Doug's family visiting the office (backdated)

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

Backdated to March. Doug's family decides they want to see where he works. Hijinks ensue.

( Oh. Hello. Did I ... miss a memo? )

The Santayana Effect: The Meet

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

Adrienne goes to the Hellfire Club mansion to meet with Jason Wyngarde for the appraisal of his Black Court artifact, with Emma linked to her mind telepathically, and meets his 'assistant', Astrid Bloom.


( All living souls welcome whatever they are ready to cope with; all else they ignore, or pronounce to be monstrous and wrong, or deny to be possible. - George Santayana )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 1- New York, 1945

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

( Emma was surprised at the speed at which Adrienne fell into the seal's history and the depths to which she fell. Reaching blindly for a familiar face, Emma grasped one that lay close to the surface of Adrienne's mind and then another, an anchor... )

( As Adrienne's mind skittered anxiously, Emma reached for more familiar faces, trying to find something to break through the block that Astrid Bloom was putting around her sister's mind... )

( Astrid had definitely learned some subtlety, Emma decided. The noise she was aiming at Adrienne was blocking Emma neatly. Perhaps a shock tactic might work. If there was a face that could always provoke a reaction in Adrienne... )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 2- Egypt, 1926

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

(  Emma sighed to herself. If Steven's fate hadn't shocked Adrienne out of the vision, then this might be a long process. Too forceful and she'd attract Astrid's attention; too gentle and Adrienne could be caught for a very long time... )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 3- France, 15 October 1918

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

( With a small shock, Emma realised that Astrid was closer to her psyche than she intended. Emma sank lower in Adrienne's mind, scattering faces she pulled out of Adrienne's memory behind her... )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 4- Oklahoma, 1890

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

(  Adrienne was shaken but not shaken out of the vision she was caught in, Emma mused. Steven hadn't worked; perhaps a villain far worse might have some effect on catching Adrienne's attention, dragging her powers out of their loop... )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 5- England, 1879

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

( There! The looping of Adrienne's power weakened for a moment and Emma could feel more clearly the shape of Astrid's manipulations of her sister. She found new faces, student and friend, anchor again, trying to drag Adrienne's attention away from the reading... )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 6- Willmington, North Carolina, 1861

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

( It had to be getting close to the end. The reading was nearly done, so close to when the seal was made. But the story looped on itself and Emma left the same face on the woman but found another to show Adrienne... )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 7- Boston, 1776

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

( There again. A weakening in the loop. Emma could almost reach out and touch her sister's mind through Astrid's telepathic shouting. Another face, another person Adrienne knew. So very close... )

The Santayana Effect: Scene 8- Boston, 1770

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

( They were so close to the end now and Emma was so close to breaking through to her sister's mind. She had saved the most powerful images to the end and Emma used them now. The person dearest to Adrienne and one dear to herself... )

The Santayana Effect: Wrap

[x-adrienne.livejournal.com]

Having re-established the telepathic link to break Adrienne out of Astrid and Wyngarde's trap, Emma tricks Wyngarde with false images and lets loose on Astrid's mind.
(  Chaos is a name for any order that produces confusion in our minds. - George Santayana )