A/N: This is a piece done as a joint project between a friend of mine and myself. It's an extension of the roleplay Archangel, or rather, its sequel; most character interaction is based on knowing the story. I enjoy all readers, but it probably will not make a lot of sense if you haven't read Archangel.
With that, let's begin.
Wandering the ship, Ev was looking for a place to hide, rest, and eat. At the same time. He didn't feel like the 'party' particularly liked him at the moment. He couldn't fathom why...okay he could, but honestly, a man makes mistakes. Lots of mistakes. Traitorous mistakes. Who were they to judge?
Night was trotting beside him faithfully, like usual, but when the wolf stopped to stare at a nearby door in which voices were coming from, Everett simply couldn't contain himself. He pressed his ear to the door to eavesdrop.
"-derstand, Lorraine." That was Riley's lovely voice. And by guessing, Lorraine was probably in the room too. Great. "Why are you doing this? Why didn't you just...wait in the Void for us to get you?"
...
"Riley, I couldn't." Lorraine says, and he moved back on the bed, leaning against the headboard as he waved his hand with an air of slight impatience. Almost paranoid, as if afraid someone were listening in.
"The only way past Lucifer was to sign a contract with him. I couldn't wait for Cyril to chance upon me down there in one of his dreams. By the time he found me, he'd be so close to death that you would never have gotten me out, anyways."
He tilted his head back, closing his eyes tightly in an attempt to ignore the crushing fear. If someone were to find out he was secretly bound to Lucifer, he'd be... well, he wasn't exactly sure.
"I went to the Void with the sole intention of making it back here, to be with you and hopefully to save Cyril's life. If I have to be indebted to Lucy, well, I think that's a price that I will agree to pay."
Riley simply shook her head. She just couldn't understand it. But she could trust Lorraine. He must have some sort of plan in mind, else he wouldn't do something so risky. But what if someone did find out? Would he be taken away? Or...die again?
She wasn't sure what she would do in that case.
But there wasn't much point in arguing this. She sighed, and opened her mouth to speak again. But when she did, the voice wasn't hers.
"Well, aren't you a hero."
The voice came from outside the door.
Lorraine relaxed. Now, it was alright. There was no point in being paranoid over whether or not someone was behind the door. All he needed to know was that there was. He reached under the bed, and retrieved a knife, holding it idly out of sight.
"Well, aren't you a sneak." He sniped back, aggressively, and Riley looked at him strangely. 'What's gotten into him? Why does he hate Everett so much?'
"Come on in here, Ev. You and I should have a little chat."
The door swung open and Everett stepped inside, letting the large black wolf in before closing the door softly behind him. He seemed perfectly pleasant, with his usual calm smile and relaxed body structure. He acted as if nothing was wrong.
But Riley was paranoid. And annoyed. First off, Everett did always show up at the most inopportune moments. Secondly, she didn't exactly trust Everett. She didn't mind him, besides his irksome flirtatious personality. But she didn't trust him either. He and Cyril seemed to have a rather close relationship, and what was stopping Everett from telling too much about what he knew? He was far too secretive for Riley's liking. Not to mention, despite Everett's current demeanor, she had a feeling that both men weren't fond of each other.
She wondered why. Did their personalities just not mix naturally...or was it something more?
"You're in trouble," Everett had opened the conversation with a far too giddy tone. He had dragged a chair from a nearby work table so that he could sit down closer to the bed that the couple were sitting on. Night had curled up at Everett's feet, but his striking yellow eyes did not stray from Lorraine.
Everett rested his chin on his hand, his elbow on his knee. And his grin never left, which was turning the, especially his, atmosphere from obnoxious to somewhat...dire.
"Am I, Mister Bashour?" Lorraine's tone slid away from nervous to deadly. His hand retracted, pulling his knife into view, glinting in the lantern-light of the room. The edge shined a pale silver in the dimness.
Lorraine's eyes flickered briefly to Riley, but returned immediately to the room's newest occupant. Turning his hips, he let his legs hang over the edge of the bed and sat up to cast his gaze into the other's one pale amber eye.
"I always knew you were trying to get rid of me." He said, his tone a little too sinister to really fit Lorraine's usual demeanor. "You've been looking for some proof to expose to Cyril, haven't you? Something to use to make me break contract?"
Lorraine stood, his voice raising a few decibels. "How does it feel to be Lucifer's lapdog, you traitorous bastard?"
Riley tensed, feeling her chest grow tight with panic. She didn't think to reach for a weapon, or even to transform. She simply froze in her place. Her eyes flickered to Lorraine, and still lingered even when he glanced away from her. A fight? Here? Were they crazy? That would definitely attract attention from everyone else on the ship, especially Cyril!
She tried to break free from her panicked spell, but once again, Everett beat her to it. As Night rose and pulled his lips back to show his sharply curved fangs, low growls rumbling in his throat, Everett looked as...calm as ever.
"I could ask that same question to you, eh, Lorraine?" He opened his arms, as if inviting a stabbing to his chest. "Go head. You know you wanna."
"..."
Lorraine's hand clenched the blade until his knuckles turned white. He pulled his arm back, as if he were about to lunge forward, the snarling wolf before him be damned. His muscles contracted, and he looked ready to strike, each of his toned muscles in his arms, chest, and legs visibly tensing in his slacks and through his thin faded gray tanktop.
And then, he dropped the knife. It clattered to the wooden floor, behind the bed, out of view from the door. His hands shook, and the quaking traveled up his arms and into his shoulders, as he hid his face away from Riley and Everett.
"..."
-Click-.
"...Lorraine?" Riley whispered, sitting perfectly still on the bed. Perfectly still. She wasn't about to move.
Not with the barrel of a gun pressed against her temple.
"Sorry, love," was all Everett said, still with that dumbass smile. Riley felt a surge of emotions. Confusion. Hatred. Fear. Millions of questions flooded her mind, and she couldn't put the pieces together. Her first reaction was to attack back. But something else made her stop. Instinct, perhaps. With his finger pressed so tenderly on the trigger, she feared even the slightest movement would cause him to fire.
And then, perhaps, this was all a big joke? He wouldn't really fire...would he?
"You're taking too long, greeny. And to be honest? I'd rather Lucifer be after you, than after me."
"...You BASTARD!"
Lorraine vaulted across the bed, one foot planting in the mattress then springboarding him forward faster than the old gunman could react. He was not aiming for the gun, however, as his light frame crashed with more weight than should have been expected into Everett's heavier build.
The impact threw off the gun's aim, and it fired in the cabin, a blinding flash and loud bang. Riley ducked and shielded her head with her arms, hypersensitive ears and eyes ringing and stinging from the discharge.
There was a roar, Lorraine's roar, a scream that pierced through the air with an animal's unbridled fury. And then Riley was aware of a new scent circulating the room with her canine sense of smell: blood.
The bullet had caught Lorraine's face, grazing it and simultaneously cauterizing the wound simply from the heat of the air around the barrel of the gun; it had been practically touching his face when it fired. There would definitely be a long, thin scar on the left side of his cheek, just above his lower jaw. His eyes were screwed up in pain, and he pulled his fist back, before walloping Everett blindly in the face with it.
When Lorraine leaped, Everett reacted too suddenly...he had no intent to actually pull the trigger, but he seemed to have underestimated Lorraine's...affections for this particular female. In panic, he flailed himself backwards to make the chair tilt. Lorraine rammed him, and while he was a bigger built, the positioning of the chair and the sudden weight forced them both to fall backwards, and for his finger to twitch too hard on the trigger.
Night leaped, and grabbed Lorraine's shirt from behind, pulling it backwards in attempt to pull Lorraine backwards. He was already assaulting the older man's face, and Everett just laid there to take it. After each strike to antagonize Lorraine's rage, Everett would smile and snicker, despite his face being coated in his own blood.
"Lorraine! Lorraine, stop it!" Riley cried out as the ringing in her ears began to quiet, but she didn't know what to do!
"No! He would have killed you, Riley! And I would have had to go and drag you back out, had to sign another deal with Lucifer, I'm not going to let him have the satisfaction-!"
Lorraine was cut short in both his beating and his tirade as a boot planted itself squarely into his shoulder, forcing him off of Everett and rolling away. The ninja did not get up.
Instead, standing over the bloody and damaged Everett was a very tired and irate looking Cyril. Riley noted that he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks... like he hadn't slept since Eira had done that ritual.
"Would anyone care to explain to me," He asked, with all of the (very thin) patience he could muster, "What the hell is going on, and why the hell Everett is a bloody mess on the floor."
His hand rested gravely on the hilt of Bravery, his katana, as he watched the inhabitants of the room. Night silently slipped away, behind Everett, away from the wrathful eyes of Cyril.
Riley went silent. Color drained a little from her face. More than anything, she was afraid of Cyril finding out the truth. She felt dreading panic even with Cyril and Lorraine in the same room. She wanted to speak up, in defense of Lorraine, but at the same time, she didn't want to say something she could never take back.
"Ah...ow..." Everett, somehow, was managing to sit up despite having been punched into a bloody pulp. Well. That wasn't the first time, anyway. He snapped his nose back into relative placement and dabbed his fingers to his face, observing the flow of blood.
"He attacked me," the man responded. He wasn't grinning. In fact, he looked serious, and even afraid, as if Lorraine was insane. "And it's no wonder...after I now know what he is."
Cyril wouldn't see, but Lorraine would; a sparkle in Everett's only eye.
"Liar!"
Lorraine rose from the floor in an instant, fury overcoming his pain and fear enough to throw him back at Everett. He clawed at the injured man, and his hair splayed out behind him, the band having come undone. In his anger, his panting and sweating and movement, it had become an unholy mess; and gave Lorraine the appearance of a lunatic.
The boot came down again, this time into Lorraine's exposed chest, his long coat and cloak not protecting him now. He felt the air get crushed out of his lungs, and went sprawling back, laying flat on his back. Riley immediately hit the floor and slid to his side, putting a hand behind his head and cradling it while looking fearfully up at Cyril.
The greenette laying on the ground was having a hard time breathing. His ribs were at the very least bruised, if not cracked. Riley shook her head in panic, in denial. "Everett's lying!"
"Really? Because I'm pretty sure I heard Lorraine mention 'another' contract with Lucifer. And I'm pretty sure Everett's the one beat half to death, doesn't it look like it?"
Cyril's voice was not one that sounded friendly, or patient, or even reasonable. It sounded full of grief and hate, and like he was clearly looking for someone to take this feeling out on.
Everett's face was rather horribly maimed, but the pain didn't seem to bother him at all. He laid flat on his back a bit longer this time since Lorraine at attacked him yet again, his chest heavily heaving up and down as he struggled to maintain his breath. Night lowered his head and licked at Everett's face, his ears tucked back with a look of concern held deep in his yellow eyes.
"What on Earth is going on in here?" Came an older, gruff voice, and Marous peeked into the room with an obviously irked expression. That look faltered when he realized the situation. Even though these occasions, especially with Everett involved, tended to go along this route, this rage of Cyril's was not something to take lightly. The tension of the room was so thick, he was sure he could cut it with his sword.
"That crazy bastard tried to rip my face off," Everett, or perhaps Vaughn now, had growled, his hand pressed against his bloody face. His eye was now narrowed with anger-any spark that Lorraine would have noticed earlier was gone. His expression was empty. Almost lonely. "Just because I overheard his conversation with that girl. This traitor tried to kill me!"
"No! Don't believe him, Cyril!" Riley urged, not understanding why Cyril was acting this way. There was two against Everett, and it wasn't like Everett had a deep relationship with Cyril. Not in comparison to Cyril's brother. Why would he take Everett's side over his old friends?
She didn't want to touch his chest, but she knew he needed medical attention. And with Eira gone, she would need to apply first aid on him herself.
"...Cyril," Marous muttered, glancing at the white haired angel.
"...Riley, if you care for Lorraine at all," Cyril finally said, after a long silence on his part to try and clear his mind, "You'll tie his arms and help him up. We're going for a walk."
Riley opened her mouth to protest, disgusted with Cyril's personal betrayal to his own brother, but held her tongue after a sharp glance from Marous.
Turning away from them, his expression unreadable, Cyril the Archangel exited the room, slamming the door against the wall on his way out. Marous cast a half-worried stare out the door, then leaned down and shouldered Everett.
"Come." He said to Riley, without looking at her, and he exited after Cyril. Riley simply shook her head at the absurdity of the situation, the unfairness, and her thick golden hair fell over her face in a veil as she used a discarded shirt from their floor to tie Lorraine's wrists in front of him, like a prisoner, and then picked him up to stand on his feet.
He gave her a half appreciative smile, but it was obvious that Cyril had done some damage by how heavily he leaned against her. She stroked a hand through his dark green locks and faked a smile back, doing her best to shoulder his weight as she followed the two leaders of the group.
...
The group, or at least what remained of the group that cared, had assembled in the captain's quarters of the ship. Seated around the table were Kitiara, Felix, and Kaz, all looking particularly sober. Felix had an expression of mixed confusion and sleepiness, Kaz's goofy grin had faded to a grimace, and and even Kitiara had lost her usual bored visage to be replaced by a frown of disapproval.
In one corner, sitting on the bed, was Everett. He looked somewhat less bloody and battered, but incredibly unhappy.
Lorraine was seated in a chair, in the center of the room, with Riley standing right behind him. Her hand rested on his shoulder and squeezed comfortingly, as Cyril and Marous filed into the room. Marous closed the door behind himself, and he and Cyril moved to opposite corners of the room.
Marous coughed anxiously.
'Kinda tense in here,' said Everett's thoughts in Vaughn's mind, but he ignored them. Technically Everett was now in the Void, but he could still sense and know of what was going on through Vaughn's eyes. On the bed, Night was curled up next to him, his head on Vaughn's lap. Though sensing the tension of the group's meeting, the wolf was not so anxious.
Riley's eyes immediately locked onto Cyril in a disgusted glare. She couldn't believe that Cyril would enforce this meeting after deliberately wounding his own brother. And now, it seemed Lorraine was to be charged in front of everyone based on one man's lies. But, she stayed silent. She wouldn't speak unless it was necessary.
"Cyril," began Marous, typically the one to break the ice. "I think everyone is wondering exactly why you brought them all here?"
"I don't know about you, Marous, but I want some answers." Cyril replied, distaste flavoring his voice. He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall and stabilizing himself against the wall with a foot. "Lorraine has been hiding quite a lot from us. Such as a secret dealing with Lucifer. Haven't you, Lorraine?"
The room suddenly fell silent. Felix's eyes seemed to glint a little, but what it meant exactly was hard to tell, aside from a renewed alertness. Kitiara closed her eyes and rested her chin on her palm.
"...Yes," The reaper-in-disguise answered, finally. "You're right. I've been lying to you all."
"Lorraine!" Riley whispered hoarsely, and she squeezed his shoulder tightly. At the point, Lorraine had to wonder whether she was doing it to try and remind him she was there, or to remind herself that he was.
"No, Riley. It looks like I'm finally caught." Lorraine sighed, and he looked up at Cyril, into the man's cold blue eyes.
"I am a liar." He said, calmly. "I have been working for Lucifer this entire time. My contract includes leading you along and making sure you get as much done as you can on his agenda before you die. I have to spy on you and guide you down the 'right' path. It also includes making sure that you never find out any of this."
"And making sure you died," Vaughn tossed in in a gruff voice to Cyril, earning a glare from Riley in particular. He didn't care. Why would he? Lorraine was the one who was caught, and not him. And he praised himself for that. Obviously so, as he was much more fitting for the 'job' than Lorraine was. At least, in Lucifer's eyes, the brother of Cyril could be used, not trusted. Vaughn could much more easily contain his urge to show his twisted grin of victory.
"You can't be serious," Marous said, looking at Lorraine with shock. He just didn't seem the type. And to betray his own brother? Family? The whole situation just seemed unbelievable. "Why would you sign a contract with Lucifer?"
"To save himself." Vaughn absently pet Night's head, making point blank eye contact with Marous, and a straight face. He was a natural liar, and excellent at even bending the truth. And, he was an expert and making so no one would suspect him. "Because he was trapped in the Void. He wanted to save himself to be with Riley, but he first had to fill the contract with the Judge to leave the Void...Lucifer's wishes. Like Lucifer's lapdog." He didn't smile. But his golden eye glinted as he caught Lorraine's stare.
Lorraine's eyes only briefly hovered on Everett, before casting to the floor. He offered little resistance to everything Everett was saying. In fact, his shoulder slumped down, as if silently accepting each word.
"That's not true!" Riley stamped her foot and glared at Vaughn. "Stop trying to get him in trouble. Stop lying!"
Gently, Lorraine leaned his head against her hand, which still maintained a vice grip on his shoulder. He knew. And with a sudden and overwhelming inner strength, Riley lowered her head and hid behind her hair, because she knew, too.
"But he's not lying, is he?" Cyril asked quietly. Kaz and Felix both turned their heads to hear their wizened, seasoned leader speak. "Lorraine, I heard you say you would have to sign 'another' contract. You signed yourself away. You've been working against us this whole time."
"I have been working for Lucifer." Lorraine owned up to this fact, but his head stayed low. Tremors ran through Riley's spine as she remembered what he had cautioned before: 'If they find out, I'm going to die.'
"The entire time?"
"Yes, Cyril. I have been indentured to Lucifer since I returned. Everything that we have done has been on his agenda. I convinced you to play into his hands."
"...well, then." Cyril's arms uncrossed and one rested uncomfortably on the hilt of Bravery. He looked away; perhaps ashamed, or disappointed, or maybe... afraid. "I suppose all that's left to do, then, is to take a group vote on what to do with you."
"What to do with him?" Riley asked, sharply, her head jerking up. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and her body urged her to transform, to defend, or to take Lorraine and run.
"Yes." The old hero replied, tiredly. "We will vote on whether or not to exile Lorraine."
The room went steadily quiet, enough to hear a pin drop. Either everyone was in shock of Cyril's proposal, or, were considering how to respond.
"Exile...?" Riley responded, breathlessly.
Kaz, resting his chin on his fist, raised an eyebrow. He looked like he was about to say something. However, he caught the whitening expression on Riley's face, and he immediately went silent. He leaned back in his chair, nervously looking around the room in hesitance.
Marous however was stoic as usual. He seemed to be considering his answer carefully, his eyes glaring at the table in front of him and occasionally would glance side to side. He impatiently crossed his arms over his chest, and voiced the first opinion.
"I vote yes."
A chill went up Riley's spine, but she stayed mute. She didn't let go of Lorraine's shoulder, afraid if she did, he would leave her again.
"Well, hell with you." Felix grumbled. He slapped the table in front of him, and stood up, pushing his chair back with a screech against the hardwood floor. His frame, well built and toned with scars and abuse on his exposed arms, was almost intimidating. "Lorraine's been nothing but good to us since he came back. Who cares if he has some skeletons in his closet? Don't we all? I vote no."
Cyril folded his arms over his chest again. This time, his posture did not indicate anger, instead representing fear and uncertainty. Riley's eyes narrowed on him.
"...I say yes." He said, after some thought. And then he fell silent. Unhappiness radiated in the air around him, mixed with anger and betrayal.
Kitiara looked at her husband, standing tensed and poised to fight. She thought about what he meant to her, and tried to wrap her head around what Lorraine meant to her, by extension. He had taken her to rescue Felix and Emily, after all. And if Felix was going to stand up for Lorraine, well...
"No." Her flawless lips uttered, serenely and simply. She stood with a grace that only she out of all of the room's occupants could have, and Felix appreciatively latched his hand to hers.
Kaz was keeping his head down, wishing he either wasn't here or could disappear from this room. This was too much pressure, and the carefree Kaz hated pressure.
"Some skeletons? Oh sure," Vaughn scoffed, starting to smirk, but this time he abandoned the attention he was giving Lorraine and instead focused on Felix. He didn't care if anyone glared at him, or even plotted to murder him. But things were working more smoothly than he expected. "Only good to you in order for things to go exactly how Lucifer wants them to go." He waved his hand, as if shooing something away. "Yes."
"Of course I say no!" Riley threw her vote out, as if afraid they weren't going to count it unless she made herself known. Her voice cracked, slightly, and she felt a tear run down her cheek as she bowed her head again and threw her arms around Lorraine's neck. It was an even vote. What did that mean? "It's a tie."
"Hold on." Vaughn said, his voice easing from his throat like a wolf's contained growl. "Someone still hasn't voted yet." He nodded his head toward the one still-seated member of the table.
And then, everyone looked at Kaz. Poor Kaz. He sat there, shrinking in his chair, eyes cast downward like a lonely, abused puppy. If he was in his dog form, his ears would be blending into his fur. He hung his head for a long period of time, although each passing second felt like an hour.
The determining factor.
"..." He opened his mouth, and ended up biting his lip. However, he avoided eye contact with his half sister. He couldn't bear to look at her, even though he knew what he was suppose to do.
"...Yeah. Sorry, sis."
"...w-why?" Riley felt her entire body go numb. "You're my brother. You and Lorraine are good friends. You know with his house destroyed we have nowhere to go. Why would you..."
"Sorry." Kaz repeated. "I just don't think it's safe for him to be here right now, Riley." With that, keeping his back to Riley, he stood up slowly. It looked like a very heavy weight was resting on his shoulders.
"...That settles it, then." Marous said, stonily. He felt that Cyril would be unable to speak, so opted to speak for him. "Lorraine... I'm sorry."
"You have an hour. Get your things and get off our ship. I don't care where you go." Cyril said coldly, as Kaz began to slink towards the locked door.
The door in question swung open and slammed into the wall with a bang. Kaz stumbled backwards and fell onto his butt, looking up at who had just stormed in.
Standing with his foot positioned right about where the door handle used to be was Chris 'Volt' Sparks. Electricity crackled around him, focusing on his pointed snow-white hair. Behind him, Emily stood, glaring into the room at all of the occupants.
"And where's my vote?" Volt demanded, as he let his foot lower to the floor, smoke wafting in small amounts from his boots and gloves. "Why don't I get a say in whether or not to condemn one of our best friends to death by Lucifer?"
Emily leaned against the doorway, slight in comparison to Volt's towering (if thin) figure. "I say no!" She declared angrily. "Lorraine came and got Dad and I from the Void. He did that because he's a good man."
"Out, kids." Cyril ordered, impatiently. "This is no place for children. The discussion is over."
"Volt..." Marous muttered in slight shock. Had the kids been listening in on their discussion? To answer his own question, he should have predicted that happening. He stroked his chin, having to agree with Cyril again. He wasn't in the Void, or ever been there, but he had heard that Felix and Emily were rescued from the place by Lorraine. But that only furthers his questioning of Lorraine's 'loyalty'. Good man or not, good intentions or not, it was clear that Lorraine was not working with any other provisional efforts other than to assist Lucifer in his plans.
"Perhaps Lorraine is a good man," he concluded, more to verify this to himself than anyone else in the room. "But that doesn't negate the fact of what he's doing, which is strictly putting Cyril in danger."
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Volt. Emily. But your votes will not be validated."
Vaughn was completely silent, still enough that he seemed to be barely showing signs of life. He was staring at Volt, however, with a glower, but void of any solid emotion. The gears seemed to be working in his head. His shoulders just barely relaxed when Marous and Cyril both told the kids to shut their mouths. Vaughn couldn't let anything go off track at this moment, as, it could turn devastating for him.
He felt bad, in a way, but he was to the point where he forced himself to push aside compassion for other individuals. While he recognized how much Lorraine meant to Cyril, Lorraine was still a danger to himself, Everett. And to him, Cyril was much more valuable than Lorraine was. He refused to shove aside his value as a human being, to become a demon like Lucifer would appreciate.
If Lorraine was still alive later, maybe Vaughn would make it up to him somehow.
"It's okay, Volt, Emily." Lorraine said. He stood up, hands still bound in front of him. Riley moved closer to him, and he shook his head to her. "I'll go. It'll be alright, Riley. You can contact me whenever you need, okay?"
Her fist pounded on his shoulder."No! How can you say that! I'm not letting you leave my sight!" She cried out, and he raised his bound hands to stop her, gentle, calming. For the first time, he seemed aware of the tears that streamed down her face.
"...Come here." He replied, a half whisper, and she rushed into his chest. Lorraine closed his eyes and tried to wrap his arms around her, but the bindings got in the way of that. Instead, he rocked slowly on his feet, back and forth. Hair forming a golden veil, she whispered in his ear: "I'm coming with you."
Felix, who was looking increasingly aggravated, moved up to Lorraine's side. He cast a glance back at Kitiara, and then a glare to Cyril. "I'm leaving, too." He said, disinterestedly. "Kitiara? Emily?"
Still crackling, Volt looked at Cyril with absolute disgust. "You've changed, Cyril. Since Eira left, you've done nothing but wallow in misery and hate."
The whole group was falling apart. Kaz looked very uncomfortable as he kept glancing to the door to time his effort in slipping out undetected. Marous kept perfectly still after he sat back down in his chair and covered his face with his hand. He felt so old, so tired of everything. Vaughn was stoic as usual, that no one would suspect the feeling of accomplishment that he felt.
"I will come, as well," Kitiara announced, her red eyes glaring at each of them in turn. She especially lingered on the cowering Kaz, disgusted with how he betrayed his half sister. They may all have a point about doubting Lorraine's intentions. However, what they were currently doing to him was nothing more than abusive, especially since Lorraine had saved her husband and daughter. In a way, she did have a debt to pay. Emily ran up without another word and grabbed Felix's hand, holding it tightly yet reassuringly.
"...I will escort you all out then," Marous spoke, ignoring his son's words to Cyril. He didn't want to hear about Eira's 'leaving' either. He stood up, holding on the table for support until he could retain his balance on his own. He just...felt tired. Sick. "If you would please follow me."
However, he walked up to Lorraine, whom was still considered a prisoner, and grabbed him by the wrist. As he did though, he muttered; "I'm sorry it had to come to this." He tugged a little to indicate Lorraine to follow, to lead them all to the deck of the ship. As he did, he did not make any more eye contact.
Lorraine pulled away, casting a cloudy look at Marous. He wrenched his arm away from the old warrior, and a long, black wing spread from his right shoulder- not a fallen angel's wing, but something more... unnatural. A reaper's wing, ethereal, black and terrible. The cloth bindings on his wrists tore with a loud cloth splitting.
"Do not believe for a moment that you 'captured' me." His tone has shifted from the soothing whisper he gave to Riley to a cold statement of fact as he looked at Marous. The rest of the room at least somewhat recoiled in shock at the revelation, but Riley only clung to his right arm, staring.
"W..what are you?" Cyril asked, breaking his vow of silence, whether for fear or curiosity was indeterminable. The look in Volt's eyes, and Emily and everyone else, reflected these feelings.
"The same thing I've always been." Lorraine replied. "A traitor, right?"
Cyril was struck speechless.
"I don't need you to escort me out, Marous." The reaper said, evenly. "Riley, I'm going home, okay? Or at least, what's left of it. I'll meet you there."
"..." The bubbly girl looked at him, and then let go of his arm. "...I'll go and get our stuff."
Lorraine looked back at Felix, and the gunslinger clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks for vouching for me."
"Hey." Felix smiled tiredly, his weariness clearly defined in the worn lines under his eyes. He wrapped an arm around Kitara's shoulder, and she breathed out a sigh. "That's what friends do. You know how to get to our home. Kit, Emily, let's go and pack up."
"...Okay, Dad." Emily turned and headed for the door, briefly pausing to hug Volt around the waist. "Thank you for bringing me, Uncle Volt."
"No problem, Emma." Volt grinned, but it had no real joy behind it. He ruffled her hair, and she grinned, chocolate eyes shining up at him. This brought a little bit of true happiness, a reminder of the youth in the man she got her eyes from. 'Speaking of...'
"Big brother? Kitiara?"
"Yeah, Chris?" Felix asked.
"...can I come and stay with you guys a while?"
"Absolutely not." Marous looked appalled. He stepped in front of Volt, facing him and glaring right into his eyes. He seemed to forget all about Lorraine and everything he was for the brief moment that Volt made his suggestion to go with them, away. Along with anger, though, a fear was barely hidden deep in his stare.
"Don't be ridiculous, Volt. These people, if for their own reasons, are traitors to us. They will never be allowed to return. Think before you make decisions."
"If the kid wants to go, let him," Vaughn interjected roughly. "He's old enough to make decisions."
"...I will not have my son branded a traitor." Marous turned to fiercely glare at the middle aged man, enough that while Vaughn grew firm, seemed to wince. "Volt, I forbid this."
"Forgive me for saying this, but screw you, Dad." Volt's hands clenched into fists. "I would rather be branded a traitor than support a foolish cause. You're wrong. Cyril's wrong. And I'm done tagging along with whatever you guys do just because you're our self-elected leaders."
Lorraine arched a brow at Volt, then Marous and Cyril. "I think that I've done enough for today, hmm?" He said aloud to nobody in particular, and then walked out the door, brushing past Kaz. Riley followed, and closed it behind herself, none too gently.
"...Volt, be reasonable..." Cyril interjected. He moved forward, extending a hand to the younger man. "We're your friends. We worked together for two decades."
"Friends?" Volt turned his rage onto Cyril. "'Friends' don't exile other friends! 'Friends' don't call other friends traitors!" He stomped his foot, angrily, and turned around to face Felix and Kitiara once more.
"Look, big bro, whether or not you offer me a place to stay, I'm getting out of here."
Felix and Kitiara exchanged a quick look, and then Kitiara returned her attention to Volt. "Of course you can stay." She said. "Our home is your home."
"Great." Volt grunted, and he shook his head at Marous. "I'm leaving. Maybe I'll come back when you," Head nod towards Cyril, "And he both get your damned heads on straight. Contact me when you think you're more stable." Fury tinting his every action, Volt reached for the doorhandle and yanked it open.
"But, Volt," Cyril said, in an attempt to stop him. He hesitated at the door, and looked back over his shoulder. Hesitant, Cyril looked around the room, at the rest of the occupants, most of which were about to leave. "What about the rest of the group? What about our team?"
Volt laughed once, and then stepped out. "The team is dead." He called over his shoulder, and then left down the hallway to collect his things.