The Ten Cent Tour

[Bloodhound]

Even here the dress code stood; well for him it always stood, but there was nary a sound from the trenchcoat as Luka Petrovic walked the familiar halls to meet the newest addition to Scorched Earth. He couldn't say why he'd been assigned this duty, perhaps everyone else was simply busy that day, but the pale Bosnian was not exactly known for his winning personality. Then again he knew the place inside and out, living here and spending more time on the base than the majority of the other operatives.

He'd been given the basics on the one who'd called himself 'Bloodhound' and though he did not trust him by a longshot he would follow his orders and show him around. He was waiting in one of the common areas for his charge to arrive.

It had not taken very long for Bloodhound to get himself settled in to his new home. In fact he hadn't even brought very much with him, aside from a veritable horde of dogs. He had spent most of the time since his arrival tending to the smaller creatures, laying out food and beds for them, running his fingers reassuringly through their fur as they acclimated to their new environment. He was loathe to leave them, but his new Alpha had determined that he should learn the layout of his new home, and it only made sense for him to learn about his own new environment. Being careful to secure his room so that none of his companions would escape, Bloodhound made his way out to meet his guide. He was recognizable the minute he stepped into the room, easily identified by the stooped posture with which he moved.

Luka did not forget faces and he would have recognized Bloodhound even without the very specific way he walked; then again he didn't exactly meld into a crowd himself either, but most people here had gotten used to how he looked, or how his abilities told them he looked, and no doubt they would soon all be quite used to this new man as well.

His only greeting to the taller man was a small nod of his head in acknowledgement without wasting any further of their time he turned and led the way out. In contrast to his companion he stood very straight, perhaps to counter his small height, but he moved very quietly and smoothly across the floor.

Bloodhound returned the greeting with a nod of his own, though since his head was already quite bowed by his posture, he also included a small bend at the waist so that it almost looked as if he was bowing to the other man. He was somewhat apprehensive of the questions he was bound to be asked by his new pack members, but he was somewhat relived when his guide said nothing, but simply turned to lead him away. He liked that; here was a man who clearly didn't waste words. Though his gait was far from smooth, he was easily able to keep up with his pale guide, taking careful note of where he was being lead so that he would be able to find his way on his own when he was required to do so.

Luka, it seemed, did not like to speak when there was no reason to and so Bloodhound was spared pointless questions that may have been lobbed at him by another. "These are the common areas." He finally began when they'd passed down a hallway. As they passed by certain doors he would open them each at a time so that his companion could look inside, and scent inside as he'd come to understand. "The cafeteria is here and just down the hall is a room where there are social gatherings." Criminals they might be but no one could just sit in their rooms all day staring at the wall.

As Luka was quick to discover, each time he opened a doorway, Bloodhound would pause in the doorway and inhale deeply, noting the scent of the room beyond, even able to match a few recent scents to those he had already encountered on the base. He spoke little, occasionally asking what a room was meant for. He did not ask his guide any frivolous questions either, content for the most part with silence as they moved along. He did pause, however, at the mention of social gatherings, turning his head for a moment as if he were contemplating something, before finally saying, "Are there often social gatherings? And are all members of the pack required to attend them?"

Luka did not mind answering questions like that, questions that actually had a purpose. "There are often, yes, but they are usually small and attendance is not required." It was usually members who knew each other well enough who played cards or watched the tv that was in there. "If something is required you will be informed in advance."

[Bloodhound]

Bloodhound seemed somewhat relieved by his guide's answer. He was not much one for social gatherings himself. He preferred the company of his pack of dogs rather than the humans which made up his surrogate pack. "It is nice to know. I will admit, I prefer quiet and solitude myself, but I do not wish to insult my pack. It is sometimes... difficult to predict behaviors when there are so many that I am unfamiliar with."

Luka gave a short nod, actually approving of that answer. Usually upon first meeting someone he was just cold or mildly abrasive but he was being given no reason to be at the moment and that pleased him. "As do I. It can be said that though we are made up of different types most respect your privacy." There were a few who didn't seem to get it, but after crossing Luka once it didn't tend to happen again. "This is primarily a place of business, not leisure."

Though he was unaware of the peculiarities of his guide, Bloodhound thought he seemed like a wise man. He did not waste words or time on frivolous things. He got straight to the point. He didn't seem to have an ego which needed stroking. He didn't seem to need to talk about himself or an endless string of other pointless things. If you asked Bloodhound, he would have said his guide was quite a wise man. "Your pack is a good one." Was all that he said. "Wise and strong. It would have been unwise to remain your enemy."

"Yes, it is very good." Their cell roster changed regularly but Luka was unusually loyal to not only the organization but to Rune Falkoner in particular; though no one could say exactly why, but after he'd joined this cell he'd refused to leave it. In that way, perhaps, he and Bloodhound were quite alike. "You will see more of our strength in time." He had not seen much of Bloodhound's abilities firsthand but trusted their leaders decision to allow him membership. He waved a hand and led them onwards.

Bloodhound had little reason to be loyal to the group's leader, and yet he would die to defend him now that the man had become his Alpha. That was what it meant to be a part of the pack, to give one's self over to the group, to the good of the group, and to give up one's individuality in the process. That was how Bloodhound would think of the business until such time as he died, or his current pack met the same fate as his old one. He found the former far more likely than the later, however. With another soft nod, he followed in his guide's wake. He had little reason to doubt what he said, after all, from all that he had seen so far, it seemed quite true. After a few more moments however, bloodhound did finally break the silence once more. "Pack brother," he said softly, "If I may ask, what is it you prefer to be called?" It was his way of asking his guide's name.

Luka glanced over with those unnatural eyes of his but there was no malice in them, it was after all a perfectly fair question if they were going to be working with each other. He preferred it it 'pack brother' anyway. "When we are out in the field I am referred to as Spectre but here I am Luka." He thought it only fair enough since they were on the same level and Herr Petrovic, as he was sometimes known, did not sit right with him unless it was coming from their leader. "Do you call yourself anything other than Bloodhound?" He finally returned a question of his own.

Bloodhound did not even pause to consider before he offered his answer. "Not any more." After all, he had given up his old life long ago. He no longer considered himself a part of the human world, so why should he use his human name? But Luka had offered him his true name, so he felt it only fair that he offer the same curtsey in response. "Once I went by the name of Andrew. I suppose it is still my name, but I prefer to be simply Bloodhound now."

Luka gave a faint nod to show he understood. He'd met those who'd given up their old names before now, he likely could have done so himself considering he kept no ties, but chose not to."Then that you shall be." He continued on a bit in silence if the other man said nothing, pointing out important places as they went along, eventually taking them down a floor in an elevator.

Bloodhound was content. He knew his guide's name now, so he could address him if required without being insulting, and he was quite pleased that the other man was willing to accept without question that he no longer wished to go by his birth name. He once more followed in silence, quietly sniffing each area he was taken to until they reached the elevator. Hunching over in the confined space, he waited for them to reach the next floor.

[Bloodhound]

The next floor a slightly more classified area and before they were allowed to get off he had to swipe a card to get the doors to open. This area didn't have the scent of being lived in, this place was for working. "We keep supplies down here." He said by way of an introduction and would show Bloodhound the large storage area where they kept things. "This space leads out, but it is not easy to find."

It was harder for Bloodhound to pick out scents in this area. There were so many and he was not trying to focus on any given one. No matter, he doubted he would be asked to track in this area, and if he really needed to, he could pick out a single scent if he concentrated very hard. He didn't breathe too deeply here. This place would always smell of whatever was inside of it, there was no need to imprint it's scent into his mind. "You keep yourselves well supplied." Was all he said, clearly impressed by how well things were being run here.

The place did indeed have many mingled smells but Luka kept them there only long enough to point out things he thought might be important, which wasn't to much. He didn't deal in logistics and all the weapons he could want he already had in his possession. Truth was he didn't come down to the storeroom very much himself. "Yes, it its wise to be prepared." There were other, more important, rooms down here anyway and he would show Bloodhound the briefing rooms, far smaller and smelling of people.

Bloodhound was unlikely to ever arm himself unless he was specifically ordered to do so. He wasn't a hunter. He preferred to lead others to the prey and allow them to do the hunting. If his new pack Alpha decided he should become a hunter, however, he would likely comply with minimal trouble. He took special note of the briefing rooms, certain that he would be called to them at some point in time, they were blessedly less full of scents and much easier for him to make note of.

After he had shown Bloodhound the rooms, and having explained that they all looked pretty much the same, he showed him back out into the hallways. "Do you have questions?" He generally assumed they would have been asked already but you never knew. He preferred to be upstairs himself and was only to willing to head back up there.

Bloodhound settled down into one of his odd little crouches to consider if he had any questions. In the end he couldn't think of any, however. He was simply content to do as he was told. So far he had no reason to question anything that had been shown to him. Certainly his new pack seemed wise and well prepared. He was looking forward to being with them for a long while. "None." he said finally, getting back to his feet so that he could follow his guide back upstairs. "You are a very efficient guide, Luka. Thank you."

"You are welcome." That was not something he said very often but Bloodhound had not annoyed him once during this time, a feat in and of itself, and so he felt inclined enough to offer that little nicety. He didn't linger, herding them back into the elevator and back upstairs. "Do you have further orders at this time?" He asked as they stepped off.

"Not yet," Bloodhound admitted as they stepped off of the elevator and back onto the floor where the common areas were located. He suspected it would take some time for his new Alpha to fully appreciate his abilities - that always seemed to be the case. Once he came to be satisfied with Bloodhound's talents, however, the strange man doubted he would lack for things to do. "Is there something you recommend for new arrivals to do?" Perhaps there was some sort of pack tradition or 'rite of passage' that he needed to partake in before he would be fully accepted by the pack.

Usually the members of the cell fell into two camps, either they took their orders out of some sense of loyalty to their leader or they did what they were told because the pay was particularly good. There was not much more of a cohesive goal than that, which he was fine with but probably realized there could be a problem with. "Do not make people angry." Then again he seemed to be doing a good enough job of that, Luka was generally easy to push to annoyance. "Do your job well and you will be respected. That is the most important thing. More important than trying to make friendships." Here it was as much about ability as it was personality.