Lace, Lovers, and Blue Blood [CLOSED]

[Admin Roc]

[[Mission thread for Niels Søndergaard and Veronika Navarre. Since this Mission will require a bit of detective work, scenes will be broken up by perspective tags as follows: {Niels} // {Veronika}. Best of luck!]]

[/b] Bracciano, Italy
TIME: 10:17, 3 hours until wedding begins[/ul]

{Niels}

"...Unfortunately, we have very little information for you to go on." The voice of Prof. Davian Boyle was reaching Niels' ears via a tiny skin-colored earpiece that the student had been provided earlier, linked wirelessly to a stealth microphone built into the collar of Niels' current outfit. And those were the less impressive things he'd been afforded for this assignment; seated in an opulent limousine and surrounded by all the trappings of a high-end lifestyle, anyone seeing the bisexual blonde could truly be forgiven for assuming he was a young prince or perhaps the son of a wealthy aristocrat -- exactly the impression Shibusen had gone to great lengths to create. Truly, though, the lengths hadn't been that great -- with Niels' natural flair, bearing, and... eccentricities, coaching him for this role had been like telling a fish to swim or a duck to quack.

"The chain of murders, as you know, appears to rise up from the low ranks of British government and aim at the top. We don't yet know why the killer is operating like that -- perhaps it's increasing boldness, or a yet-unrevealed political agenda, or some kind of psychosis -- but that's the pattern. The Prime Minister, Robert Chauffrey, is almost unquestionably the killer's ultimate target; however, we can't ignore the possibility that his bride-to-be, Sophia Moretti, will be targeted as well. That's why we're co-opting this with an undercover agent from the new UN military force, the Exorcists." Davian's tone took on a very serious edge. "This killer, who or what ever they may be, seems to take pride in being able to kill in what are considered secured locations. The first victim was killed in the German embassy; the second in a police station and the third in Westminster Palace itself. The remaining two were cut down in busy public areas while guarded by plain-clothed security teams; in all cases the victims were stabbed in the chest. Blood splatter suggests the weapon may be a barbed dagger, something designed to go in cleanly and silently, then do a lot of damage when it's pulled out."

"Other than that, the killings have two things in common: no soul, and no evidence, witnesses included. Whether human or kishin, our killer is an expert and we can assume they -- Niels, are you paying attention?"

{Veronika}

"You've read the reports, Agent Navarre, so I won't bore you with the details."

The voice was that of General Godwynn, the grizzled army veteran who, following the Kishin Crisis, had gone on to form the now-emerging Exorcist forces under special UN charter. Like Davian to Niels, the General was not speaking to Veronika directly; seated in the back of an unmarked black van, she could see the graying and distinguished looking military man on a high-end laptop that was carefully strapped to the back of the seat in front of her. As the bullet-proofed van drove towards the wedding site the General seemed to size her up with a stoic gaze, the sweeping skyline of Baltimore visible out the large triple window behind his imposing steel desk, in front of which he stood, hands folded behind his back. "Our killer is resolute, resourceful, and very good at getting by normal security undetected. Today we're going to change that."

"Your assignment is simple: you will operate as part of the Prime Minister's bodyguard, though ultimately you have clearance to act independent of them should you deem it necessary. Priority one is prevent any assassination attempts on the Prime Minister and his fiance; secondarily, attempt to take out the assassin in the process. Capture or kill at your discretion."

Godwynn slowly sat down at the desk, his eyes never shifting from the camera, making it seem like he was eye-locked with Veronika. Despite the firm, unyielding gaze there was also something paternal in his expression, something altogether subtle but still fatherly. "You were hand picked for this assignment, Agent Navarre, not only because of your flawless sense of discipline but also your attention to detail. This is our organization's first real test in the eyes of the world; even though your op is undercover to a degree, those in the know will be watching for results. Shibusen will also have a covert operative on the scene; for security reasons neither of you will know the others' identity, and you are only to self-identify as an Exorcist if absolutely necessary. Though this is technically a joint operation, I trust you to do us proud and beat Shibusen to the punch. Any questions?"

[niels]

OUTFIT: No.3

Niels was too comfortable here. Too relaxed, too collected. All of this seemed to come ever naturally to the young Noble. The fact that, at some point along the duration of the day, he could be in a life or death situation. And racing against the ever conflicted relationship between Shibusen and The Exorcist. A side task of finding the suspected Kishin before the diploid Agent before he did. In the back of his head, he would be watching and scanning for the Exorcist. Niels may be reckless, mentally unstable, and a loose cannon at best, but his brain never failed him, nor did hs cunning and charm.

He was almost distracted by what was going on around him, but that would be foolish. The Demon Furnace was a master of brilliant disguise, naturally. A calm and almost pompous exterior, but in the right situation, a focused and serious interior. It would take a lot of digging to find it though.

Outside, he watched the scenery go by. He appeared like a holiday maker on a mere trip. Even in this limousine he felt like it, this was how he had always appeared. Flashy and outlandish, never trying to draw attention away from himself unless situation called for otherwise. His legs were crossed, and the general air about him seemed aristocratic and almost feminine. He listen to the Professor with a concentration only half dedicated to circumstance, whether the older man liked it or not.

"...Neils, are you paying attention?"

"Ahh, Mon aimé ~"

-The Dane gave an almost flirtatious and relaxed chuckle at the words, bringing the back of his hand under his chin, closing his eyes and thinking softly-

"~ Of course. Every word you said...I dwell on the very syllables, as if they were my own being."

Davian should have seen all of this coming at him like a bullet train once Niels had sent in for the Mission. Luckily, there was enough space between them to lessen the awkward. "However, if I may have one request, ma bien-aimée, is that you pronounce my name right. Knee-else, if possible. It is Danish, so I shall forgive you if you cannot." It was clear in the slight tinge of his accent that he was not French. He could pull it off, but that was not his home. Danish was less...'Romantic'. It appeared that the wedding had Niels all romanced. It wouldn't be a half-bad assumption to assume that when he left the limo, he'd dance his way to the ceremony, singing all the while.

Then, however, the Danish bi asked a peculiar, and completely 'irrelevant-to-the-bigger-situation' question; "Please tell me, if you can, will there be milk at the reception? If not I shall be most disappointed. Wine at the very least..."

[Veronika Navarre]

A flurry of emotions and thoughts were running through Veronika Navarre. The Russian Exorcist was entrusted with perhaps the first major operation for the Exorcists. She had read up on this assassin. The victims had been around those with Soul Perception, and had even slipped under such detection. And while her own Soul Perception was quite strong, the girl was prepared to use other means of tracking the assassin down. Although honored to carry out this operation, the Russian was also quite nervous. She honestly didn't want this to go to Shibusen, and she certainly didn't want the killer to slip away successfully. At this point, all she could do was her best.

Days ago, she had heard from a fellow agent that this wasn't the first joint operation involving Shibusen. The one spoken of was performed with two Exorcists, and surprisingly one student of the Death God, an Autonomous Weapon. This blue-haired weapon, alongside two agents, were tasked with tracking down a killer praying on prostitutes in New York City. The outcome was a Kishin Egg, The Torso Killer, being drowned to death by what her comrade described as a maniac that was no better than the Kishin Eggs he was fighting against.

Who would Shibusen be sending out? Would it be a two-man team? Would it be that so-called monster, the Autonomous Weapon she was informed about? These questions nagged at the Russian. But even if it was that monster, hopefully neither would have to interact with each other. And from what she had read up on the proceedings, it would be better in general not to have any contact with the Shibusen end of the operation.

Veronika sat patiently inside the armored van. The founder of the Exorcists himself, General Godwynn, was debriefing her on the mission. The aging ex-Army general spoke to the girl by way of laptop. "You've read the reports, Agent Navarre, so I won't bore you with the details.", he told the young Russian agent. As her leader sized her up, the girl gave him her unfaltering attention, all senses listening to him. And despite her damaged hearing, the girl could make out what he would have to say by way of reading his lips. "Our killer is resolute, resourceful, and very good at getting by normal security undetected. Today we're going to change that.", started out the General. Veronika silently listened to the aging man.

"Your assignment is simple: you will operate as part of the Prime Minister's bodyguard, though ultimately you have clearance to act independent of them should you deem it necessary. Priority one is prevent any assassination attempts on the Prime Minister and his fiance; secondarily, attempt to take out the assassin in the process. Capture or kill at your discretion."

Even as the General took his seat, the man's gaze remained eye-locked with Veronika. Even if it was subtle, Veronika saw something paternal in his expression. "You were hand picked for this assignment, Agent Navarre, not only because of your flawless sense of discipline but also your attention to detail. This is our organization's first real test in the eyes of the world; even though your op is undercover to a degree, those in the know will be watching for results. Shibusen will also have a covert operative on the scene; for security reasons neither of you will know the others' identity, and you are only to self-identify as an Exorcist if absolutely necessary. Though this is technically a joint operation, I trust you to do us proud and beat Shibusen to the punch. Any questions?", finished up the General, leaving Veronika to ask her questions to the General.

"Yes, when I meet up with the Prime Minister’s security detail, who will I have to report to?", the young Russian asked calmly.

[Admin Roc]

{Veronika}

"This is the man in charge." The General stated, pushing buttons on his personal console. Next to the video window on Veronika's laptop popped up a photograph of a middle-aged British soldier in full Navy uniform. "Lieutenant Commander James Brishell has a flawless record, both with the Royal Navy and a brief stint with M16 that, unsurprisingly, is classified. Beyond that one point, however, we've gone over his history with a fine-tooth comb; the Prime Minister chose well when he picked his security chief -- by all accounts he's a damn good sailor and an even better soldier, smart as a tack and twice as sharp."

"Brishell will be the only person at the event who knows your identity, Agent Navarre. The Prime Minister knows we're inserting someone into his security team but, after speaking on the matter at some length, it was agreed that having our agent remain anonymous even to him was in the best interests of the operation. Similarly, he's allowed Brishell to assemble the rest of the security team himself without direct supervision; no surprise, then, that it's mostly a Royal Navy group. These people are solid as far as we can tell Agent Navarre, but keep your eyes peeled. I'd bet my left eye that something at this wedding is rotten to the core... though what is an open question."

"Brishell will be waiting for you at the castello. He'll be providing you equipment and a side-arm to match the rest of his group. If anyone asks -- and no one should -- your cover story is that you're a Royal Navy midshipman brought in at the last minute to cover for one Lieutenant Farragut. Brishell devised that himself; if anyone notices your accent or other Russian traits simply say that your family immigrated to the UK when you were very young. Everyone is bound to be tense, looking for contradictions and cover stories that could point out the killer; Brishell will vouch for you if need be, but try not to put him on the spot."

"Oh, and Agent Navarre..." The General's usually serious demeanor permitted a sly grin suddenly. He entered a series of commands onto his console... and, somewhere behind Veronika a slight hissing sound could be heard. If she allowed herself a glance behind she'd see that a compartment in the van had been opened up by remote, revealing a tucked away reinforced gray weaponry suitcase. "In case things get dicey, I had a little something prepared for you. Take that suitcase in with you -- put it somewhere secure, somewhere you can fall back to in a pinch. On the off chance that our assassin turns out not to be human you'll find that the weapon inside should be... highly effective."

"If you need backup or support, contact me via this laptop and our standby forces will be deployed. Good hunting."

With that the video feed ended, just in time for the van to pull up outside of the castello.

"This is your stop, agent." The driver, one of the junior techs in the Exorcists, hit the unlock button and gave her a nod. "And unless I miss my guess, that's your contact." The young man pointed up ahead to where a middle-aged, moderately built man wearing a black beret, sunglasses, and full formal suit stood waiting. "Best of luck."

{Niels}

"... Milk?" Through the earpiece Niels would hear the professor sigh in frustration. A moment passed before the conversation continued. "Niels... Knee-else... I'm sure that whatever you'd want to eat or drink they'll probably have available -- it is a high-profile wedding, after all. But please, just focus for a minute."

"You'll be meeting with the Prime Minister in person when you arrive; unlike the Exorcist operative, who'll be remaining anonymous, the Prime Minister and his bride have insisted on knowing whom Shibusen is sending. In the event that the assassin does make a move they'll most likely be looking to you to take the offensive while the regular security keeps them at a distance -- keep that in mind."

"We're plugged into the castello's security cameras from our stakeout room nearby; if things get out of control I can run over to support you... though, with any luck, we'll be able to handle this quietly. I'll be keeping you appraised of any suspicious activity we pick up. Good luck Niels; Shibusen is counting on you."

Minutes later the limo pulled up to one of the castle's gated side entrances. This was Niels' stop. A pair of professionally dressed security agents in black berets and sunglasses was standing next to the gate, waiting for him.

[niels]

Niels sighed, partially out of boredom, partially at the whole formality of the thing. With his position in this whole affair, however, it seemed his rather royal approach to this evening would be a miss-hit. Maybe he could engage in his usual form during the event, but he doubted it. That was upsetting. He was most at home at events like this! Large gathering of high-ranking people. His casual, yet respectful and entertaining, manner in which he visited these rare occasions seemed a very big hit with people back home. A refreshing and youthful drive towards socialization. Oh well.

The idea of meeting the Prime Minister didn't come to Niels in a wave of terror or anxiousness, not in the slightest. While he had never met someone of such high status before, he doubted that, on a day such as this, boot-licking and obvious tip-toeing would be liked very much. No doubt, at a wedding, the guests should be as enthused as the couple, no? Or, at least, that was how Niels viewed it. Even if he was here as a guard against nasties, it didn't mean he couldn't try to gain the Prime Ministers trust through confidence, casual formality, and honesty. Once again, a deduction on the part of Niels himself, not used to acting as an operative, but maybe the ability to change from an attitude of 'enjoy the moment' to 'serious and ready to go' - a change he had perfected over time- would give the right impression. The idea of being constantly aware, yet not always overbearingly so.

"You lack trust in me, Davian?" The Dane started, most strikingly calling the Professor my his first name. "Tut, tut - you judge me to hastily! If the eyes of Shibusen, you, and as many Governments as there be, rest upon me for a performance of any kind, I shall be glad to step up to the role." Of course, there was no lack truth in his words. Niels was, although unlikely seeming, extremely controlled to an unbelievable manner. Even in a moment of pure fury and rage, he was completely controlled. Which, in retrospect, made him a lot more frightening.

"...I wonder if they'll let me keep my sword..."

----

Getting out of the limo, he seemed to have a aura of confidence and high-class. It was something that followed him, regardless, at that would most likely never change. The tall Danish blond stood, towering in the mid-morning sun. He breathed in, held it, before letting it out. He turned his attention to the Security agents. First agenda; the sword. He held the seethed blade before them, and smiled, head tilted ever so slightly. "I'm guessing you'll be needed to keep this? I may need it later on, so I suggest you keep me informed on it's whereabouts." It was a simple request. Saved them the trouble of asking the question, no doubt. As a simple, rather destructive, autonomous weapon, a back-up would be in his favour. Especially if he happen to be in a place he couldn't wreck, or it was favourable not to burn the area to ashes.

[Veronika Navarre]

General Godywnn gave her the rundown on the man in charge. It was an aging sailor and soldier named James Brishell, a Lieutenant Commander and ex-MI6. Aside from the classified records on his MI6 days, what was known about this man was that he had a flawless record with the Royal Navy. And from what they could tell, the man was an excellent choice for heading up the security detail.

Her cover story was that of a temporary replacement to another member of the team. The fact that she was a Russian was covered by her family being immigrants from Russia while she was young. If she was accused, then Brishell could vouch for her, but it wasn't recommended to put him on the spot. The girl nodded in understanding once he was finished.

But before the debriefing was finished, the General's mouth contorted into a sly grin. He pointed her towards a now-unlocked compartment of the van. Inside was a reinforced case containing a weapon that would get the job done. He advised her to keep it somewhere safe and easy to fall back to. Otherwise, Brishell would be providing her equipment.

Once the van was unlocked, the now formally dressed girl stepped out to meet the man in charge of the team. To match the team's attire, she wore a formal blazer, skirt, pantyhose, and pumps to match them in color and design. The girl stood at attention, her demeanor and greeting respectful to the Lieutenant Commander.

(Salute and such, or whatever it is. Too lazy to check.)

[Admin Roc]

{Niels}

"I'm guessing you'll be needed to keep this? I may need it later on, so I suggest you keep me informed on it's whereabouts."

The security guard who reached out to take the blade nodded respectfully. "I'll take personal charge of it, sir. We understand your importance here. Please, this way."

S C E N E . M U S I C
Arvo Part Remix - Beats Antique
source uncertain

The uniformed and uniformly stoic security men led Niels in past the outer gates, bypassing the open courtyard and main areas by using a series of sealed-off hallways and staircases en route to their destination. Finally, they came to a guarded doorway of magnificent, elegant design flanked by security holding imposing-looking rifles. Niels' escorts displayed their IDs and everyone was ushered inside.

On the other side, in a room lavishly prepared and with guards standing at every curtain-closed window and entry point... were the bride and groom themselves. The door was closed behind Neils and his escorts took up positions alongside their fellows; seated on a couch in one corner, the Prime Minister and lady Sophia rose at the sight of their guest.

"Ah, the Shibusen operative." The Prime Minister sounded anxious but cordial, quickly walking over to offer Niels his hand. "It is good to know we'll have your protection for this event; Sophia and I were just discussing the evening and all of the measures in place to keep us safe. You and your academy have our gratitude."

The bride, in full dress, stayed back a bit, apparently a bit nervous. Her eyes strayed to Niels's sword, still held by one of the guards; there was clear confusion in her gaze. "You're... a Meister, then? I must have misheard; I thought Shibusen was sending one of their Weapons."

------------------------------------------

{Veronika}

Brishell matched her salute with one of his own, palm down at a slight angle, hand rigid, fingertips just reaching the level of his eyebrows. "Welcome to the operation, miss Navarre." He glanced down at the suitcase as he released the salute. "I see you came prepared; if that's what I was told it was, you'll be the best armed member of the team today. May I?"

[niels]

The Furnace handed the prized sword to the man just as respectfully as he had done with a nod of gratitude. "Much appreciated. Please, take good care of it." With a smile, Niels stood, full-height, and smoothed out his clothes, running a hand through his hair. "So, gentlemen, after you?" He gestured slightly towards the entrance with those words, ready to meet his gracious hosts.

It was uncertain how much the people he would be charged with the protection of knew about Shibusens Eccentric Students. Even if they did know the curious demographics of the school, it was unlikely they could anticipate a more...regal and high class student. Taken like a fish to water to all the high-end and high-security measure, Niels felt at home again. Part of him wouldn't be surprised if any of his family members happened to be here. However, even he knew that would be somewhat bad for business.

The building was lavish and fancy in all ways he was already familiar with; no loitering to stop in awe here. Niels was all but a tourist here. He was a guard and and solider. An Agent, and his aura supported a sense of gloating righteousness; a ponce through and through. The Shibusen Student smiled and nodded, grinning hello to the guards outside of his final destination. Once inside, he noticed, but failed to react, to the many imposing men and women stationed about the room, and, of course, the Prime Minister and his Wife-to-be. He stood for a moment, before bowing low to the pair he had been sent to protect.

Standing up right to shake the hand of the highest power in Britain, the Danes face worn a professional, but trust-worthy, smile. "It is good to know we'll have your protection for this event; Sophia and I were just discussing the evening and all of the measures in place to keep us safe. You and your academy have our gratitude." The Furnaces eyes lit up slightly with a bold and prideful look. "It is an honour to be charged with such a mission as this; I can guarantee you and your Brides safety. Shibusen, and I, will not fail you." Niels assured the Prime Minister, noticing the slight unease in his voice. The Noble wanted nothing more right now than to assert the utmost confidence in him for Niels.

"You're... a Meister, then? I must have misheard; I thought Shibusen was sending one of their Weapons."Then, there was Sophia; rightfully confused, as he took in the details. He smiled warmly, and bowed slightly to the woman. "My Lady, you were told correctly; I am a Weapon of Shibusen. However, I am a Solo Weapon; I am unable to be wielded and, by conjunction, am impractical. The sword is for practicality, unless I need something more powerful." He retained his smile, and turned to face the Prime Minister himself, taking a more serious edge. "I am guessing there are a few details I might need to know before we go anywhere or do anything?"