“Sorry to bother you, miss, but I actually need to see you at the door,” the man replied. “We have some criminals running loose, and I need to know if you’ve seen either of them.”
Criminals? Eden's eyes widened just a fraction, barely a few centimeters, but she recovered quickly. The gunshot she'd heard hours ago. That was probably what this was about. Nothing she'd done had been illegal and they wouldn't send a simple footpad to come get her. The tension in her shoulders disappeared and Eden opened the door a bit more, eventually stepping fully out of the building.
"Criminals officer? I'm afraid you'll only find sharks here." Eden gave a sharp smile. "But no criminals. I heard a gunshot earlier. Should I be concerned?"
Now fully in the light, Eden was wearing a brown dress with a hobble skirt. The abominable thing was in fashion now, practically binding her ankles together and making stairs near impossible. She had a tight belt and a top with bishop sleeves. Her gloves still sat on her desk, so her hands felt the chill of the air, and her hat was still in the apartment upstairs.
She stared hard at the officer, unsure of whether or not he was of any concern yet.
"Mmmm. . . I'm already spending a quarter of my family's monthly earnings. You can afford clothes and food with what I'm paying you now. Don't get greedy." she huffs.
“Greedy? Pssh, you kidnapped me,” he retorted. “I’m simply trying to get as much out of this ridiculous deal as I can.”
"I saved you, but semantics I suppose. But yes, greedy." she argues.
"I saved you, but semantics I suppose. But yes, greedy." she argues.
“Saved me? Hah! I didn’t need to be saved.” He shook his head and walked up to her, towering over her figure. “You really don’t know anything about me, do you?”
Criminals? Eden's eyes widened just a fraction, barely a few centimeters, but she recovered quickly. The gunshot she'd heard hours ago. That was probably what this was about. Nothing she'd done had been illegal and they wouldn't send a simple footpad to come get her. The tension in her shoulders disappeared and Eden opened the door a bit more, eventually stepping fully out of the building.
"Criminals officer? I'm afraid you'll only find sharks here." Eden gave a sharp smile. "But no criminals. I heard a gunshot earlier. Should I be concerned?"
Now fully in the light, Eden was wearing a brown dress with a hobble skirt. The abominable thing was in fashion now, practically binding her ankles together and making stairs near impossible. She had a tight belt and a top with bishop sleeves. Her gloves still sat on her desk, so her hands felt the chill of the air, and her hat was still in the apartment upstairs.
She stared hard at the officer, unsure of whether or not he was of any concern yet.
“Well, no. No need to be concerned. We suspect they left the area. However, the gunshots were associated with a murder that took place just down the street from here. Two individuals shot an official dead and injured many others.” He began to rummage through his belongings. “Here, I have a pictures somewhere in here.”
(Question, I believe you said somewhere in your bio that McKay was kind of important? So would Eden recognize his picture?)
(I would say he is important, but maybe not simply because he was likely disguised when he went out. However, you can totally have her recognize him or not; totally up to you 👍🏻👍🏻)
This time Eden didn't disguise her eyes opening wide. Her left hand shot to her mouth in surprise. It served two-fold purpose. To express her shock and to hide any future facial expressions she might make. She didn't need to seem suspicious and Eden was well aware she didn't always emote like everyone else did. The officer rummaged through his things, pulling out photographs.
They looked hastily taken and the features of the people were blurry at best. She narrowed her eyes at the pictures trying to find any recognizable features. She shuffled through a few of them, landing on one where she could make out hints of a face. Two figures, one was very short. A child? Adolescent? But looked vaguely female from the shot. The other was male.. She frowned hesitantly. She felt a tinge of familiarity. She hesitated again, then looked up at the officer, shaking her head.
"Sorry, sir. Nothing. Are we to presume the subjects are armed and dangerous then? On the run? Last known location?" She paused, stopping her flow of questioning. This case wasn't hers, she had no authority here.
"On second thought- Sorry to be of no use, can I sleep now?" Like hell she would. A murder of an official in her neighborhood? Time to start calling in some favors..
This time Eden didn't disguise her eyes opening wide. Her left hand shot to her mouth in surprise. It served two-fold purpose. To express her shock and to hide any future facial expressions she might make. She didn't need to seem suspicious and Eden was well aware she didn't always emote like everyone else did. The officer rummaged through his things, pulling out photographs.
They looked hastily taken and the features of the people were blurry at best. She narrowed her eyes at the pictures trying to find any recognizable features. She shuffled through a few of them, landing on one where she could make out hints of a face. Two figures, one was very short. A child? Adolescent? But looked vaguely female from the shot. The other was male.. She frowned hesitantly. She felt a tinge of familiarity. She hesitated again, then looked up at the officer, shaking her head.
"Sorry, sir. Nothing. Are we to presume the subjects are armed and dangerous then? On the run? Last known location?" She paused, stopping her flow of questioning. This case wasn't hers, she had no authority here.
"On second thought- Sorry to be of no use, can I sleep now?" Like hell she would. A murder of an official in her neighborhood? Time to start calling in some favors..
He raised an eyebrow, thrown slightly off by the question. “Well, yes. I suppose. But… just alert us if you see these individuals, alright?” He handed her a business card with his name and number on it. “Call that number if you have any tips, concerns… whatever.”
He raised an eyebrow, thrown slightly off by the question. “Well, yes. I suppose. But… just alert us if you see these individuals, alright?” He handed her a business card with his name and number on it. “Call that number if you have any tips, concerns… whatever.”
Eden took the business card with two fingers, giving it a cursory glance, before it disappeared into a pocket somewhere. She smiled at the man, already starting to get back inside the building. The door was half closed before she remembered to respond.
"Oh. Yes. Of course. Obviously. Without a doubt. Will do." The door was almost shut. "Have a nice night!" Click.
She breathed out slowly, but went around the office, turning off the rest of the lamps and slowly making her way upstairs, pulling the ribbon on her hobble skirt out to allow her more freedom of movement. Her apartment was small, and filled with just as many books as her office. It had a desk as well, not as fancy as the one in the office, but much more practical, with a telephone sitting neatly on top. With a deep sigh, Eden sat down, skimming a list of her contacts, before pulling the phone off the hook, beginning the circular motions to call. She only hoped they were still awake. And that informants knew what was going on this quickly.
She shot a side-eyed glance at her bed. Maybe this could wait until tomorrow..? The phone made a click and she was connected to the person on the other end. Eden sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. No. It couldn't. It would be a long night, but she would find out who had been responsible.
"I saved you, but semantics I suppose. But yes, greedy." she argues.
“Saved me? Hah! I didn’t need to be saved.” He shook his head and walked up to her, towering over her figure. “You really don’t know anything about me, do you?”
Charlie looks cooly up at McKay.
"Mm. Those men would have taken you easily. You were running from them, not facing them, and you looked a bit terrified of little old me. How scary can you actually be?"
"Mm. Those men would have taken you easily. You were running from them, not facing them, and you looked a bit terrified of little old me. How scary can you actually be?"
He messed with his hair, revealing streaks of white hidden in his locks, before he motioned to a stack of newspapers sitting on the table in the room. On them were a series of headlines such about the gang member called the Nevermore. He had recently taken down two buildings full of people and had yet to be caught by police.
“You tell me.”
Charlie glances at the papers and smirks.
"'Nevermore,' huh? That's lamer than 'Fixer.' If you're that man, how was I able to kidnap you? Seems a little bit suspicious."
“That’s for me to know and you to find out, dear. Do you really think I’ll reveal everything to you on day one?”
Eden took the business card with two fingers, giving it a cursory glance, before it disappeared into a pocket somewhere. She smiled at the man, already starting to get back inside the building. The door was half closed before she remembered to respond.
"Oh. Yes. Of course. Obviously. Without a doubt. Will do." The door was almost shut. "Have a nice night!" Click.
She breathed out slowly, but went around the office, turning off the rest of the lamps and slowly making her way upstairs, pulling the ribbon on her hobble skirt out to allow her more freedom of movement. Her apartment was small, and filled with just as many books as her office. It had a desk as well, not as fancy as the one in the office, but much more practical, with a telephone sitting neatly on top. With a deep sigh, Eden sat down, skimming a list of her contacts, before pulling the phone off the hook, beginning the circular motions to call. She only hoped they were still awake. And that informants knew what was going on this quickly.
She shot a side-eyed glance at her bed. Maybe this could wait until tomorrow..? The phone made a click and she was connected to the person on the other end. Eden sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. No. It couldn't. It would be a long night, but she would find out who had been responsible.
(Haha imma tryna figure out a way to fit you in. 😂 I think I’m gonna have McKay go out and possibly meet you on his way to do a mission or something)
“That’s for me to know and you to find out, dear. Do you really think I’ll reveal everything to you on day one?”
"No, just like I won't reveal much. . . well, ever honestly. My past is past. Let's worry about who I am now, since I'm probably more of an issue than I ever have been." she says cheerfuly.
“Oh, how optimistic.” He smiled faintly and rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna get along with you just great…”
(Haha, that could work. Eden gets out of the house fairly regularly. I would wager she might also have files on either Charlie or McKay. For safety. Maybe there's a theft situation? Or if they need legal help with something, Edens a point of contact for some in the underworld. Whatever works narratively!)
(Mhm, yeah, that could definitely work 👍🏻👍🏻)
"Sure you are! That's what money's for, isn't it?" she asks.
“Oh, yes. A few million bucks will definitely make me a lot more friendly.” He smirked and nudged her playfully. “When’s my first pay check?”
"Sure it will! Money makes everyone happy, and if it doesn't, something's wrong with you. As for your first paycheck. . ." Charlie replies, pausing to take out a checkbook and write a few things down, tearing out the check and handing it over to McKay.
"There you are."
“Sounds good, love.” He smiled and tucked it away. “Tell me whatever you need to be done, and I’ll do it. Sound good?”
"Sure. As a matter of fact, I need a crew member. If you'd like to join you may, otherwise find me someone like you who's less egotistical and more likely to do more work for less money." she shrugs.
“Mm… well, sadly,” he said, smirking, “many of the people in this country are egotistical, and many of them expect a high pay. Besides, working with you isn’t exactly a walk in the park.”
"True. And sadly, I simply don't like you, which is strange, since I like everyone. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that your fragile male ego keeps getting in the way of you accepting help. Maybe that's why you find me unpleasant to work with." she retorts.
“Haha, funny, because I don’t like you either.” He sent her a sarcastic smile. “So I guess this means we’re even.”
"Oh. Hm. That is funny." she chuckles, sending McKay an equally as sarcastic look.
"Now shoo. Go find me a crewmember. And if you'd like more money, join the crew yourself. It provides two things you'd asked for: food and clothes."
He grinned and blew her a kiss. “Are you sure you won’t miss me and my oh-so fragile male ego while I’m gone?”
"I really won't. It's hard to miss someone who's such a pain in the ass." she snorts.
“You gotta deal with it, sweetheart.” He winked at her before he headed for the door. “You chose to be stuck with me.”