Participants:
Scene Title | The Power of a Name |
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Synopsis | Amato returns to his master, and discusses his encounter with a singularly unique young woman. |
Date | October 8, 2008 |
Long Island City, Eagle Electric
The most notable business collapse in Queens was that of Eagle Electric, a major manufacturer based out of Long Island City for decades, comprised of acres of warehouses and manufacturing plants designed to produce electronic components to suit all sorts of needs. The western warehouse of the Eagle Electric lot is an enormous and foreboding red-painted building made entirely from sheets of ridged steel. Amidst the grass growing up through the cracks in the pavement and the burned out cars in the parking lot, it seems just as uninhabited as the rest of the area. A large and ruined sign at the top of the office and manufacturing building prominently reads, "Eagle Electric—Perfection Is Not An Accident."
With the sun having set hours ago, the poor lighting of the warehouse lends itself to a fitting level of gloom for the occupants it houses. High in the rafters, Munin's companions have settled in for the night, tiny dark shapes in the shadows high above. Through the narrow windows near the roof of the warehouse, shafts of yellowed light shine through from the exterior lamps. These long and dim beams of light create an elaborate pattern of shadows on the ground. One particularly long swath of darkness is cast by the high-backed and cloth-shrouded chair set upon a makeshift dais of wooden palattes and haphazardly laid out cloth tarps.
Seated atop the chair, his cane draped over his lap and one hand covering his brow, Kazimir Volken looks like some somber statue in the lighting, the scarring on his cheeks and the weathered wrinkles on his face giving him the countenance of roughly-cut granite. For his credit, he sits as still as a statue, head bowed either in fatigue or regret. The truth of that, though, is unsaid.
Amato's steps as he makes his way across the abandoned building to the slightly out-of-place chair where his master is seated are quiet. He is still wearing the dark suit, long coat, and dark red scarf that he had on when he encountered Gillian earlier in the day, though there is more need for the warm clothing now than there was then.
The tall, thin Italian gracefully drops to one knee when he reaches the dais, lifting a now gloved hand to rest it on the chair's leg beneath it's shrouding cloth. Amato is silent, waiting to be received before he offers his findings for the day.
When Amato drops to one knee, there is a low, tired sound that rumbles from Kazimir's position upon the chair. His hand moves from his face, eyes slowly turning to view Amato in the uneven lighting that casts him in half shadow. Kazimir regards the man for a time, then straightens in his chair, sliding his cane from his lap to clutch the wolf's head in one hand, tapping the steel tip down on the wood palette with a gentle rap. "Today has been busy, the list narrows by a margin, yet remains a daunting task…" Kazimir lowers his eyes to the floor, as if inspecting Amato's shadow, then lift up to the man again. "How has today found you, my conscience?"
Amato lifts only his eyes, his forehead furrowed with worry. "I have found one, Master, but she will be of no use to the Work. She…I saw more with her. More than the act of the sin, but the story behind it." Amato lets his eyes close, only to open again a moment later. "She does not seem to be the sort that is on this list, though. She let them have her own sister in order to save herself. She has lied about her status more than once."
"Intriguing." Kazimir's chair creaks as he leans back against it, the telltale strain of old wood. "She had a sister?" One brow slowly raises, then lowers as his thoughts shift and change. Rolling his thumb over the cap of his cane, Kazmir's eyes wander the uneven shadows and light, brow furrowing for a moment. "You say you saw more in her presence?" His eyes finally settle back on Amato again. "What do you make of this? You have always been, if nothing else, consistent in your senses." His head cants to the side, as if to view Amato from a slightly different angle. "What made the difference?"
"I think perhaps she did, Master." Amato lifts his head a bit then, in order to better look Kazimir in the eye. "She knew something was going on, which has never happened before. Her sister was this 'Registered,' however, and so perhaps in frightening away one demon, we shall vanquish another?"
Kazimir listens, his focus as intent as his gaze, an unflinching blue that much as Amato has often seen, contains more compassion that most would imagine Kazimir capable of despite his laundry list of deeds that speak otherwise. "Did she give you a name?" He consider that for a moment, "Names are such powerful things aren't they? Knowing even but one can open so many doors that once remained closed, unlock a vault of secrets that was better left closed…" He shakes his head once, slowly, rubbing one hand over his brow for a moment after his words trail off, eyes half-lidding in momentary weariness.
Amato nods at that, his face relaxing the slightest bit. "Not willingly. She is Gillian Childs." The name given, Amato tilts his head to one side with curiosity and concern. "Something troubles you?" He stands, but it is slow, and Amato takes a step away in the process.
"Childs…" Kazimir rolls the name over for a moment, closing his eyes and slowly nodding before straightening his back and rising from his chair slowly when Amato does. His right hand grips the steel wolf's head tightly, and he looks down at Amato, slowly taking a few steps forward until he is able to step down off of the wooden palette, putting himself on an even level with his inquisitor. "Nothing troubles me except the size of our task…" His eyes wander for a moment, "And tiredness, but those two troubles resolve one another, do they not." He looks back up to Amato, considering the man's presence for a short time.
"You have done well, as you always do." He turns his head, looking towards one of the large and open freight doors that lead out to the empty lot. "Give Munin my regards should you see her before I do, I worry she may have difficulty acclimating herself to this foreign city…" His gaze turns back to Amato, level and focused, "You may go."
Amato bends at the waist when he is praised by his master, hiding the pride that would pull a grin onto any other man's face. "Thank you, master. I shall look after her." Amato has his own reasons for wanting to keep Munin away from the temptations of the city, and Kazimir's blessing only makes it easier. Not turning his back until he is halfway to the door he came in, Amato leaves the warehouse to do just that.
As Amato turns to leave the warehouse, Kazimir remains silent, watching the Italian's retreating form until it departs the warehouse. Once his conscience is gone, his eyes divert down to his own long shadow, watching it for a moment before beginning to walk deeper into the warehouse with slow and measured steps, "Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going." The quote brings a faint smile to his lips, and slowly the light begins to dim around Kazimir, casting the man into nothing but a dark silhouette, and the shining silver wolf's head of his cane.
October 7th: Quiet as the... |
Previously in this storyline… Next in this storyline… |
October 7th: Bloody Hands, Clean Feet |