City Seat Circle(#162Rs)

	The focal center of the city, the two lengths of Main Street meet 
here, forming a circular drive around which a number of important 
public buildings are situated. Erected in the small park in the center 
of Circle Drive is Beacon Harbor's Lady of Progress, a twenty five foot 
tall statue of a woman clad in armor, sword upraised, pointing to the 
brave new future for the city and it's inhabitants. A small fountain is 
positioned in front of the statue, and a number of benches are 
scattered around the small park, providing lots of places to sit; for 
lunch, to relax, or for the disenfranchised. Beneath the park is a vast 
underground structure that provides parking for the many government 
buildings that line the outer rim of the circle. Circle Drive splits 
off in three directions from here, northeast toward the financial 
district, northwest towards the commercial district, and southwest 
toward the monolithic residential district.

Jesse Mayhem can almost feel Ray's stare on the side of her head. She 
gets a closer look at the other man on the step. Dear lord, does she 
really want to associate with any of these people? Between the staring 
man, and the jingling turbaned guy, she might just crack. She wills 
herself not to look at either one of them, turning her eyes to the 
ground.

Ray can't take it any more. He has to know. And if this *is* Crazy 
Mona, he's just glad he's armed. "Ma'am?"

He just spoke to her. Jesse turns her head, looking for someone else 
that could be addressed as a 'Ma'am', hopeful. No such luck, unless the 
staring guy has the wrong idea about the turbaned man. She finally 
looks up to Ray, eyebrows raised slightly. "Yes?" she says, her voice 
almost dripping with dread.

Ray doesn't miss her attitude, but he takes an involuntary step 
backwards. God, if it isn't her it's her twin. He's read *all* about 
Beacon's most famous non-meta serial killer, and for a moment doesn't 
say anything at all. What do you say? "Do I know you from somewhere?" 
And what's she so afraid of, if it's *not* her?

Blake strolls into the Circle, the Plague Dogs (it's a long book after 
all) tucked under his arm. 

Jesse Mayhem continues to look at Ray, one eyebrow lowering slightly, 
leaving the other one perked. She notes the man's step back, and the 
other man's jingle to the side. She sinks further into her spot on the 
step (if possible), and repeats her response. "Yes?"

Ray isn't sure what she means, now. Yes I do know her or just a request 
for more information? "You..." You're a vicious serial killer, aren't 
you, ma'am? No, no.. "You came back to town?" Relax. She doesn't know 
you're a cop. Take it easy.


Blake walks past the pair on his way to the Library steps, pausing a 
little to peer over at them curiously. Who's Ray interrogating now?

Came back? Well, she came to town recently... is that what this guy 
means? "Apparently I did," she answers. Damnit, that's not what I 
meant... now I sound like some kind of a smartass. Jesse lowers her 
shades again, not backing down, her dark eyes like little black stones 
as she gazes at him.

Ray grabs at Blake's arm, apparently out of instinct, because he 
doesn't for one second take his eyes off Jesse, the surge of adrenalin 
almost paralysing him. It *is* her. *Look* at her. And 'I've got her' 
versus 'she'll kill me' scramble for his attention. "Sullivan," he 
says, still staring at Jesse as if hypnotized, "stay here."

Blake wasn't expecting Ray to stoop to physically snatching him off of 
the streets. "Heyheyheywoah!" he sputters, coming to an abrupt halt. He 
blinks in Jesse's direction, then blinks at Ray. The hell's goin' on?

Jesse Mayhem gazes at Ray continuously, her eyes flicking up once 
toward the man that was just grabbed, and once toward the dark and 
cloudy skies above. What on earth does this guy want? "Is... there a 
problem?" she asks, sounding less threatening, although that probably 
won't help her case much. This guy has to be a wacko.

Ray hangs on to Blake's arm. It's probably getting painful by now, too, 
it's a deathgrip. Don't you *dare* leave me here alone. What do I do, 
what do I *do*? This was *not* covered in the Academy. Which in any 
case was a very long time ago. "You're her, aren't you?" he says, 
slowly. "You're *her*."

Blake blinks again. "What, isch sche schome kind of schelebrity?" he 
wonders aloud, squirming against Ray's grip. He gives Jesse a good 
look. "Isch thisch guy bugging you?" he asks Jesse gallantly. She's 
kinda pretty, after all.

Jesse Mayhem nods slowly toward Ray, meaning 'Okay, you're crazy', 
which is probably the worst thing she could do at this point. She looks 
up at the other guy, allowing a faint smile to creep across her 
features. "He's not bugging me too badly," she says, then as an 
afterthought, "Thank you." Sweet of him to ask.

Oh, sweet Jesus. Ray lets go of Blake's arm, because the hand he's 
holding Sullivan with is also the hand he needs to go for his gun with. 
He doesn't try that yet, though, not yet. "You..." If he knew the word 
'audacious' here he'd probably use it, and he turns slightly wild, 
panicky eyes on Blake. "It's *her*," he says urgently. "Mayhem. It's 
*her*." Please have heard of her. It's like Charles Manson, for crying 
out loud, everyone's heard of Mona Mayhem! Right?

Blake, who had begun to look especially pleased when Jesse thanked him, 
snaps back to Earth. "Mayhem?" he hisses to Ray. That rings a bell. 
"Nnnnahhh. Couldn't be *her*." He smiles back at Jesse. "'Schcusche 
usch." He nudges Ray off to the side. "I know you're paranoid 
Kowalschki, but Chrischt. You're going funny, here."

I am so confused, Jesse thinks to herself, pulling her knees up in 
front of her. She knows it had to be something she said or did... but 
when? The man knows her name obviously. Is he stalking her? Is he... 
"Rabid?" she asks softly, a piece of her inner monologue escaping of 
its own accord. She smiles faintly and nods a little to Blake.

Ray talks rapidly and urgently to Blake, trying to keep an eye on Jesse 
the whole time. "Goddammit, Sullivan, it's *her*! LOOK at her! She - " 
Jesse's 'rabid' comment is heard and he shoots her a brief glare. 
"She's Mona Mayhem," he whispers. "Sure she looks good for her age, but 
it's HER. We had to *study* her. Her and Manson and Dahmer, Jesus 
CHRIST...you have to help me."

Blake scowls at Ray. "What the hell do you want me to do with her?" he 
demands, then stops short. "Jeez, Kowalschki, you don't want me to--?" 
He shakes his head. "Forget it. Anywaysch I schtill schay it's not her. 
Here, I'll aschk her." And before Ray can even say anything, he popped 
over and sat on the steps next to Jesse. "Hi," he says cheerfully. 
"Schorry about him," he nods in Ray's direction, "but he'sch a real 
weirdo. My name'sch Blake, what'sch yours?" He holds out a hand to 
shake.

Jesse Mayhem smiles softly to Blake and raises a gloved hand, in 
preparation to shake his. Her hands are trembling, she notices, and 
forces herself to relax a little. "My name's Jesse," she tells him. 
"It's good to meet you, Blake." She clasps her gloved hand around 
Blake's, trying not to look at Ray.

Ray, as expected, practically has a coronary. "Sullivan!!" he hisses, 
but Blake was too quick for him and he watches the pair of them, wide-
eyed, one hand finally creeping towards his gun, concealed by the baggy 
T-shirt. The thunder and lightning isn't helping him feel any less 
rattled, either.

Now that he's engaged her, Blake doesn't see any reason to stop 
talking. Laying his book across his lap, he goes on: "Scho you from 
around here?" he asks, this being such a common question in a city 
where people tend to fall from the sky. He also doesn't look at Ray.

Jesse Mayhem nods once. "Yes. Well, no." She pauses, trying to gather 
her thoughts after being shaken up. "I'm actually from a small town 
south of here. Moved up from there on business." She smiles again, 
starting to relax a little more.

Ray shakes his head, utterly convinced. He doesn't forget faces. That's 
her. This is *not* a mistake. She doesn't look about to try and hurt 
anyone now, though, so he contents himself with standing ready. If she 
goes for Blake he'll blow her head off.

Well, basically, she's saying she's not an Immigrant. Blake nods. "Job-
related?" he asks. "What do you do?" . o O (If she says 'I hide the 
bodies' maybe I should buy Ray a drink...)

"Oh, I'm an undertaker," Jesse says, then after a pause, "Excuse me, a 
mortician. Or embalmer. Or funeral services specialist. This is where 
the school sent me after I finished my training." She grins a little 
sheepishly, hoping the reaction won't be too severe or creeped out.

Ray manages, by a tremendous effort of will, not to jump up and down 
and point and yell SEE?? She works with dead bodies! What more do you 
WANT?! Instead, he remains exactly where he is, and this is probably 
the longest time he's gone without fidgeting in his life. Don't upset 
her, Sullivan, for God's sake don't upset her.

Blake is deeply impressed. "Really?" he blurts. "Wow. No wonder they 
schent you here. What an important job. Eschpeschially here." He gives 
Jesse a long, approving look. "And call it an 'undertaker'--that 
schoundsch cooler. Really." He smiles at her. Damn. She *is* kinda 
pretty.

Jesse Mayhem smiles. "Well, the mortuary business is pretty good to me 
around here. Overtime whenever I want it," she says and chuckles, 
blushing a little. Blake's given her a much better reaction than she 
usually gets.

Ray can't believe it. I am NOT seeing this. Okay, I was married to a 
lawyer, but this is worse! Just about. "Sullivan," he growls.

Blake pointedly ignores Ray. . o O (Not bloody *now*, Kowalschki.) 
"Scho have you been in town long?" he prattles on.

Jesse Mayhem makes the 'yeah, well, sorta' movement with her head. 
"I've been here for a few years... but I don't get out much. Work, 
sleep, computer time, taking care of my cat... that sort of thing." She 
doesn't mention that she's scared to death to go out usually, thanks to 
people like Ray.

Ray resembles that remark! Taking care of her *cat*, yeah *right*, 
wonder what it eats? He's mentally filing all this in case it turns out 
to be important. Jesse indeed.

Blake nods. "Yeah well, schometimesch it'sch better not to go out," he 
agreesch. "Thisch plasche isch full of whackosch...And it's not asch if 
the copsch are any help," he adds, raising his voice just a tad. Ray 
will kill him later but it will be worth it. He glances around. 
"Are...are you waiting here for schomeone?" he asks her.

Jesse Mayhem grins a little, shaking her head slightly. "I was just 
waiting for the rain to let up, and the storm to die down," she says, 
and the lightning to go away, she adds mentally. "It got a little too 
rainy for my liking," she tells him with a smile.

Ray *glares* at Blake. You'll pay for that remark, Sullivan. Weird 
little bastard, maybe Funk and Maguire are right about him. Look at him 
now. He's flirting with a serial killer. Who appears to be flirting 
back. Good God.

Blake shrugs at Jesse. "Scho let'sch go inschide schomewhere," he 
suggests. "Want schome coffee or anything?"

He's asking her for COFFEE?! "Sullivan!" Oh my GOD, no. So where did 
the criminal go, Kowalski? Well, sir, she went for coffee with Blake 
Sullivan.

Blake stands too, then, tucking his book under his arm. "There'sch a 
plasche not far from here that actually usches real coffee, not that 
freeze-dried schtuff." He'll realise later that a girl actually wanted 
to go out for coffee with him. He's *completely* forgotten about Ray.

Jesse Mayhem smiles and nods. "Sounds good," she tells him. "Lead the 
way."

Ray is left gaping after them. But-but-but!...