Post by Robb (Owner) on Nov 3, 2024 0:20:20 GMT -8
The party was in full swing, lights casting a warm glow over the space as laughter and chatter filled the air. Ozzie Savell, though present, was detached, his mind on matters far beyond the idle conversations around him. He scanned the room with cold precision, finally setting his sights on his target: Val LaCroix. She was chatting animatedly, her laugh carrying through the room, an easy-going charm about her that made her stand out.
A faint smirk crossed Ozzie’s lips as he approached. Val wasn’t just here for the fun—she was an opportunity, a pawn he could move into place. He’d learned quickly that her ambition often clouded her better judgment, a quality he intended to exploit.
He sidled up next to her, slipping a hand lightly onto her shoulder to grab her attention. "There she is, the one and only Val LaCroix,” he greeted, his tone suave and his gaze intense. “Haven’t had a chance to say hi tonight. You look... captivating."
His compliment was laced with intention, and he watched as she basked in it, her smile widening. He let the silence linger for a moment, keeping his gaze fixed on her, making her feel like she was the only person in the room. It was a game of control, one he played well.
“I was actually hoping to have a little chat with you,” he continued, voice low and smooth. "A favor, if you’re up for it. Something that could be mutually beneficial." He paused, leaning in slightly closer, his tone conspiratorial. "I can’t think of anyone better suited for the job than you.”
He let his words hang, knowing she wouldn’t resist the intrigue. A slow grin spread across her lips as she bit her bottom lip, her eyes already gleaming with excitement.
“Let’s go somewhere quieter and tell me,” she said as she took his hand, leading him into one of the rooms.
Inside, she locked the door and turned around to face him with a smirk.
“So what are we playing tonight?”
Ozzie smirked as he squeezed Val’s hand. He raised her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. “You are so beautiful, you know that?” Before she could respond, Ozzie continued. “Of course you know that. But Val, The Div–no, I need your help, desperately.”
Her gaze lingered a little on her hand where he kissed before her eyes trailed back to his face.
“What kind of help?”
Ozzie’s smirk widened, his expression shifting to one of earnest intensity as he held her gaze.
“I need someone I can trust in this, Val, someone with the charm and poise only you have.” He let the words settle, each one chosen to appeal to her pride. “See, there are… ways to get things done that require a softer touch, someone who can get in close without raising alarms. And you, my dear? You have a way with people.”
He tilted his head slightly, his tone dropping as he moved a little closer. “With you, we’d have the edge. We can make sure things stay in our favor. So… what do you say?”
She put up her hand on his chest to stop him from getting any more closer, raising an eyebrow.
“And what do I get when I do it?”
She lightly runs her fingers on his chest, a seductive tone in her voice.
“Well, Val,” he whispered, his voice smooth, “besides the satisfaction of knowing you’re the one calling the shots with me behind the scenes? I’ll owe you one. And I don’t take that lightly.”
He let his hand reach up to gently brush a strand of hair from her face, his fingers lingering just a second longer than necessary. “When this all pays off, you’ll have the chance to step up, make a real name for yourself. You’d be unstoppable… and I’d make sure everyone knows who made it happen.”
His expression softened just slightly, but his tone held a note of challenge. “Think about it: everyone else playing their games while you and I run the board together.”
She obviously liked the idea of that as she trailed her fingers down his chest to his abs now.
“You’d better not forget this. I remember everything that’s owed to me. So what is it exactly do you want me to do? Who requires this… softer touch of mine?”
Her hand now brushed the waistband of his pants, just teasing.
Ozzie’s grin widened as he reached into his fur coat, pulling out a sleek, black nightstick, holding it up between them to let the moment linger.
“Think of this as… an extension of our plans,” he murmured, pressing it into her hand with a deliberate slowness, his fingers lingering over hers, amplifying the intensity. “Our little Nightfall prodigy, Jaime Idol, needs a lesson in humility. If you can get close enough, remind him just how rough things can get around here.”
A wicked look sparked in his eyes as he leaned closer, voice dropping to a near whisper. “Keep him off his game, Val. Make him feel safe, like he’s just having a quiet word with a friend. Somewhere tucked away, where the party noise won’t reach. Then, you give him a real taste of Division.”
He trailed his hand down to her wrist, gripping it gently over the nightstick. “Quick, sharp, and unseen. Slip back in like nothing happened, and I’ll make sure when he stumbles, the spotlight’s on you, on us.”
Ozzie’s smirk grew as he added, “This is how we control the board, Val. Together.”
She smirked, tightening her grip on the nightstick and pulling it gently to pull him closer to her.
“I do like when the spotlight’s on me. And I’m more than happy to share it with you. So I’ll do it. I think I know where he might be. It won’t be a problem to smash this to the back of his pretty head. I’ll let you know when it’s done.”
Ozzie leaned in, just close enough for his breath to brush against Val’s skin.
“That’s my girl,” he said with an approving nod. “When you’re done, he won’t know what hit him. And neither will the rest of The Crucible when they all realize who really runs this game.”
Ozzie gazed into Val’s eyes for a moment, the thrill of their little plan causing a fire to dance in his eyes. “Let’s make sure they all remember us and what we are capable of.”
A wicked smile formed on her face as she looked back at him, a challenging look in her eyes. “You know, it’s still quite a risky job for me to do this at a party so… how about a little more motivation?”
Her eyes looked down at his lips before looking back up at him, smirking.
“Happy to oblige.” Ozzie placed his hands on Val’s waist, pulling her into him as he gave her a deep, passionate kiss. After some time, Ozzie broke the kiss with a sigh as he rested his forehead on Val’s. “Now, go get him for me and when the deed is done? You’ll get the party with me all night long… One on one.” Ozzie smirked widely.
She bit her bottom lip and winked before adjusting her hair and lips. Then somehow hid the nightstick out of sight before slipping out of the room first to track down Jaime.
As Val slipped out of the room, Ozzie watched her go, his expression shifting as soon as the door closed behind her. The charming, affectionate mask he wore moments before faded, replaced by a devious smirk that hinted at his true intentions. He ran a hand over his mouth, as if wiping away any remnants of the kiss he had so easily offered, the gesture almost dismissive.
“Perfect,” he whispered to himself, a quiet satisfaction settling in his eyes. To him, Val was just another piece on the board, an easily manipulated pawn that he could use to push his agenda further. She believed she was playing the game alongside him, but Ozzie knew better. She was a tool, a weapon he wielded with ease, aimed wherever he saw fit.
Ozzie took a deep breath, glancing back at the empty room and the nightstick that had once been in his hand now hidden on Val’s person. Everything was falling into place. Jaime would be thrown off balance, Val would be none the wiser, and The Division would remain in complete control.
In the end, it was all just a game to him… A game he intended to win at any cost. And as he turned, slipping back into the party with that same charming, controlled demeanor, he knew that everyone around him was exactly where he wanted them to be: pieces in a grander scheme, moving only by his hand.
Meanwhile, Val glided through the party crowd outside, her eyes scanning the place for Jaime. It wasn’t that difficult to spot him talking to a few others, considering his height and that eye-catching Halloween body makeup he had on. She approached him with a purposeful stride but also taking her time so as not to raise any suspicions.
As she tapped on his shoulder, she said, “Hey Jaime? I think Maya’s looking for you.”
Her facial expression was innocent, not at all the same flirty act that she gave him the first time they ever interacted.
Jaime raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “Maya? Thought she was holed up training tonight, yeah?” He looked at Val with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, not quite buying into her innocent act but intrigued enough to follow along.
“Didn’t think she’d drag herself out to a party,” he continued, chuckling a little. “Girl’s got her head in the game like nobody’s business.” He tilted his head, trying to read Val’s expression. “But if she’s here lookin’ for me, I’m not about to keep her waitin’. Lead the way, luv.”
Jaime kept his usual relaxed demeanor but couldn’t shake a subtle curiosity. He let Val start walking ahead, following a few steps behind, his mind racing with questions about why Maya would be here, and what she might want.Keeping her back turned to hide a smirk she couldn’t help but give, Val continued to lead him away from everyone else in the party into one of the many rooms towards the back of the rented Airbnb.
“Hmm not sure why ‘cause she didn’t exactly say. But she did mention needing a break or something. Was holding her head and wincing like she was in pain. So I told her I’d help her look for you while she rests in one of the rooms,” she said, completely fabricating every bit of it.
Her tone was casual, her walk not too slow, not too fast. She glanced back at him to make sure he’s still following. Jaime’s brow furrowed, a hint of concern replacing his usual swagger. “Thought she told me she was fine, said there weren’t any lingerin’ issues from that attack,” he muttered, a bit of worry creeping into his tone. “Wonder what happened…”
He glanced over at Val, giving her a nod of thanks. “Good on ya for lettin’ me know, Val. Didn’t expect her to be here at all, honestly. Best make sure she’s alright.”
With that, he followed Val toward the back, his attention fully fixed on finding Maya and making sure she was okay.
“Yeah poor Maya…” Val murmured as they rounded a corner of the hallway.
Reaching one of the doors, she turned around to face Jaime and gestured towards the closed room.
“She’s in there, go on ahead. I’ll head back to the party but don’t hesitate to call me if she needs anything. I’m only a great hostess,” she smiled sweetly at him.
Jaime gave Val a nod, still caught up in his worry. “Thanks, luv. You’re doin’ a solid here, really,” he said, giving her a quick, appreciative smile.
Turning to the door she indicated, he placed his hand on the handle, pausing only a second before stepping forward. “I’ll let ya know if she needs anything,” he added, glancing back at Val with a grateful look. Without another word, he opened the door and stepped inside, his focus completely on checking up on Maya.
She quickly looked around to make sure no one else followed them here before striking him hard on the back with the nightstick she’s been hiding. He stumbled forward, caught completely off guard. But before he could do anything else, she swung the nightstick again, this time landing a hard blow to the back of his left knee. He crumbled, falling to the floor, and she hit the knee again and again with the dangerous weapon. Really making sure he was in too much agony to stop her or get back up. His gasps and cries of pain were stifled by the party noise outside, leaving everyone there oblivious to this brutal attack.
As he lay there clutching his knee, she crouched down with a taunting smirk. “There, there, Jaime. It’s nothing personal, alright? Just business. Now sit tight and don’t go anywhere!”
She giggled before swinging the nightstick down on him again, this time on the head to knock him out. With no more movement from him, she stood back up and dragged his lifeless body further inside the room so she could leave and close the door behind her. She locked it and kept the key in her pocket before hiding the nightstick in another room.
After making another check that she was alone, she adjusted herself and then casually slipped back to the party. She went right to the pool area and took off her clothes, keeping her bikini on underneath it. Then shouted to everyone there, grabbing their attention, “I’m jumping into the pool now and taking everyone in my way with me!” With an excited squeal, she ran to grab the arm of an innocent bystander as she jumped into the pool. As she popped back up out of the water, she laughed while her eyes searched the area, wondering if Ozzie was hanging around there. She was particularly proud of what she did and wanted his approval.
Everyone at the party made their way toward the pool area. In the crowd was Ozzie, his gaze on Val’s. Val gave Ozzie a sinister grin and nodded. Ozzie smiled widely, nodding back in approval. As everyone started to dress down and jump in the pool, Ozzie’s focus stayed on Val, and he mouthed the words, ‘good girl’ toward her. Not wanting to draw any attention to their secret, she just looked back with a more smug look before turning away to splash water at everyone who’s now joined her in the pool.