North Carolina, Aro, couldn't help but grin as he stepped off the pelican in his dark grey suit, and pants. He glanced at West Virginia next to him, she was wearing a black dress with boots, as he turned his head to look over the scene in front of him. A fancy building laid a few meters away with large black stones and a expensive looking metal stair case, rain splattered the steps as well as the overhang roof above them. "Why do you look so happy Aro?" West asked her voice edged with annoyance. Aro turned to her raising his eyebrows slightly "Well why not? It's not every day or even every week a Freelancer gets to go to a party after all. And besides, we're supposed to act normal remember?" West grunted "I don't think you were born normal Aro." She responded looking in front of them at the steps. Aro smirked and chuckled "Oh your probably right about that! Now C'mon!" He urged and started up the steps. West glanced around for Missouri, she spotted him right behind her. "Your awfully quiet." West commented as they both walked up the stairs. Missouri shrugged "Nothing to say." He said and jogged on ahead of her to catch up with his Brother.
Missouri made his way up to the doorway, Aro held the door open for him smiling. "You hold doors for Women not Soldiers" Missouri said, not in a mean way, just as a fact. "We're not Soldiers right now, and besides your my Brother. I think we can make an exception" Aro responded. Missouri nodded and entered. West came up "What was that about Women?" Aro just chuckled and they both went inside.
As Missouri Entered he walked down a short hall way and into a large room, filled with people, music, and food. He ignored the noise and walked up to a man, in a black suit. The man saw him "Hello sir, if don't mind I need your name sir?" Missouri nodded "Gabriel." He told the man, who looked down at his list "Gabriel…Gabriel…Ah! Yes, thank you sir, you may go in." Missouri nodded his thanks and walked on, ignoring the urge to look behind him and check for Aro. Who was currently walking inside, Aro walked up to the man and gave him his name "Raphael" The man nodded "Thank you sir, you may go in." Aro smiled "Thanks, by the way mind if I ask you something?" The man looked up, surprised. "Not at all sir, how may I assist you?" Aro leaned on the counter slightly, "Well, I was wondering. A friend of mine invited me here, but I don't really know much about the place. Do you mind giving me an update? I would appreciate it greatly." He asked. The man paused, then nodded "Of course! Let me just get this lady behind you, and I'll help you Sir Raphael." Aro smiled with satisfaction. "Thank you." He moved aside, as West came up. Glancing at her but making no eye contact and then moving his gaze to the room beyond.
West looked down at the man behind the counter, inwardly she was rather unhappy. And the boots she had made it hard for her to walk right, her bad leg wasn't used to not having the armor to support it. And it made her feel very awkward, and exposed as well without the armor. The man looked up, "Name please ma'am?" He asked. West shifted "Rachel." She grunted, having trouble not to sound annoyed. The man looked down "Ah yes….Rachel, thank you." West nodded, taking a deep breath to try to calm her anger as he turned and walked past Aro, into the room. She stayed near the edges of the crowd as Aro had suggested, her good Spartan hearing allowed her to listen in on Conversations though. At the same time she looked for anyone that seemed nervous, or stayed near the exits. She spotted Missouri by one of the counters near a door, sipping on a glass of water he seemed relaxed, and calm. But west saw his eyes looking around the crowd, his arms neatly by his side.
Meanwhile Aro was talking with the Man at the counter, he discovered his name was Daven. Daven stepped around, "How may I help you sir?" He asked, Aro smiled kindly more a forced smile though, "You can call me Aro if you like." He said, without explanation, Daven nodded though "Alright, uh, Aro then. How may I assist you?" He asked. "Well I'd like to know more about this party, I'm not even sure who else was invited! I didn't have time to ask my friend before we left." Aro said chuckling, it was all true though, that is if you counted the Director is his 'friend'. Daven relaxed a bit and smiled slightly, "Well Si-Aro... Most of the people invited here are either rich people, or UNSC officers. The music is mild and there's a dance court as well, most people seem to be keeping to themselves. Except a select few…Who appear to be drunk." He responded. Aro nodded followed Daven's gaze into the crowd and at a group of laughing drunk men, "I see…" He said. "Thank you, you've been a good help." Aro didn't wait and left Daven alone to continue his work as he made his way into the crowd. As he went he spotted West, at the edge of his vision.
West was trying to blend in, staying to the edges sipping her glass forcefully smiling at anyone that made eye contact with her. But also listening on the crowd, most of it was useless stuff. Comments on the party, the music, the food, complaints, jokes that were only funny to a drunk person. But she kept her ears open for anything important to their mission. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and jumped a man had come up on her, with all the music and noise she hadn't heard him coming. She turned to looked at him, "Can I help you?" She asked. The man had black slightly long hair hanging down to his ears, deep blue eyes and a generally normal build. "Hello my lady, I was just noticing you were alone. And thinking to myself, A lovely woman such as yourself shouldn't be so alone!" West wanted to slap him, and tell him to go away and never touch her again, of course, she probably would have said that to any guy no matter how polite he was. Instead though, she forced an uncomfortable smile. "Well I'm quiet used to it really, thanks though. It's nice to meet someone who's so polite." She had to force the words out, luckily the man didn't notice. He bowed slightly with a smile "It's my pleasure madam, will you join me for a dance?" He asked. West's heart plunged, instinctively she searched out Missouri or Aro, but remembered; they weren't supposed to know each other. Neither of them could help her, she was on her own. She swallowed hard, "I'd be glad to dance with you." She said nervous now. The man smiled reassuringly at her, but it only made her more nervous.
"Wonderful! Their starting a lovely song now, let's go." He grabbed her hand and led her away. West glanced around and made eye contact with Missouri, who lifted his eyebrows in a slightly shocked, slightly wondrous, questioning expression at her. West looked down, frowned and bit her lip slightly, then looked back at Missouri quickly changing her expression back to normal. Missouri nodded, understanding and turned his gaze back to the crowd. West turned to the man who asked to dance with her, "Whats your name?" He asked. West paused "Uh, Rook." The man lifted his eyebrows "Rook huh? That's an interesting name, My names Robert." He responded. "Nice name." West said, taking a deep breath. "I don't know many dance moves you know…" West said. Robert smiled "No worries, this one's easy just follow my lead." And with that he started moving, sliding in a dance with her. West felt like vomiting, but she forced a smile. As she danced she spotted Aro talking among people, he was now talking to a woman they were both laughing. West didn't understand how Aro could do that, he could get along with almost anyone. But then, the more she thought about it. How could anyone ever get along with her for that matter? And yet, Aro manage to get on her good side almost minutes after they met. And three weeks later she had tried to kill him, yet they were still friends. West shook her head slightly, I'll never understand you Aro Honestly… She thought to herself.
"Something wrong?" Robert asked. "Oh no, nothing just thinking thanks." West said smiling. Robert smiled back "Alright." West felt her bad leg starting to stiffen, as the dancing moved faster more complicated. No, no, no c'mon hang in there! Now is not the time to be stubborn leg! She thought to herself. But as they went on, it got harder and harder to follow up on Roberts moves, until eventually her leg was hurting more and more. She grinded her teeth, finally Robert stopped "Well I have to go now, sorry. It was nice meeting you Madam." He bowed and left the party room. West limped over to a table in a far dark corner and collapsed- as dignified as she could- onto a chair. Rubbing her bad leg "Stupid thing, of all times. You had to pick NOW to do that…" She muttered.
"Have a nice dance?" A familiar voice spoke behind her, she turned and saw Aro approached carefully, making sure no one was watching. West frowned, and didn't respond Aro went on. "Well I admit I didn't think I'd ever see you dance. You never told me you could dance! I would have invited you to more party's!" he grinned. It took west a moment to realize he was being half-sarcastic. West just grunted "I'm not in the mood for you smarky comments Aro." She muttered rubbing her leg. "Aww, but your never in the mood West." He said, chuckling. Then he stopped suddenly watching her, "Alright, seriously now. Whats wrong?" He asked.
West shifted, "Nothing." Aro sat down near her, glancing around. "Rook, this isn't the time for stubbornness." He said pretending to be more interested in his cup as he spoke. "Whats wrong?" West grunted, and shifted "Fine. My leg didn't agree with the dancing." She growled. Aro raised his hands slightly "Hey, relax. Can you make it through the night? How bad is it?" he asked. "I'll be fine, just stiff it all." West responded. "Alright, good. Be careful, go check on Missouri." Aro said quickly and quietly, as he stood up, and walked off again. West stood up as well, she looked around the exits again for anything strange. Then walked casually over to Missouri's direction, Missouri noticed her and went over to a table refilling his glass. Perfect. West thought, walking over to him. "Hello Gabriel." She said, he nodded "Hello Rachel." West tried not to react to the name, and grabbed an empty glass. People walked by them, "Nice party?" West asked. "Yeah, seems okay." Missouri said. "Just okay? Is something bothering you?" She was trying to ask him if he saw anything suspicious, but couldn't out right ask him with people nearby. Missouri sipped his glass and nodded, he paused then said. "Yeah, the drunk guys bother me. UNSC officers shouldn't be drunk." West filled her glass with water, nodding. "Anyone in particular?" She asked. Missouri pointed at a man near one of the far exits, then said "Well nice seeing you Rachel." He walked off.
So At least Missouri had been doing something except dancing with other guys, West thought. She looked around for Aro, and spotted him moving calmly through the crowd towards the far exit. They made eye contact, West raised her eyebrows. is it time?
Aro nodded.
It was time.