Morningstar Manor

Jazz had awoken that morning to find that she hadn't spend the night nearly as alone as she thought she had. Indeed, she'd been horrified to discover that sharing the space between the sheets with her was one of the textbooks Mr. Michael's had given her. And not only had she apparently slept with the damn thing, but she'd managed to injure herself on it as well. She was now sporting small, oddly triangle shaped bruise that seemed to be darkening by the second in between her ribs were she must have laid on the corner edge of the book cover during the night.

What the hell? This was not like her. Not at all.

She had to do something she decided, something wonderfully self-absorbed and self-centered to counteract this bizarre, un-Jazz like behavior. After work, and a quick costume change later, she was marching with purpose to the pool house. An hour or two of baking time would make her feel better.

~.~

Just like Icene's accusations had only been a matter of time, so was Joe's disappointment. Adam could try to avoid them, but, sooner or later, they'd catch up with him. At least with Icene though he'd had a choice...his brother cornered him, without a fair headstart, in the Mocha.

They sat, in silence, at one of the tables. Joe staring with reprimanding eyes while Adam did his best to look properly contrite.

He was failing. With flying colors.

Decisions. Where did you go when you wanted to set a huge fire? Parks? Forest? Those could spread to other areas very easily. Abandoned buildings were good - if they were mostly away from other buildings so the fire could be contained. Last time she'd gone off like this she'd destroyed an old factory. Those were getting harder to find.

But she'd managed to find, in her opinion, the jackpot. An old refinery far enough outside the City that an explosion wouldn't do any damange - except maybe shake a few of the outskirting buildings.

When Adam left the base Eris was waiting for him, car parked just outside the gate. The drive might have generally taken a half hour two fortyfive minutes to get to the refinery. With Eris driving it took half that time.

By the time they got out of the car it was smoking.

It was September 11th. Which meant that the only thing on the tv was various shows in remembrance of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Most of the people in the Mocha were either watching the tv mounted in the corner or doing their best to ignore it completely.

Demitri was doing a bit of both - watching as much as he could but his major hangover wasn't letting him focus for long. So instead he huddled over his coffee with his sunglasses firmly in place. Last night a couple of the boys from Siciliano's had convinced him to go out with them. It had been a mixture of fun and guilt and he'd drank more than he'd planned because of it.

Hangovers sucked.

*****

Eris might not be considered the most patriotic of people but even she couldn't not feel for what had happened. To be honest, it made her want to go take care of things herself. Just how big an explosion could she make anyway? She didn't know, had never let it go that much. But she really wanted to find out.

Especially since lately that itch had begun to really get strong again. It happened on occassion - the fire built up and up until she felt like it was rolling just beneath the surface of her skin and that destructive urge, that need to see the world on fire, prevailed in her thoughts. Maybe it wasn't like this for others like her but Eris had the blood of the Destroyer of Worlds in her veins. And today it was really close.

Close enough that she was sitting in a corner of the Mocha and slowly burning a piece of paper in an ashtray.

******

When Loki walked into the Mocha a few regulars did double takes. He was dressed for work at the gallery - black slacks, black button up, black tie, hair pulled back neatly. He got a cup of coffee and a bagel and sat down, looking just as much of the businessman as the rest in the room.

It was highly amusing.

Jos and Toby were relieved when they found out that they didn't have to declare their major until their second year - because they weren't sure what they wanted to do yet. Toby wasn't even sure that they should do the same thing, although he hadn't mentioned this fact to Jos. They'd stopped off, on their way back from registration, to do some grocery sopping (for both themselves and Erik), and then made a pit stop in the Mocha for hot chocolate.

Chores could wait.

Phin yawned as he stood in line in the Mocha. He supposed he could've stopped somewhere else to get coffee, but he didn't feel like it. So he just braved the back of a long line, waiting for a coffee and some donuts. He did dig the Mocha's donuts. He should probably get a sandwich too, to take to work with him since he'd forgotten to make himself a lunch before leaving. Phin was fairly forgetful. Anyway, he was contemplating taking Friday off to spend with the kids. Bridget would probably be okay with this plan. They could go to the park or something. Yes, that's it. He missed the fact that the line was moving a step or two forward as he contemplated this.

Eris was out again - Del had stopped by on his way home and there had been no reply but that was okay because he had some work to do anyway.

Odd how he couldn't really concentrate.

In the end he gave up and turned on the tv and tuned out of the everlasting bloody Olympics and into the History Channel.

He couldn't concentrate on that either.

Adam was doing a good job, or at least he thought anyway. He knew Icene was busy, and agitated, trying to figure out this case she was working on and he was doing his best to stay out of the way and out of her hair, but he had to be honest, it was getting tough.

As he boarded the elevator to go home after a long day's work, he practically had to restrain himself from hitting the button for her floor. With a tight sigh he hit the button for his own floor and promptly stuffed his hands in his pockets, waiting for the doors to close on the Lobby.

If something didn't happen soon, he didn't know what he'd do.

After a long night hunting pigeons, Palug tucked himself away on the cool leaf mould under a shrub and had a nice long sleep - though he kept an ear open for dogs to torture and, as always, was prepared to move for the faintest waft of tuna.

With the building so hot he had no plans to move any time soon.

~~~

Nick had worked in the sub-basement earlier, which was at least cool, then came up to join Phil in struggling with the aircon system. After trying everything they could think of they gave up for the time being and Nick went into the garden and rigged up a couple of sprinklers to throw a high fine arc of cool water across the lawns. Then he found a vantage point to sit and smile and watch the kids race in and out of it.

~~~

Vincenzo slept the day away, nude on top of the sheets with a newly aquired fan running. He would awake sweat-soaked and with a ferocious headache so had put a jug of water and a pack of Advil at his bedside. It paid to be prepared.

~~~

Andy was at work in one of her more summery frocks and taking full benefit from the air con in the gallery. In fact she was slightly chilly and contemplated going across to the Bazaar at lunchtime to buy one of the little crochetted tie-dyed shrugs they sold there.

~~~

Leo was also at work and after a stifling night spent in a good deal of discomfort, had decided to drive out of the City and spend the night at a hotel somewhere. He had no ties, no commitments and nobody to answer to - very liberating.

~~~

The conservation lab at the museum was blessedly cool and quiet and Del was grateful for that, although in other respects he was far from all right. There was something up with Eris and he wasn't sure what. He didn't think he'd done anything to annoy her - any playing around he had done had been strictly off Manor grounds and while he had tried her door when he had got home last night, he was fairly certain he hadn't disturbed her or whoever she was entertaining - but there was definitely something.

Problem was there didn't seem to be anyone to ask.

~~~

Apartment 9163 was as hot as anywhere else, especially since one of the tenants had taken to wearing as little as possible. Charlie was dealing with the heat in his own way - by keeping his mind off being hot and on keeping Deacon cool.

This was good fun and involved a considerable amount of stealth and a plant mister.

Deacon was being very good-natured about it.

###

Up on the 14th floor, with the temperature rising, Jon Vision smiled and basked in the heat.

It reminded him of home - all they needed was a little whiff of brimstone.

He'd had to work, so it was a little later than he'd have liked. But hopefully she didn't mind.

There was a shiny, helium balloon that the string of which was tied to the neck of a bottle of red wine and looped neatly through a homemade card that featured a giant yellow smiley face and mushroom shaped object that apparently was supposed to be a cupcake.

Happy Birthday!

I'd have sent flowers, but I was afraid they'd wilt. Hope you have fun with these instead.

~Adam~

Taped into the inside the card was a gift certificate to a local spa.

No air conditioning sucked. Majorly. Though some of the tenants had to admit it did have its perks - like seeing other tenants in very very few clothes.

Deacon had taken to walking around in his worn cut off denims and flip flops and nothing else. Most of the ladies and some of the men certainly didn't mind that and while he waited in line for an iced coffee at the Mocha he knew hew as getting looks.

****

Eris wasn't wearing much either. Denim shorts that barely covered her rear and a bikini top. Though the heat didn't really bother her much. It was just a good excuse to walk around nearly nude - though up here at the pool pretty much everyone was like that.

****

Including Loki, who was floating on his back in the water in a pair of black board shorts that would probably fall right off his slender hips if someone gave them a tug.

****

Even Erik had given in and gone to the pool. He climbed from the water, having just done a few laps, and moved to stretch out on one of the lounge chairs. He caught Eris looking at him and gave her a questioning glance then rolled his eyes when she gave him an obvious once over and smirked her approval.

Home for lunch, Adam was holed up at table, a mostly ignored cup of coffee and sandwich in front of him while he struggled with a notion that refused to drift quietly into the back of his mind.

Up in the queue was some pretty thing, at which he had happened a quick glance. And now he was regretting it. She was wearing some sort of backless number, which meant she obviously wasn't wearing a bra and once a piece of information like that got into your head....He shook his head experimentally, and fixed his eyes on his plate like a good boy.

~.~

Aware of what she was doing, but pretending not to be, Jazz casually paid for her coffee, slipped a pair of sunglass onto her face, and drifted out into the gardens.

Then, and only then, did she smirk. It was always nice to be reminded that you attractive.

Humming some soft tune she headed down the path, figuring a walk in the warm sunshine was most definitely called for.

Tristan had heard about the coffee shop just off the lobby here. He decided to take a gander and check it out for himself. It was hard for him to dress casually, even though he was only twenty six. He pulled on a pair of black jeans, buckled what was called a pyramid stud belt, and a grey shirt, boasting a logo for The White Stripes. Tucking his never taken off necklace under the collar, he made his way downstairs to stand in line.

He fidgeted while he waited. It wasn't impatience. He just didn't like standing in line. He looked around as he shifted his weight slightly from left foot to right foot and back to left foot. Maybe he could get through the afternoon without anybody realizing he was new. Maybe he could get through the weekend without explaining who he was or why he was here. Just maybe.

There were two sets of 'not quite human' tenants in the garden this morning. The first was Aaron Jones, dressed as always in grey slacks and a crisp business shirt and tie. This morning he sat on a bench in the shade of a few trees and puffed on his cigar. A short ways away from him, in the bright sunlight, lay two massive Irish Wolfhounds apparently sunning themselves.

***

Not far from Aaron was another being. Today Loki had opted for a different spot to perch - instead of in the arms of the Angel statue he was sitting cross-legged on the head/back of the demon statue. In one hand was a cup of coffee from the Mocha and resting on his knees was his old and battered volume of Edgar Allan Poe. Dressed in all black as he was - if it wasn't for the bright red hair burning in the sunlight he might go unnoticed.

***

Demitri sat in the Mocha, trying not to laugh as Joy watched him cautiously. But really he wasn't doing anything - just having coffee and a bagel and looking through the paper. And trying to keep his mind on his classes for the day and not wonder where Kevin was and if he was alright.

***

Across the Mocha - stretched out quite enticingly on a sofa - was Eris. She had on a bikini top and a pair of very short denim cut offs as she had her coffee and flipped through a magazine before heading up to the roof for a swim.

"Hey babes, have you seen those posters for - um - Arcane. The girls in the Mocha tell me it's some of the Manor guys. Do you want to go and see them?" *laughs* "We could take your car. Let me know, huh?"

Once the taxi had dropped him off, Del went straight to his apartment and tried to settle down to some reading. He was hungry - neither he nor Larry had felt like eating once they got back to Ferry Street and he could see that Anna needed to have her husband to herself, so he called a cab. He had intended to cook for himself - there was pizza, or bacon - but he still felt uneasy in his stomach.

Coffee.

He couldn't bear to sip it.

So he went out for a walk and soon found himself on one particular floor outside one particular door and sighed, recognising that this - she - was what he needed.

He knocked on the door and prayed she would be in.

Jazz sat under the front awning just outside the Manor. She had no real desire to go inside, but had no where else to go.

~.~

Adam was in the game room, trying to enjoy a game of pool, but his heart wasn't in it. Rather he spent long moments staring at the felt without really seeing it, lost in thought.

~.~

In the garden, Joseph sat quietly thinking about Lil and wondering how long before the first flowers came in.

~.~

Alec was in the Lobby, waiting on the elevator and going through the mail, separating Ang's from his.

There was an impromptu band practice going on in the ballroom. Jack had taken a break and gone to play piano on the big baby grand. Zack had happened to hear and run up to grab his bass and the small portable amp and come to join. Deacon had been next, having come up from working out in the gym, and a few minutes later had returned with his acoustic and the unmistakable sound of rock music was now drifting from the ballroom.

****

Eris was in the Mocha, sipping a latte and sorting through a mass of brochures scattered on the table - all advertising various resorts on various beaches in the Caribbean.

****

Erik was in the garden - dressed in jeans and a soft button down, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Humming to himself he tended the little garden patch he kept to prepare it for spring.

****

Jason at behind the security desk, writing up the schedule for the next few days and feeling much better than he had over the weekend. Of course people had left the guards a good bit of candy for Easter and chocolate was always a good thing.

But if he found one more hard boiled egg rotting in an undiscovered by children hiding place he was going to be very unhappy.

****

Loki was on the roof - sitting on his heels on narrow outcropping, looking like a great black bird with his long coat flapping gently in the breeze. It was a good spot, he decided as he smoked a cigarette and gazed out over the City. You could see a lot from up here. Not that any normal person would have been able to get to this spot but really that was there loss.



[ooc: Just say who you want in the tag and if you need the time of day to change that's fine. They'll probably be there most of the afternoon, though Jack might have had to go back to work.]

Del had needed to get out of the lab. He had treated a set of mahogany dining chairs with pesticide and the fumes had made his head spin even through the mask. So he put on his coat and wrapped his scarf around his neck and braved the cold windyness of the day.

It was pretty miserable actually. He liked the long hot summer nights – hated the dreary days of winter. What he wouldn’t give for a little bit of sunshine!

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a photograph of a sundrenched beach caught his eye and he stopped to look in the window of one of the many travel agencies.

“Hmm, special offers?” he breathed. “Whoa, six nights in Key West. I could handle that.”

Unusual sights all about the Manor this evening:

The McClaren brothers were holed up at a table in the Mocha, but tonight, for a change, Joseph was the one doing all the talking while Adam stared silently on. The elder seemed eager, almost excited, while the younger appeared nothing if not glossy-eyed, nodding vaguely only when instinct told him it was appropriate.

Alec had made the mistake when he'd first entered the bookstore of picking up a book about pregnancy that had contained pictures. Now traumatized, he was circling through the stacks, trying to work up the courage to try again.

On a three a.m. whim, Jazz had painted her toenails a silly shade of pearly pink. They were now on display in the lobby as she had kicked off her shoes and pulled her knees up to her chest while she chattered away with a teeny male voice coming out of her cell phone. They seemed to be having an argument, but it was hard to say seeing as how they were conversing in rapid fire Spanish.

The Book of Shadows lay open on an angled support, weighted strips of Secol holding the pages open as Del, adjusted the focus on the camera, snapped, then turned off the room lights. Immediately the pages of the book were suffused with the eerie glow of the UV lamp. He took another picture and switched the light back on again.

Page after page, he took two pictures - one lit with ordinary light and one with UV - until he reached the end. It was a lot of trouble to go to but the book had been a gift and he wanted to read it, but couldn't bear the thought of causing accidental damage to it by the inevitable handling. The images - and he had all the necessary software to use them most effectively - meant he could really look in depth, not just at what had been written but at anything that might once have been written and scrubbed out.

He had already realised that what he had was more than one work in more than two hands. The fun would lie in working out exactly who had written them and why they had been bound together.

With the book once again closed and carefully wrapped, Del slipped the SD card from the camera and began transferring the images.

A couple of hours later, in a very thoughtful frame of mind, he entered the Manor and headed for the Mocha. He REALLY needed a coffee.