Shaken and Stirred

*Posted by* Largehobbit

Posted: Mar 14, 2018, 10:10pm

Elesium Codex IV.III

The first tremors were felt on the eve of a great party in the Highholm district. The grand construction project that appears in later records under Incident V.II.X was announced that night at the home of a city Councilman. If the import of that announcement had truly been know perhaps the days that followed might have followed a different path, but on the eve of the 18th August as the ground shook beneath their feet the citizens of the Dark City raised glasses and toasted the wisdom of their leaders.

\*\*\*
Eli roared with laughter as he planted his fist square in the face of a squat young man with muddy blonde hair. The lad went flying over a nearby table and crashed clear through the chair on the other side. A glancing blow caught him on the jaw and he ducked the second punch as one of the larger brawlers squared off against him.

Lina was standing on a table nearby hanging from the light fitting and kicking out at two men who were trying to drag her down for a beating. Several of the Seraphim crew had entered the fray once the fight was started and there was now and even match between them and the rest of the bar.

"Watch the furniture Eli." the barman called over from where he stood calmly polishing glasses and stacking them under the bar.

"You heard the man." Eli called up to Lina and she laughed,

"Right you are!" she flipped the barman a quick salute before launching herself head first into the crowd below.

Suddenly the ground began to shake, the glasses behind the bar rattling so violently that some fell to the ground. The barman trying in vain to catch the more expensive bottles of spirits called out for help and the fight forgotten several of the men leapt behind the bar to help save the alcohol.

Eli grabbed the table to keep from falling as the shaking continued and Lina stumbled her way over to him,

"What the hell?" she exclaimed just as the rumbling subsided.

"Tremor." Eli said looking around in confusion. One of the drunken combatants picked himself up and offered a hand to Lina which she took with her right before knocking him clean out with her left.

"Lets go check on the Seraphim." Eli said and she gave a short nod before following the man out into the night.

\*\*\*

Emma straddled the Councilman, naked from the waste down. The man was off his head on what ever drugs he had managed to pick up at Spinks manor, she had declined his offer to share them earlier and was now doing her best to arouse the fool, who was frankly wasting his money. Still he had been talkative which was good, she pretty much had a transcript of the nights announcement and a few extra bits of information that would make the evenings work worthwhile.

She gasped in surprise to see that the fool was actually falling asleep beneath her. His head was lolling to one side and was that... it was! He was bloody well snoring. She considered slapping his fat face and calling for Joe to throw him out onto the street, but then the room began to shake.

The furniture rattled and moved and the window clattered as if a train were passing by. She reached over and grabbed a half full glass of wine from the sideboard before it fell to the floor and then sat and watched as the whole world continued to shake around her. Finally it came to an end and she made to climb from the bed.

A strong hand grabbed her wrist and she looked down to see the councilman wide awake and staring up at her and... oh for gods sake he was finally in the mood. She gave a sigh before forcing herself to smile back down at him.

"Wha...t wassat." he managed to slur out the words.

"Oh it's all part of the service." she murmured as she went about the evenings business.

\*\*\*

Mavromickali Mortimer grumbled to himself under his breath as he counted out the small white tablets into a glass vial. Finally satisfied he pressed in the cork stopper and turned to face Edward Hanton. Edward snatched the vial and tucked it into his jacket pocket.

"I need more and soon." Edward snapped, his good eye boring through the man. Mortimer knew that the Spider would like nothing better than to declare him a heretic and drag him off to that hell hole that served as his office. He also knew that the Spider needed him to stay healthy, well functional anyway, healthy was not really an option for a man like Edward Hanton.

"You need something stronger." Mortimer snapped back, "Give me a week and I will arrange something special."

Edward glared for a long moment then before nodding and turning to his black clad goon that stood blocking the exit. Before he passed through the door he turned back,

"and Mortimer I am receiving too many reports of missing orphans of late, stick to cats and dogs for a while will you."

"The results as never as effective." the scientist grumbled.

"Then try rats." Edward growled stepping back towards the man. Mortimer raised his frail hands and nodded his head.

"Rats it is." he agreed.

Edward turned to leave once more but as he did the ground began to shake. He stumbled and was caught by his man. Mortimer however was not so lucky and fell backwards towards the wall where a pot of bubbling chemicals tipped over and spilt down onto his leg. He squealed in pain as the room continued to rattle and the ground groaned beneath their feet.

When the world stopped shaking Edward was stood over him as he whimpered in pain.

"One week." said the Spider, "and clean this place up will you, it is a frightful mess."

\*\*\*

Gill walked next to the watch sergeant as they made their way towards the Sprawl lock up. He kept glancing over at the man and then off into the darkness. He could run again, maybe this time the man would not catch him, but if he did...

The sergeant was muttering to himself the whole way and grabbed the coins from his pocket several times before shaking his head and thrusting them back in. He turned to Gill and made to say something then thought better of it and continued on in silence.

"Woah!" Gill exclaimed as the ground began to shake beneath them. The sergeant fell to his knees with a grim curse and looked around wildly.

"What the hell." he managed over the rumbled of the earth.

Gill helped him to his feet and the sergeant looked down at him gripping his am tightly. Gill saw for the first time that he had tears in his eyes, he looked as scared as Gill was. The world shook around them and the watchman dragged the coins from his pocket once more and thrust them into Gills hand.

"Run." he said and as he spoke the tremor came to an end.

"Run." he repeated and then Gill was pushed away and found himself running away into the night.

He was free, he had escaped. Everything would be alright now!