Roscoe's death - aftermath

For a while, everyone had been able to keep busy - getting the money together for the ritual, going back and forth to the temple as they waited for results, checking in with Zanne and the associates of the other victims, trying against all the odds to track Roscoe's killer, making the necessary reports to Monti - but eventually all of that was over and there was nothing to do for the moment but dwell on what had happened, everything that had gone wrong, and what they might do next. The easiest place to do that together was at the Union's bar, where it seemed most people had already heard the news and were commiserating with the Thunderbolts, mostly in the form of buying them drinks.

Aleyn slouched in his seat, plainly worn out. "We did everything we could," he said for about the twentieth time, as if saying it again could make him believe it.

Vedran had been quiet, starring into his beer, lost in his thoughts, but this time he seemed to hear Aleyn, and looked up. "We're not *done* yet. Everything about this so far has been so bizarre - I'm not giving up yet."

"No, of course not, I didn't mean... just, in the fight..." Aleyn sighed, taking a drink.

"We know what you meant..." Kallista said, putting her hand lightly on Aleyn's. She tried to smile reassuringly, but it didn't feel right, and she soon turned back to the ale that was slowly warming up in front of her. She had yet to even touch it.

"We all did everything we could, and we still are. Sometimes... sometimes these things happen."

Vedran took a sip of his drink. "I just wish there was something we could do *now*, but I can't even really think of where to start. Figuring out who that murderer is, maybe... where he came from, how he's doing whatever he is doing... why..."

"Maybe we could talk to a warforged expert... someone in House Scrye might know more," Aleyn said, but not overly hopefully.

He nodded. "Yeah. I was thinking that Cael might know someone, but... I am worried he's going to take this pretty hard already. I wanted to check with Alia and Thru and see if it would be good or bad to give him something like that to do. I just haven't had a chance. I'm sure someone's told him..."

"I hope so..." Kallista said, "We should probably make sure, though. He should hear it from us."

Kallista sighed and looked down at her glass.

"I'll tell Brenn when I see him, although he may already know, too. If it hasn't hit hot sheets yet, I'm sure it will by tomorrow's edition."

"I'm sure Monti will have taken care of this, but did Roscoe have any other ... family, close friends, that sort of thing, who need to be told before they hear it some other way?" Aleyn asked, curling and uncurling his hands around his glass.

Vedran shook his head. "Not in the files. As far as I know, before he came to Highmark all he had was his father - his maker - who as far I understand is long dead. He was close to his old landlady, but she died in the Disaster. It's us, and the orphanage, as far as I know."

Agyness didn't look up from her beer as she answered quietly.

"That Ioun library where he volunteered, the one up on Ore Street, they'll want to know. And the free kitchen by the docks. And Qapla, Roscoe helped out at her diner..."

Vedran sighed, feeling like a jerk. "Right. Them too. Is there anyone else? maybe his new landlords know..."

"Oh, the orphans," Aleyn said, rubbing his eyes. "That's going to be awful to explain to them... Hopefully we can make sure they're still taken care of."

Vedran idly wondered whether it would be better for them if they could bring him back later, or worse, because no one had brought back their parents. He took a sip of beer, deciding that might be too depressing to share. "Honestly, I think the best way will be to talk to the Matrons, and handle it however they think is best from there. They know the kids better, and they'll know we can help best afterwards."

Aleyn took a swallow of his drink, big enough to empty it. "I know we all still hope maybe we can get him back, if we figure out what's gone wrong here, but ... you know, somehow I hope that it's just that Roscoe is having so much fun wherever he is that he isn't ready to return. I mean, remember how much he loved the Elemental Chaos? Maybe this is all just another big adventure for him."

Kallista shrugged.

"Maybe he's just finally resting..." she said quietly.