Welcome to Gaia! ::

Zac blinked, looking up from his current book, his normal reason for not paying anyone mind when he sat in public places, His focus shifting from the printed words and fantasy world on the page, much safer than the ‘fantasy’ world he sometimes found himself in, and focused on a familiar face. He opened his mouth a moment and then closed it, processing the question before slowly nodding.

“Yeah… I was um, I didn’t see how that wrapped up though.” He admitted. “… I got taken downstairs.” He ran a thumb at the edge of his collar and there was the edge of a very fresh scar there still.

“Um… Zac…” he said awkwardly stuffing a napkin into his book and sliding the chair back so he could stand and offer his hand.

“You were the other Detetcive , the new one working with J… Mr. Mercer.”

Jer would have texted him if he were in trouble…. Right? The society enforced suspicion that you were probably in hot water if someone of the law approached you may or may not have reared its ugly head in that moment.
“Y…yeah I’m free, is everything alright?” He asked, and as soon as the question came to mind he had a sudden worry that maybe it was Jer whom was ‘in trouble’ – what if something hurt him! Burning Man? Were-creatures??

“… Nothing –new- happened did it?” he added as soon as he managed to convince himself that more alarm than that question wasn’t –needed- just yet.

“Oh… yes, um, yeah, I can” He nodded cautiously. “I mean, I got… sort of sent there the first time but, I can sort of find it now if I go looking. I mean, I’m not sure I’d recommend it, not with what I’ve seen there.”

He hesitated and then waved a hand towards the empty chair.

“I’m not expecting anyone if that helps. I mean, I’m no expert but if you’re starting to find more odd things happening.”
He looked concerned, like maybe that was something he rather expected to happen.

Zac hesitated just a moment, a flash of, well not quite surprise but at the same time, interest in his eyes before he nodded.

“I, think we can all agree to that.” He said with a second nod.
“I’m actually kind of, interviewing people about what they have found there. I mean if you’d be up for it, we could do sort of …an exchange I guess?” He offered.

“I mean, I don’t think I’m –the- most useful person to talk to, but, something is better than nothing, right?” He offered lamely.


After all, with another Detective he had a starting point. His own ‘disappearance’ so early on in the apparent start of things, back when Jeremiah had made his deal with Sunny, and He’d been sent to Ashdown for asking too many questions.

“Yeah, Yeah I’m interested I promise. I um… I’m just making a journal, Im trying to see if I can figure out any kind of rhyme or reason behind all this, you know?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and offered a small smile.

“… Bet you didn’t expect anything like this when you came here.” He grinned slightly, though there was very little humor in it.

“Like the witch, on the beach.” Zac said with an understanding nod.

“…yeah, I didn’t believe in her either, then she was real, and – then she… sort of put me into ‘Other’ Ashdown and… then I found out I had missing person posters and…well,” He rolled his shoulders in a small shrug.


“….and then you find out it gets stranger yet.”

"She was" He nodded, quiet confirmation of how he'd found himself in that strange 'other' place.

"...I um... I was asking a lot of questions about the missing kids. I don't know if you know but...Mister Mercer, he's my legal guardian." he shrugged.

"...Used to give me some of the old cases, see if I could figure them out kind of thing. Public record and all that. He'd only give me answers if I asked the right questions. So...I was trying to help. I thought if I could get her to answer then... I'd be being useful."