Post by Admin on Aug 15, 2020 1:47:26 GMT
Taking Notes (Medical office at Hogwarts school)
(OOC: Combined threads from the previous site)
Arianna had made arrangements to be in her office when Brennan was being questioned by Richard Greene. Dr. Lance Kildare was there because of the medical problem’s Brennan was still going through after his month long stay as a captive of Shadow. Although written reports would be given by everyone involved, Ari had asked for and received Richard’s Auto-Diary, which would automatically write everything Richard saw and thought in it. He had no problem with giving it too her because they both realized it would be an excellent way of possibly proving they had done everything right.
The fact finding mission had been placed in Caretakers hands, on the recommendation to the Ministry by Undersecretary Seth Wright to the Ministry of Magic. The Caretakers answered to no other branch of the Ministry so their methods could be un-conventional at times without having to worry about a lot of red tape. Richard had been told he needed to debrief Brennan on his stay with Shadow. It would be up to him on how this was done. During their talk he had decided to start off with Brennan’s specialty which was profiling and then just see where everything led too.
Arianna did not fool herself; if they could not get any answers then Brennan would be turned over to the regular interrogation unit of the Ministry. She had seen some of their results and although they usually got the information they needed, the person they had been questioning was never able to be returned to work because of the mental damage. That was not going to happen to one of her Caretaker group, especially the youngest one.
Arianna had decided to work on some other paperwork while the questioning was taking place. With her duties at Hogwarts as the new Librarian and her duties as head of the Caretaker Group, there never seemed to be enough time to get all of the information recorded. Darik had set up a listening system so she would be able to hear what was happening in the Hospital Wing.
When Ari turned on the system she realized, Brennan had already been called into Lance’s office at Hogwarts. She looked at the owl clock on the wall, realizing they had only been at it for about ten minutes. Ari took a sip of tea from her mug and half listened while going over the requisition for new reading material at the school. It had been an interesting experiment on her part, because it was for the students but made out by the students. She wanted to see what they would like to see in the library. There were a few surprises.
She took the time, to make a few notes on a scratch pad she had on her desk, Last Will and Testament of William Andreas, Tia’s birthday present. Then she went back to listening and working.
(Richard) “Arianna does not make mistakes when she makes the choices for The Caretakers. She has the final say-so on who is on the team and how long they stay on the team. You were first looked at because of your gift …”
Arianna, absently shook her head yes. Richard knew she had made mistakes, but not about the people she recruited for the Caretakers. It was too important a group to make a mistake on the choices of who would be in the ranks.
A smile spread across Arianna’s face, as she remembered the steps she used to select each member of the Caretaker Group. Every facet of their life was checked, time was allowed to laps and then all the facets were checked again for any discrepancies. It had taken her four years to choose Richard. Stopping for another moment, as she was just about to reach for another paper on the stack off to her left, Arianna made a note: Confidence building exercises for Sherlock….
Arianna agreed it was time for others to know about the relationship between Lance and Tia.
Listening to her grandson, Ari thought back over the years when she had been married to Thomas. They had been happy together, enjoying the same things in life. When she had found out she was going to have a babe they had both been deliriously happy. Thomas had been Minister of Magic when Molly was conceived. Her eyes dropped to the desk, not seeing anything in particular as she wished he had been able to see his daughter before he was murdered and left Ari to run the fledgling Caretaker Group and raise their daughter.
Arianna listened to see what comment Richard made to this confession of Brennan’s. When he did not say anything, Arianna just silently shook her head yes, because she knew there was nothing Richard could say. Brennan’s presence told the story of how he had given in and either promised to do something or promised to say something which would complicate matters later. Richard had to not give into Brennan’s self pity or he would go deeper.
(Richard) “The wand is made of a special wood of the ‘Ever Live Tree’. It is specially guarded by the Elfin Clan and I have only seen one of them….There are three wands in existence at the moment.”
(Brennan) Marcus also presented with a special wand?”
(Richard) “No, Marcus did not get one of the two in existence at the moment. Tia’s the strongest and as you correctly guessed Tarik’s who’s also is strong. The third has not been accepted by its owner yet…… From talking with Darik, there will be four more eventually.”
Ari continued to listen to the facts about the Last Will and Testament and made another notation when the “three wands, four more to go …. To whom” adding “Darik?” .
(OOC: Combined threads from the previous site)
Arianna had made arrangements to be in her office when Brennan was being questioned by Richard Greene. Dr. Lance Kildare was there because of the medical problem’s Brennan was still going through after his month long stay as a captive of Shadow. Although written reports would be given by everyone involved, Ari had asked for and received Richard’s Auto-Diary, which would automatically write everything Richard saw and thought in it. He had no problem with giving it too her because they both realized it would be an excellent way of possibly proving they had done everything right.
The fact finding mission had been placed in Caretakers hands, on the recommendation to the Ministry by Undersecretary Seth Wright to the Ministry of Magic. The Caretakers answered to no other branch of the Ministry so their methods could be un-conventional at times without having to worry about a lot of red tape. Richard had been told he needed to debrief Brennan on his stay with Shadow. It would be up to him on how this was done. During their talk he had decided to start off with Brennan’s specialty which was profiling and then just see where everything led too.
Arianna did not fool herself; if they could not get any answers then Brennan would be turned over to the regular interrogation unit of the Ministry. She had seen some of their results and although they usually got the information they needed, the person they had been questioning was never able to be returned to work because of the mental damage. That was not going to happen to one of her Caretaker group, especially the youngest one.
Arianna had decided to work on some other paperwork while the questioning was taking place. With her duties at Hogwarts as the new Librarian and her duties as head of the Caretaker Group, there never seemed to be enough time to get all of the information recorded. Darik had set up a listening system so she would be able to hear what was happening in the Hospital Wing.
When Ari turned on the system she realized, Brennan had already been called into Lance’s office at Hogwarts. She looked at the owl clock on the wall, realizing they had only been at it for about ten minutes. Ari took a sip of tea from her mug and half listened while going over the requisition for new reading material at the school. It had been an interesting experiment on her part, because it was for the students but made out by the students. She wanted to see what they would like to see in the library. There were a few surprises.
(Richard to Brennan) “We have collected a few notes and want to know what you can tell us from them. The first is a note which was in Tia Andreas’ birthday present. Lance had possession of it after William Andreas died, and has just been able to deliver it to her…..“This is the Last Will and Testament of William Andreas,”
She took the time, to make a few notes on a scratch pad she had on her desk, Last Will and Testament of William Andreas, Tia’s birthday present. Then she went back to listening and working.
Brennan) "I am glad this note was not known before. Unlike William Andreas, I am unworthy of being a Caretaker. Shadow made sure both Ashley and I know that."
(Richard) “Arianna does not make mistakes when she makes the choices for The Caretakers. She has the final say-so on who is on the team and how long they stay on the team. You were first looked at because of your gift …”
Arianna, absently shook her head yes. Richard knew she had made mistakes, but not about the people she recruited for the Caretakers. It was too important a group to make a mistake on the choices of who would be in the ranks.
…. every area of your life, every other ability you have and would need to be taught, and every physiological profile question was asked, before you were added to our group. I would appreciate it if you would stop second guessing yourself and others with your thoughts about being unworthy…”
A smile spread across Arianna’s face, as she remembered the steps she used to select each member of the Caretaker Group. Every facet of their life was checked, time was allowed to laps and then all the facets were checked again for any discrepancies. It had taken her four years to choose Richard. Stopping for another moment, as she was just about to reach for another paper on the stack off to her left, Arianna made a note: Confidence building exercises for Sherlock….
(Lance) “I have not officially told Tia yet, but she and I are cousins. Arianna married Thomas Andreas, and they had a daughter named Molly. Molly is my mother. It has all been kept very quiet because as I told you before, the family wanted someone on the outside, so to speak. I am not sure if Tia was ever supposed to know the total truth, but things happen the way they are supposed to, I guess.”
Arianna agreed it was time for others to know about the relationship between Lance and Tia.
Listening to her grandson, Ari thought back over the years when she had been married to Thomas. They had been happy together, enjoying the same things in life. When she had found out she was going to have a babe they had both been deliriously happy. Thomas had been Minister of Magic when Molly was conceived. Her eyes dropped to the desk, not seeing anything in particular as she wished he had been able to see his daughter before he was murdered and left Ari to run the fledgling Caretaker Group and raise their daughter.
(Brennan) “He broke me, Rich. After a month of holding out, I gave in and betrayed everything my father stood for.”
Arianna listened to see what comment Richard made to this confession of Brennan’s. When he did not say anything, Arianna just silently shook her head yes, because she knew there was nothing Richard could say. Brennan’s presence told the story of how he had given in and either promised to do something or promised to say something which would complicate matters later. Richard had to not give into Brennan’s self pity or he would go deeper.
(Brennan) “The wand intrigues me.”
(Richard) “The wand is made of a special wood of the ‘Ever Live Tree’. It is specially guarded by the Elfin Clan and I have only seen one of them….There are three wands in existence at the moment.”
(Brennan) Marcus also presented with a special wand?”
(Richard) “No, Marcus did not get one of the two in existence at the moment. Tia’s the strongest and as you correctly guessed Tarik’s who’s also is strong. The third has not been accepted by its owner yet…… From talking with Darik, there will be four more eventually.”
Ari continued to listen to the facts about the Last Will and Testament and made another notation when the “three wands, four more to go …. To whom” adding “Darik?” .
(Brennan) “Well it looks like Tia has followed after her father at least with casting. I have a feeling that we will find that she is more like her father than she realizes. Air might know, like she did with me.” [/quote}
As she kept listening, Arianna only nodded. Tia would become far ahead of her age group as she gained strength. It was one of the reasons Ari had picked members of the Caretakers who were strong in their different areas of expertise. Continuing to smile she thought, “They are really going to have to stay on their toes, with our princess”
Arianna stopped writing and listened, “What look?” She knew she was hearing everything, but Ari was also a visual person and she liked to read body language as well as hidden meaning in words. It was driving her a little crazy not to “see” what was going on. Richard had to handle this, because the bond had to be between him and Brennan. By the tone in Richard’s voice he had picked up on something. He had not made a request, what he had said came out as an order from a superior to a subordinate.
Diary: Bren has a lot of fear in his eyes. He is hiding something …
Diary: Ari, if you are reading this, you need to contact Maxwell and have him waiting …. Not sure how much of this I can go through …. They boy looks so scared and it is hard not to comfort him.
“Hang in there Richard,” Ari thought to herself. “You can do this. Ari cringed because she knew as Brennan told his story Richard who had been held captive in the beginning in his own office by the Chameleon, had been forced to listen to Brennan being tortured and he went through torture himself.
(Brennan) “You have what you need to do what is needed. I broke, what else is there? It took a month but I am Shadow's. When I get my orders I will carry them out. I have been caught and know Caretaker Law. You have a job to do Caretaker, so do it?”
Richard was losing distance between being an interrogator and a friend. If he could not hold that distance, Ari would have to pull him out and either find someone else to do this, or turn Brennan over to the Ministry. She realized it was imperative to find out what Brennan knew and how much the Caretakers and the Ministry had been compromised.
They had discussed the possible ramification of the parts of the Caretaker Law which stated, if any Caretaker compromised the group or proved a liability to the Caretaker Group they would be bound and a complete mind wipe done, after which they would be sent to the rehabilitation center where they would be retrained for another job. The only problem with the procedure was the retraining would take years, because the individual would first start at learning how to talk and feed themselves. In the 80 years Arianna had been running the Caretaker Group she had never had to do this and she was not going to start now. Richard had been instructed to take what steps necessary to insure Brennan could be returned to service in the group.
(Brennan) “There is nothing more to Tell. I am a Traitor.”
Arianna almost broke her quill she squeezed it so hard. Brennan was doing everything in his power to convince Richard he was a traitor and should be taken out. He was trying to commit tactical suicide. Arianna hoped Richard or Lance had picked up on this fact.
Arianna decided it was time to get Max Sinclair, a psy-healer who had been waiting patiently on standby and listening to every word, into the room, so she wrote a short note giving Richard permission legally to do whatever was necessary in the situation, sent it to Sinclair and waited.
When she heard Maxwell enter the room, she sat back in her chair, closed her eyes and concentrated on what was happening to her co-workers and friends.
Maxwell handed Richard the note.
(Maxwell) “What are your orders Caretaker? Do I stay or come back later? …
(Richard) “I need you to take care of a few things for me, while Mr. Dawson … and I continue our conversation. I need Mr. Dawson’s bed stripped and a Category One search done on the bed, mattress and frame. …”
“Good” Arianna thought. Besides making sure no one had hidden a listening device there it would also mean, Brennan’s bed would become on solid piece with no sharp corners or edges. Every precaution would have to be taken until they could determine if he had been brain washed or been set up as a “sleeper” for sometime in the future.
Brennan’s clothes would not be checked, piece by piece. Wizards and witches could hide things and have them totally invisible to the world in general. Brennan’s clothes would not be destroyed, but they would need to be repaired. Repairing the clothes was usually something Arianna had the one searched do, because it let them think why the search had been done and give them an understanding of the seriousness of the problem.
Arianna knew Richard had already been through the night stand, both with Brennan and when Brennan was not in his bed. If he found anything different later he would be the one to know it had been planted.
Arianna nodded to herself as she listened to Richard talking to Maxwell. He had just assured that every inch of Brennan’s possessions would be checked inside and out, even if it meant totally dismantling them. He had also put Brennan on suicide watch and firmly put him in the highest protection category they had.
“Very good Max,” she thought to herself. Now they could find out if Brennan had totally given up or if he was still fighting. If he had totally given up, what Max had just said about not doing the proper security around the school, would not phase the young Hit Wizard. She could hear Brennan complaining that security was more important. He was still fighting.
(Brennan) “Those four have been though enough! Don't you dare involve them in this!”
(Richard) “ … I will make no promises at this point. Involving them is still only a possibility. We will see what answers I will get from you. I have been instructed to find out information, Mr. Dawson and information I will find, one way or another.”
When Brennan spoke about not using the Core members, Arianna almost cheered. A piece of Sherlock was still with them, a very scared piece but something which could be used as a foundation. Richard had just threatened Brennan, if he did not give all the information he could, and Richard thought it in any way lacking, Richard would not hesitate to start questioning the Core. He would, of course only talk to the older members unless one of them specifically said one of the younger ones knew something which would be useful. Richard would also have Maxwell present so he did not mentally hurt the young ones.
Arianna suddenly sat forward in her chair and rested her arms on the desk. Darik had just made it known he was in the room. Ari had not thought the Elf was going to be in on this interrogation. Darik had been working mentally overtime lately and Ari was worried about him. He was not as young as he used to be. Mentally making some calculations she realized Darik had to be 203 or 204 years old by now. According to him that was still pretty young; he was not even Joing age yet were he could take a wife. Arianna had laughed when Darik had told her he had to be 250 human years old, before he could start looking for that part of his future.
Before Richard could get back to what he was doing, Darik had materialized in his special corner and walked to where Brennan was sitting, grabbing his hand in a vice like grip.
(Brennan) “Darik, it is not foolish behavior. It sets things right and protects all involved, especially her. Hasn't the twins been through enough, Darik? I won't have her take their mark, not then and not ever.”
(Lance) (Darik handed the pill in Brennan’s hand to Lance) “It is cyanide, a Muggle poison which can kill in one or two seconds after being swallowed.”
It only took a moment for Arianna to piece together what had happened. Brennan had tried to take a cyanide pill to end his life. Arianna dropped her head into her hands. She cared for the young Hit Wizard and she hoped she had not been wrong in bringing him into the group at such a young age. Although she had the final decision she had talked with some of the other Caretakers and they all agreed he was the best at profiling, an expertise they needed in the group.
This will be hard on both of you ….. Plus the fact that you are willing to face yours and help him face his. It will be your bond and trust. …. Don't you or Lance dare give up on him! The moment you do, that is when we've lost him.”
(Richard to Darik) “Thank you Tocoferty (Darik’s title in his home clan means Son of Father Who Gives Life .) … I would like to have you … join Sinclair in Brennan’s quarters. …. I have given Mr. Sinclair permission to remove anything he needs too ….”
Listening to Maxwell explain to Richard about gaining Brennan’s trust and creating a bond, made her feel they were on the right track. If they could pull Brennan out of this then the first part of the team would be thoroughly forged into a solid unit.
She was surprised when she heard Richard use Darik’s title. She did not realize he knew Darik was actually a prince in his home clan. He would be first in line to take over the clan when his Sire passed. Arianna had never gotten a definite answer on whether he would go home and take up the position or allow his younger brother to take it or just be a regent. It would be interesting.
None of them expected to find anything against Brennan in his quarters, but they were looking for objects others may have placed to spy on Brennan or anyone he had contact with. Darik knew how to give it a thorough check.
Notebook: Richard clinched and unclenched his fists, behind his back. He thought, “Good Brennan, fight for the core …. Use them to have something to fight for …. Continue to show us you are not giving up ….
Arianna looked at the notebook and watched as it wrote about Richard’s anguish. Richard was holding up and keeping his comments to himself. Out loud she heard him say. “I will use the core as I see fit, Mr. Dawson. You have nothing to say on the subject.” The anger in Richards’s voice was only being used to add some distance between himself and Brennan. It was not what he felt.
After a few moments she could hear Maxwell talking to Richard.
Apparently Richard had decided it was time to turn the debriefing session into a full-fledged psy-healing session. Arianna had been part of a couple of Richard’s personal past healing sessions as an observer, and she had read several of the transcripts of others. He had the experience on sitting on one side of the questioning. Maxwell had left and by doing so had made it clear he thought Richard could handle the other side of the session also. Arianna hoped he was correct. She knew he would be able to hear everything the same way she could, through Darik’s tweaked listening devices.
Arianna barely heard the words Maxwell had said before he was leaving. When she looked at the notebook she read them. She was not worried about him talking to the Core members. They trusted him because Tia trusted him. Because of that trust they would be willing to help Brennan in any way they could, even if they did not totally understand why.
Richard needed to tell Maxwell what they knew, but the whole story was long and involved. All she heard him says was, “Rikki lost her memory and she is trying to get it back …. Although she looks different and the voice is not quite the same we think she maybe a professor who disappeared several years ago …. We do not want to force the memories so we haven’t even told Brennan, who cared about the other professor. We want to see if between the two of them … Rikki’s past can be revealed. I will explain more at another time. “
Arianna was almost positive of Rikki’s past but no one had any idea on what she had been through when she was missing and all were afraid to bring the experience back too quickly.
The next sound was the door closing and the lock falling into place. The notebook showed Richard had returned to his seat in front of Brennan.
(Richard) “Brennan, look at me. I said look at me, NOW! .... Put your arms on the arms of the chair you are sitting in with your hands dangling over the front. …..
Notebook: “I have to keep up the pressure. Come on Brennan tell me what I want to know so I do not have to question any of the core members. …. They will not lie, but they protected their own.
It did not take much imagination to realize Brennan had just been magically bound into his chair. There would be a minimum of two reasons for this. One would be to protect Brennan from running and the other would be to keep him from trying to take his own life again. Richard was not taking any chances. What he just did could help later if any questions were asked by the Ministry about how they handled the situation.
There were very few in the Ministry or any other organization that had the right to even request information from the group. Arianna had refused to give information before and she would do it again if needed.
As she kept listening, Arianna only nodded. Tia would become far ahead of her age group as she gained strength. It was one of the reasons Ari had picked members of the Caretakers who were strong in their different areas of expertise. Continuing to smile she thought, “They are really going to have to stay on their toes, with our princess”
(Richard) “There was that look again. Richard thought…. “Ok, hold on …... If it is not doctor/patient confidentiality we are hitting on here, I think maybe I need to know what has been discussed and … what Brennan is hiding. Bren we are partners. If you are setting someone up or you have done something which endangers any aspect of the Caretakers or those we protect, you need to come out with it NOW!”
Arianna stopped writing and listened, “What look?” She knew she was hearing everything, but Ari was also a visual person and she liked to read body language as well as hidden meaning in words. It was driving her a little crazy not to “see” what was going on. Richard had to handle this, because the bond had to be between him and Brennan. By the tone in Richard’s voice he had picked up on something. He had not made a request, what he had said came out as an order from a superior to a subordinate.
(Lance) “Richard, Brennan will explain and it will be ok.”
Diary: Bren has a lot of fear in his eyes. He is hiding something …
(Brennan) “He broke me, Rich. After a month of holding out, I gave in and betrayed everything my father stood for.”
Diary: Ari, if you are reading this, you need to contact Maxwell and have him waiting …. Not sure how much of this I can go through …. They boy looks so scared and it is hard not to comfort him.
“Hang in there Richard,” Ari thought to herself. “You can do this. Ari cringed because she knew as Brennan told his story Richard who had been held captive in the beginning in his own office by the Chameleon, had been forced to listen to Brennan being tortured and he went through torture himself.
(Richard) “Do not take me for a fool, Brennan. We are partners and I hope to continue that relationship, but my first allegiance is to the Caretaker Group. …Lance we are friends, but do not interfere. I will allow medical attention if needed but only that understood?”
(Brennan) “You have what you need to do what is needed. I broke, what else is there? It took a month but I am Shadow's. When I get my orders I will carry them out. I have been caught and know Caretaker Law. You have a job to do Caretaker, so do it?”
Richard was losing distance between being an interrogator and a friend. If he could not hold that distance, Ari would have to pull him out and either find someone else to do this, or turn Brennan over to the Ministry. She realized it was imperative to find out what Brennan knew and how much the Caretakers and the Ministry had been compromised.
They had discussed the possible ramification of the parts of the Caretaker Law which stated, if any Caretaker compromised the group or proved a liability to the Caretaker Group they would be bound and a complete mind wipe done, after which they would be sent to the rehabilitation center where they would be retrained for another job. The only problem with the procedure was the retraining would take years, because the individual would first start at learning how to talk and feed themselves. In the 80 years Arianna had been running the Caretaker Group she had never had to do this and she was not going to start now. Richard had been instructed to take what steps necessary to insure Brennan could be returned to service in the group.
(Richard) “Brennan, continue your story. Do not leave anything out or I will know. Telling me will be a lot easier then telling others who will want to know what happened during the last month. NOW, boy, tell!”
(Brennan) “There is nothing more to Tell. I am a Traitor.”
Arianna almost broke her quill she squeezed it so hard. Brennan was doing everything in his power to convince Richard he was a traitor and should be taken out. He was trying to commit tactical suicide. Arianna hoped Richard or Lance had picked up on this fact.
Arianna decided it was time to get Max Sinclair, a psy-healer who had been waiting patiently on standby and listening to every word, into the room, so she wrote a short note giving Richard permission legally to do whatever was necessary in the situation, sent it to Sinclair and waited.
(There was a knock at the office door)As soon as the door opened, Sinclair said, “Sorry for the interruption, but the Amira said this could not wait. He handed Greene the message and waited.
When she heard Maxwell enter the room, she sat back in her chair, closed her eyes and concentrated on what was happening to her co-workers and friends.
Maxwell handed Richard the note.
Note from Arianna to Richard: Caretaker:
You have my permission to do what is ever necessary concerning Brennan Dawson. Enclosed you will find a copy of Sherlock’s Will. Please read. As of this point it is in your hands totally. Do what must be done to return a valued Caretaker to work. I await your report.
Air.
You have my permission to do what is ever necessary concerning Brennan Dawson. Enclosed you will find a copy of Sherlock’s Will. Please read. As of this point it is in your hands totally. Do what must be done to return a valued Caretaker to work. I await your report.
Air.
(Maxwell) “What are your orders Caretaker? Do I stay or come back later? …
(Richard) “I need you to take care of a few things for me, while Mr. Dawson … and I continue our conversation. I need Mr. Dawson’s bed stripped and a Category One search done on the bed, mattress and frame. …”
“Good” Arianna thought. Besides making sure no one had hidden a listening device there it would also mean, Brennan’s bed would become on solid piece with no sharp corners or edges. Every precaution would have to be taken until they could determine if he had been brain washed or been set up as a “sleeper” for sometime in the future.
(Richard) “…..I also need Mr. Dawson’s clothes searched. A Category Two level will be fine for them. … You know what you are looking for.”
Brennan’s clothes would not be checked, piece by piece. Wizards and witches could hide things and have them totally invisible to the world in general. Brennan’s clothes would not be destroyed, but they would need to be repaired. Repairing the clothes was usually something Arianna had the one searched do, because it let them think why the search had been done and give them an understanding of the seriousness of the problem.
(Richard) “…..Please, take everything out of Mr. Dawson’s night stand and box it up, so it can be gone through later. ….”
Arianna knew Richard had already been through the night stand, both with Brennan and when Brennan was not in his bed. If he found anything different later he would be the one to know it had been planted.
(Richard) “……Dr. Kildare and I will take care of the items he is wearing and whatever else he has on his person.”
Arianna nodded to herself as she listened to Richard talking to Maxwell. He had just assured that every inch of Brennan’s possessions would be checked inside and out, even if it meant totally dismantling them. He had also put Brennan on suicide watch and firmly put him in the highest protection category they had.
(Sinclair) “Caretaker, what you are requesting could hold up my crew for at least a week. Can Adarian be left unprotected that long?”
“Very good Max,” she thought to herself. Now they could find out if Brennan had totally given up or if he was still fighting. If he had totally given up, what Max had just said about not doing the proper security around the school, would not phase the young Hit Wizard. She could hear Brennan complaining that security was more important. He was still fighting.
(Richard) “The last thing I need done would be a Black Box One Priority search done on Mr. Dawson’s private quarters. I know you have been informed about a student group we have at the school called the Core. Do not scare them, so make it seem like you are cleaning or something. The group looks up to Mr. Dawson. They think he can do no wrong and have followed his example in the past. …. Maybe just use Tia, Star, Rosa and Luke….”
(Brennan) “Those four have been though enough! Don't you dare involve them in this!”
(Richard) “ … I will make no promises at this point. Involving them is still only a possibility. We will see what answers I will get from you. I have been instructed to find out information, Mr. Dawson and information I will find, one way or another.”
When Brennan spoke about not using the Core members, Arianna almost cheered. A piece of Sherlock was still with them, a very scared piece but something which could be used as a foundation. Richard had just threatened Brennan, if he did not give all the information he could, and Richard thought it in any way lacking, Richard would not hesitate to start questioning the Core. He would, of course only talk to the older members unless one of them specifically said one of the younger ones knew something which would be useful. Richard would also have Maxwell present so he did not mentally hurt the young ones.
Arianna suddenly sat forward in her chair and rested her arms on the desk. Darik had just made it known he was in the room. Ari had not thought the Elf was going to be in on this interrogation. Darik had been working mentally overtime lately and Ari was worried about him. He was not as young as he used to be. Mentally making some calculations she realized Darik had to be 203 or 204 years old by now. According to him that was still pretty young; he was not even Joing age yet were he could take a wife. Arianna had laughed when Darik had told her he had to be 250 human years old, before he could start looking for that part of his future.
Before Richard could get back to what he was doing, Darik had materialized in his special corner and walked to where Brennan was sitting, grabbing his hand in a vice like grip.
(Darik) “No Master Brennan. You will not be allowed this foolish behavior….. Master Brennan… please, hold out your hand and open it with the palm up … Now, please Master Brennan … open your hand.”
(Brennan) “Darik, it is not foolish behavior. It sets things right and protects all involved, especially her. Hasn't the twins been through enough, Darik? I won't have her take their mark, not then and not ever.”
(Lance) (Darik handed the pill in Brennan’s hand to Lance) “It is cyanide, a Muggle poison which can kill in one or two seconds after being swallowed.”
It only took a moment for Arianna to piece together what had happened. Brennan had tried to take a cyanide pill to end his life. Arianna dropped her head into her hands. She cared for the young Hit Wizard and she hoped she had not been wrong in bringing him into the group at such a young age. Although she had the final decision she had talked with some of the other Caretakers and they all agreed he was the best at profiling, an expertise they needed in the group.
(Maxwell) “You have your work cut out for you Caretaker? …
This will be hard on both of you ….. Plus the fact that you are willing to face yours and help him face his. It will be your bond and trust. …. Don't you or Lance dare give up on him! The moment you do, that is when we've lost him.”
(Richard to Darik) “Thank you Tocoferty (Darik’s title in his home clan means Son of Father Who Gives Life .) … I would like to have you … join Sinclair in Brennan’s quarters. …. I have given Mr. Sinclair permission to remove anything he needs too ….”
Listening to Maxwell explain to Richard about gaining Brennan’s trust and creating a bond, made her feel they were on the right track. If they could pull Brennan out of this then the first part of the team would be thoroughly forged into a solid unit.
She was surprised when she heard Richard use Darik’s title. She did not realize he knew Darik was actually a prince in his home clan. He would be first in line to take over the clan when his Sire passed. Arianna had never gotten a definite answer on whether he would go home and take up the position or allow his younger brother to take it or just be a regent. It would be interesting.
None of them expected to find anything against Brennan in his quarters, but they were looking for objects others may have placed to spy on Brennan or anyone he had contact with. Darik knew how to give it a thorough check.
(Brennan) “Please leave the Core out of this. Darik, you above all know what this would do to them. If you don't think they will figure it out then you don't know those students very well? Please Richard… This will destroy them. That is why I didn't want them to be allowed in the Hospital Wing during this meeting …..”
Notebook: Richard clinched and unclenched his fists, behind his back. He thought, “Good Brennan, fight for the core …. Use them to have something to fight for …. Continue to show us you are not giving up ….
Arianna looked at the notebook and watched as it wrote about Richard’s anguish. Richard was holding up and keeping his comments to himself. Out loud she heard him say. “I will use the core as I see fit, Mr. Dawson. You have nothing to say on the subject.” The anger in Richards’s voice was only being used to add some distance between himself and Brennan. It was not what he felt.
(Richard) “Darik, please place a magic dampening field around the two chairs. I do not want any accidental magic happening.”
After a few moments she could hear Maxwell talking to Richard.
Apparently Richard had decided it was time to turn the debriefing session into a full-fledged psy-healing session. Arianna had been part of a couple of Richard’s personal past healing sessions as an observer, and she had read several of the transcripts of others. He had the experience on sitting on one side of the questioning. Maxwell had left and by doing so had made it clear he thought Richard could handle the other side of the session also. Arianna hoped he was correct. She knew he would be able to hear everything the same way she could, through Darik’s tweaked listening devices.
(Maxwell) “….Don't worry though, as one I will be listening in, so if I think it is getting too much for either of you then I can and will stop the session. Understood? Two, I will find time to talk with each member of the Core, especially Tia, Luke, Rosa and Starling.”
Arianna barely heard the words Maxwell had said before he was leaving. When she looked at the notebook she read them. She was not worried about him talking to the Core members. They trusted him because Tia trusted him. Because of that trust they would be willing to help Brennan in any way they could, even if they did not totally understand why.
(Sinclair) “Also he mentions two that need protecting, Adarian and Rikki. Adarian, I can understand as whoever did that to him will not be happy that he escaped. But this Rikki, does he mean the other healer? … If so, why her? …What do you guys know about her?”
Richard needed to tell Maxwell what they knew, but the whole story was long and involved. All she heard him says was, “Rikki lost her memory and she is trying to get it back …. Although she looks different and the voice is not quite the same we think she maybe a professor who disappeared several years ago …. We do not want to force the memories so we haven’t even told Brennan, who cared about the other professor. We want to see if between the two of them … Rikki’s past can be revealed. I will explain more at another time. “
Arianna was almost positive of Rikki’s past but no one had any idea on what she had been through when she was missing and all were afraid to bring the experience back too quickly.
The next sound was the door closing and the lock falling into place. The notebook showed Richard had returned to his seat in front of Brennan.
(Richard) “As I stated before, what the Core is asked, and what they find out will depend on what questions you answer, and whether I believe the answers. …. information I will get, if not from you, then from those who may have talked to you or who have used what information you gave them to do their own investigation. …..”
(Richard) “Brennan, look at me. I said look at me, NOW! .... Put your arms on the arms of the chair you are sitting in with your hands dangling over the front. …..
Notebook: “I have to keep up the pressure. Come on Brennan tell me what I want to know so I do not have to question any of the core members. …. They will not lie, but they protected their own.
It did not take much imagination to realize Brennan had just been magically bound into his chair. There would be a minimum of two reasons for this. One would be to protect Brennan from running and the other would be to keep him from trying to take his own life again. Richard was not taking any chances. What he just did could help later if any questions were asked by the Ministry about how they handled the situation.
There were very few in the Ministry or any other organization that had the right to even request information from the group. Arianna had refused to give information before and she would do it again if needed.