Knock, Knock

Cassia *woosh*!

Jewel is not going directly back, however. She wants to see if there are police lurking around.

Oddly enough, there do not seem to be police lurking around.

Cassia goes rather directly back...

Jewel also stops in a ladies' room somewhere (despite previous bad experiences with public restrooms) to change her clothes. Not that anything will make her less distinctive.

There are no unseemly bloodstains or imps in the reflection in the ladies' room's mirror.

Jewel thinks, "Good!"

Jewel circles the block to make sure that the place is full of police, and then goes back in.

Akriel is busy examining his luggage that was helpfully put in the room for him by, well, someone. Hopefully he does have some luggage.

Indeed, there is luggage. It has a distinctive floral pattern and absolutely no animals were harmed in its creation.

Cassia will knock on the front door of Akriel's apartment.

Akriel goes to the door and opens it. "Hello."

Cassia says "Hi. May I come in? How are things?"

Jewel will first go to her room and see if there is anything lying in wait, and if she survives that will go up to Akriel's.

There is nothing lying in wait in Jewel's apartment.

Akriel says "Certainly. Things are quiet. Did you catch up to that man?"

Cassia says "Kinda. It was weird. We didn't quite catch him..."

Cassia walks into the apartment, looking around a little.

Cassia says "He disappeared into a restaurant and then Jewel found out he went into the Men's room, sent someone after him and when he didn't appear, we went in and found out that it was an Infernal Tether..."

Akriel says "Oh, that's bad."

Jewel goes up to Akriel's, then, still avoiding the biddy, and knocks.

Akriel opens the door again: "Hello."

Akriel's apartment is more or less empty at the moment, although Akriel may have put a few things away. It is, fortunately, furnished, with a basic bed, desk, a few chairs, a standup-light, and complimentary soap in the bathroom.

Cassia says "... linked to an odd maze of bathrooms that were all reflections of each other, with an imp washing up in there."

Jewel looks fairly unhappy. "Hi. Anything happen?"

Cassia ends her narrative while Akriel opens the door.

Cassia says "Hi, Jewel!"

Akriel says "Not here. Cassia was just telling me of what happened."

Jewel smiles at the sight of Cassia. "Good, you made it back!"

Akriel lets Jewel in.

Cassia smiles at Jewel, "Yeah! It was a fun flight. Flames are keen."

Akriel thinks. "I suppose I should show you both this. I haven't looked at it myself."

Jewel says "Kind of obvious, though. Do you always fly like that?"

Akriel extracts the folder-oid thing from under the carpet from his vest.

Cassia says "Uhm... I don't normally fly corporeally, but when I do, yeah."

Jewel blinks. "From the apartment?"

Akriel nods.

Cassia says "Keen!"

Akriel says "It was under one sofa leg under the carpet."

Cassia dances.

Cassia says "We got it!"

Akriel says "I thought it best to take it with me when I left."

Jewel smiles brightly at Akriel. "Good work, handsome!"

The object is a daily planner for 1997. There are many notes stuck in it (post-its) and so forth, as well as writing.

Cassia says "Smart Akriel."

Cassia hmmms, "So that might be why they stuck around to do their ritual -- because they couldn't find it."

Cassia peers at it curiously.

Jewel goes over to stand behind Akriel and lean over his shoulder to read the folder (as well as rub up against him).

Akriel puts it on the desk, so everyone can gather around to inspect it.

Cassia reads from Akriel's other side, leaning more on the desk than anything else.

There seem to be meticulous notes, mostly in celestial shorthand, detailing a variety of assignments -- investigations into murders, arsons, Satanic cults, ghosts, missing Servitors, Dominican malpractice, and so forth. There are also social notes, such as dinners out, hairstyling appointments, carefully blocked in sections reading "Litheroy," various addresses, and (early on) numerous appointments with CPK, and (later) with LdC.

It is for a whole year.

Cassia says "Wow..."

Akriel says, dubiously, "I am not sure why people would want so much to have this. And what it has to do with Nybbas."

Cassia says "You think that's Leo de Caprio?"

Cassia says "LdC?"

Jewel leans forward, pressing up against Akriel's back, to reach the organizer and flip it to the last page.

Akriel says "The initials match."

Cassia hrms... and peers a bit at the Dominican malpractice...

There are only two instances of Dominican malpractice noted, plus three similar cases where the author concluded that no malpractice existed. All five are hilited in pink -- hiliter seems to be a common organizational tool. The two cases include one case of extreme overreaction and one case of letting a friend off (resulting in a Fall.)

Jewel says "Could be."

Cassia says "I wonder if I could get a copy of all this or something?"

Cassia says "Boss sent me to get this, I think..."

Akriel says "Certainly. Do you have a duplication machine?"

Cassia says "... though he didn't really tell me why."

Cassia peers at Jewel, "Is there a copy shop around here?

Jewel says "Yah, I think I saw one on the corner."

Jewel eyes Cassia right back!

Cassia says "Cool."

Cassia says "Wanna come with while I get a copy?"

Akriel says "Yes."

There is a rapping at the door.

Cassia says "Good."

Jewel says "I think we should probably-"

Akriel takes the daily planner and puts it inside his vest again. Closed up.

Jewel steps back to where she can't be seen from the door easily.

Cassia steps to the side fo the door as well.

Cassia says "Other side. "

Jewel holds her gun down at her side, by the action, so it's not immediately obvious.

Akriel gives Cassia and Jewel dubious looks, sighs, and opens the door: "Hello," he says to whoever's on the other side.

It's a young red-headed man. He asks, politely, "Akriel?"

Akriel nods. "Yes?"

Jewel senses ...
Curiosity, interest, and aliveness. No sneakiness.

He smiles. "Ohab. Wheel of Judgment. Would it be possible to speak to you?"

Akriel says "Many things are possible. Why don't you come in?"

Akriel steps aside so that Ohab can do this.

Cassia relaxes a bit at the words, but stays where she is.

The Ofanite moves in only one eighth of a second (Cassia counted) after Akriel's invitation, sidling around Akriel before he has quite moved out of the way and turning around and around and around to survey the room.

Akriel closes the door.

Cassia nods politely at the Ofanite.

Jewel smiles warily at him, at about half wattage.

As Ohab turns, he says, "It was suggested that I should work with you, as you are also recently come to Ea -- oh, my. You have guests?"

Cassia bows gently, "Cassia, Wheel of War."

Akriel says, redundantly, "Yes."

Jewel says "I'm Jewel."

Jewel has not put her gun away, but it's still down by her side and not held in a way that screams 'GUN!'.

Ohab's face lights up. "I had not been warned you would be here." Then he catches Jewel's half-wattage look, and lights up a tiny bit more. "Or you, although you are fairly stationary. Has this matter become more important than I had been warned? I was not aware that those outside Judgment would be concerned ..."

Jewel says "Just which matter are you judging?"

Cassia blinks a bit.

Jewel says "This is LA; everything is complicated."

Jewel grins.

Akriel says "I am not sure what this *is*, much less how important it is."

Akriel says "Perhaps you should tell us what you know."

Cassia says "Uhm... did you need warning athat another angel might be around?"

Jewel looks over at Cassia. "You knew he was coming?"

Ohab shakes his head rapidly. "This is not an Inquisition; I am looking for a lost Servitor. Shephi, of Judgment. Her Heart indicated that she was in this apartment."

Akriel says "Was, or is?"

Cassia looks at Jewel, "No. NOt at all, but I usually don't need warning about other angels."

Ohab says, "Well, was, about an hour ago."

Akriel says "Perhaps Shephi was the person who placed my luggage here."

Ohab says, seriously, "One always needs warning before encountering a Wheel who shines so bright as you, Warrior."

Cassia now blushes.

Jewel raises an eyebrow.

Cassia says "Thank you. How long has Shephi been lost?"

Ohab frowns. "That would be unusual. She has not reported for over a month."

Cassia says "Wow."

Akriel frowns.

Ohab admits, "This does not *preclude* her placing your luggage here."

Akriel nods.

Jewel says "I thought Dommie checked up on people weekly."

Jewel says "Was she deep undercover?"

Ohab frowns. "My Bright Lord does, indeed, check on his Servitors weekly -- but she has somehow managed to elude him. One week might have been a fluke; two a coincidence; three a conspiracy -- but He is unable to fathom four. So I have been sent."

Jewel grins. "Four is a really big conspiracy."

Akriel looks puzzled.

Jewel says "It's not easy to avoid an archangel."

Cassia peers at Jewel.

Ohab smiles brightly at Jewel, pacing thoughtfully around to peer in all the nooks and crannies of the room -- under the bed, at one point. "If it is that big of a conspiracy, then Heaven needs to know."

Akriel says "I'm confused. What were you sent here to do?"

Cassia paces back and forth quietly.

Jewel says "I'd think so, since the only way I know of to keep an Archangel from finding you if he has your Heart involves major players from the Basement."

Ohab says, "I am supposed to find her. I have time, you see. More than my Bright Lord. I can interrogate all the witnesses -- that would, er, be you -- and see where she went when she ducked from the room."

Jewel says "Sorry, haven't seen her. I just got here myself."

Cassia blinks quietly. "I haven't seen her either."

Cassia says "So I can't witness."

Akriel says, sounding puzzled, "But when you were at the door, you said you'd been sent here to help me."

Ohab frowns. "This is most puzzling." Then he grins manically at Akriel. "Oh, no. I can't recall exactly what I said, but I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression -- I was given you as a contact and an ally, not *told* that you were working on the same case -- I just sort of assumed. Since you were, well, in the room and all."

Akriel says "Oh."

Akriel considers the room. "I don't think the room is going to tell us who was in here recently, unfortunately."

Ohab says, "My Bright Lord's exact words were, more or less, after the mission assignment, 'She has been located in room 215 of the "Lindel House," leased to a newly-assigned angel by the name of Akriel. You are authorized to require his assistance, and to assist him if necessary.'"

Jewel looks around the room, in every space large enough to conceal anything larger than a mouse.

Jewel senses ...
The vague sense of presence and 'emotional heartbeat' from the six people in the room. Jewel, four in the room, and one right next to her -- that would be Eli's Heart.

Akriel says "Did Shephi associate with Thummin, a Seraph of Litheroy?"

Ohab tilts his head to the side and snaps his fingers, thinking.

Cassia says "And might I inquire as to which Choir did she belong?"

Ohab says, "I don't know whether she associated with a Thummim. Is that Jewel's true name? -- She is an Elohite."

Ohab adds, "Which makes the matter all the more puzzling."

Jewel says "No, I'm not Thummim."

Jewel continues poking around the apartment.

Cassia says "That would be puzzling."

Akriel says "It would be remarkable if Jewel was Thummim, as Thummim is dead."

Ohab smiles brilliantly. "Then, indeed, it would!"

Cassia says "Akriel, shall we do the small errand we were going to do?"

Jewel comments absently as she looks under the kitchen sink, "I've been dead. it wasn't much fun."

Akriel says "Sure."

Ohab frowns, a moment later. "Soul-killed, then? I hope the killer has been likewise removed?"

Cassia opens the door, peers at Jewel.

Akriel says "The killer has not yet been found. That is why we are here."

Akriel follows Cassia.

Cassia walks out towards the corner copy shop, waiting for folks to stay with her.

Jewel says "You three go on ahead, I'll catch up in a minute."

Cassia says "Okay."

Ohab turns, following Jewel with his eyes as she looks around, and then blinks. "Well, --" Then, helplessly, "All right." He turns to trail after the other two.

Jewel winks at Ohab as his eyes follow her.

Jewel Judgment-signs, 'lurk out of sight; you're reserves' to Ohab.

Cassia grins back at Ohab and keeps walking for the shop.

Ohab's eyes narrow speculatively. "I had not been informed," he starts to say, then shuts up and paces out of the apartment.

Cassia says "What had you not been informed of?"

Somehow, Ohab doesn't seem to be around when Cassia and Akriel reach the copy place, though. The man behind the desk says, "Can I help you?"

Cassia says "Sure."

Cassia says "I'd like a copy of... uhm... what he has."

The man looks to Akriel, looks to Cassia, and raises an eyebrow.

Akriel surrenders the daily planner to Cassia, since she presumably understands this place. Akriel eyes the machinery with what might be vague disdain.

Cassia shows the guy the planner.

Cassia says "I'd like to do the copying myself rather than leave it..."

Akriel says "Oh, definitely no leaving."

Cassia says "... if there's a machine free for me to do so, as the pages are oddly shaped."

The man studies the planner. "Darn right you will; I'm not going to do that by hand. There's a dollar-to-nickel machine in the back, with the color copiers."

Cassia says "Cool."

Jewel looks for that extra, dim and faded, emotional trace ...

Sean rolls the dice and gets Divine Intervention.

Cassia leads Akriel back to the copy machines and starts to feed dollars into the nichkel maching and then does her best to make most effience use of the area that hte copiers can take.

Akriel follows Cassia over to the copy machine. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say he was hovering protectively around the daily planner.

Cassia lets him hover over the pages she doesn't have, and meticulously and as quickly as possible copies every page, both sides.

Akriel makes sure that this 'copying machine' does not harm the daily planner, and in general performs well. Well, he does this to the extent he can without getting out his tools.

Jewel senses ...
A female-identified Elohite is worried on behalf of angelic morale. It's not clear how she's hiding, but it seems like part of her is ... missing.

Cassia, as an Ofanite, does a darn good job at doing the copies fast and well.

Jewel closes the apartment door, stands in the middle of the room, and says out loud, "Please come out. I'm on your side."

Cassia beams happily as she's *busy* and doing something fast and efficient.

Jewel senses ...
A melange of helplessness and clean humor, leaning against *that* wall. Oh, and someone nearby just spent a bit of Essence.

Jewel goes over toward that wall.

Ching! The copies are done.

Jewel looks for nonperson-like objects there.

Cassia says "Yay!"

There are no objects where Jewel is looking.

Cassia neatly puts the planner back together for Akriel and gives it back to his care.

Akriel takes the daily planner back and puts it into his vest again.

Jewel sweeps her arm through the area.

Nothing there.

Jewel senses ...
Wry outrage.

Cassia gathers up her copies and squares them off, and then asks the guy at the desk for a bag... then gives him a smile and a wave and walks back with Akriel to his apartment...

Ohab is pacing around outside Akriel's door.

Cassia carries her copies.

Ohab brightens. "You're back!"

Akriel looks puzzledly at Ohab. "Yes."

Cassia grins.

Akriel opens the door and goes in, it after all being his apartment.

Jewel jumps when the door opens!

Jewel senses ...
Amusement. Then the emotional trace moves over to flop on the bed, which does not depress even a bit. (The Divine Intervention is still operative.)

Jewel is standing near one wall, looking confused and frustrated (but still delectable).

Jewel says "Akriel, I think your apartment is haunted."

Cassia peers at the wall Jewel's by.

Akriel looks puzzled. "Oh?"

Akriel says "What by?"

Akriel lets Ohab come in and then closes the door.

Ohab does not, in fact, choose to come in. He looks faintly apologetic, and allows the door to be closed with him still outside.

Jewel beckons Ohab in.

Cassia blinks as the Ofanite stays outside...

Akriel pauses with the door open so that people can negoitiate with Ohad.

Jewel says "The ghost of an Elohite, apparently. She's on your bed now."

Ohab peers at Jewel again, shrugs, and with a look of amused exasperation dances into the room.

Jewel mutters, "Lucky girl" under her breath.

Akriel closes the door and then peers at his bed. "Hello."

Cassia says "Ghost? Keen."

Jewel smiles apologetically at Ohab.

Cassia hrm. "Maybe not so keen... if she's dead?"

Akriel asks the invisible ghost "Are you Shephi?"

Ohab frowns. "What is a ghost?"

Cassia says "And how can there be a ghost of an angel?"

Jewel says "I don't know that she's dead. But I can't see or touch anything where she is."

Cassia says "If her Vessel dies, she goes to Heaven and her heart."

Jewel senses ...
Faint embarrassment.

Jewel says "Or to Limbo if something happened to her Heart, I know."

Cassia says "Ah."

Cassia hrms.

Jewel says, in Celestial speech, "Can you communicate at all?"

Jewel addresses the bed, of course.

After a long moment, a Song disturbs the Symphony: a card appears in the air, and silver/purple ink calligraphically scripts onto it, "Barely."

Jewel tries to catch the card before it falls.

The card does not fall, and Jewel's hand passes through it.

Jewel sings, "Are you Shephi? What happened to you?"

At a guess, this is the Ethereal Song of Light, which crafts illusions. Not very easy to control, however, except when you do it *just* right.

Akriel contemplates, and goes Celestial at least briefly to see if anything is more obvious that way.

No obvious response.

Jewel idly guesses Shephi is a celestial stripped down to only Ethereal Forces.

Cassia watches Akriel as he goes Celestial.

Nothing is more obvious on the celestial plane.

Jewel sings, "Can we help?"

Jewel senses ...
Faith, but not a particular sense that she can help.

Akriel settles back into his Vessel.

Ohab says, "I propose that she is hiding in a secret compartment and Sang the card into existence from there."

Jewel says "No, I don't think so. I can locate her fairly well, and she was definitely over by that wall and then moved to the bed."

Ohab considers. "Perhaps a portable secret compartment, into which she ducks when my Bright Lord comes near? Something crafted by the decadent Creationers?"

Jewel says "And there isn't a lot of room for secret compartments in an apartment."

Jewel gives Ohab a really nasty look.

Cassia grins quietly.

Jewel sings, "Can you travel?"

Cassia nods quietly.

Jewel senses ...
Iffiness.

Ohab paces. "You are certain," he says, "that she is still here?"

Jewel says shortly, "Yes."

Ohab smiles brilliantly. "Then the problem will resolve itself."

Jewel sings, "Can we take you to a Tether?"

Jewel senses ...
Shephi is not enthused.

Cassia says "How so, Ohab?"

Akriel looks puzzledly at Ohab.

Ohab says, "I have called my Bright Lord to confirm -- certain things -- and I believe he heard me. When he arrives, he will be able to use Jewel's information to figure out exactly what is going on -- and he will definitely be able to fix it."

Jewel says "I think she was wounded in battle, and lost her Corporeal and Celestial forces, so she has a mind, but no physical or celestial body."

Cassia says "Wow. That would make sense."

Jewel turns the color of skim milk.

Cassia blinks at Jewel, "Uhm. What?"

Akriel just looks puzzled. It's an expression he seems destined to use a lot.

Cassia grins and then throws open a window in the apartment, pulls out the screen.

Ohab looks offended. "He will not crawl in through the window."

Jewel says, much more calmly than her complexion indicates, "I have things to be doing. I was just helping you guys out because you seemed sort of lost, but you've got Ohab here, so you should be okay. I'll be in touch."

Ohab considers. "Well, I don't *think* he would."

Jewel turns and walks out the door.

Ohab follows, Ofanishly.

Akriel looks puzzled, and then not puzzled. He nods to Jewel, albeit a little puzzled.

Cassia nods quietly at Ohab as Jewel walks out the door, and puts the screen back in.

Cassia closes the window.

Akriel says to Cassia "I do not understand this."

Cassia calls out, "Ohab."

Jewel looks back at Ohab. "Shouldn't you stay to meet your boss?"

Cassia says "Yeah. I'm not up to meeting Dominic without two of his folks..."

Cassia nods at Akriel, "I have to finish my story sometime."

Ohab hesitates, and then whispers to Jewel, "Wait -- are you undercover or something?"

Jewel nods curtly.

Ohab says, wisely, "Then you should stay, so as not to be suspicious!"

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

Cassia yells, "Ohab. Com'on."

Jewel says "I told you, I have things to be doing. Nothing suspicious in that, is there?"

Ohab says, dangerously, "My Bright Lord does not like forge --" He sighs. "I will report this," he says, and stalks back into the apartment.

Jewel reaches out to grab Ohab's hand before he gets away!

Akriel blinks puzzledly. "Does not like what?"

Cassia shrugs and peers at Ohab.

Ohab turns back towards Jewel as her hand brushes his.

Jewel says, serious and wide-eyed, "I'd really rather you didn't. Please?"

Ohab rolls "Judgment Pokerspineness."

Sean rolls the dice and gets 5.

Ohab hesitates, thinking. Then he sort of shakes his head and nods at the same time and scurries back into the apartment.

Jewel's lashes lower sultrily as she looks into Ohab's eyes.

Jewel lets him go, and continues leaving, quickly.

There is a Symphonic boom in the hallway, and Jewel is completely gone.

Jewel senses ...

Something surges out of Eli's Heart and wraps around her, and the world falls away.

Akriel closes the door behind Ohab and asks puzzledly "What was that about?"

Akriel opens the door again to check for, say, scorchmarks.

Cassia nods quietly as Jewel leaves and steps in back of the two Dominicans with the boom.

An eddying pink and black cloud drifts through a wall and is gone. Jewel is not in sight. The hallway is trembling, on the spiritual level, but not on the physical level.

Akriel looks puzzled and closes the door again.

The last thing Akriel sees before the door closes is a man in a cowl opening the door at the top of the stairs and walking out into the hall outside the apartment.

Akriel then waits.

Ohab says, "Wow."