2020-01-31 - Coffee, FCN, and Them

It's a clear, cloudless afternoon, bitterly cold in that way the Northwest Pacific Coast manages. The wind off the low tide brings the smell of the sea to Gray Harbor. If it wasn't so damned chilly out there it'd be picturesque. Black ice is going to be a real bitch tonight.

August is going about the shop's winter chores, making sure the less hardy plants are tucked away in the greenhouses, while the frost-resistant plants in the Quonset canopy continue to live up to their reputation. There's de-icer on the path leading up to the shop, carefully placed to not put the garden out front at risk. There's a few patrons present; it's time to order Valentine's Day arrangements, and a few people are starting early.

It's the middle of the day, so while Byron might have a few more calls to make before the workday closes, he at least takes the time to enjoy a quick brunch at the Waffle House, stealing Lilith away from her own work in the process. He has a schedule and the only reason that he's out here is because he planned to speak to August about something or other that he'd heard just recently. So making an afternoon meeting and a bite to eat fit in well with oft busy schedule.

In fact, as he pulls up into the Branch & Bole driveway, he's already on a call, leaving Lilith to her own devices during the short trip from Waffle House to Plant Place. "Yes, so I've heard. That's unfortunate. But thank you for that. Good to know really. I guess it won't be long until it hits auction, eh? Right." Pulling up into a parking space, he finishes with, "Very well then. Thank you for keeping in touch. I'm sure one of us will contact the other at the end of this coming week some time." A pause as he turns off his engine, dark eyes looking over at Lilith, "Yeah. Good luck to you and I hope things work out despite it all."

Both car doors automatically swing open and Byron takes up his briefcase in one hand while the other reaches for a container housing three cups of hot coffee, one most likely meant for the person he is visiting today. Like usual, he's dressed in full business attire with a heavy coat thrown over it all. There's a scarf around his neck and his hands are covered in black leather gloves. Some interest is given the Valentine's Day arrangements, not really hinting whether he'd already put in an order himself. Instead, with Winslow in tow, he makes his way over to August and for a moment simply watches the man work. "I was hoping to find you here. Care for some coffee?" He'll set the carton down on a nearby shelf, reaching for a cup of his own.

Lilith was busy with her own phone because she has two new people around the shop now and they're both there together, apparently having a spot of disagreement over the value of something. Therefore, she's texting like the dickens during the ride and when she gets out of the car to head into the shop. The cold wind blows her oriental flare skirt in black and red as she walks and she's negligent in leaving her winter dark trench open to mere ivory blouse tucked with belt for a bit of chill to catch her on the way into the establishment. Then, tucking her phone into her bag, she whines quietly aside to Byron while pausing to wipe her shiny red heels on a mat, "Steal me the rest of the day so I don't have to go back there. I'll be so stuffed full and nappy, you'll just think I'm the cat and can carry on as usual."

Her whining doesn't last long, though, because once inside fully to see August, she puts on a slant of greeting smile that's a touch dry and fond, "Hey there, Master Druid. Byron brings coffee because he's a true knight, you know." Coffee which she wants now, plucking one up for herself once the holder is on the shelf, briefly kissing aside on the near man's coat insulated shoulder.

Thomsina hovers close, waiting to see if Byron will order a Valentine's Day arrangement, but when he moves on she returns to restocking the forcing bulbs display. It's time for everyone to play weird games with little glass beads, clear vases, and amaryllis.

The constant movement keeps August warm enough that he's in a black and gray checked flannel over a black, close fit sweater, his jacket hung up in the office. Garden gloves, denim jeans, and sturdy hiking boots for the rest. He glances up from getting mulch added to pots of heuchera, smiles at Lilith and Byron. "Hey you two." He finishes up that pot, straightens and sets the bucket of mulch aside. "Coffee?" He gives Lilith a look. "Well he certainly is. Better hold on to this one." He tugs off his gloves, sets them aside, and takes up one of the cups. It's not that he doesn't have access to a limitless supply, it's just always nice when someone brings it to him.

He has a sip. "Come by to take a look at your allotment?"

Not nearly so fancy-looking as the lily and the thorn there, Itzhak swaggers in a minute or so later. He's bundled up, thick knit cap and big woolen peacoat and a scarf with a violin knitted into one end. Gloves, too, as he takes his hand out of his pocket to push the door open. The eyebrows go up, seeing Lilith and Byron here talking to August. "'m I interruptin'?" he says, jerking a thumb over his shoulder in a silent offer to make like a tree and get outta here.

Laughing lightly at Lilith's request, Byron grins brightly, "You might have to be the cat napping in the car. I've got a few places to hit up before heading back home. Well, to the office. But sure, I don't mind a stowaway." Tacking on, "As long as you're sure that your shop isn't going to bust or burn down due to your rookie employees."

Seeing just how busy August is and not really doing much to offer to lend a hand just yet, Byron will mention, "Coffee, indeed. Hope you like piping hot cappuccinos on days like this." A small grin is flashed over at Lilith when she graces the thick fabric of his coat sleeve with a coffee kiss. "Not exactly. Or, I don't know, there's still snow on the ground. I don't think I'd be able to see much, though I am hoping to survey the plot once the ice starts to melt. No, I'm actually here because I'd heard that you were possibly planning a trip to visit FCN Incorporated. Seems like we're both looking into the same company. In fact, Lilith and I were thinking of taking a trip to D.C.-- whether the FCN Inc. in Rockville, Maryland is the same that's passing out experimental soup and other knick knacks." A pause, "And sponsoring, hosting, whatever it is, gladiatorial games for entertainment, I have no idea. But if it's not, I get to check it off of my list while taking a little D.C. vacay, if you know what I mean."

Itzhak's arrival, has him turning to face the other man, giving him a nod in greeting. Perhaps, just to gauge the current weirdness climate in town, he asks, "Anything strange happen lately? No one being pulled into monstrous versions of Nick at Night television?" He then shakes his head, "Not really. It's not anything confidential, I mean since you're already in the know."

Lilith nods a little bit at what Byron says after a wave of her hand to Itzhak and flash of smile. She sips from her coffee and shifts her weight between hips while listening to the explanation, then goes into somewhat further detail as to why their curiosity is piqued, posing a curiosity for August in there too, "The match was something else, made us tick tick a little more about the threat of this up top. I mean, they knew our names in the announcement and mentioned us fighting it before."

Then she carries on, "I was also thinking, those items that are marked by FCN that we got from the Christmas parade, they're actually useful and... I don't know, what if there's a specific use for them? What did you get from that, by the by? I either didn't know or I forgot. I got an indestructible, unpickable box, as far as I can tell. Or... well. I could maybe break it if I tried very, very, very hard in a very unnatural way, but I feel like that might be a bad idea and way of breaking that breaks things for good."

August gives Itzhak an up-nod and a small smile. "Nah, it's fine. We're talking about that place that wants to have a ah," his smile turns wry, "chat with me, as a 'remarkable individual'. Same guys who," he nods at Lilith and Byron, "put on that little Thunderdome match."

He has another sip, bobs his eyebrows. "A brutally hot cappuccino is the only thing for a day like this," he says, dry. Then he arches an eyebrow at Byron. "Rockville? You mean that place with the IT website? Ellie found that one but I don't think it's what we're looking for. I guess it might be worth double-checking, but," he shrugs, "I was just gonna make an appointment."

He tilts his head. "I got a pair of disguise glasses. They make me look like someone else. And Ellie got some bath bombs. They calmed us down a bit." He frowns. "Yeah, I wouldn't suggest...breaking it. Might explode, or something."

Itzhak upnods back to Lilith, then Byron. Shrugs. "My garage is fucked. Has been for a couple weeks. I dunno what the hell to do about it. Other than that, everything's ferkakt as usual." He glances at August, his expression suppressed. "You're gonna, of course. Don't go without me." Something Lilith says catches his attention, as his audio processing works through it, and he asks her, "Can I have a look at this box? I bet I could figure out how it was made." Oh CAN he.

When Lilith talks about the box that she received from 'Santa'/FCN, Byron adds in, figuring that those present already know about it, "We were planning on putting the cursed ring, uh, the Lover's Jewel inside of that thing. Keep others from getting to it, but a Mimic swallowed it up to return to this Collector. Or so I'll assume since that's where it was supposed to go to begin with." His broad shoulders lift, "This just means that we have an almost indestructible box, as far as I can tell, in case we have a need for it." Reaching into his suit breast pocket, he pulls out those X-Ray Vision glasses he had that one Wintry Parade morning. "And it feels weird to carry this around with me, but it's nicely portable and may come in handy at some point. Maybe." He then slips it back inside.

"Yeah, that place. I mean, My interest is more if they have a corporation, home base in our own reality that we might not even realize. So why not go public as a Tech corporation? Or anything really." He then takes another sip from his cup, letting the coffee warm him some, "Clayton had an idea that FCN was more into biology and science, but as we've seen, they seem to be a catch-all company that handles a lot of different things." There's a quirk of his brow now, hearing something August says, "So these bath bombs? You need a tub to use them? Body of water? Just curious."

It's Itzhak who gains his attention now, slowly turning in his direction. "What happened to your garage?"

"Tell how it's made? I mean, it's empty, and I don't have it on me at the moment, but I can grab it and show you sometime, sure. I tested it a few ways which is the only way I know what it is, to degrees. That and I know our things have the maker's marks, so on. Also yes, what happened to your garage?" Lilith wonders with a look at Itzhak in curious fashion twice over after making a 'hm' of noise and nodding at August's answer to her question. She can't help herself when Byron pulls out the glasses to show, though, she has to make the obligatory x-ray vision crack, "... you so keep those on you to look at panties like a Japanese businessman, don't you?'

After a twitch of her lips, she drinks from her coffee and hums with thought while looking back at August, "I thought you set some kind of 'funny' appointment somehow and might be veil dragged, but I think that's just the way my whole brain works, recently. If FCN isn't related to the actual company meganetwork, I wonder if the initials stand for something."

August gestures at Lilith with his coffee cup. "No, we haven't gone yet. And that's what I assume will happen. Sort of like..." He stops, expression going distant. After a second he coughs a laugh. "You know, this is sounding more than a little like the Asylum. The one none of us who visited can remember." His mouth flattens. "Considering that's why I went to get those MRIs, maybe that makes sense. I feel like they might be, as you say, a sort of megacorp. Like Weyland in the Aliens movies. Fingers in all the pies."

He sighs, leans his weight against a table. "Definitely wanted to see if you'd come with," he says to Itzhak. "You, and probably Ellie. I want to make sure nothing funny happens. And, if it is gonna be like that Asylum, and we won't remember, then we need to have things on us to use with psychometry later." He narrows his eyes about the garage. "I said I'd help you sort it. We can figure something out."

A little more coffee, and he gives Byron a hooded look. "Now Thorne, I'm not about to tell you how Ellie and I made use of them. You can use your imagination. But they're not called bath bombs for nothing."

"Course I'll come with. Just tell me where to show up." Itzhak is trying not to eye all the coffee enviously. He sighs, then, explosively, and skims off his knit cap so he can rub his fingers through his curly black hair (a little wild from being under said cap). "What happened to my garage? They came by and kicked it off its fuckin' axels, that's what happened to it. The whole building's at non-Euclidian angles anymore. I could hang new doors but I can't, there ain't a ninety degree angle in the place." He waves at August in a complicated 'yeah yeah you said that but I'm busy being stubborn' sort of way. "All my tools're messed up. Warped. The lifts, the bay doors, the everything, you get me? It's ferkakt."

"The first time that I'd worn it, I won't say that I wasn't traumatized by what I'd seen. At least a little." Byron says in a far too serious deadpan way as he even pats at that pocket where those old fashioned straight out from the back of a comic book looking glasses was shoved into. This is followed by a hint of a smile.

Hearing all about the Asylum makes the whole visiting the Veil thing rather unpleasant. "That sounds like a completely different experience than our visits to City Hall where there's no forgetting... even though I'm pretty sure there's a separate Department for that." He adds with a touch of sarcasm to his tone. There's then this look that Byron shoots over at Lilith, hesitating a moment before he finally comes out and asks, "Let me know when you do decide to make the trip. Obviously, my interest is in more of the corporate aspect of this whole thing. That's where my expertise lie anyway. As for Rockville, I still might make the trek. Best not to leave any stone unturned, though in truth, unless Maryland is similar to here," There's a shake of his head now, "I might not remember why I even went there to begin with. Aside from meeting with clients and other investors, of course." It's D.C.!

The whole talk about the bath bombs also brings a smile to his lips, an amused one as his gaze lowers. Though when Itzhak describes the state of his garage, well, that's rather troubling. "Wow, I mean. Is this just the interior or the whole building? I mean, now you've got me curious."

Lilith absently kicks one of her heels in occasional tick at the ground while standing and listening, and it's kind of like clicking a pen while visibly thinking on what's being said or otherwise. She grins some at August at the commentary as to how bath bombs tend to work all wet and naked related, then she blinks a few times and looks back at Itz. Instead of pressing as to how Itzhak can tell how something funny-tuned is made (she loves to know how things work), it's his explanation on the garage that actually steals her attention, because her mouth kind of gapes for a moment before she blows out air.

Then, gesturing to her curiosity matching Byron's in way of details, she stares at the wiry guy with eyes wide, somewhat confused, fascinated, and agitated on his behalf somewhere behind those other two things, "They? You mean like...?" A pause, "Why? That's weird. Unless it happened... okay, wait. It's all bent like abstract art, even the building?"

August nods at Byron. "Glad to bring along backup. Especially since they're extorting me, so maybe you can help me convince them to write down this MRI bill to something less insane. I'll let you know how they respond to the email." He shrugs at the thought of a Maryland trip. "Might not hurt. If you have a reason to head out there, or to hire them for something..." He lets that go unspecified. Byron is a businessman, he no doubt knows how corporate espionage works better than anyone else in town.

"He's not exaggerating, I saw it," he asides to Lilith. "It's like Picasso came on by to have a go at a building. That said," his attention turns to Itzhak, "when he's decided to stop digging in his heels, tools are easy enough to replace. Tables can be rebuilt. The structure..." He winces, unsure what to do there, apart from him and Lilith simply breaking it apart and reforming it--which would no doubt incur its own nasty penalty. "...that'll require some creative thinking."

"Yep. Just like that." Itzhak stands there, awkward and unhappy, all gangly limbs and nose. "It's not even broken. I could fix it if it was broken. It's..." his hands come up, making a gesture like he's grasping clay. "Changed. Like some fucked-up architecture." Then he shakes his head sharply at August, pointing at him with two long fingers, tough-guy New York style. "Don't even think it. I can see you thinking it. You're NOT gonna try to change it back."

"Where did you go to get your MRI scan? Addington Memorial?" Byron inquires, turning his attention back to August briefly. "Like to know how they operate. If they need someone working for them to do their dirty deeds or whether they can simply pop out of the Veil and do it themselves." He clarifies, "I'm talking about the people who run FCN."

Listening to the conversation and the back and forth between Itzhak and August, Byron's brow quirks sharply, "So the entire building is messed up? You'd think someone'd report about it--" He's about to say, before murmuring, "But as we know, these things aren't easily documented for whatever reason. But I mean, your neighbors aren't blind to the sudden and odd change are they?" Taking a much longer sip from his coffee now that it's cooled down some, he adds, "Either way, if you don't mind, I'd like to see this for myself. Just out of curiosity as I'd mentioned." Then something comes to mind, "How do you know it was Them? Did one Them reach out to you?"

August holds up his hands as Itzhak points at him. "I wouldn't do it without your permission." No need to be strong with the mind Song to know that's a lie. He realizes this, says, "I wouldn't do much, without your permission. But okay. I won't." Tools though, those are getting bought. Gird your loins, you obstinate bastard, help is coming whether you like it or not.

"No, I don't go in that place if I can avoid it," he admits of Addington. Irony, what if that was how FCN had seen his MRIs? "This was an imaging place over in Hoquaim. But, ah," he gives Byron a sidelong look, "it begs the question. How did they know to grab them? Do they know me, or is there actually something different about an MRI of someone like us?" A brief lift of his eyebrows, then he has a bit of coffee. "I plan to ask them that. Not that I expect an answer, but I've got to try."

Itzhak makes a face, as August talks more about his MRI. His fingers twitch like he could really use a cigarette. "The putzes," he mutters. He glances at Byron, and doesn't need to look down. A tall guy, he makes the other two men look perfectly normal with their own excessive height. "Yeah. They spoke to me." He taps one temple. "In a dream. Sure, you can come see it, but..." hesitating, he looks down at his steel-toe boots. "Nobody notices, not people without the Song. A guy from the lumber yard came over to ask why I wasn't workin', what could I say to him? I said I was restructuring. He didn't see it. He didn't see anything."

"So this isn't a temporary thing if it's Them. Though it's strange for them to do, I mean, to ruin your work space rather than try to kill you?" Thorne will add, "Or corrupt you and have you join them the way they tried to get to Geoff. Or one of their servants." This is all said with a dismissive wave of his gloved hand. "I mean, the only thing to do is take it all apart and rebuild right? The hard way." Slowly shaking his head, he adds, "If you need any help with that..." Byron already believes that this will be quite the undertaking.

"Wait, they have reach out in Hoquiam too? Can't say that I visit the place often so I might not notice any weirdness, but does the Veil here extend that far too? Is Hoquaim an extension of Gray Harbor?" He then brings up, "I highly doubt that you're the first person who Shines," That's how Byron sees it, "to get an MRI scan done. Did the tech at the imaging place say what might've happened to it?"

"I don't think Hoquaim has a spot real thin like we do--but, they could have people placed there who catch things." August's mouth twitches in an almost-smile. "I'm sure I'm not the first Artist to get an MRI--but that's my point. Why are they reaching out now, and more importantly, how did they know to?" He shakes his head at the question about the tech. "Nothing aside from 'you'll yet the results in a week, we'll call if there's a problem. Which is tech speak for, 'if we see something real bad'."

He makes a low sound at Itzhak. "Like those big cats in the park--everyone was calling them 'bears'." He sighs. "You could simplify it to, replace the lifts, recut the door and window frames. Leave the rest. Fuck it, not like the owner will notice."

Itzhak hates everything he's hearing about FN-frikkin'-C and that they looked at August's brain. It's clear on his angular, expressive face. He leans a narrow hip against the counter, then, uncomfortably, mutters, "It bothers me. All the angles are just a little off. It ain't really obvious, but I go inside and my skin crawls."

"Interesting. Makes me want to take a drive to Seattle or all the way down to L.A. to get a scan, myself." Byron says between drinks of coffee, "Or maybe the D.C. trip, but the further I am from Gray Harbor, the less I remember. To the point of being almost completely oblivious about everything here, my abilities, the oddities as if I didn't shine." There's a touch of bitterness when he says this, but there's a brief pause when he takes yet another sip from his cup. "Which makes plans like this all the more difficult."

Licking at his lips and tasting the coffee there, Byron comes out and asks, "So it's slight things? I mean, if everything is thrown a little bit off, that's still gonna be quite the project to right ever wrong." At this inquiry, his dark eyes quietly study Itzhak with a quiet intensity. "What did They say in your Dream exactly? What do They want from you?

August grunts, gives Itzhak a sympathetic look. Well, he can relate to being bothered by something enough to need something done about it. Hell, he lived out in the woods, didn't he?

"Portland has a spot like ours," he tells Byron. "I don't forget so much, when I'm down there. It gets a little fuzzy, but not like it did in Olympic."

It's his turn to be uncomfortable about Them rewarding Itzhak with some personal alone time. He shifts, sips from his coffee.

"That's why I think knockin' it down might be the only solution." Itzhak folds his arms across his chest. He hasn't taken his coat off, and he's glad now, when Byron asks him what the Unshaped want from him. It doesn't stop him from a shiver. "They said They see me," he murmurs, and tugs his scarf snugger around his neck. "Something I did, I don't even know what anymore, put Them on my ass." He flicks a glance at Byron, meeting his eyes ever so briefly before looking away, at August. "I'm guessin' They want what they usually want. Food. Nothin' tastes better to Them than people who Sing. Drivin' someone like me crazy? That's what They like best."

"Portland." Byron repeats the name that August offers and simply nods with this mild curiosity seen in his coal black eyes. Finishing off his coffee with a final tip of his cup, he makes sure to mention, "If I knew you'd be here, I would've gotten you some coffee too. Maybe when Lil and I go and check out your place." He expects Lilith to be very interested in seeing the 'damage' done. Hearing the rest of what Itzhak has to say in regards to the Dark Men, Byron looks as if he's about to say something, eyes drifting to look over at Lilith, but perhaps due to her presence here, he refrains.

"I'd like to say that 'Let's hope that this is the last that you hear from Them', but we all know that's not true. We'll drop by, let you know before hand." He says to Itzhak, before turning to August, "And, Roen, let me know when you hear back from FCN and what date they'd scheduled. For now," His free hand lifts so that he can view his fancy shiny watch, "I have some errands to run. But yeah, come spring, I'll take a look at the lot and we'll figure out what to grow there. I'm trying to think of it as a calming hobby." There's a bit of a grin that follows when he says that. An arm then drapes around Lilith as he leans forward to pick up his briefcase, tucking the empty coffee cup inside one of its pockets. "Stay safe and everything." With those much kinder words than Alexander's 'Don't Die', the hand around Lilith's waist lifts briefly for a wave, before he leads her out and back to his car where she can take her cat nap.

August frowns and makes a face, withholding some comment or other about what They're welcome to take a good long look at. "Like I said--I'll help however I can. Soon as the weather clears, you can start making plans."

He nods at Byron, raises a hand in farewell. "Will do. Gardening's hard work, which in my opinion can be very calming. And I'm happy to teach you whatever you need to know." He turns to Itzhak, nods at the office. "Come on. I've got more coffee in there, some of that pear cider."