#tartarus.task

[astrxls]

❛ —  𝐀 𝐏 𝐎 𝐋 𝐋 𝐎 ⋆ 𝐭 𝐚 𝐬 𝐤   ˒*.

“did you know zane titan?”

lux blinked a few times, to be sarcastic or to not be sarcastic? who was she kidding, the answer was obvious. “uh yeah, we’re related. you literally have a file in front of you.” she was sure it did, but made her point anyway.

“what was your relationship like with the deceased?”

more blinking, the red head honestly couldn’t get over the questions. she was sure they were standard practice, the same for everyone, but they were laughable. “he was my uncle? how do you not know that?” the annoyance in her voice is probably a bit too strong, but lux titan wasn’t afraid of most.

“do you ever spend time at olympus?”

she didn’t really see the point in lying, everyone had been to olympus at least once no matter what syndicate you fell into. “yeah, a lot, i have friends who work there and i go at least once a week.”

“what do you know about nectar?”

a giggle slipped from the red head’s lips before she could stop it. who would really answer this honestly? “i stay away from drugs, detective. not my thing.” the lie falls so easily from her lips, practiced, perfect.

“when did you last see the deceased?”

uncle zane never was fond of her, so lux tended to stick to only seeing his sons, and even then it was mostly dennis. “i dunno maybe a few weeks? we weren’t best buddies or anything.” that was putting it mildly, and probably the deepest truth these detectives were going to get from her.

“where were you on july 17th, at 11:43pm?”

“uh, probably at a bar or something.” another lie, she knew exactly where she was, but lux wasn’t going to admit she was drag racing to a police officer. or her father, for that matter.

“can you or anyone else corroborate your whereabouts?”

“maybe my best friend misa, we’re always together.” because misa was cheering her on, but lux wasn’t really worried about them needing to prove her whereabouts. “but she probably won’t remember either. who remembers exactly what they were doing almost a month ago at a specific time?”

“have you heard anything that might indicate that zane titan’s death was no accident?”

whispers, but nothing concrete. “no, but it wouldn’t surprise me.” she expected as much, though an overdose could be likely, zane had too many enemies to rule out foul play that easily.

“is there anyone that you have reason to believe would want to poison zane titan?”

“poison? wasn’t it an overdose?” though she supposed that was poison enough, but lux played the shocked card well. “plenty of people, but that doesn’t mean i think they did it.” her aunt, for one, had a lot to gain, but sara wouldn’t kill zane. she could have five years ago. and lux refused to believe anyone in her family had hurt the monster.

“were you in any way involved in the death of zane titan?”

this time her shock is genuine. “what? why the fuck would you ask that? i’d never hurt my family.” her voice is a bit high, insult and surprised weaved into her tone. she hates the implication, and asshole or not zane was her family. 

“is there anything you want to come clean about before we do a little digging on you?”

“look, i came down here without a lawyer, but you’re not about to treat me like i am a criminal.” she starts, pretty much warning them that she’d have her attorney in no time if they kept up with their line of questioning. “i’m a model citizen, detective. i have nothing to hide. except maybe three dead bodies in my trunk. feel free to take care of those for me.” the sarcasm in her voice drips like venom, a sickeningly sweet smile on her lips as she let them decide how they wanted to continue.

twenty minutes later - “miss titan, you’re free to go. thank you for your cooperation.”

a smile is offered to the detective, charming and one of innocence that hid the true monster. “thank you, officer, have a nice day.” and with that, lux strolled out of the precinct without a single care or worry. 

[tartarusfm]

✱  ╱   TASK 01  :  THE INTERROGATION  .

it was well known to everyone that zane titan was hardly the most liked man in the underworld. his own brothers were people he considered his enemies, and he’s wronged enough people to end up with a list of enemies that could fill the bible. with no leads and no dna at the scene of the crime, the police knows this very well may have been an accident, but the titan syndicate have enough sway on them to at least call for an investigation. everyone is being treated as a suspect, and the police won’t stop until they have some answers.

welcome to our first task, folks ! it comes in the form of a questionnaire that also double as a plot point. at the moment, there are still no leads on whether zane was killed, or who killed him, and everyone in tartarus is being looked at as a suspect. one by one, the police have been bringing people in for questioning. no one is exempt from the questioning, but this task is entirely optional. feel free to answer these with one liners, short paras, long paras, however you like. just don’t forget to tag your answers with tartarus.task !

“did you know zane titan?”

“what was your relationship like with the deceased?”

“do you ever spend time at olympus?”

“what do you know about nectar?”

“when did you last see the deceased?”

“where were you on july 17th, at 11:43pm?”

“can you or anyone else corroborate your whereabouts?”

“have you heard anything that might indicate that zane titan’s death was no accident?”

“is there anyone that you have reason to believe would want to poison zane titan?”

“were you in any way involved in the death of zane titan?”

“is there anything you want to come clean about before we do a little digging on you?”

[astrxls]

❛ —  𝐌 𝐄 𝐋 𝐈 𝐍 𝐎 𝐄 ⋆ 𝐭 𝐚 𝐬 𝐤   ˒*.

“did you know zane titan?”

"yes.” milania offers nothing more, the question was clearly a yes or no one.

“what was your relationship like with the deceased?”

"there wasn’t one. i met him a handful of times in passing.” because she was not about to tell the truth. and milania’s cold exterior held, no hint of her lie.

“do you ever spend time at olympus?”

"sometimes, but it’s not really my scene.” a truth, actually. milania spent more time in soul territory. neutral ground had too many chances of seeing people she didn’t want to, so she stuck to her own home, the gym and the occasional soul drag race.

“what do you know about nectar?”

"the street drug? not much. i stick to cigarettes.” which wasn’t entirely false. she didn’t really like nectar, milania liked a clear head.

“when did you last see the deceased?”

"maybe five years ago? honestly not too sure, i don’t get out much.” not a lie entirely. she hadn’t seen zane since she slept with him right around the time the syndicates all fell apart.

“where were you on july 17th, at 11:43pm?”

"my bed. i’m usually asleep by ten.” a bold faced lie, she was a night owl and usually slept till at least ten in the morning.

“can you or anyone else corroborate your whereabouts?”

"my cat? i was asleep. i live alone.” not an entire lie, she did live alone and her cat maleficent was the only other person there.

“have you heard anything that might indicate that zane titan’s death was no accident?”

"no? people think he was murdered?” curiosity laces her tone despite her belief that he was killed, and her desire to have been the one to do it.

“is there anyone that you have reason to believe would want to poison zane titan?”

"i dunno him well enough to know his enemies.” another lie, but the truth was that she didn’t care enough to speculate. she was just happy he was dead.

“were you in any way involved in the death of zane titan?”

"and how would i have done that?” not the best response, but lania was fucking tired of this already. 

“is there anything you want to come clean about before we do a little digging on you?”

"what kind of question is that? no.” only the bodies in her closet, but as if mila was even going to make a comment like that sarcastically. 

[seafomed]

THE INTERROGATION 

the room is cold and the lighting does nothing for her skin, which is frankly what annoys amphai the most. at this point she nearly considers zane’s murder to be a public service so being dragged into a tiny, damp, room to be interrogated has her thoroughly peeved. she exhales through her nose and looks up preparing to answer the barrage of questions.

“did you know zane titan?”

“i did.” she keeps her answers short and concise, never offering any more information than they ask for her. it would be foolish to lie, she’d been seen enough in public with zane that there was no denying they knew each other. hell, people already assumed she was his mistress. she wouldn’t have touched the bastard with a ten foot pole.

“what was your relationship like with the deceased?”

“it was business only. he was my employer. we were never friends if that’s what you’re asking.” on her end she loathed zane, she thinks he probably knew that and it made him even happier that she still played along with his games like she enjoyed them. 

“do you ever spend time at olympus?”

“only constantly.” she laughs airily. she’s pretty sure she’s seen one of the cops in here on the dance floor at one of the nights she’s been there. “but people who see me remember me. i spend all my time at the bar or on the dance floor.”

“what do you know about nectar?”

“only that people will kill for the stuff.” she shrugs. this is a carefully placed lie. she tried the stuff once and decided never again. she had no desire to slip into addiction. “i’m just a nympho, like normal people are.” she watches the cop’s face burn. “kidding!”

“when did you last see the deceased?”

she sighs, already tired of being questioned. “i met him about three days before for a business meeting. i didn’t see him after that.” she’d slunk into his office where he’d instructed her a special client would be in the club that night and to get information out of him.

“where were you on july 17th, at 11:43pm?”

“i was working a shift at heavenly from nine pm to three am. one of your buddies can probably attest. i see you guys in there all the time.” she smiles darkly, hiding the sneer that wants to curl on her lips.

“can you or anyone else corroborate your whereabouts?”

“yeah about thirty-five guests and everyone who was on shift that night.” she crossed her arms tightly over her chest and felt ramrod straight in her chair. she doesn’t even really know if she wants them to find zane’s killer. they’d be dead before the cops could even get them in jail, the titans would make sure of that.

“have you heard anything that might indicate that zane titan’s death was no accident?”

she laughs like the question is the stupidest thing she’s heard in a long time. “a man like zane doesn’t die of natural causes.” men who wielded that much power inevitably let it become their own hubris.

“is there anyone that you have reason to believe would want to poison zane titan?”

“plenty.” she said seriously. “zane made enemies wherever he went. he didn’t have friends he just had people who wanted to kill him and people who tolerated him for god knows what reason. i imagine almost every person that man ever made a business deal with wanted him dead.”

“were you in any way involved in the death of zane titan?”

“no. i wasn’t involved with his death in any way.” though i wish i had been.

“is there anything you want to come clean about before we do a little digging on you?”

she sighs deeply unfolding her arms at last and pulling up that mask that she wears so often like a plate of armor. “sorry baby. i’m an open book, you can strip search me if you don’t believe me.” her face falls flat waiting for his response. “or not.”