[hr][center][color=92278f][h3]Eli von Carstein[/h3][/color][sub]Cry for Help[/sub][/center][hr] [i]Tick. Tick. Tick.[/i] The faint rhythm of the kitchen clock had taken over the auditory sense as silence lingered between the two parties present. One, a man, standing with both of his hands propping up his lean over the basic wooden table. His forehead glistened in the low light with a bit of sweat with the occasional trail running down his dirty face, parting the oil that clung to it. Eric was an honest man, making an honest living. He went to work everyday and had dedicated himself to a usual routine. Tonight, he had an unexpected deviation to his routine. Fresh off of work, he hardly had time to prepare himself supper before his attention was pulled elsewhere. His sister, Catherine, had just phoned him from her hotel room, her voice strained with panic. The police had apparently put the whole area where she was staying under house arrest. It was about the only detail Eric could gain from his sister's situation before the line had unexpectedly been dropped. She wasn't using her cellphone, which was significant because Eric couldn't call his sister back reliably. Of course he tried, but that only lead him to an even more worrying detail. That end of the line was no longer in service. It was troubling to think of why the police would put the whole area in lockdown and judging from his sister's reaction, it wasn't good. Being an honest man, Eric had first phoned the police to ask what was going on but was only meant with initial confusion by the department until they eventually told him that they will check into it. Had could they not know about the police enforced lockdown? Something wasn't adding up and Eric's mind drifted to more worrying thoughts. Were the police really out of sync with each other? It was understandable considering the current burden they dealt with but this seemed something far more than just miscommunication. Concern for his sister took precedence and he knew he had to do something for his sister. However, his own mortality never escaped him, especially after the death of his beloved child. Eric was just an average, albeit stout, man placed in a world with hyperhumans and monsters that would clearly best him nine times out of ten. Proof of this was staring at him with cold, dead eyes from across the table. His house guest, Eli. -- [color=92278f]"This isn't like your normal requests."[/color] Eli said, a groggy croak still present in her voice after having just been woken up. [color=0054a6]"I know but please, my sister is tied up in this mess."[/color], Eric pleaded. [color=92278f]"Your sister isn't my concern. You know what is."[/color] Eric nodded grimly, he knew what his house guest was alluding to. [color=0054a6]"You'll get your chance. I swear it."[/color] Eric paused, considering his next words carefully. [color=0054a6]"Someone over there is being dishonest and if we can't find whoever is causing that mess well... I'm sure there is someone else you can find."[/color] Eli's bored looking face showed a sign of life as her mouth curled into a slight smile. [color=92278f]"I suppose it'll be you if no one else is available."[/color] Eli sounded to be mostly joking at this comment but if things were ever bad, she always knew where she find her reserve. Eric didn't laugh at Eli's joke but he didn't need to. [color=92278f]"Fine. We can go now."[/color] Eli said, taking a glance towards the window. A dark torrent of rain clouds spat water against the house. Day, and by extension the sun, felt like a distant concept here. A reality that Eli could live with. [hr] The hotel where Eric's sister was staying was only about a block away. Eli and Eric were tucked in front of a hastily closed storefront's entrance listening to the nearby carnage unfold. [color=0054a6]"Something is going on."[/color], Eric sounded nervous about the unseen firefight and explosions. He and Eli were approaching the hotel from the rear, avoiding the main entrance as that appeared to be the roughest part of whatever this was. They were here just for Eric's sister, not to be the solution to this matter, and well Eli needed to do her thing, too. [color=0054a6]"Come on. We should try continuing to slip in the back door while everyone is focused on the main entrance."[/color] Eric had a gut feeling that the police in this area were fishy. They had a brief encounter with a hurried, impatient officer earlier who was trying to get back to the hotel. It almost sounded like he was being threatened with the way the officer had instructed him to return inside and everything else about that conversation seemed off. Unprofessional seemed like the choice term but again, it could have just been due to the stress of this whole thing and yet... [color=0072bc]"Eli."[/color] Eli heard Eric's mutter barely above the pounding rain. The two of them were hurrying along the sidewalk to get around to the rear of the hotel. Eric's call had stopped her just as they reached the corner. [color=92278f]"What?"[/color], she spat in angry complaint being delayed further from her meal. Despite her detest for Eric's caution, she did understand knowing that the mortal man could be downed with a simple shot from a gun, a vulnerability that she was spared from. [color=0054a6]"Go up to those police men around the corner and act like your mom is in there. If they don't let you in, something is up. I've been getting an odd feeling about this since leaving."[/color] Eli squinted her eyes as she peaked her head around the corner, finally noticing the two men in uniform, appearing to guard a rear entrance to the hotel. It was indeed odd to leave a rear guard that did nothing when all the action was happening at the front entrance. Something or someone in the building was important enough to pull manpower from the front ranks, meaning something wasn't adding up. Why install a regional curfew if you are guarding a VIP? Sure you cleared the streets of possible insurgents but this was flawed logic. With the curfew in place and only guards running around, you might as well cry out to all the world that your VIP is here in this hotel. Plus, insurgents usually don't want unnecessary casualties, meaning it is that easier to target those that they want to target. These were amateurs compared to the trouble she faced in her own world. Eric's intention was obvious now. By feigning a lost child, he had intended on discovering whether or not these were decent lawmen to assist a citizen in need, a child at that. If their only goal was protection of whatever they were protecting and not helping an apparently lost girl, then something was indeed fishy. Without another word, Eli turned the corner and began her act. She could never make herself cry but a pouty face, wet clothes which consisted of a pink sweater and jeans and the fact she had no shoes made her appear all the more helpless. As Eli approached, she glanced around noticing with her abnormal perception that people in similar uniforms had taken up positions on the rooftops. Most of their attentions were focused towards the front of the building but she noticed the flicker of a lens from at least one person who had her in their sight. Clearly they weren't going to shoot a girl but Eric, they might. [color=92278f]"I want my mom!"[/color] Eli wailed as she approached the two guards. They had clearly been unprepared for this and shot a nervous glance to one another. "Uhh.. Your mom ain't here kid. You should get out of here though. Can't you hear all that over there" The man gestured behind him with a flick of his head. [color=92278f]"I just want my mom... please.[/color] Eli's head drooped as she stepped forward to wrap her arms around the man who spoke to her. She could hear the man curse under his breath and whisper to his partner. "Shit. What do we do about this kid?" The other whispered back, "I don't know. Antonio said no one gets in and to keep guard but we can't just leave a kid like this..." The two man argued for a bit in a hushed argument about what to do until they eventually settled on one of them leading Eli away and dumping her off in the care of a local. Throughout their private discussion, they provided clues to what exactly was going on. Not enough for Eli to get the whole picture but enough for her to understand that these weren't police. One of the two bent down and put his hand on Eli's shoulder. "Alright we are going to find your mommy. Come on." He stood up and tried to push Eli along but found that she held her ground firmly. "Uhh.. kid. Come on." The man muttered giving Eli a harder push but only moved her slightly. In that slight motion she recoiled back and strongly pushed the man that had pushed her, back only because of Eli's physiology, the man was forced off of his feet and flew back to hit the wall of the hotel. Stunned, the other man had only just taken his eyes off of his comrade before Eli had leapt to reach the man's face, grabbing it with one hand and then strong arming the man back so that he fell heavily onto the solid ground. His head cracked against the pavement, knocking him out instantly. Eli held onto the man's face and dragged him along as she suddenly leapt, quickly darting to the other man and grabbing his face only to repeat the procedure of cracking his skull against the wall of the hotel. The whole encounter was over in a few seconds and Eli released both men before turning to walk inside. Previously, Eli had mentioned that if things came something such as this, that Eric should give Eli her space to work and hide somewhere until this was over. In exchange, Eli would prioritize the safety of Eric's sister, knowing what she looked like based off of photos, before committing herself to finding a meal.