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Post by Atlas on Dec 24, 2010 17:42:52 GMT -8
Atlas raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course there is a reason. I could have told you that." he thought. He was well aware of the what, but he was more interested in the why.
"There must be something that triggers it..." he thought, going back to his own encounter with the supernatural. Right when he saw the Tree of Anna was when things started to get freaky. First the bone covered in purple goo, then the giant dog, and finally the shadows. However, Tamika's encounter showed no similarities, and York was a different story all together. For all he knew, the Tree could have been a really weird coincidence. "However, I don't have enough information to know for sure..."
Another thing seemed a bit odd to him, the phrase "But all have reasons for coming here." Atlas didn't quite understand. "I'm sorry, Mister Stewart, but I don't think I quite understand what you mean by 'But all have reasons for coming here', could you elaborate a bit more on that?" he asked.
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Post by Tamika Weir on Dec 24, 2010 18:08:43 GMT -8
"Oh for fuck's sake!" Tamika was getting frustrated with all this. No one seemed to be getting anywhere. Atlas or her would ask a question. Mr. Stewart would give a cryptic answer through Micheal that didn't tell them anything. As for Atlas's last question, she couldn't believe he had to ask that. The statement was self explanatory. Everyone who came here came for some reason. For example, her's was to get a job. York's was to investigate the murder. Tamika slightly glared at Mr. Stewart and said in a irritated tone,
"Mr. Harry Stewart. I believe we have deviated from the main purpose of this breakfast. Mr. Lasseter and I have already told you of our encounters with the shadows and Brian the Insomniac. We came here under the pretense that you would have information on them. If you do not have any information or have no intention of telling us anything, could you please just say so."
She realized that all her question was likely to do is piss off Mr. Stewart and make it so they wouldn't get anything, but she did not care at this point. "Well, we're not getting anything now. Might as well try to speed things up and fail rather than beat around the bush for hours under false pretenses."
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Post by Mister Stewart on Dec 24, 2010 19:33:37 GMT -8
When Atlas asked his question, admittedly, Mister Stewart's shoulders shook in a bit of a chuckle. Tamika's words only amused him more - he wasn't the sort of man who could be intimidated in that fashion. The hasty behavior did little to impress him, however...her impatience told him that she needed to learn to slow, to be less impulsive...perhaps a bit of self-control.
Michael, on the other hand, was growing very, very tired of Tamika's rashness. His eyes sharpened a bit as he leaned in to listen to what the girl had to say...and as he spoke, there was the faintest of edges to his tone.
"Mister Atticus Lasseter and Miss Tamika Weir. If you wish to gain answers to your queries, you must learn to pace yourselves. It is well and good to chase your theories, but it is inward you must delve. If you cannot learn to slow your pace - if you cannot learn to control your words - you may find yourselves in Anna's place, your flesh picked clean by carrion birds. " He paused for a moment to sip his coffee before he amended:
"So says Mister Stewart."
...Mister Stewart was staring straight at his aide by the end of this - if he didn't have that gas mask on, one might see his mouth hanging open in surprise.
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Post by Atlas on Dec 26, 2010 5:49:51 GMT -8
Atlas did not know quite how to react to Tamika's outburst. Although he wasn't exactly enjoying playing 20 questions with Mister Stewart, he still found it to be uncalled for. "Smooth, Tamika. You piss off the wealthiest and probably the most powerful person in Greenvale, who has a spy network no less. If I end up dead in my sleep tonight, I'm blaming you for it in the afterlife." he thought.
Michael's reaction was unsurprising, though he wondered why it was also directed at him. He was merely asking questions, not demanding answers, and yet, Michael was pissed at him as well? "Geez, what did I do?" he wondered, looking dumbfounded.
It was even more unnerving that he couldn't quite gauge Mister Stewart's reactions to all this. His gas mask showed no emotion whatsoever and he could barely see his eyes through the lenses. Was he angry? Amused? Disappointed?
At this point, he figured he wasn't going to get any more information, and Tamika was about to break out the fists...
"...Right. Well, thank you for your time and your hospitality. If we figure out anything else, we'll come back..." he said and then glared at Tamika.
"Right?"
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Post by Tamika Weir on Dec 26, 2010 6:55:34 GMT -8
"Great, now I've pissed Atlas off. This breakfast is going to bite me in the ass about a thousand times while here in lovely Greenvale."
"Sure," Tamika said dismissively. Then she got up and left the room without another word, not even waiting for Atlas. "Ugh, everything has gone so far downhill from yesterday. I'm just going to go to the hotel and sleep the rest of the day."
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Post by Mister Stewart on Dec 27, 2010 3:44:05 GMT -8
Honestly, Mister Stewart's reaction to Michael's words, beneath that mask of his, was that of sheer shock. What had gotten INTO Michael!? It wasn't quite like him to be quite so...morbid on his own. At least, not outwardly - he knew of the poetry, of course, but he tried not to worry over it. The boy needed an outlet, and so he let him have that one. ...But this? He gave a nod of the head as the two rose to leave, gesturing to Michael to see them out. The younger man stood...but paused momentarily, stooping to whisper something to the elder man. Mister Stewart nodded back at him, and then Michael was moving with quick strides, aiming to catch up with Tamika. He plowed out of the room past Atlas, rounding a corner so that he could cut the girl off. Glancing back over his shoulder to make certain that he hadn't been followed, he lowered his voice, looking the girl in the eyes. He looked rather fierce, it must be admitted...his tired, calm eyes uncharacteristically sharp and his arms crossed over his chest. "...All right. I apologize if I have spoken out of turn, Miss Weir. My behavior was deplorable and I will be the first to admit it. But - WHY were you asking about my Mother?" The lyricism and rhyme was missing from his voice...his tone was warning, wary. A far cry from the polite 'translator' who had begun their tour of the mansion. --- Meanwhile, back in the dining room, Mister Stewart held up a hand - gesturing for Atlas to come a bit closer. He wasn't quite done with the lawyer yet, it seemed...he was typing something out on his little console, fingers moving at swift speeds. He turned his chair about a bit, allowing Atlas to see the notepad screen he had up - You ask good questions, Mister Lasseter...but timing is everything. It seems that today, your timing was a bit off - perhaps if you answer a few of your own questions, you shall be ready to talk with me again when the time is right.
I do apologize for Michael, however. He is under a great deal of strain.
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Post by Atlas on Dec 27, 2010 7:53:43 GMT -8
His glare seemed to upset Tamika, who only said one word before leaving the room. He looked up at her. "Tamika, wait!" his mind screamed, but it was too late, she had already left. He didn't exactly approve of her attitude towards Michael and Mister Stewart, but at the same time, he didn't want her to think that he was angry.
Mister Stewart was whispering something to Michael. At first it seemed that it would be some form of "Thank you for tormenting my manservant, now get out before I release the hounds!", but it was actually some instructions, as Michael had left the room, leaving only Atlas and Mister Stewart.
The man called the lawyer over. Atlas wondered how he would be able to communicate without his manservant by his side, but he already had a message typed out by the time he took a look at the small screen.
"Timing is off? Answer a few more of my own questions? What does he mean by that?" he wondered. Even Mister Stewart's own voice seemed cryptic and confusing. However, he also seemed far more reasonable. He at least seemed willing to talk again when the time was right.
"I see. I'll need some time to understand what this means, but when I do, I shall seek you out again. Perhaps Michael will be feeling better by this time as well. So long, Mister Stewart." he waved to the man and left to catch up to Tamika.
"I hope I can at least sort a few things out with her before I head back." he though, walking fast and looking for the redhead.
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Post by Tamika Weir on Dec 27, 2010 9:10:19 GMT -8
Tamika backed a few steps away from Micheal and put her hand in the pocket where her switchblade was. Her natural instincts told her to be ready for the strange servant to attack her at any second. Yet the first words that came out of his mouth shocked her.
"He's apologizing to me?" This had taken her off guard. She had expected threats, demands, maybe even an outright attack. But not apologies.
"You don't have to apologize. I know you won't believe me, but I do understand." Tamika snerked, then continued, "I sure as hell would want to kill you if you asked me about my mom."
Tamika took her hand out of her pocket, deciding that maybe Micheal wouldn't kill her. Maybe he was even giving her a chance to make up for her idiot mistake.
"First off, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I really don't know what got into me. It's just...you're not who I thought you were. I know that sounds weird, but I thought Tillotson was someone else."
Taking a deep breath she continued," You see, you know how I said I was in the graveyard a few days ago? Before I saw Brian, I met three other people: Atticus, someone named Charlotte, and a third guy who didn't tell me his name. The third guy was the most interesting of the three by far. So when I saw him stop in front of a pair of gravestones, I got curious. I assumed they were some relatives of his or something. But unless you have a brother or cousin or something, I doubt that he's related to them. I'm sorry for bringing all this up."
Feeling that she was finished, she moved around Micheal to leave the mansion. Then before she was out of earshot of Micheal, she stopped, turned, and said, "If you ever do feel the need to kill someone, kill me and not Atticus. He didn't do anything to you guys." Then she turned and left the servant, feeling that maybe she hadn't completely screwed everything up.
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Post by Mister Stewart on Dec 27, 2010 12:24:13 GMT -8
The elder man gave a nod to Atlas before he left, satisfied that he had made at least some point to the young man. Perhaps there was some hope for the two, yet? Perhaps they would find something that he himself had missed? Turning his wheelchair towards the window, he stared out of it, sighing softly.
Maybe....
-----
In the other room, Michael was listening to Tamika's explanation - slowly but surely calming down. It had been a misunderstanding. Of course it had. He had jumped to conclusions, and that was wrong of him...but at least she seemed to understand why. Still, this was strange...someone else was hanging around his parents' graves? Why? Who?
Before he had too much time to think about that, Tamika was walking right out - stopping only to dispense with one last little suggestion.
His face paled.
'Kill.' Did...he really seem like he wanted to kill her? Did he seem like he would kill ANYONE? Was...that why Mister Stewart kept looking at him so strangely as of late, after Anna's death...?
She left him standing there in the hallway, expression bewildered.
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Post by Tamika Weir on Dec 27, 2010 20:03:42 GMT -8
Tamika was tired with this morning. She had pissed a rich guy, his servant, and the guy she was supposed to be working with off. Now all she wanted to do was sleep and forget. Yet as soon as she left the mansion, she realized things would not be that simple.
"Oh fuck," she muttered as she saw only one car in front of the mansion. Tamika then remembered that to save on fuel, she and Atlas had agreed to only take his car to the mansion itself. Which meant she would be stuck in a car with a guy she had pissed off for a drive down the longest, most agonizing driveway on the planet Earth. "Well, it's that or walk. Which means I would reach my car by...about 2010."
Resigned to the fact that she would have to take the car with Atlas, she slumped down on the ground with her back against the passenger side door. She rested her head against her knees and waited for the inevitable. "Well, Atticus doesn't seem like the very violent type. And he doesn't have a gun yet. So maybe things won't be too bad. Maybe."
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Post by Atlas on Dec 27, 2010 20:11:21 GMT -8
Atlas navigated his way out of the mansion. It was not easy, but by retracing the steps he took in, he was able to able to find his way out to the courtyard. It was true that Tamika had been in a hurry to leave, but she wouldn't get far down Mister Stewart's long driveway.
Tamika was waiting there, slumped by the passenger door. "Hmm, maybe I was a little harsh on the girl. Turns out Mister Stewart was more reasonable than I thought. And Michael was having a bad day. She didn't really ruin everything." he thought. "Hop in." he said to her in a normal voice. He had started the engine to drive down Mt. Stewart.
He looked over at the girl. "Sorry if I seemed a bit angry at you in there. I thought Stewart might have had us killed. Turns out, he's a bit more reasonable than that, if a bit eccentric. Though in the future, try to watch your temper a bit." he said to her, trying to sound calm.
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Post by Tamika Weir on Dec 27, 2010 20:31:01 GMT -8
"He doesn't seem very angry. Though he probably was at the time. And I can't blame him. I did just put his life in danger, all because I got impatient."
"Yeah, sorry," Tamika said plainly. She was slumped back against her seat and just stared out the window. She really didn't want to be there and didn't particularly want to talk right then. All she wanted was to get back to the hotel without gaining any scars or pissing anyone else off. "Well, he didn't kick me when he got to the car, so I think I'm doing quite well."
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Post by Atlas on Dec 27, 2010 20:42:57 GMT -8
Atlas looked at the girl, then towards the road. She seemed quiet. "I hope I didn't impact our partnership too much." he thought. Although his logical side stated that he was perfectly justified in being angry with her, he worried that she would also be angry with him.
He turned to her. "Mister Stewart said a couple things to me before I left. One was that our questions were good, but our timing was off. I'd need to answer my questions. Another was that when the timing was right, we should visit again. Perhaps he'll have more information. I understand you'd be less than thrilled to go back there. I didn't exactly enjoy wading through the cryptic musings of the manservant in order to find out what the man was saying, but I have a feeling that he knows more."
"I'm also publishing a blog with our findings. With any luck, we can get the word out about what is really going on beneath Greenvale."
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Post by Tamika Weir on Dec 27, 2010 21:00:56 GMT -8
Tamika didn't react much to what he said about Stewart. Though hearing the whole 'I'd need to answer my questions' thing made her a bit more pissed at Stewart. "The old bastard knows nothing or intends to tell us nothing. He just wants us to figure this out so he can have our answers. And Atlas wants to see him again. I would just rather never go near this damn mansion ever again."
The blog, however, made her curious. "He's posting a blog. And I found a blog recently about shadows in Greenvale. I wonder..."
"Would your user name happen to be GreyMockingbird, by any chance?"
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Post by Atlas on Dec 27, 2010 21:11:37 GMT -8
Tamika didn't say much of anything when he mention what Mister Stewart had told her. However, she didn't seem all that pleased by the idea of going back there. "Perhaps I should go on my own next time." he thought.
He was surprised that Tamika had already figured out what his blog was about. "Been searching around, huh. Yep. I'm the GreyMockingbird. I started it last night in the hospital when I had nothing better to do and my shotgun wound denied me anything resembling sleep."
"Would you happen to be DJRed by any chance?"
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