At The Jail [NFB]
Veronica entered the jail, trying desperately to mask her nerves. She couldn't believe she was here, doing this, but it had to be done. Grissom needed a DNA sample from Bel in order to prove that Bel didn't attack Allie. And if Veronica could get scientific proof that he didn't do it, well, then maybe she could manage to keep the fact that she was his alibi a secret.
"Excuse me," she said to the man behind the desk. "I'm an assistant of Dr. Grissom's at the school. He asked me to come down and obtain a lab sample from Belthazor."
The trooper frowned, unsure as how to handle this. "One moment please, Miss." He disappeared into the room behind him and a moment later another trooper who pretty much looked almost the same left the office and approached Veronica.
"You want to obtain a sample from the prisoner?" Commander Appo asked.
"Yes sir," she said with a polite smile. "I'm a lab assistant for Dr. Grissom at the school. He would like to run some DNA tests. There may be evidence that proves the prisoner is innocent of the crime he is being held for. However, we need a comparitive sample. It will only take a few minutes," she added, holding up the collection kit that Gris had given her.
"I see," Appo said as he regarded the kit. "What sort of evidence are we talking about here?"
"There was a weapon found at the crime scene that has trace DNA samples," Veronica explained, grateful that Grissom had taken the time to explain everything to her. "If we have a sample to compare, Dr. Grissom can determine if Mr. Belthazor was, indeed, the perpetrator of the crime."
"Interesting," and something the troopers had completely missed. "That should be alright. We of course expect to be kept aware of anything that you find out," Appo told Veronica. "Give me just a moment to contact Mayor Tex about this."
He didn't wait for Veronica to acknowledge his request, but took a step back and hailed Tex over his radio. The discussion was brief and when he turned his attention back to Veronica. "You have the go ahead. I'll just need you to sign in your name," he motioned to a book on the counter for her to sign.
Veronica signed in, using the name Madison Sinclair so no one would know she had been at the jail. She didn't really want to answer questions about visiting Bel. "Thank you," she said with a smile.
Appo nodded and motioned for a trooper. "He'll escort you to the cell and let you in. We've taken precautions so there's no reason to worry about him hurting you. You'll be safe," he assured her.
Bel sat in a corner of the jail cell, his back to a wall, wondering just how the hell he was going to get out of this mess. Veronica hadn't come forward as his alibi, and even if she did, or he said she was, there was still the matter of her asking him to kill Logan's father, which wouldn't go over well for his defense. He sighed, dropping his head to his knees.
After having been admitted by Appo , Veronica made her way back to Bel's cell. She was apprehensive for a number of reasons. One, because she hadn't exactly had good experiences on prison visits in the past. Two, because she felt guilty that Bel was in jail when she knew that there was no way he could have attacked Allie since they were together when the attack happened. But she was there to try to help.
"Um, hi," she said quietly.
Bel raised his head and looked at her suspiciously. "What are you doing here?" he said. "You here to get me out of this place, or making sure I stay put?"
"I want to help you," she said, staring at her shoes. "I... I'm sorry that I can't..." she broke off, aware that the troopers were hovering nearby and not wanting to say too much.
He got up and moved closer to the bars. "How are you going to get me out of here then?"
"I went to the alley where the attack happened," she explained. "I found an athame. Dr. Grissom is going to run tests on it. Tests that will prove you weren't there."
"So you believe me that I didn't do it?" Bel said. "Even if I could've shimmered there after I left the school?"
"Well, for one thing, the timing doesn't fit," she said. Then she glanced up. "And why would you go and hurt Allie when you could have easily hurt me?" she added in sotto voice.
"Allie's my friend," Bel agreed. "I wouldn't hurt her like that. But without an alibi" -- he looked at her meaningfully -- "then how are you going to prove I'm innocent? Lots of people are eager to believe I did."
Veronica swallowed hard. "Scientific evidence is better than eyewitness testimony," she told him. "Dr. Grissom wanted me to get a DNA sample from you," she held up the kit. "He'll be able to prove that it's not your DNA on the weapon that hurt Allie."
"Does Grissom believe me?" Bel asked, looking the kit over. "Or is he just doing this because it's his job?"
"He believes you," she said. "And for what it's worth? So do I. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here."
"Yeah, but don't tell me you wouldn't be standing right there to nail me to the wall if you didn't know where I was at the time," Bel said in a low voice.
"But I do know," she retorted just as low. "Do you really want me to tell everyone where you were and why? Let me help you the best way I can."
"I've been protecting you as well, don't forget," Bel said, his words still for Veronica's ears alone. "Or have you told your boyfriend the truth about asking me to kill his father?"
"I can't," Veronica hissed. "It would break him and I cannot hurt him like that."
She broke off as the trooper wandered closer and gave Bel a pleading look. "I want to help you," she repeated. "I just need a small sample of your blood for Dr. Grissom."
Bel looked her over. "All right," he said. "What do I need to do?"
"Let me draw some blood," Veronica said. "I have permission from the guy at the desk since I'm one of Dr. Grissom's lab aides." Her expression communicated that this would be much easier if he went along with her story.
For all he knew she was getting blood to plant at the scene of the crime to cement the case against him, but Bel decided to trust Veronica. He nodded and stuck his arm through the bars.
As quickly and gently as she could, Veronica drew the vial of blood, glad that she had taken the basic first aid course a few summers ago. She looked at Bel as soon as she was done. "I'm going to take this to Grissom now," she told him. "He said he should have results in a couple of days."
"The sooner the better," Bel said. "I want out of this place."
Veronica nodded, looking at the floor again. "I really am sorry," she said softly.
"Get me out of here and we're even," Bel said.
"I'll do my best," she promised.
"Thanks," Bel said. "And, um, do me a favor. Make sure that Phoebe eats and sleeps. She's pretty freaked out."
A wave of guilt washed over Veronica. "She's, um, kind of not talking to me at the moment because I told her I couldn't help her clear your name," she admitted. "But I'll make sure Piper looks after her."
"You do that," Bel said, his eyes turning harder. Then again, what did he expect after what he'd done to Veronica in the past? She would hardly want to run out and help him.
"I only did it because I didn't think you would want her to know where you were," she explained. She tilted her head at Bel. "Do you have any idea who could have done this?"
He shrugged. "Another demon? I don't know why one would be here, or why he would attack Allie though. She's not a threat."
"It doesn’t make sense," Veronica agreed. "But the... thing... that attacked her." She swallowed. "The description I heard? Sounded an awful lot like your... um...you know."
"We all look alike to you," Bel said with a half-smile. "There are a lot of other demons who are the same kind as me." The smile faded into a frown.
Veronica had the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry," she said. "Um, I should probably get this back to Dr. Grissom."
Bel nodded. "I hope he can get to the bottom of this quickly."
"Me too. I, um, I'll see you later." She turned to leave, overwhelmed by guilt that he was in jail to keep her secret.
"I'm not going anywhere," Bel said, settling back against the wall.
[ooc: preplayed with demonbelthazor and fandomtroopers via email. NFB as it happens in the jail. Also, please do not broadcast the fact that Veronica visited as she signed in using a fake name. IC interaction not possible. OOC comments welcome.]
"Excuse me," she said to the man behind the desk. "I'm an assistant of Dr. Grissom's at the school. He asked me to come down and obtain a lab sample from Belthazor."
The trooper frowned, unsure as how to handle this. "One moment please, Miss." He disappeared into the room behind him and a moment later another trooper who pretty much looked almost the same left the office and approached Veronica.
"You want to obtain a sample from the prisoner?" Commander Appo asked.
"Yes sir," she said with a polite smile. "I'm a lab assistant for Dr. Grissom at the school. He would like to run some DNA tests. There may be evidence that proves the prisoner is innocent of the crime he is being held for. However, we need a comparitive sample. It will only take a few minutes," she added, holding up the collection kit that Gris had given her.
"I see," Appo said as he regarded the kit. "What sort of evidence are we talking about here?"
"There was a weapon found at the crime scene that has trace DNA samples," Veronica explained, grateful that Grissom had taken the time to explain everything to her. "If we have a sample to compare, Dr. Grissom can determine if Mr. Belthazor was, indeed, the perpetrator of the crime."
"Interesting," and something the troopers had completely missed. "That should be alright. We of course expect to be kept aware of anything that you find out," Appo told Veronica. "Give me just a moment to contact Mayor Tex about this."
He didn't wait for Veronica to acknowledge his request, but took a step back and hailed Tex over his radio. The discussion was brief and when he turned his attention back to Veronica. "You have the go ahead. I'll just need you to sign in your name," he motioned to a book on the counter for her to sign.
Veronica signed in, using the name Madison Sinclair so no one would know she had been at the jail. She didn't really want to answer questions about visiting Bel. "Thank you," she said with a smile.
Appo nodded and motioned for a trooper. "He'll escort you to the cell and let you in. We've taken precautions so there's no reason to worry about him hurting you. You'll be safe," he assured her.
Bel sat in a corner of the jail cell, his back to a wall, wondering just how the hell he was going to get out of this mess. Veronica hadn't come forward as his alibi, and even if she did, or he said she was, there was still the matter of her asking him to kill Logan's father, which wouldn't go over well for his defense. He sighed, dropping his head to his knees.
After having been admitted by Appo , Veronica made her way back to Bel's cell. She was apprehensive for a number of reasons. One, because she hadn't exactly had good experiences on prison visits in the past. Two, because she felt guilty that Bel was in jail when she knew that there was no way he could have attacked Allie since they were together when the attack happened. But she was there to try to help.
"Um, hi," she said quietly.
Bel raised his head and looked at her suspiciously. "What are you doing here?" he said. "You here to get me out of this place, or making sure I stay put?"
"I want to help you," she said, staring at her shoes. "I... I'm sorry that I can't..." she broke off, aware that the troopers were hovering nearby and not wanting to say too much.
He got up and moved closer to the bars. "How are you going to get me out of here then?"
"I went to the alley where the attack happened," she explained. "I found an athame. Dr. Grissom is going to run tests on it. Tests that will prove you weren't there."
"So you believe me that I didn't do it?" Bel said. "Even if I could've shimmered there after I left the school?"
"Well, for one thing, the timing doesn't fit," she said. Then she glanced up. "And why would you go and hurt Allie when you could have easily hurt me?" she added in sotto voice.
"Allie's my friend," Bel agreed. "I wouldn't hurt her like that. But without an alibi" -- he looked at her meaningfully -- "then how are you going to prove I'm innocent? Lots of people are eager to believe I did."
Veronica swallowed hard. "Scientific evidence is better than eyewitness testimony," she told him. "Dr. Grissom wanted me to get a DNA sample from you," she held up the kit. "He'll be able to prove that it's not your DNA on the weapon that hurt Allie."
"Does Grissom believe me?" Bel asked, looking the kit over. "Or is he just doing this because it's his job?"
"He believes you," she said. "And for what it's worth? So do I. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here."
"Yeah, but don't tell me you wouldn't be standing right there to nail me to the wall if you didn't know where I was at the time," Bel said in a low voice.
"But I do know," she retorted just as low. "Do you really want me to tell everyone where you were and why? Let me help you the best way I can."
"I've been protecting you as well, don't forget," Bel said, his words still for Veronica's ears alone. "Or have you told your boyfriend the truth about asking me to kill his father?"
"I can't," Veronica hissed. "It would break him and I cannot hurt him like that."
She broke off as the trooper wandered closer and gave Bel a pleading look. "I want to help you," she repeated. "I just need a small sample of your blood for Dr. Grissom."
Bel looked her over. "All right," he said. "What do I need to do?"
"Let me draw some blood," Veronica said. "I have permission from the guy at the desk since I'm one of Dr. Grissom's lab aides." Her expression communicated that this would be much easier if he went along with her story.
For all he knew she was getting blood to plant at the scene of the crime to cement the case against him, but Bel decided to trust Veronica. He nodded and stuck his arm through the bars.
As quickly and gently as she could, Veronica drew the vial of blood, glad that she had taken the basic first aid course a few summers ago. She looked at Bel as soon as she was done. "I'm going to take this to Grissom now," she told him. "He said he should have results in a couple of days."
"The sooner the better," Bel said. "I want out of this place."
Veronica nodded, looking at the floor again. "I really am sorry," she said softly.
"Get me out of here and we're even," Bel said.
"I'll do my best," she promised.
"Thanks," Bel said. "And, um, do me a favor. Make sure that Phoebe eats and sleeps. She's pretty freaked out."
A wave of guilt washed over Veronica. "She's, um, kind of not talking to me at the moment because I told her I couldn't help her clear your name," she admitted. "But I'll make sure Piper looks after her."
"You do that," Bel said, his eyes turning harder. Then again, what did he expect after what he'd done to Veronica in the past? She would hardly want to run out and help him.
"I only did it because I didn't think you would want her to know where you were," she explained. She tilted her head at Bel. "Do you have any idea who could have done this?"
He shrugged. "Another demon? I don't know why one would be here, or why he would attack Allie though. She's not a threat."
"It doesn’t make sense," Veronica agreed. "But the... thing... that attacked her." She swallowed. "The description I heard? Sounded an awful lot like your... um...you know."
"We all look alike to you," Bel said with a half-smile. "There are a lot of other demons who are the same kind as me." The smile faded into a frown.
Veronica had the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry," she said. "Um, I should probably get this back to Dr. Grissom."
Bel nodded. "I hope he can get to the bottom of this quickly."
"Me too. I, um, I'll see you later." She turned to leave, overwhelmed by guilt that he was in jail to keep her secret.
"I'm not going anywhere," Bel said, settling back against the wall.
[ooc: preplayed with demonbelthazor and fandomtroopers via email. NFB as it happens in the jail. Also, please do not broadcast the fact that Veronica visited as she signed in using a fake name. IC interaction not possible. OOC comments welcome.]