Marli Anderson is a woman with a very special set of circumstances.
One: She infiltrated a cult that dedicates the Filth while being a creature of the Filth herself. All it took was one slip up, one burst of black veins, and the cult had defected from The Dawnbreak to Marli Anderson, their new savior.
Well, the constant flood of news reports showing that more and more of their fellows had been killed in anti-Dawnbreak attacks had probably helped that transition along too.
Two: Marli, as someone who has worked with Venice before, has access to the Reports concerning the OPERATION known as Hidden Dragon. She knows, full well, that one demon raged on the dance floor in Miami and another one was taken into custody. She knows that these are the Daughters of Karsgaard, the foul demon who was taken down just after the New Year.
Three: Marli has an action plan for finding the next demon - and perhaps the next, and the next. She would have executed it with Knight-Captain Cassandra Arbuthnot - and then the woman was captured by the Dawnbreak.
And Marli had waited.
There would be no more waiting.
She picks up her phone, and makes some calls.
---
Marli waits, pacing the floor of the empty conference room that she had cleared out earlier in the day.
Cass is the first to arrive in the Venetian conference room, although she seems positive this is going to be a trap. She pokes her head in first. “H-Hello?” She asks, hesitant.
“Please, have a seat Cass.” Marli says softly as she turns towards her.
Cass looks at the otherwise empty conference room, raises her eyebrows, and then sits down. “Uh, this just you and me, or...?”
“I have invited Jericho to join us. We will wait until his arrival.”
Blake walks in, dressed in a dark blue suit, with a white shirt and black tie and ankle boots. And the Aviators, of course. “Good day, ladies.”
Cass is doodling on a piece of paper. “So, uh, Marli, you uh - what’s this about?”
“Good day Jericho.” Taking one of the seats across from Cass and Blake “I know everything about the other demons that you and the others have been finding. There are more.”
Cass grimaces. It’s pretty obvious from her reaction how Marli knows about the demon taken into Illuminati custody.
“More? What have you learned?”
“I have gathered a new web of information that is or were involved with a certain element. There have been whispers of another after your recent operation has woken it.”
“There was one in Miami, yes. And uh, Blake - Marli and I, after what happened in Twin Falls -” She glances nervously at the other woman. “We both saw something. More demons, more pain. Things like Miami are just going to happen again, and again, and again... As long as there are demons to feed.”
“What do you mean you saw them, Mrs. Havelock?” He looks from one woman to the other.
“We conducted a ritual that join our minds. It was part of what had happened in those woods before you killed the demon and captured Rosas. The magic that cass was performing had some, side effects, when I attempted to stop her.”
“Turns out you mix Chaos and Blood magic and throw someone at the caster, shit goes bad.” Cass rubs her head. “Throw in the runes we were using to restrain Rosas and the demon - we saw some shit, man. Orochi. Demons. Testing.”
“Interesting.” He doesn’t seem too impressed, but then again, it’s Blake. “So have you located them, Ms. Anderson?”
“There’s an Orochi facility in Nunavut.” Cass says. “We - we were going to assault it together, but then I got the call to West Virginia, and...” Cass flexes her fingers automatically.
“Timetables were pushed back and I was left in Seoul, so I compromised in my mission there. There is a small cell that I have taken over. They are willing to do what I say and are loyal.” She leans back in her chair, studying their reactions.
“A cell.” Blake looks at her impassively. “Of the Dawnbreak.”
“Wait, wait, no, hold on, maybe - maybe she means a cell of something else, because only an insane person would TAKE OVER A DAWNBREAK CELL ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”
Marli looks right to Cass without any sign of emotion “They are no longer part of Dawnbreak. You see, I’ve had the time in persuading them in seeing me as their leader, per say.”
Cass looks at Marli incredulously. “That’s... not comforting, Marli.”
“A cult to Ms. Anderson. Based on what? No offense, but there has to be a reason they’re following you.”
“It is because of who I am. I am partially made up of filth which is high looked up to in their eyes. You do not need to worry though as I do not enjoy the attention and they are there to simply be an ends to a means in what we will do to find the remaining Karsgaard daughters.”
The Knight-Captain leans back in her chair, still looking... alarmed. “I’m in, because the demons need to be stopped - but the second we’re done, that Dawnbreak cell is BURNED TO THE FUCKING GROUND. You hear me?”
Again she stared to Cass “Their threads are finite and at the end of this they are to be removed from this world.”
Jericho shrugs. “Will they really be useful? The ones we’ve faced so far really haven’t been fighters.”
“Nunavut’s a long way from home. Long walk from an Agartha portal too. Even something like... making sure we have food and a warm place to sleep will be hard. Can your cultists -” Cass spits the word with contempt. “Handle that, Marli?”
“Some are useful in a sense, the majority are not and are simple followers to what they believe.” Taking a piece of paper from her coat pocket she begins to write “You will find that they are resourceful and can be accommodating as needed. There are plenty of rooms that can be arranged for you both and any others that wish to join. Do remember in that their ignorance is vital to the true nature of our mission. Compliance is something needed to keep their usefulness for now.”
“And what happens if they recognize my face - the face that was on the broadcast - and slit my throat while I sleep?”
“You would not have to worry in this. We can portray in that you are traveling through Seoul and that you will be a guest of honor.”
Cass just nods.
“So you want us to join you in Seoul?”
“That is the idea. It would be an honor in that you would do so.”
He nods. “I’m not popular with the Dragon. There’s always a kill squad or two waiting to ambush me there. If you don’t mind, I certainly don’t.”
“I would not have seen cowardice being a trait you have within yourself. You have shown more of a warriors path in the times I have seen.”
“Hey, I’m used to it. Wouldn’t want you in the line of fire.”
“Seoul, then Nunavut.” Cass sighs. “Good thing I’m still technically on medical leave. Looks like I’ll need it.”
One: She infiltrated a cult that dedicates the Filth while being a creature of the Filth herself. All it took was one slip up, one burst of black veins, and the cult had defected from The Dawnbreak to Marli Anderson, their new savior.
Well, the constant flood of news reports showing that more and more of their fellows had been killed in anti-Dawnbreak attacks had probably helped that transition along too.
Two: Marli, as someone who has worked with Venice before, has access to the Reports concerning the OPERATION known as Hidden Dragon. She knows, full well, that one demon raged on the dance floor in Miami and another one was taken into custody. She knows that these are the Daughters of Karsgaard, the foul demon who was taken down just after the New Year.
Three: Marli has an action plan for finding the next demon - and perhaps the next, and the next. She would have executed it with Knight-Captain Cassandra Arbuthnot - and then the woman was captured by the Dawnbreak.
And Marli had waited.
There would be no more waiting.
She picks up her phone, and makes some calls.
---
Marli waits, pacing the floor of the empty conference room that she had cleared out earlier in the day.
Cass is the first to arrive in the Venetian conference room, although she seems positive this is going to be a trap. She pokes her head in first. “H-Hello?” She asks, hesitant.
“Please, have a seat Cass.” Marli says softly as she turns towards her.
Cass looks at the otherwise empty conference room, raises her eyebrows, and then sits down. “Uh, this just you and me, or...?”
“I have invited Jericho to join us. We will wait until his arrival.”
Blake walks in, dressed in a dark blue suit, with a white shirt and black tie and ankle boots. And the Aviators, of course. “Good day, ladies.”
Cass is doodling on a piece of paper. “So, uh, Marli, you uh - what’s this about?”
“Good day Jericho.” Taking one of the seats across from Cass and Blake “I know everything about the other demons that you and the others have been finding. There are more.”
Cass grimaces. It’s pretty obvious from her reaction how Marli knows about the demon taken into Illuminati custody.
“More? What have you learned?”
“I have gathered a new web of information that is or were involved with a certain element. There have been whispers of another after your recent operation has woken it.”
“There was one in Miami, yes. And uh, Blake - Marli and I, after what happened in Twin Falls -” She glances nervously at the other woman. “We both saw something. More demons, more pain. Things like Miami are just going to happen again, and again, and again... As long as there are demons to feed.”
“What do you mean you saw them, Mrs. Havelock?” He looks from one woman to the other.
“We conducted a ritual that join our minds. It was part of what had happened in those woods before you killed the demon and captured Rosas. The magic that cass was performing had some, side effects, when I attempted to stop her.”
“Turns out you mix Chaos and Blood magic and throw someone at the caster, shit goes bad.” Cass rubs her head. “Throw in the runes we were using to restrain Rosas and the demon - we saw some shit, man. Orochi. Demons. Testing.”
“Interesting.” He doesn’t seem too impressed, but then again, it’s Blake. “So have you located them, Ms. Anderson?”
“There’s an Orochi facility in Nunavut.” Cass says. “We - we were going to assault it together, but then I got the call to West Virginia, and...” Cass flexes her fingers automatically.
“Timetables were pushed back and I was left in Seoul, so I compromised in my mission there. There is a small cell that I have taken over. They are willing to do what I say and are loyal.” She leans back in her chair, studying their reactions.
“A cell.” Blake looks at her impassively. “Of the Dawnbreak.”
“Wait, wait, no, hold on, maybe - maybe she means a cell of something else, because only an insane person would TAKE OVER A DAWNBREAK CELL ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”
Marli looks right to Cass without any sign of emotion “They are no longer part of Dawnbreak. You see, I’ve had the time in persuading them in seeing me as their leader, per say.”
Cass looks at Marli incredulously. “That’s... not comforting, Marli.”
“A cult to Ms. Anderson. Based on what? No offense, but there has to be a reason they’re following you.”
“It is because of who I am. I am partially made up of filth which is high looked up to in their eyes. You do not need to worry though as I do not enjoy the attention and they are there to simply be an ends to a means in what we will do to find the remaining Karsgaard daughters.”
The Knight-Captain leans back in her chair, still looking... alarmed. “I’m in, because the demons need to be stopped - but the second we’re done, that Dawnbreak cell is BURNED TO THE FUCKING GROUND. You hear me?”
Again she stared to Cass “Their threads are finite and at the end of this they are to be removed from this world.”
Jericho shrugs. “Will they really be useful? The ones we’ve faced so far really haven’t been fighters.”
“Nunavut’s a long way from home. Long walk from an Agartha portal too. Even something like... making sure we have food and a warm place to sleep will be hard. Can your cultists -” Cass spits the word with contempt. “Handle that, Marli?”
“Some are useful in a sense, the majority are not and are simple followers to what they believe.” Taking a piece of paper from her coat pocket she begins to write “You will find that they are resourceful and can be accommodating as needed. There are plenty of rooms that can be arranged for you both and any others that wish to join. Do remember in that their ignorance is vital to the true nature of our mission. Compliance is something needed to keep their usefulness for now.”
“And what happens if they recognize my face - the face that was on the broadcast - and slit my throat while I sleep?”
“You would not have to worry in this. We can portray in that you are traveling through Seoul and that you will be a guest of honor.”
Cass just nods.
“So you want us to join you in Seoul?”
“That is the idea. It would be an honor in that you would do so.”
He nods. “I’m not popular with the Dragon. There’s always a kill squad or two waiting to ambush me there. If you don’t mind, I certainly don’t.”
“I would not have seen cowardice being a trait you have within yourself. You have shown more of a warriors path in the times I have seen.”
“Hey, I’m used to it. Wouldn’t want you in the line of fire.”
“Seoul, then Nunavut.” Cass sighs. “Good thing I’m still technically on medical leave. Looks like I’ll need it.”