[GP/EP] We are programmed to receive

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Fifteen days into this particular strange trip, Kitty had redistributed alcohol supplies between the cafe, restaurant, and night club to make it possible to easily tend bar wherever people decided to gather. Today, as most days, she settled into the lobby cafe after chivvying the cook into chicken tenders and french fries (after convincing him it was a single plate meal). It was the closest she could get to "bar food" from him and someone would probably arrive sooner rather than later to make something else.

A few people trickled in after awhile, but none of them demanding. Like her, they drank coffee from the samovar she'd put out. And also like her, most of them had something else to keep them occupied. At the moment, Kitty had a notebook open (from the gift shop; she kept her school notebooks separate in case she made it home during the term) and was sketching plans to upgrade the hotel's computer technology. She needed more raw computing power to work out the energy requirements to do what Illyana did with a thought.

She lifted her head periodically to check for new customers, and had just seated herself at the end of the bar after refilling the samovar when the first new new customer arrived. Immediately, she flipped to a fresh page in the notebook and headed it "Day 15" and made a hash mark for one new arrival. Then she looked up from her notebook and offered one and all her best bartending smile.

Comments

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_accato]

"Yeah it is. He likes to manipulate to his own ends and watch the puppets." Buffy thought he probably would have made a good Watcher in that way. Not the protective trainer that Giles was, but the dicks that tested her.

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_rikeback]

"I know someone like that. I wouldn't put it passed him to be connected to this either. You haven't seen a tall African American that's very cryptic have you? Maybe they're connected."

He'd been under the assumption that there was only one House and one Player. That it was global but he'd actually only been in the US. Maybe there was someone in each area of the Earth. That was actually a scary thought.

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_accato]

Buffy thought about it, thinking of the people that she'd seen around and shook her head. "Nope. It's not like I've seen everyone, but I haven't heard other people talking about him either." What had started out as a way to 'distract' the soldier had turned into a true conversation for her.

"Sounds like we need to keep an eye out for both of them."

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_rikeback]

Alex gave a quick nod, his gaze slicing around the room, always observing, always cataloging.

"It wouldn't hurt." He added before turning his attention to Buffy. "What is it that Ethan Rayne did to you that makes you think he would be behind this?"

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_accato]

Buffy was smart enough not to mention magic to soldier guy. So she kept as close to the truth without saying that. "He was this magician, like David Copperfield, and he came to visit. He did a type of hypnotism I guess. Anyway we thought we were someone else and he made us do things that we wouldn't do." Technically that was correct but as Buffy talked, it did make Ethan sound uber creepy, which was what she was going for. "He liked to pull the strings and watch us dance."

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_rikeback]

Alex felt a muscle tick in his jaw as anger continued to fill him. It seemed he wasn't like Mr. Johnson after all, it was worse in his mind. Of course his thoughts went to a dark place, he'd spent too many years in the darkness, 'thinking like a bad guy'.

"I will definitely keep an eye out for Ethan. How did it end with him?"

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_accato]

"Oh my mentor kicked his ass." Buffy said with a smile and not a little pride. "He's still out there, obviously or I wouldn't think that he's connected somehow, but he did get his ass handed to him." Sadly Buffy hadn't been around to see it but she liked to imagine it.

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_rikeback]

There was a quick flare of humor, hearing the underlying pride that went with the smile. "If it makes you feel any better. I'll be happy to kick his ass again for you." Alex assumed that her mentor had gone after the other man on her behalf.

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_accato]

Buffy preened at him. "I would love it. If you wouldn't mind having me kick his ass with you." She assumed he didn't have an issue with girls that could fight but you never knew with soldier types.

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_rikeback]

He'd never had an issue with women that could fight, but Alex looked over the young girl and didn't think that she'd have much strength to kick ass. However, what he did say was, "I would be happy to have you kick ass with me."

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_accato]

Buffy laughed. It had started as a distraction for him, but it might lead to a sparring buddy. She wouldn't have to hold back as much as she did with Giles.

"It's a deal. There's a gym here. Feel like having a sparring partner sometime?"

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_rikeback]

He wasn't used to having a high school girl as his sparring partner but he wasn't about to say no either. "I would love to. Just point me in the direction and I'll meet you there."

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_accato]

"I can do one better. Instead of pointing, follow me." Buffy nodded her head in the direction of the gym and started walking. "Trust me, you'll feel better after you've hit something." She shot him a quick grin, "I did."

Re: Assigned Threads

[st_rikeback]

Alex laughed as he followed Buffy. He would definitely feel better after he hit something. He might even pretend that something was Mr. Johnson and all the games that have been played.