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 Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 10:20 am
In the words of his own mother, his eyes were 'hanging out of him'. He hadn't yet recovered from the midnight launch of whatever nonsensical book Orias was now nose deep in. Amusingly he should have been fine, but between the Mauvians enthusiastic yammering on the way home and the extraordinarily long queue that had been at that damn bookstore, it was safe to say that he was home far later than would be normal.
...He hadn't slept for long as a result.
Worse? He was on the early shift and with that came exceptionally early starts and a lot of chipper morning individuals (including his partner) who were going to join his beloved Mauvian in the chorus of endless and loud chatter. It was safe to say that there was not enough coffee in the universe to tide him over this morning and he usually wasn't a big coffee drinker. All the same, he was necking it back in the passenger seat of the car with an otherwise unimpressed expression on his exhausted features.
"So what were you doing last night anyway?" His partner had already begun to pry as they drove through the city towards the 'party' area of town. Not that it was busy now, much like Regula should have been, its denizens were in bed for the most part.
"I forgot the time," Regula replied hoarsely.
"Uh huh," his partner sounded unconvinced, but for now, seemed to drop the subject. Give him until lunch time and he would be back on the case though, with endless streams of questions as he got to the bottom of this mystery and the truth that he might well have been at a 'tween' book signing. If that ever got out then Regula would never live it down, he was going to take this one to his grave... and in his defence it wouldn't have happened if his cat hadn't just ordered the thing online.
"What are we here for anyway?" Regula hadn't read through the brief just yet and why bother when his partner would be more than happy to cover the silence with chatter. At least if he could direct the conversation his tired brain would find the day manageable.
"Oh, Calchas's place is organising one of the larger club nights in the next few months. Some sort of event for the strip, need to drop in and check out his requirements from our side as well to make sure we have the place covered properly."
"Ah, admin duty then." Regula acknowledged.
"Just as well really as you're about as useful as a chocolate fire guard right now," his partner replied, coming to a halt outside the building. A moment later and he was outside the car and moving towards the doors; it wasn't long before Regula followed, coffee cup clasped in one hand and a feeble attempt at a snack bar in the other. For anyone more accustomed to a fresh faced Wilder, he was a little bit of a sorry sight...
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Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2020 10:57 pm
When it came to the security firm her father ran, Lilith rarely got involved in anything. She would join her mother any time it was better for them to show up and support him at events--usually some lavish party where elites in the city and beyond got to rub shoulders, and her dad could increase his client list along with the overall size of his contact book. And his clientele was a varied lot, from what she understood. Ranging from private individuals, to buildings that required additional security, to specific parties and events that could do with some efficient enforcement to ensure safety for all participants.
It wasn't anything illegal--when she got older, Lilith had had numerous Talks with her mother privately, along with her father, to dig into the information she was--legally--allowed to access on where her family got their funding. She'd already been a senshi for a few years by that point, aware of the Negaverse and its ability to wriggle around into different companies and even the public eye. The notion that her father could somehow be engaging in business with such people had driven her to previously unprecedented levels of interest in his firm.
She still gave genuine thought to the notion of looking into a position on the admin and HR side of the firm.
But Victor had been adamant about his requirement to conduct extensive background checks on not only whoever he hired, but also potential clientele. He didn't want to deal with the shady, questionable antics that the city could very well provide him. Sure, they'd probably pay great, but he enjoyed not having to sweat bullets any time he had to deal with the police. He had quite the healthy relationship with a few precincts in the city, as it was, and a number of officers and detectives, that it was becoming more common for retired cops to head on over to work for him after they hung up their badge but didn't feel like lounging about. Never mind for prospectives eyeing the Academy but getting their toes wet in security for their first jobs, Sentinel and its growing number of subsidiaries was a growing mark of renown to be found on a to-be-officer's resume.
So Lilith kept a loose finger on the general pulse of Sentinel's operations, listening whenever Victor would discuss with her mother about any upcoming events or even just his grumbles about the regular day-to-day activities within the firm. It was the only reason she knew he'd be at the office that day, working on plans for an event that would cover multiple clubs, bars, and other venues.
Which was why she was standing in the lobby, a cardboard carrying case of coffees and pastries nestled inside her flat-bottomed bag slung from her shoulder, and her Golden Retriever's harness handle in hand. Raja sat beside her patiently, the dog familiar with the location and the usual smells. But this... was not really a usual moment. Behind the counter of the front desk, the new receptionist clicked her tongue, and Raja's ears perked up slightly, just as Lilith's brow quirked upward somewhat above her sunglasses.
"Miss, do you have an appointment with someone here? I really can't just let you walk up. You need a visitor's pass, and we can only give those out to those with prior approval." The drawl of her words made the smile stiffen on Lilith's lips.
She had to take a breath to keep herself from laughing outright. The one thing her father hadn't warned her about--Bethany had a replacement. Which, of course, made sense since the woman was off on maternity leave. But that sort of put a snag in her plans on just... walking in in to see her father and bring him a pick-me-up. Which was fine. She just... hadn't anticipated the bit of attitude that snapped out at her when she asked for the visitor's pass to head on in.
"No, I don't, sorry, let me just call--" Her hand was already moving towards her bag when the woman behind the desk gave a loud snort. Something clinked and jingled in front of her and slightly to the right. Sharp, bright sounds that went along with the wooshing of something solid through air repeatedly, rapidly. The woman was wearing bracelets and as she waved her hand, they rattled together.
"Miss, if you don't have an appointment here, then I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. This is not a place for walk-ins."
Her hand froze, and Lilith pressed her lips tightly together as she let out a slow breath through her nose. She was trying to give the woman the credit that she didn't know she was the daughter of the firm's owner, but really... Her head turned slightly towards where she knew a couple security officers sat. They'd easily be able to confirm her identity without her even needing to draw out her ID.... nor her having to make the call up to her father.
Behind her, she could hear the doors opening and heavy footsteps moving across the threshhold. Clinks and jangles signaled they wore various bits and bobs on their outfits, heavy things. Beside her, Raja perked, her body pressing against Lilith's bare leg where her flowery skirt didn't reach and the wedge sandals didn't block. The woman behind the desk shifted around in her seat and cleared her throat.
"Oh, good morning, officers!" Lilith could hear long nails striking against the keyboard as the woman typed rapidly before beaming, "You're here to see Mr. Calchas, right?" Lilith said nothing to all this--she was pulling her phone out--when she suddenly jerked her head up towards the woman behind the counter as she heard her hiss out, "Miss, please leave, or I will ask these officers to escort you out, as there's a few minutes before their appointment."
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:22 pm
It was impressive to see the difference between a sleep deprived Regula and an otherwise healthy and well rested one. His partner watched in interest as the sluggish man who had been hugging his coffee reasonably close to him, happened to unfurl from his hunched position and regarded the receptionist with an expression that said partner could only have described as disgust.
Whatever it was, it was certainly a look, to say the least.
"Your customer service is appalling if this is how you treat someone who -" he squinted at the dog, its jacket, and then looked towards the cane. he could go in two directions with this, one was perhaps the more politically correct approach and the other was decidedly more inappropriate. Given his otherwise befuddled brain, his temper was a little more frayed than normal and well...it was safe to say that his mouth had more autonomy than his brain may have preferred at this particular moment in time.
"You really think a blind person is in here for any other reason than to see someone specifically?" he asked coolly.
"Like, she'll just rock up and ask for a job helping to watch your security cameras because I'll just put it out there, she'd have a s**t time of that," he pointed out. Granted he had no idea why the woman was here, in his current state he hadn't even twigged that her facial structure looked familiar, but it was't every day a random individual who wasn't quite so 'able-bodied' walked into a place like this and requested to speak to someone.
...Unless she happened to moonlight as a raver, in which case she'd become considerably more interesting and he had several questions as to how that might even look from a practical stand point.
Fortunately, it was then that his partner elected to interject, placing a firm hand on the man's shoulder as he brushed him to the side and swept in between Regula's form and both women.
"He's had a long morning," he clarified, seemingly directed his remarks to Lilith, though he did afford a glance at the receptionist as well. "You look really familiar though," he added and cleared his throat.
"Actually you look really familiar."
A considerable pause filled the air and then fingers began to snap.
"It'll come to me -" His partner kept snapping his fingers, enough for the more weary officer's eyes to twitch, though he did afford a more concentrated view of Lilith. Now that his partner mentioned it, she looked distinctly like -
"You're the Calchas girl," Regula stated. Less of a question and more of an observation. He wasn't necessarily familiar with her on a first name basis, but he'd seen a few indications of family relations here and there before. Regardless, whether it was a picture or a brief and other uneventful glimpse before, she certainly looked similar to the very man they were here to speak to.
"That's the one!" Came the loud and otherwise enthusiastic confirmation. "Good job, I thought you'd be useless all day."
"I try." Regula growled in reply.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:20 pm
Keeping hold of Raja's harness with the crook of her arm, her hand dipped into her bag to fish out her cell phone from its designated pocket, momentarily enjoying the warmth radiating from the drinks still safely nestled inside. Behind her sunglasses, fashionably slim and accented with rhinestones at the corners of the rims. Bought for the purpose of just looking more like a fashion accessory than anything else, rather than a means to help full-vision folks feel less awkward around her.
Assuming, of course, the bright yellow, reflective Guide Dog vest, dog harness, and cane didn't already set off folks. It was amazing sometimes--tedious, others--at how flustered some people got over having to deal with someone who was visually impaired. Like she was suddenly made of glass. Or, her favourite... like she was also deaf, and needed to be spoken to slowly and in exaggerated tones.
Getting the opposite end of the spectrum where people were annoyed at her wasn't uncommon, either, though it usually didn't leave Lilith in the best of moods after the confrontation. This situation, she felt, would be about the same. Though it was the first time she'd had someone threaten her with police...
Police that, it seemed, had even less patience than her that morning. Sure, she was tired from being up so late at the book signing event, but she'd been there as a fan herself, and had accepted the costs that would come from it the next day. So she held back on her harsher commentary towards the receptionist--even if she really wanted to tell off the woman...
But someone else did the job, for her.
A dark brow quirked, head turning slightly towards the sound of the deeper voice that snapped out from behind her. At her side, Raja perked up--Lilith could feel the canine start to stand and took a few steps towards the potential source. She started to pull back on the harness, only to realize she could feel the dog's tail wagging rather strongly--not an act of defence, but... huh.
The voice was familiar... Raja must have recognized whoever it was. She certainly seemed rather excited by their presence, and her father wasn't down.
Still, Lilith nearly choked at the man's blunt words. Laughter bubbled up before she could stop herself, trying to smother it with the back of her wrist with her hand still holding her phone. There to help watch security cameras... and a s**t time doing that... wow. "Well that's a new one," she snickered, even as she could hear the receptionist fumbling with her words a bit behind the desk.
"I can assure you, Officer, we have plenty of people of all kinds just waltz in. It's why we have a strict policy of visitation by appointment only, to protect our employees and clients." The woman certainly talked it up well, but Lilith could only continue to laugh despite how rather rude the merry little sound probably was in that moment. Didn't help that she was sure this woman was either a temp--unlikely, given her attempt to double-down on her behaviour--or a receptionist from another part of the firm brought in to cover for Bethany. And so, unaware of how things actually went there at the front desk.
More steps made her try to choke back her laughter, hearing as a body moved in somewhat closer and spoke up, the voice marginally louder than the previous by virtue of being nearer to her. The commentary of You look really familiar though made her blink--unsure if that was directed to her, or to the lady--
But it continued, and the snapping of the fingers had the dog beside her shifting about slightly at the sharp sounds. "Er... who..?"
Though the two men came to their conclusions quick enough, even as the receptionist tried to assure them, "Officers, she has no appointment here, she has no reason to be here--"
And then the one with the familiar voice called her the Calchas girl and her brows rose at the identification. The receptionist went immediately quiet. Lilith, for her part, said nothing as she lifted her phone and, aware of her earbud in place, said softly, "Siri, call Dad's Cell, please."
"Calling, Dad's Cell," chimed the digital voice, before the usual ringtone came up--Lilith had hit the button for speakerphone.
Just because... well. She was feeling a tad petty in that moment.
It hadn't even gone for a full two rings when a man's deep voice came up over the line. "Hey, baby! Surprised you're up this early, thought you and Cassie had that late event?" Victor Calchas' voice, a deep rumble of a sound that was highly effective for sounding all intimidating when he needed, was bright and warm as he spoke to his daughter. Exceptionally cheery and upbeat, it was arguably a world away from the looming presence the man usually portrayed.
"Hey, dad. Yeah, we were. It was great! Got the books signed by the author and everything," she grinned, listening to how the receptionist was still silent as the grave beside her. Raja, on the other hand, began to whine and prance in place at the sound of a familiar voice.
A fact that did not go unnoticed over the line, "Oh, is that my Good Girl? Raja, baby, is that you, Good Girl?" Raja, of course, responded accordingly, barking and her tail beginning to wag a mile a minute. "It is you, the best Good Girl! You had a late night, too, huh? Aw, Lil should have just let you sleep, poor thing!" Lilith tried to smother a laugh, forever amused at how her father would babytalk to her dog. Unseen by her, the receptionist was looking paler and paler, by that point even a bit green around the gills. Though she could hear some of the nearby security guards trying to smother their laughter. This was hardly a new occurrence, though.
"We're down in the lobby, you know. And I come bearing gifts. You've also got some gentlemen here to see you for an appointment," she added breezily, aware that the receptionist hadn't exactly been able to call up and notify him about the arrivals.
On the other end of the line, she could hear a chair creak and steps begin to thunk against flooring, a door opening and clicking closed as he spoke to her. "Ah, perfect! I was wondering why I hadn't gotten a call yet from down there." The receptionist was looking especially green by that point, though Lilith could hardly see this. She could hear the woman's soft mumblings of curses, however. "Will be down in a moment--if you fellows don't mind waiting there a minute more, I'll meet you where you are," he added as he raised his voice, clearly aware of his speaker phone status. Though the open affection and warmth he'd carried in his voice towards his daughter and her dog was replaced by a far more professional tone, it still held a level of lightness to it. Amusement.
"Alright, see you shortly then," Lilith chimed, moving her thumb over the screen of her phone to end the call. Returning it to her bag, she then turned her head slightly to the receptionist. "I presume that answers any questions about my legitimacy being here without an appointment?" Before the woman could do more than sputter choked sounds, Lilith turned her head towards the policemen, inclining her head in a small nod as she smiled. "And you'd be correct that I'm the Calchas girl. My name's Lilith," she offered with a growing grin before motioning to the canine beside her that looked up at them with bright brown eyes. "This is Raja. Sorry if we've intruded on your time with my father, I just wanted to drop something off to him then I'll be out of your way."
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Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 1:23 pm
"Ah yes, because I'm feeling extremely threatened by Miss Calchas," Regula drawled in reply, with enough derision that he was nudged hard by his companion. He even got more than a little side eye and a raised eyebrow in question. It was strange how important sleep could be to people, in fact, it might well be the deciding factor on how an individual's day went... and by extension, everyone else's if they happened to encounter them.
"What?" he retorted and released a sigh.
The very tearse exchange that might have happened under Vincent's breath never came as Lilith's father made his way down to reception. Quite frankly, one would go so far as to say he had made exceptional timing, and something within Regula did seem to perk up. While the receptionist hadn't inspired much professionalism in the weary cop, it seemed that the actual man they were meant to meet this morning was capable of inspiring a much more appropriate demeanour.
Receptionist forgotten, which was probably a relief to her, he regarded Lilith first and gave her a nod, before peering towards the dog. Raja hadn't appeared to leave her side at all, regardless of whatever enthusiasm she may have had towards the words of the woman's father, it was clear that she knew what her priorities were. It was somewhat sad to acknowledge that on occasions animals understood the need for priorities better than some humans, those particular individuals stood to learn a lot from these particular creatures...
"It sounds like you were expected long before us," Regula replied, Vincent temporarily distracted by the need to straighten himself out for the brief introductions that were generally required in these circumstances. As healthy as this working relationship might have been, that didn't mean that it wasn't necessary for them to continue to show a certain element of manners. Suffice to say that regardless of how well they may know one another, there were 'rituals' that were expected when meeting clients and conducting meetings.
"I'm Regula and my now distracted partner is called Vincent," he added. He hadn't necessarily perked up and his voice was still riddled with tiredness, but now that he had been suitably distracted from the object of his ire, he at least sounded a little more approachable.
"We would be more than happy to provide you with the necessary time with your father if you have matters to attend to," he nodded towards where her dad would eventually appear, his brain not quite accounting for the fact that while he had recognised she was blind, the necessity to motion in any capacity was unnecessary. Alas, there were just some things in life that were hardcoded and no amount of schooling would ever prevent them from occurring.
Give Vincent ten minutes and he'd be talking with his hands too.
"We can wait if we need to, our meeting is routine more than anything," he clarified. Standard practice for all large scale events and proposals, information gathered to ensure both parties were ready, or that plans could be put in place to mitigate any identified risks. It was the same song and dance each time, but it still needed to happen. Given it was typically choreographed and certain things could be discussed quickly in those circumstances, it did mean they could afford to give her the time she needed though... If she needed it.
"Is that a veiled attempt to try and get another ten minutes of sleep I hear?" Vincent enquired over his shoulder.
"It was not."
"Uh huh." the man paused and then clucked his tongue. "He had a long night, he still won't tell me what he was up to and yet he's in an epicly terrible mood," he finished and returned his gaze to the stairs and elevator. Regula did nothing more than release a small sigh and lift his cup to his lips to take a sip.
...It hadn't quite dawned on him that she looked more than just familiar. In fact, he'd seen her in more than just pictures. He'd seen her at the very same event that had resulted in him being so horrifically tired this morning, those pieces of the puzzle just hadn't fallen in to place for him yet.
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 12:47 pm
The oh so threatening Miss Calchas was having a very hard time, by that point, not just bursting out laughing. Perhaps she should have been at least slightly offended by the officer's lame drawl, but considering the circumstances and whom it was directed towards... she found the situation more humorous than anything else.
The secretary, in turn, was turning red, looking about for some sort of help. The closest security guards did not move an inch, however, even if she managed to catch their eye. If anything, they were enjoying the show, and were looking forward to seeing how things would progress. Especially once Lilith made the speaker phone call up to her father, and he confirmed he was on his way down.
Once the call was over and Lilith tucked her phone back into her bag, she chose for the moment to ignore the secretary--the woman had gone quiet anyway, which was for the best--and shook her head lightly to the officer's words. "Actually, I'm unannounced. I wanted to surprise my dad with a coffee and some pastries. He can get so caught up in work he'll skip meals, so that's where mom or I drop in to pester him," she chuckled, seeing no harm in being honest about the company's CEO's poor habits. Judging by his partner's earlier comments about how he'd had a long morning, and he thought he'd be useless all day... she wondered if the man she was speaking with was cut of a similar cloth. He certainly sounded like he hadn't gotten enough sleep.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both, Regula and Vincent. Thank you for your help with that... misunderstanding." Lilith chose her words carefully, but spoke in a light, chipper tone. No hard feelings, no harm done notion. She missed the glare the secretary sent her behind her back.
The banter though between the two officers had Lilith smiling though, if sympathetic to Regula. "I can sympathize. I went to a book-signing last night. It was fun, but a midnight release plus then the additional time it takes to get through the line... I'll be living off coffee myself today," she sighed, thinking of her own drink in her thermos.
Though she did wonder that the man's voice was familiar, Raja beside her sniffed and sniffed towards Regula, her slightly curled tail beginning to wag. The dog definitely recalled the scent from the night before--and the lingering faint scent of cats.
Across the lobby, beyond the security line, the elevator dinged. Victor Calchas stepped out as the chrome plated doors slid open. At six-foot with broad shoulders and dense muscles, black hair cropped short up top and shaved at the sides, he played up his appearance to look every inch the imposing military man he once had been. The black suit was arguably almost out of place, that he was more suited to fatigues than a business suit. His light green eyes moved quickly over the area, focusing immediately on his daughter, the two officers, then others within the lobby. He offered quick smiles and nods to the guards as he went through the security gate, scanning his card as he went. The gate beeped as he went, his steps echoing across the smooth floor.
Raja yipped twice, happy sounds as she pranced in place again, her attention pulled from the familiar scent to the very familiar person. Lilith smiled. "Hi, dad," she called, not needing to hear more than the dog's signal of someone familiar and the very familiar sound of how her father carried himself. Cane resting still in the crook of her arm, she dug into her bag to bring out the second cup of coffee she'd been carrying.
"Oh you weren't kidding about gifts," he laughed, his heavy, long strides bringing him swiftly over to the four. He plucked the coffee easily from her hand with one hand, the other reaching around her shoulders to give his daughter a quick side hug. Releasing her, he bent down slightly to pat Raja's head--though Lilith gave a small snort to this, as he was certainly aware he shouldn't be doing that.
The softness left his gaze though as he shifted his attention from Lilith to the officers, switching the coffee to free the non-dog-contacted hand (never know if someone's allergic to contact) to extend his hand to first Regula, then Vincent. "Victor Calchas. Thank you for coming up here to meet with me on this. I apologize that you weren't properly buzzed through. That's rather odd," he added on a hum, his gaze never once sliding towards the now rather pale woman behind the counter, while Lilith brought up her own thermos to sip her coffee.
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Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2020 5:46 pm
Oh no.
Regula's cover hadn't necessarily been blown yet, but it took every part of him to school his expression into something large unreadable to his companion. He had put the familiarity down to her relationship to their current appointment, but if he had been more alert then perhaps he might have recognised that the girl in front of him, and her dog, had been at the very same event that he had been required to attend himself.
Suffice to say that if he was exposed he would never live this one down. He had yet to give up the ghost though, and with Victor in full control of the conversation, he was granted a momentary reprieve. He extended his hand to take Victor's and Vincent repeated much the same motion.
"It's been one of those mornings," Vincent replied with a winning smile. "We were held up elsewhere too, just isn't a great day for punctuality if we are being honest." There was a pause as he glanced briefly at Regula to assess his current state before the man made something akin to an executive decision.
"Is there an appropriate place for us to talk regarding your requirements?" Vincent pressed and cleared his throat. "We are expecting an update on another appointment elsewhere so my colleague will wait out here," he added and motioned to Regula. "Just to avoid any ill timed interruptions," he clarified, as if to imply Regula had a particularly questionable choice of ring tone.
Regula had the good grace not to dispute this on this occasion.
"That may be advisable given our current track record for punctuality this morning," Regula agreed in a surprisingly convincing manner. Evidently, the possibility of being able to sleep in the car was a tempting one that he wouldn't admit to, but also wouldn't pass up on the opportunity either.
"Unless you would prefer we were both there of course, but I believe Vincent is capable of dealing with the finer details, you typically have everything organised well in advance as it is," he added.
Ooooh, so he could be particularly diplomatic when he wanted to be, even while tired! It was Vincent's turn not to show his surprise at this particularly eloquent display...
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