pembrokeshire ♔ the day has come where i have died

[immuno]

WHO || Lydia Martin, Alaric Saltzman, Helen Magnus, Rose Hathaway, Sydney Bristow
WHAT || A couple of knights take a short trip west to investigate reports of Shadowkind deaths.
WHERE || Police Station, Pembrokeshire, Wales
WHEN || May 20th
HOW || Actionspam

The briefing was simple and direct: a string of disappearing Shadowkind centered around a small farming town in Wales. The Karthur Institute wasn't called in until the local authorities got reports of incessant, blood-curdling screams coming from a barn just past the edge of town. They found a girl curled in the corner there, screaming her lungs out, shaking, and looking like she'd been running around the forest alone for days.

They also found the five bodies of their missing townspeople in the barn.

They tell the knights (and thus, Wynn tells them) that the girl is in police custody, but they don't tell them that she's pinned in a cell. They've fed her and given her a coat by now, but the deputy is quick to alert Helen, Rose, Sydney, and Alaric as they arrive of the bad news.

"She hasn't shut up since we put her in there." He glances back over his shoulder, toward the lock-up. "Not screamin', just wanting to know who they were." He looks back at the knights, grim. "Don't think she's got any idea how she got out there. I don't have it in me to tell her I don't either; wherever she's rom, it inn't Pembrokeshire."

Comments

[daredtobelieve]

No on's saying you are. But a lapse in memory could explain more than you know. Just like I'm betting your last memory wasn't in Pembrokeshire- if you even have a recollection of this place at all before today.

[immuno]

[ she swallows thickly, green eyes darting over to helen. the reassurance is, truthfully, not that reassuring. she'd probably have been happier without confirming her suspicions that this is somewhere far, far from california. she knows a welsh accent, ok, but welsh people can live in california. right? ]

I was in Beacon Hills. [ a meaningful beat. her gaze drops. ] California.

[ which gives her a burst of certainty and she shifts in her seat, drawing her shoulders up and straightening, turning her attention towards sydney. ]

Which is how I know I didn't have anything to do with those people dying. The stench in that barn ... some of them had to have been there for weeks. I just got here. [ whether she knows how that happened or not, she knows it did. ] But if we go back there, maybe you can find out who did have something to do with it.

[superswank]

[ syd exchanges a significant Look with helen ] Do you remember any kind of mist... or fog, before you found yourself here?

[daredtobelieve]

[After sharing a meaningful look with Sydney, Helen slips her phone from her pocket to do some quick internet research on Beacon Hills (research 23).

She finds no results.

Glancing back up at the girl, she steps over to share this finding with Ric, keeping quiet for now but seeing the pieces falling into place. It's very likely that the girl really is innocent and the Veil simply dropped her in an incredibly inconvenient arrival spot.]

[ex_ric243]

[Good call, Helen. Alaric had the same lack of results when he first arrived and found out that Mystic Falls, Virginia was a non-existent location in this world. Of course, he had sort of been giving Lydia the benefit of the doubt all along, but that's just because he is a man and therefore a sucker.]

I'm going to go get directions to the barn, and the hospital where they supposedly shipped those bodies. [It's said in a whisper to Helen, before Alaric grants one last glance toward Lydia and slips out of the office to do just that. He really didn't think they needed four people interrogating what was looking to be an innocent teenager.]

[immuno]

I—Maybe? I really don't remember. [ she shakes her head. courtesy of a shitty 5 will save, she can't remember anything beyond getting into her car—what's more, she doesn't even remember where she was trying to go, let alone how her car got her to wales. the worst part is that it's genuinely not even the veil's fault: this particular instance of memory loss is something else, a lapse of consciousness. ] I just got in my car, and then the next thing I know I'm in some barn.

[ her gaze grows fixed on the corner of the table, eyes taking on a watery quality and reflecting considerable distance. ]

I don't know what happened. [ after a moment's silence, her eyes flicker back up to helen, like she's drawn herself back in. ] Can I just call my mom?

[ the deputy outside is happy to provide directions to the hospital, informing ric that the bodies are in the morgue—on the basement level. they'll know to expect outside investigators, so they should have no trouble getting in. the barn is a few miles outside of town, but the deputy will helpfully draw out a map on a piece of printer paper because they don't believe in gps. ]

[ex_ric243]

[Well he is just gonna input that shit into the GPS in his phone anyway because unlike these backwater fucks he is not trying to interpret chicken scratches the entire ride out to buttfuck Egypt (computer use 15). But thanks, bro.

And while he's at it he's going to try and find out anything he can about the crime scene before it was compromised to hell and back by deputy dumbass and his colleagues (gather information 19). Who knows, maybe they actually followed protocol and took pictures or something.]

[immuno]

[ the gps software may be up to date, but a computer use 15 check is not enough to magically convince it to find a barn that isn't on any map. when it fails, the deputy laughs at him. ]

That land was seized by the state ten years back. You hold onto that map, mate. [ he hands the paper over and grabs a file to begin explaining the rest. ]

Our doctors got back to us [ because they don't have a medical examiner ] while you were in with the prisoner. We weren't sure until they looked at 'em, but whoever's been killing these people ain't doing it like they're new to it.

[ he hands over a photograph of a pile of 6 bodies stacked in a hayloft in the barn—some of them are markedly charred, some of them covered in brown, oxidized blood, and some of them have more prominent veins and bulging eyes, reflecting some kind of poison. while alaric looks over the photo, the deputy explains their findings to give context to these varied appearances: they had varied causes of death, and some of them appeared to have been tortured before they were killed. alaric's 31 spot check means he notices that the bodies that appear poisoned have decomposed further than those killed in other ways. ]

Didn't put much effort into hiding 'em. Probably figured nobody would be out there.

[ex_ric243]

[Joy. He pockets the map for later. Apparently they were going on a treasure hunt.]

[Once the crime scene photograph is offered up for him to look over, he takes his time examining the photograph and notes all the shit already mentioned. At least well enough to describe it to Helen, who would know more about poisoning and rate of decomposition, most likely.]

Do we know anything about the victims? Any common factors you might be able to cross reference?

[immuno]

They're all them ... shadow folk. We don't keep too close an eye on them 'round these parts.

[ aka: that's all i've got for ya, bro. a+ policework right here. ]

What I can tell you is none of 'em were killed in that barn. Nothing else was burned up, and there wasn't enough blood on that floor to kill one man, let alone two.

[ex_ric243]

[So basically your whole office and probably your entire town are suspect. Got it.

But then Alaric is thinking about that girl in the other room whose more than likely one of "them shadowfolk," and whose main concern was getting out of here. He can't really blame her.

Fuck why does he have to care...]

Listen, I really appreciate the help. I know this might sound crazy, but would there be any way you might consider releasing her into our custody so that we could take her with us? She doesn't seem to recall much, but I'm hoping that being back at the crime scene now that it isn't full of corpses might help to jog her memory.

[immuno]

[ the deputy hems and haws for a moment—something about that 'not really being their policy.' when he relents, it becomes apparent he was only trying to make it seem like he was doing ric a big favor here—after all, unless they plan on arresting her, they can't hold her for more than 24 hours anyway.

he scrubs a hand over his face and then settles both hands to his wide hips. ]

Yeah, all right. You just keep us updated on what you find and try not to move anything around the barn.

[ex_ric243]

[Oh, now this bitch wanted to follow protocol?]

No problem. [Now begone he needs to text Helen what he saw because she might want to come out and examine that photo for herself.

Buzz buzz, incoming text, gurl.]

[daredtobelieve]

[Inside the little room, Helen's heart is breaking at Lydia's request. She isn't sure how to answer it. There's no way around telling this girl that she's likely never going to see her mother again. Her mouth twists as she tries to think on how to say it, gaze moving to Sydney for assistance.]

I'm afraid it's complicated. [But then her phone buzzes with a text from Ric.

Oh.]

Excuse me for a moment...

[She gives Syd and Rose an apologetic glance before she heads out.]

What did you find?

[ex_ric243]

See for yourself. [Not that she wouldn't have seen it when they arrived at the morgue anyway, but at least this way she'd have an idea of what to look for once they got there.

He hands her the photograph. Alaric will save her the spot check and point out anything that struck him as relevant. Once he's done that, he gives her a few seconds to look that shit over.]

Are you having any luck in there? [Because he was still worried about Lydia, too. :/]

[daredtobelieve]

[The photograph is troubling but they're both on the same wavelength about what's more important here.

#parents]

She asked to speak to her mother. I'm not sure I was quite prepared to ruin a young girl's life today.

[ex_ric243]

[Deep breath. Yeah, that's not going to be fun. As if the poor girl hadn't been traumatized enough already.]

I got them to release her to us, so at least she won't be stuck in a jail cell for another twelve hours. [It was a small comfort in the face of everything else, but it was the best he could think of.]

Directions to the hospital. [He raises his phone. Yay GPS.] Finding that barn isn't going to be as easy, though. [Allow him to present you with the folded up map that Officer Helpful drew up for them.]

[And then, he's whispering more sweet nothings to her.] I've seen some shoddy investigation work, but this one might just take the cake.

[superswank]

[ in the meantime, syd's expression has turned sympathetic, now that it's clear what's going on here. or at least, in regards to the girl. she moves to have a seat, explaining: ] This is... likely going to come as a shock to you, and be difficult to accept as real. But what you've experienced has happened to thousands of others as well, myself included.

This... what you see around you, it may look remarkably like your own world, but it isn't.

[immuno]

[ guuuuurl. lydia tilts her head, brow furrowing as her expression grows more perplexed. finally, her eyes flick from sydney to rose and she raises an accusatory to finger to point at the superspy. ]

I think I've officially been unseated as the crazy one, so can I go now?

[superswank]

No one expects you to take our word for it. [ she pulls out her phone, unlocking the screen and handing it over with a web browser pulled up. ] Check whichever news outlet you trust most.

[immuno]

[ her reproach doesn't waver, but lydia does reach out to snatch the phone from her and start flicking through browser windows. she pulls up a variety of news outlets, tries to google beacon hills, tries to search up the 'animal attacks' from last year. nothing (computer use 19 or research 17 whichever that would be).

the alarm present in her face steadily increases and she finally shuts down the browser and dials her home number, pressing the phone to her ear without asking (will it charge for long distance if it doesn't connect? we just don't know). in the silence of the room, rose and sydney can both hear what comes out of the earpiece: we're sorry: you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. if you feel you have reached this recording in error, please check the number and try your call again.

she steadily lowers the phone and lets the message play out as she sets it on the center of the table, eyes wide and expression tightly controlled as dread sinks in. ]

[daredtobelieve]

[Outside with Ric, Helen is unimpressed.] Yes, well- Welcome to Wales. [Helen makes a face at the map, but simply folds it up and uses it to gesture back at the office.]

We should head back. [AND SO THEY DID. Helen opens the door just as the last part of the phone message plays. Any friendly face she was hoping to put on falls, sympathy taking over her expression.]

They've allowed you to leave in our custody. [She says, though what she wants to do is tell Lydia how sorry she is that this has happened, that she understands, and that it will somehow be okay. But there is a task at hand, and the girl doesn't know them at all, so she doubts that it would matter much to tell her that it would be alright to be separated from everything she ever knew.]

[immuno]

[ the deputy hands lydia's personal effects to alaric as they head inside—it's just a purse, alaric, it won't bite. admittedly, it is prada and bright pink.

inside, lydia scoots back in her seat, pushing herself as far from the phone on the table as she can. she straightens her shoulders, lifting her chin and trying to gather up her wits. with sudden decision, she stands up and pushes the chair back, moving away from the desk. ]

Then, what are we waiting for? We need to go back to that barn before whoever killed those people goes back to clean it out of anything useful.

[ that's something she can do right now, so that's what she'll focus on. the less energy she expends on freaking out, the better. ]

[ex_ric243]

[Well hey, at least she was on board. Ric wasn't about to argue that they should stay any longer than they needed to, and he really doubted that anyone else would be doing so either. Just the same, he hangs back just outside the open office door, ready to pass that pink Prada purse to Lydia whenever she makes her exit.]

[immuno]

[ well, if he's just inviting her out there, she'll march around the desk and head right out the door, snatching up her purse with a flash of a smile in ric's direction (charisma 16). she stops in the main lobby of the police station and pulls out her phone, taking this opportunity to purse her lips and scowl at the lack of service. her gaze flickers in sydney's direction. ]

You do have a car, don't you?