01 ]

[littleblonderiddle]

A ] ACTION | 952 Beulah Street | morning

[ This isn’t how Juliet wants to start her mornings. She prefers to wake up to the familiar sound of her alarm clock, and if he'd stayed the night, possibly snuggle up to Shawn for a few indulgent minutes longer before getting up and padding into the kitchen to make coffee. What Juliet doesn't want is to find herself in some strange house she's never seen before, with no memory of how she'd gotten here. This is the creepiest thing that has happened to her yet, and that's saying something. She has no idea who is responsible for this or how they had gotten to her, but she isn't going down without a fight. Muscles tense, she tries to stay as silent as possible as she moves slowly along the unfamiliar hallways. She's never wanted back-up more than this moment. ]


B ] PHONE | late morning | unfiltered

[ Okay, creepy. Really. Her initial shock and dread now somewhat abated, Juliet finds herself bemused and… well, creeped out. Come on, how often does something like this happen? How does something like this happen? It’s like that one weird X-Files episode she once saw, about the picture-perfect, Stepfordian community that housed some kind of man-eating monster in the sewers. Or was it in the dirt? Okay, maybe not quite like that. She doesn’t know about the monster part, but what she can see from the windows of the house seems to testify on behalf of the picture-perfect bit, at least. Maybe this is all just one big nightmare that she’ll wake up from any minute now? No more pizza for her after 7 PM, no matter what Shawn says. ]

So, I don’t suppose anyone here can tell me the way back to Santa Barbara? Anyone at all? It doesn't even have to be that specific, just somewhere in the southern California region would do. Or Miami, maybe? I owe the parents a visit, anyway.

[ She tries to go for light and breezy, but the attempt to sound unaffected falls a little flat towards the end - never mind the fact that she's totally rambling. Clearing her throat, Juliet steadies herself and speaks more firmly, like the professional that she is. ]

Or failing that, the local police station. There is one around here, right?

[ There’s a long pause before she speaks again, somewhat hesitant and a touch worried. Hey, it’s worth a shot. It’s not like the capricious psychic has never popped up unexpectedly in strange places before. ]

...Shawn? Any chance that you’re here, somewhere?

Comments

B]

[detectivedipstick]

<sub>[To say Carlton was surprised at who he heard over the phone would be the understatement of the century. He cursed to himself as he found the coffee he had been poured by his drone-wife now had spilled down the front of his dress shirt.

He took a moment to compose himself before speaking into the phone, hoping this wasn't a sick dream pulled by the town, or worse.]</sub>

...O'Hara?

[littleblonderiddle]

[ In her end, Juliet's eyebrows shoot up in astonishment at the familiar tone that, though not the one she was asking for, is no less welcome to her at the moment. ]

Carlton? [ Her surprise quickly shifts into sheer relief. ] Oh, thank God. I'm still not entirely sure if I'm just having a really strange, eerily realistic dream, but I'm so glad to hear your voice right now. What the hell is going on, here?

B

[apneachamp]

Yeah. The police aren't going to be much help here.

[littleblonderiddle]

And why is that, exactly?

[apneachamp]

Because the only real people on the force have no power. And the guy in charge works for the town.

1

[detectivedipstick]

Honestly? In my all my years as Head Detective I have never dealt with something like this.

From what I got from others within town is that this place is like Hell on Earth and tends to rain on your parade one way or another. Theory is some little girl is behind it all, but without evidence to prove it...

_{[He lets out a light chuckle]} To think I first blamed Spencer for this.

[detectivedipstick]

...Spencer's NOT with you, right?

[littleblonderiddle]

You realize how completely and utterly crazy that sounds, right? [ She sighs. Crazy or not, this whole thing is looking less and less like a dream. ] Great. So, Hell on Earth looks like a scene from the Stepford Wives? That's really creepy. I think I would have preferred a normal kidnapping over this.

[ There's a pause as she considers something. ] No, Shawn's not with me at this house, but whether or not he's out there somewhere is another question entirely. I mean, would it really surprise you?

[littleblonderiddle]

Real people. Why do I get the feeling that you actually mean that literally?

[detectivedipstick]

I never said I believed it.

Aside from waking up in a house that isn't my own, the natives of this place being nice to the point of absolutely creepy and that I can't recall the last two weeks for the life of me? There's no evidence to prove half the crap they claim occurs here even happens!

Plus. _{[His voice perks up a little.]} Any time away from Spencer of all people might as well be Heaven. If he were here, he'd have already shown up to make my life a living hell.

O'Hara, do you have any idea where you are in town? Address, general location, anything?

B

[godcomplexed]

Yes.

Hello, I'm a police man. Unfortunately.

But to answer your question, no. No way back to Miami at all, I'm afraid.

A

[mediations]

[ Obi-Wan's known it would only be a matter of time till he was joined in his home by another being, and not just a drone. Of course it's alarming for any new arrival, so he'll approach calmly and quietly, in his least threatening demeanor. ]

I hope the journey has not been too alarming for you.

[littleblonderiddle]

Wow. In that case, I'm glad that you're enjoying your freak abduction, Carlton.

[ Yes, it's sarcasm time. Juliet rolls her eyes at the enthusiasm in her partner's tone. Not that she isn't used to Lassiter's outlook on Shawn, and it's true that Shawn could ease up on tormenting him, but still. It is her boyfriend they're talking about. She'll have to say something just on the principle of it. That done, she'll get back to business. ]

So, what; you think there might be something a lot less mysterious going on here than people are lead to believe? Drugs, maybe? That could explain some things.

[ Because she's kind of leaning towards that option herself. ]

Not yet, really. I've been kind of busy trying not to freak out too badly over waking up in a house I've never seen before. It is kind of cute, though. Maybe a bit too retro for my tastes, but-- [ Ahem. ] Anyway. I'll find out. What about you?

[littleblonderiddle]

Right. I didn't think it would be that easy, but it was worth a shot.

Unfortunately?

phone

[freakinblur]

[You are greeted with a thick Southie accent! Aren't you lucky.]

Mayfield PD speakin', how can I help ya?

[littleblonderiddle]

[ Startled regardless of the calm approach, Juliet jumps aaannd good grief, this man speaking to her looks strikingly like Ewan McGregor. Flabbergasted into stillness, Juliet can only stare for a moment. Seriously? This has got to be a dream. ]

I... who...? [ She frowns, trying to shake off her stupor and act like a cop despite being woefully unarmed and unfamiliar with the grounds. She's not picking up any threatening vibes off this man, but she can't be too careful. ] Sir, I'll have to ask you to stop there. Who are you, and where am I?

[littleblonderiddle]

[ Oh, seriously? Now that Juliet's heard a bit of her predicament, she's not sure if this will help her any. ]

Uh, this is Detective Juliet O'Hara from Santa Barbara PD. I was going to report a kidnapping of a law enforcement officer, but that would probably be pointless, would it?

[mediations]

Ben Kenobi, and you are in Mayfield.

[freakinblur]

Oh, a real cop, huh? 'Fraid ta say yer right, sister. Everyone in town's been kidnapped, so that ain't new.

[littleblonderiddle]

[ ...Kenobi. Wow. But irrelevant for now. ]

Mayfield? I've never heard of it before. How did I get here?

[littleblonderiddle]

You, as well? [ Slightly suspicious; someone mentioned "real people" earlier and her partner had spoken of "natives", so. ]

[apneachamp]

Have you met any of the smiling people who think this is just the most wonderful place to live, yet?

[littleblonderiddle]

I haven't really ventured far enough to meet anyone except the other person in this house, yet. You mean this place actually is like the Stepford Wives down to the people - some of them, at least?

[freakinblur]

Yep! Been here for over two years now, an' they still haven't seen fit ta drone me fer good yet.

[apneachamp]

Yeah, pretty much. Only they didn't stop with just the women. You'll find men, children, teenagers acting like that as well. We call them drones.

Anyway, I'm Constable Karen Pelly. I've been here....about ten months now.