Chapter 5: The Invisible Hand

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

Peter raised his eyes brows, pulled off his glasses, and clipped then to the neck of his shirt. Their weight pulled at the loose fabric, sliding the V farther down his chest. "You and I have a rather different idea of what is and is not strange, Ms. Engel," he said, smirking. "But who am I to argue with a compliment?" He smiled, though he didn't agree with her. She hadn't seen the whole deal of what Genetech had given him.

He stayed still, waiting for something to happen but nothing did. Their conversation just sort of dropped and Bambi looked introspective. Weird.

"So..." he began in the chilly quiet, "I know it isn't far, but you want a quick escort? It's not on my way or anything but I haven't seen the mean streets of London at night before."

[Bonifaz Artz-Lehrer]

After meeting with Alrick, Bonifaz spends about a week traveling around Hungary with his father. The goal is to meet with major companies and land owners there about buying large plots of land. Hungary is a rather poor nation and not a high priority among European capitalists. Therefore, it is not hard to secure some land purchases. Bonifaz himself visits local Manalist temples, which are poorer than those in other parts of Europe. Within a weeks time, father and son manage to buy the land that they will require.

[Bambi Engel]

"Oh I wouldn't want to trouble you..." Bambi begun before pausing. It'd certainly ease her mind. And so what if he knew where she lived? It wasn't like he'd randomly drop by or something.

"But if you want to risk having to deal with some sketch comedy... I suppose it wouldn't hurt." She smiled nervously, trying to convince herself there was no reason to worry.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

(to Eun)

While Calithin is talking to Linnea, Keitoleinen decides to call Eun and ask her to come over for cookies/ He needs to ask her about reprogramming the androids anyway. So, he walks past Calithin across the room to the black phone sitting on the kitchen table. He forgot to put it back on the charger, so when he goes to use it, it makes an annoying beeping noise.

He calls Eun and leaves a message.

"Eun "beep" come over so we can discuss something concerning "beep" androids. "beep" and have some "beep" cookies."

After leaving the message, he hangs the phone up on the charger.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

"Alright then," Peter chuckled, "Lead on, madam." He swept an arm out and bowed low before straightening up and laughing. His glow faded, which caused his skin to ripple with goosebumps in the cold but he made no mention of this, and stepped over to Bambi. "I don't think you've got anything to worry about. I'm much more dangerous than anything that might randomly appear out of the darkness, I assure you." He half reached out to brush her hair, as dramatic emphasis to his statement but decided against it. He'd probably scare her silly, she was the nervous sort. But then... that was the idea, wasn't it? The game. He was supposed to scare her. Still... he put his hand down, waiting. He wasn't supposed to scare her too bad. "Lead the way."

[Dinari Dollar]

Dinari spends more time thinking about things in Cuba. Work has started on the new hotel and really, he feels positive about this. He spends some time reading a book on Cuban history, something he rarely does. His mind feels overwhelmed by the task and he has to take many breaks during the reading. Finally, he just throws the book in the garbage and gives up.

"Well, things can't be so bad. I don't know. It is hard to know who to trust these days." He thinks aloud.

He sends a message to Peter and Tuvi that he thinks that things in Cuba are still under control and that he is positive about the situation there. He also mentions in his message that construction started on the first hotel there.

With that taken care of, he goes outside to hang out at his pool.

[Jack Kruschev]

"Get him out of there!" Anthony yelled. He'd grown impatient from watching his test subject for this many days and getting no results. "I want to interview him myself. Chain, bind, whatever him. I don't care, I just don't want some psycopathic retard attacking me. No drugs, I also want him to have a clear head. I want him ready for me to harvest his little thoughts."

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

After work, I head over to Charon's to do some gardening. The work there varies from day to day. It rained, so I don't need to do any watering today. I do have to do a little weeding though. So, I get on my hands and knees to pick weeds. It isn't terrible though. It helps me to destress.

[kalaessa Artemus]

Kalaessa then replies to Azure’s question about what she did “ I work at a coffee shop” she said staying quite as Azure and Lucio lessoning throw there conversation then jumps when Lucio makes a run for it kalaessa lifts one eye braw “ wow…he can run…” she say out loud then shrugging then giggling a bit seeing that it was kind of funny at her point of view then sees that there’s was not really much use chasing after them then begins walk home again

[Bambi Engel]

Bambi really didn't need assurance, since she was already pretty positive he was. But then why had she given him her number, and came to help him plan his project? And now she was leading him to her doorstep. Did she simply prefer the danger of someone she was acquainted with over a less dangerous stranger? She didn't think it was as simple as preferring to know the danger, though it was certainly a factor.

"I'm sure you are..." She commented softly, gazing at him, before pulling herself together and taking a step back. "Right, it's this way." She spoke, her voice returned to normal volume as she forced a carefree smile. Beginning to head toward the direction of her apartment building, she tried to keep her mind in the current moment. Besides, there'd be no point for him to follow her all the way to the door of her particular apartment.

[Virgil Evans]

Fresh ropes made from old ropes. Virgil could smell the old in them and taste the youth. They where confused by themselves. He'd listen to them when he had the time, try and help, but for now he was late for his party.

The one who feel different wanted to speak. He did that from time to time and Virgil always had fun. It wasn't often that he got to meet with furniture and this room had no only some very talkative chairs but a kind, if a little stoic, table. Good day so far, great day.

"Does the sun still keep time?" He asked the familiar stranger. "Does it dance the moon to sleep at day break anymore?"

[Jack Kruschev]

"Listen, I know you're an inteligent.....creature.......Virgil. You mutter strange things all day, and I've investigated it. So far, I can't tell the difference between up and down in what your saying." Anthony gets out his bag and takes paper and pens of various colors from them. He sets them on the table in front of Virgil. "Please describe what you see and draw it here," Anthony asked, politely.

He sat and hoped it was his vision.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

It wasn't getting any warmer but Peter kept his field off for the time being. Firstly he didn't want to attract extra attention and a glowing dude in the dark could do that. Secondly he didn't want to shock Bambi should be accidentally brush against her or vise versa.

Turned out London wasn't much different, on poor street level, from most cities of similar size. Once you were away from iconic areas, you got the same sort of things. Fewer people though. In a big city like this there was always a wide underclass. Must be a poor resources area, not many bums around. He'd know alot of bums in his time, some better than others, but that was neither here nor there.

He found his thoughts wandering in an unusually exterior way. He normally focused inwards but tonight he was thinking of the world. And of bankers. Accountants. Woman who happened to be one and/or the other. One in particular.

"How's London for kicks these days?" He asked after some walking. "Not much for excitment I imagine."

[Virgil Evans]

Virgil was simply over joyed at the laugher of his new companions. They rattled and spun about as their larger, flatter friend got comfortable ontop the table. The table, by extension, seemed tolerant, though Virgil knew he was the ticklish sort.

"They sound so happy," Virgil mummered, laying his head down, ear against the paper. It was whispering, he couldn't hear it, so he inhaled, smelling the words directly into his brain. Yes, it made sense. "Everyone wants to help," he said, grasping the laughing pens.

The rose was first, a perfect, purple rose, rooted in an endless pool of blood. Around the rose tiny bees that could not be seen flew, but the pens said they could color them yellow because yellow was happy.

Than the trees. Losts of trees in the blood. Dead trees. The trees made the pens sad, but they helped Virgil. Dead fallen trees with names. They washed in the blood, the blood tried to make them bloom, but blood isn't water. Blood kills trees.

"Sad, sad, blood," Virgil said, letting the pens end their unhappy work. "Poor rose... it wants good things but all it has to give is blood."

[Bambi Engel]

"I'm not much of an excitement seeker, though it seems to like coming to me." Bambi commented idly, thinking of earlier that night. She blamed her curiosity and sympathy. Just had to stick her nose where it didn't belong, didn't she? If that Creditor reported her, she'd be in some deep shit. Then again, it seemed kind of... air headed. Well, it was simply an android, after all. Did androids normally want cats?

"Nonetheless, I'm sure there aren't many places for those seeking excitement, though I'm positive they exist. Most people simply can't afford to throw their money around, not that it stops some people from doing so." Her thoughts swayed once more as she wondered why he didn't have his field up anymore. Probably didn't want to attract attention.

She knew she'd certainly have it up, attention be damned, if she was wearing attire similar to that in this air. Realizing she was examining him again, she redirected her gaze. At least with him here she wasn't darting her eyes around and trying to tell if there was some big bad monster lurking in the shadows of the alleyways.

Fetching for something to say to distract her from beginning to worry about harmless shadows, she blurted, "You must work out quite often, you're finely built." Realizing her compliment, her cheeks flushed, and she hoped it was dark enough to not be too notable. What was that one saying they had back in school? Think before you speak, if memory served her correct.