[Center][h2][color=a187be]Aliira[/color] & [color=6ecff6]Salem [/color][/h2]
[sub] A collab featuring [@Grape] and [@HaleyTheRandom][/sub]
[hr][hr][b]Location:[/b] Guild Headquarters 
[B]Time/Date:[/b] August 2nd, 7 PM [/center][hr][hr]

Salem knew that a talk with Aliira would be coming as soon as she headed to the auction last night. They had multiple things to discuss. It had been a long day at work, and her morning didn't start off as normal as she would have liked. Not only did she have to explain to Aliira what Rebecca was doing still alive, or about their secret operation, but now she had to actually admit out loud that one of the people that had attacked them last night was her long lost brother. She put her feet up on the round stone table, leaning back in her chair as she waited for Aliira - her saving grace - to walk through the double doors.

Allira was off taking care of a few things around the facility. Making sure dinner was being prepared for the young ones that remained within the confines, making sure security systems were managing well. After all that had transpired Aliira was honestly on edge. It was a dangerous storm igniting aorund them all. Those that could fight were in danger, but what of those still young and untrained? What would happen if they would fell and were no longer around to protect them? She shook her head to rid the terrible thoughts. It wouldn't come to that. The Guild would protect them. She would protect them. At all costs.

Sighing to herself in defeat she knew the security systems were working as they should, but the thought of if it were enough still lingered in her mind. It was time she were elsewhere, to speak with Salem. Aliira made her way to the Head Office were Salem waited. Fixing her hair slightly at the door she pushed it open just enough for herself to slip in, closing it behind her. 

Aliira walked up to the table, rolling her eyes at Salem's position. Closing the distance between them Aliira gently hooked her hands under Salem's ankles and gently moved them off the table.

[color=a187be]"You're getting dirt all over the table."[/color] She scolded in a kind tone, exaggerating only faintly. As Salem's feet were set lightly onto the floor she brushed the few specks of dirt off its surface.

Taking a seat beside Salem she took a deep breath, as if trying to focus and wrap her mind around EVERYTHING that transpired last night. [color=a187be]"So, I don't even know [i]WHERE[/i] to begin..."[/color]

Salem felt her spirits lift instantly as the other woman entered the room. She rolled her eyes as Aliira removed her feet from the table. Did she understand that Salem was comftorable at the moment? Though it slightly annoyed her every so often, she was appreciative for Aliiras motherly demeanor more than she would like to admit. 

As Aliira brushed the few specks of dirt off of the table, Salem would cross her right leg over the left, resting her hands on her stomach. She sighed, thinking of where to begin herself. Last night had been... insane. Ty had died. Al had unleashed the power from the tablet.... and then there was what happened this morning.  Oh, and Rebecca was back. 

[Color=6ecff6]"Well, it's your pick. You could ask about the tablet, Rebecca or... you could know what crazy shit happened to me this morning."[/color]

Aliira sighed, mostly to herself as she leaned back into the chair. She absently brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear as she thought what to say. 

[color=a187be]"Honestly, what happened last night... happened. We don't need to rehash that whole ordeal. And about Rebecca, I don't need to know. All I need to know is that she is back and not our friend. She made that painfully clear last night. We need to figure out what we are going to do now to prepare and keep the young in our care safe and how to deal with this threat."[/color] Then a realization dropped on her, what happened this morning? 

[color=a187be]"Wait, what happened this morning?"[/color] Aliira asked curiously, a bit of concern in her eyes as she looked towards Salem.

Salem nodded at Aliiras words, sighing herself. Salem had already thought about upping security measures, especially when it came to protecting the recruits. Though they showed promise, and most of the older ones could most likely handle themselves, the little ones really couldn't. She had already ordered a few of the more powerful members to stand guard around the recruit barracks. Aliiras question would snap her out of her thoughts. 

[Color=6ecff6]"I was opening up at Huskers again this morning... Zora told me there was a man asking for me outside, sooo.... I went outside. As it turns out, the person waiting on me was the blonde man that came to the Auction last night with Rebecca. He came to me with a warning: Becca wants me dead. Not that I didn't already didn't know that. The real kicker is he's my brother. My [i]twin[/i] brother."[/color]

Concern obviously sparked through her as Salem mentioned the blonde male visited her, she wanted to ask if she were okay. But that was quickly squashed as she realized [i]'Duh... she is sitting right here..'[/i] But then she was truly floored. Twin brother? Not even she knew about that! Her first thoughts came to the validity of the whole thing.

[color=a187be]"Wait... You said twin? How do we know this isn't some trick to get you off your game? Maybe it's some weird mind game to throw us off?"[/color] Aliira stated rather bluntly, confusion obvious in her tone as what was real in this moment. There was just too many things to process. Rebecca still alive, Rebecca wanting to kill Salem, new juiced up Aloysius, a horrific death of Ty, and now this? It felt like a never ending bitch slap to the brain. Honestly, her brain felt hot just trying to wrap her mind around it all. All she wanted was to wake up from this whirlwind of a nightmare, get some hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows, and relax in a big comfy chair. She figured that wasn't too much to ask...

As Salem let the words hang in the air, awaiting Aliiras response, her brain would feel like mush. A very numb pile of mush. She started playing with the ends of her hair, twirling it around her finger and then letting it fall over and over. Salem lifted her head to  meet her friends eyes. [Color=6ecff6]"He had this... picture; this old Polaroid. It was of my mom leaving the hospital, in a wheelchair, dad smiling over her shoulder. She was holding two babies. Not one, two. Why would my parents take a picture at the hospital with two children if they weren't theirs?"[/color] 

Salem reached into her pants pocket to retrieve the photo, handing it to Aliira. [Color=6ecff6]"He looks just like a younger version of Lucius. The shape of his nose, the shape of his jawline. He has mother's eyes. I mean, there's the possibility he's lying. But.... I remember him coming to some of the celebrations that we had here. I spoke to him a few times, and I never knew. All those times I thought I saw someone out of the corner of my eye, I wasn't insane. It was him."[/color]

Aliira slowly plucked the photograph from Salem's fingers and looked over it. And looked over it once again. Even squinting her eyes to see if there were any digital alterations. What was she doing? She didn't know what that looked like... She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck with the hand not holding the picture. She then set down the picture upon the table gently, groaning slightly to herself.

[color=a187be]"Can that group be any more complicated. A former Guild Member, a former Dark Shadows Member, and now your twin brother. What happened to the good days when bad guys were just bad guys. No complications."[/color] Aliira groaned out the words, mostly to herself but loud enough for Salem to hear.

[color=a187be]"Anyways..."[/color] Aliira began, sitting up and flattening her blouse. [color=a187be]"Where do we begin? I know strategically it's best to fight here. But that Blonde girl seemed to have little issue getting through solid walls. It would be riskier to hunt them down, but that way we would keep the young recruits out of the fight. And even beyond that, who do we target first? Dark Shadow or this new group?"[/color] Aliira could feel the headache coming back..

Salem laughed quietly at Aliiras words, as well out of her own frustration. Li did have a point. The new trio was extremely complicated. She picked up the picture, now studying it as she held it in her lap.  When the other woman asked what the plan was, Salem almost told her about the meeting with Aloysius later tonight. But that was ment to be secret. Besides, she could handle herself. 

[Color=6ecff6]"I'd go after the trio. Rebecca is a larger threat than Aloysius. She... knows certain things about the Guild that would bring us to our knees. Rowan didn't seem angry, but not friendly either. I'm pretty positive he'll be contacting me in the future. I could try and get more information out of him? If we found out where their base was... They might have security measures, but as far as we know, there's just three of them. If we went after them full force, the battle would last five minutes."[/color]

Aliira listened to the plan and Salem's thoughts. She nodded simply along in agreement. As Salem finished her thoughts Aliira simply took a deep breath, brushing her hair out of her face again.

[color=a187be]"Okay, that could work. I just hope they're not stronger than we realize."[/color] Aliira left the sentiment at that. [color=a187be]"If that's the plan I am going to check the perimeter again. Make sure everything is fine."[/color] Aliira couldn't keep her mind off the facility and those they care for behind the walls.

Aliira pushed herself off the chair and walked over to Salem. Taking her hands she tugged at her to get up. As she did Aliira pulled Salem's arms around her back before Aliira wrapping her own arms around the back of Salem's neck; hugging her tightly for a moment. Aliira needed it..

At least the plan was feasible, and not completely stupid, other wise, Aliira would have told her so. Salem simply nodded her head when she mentioned checking the perimeter once more. When Li tugged her out of the chair, Salem was a little surprised, and then even more so as she wrapped her arms around here let for Salem to hug her. However, Salem leaned into the hug, letting her guard down for just this moment as she tightened her arms gently around her friend. [Color=6ecff6]"What would I ever do without you, quierda?"[/color]