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[b][center][color=#00CC99] 𝖗 𝖊 𝖈 𝖔 𝖓[/color]
[color=a187be]𝖗 𝖊 𝖈 𝖔 𝖓[/color][/center][/b]
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[right][sub][color=gray]𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. [color=#00CC99]j[/color][color=#0EC59C]a[/color][color=#1DBF9F]d[/color][color=#2BB9A3]e[/color] [color=#49ACA9]j[/color][color=#57A6AD]a[/color][color=#66A0B0]g[/color][color=#7599B3]u[/color][color=#8393B7]a[/color][color=#928DBA]r[/color]
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. [color=a187be]Isabel[/color] | [color=#00CC99]Tlazōlteōtl[/color]
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. [color=#ed1c24]Ares[/color] | [color=#DC143C]Hathor[/color] | [color=#9E1B31]Phobos[/color] | Others[/color][/sub][/right][hr][color=BFAFB2]

[center][i]~Later that evening~[/i][/center]
Isabel was tapping the corner of her phone on the inside handle of the car door. It was a rapid, nervous kind of tapping, to the rhythm of the fast-paced music that was blaring in her ears. Streetlights passed over her face again and again. She was looking outside but wasn’t really seeing anything. Her mind was too preoccupied. Too many questions were bouncing in her mind.

“Meeting a fellow?” Asked the driver. He was an old man, probably a grandfather who tried to get by. Perhaps a birthday was approaching. Isabel could guess that much from the friendly smile in the back view mirror. 

She ignored the question and the smile.

“That’ll be it love.” Was the next thing he said, as the car pulled over. Isabel just got out without saying another word. Gods she hated small talk. It just wasted time and her time was not one to be wasted. She took the pods out and a wall of noise hit her.

Hundreds of people were moving around the downtown street to and from the bars that were spread around. Others were just standing outside, smoking a cigarette or just cooling off in the fresh night air before going inside again. If she was going out to have some fun she would’ve played some games here and now. Tonight she had come with a purpose though.

Like a proud lioness she stepped forward through the nightlife street, passing more than one couple kissing in the shadows away from the street lights. The way she walked – the cheer confidence it showed off – combined with her needle-like heels drew more than enough attention. Her dress, an almost scandalously short piece, did the rest. In a few minutes she made her way towards the infamous Jade Jaguar. Before she went in she checked her phone again. So far the PI had been worth his money. The problem was that he caused her to ask far more questions than she got answers for. In the last twenty-seven years she knew her father he never once spoke of a woman he loved.

But now, when she looked at the picture she got just a few hours ago, she saw him so close to another that it made her sick. It didn’t help that her father asked her to come to Seattle in a week for a dinner. And then she was supposed to ask for a certain Lalli at the Jade Jaguar. Isabel was smart enough to make the connections.

If this woman - whoever she pretended to be - thought she could worm herself into the Markov's she didn’t know Isabel yet. If she worked at the Jaguar, she’d have some skeletons in her closet. 

Isa took her phone back, took a deep breath, and put up the mask she had worn so many times. With a bright smile that could fool anyone except her father, she walked up to the bouncer. He curtly asked for her ID. She faked taking it as a compliment as she handed a fake one over. Tonight she’d be Sabrina Carver. The ID was quite convincing though. That, combined with a sweet smile and the fact that she’d drawn in half a dozen puppies behind her, meant that the bouncer let her through easily enough.

It was only the first day of the Festival, well probably the last of them too, and already Tlazōlteōtl was feeling the draining effects they were known for. It was a spectacle to say the least and the Aztec was on her toes. Should she be there in the open of the Jaguar? No, probably not, but it was a business and it still needed to be run.

If there was someone out there attacking the Gods she felt that she was at least safer being surrounded by mortals, giving the culprit less of an opportunity to strike. Her thoughts on it anyways. Besides, Hathor would be in soon and Phobos was due to arrive not long after - if he wasn’t caught up taking care of the remaining daughter of Hades; she felt safe knowing that they would be there soon. For now, she had a presence that was needed and so, with a heavy sigh and a pinch to her cheeks, she strutted out from the employee’s back room and walked the floor, making a beeline to the bar.

Rubbing her temples at the bar she waited for the next set of drinks to be placed on the serving tray so she could hand it off to one of the waiting girls, thinking back to her meeting with Ares in the gardens. She wanted to speak with him more today, but the deaths of gods put a halt to that. He was whisked away into the fray of those wanting to be of service and help in this mystery, she couldn’t blame him for that. Tlaz [i]did[/i] however blame him for not leaving her information to get a hold of him at a later time. Or even offer to console her, protect her. 

The feeling of being perpetually second place in his life was quickly becoming evident to her and she didn’t know how to feel about it. It wasn’t something she’s been used to, never had to deal with this before Ares. A strange sensation to say the least and it did nothing to quench this amalgamation of feelings swirling within her. Of rage and anger but also of confusion, and even… depression?

No, no. The Filth Goddess of Sin does [i]not[/i] get depressed. Neither is she placed on the bench only to be someone’s backup plan. With a new resolve, and now a tray full of drinks that she passed on, topaz eyes filled with fire, scanned the room for mortals to schmooze and drain their wallets dry. Maybe find someone to make the war god jealous in the process.

For a precious second, Isabel and Tlaz’s eyes met. Isabel recognized the woman immediately. The picture didn’t do her justice. She was beyond beautiful. There was a raw sensuality about her that Isabel easily recognized. That aura came from absolute confidence. She looked away, grabbed a shot lightning-fast from a passing tray, downed it, and moved through the thorn of people like she was water. She learned to do that from her father. Right now she could understand why he was attracted to this woman. Surely she had her claws deep in him already. Did she grab him for his wealth? Maybe she’s one of those succubi that likes to toy with men before discarding them?

It didn’t matter. Not really. Whoever or whatever she was, Isabel vowed to chase her away. With a woman looking that prideful it wouldn’t even be hard. Though first, she moved towards the bathroom. The make-up she had on right now was far too appropriate for a club like the Jade Jaguar. She needed something different. After fifteen minutes she wandered out with far more innocent-looking make-up than when she wandered in. Her usually cocky smile was gone and replaced with a far more genuine one. She didn’t stride like a goddess over the floor now and instead almost meekly made her way towards the bar.

[color=a187be]“Hi, sorry. Could I have a water please?”[/color] She asked this ‘Lali’, though she made sure she could barely be heard over the loud music.

Tlazōlteōtl was caught off guard by the woman beside her. There was something off with her, that much the goddess knew. There was no way a woman as meek looking as herself would willingly waltz into the Jaguar without knowing what kind of den it truly was. Even if she had, the bouncers at the front would have checked her over and she had trained them well enough to know better than to let those too… innocent in through the doors.

So, to see this woman beside her putting on a charade struck out to the Aztec, especially after the events today with the other pantheons and fresh deaths lingering over her head. Straightening her posture she smiled widely at the dark haired beauty, ordering a simple glass of water for her and held it hostage as she leaned on the bar top, eyes cautiously watching her company’s every move. 

[color=#00CC99]“An interesting choice,”[/color] it was left ambiguous though the owner gestured to the club around them without breaking eye contact, though the statement itself was geared towards a number of things. Her outfit, the location, the “innocent” act. [i]Her[/i]. Whoever she was, Tlazōlteōtl planned on finding out and dealing with the consequences that followed. [color=#00CC99]“Tell me, wha’s a pretty little thing like yourself is doing in a place like this?”[/color]

Isabel kept her act up. She smiled a little in embarrassment. [color=a187be]“It’s that obvious I don’t belong here? I’m sorry, this will be a long story really. And an awkward one.”[/color] She took a seat on one of the barstools first. [color=a187be]“My… dad is seeing this woman. Her name is Lalli and apparently, she comes here often. So a friend of mine managed to get me in but-“[/color] She looked behind her at the whole dancing floor. [color=a187be]“How the hell am I going to find anyone called Lalli in [i]this[/i]?”[/color] She turned back around to look at the bartender. She still had that innocent look on her face. “I just wanted to meet her you know.” She then quickly added, acting a little dejected by her apparent failure.

Was she sizing her up, a goddess? Maybe it was paranoia finally sinking in. Maybe it was just her being a little too annoyed at someone waltzing into her club looking for her with an air of mystery about her. Perhaps even a combination of both and then some, but there was something about the atmosphere surrounding the two of them in that moment that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. 

Clearly she was intent on location “Lalli” and that’s exactly who she was going to give her. Sliding the glass of water across the top towards her she sighed heavily, [color=#00CC99]“Hm, well, you just happened to find her. What are the odds,”[/color] her voice low and teeming with an unspoken threat to it. Though she doubted it would work.Someone like her, willing to walk into the fire like she did and play with it, there wasn’t anything she could do to scare her away. Not like this at least.

[color=#00CC99]“Dating your father?”[/color] Tlaz brought it back to the supposed statement, a hand to her chin, feigning in thought, [color=#00CC99]“I have dated many men, but currently there isn’t anyone I’m seeing. Perhaps it was in the past?”[/color]

Isabel let her face light up in apparent happiness when she ‘found’ Lali. She picked up on the threat easily. If this Lali before her wasn’t such a vile person then Isabel would’ve admired her skill of spitting threats that only a certain people would pick up on. Instead she pretended to never having picked it up to begin with.

[color=a187be]“No, no. It’s something very recent… at least I think. His name is Alexander.”[/color] Isabel said before taking a sip from her glass. She didn’t show it, but the fact that she so off-handedly talked about dating so many men felt vile to Isabel. These were the women that toyed with men. She wouldn’t let her own father become a victim of someone like this. For now she waited to see if Lali knew the name. Of course her dad had many names. Hell, even her own name could be that of a specter he had conjured up decades ago.

At the mention of his name those feelings of rage and confusion flared up within her though she hid it well. The one that decided to settle within her bones was that of embarrassment. Eyeing the woman before her, up and down, she surmised that she was within the range of thirty years and beautiful. Stunningly so. This stranger, this woman shared so many similar features with the one in question. Looking at her, knowing Ares was her father - and that it was not her child - her heart broke upon and she doubted she hid that well enough.

[color=#00CC99]“Ah, yes,”[/color] she cleared her throat, [color=#00CC99]“Alexander…”[/color] What was she to say to this? [i][sub][color=#00CC99]’Your father is an immortal being with whom I have had a torrent love affair with but he ditched me years ago in Madrid?’[/color][/sub][/i] Oh, yes, that would go over swimmingly. Who is to say that she isn’t involved somehow in what’s going on in the immortal world currently? But Tlazōlteōtl couldn’t be bothered to think that way - the deaths of the others were so far from her mind at this moment. All she could see, hear, think about was what went wrong between them that his daughter would be here, seeking her out.

Instead she just stood there, swaying a little in her spot before coming back to the present and ordering herself a strong drink, [color=#00CC99]“Ar- [i]Alex[/i] and I… we’ve known each other for an extremely long time. There was something there, once. Long ago, thank you,”[/color] Tlaz took a sip of the agave based cocktail before continuing, [color=#00CC99]“Hadn’t seen him in years until today. What’s got you digging around your father’s love life?”[/color] Her eyes slowly trailed back towards the face of her lover’s daughter. The thought alone sent shivers down her spine in a way that normally signaled danger. Was this why he left her? He had a family with someone else? Did he leave her [i]to have[/i] that family without her?


Isabel was trained to see the little things in people. An anxious motion with their hands or a slight trip in their speech was often enough for her. Right now this Lali was giving her way more. For once she almost betrayed one of Alexander’s aliases. Something that started with an ‘Ar’. It made Isabel angry though. She could never figure out another alias of her father yet this woman almost casually gave one up. Still, in that same breath she gave Isabel so much more to work with. Her mind went racing to pick the right words. She was tactically sipping her water to buy her some time.

[color=a187be]“I wanted to meet the woman he talks so much about lately.”[/color] Isabel said as she put the glass down and looked up at Lali. [color=a187be]“From the way he describes you, I thought you’d be glowing like an angel!”[/color] She threw in a small giggle in there for good measure. In truth it was just another vocational ploy. So many women love knowing they’re talking about in a good way. It works even better when there is love involved. [color=a187be]“Clearly none of what he said was a lie.”[/color]

It was like being doused in a vat of ice water when she spoke. Lies upon lies she uttered. Not unlike her father in the slightest, for that Tlazōlteōtl scoffed. Without missing a beat she threw back the remnants of her glass and turned towards the young woman. [color=#00CC99]“It is hard to believe he would speak of me so highly,”[/color] it was the goddess’ turn to stall for the right words, the ones to throw this [i]child[/i] off of her past relations to Ares. [color=#00CC99]“The last time we spoke with one another it was anything but sweet nothings,”[/color] not a complete lie, but one nonetheless.

The strip club owner couldn’t place her finger on what it was that this girl was seeking to gain from her. Maybe it was just information. Maybe it was something more. Regardless, Tlaz didn’t appreciate being interrogated. [color=#00CC99]“Tell me, [abbr=child]conetl[/abbr], what is it you want? Why come all this way, to my place of business, hm? It wasn’t just to meet me,”[/color] leaning forward into the woman’s space she purred these words, eyeing her frame, examining her for the threat she posed, or didn’t. Tlazōlteōtl wasn’t quite sure yet.

The vibe was changing quickly. Isabel picked up on it quickly. She said too much. Damn it! Her instinct told her to drop the act. She wanted. Gods she wanted to put this woman in her place so badly. She didn’t though. It was hard – Isabel couldn’t even take a deep breath to calm herself – but she preserved and kept up her projected innocence. She didn’t have much more time though.

[color=a187be]“It-I just…”[/color] She took a deep breath as she feigned being upset by some horrible memory. [color=a187be]“When mom got sick my dad didn’t leave her. He stayed with her through those years. And then, when she died, he just… he collapsed. He didn’t get out of bed and barely ate. And when he did get out of bed it was to visit her grave. He did that for months.”[/color] The art of showing sadness as a lie was to truly remember something sad. So as she told the tale about how she and her dad were part of a happy family for so many years she kept on thinking about all those times she had to wave her dad goodbye at the airport, back when she was young and didn’t know for sure if he’d come back.

[color=a187be]“It felt like he had this… hole in his heart and nothing and nobody could fill it but.. well. Here you are.”[/color] She gave a small, sniffling laugh as she motioned towards Lalli. [color=a187be]“I really hope you can fill that hole in him.”[/color] The implications of the story were clear though. [i]You are not his first choice. You are a replacement. You. Are. Second.[/i]

[right][sub][i]He didn't leave her... stayed with her through those years...[/i][/sub][/right]
The words echoed inside her head for a few moments before dying out. It was clear that she was second best to someone else. Someone else who had caught his attention and claimed his heart for their own. And through this, a child was conceived. One she so desperately craved and wished for with him. A vacant chill raced across her skin, the kind that sit for too long with no chance of leaving. Like cold water drops sitting on one's skin and then being doused with icy air. A sickening feeling rose in her throat and she felt the unmistakable presence of tears in the corners of her eyes. Thankfully she was able to blink them away before they had a chance to fall. She wouldn't cry out of sorrow anymore over Ares. She had done that already. Instead, the bile rising in her throat signaled something a lot more sinister.

Her love would never be enough it seemed. It was never enough. But what of her wrath. He left her, no warning, no note, no contact. Not even to tell her himself that there was nothing there for him anymore. She would have understood. Been heartbroken, but she would have understood. Now, here was his [i]daughter[/i], making sure Tlazōlteōtl knew she was second best. Runner up. An [i]afterthought[/i].

Topaz eyes raked over the woman in front of her and though her tears may have been real, it was disingenuous to the words she spoke. Tlazōlteōtl knew sin and all the forms it wrapped itself in. Lying was no different. But her motives were lost on her and the goddess realized she didn't care anymore. She wanted her gone from her sight. It was only Ares she wanted to see at the moment and she had some very choice words for him. [color=#00CC99]"Sorry for your loss,"[/color] she recited the words as if reading from a Hallmark card, she could be just as callous. A forced smile upon full lips, one that didn't accurately represent the look in her eyes, [color=#00CC99]"But as for your father and I... there will be a lot more holes in him when I am through with him."[/color] 

[hr]

A few minutes later Isabel was hailing down a taxi outside the Jade Jaguar. Her job there was done. Whatever storm that would follow would douse any spark her father and this Lali had. Quite self-satisfied she took her place in the back of a cab and ordered it to drive her to her hotel.

There was one more thing to do though.

[quote]To: Mr. Wolff
Your information was splendid. Thank you ;)[/quote]




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