the ground could open, he could still say please

[slavophile]

Comments

[tearhiseyesout]

I don't know. But I also don't think she'll be opposed.

[Maybe David's right. Maybe the answer truly is taking the head off the snake.]

But I think we need more information. Killing the Inner Circle outright will have consequences, and we should know what they are before we start pulling triggers.

[maxxx]

Yeah, all that responsibility.

( Except, their parents are careful people. Powerful in their own right, conniving and three steps ahead. )

I'm trying to think of what consequences might befell us if we off our parents, all I'm coming up with is Biblical.

( Which is not a good thing. )

So, recon on our parents.

( He pulls into Northwest's parking lot, pulling around past the ER, reaching the morgue entrance. The parking lot is empty by the morgue entrance, so he has the pick of the litter. He parks the farthest away. It's more inconspicuous. Just for kicks, he senses magic (9). )

[tearhiseyesout]

[Nothing but the usual in terms of magic. Certain charms that come into play if they need the Colony to move through without notice. The point of them is to move above the rest of the common folk, the ones without magic.

As such Jaqueline climbs gracefully out of the car and makes her way to the front door. She lets herself in, and as such, the medical examiner looks up and blinks at her in surprise. "Jaqueline," he swallows. "I didn't realize you were coming."]

Well, my brother said you had something interesting on ice, and I thought I'd come see it for myself.

[maxxx]

We're here for the contents in your freezer. You know what happens, Chaz.

( Stop acting like you're brand new. Is his name, Chaz? Probably not, but Max is the kind of disarming asshole that will call you anything besides your name. )

[tearhiseyesout]

[The look that the medical examiner gives him is a deadly one, but he knows that trying to go up against the Melroux twins is a quick way to wind up dead. So he swallows the bitterness and turns, gesturing for them to follow him.

"This way."

Jaqueline waits, giving him some time to get ahead of him, and as Max moves past her, says:]

You know his name is Grady, right?

[maxxx]

I don't know her.

( You may put the fear in people, but he definitely puts the bitch in their family name. She should love him for it at least. )

[tearhiseyesout]

[Jaqueline snorts, before following the medical examiner the rest of the way to the body in question. And when the sheet is pulled back, the body of H is revealed, but at first, Jaqueline doesn't recognize him. He's too old, too frail.

But the clothing doesn't match how old the person looks and that's what confuses her.]

Who is this?

["I was hoping you could tell me. He had your calling card, but he doesn't match his ID." Grady tosses over the wallet and she catches it easily. Flipping it open he frowns.]

H?

[maxxx]

Jesus H.

( His very own Law & Order moment. )

H is our age.

[tearhiseyesout]

H looks our age. Or looked, anyway.

[She feels the need to distinguish that, given the givens.]

He was a disciple of Hallewell, remember?

[She turns back to Grady.]

Where did they find him?

["Run down motel just out of town. People who booked the room paid cash, so no idea who left him behind."]

Maybe we should pay Hallewell a visit. Find out what his lackey was up to?

[maxxx]

( Older than the Colonies. Or just as. She's right. )

Isn't he under lock and key?

( If anyone would have access to Hallewell, it's he and his sister. They could do it. )

Maybe this is connected directly. Age a dinosaur, you age his kin he channels.

( Is it ever that simple if they're called in. )

Worth an ask.

[tearhiseyesout]

[She nods slowly, before tipping her head to the side.]

David did snap the tether of whoever Hallewell was connected to. It could have been H.

[But they can't one hundred percent say for sure.]

Definitely worth an ask. Maybe he'll be open to some visitors.

[maxxx]

Doesn't matter what he's open to.

( Both because Hallewell is imprisoned and he is the aforementioned dinosaur. It's not up to him. If they want to pay him a personal visit, they get to.

Outside the morgue, he hastens to add. )

Let's leave mother and father out of this until we know.

[tearhiseyesout]

Agreed. They probably won't care until we have all the answers anyway.

[She does take a step forward, lifting a hand over the body and taking a moment to see if she can scan for any lingering spells or any sign of something they can use (12).]

[maxxx]

Or, they'll overtly care and overshadow us.

( Or, literally be their shadow. They can do this on their own.

Jacqueline will see the contour of a soul-bond that was never broken, but also the shell of magic that had been sustaining him. It's not any signature of magic she recognizes, but there are traces she could delve into should she want to take the time to originate the regional fingerprints left. )

[tearhiseyesout]

[She'll take the time. It's not like there's anything else for her to do (14).]

Seems as though the soul-bond wasn't broken. But there's something off here.

[She digs deeper, wanting to get a better look at the puzzle.]

[maxxx]

( The magic she traces has its' roots in Louisiana. The familiar shift and pulse of magic originates in New Orleans to be exact. It's old. Not Colony-old, but steeped in ancestors and not practice (like the Knightsbridge coven.) Whomever aged H is a power player. )

[tearhiseyesout]

French Quarter witches.

[She murmurs to herself, loud enough for Max to hear.]

Who'd you piss off, H?

[She is very, very curious. Can't wait to sink her claws into them.]

[maxxx]

Only one way to find out.

( While steering clear of French Quarter magic. And at that, they leave behind H's body, the morgue attendant, and their duties while discussing just what to share with their parental unit. )