Taming the shrew [for Thomas III]

[animefangirl]

She smiled at his attempts to trick her, still ignoring the gun pointed her direction as if it were not there. She rather liked this one, he was amusing. Luckily for her she was a lot older than she looked so she would not fall for a trap like that. She thought about her answer for a moment, wanting him to think that she may be falling for his trick after all, before calling back up to him.

"It's not an object you can just find, it's a person you're looking for. He's got an ace assassin on his side and I know how to switch them over to yours. Why do you think I'm down here? He thinks I'm dangerous." She spoke, pleased how she managed to get the whole thing out without once telling him a lie. She was an assassin, she was the only one who knew how to get the bond to transfer to him, and her current master did fear her--hence the reason she was in this hole to begin with.

"All you have to do is kill the man that owns this place, and you were going to do that anyway, then find the door hidden behind his bookshelf. It's the only way down here and there is no guard on the door. The key is hanging outside." Her voice was slightly coaxing now, as if trying to convince him that it was going to be an easy job so he might as well take her along with him since he was going to be killing the owner of the manor anyway.

[Thomas_III]

While Vince is brash, he is far from stupid, and something about this woman's story just doesn't seem to fit. The head of this family had already had dozens of rivals killed without a second thought, so why would he simply cage this girl up in a hole instead of putting her out of his misery like he's done with so many others? Keeping her means that she's somehow important to him. So, either this young lady is lying, and she's really down here as some sort of personal vendetta that the family has against her, or she's actually the weapon, itself. Since she said that the weapon is an assassin, that does seem to fit the puzzle, but it doesn't explain why she would be in chains, or why she would want her employer killed. Still, she seems to know far too much about the weapon to simply be imprisoned because of a grudge. At this point, there are just too many questions that need to be answered, but Vince doesn't have the time for that right now.


“Alright, then. I'll kill him, and then I'll come and find you. If everything is as your say, then you'd better be ready to give me some new information that you're still holding on to, because it's painfully obvious that you're hiding something.”

[animefangirl]

She could not read minds like some of her kind, so she had no idea that he was thinking over the things she'd said to him and trying to ferret out the truth behind them. She also had no idea that he had figured out she was the assassin even though he wondered how she'd ended up in her current predicament. All she could go off of was what he said, and what he said was that he would do as she'd said as long as she answered his questions and had not lied to him. She thought she had him right where she wanted him, and that she would soon have him dancing to her tune. "Very well. I will answer your questions if you free me and take me with you when you leave." She agreed, waiting patiently for him to go and kill her master so that the bond could switch to him. She would feel the bond changing hands, but it was extremely unlikely that he would since he was just a human and they tended not to be sensitive to such things.

[Thomas_III]

Vince grumbles under his breath, and then slides back from the grate without ever taking his eyes away from her. At this point, he knows that he still can't trust her, no matter how sweetly she may try to talk to him. He doesn't even know her name, yet, so there really isn't any particularly reason for him to believe what she says, other than that she does have some kind of knowledge about the weapon. At any rate, if he can't find the answer inside the house, he could still let her out of the cage and hope to get answers from her. It still strikes him as odd that he hasn't run into any guards, yet, especially with a prisoner kept on the grounds. He assumes, though, that she was left out here to die, since she likely wouldn't last very long exposed to the elements like she is. Plus, he figures that the majority of the guards must be positioned inside, which would make his attempts to get inside a bit treacherous.

[animefangirl]

Cecilia followed his slow progress towards the house, her senses sharp enough that she could tell where everyone was and for the most part what they were doing. She had not expected him to take her offer so quickly, but she was pleased nonetheless. Had she known his concerns over the lack of guards she could have told him that the men refused to stand guard around her cell for fear of her, but she would not have because it would have raised more questions than it was worth.

However, her current master had gotten cocky and complacent. Trusting that her presence close to his room would be enough to keep him safe and paranoid that one of his men would betray him and take her away just as he had to the master before him. Therefore, there were no guards close to his rooms, so all Vince would have to do is get through the ground floor and up to the second where her master's room was. Once he was there he was fine so long as he did not wake the man up because then the man would come down here and order her to kill Vince, although there was no requirement that she actually kill who was ordered, he just did not know that.

[Thomas_III]

Knowing that it would be unlikely that he could find an unlocked window or door to just climb in, and that attempting to do so would likely alert anyone nearby to his presence, Vince decides on a more straightforward approach to the situation at hand. Finding a door near the back of the house that looks like it might be a servant entrance, he hides in the shadows and patiently waits. He knows that there is a good chance that at least one of the guards must smoke, and they probably aren't allowed to smoke inside. As soon as someone comes outside for a smoke break, he would have his chance to get inside. After only a few minutes of waiting, that chance arises when a burly thug opens the door and stands in it, holding the door open so it doesn't lock behind him. Moving up stealthily behind the man, it only takes a moment to slip a knife up to the guard's neck and slice his throat open. Catching the door with his foot before it closes, he slips a trashcan into the gap to hold it open while he drags the guard's body into the bushes. Satisfied that he would have at least a few minutes to work before the body would be found, he sneaks inside the door and closes it behind him. Finding himself in the pantry, he starts to work his way through the kitchen, looking for any sign of a staircase or other means of getting upstairs.

[animefangirl]

Cecilia's eyes glowed slightly when the scent of fresh blood filled the air and she smirked a little. Apparently this guy was not a sissy about killing, which was to her benefit since she needed him to allow her to hunt. The man infiltrated the building and she followed his movements into the kitchen. If he left the kitchen and turned to the right he would find the small staircase that lead upstairs, there shouldn't be a guard there at this time of night. But, if he headed to the left he would end up near the main entrance where the majority of the guards would be hanging out, playing dice or something else since they were not the brightest bunch in the world and had difficulty keeping their minds on their work for long periods of time. Upstairs her master was still sleeping deeply, so confident in his safety that he slept deeply.

[Thomas_III]

Upon exiting the kitchen, Vince looks left and right, wondering which direction would give him the easiest access to the upper floors. He almost starts towards the left, but his ears pick up the sounds of activity from that direction. Judging by the level of noise, there was probably four or five people, so it probably wouldn't be a good idea to head in that direction if he doesn't have to. So, instead, he turns to the right, figuring that he could always try sneaking to the left if he doesn't find anything. He quickly comes across the stairs, though, which removes his worry about having to face the other inhabitants of the house. Carefully ascending the staircase while mindful of any loose boards that could creak and reveal his presence, he tries to get his bearings and remember which direction he has to go when he reaches the next floor.

[animefangirl]

Cecilia tensed as Vince managed to make it up the stairs, he was doing rather well but she had heard movement in her Master's room that indicated he was awake now. She wished for the hundredth time that her powers were not restricted by this collar, because then she could have told Vince what was going on. Instead she had to sit tight, following everything that was going on upstairs. Ricardo woke and headed out into the hall to go to the bathroom when he spotted Vince, he stared at the guy for a second, almost unable to comprehend that anyone had managed to get into his stronghold.

Then he bolted back into his room and down the hidden stairs to where Cecilia was chained, intending on breaking her free so she could save him. "Monster, break the chains and kill the intruder." He ordered, yanking the door of her cell open. Cecilia felt her strength return to her as he lifted the restriction on her collar and she effortlessly ripped the iron manacles around her wrists and ankles off. She could use her strength only when her master wanted her to, it was the magic of the collar, it responded to the wants of her master. It also had the negative effect of preventing her from killing even if her master tells her she can, because if he doesn't actually want her to do it it wouldn't work.

She straightened her back and smirked at her master, not moving an inch to obey his orders. She did not have to kill when ordered to, she just could not unless ordered to. So she had no intention whatsoever of killing Vince, because he was her ticket out of here. She could not kill her Master herself, but he could, and then if he was a man of his word he would take her with him. Even if he did try to go back on his promise, she would be forced to escape on her own and then track him down because she would need him to feed, so either way Vince would be stuck with her but she would at least be free of Ricardo.

[Thomas_III]

Vince curses under his breath when he realizes that he's been spotted. Deciding that speed was now more important than stealth, he takes off running after the man, pausing only long enough to close and lock the bedroom door to slow down any guards that would likely overhear the ruckus. He knows that it won't hold them for long, but it should at least give him a few minutes to overtake their boss and gain some advantage. Taking off down the stairway that he'd seen the man descend, he soon comes to the bottom where it opens up into the girl's dungeon. Pulling his weapon, he points it towards the two of them, alternating between the man and the girl since he's unsure of which may be a bigger threat. Since it sounds like the man is ordering her to kill him, it seems to affirm his suspicions regarding the girl, though he still doesn't comprehend why she would be so enslaved to the man that he could control her in that way.


“Alright. There are three people in this room. At least one of those will be left here on the cold floor while the others walk out under their own power. Now, who is going to stay, and who's going to go?”


His question is directed more at the girl than anyone else, wanting her to understand that he would have no moral dilemma with shooting her down if it comes to that.