19391/Poker at the Public

Poker at the Public
Date of Scene:	27 October 2024
Location:	The Public House - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Alex meets Lara Croft in the aftermath of a Poker Game that went his way. He's offered potential employment at the cost of stepping foot in a library for the first time in his life.
Cast of Characters:	Alex Hayden, Lara Croft

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Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex Hayden, seated with an almost predatory ease, is hard to miss. His broad shoulders and muscular frame are highlighted by his recently tailored suit, the fabric hugging his physique like it was made to be worn in places like this-exclusive, luxurious, dangerous. His forearms flex subtly as he flicks his cards, drawing glances from across the table. The glint in his eye suggests his streak has been running hot all night, and the growing pile of chips in front of him is proof.

His poker face is solid-no unnecessary movements, no nervous ticks. His opponents, one after another, fall prey to his bluffing or his remarkable hands. His fingers drum lightly on the table as the dealer flips the next card. It's another win, and the tension around the table tightens as Alex slides more chips into his pile with a practiced smirk.

Thumb brushing absently over the large "X" scar on his forehead, he glances up at his frustrated opponents and chuckles, "Maybe you should all fold now-don?t think I'm running out of luck anytime soon."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara had recently come back to the US, after spending time at her family home in England. Earlier in the month, she had chased after a rival archaeologist in to the mountains outside of Kathmandu. What had unfolded next was a big surprise, in the form of keeping an ancient God from reawakening, and spreading a blight upon the region. Lara, and a few friends, stopped the ritual before it could be seen through, but she had failed to catch her rival. Tonight? She had expected he might make an appearance here, based on intelligence she'd gotten sent to her. Thus, she was here tonight, and thus she was dressed for the occasion. Lara wears a crimson red dress, backless and sleeveless, it ties around behind her neck, with a split up the center that shows a fair amount of skin running up her stomach to her neck. Around her neck she wears a glinting silver neckless, with diamond earrings dangling from her lobes, and a dusky hue to her makeup that helps accentuate her facial features, and blend with the autumn friendly hue of her dress itself. Heeled shoes elevator Lady Croft up several extra inches past her natural height, while her dark tresses of hair are undone, and lay in long waves around her otherwise mostly bare shoulders.

She has been observing the card games from the bar, meeting, and greeting with others who know her as one of the White Rooks in the HFC inner court, the silvery white Rook that dangling over her collar bone, as part of her neck adornment, further pushing that place in the Club. She's on her second glass of wine, sipping is slowly, as she watches the card players, having noted Alex's success several times, though her brown eyes do cast about the room quite often, as she searches for the face of Chase Thorne... just incase he were to arrive here tonight too.

Would there be a fight if he did? Well, she wouldn't start it, she just wanted to chat with him. In the mean time, though, she watches Alex's table, curious to see how the man fairs.

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex Hayden wasn't the most refined guy at the table, but he didn't need to be. While his tailored suit might've suggested a man of class, his casual slouch and the way he chewed on a toothpick between bets said otherwise. It was his confidence that carried him through, filling in the gaps where polish was lacking. He smirked as he played his cards, almost reckless with the chips, but somehow always coming out on top.

"You boys play like you're scared," he quipped, tossing in more chips. "I play like I've got nothing to lose."

One of the older, more refined players, a Hellfire Club regular in a crisp tuxedo, scowled, his voice dripping with disdain. "Confidence doesn't replace class, Hayden. You might want to learn that."

Alex leaned back, completely unfazed, thumb absently brushing the large scar on his forehead. "I'd rather keep winning than worry about 'class.' But hey, thanks for the tip."

The mercenary wins another round, this time on an inside straight.

The irritation at the table is palpable. Alex is an unknown in the club, and from his demeanor, what some might deem an 'inferior'. This chaffs the table. The older player finally rises, "Gentlemen, I believe this game is concluded. I'm done competing with the fool's luck."

Grumbling agreement, the others wise and depart without a word. Alex ultimately shrugs as a waiter comes by. "I believe that concludes the game, sir. I'll count your winnings and credit your account."

Nodding, he rises from the table to walk towards the bar. While doing so, he takes note of one Lara Croft. From the way his eyes widen slightly, his head tilts, and his grin extends. It's clear the man has some deep appreciation for what he's seeing. "Excuse me, anyone ever tell you, that you are absolutely gorgeous in red?"

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara was sipping from her wine glass, when the game wrapped up at Alex's table. she had seen a bit of clear indication that tensions were rising between the players, and it had caused a small smile to strike itself across the Lady's lips. She hadn't been looking, when the game wrapped up, and thus when Alex arrived at the bar, she was returning her eyes in his direction, when he spoke to her. It took a moment to register the compliment, and the deeply delivered fashion of it, which left her smiling more openly at him, as her free hand touched her stomach, and her eyes dropped down at herself, then bounced back up to his own. "why thank you," the British Duchess told the man in the well fit suit. She gave a sideward glance toward the table that he had been populating, and then returned her eyes on to his. Like him, she had a noticeable scar on the left side of her face, clearly having sustained a measurable injury at some point in recent years, but it did not diminish her natural beauty that still exuded from her facial features, and those features were showing him that sincere smile.

She shifted her wine glass from her right hand, to her left, and offered her hand to him. "I'm Lara, Croft." She said, leaving off any of her selection of potential titles she could have attached to her name. "You're quite a card player, so I noted." She said, her London accent giving her voice a graceful allure, as she danced through each spoken syllable. "Are the games already wrapped up? Or do you have more winnings to earn?" She asked him, showing him a slight grin on her smoky hued lips.

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex takes the offered hand and shakes it firmly. Some part of him tells him he should bow and kiss a knuckle or some other formal gesture, but Lara's scar suggested she might prefer a different kind of treatment. "Alex Hayden, but many know me as Agent-X." Not that many. He's a known factor, but many would consider him B-tier, especially compared to Deadpool or other more notorious figures in the mercenary business.

"In truth, I think I'm pretty terrible at cards. However, I am really good at getting under people's skin, and at that particular table, that turned out to be the right tool for the job." He beams conspiratorially and then settles at the bar. "I think that probably concludes the games, at least the ones I'm invited to. Well, worth the cover charge." He wasn't one of the individuals who could wave such fees. Consequently, his gaze follows her neckline and settles on the white rook.

"Oh. Looks like I should probably behave around you." He nods slowly then orders a glass of bourbon from the bartender.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara was seated with her legs crossed, and her eyes on the large man, as he gave his explanation. She brought her hand back to take hold of her drink glass by its base, and had another small smile appear on her lips, as she glanced toward the last man that Alex had been playing against, where he'd retreated to a table of his compatriots, likely to grouse about the results of that last game. She looked back toward Alex, and kept a light smile for him. "Well, whatever tactic you used, you seemed to choose wisely. Well done." She told him, before she caught his glance down toward her neckline, and she knew what he was speaking of. His comment made her show a brief grin, before she shook her head gently once. "Bhehaving is not necessary. Few do, around here, admittedly. But, you might be careful with what secrets you share." She ended that warning with another grin playing across her visage, as she let the tease linger a moment. Her posture straightened a little more, and her head tilted to the side ever so slightly. "I have not seen you around here before. Are you new to the Club? Or merely very good at keeping to your corners of it?"

Her brown eyes danced around their immediate area, as she commented a little further. "There are so many corners to this place, it is a tall challenge to try and spy what lies within them all..."

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex grins at the compliment as reaches to grab an offered glass of bourbon. He raises it to his lips and sips briefly then looks back to Lara. "Oh that's a relief. I'm terrible at behaving. Ah, secrets. I have a few of those, but probably not many anyone here would care to know about."

He muses and then considers her question. "Truth of it is that I cannot always afford the cover charge. I tend to live gig to gig, and my luck doesn't always hold like it did tonight. So, you might as well treat me as new, but I have managed to a few drinks here before. I'm certainly not a regular."

Gesturing down at his torso, "I just felt the urge to be 'fancy' this evening. When I choose to drink, I'm usually in a dive or a safe house."

Glancing toward one of the figurative corners, "I'm sure the corners hold secrets and trouble. I'll have to consider diving into one. I make a living getting into trouble on behalf of others."

He offers a mock frown, "Well, this is unfair. The easy small talk would be asking if you come here often, but you clearly do." He pauses thinking of another way to continue the conversation then remembers the scar, "Despite being gorgeous, you have the look of someone who also gets into trouble, the violent kind. I have that right?"

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara looked away toward the other side of the bar, while Alex responded to her, but his words soon drew her eyes back to him again. She considered what he said, the vagueness of it making her believe there was a lot more to this man, than what he was comfortable sharing here, perhaps not because of her, exactly, but because of this place as a whole. She nodded her head once to what he said of his chosen work, a lopsided smirk shown for just a moment, before she sipped her drink again.

When he asked her of her own nature of work, Lara let out a soft exhale of a short laugh. She parted her lips, but paused her response, as she considered how to phrase it best. "I have... had quite a strange career, following my days at University." she answered him, a reserved smile touching her facial features, as she considered his compliment, and the question a little more. "I'm an archaeologist, actually. A traveler. Following in the footsteps of a deceased father, who raised me to push aside the obstacles. To uncover the truths hidden in the furthest reaches. To challenge conventions, and look to the past, to help guide us in to the future. Sometimes, this puts me in places that are a little more dangerous, than the normal person might wish to bear, and sometimes..." she drew in a breath, her shoulders rising, and her chest expanding a bit. "Sometimes I wonder what the Hell it is I'm even doing," she laughed, letting the breath out again, and shaking her head. "Exploring the past, comes at a certain amount of cost, I guess. My therapist said I'm an adrenaline junkie." She smirked then, and raised her glass up again for another sip.

"Maybe he's right." She added, before she indulged in her drink again. "Perhaps I should take up poker?"

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex listens while imbibing, evidently a heavy drinker, he's already tapping the glass before Lara finishes explaining her lifestyle. "You seem very educated, and that's not just from the British accent."

Humming, he considers what kind of dangers an archaeologist might encounter. "From my experience, people do tend to booby trap their secrets, and from what little I know of history, it seems full of tyrants wanting to be buried with their riches in very fortified tombs. So your story makes sense."

He offers a rich genuine laugh, "I rarely know what I am doing, so you are in good company, one fellow adrenaline junkie to another." He considers the commentary regarding poker, "Depends on our sporting you want to be. You have the kind of beauty that will convince others they want to lose. Even I'll admit to going easy on a pretty face. You might need to be very selective on who you play with, or dress down a bit to ensure you get a adrenaline inspiring game."

"Consequently, you make wonder if I should pick up archaeology. If it's -that- kind of trouble, I might be in my element. Are other archeologists so leggy, or are you an exception?" He gazes downward to her crossed legs to accentuate the point, clearly flirting. "Though if you truly want a game of poker, I'd play."

Lara Croft has posed:
When he spoke of the ancient, and securing their treasures in to their afterlife, Lara showed him a small smile again. "Imagine how all of the stories, that you have ever heard, are only less than one percent, of what is actualy out there. That everything we have learned, may not even touch the doorstep of what actually lies through the threshold of real discovery. We're only just beginning to see what once was..."

She glanced toward one of the bartenders, as they made their pass by their place at the bar again, Lara affording the tender a small smile too, before she regarded Alex again. She laughed lightly, shortly, at the bit about poker, and at the comment about leggy archaeologists. It earned a slow nod from her. "Oh, yes, it is what my field is truly known for. The great legs." She quipped back, her free hand going to brush her crimson dress a bit across her upper positioned thigh, a fair amount of it exposed through the slit up the side of her dress. She regarded him again, though, and she tilted her head just a little, in a display of her unyielding curiosity.

"How did you learn to play?" She asked. "I've only played a handful of times. My mentor used to host games a lot, with his ship crew, but... that was when I was too young to be around them. He refused to let me participate in those games, back then." She stated, a small grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I considered it to be a 'man thing' throughout my teens, and maybe I still somewhat do... Chess, has always been more my game, which was taught to me by a very patient family butler, when I was quite small."

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex snaps his fingers, "I knew it. Guess its time for me to go back to school." He smirks and then takes another mouthful of bourbon. A man of simple pleasures, he can't help but follow the playful hand and once more take note of the exposed thigh. Though his mild leering doesn't mean he is inattentive. He answers, "Have you ever met a woman by the name of Inez Template? She has the moniker of Outlaw. She taught me how to shoot, and she taught me how to play cards. Mostly by... as she would say... 'Whoopin my ass'"

"Considering I learned to play from a woman, I think I have to disagree with it being a 'man' thing. Though I guess gender roles vary a bit with geography, don't they?" He tilts the glass back and then taps to single for another. He doesn't seem particularly phased by the first two glasses. "Chess... That's a game that I probably lack the focus to play properly, but I admire people who are good at it. I'll just keep playing a knight in the real, a very hard to kill one."

"I'm guessing this butler was a mentor of some kind? 'Very patient' usually comes with some admiration, and a little self-admittance about how much of a troublemaker one can be, yea? And, I'm guessing you were a lot to deal with. Maybe still are."

Lara Croft has posed:
When she dressed like this, Lara expected some level of learing, and seemed to invite it, as she knew what she was, and she knew others enjoyed some elements of it. She watched him as he downed his drinks with an eager ferocity, which told her that he was battling the post competitive anxiety, by dousing it in the bourbon. She didn't comment on it, only displayed a small grin.

After sipping her own drink once more, Lara placed it gently upon the bar, as her other hand remained atop her thigh, her back kept straight up on the edge of her seat, as he spoke on chess, she adorned in a chess piece of jewelry, further hinting a true impact from the game on her life.

She let out another soft laugh at what he said of her family butler, and her head shook side to side, her dark tresses gently waving against the sides of her face. "Winston had a lot on his hands, when I was a little girl." she answered him, as she had a smile touch her features that showed her thinking back on those memories. "I lost my temper with him once, and set a trap that ended with him locked in the kitchen freezer for several hours. He, nor my father, were pleased with me following that." She stated, her tone gentle, and her lips showing a half smirk. "After my father passed away, however, Winston moved on, as I went in to the custody of a family friend. He served as my mentor, and the one who trained me in the skills I'd use for what I do today. He, has sadly passed away too, now, though." She pursed her lips, and shook her head gently toward Alex. "I have not heard of Inez, and I agree. I am sure there are many exceptional female poker players. I, however, predominantly grew up around men. I guess it has left me burdened with a few biases..." She grinned faintly, as she nodded toward him once.

"Did you win good tonight? Hopefully you are not forced to live on meager earnings for awhile?"

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex offers a faint smile and salutes her with his glass. "Love and have lost. Rather mentor, friend, or lover. It's a bittersweet thing. My condolences though it sounds like these losses are behind you."

He lets out a low whistle, "Locked in a freezer though. Man... You would be on my shit list for awhile. The counter-pranks would have been harsh."

"Well damn, if you grew up predominantly around us, you know all our tricks. How am I possibly going to trick you into a compromising position now?" He gives a mock sigh and then considers the question regarding winning, "If I were a wise and frugal man, I could live a good year off the evening's winnings. But I am none of these things. I have a good month ahead of me, but I should be trying to find my next gig in the meantime."

"I get the feeling that money isn't really among your concerns, Miss Croft. If you ever need another hired gun on one of your excursions, please do consider your new favorite poker player." He winks.

Lara Croft has posed:
Some part of Lara's mind did tick at her thoughts, reminding her that she was here on a little mission, but Alex had taken her attention off of it. She spared a look around the lounge for any sight of Thorne, but yet remained to not see the man. Maybe he knew she was here? It was no secret she held a upper position within the White Court, afterall.

After another sip, she nearly had her wine finished, and her eyes went back to Alex. His playfully flirtatious question toward compromising positions for her, had Lara lightly laughing again. "Honesty, and being straight forward. That's how you achieve such goals." She answered, him as she glanced toward the bartender who tempted her with another glass.

When she accepted it, she smirked for him, and swept her eyes back to Alex's. She smiled at his suggestion of burning through his money, and she tilted her head, eyes raised skyward for a moment, before they fell back on him. "It is possible. Entirely, so, in fact. I happen to Chair an Adventurer Club, based here in Manhattan. We tend to get ourselves in to the thick of it, so to speak. If you'd be interested in a bit of adventure...? Well, maybe you'd fit right in. You have to be comfortable with getting yourself in to rather uncomfortable positions, though. Both involving mud, blood, swamps, sand, ice, snow, and so much more..." She grinned faintly, as she took up her third drink of the night, and raised it up to her lips to tip it back for a small taste.

Alex Hayden has posed:
"Ah, well fortunately for me, I tend to be honest and straight forward to a fault. I am a very open book." Another sip of bourbon, the only interruption to what seems to be a perpetual smirk.

"An Adventurer Club, huh?" He leans in to hear a little more about the prospect. "Uncomfortable positions are my specialty. I have what some people refer to as a 'Healing Factor', and its an aggressive one. Makes me quite the effective bullet sponge, and also helps me survive all those hazards you just mentioned. I can also go hard for a solid day before fatigue starts to show. All in all, it makes me a good bodyguard, a good decoy, and a decent bellhop."

"Of course, I just tipped my hand. If you aren't a fan of metahumans or mutants, well, then I'm probably not good for your payroll." He taps her wine glass with his bourbon glass. "But if you are fine with that, I'm a bargain. Plus, I'm fun on the road."

Lara Croft has posed:
"Those are very good traits to have." Lara quietly said back at his claim of having those honest and forward attributes. She sipped her drink again, and placed it down upon the bar in the place of the glass that the bartender had taken away. She drew in a breath through her pert nose, before she restrained another smile toward the man's self-glorifying words. "Mm, this almost feels like it is turning in to a job interview." She jest back at him, her British dry humor as sharp as one might expect. She cast him a grin, and nodded at him once though.

"If you have some contact information, that you're up for sharing, I'd be happy to slide you in to the loop on communications. We just had a rather big ... ordeal, in Tibet. Your help would have been very welcomed. As for Meta Humans?" She gently shook her head from side to side, causing the tendrils of dark hair to gently wave at the sides of her high cheekbones. "Let's just say I'm jealous of such abilities. I am far from a bullet sponge, let alone any other manner of sponge, and I have a few scars to prove it. Proof that I am just an average Human, very little Meta within me." She smirked again, before she tilted her head a little, and showed him a softly warm smile. "We are based out of the Yorkville Library, here in the city. You'd be welcome to stop by there some time too. It was even recently attacked by armed men, that we were barely able to fend off. So you'd likely be at no short supply of bullets to sponge up..."

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex open his blazer and pulls out a business card from the inner pocket. It reads "Agency X. Mercenary Services & Private Investigations. Got a problem? We solve it. Fast."

Being the cheeky mercenary he is, he rather deftly lays the business card on top of Lara's thigh. "Sounds you are in desperate need of my services, and considering how dire the situation, the help of some of my other friends. Just give me a call if you need me to play guard dog for your library, or attack dog if you know the origin of your attackers."

"With your beauty and intelligence, and my superhuman physical qualities, I bet we are a perfect team. Perhaps its a laziness brought about by my healing factor, but I tend to just wander straight into things. So if you require a more tactical approach, I highly recommend you put your chess-hone tactician skills to play and give me a battle plan."

Lara Croft has posed:
The man's bravado kept the small smile on lady Croft's lips, as she nodded her head gently to what he said. When he placed the card down upon the top of her thigh, it was just beside her own hand, which still resided there. She had the corners of her lips raise up a little further at the gesture, and moved to places her own fingertips on the provided business card. "Then perhaps it was a very good decision for me to slip in here this evening, for the games tonight." She responded, as she gathered the card up, raised it up and gave it a moments glance. It earned a brief smile too, before she slipped it in to a little pocket on the leather book that held her phone and other personal items on the edge of the bar beside her place.

"Actually, should you hear anything about a man named Chase Thorne, I'd be very interested in being informed about it. I came here tonight, hoping that he would stop in, as I heard he may have intended to." She cast her eyes around, before looking back to Alex. "I get the feeling, he has caught wind of my presence though, and elected to stay away. We have, some unfinished business, related to Tibet." She said, her British voice a bit more serious in tone, while speaking on that topic. But she moved on from it again, and shook her head gently again. "And here, I thought I was rather ennjoyable company."

She smirked toward him once more, as she noted his drink of choice. "Having another?"

Alex Hayden has posed:
"Very good decision." Alex agrees. His head tilts and he leans in as she mentions Chase Thorne. He hums, "You got it. I'll keep an ear out for him especially when you aren't around. Maybe he's hiring, too. Could be a good excuse for a conversation in the future."

"From the way you are speaking, I'm guessing this event in Tibet wasn't a romantic evening." At the mention of enjoyable company, Alex gives Lara another obvious look over and nods in agreement. "At the risk of inflating your ego, you seem like the complete package. A beautiful adrenaline-junkie who loves chess. I have to assume the situation is competitive. Otherwise, I'm sure this Chase would be fawning over you like I am."

He nods, "I think I will, while the company remains good." He gestures to the bartender. "Are you staying in New York for awhile, or are you off to a new adventure soon?"

Lara Croft has posed:
There was a time where Lara was not great at receiving flitatious advances from others. Even out of college, she didn't handle it well. It wasn't until she survived a shipwreck, and being stranded on an island with cannibals, and monsters that wanted her flayed alived, that Lara began to find the words of others to be the least intimidating part of being alive. It left her merely enjoying the sentiment of the idea that someone else found her appealing enough, to express it, and she better understood how to eat it up, for being an enjoyable sentiment, in most cases. Sometimes? Well, sometimes it wasn't welcomed. Here, she enjoyed it, though.

She laughed a little too, and shook her head again. "Competitive. Chase is a colleague in the field, but one who .. Well, he works for what would be considered my rivals. Or more accurately, the people who have sought my death. I thought that I had ... eliminated their previous leadership, around this time last year? But, weeds tend to rise again. I fear Chase may be headed toward replacing that fallen leader, the power vacuum sucking him in. I was hoping to speak to him, to try and reason with him, before it got too far. Tibet? Well, it showed me, that I might be too late for that convincing."

A more disappointed smirk touched Lara's features, for a brief second, before she returned a smile toward him.

"I get the sense that you're much more skilled at the flirtatious banter than I am. I grew up with my nose in books, and my mind lost in imaginations of far away places. My social skills are a bit lacking." She stated, grinning softly at him. "Being that I grew up around all of those manly, burly, men? I also generally feel quite uncomfortable in the clothing that which you see me in now. I'm maskking my uncomfortable demeanor, as best as I can. So my question for you is, how am I doing?" She inquired, a grin shown, before it was covered by another raise of her glass for another sip.

When the glass came down, she set it aside, and looked back to him. "I only just returned to the States just last night. I may not be leaving for a bit, at least until in to the next month. I do a fair bit of work for SHIELD, in fact. A collections agent. Thus, I need to check in with them soon." She explained, a bit about her professional side.

Alex Hayden has posed:
Once more Alex is listening to Lara over his glass of bourbon learning a little more about this Chase fellow and the backstory of the apparent rivalry Lara finds herself in. He nods in sympathy, "Its rare that the old saying of 'Remove the head and the rest dies' comes true. I find someone is always willing to be the next head."

He raises an eyebrow at her admission and the question, "You are doing really well. If you are uncomfortable, you've proven yourself to be quite the actress this evening." He raises a finger, "And while I may be skilled at flirtatious banter, I also know how to take a hint, so if any of this banter does make you uncomfortable, just say the word. I'll continue to be friendly and engaging, even if my dreams will be absolutely shattered."

He winces and tries to restrain himself but fails, "And in the spirit of good flirtatious banter, if the clothes are so uncomfortable, you should take them off." He immediately up his hands in self-defense. "I'm sorry, that setup was just... perfect."

Laughing with a stupid grin, he then tries to become serious once more, "SHIELD, eh? I know just enough to try to never to take work that would put me on their bad side. Just common sense. It tough having capable enemies, and on that note and for your sake, I hope this Chase can be convinced to see your side of things."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara removed her right hand from atop her thigh, and crossed her arm over her lap, as she uncrossed her legs, and switched to raise the other up, and over her opposite thigh now, adjusting her position as one does, her long red dress adjusting to the change in gentle waves of very soft material laying over well muscled legs. She cast him another smile, that quickly morphed in to a laugh at his comment of removing her attire. "I fully plan to, in time." She fired back, allowing a grin to punctuate her words, her voice holding a bit of a smokey edge to it, almost as though she were weary, or sleepy even, but really she's just playing up her sultry side some.

She drew in a breath, and raised her left hand up from her drink to stike away a few long strands of her dark bangs, as she showed him another smile. "You needn't back off of the kind words, and witty banter. It's fun, truthfully." She said, in a sincere style, before she drew in a light breath at his talk of Thorne. She sighed in a wistful way, as she took a moment to think about the more tense side of her reason for being here tonight.

"Sadly, I feel he will just see it as a threat..." She stated, her voice a little quieter, a bit closer to a whisper that sticks to her voice. "And maybe it is..."

She let a more even expression rest on her lovely facial features, as she stared at Alex for a lingering moment, before she summoned another small smile. She definitely had a killer's edge to her, and being what Alex did, he likely saw it like a shining spotlight after she said that.

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex is unbashful as his gaze downward watcheding Lara's muscular legs uncross and recross. He offers a wistful sigh of appreciation and imbibes another mouthful of bourbon. He grins at her, "In time? Pleeease tell me, you'll be in need of a bodyguard at that moment. I'll give you a steep discount."

He seems a little relieved. "I'm glad you are finding it fun. Different women, similar circumstances, I usually end up wearing the wine." He gestures toward her glass then listens to learn a little more about Chase's character and perhaps Lara's.

The mercenary does, in fact, detect that killer's edge. He lets out a low whistle, "You are probably just as gorgeous when you are mad, but I think I like the smile better." He notes. "Past or not, I imagine if an associate of mine joined my worst enemies, there is really only one obvious ending. Someone in the ground. If it comes that, happy to help that be him, and not you."

His glass is once more drained. He sighs gazing down at the bottom of it. "Almost like water, but at least its smooth."

Lara Croft has posed:
At the offered discount to have a chance to be there when Lara did decide to remove her dress, the Duchess of Surrey released another light laugh, and raised her slim chin up in a slightly playful style. "Oh, but I employ a guard dog for those moments. He gets fewer ideas, and only costs the price of a bowl of kibble." She teased, as she was feeling a bit of an effect from the alcohol at this point. It did not stop her from taking another sip, though, as she considered herself to be safe in this place, knowing full well the HFC would be watching after one of their own, should the need be. "But, maybe some arrangements could be made." She said, her voice low again, continuing to hold a bit of those burnt edges to the sound of her spoken words.

She nodded at what he said of someone ending up in the ground, but she also had to release a little sigh. "I've enough death in my wake, honestly. I suffer sleep, for a lot of it yet still too. So much for therapy sessions, mm?" She smirked, as she glanced at a passing group of well attired visitors to the poker tournaments tonight. She glanced toward the tables, where a couple of lingering games were still going, with their players looking like they might be settling in for a long night.

She looked back to him, and showed him another soft smile, as she'd seen him eyeing her legs more, but also eyeing his glass again. "Don't get absolutely /sloshed/ now, Mister Hayden..." She warned him, a bit more of an affectionate edge to her tone. "But, I suppose that healing ability you spoke of, might hinder that." Clearly, she was sharp in mind yet still, even two and a half glasses of wine in.

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex squints and considers his new rival, the guard dog. "Fine, you drive a hard bargain. I'll do it for a single milkbone, but I'm keeping all my ideas! Damn dog thinking he can undercut me." He mutters in fake agitation then looks at Lara over his glass at her mentioning of arrangements. "Ah, you are better at this then you give yourself credit. That little glimmer of hope you just gave. Chef kiss."

"I'd say 'you get used to it' but you are better off not. I'm a little too nonchalant with death myself, but it comes with a professional career in violence. I've gotten very good at justifying my actions." He follows her gaze toward the tables then looks back to her. "It hinders it a -lot-. The amount required to get slosh is prohibitive in cost and bladder size." He explains, "If I want to go on a bender, I need to reach for mostly pure ethanol. So if you are trying to get me drunk to take advantage of me. You'll need a different tactic."

He laughs and winks, "Alright, in an attempt to get my head out of the cutter and act serious for a moment, what kind of attack did you face at your library? Weapons? methods? I'm curious about what I might be signing up for."

Lara Croft has posed:
The lounge continued to hold a nice atmosphere, with the soft music, the sound of various groups chit chatting together, and no small amount of others flirting with one another, in hopes of having a good cap to the night no doubt. Lara seemed to be soaking in that atmosphere too, and enjoying the company of the card player who'd selected her to chat with. She laughed lightly at what he said, and when he spoke of her getting him liquored up to take advantage of him, she just beamed a smile at him for a second, before she wiped it away to replace it with a serious look. A shake of her head followed shortly after, as she put on that serious air again, her right hand raising up to wag a finger at him. "All I would do, is negotiate the cost of this guard duty arrangement. One biscuit? Simply more than I can afford..."

She smirked at him, as she heard him take a more serious turn of the conversation, and with it she drew in another breath, her shoulders rising up again, as she considered her response, and glanced toward the closest party within ear shot of them. When she exhaled again, her chest lowered a bit, and she leaned forward slightly, still poised on the edge of her bar chair. "Two groups, one from the front, one from the back. Four men in each group, and all kitted in tactical equipment. AR-styled rifles, and the foresight to cut the power before they came in." she explained. "Luckily, I had a friend with me, enjoying the opening of the Library, who dabbles in the magical side of talents. If it weren't for her? I may have been overwhelmed." She let that thought linger for just a second, before she gave a slight shake of her head once more. "With her help, I focused on the rear entry team, and managed to make them fall back. They chose to make the entire operation, just a 'message sent'. Or at least that was what their team leader claimed on their way out. But, this was ... This was HYDRA, or a small side branch of."

Her brown eyes were on his, dark lashes helping to convey the emotion of the memory of it all. "Yet another violent moment in a long line of them..." She said in a darker tone.

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex positively beams as Lara plays the game with him. He groans, "Oh come on, I have my dignity! I cannot guard dog for less then the price of one biscuit. There are labor laws in this country, y'know."

Resting his elbow on the bar, he places his cheek into his palm and listens intently to Lara's debrief. "Hmm, you really are making serious enemies. Well, 5.56 NATO only slows me down a little. So if I'm on duty and they use similar tactics, they are going to be very disappointed. Not that I just stand around letting myself get shot, just a fight like that is a foregone conclusion in my favor typically."

"Does sound like you and your friend took care of yourselves fairly well though." He muses and then asks for another refill of his glass. "Have you considered defenses? I guess automated turrets would be odd for a library. You need something like... robots garbed in medieval armor to fit that sort of aesthetic."

Lara Croft has posed:
"Only just so." Lara replied to how well that she and her friend defended the Library, or really themselves within it. "In truth, I've grown so attached to my guard dog, that I fear even putting him in places that might cause him danger to endure. So he gets all the biscuits now, and none of the responsbility. Plus, all the undressing." She had to add that last part, and with it a small smile for him again.

"We have hired some security for the place, since that moment, though. They're good men, but I would enjoy your thoughts on it, should you ever wish to stop by the place some time. You might see elements of weaknesses that they have missed. They came highly recommended, but... I am sure you know how it is hard to see the skill in someone, until the cards are actually down, and bullets are actually flying." She stated, a soft smirk expressed over to her social companion this evening.

She shook her head again, though, before another sip of her drink was taken, and the glass was set aside. Once more, she cast her eyes around the room, as though she were still looking for that man she'd mentioned, but a crestfallen expression touched her features for a second, before she looked back to him. "I suppose I should be headed home though, with the card games wrapped up, I imagine the evening is soon to follow for most."

Alex Hayden has posed:
Nodding thoughtfully, he seems to agree about not really knowing what someone is made of until they are in the thick of things. When she declares her departure, he sighs dramatically. "And here I have failed to unseat the dog. I guess I'll have to settle for a date at the library and the romantic activity on deciding on defensive measures."

He rests his hand on his forehead to emphasize his woe and then gulps down his last glass of bourbon. Looking toward the bartender, he notes, "Add a 30% tip to my tab."

Next, he rises and stands before Lara. "Nice carousing with you. Tell your dog I'm super jealous."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara glanced at the bartender, when the steep tip was offered, as she saw the glance givne to her. She knew her drinks were on the house, at this point, and as such, she looked back to Alex, and she smiled warmly at him. "I can see why you burn through those winnings a little bit more clearly now." She chided him in good humor, further playing the role of that British wit.

She took up her leather clutch, and held it at her side, as her long legs uncrossed, and her heeled shoes touched down upon the floor. She rose up from her chair, her crimson dress evening out around her body as she stood up. She smiled once more at him, when he spoke of the jealousy for her four legged friend. It brought a delayed laugh out of her, in fact, as it took her a moment to consider the idea of which he was insinuating. "I am sure he will gloat." She says back, as she raises her free hand up to touch the side of his arm. "You played well tonight." She told him, surely meaning his card games, right? "I am sure that you will thoroughly enjoy your winnings too." She added, as she offered a wave to someone she'd been speaking with earlier, who was sitting at a table with some other patron.s. They waved back to Lady Croft, and Lara returned her eyes to Alex. "It's been a pleasure, Mister Hayden..." She told him, in a sincere voice. "I look forward to seeing you again soon, I hope." She said, glinting a grin his way, before she turned to make her exit toward the hallway beyond the lounge, her dress swishing against hips and legs in graceful motion.

Alex Hayden has posed:
Alex watched the Lady Croft make her exit. The gaze isn't chaste or gentlemanly, just sincere appreciation. In truth, he probably wasn't the only offering such a glance, he just never felt the need to disguise such a thing short of obvious discomfort in target of his banter and affections. He sighs and salutes the bartender once Lara is no longer in view.

He grins at the bartender, "You wouldn't happen to know a costume shop open at this time of night would you? And... wouldn't happen to know what her dog looks like?"

The bartender rolls his eyes and laughs, clearly in good spirits from the tip. Alex fakes being crest-fallen, "Yea, I figured. Well good night."