that someone's lookin' out for us, that someone loves us

[slavophile]

( After searching the hunters' phone, decoding barely cryptic cypher, and triangulating what he realizes are coordinates, he brings everyone together. Timing is crucial.

The summer solstice is that evening.

Isaac, Bonnie, Gloria, Mia, Danny, the twins, and Hope are in William's room. )

It's the Astronomical Clock.

( "The abstract art?" Lizzie asks, remembering her meet-whatever with Danny in front of that very landmark.

Hope, Josie and Danny found the same. With the twins' begrudging acceptance of Jo's informative text (and not much more scolding, maybe it's coming), the plan comes together. With the summer equinox being about the incoming nourishment after action, then this is the local yearly ritual. )

Witches will be there in droves. In plain clothes, but there to reaffirm and grow their power. That is the hunters' target. What I don't know, is if this is a blunt assault. I downloaded schematics. This looks on the outside like an act of terrorism.

( So. Bomb. )

Every hunter we find is low on the totem pole. The higher ranked hunters run the ops. There will be civilians and civilian hunters. Low-ranked boy and Girl Scouts. It's dangerous.

( Which is why their answers are few and far between and why Cooper's double agent act only gets him so far. )

What do you think?

Comments

[positiveinfluence]

Not directly, but there have been inferences.

["Explosive" jokes that have been tossed around, to say the least.]

You think they put a bomb somewhere?

[slavophile]

( Witch business is explosive. )

The clocktower?

[positiveinfluence]

[Okay. Okay, okay. That's bad, that's a lot of collateral damage.]

I'll text you with any updates I get. But what do you need me to do?

[slavophile]

Something with a heat or chemical signature. Just brushing by them. It would help comb through witches and hostile hunters. Besides that, we're working on the opposite. Maybe a magical signature, to know who to save. ( To try. ) There are witches, but also civilians at stake. And misguided hunters who think they're doing the right thing.

( Their stakes are the highest yet. )

We're trying not to come from behind this time. We're trying to stay ahead. Do you have an idea?

[positiveinfluence]

Would scent work?

[He tips his head to the side as he considers.]

Something too subtle for human noses, but close enough for a werewolf to pick up on?

[slavophile]

For Isaac. And Gloria. Scent could work.

( He nods. )

I'm sorry, tactically, we're usually ahead of the game but everything about these hunters in every city is half-baked. It makes it hard to come at them completely. Which makes me think they're working with only half the information, too. Like you and the bachelor party guy not being brought to the witch's summit.

[positiveinfluence]

Monroe does like things compartmentalized.

[He glances at his watch, before turning back to his phone.]

I've got some cologne in my bag. I'll text you the scent when I find it.

[slavophile]

What comes next? Do you load up? When do they give you any orders?

( He's not saying your undercover work needs... work, but the hunters are too insular. Like, only the generals or what have you know anything. )

[positiveinfluence]

When I prove that I'm ready to hit the road again. I came back empty handed with a fight with a werwolf.

[Basically, he's probably not going on this job. But he can try and mark people before they leave.]

I'll keep you posted.

[slavophile]

( He took the hit. He's right. Will reframes his thinking. )

We may need you on the outside.

[positiveinfluence]

We'll see how many people are rolling out. I might be able to convince them to let me in out it. Say I'm looking for revenge or something.

[It'd be a lie, but it'd be something.]

If not, I'll figure something out. I'll text you once I'm on the move.

[slavophile]

Deja vu, but. Be careful. Stay safe. And don't reach out if you can't.

( And with that.

Cooper can hear a group of hunters passing the barracks, heading to the mess hall. There's a gathering, for sure. A gathering before the oncoming storm? )

[positiveinfluence]

[And he will sneak his way back to his things, and fish out a bottle of Cool Water from his bag, and sneaks it into his pocket, before joining the group.

The plan is just to take a spritz or two and swipe it onto a shoulder or back as he moves through the room and manages to do so with a fair amount of deftness as he listens to the plan (17).

Werewolf noses are sensitive, it shouldn't take much to tip them off.]

[slavophile]

( Cooper only gets one look out of everyone he douses, touches, or rubs again. This look isn't disinterest but one of, this is not the time before he looks front again.

The plan is threefold. Hunters inside the clocktower, outside, and underneath. They've lost contact with their three watchmen, so they can assume the witch's plan is going forward. What that plan is, nobody seems to know. But, London was a blood bath and witches aren't innocent. There's an encouragement, but not push to keep civilians safe. This is the greater the good for the many.

As hunters disperse, Anna, the familiar hunter whom Cooper was given his first botched mission, spots him, pointing to him to come to her. )

[positiveinfluence]

[Yep, he sees her and gives her a small wave before making his way closer. He's prepared for this to go a number of different ways, so he starts optimistic and prepares to be persuasive.]

Hey, boss. Where do you need me?

[slavophile]

( Normally stoic and stern, Anna doesn't hide her disappointment. )

What are you doing out of medical? We have this, Sullivan.

[positiveinfluence]

C'mon, you can't make me sit this out. Lahey and I have a score to settle. I'm good to move.

[Please believe him. Please believe he is that determined. Please be persuaded (12). He's doing his best but he did get punched by a werewolf this afternoon and is under a lot of pressure to get this right.]

[slavophile]

( It almost seems like she takes him at face value, but his indiscretions and lack of results make her shake her head. )

Isaac Lahey and a witch without her magic.

[positiveinfluence]

She was scrappy. Not that that excuses it, but she grew up in Mystic Falls with the Originals fucking around.

[He was outnumbered. This argument might be a little more persuasive (17).]

It's bad enough I already lost my car. I can handle going back in with back up.

[slavophile]

( She knows what it feels like to be humiliated, and how it must be feel to be a humiliated man. )

B-Squad. You don't go in. You cover the back entrance. Understand me? You do not engage unless someone crosses you.

[positiveinfluence]

[He gives her a salute in return, looking relieved and grateful, though maybe not for the reason she expects.]

You got it, boss. I won't let you down.

[Again, anyway. He knows he's going to have to make this one look good.]

Unless there's anything else, I should go pack.