Rescue

Log Title: Rescue

Characters: Kimber, Major Bludd

Location: Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

Date: 22 April 2016

TP: Killing Jar TP

Summary: Kimber and Bludd are interrupted while attempting to set up Kimber's travel back to Los Angeles.

As logged by  Major Bludd

After finishing a tasty meal sans witchetty grubs, Bludd and Kimber hitch a ride to Alice Springs with the kind soul who loaned Bludd his newspaper.

"Thanks heaps, mate," Bludd tells the man, quietly sneaking a $50 bill into the folded paper on the dashboard as he gets out. Enjoy yer trip." He jerks his head toward a shopping mall down the road. "C'mon, there's a travel agency in there," he tells Kimber. "I'll get yer tickets."

Kimber walks along beside Bludd, giving him moon eyes as she gazes up at him with sincere appreciation. "Thanks so much, Sebastian. You've been sooo great!" Her expression then turns into an exaggerated pout. "I almost don't want this adventure to end! It's been simply outrageous! I soo wish you could come back with me. It'd be worth it just to see the look on Jerrica's face!" Her mercurial expression changes back to a wide grin.

"I know how ya feel," Bludd drawls, smiling fondly at Kimber. "But I thought givin' Jerrica a heart attack was something ya wanted to avoid." He grins, leaning in closer to speak quietly into her ear. "'Jerrica look! I brought home an international criminal! Isn't he cool?'"

Kimber covers her mouth and giggles. "'Look at the bright side, Jerrica - Starlight Music will have the best damned security anyone could want!' Oh, I'm sure you'd get bored touring around with us girls, but it would be nice to see you around. Will you need to disappear after this? I mean, the police will be able to track you and stuff if we stay in contact, right?" The thought somewhat kills her enthusiasm.

Bludd nods. "I -would- like that," he admits, "at least for a while. Boredom might be the biggest problem I'd have. Well, that and being spotted by someone who'd dob me in to the authorities. Though with yer hologram technology..." He gazes wistfully off into the distance for a moment. "But I'm not too worried about that around here." he adds matter-of-factly. "Matter o'fact I'm stayin' here in Alice. My current commander's puttin' me up for the duration. If there's any trouble I'll handle it. I've got a knack for stayin' free."

Shortly they arrive at the Yeperenye Shopping Centre, a modern mall with a multitude of shops and services. Bludd's gaze falls on a bakery situated conveniently close to the entrance, but he moves to study the directory of stores anyway. "Lessee, where's that travel place...?"

Kimber rubs her star necklace thoughtfully, but then gets distracted by the bakery. She goes over to the window and gazes inside, scanning the tempting array of cakes and pies. Suddenly her bright eyes widen. "Sebastian!" she calls out. "They have red velvet cake! My favorite! Share a piece with me! Pleeeease?" She runs back and tugs on Bludd's strong right arm, laughably unable to move him without his say-so.

Bludd turns to Kimber with a grin, interlacing his fingers with hers. He sighs. "I wish I could take -you- home. Alright, love. Lemme get some more cash first though." He nods his head toward an ATM nearby.

Kimber suddenly looks stricken. She leans close to Bludd and asks in a low voice, "Is that going to be OK? Can't they track you if you use those things?" She looks around conspiratorially, in an obvious worst-spy-ever way (although with her young look and location she'd much more likely to be tagged as a potential shoplifter). "I don't want you spending money on me if it means you'll be caught by the brody!"

Bludd raises an eyebrow curiously at Kimber's word choice, but seems to take her meaning anyway. "It's alright," he says, taking a card from his wallet. "My employer set me up with this one. It's not in my name. And since I'm stayin' here in Alice, why wouldn't I use it here, right?" He heads over to the ATM and peers at its screen for a moment before swiping the card.

The mall is relatively busy, with a good amount of foot traffic through the entry area. A skinny man in a hoodie pushes away from the wall nearby and makes his way casually toward the ATM, the raised hood hiding his face from view.

GAME: Kimber FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Kimber seems palpably relieved. "OK. Thanks, then, Sebastian. I owe you." She hooks her arm around Bludd's elbow, and leans in on him affectionately - probably making it harder for him to use the ATM. She glances down at her lack of cleavage, and rubs the star of her necklace again, frowning in thought. She doesn't notice the guy in the hoodie approaching the ATM, not distinguishing him from anyone else in the crowd.

Bludd slips his arm around Kimber's waist, the card still held in that hand, while he pokes at the ATM's screen with his left hand. "Quit it," he says quietly, amusement and affection in his voice. "You don't owe me a thing." After a few moments with the machine, a small pile of bills appears in the niche beneath the screen. "That oughta take care of snacks, souvenirs, and groceries for the apartment for the week." He releases her in order to replace the card in his wallet. "G'head an' grab that," he tells Kimber. There's a few hundred Australian dollars in the slot.

Kimber scoops up the colorful money, and flips through it with curiosity. "How much is this in American money?" she asks with interest, staying near Bludd while her focus is on the Australian cash. "Do you have a place here in Alice Springs already?" she asks. Her eyes slide slyly up to Bludd's face, and then she looks away. She quickly goes back to fanning through the bills in her hand, her cheeks warming in an invisible blush.

"Yeah, my employer set me up with a place, I said." Bludd takes out his wallet and sticks the ATM card back into it. While his gaze is on the wallet, the skinny guy in the hoodie pounces on Kimber. One bony but strong hand clamps down on the wrist of the hand holding the cash. His other brandishes a switchblade. "Gimme the money, doll," he growls quietly in a thick Aussie accent, tugging at her to pull her closer to him.

GAME: Kimber PASSES a COURAGE roll of Average difficulty.

GAME: Kimber PASSES a LEADERSHIP roll of Average difficulty.

Kimber's first instinct is to scream her bloody head off, and if she was with anyone else, she surely would. However, something - a concern for bringing attention to Bludd, or feeling safer in his presence, or both - stops her, and instead she frowns deeply and pulls her hand back as hard as she can. "You let go of me, mister!" she hisses, staring down the threat of the switchblade, "or you'll be sorry!" She doesn't glance at Bludd, not taking her eyes off her would-be mugger.

Bludd glances sharply toward Kimber at the sound of the quiet exchange. It's probably a good thing she's not looking at him, because the expression of rage that crosses his face might remind her of his capacity to be dangerous.

The hoodie guy, for his part, looks somewhat startled at Kimber's challenge. He hesitates a moment, keeping a grip on her wrist, and points the switchblade at her face. "I ain't foolin' around," he insists. A moment too late, he remembers her companion.

Bludd's left hand shoots past Kimber's face, his knuckles brushing faintly against her skin, and clamps down on the mugger's throat. His knuckles whiten with the effort of -not- just crushing the guy's windpipe. "Drop it," he grinds out through gritted teeth, "an' go."

The mugger's eyes go wide, and he releases his grip on Kimber and his knife, the latter falling with a clack to the tile floor.

"Oh, my gawd!" Kimber gasps, and turns to Bludd, her eyes as wide as saucers. For a moment it looks like her fear might extend to Bludd, with the stark reminder of his capacity for violence - but instead the fear melts away and she grabs Bludd around the chest. "Thank Gawd you were here!" she gushes, and turns to look at the mugger, whether he's still in Bludd's grip or already fleeing for his life.

Kimber's reaction seems to startle Bludd for a moment, as the tunnel-vision caused by his soldier's instincts fades. He rests a hand on her back and gives the mugger a shove by the throat, releasing him to stagger backward several steps, then turn and dash off into another part of the mall. Without really thinking about it, he puts his foot on the fallen switchblade and pulls it toward him. "It's alright, love," he says absently, staring off after the mugger. "'Salright now."