[center]
[h1][color=c1196b]Asterion Kairo[/color][/h1]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/glVmANL.png[/img]
[h3]&[/h3]
[h1]Hailey Vagabond[/h1]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/xgMd3L8.jpeg[/img][/center]
[hr]
[color=808080]
The chuckle that came out was hard to hold back, since Asterion was hiding in Krish’s body. Internally the men were speaking to each other while Asterion kept Hailey in his sight. Hearing the words the bomb-enthusiast was spitting out caused Krish to internally groan, [i][color=ffffff]Why do they always have to ask such stupid questions?[/color][/i]

Whispering out, Asterion joked to Krish, “[color=c1196b]I think it is a good question. How have you not got bored of me already?[/color]” Those words were whispered under his breath while continuing to let his eyes lock onto Hailey. 

[i][color=ffffff]Shut up. You know the answer to that question.[/color][/i] 

Everything went haywire for a moment when the bomb went off beside Krish’s head and Asterion naturally dunked from the explosion and covered his ears. Everything was ringing and there was a pounding internally that he couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. Fuzzy eyes watched Hailey running away in zig-zag patterns towards the skyscraper, he shook his head trying to get control over Krish and himself, “[color=c1196b]Why do people always go after the skyscraper, do they not realize it’s pretty much a storage house for the most part?[/color]” 

[i][color=ffffff]Not even that good of one,[/color][/i] Krish added. [i][color=ffffff]I’m going to have a horrible migraine for days after this…[/color][/i] 

“[color=c1196b]O, shut up,[/color]” Asterion huffed out when he heard Krish’s thoughts about the skyscraper not even being that good. “[color=c1196b]How about you update it a little more than; right hand man?[/color]” he teased. Trying his best to slow down Hailey, he swung the rope dart out towards her. 

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28046]Outcome[/url] [b]Roll of 5[/b] 

Asterion missed her again with the rope dart ability that Krish was so good at. Maybe he shouldn’t have jumped into his number one but he began running towards Hailey. Going to attempt to stop her by more physical means.

Hailey shot a glance behind her, looking aghast that Krish was catching up. Abruptly, she spun on her heels, withdrawing a knife from her coat pocket. Instead of giving Krish the advantage of trying to attack her first, [i]she[/i] would get the first shot.

She launched directly at him, swiping at his neck area with her knife in a quick motion, a crazed smile on her face.

[b]”Made a mistake trying to get close ta me, buster!”[/b] 

Asterion did not want to actually hurt Krish in any way and he could hear Krish in the back of his head with anxiety. [color=ffffff][i]Asterion![/i][/color] was repeatedly echoed out when Hailey started swinging that knife towards him. Trying his best to move from the attack, he could feel a papercut slash come to light. 

[color=ffffff]Okay. Time to get out. I think I can fight this better than you can boss,[/color]” Krish echoed out. Looking around to see what others were around. It was hard because of the smoke so Asterion jumped back a few steps. “[color=c1196b]There could be worse things than getting close to you,[/color]” which was the truth. There could be way worse things. 

Asterion was trying to think, [color=c1196b]Do you have any pocket knives or weapons?[/color], his thoughts rang out. 

Krish internally sighed, [color=ffffff]I wasn’t on the clock so I only have my pocket knife,[/color] the man stated. 

This was when the man started searching around his person for the pocket knife. 

Hailey's grin only widened as Krish was rooting around for something, momentarily distracted. She used that opportunity to back off, turn, and run in the direction of the Kairo Skyscraper again. Across the street, and barreling through the double doors, finally within the lobby of the illustrious skyscraper.

Hailey immediately singled out a receptionist, raced over, and wrapped an arm around the receptionist's neck, holding up an unlit bomb.

[b]”Nobody make any moves, or she gets it!”[/b]

Then she whispered in the receptionist's ear [b]”You're going to take me to your boss' office. Got it?”[/b] As she started dragging the receptionist to the elevators.

Standing there, Asterion glared, and he hated hearing how the woman wanted to get to his office. His office where his body was. At least Kaela was in his office and he knew Zarek and Elara were roaming up on that floor as well. 

That was when a flash of light flashed brightly, Krish was grabbing his head, and the receptionist began to struggle in a way that she wasn’t before. Like something had taken over her. 

Hailey gasped, leaping back like she had touched a hot stove. She stared incredulously at the receptionist, before her smile grew impossibly big.

[b]”It's you. The top dog. The big boss. I should have known.”[/b]

She laughed. [b]”Something you don't want me to see upstairs?”[/b]

The bomb was clutched in her hands, still unlit. Hailey made eyes for the entrance lobby for a split second, before glancing at the receptionist again.

[b]”Something that might be your, hmmm, source of power…?”[/b]

“[color=c1196b]My source of power is right here doll,[/color]” Asterion shrugged on the muscles of the receptionist he was in to get a better grasp of her motor skills. She had fine ones, but he was not used to them. That was when he tried to swing a kick at Hailey, it felt off in someone’s body that was probably a few inches over five foot instead of his regular tower six-three self. 

Hailey cackled, easily leaping out of the way. But there was something unsettled about her. She spied the entrance once again, glanced back at ‘Asterion’, and tossed a lit bomb at ‘him’.

[b]”Catch!”[/b]

And Haiely spun on her heels, diving for the entrance, attempting to escape.

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28049]Outcome[/url] 9 

Asterion paused in the smaller woman’s body for only a second when he heard that word, [b]catch![/b], and those lighter brows furrowed while those pinker lips twisted on the face he was wearing. He had to remember that he was smaller in his body and waiting for the last second before he swung around and kicked it. “[color=c1196b]How about you catch it,[/color]” he added while the bomb was heading towards Hailey for the front doors. 

Hailey looked over her shoulder at the last second, and dove, hands outstretched as she slid into the floor. The bomb exploded, shattering and scattering tile. When the smoke cleared, Hailey was crumpled in a small crater, burns along her arms and on her cheek, and her pink jacket tattered and blackened.

A small whimper could be heard floating up from the floor.

Krish moved towards Hailey to see if she was dead or not, “[color=ffffff]I think she is still alive, boss,[/color]” the man echoed out. 

Asterion couldn’t help the feminine groan that left the mouth he was wearing. “[color=c1196b]I do not know if that is good news… [i]Krish[/i],[/color]” he muttered out while walking up to the unconscious woman. “[color=c1196b]Pick her up,[/color]” he gestured. 

“[color=ffffff]Why can’t you?[/color]” 

They both stared at each other for a second before he rolled those dark eyes and walked away. “[color=ffffff]You do look better in that body boss,[/color]” Krish chuckled while picking up Hailey’s unconscious body. 

Asterion was headed up to his office now with Krish in toe with a knocked out bomb lunatic on his shoulder. 

[hr]

A few mobile devices began going off and two of the individuals sighed. Varek looked at his device first while pressing the button to stop the alert from ringing out. “[color=ffffff]I’ll take a look,[/color]” The blonde man stated while heading towards the Echo Chamber with a little bit of haste. It wasn’t like he knew exactly what was happening at the Echo Chamber but he assumed nothing good because of the system alerting the outer guards. 

Meanwhile, within the Echo Chamber's backrooms, the intruder, unaware of the alarm pinging other members of the Kairo Alliance, made great haste. The backrooms were like a maze, and he flitted from one corner to the next, pistol drawn, until he finally reached the locked office. He paused in front of it before pulling out a locking and proceeded to kneel in front of the door. This was the office room with the earnings of the previous night tucked away in a lock box, and he was going to take [i]all[/i] of it.

Varek got to the back entrance that was busted open and he groaned, “[color=ffffff]Asterion isn’t going to like this…[/color]” he mumbled to himself as he entered the area with a gun loaded and locked into his hands. Pointing it around to scope out the area to see all the nameless employees and a few other unidentifiable individuals. “[color=ffffff]Or that…[/color]” he moved a random person a little bit with his foot. That was definitely not an employee or worker in this backroom. 

The man shut the door and locked it behind him before going through the hallway in search of whoever broke into the Echo Chambers, if they were still there.

Indeed, there would be the faint scraping of metal on metal that Varek would be able to hear, along with a [i]pop[/i] as one of the office doors clicked open. The military intruder, unaware that backup had already arrived, had ducked into the office with the lockbox. His hands were already impressed upon it, ear close to the dial as he slowly ticked it over, hoping to figure out the code.
Varek got to the door of the office of the Echo Chambers and pointed his weapon at the unknown man, “[color=ffffff]Put your hands up where I can see them![/color]” he was warning the man. “[color=ffffff]And drop everything or I will shoot,[/color]” the blonde man did not sound like he was playing around. 

The military man stiffened, head snapping around to gaze side-long at Varek. [b]”...Shit.”[/b]

His gloved hands slowly rose, and he stood, stepping away from the lockbox. The tools in his hands clattered to the ground. That, however, was what he was looking for - Varek’s eyes to follow the tools as they fell. 

Snapping to the side, the military man attempted to dive behind the desk, unhooking and throwing a canister at Varek’s feet. Tear gas would begin spewing out, filling the room in a smog that would claw at lungs like sandpaper and burn the eyes. 

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/28048]Outcome of shot[/url] Nat 20 

As the man was snapping to the side and throwing the canister at him, Varek was aimed, and ready to the point where he shot while the man was diving behind the desk. The shot was quick and Varek was backing out of the room as quickly as possible while kicking the canister into the room and shutting the door. “[color=ffffff]God damn,[/color]” He was already coughing from the little bit of gas that he accidentally breathed in. 

That shot entered the man’s inner thigh and the bullet inserted itself into his femoral artery. 

With the gas mask, the military man was relatively safe as the room filled with gas. However, it didn't stop him from screaming in a hoarse voice as he collapsed abruptly behind the desk, hands clutching his leg. It hit an artery, he was sure, and any movement might cause the bullet to stop acting like a weak plug. 

Swearing curses under his breath, he ripped off his jacket and tore at his shirt, creating a temporary bandage to wrap around the bullet wound. Already, spots of red were beginning to seep through. Then the belt came off, and was wrapped over top of it.

He wouldn't bleed out immediately if he was careful.

That did mean, however, that he was a sitting duck. Half-heartedly, he pulled his pistol out of his holster, removed the safety, and turned it against the bottom of his chin. But he didn't pull the trigger… Not yet.

Varek was going to play the waiting game and hope the man doesn’t die in the office. He had to be careful because he was clearly armed with gadgets — hopefully no more canisters full of gas — and he stood a few feet from the door trying to listen to what was happening on the inside. When the gas stopped seeping from the cracks of the door and it was safe to go in, he would.

Seconds turned into minutes. Gas slowly dissipated from the room, through the ventilation, through the cracks. Soon, it was evident that the gas was no longer a threat, and Varek would be able to safely open the door. And, huddled behind the desk, he'd find the military man clearly ruminating on death with the way his gun pressed into the bottom of his chin.

Varek waited until the gas didn’t seem to be an issue anymore and he cautiously opened that door even though he didn’t have to be that cautious — unless the man was a great shot. Opening the door and looking around, he tried to keep his footsteps light but anyone could hear him. “[color=ffffff]Hey, let’s not go out that way buddy,[/color]” Varek began as he gestured but he wasn’t sure if the man huddled up by the desk was that lively or not. It was hard to tell. 

The military man gritted his teeth behind the mask, his grip on his gun trembling a bit. [b]”Take another step and I'll show you just how serious I am.”[/b]

“[color=ffffff]I can tell that you're a serious one bud. I’m not trying to test you but I rather you be alive then dead so please put the gun down,[/color]” Varek tried talking him out of it but he knew he wasn’t the best for negotiations which was why he was a guard. 

The military man stared for a long moment, his grip on the gun continuing to tremble. Before he clicked his tongue, removed the gun from his chin, and tossed it in the direction of Varek’s feet. Essentially unarmed, the man hissed in pain as the slight movement caused his wound to tear a bit.

His voice was hoarse. [b]”Fine… you win, Kairo man.”[/b]
[/color]
[hr]
[b]Interaction(s): Collaboration[/b] Asterion & writers NPCs with [@Estylwen] NPCs
[b]Location:[/b]
[i]Asterion & Krish versus Hailey are around/in the Kairo skyscraper[/i]
[i]Varek and military man are in echo chambers[/i]