4446/Drinks in Manhattan

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Drinks in Manhattan
Date of Scene: 21 December 2020
Location: Algernon's Alehouse - Hellfire Club
Synopsis: After Pakistan, Lara and Talia meet for drinks at the Hellfire Club to discuss a mystery.
Cast of Characters: Talia al Ghul, Lara Croft




Talia al Ghul has posed:
It's a long way from Pakistan, but Talia has not forgotten the archeologist she met in the airport there. The trip was not as successful as it might have been, and that continues to trouble her. After getting her bearings and asking a few, discreet questions, she reaches out.

A telegram is delivered to the address on Lara Croft's business card. It's an invitation. Drinks and dinner, along with an offer of date and time, with a pre-paid RSVP also by telegram. The Alehouse is located in a building known as the Hellfire Club. The table will be reserved.

Talia is there waiting, the woman dressed to impressed. Casual, by Midtown professional standards, the skirt and blazer are white brocade silk, the low-cut blouse in that familiar hue of green that she wore in the airport.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara had discovered the invitation after a night out with two of her closest friends, doing a bit of Christmas shopping for co-workers and loved ones. She'd responded to the RSVP in-kind and been impressed by the method of invite, as it was classically endearing to her to see such a thing, especially here in the States.

With the night here, Lara arrives to the Hellfire Club's bar, having been to the Club for a couple social gatherings earlier this year, she's familiar with the location.

Having come from work at the Triskelion north of Manhattan, the Archaeologist / SHIELD Agent is wearing a black leather jacket with a dark gray long sleeved shirt underneath, a half-button shirt that is unbuttoned down to her chest with a white tanktop peaking out beneath it. The two tops are tucked in to a pair of form fit black pants and she's wearing a pair of black leather boots with one-inch heels.

Completing her attire is a light gray scarf that had been wrapped around her neck, but was now being removed as the British woman spots Talia's familiar form at the table. She walks toward her, undoing the scarf and holding it in her left hand as she reaches the table and smiles to the woman. "Well then. Good to see you again. You made it to Manhattan, so it seems." Lara's voice soft and friendly.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia's choice of tables is classic as well as strategic. A good view of the room as well as the doorway, close to the kitchen in case a back way out becomes a necessity. And yet the woman looks like she just walked out of a business meeting.

Talia smiles at the sight of Lara, but that's all. She doesn't wave and doesn't even rise as the young woman approaches. "As did you." she replies, gesturing towards the opposite booth seat in lieu of a handshake. "The craft beers are quite good here, and the selection of imports may surprise even you." she offers. "Or do you prefer wine?"

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara takes a moment to remove her leather jacket as well before it, and her scarf, are draped over the back of the booth seat. She shows a lopsided grin to the woman across the table from her, noting the green attire is similar to what she'd last seen her in too. "Just barely." She jests about herself having made it back to Manhattan, which is... always true for her and her seemingly endless adventures.

Lara's hair is not tied back, which is rare for her, it's loose about her shoulders and frames her face nicely as she's clearly seen to it some before arriving. "A beer is always welcomed in a place like this. Though wine certainly has it's moments as well." She reaches for a drink menu to look over the in-house brews. "Any time I come to a place like this, I like to try something new though, to make sure I never end up stuck in a rut." She glances up to Talia and offers a light smile.

"How did your endeavor go?" She has to ask. "I've been wondering about it since we first met." As a hungry world traveller, she can't help but be curious about people's trips too.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia has the drink menu already open on the table before her, the list of draft and import selections prominent. Her own hair is likewise worn long, much as it was for their first meeting. And in spite of the nice attire, her only jewelry is a pair of simple, diamond stud earrings.

"They have a few that you'll recognize from India and Pakistan, but I would really lean more towards Western Europe when in search of a good beer." she offers. Talia seems to have already made up her mind, and moves on to other matters.

"My endeavor was partially successful, but as quests for knowledge so often go I unraveled more questions than answers. I trust your trip was more successful than mine?"

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara's eyes scan over the drink menu as she runs over all her options, but when she spots one she's intrigued by, she looks up then to put her eyes on Talia while the woman replies to her. Her own jewelry is non-existent, save for that one jade pendant that sits at the front of her collarbone, dangling from a small dual-wrapped leather cord.

At the part of more questions being unraveled, Croft has to openly grin in amusement across at her companion tonight. "I've known that feeling, many times." She replies in sincerity. "My father was an explorer, and his... every moment has left endless questions springing up. I think I mentioned that when we met in the airport?" She isn't quite sure, airport meetings can be difficult to suss-out all the details of, as one generally has a lot on their mind when within an airport already.

"But yes, my trip to Islamabad was primarily for consulting with a colleague's discovery north of the city. The found the ruins of an ancient Mehrgarh village, with potential hidden chambers beneath a number of larger chambers. Mostly I was there to observe, record, and offer advice-- as well as a bit of 'clout', so I'm told." She's quite young still, her career is only just taking off, but after discovering the lost island of Yamatai a little over a year ago... she's gotten quite a name for herself, among several public events since then. Such as the Egyptian Pyramid event in Central Park a month ago where she, and a number of heroes thwarted a cult's attempt to summon an ancient God...

It's been quite a year.

"I'd be happy to help try and answer any of the questions that came up for you though." Lara offers with a soft smile.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul nods slowly, a small smile touching her lips. "You may have mentioned that, yes." she replies. "I have also been following some of my family history." Although her own account has been significantly more vague. "Your reputation does, indeed, precede you. Even more remarkable given your age."

Lara talks about her trip and the server appears to take their orders. Talia also orders an appetizer platter.

"My trip into the Himalayas has led me to two names, Lara. One is Yik-Ko. The other is more vague; the last Khan." Talia pauses and leans in a little, her voice lowering. "And I must insist upon your absolute discretion in this."

Lara Croft has posed:
When their server arrives, Lara orders a Belgian Wheat beer and smiles softly at the appetizer order as well, but her eyes are soon to bounce back over to Talia's own. As the names are given over, Lara seems to take a second of thought before she shakes her head. "I'm not familiar with Yik-Ko." She admits. "Kublai Khan, I assume is the other?" She then guesses the most obvious choice.

At the mention of discretion, Lara smiles once more and nods her head over so slightly. "Of course. I know how personal some things like this can truly get, believe me. I'm merely offering a bit of ... extra thought, based on my experience and education. But I also won't pry, if you'd prefer."

The Briton leans back in her booth and pulls the sleeves of her black shirt up to just beneath her elbow, letting her forearms come exposed then as her hands go to the edge of the table. "I certainly have a lot occupying my mind as-is already too." She states with a sly half-grin.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia also selects a Belgian, a Tripel. The woman watches Lara rather closely after dropping the names, all attention on their server forgotten. She smiles a little, watching as Lara pulls her sleeves up. "It does sound like you do have much to occupy your time, yes. How presumptuous of me."

Talia shifts, then, removing her blazer and draping it along the booth beside her. The green blouse has long sleeves, which she leaves cuffed at the wrists for now. "I can compensate you quite generously for your time, of course." This from a woman who flies halfway around the world on a private jet.

Then she's back to the chase. "I had also thought Kublai Khan, of course. But why not just name him? There has to be some significance to the wording. The Last Khan."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara's hands come together so that her fingers interlace between one another. She smiles at first, then laughs lightly at the notion of being paid. "Well, I certainly won't ask for any compensation right now." She chides the other. "That being said, it's more just about the fun of the mystery, at this moment." Her smile is held a bit longer before the question of the last Khan is dug in to a bit more.

"Let's hope it isn't related to any number of his descendants." Lara comments. "As I'm sure you're well aware of there being--" She slowly shakes her head side to side. "Fifteen million, or more, alive today?" She huffs out a soft and short little sound of amusement. "It would take a long time to sort through them, to say the least."

Her right hand comes up to brush her hair back out of her face (she's not really ever been comfortable wearing it down like this), before resting her chin in her palm and pressing her fingertips to the side of her face, elbow on the table's edge now.

"You might have to find out who wrote that, and there-in find bias in who they believed to be the true last of the Khan line. Bias can be a powerful motivator in such beliefs, after all."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia chuckles softly at the number of Khan's descendants, and she inclines her head in agreement. "Even if the search were limited to the more direct descendants, the number is large." Lara shifts and Talia watches her, almost studying the young woman. Perhaps in anticipation of her reaction to the next tidbit.

"It was not written, but spoken to me." she declares in a lower voice. "I heard those words in my mind as we left a temple. 'You will not find the Other. It was stolen by the last Khan; reclaimed by Yin-Ko's penance.' Those were the exact words."

And with that, she watches Lara's face for, well, anything... a show of interest, a flash of recognition, even an exclamation of outrage.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara's fingertips silently-drum against the side of her face as they sit together at the table and speak on this subject. "Mysterious." Lara replies then to the written statement being reformed into a spoken one. "Magical even." She shows a hint of a smile then. "Magic is often a vaguely used term, however."

Lara's hand comes down from her face again as it joins the other side-by-side with her thumbs touching. "Yin-Ko is translated to Dark Eagle, from Mandarin." One of the many languages that Lara speaks. "Which almost sounds like a contemporary super hero name, in our wild modern world."

Slowly she shakes her head, like she may have other ideas, that she's holding back. "I would have to look further in to it to be overly comfortable with my ramblings though." She states with a soft smirk sent over to Talia.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
"Telepathy." Talia offers, tossing out another alternative. An alternative without further explanation. It is a bit like a fencing match between the two, as if each was attempting to divine how little they could reveal to the other while still keeping the conversation interesting.

Talia laughs softly, then, reaching over to pull something out of her jacket pocket. It's a small photograph, 3 inches by 5 inches, of a single object. "Very well, then. Perhaps this could guide your research." Long, slender fingers offer the photograph, then. The object is a brazier, judging by its construction, only it looks to be made of gold. Which is, among other things, impractical for such use. It is also covered with symbols of some sort, which seem to cover the entirety of the thing. Even though it's only shown from one side.

"I have the... item... in a secure location, but I can arrange for you to have access to it. If you're still interested."

Lara Croft has posed:
"Telepathy..." Lara repeats, albeit a bit more grimly. "That would suggest someone was potentially near you, or at least observing you, from some vantage point. Unsettling." But then... she's experienced a lot of unsettling things herself in this life of exploration of mysteries.

She shakes those thoughts way then as the photograph is presented and transfered from Talia's hand to Lara's own. She turns the picture around and holds it up so that her dark loose locks of hair don't obscure her brown eyes from viewing it. As she cans it over she takes in what details she can before she flips it over to give a seconds glance to the back of the photo.

She then lowers it down to the table in front of her and shows Talia a large smile. "I'm more interested now, admittedly." She tells the other. "A picture can tell a thousand words, but actually seeing this brazier? Well, that can tell... quite a bit more."

There's a pause then, before she tilts her head very lightly. "What fuels all of this? Expectations of finding some specific? Or are you just pulling the threads for the sake of mystery?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Before Talia can answer, the server returns with the drinks and appetizer tray. The woman waits until they are once more alone before she responds. She drinks her beer from the bottle, perhaps considering how to reply. The question of telepathy is ignored, at least for now.

"The 'Other' refers to a dagger, or at least I believe it does." Talia offers. "The two, the dagger and the brazier, are a part of a ritual. The details are still allegorical, but that is only temporary." Yes, this is a woman who is used to getting her way. And accustomed to removing barriers to her goals.

"If you can make some sense out of the symbols in the picture, then perhaps you will be able to read the entire text." Talia offers.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara's eyes dart over to their server when they arrive with the drinks and appetizers. A smile is offered to the server, along with a quiet 'thank you' as Lara takes up her own drink. When they're alone once more, Lara is taking a sip from her own Belgian beer whilst listening to Talia further.

She sets the beer down on to a coaster on the table then turns the photo a little as she looks down to examine it.

On-cue her dark bangs fall around her eyes and she's instantly intercepting them with her other hand to hold them back and tuck the locks behind an ear. "Well..." Lara looks up then and turns the photo toward Talia. "The symbols go all the way around it, I believe, yes?" She asks. "I'd need to see them all to really know, but beyond that, if I'm able to do it for you< I'm more than happy to. No charge even. As for the dagger... I'd be quite interested in seeing it as well. Though I'm guessing by your words, you're not in possession of it."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul plucks something from the appetizer tray that's covered in thick, spicy sauce, and bites into it without looking. "Yes they do." she replies, on the subject of the symbols. "The symbols follow the circumference in multiple tiers, as you can see. And I can arrange for you to view and work with the brazier, but it will remain in my possession."

Sounds like that part isn't negotiable, either.

"The dagger is the Other that the... that was spoken of. They were fairly certain that we would not find it. At one time it was hidden in another temple. In one respect they saved me the trouble of locating the temple, I suppose." That -WHO- spoke of? And who was 'They'?

"But I can see your curiosity is suitably piqued. Keep the photograph, but do not show it to anyone unless it is absolutely necessary."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara's eyes fall back to said photograph as she listens to Talia speak. She glances up to smile about the brazier. "That's fine." She quietly says about the item remaining in the other's possession. When it coems to her keeping the photo, Lara looks at it a moment longer before she turns then to reach in to her jacket behind her. She takes out a leather bound journal and places it on the table. Opening it, other pictures, papers, so on and so forth can be seen inside it, clearly it's filled with bits of Lara's travels. She starts to slide the photo in to one of the pockets within it.

"I look forward to seeing it, and a lot of people will tell you that something 'cannot possibly be found'." She states then as she closes the journal and pushes it aside. She reaches for a fork and samples some of the appetizer's offerings herself. Her head shakes though as she finishes her thought. "Those people are often wrong, however. Myself included, once upon a time." She shows another light grin then.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
That settled, Talia looks very pleased. Finishing whatever morsel she was holding, the woman does not wipe her fingers before reaching for another. The many flashes of memorabilia do not escape her notice, and it confirms her instincts to trust this woman's expertise.

"Talia reaches to her jacket again (with the non-sauce-coated fingers) and produces a simple business card of her own. The name, Talia Head, and a phone number are in emerald ink on white. "This is my direct line. Contact me when you wish to study the artifact."

And just like that, her demeanor shifts. "Why don't we compare notes on our travels, then...?" The conversation will no doubt last for several rounds of drinks, as well as dinner and dessert.