The Prophet woke up, yawned and stretched. He stood up, put clothes on, and went into the kitchen of his apartment.

His followers were already dressed and ready, as they had planned. Each was wearing regular clothing, not their robes, but their Kevlar armor and firearms were carefully hidden beneath their clothes, to keep them inconspicuous. They were armed and armored, granted a view of enlightenment, but one thing was missing. They would need more if the Liber Umbrarum was properly guarded.

The Prophet raised his hand and his servants looked to him, standing at attention. "All of you, to me. Our Lord's power is needed."

The cult gathered around the Prophet and knelt. The Prophet raised his hands in exultation and spoke in the language of the Outsiders.

"Weaver of Fate and Flesh, God of Revelation, Great Madness, I call to you. Grant your devout a portion of thy godliness, that we may take the first steps to rewriting fate, and saving Mankind from it's own mental and spiritual prisons."

(OOC: I'm back! A little confused about what everyone's doing right now (It's late where I am as I type this, and it seems new characters have been introduced while I was away) but I'll catch up soon. The cult's calling for a Void Mutation or some other supernatural gift from their master.)

It was odd how Novus seemed to provide at times. The knowledge of this congregation was precisely what they needed, a combination of art and social contacts, maybe even intelligent human specimen. Getting in wouldn't be a problem - even if it was a closed society, the swarm as a dissolved entity could likely enter undetected.

Samsa smiled, and stopped in her tracks on the sidewalk, narrowly dodging an oncoming young man more focused on his phone than where he was going. While he passed, she gave him an ignored dirty look. Oh how she had wanted to take him as takeout to feed the young spawn that was back in the Colony's lair. But alas, the last meal had just been finished, and she couldn't just let people disappear all the time.

And they also would need to dress up for the occasion. They were aware of this - women especially bearing a large societal load of peacock feather requirements whenever 'nobles' gathered. The needed attires required money, money they hated to spend - as much as they ignored monetary wealth, it was a means to further their hoard. And Samsa's grasp on human face paints was shaky. In short, they really really disliked having to prepare for it. But then again, it would be a necessary evil.

With a sigh, they went looking for a high-end boutique with easily accessible vents - or barring that, at least somewhat affordable prices.

After all, you have to speculate, to accumulate.

Zacharias gave a dry chuckle as he entered his office which offered a commanding view over the city of Novus, Walters Tower being one of the tallest building in Novus, though certainly not the tallest by any means. He picked up the card and walked over to the window, giving it another quick glance over. Geoffrey truly did know him well, he had looked at this card every day for a week and still had nearly forgotten the the damn even was going on this evening. This would prove to be somewhat problematic as in light of his recent discoveries, he needed to begin working on taking down the Craveloft Syndicate and his lethal allies.

But unfortunately his lack of appearance would send a strong, unfriendly message to the Cornova family, an important business partner to Walters Enterprise, and more importantly old family friends. And Geoffrey really might throw a molotov cocktail into his room if he decided to skip this gallery event.

"Welp, s'pose being Zacharias for one night won't be to problematic. I mean how much damage could a flesh monster and assassin do in one ni... Hmm, on second thought I might need to pull some overtime tonight." After finishing talking to himself, something his secretary found quite amusing when she walked into the room while he was doing so.

Walking back to his desk, Zach began looking over and signing a few important business documents that required his direct attention. Business propositions, new areas of research and development, so on and so forth. After a bit of busywork he finally completed his share of paperwork, and having a few spare moments decided to reach out to his intelligence partner. Activating his earpiece, he accessed his secure line before reaching out to Sage.

"Warden, aren't you supposed to be dolling yourself up for the fancy gallery even tonight? Don't make me taddle to Geoffrey." She teased, knowing full well what kind of hell he'd be in for if she did.

"Cute Sage, just doing a quick check in. Side's you know I'm always looking good."

"That's debatable."

"ANYWAYS, have any test results come back for the samples collected in the sewers?" While unlikely he had to hope for something. The beast was far to powerful to take on blindly again, and he needed to know what it was before he could kill it.

"Sorry boss, what little we got was contaminated. We'd need a large, pure sample if we wanted to get anything conclusive."

Zach held the bridge of his nose for a moment as he let out a sigh of frustration. "Can't say I'm surprised. What about obtaining that contact info on that one WBSA officer, Argos I believe."

"Was able to get his cell phone number for ya, after a bit of digging. You can tell me how wonderful I am now."

"Yeah I could... Well you can send that over to me now."

"Why you son of a-"

The line was disconnected, a satisfied and amused grin on Zach's face as he awaited the contact info to be sent over, eventually appearing in his phone, along with a few choice words just for him.

Before getting ready to head to the gala, Zach made a call from his secure line to Argos' phone, scrambling the call as well as activating his voice distortion.

"Officer, long time no see. Was missing you, figured we could meet up later tonight, talk about some acquaintances I think you'd e be interested in. Thoughts?"

@GoreWrencha

@kanila
After getting home to grab his things and getting into his newly bought car to head off to Craveloft manner. It was quite a ways from the city out in the country side so he didn't have the option to walk and the traffic a bother but he would get there. He would also have plenty of time to think about his approach as well considering just walking up to the front gate asking for them to launder his recently stolen cash would most likely end badly in multiple ways. The Cravelofts weren't to be trifled with especially if you want to keep breathing.

@GobMaw_HellSmasha
The dogs reacted accordingly to the creature throwing the bone and saying fetch as the all made a mad dash for the bone as soon as they saw it in the air. Barking and climbing over one another to grab the bone before the others. After a literal dog pile is formed one of the smaller hounds manages to grab a hold of the bone and wiggle his way over to the creature and place it on the ground in front of him. The dogs stood looking at the bone in anticipation of it being thrown again.

@BuriasDempsey
Rico grumbled in response to Nightmare's greeting clearly embarrassed by Alexis' public display of affection towards him. Meanwhile Alexis brought her face out of Rico's neck long enough to give nod in greeting and immediately went back to nuzzling against the embarrassed eighteen year old. Meanwhile on the other side of the table Nightmare's parents let their hands separate as his father noticed him. "Yes I'm sure the street trash you picked up off the street are having a wonderful time in our home." His father said half looking at Nightmare half looking at the strange couple cuddling on the opposite side of the table. This comment seemed to snap Rico out of his embarrassed state and he moved under Alexis' grasp. "Alley I'm pretty sure you have your body temperature back, you can let go now." Alexis was hesitant at first but gave in and let go of him grumbling to herself about not being warm enough yet. Free of embarrassment and the xenomorph woman's grasp Rico looked to Nightmare's father at the other side of the table. "We won't be here for much longer sir I just need a phone and I'll call someone to pick Alexis and I up."

Nightmare's father ignored Rico and continued speaking. "Not to mention that blob of gore and bones that's staying on the guest house. Do you even consider our standing when you bring in such people?" Meanwhile Rico who was also taking the time to eat the food in front of him now that Alexis was grumbling to herself about having to let go of him directed a glare across the table as Nightmare's parents seemed to freeze in place. "Ok now that they're going to be occupied let me say a few things." Rico said before putting a fork full of hash browns into his mouth. "I owe you for this even though your dad appears to be one of those douche bag rich types. After I eat my fill I'm going to make a few calls and Alexis and I will be on our way out of your lovely home. You will not tell anyone that you saw us and you will not say anything about the vision you received when you first saw me. If you say anything I will throw you back into the abyss you saw and you will not make it out. Keep our little secrets and I owe you a favor, need anything done give me a call and it's done." Rico threw a piece of paper with a phone number on it. "I only owe you the one favor so calling me out a second time won't accomplish anything other than annoying me and I'm sure you know that would be a bad idea." Rico said as he finished up the rest of his food. "Anyways I need to make those calls and your parents probably need to breath so I'll be off getting a few things ready." With that Rico stood up and left the room with Alexis following close behind Rico walked without his cane and snapped with his left hand and Nightmare's parents were able to move again and were gasping for air. "Johnathan, you seem to make the most... interesting of friends." His mother said as she looked over to her husband who seemed to have the slightest bit of fear in his eyes. "We need that boy on our payroll."

@Azathoth
The ritual went off averagely as strands of void energy went into each of the cultists including the Prophet. The tendrils of darkness etched runes into their flesh infusing them with the power of the void. Their limbs erupted with solid shadow blades and other weaponized constructs for a few moments until they managed to control them and they were pulled into the runes. On first glance the runes looked like nothing but tattoos in some language but if someone really took the time to observe them they would notice that the runes are far darker than any ink and attempting to read them would jumble their thoughts and sting their eyes.
(Minions can make weapons and tools out of solid shadows)

@Valonox
Gorgon made his was through the city running along side cars and leaving cracks in the street with every foot fall. Minor collateral damage Morph will have to divert funds to pay for aside he made it to the bank quickly which was already surrounded by mundane police vehicles with it being guarded to preserve the crime scene. Shortly after he had gotten there he would notice Wizbang driving up in a black gran torino. "For a man made of metal you move pretty quickly Gorgon." He said as he exited the car. A mundane officer noticed their arrival and made his way over to them. "I'm guess you're WBSA investigators?" He said to Wizbang. "Indeed we are young man now can you take us to the scene?" "Yes sir." He brought then behind the tap and into the bank showing the empty building. "We've already searched for evidence but the perp didn't leave anything." "That's fine young man my partner and I have other ways. Don't we?" He asked Gorgon.

@Schalli
After buying moisturizer from a stand and walking around for a while he would notice something out of the corner of his eye every now and again. Something on the roof tops just barely out of view every time he turns to see it more clearly. From what he could make out it was much smaller than a person so it was probably some kind of micro drone. Irregardless he would have to be clever to shake the thing so simply proceeding to the Warehouse was the only really sensible option. As such when he arrived at the indicated door and knocked three times it opened automatically with a woman in colorful combat armor holding a spiked bat in one hand and a suppressed machine pistol hanging from her waist sitting backwards in a chair looking straight at him from across the large room. "I take it you are here to listen to our proposition like a smart little hitman?" She asked in a clear Russian accent

@Wincent @Casavay
Hollow entered the large shopping complex already busy with shoppers and employees going about their business. She would pass through the crowds on her way to the food-court and notice a woman at a Victoria's secret arguing with a cashier. Something about the prices Hollow didn't really pay attention given her main reason for being there was to find food which she did in spades as she found the food-court. Meanwhile in another part of the mall Colony made their way to the fashion section looking around for a shop with weaker security systems and given the use of modern theft prevention it's a lot less simple than they would have originally thought. Tags on the clothing and scanners at the exits prevented her from simply taking anything and vents had a grid panel at the end of them preventing something such as a dress from being dragged through it. Perhaps there's a storage room deeper within mall.

@Valonox @Vulpas
Rin's words did little to stop the fight as it was beyond words at this point until a rather large man in a trench coat and bandaged head stepped in between them pulling them apart. At this point the manager made his way over to the two would be combatants who were moving away from the bandaged man. "Hey big guy don't go adding to this." The manager said looking at the scene glaring at the two men. "You two get the hell out of my restaurant before I call the cops I don't care if you continue your fight outside just not in here." He said to them and they both nodded and quickly got out of the restaurant making a plenty of room between them and the bandaged man. "Alright now that those two moron are out of here can we get back to selling you people food?" He said to the rest of the customers who seemed to agree and went back to what they were doing before the fight broke out.

@GoreWrencha @Keidivh
The sounds in the alley way suddenly went silent as the attackers stopped mid fight when they heard someone asking what was going on. "Uh nothing...." One of them responded as Argos noticed his phone ringing. Upon answering the call he would hear the voice of the armored man from last night. Meanwhile in the alleyway the gangsters now a little distracted by someone noticing the fight and seeing how they've already won decided to leave the other two gangsters in the alleyway, bruised and beaten but alive and able to pick themselves back up and leave.

@Wata @Wincent @Maleth
Morph at first just nodded at the mystic as she explained herself but when the part about his wife came up he went wide eyed and his fave went blank for a moment before he went back to reality. "God dammit Mystic." He mumbled before picking up his desk phone and typing the number for the mundane police department to tell then about the man making the bomb. Once done he hang up the phone and looked at the assembled people in his office including Phoenix who just entered. "Morning Phoenix, now Mystic how about next time you use your abilities you not tell the world what my wife plans for me and her to do in the privacy of our own home. Serpent, fine but fair warning I'm not one good mood right now." Morph then got out of his seat and lead Serpent to the training room built in the basement of the building.
(Training will be emoted in a pm)

The creature looked down at the small doggie, a light chuckle escaping from it's form. "Good...boy..." the creature muttered softly as it bent down to pat the little one on his head gently. To be able to wrestle the bone away from dogs much bigger then it shown that the little pup had some tenacity, it found this trait to be commendable in the tiny hound. A well trained and smart dog too it seemed, bringing the bone right back to it and putting it on the floor. It noticed the dogs were anxious for the bone to be thrown yet again, a much more comforting sight then before hand when the dogs were simply confused by its presence.

Not wanting to disappoint the doggies waiting in anticipation the beastlike figure picked the bone off the floor where the doggie placed it and tossed it yet it again. "Didn't realize you were such a dog person" he heard a voice of a young man speak out. The creature looked around for the source of the voice but no one was near enough to be the speaker. And then the voice was answered by a different voice, "I never had a dog myself, but I always liked them" this time the voice was that of a young lady, which caused the creature to freeze in place, "well just the cute ones, and Bark is just as adorable as they come, aren't you boy?" The female voices question was met with the sound of a dog barking and the two voices laughing in unison. "Hey, Angie" the young man's voice spoke up again, "if you're...you know, not doing anything later today...do you wanna, go out to dinner? A movie maybe?" The ladies voice giggled in response, "H-Hey! I-I was trying to be serious..." the man's voice spoke up, the voice sounding audibly flustered from the response. The ladies voice giggled again, "I know, it's just...well I don't know, I just found it funny..." The sound of the dog barking came back again, inciting another girlish giggle "see, even Bark agrees with me". A sigh was heard from the man's voice, "do you laugh at all the guys that try to ask you out?". The ladies voice responded with a chuckle "just at the cute ones..."

"An...geeeee..." the monster muttered out loud to itself. The dogs barking suddenly snapped it back to reality, the dogs brought back the bone. Looking toward another game of fetch while it zoned out for a moment. The creature picked the bone up again and tossed it, silently watching the happy pups chase after it.

The Mystic stands there, before looking at Phoenix, tilting her head as she walks closer, the strange almost completely featureless mask, only decorated with a pair of almost disturbingly realistic looking lips, aimed right at her.
"You have lost something, my child?"
The voice is older, sounding like a woman in her 60s. Kind and motherly. The mystics orb is hovering over her shoulder, still flashing with images and scenes from time to time.

Hallow grins as she enters the food court. She looks around before heading to a burger restaurant, McDaniel's. She orders 5 cheese burgers, 6 milkshakes, 30 chili'cheese bits and 3 packets of fries. Before she sits down and begins to feast, looking around as she gorges on the deliciious food. A group of girls next to her stares at her, one mumbling something about how "lucky" some people are, that can eat anything and still stay fit. Another of them stroking her flat belly, mumbling something in agreement.

As he drove to the Craveloft Manor he tried to come up with some reason to get a meeting with the family. Maybe an interview prior to the event this evening? It was weak, but it was the best he had. Unless something else came to mind during the long drive. Why did this have to be so difficult!? But atleast he didn't need to walk around anymore.

-Rin-
Tom taking care of business as usual his intelligence keeps this business going. Rin walked up to the counter where her cashier is and she waited patiently for the next order come. Saw the man in the trench coat and said. "I can take your here sir. Nani o chūmon shitaidesu ka? (<What would you like to order?)" Rin waiting for the man to order.
@Vulpas

Johnathan smiled to himself as he looked at the scrap of paper with a string of numbers on it, taking out his phone to punch it in as a new contact for now.
"Well maybe now you'll have a little more confidence in people I pick up from the streets. Then again that hasn't stopped you before...." Letting the statement stay there for a moment as he typed up some quick messages to his usual 'talent' hunters. They were simple directives for now, one: find those with medical expertise in removing chips and failsafes. There was bound to be at least a couple of people capable of it that remained independent so far. If WBSA was here, he's gonna need more supers on his side, and what better way then said supers owe you favors for removing such invasive things? It was only a search directive though, he would rather handle the dealings himself. The other was to find actual competent gunmen/mercs willing to sign on a long term contract. If the sewer incident was anything to go by, the usual family mooks were as reliable as a paperbag in a rainstorm. Of course this would all take a few days of looking and examining, so he was in no rush. Quality over quantity for now.

"So, I'm assuming I have to go and show up to that gallery thing or whatever at City Hall?" He asked, having a good idea what the answer from his father was going to be. "I hope the Lacroix twins aren't there." Mumbled to himself, hoping not to be annoyed further at some event he knew he was going to annoyed just by being there. Hopefully he'll be able to do something productive there.

"Well, I take offence in the description hitman, but that is not important. I just need a moment, before I step inside. I will now reach slowly into my pocket." With those words he withdrew his wallet and retrieved three one sol-coins.
He drew the first one onto the floor before him and then stepped inside, keeping the other two in his closed left fist. After looking left and right Gabriel moved to the middle of the room. Having made it that far, his nervosity subsided.
"I am here to listen to your offer and inquire, why you think that I am at quarrel with you. No matter to what conclusion we come, it is always nice to meet other persons in the business."