[center][h2][COLOR=INDIANRED]RACHELI[/COLOR][/H2]

and

[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/428969680146006016/452633321889988613/kayla_mason.png[/img]

and

[img]https://i.imgur.com/kyujKhe.png[/img][/center]

It was a brand new day and people were busy as always in the French Quarter of Lost Haven. People were making their way through the bustling streets, walking past the various cafes, pastry shops, and restaurants. For a normal weekend day, people who were off work spent time with friends and family with day trips to the museums and art galleries. With the summer going into full swing, various ice cream places and water fountains were open for people to enjoy the cold delights that are sorely needed under the sun. With the sun beyond the peak of noon, the intense heat was easing off with the cool breeze.

Near one of the cafes, Kayla stood by. As it was a day for her to spend time with Racheli and Jai, she decided to take the time and make herself more presentable than the usual overalls they have seen her wear. Despite the uneasiness in showing off the scarring on her left shoulder, she opted for a palm-print cami, a pair of blue jeans and floral-patterned Vans. A thin chain hung from her neck that something hid in the cover of her top. Behind her [url=https://www.wiggle.co.uk/bolle-bolt-matte-cool-sunglasses//]daytime shooting glasses[/url], her eyes scanned the crowds to look out for the people she is intending to meet.

Tonight was the perfect night to go hunting, but there was one issue: Kayla. 'Racheli' reflected on the woman's reaction to her behaviour and disliked it. The woman would become an issue later. The thought drew a sigh from Racheli's lips as she picked out her outfit for the day.

After some searching, she settled on high waist military cargo pants and a black halter top. She tapped the boots to ensure they were snug before she exited the apartment.

The hot weather was suffocating to walk through. The air seemed to hand off her like a clinging child and worsen with each movement. After a bit of searching, she finally spotted Kayla.

Part of her toyed with the thought of vanishing back into the crowd and stalking this woman. She dismissed and stepped forward, breaking from the mass. Her right raised up for Kayla to spot.

It was nice that Kayla and Racheli invited Jai to join them on their day out. Though, he felt that it was unnecessary to invite him to what he could only assume was originally a girls' day out, it would no longer feel like a girl's day out if he joined. Still, Kayla insisted. (Something about him being too much of a recluse since he's moved here.)

Opting for a white linen shirt with a portion of its sleeves rolled up to his elbows and some washed-out blue jeans, Jai forwent the boots he typically wore for some non-slip Old Skool Vans in its typical black pattern. Accessorizing himself with a leather bracelet that Leila had been kind enough to give him and a leather necklace with a shark tooth as a pendant, the soldier mused the overall look. Unused to civilian life, but he found that his ordinary sense of style was fitting enough for summer. Picking up his wallet, cell phone, and his keys, he was set.

Donning a pair of Ray-Bans, Jai swam through the crowd of people, using his height to his advantage to find the meeting place that Kayla set for them. He's several yards behind a familiar silhouette, watching her wave to catch Kayla's attention.

Kayla sighed as the time ticked on. She considered going to the nearest gelateria and grabbing a scoop to have while she waited. However, a raised hand in the crowd was caught in the corner of her eye and the familiar face of Racheli was enough to smile and stand up from the wall. She began walking towards her friend, keeping a calm pace as she meandered through the crowd. A moment later, she finally reached Rach. 

[color=e38c2d]”I hope you didn’t have trouble finding this place,”[/color] she commented, her eyes warm in their greeting.

[color=indianred] “I’m still new to Haven, but I managed to find it. It’s better than most places I’ve been in,”[/color] Rach pointed out, her attitude attempted to be positive. 

As soon as the greeting was made, it didn’t take long for the archer to notice the hulking frame of Jai. She had thought about the last time they spoke, but with him being here it seemed that he dismissed it as another emotional episode. Her eyes changed shape to a mischievous one as she watched him approach. 

[color=e38c2d]”I guess we can manage to get you out of where you were hiding?"[/color] she shouted out cheekily, a smirk following her teasing taunt.

Jai glanced around their surroundings, precautionary—habit—before he settled his gaze on the two women who’s now spotted him. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and he made his way over. It was only upon his approach did she speak loud enough for him to hear and he raised a brow in response, hidden vaguely by his bangs, noting that it's her way of teasing him back.

Rach’s attention turned to Jai’s figure when Kayla noted him. Unlike Kayla, he didn’t seem to notice anything off or give her reason to believe he suspected anything. She noted that might change as the day wore on. 

[color=indianred] “I assume you didn’t call us here for a casual visit, did you?”[/color] Rach asked, getting down to the point now that they were all here.  

He heard Rach's words as he came up behind her. [color=e1a900]"Greetings,"[/color] he nodded in acknowledgement. [color=e1a900]"While leisurely escapades are what I imagine the pair of you often do, but I am curious as to your plans—my own plans notwithstanding."[/color] Another jab at his rather reclusive life. What he did in his own time when he was no longer in the garage will perhaps be remained to be seen.

Idly, he took note of each of their outfits and their current behavior while shifting to keep an eye out to their surroundings.

Kayla chuckled in response. [color=e38c2d]”I definitely know that feeling. Was the same for me four years ago. You’ll get used to the city in due time.”[/color] That was certainly true. While the past few months had been crazy with a lot of the major events such as D-Day and Pax Metahumana, the city had adapted and survived.

Just as Jai arrived to the little trio, both he and Racheli asked her the same question. She smiled, closing her eyes to make a faux-cutesy expression. [color=e38c2d]”Nope, just to see if we could get Jai out of his cave and enjoy some clothes shopping,”[/color] she replied to both of them, her upbeat tone hinting sarcasm in it. She chuckled, her eyes hidden underneath her eyelashes to scan for any eavesdroppers.

[color=indianred] “I figure setting it on fire might do that trick,”[/color] Rach seemed to tease. 

The soldier was impassive, tilting his head in question toward Kayla. [color=e1a900]"Your sarcasm is duly noted,"[/color] Jai remarked. If they honestly thought they were going to drag him for some clothes shopping, they had another thing coming. His eyes flit to Rach, brow lifting at the seemingly harmless tease. Did Rach ever make any teasing comments like that before?

Once Kayla was certain there was no one around, her face quickly dissolved away from the happy expression she had. In its place, the cold, calculated expression she often had when the cowl was on. 

[color=e38c2d]”But in all seriousness, you guys are right,”[/color] she spoke, an icy tone apparent with the seriousness of the topic. [color=e38c2d]”I think I finally caught wind of those murders we have been tracking for the past month. If I am right, we need to be out in the streets tonight to stop this serial killer.”[/color]

Racheli didn’t react for a moment. She shook her head, disbelief in her movements as she spoke. 

[color=indianred] “The guy is too clever to be caught. How do you figure this new trail of information is worth following?”[/color]  

Jai crossed his arms across his chest, a hand lifted to hold his chin in thought. He heard about the murders from Leila, but she was under the assumption that it had nothing to do with their current mission of finding out the string of anomalies that frequently caused supernatural disasters in Lost Haven. But, if two friends asked him to investigate it, then he would.

Unfortunately, having been pulled into such an investigation without any information left him with only the ability to observe and listen for what information they currently had. He took further notes on both Kayla and Rach for the duration of the conversation, monitoring for any changes.

[color=e1a900]"Is this really the place to be talking about this?"[/color] he asked. He made a mental note to ask Leila to use her abilities and natural talent for finding information after this meeting about these murders.

Kayla paused for a moment, causing her to think carefully about the information she was about to give. While her initial look made it seem that no one is watching them, hearing them out in the open was another matter and someone could catch wind of the conversation.

[color=e38c2d]”I think the tiredness of everything that happened yesterday played with the cases in mind and something clicked,”[/color] she replied, her right hand raised towards her chin in a fist. When Jai spoke up about this being the place to talk about it, the archer nodded. [color=e38c2d]”I figured as much. Just figured we meet and raise that point before we go into details. There’s a quiet bookstore that has a cafe inside. I’ll take you to it.”[/color] Using the balled right hand to produce a wave, unclenching it to motion them to follow her, she began walking.

-----------

The bookstore was located around the corner from where they met. Stuck between two busy restaurants, it was often overlooked by most of the crowd. The weathered bookshelves were crammed with some of the latest bestsellers and favourites of years gone by, the old wooden floorboards matching the bookshelves. With chandeliers hanging above and a fireplace in the middle of the ground floor, the floor gave off a pleasant atmosphere. Further towards the back of the store, past the first set of staircases to another floor of books, a dinky cafe resided. With the coffeemaker lining against the back wall and a case of homemade cakes and treats next to the counter, there were plenty of places for people to sit between the two floors.

Kayla quickly ordered a green tea from the lady behind the counter. While she waited for the others to get whatever they wanted, she found a table in the corner of the room that was far away from prying eyes and ears. Sitting down, she poured the sachet of honey that came with the tea and stirred it around, making sure the golden liquid dissolved thoroughly. Taking another sip, she waited for her friends to sit down before she told them the information.

Racheli sighed then followed Kayla. Her eyes shifted from side to side across the interior when she entered the small dingy cafe. Casually she placed her hands in her pockets. She paid for a small, black coffee. Unbothered by the heat, she walked back to the table where everyone was going to meet.

As she reached her seat, Rach slouched down into it. She tapped her fingers on the table while she crossed her leg underneath. Obviously, she was waiting for Kayla to continue.

After Jai's initial perusal of their surroundings upon their arrival, he opted for an espresso, the dainty cup waiting to drained of its contents on the table Kayla selected for this meeting. Once he sat down, like Rach, he waited with a questionable lift of his brow.

From the moment she saw Racheli grabbing the coffee, Kayla knew something was up. From the moment both women had been in the Hound’s base to now, she has known her friend to avoid hot drinks. Not unless the apparition that came with Rach made its irritable moan. And the moment between getting the coffee and sitting down to listen to what she has to say would have been the perfect opportunity for it to show up. It was that moment that all the pieces came together. [i]Gotcha, you motherfucker,[/i] she thought triumphantly, keeping her stone-faced façade up to hide that fact.

As soon as Jai sat down, Kayla was ready to give her information, [color=e38c2d]”At first, the murders of the women didn’t seem to connect in any way at all. The different backgrounds of the women made it difficult for the police to figure out. Just the dark brown hair, blue eyes and slim build and that it was the husband that did it.”[/color] The archer paused to take a sip of her green tea. [color=e38c2d]”However, with everything that happened yesterday, I just looked at the wall with the information and I noticed one thing in common with all of them outside of the description. It was not the women, but the family composition. They always had the parents and a child between eight and ten. The man has black hair, grey eyes and is taller. In this killer’s mind, a family's make up is important to them.

“But that isn’t everything,”[/color] she added, pausing to take another sip of her green tea. [color=e38c2d]”I have noticed a pattern in the killings too. It was always night time and it happens on a biweekly occurrence. Outside of an extended gap that occurred about a month ago, it always was two weeks. Guess when was the last murder?"[/color]

Racheli remained silent. She knew exactly when the last murder was, but saying it would’ve given her away. Her eyes glanced over to Jai, expecting him to answer the question instead. 

Jai furrowed his brow in thought, a hand on his chin. What they don't see is the method in which he was cycling through the last several months of information he had already seen on the news and other police reports on top of the ones Leila provided for him. After a moment longer, he finally responded, [color=e1a900]"A few weeks ago, at best, according to your victim profile."[/color]

[color=e38c2d]”That’s right,”[/color] she replied. Kayla looked at both Jai and Racheli to wait for her response. While not making it obvious about her knowing that her female friend isn’t who she was, the archer made a mental note about the lack of response. [i]I guess you’re trying not to reveal that you aren’t who you are,[/i] she thought, imitating the idea of saying those words to ‘Rach’. Instead, she turned her head towards Jai as he answered the question. 

His gaze flicked briefly in Rach's direction before returning to Kayla. [color=e1a900]"Am I correct in assuming that you think he will be presently striking at any given time? Perhaps, even tonight?"[/color]

[color=e38c2d]”Your assumptions are correct, though I’m not 100% sure if the killer is a guy,”[/color] she answered. Her hands wrapped around the cup that held the rest of her green tea to keep them warm. [color=e38c2d]”However, judging from the other murders, I would assume it would be at night. It would fit in with the MO of the killer, especially if the husband was out at work during the time. And tonight would be a good time to be out there and put a stop to this. While I am still not fully recovered from everything that happened yesterday, I’m good enough to nail this guy.”[/color] 

With his hand still holding his chin in thought, he appeared to be looking at the table, only his thoughts were elsewhere altogether. [color=e1a900]"Apologies—I didn't mean to sound presumptuous. But, yes, I agree that tonight is as good as any to go after them."[/color] Jai shook his head.

[color=e1a900]"If all else, you'll have me to assist you."[/color]

She picks up her mug as she drank half of the tea that was inside. [i]Now comes the difficult part.[/i] She knew that she had to get the message to Jai about a possible identity of the killer, but make it subtle enough that the killer missed it. 

[color=e38c2d]”The only thing that didn’t seem right with all of this is the child seeing the father murdering the mother. If the killer had killed the mother in that instance, then why was the father seen?”[/color] The archer’s eyes turned to Racheli. [color=e38c2d]”Then a thought came to me: remember the ‘werewolf’ we came across at the Hounds’ base?”[/color] She paused for a moment, her eyes expressing unease as she remembered fighting it. She shook her head slightly as she closed her eyes to wipe away the images. Then, once they were gone, she focused on the pair of them again. 

[color=e38c2d]”Well, if there was something like that existing—and us living in a world where superpowers exist—a thought and a question came into my mind. What if our killer was capable of shapeshifting into someone or something else entirely?”[/color]

Rach was silent for a few moments, then she spoke. Her words borderline on laughing as she took another second to regain control.

[color=indianred]"If I didn't know better, I would've thought you were crazy. It sounds crazy though. Way crazier than accepting a few people snapped from stress." [/color] The words sounded forced as she leaned back farther into her chair.

Jai let the words sink in, his gaze remaining on Rach.

[color=indianred] "So... what's the plan then?"[/color] She asked, eager to listen into the woman's idea of how to catch this killer.

Then he looked away, regarding Kayla with the subtle lift of his brow. [I]Ah, so my hunch was correct,[/I] Jai thought.

[color=e1a900]"It certainly sounds as though you're prepared if you've found and concluded as much,"[/color] the soldier said with the crossing of his arms. [color=e1a900]"Is there anything you need of me? I trust you to let me handle the [I]dirty[/I] work if push came to shove, given your condition."[/color]

He hoped she got the hint, much as how she did the same for him.

Fortunately for Jai, Kayla had been observant enough to notice the slight shift in his brow. [i]At least I can talk to him after all this,[/i] she thought. This was through ‘Rach’s exasperated comments about the idea. However, the archer remained silent through them, barring one comment. [color=e38c2d]”Believe me, if we weren’t in a world of metahumans, I would have thought that it was crazy too.”[/color]

Racheli missed the exchange, but the tension had become obvious. She could taste it and she suspected both individuals were stepping on glass around her. Instead of making a scene, she merely pretended to notice nothing.

Draining the rest of her tea, Kayla got straight back to the point. [color=e38c2d]”I think the plan is simple enough. We meet at the garage and fan out to find the guy, whether it is by following women that are similar in appearance or listening to the disturbances in the area. I say we meet at the garage at 8:30 pm. Sound good?”[/color]

[color=indianred]“Do you have a list of suspected victims? It’s sort of pointless if we don’t know who is going to be a possible target in the area and I doubt we all could do the detective work in a short time.” [/color]Rach pointed out. 

Kayla’s eyes turned to ‘Rach’. [color=e38c2d]”Fortunately, I have found a few people to start from. That list I will bring with me tonight and we choose a few people from the list and we’ll go from there.”[/color]

Following suit, Jai drained the sub-par espresso and nodded. [color=e1a900]"I guess we'll further discuss this tonight."[/color] After setting the small cup back down on the little saucer, he lifted his brow again in a mild frown. [color=e1a900]"Is that all or were you serious in trying to drag me for a shopping trip?"[/color]

[color=indianred] “You wouldn’t survive one. Nor would I.”[/color] Rach replied with sarcasm.

[color=e1a900]"That makes it sound like Kayla's shopping excursions are something else,"[/color] Jai said. He waited a moment, watching Kayla.

Kayla looked at Jai, a smirk forming on her lips. [color=e38c2d]”I think there’s no way I’m letting you off the hook of a shopping trip.”[/color] While her mischievous expression was saying one thing, her eyes were subtly hinting that she needed to talk to him. And if he put two and two together, he would have an idea on what the topic is.

Oh, he did. He was dramatizing a point to a person who wasn't Rach to think otherwise.

Racheli took a sip of the coffee as she stood up, [color=indianred] “I don’t see anything else we need to do. I might be late as I got something to do before this. So just leave me a copy and I’ll catch up with you guys when I can. Is that all right?”[/color] 

Rach didn’t appear to be asking permission as much as stating a fact. 

Kayla turned to look at ‘Rach’. [color=e38c2d]”I don’t see any problem with that. I guess we’ll see each other tonight.”[/color] She got up from her chair as she gets ready to leave.

Glancing between both "Rach" and Kayla, he sighed, seemingly displeased with the plans that Kayla had made for them. [color=e1a900]"Yes, Rach is leaving me so I can suffer shopping alone,"[/color] Jai said as he rose to standing. [color=e1a900]"Excuse me for a moment and see you tonight then."[/color] He turned to each person respectively before he moved off to hand off the little espresso cup back to the barista.

[color=indianred] “Stop being a baby. Big tip: just smile and nod while you hold the bags. It makes things easier,”[/color] Rach smiled in a cheeky fashion, tossing the coffee away on her way out. She didn’t seem to want to waste more time here than was needed. It was hard to tell if it was because she feared that Kayla might drag her into the shopping trip or she had something more pressing to deal with. 

Kayla saw the opportunity to talk as soon as ‘Rach’ left the cafe. Following Jai’s suit, she brought her empty cup to the barista and thanked him for the service. She led the soldier away from the cafe in the direction of the shops. [i]Might as well make the shopping trip believable,[/i] she thought. She didn’t know if their mutual ‘friend’ was following them in case something else was on the cards. Once she was sure that they weren’t followed and were out of earshot of any dark place, the archer turned to Jai.

[color=e38c2d]”Ok, this is the real plan…”[/color]