Paper Chase

[Jmiland1]

Even agents in the field need office time: that's where the coffee is, after all. Coffee, and notes to make sure you keep the fridge cleaned out because your Mama doesn't work here, and requisition forms, and evidence lockers. Sooner or later everyone has to come back to the office.

And, of course, the never-ending flow of emails. Modern society's attempts to be paperless have instead only tightened the leash, and nowhere is this more apparent than in a bureaucracy. Despite Blackberries, laptops, and G4 networks in Starbucks, the soul-sucking enterprise of checking email is always best done in a soul-sucking office with soul-sucking fluorescent lighting humming above.

Amidst the thicket of governmental email is a message from SAC Johnson: GeoSciDiv--Please meet me in Conference Room D this afternoon at 2:30. Bring any relevant case materials and good attitudes! Please be prompt, as the TSA has scheduled a meeting for 3:15 and we must clear the room by then. Thank you.

[Dark Passenger]

Jessica was at her desk answering all her emails. Because of the busy times at work she hadn't answered any for days. It was 2 cups of coffee later when she was finally done.

She leaned back in her seat. She had one new huge cup of cappuccino and the smell brought her in a heavenly condition. Zero emails left. She smiled and closed her eyes. A few seconds later she hears one soft popping sound, from the computer in front of her. Ze opened one eye.
'More mails... ooh....' a deep sigh. She opened the mail....

Work! No more old police contacts wanna talk to me, my little brother who talks to much, or simply randoms persons who pretend to know me...
She even put her coffee down, jumped out of her seat, walked to Vince with firm steps and asked him: 'Heya Vince! You read your mail already? There is work to do!'

If he has already read it, or is reading it now, she continues: 'So, what do you think we need? We have the normal investigation files.... and any other 'relevant case materials' ?'

[Jmiland1]

Vince peers over the edge of his monitor at Jessica. "We have the fla--er, dust--Chris checked under the microscope. Right? I mean, I'm guessing," he says, sounding a bit ticked when he remembers the smart-ass proctor. Clearly, the day as a whole is something he would rather forget.

And you even offered to go to dinner with him? I mean, what?

"So, there's that. And the mystery cloth. Which may or may not be connected. But we don't have a sample and we can't ask around because it's a military matter, isn't it?"

[Dark Passenger]

'Yeah... too bad for the military stuff. We'll just have to describe what we have.' She said with a disappointed face.

'I'll go get the paper files we have, then I'll see ya at 2:15 at the conference room?' She said it in a way that asked anything else to discuss?

If there is nothing more to talk about she goes get all the paperwork, from the very first witness reports, files of a dead kid to the last notes made at Ben Johnson. Pretending like it's not way too heavy for her she has it all in her arms when she arrives at the conference room at exact 2:14. I need to be here on time of course. I can better wait 15 minutes than coming too late.

[Jmiland1]

Jessica and her heavy box of paperwork have to wait--Conference Room D is seeing the tail end of an ICE meeting. It's breaking up, and agents are slowly leaving the room. The chattering of thirty Immigration officer creates a dull roar of noise, as they toss about assignment details or weekend plans or highlights of last night's Kings game.

More than a few of them eye Jessica in appraisal. More than a few smirk as they recognize her as GeoSci. It's the run-up to the junior prom all over again.

Enough ICE agents bleed off that by 2:24 the switch flips from "This is our meeting room, stay out" to "I guess we're done with it," and Jessica can make her way in to prep. Most of the chairs are still pulled out from the table; it's a minefield to navigate without resulting in a bruised shin. A garbage can is filled past capacity with bright pink pastry boxes; a lone remainder is on the table, empty except for grease spots and the last half of a plain cake donut. Napkins and crumbs spot the table.

Of the few people left in the room, the only one to acknowledge Jessica's entrance is SAC Johnson--he's here already, speaking with a dark-suited man, and gives his charge a brief smile and nod as she enters. If nothing else, she can be happy that her promptness has been noted.

[Dark Passenger]

What a mess. These people really think they've made it, but look at them. Jessica steps in the room and tries to find a clean spot on the table where she can put all the papers.

While she tried not to look as annoyed as she really was, she cleaned up the table a bit. There weren't many other things she could do, as long as Johnson was speaking with someone. So Jessica sweeps the crumbs away and cleans the place up a bit, until the others arrive or Johnson speaks to her.

[Khalvin]

Vince dodges the bigger men (and women) the formed the ICE tiem, in fact Agent Patoli manages to seem perfectly sised while being shorter and thiner then every other agent, Officer, and most concerning- criminal.

An amusing fact was Vince made Jessica look fat.
Unfortunately for Vince nothing he owned ever seemed to fit him right. His wiry strong frame hidden under too long sleeves or billowy pants legs.

He comes to Jessica's aid rubbing a shoulder rather bemused. "Those guys are jerks." And adds after some thought. "A lot of guys are jerks around here." He focuses on restore order to the chairs before helping clean the table's scraps into an empty folder. If given enough time. Mr, Clean would even tackle that Trash-Build-up. But meetins are to expected to begin soon.

[Jmiland1]

Unfortunately the room is emptying but not empty; SAC Johnson clears his throat and shoots Vince a look over the shoulder of the agent that he is speaking with. The look is clearly a warning.

With some work, Vince and Jessica get the room back into some semblance of order. All that remains of the previous meeting are two large boxes of paperwork at the head of the table, by the two lead agents. Their conversation seems to wrap up; the two men shake hands, and the other agent leaves. By the time he's out the door and around the corner you're already forgetting the fine details of him--he has that perfect blend of Anonymous Generica about him that the government loves in any of its intel and security services.

"Well have a seat, have a seat," SAC Johnson says, although he remains standing. "We'll give it just a few more minutes, allow Agents Park and Rizzo an opportunity to show up." If Vince's loose lips earlier irritated him, it didn't show now. Now he was faint smiles and congeniality. "And how have you two been? Good, I hope?"

[Khalvin]

"Good." Vince responds as he twists his tumbes before him on the table. Like he was going to tell his boss he was not sleeping well after the interview with the Boat captain. This is not some therapy lounge, no sir.

If Vince cared about what jerk ICE agents heard him say, he is good at hiding it. This was was more a general jerk-dislike then anything directed toward a specific Agency.

[Dark Passenger]

'Yes, good, thank you Mr. Johnson.' Jessica gives the man a short smile. She wasn't lying, but neither was she in the mood to smile, especially after cleaning up the room.

'And how are you doing these days?' Always try to be friendly to your boss.

'