Logfile from Brass&Steel.


Long distance to Roger: Zach | Cellphone starts making cheerful noises in
your jacket. (I'm starting scene here with trying to phone you. Pick up
whenever.)

From afar, Roger nods "Give me a few more minutes.

It's a cold night in Kansas City. The clouds hang low over the city, but
the winds are starting to carry them away. Just outside the Granada
Theater, one Professor Lucian Szabo can be seen, leaning against his car
and smoking his pipe, coat bundled around him. A frown is etched deeply on
his face.

It's a cold evening in KC as one of Our Heroes makes his way out from the
Batcave. He's dragging his jacket tightly around himself, and seems to be
rummaging in his pockets for something. A muffled curse can be heard for
those standing close as he grabs a heap of junk mail that somehow has
taken up residence outside his door and brings it down to chuck in the
bin. From his pocket he fishes out a cellphone and dials a number as he
starts walking along the pavement. There's a definite look of annoyance on
his usually so cheerful face.

Two unhappy Celestials - a Hero and... well, he'd like to consider himself
the Hero of his particular drama, but he's the Villain in most everyone
ELSE'S. Still, he continues to puff on the pipe, looking up and down the
street. He eyes the Granada's posters, and with a sigh, considers the joys
of going to see Casablanca. Deep within that black soul lives a
dyed-in-the-wool Humphrey Bogart fan. Still, he looks up and down the
street, his free hand resting in one pocket, waiting on a cell call
himself.

Zach's frown is deepening and his level of annoyance is rising. Really,
have the world in general and the phnonee in particular no respect at all
for the toils of a Hero? It's with some trepidation he walks around to his
tow truck, whick is parked near the old cinema. He slowly walks around it,
gritting his teeth and not even bothering to hide the murderous look that
darkens his face from frown to mad scowl. A string of intense, inventive
curses can be heard by passers by. And all the time he's got that
cellphone pressed to his ear.

Lucian scans the crowd, and his eyes linger again on the truck... and now
the owner of the truck. He sighs, and murmurs something soft under his
breath. It might be something like, 'Of all the Djinn joints in all the
towns in all the world, he had to drive into mine.' Or maybe not. Lucian's
sense of humor is only so well-developed. He casts an frown at his pipe,
which has picked precisely the wrong moment to go out. Grumbling, he sets
to relighting the piece.

From afar, Roger grumbles "Traci's idling"

Zach bends down at the back of his car, inspecting the damage that has,
once again, been done to his beloved truck. How he could love a truck is
anybody's guess, but he's known to be a bit of an exentric when it comes
to machinery, so hey. "Damn....assho......cking....stupid....spank..." is
heard as the curses keep coming in a steady stream. The rear lights have
been destroyed and the number plate's been painted over.

Roger pages: ok, roger is answering his phone

It seems like Zach is actually speaking all these curses into his phone..

From afar, Roger answers his phone "Hello?

Long distance to Roger: Zach | Zach's voice drifts over the line.
"...fucking deadbrained, brainwashed, drugaddeled, stupid vermin could use
a good spanking and if I /ever/ get my hands on the sick fuck who... What?
Roger? Oh hey! Finally decided to pick up didya?"

Now, this, perhaps, was worth waiting for. A broad, feral smile comes
across Lucian's face, and he cradles the bowl of the pipe in one
long-fingered hand as he watches Zach review the damage done to the truck.
With a shake of his head, he gives in to temptation and begins wandering
towards the truck.

Roger pages: hmm I hope you're not talking about me. Sorry, I was kinda
busy."

Zach straightens up and thumps a frustrated fist on the truck, immediately
feeling guilty about it. Ain't the truck's fault after all. He talks into
his phone. "No I wasn't, actually. Where are you?" His voice sounds a bit
edged and snappish.

Long distance to Roger: Zach sounds a bit edgy and snappish for some
reason. "No I wasn't, actually. Where are you?"

Roger pages: Everything ok?" He ingores the "where are you question"

Long distance to Roger: Zach grumbles. "No everything ain't okay! Some
kids've been having a go at my truck for God knows which time in the last
few weeks dammit!"

Lucian stops, a few paces away from Zach, and simply watches. His free
hand slips back into his pocket. He watches, and waits, perhaps enjoying
being the Tall Ominous Figure In Black for the time being. He DOES look
terribly dashing in that coat.

Zach grumbles. "No everything ain't okay! Some kids've been having a go at
my truck for God knows which time in the last few weeks dammit!"

From afar, Roger frowns "What happened? Does it still run?

Zach hasn't notices tall, blond and gruesome yet... Too bad. He's spoiling
for a fight..

You paged Roger with 'Yeah it still runs. They've been smashing the rear
lights and painting over the number plate. Petty stuff like that. Now
where the hell are you, man?!'.

Exactly what Lucian has been hoping to provoke. And in a public place, no
less. He takes a few steps around to the side of the truck, and,
extinguishing his pipe, proceeds to empty it by tapping the bowl of the
pipe, gently, against the door of the vehicle.

"Yeah it still runs. They've been smashing the real lights and painting
over the number plate. Petty stuff like that. Now where the hell are you,
man?!"

From afar, Roger sounds slightly uncomfortable "Umm over at 41st and
Terrace." OOC: which I asumme you know is where Traci lives"

Lucian makes a mental note: next time, have his minions research ways to
mess with the truck's innards. Lucian doesn't know anything about this,
although he does recall something in a book about clogging tailpipes. Hmm.
The pipe disappears back into his pocket.

Zach turns around at that sound and goes completely still. His eyes blaze
with a mad fire, boring into the Tall Thin One, promising...Interesting
Times ahead. Such fury, such divine fury... Into his phone he hisses: "Get
out of there NOW. That's a fucking ORDER! And now /he's/ here too.
Damnation! Get OUT you stupid fuck!!" Then he hangs up. "And to what do I
owe /this/ particular pleasure?"

Long distance to Roger: Zach goes absolutely still for a few moments, then
he draws his breath and hisses with an intense voice the likes of whoch
you've never heard from him before: "Get out of there NOW. That's a
fucking ORDER! And now /he's/ here too. Damnation! Get OUT you stupid
fuck!!" Then he hangs up.

You paged Roger with 'OOC: I do indeed. :) And Zach's bit stressed out
right now. A certain shedite has been messing with his life for a while..
;P'.

Lucian smiles, pleasantly. "Actually, I merely have business on this side
of Kansas City this evening. Is it not possible that I merely wished to
pay a social call?" Ah, Lucian, the image of pleasantness this evening.

You paged Roger with 'You know that Zach parks his truck near his flat.
That's in the vincinity of Grenada Theatre. And wasn't he muttering
something about doing a lot of night shifts this week...?'.

Roger arrives along Minnesota.

Roger pulls up near Zach's apartment building, somehow managing to find a
parking spot.

<OOC> Lucian says, "It's that Movie Law. ;)"

<OOC> Roger says, "yep, very handy :)"

Lucian just looked at you.

Zach walks up real close and personal to the professor and the professors
Aroma. "Oh really. And what the hell kind of business would you have in
/my/ back yard? Any kind of social calls would be greatly undesired.
Unless you're here to take up my offer?" He looks like he distinctly hopes
that this is _not_ the case...

	Tall and thin, the gentleman at hand stands some six-foot-five
inches, but weighs likely no more than one hundred and sixty pounds.
Vibrant, sapphire-blue eyes gleam brightly against his otherwise pale
complexion. Though he otherwise seems no older than perhaps thirty-five,
snow white hair falls down to his shoulders, where it curls just a touch
at the end, clearly the product of either quality genetics or expert
hairstylists. When he smiles, his teeth are perfectly even, gleaming
brightly - again, either genetics or dentistry, but either way an
exceptional result. His soft-skinned, long-fingered hands end in perfect
nails, with nary a speck of dirt or dust to be found on them.
	He wears a dark blue button-down, one clearly of high quality,
based on the cut. The material is even of pleasant texture, feeling
somewhat like suede. His slacks are well-cut khakis, neatly hemmed, with a
leather belt. Black polished shoes sparkle. Completing the ensemble is a
fine tweed jacket, perfect down to the leather patches on the elbows, and
the faint - but strangely pleasant - aroma of pipesmoke.
	Over the ensemble, Lucian wears a long, thick black coat with a
bit of fur lining the collar.

Lucian's smile doesn't even flicker. "Actually, you being here is,
perhaps, coincidence. I happen to like the Granada Theater. Do you like
Casablanca?" His tone is light, airy - one might even call it arrogantly
so.

To (Lucian, Zach), Roger pages: how far are you from Zach's apartment?>

You paged (Roger, Lucian) with 'We're in front of Grenada theather. Across
the road and about a block up the street I belive?'.

From afar, to (Lucian, Zach): Roger nods

Roger approches Zach's apartment and rings the doorbell looking rather
worried. There is no sounds from within the appartment. No answer.

Roger rings the bell again and frowns, turning away, scaning the street
for Zach's truck.

Zach is nose to nose with Lucian at this point. Slowly he growls, "Yeah. I
was /there/ you know. Now what the hell is it you want, you slimy son of a
phlegmpool?"

Ah, the advantage of standing above street level! You can see the yellow
tow truck standing about a block further up the street. More or less in
front of the Grenada. And isn't that someone standing on the other side of
it? Or...?

Lucian makes a noise that could almost approach a coo. "Mister Ellis," he
says reproachfully, "you are displaying such violent tendencies. Here I
thought you were a touch more... refined... than most of your ilk." He
shakes his head. "I suppose I should have known better, but I dared hope
that the touch of a master craftsman could have produced something that,
at the core, was more than merely an overeager thug." He shakes his head.
"I would weep for the little unicorns."

Roger spots the truck and starts to jog over, squinting slightly to see
who's standing near it.

Zach lifts a hand and caresses Lucian's cheek gently, lovingly, bloody
disturbingly... "You would? How? By stuffing an oven inside your chest to
defrost your heart and applying a hair dryer to your face to defrost your
tear channels? I can help you with that, you know, sweetcheeks..."

Lucian takes a step back, out of Zach's reach. "Actually, I had in mind
merely recalling the compelling images of herds of them running through
the Marches, chased by your dear brethren, flaming blades in hand," he
replies, softly. "After all, genocide is the specialty of your breed."
Lucian's eyes glitter with his own brand of hatred and mockery. "Tell me,
when you were in Casablanca, did those blond locks come with a Seig Heil,
or were you too busy getting stoned and chasing skirts to recall there was
a war on at all?"

Roger approches two the of the slowly, now that he can see who they are.
He pauses to take in the situation.

Lucian has taken a step backwards, just out of arm's reach of Zach. The
two are clearly bickering, but Lucian's keeping his temper just a bit
better than Zach. Of course, the damage to Zach's truck may have something
to do with the mechanic's ire...

Roger pages: how bad does your truck look?

Zach slowly lowers his hand, forcing his fingers to not form a tight ball
of impending pain. He is not /quite/ shivering in rage. Yet. Nostrils are
aflare and eyes are ablaze. "Neither, serpent. I worked with resistance."

You paged Roger with 'Smashed rear lights, number plates painted black and
someone's run a sharp coin down one side of the truck.'.

Roger eyes Zach and Lucian carefuly, staying well out of range.

Lucian's eyes flicker to the side, noting Roger's arrival momentarily. He
returns his attention to Zach, and he laughs. "Of course you did. Le
Resistance did many noble things in Casablanca... why, I am certain it was
almost as noble as those who were genuinely busy getting on about the
business of the war in Europe... almost."  Lucian's frame, beneath his
coat, is stiff as a board as well. Onlookers are starting to stare
wonderingly at the leather-clad mechanic and the white-haired man in the
long coat, who are bickering about... World War II?

Roger eyes dart between them and his fists clench slightly.

Zach hisses angrily, "I was there too. We went all over Europe in those
years. And if you read your history better, Liar, you'll notice that it
was a World War. In other words, it went on not just on the European
continent. Which North Africa is rather close to. And genocide - that's a
word reserved for actual, sentinent beings. Not over-powered dreams
preying on their creators."

Roger steps forward and says softly, glaring at Lucian "Well Snake, what
were *you* doing during the war?

Lucian smiles. This is still his battleground. For the moment, he ignores
Roger. "Of course, the dead do not have much call to defend themselves now
against your allegations, nu? After all, you have with a word deemed them
unworthy of existence," he says, shaking his head. "However, you have
declared only yourself and humanity fit to exist." He chuckles. "The irony
is that you would call me arrogant for my determination."

<OOC> Lucian was busy trying to find the right way to dodge out of
Lucian's answer to Roger's question, and finally gave up and ignored it.
;)

<OOC> Roger grins

You say, "Not arrogant. Just broken into a worse condition that my truck.
You need to be repaired, just like all those of your ilk."

<OOC> Zach has to go in a few. Work calls. :)

<OOC> Roger sighd

<OOC> Lucian says, "Alas. Then again, I probably ought to actually get
SLEEP. :p"

<OOC> Zach says, "So why don't Roger just go ahead and arrest us all! :)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Please. I'm a Demon. I've got lawyers on speed-dial...
;)"

Roger says, "because arguing isn't against the law :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "Who are we waiting for?"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Roger."

<OOC> Zach pokes Roger!

Roger scowls at Lucian "Coward, can't even answer a simple question can
you. What were you doing? Guarding the camps?

Lucian purses his lips. Darn yapping humans. "If you simply MUST have the
answer to your terribly pedestrian question, I spent much of that decade
and the succeeding one busy assisting in the management a rather extensive
development project that involved a great deal of my direct, personal
attention in my homeland," he answers with more than a minor hint of
irritation. "Are you quite satisfied?"

Roger hisses softly "Not really. But I'll drop it I suppose."

Zach snorts to Lucian. "I onther words: You weren't allowed up on Earth
yet, demonling" He looks at his watch, curses and suddently runs off to
his appartment at top speed. When he returns, he's carrying a big toolbox
containing all sorts of nifty toos that he'd love to try out in new and
inventive ways on Lucian's scaly person. But not right now, unfortunately.
He unlocks his car, tears the door open and stuffs the box inside. "As
much as I'd love to stand here and flirt with you Lucian, my one and only,
I have to go to work. Roger - you need a lift?"

From afar, Lucian grins and applauds. 7 Forces and working as a senior
clerk to a Baron in one of Stygia's larger cities. ;)

Roger shakes his head at Zach "I have my own, thanks"

Lucian chuckles. "Do be careful, Mister Ellis. It would be disappointing
for you, I am certain, if your superiors found fault with the rather
ill-kept condition of your truck... or the masquerading of your license
plate." He smiles, and shakes his head.

You paged Lucian with 'See? My Knowledge: Lucian-speek is comeing along
nicely! :)'.

Lucian pages: Tee hee.

Roger turns back to Lucian, his eyes cold "I got a message saying that you
wanted me to call you."

Zach hops into the truck and starts the engine, gunning it to a roar.
"They won't. And Roge - haven't you had enough excitement for tonight?"
*vroom-VROOOOM!!*

Roger glances at Lucian and walks over to Zach muttering to him over the
sound of the engine

Roger mutters to Zach, "... going on?"

Roger whispers "whats going on?"

Lucian nods his head to Roger, and waits for him to return so he can pass
along the message that led him to KCK tonight.

You whisper "You just came from the lustie, right. And now you wanna talk
to a balseraph? Be careful son. Walk away.." to Roger.

<OOC> Zach has to run!

<OOC> Roger waves!

<OOC> Lucian says, "See ya, Zach!"

Roger mutters to Zach, "... her... anyting. Got some..."

Roger whispers "Hey I didn't sleep with her or anyting. Got some usufell
info though,"

Zach nods tiredly to Roger and closes the door, as he backs out from the
parking place he manages to nearly snag Lucian. Oh, if I coulda just
slammed him with a door... He drives off.

You whisper "Okay. We'll talk later." to Roger.

<OOC> Zach says, "Thanks for the rp!"

<OOC> Roger waves


	...closing time...