsters is gonna know who all's sitting at the table. So deep that even the good guys have to keep it hush. And even the good guys have dirty hands. But here's the wire, so far as I know it. There's a lot of them sharing the night, and they're not happy about it. Some of 'em want to mold humanity, some wanna use them, enslave them, or even kill 'em, depending. Some would do anything to be human again," he says. As if stricken by the meaningful nature of that comment, he pauses, looking down at his empty glass and ruminating on what was in it. Rizzo removes his hand from the back of the seat and leans forward. "No matter which club you're in, the name's Secrecy. Especially now that the world's talking about Laws and Committees and National Security and Infrastructure. Y'know," he says, looking knowingly at Himei. "Words where a fella can practically hear the capital letters. Unifying has got John Q. tightening the screws. Normally I'd say that's great, if I didn't smell a rat." Rizzo nods at Lin. "I only know one God, but I've met plenty of demons. Even the odd ghost here and there. Thing is, like I said--they don't like to share. There's going to be security checkpoints. Registration. I don't know how effective it'll be, but I know it's bad news either way. On the surface you'd think carting monsters off and locking them up would be great, but when you know it's a monster that's holding the keys to the big house... well." "That's why I need your help. I can't sit on my hands and watch humanity hand itself over to the Big Bad Wolf on a silver platter."
Himei	Himei rubs her chin. "Yeah... I've seen some pretty deep ones, but that's more the area of some of my companions. Karal and I are both more straightforward sorts, I'm afraid. Still, I'm pretty sure we can pay more attention to this place and send some people in to take a closer look. My apprentice is pretty good at this stuff, and she's infiltrated New York City on several worlds. Maybe should start there. She's also something of a vampire hunter I guess, so can probably handle herself. It's not her main occupation but it gives her some skills." Drumming her fingers, Himei considers. "Rei Lin here is pretty good at fighting, but if you want someone to look into the subtleties we'll need some more than just us anyway. I'm not a big fan of laws that slam down on that sort of thing. I work in a Boston that has the supernatural integrated into daily life, in fact. I think this isn't something the base military can deal with though... you were right to be discreet."
Lin	"...a-again Himei's right, this doesn't sound like something I could solve with a sword. Not even sure I follow all the details... but there are those that DO specialize in such operations. Heaven or Hell for one, I believe. And there are others." She ends up turning to Himei and nodding rather vehemently in agreement. "... Any specifics you can offer? What sorts of monsters and situations...?"
John Rizzo	Rizzo sighs as if with relief. He runs a hand through his messy ginger hair, closing his eyes. That was easy. But now comes the hard part. The sales pitch. Resting his hand over his eyes for a moment and composing himself, he lets it fall down to his chin, rubbing it. Seems Rizzo's in need of a shave. The haggard-looking man opens his eyes, his expression grateful. "Well, it's not often a guy gets a hand from the high pillows. I appreciate it," he says. "It's going to be tough, though. To make it there, you've gotta be hard. You gotta be hitting on all eight. And you gotta be quiet, most of all. If your apprentice can do that, she'd be helping the average joes get a leg up." He gives Lin a glance, rubbing some more at his stubble before letting that hand rest upon the table. "Vampires, for one. That's my lay." What Rizzo pulls out next, given his haggard appearance and his apparent penchant for strong drink, seems unusual for someone to just carry around. A small, King James Bible. He opens it and flips to the book of Genesis, which he apparently has bookmarked. "And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him." Rizzo closes the Bible and looks from Himei to Lin. "Vampirism is the 'mark' of Cain. Every vampire that exists can trace his lineage back to him." Rizzo sighs. "Me, for example. I'm ten generations down." And there it is--the sales pitch. "There's other things knockin' around, too. Ghosts. Werewolves. If you believe some people there's even wizards. But I didn't come to you just to get help with that," he says. "I know I'm a monster, but word has it you folks have some of your own. I'm looking to join. Will you take me in?"
Himei	Hmm. Looks like Himei might need to translate for Karal. She glances over, "Vampires are blood-drinkers, by the way. And werewolves are a bit like Lunars, but they only change to wolf forms." Ghosts are something that she knows Creation has. But Rizzo's words are something she really has an interest in. "I've not met many vampires, but I've never HEARD of one who carries a bible. Interesting. I can't make any promises, but I can start the paperwork right away if you want to join up and see what we can do. We'll need to do our own checks, but we have some who might be able to help. You're right though, we've had monsters who did good join up with us. My grand-daughter - adopted, obviously, since I'm only in my twenties - is a werewolf and is the nicest girl you could ever meet. Not sure if she's the same kind of werewolf as you talk about though, and she's lost the ability to shapeshift." She settles in again. "I don't like skulking around in a new world, but I know plenty of people to help you out and can hook you up. That's what we're here for... righting wrongs and all that. I'll warn you a couple people might be a little skittish about what you are, but it'll pass pretty quickly if you're a solid, good person."
Lin	"Many in Creation would call me a monster. Some would even try hunting me if they knew where I was." Lin states after closing her eyes with a sigh. She's clearly heard passges of a similar nature before and it has her flinching. That said... with a moment's focus, she summons forth a tidbit of power. A radiant sunburst mark shines on her forehead, a circle pattern surrounded by eight disconnected outward rays for each compass point. The only good thing about this is that it isn't true sunlight, and not very intense. Still... might be uncomfortable for John. Get the skin uncomfortably hot and tingly? She only shows it for a few seconds though, and then it's gone. "So if you call yourself a monster, I'll have to reserve judgement. Would be hypocritical of me otherwise! ... Anyone is welcome in the Union if they stand for the rights of all thinking beings to live and choose in relative safety."
John Rizzo	"Yeah," he says. "Well don't get any ideas about me. Whatever your pals think about me probably isn't too far off the tracks." Seems like there's a good bit of self-loathing in this one. "Get started on the paperwork and I'll sign it on the swift. There's just two things I don't do. Fire, and--" Rizzo visibly flinches in his seat, fingers gripping the table as if he's afraid it's going to fly off without him. It's a sturdy thing, built for Elites, and so it'll be fine even after a bit of roughhousing from the vampire, but he is /not/ comfortable in the slightest. "Hey, toots, cut the light show, will ya?" He sucks in a breath through his teeth and it takes him a moment to get calmed down; to realize it isn't /real/ sunlight. He takes a deep breath, and settles, but won't look Lin in the eye. "Sunlight." Concentrating intensely on the back of his hand, he continues. "You guys have a phone line, or a CB frequency, or...?"
Himei	Himei frowns at Karal for doing that, but it isn't good to make a scene by audibly scolding, and the Solar should get the idea pretty quick. "Fire and sunlight. Got it." She whips out a pad of paper and scribbles down a few things. "Phone. My personal phone. Email and my email. Once we have a frequency we'll hook you up with that. And if I can swing you into the Union right away we'll issue you a radio to connect." She sighs, "This is sounding a little familiar, but I hope I'm wrong..."
Lin	Lin... flinches like a baby that's just been scolded, shoulders bunching up in mortified embarassement. "... S-sorry, I had no idea..."
John Rizzo	"A radio, huh." He seems to like that idea, even as he squirms uncomfortably in his seat. He drums the fingers of his free hand against the table in an effort to occupy himself with something other than the Solar's anima. "All right," he says. Rizzo clears his throat, hoping to also clear away his discomfort by doing so. It's only a marginal success, but he shakes his head at Lin. "Don't feel sorry for me, kid. This is a punishment." He then forces himself to look at Himei. "Here's my card," he says, producing a business card for her, and one for Lin as well. It provides the phone number for a place called 'Midnight Oil Investigations' as well as an address. "Anything you need from me to speed things up, Ms. Himei?"
Himei	Himei slides the paper over. "It's Ms. Shoutan if you want to be formal. Himei to people working with me," she adds. "Uh... this looks pretty good, but don't worry. They're usually VERY fast in pulling this through. Might be done before tomorrow even." She takes the card, chuckling a little at the name. "This makes a lot of sense. Investigations, huh? Heaven or Hell is our popular group for doing that sort of thing. Maybe can get them to work through you guys on your world."
Lin	"Midnight Oil? Ooh. That's clever." Seems THIS reference IS one she's familiar with. Probably because what it's actually a refenrece TO is in common use in Creation. "... Uuuuer... sorry about that, again..."
John Rizzo	Rizzo produces a pen and quickly signs off on the paperwork with practiced ease, the scrabbling of the pen across the paper just audible enough to be heard over the low din of the bar and grill. With that done, he slides the paperwork back to Himei and places a few crinkled U.S. dollars on the table in payment for his drink. "Alright then," he says. "Ms. Shoutan," using the formal way of adressing her. "Ms. Lin." Rizzo scoots out of the booth and makes for the exit. He straightens his shabby-looking trenchcoat with a brisk snap of the collar. "Time for me to breeze. If you need me, give me a call. It'll either be me or my partner Marcus. Have a swell night, girls." With that, he heads out the door and back into San Francisco.