Chains of Retribution The Den: Fire and Ashes

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as written by Lialore

Brendan arrived in a huge hurry, paint splattered and dusty, with plaster still in his hair. After trying the front door, only to find it locked, he went round the back to let himself in.

The place was dead, empty except for Chloe and a sack of a body that was slumped on the floor. He knew who it was before he had a proper look.

His eyes had caught the table and all its instruments before they got to his brother.

Brendan’s lips mashed together.

“Might be better off shooting him” he said, voice curiously void of emotion.

He felt like kicking the useless lump that was Desmond.

“What’s happened?”
 
as written by Knosis

The woman grunted as her side complained at the bruise she knew was there as Desmond tumbled to the floor. Her face more than likely sported the bruise from Julienne's punch as well. "'elp me get this lump down to the cellar." She told Brendan.

"Apparently someone's found Jesse." She explained. "In the Rollin' Bones Casino. Rowan's pack's making a move for Cascastel, so Baron's gonna take this opportunity to try to bail Jesse out." She muttered. "He left me behind to watch over your brother." She added with a grunt as she tried to wrap Desmond's arm around her neck.
 
as written by Lialore

As he listened, he stared listlessly at his brother. What a sorry mess. He was contemplating on that very thought whilst Chloe spoke. There was even a few moments silence as he continued to do so after she’d finished.

He let out a big breath and bent down to haul Desmond to his feet and shove him over a shoulder. He was a heavy sorry mess, to say the least. It would've been difficult for her to have gotten him downstairs on her own. Unless she dragged him. That would've been more satisfying.

“They’re long gone so I’ll be better use ‘ere.” He eyed her gun cautiously. Baron had given her that? He frowned a bit, but tried to hide it by turning for the cellar quickly. The motion must’ve been none too pleasing for Desmond.

“We should be doing less watching o’ this state and more protecting o’ this place, probably what he meant” he said, sounding grumpy. He was blaming Desmond on him getting the shitty job of the night. “What happened to you, anyway? It’s not windy enough for you to look that tussled. You and ‘im been at it again?”

He started down the stairs.

"Lock everything."
 
as written by Knosis

As Brendan picked up Desmond, Chloe went to the shotgun and slung it over her shoulder, before going to make sure everything was locked once again. With everything locked, she went to the cellar to join Brendan and Desmond.

"Well er.." She started off, "Julienne sort of punched me, and we got into a scuffle before everything turned chaotic at Jesse's sighting.." She rubbed her neck gently. "I do believe Julienne will want to kill me for knocking her out..." She said more quietly.
 
as written by Lialore

“You got into a fight with Julienne and yer still in one piece? I’m a bit impressed. But yer right, she’ll be after yer forever now. Crazy, that one, I swear" he said in a strange, fond sort of way.

He made his way with some difficulty to the cot that had been folded up and pushed out of the way for fight night. He nodded to it, jerking his head at Chloe, indicating for her to put it up since he was too occupied with balancing Desmond.

It felt odd to be making small talk with the woman he had blamed of late for his brother’s recklessness. Especially with what was going on. With all of the worry blitzing his brain, the worry for his brother wasn’t at the forefront. Maybe that was why, for once, he didn’t have jibes prepared. Brendan looked at her through the dinginess, noting that she was entirely herself. This definitely wasn’t on her.

“I’m sure Des was a massive help.”
 
as written by Knosis

"I think technically she came to swingin' because of Desmond.." She sighed, moving to the cot to unfold it for him. "Seems I'm nothing but trouble no matter what I do." She smiled sadly.

"I also promised Baron I wouldn't call the Society.. I've a feeling my ass is going to be on every wanted poster from here to the next city if they find out I missed curfew -and- was involved with this stuff tonight.." She murmured, rubbing the back her neck. She groaned and started up the stairs again. "What else do you need me to do?" She asked, changing subjects.
 
as written by Lialore

Seems I'm nothing but trouble no matter what I do.' Well, didn't that remind him of someone.

“Aye, seems like nobody happy with you” he said, or more like grumbled. He definitely never was.

As she lingered, he practically dumped Desmond onto the cot. He tumbled off his shoulder and onto the makeshift bed none-too gracefully. Brendan looked down at his lolling brother then nudged his torso – tenderly, this time – to the side. It was all grand to go down in a drug-infused firework, but when the actual cause was choking on your own tongue or vomit, it didn’t sound as fun.

He then straightened up with a tired sigh, dirty hands on hips.

“I don’t think there’s much else we can do. If someone wantin’ to get in, they’re getting’ in. We should keep out o’ the way, make ‘em think it’s empty when they come... Might be no one turns up. But it seems like us two ain’t never granted a lot o’ luck.”

Brendan’s eyes then strayed from the cot and over to the stairs where her outline was slowly fading.

“’Ey” he said quickly, starting some. He called for her to remain.

“Uh. I know I ain’t never been ‘specially nice to you, ain’t never happy with you. Yers did break me table after all… But I’m hoping you know it ain’t meanin’ to be personal. Not really. I know no amount of encouragement or dissuasion is really gonna change him. Just- just don’t be makin’ up excuses for him.

We ain’t gotta be at each other. Not tonight.”
 
as written by Knosis

When he called for her to stay, she turned slightly to look at him in the darkness. Brendan and her had never gotten off on the right foot, and it always seemed that she was the cause of most of his troubles lately. She sighed and sat down on the stair she stood on. "Best stay out of sight then."

"Desmond's all I got left in this world." She said quietly. "My only friend. He stuck his neck out for me when no one else would and took a chance on me." She looked down at the floor and re-positioned the shotgun on her shoulder. "I don't want to change him, really. I just want to pay back what I owe him some day." She looked over at the drug-induced werewolf. "Even if it means keeping his ass alive when he's flat-faced stoned." She chuckled slightly. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm not trying to cause anymore trouble for him than I already have." She sighed and leaned against the wall.

She started to ponder what she would do next. She clearly wasn't welcome into the Bloodstone pack. Going back to the Society had its risks as well. Essentially, to play it as safe as possible, she'd have to keep her head down and live on the streets for a while. Which, in her current state, wasn't the best move either. She had only just begun to understand the wolf in her, and still did not trust it enough to go without restraint during the nights. What was she going to do?

"Get some rest. You look tired, and I can't sleep anyway. I'll wake you if something changes." Chloe said.
 
as written by Tiko

One hour later...

It was a good hour later before Desmond finally started to come to his senses, and he wiped a hand down his face as he tried to reorient himself. His heightened metabolism was making short work of the drugs in his blood, but the remnants of fog lingered yet.

It took him half sitting up to realize he was in the cellar and not back in his own bed at home, but the room spun heavily enough that he lay back and covered his eyes with one hand.

The drug induced bliss had given way to a general state of feeling like crap as his body worked to break down the toxins still in it.

He uncovered his eyes and tried to get a look around him again, but no one else seems to be around. His first thoughts didn't go to alarm though, and he determined that it wouldn't hurt to lay there a time longer before trying to make his way upstairs to find someone. It would hardly be the first time he came around someplace he didn't recall being.

He did recall being in the bar with Julienne. No doubt someone had simply dumped him down here to sober up.
 
as written by Knosis

Chloe was sitting backwards on a chair behind the bar, deep in thought. So far, it had been nice and quiet, but what about further out? How many of the pack wouldn't be coming back? How many innocent lives will be taken before the sun rises on the bloodshed? Worry creased her brow and she gnawed on her thumb quietly.

Her thoughts were disturbed by the sound of a roar of several engines coming to a stop in front of the bar. "Brendan.. Oi.." She said quietly. "I think.. We have company.." She ducked down further behind the counter and listened.

Outside, Nazia dug through the bag on the side of her bike with a grin on her face. "'ey, guys.. You think there's any of them mutts still in there?" She asked, handing one a bottle with a soaked rag on top. "Think we'll be able to smoke 'em out with this?"
 
as written by Script

Sasha tossed her hair with a cruel laugh, "I like the way you think. Cowards burn real nice," she replied, smirking. "A little trial by fire can only improve this shithole."

"Alas, I doubt even fire will help with the smell," Michael said with a mocking sigh, "What a waste of good alcohol."
 
as written by Lialore

Brendan hadn’t exactly been asleep but he was seated nearby, slumped in a comfier chair that he’d dragged behind the bar with his eyes closed. He was drifting, but still thinking. Thinking about what must be happening down at the casino, how long it could possibly take, whether they’d found Jesse; thinking about what Chloe had said and wondering when Desmond would wake – mainly. He was tired, but each minute that passed by quietly had him wanting to leave. No word yet. What if they needed him?


At Chloe’s first word, Brendan’s eyes snapped open. He sat up, then slid off the chair into a crouch. He heard it too; people, outside. He couldn’t make out exact words, but a forbidding laugh drifted clearly enough to him. It sounded like no good.

“Can you hear what they’re saying? Wake Desmond. Hit him if you have to. Be quiet.”

If anyone was going to be caught first and alone, he’d prefer it to be him.
 
as written by Knosis

She shook her head. "I can't, but I doubt it is any good.." She whispered.

She handed him over the shotgun and quietly crept down the stairs, trying as hard as she could not to make them creek at all. Every sound was painfully nerve wracking, and by the time she made it down the stairs she felt she had waken the entire neighborhood, despite only making very little noise. Walking over to Desmond, she gave him a shake, though she saw that he was at least somewhat conscious. "Desmond..!" She whispered urgently. "We have problems. Time for fun is over, get up now..!"

Outside, Nazia had lit the first one molotov cocktail and walked over, smashing the dingy window in the front of The Den, and tossed the flaming concoction inside. It smashed on the floor, spreading the flames out in a fiery explosion that began to lick the floor and tables of the inside of the place. "OIIIIII!!!" She shouted. "YOU MUTTS BETTER COME OUT!" She laughed, going back to find another bottle.
 
as written by Tiko

"What's goin' on?" Desmond muttered as he sat up with some assistance.

He pressed a hand to his forehead briefly as the room spun alarmingly. Was that the sound of glass breaking upstairs?
 
as written by Lialore

“Shit” Brendan hissed, swinging around behind the bar hectically, shotgun smashing glasses as he did. A wave of heat hit him as the flames began to catch proper. He was certain this wasn’t the first fire they’d had here; but this was extremely purposeful and threatening, not some drunken mistake.

Red. There. He yanked at the cylinder and fumbled with it, momentary panic making him clumsy. Brendan then jumped the bar and set the spray to the fire, wielding the extinguisher with a grim expression.

The yelling he heard only darkened him more. They sounded like imbeciles. Setting fire to his second home.

He finally released his hold on the extinguisher and set it on the floor, unnervingly calm as the last few flames licked at the table legs and curtains.

Brendan growled, a rumbling like oncoming thunder.
 
as written by Faithy

It wasn’t that she was acting like a rebellious teenager, because she was in truth, a young adult despite only being nineteen. Aimée just didn’t want to remain inside when there was so much to do during the late night or rather, early morning. She had a hankering for some booze and the Den was the only place she could get it for free. So, after deleting the text message that was no doubt sent to everyone in the pack, the black haired female jogged down the street, heading towards her little slice of paradise. The smell of smoke and fire assaulted her fine senses the closer she neared the bar and she narrowed her Prussian blue eyes towards the three standing outside of the Den. Snarling, she glanced at the burning establishment, hoping no one was unconscious inside.

“Hey! Piss off, you three!” She quickly neared their location, her brain quickly going through quite a few different scenarios as she debated what to do next. Her fingers dropped down against her sides where dual guns rested upon her hips. They were covered up at that moment by her long jacket, which was possibly a good thing, though she had no qualms in grabbing them and putting a bullet in each of their heads.
 
as written by Knosis

"Long story short?" Chloe said, wrapping Desmond's arm about her shoulders. "Apparently the Scions are making a move, and I've got a good suspicion they're here to wreck the place." She said. "I know your head's still foggy, but we need to get out of here.." She smelled smoke and had an uneasy idea of what it came from.

A cruel smile spread across Nazia's dark features. The lighter in Nazia's hand clicked to emit another flame. The rag caught flame, and she tossed it into the window again. "I think there are some mutts in there." She said to her companions. "Our night just got more fun."

Nazia pulled out another bottle from her bag, her golden hues glancing up at the young woman who challenged them with such lack of interest that it was insulting. "Sasha.. I think some brat is out of bed waaay after her curfew.. Mind teaching her a lesson?" Her tone carried a slight bored annoyance.
 
as written by Script

"My pleasure," Sasha grinned, swinging herself off of her bike in a smooth motion. The tattooed blonde woman eyed Aimee up with a disdainful stare. "A firefight's no place for a kid, kid."

"Go easy on her, cheri!" Michael called from his bike, grinning. "She has the most beautiful eyes."

"Fuck off, Michael," Sasha snapped back. "You can have her eyes on a plate when I've torn them from her fucking skull if it means that much to you."

The young man feigned offence, tutting. "Somebody rolled out of the wrong side of her basket today, hm?"

Sasha seemed to be ignoring him now, growling and stretching out her fingers. As she did so, her forearms began to change, tan-brown hair rapidly sprouting from them as her hands expanded and razor-sharp claws burst from her fingertips. The rest of her body, unusually, remained human. Only then did she step forwards, flexing her claws. They glinted in the light of the fire as she advanced.
 
as written by Alara and Knosis

"Where's the rest of the pack?" Desmond asked as Chloe helped him to his feet.

He was a bit unsteady, but he didn't collapse on the floor this time at least.

"They were going to rescue Jesse. Said something about the Rollin' Bones Casino and left." Chloe said, as she tried to coax him to walk a bit.

"Is there anyone else here?" he asked.

"Brendan." She answered briefly.

He shook his head. "That's not enough. Give me a minute."

He rested a hand on the frame of the door at the base of the stairs, but made no move to climb them yet. He could smell the smoke as clearly as she could, but three of them wouldn't be enough to fight their way through the Scions if they had come calling. Not as they were.

"That is not what Baron told me to do. You two are going to get out of here." Her jaw clenched. "There's a back way, right? I think they are just in the front. I can distract them long enough for you two to get away.."

Desmond doubled over as if he was going to be sick, which frankly he rather felt like as he let the change come on. It wasn't as swift or fluid as Chloe had witnessed it in the past, but that likely had something to do with the remnants of the narcotics in his system that were dulling his senses.

As his eyes bled to amber he shed his shirt, followed by the rest of his clothes. By the time he hit the floor he was already covered in a thick coat of black fur, and a minute later a familiar black wolf was shaking itself off.

He nudged for Chloe to lead the way, given his lack of opposable thumbs to work door handles anymore.

The red haired woman pursed her lips. "If Baron has my head because you got hurt.. I'm coming back to haunt you."

She made it up the stairs as swiftly and quietly as she could, making her way back to the bar itself.

He followed quickly on her heels, but his immense size scarcely fit up the stairwell. The shift had done him good though. His thoughts felt clearer, sharper.
 
as written by Lialore

Another explosion. He cursed again, snatched up the fire extinguisher, and tried his best.

But it wasn’t going to be enough.

As the new eruption filled the room, merging with the flames that had remained, they caught like crazy. He emptied the extinguisher until it stuttered to empty. It fell to the ground with a metallic clatter and Brendan stepped back, watching in horror as the fire ate The Den. It crept towards the bar. Then it would be over.

It was going to be no use fighting the fire. They’d have to snub out those causing it.

He whirred into motion, snatching up the shotgun from where he’d left it on the counter, when the extinguisher had seemed the better weapon.

Pausing, he tried to listen as Chloe and Desmond emerged, but he couldn’t hear much beyond the crackling that was only growing more ferocious with each second. He cursed again. But at least his brother had scraped up some of his sense.

“Out the back” he shouted to Chloe and Desmond, all thoughts of discretion out of the window.

It was unlike him, but he was very close to enjoying the idea of blowing some people’s heads off.
 
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