Kevin
Raizel had followed Graham stealthily to his complex down town and had known about where he lived for some time now. She was only curious then but now she needs to talk to him away from the school. Dressed in her more moderate clothes, she bare no mask but only a scarf covering half her lower face. She knocks on the door.
Russell
Graham hears knocking at the door at rather an unusual hour, and he can't fathom why.

He isn't making noise, he isn't expecting visitors, he hasn't ordered takeout, and it's far too late for the post. He's been hoping for a quiet night in, in the comfort of his home. So, when he gets up to answer the door, he's more than a little disgruntled.

Graham opens the door. The first sight that meets Raizel is the sight of half the man Graham usually is, tired and disheveled, standing in the entryway, looking like someone just pissed in his lemonade. The second sight that meets her is the immediate recognition on his face, followed by something that can hardly be described as joy.

"Raizel, what the fuck are you doing here?"
Kevin
"Can we talk?" Raizel said, looking up at him with a troubled look. Even if he looked like shit and his change of tone didn't bother her one bit, already getting the feeling that is all business outlook for working at a school. "Please?" Her mouth twist to a nervous squiggle. "I-I'm sorry for arriving at this time... I don't know who else to turn to... I understand you want to push me away to Pernilla... Like you usually do... But I really need to talk to you in person... Away from the school. Its sensitive information.."

She was trying her very best to not stutter when she speaks and her tone sound much softer and feminine without her mask on.
Russell
Graham pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked like this was the worst thing that had happened to him all day, because it kind of was.

"You're not supposed to be here, Raizel. You're not even supposed to know where 'here' is. How the fuck did you even- You know what, never mind, I think I know how you found my apartment. Just. Don't ever do that again, okay? To anyone. Following someone home, or tracking their smell to find where they live, or whatever the fuck you did, isn't okay, Raizel. You can't just do stuff like that."

He took a look at Raizel again, and grumbled to himself. It was like raising a child. A giant, extremely capable child who could turn into an even giant-er wooden death lizard.

Who was apparently dead serious about having to talk to him in person.

"...Fine. I can tell it's important. You can come in, but please, just. Call me next time. Or text me. I'm pretty sure you have my number, and if not, you can get it from the night watch. He won't ask."

Then, he walks back into his apartment, expecting Raizel to follow. "Oh, and leave your shoes by the door."
Kevin
"What? You can't? I've seen other kids do it and same with other spooks," She said, sounding confused at his lecture. This was rather new to her hearing this. It wasn't important right now. She did as she was told by removing her shoes to leave by the doorway before stepping inside. Unsure where to go into than down the hallway, Raizel glimpse at Graham as she waits for him to shut the door. Once it felt safe to speak, she turns her eyes to the floor to get some comfort to talk. "I-It's about those girls with the halos... I tried texting for help when they first came to the school. No one answered. They were looking for someone that they think that the school took from them."
Russell
"It's wrong, Raizel, and those people are wrong too."

Graham wandered into the living room and turned off the TV. It had already gone into an ad break anyway, he noted, and it was difficult to really care that much about the movie. Then, finally, he came back and shut the door behind Raizel.

"Girls with the-" Graham quiets himself and nods. "Okay." Raizel has more to say, he can tell. He takes Raizel by the hand and gently guides her to the kitchen table, giving her a few moments to sit herself down. He has a feeling the entryway isn't the best place to talk.

"Did something happen?"
Kevin
She was taken back by the shift of his mood when her took her cold hand into his. Raizel followed behind glancing at her surroundings before taking a seat by the table. "I know th-they left dead animals in the woods to intimidate the school. They left that dead deer in the garden... At first I was upset that they harmed animals for their dumb plan. But now I know a little more that they're v-vigilantes... What did the school done to them to be so scared? And what made them go as far as killing animals so they can get their sister back?"
Russell
Graham looks calm, but he's not. The subtle things, if Raizel cares to notice them, give him away - the twitch in the corner of his eye, the pearly bits of sweat developing on his brow, the slight crackle of his voice as he begins to speak.

"We haven't done anything to them, Raizel. It's okay." He sighs. "They're killing animals to get their sister back because... It's their sister, Raizel. Family is like that, most care about their families very much. They cared so much that they thought it was okay if they killed some animals if it meant getting their sister back. Most people don't care all that much about animals, Raizel. Most people care more about people than animals. Most people would kill 10 animals, or more, if it meant saving one person's life. That's what they're thinking too, probably."

He trailed off somewhat.

"But... They're wrong. We don't... Their sister isn't with us. I don't know why they're trying to threaten us."
Kevin
Raizel watches his in silence while he babbled on staring at him like how a wolf would. Gazing right into his eyes while not moving. It was a struggle to understand how he is feeling other than smelling his sweat and strange change of body language. "Annika was discovered by students who placed her somewhere safe. She doesn't want to go back to them... As f-far as I know, she doesn't have her halo or wings anymore." Her fingers laced together as she placed her hands on top of the table. "You smell different... What else do you know of them? Are you scared?"
Russell
Graham takes a deep breath. "Raizel..."

He has no idea if this is even going to work. Raizel's responses to stimuli are a mystery to him, even now. Raizel has a human mind, yet not, and it's nearly impossible to figure out where that suddenly comes into play.

"As far as I'm aware, all of these things you mentioned happened quite some time ago, Raizel. It's not new. You told me it was sensitive, that you don't know who else to turn to."

He swallowed the awkward lump of self-doubt in his throat. "Raizel, let me ask you again. Did something happen recently that you want to talk to me about?"
Kevin
"Time flows d-different for me, Graham.." Her ember eyes narrowed into an expression of disappointment. "I met them again and no, I didn't get stabbed just yelled at. They're still looking for their sister" The second language was lowkey making her frustrated trying to speak English to this man. "I-I really don't know what to do because I am already involved in this... And I want out. I don't know who to trust because I was taken from my homeland. And placed here to learn that there's a group of girls saying you're all bad... And I'm here struggling with that c-concept... I'm not human and not raised to be like you. I was never raised by a human parent and its so hard trying to understand all of this."
Russell
Graham glanced away from Raizel. He felt conflicted - on one hand, he had a responsibility to his work and to the residents of Newton's Cradle safe, and on the other, he had his responsibility to Raizel, being told these things in full confidence and expected not to tell anyone else.

He looked back at Raizel, and made his decision... At least until he doubled back on Raizel's words, and realized he might not have to make a decision at all.

"Involved in what? Are they coming after you?" He looked concerned. "You need to be honest with me for me to help you, Raizel. I need you to tell me everything. What's going on?"
Kevin
"I am not sure if they'd bother... But I r-really need you to be honest with me in return..." Raizel says firmly, raising her eyebrow at him. "I'm told they had mind powers and they've been stabbing people leaving glowing wounds behind. They seem to know that you have weapons on you and read you? The halos on their necks look strong as steel." She is trying hard to word it properly but its failing because this language sucks so much. "Uriel is worried about people getting hurt. They sent us to go investigate to see what we can learn from them... It's hard because I'm not sure if its okay to tell someone or not. The thought of my friends going made me scared... So I went... To make sure they come back... I was... Really angry... So mad... Because my friends found it interesting to go see. Teens either too curious... Want to do justice... Or just bored..." Raizel bit the corner of her lower lip when she recalled nearly losing her composure back then. "I don't understand the purpose of all this or what Uriel really wants... Or what we should do about the girls. I'm not sure which side is worse? You along with the school or those so-sorority sisters? I don't even know what to do if they did come back..."
Russell
"Hey." Graham leans in. He's calm again. He seems to have figured out what's going on - and he has an idea of how he's going to address it. No one's going to get hurt. "It's not your responsibility, okay? It's not your job to deal with everything."

They were like him. Like he had been. Poking their noses in where they didn't belong, with no idea how bad things could get. He had to intervene, to stop it before things could manage to get that bad. That was all he *Could* Do in response to this kind of information.

"We're gonna keep you safe, okay? You don't have to worry. If you have anything you wanna ask, you can ask it now, otherwise I'll drive you back to Newton's Cradle so you can sleep, okay? It's gonna be okay. I'll take care of it."
Kevin
"Can you not take this to the h-higher ups at the school...?" Raizel said, her head lowers a bit with a strand of her coffee colored hair blocking her ember eye. "Not yet anyways... J-just go talk to Uriel about this first, they said that they're going to take full responsibility." There was a gloomy look from Rai who turn her gaze back at him. "Talk to them first... I d-don't know a lot c-compare to them." Raizel sighed. "I don't think this school is safe enough to keep everyone safe, Graham... It'll never be because if an angel is able to get this close to students and not get help from a phone call... Gives it a bad impression." Raizel nervously rubs her forearm leaving a scratch behind when she thinks too much on this. "I really want to go back home where it makes more sense..." Her mouth wavered and her eyes begin to well up with chubby tears. "I r-really miss my mum... So much..."
Russell
Graham stood up, approached Raizel, and wrapped his arms around her in a strange, but comforting hug. For a few moments, the apartment went silent, and the occasional car outside, the ticking of the wall clock, and stifled breaths were the only sounds the room could muster. It was a tense moment of fear and trouble and comfort.

"I... I promise I won't tell anyone about Uriel. Or you, or your friends." He nodded, still holding Raizel tight. "But I'm gonna tell them about how the Angels broke in, okay? About what the Angels have been doing."

He knew that might still be a breach of trust. But Raizel deserved to know what he was going to do - and she deserved the comfort of knowing he wouldn't rat anyone out.

"You're right. It's not safe enough right now. And that's why I have to tell the Deans about the Angels, okay? So we can make the school safe for everyone." It was the best he could do. "Thanks for telling me all this. I know things are hard, but let's do what we can, okay? You're gonna be okay."

He let go of Raizel. "Let's go back to the school and get you tucked in bed, okay? I'm gonna make sure the Angels won't hurt anyone."
Kevin
The stone walls shattered as soon as Graham pulled her in a tight hug that made her eyes shine before large pearly tears rolled down her cheeks. With crossed arms, shoulders pulled together before clenching her jaw tightly. She quivered in his arms with stifled sobs with her hand clasped over her mouth. Swallowing back the phantom lump in her throat, Raizel struggled to cry from her slow breathing that weight down on her chest.

*'Stop crying! You're embarrassing yourself!'*Rai's thoughts scolded her.

She couldn't help it.

It was Graham who broke her into pieces from a simple hug that shattered the wall like a wrecking ball.

Raizel pressed her eyes tightly when she shakily clung onto Graham's shirt when she buried her face into his chest. His shirt now becoming drench in cold tears that spread out like a stained puddle.

Right now she never thought that she would feel so alone and still grieving over the loss of her mother. Everything she once had was now gone.

When he pulled away, Raizel was now blinking away her tears before wiping it with the back of her sleeved arm. Then shakes her head to respond to Graham. "N-No... I can make it back myself... You need rest... I.." She felt a lump form in her throat again and her lips feeling tight when she felt pain in her heart. "I ......"

Her ember eyes glance back onto the floor with a look of uncertainty when she removed herself from the table.
Russell
Graham shook his head. "No, I'm not going to bed just yet." He grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter and stuffed them in his pocket. "C'mon, let's go. I'm not taking no for an answer."