because the lives of the wicked should be made brief

[somanyadjectives]

Comments

[bibrid]

( Lizzie chooses a sliced baguette before grabbing a little olive oil dispenser and pouring it on her small bread plate. )

I'd take any and all free lunches provided by any and all friends, family, or friends of family, which is a flashing neon hint that I still haven't met the infamous Wynonna Earp. Or, Doc Holliday for that matter.

[eredite]

If I knew you were so invested in meeting my parents I would have let Mom hang out sooner.

[She kids, mostly, Wynonna's been out of town more often than not lately.]

You've met Waverly though! That's ... something, even if she did not have a specific role in my birth.

[Jo raises an eyebrow curiously. "Waverly?"]

My aunt on my Mom's side.

[bibrid]

And an angel. But, not like Jack.

( She takes a big bite of her bread. )

Also, Alice's ex's, like, boss? Handler?

[eredite]

Boss. His handler is someone else. We hate him.

[One day Waverly will get him out of it but sadly, it's not right now.

"Sounds complicated," Jo muses, taking a sip of her drink. "Hopefully in a way that isn't a bad way?"

Alice shrugs.]

We're figuring it out, little by little.

[bibrid]

His handler sent him undercover, twice and the second time he just gave him carte blanche to just break and enter into our room. We're fine and Archer is a specimen of manhood - also innocent, he was asked, or whatever - but -- no warning. He's since apologized and groveled the appropriate amount.

( She takes a sip of water from her glass, absently scanning the crowd and the tables around them as Alice responds. But, she's very into her own story (5). )

[saveslives]

[Alice is also focused on the meal at hand (5), it's not often that she gets to go to somewhere this fancy. But also, this is what a mom is for (17). With the conversations she's been having lately, she's not letting our guard down for anything.

She scans the room briefly, but making sure she picks up enough of Lizzie's story all the same. There are a few people that are drawing her suspicion, but she plays dumb.]

It is important they do the requisite amount of groveling. Otherwise they won't learn.

["Archer's not that bad," Alice admits. "I mean, he's our age, so he doesn't know any better than we do."]

[bibrid]

Right. I left that part out. He is age appropriate.

( She catches her mother's wandering attention, trying again (non-nat 20 for a heretic). )

[saveslives]

[There are a few people who certainly seem to be watching their table. They're having a meals, but they're alone and not chatting with anyone. It's strange. Even Alice starts to pick up at a certain point (17), and as her eyes dart around, she glances back to Jo.

"Are we okay?"

Jo nods with a wide smile, but that's more for show than the truth.]

Some old friends might have decided to pay me a visit. But I don't want to start a party here in the restaurant.

[bibrid]

Three old friends?

( Real conspicuous, but she doesn't indicate that she sees them, just like her mother's smile doesn't falter. There's a time and a place. )

They wouldn't do anything here in public and risk exposure. Normally, I'd call an audible, divide, conquer. But, I also don't want to start a scene.

( Scenes are for drama club. )

What's the move?

[saveslives]

I paid a visit to someone I'm working with on a project and that's probably why they followed me.

[She considers their moves carefully, before glancing over to Alice.]

Alice, your father has an apartment in the city, doesn't he?

["Yeah?"]

Okay. What we're going to do is we're going to try and lose our friends. Odds are they probably know to your dorm, so let's get closer to some supernatural powerhouses instead.

[Alice weighs that for a minute before nodding. Then she pulls out her phone and texts Archer: Are you and your handler still in town?

And then she pauses and texts her father: Are you home? Thought you might want to meet my roommate before she leaves for winter break.

That is not an expected message from his daughter so Doc might smell a rat but she doesn't want him panicking or worrying about her. Yet.]

1/3

[kiwicompany]

( Archer thought space might last longer, even though it feels like the rest of the semester's pace has been glacial. He buried his head in busywork and he's still on his handler's shit list. But that's okay, his handler's on is, too. He thinks he blew it with Alice. And then, he gets a message. He's eating with said handler but tries to keep his poker face on. (7) )

Yeah, we are. Nowhere near your dorm room, Scout's honor.

[cowman]

We all are. Rebekah, Henry, and myself. He is about to be put down if you're trying to show off your little brother. But, you are more than welcome to bring Elizabeth on my. We were going to make popcorn. Do you like Katherine Hepburn?

[bibrid]

Are we splitting up, or shaking our tails together? We could just go Charlie's Angels on their asses. Josie sent me this new spell. Ever wanted to star in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?

( She so has. It's so cool and badass. )

[eredite]

[First, Alice texts back Archer:

No, you're fine. This isn't about that.

How would you like to Black Badge some evil witches?

She doesn't think you can call what Black Badge does "arresting" so Black Badge is getting used as a verb today.

Then she flips to her dad: Sure!

We should be there in about an hour. Also if we don't show up in an hour, this is where we started from.

She drops a pin for the restaurant.

Also maybe bring a gun.

That won't be worrying coming from his daughter at all.

Jo looks over at Lizzie and frowns. "We don't know how many more there are, and we don't want to draw more attention to ourselves. Innocent people could get caught in the crossfire. Plus, Alice doesn't have magic."]

She's also unarmed, because I just thought this was gonna be lunch.

[She's just saying. Probably a mistake and she won't let it happen again, but she doesn't have a conceal carry permit for New York so she's trying to follow the law.]

But, I may have an idea?

[She flips open her text thread with Archer and passes it over to Lizzie, specifically pointing out the part about Black Badge.]

1/3

[kiwicompany]

Where are you?

( If anything counts as making this up to her, this would it, right? )

[cowman]

Why must I bring my gun?

( He looks up from his iPhone to Rebekah. )

I think Alice and Elizabeth are in trouble.

[likeaweapon]

[Contending with a small evil witch problem, but we're going to try to lose them in the city and also Black Badge is going to help.

So really, we're probably going to be fine. But just in case!

That line of thought is not any more comforting Alice.

But Rebekah is no slouch and immediately begins to snap into action.]

Where are they? And what kind of trouble?

[cowman]

That does not count as a, just in case. Are you still there under the red sphere you sent me and your stepmother?

( Full tarnation mode, as he gets to his feed and goes for the hall closet. )

They are underneath a red balloon and they have a witch problem. ( Pulling his electronic lockbox out, he puts the code in. ) Black Badge has apparently been called in, but she cannot expect me to stand back. ( He opens the case when it beeps. ) Black Badge is at times ill-equipped. ( He produces his gun. ) This will do in a pinch.

[likeaweapon]

[For now, yes. Black Badge is going to be here in ten minutes.

Rebekah nods, because that makes sense and he should absolutely go after his daughter.]

Do you want me to stay here, or do you want me to call a babysitter?

[For the son, so he has some back up.]

[cowman]

I am on my way.

( He tucks his phone into his back pocket and cocks said gun. He sticks it in his waistband and grabs his coat from the coatrack. )

It may be good to have an extra hand, but Alice is with her heretic roommate and her witch mother. And Black Badge is ten minutes away. I'll leave that up to you, but I will see you there if so.

( He kisses her on her cheek. )

[bibrid]

Well, how far away is he? They won't make any moves in a restaurant like this.

( She hopes. She said it, but she says it again, for emphasis. Also as a dare. Don't. )

Maybe, I take a trip to the ladies. Flush at least one of them out?

[eredite]

[Alice drops a pin for Archer with the location of the restaurant. Let me know how much time you need me to buy.]

Can't hurt. Maybe give us a better idea of if they actually have reinforcements?

[Jo considers their options, and then nods slowly. "Might not be a bad idea. Be careful."

Alice nods, before grabbing her hand before Lizzie gets up to go.]

Oh, if you can get into the kitchen, see if you can find some salt.

[Then she glances back and forth between the two of them.]

That's an evil witch thing right? We totally have a witch buried in the salt flats in Purgatory.

[bibrid]

( we rolled high, so

I can be there in ten minutes. With or without backup?

Lizzie stands, ready, righteous. And Alice grabs her hand. )

Maybe your witches, but, maybe you want to give them bad luck?

( She can place it so they can knock it over but Not give them a chance to throw it over their shoulder? )

Well, I'm going to wash my hands before the appetizers get here.

( She overplays this hand, not getting an Oscar any time soon, quite announcing it to the entire restaurant, but, whatever. She can handle a witch or three. Looking down, she lets her tablemates know. )

Archer needs ten minutes.

( So, she'll give it to them. She saunters along the outskirts of the restaurant, trying to stay away from the middle of the seating area, pushing the door to the ladies room open and quickly scoping out a hiding situation (17) )

[eredite]

[We don't know how many there are, but there's at least three. Bring all the backup. But no Black Badge-ing Lizzie or her mom. They are not acceptable evil witch targets.

That being said, Alice and Jo will continue to strategize and stall while Lizzie heads into the bathroom. Fortunately for Lizzie all the stalls are empty! She can hide in whichever one she chooses.

Also fortunately for Lizzie, one of them will take the bait and make their way into the bathroom, locking the door and starting to run the water in the sinks. Unfortunately for Lizzie, however, she rolled a nat 20, and not only does she know the stall that Lizzie is hiding in, they also might have vervain on hand.

"Alright, little Gemini. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."]

[bibrid]

( You're using Black Badge as a word now? I'm not out of the dog house yet, am I? That's an American saying, right?

She hides in a single stall, stepping on to the toilet, crouching down. She hears someone enter and lock the door. Easily bypassed. One sink. Two. Three. They really don't want people hearing what's going on outside.

With her purse on her, Lizzie pulls out a familiar prism her sister, Hope and her have all used to work out their problems. When she gets too into her head, she speaks to her boyfriend. When she doesn't want to bother Josie, she speaks to Josie. When she has something to say to her mom or her dad, them.

Even though she's always speaking to herself.

Activating it, she sets it on the paper towel dispenser, another her emerging on the other side of the stall, almost like astral projection, or like she de-invisiqued.

The Follower can roll to recognize the difference.)