InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Our growth is like a tumor"

April Hollins (off_pointe) wrote in darkdividerpg,
@ 2015-04-01 18:53:00

Entry tags:

character: april hollins, character: eli lasko, character: max lasko, character: mikhail petrov, character: raj lodi, date: 03.14.15, type: group scene

I will break you down.
Who: April and Mikhail
What: Mikhail puts his plan in motion.
When: Saturday night
Where: The alley behind the Chicago Theater, then elsewhere
Rating: R (kidnapping, language probably)

April's gig in Into the Woods had been her dream come true- even if she was understudying for one of the evil stepsisters. Hell, especially since she was understudying, considering one came down with some version of the plague that had hit the city since winter, and she had the chance to shine in the actual spotlight tonight. It'd been a key performance of her career; the first that could lead to many actual roles, and she. Had. Nailed it.

So what if it was a minor role, and people would be calling her by the name of the girl she replaced during the whole cast party afterward. April was fine with correcting them, and would with a smile on her face.

The curtain had just gone down on the final act. April, still in bodice, corset, and the full-makeup of a woman who'd just been attacked by a flock of birds, milled out the back bay door with a handful of the other cast and chorus members to grab some fresh air. Backstage could reach the upper 90's in temperature, especially in the 'lower' dressing rooms, so even on the coldest nights, it was fairly well known tradition to have a smoke-break in costume in the brick alley behind.

Interestingly enough, the alley itself had a bad reputation. It'd been where Jeffery Dahmer picked up a number of his victims from the nearby bus station. It had also been the death-site of more than three hundred turn-of-the-century theatergoers... mostly children.. who had fled from an upper story fire escape that wasn't finished in the great fire that destroyed the original theater. The whole place had a haunted reputation that she liked to tease Eli about, and it never strayed far from topic in the suspicious theater crowd. One of them offered April a smoke as she meandered in the cool breeze. She declined, fanning herself with her crow-shredded fan, and lingered around until her cheeks weren't so red under the grease paints.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 04:15 am UTC (link)

Mikhail was still reeling from his conversation with Quill. He'd smashed some of the furniture, then packed up his things and left. He had spent the night looking for a new location to carry out the next part of his plan. He hadn't wanted to take this step, but he had to force a confrontation with Elias Lasko. This needed to be over. That was the only thing that made sense since he'd come to this city.

He could see the woman, April, standing by herself in the alleyway. Her bright hair made her obvious in the crowd. She was still in costume, which made it oddly more appropriate.

Creeping up behind her, his hand wrapped around her mouth, a cloth soaked in a mixture of chemicals pressed over her face. Another arm wrapped around her waist. Mikhail hoped the woman would pass out quickly and not struggle much. He didn't want to have to hurt her, but he needed to make certain Elias Lasko stopped avoiding him. This was the only way he knew to bring the hunter running.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 05:12 am UTC (link)

Her thoughts had not been on anything except the good news she had to tell Eli, to see the shining smiling faces of her family who had been in the audience that night, waiting to support and congradulate her. They hadn't been anywhere near the dark matters surrounding her boyfriend's former life, or the possibility that it had come calling on him again. Not until her lungs suddenly burned as if she'd huffed a giant gulp of iodine, and there was a vice-grip around her arms and face.

Panic shot through every fiber of her being, first freezing her in shock- then her brain realized her airway had been cut off, save for through a bath of chemicals. Both fight and flight kicked in at the same time, a rabid shriek vibrated into the fabric and his hand. Legs under skirts and corsets bucked, kicked, and scraped the pavement the way her nails scraped at the arm around her middle, catching anything they could in despration to loosen the hold.

Clothing. Jewelry. Flesh. Anything. Somthing snapped under her fingers, then fell away uselessly. It'd done nothing... her lungs were on fire, constricting desperately for air but getting nothing more than the hot fumes. They started to fringe her vision. They swam in her head along with adrenaline and fear. Strangling out everything except a single moment of clarity on just what was going on... and that it was happening to her.

Besides a quick chirp of something in a side alley nearby, none of the lingering cast and crew caught hide or hair of what happened to April.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 05:44 am UTC (link)

Mikhail's grip was like a vise. He was almost as strong as a were in their human form, and her vain struggles and clawing had no effect. He didn't notice the bracelet Raj had given him tearing loose as she grabbed his jacket sleeve. It's clattering to the ground was masked by the scrap of her kicking feet. He held the cloth to her face as he ushered her to his car. Once she'd gone limp, he laid her across the back seat, rapidly binding her hands, feet and gagging her. Coverng her with a blanket, he got in and started driving.

It took awhile to get to the abandoned house he'd chosen, but he chose the winding path for a reason. He didn't know if anyone had seen what he'd done, or was following him. Mikhail was adept at losing people. Once they'd arrived, he parked in the alley behind the row of abandoned houses, half a block down from their destination.

He opened the back door, fully expecting to be kicked at or some other attempt to flee or get first. "Don't fight," he warned. "Please. You'll only hurt yourself."

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 06:07 am UTC (link)

April hadn't started to fought off the painful dregs of her chemically-induced sleep until the car stopped moving, and the vibration of the engine died. She blinked heavily, her lashes dusting whatever was over her eyes as the vehicle jerked when a door was shut... then another opened. It was dark, and her head and chest pounded like she'd been punched in both... and the realization that she had not been dreaming this hit her like the oncoming migraine.

Then the veil was pulled away, and she met eyes with sureal reality- her abductor. With everything April had seen and heard in her life, she still had trouble believing this was happenng.

"Mnnrrgngn! DnnNRRNG!" Swearing, let alone speaking, into the material tied into her mouth was a little more than difficult, but he got the point by the way she skuttled and squirmed to the opposite side of the car, scrunched up like a cornered animal as far away from him as possible. Her bound hands behind her grappled for a handle, but found nothing. Useless anyway, unless she could somehow hop away faster than he could walk after her- so everything in her eyes promised she wasn't going to make whatever he wanted easy for him.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 06:19 am UTC (link)

Mikhail sighed. He didn't want to have to manhandle her too much. "I'm not going to hurt you, April," he told her. Not that he expected her to believe him. "You won't be here long. Elias will come for you." Perhaps even as early as that night. He doubted the Laskos would spare any effort for the woman's safe return.

Letting out another sigh, he left the door he'd opened open and went around to the side she'd backed into. If she wanted to scoot across and try to hop away, he could easily catch her. Hopefully, she'd just let him lift her out of the car and carry her. He opened the door she'd backed against.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 06:30 am UTC (link)

The Too late! she barked back at him was muffled well enough by the gag, though the meaning certainly wasn't lost in her tone- but what he said about Eli added a sharp look (and grunt) of confusion to her glare.

She didn't have time to articulate any of it. April's breathing hardened as he made his way around to her side, forcing the decision on whether or not she was going to make a lunge for it.

She didn't think fast enough. Only when the door moved behind her did she actually try to move, triggered by another flare of irrational panic. He caught her easily- but she did not go quietly.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 06:42 am UTC (link)

Mikhail had expected her to try to make a break for it. She was spirited and strong. He could understand why Elias was attracted to her. It just made him more certain the other hunter would waste no time in tracking them down. Finishing it.

Hoisting April over one of his shoulders he was careful her head and legs as he shut the doors and walked quietly towards the house he'd chosen. She was struggling hard enough he had to steady her with both hands so she didn't squirm from his gentled grip trying to get away. He didn't want to hold her any firmer than he was, or he'd leave ugly, painful bruises. He'd left the door unlocked but booby trapped, to keep innocent homeless bystanders out. He knew how to avoid the trap and did so easily, without even losing a beat.

He'd done his best to clean the main room of the boarded up house so it was somewhat comfortable for his captive. He'd removed the decaying furniture to other parts, and put out a pallet with blankets. He'd purposely chosen a house with a fireplace in the living room. There was wood for a fire, so she could be warm while they waited for her rescuer. Settling April down on the pallet, he wrapped the blanket there around her shoulders. Then Mikhail moved to start a fire. "I have some food and water if you're hungry," he told her. "I'll untie your hands and ungag you, but only if you promise not to scream."

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:01 am UTC (link)

Despite his efforts, there would still be bruises- mostly because April bruised worse than a peach, plus she was doing more squirming than was rational. It stopped only when he plopped her down (upright) on the pallet bed with a pained grunt, crushing the boned bustle skirt and jamming her ribs with the corset seams that burst through their bindings.

Then there was the blanket... and the good-host feel to his offer of refreshments and untied limbs...

Above her gag, April was staring at him more like a language she couldn't read, more than an actual threat to her body and soul- though that was still there, too. Anger and utter confusion. This was not like any kidnapping she'd seen on TV.

Save for the cholorophorm.

Still breathing hard, the stare-off continued on April's end as she tried to figure what the hell was going on, and what the smartest move on her part would be. It didn't take long to realize it was best for her if she had her hands free- if he was actually telling the truth, that is. After what felt like forever, she finally nodded that 'promise'.

Though she hadn't decided if she would keep it yet. She was winging this.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 07:09 am UTC (link)

She was an unfortunate bystander. Mikhail regretted any time he had to upset or even harm one. But he was tired of waiting for the Laskos to come out of hiding and confront him. This was the only way he could think of, make Elias Lasko angry enough at him to come to him.

When she nodded, he ungagged her first. Waiting to see if she'd scream. She didn't, so he moved to untie her hands. Mikhail stayed where he was, waiting for inevitable, but futile attack. April was strong, she'd fight back. He expected no less.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:22 am UTC (link)

April definitely did not feel like an unfortunate bystander, nor did she intend on allowing herself to be victimized- Mikhail was right; she was strong. But she was also definitlely not stupid, and thankfully the healthy dose of confusion thanks to his odd and unexpected...niceness... had suppressed a lot of her fear-instinct to just flail and run.

Though she was definitely still frightened, now, even with bruised ribs and chaffed ribs, she was thinking. She didn't scream when he moved the gag off her chin, or move (besides rubbing her sore wrists) when he untied her. She stayed still as a fawn in tall grass until he came back into her field of vision.

"This...was a really bad idea, y'know," she finally broke the silence, her voice thick with all the emotions she was trying to suppress.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 07:28 am UTC (link)

"Yes, it is," he agreed. "But I'm tired of playing cat and mouse with Elias. He knows I've been looking for him. Now he will find me and we can be done with our business." Mikhail looked at her. "I would let you go, but I'm not certain they've found where we are yet. When he gets here, then you should go. At least out to his car, where it's safer." Mikhail sat down on the floor in front of her. It wouldn't be long, he was certain. The Laskos had been at the play.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:36 am UTC (link)

Well. At least they agreed on something.

"I saw you. You were at their bar," she told him bluntly. "There are easier ways of getting someone's attention-"

But he went on, and with a context and hollow tone that put a chill in April's bones that had nothing to do with how cold it was that night. She stared at him, her eyes hard under pinched down copper brows. Silence fell again as her gears turned over the phrase 'where it's safer', trying to make sense of it. Of any of it.

"What-" She almost said 'the hell', but censored herself before her fear and anger grabbed hold again. She pressed her lips hard and started over. "Why Eli? What did he do to you? He doesn't even know you..."

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romvanator
2015-04-02 07:44 am UTC (link)

"I had his attention," Mikhail pointed out. "He was hiding from me. Staying where he knew I couldn't confront him without witnesses. I was done waiting for him to stop hiding from me."

Mikhail shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "I've had visions about him, that's why I came here. At first, I wasn't sure why, but now I know. He'll finish it." He was confident of that.

He got up long enough to retrieve something from a large bag nearby, with an old, battered violin case covered in travel stickers next to it. Opening the bag didn't reveal much, but he pulled out a bottle of water and a small bag of Sun Chips. "Here," he said, offering them to her.

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 07:51 am UTC (link)

Everything Eli had told her about this guy was going through her head, now. That he was supposedly insane, as well as dangerous. April was already convinced of both, but how much of the former... that was her main concern at the moment. She didn't think he'd suddenly snap her neck for no reason, but then again... He seemed to be focused on her boyfriend for the same amount of reason. So treading lightly was pretty much her only option.

She hesitated, but accepted the bag and bottle, watching him as she set the former aside and cracked the water open. Her throat was scratchy and tasted like medicine from the rag he'd smothered her with.

"Thanks..." she added, then took a few sips. Still watching him close.

"What is he supposed to be finishing, exactly?"

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	romvanator 2015-04-02 07:55 am UTC (link)
	Mikhail didn't answer her question. "I watched the show," he told her. "You were very good. It's been awhile since I'd seen a play." He was abysmally bad at small talk, but since he had imposed on April the way he had, he might as well attempt to be tolerable company. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

off_pointe
2015-04-02 08:09 am UTC (link)

April's teeth briefly bore down on her bottom lip, keeping her small flare of frustration down as much as possible. She hated being ignored, especially when she asked direct questions. Add to it the level of fucked-up this situation was proving to be, and moving past it was not easy.

"It sounds like you should get out more," she finally commented, somehow managing to keep her tongue in cheek more cheeky than irritated snark. She decided pegging him harder for information wasn't going to help. Like needling her brother about his drinking problem, it would only backfire.

"I don't suppose you could've waited 'til I got out of this corset before kidnapping me." As if being knocked out and hogtied was a lesser inconvenience.

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	romvanator 2015-04-02 08:16 am UTC (link)
	That was probably the understatement of the century. He didn't mean to ignore April's question, but he didn't know how to answer it without frightening her more. He winced as she mentioned the corset. "Sorry," he murmured. "I didn't think about it. I would imagine it's not very comfortable. They never talk about them being comfortable in the books I've read." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

off_pointe
2015-04-02 08:24 am UTC (link)

"Just slightly less comfortable than being shoved in the back of a car," she murmured back, at least trying to put a little deadpan humor in her voice. She wasn't sure if she pulled it off, so April moved on quickly. Setting the water down, she shrugged out of the blanket and tried her best to reach the ties and straps that held the thing tight against her body, but they were anchored hard- meant to stay on a dancer as she moved.

Now it was stabbing her in the ribs every time she breathed. The way she looked at him in her difficulty made sure to tell him who she blamed for it.

"Try dancing in it," she gritted through her teeth with the effort, then gave up. "The spines are jabbing me. I can't get out of it by myself... Least you can do is help me."

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romvanator
2015-04-02 08:32 am UTC (link)

Mikhail sighed. He understood that had been unpleasant as well. Really, he wished there had been another way. But things had gotten confusing and muddled and he just wanted them to make sense again. Wanted to be done with his miserable existence.

"I wouldn't do it as well as you," he told her. Mikhail balked for a second, then moved to kneel behind her. Figuring out how to unlace it wasn't that hard. He loosened the stays a bit. "Is that better or do you want it completely untied?"

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 08:47 am UTC (link)

April's jaw tightened a bit, stiff as she steeled enough to tolerate being touched by him- a problematic necessity to her plan to talk him into some kind of normalcy. She breathed it out by the time he was actually doing it. Like that costumer with the bad breath she told herself, and carried on.

"It's designed to stay on, regardless of what I do," she informed him. "It's not just tied, it's buttoned and strapped- someone has to put me in it, as well as get me out."

If the situation wasn't terrifying and bordering on sick, it'd be awkward as all hell. April was trying to focus on the latter. While wincing through his fumbling attempts at arguing with her costume.

"Has anyone told you you're the most considerate kidnapper they've ever met?" April's tone was dry as sherry, but intentionally so. "Eli told me about you... how you're supposed to be some big, horrifying legend. Yet you've said 'please', 'sorry', and even got my favorite flavor chips. Honestly, I think you missed your true calling."

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romvanator
2015-04-02 08:54 am UTC (link)

"This is ridiculous," he muttered. "I should just cut it loose. No wonder women stopped wearing these things." He let out a frustrated sound and yanked the strap hard enough to snap it. "Sorry."

He actually got the joke that time. "I've never actually kidnapped anyone before," he said as he continued to try to get the corset loose without touching her too much, hurting her, or just ripping it open. Although the latter was getting tempting. "Well, there was a vampire, but we were trying to find the rest of the nest. And we were going to kill it anyway."

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off_pointe
2015-04-02 09:00 am UTC (link)

Vampires. Lovely. The 'kill it anyway' part wasn't that much better.

"If you cut it loose, my wardrobe manager will kill me- kidnapped or not," she told him right before the strap snapped back onto her skin and stung like hell. April sucked in air to keep herself still (and from swearing), and only breathed again when it faded. A few more tugs and she deflated. "Okay, just rip the damn thing off."

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	romvanator 2015-04-02 09:06 am UTC (link)
	Mikhail sighed. He hadn't meant to upset her with that. "Vampires are evil," he told her. "Okay, hold still. I don't want to hurt you." Concentrating, he summoned forth some of his storied dark energy. One good tug and the corset ripped easily in half in his hands. "You okay?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

off_pointe
2015-04-02 09:15 am UTC (link)

Vampirs were evil... Okay, that's good to know. She almost said 'as opposed to kidnappers', but decided to not. She probably couldn't anyway, given the sudden force by which she was freed from the very thick-fabric'd costume, fiberglass bones and all.

It left her in a low-cut leotard and garter, and for a moment out of breath and the ability to speak. April just looked up at him over her shoulder, wide-eyed in surprise, her lips working to actually crank out words.

"I. Uh, yeah. Better. Thanks." Ricardo was going to kill her if she got out of this. Priorities. "See? That. Not something bad guys usually say. Eli should know how nice you've been to me." Cholorophorm and all withstanding.

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romvanator
2015-04-02 09:19 am UTC (link)

Mikhail pulled away the corset and tossed it aside. "Let me get you a shirt," he said. She's swim in his clothes, with her narrow shoulders, but it would be warmer than what she was left in now that he'd destroyed her costume freeing her from it. He returned with a threadbare but clean flannel.

"Kidnapping you was my last resort," he told her honestly. "I was hoping just showing up at the bar and what I said to Raj would have him after me. Elias is more cautious than the Laskos are known to be." He shook his head. "Don't. I'm not nice. I'm just..I'm not nice."