From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 10:32:29

*arrives promptly and soon tracks you down*

*tries not to betray how worried she's grown since she last spoke with her son* Thank you for agreeing to meet me.

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 10:34:57

Let's keep walking. *takes your hand and places it on his arm familiarly*

*sets out through the crowd*

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 10:38:05

*is startled by the degree of secrecy at play here* *isn't terribly cut out for subterfuge, after all*

*uncertainly* Why are we meeting in a train station?

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 10:41:07

*shrugs slightly* It's safer for you.

*as though remarking on the weather* I've come up with something that might help you. You're not going to like it, though. Have you thought of anything?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 10:45:07

It's safer for you.

*gulps* *fights the impulse to look around for snipers or men in dark glasses reading newspapers*

*hopefully* The lawyer said something about Mac's detainment? He said that if he's been held for fourteen days without being charged...?

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 10:46:41

*shakes his head* He's due to be arraigned tomorrow. *concerned* Doesn't your lawyer know that? I thought everyone knew.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 12:38:52

*cringes* His last client went to trial and begged the judge for a public defender when the only public defender available hadn't won a case in eleven years.

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 12:42:26

Ah.

*doesn't speak again for a long time*

*sighs* Here's what it boils down to. I've thought this over pretty carefully and there are only two possible outcomes to this scenario that Thingol will find acceptable: Either Maglor continues rotting behind bars, or Maglor dies.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 12:45:07

*clearly frustrated* I know he's an unreasonable man, but surely there must be something?

*a little desperately* Finduilas has told me about you. You're powerful. You've been so good to help us this far. Can't you arrange for his escape?

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 12:46:24

*stops walking and turns to look at you*

It's not my place to interfere, Nerdanel. I'm sorry.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 12:47:48

*somewhat tightly* "In the affairs of mere mortals," you mean. *counts to ten slowly* What do you call this, then? What you're doing now?

*resumes walking slowly*

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 12:49:30

Advice.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 12:52:10

*hitting upon an alternative solution* You have friends who are high up in the police force, do you not? Perhaps if we involved them? I don't see that they'd have to be placed in harm's way.

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 12:54:45

It's not as simple as arranging a botched transfer or blaming a clerical error. Thingol would punish them. *resolutely* It's not an option.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 12:56:56

*defeatedly* Well, then, what do you suggest? I won't stand by while my son remains imprisoned for life when he has committed no crime.

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 12:58:44

*quietly* I'm not suggesting that you should.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 13:02:15

But then what--

*...*

*turning as white as a sheet* Oh, Eru. You can't mean...

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 13:08:29

*processes the immediate thoughts of every single bystander at the station before continuing, having firmly established there are no spies lurking about*

If he becomes seriously ill, he'll have to be transferred to the hospital. Under guard, obviously. But once he's there, if he took a turn for the worse, if his heart was to be stopped...well, there's not much point in guarding a dead man, is there?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 13:11:26

*hardly believing she's saying this* Even in this...scenario, we'd need at least one other accomplice.

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 13:14:03

*gently* Can you not think of any doctor who might have a vested interest in helping Maglor?

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 13:17:29

*tiny nod*

*thinks about the ten thousand things that can and probably would go wrong with this plan*

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 13:22:43

*puts a hand on your shoulder* He wouldn't let the situation get out of control. Hopefully.

*chagrined* Sorry. Your thoughts are blasting via loudspeaker.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 13:24:39

*doesn't react to that at all*

*looks up at you, puzzled* This really doesn't seem like your style. If you don't mind me saying so.

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 13:28:25

I'd like to think I've learned something from my mistakes. *after a moment* To be honest, though, if it were someone I loved in there, I'd probably still be apt to do something more along the lines of what the rest of your family has in mind.

*figures he probably isn't telling you anything on that score you don't already know, at least*

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 13:31:29

*still rather stunned* I'll talk to my son. And I'll tell the others...well, I'll tell the others things are under control, I suppose.

	From: gorthol	Date: 08/05/2007 13:33:39

*nods* The fewer people who know the specifics, the better, probably.

*simply* Good luck.

	From: mahtaniel	Date: 08/05/2007 13:38:19

*doesn't allow herself to imagine luck playing any part in any of this*

I can't say I'm not furious appalled discouraged by your insight into Thingol's mania character, but still. Thank you. *manages to smile a little*

*turns and disappears into the crowd*