InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "sweet moses in a handbasket"

Rosalind Elena 'Lena' Rainmayr (sat_by_the_fire) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2014-04-18 00:00:00

Entry tags:

jameson kemp, lena rainmayr, monique reppyi, saint anthony

WHO: Lena and Jamie
WHAT: Well that's suspicious
WHEN: Thursday morning
WHERE: Their apartment
WARNINGS: Language?

Lena slammed the phone down, her heard pounding in her throat. "JAMIE!" she called out, knowing he was in his room getting ready for a day of classes. The plan had been that Lena was going to accompany him to the SVA campus and hang around until home time, but it seemed like things just might be about to change. "JAMIE!"

The phone was already back in her hands and she tried to press in Thomas' mobile number while her fingers shook. Oh god, oh god, what if he didn't answer? What if he was missing?!

(Post a new comment)

	flare_star 2014-04-17 12:15 pm UTC (link)
	Jamie had showered, and was in his room pulling on his clothes. He'd been steeling himself to leave the apartment for classes, when he heard Lena shouting for him from the living room. "Lena?" he asked, feeling worry start to creep in. "Lena, what's wrong?" (Reply to this) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 12:21 pm UTC (link)

Lena rubbed at her eyes, willing someone to pick up Thomas' goddamn phone, but it remained unanswered. "Goddammit" she hissed and then she tossed an apologetic look Jamie's way. "I'm sorry. Shit. Uhm...Cl- Sappho called. She said Thomas didn't show up for their meeting this morning. I explained that he had been at the hospital with his coworker, but she said no one that works there was in a car accident. And Thomas isn't answering."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	flare_star 2014-04-17 12:27 pm UTC (link)
	Jamie felt cold panic start to take root in his heart. "So, if that didn't happen...then what really happened? And more to the point, who was sending us those text messages, if it wasn't Dad?" He was starting to feel very, very nervous. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 12:29 pm UTC (link)

"I don't know," Lena admitted, she felt like her stomach had turned to stone. "I'm going to call- Maybe-- I mean, it could have been his old school, right?" It didn't explain why Thomas hadn't contacted Sappho to tell her he wouldn't be in, but maybe something else had happened. "Do you think I can just...call his old school and ask if any of the staff was in a car accident?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	flare_star 2014-04-17 12:33 pm UTC (link)
	"Maybe," Jamie replied, clinging to that sliver of hope, however small. "But I think he might have made the distinction, that it was someone he used to work with. I mean, you could try, but it sounds like a long shot, as much as I hate to say it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 12:37 pm UTC (link)

"I'm trying anyway," Lena said, pulling the phone book out from it's unused corner of the shelf. She flipped through the pages until she found the right number and dialled, hoping and praying-

And one extremely awkward conversation later, she hung p and shook her head at Jamie. "Fuck. DId- Did he tell you which hospital he was going to be at? Thomas would have told us, right? I mean...that's something he would have said, but I didn't even think about it." She had been so lost in her own world she hadn't noticed.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	flare_star 2014-04-17 12:42 pm UTC (link)
	"He would have, but I...I didn't think to ask," Jamie said miserably. "I should have, but it never really crossed my mind." He rubbed his arms distractedly. "God, I can't help but imagine the worse, and it's really not helping things." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 12:52 pm UTC (link)

Lena couldn't help but imagine the worst either. Last week she and Jamie had been toyed with by a demon and the altercation had ended in demonic fly smush. Was this some kind of fucked up revenge. "Fuck. Fuck, I wonder if- No. No, that's-- If someone took him because of me, do you think they'd trade?" How she might get in touch with the demon was another matter entirely.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	flare_star 2014-04-17 12:57 pm UTC (link)
	Jamie just looked at her. "Maybe," he said slowly. "There's just a couple things wrong with that plan. One, Dad would never let that happen. Two, I would never let that happen. Three, just...no, Lena, no. There's another way to get him back, we'll figure it out, but there will be no trading of people.' (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 01:03 pm UTC (link)

Lena let out a frustrating groan and then she just sat down, right there in the kitchen, her back against the cupboards. "Fuuccckkkkkkkkkk," she whined, stamping her feet as she did so. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck, oh Jesus, fuck. Should we search hospitals to see if he's there? I mean, maybe he's just not answering because he's in the waiting room?" But then his phone would probably be turned off and it wasn't. And shit.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	flare_star 2014-04-17 01:17 pm UTC (link)
	"It's worth a try," Jamie said. "I mean, maybe he's in a waiting room. Maybe something completely mundane happened to him, and he got admitted to the ER." He was thinking, 'Please, please, anything except that someone snatched him away'. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 01:20 pm UTC (link)

"Okay," Lena said, standing up because she had a mission now. "Okay, I'm going to call every single fucking hospital in the city. Can you call your family and ask if he's shown up at anyone's house? Including Serenity, he didn't tell us before he went to see her last time." There was nothing accusatory in her tone, nor would there be. Lena was so glad Thomas had gone to see Serenity when his depression had bottomed out. "Just...someone might know something."

If they got to the end of their lists though, and no one knew anything, then there was really only one conclusion to jump to.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

flare_star
2014-04-17 01:34 pm UTC (link)

Jamie nodded, pulling out his phone and calling everyone in it, starting with his grandmother, all the way down to Lil. With each negative response, his heart dropped another few inches. When he finally struck out with Serenity, he put his phone back into his pocket.

"No one's seen him," he informed Lena. "However, they're all on high alert now, and if they don't descend en masse in the next couple of hours, I'll be very surprised."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sat_by_the_fire 2014-04-17 01:39 pm UTC (link)
	Lena slammed the phone book closed and then, in an uncharacteristic show of anger, she hurled it across the kitchen with a howl of rage. "Sorry," she said a moment later, massaging her temples. "He wasn't at any of the hospitals. Goddammit, if they hit his head--" Lena dropped her face into her hands, willing herself not to cry. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

flare_star
2014-04-17 01:48 pm UTC (link)

Jamie flinched as the phone book hit the wall, not used to seeing Lena so angry and upset. He was upset too, but as he usually did, he squashed it all down and tried not to let it show on his face. He'd been doing it for years.

(Maddy had once said that wasn't totally healthy. Jamie had pointed out that every time she was stressed, they got a box of cookies, and she'd conceded the point.)

He walked over to Lena, gently pulling her into a hug. And then a thought occurred him. "Why don't we call that Saint, the one Dad sent to find me?" he asked. "Anthony, I think. The one that finds lost things."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sat_by_the_fire 2014-04-17 01:51 pm UTC (link)
	Lena leaned her head against Jamie's shoulder and then, at his suggestion, she jumped backwards. "YES!" she cried out, dashing for the phone again. "My friend Nikkie works for him, god I'm so stupid! I'll call her okay!" She dialled Nikkie's number, reaching a hand out for Jamie's as she did so. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	likesachallenge 2014-04-17 01:55 pm UTC (link)
	Nikkie was back in the office this morning, after taking Wednesday off to try and recover a bit from the mania of tax season. So when the phone rang, she answered it the way she always did. "D'Oro Investigations, how can I help you?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sat_by_the_fire 2014-04-17 02:02 pm UTC (link)
	"Nikkie," Lena breathed, relieved to hear a familiar voice after being panicked to strangers for most of the morning. "Nikkie, I need Anthony's help. Thomas is missing and I need him to find him, please. Please." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

likesachallenge
2014-04-17 02:10 pm UTC (link)

"Lena?" Nikkie asked, confused at the panic in her friend's voice. Then what she was saying really started to sink in. "Oh god," she said. "Yes, of course, hang on, I'll get him for you."

She went into Anthony's inner office, handing him the handset. "It's Lena," she told him. "Thomas is missing, and they need your help."

Anthony had the phone to his ear almost before she'd finished speaking. "Lena? It's Anthony."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sat_by_the_fire 2014-04-17 02:12 pm UTC (link)
	"Hi, sir...er. Hi...Anth- Saint...hi. Thomas is gone. And I know we just had you find Jamie, but could you come over and help us find Thomas? Please? This keeps happening and I'm freaking out." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	findwhatwaslost 2014-04-17 02:21 pm UTC (link)
	"Just Anthony is fine," he said gently. "And finding lost people is pretty much my main gig, it's not a problem. Are you at the same place I came to last time?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sat_by_the_fire 2014-04-17 02:29 pm UTC (link)
	"No," Lena said, feeling hysterical. She couldn't even think. "Uhm...fuck. Jamie, I can't even remember the address." She grabbed a random piece of mail and rattled it off for him from that. "I'm sorry. I'll make coffee or something." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	findwhatwaslost 2014-04-17 02:31 pm UTC (link)
	Anthony wrote down the address, tucking the paper into his coat pocket. "I'll be there soon," he promised. "Would you like me to bring Nikkie along? She hasn't stopped hovering since she handed me the phone, and I know you two are friends." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 02:39 pm UTC (link)

"Yesplease," Lena breathed before she hung up the phone.

"Nikkie and Anthony are coming," she said, moving to put her hands on Jamie's shoulders. "I'm going to make coffee. Jamie, I need you to tell me how you are, okay? Tell me how you really are." She was freaking out, but she could still do her job and take care of him unless, of course, he hid everything away.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	findwhatwaslost 2014-04-17 02:45 pm UTC (link)
	Nikkie and Anthony were out the door and in a cab less than five minutes after they hung up. "Considering Dad's missing, possibly at the hands of demons, and I'm not a sobbing mess on the floor, I'd like to think I'm doing pretty good," Jamie answered. "Although the obvious answer is: I am so far from alright, alright is in another dimension." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sat_by_the_fire 2014-04-17 02:50 pm UTC (link)
	"But do you want to be a sobbing mess on the floor, Jamie? Because it would be okay," she assured him. She worried sometimes that he never showed how much things got to him. "Come here," she said, pulling him in to a tight hug. "Anthony will find him." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

flare_star
2014-04-17 02:56 pm UTC (link)

"But what would it accomplish?" Jamie asked, hugging her tightly and feeling a few tears slip out. "It's not gonna help Anthony find him, and it'll just give me a headache and make me feel worse."

A pounding erupted on the door at that moment, and Jamie went to open it. Anthony and another woman he assumed was Nikkie were standing on the other side, and he stood aside to let them in. "Thanks for coming," he said. "Come on in, Lena's this way."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-17 02:59 pm UTC (link)

"Letting it out is important though," she said, but she was hardly going to push. Especially right now. He was crying anyway, and when she leaned back, she wiped at his tears and kissed his forehead, feeling more like his mother than she had well...ever.

When Anthony and Nikkie arrived, Lena ran to bury herself in her friend's arms. "Oh thank you for coming," she said into Nikkie's shoulder. "What o you need, Anthony?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	findwhatwaslost 2014-04-18 11:38 am UTC (link)
	Nikkie wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Of course we'd come," she told Lena. "Whatever you need." "Something that belongs to him," Anthony answered. "A piece of jewelry, a photograph, the more personal, the better." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sat_by_the_fire
2014-04-18 11:45 am UTC (link)

Lean released Nikki with a little squeeze, because a friendly face was so good right now. "I can't remember if you've met my step-son, Jamie, Nikkie. Jamie, this is Nikkie. She's dating Joey and she's super awesome."

Lena darted into the bedroom she shared with Thomas and then returned, carrying Jamie's baby photo album. "This is Thomas' favourite thing. He told me it was the only material thing he would ever grab in a fire because he would never want to lose it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

findwhatwaslost
2014-04-18 11:58 am UTC (link)

Nikkie managed a smile for Jamie. "I don't think I have, but it's nice to meet you, Jamie. I only wish it was under better circumstances."

"Same here," Jamie said. "Nice to meet you, Nikkie."

Anthony took the album from her gently. "That sounds like just the thing," he said. "I promise to be careful with it." He pulled a city map out of his pocket and spread it over the dining room table. "So it begins."

Nikkie rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. "I told you to stop saying that, Saruman."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sat_by_the_fire 2014-04-18 12:02 pm UTC (link)
	Lena went to the coffee maker to fetch some coffee for Anthony and while she did so, she said a quick prayer under her breath. Thomas needed to be found. He just did. (Reply to this) (Parent)