R
Raja
Guest
As Feral dealt with the perpetrator, Raja sat in the lobby with the unsettled Simone Yeoman. It was an almost comical sight: Simone, all wide-eyed and trembling; Raja, wrapped in silent shadows and dwarfing her in size; the pair of them sitting side-by-side on an ornate, cream sofa. It looked to be of French origin, Raja noted absent-mindedly as he noticed Maki appear in the elevator.
"Well, Ms Yeoman," he said, standing and extending out a hand to the victim of the night's activities. "It appears we must take our leave. We'll be keeping an eye out, so try not to worry to much," he said, as he took her hand in his. "But, it may be worth asking your father to reassess his business choices. If only as a safety measure..." he said wryly, winking at the girl and eliciting a weak smile from her pale lips. He kissed the back of her hand. "Until we meet again, Ms Yeoman." he said, turning on his heels and following Feral out of the hotel, his long black garb billowing behind him as he stepped out into the street and vanished.
"So, how did you like your first shift with Mavericks Inc.?" Maki teased as they made their way to the bike.
Raja was silent for a moment before he responded. "It was fine," he said, a vague solemness to his tone. He opened his mouth to speak once more; to scold himself for the way in which he had allowed himself to become cornered, potentially risking the safety of both himself and Simone. If Feral hadn't caught up and intervened... Well, the night could have ended very differently. Fortunately for Raja, he didn't get the opportunity to air these concerns as the increasingly familiar voice of Ill-Advised buzzed in through the commlink in their helmets.
As Maki ignited the vehicle, causing it to hum and rumble into life, Raja noticed that the feed to his helmet had been cut-off, but that Maki's still seemed active. Trying his best to listen to the half of the conversation he was able to hear over the noises of traffic, Raja quickly realised that Makarios was angry. Far more angry than he had imagined the Maverick to be capable of; perhaps an oversight on Raja's part, considering Makarios' alias. But still, whatever secretive discussion was taking place with that helmet of his, was making the animalistic Maverick shake with rage, Raja able to feel his body tremble beneath his arms. Yes, whoever this woman was, she had certainly struck a nerve...
As they arrived back at the Lighthouse, Raja's thoughts had drifted back to his own shortcomings of the night. In his previous exploits as a vigilante, he had certainly risked his life most nights in search of a thrill; that wasn't what had shaken him this eve. No, tonight had been different in that Raja's mistake hadn't just put himself in danger: it presented a threat for an innocent hostage, for a seasoned Maverick. He began to doubt whether he was competent enough to work in a team after all.
Feral snapped him from his pensive trance as he held out a hand, helping Raja dismantle the large motorcycle. "You can let go of your tension for the night." the man said, as though using Raja's own gifts of telepathy against him. Raja shot Feral a look of confusion, prompting him to continue talking as they made their way into the main HQ. "It was a smooth mission because of your efforts and I personally think you've got the makings of a great Maverick."
Raja did his best not to scoff. The idea of being pitied was completely patronising to him; he knew that he had made a mistake, and the notion of it being glossed over and ignored stirred a nasty side of him that he was usually able to suppress. "Is that so?" he asked, venom in his voice as he pulled off his black garb and threw it over his shoulders like a cape. His identity revealed, he was now able to look at Feral face-to-face for the first time. "I'm sure you thought that about that venomous scuff of shit, too." he said, the anger in him rearing its ugly head. "We all make mistakes, Maki," he said, stressing the true name of the Maverick. "I think this just might have been one of them." He dealt the parting blow, storming off from Feral and paying little attention to his response.
As he arrived in the common area of the Lighthouse, it seemed everyone else had already arrived. Raja's facade was completely restored, and he smiled with all the warmth he could muster as he looked around the room. "Great job, everyone," he announced, taking a single slice of the pizza he'd requested and heading for the door. "Really, it's been a pleasure, but I can't hang around," he apologised, taking a dainty mouthful of cheese and bread as he hurried through the room. "I've things to attend elsewhere. Call me if you need me, and well done once more on tonight's execution." He smiled, eyes glinting with the same enticing nature as the ruby attached to his forehead. And then, he was gone.
"Well, Ms Yeoman," he said, standing and extending out a hand to the victim of the night's activities. "It appears we must take our leave. We'll be keeping an eye out, so try not to worry to much," he said, as he took her hand in his. "But, it may be worth asking your father to reassess his business choices. If only as a safety measure..." he said wryly, winking at the girl and eliciting a weak smile from her pale lips. He kissed the back of her hand. "Until we meet again, Ms Yeoman." he said, turning on his heels and following Feral out of the hotel, his long black garb billowing behind him as he stepped out into the street and vanished.
"So, how did you like your first shift with Mavericks Inc.?" Maki teased as they made their way to the bike.
Raja was silent for a moment before he responded. "It was fine," he said, a vague solemness to his tone. He opened his mouth to speak once more; to scold himself for the way in which he had allowed himself to become cornered, potentially risking the safety of both himself and Simone. If Feral hadn't caught up and intervened... Well, the night could have ended very differently. Fortunately for Raja, he didn't get the opportunity to air these concerns as the increasingly familiar voice of Ill-Advised buzzed in through the commlink in their helmets.
As Maki ignited the vehicle, causing it to hum and rumble into life, Raja noticed that the feed to his helmet had been cut-off, but that Maki's still seemed active. Trying his best to listen to the half of the conversation he was able to hear over the noises of traffic, Raja quickly realised that Makarios was angry. Far more angry than he had imagined the Maverick to be capable of; perhaps an oversight on Raja's part, considering Makarios' alias. But still, whatever secretive discussion was taking place with that helmet of his, was making the animalistic Maverick shake with rage, Raja able to feel his body tremble beneath his arms. Yes, whoever this woman was, she had certainly struck a nerve...
***
As they arrived back at the Lighthouse, Raja's thoughts had drifted back to his own shortcomings of the night. In his previous exploits as a vigilante, he had certainly risked his life most nights in search of a thrill; that wasn't what had shaken him this eve. No, tonight had been different in that Raja's mistake hadn't just put himself in danger: it presented a threat for an innocent hostage, for a seasoned Maverick. He began to doubt whether he was competent enough to work in a team after all.
Feral snapped him from his pensive trance as he held out a hand, helping Raja dismantle the large motorcycle. "You can let go of your tension for the night." the man said, as though using Raja's own gifts of telepathy against him. Raja shot Feral a look of confusion, prompting him to continue talking as they made their way into the main HQ. "It was a smooth mission because of your efforts and I personally think you've got the makings of a great Maverick."
Raja did his best not to scoff. The idea of being pitied was completely patronising to him; he knew that he had made a mistake, and the notion of it being glossed over and ignored stirred a nasty side of him that he was usually able to suppress. "Is that so?" he asked, venom in his voice as he pulled off his black garb and threw it over his shoulders like a cape. His identity revealed, he was now able to look at Feral face-to-face for the first time. "I'm sure you thought that about that venomous scuff of shit, too." he said, the anger in him rearing its ugly head. "We all make mistakes, Maki," he said, stressing the true name of the Maverick. "I think this just might have been one of them." He dealt the parting blow, storming off from Feral and paying little attention to his response.
As he arrived in the common area of the Lighthouse, it seemed everyone else had already arrived. Raja's facade was completely restored, and he smiled with all the warmth he could muster as he looked around the room. "Great job, everyone," he announced, taking a single slice of the pizza he'd requested and heading for the door. "Really, it's been a pleasure, but I can't hang around," he apologised, taking a dainty mouthful of cheese and bread as he hurried through the room. "I've things to attend elsewhere. Call me if you need me, and well done once more on tonight's execution." He smiled, eyes glinting with the same enticing nature as the ruby attached to his forehead. And then, he was gone.