September 2016
?No, Cris!? Lucy's cry nearly covered the sound of a snapping joint. Cris was on a knee, his palm on the broken elbow joint of a man nearly twice his weight and size. Isaak Ames grunted and dragged in a breath, his chest heaving in his finely tailored suit as he looked with seeming disbelief at his destroyed arm.
Lucy grabbed for Cris? shoulder, trying to push him off and get herself into Isaak's line of sight. ?Just tell me where and then we?ll go. Tell me where!?
Behind Cris, the conference room doors broke open, and two security guards rushed towards them.
Cris left his weight on Isaak?s arm, Lucy?s shove off-balancing him for only a moment before he dragged Isaak?s head back and pointed a wickedly sharp, silver dagger against the throat stretching out of his pressed shirt collar. ?Call them off.?
20 minutes ago
?What is this place, exactly??
?It?s a law office.? The firm name was etched into the glass doors of the tony New Haven office building. Ames & Shepherd. The place was warded. Lucy had felt it as soon as she walked in. She couldn't use her powers here. Like the building was dead somehow. A creepy, uncomfortable feeling, even for someone so new to her magic.
Lucy had her green designer handbag tucked next to her and her phone in her hand while they waited in the marble-floored lobby. A plaid skirt, a blazer, and oxford heels. Her hair in a neat updo. She wasn't dressed for a fight. She was dressed for a business meeting.
Cris was dressed for a fight. But that could have simply been the lingering swelling and discoloration around his mouth, nose, and cheekbone. He had offered Lucy no explanation for the bruises on his face, and she had not pressed.
?Ms. Mitford? I'm Adina, Mr. Ames? assistant.? The young woman smiled at them both from the bottom of the stairs. Pleasant. Polite. Business-like. ?If you'll follow me, we'll take the elevator to the conference room.?
A week ago
?I wanted--? Lucy looked across the table at Cris, her hands around a small cup of hot tea. ?--I wanted to ask a favor.?
Cris could smell the tea from where he was sitting. Jasmine. Warm, heady. Fragrant just as the blossom. A second drag from the cigarette, and he held his scarred hand out over his full cup, evicted some ash into the brew to soil the tea even further. ?What is it??
Lucy watched that ash drop into his cup. ?I--? She had lost her train of thought. ?I need to meet with my lawyer.? She chose her words carefully. ?I do not have a good relationship with him at the moment and I'm concerned for my safety.?
There was tension at the back of his jaw as he studied the wood grain of the table down the thin angle of his nose. ?Are you to break into this place, or will you be allowed entry on your own??
?I can schedule a meeting.? Her brow furrowed, and she tugged her left earring. ?I'm not asking you to break the law with me. Just--just make sure nothing happens.?
?I would not mind to. Only that I'd prefer to be prepared sufficiently for what is to come. What do you expect will happen at this meeting??
?I have a question to ask. I expect he'll be reluctant to answer it. I expect him to be somewhat hostile.? Lucy bounced her heel, her legs crossed, the toe of her shoe knocking into the leg of the table. ?I expect him to try to intimidate me, or even threaten me.?
?And do you expect him to succeed in doing so?? He kicked another stack of ashes into his tea. ?Or merely wish to provide a deterrent prior to his attempt.?
?I expect him to try whether I'm alone or whether I have someone with me. Hopefully, he will be less successful if I'm not--if I'm not alone.?
15 minutes ago
?Are you armed??
?Yes.?
10 minutes ago
?I wanted to ask you something about the work you did for me a couple years ago.? Lucy took a seat on the couch, crossing her legs once more as she let her eyes settle on her attorney.
Isaak nodded, unbuttoning his suit jacket. ?I see.? His attention was mostly on Lucy but he kept Cris in his line of sight too.
?You recall that I retained you to--?
?Yes, I recall,? cutting her off.
Lucy glanced at Cris. She took a breath to steel herself for her question and looked back to Isaak. ?I'd like you to tell me where you disposed of the body.?
Now
?Should?ve had you killed in Dragon?s Gate.? Isaak couldn?t quite see Lucy, his head craned back against the knife Cris held to his throat.
Cris pressed his knee more deeply against the ruination of Isaak?s arm for his confession.
?You didn?t.? Lucy crossed her arms over her chest.
10 minutes from now
?Why?d you hurt him!? He would have told me!?
?He would have physically thrown you from the room, and from the office, with absolutely nothing. He was intent on not giving you anything from the very beginning, is that not why you asked me to accompany you in the first place??
?I could have persuaded him. I just needed more time.?
8 minutes ago
Lucy withdrew a folded piece of paper. Opened on the coffee table between she and Isaak, it was a map of the city. She set a pen on top of the map. ?I just need you to make a mark. You don't have to say anything. Just--just make a mark.?
?You must be joking.? Isaak looked at Lucy, incredulous. "You came to me to do a goddamned job, and I did it.? He stepped towards her, the coffee table still between them but using his height to look down on her. ?I did it so damned well you could have gone off and lived happily ever after in fairyland if you wanted. But what do you do? You confess.? He waved a hand. ?You hand yourself over to the goddamned Watch.? He shook his head. ?And now you want me to tell you where to find the evidence? You have to be fucking kidding me.?
?If she's confessed to the murder already, what exactly do you have to fear from her acquisition of his body? Backlash for the sort of business you run here?? Cris could only piece it together so far in his mind.
?Precisely that.? Isaak looked at Cris then gestured towards Lucy. ?This bitch is in the clear.?
?I'm not. That's not true. I'm not in the clear. I was never actually charged.? She looked earnestly from Cris to Isaak, trying to convince them both. ?So--so it's not in my interest to do anything--like I did before. I won't tell the Watch. I won't tell anyone about--about this. I just--I need you to tell me.? She leaned over and picked up the pen from where it was set on top of the map. ?Just tell me where to look. Please.? She held the pen out to Isaak.
Isaak didn't hesitate. He swatted the pen from her hand. It went flying across the room, clattering into a piece of furniture. Then he grabbed her by the arm and started to drag her towards the door. ?I apologize if I am less than civil, Ms. Mitford, but please consider this a formal termination of our attorney-client relationship.?
Now
?Mr. Ames.? Erandriel appeared in the conference room doorway. A tall, slender man long blonde hair and elven features. His steely blue eyes surveyed the situation.
?Our former client--? it was a struggle for Isaak to get the words out. ?--Ms. Mitford, seeks a piece of information--?
?I see.?
?Where is he?? Lucy?s eyes registered recognition at the sight of Erandriel. ?What did you do with him??
?Him?? Erandriel looked from Lucy to Cris and Isaak.
?The body.? Lucy took a step towards him.
Isaak nodded, as much as he could with Cris' blade at his neck. Erandriel looked to Lucy. ?I'm afraid what you are looking for was dumped in the river.?
2 minutes from now
?May I ask what the fuck that was??
?Do you care or do you just want to know??
?Both.?
12 minutes from now
?I just thought you'd keep him from hurting me.?
?I did, with interest for his unfortunate election to attempt it in the first place.? Cris rubbed his face, wincing for where the rough passage of his hand aggravated the bruises. ?We do not know if they are telling the truth. We do not know of the condition his body is in. Often, cover-ups take a corpse and cut it into pieces before they dispose of them. In the river could mean myriad things.?
Lucy dragged in a deep, shaky breath and looked out the window of the taxi. ?Where can I drop you??
5 minutes from now
Lucy tipped her head back against the taxi?s backseat and let smoke exhale past her lips. She closed her eyes. ?Two years ago that winter night--the night I first met Reginald, I called Isaak. To come help me. And he made it go away. He made Reginald go away.? Even with her eyes closed her nose reddened to signal oncoming tears. One slipped down her cheek. ?I never knew what--what they did with him. But when I--when I let him go, I promised myself I would take care of him.? She stomped her foot in the back of the cab. ?But he's in the river.?
She shook her head on another shaky exhale of smoke. ?He's in the fucking river.?
?No, Cris!? Lucy's cry nearly covered the sound of a snapping joint. Cris was on a knee, his palm on the broken elbow joint of a man nearly twice his weight and size. Isaak Ames grunted and dragged in a breath, his chest heaving in his finely tailored suit as he looked with seeming disbelief at his destroyed arm.
Lucy grabbed for Cris? shoulder, trying to push him off and get herself into Isaak's line of sight. ?Just tell me where and then we?ll go. Tell me where!?
Behind Cris, the conference room doors broke open, and two security guards rushed towards them.
Cris left his weight on Isaak?s arm, Lucy?s shove off-balancing him for only a moment before he dragged Isaak?s head back and pointed a wickedly sharp, silver dagger against the throat stretching out of his pressed shirt collar. ?Call them off.?
20 minutes ago
?What is this place, exactly??
?It?s a law office.? The firm name was etched into the glass doors of the tony New Haven office building. Ames & Shepherd. The place was warded. Lucy had felt it as soon as she walked in. She couldn't use her powers here. Like the building was dead somehow. A creepy, uncomfortable feeling, even for someone so new to her magic.
Lucy had her green designer handbag tucked next to her and her phone in her hand while they waited in the marble-floored lobby. A plaid skirt, a blazer, and oxford heels. Her hair in a neat updo. She wasn't dressed for a fight. She was dressed for a business meeting.
Cris was dressed for a fight. But that could have simply been the lingering swelling and discoloration around his mouth, nose, and cheekbone. He had offered Lucy no explanation for the bruises on his face, and she had not pressed.
?Ms. Mitford? I'm Adina, Mr. Ames? assistant.? The young woman smiled at them both from the bottom of the stairs. Pleasant. Polite. Business-like. ?If you'll follow me, we'll take the elevator to the conference room.?
A week ago
?I wanted--? Lucy looked across the table at Cris, her hands around a small cup of hot tea. ?--I wanted to ask a favor.?
Cris could smell the tea from where he was sitting. Jasmine. Warm, heady. Fragrant just as the blossom. A second drag from the cigarette, and he held his scarred hand out over his full cup, evicted some ash into the brew to soil the tea even further. ?What is it??
Lucy watched that ash drop into his cup. ?I--? She had lost her train of thought. ?I need to meet with my lawyer.? She chose her words carefully. ?I do not have a good relationship with him at the moment and I'm concerned for my safety.?
There was tension at the back of his jaw as he studied the wood grain of the table down the thin angle of his nose. ?Are you to break into this place, or will you be allowed entry on your own??
?I can schedule a meeting.? Her brow furrowed, and she tugged her left earring. ?I'm not asking you to break the law with me. Just--just make sure nothing happens.?
?I would not mind to. Only that I'd prefer to be prepared sufficiently for what is to come. What do you expect will happen at this meeting??
?I have a question to ask. I expect he'll be reluctant to answer it. I expect him to be somewhat hostile.? Lucy bounced her heel, her legs crossed, the toe of her shoe knocking into the leg of the table. ?I expect him to try to intimidate me, or even threaten me.?
?And do you expect him to succeed in doing so?? He kicked another stack of ashes into his tea. ?Or merely wish to provide a deterrent prior to his attempt.?
?I expect him to try whether I'm alone or whether I have someone with me. Hopefully, he will be less successful if I'm not--if I'm not alone.?
15 minutes ago
?Are you armed??
?Yes.?
10 minutes ago
?I wanted to ask you something about the work you did for me a couple years ago.? Lucy took a seat on the couch, crossing her legs once more as she let her eyes settle on her attorney.
Isaak nodded, unbuttoning his suit jacket. ?I see.? His attention was mostly on Lucy but he kept Cris in his line of sight too.
?You recall that I retained you to--?
?Yes, I recall,? cutting her off.
Lucy glanced at Cris. She took a breath to steel herself for her question and looked back to Isaak. ?I'd like you to tell me where you disposed of the body.?
Now
?Should?ve had you killed in Dragon?s Gate.? Isaak couldn?t quite see Lucy, his head craned back against the knife Cris held to his throat.
Cris pressed his knee more deeply against the ruination of Isaak?s arm for his confession.
?You didn?t.? Lucy crossed her arms over her chest.
10 minutes from now
?Why?d you hurt him!? He would have told me!?
?He would have physically thrown you from the room, and from the office, with absolutely nothing. He was intent on not giving you anything from the very beginning, is that not why you asked me to accompany you in the first place??
?I could have persuaded him. I just needed more time.?
8 minutes ago
Lucy withdrew a folded piece of paper. Opened on the coffee table between she and Isaak, it was a map of the city. She set a pen on top of the map. ?I just need you to make a mark. You don't have to say anything. Just--just make a mark.?
?You must be joking.? Isaak looked at Lucy, incredulous. "You came to me to do a goddamned job, and I did it.? He stepped towards her, the coffee table still between them but using his height to look down on her. ?I did it so damned well you could have gone off and lived happily ever after in fairyland if you wanted. But what do you do? You confess.? He waved a hand. ?You hand yourself over to the goddamned Watch.? He shook his head. ?And now you want me to tell you where to find the evidence? You have to be fucking kidding me.?
?If she's confessed to the murder already, what exactly do you have to fear from her acquisition of his body? Backlash for the sort of business you run here?? Cris could only piece it together so far in his mind.
?Precisely that.? Isaak looked at Cris then gestured towards Lucy. ?This bitch is in the clear.?
?I'm not. That's not true. I'm not in the clear. I was never actually charged.? She looked earnestly from Cris to Isaak, trying to convince them both. ?So--so it's not in my interest to do anything--like I did before. I won't tell the Watch. I won't tell anyone about--about this. I just--I need you to tell me.? She leaned over and picked up the pen from where it was set on top of the map. ?Just tell me where to look. Please.? She held the pen out to Isaak.
Isaak didn't hesitate. He swatted the pen from her hand. It went flying across the room, clattering into a piece of furniture. Then he grabbed her by the arm and started to drag her towards the door. ?I apologize if I am less than civil, Ms. Mitford, but please consider this a formal termination of our attorney-client relationship.?
Now
?Mr. Ames.? Erandriel appeared in the conference room doorway. A tall, slender man long blonde hair and elven features. His steely blue eyes surveyed the situation.
?Our former client--? it was a struggle for Isaak to get the words out. ?--Ms. Mitford, seeks a piece of information--?
?I see.?
?Where is he?? Lucy?s eyes registered recognition at the sight of Erandriel. ?What did you do with him??
?Him?? Erandriel looked from Lucy to Cris and Isaak.
?The body.? Lucy took a step towards him.
Isaak nodded, as much as he could with Cris' blade at his neck. Erandriel looked to Lucy. ?I'm afraid what you are looking for was dumped in the river.?
2 minutes from now
?May I ask what the fuck that was??
?Do you care or do you just want to know??
?Both.?
12 minutes from now
?I just thought you'd keep him from hurting me.?
?I did, with interest for his unfortunate election to attempt it in the first place.? Cris rubbed his face, wincing for where the rough passage of his hand aggravated the bruises. ?We do not know if they are telling the truth. We do not know of the condition his body is in. Often, cover-ups take a corpse and cut it into pieces before they dispose of them. In the river could mean myriad things.?
Lucy dragged in a deep, shaky breath and looked out the window of the taxi. ?Where can I drop you??
5 minutes from now
Lucy tipped her head back against the taxi?s backseat and let smoke exhale past her lips. She closed her eyes. ?Two years ago that winter night--the night I first met Reginald, I called Isaak. To come help me. And he made it go away. He made Reginald go away.? Even with her eyes closed her nose reddened to signal oncoming tears. One slipped down her cheek. ?I never knew what--what they did with him. But when I--when I let him go, I promised myself I would take care of him.? She stomped her foot in the back of the cab. ?But he's in the river.?
She shook her head on another shaky exhale of smoke. ?He's in the fucking river.?