The Culling (Side Story)

[Enver Marshall II]

It was a night, like any other in the last two weeks. Enver got up, made sure Grace was alright, had a fun day with the nanny Marsella, and spent some time with his ‘daughter.’ No, his daughter. Grace was his daughter, even if she technically wasn’t; before the Allurist went through the list of potential cast members as he watched the videos that had been taped of them during their casting call.
It was going to be a long night.

Just like last night, and the night before, and all the rest of them. The problem was that there were a lot of people with very little talent and while the advert had said no experience necessary, some people just didn’t have a clue. Some guy couldn’t even look at the camera, even when he was specifically asked to. One woman forgot her lines, was given a start and then blanked again, before she sobbed in her hands. A couple others couldn’t differentiate between a ‘happy’ moment, and a ‘sad’ moment. They lacked any direction and ability to reflect on what emotion to display when. Then add in those that tried out that were either his…’friend’ or had ties closer than that. Not that Camilla wasn’t deserving of a part, but it seemed Miss Knight and his ‘kiddo’ both wanted the part, but Miss Knight more or less freaked out in the middle of her trial run at the casting call. Professionally, Enver knew who should get the spot of playing his current ‘wife,’ but wondered how best to break the news. With a sigh, Enver tossed the pen on the glass coffee table in front of him, before he picked up his coffee and took a long sip of it.

“There you are!” A flamboyant tenor voice caught Enver’s attention unexpectedly, his brown eyes shifting to where the sound came from. Enver blinked, set his mug of coffee down and then cleared his throat to keep from laughing. What the hell did Crash get into? To make sure he wasn’t ‘seeing’ things, Enver rubbed at his eyes, blinked and then found Crash again with his eyes. Still bright ******* pink hair. The guy seriously needed to lay off the drugs, or whatever drug possessed him to do...that. “Yeah, was just about to head out to work.” A good excuse to get away from Crash until the guy realized what a clown he looked like. Enver stood, as if that would help make his case, but Crash wasn’t having any of it. Crash made himself comfortable on the opposite couch that Enver had been sitting on, and threw his hands in the air.

”Dude. I had this crazy dream last night.” Crash started, which had Enver rolling his eyes and sitting back down on the couch. “Do go on.” Enver grumbled as the back of his head found the top of the couch cushion, his eyes staring at the ceiling. Skylights. Enver should install skylights in here, now that he thought about it. At least Crash was good for something every blue moon. Had he not come in here to talk about some opium infused dream, Enver would have probably not thought about skylights for months-years, probably. ”Maybe it wasn’t a dream. Felt real...did I go anywhere last night?” Crash suddenly asked, as if Enver kept tabs on him. Once upon a time the two were thick as thieves; when Enver came to Harper Rock. Crash had been his go to guy for anything and everything to keep Enver from simply...thinking about anything. Well, maybe more like feeling, anything. “You’re wasting my time.” Enver growled as his head jerked back to its normal position, narrowed eyes on his thrall. ”Wait! Okay, okay. It started like this…”

[Indigo]

“It’s not that simple.”

Indigo’s eyes followed the path that the Versace black leather shoes carried Ross. The man had style. It was a given that he would be wearing nothing but the latest trend in winter footwear. Each foot was covered to the tune of a minimal three figures, perhaps more. She blinked when he finally stood still. Were those gold plated buckles at the side or the real deal? Her focus climbed slowly up the back of him like a curious kitten seeing what else there was to discover that she didn’t already know about his vast wardrobe. She would be hard pressed to recall the guy wearing the same clothes in the same month. It definitely was not due to the meager amount she paid him and Nigel for being on the foundation staff. Ross arrived to the staff already successful and wealthy enough that he could afford to work for the next to nothing she paid him.

“I can’t explain it but…” A heavy sigh found it’s way through her lips. She sat quiet long enough that the man currently in the debate with her finally turned around and looked at her. He waited patiently. He knew there would be more if he gave her the time to come out with it. And that is when she did. “Fine. So yeah, I feel him out there. It is that simple I guess. I know Phineas is gone no matter how much I try to find some loophole that I can hang on to as some far stretched possibility. He isn’t reachable. Not from where I am right now. I feel that too.”

What she didn’t say was that she wished it was the other way around. The small twist in her gut that surfaced every time she thought of Davion said that wherever he may be that he was not happy. He was hurting and the pain was likely worse than anything she had witnessed while they were growing up. Not even close. Wherever or whatever it was that had a hold on her brother she was convinced it was far from good. Why now after all the years of being one of the missing and lost was she finally getting the vibes that he was reachable? Indigo knew why.

She felt stronger than ever, in tune to much more than she could put her finger on completely. A pull perhaps to the connections and ties to her life before the changes had increased with her abilities and powers. She was told this was part of it all given enough time. Allurists had some sort of super charge of the emotional energies that were available as if there was an allotment center somewhere that all of those arriving to the dark side stepped up to. Some got bad tempers and karma, others got dropped into the world of mind licking and bending. Indigo was incredibly grateful for where she landed so to speak. She felt as close to what she once was as possible given the circumstances. But with a whole lot of extra mindblowing possibilities that would never have been there before. This had her feeling intense ties to those she was closest to whether she liked it or not.

“So now what?” The tone of his voice, the question asked of her said more than the words that were used. It implied he knew it all too well and this time it was she that was responsible to act. Her vibrant indigo blues burned at the inner lids as she looked to him. Ross knew his search for his father was over when he found him dangling from the attic rafter two years ago. Now he was calling her out to do more than just sit where she was and have more courage than she ever had before. “Someone has to get through to him and bring him back. Someone he trusts. Because Indigo you will find it is like trying to talk a fish out of it’s dark waters, to learn to live on land and never go back. Once you find him it that is the start of a fight you may not win. The odds are against both of you.”
“You are right.” She barely whispered the last words as she stood up. “I can’t leave things like they are. Not anymore.”
“Sucks to grow up.” He offered her a smile that hid the loss he tasted every day he opened his eyes. He didn't have the heart to tell her the pain never really lessens or goes away. That was what she needed to learn firsthand. “I am there if you need.”

[Enver Marshall II]

The Allurist stared at his thrall after being told about the opium infused dream. There really was no other explanation in Enver’s mind other than drugs, and probably booze. With a deep breath in and a long, exhale, Enver sat back on the couch, put both arms on the top of the couch and then shot up from his sitting position. “Well, only one way to find out if you went anywhere.” Enver said decidedly as he lifted his right hand up and made a motion for Crash to follow him. “Come on.” He said, loosening the tie around his neck as Enver left the room, then turned around to see if his thrall was following. “Let’s get this sorted.” Enver turned right and moved down a hallway of bedrooms, which would lead into an open living room. Enver bypassed that, and the kitchen, then went into a room that was a dedicated ‘study’ area. In the room was a wall of bookshelves, across from those was a mahogany colored desk with his computer and a landline phone. A mini-bar that was filled with booze, water and apple juice. Two leather chairs strategically placed in front of the desk, and other things like paintings, a coat rack, an old record player, and a large plant of some description. Enver didn’t know what it was, but his maid brought it to him a few months back and said it would be good for the air. She wasn’t a fan of his cigar smoking, and Enver figured that was her subtle way of telling him such. Not that he cared. It was his house, and she was a guest during the times she cleaned his house. He paid her wall, and made a compromise to not smoke a cigar when she was cleaning the house.

Enver moved to the bookshelf closes to the wall, looked for a specific title and then pulled the book down. Crash hoovered near the liquor bar, oblivious to what was going on around him until there was the sound of a lock and a groan of a door as the bookshelf swung open to more or less reveal a ‘panic room.’ He had it installed a few months ago, when Enver decided he would return to Harper Rock with Grace. It wasn’t for him, but since Grace was very much human and would be remaining that way, she may one day (or night) need a safe place to go to. “Leave the booze for now.” Enver growled in the direction of his thrall, before disappearing into the small six by six room.

It was far from comfortable in there. Nothing luxurious. Inside there were three walls lined with concrete, the door lined with a durable metal to take bullet hits (substantial bullet hits from a wide variety of bullets (save missiles and anything of that range)). There was a long, but thin cot with a mattress, pillow and was made up already. A phone in one of the walls that could place a call to the outside world, a mini fridge with water, and pre-made sandwiches anyone could buy at any grocery store, and three small rows of television monitors with black and white screens. Row one showed the front of the large estate, at four different angles. Row one was the sides of the actual house, and row three showed the back of the estate with four different angles. It would be virtually impossible for anyone; thief, or something more nefarious to creep on the property line and not be spotted by at least two cameras at one time or another.

“We’ll go back to last night.” Enver said as he went to the hard-drive of his surveillance system and pulled out a USB port that had the last seventy-two hours worth of security feed on it. He moved to his computer in his office and put the drive in his computer and dinked around for a few minutes, until Enver found the right timeline. “Grab a drink and get your *** over here.” Enver looked at his thrall who was eyeing the mini bar while Enver started going through the video footage, minute by minute, hour by hour.

[Indigo]

“I don't have anything else to go on.”

What she did have sounded as if there was nothing remotely close to offer in aiding in her search. She glanced over the clerks shoulder to discover the nameless faces filling out similar paperwork that she already handed in. They weren't empty handed either. Most stood in the lines with envelopes in hand, documents thick in their folded arms waiting to where she was.

“I know he is out there and I need to find him.” Indigo’s fingers stretched over the surface between her and the face looking back at her through the plexiglass. The tips curled over the photograph that clearly had weathered several years of being carried in her hands, her wallet, her pockets and most recently stuffed in her dresser drawer at home. It visibly wore water stains from the early months when it was all she had left of him to hold on to. “I guess I should be glad he hasn't been through here.” Her vivid blues followed a pregnant female who didn't look old enough to be in the condition she was in but obviously she was. A teardrop tattoo on the corner of her eye was slick with ointment. “Birth certificates. Where would I go to search through those? Not for just here but the surrounding areas. If he was named on one?”
“Here you go.” A pamphlet was sliding towards her with various links to websites she could search for her brother’s name. “But it's not easy. Even those missing are entitled to their privacy as well as those that they are with. I know you probably don't want to hear this but they don't have to come back home. No matter how much we want them to.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Her jaw hurt from how tight it clenched in the joints while her hand curled up the pamphlet into her palm. “You are right.” She pinned the eyes staring at her coldly. “I didn't want to hear that.”

Two hours later she stared at the computer screen scrolling through name lists, reviewing documents she has seen before. She hopes it is already there and she missed it the first or the second time. Davion Knight was nowhere to be found. A chirp of her phone wasn't entirely unexpected. She still had a foundation she had to deal with, a movie executive and best selling author expecting her to be doing whatever it was she signed up for on the Mr. Marshall to do list. Naturally she picked up her cell answering the call while advancing the list a little further down.

“I know it isn't much but your brothers name was found in a document. You have a pen handy?” In seconds the fine point black ink was coming out over the post-it note pad. “I wish it was more.”
“Thank you.” Finally she had something more than a gut feeling. “This is everything.”
“If that is him he is going to be easier to track down now. It will take a little work to convince those who can help you but I think you will get what you are looking for.” The sounds of voices in the background of the call surfaced and distracted the caller briefly which gave her time to access the document. “Start with the Correction Service and contact the parole officer listed in the public document I linked you to.”
“This…” She swallowed hard at the birth date listed and the physical description. The markings of tattoos given for identification were where she last saw them that day he walked out and never came back. Gumby was listed as being on his left forearm. “Is him!” It had to be her brother. She popped up quickly out of her seat and nearly dropped the phone. Her eyes skimmed over the description again. Her first glimpse of him was there in the black lettering of the document but she could see him like it was yesterday. “Thank you so much!”
“Good luck.” The call disconnected.

[Enver Marshall II]

After spending the next half hour going through the video footage from the night before, Enver leaned back in the sole behind his large, dark wood colored desk; the one not far from the his private system and shrugged. “You were here all night, man.” Enver assured his thrall as he paused the footage from the following early evening hours. “Was just a weird dream, is all.” Enver shrugged both his shoulders, ejected the port out of the drive, and tossed it into his desk drawer.

“You know, I’m the last one to be telling anyone anything about drugs and drinking...but...maybe whatever you took last night-don’t take it again.” Enver stood, smoothed out the creases of his suit coat and then moved to where his thrall was sitting and gave him a pat on the shoulder. Enver had been far worse than this as a human and a vampire. At least Crash could remember his dreams-Enver just blacked out after his emotions typically got the best of him. That would lead to arguments, brawls, or damage to property-be his own or another's. “Once I did something in Cali; back in my early twenties-saw everything in a mesh of colors. Walked out to the middle of nowhere and was talking to some tumbleweeds, thinking they were some sort of indigenous small people tribe. Had the best--and worst conversation of my life. Ended up dehydrated, sunburned and in the hospital.” Enver chuckled and shook his head, thinking back to his most wildest days and nights.

“Anyways, you don’t want to be standing out in the middle of nowhere, half-*** naked, talking to some shrubs, man. Lay off the **** from last night. Wasn’t anything but some crazy opiate laced dream. Saw for yourself.” Enver moved away from Crash and buttoned his suit coat. “I’ve got work to do.” Enver said, changing the subject and going into his full work mode. He had spent too much time on this, that who knew how much money was being tossed out the window as they stood here, talking about dreams. Enver reached into his suit coat pocket, pulled out his phone and shot a text message to Miss Knight, letting her know he was running late, but should be in the office in about thirty minutes. And to also have the excel document on the company’s expenditure versus revenue waiting for him. It should be in his business email account-which Miss Knight had full access to. “Coming to the office, or will you stop by later?” Enver asked, strangely no longer comfortable with the guy being left alone in his house, with Grace and the nanny. For the first time in three years, Enver started to weigh, internally, how valuable his thrall was-and it seemed that in the end...the guy just...wasn’t. ”Later. I need to take a shower and run some money to Snake.” Crash said, as if Enver knew who that was. Maybe he had heard the name a time or two before, but Enver never thought he had met the guy. The allurist nodded his head, and “Sounds good,” accompanied that nod.

With that taken care of, and Crash not arguing about if his dream was, or wasn’t a dream...Enver took his leave of the office and headed for the garage where his sports car was at. After grabbing his personal phone, the keys to his house and the cup of coffee that he had put on the self-making timer an hour before he got up. On his personal phone he sent Marsella a text telling her to take Grace out to the library before it closed-which should be plenty of enough time for Crash to shower and get out of the house.

[Indigo]

Indigo felt like her eyeballs were being covered with sandpaper each time she went through the now voluntary act of blinking. Before turning it just happened without thinking about it. Now it was doing absolutely no favors to her when she repeated the action one more time to reduce the sensation of what could only be described as frying and scouring of her all but dead orbs. With a press of both of her hands producing the open space of her palms she connected to the edge of the desk she was sitting at and managed to send her body and the rolling desk chair beneath her backwards.

It was far too long in one spot staring at the screen that held the only document she was permitted to view on the website that had her attention held hostage from virtually everything else. There was more out there for her to check out but it meant getting permission or clearance. Widening that access would take some legal maneuvers and she knew exactly what that meant. Wilson.

That is if her bosses go to on the payroll legal eagle was even in the mood to talk to her. She pretty much had scared him off running for the nearest pharmacy for a refill on his anti-anxiety prescription with all her antics of trying every death defying feat that came close but never succeeded in making her a permanent on some sidewalk or skydiving field or rocky bottom of a large body of water. Of course she really didn’t know if he truly had a need for the pills but with the way things had quickly changed since she first met him last year he would be more than entitled. Any human would given the world wide revelation that there were fangs here, there and everywhere.

A reach for her trusty iPhone had her prepared to send the man an S.O.S but it vibrated to life in the first steps of attempting to do so. It was Mr. Marshall reeling her back to the pertinent business at hand. Her search for Davion would have to be put on hold. He was running late. She shrugged pocketing the phone and giving the chair a gentle guide beneath the desk. She picked up her briefcase to pull her small clutch purse from the bottom of a growing pile of work related items, all of which she cradled against her chest with her left arm. Any mirror in her path out the door of the Apiary was ignored for good reason. He was late and now so was she. Hopefully the expenditure and revenue findings would impress him. If not she was certain she would be hearing about it. All in all she isn’t entirely to blame if **** goes south. She fetches the information and numbers and presents it. What those numbers represent is on his shoulders. She is there to make it as comfortable as possible to take the information in and absorb it when it comes to him. In this case it was set to happen in thirty minutes or less.

Twenty two minutes later Indigo found her body seated in the office where she preferred to sit. With the expected entrance of Mr. Marshall at any given moment she quickly pulled out everything needed to deliver what most likely would be a brief, facts only meeting.It was a good thing she never showed up with the possibility of doughnuts on the mind. One file was moved and tucked another while she finally located the one she needed open and ready. She released the laptop and settled back in the chair. The massage of the upholstery beneath her hands stimulated her to an alert level as she heard the faint but distinguishable sounds of his arrival. As soon as the door opened she stood up from her chair and greeted him as she always did on her feet with her mindset for business. His business.

“Mr. Marshall.” She addressed him as she followed his movements with her exotic blues. “Good evening.”

[Enver Marshall II]

The red Spyder of the once upon a time movie star, turned producer, had found its typical parking spot with no problems-not that anyone expected parking to be full anyways at this time of night. Still, Enver had his spot, which wasn’t far away from the few handicap parking spots, and alongside the visitor parking. The tall Allurist pressed the key fob to his car, listened to the chirp of the locking device from within the car and then moved towards the building. He pulled out his business phone and looked at his agenda for the next week, moved a few meetings around, sent the emails indicating he changed the times and dates, then pocketed the large device in his suit coat pocket.

“Mr. Marshall. Good evening, sir.” One of the two usual males at the front desk greeted him. Was it Matt Murdock, or was it Daniel Dawes? Hell, Enver couldn’t remember, so all he did was nod at the guy behind the desk and pay him a compliment. “Keep up the good work.” A nod came with the statement, before Enver moved past the desk. He stopped abruptly, and looked towards the security guard. “Miss Knight already in?” Enver asked, pretty sure he knew the answer already. The guard nodded his head, grabbed a notebook from behind the desk with a slew of surveillance monitors and turned to the page of his records. “Some time now.” He confirmed, after closing the notebook of extensive record keeping. “Good, good.” Enver said, pulling off his grey colored fedora as he moved deeper inside the office building.

With the fedora tucked under his right arm, Enver headed for the elevators and moved inside of it. From there he pressed the floor his office was on and found the elevator moving on up once the metal doors encapsulated him within the see-through glass of the elevator. A few back and forth emails later through his work droid, Enver was on his way to his office, removing his suit coat on his way in.

Finding Miss Knight behind her desk wasn’t an unfamiliar scene. While she was at work, Indigo seemed to be a very predictable individual. Not that Enver felt one way or another about that; it meant she was reliable and an excellent worker. Two things he valued in an individual when they worked for him. “Miss Knight,” Enver said with a nod of his head; the fedora in his hand, his suit coat draped over the arm of the hand that possessed one of his favorite hats. “Two nights ago I went to some charity thing and put in a good word on what you’re doing in the city. Passed your name along. Might expect a call from a Melinda Rolands.” He gave her a flash of his pearly whites before getting down to business. His business. “Got those spreadsheets?” Enver asked as he finally made his way inside his office. The hat found the top of a wooden coat rack, the coat was set down on the arm of a chair across from his desk, before he took a seat. “The meeting shouldn’t take long, but I’ve some other things to do around here. Don’t feel the need to stick around.” Really, Enver didn’t want Miss Knight to be around when Crash made his grand appearance; because who knew what sort of frame of mind he’d be in.

[Indigo]

The spreadsheets were out and ready for Enver Marshall’s view while he took the time to place his coat on the arm of a nearby chair and his fedora where it usually perched. The prospect of a new contact being directed her way had her glancing up to him as she lined up the sheets for easy viewing. Once that was as close to perfect as she could get it she gave a nod of her head and a brief smile.

“I do appreciate your continued support for the foundation. It makes a difference and you are a huge part of that. I thank you.” Her fingers tapped down on the document closest to her and then her eyes found her chair empty. He mentioned not staying for any length of time outside the review of the spreadsheets. He would be busy. All of which served her well. So would she. “I have used the simplest format so if you wish to have it altered then let me know. I can switch them out and have them back in your hands in a matter of minutes. Since you will be otherwise busy I will shoot them to you in a file and leave them in your business email.”

She went quiet as usual and allowed him to take in what was prepared. Despite the full work load and then some that she was covering recently she had Davion on her mind even as she stood there waiting for the meeting to begin. As soon as Mr. Marshall appeared to be wrapping it up there would be nothing that would stop her from heading back to the Apiary. Then, of course, she would contact the one lawyer she trusted more than any other she knew, which was none. Hopefully he connections that could cut the seal on the documents she currently was blocked from accessing. She would be sure to ask for his usual retainer just in case it got bigger than just finding him. Obviously her brother had not been the world’s best boy scout based on the limited information she was able to read.

The allurist glanced at her watch. Her boss had the spreadsheets he needed and he had plans. Obviously that was as good of hint as any to leave him to the numbers now in front of him. She was about to do just that when the low hum of her cell phone vibrating where she left her armful of belongings distracted her briefly. She debated checking it just in case it could be the records clerk calling her back with another lead. But she left it right where it was. Currently she was on Marshall time and while she was it was understood that when it was up it was because he called it. Her foot dragged the tip of her sharp heel on the dress shoe covering her foot. It glided over the flat surface beneath her.

“Is everything satisfactory?” She shifted her weight to the other foot and straightened up her spine as she did so.

[Enver Marshall II]

Enver listened to everything Miss Knight was saying, while they both walked into his office. Enver had three trains of thoughts going on in his mind right now. The meeting; the one that was the heaviest in his mind, then the contact-or more specifically, the Foundation. He hadn’t done enough, really. What was one contact when there had been at least fifty other people there? “We should have an event in the future.” Enver decided with a nod of his head. In his mind it was already settled, all they needed to do was thinking of a time, date and actual event. And the third train of thought...was about the woman who was following him.

Enver went around his desk and looked at the papers on them; printed out to his preferred specifications, but then frowned. He forgot how incompetent the board could be at times. A spreadsheet was self-explanatory at times, but some people needed pretty pictures and colors. One arm came to rest on the desk, just to the left of the papers as Enver thought about how long it could take to make pie charts for the older members of the board, the weight of his body resting on that arm and hand. “I hate to do this...but…” Enver sighed and looked at the woman to his right. “Can you convert all this into a pie chart for me? You know how Mr. Anderson and Mr. Becker like vibrant colors. Old age is getting the best of their eye sight, I’m afraid.” Enver concluded as he put his hard copies into a pile after shaking his head. “Just email them to me, no need for a hard copy. I can read just fine.” Enver chuckled, then slowly stood as he heard Miss Knight’s phone vibrate. “I’m keeping you. Once that’s done, you’re free to go. Give Adley my best.” Enver assumed it was Adley, but he knew it could have been anyone. Man, or woman. Miss Knight had the appeal of no other Allurist Enver knew. “Thank you, Miss Knight.” Enver concluded, taking a sidestep away from the desk and from his personal assistant, letting her know that he was done with holding up her time anymore.

Just as Enver moved around the desk to pick up his suit coat, his own phone vibrated against the armrest of the chair. Since it only went off twice, it meant someone sent a text message. He yanked the phone out of the pocket, unlocked it and then saw who it was from. Crash. ****. The guy was on his way here, already. Which was great for Grace and for her nanny, but not for Enver. A hand went to the bridge of his nose, where he pinched it and then replied. He told Crash where to find a fifty and to grab some food on his way in. That should hopefully buy him some time. Enver wasn’t in the mood for dealing with the ramblings of a guy who was more dead than alive every day he woke up from nights of endless benders.

[Indigo]

Pie charts. She shrugged it off. Indigo could do pie charts. Artistic ones if needed. Perhaps a large canvas could be the means of presentation and all those aged and strained eyes could see it on an easel. She gathered up the papers nodding slowly as she did. The meeting was pretty much over as soon as it started which worked just fine for her. Once her belongings she entered with were scooped and deposited into the leather portfolio she wouldn’t have them in for long. All of it and her found the door.

“I will let him know. You two should hook up sometime. Pretty sure there is something to bond over besides common anatomy and dodging bullets in the states.”

Indigo could have waited for a response but she didn’t. Her heels were carrying her through the halls and on the same path she took when entering. She stopped in the small space where the industrial printstation and computer with the company software was located. Everything she would need to put together what the boss requested would be easy to use and fingertip accessible.. The sound of finely manicured nails to keyboard filled the limited work area. An employee paused briefly glancing at the screen. She smiled and gently maneuvered the content currently on view to the side.

“It is board member business.” Her body pivots and her eyes find their target depositing a few pieces of mail into the refuse basket. To smooth over the edge of her statement she decided to go out on a limb like she had been doing a lot of lately. New face, new name and possible acquaintance. “I don’t think we have been introduced.” She smiled and extended her hand. “Indigo Knight and you would be?”
“Cleaning out my office.” Without another word the nameless body disappeared back into the hallway and was effectively gone for good.

“So that was incredibly awkward.” She breathed out as her hand corrected the position of the monitor and the other went back to it’s placement on the keyboard. “Pie...pie...gonna make this a beautiful…” Her voice went quiet briefly as she tapped at the touch screen to drag colorful pie shaped portions around the screen. A couple more clicks and she hummed softly the rest of the tune that came to her out of nowhere.

As the email was actively sending all that had been requested to Enver Marshall she pulled out her cell phone and found an invitation to join a small late night dinner at the cozy place she often dropped into in lower Wickbridge. Her fingers replied in record time thanking Ross for the offer and declining due to prior engagements. It was not entirely off base. She did have a lot to do and only so many hours of darkness to accomplish it in. The email was sent and she had was once again on her way towards the employee exit and the cool night air waiting to greet her once she used her employee access code to get out.