[Ethan Rivers]

In the moment, before I lose my mind
These hours don't mean anything this time

---

It was nine thirty at night, and Ethan was still in his office. He had a mountain of paperwork to get through, but it was going to have to come home with him. He hadn't even stopped to eat dinner yet, and his stomach growled. He was so pissed off that his father dumped another case in his lap this week, like he didn’t have enough work to do already.

Ethan despised it when he had to take on a new Guild client, but he couldn’t very well refuse. This one was a human who was careless and got caught trespassing by an overly zealous officer, who he mouthed off to until he got himself arrested. It wasn’t the hardest case to get sorted out, but it still took time. It set him back on his other cases, and now here he was on a Friday night, trying to keep from taking work home with him for the weekend and failing.

With a heavy sigh, Ethan decided it was time to call it quits for the night. He needed dinner, and he needed to get out of the office. He packed up his files and laptop, grabbed his keys, and shut off the office lights as he left. As usual, he was the last one out, but that didn’t bother him. He was still the low man on the totem pole around the firm, but he was quickly proving how much of an asset he was to have around. He brought in a decent client base on his own, on top of the clients that his father sent his way.

When Ethan pulled into the bar parking lot, he left his navy blue suit jacket and his tie in the car. He made his way to the counter and took an empty seat. It wasn’t as busy as the place normally was at five and six o’clock, but for being just past ten now, it was still plenty busy. He recognized a few faces around the room, other regulars, but he had his mind on food.

”Hey, Keith.” He greeted the bartender as he sat down. ”Can I get a blue moon draft and a cuban?” He places his order, not needing a menu. He’d been there enough times to know that the cuban sandwich was the best thing on the menu.

---

Tag: open

[Deleted]

Ethan Rivers 

Blood was running from his nose when Lorenzo entered the bar. He was panting, looked tired but didn’t seem to notice the river of blood which was slowly turning his pale blue t shirt into red. Beside the bloody nose and the nervousness he looked like a normal guy : he smelled soap, had basic and clean clothes and a recent hair cut. He walked straight to the counter, avoiding the stunned looks from the other costumers. He sat on a stool like if everything was normal but he seemed very worried. Lorenzo asked for -he hesitated for a long time, like he didn’t remenbered very well his own taste – a Cuba Libre ? Yeah a Cuba Libre, smiled nervously Lorenzo. Make it strong. A Cuba Libre. He seemed suprised by his own choice. The french guy glanced briefly at Ethan and became more relaxed.

-And I want a...Cuban...Sandwich… ? He added with an almost incomprehensible french accent.

Keith didn’t made any of those and studied the stranger suspiciously. The young guy then frowned. He opened his backpack and grabbed a charming little diary with an emerald green velvet cover. The delicate book seemed odd in his bruised hands. Then, he took a look out the window like a fearful wounded animal. He then began to talk to him self, his intentions changing every few seconds. It was a little bit scary.

-Think...Ils vont me retrouver, ils n’y a pas trente-six restau dans ce quartier. No this is not your nervousness, you know you got this, you got this… But at least the cuban sandwich is the best, he then said softly. Je laisse passer vingt minute ici, je reste focus sur ce mec calme, j’attends qu’un taxi apparaisse enfin, je rentre à East End…. Those are my thoughts. Those are my hands. My nose hurts me...Or is it mine ? Yes it is.

Keith softly waved his hand in front of the stranger’s face. That lost kid didn’t scared Keith -this dude was just a little off-loop – but the other custumers were used to lesser Tarantinian meals and he had a business to run.

-Look sir… You can’t stay here. Don’t take it personally but...you’re weird. And you’re making the other customers uncomfortable.

A long silence followed this sentence.

-Your customers are making me uncomfortable, gloomily replied Lorenzo.

There was something suddenly truly lugubrious about this young man, something Keith hadn’t noticed when he made his first entrance. The stranger cleaned his nose with his sleeves, still avoiding any eye contact with Keith. The bartender stayed poker-faced : Keith knew people, it was part of the job, and he knew that despite his threatening outside this guy was going to leave without a fight.

-I only need to hide for twenty minutes and I can pay good money for these, tried Lorenzo in a feeble whisper.

Keith didn’t answered and kept staring at the shifty gaze of the french guy. As he progressively understood he had to leave and confront whatever was scarring him outside, the spark inside Lorenzo’s eyes became a bitter ash heap.

-Your customers have some pretty weird side too you know. Lorenzo kept avoiding Keith's eyes while his index was nervously scratching a tomato spot glued on the counter. They’re just better at hinding them.

-Come on, dude. Don't make me call the cops. 

[Ethan Rivers]

In the moment, before I lose my mind
These hours don't mean anything this time

---

Ethan finished his first beer and was working on his second round while he waited for his food. He scrolled on his phone, catching up on social media posts. About the time the bartender, Keith, put the cuban sandwich in front of him, another patron had come in. The man had clearly been through something, and he was bleeding from the nose. It had dripped and stained his shirt, and other customers didn’t appear pleased with his entrance. Ethan should have been more surprised than he was, but between his line of work and his fathers, he’d seen worse than a bleeding nose.

The man sat at the counter, near where Ethan was sitting. It seemed like Keith wasn’t thrilled to have him in the bar, and it was no surprise. What bartender wanted someone who had already so clearly been in a fight of some sort inside their bar? When the guy looked his way, Ethan gave a polite nod, and then focused back on his dinner and scrolling through his phone. He heard the stranger order the same sandwich, and he thought it was a good choice on the man’s part. The sandwich was just as good as he remembered.

Keith seemed to take greater offense when the guy began talking to himself, in a mixture of French and English, swapping between them. Ethan didn’t understand more than a few words of French that he could remember from his high school language course, but the impression he got was either the man was scared of someone, or mentally ill. Either way, Keith was trying to get him to leave.

Ethan listened to the back and forth between the bartender and the customer, and he could see that Keith was losing patience. He’d come to this bar enough, known Keith long enough, that it was easy to tell when he was fed up. It wasn’t long before he threatened to call the cops.

“Keith, how about you make him a sandwich to go? Guy’s clearly been through it.” Ethan offered up the compromise. “What do you say, man? If he makes you one to go, you willing to head out without a scene?” He directed the second question at the bloodied customer.

"I guess, but then you gotta go, man." Keith grumbled, and moved to the back to get the sandwich started.

---

@gwen
Let me know for any changes.

[Deleted]

Aimee  and Macon Falcon  ***


This sandwich could buy him five more minutes. Was it a good idea ? Maybe be it was better to find an other place where he could stay longer. After all, he wanted to stay here because he hadn’t find any cab or bus to go back to East End and he had quicly understood that, on foot, the guy he had stolen from was healthier and would be faster than him. He wanted to hide here but that was not a option anymore, so he was back to plan A...Run as fast as he could ?

I can't  flee everytime I'm in trouble. What would Robert think?
But what would think Flora if her notebook get caught back because his brother wanted to go full Shwarzenezer against a gifted who clearly out-smarted and out-talented him.
She would be super mad.
Okay, just run. 

He was ready to annouce he was leaving without « Keith » having to swap a sandwich for the peace of his current customers but something made him stand and glance once again through the windows. He immediatly get back to his tomato spot. As white as a ghost.

Did he dreamt ? He tought he had seen him. The man hunting him.

The priest.

He sat back faintly on his stool and gripped his sister's green notebook. Lorenzo wasn’t going to give the book back to the scary priest. Never. This was the only lead he had for months to explain FLora's disapearance.. 

But now I'm trapped here. I should have run from the start, why did I try to hide? Never good to be a coward. What do I do ?

By the punch he had recieved from him, Lorenzo could tell the man could fight. But the fist-fight was not the issue : Lorenzo was a skilled boxer, he would win, he was confident about it. What scared him was the « Gift » this guy might have. The little reading he had made across Flora’s notes had learned Lorenzo that himself was one of few gifted to have a gift which didn’t obey to him, who cursed him instead of making him strong.. Other gifted could fly, turn into dogs, throw fireball, turn invisible, learn entire libraries without forgeting a single word… And him, Lorenzo, was just a sponge for other’s feelings. But he would have bet, on the other hand, that this guy had a real useful gift. Or...not?

What do I do? Maybe this guy isn't that strong, I can check.

Lorenzo began to read the notebook of his sister. Seeing her assiduous but fierce handwritting created a sad bump into Lorenzo's heart. Stay focus.  There was names, sometimes photos, profession, adresses and « gift. » He found what he was looking for, but it didn’t help him that much. Flora had wrotten, behind the adress of the church:

Macon Falcon

Priest

Fear Control.

What do I do with that ? What does that even means ? Anyway, that looks scary and out of my league. Back to the begining: I have to find a way to get out of here.

- Thank you for the….Compromise. You’re used to this place, aren’t you ? Asked Lorenzo to the guy next to him, who seemed to be one of the customers mainly indifferent to his entrance.

Lorenzo didn’t know how to ask what he wanted to ask without sounding even crazier than he currently looked like but… Well, he should just ask then. The cautious french took thirty seconds to allow the guys feelings to reach his brain. He never understood how to use his gift he just...Let that magical skill do its own thing. He didn't learn much though. Behind the calm there was something less centered into the emotional core of this guy, Lorenzo could feably feel it, something ancient, like a old envy ? But the guy was solid and calm for now on: maybe the lack of interest for Lorenzo could be an issue, but it could be helpful too. Anyway, Lorenzo was trapped, he had to try to talk to him.

-Is there an other entry ? He asked with a miscrosopically small move from his head toward the front door. I’ll be out of here in no time, I swear. Keith won't ever see me again. But I truly can’t leave through the front door. It would be ...dangerous.

Lorenzo realised how threatening this last sentence seemed. He rectified:

-...F...F...For me. Dangerous for me. You're safe. I ...guess.
 

[Ethan Rivers]

In the moment, before I lose my mind
These hours don't mean anything this time

---

There was clearly something that had this man terrified. Ethan had seen some of his clients after a rough fight in worse shape, but it was unusual for someone to wander into a bar like this one. It wasn’t like they were in a hole in the wall in the East End. Ethan watched him, seeming to grapple with his own thoughts and clutch a little green notebook.

”I come here on a somewhat regular basis, yeah.” Ethan replied with a small nod. ”What brought you in? Are you running from something? Someone?”

Ethan wasn’t bothered by the fact that he was prying into this guy’s personal business. He seemed panicked, freaked out by something, clearly. He glanced toward the door, figuring if the person was following him they’d have been inside the bar by now. Or maybe they were waiting him out? It wasn’t Ethan’s problem, but he was still in work mode and it wasn’t like he really had anything better to do at the moment.

The guy asked about an alternate entrance, and Ethan shook his head. He knew there had to be a back door, likely through the kitchen, but he wasn’t that familiar with the place. He was somewhat of a regular, that was it. Then the guy confirmed that there was something dangerous about him leaving through the front entrance.

”I’m pretty sure that’s the only entrance. What’s got you so on edge? You get into a fight or something?” A fight was the best guest, considering the bloodied nose he was sporting.

---

@gwen and Macon Falcon
Sorry it’s short. Let me know for changes.

[Macon Falcon]

That little green notebook. Macon knew he should have burned that thing as soon as he got his hands on it. All the information that reporter gathered though; it was so tantalizing. Instead of being fed bits and pieces from people giving confessions or people coming to him for advice, he had names, addresses, power lists. The scouting had been done for him, all that was left was the hunting. Of course, things were never so easy. Someone was going to find it and try to make use of it, and that was just bad for business. Bad for those lost gifted that needed his guidance.

Macon didn’t know just how long he had been chasing this French man around town, but it was going on long enough. It was about this point that the physically unfit gave in to their enflamed lungs, giving him ample opportunity to pounce. He didn’t really care what happened with the guy, at this point he just wanted the book to be destroyed completely, whatever claim the man might make against him, Macon could find a way to keep his nose clean. The book was the real threat and it couldn’t be allowed to be used for any purposes outside of Macon’s attempts at enlightenment.

Before the man he was chasing could fall to his knees on the wild and dark streets of Los Eurosia, he ducked into the inviting lights of a bar. Macon grunted, pulling the acceleration of his sprint back into a brisk walk, his head twitching nervously. The man was smart enough to know he was safe as long as he had eyes on him, that was clear. How long before he would be forced out of there though was another question, one that Macon was hoping to force a quick answer to.

Macon kept to the outskirts of the building, close enough to the windows that he could peer in without making his presence known to those inside. It wasn’t like the man he was pursuing disappeared into the crowd, all he had to do was watch the direction everyone else had their head in. Seemed like he was making himself comfortable, so Macon figured he’d do the same.

Pulling up the hood of his sweater and asking one of the patrons outside of the bar for a cigarette, Macon did his best to disguise himself somewhat, looking like a regular pub crawler waiting outside the joint to smoke a quick dart. It made him feel a bit more secure standing next to one of the windows, looking in as his face was casted behind shadows.

The man seemed rather jittery. One could say fearful. Which was good, that’s how Macon operated.

In a calming fashion, Macon released a billow of wind of his nostrils, then eyed Lorenzo.

Suddenly, Lorenzo would feel the coldness of a steel barrel at the back of his head, then the metallic click unmistakeable to how the media portrayed the cocking of a handgun. If he tried to turn around again, he would see an image of Macon standing before him, exactly as he remembered before the chase had begun, dark intense eyes and emotionless expression, handgun dead to rights. “Let’s walk this back a bit” he spoke rather coldly. “You have my book, I have your life. We trade or I take both” he added concisely.

Of course, this ultimatum and show of force would only be visible to Lorenzo. As far as everyone else in the bar was aware, including Ethan, there was absolutely no one standing behind Lorenzo, let alone putting a gun to his head.

Outside of the bar though, the real Macon would be watching the display from the safety of the shadows, casually smoking his cigarette.

[Deleted]

Ethan Rivers Macon Falcon

-Are you running from something ? Someone ? 

The calm and normality of this guy -it was almost like if they were in a sort of professional relationship, like if he was a psychologist or those kinds of profession – miraculously calmed Lorenzo down. He began to focus on this guy. The peacefulness of this man became Lorenzo’s peacefulness also, and it was like if Lorenzo felt like he knew he would be able to handle the strangeness of the strange guy but, also Lorenzo was willing to be a decent guy even if he was slightly indefferent to the current situation. That’s how he feels...How nice that must be to be clear-headed and steady like this guy every day, tought Lorenzo. The french guy discovered he was slightly jealous of the state of mind of his conversation partner. Lorenzo smiled because of it : he loved to feel his own personal feeling, even if it was a disgracious feeling as envy. It made him felt like he was consistant...A true persona. Not a box filled with others's sensation. Or a leech sucking the quietness of every (aproximately) mentally stable person who passed by.

-Yes, confessed Lorenzo straight away even if he knew he would make him look like a crazy person. It would be good to have someone who had an idea of the truth if things went messy. He felt how indefferent but decent this guy was. Lorenzo was lucid now, he could use his instinct: he had a good gut feeling about this neat and tidy guy. Someone stole this notebook from my sister. It could put innocent people into trouble, my sister have collected...info she should have kept better hidden. And also, I need the book to find my sister.

Lorenzo looked down at his own hands who had stopped shaking since he linked to this man feelings.

-Only one entrance you said? As soon as I walked outside, this guy is going to take this notebook from me. He’s...Stronger.

And smarter. And sober. And faster. And everything-er, realised Lorenzo. But it was almost funny, because he was so connected to Ethan’s mood that those troubles seemed...Far way. Nothing really matters to you personaly right now, it’s your night off. He suddenly truly didn’t care. Just like if he was Ethan. But just like Ethan he wanted to do things properly if he could. He felt so competent he used his gift to feel people feelings toward the bar, to the core values of the clients : most of them just wanted to live their life without others interfering, some of them were frightened to lose everything because they would have been « to dumb too good », others were ready to do evil things to succeed...What a bar filled with nice people. Lorenzo realised than the detachment of Ethan was the best he could find into this room. Ethan was...The best human being into this room. He had some basic values and curiosity that others customers didn't had.

-Er...Look, whispered Lorenzo while slipping the notebook toward Ethan. Could you...Hide it for me? Until I came back? ...He’s going to find me...But if the book isn't on me …

Then...How ? The Priest suddenly pop up in front of Lorenzo… A gun into his hands. Pointed at Lorenzo’s face. The French felt from his stools, as white as a sheet . He immediately raise his hands above his heads. I can't die, not until I've find Flora. I can't die. I don't want to die. I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!

-Wait, wait ...wait ! I’m going to give it to you ! Don’t shoot, don’t shoot ! Don’t panick, don’t shoot ! Im gonna give you the book ! DON’T SHOOT PLEASE!!

His survival instinct act instead of him: he linked at all the people at the bar, so desperatly attached to their little normal lifes, and his animal terror of being point at with a gun contaminated them. All of a sudden, a storm of screams flooded the bar.

[Ethan Rivers]

In the moment, before I lose my mind
These hours don't mean anything this time

---

The guy admitted that he was running from someone, a person who stole the notebook that he was clutching in his hand. That made a little more sense as to why it appeared to be so important, why he was holding onto it so tightly. He explained that it was his sister’s notebook, and she’d written information that could put innocent people at risk. He also commented that he needed the book to find his sister.

Did that mean she was missing? Or had she left? Ethan had experience with missing sisters. He could feel for the other man. But what could she have possibly written in that little green notebook that would both put people in danger and help her brother find her? Ethan wasn’t sure if he was being overly judgemental, or maybe just his experience being a lawyer and digging through criminal cases that made him immediately think it was something illegal.

The guy went on to explain that the man who was after him was outside, and he’d take the notebook from him as soon as he stepped out. Ethan wasn’t sure if the man was maybe mentally unstable, or if he was telling the truth. He’d seen and heard of stranger situations. But either way, crazy or real, he seemed terrified as he pushed the notebook toward Ethan.

”If this is as dangerous as you say it is, why would you entrust it to a stranger?” Ethan left the book on the counter between them for the moment. If the content did lead to some crime, something illegal or dangerous, did he really want to get involved? Did he want to take that risk?

Before he answered, the man slipped off his seat and held his hands up. He started talking like there was someone else there, someone Ethan definitely didn’t see. He started begging the invisible threat not to shoot.

”No one is there.” Ethan spoke gently, noting several other patrons in the bar turning to look their way. He pulled out his wallet and dropped some cash on the counter for Keith, more than enough to cover the tab for himself and the bloodied stranger. Then he lifted up the notebook and turned toward the guy.

”Here, how about I step outside with you?” He knew the other guy might push back, with how scared he’d been of going outside, but the only other option was to cause more of a scene inside. But then there were screams coming from some of the other patrons. Did they see something he didn’t? Ethan glanced around again, doing his best to see if he’d missed something, but he didn’t see anyone suspicious. He could feel the dread creeping in his own thoughts as well, but he did his best to remain calm. Something wasn’t adding up.

”What’s your name, buddy? I’m Ethan.” He did his best to keep his tone calm and even, as he placed a hand on the man’s shoulder and attempted to lead him toward the exit. ”We should just stay calm and go outside.” His last sentence was laced with his persuasion. If the man was really in that much distress, he knew that it may not work, but it was worth a shot.

---

@gwen and Macon Falcon
Let me know for changes, especially if I got something wrong with his ability!

[Macon Falcon]

Macon watched keenly as his fear induced clone terrorized the bar scene. To be honest, he wasn’t exactly expecting to see himself as his target’s greatest fear at this given moment, though it wasn’t a sight he hadn’t seen before. It was just… odd to see how people interpreted him and the fears of what he might do to them. He would never be so bold as to hold someone to gun point like that in the middle of a crowded bar. It was getting results though.

Lorenzo raised his hands in surrender, but the book was left there on the counter, out of the grasp of either individual at the counter. He wished so much that he had some form of telekinesis so that he could lift it from the counter and into his palm, but instead, it was left there, almost mocking him. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck raise. He needed to think; what now? What next?

Surprisingly, despite the fact that Macon knew only the two of them could see his evil clone threatening the man, the rest of the people in the bar began to scream hysterically as if a real stick up was happening. Maybe that shouldn’t be so surprising, this was America after all, even if you couldn’t see a gun being pointed at someone, the sound of a holdup should be more than enough to cause a panic. This might be his opening, there was no better time to sneak than when everyone is too busy panicking to notice.

Right as a couple ran out the door, Macon tossed away his cigarette and slinked inside while the door was still closing. With his hood up, he was hoping that he would still remain undetected as he walked through the panicked crowds, trying to disappear into them as he made his roundabout way toward the counter.

Meanwhile, the doppelganger kept his deathly stare on Lorenzo, the gun in his hand only moving to ensure that it was squarely aimed at the man’s head. His eyes only averted for a second to briefly look at Ethan as he tried to convince the other man that the gun toter wasn’t real. “Oh, I’m not a threat to you, am I? Wanna test how real I am?” the illusion boasted as he pulled a second revolver from his belt and pointed it at Ethan. It was all for show, really. It wasn’t like Ethan could see or hear these threats.

The illusionary Macon returned his attention to Lorenzo then. “Simple as this; listen to him” he added, gesturing his head at Ethan. “You die. Listen to me, I let you walk away. Take that book, toss it that way” he continued with another nodding of his head to a empty spot on the floor some ways away from where they were seated. “Then you run right out that door. You tell anyone about this, I’ll come after you. You read that book, you know how deep all this goes. Consider yourself lucky that all you lost was your sister and stop putting your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

@gwen & Ethan Rivers

[Deleted]

Ethan Rivers and Macon Falcon


-If this is as dangerous as you say it is, why would you entrust it to a stranger?


Yeah : why ? Lorenzo stared at his book silently. He felt something about this man when he spoke about Flora.


-Well… I have a good feeling about you and missing sister stories...And I have no choice.


***



Ethan had tried to escort him outside. But it was chaos. Leaning on the floor, Lorenzo stared at the priest and his gun. The one thing between him and a clue to find his sister. He had never been much his whole life, and to not even being able to be a decent brother … At this moment, this man, somehow, crystalized all Lorenzo’s fear about his uselesness. Then, the man pointed an other gun...At the guy who where trying to help Lorenzo. « The best man in the room. » according to Lorenzo’s gift. 


-Wait, wait ! Begged Lorenzo. He had nothing to do with any of this. Just...Don’t shoot.



-No one is there.


Lorenzo didn’t even listen to the nonsense Ethan said. All around, people where screaming and left the bar, running for their lives. Even Keith, noble protector of the customer’s happiness, left the place in a hurry. But this tantrum didn’t seemed to have the slighter effect on the priest. He kept grinning like a mad man. Something about his smile remenbered Lorenzo his own sick mother. But that was years behind him now, in a far away country. This smile couldn’t possibly be here. Stay focus, repeated the grown man to himself. You’re hallucinating, this man is not smiling like your mother.



-Here, how about I step outside with you?


Lorenzo’s looked at Ethan with stunned eyes. How did this guy manage to act like everything was normal ? A guy was pointing two guns to their heads !



-We...We...Can’t go outside, muttered Lorenzo, showing the priest with his chin. He won’t let us.



But the attempt of Ethan to remain calm helpt Lorenzo focus. He decided to link to the priest, if he didn’t succed in contaminating him with his fear, at least he would know what his opponent was feeling. And the answer was...Nothing. Not even sadistic thoughts. Nothing. This priest, threatening them with two guns his heart was...As empty as tin air. There was no heart. Then, the face of the priest became the face of his own mother. There was this horrible glance in her wet silly eyes… But still, no feelings were emanating from her. Lorenzo began to laugh, nervously, madly. He looked at Ethan who kept trying to calm him.


-What’s your name, buddy? I’m Ethan.


- My name is Lorenzo, Ethan. ...And I’m hallucinating.



Still shaking, Lorenzo went feably back on his feet. Discovering it was all an hallucination made Lorenzo feel...triumphant toward the priest. A joyful rage made him grin. So...That was the « fear control » Flora had written about.

Lorenzo didn’t know how but the link he had created trough terror stayed strongly chained to the other people. The customers who hadn’t manage to left the place smiled victoriously, some went back to their table, smugged and angry. A family chuckled nervoursly, exhausted but seeking for revenge.



-Une hallucination...Lorenzo whispered, observing his priest-mother and her two guns.



The heavily armed mother-chimera threatened him to murder more people if he didn’t gave it the notebook - which Ethan was still holding. He had only loose his sister, the chimera insinuated. A wave of fear run through Lorenzo. Flora. Lost, like...Dead ?

For what he had understood, the priest had simply stolen the green notebook from a box left by the caretaker of Flora’s building. The priest just knew Flora was putting her nose where she shouldn’t, but he probably hadn’t even met her, he probably wasn’t even related to her abduction. Lorenzo had found the priest thank to the caretaker description, break into the priest appartmen, took a punch, realised the guy was a badass and, terrorized, fled, but he didn’t think he had to deal with the person who ...killed his sister. It was not possible. She was alive. But what if… ?



Lorenzo’s felt like he was becoming ice. His blood boiled. He turned around and observed every faces of the costumers darkly.



-Une hallucination...Haha….Mais du coup...Where are you, priest?



He then found a man in the middle of the crowd, wearing black. It was him : Macon Falcon. And maybe he had killed his sister. That was the chimera insinuated.
Lorenzo frowned, as the rest of the costumers. He was mad and therefore they were mad. He never had experienced that before. He was not drowned by their feelings, they were drowned by his. A vast majority of people glanced coldly at Macon. They felt so...rageful toward him. Some of them, like Ethan, had a lesser connection toward Lorenzo’s heart – they were just slightly angry for an obscure reason. But some of them were deeply linked to Lorenzo and stared at Macon like they wanted to chop his head off. Some of them made a step to get closer to the murderer.



-Is that all you got ? Asked Lorenzo, waving toward the chimeric hallucination behind him.



Outside, the rain intensified.



-Look..Have you killed my sister ? Asked Lorenzo. Because if you have….Those boogeyman tricks of yours won’t protect you against me. Against us, little priest.



The silent customers kept starring at Macon. Lorenzo shivered. He was experiencing something new. Power. But it was turning his head he had to get back to...His normal way to handle things.


- I you haven’t...Just let me pass. I won’t even use the information who are in there. I don’t know what they are and I don’t care. I just want to find my sister. If you haven’t hurt her...

Don't get over yourself, whispered his mother's voice inside his head.

-I will burn that notebook as soon as I find her. You have my word.

[Ethan Rivers]

In the moment, before I lose my mind
These hours don't mean anything this time

---

Ethan was sure that this man’s unsettling behavior was the cause of the chaos in the bar. People screaming, running out, it didn’t make sense otherwise. Maybe they heard his words and assumed the worst, panicking before confirming if what they heard was happening. Ethan saw someone else come into the bar as the others left, but he didn’t pay the newcomer much mind.

The guy had told Ethan he had a good feeling about him, about missing sister stories. Ethan let out a breath, trying to wrap his own mind around that. Was this some crazy coincidence? Or did this clearly delusional man target him for some reason? Ethan had a younger sister who no one had heard from since she ran away at age eighteen. But he didn’t talk about Amelia. No one could know about her if they didn’t know his family or if they weren’t extremely close.

Before Ethan could think of what to say, the delusion seemed to take a turn. From what he could tell, the man was now seeing a gun pointed at Ethan himself. The man was pleading. Ethan looked around the bar, noting that those who hadn't fled already were either staring at the scene or doing their best to ignore them. He insisted that no one was there, but it didn’t seem to help. Keith had disappeared again into the back, Ethan wasn’t sure what he was doing.

The guy was insistent that they would be stopped, that his delusion wouldn’t let them leave the bar. He knew that the mentally ill could be hard to reason with, and he’d already stated that whatever he was seeing wasn’t real. Ethan didn’t know what might set this guy off. So he just tried to be as reassuring as possible.

Even as he gave his name, Lorenzo’s laugh was unsettling to Ethan. What was he seeing? What could possibly cause this behavior? Then he acknowledged that he was hallucinating. What the hell was going on?

“I can see that much. What I don’t understand is how to assist you.” He turned over the notebook, still in his hand but nearly forgotten in the madness. “What is this? Why is it important to you?”

Lorenzo spoke again, a tangle of French and English that Ethan had a hard time following, but he got the gist of it. He was hallucinating a priest? That was a whole other level of messed up that Ethan didn’t even want to try to work out right now. Then he was glaring at the newcomer, the man who had walked inside the bar when the couple had run out.

“I really think we should go outside.” Ethan insisted, again. Looking around the bar, a few things were starting to click in place. It wasn’t just mental illness or this guy’s hallucination that was causing such a panic. There was a gift at play here, at least one. The abnormal behavior, the way the other patrons seemed to be reacting to what wasn’t there, what did it mean? What was Lorenzo’s gift?

Unfortunately, Ethan’s own gift wasn’t fool-proof. Even though he’d attempted to use his persuasion to get Lorenzo to exit with him, it didn’t seem to be working. That meant the other man was resolute, unmovable. It would be much harder, take way more intent and focus, to try to break through that and persuade him to listen. Ethan wasn’t about to be so brazen with his own ability. He still had his own secrets to keep.

Lorenzo spoke about his sister, promising to burn the notebook once he found her. Ethan was trying to imagine what could be in it. “Lorenzo, right? That’s what you said, right? Listen to me. I know it’s raining, but we can go outside and talk about this.” He held up the book. “You said you’re looking for your sister? I might be able to help with that.” Ethan took a couple steps toward the door, hoping that Lorenzo would follow him.

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@gwen and Macon Falcon
Let me know for changes. Sorry about the long wait on this.