"Wait, wait, wait... let me see if I've got this right," Knox Greenburg said, clearly dazed.
Good luck, Genie thought. She wasn't entirely sure she understood it all. It was weird enough discovering that Knox was friends with Demarco and Etta. That he was also friends with 'Mandy and Mary' (Honestly, who had thought those were good aliases for Miranda and Mariah?) went beyond weird. It was one of those Miranda things. Fate. There might even a prophecy involved, Genie thought.
The red-head, who had introduced herself as Missy, had been the one to have the practical idea of borrowing chairs from the main part of the bar so everyone could sit down. It had also given everyone a chance to get over the initial shock of seeing each other.
Awkward introductions, and quick explanations, had followed.
"You're Kassidy's sister." Knox's attempt to sort through things interrupted Genie's thoughts. "You're a reporter, and you're investigating Shannon's... uh... murder."
"Right," Genie nodded. She couldn't miss the catch in Knox's voice. It obviously hurt him to admit out loud that Shannon was gone, but he was just as obviously determined to get to the bottom of things.
"And you're..." Knox continued, looking at Jenny.
"That's Jenny freaking Poole," Missy gushed. "She's Babette on The Urbz, the best, hottest, most amazing person on daytime television... or she was until those shitheads at the network killed her off."
"Oh, thank you," Jenny smiled. "You're so sweet."
"Flirt with the fans later," Genie groaned.
"... and Mary and Mandy are actually Mariah Huntley and Miranda Goth," Knox went on dully, seemingly unaware of the interruption.
They still look like themselves, Genie thought. It was a little weird seeing Mariah with her natural hair color, and Miranda was plainly still growing the blue out of hers, but they were still her best friends and roommates from university. Mariah was plainly holding herself in check and refused to look at Etta.
"And Mandy... I mean Miranda... you're investigating Shannon's... uh... murder too... because you went to school with her," Knox said slowly.
"Yeah," Miranda nodded. "We were at Glimmerbrook Academy together."
Miranda appeared to be holding onto her usual serenity, but Genie could tell she was shaken by this unexpected meeting.
"... and Demarco, you're back in town because some bad guys are making trouble for people up on the mountain," Knox went on. "And you think that's connected to Evergreen Development and their big project that we're protesting."
"Yup," Demarco said, nodding. Apart from Missy, Demarco seemed to be the least affected by the surprise reunion. Then again, Genie thought, she didn't really know the tawny-haired werewolf well enough to get a good read on her. They'd only met once before, shortly after the whole Alto ledger mess, and Demarco had been injured at the time.
"... and Etta, you and Demarco are together," Knox said. "Like, together together..."
"Focus, dude," Demarco said with a small smile, bringing a brief answering grin to Knox's face. From their gentle banter Genie could see that she and Knox were old friends.
"But you also knew Shannon from school," Knox continued.
Etta just nodded. Genie noticed how Etta was staying mostly silent and that she didn't meet Miranda's eyes.
"And none of you believe the bullshit story that Shannon was killed in a mugging gone bad," Knox concluded, his voice taking on life and heat. He seemed strangely cheered that not everyone believed the official story.
"I've got confidential police documents that strongly suggest otherwise," Genie said, nodding. Was it just denial that made him doubt, or did Knox know something? Is it wrong to hope that he knows more than is in those police reports, Genie thought.
"I can't believe a witch of Shannon's skill could be killed by a mugger," Miranda said firmly.
Etta, still not meeting Miranda's eyes, nodded her agreement.
"Wait... witch? Did you say just witch?" Genie blinked. Even as she said it, she realized she shouldn't have been surprised, but she was. "Shannon Charm was a witch?"
"What?" Knox actually chuckled. "Wait, she's really for real about that?"
"The Charms are one of the Old Families," Miranda said. "Witches of the Old Blood, who can trace their power back to the First Empire and before."
"Wait, the Charms are witches?" Jenny asked, startled. "But they're an old noble family, right? Shannon's dad is Baron Charm, right? Is he a witch?"
"Shannon always... uh... said her old man might turn me into a toad," Knox mused softly, his eyes going wide.
"But didn't you say Baron Charm was like a big deal in government," Jenny said, looking at Genie. "There's a witch in the Upper House?"
"Actually there are several witches in the Upper House," Etta said, her downcast look becoming defiant. "How else do you think the Witches' Council keeps its grip on power."
"Oh, as if the Dark Court doesn't hold seats in the Upper House?" Miranda snorted, her serene mask slipping, revealing a bitterness that shocked Genie. "In fact, they have people in positions of power everywhere. Don't they?!" she asked hotly, looking straight at Etta for the first time.
"Of course they do," Etta snapped back, her eyes meeting Miranda's. The tension between the two of them was suddenly palpable. "How else could they counter the influence of the Council?"
"Wait, I've heard of the Dark Court," Genie said, trying to both keep up and defuse the sudden argument. "They're a group of corrupt old noble families with connections to the criminal syndicates, right?"
"They're vampires, Genie," Mariah said with deceptive calm. Mariah calm like that was usually dangerous.
"So, wait, you guys are saying there are witches and vampires holding influential positions in government?" Jenny said slowly. "It's like what that looney tune in the llama suit... Councilor What's His Name... said. You remember, Genie?"
"Baxter, in the San My city council debates this past summer," Genie nodded distractedly.
"Right, he went nuts and had to drop out of the election because he said that government was being secretly controlled by vampires and witches and aliens," Jenny said, her voice rising in dawning shock. "He was RIGHT?!"
"Aliens aren't real," Demarco said with a chuckle. A moment later the tawny-haired werewolf blinked, looking at Etta. "Right? Aliens aren't real, are they?"
"They're just a minor faction," Etta said, her eyes still fixed on Miranda.
"From everything I've heard, the svartalves... the aliens... haven't been significant for years," Miranda agreed.
"I told you aliens were real," Missy burst out to no one in particular. "I told you!"
Genie wasn't sure what stunned her more: the revelation that aliens were, in fact, real; the fact that both Miranda and Etta casually dismissed that as a side issue; or the fact that, after more than three years of friendship with Miranda Goth, Genie could still be shocked to her core.
"So, wait, witches and vampires and aliens..." Knox started, still dazed.
"And werewolves," Demarco put in with a small grin. Genie resisted the urge to throw something at her. She felt that Knox clearly didn't need more weirdness thrown at him.
"Werewolves? Really?" Missy blinked, looking around as if she expected one to come leaping through the window (but not to be sitting on the other end of the couch from her).
"All real," Miranda said calmy.
"And Shannon's really a witch," Knox continued, struggling to pull the threads together. "But what does this have to do with her... I mean... with her... uh... murder?"
Right, Genie thought. It was easy to forget, in the middle of all this weirdness, that they were here because Knox's girlfriend... and whatever else Shannon Charm had been, she was clearly that... had been murdered.
"Maybe nothing. Maybe everything," Miranda said gently. The bitterness that had flashed at Etta became compassion as she looked over at Knox.
"The Witches' Council and the vampires' Dark Court have been at war with each other for over a thousand years," Etta said in an equally calm, almost lecturing tone. "Since the Century War and the fall of the First Empire."
"Didn't they cause the fall of the First Empire?" Miranda added, glancing back at Etta.
"You never paid attention during Ms. Anansi's history lectures," Etta said with a hint of mockery.
"I had other things on my mind, Ms. I-Almost-Failed-Astrology," Miranda replied with mockery of her own.
"At least I didn't almost melt a cauldron during my alchemy exam," Etta snapped back, defiant.
"No, you were really good at alchemy. The allure potions you used to seduce and kidnap me were perfect," Miranda said. It looked like anger, Genie thought. It should have been anger. Miranda had every right to be angry with Etta. So why did Genie see pain and sadness in her friend's eyes?
"Punta," Mariah snarled, her grip on her temper slipping. There was the anger Genie expected. Anger and jealousy. There had been a time not so long ago when anger and jealousy had been Mariah's resting face.
"Back off," Demarco growled, literally growled, as she rose to her partner's defense.
"Enough!" Genie shouted over them. This was getting out of hand. Once she would have looked to Miranda or Mariah to take charge and keep the group focused. Since it was obvious they weren't going to, someone had to.
"Look, I know you guys have a history and a bunch of unresolved issues," Genie continued. "but now is not the time. We are trying to figure out how and why a woman was killed. If you guys are going to help, then help. If you want to fight, go do it somewhere else. Is that clear?"
"OK, yeah," Miranda said, taking a deep breath to steady itself. "It's clear. I'm good. I'm sorry."
Etta looked away, nodding silently as she visibly tried to collect herself.
"Clear," Demarco said, nodding in a way that wasn't quite a bow and almost seemed like she was showing her throat.
"Damn, Genie," Mariah muttered, looking embarrassed and more than a little impressed. "When did you get butch?"
"Did anyone else think that was kinda hot?" Missy asked softly.
"She's right. That was kinda hot," Jenny whispered.
"Investigating a murder here," Genie said firmly.
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