Excutiant

[always_a_liar]

The room had been cleaned of the blood and bodies by the time Vashti and Ishamael came to investigate. A small portable device in Vashti's hand for accessing information from various data networks. A careful perusal of the room was ensuing. Ishamael had noted most of the details and was kneeling quietly in the center of the room with his eyes

Comments

[medea_players]

"She came from the garden," the Head Maid says quietly, tapping the screen gently in thought. "Possibly one of the kitchen staff allowed her through past there."

A few touches on the pad call up the relevant footage. Or what should have been it.

"No. Wiped, like this room, without even a glimpse of her beforehand. The footage from Lady Shelley's room is all we have."

The image from before the cameras had been shut off has already been circulated under a pretended excuse to find any witnesses to her presence.

[always_a_liar]

Ishamael nodded firmly. His voice was quiet and his eyes still closed. There were many matters to consider.

"Unsurprising. It was a very daring deed to attempt. What is the difference between the time that the intruder entered and the time she disabled the cameras in Shelley's room?"

[medea_players]

A slight pause.

"Just under seven minutes. Quick, but I think it could be done without drawing undue attention. She looked the part well, from what little I see here."

Seven in, a few seconds' struggle, and departure... to where?

"Leaving the same way, especially with your lady seems a little too risky..." she says after a moment. "A moment, and I will check for any other blackouts."

[always_a_liar]

Ishamael shook his head. No sense looking for such things, really. He was almost certain of several things that Vashti could not know.

"I believe we are dealing with a Channeler."

[medea_players]

Vashti glances up over her screen.

"That would explain the difficulty in both subduing Lady Shelley and getting her away, certainly... Were her chambers warded?"

An interesting rigmarole, the ransom demand. She will have the device that had apparently been used to blank the cameras examined immediately.

[always_a_liar]

Ishamael shook his head.

"Nothing I could detect. This has no bearing on the judgment. A clever enough Channeler can evade my detection."

Raising his hand, the image of a globe appeared in his hand. A small beacon of light.

"We are here. I detected Lady Shelley's presence, though, here."

Another glowing dot of light appeared nearly halfway around the world. Clenching his fist, the globe winked out of existence.

"She could not possibly have made it that far without Traveling. So we are clearly dealing with a very powerful channeler, almost certainly one of the Chosen to be so bold as to snatch Lady Shelley from my abode."

[medea_players]

Vashti's expression tightens.

"Then this is most definitely not about money. And the true appearance of the kidnapper is also unknown."

Not a good situation. Vashti experiences a momentary and unusual flash of pity for Shelley. Whatever Ishamael intends to do, it seems unlikely the girl will come out well.

[always_a_liar]

Ishamael sniffed disdainfully at the comment. What a redundant thing to say. Money was never the object.

"Attempting extortion from me is very stupid, and our kidnapper, as we have seen, is obviously not that. Thus, this was never about money."

[medea_players]

Vashti nods slowly, still wondering. Occasionally thinking out loud had been a habit from childhood.

"Then either you, or Lady Shelley herself was the object of this. Perhaps both. Do you suspect any of the Chosen in particular?"

Disrespect to the Chosen - any of the Chosen - is dangerous, but Vashti will always serve Ishamael alone. Loyalty pays.

[always_a_liar]

A small smile from Ishamael as he glanced down the freshly cleaned room.

"I have my ideas. After all, I know the habits of the Chosen and what we are dealing with here is a matter of traps."

A long, laugh. If they wanted to use his lady as bait, then he would certainly oblige them, but since he knew it was a trap... He was now the hunter, and they the prey.