tampered | closed; ongoing

closed; ongoing

When; forward-dated, tbd
Rating; PG for violence
Characters; Hazuki [

wetworking] & Rhodey [

warmachine]
Summary; Pursing her own agenda, Hazuki breaks in to City Solutions and is confronted by security along the way.
Log;

[It had been over a month since her arrival, and though Hazuki had secured some funds, an apartment, (and a few safehouses in less than savory parts of the City), she had yet to find... more secure employment.

She had been weighing her options, scoping out this place and what it had to offer, and unfortunately for her personal tastes... He was the most likely option.

Which only left her "interview".

That would explain what the Contractor was doing on the roof of City Solutions, having already slipped past several security camera, over a motion sensor, and by several automatic floodlights.

After that, it was silence as she slipped in past the hole she'd noted in security during her surveillance, landing on the floor within the building with only the barest sound.

All clear.

Hand on her wooden sword, (what woman broke in to a high security compound with a wooden sword?), Hazuki began to make her way to the main office.]

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[ Rhodey was doing his usual round, last check up before leaving, when he heard the softest of thuds.

Probably just the wind or something outside— still, it never hurt to have a look, and so he backtracked, quietly making his way down the hall. ]

[Hazuki, constantly changing the timing of her steps to through of suspicion and leave her free to detect the sign's of others both, soon caught the sound of another pair of footsteps coming her way.

Security.

Ming recalled the ones she'd seen, narrowed it down to two possible people.

She had two options that were most desirable.

One, evade suspicion and infiltrate without encounter. Two, engage and prove combat experience. It was an "interview", not a mission, so there was no need to kill- it would be best.

Smoothly, the woman pulled back her suit sleeve to reveal the wire device on her wrist, aiming, hooking, and climbing up to access the air duct in a corner hallway.

There she waited. For him to come around the corner.]

[ He walks slowly, not particularly cautious but listening, one hand on the gun holster—

and steps around the corner. ]

[Hazuki's lips pursed behind the mask she wore that hide most of her face. A small, plastic bit shaped like a knife came out from her coat, and with a low hum, her powers activated, setting an eerie light in her eyes as the plastic glowed blue.

Her contract provided for this- the ability to energize any item to a sharpness that could cut steel, cut rock.

That she threw at a place inches in front of the man's face.

Aiming not to kill was a new thing for her.]

[ The low hum gave him a second's warning to look up, but it would not have given him enough warning to avoid the knife, if not for the fact that she hadn't aimed for him.

Reflexes and training kicking in, he goes back, the corner providing for cover as he flattens himself against the wall, gun in hand now. ]

Who are you? [ Might not hurt to engage the enemy in conversation at this point. ]

Hazuki Mina.

[If this was a real mission, that would be the stupidest thing one could do- even if the name was fake. But she needed to plant the clues, or it would be meaningless.

Energized another plastic piece, (her other's glow had dimmed, not showing that it was... plastic, buried in the solid wall), and threw it, another distraction to keep him close on the wall.]

Who are you?

[ He files the name away, hand on the communicator and sort of regretting that he's not wearing the suit. There'd be no need for cover with the suit. Her answer also gives him some indication as to her position, and for a second, he peers out from behind the corner, taking aim at the ceiling. There's only so many places someone can hide there, and he knows most of them— but he's not shoting to kill or even maim, more of a warning shot fired near to where he thinks she is.

She's not the only one with a weapon. ]

James Rhodes, security.

You might want to come down there and let me escort you out.

[A warning shot? Hazuki's brow lifts as she hears the bullet hit feet away.

Foolish.]

Only escorted out, and not turned in to the police? I don't believe you.

[Shot back, as if she were even entertaining that idea. Instead, while they spoke, she was silently moving through the air ducts.

[ He's not out to hurt anyone if he can help it. ]

If you leave voluntarily, I have no reason to turn you in. [ He's still listening closely, for the direction her voice comes from, for any other sound. ]

[There is a long pause- foolish, if this man is telling the truth.

But she'll use it. She has enough faith in herself to dodge a bullet, after all.]

Then lower your weapon and I'll throw you mine.

Yeah, I don't think so.

[ She may think him foolish, but he's not an idiot. ]

[It was worth a try.]

I will come down, then- but do not shoot. I'm recording this. It will post to the network unless I stop it.

[It was not a bluff- she did activate one of the programs she'd had installed in to the thing, encrypting her post, but beginning the audio recording.]

I won't shoot unless you give me reason to. [ He's also not stepping away from the wall that he's using for cover just yet, gun ready to aim and gaze watchful. ]

[The panel of the air duct is slid to the side, and out of the hole there a woman suddenly drops. Long, dark hair, face covered in a half balaclava, and a plain business suit.

She rose from the crouch she'd assumed to cushion her landing, and put gloved hands in the air.]

[ He moves carefully until he has a clear line of vision, gun steadily aimed at her. ]

How did you get in?

[Hazuki remains still, hands up. Almost eerily still, actually.]

There's a panel in your roof on the northeast side that isn't fully covered by security cameras. I disabled the localized system and cut in.

[ Good to know. And she isn't the only one recording this, so Tony will hear of this. ]

And why did you break in?

I'm working on my resume. I didn't manage to bring in good out of City references.

[Her voice, which until this point has been rather flat and emotionless, sounds almost. Sarcastic.]

[ Rhodey almost groans.

You have got to be kidding me. The least Tony could do if he actually pulled a stunt like this is let him know. Sadly, the fact that he didn't tell Rhodey a thing doesn't mean that this isn't, somehow, Tony's fault. It sounds like something he'd do. ]

Why this place?

[In Rhodey's defense, she didn't exactly get this mission from Tony. Assassins didn't really just... tell about their skills to someone. They showed- and on that basis, were hired.

Hence, her presence here.]

Classified.

[ He's not happy at all, and his aim doesn't waver. ]

Walk down the hall. [ There's an exit not too far from their position. He wants her out of here. He's watching her carefully for any sign; muscles tensing, anything that might telegraph her next actions. ]

[She shrugs silently, and begins walking in his direction. Her only movement shift is that her hands move, slowly, from straight up in the air to clasped behind her head.]

[ He takes a step back, jerking his chin at the direction he wants her to take, the gun following her movements.

He frowns— does she have more of those knives hidden in her hair? ]

Hands up.

[She follows his directions, arching a brow at him as she does, removing her hands from her hair, (and pulling a few hairs loose in the process), and putting them back up.]

Jumpy, aren't you.

Nothing wrong with that. [ Wariness has served him well in war. ]

[She shrugs.]

I suppose not.

[It might serve him well. She hopes that jumpiness would do to make him jerk his hands back when she moves- suddenly, and with little warning. The strands of hair in her fingers glow blue, the same as her plastic knives had, and she whips them out.

It's not him that she's aiming for, but to slice clean through the barrel of his gun.]

[ Despite the jumpiness, his hands stay steady, the gun aimed at her— his finger is twitching on the trigger, but before he can pull it, one of the hairs does reach its intended target and the gun— is sliced in two. ]

What the hell.

[A contractor.

But she is finished with words, and Hazuki moves quickly on the heels of that move. A hand reaches out, grabbing on to his shoulder, a brace for her light weight as she throws herself behind him, one of her plastic knives out, energized- and poking in to his back.]

I need you to make a call.

[ Well, shit.

He stills, mentally calculating how much damage she can do with that and whether he can disarm her somehow.

For now, maybe not. ]

Who do I call?

For now, put an open call on the network to Tony Stark.

[Direct is something she'd prefer, but she does need the time to actually get in to his office. A network post would provide that for her.]

You will tell him that Hazuki Mina has something that belongs to him.

Why, what are you playing at?

[ He is moving a hand in his pocket for the communicator. Too bad he doesn't have any more weapons on him. ]

[She is watching that hand, even so, glowing knife pressed a touch harder in warning.]

I am not playing.

I am working.

Fine. [ Out comes the communicator. ]

What's your goal, though.

A job.

[Her voice has returned to flat, emotionless.]

Make the call.

[ not very helpful.

he dials. ]

[Not very helpful.

Hazuki simply waits, silently, for his call, one hand disabling her own post.]

[ Voice terse: ]

Tony, if this is somehow your idea, warn me next time, would you? [ And then, because he doesn't exactly want to test her patience: ]

Hazuki Mina has something that belongs to you. Might mean me, actually.

[She would take him as a hostage if it weren't so troublesome. It's easier to take material items. Hazuki waits for him to finish his post before she speaks.]

Put your hands behind your back, slowly.

[ He does, though he keeps the communicator in hand. Might come in handy, if she lets him keep it. ]

[She will, in a way. If this were a true mission, he'd be dead already, but she cares not what he does with the communicator once she's out of here.

Plastic cuffs are taken from beneath her jacket and fastened firmly on his wrists, and then she takes his communicator, flinging it down the hall. If he can get to it, he can have it.

A sharp kick to the back of the knees should bring him down.]

[ He goes down, but not completely easily— catching his weight on one shoulder and rolling with it, kicking out to take her legs out under her as well. ]

[Hazuki wondered when humans would learn. She had been human once- if she was still a human, would she be as uselessly emotional? It was far more logical for him to simply accept. Fighting back and you risked dying, so why did he, when she was going to let him live otherwise? Risking one's personal safety for what? His job? Pride? His boss?

It was ridiculous to even consider for a being as logical as Hazuki.

Those thoughts lasted for the duration of the fight, in the back of her head during the exchange of blows. It was frustrating, fighting without the intent to kill. It made things more difficult.

But it ended the same, though this time she was astride him, energized blade to his throat.]

I would advise you not resist any longer. You are wasting my time, and yours.

Nod if you agree.

[ Considering he currently has a blade to his throat, Rhodey's nod is rather minute. ]

[It would do.

He fought quite well for a human, considering the limits they possessed, age, and situation.

For half a moment, Hazuki's emotionless face looked rather displeased.

And then she simply leaned over and kiss him, full and on the mouth.]

[ What the hell.

He makes a muffled sound, but, aware of the knife still against his throat, doesn't move.

Still: What the hell. ]

[What the hell indeed?

She finally draws back after a moment, sitting back on his hips with a look of... mild disgust?

Before she punches him in the face, (remembers at the last minute to check her punch, so it's only a glancing blow), and spits to the side.]

It's my contract.

[Which is apparently supposed to explain that whole thing? As she stands and leaves him there.

One last look down.]

Behave.

[Before she's gone.]

What the hell.

[ With her gone, he can say it out loud. He opens his jaw carefully, but it seems her blow hasn't done any lasting damage. ]

What contract. [ Not that he expects an answer. Instead, he shifts until he's sitting up, then turns until he's on his knees.

The communicator's right over there. He'll get to it and then get someone to bust him out. And if Tony laughs— ]

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