{ scene } the time we have the task at hand the love it takes to destroy a man
[18:05] * Pelagia is not up to something for once. She is watching a t-shirt seller argue with a customer.
[18:06] * James is arguably always up to something, by dint of consciousness; he is, however, not actively making a nuisance of himself. Which doesn't appear to be stopping anyone- "We have an audience, too," he murmurs.
[18:10] Pelagia: "Do we?" She tips her head slightly to the side so he can speak into her ear, eyebrows raised.
[18:14] James: "Not our usual friends, either," he confirms.
[18:17] Pelagia: "What now?" She can't fight them here - there are too many people, even if they use conventional weaponry. Someone might get hurt.
[18:18] James: "I have a feeling we've gone up a paygrade, darling. Let's start moving, shall we?"
[18:19] * Pelagia does just that. Pretense of casualness at first, but she knows it won't last.
[18:21] James: Aaaand now they're being followed. Less subtly, too; they'd walked, and now James casts his eye for something faster. To 'borrow'.
[18:22] Pelagia: Oh, one of them just shot at them. It ricochets off a building, but Pela ain't waiting around to see if the aim of their suit-clad 'friends' improves; she grabs James' hand and starts to run.
[18:23] James: "This way," James says, wrapping his fingers around her hand and /pulling/ when he spots something with promise.
[18:25] * Pelagia balks briefly at the motorcycle, but she knows they don't have a choice. "Will both of us fit?"
[18:27] * James is...improvising with a lack of the keys, but he hurries her impatiently, "Yes, just don't let go."
[18:30] * Pelagia is so skeptical of all of this, but okay, she's a daredevil, she'll go for it. "Noted."
[18:33] James: "Hold tight," and he kicks them off down the street, getting a quick feel for the bike's temperament and speed. (Pela may get the impression he's enjoying this. A little.)
[18:35] * Pelagia ...definitely does hold on tight, hi, but she kind of likes it, too, face pressed into his shoulder. "--hmm--"
[18:36] * James swerves down a side street, but he does seem to know where he's going. This once.
[18:45] * Pelagia has one very fast straggler following them. ... so she moves around on the motorcycle to sit in James' lap, facing him. So that she can throw knives. Awesome.
[18:47] * James ... adjusts to this, leaning a little so he can still see where the hell they're going over her shoulder. "We'll lose them at the water. I think we'll borrow a boat." 'Borrow'.
[18:55] Pelagia: "Oh, good--" She makes a pleased little sound and does a victory...uh...twist, when her knife plants itself neatly their pursuer's throat.
[18:58] James: "Driving, Pela," James says, sharply, in response.
[19:00] Pelagia: "What? I know you are." She says, distractedly, pulling herself back around to sit behind him. "How close are we?"
[19:02] James: "Close. Hold on." James squints ahead of them, estimating the distance and looking for something to propel off.
[19:04] * Pelagia is not expecting the leap, by the way, so that'll be interesting.
[19:09] James: "Here goes," he yells, and ... yes, they're going up what's not so much a ramp as it is a small platform straightening and over, hitting the boat hard and skidding along to a sideways stop.
[19:13] * Pelagia does not scream because...she's Pela, but he may actually have bruises from where her fingers dug in, for the record.
[19:17] * James ... looks distinctly more exhilirated than remotely repentant, killing the engine and going to untie the boat from the dock. "If they shoot the fuel line, we have a problem."
[19:20] Pelagia: "Can we do that for fun and not when we're trying not to get shot?" ...it's a genuine question. "I see. Give me a gun."
[19:21] James: "Maybe later," James says, dryly, producing a second gun and - after a moment's hesitation - handing it over to her. "Don't forget the safety." ...meanwhile: he has to drive.
[19:26] Pelagia: "They won't shoot the fuel line," she says, certain, "I will shoot them first." ... this is going to be interesting. But she does have a knack for warfare, this girl, so while a few bullets from the Technocrats do imbed themselves in the boat, the fuel line itself does not get damaged.
[19:27] * James manages to avoid getting shot himself, in the process; hopefully when he gets the opportunity to show Pullings what a speed boat is like, it won't be like this.
[19:28] Pelagia: Once enough distance has been achieved and they're well onto the water, she ... puts the gun down. Slowly. Um.
[19:29] James: "We can dump the boat somewhere and take the bike back to the house," James says, looking up. "Are you all right?"
[19:32] * Pelagia loops an arm around herself, quiet, and doesn't say anything for a second. "Yes, okay." ...it's really one thing - for a mermaid - to watch someone else use a gun. Jarring, yes. To use one yourself is strange, and while killing doesn't frighten her, the power of this instrument, the coldness of it, it unsettles her. She doesn't know what to do with that.
[19:39] James: "Sit a while. We're going further up the coast, just in case." James ... isn't going to try and address whatever's going on in her head, but no one is especially surprised. Maybe he can guess, though, a little.
[19:43] * Pelagia doesn't sit, just yet - she watches the water for a second longer, and when she does find herself a seat it's like she's surprised she's there.
[19:49] James: "All right?" he repeats, quieter, just in case.
[19:50] Pelagia: "I don't know," she admits, after a moment.
[19:53] James: "We'll head back soon."
[19:55] * Pelagia drifts her fingertips through the water, thinking, silent.
[20:00] James: "So. Up a paygrade, then. Those weren't Cancun men."
[20:04] Pelagia: "Technocrats, yes." Which is likely accentuating how she is right now, but not as bad as it could be - considering the bolstering the Nexus gives her. "Low-ranking, though."
[20:11] James: "We're a low priority right now." James runs his fingers through his hair, absently putting it to some semblance of 'rights'. "That's something we'll have to change."
continues here, with pullings.