The Chambers Chronicles III.I

[Lara Chambers]

#ooc sorry for the lateness. Surgery kicked my ass well enough. And thanks to my opponent for agreeing to a 1rp limit. Xox

The Chambers Chronicles
By Lara Chambers

D E V I L S  C A L L I N G
New York City, New York

Failure ain't anything to be ashamed of, right? That was what she told everyone around her. That was her usual response when one of her friends came down unsuccessful. Easy advice. After rain, there was sunshine. Without failing, we wouldn't appreciate the good things in life. Blah. Blah. Blah. That was all she could tell herself. Strong people were more often the hardest on themselves. It was more than an empty phrase. Every little mistake she made in her life got analysed -- not only by journalists, opponents and critics. No. By herself.

Ten seconds. T - E - N fucking seconds.

Was this the point where Lara Chambers started to make excuses? Telling the world how she was betrayed? How it was hard to understand that, as former champion, she wasn't the number one contender? Nah. Easy as that. Despite all the stories told, it was hard to anger her. Aggression and Anger were not necessarily the same thing. Did she want to slap the smug smile off of Spiral's face? Sure. Would she have loved to remain Queen of the Cage for longer? Sure. But every what if just proved a point she had been denying to herself.

Lie Lara. Lie to yourself.

And she did. It was one thing to lead on your friends, giving them the smile they wanted to see, being their strength in hard times. But, it was way too hard to keep the faꞔade up to yourself. Fact was, she was tired. Would she complain or slow down? Of course not. This was not a job, this was a pitiful attempt to survive. The pressure weighed heavily on her small back. But, she was still standing. Why? That was the million dollar question.

Pride. Or maybe: Idiocy.

Spiral. That scary dude that made a hobby out of destroying people in a rather colourful way -- props for that. He took her lightly, of course. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And SHIT, he did. But what Mister Skeletor didn't expect was an opponent that wouldn't stay down. None of the insults presented heading into this fight made a difference. Truth to be told, she'd heard worse. Words are just that: words, something Spiral learned the hard way. He won the battle, and she respected his abilities more than she probably would ever tell him. But the truth was, there was a mistake in his plan, so minimal that a great mind like him could easily overlook it.

He didn't finish what he started.

Respect and admiration are for honorable people, but that wasn't either of them. No matter the outcome, Lara Chambers wasn't going down without a fight, no matter when, what or who. Really? The feeling in her gut spoke a total different language when she received the news of her next opponent. ETHAN THOMPSON.

Get your shit together, it is just a match.

Nope. It wasn't just a match. How could it be? No matter how unprofessional it was, she couldn't just look at it as a match. After everything they had been through together, it was odd. Not impossible, but highly uncomfortable. Leaving aside their current situation, he was her business, her friend. Part of that inner circle that was protected by her self-built high walls.

What happened to the days when fighting was just that: fighting? When you didn't have to give a shit about other people and their problems, walking through them as if there was no tomorrow. Life was easier then. Naturally, it was more lonely, but that was a price you had to pay. But that was then. When she tried to remember those times, it was like a thick cloud covered the view, and all she could do was catch a glimpse here and there. It was as if she were watching a movie, just as a viewer.

Lara had always been a fighter. What else could she have been? Looking back at the life she had been living, she wanted to tell Ethan it was nothing personal. That none of this really mattered. They had bigger fish to fry. But nothing was ever as easy as you hoped. You get dealt some cards and play them. At points, it was all a matter of who had the better nerves. Who could bluff, or even cheat. The cage was unforgiving and held zero space for emotional dilemmas.

Sorry Ethan, I win. You lose. 

Empty vessels make the loudest sound. ~ Plato

M Y  T E M P O R A R Y  F I X
New York City; New York

Nothing was better than pushing yourself to the limit. Not only when it came to working out, but more in general life. She had always been the extreme type, all or nothing. There was no time for half-assing stuff. It was a dangerous lifestyle, but it was all she ever knew. It affected her in every aspect and situation. Love. Life. Work. Ultimately, it made her the rightful Lady of Chambers.

She had been running the same route ever since returning to New York. She knew probably every tree and  bush around the area, the small cafè at the corner, the newspaper stand at the entrance,  and even the small little duck pond well hidden behind a huge red oak. Like every other time, she started slow, feeling a certain warmth grow in her body, from head to toe. The music coming from her headphones was fitting for the pace. When the tunes changed, her speed did too. Around thirty minutes later, her forehead was covered in sweat and her hair stuck to it. That was the usual moment when her lungs began to burn, forcing her to push harder. Getting past that point was a real bitch, but this time, it never happened.

The Fuck?!

Right at the end of her path appeared a person she knew. Not too well, but she would have noticed that suit anywhere, combined with the sleazy grin and the semi slick hair: Danilo Myovic. Inside her head, she was going through options, but escaping was impossible. Her heart sunk, but she wouldn't allow him to pick up on it -- one of her qualities had always been putting on a tremendous act.

Showtime.

She kept up her normal pace 'till she'd reached him. Like every other time, his eyes would wander over her body. It made her feel dirty, but now was not the time to be offended. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, his usual gorillas probably were somewhere close. She put on her best fake smile, before she came to stand in front of him.

"What a surprise... ."

"I thought it was about time to pay you a visit. Damn shame about your loss kotik." His expression was as false as her tits. "I would have had my money on you. But there is always a next time."

You can't kill him. No. Nein. Het. No matter in what language, the outcome was always the same. Lara was a lot of things, but not an idiot. So instead of throwing acid in his face just then, she kept smiling.

"Of course. And thank you for having faith in me." You impotent piece of shit. "I assume you didn't come here to check on me though."

"Is that so absurd?" His voice was emotionless. "But then again, we don't have time for that. Maybe we can walk a little, discuss some stuff."

He offered his arm, pulling the whole gentleman act. Lara was looking at him with those big blue eyes, hesitant.

"We don't wanna leave Devon waiting for too long, yes?"

The mention of her husband's name caused her to swallow hard, and she was hoping he didn't catch onto it. Wishful thinking. The worst kind of threats were those that came presented with a smile, not revealing the true nature of harm.

"If you don't mind getting all sweaty."

She said in a soft manner before linking her arm with his. They began to walk, taking a path that lead away from the comfortable benches and people. The perfect set up for being executed. Her thoughts were racing, going through every possible scenario, none of them ending well for her.

Lara Chambers, sister. Friend. And a damn idiot.

"I must be honest with you, Lara, this ain't a courtesy visit." He stopped and looked at her, an ugly smile forming on his lips. They looked somewhat sharklike.

Colour me surprised. I mean. Really.

"After everything I have done for you, I think you owe me a little something. So I come to you with... let's call it a proposal... shall we?"

proposal
/prəˈpəʊz(ə)l/
Noun
a plan or suggestion, especially a formal or written one, put forward for consideration by others.

It was hard to not laugh in his face, making it sound like she had any choice about his request. Nonetheless, she kept up the masquerade. Looking at him as if she was curious, while her guts filled with stones and poison.

"You have been handpicked, Lara. For more than just being a good fighter. You receive good money for appearing once a month, don't you?"

He didn't wait for an answer. Not that she had one.

"And now your friend Danilo expects a little payback. Nothing too huge. More like...one hand washes the other."

It was hard to tell what he would come up with. Not that she hadn't been in situations like that before. They wanted either money, services or... sex. Thinking the last made her shudder. Not only was he probably the least attractive person on her list, but also Lara was a loyal human being. No matter the circumstances.

"What can I help you with, Danilo?"

"That is why I like you Lara Chambers. Not beating around the bush." He leaned against one of the trees, finally letting go of her. "Just like you, my kitten, I have pissed off people in the past. But more important, people have pissed off me."

His expression darkened.

"So I want you to erase someone for me."

Surprise. That was the least thing she expected from him. Considering who he worked for, she couldn't be his only option. Leave alone, the best. Her mind was racing through all the possibilities. But no matter what, he would gain even more power over her. Maybe he had felt her dislike of the idea, or her façade was starting to crack.

"Of course, I could do it myself, but I think you owe me. I mean, where would you be without me, Lara Chambers?"

At home. Having my happy ever after.

"So see it as a chance to prove your worth to me. We don't want anything to go wrong down the line, right?"

Another threat. For just a split second, the thought of striking him down dimmed her senses. It would have been pure satisfaction for at least three seconds. Then she would become a dead body on the ground.

Life or Death? What's it gonna be?

"I will need a name and address."

The expression on his face changed immediately, looking like the guy that either just won a marathon or the fat kid that ate all the cake. He nodded. Probably more to himself than to her.

He won. For now.

O P H E L I A  G O N E  M A D
Vyatskoe, Yaroslavl, Russia

Be a shadow. Get in. Get out. Leave no evidence.

His instructions made her laugh. He treated her like a kid, or a rookie. Maybe it was to showcase his might, but likely, he was just an asshole. Either way, after short preparation, she left New York. Like every other time, she traveled fast and without bringing attention to herself, even though that probably was hard to believe looking at someone like Lara Chambers -- The many tattoos, the thick accent, and as always, the changing hair colour.

Now that comes handy.

She looked at herself, her long, brunette hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders. Her long sleeved shirt in a beige colour, matching her inconspicuous make up. Last, it was all combined with a pair of thin gloves. The only thing that was still Lara were her big blue eyes. At least, for another thirty seconds. She looked at the contact lenses resting on the stacking before her. Mud brown.

"I hate those things." She was mumbling to herself when placing the first one in. Like expected, everything went blurry. A few blinks later the other one was adjusted as well.

Change was completed.

She packed her remainings before stepping out. The driver had been patiently waiting and greeted her with a friendly wave. They exchanged a few words in Russian before making it towards the car. Inside her head, she thanked Nadja a thousand times for constantly pushing her to use the language. She still sounded like a foreigner, but it went rather smooth. She checked the time on her plain watch as she slid inside. After all the calculation she had done, this drive wasn't supposed to take longer than thirty minutes. It was hard to enjoy the view, knowing full well why she was here. Drifting off in her thoughts, she hardly noticed the guy talking.

"Without any offense Misses, but don't you think that long sleeve is a little too warm?"

"Please don't think I am not sweating... but I am allergic to the sun. And while it might only affect me now and then, I am not taking any chances."

"So you visiting your father you said?"

"No. My uncle. Considering I can't make it here very often, I am rather excited." She faked her best smile. "It's been forever since I had a chance."

The guy nodded. It was obvious he wanted to ask more, but her body language spoke for itself. She turned her focus once more to the view, reading the signs as best as possible. And just like expected, they had made it there in under thirty minutes. Lara didn't wait for him to open the door, handing him the money with a little extra.

"Would you like to pick me up later today? I can give you my number."

"No. Thank you. I will be picked up by someone out of the family."

She walked towards the entrance when looking up. Age with Joy. Every other time she would have giggled, but Lara was in work mode. She waited until she couldn't see the car anymore before changing course. Behind the building, she slipped out of her clothes, checking for stuff in her bag. There it was.

I will go to hell for this.

And other things. In her hand, she held a typical russian nun outfit, from head to toe. Not only was it a bitch to put on, it was highly uncomfortable. Taking out her phone, she checked herself, shaking her head. If her friends could have seen her right now, they would have died from laughter.

Checking the plan on her phone once more, today was the usual day when nuns visited that place. Reading to people. Listening. Or just sitting there, staring at empty vessels. Hiding her stuff in a safe place before stepping out of the shadows, once more she walked towards the entrance, playing with the golden rosary in her hand. The staff was treating her friendly, it was scary, and by no means anything she wanted to get used to.

"Welcome sister. We have been waiting for you." The lady behind the information desk smiled. Which only showcased her mustache even better. Don't point it out.

"My deepest apologies. There were some difficulties at the convent."

She looked over the list that was presented in front of her. Spotting the name she had been looking for -- Maxim Gorodetsky -- her heart skipped a beat, the tickle on the back of her neck becoming more urgent.

"We are so thankful for your weekly visits. The clients don't get many visitors, which is a shame. They could need the distraction... ."

Why don't you shut the fuck up?

"But my child, they are never alone. God is always with them."

She gave a soft nod to the female before taking the list, turning around. Once more, she scanned over the names and picked another, randomly. She had to keep up the façade before closing the finale curtain. When entering the first room, a disgusting smell tickled her nostrils. Reminding herself that she had smelled worse, the shudder didn't come as hard. In a wheelchair by the window sat a white haired female. She had been positioned that her view was on the park. Of course they could have brought her outside, but maybe it wasn't worth the effort.

Lara took a chair and sat down next to her, analyzing her face for several moments without the woman ever looking at her. She tried to think away the deep lines and the empty look and came to one conclusion. Once upon a time, this lady had been a beauty, full of life and exciting thoughts. But there was nothing left of this. Rotten by a disease that not all the money in the world could stop. Dementia.

"Must suck to sit here all day." She whispered while making sure no one was in sight. "Galina Morozov."

And even though her body probably couldn't move, her eyes could. She looked directly at Lara with an intensity that was new. Scary even. Yet it was impossible to look away. Without hesitation she laid her hand over the wrinkled one, rubbing it.

"But looking at your birthdate my doll, you won't be sitting here for much longer."

And while the words sounded cruel, the meaning behind it wasn't. And seeing the softened expression in Galina's eyes, she knew that. Lara's voice was comforting, thick as honey even. A last squeeze before she got up. There was no need to look back, so she just walked down the depressing hallway. Here and there, she heard awkward noises. Intuition told her it was the room at the end. Lara stood there for several moments before knocking.

Stroke patient. Hardly any verbal resources.

Remembering that, she stepped in and closed the door carefully. Maxim was sitting in front of a huge television, watching a mafia movie out of the seventies. How fitting. He moved his head slightly to the side, looking at her. He didn't look too impressed by her appearance. With a few well measured steps, she had reached him. Standing behind him, looking down at his huge head, the hair that was starting to flee him, and those broad shoulders that now hung down, looking misplaced.

"I heard you refused visits the past three weeks. So I skipped the introduction and just got in." She sat on a chair, blocking his view from the television. "I am sure you don't mind."

"Who... are... you?" It was viewable that he had problems talking.

"I have many names. But for you, I am Sister Antonia. Brightening up your day."

She let out a soft laughter.

"Although I am sure a female fulfilling other services would be more welcome."

"... fuck god...."

Lara looked at him with an amused expression on her face. That old bastard hardly had enough air to survive. Which made it that much better hearing him curse. Almost sympathetic,  her hand rested on his shoulder. Leaning down, her lips next to his ear.

"I couldn't agree more."

His eyes became wider when Lara hopped on his lap. One of her hands resting in the pocket of her gown, smiling at him.

"But this has nothing to do with god, Maxim." Lara took out an injection, including a small needle filled with a clear liquid.

With his healthy arm he tried to reach for the emergency button, but she was prepared. Kicking it aside. The panic on his face was real, but so was her smile. Once more leaning forward, having the shot ready, she spoke quietly.

"Danilo Myovic says hello."

Maxim's mouth formed quiet scream, only a few noises escaping. Right in that moment, Lara put the needle right under his tongue, injecting whatever she had filled up there. The moment he wanted to close his mouth, maybe even bite the shot, she had it removed. Getting up slowly, she fixed her clothes. She stood very still observing him, watching the colour change. From an unhealthy grey to a light red. Taking another moment before reaching the emergency button, taking a deep breath.

"They are coming to help my pet... in around fifteen seconds." She patted his head. "But you only got eight."

When the door slammed open his body had already began to cramp. Lara stood there, pretending to be all shocked.

"YOU MUST HELP HIM... I FOUND HIM LIKE THAT... ."

One of the nurses made it over to her, rubbing her back. Talking in a comforting way before leading her out. Lara had already stopped listening, but the masquerade wasn't over.

Or was it?

Her eyes were focused on the door, waiting for the emergency team to step out. And they did.l, having undeniable, defeated looks on their face. On the inside she was dancing. Excusing herself with a frown to step out.

"... at least he didn't have to suffer."

That was the last thing she heard on her way out. The custome almost made her feel dirty when she reached her bag. It was hard to tell how far she had walked before taking a breather. Maybe a mile, maybe twenty. Ripping off the wig, removing the contact lenses. Slipping out of the outfit. When back in her normal gear, she would set it on fire, watching the bundle burn.

The only thing she kept was the beads, it had a strange fascination. Wrapping it around her wrist before walking towards the bus station. Always travel with style.

"You are welcome, Danilo Myovic."

Lady of Chambers