Into The City

(If you had something planned at the strip club. I could briefly stall before they leave and edit this out)

Espen didn't think this place was one he should be, he could imagine already what the tabloids would write about him if they saw, and his political enemies would have a field day.

Barioth didn't need to be told. "Ah..We'll as interesting as is this, its best we leave this one alone. I saw a bar and remember where it is. This way please."

He got the two away from the strip club, going a bit further in the opposite way until they found a bar. He looked around until spotting an empty table where they could all sit at. "Thank you for taking a few moments of your busy schedule to hear me out."

"Of course. I'm always here for an friend. What did you want to talk about in detail?" Espen asked them after getting settled.

"I'll get to the point and make it brief. Me and a friend of mine named Clover recently came to this world to see some things. Since both of us had little money, we had to take something in lower income areas. While we were there, Clover met and befriended a young woman there."

"You see, when she was younger she was abadoned my their parents and was taken in by a brothel. I'm sure you can guess where that is going." Barioth paused. "So she wanted to come with me and Clover, but it seems to me the people she worked for have other ideas. I had thought once she quit that be the end of it, but apparently not. There seems to be people from there looking for her."

"It should be. At least that's how it works back home. I honestly never heard of them being able do that. Whether you agreed with them, brothels were often well regulated to prevent abuse, though..when you got into seedier aspects that tended to fade away a bit." Espen was thinking. "Have you seen anyone trailing?"

Barioth nodded. "I have. Clover mentioned seeing a young man at her work who happened to be following us. At first I had thought they were stalking them, but I'm starting to think perhaps it was for Chrissy. They're good at vanishing in crowds, so anytime you'd try to confront them they'd just use that to their advantage. Though, when Rosa came they went out of their way to avoid them. I think it might be due to being a criminal, or at least someone Rosa would recognize if she saw them. I made a sketch of them."

Espen was silent for a bit. "So you probably want me to look into what I can do legally? I can do that, though I would need to do some reading."

Rosa shakes her head "It's possible tha he might know Of me, but I doubt that either of us had ever seen each other before." she says "Like I said, I've never been to Empire City before." she points out.

"But before anything, we should stop and consider that this man might not be whom you think him to be." she says "He might not even be after Chrissy, but you or Clover." she states.

After thinking for a bit "I thin we should have a face to face with this man and find out what his deal is." she says, getting up.

"I agree. But they could be just about anywhere." He doubted they were after them, since they were trailing Clover so it was likely them. He guessed it was possible, but here he was an effectively a nobody as in no one knew who or what he was so he couldn't see an motive.

"At the least we have an rough sketch." Espen said. "I'll do my reading when I get the chance."

Rosa nods after looking the drawing over "Mister Espen, I would like it if you were to stay here. I'll handle this." she says, still sounding like the softhearted young woman she came across as.

She looks over to Barioth "Mister Baroith, would you kindly watch over Mister Espen?" she asks "He means well, but it can get him into trouble." she says as she starts out "I shall return shortly."

Barioth watched them leave, before then turning to Espen. "In the mean time there are some things we could catch up on. About Noreal in general, but did you know Ryo opened up a school after the governments asked them to?"

This made Espen pause. "..No. I've been out of the loop for a long time. Its an bit of a surprise, I suppose something changed his mind since he wasn't interested before."

The com device that Clover gave Barioth, beeps "Barioth, I have to be going to work soon. I need you here to watch Chrissy." the android says on the other side.

Barioth wished they had more time until Rosa came back, but that was life for you. "I understand, I'll be on my way. There's an slight problem though. I'm with my friend here Espen Brunel, his bodyguard left to find that man from before who had been trailing us since they showed up again. I'm sure you know who he is and why I can't leave them unattended. Could you let Chrissy know, they'll be around until his bodyguard comes back?" Clover would know it was mainly due to her being uncomfortable around men alone.

There was a pause on the other end "I will tell her, but she may not respond well. If nothin, she might spend the rest of he time in the room." the android says "Just wondering, how will Espen's bodyguard know where you have gone?" Clover asks.

"I'll attempt to contact by radio. We have those just in case. Hopefully they aren't too far." Espen mumbled as he tried to reach them.

Barioth focused on Clover. "Espen said he's going to try to contact them by radio to get an idea where we're at. We'll be with you soon."

Since Rosa was out, trying to tail and capture someone, she had her radio turned off, since she trusted Barioth to take care of his friend.

"In that case, we come to you." Clover says "It's better to remain where you are, incase you are unable to contact your friend." she says.

Barioth was fine with that, they didn't have all that many options at the moment. "That's fine. Maybe Chrissy will be more comfortable in a public space like this." He gave Clover the directions of where to go, that was one thing he was good at.

Clover really didn't need directions, as she as tracking Barioth's location through the radio signal. She gets to the bar with Chrissy, no one stops them from entering, and they head over to the duo "Greeting, Espen. I am Clover and this is Chrissy." she says, the young Chrissy was hiding behind Clover.

Espen greeted them kindly but could tell something was different about Clover. "An pleasure. It's very nice to meet you both." He took note of Chrissy hiding behind them and he of course knew why that was but didn't comment about it. Though Barioth had told him, common sense told him it wasn't something she wanted many people to know. "If there's anything we can do make Chrissy more comfortable while we wait for Rosa to return, please let me know."

Clover shakes her head "I must be leaving for work now." she says, then looks over to Barioth "You have work as well, at six at night." she reminds him, then looks over to Chrissy "Remember what I told you." she says, then heads out.

Barioth cleared his throat slightly. "We'll, In the mean time we can just relax until she gets back. Would you feel a bit more comfortable across the table Chrissy?" He forgot what time Clover came back, but if they were both at work that would spell trouble until the issue was dealt with.

Luckily Clover worked thins out so that there would always be someone with Chrissy, which was why Barioth worked so late.

Before Chrissy could answer, there was a ruckas outside and seconds later, the man who had been following them was kicked through the doors of the bad, his hands bound, and Rosa comes walking in after him.

Though she was still dressed the same, she no longer looked like the sweet Rosa that tended to Espen. Now she looked like a hardened soldier.

She picks the man up by the shirt, he was dazed, most likely from getting hit by Rosa, and she brings him over to Barioth "Is this the man who was following you?" she asks, but she was certain she got the right guy.

Espen was surprised, but Barioth not being an civilian recovered very quickly. "Yes it is.." He frowned, looking them over. "Why were you following me and my friend?"

The man didn't say anything, but glared at Barioth. Rosa nudges him with her knee "Speak. The aren't Mystics." she says.

"I have nothing to say to you..." he looks from Espen, to Barioth, to Rosa. Not even looking in Chrissy's direction "None of you." he says in defiance.

Rosa nods "That's fine. I know ways to make you talk." she bends down close to his face "After all, that's what the Elite Guards are trained to do."

Espen wasn't sure what exactly Rosa was planning to do. "..Are you going to take them elsewhere?" He asked because he wasn't sure what methods they would be using and they might not be pleasant to use in public space. Rosa would likely know what he was getting at.

Rosa shakes her head "That's up to him." she looks over to the bar keep, who was staring at he Elite Guard "Shield the other exits. I shall pay for lost business." she says.

The bar keep does as instructed and Rosa unbinds the man "Okay, here's your one shot to get out of this." she says as she places herself between the door and the man "If you can get past me, you are free. We won't go after you. If not, then you answer my questions." she says "Deal?" she asks.

The man gets up "On your word as an Elite Guard. I get past you, I'm free to go?" he asks.

Rosa nods "On my word. If you get past me, you are free to leave in peace." she looks over to Espen "Young master, if you would, I suggest taking cover."

Espen wasn't too sure but he knew enough from experience of being around powerful people to get a bit out the way so he didn't get hit by anything in the crossfire. Barioth was more curious, but he would also stay out the way for now. And also making sure Chrissy was all right.

Chrissy didn't know about this an who was apparently following them, but she had seen an Elite Guard in acton before. They were fearsome and awe inspiring at the same time. So she ran to the woman's bathroom.

Rosa was just standing there, looking at this guy with an amused look on her face, which seemed to annoy the man. He holds out his hand and, what looks like, energy in the shape of a hand gun forms and he starts shooting lasts of energy at Rosa!

That was probably something new, since Barioth was pretty sure Mystics didn't even have a need for fire arms or probably hadn't ever invented one until they ran into earth and the others. Still, he kept out of the way.

Indeed it Was new. But not something that Rosa hadn't seen before. It was just like Dominance Arrow and like that, she was able to dodge it. 

All she needed to do was let her training take over and with each time she dodged, she would move closer until she as able to knock the gun out of he man's hand! 

This didn't stop him, however, as he makes a dagger next and tries to take out Rosa that way. But like before, she was able to block or counter his strikes. 

So far, the only thing he had been able to hit, was her dress and, if nothing else, it made her counters faster, since she wasn't being dragged down by the cloth.

Espen had an rougher time following what was going on but he did get the gist of it. He knew Rosa was really strong, but he still worried anyway but it seemed like at the moment she had this in the bag.