Laced & Leather Chaos

Reinforcements

It was cautious chaos that ensued back where Héctor and Ernesto tussled, or Héctor had gone for tackling him. The position and location of the switch he held was very very important. If it got pressed...

No one knew quite what Ernesto had been gambling with, but no one wanted to find out. Imelda cursed her aim, she'd been trying to literally knock it aside from where Ernesto had held it, and when she'd merely distracted him, Héctor had gone and foolishly made up the rest of the plan, as he was wont.

Oh...now what?!

She, and everyone, watched, and semi-circled, eager that he didn't hurt Héctor further, but...again, able to do little without knowing exactly where the switch was. Even if they all rushed him...if he held it...or could. Then Rosita and Daisy both saw it!

Rosita pointed but let Daisy dart for it, since if they both did they would just get in each-other's way. Daisy made a dash for it, but Ernesto also saw where his leverage went and with a final shove, pushed Héctor off of him and dashed over for it. Everyone who tried to grab or tackle him on the way missed and he just shoved Daisy aside for good measure, into Rosita, before grabbing it.

"No...!", the grandmother's strangled cry of despair, after the bit of hope, came out. From their position, and after righting both of them, Rosita just hugged her arms tight and comfortingly around Daisy. Her own stomach she didn't have plummeted as Ernesto surveyed them, holding the switch again. From still on the ground, Héctor hung his head to the pavement with the sense of his failure.

"Look...", Antonio tried again, "you want that mansion I heard you had back, I get it, I will pull whatever deals those musicians want...".

"I want more than the stupid mansion!", Ernesto snapped. He then took a breath, calming, "Now I told you what it'll take".

"Really 'nesto", Héctor didn't feel like using the old nickname, but for Miguel's friend did as he stood, trying yet another plea, "...is this how you want to play it? Threatening two kids in the course of the two Dia de los Muertos?".

Ernesto gave a harsh laugh, "You are all ones to talk! I'm doing nothing you didn't do to get what you wanted! You conned your own great-great-grandson before you knew he was such", he pointed to Héctor. The skeleton shook his head though, he wouldn't ever have taken it as far as Ernesto was, though, and really it had been more about seeing Coco, and apologizing, than the Not Fading. "And what about My Way or No Way?", Ernesto challenged of Imelda.

No one knew how he knew that, though it was probably guessable from what they'd done at the Sunrise Spectacular. Héctor frowned deeply again, "Now just a minute...!", he went to defend his wife.

Ernesto laughed again, though, "You're all wasting time...well, again, not yet, but, for me to tell you where the boy is before both of them are out of time!". He glanced to Miguel, only briefly, only enough to gesture to him. Yet in some ways maybe it worked for good. Miguel backed up slightly, from where he was still hedged in by all of his still just stunned watching family, but he was semi-taken care of as still being there.

Julio swallowed, and decided to try something, anything. "Look...", he stepped forward, hardly the bravest one there, he felt, but putting all he had into trying to find some...argument...or just distraction even. The very try worked, though. As Miguel glanced back, he noticed Wild Fire sniffing about the street, Dante trailing behind. Pepita watched the two canine alibrejes, but stayed by the rest of the family. Miguel glanced back to the tense talk, mostly to Papa Héctor and Mama Coco whom he knew might notice the most if he went and repeated actions like sneaking off, but...

They were both preoccupied. If you find Trent faster...and Ernesto doesn't know...and the alibrijes just have to know how to wake him if he is out, right?