Deg stood in the mall, his reasons for being there rather fatherly and somewhat out of his natural character. Damn fatherly instincts to hell. Probably because he liked to watch people. It'd gotten to the point where he'd decided that Raven had to be in Bayfield, since this is where he had last been seen, and that eventually they would accidentally cross paths. Until then, he would wait calmly, while watching his little sister and her little group of friends. Degla made no secret of his presence to the fourteen year old. Actually, he'd much rather have those boys in the group knowledgeable of his presence.

That’s the difference between a father and a brother. A brother would rather spy and catch the kid sibling in the act, there in getting them in trouble for doing something wrong. A father would rather make his presence known, allowing and forcing the person or persons in question that he was there and watching and there in prevents whatever it is the brother is waiting to catch in action before the action ever occurs.

The man stood straight, his feet the width of his shoulders, planted. His weight was centered and equal and he stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His hair was flaming red, as were his eyebrows, and at a length that was just too short to pull completely back but long enough to make a low ponytail with many stray strands around the face. His face was narrow and thin, hansom even as was his body. His clothing hung on his frame loosely in a way. His eyes were sunken a bit, blue, but they were glazed and empty, as if there was no emotion or life to them at all.

His clothing consisted of a pair of heavy black boots. They weren't very tall, only coming slightly above the ankles. They were laced, like normal boots, with one strap over the ankles. His plain black jeans were long and baggy all the way around and they sat perfectly on his hips with a black leather belt wrapped around that slim waist. His shirt was his usual style of button down with a sharp, wide collar. Today the color was red, though the red made his hair look more fiery, his hair made the shirt look dull. From his belt loop hung a set of two keys that jingled against his leg as he moved.

Beneath his clothing, hidden so well as to be undetectable, are seven blades of different sizes from four inches to eight inches in length.

He was attending to some unwanted chaperone business. And his odd blue eyes were gazing emptily at the store in front of him.

Viv had a chaperone job of a sort herself. One of her more dubious employers was apying her to keep an eye on his kids. Rival dealers had been giving his kids samples and her client wanted his children drug free. So Viv was supposed to "fix" anyone who tried to change that. Not her usual line of work, but it was paying nicely, so she'd work with her client on this. So far it had been boring and the kids hadn't gotten wise to her yet. They were 13 and 17 both boys.

Viv shadowed them through the mall. Only another por fessional wuold notice her. Today she was wearing a pair of carpenter jeans and a baggy polo shirt in baby blue, with a plain baby blue ball cap at an absurd angle. The mode of dress with her hair up under the hat made her look about 17 herself. It's hard to tell how old Viv is anyway she never wears make up and her skin has an ageless ethereal quality.

She has a variety of implements on her person to use as needed, screw drivers, vice grips, zip ties, a pocket knife and an H&K compact 357 sig, the custom 40 round mags had been a bitch to alter herself but it had been worth the trial and error it had taken her to perfect them. She was slouched by the smoothie place just on the edge of the food court watching her charges in the shop across the way.

Degla had noticed her. He'd noticed her because it seemed her boys were following his girl. And he didn't like it. It didn't take very long for him to pick up on the girl...no teenager...then about five minutes later...woman following the boys. He watched from his position in front of the store, in the opening, as her boys approached his girl.

His sharp, empty blue eyes flicked away breifly to search for the woman he'd thought was following the boys and sure enough, there she was near the food court. His eyes flicked back to the only red haired girl in the group. She was probably the prettiest, nicest, of all of those teenagers standing there. She was also the most deadliest of them.

After all, you have an assassin for a brother, he's bound to teach you a few tricks. Even if she knew he did some secret and serious work, she didn't know what he was. For her own good he kept it secret.

Those boys didn't seem to be doing much harm beyond a little flirtting. His gaze flicked back to the woman again. So why were they being followed? Kidnapper? Mom being over bearing?

The Boys she was following were mostly good boys, but they were targets because their dad was a drug czar plain and simple. Today seemed to be going smoothly. There had been no incednts since the other day. Apparently word had spread teh last pusher to approach the boys had wound up with his hands bolted to the hood of his own car. The up side to this was that this would make every small time punk in town think twice about trying to mess with these two. The bad side, amature night was over, from here on out she'd be expecting pros to come along and mess with her charges.

Until about twenty minutes ago she hadn't spotted any, but now here he was. She watched him for a while, certain he was watching her, but not certain he was watching Keith and Tate....He seemed to be watching the girl Keith was hitting on more. He stormy green eyes were weighing in the possibilities, when she noticed another one of her routine clients approaching Tate. She intercepted him smoothly and pulled him aside to a service hallway where she could still watch the boys, and the red headed man watching the now cluster of teens in the shop.

In the service hall they had a conversation with the help of the vice grips.

Degla had moved his eyes constantly between the boys and the woman, his sister, carfully keeping his own body between her and the woman, a careful distance away but close enough to reach those boys should they get stupid, as a lot of boys now do. It seems that the woman watching those boys may have noticed he was watching her. Fine. It's better to let them know your watching and prevent something all togather then it is to stay unknown and let an attempt be made.

And then he notices the woman stand, moving along, intercepting a man and dragging him from sight. Somethings not right. His void eyes turn back to Ronnie, her three friends, the boys. And he uncrosses his arms and slides his hands into his pockest.

No one would guess that he is wearing two thigh sheiths, two five inch blades. There are holes cut through his pockets where he may reach through for easy access to them. At the small of his back is his own seven inch desert eagel. Nice gun, great accuracy. But Degla has his preferances.

Viv's aquaintance is not exactly cooperative, but magic makes for good silence, she simple saps the essence of his voice, he can scream to no affect while she works. Which is quick. Really she'd rather drag it out and make a pretty example like the other day, but this place is too public and she still isn't sure what the redheaded man is here watching, but he is watching and it could still be Keith and Tate. She isn't sure yet. She does draw on some pleasant feeling eddies of magic from her victim's pain, And then he flees, whenn she cuts him lose. Lucky he tried this in tha mall, someplace more deserted and with more time and Viv would have enjoyed making a mess with him.

She makes her way back out into the main hall, she bumps the red head in passing, because Viv is rarely subtle, it can happen but she prefers to be blunt and direct. The worst thing that can happen after all....is that she might get hurt.

He doesn't budge. It's almost like bumping into a brick wall while you turn the corner. The only reaction she achieved from him is that his gaze drops onto her, heavy and weighty. An initiate might feel that he is useing some sort of magic to make his gaze so heavy and empty. It literally feels as if a hand is pushing down on your shoulders.

He's not useing magic.

The emptiness is all natural, all that makes him dangerous. After a moment he brought his eyes back up to his sister, her friends, those boys. He hasn't said a word to her. It was not he who owed her an apology. Even if it had been his fault, he probably would not have apologized. Degla doesn't apologize.

Ronnie was smiling, laughing. It made his heart just a little less then stone. It's the only thing keeping this man intact to that minimal extent, that smile. He'd kill anyone who hurt her. No questions asked. Including those boys.

Heavy empty and unpleasant sensations only serve to trickle a little more negative energy into her. Viv doesn't apologize either, even when things are her fault, not even to her brothers. Regrets and apologies aren't for sharing, manners be damned.

She moves past after her bump without breaking stride. Ignored, she still has this job to do, she needs this dealer's money to pay another dealer off.....to keep someone from getting hurt. The kids are exchanging phone numbers. Means more legwork later while she clears any new contacts the boys make.

She watches and Tate tries to wander away from Keith. They aren't supposed to split up. Fotunatly Keith knows it and snatches Tate back to him while he flirts some more.

The boys make their way into the food court and break off from the other group. A short time later though the other groups joins the boys in the food court. Tate is obviously getting bored though. Viv is hoping the kids son't split up, in spite of them knowing better.

Of coarse when the girls show up, Cold Red, is back. Is there a resemblance between him and the girl Keith seems interested in? She is starting to think so. She won't jump to conclusions though. She watches from the far side of the promenade of the food court while she sips at a bottled water.

Clearing contacts. She'll be doing so for a long while where Ronnie is concerned. First of all, there is no Rhonwen Rome or Degla Rome in any phonebooks. Secondly, there are no Degla Rome's existing as far as the government is concerned. He works for the Government, for the good guys and the bad guys.

As for resemblance, if she got near enough to the girl, she would find that, age difference aside, the red haired man and the red haired twin have in common almost all their features. Even both of their red hair is dashed through with black.

Degla's hands remained in his pockets as he moved when Ronnie moved. He stood not far off in the same manner he had earlier. If he cared that people gave him strange looks, he didn't show it. His blue gaze flicked to the woman as she moved. Good vantage point. She was most definatly watching someone in that group.

She was following the boys, her boys were following his girl. What was this? A fucking paraid?

The alarm beeped on Viv'satch and she turned it off and watched as the large black Suv pulled up to the food court's double doors. Teh driver stayed with it and kept it running, the passenger, at the moment Viv's, co-worker got out and came in after the boys. Keith and Tate Knew who Tony was, unlike Viv. Tony walked right over and prevented the boys from further stalling, then he ushered them out to the SUV. Viv got the barest hint of a nod from Tony as he herded the boys out.

Now for her leg work. She took out the cellphone and scrolled through it to be sure there were images of everyone the boys had contacted or talked to. She got a couple of the kids she's missed on her way out of the food court as she headed back to the shops. As for Cold red, she'll remember his face, another reason for the bump. She'd start clearing all the mall employees. Far more tedious than her usual work, but it paid good and the pay off was a big deal right now, in spite of Viv's many assurances to a certain half-breed that it was only money.

Cold red. What a name.

Degla would laugh at her.

He watched the boys leave the mall with a man, then his eyes flickered over the woman again. A normal person would be curious. Degla dismissed it entirly. It was not his place, those boys were not his job, no harm came to Ronnie, so he didn't care.

However, perhapes he trained Ronnie a little too well as the young woman excused herself from the table, her friends, two girls from her swing dance class, watching her curiously. The sixteen year old was dressed in a black skirt that swung loose and hung an inch above her knee. Boots that came up to cover her ankles loosely, black and white stripped socks that reached to her knees. Her shirt was black, short sleeved, fitted but not tight. Her arms bore armwarmers that were identical to the socks. Her braid hung past her waist.

She approached Viv from behind and tapped her shoulder.

Degla tensed and started forward.

"You're cute kid, but I can't play today." Viv replied and tossed the water botlte out. Another face she'd not forget, defintiely related. She started to walk off but the girl followed. She kept walking, she wasn't here about this kid so far as she knew the girl was in no way connected with any cartels or gangs running drugs in the area. The man didn't register either, but he was a pro, A serious hitter. Viv at least knew she was likely out of her Leugue,s he just moonlights at this sort of thing. Still she's going to have to figurre this out and report to get her full pay out.

Maybe she should stick to shake downs, instead of stake outs.

The girl tails Viv to a burger stand, and the man follows the girl. Viv orders a half dozen burgers, another water, and spends some energy to check on her brother. This should be interesting she tells herself.

She walks over to an unocuppied table and sits, expecting to be followed.

Ronnie's as persistant as Degla, if only a lot more wreckless then he. He takes his chances, but he's experianced, she's a kid who liked to play spy and assassin and detective with her big brother as a child. There is a huge gap in the differences of experiance and playtime.

Also, like her brother, Ronnie does not like to be dismissed. If anyone does the dismissing, it will be her. She followed the woman to the table and seated herself without being offered to, slouching a little into the chair and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why were you following Keith?" Very observent young woman. At least she hadn't blown in Viv's cover in front of the boys.

Degla crossed the court quickly, swiftly, but looked so natural with the movments. One thin hand came to rest, squeeze lightly, and then relax over the young girls shoulder. "Your grounded." His voice was pleasent. As empty of any substance as his eyes were. Ronnie seemed to wilt a little around the edge and slouch. Degla's eyes remained on the other woman, not his sister.

"His dad pays me to keep certain people way from him and Tate. People that might hurt them or try to ge them to do things they shouldn't" Viv says. She doesn't look at either, though her magic is keeping her aware fo both while her Gaze remians focused on the burger she's devouring. A normal person would wonder where the hell Viv puts all the food she eats.

"Oh. What sort of bad peop Ow. Alright! I'm going." Degla had squeezed her shoulder in order to stop her questions. He pulled up a little at the pressure point, applying minimal strength to get her attintion. She stood.

"There are some things that are not your business." He told her. He bent, lay a kiss on her forhead with soft lips, releasing his hand from her shoulder. "Go home Ronnie. I don't want to come home and find your friends there." She sighed heavily, that great dramatic sound that teenagers make. The one that makes you wonder if they breath in anymore how they don't pop their lungs. She kissed his cheek and then turned to look at the woman again before leaving, returning to her friends.

Degla watched her, as the friends got up and the three girls left, soda cans in hand, exiting through the double doors. He watched until he could see they'd gotten into the car they'd come and pulled out of their parking space. Then he turned his empty gaze to her.

"Sorry." That's it. He won't aplogize for any other reason but to apologize for or to Ronnie.

"You shouldn't be, it's good she's alert, though fearless can be dumb, As I can attest to." She says then moves on to the fourth hamburger in two minutes.

She wonders where exactly his will og, clearly he wasn't here about Tate or Keith though, which was good. The fourth burger consumed she pauses in her meal and looks up. She's have to guess brother insteadof father trying to go from age, but he surely acted like a father. She said nothing while she sipped at her water. She simply waits to see if he's done here or not, likely not or he'd be gone already. So she waits, it's his move in this chess game as far as she's concearned.

He's not done. Hired protection for the man's kids. That means two things. Power and money. Degla likes to keep ahead of the game, he likes to know about all of the power and money in the city. Actually, he's probably worked for the very man she's currently working for.

He touched the back of one chair with his his finger tips, drawing both hands from his pockets. Brother indeed. If he'd have fathered Ronnie he'd have been a busy ten year old. As it is, he is not the father but rather the father figure.

"May I?" The tone in his empty voice might say that if she says no he'll seat himself anyways.

"You're going to anyway." she says. Likley it's time for the grill. She's not been paid to keep what she's doing quiet, only not to spook the boys. For now she'll play the game. Her employer actually wants known that the boys are under protection in certain circles.

She devours the remaining hamburgers, and sips more water. She isn't nearly so wary now that the boys her gone. Her own personal safety is rarely an issue to her.

He doesn't give a damn about the boys.

"Your right," he replied and sat down. He sat slouched down slightly, crossing one ankle over the other knee and folding his hands over his stomach. He looked so...comfortable? At ease? How many people could sit across the table from someone like Viv and feel so comfortable?

"Who is their father? By name." It's all he needs. Everything else he can find on his own, with just a last name and a first inital. He offers no polite introduction. If she wants to know him, she'll ask. Otherwise, this will be quick and simple. It's what you get when you put two very direct people togather.

"Alonzo Caesar." nothing she need keep secret. She doubts he needs much else. "I hope it's strictly professional curiousity." she says. It would be bad to have things become adversarial with this fellow before she gets paid. She has two days left until Tony's normal partner gets back from an unexpected trip.

"Professional. Yes."

Maybe it would upset her to know what his profession was? It would be a shame if dear Mr. Alonzo Ceasar turned up dead before he could ever sign her check now wouldn't it? Fortunatly for her, he doesn't have business with Mr. Ceasar currently. He has worked for the man in the past, though, while he knew exactly who Ceasar was, the man knew nothing of Degla except that he's careful not to have the slightest bit of contact with his clients and minimal with his targets.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Wasn't much to cooperate with in the first place was there? He didn't move. Instead, his eyes remained empty and distant but his brow creased and his face seemed to be somewhere else now.

Cash, Viv only takes cash for her special jobs, in small unmaked bills, and should the husband expire, the wife would still pay her. Finished with her food she rises. She has no other comments to make and she still has work to do here.

She'd definitely not forget this one though, those cold eyes, they reminded her in a disturbing way of her father.

His eyes followed her when she stood but something in them...behind the emptiness, it said that he was only registering her movments while his mind was functioning somewhere else entirly. When you think about it, comparing him to a robot isn't very off. No emotions, register's everything around him, computes it, but still works on something else that no one else would even begin to be able to comprehend.

He doesn't move. He might just stay here for a while. Give Ronnie time to get home and settled before going in to kick out the friends he knew would be there against his instructions when he got back.