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Post by Jordanna on Aug 12, 2006 23:37:19 GMT -5
The young man shook her hand, with neither hesitation nor eagerness. "Pleased to know you, I'm sure."
His one question answered, he lapsed back into polite and entirely incurious indifference. With a yawn, he picked up the bottlecap from Daws' beer and spun it on the tabletop, watching its gyrations with drowsy eyes.
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Post by skybright on Aug 12, 2006 23:43:19 GMT -5
Daws studied the bottlecap for a moment, then let her gaze wander disinterestedly over the rest of the bar. "Slow night." She shrugged and glanced back at the stranger. "So what about you? I assume you're not one a' Tiernan's boys, 'cause right now they're all out running around like fools after something or another."
She shook her head. "Makes me glad I don't work for 'im full-time. I got better things to do with my life than jump every time Tiernan says to."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 12, 2006 23:53:08 GMT -5
"Those guys do what they wanna do. Same as me." The man spun the bottlecap again.
"I don't have a name, if that's what you're waiting for," he said after a moment, without looking up from the bottlecap.
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Post by skybright on Aug 12, 2006 23:57:24 GMT -5
Daws looked faintly startled . . . but then she chuckled. "Fair enough." She shrugged one shoulder and studied the bottlecap. "I've got to admit, that's a first for me. In fifteen years of snooping I've met twenty 'John Smiths', six 'George Washingtons' and three 'John Lennons'. But this is the first time I ever met a guy who just didn't have a name."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 0:07:14 GMT -5
"Don't need one," the nameless man replied. "I know who I am... and that's more than anybody else needs to know."
He abruptly brought one hand down on the bottlecap, looking up at Daws. "I also know when somebody's looking for something. You're not here for the scenery. You might as well speak up with what you want--and I'll tell you whether or not you're wasting your time with me."
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 0:14:39 GMT -5
Daws grinned. "Name or no, you know how to come to the point." She sobered and pushed her fedora back.
"Okay, fair enough. I'm lookin' to learn what I can about Spooktown -- and not for any reason of Tiernan's. I'm working on behalf of some friends of mine. But mostly," she shrugged, "All I've found so far is a whole lot of people who don't know what they're talking about."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 0:30:17 GMT -5
The nameless man's eyes narrowed.
"There's only one thing you need to know about Spooktown: they don't like strangers. Anything else, you learn from experience." He half-smiled harshly. "And you wouldn't like that, I think."
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 0:40:42 GMT -5
Daws studied the man calmly. "I learned that part about not likin' strangers myself. Got into a bit of a scrap over it, actually." She leaned back in her chair. "But you might notice that it didn't scare me off."
Then she shrugged. "These friends of mine might be in a position to offer the Spooks some real benefits, not just the scraps Tiernan throws 'em. But of course, I've gotta find someone worth them making the offer to, first. And I am gonna keep looking."
Daws examined the claws of her left hand with an indifferent gaze. "Like I said, people tend to debate how smart I am -- 'cause smart or not, I'm stubborn as heck. I take it into my head to find somethin' out, and it's no good trying to put me off of finding it. Doesn't matter how unpleasant finding it ends up being."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 0:54:49 GMT -5
The young man eyed her intently for a moment. Then he dropped his gaze to the bottlecap, and reached out to spin it again.
"I'll pass a word along. If they wanna hear what you have to say, someone'll come find you." He glanced up. "And if they hear what you say and don't like it--no promises what happens to you then. That's as good a deal as you'll get."
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 1:03:19 GMT -5
Daws nodded. Reaching into the inner pocket of her trenchcoat, she withdrew one of her business cards and slid it across the table. "You'll know where to find me."
She stood, tugged her fedora down on her head and nodded at the nameless young man. "Feel free to keep the bottlecap."
With that, she turned and made her way to the corner table where Jerod Vance was lounging indifferently, his feet propped up on the other chair at the table.
"Well," she grinned as she nudged the toe of his boot, "Don't you look comfy?"
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 1:07:51 GMT -5
Vance dropped his feet to the floor, allowing Daws to sit down. "That looked like an animated discussion--not. Who is he, and what did he tell you?"
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 1:15:20 GMT -5
"He's a Spook -- name withheld." Daws replied, watching the black-clad young man from the corner of her eye, "And he didn't tell me anythin' I didn't already know. Spooks don't like strangers, I'll just get hurt if I nose around, blah blah blah."
Then she grinned mischievously and raised an eyebrow at Vance. "But he did say he'd pass along the word about our 'offer' -- though I was vague about exactly what that entailed. And once he leaves, we oughtta be able to follow him to someone a little more talkative. If you're up for the excitement, that is."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 1:23:00 GMT -5
Vance chuckled. "My people have tried following 'em before, detective. They aren't called 'Spooks' for nothing. Besides, we know where Spooktown is--the problem is getting to talk to anybody worthwhile on the inside."
Then he shrugged. "But if you're in the mood to get pounded on again, far be it from me to deprive you."
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 1:29:28 GMT -5
Daws put on a faintly aggrieved air. "Now there you go, steppin' on my eternal optimism again." She shrugged one shoulder amiably. "So far as I can tell from eavesdropping, he's the only one in here could tell us anythin' useful anyway -- so we might's well try our luck elsewhere.
"Besides," she straightened the collar of her coat and drew herself up, "Your people have tried following 'em. I haven't."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 1:39:14 GMT -5
Vance sighed. "I could make a remark here about your estimation of yourself, but I think you're in for enough disillusionment."
After they had sat for a few more minutes, the nameless Spook pocketed the bottlecap and stood up. He moved toward the door--but then he abruptly changed direction and came straight over to the table where Daws and Vance sat. The Major tipped his hat down quickly, but the Spook was ignoring him anyway.
"If you're gonna try following me," he said to Daws, with an insolent grin, "you might as well get moving now--detective."
With that, he turned and strode out of the bar.
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 1:44:04 GMT -5
Daws sighed deeply and shook her head, shooting a significant glance at Vance -- who may or may not have been trying to suppress a smug look. "Time was that people at least kept up the illusion of not knowin' that the private eye was following them." She said mournfully. "Nobody knows how things oughtta be done these days."
She paused thoughtfully for a moment, then shrugged and shifted out of her chair. "Well, like I said -- I think he was the only useful character in here. Shall we?"
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 1:50:21 GMT -5
Vance made a longsuffering face. "It's my fault for asking you to nose around. Alright, I'm coming--but I've still got an "I told you so' in reserve." He stood up with a sigh. "Anyway, if the Spook keeps his word and passes on our offer, at least we might get something out of that."
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 1:56:49 GMT -5
"Yeah, like our skulls cracked." Daws muttered, heading for the door.
Outside, dark had fallen; the sounds of traffic and the neighborhood echoed between the streetlights. Daws spotted the young Spook beneath a streetlight a block or so down. He was apparently waiting for her to emerge from Lusus; once she did, he took off down the street once again.
Daws rolled her eyes and turned up the collar of her trenchcoat. Then she glanced over her shoulder at Vance. "Keep that 'I told you so' handy, Major -- you might need it."
With that, she set off in pursuit of the nameless Spook, with Vance close on her heels.
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 13, 2006 2:06:22 GMT -5
Rather than turn toward the waterfront and Spooktown, the Spook moved in the direction of more populated streets. He confidently ignored back alleyways in favor of open intersections. His pace quickened suddenly as they neared a large, brightly lit street crowded with nightclubs and off-Broadway theaters, and he turned the corner far ahead of them.
When Daws and Vance reached the street corner, the Spook was nowhere to be found in the sea of passing faces.
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Post by skybright on Aug 13, 2006 2:08:25 GMT -5
Daws sighed and shook her head. "I don't suppose my reputation will be salvaged any if I tell you I was expecting that to happen?"
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