[M] Crystal Pointe City (Open) IC

[Anastasia]

She would allow herself to slide back into her seat and slowly pulled off her shoes, throwing them carelessly before her, it was all over her face, Nina grew tired. Noticing what the girl had said, she smiled softly and grasp Jen's hand.

"In this town, you get used to it."

Her voice was calm, perfectly calm, though almost reassuring in nature, Nina would squeeze the girls hand lightly before letting go.

"Death is something we expect. Though I must admit, that even I didn't think Martin..."

She stopped there and looked quietly around her, the night fell about them, it contained dozens of dreams and false hopes, and moreover, it was filled with a mysterious peace.

"I won't bore you with details, these are people surely unknown to you."

What appeared to be the cliched single tear would stream down her cheek, to quickly be wiped away by a gloved hand, that was the extent of the sadness she would ever show in public for the man who died this night.

[Storm]

Seeing how she was reaction to Martin, she now had to know if he has spoken of her persona Martin knew her by. She reaches for Nina's hand, offering a soft, comforting touch - something she has been getting all to good at. As cold as she has always been, the more blood on her hands, the harder it has been getting to wash it off. Martin was but a tool to get a job done ... so she continues to try and convince herself. In a rare tone of compassion what even catches herself by surprise, simply offers "I am new in town, but I am not insensitive, speaking of one you knew and may have cared about helps, please .... tell me about your Martin."

[Anastasia]

"He was not mine, nor was he ever. Though at times it hardly seemed that way, he hadn't been the same since he was wife... well, she too met an untimely end. Though she was a wretched woman, most people say. I don't much remember her..."

It was a lie, she knew damn well more about the past of that family than perhaps even her own.

"Martin's trade is banking, he's on the payroll of a few less than pleasant individuals. He wasn't seldom to speak about his past, though when he did, the most interesting things would come out. But enough of that."

It would certainly take more prying than that to get her to speak on the matter. Nina would cross her legs in discomfort, and recross them in discomfort, she was beginning to feel uneasy, through strangers were perhaps the easiest people to talk to. Yet something about this girl felt familiar, something but nothing at the same time.

"Tell me, who are you really? Where do you live? Hopkins, the driver would certainly not mind bringing you home... You see, I have an appointment to keep. I'd hate to disappoint."

Nina would be quick to release her hand from the grip of Jens, the smile still on her face, reassuring.

[Storm]

Something too did seem a slight familiarity with Nina. With the information that Martin was in banking and associated with ... non traditional ... banking customers, this put a new twist into her increasing complex life. She is certain Martin's ... customers ... would not be at all pleased that their source was terminated. This cold and heartless, ice in her veins woman who's only friend is death who she introduces so many people to, lowers her head for just the slightest. Nina's question of, who are you really. She has changed persona's so many times, her true name no longer has any meaning to her.

She regains as much composure as she can offering "Just Jennifer, I don't want to impose any longer. Your driver can let me off here. Thank you for talking to me Nina." Her words offered with a well preformed act of pain in her tone, well rehearsed, or was it...

[Anastasia]

"Of course you are...just Jennifer."

She nodded her lightly and laughed, quite sincerely in fact, perhaps the most sincerely she had seen it fit to laugh throughout the entire night. She would nod her head once more in agreement.

"If you're sure."

Nina would drive her to knock on the glass bit in front of her, a message to her driver and the car would slow to a complete stop.

"Goodnight dear Jennifer, I'm certain we'll meet again, especially in the company you keep." She grinned, as the door to Jen's side would open the driver maintaining his absolutely unbreakable standard of politeness. As soon as Jen had slipped from the car, the door had sealed shut behind her, she picked up the phone and placed a call to Dave.

"I have information you might want. But I have questions for you in turn. The pot has been stirred, quite a bit in fact."

Who was that girl? I mean really who was she? There was something off, but one couldn't pick a finger on it, she seemed perfectly sweet, reacted normally to witnessing a death, something that Nina had perhaps been entirely too desensitized to. And what of Terra, what on earth was she doing in a place like that, surely she should have been more careful to go around so exposed.

[Storm]

Dave smiles as Nina's voice in on his phone. "Wow N, you practicing that ESP stuff again?" with a slight laugh. "I assume that girl is not with you right now, right? You know that stalker like pic I snapped of you? I was kind of intrigued about that young girl, Jennifer she called herself, So I made sure she was in the frame. I ran her through a facial recognition program, and can I say, like wowzers. But onto the lil info you have for me. You know my door is always open to you N, stop by anytime, you ask, I will tell, you give me the information you have."

As his hangs up the phone, moves to the stereo and puts on some soft music and lights several candles. He continues to dig into this Jennifer. The more cross referencing he does, and as he gave Jen his name, opens his desk drawer and ensures his .357 is loaded.

[Anastasia]

After the phone call had been terminated, she knocked on the glass before her once more, telling the driver to redirect to the home of her old friend. How many years had past since his little "incident" with the police, it seemed like too many. The City never fell silent, no matter what time of night it was, lights were always on, sounds could always be heard echoing through the streets and alley ways, shadowy figures past through the night, some unnoticed, some not wanting to be seen.

They say you could witness dozens of crimes a night, right infront of you, but events always transpired as if they had gone unseen. Forever dark, even in the broad daylight. Her car had pulled up to Dave's place of residence, the door was opened for her, a gloved hand reached outward into that of Hopkins, as he pulled her from the vehicle, as though she were ready for the flashing lights of cameras. Out of the darkness and into the night. She made her way to his door, knocking quietly.

The door opened.

"Some things never change."

[Storm]

Having heard it was Nina's voice and it didn't sound in duress, almost let out a laugh at the very thought of N ever being in duress. Slips the .357 back in the drawer which he drew once the door creaked open. Stands from behind the desk stretching a moment before moving across his living room toward the vision which always brightened his day even in the darkest of the night.
"N, did I leave that pesky door open again. Ya see, you buy me books, buy me books, and I'll keep eating the pages." with a little laugh. "So N, what do I owe this visit? You know how I love questions and information." offering a smile he would not be able to conceal even if he tried. "Did I hear correct, Martin was the one who passed tonight?" being delicate with the question. "There are going to be some rather irked people, any inkling yet who the unfortunate is that removed Martin?"

Extending a hand to a small candle lit table with two delicate glasses of wine on "Did you get a chance to eat at that event, I know how you are N, care to be tortured at my attempt at cooking?"

[Anastasia]

She slipped in quietly and shook her head, her smile quickly fading, her face showed how tired she had grown. Ever so delicately she pulled the opera gloves off from her arms and rested her hands at her sides, sighing. She nodded politely once more and sat at the table her legs crossed.

"Oh, I am aware of how you love a good story. It was Martin. I want to say it has to do with the City favorite, our darling local mob boss. It would have to be, wouldn't it? I highly doubt he actually had a heart attack from anything natural... the man doesn't work like that. But first... who was she? That girl, you must know something..."

She smiled, her voice sweet as ever, her elbows leaned gently on the table and her eyes fixed quietly upon him. It had been perhaps too long, since had to make a sudden visit such as this one.

"I'm starved, but I want to live through this night, so I think I'll pass. I will take the drink though... and one more thing. Terra was present this evening, and she herself seemed to be quite irked by tonight's events. Either she didn't see it coming, or it was too close for her own comfort. She may not have known..."

[Storm]

Listens to Nina as she speaks, pouring some of her favorite wine in a glass. Moves around behind Nina resting the glass upon the table gently in front of her. Moves his hands from the table to the nape her neck whispering "Always working, aren't you N, first this, then we talk...". Starts a gentle relaxing massage across her soft shoulders. Knowing Nina so well, knows this would be a rare time she could actually relax and unwind. Continues the gentle massage working up to her face and temples trying to relieve her stress she is always under. As he finishes, leans forward and offers a simple kiss upon the top of her hair. Moves around to the other side of the table looking across to Nina.

Reaches in his pocket removing a flash drive sliding it across the table. "You remember me telling you about the stalker pic thing, I ran the girl, Jennifer she calls herself?..., I ran it through facial recognition to find if the girl was giving a false name, especially since she was with Terra. I didn't come up with a ... single ... name. I have come up with eight so far. The current stuff is in the flash there." Takes his wine sipping the glass looking over the top at Nina. "I didn't catch how Terra acted when she heard about Martin, but a real quinkie dink - Martin often blogged about a woman he had a thing for, not his wife, a woman named Terri. Did find one entry with a blurry pic, facial was a 89% match for that Jennifer girl. Anything over 75%, I would bet my check that it was her. Kind of one of these and the plot thickens moments, huh?"

Knows that her schedule will steal her away all to soon, looks across the table "Oh yea, I heard from a lil Birdie that you might have designs on Trask's office? Not for the blogs, paper or net, but as a friend, I was curious. Are you going after Grey this year N?"