Algernon had placed his cup of tea down and was preparing to start some paperwork. He had taken another day off from the office. He had went to sleep much later than normal and did not feel like waking up. The sandman had just released his hold on Algernon only an hour before, but he had already bathed and was now enjoying his earl grey.

Algernon took his pen to paper and started writing. Everything he wrote had to do with foreigners. Be it a Mug or a Giorian. The only reason he didn't like doing paperwork, besides the early onset of carpel tunnel, was the hard to spell names. The only names he didn't have trouble with were Hessean and Anaxi, for obvious reasons. He wished the rest of the kingdoms had similar naming conventions, not like the hard Hoxians.

Algernon had just finished spelling a very random Giorian name, when there was a knock at the door. He wasn't expecting any visitors and wasn't in the mood for any.

This better not be another human asking for a handout. He slowly approached the door, as if a mighty dog was about to burst through. He looked through the peep hole. Instead of a lowly human woman, he saw a powerful looking female seventen at his door.

He cautiously opened the door. "Yes may I help you?" he said, only showing his head and neck through the crack.

Chiaro had been wondering how exactly to go about things for the past few hours. She had gone over this list of names several times, doing a bit of research on each and every one of them to get a grasp of how to deal with them. Algeron, she remembered, had been a vague irritation to her twin not long ago, and according to dear Scuro, hadn't been the brightest candle in the house. She wasn't sure she could suspect one of low intelligence as a killer who had managed to be so illusive thus far, but then, what her sister said about other people wasn't always the most reliable bit of information to go on. He was also a clerk, according to her research, and still quite young... if a bit older than Chiaro herself.

She knocked on the door, waited, and he answered. He was obviously of Hessean descent, and he looked rather tired- it seemed he was always exhausted, judging by the bags under his eyes. Hmmm... From late night killings, perhaps? Best keep this in mind. She bowed, "Greetings. Algeron Aynesworth, yes?" She straightened, smiling politely, "I am Officer Chiaro Viverti. I'm investigating a few homicides that took place in this area not long ago. Might I have a few minutes of your time to ask a few questions?"

Murders? could they finally be investigating the murders. Algernon was just standing there, not knowing to let her in or not. People had been gone missing all around him, he didn't want the seventen to think he was a suspect. He sighed for a moment and let her in.

"Of course, Officer Viverti. Please come in." He stepped aside, opening the door all the way. He led her into the sitting room, placing her in the seat opposite of his. "Would you like a cup of earl grey, Officer Viverti? I just made a cup, it's a wonderful batch."

Chiaro entered as invited, and followed Algeron to the sitting room, sitting down where instructed, crossing her legs at the ankles, and folding her hands delicately in her lap. "Earl Grey would be lovely, thank you." She cleared her throat, mulling things over in her head. She would jump right to business, but it seemed Algeron was interested in niceties at the moment. So for now she would stick with those- at least until she was served her tea.

(( SFSR ))

Algernon grabbed the kettle and poured the officer's cup. he had inhaled the fumes from the tea and smiled. Nothing like a fine earl grey to make an awkward situation a little less awkward. He handed the tea to the officer and retreated back to his seat, trying not to make eye contact. For some reason, an officer in his house made him oddly uncomfortable. He probably, subconsciously, thought he was going to be hauled off to jail.

"So you are here about the recent murders? Two of my relatives were victims of these killings." An almost sick expression found it's way to his face. He remembered meeting with Olivie and taking care of Tiberius' funeral. He wanted to forgot about all that, but something would not let him. A second cousin on his mother's side was also recently murdered, it seemed like anybody he knew died. "So I assume an investigation has been opened about the murders. What do you need to know?"

(( Sorry for the wait ))

"Yes. I am here to investigate the murders. We have been investigating it for a while, now, and the killer has proved quite elusive." She scooped five table spoons of sugar into her tea, a soft, bell-like chime ringing from the china as she stirred it all in. "So you say you were related to two of the victims?" She sipped the tea, enjoying the sweetness of the sugar as it slid its way sluggishly down her throat, "Might you tell me their names and occupations, and if you knew any other victims?" She took out a small pad of paper, ready to take take notes. "And if you have any other useful information, that would be great."

Algernon despised talking about family members that had been taken before their time, but if the law needed to know, they needed to know. He took a sip of his tea and sighed. It seemed everyone was dying around him, it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"My cousin, Tiberius, was a great man. I want you to know that officer Viverti." Algernon's eyes were starting to well up, again. It was just like the meeting with Ms. Ashby. Whoever said time heals all wounds never lost a close friend. "He was going to be head of the seventen one day. I know it, I just know it." Algernon took another sip of his tea. Tears started rolling down his face. His hand found its way into his coat pocket, pulling out a handkerchief. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this, officer. Tiberius and I were like brothers. His death has been hard on me."

Well. He seemed to be taking it hard- more than just a guilty conscience, it would seem. She jolted down a few quick notes and took a sip of the sugary sludge that was her tea. "There, there," She hesitantly pat him on the shoulder, "I know this must be hard for you. But if you could give me more information you can help us capture your cousin's murderer and put him to justice." She offered a reassuring smile. "Is there anything more you have to tell me?"

"I don't know what else to say to you officer. Aren't you the authorities, you must know more than I do at the moment? All I know is that Tiberius was murdered by some sick psychopath." A scowl spread across his face. The officer did not have the right to come into his home, be given a fine earl grey, and ask him to bare his soul to her

"All I know is that a few people I know have died, and they all might be connected, do you know how scary that is officer Viverti. People have died!" There was a sense of urgency in his voice, like if they rushed out the door quick enough they wouldn't be dead. "Do you even know the names of these people officer Viverti, it's your people that find them?"

Chiaro raised a brow, indignant. He was not being very helpful. She scrawled a few more notes, her lips pursed. Sipped her tea. Her field buzzed with mild irritation. She contained it and met his gaze, then finally spoke. "Yes. People have died. Yes, it is terrifying. Yes, we know who most of the victims were. That is, the ones who've shown up in any sort of recognizable state." Her field lashed out in an almost threatening manner, "I'm not sure you understand the weight of this situation. Perhaps if you've seen everything we have seen, you would."

She drained her tea and stood, walking over to Algeron and kneeling uncomfortably close to him, her eyes as severe as her field was at this point. She rarely got like this. But she needed answers. "This is why my people are on the case, Mr. Aynesworth. This is why we have to ask for the help of the people. This is why we have to ask worms like you for assistance. You know more of the lovely citizens who were taken. You just admitted to it. Unless you would like to be arrested for withholding such valuable information from a Seventen, I suggest you tell me what you know." She forced a smile, "If you help me, Mr. Aynesworth, we might be able to find the scum who murdered your cousin. We might be able to bring him to justice. But only if you talk. Will you be so kind as to help me, now, and tell me what you know?"

Algernon's mind smacked him around for the remark. It called him an idiot in almost all known languages, Riverword even found its way in there. He didn’t need to say. It should have said it, but it was said. He couldn’t take it back, even if he wished he didn’t.

He quickly collected himself and inhaled. “I am sorry for that outburst, officer. It was not needed.” A scowl formed on his face. “But this worm is traumatized by the recent happenings. I don’t know how to react and I am doing my best to keep my composure, which is barely here at the moment.”

Algernon wiped his cheek, shooing stray tears away. “Fine, I’ll tell you all I know.” He motioned officer Viverti to sit as he got up. He picked up both cups and put them in the kitchen. He went back to his seat and smiled, hoping to lift some tension from the room.

Her lips were again pursed, but he seemed to have obtained a grasp for the situation, so she backed off, sitting back down and crossing her legs, waiting silently as he crossed into the kitchen, listening for any odd noises, field flexing defensively. She peered discretely over her shoulder to watch his every move. She only relaxed when he came back without a knife or some other sharp object. She had her own sharp objects, but it would be best not to get caught off guard.

"Alright, then. Now that that's settled, tell me what you know." She held her pen poised above the paper, ready to scrawl away, "Do you know of anyone who has gone missing lately, or has fallen prey to homicide? If you do, they could be linked to the Hatche Killer." She paused, her mind catching on something, and then asked as if in afterthought, "And I would like to know where you have been on the nights of the killings. If you've been out in public you might be able to give me names of people who have seen you, so you have an alibi."

It finally hit Algernon It hit him like a giant boulder tossed by a Static master. It hurt. The various disappearances of his acquaintances and friends. They were connected. It wasn't a coincidence, they were all connected. A chill ran down Algernon's back. What if he was next?

"In fact I do know of a few people that have disappeared. I didn't know if they were related though." A melancholy look was on his face. Knowing that you could be next was not one of the best feelings on Vita. "One of my coworkers has disappeared. Well he hasn't been to work in a few days. I know of a few people that have also ... gone missing. I don't want to think they are connected, but they could be." A tear rolled down his cheek.

"Alright." Chiaro offered him an encouraging smile, "Please, go on. Tell me who you know to have gone missing, and around what time." She leaned back comfortably in her seat, still smiling, pen poised to write down anything of importance. Perhaps Algeron wouldn't be a total waste, after all.

Algernon’s face was flushed; he looked paler than a Hoxian. The people, the dead people. He knew them; they were, arguably, his friends. He didn’t know what exact time they had gone missing, he just knew that they had disappeared recently and that they were all connected, to him.

“Well Officer Viverti, I know of two sisters that have gone missing, Morgana and Sera.” Algernon remembered Morgana fondly; she was one of his closer friends and Brunnhold. They even had a minor romance during their fifth form, that was rubbed out quickly though. They decided to just remain friends, a decision Algernon always looked back on and wondered if it was best. “Moragana and I corresponded for some time, but her letters stopped quite recently. She was never one to just cut off a relationship with somebody.” Algernon’s mind wandered to Sera, the other twin. Some people say Morgana was the prettier twin, even though they were identical. Sera was reclusive and picked her friends quite carefully. She picked Algernon as one of her friends though, if not out of respect for her sister. Algernon always had the idea that Sera had a minor infatuation with him.

“I also wrote to Sera, though not as frequently. I was expecting a letter from Sera around the same time Morgana’s stopped. I think they might have been…” Algernon couldn’t say it. If he said it, it became reality. He didn’t want to think of the twins as actually dead, just on vacation. “…murdered the same night, they were connected at the hip.”

Algernon wanted to punch a wall, he wanted to hit something. It wasn’t fair that someone he cared about had died. Maybe if he was a bit closer to Morgana, like he was in school, she wouldn’t have been murdered? Maybe?