Encounterlogs
Lilians Odd Encounter Sr William 250303
In a dark and luxurious bathing room, Benjamin finds himself in a perplexing situation involving giant magical octopi and Lilian, the nightgown-toting woman post-pedicure. Despite his inability to walk, Benjamin's culinary skills with seafood are put to the test when Lilian, wielding a javelin-turned-skewer, offers him a giant octopus to grill. This odd and somewhat humorous encounter unfolds amidst stunning luxury, with Benjamin and Lilian successfully fending off an invasion, albeit of a very unique kind. They ensure the safety of their lavish surroundings, concluding their adventure on a note of bizarre victory, ready to savor their strangely acquired dinner.
Meanwhile, in a different scene that unravels into the late hours of a cold winter night, Evan Reed faces an unexpected confrontation. Disturbed by a knock at his door, he discovers a group of Haven Police officers seeking information on a missing girl, Sally Anne Saffi. Despite initial reluctance and a tense exchange with the officers, Evan's sharp hearing guides them to Sally Anne, who is found chained to a tree, petrified of a mysterious hooded figure. Evan's unexpected lockpicking skill becomes the key to Sally Anne's freedom, and together with the officers, they embark on a rescue that reinforces the spirit of community and cooperation. The night concludes with a young girl saved from peril, a dubious hero in Evan, and a reminder of unexpected bravery and compassion in the face of adversity.
(Benjamin's odd encounter(SRWilliam):SRWilliam)
[Sun Mar 2 2025]
In a luxurious bathing room
This bathroom is a study in contrasts where the austerity of dark hues meld with the indulgence of luxury. The walls, swathed in a deep charcoal, absorb the chaos of the day, offering in its stead a cocoon of tranquility. A large, freestanding bathtub, sculpted from smooth, matte marble with golden veins running through it, dominates the room, its form an ode to the art of relaxation, an invitation to shed the world and steep in serenity.
Above, a chandelier of wrought iron and crystal hangs, its light diffused, casting a soft, underwater glow that plays across the surfaces, lending the room an ethereal quality. The floor, a mosaic of dark tiles, heated and smooth underfoot, guide ones path like a riverbed leading to a secret spring. A large, ornate mirror framed in dark wood presides over the vanity, reflecting the luxury of the space, turning the act of self-care into a ritual of self-reverence. The fixtures, in brushed nickel, stand out against the darkness, their sleek design a testament to modernity amidst the timeless elegance.
The air is redolent with the scent of lavender and sandalwood, a soothing balm that infuses the space with an aura of a private spa. Here, amidst the plush towels and artisanal soaps, the bathroom is not merely a functional space; it is a retreat, a personal haven where one could dissolve the layers of the day and emerge renewed, wrapped in the embrace of water and warmth.
It is night, about 43F(6C) degrees, and the sky is covered by dark grey stormclouds. There is a waxing crescent moon.
Between his limbs going numb and Lilian victoriously stabbing Octupi Benjamin rolls onto his back and looks up at the ceiling. "I can't walk... and I do know how to grill squid and octupi but... No walky legs no work." he says watching as the nightgown toting woman post-pedicure is collecting giant magical octupi on the spear. "What the fuck was that, was that like... Kaven playing a prank on it or something? Siofra?"
"I have no idea." Lilian comments as she looks over satsifiedly at the octopus skewer. Given Benjamin can't walk, she makes her way over to him and grabs him with her free arm, tossing him over her shoulder in a firearm's carry with her hand on his ass. The other hand carried the javalin turned skewer as she brings Benjamin over and sets him down on the marble counter next to the already burning gas burners. "Here you go!" She tells him brightly handing him the skewer. "Never look a gifted octopus in the mouth."
And with the javelin stab, the octopus squelches loudly, despite the shifting nature of the beast moments before, now they all seem like individual corpses left behind, of the same animal copy-pasted into reality. And now, left to discuss their dinner, Benjamin and Lilian have successfully thwarted the attempt to break into the house and abduct one or the two of them. No more octopus threat for today - Hopefully
(Your target's been contacted to help find a civilian who's become lost in the woods.
)
Evan is freshly showered and gone to sit himself down on his sofa, turning the TV on - at a low quiet volume to not disturb any neighbours, or the rest of the neighbourhood.
Not only is it night time, just after midnight, it's just after midnight early on Monday morning, meaning most everyone is asleep in town dreading when they'll have to wake up for their ho-hum jobs. But it seems upon this winter late night that some people are still awake. Such as Evan. And-
There's a scuffling noise outside of Evan's apartment. The sound of heavy footsteps can be heard climbing the outer stairway, and from the echoes of the footfalls, it can be safely surmised that there's more than one person. The low volume of the television is no comparison for the volley of conversation that begins to emerge outside of Evan's front door. A radio static crackle can be heard as a voice says through the device:
"ALL UNITS ARE ADVISED OF AN AMBER ALERT. Young female. About ten years of age. Blonde hair, brown eyes by the name of Sally Anne Saffi. Last known whereabouts in Narnia on Main Street. Reports of sightings of a little girl of a similar description in the forests nearby."
After the report there's a heavy knocking upon Evan's door. It's a heavy, desperate knocking. One that means serious business.
The sound startles Evan. It's obviously unexpected, and well the radio crackle is coming right outside his door - and there's a loud, loud knocking. "Fuck!" he exclaims in surprise, turning his attention to the door. The lad stands up, glancing at the door, and moving towards it to peek through the hole. "Hello?" he calls through the carefully locked door. He takes a second to confirm that fact.
When Evan speaks the door, he'd be greeted with the sight of four members of the Haven Police Department, all heavily bundled up for the cold weather - and more importantly, all armed. The first one, a bearded man, steps forward towards, to say in a no-nonsense voice: "Haven Police Department! We have a missing persons report, a young girl, Sally Anne Saffi, last known whereabouts on camera was downstairs in Narnia. In fact, the camera footage shows her coming up here, so why don't you open up the door so we can ask you some questions?" He crosses his arms and taps his foot on the ground, impatiently.
One of the other deputies, a reedy looking clean shaven man chimes in: "Eyewitnesses have said she may be in the forest. Time is of the essence."
The first officer glares at the second, the tension over seniority clear even if Evan does not have the door open. "Just open the door," the first Haven Police deputy commands.
Evan groans a bit, "Yeah, nobody's up here," he calls through the door. This is America, and Evan is not about to open the door to random police officers at midnight. No way.
That senior officer bristles: "We have probable cause over a missing young girl. So stop dicking around and open the goddamn door so we can get some answers!" The man is clearly having some sort of bad day, and seems to have little patience, his face turning red as he stands in the cold outside of the door.
The younger officer steps forward, much to the annoyance of his senior. The reedy lad clears his throat. "Sir, what my superior officer means-" he eyes the senior officer, that addition clearly feeding into whatever tension is between the group of four. "What my superior officer means is that we have the case of a young girl missing and it's after midnight. It's dark and cold and we need answers and help. Anything you can do will be helpful, so please. Open the door. We're not out to get you, we're out to find her, and save her. We don't know what could have happened to her and your response, and your opening this door may make the difference between life and death. I'm sure you want to stay home where it's warm, but just picture a little girl out there who knows where, scared and maybe even alone. She probably wants to be warm and safe too. So, Sir, please help us help you. Help us help her. And open the door, would you? It's clear there's someone at home," the last part is a bit of a dig. They're obviously not talking to no-one. The other two officers nod in agreement with the younger one, while the senior officer crosses his arms grumpily, muttering:
"I'll throw your ass in jail if you keep on delaying like this," he adds, searching for that last word against Evan.
Evan lets out a long heavy sigh, and then clicks the lock, pulling it open. "Alright," he tells the officers. "I don't have answers for you, because I've been upstairs for hours, but sure, come in." Taking a few steps back, he gestures inside, wandering off to take up position nearest the sofa - watching the officers.
The four officers troop in and there's a gust of cold air that follows them, chilling the entrance to the apartment. The senior-most one puts his hands on his hips and begins to take charge. "That's what they all say, sonny," he says with a scowl and his eyes dart around the room, judging all of Evan's belongings, as well as the bright decor.
The younger officer, however, steps forth. A reedy lad he may be, but he seems at least more emotionally intelligent than the others:
"Thank you for your time, Sir. Can we get your full name please? As we said, there's a missing young girl and time is ticking down. Did you hear any commotion the last few hours since you've been home?" he asks, anxious, bringing out a pad of paper and a pen to record Evan's statement with. "Are you also familiar with the various paths to the woods nearby?"
Evan gives the senior officer a look of disgust beofre moving to answer the younger one's questions. "Evan Reed," he tells him. "And no, I've heard no commotion at all." A hand goes up, rubbing at his face. "Uhhh..." he pauses, "No? Not really. I'm not really much of a woodsy explorer kind of person, if I'm honest."
The young man scribbles furiously, recording Evan's words. The senior officer scowls. "You got any proof you were here as long as you say you were?" he asks, pointedly, still glaring at Evan, clearly disgusted with him, and suspicious.
The younger officer chimes in after: "It would be helpful if anyone could collaborate your account, but also, time is of the essence. We may need you to help with the search. With a manhunt like this, all hands are on deck. Would you be willing to assist?" The other two officers stand by, letting their companions take the lead. One of the two lookey-loos seems actually just to be watching the television program that Evan was watching beforehand.
"Yeah, my girlfriend?" Evan offers up, "She's asleep though," he glances to one of the bedroom doors. "Do you actually need me to wake her up? And get her to confirm?" Then he looks to the senior officer, "Didn't you say you had video footage of one of her locations being inside Narnia? Did your cameras show me down there? No? Yeah, because I wasn't down there. Should be enough proof."
To the younger one, who's actually doing a proper job of this. "Uhh, yeah, sure, I can help."
The senior officer glances towards the bedroom and snorts, clearly disbelieving that there is anyone there. How did this guy even get to where he is? Who even knows - but the younger officer jumps in before his superior can make any missteps there.
"No need to wake her, Mr. Reed. I'm Officer Bradley, this is Senior Officer Haddock and Officers Jark and Olivers. You make a good point about the cameras, and I fear that since time is running out, we should get a move on things."
Officer Bradley gestures to Evan. "You might want to bundle up, but come with us when you are ready, we're headed to the edge of the forest just a few blocks from here."
Evan nods and moves to a coat rack on the corner, collecting it and pulling it on. "Alright," he says with a nod. "This is about the most ready I'm gonna be. No time to waste, huh? Let's go."
Officer Bradley ushers Evan out of the apartment. The group of Haven Police Officers along with Evan make their way out of Narnia and onto the streets of Haven where the bitter winter cold feels even colder in the dead of night after midnight. The streetlamps give a bit of light, but as the officers continue down their way towards the forest, there's a definite absence of it. The officers all start pulling out their maglights, switching them on to aid the search. After a few minutes, they approach the start of a forest trail.
"Okay, the trailhead starts here. We can split up into one team of two, and a team of three. Keep comms on and oh," Officer Bradley pulls up a photo - clearly taken from security camera footage. It's a little blurry, but a ten year old girl with blonde pigtails wearing a pink parka can be seen. "This is our target. Sally Anne Saffi," he tells Evan.
The senior officer barks out, "Bradley. You and the suspect on me. Jark and Olivers, you two are together."
Evan did not bring any sort of light with him, but judging by the way he looks around it seems obvious enough that he doesn't need one, for some reason. "The suspect?" Evan asks with some annoyance laced in his tone. The lad looks at the photo for a while, studying the blurry image and trying his best to memorize the details. "My god, nobody taught you manners, huh?" He gestures around towards the forest, "I can't imagine why you don't have a slew of volunteers out here, helping you look for a missing little girl." The comment is accentuated by an eyeroll but Evan does his best to remain in the group he's been told to stay with.
"Son, back in my day, young men did the right thing. They shut up and the nut up and did what needed to be done instead of staying indoors, watching teevee and talking bout their fake girlfriends," grunts the senior officer as he flashes his maglite around, almost randomly.
Officer Bradly, on the other hand, takes a different approach, walking carefully along the pathway and trying to methodically check each of the areas. "Let's focus on the task at hand," he suggests diplomatically, adding to Evan "We appreciate your assistance, Mr. Reed. And I'm sure Sally Anne and her parents will too."
In the distance, somewhere towards the north of the trio's position, the sound of crying can be heard for anyone with sharp enough ears.
Evan would be able to see that the senior officer's hands are pudgey, fat and ringless. He has a bulky frame and has probably been the recipient of many a donut joke in the past.
Evan does his best to not laugh, it's really, really hard, and he suceeds in that. "First of all," he tells the senior officer, "I am not your son," he casually strolls up next to the officer grinning at him. "Second of all, I don't think you should be talking about imaginary girlfriends." Gesturing to his hands, "I mean, no ring? Not even a slight tan mark or anything indicating that you'd wear a ring. You can be grumpy and upset all you want, but that isn't going to help out in your life you know? I get it," he tells him. "Life sucks, you're probably close to retirement, maybe five or so years off, and all the shit you've seen and done's made you jaded." Evan is giving him a life speech like this early twenties kid knows anything about anything. "So I get it, you grew up without teevee, and you had to 'nut up' because I bet your father was a more than likely a drunk who probably beat you here and there."
Evan pauses in his conversation, and nods towards the north. "There's crying up there, by the way. If none of you can hear it. We should continue that way."
As Evan starts to insult the senior officer, his blotchy face becomes more and more red and ruddy. He's getting more pissed off by the second, each insult striking close to home. "DON'T YOU SASS TALK ME BOY!" He's clearly a yeller, but Officer Bradley steps in between him and Evan before anything can happen, his focus solely upon Evan.
"You said you heard a sound? Can you lead us to it?"
The senior officer bellows in frustration. "Don't you tell me what to do Bradley. I've had about -"
"ENOUGH!!" Officer Bradly says, firmly. "I'm writing you up. So you can shut up and help and try to redeem yourself, or throw a tantrum and get thrown out of the force on your ass without your pension. You choose." Turning back to Evan, he gestures urgently. "Quickly, she might be hurt!"
The sound of crying continues to the north, and those with better hearing may even hear the sound of a little girl's voice, saying: "Help! Mommy! Daddy! Someone!!"
Evan doesn't even make a snide remark back to the senior officer, he just lets it drop and gives him a look of almost disappointment.
Evan starts at a light jog, taking off towards where he mentioned he heard a sound. "This way," he calls back, "just north of us, I think. Sounds like a girl. Calling for her mommy and daddy." Evan is weaponless but does continue on his way, perhaps already leaving some of the officers in the dust - even at a light jog.
Officer Bradley takes off after Evan, keeping pace. For such a reedy individual, it's clear he works out. The Senior Officer, however, huffs and puffs his way through the dark forest.
The shadows only grow more ominous the deeper the trio get into the forest and as they continue on into this heart of darkness, the sound of a little girl's crying becomes readily apparent.
Evan is able to lead them to the source: that little girl from the photo. Sally Anne Saffi herself in the flesh, still wearing that pink parka. Her eyes are red and puffy from crying, her nose a little snotty and red from the cold. But the girl is tied up to a tree. Chained, actually. With a large lock securing it. Seeing the officers, the girl squirms against the chains, screaming: "Help! Help!! Please! Take me away before the hooded lady comes back!!" There's panic upon her features. And who could blame her? The howl of a wolf pierces the air, adding to her cries.
"Hooded woman?" Evan asks Officer Bradley. "You know anything about this? Also," he gestures with a hand, "She's fucking chained up?" Evan takes a long, long scan around the surrounding area - searching for any signs of that hooded woman who might be lurking. This could be a trick, or a trap and Evan might have led them to it. "Call for the others, tell them where are. We gotta get these chains off."
Officer Bradley approaches first, trying to calm the young girl down. "Sally Anne, you're being really brave. I just need you to be brave for me for a little longer, okay? My name is Officer Bradley and your parents sent me to come find you," he says in a warm voice.
The little girl's eyes are wide and she nods. "O-okay, I'll try Officer!"
Bradley shakes his head at Evan. "No idea, but the operative thing is to get her out of here." He switches on his radio to report their location to the others. And finally, at that point, the Senior Officer arrives, huffing and puffing, clearly out of shape.
Officer Bradley frowns, kneeling to examine the lock. "I'm not sure how we get the lock off. That's all we need. Perhaps the locksmith? But I don't know if they'll be awake at this hour, or able to get here in time..."
"I uh.." Evan steps forward now, reaching into his pocket. "I'm just getting something from my pocket," he tells the Officers. "It's not a weapon. It's something that'll help. Promise." Out of his pocket comes what looks to be a few pieces of metal - a suspicious looking lockpicking set. "I should be able to do this," he murmurs softly - dropping to a knee to begin fiddling with the lock.
Officer Bradley nods to Evan, stepping back to give him the space he needs. The Senior Officer scowls. "Hey! Hey what the FUCK is that?!" he bellows, still out of breath, but Officer Bradley reaches out an arm to keep his senior officer from getting in the way. "Let him work," he says firmly, giving a nod to Evan.
The lock is a heavy duty one, that's for sure. But as Evan works his magic, the locks begin to turn until finally there is a *snap* and the lock comes undone in his hand.
As Evan finishes his work he steps back, letting the Officers take over - slipping his instruments back into his pocket.
Officer Bradley nods in thanks to Evan before working quickly to undo the chains wrapped around Sally Anne. The little girl cries in joy as she's freed and Bradley scoops up her hand. "Come, we're out of here. All of us," he commands. And this time the Senior Officer makes no comment to the contrary. But before they leave, Officer Bradley turns to Evan. "Thank you, Mr. Reed. I don't believe in coincidences and I know we were meant to meet. Now, let's go."
Evan nods to Officer Bradley and begins the trek back to Haven proper. Keeping up with ease.
All is well that ends well, and thanks to Evan, some good has been done in Haven this evening.
Meanwhile, in a different scene that unravels into the late hours of a cold winter night, Evan Reed faces an unexpected confrontation. Disturbed by a knock at his door, he discovers a group of Haven Police officers seeking information on a missing girl, Sally Anne Saffi. Despite initial reluctance and a tense exchange with the officers, Evan's sharp hearing guides them to Sally Anne, who is found chained to a tree, petrified of a mysterious hooded figure. Evan's unexpected lockpicking skill becomes the key to Sally Anne's freedom, and together with the officers, they embark on a rescue that reinforces the spirit of community and cooperation. The night concludes with a young girl saved from peril, a dubious hero in Evan, and a reminder of unexpected bravery and compassion in the face of adversity.
(Benjamin's odd encounter(SRWilliam):SRWilliam)
[Sun Mar 2 2025]
In a luxurious bathing room
This bathroom is a study in contrasts where the austerity of dark hues meld with the indulgence of luxury. The walls, swathed in a deep charcoal, absorb the chaos of the day, offering in its stead a cocoon of tranquility. A large, freestanding bathtub, sculpted from smooth, matte marble with golden veins running through it, dominates the room, its form an ode to the art of relaxation, an invitation to shed the world and steep in serenity.
Above, a chandelier of wrought iron and crystal hangs, its light diffused, casting a soft, underwater glow that plays across the surfaces, lending the room an ethereal quality. The floor, a mosaic of dark tiles, heated and smooth underfoot, guide ones path like a riverbed leading to a secret spring. A large, ornate mirror framed in dark wood presides over the vanity, reflecting the luxury of the space, turning the act of self-care into a ritual of self-reverence. The fixtures, in brushed nickel, stand out against the darkness, their sleek design a testament to modernity amidst the timeless elegance.
The air is redolent with the scent of lavender and sandalwood, a soothing balm that infuses the space with an aura of a private spa. Here, amidst the plush towels and artisanal soaps, the bathroom is not merely a functional space; it is a retreat, a personal haven where one could dissolve the layers of the day and emerge renewed, wrapped in the embrace of water and warmth.
It is night, about 43F(6C) degrees, and the sky is covered by dark grey stormclouds. There is a waxing crescent moon.
Between his limbs going numb and Lilian victoriously stabbing Octupi Benjamin rolls onto his back and looks up at the ceiling. "I can't walk... and I do know how to grill squid and octupi but... No walky legs no work." he says watching as the nightgown toting woman post-pedicure is collecting giant magical octupi on the spear. "What the fuck was that, was that like... Kaven playing a prank on it or something? Siofra?"
"I have no idea." Lilian comments as she looks over satsifiedly at the octopus skewer. Given Benjamin can't walk, she makes her way over to him and grabs him with her free arm, tossing him over her shoulder in a firearm's carry with her hand on his ass. The other hand carried the javalin turned skewer as she brings Benjamin over and sets him down on the marble counter next to the already burning gas burners. "Here you go!" She tells him brightly handing him the skewer. "Never look a gifted octopus in the mouth."
And with the javelin stab, the octopus squelches loudly, despite the shifting nature of the beast moments before, now they all seem like individual corpses left behind, of the same animal copy-pasted into reality. And now, left to discuss their dinner, Benjamin and Lilian have successfully thwarted the attempt to break into the house and abduct one or the two of them. No more octopus threat for today - Hopefully
(Your target's been contacted to help find a civilian who's become lost in the woods.
)
Evan is freshly showered and gone to sit himself down on his sofa, turning the TV on - at a low quiet volume to not disturb any neighbours, or the rest of the neighbourhood.
Not only is it night time, just after midnight, it's just after midnight early on Monday morning, meaning most everyone is asleep in town dreading when they'll have to wake up for their ho-hum jobs. But it seems upon this winter late night that some people are still awake. Such as Evan. And-
There's a scuffling noise outside of Evan's apartment. The sound of heavy footsteps can be heard climbing the outer stairway, and from the echoes of the footfalls, it can be safely surmised that there's more than one person. The low volume of the television is no comparison for the volley of conversation that begins to emerge outside of Evan's front door. A radio static crackle can be heard as a voice says through the device:
"ALL UNITS ARE ADVISED OF AN AMBER ALERT. Young female. About ten years of age. Blonde hair, brown eyes by the name of Sally Anne Saffi. Last known whereabouts in Narnia on Main Street. Reports of sightings of a little girl of a similar description in the forests nearby."
After the report there's a heavy knocking upon Evan's door. It's a heavy, desperate knocking. One that means serious business.
The sound startles Evan. It's obviously unexpected, and well the radio crackle is coming right outside his door - and there's a loud, loud knocking. "Fuck!" he exclaims in surprise, turning his attention to the door. The lad stands up, glancing at the door, and moving towards it to peek through the hole. "Hello?" he calls through the carefully locked door. He takes a second to confirm that fact.
When Evan speaks the door, he'd be greeted with the sight of four members of the Haven Police Department, all heavily bundled up for the cold weather - and more importantly, all armed. The first one, a bearded man, steps forward towards, to say in a no-nonsense voice: "Haven Police Department! We have a missing persons report, a young girl, Sally Anne Saffi, last known whereabouts on camera was downstairs in Narnia. In fact, the camera footage shows her coming up here, so why don't you open up the door so we can ask you some questions?" He crosses his arms and taps his foot on the ground, impatiently.
One of the other deputies, a reedy looking clean shaven man chimes in: "Eyewitnesses have said she may be in the forest. Time is of the essence."
The first officer glares at the second, the tension over seniority clear even if Evan does not have the door open. "Just open the door," the first Haven Police deputy commands.
Evan groans a bit, "Yeah, nobody's up here," he calls through the door. This is America, and Evan is not about to open the door to random police officers at midnight. No way.
That senior officer bristles: "We have probable cause over a missing young girl. So stop dicking around and open the goddamn door so we can get some answers!" The man is clearly having some sort of bad day, and seems to have little patience, his face turning red as he stands in the cold outside of the door.
The younger officer steps forward, much to the annoyance of his senior. The reedy lad clears his throat. "Sir, what my superior officer means-" he eyes the senior officer, that addition clearly feeding into whatever tension is between the group of four. "What my superior officer means is that we have the case of a young girl missing and it's after midnight. It's dark and cold and we need answers and help. Anything you can do will be helpful, so please. Open the door. We're not out to get you, we're out to find her, and save her. We don't know what could have happened to her and your response, and your opening this door may make the difference between life and death. I'm sure you want to stay home where it's warm, but just picture a little girl out there who knows where, scared and maybe even alone. She probably wants to be warm and safe too. So, Sir, please help us help you. Help us help her. And open the door, would you? It's clear there's someone at home," the last part is a bit of a dig. They're obviously not talking to no-one. The other two officers nod in agreement with the younger one, while the senior officer crosses his arms grumpily, muttering:
"I'll throw your ass in jail if you keep on delaying like this," he adds, searching for that last word against Evan.
Evan lets out a long heavy sigh, and then clicks the lock, pulling it open. "Alright," he tells the officers. "I don't have answers for you, because I've been upstairs for hours, but sure, come in." Taking a few steps back, he gestures inside, wandering off to take up position nearest the sofa - watching the officers.
The four officers troop in and there's a gust of cold air that follows them, chilling the entrance to the apartment. The senior-most one puts his hands on his hips and begins to take charge. "That's what they all say, sonny," he says with a scowl and his eyes dart around the room, judging all of Evan's belongings, as well as the bright decor.
The younger officer, however, steps forth. A reedy lad he may be, but he seems at least more emotionally intelligent than the others:
"Thank you for your time, Sir. Can we get your full name please? As we said, there's a missing young girl and time is ticking down. Did you hear any commotion the last few hours since you've been home?" he asks, anxious, bringing out a pad of paper and a pen to record Evan's statement with. "Are you also familiar with the various paths to the woods nearby?"
Evan gives the senior officer a look of disgust beofre moving to answer the younger one's questions. "Evan Reed," he tells him. "And no, I've heard no commotion at all." A hand goes up, rubbing at his face. "Uhhh..." he pauses, "No? Not really. I'm not really much of a woodsy explorer kind of person, if I'm honest."
The young man scribbles furiously, recording Evan's words. The senior officer scowls. "You got any proof you were here as long as you say you were?" he asks, pointedly, still glaring at Evan, clearly disgusted with him, and suspicious.
The younger officer chimes in after: "It would be helpful if anyone could collaborate your account, but also, time is of the essence. We may need you to help with the search. With a manhunt like this, all hands are on deck. Would you be willing to assist?" The other two officers stand by, letting their companions take the lead. One of the two lookey-loos seems actually just to be watching the television program that Evan was watching beforehand.
"Yeah, my girlfriend?" Evan offers up, "She's asleep though," he glances to one of the bedroom doors. "Do you actually need me to wake her up? And get her to confirm?" Then he looks to the senior officer, "Didn't you say you had video footage of one of her locations being inside Narnia? Did your cameras show me down there? No? Yeah, because I wasn't down there. Should be enough proof."
To the younger one, who's actually doing a proper job of this. "Uhh, yeah, sure, I can help."
The senior officer glances towards the bedroom and snorts, clearly disbelieving that there is anyone there. How did this guy even get to where he is? Who even knows - but the younger officer jumps in before his superior can make any missteps there.
"No need to wake her, Mr. Reed. I'm Officer Bradley, this is Senior Officer Haddock and Officers Jark and Olivers. You make a good point about the cameras, and I fear that since time is running out, we should get a move on things."
Officer Bradley gestures to Evan. "You might want to bundle up, but come with us when you are ready, we're headed to the edge of the forest just a few blocks from here."
Evan nods and moves to a coat rack on the corner, collecting it and pulling it on. "Alright," he says with a nod. "This is about the most ready I'm gonna be. No time to waste, huh? Let's go."
Officer Bradley ushers Evan out of the apartment. The group of Haven Police Officers along with Evan make their way out of Narnia and onto the streets of Haven where the bitter winter cold feels even colder in the dead of night after midnight. The streetlamps give a bit of light, but as the officers continue down their way towards the forest, there's a definite absence of it. The officers all start pulling out their maglights, switching them on to aid the search. After a few minutes, they approach the start of a forest trail.
"Okay, the trailhead starts here. We can split up into one team of two, and a team of three. Keep comms on and oh," Officer Bradley pulls up a photo - clearly taken from security camera footage. It's a little blurry, but a ten year old girl with blonde pigtails wearing a pink parka can be seen. "This is our target. Sally Anne Saffi," he tells Evan.
The senior officer barks out, "Bradley. You and the suspect on me. Jark and Olivers, you two are together."
Evan did not bring any sort of light with him, but judging by the way he looks around it seems obvious enough that he doesn't need one, for some reason. "The suspect?" Evan asks with some annoyance laced in his tone. The lad looks at the photo for a while, studying the blurry image and trying his best to memorize the details. "My god, nobody taught you manners, huh?" He gestures around towards the forest, "I can't imagine why you don't have a slew of volunteers out here, helping you look for a missing little girl." The comment is accentuated by an eyeroll but Evan does his best to remain in the group he's been told to stay with.
"Son, back in my day, young men did the right thing. They shut up and the nut up and did what needed to be done instead of staying indoors, watching teevee and talking bout their fake girlfriends," grunts the senior officer as he flashes his maglite around, almost randomly.
Officer Bradly, on the other hand, takes a different approach, walking carefully along the pathway and trying to methodically check each of the areas. "Let's focus on the task at hand," he suggests diplomatically, adding to Evan "We appreciate your assistance, Mr. Reed. And I'm sure Sally Anne and her parents will too."
In the distance, somewhere towards the north of the trio's position, the sound of crying can be heard for anyone with sharp enough ears.
Evan would be able to see that the senior officer's hands are pudgey, fat and ringless. He has a bulky frame and has probably been the recipient of many a donut joke in the past.
Evan does his best to not laugh, it's really, really hard, and he suceeds in that. "First of all," he tells the senior officer, "I am not your son," he casually strolls up next to the officer grinning at him. "Second of all, I don't think you should be talking about imaginary girlfriends." Gesturing to his hands, "I mean, no ring? Not even a slight tan mark or anything indicating that you'd wear a ring. You can be grumpy and upset all you want, but that isn't going to help out in your life you know? I get it," he tells him. "Life sucks, you're probably close to retirement, maybe five or so years off, and all the shit you've seen and done's made you jaded." Evan is giving him a life speech like this early twenties kid knows anything about anything. "So I get it, you grew up without teevee, and you had to 'nut up' because I bet your father was a more than likely a drunk who probably beat you here and there."
Evan pauses in his conversation, and nods towards the north. "There's crying up there, by the way. If none of you can hear it. We should continue that way."
As Evan starts to insult the senior officer, his blotchy face becomes more and more red and ruddy. He's getting more pissed off by the second, each insult striking close to home. "DON'T YOU SASS TALK ME BOY!" He's clearly a yeller, but Officer Bradley steps in between him and Evan before anything can happen, his focus solely upon Evan.
"You said you heard a sound? Can you lead us to it?"
The senior officer bellows in frustration. "Don't you tell me what to do Bradley. I've had about -"
"ENOUGH!!" Officer Bradly says, firmly. "I'm writing you up. So you can shut up and help and try to redeem yourself, or throw a tantrum and get thrown out of the force on your ass without your pension. You choose." Turning back to Evan, he gestures urgently. "Quickly, she might be hurt!"
The sound of crying continues to the north, and those with better hearing may even hear the sound of a little girl's voice, saying: "Help! Mommy! Daddy! Someone!!"
Evan doesn't even make a snide remark back to the senior officer, he just lets it drop and gives him a look of almost disappointment.
Evan starts at a light jog, taking off towards where he mentioned he heard a sound. "This way," he calls back, "just north of us, I think. Sounds like a girl. Calling for her mommy and daddy." Evan is weaponless but does continue on his way, perhaps already leaving some of the officers in the dust - even at a light jog.
Officer Bradley takes off after Evan, keeping pace. For such a reedy individual, it's clear he works out. The Senior Officer, however, huffs and puffs his way through the dark forest.
The shadows only grow more ominous the deeper the trio get into the forest and as they continue on into this heart of darkness, the sound of a little girl's crying becomes readily apparent.
Evan is able to lead them to the source: that little girl from the photo. Sally Anne Saffi herself in the flesh, still wearing that pink parka. Her eyes are red and puffy from crying, her nose a little snotty and red from the cold. But the girl is tied up to a tree. Chained, actually. With a large lock securing it. Seeing the officers, the girl squirms against the chains, screaming: "Help! Help!! Please! Take me away before the hooded lady comes back!!" There's panic upon her features. And who could blame her? The howl of a wolf pierces the air, adding to her cries.
"Hooded woman?" Evan asks Officer Bradley. "You know anything about this? Also," he gestures with a hand, "She's fucking chained up?" Evan takes a long, long scan around the surrounding area - searching for any signs of that hooded woman who might be lurking. This could be a trick, or a trap and Evan might have led them to it. "Call for the others, tell them where are. We gotta get these chains off."
Officer Bradley approaches first, trying to calm the young girl down. "Sally Anne, you're being really brave. I just need you to be brave for me for a little longer, okay? My name is Officer Bradley and your parents sent me to come find you," he says in a warm voice.
The little girl's eyes are wide and she nods. "O-okay, I'll try Officer!"
Bradley shakes his head at Evan. "No idea, but the operative thing is to get her out of here." He switches on his radio to report their location to the others. And finally, at that point, the Senior Officer arrives, huffing and puffing, clearly out of shape.
Officer Bradley frowns, kneeling to examine the lock. "I'm not sure how we get the lock off. That's all we need. Perhaps the locksmith? But I don't know if they'll be awake at this hour, or able to get here in time..."
"I uh.." Evan steps forward now, reaching into his pocket. "I'm just getting something from my pocket," he tells the Officers. "It's not a weapon. It's something that'll help. Promise." Out of his pocket comes what looks to be a few pieces of metal - a suspicious looking lockpicking set. "I should be able to do this," he murmurs softly - dropping to a knee to begin fiddling with the lock.
Officer Bradley nods to Evan, stepping back to give him the space he needs. The Senior Officer scowls. "Hey! Hey what the FUCK is that?!" he bellows, still out of breath, but Officer Bradley reaches out an arm to keep his senior officer from getting in the way. "Let him work," he says firmly, giving a nod to Evan.
The lock is a heavy duty one, that's for sure. But as Evan works his magic, the locks begin to turn until finally there is a *snap* and the lock comes undone in his hand.
As Evan finishes his work he steps back, letting the Officers take over - slipping his instruments back into his pocket.
Officer Bradley nods in thanks to Evan before working quickly to undo the chains wrapped around Sally Anne. The little girl cries in joy as she's freed and Bradley scoops up her hand. "Come, we're out of here. All of us," he commands. And this time the Senior Officer makes no comment to the contrary. But before they leave, Officer Bradley turns to Evan. "Thank you, Mr. Reed. I don't believe in coincidences and I know we were meant to meet. Now, let's go."
Evan nods to Officer Bradley and begins the trek back to Haven proper. Keeping up with ease.
All is well that ends well, and thanks to Evan, some good has been done in Haven this evening.