An Angel with Black Wings.

[Grace]

Are you trying to be funny, Miss Dawes?

[Grace]

I see.

Well, let's see, shall we?

Working in, for or outside the law for starters.

What can and cannot be killed.

Use of dangerous and often illegal weapons.

Collateral damage.

Black Ops.

What, exactly constitutes 'human'.

And these are just things I've come across, while viewing past threads in the last couple of days.

Whatever this place was supposed to be, what it is, is a rich hunting ground.

I'm not a philosopher or a scholar. But I know my kind of place when I see it.

[Grace]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention.

Folks like me don't normally abide child molesters.

They wouldn't get run out on a rail, but they wouldn't be around long.

[Ron Caliburn]

I know I am far from being the type of member that Dawes will ever approve of, but I've allready pointed out my opinion of those that kill for profit.

I don't like the so-called sportsmen much either if anybody wants to ask.

I do what I do because I think it needs to be done, not because I want to do it or I think I can make some money off it.

Something is coming and if we aren't prepared, money and recreation won't mean a thing.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

Where to start, Miss Dawes . . . the reason we don’t “run Nemesis out on a rail” is we don’t have that kind of authority. I don’t approve of his chosen profession; in fact, I don’t approve of a lot of things, on and off the board. But the fact of the matter is, not approving of various things is a way of life. You don’t approve of us believing. And that’s fine. You’re entitled to his belief.

I know some people that don’t approve of monetary exchange, period. But who’s to say what’s wrong, what’s right? In the United States of America, we have the freedom of speech. We also have a system that puts murderers away in prison. The fact is, Nemesis has admitted to being a killer for hire. And I will not hesitate to turn him in should police officers come knocking. However, I also have no doubt that he knows how to hide his tracks. You will note his disclaimer stating his most previous “escapade” is for entertainment purposes only. He may very well edit his other posts to erase his confession.

Until someone follows Nemesis around and witnesses a murder of his as well as gathers enough evidence to merit prosecution, I’m not sure what else we can do. What would you suggest, ma’am?

I’ve tried to help maintain civility on these boards by being civil. I have tried to keep my posts in line with Mr. Mach’s vision. But as you can clearly see, I am only one person. It must be a joint effort.

[Clarity]

_____Hi, Mr. Nemesis.
_____I’ll just keep calling you Mr. Nemesis, okay? It’s all right to be polite to people, even if they’re not polite back. And I don’t remember my parents, so I can’t say if they warned me about anything. I’ll just have to be careful. And Hannah’s my friend, but we don’t live very close, so I can’t play with her yet. And Ethan’s my friend, but he’s working right now. So I help him look for dangerous stuff. Sometimes I see things that other people can’t, like that cat.

[Grace]

Well gee Miss Grace,

I didn't realize I hadn't been polite to you. If I wasn't, then I... apologize.

If you wanna keep calling me Mr. Nemesis, then I guess you may. It's not like I could stop you in any event.

Sorry to hear about your folks but I'm guessing you're way past it by now. Surely there was someone to raise you? I never knew my mom, but my dad raised me and taught me everything he knew. He's gone now but I do my best to follow in his footsteps. They're just a little off the beaten path.

It's good to have friends, Miss Grace. They can help you when you're in a jam. Even people like me need friends.

So how's your sight work, anyway? I don't know much about this stuff. I've had colleagues who sometimes claimed to 'get a funny feeling' about a job or they got other superstitions like not sh... working o... taking con... not messing with clergy.

But I guess those weren't really superstitions, were they?

Ah Miss Solstice,

You're quite correct of course. I do know how to cover my tracks. And the beauty of the place is that unless I'm directly connected to a job, I can pretty much say what I like. It would be very hard to trace my (usually changing from day to day) IP address and even if someone did catch up to me personally, anything I've said here is pure fiction.

Because no one beleives this is real, see?

And fer the spooks who are reading, this IS all fiction! I'm just a bored guy, sitting at home, making stuff up.

I'm sure that'll be a great relief to people like Miss Dawes, isn't that right?

Have a nice day.

[Clarity]

_____Hi, Mr. Nemesis,
_____was dad a mercenary, too?
_____It’s like something opens up in my mind, and if I hurry, I can help.

[Grace]

Miss Grace,

He didn't like to use the term mercenary but that would be one description of what he did. And for what I do.

I don't think he ever hunted monsters though. Or would have beleived in them.

[Deacon Ash-Shaytan]

Ethan Skinner wrote:

Do you believe that people will come to you and pay you exorbitant amounts of money when there are people willing to do it for free?

Yes. It's already happened, it's in the process of happening and it will happen again.

I'd have to say, those people who could use your services probably can't afford you. And those people who can afford you, probably don't need your services.

Question, Nemesis. When you say people have contacted you here may I infer they specifically said they were from lazlo, or were you merely asserting you've already been contacted from other people who want their problems removed?

[Grace]

Mr. Ash-Shaytan,

I have been contacted to solve problems by people claiming to visit this site and I have been contacted by people just looking to have their problems solved.

Business has been slow lately so I'm taking an extended Christmas Beach vacation.

Edit: If anyone from this Lazlo Agency organization has contacted me, they have not identified themselves as such.

[Deacon Ash-Shaytan]

Mr. Ash-Shaytan,

I have been contacted to solve problems by people claiming to visit this site and I have been contacted by people just looking to have their problems solved.

Business has been slow lately so I'm taking an extended Christmas Beach vacation.

Edit: If anyone from this Lazlo Agency organization has contacted me, they have not identified themselves as such.

Plausible deniability has always been a life saver when the left hand doesn't want the right to know what's going on at the side.

Good luck with the vacation.

[Lord NorDeth]

Work for pay is not necessarily a bad thing.

Some are not in a situation to be able to live without some sort of financial earning potential, and when your job happens to cover expenses, then it's an ok day.

That having been said, I used to work professionally for a Government that acknowledged (although NEVER publicly) that the supernatural existed, and that at times, there were nasty things that needed to be put down, just like you would do to a rabid dog that was attacking people.

However, that having been said, it also depends on what you charge, and what you charge people for.
I recently finished a job that cost me close to 6G in expenses...I was paid with a factory boxed carburetor for a 1973 Nova SS. He had it, I needed it. Did I break even...Not by a LONG shot...am I satisfied with the payment...damned skippy (My baby purrs like a kitten now! )
In the past few months I have accepted payment that has ranged from a home cooked meal to 170G...depends on what the job is, what the client can afford, and whether or not they play straight with me from the start.

Don't assume that because someone works for pay, they're a cold blooded killer (Not saying that Nemesis ISN'T a killer, nor am I saying he is, I don't know the dude, and neither (I assume anyway) do any of you.

For a group that prides it self on opening the eyes of the world around them to a world that we KNOW exists, and clearing up the narrow minded misconceptions, there were an awful lot of conclusions jumped too, tackled to the ground, and kicked in the head when this guy intro'd himself. Personally, if his aim is true, and he does the job that all of us seem to have fallen into, I'll let him be until I have reason not to, or until he confirms that everyone was right, and he is the cold blooded murderer that some have assumed he is. When either of those happen, then I'll re-evaluate. 'Til then, I'm still waiting to hear from him on a response I posted to his classified ad, and the rest is all fluff.

[Grace]

*Snip*
However, that having been said, it also depends on what you charge, and what you charge people for.
*Snip*
Don't assume that because someone works for pay, they're a cold blooded killer (Not saying that Nemesis ISN'T a killer, nor am I saying he is, I don't know the dude, and neither (I assume anyway) do any of you.
*Snip*
Personally, if his aim is true, and he does the job that all of us seem to have fallen into, I'll let him be until I have reason not to, or until he confirms that everyone was right, and he is the cold blooded murderer that some have assumed he is. When either of those happen, then I'll re-evaluate. 'Til then, I'm still waiting to hear from him on a response I posted to his classified ad, and the rest is all fluff.

Lord NorDeth,

I'll give my reply to your response to my classified add here, if you don't mind.

While I find it a refreshing change that you don't jump to conclusions about people, some parts of your statement (bolded by myself) give me pause when it comes to doing business with you. It seems possible based on your comments that if you decided that you disliked how I conducted business, you might decide to shut me down.

Therefore it does not seem prudent for me to provide you with the addresses for drop-off/pick up points at this time.

I thank you for your interest in my ad but I will not be requiring your services at this time.

Good luck finding jobs that offer more than a warm meal.

[Lord NorDeth]

Whatever, the offer stands.

And just to clarify...If I found out you were murdering children, or innocents in cold blood, then I'd prolly come lookin for ya, otherwise, to each their own,

Most "mercs" wont waste the time, resources, or ammo on a target that doesn't engage or provoke them first, so it's highly unlikely that this scenario would ever be likely to occur.

As I said, offer stands, to you, or anyone else wanting to sample my wares, if you like what you get, then we can talk prices. And if anyone is in need of a fast gun with experience, let me know...to quote a cheesy old western..."Have Gun(s), Will Travel"...fee negotiable.

[Clarity]

_____Mr. NorDeath, who’s skippy?

[Lord NorDeth]

It's an expression.

Or maybe he was the lil bugger who used to sit on my shoulder telling me not to do certain things.

Either way, doesn't matter now.

Ever since I found her, all I wanna do is make the bastards pay.

Rules have changed, new outlook on things. Whats the point in playin by the rules if they don't. I played by the rules and got screwed, hurt and my life destroyed.

Eyes are open now, it's a whole new ballgame.

To the things that go "BUMP" in the night...it's time that you were just as scared as other have been...I aim to see that happen. Watch your back, be looking over your shoulder...I'm coming for you.


And I'm mad.

[Grace]

Yes!

Embrace your anger! It gives you focus, makes you stronger!

Henceforth, you will be known as Lord... Nordeth!

Go. Kill them. All of them!

Seriously though, Lord Nordeth. You may wish to maintain some level of detachment. Focus is one thing, emotional blinders is another.

Not that I care on any personal level mind, but I'd hate to lose a potentail customer, no matter how unlikely it may be.

[Ethan Skinner]

Speaking of vampires, I've a bit of bad news concerning those fanger freaks that used me as their gatorade refills. A friend of mine who owed me tried to get even by sending an anonymous tip to police HQ to get the update. It was nothing fancy. Just an ordinary, seven-man team going in on a possible drug bust situation. The team never responded after going in. The same friend, who needs to remain nameless and faceless for job security, followed through with the "drug bust."

What was found were seven corpses, their veins torn out through the skin. Drained of blood.

Whatever Clarity did to the vampires, while effective, was probably not permanent. Unfortunately, I have no idea what happened, before, during, or after the rescue attempt, as I was unconscious.

[Grace]

It would sound as though a more permanent solution should be pursued.

[Ethan Skinner]

Yeah. Working on it. Clarity's being difficult, though.

[Grace]

Difficult in what way?

[Ethan Skinner]

She wants to come with us. Reading through her memoir, it sounds like she barely made it out alive, and that was only through the intervention of Elyte.

[Grace]

Well, I suppose the first question to ask yourself is, "Do you really think you can stop her from coming along if she gets it into her mind to do so?"

Reminds me of a boy I knew in High School. He was 15 and starting to become independent. Problem was, the more independent he got, the more his ole man clamped down on him. Tried to control everything the kid did from when he was to be home to who he could hang out with. Eventually the kid ran away and his ole man not only last the ability to control him, he lost the ability to even influence the boy.

But it's not a sad story. Oh sure the boy lived on the streets for a few years and dropped out of high school for a bit but he got his life together and last time I checked, was doing okay for himself.

[Ethan Skinner]

Well, I suppose the first question to ask yourself is, "Do you really think you can stop her from coming along if she gets it into her mind to do so?"

If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've met her before. It's a question I've already asked myself. The answer to it, of course, is a very big No. I'm of a firm beleif that Clare can do anything, should she put her mind to it. I'm also a very firm beleiver in consciance: I couldn't live with myself if she got herself killed over me.

Fortunaetly, I've got a plan.

[Grace]

I haven't met anyone here, that I know of anyway. And I'd like to keep it that way for professional reasons.

Can't wait to hear about this plan, however.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

Me, too. Please keep us informed when you can, Mr. Skinner. And tell Clarity I said “hi.”

[Ethan Skinner]

I will, Miss Solstice. The "plan" is on War Stories. I'll get to the rest later.

[Cessiel]

Think of me rather, as an agent of retribution and just vengence.

For a price.

After all, if justice is expensive, it is only because it is worth it.

Non-sense. Justice is always free. Vengence is rarely just. And anyone can become an agent of retribution.

[skeptic]

That's true.
But remember that you're talking to a mercenary.