Power Struggle [AlcaponxMad Madam Mim]

Think of me. Think of me fondly once we say goodbye. Remember me once in a while please promise me you'll try. And if you find that once again you wish to take your heart back and be free, if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me.

~Phantom of the Opera

Lily

Martha walked up to a man reading a magazine...and smoking.
"I'm sorry, sir," she said quietly, "but this is a non-smoking facility. I'm going to have to ask you to either put out your cigarette or please leave."
Lily looked up at the sound of Martha's voice. Who was dumb enough to smoke in a library?? She looked at the man briefly as Martha confronted him, then turned back to her research.

▒Dev☻n▒

"I'm sorry." Mateo put out the cig with his hand. "Miss that beautiful lady there, I'm curious...What is she doing? I'm debating wether stay put or to walk up to her ask her on a date."

Lily

Martha looked over. "Oh Lily? Well, she said something about law and public defenders...I don't know what's going on with her, but she's not the type to get into trouble, you needn't worry about that." She neglected to tell the man that Lily had a boyfriend; she was perfectly aware of what that good-for-nothing did to her and approved of Lily seeing other people, even if it meant cheating.

▒Dev☻n▒

"Thank you." Mateo got up and walked over towards Lily, "Mind if I keep company?"

Lily

Lily looked up as she was approached and shrugged. "It's a free library," she said, turning back to her book. She wasn't particularly interested in getting a date at the moment.

▒Dev☻n▒

"What you doing there?" He took a seat next to her

Lily

She slid her book away a little, rather cautious, but continued reading.
"Reading up on public defenders," she said bluntly, hoping the chance of having a record would scare him off. "Know any?"

▒Dev☻n▒

"Know a few." Mateo smiled. "Need one in particular?"


Devon was typing up a letter when he recieved a call.
"Yes Boss?" He answered
At the other end, "Where's the girl?" After a short talk...
"Oh fuck..." He didn't waste any time, quickly got his coat and walked out of his office.
"Alice, any meetings cancel them." She nodded.
Devon dissappeared in the elevator

Lily

Still Lily didn't look up. Wouldn't this creep take a hint?
"Not in particular. I only need a public defender because there's a private lawyer I'm trying to avoid." She rolled her eyes. "Arrogant, stuck up prick. Anyway, one that could build a good defense against suspicion of murder would be preferable." If THAT didn't get rid of him, nothing would...and she'd know something was up.

▒Dev☻n▒

"Murder?" He acted surprised, "Woah yeah that's...wow." He stayed quiet. "I...You seem like a nice woman...I don't want to jump into any conclusions but...I know someone. He isn't the rich cocky sort yanno?"

Lily

"Yeah?" Lily sighed and finally looked up. "Who?" She had a feeling she knew already.

▒Dev☻n▒

"He's an old chap of mine. His name is Rick Vandervon. His office not far from here. It's more like a house." Mateo told her.


Devon was frustrated. Traffic jam.

Lily

Lily raised an eyebrow. So Devon -hadn't- sent this man? "Oh? And what's he do, exactly? Strictly murder cases, or is he more the ambulance chaser type?"

▒Dev☻n▒

"Murder isn't his thing since bad guys seek for him to represent, but he's all on good work clean cash yanno?" Mateo shrugged slightly, "If you want I can walk you there?"

Lily

"I dunno..." she said slowly. "I know you say he's clean, but I think I'll take chances with my own research. Thanks, though." She smiled politely and tried to signal that the conversation was at an end. She didn't like going to places she didn't know about to meet people she didn't know with strangers, especially strangers who smoked in libraries.

▒Dev☻n▒

occ-hun the guy said the lawyer doesnt take the bad guys

Lily

ooc-Well it was hard to tell. "Murder isn't his thing since the bad guys seek for him to represent" only told me that the bad guys think he's good. XP I'll edit it.

ooc- My last IC post:

"I dunno..." she said slowly. "I know you say he's clean, but I think I'll take chances with my own research. Thanks, though." She smiled politely and tried to signal that the conversation was at an end. She didn't like going to places she didn't know about to meet people she didn't know with strangers, especially strangers who smoked in libraries.

Devon was just a block away from the Library. He parked, slipped a gun that he had under his seat into his pants and got out.

Mateo was dissappointed. It seemed like she was going to make him work harder. "Really it's just a block or two away." He pressed on

"No, um, it's okay. I'm fine on my own, really." Lily smiled but she was beginning to worry; she'd declined the man's offer because she made it a habit never to go anywhere with a stranger. It was just common sense. He was pushing the point far too much now and it was becoming clearer what his intentions were.

Mateo nodded. "Alright I guess I should go anyway." He said checking his watch and standing up.

"Thank you," Lily smiled, no longer bothering to hide the fact that she'd been trying to get him to go away.

Mateo stepped out of the library, lit his cigarette and texted Devon. [She going to her apartment]
Devon was behind him with his gun pointed on Mateo. His cel buzzed. "Oh. The text was for me?" He asked as he checked the text. "I was hoping it wasn't true."
Mateo chuckled. "They only want her dead. You kill me and your ass will be hunted down too."
"Back stabber...So be it. My orders were to protect her."

Lily sighed, getting frustrated. She'd done enough research on a few of the local public defenders to go speak with a few of them. Packing up her things and bidding Martha goodbye, she walked downstairs and out the front steps of the library...to see Devon and the man who had been talking with her. Enraged, she marched up to him.
"So you did send him!" she growled indignantly. "You sneaky little cretin! I can't believe you!"

Devon got distracted in hearing Lily. Mateo turned to grab on Devon's hand with the gun making him drop it. He punched Devon on the face then in the gut. "Next time." Mateo muttured before running off.

"And what the Hell was all that?" the librarian demanded, walking over and standing above Devon, not offering him a hand. "Who was he and why did you send him after me?"

"Let's get out of here first." Devon said as he coughed a bit, got his gun and stood up. "Come one." He grabbed her by the wrist taking her to his car while looking everywhere with caution.

Lily resisted the urge to pull away. "Why should I go anywhere with you?" she demanded, following him to the car. "You put a tale on me and that same tale hits you! And you still wonder why I don't want anything to do with you?"

"He betrayed us. He switch sides. He was to kill you." Devon opened the car door. "Get in."

"What? Betrayed who? What are you talking about?" She slid into the now-too-familiar car and scowled as he got in the other side. "Why does someone want me dead if the same person wants you defending me in court?"

He got in the car half annoyed with her question. "Do you even listen to me? There's two powers of bad in control. The one that set you up...and my boss." He explained as he started the car and drove off.

"Well you've never been exactly clear and straight-forward, have you?" she snapped back. "So your boss is the drug lord, yes? Who's this other 'power of bad'?" She folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

"He's the sort who just enjoys killing. He handles underground business of stolen things." Devon explained.

"Oh I see, it all makes sense now," Lily replied, her voice laced thickly with sarcasm. "A bad guy who does bad things. Yes, it's all clear to me now! I know exactly who's after me now!"

"I don't know those details, nor understand my boss's urgency when it came to you." Devon parked his car in front of his apartment. "All I know for certain your butt worth more than my paycheck and you're to be kept safe."

"But...I don't understand." Lily frowned, confused. "I'm a nobody. Just a librarian from a hick town in the middle of nowhere. Dustin wasn't much more. I mean, yeah even if he was into drugs or something he was still just a grease monkey. He didn't have the time or the brains to be anything more than a thug. What's so special about either of us?"

"Him no. You are apparently." He got down from the car keeping gun close as he walked to her side to open door.

"But...I'm no one," she said as she slid out. "Just me. Just a librarian. I'm not even one of those creepy librarians who knows too much about some arcane subject. Just a librarian."

"Well I'll find out why. Now come on need to make a call, pick someone up and then figure what I'll do." Devon said while checking his watch and looking sideways.

"Anyone else who wants to kill either of us?" Lily wished she were more than only half-joking as she followed. "Where are we going?"