Brownstone -- Basement Apt.

The basement of the brownstone has been split into two sections. The stairwell leads down into the northwest corner section, which contains the boiler room, furnace, and the elevator shaft. The rest has been converted into another apartment, and Signe's made it into a rather fortified one at that. The only entrance is through a re-enforced steel door with no less than three dead-bolts. There are absolutely no windows at all in any of the four concrete and brick walls. It's a rather stark but functional space. Overhead, the air ducts and plumbing pipes are exposed, while the cement floor is covered by a ragged dark wine and gold Oriental throw rug. A makeshift shelving unit of two-by-fours and cinder block has been erected along the length of the wall with the door, and it houses a stereo, tv and old vcr. Directly opposite this is a beat-up leather couch and two mismatched recliners. The kitchen is small but functional, with a round wooden table and four chairs. Half of the back end of the building has been walled off for a private bedroom, while the rest is open to the living area. This space has been converted into a home gym--complete with wrestling mats, weights, and a full weight boxing bag.

Contents:
Signe
Black Harley

Obvious exits:
Out Bedroom

Signe's in the kitchen, apparently putting away food and cleaning up. Hearing the galliard approach, she says, "Come on in. Do me a favor and lock the door behind you though."

Natalie's eyebrows go up, but she turns back and throws all three of the bolts. "I like what you've done with the bunker. Very... concrete-y." She begins a slow amble around the place, hands tucked behind her back.

Signe flashes a brief, faintly amused smile. "Yeah. Well. Comes in handy," is all she says, offering a faint shrug. "You want something to drink?" The Get grabs a bottle of chilled water from the fridge for herself.

Natalie's studying the gym, her back to the kitchen. "Huh? Oh, water's fine. Thanks." She drops the boxing bag an approving nod before continuing her orbit. "I'm kinda surprised there's no windows. The housing inspector hasn't been by, huh? This place is kinda... not code."

Signe grabs a second bottle, bringing it over to Natalie as she comes out of the kitchen. "Well, there are ways around inspectors. Besides, this was never meant to be an apartment. Just storage, and the boiler room and all. We converted it. Underground. No chance of crinosed cubs breaking through walls. No windows for people to see, either. It's... useful. Not the Dominion, but I like it." she offers the bottle.

Natalie offers over a grin as she takes it. "Oh, I'm not gonna go running off to report you. Anyway," she gestures at the space with the bottle, "I've done conversions like this before. Only they have to pass city inspection, so you have to do egress windows and all that crap. I think I'd go batshit if I couldn't see outside, but I'm not the one living here, huh?"

Signe agrees with a small nod. "Well, if I need to see, I can always leave. I often do. But then, I suppose you were talking about the cubs I lock up in here." she just grins, twisting the cap off her bottle.

"Then again... Joshua did have windows, and look what happened to him," quoth the Galliard dryly. "But he's not why I stopped by. I wanted to see if you had any plans for tonight. I hope you're not planning on me being the backup with the boomstick."

Signe shakes her head, sitting on the weight bench and looking vaguely frustrated. "To be honest, I still don't know exactly what we're going to do. I haven't heard yet from Salem or the fucking Shadow Lord. All I know is, Salem's the bait, and we're the steel that kills the mouse. As long as the Lord doesn't betray us, everything should be just peachy." She shows in her grin that she's not sure it will.

Natalie says, "Pah," as she flops into one of the recliners. "I was hoping you knew a bit more than that. Salem didn't tell me anything yesterday - he went off for a nap and must've fallen into a black hole." She grins and tosses back a slug of water. "Which is kinda what I was hoping, but planning, dammit."

Signe tips the bottle back to drink more. Then, she shakes her head. "He's supposed to meet up with us today and go over everything. I trust him, if not Konstantin."

Natalie stretches her legs out, balancing one heel on the toe of the other foot. "That's what I get... people trust Salem. Which, you know, is kinda required for a Fostern, but still. ...Huh. If, if he hadn't ended up leaving, who d'you think would've been Alpha of the pack, anyway? I could never decide if it was gonna be you or him."

Signe blinks, looking surprised. "This pack?" she asks, grinning a little. "this pack wouldn't exist if Salem wasn't leaving. which, in a way, is one reason I'm glad he is. He and I were set to make a very different sort of pack. One that included a couple of Shadow Lords, actually. And yeah, he was going to be alpha. He fought me for it. But truth told, I didn't fight hard. Only because I'm smart enough to know I'd make a shitty alpha of that kind of pack. It wouldn't have worked unless he balanced me against the Lords and kept order." She shrugs. "But he's leaving. And I've got my own pack now."

"Cutter and... Jean, right?" Nat responds promptly, proving that yes, she can pay attention. "Eh, I was just... damn." She tosses back a mouthful of water as sacrifice to the gods of melancholy. "...Did you know he used to pack under Wolverine?"

Signe touches her nose as the galliard gets the two names right. The rest of what she says makes the Get more than a little curious, though, eyebrows raised. "Jack did? When the fuck was that?"

A baffled Galliard can only shrug. "Heck if I know. That's just what he said. That's when Jer knocked his tower over, I think - or else Tony's pipe exploded - and things got kinda hairy. Then before they'd settled down again he made with the fleeing."

It's Signe's turn to be completely baffled. She stares at Natalie from her perch on the weight bench as if she'd begun speaking in Tongues. "Huh?"

The door to the bedroom opens up, and a freshly showered and dressed Emma has come out. A familiar outfit is worn; Jeans and ensemble by Dedicatione'. "Who ya talking to Signe?" is offered as she steps out and sees just who it is. "Oh heya Nat."

"The boys were making a mess," Nat clarifies - or tries to. "Salem and I were down in the kitchen talking. Then there was a boom, which was either Jer kicking over his computer or... hey, Emma. I didn't realize you were here too. We wake you up?"

Signe tries to follow Natalie's explanation, Emma the distraction helping her fail again. This time she doesn't seem to mind. "Heya Em. Just Natalie."

Emma smiles, "I see that, and nah, wasn't sleeping. Just washing up, getting ready for a night on the town." Which of course, in her case means kicking ass hopefully.

Natalie makes a show of checking her watch. "Uh-huh. Anyway, where was I? ...The boys, right. So either Jeremy kicked over his computer or else Tony made one of the pipes explode. Then a couple of minutes later the other one happened. Then Quentin showed up, and by the time everything settled down again Salem decided it was time for Philodox naptime and scooted. And I haven't seen him since."

Signe frowsn at this. "When was that, exactly?" Apparently she thinks it important to know how long he's been missing.

Emma is also trying to follow the conversation, "Wait a minute, we lost our bait? Oh that makes me feel so much better about the whole thing."

Natalie says, "Cripes, I dunno. Before lunch. He went off to take a nap." She frowns at Emma, then repeats more clearly, "He went off to take a nap. Since, you know, he looks like death warmed over on a good day. Anyway, he hasn't been around the Dominion much in the last couple of weeks. I'm not worried about him."

Signe relaxes, but only slightly. "Well. I trust him to be here later today, when he's supposed to." Getting off the bench, she says, "My turn for a shower. Be back in a bit."

Emma gives a nod to Signe, "If you all say so. That guy has always given me the creeps. Creepy." She shrugs and shakes a hand through her hair. "Hey Nat, can I ask ya a rather personal question? You can tell me to go suck an egg if ya want, am just curious."

Natalie bristles faintly at these cast aspersions, but gives Emma a jerky nod. "Sure. I'm nosy enough, might as well turn the tables. Shoot."

Emma comes into the living room and takes Signe's place on the weight bench, sitting idly. "What's going on with Josh? It's not like I can trust a straight answer outta his mouth, and just the other night, I was somehow pulled into a challenge between him and Karl. Which I denied, because it was bullshit.. but... I am so damn confused."

"...the Hell?" Delaying tactics in the form of water chugging give Nat a minute or two to collect her thoughts. "I have no idea what's going on with the headcase. Frankly, I'm not even sure where things stand with him and this Tribe since Megan decided to stick her fingers in my pie. Or maybe it should be Leala's pie, since deciding what the hell to do with him is supposed to be her Challenge."

Emma laughs. "I know he's a headcase, but uh, don't ya think all this pushing and shit might uhm, lead down a dangerous path? What happens to a Garou with no place to go? Where does he turn?" She frowns a bit. "Yah he's got issues. But geezus, not like he had much of a chance ya know?"

Natalie says, "He has places to turn," in a nice calm voice. Even, one could say, even. Only a hint of dangerous layered beneath. "If you're agitating for him, Emma, talk to Leala."

Emma shakes her head, "I know some of this is his fault, shit, a lot of it is. I just. I dunno, whether or not I get along with him, I don't want to see him start dancing the Spiral. An' I think he is looking like a prime target for that now. Anyway, what is it about him that the Walkers don't want? Besides being irritable and thick headed?"

Natalie sighs and sticks her water bottle between her knees, the better for ticking things off on your fingers, my dear. "One. He hates the city. You'll have to agree that a Walker not liking the city is rather like a Talon thinking humans are useful. Two. He can't take orders for crap. Three. He doesn't see the point of tribe - thinks it's just as useful for one person to wander around doing things, thanks. Four. ...No, four is all me. So." She bares her teeth at the younger girl in a not-quite-a-smile and takes another drink of water.

Emma nods, shrugging her shoulders up. "Ok, so yah I guess Walkers ain't for him. Shit though, why bother Riting him if he was just getting the boot? Bah nevermind. I don't think they were expecting him to make it, but he tries. I mean, in his own way and with his own decisions, but he tries."

Nat sighs. "Hindsight is twenty-twenty. However, you just said it himself. He acts like a lone wolf already. I don't want him - I don't see a need for him to be pushed Ronin, but I don't think the Walkers are the place for him."

Emma nods. "Ya ever feel bad for someone you didn't get along with?," is then asked of the Walker. The Get's face is drawn and serious, as if she had come to a terribly difficul decision.

"Depends on what you mean by 'feel bad for," Nat replies. "Pity? Sympathy? Faint relief of 'there but for the grace of God'?"

Emma shrugs her shoulders, "Like feel bad. Like when ya see a homeless person getting beat up, kinda bad." She reaches down to pick up one of the barbells, lifting it into a few curls. "I wish he'd just ... take a club to the head and snap out of this."

Natalie's quiet for a moment or two, watching. "If he believed in tribe - really believed in it, like you believe that bench is going to continue to hold your weight - he wouldn't be in this mess. I have no idea what the hell went wrong with Josh. I've heard bits and pieces of his cub, but..." She shrugs, settles back into her chair. "I think he got screwed over in a lot of little ways, but I don't think there was one thing you could point to and say, "This is where he went crazy." You take another cub, run him through what Josh did as a cub, you'd probably end up with something completely different."

Emma nods. "Yah I know. I mean, I got my issues too, not saying I am like cream of the crop or nothing. Just, he is overwhelming, and getting worse."

Natalie sighs, her lips flapping like a horse's, and eyes the ceiling wearily. "Hell. I was planning on going to talk to him this weekend. Maybe I should talk Leala along. Maybe Leala should do it alone. Dammit."

Emma grins, "I'm not like, bugging out on you with this. I just wanted to know what the real reasons were, because like I said Josh spins words. You could tell him, the sky is blue, and he would twist into how unfair it was we didn't say the sky would look prettier as red."

Natalie says, "True." She swivels her attention back to the Get. "You know, the first time I met him, couple of days after I got into town, this must've been. Anyway, first time I met him I wanted to pop him in the face. I only held back because yeah, he was a cub and it would've been rude."

Emma laughs. "He is a hard ass, that always gets his ass beat. Bad combo. But, I prefer it that way, than the other. Him being a hard ass, that could beat me up." She grins.

Natalie ticks off another finger, "Five, he doesn't learn. But you now, you just wanna be Alpha." Though she's smiling, there's just enough teeth and edge in her words for them to be dismissed as pure teasing.

Emma groans, "I do not! I hate making decisions when it's my job to make them. I just like complaining about them when I don't make 'em. Beta would be cool." She chuckles and switches arms, "Though ya know, Ashley said that we don't have to have an omega. Just be a pack. Maybe that'll work out. But I'm the newest one of the group, so I suppose I'll get my fair share of being messed with."

Natalie subsides when her little challenge isn't met. "It'll be interesting to see what happens tonight. Speaking of..." She stands, stretching. "I think I may pull a Salem and grab a nap. I'm most definitely not going to down and jog Tony's elbow." Spoken like a true supervisor. Maybe saying it will help it be true. "Catch you tonight, a'right?"

Emma nods, "See ya later Nat." She smiles and sets the weights down, laying back to stare at the ceiling.

[End of log]