CHAPTER TWO ♔ a sigh escapes from heaven and worlds end

[savemyself]

♬ The Dream Within - Lara Fabian

WHO || Rafael Giovanni, Burt Becksworth, Isabella Alessandro, Finnick Odair, Myrilandel de Tanos, Buffy Summers, Spike, Elena Gilbert, Dawn Summers, Desmond Descant, Jeanne Gar, Kat Samcelot, Mark Sandazhard, Violet Fiore, Sterling Archer
WHAT || CHAPTER TWO: Following the traumatic and tragic events of Finnick and Rafael's concert, our heroes are taken to be interrogated at the police station
WHERE || Concert Hall > Chicago Police Department, Chicago, IL
WHEN || July 3rd, 2013 [ forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam

Nothing is okay.

What was meant to be the Knights' triumphant collaborative effort to cut off Chad Becksworth's bid for total control of NOVA Records, allowing them to follow the trail elsewhere, has descended into chaos. Rafael's songs triggered some kind of reaction in Jade that allowed her to regain her lost memories, only to have their reunion cut tragically short by the actions of a hitman who took her hostage on stage, demanding her necklace. While Myri and Violet attempted to convince him that the necklace did not lie with her, Jade signaled to Rafael that she meant to utilize the distraction to break free - but things went out of control and Rafael's bullets struck Jade instead. The Knights felled the hitman, as the world watched, and Rafael begged a distraught and enraged Des to end his life. Meanwhile, a mysterious figure that only Buffy & Spike could see assisted Myrilandel in healing Jade enough to hang on for a little time more...

Time for people to say goodbye.

In the meantime, the police have arrived, arresting Rafael, Archer, and Des (or attempting to), and preparing Jade to be taken to the hospital. Everyone else is being ordered to head outside to be taken down to the station for questioning. It's a hectic scene, but people can finally snatch a few moments amid the chaos to try to make sense of what just happened...

Comments

[slay]

[ buffy stands and turns towards the door when she hears it open (listen 12). she stills then, unable to move from the spot, gaze riveted on rafael standing in the doorway. all the pain is there in her expression, flooding it, but so is a heaping helping of confusion.

with a will save of 18, she manages to glance away and look down at the others. ]

Don't we have a police station to break into?

[bigbad]

This minute? I crave action too, pet, but don't you think we ought to rest up first? [Spike shoots Rafael a dirty look, not for any one thing in particular so much as for his general existence, then moves to stand by Buffy.] Suppose it wouldn't hurt to go plan our course of action, though. In a different room.

[graveflowers]

I am pro resting too, considering my penchent for getting dreamjacked. But whenever you guys want, it is on like Donkey Kong. [Which she says -- very sincerely, if Buffy wants to go now, she will go now -- as she moves past them to greet Raf with a sort of not at all gentle hug. She just has a lot of emotions and Raf is way less likely than Myri to be crushed to death by a hug. Sorry?]

Welcome home, Italia. [She says it softly, kissing his cheek.]

my only hugging icon is mondo depressing, enjoy that

[romanticidal]

[ rafael is surprised at first, especially considering the cold lack-of-welcome from buffy & spike, which is apparently all he's convinced himself he deserves, but he returns the hug after a moment, and then kisses her cheek as well, because he's italian what do you want from him. he says very quietly: ] Grazie, cara.

[savemyself]

[ she doesn't get to hug him very long, however, because across the room isabella exclaims: ] Rafael! [ and hurries across to them, all but peeling violet off from him to wrap him up in her arms and cling to him for a moment. ] Grazia a Dio.

[rationalizes]

[ gar gives buffy and spike sort of a disapproving glance ] ... Yes, I hardly meant immediately. I think it's best we should take at least a bit of time to recover. [ oh gar, always looking out for the ic:ooc game ratio for me. to rafael, gently: ] Welcome back, Rafael.

[notaroundme]

[The other two ladies get the jump on the hugging train, and Elena isn't about to push Isabella aside, so she instead stands, hurries over, and stands by Vi, for some kind of sense of solidarity or something.]

Welcome back.

[She looks over at Des.]

No problems at the station?

[romanticidal]

[ Rafael looks over isa's shoulder at des, and there's an unspoken message in his eyes: I don't think we should tell them.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des had no intention of telling them, so while Rafael looks over at him, he doesn't even glance his way, but it's clear he got the message. He runs a hand along the side of his jaw, nodding.] Nope.

[Except he just crit failed his bluff check.]

[witchwoman]

[Myri heads towards them, just behind Elena. She frowns, not sure what Des would be hiding at this point.]

Des, we... We've had enough of secrets coming back to haunt us, I think. What is it? What's happened?

[romanticidal]

[ as Isabella draws back to affix both men with a suspicious, concerned gaze, Rafael waves it off ]

It was nothing. We were merely accosted on the street, by a man who does not think I should walk free. I imagine I will get much of that, in the days to come. [ bluff... 29, raf lies smooth like butter. Also NOT EVEN A LIE OK. ] It was nothing we could not handle.

[graveflowers]

[Aw yeah nat 20 sense motive. The dice really do just want her all up in people's business, okay.]

You were arrested like... six? Eight hours ago? That isn't even enough time for hate mail. Unless he was just waiting for you. For... six to eight hours.

[Just saying, gently, from Team Italia who just congregated over here.]

[romanticidal]

[ violet how do you get so many Nat 20s, it's your DIVINE HERITAGE ISN'T IT, gods auto roll Nat20s every time. ]

... it was a man who already held something of a grudge, you might say. But he is content to see me dragged before the eyes of the world on trial.

[graveflowers]

[It makes up for the fact that she can't walk in a straight line across a flat surface without injuring herself or falling on her face. Everyone has crosses to bear, okay.]

That's... nice of him?

[nothingsodivine]

Yeah, he's a real prince. [Des goes and claims a spot on the other side of the room again, because he got Rafael and no one is dead and he also punched him. Twice. He's good.]

[bigbad]

[Spike looks suspicious and glances over at Buffy. He remembers their conversation from earlier, about the man so strong he made Buffy feel weak, the man who'd shown up at the concert, apparently.]

Wouldn't happen to be a priest, would it?

[notaroundme]

[This is exactly what Elena and Buffy had been afraid of.]

Rafael, if Anderson was there, then we need to know. He isn't just your enemy. We saw him at your concert, so we already know he was looking for you.

[slay]

I think if we're putting our lives on the line to get your back, we deserve the truth. Or did you convince yourself you'd filled up on collateral damage at the concert? He doesn't exactly have a track record for discriminating between who's guilty and who's just in the way.

[nothingsodivine]

It doesn't matter. He backed off. End of discussion.

[DES IS OVER THIS CONVERSATION.]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael too. especially because isabella rounds on him with murderous eyes. he looks past her at buffy. ] He is only interested in me. He came to the concert to take my life, but he sees it as a far greater cross to bear for my crimes to be revealed to the world. He will not come for me again, so you are in no danger from him.

[savemyself]

[ isabella slams her palm against his shoulder to shove him roughly and chastises him in spanish: ] Eres tonta de remate! You were not going to mention this? Did you think that perhaps Iscariot are the ones feeding this information to the policia? They are some of the few who have learned from Paolo's treachery who you are. And what happens when we win this case and you walk freely? Nunca pensar en el futuro!

[nothingsodivine]

Hey! [There's no way around this, so it might as well all come out before someone gets their head ripped off.] If he walks, we're golden. They won't come after him anymore. I can guarantee it.

[witchwoman]

How can you-? [The question is only half formed, but Myri is definitely asking it, regardless?]

[romanticidal]

He gave his word. Something of a wager.

[slay]

You cut a deal with Iscariot?