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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 18, 2012 21:32:21 GMT -5
"All right, Mharie, then I shall see you again tomorrow evening, at 10:15?"
"Yes, I'll be here. Thank you."
"You are quite welcome." Autumn smiled and hung up the phone at Safe Place, then made some notes before confirming the appointment on her computer and checking for her next one. Marissa having had to leave town for a while, she was helping the others cover for her. Autumn looked at the clock. Calixta, shellan of Rhudd, was due any minute.
Taking a look, and seeing that the female had not yet arrived, Autumn sat back down and took care of paperwork while she waited.
She had been working steadily for a while before she checked the time again. Calixta was late. Very late, and it was uncharacteristic of her, especially to be so without notice. Frowning, she waited a little longer, then, after half an hour, finally looked up her home number and gave her a call.
No answer. She tried her cell and work numbers, no answer, and she had not shown up at work yet this week. Her frown deepened as her bad feeling got worse.
Autumn tapped her desk for a few moments, then making a decision, debated a few moments before calling Xhex and waiting for an answer while she wrote down the female's home address.
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 18, 2012 21:43:24 GMT -5
Pausing in dressing, she picked up her phone, curious what Autumn would need while she was working. "Mahmen? What's up?"
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 18, 2012 21:49:40 GMT -5
"Hello, daughter mine. I have a favor to ask of you. My 9:00 appointment has not shown, and I am extremely concerned. She hasn't called and isn't answering the, nor has she been heard from at work. And her male has a history of a violent temper. Would you mind going to her house with me, just to make sure she is well?"
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 18, 2012 22:23:40 GMT -5
Grabbing her jacket, she headed out the door, the phone still at her ear. "Sure, no problem. I'm on my way and should be there soon." She paused as she stepped out of the front door of the mansion. "Wait. Tohr doesn't know about this, does he?"
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 18, 2012 22:27:15 GMT -5
She paused. "No, he does not. He's on patrol, I thought it best not to disturb him." Straightened a sheet of paper in front of her, then the pen next to it.
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 18, 2012 22:41:45 GMT -5
"Uh huh." Chuckling, she headed down the steps. "Right, didn't want to disturb him. Okay, I'm on my way, should be there in a minute." She hung up, tucked her phone in her pocket, and let herself demat away. Reappearing at Safe Place, she went through the security and went straight to Autumn's office. "Hello, mahmen. Who is the female? And her hellren?"
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 18, 2012 22:51:53 GMT -5
The file had just finished printing off and Autumn skimmed it grimly as she answered Xhex. "Calixta, daughter of Renix, and Rhudd, son of Sorin."
She handed her the address. "Are you familiar with this area?"
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 18, 2012 22:59:27 GMT -5
Eyes narrowed, she read the address and nodded. "I know the area and know of this Rhudd. He frequents the Mask and I can't say that I'm fond of the male." She handed the paper back to Autumn. "I'll go no matter what, but are you sure you want to do this? Whatever has happened to Calixta may not be pretty." Her argument was different than Tohr's would be. She knew that Autumn could handle herself and she would be there to keep her safe, but her mahmen hadn't seen many situations like this...at least since she was in it herself.
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 18, 2012 23:19:15 GMT -5
She met her daughter's eyes, and needed not to read her grid to know what she meant, but she straightened her back and nodded, determined. "Even more now than before, pretty or not. I need to know she is well."
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 18, 2012 23:39:18 GMT -5
She considered her mahmen for a minute and then nodded once. "Alright, let's get going then." She led to the garage and grabbed the keys to one of Safe Place's SUVs. "We'll take a truck, just in case we have to get Calixta out of the house and she can't demat on her own." Climbing into the driver's seat, she waited for Autumn to join her in the vehicle, before she opened the large garage door and backed out. "I think it best you do the talking when we get there, you're more of a peace keeper. But I have your back if things get hairy." She glanced over. "You have your dagger on you, mahmen?"
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 18, 2012 23:55:04 GMT -5
She smiled and pulled the blade out from its hidden spot. "Always, daughter mine. Fear not."
She put it away carefully while hex pulled out, and they drove through the night to the house in question, Autumn doing her best not to fret, but she found herself twisting the hems of her sleeves. The truth was, as soon as the female's boss said they hadn't heard from her, her mind had begun coming up with all sorts of possibilities, and had not stopped. At this point, if they found her in one piece, it would be a relief.
But as they reached the house, her mind went to her past, and her hand went to the concealed hilt of her dagger as she took a breath. There was something about it, and she knew which one it was before Xhex said the words.
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 19, 2012 0:17:23 GMT -5
"We're here." She pulled the SUV to a stop across the street from the house and turned the vehicle off. She spread her senses wide, feeling for anyone around or anything wrong. There was nothing outside the house that alerted her, but there was nothing good coming out of the house. There was so much rage and fear...but that gave her hope. If there was fear, that meant that Calixta was likely still alive. "Okay, its bad in there, but we can't leave her alone. So let's just get in, get her, and get the hell out." Looking over at Autumn, her gaze serious and jaw set. "Don't be the hero, if we need help we'll fall back and call for it. Tohr would kill us both if you manage to get hurt." She cleared her throat. "So, please, be careful."
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 19, 2012 0:38:47 GMT -5
Looking over at Xhex, she suppressed a smile, and simply nodded, somehow a little more relaxed than she was. "Very well, I shall...fall back, with you. And I shall be careful, as always."
But she hoped, deep down, that when they left, it would be with the female.
Allowing Xhex to take the lead for safety's sake, she followed close behind, keeping her eyes peeled. She did not like it here, and the 'get the hell out' plan was starting to sound like a very good one. But not before seeing Calixta for herself.
As Xhex knocked on the door, and after a moment, Autumn called out. "Calixta?"
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 19, 2012 0:52:26 GMT -5
Standing behind Autumn, she had a hand on her dagger, waiting for the door to open. For a couple minutes, it was quiet, but she knew they were inside. Suddenly the door was flung open and the big male, Rhudd, stood there, glaring at them.
"Go away."
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 19, 2012 1:06:39 GMT -5
She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. "We are friends of Calixta, and we wish to speak with her."
A movement behind him caught her eyes...something in the corner of the room. Calixta, she suspected.
"She's not home..." he growled low. In warning.
"I believe she's behind you, just there?" Pointed to the darkened and occupied corner, and looked at the man.
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Post by Xhex Tehrror on Dec 19, 2012 1:17:44 GMT -5
She eyed the male, her look clearly telling him that they weren't leaving until they saw the female. "Just let us see her and we'll be on our way. We're just friends." The male hesitated, clearly weighing his options. An odd look came over his face as he stood back to let them in. Keeping a hand on her mahmen's elbow to keep her from rushing into the house to Calixta, she slowly led Autumn in. "Calixta? Are you alright?" The female was in the shadows, but she could feel the fear clearly coming off of her.
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Post by Autumn Hharm on Dec 19, 2012 1:29:36 GMT -5
She found a strange relief in the female's fearful state. She had not completely resigned herself to this. She had not lost hope. She simply had yet to find a way out.
Suddenly, the door slammed shut, and as they spun around they saw the male standing by the door. "You should have left while you had the chance."
She moved closer to Xhex, then looked up as her daughter breathed out a curse, and it occurred to her that perhaps, at the very least, she should have left a message for Tohr, at Safe Place, or the Brotherhood manse. Also, that calling Xhex to come with her had been a good idea. A very good idea indeed.
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