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One Phone Call (cont'd)

"Blasphemy!” Tavi glared at him before laughing at the idea of her ever wearing something like a pant suit. The only exception to that rule would be playing a part for a job, either for the pack or for her line of work. "Sensible shoes on the other hand...” She liked to run and the idea of not being able to run because she was wearing some god awful pair of heels was unthinkable. "are something I take into consideration...but!” She held up a finger pointed toward the sky. "They must be cute sensible shoes.”

His answer to her question was amusing. She arched an eyebrow at him when he moved around to the passenger side door and stood there waiting for her to open it.

She gave him and even look before smiling obligingly.
"As you wish, Sir.” Her British accent was flawless when she wanted it to be, having spent plenty of time undercover as a little delinquent in London had made it necessary.

Giving Guillaume a short bow, Tavi came around to his side of the car and opened the door for him, with perfect politeness. She waited until he turned to make his way into the seat before swatting him soundly on the behind.

Closing his door, Tavi returned to her own with a satisfied grin. She got into the seat and said.
"A'right, short term parkin it is.” Pressing the start button, Tavi got them on their way. She would even take the most direct route there. Wasn't that nice of her? "I'd buckle ma seatbelt, if I were you.”

Guillaume 12 years ago
Fashion and shoes, some women, not all he wasn't pron to stereotyping but some, did view them as a religion. His cousin wasn't quite that bad but she did take an active interest and given Tavi's ever changing look he had to conclude she had more than a passing interest.

"I shall leave judgments regarding cute and sensible to your experienced eye."

He said with a bit of a grin.

It was something of a surprise that she would play along and open the door for him. The accent was a very nice, authentic touch. While he had expected some retaliation, the swat to his rear was unexpected and he did a double take, she looked far too pleased with herself for that.


"Spanking -and- handcuffs? Not what I'd expect from a woman who would consider wearing sensible shoes."

Taking her at her work Navid quickly fastened his seatbelt. He didn't know how much trouble she could get into, or cause, on Nachton's streets this time of day and with a Prius of all things but, what was it the boy scouts said, always be prepared.

"Is this rather ignominious duty something you often get roped into or am I a special case?"

He probably owed Evan something for arranging to get him out of the clink in a relatively speedy manner. The crazy mulo had his quirks but over all he was a good friend. Sometime is was hard to reconcile the friend with the vampire and visa versa but he did try. It got hard when things like Thérèse's situation came up. Even then though, he'd had enough faith in his friend not to argue or put up a fight when held hostage to ensure the other bastards safe return.

"I do promise not to skip bail though, if that is any reassurance at all."

If he were lucky there would be no charges. This was very probably something that could quickly be cleared up, well quickly in bureaucratic time any way.
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
"You know what they say about the quiet ones.” Tavi never thought she would ever call herself quiet but then he was equating her with normal. Currently she was sporting gradient blue hair and her eight piercings had shells and feathers, well some of them anyway. She supposed her wardrobe looked normal enough but then she had been looking for white clothing and had tried to tone down her normal inclination toward the odd. Besides, it was too hot to be outrageously fashionable.

Guillaume asked if she did this kind of thing often, the bailing out of pack members.
"Not often, no. While on the force I occasionally looked after the pack's interests while there but that usually did not involve my 'open' involvement in someone who had been arrested.”

She glanced over at him. "Evan called me. I suppose he could have called Therese but I think he might have been worried about the reception he would have gotten. That and I doubt she gave him her number when last they met.” Tavi smiled. "He said he would come himself if you needed him to but appearing out of the sewers and making a made dash for the police station would raise a few eyebrows.”

He promised not to skip out of town on her and she laughed. "Isn't your job all about skipping out of town?” That was what had gotten him in trouble in the first place. "I wouldn't worry about it. I am pretty sure the charges, if there really are any, will be dropped soon. Most likely they are calling it "detaining you on the suspicion of terrorism” or some such idiocy. As soon as they figure out that you are indeed from a country with no past terrorist affiliations and have a reasonable excuse for a box cutter then I think everything will be fine. Besides, what were you going to do? Hijack your own plane? Take the pilot hostage and make him fly somewhere else?” She smiled. "You would look very silly holding a box cutter to your own throat and making demands.”

Tavi giggled about the idea as she moved the prius in and out of traffic, shoving into gaps made by slow people with cell phones to their ears and soccer moms who appeared to have no where to be in a hurry and seemed worried that their large SUVs would explode if they went five miles over the speed limit.

Eventually she got stuck behind two vehicles determined to pace each other.
"Perhaps I should have borrowed a tank.”
Guillaume 12 years ago
Quiet? That was not an adjective he would have associated with Tavi. While not obnoxiously loud and certainly not demure she was also not quiet. But he was not about to argue this point with her and only half smiled as he stretched.

It was a rather cramped activity but anything was better than that cell. Navid both felt and heard his shoulder pop. He was terribly relaxed for having just been bailed out of jail, he couldn't explain it either, nor did he want to. Gift horses and mouths and all of that.

He barked a short slightly bitter laugh, his cousin still hadn't quite forgiven him for the surprise of his business partner.


"No, I think the cold shoulder from her would be the best he could expect. She is still a bit... hostile."

Guillaume hoped that she would cool down eventually. He would like them to at least get along if not be friends. Perhaps Evan would be able to smooth things over, or convince her that not all vampires were evil bastards. With such lofty aspirations it was probably a very good thing Evan was immortal, or damned near, as it was going to take quite sometime to make any head way in those goals.

"And if he is ever going to be that dramatic about rescuing me I want to be able to see it, or at least have some one get it on video."

He nodded acknowledging her point.

"Very well I shall skip town but I promise to return"

The absurdity of the charges, why he had been detained finally struck him in full. As he was no longer surrounded the police or TSA or any authority figure about that might take his outburst the wrong way and lending credibility to the charges Navid finally let loose with a minor tirade, an outburst of profanity and general bitching in several languages. It didn't last long but it was something he needed to get out.

Finally taking a deep breath in he leaned his head against the head rest and exhaled slowly.


"Such a stupid mistake. I cannot believe I did that. If I ever wanted to hijack my own plane I would use a gun. Every one knows that."

It was an effort to resume the banter. He didn't want to brood, sulk or create a negative vibe, he had just needed that outburst. Fortunately the idea of Tavi driving a tank through traffic helped him along those lines.

"And then who bails both of us out after they arrest us for that little stunt?"
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
Tavi snorted and shrugged. "She has good reason to be hostile. Its a shame for Even though; he's a good guy despite his blood drinking habits.” She couldn't say much about that really; she ate meat, and only meat, and she ate it raw. Was drinking blood really all that different? It might even be slightly more civilized, and occasionally less messy.

Laughing out loud at the need for video, Tavi nodded.
"Me too! Though I would imagine if he were going to let me know so that I could follow him around and film his daring daylight rescue then he could just save himself the hundredth degree burns and just ask me to go in his place. Which, he wisely chose to do. I suppose that's why he has lived so long.” Opting out of the walks in the sun seemed like a smart move for a vampire. Just like not owning a silver shop was a smart move for a werewolf.

Guillaume promised to skip town but also return
. "Good because I would hate to have to track you down for a court. Running only makes you look more guilty anyway.”

The ordeal seemed to hit him finally or maybe he was just free to express his extreme annoyance without appearing to be the crazed terrorist they suspected him of being. The tirade was impressive and she even understood most of it.

She chuckled at his comment about using a gun instead of a box knife.
"Much better choice. How can you expect you to really take the threat seriously if you are holding a tiny box knife to your throat. I mean that's absurd.” This whole conversation about him hijacking his own plane was rather absurd but Tavi found the mental image of Guillaume threatening himself and making demands kind of amusing. They would have a padded cell waiting for him at Shady Pines. He could even have one near her's.

He wanted to know who was bailing them out if she brought a tank down to the police station to bail him out.
"Evan would have to make his daring daylight dash to the rescue.”
Guillaume 12 years ago
Guillaume occasionally wondered how he'd overcome his natural aversion for vampires sufficiently to allow he and Evan to become friends. But he was quite glad that he had.

"I would agree with that statement. I wonder if we locked them in a room for a week they'd find they had something in common."

The odds were they'd both come out alive, not happy but alive. Perhaps that plan needed some improvement, but he wasn't willing to just let things remain as they were. After she'd had some more time to recover from the one mulo and find herself again they would have to try.

"Staying out of the sun does prevent aging."

He agreed with some irony. Evan's skin had a tendency to 'age' rapidly when exposed to the sun. Navid, however, found it was a little unsettling to consider his friend's age.

"It does ruin our fun though."

Chuckling at the threat/promise of being hunted down.

"I should be more careful who I accept bail from, perhaps a nice plumber next time."

His outburst, probably had not earned him any macho points or done anything to help his image in any way shape or form but he did feel better. There was, after all, only so long you could hold on to your cool. He'd recognized how important it was to maintain a professional and calm facade while being held, it was likely that any protests would only hurt his case, but in Tavi's company he could let that curtain fall for a second or five. At least she didn't seem to hold it against him and even managed to illicit a laugh as she agreed with him about the gun.

"A daylight dash, with both of us in jail? Who would film it? That would totally defeat the purpose."

While not terribly anxious about getting to the airport it was hard not to notice traffic was not cooperating at all, which was odd for this time of day. He craned his neck about to try and see around the cars in front of them.

"Is it just me or is this odd? I wonder if something is wrong."
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
Tavi considered the problem of the two of them being in jail and Evan having to make a dash for it. "Well, the police station has security cameras. Maybe between those and the ones from the bank across the street we would have decent coverage of the daring daylight rescue.” She slid her gaze sideways and gave him a sly smile. "Of course obtaining this footage would be a criminal act that could get us sent right back to jail.”

She looked over at him when he suggested that he should choose his emergency bail contact more carefully in the future. "A plumber might not be bad. They aren't likely to have the same contacts, a license to carry and conceal, and the skills to break and enter.” Tavi smiled sweetly at Guillaume before turning her attention back to the road.

Her companion mentioned something about the slow down, thinking it strange. She raised her eyebrows at him.
"You haven't driven much in Nachton have you, flyboy? It might not be New York city but it isn't Green Acres either. To make matters worse, thanks to our mulo friends, Nachton has traffic all hours of the night.” Sure some times of day were less than others but there was no hour that was exactly car free. To her that meant having traffic was normal, no traffic would be odd.

This particular little bump in their timely journey wasn't especially horrible.

The line of break lights ended not far in front of the double column ahead so it couldn't be anything terrible. Eventually someone moved on enough to form a gap which got a few cars, the ones who actually wanted to go somewhere within this calendar day, through the opening and out of the slow patch.

Taking the chance when it was presented, Tavi sped through the gap. As she passed, she looked at the vehicle causing the majority of the slow down. It was a little white haired old lady barely able to see over the dashboard who was going perhaps thirty-five miles an hour at her most speedy.

With a sigh, she muttered.
"If I ever get so old that I drive like that, please, just shoot me.”

A light pattering of rain began to fall on the windshield. Tavi glanced back at the cars behind her and said a silent prayer of thanks that she was no longer behind the pack. Nothing slowed down a commute quite like rain. First you had the ones who must drive extra safe so they slow down to a crawl and, if the down pour is really bad they turn on their emergency flashers. Supposedly this maneuver was to help them be seen through curtain of water. In truth it made it hard to tell when they were breaking and turning, making them a bigger hazard than they were before. The second type of people were the ones who went too fast, perhaps to prove they can drive in all kinds of weather, unlike their turtle friends with the blinking lights. Both groups caused accidents and accidents caused even bigger traffic problems.

The light graceful dance of rain drops on the hood became a stomping, steady march.
"Well the bright side is, if we do anything criminal...” Tavi gestured through the windshield. "At least Evan won't burn to a crisp while dashing in to save us.”
Guillaume 12 years ago
"We'd only go to jail if we got caught, all things considered it is worth the risk."

Morality was a bit flexible, especially when it might result in amusing footage of a slinking vampire. That would be priceless for years to come.

A plumber would also, very likely, not be nearly as attractive, but he had flirted quite enough for one day he didn't want to come on too strong after all. He did consider her idea though and was forced to agree. There was something to beside for having a PI come and bail you out, some one who could break enter and probably wheedle things fro cops she had met in the course of her business dealing.


"So you'll be leaving me with a card just in case this happens again?"

He couldn't quite bring himself to say she was right but he could acknowledge it in a slightly round about way.

And yet again she was right.


"My commute is up and down stairs or to the airport or library. Usually I plan my trips downtown a bit more carefully."

Guillaume was a very skilled driver and had to admire Tavi's skill in sliding into the opening presented. Looking back at the old woman he just shook his head.

"Perhaps I should just take your car keys I doubt shooting you will do any good."

The rain was rather the icing on the cake. At least he had a ride and wasn't walking in it, which, was a good thing as it steadily increased.

"He won't? Quick, back to the jail. You have a camcorder on your phone don't you?"

He was kidding, but at the same time it was a rather entertaining idea. Being back home was even more appealing than taking advantage of his friend's good nature.

"Ah wait... never mind without the dashing there really is no point we might as well go on."
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
"Sure, if you like, or I could just give you my number.” Guillaume was a pack mate, appeared to be trustworthy, seemed not to be annoying, needy or clingy, and was pretty cute; these were all good reasons for why he could have her cell phone number.

He said that he normally planned his commute more carefully when he did have to go into the city and that the rest of the time he was flying or his work was literally only a staircase away. Tavi smiled.
"I drive a motorcycle; it makes traffic more tolerable. Just one degree of hell better but its something." There were times when she had been able to go where cars couldn't and thus avoid delay.

It was decided that without the mad rush, to be caught on video if possible, then there was no point in making Evan get out of bed to come save them from jail time. Tavi nodded.
"No, we could come up with better practical jokes if we tried.”

The rain was getting worse and traffic was slowing down. Tavi didn't weave in and out of it quite as much as she had before when the roads had been dry but she still passed around the slower idiots who suddenly forgot how to find their gas peddle now that water was falling from the sky.

"So, tell me a fun random fact about Guillaume.” It didn't have to be anything secret or special, just something she didn't know and, since she didn't know him all that well, that should be easy.
Guillaume 12 years ago
"That would make this whole fiasco worth it."

The things he'd go through to get an attractive woman's phone number.

He'd seen her motorcycle the day that his laptop had been 'snatched', it seemed to suit her. He also agreed that there were advantages to riding one in town.


"True, right up until it rains."

As it was doing now, Navid looked through the windshield up at the sky to emphasize his point. The sound of the drops on the car and the thunking of the windshield wipers created a rather intimate atmosphere and did help isolate them from the rest of the traffic. Not entirely of course, they were still subject to the slow down but it some how wasn't as oppressive as a traffic jam in the summer heat.

"We shall have to plan. It would be nice to get him rather than get him back for a change."

Honestly, Navid didn't instigate jokes terribly often, not without provocation, so it would be quite a change. But there was no need to explain that.

Tavi wove in and out of traffic with some skill and Guillaume was rather startled to notice he wasn't clenching the door handle. There were no white knuckles and he wasn't constantly looking over his shoulder to see what was coming up behind them. Given his fear of traffic accidents this was rather unusual. It would be interesting to see if it was due to Tavi's driving or his recent release from the long arm of the law messing with his head.


"Something random? Quid pro quo or is this simply your charge for being a knight in shining armor?"

He was stalling for time, opening up was not his forte. But he didn't want to... it was complicated wasn't it. Guillaume frowned slightly trying to find something random that wasn't exactly deeply personal. After a second he settled on something.

"I play the flute..."

Normally that would be public knowledge, but as he was still avoiding the fires the odds were in Nachton only Thérèse and Evan knew. Possibly Kiyoshi, he did turn up now and then and might have heard.
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
"Now is a good a time as any.” Tavi glanced over at Guillaume. They were in a car, during daylight hours. There was next to no chance that Evan was going to hear about their planning a practical joke on him. The car wasn't Guillaume's so there was no chance that the vampire had it bugged. She doubted he would do that to his friend but she did consider the possibilities. Having a pack owned car bugged would be a pretty good feat. It would be easier to just bug every set of clothes that Guillaume owned. However, that went from paranoid possibility to completely insane.

The random fact that Guillaume chose to give was that he played the flute. Tavi glanced sideways at him and then back at the road. That wouldn't have been an instrument she associated with him. He needed something darker, more soulful and brooding, not a happy high pitched instrument. Though maybe a nice large wood flute, those could be haunting and soulful.


"Wouldn't have pictured that.” She smiled. "I play the violin.” Tavi figured that wasn't something people pictured about her either. Early in her life someone who was special to her had played the violin and was willing to spend time with a precocious little girl how to play.

They rounded a corner and found that traffic was stopped dead. Heaving a heavy sigh at the sea of red lights, she turned to Guillaume.
"So about this prank planning...looks like we have plenty of time. Got anything in mind?”
Guillaume 12 years ago
"I should like to hear you play. I have some experience playing duets with a violin..."

Thérèse after all played the violin, they played together on any number of occasions. It wasn't, however, the instrument he would have picked for Tavi. Her appearance simply didn't scream 'violin', but it was a very versatile instrument and while she might not come off as a aficionado of classical there were options.

"I would have assumed guitar for you though, perhaps mandolin."

The observation had been made that very few of the Rasa played large heavy difficult to transport instruments and so Navid's mind had run along those lines as well.

"How did you happen on the violin?"

As traffic got steadily worse Guillaume rolled his eyes. It was no wonder he preferred to fly. Of course getting caught by Air Traffic Control was just as bad, although because you were at least moving it might be a bit better.

He gave a soft chuckle as she found something to occupied them as they waited out the traffic jam.


"Something original preferably. Pepper in his coffee or a bucket of water perched over a door can't possibly work. He has far too much life experience to be so easily taken in. We could super glue all this furniture to the ceiling..."
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
Tavi considered whether she wanted to be heard playing the violin before nodding. She had played at the campfire many a night for lots of people. It was different when someone was making it a point to listen. Like an audition or a recital or something anxiety inducing like that. If he was going to be playing along with her then that would be less awkward. "Sure, we should bring instruments to the fire sometime.”

She shrugged at the mention of the guitar. "I can strum a few bars, play the first part of 'Stairway' and stuff like that.” Tavi pushed the little Prius forward to close the gap on some self centered wench in a Escalade who thought her time was more valuable than everyone else. The woman had run up in the lane that people were vacating, and was therefore mostly clear, as far as she could go, passing all the cars who were merging like sensible cooperative people, and then tried to shove big assed vehicle into the space in front of them.

"I don't think so, Salope! Wait your turn!” Once more in front of the SUV, she eased back into her seat and gave Guillaume a smile. "Sorry, I can't stand people who can't drive.”

"My father plays the guitar and so does Thanos. That is how I learned the bit that I know. A friend played the violin and taught me how to play. I learned an appreciation for it early on and just stuck with it.” It was an expressive instrument and she liked that about it.

"Hmm, no pepper, no bucket of water. Well there goes the classics.”
Guillaume 12 years ago
Whether she knew it or not Tavi had him rather trapped. Either he wouldn't hear her play or he'd have to admit to not going to the fires. He should probably get over whatever imagined stigma kept him away. Rather than explain anything though he just agreed.

"I would like that."

That time, that sudden dash with the little hybrid and the big SUV that did startle him. Guillaume held on to the door hard enough to turn his knuckles white, but not hard enough to tear it apart. Perverse though it was, it was slightly reassuring to be dealing with the type of tension and minor freak out he was used to when a passenger.

"Then it is a good thing you can drive. It would be terrible to hate yourself like that."

He offered a very weak smile and tried to concentrate on the music they had been discussing. It took a second but he did relax his grip and his mind picked up the thread of the conversation again.

"You should play whatever speaks to you. If your heart isn't in it then the music is just hallow."

Attempts had been made to teach him other instruments, but they had all failed. They just hadn't held his interest at all. The drums spoke to him when he was younger, and they still had appeal Navid enjoyed playing them, but the flute... that was his alone and was deeply intertwined with his search for his mother. But that was far too personal to reveal.

"Cover the sensor on his mouse? Reprogram all his key binding? Have seventy five pizzas delivered to him at irregular intervals through out the day... a day when I'm not in town needless to say. I think you have an idea or three and just might be holding out on me. That or you are a double agent."

Navid goaded Tavi just a little he couldn't for a second believe she was totally, or even marginally, innocent and had done her fair share of pranks, in good fun and otherwise and she obviously knew Evan well enough to have something of an inside track. No, he wasn't going to be the only one involved in this conspiracy.
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
Guillaume was clutching the door handle like a shipwrecked passenger holding onto the one piece of floating debris they could find in the big bad ocean. Tavi reached out and squeezed his leg reassuringly. "Don't plan on killing us today. It would be a total waste of the daring rescue.”

He did admit she was a good driver; that was nice. "Yes, I don't really do self-loathing that's so angsty teenager.” She might still look like one but she hadn't been one for years. Tavi thought it was a good thing she could drive just because it was a handy skill to have. She hated being stuck anywhere and with her knowledge of how to drive just about any land or water craft out there and her own abilities she was rarely stuck any one place for long.

Her companion went back to speaking of the music. She nodded her agreement with his opinion that you should play what you love.
"I do. Whatever that is.” Her music taste was eclectic and she didn't refuse to enjoy a song simply because the artist's other songs did not appeal to her or the genre of music was something that she wouldn't normally listen to. She wouldn't be buying any Khoomii cd's any time soon but it was interesting in small doses.

Tavi smiled at Guillaume as they began throwing out prank ideas for Evan. He would probably regret his choice to put her on his emergency phone tree list by the time he was done, most likely.


"I'd say we could put icy hot on his toilet seat but that is likely to get Kiyoshi and not Evan, or at least equally likely. " A good prank should be focused on its intended target...unless you did not have one and then the prank of opportunity was perfectly fine. "I'd say we could hide tiny speakers and use a remote to make random sounds in the house, thumps, rustling, creaks, fart noises, whatever...but that would again quite possibly drive Kiyo nuts before Evan.”

"Hmm...” She could now see the source of the traffic problem. It was odd but there appeared to be a cab that was stopped in the middle of the road. As she watched a woman got out of the back and marched around to the front of the cab and stood there staring into the windshield. "nice dress...” Tavi murmured, thinking it was a shame to get it all wet.

A man got out of the other side of the taxi and joined the woman in the rain. At first she guessed that they had some falling out but she wondered why the woman had not simply walked away if that was the statement she was intending to make by leaving the vehicle. That hypothesis changed when he took something from her hands and the woman wrapped an arm around his waist.
"I wonder what that's all about.”

A lime green Lexus LFA a few cars in front of them managed to get through the traffic. It slid into the spot just in front of the non-moving cab. She could see a few blond curls but that was all she could see of the driver. However, the car...

Tavi shook her finger toward the vehicle.
"That vehicle looks familiar. I am pretty sure I've seen it at Shady Pines.” You didn't forget a car like that, at least she didn't, especially when it was shiny new and in a specialty colour.

The two people pulled bags out of the taxi and got into the lexus. She winced inwardly for the lovely leather interior and wondered which of their pack mates was going to need a detailing soon.


Going back to their conversation, she mused.
"We could paper his office with a ton of post it notes with official looking info. You know, supply lists, employee time off requests, advertisement call back info, his mother called...now that would be a feat.” She looked over at him. "I mean literally wall paper his office. We'll keep the legitimate ones to show him when we're done with the prank.” She didn't want to hurt Evan's business but if they made the post its look real enough then he might have a difficult time sorting out which ones were real and which weren't. "We can even enlist the aid of employees so the handwriting is all different.” She could forge a few different ones herself. Tavi had learned her mother's handwriting at an early age. Otherwise she might never have gotten to go on the field trips and other school events that required a parent's signature. Or it would have been held over her head right up until the last past moment, Etta eeking out good behavior from her for the promise of a signature right up to the end.

"That good or shall we keep thinking?"
Guillaume 12 years ago
Navid was rather embarrassed to be caught in his phobia. He swallowed hard and tried to grin, to laugh it off.

"Good, I have an appointment later that I have to keep dead or alive."

He just wasn't a good passenger, that's all there was too it. And it was part of the reason he was a pilot, even in the air he didn't like to be out of control. The idea of the little Prius meeting that big SUV and the laws of physics was not anything to sneeze at. But they seemed to be out of immanent harm and he did his best to just let it go. It would be fine, at least until the next 'close' call.

"Do remind me not to annoy you. That is more innovative than I could be in a year."

There was open admiration in his words. This were not the kinds of things that Guillaume would have come up with on his own. Later he would notice how she had included Kiyoshi in her objections and he would again wonder about the nature of the relationship between his quiet packmate and his mulo friend. While he knew Kiyoshi stayed there, and he did wonder why the man didn't prefer to stay with the pack, between school and flying and their often working different hours and different jobs at Terminus Guillaume had never really thought the possibilities through. He did occasionally wonder exactly how close the bartender and his mulo friend were, but until recently he'd had other things on his mind.

Right now he watched the odd scene with the taxi and the couple and the Lexus. That was down right unusual. It wouldn't keep him up at night but it was a bit of a curiosity now.


"Well... that was different. But at least they are out of the rain."

Why anyone would leave a cab in this downpour he didn't understand. But, it also didn't matter.

Tavi's suggestion made him grin.


"No no I quite like where this is going. We shall have to be thorough, cover the inside of his desk drawers, his chair. Nothing is sacred. This will take some time, but it is better than Styrofoam packing peanuts in his desk."

They'd probably have to buy a few stores out of post it notes and it would take some planning and effort to keep them hidden while they prepared.
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
The LFA disappeared into the distance carrying away the wet stranded strangers. She wondered if the two had also been pack mates. She was still pretty certain that the driver was part of the R'asa. As a person with a keen interest in fast machines, she could not have missed the lime green luxury performance vehicle on pack grounds.

Tavi smiled and instantly reminded Guillaume at his request.
"Do not annoy me, for I am small and sneaky and allowed to carry concealed weapons.”

They slowly eased around the cab that was still stuck in traffic. Soon they would be once more able to drive at a decent speed. She could hear the sirens and see the blue lights of police cars in her rear view mirror.

"I am sure that you are not a person to mess with. Therese certainly strikes me as someone not to cross and I would imagine that trait runs in the family.” It would seem that her father's girlfriend was able to hold a grudge for certain. She also was quite strong and very stubborn. Tavi was impressed with how much she had been dealing with on her own while still managing to maintain the appearance of calm, collected competence, both at work and within the pack. Therese had been under attack by a vampire, used to do his bidding while also dealing with her new relationship with the alpha and trying to remain above the bad words and negative opinions of those in the R'asa who considered her a home wrecker. Any one of those things would have been more than most people could have dealt with while remaining suave and serene.

Granted in the presence of vampires, like the time they had all gotten together at Terminus and Evan had joined them, there had been a few cracks in Therese's armor. Of course most of the pack had a negative reaction to vampires, even though most of them had very little current reason to hate them.

"Okay so one trip to Office Depot some time in the near future.” Tavi turned and smiled at Guillaume. "We can save the packing peanuts for later...when he thinks he is safe. We could then suspend all his furniture from the ceiling -and- use the packing peanuts.”

((OOC: She probably wouldn't have noticed a standard colour LFA but Gris had insisted on having a green one which was a specialty colour and cost extra so not many of them would be running around Nachton. With her love of fast cars, she'd have noticed that one. ))
Guillaume 12 years ago
"I shall frisk you before I annoy you in that case."

He managed a mild flirt while being distracted by the flashing lights in the rear view mirror and even turning to watch their approach for a second or two. It wasn't exactly smooth going even for the cops given the size of the traffic jam.

Tavi was right though, he had seen that car before. Not often but he had, probably just around the city though. It was the color that made it stand out, he never would have picked something that green. He much preferred to blend in and thought any customization should be done under the hood, not even the interior.


"She... she takes after our grandfather."

If one knew Michele DuBois that said quite a lot. Fortunately his cousin was not Michele's mirror image, her personality had been some what tempered by her parents and other influences. Navid wasn't sure that he could live up to that. He just smiled quietly and shook his head.

"It is a trait that runs stronger in some of us than others."

Certainly he was no push over but he wouldn't by any means put himself on quite the same level.

Tavi on the other hand, she was a bit of a mystery. Navid suspected they hadn't begun to scratch the surface. In his experience one was not the child of an Alpha without picking some of those tenancies up. Yet he'd not really seen her display them. She seemed to carry all of this potential, confidence and strength rather quietly, easily as if that was just the way it was and there was no need to flaunt it. Which, given his one encounter with the Sarkis, seemed to also be a family trait as well.

A low laugh rumbled in his chest for a moment. Guillaume was rather looking forward to this.


"You realize, however, when Evan decides to retaliate I will be at a disadvantage. You may need to defend me."

((OOC... LOL it is a very Greer thing to do and we are certain it is tasteful while still being eye catching ))
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
Tavi grinned at Guillaume's answer and then arched an eyebrow at him. "That sort of gives away your intentions then doesn't it? But I might not mind.” Probably not, he should certainly give it a try and find out. Sure, she was pretty good at unarmed combat but then there was a good chance he was also. R'asa did not tend to lead sheltered lives and Tavi suspected Guillaume was full of surprises.

Of course a tumble on the floor, of any variety, would most likely be welcomed.

She thought that Guillaume was selling himself short in the stubborn willpower category. Maybe she was biased because she liked him but he seemed to hold his own just fine. Tavi would admit that she had not seen him in an incredibly stressful or dangerous situation. She had helped coordinate with the Legionnaires before Therese's meeting with the mulo but she had not been present for the exchange. It was tempting to ask Guillaume for details so that she could get his take on the outcome but she decided now, right after his incarceration, was not a good time.

Taking her hand off the steering wheel, Tavi placed it on her chest.
"As your white knight I would consider it my sacred duty to defend you from the big bad vampire.” She smiled at the mental image. It would be a Davina versus Goliath for certain. She barely topped five feet and Evan was almost seven.

They were almost to the airport. She could see the large green sign declaring they should be getting into the far right lane.
"So after this, office supplies and then a planning session over some sushi?”
Guillaume 12 years ago
With a very schooled, calm expression that could only be described as French mostly indifferent with just a hint of sly flirtation around the eyes he answered.

"Some times it pays to be obvious, I shall try my luck though and see what happens."

This was much better than Evan rescuing him. It was much more difficult and not nearly so rewarding to flirt with Evan; not to mention awkward. It also went without saying that his heart wasn't in it and he certainly wouldn't have known how to respond if Evan had proved interested. Navid -quickly- stopped considering this idea in any way shape or form.

It was a little concerning when she took her hand off the wheel but that action didn't cause the white knuckles the quick move in front of the SUV had. Mostly because he couldn't help but grin at the idea of Tavi taking on his business partner. That would be an intriguing fight to witness. He sighed dramatically and did his best to look 'relieved'.


"Wonderful, thank you. I shall sleep more soundly knowing you won't let me come to harm."

It was rather startling to realize he suddenly had the remainder of today and all of tomorrow off and no plans. Navid wasn't terribly fond of being at loose ends but he had studying to do, there was always studying. And he had started casually nosing around in the bastard that had held Therese, very casually he hadn't had the time to make a thorough investigation even though it was currently his excuse for not going right back to Europe.

"Ah... sushi I might pass on but if they had noodles or tempura I think this is an excellent idea."

Growing up with the Pack one simply didn't question dietary preferences, you simply accepted and adapted. More to the point he wasn't going to forgo a meal with Tavi simply because he liked to be sure his food was dead and properly cooked.
Octavia Emiliano 12 years ago
"And sometimes it gets you hit.” Tavi returned his smile. She wouldn't hit him unless he did something entirely inappropriate but that hardly seemed likely. She also had a loose definition of inappropriate; it changed depending on who was doing what and it was likely that Guillaume could get away with more than most.

It was agreed upon that she would be his champion should Evan come looking for trouble in the form of physical violence.
"I will practice my shin kicks. Maybe I should try some rodeo riding. I can cling like a tick to his back and annoy him to death.” Tavi glanced over at Guillaume to see what he thought of this fighting strategy. "It isn't elegant but it might work.”

She turned into the airport and followed the signs for the parking decks. Once she could see the short term parking ahead of her, she asked. "Where in here are you parked?”

They were also trying to make plans for lunch, she smiled at him, wondering if he was her culinary opposite. As far as eating styles went, those who liked their food cooked were certainly more acceptable in public and had a wider variety of dining options. "Yes, they have noodles and tempura so you are safe. So long as you don't mind me stuffing my face with the raw food then I will over look your love of cooked cuisine.”