[center][img]http://s22.postimg.org/jtr04y1ht/War_Pulse_Word_Art.png[/img][/center]

[color=a0410d]“What do you mean ‘you don’t have a plan?’”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Eh, figured I’d just wing it.” [/color] Trent said, standing on a street corner in Ohio.  He had made the commute with a short flight, having touched down mid-morning to a light snowfall.  Once he got his bearings he had ditched his battle attire temporarily, switching it out for a leather jacket, t-shirt, and a pair of blue jeans that he ‘borrowed’ from a nearby clothing outlet just off-site of the college campus. [color=0072bc]“I got a general idea, but in terms of actual specifics...I’ll figure that out later.”[/color]

Warden let out a deep, salty breath at the response, taking a few moments before asking. [color=a0410d]“And what is your ‘general idea’ then?  Because you told Iron Knight you were going to get Audrey to sign on, and I’d hate to see how he reacts if you show up empty handed.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Let me worry about him, Warden.”[/color]  War-Pulse said. [color=0072bc]“As for the general idea...well the dossier had her home address, why not just go there and ask her?”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“Oh god…” [/color] Another audible sigh, more annoyed than the last. [color=a0410d]“Trent, that’s a horrible idea.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Wha?  Why?”[/color]  He responded, waving a car off as he crossed a small intersection. [color=0072bc]“Being direct has always worked out, at least that way she knows exactly what she’s up against.”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“She’s a costumed crimefighter, Trent.” [/color] Warden said. [color=a0410d]“Tracking her to her home and blowing her cover is going to cause her a sense of panic, she’s going to start wondering who else knows her ‘secret identity’.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Well, I’ll just be honest with her, then.” [/color] Trent said. [color=0072bc]“The girl deserves that much.”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“You want to just blow all the secrets gathered on her?”[/color]  Warden asked. [color=a0410d]“Just give her everything?”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“It’s a good way to get her trust.” [/color] Trent chuckled. [color=0072bc]“Plus, I’m kind of curious to see what goody-two shoes like her do in her off time.  What’s her home life like?  Especially with that spider-butt.”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“I’ve been surveying the Ohio newsfeeds for the past few months, there has not been any reports of any women with spider abdomens in the area.  My guess is that she’s been utilizing some sort of suppressor to keep herself hidden amongst the crown.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Really?  You think it hides her new hooters as well?” [/color]

[color=a0410d]“You were listening when those four were droning on, I’m impressed.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Hey, I’m not totally thickheaded.  Before you I had to collect intel on on my own.”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“And you had a shitty reputation because of it.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Pft, fair enough,”[/color]  The mercenary said, slipping through the doors to the apartment complex. [color=0072bc]“You should at least be happy I’m not walking up there in super attire, we’d be really turning heads then.”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“You and I both know what happened last time you walked into a target’s house wearing your full battle-ready suit.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Ugh...way too well,”[/color]  Came the mercenary as he visibly shuddered, making his way down the street. [color=0072bc]“Idiot thought I was part of his ‘roleplaying’ harem...eckh…”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“At any rate, I do not think anything I say at this point is going to change your mind, so...I suppose I will just say good luck, and hope you do not do anything too stupid.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Warden.”[/color]  Trent quipped, offering a scoff to punctuate his statement. [color=0072bc]“You really know how to make it sound like you [i]actually[/i] have faith in me.”[/color]

Of course, Warden had already switched off his end of the comm, though Trent had no doubt the craft information broker had left the audio on in case he needed to tell Trent anything important.  Warden always only spoke when he felt the need to speak and nothing more.  As much as the man talked, it was only about anything relevant to the current situation.  He never spoke about his past, nor did he speak about his personal life.  Even Trent could not truly say he knew his compatriot, but at least he always had good information.

The mercenary took no time in walking straight through the door to the apartment complex, making his way over to the complex’s mailboxes to align the apartment number from the dossier to the requisite floor he would need to climb to.  He pulled one of the papers free from his pockets, the one with her address, before slowly scanning the mailboxes for the one with the matching apartment number.

“Uhhh...can I help you, mister?”  Came a voice from behind the merc.  The soldier of fortune turning to see a woman behind him.  She was a skinny girl, rather plainly attired and clutching a large number of what looked like textbooks.  She was dressed in a mini-skirt despite the weather being nowhere close to warm enough to pull that off, with raised heels that clacked on the tile floor as she moved closer.

[color=0072bc]“Wha?  Oh, well…” [/color] The mercenary said, already slightly off put by the amount of perfume that was overwhelming his nose. [color=0072bc]“I’m looking for someone.”[/color]

“Oh?  Well who would that be?”  She asked, legitimately sincere in tone, flipping her curled brown hair over her shoulder as she placed a hand on her hip. “Maybe I can help?”

[color=0072bc]“Oh, really?  That’d be great!”  [/color]Trent said. [color=0072bc]“Do you know where a woman by the name of Audrey is?”[/color]

The woman’s face hardened almost automatically, twisting into a scowl as the merc uttered the name. “Oh god, you’re another one, aren’t you?”

[color=0072bc]“I’m sorry?” [/color] Trent asked, raising a brow. [color=0072bc]“Another what?”[/color]

“Another one of her creepy fucking stalkers,”  The girl responded, snarling as she clutched her books. “You’re just here to try and get in her pants, aren’t you?”

[color=0072bc]“Wha?  Hell no!  I’m here on business!”[/color]  Trent said. 

“Sure you are, fabio.”  The girl responded, clearly not buying his explanation displayed by her pouted lips. “You and the last five guys making excuses to find her address.  I swear, ever since her ‘changes’ she’s been getting all the attention around here.”

[color=0072bc]“Soooo...are you protecting her or jealous of her?”[/color]  Trent asked. [color=0072bc]“Because right now I can’t tell if it’s one or another.”[/color]

The girl, clearly offended by the comment, gasped in an exaggerated fashion, her hand coming around in a flash to slap Trent directly in the face, the sound echoing slightly even as she stormed off towards the stairs. “You can just help yourself, creep!”

[color=0072bc]“Ack!  Friggin’ psycho!”[/color]  Trent said, grabbing his face more out of anger rather than pain.  He snarled, readying another mean comment her way only to realize she had walked off.  He glared at her, watching the woman leave while holding his face in a mixture of confusion and frusteration. [color=0072bc]“Okay...looks like the rumors about her ‘assets’ were true, then…”  Trent murmured to himself.  “Better try and keep eye contact if this is going to work.”[/color]

[color=a0410d]“You know you won’t.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]“Oh, shut up, Warden!”[/color]  Trent snapped at his comm as he headed up the stairs, continuing to grumble as he made his way upwards from the ground floor.  This pattern continued as he slogged his way up the flights of stairs, slowly looking at each room number to try and collaborate with the information given until he found her room,  a single wooden door seemingly in the very middle of the long hallway, the room number matching what was given to him.  Rolling his shoulders, Trent took a short breath in, giving himself a short preparation to try and brace himself for what was sure to be a very interesting conversation.

[color=0072bc]“Well, here goes nothin’.”[/color]  He murmured to himself before rapping his fingers three times on the wooden door, the sound echoing down the hallway with each rhythmic knock.

The mercenary could only hope he would have a good explanation for Audrey before she answered the door.