Kingdom of Madness; Briefing. [Plot]

Still not trusting the man she motions her head towards her ax and says, "If you honestly think about even touching me you'd have to say farewell to half of your body." Taking a step closer she starts making light of what seemed to be a large object of some sort but couldn't see well due to the dark. Clenching her fists a bit she questions the man again, "And what kind of stuff are you delivering at such a late hour? Seems pretty suspicious to me." Taking another step closer she readies herself for any possible assault he might do to her.

Joe backs away a little with his hands out
"Hey, I'm not looking for trouble, I'm just tryin' to do my job here. We've got these set pieces we need to deliver. They're meant to be dummies of the actors in the production, so we can have them dead in the shot without spending any extra money on screen-time. Whoever made these things is a damned artist."
Joe looks down at Kail and kicks him lightly in the side
"They look so real, it's weird. They weigh a tonne, too. Like I said, I'm just delivering them."

Seeing the form of a human lying in the shadows Celeste walks towards him to see whether he's lying or not. Taking a good look at him she sees he's not concealing any large blades and probably couldn't take her on in a fight. Besides, her semblance can dull any blows she gets so she'd have time to react if he suddenly attacked with a weapon."I've never heard of such a thing. Stand back, I'm gonna make sure if you're lying or not." Moving towards the "dummy" she kneels down towards "it" and places her hand on "it's" neck to check if it really was real but also while exposing her back to the "delivery guy." Feeling a slight thump and warmth in the body's neck she immediately gets shocked and figures out what he really was doing.

A pulse! This is no dummy!

Realising too late, the canister Joe had set beside Kail exploded into more of the sleeping gas. Joe takes a seat in the van (The driver's compartment, not connected to the back where Chelsea is) and waits for the gas to do its thing and dissipate.

Schrödinger sighed when Lí wrestled his hand out of his grip, he just wanted to feel smart and know where to go since Seras wasn't around, but was denied this enjoyment, however in his mind Schrödinger agreed with Lí's decision. He put his hands in his short's pockets, bowed his head and slowly followed behind Lí, grumbling to himself about nothing in particular.

As Lí walks along, he runs his mind through various locations that would be suitable for him and his partner to be kidnapped. Inspiration striking, he tells Schrödinger, "We're going to head down by the docks. It's still a fair distance away, which gives them plenty of time, and the view is nice, if we have to wait."

About four blocks away from Celeste and Joe a figure wearing a black hood paired with black jeans and a metal mask that covered all but his eyes leaned against the wall out of sight cloaked in the darkness the alleyway provided save for his hands which held a small dark leather rectangle. His hands silently unfolded the leather and began counting under his breath "Ten...Twenty...Thirty...That's it? If that is all there is just keep it" he spoke to himself quietly before stepping out of the shadow and slipping the wallet back into the pocket of the man who had walked down the alley moments later. Thankfully he had not noticed Zwei when he pick pocketed and un-pickpocketed him without taking anything. He turned the opposite direction and flipped his hood up that would hide his brown hair and began walking away from the man. "Might as well go grab a drink" Zwei smirked before turning down another corridor to head to the bar.

Schrödinger followed Lí, his head still low and his hands in his pocket, kicking rocks across the road as he walked. When Lí began to speak Schrödinger looked up, a smile growing on his face. "Oh ja, ze docks, I know zem!" He said happily and quite loudly before picturing himself standing in the docks in his mind. He opened his eyes again to see his imagination become reality, he was now at the docks, he looked around and also decided that it was quite a good place for kidnappers to lurk about. He leaned against a large crate and let his hair fall over his lilac eyes I hate waiting. He thought to himself as he found something to ease his boredom. He pulled out a packet of cigarettes and a reuseable metal lighter, he placed the cigarette in his mouth and lit it, he took a long inhale and slowly breathed out. He let feeling of stresslessness wash over him for the brief moment he had before he realised something. "Scheiße! What if he gets kidnapped without me?" Schrödinger spat the cigarette out of his mouth before imagining himself stood back behind Lí. Schrödinger then began to walk with Lí to the docks, not taking the chance of being separated.

A few blocks away at a bar, a lone woman stood inside of the bar. She leaning on the bar and sipping a very alcoholic/fruity drink. She toasted glasses with the man next to her who sat silently hunched over in the seat next to her. She pat him on the back and said, "Well Pat, looks like business is good as usual...cheers to your 'good health'." She looked around the room with a demonic grin as she saw the blood stains and bodies crowding the bar and a dim red light in the background. She watched as the man named Pat sat slumped over next to her hit the floor with a loud thump and a pool of blood and alcohol began to form. She laughed almost demonically and it echoed throughout the bar that was turned into hell...

Coughing and trying to struggle to her feet, Celeste tries grabbing her ax but her body won't listen. She found herself with both hands on the floor slowly losing her strength and consciousness. No, stay awake. Stay awake. Stay...awake.... Collapsing to the ground as she inhaled more of the gas Celeste loses consciousness and darkness engulfs her vision.

Joe waits for the smoke to clear, and continues to load Kail (And now Celeste) into the van.
Upon finishing, he pulls out the walkie talkie again
"I've got three of the eight targets for tonight. Any leads on where I can nab another?"

"We have word of one of them entering an alleyway not far from where you are. If you hurry, you might be able to get him before he exits the alley."

"On it. Headed there now."

Putting the talkie away, Joe gets in the van and drives over to the alley in question Getting out of the van, Joe could just make out a figure wearing a top-hat in the alley.
Joe walks into the alley after the top-hatted man.
"Excuse me? I'm afraid I'm a little lost, can you give me a hand?" he calls out.

"Hm?" Byron hums, turning his head to look over his shoulder to see a man. "Possibly. Where are you heading?"

Once Zwei had arrived at the doors of the bar after cutting several more alleyways at a rather brisk pace he raised his foot up to the door and threw all his weight into a kick and kicked the door open. He knew it wouldn't cause damage beyond repair the way he kicked it. He stepped inside wearing a huge grin yet to notice the carnage inside. "I want six bottles of vodka and double...that.......of....beer" he slowly came to the realization of what was going on around him. His chance to be confused didn't last long as it was answered by his gaze meeting Rosa who was laughing manically. He didn't appear or sound afraid as he spoke but instead sounded a little more than irritated. "Y'know if you are gonna kill a bunch of people it is always polite to check if anyone will need them first..." He sighed "There go my plans on getting drunk" he spoke under his breath.

When Schrödinger disappears entirely, Lí sighs, half relieved and half exasperated, only to do so again when the cat Faunus suddenly returns. "Let's just walk there. Gives them plenty of time, that way."

'And I suspect you would enjoy my company, anyway...' he doesn't say, merely continuing along his way to the docks, keeping an eye out for anything suspect.

"I'm looking for the docks. I've got a delivery to pick up, but I'm a little lost."
Joe pulls out a map
"Do you think you could give me a hand?" He asks, pointing at the map

"Oh sure," Byron smiles but doesn't move from where he stood. He simply pointed to the man's left. "So what you want to do is head down that road down to a street called Evergreen Dr. It's next to this archery equipment shop, you can't miss it. Then make a left turn from that shop and..."

Byron went on giving the man verbal instructions to the docks.

"... You got that? Would you like me to say it again while you write this down?"

This one is clever. That route leads me in three circles before ending up at the Docks. I'll have to try something different.
Putting the map away, Joe says "No, I think I've got it. Thanks."
Joe walked back to his van and drove it a few meters, before purposefully stalling the engine.
"Gahh, DAMMIT"
Joe gets out of the van and walks back to the alley.
"I hate to be a pain again, but could you give me a push?"

"Sorry to say but I don't have much muscles," Byron said technically not lying, "Look at these arms. Scrawny huh? Never got enough nutrition. If you want I can call somebody for you. Oh but I don't have my scroll with me. There should be a pay phone nearby. I'll spot you some change."

Pulling his hand out of his pocket, Byron flips some lien coins at the man's direction and they clattered on the ground in front of him.

"Sorry I can't be of much help. I'm afraid I might pull a muscle you know?"

Damn, this guy is getting annoying.
"Don't worry about the change, I have some."
Joe flicks the coin back to Byron
Canisters aren't going to work with this one.
Joe heads back to the van and takes a crossbow from the passenger seat. He loads it with a tranquiliser bolt, and heads back to the alley. This time, doing it stealthily. Making sure Byron wasn't looking his way, he takes aim, and lets the bolt fly for the small of Byron's back.

The arrow simply bounces off Thanatos, Byron's infamous coffin weapon he carries around like a backpack. Hearing the clank, Byron turns around and smiles.

"You seem to have dropped something," Byron smiles. He steps on the bolt and stares at the man. "Tell me my good fellow, do you follow local gossip?" Byron's smile turned into a mischievous grin. He tilts his hat so that the shadow covers his eyes. "There's been a rumor going around. People disappearing overnight. It's quite strange really. It has the policemen baffled. It's almost amusing. But you know what's even more amusing? Apparently the people who disappeared are all just about as unrelated as a group picked for jury duty. No relation, no nothing. Yet there is one thing that seems to connect them all..."

Byron lifts his hat and smiles, his one good eye showing, a slight glint to his red irises. "They were all supposedly mentally unstable... Quite a strange connection don't you think?" Byron's grin slowly became wider. "Tell me, what do you think?"

Joe throws the crossbow down.
"I think my employer skimped me on necessary information."
Joe walks out from the shadows
"So tell me. Now that you've figured this out, what do you plan to do?" He asks with a grin

Byron chuckles. "These arrows seem rather unnecessary," Byron comments as he picks the one on the ground up and twirls it in his fingers, "So barbaric really. I imagine you must have something more subtle then this. Some chloroform? Maybe some sort of gas? May I see it? You can simply set whatever it is on the ground and roll it halfway between us if you want, I should be able to see it well enough good chap..."

Is he an idiot? Or is he just messing with me?
Joe decides to take a risk.
"As you wish..."
He pulls out three canisters and throws them around Byron.
Upon landing, the canisters detonate.

"So that's how you work..." Byron smiles as he sees the gas rising. He doesn't show any sign of worry or any intention of running. He actually strolls towards the canisters where the gas is strongest. "It interests me, what you've been doing that is. You kidnap those labeled mentally unstable and take them off somewhere but where? And for what? You see, I'm the type of man who gets bored easily..."

As Byron walks right next to the canisters, his foot steps on one and he chuckles at the man before him.

"So I'll play your little game. I'll play with you if only to satisfy this curiosity and to improve on this dull day. So please..." Byron starts chuckling louder and louder, the smoke covering him completely, his eye slowly closing, "... Do not bore me..."

Byron's laughter echoes across the alley, his body shrouded in the gas. As it eventually clear, Byron remains standing, but his head is lowered and his eyes are close. He seems to be lightly snoring as if simply taking a nap, somehow while stay standing, his body swaying slightly in place.

Rosa looks at the lone figure enter and stops laughing. She picks up her drunk finishing it off. She motioned Zwei over to the now bloody seat next to her. She said, "Eh, no one cared about these nobody drunks anyways, I was doing them a favor..." She took out her knife and laid it on the bar behind her just in case he would try and pull something. She had been suspicious after she heard weird reports of certain people randomly disappearing places all over Vale. She stood up saying, "Allow me to be your bartender today, I'll get your vodka and beer." She looked up at him noticing he was younger than she thought but still over the drinking age. She shrugged and put six bottles of vodka on the counter and moved to get the twelve bottles of beer putting them on the counter, she said slyfully, "You planning in committing suicide with that shit? I mean 6 bottles of vodka and double in beer is a pretty heavy order there kid..."

Zwei gave a small giggle like a child in a candy shop before taking a seat at the chair she designated. Despite seeing what she was capable of for whatever reason Zwei did not feel the slightest bit alarmed or afraid at the moment he just wanted to get drunk. The blood on the seat was most surely uncomfortable on his jeans but thankfully he was wearing a darker pair so nothing appeared out of the ordinary. He gave a small shrug to Rosa's remark about his drinking habits. "This is about what I usually drink. If I wanted to kill myself I would pick up whatever they are brewing a few blocks away from here...I swear that crap is poisoned" He mumbled to himself before popping the cork on one of the bottles of Vodka "So what do I owe you?" he smiled slightly as he lifted his mask and revealed his face before taking a long swig of the bottle in his hands and offering a some to his new friend.

Rosa took a drink from the 'kid' across from her. "Oh? Poison you say, that might have been little old me here." She snickers gesturing to herself. "A little while back I decided the bars around here suck, so I poisoned the drinks and killed all the bartenders and customers! It was good fun while it lasted. Watching them suffer like that. 'Oh no! I'm choking! Blechhhhhh' I enjoy it..." Rosa began to laugh at her joke and then she took out her knife and began to clean it in the sink behind the bar. "What your 'girlfriend' dump you or something? Do something 'terrible'?" She said smirking at the boy across from her as he still sat silently drinking.