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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 16, 2009 17:09:04 GMT -5
Her other eyebrow rose to meet the first. He chose somewhere entirely nuetral, and he was actually being kind of polite.
"We're doing really well right now and I don't want to say anything to ruin it, but your mood swings are completely unpredictable." She stood up, wondering if that would set him off... of course, it would prove her point, but she kept this thought to herself. "Anyway, I could use some more coffee as well."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 16, 2009 17:18:09 GMT -5
She was right, of course. He was known for being moody, and it was something he didn't like about himself. Sometimes all it took was a word or two to set him off, and he hated that he let things get to him. She seemed to be particularly good at finding just those words that would set him off.
He didn't say anything, just nodded as they walked to the cafeteria. Instead of walking far ahead of her, as he had done the day before, this time he kept pace with her. He was trying very hard to do this right.
Once in the cafeteria, he headed straight to the coffee pots, and poured a cup for her first, then refilled his own. He preferred his coffee black, so he waited patiently while she prepared her own.
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 16, 2009 17:25:28 GMT -5
She really didn't know what to make of him, and she watched him careful as he handed her the coffee he poured. Angelique must have really chewed him out... which she didn't necessarily mean for, but he did deserve it.
"Thank you," she said softly, adding both sugar and cream to her coffee. She liked it sweet, but she was quick about it, and motioned for Roland to choose the table.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 16, 2009 17:32:00 GMT -5
He chose a table in a far corner of the room, where they could speak freely. He sat down and took a sip of the swill the cafeteria called coffee before he looked at her seriously.
"Look," he began. "I'm not very good at admitting when I'm wrong. But I handled things badly yesterday, and I knew it even then. I was nasty to you, and I was distracted. I had my reasons, and they're not excuses... I didn't have to act like that, and I honestly am not always like that."
He sighed and took another sip from his coffee. "I've been on edge ever since I came back from my last mission. Did... Angelique tell you anything about what happened?"
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 16, 2009 18:34:02 GMT -5
It wasn't quite an apology, but at least he was admitting that he could have done things better. Honestly, it was probably all she was going to get out of him, but it was something.
She shook her head. "No, she didn't. She mentioned that you had your reasons, but I wouldn't let her tell me. I... probably didn't care. But it's also your business, and if I should hear it from anyone, it's you. So... if you think I deserve to know, then tell me. I am all ears."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 16, 2009 20:18:25 GMT -5
He sighed and rubbed his temple tiredly. He wasn't really excited about telling her about the mission and about the threats, but if Angelique had been trying to say what he thought she was, Riley was, for all intents and purposes, his protection. It was a little humiliating to think of it that way, but that was certainly what it seemed to him.
"I was tracking this band of Death Eaters across the mountains into Wales," he began slowly. "They would just blow into various towns, attacking... leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. There were four of them in total... two that seemed to come and go, and two that were always there. I finally caught up with all four of them at this muggle farm house. They'd been essentially camping out there, and they had the muggle family enslaved. I had them cornered, and they weren't expecting me, so they didn't have their masks on. There was a fight, but they forced the muggle family to shield them from my spells. I couldn't get a shot in without hurting the muggles... one of them was my sister's age... so I froze. One of them fired a killing curse at me, and it just narrowly missed hitting me. It killed a dog instead. The other one hit me with a paralyzing spell in my wand hand... I dropped my wand and before I could pick it up, they all apparated."
He let out a sigh and looked up at her. "Now, these four guys are out there, on the loose... and they know I can identify them. I don't know any of their names, but I know their faces. And apparently, they're not happy about it. I've been getting threatening notes from them. They're making threats against my family. And whatever you might think of me, Riley... you have to know one thing. My family is everything to me. I would die for them. To think they might be in danger because of me... it's killing me."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 17, 2009 21:17:36 GMT -5
Riley listened calmly, letting him explain himself without cutting in or showing any kind of judgement. It wasn't her place.
She was quiet for a moment when he was finished, sipping her coffee. Finally, she leaned forward, something in her eyes that said she had something she wanted to say, but she held back for a minute.
"My turn now? Off the record?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 17, 2009 21:28:32 GMT -5
Roland took a breath and met her eyes. He'd almost been able to forget everything that had passed between them so far while he was telling her the story. Now that she was speaking, he felt a little of the familiar irritation with her sparking up again. But he held it in check and nodded quietly.
"Yes, of course. I told you all this so you would know where I'm coming from, and so we can open up the lines of communication between us. So say what you have to say."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 17, 2009 23:30:50 GMT -5
Riley raised her eyebrows. "You're not going to like it. But that's hardly the point."
She sat back again. "I'm sorry your last assignment went the way it did, and I can understand the way you feel. You don't like to be analyzed. You take compliments just as poorly as you take criticism. You don't trust anyone, even the people you work with, so even though Angelique has taken over your last case, you still have little to no faith that she's capable of catching them and keeping your family safe. You don't trust me. Look, Roland, I don't like you either, but there is a girl's family who is looking for closure and a school of students to keep safe. That's our job, and as long as we have that in common, then we should be able to work together. But I need you to trust me, and I need you to trust Angelique. That's all I'm asking of you."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 18, 2009 0:29:40 GMT -5
Roland listened quietly, his lips pressed tightly together in a thin line. She was right; he hated to be analyzed. Especially when it was done so accurately. Was she ever wrong? It annoyed him.
When she was finished, he exhaled through his nose and covered his mouth with his hand, not looking at her for a minute. When he pulled his hand away, he looked back at her, a pained expression on his face. "You're right," he said, clearly unhappy about having to say the words. "Don't think I don't care about what happened to that girl... she could have been my sister. But no... I don't trust Angelique to protect my family. They're my family... I'm used to being the protector. That's what I've always done... I feel helpless letting someone else handle it."
He sighed and rubbed his head. "But you're right. We have a job to do, and I'm not giving it my full attention, and that isn't fair to you, or to Katie. And I've used my situation as an excuse to be rude to you, which is wrong. And I'm..."
He took a breath, as if steeling himself for something very difficult. "I'm sorry."
Then, because he couldn't leave it alone, he added, "How can I trust you when you don't trust me, either?"
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 18, 2009 0:45:16 GMT -5
She said nothing of his apology, or his admittance that he was wrong. He probably wouldn't want her to make a big deal out of it, so she took it at face value.
"You're right, Roland. I don't trust you," She admitted. "Show me that I can." In the short time she had known him, he had given her no reason to trust him. He was a loose cannon, unfocused, angry. He couldn't expect her to trust him like that. She also felt that she had done nothing to deserve his mistrust, but she thought that was just Roland.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 18, 2009 1:05:12 GMT -5
Roland's expression tightened, but he didn't say anything for a minute. He took a long drink from his coffee cup, as if fortifying himself, then finally set it down and fixed his intense gaze on her. A lot of people had been known to shrink from that gaze, but she didn't. That bothered him.
"And what do I have to do to prove it to you? You're not going to make me grovel or anything, are you? It's hard enough admitting that I was wrong... I'm not going to lower myself further."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 18, 2009 1:12:54 GMT -5
Riley almost laughed, and she did chuckle softlt. "No, Roland. No groveling. You do your job, don't make mine any harder than it has to be. Don't go pyscho on anyone else... that's all. I sincerely doubt you'd be lowering yourself to accomplish any of that. In fact..." she leaned forward again. "Keeping your cool might make others more impressed with you." She winked, unable to resist the urge.
But she was serious again in less than a second. "And you need to tell me right now if I'm asking too much of you."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 18, 2009 1:23:48 GMT -5
He closed his eyes, holding back a sigh. Her condescending tone had returned, which still grated on his nerves. But no, what she was asking for was not too much. He could do those things. He just wished it didn't bother him that she was the one asking.
"I can do that," he answered.
He said no more on the subject, and instead chose to turn his attention to the case. "So. You came up with another lead you wanted to explore. Tell me about it."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 18, 2009 1:37:06 GMT -5
Riley nodded, falling easily into business. As far as she was concerned, the subject was closed and neither of them would have to worry about it again, as long as he kept his cool.
"Augustus Rookwood," She said. "Judge for the tournament. But he's also an Unspeakable. Everyone knows that. What not everyone knows is that Arachne Weaver is an intern in that Department here at the Ministry. Mr. Rookwood, being head of the department, would have chosen her as an intern himself. No one knows that they even know each other. That's a little strange, don't you think?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 18, 2009 1:45:53 GMT -5
Roland nodded. "Yeah, that is strange. Unspeakables in general are a strange lot. I didn't realize that Ms. Weaver was one of them... but it makes sense."
He thought about it for a minute, sipping the last of his coffee. "So, you want to talk to Rookwood, then? Or perhaps see if any of the other Unspeakables have anything they'd like to tell us? That jittery girl... Ms. Kinsella... I bet it'd be easy to get information out of her if we tried. That is, if she knows anything. But Rookwood seems unshakable to me."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 18, 2009 1:54:36 GMT -5
"Maybe he is. But no one is supposed to know they work together, so do you think he's thought out an answer should anyone confront him?" She closed her eyes and shook her. "Don't answer that. Of course he has, or if he hasn't, he's unflappable enough to come up with something quickly."
Maybe starting in the Department was a good idea. She nodded. "All right. Let's talk to her. And Patterson... he's another. But we will need to speak with him. He was at the school when Katie was killed, and he's already hiding something. That makes him a suspect in my book."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 18, 2009 2:02:00 GMT -5
Roland nodded. "OK. That sounds like a plan. We'll head down to the Department of Mysteries and have a chat with Kinsella and Patterson. Then we can go to the school and talk to Rookwood."
He hesitated a minute, uncertain of what he was about to say. "Do you think... we ought to try Weaver again? Or... maybe just you? Or should we wait to see if we have any more evidence?"
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Post by Riley Neves on Jan 18, 2009 2:59:06 GMT -5
Riley's eyes held a hint of a smile as she glanced at Roland. "If we decide she should be revisited, I will handle it. I think it's best for all parties involved that way. And I don't know. I still don't trust her... but let's wait and see what the other Unspeakables have to say. Merlin knows getting them to answer anything is like taming a dragon."
She finished off her coffee and stood up. "Whenever you're ready." She paused, just for a beat, and added, "You don't trust her either?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jan 18, 2009 3:21:10 GMT -5
"No, I don't trust her," Roland said. "I feel like she somehow knew what my weakness was--my family--and deliberately exploited it. I lost it with her... which I regret... because I think that's what she wanted me to do."
He let out a sigh and started to get up, then suddenly sat back down again. "Wait, Riley. One more thing."
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