OOC wrote:The following was written by Kensiedo. He asked me to post this on his behalf. Here we get a glimpse into what guest star Aiden Starr is up to while Diego is kidnapping innocence and Iona is experimenting on them.
For the scene write up I'm awarding Aiden an additional +1 HP next time he takes part in a proper adventure/mission with the main cast.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 -
How To Make Friends
The van pulls to a stop and Aiden looks in the back. Four men laying around in the back of the old cargo van all wearing a black t-shirt and camo pants. Aiden was similarly dressed, thought he wasn't sure where the Molex vest they handed him was.
"We're here."
The four men in the back start gathering their gear. One of them moves up to the front and sits in the passenger seat.
"Okay, so here's the plan. We'll go in through the alley and downstairs. The party will be a good place to mingle while we make sure the target is on-site."
"Have fun."
The older man looks confused. "You're not coming with us?"
Aiden looks down the alley and then back at the man. Slate.
"Uhhh... no."
Slate looks at him waiting for the punchline. After some time, he finally asks, "Seriously."
Aiden just nods. Slate rolls his eyes. "All right. Let's move out."
"I'll park over there behind the dumpster."
Slate waves the young man off as the four-man team disembarks. Aiden patiently sits there until the men are down the alley and through the door. He mentally counts to twenty as he watches to see if they pop right back out again.
Wouldn't be the first time.
Finally, he puts the van in gear and positions it down the side alley behind the dumpster.
"I thought they would never leave." Aiden smiles over at Shrike sitting in the passenger seat.
"Yeah," he says reaching down between his seat and door.
"You've got to be kidding," Shrike says pulling on his opposite arm, trying to get him to get out of his seat.
"Nope. Dr Sokolov said he was going to start testing me... whatever the hell that means."
"So we have a couple of hours of alone time, and you're going to spend it reading a book about..." Shrike leans over to look at the title. "...winning friends? Who is this Carnegie bloke, anyway."
Aiden shrugs.
"No idea. Supposed to be a classic. Or whatever."
Shrike gets up and moves into the back as Aiden settles in to read this "classic."
"Well, at least these pigs aren't dirtying up my cargo hold." The back was littered with power bar wrappers and empty water bottles, along with random magazines and whatnot.
"We're ferried worse."
"Don't remind me." There is a bit of a pause. "Found your vest."
"Yeah." He didn't even want to know.
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Aiden hears the door open and quickly slides the book back down in it's hiding place.
Slate climbs into the back of the van and shouts, "Go!"
Aiden looks confused as his eyes scan the alley for three other men.
"I said Go!"
"The others?"
"Just go!"
Aiden sighs and starts up the van and pulls it out onto the side street. He immediately begins scanning the streets and side mirrors for any kind of pursuit.
Slate slumps into the passenger seat. "That was an unmitigated disaster."
Well, d'uh, Aiden thinks.
You walked into a party dressed like soldiers. What did you think was going to happen?
Before Aiden can voice his thoughts, his eyes scan down at the book between the seat and door.
"It... couldn't have been... that bad. I mean, you made it out." His mind races for some positive spin on this.
"You must have some... intel?"
Slate just looks at him. "Intel? Like the person who betrayed us?"
Aiden raises an eyebrow.
"Betrayed you? What do you mean?"
Aiden's eyes continue dart around the area, still looking for someone following them. That white Buick Lesabre looks suspiscious.
Slate slumps in his seat. "They knew we were coming before we got there. They had everything about us."
Hmm, if they were blown before they arrived, no amount of proper clothing would have helped. This might be a very different conversation.
Aiden makes a sharp right and then a left. Then he slows down and waits. The LeSabre comes barreling around the corner behind them.
"Well, how would you like a second chance to complete your mission?"
Slate looks confused.
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Aiden stands in the back of the room as Slate gives Dr Sokolov a rundown of the mission. Dr Sokolov's attention seems to be focused on the device they recovered.
"And after the kid crashed into the tail, we took down the two people in the car. I was able to encourage them to tell me where the doodad was. We tracked back and caught them by surprise."
Dr. Sokolov continues looking at the device while Slate finishes his explanation. Aiden had really wanted to look at it, but he didn't push it with Slate.
"And how did he do?"
Slate points his thumb back at Aiden. "The kid was amazing. Behind the wheel and even when we had to take down security."
"I mean the other thing."
"What? Oh, the party?" Slate looks back at Aiden and then back at Dr Sokolov. "Yeah, he was good. Low key, mingling with the crowd. Maybe a little work on small talk."
Dr Sokolov's eyes rise from the item he is holding and stares at Slate. Aiden's eyes go a bit wide, but only for a second.
Slate is covering for me?
"Fine. You're dismissed. Aiden, stay for a moment."
Slate nods and turns to leave. He pauses when he reaches Aiden, putting his hand on the young man's shoulder and makes eye contact with him. There is a subtle nod between the two of them. Finally, the soldier leaves.
Dr Sokolov cuts right to the chase. "I need you to deliver this to a lab in Canada."
"Canada? So..."
"Yes. You will need to take Shrike."
Aiden holds back the smile as best he can.
"Immediately."
"Yes, sir."