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Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:08 pm
“Yes, within the package is some information…” She paused. “Could we meet, it isn’t secure to talk over the phone.” Her voice was still alluring, still smooth, but there was a hint of nervousness to her voice.
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Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 7:14 pm
"Very well. But I'll be choosing the time and place." I said with more confidence than I felt. "I'll text you the details when I'm ready." I paused then to hear whether or not she would accept these terms.
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Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 7:25 pm
She paused a moment, "Very well Mr. Hughes, if you feel that necessary. I was going to suggest the coffee shop a block south from where you live, but you can get a hold of me at (206)555-7711. I will be waiting to hear from you." She sounded almost hurt as she finished, but she hung up as soon as she was done talking.
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Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 7:42 pm
I hung up the phone and took a breath. "Alright Damien, calm down. I think I'm starting to go paranoid." I said to myself. I though about it for a second though. My uncle was murdered under mysterious circumstances. He had a package set to be delivered after his death. So he knew that there was a chance that he could die sometime in the near future, from his perspective. The package turns out to be a heavily protected cache of information. And then a woman contacts me within minutes of actually receiving the package. "I think I've got damn good reasons to be a little paranoid. Alright, how do we go about getting ready for a meeting with potentially shady and hostile people who are after the information that I now have while simultaneously protecting both myself and the information..." I though for a moment. "Right. It's just information. The best way to protect it is to back it up. And the best way to protect myself is to convince aforementioned shady people that the original is the only copy and that it's meaningless to me." I used a few books to spread out the scroll and pin down its corners. Then I took a few pictures of it with my phone, making sure that the resolution was good enough to allow to read it. Then I went and fetched my digital camera off of my desk and used it to take some better resolution pictures. I made sure to save the images both on the cameras internal memory and also on its SD card. I removed the card and put the camera back on my desk where I had taken it from. I found a case for the SD card and placed it inside and then slipped it into a pocket in my jacket. Finally I returned to my coffee table and freed the scroll from where I had pinned it down. I rolled it back up and slipped it back inside the cryptex and carefully slid the two halves back together. I spun all of the wheels back to the spots they were at before I had started messing with it then checked to make sure it was latched again.
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Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:26 am
(*Grins*) You were about to test the latch to make sure it locked when you remembered, these devices are designed to release the acid if someone tries to open them with the wrong password set on the rings, which is what makes them a great tool for sensitive information.
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 3:48 pm
Once I was sure that cryptex was as secure as it was going to get I grabbed up my phone again and started to check my GPS. After a bit of perusing I finally decided on a location. I grabbed a bag and carefully put the cryptex in it along with my laptop and a couple of other essentials. I threw on a jacket and slid my cell into my pocket. Then almost as an afterthought I decided to grab a folding combat knife out of the drawer of my desk. I clipped it into place on the back of my jeans, where it would be covered by my jacket. Finally I grabbed my keys off of a hook by the door and out I went.
A short while later I arrived at my destination. The very coffee shop that Ms. Sydonnis had recommended. I figured a person can only be so paranoid. And even if she had other people able to move in they would still filter in regardless. By telling her that I wanted to switch the location I may have thrown her off and made her move out any people she might have had here in order to mobilize them to whatever location I might have specified. Granted she could always just send them back. And this was all assuming that she was not acting in good faith and that she even might have had people she could call on for something like that. But the fact that she knew about the cryptex and its arrival so quickly made me think that this was a powerful woman. Once inside the coffeehouse I ordered a cappuccino and took a seat at a corner table. Then I texted Ms. Sydonnis the location.
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Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:54 pm
As you sent the text, a stunning young woman, wearing an extremely flattering yet simple orange sundress, would sit across from you. Her eyes ere the color of robins eggs and curly brunette hair was pulled behind her head into a bun. She crossed her tanned legs. Her phone played a few soft tones, she looked at it and smirked before setting it down. Then looked at you, “Good to see you face to face Mr. Hughes. Shall we talk?”
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Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:50 pm
I couldn't help it. I know a look of pure confusion crossed my face for a second. But then I cleared my thoughts and my face. "Ms. Sydonnis, I take it." I said, quite proud of myself for maintaining my composure. "Yes. You spoke of a deal. What did you have in mind?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:01 pm
Watching you, the woman’s lips pursed and then shifted into a grin at your confused expression, staying there even after you regained your composure. “Yes, your uncle had gotten a hold on some sensitive information regarding a certain topic. Information that those I represent would like to see expunged and forgotten. “It is safer for everyone that way.” She smiled at a waitress who brought over a small cup of tea, picked it up and sipped at it. “I’m prepared to give you my word as a representative of my queen, but the information must be removed from all sources you may possess where it’s been stored. I also must do it without you knowing the information. It would put you in more danger than you are already in if you knew. In addition to your guaranteed safety during the removal, we are also prepared to compensate you for the loss of knowledge. We know you uncle valued knowledge and assume you do as well.” She took another sip of her tea and waited for your response to the offer.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 5:40 pm
My mind raced for a moment. Whoever this person was, and whoever she worked for, was very well informed. They knew about my uncle, and apparently even knew at least some details about the contents of a scroll sealed inside a cryptex that supposedly only I had opened. It might be safest to just play along and give them what they wanted. But that meant giving them full access to the scroll, which I was loathe to do. Plus, this was my uncles scroll, the last thing he left me. Something that he had entrusted only to me. She, they, had the upper hand. They knew what was going on. Who my uncle was, who I am, the scroll, supposedly the truth of the existence of magic and mythology. I needed to increase my own resources, and it would seem that in this situation knowledge was power. "Before we get into that, how about you tell me who you are, who you represent, how you know about my uncle and myself, and why this knowledge would be dangerous to anyone." I said with more confidence than I felt.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 7:46 pm
She seemed, surprised, “Of course. I am an emissary of the Summer Lady Sarissa, thus an emissary of the Summer Court. I never met your uncle, but he is known to the Queen and several others. The extent of their working relationships I wouldn’t be able to tell you. However, if you would like for your compensation, the Lady would be willing to gather together what we know of your uncle into a portfolio for you. As to the extent of why this information is dangerous to anyone, for those whom possess it they make many enemies because it poses a threat that could lead to death for either side.”
She checked a golden watch on her wrist and then looked back to him. “To be frank Mr. Hughes, this information has harmed number of people already, and we’ve been trying to clean it up for a long time now. That is all I can tell you at this time, unless you wish to enter into a separate arrangement.”
She folded her hands and there was a kind of warmth to her body language, yet there was pain in her eyes.
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 12:35 pm
I didn't recognize the name Sarissa, but Summer Court certainly grabbed my attention. A lot of the legends that my uncle had read to me, and passed on to me when I got older, had the faeries divided into two courts, Summer and Winter. Apparently these stories were accurate. Hmm. Information dangerous for both sides. Did she mean for both sides of faerie, or for the two on opposite sides of the information? Namely herself and myself. "What do you mean by 'a separate arrangement'?" I asked, trying to get as much information out of her as possible before being made to come to some sort of decision.
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 12:47 pm
"A separate arrangement, another deal of course. Knowledge always comes with a price after all." She leaned closer to him another smirk starting to appear on her face. "Would you like to make another deal with me or would you rather we finish our business here?"
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 7:41 pm
Like a little voice inside my head I suddenly remembered that it was a bad idea to make deals with faeries. "Is it alright if I'd like some time to think about all of this?" I asked and leaned slightly away from her. "This seems like an important decision. Something one should not rush into without some thought."
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 8:33 pm
She placed a hand on her lips covering a small laugh as he leaned away guessing all to well at his thoughts. When she pulled her hand away, she was simply smiling. “Of course, that is your choice Mr. Hughes. You have my number for when you…” She paused a moment thinking, “Have an answer for us.”
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