Chapter Title References (Part Two)
May. 13th, 2000 01:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vanessagaloreLogan reports to the monitoring team; Logan and Veronica have a bad night.
As the operation evolves, it becomes clear that being "heroic" is not so simple anymore. Logan must put aside his own memories of abuse, his hatred for Carrie, and his issues with Veronica's risk-taking in order to help Veronica; he's tormented by his cognitive dissonance and his freewheeling anger. Veronica must play a dangerous game of dissembling to gather the necessary evidence for their lawsuit, even though she's obviously being affected and suffering from nightmares and physical symptoms such as wetting the bed. Whatever actions they take may cause permanent ramifications for their personal lives in the future. The monitoring team is confronted by the difficulty of assessing what's actually going on when they are only able to observe; they have to make the hard choices to continue the operation, putting Veronica at risk, or stopping it and taking the chance that they won't be successful in their battle against the tough-love school. And many of the employees at the school clearly believe that they are heroic, in their efforts to ‘save' the students from themselves.
Chapter 77: Risk Management
Veronica tries to hang on; the monitoring team disagrees; Mac's family meets with the U.S. Marshals.
"Risk Management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_management
Problems begin to crop up in the operation: Veronica stubbornly refuses to end the operation even though she's clearly feverish and psychologically affected. Keith is tempted by a new lead to leave the monitoring to Kinny and Lynley. The federal judge insists on getting more evidence, and the monitoring team needs to make the hard call to keep going.
Chapter 78: Prima Facie Evidence
Klein reports to Connie's 'dad'; Kendall in the news; Klein makes Connie his special project.
"Prima facie is a Latin expression meaning on its first appearance, or by first instance; at first sight. The literal translation would be "from first face", prima first, facie face, both in the ablative case. It is used in modern legal English to signify that on first examination, a matter appears to be self-evident from the facts. In common law jurisdictions, prima facie denotes evidence which — unless rebutted — would be sufficient to prove a particular proposition or fact....Most legal proceedings require a prima facie case to exist, following which proceedings may then commence to test it, and create a ruling. This may be called facile princeps, first principles."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_facie
Keith gets Klein to lie for the federal wiretap, and Veronica pushes back hard enough that she is physically assaulted for the surveillance cameras, thereby gathering what is probably sufficient evidence to end the operation. But Veronica stubbornly refuses to quit. Katerina Beversdorf is also revealed to be Kendall Casablanca; Duncan has important photographic evidence regarding her murder, but in a moment of weakness, he deletes the evidence.
Chapter 79: Disclosure
Veronica struggles on the hike; Leo investigates Kendall's murder; Logan reluctantly does his job.
Injured and rattled, Veronica desperately discloses the tale of ratting out Logan to Lilly, causing him to break up with her and leading to Lilly's murder; then she is forced to talk about it in front of Logan, and he can't help reacting to this betrayal. Duncan's affair with Kendall is also discovered.
Chapter 80: Guilty Party
Leo investigates; Duncan reaches out to Wallace; Connie works on her program.
The term "guilty party" is often used in divorce cases to describe the spouse engaging in adultery, abuse, or abandonment. One might even say that the "guilty party" is the specialty of Mars Investigations. In the chapter, Veronica is forced to write a ‘guilt letter', a confession to someone she has wronged, to Celeste Kane. She admits her guilty feelings over Lilly's murder and her subsequent relationship with Logan; the admissions make her obsess about all the mistakes she's made, especially in her relationship with him. And Duncan guiltily worries about his involvement with Kendall and wishes Veronica would hurry back to help him.
Chapter 81: Disintegration
A witness comes forward; Veronica is stressed; technical difficulties.
The school ramps up its abuse of Veronica to try to break her, and she disintegrates under the psychological pressure combined with her phyical suffering. She calls for help, but the bug has stopped functioning, and she believes she's been abandoned. Veronica's mental status is circling the drain, and she starts to hallucinate due to sleep deprivation and her fever. The monitoring team begins to argue among themselves when they suspect technical difficulties and Keith is unreachable.
In psychology, the term disintegration is sometimes used to describe the condition of being unable to perform normally as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness, in other words, exhibiting a personality disorder.
Chapter 82: Unraveling
Keith and Epstein meet with the Guardian Angel; Klein increases the pressure on Connie.
un-rav-el
–verb (used with object)
1. to separate or disentangle the threads of (a woven or knitted fabric, a rope, etc.).
2. to free from complication or difficulty; make plain or clear; solve: to unravel a situation; to unravel a mystery.
3. Informal. to take apart; undo; destroy (a plan, agreement, or arrangement).
http://dictionary.classic.reference.com/browse/unravel
While sometimes the word ‘unravel' is used referring to solving a mystery (as in Keith's interview of the Guardian Angel who helped Hannah to escape), I am primarily referring to Veronica's destruction at the hands of Klein. Moreover, Klein is doggedly trying to disentangle the threads of Veronica's deceptions and causing her to fall deeper into psychological peril; she is certain she's been abandoned and is more susceptible than ever to his manipulations.
Chapter 83: The Crucible
Kinny steps up; Oswaldo tells his story; Klein faces off with Connie; Leo gets confirmation.
cru-ci-ble –noun
1. a container of metal or refractory material employed for heating substances to high temperatures.
2. Metallurgy. a hollow area at the bottom of a furnace in which the metal collects.
3. a severe, searching test or trial.
cru-ci-ble -noun
1. A vessel made of a refractory substance such as graphite or porcelain, used for melting and calcining materials at high temperatures.
2. A severe test, as of patience or belief; a trial. See Synonyms at trial.
3. A place, time, or situation characterized by the confluence of powerful intellectual, social, economic, or political forces: "Macroeconomics . . . was cast in the crucible of the Depression" (Peter Passell).
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/crucible
Kristen Bell appeared in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" on Broadway in 2002. The play is about the Salem witchtrials of 1692-1693 as well as an allegory for the House Committee On Un-American Activities investigations led by Joseph McCarthey during the 1950s.
Veronica is pressured into discussing her rape by Klein, and even to accept "responsibility" for her part in it. Already almost broken by the tactics of school, she is psychologically tortured and made to face feelings and events she has never really been able to deal with, and has an actual psychotic break.
Of course the supreme tragedy is that she never told her dad about the rape, so the torture is allowed to go on by the incredulous monitoring team, despite the misgivings of the professor with experience in the field.
Kendall's murder investigation is further introduced as yet another complication facing our heroes when the humiliated Sheriff D'Amato allows himself to be convinced by a witness and security video from the Neptune Grand elevator. The testing and stress on Logan and Veronica has only begun.
Chapter 84: Dislocation
Veronica wakes up in the hospital; Leo questions Dick.
Dislocation refers not only to Veronica's shoulder injury, but also to the more literal meaning of ‘dislocate': to throw out of order; upset; disorder. Veronica's entire being has been upset and disordered (she is in fact actually even disoriented at first), and Keith and Logan are emotionally distraught as well.
Chapter 85: Disorganized Thinking
Wallace updates Weevil on Veronica's condition and tries a new tactic; Veronica attempts to sort it all out; Leo gets Logan's financial records.
In psychiatry, thought disorder or formal thought disorder is a term used to describe a pattern of disordered language use that is presumed to reflect disordered thinking. It is usually considered a symptom of psychotic mental illness, although it occasionally appears in other conditions.
It describes a persistent underlying disturbance to conscious thought and is classified largely by its effects on speech and writing. Affected persons may show pressure of speech (speaking incessantly and quickly), derailment or flight of ideas (switching topic mid-sentence or inappropriately), thought blocking, rhyming, punning, or 'word salad' when individual words may be intact but speech is incoherent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_disorder
Veronica's inability to form logical or coherent thoughts after her confrontation with Klein is the most disturbing feature of her condition post-operation. But all the people who care about her are suffering from disordered thinking as well.
Leo, who has been twisted by his humiliation at the hands of Veronica and Logan, is also suffering from incoherent thinking, and immediately leaps to erroneous conclusions when investigating Kendall's murder.
Here I'm also referring explicitly to the concept of organized killers and disorganized killers, the famous categorization that the FBI uses to describe serial killers (that Veronica also referred to when discussing Hannah's murder with Logan many chapters ago).
Chapter 86: Inquiries
Klein is questioned; Logan and Veronica start to talk.
A straightforward chapter title, for once, referring to Klein's questioning by the US Attorney, and Veronica and Logan trying to make sense of the end of the operation.
Chapter 87: Defensive Maneuvers
Klein is questioned about Hannah; Mac takes a chance; Veronica discloses.
The title refers to Klein's smooth responses to his interrogation by the US Attorney about Hannah, and Veronica's defensiveness that takes over, when she has to admit that she was broken by the punishment of jumping jacks.
Chapter 88: Personally Motivated
Mac hacks; Logan and Veronica compare notes.
The biggest reveal in this chapter is that the FBI suspects that the Mackenzie bombing was personally motivated, rather than revenge for Mac's hacking. In addition, both Logan and Veronica vow to work together to get over this...they are extremely motivated, you might say.
Chapter 89: Arresting Developments
Complications from Klein's arrest; Leo questions Greenblatt; Veronica does some investigating.
The title is a reference to "Arrested Development", which is itself a play on the expression meaning someone who is immature (failed to develop). But of course Logan is arrested for assaulting Klein, and Leo is gathering evidence preparatory to a possible arrest in Kendall's case.
Chapter 90: Exposing the Soft Underbelly
Leo interviews Madison; Veronica vows to avenge Hannah.
Reference to 2.03, Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang.
INT NHS, NURSES OFFICE - DAY.
Duncan sits at the end of a cot, Logan at the end of an examination table, next to it. Both have injuries to their hands. Duncan has a bloodied noise and there is grazing around Logans left eye. The school nurse finishes her administrations to Duncans hand.
NURSE: Well, I can tell you one thing: whoever it is you're fighting over, she won't be very impressed by this. And you're done. I believe the principal is waiting for you. I'll be back for you.
The nurse leaves and Duncan stands, grabbing his jacket. He starts to make his way out.
LOGAN: Actually, I disagree with Nurse Ratched, I think Veronica would have been quite impressed.
Duncan pauses and turns back to Logan.
LOGAN: Probably a little turned on too.
DUNCAN: Careful, Logan. You're exposing your soft underbelly.
LOGAN: My underbelly is rock-hard. It can go all night.
DUNCAN: You lost her; I didn't steal her.
This particular reference always really reminds me of Logan's essential personality: a victim of abuse, but a seemingly tough exterior that pushes everyone away. It's also the feature that he has most in common with Veronica Mars (she's a marshmallow). In this chapter, both Logan and Veronica's soft underbellies are vulnerable.
Chapter 91: Beseiged
Alan questions Mike Fields and probes the possible motives for the Mackenzie bombing; Veronica, Logan, and Keith head home.
be-siege
–verb (used with object), -sieged, -sieg-ing.
1. to lay siege to.
2. to crowd around; crowd in upon; surround: Vacationers besieged the travel office.
3. to assail or ply, as with requests or demands.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/besieged
A straightforward chapter title, referring to all the complications that beset our heroes, from Mac having to tell Alan about Veronica's snooping into Hannah's murder case to Logan finding out about Kendall's murder back in Neptune as they head back for the Mackenzie funeral.
Chapter 92: Situation Normal: All Frakked Up
Leo questions Duncan; Veronica pushes Logan to tell her what's going on.
The military acronym SNAFU stands for Situation Normal, All Fucked Up, and here I'm using "frak," the Battlestar Galactica substitute for "fuck" that Veronica learned from Moe. Seriously, I've really thrown a lot of shit at them by this point.
Chapter 93: Homecoming
Complications on the last leg of their journey back to Neptune.
Another straightforward chapter title.
Chapter 94: Taking Back the Night
Veronica is persistent, as usual.
In this chapter, Veronica pushes Logan to resume their sexual relationship. They hit a bump in the road when something inadvertently reminds them of the bucket incident, but struggle through and try to come to grips with their relationship.
Episode 3.01, "Welcome Wagon", opens on a large banner proclaiming "Rally Against Violence Towards Women - Take Back the Night - 4pm at Johnson Lawn - All are welcome to attend - Let's Stand United!" Marches and rallies with the title ‘Take Back the Night' were protests against rape and other violence against women that were organized by feminists starting in the late 1970s. The idea is that women feel intimidated from venturing out at night, and besides the obvious VM reference, I'm having Veronica struggle to reclaim her own independence and sexuality after what happened at the school, to take back her night.
Chapter 95: Jumping to Conclusions
Leo tries to rationalize his vendetta; Mac posits a new suspect; Keith reacts.
To jump to conclusions means to guess the facts of a situation without having all the information; in this chapter, all the characters are making suppositions. In addition, the reader has more information than the characters, but still not enough to make an accurate conclusion. You may think you know what's going on...but you don't.
Chapter 96: Losing Your Perspective
Logan talks with his shrink.
Another idiom that I've twisted a bit: Logan has quite literally lost the ability to have perspective on his situation, even with Dr. Friedman's guidance.
Chapter 97: Tightening the Noose
Logan and Veronica work on their story; Leo digs into the goings-on at the Neptune Grand; Leo picks up Veronica and Logan for questioning.
A mystery cliché, here used to (hopefully) refer to the tension I'm trying to ramp up regarding Leo's dogged pursuit of our heroes.
Chapter 98: Made of Truth
Leo questions Veronica and Logan; Keith reports to Ms. Denenberg; Mac worries about Veronica's safety to no avail.
The title comes from the William Shakespeare quote that I put as Logan's outgoing message:
'When my love swears that she is made of truth, I do believe her though I know she lies, That she might think me some untutor'd youth, Unlearned in the world's false subtleties....Therefore I lie with her, and she with me, And in our faults by lies we flatter'd be.' William Shakespeare.
In this chapter, Logan and Veronica must play a game of wits with Leo, whose interrogation shows that he's discovered a lot of the truth concerning Kendall's relationship to them and Duncan; Keith must reveal to Hannah's mother what he has learned about her time at Briar Hill; and Mac is worried about the consequences of telling the truth about Gory. But truth is malleable as well, with different people's perspectives influencing what is the ultimate truth, and Leo in particular is actively twisting the truth to fit his theories. The quote is especially relevant, since Veronica often lies to serve a greater truth.
Chapter 99: In the Crosshairs
The Mackenzie funeral.
Another crime cliché, referring to the literal crossed lines of a gunsight used to target a weapon. But also a pun, in this situation, since Gory shot the wrong targets because of a confusion over their hair colors. I do love my puns.
Chapter 100: Most Crime Is Personal, Not These Weird Conspiracies
They compare notes on Dr. Griffith.
The title comes from a quote from 2.08, Ahoy Mateys!
KEITH: Hey, are you okay?
Veronica nods and sniffs.
VERONICA: Tough day. But yeah, I'm fine. Um, what about Marcos Oliveres?
KEITH: His parents were just in. They're suing the school district for negligence over their son's death and since they filed the suit they've been harassed.
VERONICA: Harassed?
KEITH: Toy buses left in their house, their son's cologne lingering in the air, phone messages from their dead son on the machine.
VERONICA: So what, the school district administration is harassing them to get them to drop their suit.
KEITH: I'm sure those school administrators are a sinister and venal bunch, honey, but in my experience, most crime is personal. Not these, these weird conspiracies.
VERONICA: Well, in my experience, that is exactly what THEY want you to think.
KEITH: Well, all the same. Would you mind asking around about the kid?
This chapter is a long scene where I spin out all the different things that each character (Logan, Veronica, Keith, and Duncan) knows about Dr. Griffith and Kendall. In my title, I'm totally mocking myself and my crazy convoluted plotting.
Chapter 101: Countergambit
Keith comes up with a plan.
"A gambit is a chess opening in which the first player risks or sacrifices material, usually a pawn, with the hope of achieving a resulting advantageous position. A gambit used by the black side in response to a gambit played by white is called a countergambit....In modern chess, the typical response to a moderately sound gambit is to accept the material and give the material back at an advantageous time."
http://www.reference.com/browse/Countergambit
In this chapter, Keith is coming up with a risky plan to counter Leo's threat against Veronica, Logan, and Duncan. Now that he has all the information, they can work together to try to shut down Leo's investigation.
Chapter 102: Coping Mechanism
Keith and Veronica come to an agreement.
The psychological concept of a coping mechanism is the use of various strategies, both positive and negative, to deal with times of stress. I think we can agree that all my characters resort to coping mechanisms over and over.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coping_skill#Coping_mechanisms
Chapter 103: Drunk and Disorderly
Logan dreams; St. Patrick's Day revelry.
Logan has a vicious dream about Briar Hill; I tried to portray just how stressed and anxious he is with everything that has been going on. He's begun to associate his own guilt over his role in Veronica's rape five years ago with the psychological conditioning that occurred during the operation and worries about the likelihood that once again she won't be able to forgive him. His dream actions and thoughts are particularly disjointed, and he even imagines that Klein forces him to make Veronica get drunk and have sex with him.
And the Fitzpatricks manage to get someone arrested for drunk and disorderly in order to try to push Sheriff D'Amato further into suspecting Logan for Kendall's murder. (I have to tell you...I did not plan on this chapter occurring on St. Patrick's Day. That was incredibly fortuitous, unless my subconscious is smarter than I thought.)
Chapter 104: Knight in Shining Armor
Discussion question: who is more damaged?
I really didn't set out to write a romance. But the concept of the knight in shining armor seems to have some resonance for Logan and Veronica. He always wants to be that for her, but she resists, wanting to take responsibility for herself. And yet...she does seem to want a strong, romantic lover for herself even though it kills her to admt it.
Chapter 105: Counterintelligence
Keith does some dumpster diving; Veronica, Logan, and Wallace compare stories.
A great portion of this story relies on who knows what, when. So I often use the plot device of the characters discussing and sharing what they know, in order to draw connections and move the mystery forward.
Even more specifically, the word 'counterintelligence' refers both to protecting your own 'intelligence', or your own safety, by preventing hostiles from gathering that information; it can also refer to 'offensive' tactics, where one turns a hostile attempt back against one's enemy. In this chapter, they are formulating a plan whereby they will use the crimes perpetrated by the Fitzpatricks to defend themselves from the accusations being pursued by Sheriff D'Amato.
Chapter 106: Pressure
Bray's eyewitness account; Keith, Veronica, and Logan talk to Ms. Denenberg.
I'm referring to four specific instances of pressure in this chapter: the pressure the Fitzpatricks are bringing to bear on Logan to make him look guilty of Kendall's murder; the pressure the Fitzpatricks used on Dr. Griffith to compel him to launder their money for them; the pressure Keith, Logan, and Veronica will use on the Fitzpatricks to try the table on them; and finally the pressure Briar Hill is exerting on the undercover operation participants to try to force them to drop the lawsuit and discourage them from testifying in the criminal case.
Chapter 107: The Confidence Game
Veronica obsesses; Keith takes steps to protect Ms. Denenberg; Leo interviews Jeff Ratner.
The confidence game, or con game, is an expression referring to a swindle perpetrated upon a victim by a 'con artist', by trying to gain their confidence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick
I'm not only referring to the name that the guards gave to 'Connie' at the school, 'Connie McConArtist' but also her utter lack of confidence in herself. She's truly lost her way at this point.
Chapter 108: Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Keith realizes desperate times call for desperate measures; Logan reacts badly.
From Wikipedia: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" is a song by The Beatles featured on the eponymous double-disc album The Beatles (also known as The White Album). It is primarily a John Lennon composition, credited to Lennon/McCartney. The original working title of the song was "Happiness Is a Warm Gun in Your Hand," which was inspired by a magazine containing the phrase, which in turn parodied "Happiness Is a Warm Puppy," a Peanuts book written and illustrated by Charles Schulz in 1962.
According to Lennon, the title came from the cover of a gun magazine that producer George Martin showed him: "I think he showed me a cover of a magazine that said 'Happiness Is a Warm Gun.' It was a gun magazine. I just thought it was a fantastic, insane thing to say. A warm gun means you just shot something."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness_Is_a_Warm_Gun
I'm trying to show in this chapter just how nervous Keith is about their situation, being beseiged from all sides by Sheriff D'Amato, the Fitzpatricks, and representatives from Briar Hill. He's worried that he won't be able to protect Veronica and Logan, so he gives Logan a gun. It is somewhat insane; Logan's not experienced and has obviously struggled with anger over the years, so Keith doesn't do this lightly, which Logan is well aware of.
Coming on the heels of Logan's recent nightmare, it triggers some of his father issues. The phrase is referring to the insanity of having to resort to this measure, something that they're all quite aware of.
Chapter 109: Thinking Problem
Wallace and Weevil assist with the investigation; they work on a plan; Veronica is surprisingly fragile.
Veronica was constantly being accused of having a 'thinking problem' at the school. Below are some of the twelve-step phrases that refers to thinking:
• "You have a thinking problem, not a drinking problem."
• "Your best thinking got you here."
• "You need a checkup from the neck up."
• "Stop Your Stinkin' Thinkin'."
The idea is that drunks can't trust their thinking; they need to rely on the program to do their thinking for them. This is particularly heinous accusation for a character like Veronica, whose self-esteem is heavily based on her ability to think, and especially, to outthink and outwit everyone else.
The ironic result of the tough-love conditioning is that now she does have a thinking problem; she's completely lost her self-confidence and has become convinced that she's a bad person, just as the school told her, over and over again. This twisting of people's thoughts is clearly a self-fulfilling prophecy, one that cults rely on to victimize their adherents.
Chapter 110: The Thomas Griffith Affair
The team infiltrates Dr. Griffith's office; Veronica puts on a brave face and helps with the investigation; Leo pursues Ratner's lead; Mac phones home.
'The Thomas Crown Affair' is a complicated heist movie from 1968, where a female investigator (Faye Dunaway) pursues a male thief (Steve McQueen) (and falls in love with him). Talk about a bad boy!! The movie was remade in 1999 wth Pierce Brosnan and René Russo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thomas_Crown_Affair_%281968_film%29
The theme song of the movie was "The Windmills of Your Mind", which Wikipedia describes as:
The song, an effective show-tune version of psychedelia, illustrates a person's mental state after a romantic break-up, relating the way emotionally charged thoughts and memories can run in tortured circles. With its succession of similes ("Like a circle in a spiral/Like a wheel within a wheel"), hypnotic rhythms and complex imagery, it is a song that can "stick in your head." The lyrics even refer to this phenomenon: in among a collection of disjointed memories is "a fragment of a song," in the 1968 recording, and "a fragment of this song," in the 1999 recording.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Windmills_of_Your_Mind
I wish I could say that I was referring to the song as well, but I just found that now while preparing this. Isn't it perfect, though, for what's going on with Veronica? And it goes well with my final chapter title, 'Tilting At Windmills'. Ah, synergy.
Chapter 111: Exculpatory Evidence
Leo interviews the owner of the SUV and his employees; the team examines the financial evidence.
Exculpatory evidence is the evidence favorable to the defendant in a criminal trial, which clears or tends to clear the defendant of guilt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exculpatory_evidence
Leo is stumbling upon evidence that is tending to eliminate Logan, Veronica, and Duncan, despite his vendetta. And the team is gathering evidence of the Fitzpatricks' money laundering, which they will use to help Duncan.
Chapter 112: In Case Something Happens
Logan and Veronica discuss the future; Logan makes contact with Hannah's friend.
This chapter was unintentionally emotional. The characters seemed to have a mind of their own for a large portion of the story, and here they overtly express their fears that they won't be successful with their desperate plan. Veronica acknowledges once again just how difficult their relationship is and for the first time seems to recognize that she has been toxic to Logan in the past.
Chapter 113: Confidentiality Agreement
Keith brings the evidence to Leo; Hannah's friend talks to Logan and Veronica.
A confidentiality agreement is essentially a contract where one or both parties agree not to disclose particular information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-disclosure_agreement
Here Keith and Leo share their guilty stories as Keith makes an all-or-nothing gesture, threatening to reveal everything he knows about Leo and vowing that he's willing to go to prison if necessary to protect his daughter. They come to an agreement and reluctantly work together.
Chapter 114: Due Process
Veronica, Logan, and Keith regropu and focus their investigation; Dick visits; Leo pursues Dr. Griffith.
'Due process', in the legal system, refers to the principle that a government must respect an individual's legal rights.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Due_process
I'm also hinting at a more subtle meaning, that they are following the course of the investigation in a right or proper way by following the leads wherever they may lead in a careful manner.
Chapter 115: The Eye of the Storm
Anxiety about Duncan's hearing; Leo asks for help.
In a tropical cyclone, there is an area of calmness at the center, surrounded by frenzied and dangerous activity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_%28cyclone%29
Now that they have successfully negotiated with Sheriff D'Amato, they are waiting for Duncan's sure-to-be-traumatic custody hearing, where so much is on the line for him and Veronica.
Chapter 116: In Loco Parentis
Duncan's custody hearing.
'In loco parentis' is a legal expression meaning 'in the place of a parent', in other words, a guardian, which is what Duncan's role has been for Faith Manning (aka Lilly). There's a specific sense that a person or institution has a grave responsiblity to act in the best interest of a child, which is what Duncan tried to do, both when he and Veronica broke into the Mannings' house and later when he kidnapped Faith.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_loco_parentis
I'm also consciously trying to draw a comparison between the tough-love schools and their warped agenda and the legal responsibility of someone entrusted with a child to protect them.
For further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parens_patriae, which discusses the ability of government to remove children from abusive situations.
Chapter 117: Change Walks Up and Punches You in the Face
Wallace does some sleuthing; Logan, Veronica, and Keith head to LA, Mac's back in the mix.
The title comes from a quote from 1.05, 'You Think You Know Somebody'.
Veronica drops her keys and hits the play button on the answer machine to listen while she takes off her coat.
FEMALE VOICE: Hi Keith, it's me. I might be a little late to dinner since I came into work- Oh, wait a minute. Um, I'm sorry. I'm just going to call your cell.
Veronica looks suspiciously at the phone as she gets herself a drink. She heads back to the phone and punches in the code to ring the last caller.
FEMALE VOICE: Hi, you've reached Rebecca James in the Counselling Office at Neptune High School. I'm away-
Veronica cuts off the call.
VERONICA VOICEOVER: You know those people who can predict when change is coming in their life? I'm not one of them. Change has a way of just walking up and punching me in the face.
I think it was at this point in the fic when my betas started wondering if I was going to be able to write a happy ending. By here, I had thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Veronica and Logan. But despite all the trauma I'd created for them, they're actually talking and trying to find solutions together. And the title is also a sly reference to my sucker punch of the reveal that Mac has been kidnapped. Oops. My bad.
Chapter 118: Running Around in Circles
Leo's investigation; Weevil rescues Wallace; Keith, Logan, and Veronica compare notes with Mike Fields; a lead in Kendall's murder investigation.
Well, by now, all my readers were wondering if I actually knew how I was going to resolve all these mysteries. Hah! Raise your hand if you were confused.
Chapter 119: The Weak Become Heroes
Veronica talks to the therapist.
"The Weak Become Heroes" is a song used in the pilot episode.
Turn left up the street
Nothing but grey concrete and dead beats
Grab something to eat
Maccy D's or KFC
Only one choice in the city
Done voice in my pity now lets get to the nitty gritty
Tune reminds me of my first e
Like unique still sixteen and feelin horny
Point to the sky feel free
A sea of people all equal smiles in front and behind me
Swim in the deep blue sea cornfields sway lazily
All smiles all easy where you from, what you on and what's your story
Mesmerizing tones risin pianos this is my zone so stop clonin
Pick paper scissors or stone
Coz me and you are same i known you all my life i don't know your name
The names European Bob sorted anyway
Gonna have dance now see you later please to meet you
Likewise a pleasure
We were just standin there mindin our own
And it went on and on
We all smile we all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
We were just standin there mindin our own
And it went on and on
We all smile we all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
The night slowly fades and goes slow motion
All the commotion becomes floatin emotions
Same piano loops over
Arms wave eyes roll back and jaws fall open
I see in soft focus
Chattin to this bloke in the toilets
Dizzy new heights blinded by the lights
These people are for life its all back to his place at the end of the night
They could settle wars with this
If only they will imagine the worlds leaders on pills then imagine the mornin after
Wars causing disaster don't talk to me i don't know ya
But this aint tommorow and for now i still love ya
Hours fly over sail round diamonds and pearls never seen so many fit girls
Discover new worlds look at my watch can't focus
Last two hours i lost every move fills me with lust
All of life's problems i just shake off
Mad little events happen things map out and a few blue maddens alight the toilets
Big beefy bouncers out to reveal us geezers on e's and first timers kids on whizz darlins on
Charlie
All come together for this party
All races many faces from places you never heard of
Where you from what's your name and what you want
Sing to the words flex to the fat one
The tribal drums the sun's risin we all smile we all sing
We were just standin there mindin our own
And it went on and on
We all smile we all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
We were just standin there mindin our own
And it went on and on
We all smile we all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
Then the girl in the cafe taps me on the shoulder
I realize five years went by I'm older
Memories smoulder winters colder
But that same piano loops over and over and over
The road shines and the rain washes away
The same Chinese takeaway selling shit in a tray
It's dark all round I walk down same sight same sounds new beats though
Solid concrete under my feet
No surprises no treats the world stands still as my mind sloshes round
The washing up bowl in my crown
My life's been up and down since i walked from that crowd
We were just standin there mindin our own
And it went on and on
We all smile we all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
We were just standin there mindin our own
And it went on and on
We all smile we all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
Outta respect for Jonnie Walker, Paul Oakenfold, Nicky Holloway, Danny Rampling, and all the peolple that gave us these times
And to the Government I stick my middle finger up with regards to the Criminal Justice Bill
For all the heroes I met along the way (The weak become heroes then the stars align)
We all sing we all sing all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
We were just standin there mindin our own
And it went on and on
We all smile we all sing
The weak become heroes then the stars align
We all sing we all sing all sing
It just seemed to fit, with Veronica desperately trying to find her inner courage again.
Chapter 120: Do Not Pass Go
Leo's investigation; Veronica, Logan, and Keith try to relax; Candice and Wallace on a date; Weevil contemplates payback.
I have to say, this was another one of my favorite titles. It refers to the Chance card from the board game, Monopoly, that Veronica, Logan, and Keith play in an unusually light-hearted scene for this story.
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh302/VanessaGalore/monopoly-go-to-jail-card.jpg
I'm also referring to Leo's attempt to pursue the Fitzpatricks and Weevil's temptation to rejoin the PCHers to avenge his prison sentence.
Chapter 121: Land Mines
Veronica reacts to therapy; Weevil pursues vengeance; Mac's situation worsens.
The title is a quote from 3.11, Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves.
VERONICA: So, have you...ever been with one?
LOGAN: An escort?
VERONICA: Yeah.
LOGAN: Do we really want to go there?
VERONICA: I guess we don't have to now.
LOGAN: Come on, that wasn't me answering the question.
VERONICA: It kinda was.
Logan gives a dismissive, high-pitched laugh.
LOGAN: No, it wasn't. That was me knowing there's a land mine and trying to figure out where to put my foot.
....
VERONICA: Your question.
LOGAN: You can have my turn.
Veronica smiles.
VERONICA: Were you with anyone while we were broken up?
LOGAN: Land mine.
Sheesh. That was traumatic, just copy-pasting that. I think we all know the main thing I was going for with that title...Logan's guilt over his role in Veronica's rape and his fear that once again she will be judgmental and unforgiving. I'm also referring to Weevil's kidnapping and interrogating Oswaldo and the temptation he's facing to return to a life of crime, and Mac's grave situation: she's been told she will have to help her captors find Veronica.
Chapter 122: Remembrance of Things Past
Logan tells Veronica about Shelly Pomroy's party.
Between Marcel Proust and Emile Zola, you might think I didn't sleep through French in high school. You would be wrong.
I do remember quite clearly talking about the nature of a reawakened sense memory in that class.
From Wikipedia: Madeleines are perhaps most famous outside France for their association with involuntary memory in the Marcel Proust novel À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past in the first translation, more recently translated as In Search of Lost Time), in which the narrator experiences an awakening upon tasting a madeleine dipped in tea:
"She sent out for one of those short, plump little cakes called petites madeleines, which look as though they had been moulded in the fluted scallop of a pilgrim's shell. And soon, mechanically, weary after a dull day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate than a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place…at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory…" — Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 1: Swann's Way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_%28cake%29
Ah, the vicissitudes of life. Yeah, that's what we're talking about here.
Anyways, Veronica's ever hopeful that a random statement by Logan might trigger her own memories of that night.
Chapter 123: The Truth of the Matter
Weevil questions Oswaldo; Logan reveals what else happened.
"The truth of the matter" is an expression, maybe even a cliché, referring to the true meaning of something (usually implying a hidden meaning).
The exact title's not that important here, but what I'm trying to accomplish in general with my retconnage of Veronica's rape is to get back to the noirish reveal of "A Trip to the Dentist", where the entire night was tragic and there was not really only one person to blame. Of course Veronica was incensed at Beaver...and properly so. But he was truly a victim as well, and I'm hoping to have the rape be tragic and noir again by making Logan and Dick a party to his state of mind that night. It was very difficult to find something forgiveable, but terrible, that Logan could have done that would have helped to push Beaver over the edge. I do think it's true that most young people don't consider how hurtful and damaging juvenile teasing can be, and early on, we saw Logan having problems with impulse control and a frequent lack of empathy (to say the least).
(Hopefully you will remember that I tried to let him grow up a little...unlike some other people.)
I'm also referring to Weevil's interrogation of Oswaldo, trying to understand his own past as well.
Chapter 124: Out of the Past
Oswaldo's fate; Logan and Veronica grapple with the new information.
[The movie] "Out of the Past" (1947) features many of the genre's hallmarks: a cynical private detective as the protagonist, a femme fatale, multiple flashbacks with voiceover narration, dramatic chiaroscuro photography, and a fatalistic mood leavened with provocative banter. The film stars noir icon Robert Mitchum.
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir
Change "femme fatale" to "obligatory psychotic jackass" and you've got Veronica Mars.
In addition to the film noir reference, I'm trying to imply that they are moving out of the past, trying hard to move beyond it by making love. Ah, Vanessa is capable of hope. And...out of the past comes an insight that will help Veronica, that Beaver was the one who pushed her to suspect Logan of Lilly's murder.
Chapter 125: Theory of Convergence
Mac's captors try something new; Weevil and Wallace plan their next step; Veronica talks to Dick.
If you want to make your head hurt, a lot, go read about convergence in the field of statistics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergence_of_random_variables
I'm implying that all these seemingly random and unconnected events do have connections and solutions that are unseen as yet. It's part of my theme of who knows what, when; as the characters talk and compare stories, the interrelatedness of things becomes more apparent.
Chapter 126: The Twist of the Truth
Keith finds out what's troubling Veronica and Logan; Leo interviews Padraig Fitzpatrick.
A pretty basic chapter title: the truth about Veronica's rape is twisted and hurtful, and each time some new information is revealed, the revelations affect all of them. And Sheriff D'Amato's interview with Padraig Fitzpatrick indicates that the Fitzpatricks weren't being completely truthful with each other, further muddying the waters of the investigation into Kendall's murder.
Chapter 127: Welcome to Acheron
Wallace and Weevil ask for Clemmons' help; Veronica, Logan, and Keith in Rio Linda; Mac's captors assess the situation.
From Wikipedia: In ancient Greek mythology, Acheron was known as the river of pain, and was one of the five rivers of the Greek underworld. In the Homeric poems the Acheron was described as a river of Hades, into which Cocytus and Phlegethon both flowed. Virgil called it the principal river of Tartarus, from which the Styx and Cocytus both sprang. The newly-dead would be ferried across the Acheron by Charon in order to enter the Underworld....In Dante's Inferno, the Acheron river forms the border of Hell. Following Greek mythology, Charon ferries souls across this river to Hell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acheron
I liked using this reference, since it calls back an association with the River Stix as well as the literal meaning of the town's name (Rio Linda means 'pretty river'). And I loved the foreshadowing, knowing what I intended to write in the subsequent chapters, and referring to them crossing over into Hell.
Chapter 128: A False Sense of Security
Veronica, Logan, and Keith find where Hannah was living; followup questions for Mrs. Griffith; the security precautions hit a snag.
Again with the foreshadowing!
lull someone into a false sense of security: Cliché; to lead someone into believing that all is well before attacking or doing someone bad.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/lull+into+a+false+sense+of+security
I'm also referring to the literal 'security' guards, who are taken into custody on false charges and to the extra security measures that Dr. Griffith took when Liam began to pressure him into revealing Kendall's new face.
Chapter 129: Momentum
Veronica, Logan, and Keith find Hannah's employer; a break in the Slasher case; Clemmons tries to jog his memory.
All of a sudden, in this chapter, I really started giving the reader clues, and hopefully swept you up in the mystery, just as the characters were also led by the clues.
Chapter 130: Turn of the Screw
Complications in Rio Linda; KC is identified.
The "turn of the screw" refers to an old torture device, where each additional turn of the screw exacerbated the pain of the person being tortured. In literature, the term is often used as a metaphor for the painful twists and turns of life, and in particular I'm referring to their capture by the bad guys at the end of this chapter. Veronica is highly affected by these events and flashes back to the terrible experiences she had with Aaron, Beaver, and Mercer.
The novel "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James examines the nature of evil, especially psychological evil, which is one of my themes as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turn_of_the_Screw
Chapter 131: The Soul Uneasy and Confin'd From Home
Wallace and Weevil take their suspicions to Leo; Mike follows a hunch; the van arrives.
A quote from the pilot, when Veronica is questioned by Mrs. Murphy about Pope's 'An Epistle on Man'.
Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never is, but always to be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confined from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.
It really made me happy to think of this quotation for my chapter title; its seemed absolutely perfect for their tenuous situation.
Chapter 132: Loose Ends
Wallace contacts Mike Fields; Veronica assesses their situation.
Perhaps a better title would have been "Grasping At Straws"; they are in a desperate situation and trying like hell to find a way out of it. Veronica muses that they are being kept alive solely for the purpose of tying up any loose ends that might bring down the conspiracy.
Chapter 133: Insecurity
Kavner and Harris tell their story; one the captors reveals himself.
Again, a play on security guards as the two men who were protecting Keith, Veronica, and Logan are allowed to tell their story to the Rio Linda sheriff. When Liam reveals himself to the captives, their situation is clearly desperate and insecure.
Chapter 134: Currents Turn Awry
The investigation continues in Rio Linda; Kevin Carney is taken into custody; Wallace tries desperately to help; Liam's partner reveals himself.
A quote from William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought;
And enterprises of great pith and moment,
With this regard, their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.
I'm referring again to the 'river', the literal translation of Rio Linda, and its currents having gone amiss, or awry, as Wallace and Mike try desperately to find out what has happened to Veronica and the others.
Chapter 135: Bearing Witness
Carney and Liam question Veronica; Mike looks for the witness; a break in the case; Veronica's cell phone reveals a clue.
1. bear witness - provide evidence for; "The blood test showed that he was the father"; "Her behavior testified to her incompetence"
2. bear witness - give testimony in a court of law
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bear+witness
There is an actual break in the case: Mike locates the witness and saves him before he can be eliminated. In addition, they find evidence in Veronica's cell phone.
Chapter 136: Bound and Determined
Wallace stumbles on a clue; the conspiracy starts to fall apart; Liam and Carney confront Veronica; Kevin Carney makes a deal.
bound and determined: cliché very determined; very committed or dedicated (to something).
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/bound+and+determined
I'm referring to their situation on the boat, bound with duct tape, but still not giving up.
Chapter 137: Lex Talionis
Showdown.
Lex Talionis literally means 'an eye for an eye', or retribution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_for_an_eye
Two sets of parties are seeking retribution: the conspirators and our heroes. More specifically, I'm referring to Veronica killing Liam as retribution for Hannah's murder.
Chapter 138: Back From the Brink
Logan, Keith, Mac, and Veronica recover in the hospital.
"Back from the brink" means saved from disaster, with the implication of just barely making it.
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/brink
I know everyone thought this chapter would just wrap up the fic, but I had some more to say—I didn't want them to be la-ti-dah, everything's peachy now that we got away from the bad guys. So the 'brink', the edge of disaster, really took a toll on the heroes. Veronica, especially, needs to come to grips with what happened.
Sorry, I wanted to make you read another 57,000 words. Because that's just how I am.
Chapter 139: Confiteor
Veronica has her shoulder surgery; a guilty conscience in Neptune.
This chapter lays out my last bit of Veronica's character arc: her guilt over Mac leads her to vow to quit investigating. 'Confiteor' is the name of the prayer from the Roman Catholic Mass in which the confessor
The origin of the expression is from a traditional prayer in the Mass of the Roman Catholic Church known as Confiteor (Latin for "I confess")[1], in which the individual recognizes his or her flaws before God.
The traditional text in Latin is:
<center><table width= "624" border="0"
cellpadding="35">
<tr><td>Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistae, sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi pater: quia peccavi nimis cogitatione verbo, et opere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et te Pater, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum Nostrum.</td>
<td>I confess to Omnipotent God, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the angels and Saints, and to you father: that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you, Father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.</td>
</tr>
</table></center>
The traditional translation of the phrase, which appeared in most people's missals prior to 1970, was "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault." This same translation appears in missals used today in Masses of the Extraordinary Form, the so-called Traditional Latin Mass.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mea_culpa
I'm trying for a certain parallelism in the story. In the very beginning, we had Logan consumed by guilt for what he did to Hannah; here we have Veronica feeling guilty about what happened to Mac. I explicitly referred to the Catholic rite of confession in my chapter seven, "Peccavi, Mea Culpa". In this chapter, the Fitzpatricks use the confession booth and creepy Father Patrick's ominous Biblical quotations as a way to keep Dr. Griffith off-balance and compel his cooperation.
Chapter 140: It's Called Self-Surrender
Veronica and Logan get away for the weekend.
A quote from episode 2.12, "Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle"
VERONICA: What you need in your life right now is a good lawyer.
WALLACE: You know a good lawyer?
VERONICA: I know…a lawyer.
INT - MARS INVESTIGATIONS - DAY.
Cliff is using the phone on Veronica's desk.
CLIFF: Right. Got it, thanks.
He drops the phone onto its holder and turns to face Wallace and Veronica, sitting on the small couch.
CLIFF: So, it’s called self-surrender.
Cliff sits on the top of Veronica's desk.
CLIFF: At the negotiated time five days hence, Wallace Fennel will turn himself in to the Neptune Sheriff’s Department, who will oversee his transfer to the Chicago police.
I'm referring though to Veronica surrendering her actual sense of self, what makes her Veronica, and giving in to fear and guilt.
Chapter 141: Fix You
Logan and Veronica discuss the future.
Logan's first impulse when Veronica announces she is giving up the detective business is to "fix this", any way he can.
"Fix You" is a song by Coldplay (a band I really love...by the way, the song I really associate with Logan is "What If")
When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse.
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
And high up above earth or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Tears stream, down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face and I...
Tears stream, down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I...
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.
Chapter 142: Kiss and Makeup
Logan and Veronica fill in the blanks.
A pun on the word 'makeup', referring to the whorish cosmetics the counselors put on Veronica at Briar Hill as well as Logan and Veronica trying desperately to rebuild their relationship after all the traumas.
Chapter 143: Fear and Loathing
Logan and Veronica return fot Neptune.
Reference to the book by Hunter S. Thompson, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and the movie.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Vegas
I'm referring to Veronica's being ruled by fear and self-loathing, and the search for solace of the soul (in the book, through drug use; in my story, by trying to change one's life).
Chapter 144: Stuck on Pathological
Time marches on; Veronica reflects; Keith takes a new case, which is an old case.
Explicit reference to Veronica's feeling that she is stuck: unable to be healthy or happy and completely unable to see a way out of her situation.
Chapter 145: Reinvention
Wallace, Mac, and Dick catch up; an arrest in Shawn's murder case.
I'm referring to Veronica's decision to reinvent herself as a boring, safe person; everyone around her can perceive that this is the wrong course, but she stubbornly refuses to even consider the possibility of returning to her old snoop ways...at least, to all appearances.
Chapter 146: Compulsion
Veronica wonders about Keith's new case; Veronica announces her plans; Weevil visits Oswaldo; Keith works on Kendal's murder.
Veronica's personality starts to assert itself as her curiosity is piqued; she is compelled to snoop on her dad and seems almost unaware of the meaning of these impulses, despite their intensity.
Chapter 147: Adrenaline and Nausea
Veronica works with Dr. Friedman; Logan and Veronica discuss the future; Weevil hears from Oswaldo; Veronica is tempted again and struggles with her resolutions.
A quote from 3.18, "I Know What You'll Do Next Summer".
MAC: I do. Love makes me lazy. It's a dangerous drug. Kills more brain cells than crystal meth. How's your cell count these days?
VERONICA: Mmm, I can still do long division, but I can't quite remember all the continents.
MAC: So Pizneyland is the happiest place on earth?
VERONICA: Happy enough. There's no roller coaster, but I think I can do without the adrenaline and nausea.
Veronica may say this to Mac, but I think we all know that she thrives on adrenaline, even if it brings with it the occasional bout of nausea. It's what she lives for. In this chapter, I was trying to show that she's not just happier with that extra jolt of adrenaline, she's actually obviously more sexual, and Logan responds to it. She's still suffering, still struggling with the aftermath of everything that has happened, but when she has a taste of danger—snooping on her dad—she feels alive again.
Chapter 148: Gut Reaction
Logan has a nightmare; Veronica goes to physical therapy; Veronica reacts predictably.
gut reaction
synonyms: Pavlovian response, knee-jerk, reflex, spontaneous reaction, unthinking response
http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/gut%20reaction
Both Logan and Veronica resort to their typical patterns of behavior in this chapter, immediately escalating their conflict to a high level. They are so capable of hurting each other. Veronica in particular is running almost exclusively on instinct rather than intellect in this chapter, lashing out at Logan and failing to consider that everyone was merely respecting her wishes.
Chapter 149: Dénouement
Veronica puts it all together.
In literature, a dénouement consists of a series of events that follow the climax of a drama or narrative, and thus serves as the conclusion of the story. Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the characters and a sense of catharsis, or release of tension and anxiety, for the reader. Etymologically, the French word dénouement is derived from the Old French word denoer, "to untie", and from nodus, Latin for "knot." Simply put, dénouement is the unraveling or untying of the complexities of a plot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9nouement
In some ways, this chapter isn't exactly the dénouement, but we are getting the unraveling of the mystery (even if I don't give it to the reader just yet) and the release of the tension of whether Veronica will be okay after her experience.
Chapter 150: Veronica Mars Is Smarter Than Me
As if there was any doubt.
Quote from 1.12, "Clash of the Tritons"
VERONICA: Process of elimination. I didn't do it.
Rick looks from Veronica to the Sheriff.
RICK: What, me? Are you crazy?
VERONICA: How else do you explain the two fifties in your wallet?
LAMB: Cough it up.
RICK: [Getting out his wallet] Big deal, this money's mine. It doesn't prove anything.
VERONICA: Why don't you take a closer look at the one on top.
Lamb grabs the money Rick has pulled from his wallet.
VERONICA: Read what's written over Grant's head.
LAMB: [Reads] Veronica Mars is...smarter than me.
VERONICA: [Grinning and slapping his arm] Oh, you stop it!
If you made it all the way through my author's notes, you know that this chapter was revised extensively. I really wanted a Veronica Mars 'twist' ending, where she conquered the villians with her wits and (hopefully) the reader was surprised as well, although not upset by the reveal because I played fair with the clues. I also really wanted Veronica to get back to her true self, after struggling so hard for so long, and having been so scrutinized and tormented by what others thought about her strong personality.
We really love her, don't we?
Epilogue: Tilting At Windmills
Getting on with their lives.
From wikipedia: Tilting at windmills is an English idiom which means attacking imaginary enemies, or fighting unwinnable or futile battles. The word “tilt”, in this context, comes from jousting.
The phrase originated in the novel Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes. The phrase is sometimes used to describe confrontations where adversaries are incorrectly perceived. The phrase is sometimes used to describe courses of action that are based on misinterpreted or misapplied heroic, romantic, or idealistic justifications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilting_at_windmills
The main battle, the fight against the tough-love schools, that was the centerpiece of my story (in my opinon, at least) is still unresolved. It's an unwinnable battle; even if they manage to beat Peter Klein, other schools will take Briar Hill's place.
Our heroes don't give up in the face of this unsurmountable task; they continue to struggle and survive. They have a moral code—sometimes they have to bend it or put it aside in order to perform services for sleazy clients, but they never lose sight of the ultimate morality.
I hope you liked my ending. It felt very satisfying to me to have our heroes still struggling, getting on with their lives and trying to do the best they can, and finding some happiness along the way with the people they love.