2021-11-27 - Technically He Was a Cheater

City Hall looks remarkably normal. It's just another workday for most people, and a couple nod at her or wave if they've spoken before. The security guard looks bored out of her mind, and barely even checks Isi's ID before waving her back into the secret recesses of the building.

Or, y'know, the offices. Isi makes her way towards the office she shares with a few other workers. It is notable that her desk is...clean. Unusually clean. All her files packed away. At least her computer is still there, but a couple of her office mates look up as she comes in and blink, visibly surprised. "Oh, uh, hey, Cameron," one of them says. "How's...how's it hanging? Didn't expect to see you in today."

The others exchange looks, and one shakes his head. "Nothing of note, nah. Emil's been in a foul mood. You might wanna avoid him. The reply came in, but they said that it wasn't covered under the policy, so they were gonna bill the city the full amount." He grimaces. "Vultures. Emil took it, and a couple of other things you were working on. Said he was gonna help out. Since you were, uh, out."

Possibly to her surprise, the coworker she addresses offers a brief smile, and a bob of his head. "Yeah. Sorry, newbie always gets hit with the crap when it flies, right?" He looks through his files, hands her a couple. "Here's some contracts you should be able to vet without approaching the dragon in his den. Nothing too exciting - janitorial supplies and mortuary services. But nobody'll mention you're in unless someone specifically asks, right?" He looks at the other two in the room.

There's shrugs and nods; maybe Isi's not the life of the office, but clearly no one minds covering for her in small ways.

Nobody likes the records room. Not least of which because sometimes, just sometimes, the Records Room doesn't always seem like the...right Records Room. Sometimes people come back pale-faced, with nothing they went to get, but sometimes with something they never intended on having. Like a lot of things in Gray Harbor, no one mentions this or thinks about it too hard.

This time, though, the Records Room is a familiar, boring room, with old filing cabinets, microfiche machines, ancient copiers, and yes, an old computer that everyone forgets about until they're down here or need it for some reason. Its CRT monitor flickers, and for some reason, the whole thing smells like cheese. But it does work! Mostly.

Someone's been naughty. As Isi fires up the ancient computer and logs onto the system to look up the old files, she can see that someone has been going in to the system and tweaking the submitted numbers, bringing them more in line with accepted tolerances. They've also used her login to do it.

However, they're not as good at the system as Isi is, maybe because they don't work directly with it anymore the way she does. After some dead ends, Isi is able to access back-up copies of the files, with metadata that proves that these are the original versions - as well as access the metadata for the changed versions. Isi's no computer expert, but she suspects someone might be find out more about who actually did these edits from some of the details. Hopefully, the police pay someone for that sort of thing.

The records filing cabinets are almost floor to ceiling, even though the shelves pointing at the earlier years, just about everything pre-1900, are almost barren, and remain spotty all the way up to the 1950s or so. Apparently, the advent of better records technology has made it (slightly) harder to 'lose' hardcopies, because things fill out nicely from there. Isi finds the shelves, and the paper records don't seem to been tampered with on first glance. She's going down her list, picking out her evidence.

She almost doesn't hear the sounds of footsteps hurrying down to the Records Room, but a scuff of workshoe on concrete alerts her just before the door starts to swing open.

"You should have told me the moment you saw her," Emil says as he opens the door to the storage room.

The hapless security guard is following him in, looking rather confused. "Uh, why? I haven't received a notice of termination or anything."

"Because--because I wanted to talk to Ms. Cameron, that's all." Emil snaps back, and walks into the room. He looks around, goes to the ancient computer, but doesn't log in. He walks over to the copy machine, puts his hand on it, but it hasn't warmed up. "Are you sure she came this way?"

The security guard shrugs. "That's what the guy in the break room said. Look, Mr. Kovacs, if this isn't a security issue, I need to get back to the door." A pause. "Is it a security issue?"

Emil's teeth grind, but he's forced to admit, "No, it's fine. Sorry to have bothered you. Just if you see her, tell her I was looking for her." The security guard mumbles something that might be a sure, whatever, and departs. Emil himself hesitates, looking around the room, peering back into the stacks.

"Ms. Cameron? Are you here?" he calls, trying to sound Concerned and Friendly.

Emil actually pauses, waiting for a response. When he doesn't get one, it doesn't immediately assuage his concerns; he stands there for a moment, then heads for the stacks, walking in at the most recent files, looking for signs of disturbance.

Isi makes her move as she hears the rattle-hiss of drawers being pulled over, and hears him mutter, "How many fucking Addington ornaments do we even have down here?" Because even when you're trying to find someone who is about to ruin your whole career, there's time to marvel at the weird shit that gets stuffed into city basements. Isi moves - she reaches the door, pulls it open. It squeaks, and she hears a startled sound from in the stacks, but she's through, and isn't that the important thing?

Well, she knows he's not in there! And, indeed, his office is empty and open. It's a neat and tidy little office. There are genuine-sounding Inspiration posters on the wall for Teamwork and Persistence.

Really, that should have been the first sign that this was a villain.

Unfortunately for Isi, Emil is a good little data monkey with a guilty conscience, and did not leave his computer logged in so that some enterprising young person could use his account.

Her credentials seem to work fine. Guess there really isn't any security alert out on Isi, as of this moment. Her desktop image appears. There's a murmur of voices outside as two of her coworkers pass on by, into the break room.

It hasn't been welded closed...but it doesn't really matter. There's so much built up paint on the seal of the window that the only way Isi is getting this open is with a chisel. And some paint thinner. On the bright side, it predates the 'all mesh interpanel' window craze, so the glass itself MIGHT break if the proper pressure was applied.

On the not-so-bright side, the door rattles. Emil's voice can be heard, "What the...did someone close my door?" He's probably fumbling in his pants for his keys right now.

Head's turn as Emil staggers back, his eyes bulging wide. The office is suddenly the focus of intense interest from every single employee on the hall. Emil sputters, "But I--you--we aren't--" He realizes people are looking and flaps his hands frantically. "I've never cheated on you! Not that we're--that would be entirely--"

It's not that Emil doesn't try to stop her; he does. His eyes bulge out more, and he frantically tries to shush her and then to try and herd her back into the office -- and at this point? It's even odds whether it's over the whole embezzling and attempted murder thing or more just shocked embarrassment that she is ruining his hallway reputation. "Ms. Cameron! This entirely unprofessional, and I assure everyone here that I have never augh!"

The augh is when she shoves him, and he staggers back, arms pinwheeling in a frantic attempt to keep his balance. It gives her just enough room to get by.

And off she goes. No one gets in her way, although there's a fair amount of gawking, and at least one, "You tell him, girl! You don't have to take that from any man." Poor Emil gets several angry glares thrown at him. He doesn't chase her; once he realizes that she's out of arm's reach, and there are about a dozen witnesses who think he's a two-timing cad, he turns beet red and runs into his office, slamming the door shut.

He's calling a lawyer. Because, let's face it, he's going to need one.

Isi, on the other hand, gets the fuck out of there. The security guard looks up as she runs past, and offers a quick, "Hey, did you know Kovacs was looking for you?" Her duty done, she goes back to checking IDs.