Chapter 15: The Sacred and Profane

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

start this thread when the other has 20 pages.

[Ariel Tal Shachar]

"I think it is interesting. There has not been terrorism in this world for some time. I was starting to think that it was a thing of the past." Ariel replies to Li. He gets up and stands near the large window behind his desk. He gazes out the window at another gray day. "I wonder who..." Ariel thinks to himself. He has dispatched the Hand to collect any information about potential terrorist groups. All of them had seemingly been eradicated some time ago.

"Annette believes that it is Communist terrorists." The Moderator remarks to Li. He watches her from the corner of his eye to gauge any reaction she might have to the statement. Her loyalty is more than a little questionable.

[Li Violette]

"I believe that is completely proposterous." I reply to him. I fold my arms and can feel him watching me. "Everyone knows there is no such thing as communists in the world today. It is...like saying Cavemen or Feudal Lords are behind this." I laugh. Of course, it isn't a laughing matter for me.

"It is probably some religious terrorist. I have heard that there are a few small bands of Christians...and even some Muslims left. There could be some secret organization that promotes one of the religions of the past. Even if we have not heard of it..."

I stand up and also walk over to that large window.

"In any case, I am going to have to give a speech on it. What...what do you think I should say?"

[Ariel Tal Shachar]

"The only people impacted by this are the Blessed, a very small minority. Don't say anything at all. To say something might give people ideas...ideas that they can perhaps join a rebel movement..or even the idea that rebellion is an option. Say nothing. If we ignore it publicly, it will show how trivial it truly is." The Moderator replies. He is aware though that among the Blessed it will have to be addressed.

"We are having an Economic Council meeting soon. The Blessed will be attending ...so, we can discuss it then. The rest of the world doesn't need to know about it."

And the rest of the world probably wouldn't since there is only on TV station...M TV, which controls all of the media.

He considers if it may be a religious group. It makes him cringe. He hates the Manalists, but at least they have a purpose...unlike the outdated religions of the past.

[Li Violette]

"I suppose that they don't." I reply to him. I close my eyes and think about the situation. No, people don't need to know. Most people in this world are illiterate, poor, and wouldn't understand. There is no point worrying them.

"Keitoleinen probably had security that was too loose. It is his fault for being careless, really."

[Ariel Tal Shachar]

"I have no evidence that leads me to feel alarmed at the moment. I will think about it, but, it may be some random act of unorganized violence. I will try to form a better opinion on this situation as reports come in from the Hand and the Creditor. That is all. No speeches. No discussion in public with people who are not Blesssed. That is the policy I have determined for the time being. You may leave." Ariel states. He waves his hand to motion that she is free to leave him, and that he wants to be left alone.

[Li Violette]

"Understood." Is my only reply.

I quietly leave his office and take a teleportation booth to my apartment in Beijing. The nigh ends with a hot bath and time spent alone contemplating the party.

[Joseph "Jose" Ponce]

Jose watched as the Economic Council Speaker amidst all the chaos of the party. It was all rather ridiculous. Was this how a "Blessed Party" usually goes? Jose was calm, he forced himself to be, that was how he handled chaotic situations. He sat and thought about the party's recent events and what to determine from them.

It was then suddenly another young woman came upon them. She asked for assistance regarding her brother.

"Actually no I have no idea what's going on. This is all new to me. "

Jose looked around at the party surveying it and then turned back to the woman.

"Anyways your brother, yeah I'll help you find him. If I had a brother here I would be worried too. We'll look for him." Jose said in a confidant tone and re-assuring face.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

To Lonrott
"Thanks, I feel safer already! Anyway, there is safety in numbers!" I tell Jose with a smile. I skip happily a little ahead of him. I guess I am feeling a little hyper now. "My name is Hilja. My brother is the great psychologist Dr. Lonrott." I explain, bouncily.

Actually my brother could have a hey day with some of the strange characters I had seen at this party. He told me once he wished he could put the whole world in therapy.

I shake off my thoughts and feel much better as I lead my helpers back into the chaotic mansion.

"Lon...Lon...where are you?!"

[Jack Kruschev]

(To anyone who's bored and would like to post.)

I walk back into the party. I recently left to get a glass of water and am feeling a little dazed.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn.

[Dr. Lonnrot Kukkanen]

I hear my sister call me and look up from Mollie. Taking her hand, I say

"Come, let's meet my sister. She's a sweet girl, I think you'll like her."

Letting go of Mollie's hand (I'm trying not to god-mode.lol), I lead her over to Hilja and say

"Hey, this is Mollie"

and indicate to her using my hand.

[Calithin Crest]

"I hate crazy people!!!"

I point up at the mansion where new rooms have exploded and different people are running both to and from, depending on their grasp of the situation.

"Is that what you wanted to go run into and investigate!?"

This I say to Tristan, and feel angry that I can never have a night out without things getting ridiculous.

"This is insane. I hate crazy people. I don't even understand. It is so much less work to not be crazy. I didn't even get to have any woolly mammoth! I'm hungry. I'm hungry and things are exploding. And ugly people are running around. No one looks good with green hair!!"

I sit down right there on the ground and hear my stomach grumble. I am much more concerned about this than about safety, or trying to figure out what's going on. I've found that the most unhappy people in the world are people who always need to know why or how things happen.

"This is probably all your fault, Tristan. You look like someone to blame for things. I think you should go rustle me up some leftovers and stop trying to endanger my good buddy Ronja here."

[Emmet Fawkes]

To Boni!

Bishop smirked beneath his mask, sometimes he was glad he wore them, he could hide how many times he grinned like some kind of maniac. Maniac was a fun word to throw around, sometimes he liked to pretend he was crazy—it was worth it. Communist rebel, religious terrorist, it didn't matter. He either wanted the schmuck dead or alive—meet him or greet him with blunt objects. The kid was young, he had more experience with this sort of things.

Rubbing his chin, he watched Bonifaz question the purple-suited man's intentions. The terrorist obviously had a plan, and plans could go horribly wrong, if you had them. That was the guys' first mistake. “A young pup, no more than a giddy mobster,” he corrected him and laughed curtly, licking his lips, like he the habit to, and added, “He's a terrorist alright, but inexperienced, bound to mess up with a little help.”

Was this THE Bonifaz? “By any chance... are you THE Bonifaz Artz-Leher?” He asked, fidgeting with his gloved hands.

[Isvara Sharma]

Isvara was confused as to what had happened. The speaker had left him. He thought she was going to visit him at HQ.

Amidst the chaos a girl came up to him, Jose, and Mollie; asking for help with finding her brother. Which Jose was the first one to accept the request.

"Fine Jose. I'll help out as well," grumbled Isvara, "Only because I'm a good guy, but we better not get in any shit."

[Jack O. Trades]

With a slight push to the back he ushered his newest accomplice into the van "Names....titles, suppose most stick with Jack." Humming to himself he danced around the side plopping himself into the passenger seat. As the goon began to drive he reclined into the seat rubbing at his temple "So.....the rest set up yet?"His hireling looked from the corner of his eye to look to Jack "Uh yeah boss but....can ya tell us again what we're doin all this for?" Blinking once he looked to the driver incredulously "You, don't get it?" the answer he received was a nervous shaking of the head.

Nodding franticly his hand went to a glove compartment, reaching within to bring out a pistol. With no word or warning he reached across the seats opening the door to the panic of the driver. Bringing up the pistol he fired into the man's side as he was shoved out of the vehicle. With a bark of laughter he leaps into the drivers seat as the van started to swerve. "Hmm, boring!" he declared to no one in particular as he slammed his foot on the pedal laughing at the sight of the rolling, bleeding, and from the shouts of pain still breathing, subordinate.

As he began to swerve wildly around on the road it would start throwing those who were not braced in the back seat. One specifically trying his best to keep a wide package from slamming into the sides of the van. To make it worse he himself began to start screaming hysterically as the vehicle careened around driving over the wounded man the van bouncing up twice as it happened. As he pulled a u-turn he began humming once more only to speed up towards the wounded man once more "Two for flinching!" As he proceeded to run over the man once more an ear splitting cackle tore through the air as he drove off once more.

Clearing his throat with a cough his voice grew calm, conversational, as if he hadn't done anything "Just having a little fun. And what better way to do that then to rip the top brass a new one" As he took another turn he looked at one of his other lackey's in the rear view " So. The boys already set up the screens?"

As one of the men finally got up the courage to speak to the deranged mobster "Y..yeah boss. The rest of the guys already set em up in the places ya said. Each one has their own signal so even if someone finds one they'd have to get each one respectively to shut ya down. But uh...boss...? What about the girl"

Nodding thoughtfully for a few moments the maddened clown behind the wheel seemed to have ignored the question until he finally pulled the van to a stop a small ways away from the mansion, reclining into the seat once more he grinned the feverish glint in his eyes returning as he looked at the woman from it "She's a new play mate. Showed some potential, no one lays a hand on her or what Ol Abbot back there will be laughing on how light he got it" Shifting comfortably in his seat his hand reached out and flicked a small switch in the dash board and through the radio he began to nod his head to the sounds of the party. He would have to thank the girl for leaving that chip again.