An old priest and his dog are rarely parted (DBL XP)

The blade found its mark in the Short one's leg, and he hissed- hissed- in anger. He pulled it out and threw the knife aside, the metal blade melting from the acidic blood of this inhuman monstrosity. They flee the scene, but not before cursing Thomas out of pettiness.

The ambulances came quickly enough. Balthazar, Alejandra and Thomas were quickly evacuated and taken to the hospital to be treated.

A Day Later ...

Dance was eventually stabilized and moved to a private ward. He was tough as nails even at his age. But Alejandra was something else. she kept a little secret from Dance- from her entire organization - that would see her fully recovered and on her feet the very next day.

She decided to pay a visit to Thomas's room. Brutus was there too of course. Alejandra was polite enough to knock, but Brutus pushed it open and went inside. He sat down beside Thomas. Looking at him. Judging him... "You awake?" Alejandra asked from the outside.

Hospital were always a sore spot for Thomas.. Most of the time when somthing needed mending or what not it was a on sight doctor. The only times people went to the hospital from the big top it was because there time in the spotlight was done.
The second real surprise came when cops wernt keeping him under lock and key. And he got a room.
Tho they have tried to wash the makeup off a few times but thomas stopped them for the most part and kept some in his kit just in case.
He was changing his look when a knock came to the door. All he had was the white under coat done.
Then the bang of the door opening and Brutus came wondering in and sat next to his bed.
Thomas saw the girl from before standing in the doorway and said.
"Well im not fully dressed but come in. I have no right to keep you out.And it seems the warden has come to check on me."

He looked down at Brutus with a smile.
Hes always like animals . Offtan more then people.
His gaze then looked up at the girl and he knew he had to swallow his pride a bit and started.

"Miss im sorry for the knife thing. It the end it was just business."

Then looking down at the dog.
"I would have made sure you were awake when they came to pick ya up. Tho i guess the joke was on me. Wasnt it?? So how is the old timer??"

Alejandra entered the thief’s room. She felt a tinge of sympathy after learning that the whole fiasco with Brutus was an elaborate distraction. “Bart will make it. He’s a tough old guy. But a piece of shrapnel got him in the eye. They say he’ll have to wear an eyepatch. He said he’ll build himself a cybernetic eye.” She took a seat and powered up a laptop.

“…Bart’s not just my superior you know. He saved me from the gangs in the Favelas in Rio years ago.” Alejandra started opening up about her connection with Dance, reminiscing about those darker times, those narrow winding streets, the colorful favelas, the drugs and the blood. At which point Brutus in all his great size got up and put his forelegs on top of Thomas’s chest. Cyberdogs are a lot heavier than normal dogs. He came face to face with Thomas and started licking his face. Maybe he wanted to taste the clown before deciding if he was friend or food.

“Brought me to the orphanage, shared his books with me. Brutus was there too, just less cyberdog. He’s like a cool old grandpa. Well he might as well be my grandpa.” She said, sounding hurt and worried. But, there was also something else. She looked as if she had more to say but was quiet for an unusually long time, her hand fiddling with the tackily large crucifix she wore around her neck.

Brutus stopped his salivatory assault on Thomas as Alejandra brought the compact laptop screen into his view. She switched the topics, and showed images of the evening. She swiped the images of their exchange and moved towards a somewhat fuzzy but just clear enough image of Thomas’s associates carrying a very large carry case away from the scene of the crime.

“They took something really important. Tell me about your friends.”

After hearing he should be fine Thomas looked a little more relieved. Thomas was many things but not a killer.

Thomas sat there listening to the girl unload her thoughts on thomas. It was easy to tell she was worried .
Of course Thomas was still looking at her like she was just a young aid or something of the nature.
Tho watching her move and her body language its strange. She didnt seem that injured. Truth be told she looked as if she had no real injuries on her.
However she was snapped out of his thoughts when Brutus decided to jump up on him.  

Thomas was pinned and at this dogs mercy almost instantly.Thomas could see with how the dog laid on top of him pinning his legs and torso this dog had trainning.
The extra weight ofnthw dog cause a little pain but not notable popped his hip,thights and knee out of place with a few loud POPS it cause a little pain but nothing he wasnt use too..
As the puppy got closer to his face he started really thinking about how he got here.

How it was a that bad feeling turned into all this.Anf the overkill those two used.
(Maybe it was a hit.That would have explain a few things. Oh well cant take it back now.)

He was readying himself for a mauling when Brutus got down and the girl put the laptop next to his mirror and started putting up a image of the two running off and then she asked about them.

He looked at image and looked more insulted and said


. Well Laurel and Hardy here. Hired m. 9 days ago for a simple dog napping.Not my normal gig but the money was rather good.The short one had a few pictures and floor plans .and with how things went down i think that wanted me in the building so they could tie up loose ends. Tho the tall one paid me in alot of money.However i thought i saw them thru the smoke. I might have even hit one with a knife. Maybe had to tell.    

He now looked close at the image as if maybe it would say somthing else however it was just a dead still on a screen.

Deciding that he had harassed Thomas enough, Brutus licked has hand a few times and left the room. probably went back to check on Dance.

Alejandra looked at Thomas, quite disturbed by the popping sounds. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Do you have a way to contact them?" Alejandra asked.

Thomas watched at the large dog wandered out of the room after licking his hand a few times.


See right as rain. Now to answer your question i do as i was to call them for pick up however i doubt its a real numbering considering how they played me like a cheap cazoo.

"Well that's most definitely what'll happen. But it's still a lead." Alejandra gives Thomas a phone. "Call them. see what happens."

Thomas looks at this young woman handing him a phone to call the men who just used high grade explosives to steal something hidden under a seminary.
Thomas sets the phone down and looks this young girl in the eyes .

Miss these are not good men.They have cash to burn and disregard human life. Im not sure what i got pulled into but i wont make that call.Revenge isnt worth it.

“Wow you… you don’t know what they took, do you? You weren’t kidding when you say they played you for a patsy.”

Alejandra looked at Thomas, looked out the door at the police guarding the room, and closed the door to almost closed, so they couldn’t overhear everything. "Alright, let me explain. This is what they took."

She took the laptop and typed in a password for some protected files. She showed him some old timey photos and newspaper clips from the 70’s and 80’s, all showing the hero Shining Armor – a hero from the old days, fighting crime and giant monsters alike. Then a final picture of the hard case, with the Shining Armor suit stowed away behind the vault. Dance was Shining Armor at one time, but had since retired due to old age.

“They retired the Shining Armor persona so that we could take a more subtle direction, so no one succeeded Dance. But that armor is still potent.” Alejandra paused, retrieving her magic sword from her large art tube she brought with her everywhere. “So as you can see, we aren’t the church you know. And I’m not just some kid. Those two knew where the armor was kept, and they likely know who Dance was. I need to set this right.”

Thomas shook his head when she called him a pasty.
Thomas got paid. True not all he was told but half isnt to bad.
When she got up to close the door Thomas out away his makeup and did a once over of his stuff. Luckly for him they missed a few things in some hidden pockets.

When she came back and explained everything he seemed
 To remember his dad telling him stories about shinning arm. Tho looking at all the pictures and clippings are more surreal. 

When she pulled out the sword he was a little worried.Its never good when someone pulls out a sword even if ita just to get a point acrossed. But for now its time to play ball .
He picked up the phone got up taking a good step away from her and walked over to where his boots where. After blocking her view he slipped a knife as well as the card on hand. Then palming and hiding the knife incase he needed it she started to dial the number on the phone saying. 

I in truth dont want to know about all of this.However im not super happy that they tried to blow me up as well. 

Alejandra frowned. She could see that Thomas did not care for the implications of this theft. Or perhaps she was blinded by her zeal. "Well then, I won't force you to help if you don't want to."

Alejandra took out a card and handed it to Thomas. People seem to do alot of that lately. It read "Sister Cecilia's Seamstresses - Clothes for the clergy and the layman". and on the back was the phone number and address. They had branches around in Chicago, L.A. and New York as well.

"We don't know yet who we're dealing with. But it's possible you might be a lose end. If you need a place to hide out, go to a Sister Cecilia's. Ask them about the story of Saint George and the Dragon. They'll know who sent you. Fare thee well, mister Clown." With that Alejandra left.

Thomas watched her walk away as he looked at the card she handed him when he looked up next the door was already closed. He wanted to thank her. But she wanted to poke a hornets nest. 

Be safe.


Even tho all he did was speak to a door. He felt it had to be said.

After sitting and thinking for a bit. He grabbed his bag and went over to a cabinet. He moved some stuff out of the lower self.Next he out his number down on a piece of paper and left it on his side table with the message.
]Alejandra for a good time call.

After that he turned and hit the call nurse button.Then quickly contorted his self into the small cabinet and closed it. 
A few minute later when she came in she looked around then told the cop outside. After he came in and look he called on his radio and went to find.Alejandra . 


[After the room was clear Thomas unfolded himself then hopped onto the bed and used his lighter on the smoke alarm.

When the alarm started blaring thomas walked to a fire door and got lucky that he didnt run into any cops.
]Next he got rid of as much makeup as he could and went back to the hotel he was staying at his first job was to check his money .
After finding it all there he took a simi warm shower and went to bed for the night.Thomas decided he needed a clear head make his next action.

“Good evening mister Clown.” The posh accent of the Tall man sounded not more than a few seconds after the lights go out. He stood in the far corner by the door.

“Heyyyy buddy. Congratulations on your speedy recovery. I hope there’s no hard feelings. We got what we wanted, and you’re alive and well in one piece.” The fat one followed up, and was the jollier of the two, getting close to Thomas as he lay in bed, standing between him and the window. They didn’t wear masks anymore. The details on their faces were hidden by the darkness, but they each had 8 glowing green eyes. Having them this close, a noxious smell – like rotten eggs and dead fish- escaped their mouths as they spoke.

“We were concerned you didn’t call. But…” the tall man started.

“I suppose in the excitement, we forgot to hash out the details.” The fat one placed something on Thomas’s chest. By the fact that it felt like bricks of paper and not hurting Thomas in any way, it was the other 50,000 he was owed. “But we always pay our dues.” The fat one’s voice turns into a guttural growl for a moment, before he pulled out a knife from his chest pocket and started laughing maniacally…

As soon as the tall one spoke Thomas flinched in the bed. He hadn't. Really streched out. Then there shapes seemed to appear out of the dark.
Thomas sat up in the bed and popped a few joints out and started really looking at his options.
The fat one then came over laying what he hoped was his payment on him.
Thomas knew he was in a pinch when the fat one pulled out the knife and said to them.

Well gents i didnt call cause my end of the job didnt go well.Between a man with a shotgun and a bomb going off the job got more complex.

Now about that knife.If this is some eye for an eye shit id say the three bruised ribs were more then enough.
At this point Thomas reached over and grabbed oner of his lighter and went searching for a cigar choosing in this moment its easier to stay in the dark as they havent seen his real face yet and he hasnt seen theres.

The two seemed to revel in Thomas's reaction- like feeding off his fear. They laughed heartily for a good few seconds.

Once they had their laugh, the short one explained the knife. "Oh, sorry if we startled you or anything. I believe this belonged to you." With the faint light coming from the window, one could make out that the knife was indeed Thomas's. The blade though, had melted away from acid, leaving only a fraction of the original metal.

"what we are trying to establish, Mister Clown, is that our business is now concluded, and we apologize for the complications of the operation." The tall man went to the room's large window and opened it, letting in the abysmally cold air.

"Also, we appreciate if you not talk to anyone about our partnership." The tall one said, before leaving and literally walking up the wall towards the roof life he was taking a walk in the park.

The fatman put one leg outside the window. "You're a smart guy, Tommy. You're not gonna breathe a word of this to anybody right?" He switches to his growly voice. "Right?"

As they chuckled Thomas lite his smoke to help calm himself down. It seemed these two wanted to scare Thomas. No that wasnt right. It was like they needed to scare him.

Thomas gazed at the knife and reached out and took it. He was thumbing what was left of it now brittle and pitted from acid marks.Thomas already suspected there were more then normal humans then the tall one walking out the window and presumably up the wall like a walk down the street and the damage to the blade confirm his thoughts.

When the fat one started to leave out the door and turn to him and ask Thomas to keep quite.Thomas forced a fake snile and looked the foul smelling fat one in the eyes and said.

Dont worry Hardy. Even if i told somone i doubt they would believe Laurel and Hardy employed me to steal a dog from a old retired priest.Enjoy you walk and if you need me you know the number.

After he left Thomas turned on the lights and finished smoking his cigar then took the time to count the stacks the two had just paid him with.