Thank you for being so patient, you guys are awesome. Ayway, I thought it was time for you meet our bad guys. Enjoy.

13

In the Thick of Things

Dmitri Keratin walked into the room, and immediatly saw Raison Charivari sitting in the middle of the room. "They got in, I assume," she said in a French accent.

Keratin nodded. "This means that we can get in and out, and do what we have to do."

Charivari got to her feet and glided over. Her long dark blonde hair was tied in a bun at the nape of her neck, and her dark blue eyes flashed. "Our task is nearing completion. Finally, I shall my revenge."

"Our revenge," Keratin reminded her.

Charivari paused, then turned and delicatly picked up a long stemmed wine glass and filled it with dark red liquid. "Indeed," she said, turning back to him slowly. "Our... revenge."

"Why are you after revenge?" Keratin asked.

Charivari looked at him for a long moment. "Ireland is a place of bad memories, and even worse enemies." Keratin blinked, but didn't answer. "What about you? Why are you after revenge?"

"My younger died on Irish soil," Keratin said.

"You have a younger brother?" Charivari asked mildly.

"Two. One now."

"I see. Did I know him?"

"Nikolai Tesseract."

"I see. What a shame. No one informed me of his death. And the other?" Charivari placed her glass on a table beside her. She beckoned to him and led him out of the room.

"A traitor," Keratin snarled. He followed her into a room adjacent to the one opposite three doors down from the room they were just in. Sanguine reclined on a bed, arms behind his head, sunglasses on. He saw them walk into the room and sat up. "Tanith's still there. I thought you said you would get her outta there. I don't wan' that scarred freak near her." Keratin stifled a shudder at his accent. He hated American accents, particulary the southern accent.

"In time, Mr Sanguine, in time. She was harder to locate than we expected," Charivari said in a soothing voice.

"Who's the brooding Hulk behind you. I don't remember you sayin' anythin' about having another person in the partnership," Sanguine said, changing the subject.

Charivari smiled. "That's because you were the third person in this partnership. What is you English-speaking people say; first in best dressed?"

"You lied to me. I don't appreciate bein' lied to." Sanguine lunged at them, straight razor in his hand. Keratin and Charivari didn't move and Keratin narrowed his eyes. The razor shuddered, and Sanguine looked down at it, confusion written all over his face. The straight razor crumbled, and Sanguine gaped down at it. "I have to admit, tha's mighty impressive." Sanguine said. Keratin nodded to him as Sanguine placed the handle of his razor back in his pocket.

"If you do exactly as we say, then you can have it back," Charivari said.

Sanguine nodded slowly. "All righ' then. Whats you plan of action?"

Charivari turned. "All in due time, Mr Sanguine." Keratin watched her walk out of the room, then held out his hand. Sanguine placed the straight razor in it, and the metal of the blade rose in one smooth motion and connected back to the handle.

"I appreciate tha'," Sanguine said. Keratin nodded once more and turned to walk out of the room. "You don' talk much," Sanguine called after him. Keratin didn't reply as he made his way out of the room. He realised that Charivari had never answered his question about why she was after revenge.

I have nothing against the Ameriminion's, and nothing against their accents. Sorry that Keratin doesn't but he asked me too mention that.