The Haunting In Gotham [Alice]

[John Constantine]

John didn't get distracted by Alice's cartwheels and flips. Instead, he kept looking. So far, there was no sign of a doll in the basement. He stopped to think for a second. "How would you get a spirit to reveal itself?" he asked aloud. It was something of a rhetorical question. He already had an answer, and it was tattooed onto his forearms.

[Alice Challen]

Alice wished she knew how to get a spirit to reveal itself; but, she honestly had no idea. She executed a few tumbles and somersaults, pondering the matter. She didn't bother to give a response when she came up with nothing. She didn't want to break Mr. Constantine's concentration.

[John Constantine]

John set the shotgun down on the floor and rolled up his sleeves, revealing the tattoos on his forearms. He gave his arms a quick stretch and slammed them together. The pair of tattoos formed a magic circle. "Into the light, I command thee." John said, with an unusual force to his voice. "Into the light I command thee. Into the light I command thee." Three times was enough. All the while, he had his eyes closed. He dare not open them yet.

[Alice Challen]

Alice stopped her gymnast tricks to watch Mr. Constantine. Perhaps something interesting would happen. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for but she kept a sharp eye out.

[John Constantine]

"Anything?" John asked, finally opening his eyes. "Come on, you two-bit action figure. Show yourself."

[Alice Challen]

"Elle," Alice chirped. "Elle, don't you want to play? You asked me before to play with you, right?" she asked cheerfully, performing a handstand while she spoke. She looked back to Mr. Constantine. "I think she likes it when you say her name. I heard a whisper of Elle one time. I called out the name Elle and next time I saw the doll she was smiling."

Then she frowned. "But if she wants to play I'm a bit confused at the methods. Especially the bit about threatening to kill me." She flipped right side up then and shrugged. "To each their own games?"

[John Constantine]

John nodded. "Makes sense. Names have power." He picked up his gun again. "Alright then, Elle. Let's see where you're hiding."

[Alice Challen]

"Do you think Elle is here?" Alice asked. "What if she just plans on keeping us trapped here until nighttime? She always seems more ambitious in the dark." She chuckled. "Not like I'm objective."

[John Constantine]

"Then night-time's going to have to come early." John said. "We'll need to black the basement out."

[Alice Challen]

"Okay. How do we do that?" Alice asked cheerfully. "Can I help?"

[John Constantine]

"Of course. If you block the sunlight with...I don't know, strips of card or something, that'd be great." John said. "It'll be important not to let any light in at all."

[Alice Challen]

Alice poked around in some boxes until she found the necessary supplies. She split them between herself and Mr. Contstantine and whole heartedly jumped into her work.

[John Constantine]

John did his work silently, ripping off strips of card and placing them over any source of outside light. He kept the gun under his arm all the time, so that it was easily reachable should he need to shoot something.

[Alice Challen]

Alice didn't do her work nearly as silently. She kept singing various songs the cards in Wonderland had taught her.

[John Constantine]

John merely raised an eyebrow at her songs, and just got on with his work.