<div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Sense Motive for a hunch (DC) 20: 1d20(11) + 15 = 26, success</div></div></div><br/>Alyssa's pen moves in quick scratches across the page as she transcribes Angel's testimony. Her watchman's shorthand easily keeps pace with the spoken word, with time enough to interject a few observational notes on her subject's demeanor whenever Angel pauses to gather her thoughts. Alyssa's expression remains measuredly neutral throughout the testimony, masking (she hopes) her careful analysis of Angel's story - and, more crucially, the lupine's body language, which gives a very different testimony than the one coming from her lips. It's clear that Angel is holding something back; something that has her deeply worried - but what could it be? A brief encounter with Botch wouldn't leave her this shaken, and facing a demon didn't seem to upset her in the least. Which means the source of her worry must have come since...<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">The archon.</span>Alyssa realizes as she follows one of Angel's furtive glances to the wreckage of the Wandering Grille, and the wounded woman therein. Her stomach clenches with a twinge of sympathetic pain as Celestial light illuminates the half mended scar across the archon's midsection, giving way to a sick feeling as the archon's spell flickers and dies abruptly. If Angel has been watching that deplorable scene this whole time, it's little wonder she's upset... if anything, she's a good deal calmer than Alyssa would expect of anyone.<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Angel wrote:</cite>"I, uh..."</div></blockquote><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Still,</span>Alyssa thinks,<span style="font-style: italic">even the strongest heart needs reassurance now and again.</span>Tucking her notebook and pen away for the moment, she clears her throat quietly to draw Angel's attention, and offers the lupine the most confident smile she can muster through her own concern.<br/><br/>"She'll be alright," she assures Angel. "Constable Thuror is one of the most skilled healers I know. No matter how bad her injuries may be, he'll have her mended in no time."<span style="font-style: italic">... I hope,</span>she adds privately. "If you'd prefer, I can finish the inquiry tomorrow once you've had an opportunity to compose yourself. I'll just need-" Alyssa pauses, her hand resting atop her notebook, as something in he peripheral vision catches her attention. She turns back to the Wandering Grille in time to see Sgt. Ananda departing, and a familiar platinum-scaled figure standing nearby-<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Sgt. Ananda wrote:</cite><span style="font-style: italic">~We're moving the investigation to New Prometa. Captain Vignar is waiting by the archon. Bring your witnesses around - discreetly - and wait for the carriage.~</span></div></blockquote><br/>Alyssa jumps slightly as Sgt. Ananda's voice addresses her from.. somewhere. Watchman's reflex prepares her to snap to attention for her commander, until she realizes in a second later that her commander is still a dozen yards away and departing - the voice is in her mind only. It must be some sort of spell or nutrion her commander learned recently for the sake of convenience - well, convenience for some, at least. As glad as she is to avoid another Vanika-induced confrontation, Alyssa can't help but notice that the Sergeant's remote orders leave her to deliver the bad news to an ornery demoness and an already distressed werewolf... alone. And just after she'd raised their hopes... With a sigh of resignation, Alyssa turns back to Angel, composing her words carefully before addressing the lupine.<br/><br/>"Miss Celaire? I'm terribly sorry, but I'm afraid the situation has changed. I'll need you and Miss Vanika to accompany me to the watch station for some additional questions... purely as witnesses, of course!" She laughs nervously and gives her charges what she hopes is a reassuring smile, hoping that neither predator will take her request the wrong way.