Rumors

If one were to step inside of the small, nondescript Chinese restaurant whose entrance is located in a barely lit back alley of New York, and walk through to a an equally dark hallway, past the bathrooms and the kitchen, to an unmarked door and open it, they would a narrow staircase leading up two flights. The walls are covered in a patterned, faded-green wallpaper that is peeling at the edges and the wooden steps are uneven and worn from years of use. At the top of the stairs stands a tall, muscular bouncer with dark skin and a mean gaze who won't say a word until he is shown him what he wants to see, at which point he will step aside and open the door. Heavy bass will fill the air, the multicolored lights flash and swivel about a stylishly decorate club floor, equipped with a long bar and wall to wall mirrors. This is Rumors, a members only club for mutants.

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Aww crap... why the hell was she even following this note? Lirerial thought nervously to herself as she hesitantly walked up some rickety stairs. The invite was carefully folded and tucked into the back pocket of her jeans. Who was she kidding? She knew exactly why she was here. She was hoping maybe she would find someone who knew her from before, even though she was rapidly becoming disillusioned of the idea. What type of person had she been to be invited here? Shit. Maybe she should just turn around and leave. She glanced up, ready to turn around but realized that she was already standing in front of the bouncer. She froze, staring up at him, though thankfully her normally silver eyes were obscured by brown contacts.

The bouncer looked down at Lirerial with a cocked brow, but did not say a word. He seemed to be waiting for her to do or say something. After a moment of silence he shifted his weight to his other foot and grimaced. Suddenly she could hear a voice, like a soft, cool wind, inside her head. "You need an invitation."

"Oh!" Lirerial exclaimed and pulled the invitation from her pocket. As she was handing the paper to the bouncer it suddenly occurred to her that he hadn't spoken out loud and she couldn't help but stare. Was he another mutant? She blinked rapidly as if the contacts covering her her mutation was irritating her eyes.

He looked at it without taking it, his eyes momentarily flitting back up to her face before stepping aside and giving a jerk of his head towards the entrance as he pushed the door open for her. Inside was fairly quiet, the music kept to a minimum, and it seemed that the only other person manning the place was a tall and busty red-head behind a well lit bar.

Lirerial stepped through the doorway cautiously and glanced around curiously. Something in her made her study her surroundings, though she didn't have a clue what she was looking for. She approached the bar and even though she felt like a nervous wreck inside, she listened to her instinct that it probably was not wise to act that way. She leaned against the bar and her eyes flicked over the red head, "What is this place?" She asked curiously even though she was hoping the girl would somehow recognize her.

The woman, who looked to be in her mid-forties judging by the fine wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, turned her head to look at Lirerial and raised a brow. "You must be here to see Rome." She commented before looking back down to the glasses she was shining, "He's with someone right now. Why don't you have a seat while you wait, I'll pour you a drink."

"Ok." Lirerial answered as she silently wondered who Rome was. She was about to ask for something strong when an overwhelming feeling of wrongness settled over her and she sighed, "Can I just get some water please?" She asked almost grudgingly as she gave into the feeling and decided to avoid the chance of intoxication.

Giving a shrug, then a nod, the woman set a glass down on the bar, shoveled a bit of ice into it and filled with water. "You can call me Red, everyone here does." She added with a raise of her thin-plucked brows, then continued on to answer the previous question "This is Rumors. It's a club for mutants."

"So what are you?" Came a soft voice in Lirerial's ear. Seemingly out of no where had appeared a young woman of mixed race with light brown skin and shaggy hair dyed a shocking red. Her eyes reflected a stormy blue-grey in the light, the smile on her face was wide and infectious. She wore a form fitting grey button-up with black buttons and blue detailing, skin tight blue jeans, boots, and a plethora of necklaces and bracelets.

"Mutants? Like actual mutants?" Lirerial almost squeaked in relief. She ran her hands through her silvery hair and then flinched around when someone appeared at her shoulder. Her hand instinctively slapped to her side, reaching for the knife that was no longer there. Her movements were faster than average and gave away at least a portion on her powers, though she was reluctant to share the rest. "I am Lirerial?" She answered, not sure what the girl was asking.

The odd girl let out an amused chuckle and side-stepped around Lire with her hands jammed in her pockets. "Well duh. I know who you are, but- what do you do?" As she said those last words she leaned in close enough that all the woman could see was her face.

"Lucy what did we tell you about sneaking up on guests? It's rude." Red remarked dryly, then paused and glance over to a door on the far right, above which was a red dome light that suddenly changed to blue. The door opened and out walked a man who looked to be in his late seventies with a shaved head adorned with several flesh colored horns. As he walked past the bar to the exit he gave the girls, Lire in particular, a wide smile that reveled multiple rows of teeth that had been filed to points and donned an old-fashioned bowler hat in keeping with the suit he wore.


After he had left Red looked to Lirerial and gave a nod to the room he had just vacated. "Looks like he's ready to meet with you now. Go on in kid." Lucy, who had since leaned back against the edge of the bar with a crooked grin of her own, pushed off against it and hooked her arms in Lire's, attempting to walk her over

"You know who I am?" Lirerial asked as it it registered in her mind. She'd only been out of the hospital for a month or so. She would gladly give 20 years off her life to know why she reached for something that she must've constantly carried. She wanted to know what type of person she had been, though sadly, considering her nightmares, she doubted it would be good. When the man walked by... Rome? She allowed Lucy to lead her, swallowing hard in anticipation.

"Of course we know." Lucy replied with a soft laugh, "Rome knows everything." She opened the door and ushered Lire inside, the blue light blinking back to red as they passed through. The hallway it opened up to was dark and long, but it lead into well adorned room with a small, but lavish bar and a single table surrounded by red leather seating. Lounging at this table was an extremely hansom man in his early thirties with short-cropped, brown hair and dark blue eyes. He was leaning back with his legs spread apart, a cigarette dangling between his lips, but when he noticed the girls entering pulled it out with two fingers and stood slowly, exhaling the smoke as he rose. "Good evening. Glad you could join me." He said as he proffered Lire a smile.

"Ummm..." Lirerial started but then fell silent when she caught sight of the man behind the door. She immediately dropped her gaze, sadly a gesture that was familiar even though for different reasons. "I... umm... no problem." She finally offered. She wanted to slap herself in the forehead, but she was feeling a bit to unsure for comfort. What was going on? Why was she even here?

Rome gestured to the cushioned seats that circled the table and raised his brows. "Please, have a seat. I'm sure you are wondering why I've invited you here." Lucy slid in opposite of her boss, making herself comfortable by propping her boots up on the table as she leaned back and propped her arms up on the edge of the seats behind her. He gave her a bemused look, then chuckled softly and shook his head. "Red would not be pleased." He commented to the red-headed girl. She responded by giving a sort of shrug and rolling her neck side to side to crack it.

"That did come to mind..." Lire answered carefully as she sat down across from him and crossed her legs. She was studying him intently, watching and waiting for anything to show that he might recognize her. She was feeling off, like she should have something but didn't and she was reminded once more of the way she'd reached for her side only a few moments before. "Why did you call me here?" She asked finally as she watched them both. In a way she would've preferred Lucy to leave the room so she could speak to this man in private.

Another chuckle from her host. The man looked at her for a long moment with a half-smile plastered on his face before speaking again. "How is your recovering coming Lirerial? I understand you were recently in a rather serious accident." The sympathetic expression on his face appeared genuine, even as he leaned into the table and poured himself a drink. Lucy seemed to perk up and leaned in as well, but when she reached for a glass he playful slapped her hand away and gave a jerk of his head towards the hallways they'd come through. "Why don't you have Red make you something Lucretia." The girl made a face and stuck her tongue out at him.

"I hate when you call me that." He didn't reply, though his eyebrows rose up expectantly until she finally stood with a huff and stalked out of the room.

"Yes.... yes I was." Lire admitted cautiously. She was still feeling on edge, it the feeling that she was missing something was vastly uncomfortable. "Do you know who I am? How did you know that?" She finally asked him, and waited for the answer while he sent the other woman out. She was feeling like a drink herself, even though every instinct seemed to scream at her not to distract herself from the stranger in front of her.

Rome leaned back against the red cushion, taking a sip from his glass and a drag from his cigarette as he watched her stumble through her words. "I do actually." He finally said, the smoke tendrilling out from his mouth as he spoke. "Ah- how rude of me, could I pour you drink?" He asked her suddenly, though he sat up and began pouring her one without even waiting for a reply.

"I..ummm.. yea sure." Lire started and finished lamely when she realized he was pouring her a drink regardless of her answer. It took her a second to realize what he'd said and she suddenly leaned forward, "Then tell me! I hate this! I can't remember who I am or was! At least tell me what type of person I was!" She blurted out. Crap... She almost immediately regretted the outburst and, despite the part of her screaming not to, she took the drink, as soon as he finished pouring it and quickly downed it.

The man sitting across from her tilted his head as words and questions poured out of her, bringing his smoke to his lips for another puff and alternating it with a drink from his own glass. He then watched as she downed it with a hint of a frown on his face, perhaps noting her anxiety. "Please, relax." Rome replied as he sat back, making a gesture with his hands as he spoke. "I won't be the one to answer those questions, but what I can tell you is that I am something of an information broker. I collect knowledge; deal with it as a kind of currency. So yes, I know you and I know what you are capable of." He paused to let her digest his words before continuing. "So I invited you here to ask for your assistance in a rather... delicate matter."

Well that hope flew out the window. Lire thought silently to herself. She was making herself look stupid, stumbling around with her words as if she was a child. He was a knowledge broker? Hmpf, perhaps hanging him by his feet while she skinned him alive would convince him to give her the answers she wanted. Suddenly she blinked, horrified by the gruesome thought that had invaded her mind. "What do you need my help with?" She asked quietly as she ignored the dark little voice that seemed to whisper in her mind. "And what do I get in return?" She added.

He was watching her again, another smile forming into a very subtle smirk until she asked what the job was, at which point he eased back and cleared his throat. "I need you to retrieve something for me; a small item, of no importance to anyone but myself." He dipped his fingers into the pocket of his slack and pulled out a thin piece of paper folded in half, handing it to her and catching her gaze with his. This wasn't the first time he'd done it while they'd conversed, but this time he let it linger with a barely-there grin on his face. "Your window of opportunity is slim I'm afraid. If you haven't brought it back to me by six am I'll consider it a loss and you'll have no need to return here."

He wanted her to steal something? What in god's name made her think she was a thief? Lire asked herself as she watched him. Not for the first time she was wishing that she hadn't worn contacts, she would've liked nothing better to freeze him in place. "I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong idea." She heard herself say, "I don't do any type of work without payment, and you have yet to tell me exactly what I will get in return." She finished off as she tapped a nail against her empty glass. It was still unnerving to her, the way her body and habits seemed to belong to someone other than her. She wasn't even sure how she could steal something, she was certain her habits wouldn't take her so far as to actually help her do something like that.

"What would you like?" He countered quickly. "Information? Jewels? Money?" Again, he leaned in, his face as hansom as ever in the dim light, but his eyes glinting with well kept secrets. "Name it Lirerial, and if it's a fair price I'll give it to you upon return of my possession. I have complete faith in you." Rome stared at the woman across from him for a long time, waiting for an answer. He set the piece of paper on the table in front of her and tapped it a couple times for effect.

"Information. Tell me who I am and how you know of me." Lire demanded as she leaned forward and took the paper and unfolded it. She wanted to see what the job was before she even accepted. "I also want to know why you even think this is a job I can do?"

"Ah, but that's worth much, much more than what I'm asking you to steal. " Rome let out a good natured laugh and gave a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm afraid you'll have to lower your price. As to your second question, let me frank. I know what you are capable of, as I've already said, so I know that this job will be, if anything, far too easy for you. Regardless, would you be so kind as to humor me?"

Lire was rapidly starting to dislike this man. The idea of being laughed at was frustrating in the least and infuriating at the most. Her fingers twitched, dying to wrap themselves around his throat and force him to tell her the information she desperately wanted, instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. In return I want a favor, called on when I need it." She said calmly, refusing to allow a hint of her emotions to show on her face. The job in its self was a clue to her past life... possibly she'd been some type of thief if he thought the job would be easy.

"Within reason." He was quick to remind her as he leaned in to pour another drink, peering up at her from beneath neatly trimmed brows. "Now, there are stipulations." Rome added after taking in a slow breath. "No one dies. It's okay if they see you- as long as you bring me back what I ask for, but no one can get hurt, not seriously anyway." A slight smile was added for effect. "Lucretia will get you in and be your ride out."

Lire nodded determinedly. "Why would I kill anyone? I couldn't imagine doing that." She said and even managed to sound shocked that it would even be a condition. "I'll be back when its done." She promised and stood to leave. "Is that all?"

Rome nodded, smiled, then raised his glass to her in a kind of mock toast, but said nothing else. Lucretia, or Lucy as she seemed to prefer to be called, was waiting for Lire just outside the doors. "So, you take on the job then?" She asked, though her knowing smirk suggested she already knew the answer.

Lire nodded. "Just take me to the place." She said, not really paying the girl much attention. She was already lost in her thoughts, not quite sure what to do or where to start about the whole thing but she knew she had to at least try.

Lucy nodded and then lead Lire through a different door behind the bar marked "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY", through a kitchen and then another door, this one hidden in a freezer, and down a couple flight of stairs into a barley lit corridor. "Cool huh?" She commented as they walked, indicating the passageway they were in. "Rome's got a lot of secret exits in case something goes down."

"Yea. Sure." Lire answered distractedly. She was still lost in her thoughts; she was far from pleased about the current situation and she had the distinct feeling that she'd been manipulated into taking the job. She was just ready to get to the place and maybe even find out something about herself.

At the end of the passageway was a red door; when Lucy opened it, it lead into the basement of a parking garage. The other girl dipped into the pocket of her leather jacket and pulled out a set of keys. She pressed a button an a black mustang flashed its lights a couple times. "There's my baby." She crooned with a smile as they approached the vehicle. To Lire she said: "Get in." then hopped into the drivers seat.

Lire slid into the passenger seat and waited for the girl to take her to the place she needed to be. "Where are we going?" She finally asked Lucy curiously. She wanted to know, she was tired of being kept in the dark and she was rapidly getting annoyed with the situation.

"Downtown." Was all Lucy said in reply, a wicked smirk across her face as she put the car in gear and whipped out of the parking spot. After drifting around the turns on the parking garage she slowed to check the vehicle out and pulled it onto the streets of New York. "So, watcha think of Rome?" She asked, seemingly out of the blue.

Well fuck, they were going to do. It was like Lucy had no regard for human life as she drifted around the corners, once they reached the street though Lire was able to calm down. "Honestly? I think he's annoying and knows to much for his own good." Lire answered sourly. She was still sore that he wouldn't give her the information she needed.