electric, baby!

SHE WAS SAVED, Just like he promised. The questioning that lingered in his mind, however… questioned who or rather what saved her The voices that echoed within his mind no longer whispering. No, they SHOUTED like never before. The vibrations of that voice tore his body apart. He had no recollection of killing the dozens of people in that building, but there was no doubt in his mind; he was responsible. His train of thought was broken the moment she grabbed hold of his sleep, for a sliver of a second his hand briefly trembled.

  ❝– – Alright, I guess I have some time to waste. ❞ He spoke mockingly while shifting from his sitting position to a laying one. It was clear she needed his company, and quite frankly, he couldnt leave even if he wanted to. He promised to see her well being through, to the end.     ❝Oh, by the way… Work called. I had to call you in sick. ❞

Ivy only remembers bits and pieces after she got off the table. She knows that she whacked that disgusting man with the hammer but she knows she didn’t kill him She would definitely remember that. She is upset, however, that she didn’t collect one of his teeth -- she hadn’t even thought about it. All that had been on her mind was KILLING him. Then she remembers being carried out by a strong form that was none other than Jericho. That’s it.

She feels the slight tremble of his hand but doesn’t bring it up -- it looked like she wasn’t the only one who was in need of comfort. “You guess? All business no play time, huh?” She sends back a mocking tone, fitting her smaller body into the side of his larger one as he took his laying position. Her movement reminded her that her body was not fully back at 100% -- it ached and pulled with every movement she made. “Work, huh? Those idiots are probably wondering where I’m at.” She shrugs, not too worried about it. “If they were that worried then they know where I live.” Ivy drums her fingers against his chest.

❝Of course… Just like I promised.❞ Words uttered in nothing but reluctance. Part of him hoped that they could just pull through, forget what happened… But how could they? Although the wounds inflicted on her body faded the scars on her soul were eternal, for only her to see. Upon feeling her touch his body instinctively froze, Even everything she went through, in her heart she genuinely did not blame him for what happened. Before long he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly in his embrace, they survived.

❝You should rest– – ❞ He spoke firmly,  ❝I don’t know how you heal the way you do, but the process ain’t quite finished.❞ Mental wounds would not heal, lest time and conditioning were granted. He knew that better than anyone else, yet he remained hopeful she somehow would channel her trauma different than he did. After all, instead of allowing himself to heal he fingered his wounds, letting them bleed more and more until he could drown the world in his sorrow. Gently he released her from his embrace and put her down on her bed again.

Promised, huh? Ivy lets out a tiny chuckle at that. No one has ever kept a promise -- but him. Though, he was a tad bit late but it was nothing she didn’t handle on her own. He still kept his promise. “You did, huh?” She asks, humming at the thought. She hadn’t doubted him for a second even though she pain she had gone through wanted her to. She had wanted to be mad at him for being late but she didn’t have the right -- he had gone through just as much trouble as she had. It hadn’t been easy getting to her and she knew that. 

“I’m done resting.” Ivy argues. She didn’t want to go back to sleep -- she would only see horror on the other side of her eyelids. She wanted to stay up. “Electrical healing. I am charged with electricity which accelerates my cells to promote healing. It’s the only thing I have no control over.” She didn’t mind explaining. In fact, she would explain anything and everything if it meant not going back to sleep. Ivy would push her trauma down into the depths of her mind until she was ready to deal with it -- if that was ever. As he was trying to place her back into bed -- she grabs a hold of his sleeves to stop him. “I don’t want to lay back down.” Stubborn brat, she was.

WHATEVER WAS LEFT OF HIS JACKET, He wrapped around her in a means to obscure her nudity. With both arms, he carried her once her consciousness faded. She felt so frail, wounded and damaged. It was not marked that had done this to her… It was him. He blamed himself– – yet he could not distance himself. He was drawn to her despite the rot he would spread in her world. It was a selfish act, but he fell for her. Squeals in the corner became audible and it reminded him of what caused them to be in this hellhole in the first place, Mark.’’You’re no better than he is when you kill him’’ Was the message that was spelled in his eyes when he stopped her– – quite skillfully, despite still carrying her, he grabbed his gun with his left hand and nonchalantly aimed it at Mark. Without a sliver of hesitation, he shot him between the eyes.  ❝I am no better than he is… I am worse.❞  He spoke as he watched her sleep.

IVY’S APARTMENT.  It had been two days since the Euphoria incident, and she was still sound asleep. Her body healed remarkably which explained the reason why she was capable of keeping up with him all those nights. He made sure to cancel all appointment, he couldn’t leave her alone, not again. So he remained on her bedside as he watched her/

Ivy’s body healed with remarkable speed when it was left alone -- her sleeping was really giving it the rest that it needed to gather the energy it needed to repair. She healed right before his very eyes. The acid burns on her face -- they were nearly gone. However, the deeper wounds such as the wounds around her kneecaps && back would take some time ( repairing skin & bone were always a harder feat ). The mental wounds? Those might never heal. However, Ivy knew what she was getting herself into when she volunteered.

Though, she stirred in her sleep && without warning shot up out of bed. “Stop --!” Icy eyes blink, hands tight within the bed sheets around her. Her breathing was rapid, her heart beat was off the charts and she was wild eyed. It was clear she had been having some sort of nightmare. Though, her head turns and she’s met with his gaze. He was there. Ivy is quiet for a moment && then lips part as if she were going to speak... however, she moves instead and wraps her shaking arms around his neck -- she wanted to feel his warmth.. she needed to know he was actually there. “You came and got me--” Her voice hoarse. 

❝GET THE HELL OUTTA MY WAY!!❞ He exclaimed with a bearish voice as he mauled over the last remaining guard. The Red Drive tensed his muscles as adrenaline coursed through his the number of opponents he had to beat (20 in total) was TAXING. His body was bruised and his clothes torn, but he finally made it– – but what he witnessed before him was unlike anything he ever witnessed before. His anger build up, HIGHER, HIGHER AND HIGHER. It grew like an organism living within until… Until something gave. Black coating enveloped his entire being as his skin mutated, transformed him into a being no longer recognizable as human. He was man no longer.  He had become someone else, something else.  An inhuman screech escaped his mouth, shaking the entire vicinity to its very core as it revealed his beast-like fangs. A set of two extra arms protruded from his back and thus so, mayhem began. LIMBS were torn from their bodies, BLOOD gushed like a geyser and soon the entire room was painted RED. He spared no one. Not a single soul was saved from his onslaught. Rushing, he went into the private chamber area and killed every person who thought it was their privilege to kill– – but the innocents were no exception. All hope was lost, all hope was lost until he reached their room. Just as he stormed in and was about to attack, their hues met. The armor that encased his skin broke apart and he grabbed her arm, pulling her into an embrace with the other.

❝Don’t do it…❞

And, just like that -- there he was. Ivy was pulled into his embrace and finally tears started rolling down her face. She was still && quiet for a moment before she started pushing against his chest, the hammer having already fallen from her hands. “No! Let me do it!” Her voice was frail, barely above a yell now. Her body was exhausted, blood was still dripping from her wounds and skin was hanging in places it should be attached. “Let -- me -- do -- it!” She cried. Ivy was in no position to fight against his stronger form but that didn’t stop her from trying.

How she was still going was a mystery - it could only be adrenaline at this point. “Dead, he should be dead.” She’s weakly pushing against Jericho -- doing everything in her power to get out of his grip and over to the man who was cowering in a corner. “He doesn’t deserve to live!” But she was wearing herself out pretty quickly, her pushing was getting weaker and her voice was beginning to slur. “I--” Her vision was blurring, her knees were weak and all she could do now was curl her fingers into his torn shirt. “I de--deserve the right--” But her world was going dark and her eyes were rolling -- her body was telling her to STOP.

EXCITED the man responded to the woman’s regenerative capabilities ❝ A freak!❞ He exclaimed cheerfully. It was not often people were encountered with bodies capable of regenerating itself. Normally, bouts of pause were initiated in between SESSIONS, but that would be no more. As the last nail was yanked from her feet he carefully, and neatly, put the pinchers back and exchanged it for a KNIFE.  ❝ A freak, a freak a freak!❞ – – sounds of money coming in increased and so did the awestruck comments. Various suggestions came in ranging from burning her alive repeatedly to sexual acts, but he had a far better idea. He maneuvered his body behind her, caressing her back with the blade before carving her. Fleeing her skin in great amount, exposing both flesh and bone. This went on, and one and on. In due time seconds became her to distinguish from minutes and minutes to what APPEARED to be hours. In that place time was nonexistent. And so were the boundaries of his imagination. As fleeing became a bore he repeatedly dropped acid on her body. Her legs, chest and even face. Nothing was spared from his savage cruelty.

The simple word FREAK -- caused something PRIMAL within Ivy to awaken. She was the freak? No fucking way. She had never wanted to kill someone so badly in her life. Never had she wanted to make someone suffer the way she wanted him to suffer. She wanted to rip his bones from his flesh and pick her teeth with them as he screamed. She wanted him DEAD. 

The back carving was nothing -- she gritted her teeth and ENDURED it. She wasn’t going to scream for him, no -- she was too busy plotting his death. Her mind had something to keep it busy... this pain was NOTHING. Acid bubbled on her skin as he the carving became last season, this was her chance. While he was finding new places to drop acid -- the light fixture about them busted -- thanks to her. The MOMENTS of darkness gave her time to get out of her straps before the back up lights kicked in.

❝I’ll KICK YOU BACK, all the way to your mother’s womb.❞The mafioso spoke as he faced three HEAVY METALS. Men who traded their human flesh for artifactual limbs, and in some cases, even gained extra ones. Euphoria’s facade appeared to be an old abandoned factory. Top grade detectors surrounded the area meaning Emulation was useless. He had no other way but to fight his way through. Time was of the essence and not a single second could be wasted. Despite his bravado of confidence, Ivy was on his mind… EUPHORIAS DUNGEON. The power drill Derick once simply brandished in front of the screens now found its way into her other kneecap. Clinging sounds audible, sounds of people sending in money to perform more atrocious acts and prolong her suffering. With a harsh pull, he removed the drill from her flesh and slapped her cheeks, gently.  ❝Don’t pass out now, the fun has just begun.❞ From the table, he grabbed what appeared to be a pincher. With this tool, he removed her toenails, one by one. He relished in her screams and hummed along as if it was an orchestra. The moment the last nail was PULLED from her feet he eyed her once more, leaning in as he inhaled her scent. The scent of a being ensnared in his grasp of profanity. Many before her lost consciousness (a quick adrenaline shot would do the trick), many before her defecated out of fear (humiliation was a powerful tool). As time ticked it would soon dawn upon her. In this room, HE WAS GOD.

Ivy’s eyes rolled back as the drill was YANKED from her skin. The pain was REAL, it was HOT and it seeped down into EVERY pore she had. Her hands were shaking but she wasn’t going to down as easily as the ones before her. Whatever HE was looking for -- she wasn’t going to give it to him. As his hands came close to her face -- she BIT him, latching on and tearing at the flesh. “I’ll fucking kill you!” She screamed, but he was able to get away from her.

Her punishment? Every polished toenail was ripped from her feet. The pain was something she had never experienced before -- it burnt like an iron had been placed to her bare skin. Her mutation was ALREADY beginning to heal her body -- Electrical Healing. It was something that her body DID on it’s OWN -- this part of her mutation was UNCONTROLLABLE. The more he tore into her -- the MORE her body would HEAL ( though not as quickly as regeneration ).

TAKEN ABACK from the force generated from her headbutt, the spokesman staggered backward. Blood gushed from both mouth and nose as he cursed beneath his breath. What would greet her wasn’t a disgruntled look, however, it was EXCITEMENT. The crowd roared like wild animals upon seeing her rebellious nature, obviously enticed by a thing many before her didn’t dare to.  ❝ LADIES AND GENTLEMEN– –❞ He spoke loudly, captivating the crowd’s attention while maintaining his original position.  ❝Tonight I present to you one of New York’s finest, Officer Kipps! As you just witnessed for yourselves… She’s a feisty one. How about… five bitcoins… Do I hear ten, twenty, twenty-five–  –thirty, forthy! ❞ The biddings went up and up and up. There was absolutely no regard for human life. Where Ivy Kipps found herself was no longer the world she knew. This was the ROTTEN UNDERBELLY where money ruled all.   ❝One hundred.❞ A voice exclaimed in the crowd. A large, fat bald man emerged from the shadows. It was none other than Derick. The voices drowned in silence as the biddings stopped. They knew better than to oppose HIM after all, he was unlike any of them. A different breed entirely. The Announcer gulped as he confirmed the bid. Even he feared what would become of the woman, a quick death was not what fate would have in store for her. Preparations were made and the scenery shifted. They had taken her from the podium to an enclosed quarter. Cameras viewed her from all possible angles as Derick presented his tools of torture on a table. Powertools, primitive tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches and even those found in a dentist office.  ❝Ivy Kipps…❞ He spoke musingly while he hung his disgusting body over her. His hands caressing her breast area and ending between her legs. A drool escaped him, one he wiped off quite promptly. It was a while since he performed before his audience. Many people bothered to disguise themselves in front of the camera, not him. He thought himself as untouchable and EVERYONE should know.

All Ivy could feel in this exact moment was DISGUST. How could anyone be so warped that this would get them off? All she could think about is all those CHILDREN that had to go through this. NO MORE - not on her watch && definitely not on Jericho’s. In the first time in a very long time -- she wanted to CRY && not because of the situation, not because she was in pain or that she was afraid but because of the EMPATHY that she felt for those before her. The ones who DIDN’T have someone on the way to SAVE them. The ones who endured and died.

All she knew was she wanted a piece of him before Jericho got a hold of him && that was final. She thought about putting HIM on this table but that wouldn’t make her any better.

Icy eyes narrowed as she heard her name spoken from his lips. “Shut the fuck up, you disgusting pig.” She watched the drool pool from his mouth while she squirmed to get away from his grip. Her body rejected it all -- she wanted to PUKE, she wanted to LIGHT him up. It would only take A LITTLE to kill him, to make his heart skip just enough for it to STOP. She could do it but she knew that this would only get worse if she did. She needed Jericho. She needed him to hurry.

Her head tilted back as she heard the power of a DRILL && before she knew it, it was inches from her face. “Get that away from me! Don’t you fucking dare!” She continues spitting her venom -- it was her ONLY weapon at this moment. “I’ll skin you alive!”

❝AHHHH SHIIIIIT !!❞ Mark spoke with a heavily accented voice upon seeing Ivy in uniform. Dodging the cops became his past-time so how in the world was she on his trail? The answer was obvious; Jericho stalked him. Although he preferred a larger time frame predicting his every move proved to be quite simple, the location of Euphoria, however, still remained a mystery. Instinctively Mark ordered his fembots to attack. Offensive modus initiated as weapons such as blades and spiked knuckles protruded from their bodies as they started their synchronized assault. Within moments they trapped her in their harmonized attack unaware the latter held back. Bruised, cut and now unconscious Ivy Kipps found herself on the ground.  ❝Would ya look at that. Silly broad took on more than she can handle. Go grab her girls, we goin’ to cash in tonight!❞ With those words spoken the robots reverted back to their original forms and threw her over the shoulder as they walked away, Jericho followed. 

What Ivy would wake up to was; her, in a chair, stripped naked from all her earlier wear and in shackles. A broad light shone down upon her while the audience was masked by the shadows it cast. Beside her was a masked spokesman who riled up the crowd as a cart with various torture devices rolled in.

The lights were nearly blinding to her eyes when she finally opened them. It took time for them adjust but once they did -- she knew exactly where she was. The sounds of the crowd were undeniable -- the spokesman.. everything was so LOUD. Her head was pounding, the places where the shackles were placed ached and she was COLD. She looks over to the side and could see the cart with various torture devices rolled over. Shit.

Ivy pulls at the shackles, trying her best to break what she could but they weren’t budging at all. She couldn’t use her powers either -- that was absolutely out of the question. If she did then it would only cause more problems.. she would only be SOLD for more money. Someone like her would go for BIG money and she knew it. 

She was soon broken from her thoughts as there was a man in her face. He was taunting her, grabbing her by her hair and pulling her forward. It made her blood boil in ways that she had never felt before.. she felt WEAK && she didn’t like that. She rears her head back and brings it forward with enough force to HEADBUTT the man && send him backwards. “Fuck off!” She spats, spitting at the man with blood in her mouth && blood running down her face. 

     && the crowd goes WILD.

TWO DAYS PASSED.  Two days passed and not a single of communication between the two of them. Did he fail her? Was he unable to find Mark in time? A plethora of questions must have failed her mind as she watched the clock tick, but perhaps it was not contact from HIS side she should anticipate, but perhaps, something he would set in motion.  Through her comms an incident was reported, an incident in the more obscure parts of town. Many would suggest the company of a colleague, but not her, she could not afford the mental strain. And there he was, in an allyy, Mark. As per usual he walked with two female androids at his side. Both which served as his playthings and bodyguards. Unbeknownst to him however he was unaware of the vixen that would cross his path.

❝That should do the trick… The rest is on you, Ivy.❞

Ivy was actually very irritated that she hadn’t heard from him but instead of doubting him -- she had chosen to trust him. All in all, she was more worried that she wouldn’t know when their little plan would start. Sure, it had been two days but when exactly should she be expecting to be taken? It wasn’t like she could contact him either -- that also pissed her off. How were they suppose to be partners if she couldn’t even contact him? “Asshole.” She mutters.

Though, her mind was taken off of it when the incident came in. She sighs, grabbing her coat and heading out. A partner within the force was too much work and she just chose to work alone. It was better than seeing them die. They had families and she couldn’t bare anymore guilt.

DESPITE THE WEEKS THEY HAD KNOWN ONE ANOTHER, Despite the various nights they engaged in combat… He barely knew anything about her. She was her family’s shame, quite much like he was. She tried her best fitting in but like a jigsaw puzzle placed in the wrong position; she never fit quite right. ‘’Perhaps I do know her’’. He thought. Perhaps I know her better than anyone else, I know the real her.  ❝Convenience, huh– –?❞ He spoke as he removed her arm around her. He got up with a slight stumble but remained balanced.

❝I have to say… I underestimated you, THAT night.❞ Telling her she grew up with a golden spoon appeared quite the insult She never asked for her powers. It brought down misfortune more than anything. A faint smile appeared upon his face as he slandered through toward the door. He held the door knop with a firm grip as he paid her a last look.  ❝Two days.❞

  Ivy watches as he stands -- almost disappointed that he had broken their comfortable position and left her side.”Convenience.” She confirmed. Ivy could dish out justice without the police force but they made it easier for her -- she could actually lock up the bad guys with her job rather than just being the woman in black. The woman in black had her perks but she was lacking the power of the government backing her. It was a win-lose situation.

She knew just what night he was talking about. “You’ve never hurt my feelings more than you assuming i’ve been spoon fed my entire life.” She huffs, pouting and turning her nose up. “But, I’ll forgive you this once because you’ve admitted your wrong.” She watches as he begins toward the door... -- she almost, just almost, reached for his hand to get him to stay just a little while longer. However, even drunk, she stopped herself. “Two days.” She nods.

WITHOUT MUCH OF A ARGUE, he handed her the bottle as he eyed her. The alcohol had gotten to her early… Not a surprising outcome when you took her size into consideration. Albeit far from proud of it, his daily endeavors with alcoholic beverages build quite the tolerance. It would take more time for it to affect him the same way it did her.  It was his method to cope. To deal with his loses, his pain, the self-destructive hatred– – EVERYTHING.

❝You know, ever since I found about your… Identity there was something I couldn’t wrap my head around.❞ He briefly paused, there it was.  ❝Why do you still bother being a policewoman?❞ Her home. Albeit nicely decorated felt empty. It wasn’t a hard to guess that similar to him, she had her fair share of loses. Perhaps using her vigilante persona was her way to deal with all this. It only begged the question; ‘’Who was the mask; Ivy Kipss or the woman in black?’’

  Ivy takes the bottle and turns it up, taking a long drink of the poison. She hears his question which definitely lengthens the drink she has taken from the bottle. Ivy lowers the bottle and hands it back, giving a slight hiccup from how quickly she had taken down the strong drink. It definitely burnt but she didn’t complain about it. “Why -- be a policewoman?” She thinks about it for a moment, making herself comfortable and leaning her elbows on his lap. “Simple: to make my family happy. Daddy was a policeman, my brother too... You know, Ivy had to make her daddy proud too.” She says, glancing around her apartment.

“Even more so when he found out that his baby girl wasn’t normal.” She keeps going -- when she was drunk... she talked -- a lot. “My powers manifested very early -- around five.” She glances down at her hands, humming. “My mother and father homeschooled me because they didn’t want me to expose the big family secret. I just became a policewoman to gain my father’s respect.” She shrugs. “I guess to answer your question --I continue the job because it helps the woman in black, the real me, get the information she needs without having to work too hard.”

❝I’LL GET YOU OUT OF THERE.❞ Not the slightest sliver of uncertainty was to be found in his words, not even the faintest of hints. It was nigh impossible to guess whether he was truly certain of the task as if it was already accomplished, or whether he doubted himself, just mildly. That was the enigma known as Jericho Maranzano. His greatest power did not lie in his Drives nor in his hacking capabilities. It was in his stride. A determination INCORRUPTIBLE that naturally gravitated people toward him with an uncanny charisma.

With a simple maneuver of his arm, he caused her to fall into him. His arm wrapped around her and his hand held a firm grip on the one she used to poke him with, restricting her movements. The look in his eyes alone was enough to respond to her words of worry. His amber colored hues, they spelled; ‘’I’d rather die than let you rot in there.’’ Per usual, a chuckle escaped him and a large gulp of his drink followed.

  With confident words such as those -- Ivy couldn’t help but to believe them. There was something about him that made her want to believe in him. The way he spoke, the way he held himself or, maybe, it was the way he walked. Whatever it was it caused Ivy’s worries to vanish just as quickly as they had come. Who knew they’d be sitting here together with a drink and a plan figured out -- Ivy would have never guessed that things would turn out this way. She wasn’t angry about it nor did it confuse her -- if anything.. it felt natural. “I’m holding you to that.”

Ivy lets out a small oof as he caused her to fall into his strong frame -- she felt his arm snake around her and she couldn’t help but to chew her bottom lip. A sly one, he was. She didn’t fight him, in fact she let him restrict her movements. Icy eyes scan his own amber ones, looking and reading what they were saying to her. She got the message and it caused a slight skip in her heartbeat. She is quick to turn her nose up and roll her eyes. “You sly dog..” She mumbles while nodding toward the bottle he was throwing back. “Give me some -- greedy.”

IN UTMOST PROVOKING FASHION   He bared his teeth and ran his tongue across. Despite being unfamiliar with her… peculiar habit the thought alone she very indirectly ‘’threaten’’ him was enough to set his gears in motion. ❝I have no idea.❞   spoke blatantly in response to her question regarding Mark’s validity.  ❝but he is the next best thing. He won’t touch you… Organic woman ain’t his style, but be damned sure he would sell you for a quick buck.❞    

As per her request (not his mind you), he downed the drink whilst distinguishing his cigarette and using it as a makeshift ashtray. Their plan was solid, on paper, nothing could go wrong. He would locate Bonaparte and would make sure she was in the right position. Time was of the essence, however. Each passing moment Derick could wrap his hands around yet another innocent victim, and get away with it. Nonchalantly he grabbed the bottle from the table as he leaned back and took a sip.  ❝I’ll contact you in two days. I need time to find his ass.❞

   “Ha. I guess being a real woman has actually saved my ass this time, huh?” Ivy says, sipping on her drink. She was thankful that at least one of the men that she was going to be dealing with didn’t fancy the real thing. She would be lying if she said that she wasn’t nervous -- this mission wouldn’t allow her to use her powers and that caused her mind to run wild. She couldn’t count on what would happen if he was even a minute late. That minute could take her to an early grave.

❝WHY WOULD I– –❞ He paused. It was quite logical for that particular assumption to be made. Unbeknownst to her, and often times dismay to himself, his family had a strict moral code. They didn’t operate in the market of prostitution, drugs and even unnecessary bloodshed. It was the latter which more often than not caused friction within his group. Jericho blamed MACHINA for the current state of the world, the depravity, the loss of both mother and brother… But he also blamed each and every single noble born person for standing by that monster. (Despite half of him being noble himself.)

A low murmur aroused by thought escaped him as he began to think. Her distance didn’t aid him in his quest. But somehow, through some means, he was aware she knew. He got it. Mark. Mark Bonaparte. It was a name familiar in the police database. He was known for his superb knowledge of altering the code of AI– – but even more so for his deviant sexual tendencies. He enjoyed torturing robots while engaged in sexual venture. Him being Euphoria affiliated wouldn’t be that much of a stretch.  ❝Mark. Mark Bonaparte.  You might’ve caught him on offenses such as stealing tech or meddling with code.❞   

  Ivy chuckles at this reaction. “I know you don’t have any ties to that world but I’m sure you can tell me of someone who does. Your ways of dealing with things might be unethical but I know you’re not that type of man.” She pauses to reach over to grab the bottle of whiskey, leaning over and pouring him another drink. “If you were -- I would have already pulled every tooth from your head.” She side glances at him with a grin. “Drink up -- we’ll be here a while.”

“Mark Bonaparte?” Ivy sits up straight to unzip the top of her night time attire, shrugging out the long sleeved jacket and throwing it across the room onto another chair. Left in a tank, Ivy stretches before leaning back over to type the name into the database. “I knew that name seemed familiar. He’s more than, huh? Looks like there’s a little bit of everything in here from stealing to some cases of sexual deviancy.” She grabs her mug, leaning back to get a good look at him. “You think he’s our guy?”

❝WHISKEY– – BRING THE BOTTLE.❞ He spoke whilst lighting a cigarette. He was in much need of a drink. She was right, she was the one that threw her life on the line but he was the one that had to take her out… If not she was done for. It was a hefty burden she placed upon him, but not a single cell in his being told him he couldn’t shoulder it. After all, he was the one that would liberate humanity.  ❝I’ll fish you outta that shithole, you can count on that.❞ They had to play their cards right. Set-up the perfect target that would take her without bruising her up too much. His eyes, fixating on her like vultures. How was he supposed to concentrate efficiently while wearing THAT? Jericho subconsciously made that particular costume synonymous to ‘’letting go of all control’’. A sigh escaped him as she returned, emptying his glass with a single gulp almost as soon as he received it. His eyes following her movements once again as she took a seat next to him and positioned her laptop.  ❝Who would make for the perfect kidnapper?❞

  Ivy heard those words and she believed him. Yes, they fought and they didn’t have the most -- natural of relationships but she knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. If something did happen then she knew it wasn’t because he wanted it to -- there would be another force preventing him from saving her. She wasn’t afraid of him going back on his words but she was afraid of something getting in his way. She didn’t want to die and she certainly didn’t want to be ruined in front of a live broadcast. “I know you mean it.”

She can feel his eyes on her but that was nothing different than normal. Ivy was aware that his eyes were always following her -- his eyes were observant & she knew that. Though, she didn’t realize it was because of the way she was dressed. She didn’t realize that she was capable of being a distraction to even him. Ivy sits next to him -- she was so close that they were nearly touching elbows and she was aware of that. Of him. “I was hoping that you had someone? There’s got to be someone that you know who wouldn’t mind kidnapping a pretty lady such as myself.” She chuckles, scanning through police files.

HIS WRATH WANED AND VOICES SILENCED. Truth be told, even with his contacts in the underworld within the sectors, gaining access to Euphoria was a feat hard to accomplish. ALbeit being reluctant, using her as an in might’ve been the only possible solution, WIthout a shadow of a doubt she, as a policewoman, had undergone undercover situation before and hence could play the part… It was on her cue that they left the crime scene and went toward her house. Not many words were spoken along the way for the horrors they just witnessed were still freshly imprinted upon their minds. Once arrived in her apartment he took a seat, his grim persona shifted toward his usual one. With his elbow placed against the arm of the chair, he used his hand to rest his head. Their plan; for her to be ‘’caught’’ in duty and sold to Euphoria, there, from the inside she could confirm both her and Euphoria’s location with a bug he would provide. It was quite the daring plan; a single mistake would lead to an early grave.

‘‘Are you absolutely sure about this?‘  He asked in response to the conclusion of their planning. He wouldn’t hold it against her if she backed out now, however, she had to realise that once things were set in motion there was no going back.

  Ivy sits across from him, removing her mask and sitting it on the table. She moves around to grab a hair tie from the drawer next to her, putting her locks up and out of the way. “I am absolutely sure about it.” The determination in her voice was evident. “If this is what we’re going to have to do then I will do it.” She crosses her leg over the other and leans back, “But, you’re going to have to make sure that you’re there to get me out. I cannot handle it on my own because it’s going to be a live broadcast. That would be digging my grave elsewhere.”