[ETIA] I won't be your Kitty Genovese

entitas tenebrarias inter animos (as Caroline Bishop)

There were beings following in the darkness, CETIA knew. Sensing them was a simple task; their minds could not be hidden from the network, even if their forms were. From scanning their surface thoughts, CETIA could determine that there were seven humans or humanoid beings in that group. There was no way to tell if any of them had powers, although the network made an educated guess that at least one of them might have some sort of sensory ability. That was a likely reason for why they had managed to track CETIA so well through the back alleys of the Underground, never splitting apart even as the paths did.

CETIA reporting. Beings remain in pursuit. Reason unknown. Identification requested.

The surface thought scan transmitted itself back to the core of the ETIA itself, making the information available to the other branches of the entity's network. There was a gentle mental pulse as the main entity checked its memory archives. The process normally took only a few moments but with the sparse amount of data that CETIA had collected, it was that much more difficult to make a clear connection. The answer came back after enough time for a quadruple check had passed.

Zmiaxri wpuypuxaiwjm. Vazrnmz wpvyzgcrwyp zmqawzmd.

Nothing, then.

The entity did not know emotion and Caroline Bishop was buried too deeply to feel disappointment, so CETIA merely continued to coolly evade those pursuers. The alleyways were becoming wider and less numerous, however, and sound there echoed rather loudly. The tapping of high heels against concrete in particular was painfully obvious. There was absolutely no way that anybody could miss it if they were searching for it.

Soon enough, too, CETIA came upon a fork and chose the left side, only to find that it was a dead end. A quick survey of the place found no other way out, no ladders or stairs, even. The only possible actions were to either wait or turn back. The former would be useless. The main entity had not dispatched any aid; there was no point to it when CETIA was just a singular pin on its entire network and the consciousness of Caroline Bishop was already woven to it. The human body was utterly replaceable, little more than a puppet to work through. It wasn't brain dead yet, but it was a near thing.

So CETIA turned back and that was when the seven pursuers caught up at last, blocking both of the other two paths. Three women and four men total, all of them in business attire.

"You know, it's really impolite to be running away from people when they're trying to talk to you." The speaker was a bespectacled middle aged woman that CETIA immediately labeled as the leader of the group, standing confidently behind the other six people. She was well dressed in a dark grey pantsuit and her brown hair was in a bob cut. Every bit of her screamed white collar worker. "Now are we going to talk like two civilized beings or not?"

There was something in the woman's voice that registered positively in CETIA's memory and after a search, the network concluded that it was her accent. It was same type that Caroline Bishop had spoken with before she had merged with the ETIA branch. British.

"Two?" CETIA said with a blank look, taking speech patterns from Caroline Bishop's memories. "Are you blind or are your colleagues simply supposed to be invisible?" The vocal inflections were all correct but as the ETIA did not really understand human mannerisms, there was still something quite noticeably off.

The brunette woman chuckled a little. "Oh no, it's neither of those. These men and women here are simply observers. After all, you and your fellow managers are surprisingly hard to get a hold of. If my colleagues weren't present, then doubt could be cast on everything I say about our little chat afterwards."

Sending out a scan on the woman's thoughts right then, CETIA could read the reason for their little chat. "We were not aware that Ouroboros would take such interest in tailoring," CETIA said after a moment, verifying the information with the main entity. "Unless your organization was interested in a commission, Linda Stovall."

Hearing her name, Linda Stovall immediately frowned before it smoothed itself out of her face seconds later. "I won't pretend to know how you obtained that information," she said. "In any case, this is hardly about me."

CETIA surveyed the woman's companions, already knowing that. A few of the other six shifted uncomfortably as CETIA observed them. "Go on, then."

"Your business is rather becoming a nuisance to our operations," Linda Stovall began.

"Which one?" CETIA interrupted. "The drug trade or the counterfeiting ring?"

The woman frowned again. "I don't have to answer that," she said, looking immensely suspicious. "All you need to know is that the increased amount of activity is starting to attract too much attention and it's not only our organization which is feeling the effects of it. We understand that your group is new to the area. It would be unreasonable to expect you to be familiar with the rules around here when you've only just settled into the scene. So let me explain."

"You are what we call a second degree business. You have multiple locations and steady, good business. Most second degree businesses here have agreements with us. Yours does not. Which is your choice, of course," she reassured. "However, when your choice harms the other businesses nearby, that becomes our problem, too. Do you understand?"

"Yes," CETIA said bluntly. "You're attempting to establish a collective, wronged coalition instead of a singular wronged unit and so take higher moral ground for yourself."

Linda Stovall pursed her lips together. "Now that's rather harsh, don't you think?" she said lightly.

CETIA stared blankly. "No."

The woman sighed harshly. "Fine. Have it your way," she said, scowling. "It's all well and good to bring in the wealthy clientele to the Underground but the rate has risen so much ever since you've come in that the law is taking notice. Everybody knows that some questionable activities might occur across the Underground. None of us have ever had a problem with the authorities before, however. The fact is, none of the locals care and none of the outsiders cared either, until they had enough reasons to make regular visits in some of the Underground's more unreputable locations."

"That seems like more of your problem than ours. Why not just move?" CETIA suggested.

"Do you have any idea how much equipment we would have to take with us?" Linda Stovall said impatiently. "We have been in these locations for decades! It's not easy to simply pick up and leave. That's not even touching on the amount of people we would have to shift around. Your franchise in particular is very ill placed. If you were to move more to the outskirts of the area, many of the issues between us would be resolved. Or perhaps your entire chain would be better situated downtown. Your products are not magical, after all. Our organization would even help you, all of you, with the move."

CETIA forwarded the offer and the main entity pondered over it. It would be very easy to agree to this proposition, as it seemed reasonable enough. But that was rather bland and the ETIA was curious to see what would happen if it answered no to a perfectly good option.

"No," CETIA answered. "We will not be moving, thank you."

"You can't possibly be answering for all of your absent colleagues," Linda argued.

"We will not be moving," CETIA repeated calmly, noting that everybody had taken a few discrete steps backwards. "We are of the same mind and this is our answer."

The look on Linda Stovall's face was dark. "What a pity," she said, almost to herself. "Very well then. Marcel, if you'd please."

CETIA observed that she appeared to be speaking to the short man with blond hair who stood in front of her. Nothing happened for a good few moments and through Caroline Bishop, the main entity observed in bemusement. As CETIA was debating whether to simply slip around the group, however, something stabbed sharply into the network. The human body gasped and dropped to its knees as somebody tried to wrestle ETIA for control.

If there was one thing that the ETIA could hate, it was having its network messed with. Though even now it was not angry per say, it leaned towards being vengeful as it turned the network's defenses against the attacker.

With a howl of pain, the blond haired man fell down, convulsing. CETIA looked on with something like fascination.

entitas tenebrarias inter animos (as Caroline Bishop)

CETIA sensed the presence of another person shortly before that being revealed itself as a dark haired humanoid. Though his surface thoughts were hostile, they did not seem to be directed towards CETIA, so the main entity was appeased. And curious. Its fascination with the convulsing man on the ground had now shifted to this newcomer who had intruded on business which was surely none of his concern.

"Friend of yours, is he?" Linda Stovall's voice was tight. There had been disgust and shock and fear on her face as her companion had been suitably subdued. Now her expression was stony, ordering her still standing allies with a slit jerk of her head. They edged away from this Marcel, effectively leaving him driven to insanity. That was what would have happened, anyways, had the main entity's focus not shifted.

"This is a stranger." CETIA blinked one last time at Marcel before the ETIA network stopped pushing at his mind. The man immediately became very still. After a tense moment, one of the other men in the group dragged him to the side.

Linda Stovall frowned. "Hm. Is that so?" She turned to this new person with a corporate air, raising an eyebrow at his attire. "Sir, if you don't mind, this is a private conversation. I would appreciate it if you would leave."

"No, this conversation is finished," CETIA said without looking at her, still observing that newcomer.

CETIA reporting. Identification requested.

This time, the answer came almost immediately, since the situation had already drawn the main entity's attention. Zmiaxri wpuypuxaiwjm. Vazrnmz wpvyzgcrwyp zmqawzmd.

Again, nothing. The main entity was interested in how so many people could escape the notice of the network. Perhaps it had to do with the going ons around the island, the events that the ETIA network mostly ignored because they were in two separate spheres. In any case, it seemed like it might be time to rectify that issue.

When Caroline Bishop was still her own individual, she had a habit of tilting her head when curious. CETIA copied that motion now, asking that person of interest, "Who are you?"

entitas tenebrarias inter animos (as Caroline Bishop)

CETIA was intrigued by the self declared guardian, who was prepared to defend the ETIA network without even having known it. The action, though it resonated well enough with Caroline Bishop's long buried fantasies of white knights, seemed wholly unnecessary to the main entity itself. The fate of the network's physical bodies was of no concern. After all, what was physical being to an entity which existed primary in an insubstantial state? In truth, the only real threat here was that man Marcel Cartier and his power was not nearly strong enough to actually cause any harm.

"Intervention is unnecessary," CETIA began. Though the entity itself felt nothing, its tone was puzzled as the network glossed over the guardian's surface thoughts. This person felt like he was brimming with emotions, much of which did not appear to be his own. If that was his power, it seemed to be one that was totally irrelevant. So the main entity deemed it.

"Lucian." Linda Stovall's voice effectively cut off the rationale that CETIA had planned to explain.

The man who had dragged Marcel Cartier to the side straightened. "Ma'am?" Linda Stovall glanced his way coolly and the thoughts that crossed both of their minds in that moment ticked off the requirements needed for Caroline Bishop to panic.

CETIA considered the panic for a second, understanding it but also not really comprehending it. It didn't really apply in the entity's situation. So when every standing member of the Ouroboros Ring suddenly pulled out a gun and pointed them in their direction, CETIA simply stood there calmly because the death of one body was nothing to it. If Caroline Bishop had still been conscious, she would have been terrified.

Linda Stovall pointed her own weapon at CETIA's human defender. "That one first," she ordered and pulled the trigger.

entitas tenebrarias inter animos (as Caroline Bishop)

Something flashed in Linda Stovall's eyes and leeching off of her thoughts, CETIA found a rush of peculiar emotions. Not being able to actually feel them, CETIA was simply aware of their presence and attempted to find a match within Caroline Bishop's memories. None existed, however, because Caroline Bishop had never felt that thing called battle lust in her life.

With the Ouroboros members suitably distracted, CETIA determined that logically, it would be an appropriate time to flee. The main entity, after all, did not have a concept of honor or morality. In the memories of Caroline Bishop, though, CETIA found those ideas to be quite strong.

Personal? A clear enough word with a clear enough definition. It was still not entirely obvious, however, why the human with the sword would stay and fight. Logically, it would be more in his favor to flee as well. As a being with only a single life and body tied together, it seemed like he would want to retain both. To both CETIA and the main entity, defying that option seemed absurd. In context of Caroline Bishop's memories, however, it made perfect sense.

CETIA was puzzled. The main entity was puzzled that CETIA was considering using Caroline Bishop over itself. As this deliberation took place, the fight went on.

Several shots were fired uselessly at the dumpster that the swordsman was hiding behind. "It's unwise to bring a sword to a gunfight," Linda Stovall projected, gesturing to her people. The Ouroboros members spread out, two of them moving carefully to get a clear line of sight. "How about you come out and save everybody the trouble?"

entitas tenebrarias inter animos (as Caroline Bishop)

Logically, within the constraints of Caroline Bishop's memories, it would be proper to stay and assist in some way. This was the conclusion that CETIA came to. Forwarding the decision through the main entity, CETIA was met with resistance from all the other parts of the network. Those parts did not understand the choice, not even with the compiled memories to explain the steps that led CETIA to that choice. Yet the main entity itself did not disapprove.

PETIA reporting. Target CETIA. The forwarded conclusion does not appear sound.

CETIA reporting. Target PETIA. Observe forwarded set.

PETIA reporting. Target CETIA. The set has been observed.

CETIA reporting. Target PETIA. Does the misunderstanding persist?

PETIA reporting. Target CETIA. The misunderstanding persists.

CETIA reporting. Target PETIA. The forwarded conclusion persists.

The entire conversation only took seconds to go through. Simultaneously, CETIA had been keeping watch on the Ouroboros members. It would have been ideal to eliminate Linda Stovall first, and see if the others would scatter with the fall of their leader. However, she was too far away, so dealing with her subordinates would have to come first. One of the two who were trying to catch the swordsman, then. The closest was a man but the other one just a little further away was a woman.

Now which one was weaker? CETIA edged forward slowly, considering the strength of its physical form. Perhaps the female would be the wiser choice but it made more sense to wait for the male to come around a little more and try to take the gun from his fingers.

METIA reporting. Target CETIA. Requesting location ka? The newness of METIA's presence on the network was apparent in the strangeness of its message, monotone broken with something that hinted towards the original personality of METIA's physical form.

Again, the main entity was simply content to watch the events unfold.

CETIA reporting. Target METIA. Forwarding location.

METIA reporting. Target CETIA. Location received ne.

As the targeted Ouroboros member got into position, CETIA rushed forward, using all of Caroline Bishop's meager weight to knock him off balance for a moment. He faltered but remained standing, and his grip on his gun remained too tight for CETIA to get it away from him. For a few moments, the two of them struggled over it until there was the sound of three shots being fired.

The entity, in any incarnation, did not feel pain. However, the forms that it commandeered still did, so CETIA could not stop the natural jerk of its body from being shot twice in the side. The absence of a third wound confused CETIA for a moment before it realized that the bullet had hit the shoulder of the man it was struggling with instead. As he winced in pain, CETIA swiped the gun from his hands and shot him again in the arm.