Veronica moved her body in a standing position, silence followed with ease. It was in the air, tainted desires--greed, sloth, envy...it was all there. She trotted outside the apartment, Veronica claimed she need to retrieve something. Without another move of her soft lips, the young woman left. 

A breeze murmured from the west, buildings towered over the people trying to get from point A to point B. Lights flashed, buzzing. Even during the doubt of tomorrow, people had their own duties to attend too now. As Veronica p*censored*ed through a near-by park she couldn't help but awe over the magnificent fountain that danced with equal timing. 

Minutes burned as Father Time grumbled and brushed out his beard. Veronica finally arrived at her destination, a tall office styled apartment building. It reached to the fathoming sky of forty-two stories. After swiping her secluded card, a low frequency noise beeped and the main doors unlocked. Veronica moved inside, the decor of the architecture was mainly of silk and linen. Without glancing at desk guy she darted toward the elevator.

Veronica fiddled through her pocket, as her fingers graced the cold chain of the keys she pulled them out swiftly. Along with the keys, another room card was needed. Security tensed around the penthouse. Ownership of this fabulous abode did not lie with Veronica though, she just stayed here--really without question. Though the main objective for Veronica now was getting changed and pack for weeks of on-end moving from place to place without hesitation.

 Streaming her hand against the wooden dressers, Veronica knew time was only going by so fast. So she needed to gather her equipment in a matter of a certain pace. Throwing on a pair of dark Nike shorts and smooth long-sleeve under armor shirt, she then slipped on a pair of white running tennis shoes.

(bump.)

Lysander strolled on aimlessly with nothing to do. He had no real idea of where he was going or why, but he just ambled on, past the people and the buildings, oblivious to the traffic and the bustle of the city. He had done nothing significant that day, or the day before, and now, he was determined to do something useful than lounging on the sofa, remote in hand, switching channels every few seconds. He rarely found anything that captured his interest and liking, and despite being in the FBI, he was not a busy man. 

He half stopped near the doughnut shop, then reminded himself he was eating far too much. He had put on some pounds, more than that was expected of a detective, but not surprising for one who didn't do much. Not that Lysander didn't like his job, He adored it, but it was true it was getting quite boring. He quickened his steps a little, for no real reason.

He was near his old friend's apartment at the moment and decided to check on him for it had been some time since they last met. Besides having nothing to do, meeting an old companion would rise anyone's spirits. Lysander knocked once or twice, not wanting to seem that he had entered without warning. 

He hadn't expected to see so many people with Jack. However, he was not surprised at this, after all, he was a detective, and a good one like Jack would indeed have lots of clients. But so many all at once? He chuckled to himself. It sure was nice to see an old pal again. 

Jack looked over his shoulder at the knock, the flurries of attacks being flung at the punch bag not even slowing in the slightest, laughing as he saw his old friend, he put his two fighting sticks back in their sheaths and turned the face him, offering his hand. "Hello again old friend, it's been too long, well, I say old friend, old friend, new flab, you've put a little chub on there... now c'mon, I'm not even on the force anymore and I stay in peak shape."

Jack laughed again, joking with his friend, knowing that his friend knew he was joking also, "You here to join my merry little strike force? I've got to say, you're the last of people I'd of expected to be seen with someone like me, dishonourable discharge for wanting revenge for his family... That's just cruel."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THe Serpent laughed as his love walked back into the room and was moping, "You look as beautiful as an earthly vessel can, now let's go."  He then walked out of the apartment and fell back into a sprintm lunging from building to building, making his way towards the church where his next target awaited him.

Annabell smiled at his comment, then followed him out of the apartment. She closed the door securely behind her, then ran off after him. Once she caught up with him, she smiled again, and started feeling a little nevous about this. 'What is I leave something behind, and the toy finds it? What if something goes wrong and they catch us? Will they kill us straight off or throw us in prison? What are we suppost to do if they are able to follow us back to the hideout?' Hundreds of thoughts swamed around in her head at once, all coming to the same problem; What is she got them caught?

She glanced over at her lover for a few seconds, then looked back forward, even more thoughts rushing into her head suddenly. 'What would he do if she messed up? Would he leave her there if the cops came and only one of them had the time to escape?' She quickly shook her head. He would never do that to her.....would he?

Jack climbed up the ounch bag and sat on the metal bar, his legs dangling over the edge, he always loved heights, "You know nothing? well You remember I was after The Serpent? He killed my wife as a warning, my kids too... you remember the kids don't you?.. I still flash abck onto memories of their faces... Oh how I miss them both..."

Jack paused, choking on a lump in his throat, coughing to clear his voice, doing his best to show little emotion, "So that just made me want his heart more... I pushed harder, bent laws, broke a few, beat a lot of gang members to death in search of information, crushed their skulls... caused them to bleed to death."

Again, he paused, remembering his actions, proud of them, knowing the people he killed deserved it, "They booted me from the force, knowing I was too closely involved with the case, knowing I wouldn't stop if they simply transferred me... so I organised this interesting little party of people you see before you... all interested in the death of the Serpent, all willing to die to achieve that goal, as I have been for so long..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Serpent reached the church, dropping down to the door, pushing the door open gently, the church was officially closed, but there were homeless taking up many of the pews, the priest obviously feeling sympathy for them, The Serpent didn't care, all he wanted was the priest's throat.

He slipped through a door, beckoning the woman with him to follow carefully, and watch. He walked through a few rooms before reaching the bedroom where the priest slept, he tested it - locked - he knew that would have been far too easy. "Noisy entrance I see..." He kicked the door hard, causing ti to blast wide ajar, nearly taking it off of it's hinges, lunging on the priest, grasping his throat with one hand and coverring his mouth with the other.

"Oh this is rich, is this where I'm suppose to beg for forgiveness? I don't think so."  He then swiftly snapped the prest's neck, cutting a slight nick on the neck and drawing a small snake logo with the blood and a toothpick.

Annabell followed him into the church, but stayed just outside the bedroom door. She looked up and down the hall to make sure nobody was coming. She looked at the wall behind her, and quickly looked back into the room at the sound on the priest's neck snapping.
She smiked and shook her head as the watched and listened. She could tell he was having fun with this kill. After a few seconds, she went back to looking around for witnesses.

(Braindead.)

 Veronica raced through the streets, a drench coat covered her athletic clothing. The lamp post settled calmly, no zeal in sight. Negative energies exchanged as Veronica's alacrity pas$ed by it's non-persona excellency. Stars flashed, burning light years away. The young woman, determined and on a mission, couldn't help but fill very minuscule within the city. 

 Danger lurked, it's disdain hiss collapsed the soothing aura that made most feel safe. Nothing was protected from those who seek blood and it's illustriousness illusion. 

 The body, lump and lifeless...bruises tainted the skin as if they sustained permanent scars. Coloring the gray dermis, there was no more hope. Rain beleaguered, relief flashed upon the distressed faces of the Mother and Father.

 "It's not Veronica."

 Standing before them, a dead girl, her identity was unknown. Bashed in, her nose unbearably broken. Blood splashed upon her cut out cheeks, broken teeth laid not even inches away from the face. The girls eyes, staring...blank and swollen from endless amounts of tears drawn from the duct. 

jack allowed himself to fall from the top of the punch bag, landing on his feet and pulling his trenchcoat back on, sitting down in his great ramchair after dragging ti closer to were his friend was sitting, "That's good to know, a friend on side will definately boost my morale, after all The Serpent has been messing with my head since he killed Dee and the kids... bumping into me, leaving markers on bodies to let me know he's always out there."

He reached into his ccoat and pulled out his 45. and examined it, taking in every detail and cranny, swering silently that it would be used to dispatch or torture the Serpent, whichever he decided on at the time. "You know I've dreamt about mashing several parts of him with the butt of this gun many nights, watching the blood fly through the air, the bacterial sprya hitting my clothes and the wall behind me... finally shoving the tip of the barrel through his teeth and blowing the top of his skull off, followed by killing whoever is helping him."

He then reached underneath the chair, pulling out another 45. and throwing it to his friend, "It's a powerful gun and an efficient one, won't cut out on you or break... it has never backfired, probably never will do... a good weapon for you I think, if you wanna roll with me you'd better train like I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The serpent will come for Jack in the next post. ^_^

Annabell sighed and continued to look around. She then looked back into the priest's room, "Love, we should get moving before any of those people start getting suspicious." She said quietly before continuing to look up and down the hall.
Annabell gasped quickly as something landed on her shoulder. She bit onto her tongue hard, a way of resiting the urge to scream at the top of her lungs. She quickly pushed the rodent off and shook her head, she could take blood, and guts, and mangled bodies, anything like that, but the two things in the world she couldn't stand, were rodents, and spiders.
"Really Sweetie, lets go. This place is giving me the creeps, and a rat just jumped on me." She said, a hint of disgust ringing in her voice.