(Collab between Thundercrash and me)Once in awhile Jane peeked on a girl or two, but mostly she just sat there, legs crossed, shoulders lowered and eyes on the phone. A news reporter showed some fresh clips from the battle that very quickly had been coined
“Theater Incidence”. Though speculation about the other parties had started to rise, one name was repeated over and over again: Jane Doe.
If the bouncer hadn’t realized who she was, hopefully his boss would realize it. Jane was pretty much on every channel and had sat there and rolled her eyes of a few inaccurate facial composites, before returning them to the phone where she was streaming it on. Though the face was way off, the hoodie fit pretty well on the drawings, and just now Jane wore one on purpose.
Just as one of the news stations were getting interesting, and making speculations about
Edge’s involvement, something moved in the corner of Jane’s eye. She immediately slid the phone back in her pocket.
It was yet another girl. This one moved with a confidence none of the others had, as if she was a hunter closing in on her prey. However Jane, with her arms crossed and looking at the ceiling, pretty much displayed as much fascination as a dead fish would.
Her heels clicking on the hardwood floor, “Tori” wove her way around the tables and stopped just behind the hooded girl, bending over slightly to lean on a chair, giving her a prime view of her cleavage.
”Excuse me, is this seat taken?”“Unless you boss is hiding in that rack of yours, I’m not interested,” Jane mumbled.
“Tori” sat down anyways, sighing as she stretched her legs out beneath the table.
”Uugh, that feels good. Been on my feet all day.” She eyed the other girl up and down, the corner of her mouth turned up in a slight smile.
”And just what are you interested in?”Jane blinked a few times. With a tightened fist she answered:
What? You’ve worked all morning? What a demanding job you got here, huh?.” Though there was something strange, almost hypnotic about the other girl, Jane looked to the stairs, not realizing what she sought was right next to her.
“Look… your boss and I have a date, she just doesn’t know it yet, alright?”Chuckling, “Tori” stretched out in her chair.
”All morning, all night, all yesterday afternoon, and a good chunk of last morning. You’d be delighted at how much exercise you can get around here.” Again, she looked the girl up and down, her smile widening mischievously.
”And what makes you think that Mistress Tori doesn’t already know?”This time Jane’s answer was immediate.
“Because she would have jumped down here first second she got, as she would’ve realized who I am and what I represent. In fact...”With a fluid movement Jane got up. She felt a slight ease, when talking to this girl, but impatience was winning this one.
“... I’m gonna help your indecisive boss make up her mind. Nice talking to you, miss Cleavage.”“If you think that will work, you’re sorely mistaken.” “Tori’s” eyes glittered with amusement as they followed the girl.
”Mistress Tori is busy with a potential client at the moment. She’ll see you when she’s ready.” Hmm. Ignorant, I’m thinking. This will be very fun.. “She doesn’t feel any obligation to meet other people’s expectations.”Suddenly Jane got stiff. In fact for a moment she was like a statue. She took a long, hard look at the other. Judging her. Sizing her. Measuring her in every sense of the word. Then Jane sat down, this time very calmly.
“You want to trick someone, you need to keep it vague. You need to act the part. If you display too much control, the other person starts to suspect you, Tori. Now… you’ve played your little game. I advise you not to play another.“ Jane reached inside her own pocket and threw something on the table. First it looked like a coin, but a closer look revealed it for what it was. A cufflink whose metal was hard to determine. On it were the initials
EDGE.
The action garnered no reaction. In fact, it didn’t seem like “Tori” had even noticed the cufflink. Instead, her eyes remained fixed on the other girl, a coy smile playing about her lips.
”And what, pray tell, is my game?”“Information. You might feel you have somewhat of a disadvantage. Someone with a grenade shows up and you don’t understand why. You want to level the playing field. Well, this is me leveling it.” Finally Jane removed her hood and allowed the girl to take a closer look. After a few seconds for Tori to reflect on it, Jane continued:
“I’m Jane Doe. I’m the one who casts a shadow in utter darkness, so to speak. I’m the one who made damn sure the Theater incidence was a fight and not an execution, when the Scientists showed up. I’m the spearhead of an organization most people aren’t sure even exists. And I… well, Edge asks for the same thing you desire: Information. But not here. Not down in the dirt. Somewhere else. Your office, maybe? You do that and I doubt you’ll regret it.”For a moment, “Tori” was silent, her finger rubbing her chin as she leaned her elbow on the table.
Impatient little thing, isn’t she. “Tell me, what do you think this place is?“Your personal playground, build on a pile of bones. I suspect there are more bodies under this foundation than a graveyard, figuratively speaking of course. And I believe that you, mistress, have a way to gain information. Whatever, this place is, and whatever you are, is your business and of course Edge is not gonna interfere. Now, I believe you have a few answers of your own?”Though Jane was starting to like Tori, in an annoying kind of way, she really had begun to doubt this meeting would show any results. Jane understood why
Edge only now contacted Tori, as the owner of Angel’s Embrace seemed more like a mad dog than a reliable business partner.
Did I make a mistake coming here? she thought for a second.
Again, “Tori” fell silent, studying her, tasting her. There was a strong streak of determination there, pervading her soul throughout, mixed with impatience. Pride, certainly there was a lot of that. A familiar tiredness as well; whatever it was that she had been doing, she had been doing it for a long time.
Much like someone else I know. Letting her eyes roam across the girl’s body, the corner of her mouth lifted slightly as she saw her fidget just a little bit beneath the obvious inspection. All tempered with just a hint of uncertainty and arousal.
“Well then.” She rose to her feet, allowing her toxin to envelop her like a warm cloud as she sidled past. Not bothering to look behind her, “Tori” raised one hand and beckoned with her finger.
”You want to talk? Let’s talk.”As if Jane had been there for ages, she got up and followed. Finally the fruit of her work seemed to come to fruition. Maybe that was why Jane already felt better. Much better than she had done earlier, when only the news of the terrorist Jane Doe existed.
At last they seemed to approach what had to be the office, where the future of the city could very well be determined.
As they walked, Talith gestured around her.
”Despite what you may have been told, Angel’s Embrace is more than just some tittie bar for people to get their rocks off. A more apt description would be that it’s a whole other world; a place where people can come and set aside the concerns of the outside. Here, they are safe, and can simply be themselves.”She smiled as she paused on the second floor. As much as she wanted to take this girl downstairs, she could taste that suspicious streak growing. She would definitely be a tough nut to crack, but as often as not the tough ones tasted the sweetest when ready. On the center stage, a dusky-skinned girl was practicing her routine, dressed in a simple t-shirt and sweatpants.
”Everyone who comes through that door does so because they want something, and they think I can give it to them. I like to make sure that they find it. Sometimes, that means they stay.” The girl on the stage paused in her routine, spying the pair, and blew them a kiss, sandy hair scattered about her face. Unknown to Jane, a shadow crept up the pole on the stage and caressed the girl’s back, making her close her eyes and hum to herself in contentment.
Smiling fondly, Talith leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest.
”Like her?””If that gets me in, then sure,” Jane answered without much emotion. She then proceeded to walk past Talith and into the office.
Privacy at last, she told herself as she dropped down into a chair, already a little happier. She remember the first time she got the scent of Lisa’s perfume. Such sweet memories. What Jane did not know, was that this slight warm feeling, was being placed into her, and just slightly getting her to lower her guard.
Talith’s eyes shifted to watch her go, practically latching onto the girl’s jean-covered butt as she followed her.
Mm mmh. “Her name’s Angel. Lovely girl, and once she gets her rhythm going you wouldn’t believe the things she can do on that pole.” She chuckled to herself.
”Unfortunately, her sense of irony is… not great.”The quick double-take that she felt emanate from the girl made her smile widen slightly.
”People choose to stay here because they feel safe, accepted. I don’t care who they are outside these walls, and if they choose to leave, that’s their choice. Sometimes they stay only for a little while, sometimes for a long time, and sometimes they choose to come back. One thing always stays the same: I have never had a person leave here who wasn’t better than when they came in.”Sashaying around behind her desk, she slipped into her chair and crossed her legs, leaning forward to brace her elbows on the wooden surface and rest her chin on her hands.
”Everyone comes here because they want something, be it business or pleasure. Some people believe that the two shouldn’t mix, I think it’s just a matter of how you mix them. So in the end, the question is three-fold.” One by one, she raised three fingers, watching the girl intently.
”What you want, what I might want in return, and if you’re willing to give it to me.”“A fair question,” Jane nodded, now with a friendlier tone, before leaning forward to better address the subject.
“What I want, from you is to lend your eyes and ears. You see there is a place. Edge know by now this place, this… sanctuary… to be real. A place unlike any other – no disrespect to your establishment, of course. It’s said to be beneath - to be underground, and it’s said to harbor thousands of Supernaturals. By now, you have probably heard about those beings right? Well, this great place is of great interest to Edge , and they... well... WE wish to reach out and help this place any way we can. Yet the location of it is unknown to us.” Jane followed up with a hand gesture.
“That’s where you come in. Surely someone like you can reach out and find this safe haven. Whether or not you have taken a side in the conflict, we urge you to find this place. And… I think you will find that Edge can be very generous.” 
