[hr][center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/y8f0UJw.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/H9epPjR.png[/img] [b][code]Al Lopez Park.[/code][/b][/center][hr] It wasn't long until somebody showed up... and it was some tall ass girl that Claudette didn't recognize and she sure as [i]hell[/i] knew that she wasn't the person that she was supposed to meet. It threw Claudette off before she remembered that this person was that friend they made while on the yacht. And it astonishes Claudette that the Coven were able to make friends in such strange places. Claudette put the book that she had brought to read down as she looked at the person. She tried to appear friendly, and open and... [quote=Mariah][color=#F3128D]"Hey Lil mamma, I think I must be a Park Ranger, cause you've started a wildfire and I'm gonna have so much paperwork to do about it."[/color][/quote] Claudette looked off to the side like she was expecting there to be a camera there. The joke, flirt, whatever you'd call it was so terrible that it felt like it would give her cancer. She fake-coughed into her fist before she realized that she was being [i]mean[/i] and decided to at least give her a chuckle. And for some reason that felt like she was being [i]even meaner[/i]. She ended up looking up at the gal as she said, "Um, moving on..." Claudette started, "My name is Claudette, I'm the-" [i]Current[/i] "-leader of the Coven, what is your name?" She asked, her Canadian accent slipping in with each word before she shook her head. She wondered where the others were who she asked to come, but she was more than capable of handling herself- [quote=Kara][color=brown]”... You said you needed to talk in person, about something, but you didn’t say what.”[/color][/quote] Claudette nearly jumped at hearing that voice behind her! She was so focused on the person in front of her that she didn't even notice what was [i]behind[/i] her. She had to mentally gripe that Mariah didn't at least tell her, but whatever. Claudette turned around and looked at the girl that she talked over the phone with. She was a fairly tall, Caucasian girl (Similar in height to Emily) with some soft features that Claudette thought were reminiscent of a child. However, she had a look about her that Claudette could almost immediately tell she was going to fit in with the rest of the Coven. Still, she had to make sure. "Oh, good, you're here," Claudette said, "No offense, but I wanted to confirm that you were what you say you were. The Coven has had some encounters with some undesirables and people who straight up [i]lied[/i] about everything they told us." Besides, Claudette wanted to make sure that this person wasn't a stalker, kidnapper, or a member of the little FBI. She was going to vet her to the best of her ability, and then see if she was a good fit - same with the other person. Now that they were here, they could get to business. "Let me just say, I'm Claudette Jones, the leader of the Coven, and while I want to welcome you to the Coven, I have to ask some questions just to make sure that you're a good fit. And tell you some information so it's not a surprise later." Claudette sighed, "But first, let me just ask you two to tell me about yourselves. Why you want to join, what you can do, and anything else you feel is relevant..." Claudette was going to focus on everything they said and did, and [i]how[/i] they did it. It was an important part of the good old vetting process that she reads what they say and what they [i]mean.[/i] She didn't care if both of them talked her head off, at least she'd gain [i]something[/i] from it. [hr][center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/nn5VWsV.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/XRra6ku.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/1tJdWt7.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/dIfRnRE.png[/img] [b][code]The Beach House.[/code][/b][/center][hr] [quote=Isla][color=f26522]“To get to the point, I want to join your coven because...”[/color][/quote] The girl talked their heads off and when she reached this point both Madison and Emily looked at each other in abstract shock. As they knew what needed to be done, yet they couldn't say a word. This was likely the most in sequence the Coven has ever been since they've formed. Emily and Madison nodded at the same time as the latter was the first to speak. "Aw hell naw!" Madison said in a thick accent as she charged the girl and grabbed her by the upper arm. "Sorry sis, but the Coven's closed." "I'll get the door!" Emily said as she decided to flex her new abstraction and stuck her fingers towards the doorknob and the ethereal threads launched out and connected to it. The doorknob turned and Madison smiled as she saw the beautiful beach in front of her... ... She almost felt bad for ruining it with a weirdo. Madison grabbed Isla by the back of her shirt and the waistband of her pants and floated over to the door. She just outright yeeted her as far as she could go assisted by the Jaws (which was pretty far). Hopefully, a wave will come and take her ditzy ass away and Madison slammed the door. "Good job!" Emily said as she hi-fived Madison doing the most dramatic and gay fashion that they could. [center][hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/TcTq4jK.png[/img] [b][code]Tampa General Hospital.[/code][/b][hr][hider=Zack Hemsey - The Zoo][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1pwi_As-GM[/youtube][/hider][hr][/center] The heart rate monitor beeped again and again... Maximilian was lying on the hospital bed completely unconscious as various tubes and wires were connected to him. The rest of the DENS were right outside the door as they quietly stood around in a circle. "I..." Sonya was leaning up against the wall, playing with her fingers. "... Messed up. I should have-" "Mayfield," Meifeng hissed as she had her arms crossed, looking down at her feet, "I am [i]not[/i] in the mood for a pity party right now." Cindy was standing in the middle of the hallway and put her hand on her hip. "We'd be here all day trying to figure out who's fault this was. At the end of the day, we weren't at full strength and that was what Annabelle took advantage of." "I just don't get it," Trevor said as he had his hands in his face. "I thought [i]he[/i] was the one that was supposed to stop 'er?" Leon stepped up as he had his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I know ya'll were attached to this idea that Maximilian was going to be the savior, but ya'll gotta remember two things." Leon raised one finger. "One: Maxi had a forty percent chance of stopping her in the first place." "... Still higher than everyone else here put together." Trevor muttered underneath his breath. Leon raised another finger. "... And two, Maximilian could [i]always[/i] pull through. He ain't dead." "He's just close to it," Meifeng shrugged. "He can always pull through, we know he's tough..." Sonya said, "He's the best of us." "But, we always gotta be prepared for the worst-case scenario," Meifeng shrugged. "To hell with that," Trevor said. "There's gotta be someone who can help him, what about that Coven?" "I don't know," Meifeng shrugged, "I doubt they'd help us even if they did have one." "It's still worth a shot!" Trevor said. "But, if they can't, and Maximilian doesn't make it..." Meifeng trailed off, "... Then I'm going to claim his Collective." "Meifeng, with all due respect..." Leon sighed as he stepped up. "... You know what the Director said, it has to go to Trevor." "Trevor's still a baby," Meifeng was quick to say. "Ey, I'm right here!" Trevor pointed thumbs at himself which was ignored. "But..." Leon sighed as he said, "... Trevor doesn't have a ninety-five percent chance of dying if he ever comes in contact with Annabelle." He softly spoke and Meifeng was taken aback. "Sorry, but you got kids," Leon said, "I'm just going off of what the Director said." "But, the Director isn't omniscient!" Meifeng hissed in retaliation as she shook her head. "This is our [i]problem[/i]. We're going off of what some magic power says over what's right in front of us! And it's the inevitability of Maximilian's death and everything falling apart!" She stepped up into Meifeng's face. "Damn if I let some crazy bitch kill my children because [i]'the-director-says-so'[/i]." She air quoted. "Meifeng," Cindy grabbed onto her arm, "How about we step out for a bit and cool off?" She said and Meifeng sighed and walked off with her. The two walked outside as Cindy said, "I know you're a bit heated..." Cindy trailed off, "But, everyone just wants to make sure everything goes well." "I know..." Meifeng said as she put her hands into her pocket. "I just [i]feel like[/i] we're limiting ourselves too much, especially when it boils down to [i]chance.[/i]" She shrugged. "We're jumping the gun," Cindy said, "We're just a bit hurt about Maximilian, but we're [i]going[/i] to find a way to stop Annabelle." "... But, how many more people are going to die beforehand?" Meifeng stopped as she asked. "She already wiped out an entire trailer park... and we were following the Director's orders to the letter." And Cindy was quiet for a few moments before she said. "... I honestly don't know," Cindy started, "But, we can ask that Coven if they know anyone who can help Maximilian." Meifeng shrugged again. She didn't exactly approve or [i]trust[/i] the Coven, but if it was for the greater good then she had no other option. Trevor already tracked them to [i]another[/i] lair, maybe she would pay them a visit. "... Yes, [i]let's.[/i]"