A Noble Quest

[Nightfall]

Nightfall headed over to Wagner looking for Derek. He wanted to get the laptop before continuing the search, and cross-reference it against what they'd found at the bookstore. His usual sunny smile was nowhere to be seen -- if anything, he looked annoyed.

He knew jack shit about computers. Derek had bailed on them for some unknown reason, and he despised Wagner. The cookie-cutter, money-grabbing, bastion of mediocrity was an affront to his sensibilities and he couldn't fathom why the other Fairest worked there.

Perhaps he basked in the adoration of his slightly-above-average ability, but that was simply an insult to Fairest everywhere.

With a sigh, he looked for the campus directory and headed to Derek's office.

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[Forn Clakes]

Upon finding the office of Derek, Nightfall is met with the sight of his office being cleared by rather large removal men who are being scrutinized by an attractive woman in her thirty-somethings. Her brunette hair is tied up in a bun and her spectacles scream teacher or even principal as dows her black skirt and white blouse.

[Nightfall]

Well, that wasn't a good sight. Especially if the laptop were somewhere in here.

"Hi," Nightfall walks up with a wave. The Polychromatic replaces his somber irritation with a friendly smile. He approaches the woman and looks at the movers, then her. "I'm looking for Derek... " Nightfall explains, mentally letting the hair down. The glasses could stay.

[Forn Clakes]

The woman's eyes glance his way at the voice and she double takes. Nightfall doesn't need to be that perceptive to notice that look.

This woman can see.

And she's not afraid. More enamoured.

"Oh, er, hi," she stammers, trying to find the words. "Are you a friend?"

[Nightfall]

Even if he shouldn't have been surprised, he was. If anyone in the Freehold was apt to go around Ensorcelling, it would be Derek. Even less surprising would be when he found out that Derek hadn't bothered to tell anyone.

Nightfall took a half-step forward, moving into the woman's 'personal space'. He knew it could be entirely unnerving, but it seemed like the thing to do, if she liked Fair Faeries.

"Sure," he agreed with a smile. "Are you a friend?"

He used the word 'a', but his intense eyes on hers said 'my'.

[Forn Clakes]

"Adrienne West," she introduced, holding out her hand for Nightfall to shake, moving aside from two workers carrying a large desk. "Yes, you could say Derek and I were close. He opened my eyes to alot..." Adrienne lets the words trail away as she gets caught up in the Fairest's own eyes.

[Nightfall]

"Hi Adrienne, I'm Neil," Nightfall said, taking the offered hand.

"I'm actually looking for a laptop Derek had, that had some stuff on it we were looking into... do you know where he is?"

[Forn Clakes]

Adrienne let her hand linger a little too long before releasing the shake and trying to form the words.

"Derek left without warning, said something about San Francisco." She thought for a moment before slowly nodding and moving away from the removal men. "I did see a laptop in amongst his belongings. This stuff you were looking into, was it dangerous?"

[Nightfall]

"It is," Nightfall replied. He didn't elaborate, though; the less she knew the better. "Can you show it to me, so that I can see if it's the right one? Somewhere private?"

Maybe the Ear knew about Derek, and the moving men...

[Forn Clakes]

"Certainly. I've kept some of Derek's more important items in my office. Please, follow me," she says before turning on her heels and begins to walk away from Derek's office deeper into the academy, a slight saunter naturally kicking into her steps.