"Like I said, our investigation suggests Laroche was the victim of foul play. We may be mistaken, but in any case, we don't know where he is to protect him. And don't worry, I'm not interested in your relationship with Michael. I need to know if you've seen any strange goings-on to do with Michael or Laroche. Did either of them say anything to you that didn't add up? Did you witness either of them engaged in any activities that didn't make sense? Anything? Anything at all? Please, think hard. Lives may depend on it, Duella!"
She has a pained look. There are things she wants to tell you, but she’s scared.
Your insistent questions continue to nag at her, but eventually she confesses. Michael told me Laroach approached him to...steal fruit. He refused and Laroach left his office. I thought he quit, or maybe Michael turned him in as a thief. We never discussed Laroach disappearing or anything! Tell his family that Laroach was a thief and my Michael wanted nothing to do with him. Tell...tell everyone that Michael had nothing to do with this.
Her story doesn’t match up with your current information on the situation. In one of his final communications he reported that Michael was on-board and they’d begin smuggling fruit downspire within the month. Either Michael set him up, Michael lied to Duella or Duella is lying to you.
Thusiax sighs, genuinely disappointed. "Alright. I feel like you're holding back, but I won't push any further. Believe me when I say I'm trying to help you. But we're out of time; I have to go. I know it's probably futile to ask, but it would be best if Michael didn't know I'd been here, for both of us. If you reconsider, and want to help me help you, you can leave a message for Master Fillon with the barman at the Dark Farmer's Rest on Candle St. I can meet you wherever and whenever you like. Like I said, lives could depend on it." With that, he gives a short bow of the head and makes to leave. "Good day, miss."
Duella agrees to your condition of not discussing the meeting with Michael. However...
That may have been a bridge too far. Not wanting Michael to know? That is suspicious. You know she won’t tell her lover...but she’ll be investigating you...
Morris, the bartender at The Dark Farmer is happy to give you a mailbox in exchange for 1 silver stress. You could try to negotiate but...
What is the next move for either of you?
Clive, do you do anything else at Duella’s home or do you provide Thusiax with the evidence you found and find a new lead?
Clive listens for a moment at the conversation happening just down the hall and then creeps his way to where he is standing just outside the room where they are talking.
Displaying her icon, Clive will say in a normal tone of voice "So, how long have you been in the Ministry?"
Clive, are you using the bead to grant mastery in a compel roll to get her to tell you the truth, or are you just asking?
She’s shocked at first, both by the bead and the sudden appearance of Clive. Then, relief crosses her face.
Four months. I was here to turn Michael to my side, but he’s loyal to the Aelfir. He wouldn’t turn. He doesn’t know I’m part of the ministry. He’s innocent. Just...take me away. Hang me, whatever. Leave him out of this.
Thusiax tries to keep the shock from his face at this exchange. So Michael's the bad egg. Our intel was wrong. Are we being set up? By Keira? Or is someone manipulating Keira?
It’s at that moment that you hear footsteps on the stairs. Michael is returning home.
Thusiax looks at Duella, puts a finger to his lips and gives his head a small shake, then turns to face the door.
"If you care about this human, stay quiet and don't get in our way, and unless he does something stupid, he'll live."
Clive motions for Thusiax to position himself where he wants to then finds a place to hide himself and wait to surprise him.
Michael enters the flat, his greeting dying in his throat as he sees Thusiax. Clive is, of course, nowhere to be seen.
Who are you? What’s going on?
Duella is shaking with fear, but she can’t hold it in. He claims to be from Greymannor but it’s a lie. I think they work for the Solar Guard. I’m sorry, I’m a priestess of a forbidden cult and a revolutionary and they’ve come to arrest me. I’m sorry, it’s a Drow thing, you wouldn’t understand.
Michael is dumbfounded. She’s...she’s lying to protect me. She’s loyal to the Aelfir, she was furious when I told her...my contact...Gorag...approached me. I lied to her and said that I wouldn’t help him, but we met in secret. He disappeared before we could finalize our plans to smuggle drugs from the Homelands. Duella is loyal, she had nothing to do with this. Exile me, but leave her alone.
Thusiax shakes his head exasperation. "Sit down, the pair of you. I'm not here to arrest, exile, or execute anyone. Regardless of what you may think," he says to Duella, "I'm here to investigate Laroche's disappearance, and find him if possible. I'm a drow, and proud of it, and if Laroche, or either of you, are in danger from the aelfir, I may be able to help."
He turns a stern eye on Michael. "I think it's time you started from the beginning."
Michael seems more relaxed. You know about Laroche? Are...are you Ministers too? He came to me, told me that Drow were dying. He needed my help to deliver fresh fruit. We’d meet in my office a discuss plans. Duella was...sympathetic to the plight downspire but she was scared I’d be exiled. She begged me to turn him away. So...we met in secret. Right before we finialized our plans he vanished. I don’t know what happened to him. Don’t be angry with Duella for asking me to stay out of it. She was just scared.
"You're a member of the Ministry, and you told your girlfriend?" Thusiax asks incredulously. "Crazy. Almost as crazy as being in the Ministry in the first place. No, I'm no Minister, I'm just trying to find Laroche. But don't fear, I've no intention of blowing your cover. In return, I'd ask that you don't mention me to anyone, either."
"Now, is there any information you can give me that can help me find Laroche? My clients are very concerned for his safety, and I intend to find him, or at least find out what happened to him."
Duella cuts in. He’s not ministry and he doesn’t know anything. He just wanted to help some starving elves. Laroche vanished. I never met him.
Watching the two of them lie outright, Clive sees that Thusiax's way isn't working, so he steps in to try his. He moves low and slow so that he isn't seen until his arm with the dagger appears in front of Michael's right eye, stopping just short of piercing it. Standing, Clive whispers "Stop. Lying." into his left ear.
Moving with speed you didn’t expect from her, Duella leaps from her chair and drives a blade into your back.
Don’t you dare touch him! Don’t you dare! I’ll kill again if I have to.
Clive, you feel the blade wedge itself harmlessly into your armor. She still has her hand on the blade, and she’s behind you so it’s a matter of time before she gets to your flesh.
She’s sobbing as she crawls over Clive, trying to puncture him.
What do either of you do?
Thusiax leaps over the low couch separating him from the others, and attempts to knock the blade from Duella's hand, or at least grab her hand and stop her frenzied stabbing.
You better the blade out of her hand (still driven into Clive’s back) and knock Duella to the ground. She sobs in a heap.
Michael takes the opportunity of the scuffle to move away from Clive. He draws a knife of his own.
Get out. Both of you leave and never come back. I see your faces again, I’ll kill you.
What do you do?
Thusiax pops his own dagger out of his wrist sheath, holding it warily before him. "I don't think it's that simple Michael. You let your girlfriend in on your holy secret, that you're a minister. And she was so worried about your safety that she killed Laroche to stop you getting in too deep, to protect you. You've f&~!ed up, Michael. It's cost the Ministry an operation, and Laroche his life. No, this isn't simple at all."
He shakes his head. I’m not a minister, you moron. I’m an asset! I’m the only way you’re ever going to get fresh fruit. What do you think you’re threatening me with? We humans turn a blind eye to your squabbles. Some of us, like ME, risk our businesses to help you ungrateful wretches. But if one of you “ministers” lays a hand on a human? We’d remove Spire from the map. The Ministry would serve your heads on a platter to King Gregor for what you’ve done so far.
He sits with his back to the wall, knife still pointed at you.
Here’s what you’ll do. One: you’ll report to your handler that LaRoche was killed by a collective of Darkfarmers called the Rot, as a way to hurt our hydroponic farm. 2. You remove Jono Kant from his position as the leader of The Rot any way you can. You do that and I’ll help you reopen the fruit pipeline. If anything bad happens to Duella or myself, it’ll be on your heads when cinder bombardment splits the Spire in half.
He gestures to the door. Now...fix this.