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Mentions: Everyone at location
[hr][color=bc8dbf]Flower's and Canvasses
Late Evening[/color]
[hr]

Not an unexpected response. If anything, [color=#D01417]I was expecting more violence.[/color] Still, if these people have something to hide I guess it isn't worth fighting the government over it... [b]yet.[/b] My eyes then look over towards the spot where Alizée used to be sitting. [color=#D01417]They might be an exception.[/color] I'll have to look into that later, but not now. They weren't part of the inner circle even in the original coven so there's no real point to it [i]now[/i]. Besides, Eksa did give me an in. Not a massive one but I had this story prepared for a reason.

I let out a sigh as I then begin to say, [color=#D01417]"Well, you're not entirely wrong,"[/color] looking over to Eksa before addressing the crowd at large again, [color=#D01417]"They don't know about... this"[/color] I sweep my hand across to gesture to the store at large, [color=#D01417]"At least not yet."[/color]

[color=#D01417]"Ordinarily a string of seemingly unconnected murders like this wouldn't catch our eye... but that's the thing. They're not [i]seemingly unconnected[/i]."[/color] I say before taking out from one of my other inner jacket pockets the pictures of the [i]wolf statues[/i]. [color=#D01417]"With this much we at least know it's the same person, or organization. Some [i]highly motivated[/i] entity that's not only acting across state lines but also across international ones"[/color] I say pointing to the location written on one of the pictures of the wolf statue, [color=#D01417]"Halfway across the globe. Of course the government wouldn't jump the gun and go [b]magic must exist[/b] but this pattern of mass killings with little to no evidence left behind does have some similarities to mass spy purges we've dealt with in the past. Sometimes the Russians even left [b]calling cards[/b] like this to throw us off the scent."[/color]

I put the photos away before looking at Drake and saying, [color=#D01417]"The main point is, it set off a [i]few[/i] red flags, especially since all of the victims seemed to have been active in this little area of Oregan during a specific period of time and the [i]statues[/i] were all carved out of Sycamore native to this region."[/color] after which I then look to the crowd again, [color=#D01417]"What I'm getting at here is... If it weren't for me this entire [b]town[/b] would currently be under mass surveillance. No camera would be safe, your phones are laughably easy to tap, cellphones especially, your internet browsing habits would be the NSA's playground, and a good deal of you would likely be tailed just to make sure you're not an out of state actor on the run. You would have no privacy, you would be under constant scrutiny... and the original plan was to also use you all as [b]bait[/b] to draw [i]Father Wolf[/i] out. The main reason they're [i]not[/i] doing that is because I convinced them it would be [i]easier[/i] if they just let me handle it. Less noise. Less potential for public backlash. I have enough of a... [b]history[/b] with these types of cases that they're willing to give me, and by extension, all of you some time."[/color]

I then walk over to a chair, turn it so my back is facing a wall that doesn't lead into any other buildings and sit down. Wait- [color=#D01417]why am I sitting down?[/color] Well, this doesn't exactly impose an image of... power... but whatever.

[color=#D01417]"The main thing I'm trying to get across here is that I'm the [i]nice option.[/i] I can go back but that doesn't mean they're going to stop. The people who will come to replace me I can one hundred percent assure you are [b]far worse[/b] and far more [i]willing[/i] to use those [i]guns[/i] we have"[/color] I say looking to Everleigh with that statement. [color=#D01417]"They're going to find out about us. Especially since I know you're not exactly known for... subtlety"[/color] I say looking to Drake, [color=#D01417]"And I'm sure you don't want to find out what might happen when they [i]do[/i]."[/color]

Alright, that should freak them out enough to at least get on board with me sticking aro-

[color=#D01417]"And you can do whatever the hell you want to me."[/color]

[color=#D01417]What?[/color]

[color=#D01417]"T[/color][color=#CF1518]h[/color][color=#CE161A]r[/color][color=#CD171C]o[/color][color=#CC181E]w[/color] [color=#CA1A22]m[/color][color=#C91B23]e[/color] [color=#C71E27]o[/color][color=#C61F29]u[/color][color=#C5202B]t[/color][color=#C5212D],[/color] [color=#C32330]b[/color][color=#C22532]e[/color][color=#C12634]a[/color][color=#C02736]t[/color] [color=#BE293A]t[/color][color=#BD2A3C]h[/color][color=#BC2B3D]e[/color] [color=#BA2E41]e[/color][color=#BA2F43]v[/color][color=#B93045]e[/color][color=#B83147]r[/color] [color=#B6334A]l[/color][color=#B5344C]i[/color][color=#B4364E]v[/color][color=#B33750]i[/color][color=#B23852]n[/color][color=#B13954]g[/color] [color=#B03B57]c[/color][color=#AF3C59]r[/color][color=#AE3E5B]a[/color][color=#AD3F5D]p[/color] [color=#AB4161]o[/color][color=#AA4262]u[/color][color=#A94364]t[/color] [color=#A74568]o[/color][color=#A6476A]f[/color] [color=#A5496E]m[/color][color=#A44A6F]e[/color][color=#A34B71],[/color] [color=#A14D75]h[/color][color=#A04F77]e[/color][color=#9F5079]l[/color][color=#9E517A]l[/color][color=#9D527C].[/color][color=#9C537E].[/color][color=#9B5480].[/color] [color=#9A5784]Y[/color][color=#995886]o[/color][color=#985987]u[/color] [color=#965B8B]c[/color][color=#955C8D]o[/color][color=#945D8F]u[/color][color=#935E91]l[/color][color=#926093]d[/color] [color=#906296]e[/color][color=#906398]v[/color][color=#8F649A]e[/color][color=#8E659C]n[/color] [color=#8C68A0]k[/color][color=#8B69A1]i[/color][color=#8A6AA3]l[/color][color=#896BA5]l[/color] [color=#876DA9]m[/color][color=#866EAB]e"[/color] I say before reaching into my inner holster and taking out from it... my gun. Glock-19, gen 5, just as solid an weighty as it always is in that disgusting sort of way. I place it in front of me using a free chair and turn it so the barrel is faced right at me, no one else.

[color=#D01417]What the hell are you-[/color] [color=#8670AD]Shut up we're doing this my way now.[/color]

[color=#8670AD]"The safety's on and there isn't a bullet in the chamber but it's not a complicated mechanism to figure out."[/color] I say before looking over to [i]Drake[/i] in particular, [color=#8670AD]"Use it, if you really think I'm too dangerous. I came here fully prepared for that. If anything"[/color] I can't help letting out a slight laugh before saying this one, [color=#8670AD]"It'd make things easier."[/color] but I manage to cut myself off before I went in too deep.

Come on Kali. Now's not the time for that... Deep breath. Breath in. Breath out. Look at the crowd. You're working from a place of [i]weakness[/i]. Let them know that.

[color=#8670AD]"My job is to find [i]Father Wolf[/i] and if I think he's a [i]threat to the state[/i] then my job is to [i]deal with him.[/i] It doesn't matter how. If you want to kill him..."[/color] I say looking over to Linqian, [color=#8670AD]"Fine by me. If you want to brutalize him and [i]then[/i] kill him"[/color] I say looking over to Drake, [color=#8670AD]"Also fine. If you want to stuff him in a barrel full of concrete and dump him in the lake...[/color], I say looking at Grayson, [color=#8670AD]"I wouldn't recommend it, it's not as discreet as you might think especially with the [i]metal fishing[/i] trend going on these days but... that's not my problem so knock yourself out."[/color]

I then lean my back against the chair. Funny... right now I'm probably in the most danger I've ever been on a mission in my entire life and yet, it's nice. I'm fully relaxed.

[color=#8670AD]"I'm not here to boss you all around. I'm not here to give orders and make you do dangerous things on my behalf that you might not want to do. I can do my own job, with, or without you."[/color] I say before looking towards ever single person individually as I talk, [color=#8670AD]"I'm here to find the bastard that's killing us, keep this place from becoming another warzone, and even though this isn't part of my job I consider this the most important part... [b]keeping all of you alive.[/b]"[/color] I say as my gaze lands on Auri.

[color=#8670AD]"The government doesn't want to help any of you. Truthfully, they couldn't give a shit if any of you were dead or alive by the end of all this. But I'm not them. Despite of the years..."[/color] I say before my gaze instinctively looks over towards Simone, [color=#8670AD]"Despite everything... I still [b]care[/b]. Not just about the people I was close with, but about everyone. Even if most of you probably don't."[/color]