Not long after, the women find themselves in a less crowded area of the town.
Candy: "What part of town is this? It's not as good looking as the last scene.."
Lucia: "Industrial area. Also the place where visiting racers do certain things to their cars. Such as park, load up a truck.. what anyone does to their more expensive cars.."
As they move on, Lucia hunts like the wolf and follows the trail of one out of place Scotsman.
She moves through a security gate, with the guard ignoring her and Candy as they pass with no issue.
Candy: "That guard moved aside.."
Lucia: "Like I said, people know me. I have a bet we're going to see.."
And as she heads to the first storage space, something very expensive appears..
Candy: "The plates.. wasn't this car on TV earlier?"
Lucia: "Henderson's One-77.. Ja, yes, the very one."
Remembering Ayumi, Candy brings out her phone from her bag and swiftly swipes her way to the camera app, getting a few pictures as they go around..
Lucia: "Taking pictures?"
Candy: "Lulu! Tell me: when's the next time I ever get that done for a car like this?"
Lucia: "Urmm.. carry on."
Lucia may have followed her friend, but couldn't understand why he's not around.
A nearby door opens to find the man walking in to answer that, locking behind him.
Paul: "What's this? Didn't the sign say secure? Utter ba[BLEEP]rds.."
Not pleased with having to deal with 2 young women again, a fed up Paul speaks up.
Paul: "OI! Don't you be minding someone's property, lassie?"
The accent remains strong, but Candy disregards..
Candy: "Lulu, I know a friend who'll pay loads of money for these shots!"
Lucia: "I.. uhh.. she's truly in the zone. By the way.."
A quick shoulder tackle follows with Paul getting binded on the wall via Lucia's knowledge of self defense..
Lucia: "Fancy meeting YOU here.. Henderson!"
Paul: "Woah! Achh.. you have a way with.. this pinning me by the wall.. thas a new one, aye."
Lucia: "Well, it's what you get for not saying hi, Henderson. In. Front. Of. My. FACE!"
Paul: "H-hey, y'know I rang the bell at your place, perhaps by the time you lassies be out, but.. alright. You got me, lassies. Candy, think you can gimme a hand?"
Lucia didn't notice Candy was now standing on the side, disappointed that her violent streak came back soon again.
Candy: "Arhhh.. Lulu.. I think that's enough."
Lucia wisens up and lets the man go to feel his attacked skin.
Lucia: "Fine."
Despite the assault, Paul makes his introductions in his usual merry self.
Paul: "Good seeing you lassies again, however these consequences. When did you get together like?"
Candy: "That's a long story."
Paul: "Fair enough. Speaking of which.. I was hoping you'd not notice me being around because.. it's just f[BLEEP]ed what's coming.."
The only door in shuts, and a crimson mist seeps in from the ceiling.
Whoever inside that remains not in the know makes their replies quite loudly in panic.
Candy: "What the-GAS?!"
Lucia: "Paul?! What's this about?!"
With a filtration mask out of nowhere, Paul responds, feeling a hint of anxiety with what's come.
Paul: "Ach, sorry lassies. This all just a complete f[BLEEP]ery, but it be over quick, trust me.."
And as the gas engulfs the room on the whole, Candy recognizes the stench.. feeling that tranquil sensation once again.
Candy: "T-this feeling.. it's.. I know this!"
She's not able to act, but can figure out this all came from one man..
Candy: "The dark one! Jacob!"
She turned her head, and talked to the only other person who's not coughing for air.
Candy: "Where is he?!"
Paul: "Over to yer right.."
Coming in where they came from, Jacob opens the door, masked up, and now with his machete out.
She's much braver now facing him, but the hint of fear still remains strong with this guise of his.
Candy: "M-machete! You can't do this, Jacob!"
The dark man decides to put aside his weapon and observe Candy, unusually moving slowly while standing strong.
Jake Ross: "Developed an immunity, have you.. but not fully.. I wouldn't worry about yourself.. but.."
He points to the young German woman still gasping for air, now on her knees.
Candy: "L-Lulu!"
A mental note made in his head for prolonged exposure, Jacob has had enough.
Jake Ross: "Great.. Shut it down."
Paul: "Aye.."
In full control of his actions, Paul unlocks the door and the windows, then opens up the garage's ventilation.
The gas escapes, and the men remove their face masks..
But Candy has worry all over as she checks on Lucia, appearing weakened on the floor.
Candy: "She's taken so much.. Lulu, LULU!"
He knows enough of this concoction of gas that it shouldn't be able to weaken or hurt.
Closing in, he readies his muscles with a quick stretch as he crouches down.
Jake Ross: "Alright, now.. Luce is a much more physically adept individual.. so.."
Lucia: "SIKE!"
Using her legs, she binds the man's neck as she lets out a flurry of blows to his head.
Jake Ross: "Exactly.."
She let it all out as he takes it all in, even standing as she sits on his shoulders, still on assault.
Lucia: "What Mann Bernardo spoke is true! Resorting to chemical warfare! On your own friends, no doubt! BETRAYAL! PUNISHABLE BY DEATH!!"
She started assaulting his armored hat with elbow strikes, but he drops her down softly, not reacting to the hits at all.
The other two make note of this incredibly high fortitude in bewilderment.
Paul: "How could you just.. get up from that so.."
Candy: "That's a kind of hold that could.. knock a gorilla out."
Paul: "I-uhh, agreed."
She kept on pummeling his body, eventually slowing to a halt in exhaustion as she knows he's wearing, what Candy dubs: The Outlaw's power armor torso.
Tearing up in exhaustion and anger, Lucia droops to her knees.
Lucia: "This isn't your thing, Herr Ross! This deception.."
Jake Ross: "Even if I asked nicely or even compensate greatly, I still expected a no. Back on your feet, Luce."
He lifted her arm, putting her back up.
As everyone tenses down, Jacob grabs a light object in his hat's band and hands it out to whoever present..
Jake Ross: "Here.."
Paul: "1, no.. 200 Euros.."
The sight of money calms the situation slightly, but Candy has a question instead of rage.
Candy: "Talk about hazard pay. What gas was that one?"
Jake Ross: "That was a debilitating concoction. Same one I got you with that day on Big Sur, Candy."
Paul: "Explains why the lassie's resisting. Prolonged exposure.."
Candy: "Perhaps by the end of the day, I might grow another limb."
Displeased with the sarcasm, Jacob remarks
Jake Ross: "And she's making jokes.."
And as he checks around for any other lingering effects, he shares further disappointment on..
Jake Ross: "It saddens me to hear the perfect mix can only be used effectively once."
Paul: "There be a load more variables to consider, Jake. Climate, area of effectiveness... the list keep growing."
Jake Ross: "Yes.. do know a small deviation of the chemicals can lead to undesirable results, however.."
He puts aside his sad face to his usual serious self, looking at everyone still displeased.
Jake Ross: "That was about a month ago since the last exposure.. Luce, you've been quiet, like always.."
She was in this trance of thought, and had to point out what's obvious..
Lucia: "Was all this set up?"
Jake Ross: "Yes. Even Paul did his thing to lure you two to perfection."
He blushed and scratched his hair in slight embarrassment upon hearing that.
Paul: "Heh. That's some grade A acting, right?"
Jake Ross: "We needed to discuss, and perhaps not out there with all the riff raff. We intended to use your place, Luce, but.. you were out."
Candy's first thoughts was the assumed intentional lure.
Candy: "So, that street racer's conference was.."
But Paul came back to it flustered rather than confident.
Paul: "Achh, that? That's nae part of the act. Had to improvise. What's up? Got your ears hooked? Being honest, I'm unsure how that's all legal.."
And Lucia follows up with their objective in mind.
Lucia: "For being your guinea pigs.. we want more than money. We'd want more info on that."
Jake Ross: "Why? You don't look the type that street races."
Candy then had to spill what's on her thoughts..
Candy: "We're looking for a friend. I told you about the Ternion, right?"
Jacob recalls that recent finding and adds these facts up..
Jake Ross: "I see.. You suspect your third's going to be there?"
Paul: "The heck's a ternion?"
She decides he's the punching bag for today's episode, following that with a quick slap behind his head.
Lucia: "It's a trio, you meathead!"
Unknown if it's real or just to make her feel good, Paul blows his pained reaction out of proportion.
Paul: "ARGH, bloody hell!"
Candy: "..moving on.. what do you know?"
Jake Ross: "I know for sure the event's invite only.. tonight's when they're finalizing RSVPs and invites."
Candy: "And you know, how? Invited?"
Jake Ross: "Not me, but The Outlaw. Paul.."
Paul: "Aye.. Been helping out behind the scenes, so I'm in too."
As Jacob walks about, he notes to Candy, as if it's intentional..
Jake Ross: "I'm expecting a LOT of faces to come up. New.. old.."
These exclusivity rights got Lucia feeling a need for help, leading her to ask in a more desperate tone..
Lucia: "Herr Ross.. I.. am unsure but I am practically begging you to help us get in."
Candy: "Me too! You're not going to leave us ladies hanging, right? This is for the Ternion!"
Lucia: "You weren't even interested in tailing them."
Candy: "Don't ruin the moment, Lulu.."
The men stand aside seeing the comedic scene turn to Lucia holding her hands and look as if she's ready to pray..
Lucia: "Can't you see.. the desperation in front of you?"
Paul nudged Jacob to ask..
Paul: "Uhh.. two minutes."
They both turned around, talking to each other in slight privacy.
Paul: "Lucia is.. desperate? Ain't something I be expecting to see, lad."
Jake Ross: "Honestly.. can something be arranged so.. suddenly?"
A brief pause follows with Paul having an idea he hesitates to take out.
Paul: "Tell me if not, but I think.. at such short notice, we're enough qualified to do an Initiation."
Considering her height, Candy slips between the men and asks..
Candy: "Ini-what now?"
Not reacting, Jacob brings out what he knows on said topic in his usual rough tone..
Jake Ross: "Initiation. However.. the thing is about an Initiation is that.. we need a certain object only kept by certain people. As well as a high standing member of The Prophecy. Resourceful that I am, but my only ticket for that remains unavailable."
Paul: "Mate, leave that to me. Sounds like this be a job for the Count of Sainte-Croix."
A name that silly, he thought, but it occurred to him that he knows who this is.
Jake Ross: "Count? Oh, of course.. He'll have to make do. And we'll need someone to co-ordinate these actions. A certain object in the UK needs to be here.. and my only way of its acquisition can only come from a certain man.. also in the UK.. if he's willing to get to Sainte-Croix in 7 hours. It's not about if he can't make it, but if it will satisfy him.."
A tall task, but this other person: someone Jacob also knows but better, has proven himself in this dark soul's mind.
Paul takes out his smartphone, and gets to his quick dial menu.
Paul: "Me speed dial's ready to go, cowboy."
Jake Ross: "It's showtime.. time to make the call."
As the men remain fixated on each other, Candy comes from under the view like a mole, and continues her questioning.
Candy: "Seriously, you guys.. what the f[BLEEP]'s an Initiation?"
Both Men: "Not now!"
Candy: "Jerks.."
