Alain loved democracy.? No, really, he did.? He picked up a gun at the age of sixteen and fought for the rebels against the Grand Duke of New Brittany, all for the cause of liberty and democracy; almost ten years later now, he had founded St. Aldwin on the same principles, and went to great pains to limit the legislative and executive power of his title as the Baron.? He believed strongly in democratic values, property rights, broad religious and social tolerance, and a free press.
However, he still hated reporters.? Chastity's place of business could have been visited almost freely, with limited risk of consequence, as recently as three years ago, but now Alain watched his back for more than just spies and assassins.? He arrived at the WestEnd address at one of the slowest possible times for this business, in broad daylight, yet one of the slow times for other kinds of business, too, before the lunch hour but after the morning commute.? Between his hat, his sunglasses and his upturned collar, very little could be seen of his face.? He stepped up to the door designated by the simple plaque that read 'Cordial Sin,' touched the handle with a moment's hesitation, then pushed inside.
It entered out into a vast room, where the two houses had obviously been knocked into one. It was small, but the establishment had its fair share of customers to keep it going. From door to wall, it was a 'good twenty-to-twenty-five feet,' but an even greater length from side to side.
Strewn across it's commons were old tables and chairs, all surrounding the crescent-shaped stage at the far right that beheld a single pole at its raised epicentre. With wooden dirty flooring covered in sticky dried alcohol and blood, the main floor seemed a lot more menacing, even with the small corner bar located right at the back offering its liquid wares.
Chastity was setting up for the night, adjusting seats and tables into their original position. When the door had opened, she was picking a used condom from under the table. Obviously someone had a little bit more fun than intended last night.
She hadn't expected anyone this early ? and even with the music off, the Strip Club retained its twisted allure of lustful sin.
Dressed in nothing but a frilled black bra and underwear, her nerdy-glassed face turned to the one entering, gasping a touch, ?O-Oh! W-Welcome! I... It's early for customers ? forgive me!? She dropped the rubbish bag, and moved to brush her hair with her fingers, in an attempt to tidy herself up. ?What would... What would you like to drink??
She didn't recognise him off the bat.
"Ah, Christ..."? Alain laughed and doffed his hat, tucked it under his arm, and hooked his glasses into his shirt.? "Hey Chat - it's me, Al.? And coffee, if you don't mind and you've got a pot on?"
"A... Alain..." She looked to her appearance, then quickly curled an arm over her breasts, and then another to guide a hand to hide her panties from his sight. "O-Ooh..." Her cheeks flushed red, "I... I do have some coffee..." She rushed off to behind that small corner bar.
Yes. Her underwear did ride up her rear just a bit too much. It was a Strip Club after all. More so, how did he know where to find her...
"I-I didn't expect you! What brings you... Here..." She spoke nervously as she dipped down to find a mug. Finding one, she poured him some straight black liquid, pushing it over the small bartop to the customer side so that he may retrieve it.
"You asked me to meet you here..."? The last two words trailed off as a suspicion roused itself somewhere in the recesses of his mind, a dark corner the detective had curled into, waiting for his next chance to play; never had to wait for very long, though.? So her two personalities are even more autonomous now than they were before. "It's a nice little dive, it looks like you guys do a lot of business," he said with a grateful nod for her coffee, taking up the mug for a slow sip.
?I... Did...? Her hand shook now as it gripped the coffee pot. She turned to replace it back into its rightful place. ?I did... Yeah, we do...? She kept her back to him for a moment longer.
Her fingers curled under her glasses to her closed eyelids. She turned suddenly, smiling, abyssal eyes staring to him. ?But I am glad you came.? Her finger curled to hook under the bar, pulling something under there so that the front door simply locked.
?Business is great. We get a lot of people here...? Chastity's seductive grin formed with her sultry tone, ?But...? She blinked her eyes, and looked away, ?I didn't expect... You to come...? Her head turned left, ?But you shouldn't had come.?
Alain either didn't hear the front door locking, or more than likely, didn't hear it.? He appeared completely at ease, and took another sip of his coffee.? "Would've been pretty rude of me, blowing off an invitation like that."
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He turned away from her to look out over the room, seemingly not noticing the blood stains on the floor, or any of that.? "You know... I always knew you'd end up a place with your own, when we knew each other before."? He grinned into his mug.? "I never said so, because I knew you'd never believe me.? You'd have said I was being silly.? But I had faith."
?... R-Really?? Her eyes softened, ?What was I like, before? You told me so much already but... I know there's something else...? Her hand moved out to touch his, but curled away before contact was made.
She returned it to her side, and then nodded slowly. ?... Thank you, for having faith...? Tears broke out into her eyes. ?... But, I...? Her hand curled to her head, curling into her hair mane of raven black.
Her smile grew, and her eyes softened. Those abyssal eyes. Those terrible, deep, intoxicating eyes. ?... You suspect me.?
He continued to ignore Innocent.? "You loved busking... and weed too, I guess," he added with a chuckle, "but you were a musician.? I think that kinda goes with the territory.? You were very quiet, very shy and nervous... and I think you were a lot prettier than you realized.? Crowds made you nervous, but you tried to be nice to everyone in them in spite of it."
?... I do feel nervous around more than one person... But more, differing reasons...? She held a hand to her head again. Sure. Tears streamed down her cheeks, now, ?I remember why I asked you to come... I wanted you to come but I... The Music... I twisted it all.? She moved from behind the bar and approached Alain, her hands moving to grasp his wrist, ?... I remember why I asked,? She clenched her eyelids shut.
?But it doesn't want me to remember. It won't let me remember. But I remember you're the only one I can trust... I was kind, in your memories, wasn't I? Wasn't I...? The tears fell harder, ?I was shy, and kind, but why... I'm a murderer. I don't want to be... I don't want to be!? She pulled close to him, burying her face into his shoulder, ?To wake up in front of a grave, Alain, to wake up knowing I was supposed to be dead and yet...?
Her smile curled. ?Why does it feel, so, good? The pleasure of flesh ? the stench of the blood ? the...? She gasped a yelp, and tore herself from him. The sway of Sin had come on hard, and her heart raced against the walls of her chest.
The movement spilled his coffee, shattering it on the floor, and the next was him catching her arm, and he said clearly, evenly, "Chastity."? He had no interest in speaking to Innocent unless he had to:? he would give her no quarter.
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"You are shy, you are kind, and you are not a murderer.? The woman I know isn't a murderer.? She knows first-hand... she wouldn't wish that on anyone."? He took a step closer.? "Do you?"
?Someone killed me...? She wept, ?And now I am doing it to others and I don't want that!? Chasity turned to stare at him. The distress was in her eyes. ?... It's taking over, slowly, that thing ? the Music, louder it grows. Every day... Before it was just my imagination ? I thought it was just a memory unlocking itself to me but now...? Her bottom lip quivered, ?I've, accepted... It... It gave me life and I offered my soul to it but... I didn't know what it would do to me...?
Chastity shook her head, ?I tried to kill myself,? She pulled close to Alain again, ?I video taped it all. I thought if someone saw what I had become there would be some way to attain some kind of a cure. Some kind of, solution... Some kind of... Some kind of...? She trailed off, and wept, her eyes gazing at the floor. ?I've tried everything... To end it all..."
Her hands grasped in at either side of her hips. "Overdose... Cyanide... Bullets ?my head, my chest, I tried slitting my wrists, I tried my neck, stabbing... E-Everything...?
Hysterically she shook her head, ?The Music won't let me die ? what have I done?!? She turned away again, pacing a few steps from him.
"Someone got a hold of your soul, Chastity..."? Alain breathed it into the darkness, hanging his head.? But this was not over.? He had done this kind of thing once before, after all.? And won.? He reached out for her shoulder, stretched her fingers over her skin.? "...so, we'll just have to make another deal.? Find out who, or what it is... what they want... and get it back."
?It's impossible... The Music... It...? It terrifies her.
She turned her head to Alain, her weeping face still drenched. It refused to let up. It refused to give in. ?... Alain,? She whispered, ?It's... Something... Not a what... Or who... I have seen it.?
A renewed horror in her face was enough to send her into yet another fit of hysterics, ?It's coming... It's coming. Wait here. I need to give you something and you need to leave.? She turned, running off and slipping to behind the stage, leaving Alain all by his lonesome for a full five minutes.
The room, was not quiet. Something under the floor boards, scraped. Something ? a distant groan, a helpless whisper, scrape, after scrape.
Chastity returned quick, holding a camcorder in her grasp, holding it out to Alain as she approached him, panting. ?Please, take this!?
The desperation in her voice, the sweat rolling down her cheeks. She turned her head over her shoulder as a crash happened towards the very door she came from. So did the groaning, growing only louder.
By this time, even as the camcorder was shoved into his hand, Alain already had his pistol out.? He put the device in his coat pocket and cocked the hammer back:? "What the hell is that, Chastity?? What the hell's going on?"? He turned to look at her, a worried frown further darkening his expression.? "You shouldn't stay here with it... whatever it is!"
Chastity curled her hands over the barrel, ?You don't understand, you don't understand!? She pushed him to the door, ?Please, leave me! Leave me here, never come back!? Her head turned back, as the walking corpses came stumbling out of the door, and onto the stage. Her abyssal eyes turning back to him, desperate. ?I can't let you... It's me! I am the Music! I am its vessel! I don't know why, but, I... I...?
She locked the door.
Her face paled, visibly. Realisation only coming to her now when she had time to think. ?It's a trap... What have I done?? She turned to look at the coming horde, still stumbling towards them, ?... She locked the door. I need to unlock it ? shoot them!?
She had her hands on his gun, she was struggling to contain a likely cosmic evil that could drive her to murderous extremes, and those corpses didn't look friendly:? sometimes a retreat was in order, at least to gather information and come back more prepared.
He'd been about to try to make a new door, when she changed her mind on their strategy, when she recalled she'd locked him in.? "Better hurry, Chat!"? He took a few steps back to her, off to the side, extended his arm to aim carefully, picked a corpse who'd slowed down for a moment and squeezed off what he hoped was an easy headshot.? With this kidn of distance, this was how he kept shooting, especially since he was dealing with the undead all the way across the room, and on limited ammunition.
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He almost seemed to take his time, picking out a head, lining it up, and squeezing off a shot.
Blood, brains, and gore splattered from each shot. But the Undead did not go down. With their black eyes; their black, terrible eyes, they would simply get right back up... As if nothing had happened.
Chastity ran off back to the bar, cringing at the shots whizzing past her, moving so that she hop, skipped, and then slid right over the bar top.
Once behind there, she fumbled to find the hidden mechanism that she ? or rather Innocent ? herself, installed.
But still, the Music. It plagued her. It slowed her movements.
Once she had found the switch, she pushed it back into unlock, and climbed back over the bar, stumbling as she made back to the customer side.
The walking... Whatever they were... Were humming. It was a soft, gentle tune. A soft, melodic ease. A calming rhyme that could had befitted above a baby's cot. Something to send asleep even the innocent of souls.
She ran to Alain, ?It's open!?
"Guh... what the..."? Alain felt himself stumble, his aim going wide, hitting one of the corpses even more uselessly in the shoulder.? He rubbed one hand over his eyes and tried to bring the bleary targets and the door into focus, and stumbled sideways into a table, scattering chairs.? He had experience with a great many preternatural things, but this... this was new.? The darkness beckoned to him, he couldn't deny that much.?
"You know..."? He scowled into his arm, then stared at the approaching dead things, humming louder at him, trying to soothe him to his doom.? Two, three, four had left the stage, and a pale, clammy hand reached out for his face...? "...it's a pretty crappy f*cking show if your audience sleeps through the first act."
He slammed a clip onto the table, slammed it into his pistol and started firing, slowing the nearest corpse and those behind it with hit after hit into his torso, forcing it back precious feet as he dragged himself towards the door.? He stopped by it to stare past the creatures at Chastity for a moment.?
What the hell was this... what the hell was going on?!
Chastity moved behind tables and chairs back to where she had come, keeping her distance from the shambling things, ?It isn't time for jokes!? She slammed into the door in her hurry, fumbling with the door handle, opening it up, releasing the outside world for him to escape to. Back to sanity.
?They're after you, I didn't realise until the Music came... They're after you and I don't know why! Your... A threat... Someone I...? She curled her head to him, ?Someone I-"?
The floorboard under her feet upturned, and, up came the torso of another living corpse, and although heavily rotten right through to the core, it still possessed enough teeth to rip off a section of Chastity's thigh in its hungry jaws, as its hand clutched into the flesh of her hips.
Other flesh-rotten hands ripped up from the ground, close to the only entrance and exit of the entire club, moving to force the door shut and to keep Alain locked in with the humming horde of undead flesh to a fate best not thought about.
Chastity's glasses fell onto the ground first, as her fingers clutched at the door handle, holding the door barely open as rotten fingers dug deep into her flesh, dragged her down closer to that ruptured floorboard.
?Alain! Run!? She begged, the pain sheering up her leg causing her to scream her shrill words.
"...I'm coming back for you, Chastity!"? It was a gamble, but maybe, if he was lucky, these things wanted her alive more than they wanted her dead.? He took a final shot at the jaw of the one that had bitten her, then bolted through the door, out into the street.? Someone had heard the noise.? There was a Watch whistle in the distance.? It was time to leave.
