Topic: Unknown

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-02-26 14:36 EST
I got nothing left to defend.
I cannot pretend
That everything makes sense.
But does it really matter now
If I do not know how
To figure this thing out?

Faith makes everybody scared.
It's the unknown, the don't-know
That keeps me hangin' on...

?Unknown? ~ Lifehouse

Riley woke before dawn, slowly surfacing from the depths of a dream that she'd much rather have finished dreaming. She opened her eyes, blinking blearily into the semi-gloom of her loft. She could feel the cold of the Rhydin winter morning pressing down on her, encouraging her to stay in the warmth of her bed. With Herculean effort, though, she dragged her sleepy body from between the sheets and blankets and padded, bare foot and dressed in Andy's away jersey and black boy shorts, into the kitchen. Sleepy, slightly cold-numb fingers fumbled with coffee filters, bean grinder and finally the coffee maker itself and she took a lean against the counter, waiting with a true caffeine junkie's dry-mouth anticipation for that first cup of black, Heavenly manna.

Taking her mug, this one sporting a smiley face with a bullet hole in the forehead, to the table, she slumped down in a chair, brain still somewhere in the dream she'd been having just before waking. It had been about Stewart McCall, the Australian psychology professor she'd had during her last year at Boston University. She'd been failing the class, mostly due to the fact that he gave pop quizzes on the Fridays she drove down to Pittsburgh when the Penguins were playing at home. Desperate to keep her perfect grade point average and the full-ride offer from Boston College law school, Riley had gone to Professor McCall and asked what she could do to improve her grade.

In retrospect, of course, when he'd told her exactly what she could do to earn a solid A, she should have told him to die in a fire, but she'd been desperate. Funny though, in the dream she'd just had, she had had the strange feeling that someone had been standing in the shadows of the professor's bedroom, watching as Riley earned her A. A smirk curled her lips then, as it dawned on her who'd been watching. ?Lani,? she whispered and shook her head, chuckling. The presence of the succulent succubus in Riley's dreamscape would certainly explain the vividness of an otherwise forgettable encounter with a pasty, paunchy middle-aged Aussie.

A thud against the front door of the loft brought her back to the present and she rose from the table, still cradling the cup of coffee in one hand. Unlocking the deadbolts and the security chain, she slowly opened the door and found the first edition of her new subscription to the RhyDin Post laying on the welcome mat. She grabbed it up, relocked most of the deadbolts and returned to the table. Settling down once more, one hand still wrapped around her coffee, she scanned the paper. Mass murders down at the docks, dueling news, an article mentioning Reap and Harris that made her smile just a little, and finally, the good stuff ? the advertisements and classifieds.

Half an hour and two cups of coffee later, she had finished with the paper and confirmed her suspicions. Time to began her day in earnest. Shedding Andy's jersey for black yoga pants and a lavender-coloured sports bra, she did her daily meditation and yoga. Despite not needing the physical benefits of the exercise any more ? her Cat took care of those needs ? she still needed the peace lent to her by the meditation and the asanas.

After yoga, she showered and then gave serious consideration to her wardrobe. She'd be spending the day in the library and town hall ? if such a thing existed in this god-forsaken, a*s-end of the Universe ? so comfort was uppermost in her mind. Levis, a yellow t-shirt that said ?I only date Pittsburgh Penguins fans? and black Chuck Taylors were selected and she dressed quickly. Slipping into her father's vintage leather motorcycle jacket and putting a Penguins team hat on, Riley left the loft, headed across town for the library and a day of research.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-02-26 16:49 EST
She spent the morning looking through the past six months of the Rhydin Post, the Gangstar and yes, even the Enabler. So far, so good ? there was no hint that such a place currently existed in the city. She chatted briefly with the librarians, who were a considerable source of information in their own right, and they told her the same thing that she'd discovered in her reading. One particularly mousey young lady said that considering all the parties and balls that went on in the city, such an idea would probably be welcomed and embraced by Rhydin society ? such as it was.

Stopping briefly for lunch, which consisted of a kebab of some sort of spicy meat ? she hoped desperately it was not feline in nature - in the Marketplace, Riley headed now for Town Hall, pleased and not a little surprised to find such an institution actually existed in the city. She received odd looks from the clerks she found manning the counter, but soon she was led to a small, windowless room furnished with a scarred, institutional table and chair. It reminded her of every interrogation room she'd ever been in while still practising law.

A nameless clerk brought her a pair of white cotton gloves and a large, leather-bound book, the first of many he promised. ?Do not let the skin touch the pages,? were his only words before he left the room, backing out and shutting the door behind him. Riley slipped the gloves on and then carefully opened the book. Written in an archaic, curling hand were the deeds of every building within the city. They were haphazardly arranged, with no rhyme or reason to the order in which she found them, though addenda and changes of ownership had been thoughtfully attached to the original deed.

Hours passed slowly, marked only by the occasional swapping of books and breaks Riley made to stretch or to get some air. Finally, fifteen minutes before close of business, she located the deed to the building in which her loft was located. Begging for additional time from the clerk, she began reading through the trail of ownership, a twisting labyrinth of family inheritance, hostile buy-outs and finally, foreclosure. The property was now owned by the First Goblin Bank. That bit of information had Riley frowning ? goblins? Well, why not? After all, there were orcs around.

Thanking the clerk effusively, she left Town Hall and made her way to the Red Dragon, by way of the Marketplace. The bank was closed now, of course, but she'd begin her assault on it tomorrow. First, she needed to prepare her two-pronged attack, and she planned to do that by writing a business plan, a loan request and then an offer to purchase the building.

Secluding herself in a solitary booth and fortifying the evening's activities with a bottle of Australian shiraz, she began first with the purchase offer. She intended to bid a full thousand gold less than what the bank had named as the valuation for the property, guessing that they were probably eager to get rid of a money pit. She also knew that the bank would make more than that thousand back on interest and fees incurred by the loan she wanted to take out from them, too.

Finished with the purchase offer, she moved on to the loan request. Calling on her hazy memory of real estate law, prime interest rates and vague recollections of ancient usury laws, she crafted a proposal for a thirty-year loan at 6.1% interest, for the entire cost of the building, minus a 10% down-payment, which she intended to pay out of her own pocket.

After taking a short break to drink more wine, she began the business plan. This made her nervous. With the down-payment for the building, she would be draining her accounts, leaving herself penniless. She'd cut all ties to her former life and now had to exist solely on faith in her abilities. She'd been practising law for nearly all of her adult life, but now she was looking to go back to her first love and attempt to make a living doing that. She poured her heart and soul into the plan, listing her various awards and recognitions, the offer of a full-ride scholarship to Julliard, and her own absolute love for what she wanted to do. Then she got practical and listed the business courses Boston College had augmented her law degree with, plus the hands-on experience she'd received as managing partner for the law firm.

And now she came to the difficult part. She knew that the bank would ask for character references and she had none. Well, no one she was willing to list anyway. Who did she know in Rhydin, after all? A succubus, an assassin, a child-like vampire thrall...and Harris. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping in defeat. ?Sh*t. Why can't I know someone important, some pillar of the community, or at least someone who likes me?? she muttered, reaching for a final glass of wine. Maybe Aja or Anya could be bribed to put in a good word. She'd ask the next time she saw either of them.

Closing her notes and pushing them aside, she looked up and saw that the Inn had filled up while she was busy. As she was deciding whether she wanted to go socialise or if she just wanted to go home, she felt the brush of an alien mind inside her own. ?Oh, no,? she whispered and looked around, eyes wide with fear. He was here, somewhere, looking for her.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-02-28 15:39 EST
Somehow, she'd managed to avoid seeing the Unseelie bastard and had slipped quietly and unnoticed from the Inn and headed back to the loft. She stood for a long while on the street in front of the building, looking at it with her mind's eye, seeing it as it would look when she was done with the remodel. It was a nice building, all things considered. Three stories, the first a lovely commercial space that could be subdivided, half for herself and half for a cafe or maybe an art gallery. The other two floors were split into four lofts, including her own. They were large spaces, with floor-to-ceiling windows, light wood floors, stainless steel fixtures, fireplaces in the bedroom and the living area, and a wicked huge bathroom. They reminded her of the place she and Rhys had looked at in Brooklyn, while they were there staying with John. Her breath caught in her throat at the thought of Rhys and she whispered, ?Oh, Rhys.? Closing her eyes and banishing further thought of her erstwhile fiance, she stepped off the kerb, crossed the street and entered the building.

Once safely locked away in her loft, she sat down at the computer and began transcribing the notes she'd made while in the Red Dragon. As she finished both the purchase offer and the loan request, she printed them out and stuck them inside folders, which were then placed inside her bag. Then she sat for a long while, staring at a blinking cursor on a blank screen. ?Oh, this is stupid, Ri. What's with the mental block? You can do this! It's just a business plan!? She felt slightly stupid for talking to herself and stood, going to the stereo and cranking up some music. Maybe a little Radio Clash would help get her in the right mood.

Two hours and two Clash albums, plus Queensr?che's ?Empire? later, she held in her hands a perfectly, painstakingly crafted business plan. It was beautiful, a true work of art. If it didn't convince the stuffed shirts at the First Goblin Bank (did goblins even wear shirts?) that she was a solid citizen who could be trusted with large amounts of cash, then she had no business trying to live the er...Rhydinian dream, and should go back to moping about and living off her rapidly-dwindling accounts. Then she went to bed, telling the butterflies in her stomach to sod off. There was no room for nervousness tonight or tomorrow. She was going to blow those goblins ? who might or might not actually wear shirts ? out of their chairs in the morning. They were going to be so impressed with her that they would fall all over each other to give her money.

The next morning began much like the previous ? bleary eyed drinking of coffee while studying the paper. By-passing the usual calming, centering exercise of yoga and meditation, she cranked up some Placebo and danced, reminding herself that she did love dance, loved it possibly more than she loved the law. Finally after an hour of freedom of motion, she felt the sweet ache of well-used muscles and sweat was dripping off her body in rivulets. Changing the music to Sia, Portishead and Massive Attack, she headed into the shower and got squeaky clean, opting for a subtly-scented soap and shampoo.

Standing in front of her closet, wrapped in a towel, she stared at the array of clothing she'd brought with her from her house in Tucson. Jeans, mini skirts, sweats, leggings, band t-shirts, cardigans, Doc Martens, f*ck-me boots and peep-toe pumps...nothing that screamed out professional business-type person. Grumbling at her complete lack of foresight in not bringing her courtroom wear, she finally selected a mostly-modest simple black sleeveless dress, a pair of red-and-black striped tights and her favourite pair of black lace-up boots. She topped the outfit with a black boyfriend blazer and stepped back, giving herself a critical look in the mirror. It was probably what was expected of a yoga instructor, something classy but funky at the same time. Too bad about her silver allergy, though. Some chunky silver bangles would look wicked.

She went back into the bathroom, hanging up the towels and taking the time to blow-dry her hair and apply make-up. Then she returned to the living area, turned off the music and grabbed her bag and slipped on the earphones of her iPod. ?Okay. Let's do this thing.? She selected the Irish-esque playlist, which consisted of Flogging Molly, Black 47, the Dropkick Murphys, the Pogues, and the Young Dubliners, and left the loft. She headed across the river to the First Goblin Bank, located near the Marketplace. Along the way, butterflies once more took up residence in her stomach.

She announced herself at the reception desk and saw to her surprise and gratification that goblins did indeed wear shirts...and pants, too! After being shown to the waiting area, she sat in an horrid, uncomfortable chair ? kinda like the ones in dentist's offices back home ? and took out the three folders in which she'd detailed a plan for the rest of her life...or at least the next thirty years. She carefully re-read everything she'd written, the loan request with its detailed interest rate and repayment plan, the purchase offer for the building and finally, the business plan.

?Ms O'Rourke?? The receptionist's gravelly voice yanked her bodily from her thoughts and Riley looked up. ?Mr Beetlebrow will see you now.? Riley nodded her thanks and stood, taking a deep breath and smoothing down her clothes. Then she went to Mr Beetlebrow's office, finding that the butterflies had morphed into Pterosaurs as she waited.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-02-28 16:26 EST
Mr Beetlebrow's office had a Universal charm...or if not charm, then a Universal feel. She'd been in similar places in Boston, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Tucson. It was stuffed full of large, dark-wood furniture ? a desk, three chairs, a credenza and bookshelves. The brag wall behind the giant desk was covered with the same sort of awards , certificates, and photos that had covered her own office wall. There was a viney, twisting plant on top of one of the bookshelves and a single, forlorn-looking goldfish doing endless laps in a bowl on the credenza.

Mr Beetlebrow himself was not like any banker Riley had ever seen. He was short, barely topping three feet tall, and a sort of greenish-greyish colour. He had sharp, pointy ears and long, spidery fingers that ended in three-inch-long claws. He was wearing a sharp, three-piece suit, though, in an understated and classy charcoal grey pinstripe. His cerulean necktie had been done in a double Windsor knot and he wore a gold pinkie ring on his right hand, of which he seemed overly enamoured. He twisted it and fondled it endlessly during their interview, displaying it ostentatiously so that it caught the meagre winter sunlight and flashed and glinted. Riley knew that by the time she left his office, the desire to rip the ring from his finger and stuff it down his throat would be overwhelming.

The goblin offered her a chair across the desk from his own in a voice that reminded her a bit of Droopy Dog's. She sat carefully, making sure to tuck the skirt of her dress down around her knees and to act as lady-like and politely as possible. Her future, indeed her entire life, depended upon impressing this self-important shrimp. She dialled up the wattage on her smile and poured on the charm, extra-thick.

Mr Beetlebrow asked for the folders she held clutched in a sweaty hand. She handed them over and the goblin slipped on a pair of half-moon cheaters before opening the folders. He read the contents of each folder carefully and thoroughly, scratching notes with a quill in the margins. Riley watched with hawk eyes, mentally chastising herself every time the tiny banker wrote something. Even though she couldn't see the comments, she knew that he was just racking up the marks against her, compiling a long list of evidence as to why his bank should not lend her money or sell her the building.

After the banker had read through each folder twice and made his tiny little notes, he looked up at her. He steepled his freakishly long fingers against his thin lips and stared at Riley, his beady, rat-like little eyes boring into her. He remained silent for a long, uncomfortable period and just when Riley was about to run screaming from the room, he gave her a curt nod. ?It's a deal, Ms O'Rourke. You've got your building and your loan.?

Riley blinked, slack-jawed and stunned. ?I do? I mean, I do.? She grinned, relief flooding her body and threatening to overwhelm her. She popped up out of her chair and reached across the desk, grabbing Beetlebrow's hand and shaking it firmly. She even managed to keep from wiping the feeling of his clammy, cold skin off onto her skirt after she released his hand. ?Thank you, sir. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I really appreciate it.?

The unflappable banker merely nodded and then withdrew a stack that must have used up half a ream of paper. He then motioned to Riley to have a seat again and re-inked his quill. He slowly, laboriously went through each sheet of paper, filling in blank lines before handing them to Riley so she could look them over and initial everything.

Two hours later, she left the bank, clutching her bag, which was stuffed with copies of her submittals, the agreements she'd just signed, a receipt for a hefty banker's draft, a passbook for her new savings account, and a copy of the deed to her new building. She felt like she was floating as she stood in the middle of the Marketplace, a dazed and absurdly happy grin on her face. She threw her head back and screamed, ?Yarimashita! I did it!? at the top of her lungs. She ran all the way to the Red Dragon and burst through the doors, yelling out ?Drinks are on me! I'm a business owner now!?

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-07-31 02:05 EST
Less than six months after her first trip to the First Goblin Bank of Rhy'Din, Riley was back, sitting in the waiting room again. The place looked the same ? same stuffy bankers, same marble floors and marble columns, same smell of old currency. Nothing about Riley was the same, though. So much had changed in the short span of time since her first visit. The Zen Gardens had slowly become a lucrative business, as had the Studios. Her bottom line had grown and it was time to do something with the large amount of money she had sitting in the First Goblin, doing nothing but quietly earning interest.

Plenty of discussions with Daniel and David had helped to shore up her ideas about what to do with her time, post-Ministry. She'd continue teaching ballet and keep up her yoga class, as well. But that only accounted for a small amount of her time every day. She needed a regular job, something to keep her out of Danny's hair, something that would allow her to continue helping people who wanted it...something that would earn large amounts of money for that help, as well.

The first idea had been born of watching Oliver struggle just to survive. She'd tried to help him as much as she could, giving him clothing and food and the odd job, but he was a proud boy and wary of her charity, wanting to earn the things she gave him, rather than taking hand outs. He was scared of her; she could see that in the way he wouldn't meet her eyes when she spoke to him, the way he flinched every time she tried to touch him. Whatever home he'd escaped must have been so horrible that living in the burned-out hulk of a warehouse across the street from the Zen Gardens was better.

She knew from her explorations of the city that there were so many children just like him, homeless, living on the streets, in burned buildings, scrounging through the garbage for food, begging for money in the Marketplace. It hurt her physically to see it, filled her eyes with tears and made her heart feel as though it was trapped in a vise. She wanted to take them all home with her, fill their empty bellies, care for their wounds, dress them warmly, love them. But that simply wasn't practical, no matter how much she wanted it.

She decided to begin a charitable fund, specifically meant to help out the city's orphanages, homeless shelters, free clinics, and the children's ward at Anya's hospital. That was what her meeting with her financial adviser, a certain Mr Beetlebrow, was all about. She needed him to set up the non-profit independently of her other accounts and appoint a board of directors, as well.

?Ms O'Rourke?? said a grating, feminine voice, drawing Riley out of her ruminations. ?Mr Beetlebrow will see you now.? Riley stood, smoothed down the skirt of her Dolce&Gabbana suit and walked into the diminutive banker's office, the heels of her Louboutins clicking smartly over the marble floors. She had decided on courtroom attire, wanting to impress Beetlebrow with how far she'd come since the first time they'd met, when she'd been dressed in a simple cotton frock, red-and-black-striped tights and laced-up granny boots.

The banker was impressed, indeed, though she wondered how much of his kow-towing was due to the fact that she was very nearly a celebrity now, a celebrity with a portfolio whose bottom line numbered eight figures. After a few inane pleasantries ? during which the goblin played excessively with his obnoxiously ostentatious pinky ring ? they got down to brass tacks.

The discussions took no less than two hours, but at the end of the meeting, Riley left the bank, the proud Chief Executive Officer of Kodomo Shourai No, or the Childrens' Future Trust. She would need to find a Chief Financial Officer as well as a Chief Operating Officer and a Board of Directors. As she searched, she could also look for the first benefactor of the fund's largess.

The second idea would need further discussions with David before it came to fruition. It was definitely less altruistic than Kodomo Shourai No. In fact, one might say it lay at the opposite end of the spectrum. It was less about giving to the have-nots and more about taking from the haves. The whole plan hinged on David's willingness to help her. She headed home then, remembering that David would be off patrol early today. She'd make him dinner and then pitch him the idea.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-07-31 02:32 EST
When David got home, the kitchen counter was covered in piles of papers, notebooks, manila folders, and Riley's signature Mont Blanc fountain pen.? The Jaguar herself, however, was standing in the kitchen, stirring something in a wok.? The loft smelled of soy sauce, hot chili paste, onions, limes, and fish.

He stopped just inside the door, looking at the disarray on the counter.? "Christ," he said, "someone bomb a library?"?

She chuckled and peeked around the fridge.? "No, nothing quite that exciting.? I was going over my financial situation."

"Having money worries?"

"Not exactly."? She disappeared behind the fridge again, though the sound of her stirring could still be heard.? "I want to talk to you and Danny about some ideas I've had."

"Okay," he said as he took off his vest and started to work on the buttons of his shirt.?

She let out a wolf whistle as she appeared around the fridge, leaning against the wall next to the kitchen and watched him undressing hungrily.?

He winked and pulled his shirt off, twirling it around his finger like a stripper.? Then he carried the shirt into the closet to drop it into the hamper.? He came back out, still shirtless, and went over to give her a thorough kissing.

She returned that thorough kissing with intensity and passion, twining her arms around his neck, plunging her fingers into his hair.? When the kiss broke, she murmured against his lips, "Hi.? I missed you today."

He rested his hands on her hips, holding her body against his.? "I'd rather have been home," he said softly.

She nodded and cupped his face gently, giving him another soft, gentle kiss.? "Hungry?"

"Always," he replied, nipping her lips softly.? He wasn't really talking about food, though.

She chuckled and disengaged herself from him, headed back into the kitchen.? "I meant for food, you randy goat.? I made fish cakes with Thai sweet chili sauce.? Pad Thai noodles, too."

"Randy goat?? You learn that from Dan?"

"Probably.? Want some?? Food?" she added, pointing at him with a spatula

"Yes, please.? Smells great."

"Okay.? Coming up."? She moved, plating food, getting drinks.? Then she cleared off the counter, neatly stacking the papers, refiling them, and then set them on the corner of her desk.? "Good day?? Boring day?"? She sat down at the counter and dug in.

"They've all been boring lately," he said, sitting down on one of the stools.? "With a governor who's quickly becoming a myth, there's no direction for the Watch.? All we do is patrol."

She sighed and pushed her food around on her plate, feeling guilty for a split second.? "Listen...? I...uh...wanted to talk to you about these ideas I have, right?? I need...a partner on one of them."

"Hey," he said, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder, fingers digging gently into the firm muscles at the back of her neck, "this one's not your fault.? Dris screwed you, too, by vanishing like he has."

She nodded and started eating again.? "I know, but still..."? She shrugged and finished her plate and her drink before turning to face him.? "I want to start a...private security company."

He paused with a fish cake halfway to his mouth, looking over at her.? As a rule, cops hated private security firms.? They were always staffed by either mercenaries or thugs.? "How come?"

"To do a better job of protecting this city."? She was watching him carefully, eyes narrowed slightly in appraisal.

"Better than the Watch," he said, a statement rather than a question.

"That's my hope.? And that's why I need you...and maybe Neo, too."

"Since it's you asking, I'm willing to listen."? He paused, took another bite of his food, then continued.? "You can probably guess that cops don't like private security.? It goes against everything I've been fighting for in the past ten years.? So, uh, don't take it personally if I look like I bit into a lemon."? He gave her a quick smile.

She reached out and laid her hand gently on his thigh, giving it a soft squeeze.? "Nothing came from any of my suggestions for improving the Watch.? If I can get a privately funded security force on the streets, doing the things that the Watch were supposed to be doing, maybe we can clean up the crime in this city."? She felt like a politician, giving a lobbyist a hard sell.

He put his hand down on hers, running his finger lightly over her skin.? "First things first: what makes you think a private firm could do any better than the Watch?? Number two, if it's a not a government-controlled police force, what gives the firm any authority to stop crimes?"

She held up two fingers, indicating she'd answer the second question first. "In this city, Might does make Right, regardless of what Merlin tried to impress upon Arthur.? As to the first question, a private firm doesn't have its hands tied.? They're not limited by governmental funds or red tape."

He shook his head.? "Might makes right is never a legitimate basis for justice, and not being limited by the government sounds like an excuse to ignore laws when it's convenient.?

She snorted and took her hand away from his leg.? "Ignore laws?? Like the vast majority of this city does anyway?"

"That makes it okay?"

"So, we're to fight a losing battle because we're unwilling to step into the real world?? The world of grey, rather than black and white?? We're to let ... creatures like Salvador Delahada and Judah Bishop and Anubis Karos get off scott-free because we're worried about some archaic law, written in some foreign land that has absolutely no bearing on what reality is like here?" She shoved her plate away and crossed her arms over her chest, one slender, manicured finger tapping against her upper arm.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-07-31 02:38 EST
"How's that any different from home?? I'm sure you've seen plenty of criminals get off because of some technicality.? That mean we should abolish the judicial system and let private firms be the police?"

"If that's what it takes to keep this city safe, yes.? How many times have you said to me - in just the past month - that you wish you could do something more to protect people, but you couldn't because your hands were tied, David?"

"Wishing it doesn't make it right.? Every cop dreams of being able to go out and take down the bad guys without worrying that they'll break some procedure that lets a lawyer get the case tossed out.? But where does it stop?? If the cops don't have to follow the laws, why should the people?"

"Do you want to protect people or not, David?? Do you want to punish people who rape and murder and enslave others because the f*cking government has yet to catch up with reality?"

"Not if it means compromising the ideas and morals I've spent half my life upholding."

She smiled sadly at him and shook her head.? She reached for her dirty dishes and took them into the kitchen to load up the dishwasher. He watched her for a moment, then finished his food. When she had finished with the dishes, she stood across from him, leaning against the counter, arms braced on the edge of it. "Two guys blow up a public building with a preschool on the first floor.? Nineteen children under the age of six are killed in the explosion.? One guy turns state's evidence, is tried, convicted of involuntary manslaughter and is doing life in a federal super-max facility.? The other guy, who the first one ratted out, is tried, convicted on eleven counts of first degree murder.? He's eventually given the needle." Riley paused and David waited, listening. "Don't they both deserve the same punishment?? They did the same crime; why does one get death and the other life?? Because he ratted on his accomplice?? That's bullsh*t."

"Deserve punishment for their crimes?" he repeated incredulously.? "I'm hearing this from a Buddhist?"

"So, I'm going to forgive someone who killed children?? I'm going to feel compassion for him?? F*ck that noise,? she said vehemently, a subsonic growl underlying the words. She took a deep breath, calming herself and said softly, ?Children, David."? She blinked rapidly against a sudden threat of tears.

"Instead, you're going to make the decision on who gets to live or die?"

"Wasn't that my job?? As the f*cking Minister of Justice?? Wasn't it part of my job to decide who lived and who died, according to what crimes they committed?"

"It was your job to uphold the laws of the land."

"I tried, David.? You know how hard I tried.? My efforts, your efforts, were ignored.? Daniel said to me last week, when I asked him whether I should quit, what the point of beating my head against a brick wall was."? She sighed and left the kitchen, going back to sit down next to him at the counter.? "Laws cease being effective when they're ignored."

"They also cease being effective when the people in charge of upholding them start breaking them."

"Well, lucky for me, I'm no longer in charge," she shot back angrily.

"So you're saying it's okay for you to break the laws now, since you're not employed the government anymore."

"What laws would I be breaking?? There are two laws in this city - do not murder, do not steal.? I can safely assure you that I would not be breaking either of them"

"If you, a private citizen, orders another private citizen to be killed, how is that not murder?? Even if said citizen is breaking the law at the time, what authority do you have to kill him for it?" David asked.

"Did you not hear what I just said, David?? I said I won't be murdering anyone."

"The argument remains the same for imprisonment.? If you lock up another citizen, whether they committed a crime or not, you're robbing them of their freedom.? Again, what gives you that authority?"

"Fine, David.? Fine.? We'll just let the the current system stand.? But you might want to make sure you're inside after dark."? She slid off her stool and made her way back to the desk, picking up her stack of financial papers and bringing them back to the counter before retaking her seat. She shook her head and rifled through the papers until she came to a single sheet of paper with three columns of numbers and a single number at the bottom of the page.? She tapped it, drawing it to his attention. It was her bottom line - the sum total of all of her assets, cash, rents, the building's worth.? It was an eight-figure number.

He whistled softly under his breath. "Okay.? What about it?"

"It's just sitting there, in the bank.? I want to do something with it.? So, I visited my banker today and set up a non-profit children's charity.? You know?? Donating money to the orphanages and to Anya's hospital?"

"Sounds like a great idea." She smiled softly and leaned closer to kiss him. He leaned in to meet the kiss, though he was a little bit surprised by it.? She hadn't sounded terribly happy with him just a few minutes ago.

She broke the kiss and leaned back a bit, her forehead pressed against his.? "Still lo...like me?" she whispered softly against his mouth.

"Duh," he said quietly.? "Of course I do."

Riley ORourke

Date: 2010-07-31 02:40 EST
She grinned and then kissed him again.? "So...no private security firm then?"

He held up a hand.? "I didn't say that.? I just need you to think clearly about what you want to do, and why you want to do it.? Wanting to protect the city is not a bad cause; in fact it's a noble one.? The problem is implementing it in such a way that it doesn't end up being just as bad as the criminals.? For example, let's say one of your private guys sees a bad guy steal a woman's purse and chases him.? If he catches him, what does he do?"

"Yeah, I haven't actually thought that far in advance.? Obviously."? She gave him a sheepish smile and sat back with a sigh, chewing her lower lip in thought.? "Turn him over to the Watch," she said at length.

"Yeah. If that's really your plan, then it's a fine idea.? Is that what you had in mind, though?"

"Yes, David.? Believe it or not, I'm not some horrible monster who's gonna shank someone for stealing some old lady's purse.? Hell, I wouldn't even shank someone for killing that old lady.? But damned skippy, I'm gonna beat the snot out of him and then turn him over to the real authorities."

He gave an abrupt little chuckle.? "In that case, I don't have any problems with it.? The reason I was arguing so hard is that it sounded like you were talking about private arrests, private trials, and private sentences.? You know...vigilantism."

She snorted.? "No, no.? You know I could never do that.? Well, I should hope you know I couldn't ever do that."? She turned a sharp look on him then.

"I was pretty sure you couldn't," he said, nodding.? "You just said a few things that worried me."

"Speaking of worrying you..."? She gave him a devilish smile.? "I want to move."

"You what?"

"I want to move to a bigger house.? I've got one or two all scoped out, in fact."

"You do?"? He looked more than a little surprised.

She nodded.? "It's really hard to squeeze the three of us in here.? Plus, I've got eyes out for a piano, and there is no way in hell we're gonna be able to fit that in here."

"You've got a point," he said, then realized what she'd just said.? "A piano?"

"A piano.? I play, you know.? In fact, I was offered a scholarship to Julliard for piano and ballet."

"You've never mentioned it once."

"I like to maintain a little mystery," she said with a playful smirk.

"Talk to Dan about this already?"

"Nope.? I just found the houses today, while wandering around looking for the first benefactor of the fund.? One's out by your House and the other is on the opposite side of the city.? They're both north of here, though."

For some reason, he was absurdly flattered that she'd talked to him about it before Dan.? So much so that he actually blushed a bit.? Of course, it made the talking thing difficult.? "Uh, cool," he said.

She giggled a little at his discomfort.? "What do you think?? Would you want to come or stay here?"

"What?? Of course I'd come.? I mean...if you still want me to."

"Of course, I want you...to come with us."? She grinned at him and slid off her stool, heading for the couch.? "You're like...a part of the family now.? It'd be sad to leave you behind.? Kinda like taking the family dog out to the country and leaving him behind, you know?"

He stood, following her into the sitting area. "Thanks a lot, jerk," he said, giving her a shove. She grabbed his hands as he shoved at her and held on tight.? If she was going down, she'd try to pull him down, too. He was tall enough to have his feet on the floor, and more than strong enough to support her weight, so he just grinned and held her there at an angle.

"Don't drop me or I'll hurt you!"

"When you put it that way...," he said, and pulled her back up, and then in further for another a kiss.? "Better?"

"Mmm," she moaned softly against his mouth.? "Much."

"Good," he murmured, holding her close.? "So, when are you going to show us the places you're looking at?"

"When do you wanna go see them?"? She snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder, her forehead pressed into the side of his neck.? She looped her arms around his waist, and stuffed her hands into his back pockets.

"Tomorrow?" he asked.? "I can take the day off."? He stroked her hair softly, quite content to just feel her against him.? If he could've purred, he would have.

"Oh, that would be nice.? You can take me shopping for my birthday present, too. It's in two weeks, you know."? She tilted her head back and grinned up at him. He rolled his eyes and then kissed her again, silencing any further words she might have for him.

((Adapted from live play. Thank you, Davey! xox))