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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:44 pm
Having parked his car in a carpark about two blocks away, Mathias hiked his way toward his target. He'd marked the perfect wall earlier that day, and had waited until evening, hopefully after the staff should all have closed up and headed home for the night, to make his move. After all, it would be a crime to leave such a lovely wall unmarked. He was just... adding value to the building. Uncle Ned should thank him, really. He wouldn't of course. He'd turn red in the face, his bad combover barely hiding the fact that said redness went all the way to the top of his head, and then he'd talk about how he was an adult now and he should put such childish antics behind him, now go get the scrub brush and bucket... To be fair, he was fairly wrapped up in getting started, which was probably why he didn't notice the light on at the end of the building from the side-door where the kitchen took in supplies and exited to take the trash out to the nearby dumpster. When he reached the wall he'd already reached into his pocket and had chalked out the outline in his head - the galactic city scape. Then he dropped his bag, pulling out the shiny cans of spray paint before looking up at the nearby street lamp that actually supplied him with more than ample light. It was almost like Uncle Ned WANTED this. Then he shook up the black rattlecan and got to work putting in the shadows...
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:06 pm
They say everyone has a calling in life, some greater purpose or destiny. In the case of some, they are even burdened with glorious purpose. Tonight, that was not Imara's calling in the slightest. Standing far enough away that if this man turned out to be some sort of nut case, she could get away yet close enough she didn't need to scream to be heard, Imara watched him work. He'd gotten decently far before her team had come out to head to their cars and found him working. A few had turned around and gotten someone else to walk with them. Several had stopped and taken photos. One had threatened to call the cops. It was the last one that made Imara finally got take a look. Calling the cops on graffiti always seemed a bit much to her and from the looks of it, he wasn't creating anything vulgar. What he was creating though was a mess. "Do you enjoy making more work for other or is that just an added bonus?" The words came out, dripping in a high level of sarcism as she stepped from her place watching and folded her arms. Torvil Let's see if we can still do this smile
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:12 pm
He'd made it about halfway through the outlines of the skyline, about to start getting to the good part, adding in the actual galactic elements - the planets, the stars, the fun stuff, when the voice from nearby shook him from his artistic fugue and he turned to face her, tossing the can that was in his dominant hand to his non dominant as he gave the newcomer a nod. "Good evening to you too," He said hearing the sarcasm and looking over at the wall. "You mean this?" He took a step back, motioned with his good hand. "This is just a bit of urban renewal," He continued. "Once it's finished it'll be something everyone can enjoy, transitory though it might be."
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:31 pm
"Mmhm." Well, crazy didn't seem likely at the moment but she reserved the right to change her mind with further evidence. With one glance she sized him up for weapons or something of concern. With a second, slightly slower one, she began taking in more telling details. Paint covered his hands but his clothes showed signs of older stains suggesting this was not a random event for him. He was dressed and geared to work. His hair cut threw her though as it was more military than what she would have expected. Never judge a book, she guessed. "I'll have to disagree with you, DaVinci." She threw back, letting her eyes drift from his face to the can and back again. "You see in my staff alone, about a quarter of them enjoyed it. The rest either feared for their lives or wanted to call the cops. A strange man appearing this late isn't a good look."
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:36 pm
Hand moved toward nose, only to pause for a moment when he realized there was still back-splash of paint on them. Right, he'd forgotten gloves again - he'd need to remember that next time, even just a box of cheap nitrite ones would probably not ruin his day. His hand hovered in his face for only a moment before he let it drop. "Ah," he sighed, looking past her toward the door. "I didn't realize ya'll would be open so late, or I'd of done a circle and come around once ya'll had booked it home. Didn't mean to scare anyone." "Do give them my apologies," He said. "Well if any of them at any rate. Like I said, my only goal here was to get what was in here." He motioned toward his head again with a finger. "Onto there." He motioned to the wall. "I'm only about half-way done," He added. "I was right - this is in fact, the perfect wall for this piece."
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:46 am
"That might be true." Imara offered, clearly trying her best not to show any interest at all in what he may or may not be doing. "However, I'm afraid I cannot let you continue." Her hands unfolded, sliding into her pockets as she stood up a bit straighter, eyes coming back to meet his. "It's nothing personal but you see, your timing sucks for lack of a better word. Not to mention I don't believe you on the not realizing we were still open. It's a steak house. We don't serve breakfast." Cocking her head a bit to the side, she was offering him a moment of grace to bow out early in the night, no questions asked. This was her being nice for awhile because she really didn't care about the wall at all. Was it her cup of tea? Not in the slighest. But it wasn't...horrible.
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:08 am
He hummed for a moment, seeing the offered out, knowing that he should take it, but a sidelong glance at the piece and he knew his need to finish the piece wouldn't allow him to bow out so easily. Stubborn as he was, he had to check himselfmas she spoke of allowing him to continue. The dynamic here was simple - she had the power here. Since she could call the cops and evem if he bolted now they would still be able tonfind him before he got to his car. "Oh so that's what they put in," he commented dryly. "I take it you're closed now of course?" He clould just circle the block, wait a handful of hours and come back...
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:31 pm
It was in that single movement of his eyes that Imara knew this game was going to have to take another turn. He was weighing his options and planning how to outplay her in order to get what he wanted. Assuming her next answer, he'd make a show of leaving and when he was sure she was gone, come back to finish what he had started. Slipping one hand from her pocket, she eyed the small collection of change she had drawn out with it. A mix of nickles and dimes, a few pennies, and a dollar or two worth of quarters. Not ideal but she could make use of this. Imara picked one coin before she put the others in her left hand for a moment, should they be needed. She then looked up at the man and watched him, seeing if he had been following her lazy movements as she turned the coin over in her fingers. "What do you think?" The words came a second before the sound of a snap and were followed by the clicking sound of metal on metal as the quarter she had sent flying flew into his supplies, sending the cans falling into each other.
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:32 pm
There was a natural, almost primal, attraction to people who showcased high levels of prowess and skill. Mathias was not immune to this, and there was a moment where he was not sure if he should be concerned or aroused. The realization that she had sent a good number of his cans clattering about the ground around his work area, made it fairly clear that he should probably go with the former. Tempting as it was to pursue the later. "I think that your point is made," He said, his voice steady and calm, neutral and polite. "No need for violence, I'll pack up and go." He moved very slowly, making sure she saw that he was making a point to pick up his stuff and pack it all into his bag. He was going to need to come at this from another angle entirely.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:31 pm
People could call Imara many things but a fool? Hardly. She knew the moment he turned and began making a show of cleaning up his things that this was not the end of it. Had he protested and made a fuss, maybe. But to quietly go along with her demands after one instance of a firm suggestion, hardly. Shifting another coin into her right hand, Imara leaned her weight onto her back foot, making her own show of watching him 'clean up'. If he expected her to leave, he would be sadly mistaken this time. Her fingers twisted the coin around, playing with the piece of metal all the while as she glanced back at the painting, a silent question on her face when she looked back at him.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 1:24 pm
He could feel her eyes on him and he had to wonder if this was what an elk felt like being stalked by wolves. The fact that she kept a coin in hand did little to assure him it wasn't going to end up upside his head - or between his eyes. Wouldn't that be his luck to have his nose busted by a quarter. "So," he started as he zipped up his bag to go. "Don't suppose I could harass you for a coke for the road?" He felt like he was being glowered at by the prison warden and at this point he wanted to shake things up.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 1:37 pm
Like she'd waste a good quarter on him! Nickles were heavier anyway. "Machine's been clean." She threw back, tucking the coin into the palm of her hand as he zipped up his bag. "Bar's been stocked for the evening." And she wasn't going to break out one of those cans for him. It had nothing to do with the inconvenience but more to do with the principle of it all. "There is a convenience store down the road. I'm sure they are still open." He'd not given her any reason to be overly nice. Taking a long breath, Imara finally shifted her form, the natural motion causing her to roll eyes in an overly dramatic display. "Look, forget it. I know you are planning to either try to play nice, which isn't going to work, or wait me out to double back after I left. I'm not going to be able to stop you but, fair warning." Lifting her right hand, she pointed up and over her head to the corner of the building. It would take a moment to see in the dark but there, pointing directly at them and the wall, was a camera.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 1:58 pm
"Uncle Ned, you absolute b*****d'" Mathias huffed a laugh as she pointed to the camera. He took a moment to wave at it, then flipped it the bird for good measure. "Well that explains the light placement." Turning to her his demeanor changed slightly. "If Ned gives you s**t, tell him I'll be by tomorrow to clean it up," he said. "Beats him putting out an apb, and might even earn you a raise when you tell him you caught me... black handed and demaned I do it."
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 2:10 pm
In the span of twenty seconds, the man in front of her changed. Sure she had expected something by pointing out the security feature that had been installed just for something like this but this was like looking at an entirely new person. He wasn't trying to play coy with her anymore and maybe for a second, she believed him. Clearly, there was history here. "You must be the reason he installed this then." The words were a realization on her lips. Half the staff had thought the owner insane by putting a camera up that faced a blank wall. Only answer her superiors had ever given was that he had his reasons. Made sense. "Pissed off some fancy people." She shrugged, glancing back at the camera a moment then at him. "Fancy cheap people but still." When she looked back at him, her own expression had shifted. "I don't care what you do. I'm going to have a headache about this tomorrow anyway so show up, don't show up, it's all the same to me."
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 4:33 pm
"It's a perennial issue," Mathias admitted. "So yeah, Ned left this here for me as a honeytrap, so he wins this round." He shot another glance at the camera. "Oh well, sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you." "Not sure when you start shift but it'll be fixed before you come in," Mathias said with a nod. "Just so I don't run into any issues tomorrow morning, can I get a name so I can tell them who told me to start scrubbing the wall?" He looked at it again. "Rather not spook more of your folks," He said flashing her a smile. "Actually get the cops called on me."
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