[LOCKED] control; my baby's lost control

[sarcaskick]

Who: Mercury Black, Armin Alert, Sansa Stark
When: 3/19
Where: Nova City, some clothing store
What: Mercury makes his move into the big old game of crime
Warnings: Violence, probably language, kidnapping, maybe torture?

[ Time's up.

He tried, he really did. He tried to play nice, he tried to keep himself incognito, he tried to maintain his cover, he tried to keep himself entertained by inconspicuous means, but it's not enough. He's had an itch ever since he got here, an itch to absolutely let loose and show his real colors, but he couldn't. Not with so many Beacon brats around. Not with Cinder looking over his shoulder.

But Cinder was gone, and he's found allies who wouldn't mind the chaos he wants to bring about. He was out of excuses.

Time's up.

It hadn't been hard to pick his target, not after the Schnee Company tryouts. Not when he knew he wanted to stick it to Weiss just to see the look on her face, so he knew it had to be personal. One of her employees, someone likable. Someone who didn't deserve it, to cause the outrage and despair Eas desired.

Sorry, Armin. Time's up.

He waited until the little blond was out in public but away from anyone who could help him - clothes shopping with some girl, it seemed. A girlfriend, maybe? So much the better! Mercury enters the store with his hands in his pockets, making his way towards Armin with slow, deliberate steps. ]

Hey, buddy! Weiss sent me to get you, we've got a situation. Everyone's meeting at her place ASAP, I'll explain on the way.

[ If the lie works? Super. If not?

Even better.

Time's up. ]

Comments

[sarcaskick]

Smart kid!

[ Oh well! He'll give himself points for even bothering to try to be subtle about handling this, but with Armin on the verge of calling sometime - the boss lady herself, he assumed - he needed to act fast. Of course he wanted people to know it was happening, but he didn't need Weiss mobilizing her people already.

There's a lazy roll of his shoulders as he takes one step forward - and then suddenly he's in motion with an explosive blast from the guns on his boots, augmenting his speed with his Aura to close the gap between them as quickly as possible. For Mercury that's blazingly fast, his legs being the sole focus of his combat style, and with a precisely timed spin he lashes a foot out for the device in Armin's hand.

...

Okay, maybe he was aiming for the hand itself. Shattering the boy's fingers seemed like as good a place to start as any. ]

Fat lot of good that does you now, though.

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin's reaction time had improved in the time he'd been a Traveler, and he's always known what to do in a crisis. But even so, even keeping an eye on Mercury, he barely has time to let go of his phone before it meets Mercury's foot and crumbles before him. His quick reaction in making him choose his target did prevent his hand from being shattered, though - with just a graze, only most of the bones were broken, and those relatively cleanly.

Armin screams in surprise and pain, but with Sansa just behind him he can't move out of the line of fire without exposing her. Fighting down panic and clenching his teeth through the pain, he uses his other hand - the nonbroken one - to try and push Sansa back, to get her moving. He has no time to be gentle.]

S-Sansa, run!! Run now!

[canbebrave]

[ Sansa's hand yanks back violently as soon as Mercury moves- he's impossibly fast, so it isn't until Armin's screaming that she actually pulls back. Then she's being shoved, taking several stumbled steps backwards. Then, she isn't sure what to think- her world's consumed with fear, with terror, with the same petrified fear she's felt too many times before. She isn't thinking too rationally, her mind not quickened like a warriors.]

Armin!

[sarcaskick]

[ He's content that the call to Weiss isn't going out, but he's made a little bit of a scene - someone is going to get word out before long, and he'd like to be gone before anyone comes by to investigate. If he were just here to kill the kid he would have been done and far away already, but his endgame is a little more...

Theatrical.

So for now he just stands there again, hands on his hips, making no clear effort to follow up on his first successful strike. He speaks with nonchalance, like nothing out of the ordinary has happened today. Just out for a stroll. ]

The lady's free to go wherever she likes. [ He spares the terrified woman a smile far too sweet to be real, a wink. ] Don't you worry your pretty little head about a thing.

[ He shifts his gaze back to Armin and the smile remains, but there's something in his eyes now. Something truly, visibly dangerous - eager and calculating, hot and cold all at once. ]

Well, unless your boy toy here doesn't feel like being a bit more cooperative. Then I might have to break your knees til they bend backwards. That might be worth a bit of worry.

[neverfeltthatway]

[Disguising his fear and doing his best to ignore the pain, Armin turns his back on Mercury, grabbing Sansa's hand and looking her in the eyes, seizing her attention and hopefully drawing her back to a place she can think clearly. Every instinct screams at him for turning his back to such a dangerous enemy - but at the moment, he couldn't do anything to oppose him anyway. He doesn't need Armin to turn his back in order to defeat him. And right now, the thing he needs the most is for Sansa to get out of here - especially with the threats he's just been throwing out.]

Sansa. I n-need you to go. F-find Mikasa.

[She'd make sure she was safe, and get the word out - which, if Mercury was willing to let Sansa go, was exactly what he wanted.]

[canbebrave]

[She's not one to cry easily, but she chokes a worried sob back. She doesn't want to leave him, wants to cry and scream and beg they take her too. She wants desperately to not be a coward anymore. But the rational half of her is screaming at her to leave. With another choked sob, she pulls her hand back from his, nodding and backing away.]

I love you. [Its choked and hoarse, but she spits it out. Then she's backing away, slowly but surely.]

hope this is all right

[neverfeltthatway]

I love you too [Though it comes out in a whisper, his voice doesn't hesitate or waver, no matter how frightened he is. He has to be strong for Sansa.

Then she's leaving, and he allows himself a moment of relief that she's safe before he turns back to Mercury. In truth, he's terrified. He has no weapon, no way to defend himself, and the speed with which the man attack clearly shows there's no running away. His hand is screaming in pain, and it's all he can manage not to be shaking. He doesn't know what Mercury wants, but he's utterly helpless to oppose him.

Still, he faces him head on, and when he speaks, his voice, though strained, is somehow quiet but even.]

What do you want?

totally!

[sarcaskick]

[ When he turns back to Mercury he'll see the silver-haired douchebag standing with his hands clasped together and pressed to his cheek, eyelashes fluttering as if dreamily. ]

How sweet.

[ And then the expression is dropped without a moment's pause, eyes sharpening their gaze as his hands flicked out to his sides in a nonchalant gesture. ]

You still have to come with me. My associate and I need to get your help with a little pet project of ours, and I'm afraid this isn't something you have the luxury of turning down. I really am sorry for the inconvenience!

[ He steps a bit to the side, motioning to the exit with a pleasant smile. ]

So, out the door and to the left, if you'd be so kind? I'll guide us the rest of the way there - and don't get any ideas about running off, okay? We both know that's just going to make things messy, primarily for you.

[ Pause. ]

Mostly for your shins.

just the two of us now

[neverfeltthatway]

[Unbroken hand clutched tightly at his side, he starts moving as Mercury directs after a long pause. It takes a lot of concentration to make sure his legs aren't shaking, but so far he's managing.

He's almost insulted he had felt the need to verbalize the threat. Like he'd said, they both understand the situation - though mostly he seems to simply like to talk. Armin ignores it, though, and doesn't waste time or energy hating the man - it would serve no purpose. Instead, he devotes his energy into not collapsing, finding a way to send a message about where he's headed to Mikasa without alerting his captor - though he's not too hopeful about his chances on that one - and trying to get information out of Mercury.]

So what's this 'project' - and where do I fit in? Wh-Why me?

just the two of us; we can make it if we try

[sarcaskick]

Someone in your position should know better than to get chatty.

[ He walks at Armin's side, hands in his pockets as if he didn't have a care in the world. It's not like his hands and arms are the real threat when dealing with him, anyway.

He shrugs, shooting the blond a crooked grin. ]

Buuuut I've got a big mouth, so what the hell, right? Can't tell you what the plan is yet, but you were the lucky candidate because you're just so darn likeable.

[ A pause, grin fading slightly into a somewhat less humored expression. ]

You've got no reason to trust me on this, but for the record? The plan doesn't involve killing you. Play along, don't get stupid, and you can go back to buying lingerie or whatever with your lady friend before long.

Hang a right, here.

[ That... Sure is an alleyway that leads out of sight of the main road. ]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Someone in Armin's position should know that knowledge is power, and that in this situation he's powerless in every way. He's already being kidnapped, and Mercury doesn't show any particular concern for his well being - asking questions can hardly make his position much worse. But he also knows better than to say that out loud.

Thankfully, it works. Like he'd hoped, the man likes to hear himself talk, and Armin had also picked up the subtle hints that caution is not his strongest suit.

...not that he likes what he hears. The only reason to kidnap somebody likable is if you want to make a lot of people suffer. And the line about not killing him isn't very convincing, either, especially in light of the other things he's heard - but he's good at acting, and he lets just the slightest hint of relief into his face before quickly covering it up. Enough that Mercury had seen it, hopefully. Any more and it would have been obvious he's acting, if Mercury knows him at all.

Playing along is the best chance he has of his captor making a mistake, as long as he doesn't overdo it and give himself away.]

Wh-where are we going?

[He hesitates just for a second before turning into the ally, letting a little more of his fear into his voice. If he can keep Mercury talking...]