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Administration => Infusco Archives => Archives => Old Roleplays => Topic started by: Saiketsu on July 08, 2019, 06:31:07 AM
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Her driver for the morning was a young, buff thing with bronze skin and a neatly trimmed goatee. He looked polished in his dark grey suit, hair barbared into straight, tight edges that accented his jawline and forehead. But those eyes! Zoheret made no attempt to hide her gaze as she watched those gorgeous amber eyes flicking around on the road through the rearview mirror. When their eyes caught each other, it was the human that looked away first, just the way she intended.
Zoheret lounged in the back seat of the black Jaguar, legs crossed and looking out the tinted window as the driver drove her south from Attica Villa. She passed by the beaches, the lighthouse, and the large mansions up on hills before the surrounding environment turned deeply wooded and country-esque for several miles. The Block, as it turned out, was not very far from her own villa. She was surprised to find that the distance was only about a dozen or so miles from her own district headquarters - shorter, if she were to fly herself. Such things were out of the question, certainly in broad daylight.
The sun was high in the sky by the time the car pulled up to the gates of the Block, not quite noon. She was unfamiliar with the sleeping habits of shadow demons - if they had any - but she had taken the first available appointment that Chtahzus'aak had that day, thankful that this appointment seemed to reflect that the newly appointed district leader of the West worked something more similar to the human range of working hours than the vampires of the city. While she was used to dealing with the issues of night-dwellers during all hours of the night, she did prefer to conduct most of her business during the day.
The Jaguar paused at the gates, waiting to be acknowledged by whatever manner of security Zeus had. The bronze boy pushed the car onwards when the gates swung inwards and Zoheret shifted her gaze back out her window. As the car moved up the paved drive, her attention was caught by some kind of movement outside. The dark angel examined the area around as the car moved, positive she had seen something in the shadows, yet nothing could be made discernable to her. Zoheret sat back, mildly unsettled, and straightened her posture as the car pulled up to the front of the large cement cube.
The driver parked and immediately stepped out to open the door for her, holding a hand out for her. She took the offered hand with one hand and straightened her clothing (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/532832199658851472/) as she stood - a pair of tight black slacks with a deep muted red blouse that held her tightly, fashionably and with the slightest peek of cleavage. She stood impressively with a pair of lace-up stilettos which matched the deep maroon of her blouse. A white sleeveless, silk cardigan fell from her shoulders, completing her look. The driver closed the door behind her and stood still at the car like a good boy while Zoheret eyed the man Chtahzus'aak had sent to greet her with a delicately raised eyebrow. She leaned her head in the direction of her driver, keeping the serious man who, by his height, was certainly not a human, in her sight. "Jona, please wait for me here, if you would." The District Leader gave the gatekeeper a practiced smile.
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The Gatekeeper appeared human in the daylight, especially in the early morning hours. His form, clad in a neat black suit, was lanky with a lean build. His angular facial features were dominated by intense eyes, black like his long braided hair. The Gatekeeper disliked escorting morning appointments, much preferring the cover of darkness where he could safely occupy his natural state. He especially disliked dealing with another dark angel, but a scheduled appointment was better than an unexpected drop-in.
His expression was neutral at best, cold at worst.
Whispers rushed through the shadows as Zoheret exited her vehicle. There were many unseen eyes on her, crude comments passed amongst them, and laughter. All of this kept well hidden from the District Leader, who would be shown nothing but respect as per direct orders. They knew of the games Zeus had to play for politics.
"This way, please." He did not return her smile but gave a slight bow of the head as a show of respect. More laughter whispered through the ranks like the rustling of leaves in a breeze. The only indication of this occurring was the subtlest hint of a frown on the Gatekeeper's face as he turned away from Zoheret in order to lead her up the path to the entrance.
He kept a steady, deliberate pace and remained silent as they walked together. Any questions or comments she had would be met with one-word answers and nonverbal grunts. The sigil at the entrance glowed a dull red at their approach, and the stone doors seemed to disintegrate the instant that the Gatekeeper crossed through. As soon as Zoheret was through, the stone appeared behind her to seal the way in.
The Gatekeeper led her down the short flight of stairs and through the almost-empty Receiving Area. A few demon constituents (and a single shifter) waited in the main seating area, glancing up at the pair as they walked through to the back where the elevator was. The hulking shadow demon attending the elevator gave the two a respectful nod before stepping aside, holding his card-key to the reader in order to open the elevator.
"He will see you now." The demon waited until Zoheret entered before pressing the button for the second floor. It was large enough to accommodate the tallest demon and constructed of unearthly material. The elevator was silvery and pristine, save the slightest indentation at the back wall where someone strong had taken a fist to it. Once the doors closed, the elevator would whisper down to the second floor and open into a hallway with Zeus' office at the end.
The hallway was empty, save Zeus' creatures that clung to the shadows at the corners waiting to be deployed. Brael had been given the day to study the contents of the Vault (there were several new additions to the collection), though he was only a call away should he be needed. Zeus would go over anything of import with him afterward regardless.
Chtahzus'aak's door at the end was open, desk visible to the elevator. The shadow demon wore a grey pant and unbuttoned suit jacket with a crisp black button-up and silvery striped tie. He stood with his back to the door, shuffling through papers at the front of his desk.
When Zoheret was halfway to the office, he straightened the desk and went to the door to meet her.
"District Leader Zoheret, it is a pleasure to see you again." He met her eye as she came to the door, tone cordial and smile possessing a subdued charm. It was all formalities, of course. They had seen each other in passing and at meetings, never interacting more than necessary.
Once she was inside, he closed the door behind her. "Please take a seat wherever you'd like." He waited to see where she would choose--the small conference table to the left with rolling chairs, one of the leather seats in front of his desk, or the more comfortable cream-colored couches near the fireplace to the right.
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She had forgotten how utterly drab demons could be. For all the warmth and grandeur that she had seen Attica Villa built with, all the comforts and attachments to luxury that she wished to instill in her constituents and guests, Chtahzus'aak seemed to select the exact opposite for his. She asked the demon guide no questions and was pleased when the thing didn't speak to her out of turn. Instead, she kept her expression loftily pleasant and her eyes open, admiring the sheer size of the compound wordlessly and without too much gazing. Such information may be important later, after all.
Her stride was confident and her shoes clicked commandingly on the granite floors as she kept pace with the Gatekeeper. She remained unphased by the enormity and near nudity of the the demon at the elevator. She was quite familiar with the knowledge of the natural forms of most demons, but she still struggled with the truth of seeing it in person. Giant figures with impossible shapes and masses, wings larger than hers, skin charcoal and shifting... Zoheret gave the demon at the elevator the slightest of responding nods as the doors closed around her and the lift dropped.
As the doors slid open, her eyes fell on the back of the demon Oligarch - no, District Leader now. He had never struck her as especially attractive, though he did have an air of mystery that she could appreciate. And that auric darkness which had always clung to him, something that she sensed rather than saw as she would a human, had always been an interesting little morsel. A curious character, if nothing else.
Zoheret renewed her upturned lips, casting glances at the sculptures as she passed. So very on-the-nose. What else could she expect from a man so shrewd? She looked over his figure until he spun to face her, responding to his greeting with a matching congeniality.
"And you as well, District Leader Chtahzus'aak," she said pleasantly, holding her joy in the statement as if it were something precious. It was still a relish that Jake McCloud had been unseated in the district. She entered the office and took quick stock of her surroundings, finding the decor of the same dark, austere modernity as the rest of the compound that she had seen so far. "I hope you're finding your new position as beneficial as your last. You'll certainly have your hands full with managing the West." Zoheret took his invitation and chose the more casual option which allowed them to see each other as equals, seated herself elegantly on one of the cream couches closest to the lit fireplace. She crossed her legs at the knee and expected him to sit with her, though he was a curious man. Perhaps he would remain standing. Zoheret studied his reaction, whatever it would be.
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Chtahzus'aak snorted lightly. That was certainly one way of putting it. "I could do without cleaning up after McCloud's mess, but we make do with what we have."
He watched her move when she turned her back to find a seat, finding her ethereal beauty near-nauseating though predictably alluring. He waited until she had settled before crossing over to the opposite couch and sitting casually, one elbow propped up on the armrest as he gave her his attention.
"What brings you to my office today?" His tone held a playfully curious edge, but his demeanor was polite and professional.
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"Congratulations, of course," Zoheret conceded simply, though not without a proud smirk. "It's not every day that District Leader McCloud has his ass handed to him." She stared unblinkingly at the demon, the smile curling fully on her maroon lips.
"Although it does seem to be happening quite frequently of late. First, losing the District he took by force, then having the announcement of young Ben Samson's campaign against him for Central. I, myself, sent him a fruit basket with my condolences for his loss." She savored the words on her tongue. The only regret she had was that she would never see the Brat Prince's reaction to her gift.
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He smiled immediately at her first comment. The hostility between the dark angel and McCloud was well known.
When Zoheret said she had sent McCloud a sympathy fruit basket, Chtahzus'aak threw his head back and guffawed.
"I'm sorry, you sent him a fruit basket?" His grin was wide, eyes full of mirth, and he shook his head. "That's just rich." The demon stood and went to his desk. Pulling open the bottom drawer resulted in a light clink of glass-on-glass as he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.
He poured two shots, chuckling still.
"What I wouldn't give to have seen his face when that was delivered." He crossed back over to the couches and held a glass out to Zoheret.
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As the demon crossed the room to his desk, Zoheret examined him. In the past five minutes Zeus had displayed more expression than he had during the entirety of their reign as Oligarchs - at least while she had been watching him. Now, as he handed her a glass of liquor, she studied him and decided that she could like this new neighbor much better than the last.
"It was well thought out, I assure you." She took the glass from his hand and maintaining eye contact with him, greatly amused that he kept liquor in his office. Perhaps she had underestimated him. "I put a lot of care into selecting the perfect one. It cost me quite a bit of money, but I just hope he liked it." She mused and took a sip of the golden liquor, feeling it evaporate from her lips as she held it on her tongue. Strong, yes, but with toasted and spicy notes that carried through that she found quite pleasant. "The look on his face must have been priceless."
"I am curious, however, how the great and mysterious Chtahzus'aak took back the West." She held the drink in her lap, appreciating the perfect smudge of lipstick on the rim of the glass - soft like a fingerprint, but of a deep red shade. The foot crossed on top bobbed slowly in anticipation of hearing his account. "Especially since most of the city didn't know just where you were, exactly."
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He laughed again at her words, finding it humorous to imagine Zoheret taking the time to select such a gift. Zeus returned to his seat and sipped from his own glass in unison with the dark angel. He placed the glass down on the small table by the armrest and crossed an ankle over the knee of his other leg. His eye flicked briefly to her lap, the drink, and her bouncing leg before meeting her eyes. There was a secretive smile on his lips.
"Oh?" The smile widened as if he were enjoying a private joke. He had no intention of explaining where he had been and ignored her leading comment in favor of addressing the reclaiming of the West.
"I dropped by the Rabbit for a little visit and we had an almost civil discussion." Zeus paused, smiling still, "He threw a little tantrum by the time we parted, but he smartened up before sunrise and relinquished the district."
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She noticed the dodge of her statement of his whereabouts, though it was done skillfully enough to intimidate someone of a lesser conviction than her. She had been told to expect from him - no one knew where he had gone after the fall of the Oligarchy. Rumors abounded, of course. He was at the Block, back on his Plane, chased off. As far as her team had been able to find out, he had simply vanished, reappearing only after McCloud's coup de grâce. Suspicious, indeed. She sat with her thought, allowing his avoidance pass unremarked upon.
"He must have been most pleased to see you, then." Her lips turned to a playful pout. "He hadn't thrown a tantrum for me during our last meeting. A pity." She took another sip of whiskey, carefully placing her lips back in the same place so as not to mess up the aesthetic of her lips on the glass.
"Come now," she said beguilingly. She gathered her hair with one hand and fixed it upon her shoulder, toying with a strand briefly. "You must tell me more about this meeting of yours."
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The demon snickered and took another sip of his drink. His arms draped over the back of the couch and the armrest, open and casual. Zeus didn't see any harm in divulging the details of their meeting, especially to one who had no more love for McCloud than he did.
"Well, he sent me a little love note when he caught wind of my return." Nevermind the fact that it got past his security, she didn't need to know that and he'd since taken measures to prevent such intrusions again. "I appeared in the bowels of his operations and gave him quite a fright." Chtahzus'aak's smile widened. The hand on the armrest stretched to play with the lip of his glass of whiskey.
"He was too afraid to meet me in the dark, despite being armed, and needlessly switched on some ghastly fluorescents." He scoffed softly and rolled his eyes. "McCloud made his demands, I made mine. He couldn't keep his emotions in check enough to negotiate and threw a little tantrum." Zeus paused, taking another sip.
"After he finished I put out the lights and let this facade drop," He gestured to himself with one hand, "and told him that he'd tested my patience for the last time and I left." The demon looked very pleased with himself. Merely telling the story did it no justice, it as truly an experience to be had firsthand. He took the glass into his hand again for another sip.
"Obviously, he found his reason before sunrise."
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She listened intently to his recounting, enjoying every word. If there had been a grudge between them before the fall of the Oligarchy, Zoheret hadn't heard of it. She chuckled at the outcome of the story, wishing that it was all true. Jake McCloud dwarfed in the shadow of an opponent he knew little about in his own home. The surrender of the West.
"He has never been any good with diplomacy," she reflected haughtily. "At least he found his sense. Now I don't have to concern myself with his goons bothering the people at the border of my district." Zoheret eyed Zeus with a mostly unreadable expression - interested, though in what was unclear. It could have been interpreted as mistrust, as judgement, or even fondness. "I suppose I should be thanking you." She raised her glass towards him as a kind of toast but didn't change her expression, her smile turning cruel.
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He gave Zoheret a charming smile. "I'll be expecting compensation for services rendered." His tone was dripping in humor.
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She cocked an eyebrow at the demon and responded in kind. "I'll be sure to send a fruit basket along with my thanks." She wet her lips with another sip of whiskey.
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Chtahzus'aak laughed and shook his head. "As long as it doesn't have any of that disgusting chocolate covered pineapple."
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As she drank she shrugged her eyebrows at him and made a mental note to make sure that his basket did, in fact, have the chocolate pineapple. Hell, she might even send him the same basket that she sent McCloud.
"I'm going to make the grand assumption that I am not the only other District Leader who has come to offer you congratulations." She stepped carefully around the new issue, gauging his reaction to the new topic. He was still a wild card in her book and it wasn't something that she was particularly comfortable with. She preferred the men around her to be predictable, stubborn even. At least then they were easier to manipulate. "As such, I'm sure you're up to date with the precise situation in Central?"
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Zoheret was incorrect in her assumption, but Chtahzus'aak made no move to correct her. None of the other District Leaders had contacted him after the announcement was posted, though most of them knew (or at least guessed) that he would be making the move to take back the West. He had gone only to Lan Bao after the fact to celebrate. The memory of that evening briefly brought a mischevious twinkle to his eye and a smirk to his face.
That wasn't to say that he was ignorant of the situation in Central. The demon was well informed.
"I am aware that McCloud's leadership has been challenged, yes." He watched her intently, waiting for her to reach what he assumed to be her main point and probably the true reason for her visit.
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His response didn't happen to light upon the point she was heading towards, so Zoheret assumed he hadn't been aware of the nuances of Ben Samson's campaign declaration. She had the great fortune of Saraekiel's blow-by-blow update of the event via text, and then again reflected upon after the fact. Without it, she too may have been left out of the know, scrambling to pick up the pieces.
She inhaled deeply through her nose in irritation, though the frustration was directed at the situation rather than Zeus' lack of knowledge. "It's not that his leadership has been simply challenged out right. Samson also challenged McCloud's right to Central's rule. Samson used his gathered audience at the opening night of that vampire academy to announce his campaign to run against our dear friend McCloud.
"As a new democratically elected leader in Central," she emphasized, hoping he would grasp the subtle insinuation without having to explain it. He was a smart man. Perhaps he had already put these pieces together. Democracy, after all, was no leader's friend. "A fascinating suggestion, wouldn't you agree?"
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Again, things that he already knew. But her ignorance of this was no fault of her own--he wasn't exactly plain with what information he had. Chtahzus'aak was known to play a close hand. He wanted to hear her explain from her point of view, in her own words with her own emphasis and implications.
That was far more valuable information.
"That's one word for it." Zeus allowed his disdain and irritation to subtly color his tone.
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She paused, allowing him the time to respond further. When he didn't, she sighed quietly through her nose and waited further before explaining, unsure of whether he knew what she was about to say.
"It certainly is. Especially for those of us who were not democratically elected into our districts." She meant herself as well as him. The night that the Oligarchy fell, she grasped for her home district. It was where many of the city's dark angels resided, due to the proximity of the ocean. Being so close to the sea meant that flight was still possible, even if it was still technically forbidden by a crumbling government. Zoheret herself had lifted the ban for those who needed to stretch their wings at night. As long as the Masquerade was still obeyed and no humans found out.
"It's not too far of a grasp, then, to wonder if the effects of elections for Central may... overflow."
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Chtahus'aak thoughtfully stroked his jaw with one hand before replying.
"If it does we will have to ensure victory, now won't we?" His eyes locked on hers, lips a tight smile. "Tell me, Zoheret, are you worried that your constituents would not reelect you if given the opportunity?" His words could have been read as patronizing or in friendly jest.
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"Most certainly not," she responded quietly and immediately, inflamed by the insinuation and his tone. "I have done all I can to ensure my constituents were satisfied with their privileges and protections under my rule since the Fall." There was a vicious undercurrent of her own insinuation, flavored by that honeyed voice she knew men loved so well. She had been there governing, cleaning up the messes left behind by the Oligarchy, establishing boundaries and making the North-West prosper. Chtahzus'aak had not. Should he chose to continue his jest, she would be sure to remind him of that. Zoheret smiled humorlessly.
"I'm merely suggesting that it would be a pity to see a city full of vampires have a popularity contest over each of the districts because two young ones fought over who could win the metropolis. Especially when there were so many other kinds of immortals present in this wonderous city." Another heavy pause as she adjusted her bracelets and raised her glass to her lips. "My concern is that the vampire population would seek to out all other immortals from their positions. If Ben Samson were to win Central, who is to say that our dear friend Jake McCloud wouldn't seek to sabotage the District Leaders who stood against him once the Brat Prince has fallen?" She took her sip and looked into the fire nearby, waiting for his response with a softened, but blank expression.
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Ruffled feathers sparked his interest. The demon grinned, hiding it behind a sip from his glass.
The implications she made pointing, yet again, to his absence were not missed--nor were they commented on.
"Of course." They shared the same concerns. With exception to McCloud, it was in Zeus' opinion that the District Leaders' positions remain as is with no further shifting. It wasn't as though there were major catastrophes occurring at their hands and everyone (except McCloud) appeared to be more concerned with keeping to themselves without expansion. Still, he found it fascinating that she saw the city full of vampires when they were not the largest demographic by any means. Semantics.
Were the vampires primarily represented in the city? Sure. But that was to be expected considering how the Oligarchy was constructed just before the Fall. Perhaps the city should be divided into further districts which each breed to their own corner? A ridiculous notion, and there would be territory still to squabble over. Really, the city's leaders should be rethinking their entire form of governance before any campaigns were announced.
"What would you see being done about this?" His tone was markedly more serious.
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Her eyes hardened and her smile returned. "What can be done?" Zoheret asked with a rhetorical finality, uncrossing her long legs and standing. He was not her ally, and he, therefore, deserved no further look into her thoughts. Not until he could be trusted, anyway. He knew her reputation and had heard her words. Hopefully the combination would be enough to have him reach out to her when the time was right.
With a measured step and fluidity, she made her way over to where he remained sitting, her drink in hand at her side. Zoheret stood above him, closer than would be ordinarily considered polite. She made sure to have one of his feet between both of hers, preventing him from standing comfortably should he feel unnecessarily threatened by such a position. The dark angel looked down at him, trying to read his reaction - would he enjoy her being so close? Feel threatened? Think nothing of it? Ignore her, even? Zoheret put her glass of whiskey down on the coffee table near his armrest with a specific slowness, her eyes never moving off of him. She said nothing and made to step away from him, as if placing her glass where her ultimately intention.
Wild card, she thought as she went to turn away from him.
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Interesting. Chtahzus'aak was motionless as she approached him, maintaining steady intense eye contact. He had half the mind to stand, despite their proximity. He had half the mind to do a number of other things, too, but the demon remained poised. His eyes glanced over her from the floor back up to her gaze. What did she expect him to do? What were her intentions?
He was far from intimidated. If she intended to somehow put a spell on him, she would be sorely disappointed. He was not swayed by such things, but that wasn't to say he wouldn't play along if given the opportunity. Perhaps she wanted to bait him into attempting to put her in her place. The notion was sorely tempting. He couldn't help but entertain the idea of taking her from behind with one fist in her hair and the other gripping her throat.
Zeus said nothing in response to her final comment, nor to the strange way she decided to place the glass down on the table. His eyebrow raised slightly and his lips twitched with a smirk.
Fascinating creature.
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She took note of his reaction, interested in both what he did and didn't do. This one would be a hard nut to crack. She liked that. Plenty of men had cowered before her beauty, looked upon her in awe and fascination. Bent themselves to her will. She enjoyed it thoroughly, of course, but it was the ones that resisted her that kept her interested a bit longer.
"This conversation of ours simply must be continued." She re-adjusted her clothing and accessories with a stiffly pleasant smile on her face. Impassable. Zoheret gazed around his office, taking in the decor and what it must say about him. Neat. Clinical. No nonsense. Her steps spun her in a slow circle as she spoke, observing his workspace, her words accented by the clicks of her heels. Under their glamor, she shifted her wings, very much appreciative of the space to do so without striking anything. "However, I have another engagement I must attend to. I'm sure you have enough work cleaning up McCloud's mess to keep you busy without me here."
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"Indeed." He watched her for a moment as she looked around his office, wondering what was on her mind but unwilling to ask. He had the feeling that it was unlikely she'd answer truthfully. Chtahzus'aak was at his feet by the time she spoke again, leisurely joining her side.
"Of course," Another charming smile as he led her to the door, "I look forward to our next meeting." There was no hint of humor or sarcasm as he met her eyes. He wanted to know what that whole standing over him at the couch thing was about. Something to discover another time.
With the door open, another shadow demon in human skin snapped to attention at the end of the hall by the elevator. He would bring Zoheret upstairs and through the exit.