Necropolis

Derrik whistled tunelessly as he was walked along the dark corridor of the prison. The guard handcuffed to him on his right grimaced but did not stop him. Derrik paused, grinned at the jailor and then continued.

But, even this did not provoke a reaction from the man. Derrik was sure his talent for annoying the hell outta people hadn't gone, it was just that this man was so relieved to get rid of him, that he wasn't interested in giving him any lip back. That wasn't too bad. Derrik could wait.

The pair walked up the last flight of stairs and rounded the corner to the foyer.

"If you'll just wait a moment we'll update your files," the officer murmured and cuffed Derrik to a bar alongside the reception desk. He was about to enter the room opposite when another cop came out.

"Ah, Derrik, I've just signed you off. Couldn't stand the thought of keeping you any longer than we needed to."

Now that was more like it.

"Well," the first police officer motioned for me to move, "what are you waiting for?"

Derrik grinned and jangled the cuffs around his wrist, "For this lock to just spring open."

A few minutes later Derrik was walking out of the prison. It felt strange to be free again. I'll probably go for a burger in a minute..., he thought. But, before he could begin to look for a Burger King he saw a familiar face in the crowd outside. It couldn't be. It just couldn't.

"Dave!" Derrik called out and ran towards his old cell-mate.

As Tazin strolled out of Ashville High, elbowing his way through some flirting freshmen, he slipped on his sunglasses and stuffed his unopened report card into his backpack. He didn't need to look. He knew what he got.

"Nice shades, Tazin. Going out for hitman before dinner again?"

Tazin grinned at the girl sitting on the steps, waiting for her dad to pick her up from school. "I'd tell you, but then I'd have to sleep with you, I mean, kill you."

She snorted and made a rude gesture. "No thanks either way."

He laughed and waved, then turned down the sidewalk and pushed his headphones into his ears. Tazin hit play, and the MP3 player started: "Let the bodies hit the flo' . . ."

It was a nice sunny afternoon. The perfect day to battle a random unit of evil ninjas, Tazin figured. Too bad he hadn't met any on the walk home from school, not in four years. Some day, maybe, if he was lucky . . .

Tazin was home in just a few minutes. His dad's Pontiac Grand Prix was sitting in the driveway, and he groaned. He hated it when his dad came home early from the office. Oh well. He wouldn't stick around to listen to lectures anyway.

The door was unlocked, and Tazin walked in without closing it behind him or taking off his shoes.

"Take off your shoes, Taz," grumbled his father from another room.

"Okay, dad," said Tazin, who commenced to walk in his sneakers across the carpet and up the stairs. In his room, with The Legacy of Kain and Shadows Fall and other similar posters lining the walls, his laptop on his messy bed and clothes strewn across the floor, Tazin shrugged off his backpack and went to his closet.

Inside was his training gi. He took it out and threw it on a chair nearby, then moved to the wall and took down his katana. He loved the feel of it in his hand, the weight and coolness of the metal, the simple curves of its beautiful design. Technically, he wasn't supposed to practice with a real sword, he thought as he looked at his wooden training blade mounted on the wall. Technically, he thought with a grin, he didn't care. Tazin stripped out of his school clothes and into his gi, then put the sword on his hip.

"I'm going out," said Tazin as he tramped downstairs in his gi and, of course, his dirty sneakers.

"Practicing some more violence, huh?" grumbled his dad from behind a wall. "Let me tell you something about violence . . ."

"'Real violence, the kind that makes you wet your pants,'" quoted Tazin under his breath as he summarily breezed through the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and went out the back door.

He had a training course set up in the woods behind the backyard. Nothing complex, really, just some old sacks stuffed with junk to make for sparring partners, but it was still good to practice. His sensei wanted him to practice every day, and he had no problem with that. Anything than stewing in his father's eternal pity-party was better, Tazin nodded to himself.

He drew his sword and looked at the gleaming blade. A bird flew off at the same moment.

"That's right!" he said in a mock voice of heroic bravery. "Fly off, you foul fowl!"

Some people thought he was immature for his age. He grinned at that thought. He was told that by a lot of some people. He thought a lot of some people were stupid.

Tazin put in his headphones, which he was expressely not to listen to while practicing, and swung his sword at a stuffed dummy.

"There's nothing wrong with me," he told it cheerily as he poked at it's misshappen belly.

Day 0, 7.27pm

"I'll drive," I muttered to Mev and Adara, gesturing to my old Bronco.

"Where are we going?" Adara asked.

"To IHOP, right?"

"...You just said we weren't--"

"No, I said HE wasn't. Knowing Angie, though, he will be. Whatever." I shrugged and stepped up and into the truck. I leaned back out the door. "Coming?"

Adara looked to Mev, who shrugged a little before opening the passenger side door and climbing in.

I closed my door and turned the ignition. The Bronco roared to life, and I heard the back door open. Adara clambered onto the bench seat, and I watched her through the rear view mirror with a grin. She was always fun to watch, whatever she was doing.

"Buckle up, kiddos," I called over the roar of the engine. Throwing it into reverse, I put my arm around the back of Mev's chair and craned my neck to look out the back window.

Once clear of the parking spot, I put it in drive, floored the sucker, and peeled out in the parking lot. In no time at all we were speeding down Main Street, Disturbed blaring the from the speakers and my fingers lightly gripping the steering wheel.

"Slow down!"

I couldn't hear Adara over the music and the engine. At least, that's what I let her think.

"Slow DOWN goddammit!" I loved it when she yelled. I grinned and let up on the accelerator.

The truth was, I hadn't slowed down because of her. I needed to make a call, and I couldn't drive nearly as well if I was distracted. I may be a daredevil, but I'm not dumb.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and flipped it open. Scrolling down to Angie's name, I pressed the call button and let it ring. She picked up on the third ring.

"What do you want?"

"You guys at IHOP yet?" I asked.

"What do you mean? We--"

"So you're on your way?" I cut her off.

"...Yeah," she admitted.

"We'll meet you there. Be sure to bring Alain," I said, nearly shouting over the music.

She was silent for a moment, probably asking the dude if he wanted to go still, then said: "Okay, see you there."

I hung up and tossed my phone to Mev: "Hang on to that a bit."

This was gonna rule.

Keri frowned as she walked towards IHOP, she wasn't hungry but what the heck, she wanted to eat. She watched a Bronco speed up and she smiled. One day he would be caught, though it wouldn't be easy. She walked in as the driver stepped out with the other riders; all who were kinda wobbly legged. She sat down at a small booth and frowned, another day waisted, she didn't get to fight anyone or anything. Go figure, the same day she had a lecture and they was the most exciting thing that happened to her. She ordered a drink and looked down at her menu, like always nothin really interested her. She sipped her drink and smiled maybe life would get exciting, heck the goverment was keeping something from them and if she really wanted excitement she was going to be the one to figure it out. 'whats my life coming too, she thought chasing the goverment while everyone else is hanging out, if Dave and Derrik were around it would be better


(Hope you don't mind*

NAME: (Brother) Evanual "Evan" Sarkahov
AGE: 24
HEIGHT: 5' 10"
WEIGHT: 185 lbs
EYES: periwinkle blue
HAIR: a brown-blonde medley
PHYSIQUE: He's not 'ripped', but he could more then hold his own in a bar fight. This comes from his extensive training with the Swiss Guard, a regiment he's kept up (for the most part) despite being thousands of miles from those sacred grounds.
EDUCATION: Equivalent of a Masters degree in Roman Architecture and a PhD in the History of the Papacy. Oh yeah, and he's a religion buff :p
PROS: Well-trained, quick-thinking, and determined. His moderate bulk helps, too.
CONS: Bitter with many things. Lacks a plan for his future. Loner by nature. NOTE: More will be revealed as his back story develops in the RP
BACKGROUND: A rogue Cleric with a mysterious past, Evan seems over-qualified (yet hardly fitting) for his new-found position with the Catholic Church. However, he has a certain resolve, which he'll find quite handy in the upcoming horrors. He was the golden boy of the Vatican, surely destined for greatness. His talents were wide and in depth, but for some strange reason, right as he was set up to become the youngest Bishop on record, he left the Vatican with no explanation, and set himself up as an inconspicuous Apprentice Priest. Seemingly doomed to obscurity, the St. Aspotine church (located just outside downtown Ashville) ecstatically welcomed him to their ranks, overlooking his...eccentrics.

I pulled open the door to the IHOP and let Mev take it, to hold it for Adara.

The place was busy, but not crowded. Already I could taste those de-licious pancakes, drowned in syrup and butter.

I would have stood there and thought about it longer, but the hostess, or rather, her figure, drew my attention away.

"How many tonight?" she asked, those full lips forming carefully around each word. God I loved this place. She stood with her weight slightly on one leg, tilting her hips slightly off to one side. I shot her a crooked smile and a wink and opened my mouth to say something sly, but a waving arm caught my attention. It was Angie.

"Looks like my party's already here," I said. "If you want to join us...feel free." I winked again, and strolled over to the table Angie and her protege had gotten us. That chick Anne and the other guy were there already, as well.

"Sup guys?" I said with a grin.

Day 0: 8pm

Evan loosened his grip on the ceremonial torch that currently occupied his

attention--it was sputtering in a most undignified manor. Three of his soon-

to-be-peers shot him reproachful looks as he desperately tried to calm the

temperamental flames.



Great. I haven't even been sworn in and already they're establishing a clerical hierarchy, the ex-bishop-to-be thought bitterly.



His focus was hurriedly readjusted to the Head Priest, who was now

enunciating slightly more-so then necessary; a subtle sign to shut up. He

immediately adopted an appropriately impassive expression, and stepped

forward at a well-rehearsed pace. The kindly cleric eyed him imperiously,

and received the torch with a good humored smile.



I like this guy. He's down to Earth, noted Evan.



It had been a rare quality back in the Vatican; the various religious

authorities seemed to find the pearly allure of the Heavens much more

important then the day-to-day goings on of the oh-so-humble Earth.

Reminiscing heatedly, Evan knelt in front of the velvet adorned podium,

preparing to receive his Initiation Gift. And from an off-hand hallway, three

robed figures entered, two carrying items on plush silk pillow. The left one

bore a newly polished iron-wrought key, while the one on the right had an

ancient looking crucifix on a chain. The figure in the center, however, had

no object-bearing pillow, but instead held a fragile-looking rapier, point

down.



Even Ashville has its formalities, Evan observed with a slight smile. As

the 3 cloaked clerics approached, the setting June sun filtered through the

Stained glass of the St. Aspotine church, where it flashed brilliantly on the

crafted-steel blade. Evan inclined his head as the Priest draped the cross

and key around his neck, and gently set the sword before him. Taking up a

midnight-robe from the Mahogany stand behind him, he placed it around

Evan's shoulder's.



"Welcome, Brother Sarkahov, to our most humble establishment."

Humble indeed...

Dave blinked, his shadow... Oh god he thought. Dave groaned annoyed, now what?

Dave ignored Derrick hoping he'd go away, seriously this guy was a pest. He'd rather be eaten alive by zombies than be with him. The guy had followed him through prison and had been his cell mate. Dave had thought when he was out he'd be free from him.

"Dave!!!!"

Dave growled angrily, and turned round to see Derrick walking over to him. So much for plans, he wouldn't be able to concentrate let alone decryt files and hack the system.

A yellow taxi drove up to the outside of the prison. It was going to be a long journey back to Ashville He lifted up his backpack hearing Derrick behind him shouting, "Wait up!"

Dave grinned at the thought of leaving him behind, but his day dream ended as he put his case into the car. Dave growled annoyed and sat in the car. He was going to ignore Dave.

The driver turned round, he had a European face and was more a tan coloured. He was wearing a checkered shirt, on the guys dash board was an automatic. Dave gulped involuntary. "So where you going?"

Dave sighed and answered clearly, "Ashville main street."

The driver turned the ignition. Dave sighed and decided a sleep would do no harm.

Derrick then opened his mouth and asked curiously, "Why the pistol?"

The driver growled and turned round, "Why you think!!!"

Dave rolled his eyes at Derrick and closed his eyes.

Name: Tyrin
Gender: female
Age: 19
Occupation: College student
Appearance: Tall, dark hair, dark eyes, wears casual clothes.

Other: Tyrin is intelligent, often making people think she is a weak intellectual type. Most do not know she is part of a pistol/rifle club, and fewer know she is quickly reaching the top of the board.

Tyrin sighed over her book. Mathmatics... so boring. She knew all this already.
Glancing around the lecture theatre, she wondered if she could slip out without disturbing anyone. She packed up her books, and, being on the end of the row, slipped up the aisle and out the door.

She stretched, checking her watch. No more lectures for today. She wondered out the the carpark, placed her books on top of the car, and fit the key in the lock. She pulled out of her park, Looked both ways down the street, and drove off, heading for her hide out. Not a quiet place to relax. She was heading for the firearms club.

Keri smiled at her last thought,Derrik's annoying by nature, and Dave isn't, what a perfect crime pair. she smiled, the two never got along, not on Dave's side at least, but the younger guy could be a help to Dave but he never seemed to think so. Keri watched a taxi stop across the street and Keri was surpised to see both Dave and Derrik step out. What the two were doing out of prinson was surprising enough, but together was a little more curious.


*OOC: Why does everyone double space, and how do you do that on here?*

The taxi drive had been brilliant! Derrik just wished that he'd had the fortune to have been allowed a camera. The face of the driver had been pure gold after the third repetition of 'Are we nearly there yet?'. Dave hadn't been too happy either but had managed to stop reacting. Unfortunately, he'd got used to his ways by now.

As Derrik stepped out of the taxi he scanned the street. This took about half a minute because he could only see in one direction at once. His blindness in his right eye meant not only was it hard to survey surroundings, but his judgement of distance was also impaired. Ah well, he'd got used to it.

Snapping back to reality Derrik realised that Dave had walked off. Maybe Dave wasn't as unaffected as he seemed.

"Come on then squirt!" Dave was only a few meters up the road but Derrik had to run to catch up.

"So what are we doing, Dave?" Derrik immediately looked to Dave for guidance. Dave was more than happy to his authoritative commands and so both were fairly happy. If Derrik kept his mouth shut, things would move so much smoother. But, not nearly as interestingly!

Dave began to talk about the plans he'd made. This wasn't really what Derrik had wanted to know. All Derrik wanted to hear was what was happening. Now.

"And so, once we've disabled all the firewalls and we've decrypted all the files we can move onto the next stage," Dave continued, his voice alight with compassion that he had for his craft. His dangerous craft that left so little room for error. Derrik smiled and flicked on the MP3 player in his pocket before cranking up the volume until he could barely hear Dave talking. Much better.

The pair walked along the street before coming to a small beat up van, parked at the side of the road. Derrik recognised it instantly and quickly turned of his music. Dave would be finishing his monologue soon.

“And that’s how we do it. Got it?” Dave asked.

“Sure, Dave,” Derrik replied. They both knew he hadn’t listened but it was accepted that he didn’t listen to anyone. It was hardly special treatment for him.

“Fine, get in the van then, idiot.” Dave motioned at the van door and I reached for the shiny metal door handle. It looked about the only thing on the van that was shiny.

Derrik touched the metal but suddenly recoiled as a sharp shock crackled up his arm. Dave laughed and clapped the unhappy Derrik on his back.

“I’ve installed a few safety devices, mate!” Dave laughed loudly, “Now get in the van.”

Cautiously, Derrik reached for the handle once more.

Joanna kept walking, turning onto Main Street. She ignored the looks and catcalls she received and simply kept walking, keeping her chin up. Her anger had dissipated, and now she was trying to get her mind around the details of what she had to do next. She pulled her wallet from her back pocket and checked it. She had just gone to the bank yesterday, so four $20 bills sat inside. Still, she knew how quickly it could be spent, even without having to pay for gas. She could always go back to the bank, of course; she had all her ID and information with her, and as much as she hated dipping into her savings, she at least had enough money to set her up in an apartment until she could get a job and start making more.

As she passed the local IHOP, the scent of waffles drifted toward her, and she was painfully reminded of the fact that she had not yet eaten that day. She deliberated for a second, double-checked her money supply, then reluctantly gave in. Breakfast for dinner was too tempting to pass up.

Joanna walked inside. She smiled sheepishly at the hostess and shrugged. "It's just me tonight."

"Great. Right this way, then."

Following the hostess, Jo looked around at the other restaurant-goers. She groaned to herself as she recognized a group of kids she didn't particularly care for.

Just my luck, she thought to herself as she was seated close to possibly her least favorite person in the town: Kevin.

He flashed a grin at her and she rolled her eyes. She buried her head in her menu, determined to not order until he had left. After all, it wasn't like she had to be anywhere anytime soon.

Day 0. 8.02PM


I watched as "Kev" took his seat across from me. Timo Maas' "To Get Down" played out over the speaker system, which seemed oddly fitting, at least for now. I watched as he flashed a quick grin to the girl behind us.

The waitress appeared. "Do you guys know what you want?"

"I want a glass of milk and a pancake," Angie blurted.

"Gotcha," she nodded and looked at me.

"Uh..." I hadn't opened the menu, but I could imagine what they served. "I want two eggs overeasy and a banger."

Her pen stopped at this second request and I felt the erie stillness of people about to laugh. Then--it happened.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"What the fuck...?" Kevin laughed. Adara, Mev and Jammie giggled; Anne looked mortified, and Angie was gasping for her breath.

"Oh God," she said. "Stop." She put her hands up to me as if surrendering. "Stop, please." Angie looked up at the waitress after regaining her breath. "He wants a sausage."

This seemed to incite only more laughter from the others, though I wasn't sure why. The waitress took the other orders but continued to keep an eye on me.

After she left Kevin smirked. "If you wanted a banger you could have just asked me."

"Kevin," Adara scolded. "He's from Croatia or wherever." She gestured at me.

"London," I corrected.

"Yeah," Angie said. "They call sausages bangers over there."

"And you didn't know that?" Kevin cocked his head to the side and continued smirking. "I guess PhD.'s aren't everything."

"Ah, right," I nodded, a surge of anger flushing to my face. "I forgot what it is you do?"

"I sell guns."

I nodded. "A worthy profession."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He leaned over the counter, tone lowered.

"Nothing," I shook my head and shrugged helplessly. "For someone of...your...caliber, no pun intended, it seems like a worthy profession."

He slitted his eyes. "Watch it," he warned.

Angie grabbed my knee to signal to cool it.

Adara rolled her eyes and playfully pushed Kevin to the side--an obvious attempt to control the escalating level of antagonism between us. "You're such a beasty, Kev."

There was a momentary pause, as if everyone in the whole place were listening.

"Yeah, Kev." I chimed. "A beasty. Totally."

He grinned coyly. "Fuck you."

"The pleasure'd be all mine, I'm sure."

"Dude," he half-laughed and shook his head. "You're fugly."

"Boys!"

The waitress brought out our food and set it down. Mev and Jamie seemed to be observing quietly from the other side of the table. Anne quietly glanced up at me and caught my eye.

"Hey, Dr. Kojeve," she said, pausing to make sure no more battle canons were fired. "At your lecture you said something about--"

"Your ass is ringing," Angie said to me.

"What?" Anne was confused.

"Your ass, Dr. Kojeve," she touched my shoulder, "it's ringing."

"Oh," I reached down and pulled the phone from my pocket. Nikola Rachelle's "Madly and Randomly" slowly poured into the room. I hit the Ignore button. "I don't answer it these days."

Anne furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"His boyfriend probably dumped him," Kev announced.

I lost my patience with him. "Do you generally hate people with high IQs and basic reasoning skills, or is this personal?"

"It's personal," he said non-chalantly, clinking his fork to the plate and sipping milk from his glass.

I nodded. "'Insecure' doesn't quite prepare one for you, does it?"

"Stop," Angie said. "Stop. Both of you."

"You better shut up," Kevin said lightly. "I could kick your ass any day."

Adara's eyes flashed from me to Kevin, and the others seemed to be watching idly, anticipating a fight.

"Yeah, Kevin," Angie sighed. "Kicking up a scrawny, furless professor is really something to be proud of."

"Hey--!"

"Shut up," she leveled her eyes at me. "Now. Let's just finish eating and have normal conversations."

"Fine." Kevin shrugged.

I eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds. "Fine."

Dave yawned and pressed the security on once more, Derrick leapt up in shock, "Cut it out man!". Dave laughed and turned it off.

After the fun Derrick opened the door of the van, seeing a wide array of equipment Dave used. Dave climbed in and grabbed his PDA (he'd stolen) and his hacking equipment.

Derrick looked around the van, then grinned and asked, "So how long do you reckon you'll be out of prison?"

Dave picked up a few odds and ends from the van. He got out and smiled knowinly at Derrick, "I'm not going back, I'm never going there again!"

Derrick rolled his eyes, Dave smiled meanly and snatched the mp3, "I'll need something to sound out your noisy chatter-chatter!"

"Dave, Derrick!"

Both boys swung round.

It was Keri.

"When'd y'all get out." She asked, looking the two over, they hadn't changed much sense she had last seen them.

"Today, they got to annoyed of me so they let me out." Derrik said grinning,

"A while back," Was Dave's normal reply.

"What are you hacking into this time?" She asked lowering her voice just a little as a few people walked by,

"Grid System i'm going to get a few friends of mine out of jail and such." He replied smiling. "Anything new happen around here?"

"Here? Are you serious, nothing ever happens here, oh there is some guy from london, a professor I think, that is all that i know about. Everything else is quiet. Something needs to happen soon or I'm gonna go insane." She looked around, everyone seemed to have gone into the IHOP. "Sooo, this is a big one,"

"OH NO! Your not coming, I'm already stuck with Derrik, I'm not going to have to watch you too." Dave said throwing his hands up.

"Come off, I'm more of a help then he is." Keri argued,

"HEY!" Derrik protested.

"Shut up. You gotta let me come Dave, plus you owe me one for helping you getting away from the cops last time." She said smiling, she knew she had won.

"You can't come." He replied flatly, Keri frowned.

"Fine, you owe me something for helping you though," She said walking past him towards his truck. She smiled once she got past him, she was going to get something out of this.

"What are you doing..??" He demaneded. "Where do you think you are going?"