oh mary i&#39;m not coming home too soon

Ed's new place in DC is located in Tenleytown, within walking distance of American University, where Ed and his roommates are attending college. Like the old one, it's on one of the upper levels of their building. All of the furniture from his and Kat's old place came with them, though it's been rearranged to accommodate the new floorplan. They've got a decent view of the cityscape, too—which, in 3002 (almost 3003), is so huge it's basically merged with Baltimore.

When Vic gets there, Ed briefly flashes her a grin, in the midst of gearing up himself, loading and checking his new Beretta 9mm handgun, which he holsters on his left hip when he's done. "I hope Sam and Dean's timing wasn't as bad for you as it is for me," he remarks wryly, tugging his jacket and coat on.

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"Ha, it was pretty bad. Jude's not thrilled with me." Vic's wearing turquoise stretchpants, a bright, loose vertically striped t-shirt that goes down mid-thigh (and beneath that she's wearing her bulletproof vest). Her hoverpack is fueled up, and the backpack portion is full of gear. And on top of her pants, her braces, metal and solid and her new favorite item of her wardrobe.

No mask. Which makes her feel kind of naked. And the short-sleeves make her feel worse, but, forget it, she'll just lie and say it was a car accident if anyone who doesn't know her asks.

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Ed lets out a wry chuckle. "I'm sure he'll forgive you eventually. And I've definitely got my own timing issue that has the potential to be awkward. I'll explain when they get here." He finishes getting ready and straightens, leaning against the nearest wall while he waits for the Winchesters to show up.

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"Sounds good!"

Sam and Dean PINpoint in. Sam has his brow furrowed in concentration. Dean's shoulders are hunched and he's looking from side to side like a cornered bulldog. "I'll never get used to that thing," he grumbles. "It's a freakin' Star Trek transporter."

Victor reaches around into her bag and pulls out one of those wedge-shaped bakery pie containers (apple), and a plastic fork. "Pie."

"Mine," Dean says.

"You do feed him, don't you?" Vic asks Sam. Sam shakes his head in astonishment as Dean shovels pie into his mouth. "Like the new hardware," he says.

"Thanks! Winry's the best."

Edited Date: 2014-09-18 10:41 pm (UTC)

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Ed would've had some beer ready for them, but he's still underage for alcohol. Not so much for guns or voting anymore, though, as is made obvious by the Beretta on his hip. (And Ed has probably done target practice with the brothers on more than a few occasions.) He grins proudly at Vic's words and agrees, "Yep. She's a genius." He lets the grin fade down to a smile, then adds, "So, there's a slight hitch, guys. Nothing that's gonna stop me from helping, of course, but still a bit of a wrinkle."

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"Are we talking little wrinkle, or Larry King?" Dean asks.

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"Little wrinkle," Ed answers with a reassuring smile. "I've just got another friend over right now, and it seems bad form to up and leave him by his lonesome, especially since he could be useful to have along."

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Sam and Dean exchange a look. They don't really do the trusting strangers thing, because they've been burned so often before. But then Sam says, "Sure, bring him out."

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The grin returns again, but instead, Ed motions for them to follow him, and leads them out onto the balcony.

Cipher Nine is relaxing in a chaise lounge with a book on Greek mythology in hand. He glances up when he hears the balcony door open, and gives Victor a small, friendly smile, shutting the book with a quiet snap and sitting up. "Victor. It's been awhile." He turns to regard Sam and Dean next. "And... you must be the Winchesters."

Ed is keeping a wary eye on the situation. He figures Sam and Dean might very well explode upon seeing Cipher Nine, given that Cipher Nine doesn't look entirely human. He hopes not, though.

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Victor can't even get out a "Hi, sweetheart" before Dean has his gun out.

"Woah, Dean, I think I know who this is," Sam says, reaching one of his giant arms out to hold Dean back.

"He's a djinn."

"He's a Chiss."

"I don't care what he is, he ain't human," Dean growls.

"Trust me. He's one of the good guys."

Then Dean lowers his weapon. And in the midst of all of this, Vic has edged between Cipher Nine and the gun.

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Ed moves to restrain Dean as well, having been prepared for this possibility. "Definitely one of the good guys," Ed agrees, though the actual truth is a little more complicated. Cipher Nine is more of an anti-hero/villain than a real hero, but just because he's loyal to the Sith Empire doesn't make the Überspy one of the bad guys.

Cipher Nine, meanwhile, arches an eyebrow at Vic, as though to say, 'Rather pointless, I know how to defend myself', and was in the midst of reaching for his blaster pistol himself, though once Dead lowers his gun, he steadily draws his hand away from the blaster a little. He gives Sam a nod of thanks, then frowns a little, puzzled. "Sam, yes? Edward said you were from a different reality. How did you recognize what species I am?"

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Totally, but 'good guys' works better with Dean than 'alien with a grey moral code.' You've got to use small, simple words with Dean. Black and white.

Vic gives Cipher Nine a little one-shouldered shrug, a half-smirk, as if to say, 'I know, I just love you, buddy, and don't want to see either of you get hurt.'

Sam looks like a moose caught in the headlights. "Uhhhh. I... it's a funny story, I...."

He elbows Dean in the ribs. "Ouch, what was that f-- Ed must have told him. About the Chess."

"Chiss."

"Right."

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Ed doesn't say anything in response, just sort of shrugs a shoulder. He's terrible at lying to Cipher Nine outright. By omission is a little better, but not much. So he's learned to avoid lying to him like the plague if he wants to avoid the stern glares.

Cipher Nine's expression remains flat and neutral as he regards the Winchesters. "I know a lie when I hear one, gentlemen," he replies calmly. "You can't lie to a professional liar. We know all the tells."

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Victor starts grinning like a happy shark. She loves this kind of thing. Because she's a bad, bad person.

Dean thinks about how hard it would be to play poker with a Chiss. Those eyes. He's giving him a good once-over now that they've determined he's not a djinn.

Sam's still floundering, and Vic decides to play the friendly shark and come to his rescue. "He probably doesn't feel comfortable saying. It's a multiverse thing."

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Very hard, especially if he were to play with Cipher Nine, a student of interpersonal body language, among many other things. Cipher Nine has been taking in details about the brothers pretty much since he saw them, making observations and suppositions about them from what said observations, and from what Ed's told him about the two. At Vic's words, he nods, and replies, "Alright. Fair enough."

The tension Ed's been carrying releases slowly, and he breathes out a little. "So, what's the case, guys? Anything our Überspy here might be able to help with?"

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"One of our hunter contacts called a couple days ago about a case, but he hasn't been answering his phone. Last we heard, he was going up against a family of ghosts. Pretty standard, but with all of the souped up monsters popping out of the hole... he said he thought there was something sideways about this one," Sam says.

When his brother says, 'souped up monsters' Dean has the grace to feel a little bad about pointing a gun at Cipher Nine. "Sorry for almost shooting you," he mutters. That's the best you're going to get from him.

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Cipher Nine glances over at Dean for a moment, then gives a slight smile. "That kind of knee-jerk reaction is hard to turn off. Don't worry about it."

Ed, meanwhile, frowns at Sam's words. "You're right, definitely sounds strange, at least as far as your hunter buddy not answering his phone after he called you for help goes. He give you any other details?"

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Dean does a manly little nod, like, 'Let's not get mushy.'

"Just the name of the town and the name of the family. More than we have in most cases... this sounds like it would be easy." Sam's doubtful, though. Lou's a seasoned hunter... if it were an easy case, he wouldn't have called.

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"But just because it sounds easy doesn't mean it will be," Ed notes. "Your friend may be in trouble. We haven't got much time to waste." He nods seriously at Cipher Nine. "Cipher Nine can help. He's a good guy. And he makes James Bond look like a pansy. It's your call if you want him along, though."

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"Sure, what the hell," Dean says.

"If you vouch for him, it's good enough for me," Sam says.

Victor scratches right next to the metal across her thigh. A little self-conscious, but raring to go. "Let's kick some translucent butt."

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Ed grins and turns to Cipher Nine. "Make sure you've got some iron on you. I can transmute your knives if need be."

"They're durasteel," Cipher Nine answers with a twitch of one shoulder. "They already have iron in them. Unless it has to be pure iron?"

"Has to be pure iron," Ed answers with a shake of his head, stretching out one hand. Cipher Nine hands draws out his tri-bladed knives and passes them to Ed, who quickly transmutes them to iron before handing them back. "You'll also need a gunpowder weapon... Do you guys have any spares?" he asks Sam and Dean. "Because I don't." He could get in trouble just carrying his Beretta outside his flat here in DC.

((I think I might make this the scene in which Ed comes up with his bullet transmutation—the one in which he changes what substance the bullet chambered in his gun is made of just as it's being fired :P))

Edited Date: 2014-09-22 07:13 pm (UTC)

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She has a few iron pellets in her pocket, and a baggie full of iron filings. Plus the holy water water pistol, salt, and more, everything in her Winchester Survival Kit.

"Sure." After the whole 'everyone knocks everything out of your hands, you should keep weapons on a bungee' debacle Dean started carrying an extra extra piece, strapped to his lower back. That's the one he hands to the Chiss, holding onto the barrel as he passes it over. "It's pretty standard. Pull the trigger, things go boom. Here's how you reload."

"Do you want..." Sam starts.

"Still a no go for me," Vic says. "I don't know how to use 'em."

((That sounds awesome!))

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Cipher Nine gives Dean a bemused smile and holds up a hand to stop him just barely after he starts demonstrating. He then removes the pistol's clip, checks it, reloads it, chambers a round, flips the safety on, and swaps it for the blaster in his holster in several deft, quick, and completely sure movements. "No need for a tutorial," he says with a small smile. "I've been around firearms since I was eleven. Gunpowder isn't in use anymore where I'm from, but I'm still familiar with the technology."

"And I doubt she'd be willing to learn," Ed adds to Sam. He's still a relative beginner with guns, but he's come quite a ways from his first shooting lesson with Jack. It took Ed a few months to overcome his initial aversion to firearms; Victor, he's sure, wouldn't do well with them at all.

((It is :P Also, I figure Ed has a number of different people he does target practice with at this point. Namely: Jack and the Torchwood crew, Cipher Nine, and Sam and Dean.))

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"Alright," Dean says, bemused, with a small smirk that he just can't help. Okay, he's seen weirder things than a blue alien with glowing red eyes who knows exactly how to operate a firearm. Only slightly weirder, though.

"Yeah. I, uh, was going to at one point so I could at least know, but... one of my friends was so against it that I didn't want to push things."

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Ed frowns a little at Vic's words. "You know, Vic, I'm all for you learning guns if you really want to, but... one of the cardinal rules is to never point a gun at anything you don't intend to kill and/or destroy. Knowing you, you usually aren't willing to do that. So that might be for the best."

"He's right," Cipher Nine agrees. "Guns kill. If you aren't prepared to accept that possibility, then it's best if you don't use them." He checks a few other devices he's got on hand, then looks up at Ed, Sam, and Dean. "Anything else I have need of?"

Ed considers for a moment, remembers something, then grimaces. "You'll need your disguise projector," he admits, a little reluctantly. "There's a pretty big Sunnydale factor in their world, but it's still best to keep a low profile."

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"Well, yeah," she says, sheepishly, face going a strawberry milkshake shade of pink. "I wasn't plannin' on using one with bullets. I was thinking more about tranq darts."

"Yeah, it's not like we're going to Comic Con," Dean says, in reference to the disguise projector.

Sam just gapes. "I didn't realize you knew what Comic Con was."

Dean puffs up his cheeks with air then exhales, head tilting to the side as he tries to think of the best way to express himself. Finally he gestures to his chest to mime, well-- then he realizes Vic's staring at him and stops. "Spandex, Sammy. Spandex."

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Cipher Nine arches an eyebrow and lets out a quiet snort of amusement as he watches Dean, then says, "I'll be right back." He PINs out and returns a second later with a new device on his belt, adjusting a few settings on it before flicking the activation switch. There's a brief flicker of blue light over him before a completely life-like image of a young human man, with the same facial features as Cipher Nine, the same burn scars, the same style and texture of hair. The difference is, he is now fair-skinned, with light blue eyes and light brown hair. "There," he says once the hologram is in place. "Shall we?"

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