Cheshire hadn't gotten much of a reaction out of Cole until the words<i> 'lap dog.' </i>Then he stopped, hand inches from the door knob and slowly turned to face the Bakeneko. Even now, his iron restraint held firm, helped in part by the orders Ezra had given him. Cheshire had information that may yet still be of value, and hurting those chances went in direct conflict with<i>her </i>wish. The anger rising like a tide crashed against his resolve, Ezra's instructions like a beacon among the waves, giving him a fixed point. Keeping him from getting lost.<br/><br/>His face barely managed a twitch at the insult and he continued to listen.<br/><br/>At the mention of the heist being orchestrated by one of the queen's own, was no surprise. Cole had suspected as much, and he was moderately sure Cat had come to a similar conclusion. The idea of them not acting alone was...<i>interesting</i>, and would warrant further investigation. Cheshire went on to elaborate on Ezra's standing within her own gang, and possibly among darksiders at large if the rumors were true. For this, Cole was sadly not surprised. No king or queen could rule in fairness for long before others started to set their sights on the prize. Darksiders may have been something other than human, but greed and lust for power was universal. Cole was certain Ezra knew all of this, and it was his hope that she had a plan that didn't involve invoking some kind of tyrannical rule as a show of power. Thinking on it now, it was a silly thing to worry about. Ezra was no fool. Her plans were always tempered by ageless wisdom. She knew what she was doing.<br/><br/>Cheshire continued to give details. Apparently the Lycans tried to sell the leftovers, meaning they were at least one of the parties involved in the heist. Odd that they'd come to Cheshire if they so hated him, but then again, it would certainly be the last place anyone would expect them to go. Cole had always felt they were underestimated as a species. The ferocity was easy enough to recognize, but some of them were also quite cunning. It was, in Cole's eyes, their most dangerous trait. He filed the addition to the list of suspects away in his mind and continued to listen as Cheshire finally made the big reveal: A Wendigo's Eye. Cole knew of the myth... though such a word had a very different meaning in their world. A summoned killing machine. An assassin's weapon. His mind started to race when Cheshire casually lined up the rest of the puzzle pieces for him. The picture resolved itself as the Bakeneko said, "I would hope she keeps the right company…”<br/><br/>Ezra was the target.<br/><br/>A bomb went off in Cole's mind.<br/><br/>The oath drowned out the beacon of her orders in that ocean and transformed the sea of broiling emotion into<i>fire</i>. His Ezra, his queen, his<i>master </i>was in danger! Just the possibility alone!.. even the thought, for a Djinn, particularly one who was already bound by orders, would feel like his free will had been placed in a pit of impossibly hot oil. Any movement that didn't involve directly finding the threat and<i>destroying it utterly</i>would be tantamount to his world ending. His resolve snapped under the torrent and the red in his eyes<i>literally </i>burned as he stared daggers at Cheshire, his whole body trembling just to keep some semblance of control. He barely let Cat's words finish before he shot a glare her way, "Bike.<b><i>Now</i>.</b>" His voice had an edge she hadn't heard before. In point of fact, hardly anyone at all had ever heard it before. There was a growl and something<i>else </i>under it all that sounded much older. Regardless, she'd know what he meant. Her bike was the fastest method of transport currently available, and at present the only reason Cole didn't forcibly take the keys off her person right now was because the fight between them would waste precious time, a thought which registered in Cole's consciousness like nails on a never ending chalkboard. He hadn't waited to see if she understood. At a speed which was only restricted by him not trying to kick down the door on his way out, he instinctively grabbed the burner phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial for the only number it had listed, shoving, pushing, or otherwise outright knocking down everyone in his way to the elevator. Every ring on the other end of the phone had the finality of the church bell. "Pick up..<i>pick up</i>.. fucking<b>PICK UP DAMN YOU!!</b>" He had to keep himself from crushing the phone in his hand as he hit the button on the elevator and then eyed the stairs, attempting to calculate which would be faster through all the noise.<br/><br/>Madly, he considered jumping off the roof as an option. He'd pulled off similar stunts in the past.<br/>Where the hell was the<i>fucking elevator!? </i><br/>Another ring on the line.<br/>He was<i>so far</i>away from her here! How could he have been so careless?!<br/>The pavement couldn't be<i>that </i>far down..<br/><i>I WILL BURN THIS BUILDING TO THE GROUND IF I DON"T SEE THIS ELEVATOR IN THE NEXT THREE SECONDS!!</i><br/>Another ring.<br/><br/>This was his hell.