It's not close exactly, but it is driveable if you're willing to take the day to get there. Rusty DeBrande has set himself up in a little coffee shop not far off from Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
He has a sweet tooth, what can he say?
While Hallewell did give Max the full name of the person he's looking for (Russell DeBrande), Rusty is wearing a name tag that reads "DAVE" in big blocky letters. He's standing behind the counter - he usually takes the counter during the slow shifts as it saves him having to have an employee on hand - fixing the customer ahead of him a medium Americano to go with their bear claw.
It's a little late for espresso, but who is Rusty to judge the caffeine intake of people who don't matter?]
Have a good one, Carl.
[He takes a breath, before turning to the next person in line.]
( Max does not deal in luck. Nobody in their family does.
Because he has the time and his sister's blessing, he takes off. He doesn't let her in on what he's found yet, not knowing who awaits him. Russell DeBrande is old enough to be former Inner Circle, left to his own ending until he isn't. Max is expecting the twinkle of revenge in his eye, whomever he happens to be.
He gives the coffee shop an odd look as he double checks the address. He's overdressed for getting coffee outside of a tourist trap, but something about Max helps him belong anywhere.
He removes his sunglasses once inside, waiting in line as he eyeballs the menu above. He should order something from - Dave. What can he get? )
Black coffee. ( He's hungry, too, he realizes, as his stomach grumbles. His eyes fall to the display case. ) One of those small sandwiches.
( Please, his eyes say. He uses the next minute to search around him, see if anybody looks like they may have escaped the Inner Circle, or anything that might point him in the right direction. But, he doesn't know what he's looking for (6) )
[Rusty, on the other hand, knows a Malraux when he sees one (15). But he keeps his face schooled in calm (20), not wanting to get too in over his head until he knows what brought him here.
He doesn't seem to know what he has, which makes him think that this could just be coincidence. If this was a Malraux who had already gone through their ascension, things might have gotten a lot messier.]
( Max tries his best to sense this stranger's motive (2) but Rusty is built to withstand anything as feeble as a Malraux wanting to know what he's up to and why.
He drops a folded twenty into the tip jar while he waits. )
Working off a friend's tip. Said I couldn't miss it. Something's here I had to see for myself.
[Rusty shrugs as he places the sandwich down in front of him.]
Just me right now. But no, I'm not sure if anyone lives around here. Boss might rent out the upstairs, but he never told me.
[He says, like he's not the boss (4). The lie does come off pretty confidently, but his eyes are darting around the room behind him, counting the couple of regulars that are lingering behind him, wondering how much collateral damage he might have to worry about.]
( He sees through something (14), but doesn't know what he's looking for, only who. Something tells him this guy lives upstairs. Something also tells him this guy is the boss. )
Most people do. In my experience, anywhere a guy can get a few extra bucks here and there.
Guess that would depend on who you're looking for.
[Though the way he's just dancing around it is not making him feel more comfortable about his prospects here. At the same time, most of the Colony drones coming to take him out just come right out and kill him - they're not so careful about who kill in the process.
So what does this Malreaux want?]
Can't really help you there unless you give me a name.
( Simply put. You. Hallewell's voice is in his head. Deal in facts. )
Why did you choose the name Dave? Is that because it's innocuous or biblical, or both? Nobody would search for a Dave or a Jason, or a Bill. Or, is it because it has no letters in common with your first name. Your real name?
( He narrows his gaze. )
I expected someone with a grudge, someone ready for a fight, not --- a barista. Or, are you the owner who barists? Rusty?
[His eyes dart around to the various customers that are still present. At the moment, it's only the one regular, so he offers her an apologetic smile.]
Hey, Angie - we're going to have to close up early today. Do you mind?
["Oh, no problem, doll. I'll see you tomorrow."
He makes his way out from behind the bar and follows her to the door, locking it behind her. He then turns back to face Max, eyeing him curiously.]
I like Dave. It's a good, salt of the earth kind of name. No one looks twice at a Dave. Rusty, on the other hand? Nobody really gets named Rusty anymore. People take notice. And as for why I'm behind the bar - after the morning rush, days aren't usually that busy. Later in the afternoon, I have employees to help handle the rush but most of them are teenagers at school, so I cover the morning shift.
( He watches Angie gather her bag, head on out, a sweet goodbye follows and then it's just the two of them. )
Wholesome. To play devil's advocate, everyone gets named everything these days. Like, anything. But, going by Rusty wouldn't make it easy to lay low. Here. Or anywhere so I get it.
( So, this is the guy. )
I got the cliff notes version and it actually made me angry on your behalf. I like a punishment to fit the crime. Granted, I keep my disagreements to myself, but that was before I found out I was disagreeing with someone who possessed my parents - for all intents and purposes anyway. Permanently. I guess possess assumes it's temporary. There was a ritual, me and my sister and our - friends - are still playing catch-up.
We want to take them down. All of them. We know it reaches further than our parents. And you're the only one alive who knows enough to help us get the whole job done. Aren't you?
[There's a part of Rusty that wants to believe him, but as much as he trusts his own instincts (14), he knows that he needs to be careful. This could very well be a trap. But is it a trap worth walking into? He'll die, start the cycle all over again if it is. But if it isn't ... if this is actually a way out?
That certainly would be worth at least a little bit of exploration. Maybe a bit of a test run.]
Probably. I won't say your wrong in that respect. But I'm not going to do all your work for you. If we're doing this, you're going to get your hands dirty just as much as me.
[That is interesting. So there's a whole coalition who didn't like what they found on the other side of the rainbow. Maybe the Inner Circle really was losing their handle on their heirs.]
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everyonelives2023-03-16 09:07 pm
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( He's not teaching the class on magic Hallewell invented.
He smiles, cocky. )
You wouldn't have bargained if you thought we wouldn't.
( Maybe he would've. But, it doesn't matter, bravado wins out. )
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( As far as Max is concerned, Hallewell and his followers thrive on chaos.
Max unfolds the address in hand, seeing if it's close by or drivable, before getting up from his chair. )
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It's not close exactly, but it is driveable if you're willing to take the day to get there. Rusty DeBrande has set himself up in a little coffee shop not far off from Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
He has a sweet tooth, what can he say?
While Hallewell did give Max the full name of the person he's looking for (Russell DeBrande), Rusty is wearing a name tag that reads "DAVE" in big blocky letters. He's standing behind the counter - he usually takes the counter during the slow shifts as it saves him having to have an employee on hand - fixing the customer ahead of him a medium Americano to go with their bear claw.
It's a little late for espresso, but who is Rusty to judge the caffeine intake of people who don't matter?]
Have a good one, Carl.
[He takes a breath, before turning to the next person in line.]
What can I get you?
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Because he has the time and his sister's blessing, he takes off. He doesn't let her in on what he's found yet, not knowing who awaits him. Russell DeBrande is old enough to be former Inner Circle, left to his own ending until he isn't. Max is expecting the twinkle of revenge in his eye, whomever he happens to be.
He gives the coffee shop an odd look as he double checks the address. He's overdressed for getting coffee outside of a tourist trap, but something about Max helps him belong anywhere.
He removes his sunglasses once inside, waiting in line as he eyeballs the menu above. He should order something from - Dave. What can he get? )
Black coffee. ( He's hungry, too, he realizes, as his stomach grumbles. His eyes fall to the display case. ) One of those small sandwiches.
( Please, his eyes say. He uses the next minute to search around him, see if anybody looks like they may have escaped the Inner Circle, or anything that might point him in the right direction. But, he doesn't know what he's looking for (6) )
no subject
[Rusty, on the other hand, knows a Malraux when he sees one (15). But he keeps his face schooled in calm (20), not wanting to get too in over his head until he knows what brought him here.
He doesn't seem to know what he has, which makes him think that this could just be coincidence. If this was a Malraux who had already gone through their ascension, things might have gotten a lot messier.]
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Is large a size here or do you take more after Starbucks?
( He reads the sign in case he missed any special vocabulary. )
You don't have to supersize it.
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[So "large" is definitely a thing. He grabs one of the cups off the stacks and picks up one of the pots to start pouring.]
So what brings you into town?
[Just super causal, no reason for asking. Making small talk with the customers is a good way to build business.]
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He drops a folded twenty into the tip jar while he waits. )
Working off a friend's tip. Said I couldn't miss it. Something's here I had to see for myself.
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[Who doesn't want to spend their afternoon inhaling chocolate fumes? Not people Rusty wants to know, clearly.
He places the coffee cup down in front of him with a lid and goes to get him the sandwich.]
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( And Max's sweet tooth is relegated to dessert with dinner, but that comes with the formality he grew up with. )
but, if it smells anything like it smells in here, I'll source a ticket.
( Or, buy it for that matter. He waits as "DAVE" grabs a sandwich for him. )
Anyone live around here? Like - attached apartment above? Duplex out back? Is it just you - Dave?
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Just me right now. But no, I'm not sure if anyone lives around here. Boss might rent out the upstairs, but he never told me.
[He says, like he's not the boss (4). The lie does come off pretty confidently, but his eyes are darting around the room behind him, counting the couple of regulars that are lingering behind him, wondering how much collateral damage he might have to worry about.]
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Most people do. In my experience, anywhere a guy can get a few extra bucks here and there.
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[Capitalism. It is is what it is.]
But if you want to leave a note or something I can make sure it gets passed along.
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( What would he even put on it? He's gotta lay something on the line, doesn't he, if he's going to get any answers? )
Any reason why I would've been given this address, in reference to someone I'm looking for?
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[Though the way he's just dancing around it is not making him feel more comfortable about his prospects here. At the same time, most of the Colony drones coming to take him out just come right out and kill him - they're not so careful about who kill in the process.
So what does this Malreaux want?]
Can't really help you there unless you give me a name.
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Why did you choose the name Dave? Is that because it's innocuous or biblical, or both? Nobody would search for a Dave or a Jason, or a Bill. Or, is it because it has no letters in common with your first name. Your real name?
( He narrows his gaze. )
I expected someone with a grudge, someone ready for a fight, not --- a barista. Or, are you the owner who barists? Rusty?
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Hey, Angie - we're going to have to close up early today. Do you mind?
["Oh, no problem, doll. I'll see you tomorrow."
He makes his way out from behind the bar and follows her to the door, locking it behind her. He then turns back to face Max, eyeing him curiously.]
I like Dave. It's a good, salt of the earth kind of name. No one looks twice at a Dave. Rusty, on the other hand? Nobody really gets named Rusty anymore. People take notice. And as for why I'm behind the bar - after the morning rush, days aren't usually that busy. Later in the afternoon, I have employees to help handle the rush but most of them are teenagers at school, so I cover the morning shift.
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Wholesome. To play devil's advocate, everyone gets named everything these days. Like, anything. But, going by Rusty wouldn't make it easy to lay low. Here. Or anywhere so I get it.
( So, this is the guy. )
I got the cliff notes version and it actually made me angry on your behalf. I like a punishment to fit the crime. Granted, I keep my disagreements to myself, but that was before I found out I was disagreeing with someone who possessed my parents - for all intents and purposes anyway. Permanently. I guess possess assumes it's temporary. There was a ritual, me and my sister and our - friends - are still playing catch-up.
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[It's refreshing, to have this be the conversation and not something much more dire.]
But that doesn't exactly make it clear in terms of what you want with me. If you're not here to kill me to prove your worth, then why are you here?
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( And, he has a horse in the race. )
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That certainly would be worth at least a little bit of exploration. Maybe a bit of a test run.]
Probably. I won't say your wrong in that respect. But I'm not going to do all your work for you. If we're doing this, you're going to get your hands dirty just as much as me.
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( And all, Rusty. It's not just him. It's their detente. And their network beyond that. )
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[That is interesting. So there's a whole coalition who didn't like what they found on the other side of the rainbow. Maybe the Inner Circle really was losing their handle on their heirs.]
And who is this "we," exactly?
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( Never mind that they will be the ones to throw it officially and knock everyone on their asses. )
I had it on good authority you wanted to ice the Inner Circle. Was I given bad intel?
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