A game? [OPEN]

[JOHNATHAN ESTEELE]

The girl spat out her response without consideration for the person, place, or timing. John went to talk to her, leaning forward with a rehearsed smile. His steel blue eyes opened and before him was not a child. It was a beast. His expression changed immensely as he stepped backward. "How unpleasant, a vermin wandering around your base camp, Colonel?" His curd look shifted away from her and back to him.

"Now, now Colonel." He chuckled out loud as his eye brows furrowed to show a bit of angst. "I addressed you properly and showed you all forms of due respect. therefore I believe we would both find it... beneficial to our conversation if you reciprocated."

His practiced smile passed as he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a pack of cigarettes. Offering one, he took a single stick for himself as he lit it up with his pure silver lighter that had his initials engraved on it. He sent out a large puff toward the general area to his right. He sighed, as if it had been an adrenaline syringe bringing him to life.

"Now, if you will, please abandon that thing and come with me. I'd like to discuss some current propositions going through with the New Age Republic." He paused for a second as he started to walk away. "And frankly, it does involve you and your military."

[TUESDAY WHILES]

Tuesday placed a hand on his wrist trying to nudge it away but not forcing it. This was beginning to get very annoying. Tuesday fussed around a few times swiping a hand at the colonel's hand but not using her claws. "Rude,"

[/color] she spat crossing her arms and turning her head away from him. "Mom's right about humans. They are rude."[/color] she glared at the ground. But that's when she heard the other voice. She glared back at him. "You are just jealous because I'm cute and your ugly and old!"[/color]

She didn't know why humans were so mean. She hadn't really been all that mean because they were human. She treated everyone the way she treated the colonel. It wasn't that she had anything against humans but they were treating her badly simply because she looked different then they did. she thought that she actually looked nicer then humans because the ears were a lot cuter then something boring like the humans had.

"I am not a beast,"[/color] she mumbled glaring away from him. It hurt and it was obvious that the 'beast' comment had hurt. But she didn't want them to see that (even though the probably did.) So she simply did what she always did when she got upset. Turn around and act like they weren't there. It was quite childish for an eighteen year old girl but Tuesday didn't really care. She was always the childish type.

After a few moments she turned around. "I'm more important then you,"[/color] she stated staring at the politician. "I bet the human military can find more use out of me since I'm young and can shape shift into a cat. Your just old and stand there in the corner and probably wouldn't make it two minutes anywhere out side of being protected. But I can last longer since I'm innocent and your just old."[/color] She didn't know why but she found the man old. Perhaps it was from smoking or something. She crossed her arms and turned back around in a huff beginning to give them the cold shoulder once more.
[/blockquote]

[HUDSON KOVACS]

Hudson was fully aware that the politician highly detested hybrids; be it child, woman or man. His incredible hatred for the supernatural individuals was somewhat of a trademark for the man in many minds, simply due to the foul wordplay that flowed out of his mouth on the topic of hybrids. The colonel did not know too much about him though, as the wealthy politician had appeared on TV before with the name "Johnathan Esteele", the only way Hudson knew his name.

"The girl is here under orders of a higher status, Esteele. I am merely taking watch over her in case any of the soldiers attempt to kill her, as she may hold valuable information." Hudson answered, telling him how it was, but not all of it. He was somewhat fond of the girl for her bravery and unusual personality, something to make the expecting training sessions unsuspecting, that and he planned to mess with her mind for as long as he pleased. A dirty smirk came to Hudson's sly face, his brown eyes getting smaller as he focused on the grey-haired politician. "I'm a killer. Not a politician." Hudson briefly responded to Esteele's comment on the lack of respect from Hudson's mouth.

Hudson ignored the comments which came from the young hybrid's mouth seeming as they were not aimed at him, but Esteele. Tuesday surely was a mouthy one, and her behavior would most likely only frustrate the politician; something Hudson desired to see for his own amusement.

"Surely we cannot discuss it here, Esteele?" Hudson questioned with his sly smirk, "The soldiers must be observed and Tuesday is not fit to be out of a higher official's sight." Hudson added, tightening one of his black gloves before crossing his arms, slightly moving his head to see that by now, the soldiers were all tired yet doing their best to slug through the assault course for god knows how long.

[JOHNATHAN ESTEELE]

Esteele ignored the girl completely, not paying any attention to what she had said. If it were not for this "higher up" status that the Colonel said she had, he would have struck her. His fists did not clench and the facade held up. He simply smiled, breathing smoke from his nose as he took another puff. As he began to finish the cigarette, he lit another off of it and began the chain smoking pattern.

"Please, it's Congressman Esteele. However, if everything goes as planned you may feel free to call me John." His smile did not budge. The comment came out on the definition of killer. "Of course, I am not a killer. I am a giver" He laughed out loud. "I legislate for people like you. Why do you think your military gets equipment? Could it possibly have to do with the government's appropriations?" He smirked. "And of course you're not a killer because whatever takes those bullets out there on battlefield is not worthy of considering a living being."

His eyes did not deter to look at the girl for even a second, to talk to her was to play in ones own fecal matter. "I thought by your rank you would have learned that some beings are better than others." He shrugged. "I'll have to insist you end your drills and come with me, immediately. And please, lock that thing up. It is not only a prisoner, but a waste of the resources we have allotted to your organization."

[TUESDAY WHILES]

"Aha~ I'm more valuable because I hold information,"

[/color] she stuck her tung out at the man who was smoking. "All you can do is stand there. I actually can give information that's useful."[/color] She laughed a few times crossing her arms hoping that eventually she'll be acknowledged. Her intention here? Anger as many humans as possible. It wasn't like it was a pass time of hers but it certainly seemed like fun. Especially since nobody was hurting her yet. Would anyone dare to hit her? She'd try fighting back but she was much smaller then the two and would most likely lose a fight. Especially since the colonel was well trained and Tuesday was trained in the art of being rude. That's about it.

Tuesday gazed over at her feet for a moment thinking deeply. "Yeah discuss this somewhere else. Politics are boring and your both old. So I'll get board. I'll go play poker with that one guard over there. He seems okay."[/color] She didn't budge though. It was obvious on her face someone would have to throw her over their shoulder and make her leave. Poker at the moment sounded boring. So it was very obvious that she wasn't about to leave for something like this. "OH i think he's trying to butter you up."[/color] Tuesday rushed over putting all her weight on the colonel's shoulder talking to him as if she were about to give advice."Oh he's a giver all right. he gives you a pain in your neck right here,"[/color] she said softly touching the back of his neck and then placing her hand back on his arm still hanging off of him. She gazed over at the politician  waiting for his next few words.

"Now I think he's bribing you. I hear a tint of disrespect too. Watch out daddy!"[/color] She was easily holding back laughter with a serious and concerned look on her face. However it was very obvious she was playing around but some how she really did seem serious  about her reactions to what he said. "I feel blackmail coming on. He's going to use something against you if you try sending him away. Just watch!"[/color] She continued talking as if only the man she referred to as 'daddy' could only hear her. If this guy was going to ignore her she'll just annoy him right back. Two could play it at that game, right?

Her concerned look shifted to a confused one. She stared for a long moment and then closed her mouth staring up at the colonel. "I think he just called you heartless,"[/color] her tone was concerned and serious yet ready to attempt to get someone even more angry at someone else. Or at her, as long as she didn't get hurt. "You should take your gun and beat him with it. Like they do in the movies. That would be cool."[/color] she gave a few short nods and then.

"He just insulted you again. My oh my insult after insult! He thinks he's better then you. I suggest beating him with your gun,"[/color] she nudged him with her elbow with a slight grin on her face.

She opened her mouth to state how yet again he insulted him only to realize it was about her. "HEY,"[/color] she shouted standing straight up. "I'm not a thing!"[/color] she crossed her arms and walked over to him so that she was only a  foot away. "I'm better then you."[/color] she said glaring. "Your just stupid...and will die of lung cancer. But I'm smarter then you are. And I'm not a waste of resources because I'm important and my father has a lot of money that he'll give to the army!"[/color] She knew her father wouldn't give the money up. They were probably waiting somewhere for the army to just give up on her annoying ways and habits. However that hadn't seemed to happen because of what she's been telling the army. She's simply gotten herself in a deeper hole. However somehow she didn't want to give up. When she looked at someone like this then she just wanted to be wrong. She wanted her parents to be good parents, to be worried sick and give up all the money in the world to get her back. She wanted to love and care about her realizing that he annoying tendencies were attempts for love and affection. However that wasn't reality. She was abandoned...basically an orphan and she only found shelter in the enemy to the hybrids. Why did it have to be like this?

She mumbled a few things crossing her arms and just glaring at him. It was clear she was upset but it was unclear if she would try hitting him or something. She attempted to get a hold of her emotions but just couldn't seem to get them all. Her eyes became glassy as she gazed up at him with an anger and an upset look twisting in her face. "I'm a lot more important then some guy who only wants to hurt innocent people. I can understand it's war and soldiers are fighting against each other because they both have the capability to win. However your just mean and heartless."[/color] Before he could respond she quickly spun around shape shifting into a cat.

There she wiggled out of her pile of clothes and trotted over to the colonel sitting behind him. The odd green colored cat just sat there staring straight ahead at the politician
[/blockquote]

[HUDSON KOVACS]

As Tuesday came over and started leaning on him and saying childish and comical things in his ear like an excited child, a slight smirk was present on the colonel's face, half-amused at this humor and half-embarrassed that she was doing all of this to him. At times he really could not understand himself; he can defeat man after man on the field of battle but a young, energetic girl can bounce around him and he cannot do a thing. Perhaps he was just too soft with the hybrid prisoner.

Hudson could see that the politician, Johnathon, was not happy with the presence of Tuesday. At all. After all he hated every single one of them with everything he had, no matter what they looked like, how old they were or what were their motives; that is how it seemed anyway.

Johnathon Esteele's way or words and arrogance was rather bothersome, and while Hudson may of wanted to grab his revolver and teach him a lesson, it could probably cost him his rank, effectively losing him his job. He was not under the control of Hudson and was not a prisoner either, there was only so much power a colonel could have from his rank. However this did not mean the politician had much power over him either, after all they both needed each other in military terms.

"You claim that we need you to win this war, Esteele." Hudson said, looking at him with his brown eyes, ignoring that Tuesday turned into a cat and waited behind him. He assumed she wanted to claw his eyes out, and Hudson was pleased with this anger in her, something he would use soon in another time and place, something that could turn her into something else if it went according to plan. "Yet due to your undying hatred for hybrids, surely you need us in order to finish them off. Or do you have a back-up plan to...take on the hybrid army with cigars and lies?" Hudson taunted, letting him know that the military didn't hate the hybrids as much as the arrogant politician.

Hudson moved over to Esteele, crossing his arms as he stared at the man. "So lets hear it. Follow me, we can talk on the way, the men will continue their drill on their instinct." Hudson told him, walking past him and away from the training area, unsure of how Tuesday would react but certain Esteele would follow.

[JOHNATHAN ESTEELE]

John ignored the comments until the girl mentioned innocent people. He knelt before the unnatural cat, his eyes cutting as he tossed his cigarette to the side. His face was intense, full of anger and stern dissatisfaction.

"Allow me to tell you about Molly ." His words were short, curd, and to the point. "Molly was seven years old when she walked down my neighborhood road to retrieve a doll from her friends house." His piercing, steel blue eyes did not let up or make notice to the Colonel. "Upon returning she was attacked by a hybrid beast. He stole her. We can only assume what torture she went through before the monster brought her back and laid her upon our doorstep as a cat would its mouse." His eyes were flaming, eye brows furrowed. "Hybrids have no conscious. They are not people. They are not products of our God, our society, nor do they have a place with either." He glanced up at Kovacs. "I stand on the side of the aisle in government next to men like Colonel Kovacs, because I know they understand."

Suddenly, the man was fighting back tears. "She died for no reason other than the pure, primal-rage that lives within every one of your God forsaken, mutated, freak bodies. I will not sleep until every hybrid is killed. This goes beyond your insufferable lack of knowledge nor your childish antics or desire to falsify your condition in order to appear useful to anyone. You'd be more use conserving the food that you eat, air that you breath, and ground that you stand on."

Esteele stood glancing at the commander with an angry, but revealing and truthful look of somber disposition. "You're skilled the way you are because God brought you down to be a savior of your race." John paused as he reached into his briefcase withdrawing an envelope. "This legislation, Proposition 994, is designed to be one last surge where we will be providing large amounts of funding, using code red tactics, and killing on-sight all enemies of the state. Hybrids." His look turned harsh and he left the letter with the Colonel. "The government of humanity gives you two options: follow the act upon it's regulation date or surrender your arms and rank to your commanding officer before leaving." Esteele stepped back, not feeling powerful or confident, just putting out what was actually on the table.

"As for you..." He looked back to the cat. "We'll see you on the battlefield."

[TUESDAY WHILES]

The green colored cat narrowed her eyes at him. 'Sad, yes. But that's no reason to kill every single one of the hybrids. That would be like saying kill all the humans because one of them were evil. It just wasn't fair to those hybrids who did absolutely nothing.'

[/color]  The very thought of helping anyone like him win a war now seemed a lot worse then just a traitor. It seemed as if it was a lot larger then that.  If they won, they'd kill all those innocent hybrids. She'd admit, not all of them are nice but then again there's a bad seed in every society. It didn't matter on race, species, or gender.

Tuesday took a few steps forward laying half her body on the colonel's foot mewing loudly and pawing at him. She hoped he'd get the message and find the anger and uncomfortable situation. Tuesday also hoped that he'd get the message and make either her or him leave. 'I don't think he has to keep him here. He's a colonel and this wasn't the politician's fort.'[/color] She continued mewing and pawing at his foot trying to get his attention. Usually she'd sound a little more playful but Tuesday felt as if she were breaking down a little and was ready to go and sleep or something.

Tuesday let out a rather loud hiss at the politician. 'He can't tell the army what to do! He-he can't...they can't kill everyone. Sure a little girl died but then other innocent little girls will to.'[/color] She continued letting out angry yowls and hisses at the politician but remaining on the colonel's foot.  As soon as he told her that they'd meet her on the battle field she swiped her claws out at the air partly dismissing it partly clinging even more to the colonel's foot being careful not to scratch his uniform. It was obvious to everyone she was more then  angry. But probably only obvious to the colonel that she was frightened since she was clinging to his foot after all.
[/blockquote]

[HUDSON KOVACS]

A menacing smirk was still present on the face of Hudson as Esteele told the young hybrid of 'Molly'. But why would he smile during such a dire story? One could only assume he took joy in seeing the politician remind himself of a terrible time, or that it was contributing somehow to a cunning plan that was being cooked inside Hudson's clever mind. Either way the smirk was still being worn as he listened, wondering who this Molly was and if she was even real.

Hudson had a thought that the unfortunate girl of the story could be just a random, human girl. Although he also had the thought that it might of been a relative to Esteele, perhaps that would be the reason his face was so true with emotion as the words came from his mouth.

And then it was his turn for Esteele's words. A letter was taken out of his mysterious briefcase, and it was fairly obvious something very important was printed on the piece of paper. According to Esteele, on the mere piece of paper was something to do with Proposition 994; an act of war that could wipe out the enemy force, but how? It would have to be read to be understood. There was an air of threatening to Hudson, the politician telling him what would happen to him if it was not followed, a grunt left Hudson's mouth as he stared hard at Esteele with his sly grin.

"I'll be sure to forward this to my superiors..." Hudson told him, slipping the paper in one his back pockets, being aware of Tuesday's behavior. His perceptive ways knew that Tuesday hated this man and wanted him to leave, and while Hudson was not exactly a friend of the hybrid prisoner, he much preferred her over the politician. "Now be on your way." He finished, brown eyes piercing towards Esteele.

[JOHNATHAN ESTEELE]

(OOC: During the editing process I accidentally erased Molly's last name without noticing!! Gah! Her last name was, in fact, Esteele. >,> Kinda ruined the emotional appeal there... Oh wellz.)

Esteele's look did not change at the orders of the Colonel. "For someone with the reputation that you have," said the politician slowly. "One might question your loyalties to our cause if you decide to pick up every stray hybrid that comes along." His eyes dart down to the annoying cat, not intimidated, nor concerned with her thoughts and opinions.

"The legislature shares my beliefs on this issue, therefore Proposition 994 will be passing into law within the next month. At that time, resources allocated to the military will increase eight fold allowing for greater equipment, training, and the hiring of more staff. This is your chance for a field promotion Colonel." His words did not seem threatening or as if they were trying to bribe him. In fact, the statement appeared as if he was consoling the Colonel.

He began to turn away, briefcase in hand. His coat-jacket floated in a warm gust that cut through the training grounds. He stopped and his head looked at the floor. This war is coming to an end Molly, for you, for our people, for our country, for God himself. He looked back slightly at the Colonel, his face pained.

"You may not trust me, and you may be under advising of that thing, but realize this goes far beyond you and I. This is for the future generations. And soon you will realize there are beings that are better than lesser beings not because of their birth, but because of their very nature."

Esteele waited for last comments, he wasn't liked and he found no comfort with the man whom he had previously regarded as a stalwart supporter of the human cause. Surely when he returned to the governmental facility, they could find someone else with the guts to save their people. Weak coward. The words burned his mind as his grip had tightened around the briefcase. He was prepared to fight the fight until his last breath.

[TUESDAY WHILES]

'What? He's going to go through with it? He should just rip it up and do things his own way,'

[/color] Tuesday thought bitterly to herself. She let out a mew that sounded a lot like a complaint. However she didn't budge from her position. Her ears twitched when the colonel told him to go away. She was glad that he finally told him too. This wasn't exactly what Tuesday considered a fun time now. Yet who would? Most would think that it takes out of a person and that they wouldn't be able to wait until its over. Most would want to hit the person others would cry. Tuesday's reactions would have been similar if she hadn't turned into a cat. Losing her temper would be like her however losing her temper at the wrong time would have been bad. Usually she wouldn't care what people think but did you see that gun the colonel had? You'd be surprised how much power it had without him even touching it.

Stray? Oh man, cat or not she had it. She wasn't exactly a stray--she was abandoned. There is a difference. Besides her parents are probably just waiting till the human army gets sick and tired of her annoying tendencies so that she could come home. Not the greatest parents for doing that but still--they were parents and they were hers (even though she doesn't like them). The green colored cat calmly stood up trotting over to the man and sitting down in front of him. She picked up one of her paws and letting the sharp little claws slide out. Suddenly before she could even strike she felt herself being lifted off the ground by the scruff of the neck. She put up her other paw letting the claws slide out and flung at the air frantically mostly out of shock and surprise.

Her tail twitched around and her ears  frantically shuddered. She let out a few mews before quieting down and letting her limbs hang like a dead weight but keeping her claws unsheathed
[/blockquote]

[HUDSON KOVACS]

Hudson gave a slight scowl at the politician when his loyalties were questioned, which was a rather invalid observation; the human military were at war with the hybrid military as far as Hudson was concerned, and both humans and hybrids outside of the war had hardly anything to do with it. Not that he was responsible for the gaining of Tuesday the hybrid cat, but she was not highly involved in the hybrid army enough to be considered one of them, showing she was hardly a threat to the place. All the words showed Hudson that came from Esteele's mouth simply showed him that the man hated every single hybrid, even the innocent ones with no connection to the war.

He was about to speak when he noticed Tuesday heading over to him. Great. Hudson knew the problems that would be caused if a hybrid prisoner attacked a politician, and while the man probably could not cause anything major within the military as he was not a king or a president, irritations would surely arise. Not to mention if he attacked Tuesday back, things could get physical.

Pulling her away by the top of her neck, holding onto the soft fur with his gloved-hands, Hudson slowly moved her out of the way behind him, keeping his sly smile on that covered the slight scowl from earlier.

"Well now, I look forward to speaking with you in future, Congressman Esteele," Hudson said respectfully, all of a sudden a dark grin creeping up on his face, his hand resting on the revolver to his side clear enough for the politician to notice, "Say 'hi' to Molly for me." Hudson said in a serious and calm yet patronizing tone, keeping his expression while his brown eyes pierced at Esteele, letting him know that if he did not leave, things would be going down.

[JOHNATHAN ESTEELE]

The politician had been walking and managed to go well over twenty feet in his big strides before Kovacs called out to him by his proper title. Esteele smiled, finally some respect. He managed a few more steps before his stomach twisted. The red lines of stress could be seen spreading across the white of his eyes. He turned slowly, his fist now clenching his briefcase tightly.

"E...Excuse me?" He said, his voice rasping, his eyes were suddenly watery. His voice couldn't get traction for a second. His lip trembled as he pulled a white rag from his pocket and wiped his mouth followed by his eyes. As if the rag had wiped away his sad eyes, only anger remained. "And this is where we differ. I may be a politician, but at least I have dignity. My innocent little sister died much too soon. Any mercy I had for those things died that day too." The suited man walked regained his footing as he closed the distance between himself and the colonel.

His eyes were straining as they were nearly nose to nose. "You're going to shoot me? Look at you, a man hiding behind a gun. Do you really have anything BESIDES this war? I don't know the answer to that, but I know I do. I'm working to end this, with or without the toy soldiers. Move across your chess board knocking each other over. Someone will get the checkmate eventually. And lets pray to God it is us, for I fear - no - I know those things won't be giving us any chances."

With that, Esteele turned and headed away, grief stricken as he imagined his sister's calm face in the sun the day before he lost her forever. His fists were clenching themselves and his briefcase if they would fall off if he didn't. His heart burned, his stomach turned, and his passions were reignited. The events that had unfolded on the training field reminded him of his purpose.