Drinks at Hostel Hi (Private)

[Zodiac]

As dressing nicely went, Zoey knew a thing or two about dressing for any number of occasions. This occasion, however, warranted casual evening so far as she was concerned. Modest, appropriate for meeting another of the Veils, but still evening attire enough to enjoy herself once the meeting was over. She wasn't about to rush home and change, after all.

Truth be told this was her first opportunity to see the Hostel, which itself was going to be an interesting enough experience, never mind having the opportunity to sit and speak with another local member of her Order. Ariadne, Star, Nous and this man, Bishop... Well, at least the Guardians here were doing a good job of making themselves seem an absent force. She only hoped that said force wasn't as absent as it seemed.

[Samaritan]

Bishop had finished the shift on time. He went into the back office and changed into something a little less uniform like and put the name tag back into the drawer of his desk. He left the suits jacket in the wardrobe, since their meeting was conducted here and not in the city. However, he put on the black tie with the half opened stylised eye in lucent silver and fitted two matching cufflinks of the same colour to it. He also ditched his black sneakers, which was a concession to working behind a counter and permanently standing. Instead, he took a pair of elegant and plain black leather shoes with black laces out of the wardrobe.
Waving at his colleagues and subordinates manning the desk now, he made his way to the lobby, waiting for Zoey.
When she arrived, he rose from the armchair and shook her hand.

"Good evening, Mrs. Mandy. A pleasure to meet you. Please follow me." Bishop said formally, leading her into a meeting room with a coffee machine and a fridge. He closed the doors behind them.

[Zodiac]

After a prompt shake of hand, she offered a light smile. "Good evening," Zoey greeted in turn. "I suppose I should dissuade this notion promptly - Zodiac has become my recent choice for name. Zoey is fine," she added. "But I hardly wanted to confuse you by sending an odd message without naming myself recognizably.

"It's a pleasure to meet you properly, as well, Mister Bishop," if he wanted to be formal, she could do that just as well. "I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting in any way. I do hope it wasn't long."

[Samaritan]

"You are punctual and it is appreciated, no worries. It is good to have spare time in between appointments." Bishop reassured his guest.
"I take it, that this meeting is about official business of the department, so I'd say welcome to our headquarters."
Making sure, that Zoey was seated comfortably, he moved over to the coffee machine.
"How would you like your coffee?"

[Zodiac]

"Black, please," she responded, before simply tilting her head a little. "To be clear, I mostly wanted to have a better idea about those I'm working with in the area, and hopefully to weigh in and get an idea of the state of the city from like-minded individuals who may have more experience in the area than myself."

Taking a seat, she watched the man thoughtfully, "Though, to be fair, I've heard very little about the Hierarch Avalon up until I was recently informed that she was of our Order - the same day she was challenged to a Dual Arcane, at that. Of course, I also aim to curiousities on your part, as well. Trusting people on an intimate level is one thing, but on a professional level it makes for a much smoother environment."

[Samaritan]

Bishop prepared the coffee accordingly and helped himself to a generous amount of sugar and milk in his own cup. He served it with a plate of appetizers, while listening.

"Well, I am glad to hear that we finally seem to have lasting members." he replied casually, taking a sip of the coffee and deciding, that it was still a little hot.
"And conducting the professional sides of our affairs smoothly is very much appreciated. Unfortunately, I can not really tell you anything about the current hierarch. I have not even suspected anything remotely along the lines of her being of the order at all. I do not know, if Mrs. Ariadne knew herself and deliberately chose not to tell her subordinates - it is still a hierarchy - or if she was as surprised."
He considered for a moment.
"I have come to the conclusion, that it does not matter anyways. My personal hope is, that Aquinas takes her place. Avalons hand was forced and her cards are on the table, thus she has lost the one advantage, that the Guardians play strongest. Secrecy. Putting Aquinas up top forces the Ladder to call the shots by their very own rules and allows the Guardians to take some more urgent matters into their hands."
Bishop gave a canted smile.
"Just my opinion though. I am not high enough in the pecking order to actually do something about it. I have other concerns." There was a certain emphasis on the word.
"I am currently managing this establishment." He gave a gesture encompassing the room and from there, the building. "While we do have lodgings at the Circle, this here is supposed to be ours alone." He broke of and gave an excusing look. "So far, it is only a...place. If any member needs to hide, there is a room constantly reserved for such matters. Apart from that, this establishment has a lot of potential, currently not in use. There are plans, of course, but nothing solid so far."
Bishop adjusted himself to a more wary posture.
"For the sake of smooth business, I will take the risk of indulging you. I currently maintain a part of the Veil regarding information technology, procurement of data and spin control via newspaper and online media. Given some more time and work, this piece of the maze may very well generate a steady amount of income, which will in turn be put at the disposal of the whole order once cultivated."
Bishop raised a finger.
"However, and even though the Epopt could actually order me to give those things freely, I would appreciate it, if anyone relying on this would demonstrate through his actions and behaviour, that he is actually worthy of such trust. After all, merit must guide."

[Zodiac]

"Admittedly, staying wasn't my original plan," she confessed with a sigh, holding the coffee as she waited on it to cool a little. "But things happen, and this city seems to need all the help it can get."

The idea that Ariadne may not have known about the Hierarch herself was an utterly fascinating idea. If that was the case, Avalon was a fantastic example of Guardian secrecy - but even at that, Bishop made a very good point. Avalon lost that advantage. That was a shame.

"All thrones are false, even that of a Hierarch," Zoey nodded absently, "but even us little ones can share our thoughts. I value your opinion, or I wouldn't have inquired." Let the Ladder sit on their little pier as they liked.

Listening to the man talk, Bishop was reminding her a little bit of an old grandfather reminiscing on the old days, talking about fixing up the old beater car and making her run like an old beaut... She tried not to let herself get derailed as she sipped on her coffee, watching his gestures and following them. "There need to be many more of us here in order to make use of such an establishment," Zoey mused absently, "I admit I never stayed at the Circle, and my Cabal and I have a place of our own, so our need for such quarters is quite minimal, however I can see the benefit of it becoming more operational."

And then it hit. Did he just say what she thought he'd said? The old man was into InfoTech and Online Media? An amused smile lit her features. That was a refreshing change of pace. "I see. If there's anything I can do to assist in regards to online media, computers and the like, do let me know and I'll be more than happy to help."

As for his other concerns, she was hardly having any of it. His concern wasn't related to this building, was it? As he said, it was simply a place. But he seemed to have some sort of stake in it, which she wouldn't pry into. He was divulging plenty information enough, and it was never wise to press a Guardian.

But he had offered his piece, and it was fairly her turn. "I've recently gotten a position at the Statewide Museum Collections Center," she stated quietly. "Artifacts of potential danger are my forte, and the thing that I pursue actively, with full intentions of being rid of, but this gives me an opportunity to get an eye on some of these objects before they make it to any displays. Tracking and cataloguing them is one thing, but this gives a fairly good opportunity to get an eye on dangers that aren't simply based on people, but on objects as well."

[Samaritan]

Bishop leaned back, listening and sipping coffee while filing the information he got from Zoey around in his head.
<Handling the dangerous stuff, that is good. Eager to help as well. Fascinating.>
When she had finished, he was silent for a moment, considering his next words.
<I'd rather take my chances with her then trying to convince a censor to do my bidding. Especially, when the frigging redhead has pull with the mysterium, which I can't rule out.>

"I appreciate the offer. I have to run this thing by the Epopt anyways, since Mrs. Ariadne has asked for a demonstration of my work. We can do this two ways. You can join the demonstration. Or I'll give you the same hint, that any sleeper receives and you figure it out. The second option has two major benefits. One, it demonstrates your potential and may be a good exercise, although I have seen you play chess and than this whole thing may actually be too easy for you. Second, you learn the interworkings first hand. It will let you appreciate the work and may...well, it's a virtual certainty, that you will find something to improve, I am sure."
Bishop gave her a reassuring smile.
"Then there is something else. Currently, I am under the impression, that this Consilium does not have a censor. I am currently working in an investigation on a serious threat with abyssal background, which is revolving around a substance, which may be a tainted drug. While I will destroy any of it, that I stumble upon, in this particular case it may be wise to keep something safely stowed away for reference, psychiometry or alchemical analysis. If you are up for it, I will prepare a sample and hand it over into your custody, provided that you truly have the means to take care of it."
Bishop finished his coffee.
"Please do not take this as a trial of sorts. This is dead serious. If you have means of containment, good, if not, don't sweat. It is perfectly ok, if you don't. You have not been in this city long, so it is understandable."

[Zodiac]

Blue eyes immediately sparked at the challenge. A puzzle? A test? What on earth was this mystery thing he had in mind? Her curiousity was barely masked as she sipped again at her coffee before setting the cup down. "I don't suppose you can provide any further information on what this test is, precisely? I don't tend to appreciate agreeing to this sort of thing without any knowledge of what's expected, but I am a fan of puzzles." Hints usually went along with puzzles, riddles and rhymes. Right up her alley in every way. The man pressed precisely the right button...

... until his last. Her expression fell, a frown settling in place as she listened to his request. She hunted and destroyed things that were dangerous. Of course she had no means of keeping things like that safe - wasn't that what she'd said? He was asking of her precisely what she was pointedly against.

Still, she took a moment to compose herself as she watched him, carefully. "I will say this to you the same as I do to others, if I may, Mister Bishop. Nothing buried stays buried forever. Eventually whatever you hide, wherever you hide it, will be found by someone much more clever than you or I, with the technology that we do not have access to. Archaeology has taught me that much over many years. Moreover, if it's tainted in an Abyssal manner..." she frowned even more deeply, shaking her head.

"I will not simply keep a sample of it waiting. I will find a means to analyze it quickly for the sake of it being destroyed and counteracted, but I will not keep it around. It's against what I stand for. It's precisely why I don't tolerate the Mysterium." Her expression was firm as blue eyes watched his face to be sure her point had gotten across. "I'm sorry I can't be of assistance otherwise. That sort of analysis sounds like it's much more likely suited to Thyrsi or Moros than myself."

All things buried will be found.

[Samaritan]

Bishop laughed for once.
"Very good." He nodded in appreciation. "The analysis has already been made. By me, to be precise." He did not mention that he did not really find anything out and that the abyssal taint was detected by the lovely japanese lady from the mysterium, that somehow was not around any more. At any rate, nothing good would ever come from playing around with GLO.
"I will provide you with the following: There is a website called zero.net, where you can register. It will provide you with an IP-address and a small riddle. Once you have solved this, you will receive something a little bigger." He changed his tone a little to mimick the eighties TV-show "Mission Impossible"-Intro.
"Your mission, should you accept it, is to find out where zero.net is located and how it is controlled."