The Butterfly Effect.

[Angst]

Mitchell Owens


(The Moth)

The woman who opened the door looked so tired, so troubled, and so entirely out of sorts that Mitchell felt a pang of guilt at having come to her for information. From the muffled sounds of a reporter's voice breaking through the relative silence in the background of her home, it was obvious that she had already received word of the night's tragic happenings and had been rather negatively affected. Had she known one of the deceased? Did she know that her patient was responsible? If so, was she feeling some sort of offhand guilt by association because of it?


Whatever the case was, Mitchell couldn't help but get the sense that he was intruding upon her. But, then again, it was a reporter's job to pry, was it not? And the story that he was seeking to uncover was undoubtably a very important one, worth digging into in multiple respects. In the end, both sides of his internal debate reached a midway settlement; he would state his name and purpose for showing up at her door at such a late hour, and if she requested that he leave, then he would do so without complaint.





"Good evening, Dr. Mason," he responded politely, raising a hand in greeting. "Mitchell Owens. I'm a journalist for the local paper. I apologize for the intrusion, but I have a few questions about one of your patients - a Mr. Mordecai Lester - that I was hoping that you'd be able to answer. May I come in? I promise that it'll only take a few minutes."

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

Mordecai Lester. That seemed to be a key term lately, Iris was honestly exhausted but the man seemed civil and if he pried into too much then he would quickly take his leave upon her command. Iris had never taken a liking to the media of society however everyone had a job they needed to do and this man was only trying to do his, Iris sighed before gesturing the man in and quickly closing the door behind him before securing the lock.


She padded down the hallway before quickly making her way into the kitchen and leaning against the island, a dull panging in her head making itself known as she awaited his questions.





"Due to the patient confidentiality rule, I can only tell you so much however I would ask that you bear with me..today has been quite long and Lester was a good man despite his differences. A troubled man but isn't everyone?" Even after the man had walked out of her life yesterday she still wanted to defend him.


Aggravating.

 

[Angst]

Mitchell Owens


(The Moth)

"There is no doubt in my mind that that is the truth, Dr. Mason." Mitchell followed Iris into her her home, directing a nod of gratitude towards her as he took up a position standing in front of the counter on which she was leaning. Although clearly worn down, the doctor gave off the air of being highly intelligent and deeply thoughtful, to boot. The journalist was not simply humoring her with his statement, as those in his line of work tended to do with the people whom they interviewed. He was in genuine agreement with her views; throughout his entire lifetime, he has never met a single man or woman without his or her share of personal demons, and as a man whose job it was to speak with people, this carried a deal of weight. While he would have loved to sit around and talk philosophy with her, however, time was of the essence for both of them, and there was business to be taken care of.





"Any information that you can provide will be greatly beneficial. But...you are aware that your "good man" was just arrested for burning down a Church, right? I don't mean to contradict you. I'm sure you know him better than I do, but..." Was she alright? Mitchell found it odd, the fact that given Lester's history and less than agreeable manner, the doctor was still willing to speak highly of him. Perhaps she hadn't been aware of his involvement, after all. But he was not there to discuss ethics or morals, or even personal connections. Those things could be left to the police. What he really sought was a motive.





"Look, I'll be honest with you. You're obviously not in the best shape right now, if you don't mind me saying so, and I don't want to take up too much of your time, so I'll get right down to it: To your knowledge, is it possible that Mr. Lester would have any...motive for getting himself arrested? I know it's an odd question, but it's one that's been getting to me, given his previous ability to evade arrest..."





Mitchell had a variety of other questions prepared upon entering the kitchen, but just this one would suffice in light of the given circumstances.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°


••The Caterpillar••

What? He had gotten himself arrested? What? Iris was unable to speak for a solid minute, closing her eyes momentarily before resisting the urge to drop off of the face of the Earth. Mordecai intentionally getting himself incarcerated was something that Iris found not only surprising but idiotic. Mordecai was not an imbecile, every action and every word was carefully planned by the man and yet it seemed that this was something that had been intentional.


Iris felt herself shaking, opening her eyes and fixating on a spot above Mr. Owens shoulder before she answered. "I apologize, I feel ill and I had not been informed that Mordecai had turned himself in. I only just heard about the church..the drive you made here has been fruitless, I can not truly tell you why he would do that seeing as he was quite a careful man and did not make mistakes unless he purposely wanted them to be made. I can only tell you that it was possibly due to him being tired, perhaps he wanted the publicity. Do you have any other questions?" Iris knew what she had said hadn't been accurate but se wanted to dissuade the man from anything that would incriminate Lester. She had to go see him, she had to visit him after this.


There was no moving on and there certainly wasn't going to be any redemption for a man like Lester, she had to help him somehow.

 

[Angst]

Mitchell Owens


(The Moth)

"Not at the moment, ma'am, no." Iris's reaction to his words once again made Mitchell wish that he hadn't pulled her into his investigation. This was the one part of his job that he never would be able to get used to: being the harbinger of bad news and picking into personal, often sensitive matters. He gazed upon the doctor with a look of sympathy, resisting the urge to lay a hand on her shoulder in comfort, as such a gesture would no doubt be seen as an invasion of her personal space by a man whom she had met only moments before. Over the years, he had learned that his lack of personal boundaries was something that many found disagreeable, as he often forgot that others did not share the same disposition.


She was correct, of course. Mitchell was hardly any farther along in putting together the pieces of his puzzle than he had been before speaking with the doctor, as it was apparent that she was just as perplexed over the matter as he himself was. But he couldn't help but feel that his visit had not been a total waste of time. After all, he had gotten to meet a truly good woman, and for that he had come away from the experience all the better. He was just going to have to keep searching.





"You just take care of yourself, alright?" Upon speaking those words, Mitchell reached into the front pocket of his shirt, producing a business card and placing it into Iris's hand. "And listen, if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to call." He wasn't entirely sure why he had done it, save for the fact that he felt an inexplicable connection to the woman. On a better day, she was definitely someone whom he would like to get to know. He sincerely hoped that he would get the chance.





"Thank you for your time, Dr. Mason. Have a pleasant evening." With a final nod and a wave, Mitchell headed for the door, leaving the home of Iris Mason to continue on his investigative crusade.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

Iris clutched the card tightly as Owens took his leave, thankful for the man's humble demeanor and kind attitude towards her. She would have to consult with him on a later date but for now, a few conflicts would have to be addressed.


Mainly one being Mordecai Lester.


It did not take long to be allowed access to see Lester at the local police station seeing as her position gave her some form of confidentiality that many were want to receive. The woman retrieved a coat before stopping herself from tidying up for him, peering at herself in the mirror and frowning at the heavy bags which hung under her eyes as well as the saddened look on her face. She had not meant for the recent events to take a toll on her appearance but they had, Iris patted her hair before grabbing her keys and purse and exiting her apartment.


°°°°°°°°°


The police station was filled with various cops as well as people whom Iris had seen at least once in her office, she struggled to make her way through the general crowd before narrowly avoiding one officer who looked intent on speaking with her. The reporters outside had been relentless and bloodthirsty, fighting over the last scrap of information that they could be provided with and one glance from Iris set them into a frenzy. Her head seemed to worsen at the mere thought of the flash of cameras.


They had placed Mordecai in an interrogation room with the promise of leaving the two alone and Iris knew they would abide by this rule for however long it took. The woman eventually reached the unmarked door, her hand wavering slightly before she carefully opened it and stepped inside before closing it softly behind her. She looked composed however the state of her ruffled clothing would suggest that the woman had been through Hell and back..





"Mordecai."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

The burning of St. Peter's Church and the events that transpired to bring it about formed a web more complex than even the most meticulous of spiders could even begin to fathom. If one were patient enough to follow each and every strand, working backwards to reach the point of its commencement, one would find oneself standing in the workplace of one Mordecai Lester, a deceptively quaint and welcoming office on the corner of two quiet back roads running through the mellower part of the town. The man in question, after vacating the dingy motel in which he had spent one of the most hellish nights of his entire life, had sought solace in the familiar setting, and, undeniably desperate for money, the possibility of work. Lacking the funds for the aid of public transit and in all honesty despising it anyways, he had opted to walk, a slow and painful ordeal for a man of his wounded state. To further add to his hopelessness and frustration, there was no job to be found there, as it appeared the dog murder incident still had not blown over. Instead, he was forced to sit in the silence of the only place that he had left to go, lamenting over everything that he had lost in a woman by the name of Iris Mason. But the visit had been far from uneventful. Oh, far, far from it.





It was a phone call, a single phone call from an anonymous number, that served as the catalyst for the chain of happenings that lead to the fire in St. Peter's Church. Thinking it a client, the man, pulling himself together the best that he could, had answered in his usual manner, stating his name and business. The response that he received had made his blood run cold.





"Turn yourself in, or she will die."





And that was it. Seven simple words. Words to which he may not have paid any mind on any other given day, but to which a well-timed warning from his younger sister had given meaning, a dark and terrifying one. He still loved her. He could not let her die. Even if she spat upon his very existence, he could not let her die.


It wasn't even as if he hadn't considered the option of handing himself to the authorities prior to the call. What had he to lose? Nothing, was the sad yet true answer. Besides: Rosaline, Miles, the prospect of having nowhere to go and nothing to turn to, it would get him away from it all, at least for a while. He had no plans to remain incarcerated forever. But oh, he would be damned if he were to just simply turn himself over. No, he would adhere to the caller's request on his own terms. There would be a fire, a grand one, one that would leave no life in the city untouched.


The Church, yes, the Church. St. Peter's Church.


To be sure, he had his reasons for choosing a Church as his kindling amongst all other buildings, but they were complex as well, dealing with faith and religion, and not so easy to address. In short, the man had a score to settle with God, and what better way to do it than burning His house?


It was a foolish notion, to be sure, but Mordecai Lester was a foolish man.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





"Mordecai."





The one voice that Mordecai had dreaded to hear above all others pulled him from his innermost thoughts. He did not want to face her. Wasn't sure if he could without his resolve breaking. Nevertheless, he forced himself to meet Iris's eyes, addressing her in a tone that was void of any feeling.





"Iris."

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

Whatever Iris had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been the man she saw before her. It was almost if he was a former shell of himself, the vivaciousness in his voice had vanished and it sounded so emotionless. This only served to make Iris even more angry, even more sad, even more desperate and it was appalling how Mordecai Lester could so easily place her in these situations. Iris could address the man as if he were nothing and degrade him, she could beg and plead for him to come back, or she could have left at any given chance.


She did not do any of these things and instead placed her purse on the metallic table, the walls were made to filter any sound from coming out and Iris was too far gone to even care about what she happened to say. The psychologist did not sit in the chair facing the man, Iris stood directly in front of him but didn't dare lower herself to his level. A table was the only thing that served to separate them and Iris frowned at the state of Mordecai's face.


Bruises seemed to be marking his porcelain skin and the most prominent one was under his eye, who had done that to him? Iris sighed before removing her coat and draping it on the back of the chair. Her heart thudded loudly within her chest which reminded her that some part of her was still nervous in his presence..as if she needed to adhere to him. Mason tried to articulate anything into words but found herself lacking of anything to say. After all of this she was still speechless, it was infuriating to say the least.


She wanted to question him on so many things but was too afraid of hearing the answers to them.


"I..I don't know, Mordecai. What were--"


'What were you thinking?' Iris did not say this, could not say the rest of it due to the fact that it was too formal for him. She couldn't find the will to act as indifferent as she pleased.


"If you had just come back Mordecai, I would have taken you anywhere. I'm not going to analyze you on what you've obviously done..I won't pretend that I don't care about the lives lost because there were children in that church. I just..I--" Iris felt a hysterical mixture of pain and laughter bubble inside of her, gripping the table before leaning down to meet the man's gaze.





"Please tell me what you feel right now, I'm tired Mordecai and I can't read your mind."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

Read his mind? He'd never asked her to read his mind. He'd never asked her to do anything. It was she who had shown up at his cell what seemed like an eternity but was really little more than a week prior; he had not called her there, just as he had not requested her presence on this particular occasion, although some part of him had known from the start that she would come. Because she loved him. That much was still very evident. But he hadn't asked her to do that, either, and as he sat in the dim light of that damned interrogation room, both hands cuffed to the table behind which he sat and with Iris staring directly into his eyes, Mordecai couldn't help but feel that they had come full circle.


It was aggravating, the intense desire that he felt at her words to tell her the entire truth of how he was feeling. The regret over leaving her behind in the way that he had, the fear for her safety, the anger at Miles and Rosaline for everything that they had done, the shame over his dealings with the woman from the bar, the confusion over the identity of the caller at his office, the pain that seared every inch of his body every time that he moved (This was no longer limited to the aftermath of the previous night. Upon his arrest, many an officer had jumped at their chance to strike a blow. It seemed that everyone knew someone who had been in that Church. In addition, his stomach was violently protesting the fact that it had been fed nothing but whiskey in a full two days.), the love that he still so fervently felt for her, the desire to just make her feel happy and whole again and, overall, the utter exhaustion and the need to just lie down and rest until everything just faded away - he wanted to give her all of this and more. Such a woman as Iris Mason had the capability to do such things even to such a monstrous man as Mordecai Lester, but he was done allowing it to scare him. Now, it was merely a great challenge that he would need to overcome for both of their sakes.


Because a monster he was. By her disheveled clothing and bloodshot eyes, Mordecai could easily tell that Iris had been through utter Hell over the past few days, just as he had. Sure, he could reach out to her, apologize and whatnot, but even if she happened, by some miracle, to accept him back, what would it solve? Mordecai was a man who burned Churches and ended lives without a shred of remorse, and that was never going to change. Disaster was in his nature, and even if she were to give him an infinite number of second chances, Mordecai knew that he would end up hurting Iris. Every. Single. Time. Either that, or she would end up dead. He couldn't bear either thought. In the end, it was best to end the cycle before it began.





So instead of telling her what was truly on his mind, as he desperately wanted to, Mordecai forced the same hardened look with which he addressed every other person into his eyes and a cruel smirk onto his lips. He would not answer her indirect question at all. He would ignore it, in favor biting sarcasm. "To my credit, Dr. Mason, had it been my intention to set children on fire, I would have sought out an orphanage to burn."





It may have just been the hunger pains, but in that moment, Mordecai felt sick.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°


••The Caterpillar••

That was it.


There it was.


Everything that had the possibility to be said had been disregarded in turn for the man's wounded egotistical ways and in that moment Iris knew that her anger had reached its climax. She knew that there was no turning back from what was bound to occur and she also knew that she could care less if the man killed her with his bare hands.


It would be better than how easily he had crumbled her resolve.


"I am trying so hard to hate you..to loathe you, to despise you, and it doesn't seem to be working. I've decided that a different tactic would be better and would possibly get through to you. I don't know why you burned down that church, I don't know why I'm here, and I certainly don't know why I can not stay angry at you but what I do know is..I love you."





Iris struggled to keep her voice steady, a pained look on her face as she said the words. "I love you more than I have loved anyone on this Earth and that will never change no matter what you do. I am a foolish woman, I am a stupid woman for believing you would ever feel the same because the moment you walked away I lost the will to live. I can't breathe, I can't eat, I can't FUCKING SLEEP MORDECAI! I can't do anything, I can't do it without you. You are going to be the death of me and I will let you, it's so pathetic how much I need you. But you don't need me, do you? It goes to show you how much a person can hurt. I was in that church, if I had been in there any longer..I would've been among the dead and no one would've mourned for my soul. You don't love me Mordecai, do you? Well, I love you."





Iris shrugged, her head lowering as her hands clenched into fists. The man could sit there and not say anything and she would still be infatuated with him.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

She was- She was what?


Dread, as cold and sharp as shards of ice, seeped into Mordecai's veins. Iris had been in the church. If he had been only moments earlier, he would have killed her. She believed that he had intended to do just that. It was just so ironic and so obsurd that he immediately burst out laughing upon hearing it, a bitter, hollow sound containing no hint of mirth of any kind.


Why was it that she could so easily knock the breath from his lungs? How could she make him pine for her so strongly when she was standing less than a foot away? And why did his chest hurt so dreadfully much? The answer to each and every one of these questions was quite simple. He loved her. Needed her. Craved her presence every waking moment of every single day, just as she claimed to crave his. Without her, he couldn't sleep either, or eat, or even fucking function properly. He drank and gave himself to women who couldn't give a damn whether he was capable of even standing on his own the morning after and whom he himself could not have cared less about. And most despicable of all was the fact that her admission of continued affection, even after all he had done, made him ache to confide in her even more, to laugh and cry at the same time because no matter what he did, he knew that Iris Mason would never hate him as he wanted her too because she just was not able. And that sickened him. It reminded him once again of how much he had hurt her, used her, even, and it made him even more determined not to make the same mistake again.





"You honestly believe that, don't you? Well, I am not going to attempt to convince you otherwise. There would be no point in it, not now." He could not tell her of any of the thoughts and emotions that were swirling through his head, no matter how greatly it pained him to see her in such a broken state. His love was like poison, bound to kill all of those who would dare to let it pass through their lips. She needed him now, but that would pass. The wounds that would be inflicted upon her by any continued relations would not, and of that Mordecai was sure. Nevertheless, it took every bit of willpower in him not to shatter before Iris into a thousand pieces. Maybe he could not make her hate him, but what he could do was leave her with no choice but to give up on him.


Slowly, and with great care not to betray how much the simple action pained him, Mordecai rose to his feet as he spoke what was meant to be his final piece.





"Two nights ago, Iris, I offered you one very crucial piece of advice. I warned you not to think of me as a good, moral human being. I warned you that I was a monster, bound to bring about suffering and destruction wherever I went, and that this would never change. I, my dear Iris, am incapable of changing. I burned down that church for my own satisfaction. I killed all of those people, and I feel no remorse. You may wish to find good in me, my dear, but no matter how tirelessly you search, no matter how deeply you dig, the sad and horrible truth of the matter will always be that there is none. Your love is misfounded in me. You did not heed my advice, Iris, and now you suffer the consequences."





The words scratched at his throat on their way out of it, so terribly that Mordecai was almost certain that he tasted blood. But they had to be said. He didn't want her to believe them, though there was great truth in them. But they had to be said. For her sake, they had to be said.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°


••The Caterpillar••

Iris stood there, processing what he had said before nodding solemnly. Her mind was filled with various emotions and responses and the woman silently counted to 10 before inhaling, bringing herself to stand closer to Mordecai. There was the distant sound of the nagging within her head which told her to leave although she ignored it, the woman brought her hand up as if to touch him.


1..


2..


3..


4..


5..


6..


7..


8..


9..


10.


"WHACK!" The sound of Iris's palm slamming against Mordecai's cheekbone was prominent in the room and the woman slapped him once more for good measure. She willed herself not to do it once more, her hand coming to rest at her side before she finally broke down. This man was going to keep on hurting her and she could not believe her willingness to jump directly into the storm, she slammed her palm on the table before shaking her head.


"God knows I am trying..God fucking knows that I am exhausted, I know you must be too. You are going to be a lonely man if you keep on pushing people away, I'm sure that that is probably what you want but let me tell you something Lester...if you keep on thinking that I'm going to hate you one day for what you say then you're wrong. You can scream and curse and hurt until your heart's content but it won't do anything. So go ahead, do your worst because I will continue to wait for your best."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

Pain, sharp and sudden, shot through Mordecai 's head as, all of a sudden, Iris's hand connected with the side of his face with a force that periodically sent stars exploding across his vision and, in his infirmity, would have sent him reeling backwards had it not been for the handcuffs that held him to the table. The second slap was duly unexpected, and after she had withdrawn, it left behind a harsh, searing ache, almost like a burn. For a few, long seconds, Mordecai could only stare blankly at her, masking the shock that he felt at Iris's resorting to such a violent gesture. It was as if he had been branded by every hateful word he had spoken to her to drive her away. Every ounce of the suffering and heartbreak that he had caused her over the past few days had now been made swiftly, transparently clear by two successive slaps to the face, the sting of which was briefly forgotten in light of the spear that seemed to have suddenly lodged itself in his heart.


As quickly as the shock and sorrow had registered within him, they faded completely, leaving anger to fill their place. For Mordecai Lester, anger was most often defined as a cold fury, one that was almost indistinguishable save for the aura of foreboding that arose along with it and the ice that it brought to his eyes. This breed of rage was entirely different; it was hot and crackling, like the fire that he so dearly loved. It was uncontrollable, clearly visible in both his eyes and his mannerisms. When he spoke, his voice rose an entire octave, and with his shouts, his resolve finally shattered.





"You pride yourself so highly in your psychological skills, yet you cannot see help when it is being offered! Can you not see that I wish to protect you, Iris? Look at yourself! You're exhausted, ragged, distraught, and all for what? All for me, the man who crushed your heart within his hands and would not fail to do it again! I. Will. Not. Change. If our relations were to continue, this - all of this - would become a part of our everyday lives. It would become a never ending cycle of suffering and hurt that would be impossible to break once it progressed to a certain point. You're intelligent enough - surely you would have figured that much out by now! So yes, Iris, I push people away, just as I am pushing you away now. And do you want to know why? Do you really, honestly, fervently wish to know? It's because I'm afraid, Iris! I'm afraid of you getting hurt, and of myself getting hurt because of it! I am a disease and nothing more, and the only other man that I ever infected is dead! I love you, Iris Mason, and that is why I cannot allow you to feel anything towards me but hate!"





Mordecai held Iris's gaze long after he had spoken his final word, allowing his message to set in as the air around them settled. In doing so, he opened up his soul to her yet again, if only for a fragment of a second. He had said everything that he hadn't wanted to say, but it was too late to go back on his outburst. Eventually, he sunk back into his chair, suddenly unable to meet her eyes any longer. "Leave me," he whispered, barely audible in the roaring silence. "I wish to be left alone." Gone. He just wanted her gone.

 

[Angst]

(I meant to post this song with that shit. Oops. [media]



[/media])

 

[kou]

(I meant to post this song with that shit. Oops. [media]


[/media])

As if my heart wasn't broken enough.

 

[Angst]

I...I'm sorry.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

"We may lose touch but we can't let go."


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZf8hOz4-OY[/media]

The words finally flowed freely and they seemed to sting like never before. Iris recoiled from Mordecai's tone, wrenching herself backwards before nodding her head as his pain was projected. She had been selfish as well to think he wasn't capable of feeling, it was utterly repulsive how so easily she had succumb to the conclusion that Mordecai was anything but human. The man wouldn't admit it and it killed her internally, it was bound to happen and Mordecai was only trying to exploit this to her.


Love was blind. It could cover the eyes of the wisest and craft foolish notions which would never come true, dreams were hopeless aspirations, and the simple truth was that the two damaged people in this room would never be able to have one another. She had been the desperate one, she had sought out Mordecai under false pretenses, and look where she had gotten them. It would only help if she adhered to his wishes, Iris took one last glance at the man before struggling to make her tone as professional and indifferent as possible.


"I apologize for this unethical visit, it will not occur again. Goodbye, Mr. Lester." Iris winced inwardly at the formality before grabbing her coat and purse and walking towards the door. There was a brief pause before the woman exited the room, the door clicking quietly behind her.


She would never see Mordecai Lester again.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

"Wait."





The plea, desperate in nature, came too late, and Mordecai was forced to sit and listen to the sound of his own hopeless voice as it echoed off the metal walls of the interrogation room. Iris was gone. He would never see her again. Of this he was entirely certain. She would not come back to him, not if she thought that it would hurt him in the end.


That was what he had wanted, was it not? To have them go their seperate ways? To keep her safe from any future heartbreak that he would undoubtedly cause her, and to save himself from having to bear the knowledge that he had destroyed her when that inevitably happened? So why did it feel as if his very heart had been torn from his chest at the closing of that door? The reason was not too entirely difficult to comprehend. It was because that, deep down, this was not what he wanted. It was what was best, but that didn't make it any easier accept. In a struggle between head and heart, head had eventually won out, leaving his heart to mourn everything that it had lost in reparations.


Without Iris, the room felt empty and sinister, and the weight of Mordecai's situation hit him once more. He had been arrested. He had turned himself in for the only woman whom he had ever loved, and now he was forced to face a trial and possible incarceration alone. This in itself did not scare him. Prison would hardly be the worst obstacle that he had ever needed to face in his lifetime. Hell, he most likely wouldn't even make it there to begin with. No, once his sister caught wind of where he was, she would pay his bail so quickly that the chief of police wouldn't even have time to blink. It was this that scared him, the thought of being completely at her mercy...


In the end, though, his mind came back to Iris. She had tried so hard to hide it, he could tell, but the look of pain and sorrow in her eyes as she addressed him for the final time had been transparently visible. In the end, she had kept her promise not to hate him, and that somehow made everything so much worse.





Oh, Iris. Iris Iris Iris.





With the psychiatrist's name engraved into his heart and present on the tip of his tongue, Mordecai let his head fall to the table as the first of a long, grating series of sobs wracked his body. In the back of his mind, he desperately hoped that no one would enter the room for a very long time. Wouldn't that have been gold for the rats in the press.


The wounded animal, crying in its cage.

 

[kou]

?Detective Iroya Hernandez?

?The Ant?

​

Detective Iroya Hernandez was a fair woman who prided herself on being able to be successful within law enforcement. She was keen and intelligent as well as diligent although it was her intruding behavior which was notorious in her field. Sometimes her blatant nosiness could prove useful and other times, it was somewhat of a nuisance.


With that being said, Hernandez frowned as Dr. Iris Mason took her leave before the detective thrusted her hands into her pockets. She owed Pablo money, it would appear that the two lovesick fools hadn't gotten out on the best terms. Iroya had become intrigued in Mordecai Lester's case when there had been a sudden spark in arsonist activities within their town and she was informed that there was a certain perpetrator who was possibly to blame. The 40 year old woman was not illiterate however Mordecai was quite slippery and he was unobtainable which only served to make her partners frustrated.


And then, the fire expanded into a full-fledged crime; it had happened so quickly that Hernandez had barely been able to process the information before she reached the crime scene. The smell of charred furniture (or corpses) still lingered on her clothes although she had been quick to make an appearance. No one had noticed the subtle change in their communal joy over the incrimination of Lester but Iroya found it intriguing how the man had so easily turned himself in.


The one possible conclusion had just taken her leave and due to the cold expression on her face, Iroya decided to neglect that loose end for the time being. Some people deserved a break. Mordecai Lester happened to be one of them, Iroya straightened from where she had been standing across the hall before glimpsing a brief peek at the file folder within her hand which was delivered by Janice.


It only took Iroya a few seconds to reach the designated room before she opened it--


Mordecai Lester was sobbing quite loudly, he looked as if he had been whirled around by a hurricane.


Iroya instantly cracked the door before knocking politely, she was a person who happened to believe in social conventions.


"Mordecai Lester? I am Detective Iroya Hernandez, may I come in or do you want me to wait?"

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

Mordecai shot bolt upright at the sound of a knock on the door, wincing at the sharp pounding in his head as he did so. It appeared that his hopes had been dashed, a circumstance at, given his recent misfortune, he was hardly surprised. The detective's voice reached him as he fought to halt the remaining sobs that were wracking his body, and while he was grateful that it did not belong to a member of the press, he found himself growing irritated. Couldn't a man cry in peace?


Not, apparently, if he was currently being detained for mass murder.


Truth be told, he wanted to tell the woman to fuck off. He didn't want to see her, not now, not ever. He never wanted to see or speak with another living person ever again. Mordecai was exhausted, battered, broken, and overall, simply defeated. He was done. Simply done. He'd had quite enough of the world over the past few days, and all he desired to do was sleep for an indeterminate period of time: weeks, months, maybe even years. However long it took to ease the ache that had formed in the cavity of his chest. But that, realistically, wasn't how things worked. He was going to have to speak with Hernandez - as she had referred to herself - either now or later. In the long run, it was best to just get it over with, even if it would be shameful to have the one who was holding him there look upon him in such a vulnerable state. And so Mordecai responded to her inquiry as he wiped the moisture from his eyes.





"You may come in if you wish, doll. It makes no difference to me."





His voice shook. Disgusting.

 

[kou]

≈Detective Iroya Hernandez≈

∞The Ant∞

​

Iroya had seen many lovers come and go in her life and the pain in the man's tone seemed to cut directly through her like a knife. She couldn't help but feel bad for the poor guy but at the end of the day he had committed a serious offense in the eyes of the general public and the law and that wouldn't go redeemed. Hernandez cautiously stepped in before quietly closing the door behind her, heading towards the chair before taking a seat and carefully spreading out pictures of the utter wreckage of the local church.


She despised this part, shoving something like this in people's faces even when they were to blame was something she didn't entirely appreciate. The woman tapped one in particular before holding it up for Lester to see, an entire outlook of the building's exoskeleton which had crumbled into nothing but ash. A grim expression had taken residence on the older woman's face; for the sake of time she was not going to ask if Mordecai had been the cause of this when the man had so willingly turned himself in. She was also not going to hint at his blood-stained eyes and mishappen figure, something seemed to tell her that Lester did not long for pity or infamy.





"Thank you for turning yourself in, I can't say many are brave enough to do that. I'm going to need you to sign a confession sooner or later but your head must be killing you, would you like anything to eat or drink?" Hernandez was truly concerned, everyone needed some form of hospitality whether they wanted it or not. It had become standard routine to administer some form of comfort to anyone who happens to find themselves in an interrogation room.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

"Brave?"





Just as Mordecai had finished crying, he was laughing again, an ugly cackling that resounded through the room and bordered on hysterical. He was really losing it, and he no longer cared enough to try and get a grip. Let Hernandez conclude what she might because of it. If she found him to be insane, then it was no skin off of his back.





"Oh, I assure you love, I didn't hand myself over out of remorse or moral compulsion, or any of those petty heroic ideas. I burned that church because I wanted to, and I would burn to the ground all over again if given the opportunity. I am not concerned with the lives that were lost or the grief that was caused; the people of this town mean nothing to me. Now tell me, Detective, do those sound like the words of a brave man?"





It was an outpouring of guilt disguised as incredulity. Not guilt over the destruction of St.Peter's. Mordecai truly could not have cared less about the church. That matter was finished for him, although he knew that it was far from finished with the authorities. No, no matter how vehemently he tried to purge her from her mind, his thoughts would always turn back to Iris. Fear had compelled him to chase her away, and he had done exactly what it raged at him to do. Calling him brave was an offense.





"I will sign whatever it is that you need me to sign. I should like this to be over quickly."





Iroya's offer of food and drink reminded Lester just how close he really was to passing out from hunger and dehydration. Why she would offer such a thing to a remorseless killer during his interrogation was not exactly clear. Either pity or common courtesy was the cause, the latter Mordecai greatly preferred over the other. Whatever the case may have been, in the end his pride got the best of him - he wouldn't ask her for anything - and he let the question pass.

 

[kou]

≈Detective Iroya Hernandez≈

​

Iroya had expected as much but she had truly heard worse. Pedophiles, serial killers, and drug lords seemed to be an uneasy mix when she worked alongside others in Los Angeles. She wasn't saying that she was not disturbed by Mordecai's lack of affection or empathy however she wondered what had altered the man in such a conflicting way to make such morals disappear as if they never had been there.


Perhaps nothing happened.


The woman reached into her suit pocket and slid out an ink pen before sliding out a piece of paper from within the folder. That was all it would take before he was going to be charged. Hernandez slouched in her chair, studying the man fro where she sat.


They had labeled him to be the equivalent of animalistic in the papers and although Iroya could catch a few glimpses of a predator, it felt as if it were mostly just some form of a facade used as protection.


The man had just claimed that he would burn down the church once more however Iroya was somewhat wary of that. Mordecai had had no rhyme or reason to turn himself in however Iroya held her tongue. She was going to provide him with one opportunity that he would have been foolish to deny, if he screwed up then she would hunt him down.





"You waived your right to an attorney automatically upon confession however I am giving you a chance to call him once more? Have they even told you your sentence? 12 months in probabation, it wasn't a minor offense however we have no evidence of you convicting past crimes and the judge is somewhat flexible. I'm giving you a chance Mordecai, don't let your pride ruin it."


{Note- Yes I did intensely research this to give Mordecai some opportunity. He's still being tortured if he's living with his sister however, the man has had past charges but has never been convicted and his confession has somewhat helped his sentence. Hernandez is not stupid, she will be watching him. Closely.}

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

The offer was generous, very generous. Iroya was not obligated to offer him such a thing, and if placed in her position most others wouldn't have. Mordecai could scarcely comprehend why she wished to give a man of his destructive caliber so great a chance - although he would most definitely be held under careful surveillance - but he sensed no alterior motives behind it and thus did not care to question it. Surely, it would be pure idiocy not to accept such an opportunity, though normally he would have, due to the pride that the detective had so bluntly called him out on. However, this time around, Mordecai had yet another, more prominent reason to reject her act of generosity. Whomever had demanded that he put himself in this situation in the first place was sure to be less than appreciative if he came walking out so soon, even if it was on probation, and if it meant the prevention of Iris Mason's untimely death, Mordecai could face however much prison time that was necessary.


Then, of course, there was the woman who was planning on taking up residence in his home. The thought made him shudder.





Mordecai watched as Iroya withdrew the pen and document and slid both in his direction. He studied the paper for a few long moments, tapping the pen against the table as he did so, before setting the implement aside and looking back to Hernandez.





"Indeed, it is a very generous offer. Unfortunately, however, it is not one that I am willing to accept. Not due to matters of pride, my dear. No, far from it. I am merely a sinner who wishes to repent by serving out his entire sentence."





At this he grinned, facetiously, amused in a bitter way by the irony of the statement. But the smile fell from his face as a thought struck him and he picked up the pen once more. He tapped its tip upon the line that awaited his signature as a plan took formation in his mind.


Yes, that could work...





"Change of plans, dear," he said with renewed alertness as he signed his name on the form with a flourish that was only befitting of a man such as him. "It looks as if I may be taking you up on your offer after all. However, I may need to ask you for just one more favor: If I forget my right to make one, could I get you to trace a phone call for me?"





It was a long shot, yes, but Iroya had no clear reason to deny his request, and Mordecai was feeling confident once more. Nothing quite invigorated a man so much as the prospect of revenge.


(Dude, I was reading it and I was like, "Whoa, how the fuck does she know this shit?" O.o You're the freaking amazingest. Hope I understood correctly and didn't fuck anything up. )

 

[kou]

≈Detective Iroya Hernandez≈

∞The Ant∞

"American woman stay away from me, American woman; mama, let me be."


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYHHz10GGLA[/media]

Yes, Mordecai was correct in the notion that he was entitled to a phone call. The detective decided that it would be best to enforce her regulations before the man started to believe he could walk over her, she would only let him get away with this momentarily and Iroya acknowledged the fact that the man was not her friend. At the moment, they were neutral and Hernandez preferred to maintain that careful balance. Many would question why she had extended her hospitality to someone who clearly did not deserve such a privilege but Iroya was just as guilty in this little exchange as the perpetrator himself was, she had somehow managed to convince the judge that a trial was not necessary and the man had not breached multiple counts of arson seeing as they had only been able to convict him for this offense.


The woman tapped her fingers on the surface, her nails scraping against the metal surface although she had already made her decision. "I am going to say this because it has been done before and I know you're a smart man; if you try anything funny then I will not hesitate to incarcerate you faster then you can say "I didn't do it". I am trusting you Mr. Lester, make wise decisions and don't break this pact. You are granted a phone call, it is directly outside of the door and across the hall. I trust I don't have to escort you and you won't try to break out, you are being watched closely. 30 minute time frame, starting now."





Hernandez nodded her head towards the door in order to accentuate her point, gathering the photos before placing them back in the folder.