Storming in

[Lovely]

September 27, 2009
10:45pm
'abandoned' wharehouse


Contessa could smell the food, hear the voices from the other room and the thunder which clapped loudly with every strike against her slender form. The rain had started just after she'd been captured by Maul's men, a series of stupid mistakes on her partner's part had resulted in her being out numbered and she'd gone down swinging. She wasn't down for long and was awake as they hauled her to her feet the few moments of blackness had been enough to give them even more of an upper hand and to get a good hold on her. When it came to close combat her gifts weren't always the most useful and she continued to struggle, getting her share of hits in on the men as they dragged her to face thier boss. She had to say that had gone well considering who the man was and what he did for a living. Maul had kept her alive, he wanted information and he thought she had value, her looks would fetch him a good price.. once he'd finished with her himself. He'd promised her that and now she was in this room glaring at him and provoking him and his men to do thier worst. "I'm not telling you anything." She hissed as he grabbed her hair, he tried to force a kiss on her and she bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. It got him mad enough to strike her in the face, leaving a mark and a throbbing sensation behind. One more hit and he'd had enough for awhile, apparently it was time for a dinner break, the bottom of her shirt was torn off to make a gag which was tied securely into place before the men left her in the dark room alone. Her hands were bond together and then tied to one of the rafters, leaving her in an uncomfortable position and unable to get any relief for her bruises and cuts or her aching arms. She'd been tied like this for a couple of hours at least, since they'd moved her, she leaned her face against her arms and closed her eyes.

The first location had been a bust. Az scowled at the dark, empty room where she was supposed to have been held. "Damn pigeons," he murmured, the sparking and angry swirl of light in his hand fading out from around the chair he grasped. He pitched the empty seat a few feet and turned to leave again with the handful of clues he knew were meant to throw him off. "Informers only do one thing and even that they do badly," he grumbled, leaving back through the window to the rope he'd used, climbing back up to the roof to collect his gear and his thoughts. Now what? "C'mon Maul, sweetie. Where'd you take her now?" He muttered to the night air as he looked across the skyline, coiling his rope. He accounted for the rest of the pieces and focused on something stranger than the usual strange. It hadn't felt like rain today. It had been pleasantly dry and cool with the autumn air making his chuckle steam a little. The thunder wasn't expected, especially since it hadn't been cloudy when he arrived. "Into everyone's life a little rain must fall, eh Maully? I suspect I know where you are." The storm had come up suddenly enough it couldn't be natural. There were others in town he could blame just as easily, but he had to play his hunch and try to get her before Maul got bored. He had a sector, possibly two to get through to where the storm began to rage. Things couldn't be going well for her.

[Lovely]

The break or calm in the storm was short lived, Maul ate and drank at least a beer or two by the stink on his breath that blew against Tessa's cheek where he kissed the swollen mark. She jerked away from him but couldn't go far and listened to his laugh as he grabbed her hair again. He tried to hold her still as his other hand moved over her torso, she glared at him and cursed behind the gag. She knew by the fact that he made no move to free her voice, he wasn't looking for answers right now. He was trying to show her, her place and that he was the one in charge, the one with all the power. He moved around her, prowling and sliding his hand over her skin where her shirt had been torn to make the gag. Tessa took in a breath, nearly growling at him and then he shoved her head forward, letting go of her hair. As Maul stepped around her, the look in his eyes nearly made her flinch but she held herself from doing so. The next hit wasn't a complete surprise but he hit her again.. and then again.. and again until she screamed into the cloth tied around her mouth.

The thought of what horrid things the old boy was likely up to made his feet move quickly over the ragged concrete and piled rubble, shadow to shadow, up and over. The sector check-point's beam crossed in front of him and he'd dodged back from it, skirting around its path before it swung back, hugging closely to the wall and hitting the fence. Overhead the sign clearly warned of the voltage its wires carried, but he wasn't deterred. Once he was over the fence the current resumed in a shower of sparks wherever his fingers had grasped hold. The amber flecks sputtered and would likely draw attention but he was already out of view. The thunder had continued as he made his way across the sector but had stopped by the time he'd reached what appeared to be the center of the storm. The clouds still swirled turbulently overhead enough to confirm what he suspected. "Alright, we almost gotcha," he muttered, summing up the building to make his way in.

Let them blame it on the weather. Whatever power they'd borrowed for their soiree was cut and bulb-less sockets spat out sparks as the door burst open. He was in no mood for announcements as he stormed in, taking a swing at anything that moved.

At first when everything went dark, Tessa thought she blacked out but she could still hear and feel. She was awake and in the dark, she even wondered now if she'd blown the power with her storm. At least they'd stopped hitting her, it sounded as if there was some sort of commotion but it was hard to see with only sparks to light the room. She was pretty sure someone had busted through the door.. but who and why? Maul and his men did not seem welcoming and she heard the sounds of fighting and even a couple of shots that rang out until Maul screamed for them not to fire and risk hitting her or him. Using what strength she had left, she twisted her hands into the rope that was tethered in the rafters, using it to pull herself up. Maul was still close and she reached out with her legs - kicking him and then wrapping around his neck, the angle wasn't right to end his miserable existance but she had him and did her best not to let him get away.

He'd dodged the bullets, but he couldn't say so about the so-called guards. The one he'd wrapped his arm around was used as a pin cushion as his helper charged up. That one was carved a new means to breathe his last few breaths, though the wound was quickly cauterized with the glowing knife that had skewered him. Az pulled the knife free to dispatch two more as he made his way into the warehouse that was quickly becoming a trail of simple carnage leading up to Maul, whom he had yet to find. The nightvision served him well but the goggles were beginning to react to the electrical flow through his system. He pulled them down below his chin, keeping them there as added armor if nothing else. Another guard rushed him and found himself arching with the sudden electrical jolt that shorted out his own nerves as Az clasped his face. The quick snap ensured no recovery and Az continued on, throwing the next against the wall with little flourish. If any were left, he wondered if they'd be dumb enough to try him. "Came for the pizza," Az finally said, hoping to flush Maul out for a face off. "Hope you saved me a slice."

If the noise of thrashing, grunting, and swearing didn't lead him to Maul who was held in the grip of Tessa's strong thighs, then he could probably follow the trail of guards to the room they were in. The door was left open and the two inside making plenty of noise as they struggled in the darkness and akward position. Tessa made her own sound of pain now and then as Maul punched her legs, if nothing else she'd be terribly bruised from that. Her face had a few small cuts from the times she'd been hit there and she could taste blood from her lip. She finally had to let go of Maul and he swung at her in the dark, hitting her middle. He called her quite a few nasty names and promised to slice her up once he was done with the disturbance. She flinched as he fired off a shot but realized was shooting in the direction of the door.

[Lovely]

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?! Oh yeah, we're not," he called out, letting Maul know he hadn't been hit by the shot. "Traveling light these days, buddy," he said quietly to the trail he left behind. He put the night-eyes in place as he came quickly through to the dark doorway. No other guards were there or were willing to actually do their job. The sound of something clattering to the floor behind Tessa was followed almost instantly with a blinding flash. The sudden brightness made Maul let go of the girl and reach for his eyes. It likely blinded her for the time being as well if she wasn't ready for it like Az was. With the goggles in place he saw her clearly enough to get her cut down and kick Maul out of the way. Killing him would be too easy. The man had information they would need, but that wasn't his assignment tonight. As soon as Tessa was cut free, Maul was strung in her place by his feet that Az drug out from beneath him with the kick. It wasn't meant to hold him long, but long enough to get Tessa out.

Tessa was disoriented by the flash and then she was grabbed, she felt the tension in the rope lessen and her aching arms dropped, she felt broad shoulders and bulging muscles, it was either one of Maul's henchmen throwing a mutiny or she was being rescued. She hoped for the latter as he let her go and went after Maul, she staggered and nearly fell but caught herself against the wall. She blinked and tried to see them both in the darkness, she gasped as she saw the outline of Maul being strung up where she had been, his head dangling down toward the floor. She untangled her wrists from the ropes and dabbed at her bloody lip.

Maul tried to grapple at the intruder's feet and push himself out of the man's grasp but found himself hog tied to the laces that temporarily secured him to the beams. "Azarius! I know it's you," he seethed as he tried to wriggle free of his boots, well aware he had a couple feet straight down to drop.

Az bent over to look the man in the face with his bug-eyes. "Just like ol' times, in'it?" He twitched a slight shrug then stood and punched the man first across the jaw then into the stomach hard enough that he swung like a punching bag. A faint line began to trickle up the man's face and he stopped struggling for the moment. "Thought he'd learn by now," he said as he reached down to help the girl up. "Time to go. How are the legs?" As if he couldn't see that for himself... they were nice.

She flinched ever so slightly as the man reached for her, she half expected to get hit since that's what had happened quite a bit since they'd taken her. He didn't strike her and seemed to try to steady her, the options were to stay here, try to make it out and home on her own, or go with this man whom she could hardly see in the dark. His voice had something to it, it made her want to laugh with him about his remark toward Maul. "I'll manage.. let's go." She chose option three and hoped it would work out in her favor, her legs were sore but she'd run and jump and climb if she had to.

"Good girl. Watch your step. A few of the boys couldn't hold their beer out here," he warned, not knowing if she could handle the more visible bodies between them and the door. "Keep a look out for more company." More like keep the ears open, he realized, hearing the shuffle to his right. Using the gun he'd pilferred off of Maul, the shot was almost as deafening as the flash had been bright. The 'rat' in the debris stopped moving and he wrapped an arm around Tessa to help her move quickly with him before any other rats started to surface or Maul wriggled free.

[Lovely]

Normally she'd have taken offense to his 'good girl' comment, but she got the sense he didn't mean it as an insult or other dig. "I'd feel alot better if I could see anything or if I had any sort of weapon on me.. I'm not used to being rescued, usually I'm the one doing the rescuing." She explained in a low voice, feeling his arm around her and not minding that either, this whole night was more than weird. She shifted closer to him, acting a little more like someone being rescued and rolling her eyes at herself, she hadn't even seen his face and she was starting to think of ways she could thank him.

"So I heard. You were set up. No offense meant, so hopefully none taken about this, right? Maybe I'll be lucky enough to have you pull me out one of these days, return the favor. Here. Use these," he glanced around the main room then gave her the goggles to help her see where she was as well. "Bullets aren't my favorite, either. Take this too."

"So you are here to rescue me.. damn it.. I almost hoped you were just here to bust his balls.. I guess I will have to find someway to thank you.. later." She adjusted the goggles and pulled the gun into her hand, she handled them well when she chose to, but it wasn't her favorite by any means. "Which way did you come in?" She remained close to him and let him lead the way but started to move on her own and show off some of the training that had kept her alive in situations like this in the past. She heard the sounds coming from the hall and just as the thug stepped into the doorway with his gun ready, she was firing off a shot and dropping him to the floor. He wasn't getting back up and seemed to be just a straggler at this point. "I hate guns." She muttered.

He chuckled a little. "Girl after my own heart. That way, next landing - window, out and up," he said, pointing down the hallway where he'd cabled down to the busted-out glass. It appeared their straggler had just been checking that route, too. "Long as he didn't screw it up for us, we have an express to the roof.'

Her smile curved up a bit at his comment, damn his voice - it had to be the accent. She glanced toward the landing and nodded, knowing that even if the guy had screwed with the cable, she could get them to the roof on her very own express. She didn't show off her wings much, most of the time people didn't even know she had them but they did come in handy sometimes. "Check your gear, if he's messed with it.. I have an idea."

"I like a woman with ideas," he grinned, not used to having anyone care much about him or his gear besides him. "Just no funny stuff or deeds of unnecessary heroism, alright? Like us both back at HQ in one piece and in time for the late show. I'm sure it's fine," he said as they got to the broken out pane and he looked up at the rope that would be easy to miss unless you knew where he'd anchored it. He leaned out carefully to check above and below. "Hope you're not afraid of heights," he mentioned, noting that 'below' was several stories.

"I like a man who likes a woman with ideas." She grinned and kept watch around them as he checked the situation with his gear, glancing at him when he made the comment about heroism. Even in the dark she was sure his ass was too cute not to save, so if she had to she'd do all sorts of unnecessary things... wait was she still thinking about the rescue? "How's it look? I'm not afraid of heights." She made sure to let him know, stepping closer to him as she was more than ready to get out.

"Looks good from here," he said, glancing back at her. "Arms less wobbly? You'll need to hold on good unless you've got a parachute... or a spring in your tail," he mentioned, leaning back a little to see for himself, though she had the advantage of his night eyes at the moment and he was left mostly to a very good imagination. He climbed out to test the rope himself, and anchored his footing to help her out. "Going up? Next stop air fresheners, night lights and lingerie."

"Don't worry, I've got it covered." He probably couldn't see the devilish grin in the dark but it was there and she pulled the goggles down to let them hang around her neck as she reached for him with one arm. She wrapped around his shoulders, her cheek beside his and her other hand pointed down with the gun still held ready. "That's my favorite floor." She whispered and nodded that she was ready for the ride up.