WO Hardings checked her business friendly smile in one of the windows to that small cafe she stood before, hands shuffling her black, hardcover briefcase about so she could tuck a lock of escaped muddy red back behind an ear. She had arrived an hour early for her meeting with Civilian-Lt. Gregory Mallen of the General Investigations Unit for the Watch who seemed to be the unlucky bastard designated as point of contact for this joint effort. Before arriving she had changed out of her military boots, slacks, and peacoat which she had met Mach and into a more subtle work uniform: comfortable flats, regulation knee length brown skirt, a clean pressed khaki button down with brown blazer, and even a garrison cap all in crisp military styling with metals and patches to boot. It gave her a much less severe edge and yet kept her looking professional but approachable; a measured move directed in hopefully granting her some leeway with the salty beat veteran that she read C-Lt. Mallen as from what information she had been granted. Of course she could have had a completely wrong bead on the fellow but then it was easier to work up to a hard-nosed military attitude than it was to get around stonewalling in the face of too much hard-nosed military attitude up front.

The sandwich shop/cafe that she had requested for their meeting had been chosen for this express purpose as well. It was down to earth and simple yet still classy... a place that was comfortable but still above where a beat cop usually would go. And really, forcing folks to try and be dour and serious while chewing on a sandwich not only forced a lighter mood but was pretty entertaining to watch! It was all Foreign Affairs 101 for how to instill an advantage before negotiations; to seem, even in a foreign land, as if your agency was prompt, dignified, and ever present yet still approachable. A particularly hard balance to hit, especially since she was military, but she already had a few years? experience adapting the savvy business/salesman type teachings of the foreign affairs office to the often strict and typically ill flexible structure of the military. She did a good job she thought.... or at least didn't do a terrible enough job to warrant her superiors pulling her from her position. And when comparing her to the hunters she was typically paired with; well, she positively shown!

The extra time her early arrival afforded her was used to brush up on details of the case and the agency she was going to be working with. What she had read from reports about the local law enforcement left her less than enthused about the prospects of this joint effort and perhaps a little more glad for an organized hunters program even if it was mostly filled with people like or very similar to Lt. Turner. Of course men like him were generally more a product of the program that tailored them than any particular breed of person that went into such a line of work, but that fact didn't make dealing with them any easier. It was an especially dubious prospect having a hunter that was generally very task focused with a normie from a particularly ill prepared law enforcement office though reading some of the more colorful recounts of high profile Watch cases had Hardings fair certain the man likely fit in rather well. Now the only thing was to make sure there wasn't any kind of sexual harassment or grievous loss of life... both prospects rather poor given the nature depicted in Lt. Turners record and the oddly insidious nature of this cult.

The reports that she had on the cult to the Sanguine Lord and those who had come over painted a rather low threat sort of picture but then something about it all seemed kind of off. Why come to Rhydin? Why all this secrecy and yet bold face assaults? Perhaps she had been spending too much time in the paranoid company of hunters and had acquired some of that supposed 'gut sense' that the hunters were so keen of. At very least she hoped that this was just paranoia... but then the woman wasn't paid to take chances. It was perhaps that thought that had her reworking Mach's heavily redacted record into something short and useful for the beat officer? that could help the man understand the sort of asset that Lt. Turner could be without getting bogged down in the rather sorted details. She also had organized a number of questions and requests which she?d written down within that notepad of hers which to discuss with the Watchman, mostly some mundane book keeping stuff as well as inquests about jurisdiction, rules of engagement, and just how loose a canon Sgt. Hope Jubal may be because pairing a loose cannon normie with a hard and fast hunter was a good way to end up with somebody spread across a wall as a thin smear.

A scan of her surroundings would note the approach of a man, badgered looking but kept well enough and that looked exactly like the profile picture she had of Gregory Mallen. Thank goodness for at least having an up to date picture rather than one when the man thought that an afro and mutton chops was a good look for them! There was one last check of herself in that reflective surface, a tug issued here and there to straighten her uniform before she set that business friendly smile to dazzle and moved off to approach the man with hand extended. ?Lt. Gregory Mallen of the Watch? Hello! I?m W.O. Clarissa Hardings, acting liaison of the Unified Tanga Republic Army Military Foreign Affairs Office. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!? She may well have done Maj. Bessick proud with that introduction? a thought that left quite the sour taste but that was neither here nor there as she?d take the detectives hand for a firm handshake. ?Shall we step in to discuss business? From what I understand this place makes some damn fine Rubens??

- - - - -

Mach lazily finished off his fourth cigarette as he eyed that personal record on Hope Jubal littered with post-it notes of everything from brilliant observation to songs he wanted to look up the lyrics to later on. It hadn?t been the most informative read as it just covered her law enforcement experience prior to the Watch: stock normal and goodie two shoes through and through. The woman seemed green, perhaps a touch long of tooth to be so gung ho but that was the worst the man could find in that thin record which seemed rather tailored to emphasize that point. Either someone was trying to hide something or this was someone?s idea of a joke? or trying to be helpful though it may well have been a joke if that was the case.

The hunter had thought to just keep working around having to deal with the porcelain doll, do all the investigative legwork himself and then invite the girl scout over when he had everything setup for a rather dramatic if not theatrical and mostly safe arrest. But this cultist who had opted to remain out and in the public eye had done a remarkably good job keeping his nose seemingly squeaky clean and his backdoor deals to places that the hunters circles of informants did not possess access to. Of course it was much harder for him to investigate as he?d already been named? called out and everything by ol? Tom Hopel and a few other of the small fry pray that he?d rounded up in the interim.

No? much as he hated this Mach needed a fresh face. Was a Watchwoman that sort of face? Well, it had to be better than his ruggedly handsome mug that just scared away the shadows. And from what he could tell a few unlucky watchmen had become victims of the cult as well while happening to be in the wrong place at the wrong time so it wasn't like these baddies were overly concerned with officers poking around. Of course it did concern Mach that the wrong place and the wrong time was exactly the sort of place he wanted to put the woman? but that was a sacrifice he was willing to make!

A snort escaped him at that glib little thought, blues watching the ashen cloud as it faded away in the mid-morning light. Of course he didn?t like having to rely on the normie? not in the least. Too much potential for her to meet a gruesome end, one that Mach had seen far too many of to ever wish upon anybody, particularly not a nice girl like Hope. But regardless, at the end of the day, as cookie pushing and pigtail wearing as they seemed she was still a law enforcement officer? had taken up the badge and sworn the oath, not only once but twice! She had to know the risks, to accept that every call could be her last just like him. Camaraderie in sheer, blind stupidity? but then again Mach could work with stupid.

Could and had to as it was evident something was going on in that club, the business? around it, it?s ebb and flow of assets. There was hints of wrong doing, of the machinations of malificarum. Transactions, movement of exotic ingredients, patterns of ?regulars?, patterns of irregulars that kept coming and apparently not liking what they see as they never return for a second visit? or perhaps never get the chance to leave. Lots of patterns but nothing solid, no smoking gun, nothing that would allow the man to start kicking down doors and shooting off lightening until he'd caught the mustache twirling bad guy in the middle of outlining their diabolical plot. But... there was still enough there to disturb him, make his gut sort of flip about on end in that nervous fashion when he just knew bad stuff was afoot.

One last drag was taken from that cigarette before he plucked it form his lips, ground it out into that overfilled coffee tin that acted as his ashtray up upon the roof of his apartment building before he snagged up his phone. He was assuming the number in the woman's record was actually a cellular and not something so anachronistic (though rather popular around these parts due to all the magic) as a landline as he began swiping and tapping out a few messages.

Text to Hope: Hey Trefoils, this is Mach.
Text to Hope: I'm assuming you've been given the good news yeah?
Text to Hope: That we're going to be interagency bossom buddies on a case of mad wizards?
Text to Hope: Anyway, we need to meet and talk about this... work through particulars and sorts.
Text to Hope: Develop a plan of investigation
Text to Hope: Also do some JIT training with you on how not to get boiled alive by a mage 101
Text to Hope: So hit me up, this is my contact
Text to Hope: Assuming this isn't just a landline and I'm just wasting my time =.=
Text to Hope: Anyway...
Text to Hope: Looking forward to working with you Sgt. Hope Jubal, lets not get cooked yeah?
Text to Hope: Lt. Eli Turner, over and out.

He smirked at the glib nature of the text, particularly given the rather serious risks in this joint effort. But then again this is what he did for a living, and he wasn't going to let a little snag like working with what may be a porcelain doll stop his humor, because humor was vital. Humor was how one didn't go bat shit insane in the face of half the crap he saw, most the stuff he experienced. If you couldn't laugh off the worst of things then it would inevitably break you. Mach just sort of hoped that Jubal would get the chance to see which way she'll go on such rather than getting broken, dashed, smeared, and dustified.... or that she would get such done to him.

((Big shout out to Mach and his patience in working with me over AIM for over a month to piece together this post between our busy schedules.))

Mean While at a local Cafe:

Harding smiled in a friendly yet professional manner as she returned that salute which was casual yet crisp and disciplined. She was a woman that obviously enjoyed being in the military. ?The pleasure is all mine Lt. Mallen! And yes, we shall judge.?

That smile turned cheeky just a moment before she offered a gracious bow of head at the man's old time manners. And when he moved to take lead in selecting a table she deferred to him as well, letting him work his chivalry partially because it was a way to build false confidence in her 'submissiveness' to those whom she was to negotiate with and partially because it wasn't often she was treated so much like a dainty woman and so she relished the pampered times when they came. Taking a seat which afforded the paranoid man his angles she almost couldn't help but chuckle lightly as the watchman choose the exact seat that she would have picked out for any one of the hunters she'd played handler to. There really was something to be said about that paranoid attitude of folks who'd seen far too much weird.

Settling in she set the briefcase off to the side for the moment as she turned her stormy gaze to consider the man. She kept that friendly smile as she spoke in tones of practiced grace. ?The Watch is the primary law enforcement agency in Rhy?Din is it not? Regardless the reputation or hearsay that may or may not surround said such agency it is still prudent to work together when attempting to apprehend a dangerous group in sovereign, foreign jurisdictions. This effort should help to improve a working relation between our two agencies as well which should prove to be most beneficial to both parties involved.?

That pleasantly friendly smile held like a mask for a long moment as she let that practiced and diplomatic answer soak in.

Once she felt an appropriate amount of time had passed she'd push on. ?As for Sgt. Hope Jubal she was actually recommended to our agency due to her diligence and strong sense of justice from one of the higher ups in yours. It was felt that she would integrate well with the work of our hunter on this case.?

"The Rhy'Din Watch is one of several law enforcement agencies in Rhy'Din. They just have the most divisions and coverage of the city. There's your handful of specialized law enforcement agencies that cross paths with the Watch and often collaborate on various cases. As to the reputation of the Watch; the assessment I voiced is a case by case observation depending on which Division you inquire about. Some are good, some are decent, and some just need help tying shoe laces." He chuckled.

Pausing as the waitress approached the warrant officer turned that friendly smile to the young man. ?An iced tea to start for me.? She would pause a moment to give the beat officer a chance to put in his drink order and if he were so inclined to order his meal as well.

Mallen waited for Harding to place her order for Iced Tea. The look from the young man elicited a response from Mallen who was watching Harding as much as she was watching him. He knew diplomacy and beating around the bush when he heard it. "Coffee, cream and sugar on the side. Reuben, cottage cheese and a slice of apple pie with a slice of sharp cheddar on top please. Also, this will be one check, courtesy of GIU." The young man nodded, noted the orders and when he left, Mallen turned his attention fully to Harding.

She would follow suit ordering one of the said famous Reuben sandwiches as well as some kettle cooked crisps and an elderberry tart. Waiting until the waiter walked away before turning her gaze back to Mallen, she was already moving to open that black briefcase.

?From the way you speak one might assume there is something wrong with your agency or your subordinate. I hope that's just jaded wariness showing rather than a heartfelt assessment of things.? Her smile was all dimples and teeth as she made that observation. ?So you say Hope is not standard Watch material? It would seem she has been doing well for herself regardless surviving an encounter with pixies and with a dragon as well as a contraband bust from what I've been lead to believe; an advancement to sergeant in such a short time working the beat as well.?

He watched her opening the black case and leaned back, relaxed but alert. "Aye, Sgt. Jubal has rapidly risen thanks to her notable work in the field. As you say, she?d had dealings with pixie gangs, counterfeiting bust, undercover leads for drug raids, dealing with a case of a dragon snacking on fishermen, and a successful diffusion and detainment of a Minotaur that had an episode and rampaged down through the harbor area."

Pushing open her briefcase the first file she would hand over was a small, neat, and near empty folder on Hope Jubal. A replica of the one Mach had insisted on taking though this one was missing all the commissioned officer's little notes, insights, and observations. ?Do you believe there may be some reason she would do poorly working inter-agency?? A pause of those other folder, waiting to see if the police lieutenant might fill in some of the glaring blanks left from that rather paltry file on the plucky beat officer.

Soon the drinks arrived. He stirred in one spoon of sugar and a dollop of cream then sipped his coffee. Mallen gave the cup a bit of scrutiny, gruffed under his breath and took another sip.

"As to Sgt. Jubal not being standard Watch material, it primarily deals with her background. She was a law enforcement officer to a state called Washington, back on one of the many Earth's, present time. She found herself here suddenly during a response to civil disputes at a bar. Since then, she's employed some canny tactics with GIU and has something many that enter the Watch often lack without years of experience. She listens to her gut feelings and acts. Those feelings have kept her alive this long.

Any feelings or judgments on Sgt. Jubal?s performance in working with another agency, my opinions are guarded. It seems the operative of yours, a fellow named Mach, has some background with Hope. Let me see, how did she put the terms. She calls him an unthankful prick and I believe she is called a girl scout by him." He chuckled and sipped his coffee again.

?At least they know of each other somewhat, but I am not sure how accurate your offices files are. The dragon case Sgt. Jubal worked had some lingering effects on her psyche in addition to several severe injuries. She was placed on light administrative duties, desk work and the like, and psychological review and counseling. Physically she's pulled through in top shape with only a bit of wear showing some days. Mentally, well, she's a bit different than her first evaluation. Anyone speaking with her or just being around her would swear she's been on the beat for a few decades. Simply put, that dragon case hardened something in her faster than the slow grind working this job can do over years.? Mallen said.

Harding?s nodded mildly as the man spoke, her smile polite and professional as that stormy gaze observed the beat cop and his actions, the ways which he moved or intoned his words. Another diplomacy 101 lesson - how to read and pick up facts by the subtle cues of body language and voice. It proved useful in her dealings with diplomats and those forced to play such a part though the woman found it indispensable when dealing with hunters who tended to be a rather secretive lot. She was fair certain there was a lot that she did not understand or know about Mach but such was not her concern at the moment so much as to allay any concerns about him with the agency which they were to work with.

As the drinks came she?d offer a little appreciative nod to the server before taking up that glass, a sip of the chilling beverage taken as she soaked in what the officer had to say. She would have preferred to write all this down as it was being said but such was generally seen as terribly rude and so she worked out her memory, stored what seemed potentially valuable to pass on to the hunter or to inquire further about.

Another sip, a nod of head as the woman played up her sympathy with the man. ?I believe that is a problem everywhere whenever you gather more than four people to work together for a common goal. In every group there is always an idiot as it goes.? Her smile took on a cheery note though she?d not join in on the chuckling as frankly most her job tended to be dealing with said idiots.

As Mallen continued on about Sgt. Jubal the warrant officer nodded along, the blanks in the record filling out. ?I see. Yes, there was note that she was earth realm, forced relocation but not too much more than that.?

Of course when the man mentioned following her ?gut? it took a roll of will for her lips not to twitch. Gut instinct was something hunters swore by? typically as a means to justify doing something reckless, baseless, and/or incredibly stupid. This tidbit of information was pushed to the back of her mind as she focused once more on what the beat cops superior had to say.

Something that did stick out and most certainly got a dog ear to pass on later was the potential for PTSD or PTAS. Of course when the gruff man mentioned exactly the sort of ?relation? Mach and Hope had the woman nearly spluttered on the tea she was sipping. Mach had so understated their familiarity with each other!

With a little cough covered by a dab of napkin the warrant officer regained her composure before pulling out another file for Mallen to inspect. A black leather bound file with the U.T.R.A. insignia emblazoned in the front as well as a most prominent ?CONFIDENTIAL? and ?SECERET? in bold letters. Within the folder was a rather succinct and highly edited copy of the service record for one Lieutenant Elitia Vance Turner.

?I?m sure that Lt. Turner and Sgt. Jubal just got off on the wrong footing in their first meeting, hunters can come off as? a little eclectic and odd of manner.? An assuring tone pushed along with that endearing smile though this expression fell away to a more serious one as the woman continued. ?But? perhaps working with someone as Lt. Turner may be rather beneficial for her in a way if she has recently been put through the grinder. Hunters tend to be cast in the crucible of extreme adversity and ?Mach? is no different. He has served multiple combat roles including active wartime service and a number of high profile, highly dangerous cases that stand out among the more? mundane?... of the dangerous work which he has performed. He?s even gone toe to toe with a dragon before as well? though as I understand Hope?s injuries were far less severe than his thankfully.? A pleasant smile as she paused a moment to let the knowledge of just how much grit and experience the hunter had sink in. Up sell the man?s good points, move quickly enough to gloss over the bad, and pray to all the old gods that Mach didn?t turn the poor woman into his schmoozy prot?g?!

?I'd say she's still a useful candidate for working with your operative, but I would suggest you have him assess her personally to be sure she still has all of her screws tight especially if she's going to be seeing some intense action. That being said I would put my money on her in any bet. She has my full support and that of the GIU of the 27th Special Division of Rhy'Din. Now, may I ask what is she going to be getting into, Harding?" Mallen said.

?But I digress. Time will tell whether the two survivors will make friendly but regardless Sgt. Jubal is in good hands. And I believe Lt. Turner is actually working on speaking with her to brief her and give her a primer on combating mages as well as just-in-time training in equipment that we will be providing for her safety... that is assuming your department does not have their own equipment and protocols in place for officers who will be working to apprehend dangerous magical elements.? Pulling another manila folder out, she would set it before the watch lieutenant as well: a list of supplies that were to be provided to the sergeant along with a brief blurb about each. This was timed hopefully to distract the man from the rather impressive disciplinary record and empty section regarding the hunter?s psychological profile and health.

Mallen listened to Harding then eyed the U.T.R.A. folder handed to him with usual red tape flare of 'You shouldn't be reading this' stamped upon it. Flipping it open he read over the file. He scanned the contents, listening to Harding's trying to play optimistic about the kiddies? playing nice with each other.

"So. Mach, I assume is an alias for Eli? Am I correct? As to hearing how well your boy has done and his record looks all fine and tight; it's nice to know she won't be on the case with someone less experienced than what we have in our Special Investigations Unit. The Captains Ravenlock are very professional and talented just as Eli here. Granted the SIU are the ones that often see the track record for interesting on duty injuries. Jubal so far is the only GIU member that has attempted to compete with that track record and live."

Legs crossed as the warrant officer observed the policeman chew through the information presented. ?Yes. Hunters have a ? tradition, of coming up with an alias that they use. All of them have one whether it's given or chosen, and it is the name they prefer to go by. I believe it makes them more personable.? Her expression wooden as she gave the obviously scripted response. ?But he is very experienced and has even-? She paused a moment, kicking herself in her own mind before pushing forward, trying to catch up with the even, regular tempo flow. ?-had a command in the field. I believe he will do well with your 'trouble seeking' officer.? A knowing smile offered as she settled back.

Taking another sip of her tea those storm grey eyes shifted over to the movement that approached, her smile turning from professional to friendly as the waiter returned with their respective orders in hand. Each was set down before the young fellow turned and wandered off to check on the other tables in the vicinity. Letting a few moments pass, a crisp snagged and nibbled on in the interim before she returned her attention to Mallen.

He'd chuckle and scooped at some of his cottage cheese when it was brought out. He watched her eat a bit of her crisps and joined her soon with a sample as well.

"So I am often quite fond of watching over one of the most promising officers in GIU. Now the absolutely clean, and by clean I mean blank Psyche profile on Eli has me chuckling. I assume it's a veritable forest of stumps, roots, pitfalls and more. Don't feel alarmed or put off; work this field long enough in Rhy'Din and you find it's the people with squeaky clean Psyche's that'll gut you and make a new fall wardrobe from your entrails." Mallen said.

She almost looked casual until that observation was made; a slight tension crossing her, bringing her features taut at the mention of the blank psych profile. She listened with mild interest to Mallen's view on such, the tension perhaps easing just a hair as she regarded him with stormy eyes. ?I apologize, that was something of my doing. That part of his file is rather thick and overly extensive for most people?s needs but that is because all hunters are tracked for potency and purity. That is capability to do their job well and continued loyalty to their mission as well as resilience against subversion. Hunters are dangerous as any mage or esoteric scientist and he work hard to monitor them to catch hunters slipping and correct worrisome trends before they become a threat to the public.? She chomped down a few crisps, washing them down with some of that tea before continuing.

?Psychologically, Lt. Turner is a dedicated and loyal professional masked behind a very friendly persona. He does suffer from mild PTSD and occasional bouts of depression though both are well controlled and fall well within acceptability levels for a soldier in a high demand role. Physically I daresay he's probably in better shape than Sgt. Jubal due to the regeneration regimen that he is on which prevents buildup of restrictive scar tissue. But I have faith that he can keep things well together. The mage hunter program in the U.T.R.A. military can be considered akin to a specialty service branch sort of like earth realm Rangers or SEALs so they are very capable and well established individuals.? She smiled friendly as she defended the man beyond her own respect for him though such was her job and she would do her job well.

He'd eye the equipment lists she slid to him. "GIU is tasked with common investigations that can spill into the abnormal as Jubal has proven often. However, we use standard equipment with a few tweaks here and there and a special load out if needed with the Fae and Fairy disputes. SIU usually handles the hotter cases. I could ask SIU for equipment but I have a feeling that since your interests came in to GIU directly, receiving your offered equipment would only be right. Besides, Eli may, I am guessing, find it difficult to keep Jubal up to speed if her equipment differs too much from what is the norm for his duties."

Falling silent to listen and observe as was so very important in her profession with Foreign Affairs, she'd quirk a brow as the man spoke upon the interest going straight to G.I.U. ?Oh, as I was aware Sgt. Jubal was volunteered by the upper administration of the Watch and not selected out specifically by our department. I could be wrong, I am most certainly far too many pay grades below those sort of discussions and decisions, my role simply as mediator between our two agencies as well as handler over our asset during this investigation, but that is what I had heard.? Her brow crinkled some as she thought on this, a few bites taken and chewed in quiet contemplation.

Soon Mallen was chowing down on his own Reuben more allowing Harding to get to the details of the actual case. There were a few paused bites and a lot of thoughtful chewing as Mallen wondered how much whining Jubal was going to give him for a case filled with 'magic'. Swallowing his last bit, he sipped his coffee and nodded to Harding when she finished.

Harding?s expression grew much more somber as she pulled out the largest file yet from her briefcase and set it gravely before the man. ?A mage cult that is suspected of setting up shop here in Rhy?Din.? Storm grey eyes observed the gruff cut policeman with reserved interest.

?Lt. Turner has been in pursuit of other members of this group for several months now making more than a dozen arrests though he?s had little luck in finding solid leads on the leadership or agenda of this clandestine cult. They worship the old Tangarian god Dukra?nas Vu Sirill?merchaar or known in common as ?The Sanguine Lord,? a deity that has officially been dead for over three millennia which demanded blood sacrifices of sentients so as to grant favor in the artes of necromancy and blood magic to their followers.?

Pausing to take up the sandwich the woman would take a hearty bite, stormy eyes widening a little in guilty delight as she chewed and swallowed that tentative test of the Rueben. ?That is good!? A note of gluttonous joy tinged her otherwise no-nonsense manner for just a moment before she cleared her throat, her composure frosting over once more.

?Sorry. As I was saying, Sgt. Jubal will be working with Lt. Turner on investigating and potentially apprehending a Dr. Morten Nunezar, an academic mage that?s battle mage certified though not tested. He came out to Rhy?Din at the beginning of the year to do some research at the Bristle Crios though since then has given up his tenure at the university where he teaches and did research so as to start a scraping along club down in the Westend by the name of the Shiv n? Jive. It is believed that this club may well be some front for whatever greater activities this cult is involved in and that shedding some light on this will start to shake out some answers so we can finally put an end to this groups nefarious activities in Rhy?Din? a win, win for all parties involved.? Another few bites now taken of her sandwich along with a few crisps as she let the information she?d provided gel in the lieutenant?s mind. Finishing off with a sip of her tea those stormy grays settled to watch the peacekeeper as he studied that sea of information she had laid out before him.

"Sounds a bit run of the mill when compared to the long list of cults we run into out here. However they usually trip up in a spectacularly bad way and are either wiped out by their own stupidity or we have them chilling in lockdown. Most of them are usually not this aggressive with battle magic. As to hearing about Nunezar's short tenure at Bristle Crios, I am not surprised. Many who feel outcast wind up mentioning that name, but those folks are no dummies either. They know how to weed out the truly disreputable. So you want Jubal to help Turner dig up Nunezar so you can get the juicy details on the rest of this Sanguine Lord and his cult? I take it, this will be a case of we do well and the local enforcement gets some polish out of it, and if we mess up, well we know how that ship sails. Though, I am gathering that you want a better insight on the locals, the customs and maybe procedural law out here. You've made a good choice in Jubal." He said.

?As for what she'll personally be facing magic wise it is known that all the cultists caught so far have had varying degrees of offensive, support, and recovery magical prowess as well as a 'crimson servant' that allows them some unique blood driven abilities that works almost autonomously from the mage. Sadly though threat scores and assessments have varied wildly between each mage and so there is no real mean which to be able to predict with any certainty what each mage will bring to a fight. Quick and lateral thinking will be important though it sounds as if those are qualities which Sgt. Jubal has in spades. At very least for Nunezar's part he was known to be strong in electrical affinity and was a well ranked battle mage though he lacks any practical, real world experience fighting with his magic.? A few more bites of her Rueben were washed away with a gulp or two of tea, those gray orbs watching the man in silence as she let everything settle.

Once she finished giving the lieutenant the overview of their goals and obstructions she listened to his response, nodding slowly here and there as she drank in his opinions. ?They are a little run of the mill though at the same time they have attracted a lot of dangerous company. Perhaps mages are not so much a problem in Rhy'Din, or are at very least given much more freedom to practice self governance, but in Tang a large group of dissident magic users is not something to be taken lightly or ignored. Even if they do just blow themselves up there is a good chance they could take a lot of innocents with them... have taken a lot of them already. Part of the interest on both ends for this partnership is that a quick resolution can be found so as to limit the cost in sentient life. This cult has been stealing away urchins, beggars, and orphans for their nefarious intentions and there is fear just exactly what their goal may be or the consequences that would arise if they are left to reach fruition.? She'd take a few more bites of her sandwich finishing it off, a chaser of tea as she considered the policeman.

?As for Dr. Nunezar that's the worrisome part. This is a man who was tenured at one of the more prestigious mage academies in Tanga. He has enough patents and grant funding to pay an army of grad students to do his work for him so he could pursue whatever he fancied whenever he felt like it. His time at the Bristle Crios was even an exception agreed upon by both the administration at Bristle Crios as well as the Ministry of Arcane Security back on Tang. He was by no means an outcast or held back and he had no outstanding psych issues... and he was tested more extensively than even Lt. Turner. It makes no sense. So yes, the aim is to combine forces, local police with hunter to try and nail this guy if he is involved and to try and get some insight into the cult so it can be shut down. If all goes to plan then the Watch will be down one more problem to worry about and your rising star should pick a few things up. If it doesn't...? She fell silent, a stern expression upon her.

Mallen was a grizzled veteran, Harding?s knew that, knew that he was well aware and used to what dangers may befall an officer in the line of duty. That didn't mean that she had to give voice to such worse case scenarios, and perhaps she felt a little guilty that she did not feel such a courtesy in regards to Mach but that was just the way things were with hunters. It was a tragedy when an officer died; it was a statistic for a soldier.

?But yes, it is a hope that we will learn of the culture of law out here just as much as I'm sure it is a hope to learn of the hunters that have been given writ to cause trouble in your city in the pursuit of our laws. Lt. Turner is not the first hunter in Rhy'Din, and he will not be the last. I believe there was some interest as well from your department to observe our hunter as the last one stationed here, a Cpt. Orwell Danub, was K.I.A. in a mysterious and rather spectacular fashion. Though I am lead to believe it is not uncommon for parts of the Marketplace to blow up on occasion here, every such incident is examined I'm sure.? A wry smile as she turned now to nibbling on her crisps.

Mallen finished up his own Reuben and sipped his coffee. "The Market Place is a known area for attracting natural and unnatural disaster as well as a potent target for terrorism with the rich collateral and living targets to traumatize. You are correct that each incident is examined and with a higher rate of success not repeated by the guilty party who tend to either die by their actions, incarcerated by the Watch or taken down by the multiple Vigilante groups within Rhy'Din. Honestly, without the Vigilante groups, Rhy'Din may be in worse shape."

?Was there more you were wanting clarification on or any other questions? I'm sorry if I do not seem very inquisitive in this manner but really Lt. Turner is the principle investigator. He's had more time on ground than I have and knows much more about his investigation into the cult than I do. Most that I know is just stuff pieced together by intelligence back home and reports made by the Lieutenant. What I can tell is that you think rather highly of Sgt. Jubal, that you've a lot of faith in her ability and who she can become. I may not have chosen her, but whoever did apparently had some keen insight, or perhaps just doesn't like her.? A friendly sort of smile offered as she popped a crisp into her mouth. ?But I'm sure Eli and Hope will get on just fine, or at very least work well to shake down this investigation.?

When the bill came he paid for it with a smile to Harding. "I do have high faith in Jubal. She's special for someone coming from an Earth realm with no potential for the magical stuff. I do feel sorry for the person that selected her if they have a dislike. That woman tends to take things aimed at her in dislike and turn them into roses with a good showing to boot. I think we've chewed the gristle enough on our respective colleagues and should leave the rest in their hands. I will offer to you, though, that if you need further information on local situations or the like to contact me at GIU and I will be your personal liaison with the higher ups in the 27th Special Division. I can only offer intel cleared to me and from the 27th. Any other division you'll have to seek them out directly. I am hoping the same courtesy can be extended U.T.R.A. should the need ever arise where we feel they are needed on something we've stumbled into."

Harding nodded in a friendly manner to the officer?s words while she finished the last of her crisps and drink. ?I will keep that in mind Lt. Mallen. And I offer the same to you so far as is in my power to provide. It is my hope that our two agencies can have a fulfilling and fruitful relation, both in regards to this case as well as any other joint efforts that our two agencies may find themselves involved together with. I?ll forward all my contact information as well as contact information for the U.T.R.A. satellite office to your department.?

He'd slowly get up, and hand the files back to her. "It was a pleasure meeting you Harding."

He kept himself formal and professional. Handshake would be offered if taken, and then he'd excuse himself and leave back for G.I.U. and wondered just how peachy Hope and Mack were handling their own meeting.

Rising she would gladly take the handshake firmly. ?It was good meeting with you. I?ll be in touch.? A practiced smile and nod offered before she would head out as well to do some more information mining as well as setting up countermeasures in case the work between Mach and Hope turned from an example of multi-national cooperation to a foreign affairs nightmare.

Time had passed and with it the flow of seasons marched forward from the warmth of summer through the crisp of autumn right to the frosty cold verge of winter. And during that time the man, when both Hope and he were available for such, took the veritable fire hose of knowledge to the woman. From principles of magic and doctrine for contending with metahumans or their pitfalls to psychology and the nuanced art of charisma the hunter covered everything that may have been of relevance for a normie coming toe to toe with a practitioner of the arcane arts. It was a lot to cover in the stolen times that they had between their respective works, but still the woman took to the knowledge with aplomb and even asked questions on other topic matters regarding the mystical and arcane. Mach was a bona fide guru of all that was strange and weird with no shortage of anecdotal evidence presented with a wink and a smile to corroborate the stone cold facts which he gave her.

But beyond the classroomesque sort of affair that happened in the libraries of the Bristle Crios or one of many diners or 24 hour eateries they had also worked on the physical aspects of the hunt. Getting her used to the protective vest that looked snazzy but felt like a lead apron. Teaching her how to make effective use of self-powered cantrips. Shooting practice with a slew of firearms that could belt out arcane fury or lead based justice in the face of such fury that tended to make funny with technology. And even the basics of the specialty brand of martial arts that Tang hunters used which emphasized maximum damage or aggravating injury with minimal sustained contact all while avoiding the tactically poor positioning on oneself in front of opponents that could potentially scream lightening. It was all a crash course in 'razzle and dazzle' meant to try and make sure the woman survived the 'hope you don't like your m?nage ? trois' odds of a hunters first head one encounter with a mage.

Of course the training had taken a sudden uptick as of late, the schmooze finding some strange sort of vigor and seriousness that pushed him which in turn had him pushing her even with the string of bizarre that had likely been playing hell with her schedule: other cases, wolf attacks, all the fires, the war of seaside... hell, even a disturbance of penguins case! But regardless of all this he buckled down, driven even to ready the woman for that mission. And finally after months it seemed as if the time was now. He'd done all that he could to prepare her, to make it so she had a fighting chance of not getting burnt to a crisp or frozen like a TV dinner or electrified or any of the many other gruesome ways one could find an end when dealing with mages. That's what he felt at least as he snagged his battered phone, a flurry of messages swiped out:

Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Hey Trefoils, Mach-iato here
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Got intel and an in to the club
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Ready to do something stupid? XD
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Pick out something trendy and sexy and meet me at Dally's
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Ditch the belt, I'mma hook you up ^.^
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: And your hair, wash it
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: And keep it down! We're going to a salon
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Going to make you pretty X3
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Not that you aren't already but, you know what I mean!
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: Undercover pretty >>.<<
Text to Hope ?Trefoils?: TTYS!

And with that the man took off from his lean against the wall, cigarette dropped from lips and squashed under heel as he gave that box of modified gear a bump to adjust it under arm. Functional meet fabulous! And were it that he wasn't marked as he was than it'd totally be him sporting as he went into the club with her on standby as 'The Calvary' rather than the other way around. But then that's what they'd been training for all this time. Let her natural investigation and deduction skills shine and if everything goes smoothly she walks out with the good word and then they can kick down the door with support hunters and watchmen at their backs. And if things go pear shaped in the worst possible way than maybe she'd survive and not get cooked as they moved to the 'shoot first, shoot second, shoot some more, and then ask some questions to those who weren't squirting' plan. It was unideal but if Mach had learned anything recently it was that life was never ideal. You just rolled with it as you could, bleed where you couldn't, and hoped that you make it out to the other side having accomplished some of your goals. That sort of thought drew a bitter chuckle from the schmooze as he shook it from his head, letting the cold optimism of the hunt fill in which tried it's very best to convince him that this was a good idea and that nothing could possibly go wrong as he headed off for that rendezvous.