everyonelives | coming at you fast, midnight

["More or less. I always found it an abhorrent practice. At least my methods of keeping young involve consent."

But it's a very veiled, very twisted form of consent.

"I've found the rest of the Inner Circle doesn't really care."]

( "Coercion isn't consent," Ezra says, but Hallewell is giving them answers, so he stops there. )

Why'd they oust you anyway?

( Why is he no longer in the inner circle. )

["Because I preferred to keep my own dashing form, rather than body hop every sixty to seventy years. Well, formerly dashing form anyway."

He looks pretty ragged right now.

"They thought my means of doing things was rather gauche, and cast me out." He snorts. "Sure. I was the gauche one."]

Why do you think they let you live, knowing their secret?

( Item one would be to eliminate the only living immortal aware of their ascendancy, but he has always had a ruthless streak right beneath the surface. )

["Leverage." He smirks as he leans back in his seat. "But you're not going to get that little nugget for free."

And yes, all of this information has been free. His leverage will stay close to his chest until what he deems the most advantageous option possible.]

So, it's on us then. Vet whether or not your little nugget is worth it.

( "We didn't come into this as a negotiation," Max adds. )

["Well, that's your first mistake, kiddo. You should come into everything as a negotiation." It makes your life a lot easier when you already know what you're willing to lose - or what you're able to hold over someone's head.]

Let me guess? You want out.

["When the Gauntlet is about to start? No. I'm quite comfortable in my magic-proof prison, thank you."]

He wants life.

( "He wants his youth," Max says, knowing full well he'd negotiate for the same thing. )

Probably a favor for good measure.

["And you don't have the power to offer me any of that." Hallewell leans back, picking up a magazine from one of the side tables. "If it's all the same to you, kiddos, I'll wait to see who's still standing when the dust settles."]

You don't know what we have old man.

( Max's glare settles on Hallewell's feeble form, but Ezra steps in, speaking for everyone.

"You'll come down on one side, and we're the side that will hesitate when it comes to what our parents would do with your life. They're the ones who ordered we bring you in. So, I'm just going to ask. Why now, all of a sudden, if they let you live this long doing what you do?" )

["They didn't want me thinking I could throw my hat into the ring. Not that I would. I don't have a death wish, clearly."

Hallewell leans back in his seat and crosses one leg over the other. He eyes each of them, though he's clearly not bothered with sharing.

"They'll keep me in here until the Gauntlet is over, and once the ascension is complete, they'll send me on my merry way."]

( "Death wish or not, you look closer to death than we do," Max needles.

That doesn't help, Max. Ezra closes his eyes. He's not with the charming siblings, that's for sure. )

Is there anything else you can give us?

["Oh, many things. But unless you have something more to offer, you'll find that 'can' is not the same as 'will.'"

So no. Hallewell is done until they have something better to offer him to win his loyalty.]

( Max has nothing and what Ezra has lives in his back pocket. What he has isn't for Hallewell. Not at this juncture.

Ezra waits to see if the siblings have anything else, ready to regroup in the hallway, and ready to get in touch with his husband. )

Well. This has been enlightening.

[Jaqueline gets to her feet, because yes, she sees when they're not going to get any further.]

Nice seeing you, gramps. Try not to die.

[But with that, she's out.]

( As is Ezra, with Max trailing behind.

They regroup in the hallway. )

Do you believe him?

I don't think he has any reason to lie. Especially when he's pretty sure we're going to be dead or possessed soon anyway.

[It just is what it is.]

What do we do now.

( Loop in David, he knows. But, other than that, this is about as mouth-dropping as it gets. They aren't his parents, but he married in. )

We say nothing.

[She needs to tell Sierra as well. Let her know what she's really getting herself into.]

Not to anyone outside of our co-conspiriators. If this gets out, we get dead.

( He splits from the siblings, heeding her warning and waits until he gets into his car to dial his favorite number. He doesn't know how he's going to do this, but he knows he has to make that call. )

[He is sitting in his car after leaving Harvey's office, and smiles briefly at the name on his caller ID before lifting it to his ear.]

Hey, you.

Hey. ( He wishes he could take the moment to just be on a call with his husband. But, the silence feels heavy. ) We paid a visit to Baret Hallewell.

( He watches the Malraeux siblings return to their own car, giving off an audible sigh. )

How'd it go?

[Because he did know that much, but he expected a stonewall of great proportions.]

He put his cards on the table.

( And the parents'. )

It's about the Inner Circle.

What about them?

[It must be bad if Ezra's not just coming out with it. But he's unsure how bad he should expect.]

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