vengeance, a badge and a gun
Jun. 16th, 2015 10:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
do_what_thou_wiltIt's been a long day and it sits, restless, in Auryn's blood, waiting for a spark to set it off. It's raining, again; barely scraping 60 for however many days in a row. The asphalt's complaining about the late thaw and so are Auryn's neck and shoulders, reminding him that he was once a southern boy and he's at weird angles all day working on cars.
(Lately, it seems, Auryn can't even just shut up and get his work done. He's glad enough he hasn't been fired, after his and Davin's confrontation in Quill. He's happy not to make small talk -- he's usually taciturn and focused and he prefers it that way. But today he found himself explaining that yes, he does, actually, understand what "the only one who touches my car" means, and no, he doesn't know who the man with the sports car is, but Davin isn't available and he can schedule an appointment or Auryn can do the work himself right now. He'd gotten the keys, eventually, along with a death threat if there's so much as a rearview adjustment out of place.)
It's a good couple miles back to his little house in the woods, and he's tired and grumpy when he gets back there. It only darkens when he sees, just shy of his usual turn into the road, a tree splintered at the base and fallen across his path, accompanied by thick gouges in the mud, now filled with water, where a Jeep or maybe an ATV made a poor decision about where to infiltrate.
He takes a step into the flooded path to reach the tree, still hanging on on one side, and just crouches with his hand on it for a moment. There's nothing he can do, though: the damage has been done. All of a sudden he's just angry, angry at his own ineffectiveness and passivity, angry at other people and their arrogance, angry at how alone he feels in a place that was supposed to be some Holy Grail of witch communities. He balls up the fury painfully and pushes it out, lifting the tree and the water up out of the tracks to hover and throwing it all with force with a frustrated shout, coming down with a hard thud and bouncing a few feet away down the empty road.
The sudden whine of a siren, makes him freeze. He half turns to see a patrol car slow to a stop across the road. "Siren Cove Police. Stop right where you are,” the officer says as he gets out of the car, hand already on his gun. His partner’s a step behind.
"Hey, let's not do anything stupid --" Auryn says, taking a step and starting to spread his hands out concilatorily, and the officers both pull their weapons immediately. The one in front barks, eyes fixed,
"Hands on your head. Don't move."
Auryn can feel his heart hammering as he stares at two drawn handguns, but all he can manage in response is a cold glare, locking his fingers over his skull and resting them there; it occurs to him late that his hands are probably being considered weapons by the trigger-happy duo. It also occurs to him that in any other circumstance if he were to strike someone who pulled a gun on him it might be considered self defense.
The first of the two grabs him and twists his wrists back behind his back, pushing Auryn against the car. “I know my rights,” he spits at him as the officer cuffs him. “You can't do this."
"You might want to reread your legal codes," the other cop says. "You're in direct violation of Siren Cove law. Open and public display of magic."
"You can't arrest me for that."
"You're not being arrested," the other cop says, patting him down ungently. "You're being detained. But keep up the smart talk and I'm sure we can work something out." He makes a triumphant noise at the long multi-tool knife Auryn has on him, digging it out of his pocket. Auryn tries to twist back toward him, and is rewarded with a hand to the back of his neck, pressing his face against the car. "Keep your eyes and your hands to yourself, boy."
"The problem with this place," the other one says idly, holstering his weapon and digging out his notebook, "is that you witch types think it's some sort of Disneyland. A guy just wants to get some coffee, go to work, feed your family, and instead I spend all day running into freakshows from away who want to re-enact the damn Coombs curse. Come Midsummer it'll be a whole sideshow. Name and address."
"I'm not answering your questions."
"I know who you are, anyway," the other one says. "This is that O'Connor kid," he informs his partner from where he's got his hand against Auryn's back. "Works at the auto shop. Mike was in Quill the other day and heard him as much as admit to brainwashing everyone. I heard he's got some creepy-ass shack up here. Sounds like building without a permit to me, Mr. O'Connor."
"It's Auryn Connor," he growls. "I don't think you'll find much, if you want to go tramping through the woods looking for trumped up charges, be my guest."
"You staying at the motel, then?" The quieter of the two has already run him through the system.
"Yep," he says, tiredly.
"You have two prior unpaid citations for public magic use in Siren Cove and another for trespassing. Ring a bell?"
"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."
"Not in this town." He gestures at the back of the car. "Auryn Connor, you're being arrested for open and public display of magic and destruction of public property, with failure to pay previous civil fines. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say -- and have said -- can and will be used against you. You have the right to appropriate representation..."
His voice fades dully as Auryn lets his head sink against the cruiser. This is not how he had planned his evening.
[OOC: Dated to this evening! Spot Auryn being brought in, be the employee who processes him or talk to him at the police station, run into him after he's released...]
(Lately, it seems, Auryn can't even just shut up and get his work done. He's glad enough he hasn't been fired, after his and Davin's confrontation in Quill. He's happy not to make small talk -- he's usually taciturn and focused and he prefers it that way. But today he found himself explaining that yes, he does, actually, understand what "the only one who touches my car" means, and no, he doesn't know who the man with the sports car is, but Davin isn't available and he can schedule an appointment or Auryn can do the work himself right now. He'd gotten the keys, eventually, along with a death threat if there's so much as a rearview adjustment out of place.)
It's a good couple miles back to his little house in the woods, and he's tired and grumpy when he gets back there. It only darkens when he sees, just shy of his usual turn into the road, a tree splintered at the base and fallen across his path, accompanied by thick gouges in the mud, now filled with water, where a Jeep or maybe an ATV made a poor decision about where to infiltrate.
He takes a step into the flooded path to reach the tree, still hanging on on one side, and just crouches with his hand on it for a moment. There's nothing he can do, though: the damage has been done. All of a sudden he's just angry, angry at his own ineffectiveness and passivity, angry at other people and their arrogance, angry at how alone he feels in a place that was supposed to be some Holy Grail of witch communities. He balls up the fury painfully and pushes it out, lifting the tree and the water up out of the tracks to hover and throwing it all with force with a frustrated shout, coming down with a hard thud and bouncing a few feet away down the empty road.
The sudden whine of a siren, makes him freeze. He half turns to see a patrol car slow to a stop across the road. "Siren Cove Police. Stop right where you are,” the officer says as he gets out of the car, hand already on his gun. His partner’s a step behind.
"Hey, let's not do anything stupid --" Auryn says, taking a step and starting to spread his hands out concilatorily, and the officers both pull their weapons immediately. The one in front barks, eyes fixed,
"Hands on your head. Don't move."
Auryn can feel his heart hammering as he stares at two drawn handguns, but all he can manage in response is a cold glare, locking his fingers over his skull and resting them there; it occurs to him late that his hands are probably being considered weapons by the trigger-happy duo. It also occurs to him that in any other circumstance if he were to strike someone who pulled a gun on him it might be considered self defense.
The first of the two grabs him and twists his wrists back behind his back, pushing Auryn against the car. “I know my rights,” he spits at him as the officer cuffs him. “You can't do this."
"You might want to reread your legal codes," the other cop says. "You're in direct violation of Siren Cove law. Open and public display of magic."
"You can't arrest me for that."
"You're not being arrested," the other cop says, patting him down ungently. "You're being detained. But keep up the smart talk and I'm sure we can work something out." He makes a triumphant noise at the long multi-tool knife Auryn has on him, digging it out of his pocket. Auryn tries to twist back toward him, and is rewarded with a hand to the back of his neck, pressing his face against the car. "Keep your eyes and your hands to yourself, boy."
"The problem with this place," the other one says idly, holstering his weapon and digging out his notebook, "is that you witch types think it's some sort of Disneyland. A guy just wants to get some coffee, go to work, feed your family, and instead I spend all day running into freakshows from away who want to re-enact the damn Coombs curse. Come Midsummer it'll be a whole sideshow. Name and address."
"I'm not answering your questions."
"I know who you are, anyway," the other one says. "This is that O'Connor kid," he informs his partner from where he's got his hand against Auryn's back. "Works at the auto shop. Mike was in Quill the other day and heard him as much as admit to brainwashing everyone. I heard he's got some creepy-ass shack up here. Sounds like building without a permit to me, Mr. O'Connor."
"It's Auryn Connor," he growls. "I don't think you'll find much, if you want to go tramping through the woods looking for trumped up charges, be my guest."
"You staying at the motel, then?" The quieter of the two has already run him through the system.
"Yep," he says, tiredly.
"You have two prior unpaid citations for public magic use in Siren Cove and another for trespassing. Ring a bell?"
"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."
"Not in this town." He gestures at the back of the car. "Auryn Connor, you're being arrested for open and public display of magic and destruction of public property, with failure to pay previous civil fines. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say -- and have said -- can and will be used against you. You have the right to appropriate representation..."
His voice fades dully as Auryn lets his head sink against the cruiser. This is not how he had planned his evening.
[OOC: Dated to this evening! Spot Auryn being brought in, be the employee who processes him or talk to him at the police station, run into him after he's released...]
no subject
Date: 2015-06-18 08:37 pm (UTC)It was impossible to miss the thoughts of the two patrolmen and the person they brought it. The patrolmen were resigned but the kid was pissed. Levi knew that it was possible that this kid didn't really need to have the hammer brought down on him. Then again, maybe he did.
Grabbing the kids file from a nearby desk, Levi thumbed through it before heading toward the desk where the kid was about to be processed.
"Hey, I know you guys are busy and almost done with your shift," Levi told the two men. "I've still got a few hours. Why don't you let me get this one?"
The two men were more than happy to leave the problem in Levi's lap, thanking him before heading to the break room.
"Mr. O'Connor, why don't we step over to my desk," Levi said, unlocking the kid's cuffs. "I'm Detective Astor. Can I get you anything? A cup of coffee or a towel? It's coming down pretty hard out there."
no subject
Date: 2015-06-19 01:18 am (UTC)The man's sudden interest in him makes Auryn suspicious, a little, in his indignant state of being, but he's fully surrounded by cops and he's tired, and he doesn't feel up to doing anything stupid. Besides, not having to look at the guys who just pulled guns on him and went on a monologue about freakshows anymore actually does mollify him a little.
Why don't we is not a question, here: it wasn't when his high school principal said it, and it certainly isn't from a detective, but Auryn's more than happy to have his cuffs removed, and he stretches his hands reflexively. It's only when the detective's close enough to get them off him that he feels it - the tell-tale accumulation of extra energy around witches. He can't really do anything with it, he just knows enough to sense it. His is weird though. Not just low-key. Sort of jittery and stifled. Auryn's not sure if he should be really worried about that, or more relaxed.
"Water'll dry," he says dismissively. "But I won't say no to a cup of coffee, if you're getting one, Detective."
no subject
Date: 2015-06-19 04:56 am (UTC)"Sure, I'll be right back, just have a seat," Levi said, pointing to a chair opposite his desk as he went to get two cups of coffee. Fortunately it had been a slow day and his head wasn't pounding too hard at the moment so he didn't need anything stronger than caffeine to help dull the pain. Also fortunately for Mr. O'Connor was that even the Police Department in Siren Cove had good coffee.
"I understand you've been made aware of your rights. Am I waiting for an attorney to arrive or do I need to get one for you?" Levi asked, handing the coffee to the man as he sat down.
no subject
Date: 2015-06-19 11:36 pm (UTC)Auryn sits down, upright on the edge of the chair, one knee bouncing in restless energy, and looks around a little. It's not unlike other police departments he's been in, busy and officey, but it's a little nicer. The obligatory small palm in the corner is better looking; the desks are more attractive.
He can smell the coffee as Detective Astor comes over, and he nods a "thank you," as he's handed the cup, taking a long sip. He's not the most tired, or the most cold and damp, or sore, that he's ever been. He's hitchhiked through places like South Dakota and Colorado on his routes cross country. But it doesn't mean a little bit of ease to it isn't welcome.
Auryn glances up in surprise at the detective's question. Every other of the several times he's been arrested or detained, he's been questioned as harshly and thoroughly as possible until he decided to clam up. Having it assumed that he'd want a lawyer on hand is a courtesy he doesn't expect. (It's also, maybe, a mark of a town where half the families have attorneys on retainer for when their respective scions get a little too rowdy.)
"I'd appreciate that."
no subject
Date: 2015-06-22 05:01 pm (UTC)"Alright, I've got someone coming. You don't have to talk until they're here. You probably shouldn't, actually. But I'll lay out what I want to talk about. I want to hear about your prior convictions and the circumstances surrounding what happened this time. Depending on how things go your lawyer and I might be able to bust this down to something when you're done it will just be served with community service or go away all together."
no subject
Date: 2015-06-24 06:42 pm (UTC)Auryn nods in thanks, spinning the ring on his index finger in consternation as the detective takes care of placing him a public defender. Possibly, in this town, one that specializes in this stuff, though he's loathe to expect that.
Auryn nods in understanding. "I understand," he says. To be honest, his prior citations are little and stupid; it's more that he doesn't care about being subtle about his magic, doesn't agree with the fines, and doesn't have the money to pay them if he did. "I'll wait on my attorney," he agrees, figuring he might as well take advantage of the right.
"Why are you helping me?" Auryn asks overtly. Sure, he senses the magic the man has, but from the feel of it he either doesn't know it's there, or he's repressing it altogether. He's chosen to work for law enforcement and Auryn's broken that law. There's no reason he has to be kind.
no subject
Date: 2015-06-26 04:21 pm (UTC)"You've been charged with a crime, Mr. O'Connor, not stripped of your humanity. The law only works if we view people with human decency and treat them accordingly. Also, it's the right thing to do."
Levi had gotten the disbelief from people before and was fairly used to it. He couldn't really blame them, especially not in a place like Siren Cove where the population could be rather biased, one way or another. It wasn't unusual to find people wanting a witch freed just because they were a witch and were convinced the law was coming down too harsh on them, even if they were guilty.
That and Levi had looked into the eyes and mind of people that were evil. Auryn O'Connor wasn't evil. At most he was a punk, more likely he was just someone expression his beliefs in a less-than-legal way.