[hr][center][b][u][h3][The Den - Outskirts][/h3][/u][/b][/center]
[center][A XianaEvermor / Sepokku collaboration][/center][hr]

The Den was an ominous black shape silhouetted against the residual light of ShieldTown’s sun lamp in the distance. The structure’s angular surfaces occasionally shined dull matte, suspended hundreds of feet over the crater floor. Astrid passed the occasional curious rock, wreck, or ruin on her approach. They seemed oddly out of place until it became apparent they had been intentionally placed and marked with numbers in thermo-reactive paint that counted down steadily. 3800… 3700… 3600…

[i][color=#a6a6a6]'Distance markers? Smart.'[/color][/i]

Astrid's foot pressed gently against the kickstand as she gave an awkward glance to the Den. As the stand snapped into place, she hesitantly stood up and cursed herself for accepting this job. Had she been just a few days earlier, the bombing wouldn't have happened yet and she could be doing some other work that didn't require her to head back topside. Not that complaining ever got her anywhere. With a sigh, she slapped her hands lightly against her face twice, holding them there for a second while she composed herself. It had been over a decade since she truly had to rely on someone else, but short of hijacking the elevator by force, it seemed she had no other option.

[i][color=#a6a6a6]'I just need to be amiable, lay on that ol' Grunewald charm.'[/color][/i] Her reflection stared back at her from the bike's metallic sheen, disbelief painting its face. She let out an entertained snort, [b][color=#a6a6a6]“I know, right?”[/color][/b] Deciding that her apprehension wasn't likely to go away anytime soon, she started towards the building.

[b][color=#a6a6a6]"I'm looking for a..."[/color][/b] Her hand fumbled for the note in her hoodie's pocket. Unfolding the paper, she read the words hastily scribbled onto it, [b][color=#a6a6a6]"Wolf? I heard she could help me out..."[/color][/b]

[color=#7270db][b]“Found her,”[/b][/color] a voice answered. A dot illuminated dull red in the perpetual gloom outside of the spear of light from Astrid’s motorcycle and a figure slid part way into view with practiced, near silent steps. The pointed, canine cyber-cochlear implants of her namesake were alert and probing, twisting this way and that to catch anyone else hidden in the dark while the watchful red glow of HK settled on Astrid.

[color=#7270db][b]“You look pretty capable,”[/b][/color] she noted, adjusting the sub-machine gun slung unabashedly across her chest so that it could be brought to bear in an instant. [color=#7270db][b]“Where did you hear I was helping people?”[/b][/color]

Biting down a sarcastic retort, the former Scotswoman did her best to remember where she had first started hearing the rumors about the Den. In truth, it had been a variety of people, though if she had to say who the first was, then it would have been , [b][color=#a6a6a6]“Ripperdoc, the one who did your ears, I think.”[/color][/b]

Wolf squinted at Astrid long enough for the dull red glow behind her right eye to flicker slightly. Her ears twisted in thought for a moment before checking the surroundings in a paranoid flick.. She finally exhaled and let the tension in her shoulders uncoil.

[color=#7270db][b]“Pascal has a big mouth,”[/b][/color] she muttered grumpily, though her ears perked up with interest and one of her eyebrows stretched for her hairline as she first looked Astrid up and down, and then fixed her gaze on the motorcycle. She let out a low whistle. [color=#7270db][b]“Whelp,”[/b][/color] she turned and signaled overhead. Lights clacked on and flooded the crater floor.

[b][color=6ecff6]“Bedroll? Or a body bag?!”[/color][/b] Someone called down from overhead.

[color=#7270db][b]“Bedroll!”[/b][/color] Wolf shouted. 

[color=6ecff6][b]“Ah, shit. Y’all heard her, clean out a new bunk!”[/b][/color]

[b][color=#bc8dbf]“Stowaway! Stowaway! Stowaway!”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#7270db]“Send out the lifter, we got a machine for the vehicle bay!”[/color][/b] Wolf ordered. The Den was suddenly abuzz with activity overhead, and a pair of zip lines were lowered, each with a lift-rig. [b][color=#7270db]“Come inside and try not to think too loud, we got a True Esper that’s not so great at the whole ‘filtering out’ thing,”[/color][/b] she invited, hooking a foot into the rig and letting it haul her up into the structure.

The buzz of activity came as a slight shock, the place looked relatively abandoned upon approach, but, [i][color=#a6a6a6]‘I suppose it couldn’t have been, if the rumors were to be believed.’[/color][/i] She took a cursory look around the now illuminated crater. There was quite an operation going here, she could probably fit all of her siblings in the building, at least all of the ones that made it to the states. Stepping into the other lift-rig, Astrid pondered exactly what sort of thoughts constituted “too loud.” 

The notion made an intrusive thought appear, a vague memory of being thrown from her father’s arms into those of one of her siblings, and then being hauled away at a breakneck pace; a staccato of gunfire, the smell of smoke mixing with violence. She did her best to put her thoughts back in order and focus on the present, [i][color=#a6a6a6]‘Go to your happy place. That hill overlooking the Atlantic, the sea breeze; home.’[/color][/i] The ground sped away from her as she was hauled into the “Den of the Wolf.”  

Astrid landed on the platform gold to emerald way too much eye contact, face to freckle speckled face much too close. Astrid’s rig stopped at the platform in her hand with a tiny jolt.

[b][color=#bc8dbf]“It’s much prettier without the blood and guns,”[/color][/b] she mumbled after an awkward silence. Wolf’s steel knuckled hand rumpled the girl’s sandy blonde hair affectionately, breaking the staring contest stalemate. She flinched at the contact, and a sharp *[i]CRACK[/i]* of rushing air gouged one of the battered plates on Wolf's forearm, showering the chamber with fine metal dust.

[b][color=#7270db]“What have I said about private thoughts?”[/color][/b] Wolf asked, without malice, ignoring the damage.

[b][color=#bc8dbf]“But I’ve never seen the ocean before! Nobody ever thinks nice thoughts about the beach, I might not get to see it again after she goes up,”[/color][/b] Jade pouted, with a huff. Wolf raised an eyebrow, flicking a glance towards Astrid momentarily before gently shooing the girl towards the facility interior.

[b][color=#7270db]“Go see to her machine, we can’t leave it out there for the Scavs or Rippers,”[/color][/b] Wolf ordered, hanging the rigs as the hulking freight drone settled on its repulsors in a plume of dust, scooping up the motorcycle effortlessly. All at once, what was a flurry of activity efficiently buttoned up, portals closed, and lights clacked off, shrouding the crater in gloom once again as though nothing had happened.