Under the Gun

[hooliganstatus]

WHO: Aeon Flux Monica Distalus and you!
WHERE: The City
WHAT: Misadventures with a Merc
WHEN: Throughout the event!
WARNINGS: The Hellfire Club prompt has an outside link in case there's any NSFW content there. :) Otherwise I'll label anything as it comes up.

The Advertisement
In the latest edition of the newspaper, there's a plain ad: a triangle with a pop-art eye in the middle, its lashes long and bold. Above the logo are the words "Services Rendered". Below it: "Place Personal Ad In Best Foot Forward Magazine. Address To A.F."

The Hellfire Club - outside link for potential NSFW content
Maybe you're already a member. Maybe you found a way in otherwise. But if you're interested in the darker, steamier side of life, you might find yourself at Monica's workplace, The Hellfire Club. Or maybe you just wanted to get a hold of her and didn't know how to otherwise...? If that's the case, you're in for some interesting atmosphere.

The Mercenary
Aeon blends with the shadows in her black leather pants and jacket, a gun and a grappling cable at her hips. Whatever her target is tonight, she's not letting anything distract her from it --

-- hm, except for maybe that movement in the alley below that should, by all intents, not be there. She's canvassed the area and made herself familiar with its regular comings and goings, and this isn't one of them. Even if it's some mugger with a knife, she's not worried. She hooks her grapple over the edge of a roof and slides down to ground level to confront whoever's there. Whether it's you or she's accidentally your savior remains to be seen...

Wildcard
((Have we already planned something out? Would you rather do something else? Put it here!))

Comments

[hooliganstatus]

Monica flashed him a sheepish smile and took a sip, catching an ice cube with her upper lip and pressing it against the roof of her mouth with her tongue as she handed the drink back. She kept the ice there for a few seconds before shifting it to her cheek so she could respond.

"Thanks. I've seen you in here before. You're the gopher." She offered her free hand. "I'm Monica."

[out_of_order]

He had to grimace just a little at that, but it was pretty true.

"Yeah, I intern at the local paper," he admitted, switching drinks to his other hand so he can shake her's. "Cal. Nice job, by the way. That was pretty amazing."

[hooliganstatus]

She gave a modest shrug. "Self-defense classes and yoga for flexibility. They pay off in a city like this." She could already feel the skin regrowing on the roof of her mouth from the burn.

"The paper, though, now that's a nice gig, even as an intern. You must hear all the juicy little secrets."

[out_of_order]

"I'll say. This city's seen some crazy things."

Cal laughed a little then. "It has it's moments, sure, but honestly most of the time I find myself doing paper shredding or coffee fetch quests if there's no minor editing to pick at."

[hooliganstatus]

"Killing time, the most frequent murder statistic of all." She chuckled along with him. "You can sit with me while you wait for that order, if you want. I wouldn't mind the company."

Then, once his order comes, she decides, she can slip out with him and avoid being asked to give a statement. She doesn't want to be on record as herself and risk any potential ties to her alter ego.

[out_of_order]

Cal nodded at the invitation. It was taking a little longer since the workers were getting back into the swing of things and starting over with some of the drinks they'd been in the process of handling before things went pear-shaped.

"Thanks," he said. Sitting sounded like a good idea. He'd been so tensed standing there earlier.

[hooliganstatus]

Monica slid back into her chair, kicking the one across from her out with her boot. "So, when you're done with coffee runs and copying, what do you really want to do? Go out and chase the big stories, like Cobb Vanth?"

[out_of_order]

Settling into the chair, Cal set his drink on the table, leaning back in his seat with a sigh.

"Heh, good question. You know Cobb? But I guess he's a pretty popular name given the stories he's covered." He smiled. "I'm still working out what I want to focus on," he admitted.

[hooliganstatus]

"I follow his work, that's all." Monica's voice was smooth, even as she gave her cup a baleful look that dared it to burn her mouth again before taking a hesitant sip.

"Something about the way he tries to really dig down to the truth of things speaks to me."

She wasn't sure what had compelled her to share something almost personal, but she knew it was true. A flash of something went across her mind - "There, that looks a little more like the truth," a woman's voice said, as Aeon Flux perched on the edge of a billboard, watching its message change in the blink of an eye - and she shook her head a little. Hopefully she could blame it on the coffee.

[out_of_order]

"He's good with those stories," Cal said, nodding thoughtfully as he remembered his conversation with the man. "Exposing the truth to hopefully change things for the better."

He tilted his head at her then, brow arching. "You okay?"

[hooliganstatus]

"Oh, just ... something on my mind, that's all." She covered it with another careful sip of coffee. "You know how it is, things pop up between your ears when you least want them to."

[out_of_order]

"Ah, yeah." He nodded, taking a sip of his iced coffee before glancing over when his name was called for the rest of the order.

"Oh, guess it's ready," Cal said as he pushed out from his seat, tucking his coffee into a side pocket on his bag usually reserved for waterbottles. "Want me to tell Cobb he has a fan? Although I'm sure he has them." He grinned, stepping over to the counter to get the carrier loaded with drinks.

[hooliganstatus]

"Sure. Tell him Monica from the Hellfire Club sends her regards." She gave him a wink. "And I hope you figure out where you want to end up someday, too, handsome. I'll be keeping an eye on the byline for you."

[out_of_order]

Eyebrows lift at that, but Cal nodded all the same. "Sure thing." He smiled then. "Thanks, Monica. I'll try not to disappoint." Starting towards the door, he pushed it open to let her pass before stepping out himself.

"Catch you around, maybe," he said.

TY for this, it was fun! <3

[hooliganstatus]

It might explain all that flexibility, at least, if he knew the Club's purvue. If nothing else, she enjoyed seeing people's reactions whenever she dropped the name. "Long as you stay yourself, you won't disappoint at all. 'Till next time."

Once he left, she waited to see if the police stopped him for a remark or two. If they didn't, she had less time to slip out the back before it was her turn. She couldn't have anything connecting her two lives, after all. Some good deeds were better left off record.