marengo ♔ but you gave away the things you loved & one of them was me

[starfucker]

♬ you're so vain - carly simon ft. mick jagger

WHO || Des, Finnick, Myri, Karen Taylor, Laura Jones.
WHAT || The Knights travel to the hometown of the Becksworth Brothers, to try to learn more about Chad and what may have happened to him.
WHERE || Marengo, IL
WHEN || July 16th, backdated
HOW || Actionspam

[ The mystery surrounding cult leader Chad Becksworth has only deepened with the discovery of a lockbox in his office containing surveillance of his own life along with a detailed history. While the Knights theorize about whether this means he's been replaced by the villain's resident doppelganger, or something else entirely, Burt makes good on his word to contact his first wife, Laura Jones, to find out whether Chad's ex-wife still lives in their small town of Marengo, Illinois.

He calls Finnick a few days after the lockbox is discovered to say that, yes, Karen's still living there, and that Laura's told them they can come to Marengo and swing by her place so she can direct them where to go. The possibility of gaining some insight into the background of the Becksworths is too good to pass up, so Myri, Finnick, and Des drove out there to the small-town America midwestern city, where they now coast down the tiny Main Street, a few blocks from Laura's home. It's about as far a cry from the big city ostentatious lifestyle Burt leads now as one can imagine. ]

Comments

[nothingsodivine]

[Des scratches the back of his neck, getting what she means. (knowledge 18)]

So if someone were to have started whispering in his ear about breaking up the partnership and turning against Burt completely, he'd probably be all for it, right? That wouldn't be weird or out-of-character at all.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ laura's expression darkens, clearly uncomfortable with the implications ] By completely, you mean... trying to push him out of the company, or...

[nothingsodivine]

Breaking up the partnership. Going solo. Maybe even stooping to sabotage. There's a lot of pieces missing here. If it seems even a little out of place for Chad to get ambitious enough to fall in with the kind of people who wanna cause more than just a few tabloid splashes, then we need to know.

[He plants his hands on his knees, looking ready to up and leave.] But that's probably a question for Karen.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ she nods, moving towards the door ] Right. You're... you're right. I just... [ she takes a deep breath, looking down and nervously picking at her nails ] I'm worried about what all this could lead to. I don't want to see anything happen to --

[witchwoman]

[Myri stands and moves with them. As Laura drifts off, she reaches out and lays a hand softly on the woman's shoulder.]

That's why we're here. We think maybe it's gone too far between them. We don't want to see anyone else hurt. [Her gaze shifts to Des and Finnick, knowing that they want to move on to talk to Karen.]

Is there anything else we should know? Anything you can remember that might help us understand what's happened between the two of them?

[behindcloseddoors]

[ she hesitates a bit, then nods jerkily ] Burt... he thinks Chad's snapped. Like really gone off the deep end. He's acting like his brother's... dead, and no matter what I say to him, he doesn't seem to want to accept that he's still the same person.

But no matter what they've been through? Burt knows him better than anyone. If he really thinks something is... off, then he's not wrong. Something's changed Chad, and it has to be have been since I saw him last. When I knew him, he would have never been the type of man to take it this far.

[65]

Something's definitely changed about Chad, from all that we've heard and observed. [CHANGED SO MUCH HE MIGHT NOT EVEN BE CHAD ANYMORE????? no it's probably better not to drop that deet.] That's why we were hoping to talk to Karen — she might be the only one besides Burt who could be able to offer insight.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des nods at Laura.] We'll keep you posted.

[behindcloseddoors]

Wait! [ laura quickly crosses the room to a cabinet with a stereo and flips open the top, hurridedly looking through for something. ] Before you go... [ she seizes upon whatever she was looking for with grim triumph, and then glances over her shoulder almost apologetically ] Since she knew her, I mean... [ she turns around, clutching a jewel case in hand and looking between them ] I don't know that I could bear to listen to it again anyway. You should have it. [ and she thrusts out jade's demo cd to no one in particular ]

[witchwoman]

[Myri will take it with a careful hand, wrapping her free one gently around Laura's wrist.]

Thank you.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des is POKERFACED with his 27 will save. He just looks at the CD, nods, and then heads for the door.]

[65]

It was lovely meeting you. [finnick is following suit with des.]

[behindcloseddoors]

You too. Please... just keep an eye on Burt? [ a lot of desperate worry seeps into her voice, and it's clear that between her obvious emotion and the picture she still keeps in such a prominent spot in her living room, that she has her reasons for concern. she follows them onto the porch and points off to the left. ] To get to Karen's, just take Cherry St. four blocks that way and turn right at the 7-11. Five more lights and you'll see her place on the left. White house, green roof.

[witchwoman]

[Glancing over her shoulder at the boys as they head for the car, Myri lingers and squeezes Laura's wrist gently with the hand still resting there. Perhaps she shouldn't reveal any more about them, but her heart aches for this woman- how she seems so wrapped up in everything and yet so far on the outside that she must feel helpless. The blue glow of her Gift slowly pulses around her hand, not able to heal the worries in Laura's heart, not able to do much (a waste of a cure minor wounds but ah well. she's impulsive, this one) but there would be a calming warmth in the touch.]

We will. Try not to worry. [She says it, knowing how difficult that is. After a moment, she pulls back her magic and moves her hand away. With a smile that's as comforting as she can muster, Myri heads out the front door to join the others.]

[nothingsodivine]

[As soon as they're out the door, Des exhales deeply and looks pathetically at Myri.] Mind if I have that, Little Bit?

[The CD, that is. That will save was great, but it can't hide the truth.] Maybe Jade left a clue on it without realizing it.

[Or maybe he just wants to hear her voice again.]

[witchwoman]

[Myri just nods and hands it over.]

She still loves him, I think. [She glances back over her shoulder.] Laura. Or at least loves the man he was.

[65]

It's possible. I could see it. [wis 17 ... for being psychic twins with myri.] He's not all that bad, anyway.

[you know finnick dedicates so much of his time and energy to defending burt maybe he's the one carrying the torch..........]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des turns the CD over in his hands a few times.] We might be right about the doppelganger. It stayed in town when Blade and Nadia left- it ain't doing that just to play house with Elena.

[He shoves the CD in his jacket pocket.] And if that's true, then I hope Karen's a lot less starry-eyed than Laura, because she's got some bad news coming to her.

[witchwoman]

[AND THEN THEY TRAVELED TO KAREN'S HOUSE???

Myri glances at both men with her, first Finnick, then Des. She squares her shoulders, takes a quick breath, and knocks on the door.]