[closed]

[devoutish]

WHO: Alfie Solomons, Gemini de Mille
WHERE: Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Mid-March
WHAT: Criminals meet up
WARNINGS: n/a; will edit if anything comes up

[Alfie has never gotten to the point of actually enjoying his job, but there's a certain satisfaction in keeping it anyway - even though, by now, he has enough money and contacts that he doesn't really have to. His show has developed something of a cult following among people who like weird things, which is a little annoying, but they still doesn't detract from his overall message - that he is an imPort who is unhappy with the state of things, and that he isn't interested in playing along. It's a small gesture, and he knows it, but it's satisfying. He plans to keep it up until he gets fired.

Today's recipe is blueberry muffins. He talks about how many cultures have a tradition of baking things like coins or jewelry into their pastries, the idea being that whoever gets the piece with the foreign object inside it will have some sort of special status - a prize, a favor from someone else at the dinner, good luck for the rest of the year. He tells his audience that this is a very important tradition to him and his family at home (a lie), and that he would feel closer to his audience if they did something similar at their next meal (also a lie). He suggests bearing balls, because he is a businessman and they represent industry. It's an important tradition, he says, and he hopes they're not laughing, because he would be offended.

Really, he just likes the idea of listeners very seriously baking tiny metal balls into their cakes. Painstakingly trying to eat around them. Grimacing when they realize they've accidentally swallowed one. If even one person ends up doing it, he'll be happy.

He leaves the studio soon after his broadcast ends, wrapped up in his coat with his hat on this head. He never hangs around for long, afterwards. He's got places to go.]

Comments

[stretchy_girl]

[As the sun descended over the city none of the locals looked up as they hurried home to get out of the cold. Had they bothered to do so they might have noticed the young dark haired woman perched on the rooftop of a five story building, seemingly impervious to the chill wind, listening with a smile to the radio broadcast coming from her phone.

It had been only a little over a week since Gemini had arrived in this world, and already she'd started worming her way into Maurtia Falls criminal underworld, listening in on conversations, discovering key players, working out who controlled what and as many grudges and rivalries as she could. But she needed contacts, people who knew the underworld here and how it worked, informants who could tell her the things even she missed. Luckily she had just the person in mind.

The moment the radio show ended Gemini leapt off the ledge, dropping down silently to the ground and taking up a position close to the studio back door, waiting for the man she was here for to emerge, calling out to him the moment he appears.]

I think based on that broadcast the number of people in Maurtia Falls with broken teeth is going to suffer a sudden spike. Congratulations that was really quite good.

[Gemini is leaning casually against the studio's brick wall a few feet from the door, arms folded, the light glinting off the white stripes on her tight black bodysuit, cold blue eyes belying the smile that plays at her lips.]

I've heard your name from a number of people Alfie Solomons, it seems you're the person in this city to talk to about, well let's just say business.

[devoutish]

[Alfie looks at her, and then just as quickly, politely averts his eyes. The things people here wear, honestly. He'll never understand spandex in public. ]

Yeah. Walk with me. We'll talk. Have you got a sweater? Just looking at you makes me freeze.

[stretchy_girl]

[His looking away only makes Gemini's smile widen, and as she moves to catch up with Alfie she slips around in an entirely too fluid movement, blocking him from going any further.]

I'd prefer we talk here and now.

[She could morph a coat, but that would make him more comfortable, and why ever would she do that?]

[devoutish]

[Blocked paths rarely mean anything good. Alfie gives her a level look, mentally working out the best way to move her to the side if he needs to.]

Well, I'm gonna walk. Gets the blood moving. You're welcome to stay or go as you like.

[And he moves to step past her.]

[stretchy_girl]

[Gemini meets his look with an arrogant cock of her head, watching the wheels turn in his head, and when he tries to step past her she almost lazily puts up an arm to stop him. An arm now a good foot longer than it had been a moment before.]

Yeah, getting the blood going, not my problem. You can go if you like, but it does seem such a shame to pass up on ten thousand dollars...

[She licks her lips and smirks knowingly.]

[devoutish]

[The surprise in his eyes is very brief, but it is there. He's used to this sort of thing by now, but still, he rarely expects it.]

You came to meet me at my work. Yeah? On my time. If you wanna talk about this ten thousand dollars, you can walk with me now, or you can give me a ring and we'll set up an appointment. But this, here? No. I'm not gonna play this game with you.

[He sidesteps her again.]

[stretchy_girl]

[The arm keeps pace with the sidestep, extending even further whilst Gemini hasn't moved at all. She should really be intimidated by the big man's gruffness but it's obvious she isn't at all by the bored look she puts on as he speaks and the languidness of her posture.]

You're not going to play? Even though I offer you money as a way to break the ice? [She pouts as if offended, walking closer, hips swinging as she slowly circles around him, her arm lengthening in a loop as she goes.]

I'm disappointed, perhaps I should go to the police and tell them how disappointed I am? I'm sure they'd be very interested in what I've learned about you.

[devoutish]

[He snorts derisively, mutters a fucking ridiculous under his breath, and ducks under her arm to continue on his way.]

Goodbye. Have a good night.

[His tone makes it clear that he's not actually hoping she has a good night, but rather letting her know that that offer to walk with him and talk has been rescinded. He doubts she'll actually go to the police - that would mean explaining why she was consorting with criminals enough to hear rumors about him - and even if she did, he's confident that there isn't any real evidence against him beyond hearsay. Worst comes to worst, he's hauled in for questioning about some of his business dealings. Annoying, but nothing that he can't deal with, especially in this world. Such is life in Maurtia Falls.]

[stretchy_girl]

You're not going anywhere.

[Her voice is sharp with impatience as her arm extends again, her hand expanding until massive fingers close around Alfie, forcefully stopping him and starting to pull him back toward her.]

I have special talents as you can see, talents which I intend to put to profitable use in this world. I can slip in anywhere I like at any time and take whatever I want, but I need details like where and when and that's where you come in.

[Gemini's not the type to take no for an answer, particularly when she's confident that she has the whip hand. If the worst comes to the worst she can always plant whatever evidence she needs to secure Alfie's compliance, but that will take time and effort that she can't be bothered to waste on him, not when she can use intimidation here and now.]

[devoutish]

[He grabs her arm now, aiming to get up in her face if he can. His eyes are sharp, and every bit as unintimidated as hers.]

Then you are going about this very, very badly. This, here - this is fucking sloppy. And I do not work with sloppy people, understand?

[stretchy_girl]

I'll go about things however I want to. [She ground out in reply, furious that he'd dared to call her sloppy, although there's a hint of defensiveness in her tone even if she doesn't back down in the face of his anger.]

There are no witnesses here, what are you afraid of?

[devoutish]

Fucking hell, I hate young criminals. You all do things like this.

[He grips her arm hard, digging his nails in.]

Find someone your own age to play with.

[stretchy_girl]

Really, met many other criminals who can do what I can?

[His grip has her glaring, but curiously there isn't a hint of pain in her expression as his nails dig in, in fact she doesn't even twitch, laughing derisively as her arm slips through his fingers like jello.]

You don't even begin to scare me.

[devoutish]

[Dryly:]

No, you're a first. It's very interesting. Goodbye.

[And he starts moving forward again, twirling his cane in his hand.]

[stretchy_girl]

[The urge to stab Solomons in the back as he walked away was strong, but what good would that do if he was resurrected by his nanites? So instead she vents her frustration on the wall, her punch leaving a very sizeable crack in the brickwork and is gone in a flutter of wings.

This had not gone as Gemini had planned and even though a part of her knew it was her fault, her resentment at the rejection was already building. Somehow, sometime Alfie Solomons would pay.]