#bergen_county

"That was fun.. have to do it again next time..." the balor giggles.. then.. tilts her head

He freezes, the door cracked. Knowing that to let it slide closed now may catch more attention - he waits, anxiety building, for her attention to shift away.

That's when the crying mortal woman moves past him.. drawing attention to the balors's eyes///"Wait.. who the..." The balor woman reaches for a sword, then... glares at Symon "You fucking idiot. What have I told you? Don't bother me in the office while I was using it. Does the bitch look gone yet?" SHe puts the sword down but looks ready to back hand him. She's acting like she knows him???

He swallows, and whispers, "Sorry boss. One of the guards tripped and fell off the catwalk. Thought I should tell you."

"Morons.." She hisses "Surrounded by morons.. if his leg is broken create a bullshit story and get him to a clinic. If he's fine patch him up a bit.. .either way he's out of a day's pay for stupidity"

"GOT IT?" She adds

He nods, his neck bouncing a bit nervously as he swallows, and backs away, letting the door close.

And looks for Eden...

There's a snake curling up his leg... it seems dazed.. and more importantly? VERY low on glamour

That fuddle cost her

He carefully gathers up the snake before she can forget what she's supposed to be doing, and pulls a cicada shell out of his pocket. Crushing the exoskeleton in his hand, he releases the glamour he had saved for a potential autumn bunk, letting it trickle over the snake.

Relief.. can a snake look relieved? She cranes looking for a way out, ANYWAY out

and that mortal woman who.. just got.. well, there's no other word for it, raped, returns to work tears in her eyes

He lets her pass by... but no. He reaches out and snags her sleeve.

She turns then gasps..

He holds a finger in front of his lips, then leans in to whisper, quickly. "Rescue will be coming. Watch for them. Soon. Be ready - and warn those who can be trusted." He traces a finger over his eye in a crescent motion.

Then gestures for her to continue on.

She .. looks stunned, as if this is unreal. Some boy out of nowhere? But..when he makes the mark to the eye, he glances to the woman with that scar, and nods to him. She motions to him to go.. get going.

A nod back. And once she has moved on, he reaches for the manhole cover, seeing if he can pry it loose, possibly assisted with sticky fly-fingers to get a grip.

He wonders how it's possible to hurt your back when you can wiggle that spine thorugh ANYTHING... but it feels like it. He's gonna be sore. He slides it loose. It's too small for your average person to fit through...but out they slip down with room to spare for them.

After they are through, he carefully slides it back into place. Leave no trace.

And a look around....

And here is the tunnel that leads to the water. Eden pokes at a bag on his belt. It can be used to store air if he has to. They have a way out.

He puffs a breath of air into the bag, carefully cradling it close. "You go first. That way if the current pushes you back, I can catch you. And make sure when you climb out you don't touch that fence..."

It turns out the garter snake isn't bad at 'riding the waves' so to speak, bending into the current.. and yes getting out. Symon does too...

they escape.. returning the car exhausted

They've got a lot to report

(End ish )

****************************

Adam hears a crunch.

One lands on Dirk and starts to burrow into the skin of his arm "Fuck it" He bites!

and takes a nip wounding himself but getting the memory tick before it can slither up

Sylvi keeps fighting, but she tries to get an idea of how many are left around them.

it seems like a half dozen

and that's just out here! They can't hold them from finding purchase forever

"Stop! Stop fighting!" Sylvi calls out to the others, then chants, "Nobody sees them in the room of the sick, The clock on the mantle goes tick tick tick!" to cast another Veiled Eyes.

Dirk falls back "Stop fighting.. are you nucking futz?" But he does

"Shh!"

Adam, to his credit, goes to defense.... but he -wants- to fight.

And once more the things.. look confused, lose interest.. and scuttle about

Sylvi holds her breath until they seem to be moving away. Then she whispers, "We need a better plan. We need....we can't fight them like that once we get inside!"

"So.. what plan you got?" Dirk says "I don't plan much."

"Maybe we get them out here?"

"I...I wonder..." A frustrated look. "If only we could do something to one of them and have it happen to all of them. But I don't have any skill like that, and I can't cast on an area."

"We could set the place on fire.. enchant the fire.. that should get em all" Dirk says

"Might be a problem for the mortals." Sylvi points out with annoyance.

"Oh yeah.. riight fine" A sigh

"Maybe if we can get them out here, though....maybe I can....I might be able to make a wave of earth to crush them?" Uncertain.

"Maybe. You got any ideas?" A Look at Adam