|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 20:57:48 GMT -5
Alex gritted her teeth and exhaled sharply, Allison's attempt to calm her working. "So we go Nancy Drew on this Tiberiu, then what?" she asked, giving Allison a defeated shrug. "Unless he's from Hogwarts like our hobo friend and just disappeared right before an explosion," she continued, adding emphasis on the last few words, "then I don't know what we'll find. But this is all weird enough that I don't care. I want some goddamn answers."
October 1st, 2015. 12:37 PM.
|
|
|
Post by Allison Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:01:11 GMT -5
"Fine. Not Tiberius. Maybe someone who knows him.... someone... other than that guy who knows him. Someone that could maybe be more forthcoming." Allison pressed the point, not ready to drop this, especially after what they'd just found. "That guy was pretty interested in the wallet, and he already had Tiberius' name, so there must be something important in there, right?"
|
|
|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:05:29 GMT -5
Nodding, Alex seemed fully calm at last. "Let's get back to my place. Call Dan and tell him you're having a sleepover," she decided. "If we're going to check this out, we're going to do it right. No distractions. Bring some stuff over and we'll order delivery for dinner." She had it all planned out. "Dig up what we can on Tiberiu, see what sort of crazy stuff he has in his wallet, and google the migraine stone."
October 1st, 2015. 12:37 PM.
|
|
|
Post by Allison Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:09:08 GMT -5
"Your place? Uhm... sure. Yeah I'm sure dad'll be fine with that." There was a tiny hint of sarcasm to the statement, "You're right though, I won't be able to think back home. Not with everyone there. I'll grab my laptop and stuff and I'll swing by as soon as I can get away, alright?" She paused, then turned to face Alex. "...Don't do anything stupid without me."
|
|
|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:13:32 GMT -5
Alex cracked a grin at that. "And leave you out of all the fun?" she joked, slugging her sister on the shoulder. But not too hard. She wasn't that type of sister. "I'm going to swing by a few places and get us some gear. What time is it?" she asked, already checking her phone for the time. "All right, yeah. I'll take an hour getting some stuff, then try to tidy up so you're not sitting on old pizza boxes. See you later?"
Thursday, October 1st, 2015. 12:37 PM.
|
|
|
Post by Allison Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:17:10 GMT -5
"Yeah. Yeah I'll be at least that long with the family and convincing them I'm fine. Do your thing and I'll meet you there later." Allison grinned, giving her sister a quick hug. "...Be careful. That guy could still be around and he's... beyond sketchy."
|
|
|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:27:17 GMT -5
She returned the hug, always glad to have those little moments again. "Grand Sketchmaster Dirtbag von Homelessfilth, King of the Hobos," she decreed, clearly amused by herself. "See you in a few hours."
Thursday, October 1st, 2015. 12:37 PM.
|
|
|
Post by Allison Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:29:39 GMT -5
With their goodbyes done, Allison began the walk home. The entire trip had her replaying everything in her head. She even pulled the rock out at one point to look it over again, but the headache turned her away from studying it too closely. "Stupid thing doesn't even shine right."
|
|
|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 6, 2015 21:59:04 GMT -5
Two hours had gone by and Alex had been busy, stocking up on snacks and office supplies for what she figured would be a big project. Having never gone to college, this was her final if there ever would be one. "Wait, shit, where'd I leave those . . . ?" she muttered to herself, rummaging through a stack of notebooks.
In total she had purchased two corkboards, large and impressive ones, four notebooks, two subject and different colors, markers and sharpies, mechanical pencils, boughtnuts, two cases of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, a case of multipurpose printer paper, fresh ink for her small-in-one printer and scanner, and a new USB cable to charge her phone with (after the old one busted, as all cheap chargers do).
To her credit she also cleaned up her home. Despite having lived on the streets for five years, Alex had managed to come back with some money to afford a house for herself. Rather than some filthy apartment, she owned a filthy home in Hillyard, the poorest area of Spokane, but tied for second poorest. Crime wasn't that high, but drugs were dealt on the streets far more there than they were after Brown's Addition was improved.
Her home was a single story building with a chain-link fenced yard. The living room was spacious and the whole house sported the same ugly brown shag carpeting. It wasn't entirely brown, either. There were some strands of orange scattered in the midst, and flecks of gold that gave the floor a weird shine when in the right lighting. In the living room was an entertainment center for her T.V., a 42" screen. Underneath it was a Playstation 4 and an Xbox One, and loaded on each side were various games and DVDs that she liked. Bloodborne sat on top of the PS4, meaning she had recently played it, as was the same for the last time Allison had come over.
She also had a couch that doubled as a bed, and a coffee table between it and the entertainment center, which could be moved to make room for the couch if needed. The kitchen had the usual appliances. Dishwasher, fridge, stove and oven, microwave, toaster, and coffee maker. The dishwasher was still running by the time Allison arrived, so Alex likely had just started it.
Her bedroom was fairly plain. A queen sized bed with blankets bought from the store, and with walls covered in posters of bands and T.V. shows that she liked. It really looked like a rebellious teenager's room, which she was at heart. Since coming back, she didn't have many things that belonged to her, having hocked most of it when she left. Instead everything in her home was bought with money she shouldn't technically have. She hadn't cracked into her college fund for anything more than purchasing the house. Everything else came from what she had saved while she was out on her own, or by doing things Daniel suspected her of doing, but she would never admit to.
Thursday, October 1st, 2015. 2:49 PM.
|
|
|
Post by Allison Cooper on Oct 7, 2015 8:40:19 GMT -5
It took Allison nearly ten minutes just to get from the front door of the house to her bedroom. The family swarmed over her immediately to check on how she was, and was Alex doing well because she was always welcome to stay with them and why are you so moody stay and socialize with us.
Finally making it to the safety of her room, she was welcomed by the various band posters and prints of some of her favorite art. Making her way to the closet, she started digging for her backpack. She'd held onto it after college, but hardly ever had use for it until now.
Once she located it she tossed it onto the mess of blankets, sheets and pillows that was her queen sized bed. From there it was a matter of filling it with everything she'd need. A change of clothes, toiletries, her laptop and after a moment's consideration she slid her art tablet in alongside it.
Sliding the backpack on, she made her way to the door without grabbing too much attention. As she pulled it open she called to anyone who was listening, "AlrightI'mstayingthenightatAlex'sloveyoubye!" And then darting out before protest could be given.
So it was that nearly two hours later, Allison arrived at her sister's home, knocking on the door and ready to figure out what the fuck had happened earlier.
|
|
|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 7, 2015 16:04:24 GMT -5
After walking down the South Hill and taking the bus up to Hillyard, Allison was likely ready to kick back and relax a little. Alex's home was always good for that, if you could ignore the cigarette smell that perpetually lingered by the door while she waited for it to be opened. Alex made a habit not to smoke inside, but she was more than happy to do it outside, frequently puffing packs for the most stressful points in her life.
"It's unlocked!" she shouted from inside, then grunted as she lifted something and moved it across the living room. From behind the door This Will Destroy You played, a band Alex played when she wanted to simmer down from a high, or get her gears working after a musical dry spell.
Her place was likely the cleanest Allison had seen it the whole year. She even vacuumed. Whatever was up with her it was good, and one probably shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. "Hey, did Dan blow a gasket?" she asked, looking up from her seat at the coffee table to Allison as she entered. Rather than sit on the couch, which had its back facing the front door to break apart the large living room, she sat on the floor on top of her legs, kneeling before the coffee table and working through recently purchased office supplies, organizing for their quest to find who fucked their lives up.
Thursday, October 1st, 2015. 2:54 PM.
|
|
|
Post by Allison Cooper on Oct 7, 2015 16:49:05 GMT -5
Allison stepped through the door the moment her sister said the door was open, wrinkling her nose at the smell of smoke. It's not that she was unused to the smell, both Alex and Monday had smoked even during practice, sometimes doing a bit more than cigarettes, but she had never quite warmed up to them. Her one attempt to be cool and smoke a cigarette had ended up with her coughing out both lungs and some of the other attached organs.
At least once she was inside the smell was almost entirely gone, and as an extra pleasant surprise it seemed Alex had actually cleaned the place beyond the removal of her aforementioned pizza boxes. Hell it almost looked better than her room.
"Dad?" She echoed, moving across to where Alex was organizing office supplies, "I might not have given him a chance as I ran out the door. It'll be fine though, he'll calm down by the time I get back." She gave the room another once over before sitting on the couch across from her sister. "You did all this in just two hours?"
|
|
|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 7, 2015 17:07:19 GMT -5
Alex shrugged, leaning to the side after the motion to set her laptop on the coffee table. "What can I say, I'm excited." Her tone and grin certainly said enough. "Dan needs to lay off, anyway. You're twenty two. I'm twenty five! We're adults and if he was any worse he'd have a porch and a shotgun." She paused. "Oh my God he does," she teased in feign horror.
Thursday, October 1st, 2015. 2:55 PM.
|
|
|
Post by Allison Cooper on Oct 7, 2015 17:16:38 GMT -5
"Oh be nice, he just cares. He wouldn't have really stopped me, I just didn't want to go through all the motions." Allison smiled lightly, shrugging off her backpack to rest beside her. "Seems someone did some shopping. Not even a day into finding something odd and you're already set up to go full conspiracy crazy? Should I have brought tinfoil?" It was her turn to tease.
|
|
|
Post by Alex Cooper on Oct 7, 2015 17:45:35 GMT -5
Alex jabbed her thumb towards the kitchen, trying to draw Allison's attention that direction. "I've already got it, but it'd be a waste of time to style us up some hats. We can go full cuckoo for cocoa puffs with this," she announced, revealing the wallet, which she had laid on the center of the coffee table. "Its been eating at me since we got it. But I've been a good partner in crime, I haven't checked it out yet. Haven't even taken the money."
Thursday, October 1st, 2015. 2:55 PM.
|
|