1. Interviews (Action)

[Marullus]

The last few moments replay in Lucas's mind as he checks breathing, inspects the wound. He is surprised absolutely no one is reacting to this. I brought in this kid, this teacher... the kid SHOT his teacher... crap, there's no suspects for anything except my own shit going sideways... those photos better turn out...

Glancing around at the oblivious room, he steels himself. "Come on, teach. Let's get you to help." He tries to get Edward to his feet, and if not, into a shoulder-carry. If he can do so, he will try to get outside, collect Donte, and get to a navigable street.

Tenacity [1d8]=5

[shaidar]

As Lucas crouches over the fallen teacher to treat him, he notices that Edward seems to be trying to focus on something behind and above him. Edward tries to point at something with his left arm, but is too weak, coughing up blood he manages to utter Cernunnos.

[tibbius]

Out of the building into the side yard. Donte no longer heaving or sobbing, just sitting on his heels with his hands on his thighs. "Is Mr. Compton gonna live?" he asks desperately. "I didn't want to."

Where to?

Distant sirens - numerous, coming from several directions, converging toward your location. Donte looks panicked but he's not going anywhere. Lucas has Donte's weapon tucked into the waistband of his tattered jeans. Is Lucas otherwise armed?

[Marullus]

Lucas only grunts in exertion, continuing towards the nearest navigable street, preferably at an edge of the Brownfields. Seeing Donte recovered, he forces out his words between ragged breaths - "Go! Get out and home, 'fore those sirens get here. Get clear. Later you tell them it went off by accident."

Lucas expected a pat-down, if not a strip-search, having gone so far as to manufacture pocket litter and IDs. He is not carrying his normal side-arm or badge while on this undercover excursion.

[tibbius]

Donte has the presence of mind to take off away from the street where the machine shop fronts. He scrambles over a chain link fence, snagging his jacket on barbed wire, and continues running away from the scene.

As Lucas gets to the street, a cruiser rolls up with lights going and silences its blaring siren. Two cops jump out with pistols, pointed directly at Lucas.

"Turn around and put your hands behind your head!" shouts the shorter cop, apparently uncaring about Edward slung over Lucas' shoulder.

[Marullus]

"F... me," he gasps to himself, laying down Edward in front of them. "He's shot. I called. He.. here... dropping the gun," he says, telegraphing his actions slowly, tossing the gun on the ground, then puts his hands behind his head as directed.

[tibbius]

As Lucas lowers Edward to the ground one of the officers grabs his collar radio mic and speaks into it: "Gunshot victim. Send ambulance to scene. East Street 800 block."

A cold breeze blows off the river. Sunset casts the shadow of the building onto you.

When Lucas mentions "gun" and reaches toward it,

Trouble?: [1d6]=1

both officers fire their pistols.

Take harm. How much?

[Marullus]

Shooting? Tenacity? [1d8]=7

[tibbius]

A bullet sings past Lucas and another rips the sleeve of his sweatshirt as he tosses the gun aside and instinctively drops to his knees.

The officers keep their guns trained on him through the fence. "Lie down on your face! Hands on your butt!" shouts the short officer. Lucas assumes the humiliating position, turning his face to the side and smelling dirt and oil in the weeds. This used to be a parking lot or something, the paving long since crumbled to gravel. The ground is cold.

Lucas hears the chain links rattle as someone climbs under the fence where he entered just a few minutes ago. "Stay still! ... I got the gun!" Another rattle of the fence, a rush of motion, a knee on his back and a shin on his shoulder, bracelets swiftly and roughly clamped around his wrists. What does he do?

Nearby Edward lies silently.

Edward dreams of a horned man chasing him through a forested park. He comes to a stream too wide to jump across; no bridge. What does he do?

[shaidar]

Edward, unwilling to be caught by the Horned Man, jumps into the stream and hopes it takes him away.

I'm assuming it's to deep to wade, that's why he's hoping the current will take him away. If it's not that deep he will wade across"

[tibbius]

The stream is up to Edward's waist. Wading across the current strains his ribs and brings a dull throbbing pain to his chest.

Looking back he sees the Horned Man standing bare yards away, shaking six fists at him. The man seems reluctant to touch the running water.

Ahead is an opening between the trees, a sunlit path.

[shaidar]

Edward heads toward the light of the path as quickly as he can stumble.

[tibbius]

The stream gets shallow. The water is around Edward's knees, then his ankles. He splashes out onto the grassy bank. Looking back it seems like the far side of the stream is ... washing away? The water seems wider, the Horned Man is gone. The sunlight is warm and a breeze sways the green leaves casting sharp-edged shadows on the path. Everything is very clear and bright. Birds sing, bees buzz. He smells flowers of summer and spring together.

Does he continue into the sunlit path through the woods?

[Marullus]

Lucas lies face down on the ground, resigned to the handcuffing. "Phone... my right pocket. I called 911. Talk to dispatch." He strains to turn his eyes enough to see Edward. "Get help for him. Please."

[shaidar]

With the Horned Man gone Edward takes a few moments to lie on the bank and catch his breath, enjoying the sunlight's warmth. The phrase "Don't go into the light" swims into his consciousness, but he pushes it away, stands, and continues towards the sunlit path. "There is something important I need to do..." he thinks to himself "...no...someone needs my help", he tries to move faster.

[tibbius]

"You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent anything you say can be used against you in a court of law you have the right to an attorney ... and have him present during the interrogation if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you free of charge ... you can invoke your right to be silent before or during an interrogation, and if you do so, the interrogation must be halted ... you can invoke your right to have an attorney present, and until he is present, the interrogation must be halted. ... Got it?" demands the cop who still is kneeling on Lucas' back. It's hard to breathe with that weight on his ribs.

Edward moves forward into the sunny woods. The air is warm and pleasant. His chest has stopped hurting and he feels a lightness and relaxation in his limbs. The sun has dried him off from his slog through the stream. What is he wearing?

[Marullus]

"Yeah. I got it." says the trussed FBI agent in a resigned tone. Undercover is always a pain in the ass. He quietly hopes for Wells to hurry up. "Don't let him die, alright? Please help him."

[tibbius]

A pause. The weight shifts off Lucas' back. A grunt as the cop shifts position. A hand on Lucas shoulder. "Hey. How you know this guy?"

[shaidar]

Edward looks down and realises he's wearing running shoes, sweatpants and his favourite t-shirt.

[tibbius]

Edward hears noise ahead of him on the trail. Looking up he sees that he's arriving at a broad sunny glade in the forest. Blankets are spread out, spaced apart, all across the grassy clearing. There are people sitting on and around the blankets, sharing food and wine and other drinks. A lot of loud talking, laughter - some people over there making out - a group of people with guitars and some sort of woodwind instrument. It's like the park in Brixton when he was a kid, they'd take the bus over there sometimes at the weekend.

Five people are sitting at a blanket nearby. The blanket has big red and white squares, classic picnic style, and there's a couple of wicker baskets sitting on it with bread and grapes and cheese. A bottle of wine ... the people are three women and two men, one East Asian, one South Asian, two Latino, and a red-haired woman. They all look over at Edward and wave, gesturing him to join them: "Hey! Sit down with us a while. Where you from?"