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Matt Walker ([info]this_fire_burns) wrote in [info]marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-04-17 23:42:00


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Current location:Los Angeles
Entry tags:inactive - matt walker, marlow, sydney ashcroft, team - defenders

Dark Pact
Matt's most recent case was, on the surface, a simple one. A middle-age father of four skips out on his family to join some kind of New-Age Spiritual Club (read: cult) that offered to eternal peace and tranquility. The wife was understandably distraught, as her husband left in the company of a beautiful, young twenty-something who was saying all the things Victor Pabst wasn't hearing elsewhere.

Matt almost considered it an open-and-shut case until Mrs. Pabst showed him pictures of the symbols that her husband started drawing on the basement walls four months ago. Pentagrams, mostly in animal blood,  adorned the walls of their Queens home. Matt had already decided to take the case on that alone, as the symbols were the kind used to summon demons and other baddies from the Otherside.

But when the wife indicated that Pabst had been using their children's blood to make the symbols, something inside Matt snapped a little bit, and he'd offered her a reduced rate. He hoped that Pabst was really just a guy who was being manipulated by some rogue sorcerer and that he hadn't actually become one; otherwise, this would get ugly in a hurry. He should have gone to Lynch with this, but knowing her, she'd bring the cops into it and if he was dealing with a summoner, this would get a lot of unprepared cops killed.

So he made his way to Los Angeles himself, leaving Whisper in the company of Mrs. Emberstein.

Two days after his arrival, Matt finds himself inside a warehouse not far from the Staples Center, looking at the same symbols from the pictures on these walls. If these people are summoning a demon, he doesn't have a lot of time to find them and stop it.

Just about every summoning ritual he's ever heard of requires a sacrifice, and someone will die if he can't connect the dots.



(Post a new comment)


[info]marlow
2010-04-18 05:51 am UTC (link)
On a subconscious level, Marlow was aware of the demon activity in the Los Angeles area. The area was the most active place she'd ever seen outside of the Dark Dimension. It was an buzzing just under her skin that flared every so often to remind her that they were around.

The recent increase in activity had made her restless and without Clea to direct her, she didn't know what to do about it. Resolving to ignore it didn't work, not when another magical being arrived in the area. It was powerful and focused, and stirred her curiosity. So she did what any young sorceress who lived with Asgardians and learned from their battle strategies would do. She cast a spell to transport her to the source's location.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-19 12:52 am UTC (link)
Matt is currently trying sense any residual spell energy from the ritual done here, so he's very aware of the shift in energy when someone teleports into the building.

He spins, staff at the ready to guard himself from any oncoming threat.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-19 05:38 am UTC (link)
In the time it took for her to blink, a protective shield of shimmering pink surrounded her.

Slender, empty handed, and dressed in jeans and a tie-dyed tee shirt received as a gift from Zoe, Marlow hardly appeared to be a threat, but magic shift in the air around her belied that impression. She didn't smile at the man but she was curious about what he was doing here.

"Is this your work?" she asked with a nod to the symbols on the walls.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-19 12:40 pm UTC (link)
The way she was dressed made her seem eccentric, and less threatening, but the fact that she'd shielded herself so quickly put the lie to her being harmless. Maybe she was just another interested party coming to investigate this.

And maybe every necromancer in existence will suddenly choose tonight to stop practicing forever.

"No, not mine. I don't summon demons, as it's a good way to get one's face bitten off. How did you know about this place?" he asks.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-19 02:11 pm UTC (link)
"I followed you," she said absently, looking more closely at the symbols. "Demons are common in Los Angeles. You are the unusual energy I felt in the area."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-19 02:28 pm UTC (link)
She followed him? He was the unusual energy? Matt didn't know if this was a well-played act or if this woman was as...off as she seemed, but he'd err on the side of caution.

"Let's say for a minute I believe you. You got any idea who's behind this?" he asks.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-19 02:53 pm UTC (link)
She was as off as any Sorcerer Supreme apprentice could be and still be functional. "Not a name, no. Demons are common here. I think it's the sun. Someone who is summoning with a ritual is probably not from this part of the country." She turned to look at him. "You're not from this part of the country, are you?"

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-19 03:13 pm UTC (link)
"No, I'm not. The way you're talking, I'm guessing you are, though." Matt says. Another body on this case can't hurt, but he's still not certain about her.

He turns to look at the symbols again, and something about the layout catches his eye that he didn't pick up on previously.

"The way these symbols are laid out remind me of something used to summon a demon...but they're off somehow. These people aren't going after a run-of-the-mill demon. And these people need to be shut down if they're going after a Big Bad. Otherwise, I don't think even the super-types this town keeps on payroll can shut it down." he says.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-19 03:24 pm UTC (link)
"They would try. Last fall we battled an attacking army of demons. Three thousand. A godling sorceress and I defeated the demon warlord on the battlefield and sent them back."

She peered more closely at them, the protection shield falling away in a swirl of fading pinpoint lights. "The Defenders are gods and mutants. They don't get involved unless something happens. This hasn't happened yet." She nodded. "It must be stopped."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-19 03:38 pm UTC (link)
"You're with the Defenders, huh? Wouldn't have guessed." he says, looking Marlow over a little more closely. Early twenties, petite, good-looking. He almost asked her if she was a goddess, but he didn't want it coming across as some kind of cheesy pick-up line.

"You're right, though. This needs to be stopped, but I'm running cold on leads. I tried looking for energy spikes, but the number of people in this city is interfering, which I think these guys are counting on." he says. He realizes immediately that he doesn't know her name yet.

"I'm Matt Walker." he says, offering a hand. She's much shorter than him, so he tries not to feel awkward about the height difference as he does so.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-19 04:24 pm UTC (link)
His height is not much compared to the Asgardians. She's not in the least disconcerted that he towered over her. In fact, meeting someone who lived with magic in every part of their life and wasn't a god was something of a treat for her.

"Marlow." She put her hand in his to squeeze gently. "Yes, I am. You're right about the city. I also think the entertainment business here along with the ocean nearby creates a natural conduit. It runs on illusion and diversity. People come and go, people disappear and are remade into other things. Rituals can be lost in the ebb and flow with a little effort."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-19 07:17 pm UTC (link)
"Nice to meet you, Marlow." he says.

"Well, I've got a couple of names and addresses to go on. Provided that the guy I'm looking for isn't using an assumed name, I can find him and the people he's working with." Matt surmises.

"How...comfortable are you with magic?" he asks. Okay. She can shield herself and recognize demonic sigils, but that's no indication of training or power. He doesn't want to bring a young woman in on something like this.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-20 07:18 am UTC (link)
"In what way?" Just as gently, she tugged her hand from his. "I've been apprenticed to the Sorceress Supreme of the Dark Dimension since birth."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 12:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 01:09 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 02:00 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 02:51 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 02:59 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 03:13 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 03:36 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 04:43 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 04:54 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 05:14 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 05:20 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 05:45 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 06:56 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 07:21 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 07:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 08:01 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 08:22 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 08:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 09:08 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 09:22 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 09:29 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 09:53 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 11:25 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 11:31 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 11:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-20 11:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-20 11:53 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 12:11 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 12:24 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 12:43 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 12:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 01:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 01:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 01:34 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 01:40 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 01:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 02:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 02:26 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:31 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 02:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:01 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 04:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 05:32 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 07:43 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 01:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 01:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:27 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 02:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:01 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:55 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 04:04 pm UTC

[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-29 06:09 am UTC (link)
Matt got a few hours of sleep at some point, then got up, showered, and got back down to the business of tracking down Viktor Pabst. He'd called several hotels already, pretending to be the man himself, looking for his reservation. He struck out six times.

On the seventh, Matt hit paydirt. Getting the room number and the name of the hotel, Matt waited until Marlow was up and about before moving on this one.

He knocked gently around nine a.m. to see if she was awake.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-29 06:18 am UTC (link)
Marlow was awake, in the sense that she was cognizant of things going on around the compound. Already she'd sent illusions to the beach (to see the sunrise) and the main house (to see who was around). She just hadn't bothered to open her eyes and rouse herself out of bed.

A Marlow appeared behind Matt at the door. Rumbled, sleepy eyed, she smiled. "Good morning."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-29 06:22 am UTC (link)
Matt was slightly startled by her appearing behind him, but was glad nonetheless; he hadn't wanted to disturb her rest.

"Great, you're up. I've got a lead. Our guy checked into one of the Mariott Suites on Rodeo Drive; I'd like to catch him just getting out of bed, or check out his place while he's away. He might lead us to the people he's working with and that would help us shut this whole thing down." he tells her.

"We can catch breakfast or coffee, or whatever you need before we go." he says.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-29 03:27 pm UTC (link)
"I'll get up and dressed," she said. "There is coffee in the kitchen, and breakfast preparation has started in main house. Sarah is making cinnamon rolls." She smiled and her image faded.

"Ten minutes," she called through the door, pushing aside the bedclothes.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-29 03:31 pm UTC (link)
"There is something really cute about the illusion thing, strange as it is." Matt says to himself.

Aloud: "No problem. I'll wait for you here."

He's not really up to going to the main house without her as he doesn't know these people.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-29 03:46 pm UTC (link)
She paused, wondering if that meant he would wait right outside her door or if he'd go to the kitchen. She let it go; she was being too literal again.

Ten minutes on the dot, she was showered and dressed, and opening her bedroom door. Hunting down a demon summoner, so far, was fun. She couldn't wait for the next step.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-29 03:54 pm UTC (link)
"Hi there." he says as she comes down. He decided to wait downstairs for her, which gave him the added opportunity to check the place out a little more.

"Ready when you are. This guy is pretty slippery, but I don't think he's very smart. We'll eat and then head over to the Marriott." Matt says.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-29 04:06 pm UTC (link)
"Good morning, Matt." Fun times, so there's a bounce in her step. "The Marriott in downtown Los Angeles? We can be there very quickly. We can stop at the main house for coffee and rolls."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-29 04:10 pm UTC (link)
"Yep, that one. He checked in there a day ago from the info I dug up." Matt says, opening the door to the bungalow.

"Ladies first." he says, gesturing for Marlow to precede him.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]marlow
2010-04-29 04:20 pm UTC (link)
The morning was nice, but Southern California mornings generally were. The full scope of the compound would be apparent now, though the private beach was out of sight from the main house and there were sublevels that Marlow hadn't yet explored in her corporeal body. They passed Aridis' and Aslief's bungalow with the tennis courts just beyond.

She returned to the polite gesture and opened the kitchen side door for Matt, letting out the cinnamon and bacon aromas.

"After you," she said with a grin.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]sydney_ashcroft
2010-04-29 06:01 pm UTC (link)
Sydney was sitting at the kitchen table hunched over her laptop. She had one final paper to do and she was going to finish it come Ragnarok. Her powers made it much easier and quicker to type up. She didn't have to keep stopping to read from a book. The only time she stopped was to grab the mug of coffee sitting next to the laptop to take a sip.

When the kitchen door open Syd glanced over. She went back to typing and then stopped. Marlow brought a friend home.

"Good morning."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-29 06:16 pm UTC (link)
Matt is likely a strange sight, what with the carved oak staff, black duster, t-shirt, jeans and boots. He sees the woman in the kitchen and offers a nod and smile.

"Good morning, Ma'am." he says. "Hope you're well this morning."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-29 06:20 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sydney_ashcroft, 2010-04-30 07:46 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-30 02:01 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-30 04:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sydney_ashcroft, 2010-04-30 05:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-30 08:53 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-05-01 01:18 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sydney_ashcroft, 2010-05-05 04:36 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-05-05 04:40 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-05-05 05:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sydney_ashcroft, 2010-05-05 05:12 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-05-05 05:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-05-05 05:44 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-05-07 02:07 am UTC



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