seriallackey

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[Commission by: https://www.facebook.com/MORdoodles/]

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The Authors Of Our Own Good Luck

The volley of gunfire ceased. The squad of Blank Proxies didn't let the sudden silence on the road last, as they emerged from their hidden positions and secured the site. Fallen security men littered the street -- they didn't stand a chance. The ambush unleashed without incident, and the Proxies worked quickly to secure the top secret cargo. They had to move fast, as onlookers gathered to see the cause of the sudden commotion downtown. There was no easy way to police a scene like that. Support units locked down the streets, aiming to slow first-responders and spook curious citizens from looking into the incident too closely. The sight of the Blanks, in full uniform, their faces masked, no trace of humanity left in them; the loaded FN-P90s they were equipped with spoke fully to their deadly intent.

"All resistance neutralized. Switching to KA combat mode. Reallocating resources." The Proxy Commander spoke into her receiver, glaring vacantly down the long city streets, the flashing lights of cop cars and sirens blaring growing ever closer. "Control. Report status response."

"This is control." A warped voice spoke into the Commander's ear-piece. "Local authorities are to be considered hostile. Engage as required."

"Understood, Control." The Commander rasped, raising her hand. "All units, prepare for contact. North road. Squad formation 93-F."

The American Branch of KSG (Khoros Security Group) took an aggressive stance against threats -- bother internal and external to the Tribune. Whoever was payrolling the war against the societies, the KSG would root them out. Or so they were ordered. Kimberly Williams, an American herself, hardly recognized the new landscape of the KSG -- temporarily reassigned to the KSG's PNW North American Ops Command. Local intelligence reported that previously friendly government agencies had turned on the Tribune, the central backer of KSG. Nothing like this happened in France, or England, or even the East Coast. She'd never shot anyone before. Sybil neither -- she joined Shelby "Sybil" Zidani on reassignment, and neither of the two women could comprehend their situation. Gunfights with cops, in the center of town? Wasn't the KSG meant to operate in secret, Kim thought.

"Hey, Kimbo!" Sybil hissed, noticing Kim's vacant expression, even under her American-Issued Blank uniform -- KHOROS replaced with CHORUS -- an obvious misspelling on the original. "Wake up, I wanna make it out of here and get back to Dakota in one piece."

Kim shook off her misgivings. All that mattered were the people by her side. "R-right, Syb. Don'tcha worry, I've got yer' back." She replied, checking her weapon, and taking cover behind a concrete street barrier, sighting her weapon on the throng of citizens slowly gathering, popping their heads out of their vehicles. The mess of traffic slowed the cops considerably, but they could all see the lights, getting closer and closer.

The Blank Commander barked over a loudspeaker, built into one of the armored corporate humvees that had been disabled by Proxy gunfire. The occupants lay dead in their seats. "THIS IS A UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED OPERATION. IN ACCORD WITH THE PINKERTON ACT. PLEASE STAND BACK. APPROACH AND YOU WILL BE FIRED UPON."

It didn't slow the local police. Already, Kimberly spotted black uniforms and badges, handguns drawn. They must've interpreted the law differently, and were shouting. Commanding the Blanks to disarm. To lower their weapons. The KSG would not back down. Flares illuminated the street, streaks of orange and pink light pouring through the mass of bodies and rushing figures in black and white gear, weapons primed, ready to end this standoff in a bloodbath.  

"APPROACH AND YOU WILL BE FIRED UPON." The Commander repeated. "THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING."

They didn't listen.

Top Secret Notes

Kim and Sybil are temporarily reassigned to the PNW North American Branch of the KSG, and find themselves stuck in a violent confrontation with the local authorities after a raid! The pair are usually assigned to work with Paige Newport (CO), Dakota Stanton, and Tobi Vasquez.

This is a quick jump into the future of my 'Conspiracy of Three' (Name TBD) universe. These are alternate uniforms -- and they won't be the standard. Don't worry, Sybil and Kim will be returning to their standard life soon enough!

The KSG is funded (and controlled) by one of several world-spanning secret societies. The Tribune is a European-Based  old money organization with elements of the modern Templars and Illuminati. They're not that bright, but they're used to getting their way. When local governments resist, they send the KSG.

Blanks are a relatively new addition to the KSG. Normally, they use black / white clad standard operators in military gear. You'll be seeing a lot more of those men eventually!

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Kirby’s Guide to Enjoying October

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Have a safe and boozy Halloween! (via VinePair)

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Training Mission

Kimberly and her teammate Dakota Stanton, out on a mission with other Proxies in their full KSG uniforms. No deep story here! This was one of my first renders with Kim + Dakota, and one I recently updated, so here it is!

Top Secret Notes

Kimberly and Dakota are members of a small unit of Proxies -- each unit consists of three members, but sometimes they’ll work together in larger units of six. Each three-person Proxy team is assigned to one Echo.

Proxies are support personnel for the real combat operatives, called Echoes. Echoes do all the heavy lifting. Proxies are just here to help. They carry supplies, police hideouts for evidence, and close roads. You know, the boring stuff.

Every Khoros Proxy operative comes equipped with a smart device. The lockscreen is set to their personalized barcode designations for easy scanning.

Kim (the dumb looking one with the short hair) is a super-green new recruit. Dakota (the smart looking one with the ponytail) is a veteran, so she’s ready to show the rookies how to be helpful without ruining an operation. Dakota is a professional! She doesn’t really like combat, so she’s happy to stay on the support staff.

No longer story this time. Until later, enjoy this look into Kim’s future!

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The Goon Squad - Summer Edition

Dakota’s phone whirred, then the camera flashed, taking an especially impatient Sybil by surprise. She groaned. “Why do we have to do this? I mean, duh, I look -amazing- but klutz over here is crowding my style.”

Obliviously, Kim blurted out a reply. “Hey!” She didn’t follow-up.

Dakota re-examined her phone, selectively ignoring Sybil’s sour attitude. “We don’t want to forget this moment. It’s important to commemorate our first European assignment, don’t you think?” Dakota wasn’t going to let a little phone-related malfunction stop her selfie-related good times. “This vacation is about team-building. We’re a team now!”

“So where’s the boss?” Kimberly asked. She meant Tobi Vasquez, their Echo Specialist.

“Yeah, where’s the boss?” Sybil added, mimicking Kim’s sing-song southern accent. “If we’re such a great team, she should be here too!”

“She’s very busy right now.” Dakota corrected the two green Proxies. “Specialist Vasquez doesn’t have time to vacation. She’s working with the Captain to make sure we’re safe on our next operation.” Every word of Dakota’s explanation was the truth. She left out Tobi Vasquez’s extreme anxiety. She needed alone time. Dakota happily covered for her. Vasquez wasn’t the leadership type. Really, she was the type to list “Public Speaking” as a fear worse than death. The idea of leadership mortified her.

The trio settled just long enough for Dakota to take a picture. Or ten. She continued to snap while Sybil flippantly pretend-ignored, while Kim flashed a peace-sign, one she happily did not quite represent in personality or job description. The trio were agents of the KSG -- Khoros Security Group -- K-Sec -- Chor Gruppen -- whatever designation local governments used.

“Watch ya’ flank, flippers.” Sybil said, slipping away from Kim and Dakota, dropping into the nearest deck chair to scan Google Maps for the most expensive shoppes in La Rochelle. 

Kim hovered over Sybil curiously. “So... you guys wanna go spear fishin’?!” Kim asked, her unbuttoned white top flapping in the high winds. “I commissioned a ship captain, got the gear, y’know, the whole shebang!”

“Only thing I’m hunting are shells, Kimbo.” Dakota teased. “It sounds like fun.”

Sybil groaned. “You’re both dorks. I’m gonna get in some beach shopping ‘fore we’re shipped outta here.” Her eyes lit up with delight when she pinpointed a fashionable storefront, within walking distance -- literally, her only requirements for the day.

“You got money?! Like, dude, you gotta share.”

Sybil laughed darkly, cracking her knuckles. “Five finger discount, Williams. I have got SO much to teach you.”

Top Secret Notes

Kim, Sybil, and Dakota are a trio of KSG Proxies -- henchpersons for the nefarious, possibly world-ruling KHOROS Security Group. All Proxies work in three-person teams, and for now, Dakota, Sybil, and Kim are stuck together.

Don’t worry, they might be working for the bad guys, but they’re going to be super-best-friends.

As Proxies, they’re sent all over the globe on missions for KHOROS -- every once in awhile, they even get a day off. Here, we get a rare glimpse of Kim, Dakota and Sybil getting to enjoy a vacation from work, and this time, they’re trying to bond. One day, they’ll learn that friendship conquers all! 

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[0.2 KSG] Third Wheel Syndrome

Another old short story! This time, Kimberly Williams gets interviewed for a lame job that’s about to change her life. Being a mall cop doesn’t sound quite so lame when you’re working for an international private security firm. Actually, that still sounds totally lame -- but Kim is into it anyway.

Top Secret Notes:

Paige Newport is only a “Security Captain” by name. She’s actually goes by a totally different rank -- but, I’ll save that for later! For now, she’s the oldest on the crew, she’s a by-the-book agent that doesn’t like fraternization. But, she’ll put up with it because...

Dakota Stanton is Paige’s best agent. Dakota is always optimistic, eager to find the best traits in everyone she meets. Even if those people are as flaky and dorky as Kim.

Khoros, or KSG (Khoros Security Group) are a global-scale private military company that work for some pretty sketchy characters. There’s more to Khoros than a sinister name.

Click “Keep reading” to see the full story.

[Unedited Writing: Read at your own risk!] "You have to come with me." The white-jacketed woman demanded of her boss. With a high sweep of blonde hair, tied into a ponytail, she projected a gentle professionalism -- not nearly as intense as her boss. "If I go alone, you know I'll just say yes." Dakota Stanton begged. Paige Newport, the 'Security Captain', listened carefully. "You won't need me." She tersely replied. The dirty-brunette of the Captain, her weather-worn skin and etched features set her apart from the rest of the youngsters she supervised. You're SO cold, Paige Newport. Dakota thought privately. Due to the lack of on-site personnel, Dakota Stanton took on the unenviable position of hiring manager. She had the authority to select local talent for their "Hopkins-Weller Medical Facility" operations. Just another soon-to-be abandoned building with secrets nobody outside the Tribune needed to know -- or worse yet, unleash accidentally. More secrets to bury. The Khoros Security Group, Dakota begrudgingly admitted, had become quite good at burying secrets lately. "She's a candidate for guard duty. She won't need society security clearance. If she doesn't work out, we'll fire her. Simple." Paige Newport explained, looking up from her clipboard, assessing the situation in her calmly straightforward manner. Dakota cringed, "You know how much I hate firing new people. It SO feels like I failed them." Paige barked orders to a pair of jumpsuits haphazardly milling about the growing storage zone, a fleet of 18-wheelers lined up at the medical facility's U-shaped concrete road, still more Khoros men in grey overalls collecting equipment, loading the crates and containers into the train, swiftly emptying the building of anything truly valuable. Dakota watched too, following Paige, deftly checking forms on her tablet, tapping to mark orders fulfilled for their Secret Society stockholders -- a dozen gestation tubes, fifty gallons of metamorphic fluid, and a whole bunch of Windows Vista PC towers. We can't all be on the cutting edge, Dakota thought. Dakota and Paige knew each other well. Trusted each other. If only Paige wasn't so stubborn! And anti-social. Dakota flashed a bright grin, "How about coffee? Let's get a coffee tomorrow, before our shift starts. You know, plan our next move." "Right. The usual place. See you at sun's up." Dakota hated to trick Paige, but what other options were left? And Paige needed this! All work and no play, yadda-yadda, right?

"So, do you have any experience with security?" Dakota asked politely. Coffee served, the shoppe buzzed with quiet activity. Biscuits for everyone, the city outside still cloaked in the early-early morning dark. Men in suits or plaid or overalls, dragging their feet across the hard wood, desperate for that pick-me-up to get the day started. "it's so early..." Kim groaned, slumping her shoulders, eyes half-lidded. Not an early-to-bed, early-to-rise type, I see. Dakota Stanton took note. On the other hand, she is going to be on the night shift, so maybe this is an asset! Dakota searched for the bright side -- that was just her. Paige tweaked her brow. Not annoyed, but absolutely disappointed. She remained professionally silent for the meeting, choosing not to reply, her glare doing enough talking. "I'll take that as a 'no'." Dakota swallowed. She could feel Paige's bristling annoyance over her shoulder. She tried to avoid thoughts of the future -- a future where Paige Newport refused every single one of Dakota's future coffee offers. "Why do you want to work for Khoros? My associate, Tobi Vasquez, told me you traveled a long way for this opportunity." As if flipping a switch, Kimberly lit up. "I got prior experience." She nodded confidently, "An' Tobi said that? Ain't she sweeter than iced tea." "Prior experience?" Dakota asked, her confidence renewed. "So you've worked for them? Or... a family member, maybe?" "Somethin' like that! One day they totes knocked on my door an' asked a buncha' questions. But I didn't say nothin'." Kimberly proudly explained. Now that's a strange story, I'll have to ask about that later. Make note. Sharply, Paige interrupted the proceedings. She asked the only question that really, truly matters. "Can you start working tonight? Can you follow instructions? Yes or no." "Duh!" Kim chirped, raising her hands. "And, duh! Er. Yes!" Dakota sunk in her chair. Paige! Did you really have to upstage me like that? Dakota silently admitted, mall cop duty didn't really require the best of candidates. She grinned brightly anyway. "Well, uhm, you're hired! I'm the Hiring Manager, so I guess I'll walk you through your duties. We can get into it today. It's really very simple. There are step-strips that monitor the different patrol routes, and you'll live on the premises. A small skeleton crew of former employees and security live in the dormitory. I'll be there too, so if you have any questions-" Enthusiastically, she interrupted. "Can I start asking questions now?" She raised her hand, for extra emphasis. "Sure?" Dakota squeaked out, surprised, but happy to see this new level of enthusiasm. Though, she wasn't quite prepared for the lengths and depths of Kim's curiosity -- especially for the uniforms. To Kim's annoyance, Dakota explained that their guard uniforms were, essentially, store bought from a national manufacturer. She didn't want to explain that Khoros provided their true employees with much, much better gear. That kind of information didn't need to get leaked to civilians. Maybe Captain Paige Newport won't chew me out afterall, Dakota hoped.

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One Mission Down, About A Billion To Go

The olive-green puck-shaped device suctioned onto the metal container, emitting a furious whir, then an abrupt click. A red LED flashed to signal its new state of readiness. Dakota Stanton judged the scene, circling the rookie agents’ handiwork.

“Don’tcha worry, he ain’t hurt or nothin’.” Kim reassured, pointing at the unconscious corporate security guard. Too much of a klutz for stealth, Kim preferred a more direct approach when dealing with the competition. 

Dakota pinched the bridge of her nose, speaking with a corrective tone. “He’s demonstrably hurt, Kim. I think you mean to say, he isn’t dead?”

“’Zactly.” Sybil took the baton. “The charges are planted. Shouldn’t we be gettin’ outta here?”

“Well, actually...” Dakota cleared her throat, directing her comrades’ attention to that same unconscious security guard, laying in a heap on the floor. “We can’t just leave him here...”

Sybil groaned. “You always gotta make this so hard, don’tcha Stanton?”

Sybil complained. Always the helper, Kimberly swooped in to carry the corporate thug by his shoulders, distributing the load. He was still heavy. Note to self: weight training is a must. They would be carrying him to safety -- Dakota wouldn’t hear otherwise. Destroying stuff? Totally fine. Hurting semi-innocent bystanders? No way. So defeats the purpose of being an evil minion, but Kim accepted Dakota’s moral limitations. She was just too goody-goody.

It was kinda cool, actually.

Top Secret Notes:

Dakota, Sybil, and Kimberly, just as they’ve successfully (almost) completed a plain clothes mission to infiltrate and destroy sensitive, incriminating documents. Every once in awhile, they get sent on a simple job they can complete themselves -- with minimum supervision! 

Tobi, Paige, and the rest of the top brass are closely monitoring their progress. They’ll be graded! This mission will so score them a B+, at least!

It’s important to dress for success! When infiltrating a hard-copy data storage warehouse, it’s better to ditch the fancy KSG uniforms and dress like proper business associates.

Kim wanted to put on her manly mustache disguise, but Sybil and Dakota thought it looked too fake. She’ll need to source a more realistic mustache in the near future.

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Gacha Closet Collection #2: Sybil Variety Set

Sybil, with practiced ease, lifted the wallet from the inner front packet of the man’s black blazer. He didn’t stir from his sleep. “Too easy.”

“But you’re gonna give it back, right?” Kim asked, following Sybil onto the station platform through the sliding subway car doors. “Like, ain’t stealin’ illegal?”

“Shut up an’ I’ll split this with ya’.”

“Deal!”

Another Gacha Variety Set, this time for the one and only Sybil Zidani -- an all-Algerian jerk that’s always eager to gamble with her life. Sybil Zidani is a refreshed Marianne (Hexer, Luck of the Draw) from friend @Amarlex! She’s the best at crime, stealing, exciting chase sequences and being a cool dork.

I-Care-But-Don’t Dailywear: Designed for quick escapes. Perfect for pulling crimes and taking off-hours gigs. Plum leggings, dim sky blue tops, scarves and caps.

Putting On My Business Face: All black-and-white, all business. Campus Uniform, Secret Society Bodyguard / Concierge, and Business Dress.

Faceless Hench Uniforms (Sybil Style): Minion stuff. Blank Uniform, KSG Proxy Uniform, and Test Subject Floatsuit.

Sybil and Kim are in the same evil organization, where they’ll probably meet and totally hate each other a bunch. Or they’ll be crime-pals. Anything can happen.

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Gacha Closet Collection #1: Kim Variety Set

“What should ah’ wear today?” Kim asked. “Grey n’ black ‘n orange?”

Sybil groaned. “Ain’t those the only options? Jus’ get dressed! We got crimes n’ shit to commit.”

“Aye, aye!”

A quick collection of scraps and outfit tests for my super-lame OC, Kimberly Williams. Originally made in City of Heroes (so old...) and ported to The Secret World, she’s living life somewhere in between those two settings now. She dresses in three modes for different occasions, depending on the secret society activities she’s all about participating in.

Out-And-About Casuals: Glasses, White Button-Up, Orange Jeans, Grey Vest. Messy prepwear, for the flake on-the-go.

At Work Outfits: Monochrome goon outfits. Campus Uniform, Secret Society Bodyguard / Concierge, and Business Casual.

Faceless Hench Uniforms: For combat, saluting, and generally living the uniform #goonlyfestyle. Blank Uniform, KSG Proxy Uniform, and Test Subject Floatsuit.

I’ve got a lot of characters (friends, enemies, and frenemies) and I hope to share their adventures with all of you. Now, back to work.

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[0.0 KSG] Laundry Day

Kimberly Williams spends a lazy afternoon at the laundry / coffee shop in Georgia and thinks about her future. Journals help organize scattered thoughts, and here are some of mine.

Top Secret Notes:

Kimberly loves to keep a journal. Her preferred journaling tools are -- moleskine diary, astronaut pen (for writing upside down), sunlight, and a restless mind.

Her colors are; white, gray, black and orange. She’s basically always wearing a preppy combo of those colors. Girl could use more variety.

Kim is far-sighted. She only needs reading glasses. When she’s not feeling up to (scratchy) contacts, she’ll just be lazy and wear these things.

  Click “Keep reading” to see the full story. 

[Unedited Writing: Read at your own risk!] "Who are you?" She scribbled. Handwriting not much better than chicken-scratch. The laundry machine rumbled uncomfortably, making a poor writing seat. People like Kimberly didn't let the little inconveniences of life stall her immediate demands -- immediately, Kimberly demanded, she needed to write an entry in her journal. Something profound, and meaningful, like a sudden epiphany. The moleskine notebook sat in her lap, pen at the ready in her left palm, clutching like a crab. Any moment now, a flood of genius would pour from her pen like... a waterfall of brain synapses and big words and all that other cool stuff, Kim thought, eyeballs floating toward the ceiling as she lost herself in thought. Students buzzed about the cafe. Kim needed a laundry cycle stat -- parent's house? That's a no-go. Not after that fight with her brothers and sisters. Family squabbling cut deep in the Williams' household ever since dad's passing. Well, even before his passing. The ranch don't feel so invitin' right now. No, the company of strangers was better. The types with Hemingway coffee mugs and Shakespeare charms on the cashier. Basic literary decoration that spoke to the college freshmen in the process of re-evaluating their boring Middle School assignments. Kimberly fell into one of those categories, and browsed through a Penguin Collection of Oscar Wilde. She browsed the short stories and poetry, and read lines of Ave Imperatrix! until she skipped to the end. What really caught Kimberly's wandering attentions was a quote, attributed naturally to Wilde. "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." And so she chewed her pen, unfolded her journal, and set her mind to the real question of the evening -- perhaps the real question of her life thus far. "Who are you, Kimberly Williams." She asked herself and struggled for an answer. Introspection and Kim did not mix well. Simply being did not sit well with Kimberly. What about all the what-ifs, and what-thens, and how-abouts and how-tos and... The concept, frankly, sounded impossible. Sitting well in your shoes. Living your life without constant questions and confusions. No, that was a load. An impossible task. And yet, her sisters figured it all out. Her brothers figured it out. The aunt chose a veterinarian smock. Big brother got his engineering degree, the second-oldest won her prosecutor's badge. Kid sis on her way to college, too. Felt like the whole Williams clan knew exactly what to do with themselves, so what made life such a challenge for Kimberly? As if by providence, the laundry machine alerted its completion with the strike of a bell. She jolted in her makeshift chair, her pile of "borrowed" books flopping onto the checkerboard floor thanks in part to her shocked gesticulations. No closer to an answer. Klutz is all I'll ever be. She groused, stepping down, returning her journal to its special compartment in her leather messenger bag.

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Paige Newport - Echo Captain

Distant lightning punctuated the sharp crackle of gunfire exchanged between Paige Newport and the mystery man. The Echo Captain traversed the empty lot, scanning the windows and sight lines for secondary shooters. Nothing. Empty. She lowered the FNP90, clipping the weapon to a metal ring on her hip. She urgently contacted Proxy Leader Stanton.

“Proxy 3, what’s your situation? Over.” Paige spoke economically. The comm on the other side crackled, the swift report of gunfire buzzing of her radio speaker before Dakota could respond.

Naturally, Dakota remained cool under pressure. “Currently engaged with hostiles. Unknown markings. One of them broke through the barricade.” Dakota paused, Paige read the sheepishness in her voice. “Sorry about that, Paige.”

“Need back-up?” Paige asked, studying the still-running sedan, the fresh body of her attacker’s heart still beating despite the growing pool of blood. Both were running on fumes.

“Negative. We’re good. They’re backing off.” Dakota reported, a hint of relief in her voice. “You alright over there?”

Paige crouched near the assailant. She rolled him onto his back, and searched his stained jacket’s front-pockets, ignoring the shallow breathing. She needed intel on these shooters yesterday.

“No need to worry. Carry on, Proxy 3. Over.”

TOP SECRET NOTES:

This is Paige Newport doing what she does best. As the current XO of Echo Group 17, Paige Newport leads a small team of KHOROS operators -- 3 Echoes, and 9 Proxies.

Each Echo Operator has their own team of Proxy support staff. Proxies are interchangeable, and will be assigned / reassigned to specific Echoes, depending on the job. It isn’t as complicated as it sounds, promise.

Paige Newport is a career soldier, and takes her job very, very seriously. She believes in mutual respect, but will do anything to complete her mission. She seems cold, but she has great admiration for her comrades, and has a deep-seated desire to do what’s best for them.

Which isn’t so easy when you’re a bunch of expendable mercenaries for a global conspiracy. Paige tries her best.

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Sybil Zidani - Troublemaker

“We’ve got a runner.” The suit barked into his earpiece.

Sybil cackled. “Ya’ betcher ass ya’ do!” She taunted her pursuers, as if they could ever manage to catch up to her -- and vaulted the metal barrier of the loading dock, sprinting down the fog-crested city street, dead drop in tow.

[Here’s a picture of Sybil Zidani, an awesome character shared with me by @amarlex! She’s in her casual ensemble -- an aegean hoodie, eggplant tights. She’s another member of our KSG team that I totally love.]

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[0.1 KSG] Gainful Employment

Kimberly and Tobi meet for the first time! A render / short story combo I made last year, finally reposted and slightly edited.

Top Secret Notes:

Kimberly Williams is my oldest OC, and the one that’s changed the most. I SO love her adventures, and I want to finally share them. I hope someone else finds something to enjoy here!

Tobi Vasquez is a character made with an old friend. Please be gentle with her, she is very important to me. She’s shy, but incredibly thoughtful, strong-willed, and smart.

The KSG (KHOROS Security Group) is a PMC set in a world of conspiracy and secret societies. Kim and Tobi are both going to work for them, but their mundane adventures are just as important!

I used Daz3d PRO 4.9 to make this image. It’s one of my earlier attempts, and I’m working hard to improve. If you have any questions about my process, please jump on over to my “Ask Me Anything” page.

Click “Keep reading” to see the full story.

[Unedited Writing: Read at your own risk!] Tobi never really knew what to do with her hands. Cross 'em? No. Behind my back? That's jus' too demure. Hands on hips? Nah, that's not my style at all. I ain't the commandin' type. She thought, standing in the hallway, crates of documents lining the dreadfully boring office hallways. Soul-crushing-chic, Tobi labeled the decor. Too bland to leave any impression at all. Beige and eggshell and cream, as far as the eye could see. The mess accumulating near the elevators quietly delighted her. She liked seeing this place roughed up. Papers were piled into cardboard carriers, stacks of old file folders and manila envelopes sealed away inside crates and wheeled haphazardly to the corners of the reception area. A bunch of worthless information some big-wigs imagined might be important. So a small army of security staff rushed about, collecting everything necessary, dumping the rest, and generally creating a whirlwind of activity that delighted calm, collected Tobi Vasquez. She liked to sit on the sidelines and soak in the action. "Vasquez." The sharp voice startled Tobi. Still unsure what to do with her hands as she watched the hustle and bustle all around her, settled for planting each hand in her corduroy pockets. The commands continued. "Grab a box. No sleeping on-duty." The sharp voice belonged to Paige Newport. A hawk with a streak of dirty blonde hair. Her glare cut straight through sheepish Tobi. She wasn't about to fight her boss. "S-sorry, didn't realize I was on-duty." She squeaked out. As one of the fresh fish, she thought it best to put her best foot forward -- time to show these people what I've got! Effortlessly, Tobi Vasquez lugged a sixty pound container to the outbound cargo zone, skipping the standard elevator trip, ignoring things like hand-trucks, choosing instead to sprint the three floors up and down. The snow outside barely phased her. She had become accustomed to the upstate New York winters. They didn't affect her so much anymore -- maybe the Shive training really did harden her up. Out of all the black-clad security guards and lab coats and drab office workers, one person stood out from the rest. A taller woman, maybe just under six foot by Tobi's guess, with a shock of messy bird's nest gold blonde hair and silver-rimmed glasses. The orange jeans set her apart. If not the jeans, then her complete lack of coordination -- she tripped over herself as Tobi approached the stacks of crates, labeled "To Be Moved", the stranger spilling a crate (or two) of envelopes and printed papers all across the lobby causeway. The clumsy woman crouched to clean up the mess. Watchful Tobi, empathetic Tobi, judged the stranger’s state of mind. Flustered, nervous, confused. The whole nine yards. And Tobi wasn't the type to just watch someone in need. Want some help, torpe? That's what Tobi wanted to say. She really didn't say much of anything. She bent down, and organized the mess, and smiled gently at the clumsy woman in the orange jeans. In most situations, Tobi wasn't sure how this whole “being social” thing worked -- helping out felt right. It came naturally to her. So that’s what she did. "Thank ya' so much! Ain't I a klutz, huh?" Orange-Jeans said, her voice cracking, clutching a file folder to her chest. Is that a southern accent? Tobi didn't hear many southerners up in New York State. Usually, Tobi felt set apart, with her more languid, faded Texan drawl buried over months of East Coast practice. Tobi smiled, and said, "Y-yeah, it's no problem." "Do ya' work here?" Orange-Jeans asked. "I'm Kimberly, by the way." "Tobi." Politely. Always polite. "And, well, ya' might say that." Tobi couldn't quite explain herself. Not to this stranger. She was new to the position, to the role, to working for the Khoros Group. "I'm here lookin' for gainful employment. Got my resume an' everythin'." Kimberly hummed proudly, placing a handful of pens back into their toppled container, diligently scrambling to place papers into mismatched file folders. Quietly, Tobi hoped this weird girl wasn't about to apply for an office job. Or a secretary position. Or anything at all that required patience. As Kimberly handed off bundles of paper to Tobi, Tobi removed the improperly organized documents, carefully fixing the mess. "What kind of job are ya' looking for?"  Beaming, Kim shouted. "Security!" Relief washed over Tobi. She wanted to see this stray dog find a home. Preferably somewhere far away from her. Tobi didn't do loquacious. "Well, ain't that somethin'. My boss, well, she's practically the Security Chief around here." Tobi oh-so hated to impose on others. She didn't much like dealing with strangers in any capacity, really. "Why don't I -uhm-, I mean, if-" "You'll introduce me?!" Kim blurted, stunned and delighted. "I accept!"

[seriallackey]

Kimberly Williams - Portrait Study

[Just a portrait study of my henchsona OC, Kimberly Williams. Plus a bonus little scrabble story. In a very #OctoberMood.]

Observation Post

“You sure this place is clear?” Sybil asked. She wanted an answer. They all did. The night, and the wind, and the fog kept the trio of agents on edge.

Dakota motioned for quiet. Quickly, quietly she swept through the hallways, bedrooms, cupboards and restrooms. Nothing in sight. Not a living thing, save for a field mouse. It didn’t stick around for long.

They chose the homestead for sight lines. The fields were long dead, the top soil tapped out, just a hard dirt layer down field. Grassless. The house on the ridge offered the best position. The team connected to their communications network and made camp in the attic. It smelled like rust and wood rot. Nobody complained. For the most part, the area was dry -- and last they checked, the dead couldn’t climb. They pulled up the ladder and latched the attic hatch anyway.

Reports crackled over their communicators. Ghostly, exhausted, the KSG teams reported their delay survey of the quarantine zone. “No Unknowns spotted.” “Nothing on camera.” “Port’s clear. No Unknowns on monitor.” “Town is abandoned. No Unknowns. No civvies. No nothing.”

“We’ve been in the field for three days. Ya’ think someone shoulda’ seen something, right?” Kim said. She couldn’t hide her frustration.

Dakota clicked her communicator off. She couldn’t bring herself to say it. There were no other teams in the area. They were alone, a solo reconnaissance and observation post. Whatever ghosts lingered in the area, they liked playing tricks. Mimicking KSG transmissions? That was new, even for an experienced agent like Dakota.

[seriallackey]

COMMISSION: Kim + Tobi [By @anrylart]

My fave commissioned work of all time. Kimberly Williams and Tobi Vasquez, looking super cute and proper in a variety of outfits. Perf!

Outfits In Order From Left-to-Right:

[Kim #1] KSG Proxy Uniform

[Kim #2] Preppy Outfit w/ Orange Skinny Jeans

[Tobi #1] Casual Work Outfit w/ Utility Canvas [Jeans Styled]

[Tobi #2] KSG Echo Uniform

I love everything! <3 For more of Anryl’s art check out her Twitter and Tumblr for amazing stuff and good taste in video games.