5656/The Mirror that Binds

The Mirror that Binds
Date of Scene:	20 March 2021
Location:	Los Angeles (1956) and Naples (1492)
Synopsis:	Arturo Malevolo, the founder of HYDRA in 1492; and Chief Daniel Sousa of SHIELD in 1956; both encounter a very very strange mirror in the line of duty.
Cast of Characters:	Bobbi Morse, Daniel Sousa, Daisy Johnson, Melinda May

---

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    The quiet of night, 1492, Naples. Arturo Malevolo had brought his group south of Rome specifically for castel dell'Ovo, a fortification built in the Roman Empire era to defend Naples from sea attack. The castles name comes from the Roman poet Virgil who had a reputation for being a sorcerer and predicator. No wonder that the castle was being used to smuggle in strange goods from Persia.

    Arturo had just turned 40 and it was now in his life he had begun seeking out the supernatural, to turn back the tides of age. This had lead him to believe that may be there were truths to the rumours that such a thing was possible. The castle was only lightly defended from the land, it is a fortification built to defend against the sea after all. That and Arturo had paid the guards to 'look the other way' when his people entered tonight.

    --

    A busy night in Los Angeles port in San Pedro, 1956. Bustling, the port never seemed to sleep. One ship, in particular, had made its way over from Italy and its paperwork while seemingly on point none the less raised big questions at SHIELD. It had been tracked for a few years now, delivering strange devices to HYDRA operatives on American soil and tonight was the night that was going to stop.

    The Porta de Tempo was an older ship now, rusting, sorely in need of retirement. A perfect cover - no one would suspect a big shipment of World War 2 era HYDRA weaponry in it, if that is indeed what they were shipping. It was now docked at the port and workers were beginning to move the cargo off the ship.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Are you sure about this Arturo?" asks Thomas Mallick as they approach the fortification. The English lord is dressed in dark clothing, his rapier and dagger hung from his belt as he pulls his horse next to ^Arturo's. "Surely we have people who can intercept these artifacts on our behalf?" he was not one for taking direct risks, least of all in foreign territory, he'd worked hard to gain the temperamental King Henry's good will and direct affairs at court, but a foreign mishap could put that all in jeopardy.

---

As Field Director for the West Coast (even if he did his job mostly from the head office in New York) Los Angeles was still Daniel Sousa's beat, and it had been his contacts that had tipped him off about the shipments coming in tonight. It was fortunate he was on this coast to intercept the ship, pulling together a team on the fly to raid the ship tonight. He watches from the shadows as he waits the rest of his team to move up and join him.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Pedro Cavalieri was a pirate. The kind that insidiously lived in a ship until they could turn the crew to his own greed. It had worked a few times. Others it had costed his leg. And just that at least. He still had his life, and with Arturo's offer for power he had certainly joined in. And it's not as if he hadn't seen his own share of the supernatural. That siren song as they were travelling the seas close to the New World had been totally real. Or so he swore over the rosary he wore around his neck. The rest of him was normal clothing for the time, a long coat and a sword by his hip, and the wooden leg of course. He was following alongside Arturo. "Are we to kill everyone that gets in our way?" no stranger to murder this one. Hearing Mallick he rolls his eyes and says to Arturo in Italian. <<The little lord doesn't like getting his hands dirty.>> he scoffed at those.

---

Rose is sitting over at a shadowy corner of the pier, rubbing her hands together. It was LA, which meant it was warm enough but she still complained. 'My poor circulation' she often said. But now that they were in a mission she was quiet about those complaints, observant, eagle eyes observing from under owl glasses.

A shotgun was against the wall behind her and she looks at the field director. "You know, these guys should have a schedule. No smuggling after 3am.." she sighs, another look. "Everyone is in place, Sir." she then tells him, reaching to get her shotgun.

Melinda May has posed:
1492...

Niccolo Machiavelli, a learned, 23-year-old young man of some skill -- considered a rising star in political circles, given his connection to both Cesare Borgia and Pope Alexander VI (his father) -- sits upon a proud grey mare with a short dark cloak across his shoulders and a black cap upon his brown head. There's a sword on his hip and a dagger or two at his waist and in his boot. He seems relaxed, given the bloody business of the night, compared to the others. Thus, he remains silent, even when the others question. His dark eyes dart from one face to another and then to the castle that rises before them.

Those who know the young man well know he's more a politician than a soldier, but his assiciation with both the Borgias and di Medicis have made him quite skilled at keeping both his head and his feet in these turbulent times. He knows which way the wind blows and he is content to soar with it.

    ---

1956...

Lily Chen is little more than a silent shadow in the shade of the buildings. Dressed head to toe in black, her dark hair bound back into a coil on the back of her head, she carries a gun, but is still more inclined to use her deadly fists and feet. She's also as disinclined as the woman whose face she wears, even 7 years after her mysterious arrival in this time, to say more than is necessary. So, she crouches, looking out at the ship they await with a pair of small binoculars, trying to get some idea of the crew numbers aboard.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    1492...

    "Would you trust Alibaba to retrieve the genie's ring from King Soloman's mines for you, Lord Mallick? Sometimes, it is worth getting our hands dirty. Most times, not." Always with the metaphors this guy. Arturo grins at the somewhat nervous Englishman. If one thing were true about HYDRA, they were multinational and through necessity, polyglots. It was a strength usually reserved for the ruling classes.

    Arturo shrugs to Cavelieri, one of his most successful recruits. The man practically owned a dozen ships by virtue of the loyalties he had forged with crew aboard them. The right kind of stuff for HYDRA. "It will be best if there are no witnesses," is his agreement to 'kill them all'. A small little smirk crosses his lips as Pedro takes a swipe at Thomas. There is a look given to Machiavelli to let him know they are now riding on; the young man he has come to trust and expects may succeed him one day in running HYDRA. He pats his horse on the neck and pulls back the hood of his cloak. The sword at his hip makes a rhythmic swish.. swish.. swish.. against the buckler on his hip, the origin of the term 'swashbuckler', as he has his horse walk toward the guards at the castel.

    The guards, upon seeing the riders face is the man who had bribed them, casually prop their halberds up against the gateway walls and wander away to share in some pickles while their benefactors do 'whatever it is they came to do - no questions asked'. The way forward in to the fortress lit by wall mounted torches. Arturo dismounts his horse and ties the reins to the wall. "From here, we go by foot," he instructs.

    1956...

    Agent Theresa 'Foxy' Heat comes to a running stop as the zipline she had deployed above slackens and flies back in to the device hidden underneath her wrist. She smiles to Rose and her shotgun, a machine gun slung over her back. Wearing tight pants, no doubt an armoured corset under a stylish jacket in black and a wide brimmed black hat pinned in place, she looks ready to either twist a man to her whims or go on a stealth mission, or may be both.

    Aerial tricks with a hidden grappling gun and line aside, she has grown as an Agent a lot since she first met the mysterious Canadian Agent May whom she still believes is an alien though suspects might simply have been a time traveller. She has a friendly smile on her face, especially for her fellow agents. She unclips the fancy new slim line radio hanging from her utility belt and says for Chen, Rose, and of course their Chief, <Foxy, reporting in. The dock crew are speaking Italian. I picked up some words. There's six unloading, four still on the ship itself. I saw them carrying thomsons. Chief, what are your orders? Over>

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Unlike you," Thomas says to Pedro darkly. "I am here on my kings business, and that business doesn't not include wanton theft and murder" at least not today. "So excuse me if I am not so eager to dirty my hands with the blood of Persian sailors as you. I want to keep my head firmly on my shoulders, after all if I'm dead, we'd have no one left in the English court," he says a small glance offered to Arturo at that, reminding the man of his value. After all Mallick had worked hard to ensure he was their only highly placed operative in King Henry's court, even if that meant sending others from their little conspiracy to the block.

Though when Arturo makes his point Thomas bows from the saddle, "As you say," he allows, swallowing any protests he might have made.

When the guards simply wander off, Thomas smiles, "See Pedro, silver works just as well as steel if you know how to wield it," he says before dismounting and moving to join Arturo again once his horse has been tied up.

---

Daniel flashes a small grin to Rose. "When we have them in lock up, you can explain the smuggling curfew to them," he says lightly, eyes on the ship when Chen joins them he gives the quiet woman a nod. He knew she wasn't much for conversation.

At Foxy's report, he takes a moment to consider, ten men, and machine guns, that could get messy quick. << Foxy get on that ship and hang tight when you see us coming, open up another front for us, I'll send Chen to join you. >>

He looks over to Chen. "Think you can get on that ship without them noticing? I'll take Rose and the rest of the team up the gangplank but I want you and Foxy ready to jump those guys from behind when we do. Especially anyone that even looks like they've got a machinegun. And if you drop a couple quick and quiet before hand, I'm not going to complain."

"Good good?" he asks his team as the other agents from the LA office move up to join them.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Cavalieri runs one hand through his long hair. He was certainly no lordling. And being around all these well-dressed, fancy ones was giving him an urge to spit to the ground. But he was keeping his cool at least. Yet then Thomas dares to speak back to him. He spits to the ground and sniffs. "Figlio di puttana." he shakes his head in Arturo's direction. "I can smell his perfume from here. And look at those hands..." he bets they have no callouses. He didn't check of course.

But when Arturo speaks of no witnesses that's like music to his ears. He smiles, this is exactly the kind of mission he enjoys. He taptaps on his sword, faithful as it ever was in his years out at sea. It certainly had more notches of kills in the hilt than he could count anymore. By foot means using his peg leg. Fine. He dismounts with some care but soon enough he is moving ahead, now quiet, attentive to the surroundings.

---

"Why are you dropping in from a zipline, Heat?" Rose says, squinting her eyes, "So it's been you requisitioning all that material, mmm?" she grins and adjusts her glasses. "I like the style."

And now that her shotgun is in hand she nods to Daniel, "Ready to go." she waits for the others to go in and do the infiltration part. She certainly wasn't the one to do infiltration! (Unless cookies were involved)

Melinda May has posed:
1492...

Machiavelli swings off his mare, pulling a short bow from a saddle bag and slinging a quiver across his back. He listens to the pirate and the Englishman joust, but gives Malevolo a small, understanding smile as he nods. He knows why they are here. And he knows what his job will be, when all is said and done. He'll be as quick and efficient at it as he can be. Thus, waiting only for acknowledgement from the leader of thier little band, he slips forward, through the shadows, an arrow on his string. There are men within who were not so easily bribed as the gate guards, after all. And they will need to be eliminated. The poison on the tips of his arrows and the edges of his blades will do whatever an ill-placed shot or blow may not.

    ---

1956...

Chen nods to Sousa. "Consider it done," she says, giving him a tight smile. She moves with easy grace through the shadows, toward the ship. Scant minutes later, she's scaling an anchor line and rolling noislessly onto deck. Light footsteps go unheard and a pair of men out for a simple smoke splash soundlessly into the bay before she circles around to greet Foxy with a jaunty half-salute.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    1492...

    Arturo's left arm disappears in to his cloak, around behind his back, even as his right hand draws out his messer. It's no weapon of a lord, because Arturo is no lord either. He's a mason and a very good one at that. So instead of a sword, an oversized dagger - the messer, the weapon of choice for most people with the money to afford one.

    As he advances in to the fortress and down the winding stairs, he wants to let them know he's coming. Because he has Machiavelli and because he has Cavalieri. Mallick, well, this was a test. So many of his chosen had fallen in England because this man was more ruthless than the three of them put together. He was impressed, but he had to make sure he understand who was boss.

    A tap tap of the sword against the stone walls and a whistle as he winds down the stairs in to the under dock where waiting is a small boat and several items now sitting on the dryish dock. The Persian sailors, seven in total, were not surprised by the approach of Arturo and draw their Scimitar's, "Turn around and leave or there will be trouble."

    Arturo grins and says, "Trouble? that's why I have come." His left hand suddenly reveals itself; a small crossbow that he had tucked away in his belt. *thwank* the bolt is fired in to the first of the sailors. He drops his sword and grabs at the embedded metal in his chest, stumbles, then drops to the ground.

    1956...

    Heat winks at Rose. It's a habit, "Yes Ma'am," she replies to her superior agent, "You should see the mechanism I have strapped to my arm for a blade." She taptaps at something metallic hidden by her coat arm. Her eyes snap to the Chief and she nods her head, "Yes sir." Her head swivels a moment trying to find Lily. That might be futile. She will be there, she always is. Without a doubt the best fighter she has ever seen - barring the Goddess that was Canadian May of course.

    A look turned back to Rose, "Because it's super fun Ma'am." She tips the brim of her hat with her right hand while pointing her left arm toward a beam not far away. The grappling line shoots out again; with a rapid ascent she makes it atop a cargo container and starts her run toward the ship to board it stealthily.

    Another zip line and she swings across in the dead of night to the Porta del Tempo. A rolling land on the deck she ducks behind some wooden crates that have yet to be unloaded. She carefully brings her rifle around in front of her in preparation for the right moment to strike. And then there is Lily next to her and she reacts by raising her eyebrows in surprise. So cool. "Teach me," she whispers playfully.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Mallick's eyes flare wide at Pedro's curse, stepping close to make a grab for the man's shirt, "Say that again while we're not on business and we shall see how quick your tongue is when I've cut it from your throat," he growls, before sneering, "But maybe you can get a wooden one of those as well."

Then he's off with the others as Arturo leads them to the water's edge as the Persians draw weapons Mallick draws his steel as well giving his companions with ranged weapons a chance to fire before he rushes forward to engage.

---

When Chen and Foxy make their moves Daniel looks to Rose and the rest of the team gathered behind them. "Alright, let's move," he says drawing his pistol, and leading the way towards the gangplank limping at a fast clip. "Rose want to take point, I'll be right behind you," the fast as he could limp he didn't want to be caught out in the open with his whole team better to send Shotgun Rose to make their introductions.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
With Mallick stepping close to go for his shirt the man smiles wickedly. "It's a date, Lordly one." but then he says as an aside to Arturo. "At least he has more balls than the others we worked with." see? Approval!

The taptap of Cavalieri's peg leg is heard while descending those stairs, his eyes taking in the group of persian sailors inside. He knew the type. Deadly while on a ship, face-to-face with similar preparation. But out here on land? "It seems, signores...." he draws out his blade, holding it easily in one hand and arms to his sides as if in offer, " ... we have the high ground. Is what you are doing here worth your lives?" he asks, eyes pointedly on the one with the crossbow bolt on his chest. He tsks.

--

Shotgun gets cocked, Rose's expression turning to a more close one and she starts walking up the gangplank next to Sousa until he tells her to go in front. "Sure thing." she starts going forth at a faster pace, hops onto deck and ...

"ALRIGHT BOYS. SSR. HANDS ON DECK. NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS." She announces, pointing the shotgun at the first smuggler she finds. "Move and I am shooting your ass." she threatens.

Melinda May has posed:
1492...

Machiavelli needs no further instruction. Malevolo strides casually into the open. The younger man pauses at the base of the stairs. His bow rises, an arrow flies, and another sailor drops. Then, a second. By that time, of course, the others have engaged as well and the melee makes it such that his sword may very well be the better choice. Or perhaps the pair of punch daggers his father brought him from abroad. Either way... this is not a man who is afraid to bloody his hands, it seems.

    ---

1956...

"After this mission," Chen tells Heat, flashing a grin. For all that she could be Melinda May's twin, Chen is very much her own person. They're doubtlessly related -- the skill, the attitude, and bone structure all prove it. But Chen is a little more playful than May, a little less reserved, though still quiet and deadly. She's also, in the past five or six years, learned to curb her tendency to drop cryptic remarks that bespeak a future no one really yet knows is probable.

She hears Rose's voice ring out and she chuckles softly, the sound almost subvocal. "I swear, *one day* she'll figure out we're SHIELD now..." Old habits die hard... even 6 years later, Lily knows all too well.

Then, however, she's silent once more and moving swiftly to cut off whatever rear escape the sailors may think they have.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    1492...

    The arrows fly past them and in to the sailors and Malevolo smirks. He really likes that young man's style. One of the Persian sailors decides this isn't a situation he can surrender from and he charges at Cavelieri with his scimitar. The guy has a peg leg after all, how nimble can he be?

    Another of the sailors charges toward Arturo and he brings steel to steel, defecting his blow away. He kicks him in the hip to push him back and then says, "Lord Mallick. Kill him." A test. But one who does pass the test is another of the Persian sailors who suddenly thrusts his sword in to the back of his fellow Sailor. He holds his sword arm steady and says in to his ear as the man dies, "Grandine IDRA" (Hail HYDRA)

    Arturo begins to clap, then brings his fingers to his lips and kisses them away, "Mwa. Bellisima," he says applauding the well timed betrayal of one of his newest recruits. He lets the body drop in to the water beside them.

    1956...

    Heat makes a gesture of success when Lily agrees to teach her more amazing things. They don't always meet up - east and west coast - so she takes advantage of it every time they do. And then Rose is making noise and has a shotgun aimed a man. Time for the plan to take action. She does double take when Rose says SSR.. but no time for that! she hits the back of a man's head with the butt of her rifle and as the second turns with his Thompson, she shoots him in the leg and points the gun at him, "Uh uh Sailor boy. This is where you get off. Metaphorically speaking." The man drops his gun and grips his leg crying out in pain and confusion as one of the hottest women he's ever seen in his life just shot him with a gun resulting in a whimpered "UHh huhhhuhhhh," of surrender to Foxy.

    The man that Rose has at shotgun-point stands still with his arms raised; but his fellow smugglers aren't so inclined. It's only one gun after all and there may be more coming. They take up defensive positions behind the goods and begin to fire bursts of shots in to the darkness. They are making their way from crate to crate back toward the ship, unaware that Lily has taken out the rest of their backup and cut off their only escape.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Mallick does not hesitate, as the sailor staggers back, Mallick stabs him in the side and then pulls the blade free to let the man fall. His eyes round at the sudden betrayal among the crew. "Very clever," he remarks to Arturo. "Welcome," he says with a nod to the new recruit.

---

On the ship Daniel comes up behind Rose his pistol firing back at the men as they take cover and fire back. "It's SHIELD now," he grins. "I've done it too in the heat of a raid," he adds keeping out of the line of fire behind some cover. "Flank right," he tells Rose, as the others come up the plank, a couple of them injured from the return fire. "Lester you and me will keep their heads down, Rose is going right, Carver, Hauk go left. And remember we've got people out there so check your fire. Now let's get to it."

And with that Sousa and Lester open up with some return fire of their while the rest of the team moves into position.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
High ground. Everyone knows what it means! But then there's a Persian charging him. Cavalieri smiles malevolently, too used to others trying to take advantage of that peg leg. It's a weakness he had sharpened into an advantage. When the man moves in he uses his good leg to slide out of the way, almost in a pivot as if he was a dancer, impeccable balance. A lifetime on a ship does that. His sword finds the Persian's neck and slices past, the man dropping. He shakes the blood off his sword.

"Worthless.." He looks at the Persian, then to Arturo. A raised brow which seems to tell 'Persians? Really?'

Yes, he doesn't really like people that aren't Italian.

---

SSR. SHIELD. Argh! "IT'S SHIELD NOW!" she shouts, shooting towards some smugglers who aren't wanting to drop their weapons. She moves towards cover, through the right to flank over, keeping low while she moves. A man comes out of cover to find a shotgun pointing at him. And a moment later he has getting a shotgun shot at close range. It's salt and pepper so it will mostly hurt like hell, and with a hell of a kick that sends the man flying against a stack of crates.

Melinda May has posed:
1492...

Stepping back, given the small theatre of engagement and the number of bodies, Machiavelli holds his sword low and ready. But with the betrayal by one of their own, on top of the rest, the Persians are obviously dispatched cleanly and quickly. When it becomes evident the fight, such as it was, is over, he slides his sword away and picks up the bow he temporarily discarded. It hangs loose in his grip, but there's a sense that could change, if necessity demanded. Few words, for a man whose writing is locquatious to a fault, but his actions speak plainly.

    ---

1956...

Chen moves efficiently, sweeping the legs of a man backing up towards her (more fool he). She slams his head against the deck as he falls, ensuring he won't be getting back up. By the time the smugglers are discovering no backup is coming, they are being overrun by a pair of slight women in black with really mean right hooks and meaner headkicks. Despite the fierceness on her face and the sharpness of her battle cries, somehow, Lily looks like she's having a blast.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    1492...

    Arturo is still clapping, some for Mallick too. "My brothers, today we have entered a new arena. Thanks to our newest member Hashem Adib, who was the one who told me of this shipment," he says inclining his head to the sailor who lowers his weapon and nods to the much better dressed men. Arturo looks to Cavalieri, "And yes.. Persian. They hold secrets yet that we can use."

    From his coat he takes out a piece of parchment, then pulls away a canvas from the items being shipped. In particular he compares a drawing on the parchment to two purple crystals. "Behold," he says and picks them up, walks over to a wall and places them on the wall. They stay where he sets them and the wall flows like liquid. He reaches through and draws his hand back out. "But one of the prizes we now possess."

    Arturo approaches the haul once more and peers at a tall mirror with a brass border. Strangely sculpted figures of faces in pain and torment. Something draws him to this piece and he reaches out to stroke the artwork. It cuts him and blood is drawn, disappearing through the mouth of one of the haunted souls. Arturo pulls his hand back and suckles the cut on his finger even as the mirror seems to pulse for his eyes only. To others.. a piece of metal must have nicked him. It is old looking after all.

    Slightly spooked, Arturo motions, "Gather everything up, we are riding back to Roma tonight."

    1956...

    The smugglers continue to shoot at the SHIELD agents as they try to move up the gang plank, only to discover their escape is blocked by more SHIELD agents. It does not take them long to realise they are screwed. One by one the smugglers drop their guns and raise their arms in surrender. Theresa moves in and starts to cuff them and encourage them firmly to sit. "Be good boys," she says playfully to the sailors and dock workers.

    In the hurry to vacate the area one of the crates topples over and its wooden fronting falls away. A strange bronze lined mirror falls out, face up to the sky. The art work is of pained souls like those of purgatory, coiled amongst each other.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Mallick wipes his sword clean of the sailor's blood as he watches their leader examine their prizes, eyes going wide at the display of the first one, as the wall becomes like water, and frowning a little as the second claims a drop of Arturo's blood. "Careful," he says. "Seems these things bite back."

---

Daniel breathes a sigh of relief as the men surrender. "Everyone alright?" he asks as he moves towards the fallen crate. "Let's see what these guys were smuggling," he says bending over with difficulty putting his gun away as he does to free up a hand to examine the mirror, scratching at the macabre frame with a fingernail to see if the bronze was only an outer layer over something much more valuable. Though he's barely touched the thing before he hisses in pain and pulls his hand back, watching a drop of blood slip into one of the mouths of the tortured souls along the frame. For a moment he could swear the whole thing glowed, before he shakes it off, pushing himself to his feet and shaking out his thumb. "Alright, let's get these guys into lock up and whatever these things are to a secure location," he checks his watch. "Damn it, If I don't get going now I'm not going to make it to Groom Lake for the test," he says frowning and then looking over to Rose, Chen and Heat. "You guys don't mind taking charge of the scene?" he asks them. "And Chen when you head back to New York, let Peggy know I'll write up the full report on the raid, least I can do for you guys stepping up."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Cavalieri simply lifts his brow at the man cutting himself in the mirror. Clumsy. But everyone got clumsy eventually. And that's when he took over. He only had to wait.

Just a little longer. He smiles.

----

Rose looks at Sousa when he pricks himself and gestures. "Careful, Sir. Break it and it's seven years of bad luck." never break a mirror! She draws out an handkerchief and hands it over, "There you go."

And then it's time to haul these people back to SSR, I mean SHIELD quarters!

Melinda May has posed:
1492...

Machiavelli's eyes sharpen some as he watches Malevolo and the mirror. The flash of light, the drop of blood... the young man purses his lips faintly, thoughts veiled behind shadowed eyes. Nevertheless, he shoulders his bow and then shoulders his share of the load, returning with it to the horses and their long ride home.

    ---

1956...

Chen gives Sousa another simple nod. "I'll make sure she knows," she promises. She hasn't missed the blood, the brief flash of light, or Daniel's own reaction. She's just... pushed it to the back of her mind as something to puzzle over later. Once the hard work's done.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
    2021...

    The UPS guy wheels in a tall box and asks the shop owner, "Where would you like this?"

    Petra's Curiosities, an antique shop in New York, was run by Herman Weiss. The older gentleman looks up and smiles, then leads the delivery man around his shop to a space he'd made specially for the latest acquisition. "Right here thank you young man," he says.

    Within the darkness the mirror's souls swirl and crawl about in the bronze border, the mirror itself watches the lives it has bonded with. Daniel Sousa and Arturo Malevolo, their images reflected upon its surface. Bonded by magic.

    The crate is placed and the delivery man gone. Herman uses a crowbar to open up crate and reveal the mirror within. The moment light hits the mirror the images cease and the border becomes still as a tree, the haunted faces stare out at Herman. Satisfied with his newest acquisition, he places a price tag upon it, $99.

    ... to be continued