because the lives of the wicked should be made brief

[somanyadjectives]

Comments

[blyth]

Felt like deja vu.

[He had said as much, when they met, but if he had, it had been nothing like this. Just a glimpse of a man's face in the window of the train. He rubs at his eyes as he takes a step back.]

There was a weird flash of light and then strange things were happening, but I had just gotten to New York, so I didn't think much of it. But ever since I've had these dreams and I don't know what to make of any of them.

[drugdeals]

You have something. Whether it's the sight, or a spark of magic in you - it's something.

( He looks back at Robin, then, unable to see anything. Maybe they're inside waiting. With his luck, hopefully. )

And you've been flirting with a witch. Since we're putting everything out on the table.

[blyth]

A ...

[He blinks briefly, because that word doesn't make any sense.]

Not one of those new age, crystal and energy witches I take it?

[But the moment the question comes out, footsteps sound on the other side of the door - seems like Luke's "customers" have waited long enough for their prey to arrive and are starting to wonder what's taking so long.]

Later. We have to go.

[drugdeals]

I dabble in a different kind of crystal.

( This could go one of two ways, metaphorically, and he could get flirty, but the moment's cut off as Luke looks back again. )

Come on.

( He grabs his hand, the first physical touch the two of them made, and it feels right in his as, sweaty palms and all, he runs them to a nearby apartment building. He flashes his free hand across the buzzer: ) Delictum.

( The buzzer sounds like someone's let them in and he swings the door open so Robin can get inside first, closing it behind them. Where to, now? )

[blyth]

[Robin's just along for the ride, but he can see the witches looking to follow and he assumes that they can do whatever spell he just did, so he just heads for the stairs of the walk up and starts to climb.]

So you're saying that magic is real?

[drugdeals]

Magic and more. Everything you think might not be real is. Starting with magic and your premonitions.

( Luke climbs behind him, putting distance between him and the witches who are after them. )

They are after me, so, I'm sorry.

[blyth]

It's not your fault. I'm just glad I got there in time.

[He keeps moving up the stairs, trying not to let his thoughts spiral out of control in terms of the fact that magic is real.]

I spent far too long debating on whether you'd think I was losing my mind.

[drugdeals]

You decided to warn me, so I must be that worth it, or you must have wanted to prove you weren't going crazy.

( Reaching the top floor, Luke turns to the stairwell, performing another spell. )

Repetere.

( Turning back, he takes Robin's hand in his again. )

If they come up the stairs, they'll end up back on the third floor. Until we can figure something out. You don't happen to know anyone that lives here, do you? Or the New York underground system? Any bootlegger-prohibition tunnel entrances nearby?

[blyth]

Given I've lived in New York all of six months, you should honestly be impressed that I managed to find you when all I had to go on was a fever dream and a bar logo.

[So no, he's not become intimately familiar with the inner workings of the history of New York City.]

Unfortunately you've got the wrong Blyth for that.

[Maud would know the answer to that question.]

[drugdeals]

Does the wrong Blyth have a lifeline to the right Blyth on them?

( Maybe they could phone a friend. )

I never bet great odds on my Who Wants to Be A Millionaire tenure, but I have personality for days. And magic.

[blyth]

[He considers before taking out his phone and calling his sister. He can't promise she'll know something, but it is the kind of thing she would be into.

He puts it on speaker. The phone rings twice before she answers. "Where are you? Did you forget to tell me you had plans?"]

Ran into a bit of a hiccup. Quick question for you, do you know anything about secret passages around New York City?

["Why? Are you stuck somewhere? Are you on a treasure hunt? Robin, you promised you wouldn't do schticky tourist things without me!"]

Darling, it's a yes or no question.

[Maud sighs dramatically. "Let me grab my laptop. Where are you?"]

[drugdeals]

An apartment on Broadway. Three floors up. Four or five buildings away from the Leaky Cauldron on the opposite side of the street. I think to the East. But, don't quote me on that.

( That he can answer. Even from the very little he's said, though, he loves Maud.)

[blyth]

["Oooh, is that the boy? How intriguing." Maud shifts and there's the sound of typing as she speaks. "Remember the rule about bringing dates back to the apartment."]

Darling sister, you are not helping.

["I never strive to. Alright, I am sending you a map. The red X's are the entrances you're looking for. Have fun. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do."]

Who's the older sibling here?

["And yet you never act like it. Love you." And with that he hangs up, followed by a buzz as the text message comes through. He pulls up the map, and sighs.]

Alright, it looks like we have to go back to street level, but there's a tunnel entrance two buildings down.

[drugdeals]

I have an apartment of my own.

( And an out-of-town-sister who crashes, but she is in Baltimore, on a case. He thinks. Also, not the time, he knows. )

I like her.

( Also not the time. )

How very National Treasure. ( He knew she'd come through. ) What's your fighting weight?

[blyth]

I'm not a heavy weight but I can hold my own.

[Boxing as his recreational activity of choice may finally pay off, though he would prefer not to do it in dress shoes.]

If they have magic can punching them do much good?

[drugdeals]

They're still human.

( Which begs a later question of what might not be human. )

But let's see if we can get out without running into them. Avoid fisticuffs.

( He heads to the other end of the hallway, checking the elevator numbers and finding a back staircase. )

[blyth]

[Robin follows his lead, heading back down into the building and hoping that they can get out of here without him having to punch someone.

Stealth checks, please.]

[drugdeals]

( Luke and his sister are the same type of bulls-in-a-chinashop, so as much as he'd like to keep it stealthy, he's more about speed than stealth, trying his "best," (9) but, the echo of the stairwell isn't easy to mask. )

[blyth]

[Luke is not much quieter (11) - he has not spent a lot of his life sneaking around places or trying to go unseen, so he is just average at it. Fortunately for them, as they move down past the first few goons, they are able to go unnoticed (5). At least for now.

There's three of them on that first level, sniffing around at the edges of Luke's spell. "He's gotta be here somewhere."

"Maybe we should just let him go. If he's on the run then problem solved right? I don't want to be stuck in a maze all fucking night."

"Do you want to go back to Mr. Harper and tell him we let the Gemini Witch slip through our fucking fingers? Because I sure don't."

Robin doesn't know what any of that means, but he'll just keep following Luke's lead. Stealth round two, go!]

[drugdeals]

( He's not as entrenched in witch politics as his sister and the armory, so that name doesn't trigger any recognition (8), but he remembers it for later.

Outside of the staircase, Luke does even better (18), padding feet on carpet instead of echoing steps. )

[blyth]

[Luke, less so (5), his dress shoes squeaking on the finished wooden stairs as they slip past but these guys are ... really into having the fight they're having because they're ... not paying attention at all (1). They even manage to make it past the group on the second floor because that is what a crit fail gains them.

One more stealth pass please!]

[drugdeals]

( Crit fail meet crit fail (1), from the cockiness of getting past the group and their argument, and caring about getting Robin out unscathed. )

[blyth]

[Robin's is also not good (7), so it doesn't take much for the final group they're sneaking past to catch on (9). It's three of them, and their attention snaps away from the doors to the two on the stairs.

"Hey! There they are!"

Robin glances over to Luke, then towards the front door.]

So, run then?

[drugdeals]

Run.

( He lets Robin take off first, before following. He removes a flask he'd been carrying in his jacket. Unscrewing it, he throws it's contents behind them, making the three witches need dex saves or else they have a slip-sliding good time.

He points to a staircase leading down. )

Here, here!

[blyth]

[Two of them succeed (16, nat 20), but the first one's foot hits the liquid the wrong way and wipes out hard (4).

Robin just books it and wheels around in the direction of the staircase, following Luke lower into the building and hoping that they find an easy way out.

Two flings a stupefy spell over the edge towards Luke (15), hoping to freeze the witch in his tracks.]