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Post by Tamika Weir on Jan 2, 2011 15:11:25 GMT -8
The smile Tamika had evaporated as she scowled at York. "I swear, I should never have saved that guy's ass. All he's done is call me a convict and now a clutz." "Thank you, York. I was also able to drive here without crashing my car."
To distract herself from the irritating FBI agent, she turned back to Atlas. "I'm not sure how good I'll be. To be honest darts is another thing I've never played before." She half listened to Atlas while watching Emily with curiosity. For some reason, she looked overly delighted. Tamika couldn't figure out why, until Micheal and Ash returned. Then Emily's delight seemed to overflow, she put two and two together.
"She thinks they're dating. Well, I'm not really that fond of Micheal, they do make a cute couple." Tamika returned Ash's smile and noticed something strange about Atlas. For some reason, he looked concerned when Micheal sat down. "Oh. He must think me and Micheal are going to kill each other." She then gave him a reassuring smile and whispered, "No one's going to kill each other. Too many witnesses." Tamika then surveyed the other people at the table, looking pretty calm. Secretly, she was a bit nervous. She did not like the idea of spending the night in a bar with York and Micheal. Yet she kept herself calm by amusing herself trying to imagine Micheal and Ash as a couple and by telling herself that York had to have SOME redeeming quality.
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Post by Mister Stewart on Jan 3, 2011 0:42:59 GMT -8
Well.
This was an awkward situation to say the least.
He took a seat at the table, back comically straight and stiff as he kept his eyes down. He hoped that, perhaps, no one would want to make conversation with him (he really wasn't in the mood, he just didn't want to drink at home where Mister Stewart might catch him)...but that hope was quickly dashed when Emily suddenly greeted him. With...rather a lot of enthusiasm, which he wasn't sure what to do with.
He took a sip of his drink before speaking, his voice somewhat low and hoarse.
"I...wanted to get out, for just a little while. The events of my day have left me feeling...rather tired." His stormy eyes flicked around the table. He felt like he was being stared at, felt like he was being singled out for some cosmic joke that was slowly being set up. He didn't like it. His voice was awkward as he suddenly became very interested in watching the ripples in his drink. "...Mister Stewart owns the building that holds Ashlin's shop...I met her the other day, when we made a stop."
Why was Emily talking to him this way? He didn't understand. Why did it matter to her if he and Ash knew each other, anyhow?
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Post by Francis York Morgan on Jan 3, 2011 9:06:28 GMT -8
York could be a competent conversationalist when he wanted to be, but large crowds tended to have a negative effect on Zach's presence. Usually York felt Zach was about the size of a baseball, if he were to try to impose some kind of physical measurements to a vague mental impression; at the moment, he was the size of the light from a laser pointer, and it was still focused almost entirely on Michael. If asked, York would have said he was more of a big picture guy; Zach was the one who zeroed in on details, noticed the little things. York's job was to put these details into a larger context.
"FBI Special Agent Francis York Morgan," he said, flipping his badge open in front of Michael's weary face without seeming to notice that the man hadn't taken his eyes from his drink. "Just call me York, though. So, Michael, what's it like working for a millionaire? I must say, Ashlin doesn't look like the gold-digging type."
At that moment, the waiter appeared, and York recited his order perfectly. He even remembered the green olives.
"Speaking of wealthy men, Todd here must be doing quite well for an intern to be able to pay for all this," he added afterward, cheerfully. "Between this and the signed photo I was promised, I'm beginning to rack up a sizable debt!"
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on Jan 3, 2011 9:50:39 GMT -8
Ashlin was immensely confused by Agent York's comment. "I'm sorry?" she asked not quite understanding. She owned a bookstore, so why would she be digging for gold? "I'm not a miner, Agent York, why would I be digging for things?" Her face was so innocently confused, head tilted to the side slightly, that no one could possibly doubt her sincerity. Really people were so confusing sometimes, and how would Mr.Stewart have anything to do with digging for gold. Was that how he made his fortune? Oh! Perhaps Agent York thought she was asking Mr.Stewart for tips and that's why he thought she was some kind of prospector. It seemed like a rather large jump of logic on the agent's part, and he really shouldn't be doing that if he was suppose to be solving a murder. Quite unproductive she thought, but who was she to question the methods of the FBI.
Turning to the waiter she told him "Nothing for me thank you." She didn't feel comfortable letting Todd pay for her drink and her meal, and really she wasn't all that hungry.
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Post by Emily Wyatt on Jan 3, 2011 10:31:36 GMT -8
Emily leaned back slightly disappointed at Michael's response. So Mister Stewart owned the building? Still...there had to be more going on between them. I mean she got him to come join their group, and York seemed convinced Ash was keen on him. Unfortunately Michael didn't seem up to conversation at the moment and kept staring at his drink so Emily wasn't going to press, she knew she would find out eventually!
She sighed but then smiled and said, "Ah! I see, Michael. I just met Ashlin myself just tonight."
When the waiter looked her way to take her order she shook her head. She tempted to order something just to make Todd squirm but it was bad enough he had to take care of York's massive order. She took sip of her beer and choked when she heard what York had just said.
Todd here must be doing quite well for an intern?
Did she hear that correctly? Agent York thinks Todd is an intern?! Oh this is priceless. She shot a glance in Todd's direction. Did he catch that? It didn't seem like it, he too busy giving his own order to the waiter.
Oh man...she couldn't wait to rub this in. She wasn't going to correct the Agent and ruin all the fun.
"York, I still can't believe you actually want a picture." She scrunched her nose in distaste, as if Todd needed his ego any bigger he now has an FBI agent wanting his portrait and autograph.
She lowered her voice turned to York and said, "Now if you want a really good picture of Todd I have from last year's Christmas Party. He was passed up drunk so Thomas and I decorated him like a Christmas Tree!"
Todd had overheard her though and seemed quite displeased that she still had copies of said photograph.
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Post by Atlas on Jan 3, 2011 12:26:13 GMT -8
"Well, you don't have to be a champion at it. I'm still a long way away from beating the owner's high score." Atlas responded to Tamika.
Tamika had noticed Atlas was nervous about her and Michael sitting together at the same table. Even with Ashlin keeping him company, there was a chance that he could snap. He whispered back to Tamika "I figured, but just in case. I'd rather you left the bar uninjured." he smiled back.
He chuckled to himself at Ashlin's response to York's gold digging comment. "Uhh, that's not what he meant by gold digger, Ash." he thought. Though York did have a point: Ash seemed too sweet to be that type. At the very least, she looked that way, though Atlas had no reason to doubt her.
He turned to Emily as well. "I must obtain this photograph. I could use a couple ideas." he said to Emily and then leaned in close to whisper. "If you get him drunk for next Christmas, I could help you out with the next 'Christmas Tree."
he sat back with his beer and watched Ashlin and Michael have awkward dinner conversation. He was starting to feel a bit tipsy from the alcohol, but still had a long way to go...
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Todd Thorne
Full Member
WHOREwhoreWhOrEwhoreFUCK
Posts: 164
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Post by Todd Thorne on Jan 3, 2011 13:18:23 GMT -8
Todd has just finished placing his order of a Texan Burger when he caught the tail end of Emily's photograph comment to Mr. Cool FBI Agent.
He whirled in her direction and said, "What! You said you didn't have any more copies of that!"
Emily only smirked at him. That liar! He knew she still had some!
Despite the embarrassing picture that Christmas party at SWERY 65 last year was a lot fun! Too bad he couldn't remember half of it. All he could really recall was is Steven's girlfriend at the time trying to force him under some mistletoe with Steven and that he, Emily and Thomas thought it was a great idea to karaoke Bohemian Rhapsody. Sadly out of the trio, Thomas was the only one who could carry a tune. Unfortunately he was drowned out by Emily and Todd who screamed the chorus at the top of their lungs in a contest to be louder than the other.
Emily won.
Next thing he knew Steven shook him awake saying it was time to go and that he looked fetching in all that tinsel.
That damn Christmas Tree photo kept popping up EVERYWHERE for months after the party. Some one made it his desktop wall paper, he then saw it plastered all over the station in the form of a wanted poster. Later it was put on the targets downstairs...
Wow just thinking about made him want another drink so he momentarily left the table to order himself another beer. You know karaoke sounded like fun he wondered if any at the table would be interested...
"We have such a lively group here, anyone drunk enough to karaoke yet?"
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Post by Tamika Weir on Jan 3, 2011 19:07:08 GMT -8
Tamika felt a bit sorry for Micheal as he stared down at his drink. She was part of the reason he was feeling like crap. Yet, she decided the best thing she could do was try to ignore him. She had already hurt him enough by talking to him, so maybe silence would be best. Tamika felt even more pity for Micheal as York shoved his badge in Micheal's face. "York, you don't have many friends, do you?" She glared at York again when he implied that Ash was a gold-digger. "Is it too late to put him back in the group of shadows I found him in?"
Tamika was then confused by Ash's reaction to York's question. She appeared to have no idea what a gold-digger was. "Um, Ash. He doesn't mean that you're a miner. A gold-digger is..." She paused for a second, trying to figure out the best way to word it. Then she just decided to come out and say it. "Is a person who goes out with a rich guy for his money. Nothing else. So, you wouldn't be a gold-digger Ash, right?"
As soon as she was finished, she was pretty sure she had fucked up again. Explaining what a gold-digger was wasn't exactly something you did in front of a bunch of people. "Fuck today. Oh, maybe I'll get lucky and everyone will get so drunk they'll forget that today ever happened."
Then Tamika's eyes widened slightly as a thought occurred to her. "'Everyone will get so drunk...' Oh God! Oh fuck no!" She glanced at Atlas. He looked a little tipsy, not too bad. Yet. It wasn't like she hadn't been around drunks before. Plenty of the guys from Chicago were constantly getting drunk while she did their dirty work. And of course her dad...
Tamika looked at the door. She would have a clear shot if she went now. She could just leave and none of them would be very suspicious. But...she looked at Atlas again. "If I leave, how to hell will he get home? He's going to get drunk. That's for certain. And while drunk he'll probably be a moron and try to drive home on his own. And not only will he have normal issues, he's also going to have shadows to contend with. And if his giant dog shows up...I guess I better stick around then." With that settled, she faced the group again, though now she looked nervously at all of them, like as if one of them might chuck a bottle at her at any second.
Todd then asked if anyone was drunk enough to do karaoke. Tamika didn't like his wording of his question and karaoke didn't sound too great either. Karaoke would mean singing, and she hadn't sung since..."Oh, stop bitching right now!" her mind suddenly screamed at her, "If you can talk yourself into sitting in a fucking bar with a bunch of guys who are going to get fucking wasted, you can sing a fucking song. NOW GO AND SING DAMNIT!"
Taking a breath, she said calmly, though she still looked nervous, "Sure, why not? Anything in particular you want to sing?"
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Post by Dr. Bradley Karrde Smith on Jan 3, 2011 22:49:40 GMT -8
In the corner of the bar, Brad silently observed what was going on at the bar. The man in the white suit had joined them, and so had Tamika. Surprising, given her nervous reaction when he had first entered. After several minutes, curiosity got the best of him and he meandered over, taking up Atticus's previous offer to join them.
Arriving at the table, he interrupted. "Excuse me, I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm Brad Smith. Mind if I join you? Of course you don't. Thank you."
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Post by Mister Stewart on Jan 4, 2011 2:07:51 GMT -8
York's sudden and rather unexpected manner of introduction snapped Michael's gaze away from his drink - he looked up at the unfamiliar man, his expression one of slight confusion. FBI Special Agent? What was he doing in Greenvale? The question he was asked made him rather nervous. It seemed to him a bad idea to talk about Mister Stewart to an unfamiliar federal agent. Before he could actually speak, however, the latter part of his sentence caught him off-guard. Ashlin didn't seem like a gold-digger? What was he insinuating, exactly?
His stormy gaze shot around the table, watching the conversation pass about. When Tamika explained what a Gold-Digger actually was, the hand around his glass tightened a bit. He couldn't quite grasp what it was they all might be suggesting...or if he did, he purposely tried not to grasp it. By the time that Brad chose to take a seat, forcing them all to sit a bit closer together and pushing him a little closer to Ash, he was looking quite uncomfortable with the entire situation, downing about half of his remaining drink very quickly indeed in place of actually saying anything. The topic of karaoke was most certainly not endearing itself to him at the moment.
Under his breath, he mumbled rather awkwardly to the waiter that he would like another drink, on his own tab. His shoulders were tight as he ventured a nervous glance over to Ash, as if gauging how she was handling this whole situation.
He was also starting to sway just a little, if one was watching quite closely. Apparently, his alcohol tolerance was...not very high.
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on Jan 4, 2011 9:53:38 GMT -8
Ash felt her eyes widen at Tamika's explanation, and color rush to her face. Someone who-- but why would agent York say-? "I-I, no! Why would someone ever- I'm n-not. . . " Was Agent York making fun of her, she wondered with a sinking feeling in her stomach. That would be something she was painfully used to, but somehow it seemed worse now, when she'd been starting to think that this place really would be different. When she'd thought that maybe people would give her a chance if they hadn't known her, her whole life. If they didn't know her reputation as the freaky girl who made up stories and talked to her doll.
She was broken from her chain of thought when Brad sat down and pushed Michael closer to her. When she looked at Michael it finally occurred to her the other implication of Agent York's words. They thought that she and Michael. . .? Now bright red she squeaked out "I-I think you have the wrong idea! Michael and I aren't- I've never even been on a d--" Stopping rather abruptly, Ash decided that her soon to be empty glass of whiskey was suddenly fascinating. She wasn't ashamed of her lack of experience, before a few days ago she'd never even had a friend after all. So never having been on a date was not so unusual, but it wasn't something she wanted to admit to a group of people she'd met maybe a hour earlier.
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Post by Emily Wyatt on Jan 4, 2011 11:18:30 GMT -8
She smiled at Atlas, "Thomas and I would be eager for the help this year!" then in a whisper she added, "I'll email you a copy tomorrow."
Todd heard her promise sent a pout her way.
When he suggested karaoke Emily inwardly rolled her eyes. She was no where near drunk enough nor would she be tonight. Unlike Todd she had investigation to work on tomorrow...also she was not eager to repeat a screaming match with Todd in front of all her new friends. Somehow she didn't think her shrieking lyrics would endear her to anyone at the table.
Thankfully the Hoff's reappearance was enough of a distraction to save her from responding. She wondered if he was stopped a lot for autographs, the likeness was truly uncanny. She was tempted to take a picture with him and send it to her Aunt who was one of David Hasselhoff's biggest fans. It would make her week that's for sure.
Emily took another sip of her beer and listened to Tamika explain the concept of a gold digger to Ashlin. Emily thought it was a pretty common phrase, it surprised her that such an explanation was necessary. But when she saw Ashlin's reaction she frowned. It looks like York's off hand comment brought her mood down fast.
That wouldn't do.
Emily reached across the table and grabbed her hand. When the girl looked up from her whiskey glass she gently said, "Hun, no one thinks you are one." She smiled and continued. "York- Well York here was just joking or at least trying to make a joke." She shot York a look that said 'If you say otherwise mister I will kill you'.
Then in hopes of moving the conversation to a less awkward topic, as both Ashlin and Michael seemed very uncomfortable, she inquired to hear more about Ashlin's travels.
"You've mentioned you've done some traveling, I have to say I'm jealous! What is your favorite place to visit?"
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Post by Atlas on Jan 4, 2011 14:48:17 GMT -8
"That would be excellent, Emily! I can't wait to see it." Atlas replied. This would be comedy gold indeed.
He saw the embarrassment caused by Tamika's explanation of what a gold-digger was. "Tamika, you might want to work on what you say to other people." he thought. On the other hand, it was mostly York's fault for suggesting such anyways. Despite being an interesting person, he didn't seem like the type that was able to make many friends.
He continued sipping his beer. He could feel his muscles start to relax as well as any care about the previous nightmare fade away. At the same time, so had his inhibitions. Plus, he still had to deal with driving home and potentially running into more Shadows, though he was drunken too much to car.
Still, he wasn't quite drunk enough for karaoke.
"Hmm, I'll pass on the karaoke for now. I'd need at least a few more beers in me before I'd consider going up there. However, after Tamika's done, I think Michael and Ash should do a duet. They'd look cute together." he said in response to Todd, too tipsy to care whether that comment would embarrass Ashlin or Michael.
He finished off his lager and then signaled the waitress there that he wanted another one. At the same time, he wondered where his fish and chips were.
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Post by Francis York Morgan on Jan 4, 2011 16:42:18 GMT -8
"Hmm. Perhaps that isn't an expression commonly found in rural areas," York mused, oblivious to the consternation his comment had caused. "For the record, Ashlin, you don't look any more like a gold-digger in the literal mining sense than you do figuratively. Besides, this is a lumber town, isn't it? Maybe I should have said something like 'log-jumper' instead..."
<I don't think we should attract too much attention to that white-suited guy," the voice in his head warned. <There's a kind of ragged hole around him. Look, he's not even listening to a word we're saying... He's right on the edge of something. Can you feel it?>
"I wonder if his employer knows he's here getting drunk with his girlfriend," York mumbled distractedly. At the moment, he was more concerned about Atlas' karaoke proposition. "I think I'll pass on the singing," he said out loud, to the group. "I'll be right here, enjoying my meal and all your lovely voices from the sidelines. Whistling is more my forte anyway."
He was mildly surprised by the sudden movement caused by everyone shifting their chairs closer together, and it was a moment before he registered who they were trying to accommodate. A healthy looking man with curly brown hair and gleaming eyes was seated at their table, introducing himself as Brad Smith. Both the name and the face seemed familiar.
"Bradley Karrde Smith!" York snapped his fingers. "You're that doctor, aren't you?"
Quickly he turned his head away and whispered into his hand, "You know, Zach, even if I hadn't remembered him from the hotel registry, I would have taken him for another new arrival at once. There's no way a local would have that kind of tan... Not with all the rainy weather here in Greenvale."
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Post by Dr. Bradley Karrde Smith on Jan 4, 2011 22:07:26 GMT -8
"Well, I'm only a doctor in the loosest sense. Two Ph. Ds will give you that title, doesn't even have to be medical." responded Brad, a little taken aback by this suited gentleman's ability to recognize him. One good turn deserves another... "And you must be that right-handed, chain smoker, single, FBI Agent Francis York Morgan who is staying at the Deer Yard Hotel. It's a pleasure to meet you." the Doctor stated, in manner of fact fashion.
Turning back, he addressed the table "As for karaoke, I try to avoid singing. I haven't got a good voice and every time I take a request, it's always 'Hooked on a Feeling' for some reason. Oh, and Ashlin, you might want to pay attention to your back-braced friend there. He's getting a tad tipsy."
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