there are prizes all around you if you're wise enough to see

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[tearhiseyesout]

They're being sentimental, and this is a war.

[Jaqueline would like to believe that they're all well enough aware of the stakes here. She glances over and sees the third member of their group finally arrive.]

And I'm sure Rusty will agree with me.

[Rusty raises an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I want to touch that."]

[maxxx]

Which is why Hernandez' latest trap made it sentimental. This is a part of it. The mind games.

( It's supposed to trip them up.

Oh. Hey. He masks how Rusty's arrival hits him, or tries (16), and speaks. )

Did you know about Hernandez' failsafe? How it works?

[an_honestword]

[Rusty does not (9). He knows they probably set the booby traps, but he was far out of the Inner Circle by the time they were actually burying them.]

No. Why?

[maxxx]

Because Elena Gilbert's parents and some random hunter's son are all back from the dead. Meant to be vessels.

( he'll get to 'only they can kill her' soon. )

[an_honestword]

[Rusty blinks, confused as to why this matters.]

Vessels for her to jump in to if we kill her?

["Yep. And apparently they get to survive and not be possessed if they're the ones to kill them personally."

Rusty nods as he processes that, before moving to sit at the table.]

Quick question. Who is Elena Gilbert and why do we care about her formerly dead parents?

[maxxx]

Not altogether, but, if any one of them does it.

( Max smirks. What a long story. )

She's the Petrova doppelganger, for one, and very important to your former coven. Two, she's allied with us and was helping in disposing of Hernandez' body. She got bled and got her dead parents back. Ezra Gainor used to keep tabs on her. He was a plant. It's all very "It's a small world."

[an_honestword]

So Ezra has a soft spot for her and instead of taking Hernadez's advantage off the board, he's trying to use a loophole.

[Jaqueline points one hand out at him with a grin. "See! I knew he'd agree with me."]

[maxxx]

They. We've been told to stand down until this hunter, Lucas arrives in person.

( He's not acknowledging the elephant. Yes, he would agree. )

[an_honestword]

[Rusty takes a deep breath because he doesn't like this by any means.]

At least one of them is a hunter.

[If they were dealing with someone completely hopeless, Rusty would advocate killing them and cutting their losses.]

[maxxx]

And he's motivated. Doesn't want to just be dead again.

( So, you're caught up. )

Did you do any recon?

[an_honestword]

[He shrugs.]

Some. She's got her sycophants floating around her so you can't really get that close. And her security is pretty tight.

[maxxx]

Have you seen her. Actually seen her go in or out. Anything we can use. Any kind of personal routine.

( Hm? )

[an_honestword]

Oh, I've seen her. She wouldn't have put herself in successful actress if she didn't want to be seen.

[She loves to hold court with her fans after all.]

But I couldn't get close enough for much that was distinctive. Probably for the best if we need to reconfigure our plan for this new person anyway.

[maxxx]

Successful actress. Have you been holding out on us?

( This is what working with Rusty is like. )

Promise us this. Mission three, you stop keeping everything need to know. That would help. ( Wouldn't it? ) Something to work off from at least.

[an_honestword]

[Rusty raises an eyebrow.]

Don't worry. By the time we get to your parents, you'll be the experts. They don't leave me a lot of options to get close to them. And Corsairs and Wallace make enough splash that it won't be hard to find them.

[He's not holding back information on purpose. You're just not asking the right questions.]

Hernandez's latest host is Rosalyn Sanchez.

[Jaqueline's brow furrows. "Seriously?"]

[maxxx]

...Devious Maids?

( he got a (15) )

[an_honestword]

[Rusty shrugs.]

I didn't pay too close attention to her career. I just wanted to know the face she was wearing.

["Kind of a shame." What a waste of a good face.]

[maxxx]

She's talented. And broke through into the mainstream.

( Does Rusty care? )

But, we have a face to the name that we apparently already had.

[an_honestword]

I never said I didn't.

[Again, asking the right questions. Jaqueline sighs, before holding up her hand to flag down a waiter.

"Well, since we have to wait for Ezra, we now have time to kill. So, drink?"

She doesn't think that anyone will argue.]

[maxxx]

Multiple, please.

( He's so frustrating, sis. )

[an_honestword]

[Yes, yes, she knows, your crush is apparent. But they will drink and wait the few days for Ezra and Lucas to arrive. Rusty will slip away on occasion to make sure that Hernandez continues to be unaware of their presence - more specifically his presence - but eventually Ezra arrives, and Rusty appraises this recently resurrected hunter with a frown.]

You do know there was an easier way to resolve this.

[He's referring to Ezra and yes he will say it right in front of Lucas because see how much he doesn't care.]

[praevaricatio]

( the five of them hole up in one of the suites as they finally come together.

ezra puts his foot down, stepping right up to rusty. )

There wasn't, because we're not taking the easy way out. Lucas is formidable and capable of doing this. He and the Gilberts deserve the chance to stay alive. You don't get to dictate whose life is more worthy.

[an_honestword]

I'm sorry, I thought this was a war.

[Rusty thinks resting on your ideals is all well and good, and in some ways he's pushing Ezra because he wants to make sure he's really set on this path. That he knows what he's risking by being soft.]

I thought you all wanted to ensure that your bodies didn't wind up meat suits for your in laws. Because you do realize that it's you, right? Marrying in means marrying into all of it.

[Does he also realize that he's left two ticking time bombs with the Petrova doppelganger if they fail?]

[praevaricatio]

I know what I married into. But, it's not just about me. Or, David. Or the other heirs. We dragged other people in and now everybody gets a say. Maybe that's not their call. Or, ours, but that's what we're doing.

( He will kill his husband if his body becomes his father's. Make no mistake. )

Things go south with Lucas then they will make the hard decisions. We have a loop hole and we have the time. There isn't only one way to skin a cat.

[an_honestword]

[Is he prepared for what will happen if his becomes Helena's?

Rusty appraises him for a moment, then looks over at Lucas and shakes his head.]

I hope you're good.

[Lucas snorts. "Nice to meet you too."]