[Detroit!AU: the first to come was a fair maid]

[stilljustandrew]

Jonathan's vision was pretty well unmistakable. Gabriel's in danger, and doesn't know it -- or at least doesn't know the specifics.

That would be enough on its own, even if Andrew didn't more or less owe him his life.



Gabriel's nowhere to be seen at Milliways, and no one seems to have run into him in the past couple of days. Well, and that's normal enough; there's no reason he'd be here all the time, and plenty of reason to make himself scarce, all things considered. Maybe he's just back home.

Please just let this not be too late.

Andrew writes out a note at the bar giving Jonathan's vision in as much detail as he can, folds it carefully in quarters, and writes "The Trickster (G.)" on the outside.

Comments

[mynamesnotmeg]

Joey opens his eyes and darts a fear-filled glance at Andrew. He licks his lips, but doesn't speak.

Meg walks closer, so that only Andrew and the guards holding him can hear her.

"I thought I'd give you a demonstration of what you have to look forward to if you don't agree to serve His wishes on your own. A little preview of coming attractions, let's say." Anticipation fills her words, her glance, the smile she turns on him.

"Unless you'd like to spare Joey here the experience he's got coming and not-so-incidentally spoil my fun by consenting to help now, that is. What do you say, Andrew?"

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew shuts his eyes.

"What are you gonna do to him."

[mynamesnotmeg]

"Nothing I haven't done before," Meg murmurs, leaning closer to Andrew. "You've even seen the effects."

[stilljustandrew]

He can feel the tip of Sam's hunting knife prick his chest, snag in his shirt, rip downward.




"Go to hell," he whispers, without opening his eyes.

[mynamesnotmeg]

Meg smiles.

"Been there."

She turns away and looks back at Joey and Jenny and their guards.

"Sorry, Joey -- looks like Andrew here won't be saving you today."

[stilljustandrew]

At that his eyes snap open, and seek out the kid's face.

"Joey," hoarse and shaking, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry --"

[mynamesnotmeg]

He doesn't even have a chance to respond.

Joey's mouth drops open in shock, and his stunned, uncomprehending gaze fixes on Andrew -- and as it does, Meg nods to Jenny.

The girl throws her head back, and an oily black column of smoke rips upward into the air, coiling into a cloud over Joey's helpless form. The smoke twists around itself, then pours downward and into the boy's mouth, distending his cheeks and throat as it shoves its way into his body.

[stilljustandrew]

He expected the demon wearing the girl's body to kill the boy, probably with some embellishments first, such that she'd remember it later; he expected it to take a while.

That's not happening, and for a moment he can't quite work out what it is, and then --

"NO!"

There's nothing he can do, there's nothing he could do even if his arms were freed, why is he struggling --

[mynamesnotmeg]

The guards holding him adjust to his frantic efforts easily; he's not going anywhere.

Jenny collapses to the ground, sobbing and gasping for air. The last of the smoke slithers its way out of sight down Joey's throat; his mouth snaps shut, and the guards holding him let go as he stiffens.

"Joey?" Jenny sounds even younger than she looks, and utterly terrified. "Joey?"

Joey shudders once, then blinks black eyes and turns a chilling smile on the girl, who cringes back at the sight of it.

"Hey baby."

[stilljustandrew]

Oh god no --

Andrew sucks in a breath that scrapes his throat like ice, and speaks as fast and as clearly as he can. "Jenny. Listen to me. That's not Joey. That's the demon that was controlling you, I don't know how much you remember, but believe me, you have to believe me, it's not him --"

[mynamesnotmeg]

She throws him a hunted look even as she tries to push herself backwards, away from Joey. One of the guards reaches down and yanks her to her feet, then shoves her forward, into Joey's arms.

Jenny screams as he grabs her by her long hair and grins down at her, then picks her up with effortless ease and walks out of the room, followed by the guards that had brought them in. She's still screaming faintly somewhere off in the distance down the hall when Meg kicks the door shut and turns back to Andrew.

"You're a bright boy, Andy. I'm sure our little lesson wasn't lost on you, right?"

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew swallows hard.

"You unspeakable bitch."

[mynamesnotmeg]

She laughs in his face.

"Flatterer."

[stilljustandrew]

His breath's coming faster, hoarse with rage.

(Rage is good. Rage is a support; something to hold on to.)

"You can tell your boss the answer's still no."

[mynamesnotmeg]

"Maybe for now," she tosses back. "But you won't deny him forever."

A beat.

"No one does. Not even your precious Sammy."

[stilljustandrew]

Two long beats.

"Someday." Very even. "Someday I am going to learn your true name, and when I do there won't be a deep enough hell to hide you from me."

[mynamesnotmeg]

With a single abrupt movement, Meg closes the distance, until she's practically pressed right up against him. She grabs his chin in her fingers, forcing him to look at her.

"Dream on," she breathes, her lips barely a whisper away from his. "You wouldn't believe how many others have said me something similar. They all ended the same."

"But you..." Her smile is slow, and murderous, and somehow terrifyingly sweet. "... you're different. I'm going to take special care of you, Wells."

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew tries to keep the rage, fan it hot against the fear settling onto him like snow. It flickers, flares up, and sinks.

He could twist his head around and try to bite her hand; he could try to kick her again.

He swallows, and doesn't move.

[mynamesnotmeg]

Her smile widens at his lack of resistance.

"Now then."

A beat.

"Why don't we really get things started."

[stilljustandrew]

He shuts his eyes.

"Yeah," he whispers, his mouth completely dry. "Go ahead."






About two minutes later, he stops trying not to scream.