Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 It seems like there's a Starbucks on every corner these days, and Freedom City is no exception. This one seems busier than most. Though school has ended for most of the undergraduates at the Hanover Institute of Technology, there are still plenty of graduate students working feverishly to get results for their research proposals due before the end of the calendar year. It's just after dinnertime, and there are a fair number of people relaxing at a table while drinking their coffee. A few of them have laptops out as they work on their projects remotely. One man is currently sitting alone, but he has his coat on the chair across from him like he's expecting someone else to show up to meet him. He's a little older than most of the rest of the crowd, about 50, but well-preserved. His gray hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and his Van Dyke is neatly trimmed. He wears a black mock turtleneck shirt tucked into blue jeans, with work boots underneath. He is typing away at a PDA, but keeping his eye on the door each time that it jingles.
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 It seems like there's a Starbucks on every corner these days, and Freedom City is no exception. This one seems busier than most. Though school has ended for most of the undergraduates at the Hanover Institute of Technology, there are still plenty of graduate students working feverishly to get results for their research proposals due before the end of the calendar year. It's just after dinnertime, and there are a fair number of people relaxing at a table while drinking their coffee. A few of them have laptops out as they work on their projects remotely. One man is currently sitting alone, but he has his coat on the chair across from him like he's expecting someone else to show up to meet him. He's a little older than most of the rest of the crowd, about 50, but well-preserved. His gray hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and his Van Dyke is neatly trimmed. He wears a black mock turtleneck shirt tucked into blue jeans, with work boots underneath. He is typing away at a PDA, but keeping his eye on the door each time that it jingles.
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 It seems like there's a Starbucks on every corner these days, and Freedom City is no exception. This one seems busier than most. Though school has ended for most of the undergraduates at the Hanover Institute of Technology, there are still plenty of graduate students working feverishly to get results for their research proposals due before the end of the calendar year. It's just after dinnertime, and there are a fair number of people relaxing at a table while drinking their coffee. A few of them have laptops out as they work on their projects remotely. One man is currently sitting alone, but he has his coat on the chair across from him like he's expecting someone else to show up to meet him. He's a little older than most of the rest of the crowd, about 50, but well-preserved. His gray hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and his Van Dyke is neatly trimmed. He wears a black mock turtleneck shirt tucked into blue jeans, with work boots underneath. He is typing away at a PDA, but keeping his eye on the door each time that it jingles.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 Kat walk into the coffee shop, her dislike of the manufactured trendy the place reeks of not even on her mind. Dressed far more casually than she's used to in plain blue jeans and a red tee shirt, with her hair tied back in a simple ponytail to complete her 'average jane' look, she quickly scans the shops patrons. As she finds who she's looking for, Kat strides over to his table and sits down in the opposing chair. "I take it you're the one I'm supposed to be meeting?" she says in a very measured voice.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 Kat walk into the coffee shop, her dislike of the manufactured trendy the place reeks of not even on her mind. Dressed far more casually than she's used to in plain blue jeans and a red tee shirt, with her hair tied back in a simple ponytail to complete her 'average jane' look, she quickly scans the shops patrons. As she finds who she's looking for, Kat strides over to his table and sits down in the opposing chair. "I take it you're the one I'm supposed to be meeting?" she says in a very measured voice.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 Kat walk into the coffee shop, her dislike of the manufactured trendy the place reeks of not even on her mind. Dressed far more casually than she's used to in plain blue jeans and a red tee shirt, with her hair tied back in a simple ponytail to complete her 'average jane' look, she quickly scans the shops patrons. As she finds who she's looking for, Kat strides over to his table and sits down in the opposing chair. "I take it you're the one I'm supposed to be meeting?" she says in a very measured voice.
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 The man puts down the stylus as she enters the store and looks towards her as she approaches his table. He stands up as she gets close, pulling his coat off of the chair and out for her to sit on. Once she is seated, he'll place his coat casually over the back of his seat and sit down. "Ms. Allen. I'm pleased to see you here, and pleased to see that you understand the need for discretion. I regret the way that my employer chose to get your attention, but I'm afraid I can't argue with the results. I do not want to take up too much of your time, so I will make this brief. Have you followed the news lately relating to Dr. Peter Hanks, late of Grant Conglomerates?"
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 The man puts down the stylus as she enters the store and looks towards her as she approaches his table. He stands up as she gets close, pulling his coat off of the chair and out for her to sit on. Once she is seated, he'll place his coat casually over the back of his seat and sit down. "Ms. Allen. I'm pleased to see you here, and pleased to see that you understand the need for discretion. I regret the way that my employer chose to get your attention, but I'm afraid I can't argue with the results. I do not want to take up too much of your time, so I will make this brief. Have you followed the news lately relating to Dr. Peter Hanks, late of Grant Conglomerates?"
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 The man puts down the stylus as she enters the store and looks towards her as she approaches his table. He stands up as she gets close, pulling his coat off of the chair and out for her to sit on. Once she is seated, he'll place his coat casually over the back of his seat and sit down. "Ms. Allen. I'm pleased to see you here, and pleased to see that you understand the need for discretion. I regret the way that my employer chose to get your attention, but I'm afraid I can't argue with the results. I do not want to take up too much of your time, so I will make this brief. Have you followed the news lately relating to Dr. Peter Hanks, late of Grant Conglomerates?"
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 "Ms. Allen. I'm pleased to see you here, and pleased to see that you understand the need for discretion. I regret the way that my employer chose to get your attention, but I'm afraid I can't argue with the results. I do not want to take up too much of your time, so I will make this brief. Have you followed the news lately relating to Dr. Peter Hanks, late of Grant Conglomerates?" Kat shrugs her shoulders. "Not really, though the name sounds familiar."
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 "Ms. Allen. I'm pleased to see you here, and pleased to see that you understand the need for discretion. I regret the way that my employer chose to get your attention, but I'm afraid I can't argue with the results. I do not want to take up too much of your time, so I will make this brief. Have you followed the news lately relating to Dr. Peter Hanks, late of Grant Conglomerates?" Kat shrugs her shoulders. "Not really, though the name sounds familiar."
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 "Ms. Allen. I'm pleased to see you here, and pleased to see that you understand the need for discretion. I regret the way that my employer chose to get your attention, but I'm afraid I can't argue with the results. I do not want to take up too much of your time, so I will make this brief. Have you followed the news lately relating to Dr. Peter Hanks, late of Grant Conglomerates?" Kat shrugs her shoulders. "Not really, though the name sounds familiar."
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 The man nods. "To be quite frank, that is the way that we prefer it. We have an interest in remaining out of sight of the public eye. That is something else we have in common, it seems. Dr. Hanks was murdered. The coroner's report said that his kidneys were found to be missing from his corpse. It is what was not found missing that concerns our company. We wish for you to discover who killed him before the killer strikes for a third time," he says with a slight grimace. "There was another man killed a week and a half ago. The information that we have so far is in here," he says as he removes a manila folder from an attache case. He breathes out. He appears to be uncomfortable in dealing with her, but continues on. "You have never ... shall we say, 'had dealings' with our company. We prefer to keep it that way. If you find who the killer is, there is a substantial reward available - monetary, or otherwise, if you prefer. We do not want you as an enemy, Ms. Allen. We have enough of them, and no desire to see your parents mourning their daughter," he says. The most frightening thing about the last part is that it doesn't sound like a threat. It just sounds like a statement of fact. Kat can tell that if what this man says is true, it would be very dangerous to cross Grant Conglomerates.
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 The man nods. "To be quite frank, that is the way that we prefer it. We have an interest in remaining out of sight of the public eye. That is something else we have in common, it seems. Dr. Hanks was murdered. The coroner's report said that his kidneys were found to be missing from his corpse. It is what was not found missing that concerns our company. We wish for you to discover who killed him before the killer strikes for a third time," he says with a slight grimace. "There was another man killed a week and a half ago. The information that we have so far is in here," he says as he removes a manila folder from an attache case. He breathes out. He appears to be uncomfortable in dealing with her, but continues on. "You have never ... shall we say, 'had dealings' with our company. We prefer to keep it that way. If you find who the killer is, there is a substantial reward available - monetary, or otherwise, if you prefer. We do not want you as an enemy, Ms. Allen. We have enough of them, and no desire to see your parents mourning their daughter," he says. The most frightening thing about the last part is that it doesn't sound like a threat. It just sounds like a statement of fact. Kat can tell that if what this man says is true, it would be very dangerous to cross Grant Conglomerates.
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 The man nods. "To be quite frank, that is the way that we prefer it. We have an interest in remaining out of sight of the public eye. That is something else we have in common, it seems. Dr. Hanks was murdered. The coroner's report said that his kidneys were found to be missing from his corpse. It is what was not found missing that concerns our company. We wish for you to discover who killed him before the killer strikes for a third time," he says with a slight grimace. "There was another man killed a week and a half ago. The information that we have so far is in here," he says as he removes a manila folder from an attache case. He breathes out. He appears to be uncomfortable in dealing with her, but continues on. "You have never ... shall we say, 'had dealings' with our company. We prefer to keep it that way. If you find who the killer is, there is a substantial reward available - monetary, or otherwise, if you prefer. We do not want you as an enemy, Ms. Allen. We have enough of them, and no desire to see your parents mourning their daughter," he says. The most frightening thing about the last part is that it doesn't sound like a threat. It just sounds like a statement of fact. Kat can tell that if what this man says is true, it would be very dangerous to cross Grant Conglomerates.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 Kat sits silently for a moment, looking out the window. Then she turns to the man. "I can't say I'm happy about how this is going down. And I've never figured myself as much of a detective. But it would seem you aren't giving me a lot of choice in the matter, so I guess we have a deal." She holds out her hand for the envelope. "I just hope your idea of 'substantial' is similar to mine."
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 Kat sits silently for a moment, looking out the window. Then she turns to the man. "I can't say I'm happy about how this is going down. And I've never figured myself as much of a detective. But it would seem you aren't giving me a lot of choice in the matter, so I guess we have a deal." She holds out her hand for the envelope. "I just hope your idea of 'substantial' is similar to mine."
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 Kat sits silently for a moment, looking out the window. Then she turns to the man. "I can't say I'm happy about how this is going down. And I've never figured myself as much of a detective. But it would seem you aren't giving me a lot of choice in the matter, so I guess we have a deal." She holds out her hand for the envelope. "I just hope your idea of 'substantial' is similar to mine."
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 He slides the folder over to her, then puts his PDA into a holster at his side. "I know that you probably have greater expectations than most of those that we hire, but I think that we can meet or exceed them. I am going to top off my coffee. Do you want anything?" he says as he stands up. It's clear that he is giving her a chance to read the contents at the table, if she desires, and without sitting across from her and drawing attention.
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 He slides the folder over to her, then puts his PDA into a holster at his side. "I know that you probably have greater expectations than most of those that we hire, but I think that we can meet or exceed them. I am going to top off my coffee. Do you want anything?" he says as he stands up. It's clear that he is giving her a chance to read the contents at the table, if she desires, and without sitting across from her and drawing attention.
Heridfel Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 He slides the folder over to her, then puts his PDA into a holster at his side. "I know that you probably have greater expectations than most of those that we hire, but I think that we can meet or exceed them. I am going to top off my coffee. Do you want anything?" he says as he stands up. It's clear that he is giving her a chance to read the contents at the table, if she desires, and without sitting across from her and drawing attention.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 He slides the folder over to her, then puts his PDA into a holster at his side. "I know that you probably have greater expectations than most of those that we hire, but I think that we can meet or exceed them. I am going to top off my coffee. Do you want anything?" he says as he stands up. It's clear that he is giving her a chance to read the contents at the table, if she desires, and without sitting across from her and drawing attention.She smiles at him. "Thanks, but I'm fine." She'll wait till he leaves, then open the envelope at check out the contents.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 He slides the folder over to her, then puts his PDA into a holster at his side. "I know that you probably have greater expectations than most of those that we hire, but I think that we can meet or exceed them. I am going to top off my coffee. Do you want anything?" he says as he stands up. It's clear that he is giving her a chance to read the contents at the table, if she desires, and without sitting across from her and drawing attention.She smiles at him. "Thanks, but I'm fine." She'll wait till he leaves, then open the envelope at check out the contents.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 He slides the folder over to her, then puts his PDA into a holster at his side. "I know that you probably have greater expectations than most of those that we hire, but I think that we can meet or exceed them. I am going to top off my coffee. Do you want anything?" he says as he stands up. It's clear that he is giving her a chance to read the contents at the table, if she desires, and without sitting across from her and drawing attention.She smiles at him. "Thanks, but I'm fine." She'll wait till he leaves, then open the envelope at check out the contents.
Snake Gandhi Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 Kat spends the next few minutes reading through the contents quickly, then puts everything back in the envelope for safe keeping. She sits there thinking things over until her 'friend' returns, and she'll tell him plainly "This isn't a lot to go on."
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