The Streets of LA, Saturday Night
Nov. 29th, 2014 05:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gunslingerposeSo, Thanksgiving with Nikolai's family had gone fairly well. His mother had scolded him for vanishing for so long without saying anything, as was absolutely her right to do. Then he'd spent a little while dodging questions about whatever that mysterious sickness was that had left him with eyes so sensitive that he had to wear shades all the time. From there, there had been a lot of catching up to do, a lot of family to catch up with, his sister and his brother telling him all about the cousins and nieces and nephew and informing him that in no uncertain terms, he was going to have to hang out with the kids while he was here if he was planning on going back to that middle-of-nowhere town in Maryland again this week. Thursday had been busy, and while Friday hadn't exactly been slow either, full of quality time with his brother's kids, today was really Nikolai's first chance to have some time to himself since portalling clear across the country for the holiday.
Today had started with a visit to his much-neglected apartment, leading to the revelation that he was going to have to have someone come in just to clean up almost two years of dust. The place was nasty. But after giving his sheets a wash, at least his bed could be slept in, which meant he'd have somewhere to crash tonight. He had a shower, just for the sake of showering in his own damn apartment for the first time in a while, and then he'd called a few of his clients to tell them that he was in town, and to schedule a few meetings with them in person to discuss what directions they wanted to take their careers in the future. Supper had been a pit-stop at a hole in the wall diner that had been a guilty pleasure of his for years, and another hour was spent catching up with the waitress there who had practically mentored him in the ways of the ladies back when he was still an awkward little high school brat contemplating where the hell he wanted to go in life.
And then, all that aside, came the really important part. He'd been gone for a couple of years, but so far as Gorgon was concerned, he'd never been here before at all. And his sister had been complaining about gang activity near where she lived, courtesy of the South Seventeens. Drug activity entirely too close to home, getting bad enough that they were afraid to let the kids walk to school these days. Shit, when the hell had the neighborhood gone so far downhill? He couldn't remember it ever being great, but flipping through a newspaper at supper time had struck a nerve that was jangling even as he set out to spend an evening on the town.
A few thwarted muggings later, and a figure in a long black leather duster was moving across the rooftops at a superhuman pace, quietly wishing he'd brought his motorbike across the country with him, but thrilling in the ability to get out there and do something in the city he called home all the same. Nikolai could worry about everything from his family to his career to whether or not he even wanted to bother booking a portal home tomorrow.
Tonight, Gorgon was making his Los Angeles debut.
[NFB for distance, but open for phone calls or anyone who has any reason to be in Nikolai's LA. He'll be going the merry way of the expat from here, probably with the occasional pit-stop to the island for old time's sake.]
Today had started with a visit to his much-neglected apartment, leading to the revelation that he was going to have to have someone come in just to clean up almost two years of dust. The place was nasty. But after giving his sheets a wash, at least his bed could be slept in, which meant he'd have somewhere to crash tonight. He had a shower, just for the sake of showering in his own damn apartment for the first time in a while, and then he'd called a few of his clients to tell them that he was in town, and to schedule a few meetings with them in person to discuss what directions they wanted to take their careers in the future. Supper had been a pit-stop at a hole in the wall diner that had been a guilty pleasure of his for years, and another hour was spent catching up with the waitress there who had practically mentored him in the ways of the ladies back when he was still an awkward little high school brat contemplating where the hell he wanted to go in life.
And then, all that aside, came the really important part. He'd been gone for a couple of years, but so far as Gorgon was concerned, he'd never been here before at all. And his sister had been complaining about gang activity near where she lived, courtesy of the South Seventeens. Drug activity entirely too close to home, getting bad enough that they were afraid to let the kids walk to school these days. Shit, when the hell had the neighborhood gone so far downhill? He couldn't remember it ever being great, but flipping through a newspaper at supper time had struck a nerve that was jangling even as he set out to spend an evening on the town.
A few thwarted muggings later, and a figure in a long black leather duster was moving across the rooftops at a superhuman pace, quietly wishing he'd brought his motorbike across the country with him, but thrilling in the ability to get out there and do something in the city he called home all the same. Nikolai could worry about everything from his family to his career to whether or not he even wanted to bother booking a portal home tomorrow.
Tonight, Gorgon was making his Los Angeles debut.
[NFB for distance, but open for phone calls or anyone who has any reason to be in Nikolai's LA. He'll be going the merry way of the expat from here, probably with the occasional pit-stop to the island for old time's sake.]
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Date: 2014-11-30 01:59 pm (UTC)Road flares were catching on, apparently. He was even a little flattered. Even if Banzai was getting all the credit.
Brickface - Rocky, whatever - started to come around again just as Gorgon was reaching into his jacket to confiscate his wallet.
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Date: 2014-11-30 02:18 pm (UTC)That admonition worked nicely for both of them, though she'd meant it more for Gorgon than for the guy he was manhandling. It was Gorgon's head that would be in the way of the speeding plastic stick aimed right for the other guy's forehead.
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Date: 2014-11-30 02:27 pm (UTC)"He is zip-tied to the post, you know," he pointed out. "I used three ties, he's not going anywhere until the cops arrive unless he gnaws off his own arm. Poor bastard's going to have brain damage if you keep throwing things at his head."
This was not stopping him from opening the wallet up and rifling through it.
"Rodney, huh? Well, Rodney, that is one fucking unfortunate driver's licence photo. I'm going to keep it for posterity. Here's where I'd give you the spiel about being able to find everyone you ever cared about, but since you're napping, I'll save that for the next time we dance."
There would probably be a next time. There always was, wasn't there?
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Date: 2014-11-30 03:11 pm (UTC)Her eyes narrowed as she glared at this Rodney guy. "To knock him out with a blow to the forehead, I'd've had to hit him hard. Hell, he'd be more likely to have been knocked out if the back of his head had impacted something from the force of the hit. But, you'll notice, this guy doesn't even have a bruise."
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Date: 2014-11-30 03:18 pm (UTC)The answering remark from the man tied to the pole was both extremely crude, and not in English. But his eyes still stayed firmly shut.
"So, you tell me, Banzai. You figure he's got something up his sleeve, there? I'm not opposed to leaving him there naked if it turns out he's got something to help him off of that pole."
Also, it would be humiliating. Definite bonus points for public humiliation, here.
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Date: 2014-11-30 03:31 pm (UTC)"I don't know if he's smart enough to hide something up his sleeve," she said, firmly looking at Gorgon. "Which is another point in favor of my inability to give him brain damage. But stripping him down might make sure he doesn't forget what happens when he tangles with you."
//Something you'd like to see, eh puta? Puta callejera!//
Excuse her, Gorgon. But Rodney needed another smack to the head. Delivered by hand.
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Date: 2014-11-30 03:51 pm (UTC)Which meant he probably had it coming.
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Date: 2014-11-30 04:00 pm (UTC)//That eager to see me naked? I don't normally go for--// The slur he used was in English this time. Banzai sucked in a shocked breath, hand clenching by her side.
"That word was coined for people of Vietnamese descent," she said. "You are in Koreatown. If you're going to try to insult me, try not to be an ignorant fuckwit first."
Right now, Banzai was kinda missing Baltimore.
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Date: 2014-11-30 04:15 pm (UTC)"And that's enough of that," he growled. "You've got two options, buddy. You can shut your mouth or open your eyes, and I promise you one of those is going to be infinitely more unpleasant than the other."
"And what if I choose to do neither?"
"Then I do this."
So, yeah. Don't mouth off Gorgon when he's riding what he figured had to be tier four, by now. It would only result in a ringing clang sound and what was probably a concussion.
Gorgon dusted his hand off on his pant leg after removing it from Rodney's forhead, and then pocketed the rest of that asshole's wallet. Fuck it.
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Date: 2014-11-30 04:36 pm (UTC)Koreatown was closed to Rodney Casares! Even more than to the rest of the Seventeens! Banzai had spoken!
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Date: 2014-11-30 05:32 pm (UTC)"Rodney and Fernando. What a pair of classy assholes you two are."
That license was pocketed too, along with whatever cash was in Fernando's wallet, and then he threw the rest back into the Seventeen's lap.
"You want to finish up here while I get back to their buddies, Banzai, or did you want to tag along? Could be good to get to know your friendly neighborhood SS, after all."
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Date: 2014-12-02 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-12-02 05:41 pm (UTC)If anything had hurt his waitress friend, he was making his way back here to castrate this Rodney asshole. He lit a flare and left it on the sidewalk, right at the Seven's feet.
"Keep up, hm?"
And then he was off running again.
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Date: 2014-12-02 07:05 pm (UTC)And then she was dashing after him at top speed, a trail of infectious laughter following them both.
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Date: 2014-12-02 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-12-02 07:38 pm (UTC)Which meant that she had to race smarter, was all.
"What's the name of the diner?" she called out to him. "Where is it?"
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Date: 2014-12-02 11:40 pm (UTC)Best kept secret in his neighborhood.
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Date: 2014-12-03 11:17 pm (UTC)She had no idea the diner he was talking about, but she knew the surrounding neighborhoods very well. And once he told her what street his pickle shack (or whatever) could be found on, she immediately stopped chasing him and beelined for the closest building. Sure, climbing took some time but the fastest way between two points was always a straight line. Gorgon might be tearing up the streets, but he was still following the layout of the city. And a straight line that was not!
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Date: 2014-12-03 11:28 pm (UTC)"Trying to lose me, Banzai?"
Because that was easier said than done.
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Date: 2014-12-12 09:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-12-12 10:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-12-12 11:03 pm (UTC)There was a gap between buildings coming up. She leaped, somersaulting in the air and landing in a handspring. "I guess it's not so bad, though. Even when you can beat me for speed, there are still some tricks you can't match. So I'm not terribly obsolete!"