"Well, I think the only thing to do is look up this society, gather as much information as possible. Or we can go back to the cafe, question the waiter." Lucia offered. She saw Patagonia flinch slightly at the mention of the society, and made a mental note to mention it as little as possible.
At this point it was clear. (We need a name for the society) was a threat. Alaria pulled her handset from her pocket and began typing out orders in code:
Run a scan for anything in relation to (name…), and find any documents with these symbols (She attached the symbols to the message). Any info is to be reported right away.
(Fury Order, Spike, Orion, Shroud, Malum? A few choices, http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/witch-names.php#.WoRwnKhl_IV is a decent site for names)
"Maybe it'll be easier to start with something accessible. We just have to hope the waiter is awake now."
Alaria got up from her seat, wobbling slightly. She checked her pistol, then holstered it.
"I'm coming along."
"I have crutches up in my room, if you want, in case?" Lucia asked. She got her wallet and phone from the console and put on her coat.
"It would be better to use a wheelchair," Patagonia suggested, drying her tears and standing up from the couch. "That way if something happens and we need to leave quickly we can run while pushing her. I have one in my apartment that I can go grab really quick, if you guys want to meet me somewhere."
Lucia looked to Alaria, who looked like she was about to protest. Lucia surreptitiously nodded at Patagonia before shushing Alaria. "You're not walking around with a gash on your leg." she said forcefully.
It wasn't her fault she was so protective. Her mother had needed extensive care for quite a few years, and the instinct was imprinted into Lucia's mind.
Patagonia murmured a hushed reply and dashed from the house, turning left and sprinting into town..
Alaria growled under her breath. Thankful she hadn't called a squad down to witness her weakness, she sighed, "If it matters that much to you… I guess. You don't need to hang over me like a dead goose, y'know," her southern twang slid in, and she bit her tongue, "I can do full sprint with much worse."
In her apartment, Patagonia bustled around the two-room space, shoving potentially useful things into bags and loading them into the pocket under the wheelchair. She knew this (organization), and she knew that whatever they were after, they wouldn't stop until they got it, and that they were all basically fucked if they weren't well prepared to either run or fight. She dashed out the front door after a few minutes, pushing the wheelchair aggressively down the sidewalk and back to the house.
"Sorry, Alaria. It's reflex for me, protecting and taking care of people. My mother-" she stopped herself. "I've had to spend a few years giving extensive care." she shrugged and looked out the window, to see Patagonia rushing down the street with a wheelchair and bags of supplies. "She's back, let's get going."
With a hand from Lucia that Alaria certainly didn't ask for, they set her into the wheelchair. Alaria, thankfully, could still push herself along, but already missed being up and on her feet. The walk was quiet for a while.
They reached the coffee shop with no interruptions or run-ins with any of the members, and, as they made their way to the bartender, Patagonia was beginning to relax. "Hey, mister. Do you know anything about the whereabouts of the-"
The man suddenly turned, though, and grabbed Patagonia by the throat, hoisting her into the air with inhuman strength. "Why hello, Patty. Pleasure to see you again."
Lucia stayed quiet. She looked around while they walked, at the shops and people and cars. She noticed a man, hunched over, carrying a trolley behind him. A bit further, a little girl walked hand in hand with her father, who was opening her popsicle. Birds flew overhead.
She looked at Alaria, pushing herself ahead of the two. She reminded her a bit of her late grandma. Not in looks or physical ability, of course, but in personality. Her grandmother had always been an active person, and she had died at 92, hit by a car while riding her bike.
Alaria jumped up in an instant, all pain forgotten in a tide of sudden adrenaline. Her gun was up before she knew and she was already moving slowly to make sure her shot was clear. She noticed, only then, that Patagonia wasn't just in his grasp, she was off the floor. Alaria cursed, "If you so much as tighten your grip, I'll put one right between your damn eyes! Put her down, right fucking now!"
(WHAT JUST HAPPENED?)
Lucia jumped at Alaria's outburst, looked at Patagonia, and held back a shout. The hooded man from across the street was holding her by the throat, lifting her up the ground.
"Holy shit! Let her go, NOW!" Lucia shouted, slipping out a dagger that she had hidden in her boot. She arranged herself in a defensive stance and stared down the man, fear blooming in her chest.
Patagonia was turning blue.
(I am just as confused, but let's just roll with it, aya?)
(yeah ok Oakie Dokie come back you're choking!!)
Patagonia's feet were beginning to twitch. Lucia knew it was time to act or watch another friend die, a horror which would surely haunt her for the remainder of her life. As the tension in her mounted and she prepared to attack, she kicked Alaria's wheelchair forward. It hit the hooded man, and bounced off him.
Sheer panic took over, and without thinking, Lucia launched herself at the man, knocking all three of them to the ground.
(oof i'm back i'm back!!!)
Patagonia's vision began to blur as she tried her best to wriggle free of his grasp, but after realizing with an icy chill that she wasn't able to breathe, mustered what was left of her strength and swung her legs forward, driving them as hard as she could into his stomach. (this is her quote-on-quote father by the way)
C'mon…. Give me a shot!
Alaria twisted and moved to try and get a clean shot in, but no matter what angle she took, it always seemed to end in Patagonia or Lucia getting shot. She holstered her gun, and called a squad in using an emergency code.
Now we pray they get here in time…
She continued trying to get a shot in.
Damnit, he's not going down… Patagonia thought, losing her breath by the second. What to do, what to do…
(I need to go off for a bit. Should you choose to bring in Alaria's squad, just remember that they're all wolf and/or fox hybrids.)
Lucia circled the man and Patagonia as the latter attempted to wrestle free of his grasp. Dagger still in hand, she tried to get a clear throw, but there was too much movement, and Patagonia wouldn't hold out much longer. She was furiously trying to think of a way to end this situation, when she thought of something. It wasn't the safest solution, but it was their best bet.
She narrowed her focus down to the hem of the man's trousers, and they caught fire.
(bye!)
The man shrieked in staggering pain and let go of Patagonia, who fell to the ground and crawled away from him, gasping for breath. "N-nice idea."
Lucia threw herself down next to Patagonia. "Holy cow, are you ok? He came out of nowhere… do you know who he is?"