Owner	Pose
River Banks	Often times, those who were fleeing the tracking hounds of the law would try to cross running water -- rivers, streams -- in hopes of their pursuers losing their scent. It had been four months since Victor Creed had made the aquaintence of River Banks, a bank robber who kept failing once she had moved to the North East to deliver her dues to Byron the Blood Bull of the Dixie Mafia.     And now, her skin's scarred up in a couple places where he had cut through. He would have been able to follow the scent of her blood for a week after to a crappy single-room apartment, to a back alley, where it dissipated. Someone moved her on the quick, and knew how to bind her up so that she didn't leave too much blood in their wake.     Not that she had a lot left to lose anyway.     And now, she was walking home from a grocery store. HEr face was lit briefly by the light of a smartphone as she shot a text out.     And she shifts the canvas grocery bag to her other arm, jostling the frozen pizza, the dinosaur nuggets, and a cheap sixpack of beer as she draws her face up.     River Banks was actually beginning to like gotham. Just when you start feeling it's safe...er..
Victor Creed	The tip was not wrong. That briefly made Victor regret gutting the man, but he could hardly have too many people knowing what, or who, he was after. A shame. He watched as the water girl made her way along the street from his position in the shadows of the alleyway across from her. He sniffed in the air, and indeed, the scent was familiar. It was long enough that he had barely remembered it, but it was all coming back to him now. They had a conversation in store for them, of course, but the street was no place for such things. He waited for her to continue along and pass before he moved out into the street. Gotham was one of the easiest cities to disappearing into a crowd in, and Victor intended to do precisely that. Hopefully she bought enough dinner to share.
River Banks	She jogs lightly past the alleyways, watching the shadows. Peering into shop windows that have bars over them, at least the ones where the roller doors haven't been chained and locked in place.     She takes her keys out, and goes to open the resident entrance of the apartment building she was living in. It was moderately nicer digs than her old place.
Victor Creed	Victor is a patient man. He keeps close enough to her to follow, farther away than most tails would be, thanks to his confidence in not losing her scent. And so as she withdraws her keys, he pauses, nearly a full block away.     Once she disappears into her building, he springs into action. With little challenge as he reaches the building, he scales up the side until he reaches the roof, and enters that way. Not that getting through the front door would be a problem, but this is...more fun.     He follows his nose, seeking out the apartment where her scent lingers. With some luck, he may find it before she does, if it is high enough. If not, he can make a dramatic enough entrance either way.
River Banks	And her scent DOES linger. Along with two others. Both male, though one smells a bit funny. The other smells a bit like her.     She's still climbing the stairs.     There's a small flat-screen TV that's on, playing some cartoon show meant to sell toys and comic books, and there's a similar blonde haired head sitting on a couch.     "Yeah, YEAH! BITE HIS HEAD OF, SPINOSAUR!" he calls out, throwing his hands in the air excitedly.
Victor Creed	River makes it nearly to her door when she hears a voice from the far end of the hallway.     "Wouldn't do that if I were you. That'll make it messier."     Standing there, wearing a dark colored trenchcoat that would be effective if the man did not have such exceptional height - and all of that hair - at giving Victor the appearance of just some random neighbor.     He watches River, face impassive. No indication as to whether he is here as friend, foe, or something else.
River Banks	River stops cold as she slips the key into the lock, and then drops the keys to the floor. They clatter, and she doesn't turn.     She almost reaches for her phone.     She bites her bottom lip, and then turns to regard the dark, trench-coat clad Sabretooth.     "I owe someone ten bucks." she states quietly, her throat dry.     "Byron wasn't satisfied scarring me up so that I couldn't work that he paid you a second time?"     She knew his voice. She was trembling. Terrified.
Victor Creed	There is a slow shake of his head. "You no longer owe Byron anything."     Victor watches her, watches her reaction. Sizes it up. That terror, the way it pours off her in ways that excite his superhuman senses but might be missed by another. Already, he feels, the investment has shown promise.     "But you /do/ owe someone."     He nods his head vaguely towards her door. "Do you want to have that conversation in there, or..." He smacks his hand against the door to his side, belonging to one of River's neighbors. She can hear the lock break as the door swings open, but there are no exclamations from within. It must be empty. "...in here."
River Banks	"Let's discuss it in there." River states, tilting her chin. She frowns, and she takes a deep breath as she moves to follow Sabretooth's lead into the apartment.     Red Hood might have been contacted by now. She didn't know. She hoped so. Someone ahd to get her brother out of the adjoining apartment.     She is shaking horribly, trying to hide it. Trying to keep control of herself. Mostly so that she doesn't scare the kid waiting for his frozen pizza and chicken nuggets.     And she steps inside the door.     "Who owns the debt now? Did they send you after me too?"
Victor Creed	"Good choice." Victor moves info the apartment. It is fairly non-descript, a simple apartment, the residence of simple people. Simple people who fortunately for their own sake are not home.     Watching River follow him in, Victor takes a few steps back and grants her the ability to enter as far as she would like. Perhaps even take a seat, if she is feeling comfortable.     "You insult me if you think I am just always someone's errand boy." He reaches out with one talon and scrapes it against the marble countertop, gauging out a deep river that will be an everlasting reminder of what could have happened to the residents of the apartment. "He did not deserve it, and so I took it in payment for not ending his miserable little life."     His fangs glint in the light from the kitchen, watching River for her reaction.
River Banks	"Never figured you for an errand boy. You're a mercenary. Lotta people say you're real good at doin' what you do, which ain't nice." River states quietly. She hears the marble break at his clawing.     And she turns her head away, and reaches up to some of the lcaws on her shoulder.     And when he speaks again, when he gives his loathesome smile... oh realization hits her like a ton of bricks.     Sabertooth owned her debt now.     "... an' you're here to collect it I wager?"
Victor Creed	Victor's face twists a bit at that phrase. He has heard it before. But he lets that go, for the moment, to focus on what is important.     "See, that's true, but I've been thinking 'bout time I started consider investing." His talen falls away from the countertop, and his smile broadens as he faces her.     "I don't intend to collect, doll. I intend to see that debt work for me." A pause. "You, to work for me."
River Banks	There's a realization of horror on River's face, and she straightens. Her backbone stiffens.     A little trickle of water comes from the sink. These old buildings, you know, plumbing's weird.     "I... I can't. I said I'd go straight. I can't be in that business anymore." River's voice comes haltingly.     If she gets dragged in, there's definitely prison in her future -- and what about her brother? She swallows thickly.     "... what is it that you intend for me to do for you? 'Cause I'm pretty sure you're not gonna let me outta this apartment until I agree."
Victor Creed	His eyes flicker to that trickle of water. It might have gone unnoticed, but he has those superhuman senses. And he is well aware of the behavior of water around this one.     "You have no choice but to agree. This is not me coming to ask you to agree." His fangs appear over his lip as his grin broadens. "This is me notifying you."     He does, however, issue a brief shrug. "I haven't figured out what I'm going to ask you to do yet. You'll just have to wait to find out."
River Banks	He's aware. She's aware, and it appears to be a strange sort of standoff. She holds her chin in place as she looks at the huge figure of Sabretooth.     "Guess I got no choice then but to keep this goin'." she mumbles crossly, though she steps back on her emotions, going cold and deadly calm as she crosses her arms.     "Then I guess I just wait for some communication and pray you forget I exist, is that it?"
Victor Creed	At that, Sabretooth nods slowly. "Yeah. Sounds bout right."     But then he takes a few steps forward, closing the distance in on her. Slowly enough that she could easily step back if she dared to.     "Thing is. I got kinda a good memory." He brings up a hand, flashing those talons in front of his face.
River Banks	River does take a step back. There's a light thump against the couch in her neighbor's apartment. She feels her stomach drop as he flashes those talons.     Her memory appears to be pretty good as well, her eyes darting to this talons, and then Creed's fanged smile.     "Unlucky me then." she states, giving a nervous swallow.
Victor Creed	That hand is slowly extended so that one long talon can run down along the side of her cheek. A soft, almost tender touch, allowing her to feel the razor sharpness of its edge, but delicate enough that it does no damage.     "But lucky me."     And then he dashes forward, past her, propelling himself out the window of the apartment, clearing past the fire escape.     She might hear the thump of his landing on the ground outside before he takes off into the night.     His message has been delivered.     Personally.
River Banks	There is a tremble. She shivers, feeling that nail against her freckled cheek.     The Southern not-even-close-to-a-belle breathes out in a nervous breath.     And then, he's gone. HEr heart was thudding against her ribcage. She takes a shuddering breath in, and feels the heat of tears against her eyelids before she turns, escaping out of the apartment before her neighbors could come home.     She had to tell Jason. Maybe he could help her through this part.