Nell was still shaken by the scene she had just happened upon when the other two had arrived. That man... that thing she'd seen crouching over the body. It couldn't have been real... Though it had seemed real enough when it had been coming at her. One of the men was talking to her and frantic she grabbed his sleeve and turned to stare into those piercing green eyes. "Did you see that?! His face, I mean? Did you see it?!" She could see from his face that he hadn't. The creature had fled before they arrived. "It was..."

She stopped. How could she describe it? Would they even believe her if she could or would they simply thing she'd gone crazy? Probably the latter... But they were going to ask questions soon. She could see them forming in the blond man's eyes even now. She couldn't answer questions right now. Her mind was still too muddled. She still couldn't even remember how she'd gotten here. So, she did the only thing she could think of and pretended to faint.

Well, it had started out being pretend anyway. It became real enough. Her brain seemed to agree the shutting down was the best course of action. She'd just witnessed a murder after all and had almost become the next victim. That was worthy of a faint. If she was lucky she'd wake up somewhere warm and bright.

As her body collapsed the blond man caught her in his arms.

"Bill take over here, I'll see to her."

"Right."

Certainly they had to question her and he was formulating questions in his mind before her fainting spell. Though sometime later she found herself stirring on a couch in the detective's office. It was warm here, the fire crackled in a fire place and it had not been long before he realized that she was conscious. Thus he poured a drink from the bottle of wine he had sitting on his desk before coming over to her.

He tried to halt her with his words as she shifted. "Lie still, you're alright. You are at the police department. Here, drink this, it will calm you," he handed her the class regretting that he didn't have anything stronger though that was good as well since he didn't wish to dull her memory.

He had questions of course but he bit them back for the time being and moved on to the mundane, things that would be easier for her to recall or so he thought for he had not realized how foggy her mind was.

"I am detective Sean Sullivan and you?"

Clearly, her final thoughts had been correct, Nell thought as she woke up on a comfortable couch with a nice warm fire crackling nearby. The only negative about it was that this place was no more familiar to her than the street she'd met the monster in. She shot up suddenly at the memory of the thing she'd seen but the blond man from before came over to her and reassured her that she was safe. He place a glass of wine in her hand and told her to drink.. It reminded her strongly of another blond man who'd tried to comfort her in a similar fashion a long time ago... Or maybe that had just been a dream.

"I am detective Sean Sullivan and you?"

She blinked up at him, confused for a moment. Surely, she knew what her own name was but for a moment she wasn't sure. There seemed to be a block that was keeping her from remembering. Like some part of her didn't want to acknowledge who she really was. "Umm... Lettie, I think." That sounded right. There was definitely an "L" in there. "Lettie Harper." She said with more conviction. "I'm sorry, if I seem a little addled, Detective Sullivan. I had a strange night."

Lettie? The name was somewhat familiar to him though he could not recall from where. Clearly Aegir had designs on blocking her memory for the scenario, perhaps for some sort of purpose that was coming up as part of this story arc, perhaps it was just to keep her off balance and unaware of who she was for but a little while, or maybe, just maybe he wanted her to forget herself for a little while while she was here in this realm and not dwell on her own past so much, He had changed who she was in the past though.

Sean hook his head a bit. "Miss, Lettie," he tried out her name on his tongue, "you need not be so apologtic. under the circumstances it is only natural to assume such a state after a traumatic moment such as this. But I have to ask what you saw, what you noticed.

"What you were doing out at that hour, if you knew the deceased at all, that sort of thing.
forgive me for saying so but you do not look like a street walker and I doubt you were out finding clientele. White Chapel has ben known for gruesome murders in the past and while these have been nowhere near the brutality of Spring Healed Jack they are nevertheless disturbing."

And so the questions began, she had hoped that her time being unconscious would have helped jog her memories but things were still big gap. She knew she wasn't a prostitute though and she certainly hadn't chosen to go strolling around London at night to search for a client. But why the devil had she been strolling around alone and in... She gasped. "White Chapel?! You found me in White Chapel!?"

She shook her head. This wasn't making sense... "I honestly... I honestly don't know what I was doing there. I don't remember going there but I was clearly dressed to go out... I don't know if I knew the... the woman who died but I think I must have. I think I'd gone there with her because I wouldn't have gone alone... Do you think we might have been lured there?"

He nodded at her comment. "Yes, White Chapel. We had the From Hell murders only a few months back, now this," he stated. From Hell of course she recalled the notorious letter sent in to the paper by Jack the Ripper. She wasn't certain what was going on here though it appeared that the Ripper murders were a recent past for the people here. And the murder that she walked in on didn't appear as ghastly so she could take some soliae in that she didn't believe she was a prostitue and she didn't think that this had much to do about Jack the Ripper, thankfully though these were just beliefs thus far there were no facts to back their were no facts to back them up.

The detective brought a chair over, sat down then gazed at her for a moment. :What did you see Miss Harper>"

He studied her for a moment and while he had some theories he had kept them in reserve for now at least.

Nell consider his question for a moment. She knew what she'd seen but it didn't sound any less crazy today than it had last night. She shook her head, "It had been dark and the fog might have been playing tricks with my eyes." She began though she didn't really believe that. "But I'm sure I saw someone crouching over the body. I believe it was a man but when he looked at me..." She hesitated to describe what his face had looked like. "He was grotesque. He didn't look like a man. He looked like a demon... But then again, I was frightened and I only saw him for a moment. Perhaps I am mistaken."

She paused thoughtfully. "Have there been other attacks like this? Has anyone else seen this man??"

He had assured her that it was alright and waited for her to continue though when she finished he did not immediately say that she was full of it or crazy despite what she had claimed to see.

"You have been the only witness outside of the victims. There have been three, last night Elaine Harper was killed though I don't believe there is any relation to you. I have a few ideas to work with, What you believe you saw is no doubt it a man in a mask, there is a masquerade that has been going on for two nights now and is suppose to go on for every night for three nights. It is rather a big affair and it was probably someone leaving it that is our culprit

Lettie, may I call upon your assistance in this matter>? You have been most useful and helped reducing the suspect list immensely. But I'm willing to be that if you are a t the masquerade then he will most likely try to make a move against you if recognizing you to get rid of any loose ends?"

Lettie was taken aback by the detective's request. "You want to use me as bait to lure out a murderer!?" She was on her feet suddenly. She couldn't believe this. The detective had only just met her and was already trying to recruit her for a dangerous, life-threatening position. "Surely you realize how crazy that sounds. I have only seen this man once and he wore a mask. I could hardly identify him from that. He isn't likely to be wearing the same mask after all, unless he is a great fool. Besides, I'd be at a serious disadvantage. I have no formal training in self defense or detective work, whereas this man knows my face and has proven that he is perfectly capable of killing a woman in cold blood. What on Earth makes you think I'd make a good candidate for such a task?!"

He had listened to her objections calmly as she stood up but he calmly sat there and listened to her objections, which we valid had he not thought of them himself. He waved a dismissive hand in front of her.

"I have dealt with a number of great fools in my day that have planned things out perfectly and get tripped up by one detail that they missed. He may have the same mask, he might have gotten rid of it," he shrugged, "though you know how tall he is, probably his dominant hand to, maybe even some other detail such as what he was doing while leaning over the body, smells, sounds, so you may not be without recourse here.

"You will be masked too in a way that he should recognize you or consider that you are the same person and thus seek you out. I don't expect you to have any formal training and you will not be alone. There will be a number of detectives there looking out for you, making sure that nothing happens and when the target takes the bait they will stop him, of course you are a citizen of her majesty's great empire and not a servant of the government so it is entirely up to you whether or not you desire to do this.

"I wouldn't ask you if there were other options and there is a good chance the perp wasn't even at the masqurade so you'd be safe though we cannot pass up on the greatest lead we have thus far and I would appreciate the assistance on this matter. Of course, if you decline, your free to do so but I would not be able to dispense with detectives to keep an eye on you for long and thus the sooner we make an arrest the sooner you'll be safe."

Lettie frown slightly during his speech. He was too generous about her ability to remember many details about the murderer. She had barely been able to remember her own name. He was right that she'd probably be able to gauge the man's height but the rest... She wasn't sure. Still, there was another matter to consider. She still had know memory of why she'd been alone on that street last night. How had she come to be a block away from a murder scene... The murder of a woman who also had blonde hair and the last name Harper. Was that a coincidence?

A vision of that poor woman lying dead in the street with blood seeping from two puncture wounds in her neck danced before her eyes and she shivered. That could have been her last night. Maybe it was supposed to have been her. Sullivan told her that as a civilian she was under no obligation to help them but thinking of that woman who had died last night made her feel obligated... That man would kill again and she was the police's only lead to catching him. Besides, where else did she have to go? Until her memories came back she was as good as homeless and she might be the target of a serial killer. At least, if she cooperated with the police she'd have the benefit of their protection. "If I do this I'll want some assurances that your men will not lose sight of me. And I'll want to know what they'll all be wearing as well. In case I to find them quickly. I'm assuming they'll be required to dress in costume as well."

She waited for his assurances and then nodded in satisfaction. "I'll assist you then. I want this madman stopped as well. Just tell me what you need me to do."

Sullivan nodded, appraised her for a moment then spoke calmly. "Only the best detectives will be assigned to this task, your safety is paramount to us but I am happy that you have excepted. Four men will be assigned to the party with another two closeby on the streets incase you need some additional assistance.

"Bill, the officer who was with me last night will take you shopping for a custom on the tab of the department of course but seeing that tonight is the last night for the masquerade then we'll have to make preparations soon. Your custom I will leave up to you but remember it can't be too elaborate and has too strongly indicate who you are, enough so even if he's uncertain he may check into matters. There may be details that you might not remember right now but you may four or five days from now, I've been around long enough to see little things that people might not think of anything come back to haunt them.

The detectives will have masks of course but will be dressed as the jacks in a suit of playing cards." He got up then, wemt to his esk and got out a pack of cards, shuffled through them to pull out each of the four jacks and show her the cards to reinforce what they looked like in her mind so she could pick them out."

The two in the streets won't be attired in customs but you'll see them before getting your custom."

He gave her a slight smile then put away the cards. "Thank you Miss Harper. The crown appreciates the service of loyal subjects. Unless there are any questions I'll summon Bill and you can do a little shopping on the government's dime."

She didn't have anymore questions for the detective just then so she went with the officer Bill to acquire a suitable to wear for the masque. The dress she chose was designed to be alluring. It was a vibrant red with a black outer corset and gold embellishments. The bodice rode just off her shoulders and dipped down low enough to display her ample cleavage. The shirt was cut scandalously high, stopping just at mid-calf and showing off her ankles. If this dress did attract the attention of every man in the room then there was something wrong with them. She just hoped there was no one else there who know who to see the display she was about to make of herself.

Her mask was a simple black domino style, covering just the area around her eyes but not disguising her enough that someone might not recognize her. She curled her normally straight blonde hair, piled it stylishly atop her head and adorned it with a red rose like she was the opera heroine Carmen. Her hair was up last night so the style shouldn't stop the murderer from recognizing her. Once she was dressed and ready she waited for further instructions from her police escort.

Now Bill seemed bored, women and clothes shopping usually didn't mix and he so often grabbed the first thing off the wrack that fit him. Of course that would drive Lucia nuts but what could he say? Now when he saw Lettie in that little number she settled on after trying it on he had to apologize mentally to Lucia for the impure thoughts that coursed through his head then. He even felt a little stirring below his trousers, though it was only through a steel will, thoughts of Lucia and doing the right thing that he didn't fully spring to attention but damn if he were 20 years younger and single ... then again he hadn't amounted to much, he was in his 40's but still doing footwork for the most part. Yes, he still showed up the younger blokes.

Shopping out of the way (he mentally apologized at all the mental cursing he did while bored after she settled on that little number) Bill took her to a house used by the agency so no one would see her at the precent. Stilling himself not to get to close or personally involved he waited upon Sean to call. Sullivan rang, told him that two of the detectives were already there minglingling with other early arrivals. One would show up during the party and the other was her "date".

So she had time to get ready before he showed up, the Jack of Hearts, with a mask that covered him from the nose up, his eyes a piercing blue and his skin almost a golden coloration hinting that he was a foreigner from Spain. His words were accented and he took her hand settling his lips on the back of it.

"My apologies Mademosselle time did not permit me to get a flower but no flower would hope to compare with the exquisite beauty of a rose so sweet. Shall we?"

He escorted her to the masquerade which even now was fairly large. She spotted the Jack of Clubs and Diamonds in the crowd, male and female actually as it appeared that they went as each others date. Eyes flashed upon her, stolen glances and not so stolen ones fell upon her as she enter with the Jack of Hearts who leaned close to her ear, so close in fact that she could smell the heedy aroma of his colonge.

"Take your time, feel out the room and see if anything feels familiar. Punch?"

(If he's a Spaniard then shouldn't he call her "Senorita"? ^_^)

Lettie was a little startled to discover the Jack of Hearts was a blue-eyed Spaniard, those being uncommon enough in Spain and yet to find one in England, working for the police. Not surprisingly, however, the foreigner clearly liked to flirt. Of course, he might have seen her dress as an encouragement. She blushed none the less and seriously hoped he didn't try to feed her such flowery lines all night. It was embarrassing...

But then, not as embarrassing as she lewd looks she began receiving the instant they arrived at the masque. "I'm beginning to regret this dress..." She muttered low enough that only her companion would hear her. "I might be attracting too much attention." She didn't want him to leave her to fetch the punch but she let him in spite of herself. They were trying to catch a murderer after all and he wasn't likely to make a move on her if she stayed glued to her escort all evening. Still, she was concerned. She could feel the heat of male eyes upon her every which way she moved. Masks and wine made men brave and she'd surely have to fend off a few flirts before she found her man. If she ever did... How would she tell him apart from every other horny man here?