In a divided city, a first-year resident, an investigative journalist, and their neighbor join forces to unravel a web of corruption and secrets surrounding the death of their friend, leading them to confront an oppressive government, uncover dark p...
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JOE TURNED TO LOOK BACK AT CHRISTINA.
"You were saying?"
Christina's head whipped back ahead, blinking into focus. She tried not to stare too long at her tattoos, but her eyes kept wandering there beyond her control; the faded ink and the freshly new ones that were darker in color; leaves and flower petals; roots, and sharp objects. All intricately drawn on her skin, from her wrist to her shoulders. She wondered if it spanned her back as well.
"We needed to talk to you."
Joe arched an eyebrow, tilting her head to catch her attention. Christina looked back up, cheeks heating slightly from getting caught.
"You did mention that."
"Can we talk in private?" Her eyes flickered to her surroundings, noticing the eyes on her and opting to avoid having an audience. She wanted to minimize conflict. Having different pairs of eyes and opinions would only manage to fuel it.
"That's not possible."
It was getting harder for Christina to get her point across as Joe lost interest, catching raised hands from her customers as they asked for refills. She was moving again, hands picking up bottles and glasses, pouring down the contents like it was second nature to her.
"It's about Violet."
Joe's movements halted.
She slowly turned, the crease between her eyebrows wrinkling at the mention of the name. Robin's eyes caught the twitch in the woman's eyebrows to her right and she looked to her left in hopes she would find something there too-but he didn't give anything away, not even looking at her as his attention zeroed on Christina.
"What about Violet?"
"I just have a few questions."
Her eyebrows shot up. "Questions..." she echoed. After a moment, she shook her head. "I don't get it. You work for cops?"
The chatter diminished at the mention of that, and Christina's eyes widened, her body frozen at the sudden shift in the air. "No, no." She was quick to deny.
Finn's eyes shot to watch the people around. Every possible pair of eyes in the wide space of the bar had turned at the mention of the word. Eyes were narrowed and teeth were bared. The poker table on his left already had weapons out - now their fingers clutched around them.
Shit shit shit. He felt his gut twist, unable to push down the sudden panic that rose inside of him. That was a mistake. Coming here, unprotected and vulnerable, was a mistake. It was naivety at best, to believe the people of Darwin would not catch them as Fairfordians, that they would look the other way and would let them wander as they pleased.
Joe tipped her chin up and shook her head once.
Conversation began to chime back again, the tension vanishing just as fast as it came.
