Nor Iron Bars a Cage

Akriel has been experimenting and gardening,in that order. In Heaven.

While he is experimenting, perhaps with a microscope able to detect quarks, there's a knock on his lab/gardener shack door.

Akriel pauses in his puttering and calls out "Yes? Come on in, it's not locked." Pause. "Mind the rake, and the cables."

A Seraph wanders in -- in the classic Seraphic heavenly form, a winged serpent with a whole *lot* of eyes, faintly gray with age. It has a somewhat furtive look to it, oddly enough, and a kind of aura of peace about it that many Novalis Seraphim do."

The Seraph wonders, politely, "Akriel? Do I interrupt?"

Akriel contemplates. "Um. That depends. Nothing that can't be."

The Seraph says, almost hedging, "It is my understanding that you have not yet been assigned to Earthly duties."

Akriel nods.

The Seraph says, "In this case, it seems likely that you are not engaged in a project of shattering importance for our lady of the flowers?"

Akriel says "Um. Not as far as she's told me, but I'm just on the edge of improving this here..."

The Seraph nods. "One of my colleagues, Thummim, was recently murdered on Earthside duties. I have need of an unattached angel to investigate this situation."

Akriel says "Oh." Pause. "I'd go to Earth?"

Akriel's tone is half worried and half anticipating.

The Seraph answers Akriel, "Indeed."

The Seraph adds, "I will handle the necessary formalities; a Mercurian of our lady has arranged housing in Thummim's most recent domicile."

Akriel gives his equipment in the garden labshack a look. "It'll be interesting." A pause. "Um, how would I investigate it?"

The Seraph shrugs. "I have arranged for a room in Thummim's last residence for you. Proceed as you think best; I have chosen you, in part, because there is a taint of Vapula in the air there. I -- am certain you will take to Earth like a duck to water, once you get used to it."

Akriel's "Ah" is vaguely redolent of anticipation.

Akriel says "I can certainly look for *that*."

The Seraph smiles. "I will make the necessary arrangements for a corporeal body and so forth. Do you have a preferred appearance?"

Akriel says "Um. Something that looks good." A pause. "Male."

Akriel says "You've already talked to Novalis?"

The Seraph nods to Akriel. "Of course."

Akriel says "Okay."

The Seraph adds, "Meet me near the speaking trees in an hour. I will send you down to Earth from there."

Akriel says "Okay!"

Akriel puts away the pending work, doesn't bother to neaten up the place -- after all, he already knows where everything is -- and does whatever else one does before going down to Earth.

An hour passes.

The Seraph carries through on his promise, transporting Akriel down to Earth in a hallway in the middle of the Lindel House. Voices are coming out of a partly-open door just down the hall.

Whose voices? Let's turn to Jewel ...

Jewel has just finished moving in.

Jewel is waiting nervously, trying to keep an eye on the person in the office without actually interacting with her, during her first day in the Lindel House.

About five hours after Jewel settles in, there is a knock on her door, also.

Jewel gets her gun out of her bag and goes to peer through the peephole in the door. Who's out there?

The police appear to be outside, Jewel. Two of them.

Jewel puts the gun away and opens the door. "Hello? Can I help you, officers?"

Exactly one of the officers looks down Jewel's jacket; the other is as impassive as rock.

"Hi, ma'am. We have a few questions we were hoping you could answer. May we enter?"

Jewel smiles brightly at both of them. "Sure! I'm new here, though, so I don't think I know anything you're interested in." She stands aside and motions them in.

The officers walk in, casually.

Eli's heart is stored in the bag, which is kicked under the bed and concealed by the edge of the blanket. The room was, of course, furnished.


"You're new to the building, as I understand it?"

Jewel says "Yes, I just moved in today."

The officer continues to Jewel, "In what manner did you enter the building?"

Jewel says blankly, "Through the door?"

The officer smiles faintly. "Of course, ma'am. May I ask why you chose to enter via the alley behind the building?"

Jewel says "I was coming from that way and it looked quicker than going all the way around."

Jewel shrugs, distractingly.

The implacable officer, who hasn't spoken previously, nods and says, in a harsh and laryngitis-like whisper, "May I ask why you have chosen to move into the Lindel House at this time? This is only a formality, except that we have reason to believe that the killer used that door to enter and exit, and it is /supposed/ to be locked at all times.

Jewel says "It wasn't locked when I came in!"

Akriel shows up in the hall.

Jewel says "I didn't really decide to move in; my boyfriend set this up for me."

The officer nods. "This is true," he rasps. "Apparently, and we have your entrance to thank for this information, the door was not simply unlocked; the locking mechanism was dissolved from the inside."

Akriel looks down at his corporeal body. Wiggles his fingers. That sort of stuff.

"So," the officer adds, and Akriel can hear him speaking from the hall, "our relocking of it after the death was futile."

It sounds almost like a Calabite thing, dissolving a lock mechanism from the inside -- although there are mortal means.

Jewel says "Dissolved? You mean, like acid?"

Akriel's body is, in fact, quite suitable, and very handsome.

The other officer nods. "Yah. Weird, huh?"

He adds, "You don't know why your boyfriend set this up?"

Akriel's body even works. So he walks towards the talking people.

Meanwhile, elsewhere ...

Cassia has been playing soccer!

Cassia's last week has been mostly duty free so she's just playing her five times a week games and possibly working in a fitness center during the day.

As Cassia is grabbing a drink and facesplash of water after a particularly gruesome match, the Symphony crashes violently and she can feel Michael's presence behind her. It's hard to miss, particularly since he smells like he's been working out a lot harder than she has been.

Cassia whirls happily, "Sir!"

Michael says, calmly, "Mission for you, Cassia."

Cassia beams. "Cool!"

Michael explains, "A Seraph of Litheroy was compiling a dossier -- theoretically for her Superior, but I have some interest in it as well. She was slain in a place called the Lindel House, and the dossier was not found among her possessions. I would like you to determine the location of her files and retrieve them if possible."

Cassia says "Sure, Sir! Any hazards I might have to deal with that are known?"

Michael frowns slightly. "The local police are investigating the situation; I have some reason to believe that they may be influenced by the enemy. Further, there is, of course, Thummim's murderer."

Cassia nods, directly. "How was she killed?"

Michael says, "She was throttled. By, according to a hysterical landlady's report, Leonardo diCaprio, but I understand he is in many American minds at the moment."

Cassia blinks at that information. "My. Okay, Sir."

Michael makes a face. "I shall hope that he is not in fact guilty -- the child has talent. May I assume you will give this matter your immediate attention?"

Cassia says "Of course, Sir!"

Cassia is poised on the balls of her feet.

Michael vanishes with a thunderclap.

Cassia knows where the Lindel House is; it's a fixture in L.A., and moreover she has heard about this murder.

Cassia runs for the showerroom, slides out of gucky clothing, slides through the shower and then into clean clothing and then grabs her bag and runs for the car... and drives at manic LA speeds for the House.

Cassia arrives at the house. A police car is parked out front.

Cassia has no stealth, so zooms towards the House and looks on the address bar for the apartment mentioned.

Cassia also looks to find police tape and the like... hrm... dossier... where would a dossier be? what's the most direct way of finding such a chunk of information?

Cassia zooms into the building, and there is, in fact, police tape across one door in the first floor. And a handsome, confused-looking guy a ways down the hall.

Everyone is now synchronized.

Jewel says "Because he didn't like the place I was living before, I guess. He's kind of picky. I don't usually like taking money and stuff from him, like this, but it beats cockroaches, which is about all I can afford on my own."

Jewel looks sort of embarrassed.

The officers smile, even as a shadow appears in the doorway behind them. "Thanks much," the talkative one says. "You will be staying here for some time, then?"

Cassia ducks under the tape only to remember that Michael said that the dossier wasn't found... but then goes further in to just look around incase someone missed it. So one zoom around the areas inside.

Jewel says "I hope so! It's pretty nice! Er, except for the murder. But I'm sure you'll catch whoever did it soon."

Jewel smiles in such a manner as to indicate her complete faith in the ability of the kind officers in all fields of endeavor.

The rasping officer adds, "I'm putting my money on Bruce Willis." Then he turns and opens the door, revealing Akriel, who is either opening it too or just standing there or just arriving there.

Jewel blinks somewhat surprisedly.

Cassia finds nothing obvious. A chalk outline, books, a table, couches -- the place barely looks lived in, and the kitchen is full of healthy stuff. Except for the bananas, which are getting a little bit ripe.

Akriel blinks at the officer.

Akriel says, brightly, "Hello."

The talkative policeman says, "Hi. ..." He glances back at Jewel. "Your boyfriend?"

Jewel says "Nope, never seen him before!"

Cassia gets a banana and eats it as she paces about... looks under the table, through the couches... peers at the outline and then at the books, tipping a few random ones... and looking at the spines.

"Can I help you?" the talkative one asks chivalrously, even as the rasping officer shoulders impatiently past Akriel and out into the hall.

Akriel steps aside, blinking. "Um, I don't know."

Jewel beams brightly at Akriel. "Hi there! You live here too?"

Akriel tells Jewel, seriously, "I don't think so, but I haven't checked yet."

Cassia finds a bunch of romance novels. A loose folder containing what looks like a script, titled "The Hollow Earth." A book or two on the movies, and "Hollywood Personalities."

Jewel giggles. "There's a line I haven't heard before!" She looks him up and down appraisingly.

The officer says, gently, "Sir? Perhaps I could escort you to the rental office and we could determine this?"

Akriel says "Um, OK."

Akriel says "That would be good. I don't think I know where the rental office is."

Meanwhile, while Cassia is in the dead woman's bathroom, she hears footsteps in the room behind her.

Cassia flushes the toilet.

Jewel notices that Akriel is quite a looker.

Cassia strides out of the bathroom...

The officer starts to lead Akriel out of Jewel's room.

Jewel snaps her fingers, as one who has been struck by a lurking memory. "I forgot to check how long the rent is paid for on the this place. I can show him where the office is, officers." She smiles at Akriel, her motive perfectly transparent.

The rasping officer, henceforth TRO, is staring at Cassia with his hand on his gun. "Ma'am, this is a restricted area."

Jewel steps forward and, unless, prevented, takes Akriel's arm possessively.

The talkative officer frowns bitterly, but steps away. "I'll, er, be on my way, then."

Akriel looks faintly blankly at Jewel's possessive arm, but does not resist.

Jewel says "Good luck with your manhunt! If you need any help, let me know."

Cassia blinks in complete surprise, "Oh! I'm sorry... what happened here? I came to visit and found the door wide open and had to use the bathroom so I came right in..."

Jewel leads Akriel off toward the office.

TTO (the talkative officer) walks back along the hall towards the front (and the office) with them.

TRO eyes Cassia. "Or, perhaps, you were disposing of evidence."

TRO adds, "I think you will need to come down to the station with me."

Jewel says chattily, "Nice hair! Sort of the nature spirit effect."

Cassia says brightly, "Cool! Does your station know more about what happened here?"

TRO rasps, "Whether we know 'more' depends on what you know, ma'am. As for the identity of the killer, we are still investigating."

TRO steps forward and takes Cassia's arm.

Cassia says "Keen, you're looking for more info, too!"

Cassia goes with the TRO quite happily.

The TRO roughly turns Cassia and handcuffs her.

(Or, at least, he tries.)

Cassia blinks at the handcuffs and as he pulls to turn her, she goes with the pull, in order to throw the guy with both the force he's applying and enough of her own strength to do it without hurting him too badly.

The officer is slung neatly to the ground, rolling over once or twice.

Jewel and Akriel hear a *thump* from the hallway ahead.
Well, one room with an open door ahead, anyway.

Cassia says "hey. I'll go with you without any problems, but none of that kinky stuff."

TRO yells, "Baker!" and goes for his gun.

Akriel looks blank. It's an expression that seems likely to become habitual.

Cassia growls as he goes for his gun, and she dives out the door.

Jewel puts one hand behind her back and steps forward to see what's happening, not letting go of Akriel.

Akriel and Jewel notice Cassia.

Cassia then puts her back to the wall on one side of the door...

Jewel jumps back startledly!

Akriel is tugged forward, and then backwards (unless Jewel lets go), and almost falls.

Akriel blinks a lot.

Akriel asks Jewel "Is this supposed to be happening?"

Jewel says "I dunno!"

The other officer pulls his gun as well and yells, "Freeze!" However, since Jewel and Akriel are in his way, he tries to run past them rather than pointing it at Cassia.

Jewel jumps out of the way (in the direction Akriel is, so she squishes up against him).

TRO staggers out the door, ripping down the police tape with one hand.

Simultaneously, Cassia blinks at the other officer, narrows her eyes, and dives back into the room, rolling at about shin level...

TRO crashes to the floor.

Akriel is bounced around, and finds the stability of the wall to be useful.

Jewel's jump is successful, Akriel is squished by Jewel, which feels pleasant to his Vessel albeit a bit weird to *him*.

Jewel is probaby outweighed by Akriel, so ends up off balance too, leaning precariously against him.

Cassia goes over the TRO to get further into the room... leaves his gun alone...

The other officer (aka TOO -- how weird is that? :) runs towards the room.

Jewel's mystic Eli sense rates Akriel at about 7/10 of the maximum human creative potential.

Akriel attempts to steady Jewel with a hand, and generally stay out of the way.

Cassia goes in the doorway of the kitchen to see what follows...

Jewel ensures Akriel's hand ends up somewhere round and soft, and likewise stays out of the way. One hand is still on her hip, though.

TRO staggers to his feet outside the room. His face flushed, he snatches up his radio with his free hand as the other officer scans the inside of the room, and then ducks into it.

Cassia says "Hey! I surrendered already!!"

Akriel goes "Um um" and removes his hand.

Cassia notes a dead body on the floor of the kitchen, and it wasn't there the last time she searched.

Cassia screams. "There's a *body* in here!!"

Jewel, without the support of Akriel's hand, ends up leaning against him even more. Most of her attention is on the excitement with the cops and the butch chick, though.

A woman's body, red haired, at that.

Akriel calls out "Is there supposed to be?"

Cassia says "No!"

Cassia says "Yeesh."

The other officer surveys the main room with the point of his gun. "Come out with your hands up," he snaps.

There's a warm heat drifting down the hall from the direction of the maintenance entrance and Jewel's apartment.

Jewel whispers in Akriel's ear, her breath warm and soft, "Don't talk; you're just digging yourself in deeper."

Cassia puts her hands up and comes out at her usual speed... prompted by the body as well.

Cassia, you hear TRO rasping, outside, "Think we've got the killer. Yah. Woman, ..."

TRO continues, "Solid, muscular, middling height."

The other officer says, to Cassia, "Turn around."

Akriel looks back towards the direction the warm heat is coming from, and twitches at Jewel's words.

Jewel's mystic Eli sense observes the heat as being fairly creative. How weird is that? (Pretty darn weird.)

Jewel says "Do you really think she did it? How come she came back, then?"

Jewel looks back down the hall toward her apartment.

TRO looks over in Jewel's direction. "Ma'am, stay out of this."

The heat is intensifying. There is the faintest sound of a heartbeat.

Akriel says "I don't know, and it's always bad to theorize in a complete abscence of facts."

Jewel looks hurt. "I was just asking!"

Jewel stalks off offendedly toward her room.

Akriel looks perhaps relieved to be stalked away from.

Cassia says "I am *not* the killer... I just saw her for the first time in there..."

Jewel goes into her room and closes the door.

Jewel checks under the bed to see if the Heart's okay.

The other officer says, gently, "That'll be decided at the station, ma'am. Turn around."

Akriel starts patting down his pockets, opening a few to look inside.

Cassia says "... you gotta get the real killer. It has to be close still!"

The other officer glances into the kitchen, and his face goes snowy-white.

Cassia glances the way the officer is looking.

Akriel watches the direction the interesting stuff is coming from, as opposed to the direction with the strange argument between the people.

TOO stammers, "The body was removed four days ago."

Cassia blinks.

"Perry," he adds, "get in here *now!*"

Cassia says "The second murder of the same woman?"

Cassia moves a little to the side, to let the police into the kitchen, but does not turn her back to the police.

Akriel blinks, turns around, and heads into the kitchen after the other officer.

He looks at Cassia, and his pupils are tiny. "I said 'turn around,'" he mutters weakly.

TRO enters, peers at the body, and glances back at Akriel, and leans down to touch it.

The body collapses into dust. Meanwhile, the heartbeat is still getting stronger.

The Heart looks okay to Jewel.

Akriel looks in, studying the body, and then blinks at the collapse.

Akriel says "Are they supposed to do that?""

Jewel picks it up and cuddles it between her breasts, near her own heart. Is it the source of the wind or pulse?

Cassia shakes her head gently. "We gotta get the real killer. And I..." her head goes up at the sound of the heartbeat. "... might have something to do." She looks at Akriel and grins a bit, "No. They're not... and that sound isn't supposed to be happening, either, I think..."

TRO stands up, and pokes Akriel in the chest. "You," he says, "stay put." He turns towards Cassia.

Akriel gets the distinct feeling that someone has just attuned to him.

Jewel discerns that the Heart is, in fact, the source of both, and the sparks inside are fiery red.

Jewel strokes it soothingly. "Calm down! You're attracting attention! It'll be okay!"

Akriel frowns.

Akriel gives TRO a very careful look.

The heat and sound die away.

TRO reaches out to grab Cassia's arm. "And *you*," he starts.

Jewel lifts the Heart to her lips and kisses it softly. "It's okay, I won't leave you anymore."

Cassia dodges the grab. (or tries to?)

Akriel's watching escalates to a frown. "Who are you?" he asks.

Cassia says "Hey. You don't have to do that, I said I'd go peacefully, but if you keep manhandling me, I don't like that.""

TRO's hand lashes out like a striking serpent as Cassia withdraws her hand, and manages, unbelievably enough, to catch it. "You don't have a choice in this," he rasps.

Jewel adjusts the cut of her jacket a bit so that she can carry the Heart in the space beneath her breasts without it showing unless someone pats her down or equivalent. Denim is stiff enough (and Jewel stacked enough) that this should be moderately feasible.

Jewel pokes her head back out of her room to see what's going on.

Cassia murmurs, "God gave us all free will." but she doesn't fight the grab, yet.

TRO adds, towards Akriel, "Police. You know. A *cop*. And I'm getting damned tired of all this."

Akriel says "Oh." Pause. "Not really.""

TRO glances back at Jewel, and frowns. "Okay. Here's what's going to happen. All of you are coming with me. We're going to ask you a few questions at the station. You don't want the bloody handcuffs, lady, that's fine, but you get the middle seat."

Cassia says "Hokay, sure!"

He glances at Jewel. "You too. I don't particularly like whores."

Jewel notes ...
TOO is concerned and scared.
TRO is angry, bitter, and disdainful, and he's trying to hide it all.
Akriel is confused and concerned.
Cassia isn't worried, or anything.
Acts pretty funny for an Elohite, doesn't she? :)

Akriel considers, looks in the kitchen again, and says "Ok."

Cassia will go along peacibly and listen a lot.

Jewel bristles! "Ashamed that you can only get it by paying for it?"

TRO hisses back, "Ashamed that my town has to have scum roaming the streets."

Jewel says "So stay off the streets!"

TOO says, "Come on, back off."

TRO says, bluntly, "I got a job. A *real* job."

TOO says, "Perry ..."

Jewel tosses her gun back under the bed, so it lands on the bag of clothes and doesn't make a thump. Since she only has her head stuck out, this shouldn't be hard to do surreptitiously.

TRO adds, "Or is your boyfriend the only one who pays for it?"

Jewel glares! "Like you'd know love if it bit you!"

Akriel looks back and forth, like a lost spectator at a tennis match.

Perry (TRO) sneers. "Like you know the difference."

Jewel's glare fades, replaced by a calm smile. "Oh, believe me, I know."

Perry growls. "Come on," he says, and shepherds all of you towards his car.

Jewel closes up her room and comes back down the hall to walk next to Akriel.

Akriel is shepherded, in that blink-blink manner. He inspects the car with interest.

He puts the three of you in the back seat and begins the drive towards the station.

TOO says, quietly, "Perry, the body just turned to *dust*."

Akriel almost says something, then stops himself.

Perry replies, softly, driving, "We'll fix you right up at the station."

Jewel says "Fix us right up? What's that supposed to mean? What happened to fair trials and due process?"

Perry snorts. "Not talking to *you*."

Perry says, "You'll get every benefit the law can provide, I assure you."

Jewel says "Then who were you talking to? Is there someone you weren't planning on extending the protection of the law to?"

Perry says, "I was talking to my partner, if you *don't* mind, lady."

Perry grins, in the rearview. It's not a nice grin. "He has a nervous condition."

Jewel says "Working with you, it's no surprise."

Jewel sits back, though.

TOO says, defensively, "He's not always this cranky. ... I don't think we were properly introduced, Mr. ...?" He looks through the shatterproof plastic between the two seats at Akriel.

Akriel pats down his pockets, and comes up with a wallet; he checks something inside it, and says, brightly, "Akriel. Akriel Jones."

Akriel puts the wallet away again.

Jewel mostly resists the urge to roll her eyes.

TOO says, "Colin Baker. Nice to meet you." He nods to Jewel. "And you, Eliza."

Jewel smiles brightly back. "A pleasure! I only wish the circumstances were happier."

Colin (TOO) smiles wryly. "This is L.A. Take what you can get."

Akriel looks around at the passing scenery, almost gaping.

Akriel says "It's very interesting."

Jewel says "No place else quite like it."

Akriel adds, more or less unnecessarily, "I'm new in town."

Jewel grins.

Colin says, "'City of Angels,' my Mom always called it. Haven't seen many around, though. Though you, Ms. Eliza, come awful close."

Colin smiles.

Jewel blushes fetchingly. "Why, thank you!" She gives a smile that's not as high-voltage, but more intimate.

"It's an exciting town, Mr. Jones. But never trust it."

Akriel settles on nodding.

Akriel asks Jewel aside, "Do you two know each other?"

Jewel says "Officer Baker? No, not yet."

TRO snorts.

The car neatly pulls into the station. Perry and Colin (who is following Perry's lead) escort the three of you to a room, not a cell, and set a cop at the door before heading off -- 'to report to the captain', Perry says.

Jewel winds up next to Akriel at the table in the room. Cassia paces.

Akriel sits on a chair, should the room have two or three. (Otherwise Jewel gets it, and if there's two and Cassia wants the other chair, she gets that.)

Akriel examines the room. This probably becomes boring soon, unless there is a lot of interesting things in the room.

The room has a table, dark decor, and lots of chairs.

Jewel sits next to Akriel, and takes his hand, with every appearance of casualness.

Jewel says, "First time in an LA cop shop?" Meanwhile, her thumb traces out the letters D E M O N against Akriel's palm, in guise of aimless petting.

Akriel says "Yes."

Akriel says "A cop shop is a police station?"

Jewel looks sharply at Akriel from the corner of her eye. "Yah, same thing." Her thumb writes Y O U ?

Akriel looks down at the hand that Jewel is fondling, and up to Jewel, in what could pass as blank incomprehension.

Jewel says "Mine too. Not something I've been looking forward to."

Jewel's thumb writes, P E R R Y D E M O N.

Akriel says "Why not? Are not the police the defenders of society from malefactors?"

Akriel says "Among who's number that Perry appears to believe you are."

Jewel says "But I'm not!"

Jewel looks aggrieved! "I'm not a murderess or even a prostitute! I'm just an actress!"

The door opens and a large, heavy-jowled man in civilian clothes walks in. His appearance is neat and clean, but is overwhelmed by the impression of weight and authority he carries with him. "Good day," he says, smiling. "My name is Captain Martin Fill, and I'm sure we can straighten this all out rather quickly." He walks towards Jewel and Akriel, hand extended.

Jewel rises and takes the captain's hand, giving him a dazzling smile. "I certainly hope so!"

Akriel looks blank for just a moment, then reaches out to shake Martin's hand. But Jewel beats him to it, so he shakes second (if at all).

Jewel resonates Martin ...
Anticipation. Very high creative potential, but focused -- on what, she's not sure. Then a growing surprise, before he releases her hand.

Martin manages to shake Akriel's hand, as well, unless Jewel won't let go.

Jewel lets go after only a moment longer than necessary.

Akriel shakes. For Hollywood, his shake is probably average.

Martin's eyes cloud slightly, and he hesitates. "Perhaps you could begin by stating, in your own words, what happened?" (This is after shaking Cassia's hand, if she holds still long enough.)

Akriel looks over to Jewel and waits for her to speak.

He holds up a finger, glancing at Cassia. "Not you. I will need to speak to you at more length. I wish the witnesses' statements first."

Jewel says "I can't tell you much; I was in the hallway the whole time."

"Of course. Of course." He smiles.

Martin muses. "Colin said that there was a ... heartbeat?"

Akriel offers "I don't know what happened," and then goes silent again.

Jewel says "Anyway, Officer Baker and his partner, whose name I didn't get, came to my apartment; I guess they check out all the new arrivals since the murder. When we were going back down the hall to the rental office, we heard a thump from one of the other apartments; the one where the murder happened, I guess. Then she points to Cassia came diving out, and then there was a lot of gun-pointing and order-giving, and Officer Baker's partner rounded up everyone in sight and brought us all here."

Jewel says "Heartbeat?"

Jewel looks blank.

Jewel says "Baker's partner was awfully rude; I hope you'll have a word with him about how to treat honest citizens!"

Martin frowns. "Indeed." Then he smiles brilliantly. "I'm sure he will be disciplined." Glancing over his shoulder, he says, "Mr. Baker, take the suspect to my office. Mr. Jones, would you mind stepping outside for a moment? I should rather discuss the matter of Perry's behavior with Ms. Whitney alone."

Jewel says "I don't mind if he's here. He heard what Perry said too."

Colin escorts Cassia away.

Jewel gives Akriel a slightly imploring look.

Jewel doesn't miss the chance to smile at Baker when he fetches Cassia, though.

Martin looks pained. "Please, Ms. Whitney. Do not make this more difficult than it already is."

Akriel looks uncertain.

Jewel says "Difficult? It's not *that* big a deal. I mean, police are under a lot of stress; it's bound to make them grouchy."

Jewel says "I just don't appreciate being called names, is all."

He nods. "Of course, Ms. Maguire."

Jewel looks blank, yet again. "Ms who?"

Martin grins slightly. "A slip of the tongue." His eyes are calm. "Let me be straightforward."

Jewel says "Oh, by all means!"

Jewel smiles expectantly.

Martin says, quietly, "Ms. Hopkins' death was a great tragedy, and it is a very dangerous sign. I am enormously concerned with all that happens in the Lindel House. Not because of any single death, but because it indicates that an important lifeline of information has quite possibly been betrayed."

Jewel says "Information? Important to whom? You sound like you're with the CIA or something!"

He shakes his head, and says, quietly, "I belong to those who would stand against the Inquisition and the War. I was warned of your coming, and I need your help."

Martin, for sekrit reasons, goes for the big Balseraph lie instead of the little police captain power trip. Unfortunately, everyone rolls well except for Cassia, whom he is not talking to yet.

Akriel looks blanker and blanker.

Martin explains, "The War is growing bloodier year by year. Dominic is tearing Heaven apart in search of heresy, and casualties as Baal and Laurence fence are mounting. There are those of us who seek a balanced resolution -- a truce, a stalemate, a peace even ..."

Martin adds, "Ms. Hopkins was one of us."

Jewel says "Who *do* you work for?"

Martin admits, with a sigh, "Nybbas. This *is* L.A., after all."

Cassia's voice carries pretty well in from the hallway. She's being determined and secure and not at all pleased. The door flings back open on, "... am *not* a suspect!"

Colin Baker attempts to restrain Cassia again. "Please, miss, if you will just come with me ..."

Jewel says "And what do you think we can do about this?"

Cassia sighs, "I'd much rather not." and dodges his attempts.

Martin glances at Cassia sharply. "You can locate the deceased's diary, so that we will not lose the things she learned and the secrets she carried in her head. You can deliver it to me."

Cassia blinks at the glance and at the words. "Cool. Sure. I could even do it fast, if you like. Uhm..." she glances at Colin. "Michael sent me."

Colin looks back, blankly.

Akriel begins to look somewhere between worried, disturbed, and unnerved. And definetly out of place.

Martin observes, "The alternative is for me to nullify your efforts. Without bloodshed, of course, but all the same."

Martin glares at Cassia. "*You* will go to my office and wait."

Cassia peers at Martin's glare and then sighs and nods, "Okay..."

Cassia chuckles, "Sir."

Cassia then meekly follows Colin.

Jewel says "Our efforts?"

Martin smiles brilliantly. "Of course. You are a loyal Servitor, are you not? This means you have a mission, do you not?"

Martin says, "We will say no more. You are free to go."

Jewel says "We'll be in touch."

Akriel siezes on something Martin said: "I can go?"

Jewel takes hold of Akriel's hand and leads him out.

Martin smiles. "Yes," he agrees. "You will."

Akriel is led, in somewhat of a daze.

Jewel looks for Cassia in the hallway, as she tows Akriel out.

Captain Martin Fill walks back to his office.

Martin scrubs his face tiredly, in his office, as he examines Cassia. "This has been a very long day," he says. "And *what* am I going to do with you?"

Colin asks Jewel, "Need a ride?"

He runs to catch up with them.

Cassia says "Uhm.... give me something to do?"

Colin does.

Cassia paces cheerily.

Jewel says "Sure, if you don't mind! I don't have a car, and if Akriel has one, it's back at home."

Akriel says "No, I don't have one."

Martin looks thoughtful. "Those two -- Eliza and Akriel -- are dangerous. I don't mean dangerous-violent, I mean that they may interfere with your mission. You wish something to do? I want you to monitor them. Befriend them. And make sure that if they go anywhere, I know it. It's very important."

Infernal Intervention on his Resonance roll.

Colin smiles. "Come on, then." He leads them towards his car. "We can ditch Perry for now."

Akriel, thinking back on Martin's words, rolls Divine Intervention on a memory/perception roll.

Jewel says "Good!"

Cassia says "Oh. Drat... but they're kinda slow. How about something more fun?"

Cassia thinks about it, though... and frowns, "But if it's important..."

Akriel seems perhaps to be watching Colin as if wondering if he was going to grow giant wings, or a second head.

Jewel tows Akriel toward the car.

Cassia says "Okay. I'll, uhm... monitor 'em."

Martin smiles. "You can search for the diary, too, as I asked them to."

Cassia says "Cool!"

Cassia bounces at getting to look for the diary and goes poised on the balls of her feet.

Akriel realizes, mulling things over, that Martin Fill is indisputably a Balseraph of Kronos, although he might not be able to reproduce the logic that led him to this.

Akriel does not say anything about this. Instead he allows himself to be pulled along in Jewel's and Colin's wake, and asks them "What about the other woman?"

Jewel says "Do you know her?"

Akriel says "I don't know *any* of you."

Jewel says "Hm."

Jewel says "Well, we could wait for her, but I don't know if they're going to arrest her or what."

Jewel looks hopefully at Colin.

Akriel looks hopefully to Colin, too.

Colin shrugs. "Captain didn't say," he admits.

Martin waves his hand in a shoo'ing motion at Cassia. "Scoot."

Jewel smiles winningly. "Could you ask him? We'll wait here."

Cassia beams and trots out the door...

Colin turns around, heaving a sigh, and then says, "Apparently she's free to go. Or she's escaping, having immobilized a station full of officers."

Colin adds, "One of them will work his hands free of the cuffs shortly and the shots will begin.

Louder, he calls out, "Hey, need a ride?"

Akriel says "Occam's Razor suggests that she's free to go."

Jewel says "Then we better get moving!"

Cassia swings over to the group, "Wow... that Captain is pretty keen."

Cassia says "Uhm... sure!"

Akriel studies Cassia as if *she* was the one in danger of growing wings or a second head at the moment.

Cassia peers over her shoulder at the mention of shot. "Shots?"

Colin opens the back door of the police car, presumably for the ladies.

Jewel smiles at Colin and gets in.

Colin grins. "Hyperbole. You had a good alibi, huh?"

Cassia beams at Colin and kinda blinks at Akriel studying her.

Cassia says "Uhm... not really. Just told him I didn't do it and I guess he saw reason, or something...""

Cassia grins and slides in after Jewel.

Akriel dons his best 'who? me?' look (which is not bad), and gets into the car after the ladies.

Colin starts the car, which sputters annoyedly.

Akriel notices that the car is a bit low on oil.

Akriel peers at the car. "You need to put more oil in," he says confidantly. "It's not dangerous yet, but if you keep on that way you'll hurt the engine."

Colin peers in the rear-view mirror and says, "Whatever." Then he pulls out of the station to drive to the Lindel House.

Akriel hmphs, digs out a pen and a small pad of paper, and begins doing something that is either doodling, note-taking in a very peculiar shorthand, or sketching imaginary geometric figures.

Mixed in with the certainty that everything that Martin Fill said was correct, Cassia feels a terrible and powerful suspicion of him, starting at roughly the same moment Jewel's hand brushes hers while Jewel puts on her seatbelt.

Jewel leans closer to Akriel to see what he's doing. "What's that?"

Cassia bounces a bit in the backseat, watching the world go by, and then slows a bit and goes in to deep thought, frowning very fiercely.

Akriel tilts the notepad away from Jewel. "Stuff. Complicated stuff."

Jewel says "Okay, whatever."

The most likely thing, Cassia concludes, is that Martin Fill is telling the truth, and is an ally, but is under the influence of a Balseraph or Habbalite who is warping his mind.

Jewel turns to Cassia. "I don't think we ever got a chance to be introduced! I'm Eliza."

Akriel gives Cassia a thoughtful look.

Akriel says "Akriel. Akriel Jones."

Cassia blinks a bit and then smiles at Jewel, "Hi, I'm Cassia." And nods to Akriel.

Cassia says "Wow, that's a funny name, Akriel... uhm... where'd you get it?"

Akriel says "In the usual way."

Akriel says, as if it was a joke, "I read it off my driver's license, so it has to be right." He smiles, too.

Cassia grins.

Jewel says "By definition, I think."

Akriel blinks. "Well, someone could have given me a forged one, but I think that fails Occam's Razor."

Jewel says "Occam's Razor isn't a law of nature."

Cassia says "What's Occam's Razor?"

Cassia says "And would it fail because it got cut or something?"

Akriel says "It's a useful truism of science."

Akriel says "Occam's Razor is the principle that when there are two equally good explanations for something that you should take the simplest one."

Cassia says "Woo. Science. I like Bill Nye the Science Guy!"

Cassia says "Oh. Cool! I like that. Simple's neat."

Akriel gives Cassia a blank look at the Bill Nye line, and clearly refrains from asking her anything.

Jewel says "Too bad it's not always right."

Akriel says "Most people misapply it."

Cassia says "I dunno... ID seems kinda wierd. I mean, like why do I have to hand 'em a bit of plastic to prove who I am when I can just say that I'm Cassia of the LA Kickin' Angels and they could just believe me."

Akriel says "What are the LA Kickin' Angels?"

Jewel looks to see how Colin is taking all this.

Colin has decided to concentrate on his driving.

Cassia says "Soccer team, the women's pro league is starting this year... and we're not being paid, yet, but we get to work out with some of the best women in the area. It's been really great."

Jewel says "Cool. Is that all you do?"

Akriel says "Is being paid important?"

Cassia says "Gotta make a livin' so I work at the Pro Club on Hawthorne during the days... usually practice is in the evenings."

Jewel nods.

Colin glances up at the mirror and says, "I could take your friend to an asylum, Ms. Whitney, if you liked."

Cassia says "Hey!"

Jewel says "No, that's okay, he seems harmless."

Jewel grins.

Cassia says "Oh!"

Cassia laughs.

Akriel frowns at Colin.

Colin adds, "It's not far out of our way."

Akriel says "That wasn't a very nice thing to say."

Colin says, "Hey, it's part of my job."

Colin shrugs.

Akriel opens his mouth, then shuts it again and grumpily concentrates on the pad.

And, eventually, he pulls up at the Lindel House. "Was nice meeting you all," Colin adds.

Jewel says "Thanks for the ride!"

Cassia says "It sure was interesting..."

Colin says, "No problem."

Jewel smiles brightly at Colin. "If there's any more trouble, I know who to call!"

Cassia says "... and thanks!"

Cassia bounces out of the car.

Akriel gets out of the car in due order, in a silence he only breaks to tell Colin "Remember to put more oil into the car."

"Right," Colin answers. "Whatever."

Colin smiles. "And if you see any more mutant vampire bodies, --" He hesitates. "*Don't* call."

Akriel says "Don't worry about *that*."

Cassia grins big at that.

Jewel says "I'm sure we can take care of it."

Akriel walks towards the Lindel House, looking more put on. "'We'?"

Colin drives away.

Cassia laughs a delighted laugh.

Jewel smiles and waves to Colin, and shepherds the other two into Lindel House, and into her apartment.

Akriel asks Jewel "Is this the way to the landlord's office? I want to find out if I am staying here."

Jewel says "You can find out in a minute. I think we need to talk first."

Cassia wanders about in Jewel's apartment and gradually a frown has been growing on her face. "Yeah... I think we do."

Akriel says "... Ok."

Akriel eyes the apartment.

Jewel points to Cassia. "Who are you, and who do you serve?"

Cassia says "Uhm... it's really wierd, but... I'm getting some weird doubts about that Captain guy, eventhough he was talking about you two and me doing the thing that Michael wanted me to do... but... uhm... I mean, you two aren't violent at all..."

Cassia says "Oh!"

Cassia says "Uhm... Cassia and I serve Michael."

Akriel looks to Jewel.

Cassia visibly struggles to not tack on a 'Sir.' to that statement.

Jewel points at Akriel. "And you?"

Akriel says "You first."

Jewel says "I'm Jewel, and I serve under Eli."

Cassia giggles.

Jewel mutters something under her breath that might be "as frequently as possible". But might not.

Cassia blushes.

Jewel looks at Akriel.

Akriel says "Akriel. Cherubim of Novalis."

Cassia says "Oh... right... Ofanim."

Cassia grins at Jewel.

Akriel says "And the Captain was a Balseraph of Kronos."

Akriel closes his little notepad with a thump.

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