i will not be commanded.

“You’re pretty sure?” Jude teased, eyebrow raised curiously behind her mask. “The only one I’m convinced has full-ride, paid scholarship to Heaven is Maggie. You and I? Entirely debatable.” With the mention of her fiancee’s name, her chest tightened, the familiar ache of missing the woman falling over her. She shrugged in response, an attempt to casually knock the feeling from her chest, but just like every other unwanted feeling, it lingered. “Honestly, ever since the whole Full Disclosure ordeal?” Jude questioned, voice low, aware that someone, somewhere out there was the cause of everything. “We’ve been better.”

A loud laugh pulled from his chest, because who knew that the devoted Catholic kids from Arizona would have a first-class ticket straight to Hell. It felt great to have his siblings there with him. And while the entire gang wasn’t present, he could at least appreciate who he had. His expression softened when Jude’s voice lowered. He moved closer, and wrapped his arm around her to bring her into a side hug. “Sorry, Jude. It’s pretty messed up that this person is not only ruining lives but relationships too. Some connections aren’t unconditional. Like ours.”

❝ not at all, considering i’m sure the majority of this room would be right there with you, myself included.. ❞ her reply came with a sigh, it was either that or get very drunk. though after that night, aylin was keen on not letting herself get so wasted ever again. ❝ he huh, so you think this is like a dan being gossip girl situation ? that’d be a twist ending, but hey, at least we’ll all look good going out. ❞ 

“most of the murderers on tv have been male anyway--so the chances that i’m wrong are very low. at least i’d like to think so.” and he’d like to think that the author wasn’t anyone he knew too. “do you think there’s a good chance you could know the person?”

“no,” she replied automatically. the anticipation was getting to her too, and she was glad for the excuse to escape. “and don’t say that; i don’t even want that thought running through my head. do you have something with you?” she asked. “we could probably find some balcony to smoke on. and i wouldn’t feel so very much like the rat in a cage that i do now, thank you very much.”

what was up and everyone thinking about rats? “you’re like the second person who said that.” but joey smiled at her proposition--at least someone got what he was going through. “of course i have something with me. it’s not like they had metal detectors at this thing. i’m gonna have to take you up on that offer though.”

maggie shook her head gently, awkwardly placing a stand of lose hair behind her ear. she wasn’t very acquainted with this side of joey, but she wanted to be — as nervous as it made her. “what do you mean ‘finish the job’? maybe we all have a secret in common that’s getting exposed tonight?”

joey took a look at his baby sister’s face, and there was no way he could graphic and crude with her. no matter how much has changed since he moved to san francisco, there was an innocence about maggie that would never go away. but he knew there was more to her--at least from what fulldisclosure released about her. “sorry, mags, i didn’t mean anything by it. how would we all share a secret? it would be nearly impossible to share a secret with that--” and he pointed to the brunette with a long lacy black dress yelling at what he assumed was a complete stranger, “woman over there.”

“Is it wrong if i join you?” Diego asked in answer to the question a playful smirk on his face. “My bet is he’s not even here. Just messing with everyone some more. But your idea is interesting,” he paused like he was considering the option then shrugged, “guess we’ll just have to wait and see. I know crowds suck, but I’m here if you need bro.”

Joey only laughed at Diego’s returning question because he would never an opportunity to be around his best friend. “How do you know it’s a ‘he’? It could be anyone as far as we know. And honestly, we don’t know anything.” Joey started walking toward the exit because wanting to get high wasn’t just a fantasy--he had the goods to make it a reality. “Aren’t you supposed to be a professional investigator or something, man? Like--you can figure this out.”

“Oh! I love that movie.” Charlie chuckles fondly. “can never go wrong with a cooking rat.” The smile falls from her face slowly as she recalls the article. “Went away for something I didn’t do.” She answers with a shrug, not meeting the strangers eyes. 

“What did you do? Steal a pair of shoes and took the blame just so your bestie wouldn’t take the fall?” Joey chuckled, almost insensitively so.

“Would it be wrong of me to say I have a couple of gummies in my purse?” Catalina winked at her boyfriend’s best friend. “I might be willing to share.” She grabbed his hand, pulling him towards a room off of the main ballroom. “Unless you have something quicker?”

“Don’t you know me at all by now, Cat? Of course I have something quicker, and something that requires us to be a little more discreet.” Joey had grown a fondness of his best friend’s girlfriend; he appreciated that even without Diego they could still hang out. He jutted his head toward the building’s exit and started walking.

“From what I can tell most came for either the hope of answers they wont get, or for the free booze - or both.” Charlie says in reply. “Nothing wrong with wanting to dull the anxiety down. Though I doubt that whoever this person is that they’re brave enough to “finish the Job”.” No, that would take away their fun. “We’re just rats in a cage at the moment.” and yet she was still here. 

“I think the only rat life worth living is that movie where the little guy can cook. He’s for sure got it made.” Joey turned to the voice and adjusted his mask. “What did the author get you for?”

Jude rolled her eyes at her brother’s comment and nudged him with her elbow. “Then our time here ends with a champagne high and we’ll finally be able to answer the question of whether mom and dad are right about the whole heaven-hell shtick.” She ran her hands over the sides of her suit jacket and glanced at the crowd, finding herself subconsciously hoping she’d run into her fiancee. “Give me ten minutes and I may want to join you in that quest.”

“You’re kidding me right? Don’t you know we’re going to heaven? Yeah, cannabis, is like the oldest recreational drug. ‘M pretty sure Jesus was high during the last supper. There’s no way he could have dealt with a dinner party that big without a little something.” Joey watched Jude fidget, and licked his lips in concern. “Where’s Aylin? You two doin’ okay?”

Joey hadn’t seen Percy around anywhere; he figured that they could meet up at the ball since he showed up with his sisters instead. He knew that it would be in Percy’s best interest if they were seen together--for the paparazzi.

The citizens of San Francisco were invited to this masquerade event by an anonymous gossiper. But Joey would rather be here than to be sat at home ruminating in his thoughts on how he was going to get ten grand so fast.

Once the Bennett siblings went their separate ways for the night, Joey hung off to the side with a drink in his hand, watching others watching their surroundings. Then his eyes settled on a blonde in a silky, and sensual green dress. His lips curled into a slight smile. And then he set his drink down on a nearby table. He couldn’t find his ‘girlfriend’ anywhere, and if she were there she certainly wouldn’t mind if--

“Hi,” he greeted as he approached the person he set his sights on. “I hope this doesn’t sound too forward or weird, but--would you care to dance?”