Outside Central Library

Lucas stood on the street feeling the emotions around him. The desires. The lusts.

It was warm here and there was sound. So unlike the Paris caverns. The cold would creep out of The Chamber of The Long Slumber and into the adjacent rooms. It was enjoyable to taste feelings and people he had no plans to squash, reform and redirect. He might anyways, though. He owed Jack everything since the day he was found wandering alone in the desert. It was his rebirth. He took on a new name; The Voice.

He exposed the hearts and laid them bare, he readied them for the power; the energy that would soon surround them and take them up. It would take their hearts and reform them into something cold and steel. It had done that to Lucas a thousand days, maybe more, after he was found in the desert. At that moment he was reborn. He took on a new name; The Mouth.

He could feel the lust, sex and greed emanating from one in the hall. She drew him towards her like a moth to a flame. And then a ballet would form as he drew her to him and together they went to Him. It was surprising to Lucas that she had resisted Jack when first she had met The Devil’s Grin. But she would come back to Him, as they all do. Jack was irresistible; the universe itself bent to Him and made Him greater. It had made Him a God on the day Lucas was reborn, a day when Jack rent open the sky with his Knives; with Lucas. On that day he took on a new name; The Orator.

And when he spoke, worlds trembled.

Elata noted the man standing outside the library with interest. The oddest people always came here you know. She loved meeting new people but she had a very important book to read on greek mythology if she was going to make the costume for her circus act on time, so she didn't pause to say hello as she skipped happily inside the library. She did wave at him though, her cape fluttering behind her. Her bare arms, legs and face bore many many scars, of which she didn't at all seem self concious.

Ivan walked idly down the broad street, hugging his coat against his chest to keep out the cold. It wasn't that it was particularly chilly or cold at all, but the wind whipping against him was something akin to pain, and the tattoo of Masochism reacted to that strongly, no matter what.

He was here on assignment from Michael, investigating this so called 'zombie costumeed man', who Michael belieed to hold several Objects. If they could acqurie these Objects from him, then they may be one step closer to their goal of 100 Objects obtained. It could be a small step, or a big one.

Who really knew these days?

He noticed two figures, one man and one woman, entering a library across teh street from him. The woman had a peculiar, bleach white skin tone to her, and the man had long black hair which reached his back midway down.

The two gave off an interesting aura, as they walked silently into the Central Library together. Ivan felt an intense chill, which caused the Tattoo to spasm, and his body to double over a bit. 'Damn Object on my back...' he thought, righting himself and staring intently at the library, before crossing the street out of sheer curiosity towards the figures.

Argyle grumbled as he leaned on his cane. He should have anticipated this. A police officer stood outside the library, keeping watch over the surroundings. He should have figured that recklessly brandishing his gun in such a populated library would attract such unwanted attention.

Now what would he do? Go back to the hotel and wait? No, that wouldn't get him anywhere. Head to the circus? Dangerous, but if he wanted answers it was one of the few options left to him. If the people he was looking for were anywhere, it would be there. But so would the dangerous man.

He grumbled and sat on a nearby bench. He was in a serious bind. He would have loved to carry his rifles with him, but after the incident on the bus, the police would still be looking for that. How frustrating.

He lowered his head and stared at his feet.

This was how hard life was now. Not that he couldn't cope, but after living for so long in relative comfort, the ten years since Bayle was gone had worn him down.

He raised his eyes again and looked at the policeman outside the library as he contemplated his options.

If he was going to make it to the circus before the show was over, he had better start walking.