Sloane Stalker Arc Continues

Summer 2021, Week 4, Wednesday morning

Sloane Whittier's Home, Lakeview

Storyteller

With Luna having gone home the day before and Mayor Sims giving her the rest of the week off, Sloane was bored. Yes, yes, she should be resting, but have you met her? Her concussion had finally faded and that left her with the most energy she'd had since Saturday. Now the question was... what to do with it? So there she was on her computer, catching up with emails, organizing some files, "adulting".  

Sloane Whittier

'Why do I still get emails from Claire's? I haven't been there since I was a teenager. Unsubscribe already, good lord. Archive, archive, delete, archive, oooo sale... mark unread. Going to have to come back to that one later. Why do I get so many damn emails? I am NOT that special.' Frustrated, she closed the tab for her gmail account and pulled out her phone as she leaned back in her chair. 'May as well check my work email while I'm at it too... won't hurt anyone.' Starting with the oldest, she deleted a few vendor marketing attempts and then saw the one from Charlotte without a subject.  

Storyteller

"Sloane,   If I see you reply to one email or receive a single read receipt from your account, I will let the Mayor know you are not following her orders and then come find you and uninstall your email from your phone myself.   Get some rest.   Charlotte"  

Sloane Whittier

'Okaaayyy. Do not reply. Close the app. What the hell am I supposed to do now? I'm already caught up on budgeting, personal email, filing...' She pulled open her calendar again and flipped through the days seeing nothing coming up. Hitting a button at the top, it flew back to center on today. Wednesday. 'Wednesday? Why do I feel like I was supposed to do something today. Wednesday, Wednesday, Wed-nes-day... OH! Hell yes, something to do indeed.' She opened up google maps as she slipped on some shoes and googled directions to The Lord's Feasting Hall. 'Alright, not too bad. Lez go.'  

The Lord's Feasting Hall, Port Victoria

Sloane Whittier

Sloane's GPS was thoroughly pissed off with her by the time she pulled up in front of the restaurant. Her mom had always told her "it's not a car, it's an adventure" and to take any chance to explore a new city she could get. Getting lost is the best way to learn! So she took unexpected turns here and there as she saw something cool that caught her eye, but she just earmarked those in her mind as things to come back and check out later.   Grabbing her purse, she threw her keys in and got out of the car. There was a hostess stand with a few people in front of her. She played a round of Candy Crush on her phone to kill the time. Seeing the feet move in front of her, she looked up and saw that it was her turn. She slid her phone in her pocket and smiled. "Hi there. I was hoping you might know if James is working today? Or I don't know if it's a job or just volunteer or what, but he likes to come and play the organs for y'all?"  

Storyteller

As she approaches the console the current song comes to an end and after a very brief pause the music continues with a rendition of Moonlight Sonata's 1st movement: Adagio sostenuto.  

James Smith

"Don't let their gazes get to you, Miss Whittier" a voice called out from the other side of the console as Sloane got closer. "They don't pay enough to openly judge you and they don't do anything important enough to care about their judgements in the first place."  

Sloane Whittier

"I don't really care what they think. More so that I don't really want to stick out. If you can fit in with your environment, people tend to not pay you any mind. Thanks for putting me on the list and I'm truly sorry it took me so long to reach out. It's been hectic, to say the least. Is the food good here? I've never been. It's an interesting place." She looked around at the architecture of the old church as the music bounced around the walls.  

James Smith

"To be perfectly fair, it was by my request that a visitors list be implemented in the first place, so if anyone sticks out as a result of your presence, it's me. And I had a feeling you weren't the kind of person to stop looking once you started, so I figured you'd eventually look for me here. The food is better than most places, even including those where you'll pay three times as much or more. Though they only recently got so popular, probably why they insist they pay me as much as they do these days."   At first he didn't seem to look away from the organ as he continued to move through the arrangement, but with closer inspection his eyes can be seen to actually be closed. His breathing was also limited, only breathing as much as was absolutely needed to maintain composure as well as speak. Meanwhile he focused his hearing, specifically on the music and on his conversation with Sloane.   "So I take it you spoke with Uncle? How's he faring these days? It's been quite some time since I've been home."

[Enhanced: x1 Normal, -3 EP (19/25)]

 

Sloane Whittier

"I admit, I can be dogged now and then." She gave a self deprecating laugh. "Yeah, I've run into Uncle a few times now... He was the one that told me I could find you here sometimes so I thought I'd give it a shot. Last time I saw him, he was rather upset over a weapon of some sort. I don't know his usual disposition well enough to say how's he's doing otherwise."   Taking in what she interpreted as his concentration in order to multi-task, she continued. "Should I go back to the host and ask for a table so that we can continue when you get a break?"  

James Smith

"If you wish, though I truly don't mind either way. I've played some of these songs enough times to play them in my sleep." he says as the song transitions into the second movement.  

Sloane Whittier

"I wasn't asking for me! If you're comfortable here, then so am I." She takes a seat on the bench. "If we're being honest, I need a bit of a refresher on what this is all about. I knew I needed to talk with you, but the subject just kinda..." Whew, she intonated as she mimicked thoughts leaving her head. "got knocked right out."  

James Smith

"I need help from people like you and me," he says, specifically choosing to avoid using the word evo directly, considering the part of town they were in. "but I asked you to sign a non-disclosure agreement before I could give you any details. It is a measure I take for my own safety, but you were unsure about signing such a document written by a stranger. And rightfully so, we must all be cautious in this day and age. I'm sure you've learned a thing or two about my past by speaking with Uncle, but the real question is if that makes you any more willing to sign.."  

Sloane Whittier

"I gotta say, James... not really. It raised more questions than anything. I can't quite get past the NDA part. What sort of problem needs our kind of people and that much secrecy? Doesn't give a girl a lot of confidence."  

James Smith

"Because I know what this world can be like, I know that if word gets out about what I wish to tell you it can end very badly for me. Though it's hard for me to tell you more without taking that risk. It's similar to revealing oneself as an evo, only taken to an extreme. If you do not wish to take that leap of faith I can understand and respect that, but I have far more to lose by taking a chance on this. If nothing else we can go about our business as if we never met, but something tells me you are too curious for that."  

Sloane Whittier

She stayed quiet for a minute, just listening to the music again as she considered his words. "You're right, I am curious. But I'm also cautious. I'm not looking to get myself into something that could end up putting me in a bad situation. I understand the risk to you, but there's a risk to myself here as well. I don't know you. There is no trust between us. You still have the upper hand here, James. What are the clauses of the NDA? Is it standard or have you altered it?"  

James Smith

As Sloane spoke up again the song shifted into the final movement, almost as if on cue with the slight change in tone the conversation was taking. "Look at the left hand side of the console, I keep a draft of the document with me for this very reason." Tucked away into a somewhat small compartment on the leftmost portion of the organ's console was a folder containing the 4 page document, just as described.   "I used a template of a fairly standard NDA and I've made it mutual so that you can be afforded the same protections I am asking of you, though it's a template that is thorough and across the board with its description of 'Classified Information'. Feel free to mull over the document, there is no rush at the time being and I'd rather you were absolutely sure you were ready before signing. That sense of caution is part of why I am still willing to take a chance on you in the first place, after all."  

Sloane Whittier

She searched for the compartment and pulled out the folder. Flipping through the pages, she scanned the words. "Well look at you, being all prepared. Okay then. I'm gonna take this and read over it, if that's alright. I'll get back to you soon. A day or two maybe? Sound good?"  

James Smith

"Of course, as I said there is no rush so read through it in your own time. A day or two is fine, but if you need longer you need not stress over it."  

Sloane Whittier

"Sure, thanks. So when I'm ready to find you, should I come here again? Or do you want to give me a number I can reach you or something?"  

James Smith

"At the moment I don't have a phone number to give you, but you can find me here most days." he replies as the song comes to its end and a brief silence, minus the sounds of the customers and staff, fills the room.  

Sloane Whittier

"Sure, sure. I can come by here when I'm ready then. I'll be in touch. Thanks for talking with me today, James. You're an interesting guy."  

James Smith

"The pleasure was mine." he says with a nod before returning to his instrument and starting the next song, Prelude and Fugue on the Name of Bach. "I look forward to our next meeting, I have a feeling it will be a productive one."