voice, @widowmaker

[distort]

[ Good evening, Quarantine! Widowmaker's voice sounds calm and smoothly dispassionate as usual, and as French as ever, as she makes apparently a brief announcement: ]

If anyone plans to be in the area, there was a small breach of the outer fence near the zoo of the abandoned city. They are little things, nothing a few well placed headshots will not take care of — but quick. A few may have escaped my attentions.

[ She doesn't sound very pleased about that. Her night is definitely gonna be tracking down whatever monster she's referring that slipped in over the fence.

After a brief pause, she continues. ]

There is also the matter of Kane — Jacob Kane. A man with incredibly poor timing, it seems. He —

—is fine. Jacob’s… fine.

[ Don’t believe it. He sounds pained. There's another pause, longer this time, before Widowmaker's voice continues. ]

...Medical attention would be appreciated. I can send coordinates.

Really… really, I’ll be—

[ Whatever it is he'll be gets cut off as the broadcast ends. ]

Comments

[distort]

[ Natasha might pinch him, but this Widow just offers a tiny curve of a smile. She may not have wanted this name originally, but she's come to embrace it. ]

My web only extends so far, what a shame. [ Her eyes are still on that spellcasting, though. Can he do that with any blood? A worrisome thought. ] But perhaps just far enough, with this scry of yours. How does it work?

[ikols]

Scrying? Anything can be used but blood is best when it comes to the living and dead. It's a little like casting a magical web over a certain distance and waiting for it to ensnare flies, appropriately enough, in this case. When the corresponding blood is found, the enchantment will send out a signal ...

[ Loki is cut off by several bright lights bursting out of the canopy at varying distances, some close and others farther away like acidic green, glittering torches being pointed at the sky. They don't stay still.

He looks to Widowmaker with a smile. ]

But only for ten minutes. You'd best get cracking, Charlotte.

[distort]

[ She's alert the instant those lights appear, and watches them with a predatory eye. That's where the prey is. ]

Ten minutes will be more than enough. [ She drops her rifle from its place over her shoulder and lifts the wrist with its mounted grappling hook. First, though, Loki has earned a pleased smile, which still looks sharp and hungry when she turns it on him. ]

My thanks.

[ Then the grappling line fires and Widowmaker springs away after it, disappearing almost immediately over a rooftop. Hunting bugs isn't the most excitement a girl could ask for, but you take what you can get in a place like this. ]

[ikols]

[ A nod is his initial reply and he watches Widowmaker zoom off on her line, some badass spider-woman twists to her moves that makes him pay more attention than he strictly needs to.

And then Loki is left on his own in a clearing to babysit a bug's goo. Somewhere, a moon-cricket chirps. ]

Cool! I'll keep an eye on things here, make sure no ... ants disturb the ... stuff. I've got this! You go ahead.

[ Kicking a pebble away from the glowing bloody runes, he slips his phone out to play a bit of Galaga while he waits for Widowmaker to return from her jovial slaughter-games. ]

[distort]

[ And true to her word, ten minutes is definitely more than enough. She's never had such easy targets before. Shortly after she disappears, thundercracks echo back from the terrain of the abandoned city. Sometimes they're nearly rapid fire, with just enough pause between them for careful aim at a new target. There is one shot for each light, and no more.

About two minutes after the last shot rings out, Widowmaker drops from some high ledge to land lightly next to Loki. As she straightens: ]

This is a very useful little trick you have.

[ There might just be a little light of appreciation in her gaze that wasn't there last time. She likes the useful ones. ]

[ikols]

[ Peering over his phone at the dying lights, he tries to hide a squeak of surprise when Widowmaker drops down nearby. She has the same penchant for startling him as Lorelei when in full spy-thief-assassin mode, he notes, only she isn't making fun of him (yet?). ]

I've been known to have a few. You're spry with that gun; part of your true profession?

[distort]

[ She is quickly coming to see that this is the case with magic users. They never have just one trick. But at least this one is, for the moment, apparently willing to use his to be helpful to her. ]

In my own world, you mean? Oui, such a clever guess. [ Did he order some mockery, because there might be a hint of it buried in that. ] But as I am no longer there, I am now simply a Perimeter Guard with exceptional aim.

[ikols]

[ He sagely touches his heart at the ribbing that slides his way, accepting it without making a fuss. ]

My first guess was 'accountant'. [ Is that some of the same humour right back? With a flirty unblinking stare?

Loki wiggles his fingers at the gun, taking a step closer. ]

Ah, a few people I know are on the perimeter guard, my brother and sister among your comrades. Thor and Angela didn't mention there was such a neat one of those around, though.

[ His fingers curl back into a fist to stop himself touching the weapon, thinking better of the urge without Widowmaker's permission; after all, she only needs one shot to aim for his own highly prized, ah, items. ]

Does it recharge on its own?

[distort]

[ Widowmaker holds his stare evenly, but it weighs on her end somewhere between flirty and threatening. She shifts as he steps nearer, slinging her rifle up over her shoulder. It's a casual move, one that just so happens to take it a little further out of his reach. He may have corrected the error before he made it — and it definitely would have been an error — but she prefers not to take chances. ]

Thor and Angela do not strike me as up to date on matters of technology. Perhaps they failed to notice it. [ Also, she hadn't realized Angela was in this group too... but having seen her now, it does make sense.

His question, though, will have to go unanswered. Her wariness has recently been hiked up a few notches, and she's not about to go around discussing her equipment. ]

That is quite the curiosity you have about you, mon choupinet. Isn't there a saying about that?

[ikols]

[ Taking the hint, he holds a hand behind his back and gestures to his face with the other. ]

If it makes you feel any better in distancing me from such a saying, you may instead call me ... [ A shake of his head and a comical fox is in place of the brunette, fluffy with real red fur and animated features, wearing the same clothes at the same height. Only the green eyes remain a constant. ] ... Monsieur Renard?

[distort]

[ The display has her arching one slender brow in a subdued response. She's seen a number of strange novelties in this nexus of worlds, and a man changing his head to the head of a fox is not the strangest. But it still ranks up there. ]

Yet another little trick. I begin to sense I am speaking with a showboat.

[ikols]

Not a trick, that one, although I can't argue the rest.

[ Fox-face shapeshifts seamlessly back into Loki's normal appearance with another shake of his head. ]

So! What is it that you do when you're not gunning down bugs?

[distort]

[ Oh, good, that face is less weird to look at. Relatively speaking. His question makes her breathe a deep and theatrical sigh, gaze shifting to watch nothing in particular over his left shoulder. ]

I did not know I would be paying in small talk for the favor. Had I guessed the price was so steep, perhaps I would have rethought needing help.

[ To be fair, this isn't the worst polite chatter she's ever been trapped in. She's just prickly. ]

[ikols]

[ He spreads his hands in invitation, unbothered by Widowmaker's wry disappointment. ]

Perhaps you would rethink your level of salt if this small-talk could lead to more interesting targets?

[distort]

[ She looks skeptical about a promise like that. When does smalltalk ever lead to more interesting targets? But she's a patient woman, and her eyes find Loki's again. ]

Many things are possible. What did you have in mind that could be worth my while?

[ikols]

Targets that will keep moving after a single shot, even if you get them in the head. Humanoid, others phantom-like if you'd prefer a more interesting challenge.

[ Loki spreads his arms in invitation of her curiosity, welcoming it and watching her reaction even as a smile quirks his lips. ]

I know a necromancer.