Archive World of Darkness: The Academy - Chapter 1b: Being all Kinds of Social

[Dawn OOC]

This occurs concurrent with Chapter 1a, and happens the day before classes begin, around 6 p.m. in the evening.

The Ice Cream Social was a hold-over from the school’s earliest days, when the point was less about the free ice cream – and brownies made fresh that day by Mars’ kitchen staff – and more about the socializing. But the students still came regardless. For some, they’d just returned that day, and it was their first chance to catch up on the summer gossip. Others had been here longer, and it was just a chance to get brownies and ice cream.

As always, the gossip mill was in full swing, whispers and catty remarks being passed by young adults with nothing better to distract themselves with until classes started. The cliques had formed naturally; the ‘givers’ were in a corner, already planning what they could do to earn Merits and put their House over the top. The nerds were flocking in groups, excitedly discussing whatever trend held their interest currently. The ‘in-crowd’ was flittering around like exotic birds, twittering amongst themselves. On and on it went: jocks, dweebs, losers, band girls, Twilighters and even Goths, all two of them.

But there were a few who didn’t belong to any crowd; they moved in the spaces in between. They moved around the groups, interacting where they choose and smiling at everyone. They weren’t privy to secrets of the groups, but they were tolerated on the boundaries. They walked between the spheres and saw much but knew little.

But mostly, it was about the ice cream and brownies.

[Jeremy]

For Chester, it was all about the ice cream and brownies. He didn't see much reason otherwise. His taste for social events was, well, nearly nonexistent. He smiled politely and did talk a little with others he knew fairly well in the 'givers' and nerds, but mostly it was repeated trips to the dessert table. They were very good brownies after all.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean was enjoying himself. He'd only been at Dalton for about two weeks, and gotten to learn only a few faces, a few names. If this was going to be his home for the next three years, he might as well learn all he could about it.

He circulated easily from clique to clique, his friendly and engaging demeanor always welcome. The nerds were asked for advice on computers, the band-geeks were asked about their favourite music. If he spent more time with the jocks and the 'in-crowd', well, it was only expected of the handsome, gifted athlete.

The girls garnered special attention. Sean flirted lightly with any and all of them. He wasn't being predatory, just sociable, with no promises made, nor expected. Any who weren't interested were left to their own devices, with no hard feelings, just a farewell smile. If the prettier girls had the majority of his attention, well, that was only expected too.

He continued looking around, meeting new classmates, keeping an eye out for an angel with clear blue eyes. Ever since he had heard her voice, Lorelei had occupied a part of his mind. Maybe it was because she was the first beautiful girl he met here at Dalton, however briefly. Maybe it was because she was so different than most of the other women he had experience with; he wanted to know this girl, wanted to know that such a beautiful girl didn't have to be ugly on the inside.

Hmmm, these are really <munch,munch!> good brownies. I wonder if I can talk to kitchen staff into making some Nanaimo bars?

Hell, I'll make them myself if I can get the ingrediants.

Sean headed back to the refreshment table for a refill of chocolately goodness and frozen delight.

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan tested the brownie carefully. He recalled that a year ago somebody had spiked the brownies with weed. Nobody had been caught and nobody had been blamed but the students all felt sure they who had done the deed. Still once he was sure they were safe, or hopefully safe, he built a significant Sundae of the available ingredients. He was liberally applying sprinkles when Sean came over, apparently ready for seconds. "Hey man. Just wanted to thank you again for the offer of help... you know, couple weeks back when I got pinched on top of the globe. That was cool of you."

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Hmmm, a sundae, great idea. As Sean started assembling his own desserty confection, he grinned at the somewhat taller, somewhat older student.

"Hey, no problems. I can't believe you got busted for that. The thing was made of steel, it wasn't like you were going to break it. Are the rules here strict, and how hard is it to get a pass? 'Cause when the snow is flying, I would love some lessons on the snowboard."

Snagging one more brownie, he gave it a sniff. They don't smell like special brownies, but are damn good.

[z022]

Lucia had made her rounds of the behind-the-scenes making sure everything was going smoothly and would continue, and making sure that the people ensuring that were thanked for their work. If she'd taken one thing from her mother and her life before Dalton, it was an appreciation for the hard work that went into making life comfortable for others. She and Rosa had come back to Dalton nearly a month ago to get ready for the new freshman that would be showing up to settle in during Freshman Week, and to get started on the student council projects for the year. Rosa wasn't on the council herself, but tagged along often enough with Lucia that she might as well have been.

Rosa had peeled off from Lucia when they got to the social to go gossip and compare new fashions with some of their friends while Lucia made her rounds. So Lucia was alone when she made her official entrance to the social proper. She scanned over the faces present, noting new students and trying to remember the names of all the freshman. She threaded her way gracefully through the room, smiling and greeting those that came across her path on her way to the refreshments.

[Jeremy]

Chester moved back toward the refreshment table again. One last brownie. That was it. He wasn't sure he could hold to that though.

[Ryan Jackson]

Originally Posted By: Sean Cassidy

"Hey, no problems. I can't believe you got busted for that. The thing was made of steel, it wasn't like you were going to break it. Are the rules here strict, and how hard is it to get a pass? 'Cause when the snow is flying, I would love some lessons on the snowboard."

Ryan chuckled, "Nothing I'm not used to. Last year I hung upside down from the gym's support rafters and took a bird's eye view of the tip off at the first b-ball game. I guess they freak out cause if I fell on my head my parents could sue, not that they would. Course I know some think I'm cool enough to inspire other kids to go monkey on them." He shrugged and shook his head, "Whatever. As for winter, lets just say that its not hard if you don't bother to ask for one." He winked while a mischievous grin spread over his face.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

"Sweet!" Sean returned the grin, then licked the last few crumbs of brownie from his fingers.

Sean turned away from the refreshment table, his eyes scanning the crowd, when his gaze was snagged by an elegant young woman heading their way, her head held high. He stood straighter, his smile growing warmer, waiting for her to arrive. Very nice! Hope she's not a snob though.

Whispering out of the side of his mouth, "Ryan, who's the princess heading this way?"

[Zack]

Zach was there, offically part of the Student Council "Clique, but easily able to converse with most of the other groups present, That was after all, part of his job. Upon seeing Lucia join the Festivities he smiled and made his way over to her. The Student Council President hadn't been there as long as he had, she didn't have his money, but she had enough ambition it seemed for the both of them.

He knew all the dirty little rumors floating out there about her, and he didn't care. If she thought she could run the show for the student council then more power to her. He was doing as his father had, being the one in the background handling details. Though in all fairness she took on alot of that load too.

"Good evening Lucia." His voice dropped to a softer more conspirational volume. "Ready for all of this..." He waved his hand to indicate the room, "...To begin again?"

He smiled. He knew she was eager for it all to start again, andin many ways so was he. Life was good at Dalton, it always had been in his experience.

"Lots of new faces here tonight. I met several a couple weeks back when Ryan decided to climb the statue. Looks like things will be interesting this year."

[z022]

Lucia smiled warmly at her Vice President. Zach was everything she could have hoped for in a second on the council: well connected, well liked, and well bred. He was a face for the council when she herself would only be a distraction because of her questionable heritage. Her gaze was a bit more predatory as she followed the motion of his hand, "You know me, Zach. I live for this."

She sighed and chuckled at the mention of Dalton's resident monkey. "I swear, if I hold a stick high enough I'm pretty sure I can get him to swing on it." Her eyes flicked to some of the older new faces, smiling politely and nodding her head if she happened to catch their eye. To Zach she continued, "Interesting? That's a dangerous prediction to make, especially with Deacon hiding in the wings somewhere."

[Ryan Jackson]

Originally Posted By: Sean Cassidy

Whispering out of the side of his mouth, "Ryan, who's the princess heading this way?"

"Student council president. She's not so bad but ... well you know politics. Those people got agendas or somethin'. Course they ain't but rarely friends of mine, I get into too much fun for their liking."

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean's ever present smile wavers a bit. "Uunh, politics. I try to avoid politics whenever I can. I haven't had the best experience with ladies in high society," he said, thinking back to Vanessa and his sisters.

His eyes drift back to the rest of the social, his grin turning wistful. "I never gave a thought about what boarding school would be like, I never thought I'd end here. It's gonna take a lot of time to adjust to this, to all the rules."

He looks back to Ryan, his eyes laughing again. "Seems like you're the one to ask about which rules can be broken, which are expected to be broken, and how to do it."

[Ryan Jackson]

"Rules were made to be broken. Not that anybody in authority will accept that point. Easiest thing is to remember this: It's only wrong if you get caught. After all they can't make you waste an afternoon cleaning up bird shit if ya don't let 'em catch you." Ryan considered the mound of confectionery power before him and then, as though deciding that it couldn't possibly be bad enough for him, he reached for a second brownie and smooshed it down on top of the whole thing creating a sort of Frankenstein ice cream sandwich. "Life's too short to bend to another's will ... unless you want to. I guess some people are into that kinda life. Me? I intend to do what I want, when I want, and to hell with what everybody else thinks." He looked at the spoon in his hand and the "sundae" before him, shrugged, and dug in.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean idly began to dig into his own sundae, pensively pondering Ryan's words. He wasn't sure if he totally agreed with Ryan's philosophy. Life would seem kinda empty, if you're the only one in it that mattered.

"I feel more like rules were meant to be bent. Some are good, some are bad, and most fall in between, depending on circumstances. If you go around trampling other people's rules, they're gonna start trampling yours too. I want to find the sweet spot down the middle." Sean looked back at Ryan, for the first time a serious look on his face, then shrugged as well. "But to each their own, eh?"

[Zack]

Zack nods. "Especially since Deacon's here."

He chuckles. "Say what you will about him, and even ryan, but people like them do liven up the place. What they do breaks the monotany and routine here at Dalton."

In his mind thse two and others like them helped balance the equation. Chaos and order, vying for control, each having just enough to get some of what they want.

"Did you have a good break?"

[Ryan Jackson]

Ryan mumbled something around a massive bite of brownie and ice cream. Seeing that Sean clearly did not speak pig out Ryan chocked the mouthful down. "You're sharper than I would expect for a football player and an underclassman. I don't make it a habit to do anything that would hurt somebody else. Life and liberty man, that's what its about." He contemplated the sundae and then ladled a bunch of caramel butterscotch sauce over it. "Anyways, yeah I usually break away a couple weekends each winter , I can take you with if you want."

[Lorelei]

As unobtrusively as she could, Lorelei slid into the knot of students clustered around the ice cream.

"Excuse me," she murmured as she picked up a bowl, reaching around a pair of girls who seemed rather preoccupied with batting their eyelashes at a pair of boys. For their part, the objects of the girls' desire seemed completely oblivious, and Lorelei capitalized on the opportunity to scoop up some vanilla before it was all gone.

With a drizzle of warm caramel and a sprinkling of nuts, her rather modest sundae was complete, and her attention shifted to the third, and most important, word in the event: "Social." Craning her neck, she glanced about the groups of students in the hope of seeing a familiar face.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

His spirits rising once again, Sean nodded in gratitude to Ryan. "That would be awesome, man. If we can go home for March Break, we should try to spend a few days at my stomping grounds in Whistler. There's amazing slopes, and with the X-games havin' been there, and gearing up for the 2010 Olympics, they've only gotten better."

"And you shouldn't underestimate us football players," Sean said around a mouthful of sundae, trying to hold in his mirth. "We're a very smart bunch only pretending to be dumb to conceal our plans for world dom--" Sean cut-off with mock-suspicion. "You'd have to join the fooball team to learn the plan."

Chuckling, Sean turned back to the refreshment table to dispose of his bowl, when his breath caught at the sight of a familiar blonde siren. He sidled up to her, his smile sincere.

"I was hoping to see you here, Lorelei," he said, cocking his head a little, looking her straight in the eyes. "I would love to get to know you better. I don't really believe you are a mythical, German siren, but if you are, I'll bet you have some great stories to tell. Oh! And you never said what the secret treasure the Lorelei were guarding was."

[Deacon Knight]

Hands in his pockets he rolled through the more open areas of people away from the ice cream and all super models the school seemed to possess. It was like they were recruiting from catalogs.

One foot in front of the other he seamlessly rolled past, his custom made Heelies carrying him around the area effortlessly. His hair was unkempt and his open flannel shirt displayed a t-shirt underneath that read 'Why Grow Up? This is More Fun.' and his hands were buried in the pockets of his khaki colored cargo shorts.

He greeting those he past by with a polite greeting, 'Hey, how's it going?' and 'Good to see ya.' were commonly repeated as Dalton's legend made his way about the Social as he did every year.

Lucia Blake was, of course, there and Deek couldn't argue that she was fine and somewhere in the cracks he noticed Lorelei's hot bod hiding among the ice cream a few moments prior.

Had he been a few minutes earlier he may have met Lorelei at the ice cream but now it was just him trying to move past the tightly knit pack of n00bie students gawking at the 'oh so hawt' jocks and EXTREME!!! sports junkies...

They'd point and mumble something to each other in n00binese and then fall into immature and uncontrollable giggle fits like tweenies at the opening night of Twilight.

"Ladies," He said to them flailing his hands to the sides with a winning smile and humorous arm motions as if to brush them away like birds on a line. "This is not a zoo."

He thought about that. "Well, sorta. They are not behind glass if you like what you see on display by all means introduce yourself, but please... pretty please with sprinkles on top... stop blocking my fudge ripple."

A few more whispers traded back and forth as they pondered the validity of one of the n00bs assumption that they were shooed away by 'Deek the Geek'.

No sooner did the scooper hit the tub of ice cream than four members of the staff were watching him like C.I.A. operatives. "How ya doin' guys." He smiled and casually got his ice cream. Honestly, were Deacon planning something like spiking the ice cream... again... he'd have already done it and the faculty combines were barely smart enough to slow him down, let alone stop him.

With his sundae in hand he heelied away grinning the grin of someone about as guilty as guilty could be.

Click to reveal..

Made ya look.

[Dawn OOC]

Three more people joined the party, but even the most obtuse of the students could tell that the party had just been crashed. They walked in an arrowhead formation, one man a step ahead of the other two, who moved to his left and his right. They were all normal-looking enough, wearing modern clothing, but their bearing was odd, eye-catching. They walked arrogantly through the crowd, making no attempt to communicate. Instead, they seemed to be content to look, milling through the crowd.

The flankers were identical, twins by their appearance. They had straight brown hair that was cut to one length and parted down the middle. Their brown eyes and physique didn’t make them stand out, but their swaggers more than made up for their normalcy. The one in the middle was the tallest, with blond-streaked brown hair. His dancing green eyes roved over the crowd, assessing boys and girls alike with a probing, penetrating stare. It wasn’t necessarily sexual, but it was oddly and uncomfortably possessive.

[SalmonMax]

In the spectacle of the party crashers, it would be easy to miss her. She wasn't tall or striking in the way they were. She was maybe 5' 6", fairly slender of build, with somewhat mussed short brown hair and brown eyes that seemed a bit dark underneath, like she hadn't been sleeping too well lately. She wore a loose blue windbreaker over an olive green t-shirt with a logo on the front that might have been the Kool-Aid man busting through a wall a few thousand washes ago, but was now just a pinkish white smudge vaguely shaped like that. Her jeans were black denim; faded around the knees and frayed around the cuffs. She was definitely pretty, maybe even beautiful to those who liked some rough edges...though not approaching the confidence and physical perfection of Lorelei or Lucia.

The newcomer hovered around the entrance, eyes flicking over the partygoers to linger for a second on the refreshments table, then pause again on the three crashers. Their strangeness seemed to arrest her, because she kept watching them from behind as they performed their own sweep of the children before them.

http://www.cinema.com/image_lib/3749_1609.jpg

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

A slight amount of colour entered Lorelei's cheeks as she looked up at Sean, her smile inadvertently coy, her clear blue eyes bright. She was about to respond, when she stiffened with apprehension, her attention pulled from Sean by someone--or something--else.

Sean turned and took a step forward to get between Lorelei and what ever was causing her worry. His eyes where immediately drawn to the three arrogant newcomers. Those aren't sutdents. I've never seen anyone radiate such Assholiness and Douchebaggery, not even Vanessa!

He twisted back to Lorelei, and gave her arm a protective squeeze. "I'll be right back," Sean said with a confident smile, before striding to confront The Three.

He stopped right in front of blondy-browny, forcing the arrow-head of party-crashers to either stop, part around him, or try to go through him. A tempest was brewing in Sean's eyes. Try it!

Holding hard to his smile, Sean crossed his arms, biceps bulging. "Hey guys, this is a private party for students of Dalton, and I don't think you guys are. But no rough feelings, eh?" Sean turned to gesture to the refreshment table, his eyes and a tilt of his head trying to convey to everyone there to clear away. "We have plenty of ice cream and brownies left, so why not take a bowl and a bite, then leave?" The hardness in Sean's voice made it less of a question.

Click to reveal..

Roll for Presence+Intimidate

1d10.extra(10)=9, 1d10.extra(10)=7, 1d10.extra(10)=9, 1d10.extra(10)=9, 1d10.extra(10)=19--5 successes

Note: the last roll was a 10 followed by 9, didn't show up the way I'd hoped.

[Dawn OOC]

They had seen Sean before he approrached; those unnerving eyes had actually settled on him when he'd left Lorelei's side. The three young men seemed taken aback, staring at Sean for a long moment. "We shall have our bite, hero," the middle one stated after a deeply drawn breath, "but this is not the night."

The two flankers nudged against the middle one, like dogs pressing against their master's leg, which seemed to bring him out of his reverie. "One," he said as he stared at Sean, smiling suddenly, some of that arrogance coming back. But he didn't push forward or make any attempt to progress into the room.

Then those green eyes latched onto Lorelei and he said, "Two."

[Jeremy]

As the strangers had been talking with the athletic teen, Chester had been focused upon drawing a sketch of all three with a piece of paper he'd found, plus a pencil he kept with him. Frankly, he didn't like the presence of the crashers- no, quite uncomfortable. He figured that in time, the police would be called and they would need some identification.

Click to reveal..

Intelligence + Crafts: 3 Successes

He glanced back at the sketch. Perfect. He took it, moved from the table and hoped to avoid their notice. Going to the teacher's lounge would be in order.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean felt his heart pound and the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. There was someting distinctly wrong about these guys, something he couldn't place, but still felt viscerally.

Trying to keep the unease from his face, he stepped to the side to block their view of Lorelei. He straightened his broad shoulders even further, fists clenched at his sides.

"One," he said in a rumble, narrowed eyes maelstroms, barely restrained rage in his voice.

[Jeremy]

Seeing the oncoming fight, Chester decided to throw caution to the wind. Immediately, he took a breath and shot off with all his energy to leave the room. Definitely he would head for the teacher's lounge.

[Micah]

Micah walks into the room and scans it, visually. He notices Sean near the refreshments table, and starts to walk over. Micah then realizes that his roommate is having a heated discussion with the trio near him. Quietly, he comes up behind the trio, and clears his throat, trying to get the attention of the leader, "Is there something wrong, Sean?"

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean's mouth rises into a grim smile at the sight of Micah. Hopefully, being on a more even footing will make these back down. And if not, at least I have backup.

"Nah, no problem. These guys were just leaving." He locks stormy eyes on baleful green. "Weren't you?"

[Dawn OOC]

They ignored Sean's latest statement to focus on Micah. One of the flankers turned to face Micah, a classic fighting manuever that allowed them to be back to back. The man was smiling though it was more like bared teeth. And as Micah saw those teeth, for a moment, he swore the man had a mouthful of shark's teeth.

The middle man looked back and smiled. "Three," he said, then looked back at Sean. "I know you're One. I won't forget, I promise."

Click to reveal..

Micah's Perception check: 2 sux

1d10=9, 1d10=4, 1d10=8, 1d10=6

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean took a step closer, his gaze unwavering from the green-eyed interloper. He wanted nothing more than to start smashing his face in, but they hadn't done anything violent yet, and Sean wasn't going to be the one to start it. But it was hard to resist.

"I won't forget you either, Streaky." Another step closer left Sean and the seeming leader of the party-crashers nearly chest to chest. "You better be only concerned with me, leave the others out of it."

[Micah]

Micah shakes his head to clear it from the images of the shark teeth. His eyes focus in on the annoyance that is looking at him. Micah begins to focus all his anger and hate into his eyes, and imagines it beaming out of his eyes and into the eyes of his opponent. His eyes color shifts from basic brown to a grey-brown, and he clenches the muscles in his jaw. He begins glower at the guy facing him as well.

Click to reveal..

(17:49:49) ChatBot: (Reverb) rolls 6d10 and gets 10,2,10,2,9,2.

(17:51:16) ChatBot: (Reverb) rolls 2d10 and gets 9,2.

(17:56:21) ChatBot: (Reverb) rolls 1d10 and gets 4. <---- Specialization

4 total Successes.

[Lorelei]

A small hand tugged gently at Sean's forearm; her sundae forgotten on a nearby table, Lorelei had moved quietly to join the two athletes as they squared-off against the strangers. They had singled out Sean, and now herself, and something of her concern manifested in the pursing of her lips.

Not now, her sky-coloured eyes seemed to plead with Sean as she caught his attention.

"I'm sure," she interjected softly, returning her gaze to the three intruders, "there's no cause for violence. Can we help you gentlemen?" If, after all, they were students, they ought to be welcomed, and if they were visitors, they should be directed to their destination properly.

[Dawn OOC]

A low rumble built from the creature in front of Micah. The young man was a little startled; that had to be a taped noise because the only time people made that noise was in the movies.

"Crack," the middle man snapped and the rumbling stopped.

As if he hadn't had his attention diverted by his minion, the middle man smiled at Lorelei. "We were just browsing, Two, thank you.

[Lorelei]

At the unusual appellations, one of Lorelei's pale brows arched quizzically.

One. Two. Three. It was as if they were less people, and more objects on a list. But, Crack? What sort of name was that?

Patiently, and not a little curiously, she returned the smile. Perhaps they were foreigners of some sort. Their understanding of local culture did seem a bit lacking, after all.

"Browsing, hmm? Well, you may still have time to get some ice cream before it's all gone. I'm sure the other students wouldn't mind." Then, as if an afterthought: "Oh! How rude of me. I'm Lorelei, and this is Sean, and Micah. Welcome to Dalton Academy, Mr...?"

[Rorx]

Jason was in the corridor, heading to check on the air conditioning in one of the rooms, when Chester dashed past him from the kids party room. Obviously something was up, so leaving his bag of tools in the corridor he enters the room.

The room was still with most everyone watching the tableau with the three stangers, Lorelei, Sean and Micah. Jason's experience immediately recognises that the three could be a serious threat to the students, and so he tries to keep things calm, at least until he can get them away from the kids.

"Excuse me, but I don't believe you gentlemen are on the visitors list for today. If you'd give me your names and where you are from then I'll see if you can be added to it."

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

The feel of Lorelei's hand on his arm, and the look in her radiant eyes dampened the aggressive fire burning in him. The fire was not exstinguished, just reduced to a smolder. Sean took a step back from Streaky, to give him some space.

Confusion was beginning to build to replace the fire. The odd names, for both the students and the guy's minion, along with said minion's inhuman growl, had Sean on edge.

The arrival of Jason was very welcome. "I'm positive they aren't visitors, Jason." Sean turned back to the interlopers. "Just get your ice cream and go."

[SalmonMax]

From her vantage near the door, Renata stifled a laugh against the back of her hand.

"Oh my god, what a freak show," she muttered to no one in particular.

Her mom would freak out like it was the seventies again if she knew this shit was going down at preppy ol' Dalton Academy...the wonderful oubliette she and Dad could feel safe forgetting about her at. Like a nursing home for teens.

Or maybe not so much? Ren was pretty sure this hadn't been on the brochure.

After a second her eyes found the refreshment table again. What was a show without a snack, after all? The party getting crashed by weird college dropouts didn't mean the ice cream would stop melting.

She drifts around the side of the room, angling for the goodies while keeping an eye on the drama unfolding in the chewy nougat center of the room.

[Rorx]

Jason nods to Sean then addresses the three strangers again, "I suggest you take up Mr Cassidy's kind off and then move on to another location."

[Zack]

Zack watched the drama unfold and guided Lucia's gaze to it as well with his eyes. "I think we may be needed to smooth this out if it goes much further. i'd hate to inaugurate the year with the Faculty shutting the social down."

He disposed of his empty cup in a nearby trashcan and made his way to where the interlopers and students were conversing.

He nodded to Jason, the only faculty there and smiled. "Gentlemen, is there a problem?" He displayed the same quiet confidence he always had, but there was a certain stiffness in his voice, as if he expected trouble.