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Post by norimo on Apr 21, 2016 15:55:20 GMT -6
Kaine resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the snob's know-it-all point of speaking. With an attitude like that, did this guy have any friends outside of this circle? Calling Kaine distant was rather ironic as well, being that Drei didn't appear to have much luck at making a lasting impression either. At least Kaine knew the concept of appeasement. Don't even get me started on the obnoxious comment.
A slight chuckle emitted from under his breath, holding the five dollar bill to his chest after the seabird so eagerly prodded at him with it. He shrugged as he slipped the dollar bill under his skirt, "I'll take the good-looks, then." After all, Drei did practically compliment his appearance, even if it was spat back with hostility. Besides, it appeared as if Four-eyes himself acknowledged the tension rising, and drew back as Kaine thought he would. Given, it was not in the manner he hoped- as Drei "ended" it by the smack of the wallet's folds and with a stroll back to the table. As Kaine stated, he did know about the concept of appeasement. If anything, letting Drei win their little squabble could help him out in the future.
Albeit, his cool exterior had faltered slightly in the process. It had been awhile since someone gripped a rise out of him, and Drei put up a healthy banter with all due credit. However, he was dead wrong if he thought it was going to drop there. Maybe in the moment, sure, but now Kaine had found an almost fun past-time in pondering how he could possibly pull the rug out from under him at their next encounter.
Someone as him would definitely be worth a scan, it was just a matter of performing such without the four-eyes catching on.
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Post by Kisaka on Apr 21, 2016 16:56:42 GMT -6
Jason watched the man's hands work on cleaning his laptop, consciously watching the other one's eyes, almost as if to make sure he wasn't trying to take a peek at anything on the screen despite the angle it was tilted. The feeling of a hand ghosting over his own made the man jump a little, startled. He thought nothing of it once Kaine had apologized, though. Once Kaine was finished with the tall redhead's computer, Jason took it back into both hands with a grin. Reviewing the information on the screen, he nodded and closed it. Anything he needed that was on there was already active in his mind. Jason stood up, focusing on Gil now. "Oh I wouldn't say that~" the man chuckled in response, not letting any unnecessary information out. "I just want to insure our safety! Plus, the windows are tinted!" Jason grinned, as if that small detail was the most thrilling. With a beep coming from his phone, the ginger dug out his mobile device, confirming the departure of their ride. 'Ah good' He thought to himself, shutting off the screen to his phone and tucking it away in his pocket once more. Yes... it was time they got to work. The man was excited to be the leader of the whole operation... He... They were going to change this place back to the way it was supposed to be. Looking over the group once more, he thought more about each individual person there. Charlie... She was pretty quiet at first glance, but had her excited outbursts. She seemed pretty into socialization and expressing herself, even though there seemed to be something stopping her from expressing it all properly in person. However, he knew how she was online and he could really feel excited that he was able to meet Major. It felt like he really knew her as a whole person now, instead of just some identity online. He really wanted to make an excuse to talk to her more, even if she was only a child. She was a smart child. A skilled child. Suspicions aside, something inside told him that it was destiny that brought them together! Sun... He was definitely a bit more shy in person that he'd expected and despite his frustration with him earlier, Jason was excited he'd had a chance to meet this guy. There was something about him and his personality that stood out to him. He may not say much in person, but Jason knew there was always something up in that noggin of his. Maybe he'd grow more comfortable around all of them in the flesh soon, and then they'd be able to see Sun really shine! Gil was certainly the most surprising. The most outgoing, positive and inhuman person there, ironically. By that he meant with so little worries His happiness seemed almost that of someone who has dealt with nothing but great things in their life. A true optimist! Jason didn't mind at all though. The blonde man had respected him and trusted him and expressed it so loud and clear, so Jason hadn't a single shred of worry about this guy. At least not socially. He wondered how much help he'd really be if things got bad... but only time would tell. The next people he began to think about were coincidentally getting in another spat, it seemed. 'Great timing' Jason frowned. Jason had mixed feelings about this blonde man. He seemed rather... stuck up. He always knew it as such, but it seemed even more obvious in person and the ginger wasn't sure how he felt about that. Would he cause to be a problem in the future? Maybe it was better if Jason hadn't toyed with his mind earlier, but... those thoughts gave him a bit of ease at the very least. He wasn't perfect. None of them were. Drei was a great asset no matter what, so long as him and Kaine calmed down already... Kaine was probably the highest on the suspicion list. Difficult to read and predict.... The long haired man's heart seemed to be in the right place, but with all the picking on Drei, along with how he was dressed. He was certainly seeming like the odd one out. Maybe he did it on purpose... Or maybe he had no idea and this was how he usually acted? Either way, he was concerned just how well everyone would get along with this guy. He seemed a lot more friendly online. Alas, online and in person could be quite different. Looking down at the clock on his phone, he wondered how long those two would be at it... Hopefully they'd stop whatever it was that they were squabbling about before the limo got there. Not long after thinking such, Jason saw said Limo pull up next to a slice of sidewalk a few yards ahead of where they were sitting. "Ah, our ride's here! C'mon guys!" Jason smiled, looking over everyone he stood before. Purposely walking up next to Major, he put his hand out with a big smile on his face. "Wanna hold hands?" He beamed, opening his right palm to her. He had a feeling she might refuse, but putting together the fact she'd held his upon meeting him gave him hope that she'd accept it. They'd barely spoke at all to one another since meeting. He didn't want her to think he was being distant... As Jason took a step forward to head towards the limo, a sudden jolt came from his knees. No, his whole body. Jason immediately looked around himself and found that it wasn't just him- They were experiencing an earth quake. BoOooOoom.....
The ground shook and a few shrieks could be heard despite the earthquake not being too extreme. Upon standing, it was enough to make one dizzy but not necessarily fall straight on their ass. Bending his knees, bringing his body closer to the ground, Jason grabbed Charlie's hand instinctually and brought her close to him, his other hand on her head as he'd sat the laptop on the ground. "Careful, now!" He warned her. Slowly, the ground settled back to it's original seemingly unmoving state, and slowly all normal sounds returned to the busy city. That was strange... But not... to uncommon? Jason couldn't think to the last time New York had even had an earth quake. It'd been quite some time... But the earth was pretty old, he couldn't blame it for shuddering at it's current state every once in a while. Letting a hand off of Charlie's head, Jason looked the the group. "Everyone alright?" Once everything seem settled for the most part, Jason blinked and stood up, grabbing his laptop. "Now then... let's get going." It was then that he'd headed to the limo, opening the door first to let everyone inside. |
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Post by zenguardian on Apr 21, 2016 19:43:14 GMT -6
"Finally! I've been dying for a nap." Gil said. It was true. The journey to New York City hadn't been a simple one. It was complex and required a lot of "playing" on Gil's part. Needless to say, he was exhausted. Having a place to rest was optimal.
Gil stood up from his seat at the table and started walking towards the door of the limousine when
A sudden virulent shaking coursed through New York, although fortunately not too extreme. Gil quickly crouched down onto one knee, grounding himself and waiting for the earthquake to blow over. Jason had protected Charlie, which was good. He wasn't sure how she'd react to an earthquake.
Speaking of which, an earthquake in New York? That's rare.
After the quake ceased, Gil continued onwards towards the limo, where Jason was opening the door for them. "Thanks, Jay!" Gil said before diving into the long, slender vehicle.
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Post by Allie on Apr 21, 2016 20:44:26 GMT -6
"Ah, our ride's here! C'mon guys!" Jason smiled, looking over everyone he stood before. Purposely walking up next to Major, he put his hand out with a big smile on his face. "Wanna hold hands?" He beamed, opening his right palm to her. He had a feeling she might refuse, but putting together the fact she'd held his upon meeting him gave him hope that she'd accept it. They'd barely spoke at all to one another since meeting. He didn't want her to think he was being distant... Her eyes glittered as the limo pulled up. The fact that it was a limo, as well as the fact that they had a super cool secret base, was awe inspiring. It was like they were movie stars in the greatest heist movie ever, only it was real. And that was the coolest thing ever. She nodded her head yes in response to Jason's inquiry, taking a hold of his hand. This was it... ...The little girl yelped out in shock at the impact of the earthquake, the shock somewhat absorbed by Jason's hold. She didn't mind, as long as she wouldn't die from... whatever this was. She closed her eyes in case anything else would occur, but the tremors immediately dissipated as soon as they started. She slowly opened her eyes to inspect the damage: yet, there was none to be seen. She shrugged mentally as Jaosn opened the door to slide into the luxurious vehicle. A song would be really nice now. |
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Post by norimo on Apr 21, 2016 21:54:48 GMT -6
Finally, the dark-tinted windows of the limousine neared itself toward the curb, the tires sledding to a halt as the driver braked. Kaine's gut was tied in a knot, and he bit the inside of his lip at the arrival of their ride. Suspicion clouded his mind, but he inhaled deeply as he recalled the information in his brain.
KatyK00ger claimed to be lacking in their abilities, therefore did not show up.
Jason has a removal scar, proving he is un-chipped.
Even as he recounted the two, more positive excuses to trust them, he still couldn't find it within his reasoning to accept the situation without fear of ulterior motives. His feet dredged along the pavement as he strode towards the vehicle. His conscience weighed on each step, but he had already made up his mind to follow through with the plan. Yet, he found his knees wobbling and shaking beneath him. For a moment, an expression of confusion struck his face as he wondered if anxiety had grasped at his willpower, but he soon found the root of the problem to be the ground itself.
An earthquake!? He knelt forward, gripping at the stone pathway as to secure his footing. It hadn't been strong enough to cause a catastrophe or anything, but it certainly fueled the ill feeling in his stomach further. It felt as though the world was trying to stop him at that point, and his doubts on the legitimacy of the situation were rising with every second passing. Obviously nature couldn't actually intervening, though it did sway his conscience one way or another. Luckily it passed without incident, proving to be rather brief and basically harmless. Still. How uneasy it made him feel all the more.
Jason clutched the the door's handle, opening it for the rest of them with ease. Why doesn't he get in first? Was he about to herd them like cattle and ship them off to the slaughter? Surely, another one among the group had to be a little cautious-
...And there he goes again. Either he was a complete fool, or he was stacked head to toe with hidden weapons or had a hell of a secret power. Of course, in the end it could have been his paranoia eating him away as well. Though he couldn't be the only one who felt this way.
Elrod was obviously insecure and anxious, he'd sooner follow the crowd than go against it. Jason was the leader in question, could he really trust him at all? As for Charlie, she was a child who could be easily swayed, as evident by her following in Gil's footsteps. Drei possibly wasn't so thoughtless, being there was a chance he had even caught notice of Kaine's earlier suspicion. He was apparently more critical than the rest as well when it came to first appearances. Their recent quarrel would most likely avert him from any attempt at reason though. Even if, what good would it do? Would he really have the gall to speak up with his pull-back attitude from earlier?
He had to be careful, as if he had been wrong then he risked being ostracized by the rest of the group, and he couldn't blame them truthfully. He'd be wary as well. Disobeying the rest of right now could land him in a tight spot, and he'd prefer to get the upper hand before acting too soon. If this was a trap, he'd just have to live to fight another day if anything. Hopefully nothing too severe would follow immediately.
Still, feeling as though he was under everyone else's thumb left him with a sinking feeling. He slouched in the doorway as he made his way onto the leather seats, taking a spot with the rest of them. His eyelids narrowed as he bore holes into the flooring of the vehicle, taking a deep breath. Getting worked up would scramble his mind further; he had to calm his nerves if anything. He had a knack for stiff situations; it was just a matter of of regaining control where it was lost.
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Post by schribbit on Apr 22, 2016 1:29:33 GMT -6
It seemed it was time for everyone to go, but Elrod started to feel nauseous. Something's coming... There was a light rumble that he could feel, though it felt like it was coming from all around. There's no way it could be one of the vehicles driving around- those felt different. Whatever's coming is not going to be pleasant...
And it wasn't. Elrod yelped as it felt everything was crumbling around him. He fell to the ground from his seat out of sheer dread, though the shakes were as much to blame as his head. He closed his eyes tightly, covering his head to somehow bring himself more protection. His rapid breathing and quiet whimpers involuntarily showcased his fears. He felt such a movement from all around would likely lead to death, but he was wrong.
Just like that, it was over. When he looked up, everyone else seemed to be fine- if a little rattled. Of course this was the case. If only he was less sensitive to this kind of thing, he might not have made a fool of himself. He wiped the sweat from his brow, got up and brushed himself off. The knees of his favorite pants showed slight signs of colliding with the ground. Elrod felt a great sensation of woe come through him. Now he definitely looked horrible.
Elrod sighed at his own actions and appearance, slowly moving from his spot to join the others near the limo. He aimed to step in last. He hated getting in any sort of lines before others. He however had no qualms about anything Jason had said so far, for he numbly trusted just about anything.
Besides getting in last, he had to take something before getting in a car. He quickly took some medication from his back pocket to help with motion sickness. He always had to carry it around for just such an emergency, and he was glad that he had it. He just hoped no one noticed he needed it. He was once again waiting for the others to get in the limo, no questions asked.
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Post by not u on Apr 22, 2016 13:23:43 GMT -6
Drei remained silent for the rest of their time in the park, his nails furiously digging at the back of his neck. However with most of the pressure exerted being with the fingers and not the wrist or arm, it merely looked as though he was rubbing the area. Whether it actually existed or was just his paranoid perception, he could feel the physiological weight of everyone's scorn after the previous events. With how charming and smooth Kaine was, he already knew that if they didn't receive equal amounts of blame for their bickering, then surely the colder and more reserved one would get the brunt of it all. He initiated it! He was prodding at me earlier! he shouted mentally, his expression and body language not giving any clue towards his frustration besides the nails embedded in his skin. But as a familiar stickiness pooled around his fingers, the pent up stress flowed out with it. And just in time, as the limo pulled around to pick them up.
The blonde slowly brought his hand down, wiping the tips of his fingers on the inside of his collar before quietly walking over with the others when all of a sudden, he nearly lost his footing. What the hell? A few shrieks nearby, the rumbling of dirt, cars, and buildings, an earthquake? Drei firmly rooted his feet on the ground and bent his knees, immediately sweeping the area for the danger of anything falling on any of them, sighing in relief as the earth finally finished its grumbling.
An earthquake in New York was certainly out of the ordinary. On the complete opposite end of the country from the San Andreas fault, and in probably one of the least earthquake-proofed city in the country, Drei frowned and looked around the park at the straggling outsiders that seemed just as shocked as they all were. For such a rare occurrence to happen on such an important occasion ...I'm overthinking it, right? It's surely a mere coincidence. The tendency to mentally veer towards circumstances of grandeur he blamed on his history of burying himself in video games. Ridiculous.
Drei slowed in his step as he approached the long and expensive-looking vehicle, the only other two still standing outside being Elrod and Jason. Fingers tightly gripping the back of his neck with apprehension, he tried to get a gander at the driver, the tinted windows obscuring the figure too much. I didn't come this far to mistrust these people, he mentally repeated once more. With a sigh, he ducked his head down and climbed into the vehicle, looking at Gil, Charlie, and Kaine sitting across from him. Charlie and Gil seemed quite excited to be in the big celebrity-style vehicle, while Casanova's gaze was affixed on the carpeting. He looks more nervous than I do.
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Post by Kisaka on Apr 22, 2016 14:55:46 GMT -6
Jason was glad that no one seemed too shaken up from the quake that had happened only moments before. Elrod looked even more upset than before though, which stuck out to Jason. Did the earth quake really get to him? Thinking about it, he was reminded of the gentle one's power, suddenly now even more concerned. Did things such as earth quakes make it a bit taxing on people who could sense movement? What if it were overwelming with so much movement going on all at once... Knowing all these people and having them in close proximity made Jason realize he'd have to basically help take care of everyone as well. If he didn't try to go out of his way to make everyone feel welcomed and comfortable... they'd fall apart. After all, he liked Sun a lot. "Sure thing, Gil!" Jason smiled at the nickname, watching as everyone climbed inside. The last one left was... Sun. Now was his chance to say something. Elrod sighed at his own actions and appearance, slowly moving from his spot to join the others near the limo. He aimed to step in last. He hated getting in any sort of lines before others. He however had no qualms about anything Jason had said so far, for he numbly trusted just about anything. Besides getting in last, he had to take something before getting in a car. He quickly took some medication from his back pocket to help with motion sickness. He always had to carry it around for just such an emergency, and he was glad that he had it. He just hoped no one noticed he needed it. He was once again waiting for the others to get in the limo, no questions asked. "Hey Sun, are you okay? You don't... look so good." Jason waved his hand in front of him, assuring him to go next. "Do you need a water or something...?" Concern was clear in his voice, looking inside the limo and the ones who sat there. "Hey can one of you guys grab me a water? I think there should be some in a little compartment next to Kaine?" The redhead wanted to get going, but it was better if everyone wasn't so upset and tense if they were going to all make this work. |
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Post by norimo on Apr 22, 2016 15:23:01 GMT -6
Kaine cocked his head upward upon the mention of his name. His gaze shifted from the carpeting to Jason who was motioning to something behind him. Kaine noticed the miniature cooler close to him and drew another breath to regain his composure. "Yeah, I'll get it," he swung the hatch open and grabbed a water bottle, ducking his head as he reached outside of the vehicle with the refreshment in hand. His pupils were fixed on Elrod, who appeared anxious over the whole ordeal. If the earthquake took me by surprise, then Elrod's probably not in good shape either...
He handed the bottle to Jason, offering a smile towards the fidgeting boy in the doorway. "We're waiting for you inside," he cooed, before shuffling back to his seat in the vehicle. Gil and Charlie were seated beside him, and he waved at them once more before returning to his silent contemplation.
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Post by schribbit on Apr 22, 2016 15:32:00 GMT -6
"Hey Sun, are you okay? You don't... look so good." Jason waved his hand in front of him, assuring him to go next. "Do you need a water or something...?" Concern was clear in his voice, looking inside the limo and the ones who sat there. "Hey can one of you guys grab me a water? I think there should be some in a little compartment next to Kaine?" The redhead wanted to get going, but it was better if everyone wasn't so upset and tense if they were going to all make this work. Elrod was surprised at Jason's actions. He already called for the water before getting an answer- did he really look that bad? He supposed he did. The water would truthfully help, though, so he did not deny the kindness. "Um- I," Elrod shuffled a bit in place, nerves ever high and still upset by the quakes,"yes. Thank you." Elrod gave Jason a small, strained smile as he looked from his face to the ground and back again, grateful yet embarrassed for the attention. He accepted the water from Jason and decided it was his turn to get in, for everyone seemed to be waiting on him. He gave Kaine a small, passing smile as well before scooting himself next to Drei. Once again he gave enough room between them for him to be comfortable, along with room on his other side for Jason. Elrod looked at the bottle in his hands and waited calmly for the events of the day to continue. He did not drink yet, but he knew he would need it along the way. |
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Post by Kisaka on Apr 22, 2016 15:47:22 GMT -6
'He's so cute' Jason thought in passing, not dwelling on it too much. Though he still worried a fair bit, the small smile Sun put on his features put the ginger at ease. Once inside, Jason climbed in at last, setting his laptop inside before coming in next, butt hovering above it. With the door shut, he moved the laptop onto his lap and smiled at the people in the limo. He felt like things were a little tense all over again. But he had to move them past that!
"You have the address, right?" He raised his voice to the driver, whom had a window divider cracked from behind Kaine, Gil and Charlie.
"Yes sir. Are you all alright and ready to depart?"
"As long as you are! I'm sure the quake gave you quite a scare!" Jason laughed, faking his enthusiasm to make the interaction more pleasant.
"A little bit. Off we go then." The driver spoke, closing the divider and taking off slowly, entering the New York traffic.
The drive wasn't long. About 8 minutes in duration. The earth quake had seemed to do minimal damage. One street was roped off and you could see outside displays on the ground, scattered. Other than that, it didn't seem to bad, luckily. Once they'd arrived at their destination, the driver pulled up next the to building, parking next to a strip of sidewalk upon the one-way road.
"Aaaand we've arrived." The driver announced with a hearty laugh, breaking Jason's attention from whatever it was that caught it before.
"Ah, thank you!" Jason looked at everyone and smiled, taking a look outside before opening the door to the side where traffic flowed. Thankfully the traffic flow wasn't so bad here. Once out, he propped the door out for the next one to pop out. The tall man walked around the side of the vehicle to the driver side. Holding out a twenty, he offered it to the man. "For you, good sir!" The driver seemed shocked but took it without a moment's hesitation.
"Well thank you, sir!" The driver looked back before meeting Jason's gaze once more. "Now then, everyone out and got everything? I'd hate for anyone to leave anything behind..."
Jason held up his laptop slightly, shaking his head. "Nope, I got all I brought. What about you guys? Got everything?" He looked to the group as they'd departed from the vehicle.
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Post by zenguardian on Apr 22, 2016 16:38:04 GMT -6
The ride to the base wasn't very long at all. Only about eight minutes. Gil had slightly dozed off during parts of the drive, however, head leaning towards Kaine's shoulder. Gil was apparently really tired, and rightfully so. He'd used a lot of energy getting to the meeting location and hadn't had a chance to recharge yet. Upon their arrival, Gil had woken up immediately when Jason opened the door, almost as if he'd never fallen asleep in the first place. "Cool. We're here!" he said, yawning a bit. Nobody but Jason had exited the car, so Gil leaned over Kaine and opened the door, proceeding to crawl out onto the pavement.
"Hehe... sorry 'bout that, Prince. I need to stretch." Gil thanked the driver and stood near Jason, waiting for the rest of the group to get out of the limousine.
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Post by not u on Apr 22, 2016 16:42:45 GMT -6
"Well thank you, sir!" The driver looked back before meeting Jason's gaze once more. "Now then, everyone out and got everything? I'd hate for anyone to leave anything behind..." Jason held up his laptop slightly, shaking his head. "Nope, I got all I brought. What about you guys? Got everything?" He looked to the group as they'd departed from the vehicle. Drei stared out the window for most of the ride, trying to get at least a somewhat basic idea of the area they were in. The roads seemed to be numbered in a grid pattern. Finding their way around this area of the city would hopefully be self explanatory. As they slowed to a stop and Jason climbed out to pay the driver, Drei collected his backpack and peered inside to assure everything was still in its place. With him he'd brought a couple changes of clothes, toiletries, and his university laptop which had been cleaned and reformatted by his sister. Thanks to all of the bloatware added to monitor the students, keeping the laptop in its original state would've been incredibly unwise. Opening the door closest to him and stepping out of the limo, he cracked his neck a couple of times before thanking the driver, although the generous tip that Jason provided most likely did a better job of that than any of them ever could. |
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Post by schribbit on Apr 22, 2016 16:52:31 GMT -6
Elrod closed his eyes and focused on his breathing through the duration of the ride. He took a few sips of water when it felt the worst, and after what felt like forever, they arrived at their location. Both seats next to him were now empty, giving Elrod some relief as now he did not have to feel like anyone was waiting on him. He took one last sip before exiting the car on Drei's side. He heard Jason, Gil, and Drei thank the driver. He wanted to express his thanks as well, he really did, but forming words felt impossible. He only caught some air in his throat.
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Post by norimo on Apr 22, 2016 16:55:45 GMT -6
The ride went smoothly, and his nerves had managed to calm for the most part along the way. While he definitely upheld his right to be skeptical of the situation, staying cool under fire was crucial to grasping the situation at hand efficiently. Gil had dozed off during their short trip, with his head resting on Kaine's shoulder carelessly. He must to have been weary from their rendezvous to have already been slipping into dreamland, but Kaine wasn't bothered by the touch. In fact, it actually soothed his busy mind a notch as he was taken away from his thoughts to notice the small gesture. The corners of his lips tugged at a smile; such a carefree nature didn't seem so bad to have.
The vehicle came to a halt, and with it Jason stepped out as he exchanged words with their chauffeur along with a rather generous tip. Seriously, where did his money come from?
His hand reached for the handle, before the abrupt movement of Gil's interjecting between him and the lever. It was quickly followed by Gil's body squirming his way out of the door; he was eager to move his muscles, Kaine supposed. Though, such an action would be more expected from someone of Charlie's stature than rather that of a grown man. Kaine followed out afterwards, stretching his arms as he did so. His eyes surveyed his surroundings- north, west, east, and south, as he took a mental note of the characteristics of the area.
With a small bow of the head to the driver, he voiced his gratitude before taking a spot next to the others. "All good here."
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