Julen City positively buzzes with activity, the heart of a "small" megalopolis and overflowing with millions of people's lives and businesses. It's full of businessmen and lawyers and taxi drivers...and also has its share of misfits. The residents' many idiosyncrasies make it an ideal place for individuals who are genuinely different to blend in and give no indication that they're part of this modern world's second, magical, and largely unheard heartbeat.

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Julen Archive
Julen Archive II
Julen Archive III
Julen Archive IV
Julen Archive V
Julen Archive VI
Julen Archive VII
Julen Archive VIII
Julen Archive IX
Julen Archive X

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He can't see. Everything has gone black; is this what it feels like to die? Is this how his victims feel? Something hard presses against his hand; it must be the wall. A wall. He's not even sure he's in the right place.

Inside Yin's office, Radivishe Moorn kneels, unable to stand. The weapons on that craft; there's no way they are of this world. He can barely breathe, punctured as he is; his blood pools on the floor, and he only hopes she opens the damn door already and steps inside.

It's a few minutes. Her step is quick when she arrives. She smells it...blood, a lot of blood. Not human, not wyvern, not dragon, not vampiric...almost vampiric. But not quite.

She really should get Petrovic to get a video feed on the office before entering. Should, but doesn't have the patience right now. Her hand is on a tiny pistol as the locks unfasten, and she steps through the door.

Blinks.

"Gabriel?"

Hand eases off the gun. Sure, he's one of those guys who could be a deadly threat or a great boon depending on mood, but...

"You've looked better." She half-kneels beside him to get under his arm and help him up, the Golden Spell glowing to life. "Here. Get blood on my couch instead, these carpets were just replaced."

The sorcerer only just reacts. Yin may notice that the spell heals him, but slowly, as if something is resisting its energy. He sits when she guides him to, quiet, eyes dim behind their blackness.

The spell intensifies a bit. Yin stands quietly beside him as he leans back on the couch, hand glowing brightly on his shoulder. For quite awhile. "I know you aren't into meaningless babble," Yin notes in that quiet, cool voice of hers, "but I do hope that you realize that I'm talking to keep you alert, so keep listening. It's important. The spell is working slowly, I'm not really sure why, though I'm sure you probably will when you're more lucid"....

And so on, until he seems to lucid to need it. At that point, she stops making small talk. Eventually she's getting far too drained to safely continue, though she breathes a slow, slow breath out and gives little other indication. The spell, sputtering a bit more for awhile, finally fades. She'd felt his injuries heal quite a bit, anyway. At least he's stable.

"Alright. That's enough for me, I think." Yin breathes out, heads over to her desk to retrieve some wet wipes to wipe the blood from her hands, and then over to the closet.

"So, what brings you to my office floor today?" she inquires as she slips off her blood-soiled jacket and begins to look over the other blazers critically.

"Rasputin lives," Moorn spits, "and Ariella Chevalier is with him."

Yin looks back at him as she retrieves her jacket of choice, surprised. "Rasputin...how? I'd considered reports of his death near-absolutely reliable."

"What's more," Moorn continues, dodging the question entirely; not because he knows and wishes to hide, but because he does not and rarely enjoys admitting such, "he had access to weaponry beyond this world. Something out of Kaz's idiotic little playbook."

Yin sighs. Kaz...of course. Who else could pull something this big off? "Out of this world...in an alien, other planet type sense, or heaven hell whatever type sense?" She turns to face him again as she buttons her clean blazer.

"The terms are moot, really. But an advanced technology; your world does not have laser weapons of that magnitude and efficiency." Moorn pulls his hand from his chest; his skin has not healed perfectly, and a rose-shaped scar remains across most of his left pectoral area.  "Thank you for healing me." This is not quiet, but a hint of quickness, of humiliation, permeates it.

"Sure." And, so she doesn't dwell on it. "So, where are they, exactly? Back in Ireland?"

He's thrown for a second. "What a delightfully lucky guess."

"Rasputin always goes to Dublin when stressed," Yin observes. Nods a bit. She's done her reading. "There's nothing for him in his gutted base, I don't see why he'd risk going back. He's managed to keep whatever he does in Ireland a close secret, though. Any record of why is neatly nonexistant. But, thank you for the confirmation." She smiles a bit.

"I presented them an option. Rasputin failed me utterly; his unearthly power is my doing. The rings on his hands are heavily enchanted; without them, he is just another fragile ape." Moorn sits up, a little straighter; eyes on fire again. "I lent them to him, knowing how capable a mind the idiot actually possesses, and charged him with acquiring the materials I would need to replicate your golden spell."

Yin tilts her head a bit at this as she drops her other coat into a small metal trash can with a cover. It's there specifically for blood-soiled garments, to be washed later. "I thought you had that finished...four years ago, when we were rebuilding Julen."

"It's astounding what you think you know, isn't it?" Moorn stands, now, strength returning along with his particular brand of ire. "Without you providing them, the cells I need to fashion a working, perfect spell would have to be taken from you. Painfully. So I offered them a different choice; to get them from the original souce."

Yin considers this. The light goes on. "Ah. Yes, that would explain that extremely odd request for egg cells. I can honestly say that's a first in my experience with hostage demands. So, I should ask: what do you want the spell for? What will you do with it?" She heads over to her desk to put in a request to housecleaning.

"I plan to convert it into a weapon, actually. Rasputin is free to create his perfect world if he wishes, of course."

"Ah, yeah. The perfect world that isn't numerically feasible. I had people run numbers on it last night. I'd be happy to show them to you, but it wouldnt' work. I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to helping you with this, provided I know who you're going to be aiming whatever weapon that is to assure it isn't someone we like, but I can't if it's going to be passed to Rasputin." She leans back on her desk, folding her arms lightly.

"I already have the power to destroy anyone on this planet. But the issue with the dragons and wyverns left me thinking. What happens next time some horrendous offworld power attacks? Will I have time to adequately prepare a response again, or should I simply create an all-purpose response now?" Moorn stands to his full, unimpressive height, arms unfolded. "My apologies for your floor."

Yin nods a bit. Smirks a touch. "Yeah, that first bit is why I didn't say 'weapon, oh my god.' And don't worry about it. We have a specialist in bloodstains on the cleaning staff, she's very good." Pause. "Okay. I'd be willing to give you the egg cells you need, in exchange for assurance that the completed spell won't be passed along to anyone else."

"You have it." He says it quickly, and easily, smiling his utterly untrustworthy smile.

Yin rolls her eyes, amused in a dark sort of way. "You're lucky it's so much in our best interests to stay on your good side that it's prudent to pick and choose our fights." She smirks a little, to herself, as she stands to head around her desk and get to work. "All right. Come back tomorrow, I'll have a sample for you then. Is there anything else?"

"No. It is my sincere wish that the process requires an ice cream scoop, however." He smirks right back. "If you'll excuse me, I must be off for Ireland." That quickly, in a wink of black light, he's gone, leaving only the trail of blood to prove he was ever there.

---

Yin immediately snaps the the alert from reticent, apparent near-dozing...eyes darting that way...and picking out the glint in a hearbeat now that it's pointed out. "Shit..."

Her phone is up, and dialing. "Car's armored, stay inside," she chirps immediately before the phone rings through to Hinan. She doesn't waste time with greetings. "Commander. Security breach via the roof the of North 47th street Ferinai's, potential sniper." Of course the tower itself is armed to the teeth.

Theres silence for just a second. Then...

"Spotted. It looks like an effigy." Hinan's voice, slightly broken through tower security, sounds irritated. "Can't be sure from here. Do you want it taken out just in case?"

"I don't know how wise that is," Rasputin notes.

Pause.

"...No. Just investigate it, and let me know when you've confirmed its identity. Thanks, Commander, I leave the situation to your judgement." Yin waits a moment for anything else he needs to say, then hangs up. He's good. She doesn't need to hold his hand, or tie up his time while he could be getting it done.

"Head around to the south entrance," she instructs the driver.

The car swivels, and moves around the crowd as instructed. Rasputin is still looking at the sniper, but if he knows anything else he's keeping it to himself.

"Nothing really changes," Olivier murmurs, "except for the enormous tower. Where is the old one, if I can ask a stupid question?"

"Oh. We filled in the crater that was left and immediately rebuilt. Heh. The intention of guns doesn't change, but they do get bigger."

She gazes at the terrorist a few moments. "Rasputin. Are you seeing or comprehending something else we're not?"

Olivier wonders at the gun comment, but stays quiet for now. He, unlike his brother, knows the value of silence.

Rasputin does, too, but now is probably not the time. As the car rolls though a security checkpoint, the terrorist gazes back at Yin. "Effigies are symbols of what people want to happen. But setting one this close to an armed fortress is nothing but a distraction. You should expect some violence today."

Petrovic scoffs a bit, but grudgingly nods. "He has a point."

Yin nods a bit... "fair point. Thank you for that." She breathes out. They should be well-defended...hopefully the civilians won't be hurt, though. Well...Hinan should be able to ferret out a potential attack. On the less-populated side of the Tower grounds, she pulls Rasputin's hood up and down low over his eyes, before slipping out of the car cautiously, herself.

"Revilier should be waiting," she notes, "unless he was called away on something urgent."


Petrovic's out of the car and leading Rasputin, all eyes, all alert. Olivier follows them, glancing around, taking in the new tower.

"This place is well fortified?" he asks, looking toward it. "My brother probably has a lion's share of enemies these days."

"This place is a fortress. It, and the ground beneath it, could withstand multiple direct nuclear strikes." Again, things that are well-publicized. True, but also public knowledge. The people had needed reassurance after the Arbiter's first day of play. No one needs to be loyal to leaders who aren't going to survive the month. Ones who are can survive anything and everything despite the odds, though...that's much better.

"And yeah, he does." Yin smiles a bit as she heads for the entrance she has in mind, keeping an eye out for further danger. "But that's okay. we deal with it."

"Yes, I'm sure." Olivier is all eyes as they enter. Out of sight of the crowd, Petrovic presses a panel in the lot wall, sliding it aside to reveal a keypad. Sixteen digits later, the wall slides open and the express elevator to the upper floors is revealed.

"Yin. Will you be taking Olivier to see his brother, then?" Petrvoic asks, shoving Rasputin inside.

She nods. Checks her cell phone clock a moment. "He may be on the tail end of the meeting, but yeah. Soon after. Commander Hinan should know that Rasputin is detained here...he's going to question it militantly, respond with the fact that Chevalier is unaccounted for." One thing that she admires about Hinan is the fact that he genuinely cares about all of his agents and, though the nation comes first, will go through hell and high water for any of them.

Which, on the other side, is one of the things he's getting to like about her command. She's quick to make arrangements he can't in the pursuit of such goals.

"Marchosias should be kept under high security lockdown for the time being. All of his clothing and personal items, especially jewelery and other metals or stones, are to be kept far separate. No interrogation as of yet."

Petrovic nods. "I know how to handle him." It's not so much a brush off answer as it is a dick-waving one. Inside the elevator, he pushes another panel to open the back of the thing before it ever leaves the ground, and leads Rasputin into the lower levels of the tower to be deloused. Often.

The doors slide shut. "Going up?" Olivier asks, apparently amused at the proceedings. THe elevator has a security code pad for the upper administrative floor, where Yin and Revilier's offices are; Yin should know the code.

"Yeah." Yin smiles a bit. When she reaches out to key the code, an odd sort of thing happens: none of the numbers give any indication that they've been struck, and...her hand disappeared, from about the wrist forward. A tapping, and the warm glow that Yin had experienced on her first trip into the tower.

"Alright, we're here." This, she says as she just has time to remove her hand. The door slides back open, and she steps out into the hall...breathing out. Looks for Revilier, or a hint that he's not in a meeting.

In the hall, the left side meeting room doors are open, and a few dignitaries are loitering. Revilier breezes past them with as little diplomatic bullshit as he can manage; he has more important things on his mind.

And so he strides into the hall, in full uniform and 'general' mode.

Oliver smiles a bit, and walks forward. "Little brother," he says, "long time."

The brothers embrace, briefly, pressing their foreheads together, each with a hand wrapped around the back of the other's neck. Olivier kisses his brother's cheeks in turn, and his lips as well.

Revilier doesn't speak; Yin, by now, should know an overwhelmed supreme general when she sees one.

Yin smiles faintly...she just leans back against the wall, and waits, watching. Yeah...Revilier had come in with his 'skeptical' hat on. He always does...and something this big, of course he had.

The political implications of this whole thing may be world-stopping. The ones in her personal life, too. But...right now, that doesn't matter. This is much more important. She waits, watches, though she avoids staring...finally, she smiles faintly, and steps forward to lay a hand gently on Revilier's shoulder from behind to steady him when he's approaching too overwhelmed. To bring him back down to here, this moment.

It works; it always does. He's thankful for her, more than she'll ever know, for keeping him grounded.

"So what do we do now?" Olivier asks.

Revilier shakes his head. "I have no idea."

They both look at Yin.

She grins at them. Men are so cute--and so helpless--when major sappy moments come along. "Why don't you two head up to our apartment; get some tea or food or something, and start to catch up? I'll handle the people down here and field any 'where did the General go?' questions for the next little bit and keep rumors from flying, and join you in a little bit? Unless you'd rather have the time to yourselves, of course."

"Time spent without you is wasted time," Olivier is swift to answer. Revilier smirks.

"I'd hit him, but I agree. We'll see you in... an hour?" The general reaches for her; he's missed her, of course.

Yin's expression softens. Of course she'd missed him too. She's happy to accept the embrace, and wastes little time in kissing him gently, and lovingly. Which of them had initiated the kiss, like so many of theirs, is impossible to say.

She beams at her beloved. "All right. I'll see you two soon, then." She smiles at Olivier too a moment, quickly checks her hair and makeup as she turns, and heads off to herd the diplomats. This silly game she's quickly getting good at...as she'd finally made all the parallels between her spy skillset and the political world, and has long since stopped being mystified and intimidated by the ways these people posture.

It's quite the evening; none of them know about Olivier, but all of them are aware of the various political turmoils rolling into and out of the nation. The disappeareance of Menayen, for one, is already raising numerous questions; particularly since he was seen in Julen last. Still, there are no major interruptions, and before long Yin will have made her way to Revilier's chambers, where he and Olivier have been talking. Olivier, now, is dressed in one of his brother's basic black outfits, and is utterly clean-cut; the resemblance between them is ridiculously striking. Olivier is a bit taller and leaner than his brother, and his skin is just a shade darker, but no one could see them and not figure them for brothers.

"How did it go, darling?" Revilier asks, rising to meet her at the door.

Nearly as smooth as you on date night," she purrs in return. She chuckles, takes his hands, and gives him a small kiss of greeting. "Plenty of questions being asked, but none I have any suspicion of you not having heard again and again all evening." She smiles at him, heart always soarting to be with her lover. "And how are things going in here...?" She glances over to Olivier.

"Mm. Needs to be hemmed a bit, but otherwise, that's fetching."

"Things are fine," Revilier says, a bit too quickly. "I was thinking about asking you to show my brother around town. You could use a night out for yourself, anyway."

"I can do that." She nods a bit. A bit disappointed to not spend the evening with Revilier...but then, she'd had a quiet evening alone in mind, anyway. She smiles. Thinks. "Mm...do you suppose we're ready to deal with the political ramifications when we're seen and someone, somewhere inevitably identifies Olivier?"

"If anyone asks, he's my stunt double," Revilier smartly notes. "Olivier. Could I speak to my wife in private a moment?"

The elder brother nods. "I'll just show myself around a bit."

Rev scowls. "By that you mean wait in the hall."

"Precisely." And he goes to do just that. Rev looks at Yin; waiting for whatever questions or thoughts she has, first.

She listens. She knows when someone's out of earshot. Finally, softly...

"Revilier, this is all way too bizarre and convenient," she notes bluntly, eyes concerned. "I mean, of course if something bizarre happens I had to be the one to find it," smirks a bit, before it fades, "but I have a really bad feeling about this. You and Petrovic almost lead me to believe that he's the real thing, but even if he is, why would he be back now? Even if his intention isn't bad, what happens when people see the shiny, nostalgia-polished past...the version of you that didn't marry a dragon?" She takes his hands softly.

"I don't know why. Listen, Yin, I..." he glances at the door. Back at her, lips tight, brow knotted. "I have to admit something to you. Promise me you won't be upset."


She scrunches her nose up at him. "With a lead-up like that," it's a phrase he rarely uses, "I promise I'll try."

"Obviously Olivier isn't dead. I..." he pauses, legitimately having difficulty telling her this. "... I left him in Impossible. I left him so I could get the golden spell. Everything you've been told about... his disappearance is a cover-up."

Yin's exprssion fades at this. "Revilier, that was..."

So long ago. So, so long ago.

Still, her creased brow, despite everything else, is also concern for her husband. She reaches up to touch his cheeks gently. "Revilier...what happened there? Was he left...willingly?"

He closes his eyes, face leaned into her hand. "No. We didn't know only one of us could take the spell from the mountain. I had... plans, Yin. A vision, and I had to see it through." His eyes somber. "So I stabbed him, and left him in the belly of the mountain." And he waits for her to judge him, to hate him.

Yin closes her eyes. As important a role as treachery has played in her life, and how prevalent...she is tight to her comrades, as REvilier also know. She's rarely set against Unit Eleven in any way, and then has never been put into a situation where she would need to order the death of one of its members...not to mention their loyalty to her through her court martial proceedings, her ties to Alou and Kaz, and so on.

Loyalty's important.

"Revilier..."

Hesitates.

"I don't know what to say to that. Not yet. But..." she looks up to him. Touches his forehead gently. "It was...a long time ago, whatever else it was. We can talk about it later. All right?"

He smiles a little, but just a little. "It's important. I never thought he'd come back. I know he still remembers. Keep an eye on him for me until I figure out what to do with him?" It's a very military response, actually.

She nods slowly...though it concernsher. Leaving someone for dead once is one thing, but finishing it later...of course. There's the matter of there being a very good chance that the attempted victim being out for revenge.

Yin leans up, and kisses his cheek gently. Smiles a bit at him. "I'll talk to you tonight, if you aren't asleep. Tomorrow otherwise." She hugs him, and heads for the door...leans on it, a moment, to gather herself and clear her thoughts, breathing deeply, before going out to face Olivier again.

She's still suddenly, eyes opening. "Aw, shit. I bet wherever he was, is where Chevalier is now...ugh. Just figured that out."

Rev blinks. "That's how he escaped. It has to be. Isn't it?" He's not as clear on the details of what went on there as he'd like to be.

"Maybe. I'll see what I can find out...maybe not tonight, but I'll ask." She smiles a bit. "Hey. Have a substantial dinner and a nice drink, right? I'll be back later."

Yin breathes out again, gets the bright idea to change her clothes from her pseudo-disguise, and is soon in a casual outfit she likes, a military-influenced bit Revilier likes with a sleeveless, collared shirt and black nylon pants. She touches up her makeup--it only takes a moment, it's minimal today--and heads out into the hallway a bit under two minutes later.

Olivier is nowhere to be seen, at first. After only a moment, though, he comes out of Revilier's office, dressed in a smart black button-down, looking much more fitted and neat than he did.

"Ah, there you are. So I borrowed my one of my brother's cards. Let's go waste his money, eh?"

This, of course, raises Yin's hackles...though most of it's locked very securely away, Revilier's office contains all sorts of things that would be damning in the hands of someone who wants to do harm...even if he has a good reason. Still, she's managed to shake most of Revilier's shaking revelation off, for the moment--or at least, to look like it--and manages a smile.

"Sounds good. So," she inquires as she heads for the elevator, "will this be a 'let's see what Julen City's become' trip or a 'let's forget that part and have fun' trip?" She grins, fangs glinting.

"The second one. I've been confined to a room in a cave for a long time. I want culture, food, the lights and sounds of life. I want to sweat again." Olivier walks beside her, voice excited but gait calm, eyes sparkling but breathing steady. When the elevator closes, he looks to her again.

"More so, I would like to indulge a bit in the pleasures of flesh," this with a spry smile. "Where do the young men dance in this city?"

Yin cocks an eyebrow. "With women, or of the half-clothed variety?" Important distinction.

"Preferably both," Olivier is quick to answer. "One never knows when life will betray you. Let us live while we can."

Though her lips are quirked into a smirk, Yin's expression does legitimately soften slightly. "Hmm..." She ponders. Smiles. "I know just the place. I need a moment, though..."

Right at the edge of the secure levels, there's a close. From within that closet, she withdraws a natural, curly, pale brown with fitted to go around her horns. She hums to herself softly as she twists up her long, white hair and tucks it under a wig cap, then firmly fastens and glues on the brown wig. An eyebrow pencil later, she just looks a bit pale once she's slipped on her grey-making eyeglasses, and twists some of those oh-so-handy threads from Okarthel around her horns, that they vanish one at a time.

She inspects her transformed appearance in the mirror.

"There we go!" She turns back to Oliver a very different woman, and grins a bit "I'll take it off if we head certain places, but...well. 'Queen Yinxirziji is spotted in questionable club with another man! More at Ten..." She throws up her hands in mock-drama, then smirks and pokes something on her cell phone that lets security know that she's heading somewhere as she unlocks the doors and they head out through the same elevator, cutting through the bustling front of the building this time. "I also assume Petrovic or his people will stop me once asking destinations and such...I'm trying to get better about not giving him conniption fits twice a day, anyway." She snickers.

"I see." He's actually very impressed with the transformation. "There's one small problem, though."

"oh?"

Olivier nods sagely as they mingle through the crowd. He smiles.

"Your ass will give you away, every time, your highness."

Yin wrinkles her nose at him. "I can name at least five people off the top of my head who probably paid you to say that. Also, the phrase 'your highness' only gets your ass kicked if I can do it without an international incident." She snickers.

"Suit yourself, mademoiselle, but if I lose you in a crowd and you find me looking at people's bottoms, understand my intentions are pure as the smoothness of your cheek."

Yin has to snicker as they approach the entrance. The resemblance--not so much the physical one--just has her in stitches regardless of the situation. "Well, at least I do know now who taught Revilier to pick up women." She grins at Olivier.

Olivier smiles back, a very deep, piercing smile. "I didn't teach my brother everything I knew, of course." He turns his eyes away after a second or two. "So. Where are we going?"

"It's a club...classy place, as far as spots with skin dancers go. It's a popular meeting spot for young adults trying to meet...like-minded young adults, since there are male dancers on one end of the floor, and female ones on the other...so, lots of comingling between." She smiles.

There's a car waiting out front. Of course there is. That happens magically when she hits the "I'm going out" button on top of not giving her guards fits. Yin folds her legs once she takes the driver's seat--driving oneself draws less interest--and fluffs back the unfamiliar texture of her wig. "Is there anything else you need before we go?" She inquires.

Olivier slips into the passenger seat, admiring the Joe Average vehicle for all its nondescript awesomeness.

"Not really, no. Unless you think there is something I need."

"Nah. I don't think you need much help." It runs in the family, clearly. She smirks a bit at the thought, as she checks her makeup in the rearview mirror one more time.

They're soon cruising through the city...and it really does tower. The architecture is distinctive to Julen, increasingly more so as the wyverns become more and more open about their...inhumanity. The natural affinity for high places has given birth to a new breed of superbly reinforced skyscrapers...which support suspension bridges or whole other small buildings between then. The complexes can get very complex and very beautiful, and Julen's quickly becoming a popular dump for international tourism money.

Yin talks idly about interesitng points as they pass them, or interesting history that took place there.

"And that's..." she gestures with her head to a low-lying, pretty, but secure building, the entrance to Tarantella. They're trying to break into the international political scene just a little bit, as protection against Julen's increasing strength, really, in case we ever stopped being on such good terms, so are a bit more open nowadays. Tourists still aren't particularly welcome, but people who have a good reason can go down there."

Olivier listens, taking everything in, rarely answering except to encourage her to speak more. the intelligence in his eyes is absolute, and he studies everything in detail.

"I remember little about Tarantella except that my troops were unwelcome there," he notes. "I imagine you had something to do with this shift in political nuance."

Yin smiles a bit. Considers how honestly to answer that question. Finally...elects to be about entirely so. "Something like that. I have strong ties to vampires, wyverns, dragons, and spiders...the last one, mostly in the form of some friends and allies high up in the ranks. Honestly, though, they're technically the ones who pulled the trigger on the old tower a couple of years ago."

Her expression clouds just a little, before righting itself.

"There's been a change of command since then, though. The current government's fallen more back into the old non-militant stances of the nation, with a little more openness now that the world stage is changing."

"I see. It sounds as if all eventually went for the best." He saw the clouding, and elects not to pursue it. "This place. Is it much farther?"

"I'm very impressed with the architecture. It's not the fortress city i'd always feared wyverns would need for the rest of their days, which helps enormously." He walks inside, just following her for now; she's very much his crutch, at the moment, whether she knows it or not. "Do you come here often, then?"

"Nah. A few more blocks." She smiles a bit, and points to one of the earlier suspended buildings. A ray of deep evergreen light glows from the top of it. "Vegas, but not too Vegas." She chuckles as they wind into a large parking structure. At this point it's quite obvious that there's a car following them...but that's expected. It's under Petrovic's command. The two nondescript fellows inside are armed to the teeth.

The elevator leading up the public access area of one of the supporting skyscrapers is glass, allowing a unique view of the city below as they head towards the club's level.

"Julen City's architecture is actually becoming pretty important," Yin notes. "It's always a balance to build these expensive things and have those businesses themselves still able to support themselves and eventually thrive on the investment...things like fees from these suspended buildings and public access to certain areas and elevators and lobbies are a relatively small, but noticeable, help for them. The tax breaks we give them in building are a bigger one. The tourism money to the city goes up every year. So far, that's been the thing keeping us afloat with the building programs. Last year was the first year the tourism revenue was enough to offset the cost of the programs, though it was very slight. It should be noticeable this year."

And god knows they need it. Julen isn't in trouble, exactly, but that hadn't included Grace Tower. Parts of the budget will continue to feel the strain for quite awhile.

"It isn't just the capital, though. The tourism is extremely helpful in getting more of the humans feeling more awe-stricken and less intimidated. Their governments still hate us, but popular opinion being powerfully on our side has been unspeakably helpful."

The elevator dings. "Top floor! Naked people." Yin folds her hands behind her head and heads that way across the elegant suspension bridge, humming softly to herself.


-----


"I'm very impressed with the architecture. It's not the fortress city i'd always feared wyverns would need for the rest of their days, which helps enormously." He walks inside, just following her for now; she's very much his crutch, at the moment, whether she knows it or not. "Do you come here often, then?"


-----


"Only when a dignitary or friend is in the mood for this kind of thing. I was dating Revilier before ever coming to Julen City on a permanent basis, so yeah. No real need." Yin smiles a bit as they approach the bouncer. She's not worried. They're both hot as hell, after all, even with her glasses.

The bouncer, who like most bouncers at decent clubs looks bored off his tits, nods to them both. "General," he says to Olivier, and steps aside.

Olivier blinks. Looks at Yin.

Yin smirks sheepishly, and just shrugs as they walk inside. "Correcting would raise suspicion. He comes here sometimes, too, for the same reasons I do. 'Body double' sounds fine to me for the time being, but it wouldn't hurt our story for this guy to report something different. Honest mistake."

Inside, there's a wide floor with a large, circular bar in the center of the lower dance floor. The lights are somewhat low, the music is just barely loud enough to talk over, while it's a bit quieter at the tiny, terraced tables overlooking things. As described, there are two different stages--and two raised platforms for each side--featuring scantily-clad dancers. One side features males, and the other women, while club-goers mill around below.

Olivier takes everything in, not really glancing much to either side, just... absorbing it all. The people, the atmosphere, the sights and smells of folk at their most honest.

After just a moment, a girl bumps into them, wearing nothing but body paint. Her eyes light up, and she takes hold of Olivier's arm.

"There's my favorite tipper," she chirps in a careful, South African accent. "Come to see me?"

Olivier, for his part, is a bit on the bumfuzzled side.

"I don't think that's who you think it is..." Yin offers, giggling an un-Yin-like giggle. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind!"

The girl pouts. "Oh. Sorry. I thought you were the General."

Olivier smiles that inimitable smile, and draws her hand to his lips. "I was, once, but alas, no more." The girl smiles back. "For now, my eyes are on that side of the room," he nods to the male dancers, "but I will come back for you, someday."

She snickers. "You're a trick," she laughs, and sashays off to grind on some lonely joe's lap elsewhere.

Yin chuckles...her own, again. "All right. Since we're agreed on which side is more interesting...shall we?" She loops her arm around his as they start walking that way...to keep other girls away.

Olivier, much unlike Revilier might've, doesn't blush, or act embarassed. He just walks, winking and smiling as necessary, until they reach a table a little close to the stage, but not too close. "I think alcohol is in my future," he notes. "You?"

"Sure, sounds good." she smiles, and sits back as they wait for a waiter. "Some sort of red wine, I think, just to make myself a total cliche."

The waiter who comes by is, naturally, a stud. He's big and blonde, and cut to the bone, and more than a little aware of it. "Good afternoon," he booms, bare to to the waist and glowing softly under the lights. "I'm Liam, I'll be your server. What can I get for you?"

Olivier looks him over. No. He's too buff. And so he smiles a bit. "Killian's draft."

The waiter looks at Yin. "And for the pretty one?"

Yin smiles a sweet smile at him for that one. "A decent red would be great."

He nods. "I'll be back in just a moment, then." He turns to walk away, and Olivier whistles softly; assless pants are both hilarious and attractive at times.

Yin chuckles. "That many muscles do have their downsides, but the back is not one of them."

"I've worn those before," he laughs. "I used to do this for a living."

Yin grins at him. "Oh, really?" Apparently the silver spoon of Revilier's had been provided by Olivier, maybe. "I've never did it extensively, but it's come up as a favor repayment before." She chuckles at the memory. "I'm a horrible stripper. There's more to it than shapliness, I discovered."

"I'm sure they still raved for you. They can sense purity and reluctance. They thrive on it. Not that being gorgeous from tip to tip hurt your case." He smiles a bit more. "Or mine."

Yin chuckles. "I'm sure not, no." She looks out over the crowd, and finally back to Olivier. "So. It's bothering me, and I really should ask...Ariella Chevalier."

Olivier's smile fades a bit. "You pick a strange place to ask about that. I'm not certain it would be what she wanted, to tell you, except... hm." The waiter appears, drops off their drinks, and Olivier waves him off. "Ariella came to the mountain to save the life of a friend. Two friends, actually. She fought the sun dragon, a greater dragon than you have ever seen, and a monster, a lich, to do so. But someone had to stay in the belly of the mountain, and she volunteered." He drinks. "She lives, but is bound there. A spirit, dead, but alive, a prisoner of her own will. Until someone comes along to free her."

Yin nods slowly. "I apologize for the abruptness. She's just...one of ours. She considers this quietly, sipping her drink.

"Honestly...she's been through a lot lately. She may need the time to think. But we know, so thank you for that, and at least she won't be forgotten." A project for another time.

"No. I'll go back for her when I think she's ready." Olivier drinks again. "This conversation is so serious. When do the audience participation dancers come along?"

She grins a bit, and checks her watch. "About twent minutes. In teh meantime, I'm sure some of the gentlemen dancing on the floor would be beside themselves to tide you over." There are some attractive ones, too. It is a pretty high-end club, and all. The bouncers are there for prettiness control.

Olivier smirks. "So attract one." It's almost a dare.

Yin wrinkles her nose, amused. "If I did, they probably wouldn't be your type."

"They're all my type." Olivier shrugs a bit. He stands, and waves a bill he'd liberated from Revilier's stash. Just waves it, and looks pretty, something he's very good at.

Quite awhile later, Yin--looking like herself again--sips a specialty drink--specialty for her, specifically, as this exclusive little restaurant is more than happy to be able to claim the business of the royal couple--at a secluded little table overlooking Julen from a skyscraper. It had been an amusing evening. She hadn't known it was possible to turn a stripper so red.

"So, between the breasts and the abs, I believe you're caught up on the important corner of Julen." She chuckles. "So, feel free to ask for the less important details."

Olivier has been mostly quiet since the club; thinking, considering. Never is a society more true than it is in dark places, and Julen is no different. His military state has become a fatted calf under his brother's thumb.

He sips coconut rum.

"It's hard to know what to ask," he admits, "having been away so long. But I suppose 'how long until I can reinsinuate myself into the power picture' is not far down on the list of questions."

Yin sips her drink thoughtfully. For the people to start to rally behind Olivier again...could be the end for she and Revilier. If it's what the people wanted...would that really be a bad thing? But then, the people more or less wanted open conflict with Dragons, too, despite what they'd claim...delicate. "It's honestly hard to say. A lot needs to be explored in the next few days. Questions answered from both ends, before we can decide what to do next. I'll take that as a declaration of interest or intent, though."

He smiles on one side of his mouth. "It was just musing. I don't know whether I want to ask it or not." Another sip. "Part of me wants nothing more than to spend my days wandering this world. Being forcibly held from it for decades has that effect."

The vampiress's expression softens a touch, and she nods. "Yeah, I can imagine so. She sips her drink quietly. Thinks. Is it a good time? It's been all evening...

She thinks. Finally, softly...

"Revilier did tell me what happened there. One of my bigger concerns right now, is that you may intend to harm him in return."

Olivier sips. "Of course I do. Wouldn't you?"

Yin closes her eyes a moment at this. "Probably." Pause. Opens them. "But whatever he's done in the past...you understand that he's my husband, and I love him, and can't just allow that to happen."

"I wouldn't ask you to. So, now that we're all honest with each other, what do we do?" Olivier sets his glass down, not really looking at her.

"I'm not sure." This admission is honest. Yin considers quietly. She does like Revilier, from what time they'd spent together, and felt they'd developed some degree of rapport...though, honestly, can imagine that being his little brother would create a kind of complex. "I guess we just hope that you decide that you've missed so much that there are much more pressing issues in the world than revenge. Hell, we've had a World War since then." She finishes her drink.

"...A lot to catch up on."

"Yes, there is. We both know it wouldn't be prudent for me to hurt him soon, and I haven't decided how I want to do it anyway. I'm amazingly... proud of him." Olivier puts away the last of his drink. "Not for the nation, though. For you."

This does get a little smirk-grin. "What, that he'd settle down with one girl to marry?"

Olivier smirks right back. "Yes, actually."

Yin chuckles. "Well, the thing is...if you'd known me before, you'd have said the same of me. Honestly, it was originally supposed to be just stress relief sex, a steamy little affair in a highly difficult time, with a ridiculously hot person." The wistful amusement etched across her face isn't feigned. "It just...never terminated itself, and eventually turned into a lot more."

"I can't say I'm happy for the two of you. A man's pettiness when it comes to other people being happy after he has been destroyed knows no bounds. But congratulations, nonetheless." He looks to the floor. "Can we leave?"

"Of course." Yin nods after a moment, and stands. "Back to the tower then?"

"Sure. I need to speak with Petrovic." He rises then, and his expression is a little different, a little colder, a little exhausted.

Yin nods, and heads off quietly in that direction, signalling for a car with a pushed button on her phone. She isn't sure whether Petrovic will be driving or someone else will be...he usually wouldn't, but Olivier does seem to be his friend. Which concerns her...not in doubting Petrovic's loyalty--she's absolutely confident in that when it comes to her safety--but rather in having a tough situation in frontof him.

A few minutes later, Petrovic guides a black Corvette stingray to the sidewalk where Yin and Olivier emerge; it's not one of Yin's usual fleet, but a polished, expensive-looking, American monster. Olivier smiles brightly at the sight of it.

"That's my car!" he exclaims, that coldness gone in a second. "I can't believe Petrovic kept it up all these years. Look!"

She has to smile a bit. "I've seen it before," she admits, "but never thought to ask about any special significance. I thought he just liked cars." Petrovic is good people.

As the approach the beast, Petrovic revs the engine, which causes a few passerby to nod appreciatively, complain, or jump at the volume. He reaches across the passenger seat and opens the door.

"Look what I found," he growls, pleasantly enough.

Olivier slides the seat up and climbs into the back, with some difficulty; he's a big fellow. "You kept it up, you old lizard."

"Of course I did," Yin's personal guard answers, and looks at her. "Coming?"

"Of course!" She smiles and, after a half moment of thought, slips into the front seat as usual. It's her usually habit since Petrovic isn't a chauffeur and helps to show respect for that...she does want to keep an eye on Olivier. But she trusts Petrovic to watch her back.

The corvette roars down the road, to Olivier's delight, and takes them swiftly back toward the tower.

As the go, Olivier breaths a deep breath. He decides now is as good a time as any. He can only hope his soldier is still his soldier, and remembers the old codes.

"Petrovic, did you find that painting I gave you?" he asks, looking out the window. (Are you ready to begin the operation?)

Petrovic is quiet a long moment. He signals, turns.

"Yes, I did," he answers, quiet. "The red one Revilier liked, correct?" (Yes. Are we going to kill Revilier?)

"Yes. I think Yin would like it, too." (Yes, and we may have to kill Yin, as well.)

Yin is, and alway swill be, a spy. And her hackles are up now, though she gazes quietly out the window, expression unchanged when she looks back to the boys, sans a slightly raised eyebrow. "Oh? Painting?"

"I don't think you would like it very much, my queen." Petrovic says that with unusually firm tones, even for him. "It's out of the frame at the moment." (Some of the details aren't in place.)

"That's easily fixed," Olivier notes. "It's a classic painting, your highness. Fat white women (explosives) in fancy clothes (car) eating grapes (in multiple locations). That sort of thing."

"Oh, really?" Yin looks back to him. "Who's the artist? The art scene is always fun." No, it's not.

The car pulls onto the road leading behind the tower, where Petrovic flashes credentials at a handful of checkpoints as they're allowed through.

"He was a local, but a Botticelli fanboy. What was his name, Petrovic?"

"Salman Isidro, I think." Who was actually a mad bomber Olivier had employed decades ago, the one who designed the particular brand of car explosive he favored.

Yin's expression darkens the faintest touch as she gazes out the window, and then it's gone. She remembers the name, vaguely, from her some of her earliest days in espionage when she'd still been confined largely to training and desk work. Not an artist. "Hmm...ah. I always see it proven that I don't know the scene as well as I think." She chuckles.

Olivier's attention is piqued. She's a bit too interested for his taste, and Petrovic name-dropping the bomber simply smacks of a setup.

The car rolls through another checkpoint, the last of them. Petrovic leans out the window a bit to flash his ID at a machine, which beeps, and allows them into the subterranean garage.

"Yin, if you don't mind, I'm going to take Olivier around in this beast for a bit," he says. "I'll drop you off at the elevator, if that's okay with you."

"Of course. Have fun, and such." Yin smiles, and nods once. She's worried. But she's not showing it. Honestly, Revilier and Petrovic are the only ones who could likely figure that out from her body language...Petrovic may actually be able to do it better, all things considered. Hesitates, and finally opens the door to step out of the car once they get to the right spot.

Of course he knows; by now, he could read her blindfolded. He is sickeningly good at his job, always has been. 

"Of course we will. I'll report back before long," he assures her.

Olivier, for his part, is perfectly happy to switch seats with her; he has quite the developing cramp.

Yin breathes out when she gets safely to the elevator and, one code-thumprint/dna -retina scan later, steps out into the secure levels, too lost in thought to pay much attention to the guards as she passes. She needs to talk to Revilier. Quickly.

Some of them nod to her, but most of them appear to ignore her. The best of the guards do, anyway.

The passages, narrow and defensible, designed to easily corner intruders, snake their way to a central hub, which is, per Revilier's orders, a rec room. The command center is three doors down; he firmly believes nothing important shoulder ever be at the center of anything.

He himself stands in front of an ancient Street Fighter machine, clicking away.

"You sound upset," he notes, without looking back.

"Yeah." Yin sighs softly...she drapes her arms over his shoulders from behind, lays her chin on her beloved's shoulder, and just watches the game.

"H's planning to kill you, if he hadn't already told you that. Well. 'Hurt you' was the phrasology."

Revilier's character tosses a fireball, and follows it up with a well-placed jump kick that would never work in a real fight.

"He told you?" The general doesn't sound perturbed, though he does make a misstep in the game and eats a piledriver for it. "He must think a lot of you. I imagine he didn't divulge his master plan?"

She shakes her head. "Soon before, he'd mentioned interest in when he could be incorporated back into Julen's power structure. Not long after, I said point-blank that I was afraid he intended to hurt you. He agreed. He also mentioned 'us both knowing that now wasn't the time,' but...that remains to be seen, I guess."

She watches an attack on the screen. Heh. Sparkly.

"Afterward, in the car...I'm positive that that he and Petrovic were speaking in code, but I could only pick up a couple of ideas from it. Petrovic..." She closes her eyes. "He's having a hard time with this. They're still out driving around. I...trust him. And I hope that's not a mistake."

"You can trust Petrovic, Yin. Implicitly." Revilier flicks the joystick, and is rewarded with a blast of fireworks as his character performs the most ridiculous series of uppercuts ever conceived to win the round. The general turns away from the game, and smiles at the love of his life.

"I don't know if I can trust him, though. See, Petrovic was Olivier's right hand. I kept him on because his loyalty is unwavering, but then, I never thought my brother would be back. Petrovic's loyalty was always to Olivier first." He's quiet a second. "I gave him some straightforward orders. If he comes back, and Olivier's still alive, we'll know whose side Petrovic's on."

She smiles at him...just a little, before it fades. She's worried about Petrovic...what he'll do. What they'll do. What decisions may have to happen.

She needs a hug.

Thus, she kisses Revilier just briefly, before hugging him tightly, and lying her head against hie chest.

"Heh...in terms of fairy tales," a running joke, with the wyverns and dragons and such, "I think we're probably the bad evil usurpers to be thrown down by the returning hero. But...then, in the fairy tale, he hasn't lost his mind."

She sighs softly.

"Your brother's insane. It's true that Julen could be torn apart at someone trying to ascend to power by way of assassination, you've made sure it doesn't work that way. He knows he can't act yet, he said as much. But...at the same time, having told me...he doesn't have more time, really. Either he's planning to run, or he's just...completely lost his mind after being stabbed and stuck in a hole for fifty years."

The general folds her into his arms, listening, and nodding. 

"Olivier never liked to be secret about things. I'll wager he knew we'd be watching him, carefully, and decided to clear the air from the start." He pauses. "It's odd that he'd tell you about it, and then talk code to Petrovic in front of you. What did Petrovic say about it?"

"Nothing simple. That he was going to drive Olivier around in the car a bit more, and that he would report in soon. I think he may have excluded me from something nasty in the code. I can't be sure, though."

"If Olivier's counting on Petrovic to hurt you, he's wasting his time," Revilier almost spits. 

Yin has to smile a bit at this from where she's made herself comfortable, and nods. "I think so. Yeah." Her expression fades to more seriousness, and she grudgingly leans back a bit, though her arms remain around her lover. "It begs the question, though...who all of our high staff members are fully loyal to you? Which served under Olivier, and which are most likely to follow him again in the chance of a coup?"

"Petrovic will follow Olivier, or you, depending on how you react to him. Soze's mine, Hinan's probably Olivier's. Where Hinan goes, about three quarters of our immediate forces go. I think you're mine. Serene," he says, referring to Julen's spymaster, "is mine. But Olivier hasn't had time to stage a coup, and I'm not sure we should allow him time to try. Which is why I ordered Petrovic to kill him."

"The nation can't take another coup. Not yet." Yin closes her eyes, brow creasing. "This is all really upsetting, I won't lie. And Olivier seems like he may have been a good guy at one time. It...may take me awhile to come to terms with this one. But..." she opens them again, to a kind of sparkling earnestness not many people get to see. "Right now, we can only react. I hate what's happened to Olivier and it's painful to wrong him further, but...what is that you always say? 'The greater the dishonor to one, the more benefit it needs for many.' Okarthel would tear Julen apart in a heartbeat if Olivier suddenly came back."

"There won't be another coup, Yin. I promise." He hugs her, then, unable to bear that creased brow. He sighs a bit. "Hinan's men have orders to shoot him and Petrovic on sight, if they come back together."

She looks up, then, quickly. "Revilier, you can't. Petrovic's...no. He's served so loyally, for so long, even if he did, immediate execution is way too much! Even if Olivier were killed and he had to be detained, even for a long term...no. Just, no."

"Yin, I've already given the order. If Petrovic doesn't do what I told him to do, his loyalty is already too far gone to question." Revilier hugs her tighter. He doesn't tell her how he's seen Petrovic looking at her, longing for her. How he knows his most trusted soldier is in love with his Yin. "He's too dangerous."

She doesn't go for the hug, hands planting against Revilier's chest and fangs baring a touch. "Then rescind the order, Revilier! If Petrovic needs to be incarcerated that's one thing, but it's too far! Besides that, he has a significant following amongst the military, he's had his in a lot in the last few years...if he were shot without warning, the shock waves it would send though everyone's loyalty would be dangerous as hell to everyone! Not to mention that if they somehow set it up, it would give Olivier all the footing he needed to step up and successfully oust military power from you." Besides...Petrovic's one of her closest companions. "Revilier, please."

The general's eyes go cold, an expression Yin's seen only a handful of times. But he nods, reluctantly; in years past, he would have waved her off, but she's Queen now. Being with her meant sharing his power with her.

"Alright. Fine. If they come back together, I'll throw them in jail and arrange for Olivier to have an accident. Is that acceptable?" He reaches to take her wrists, not planning to do anything with them.

"Yes." This is quieter, a major concession from her too. "Thank you." She sighs quietly...would hug him, but instead stays it so that he can have her wrists instead. Revilier is most definitely her partner, as well as her lover and best friend. Yin closes her eyes. Petrovic...I hope you make the right choices here.

He nods, knowing how hard that is for her, and hating Petrovic just a little more for it. "We should check in with Hinan, tell him the order's changed. It probably wouldn't hurt to watch the entrances fr them to get back." He starts to walk, hoping she'll slide her hand into his and walk with him, intending to head to the command center down the hall.

She does, taking his hand just in preface to the initially-regal entwined arm thing as she falls into step beside him. Originally it had been for appearance, but Yin had ended up attached to the closeness of it. Even when life is difficult, it's that much easier with Revilier.

He walks with her, thinking, thinking. Thinking about her, about Petrovic's feelings for her. He doesn't know that she knows her committed bodyguard is in love with her, but Yin's perceptive. She probably knows. And though it almost confuses him to think it, he wonders if he knows she knows he knows.

Hinan is actually in the command center, which is unusual in itself; he typically works from his office if he isn't in the thick of things. And with him is a sleepy-looking wyvern woman, dressed in jeans and a black Zero Punctuation t-shirt reading 'stonking great' over her breasts, her dusky skin and neat, brown ponytail a dead giveaway to her identity around the tower.

"I was just going to come see you," spymaster Serene , a dedicated sapphire wyvern, notes when the royal couple walks in. "I must respectfully disagree with your shoot on sight order, general."

He glances at Yin. Spies and their foresight.

Yin's face is tired, grateful, and pleased in the same breath...all fairly subtly. That's the other nice thing about other spies. It doesn't take much to communicate gratitude. Also, she's mentally worn out, honestly.

"I don't," Hinan puts in. "I am in perfect agreement with the General's suggestion."

Revilier blinks. "I've had a change of heart," he explains. "I don't want them shot. Bring them in, throw them into confinement instead."

"Moot point, I'm afraid," Serene tells them. "I think the car just showed up with one person in it." She taps a monitor. Sure enough, the corvette is parked, and only Petrovic is emerging.

Yin's expression dampens as she watches, remaining quiet. Petrovic...she's eager to hear what he has to say, though not about to hurry him along. Maybe Olivier had really been driven insane and, seeing his friend long gone, Petrovic had followed his orders.

Maybe he had hidden him.

Either way....it's been a hell of a night for him.

Yin's hold tightens on Revilier's arm, unconsciously leaning closer for comfort.

"Call off the guns at the east elevator," Hinan grumbles into a communicator hidden in his cuff.

"Do you want to talk to him first, Yin?" Revilier asks this, not so much as a matter of professional pride, but because Petrovic is important to her.

"Yeah." Yin sighs softly. "But let him come to me. He said he'd report later...for him, that means 'as soon as it becomes prudent.' We should...keep an eye on his movements in case, but let's just give him a minute in case he really did kill Olivier."

Her husband nods. "Alright, then. Yin, would you give me a few minutes with Hinan? If Petrovic comes looking for you, he may be more willing to talk if I'm not around."

"Yeah. I'll just head back to our apartment, I think..." Yin gazes thoughtfully at the screen. She finally kisses Revilier's cheek, and just heads off that way, too much on her mind really to be social despite a smile nod to Serene.

Revilier colors a little. "I'll meet you there a little later," he says, almost to her back. He glances at Serene, whose smile is utterly impenetrable to him. She nods, though he has no idea why, and she follows Yin with her little smile, soft and playful, endlessly casual, and just waits to be noticed.

Yin notices immediatly, of course. That was her job for years. It's a little bit, about a full hallway, though, before she says anything. When she does, it's quiet and distingly non-royal. "Hey. What's up?"

"You're having a tough day, and I am, too. I thought we might as well share our tough day." Serene very rarely comes right out and says things outside of business.

Yin smiles a bit at the other spy. "Fair enough. I'll provide the alcohol." She chuckles, and thumbprint/dna scans the door open. With the already intense security leading up to this point, their room isn't quite as fortified, though it has a panic mode.

Yin yawns once inside, and stretches as she tosses her sweater aside and heads over in the general direction of the kitchen.

Serene fights the contagious yawn, but succumbs, of course. "What alcohol have you got? I'm partial to bourbon, if you must know, and you must."

"I have a pretty good one." Yin smiles, grabs and appropriate glass...and the bottle. She sets it on a tray so that she can also manage a bottle of cognac, another glass, and a silver flask of blood. These she finally sets on a common table in the living room, and then flops back in the chair. "Ugh. Help yourself. I'll get to pouring my own in a minute. For now, chair good." She snickers, and just looks up at the ceiling. "Just as crazy a day for you for related reasons, I'd imagine."

"Oh, you know how it is. Every day is a new set of political catastrophes no one ever needs to know about. Every day a new, beautiful, dangerous man falls in love with me, and every day I pass on it to come back here and do paperwork on why we should or shouldn't be paying official attention to him." Serene pours a generous glass of bourbon for herself.

Yin chuckles. "You make me so nostalgic." She sits up again to lean forward and pour a cognac for herself, and then uncaps the blood to pour just a few drops into it. Then she takes a drink directly from the flask, before setting it back down to concentrate on her alcohol, waiting until the flood taste fades a little before sipping, swirling the glass in hand. "Though, honestly, it can be such an adventure to take up a few of those handsome, dangerous men on the offer. It's so interesting trying to pick just which ones are planning to hurt you, or similar. Adrenaline does wonders for an affair."

A wistful little smile is beginning to threaten the edges of her lip, gaze far away.

Serene's eyes twinkle a little. "I know that smile. Tell me about him?" She draws her legs up, sitting lotus-ish on the chair as she sips her drink.

The dragoon chuckles quietly, and finally sips her drink. Mm. So good. She sits back in the cushy chair, sighing at how good it feels. A moment of respite.

"Honestly, I thought of Revilier first." She chuckles. "It was...quite the hot little affair, circumstances be damned." Smile broadens a little. "Not that my mind isn't meandering back through history, you understand. I ran into one just this week, an old fling. Three nights, and three evenings."

Mm. Yes. Trevor hadn't been a youngling even then, but...older men did know how to treat a lady.

"Of course, that one ended badly. But it was about the experience, and it was nice to see one another again."

"I'll bet he regrets how that ended," Serene notes, "especially seeing you again." She drinks, eyes cool and impassive, mildly amused. "It can be fun. I remember... hm. I have a dirty little secret to tell you, and you must swear it silent."

The vampiress's eternally seductive little smile quirks a touch. "For how curious I am now? Absolutely."

"To speak of dangerous, beautiful men, I would be patently remiss if I didn't tell you how I came to work for Julen in the first place." Serene sips, smiles as it burns down to her belly button. "It's not unlike how you did, actually, only..." she pauses a second. "Only with the taller Omeaux stud."

"Ahhh...." Yin smiles a bit. "That must have been a hell of an affair. So..." her smile softens a bit with concern. "Want I should get you the stronger stuff, then?"

Serene chuckles, a thin little sound. "No, thank you. And it was a hell of an affair. Olivier, Olivier," she speaks quietly, wistfully, "loved me in ways no one else has dared to try. He completely upended what I was doing, tagged me as a spy, and picked a moment where I thought I had him in the palm of my hand to show me how helpless he'd rendered me, how I'd been bent to his will for weeks and hadn't known it myself, and..." she pauses, and smirks. "He came to me one day, just showed up in the office I had set up as cover, no shoes on, bare to the waist. He walked right past my security, barged into my office, looking so gorgeous in these little black bike shorts. I was on the phone, talking to someone about something cover-related, and he just... strode in, lifted me off my feet and carried me to the wall, and... well. Whoever I had called," Serene snickers, "got an earful of things that day."

Yin smirks. "And hopefully, for their sake, had a bug recording the line." She settles back into the chair, pensively thoughtful and quietly and amused. She sips her drink. "Two of a kind, then. Yours taught mine, I'd think." She chuckles.

Serene's a little far away, remembering. "I hope not," she says, half here. "Olivier and I were officially together for about... never. But we loved for eight years before he got tired of me." Drink drink. "It's what I get for asking to settle down."

Yin's expression softened a bit. Yeah. Ouch. "I don't think that was you. He may be bisexual, but I get the feeling that he's mostly about the boys. Hell, if were a lesbian, I'd be all about getting you locked down." Pause. "Meant that figuratively, but I guess both ways work." She snickers.

"If I were a lesbian, I..." Serene shakes her head. "Ugh. No offense, can't even picture it. But it was fun sharing him from time to time with the boys. Thing is, Your brother was so shy back then. In Olivier's shadow he was like a little kid."

Yin had just been wearing an amused little smirk through the first part. She loves doing that to throw Serene off. One of them is very overtly sensual. She nods slowly through the last bit. "Yeah. I kind of got that impression." She sighs softly...takes a deep drink. Not a good enough reason to stab your brother and leave him in a mountain.

"It's easy to see. It shows through even with the two of them together as briefly as I saw them this evening."

"Yeah. So, I wanna talk to you about finding Olivier tonight," Serene goes on. "Will you help me find him?"

Yin's eyes travel briefly to the door to make sure they're still alone, then back to Serene. There are no bugs in here, she's sure of that. "You think Petrovic probably hid him too, huh?"

"Sure. Petrovic was Olivier's boy toy when we were together. They were tight." She smiles a little more. "Good together, too. Petrovic swore off men after Olivier disappeared; there's no way Petrovic would hurt that man."

"...Huh. That's funny, I never got the 'bi' read off of Petrovic." She ponders this. "Not that that's surprising, I guess. If he decided he wasn't going to go any route anymore, he'd stick to it scarily well."

Her voice trails off, eyes down. This is...she can betray Revilier, or go along with something she knows is wrong. Eyes close. Goddamnit.

"...I should wait for him to report to me, and see what he says. What do you need from me?"

"Permission to look for him myself, and any information you manage to get from Petrovic." Serene asks this with the utmost respect; she considers Yin a friend, even more than a superior, but Julen's spymasters have been forbidden from acting personally since the mercenary days; too much can happen, and they're too valuable. This is a heavy, heavy request.

Yin's eyes are still closed, brow heavy. "...You're asking me to go on record as acting directly against my husband's orders."

Serene nods a little. Then shakes her head. "Not if you don't want to. We don't have to bring the record into it; I'll take my permission however I can get it. Thing is, if you don't and someone finds out... there's a good chance Revilier will kill me. And that's a risk I'm okay with, too."

It's dead quiet. Yin's glass is empty when she sets it back down. Finally...

"Don't get caught. You have my permission. But it never has to be filed if it's never investigated." The queen sighs, and stands. "I'm going to go grab a bath. Please be as good as I think you are, Serene."

Serene smiles. "I'm the best. And don't worry. We never had this conversation. Want me to go tell your pretty boy you're getting nekkid?"

"That's okay. If he's busy elsewhere...well. Honestly, I could use the time to think, too." Yin waves over her shoulder as she heads off towards the master bathroom.

Serene nods. Time apart is good, time together is good. "I'll let myself out," she says, smiling some, and heads off to prepare.  She won't fail at this; if Olivier's alive, she'll find him. She'll find him, slap him, and kiss him, and slap him again.

"Oh, and Serene..." Yin pauses in her step without looking back. "You should talk to him if you find him. You knew him. But...I suspect that may have have lost his mind somewhat in the face of what he's been through. He may or may not be who he was before. Just be aware."

Bathroom door shuts. Not long after, Yin's nose deep in a large, luxurious lukewarm tub that's extremely warm to her touch, just trying to clear her head.

Petrovic's coded knock on her outer door comes only a few minutes later. He has seen the general, but only long enough to be told to report to Yin; he passed Serene in the hall, and she had barely noticed him, an absorbed look on her face.

Yin grudingly opens an eyes, shifts to the other side of the tub, and climbs out just enough to hit the 'let him in' button. She settles back in and closes her eyes, trying to bite back concern. "I'm in the bath," she calls once she hears the door open and close.

After the first time she'd tried unsuccessfully to get a bath six times in a row due to interruptions, an irritated Yin had the bathroom rearranged with an opaque screen on one side to allow conversation regardless.

"My queen," Petrovic breathes once inside. He sits; his eyes are bloodshot, and exhausted. "You sent for me." He says this flatly, without curiosity or energy.

"Yeah." She doesn't have to be able to see him to know what he must look like, from his voice. She closes her eyes. "Are you up to giving your report on what just happened?"

"I think you know what happened," he breathes, softly.

"Not how it turned out." Yin sighs softly. Leans her head back. "I didn't know what your orders were. I do now. I know Olivier was dear to you before, but I also know he may have changed going through...what he did, even if that wasn't his fault. I think..." she opens her eyes.

"I think that tonight you had to make a judgement call about the life of your best friend."

Petrovic nods, pointlessly. "He wanted me to harm you. I..." necessary pause. "I can't. I could hurt Revilier for him, but not you, my queen." Silence. "I've... been in love with you far too long."

"I know, Petrovic. I figured I'd let you work out your feelings yourself, and that if you ever decided to say it, we could figure it out from there." She breathes out slowly. Okay. One thing at a time.

"Olivier, then...?"

"Leaving the country, for the United States. Court martial me if you wish, I can't hurt him any more than I could hurt you." Her answer stung, but wasn't unexpected.

Yin closes her eyes. She doesn't feel like the bath anymore, not really. And...she doesn't know what's going to happen when Petrovic walks out of here. Or rather, doesn't want to think about it. She sighs, hits the drain, and steps out of the bath, wrapping a well-concealing bathrobe securely around herself. The realities of the situation are hitting her now.

Petrovic had been put through hell tonight. Now he's in essentially the same position she'd been in seven years ago. Well, not the same...he'd really done what he's going to be accused of. But it wasn't a choice she suspected that he'd regret.

He won't be her bodyguard anymore...or her chief of security, or the right hand in all her operations.

She's going need to pick someone out of a mess of canddates...none of whom are quite as good, and almost none of whom will be so unwaveringly loyal. None who could know her so well until years have passed again.

None who had stood up and remained by her side throughout her rise to power, and who had seen past "dragoon" from nearly the start.

Wracking changes always...came out of the clearest skies. Yesterday, this was unthinkable. Not that it still wasn't.

"I won't court-martial you. But...you helped a man who's almost certainly going to become an enemy of the state leave the country. A court martial is just...going to happen." She sighs heavily, and runs a brush briefly through her hair, before setting it down.

"I won't be able to change that. It's...out of my power. It's too clean-cut. And you'll almost certainly be found guilty. But I can probably sway sentencing on the grounds that the order should never have been given to you in the first place...." She closes her eyes, brow creased as she heads out into the room. "You just selflessly threw away your career and possibly national sanctity for the sake of the safety someone you care about. I've always known you would do it for me. And I'm not that surprised to see you do it for someone else." Yin shakes her head slowly.

Her step pauses when she passes him, long enough to kiss his military-short hair from behind.

"Take care, Petrovic. I'm...pretty sure you'll be arrested as soon as you leave this hallway." Yin closes her eyes as she continues on to the bedroom for clothes.

Petrovic could be shrinking with every word she says. He's just staring by the time she passes him, his blood frozen in his veins. 

His jaw tightens. Every second of his life here is streaming through his psyche, every bullet he's taken for her, and there have been plenty. Every scar on his body, every night of doing everything conceivable for her while watching her with someone else and hiding his feelings for her sake.

And he's about to be court-martialed for doing something for himself. Once.

He turns on his heel, ultra-military. "I'll just be going, then," his voice is empty, gravelly, and quiet. Dead.

Yin folds her arms, and leans against the doorframe, back remaining towards Petrovic, shoulders tight. She says nothing. She's about to cry, but...she says nothing, and doesn't look back, or move.

It's been one of the harder lessons of her life, from back in her spy days. Once in awhile...you had to let someone you love--any kind of love--hate you, and think you hate them, to save them. Loving someone selflessly sometimes meant dismissing any chance of them ever caring back again, or of them knowing it.

It was something Petrovic knew, she knew. It's why he'd kept silent about his feelings for her for so long.

Not that it made it easy.

And so he goes. Just as expected, there are soldiers waiting in the hall to arrest him, and Petrovic goes with them, quietly. He needs the time to think; acting now, on anything at all, would be acting blind.

Yin just...sniffles once the door is closed, a hand between her eyes trying to repress the tears. Maybe...she should go talk to Alou. It will make her feel better, get her away from all of this, and...is always a good place to start for getting things handled. Kaz's network handles most of her most under-the-table stuff, generally on her personal--though admittedly waning--funds.

Petrovic. Goddamnit.

She wonders idly if she'll end up dying of something or other before all this winds down. God knows he stands between her and enough. It would be funny, in a way.

---

Alou rubs his chest, idly, as if looking for something that isn't there. He does this frequently nowadays, though can't honestly say why.

"So you're saying Patriot-vic is in jail for treason? The man bleeds gold and black," he says, referencing Julen's flag.

"Uh-huh." Yin sighs from where she's leaning sidelong against him. She feels a little better now. She enjoys doing to Alou's ridiculously tight security what Kaz always did to Grace Towers. It makes her feel...in control. And, honestly, she thinks he likes the adrenaline shot of someone being there when they shouldn't be, in a way. The times he doesn't nearly shoot her.

"He did commit treason. But on an order that should never have been given in the first place. And there's no one more loyal...either to Julen, or to me. Not Revilier, no, but to Julen." She sighs shakily. "I don't think I can make a case for his innocence. But I can probably make one for a miscarriage of power, a pressure that shouldn't have been placed on him. That would be...Revilier. I' not looking forward to that. If I defend Petrovic like that, I' going to have to call out my husband's leadership in court. God knows what that could lead to."

She looks up at Alou over his shoulder. "All of the top military available will probably be there. There's no telling what that visible power divide could lead to. But Petrovic's taken literal bullets for me. Just...goddamn."

"What you've got to understand is that, technically, Revilier didn't do anything do wrong. He had a difficult mission come up, and asked a trusted officer to take care of it. Petrovic made a personal choice over a professional one." Alou wonders a moment. "You know Revilier's more like to give Petrovic an accident than let him wade through a sticky trial that'll end in execution anyway, right?"

Yin's fangs bare a little. "And that's where he's working directly against me. He has to know that if it goes to sentencing, there's a very good chance I can talk it down to a relatively light sentence. There was a good reason to take Olivier out, but all things considered, there were better ways to do it. Not to mention his service record."

Her voice trails off, face fading from the focussed anger to the hurt confusion she's really feeling.

"...I don't know what to do, Alou. I don't know if I can keep Petrovic safe in prison. But if I arrange my own accident, one that ends in his disappearance...that would ruin his life, too, and any slim chance he might have had of getting out of this."

"His life is already ruined, Yin, if he came clean to you and you kind of sidestepped it. Man like that, passions don't even faze him. But when he wants something, really wants it, it's gonna consume him. Tuleau could be like that." Alou knows he's stepping on dangerous ground. "But you have more power over Revilier than he'd ever admit to you. You might be able to keep it from going to trial at all; not many people are gonna know why he was jailed."

Yin's brow creases, eyes closing. "I've known for a long time he's been in love with me. I just...well. What do you think I should have done?"

"You're asking my opinion on love matters? Jeez. Um... probably shot him down right away. Nipped the ol' bud. Or fucked him on the side, I guess. Something to keep him from pining away. I guess I'd feel different if I'd been shot down like that, though." Alou shrugs. "There's not a right answer. You made a choice, I'm not sayig it was right or wrong. It was just a choice. Petrovic is a good man, but he has high standards. It'll ruin him, if it hasn't already."

Yin closes her eyes. Nods a little. "If he hates me...that's okay. But I need to find a way to salvage his life for him. Even if..." She opens her eyes. "He's one of my best friends, Alou, even if it's in a weird sort of way. It's hard to imagine him suddenly not being there. I want him to still be there, but...it won't stop me from trying to get him free. But...I'm worried he's going to go after Olivier and maybe end up our enemy. I've had to fight too many friends in my life, Alou." He certainly understands...with her at ends with the dragons so often.

"Olivier, you say? As in, Olivier who bailed on the train to Stuttgart after Petrovic left?" Alou smirks a bit over his shoulder.

Yin's eyes wide. Then: facepalm. "Why can't I convince you to come work for me again?"

"Because you can't afford me, and I can't risk you falling for me." If real life boasted twinkle effects, his smile would blaze with them. "Petrovic driving an American muscle car in public is flat-out weird. So he goes to a cafe by a strip club, picks up two beautiful people and roars off; it's the kidn of thing that raises red flags for a guy like him. So... tailed him. I've got eyes on Olivier right now, in fact."

Yin sits up. "Where's he headed?"

Alou glances at his Blackberry. Clicks a button, selects something else.

"One West third street... he's at a coffee shop, Fritzi's. Actually, he's sitting outside." Alou smirks. "Waving at me."

Yin's expression darkens, nose wrinkling a touch. "He's challenging entirely too openly for someone who supposedly just emerged from half a century with no current allies. He must know that there was an extermination order against him."

"How much briefing could he have received? Who could he possibly have talked to in that amount of time that would know how things work these days?" Alou shakes his head. "There's a hole in this somewhere. I'm willing to bet that he could surmise Revilier would try to have him killed, but he seems to have a pretty good grasp of modern technology and customs and such. You didn't brief him, did you?"

"Of course not. And I don't think Revilier's had time to do it thoroughly. We did find him with MI6. It begs the question of just how long he's been back. We were led to believe it was pretty recent, within just a couple of days, but who know?"

Yin sighs. Alou is her best friend. While she does have to be careful of the information she gives--and she is, loose-tongued as she seems--she can count on him already knowing a lot. And she she dishes a lot to him.

"My concern with Olivier is...well. I don't care if he's the greatest creature in existance. As far as I can tell...we're the bad evil usurpers. But the difference between him and some prodigal son in shining armor is that --on top of honestly thinking he was unhinged by what he went through-- is that he wouldn't know where to start. Even if he's more caught up than he should be on the technology, there's no way he can possibly be caught up on fifty years of political intricacy. The international stage is completely different, the players are. If he took control of Julen...Alou, I'd honest-to-whatever be afraid of its even being here next year. Any sign of tumult or weakness would see us attacked by terrified humans, or conquered by dragons in its moment of weakness. Things have been deceptively peaceful, but they're balance on a knife's edge."

The next words out of Alou's mouth are perhaps the easiest he's ever had to formulate.

"So when I capture him, you'll get a shot at interrogating him. Want first dibs?"

A pause. Then Yin snickers, beaming wryly at one of her dearest friends. "I do so adore you, Alou. I actually prefer not being first, but thank you, I'll gladly take the chance to politely question him. I don't officially know about this for at least twenty minutes, of course."

"I want a favor in return," Alou's a little too quick to note. "You know your spymaster Serene?"

Who, unbeknownst to Alou, is bringing Olivier his coffee in a holy-fuck-how'd-you-do-that black human disguise.

"Think you might set me up with her? Blind date? Something?"

"I can promise I'll ask. You'd really like her, I think. Good at her job, but a genuine enough person when she shuts down at the end of the day." Yin's gazing at the screen...she can't figure out why. Can't figure out why she's looking at the barista. Can't figure it out. Can't figure it...ah. "Got audio?"

Alou smirks. Serene is a less businessy, less glamorous, more earthy version of Yin. Which is what makes her his type; he can't really handle all that glitz.

"Yeah, hold on." He clicks some buttons, the sound of interference fading out flows between them, the sound of traffic, people talking, and finally two people talking. The barista drops off the coffee and starts to step away.

"What's your rush?" Olivier's asking, or that's what Alou assumes from "...or rush?" The barista pauses, looking back at him quizzically. 

"I'm working, of course," Serene says, her voice a soft feather floating on the edge of cockney. "Did you want something else?"

Olivier shrugs. "Company, if you have some. I'm about to do something unearthly stupid and I'd like to say I had a nice conversation first."

Alou blinks. "That's charming these days? I must be getting old. Something you're looking for in particular?"

"Olivier knows her, I think." Yin is watching and listening intently, a finger curled to her lips in intent concentration though...unconsciously in a rather seductive way, even when her mind's on surveillance. Glitz indeed.

Of course, Alou's used to her.

And one of few men who wouldn't become engorged despite knowing her.

The barista sits, looking around uncomfortably.

Olivier leans on his fist.

He smiles.

"Serene."

She tilts her head. "I'm... I'm sorry...?"

Yin wrinkles her nose, and has dialed the number to give a direct command to a squad she has two blocks away. For now, she listens, finger hovering over "send."

"Come on. You know I'm not going to forget you. Though you look amazing black." Olivier leans on his other fist.

"I don't know what you're..."

"Come on. I'm already being watched. Don't make it tougher. How've you been?"

"I don't..."

Olivier leans back. "Don't do this to me. Come on, you've been following me since the station. You were white then. I missed you, I want to talk to you, but if you're going to pull this spy nonsense on me, I'll have to react as a fugitive. Clear?"

She's nodding.

"So how have you been?"

She looks at him, are you fucking kidding me in her eyes.

"I'm good. I'm living my dream. You know I'm here to bring you in, though."

Olivier's eyes smile. 

"Yes. But you won't."

Alou looks at Yin.

"Why?" Serene asks, her hand abruptly hidden in her towel.

"Because I can kill you before you can pull the trigger, Serene." He smiles again.

Yin looks to her now longtime friend. "So what was your takedown plan?"

Alou shrugs. "Oh, I've got a kidnapper van all set up. It's amazing. Wanna see?"

"You wouldn't kill me, would you?" Serene's voice is quivering a little.

Olivier nods. "Yes, I would. Not that I want to. I..."

Abruptly the audio scrambles, the stapPOOM of a beretta shredding the towel, spraying blood onto the table, onto Serene's face and chest. Her eyes are wide, crazed, suddenly.

It had happened so fast, even she didn't know she'd fired. So fast, so fast, she can't figure out why blood is pouring from her chest.

Alou's staring. Olivier's hand on the table is blazing, golden and bright, but Serene is lit up from behind, too.

Trapped in a solid gold ball of light, the bullet from own gun has paused, hanging in the air.

Yin hits the phone. Pauses just until it's picked up. "Commander, this is Yinxirziji and not a drill. Scramble units 13 through fifteen. A dangerous terrorist is showing aggression in the city. Take him down. 13th and Eastern, the coffee house. One of ours is on the ground there and in trouble, the black female gushing blood. Culprit's exhibiting some unknown magic, excercise caution. Shoot to disable and aim to detain if possible; immediately shoot to kill if any of your men are hurt. He looks like a slightly larger version of the General. Go!"

Olivier, on the screen, lunges forward, that golden hand pressing against Serene's wound. He growls, and dashes away from the table where Serene has slumped back in her chair. People are freaking out, naturally, but Olivier is moving and fast, dipping into an alley and shortly followed by Yin's squad.

"Guys," Alou notes into his phone, "alley between 12th and 13th by the coffee shop. Block the 12th street entrance."

On the screen, troops surge into the alley from seemingly all directions. Alou shifts the satellite imager, but the alley is narrow, and the view is obscured by power lines.

There's enough view, though, to see muzzle flashes streaking into the alley.

Silence.

"He's down," one of the soldiers radios back. "Cuffed. Orders?"

"Render him unconscious however you have available. Retrieve our injured agent quickly and without answering any civilian questions. Get both back to the Tower quickly and under the utmost security." Yin breathes out. "Thank you, commander. There is a commendation in this for you if everything is settled."

She hangs up. Dials another number. "Damage control at the site of the recent conflict at 12th and 13th, please: cleanup, crowd-calming, and information control. Please dispatch psyops to handle it. Our story on the matter should come from Soze. Thank you." Hangs up, and breathes out. Soze knows where to call if he doesn't know the whole story. He's good, in his own flaming way.

She looks to Alou, and smirks sidelong. "Guess that's my cue that break time is over. Thanks, by the way. Slick."

Alou shrugs. "S'what I do. Go on. This needs handled quickly."

"Mm-hm." She hugs him, and then heads on off. "I'll still set you up with Serene, but...yeah. She may need some time, she has a lot on her mind and apparently shrapnel in her belly." Poor thing. What a day.

Meanwhile, Yin is cringing at one overriding thought:

Petrovic had helped Olivier escape. And then she'd taken him down. This...may not be forgiven.

It's hard to tell when Yin's pale. But she is.