Warming things up a bit - Marvin's Haven

Marvin tapped out a real simple and direct message to Cass.  "Need brain to bounce ideas off of.  Yours is sufficient for the task at hand.  Bring a bathing suit. -M"

The return message came swiftly.

"And where exactly am I bringing said bathing suit? "

He sent back an address. "Or no bathing suit, the choice is yours."

"Oh my, my, my. That's a naughty idea. See you in 20."

When she arrived at his home, there would be a simple post it note on the front door with instructions to go around back. There she would find a hot tub with Marvin sitting it, a contemplative look on his face.

Cass took the note and balled it up, putting it in her pocket. She had left the camera bags at home, obviously. With keys in one hand jingling, she made her way around back.

Cass was in a pair of short denim shorts and black tank top. The strings of a jade green bikini can easily be seen tied around her neck.

"The brain you require has arrived, Mr. Johnson." She smiled and offered him a wink. Then, she looked over him-- more than a little impressed with what she saw.

He glanced up at her and chuckled. "Mr. Johnson is my late father. Go ahead, get in if you wish. It's quite comfortable and conducive to thought. "

"Marvin, then."

Cass smiled and pulled off her tank top, very close to throwing it unceremoniously aside and then stopped herself. She then folded the tank top and did the same with her shorts. She put them on the nearest flat surface.

Surprisingly enough, the jade bikini was not all that revealing. But Cass pulled it off extremely well. She made her way into the hot tub and pulled her hair back into a messy bun at the same time, sliding down until she was waist deep in the water.

"That is inviting," she said with a laugh. "Now that we're all... comfy and cozy..." Another grin as she moved to sit across from him. "What is it that I can help you with this evening?"

He stretched a bit and put his arms behind his head.

"First I'm curious if you have ran across anything unusual lately. You know, things that are out of place and strange. Say a towel soaked in rare Florida Panther blood, or perhaps a cornhusk doll sitting on top of a piece of construction equipment at the sight of a burnt out church?"

"Um... Nothing like that, no," she stated shaking her head. "Found a diamond tiara in the sand on the beach-- as if it had washed up there. I turned it over to the Harpy who was going to give it to Sheriff Tahan."

Her fingers splashed the water a bit.

"Nothing quite so... Panther blood? Really? Tacky..."

"Yes. Not only that, but I was unable to discern any patterns, or how these objects fit into the greater pattern as a whole."

He sighed

"Your tiara may or may not throw my odd little theories out the window though."

"Want to know what I think?"

She scooted over near him, sitting right next to him, though she wasn't touching him.

"There are no patterns for you to see because-- well, patterns were never intended to be there. I'll say the same thing I said to Estaban. It's nothing more than a distraction to keep people busy while any real threat is well hidden."

He frowned, looking perturbed for a bit.

"All things are intertwined though Cass. Everything is connected to everything, and one can discern the whole by observing any piece of the part. Sometimes the message is plain, sometimes it is confusing, and sometimes it is meaningless until viewed in context with other things. To have things that do not reveal anything, is absurd, because that would mean they were never connected to reality as a whole, or used for any purpose, or part of any plan. The point is, I should have seen something."

She whispered.

"Maybe that's the pattern in and of itself, Marvin. Maybe the pattern is that you can't discern one. Could there be something totally ominous hanging about? Absolutely. And what's so fucking scary about it is that it's more fucking powerful than your abilities. It knows them, it seeks them out and it strangles them."

He shook his head

"Victor Morton, the Scourge was still able to get... ahh he just was able to taste the blood. Was anything picked up from your Tiara?"

"You know Cass, I don't like this at all. I had a vision of a Cross in the waves, washing ashore, while a horned beast was present in the sand. The Panther has a symbolic connection to Christ, as well as being considered by the Seminole Indians to be a favorite of the Creator and a guardian of the Universe. Some tribes used cornhusk dolls as a talisman against evil in dreams, and shamanistic rituals. And now you found a tiara, or crown. Something royalty would wear."

"The Sheriff was unavailable at the time to get any impressions off of the tiara... but it was untouched. She may get something."

She looked puzzled.

"I swam the waters, thinking that perhaps some Prom queen had drowned, but there was nothing." She taps her fingers to her chin.

"Okay, I get the tiara-- crown of thorns reference-- cross in the water. Ok, ok. I even get all the other stuff. Question is, WHO is coming, then? Or better yet, what?"

He blinked

And stared.

"Crown of thorns. I didn't think of that... An elder told me that Good and Evil war for this state, and Victor agrees. I do believe we are finding signs of a coming struggle. And if we are being distracted by all the pretty trinkets, then one or both sides are gearing up for an attack."

He swore. "I should have stayed in London."

"See?" She nodded, climbing out of the hot tub. "Distractions, just like I said."

"Sorry you aren't where you want to be, though. Things would be just as complicated there at some point, too."

"True" he nodded

"By the way" he said in an attempt to lighten the conversation. "It's rather unfair you got to see more of me than I did of you, wouldn't you say?"

She shrugs, then winks. "You didn't ask."

A grin.

"Are you that incensed? The situation is quite correctable."

"Well I did say no bathing suit would be acceptable too" he chuckled

"No, I'm not incensed, I'm simply annoyed. It's my nature to chase problems down whatever rabbit holes they lead me. It's like hacking only without code."

He stood up and got out of the tub. "This will be a game for elders and ancients. That is what bothers me the most. Also I have a hundred bucks that says you use padding."

"Always for Ancients and Elders. Always involving everyone else. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a full. I've seen elders work, believe you me. They remain the Kings, Queens, Bishops and Rooks. The rest of us are merely pawns to be placed to do their battles and make their moves," she said matter of factly.

Then Cass turned to Marvin, her eyes narrowed. She walked up to him slowly and stopped an inch from touching him. In one swift move, the bikini top came off.

No padding. Just perfectly rounded 36D breasts.

"See, Marvin? Look, no hands?"

He chuckled, walked over to where his wallet, keys and phone was, retrieved a hundred dollar bill, and stuck it in her cleavage, careful not to touch anything.

"Well, they certainly are impressive" he smiled

"And yes, we are all pawns in many ways. To our emotions, to that which drives us, and to those who would use us to do their bidding. But should the pawn become aware of the game? "

Cass took the $100 bill from between her ample breasts and stuck it in the band of her bikini bottoms. She made no effort to put the top back on.

"If the pawns are aware, it's more fun for those running the show, isn't it? For the pawns to know what's happening and not realize that no matter what they do they are near powerless to stop it?"

She nodded. "I said near powerless, keep in mind. It's fun for the elders until a pawn gets too close for comfort. You get a pawn that ruins a deal or fucks up an influence?"

She shivered, her face souring.

"They do whatever they can to take you out, put you down. Ruin you." Yes, that was experience talking.

He nodded and decided to enjoy the view he was still getting.

"Yes, that is why I do believe I will gather as much information as possible, and lay as low as possible. I need to see what lines get drawn and by whom. Then I can decide which set of elders I will allow to use me."

Then he grinned like well the madman he was.

"I'll satisfy your curiosity if you complete the display" he chuckled