everyonelives | as we pass through arrangements of shadows

[Bela, on the other hand, is a little more fruitful with her knowledge, happy to explain the sordid history and rumored connections. Hallewell is certaninly not a good man, but given that no one is entirely sure how the magic works, to be careful with exterminating him if necessary.

He's old, but Kol is older. Having an Original on their side would still be an advantage.

On the other hand, Kieran knows exactly how to throw herself into the fire.]

Well, if he's going to prove himself valuable, he needs me. That should give us an easy in. I don't need him, but I could pretend I do.

( Kol returns to the conversation more knowledgable. )

You want to go in, in search of your brother?

( "Hang on," Kol says. "This Hallewell character has years of murky movements, dead bodies left in his wake and you want to engage?" )

All the more reason we need to get Julian out of there.

[None of this sounds fun.]

I need to know what he was promised, and if I can't talk to Julian, then I need to get information somehow. And besides, the creep from the phone is already expecting me.

I don't like the sound of this phone creep.

( But, he hasn't for some time.

"So, who are we looking for? The Baron? Your creep from the phone?" Jackson wants you to make up your mind, lady.

"She's just trying to find her brother," Scott says, stepping up. )

[To Kol:]

You're more than welcome to have fun making him talk later.

[But that's a later problem. Back to Jackson:]

Scott's right. All I want out of this is Julian. So whichever person gets me there faster is where I'm willing to start. It seems like the phone creep will be easier to find if he's acting as Hallewell's middle man.

Except, we have nothing to go on with phone creep. Only that he's with or has your brother and he was-is affiliated with Hallewell. And he called you.

( Or she called him. He zoned out until he was brought into it.

"Maybe we can flush him out," Kol says. "Give me a look?" Once Kol gets a look, something sparks.

"H," he says. )

[Kieran raises an eyebrow as she turns back to Kol.]

Someone you know?

He deals in witch business, for witches who'd rather contract out for their - projects. I've seen him at gatherings across the world. We have mutuals.

( He almost laughs. )

Never dressed like that.

Guess he's trying to match the wellness guru schtick.

[She tips her head to the side.]

Did you last see him on good or bad terms?

( He considers his answer, but Kieran and he rarely judge one another. )

A rather lively orgy.

[He's right, they don't, and while Davina will give a bit of an eyebrow raise, Kieran laughs.]

Maybe you should be the one to make the approach then. Since you guys got along so well.

( Jackson is much more fastidious than an orgy would let him be, so, he just - takes that in. Also, Davina, you fell in love with a semi-reformed hedonist. )

Their group was held in one of the conference rooms in the hotel, but we lost them in the casino.

[Yes, she accepted Kol for who he was a long time ago, but this is the first time his orgy connections have been relevant to a problem they're trying to solve.]

Sounds like fun. We do a little gambling, get some drinks, and look out for a narcissistic asshole holding my brother hostage.

( Fair. Not to be the buzzkill in the room, but she did choose him. )

So, casino. Not hotel.

If you lost him there, then that's probably where the entrance to the evil lair is.

[Because that's total logic at work here.]

The hotel and casino aren't attached?

They're across the street from one another. This is Maryland, not Vegas.

( Contempt sort of ekes out of him, but, her logic lands. )

[She holds up her hands.]

It was just a question, not a judgment.

[She shrugs.]

Still, we should start with the casino.

Let's go to the casino.

( Scott having never been in a casino leads the charge! Or, he at least agrees. Between the hotel and the casino, they lost her brother there. He looks to Davina, as does Kol before Kol also looks to Jackson, not thrilled with him, but he is their ally for the time being.

Who is driving? )

[Davina will drive. Kieran will take Kol by the hand and slide into the backseat with him, wanting to keep him on hand in case she needs it. Once she settles in the backseat, she reaches into a backpack and pulls out what looks like a makeup case.

Unzippering the top, she shuffles through her vials of blood until she finds one with a J on top, before returning it to her backpack. She then closes her eyes, trying to focus and see if she can get a lock on her brother, but she is still a fairly young witch going up against someone much older (9).]

( Scott will take the backseat to give Jackson and his long legs the front. Also to separate Jackson and Kol and Jackson and Kieran. He can see the tension.

Well, older or not, whomever or whatever is holding her brother is faltering spell-wise, because she can sense him. The connection is weak, and it flickers in and out, but it's there. He is alive. But, she can't lock on where he is. Broken pendant or not, his blood can lead her somewhere. )

[She swallows over the disappointment of not having a direct place to go, but she will take comfort in the fact that for now, he's still alive. At least there's something there to fight for.]

He's alive, but I can't tell where.

[That's mostly for only Kol to hear, but she's in the car with two other people with super hearing, so that probably doesn't stay between them.]

( It doesn't. Kol squeezes her hand.

Scott (15), Kol (16), and Jackson (18) are all able to navigate their way to the casino in question. Scott has gotten better at navigation, Kol is old enough and familiar enough and this has been Jackson's local haunt for three or so months now.

Located near the Arundel Mills indoor and outdoor mall, the parking lots and intersections are pretty bustling in the early evening, as they make a left at the signal and pull into the expansive parking lot. )

[Davina follows the directions as given, pulling into an empty spot as close as she can get to the doors of the casino. You never know when you need to make a speedy getaway.]

Should we divide and conquer? There's enough of us with super-hearing we could stay in contact.

There is an entire casino floor to cover.

( He will go with what Kieran decides, as will Scott and Jackson. Jackson feels along for the ride, but he was asked. )

[Kieran nods, eyeing the building, before tapping the back of Jackson's seat.]

You come with me. The three of you stick together. We can work it from two different angles and see how far we get.

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