acrimsonking (acrimsonking) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2019-10-31 06:38:00 |
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Entry tags: | #january 2018, anthony, anthony x miriam, miriam |
Who: Miriam and Anthony
Where: Anthony’s Office
When: Wednesday, January 3
Status: Complete
In the short span of a week, Miriam felt like her life had gone from normal to falling apart. Anthony had yet to speak to her about her outburst during the fog, but she knew he had to know. There was no way around it. He was a smart man. A manipulative one, if she was honest, and the more she thought about it, the more paranoid she became that the reason he hadn’t spoken to her about it was because he’d known all along. He’d known for years. And now, now, this Vex Knowles had come into her life and was going to expose her. She’d spent the morning researching him, what she found only getting her more wound up to the point where she couldn’t sit still any longer. A Vex Knowles wasn’t on record for living on Ludlow Lane, but a Sarah Knowles had and it seemed she’d left her house to her nephew, an Arthur Knowles. That name rang a bell, one from the far reaches of her memory. She found him in her high school yearbook and began to trace the in between. There were holes, of course, but it wasn’t a shock that he’d disappeared as a child. Finding out that he’d once been a cop was.
It was then that she decided to go to Anthony, her husband despite her current mistrust of him. If she had to choose between two possible evils, she’d choose the man she loved rather than the psychic hobo who didn’t deserve to see the bottom of her shoe as she kicked him to the curb. Miriam marched her way into his office, ignoring his assistant as she let herself in. “I need to talk to you. Right now.”
Anthony was on the phone when his wife stormed into his office and he cocked a brow at the intrusion, as well as the one of her voice. They occasionally met for lunch during a workday, but it was unusual for Miriam to show up at his office unannounced. "I'll call you back," he murmured into the phone before hanging up. Anthony stood and walked around the desk to close the door behind her. "What's going on?" he asked, curious as to what the urgency was. He supposed she might be willing to explain to him her blatant telekinetic abilities, but Anthony was guessing something like that would have probably been something Miriam wanted to discuss with more privacy.
Rational thought was taking a backseat for the day, as Miriam hadn’t even considered having this conversation later, at home, or even in a more private location. “I’m being stalked,” she said tightly. “A man approached me yesterday. At the boathouse. He made a scene, then he tried to take my picture and he wants me to join some--some cult or something and I want him gone.” That wasn’t quite right, but it was hard to explain when she hadn’t even understood half of what Vex had been saying. ‘Touched by a god’ rang of cult to her, along with his desire to get them together, and he hadn’t exactly said he wasn’t in a cult, so it was highly possible.
That took Anthony by surprise although it probably shouldn't have, considering how insane this town could be from time to time. He studied Miriam closely for a moment before touching her elbow gently and motioning to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Sit down. I'll make you a drink." He felt like he would need one too, in order to have this conversation. "Tell me about this man. What did he look like? What did he say to you, exactly?" It could have been someone dangerous. Or perhaps it was just someone off their meds and Miriam was exaggerating the problem to deflect from their unspoken issues. Anthony wasn't sure, but he supposed he would come to some sort of conclusion by the end of this discussion.
Miriam was wound up enough that she would have preferred to stand and pace, but sitting and having a drink felt like a good option as well, so she sat, hoping a drink might calm her a bit. “He looked homeless, but I know where he lives, so that’s not the case. His hair has been bleached in places. He needed to shave. His name is Arthur Knowles, but he said it was Vex,” she said, her fingers drumming a nervous rhythm on the arm of the chair. “We went to school together, but he said he’s seen me in visions. He thinks--he thinks we’re alike and was rambling about being god-touched.” He’d come across as crazy, but there was truth in some of what he’d said and that was the part that had her all worked up.
It amused Anthony that Miriam would assume liken the man to a homeless person, but he knew better than to smirk as he made her a drink. As she spoke, Anthony filed away the information. Arthur Knowles. It didn't sound like he would need to track the man down if Miriam already knew where he lived. But it was the rest of the information that piqued his interest and he carried over a glass of gin and tonic to offer her. Visions. Anthony dismissed "god-touched" because it was normal for those with abnormal abilities to believe God had blessed them somehow. Anthony knew better. "Alike in what way?" he asked, sitting in the chair beside her rather than returning to his chair behind the desk.
Miriam accepted the drink and took a sip of it before answering. “We were both kidnapped as children. Went missing, then came back with no memory of where we went.” It was more than that, but that was the start of it all, Miriam was sure. How many more might be out there that were like her? Were they all insane? Surely not. She knew that now was probably the right time to tell him about her abilities, but she stubbornly held that back, hoping the kidnapping might be enough. “He knew I’d been attacked, said he saw it. He was out of his mind, but… He knew things he shouldn’t. Not without stalking me.”
"You were attacked outside of our home. Even if he was stalking you, he wouldn't have been able to see that through the fog. He probably wouldn't have survived out there long enough to witness anything," Anthony pointed out. "Given the abilities you have that you still refuse to talk to me about, you know as well as I do that it's possible he's not out of his mind. Perhaps he's like you, Miriam. At least in terms of what you can do. Did he say what he wanted?" If Miriam wouldn't talk, then Anthony now had a name and he could find Knowles himself and get the answers he wanted. "Hobo" or not, if the guy had something Anthony wanted, he wouldn't care what the man looked like, or if he thought he was truly touched by God.
“He’s nothing like me!” Miriam snapped, her fingers tightening till they were white around the drink. The comparison had angered her when the man made it, but to hear it from her husband was infuriating. Couldn’t he see that they had nothing, not even their abilities, in common? Except that they went missing, but so many kids had gone missing over the years that it was only worth noting because they came back. “He mentioned AIR. I looked it up and it was this research institute that burned down. He wants to get all of us together, which seems pointless seeing as how I can’t remember anything. I’m curious about the others, but I’m not interested in a pow-wow where we all share what we can do. If you want to know, fine, but it’s none of their damn business.”
Anthony knew exactly what AIR was, but he didn't let it show, simply watching his wife with an unreadable expression. Miriam had been taken by AIR. That was interesting, and surprised him that he hadn't known that already. He would have to get in contact with Wilkes and see if they had any information remaining about her. It was likely the files were all lost during the fire, but it never hurt to check. "I think I should have a talk with him," Anthony said finally. "I'll tell him to leave you alone. But maybe I'll find out just what he thinks he'll accomplish, trying to get you to meet these other people, assuming they really exist." Anthony paused. "He didn't threaten you, did he?"
“No, he wasn’t that stupid,” Miriam said. “I broke his phone though. He took my picture and I lost my temper and it was a stupid, childish move on my part.” She’d been beating herself up about it ever since then, realizing after the fact that he could get another picture at any time or place. She just hadn’t counted on him jumping to the conclusion he had. Most people wouldn’t have even noticed the phone was broken until later and then wouldn’t have been able to attribute it to her. Their minds couldn’t come up with a solution that they didn’t think existed. “I don’t know what he’s playing at, but I don’t like it.”
"I'll take care of it," Anthony assured her. "Until then, it might do you good to make sure the doors are locked when you go home. Set the alarms. Although I'm sure you're able to take care of yourself just fine, if it came down to it." He cocked a brow and stood from the chair to wander over and make himself another drink. "He mentioned this AIR facility. Did he mention anyone else? You said there were others. Are they here, in town?" He knew of some, but only a few. It would be interesting to see if any of them had been flying under the radar. Under Wilkes's nose. The thought amused him.
Miriam shot him a glare. Yes, she could take care of herself if necessary, but she was hoping it wouldn’t come to that. The thought of that man being anywhere near her house creeped her out, but if he was stupid enough to set foot in it then he wouldn’t be stepping out again. “He said AIR kidnapped us as children and experimented on us. It sounded like he’d found others, but he didn’t name any names,” she said, finishing off her drink and setting it on his desk. “And he said something about a conduit at his house, but I don’t know if that’s another person or a piece of machinery.”
Anthony nodded, because yes, that was exactly what AIR did... except they rarely returned children if they showed any sign of ability. Most were kept or sold. It was possible that the abilities didn't trigger until much later in life. But that had been part of the research, trying to find what it was that drew these abilities to the surface. Trauma? Genes? Age? Had Miriam been telekinetic her entire life? Or did it begin after she was returned by AIR. Questions he knew she might not answer, so he kept them to himself. "I'll take care of him," Anthony said again, calmly now. "But if you see him again, if he approaches you, I want you to tell me right away. He may be telling the truth on some level, but he may also be dangerous."
“Of course,” Miriam said, though she was still tense despite this. Anthony would take care of Vex, she was sure of that much, but now he knew things she hadn’t initially planned on telling him. It was necessary, she thought, yet… she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was going to use it to his advantage, manipulate her into doing something she’s normally oppose. “You seem unsurprised,” she said, and the more she thought about it, the more she began to suspect that he’d known all of this. Anthony could not be all-knowing, but she felt like he’d accepted it all with few questions. If it was her, she’d have had a million.
"Well," Anthony said as he returned to his desk to sit in his own chair. "I was surprised when I found the kitchen in disarray the day of the fog, but you refused to talk to me about how you did what you did. Thankfully I'm not an idiot, so it didn't take much to piece the puzzle together, Miriam. You came to me today because you had an issue, and I'm willing to help you with it. What else do you want from me?" He supposed he could ask questions, but given her lack of answers before, he simply assumed she would try to dodge them again and he had little patience for it.
Miriam had mentally prepared herself for a number of different reactions from her husband, but calm disinterest hadn’t been on the list. It caused a spark of irrational anger in her, one that grew more savage the longer she thought on it. Why should he care to know more? It wasn’t like she was a witch. He probably assumed she could do little more than move chairs and small objects, cheap parlor tricks with no real value. “Nothing,” she snapped and stood abruptly. “I won’t waste any more of your time.”
Anthony sighed softly at her reaction. "You haven't wasted my time, Miriam. You either want me to know what's going on with you, or you don't. I told you I would handle the situation with Knowles. If you wish to talk to me about something more, you can. But you seem like you're upset, or perhaps not in the best mood. It's probably best to talk when you're feeling a bit more calm." That probably wouldn't please her, but he felt like he knew how to handle his wife. At least he did. This new knowledge of Miriam was still something he was getting used to.
“I am calm,” Miriam seethed, despite knowing she was anything but. “I want you to care enough to ask, when I’m not in the middle of freaking out about monsters in the damn fog, but you clearly don’t, so I guess it doesn’t matter that I never brought it up. ‘Cause we don’t talk about these things, do we? You don’t tell me how you do what you do, so why should I?” She knew she was ranting, but once she got started it was so hard to stop. She’d been holding onto her secret for so long, had always felt like it was something big that needed to be contained, that to have it dismissed by her husband felt like a slap in the face.
Anthony cocked a brow. Women were such irrational, emotional beings. It baffled him constantly the things they latched onto and chose to get upset about. "I do what I do through magic, which you very well know. You made it very clear you didn't want to talk about it. You told me it was nothing I needed to concern myself with, and now you're upset that I left it alone." At least to her face. "If you want to speak to me about this, then you can, but don't get angry at me for not reacting the way you wanted me to during the fog, or even now. I'm not your puppet."
“Don’t even go there,” Miriam snarled. If anyone was pulling the strings, it was him, steering every situation to his benefit. It wouldn’t surprise her at all to find out he’d been manipulating her along with everyone else. Why on earth would his wife be excluded? It seemed obvious now that he could twist her mind and her not even know it. “Magic’s the answer to everything, isn’t it? This vague concept with no real boundaries. You can do anything. And how am I supposed to know that you haven’t been using it on me? I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, or feel anything you don’t feel, but you… I’m not your puppet either.”
He took a sip of his drink, mostly to stop himself from saying something cutting that he wouldn't be able to take back. When he set the glass back down, he felt slightly more in control of his temper. "I've never used magic against you," Anthony said simply. "All of your choices, all of your life's decisions have been your own. I have no way of proving that, all you can do is take me at my word. If you don't want to believe me, darling, there's nothing I can do about that. Yes, magic is the answer to many, many things, but not all things. Let's just be honest with each other, all right? I could collapse your lungs as quickly as you could probably break my neck, so why don't we just put this conversation on hold until you're in a more rational mood."
Miriam glared at him, but held her tongue this time, finding she agreed with at least some of what he’d said. While she thought she was being perfectly rational, she also knew she was in a horrible mood and that keeping on with this conversation would just make things escalate. “I’m upset,” she said when she’d finally regained her composure. “But I have no desire to break your neck.” She wanted to believe him, to have faith that his word was good, but at that moment her doubts were stronger than they’d ever been. She wanted proof, something he’d said he couldn’t provide, which put them at a bit of a standstill.
"That's good to hear," Anthony said with a small smirk. "Because I have no desire to suffocate you." He knew she was in a mood, and he simply assumed it was because of Arthur Knowles... and her abilities manifesting unexpectedly in front of him. There was nothing more he could do for her at that moment, though. All he could do was reassure her that he had never messed with her mind, and he never would - assuming he didn't push her to it. If she had doubts, they would simply have to work them out in time. "Will you be all right driving home?"
“I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” Miriam said, unable to help the attitude that came out in her response. Everything he said seemed to piss her off today. It would be a good idea just to head home and find something to distract her for the rest of the day. “Let me know when you’re heading home. I was thinking about ordering in and would appreciate it if you could pick it up on your way.” Miriam liked to cook normally, but didn’t think she had the patience for it today. At this point all she wanted was a glass of wine and a hot bath. That might make her feel better.
Anthony cocked a brow. "Yes, I'm aware of that. But driving emotional can be reckless and dangerous. However, if you feel like you're in the right state of mind to drive, then by all means. I'll call you when I'm finished here and of course I'll pick up anything you might want." It was probably the least he could do, with her in this state. He was of the mind to go visit this Knowles man tonight, but it was probably wise to wait until he could get a bit more information on the man. Anthony never liked going into any situation blind.
Why was it that everything he said made Miriam want to strangle him today? She was angry, yes, but couldn’t imagine her “state of mind” preventing her from getting home. Miriam took a deep breath, determined not to snap at him again, pretty sure he’d just fan the flames. “Thank you,” she said, gathering her things together before heading towards the door. “I’ll see you tonight.” It felt like a rather chilly exit on her part, but Miriam wasn’t feeling warm today towards anyone, not even her husband.
"Yes, you will." He watched her go, waiting until she was out the door before he picked up his glass to take back over to the wet bar. Hopefully by the time he finished with work and got home Miriam would be a in better mood. If not, well, he could always lock himself away in his study until she went to bed. Until then, Anthony would try to find out a bit more about this Knowles man, and see exactly how he was tied to his wife.