Seeing Red

[Tolleson]

Dawn was coming soon, the bugs were quiet across the land but the birds could still hear them, their morning ruckus tuning up. But for Genny and her prisoner it was late. Dried blood was still splattered across her face as she was too busy holding tight the rope keeping her prisoner captive. The boy whose hands were bound shared the same red hair, the same fair skin, the same summer green eyes, and to top it off the same quaff as well. As though a mirror image were walking itself. Of course Genny was slightly shaplier and had, undeniably, slight yet unimpressive breasts. Tennant had just enough more muscle mass to make him seem a man rather than a boy, but he was gaunt and malnurished with an awkward protruding adam's apple.


The sky had begun to yawn and stetch, the purple hues of dawns dying the clouds and summer sky. The town was light though the sun was still abed, light enough that the strange sight of the two, or of anyone at all, alerted the constable at his post. His approach was just what Genny had anticipated and rather than hand him over with little instructions and her word that this was their man she instructed him to summon a one Mr. Glenn Burnie. If he gave her any trouble the red-headed woman would be fiestier than she had ever been prior, holding her ground and demanding it of him with more tenacity than fortress wall. She would wait at the offices where she had been summoned by him several weeks ago now.

[Glenn]

Time passed. Genny would retain the company of Constables from the moment demand was given to them. She wasn't giving up her prisoner and there were standing instructions to treat her well. So long as she had such an escort, he (or she for that matter) simply wasn't going anywhere.

After a little less than half an hour, Burnie arrived. He was dressed formally enough, looking awake and composed, that usual smile on his face. She had been corralled into his office, with her prisoner and two Constables, and Burnie would walk past all of them and sit across from her. "Genny, you've obviously been through something of an ordeal, so say as much as you'd like to, and then we'll send you off to get some rest and to get cleaned up. I imagine we can established the facts very quickly here and go over the details in the morning."

[Tolleson]

Muddied, bloodied, and by the looks of her, determined; Genny had much to say. But for her it was late, the ordeal that had left bloody stains a dark and un-washable brown as it was nearing the days in measurement rather than hours, since everything had occurred.

She did not sit across from her friend, her look was plain and to the point. As if somehow, in a single evening's events she had managed to send away her stutters, shyness and fear. Her prisoner, a twin so similar in height and look, especially with the pie-maker in such disarray; had it not been for her scraps of dress it would have been near impossible to tell them apart. Per his instructions she nodded curtly, but not unkindly, agreeing with his assessment; especially the rest part.

"Take him... You should find this man to match the description of the wanted, Hat." She didn't look her brother in the eye, she simply handed him over to the constables and took a deep, relieved breath as her attentions returned to Burnie.

"Treadwell is returned in so far as I can tell, Miss Drache has ... disbanded what supporters my brother had, and his companion... a criminal no doubt, was left unconscious by the fray and taken to the Rememdium." Summarizing quickly and a succinctly for the benefit of Mr. Burnie she did seem to sway, dizzy upon her feet. For all of it, she seemed to be inheriting Burnie's long-winded tendencies, "If it please you, I will meet with you after I've rested." After all, were she to sit she may very well fall asleep.

[Glenn]

"Get some rest, Genny. You've done well and have been very brave. We'll talk more in the morning. If you happen to see Treadwell in the meantime, apologize to him in advance for me." Burnie didn't give any reasons for that. Was it because he had been abducted? Was it because they took this long to find him? Was it because it was outside sources that did find him (though the once-mapmaker had his hand in all of this on some level). Or was it something else entirely.

He turned his eyes to the Hat, the brother, and did they not look alike. "I have a number of Constables who want to ask you a great deal of questions. I'm afraid you won't be getting much rest tonight." Another nod of his head and two large men entered the room. Burnie would look up one last timem dismissive, but not without regard. "Good night, Genny."

[Tolleson]

Genny acknowledged and smiled faintly in reply, there was a nod but not another word from her. Turning heel and heading to the Dagger she'd leave Tennant to Glenn's mercy.

----

As his sister passed he would watch her, wordlessly and without protest he shifted his weight. His expression was cool and composed, though he looked a little rough around the edges. He stood with the absolute conviction that there was nothing to fear here, he had come willingly. Certainly not the actions of a guilty man, were they? Green eyes, like his sister's, flitted from her to the guards and then again to the man behind the desk, the man in charge. The red haired boy wouldn't reply until his sister was good and gone, deciding it best not to incite anything further with her. Surely there was someone who would see reason, perhaps this fellow was just the man.

"To be sure, there were no delusions in that regard." His tone was part biting, a bit sarcastic, but wholly resigned to the reality of the situation. To which statement he answered was unclear, but it applied fairly to both addressed to him. There was a deep breath as he looked to Burnie expectantly.