Help in unlikely places... ( Jayne <3)

[NINA ZHAO QIAN]

Eyes flicking from behind her shades Nina would cross the street, Manuka never did she think that she would ever come to this part of the world. Nor did she truly want too, she had a job and yet no matter how much she loved her job. She did the one thing she never was suppose to do, she spared a life and that was not allowed not with that she did as a profession. She was a killer a shadow what you would only see once before your life was snuffed out. Nina or as she would go by in her job Snow loved that she did it brought her joy that she would never be able to describe. Yet for some reason her job and no where life would be put at risk for a mark that she couldn't kill. Her thoughts would still be racing back to that time only months ago. They were in her sight she had her gun trained on them from her scope , but she couldn't pull the trigger. So she would quickly bag her gun and disappear into the night, only knowing that soon her life would now be in jeopardy as well. Her handle Drey would soon know as her failure , as well and that did not sit well with her by any means. That made Nina's heart fall deep into her throat and make her whole body twinge.

Blinking she shook her head as she heard a car honking at her, narrowing her eyes at the vehicle she quickly crossed the street. Eyes glancing at all the building scoping out where possible targets could be sitting , waiting to make their move. Her jacket hugging close to her body, hiding all the weapons that would make her a deadly killer. Everything she was taught and trained for. Yet that didn't seem to be saving her now , she was being hunted by none other then the handler who vowed to keep her safe , things were royally fucked up. She would go to the one place she knew would be safe and not looked for. The Library , not often that killers would be found here well besides herself.

Taking a breathe she would raise her shades to glance around , taking in every angle and possible spot for someone to make their move. Walking down the isle she would find a chair seemingly reading the book " Art of war." Ignoring the possible looks she was getting. This wasn't about anyone else right now , she knew what she needed and at the moment only one person would be able to help her. Nina could only hope that he would heard of her arrival from whispers and know where he could find her. Jayne Astor , a man of power from a powerful family. With ties to her handler , how Drey knew everyone Nina would never ask , she was trained by the woman and formed into whoever she wanted her to be. She owed Drey her life and would do whatever she wanted , but she couldn't do this and that was what put her in this situation right now.

Her hand would run across the spine of her book before she would take a slow breathe and flip another page. before her ears would catch the sound of the door opening and a small smile would grace her features it seemed like her guest would be arriving after all.

Outfit

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

It wasn't uncommon for people to seek out the Astors for 'favors.' Since they were one of the oldest, largest, and most powerful supernatural families in the country, and certainly in Manuka, Jayne had been used to his father building allies and forging relationships outside of their mansion walls for his entire life. Now, however, it was his job to keep up with all of this familial work. The first few months after his father's death, Jayne had poured hours of his time into learning about all the connections they shared with local residents and other groups. As the new leader, he had reached out to these contacts and let them know that the bond they forged with his father would continue to be honored by him, and this diplomacy had made him a few powerful friends in town. And powerful friends were always a good thing to have. Jayne's diligence and way of dealing with business earned him respect, and while he might not have been as impassioned and brutal as his father, he was still a force to be reckoned with, and the respect he'd earned gave him a rather powerful inner circle that surrounded him.

The faerie wasn't surprised when Nina contacted him, because he had heard rumors of one of her targets being botched: of course, the rumor mill was never definitive, which was why they were called rumors, but the gist of it was that she'd missed her target, for whatever reason, and was now living on the lam. Jayne only understood assassinations to a certain degree; they weren't his speciality, and if he ever needed anyone killed, he'd likely just talk his sister into doing it for free, but he chose to deal with trouble in a much different fashion. Torture. Interrogations. Using his exquisite charm to make them feel comfortable before stabbing them in the back – in that way, he was certainly more like his father. Regardless, when he'd gotten her message about a private meeting, he had been more than willing to indulge her, not wanting to seem too busy to help someone who might become a valuable asset later, when he needed her services or skills for something that would help further his cause or cover his tracks. Nina was more than good at assassinations, after all.

Jayne had let her choose their meeting place, since he didn't know who she was running from. Of course, he could make a few educated guesses, but didn't care enough to meddle in affairs that did not concern him. When or if it became an issue, then he would ask. The faerie made his way into the library, feeling serene within the rows upon rows of books, and almost immediately spotted her. Of course, he knew what she looked like, and knew where they were supposed to be meeting – also, he was observant – and made his way over to the table, sitting across from her. They'd met before under different circumstances, but they were still mere acquaintances. ”Ms. Qian, it's a pleasure to see you again.” Jayne smirked, looking over the lovely Asian woman and fixing his glamored brown eyes onto hers. ”An interesting outfit choice. You look like you're running from someone; perhaps you should be more subtle.”

He laced his fingers together and placed his hands on the table, tilting his head to the side. ”I won't insult you by saying that I'm completely willing to help you for nothing in return. And since I have no shortage of money and neither do you, we'll have to consider other favors.” Jayne was quick to get right to business, and hoped this would be something the assassin would respect. ”Now... with what did you need my family's assistance?”

OUTFIT: Here!

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[NINA ZHAO QIAN]

Her eyes scanning over the pages of the bed she was supposedly reading , not really wanting to read a book but it helped to blend in. Casually glancing around making sure people weren't staring more then need be or taking casual glances a little to long. Being on the run was tiring , she wanted to be able to relax and enjoy the city. Well enjoy was too strong of a word , what she truly wanted to do was ask her Drey questions about why she was being hunted. Well she knew why or the possibility of why , not killing a mark was unheard of. A taboo that one ever dared to do, yet Nina being trained to everything but that , well she did the stupid thing and didn't kill the mark. So running was the only thing possible and she was good for years , which was more time then she ever thought possible , but now they were finding her. It was annoying before the deaths of a few of them , their last were " Thank Drey" .. Her own handler trying to kill her , that didn't make any sense at all , yes they were at odd. Anger would consume Nina with those thoughts , she was being hunted by killers just as well trained as her. Okay as well trained was a stretch since she was still alive , but it was getting annoying so it was time to get help.

Then an all to familiar scent and voice approached a smirk gracing her features with his comments. " It is a pleasure to see you as well Mr. Astor" Yes Nina knew all about his rise in the family. Being the head of the Astor's was something of gossip around inner circles. So showing respect and giving where it was do was a given. Having met and done business with them in the past, Nina was all to antiquated with how they ran things. Drey knew the Astor's and how they worked so it wouldn't be a shock really of why she was coming to them now. Hearing the comment on her wardrobe a soft laugh escaped as well. " Trust me it is safer for both of us if I leave it on." Although he did have a point so she would remove her sunglasses to allow herself to look a little more at ease. It would do no good to stand out like a sore thumb when she truly wanted no needed to have help. Closing her book her arm would direct him to the seat across from her to allow him to sit. Blending in as much as she could would be very good at this time.

After pausing a moment to see if he would take the seat or not , listening to his own words on the matter. Yes nothing was ever done for free , at least not in the circles they ran in. Getting something for free was a rarity so Nina knew it wouldn't come cheap at least in what she wanted from them or more so what she wanted from him. " no of course not, I knew coming to you I would be in debut to you , or least a favor for a favor. Now what I need is more tricky , I need you to hide me for some time , or at least make it seem like my present isn't known to certain circles. Until I can get settled enough to handle the situation at hand. Is that something in your power to do." If anything he had probably heard things about her going rogue in a sense , but none of that mattered now, if he wanted to know he would ask which she had a feeling he wouldn't have a problem doing. So her eyes would to look to his to wait and see what exactly he would need from her in this trade.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

Business meetings could be a real bore, even for someone as meticulously involved with his familal matters as Jayne. With all his new responsibilities, he had to find a careful balance between being the leader of all the Astors and a brother to his three sisters. Their father's passing had affected them each in a different way, and while he knew Daphne wasn't mourning Malcolm at all – she helped orchestrate it with him, naturally – Neely and Karson were both dealing in their own way. Then, there was his own mother to worry about, and even though his father hadn't been the most pleasant man, the greatest father, or the most dutiful, loving husband, she had still loved him intensely. This had always been a curious thing to Jayne, because when he was younger, he used to idolize his father until he got a better glimpse of the man he was – until he sent his precious Daphne away to be poked and prodded like some wrong experiment or disgrace on their family. His father had never seen in her what Jayne had, and never loved her the way Jayne did, and that was the moment he had realized their differences. Jayne became determined to be a better man than his father – to care for his sisters, to eventually become a wonderful husband and father, and to run the family with an iron fist, but a fair one. It was all about the balance.

Being contacted by Nina had been a surprise to him, but in the interest of maintaining the balance, Jayne had agreed to hold an audience with her at a location of her choosing. Even though war times were approaching, there was still plenty to time for him and his family to collect allies and strengthen their already vast reach in the supernatural world. While Nina wasn't as old as some of his other associates, the amount of skill and infamy she had collected in her years had caught his interest, along with the fact that she had been trained by and was handled by the elusive 'Drey' Averin, an ally that he had always considered dear even though personally, they had never been too close in touch. There was, of course, a curiosity that Jayne held as he went to the library for their meeting concerning the relationship between Nina and Drey... if it was strained somehow, he might have to choose a loyalty and a side, and it would be a difficult decision to make. Assassins were good friends to have, but friends with better connections? The faerie was torn, but knew that he could at least give her the courtesy of his audience.

It didn't take them long to find one another and sit at a table, and Jayne made a teasing little comment about her attire – if she was truly on the run as she was rumored to be, perhaps a little more subtlety might have suited her. Quick with her reply, the insinuation that she was armed to the teeth made Jayne laugh. Some people might have been afraid to sit across from someone with so much skill and so much metal likely hidden underneath a black coat, but not him. No, part of leading was being fearless, and he was useful enough to her that she'd come out of hiding. So, quickly they got to their terms and business, as neither would want to waste the others' time. ”At least you understood what you were getting into before you walked in the door. Some of the other business associates I've met with aren't as... understanding of my demands.” Yes, his demands were high sometimes, btu always fair and always worth it if what the other party wanted was so important. ”A favor for a favor would be more along the lines of what I had considered.” Jayne absorbed the rest of her statement, and nodded, as if he understood. His family was vast, and there were plenty of places they had either under their control or under ally control where she could be safe. All it would take is him calling in a favor, or using one already owed to him. ”I do have... territories within my power where you could stay, either on your own or with allies that I trust enough to keep you secure. However, I would not want to spark the ire of your lovely handler. I'm certain you understand. This would have to be a relationship where there are no ties that would lead your hidden status back to me or my family.” Jayne spoke firmly, and looked her directly in the eyes as he did so.

”If those terms are acceptable, I do have an idea of how we could make a trade...”

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[NINA ZHAO QIAN]

Jayne Astor so many things could be said about this man , he was like his father in so many ways but better in other ways as well. While she had not worked directly with them , she had worked close enough with them to know at least enough to get by. This would be the first time she actually would talk to Jayne so close and personal which was something she never would think that would happen but yet here they are. Then again , she didn't think her life would turn out this way at all so it seems like it was all for throwing curve balls as of late. Her fingers would idle tap against the table making sure she still took in everything going on around her. She knew that he was a busy man after all taking over the head of a family was probably nothing short of stressful. Which is why she hoped that they could be quick and effect about this as possible. She knew what she wanted from Jayne all she could do was hoped that he would understand her wishes and actually be able to help her.

It could only get dicey if Drey was thrown into the mix, her handler the one person at the moment Nina was hiding from. How the hell would she ever explain that one if asked , im hiding from my handler because I think she wants to kill me. Yeah that wouldn't do good into normal appropriate conversation, so she would just need to side table that for a later time. While she wanted to trust in Drey that she wasn't the one sending out the people trying to kill her. Nothing could be known for sure until she as able to get straight answers , and those were not helping with people always trying to kill her. So finding time to be able to gather her thoughts and actually plan out her next move was needed which Jayne hopefuly would be able to help her with. This was the one bitch about being a trained killer , there was always people trying to be a better killer then you. Or think that they have the better skills , it was a tricky business Nina was confident in her skills of course. It was just becoming an annoyance having to check over her shoulder more. Her clients in her other job were starting to get curious as well, why was she always leaving in a quick pace. Her meetings being cut short or needing to be changed all around it was becoming shit so it needed to stop.

Her eyes would look to his hearing what he was saying and just nodded, oh she wasn't navie as to walk in her thinking something else. It would do neither of them any good if she walked into the place like that. Ah there it was mention of Drey well it was bound to happen. It made sense why he wouldn't his ties to be lead back to Drey. She was a force of her own, so Nina would make sure he stayed out of that line of fire. “ Of course, my handler isn't someone anyone would want to cross , so yes we can keep it off the grid so to speak. I am fine with going completely dark with this and by myself all I need is hiding then you can wipe your hands clean of this so to speak. So yes I accept those terms that you put forth.” She understood better then most the temper and power Drey could have so she wouldn't want anyone to be on her bad side. So with a small nod of her head and letting out a slow breathe her eyes would look back into his and wait for the next step to be made.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

The faerie had enough experience with people to be able to read them to a certain extent. Of course, even with practice, his abilities hadn't quite reached the level of perfection that he hoped to one day achieve, but he was adept enough to figure out the woman sitting across the table from him. For the most part, at least. Nina seemed... nervous. There was certainly reasons for that, Jayne knew, because she was on the run. Nobody liked feeling like they were being hunted, he was fairly certain, even though he could honestly say that he'd never been in that position. Sure, there were hunters that would love to infiltrate his inner sanctum and bring all of them down, but he wasn't afraid of hunters. Some people cautioned him and told him that he needed to be more careful, more afraid, but Jayne didn't like to deal with fear. Fear was an awful emotion – it didn't taste good, and it certainly didn't feel good, so he liked to avoid it whenever possible. His way of dealing with things tended to be through more logical outlets and a cool head. Jayne wasn't quick to anger, didn't fear easily, and knew that he was usually the most intelligent person in the room. Which was why he chose to deal with Nina in a more relaxed fashion, rather than give her more reason to be nervous in his company.

”I will confess that it's not fear that makes me wary of 'crossing' your handler. Especially with the war starting as soon as is being predicted, someone in my position needs as many allies as he can get. Losing her or her connections would be... very bad for business, and useful as you could be, you're not worth the trouble of angering her.” Jayne was relaxed, but still blunt. It was business, and Nina was smart enough to respect that. Certainly, she would know that he was in no position to feel obligated to protect her – they could help out each other, and it was going to be a very fair trade. Jayne had explained his ability to offer her protection through the watchful eyes of other allies and places he owned, and she seemed to be amenable to this, which made him smile in a tight-lipped fashion. ”Good. After our meeting is finished, I'll ensure that people associated with me contact you directly and lead you to the haven I have alluded to – you'll be safe there, until you feel like it is the right timing for you to become part of the rest of the world again.”

Then, it was on to the next order of business. Jayne retrieved a file from his briefcase and slid it subtly across the table. Inside were some documents that were very secret and very precious, as they held information that was related to a rather sensitive subject in his family. Something that Jayne needed... taken care of, so to speak. ”The documents inside will speak to our 'trade.' As I'm certain you're aware, my father Malcolm recently passed away. There are a number of highly-paid individuals as well as local police officers that are looking into the cause of his untimely death. Some of them are even being paid out of my pocket, but others... the Council is using more secretive means of investigating, and I'm being kept out of the loop.” The reason this was so unsettling to Jayne was because he and Daphne had planned their father's murder, and his sister had been the one to carry it out. While Jayne was almost positive that he'd covered all his bases, he had to be sure they were still safe. ”I need you to use your skills to unearth whatever the 'others' are investigating, along with any information that they've dug up. You will speak only to me about what you find, and bring any copied documents directly into my hands. No messengers, nobody else is to be trusted, am I clear?” The faerie was direct, but he was thorough, and he hoped that he had chosen the right woman for the job. Especially if she wanted his help.

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[NINA ZHAO QIAN]

Ah the war the stupid war that had both sides gathering their forces, what the hell was this going to prove. Good and evil would always be there, so why the hell did they think that this fight was going to solve anything. Oh well that wasn't her problem she only did her job and that was to kill targets that were asked of her to take out. At least that was what she was doing until the whole mess happened. Hearing thoughts of the war brought her to thinking about what would she do if the war came to her doorstep. Nina didn't really care about it one way or another , so for now she would just lurk in the shadows. Well regardless that was what she would need to do at least until she got everything else sorted out. God her life had never been this fucked up before, this was all that it seemed to be doing now. At least when she as talking with Jayne the thought of actually getting her life back seemed stronger. What would happen though after the chips fall, after she confronts Drey. The woman who trained her , made her the woman who she was. Snow the killer she was silent and was never caught. So now she needed to make sure that she didn't fuck this up, she didn't want to mess this up. Her eyes would glance back around the room. Silence seemed to have followed them now, it moments where you could hear the heart beat in your chest and it sounds like a thousand drums. It was times like these that Nina loved.

Yet at the moment all she could do was hate the silence that seemed to be surrounding them, it was like what happened before a crash. Like waves waiting to hit against the rocks. The silence would end yes like all things do , what mattered now was how they were going to continue to move forward. " Well rest assured I know better then to mess with anyone my handler has deemed as a friend or associate. I wouldn't be alive this long if I did. What she does with her power and connections is her business. I just take care of the people she seems no longer necessary to live on this world." Her words were loud enough for Jayne to hear. They wouldn't be loud enough to cause others to look over. Though no one else was really around so even if she was louder , no eyebrows would be raised. Her head would nod at that happy to hear that things seemed to be working out. A undisclosed location , where she could gather her thoughts and then plan her next move. So many things needed to be thought of, places to consider going. Nina knew that sooner or later Drey would hear about her as much as she wished whispers never happened she couldn't stop them all. For now though Nina would take the help offered to her.

Gathering the papers from the file she was given, her fingers would thumb though the papers. Her eyes taking in every bit of information that she could gather from the reading of it. Soft words of Chinese would escape her lips as she read though it all. While she knew the Astor's had power. This was something that she never could have expected. While hearing over Malcolm's death was talked about in circles. Seeing it all written out was still something hard to believe. Eyebrow raising at Jayne being kept out of the loop of a situation that should involve him. Why he was kept out was not her place to ask or question it. Closing the file sliding to the corner of the table her finger would gently rest on her folded arms as she looked at him. " Of course you will be the only one who sees anything that passes my eyes. You made yourself perfectly clear Mr. Astor. I just have one question are you willing to allow me to go as far as I need to , to get the information you want gathered. " Nina would do whatever is asked of her though,she knew better then to break the trust of anyone who was helping her, in her profession secrets could get you killed.

[JAYNE LANCEL ASTOR]

Even though it was a business meeting, and Jayne had certain expectations, the faerie was careful not to make too many demands or be overbearing and end up alienating someone that could end up being useful. After his father's passing, Jayne had considered many of Malcolm's behaviors – personal and professional – and did his best to set himself apart from the man who had spawned him. Ever since he was a boy, Jayne had been groomed to lead the family, but he had been influenced by factors that went down a separate path than his father's teachings. See, Malcolm had always wanted Jayne to keep that icy facade that he had perfected firmly in place, 'never let the others see a single modicum of weakness,' and ensure that he maintain a certain, professional sense of decorum at all times. No exceptions. Jayne knew that he was following in rather large footsteps, that his father's presence in the family had been both respected and feared, sometimes hated, but at least tolerated by the majority of the other Astors, which was more than previous familial leaders could boast. Malcolm had ruled with an iron fist, and Jayne's relatives were difficult and cutthroat in their own way, but still he wanted to distinguish himself from his father. The fact that his father had lost faith in him – or so it seemed – and decided to hang onto his claim to the head position within the family hadn't settled right with his eldest child, and so that was why Jayne had decided to take matters into his own hands and ensure that his father saw an early retirement and got some permanent rest.

The action might have been cruel, but Jayne still put his family first, and even though he had a milder sort of love for the man, he knew that his regime would be what the family needed during times of duress and turmoil, and with the war so close to starting. The Astors had made their position known – they were a solitary entity that others could seek out for allegiance personally, but would not pledge to any one group or cause without a very good reason. Jayne wanted the others to 'woo' his family, in a sense, because they deserved it. They were a powerful ally to have, due to nearly unlimited resources and plenty of other connections within the city, but this time, he was the one doing the seeking. Even though it was a symbiotic kind of business, Jayne did need Nina to follow through and ensure that he wouldn't have a scandal looming over his head before the bells of war started to chime.

Even though it wasn't necessarily the smartest maneuver to be harboring someone who could become an enemy of a friend, Jayne was willing to take the risk, as was sometimes completely necessary. ”Your reputation precedes you, Ms. Qian. I would not make the mistake of seeking out anyone other than the best, even if you are currently... not on the best terms with your lovely handler.” Her skill was what he was after, not her political standing or her position as a 'wanted' woman by Drey Averin and her powerful family. ”Prove yourself to be an ally for me, and I will ensure that you work regardless of how things turn out with Ms. Averin, and you can ask anyone who knows me about my sincerity there. Anyone who really knows me will tell you that I am a man of my word.”

After discussing what he needed from the assassin and her accepting his offer to hide her for as long as she needed, Jayne gave her a rare smirk. The icy facade slipped, only a little, because he was pleased. ”I knew I made the right decision. As to your question... I assume you're speaking of killing anyone who might get in the way and other illegal activities, aren't you?” The Astors could be cold, absolutely ruthless creatures, and Jayne – despite the fact that he was mostly a gentleman – would do anything to protect his family and himself. ”By whatever means necessary, Ms. Qian, you are to get me that information. I cannot make it any more clear than that.” Harsh, perhaps, and he knew that there would likely be a few of his own kind that fell before the documents he needed reached his hands, but Malcolm had taught him all about the 'necessary evil,' and Jayne was his father's son in a few ways.

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