A Virtual Symphony of Bad News

Participants:

zain_icon.gif

Scene Title A Virtual Symphony of Bad News
Synopsis The misplacement of some goods causes a bit of havoc over the phone.
Date February 20, 2018

Ruins of Staten Island


The current warehouse is, at present, not quite up to the standard of a Wesson Auction House. Dirty windows that line the top of the wall only let in streams of light where there’s a break. And with each break comes a problem of a different variety, pigeons are a constant nuisance no matter where you are on Staten. Really, for the fashion conscious man, it just makes one reconsider today’s choice of coat. Perhaps virgin wool wasn’t a wise choice considering what they’re doing. Considering what they do, virgin wool might not be a wise choice any day.

Que sera~

Zain’s lazy gaze passes over the space with an appraiser’s eyes, his eye, looking for flaws in the brick of the wall and the concrete foundation. There are a few, but, as noted before, this is Staten Island. A man would be hard pressed to find a building that isn’t somewhat damaged. A single, gloved, index finger passes over a metal surface and he brings it up, first smelling it and then rubbing it with his thumb. The distinct expression of disdain on his face is usually there, unless he’s dishing out polite smiles.

“This’ll do,” ..nicely would be added if it was nice, but it’s not. His companion, assistant or lackey perhaps, is busy scribbling down some notes as Zain speaks. “Place the mark on this building for the month and keep the word to a select few, deliveries only when requested.” Zain’s own notebook is pulled from an inner pocket of his single breasted coat along with a small stub of a pencil as he makes a few ticks and marks in it.

“We’ll set up the office over there in the corner, I want partitions. Make sure my back is to brick, I have a clean line of sight to the door, but give me a bit of protection.. A plant or something. I’m partial to ficus, make sure the leaves are silk.” Watering isn’t a pass time he especially wants to waste his time on.

Moving along.

He takes a few quick steps toward the back wall and spreads his arms tall and wide, his motion spanning the metaphorical size of the space. “I want a black curtain along the back wall, make sure it’s velvet not velour like last time…” He waves his hand toward another area, beyond where the ‘office’ is to be placed. As the lackey raises a finger, Zain cuts him off with a swift flick of a gloved hand. “I swear to everything holy if you even suggest lamay, I will cut your lips off and use them as bait for the vermin traps.”

Speaking of…

A lone rat pitter patters along the edge where the western wall and the floor meet. Its languid pace is filled with pauses every few steps to sate rodent curiosity. A sniff into the air here, a nibble at a piece of refuse there, a poke of the nose to a glittery object over there. All the while its journey is documented by not only the prospective tenant of the building, but the man with him as well.

“I’m sure you’ll be taking care of that,” his words are passed along with a polite display of perfect white teeth, upward lift of the chin, and a slight tilt of his head. The action itself places the question mark on the end of his statement much better than a higher pitched lilt would. There’s also the added effect of it being a suggestion instead of a simple request.

“Stage, chair, chair, chair…” Zain drones on, painting his vision of the interior with too few words and grand gestures. He stops short as a drop lands splat near his shoe. “And you’ll get rid of these pigeons.”

Turning, he makes his way toward the door just as a cellphone in his pocket makes itself known with a symphonic jingle. He allows the classical tune to play for a little longer than he really should as he stares at the incoming number. Usually, he doesn’t receive calls in the middle of the day, he must have done something extremely special to earn this one.

“Ahhh~” he breathes into the small device with a pearly smile pasted to his features. “I’ve been waiting for you in particular, how are things today?”

The smile fades as quickly as a sunset over the ocean off Martinique, leaving cold black eyes, a stony expression, and a stoic lift of the chin. One side of his lips twitch, the way that happens when you receive news that you don’t really want to hear but are trying to maintain a presence of dignified grace.

“I see.”

A deep, cleansing, breath of air is taken in as Zain’s eyelids slide shut and he pauses for just a moment. Bringing his gloved hand to his face, he pinches the bridge of his nose as the small phone chirps in his ear. He runs a small circle inside his cheek with his tongue and then over his teeth as he considers his next words very carefully.

Once again.

“I see.”

His companion can almost see the internal workings ticking away behind Zain’s eyes as he changes gears. His lower jaw flares slightly as he clenches his teeth together. “You do realize the magnitude of the loss, yes?” His words are as polite and as strained as the tone itself. “We will need to make it up somehow. If you can’t find them in time, our profit margin just gets that much slimmer. With a smaller profit margin, who do you think will take the cut?” His hand goes to his chest as he continues, “Certainly not me, I’m doing my job. It’s not like I’ve lost anything.” Except perhaps his temper.

Which is he currently managing to control for the benefit of the other man in the room with him. Giving him a lifted finger (one moment) and a wisp of a smile, Zain turns his back and stares at up at the line of pigeons gathering on a copper pipe above. “How are your chances of securing a few doses of Amphodynamine? And by a few, I do mean three, precisely.”

The chirping on the other end of the phone getting a little louder, causing Zain to hold the phone away from his ear and tilt his head to the side. When it dies down, he brings it back. “Alright, alright, my man,” the smooth delivery of the words is punctuated for the benefit of the other man with a calming action involving a splayed hand. “Adynotyline will do nicely.”


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