June 2012: Badlands of South Dakota; Ted's Diner

[damncompass]

Travelling is hell, especially when you're half-moving anyway. Joshua had decided that he was going to take some books and the Artifact to the B&B, to just have a few less things things to take when he actually moved a week later.

Flights were late, Customs was eying Joshua's papers like they were in Greek, and the closer they got to South Dakota, the more unsettled Helena was. So, when they got to the airport finally, Joshua decided to fuck it, and get the flashiest car that the Hertz place rented: a red convertible something-or-other that suited Joshua's mood just fine. However, to his vast embarrassment, he'd almost forgotten how to drive in the fifteen years that he didn't actually need to. He was able to get the car in gear and going, with a minimum of offers to drive from his Victorian now-girlfriend.

Driving into the address that he'd been e-mailed a couple days ago (how they got his e-mail, he wasn't actually going to ask at this point), he parked (very poorly) and looked around, wondering where the shit everyone else parked, as the lot was mostly empty.

Comments

[k39zzz]

Jane grins. "Only if you drown it. Besides, I wouldn't have said anything if I didn't think you needed it."

[damncompass]

Joshua rolls his eyes. "I might not know exactly how old I am, but I am an adult." He's not necessarily saying he doesn't need a bit of mothering, but still. He had to assert himself.

[k39zzz]

"At what point in this conversation did I say you weren't an adult?"
Pete's an adult. Technically. Sometimes. ...Okay, so he's not the best example.

[damncompass]

"Oh, hush. You are as bad as Claudia." That's a smirk.

[k39zzz]

"I'm inclined to take that as a compliment. She knew what she was getting herself into better than just about anyone I've talked to."

[damncompass]

"Oh, she did." Joshua sighs. "Claud knows what she's doing. Better than I do most of the time."

[k39zzz]

Jane raises an eyebrow. "If you were that bad, we wouldn't have taken you."

[damncompass]

"For once, that wasn't my neuroses." He emphasizes his point with a fry. "Claud's just that good when it comes to knowing what she's doing."

[k39zzz]

"Perhaps, but she had to get it from somewhere."

...That last table of civilians is really taking their sweet time, today.

[damncompass]

"Certainly not me." He pauses. "Ok, that was my neuroses."

[k39zzz]

Jane smiles. "I'm sure if you asked her, she'd say you have more to do with it than you know."
People are often a combination of those around them. In part, at least.

[damncompass]

"She's loyal like that." He smiles, muttering under his breath. "Repository badger indeed."

[k39zzz]

"...Do I want to know what badgers have to do with anything?"

[damncompass]

"Uhm. Depends on how much you read. It's... a Harry Potter thing. Sort of." Joshua shrugs, turning his attention back to his burger. Oops.

[k39zzz]

"Or a Milliways thing, if I don't miss my guess." Not that she's been there herself (and she's not sure it'd be her kind of place regardless), but a certain report of Claudia's did find its way into her hands.
They needed all possible information to decide whether Joshua was an asset or a liability, after all.

[damncompass]

"Why am I not surprised you know about Milliways? Well, I guess it is an Artifact." He pauses. "Not Milliways itself, the door. Although, sometimes I wonder."

[k39zzz]

"It is. And we needed as much information as we could get to decide on you. We don't do this stuff lightly."
You do it lightly, you make stupid mistakes. You make stupid mistakes in this business, you could very well have the apocalypse on your hands.

[damncompass]

"Hey, whenever you're making an important decision, you need as much data as you can get. I'm not complaining."

[k39zzz]

"Your sister might, if she knew. But really, I think she's more worried about Artie finding out about some of the problems there than anyone else." Jane can't really blame her - surviving the Warehouse for 40 years is no mean feat, and a little paranoia is a natural consequence, but Artie can go a little overboard with it.

The table of civilians gets up and leaves; hot on their heels, Theodora turns the open/closed sign over.

[damncompass]

Joshua rolls his eyes. "Claud could find something to complain about with anything."

He sighs as the last civilians leave. "Remind me that lingering after eating dinner is rude."

"Well, I thought they'd never leave." Theodora flounces (because really, that's the only way to describe how she goes and sits down beside the boss) over and pulls out a notepad.

[firstprotector]

He nods to Theodora. "Thank you, Theodora. First and foremost, I would like to officially welcome Joshua Donovan, our newest collegue. Thank you for joining us, Joshua."

There's a splattering of applause, notably extremely un-energetically from Theodora.

[k39zzz]

Jane eyes Theodora for a moment - really, what is her problem? - but joins in the applause.
(Hey, she likes Joshua. He's a good kid. Knows what he's talking about. And he already seems more sensible than some of their colleagues.)

[damncompass]

Joshua blushes, waving a bit, then hiding back in the corner of the booth.

The meeting goes on, some old business being attended to, mostly financial and logisitical.

Joshua's attention is mostly on his burger.

[k39zzz]

And then, finally, they come around to the topic at hand. Everyone knows this meeting is actually about Helena, no matter what else comes up along the way.

Of course, the 'just re-bronze her already' faction gets the first word, and Jane can't believe what she's hearing. "That's the best they've got?" she says, keeping quiet for now.
Give 'em enough rope, and all that.

[damncompass]

Joshua is trying to keep his mouth shut for now. Best not to show his hand too early. "How... where are they even getting that?"