magician_king: (get some sun)
Quentin Coldwater ([personal profile] magician_king) wrote in [community profile] lastvoyageslogs2021-01-17 05:40 pm
18

workplace wonders

Who: Quentin Coldwater and open
What: Common workplace hazards breach post
Where: The office, the diner, the bar, a park
Warnings: Referencing alien abduction

Quentin Coldwater, junior reporter, arrives before the workday starts and leaves after most workdays end, and if he's not at his little corner desk during the time in between he's out pounding the pavement, trying to interview sources. He's right under one of the fans that keep the room from turning into a furnace in the summer, so spends a lot of time reflexively setting coffee cups and staplers and things down directly on top of the papers he's working on, even if it's currently January, and the air system (such as it is) is currently off. Perils of being the new guy, and a tendency not to break habits.

He has lunch at the bar of the diner across the road one day a week, never anything more adventurous than a BLT and a cup of coffee. He has gin and tonics in the bar where all the reporters drink, Fridays and odd Saturdays.

He reads their newspaper almost every day, usually on a preferred park bench near his divey little appartment- works on the classifieds with a red pen, circling today exterminator, plus a couple of other rental listings.

Above all, he thinks to himself, it's time for a change.

Also, he publishes!
negative_man: ([alt history] hmm)

Thursday

[personal profile] negative_man 2021-01-18 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[Early on Thursday morning -- right after Quentin gets in, long before almost anyone else does -- Quentin's desk phone rings. When he answers, Larry says:]

Hey. You alone?

[It's clear from his tone that this is not one of those phone calls. He sounds both tense and exhausted.]
negative_man: ([alt history] thinking)

[personal profile] negative_man 2021-01-21 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
No, it's fine. I'll be in soon.

But I thought I should warn you first -- I got into it with a couple of cops at one of those so-called training exercises yesterday. They got some good hits in.

[AKA, don't freak out when he comes in looking like someone beat him up.]
negative_man: ([alt history] ok sure)

[personal profile] negative_man 2021-01-21 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[Good to know calling first was definitely the right idea.]

Calm down, Q, I'm fine. William got me [out of jail] home last night, and it looks worse than it is.

I'll be there in half an hour or so, I just didn't want to surprise you.
negative_man: ([alt history] hmm)

[personal profile] negative_man 2021-01-21 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[A beat, and then a soft sigh.]

Yeah. I'll see you there.

[He probably doesn't look as bad as Quentin might be dreading by the time he turns up, but he doesn't exactly look great: there's a dark bruise high on his cheekbone and another disappearing under his loosened collar, and scratches along his brow and jaw -- not to mention around his wrists, where he must have been cuffed. His right hand is bandaged, as well.]
negative_man: ([60s] almost? smiling??)

[personal profile] negative_man 2021-01-21 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Probably because I did.

[He flashes a quick smile and shakes his head, sliding in across from him.]

I was in a damn war, Q. I promise, I'm okay. What's going on?
negative_man: ([alt history] ponder)

[personal profile] negative_man 2021-01-22 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
[He follows Quentin's movements with his eyes, but doesn't comment; just orders himself a coffee and a croissant, with a sheepish smile for the waitress, like he's sorry to turn up in her diner looking like he does.

He waits till she leaves before turning back to Quentin, something uneasy settling on his bruised face.]


Every morning. It has been a hell of a week.

[Maybe literally.]

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toabsolution: (just here to drink)

Wednesday afternoon

[personal profile] toabsolution 2021-01-19 01:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Jake walks by Quentin, gently touching fingertips to his desk to get his attention and then gesturing for him to follow him to his office. He's distracted, folder in his hand, and leaves the door open as he sits at his own neatly-organized desk.
toabsolution: (explaining)

[personal profile] toabsolution 2021-01-19 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
He sighs. "Get in her properly," he barks gruffly, taking out his cigarettes.

The folder is tossed to the side of the desk. The original label has worn off and, in lieu of a proper title, Jake has simply written Bullshit across the top.

"What are you seeing out there?"
toabsolution: (looking for trouble)

[personal profile] toabsolution 2021-01-19 11:58 pm (UTC)(link)
He nods, taking off his hat and setting it on his desk as he lights his cigarette.

"People been losing their minds forever. Now it's just all at once. What are you workin' on?" he asks, though he doesn't hide the fact that he's leading up to something.
toabsolution: (face off that won't go well)

[personal profile] toabsolution 2021-01-21 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Jake leans forward a bit, taking the ashtray and placing it closer to him. "This has me thinkin'," he starts off. "You know William Trainor? Business end of all this."

He gestures a bit to his general surroundings.
toabsolution: (Default)

[personal profile] toabsolution 2021-01-22 04:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Jake gives him a long look, tapping out a bit of ash before continuing. "We've worked together a while. You know I hate that bullshit they tey and give me. Well, one day I took a lead as a favor. Some guy who claimed he was taken, so I went out to interview him. He gave me some bullshit about being carried up. A bright light. Losing time."

He shakes his head. "Impossible shit."
toabsolution: (Default)

[personal profile] toabsolution 2021-01-22 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Jake looks him over, leaning forward. "Reminds me of some of the stuff I'm hearin' now. You hear anythin' like it yet? Where people are losin' their minds? I dug out a whole damn file for this."

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