Running With the Devil -- Kiernan

[kira]

Kira wasn't sure how she felt about this whole situation, but she knew damned well that she needed to get the hell out of that motel. For one, she'd lingered there a little too long. Just about anyone who was a guest in that place would have passed on any information about her, including her motel room number, for a quick buck. She would have felt much more secure if she was under her own roof and living under her own terms, but she supposed that, as far as things went, she could have picked far worse places to wind up hunkering down for a night. Anyone looking for her would have been in for a very rude awakening if they would have even dared pursue her where she was headed. Not only would she have the arsenal to protect herself easily on hand, but she was pretty damned sure that Kiernan would not have taken kindly to anyone storming his compound.

Kira was beyond paranoid. She had been trained to be just as paranoid as she was and it was what had kept her alive from those seeking her out for as long as she was alive now. But then, that was the problem when your government spent millions of rubles on training you and then suddenly decided to flip a switch and terminate the entire program and all of its operatives. You learned that it wasn't easy to kill them. Not at all. Kira was under the firm belief that there were still others out there like her, but the Russian government was terrified of making that knowledge available for the simple fact that they feared the operatives would band together. A legitimate fear. Kira wouldn't have minded doing some dirty work where the men who had ordered their deaths were concerned and, maybe, someday, she would.

She'd bought a car outright the other day in cash. It was a piece of crap rust bucket ford, but she'd needed something that wouldn't attract too much attention for having bought it outright in cash. She didn't want to risk a rental car for the fact that they had gps devices in them that were easily trackable. She drove the car right up into the compound that Kiernan had given her the address for and pulled the single bag that she had with her out of the car. She travelled light, but seeing as she fully intended on staying with Nick's team, she planned on eventually seeing to it that she wound up with a few more personal items... Mainly clothing.

She'd never had the fortune of really having sat down with the man who's place she would be staying at for the night to hold a full conversation with him, but what she had seen of him through the town's chat site didn't seem all that bad as it stood. She'd make her own opinion of him once she'd had the chance to get to know him a little more. She headed straight for the front door, raised a hand and gave a good solid knock at it before stepping back and away from it a little bit. When the door opened, she looked up at the man in the doorway with bright blue eyes but a critical look on her face. "Irishman... Quite the dive you have here..." She commented in that thick Russian accent.

[KIERNAN O'FARRELL]

Kiernan stood and moved away from his computer to look out the window considering going and opening up one of the cabins for when Kira got there. He didn’t normally let anyone into his own place here at the camp but he didn’t want to go screw around with opening a cabin and making sure everything was in there and not still in one of the storage areas like blankets and pillows and things. Giving her the directions to get to his house instead of the office or a cabin he gathered up the paperwork and his laptop locking up the office before heading out to the four-wheeler and dropping everything into the back compartment he’d built onto it for keeping things like paperwork or his laptop safe. He used the atv when he was moving around the camp if it would get him there faster than walking and moving to the gate he programmed it to open for one more vehicle that night before locking the camp down for the night glad for his security system which meant he didn’t have to actually be there for the lock down but that it did it on a timed schedule if he set it to. He’d paid a pretty penny for his security and the different systems running around the camp so that they’d be secure and least faulty and had a guy who came to run updates that was well paid but who would die if he ever gave out the secrets. Checking that the computer had processed everything he headed back to the atv and headed for his own house this time ignoring the road that led there and cutting through the path in the tree’s he’d made for himself in case he needed a quick path from his front door to the gate or the other way around.

Taking the paperwork, laptop, and a few other things he’d kept forgetting from the storage on the atv he headed up to his own place unlocking the door to let himself inside and disarmed his security system before moving to drop the things he’d carried into the house in an empty drawer on his locked filing cabinet. Normally the only thing that went in there was his laptop but if he didn’t keep the paperwork with it he’d never remember to do it because he couldn’t honestly find it in him to care about signing his name a hundred times or checking boxes or whatever it was he’d have to do. He’d thought getting office staff would mean he wouldn’t have to do paperwork, seemed he was wrong and for legal purposes he had to deal with paperwork for as long as he owned the place.

Moving through the house he checked that nothing was left out that shouldn’t be and glanced into the guest room sighing as he saw he’d never gotten around to putting away the few things that belonged to Brendan here in his home. He hadn’t seen his son since that visit though but he’d called and talked to him when he could. He was trying to work with Morrigan to see if she’d bring Bren again for another visit but she was making it hard because she didn’t like to travel much and didn’t enjoy coming and being here though she wouldn’t send Bren alone which he understood though he’d offered to send someone to pick him up and keep him safe the whole way a few times now. As he collected Bren’s things into a spare tub for storage he made a mental note to put this one in the shed with the others since the next time he’d see his son he’d probably be grown out of these toys and things already.

Once he was sure the guest room was sorted out he headed to his own room to get changed into something without dried mud on it and have a two minute shower. Rubbing a towel over his hair he headed downstairs to the kitchen digging around until he came up with a tube of pringles and a beer checking the clock. By his guess she’d be there soon and he wondered to himself why he’d thought it was a good idea inviting the woman up to the camp, sure she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders by way of thinking like him in some aspects but he didn’t know her well enough to have her here in his space like this normally. He wouldn’t think on it too much though, it was done and he was a man of his word, a night here at his place to get away from the motel and if she wanted to stay longer he could set her up with a cabin tomorrow when he could tell someone else to make sure one of the cabins were open and sorted out for someone to be staying in. When he heard the knock on his door he left the pringles tin on the counter as he moved over to the door beer still in hand as he pulled it open and got his first look at the woman aside from her tiny picture on the computer screen. Her eyes were the first thing he noticed, the bright vibrant blue of them that meant he was in danger because that pushed buttons with him then she spoke and he rolled his eyes at her words stepping back to let her inside as he sipped his beer. ”Survival not comfort.” was his answer in his thick irish accent as he closed the door once she was inside. ”That all you’ve got?” he asked motioning toward her bag then waving his beer. ”Want one?”

this without the chick :: MEL/KIRA :: DONE

[kira]

Kira knew what she probably looked like showing up on Kiernan's doorstep. She probably looked like exactly what she was - a Russian woman who had unexpectedly fled the country. She was a refugee and she damned well knew it. It didn't sit well with her at all and she hated the fact that she was asking for a favour from a man she didn't even really know at the moment. She'd sleep with one eye open, that was for damned sure, but given the fact that he knew and worked with Nick Black, she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt at the moment. She had no other choice just then. She didn't have an overwhelming amount of cash on her just yet, but she'd have everything taken care of soon enough. She just needed the chance to establish herself. Kira had always been one for survival. She'd lived as long as she had on the run from her own government for as long as she had because she was careful and she had done well with her training. She had never really stopped training and never would.

So when Kiernan opened the door and took a look at her, she could only begin to imagine what it was that he saw staring back at him in the moment. It wasn't as if she looked bad or anything of the sort. At face value, she looked presentable and decently dressed, which was something that she needed to do. But because she had come straight from her motel room to Kiernan's place, it was safe to assume that all of her luggage was what she had slung into one bag. It really was rather pathetic, but she didn't let herself be concerned with it at the moment. All that would do would be to serve to remind her everything she had lost in trusting people she thought she could trust. She could trust no one. Ever. It was simple as that.

"A good motto to live by." She commented as she took a moment to look around. "And for the record, that wasn't me complaining in the least. I meant what I said, actually." She commented. "I'd sooner live in a cardboard box in a secure facility than in a luxury home that any bastard could walk into unannounced." She said. She paused a moment, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "I'm assuming the front gate has a lock out then...?" She asked, arching her brow at the man in front of her. She wanted to know just how safe from outside contact she'd be for the evening. She was too damned tired to focus her mind on threats from eighteen different fronts. She was just so damned tired from being on the run and dealing with life as it threw each individual curve ball at her.

She looked down at her bag as he gestured to it and asked if that was it. She gave a nod. "Yep. I'm travelling light, what can I say?" She asked as she took another step towards the door as he offered her a beer. "That would be amazing." She said, breathing a sigh of relief. Despite the fact that she knew she couldn't she wanted to relax to some extent here. She wanted to give in to the illusion of safety and security for once. But it was so hard when you never knew just who the next person to double cross you was going to be. She ran a hand through her hair as she set her bag by the door and took a moment to rub at her exposed arms. Unfortunately, she didn't exactly have a jacket on her at the moment either... Christ, she needed to get a few things taken care of. Soon.

"How long has this place been established?" She asked him as she took a moment to look around a little bit and become familiarized with her surroundings. She noted the exits to the home, including any windows nearby that could be used for a fast escape. Call her paranoid. "Looks like you know what you're doing... I have to say... I am impressed." She offered with a small hint of a smile.

[KIERNAN O'FARRELL]

Kiernan didn’t make assumptions about people, he preferred facts and learning things first hand rather than guessing. He could look up information about a person and study them to find out what he needed to know and guess work only led to problems that could be deadly with what he’d done for work. So talking to Kira online and getting to know her would be how he found out anything…since he respected Nick enough not to try hacking into the man’s systems for any information about her. Of course he’d respect her too in not doing that since he normally only did that on people marked to die or people he was hiring at the camp anyway instead of just people he met and for reasons he hadn’t yet figured out offered a place to live to. It wasn’t standard practice for him to just offer the cabins of the camp to live in, normally that went to staff or members who took the camp seriously if they wanted to stay on site for awhile. She needed a place to get away from the creepy fuckers in the room next to her in the motel though and she worked for Nick so that could be what inspired the “sure stay here” urge he had…also didn’t hurt she was hot from the picture he’d seen online. He would be cautious though since she wasn’t just your average person and had skills that could either work with his own or against him in some ways.

Opening the door to find out her picture hadn’t actually done her any justice he put a lock on the part of him that urged him to do his best to get into her pants. Not that it would be a bad thing if the opportunity came up, he’d take it without blinking that was for sure. She didn’t seem to have a whole bus-load of luggage with her either which from a guy’s perspective was a damned good sign really and was understandable with what little he’d learned about her so far. Her eyes were a danger to him though, the bright blue of them and the way they were sharp so he doubted they’d miss anything were a weakness unknown to most about him and he hoped to keep it that way. Letting her inside he shoved the door closed flipping the lock out of habit as she spoke before turning to look at her again to show he was actually paying attention since some people seemed to think you couldn’t hear if you weren’t looking at a person which was stupid but he never know who did or didn’t think that way. Safer to just assume everyone did and avoid shit for it.

”It’s gotten me this far.” he muttered with a shrug and a sip of his beer lifting an eyebrow as she said it wasn’t a complaint and where she stood on the matter. ”Well we’re not quite cardboard boxes here but it’s secure to the point where no one gets in unless I let them to so if there’s anyone who should be added to the no-access list while you’re here make sure you tell me.” he said seriously since he would make sure no one she didn’t want getting into the area got in for her safety and the safety of the camp and those who came to it or worked in it. He wouldn’t have fights coming walking in the front door if he could avoid it. ”Your car’s the last it will let in tonight. Not even staff can get in when I lock down for the night until I open it back up in the morning. Only way to do so is for Calvin to use the emergency pass-code to get past my locks but if he does that I get alerted anyway. And anyone trying to get in other ways are in for nasty surprises and possibly death depending how stupid they are.” he explained with a shrug so she would understand that he was big about security and strict as well. He had his own enemies out there and didn’t screw around with keeping them out when he needed to so he could live comfortably without the constant worry they’d climb a fence to avoid the gate or something.

Looking at the bag he nodded as she said she was traveling light, ”Top of the stairs first door on your right is the guest room. You can put your stuff in there if you want.” he said and moved toward the kitchen to open the fridge and grab a second beer popping the top off on the edge of the counter before moving back to hand it to her. Beer was something the Irishman always had in the house because it was something he could appreciate it any time. Looking at her as she rubbed her arms he motioned toward the living room. ”Fireplace…go stand by it for fucks sake.” he said realizing now she hadn’t come in with a coat on and that just seemed crazy in his opinion since it was getting colder out there every night. Thinking about the question he shrugged before answering, ”Long enough…over four years now.” he said thinking it was closer to five or maybe over five but not knowing the exact dates for when it had opened up after being built and things. ”I like to think I do. So thanks.” he said taking the compliment to his knowing what he was doing. ”Place does better business than I thought it would, we get some groups from other states who make yearly trips and things plus locals and then other randoms that just want the experience. It started rough but we’ve built a name for being a solid place to learn a thing or two.”

this without the chick :: MEL/KIRA :: DONE

[kira]

Kira had more or less thought she'd sworn off men when all of the lot of the ones she had trusted back in her home country had wound up seriously screwing her over. She'd run with them. She'd fought her way to the top and proven a valuable asset. Apparently, however, they also found her to be a dangerous asset at the heart of it all and had wanted her eliminated. It was because of them that she would never see her niece and nephew grow up. It was because of them that her own brother would now live without the knowledge of what had happened to her. She couldn't risk him knowing in any capacity. She couldn't risk contacting him, less the military use more... unsavory methods of extracting information from him. He was a good man and completely outside of the scope and world that Kira had lived in all of her life. And she'd kill anyone in cold blood who harmed him or his family.

She watched him as he flipped the lock on the door. A good habit to have. It never ceased to amaze her just how many civilians didn't wind up doing something that could possible give you precious seconds needed in order to overthrow someone who meant you harm. Then again, she supposed that most civilians didn't wind up thinking along the same lines as she did. Most of them wanted to think the best in everyone and so, they made foolish and careless mistakes. Not everyone out there was good. Not that she'd ever plant herself in the category of good. For all intents and purposes, she was a traitor and would be tried for treason if she ever stepped foot in Russia again. Either that, or she'd be murdered outright... if they could catch her.

Kiernan's voice turned her away from her thoughts as she looked at him. "You're far from cardboard boxes here." She commented as she took a moment to look around. "I've lived in much less agreeable surroundings before." She admitted. Most of the parts of Russia where she had done her dirty work had been less than agreeable. Far less than agreeable. Bottom feeding scum wound up breeding more bottom feeding scum at the heart of it all. But she forced herself to focus on the man in front of her. She didn't want or need to be thinking about Russia at the moment. Not when she was safe for the time being, provided that this man didn't make an attempt on her life at some point. But she had to laugh when he asked her if there was anyone who should have been added to the list of no-entry people for the compound. "Anyone who's Russian." She said rather bluntly. He could think what he wanted to on that one.

She nodded as he gave a run down of how his security system worked. "And I'm assuming that you're the failsafe in the event that someone does get through?" She asked, looking him up and down with an appreciative expression. "Why is that so damned attractive?" Maybe there was something incredibly wrong with her by 'normal' standards. But Kira knew that she was anything but. There were few women in the world who had the experience that she did and even fewer that were still alive with it. She was far more deadly than the world gave her credit for and it was an advantage that she constantly used. But something told her that the man in front of her was far smarter than that.

She nodded and brought her bag to the room he had mentioned, dumping it just inside the door before ducking back out. As she walked, she made a note of all of the features of the house... windows... doors... escape routes. Things that would all help her to sleep better at night. She headed back down to the bottom floor and accepted the beer from him, raising the bottle to her lips and taking a long pull from it. It wasn't vodka by a long shot, but it'd do. She arched a brow at him when he all but commanded her to go stand by the fireplace. She gave him a mock salute that was far too professional and then headed for the fireplace, giving him a backwards glance over her shoulder. "Commanding, aren't we?" She smirked a little.

She nodded as he spoke about the business in general. "So you run this joint all seasons? Winter runs to?" She asked as a devious little grin came over her expression. "I'd love to challenge you at winter warfare. My money's on me winning that particular challenge. Russia's a fun testing ground for that kind of thing." She smirked.

[KIERNAN O'FARRELL]

Kiernan wasn’t a very liked man either here or back in Ireland, he was actually someone people were afraid of, hated, or wanted to see dead most places as well as being a source of confusion too. Here he’d become some sort of wilderness man in the minds of a few of the residents of Myrtle Beach. Living out in the woods at a survival camp might give that impression but he still didn’t really understand how they’d jumped to that conclusion so easily since it wasn’t like he was ever mr lumberjack or something when he ventured into town. He kept himself clean and nicely dressed when not running around the camp where he’d get dirty or muddy. For work he wore clothes that would keep him warm and that he didn’t mind getting dirty, he very rarely wore those clothes when going into town and only when he needed to pick up something quick then head back. He didn’t really think about it too much in the long run, let the people around here think whatever they wanted since it didn’t really effect or bother him either way.

What bothered him was what people thought of him in Ireland, the fear he wanted and needed because that’s what kept him safe but the part about wanting him dead was the real kick in the ass. His former boss could only do so much and that “so much” meant a yearly visit where he wouldn’t be killed for being there. He was a damned good fighter and deadly but when you’ve got a group of people with guns wandering around just waiting for the chance to put a bullet in your head your odd’s sucked and you took what little you were given when you had a real reason for going back to the area willingly. Brendan was that reason for him and the only reason he could ever set foot in his home-country. Family wasn’t a big deal to everyone but in the area where he’d lived it was everything, it was because of him killing a man’s son that the price was put on his head though the son had killed plenty of others and would have gladly kept killing had Kiernan not taken him out.

Now was not the time to be thinking about those past problems though, he didn’t need that weighing down his thoughts and screwing with his judgment at all while he was here and not there. Add to it the woman he’d invited to his camp and into his home and he really didn’t need the mental distraction he was creating for himself going down that path. Glancing around his place as she spoke he shrugged thinking it suited him just fine to have this place not some fancy house even though he had the money for it. ”It serves its purpose.” he said with a nod to his own thoughts about the place not caring if he looked weird for doing it. Taking a swig of his beer he lifted an eyebrow at her answer to his asking her to tell him anyone who wasn’t allowed inside the gates. Considering a moment he nodded, ”If they’re Russian I’ll run them by you first before granting access.” he said figuring that was the best way to handle it instead of just banning all Russians since there were one or two he knew personally that came to the camp. He didn’t think they’d be stupid enough to try anything with Kira while there and since they kept to themselves during their time there less of a worry as well.

Smirking at her assumption he gave a nod and saluted her with his beer before taking another sip and lowering the bottle again. ”Ay that I am and they’ll have more than a little bit of a problem getting past me if they screw with my camp. And it’s attractive because a man with a gun and well placed surprises clearly isn’t one to take shit and you seem the kind of lass to like a man who takes no shit.” he said his accent coming through thicker for show than it normally would since it added a little irish flare to his statement. It was easy to be a bit cocky knowing he could spring the traps set for unwanted guests in the area if anyone did something stupid. He had things set up, a bit paranoid that someone from Ireland would come looking for him some day when he’d been first setting up the camp and working out what he wanted where. He didn’t use his surprise traps as part of the survival camp and had never had reason to use them to protect himself since Ireland seemed to be keeping itself there rather than coming onto American soil to screw with him.

Watching as she took the beer and arched a brow at him he lifted his own eyebrow at the salute before shaking his head amused by that. Her question had him thinking only for a second before he nodded in answer, ”Yes I am a lot of the time.” he said honestly as he moved into the living room behind her glancing around thinking he probably could have cleaned up the desk in the room but not bothered enough since it wasn’t anything important. Looking back over at her when she asked about the camp being open all year round he nodded and smirked at her talking about a challenge. ”It’s open all year round since survival isn’t limited to season….and if you want a challenge then you’re on but I’ve had plenty of time to figure it out and I know the camp better than you do.” he said moving to the desk and digging through the papers before holding out a pamphlet to her. ”There I’ll be nice and give you the map of the place.”

this without the chick :: MEL/KIRA :: DONE

[kira]

Kira was different from all of those people around town. She knew what it was to work and work damned hard. She knew that Kiernan worked hard, whether or not he believed it. The man lived at work, for crying out loud. That damned well had to say something. Most of the men Kira had dealt with in the Russian Military had figured that, because she was a woman, she was afraid of getting down and dirty with the best of them. They figured that her 'secret spy' work meant that she slunk around in a skin tight catsuit or something of the sort. But just to prove them wrong a time or two, she'd dressed up as a man, kicked their asses in the practice rings and then had shown them all that she was, in fact, a woman. It had felt damned good too.

"Function over luxury." She said as he said that his home suited his purpose. "I like it." She commented. It was more than suitable, actually. Kira had slept in some god awful places on her way over to America, but she'd been making due with what she had. And that hadn't been a whole hell of a lot at the heart of it all. But thinking of some of the places she had had to hunker down and some of the things she had had to do in the process sent a chill down her spine. She didn't ever want to have to live like that again. Ever.

She nodded when he said that he'd run anyone who was Russian by her. It was racial profiling and she damned well knew it, but she liked her head firmly attached to her shoulders. "I appreciate it. It's obviously not all Russians that I have an issue with." She commented. "Just the ones who are out for blood." She commented. And to some people, the ones who were out for blood were just too many to be named or counted.

"You're right. I do like a man who doesn't take shit... as you so eloquently put it." She said, looking at him. "But believe me... if the men that I'm talking about make it past your security measures... you'll need every ace in your pocket that you have. And no way in hell am I going to let a man try and rescue me from the big bad wolf." She gave him a little smirk. Not that she thought he was the type of man to make that prejudice where she was concerned. She worked for Nick and in their world, the fact that you worked for Nick Black went a long way towards giving you a reputation of sorts.

She smiled when he didn't try to hide the fact that he was commanding. "I don't take orders very well. You're warned." These days she didn't take orders at all, as a matter of fact. She'd been down that root before and she wanted no part of someone else dictating her life these days. She arched a brow at him as he handed her the pamphlet with the map of the place. "You know the landscape well enough... but snow has a funny way of changing everything from season to season. You know the landscape, I know snow. But... thank you." She said, tucking the pamphlet under her arm. "You're the one who's going to be sorry you did that."

[KIERNAN O'FARRELL]

Kiernan saw living at the camp as his own way of survival, he’d built the place like a fortress and had locked himself away there because it seemed safest at first when he didn’t know if Ireland would be following him or staying where it belonged. So far it had stayed put but still he stayed right where he’d put himself with walls kept everyone out if he chose or let in those who he felt should. Sure the camp was open to whoever wanted to take the survival courses but that didn’t mean he didn’t run checks on those coming into the camp to make sure they should be here. In the past he hadn’t run into many that he felt shouldn’t be there but that didn’t mean he’d never turned anyone away. He didn’t run this place to teach people to hurt others, he didn’t offer these classes to set people loose on unprepared and unsuspecting people. He did it to keep those who wanted to learn these things safe in their learning because teaching themselves or some of the other offered classes out there just wouldn’t cut it. He did it because it was something he could be called passionate about. He’d learned these things the hard way and in painful ways…heck he’d learned the wrong way and if he could teach some people the right way? Then he’d do it.

Watching as she inspected his home he could tell she’d already figured out where the unlabeled exits were at and how she’d get out if she needed to. That was a good sign since people who just assumed they were safe anywhere new made him nervous because they were the people who would get themselves or others hurt from his experience. ”Well I’m glad you approve.” he said saluting her with his beer and chuckling as he took another swig of his beer amused. He was glad someone else could see the sense of it actually, the fact that he had the money and the space for a big fancy house or something but that this was more practical and made more sense. Someone else who could see why exactly he liked it was okay with him and so far she was making him think maybe he hadn’t been completely crazy inviting her to stay there till she could settle into a place.

Nodding as she said it wasn’t all Russians she had an issue with he could understand that since it made sense. The part about being just the ones out for blood though made even more sense and he snorted at that in amusement. ”Russians out for blood are the worst kind.” he said shaking his head a little. ”I know a few who come here regularly, they’re not the sort who would cause an issue for anyone else though since they’re more comfortable in my pocket than anyone elses so you won’t have to worry about them but I’ll get you their names so you can tell me if they’re bad. Any others who want in would have to be cleared by me to begin with so I’ll let you know if any show up on my lists.” he said glad his background checks were done right and even if they weren’t using their own names they weren’t allowed in till he cleared them anyway.

Listening as she talked about the not taking shit and the men who could potentially get past and into his place he let an eyebrow rise up as he caught her smirk. ”Well if they get past my walls, then past the traps…don’t think I’d let you sit on your pretty little arse in here while I dealt with them. You work for Nick and I know that means you can handle yourself just fine which means if something needs handled that you brought to the door you’re helping me clean up the mess of it. But my security isn’t something to be scoffed at and you’re pretty damn safe here so I don’t think it will ever be an issue in truth.” he said with a shrug knowing there was always a possibility his security wouldn’t be good enough to stop them but it would slow them at least and that he could handle it if it came down to needing his attention whether she was there fighting as well or not. He wouldn’t have made it far in his life not knowing how to handle himself.

He chuckled at her “warning” and nodded to that finishing off his beer and dangling the bottle between his fingers. ”I’ll remember that warning.” he said knowing he wouldn’t forget it but it wouldn’t stop his commanding nature either since that was just natural for him. He didn’t tell people how to live but he didn’t hold back on giving orders in other aspects either. He shook his head at her answer to his words about the challenge and giving her the map and gave her a smirk, ”Been here long enough and put myself out there enough to know this place in sun, rain, snow, or any other kind of weather lass. I have the advantage of knowing things that there’s not even a way to show on that map and how to handle those things all seasons. So I don’t think I’m sorry about anything just yet. We’ll see how it goes.” he said and lifted his bottle. ”Getting another…you want anything while I’m in the kitchen?” he offered not sure if she’d eaten but being polite for now.

this without the chick :: MEL/KIRA :: DONE

[kira]

|Kira had to admit that she felt a little safer here, behind a locked door. One man alone she could take on and fight, but a dozen or so trained Russian warriors... well... that would be enough to worry her a bit. And knowing that she was in a place that no one could get into unless they were allowed to went a long way to making her feel a little more at ease. Which meant she only had one potential threat to deal with in the immediate area... And that was the man who had invited her into his home. It wasn't to say that she wasn't worried about what he was capable of. Obviously a man who took such precautions was something to be worried about, but she was confident enough to know that she could do some damage before she went down. And somehow, the thought of death by the hands of a complete stranger was a lot easier to stand than the thought of her own country killing her in cold blood.

She knew he was watching her with a trained eye. She knew well enough that he had noted the fact that she had been gauging the placement of everything she passed. She'd been working her way methodically through his home in attempts to find out what she needed to know about its layout in case something bad came up. She was cautious. Very cautious. But again, that was precisely what had kept her alive for as long as she had been so far.

She smirked a little when he said that Russians out for blood were the worst kind. It only amused her because up until recently, she'd been a government endorsed Russian out for blood. Those were even more deadly than the ideal of a vigilante out for blood. Russians could be vicious as hell and would stop at nothing to see their goals completed. She knew well enough. There were a few figureheads who were just too damned stubborn to give up their views of the past and their desires to make the world pay for the injustices that it had apparently inflicted upon Russia. Some of it truly made her sick. She nodded at how he explained the situation with letting people in. "Good to know."{/b] She murmured. She trusted him, in a strange way, to make good on his word.

A smile curved into her lips when he stated that he knew that she wasn't anything to brush off lightly, given the fact that she worked for Nick. "I'm not scoffing at your security." She said as she took a moment to look out one of the windows in his home. "I'm just not underestimating my enemy either." She told him, point blank. Kira was always the type of woman to have a back up plan. Hell, even her back up plans had back up plans. Nothing ever went quite the way that you wanted it to. She knew that well enough from experience or else she wouldn't have been right where she was at the moment. "I hope you're right..." She said though. She didn't want it to be an issue. She didn't want to bring this man trouble, given the fact that he was helping her out.

She just smiled to herself and what he said about knowing the lay of the land. True enough, but she doubted he'd ever seen someone blend into a snow covered landscape in quite the way that she could. "Is it wrong of me to be so excited for the first snowfall?" She smiled at him. She watched as he headed towards the kitchen and asked if she wanted anything. She thought about it a moment. "Honestly... if you have something in there that I can mow down on, I'd greatly appreciate it. I haven't eaten in..." She paused a moment and wrinkled her nose. "Well... A while."