.Welcome.

[Jacqueline Clark]

As the night went on, the temperature continued to drop. The idea of having a cup of coffee never brought more joy to the scrawny pixie. With a carton of cigarettes under her arm and a single on in her mouth, Jacqueline felt a moment of hope that this night wouldn't go to complete hell.

When Waffle House was in sight, the human woman became giddy on the inside. No one would ever know just how much that place symbolized a sanctuary for her. Many years ago, it had served as a place where she could be kept company by people who were at the bottom of the totem pole. She'd had several cases solved after a night here, hearing the different chatter among street walkers or druggies who claimed to see things and no one believed them. There were a few stories that even Jaq couldn't believe, but decided not to question them anyway. Waffle House was a safe haven for her kind of people. Bottom of the wheel barrel.

The officer tossed her cigarette butt and walked in as if she were returning home after a long day at work. She secretly inhaled deeply and just let the atmosphere of the establishment settle within. To any one who had ever been in a Waffle House, the inside, no matter where, always smelled the same. She wasn't sure if it was the food, the people, or the cleaning supplies, but it all blended in the same way.

Jacqueline glanced around at the sparingly few customers they did have at this time of night. They'd all gathered at the bar, hunched over, red-eyed, and facing the latest members of the crazy club. The woman leaned a little closer to the man beside her, but kept her eyes on the people at the bar.

"Not sure about you, but I don't want my back facing any of them." she whispered.

Jacqueline noticed that the booth in the far corner of the restaurant wasn't occupied yet. She walked across the room and settled in the seat by the window.

[Julian Tate]

Julian was finishing yet another stolen cigarette, no longer pausing for drinks from his flask. He'd finished it shortly after they left the gas station. Deciding he could go a couple hours without it, especially if he was eating, he'd tucked the empty flask into his pocket and lead the way to the Waffle House.

His steps paused in the doorway to take a breathe. The scent was his favorite part, a multitude of meats with the distinct smell of pancakes. It never failed to increase his appetite, though the gathered crazies didn't phase him. He'd come here on plenty of late-night runs, though no one said a word to him until Jacqueline opened her mouth.

"It's not like any of them are going to do anything," he replied with a careless shrug. He winked to one of the waitresses who'd paused in taking an order before following his dinner companion. Normally, he'd eat alone, but she had kept him out of jail so he figured another hour or so couldn't hurt. "Half of them are stoned or drunk, and the other half don't even know we're here. Like I said, creeps and hookers."

With that, he slid into the booth and pretended to study the menu, already knowing his order. It never changed, no matter how many times he visited.

[Jacqueline Clark]

“And crazies, you keep forgetting us.” She joked as she tucked the carton of cigarettes under the table. Out of sight out of mind kinda thinking. Plus, she'd hate to cause any more trouble tonight by denying druggies a cigarette when she had plenty.

Jacqueline picked up the menu soon after Julian did. Now that they were here, the human woman felt like she was dying on the inside. When was the last time she ate? Jaq's leg began to bounce softly,like an impatient child waiting to jump off the walls. There was only one waitress for the rest of the night and it looked like she'd be another few minutes before getting to their table. Should she make small talk until then? The trip to the Waffle House had been in silence, which is what Jaq preferred most of the time. She wasn't that great at keeping the conversation pleasant or simple. It always ended up like an interrogation and Julian had been tolerant of her situation so far.

The human propped an elbow on the table and rested her head in the palm of her hand. Her eyes followed the movement on the other side of the thick glass as they sat in silence. People were going about their usual business, whatever it was they had planned for the night. Either on their way home from work or a date, hanging out with friends...the normal stuff. No one seemed to be aware of the fact that a man had been murdered tonight. His throat ripped out as he drowned in his own blood. It could have easily been one of them. Were they aware of their surroundings...did they know something lurked in the shadows?

Her black eyes shifted down to her hands. Her nails. Barely noticeable, but his blood was there. Jacqueline cleared her throat and forced a smile on her face.

“I'm going to wash up real quick.”

Jacqueline walked at a fast pace with the door to the women's restroom in sight. She locked the door and took a deep breath. As much as she wanted company right now, the woman knew she needed just a few minutes to herself. Let her brain process the events of the night. Jaq walked to the sink and let the water run. Until she got a hold of some bleach, Jaq was sure there was no amount of scrubbing she could do to get rid of the thought of a dead man's blood under her nails. After a minute, the woman just started ripping the ends of her nails off. Avoiding the urge to use her teeth.

Her face and her were next. When she was done, it looked as if she had stepped under a shower head with her clothes still on. Using the dryer, Jaq bent her head down until she thought she was dry enough. A quick look in the mirror to confirm she was decent again, the woman walked back out feeling a bit better about tonight.

Right on time, too. The waitress was already at the table when Jaq slid into her seat. She forced a smile on her face and ran a hand through her short hair.

“Uhh, start me a pot of coffee and just keep it coming. I'd like the All-Star. Eggs over-medium. Two waffles for here and eight to go.”

[Julian Tate]

"You might be a crazy. I'm a self-proclaimed creep," was his response, though his lips didn't even tip up in the corner. His expression said he meant the words rather than making the joke she'd probably take it as. "I don't see why you're hiding your vices."

Reaching a hand into his pocket, he withdrew his flask to take a drink then remembered it was empty. He gave it a small shake then tucked it away. It wouldn't kill him to be without alcohol yet the lack of it made him crankier, plus gave him less to do with his hands.

He was largely oblivious to Jacqueline's glances around and outside while he studied the menu then flipped to the back. His mind was made up about what to order when she spoke, only giving a disinterested nod. In her absence, he set the menu aside and checked his voicemail. Despite the lie on his sign, it worked fine, though no one had bothered to call or text. Then again, he seldom had contact that wasn't work related.

At the waitress's arrival, he looked up from studying the darkness outside the window. "Six waffles with a side order of ham and sausage," he said before looking over at Jaq's return. Her request for extra waffles to go only earned a shake of his head. "I'm guessing your culinary skills are right up there with your professionalism on the job skills?"

[Jacqueline Clark]

The waitress had walked away only to call out their order in Waffle House code. Jacqueline always wondered who had come up with it and how they remembered what meant what. Her attention went back to Julian when she heard his voice.

"I'm guessing your culinary skills are right up there with your professionalism on the job skills?"

Jacqueline made a sound that crossed between a snort and huff as she pushed her back up against the window, "Not as bad a my cleaning or sewing, but yeah right on up there."

The sad part of that sentence was the honest truth. If she had been born in any era before the 1990's, people would have her burned at the stake, hung, or shot between the eyes. It would've been a more merciful thing to do than let her anywhere near anything in the house. However, born a man, and it would've been considered normal.

She lifted one leg up on the seat and let the other one balance her weight on the floor. Her elbow went up on the table and rested her head in her palm again. If her mother could see her now, she'd have a cow. Scold Jaq about her table manners, sitting like a proper lady, and all that junk. By the looks of the company that surrounded her, she doubted they'd say anything about being a lady.

Feeling the edge of the booth digging into her spine, the woman slid her dress jacket off, balled it up, and fitted it until she was comfortable. Hell if Jaq was going to be here for awhile, might as well get situated so that she'd have something to do until the food arrived. She continued by taking off her tie and tossing it in her pant pocket and then unbuttoning the first two buttons at her collar. She finished by rolling up the sleeves of her blouse. Jaq made a sound of disgust at the mix of residue and dried blood from the subway floor. She was burning this when she got home.

Jaq felt better now that she wasn't bundled up in all that material. Her skin could breathe. Although, suddenly, she felt exposed. Her clothes were a couple of sizes too big for her figure and had kept strangers from seeing just how small she was. Jacqueline felt like the pixie she probably resembled.

The human crossed her arms over her chest and thought her attention was best spent on others than herself. Other wise she'd be analyzing everything. Better to have a subject to focus on. "So, Mr. Tate...not to sound like a cop or anything, but what were you doing in an abandoned subway station? At this time of night, you know, near the scene of the crime?"

[Julian Tate]

"Got it, no asking you to do my sewing or clean my place."

His head performed a semi-agreeing nod, though he'd had no intention of asking either. He was perfectly happy with the mess of his house and garage, plus the majority of holes in his clothes were self-created via various incidents, most involving woods. Leaning back against the booth, he couldn't stop his eyebrow from raising at Jaq's changes to her clothing, though he did decide she looked less stiff.

Juilan kept his silence as she got comfortable, beginning to sort sugar packets. He'd just finished arranging them by brand, also color, when her question broke through his thoughts. Glancing over to her, he rolled his eyes and shifted to sit sideways in the booth with his back against the wall. He stretched his feet out on the seat then crossed them at the ankles.

"If you're going to interrogate me, I'm not buying you fourth meal," he remarked, dryly. "And stop calling me Mr. Tate. I'm not that fucking old so Julian or even hey, you works." He paused to think about his story then decided on partial honesty. "I was bored at work so I decided to run out for a bite to eat, plus I was low on whiskey . . . however, I did wander into the subway because of the mutants. I was hoping to find one and take a picture to sell to The National Inquirer. Does that answer your question, Officer Clark?"

[Jacqueline Clark]

The waitress hadn't taken long to deliver their drinks. Jacqueline didn't hesitate as she went for her hot mug. Freshly brewed. It scolded the inside of her mouth and stung all the way down. When it settled, the pixie glanced up briefly and thanked her with a silent nod and grateful smile. It was the best thing that had happened all day to her. Jaq had taken another mouthful before leaning as far back as she could against the wall. Her eyebrows furrowed and she expressed a fake defense.

“Of course not,” She stated in a sickly sweet tone and took another sip. “you don't look a day over a hundred. At least.” Jaq held her mug tightly and kept it close. Letting the heat warm her of the chill she hadn't been able to escape since the subway station. Now that they were in the light, Jaq had actually been able to see what Julian looked like. Nah, he could probably pass for early thirties..barely, but in the right setting he could. He wasn't too bad to look at while sharing a meal. Pretty eyes.

“Fine. So, Julian, my apologies. Old habits do die hard.” Jacqueline had finished off her coffee and had moved on to the complimentary glass of water.

The woman shrugged off his answer to her question. Sure, it kind of bugged her that Julian had appeared out of no where, but she wasn't investigating the case so it didn't really matter. As long as he wasn't planning ripping out her throat at the end of all this, Jaq couldn't care less. It was a plausible alibi and she wanted to see how Carson tried to rebuke it with no other witnesses around. Hell, she had heard of worse.

Jacqueline cringed at the Officer Clark. Somehow she felt like he was talking to her dad instead of her at the moment. Guess she didn't have to be too informal. He had also caught her name during that whole fiasco earlier. Should have seen that one coming and almost felt guilty she had lied. Though, he didn't believer her lie...so did that make it a lie in the first place? Ignoring the reference to her former title, Jaq continued.

“So you are a mechanic..or work at a shop? Did you say you owned it?” Jaq stopped then. She was pushing it. Asking too many questions. It was rude, she knew, and another old habit that was hard to kill. Julian would probably leave if she kept going at it. Instead, the woman decided to take it another direction. If she wanted answers, she'd have to give some. Make it equal.

“Technically, I can't interrogate you.” The pixie stated looking down at the organized sugar packages. Not-so-slily, Jaq reached over for the container of sugar and started to move them around. “Officially.” She added and then slid the container back over to Julian. Besides attempting to carrying on a conversation, it would be something the two could do until their food arrived. Jaq nibbled on her bottom lip, wondering if she should say anything else. The stranger didn't seem like he'd care what she said. They'd probably never see each other again and he'd forget the moment they left Waffle House.

“You were right. I'm not a cop anymore. I was hired to help on a few cases. Provide my professional opinion.”

[Julian Tate]

Picking up his mug, Julian blew on it a moment then took a drink. It scolded his tongue yet the pain went ignored as he drank a bit. The pain was a welcome sensation since he was without his usual whiskey; however, whiskey would have spiced up the coffee flavor. Ignoring her now, he studied his feet then glanced over at her words.

Her easy acceptance of his alibi amused him. Maybe she was just learning to ignore his odd comments, particularly anything about subway mutants or cannibalism. He was betting his alibi would hold up less well with Carson who he imagined would be highly disappointed to learn everything he'd said was true.

"I own the shop, and I'm the only mechanic," Julian clarified, not bothered by this line of questioning. It wasn't as though his business were super secretive. Hell, he'd service over half the town, creatures and humans. "It's at the big intersection, called Tate's Body Shop. That response to to your buddy's question was actually true . . . however, fair warning, if he ever brings his car in, I'm cutting the brake lines."

He paused for another drink of coffee, draining half the mug. It had lost some of its scalding quality as it rested in his hands.

"Not a cop anymore?" he echoed with one eyebrow raised. "You don't look like the type to go on a shooting rampage or to be secretly dealing drugs . . . then again, I've known you all of an hour so you could be the next Manson for all I know. I heard the word cop killer so my guess would be you killed another cop. Are we talking murder, self-defense, or really bad run of luck?"

[Jacqueline Clark]

The waitress must've noticed Jaq drinking from her glass of water, because without a word, she'd come back over with the pot of coffee. She'd learn that this particular customer wasn't lying when she said to keep the coffee coming. The pixie nodded again in thanks and this time decided to appreciate the hot liquid. Once more, Jaq leaned back and kept the mug close to her chest letting the heat flow through her.

When Julian mentioned cutting Carson's brakes, Jacqueline freed a hand and pretended to 'zip her lips'. In reality, had she not thought the stranger was messing with her, she'd give the dickhead a warning before going around Tate's shop. Although, if the detective came up dead due to a car accident, Julian would be the first to point a finger to. She speculated if she'd actually do something about it if the situation were to ever arise. Fact was, Carson dug his own grave one way or another. He'd learn sooner or later that maybe he should have played the good cop to save face.

Her body shuddered.

She placed the mug to her lips and sat there listening to Julian's voice. Forcing her body to warm and act normal. After a moment, she took a drink, but kept her mug just within reach of her mouth. Jaq wasn't too sure how she wanted to answer his questions. It had been almost two years since the incident and she'd never talked to anyone about Cameron's death. He didn't need to know all the details and Jaq was pretty sure he didn't mind if she kept things vague.

"A dead cop is a dead cop. Doesn't really matter to the bureau how it happened. Shit sticks with you for the rest of you life." Her voice was level, but it had a daydream tone to it. More like an afterthought spoken out loud. Jaq shrugged her shoulders for the tenth time tonight. There wasn't really much she could tell Julian about what happened.

He should have stayed in the car. Waited for back-up.

Jacqueline let the guilt wash over her for a moment before drowning it with a mouth full of scolding coffee and then setting the mug down so that she didn't drink all of it at once. There was only so many times the waitress would probably come over to refill before the food came out. Not thinking about it, Jaq dipped under the table to retrieve a pack of cigarettes from the carton. She started packing them with the palm of her hand. Without hesitating, she one out, put it between her lips, and lit it. Before the waitress had time to yell at her, Jaq gestured that she was on her way out the door.

"It's not like any of us are afraid of getting cancer or anything."

The pixie slid out of the booth, stood, and held the opened pack out to Julian. She inhaled and then removed the cigarette from her lips and smiled down at him.

"You're flask is empty & I've got a pack of cigarettes to burn through." And motioned for him to follow her outside.

[Julian Tate]

The motion across her lips only earned a shake of his head from Julian. He could tell she thought the words were a joke, just as his jokes at the crime scene. She'd probably run in fear if she knew just how serious his comments were. He was more than capable of doing anything he'd mentioned to her, including offing the detective in question.

Focusing on his coffee again, he rolled the warm mug between his fingers then took another gulp. He could tell his questions made her somewhat uncomfortable yet he figured it was fairplay since she'd interrogated him twice now. He'd just taken a second drink from the coffee when she decided to answer, the response earning a roll of his eyes.

"Spoken like a true robot. I'm impressed," he remarked before draining the last of his coffee. He moved it closer to the table's edge to show it needed a refill. "The bureau can go fuck themselves. Sometimes shit just happens."

Her retrieval of the cigarette had his hand out in an automatic gesture. "I don't think I can get cancer," was his only response before he stood with her. He took a cigarette from the pack and lit it, heading out the door with her. "And what's an empty flask have to do with anything? I'll just refill it when I get home."

[Jacqueline Clark]

“Nicotine can be a temporary fix.” She mumbled, trying to hold her cigarette in her mouth and open the door at the same time. It had almost worked and had Jaq had better hand-eye coordination, she'd probably wouldn't have looked like an idiot fumbling to save a burning cigarette. Hell, if she had breasts any other size than what she had now, it could have stopped there and burned through the shirt she intended to destroy at home. Instead, it kept falling until she lifted a knee and caught the cigarette like a game of hacky sack. She hissed as she picked it from the burning end and slipped it through her lips again.

Outside, the human mumbled a few choice words under her breath and leaned against the large window. She inhaled deeply and then flicked the rest of it on the road ahead. As much as her lung fought to release the toxin from her body, Jaq refused to let it all go at once. She rather liked the buzz it gave her head. Not as much as when she'd inhale those painkillers years ago, but it was the best she could do now. She forced the smoke to crawl out of her nose as she lit another cigarette.

So Julian didn't like the police. Go figure. She had pegged him for such a die hard patriot. Jaq didn't say much on the matter, though. It was hard to talk shit against the department when it was the only thing she really knew. It was in her blood. Family. No matter how they treated her.

“How long have ya been in the city? You born here?”

A breeze reminded Jacqueline that she'd deserted her jacket inside and the warmth from the coffee had vanished. She hated the cold. She wrapped one around around her waist and kept the cigarette-holding hand near her face.

[Julian Tate]

"Temporary's right. I prefer my drink," Julian grumbled as he tried not to be amused at her attempting to open the door. It was almost comedic, though the sadistic part of him was hoping she'd burn herself. Then again, a burned cop would probably abandon him at the waffle house with the other creepers and no cigarettes so he was semi-pleased when she picked hte cigarette back up.

Ignoring her mumbling, he took a drag off his own cigarette and blew the smoke over his head. He leaned his back against the wall while he studied the stars, glad the moon was hidden by clouds. It never failed to make the beast below his skin anxious. His distraction caused him to miss her words, though he tuned back in after a moment, blinking as he read her lips..

"What? Right, Somerset. Nah, I wasn't born in this whacked out town," Julian said with a shake of his head. He twirled the cigarette between two fingers and debated how much to say then decided on a partial truth. "I've been here ten years now. It was a supposed to be a quick stop, but . . . well, I bought a business, and I'm still sitting here with the same jackasses day in and day out. This place has a weird way of sucking your soul in and refusing to let go."

The morbid thought did describe his love-hate relationship with Somerset rather well.

[Jacqueline Clark]

"This place has a weird way of sucking your soul in and refusing to let go."

For the first time tonight, Jacqueline was glad the air was chilly. Her body shuddered at his words and she could easily blame it on the cold. Low blood sugar or lack of blow flow. Some shit like that. She hated how badly her body reacted to things. Sure, it came in handy in dangerous situations, but it made it hard to be a liar. Pretend she wasn't so freaked out about this city.

Benjamin was last seen in Somerset. His remains found just outside the city. She wondered now what this place had done to the young man she saw in her mind. What had become of him? Jaq took another drag and glanced up at the sky like Julian had done so. She was never the type to look up at the stars and get some philosophical feeling from them. All she saw was a big ole bunch of nothing.

Julian had been in Somerset for ten years. If Ben had been here the whole time, it was possible that the two had crossed paths. It was a long stretch, but it was the first lead she had since her brother's body was discovered. How had someone stayed in the shadows all this time and no one notice? The thought of coming right out and asking the stranger about her brother began to scratch just below the surface. Jaq would be fighting the feeling the entire time, but she didn't want to rush it. She needed to catch Julian off guard. Ease in to her personal interrogation.

The pixie nodded and took another drag. “I'm startin' to get that impression about this place. It's like a freaking Bermuda Triangle here, huh? Once you're in, you don't get out.”

After another long inhale, Jaq had finished the cigarette and tossed it out in front of her. She noticed a few of the junkies from the bar coming out to smoke too. It'd be too crowded with all of them out here. Too many ears that could overhear the things she wanted to ask. Rubbing her arms, Jacqueline sighed.

“Our food's just about ready, I bet.”

[Julian Tate]

Her prolonged silence made Julian curious, though he said nothing as he finished his own cigarette. His common sense said there was more to her question then a sudden interest in his personal life, not that he planned to give details. Then again, maybe she was just making conversation to pass the time. That was always a possibility.

Flicking the cigarette butt aside, he stepped on it to avoid starting a minor fire. His last plan for the evening was certainly not starting a fire at the Waffle House that was his favorite place for fourth meal.

"Something like that," he agreed with a half-interested nod. He'd never said the words himself yet he knew quite a few others who had intended Somerset to simply be a temporary stop then found themselves stuck. "There are actually several ways out, you just stop caring enough to look for them. I could tell you cars mysteriously stop working when you try to leave Somerset."

He left the lie hanging before moving over to the door. Leaving her to ponder it out, he moved inside and to the bathroom. He spent a few minutes washing his hands then splashed water on his face before moving back into the main dining area and sliding into his seat.

"Have my earlier remarks convinced you to abandon Somerset altogether . . .?"

[Jacqueline Clark]

Jacqueline's head bent to inspect her shoes as Julian finished the last bit of his cigarette. It beat looking paranoid as more people filed out of Waffle House. She chuckled at his words and wondered why he was trying to scare her. Somerset wasn't that bad of a place. People went missing, came up dead, etc. The usual stuff in any large city.

As the words sunk in, the pixie suddenly didn't feel as if they were some sort of joke. Ben had been brought to Somerset and he never left except in pieces. In just a matter of seconds, the smile faded from her face and her head snapped up to see if Julian had only been joking. However, by the time her mind had processed what he had said, the man had already gone back inside. She was going to need to her train her brain to react faster than it had been. This was the real world again and not some clinic where you didn't have to monitor people's actions or motives.

Jaq walked backed in at a fast paced. There wasn't any indicator how long she had stood outside without her companion. During the time they had spent out there, the waitress had refilled both their coffees and her water glass. Good. The pixie slid into her side of the booth and re-positioned herself like before. Picking up her mug, Jaq sighed and started to slowly sip on the hot liquid. It was time for her to enjoy the caffeine instead of letting it burn right through her.

She was still a little bit on edge when the stranger had returned from the restroom. At his words, Jaq looked up from her coffee and stared at him for a moment. Debating on what her answer would be. The easy way out would be to leave. Go back to the Clinic and live out the rest of her miserable life. Maybe she'd find some luck and die of cancer. Leave the world without so much as a second glance back.

The pixie shook her head softly, took a drink, and then sat her mug on the table. Jaq turned her body around so that she sat properly in her seat. With as much honesty as she could muster up, Jaq said the first thing that came to mind.

"Don't get me wrong, this is creepy ass place from what I've seen so far and it scares me to speculate what's really happening to all these missing people but...." Jaq bit her bottom lip trying her best to figure out what her point was "...but as much as I'm afraid, I can't just quit. There are families, friends, co-workers who are wondering about someone who just seemed to vanish without a trace. And the worst thing about this is not that the person is dead, but the uncertainty of what happened."

Her eyes shifted from Julian's down to her coffee. She let her words settle for a moment while she took another drink. The words felt right coming out. Completely true, in fact. Probably as honest as she was going to get with anyone around here. Jaq leaned back, with mug in hands, and remembered how it how felt all these years Ben had been gone. There were too many 'what-ifs' and 'how comes'. As much as she wanted her big brother to be alive, it was a relief to know at least what had become of him. Now she just needed to know why.

Jaq took another drink and licked her lips. "People need closure and I'm here to give it to them."

[Julian Tate]

While he waited a response, having resigned himself to lengthy silences with her, Julian placed his feet back on the seat. He propped one foot up on the booth seat then took another drink from his own mug of coffee, turning it between his hands. Her words drew his attention away from it.

It was surprisingly insightful, though he didn't truly tune in until the word missing. That was too close to home since Arianna had disappeared here. The female's pause made him curious yet he stayed silent, wanting to hear her thoughts. The minutes that passed led up to an odd revelation, at least it seemed a revelation. Her tone held the wistful yet determined quality of someone who was still dealing with a missing person.

"You're not going to find closure in Somerset," he replied, his lips twisted into a bitter sneer. His eyes cut across to her, the coffee set aside. "Trust me, I've been here ten years, and I'm no fucking closer to closure . . . this town doesn't need a hero, Officer Clark. It needs a fucking miracle."

Leaving his harsh words hanging, he downed the contents of his mug in one gulp. The burning sensation in his throat hurt yet he ignored it. It was better than concentrating on the pain Jaq's words evoked; however much he might dislike others, he loved his sister. He wanted to know she was okay, not dead or missing, just alive. Except ten years with nothing was killing what little hope he'd had.

"Where's that waitress? She has five seconds, or I'm not tipping."

[Jacqueline Clark]

Jacqueline kept a tight lip when Julian responded to her little declaration. She tried to keep from wincing at his tone. He was right on one thing. The woman was no hero and she shouldn't even be trying to fit the role. With all of the shit the world had crapped out at her, Jaq wanted to see it burn to the ground. Sit back with a big bottle of whiskey and enjoy the show. Had they not found Ben's body, Jaq would probably be doing that right now in the Clinic; flipping off the world from her cell window.

Nevertheless, that's not what happened. Her brother had been tortured, torn in pieces, and left to rot in some shallow grave. This was personal and Jaq was going to figure out what happened.

The pixie jumped a little when her companion had complained about their waitress. Speaking of vanishing without a trace...where was she? Jaq leaned over to observe the fellows outside. Their waitress hadn't been one of them. In fact, the only people in the Waffle House was Julian, Jaq, and the cook.

"Chill out, I'm sure she's in the restroom or something." Jaq hadn't raised her voice, but she did raise an eyebrow at her companion. She'd been a waitress for a very short while in her teens and to this day it's made her dislike rude customers. If he didn't watch it, that cook would do something to their food.

The cook announced their order up and then scrambled for a cigarette of his own. He joined the others outside and after a few moments their waitress came in from the back. She looked like she was in the middle of eating a meal herself. Jaq watched as she grabbed an arm full of their plates and headed towards them.

To help, the pixie moved her drinks out of the way. She smiled down at the plate of waffle in front of her, enjoying the idea of how delicious they were going to be. Jacqueline had erased all the negative from their earlier conversation. Though she wouldn't admit it, Jaq felt like a kid who had eaten all her veggies just so she could have the desert.

"See? It was worth the wait."

Their waitress moved back to the counter, grabbed the pot of coffee, and refilled their mugs. Jacqueline smiled slightly and thanked the woman again. Waitress or not, I bet the older woman liked being thanked for her services. Hell, Jaq noticed she seemed dead on her feet. Without another word, the woman went back behind the EMPLOYEE'S ONLY door. Probably to finish that meal.

[Julian Tate]

Julian raised an eyebrow of his own and held her gaze at the words. It was rare to have someone call him on being a jackass. In fact, the last person to do so and survive was presently missing. Then again, he'd give anything to hear Arianne nagging at him again for being a jackass. Shaking his head to her words, he picked up his coffee and took another drink.

"Waffle House is always worth the wait, doesn't mean I have to be nice about it," was his response before his full attention went on the plate.

The scent of meat and waffles had his stomach grumbling and him almost salivating. He barely kept his true teeth in check as hunger gawed at him. His version of thanks was a grunt before he dug in, reaching for the syrup bottle. He poured a generous amount on the stack of waffles then ate half a sausage patty in one bite. Somewhere along the way he remembered he was eating across from a person and forced himself slow down and eat like a person. Pausing, he took a drink from his coffee.

"Maybe I will tip simply because Waffles are delicious."

[Jacqueline Clark]

Jacqueline rolled her eyes. Men. She shook her head and began spreading jelly on her toast. If he kept raising his brows like that, they were going to stick one day. He'd live the rest of his life looking like a surprised old man. With that in mind, it brought back memories of a time when things were perfect in her life. The pixie had been ten and he school mates started making fun of her bushy brows. She had seen her mom touch up her brows with a razor. One day, Jaq had gone into her parent's bedroom, studied her eye brows, and shaved away what she thought was the right amount. When in fact they were cut so thin and short, she had appeared to hold a wide-eye 'surprised' expression all day. After that, no one but a professional touched those hairs.

Jaq's head bent down, she smiled knowing he couldn't see her reaction. The pixie sliced open one of her eggs before looking up. Julian sure had dug in right away. She hadn't even taken a bite yet. She watched him for quite a bit and then suddenly he seemed to become aware of his surroundings.

"I don't know if you've seen Beauty and the Beast, but....uh..." The woman bit her bottom lip, not being able to help from smiling. Maybe she shouldn't call Julian out on his table manners.She took a sip of her coffee, eyes trained on him. "...there's this seen where Belle & the Beast are sitting down for a meal for the first time & I think that," gesturing to his face and his disappearing plate of food. "was the perfect reenactment."

Trying to stifle a laugh, the woman grabbed a piece of toast and stuck it in her mouth. Her gaze now focused on the junkies filing back into the small diner. Once she felt composed enough, Jaq turned back to her food. She slid her toast across the egg yolk and then took a fork full of hashbrowns and piled it on top.

When the food hit her stomach, it was as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. Her stomach was both relieved and in pain. After the third mouth full, Jaq was able to tell just how slow her body had functioned without the energy source. This new found energy would serve her much better when she went into work tomorrow.

Speaking of work...maybe now would be a good time to ask Julian a few things about Somerset. If she goes in to the department tomorrow asking questions about certain places, they might get suspicious. Which probably wouldn't to Carson digging into her history and finding out that Ben's body was found here. She really didn't want her to be connected to Ben's case just yet. The fewer people know about them being siblings, they better chance she'd have at getting some real answers.

"Hey do you know anything about a Briggs River around here?"

[Julian Tate]

His rapid chewing slowed then stopped at her words. Her reference to the movie, one he'd known was a favorite of his sister, caused him to stop eating. Despite listening to her words, his expression underwent no change as he replied, "Glad my eating pleases you, my lady." The words dripped with saracsm.

The reminder of Beauty and the Beast made him think of Arianne, a topic he avoided at all costs. Thoughts of her came too close to breaking the carefully controlled dam of his emotions. However, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about her now so he forced his mind back onto food.

He'd just finished half his plate of sausage and started his third waffle when she interrupted with a question. Putting his knife and fork aside, he added more syrup to the mess on his plate. Her words were thought over a moment before he nodded.

"I do. I go there to hunt a few times a month," he answered in a bored manner. "Everyone in Somerset knows about the Briggs River. Ask me something difficult . . . like why you aren't asking what you really want to know? If you want landmark information, buy a map, Officer Clark. I'm no one's tour guide. I do know a lot about people, though so feel free to ask about them."

[Jacqueline Clark]

my lady

Jacqueline's nose scrunched up immediately in distaste. There was a reason why she dressed in men's clothing. In no way, shape or form, was she a lady. A woman, yes, but a lady? Hah! Shaking the disgruntled look from her face, the pixie went back to her food. She had barely made it pass the last loaded piece of toast when her skin started to crawl.

Now, Julian's company hadn't been the best, but he wasn't the worst either. He had a bit of an attitude with him and they shared most of their night together throwing back some sarcasm. It seemed to make him more comfortable. There was no other indication that he had gotten upset, but Jaq's skin wouldn't have vibrated if she hadn't crossed a line somewhere.

She stopped chewing and examined him briefly. Trying to recall what she could have said to switch the atmosphere. To him, she probably appeared to just be listening very well to what he said next. In truth, she had caught a few words here and there, definitely the way his tone had changed. Jaq wondered what it would be like to see him really angry. Sure a tripped nerve here and there wouldn't hurt....but Julian seemed like he was holding back. Covering his tracks with his defensiveness. Then again, it'd been awhile since Jaq tried to psych any one. She could just be dealing with a regular ole alcoholic who needed a quick fix and the food wasn't curving the edge hard enough.

"Well I'm not everyone in Somerset." Jaq sneered. She knew he hadn't really done anything wrong. It was just the feeling she was getting. He had an attitude problem. If he wanted attitude, she could dish it out. Detective Carson had given her plenty of practice today. "Briggs River, Pooh bear. That's what I want to know about. Keep up."

After a moment, she paused and took a drink. Let the silence settle before beginning again. "The people, some of them at least, that I want to know about...well their bodies were found along that area. I need to get a good idea about the place before I scope it out. Good enough for ya, Lucy Van Pelt?"

Jaq scooted her coffee mug to the end of the table to let the waitress know she needed a refill.

"By the way, it's Jaq. Officer Clark is my father."

[Julian Tate]

The corner of Julian's eye caught her dislike for his calling her "my lady" with the scrunched nose yet it only tipped his lips up into a small smirk. It was enough of an irritation for the moment, though he had a feeling it wasn't as effective as he'd thought. Still, he was pleased with himself as he took a drink of coffee.

He ate in silence, cutting the pancakes up then dipping them in the syrup the stack swam in. His eyes remained on his plate, though he could feel the unwanted examination. It prickled his skin and made him close to snapping yet he held himself in check, forking another mouthful of sausage into his mouth. The utensil dropped at the first nickname she called him.

"What did you just call me?" he demanded, more in shock than anything. He couldn't have heard her right. That would just be insulting. He hadn't truly begun his complaint when she pushed on, giving him information that wasn't surprising since he wasn't hunting rabbits. His primary kills were human, though he tried for discretion. Some of the others weren't so thoughtful.

Julian scooped up another chunk of pancakes and pointed at her with the fork. "Alright, Jaq it is, though I preferred Kelly Clarkson. And Lucy is the only reason Charlie Brown grew up to have any semblence of balls," was his response before he ate the bite. "It's a pretty good size river with fish. Stupid fish who get stuck in whirlpools a lot . . . you can just pull them out with a bucket." Once more, he was making shit up to see if she'd believe him. "Are you look for missing people among your chomped on bodies?"

[Jacqueline Clark]

Julian's reaction to Pooh Bear was exactly what she had in mind. That seemed to wake him right up from whatever bored little state he was in with her. Jacqueline returned his previous smirk with on of her own. Victory! Though, he came back with Kelly Clarkson for her. Jaq gritted her teeth and took it. If she had been any other type of female, maybe that would have been a compliment. However, Kelly was right up there with My Lady.

Jaq was a little taken aback with his Charlie Brown knowledge and decided to add a few points under his name. At least she didn't have to explain herself. The pixie gave him a kudos smile and half nod. She went back to eating while he gave her a poor image of the place. Whatever he gave her was going to have to do.

The waitress ventured over to refill their drinks and didn't care too much to ask about anything else. Jaq waited until the other woman was far enough away to start speaking again. She pushed one of her plates towards the end and switched it with the waffle plate.

"A few bodies" One, he mind corrected her. "were found in the area or around Briggs River. They're trying to match the DNA to them in the next few days. If people are going missing and bodies are being dumped there, we could catch the monster responsible for this."

Jacqueline took a drink and burnt her tongue. The bitterness balanced out the sweetness from her syrup so it made up for it. Not even thinking about it, she started to speak out loud about her wonderings.

"They have no connection, you know. The missing people. It's like they are being chosen randomly and if there's not a pattern, we have no way of tracking them down before their killed."

[Julian Tate]

Julian ignored her response to his knowledge of Charlie Brown. It was one of the few parts of pop culture he enjoyed, along with Supernatural. He could actually remember when the comics first got popular, though sharing that news might make Jaq think twice about continuing their dinner.

Looking back down to his plate, he finished the plate of sausage then set it aside. He went back to eating pancakes, though he paused at the word bodies. That was news, especially since no Sentinels had turned up to ask questions. Dead bodies generally equaled at least one visiting the garage for a purpose other than car work. Keeping his expression carefully blank, he finished off another pancake then a bite of ham.

"And then the monster gets to add cops to his menu. Chomp. Chomp." He punctuated those words with a gnash of his teeth. At her continued words, he rolled his eyes before remarking, "You know a lot about missing people, Jaq. Can I assume you specialize in them? And by specialize, I mean you're one of those do gooders who tries to reunite all missing people with their beloved families because you have nothing better to do with your own life."

As he asked the words, he felt a small inkling of hope. A professional could certainly help him figure out where Arianne had disappeared to ten years earlier or at least provide a hint.

[Jacqueline Clark]

Jacqueline's skin quivered at the sight of his emphasized 'Chomp' comment. She had no idea why. Her brain started to imagine Julian at the crime scene tonight, gnawing on that man's neck. Hunched over the body, blood running down his chin. She blinked and realized he was still talking to her. The pixie rubbed her mouth, a comforting gesture of self-touch, before picking up her coffee and drinking it.

She shrugged at his guess and played with the mug in her hands. She looked down and smirked, as if the idea amused her. He thought of her as a do gooder. Jaq sighed and sat her mug down and then leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table, holding her chin. Her eyes lifted to the corner and she made a low 'clucking' sound with her tongue as if there was a clock she was in-tune with.

"Ten years on the job, well, no scratch that, eight. I won't count these past two years. So yeah, I guess you can say I specialize. Eighty-...." The pixie faded her words, looking up as she mentally did the calculations in head "two percent of the cases that fall into my lap are solved successfully. In which case, the person is found and still breathing."Not that Jaq was bragging or anything. She nodded her head slightly back and forth running some more numbers in her head "Fifteen percent were solved, but the person was already dead...." Jacqueline inhaled through her nose and decided to lean back in the booth. Slid her hands into her pant pockets.

At that point, she felt as if Julian was mocking her. He seemed like the type of guy that if he didn't think it was cool or impressive, he'd make fun of it. Jaq mentally rolled her eyes. Had she known him ten years back, Jacqueline would've been at her prime. Shown just how skillful she could be. Slap the sarcasm right outta him. Jaq wanted to defend herself. Explain that the person he saw was only a shadow of the person she had once been. Instead she just shrugged it off. He didn't need to know what kind of girl she was.

Jacqueline reached for her cigarettes, placed one in her mouth, and lit it up. She put up a hand to the waitress who was giving her the stank eye and slid out of the booth. "Don't let my behavior tonight fool you, Doc" she mumbled, not even trying to sound like Bugs Bunny, and headed towards the door. "I'm just reacquainting myself with the world..."

[Julian Tate]

His attention remained on his food as he polished off yet another waffle. He gave her the smallest amount of his attention at the news she'd been working jobs almost ten years. That gave him a bit more faith in her, though he still wasn't sold on the actuality of her claims. Her statistic about the amount of cases that ended successfully held his attention, though fifteen percent solved with a dead body wasn't promising.

Giving his attention back to his food, he gave no response to her words as he pondered it. He was moderately surprised at the lack of response to his words, minus that simplistic explanation of her past experiences. Then again, he had a feeling there was more to those last two years than she was willing to share, not that he really cared. It would just be another headache.

He sat there a moment longer then slid out of the booth. His next question wasn't meant for a lot of ears. Snagging a cigarette from the pack, he moved outside with her then lit it. "What are the odds of a missing person being found alive after ten or more years?" he asked, his voice nonchalant. "I mean, you see it on the news from time to time . . . what's the actuality of that occurring?"

[Jacqueline Clark]

Leaned up against the window like before, Jacqueline heard the door open. She didn't think he'd follow her. It wasn't until she saw the flame that she turned to him. He'd snagged one of her cigarettes. It shouldn't have mattered to her...Julian had been doing it all night. But he had insulted her earlier, at least that is how it felt.

The pixie inhaled, holding the smoke so she didn't say anything. Better not show that he had annoyed her. He was probably doing it on purpose. Jerk. Right on up there with Carson.

Then he spoke. The woman's ear's perked up slightly and she exhaled. It's been awhile since she actually thought about the numbers.

Granted, Jaq wasn't the greatest at math, but what she has learned in school...The percentage of missing persons increase sixfold every 25 years. The last time she read the statistic was two years ago and missing Americans were up to 5,000 a day. If she had to guess off the top of her head, Jacqueline would say that presently there were about 940, 279 missing persons cases nation wide. Give or take a fifty.

"Truthfully? It all depends on the case. I mean, I can spit out some more statistic to you, but they don't mean jack squat. Ten years is a long ass time to be missing. Don't get me wrong...from experience...a person missing that long either doesn't want to be found or their dead" The woman tried to hide the bitterness in her voice on that last part.

Benjamin had kept himself alive for sixteen years, only to be washed up near Briggs River. Jaq took in a sharp intake of smoke, hoping the pain in her lungs would distract her enough to clear her head. She hated how over emotional she got when it came to her brother.

"Give me an example and I can spurt out a more reasonable answer. Gender, age, and where the person was last seen or heard from."

[Julian Tate]

While Julian could sense her irritation in subtle ways, he chose to ignore it and focused his attention on her words. That was what concerned him, not her petty feelings or having hurt her feelings. Leaning his back against the window, he took a puff off the cigarette and listened.

Her last words brought a lump of cold dread into his stomach. It wasn't unexpected yet he wanted to believe his sister was stronger than that. He'd always wanted to believe Arianne was tougher than she appeared, all big eyes and small bones that reminded him of a bird, easily broken. For a second, he allowed himself to wander down nostalgic roads yet a brick wall propped itself up firmly as emotion welled. His temper calmed, though not before the cigarette snapped in half, burning his fingers in the process.

Cursing, he dropped it and wiped his hand on his jeans.

He hesitated then said, "Female, aged nineteen at the time of her disappearance. I don't see why location matters so let's say Somerset. The time missing is still ten years."

[Jacqueline Clark]

Julian seemed to be lost in thought for the moment, probably processing the information laid out. When the cigarette snapped, it was Jaq's turn to raise an eyebrow to him. Oh well, he would just be without one now. She smiled inwardly at the thought and took another drag. If he hadn't been a piss ass, then she might have shared with him. Julian should take his own advice about vinegar and honey.

Jacqueline crossed her arms and sighed. He had chosen the second worst example. Little children would always be at the top of the list. Teenagers on the other hand, they got the shitty end of any missing case. They were less fragile and always gave the reaction these sick bastards were looking for.

She didn't want to sound like a cold hearted bitch, but what she said next and how she was going to say...it was cruel. There was no way around telling someone what usually happened to these people other than lie. From what she had gathered, Julian wouldn't care what the real statistics were. He was detached from any sort of normal emotions. So, Jaq was going to lay it out straight.

"Dead, if she's lucky."

The pixie took a hit and let the smoke go through her nose. Jaq pondered if she should really let him have it. Tell him the gruesome stories of what happens to girls like his example. Her brain skipped back years before the Clinic. The trafficking case that had destroyed the department's reputation, her career, and Cameron's life.

She finished the cigarette and flicked the butt out. Even with the cold settling in her bones, Jacqueline wanted to stay outside a little while longer. Breathe in the fresher air. Inside was getting to stuffy for her taste. Too many people. She slid down and looked up at the sky, hands in her pant pockets, legs crossed at the ankle.

"If she were a virgin, they would have kept her alive longer. Sold her at the highest bid. Not sure why rich, old, men want with a virgin." She shrugged and started fiddling with the lighter. "You'd think with all these horror stories in the media, people would be more cautious....but get a young girl around a good-looking guy interested in her. He'll spout out about how much he loves her and how they can run away together. Their lives will be perfect..."

Jacqueline took out the lighter from her pocket and tossed it in the air, catching it when it come back down, and then repeated the action. She allowed a moment to let the words form images in his head. Let it sink in the shit she had to deal with for almost a decade.

"......only to find out that he worked for someone paying him a lot of money to bring her in...Hell, he'd probably get to try her first as a reward. They'd drug her, of course. They usually do. It keeps the victims from struggling and drawing attention as they are gettin' broken in."

Acid built up in the back of her throat. The pixie never wanted a drink so bad in her life. She struggled with that last bit. You see enough faces and it's hard not to picture what they went through. Jaq nodded absent mindlessly as if she had come to agree with her first statement.

"If she was lucky...." She tossed the lighter in the air. "...she over dosed before they got to her...." The light came down, Jaq snatched it from the air, and looked back up at Julian.

[Julian Tate]

Her sigh did not bode well, though he waited out the silence. He already knew the answer wouldn't be to his liking so he tried to still himself for its implications. The first statement was like a punch to the gut, though it was what he expected despite holding out hope for her return. His hands clenched into fists yet he underwent no other change in expression or posture.

He was hoping she'd stop talking even as he knew she'd elborate. His gaze stayed on the road, trying not to get a mental image. It failed. The picture painting itself across his mind was disturbing to say the least, though he doubted Arianne would be won over by a pretty face and a lot of charm. Her revelation of life after the running away made him feel sick; however, only a small twitch at his eye revealed his true feelings.

"She's stronger than that," he said without hesitation before stalking inside. He allowed the door to slam as he bypassed the table and went into the bathroom.

The door had barely closed before he slammed his fist into the wall. He barely felt the pain of his knuckles splitting open despite hitting it twice more. The glimpse of dark fur beneathe the skin was his reality check. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a fingerless glove and slipped it on to cover the torn skin on his knuckles.

After almost ten minutes, he came out and returned to their table without a word to her. His reamining food was set aside as he drained the coffee mug in one gulp.

[Jacqueline Clark]

The night air, no matter the chill, was crisp and though she hated the cold, it was always this kind of night that cleared her head. It soothed her damaged lungs and swept up the fog right behind her eyes. Tonight, the air seemed to constrict and freeze the back of her throat. Made it hard to breathe as the chill wrapped around her heart and started to squeeze.

His words echoed long after he had disappeared and she was left with silence. Dead silence. No one had been seen on the streets for quite some time and she was curious if it was just her, but there were no crickets or traffic sounds either.

Jaq hated Julian for getting under her skin and she hated him. She wanted to knock him flat on his feet. She had somehow lured the man, it felt like, to lead the conversation in this direction. Give her the opportunity to scare him. At least crack that stupid shell of his so she didn't feel like the only human between them.

She had crossed a line....

Slowly, Jacqueline got up and walked back in only to find eyes on her. The waitress gestured to the bathroom and she nodded.

She...

Julian had been thinking about a girl. Ten years ago someone in his life had gone missing.

Jaq slid into the booth and had been playing with the mug in her hands when the man had returned. She didn't pay him any noticeable attention, eyes down, and let more silence settle between them. The waitress had come to relieve the table of dirty plates and then came back to refill their coffee.

"My older brother went missing sixteen years ago. He was probably the strongest guy I had ever known. They found him two years ago...here in Somerset."

[Julian Tate]

Julian ignored her as he took the refilled coffee mug, taking a drink. He felt the scalding pain in his tongue yet it gave him something to focus on. If he didn't focus on something, he'd wind up lashing out at Jaq and assault on an officer in a Waffle House would probably lead to some jail time.

He looked up from the coffee's murky depth when she spoke. Part of him wanted to snap his usual sarcastic remark yet he understood. It was a terrible feeling to have someone who mattered disappear, though at least she had closure.

"A lot of people turn up dead in Somerset," he said, a resigned quality to his words. The silence stretched a moment longer before he decided to give an inch since she'd revealed something so personal. And there was still a chance she could help him.

"My sister went missing here ten years ago. Her body's never been found, though I guess I should just go ahead and count her dead and lucky now." His words held a bitter edge.

[Jacqueline Clark]

The pixie nodded in agreement. When someone entered Somerset it was like taking the risk of traveling into the Bermuda Triangle. Either you wash up in a morgue with unexplainable causes of death or you disappeared from the known world. If this was how it was going to be living here, at least Jacqueline had become aware of it earlier in the game. She wondered if that is why the Chief of Police accepted her offer so easily. He knew that no matter what she uncovered...Jaq wasn't going to make it out alive.

Instead of allowing fear to take the officer, she inhaled silently and let the relief take over. After all these years. All those people's lives she has screwed up. Jaq might actually have a chance of going down the way she always wanted to. She just had to bide her time until she pissed someone off enough to take her out.

Her ears perked up a little when Julian began to speak again. She hadn't expected the stranger to open up like he had. A sister. She had been lost to the city as well. Jaq winced at the end as her words echoed parallel with his. Yeah, she had crossed a major line there.

The man had come to Somerset in order to look for his sister. He'd been here ten years. If Benjamin had been taken here right after he went missing...their timelines overlapped. Julian or his sister might not have known Ben, but maybe they had seen him or knew someone they had a connection with Ben. Jaq's heart skipped a beat and she had to swallow some coffee to force her heart back down her throat.

Jacqueline curled up her legs on the booth and leaned forward just a little. She wasn't sure how'd she start this particular conversations and if she said the wrong thing, he'd leave. She knew she was grasping at straws, but it was the best to go from. The pixie had opened her mouth to ask something, but then decided against it. After a moment she tried again.

"Alright this is going to sound personal, but I can't determine what kind of case you have until you answer. There are millions of reasons why people go missing everyday. I gave you the absolute worst case scenario. And despite what these idiots say, there is always a trace..a uhh..tail tale sign of what happened. I look for those signs make connections they won't expect me to." She paused and took another drink. Jacqueline hesitated before she started up. Slipping into her old self was like finding an old, favorite, jacket in the back of a closet and trying it on to see how it fits.

"Now for the personal part...Are you aware of anyone who would want your sister out of the picture? Anyone that she might be running from?"

[Julian Tate]

The silence stretched the point Julian considered leaving yet he wanted to see her reaction. It wouldn't really matter since he figured she'd care about as much as the cops or Sentinels had, a quick search of frequented areas then given up. Scowling, he took a drink from his coffee and held the mug between his hands as his eyes stayed fixed on her.

"I don't see what trace you can find. There wasn't a lot to go on ten years ago so I doubt it's useful now," he said, thinking back. He'd found the transaction a matter of days before killing the final hunter and reclaiming his skin. It had been less than a week before his arrival in Somerset. "The cops weren't real willing to do more than a half-assed search of the woods. It turned up nothing."


Her last words made him roll his eyes. There were only a select few who would want Arianne dead yet he couldn't name them. Every one of the hunters who had ever been a threat to them was dead, plus he'd carefully kept her identity hidden. It was possible another one had found her except Arianne was always careful and gentle enough to make her endearing to anyone.

"No one." His words were laced with certainty as he continued, "Arianne was well liked by just about everyone who met her. There was no one who would have hurt her unless she met someone here . . . I don't know how many years she was in Somerset before she went missing. How does this useless background shit help anything?"

[Jacqueline Clark]

No one

As far as Julian knew, his sister didn't have enemies. Jaq hadn't decided if that were a good sign or not. If they had enemies, it'd be easier to locate her whereabouts. Idiots with a vengeful agenda always left something behind. On the other hand, it could be that Arianne had simple walked away from her life in Somerset and Julian to start over somewhere knew. She had only known the stranger for a few short hours. Who knew what kind of man he was or how the siblings got along.

The woman looked out the window at the empty street. Juliann was bitter and she couldn't blame him for that. Jaq had been the same way for as long as she remembered. Hating the officials assigned to Ben's case. Idiots. All of them.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed another eye roll from the stranger. It must be difficult for him to make friends, let alone keep them. He had a serious attitude problem that was wearing her nerves thin. Jaq didn't normally like acting like a bitch, but it seemed them only way to talk to this guy. It's as if he responded better with negativity . She mentally shook her head. Disappointing.

"Granted it'll be a little harder with a cold case, but it's not impossible. And unlike these morons, I know what to do with the information given to me."

Jacqueline gave a emphasized shrug and in a spiteful, sharp, tone she answered, "Just asking for the hell of it. What the fuck do I know? I've only just been doing this most of my life. But hey, it's not like I'm a professional or anything."

The pixie wanted to continue. Tell him how bad she felt for Arianne to be stuck with a douche bag brother. He'd spent ten years in the same city with nothing to go on and the first chance he got, he wasted it by having an attitude. Shame, really. Jacqueline needed his help just as much, but he 'd force her into drinking again being around him too long. Whatever Dr. Phil moment they had shared had been ruined by his unpleasant aura.

Jaq finished the last of her coffee, fished for a twenty dollar bill, and put it with her bill at the edge of the table. Not saying another word, she grabbed her stuff and slid out of the booth. She placed a cigarette between her lips and lit it up. By that time the waitress didn't even bother scolding her. The pixie inhaled, "When you decide to take out that 2 by 4 from your ass, you know where to find me. Maybe then it won't be too late for your sister."

She turned on her heel and walked out.