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tagthescullion · 2 years

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Fandom(s): Percy Jackson and the Olympians Rating: T Summary: Luke's quest companion is dead. He's alone, defeated, and not too far from Los Angeles, where Thalia's estranged mother lives. Angry and hurt by Beryl's indifference towards her late daughter's fate, Luke might take justice into his own hands.

Based on this post by iamaweirdbeing!

Chapter 1: Rumors

Luke wiped his hands on his jeans, as best as he could. He doubted they’d look any better, his clothes were filthy. He tried to ignore the red stain on his shirt, but he felt hot tears form in his eyes anyway.

Derek’s death was on him, on him alone. It was Luke who had begged and insisted on going on a quest. It was Luke who had annoyed Chiron until he’d found him an errand to run. And it was Luke who had picked his companion.

The bitterness he’d felt on the week they’d been out of Camp weighed on his conscience. Luke had left Half-Blood Hill throwing a yearning look at the tree that had once been the person closest to him. How he’d wished it was Thalia next to him, not brutish Derek, son of Ares.

But not unlike Luke himself, Derek had been rather desperate for a quest, and since he was –had been– quite the proficient fighter, Luke had seen no reason why not to pick him. They’d got along well enough, even if they hadn’t been particularly close friends.

Chiron had insisted on a third companion. ‘It’s bad luck going on pairs,’ he’d counselled. ‘Three is a lucky number in our world.’

Luke hadn’t listened. The only third companion he would trust enough was Annabeth, but he’d be damned if he’d let the 10-year-old girl risk her life unnecessarily. Besides, he’d been around with Thalia for years, only the two of them, Chiron was full of shit.

Except that he hadn’t been. Luke wasn’t sure he was ready to call it luck. They’d made mistakes, both of them. Luck had little to do with anything.

He found Derek’s necklace in his pocket. Luke had three summers, going on four. Derek had only been at Camp two years.

He blinked the tears out of his eyes. He had to keep going. Being out and about was dangerous, specially since he was alone now. He’d have time to mourn Derek back at Camp.

He caught his reflection in a shop window. He looked awful, and his features made him look suspicious. Any mortal would think he was about to pickpocket them, and since that was exactly what Luke needed to do, it wouldn’t do to look the part.

His eyes focused on the red, angry scar running from his eye to his jaw. It didn’t hurt anymore, after all the ambrosia he’d eaten, but it still looked fresh. Luke wasn’t the vain type, he was aware that he was handsome, but it wasn’t something he took pride in. The scar, however, made him feel self-conscious. It made him look older and angrier, although perhaps it was only the way he felt after the whole ordeal.

He walked down the road, away from the San Francisco Bay. The neighbourhood became more residential, but eventually, Luke found a gas station.

The dirty bathroom was a safe haven. The heat didn’t scorch his neck, and washing in the little sink made him feel much, much better.

There was nothing to be done for his shirt so he changed into the extra one he’d packed –which was, admittedly, not very clean either, after having been used for a few days already–, and threw the stained cloth in the trash.

It felt therapeutic.

Once he was presentable, or as good as he’d get, he left the washroom.

His stomach groaned loudly. Luke still had a few dollars somewhere, he was sure.

He walked up the counter, trying to find some snack that cost less than $2.75, as he rummaged through his bag for extra change.

The woman at the till gave him a worried look. Luke thought for a second she’d realized he was carrying a sword, and cursed the Mist for failing him so randomly, but then he saw her eyes trace his scar. He turned his face away from her, pretending to be absorbed by a newsstand that had a bunch of magazines and papers. One actually caught Luke’s eye.

‘Beryl Grace’s new sweetheart, when will enough be enough?’ It read in big white letters over a photo of a blonde woman holding onto an older, bald man’s arm.

Luke bought a Sneakers bar and a soda, and slipped the magazine into his bag as the cashier was looking the other way.

He didn’t sit down to eat. Instead, he left the gas station and found a park not too far to rest.

The grass was cool under the shadow of a tree, and the tree’s roots made a relatively comfortable sitting spot.

Luke devoured the candy bar so fast he barely tasted it. Washed down with some Coke, his stomach felt a little bit more at ease.

He pulled out the magazine, flipping pages until he found the article on Beryl Grace.

Apparently, she’d had a string of unlikely affairs in the past couple of years: a young entrepreneur, a plastic surgeon, a rising actor… She’d been caught with this new paramour, a vintage car collector, while the actor boyfriend was off filming in Europe.

Luke scoffed. Having her heart broken by the King of the Olympus hadn’t made Beryl Grace any wiser. If anything, she seemed to be trying to best her daughter’s father in the Most Affairs in a Year category.

Thalia used to say her mother had no heart.

‘If you don’t have a heart, how can it be broken?’ She’d said once they’d been speaking about their parents.

She’d also mentioned her mother hadn’t cared when she’d left. Beryl hadn’t reported her missing child to the police, Thalia’s old babysitter had. Whatever excuse Beryl had used to put off the cops seemed to have worked, because they stopped looking after a short while.

On the run, Thalia and Luke had seen a few articles about Beryl. It was inevitable, she’d been a big face on tv, with her gossip programmes, and always fucking shit up.

Thalia pretended not to care, but Luke knew she was lying. Against all reason, Thalia felt bad about her mother’s horrible life choices, and still wanted her to get well.

At the time, Luke had rolled his eyes at her disingenuously clinging to the idea that her mother could ever care. He’d been truly convinced that he held no regard for either of his parents. None whatsoever.

As he grew up, he’d realized that wasn’t strictly true. After being out of constant danger for a while, he’d stopped feeling sorry for himself and that had allowed the space in his mind to feel sorry for other people. Specifically, his mother.

Luke winced as he thought about May Castellan’s pathetic, broken figure, forever alone waiting for a god who had abandoned her, and for a son she had never been able to raise.

He caught Beryl’s face on the magazine and sighed. Looking at her carefully, Luke could see the apathetic dull in her eyes.

Did Beryl know Thalia was dead? He doubted it. Chiron didn’t know who her mother had been, hell, he didn’t know her surname. The only people who could tell Beryl were Luke, Annabeth, or Zeus himself.

The Lord of the Sky didn’t seem like the kind of guy who went back to his children’s parents, specially not to tell them delicate news. For a split of a second Luke was tempted to wait until Annabeth was older, so she’d accompany him to break the news to Miss Grace. But he immediately put the thought out of his mind. Annabeth was only a girl, she shouldn’t have such a weight on her shoulders. Besides, it was Luke who’d travelled with Thalia the longest, and who’d left her to delay the monsters on Half-Blood Hill all those years ago. It was his job to tell Beryl he’d failed to protect her daughter.

It was a slight consolation that Beryl wouldn’t have any real basis to blame the whole ordeal on Luke. It had been her who had mistreated Thalia for years before the girl had had enough. Beryl had been violent, irresponsible, and rather dangerous at times, if Thalia’s memories were anything to go by.

If Luke had failed Thalia in a moment’s decision, Beryl had failed her a whole childhood worth of time.

The thought made him angry. While his own mother hadn’t provided a proper environment for a child to grow up in, Luke had to admit it was partially not her fault, whereas Beryl’s inability to parent Thalia had been her choice, and hers alone.

Luke pondered on how to get to LA for a while. He could go back to Camp, explain the situation to Chiron and—

No. Chiron would try to convince Luke that it was too dangerous. He’d IM Beryl, it wasn’t enough. Luke wanted to see her face when she found out. To witness whether the woman still held a single thread of decency in her to feel pain for her lost child.

He decided he’d go now. San Francisco wasn’t too far from LA. Or not far next to his return to the East Coast. A bus journey, that was all.

The address wouldn’t be an issue, he doubted Beryl had moved in all the time Thalia had been gone. And Thalia had reluctantly shared the address once they’d been talking about the hypothetical case they were found by the police and returned to their respective homes, so they’d be able to find each other again.

There was one detail, though. Before trying to stowaway on a bus, Luke had to find a way to look and smell presentable. It wouldn’t do trying to convince the ticket seller that he was a passenger if he smelled like acrid teenage sweat and looked like he hadn’t slept in a week.

There was little he could do about his fatigue, but a change of clothes would be easy to get in this fancy neighbourhood.

Houses were detached, and their yards big enough that getting into one of them without being seen was ridiculously simple. Luke only had to wait until the sun started to set.

#the enemy of my enemy #luke castellan #beryl grace #hera pjo #chiron pjo #thalia grace #annabeth chase #pjo #pjo hoo toa #riordanverse #mis fics #tagthescullion

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ash-and-books · 1 year

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Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle's Ebony Gate is a female John Wick story with dragon magic set in contemporary San Francisco’s Chinatown. Emiko Soong belongs to one of the eight premier magical families of the world. But Emiko never needed any magic. Because she is the Blade of the Soong Clan. Or was. Until she’s drenched in blood in the middle of a market in China, surrounded by bodies and the scent of blood and human waste as a lethal perfume. The Butcher of Beijing now lives a quiet life in San Francisco, importing antiques. But when a shinigami, a god of death itself, calls in a family blood debt, Emiko must recover the Ebony Gate that holds back the hungry ghosts of the Yomi underworld. Or forfeit her soul as the anchor. What's a retired assassin to do but save the City by the Bay from an army of the dead?

Review:

Female John Wick except with dragon magic set in contemporary San Francisco’s Chinatown? HELL YEAH. Emiko Soong is part of one of the eight premier magical families of the world, but unlike many others she isn’t that gifted with magic but rather blades. She became the Blade of the Soong Clan, or rather... she is known as the Butcher of Beijing before she moved to San Francisco. But Emiko is done with that life, she left her clan and broke her blade in an attempt to retire and finally get away from the killing... but when a Talon ( think of it like a blood oath marker that essentially is a debt- once called upon must be answered), is activated and she goes to answer it to save her younger brother who is the heir to the clan from having to deal with it... things are about to get bloody. To her shock Emiko discovers that her mother has given a Talon to a shinigami, a god of death.... and now Emiko finds herself being tasked with finding the Ebony Gate... a doorway that holds back the hungry ghosts of the Yomi Underworld and if she can’t retrieve it she will have to forfeit her soul as the anchor instead. Finding this door is going to be harder than ever and it means that Emiko has to go back to her past career as the Blade and not only try and make new allies but uncover the new enemies who are after the door as well. With her blades, her pet lion, and a ticking clock, Emiko will have to slash her way to uncovering the truth behind why her mother owes a Talon to a Shinigami and what Emiko wants to do with her future. This is the first book in a series and WHAT A RIDE!!! It was non stop action, adventure, and I absolutely adored Emiko so much and BAO!!! (he deserves all the scratches and treats). I am so excited to see what the next two books bring and where Emiko’s relationship with certain individuals in this book goes, you get to see her open herself up to others and friendship in this book and it was wonderful. The quest was a fun one and the world setting was so interesting!! Definitely give this one a go if you like action fantasy with a bit of a twist and a contemporary setting!

*SPOILER*

Emiko becomes the Sentinal of the city, leaving behind her life as the Blade. She is now coursing with magic from the city. She discovers that her mother made the talon trade to save Emi and her father when she walked into the underworld and the death god brought her back. Emiko also faces her ex, Kamon, a tiger shifter who she broke it off with when she also quite her life as a Blade. They work together in this one and she assumes that he has moved on and is dating Fiona, the next in line as the clan head of the Tran Clan. It is shown that he still really cares and worries about her but she thinks she is not good enough for him and not what he would want as opposed to what Fiona could give him. Emiko also befriends Freddy ( Fiona’s brother) and Adam ( a human collector who is now protected and claimed under the Soong clan by Emiko). It is hinted that Emiko has a secret Gao ( magic gift) that could destroy the clans if it gets out but we dont find out for sure. Emiko finds out that the Louie clan stole the Ebony Gate and tried to make a power grab and they are also close to having a feud with the Tran clan which will probably occur in the next book.

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

#book review #bookish #ebony gatee

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halidesabri · 2 years

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they call her HALIDE SABRI MARIN but, sometimes she goes by HALI she was born on august 8th and is currently THIRTY ONE years old. she resembles [ BENSU SORAL ] and is a part time blogger, model and SIREN ( BARTENDER ) at the tipsy whale. right now she lives on the WEST SIDE. not born in half moon bay but came here at just 6 months old.

basics .

NAME. HALIDE SABRI MARIN GOES BY. HALI or HALS AGE + BIRTHDATE. 31 ∘ AUGUST 8 FACECLAIM. BENSU SORAL OCCUPATION. BLOGGER + BARTENDER CURRENTLY LIVING IN. WEST COAST GENDER + PRONOUNS. CISFEMALE ∘ SHE/HER LENGTH OF TIME IN HMB. 6 MONTHS - PRESENT

links . pinterest | tracklist | connections

about .

was born to a young mother in ankara, turkey who feared being disowned by her parents after learning she was pregnant at only nineteen years old. she hid the pregnancy well up until she gave birth to her beautiful baby girl.

halide was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare heart defect present at birth that basically means the left side of hali’s heart didn’t pump enough blood.

being a teen mom and unable to care for hali, hali’s biological mother gave up custody for her and allowed hali to get the proper care she’d need to survive in the united states.

she was placed in a foster care program that awarded her free care from pediatric cardio-surgeons who volunteered their time and services to help infants in need.

at only six months old, halide was treated at a hospital in san francisco and received a heart transplant that literally saved her life.

the marins took her in under a trial basis while she recovered but instantly fell in love with her and adopted her several months later. she’s grown up with them, and her siblings in half moon bay ever since.

she still suffers the affects of her chd from time to time but doesn’t normally share her story because she fears people will treat or look at her differently once they know.

while charismatic, school had never been something halide was all that great at. which is precisely why she’d given up college and went straight to work after barely graduating high school.

she got a job at the tipsy whale which is basically inspired by coyote ugly. hali and her fellow co workers love serving drinks and dancing on bartops to rock blues while earning praise and endless tips. she’s been doing it for several years now but has also recently dabbled into modeling.

occasionally halide will model her sister’s clothing on her tik tok or her blog.

headcanons .

halide has spent a month in ankara, turkey every summer since she turned fifteen in hopes of finding out more about her biological family and getting in touch with her turkish culture which she strives to incorporate in her life regardless of being raised in a predominantly american family.

she also studies the language and can speak turkish, english, spanish and french.

connections .

@catalinamarin -- older sister and employer as she models for cat’s store sea la vie.

more tba.

#intro.

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beardedmrbean · 1 year

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One month after California Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to crack down on San Francisco's open-air drug markets, a Gen Z activist says far-left politics have made the city a "fourth world country within a first world country."

"We are witnessing the collapse of the Paris of the West and potentially the decline of Western civilization, with San Francisco being the first domino," Darren Mark Stallcup told Fox News.

WHATEVER IT TAKES': SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENT CALLS FOR ‘BOOTS ON THE GROUND’ TO FIX CITY, ‘WE NEED ACTION NOW’

Stallcup documents the drug and homeless crises in San Francisco — which he refers to as a "fentanyl genocide" — on Twitter. His videos show tent-lined streets, people appearing to overdose or behave erratically under the influence of drugs, violent altercations, crime and more.

"When I go out every morning and count the bodies, when I'm documenting the fentanyl genocide happening in our community," Stallcup said, "my goal is to show the world what's really happening on the streets of San Francisco."

Overdose deaths have soared across California and in the Golden City, where 647 people died from drug overdoses last year. San Francisco is on pace to surpass that figure again this year.

‘PARIS OF THE WEST’ COLLAPSING, SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENT SAYS:

"We have a beautiful city," the 26-year-old Bay Area native said. "Generations of people, good men and women, built this city. Generations of blood, sweat and tears. And I hate to see it all crumble in a decade just because people can't stop voting for this chaos."

"San Francisco is the most liberal city in all of the United States of America," he added. "We have leaned so far left that the only direction to go now, I believe, is towards the right."

Newsom directed the National Guard and California Highway Patrol to help combat San Francisco's fentanyl trafficking crisis in late April. But despite police arresting 16 people last week for public intoxication, a city supervisor recently told a local TV station he's not seeing a difference.

"We're in a situation right now where we're seeing a level of drug use and drug dealing that's unprecedented," Matt Dorsey of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors told ABC7.

Stallcup said he often witnesses crime and has even had to fight off burglars. He's disturbed by an increase in missing person fliers posted around the Tenderloin neighborhood where he lives, and stories of women selling sex in exchange for fentanyl.

"I want women and children to be safe again," Stallcup said. "Children are having to walk to school and having to navigate the trenches of San Francisco, tripping over bodies, fecal matter, needles, crack pipes, you name it. These sidewalks are haunted with the spirits of lost souls."

Tens of thousands of residents fled San Francisco County in recent years, leading to a 7.5% population drop between 2020 and 2022. While the flow has slowed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the county still lost 9,421 residents last year, according to the Census Bureau.

Although Stallcup recently started crowdfunding in an attempt to move out of the city's notorious Tenderloin neighborhood, he says he's not willing to leave the city altogether.

"I feel as if my voice is important because there are a lot of far-left voters in San Francisco, whereas I might potentially be the last Republican in San Francisco," he said. "I can't abandon ship."

"They think this chaos is freedom and liberty," he added. "I see it as the death of freedom and liberty. We cannot vote the same."

To hear more from Stallcup, click here.

#nunyas news #sf fell decades back #been on life support #and that's giving out now

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newstfionline · 1 year

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Sunday, April 9, 2023

Joyous Holy Week celebrations around the world (AP) From dressing as Roman soldiers in Antigua, Guatemala, to carrying palm fronds on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, Christians around the world are celebrating Holy Week. For millions of Christians, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, known as Holy Week, is the most sacred time of the year. It’s the week Christians commemorate the passion of Jesus Christ. The week began with Palm Sunday, where mass at the Vatican was celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square the day after he was discharged from the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, where the Vatican said he was treated for bronchitis. In Bolivia’s highland region, artists gathered for an annual event where they built sand sculptures based on Bible stories. Members of the faithful in Brazil wore tunics and hoods to take part in the Procession of Souls in Goiás state. And in Managua, Nicaragua, a child dressed as an angel during an event observing Good Friday. In recent years, Holy Week has been scaled back due to COVID-19 restrictions that require precautions such as social distancing and mask use. However, this year many of the faithful gathered in celebrations reminiscent of the era before the virus changed the nature of religious observance.

Stabbing of Cash App Creator Raises Alarm, and Claims of ‘Lawless’ San Francisco (NYT) The fury erupted within hours, as word spread that the 43-year-old man who had been stabbed to death this week in an enclave of high-rise condominiums near the Bay Bridge was Bob Lee, a well-known tech executive. The leaders of “lawless” San Francisco had Mr. Lee’s “literal blood on their hands,” Matt Ocko, a tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist in Palo Alto, Calif., tweeted. “I hate what San Francisco has become,” added Michael Arrington, the founder of the industry blog TechCrunch. “Violent crime in SF is horrific,” Elon Musk, the chief executive of Twitter and Tesla, chimed in. The drumbeat has built since then in the liberal city that only last year recalled its progressive district attorney amid calls for law and order and deepening frustration over the city’s homelessness crisis. While city officials agree that the murder is a terrifying tragedy and a signal that San Francisco has work to do on public safety, they’re also clashing with powerful figures in the tech sector over the nature and severity of the city’s problems with crime. The tension comes at a precarious time, as the tech industry implodes with layoffs and San Francisco itself struggles to bring visitors, conventions and legions of remote workers back to the too-quiet area in and around its downtown.

Resurgent remittances in Mexico (Foreign Policy) Flows of money sent to Mexico from abroad are at historic highs. This February, total remittances to the country accounted for 11 percent more than they did in February 2022, according to Mexico’s central bank. In 2021, Mexico surpassed China to become the country that receives the second-largest amount of remittances in the world. (India is no. 1.) The high tallies may reflect the post-pandemic economic recovery in the United States, where the bulk of the Mexican diaspora lives, the Economist reported.

Deadly Attack Exposes Growing Threat in Mexico: the Military (NYT) Gustavo Ángel Suárez Castillo, an American citizen from San Antonio, piled six friends, including two brothers, into his white pickup truck with Texas plates just before dawn, having spent the night celebrating the news that he was going to be a father. Suddenly, four vehicles filled with armed men began chasing and firing at them. The pickup truck crashed and as the passengers tumbled out, the armed men threw some to the ground, shooting one in the back, survivors told The New York Times. One recounted how he watched his brother slowly stop breathing while the assailants blocked medics from arriving. When it ended, five of the men, including Mr. Suárez, were dead and the other two severely injured. The attackers? Uniformed Mexican soldiers. The shooting in the city of Nuevo Laredo in the early hours of Feb. 26 has been called a coldblooded execution by the survivors and a top government official. So far, four of the 21 soldiers involved in the encounter have been arrested and the case is under investigation by civilian prosecutors and the military. The episode has deepened concerns about the growing footprint of Mexico’s armed forces, which has not only been put in charge of domestic security, but has also been given a rapidly expanding portfolio of businesses, like a new international airport and a major rail line.

Sweden Says State Actor Blew up Nord Stream Pipeline (AP) According to a new statement by Swedish investigators, it’s most likely that a state actor was behind the explosions that took out the Nord Stream gas pipelines late last year. “Our hope is to be able to confirm who has committed this crime,” said the public prosecutor leading the investigation, though he warned that “it should be noted that it likely will be difficult given the circumstances.” While Ukraine and some in the U.S. have blamed Russia for the attacks, investigations have returned a mixed bag of suspects: the New York Times has suggested that a pro-Ukrainian group was behind the attacks, while German media pinned them on a yacht operated by a pro-Ukraine Polish company. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh also released a report blaming the U.S. for the explosions, though Washington and the U.S. media have dismissed him.

Kremlin says its strategic aim in Ukraine is to create a ‘new world order’ (Guardian) Moscow wants any Ukraine peace talks to focus on creating a “new world order”, the French press agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) quotes Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov as saying. “Any negotiation needs to be based on taking into account Russian interests, Russian concerns. It should be about the principles on which the new world order will be based.” According to the agency, he added that Russia rejects a “unipolar world order led by ‘one hegemon’.” Russia has long said it was leading a struggle against US dominance over the international stage, and argues the Ukraine offensive is part of that fight. The Kremlin said this week it had no choice but to continue its offensive, seeing no diplomatic solution.

Facing critical ammunition shortage, Ukrainian troops ration shells (Washington Post) The artillery shells were stored in a shallow mud dugout, covered with a black plastic tarp to keep them safe. Just 14 rounds remained—evidence of a critical ammunition shortage that has the Ukrainians scrambling for ways to conserve supply until their Western allies can produce or procure more. The artillery platoon, with the 59th Motorized Brigade in eastern Ukraine, used to fire more than 20 or 30 shells per day with their Soviet-era howitzer. Now, they typically shoot one or two, or none at all. The ammunition that has pounded parts of Ukraine daily for more than a year has become a precious resource in the artillery war with Russia—and which side conserves shells and rearms faster could turn the tide on the battlefield. Even amid a shortage, Ukraine is firing some 7,700 shells per day, or roughly one every six seconds. Russia, which may also be running low, is firing more—by some estimates triple that amount.

China flies fighter jets near Taiwan after leader’s US trip (AP) China sent warships and dozens of fighter jets toward Taiwan on Saturday, the Taiwanese government said, in retaliation for a meeting between the U.S. House of Representatives speaker and the president of the self-ruled island democracy claimed by Beijing as part of its territory. The Chinese military announced the start of three-day “combat readiness patrols” as a warning to Taiwanese who want to make the island’s de facto independence permanent. The People’s Liberation Army gave no indication whether they might include a repeat of previous exercises with missiles fired into the sea, which disrupted shipping and airline flights. On Saturday, eight warships and 42 planes were detected near Taiwan, 29 of which crossed the middle line of the strait that separates the island from the mainland, the island’s Ministry of Defense said.

A Historic Handshake (1440) Saudi Arabia and Iran formally reestablished diplomatic relations On Thursday, a significant milestone in the relationship between two of the largest powers in the Middle East. The pair cut off ties seven years ago after Saudi embassies in Iran were attacked following the Saudi execution of a popular Shia cleric. Saudi Arabia and Iran have been engaged in a regional power struggle for decades, exacerbated by the differing sectarian religious views—Saudi is roughly 90% Sunni Muslim, while Iran is about 90% Shia Muslim. The regional conflict has also become a proxy for greater world powers, with Saudi Arabia generally working with the West and Iran forging close ties with Russia and China. Notably, the deal was brokered by China, marking one of the country’s biggest diplomatic moves in modern geopolitics.

Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars (Reuters) Tesla assures its millions of electric car owners that their privacy “is and will always be enormously important to us.” The cameras it builds into vehicles to assist driving, it notes on its website, are “designed from the ground up to protect your privacy.” But a Reuters Special Report shows that between 2019 and 2022, groups of Tesla employees privately shared via an internal messaging system sometimes highly invasive videos and images recorded by customers’ car cameras, according to interviews with nine former employees. One ex-employee described a video of a man approaching a vehicle completely naked. Also shared: crashes and road-rage incidents. One crash video in 2021 showed a Tesla driving at high speed in a residential area hitting a child riding a bike, according to another ex-employee. Two ex-employees said they weren’t bothered by the sharing of images, saying that customers had given their consent or that people long ago had given up any reasonable expectation of keeping personal data private. Three others, however, said they were troubled by it. “I’m bothered by it because the people who buy the car, I don’t think they know that their privacy is, like, not respected … We could see them doing laundry and really intimate things. We could see their kids.”

‘I’ve Lost a Lot of Flesh and Bone,’ Jeremy Renner Says, Recalling Snow Plow Accident (NYT) The actor Jeremy Renner, who was severely injured on Jan. 1 when a heavy snow plow ran over him, said in a TV interview on Thursday night that the truck had hit him as he was trying to save his nephew, an accident that broke more than 30 of his bones and upended his life. Mr. Renner, an Oscar-nominated actor who is perhaps best known for his role as Hawkeye in the Marvel Avengers movie and TV franchise, spoke publicly at length about his frightening experience and arduous recovery for the first time in an interview with ABC News. “I’ve lost a lot of flesh and bone in this experience,” Mr. Renner told the journalist Diane Sawyer. “But I’ve been refueled and refilled with love and titanium.” Doctors interviewed by ABC News said that Mr. Renner’s good physical shape and health had probably helped him survive. About 10 weeks after the accident, Mr. Renner is beginning to regain enough strength to walk with a cane. When asked in the interview if he sees the same face when looking in the mirror, Mr. Renner replied, “I see a lucky man.”

#headlines #news

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carcosapr · 3 months

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CASTLE Wants You To Sacrifice Yourself to the Supernatural in New Video “100 Eyes”

High priests of sinister doom return with a hook-laden heavy metal thrill-ride into Nosferatu nights!

Bay Area occult doom trio CASTLE is proud to present the debut single and video, “100 Eyes,” taken from their upcoming sixth album Evil Remains, due out September 6 via Hammerheart Records.

“We’re excited to be making and sharing music again,” says the band’s frontwoman Liz Blackwell. “Our first release from the new album is a message and a reminder to eliminate the distractions that prevent oneself from being the master of your own mind. Our latest video pulled our artistic community together to film a visual representation of self-discovery and empowerment."

Back after a six year break with the black magick fully recharged, CASTLE has delivered a juggernaut of riffery in a hook-laden mix of doom and psychedelic-tinged classic metal. Adding to the atmosphere of majestic doom, Elizabeth Blackwell’s haunted, full-blooded vocals are electric witch hymns of death and madness; ‘Hear my warning, heed my call,’ indeed.

Recorded at Raincity Recorders in Vancouver B.C. by producer Jesse Gander (Anciients, 3 Inches of Blood, Brutus), Evil Remains sonically balances the warm and fuzzy with the bombastic power of an alternate universe stadium rock band. Bassist/vocalist Elizabeth Blackwell and guitarist/vocalist Mat Davis bring their unique female and male vocal attack and scorching, serpentine riffs to dizzying new heights. Rounded out by drummer Mike Cotton’s thunderous precision, Evil Remains delivers a metallic knock out punch from the first to the last note of its eight pummeling tracks.

Written over a five year period — beginning in CASTLE’s then-hometown of Joshua Tree, California, after a year-long tour for their previous album, Deal Thy Fate — the songwriting culminated this past year with pre-production sessions taking place in the band’s new twin home bases of San Francisco and Vancouver.

Since storming out of San Francisco with their 2011 debut In Witch Order, CASTLE has toured relentlessly, playing close to 700 shows on three continents. The live ritual resumes this September across Europe with North American dates to follow.

Evil Remains drops September 6 worldwide on digipak CD, various vinyl variants and all major streaming platforms via Hammerheart Records.

FFO: Cirith Ungol, Christian Mistress, Lucifer, Pentagram, Saint Vitus

PRE-ORDER: https://castlesf.lnk.to/evilremains

CASTLE is:

Liz Blackwell – bass, vocals

Mat Davis – guitar, vocals

Mike Cotton – drums

European Tour Dates 2024:

09/09 – Bamberg, DE – Live Club

10/09 – Karlsruhe, DE – Kohi

11/09 – Freiburg, DE – Slow Club

12/09 – Marburg, DE – Knubbel

13/09 – Weikersheim, DE – club W71

14/09 – Leipzig, DE – Black Label

15/09 – München, DE – Backstage

17/09 – Düsseldorf, DE – Pitcher

18/09 – Hamburg, DE – Logo

19/09 – Oslo, NO – Vaterland

20/09 – Gothenburg, SE – The Abyss

21/09 – Malmo, SE – Plan B

22/09 – Copenhagen, DK – Rahuset

23/09 – Berlin, DE – Reset

24/09 – Prague, CZ – Modrá Vopice

25/09 – Vienna, AT – Viper Room

26/09 – Ljubljana, SI – Channel Zero

28/09 – Basel, CH – Hirschenec

30/09 – Aachen, DE – Wild Rover

Social Links:

https://heavycastle.com

https://www.facebook.com/CastleSF

https://www.instagram.com/heavycastle

https://x.com/heavycastle

https://www.hammerheart.com

https://hammerheartstore.com

Press:

“…a beguiling mix of doom and psychedelic heavy metal…” — DEAF FOREVER

Evil Remains track listing:

1. Queen of Death

2. Nosferatu Nights

3. Deja Voodoo

4. Evil Remains

5. Black Spell

6. 100 Eyes

7. She

8. Cold Grave

youtube

#castle #doom #doom metal #occult #Black Sabbath #np #Hammerheart #Hammerheart records #heavymetal #metal #stoner #stoner rock #Youtube

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k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9 · 7 months

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Death Angel - Bored

#Death Angel #The Bay Calls for Blood - Live in San Francisco #Bored #Release date: July 24th 2015 #Live album #Genre: Thrash Metal #Lyrical themes: Violence Rebellion Insanity Supernatural evil Death Society Religion #USA

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tangleweave · 7 months

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[ FIND ] receiver is staying with sender who had them take the bed while sender takes the couch. in the middle of the night, receiver goes out to join sender on the couch because they don’t want to sleep alone. {{Eddie our precious}}

[ When Sets the Sun / Accepting ]

The bed is luxurious, and Eddie finds no fault with it in the least. Except for one... little... tiny thing.

Beth.

Of course, it would probably be mean to call her either little or tiny to her face. He can already hear her voice in his head -- "M' fi'foot! Fi'foot!" -- and that makes her fully two feet taller than a lightsaber blade. And lightsabers are cool, which means she's two feet more than just cool.

Star Wars. Star Wars is cool, too. She likes Star Wars. She likes a lot of things Eddie likes. She likes seeing truth spoken to power. She likes standing up for the people who don't have a voice. She likes making sure the people who need nurture the most receive it.

She stares at his lips a lot. Not a stretch to think she likes those, too.

His mind has been wandering like this for the last two hours. When the hour of eleven o'clock had come upon them, he'd been mindful that she needed her sleep, never mind how often she's said she doesn't get much. But when he'd gotten up, given her a polite smile, and started to shift towards the door, she'd scampered in front of him and placed her hands on his ribs, just beneath his chest.

With those dazzling eyes, and with the faintest pout of her lips, she'd entreated him to not go out into the chill of February in San Francisco Bay. Even knowing that this city is positively balmy compared to winter in Brooklyn had not been reassurance enough to her.

There is another element that he hasn't mentioned, of course, one which provides him with all the warmth -- and most of the comfort -- he needs. But how to even explain that to her?

She'd insisted. Put it before him that he wasn't going to do something so ridiculous. That he was going to stay, because his body needed a bed and a night's rest with an actual roof over his head. And she'd said it so matter-of-factly, too, with the calm assertiveness of a nurse who would entertain no argument from a patient on her ward.

She'd tucked the blanket around him. Brushed her hand through his hair and looked at him with a gaze that he could scarcely call anything but adoring. It had melted his heart to see her so pleased to be able to keep him as a guest.

He's never asked her for anything. She simply gives.

But now?

Now... the bed just somehow... feels wrong. Because she's allowed herself to be put out of it, for his comfort. For the sake of letting him have some sense of peace. But the only true peace he's achieved this evening was when her head had rested on his shoulder, as they sat on the couch she's sleeping on this very moment.

If he was going to sleep anywhere, it should have been on her couch. She should have kept her bed. It's not that the bed doesn't feel right.

It just doesn't feel right without her.

He lets out a sigh and pushes the cover aside, letting his bodily warmth bleed up into the air, and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. His body protests a little to be displaced, and even the presence within his blood stirs at his deliberate release of heat; when Eddie is under covers, his Other doesn't need to worry so much about keeping Them both warm. But by the same token, He knows Eddie's mental discomfort will forever outweigh any physical discomfort he experiences when it comes to decision making. Eddie's body is stubborn.

His heart, though... that's malleable.

Quietly he trails into the openness of the living room, where Beth' is resting on the couch's small, lithe form is curled beneath a sheet. She doesn't need to curl up. The sofa is luxuriously long, ridiculously oversized for her, and she'd told him that was precisely the point. As often as not, that's where she'll crash after a brutal shift or some social function that required more spoons from her than she really possesses.

When he approaches, he makes sure to emit just enough noise to rouse her attention without giving her a fright. At first, he thinks she's asleep... but then he sees that her eyes are only half-lidded, not fully closed. It's rare for him to see her fully blink. Like she needs to keep a lookout for threats or predators.

In the right context... Eddie is both. But Beth is not his prey.

If anything? She's his salvation.

She glances up at him, and her forehead wrinkles. He can already tell she's up in her head about the accommodations. Is he not comfortable? Is there something she can do that would make it any better for him? Does he not want to be here?

He tries his best to give her every answer that her expression asks for. Because he suspects the fright is not in his approach... but the possibility of his departure.

"Think I'd sleep better... if I was next to you." His lips curl ever so slightly up, the stitch between his brows crinkling. It's a smile of embarrassment, but it's earnest, at least. "If that's okay?"

#And So It Begins | answered prompts #brooklynislandgirl #beth riley #muse: eddie brock

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nathfiset · 1 year

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Fremont California

Get your FREE consultation! Call NOW

Umbilical cord blood and tissue collection in Fremont CaliforniaUmbilical cord blood and tissue in Fremont California are collected immediately after birth via a non-invasive and pain-free procedure. The umbilical cord is clamped and cut as usual, but instead of discarding the placenta and umbilical cord, they are collected by a trained healthcare professional. The blood is extracted from the cord using a sterile needle and collected into a specialized bag with anticoagulants to prevent clotting. The tissue is collected by cutting a small piece of the cord and placing it into a sterile container. Both cord blood and tissue are then transported to a laboratory for processing and storage. This procedure is a safe and effective way to collect valuable stem cells that can be used for future medical treatment

Umbilical cord blood and tissue storage near Fremont CAUmbilical cord blood and tissue in Fremont California are valuable sources of stem cells, which have the potential to treat a wide range of diseases. To ensure the preservation of these stem cells, they are collected at the time of birth and stored in specialized facilities. The most common method of storage is cryopreservation, where the stem cells are slowly frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. This ensures that the stem cells can be retrieved and used for medical purposes for many years to come. Additionally, many cord blood banks also offer the option to store the umbilical cord tissue, which contains a different type of stem cell that can also be used for medical treatments. Overall, proper storage of umbilical cord blood and tissue is crucial for their potential use in future medical treatments.

CORD BLOOD BANKING IN FREMONT CALIFORNIAWhat is Cord Blood banking in Fremont CA?Cord blood banking in Fremont California is a procedure that has been gaining increased attention in the medical world for its potential to help treat a range of diseases and medical conditions. In simple terms, cord blood banking involves collecting and storing stem cells from a newborn's umbilical cord. These stem cells are rich in potential and can be used to help treat a range of illnesses, including certain cancers, blood disorders, and genetic diseases. As a result, many expectant parents are now considering cord blood banking as a way to secure their child's health for the future.The process of banking umbilical cord blood involves collecting the blood immediately after birth and sending it to a specialized facility for processing and storage. The cost of storage can vary depending on the service provider and the length of storage time chosen. There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to bank cord blood, including family medical history and the potential future use of the stem cells. What is cord and tissue banking in Fremont California?Cord tissue banking in Fremont California involves the collection and storage of the cord tissue, which is the gel-like material that surrounds the blood vessels in the umbilical cord. This tissue is rich in stem cells, which are the building blocks of the body's immune and blood systems. The stem cells found in cord tissue are different from those found in cord blood, making it a valuable resource for future treatments.

Fremont California

Fremont California is a city located in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area that boasts a diverse population, a thriving business community, and an abundance of natural beauty. This city is home to a rich history and a bright future, with a blend of traditional and modern elements that make it a unique and exciting place to visit or live. From its picturesque parks and trails to its bustling downtown, Fremont is a destination that offers something for everyone.As one of the largest cities in Alameda County, Fremont is a hub for innovation and technology, with major tech companies such as Tesla, Lam Research, and Western Digital calling it home. Additionally, the city's central location makes it a convenient destination for those traveling to or from Silicon Valley, San Francisco, or other nearby cities.Whether you are looking to explore the outdoors, immerse yourself in the local culture, or take advantage of the many business opportunities, Fremont California is a city that has it all. 1. Thriving economy with diverse industries.Fremont, California is a city with a thriving economy, boasting a diverse range of industries. The city's economy is supported by a variety of sectors, including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. Fremont's proximity to Silicon Valley has helped to attract a strong tech industry presence, with major companies such as Tesla, Lam Research, and Seagate Technology having established offices in the city. In addition, the healthcare industry is well-represented, with Washington Hospital Healthcare System and Kaiser Permanente operating in Fremont. The city's manufacturing sector includes a range of products, from electronics to food, and is supported by a skilled workforce. The retail sector is also thriving, with a variety of shopping centers and local businesses driving economic growth. Overall, Fremont's diverse range of industries and businesses contribute to a strong and resilient economy.2. Home to Tesla's manufacturing plant.Fremont, California is a city located in Alameda County, with a population of over 230,000 residents. One of the most notable features of Fremont is that it is home to Tesla's manufacturing plant. The Tesla factory in Fremont is a massive 5.3 million square foot facility that produces some of the most popular electric vehicles in the world, including the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y. The plant employs thousands of workers and has become an integral part of the local economy. The presence of the Tesla factory has also attracted other technology companies to the area, creating a thriving tech industry in Fremont. The city continues to grow and evolve, with its diverse population and strong economy making it a desirable place to live, work, and do business.3. Top-rated schools and universities.Fremont, California is home to many top-rated schools and universities that provide high-quality education to students. The Fremont Unified School District serves over 35,000 students in grades K-12 and has been recognized for its academic excellence by numerous national publications. The district boasts a graduation rate of over 95% and offers a variety of programs to support student success, including gifted and talented education, special education, and career technical education. In addition to the public school system, several private schools are also available in Fremont, such as the prestigious Mission San Jose High School and the highly-regarded Washington High School. Furthermore, Fremont is located within close proximity to several prominent universities, such as Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and San Jose State University, which provide exceptional educational opportunities for those seeking higher education.4. Vibrant arts and culture scene.Fremont, California boasts a vibrant arts and culture scene that attracts visitors and residents alike. The city is home to a diverse array of cultural events, such as the annual Fremont Festival of the Arts and the Dia de los Muertos Festival. In addition, the city is known for its thriving music and theater scenes, with several venues showcasing live performances throughout the year. The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, located in Fremont, is also a popular destination for film enthusiasts. The city's commitment to promoting the arts is evident in its public art program, which features over 100 pieces of art on display throughout Fremont. Overall, the arts and culture scene in Fremont is a vibrant and integral part of the city's identity and adds to the overall quality of life for its residents.5. Abundant outdoor recreation opportunities.Fremont, California is a city known for its natural beauty and abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. With over 55 parks and miles of hiking and biking trails, residents and visitors alike can enjoy the great outdoors. One of the most popular parks in Fremont is Central Park, which spans over 450 acres and offers a lake, picnic areas, playgrounds, and even an outdoor water park. For those interested in hiking and mountain biking, the Mission Peak Regional Preserve offers challenging trails and stunning views of the Bay Area. 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This easy access to major highways allows for efficient transportation and contributes to the city's thriving economy.8. Rich history and heritage.Fremont, California is a city rich in history and heritage. The Ohlone people, who have inhabited the region for thousands of years, have left their mark on the area with their intricate rock carvings, known as petroglyphs, that can still be found in the hills surrounding the city. During the 19th century, Fremont was a hub for the agricultural industry, with fields of apricots, almonds, and grapes covering the land. In the early 1900s, the city became a hotspot for the film industry, with numerous silent films being shot in the area. Today, Fremont is a diverse city with a strong sense of community, and its rich history and heritage continue to be celebrated through various cultural events and landmarks throughout the city. Visitors and residents alike can explore Fremont's past at the local museums and historical sites, and learn about the city's evolution over time.9. Diverse culinary options and offerings.Fremont, California, is known for its diverse culinary options and offerings. The city boasts a wide range of restaurants, cafes, and food trucks that cater to all tastes and preferences. From traditional American cuisine to exotic Asian dishes, Fremont has something for everyone. The city's culinary scene also includes a variety of vegetarian and vegan options, as well as gluten-free and halal choices. Whether you are looking for a fine dining experience or a quick bite on the go, Fremont's culinary offerings are sure to satisfy your cravings. Additionally, the city hosts various food festivals and events throughout the year, showcasing the richness and diversity of its culinary culture.10. 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Its strategic location in the heart of Silicon Valley, combined with its commitment to sustainability and innovation, continues to attract businesses and residents alike. With a rich cultural heritage, a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, and a growing economy, Fremont California is a city poised for continued growth and success.

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michaelcosio · 2 years

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youtube

Jul 11, 2018

July 10, 1988, San Francisco vice cop Lester Garnier was shot to death execution style in his Corvette.

Garnier was having Sunday night dinner with his parents at their Concord home. His father later told police his son left abruptly after receiving two phone calls - at least one of them from a woman.

Garnier was shot at close range while sitting in his car at a Walnut Creek parking lot.

"Some witnesses there heard the noise and looked out and saw at least one and possibly two women leaving the parking lot," Former SFPD Chief Frank Jordan said.

Walnut Creek police took over the investigation.

They believed Garnier had been set up and killed by someone he trusted - perhaps a rogue cop - someone who worked with him in the Vice unit.

One reason for the theory is that Garnier was shot with an AMT-380, a backup gun which some officers carried.

A dozen San Francisco officers came under scrutiny, but ballistics tests on their guns were negative.

Still, the theory continued for decades, creating bad blood between the two police departments.

The investigation was going nowhere.

"We don't have a motive. We have no murder weapon," said Walnut Creek Police Lt. Tim Schultz in a news conference in the early 2000's.

In 2008 there was a possible break in the case when investigators, using new technology, were able to identify a fingerprint on the Corvette which they had kept as evidence from the original crime scene.

The fingerprint belonged to a Catherine Kuntz, who was already in custody in Florida on an unrelated attempted drug charge.

Kuntz was born in Scotland.

She had an arrest record for drugs and was acquited of another murder 17 years before.

She also lived in the East Bay during the late 1980's when officer Garnier was killed.

Walnut Creek police were confident she was at the homicide scene and that she was involved. They called her a suspect.

But in 2009, Kuntz was released from the Florida prison after serving her one year term for cocaine possession and was deported back to her native Scotland.

She was never charged in Garnier's murder.

Meantime, other evidence investigators said suggested that at least two other women may have been involved.

But they said Kuntz was still their only suspect.

The City and County of San Francisco offered a $250,000 reward.

from ABC7 News Bay Area

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crazycookiecrumbles · 3 years

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A New Beginning

A/N: I know. I did this one first. I don’t know. I’m gonna regret the lack of sleep in the morning.

Pairing: Shang-Chi x Stark!Reader

Warnings: swearing, blood, broken bones, kidnapping

Summary: Shang-Chi is busy trying to take down a cult terrorizing the Bay area, and you accidentally find yourself a part of it while trying to do your own work.

Tag: @massiveeggsthingcookie, since you expressed u wanted to read it

You were different lately, but Shang-Chi liked it. Apparently, visiting your friends and talking about your relationship with Steve proved to be good for you. He figured it was helping you move on, because you returned to San Francisco with a newfound vigor.

First, you built up a lab in your home. Your basement served a purpose for more ‘top-secret’ work, similar to what your dad had in Malibu. However, you had a new, fairly simple setup in your living room where it was just a giant workbench that brought up both your family’s and SHIELD’s favorite: holograms.

Your next project? Re-assembling the Avengers.

“I don’t know,” you mused over dinner in Katy’s house where you and Shang-Chi were doing dishes together while Katy sat on the counter and managed the both of you by saying ‘great teamwork’ every so often. “I mean. A compound here? It sounds ambitious. I mean, what would I call it, the West Coast Avengers?”

Shang-Chi snorted, “I mean, it gets the point across, doesn’t it?”

“Would that be us?” Katy asked. “Oh my god, are we the West Coast Avengers?”

“You guys need way more training and missions for that, but, sure, tentatively,” you chuckled as you dried the dish your boyfriend handed you.

You had also decided that the compound simply could not be rebuilt. The crater, the destruction left behind, the memories, it just wasn’t going to happen. You were moving on, but you weren’t moving on quite that fast. So, you decided to make that a memorial. Sure, the City had its own memorials littered all over celebrating different Avengers through graffiti, other street art, random sculptures, but you wanted this. Something commemorative, something to remember the sacrifice, something to go back to, when you could stomach it, of course.

Your priority was to rebuild a new facility in New York, but you had been toying with one on the West Coast as well. After all, you did move here, your boyfriend was here, and who knew how many other superheroes were just lurking around here.

“Do you think she’s dead?” Katy asked as she and Shang-Chi walked up the path to your front door. “I mean, she’s been super quiet. I don’t think she said anything in the group chat all day.”

“She’s just working, I hope,” he said in reply. “I mean, I texted Bucky, he said she gets like that, you know. Apparently Iron Man was the same way? Get possessed, work in the lab, be nearly unheard from for too long at a time.”

“So you’re texting The Winter Soldier now?” Katy teased. “Finally, we’ve been roasting you forever.”

Shang-Chi stopped walking, “Hold on. You have a group chat with them?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s me, Sam, Bucky, and (Y/N). We make fun of you a lot.”

“Seriously?!”

“No,” Katy laughed, then cleared her throat. “Anyway, oh, look, the front door. How convenient!”

Katy knocked on the door while Shang-Chi glared at the back of her head. A hidden camera revealed itself above the front door, followed by a voice ordering both parties to look up and state their names. They did as instructed, and the front door opened on its own. Both of them shuddered at how creepy having an AI could be sometimes, and entered your home.

Shang-Chi shut and locked the door behind him. Both of them kicked off their shoes, Katy shouting that they brought dinner as they entered the living room and saw you working. The table had two different holograms being edited in tandem. One was clearly a West Coast facility, and the other seemed to be somewhere in the mountains of New York.

Somehow, you hadn’t noticed them. You were still working, talking to your AI system, and yourself, as you worked through design plans and various possibilities. Shang-Chi shook his head and stood behind you, watching you play with the modeling of a lab facility before he leaned down and kissed the back of your neck. You jumped and laughed as he wrapped an arm around your waist from behind and rested his chin on your shoulder.

“Sorry,” you apologized. “I was on a role.”

“It’s okay,” he chuckled and held your chin to turn your head so he could kiss you on the lips. “Can you take a break? This might be the only time we’re free.”

“Right, right, that cult you guys were dealing with,” You said as you got rid of your work and dropped down on the sofa as Katy put the bags of food on the coffee table, muttering that you two were grossly cute. “How is that going?”

“A weird cult in San Francisco that’s kidnapping people and sacrificing them to a make-believe dark lord,” Katy summarized. “For some reason ,I thought our missions would be more about aliens and gods and stuff.”

“Hey, as far as you know, that dark lord is make-believe. Never know. They might not be crazy, they could be legit,” you pointed out to her before getting up to grab drinks from your kitchen. “How’s it going?”

“We keep missing the core group, “Shang-Chi sighed. “We keep catching the street guys that are kidnapping people, but we can’t seem to find the headquarters where they’re actually doing these crazy gross rituals.”

You frowned as you returned to the living room with drinks. It was obvious how stressed out and tired the two of them were. They were spending all the time they could trying to figure out the base of operations for this cult that was terrorizing the city, but they just couldn’t seem to catch a break.

“I can help, you know,” You offered as you sat down next to Katy. “I can help you guys locate them or take them out.”

“No, we have to!” Katy argued. “It’s kind of our right of passage that we solve this on our own. Like, we’ve got to be able to do shit too.”

“Plus, you’re so busy. I don’t want to put more work on you,” Shang-Chi added. “And this is good. The Avengers need what you’re doing.”

“Yeah,” you sighed and thanked Katy quietly as she handed you a fork. “We need to be ready for the next fucking stampede of aliens to bitch slap the planet.”

“So, are we getting a West Coast Avengers?” Katy wiggled her eyebrows, “Huh? Huh? Is that happening? Is that a thing?”

“We’ll see,” you laughed. “We need more people for that. But I think I can get New York up and running again. Found a great area, tons of space, the bones are perfect. Man, I don’t know how dad made it looks so easy.”

“Hey,” Shang-Chi caught your attention with not only his voice, but a balled up paper napkin that he threw at your face making you laugh and throw it back at him. “You’re going to do an amazing job. I trust you.”

“Thanks.”

“So can we make room requests?” Katy blurted out. “I’d like surround sound.”

“Maybe when I’m closer to that part,” You laughed. “Are you guys sure I can’t help with your cult? I feel a little useless.”

“You’ve got enough on your plate,” Shang-Chi told you. “Besides, we can handle this. I know we’re close. We’ll get them.”

You shrugged a shoulder, “Okay. You know where to find me if you need help.”

A few days had passed since you had dinner with Katy and your boyfriend. They were too busy to see you since they realized how close they were to taking down these cultists. You didn’t exactly mind, given that you were swamped in your own work as well. In fact, you were so swamped that you couldn’t really remember the last time you went outside, which was a little concerning, to be honest.

Today was your first day out, as you had met with a realtor after spotting a property you were interested in. You decided that for the West coast, you could start with a tower of some sort, just like you originally had in New York. There was one building in particular with the perfect space, just the right zoning codes, and enough room to even have a landing pad, either for Thor or for aircraft.

After going through such an extensive tour and way, way too much talking with people, you treated yourself to your favorite baked good and beverage from a local cafe. Finding a park bench, you sat down and took one bite of your delicious treat before getting a call.

“Go for the best genius ever,” you said as you answered the phone. “Ew that sounded horrible. I need better openers.”

Shang-Chi chuckled, “You’re cute, (Y/N). Where are you?”

“Outside, just got done with some boring stuff I’ll tell you about later. Realized I haven’t eaten since yesterday, so now I’m just sitting in a park. Why? Need something?”

“Yeah, actually,” he cleared his throat. “How fast can you get home, or maybe my place?”

“Are you in trouble?”

“What? Me? No —“

“Katy?”

“No —“

“Her family —“

“Babe, we’re all fine,” he said quickly. “But I think we pissed them off a little too much. We just took down their last hideout, and I found a picture of the three of us together with your face circled.”

You laughed loudly, “Are you serious? I’m jealous.”

He balked, “Are you insane?”

“Come on! That’s so old school. It’s funny! Honey, my last round was aliens and shit. I’d kill for regular old human thugs. They’re so funny — okay, human sacrifice isn’t funny, but — look, they sound cartoonish. Anyway, I’d like to see them try to take me down. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, I’m bad ass.”

“Oh, no, I know that. Trust me, I’m well aware of what you’re capable of,” he explained. “And while I do always want you to be safe and careful and never to be harmed in any way…”

“…Yes?”

“I think if they’re following you, Katy and I can follow them by using you.”

You cooed, “Look at my man! Avengering.”

“Is that an actual verb?”

“I don’t know,” you shrugged and stood up, quickly scarfing down your food and grabbing your drink as you walked out of the park. “Okay. I’m closer to your house. I can head that way and you can tail me. Wow, I’m proud of you.”

He laughed and shook his head, a faint blush tickling his cheeks just hearing your kind words, “It’s not that big a deal, (Y/N). You don’t think I’m awful for using my girlfriend as bait?”

“Your girlfriend is a world-ending bad ass. Using her as bait in this scenario isn’t too bad,” you said. “Besides, I’ve got way too many bait stories. We’ve all done it. Actually, one time, Clint lost a bet, so he—“

You paused feeling vibrations coming particularly close to you. Usually, you ignored it because you were out in public and there were always people around, but you had been on a quiet street, and the vibrations felt like a fast-beating heart and rapid footsteps attempting to be quiet.

“Hey, (Y/N), did I lose you?” He asked frantically.

You pursed your lips, “Track my phone.”

As soon as you said that you felt a pinch in your neck. You muttered to yourself something completely incoherent like ‘what a nice cotton candy sky’ as the last thing you saw while falling to the ground was the clouds in the sky.

Shang-Chi quickly climbed back into the car and told Katy to start driving as he started fidgeting with his phone.

“What happened? Where am I going?”

“I don’t know—go near the park.”

“Do you know how many there are?”

“Look, I was talking to (Y/N), she told me to track her call, and then I heard her fall and mumble. It was weird. I think they got her.”

Katy raised an eyebrow, “They got the jump on her? What, was she not paying attention or?”

“She knew,” he muttered. “I think she went along with it so we could find their base. Damn it — I should not have suggested the idea of bait.”

“Your girlfriend almost wrecked Sam’s house in, like, seconds. So I think she can take care of herself,” Katy reminded him. “Do you know how to track her phone?”

“Not at all —“

“Ugh, give me,” Katy snatched the phone out of his hand and started playing with it while driving.

“Katy, eyes on the road!”

“Dude, when you can drive like I can with both hands and eyes on the road when I only need one hand, sometimes, and an occasional eye, then you can tell me how to drive,” she retorted as she fiddled with his phone. “What would you do without me, man?”

“You did it?”

“Almost, she keeps moving so it’s making it harder to find her. We’ll have a better idea when they stop, but I can get a general direction and location first,” Katy said. “Don’t worry. We’ll find her. Or she’ll find us. Either way, I’m super excited.”

“Why?”

Katy scoffed like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “We get to see an Avenger in action. This is the greatest day ever. I mean, aside from her getting kidnapped.”

His phone rang later on, and when he saw it was your picture flashing across the screen, he brought the phone to his ear faster than he thought possible, “Where is she?”

A voice laughed on the other end, “Where is your pretty, pretty girlfriend? Well, she’s a little tied up at the moment.”

He gritted his teeth, “Put her on the phone, now.”

“You don’t trust me?” He giggled and it made Shang-Chi’s skin crawl at how demented this man sounded. “Please, I’m a man of honor. She is alive and well, she’s just waiting to see you. We’re all waiting to see you, actually.”

“Then put her on the phone now!”

You woke up on your own. You took a moment to assess yourself. Your hands were duct-taped behind your back, ankles duct-taped to the legs of the chair, and now you had a crick in your neck that was going to be painfully irritating for the next few days. Your mouth was dry and your lips were cracked, but overall? You were totally fine.This was suspiciously easy!

That only meant one thing: they had no fucking idea who you were.

The thought made you smile, and you were sure you looked just as creepy as the people surrounding you, all shrouded in black cloaks with an orange stripe going down the center of each and every person, minus someone holding the phone who wore an orange cloak. He approached you slowly, a cold hand running down the side of your face and grabbing your chin forcefully before holding the phone to your ear.

“Your lover wants to know how you’re doing. I’m sure you’ll tell him we’ve treated you with the utmost respect,”

“…I take it back, this is just pathetic,” you muttered under your breath as you recalled your earlier conversation with your boyfriend. You sighed heavily, “Shang-Chi?”

“Hey,” he said quickly. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“I’m so great,” You confessed. “They have no idea who I am. This is so easy. I see about eight people left, I guess that’s your doing.” Your attention shifted to the man before you, “My boyfriend took a lot of your crew out, huh? That’s why you kidnapped me? Revenge?” You mused and looked up at the man holding the phone.

He was not amused. He struck you across the face hard enough to draw blood. You smirked to yourself, ran your tongue along your bottom lip, and split blood out by his feet.

“Hey! Stop being such a smart ass for a second,” Shang-Chi said quickly. “Katy’s tracking you right now. With her driving, we can be there…five minutes tops.”

You hummed and stared up at the evil bastard before you, “I think I’ll be done by then.”

Shang-Chi sighed as he listened to Katy, “She really, really wants you to wait. She wants to see.”

“No promises.”

“Baby,” Shang-Chi said quickly. “Careful, please.”

“Oh, honey.” You chuckled, “I’m going to show you how I get things done.”

You nodded to the man who ended the phone call and tossed your phone to the ground behind him. Boredly, you leaned back and smiled, “So. Do you want me to kill all of them and leave you alive? Or do you all want to suffer in prison together?”

He laughed, followed by the rest of the cultists as they prepared for a fight, “You think your boyfriend is a match for us?”

“First of all, eight of you? Please, this is easy work for him,” You scoffed. “But it’s even easier for me.”

The building shook, causing murmurs of an earthquake. You wore a sinister smile on your face as you made the building shake more and more, beams falling down around them, one of them impaling a cultist through his leg and pinning him to the ground. You vibrated your bindings until they turned to dust around your limbs. You stood up and stretched your arms out, your right arm firing a blast that sent one man through the brick of the building and launching him outside. You raised your left hand and vibrated the knife in the cultist’s hand to the point where it disintegrated and fell through his fingertips before you blasted him back as well.

Your eyes settled on the man in the orange cloak as you wiped your hands together and cracked your fingers, “So, figure out what you wanted to do yet?”

The car came to a screeching halt when an orange-cloaked body came flying into the windshield and rolled down the hood of the car. Katy and Shang-Chi sat there with mouths wide open in shock before it clicked what they had just seen. They scrambled out of the car and checked on the man to see if he was dead.

“Out cold,” Katy remarked. It dawned on her, “Aw, dude, she didn’t wait!”

Shang-Chi turned his head, and he was so mesmerized by you. He definitely was not used to the Avenger part of you. When he caught sight of you, you were walking through rubble. The entire building had fallen down around you. He could see cultists laying around, stuck under chunks of concrete and brick, some with beams piercing their bodies and pinning them to the ground. Then there was the leader, who was groaning about broken bones as he lay on the concrete with blood pouring from his every opening where a bone was poking through.

You were completely fine, aside from a small cut on your lip and some dust on your clothes. You walked towards him and waved, a warm smile gracing your features as Shang-Chi ran up to you and stared at you in disbelief.

“You’re okay?” He asked, then shook his head. “I mean, of course you’re okay. I know you — I know you’re a total bad ass. It’s just—“

“Seeing’s a little different than just hearing about it,” You finished as you smoothed down the front of his shirt. “I’m completely fine.The perfect stress relief for all this rebuilding work.”

He snorted and wrapped his arms around you tightly, his face burying in the crook of your neck as he held you close. You smiled softly and draped your arms over his shoulders, the two of you rocking side by side as you embraced. “I know you’re an extreme badass,” he began quietly whispering in your ear, “but hearing you get taken like that — it terrified me.”

“I know,” you sighed. “And I’m sure it didn’t help that I treated it like a game, but, I mean, I knew I’d be okay. You don’t have to worry about me all the time, Shang-Chi. I can take care of myself.”

“I know,” he muttered. “but just so you know? You don’t have to do it alone now.”

“Oh?”

“Nope,” he said quietly, “And you know what?”

“What?”

“You saving yourself and taking out everyone?” He whispered, lips tickling the shell of your ear, “Really, really hot.”

You giggled and pulled away to cup his cheek. You had intended on leaning in to kiss him, but you were interrupted by Katy clearing her throat. You glanced over his shoulder and saw her standing with one foot on the cult leader’s back, arms crossed over chest, a disgruntled look on her face.

“Really, (Y/N) couldn’t wait for us to get here before you had to be all bad ass and stuff?”

You chuckled, “I’m sorry, Katy. Tell ya what, next time, I’ll wait. Okay?”

“Yes! Thank you, sheesh! That’s all I’m asking for here.”

Shang-Chi shook his head over Katy’s antics and cupped the side of your face as he wanted to get your attention at the moment. When you turned your head he pressed his lips against yours before pulling away and kissing you on your cheek, and then bringing up your hand to kiss the top of it, “Well, now that you’ve solved my case, why don’t we go —“

“Work off that pent up adrenaline you have?” you smirked.

He blinked twice. That was not what he was going to say. He was going to say get cleaned up, order a pizza, and snuggle and watch movies.

But this? This was a great idea.

“Yup!” He nodded quickly, “Yup. That was exactly my plan. Yes, absolutely. Let’s go burn some adrenaline together. Yes.”

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