exsilium | ‡2nd Treasure‡

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‡2nd Treasure‡

[This time Chloe's set up in her room instead of the chilly rooftop perch where she'd made her initial broadcast. One, it's cozier, and two-- well, two is that she's still busy enjoying the little collection of trinkets and coins that've been acquired over both the course of her stay in the city and their brief expedition into the past. (The most important of the bunch being Henry's Morgan dollars, currently being rolled over her fingertips as she addresses the net.)]

Well that was a wild ride, wasn't it? Here's hoping we get sent out on destination holidays a little more often. Shame about the mess here, though. Seems like everyone's had a hard time of things this week.

Just goes to show how much we all ought to be watching one another's backs, no matter what kind of a disaster it might be out there.

Speaking of which...[Chloe sets her coin collection down for a moment to hold up a slightly defunct looking digital tablet. Poor thing's seen much, much better days.] Anyone out there know a thing or two about computers? I'm trying to save this one from the scrap heap, but it's been giving me one hell of a time.

I also figured it was about time I put out the call again. If you need something found-- doesn't matter what-- my crew and I are willing to get it for you. Our rates are fair, and trust me, with as lovely a place as this is, you might as well have someone out managing the more tedious tasks for you.

And Koltira, you still owe me. Fifty for the last job, fifty as a down payment on this one. Try not to make me regret placing a little faith in you, yeah?

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[ Yeah okay. Adam's rarely polite why should anyone else be...

He'd be frowning at her if it weren't for said shades, though he still takes his time answering. Not really the talkative/smalltalk type, it seems--Chloe might not have any fun with him. ]

Excuse me?

[ Oh of course he knows exactly what she means, but come on, just SAY IT. ]

[She's known worse when it comes to the anti-conversationalists.

Chloe lifts her fingers, motioning to either side of her eyes and tapping at her temples with a grin.]

The shades, ace. Most people prefer them when they're, you know, detachable.

... Well, these aren't.

[ HE NEVER ASKED FOR THESE SHADES. ]

Does it matter?

[ He'd love to be able to take them off, actually, but alas--the rims also function as sort of a control panel to some of his cranial augmentations, so he supposes it was sort of necessary.

Also, look at all this fabulous info that's popping up on his HUD now. ]

[LIKE AN OPEN BOOK. Mostly. As much as anyone will ever see into her thoughts, at least. Congratulations on that trophy unlock.]

Uh, yeah, kind of does. [She snorts] It's a question about a pair of glasses, not a quiz on how airplane engines function. That's like saying 'pass' when someone asks about your favorite color.

[ ... That's not the same at all Chloe what.

Ugh. ]

They're implants. I didn't choose to get them, so I'd like to assume that my preferences don't matter.

[ As long as she'll stop asking at some point, he'll indulge her. It really must look odd to people, so whatever. ]

I can retract the lenses but that's it.

So someone just shoved those things on you without even bothering to give you a heads up? Jesus.

[Explains things a bit as to why someone isn't particularly cheery.] They didn't do that here, did they?

[ Digging right into the manpain issues, good job Chloe. A wonderful first date. ]

No, this place has nothing to do with it.

[ OH HEY is that their drinks arriving I think it is. Gives Adam an excuse not to say anything else on the matter, at least not right off the bat, even if reaching for his glass sort of puts his hands on display again oh my god this is just the worst evening already ]

[There's no hiding how obvious those augmentations are, but this time, having gotten at least a glimpse as to what caused all that, she doesn't bother giving them even a brief look over. There are, after all, some lines that need to be tread carefully. She just prefers to uncover them as quickly as possible.

After a few minutes of silence-- moments Adam is no doubt grateful for-- Chloe finishes sipping away at her drink and sparks up a little more conversation.]

Must've been difficult making the adjustment to life here. No law, no...[That stuff counts as tech, she supposes.] technology that's up to par with what you're used to, no doubt.

[ He is sort of grateful for that, yes. Getting dumb remarks thrown his way when people are familiar with augmentations is bad enough, but having to explain shit to people who don't know a thing about it is even worse. There are only so many ways one can say well I know it sounds horrible but we call it progress.

Anyway, Adam's definitely not going to be drinking much. One glass, two at tops, and he's going to take his time to make sure his system will be able to handle it. ]

I've had to adjust to worse. Is it difficult for you?

[ Yep redirecting the question. ]

Same. I've had worse. [And to that, in a makeshift salute to all things crappier than an apocalyptic future-prison, she raises her glass with a nod towards his .] Cheers, love.

[There goes the last of her first.] But then again, I have my work to keep me preoccupied. And you...well, you don't.

I manage.

[ Though he is sort of... how do you say... not really working to capacity. Working part time as an advisor is nice, but it's no field work. Who would've thought he'd miss having a pushy employer. ]

I was overdue for another vacation anyway. My last one was cut short.

[ He shrugs, weakly. Might as well be dead instead, but that's not something he says. ]

And this is the vacation you wound up with instead. [Another glass is dropped down in front of her. She doesn't immediately dig in, relocating it so that it sits neatly on a napkin instead for no reason in particular. Sort of like playing with your food, really.]

I'd say you have shit luck, but I don't need to tell you that. Hell, we all do, considering the kind of hand we've been dealt. [Not that Chloe isn't used to making do with the absolute worst.]

And I guess you do manage. Going around offering software updates and computers like it's no skin off your nose. Not exactly the norm.

[ So someone's been paying attention, even if she didn't respond, that's nice to know. ]

When I'm bored ...

[ Which isn't a lie. He also needs to get involved in other people's business when he's bored, so ... but at least he hasn't tampered with the tablet, Chloe. ]

And aren't we supposed to help each other out here? I'm just doing my part.

[ Meanwhile, Adam's maybe halfway done with his first glass. Chloe won't have to pay much for him, it seems. ]

[Regardless of how much of a comfort that would be if she knew, Chloe suspects Adam is tapped into whatever he sent out on the net, and the tablet as well. It's nothing personal, she doesn't have much reason to other than her usual jaded outlook. Guilty until proven innocent, etc, etc.]

And you don't ask for a thing in return? You're selling yourself short, if that's the case.

[ And he's just doing it to stay on top of things and eliminate threats before they arise okay!! Totally fair intentions. ]

Rewards have never been my primary concern. I won't say no to them, but ...

[ Shruuug again. Since when has he ever been in this for the money, ha ha, poor as he is. ]

The little things. I didn't go into law enforcement for a massive paycheck.

[ And taking another sip, and oh--empty glass now. Well well, now he's gotta pause for a little. ]

So why did you, then? [Doesn't matter if this is part of her current job, there's genuine curiosity when it comes to his past. He's not at all what she'd expected-- no self-righteous, judgmental tendencies, no sense of entitlement, not even the slightest hint of suspicion when it comes to her motives (that she can detect, anyway) though maybe that's because with all those metal bits stuck to him, he doesn't have much to fear from anyone.

Either way, he's made a good enough impression for her to not have to play at giving a damn.]

The same reason most young people do. Ideals. [ A pause. Of course there's always those who just want to feel high and mighty, but thank god those weren't the majority. ] I grew up in a shitty neighborhood--lots of bangers--and I wanted to do something about it. Make it a little safer for everyone. Including my family and friends.

[ He leans back, until he hits the backrest. ]

Of course it's not uncommon for most officers to end up disappointed and disillusioned over time. Most government institutions are ripe with corruption. [ and where he's from, its the corporations pulling the strings anyway, so its twice as bad ... ]

[Ideals. Funny how she knew a similar situation in her younger years and never once thought about a different route. Maybe because she never really had anyone to protect.]

That they are. Funny how the line tends to blur, isn't it?

[Chloe waves down the waitress yet again, getting Adam a refill whether he wants one or not.] And now you monitor things here for the very same reason.

[ How nice. He would've settled for water. Anyway, watch him not touching that glass for a while even if it is really damn tempting. ]

Not much else I can do with my employer gone. Unless you're suggesting I stop meddling.

[ BUT ENOUGH ABOUT HIM. ]

So what kind of things do you usually find for others.

[Now that wins him a very telling grin.] I don't have any plans to stop, I don't see why I should bother telling anyone else to.

I can't list specifics-- matter of privacy, you understand. But so far nothing remarkable. Hell, there's really nothing remarkable to find.

Sort of a letdown when you go from digging up Mayan treasures to fetching scraps of metal, or cheap plastic 'antiques', but it is what it is.

[ Wait is he talking to Lara Croft here. ]

Mayan treasures? You're the Indiana Jones type?

[ snort. ]

I can see how this shithole would be sort of disappointing in that case, then. I'm sure the world beyond this island has more to offer, despite the disrepute.

Uh-huh. No whip, no giant boulders, but everything else is pretty spot-on.

Even so, you won't catch me venturing out into that mess. Not on my own, anyway. Seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Sounds exciting.

And looks like it. If what the Initiative is saying about them is true, we probably won't make it very far.

[ Still damn tempting though. What's the worst that could happen, dying? Please. ]

Hm. [ He seems to be thinking about something and finally reaches for his glass again. ] I'm not exactly after treasure, but 'antiques' might be an apt descriptor. I'm sure there's much to be found amidst the rubble.

No doubt. Not everyone's kind of job, but it's one hell of a way to die.

[She takes a long gulp of her own before bothering to engage his second topic.] There is. What sort of things are you after? More technology to add to the collection, I take it?

[ He shakes his head, slowly. ] Furniture mostly. Wind-up clocks. [ A beat. ] Are you familiar with James Bond? The spy, not the guy running around here somewhere.

[ And he takes a long sip here, looking over his glass and at her. ]

‡2nd Treasure‡

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