Severine passes among the stores, scowling at any who make eye contact with her. She's deeply uncomfortable about being out in public: she feels as if she's parading herself about for anyone who cares to see. Her hands have a white grip on her purse.

But there are items that she needs to purchase, and as her computer is down, the only way she might get them is to corporally attend the mall. So she walks amidst the stores, down the endless linoleum plains, eyes darting from one neon sign to the next, the laughter of shallow, happy people mocking her at every step.

There--- there was that accursed item she needed. Her heart almost leapt as she beheld it in the window: a purse, with pockets for pens, pencils, notebooks and reference books of all kinds.

She entered the store, "Drogden's Departments," and snatched the purse. She walked up to the cashier, who smiled at her encouragingly. Severine did not return it. She made her purchase and walked out of the store in silence. As she put away her change, she realized that she was quite hungry. Ravenous, in fact: had she forgotten to eat again? Great. Now she'd be trapped here for another 20 minutes while she got herself some food.

Severine walked to the foodcourt, carrying her Drogden's bag close to her side.

(guys... this is open! just make some stuff up ^^ I'm the new kid on the block, I want to see how you all RP.)

Link walked through the mass of people, looking for someone. He had accepted a job from an elderly lady that her grandson had gone missing. With a picture of the boy, fifteen years old, in his pockets, he was seeking out the boys that he hung out with. He might be able to get some clue from them. Hopefully. Maybe he would get a few of his cases done today. Hopefully at least this one. But after a bit of searching, he found no one. Figures...He would try at the school tomorrow.

Dressed in a black suite, he was heading for the food court for some coffee. He needed a boost to wake himself up. He hadn't had any sleep last night...or the night before...or the night before that. Pale ever since he had been born, he drew a few weird looks. The suite and his raven colored hair really made his skin stand out. He just wanted to get out of here, he had forgotten his Beretta M9 in his car, and he didn't like walking around without it. Something bad always happened when he didn't have it.

Checking his pocket for money, his day brightened a little. He had enough for some coffee and something to eat. This was new, he hadn't had any extra money in months. No, he was only getting some coffee. His blackmailer was taking too much money from him, he would use the extra to pay his employees. Noticing the food court ahead, he headed for it. As he did, his soldier's sense went off, something was wrong. He ignored it mostly, and didn't notice the small group of teenagers following him.

Severine saw a striking man in a suit who looked as out of place as she felt. There were teenagers following him: fucking mall goths. Pathetic. Probably hanging out behind him because they thought he looked cool. Severine loathed their kind. She gave the man and the goths a wide berth by selecting her food from the cheap chinese place near the far end of the food court. Grabbing a few condiments, she took a seat in the corner and ate as fast as possible.

She tried to distance herself from the scene, thinking back to her novel, back to the worlds she was creating. Severine wasn't here: Severine was beneath the sea of everlasting stars, watching them whirl through the sky. The air was crisp and cool, and tosled her hair. There were no people, no sounds, nothing but her, so still as to be discarnate, and the natural world around her.

Well, Link had been right. Something always happened when he didn't have his Beretta. He left a small coffee shop, coffee in hand, and started walking to th other end of the food court. The mall exit there led him right to his car, and he wanted to get his hand on the familiar cold metal of the Beretta M9. Though as he entered a less occupied area of the mall, the punks behind him started their plan. Two sped ahead of him, blocking him off, while the other two stayed behind him. Link sighed, what did these idiots want?

One with a purple mohawk spoke up first as a knife appeared in his hand, "Give us your money...Now..."

Judging by the way they were shaking, they were either nervous or needed more of whatever drug they were addicted to. It was more likely the drugs.

"I'm in a hurry, move."

These punks must have been used top getting their way, because they looked at each other. No one had ever said no to them before? The leader shook his head, and wove the knife more threateningly.

"No, give us you money...now!"

Link sighed and tried to leave, when one from behind him jumped forward and hit him across the head. He stumbled forward, and seeing the lead idiot about to stab his knife into his stomach Link threw his coffee in the kid's face. The would-be-mugger dropped his knife and held his face, screaming. Using that as a distraction, Link quickly left as the other three stood around like idiots.

Heading for a rather empty chinese store, Link slipped inside and sat at a table near the back, where he could see through the windows but any looking in wouldn't see him right away. It figured something like this would happen on his supposed day-off.

Severine watched the man enter the back of the store, looking a little worse for the wear-- almost as if he had gotten into some sort of tussle.

What the Hell? What happened anyway? She had heard noises outside, yes, but they were motes on her consciousness as she explored the ether.

Now he was sitting not far away from her. She felt almost curious, wanting to know what he was about. Her eyes scanned his, but she said nothing. If there was anything at all that Severine respected, it was personal privacy.

Link sighed as he rubbed the back of his head where the guy hit him. Pulling his hand away, he saw a bit of blood on his fingers. Not much though, he would be alright. Though he had to waste his coffee. Well, the small adrenaline boost he got would keep him alert for a bit. Groaning, he looked through teh window and saw two of the punks run by. They didn't see him. Good. He didn't want to get into a fight. Sighing, he ordered some tea. When it came he took a drink of it and sat the cup back down. This just wasn't his day.

Feeling a pair of eyes on him, he loked around. He soon saw Serverine a few tables away. He couldn't blame her from looking, he probably didn't look to good right now. Drinking the rest of his tea, he decided to wait awhile for the punks to give up, then he would leave.

When the man turned to her, Severine didn't back down, looking him in the eyes for a moment before she turned away. She wondered if there were dangerous people outside, or if something big was going on.

She returned her attention to her drink. Whatever was happening, it still was not enough to bother this man, not enough to break the silence with her hoarse, unused voice. She sighed and stood up, dumping her tray in the trashcan and replacing it on the tray return. She returned to her seat and looked outside listlessly. She had no desire to involve herself in whatever was going on, but the prospect of remaining here was almost as bad.

Link finished his tea and pushed the cup to the middle of the table. He would wait for a few more minutes, then he would go. That should be enough time for those punks to forget about him. But, with his luck, they would decide to come in here. But for now they were ignoring this place. This always happened to him. From a journalist blackmailing him to these punks. Oh well. Maybe his luck would change someday. For now though he was stuck with bad luck.

When Serverine looked away from him, he noticed that she looked a bit nervous. She probably wasn't a social person. Well, he wasn't going to bother her. He had no reason too really. Sighing, he stood up and started to leave. As he left, what do you know, the punks were right there. Hoping they didn't notice him, he started walking towards the exit. One did see him though, and motioned to the others. They have a new surprise for him now. They had knocked out a senior sucurity guard, took his money, and his 9mm. This guy in a suite wasn't getting away this time.

(sorry this post is so short! :()

Severine, when she grasped how active the punks were outside, had seen enough. She turned to Link and spoke gruffly.

"You-- what's going on out there?"

Link turned when he heard Severine speak, and saw the 9mm pistol in one of the punk's hands. They were walking towards him, these idiots just don't give up. Thoug, not wanting to get any hurt on his account, he turned his head to look at Severine, keeping the punks in view.

"Get out of here, they have a gun."

Hoping Severine listened, Link turned back to the punks. They had seen him, and running might cause them to chase after him, or start shooting. People this desperate tended to do very stupid, and dangerous, things. If he was lucky, he wouldn't get shot. And maybe someone would call the police or security. He was never lucky though, so, he was having a grim look on the soon-to-be future.

She didn't have to be told twice, though she wondered why he had warned her. Severine got up from her seat, grabbed her bag, and ran out the back door, shoving the cook and several alarmed patrons out of her way.

She emerged on the other side of the restaurant, wondering if she was safe, not sure if she cared either way.

Link sighed as Serverine made her not so discreet escape. Now when they were finished with him, the punks might head after her to get rid of any loose ends. Ignroing their demands for money, he looked around and rose his hands above his head. Nothing he could use was withing reach. Well, time to wing it.

"Okay, fine, just let me get my wallet..."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet. One of the punks stepped forward to grab it, and when he did the gun with the 9mm smirked. They had the gun, they might as well get rid of the person that could identify them. He rose the weapon to head level, and prepared to fire.

In a flash Link darted forward, grabbed the punk's wrist with one hand and the 9mm in the other and pushed down, pointing the weapon at the ground. The 9mm discharged, the sound of the shot caused everyone outside the restaraunt to stop and look, befor ethe punk fired another shot because of nerves. Someone screamed and everyone started running in a panic. The other two punks rushed forward to grab Link, one grabbing him and the other punching his in the jaw. The gunner, now angry, brought the 9mm back up to fire, one guy holding Link and the other standing off to the side. They didn't care that security was coming, they just wanted this guy dead.

Maybe if they weren't high they would have realized murder would throw them in jail for a few extra years, but none of them realized that as teh punk prepared to pull the trigger.