Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"Carver?" Beth's voice is small, almost scared.

[Carver Amell]

"I'll get Miki, then," he says, pressing a hand to the back of Beth's head. "Please, don't-- I don't want Beth getting in more trouble. The place I know belongs to the Coalies, if we dump him there and he's found they'll take the blame."

[Bethany]

Oh. Oh. He... does he... has he used... Not the time, Beth. Need to focus on fixing this. You can break down tomorrow. You can ask him tomorrow. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Very well. But you must act fast and quietly. If you're caught... everyone burns, not just you. For a guard body, they'll use a truthing automatically, you won't have a choice but to tell them," Zevran says softly. I'll cut out the tongue and destroy the brain and mouth before I go. I can at least spare them that much.

[Bethany]

"Carver, have you killed before?"

[Carver Amell]

"I-- Maybe. But-- oh, I mean, I haven't-- I didn't dump bodies here before, that's not how I-- It's a long story. Should we chop him up or something? Put him in bags or something, so it's not so obvious? Or?" 

[Bethany]

Bethany swallows, hard. "S-sorry, I shouldn't- I shouldn't have asked," she mumbles. "I... I'll go and... someone will need to help take up Elle's and Zevran's clients." She heads for the door, then hesitates. "Be safe," she blurts out, eyes on Carver, then she's gone.

[Tethras Clan]

"...no. I will do what's needed to prevent most scrying and other such tricks from spoiling things. What's the dump site like?" Zevran asks gently.

[Carver Amell]

Carver stares after Bethany a long moment, then shakes his head, swallowing. "It's-- there's a place they put their bodies, papers, stuff like that. They have a guy come by once a week and burn the lot of it. So if he stays hidden a couple days, the evidence'll be gone. They're thorough, they don't leave evidence behind."

[Tethras Clan]

"Do you know how they prepare them bodies? Do they wrap them?"

[Carver Amell]

"Uh." He thinks back. "Yeah, they have them in blankets and stuff. Fabric. Hides the faces. I guess whoever burns them must not be part of the group or something."

[Tethras Clan]

"Alright. Grab me some spare sheets- and a tarp." Zevran pauses. "And a carving knife, a hammer and, if you can find it within twenty minutes without drawing attention, some kind of dissolving solution. Paint solvent or tanning fluid, something of that nature."

[Carver Amell]

"Yessir," says Carver, nodding. "I won't let you down."


They make it through the night unscathed, cleaning everything they can with Beth's magic. Finally, bone-weary, the pair make their way home, Carver's arm draped around Beth's shoulders as they walk.

"...Bethany?" asks Carver, in a small voice, as they get near the house.

[Bethany]

"Mmm-mmmaaaah!" Beth winces a little at the jaw-cracking yawn she'd been interrupted by. "Sorry. I'm wiped... what's up?"

[Carver Amell]

"It, it's nothing," he says, worrying his lower lip like he does when he's got something decidedly not-nothing to say. Sure enough, after a moment, he continues: "It's just... do you think... do you think we're doing the right thing?"