A Warehouse in the Abandoned Warehouse District, Saturday Afternoon

[electrocynic]

Inside a gloomy, unwelcoming building (covered in half-broken neon signage and graffiti) in the warehouse district, Electroclash was waiting.

Or at least it looked like she was. She was sitting behind her empty desk in her office, surrounded by all manner of equipment and screens that occasionally beeped or flashed red (or, in certain cases, sickening yellow), transmitting information at a rate higher than anyone could've been able to absorb.

Of course, she didn't really need any of that. Her desk was clear and she was looking off into the distance because the real work was happening within her head. Was she controlling the machines, or was she part of them? Who even knew. The years in Fandom had not left her much more than a mystery. Mostly, people knew three things:

One: her voice had a faint metallic quality to it, which could get unnerving after a while. Unless you were the type of perv to be into that.

Two: she could at least mimic the occasional human emotion, but whether she was capable of actually feeling them was left to guessing.

Three: she delivered the goods. Whatever the goods needed happened to be, she delivered them. So it didn't really matter what her voice was like, and what percentage of her was robotics and what percentage – if any – was flesh. People always came to her, regardless.

And so, she was waiting. Or so it looked.

[ooc: Open post! Come do shady business of your choosing.]

Comments

[imafuturist]

Tony shook the rain off his overcoat (of course there was some dreary rain) and walked into the building to find her.

"Sarah."

[electrocynic]

"I've asked not to be called that," Electroclash reminded him. It was mild and raspy, on top of the metallic.

That name had been wiped out from everywhere long ago. But, of course, that had never actually kept people from digging it up.

[imafuturist]

"How has that worked out?" Tony asked, leaning against the desk. He was much more capable of passing as completely human.

It took effort, but there it was.

[electrocynic]

"You're here, calling me by it," she pointed out, a little on the flat side. Watching him. "Tony."

[imafuturist]

Tony hummed, crossing his legs. "Any business?"

[electrocynic]

"Always."

He was going to have to be more specific.

[imafuturist]

"So, you're too busy to take a job then?" Was he the femme fatal and she the hardboiled private eye? It was possible.

[electrocynic]

These things happened, sometimes. And he had the eyes for it.

"Everything's available for a price, Tony," she pointed out. "You know that."

[imafuturist]

He was pretty good at making some sultry eyes, it was true. Like he was doing now. "How high a price?"

[electrocynic]

Electroclash leaned back in her chair - though not far back enough to look relaxed. 'Relaxed' was not a look she really did, in general.

"Depends on the job, and your offer."

[imafuturist]

"I just need you to follow someone." Easy, right?

[electrocynic]

Eh.

"And you can't do that yourself?"

[imafuturist]

He put a picture face down on her desk rather than answer that. "I'm sure you'll get the job done."

[electrocynic]

"So am I," she replied, because she was one of the best, if not the best in the business, "but what are you offering for it?"

[imafuturist]

"I'm sure we could come to an arrangement..."

[electrocynic]

"Six thousand credits," she said. "Batting your lashes at me isn't payment."

[imafuturist]

Tony's expression soured for a moment before he recovered. "Five thousand. I'll make it worth your while."

[electrocynic]

"Six thousand," Electroclash repeated. "I can do without this job, you know."

[imafuturist]

"And leave me out in the cold?" Tony asked, eyes glinting a cold, metallic gold in just the right light. "Here I thought you still had a human heart."

[electrocynic]

"I keep one locked in a cabinet."

Was that a joke? It was way too deadpan to tell.

[imafuturist]

"I could always build you a better one," he offered, pressing his fingers against the picture to move it toward her. "An upgrade to your firewalls."

[electrocynic]

She glanced down, but didn't reach for the picture. Yet. She looked back up instead.

"See? Now you're speaking my language."

[imafuturist]

"If you get the job done." And didn't die in the process.

[electrocynic]

"There is no if."

She reached for the photo.

[imafuturist]

"He might be more than you can handle," Tony replied, corner of his mouth turning up as she was hooked.

[electrocynic]

"Most people aren't." She'd been surviving on this island for years. And she could be ruthless when there was a need for it. "Don't worry about me, Tony. You'll be batting your pretty eyes at me for a long time to come."

She turned the photo over.

[imafuturist]

"Be careful you're not too confident in yourself," Tony replied. Barnes was a dangerous man, after all.

[electrocynic]

"How long have been doing business, Tony?" Electroclash asked, holding the photo while she was looking it over. Her left eye didn't look very natural for a few seconds, there. Scanning. "Have I ever been too confident?"

[imafuturist]

"How often have I had to give you repairs off the books?" Tony countered.

[talentforlying]

"'Clash, love." Constantine's smile gleamed sharply in the dim light as he lounged in the doorway of one of his favorite dealers. Information was biggest high, after all. "Don't suppose you're looking to buy today? I've a few trinkets as might suit your fancy."

[electrocynic]

"Depends on what you're peddling this time, Constantine," Electroclash replied evenly, looking up. A small electric light on one of the panels to her right flashed three times in quick succession. "Show off your trinkets and I'll tell you if I'm buying."

[talentforlying]

"This time?" He held up two lead-lined red ministerial boxes. "Hard-drives from charmingly off-line Swedish banks, and a few governmental offices."

Was there still blood on one of those cases? Maybe. John wasn't the tidiest person.

[electrocynic]

And Electroclash didn't particularly care. So it all worked out.

"Alright," she said, mostly to acknowledge that he'd sufficiently showed off his trinkets, rather than to accept the offer of business. "And what're you expecting to get in return?"

[talentforlying]

"There's only one thing on these--" John tapped the cases against his legs, "--I'm planning to move on -- you'll know it when you see it, and they're the only files I've touched. Haven't so much as breathed on the rest, let alone looked beyond verifying they're the real deal, and they're all yours."

"In return, I'm thinking that next time you come across something you know I'd find interesting, you pass it on. At no charge, demanding no cut." Constantine would give her a cut anyway, because that's how he rolled, but he didn't like demands. They came too close to orders, and he didn't take orders well. Well, not outside of the bedroom, anyway. "An advance favor, let's call it."

Favors and information were much better currency than money, after all.

[electrocynic]

At least when you had a mutual understanding. Which, lucky for him, they seemed to have right now. Electroclash had that faraway look of checking on something with her mind before she nodded.

"Fine. Deal."

She knew she was probably getting a cut on the future info dealing. Otherwise that might have been a sticking point.

[talentforlying]

Constantine always took care of his friends. That's how they stayed friends, and kept him in business.

Besides, it was just plain rude not to tip a lady, and John knew better than to be rude to a lady. Especially one as entertaining as Electroclash.

"Always a pleasure doing business with you, 'Clash," he said, walking over to set both cases down next to her desk. "As always, feel free t' give me a ring if you need collection services or something equally hands-on."