Solo One Thing Leads to Another

Jad's thinks his job has suddenly become more important. (Winter job thread #1)

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Center of scholarly knowledge and shipwrighting, Zeltiva is a port city unlike any other in Mizahar. [Lore]

One Thing Leads to Another

Postby Jadlin Hayes on January 26th, 2015, 3:56 am

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9th day of Winter, 514

"And to think I thought last season had been grimly eventful..." Jad said quietly to himself as he watched townspeople, on the verge of panic, rushing about, shouting for aid, information, or accusations.

It was not as if Fall had been dull or anything. A new race of snake people, the Iyvess, had emerged from the depths to announce their existence, and he'd been selected as a representative of the city to make diplomatic strides with them.

Not everyone had extended a warm welcome even then. But Jad wondered how much worse things would be for them this season. He'd already heard some folks spout nonsense about the rise of these strange obelisks in the bay being triggered by their arrival. The representatives he'd met with had been exotic and intimidating, yes, but hardly diabolical.

He'd also learned that his bondmate, Black, was not only pregnant, but had been heinously assaulted by thugs from East Street. Thus far he'd been prevented from taking any reciprocal action against them, due to her watchful concerns for his welfare should he try. She was constantly checking on him, certain he was going to get himself killed seeking justice, or vengeance, whichever you chose to call it. There were times he felt they were one and the same. The effect they'd had on her in this way was one of the very reasons he burned to punish them.

On the plus side, he'd made some strides developing his Shielding ability. Nothing to earn an award or anything, but he'd improved his activation speed, while learning to divert his focus from automatically tasking it to repel water. The two had gone hand in hand for a long time, due to the way he'd been taught. Old habits died hard, but he was slowly managing to kill this one, thanks to aid from his half brother, Ricky.

He also had reason to believe he'd helped break up a smuggling ring. He wondered absently if that system had been used to smuggle food, and if it had been smuggled in or out. Both seemed possible. Food was always pretty scarce in Zeltiva. He could see this as being either caused by smuggling food out, or a cause for smuggling it in.

He shrugged, thinking it was unlikely he'd ever really find out if the suspect had been found guilty. He hadn't been called to testify at any rate. There was little reason for it though. He'd had no pertinent knowledge, prior to the pair of Wave Guard soldiers arriving to direct a search of the warehouse's client's storage zones. And their testimony would be more readily accepted than his. He'd been arrested practically the day he'd arrived, and he figured a legal stigma may yet hang over his head.

But his boss, the leather worker, Mr. Tronus Pelthes, had been cleared of the smuggling. And he himself had been cleared of being the Mage Silencer. Perhaps he had not been called because the council figured he deserved a break. He shrugged again, but his air of disinterest waned as he noted the tone of unrest change slightly down the street.

He saw what the cause of this change was, and his mood took a cautious downturn. it appeared he was about to receive that follow-up visit from the Wave Guard after all. His eyes narrowed instinctively as he saw the two soldiers, once again, divert their path to approach the steps to the broad double doors of the warehouse, locked though they were.

Jad peered through the window. They were not the same two men, but they wore the same garb; blue coloring with the emblems of waves on livery and shield, swords strapped down unthreateningly in rest mode. The one with two waves on his uniform caught Jad's eyes and made a motion for him to open the doors.

Jad slid the bar aside, resting it on one end inside the entry as he stepped out on the porch to confront them. "A good evening to you sirs. Do you have verifiable business with this company, or has martial law been declared? If you are seeking entry, it will need to be one or the other."

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One Thing Leads to Another

Postby Jadlin Hayes on February 1st, 2015, 4:54 am

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The soldier's expressions were changeless as one rifled through his cloak to produce a warrant allowing a search. The specific company's holding was named, which Jad took to mean that this was the only designation they were authorized to search.

He examined it briefly, and stepped aside with a shrug. "Very well, gentlemen. It is beyond that set of internal double doors, and to the left down the third row, all three tiers. If you need anything more, let me know." He had no idea why the Wave Guard would need such official access to cooking and storage supplies, but it was not his concern. The paperwork was all in order.

"A hand cart would be considerate, if you could...Two, if you've got them." the subordinate replied as the two made their way into the back of the building.

Jad went around and retrieved a heavy duty dolly, with a padded iron frame. He walked it back to find the two men counting barrels of salt, and shaking their heads. "This won't be near enough to get even more than one vessel free, if that." the subordinate said.

"We're not here to judge the merits of our orders, Charles. Besides this ain't the only warehouse in town. I'm sure they've got more crews lookin' fer other barrels stashed here and there. We only gotta worry 'bout these'ns." The officer responded with a grunt of effort as he hoisted it up to catch the side of the dolly's platform. Jad helped him roll it onto a central position.

They packed out six barrels and the officer handed Jad a work order for the removal of the items. He watched Jad carefully as the youngster looked the document over. The guardsman's eyes narrowed as Jad suddenly started. "Wait a tick. This says you're taking sixteen barrels. And this date is from last year!"

"No...In fact, it says we'll be returning the sixteen barrels..." He stepped in close to Jad, letting the emblem of his rank become prominent. He winked as he continued, but it was a strangely aggressive wink. "But you don't need to quibble over details like that son. The city will be appreciative of you overlookin' it. And equally un-appreciative of you mentionin' it again. Now, I don't want to be hard nosed about it, so just go put that away somewhere in yer boss' office, somewhere that the date will fit in with the stuff around it."

Jad opened his mouth to protest the position it was putting him in, but the subordinate interrupted him. "Don't worry about it, kid. He knows...Your boss, that is...But he's not going to mention it either."

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One Thing Leads to Another

Postby Jadlin Hayes on February 11th, 2015, 6:32 am

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The soldiers returned the next day with the sixteen barrels they had said, give or take. Jad had not wanted to assume the discrepancy would really be imposed, so he had not yet cleared out additional space in the holder's designated area.

He started to clear out several pallets of boxes and crates now though, surprised to see the guardsmen set to with their assistance without being asked. It was very helpful at first, but started to become a little obsessive as they sought to really tuck the barrels in to an unnecessary depth within the stock of other stored goods. They were pulling out far more stock than they needed to just to make the added barrels fit.

Jad didn't protest though. He knew there was some reason this was being done, or there wouldn't be a discrepancy in the number of barrels to begin with. So he adjusted the stacks as well as he could to make the most use of the space. Now the stacks nearly touched the underside of the shelves above them.

He noticed that the soldiers were making an effort to allow the overall array to show only the same six barrels as had originally been visible. Those same six barrels still had salt residue crusted and scraped around the tops. Then it occurred to Jad that he'd seen the same discoloration on the other barrels as well. It also occurred to him that the barrels were heavy, as if full.

The day before, these guardsmen had said something about using the salt to melt ice around vessels in the harbor. Now Jad wondered how the barrels could still be full, and what with? He hadn't been surprised that it would take more than a mere six barrels to be of any significant aid in getting any more than a single ship free of the ice. But now that he looked closely, it looked like all the barrels were again full of salt. And sealed with wax!

Now the dreadful news of the tainted and missing food stores began to take on a new significance. Jad made a special effort to show no particular interest or curiosity. He was suddenly no longer sure that these men were legitimate Wave Guardsmen. It fit that salt would be used to help store stolen food stuffs. And if the salt had been used, then what were the barrels now full of?

But then again, maybe this was a desperate tactic to safeguard some of the city's remaining food. Rationing was already a common enough element in everyday life, and he could see the necessity of a last holdout. But why here? The magnitude of secrecy and importance suddenly stole his breath away.

"You okay, kid?" One of the soldiers asked, "You stay out too late last night? You look a bit pale."

Jad didn't want to give away his thoughts right then. He grabbed at the first thing that came to mind. "Huh?...oh, yeah...I mean, yeah I'm okay. I just...found out last night...that, uh...my girlfriend is pregnant."

They stared for a moment, then immediately broke into alternating laughter and sympathy. "Shyke yes! That'd make me weak in the knees as well. You better get all the sleep you can right now, kid, 'cause there won't be any after the baby comes." The one guard warned, with a wink and a nudge in his partner's ribs.

The two men swapped anecdotes about various friends' horrified reactions for several chimes. But finally they gave him a chummy punch, told him he'd be fine and headed out with a last reminder, "Don't forget, those other barrels have been here for year. You've got the documentation to prove it."

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One Thing Leads to Another

Postby Jadlin Hayes on February 12th, 2015, 5:59 am

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Jad's speculation only grew more furious as he was left alone. 'What is the right course of action? I can't just sit here listening to the reports of starvation if there's food here? They said Mr. Pelthes knows about this. But what if he really doesn't? Just like that smuggling thing last season? Enough people assumed he was guilty to start an investigation. The way things are now, he wouldn't even get an investigation. Is he being set up? Were those real Wave Guards...or thieves?'

Fear of a follow up charge coming on the heels of the 'Mage Silencer' thing when he'd first arrived ate at his gut. The current mood of the city was growing worse by the day. If he was going to report this, he needed to do it now. 'But what if they were real guardsmen? Would it be treason to undermine this effort?' Again, the fear of follow-up charges, both against himself and his boss, drove his thoughts in circles.

It also mattered that he not leave his assigned duty. He couldn't sit still though. As much as he wanted to stay and do his boring job, he kept finding himself on his feet, heading toward the door. 'I need to ask Mr. Pelthes what to do. Gods! This is making me crazy!' he screamed inwardly, throwing his arms out in frustration.

The solution to his dilemma presented itself, in the form of his boss' daughter, Rachel. Being a family member, she had a few boxes of items stored at the warehouse free of charge. She came by occasionally to add or remove things from her storage. It seemed like the answer to his prayers when she showed up.

His anxiety unnerved her at first, as he pulled her aside with furtive looks outside. But her hesitance became intrigue as he explained the odd contraband the two soldiers had brought in. The mis-dated documentation only added to the mystery. He showed her where the barrels were hidden, as best he could, without removing any of the covering items concealing them.

She agreed that her father needed to be consulted, and promised Jad to do so straight away. She said he was in a council with other members of the communal warehouse group, but she would get his advice as soon as he was free.

Jad's relief was palpable. He helped Rachel retrieve the few things she had come for and thanked her repeatedly for her decisive approach to the problem. When she left, he was so spent by his previous worry that he flopped into his chair, taking no notice of the fact that she did not go the way she normally would to meet her father after one of his council meetings.

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One Thing Leads to Another

Postby Jadlin Hayes on February 16th, 2015, 8:37 pm

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The evening passed slowly, a by-product of being relaxed and uneventful. Jad wondered if Mr. Pelthes was going to come to the warehouse as soon as he spoke to Rachel, which would be after his council meeting, or if he would wait until the next day. He had no real idea how long such a meeting might last, or how soon his daughter would be allowed in to consult with him, but expected it would be late.

A knock came on the big double door and Jad came up and slid back a small panel to speak to two well-dressed business types on the porch. For the two Wave Guardsmen, and in broad daylight, he would step out as a courtesy, but not two strangers at night. "We are closed, good sirs. But how may I help you?" he asked with due courtesy, and no more.

One of the two stepped forward. "I realize this is quite unorthodox, young man, but I am Mr. Fentrell, the secretary of the warehouse bloc committee. Mr. Pelthes asked me to come by on his behalf and inspect the...uhh...odd items stored here. I'm afraid, as luck would have it, the meeting required a change of venue to appease the Holders' Guild, and he will be unavailable to handle this personally."

Jad had never heard his boss mention either a "Mr. Fentrell", or a "Holders' Guild". He eyed the man up and down for a moment. "Why does a committee of only six men need a secretary?" He asked as he now put his weight directly on the cross bar. "And if the meeting is still going on, with only a change of venue, why are you here, and not there?"

The man didn't miss a beat, "I understand your curiosity. The Holder's Guild insisted on their own secretary, so I was dispatched to see to this matter, given its direct impact on the committee, as well as the good people of Zeltiva." he was the picture of patience, his smile radiating trust. But Jad noted the odd choice of transport for a business official. This was no carriage, it was a cart. And it was empty except for the tarp.

Jad knew from even his own short experience that when you unloaded goods, you took the tarp as well. You only brought a tarp if you were picking up. And even then, you might not bother to bring one if the weather was good. Regardless of the cold temperature, the weather was quite good. If something needed to be shielded from the cold, a tarp might be used, along with heat pots. But if they wanted to transport food, cold would only be a benefit. Unless they did not want it known. This suddenly had all the earmarks of an intent to remove something secretly from the premises.

All this ran through Jad's mind as he and "Mr. Fentrell" eyes each other. The smile slowly faded from the other man's face. "Son, if you're going to refuse us entry, just say so and be done with it. I will report back to Mr. Pelthes that you were not satisfied with our credentials."

Though the man had yet to offer any documented credentials, the remark was the one approach that would work. Jad's suspicions softened, and he lifted the bar, though the latch was still needing to be unlocked. But something about the bar flashed a memory across his mind as he leaned it against the wall. How Rachel had leaned on it as she stepped around it the first time he met her.

"Why didn't Mr. Pelthes just send Rachel back with instructions?" he asked.

"We are his instructions. She wouldn't be able to move anything by herself, anyway." the man responded, his patience beginning to crack.

"So you are planning to move them now? You only said you were here to inspect them." Jad got hold of the cross bar again, ready to replace it in its brackets. "And he could have sent Rachel anyway. I could have helped her. Or all three of us could. And you still have not showed me these 'credentials' you spoke of."

The shared look became a glare as the two men faced each other through the security slot. A malicious smile finally fashioned itself to the man's expression and he turned and nodded to his partner. The other man, who still had not spoken a word, turned and stepped to the side of the cart. He lifted just a bit of the tarp, enough to reveal Rachel's head.

"How is that for credentials, son?" the man sneered. "Now open this petching door, drop any weapons you're holding and step back or we'll be stuffing the two of you in barrels tonight."

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One Thing Leads to Another

Postby Jadlin Hayes on February 18th, 2015, 7:02 am

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Jad glared furiously, but grimaced and nodded through the security slot. The man's sneer suddenly slid back into a beneficial smile. "There now, isn't that much easier? This didn't need to come to this confrontation. And don't worry, she isn't dead or anything, ju-ust taking a little nap."

"I need to get the key to the actual lock, regardless of the crossbar." Jad stalled. There was one last tactic he was ready to employ.

'Mr. Fentrell' eyed him suspiciously. "Don't try anything, son. Her little nap could become something far more serious if you do."

"No, no. I'll be back in just a chime. Seriously." he said, backing away from the door and turning to hurry into the back. He was assuming that Rachel had told the thugs which holding area the barrels were stored in.

Mr. Pelthes had a system of interchangeable plaques, which could be switched easily when holding areas were shuffled within the building for whatever reason. He grabbed the one with the number designating the owner of the cooking and storage supplies. He carried back to a different section, one with building supplies. There were barrels of nails set back amongst the planks, bricks and mortar compounds.

Jad quickly pulled down the original number designation and replaced it with the one that had the number that matched the cooking supply plaque. Then he came back to the door, remembering to carry the key in his hand. It would not do if he came back with it still on the chain around his neck.

He let the two men in, the one leading Rachel in, who was now coming around from whatever sort of blow had laid her out before. She slumped in Jad's chair, as Jad made to lead the men back to the falsely designated barrels.

The two imposters, however, did not appear to even note Jad's urging in that direction; going instead right to the area where the new barrels were stashed. Jad tried to convince them of their error, but 'Mr. Fentrell' simply looked at the plaque with a sneer and congratulated Jad on a worthy but pointless effort.

Jad was stunned for a moment. 'How did they know?' he puzzled silently. He didn't expect the two to settle for nails, but he thought he'd have a few chimes to think of another deception. There were some cursory security bars, which locked in place, preventing large items from being removed.

The man unlocked the bar and tossed the key back with a smile to Jad, who was still standing in confusion. The men rolled one of the barrels out and pried the lid off. Their expressions registered shock, and then impatience as they sighed heavily and turned annoyed eyes toward Jad, whose own expression was registering defeat.

"Very nice, lad, but not what we're looking for." the leader said, holding up an elaborate dress. He pulled it completely out and rifled through the barrel, finding nothing that could be called food. He took a step toward Jad, who was even more confused than before. "I'm in no mood for games, boy. Where is the food?"

It suddenly dawned on Jad that he had only ever assumed there was food in the barrels. The men yanked out several other costly but inedible items on the floor, before tipping it over angrily on the floor. "WHERE IS IT?" he hollered, breaking Jad from his stupor.

On an impulse, Jad turned and ran, shouting to Rachel to run. He saw her as he turned the corner, still slumped in the chair. She looked up with an odd blend of indecision, hopelessness and guilt, but didn't move. Jad slowed to try to pull her to her feet, but that gave the pursuing thug time to grab him.

In the tussle, Jad threw the key into the darkness and upended some poles, which fell into the front door, causing them to slowly open onto the street beyond. "Don't you see?" Jad shouted back, "There isn't any food stashed back there. I was wrong! I thought there was, but I never actually looked to make sure! You're just wasting your time!"

A fist slammed into his jaw, silencing his protests and knocking him on his back. "Forget it, we'll use her key." the leader said, as the underling kicked Jad several times. "That food's got to be around here somewhere."

He stripped an identical key from Rachel's neck, as Jad curled himself against the assault. Neither he nor the thugs considered how their voices carried into the street, where a few desperate citizens thought they'd heard someone in the warehouse say something about food...

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