| Demons and Mitochondrial Diseases |
[01 Nov 2008|01:43am] |
[NOTE: Takes place before "Late Night at the Museum" group plot.]
The city bus came to a stop at the North/Clybourn subway rail line station to let off the rail passengers from the Diversey subway rail line station, so they could continue their travels on the subway system to the south. The closure of Lincoln Park had closed the rail line that traversed the heart of that community. The closure was a burden for many of the public transit users from the north end of the city which increased their travel time significantly. The city could not afford to build another rail line to reroute around Lincoln Park. Chicago politicians were famous for calling for higher taxes to solve the city’s problems, but the citizenry were already one of the highest-taxed in the country, and a rally call to spread the wealth was not very popular by 2013.
After months of being in Chicago now, Kathleen had learn that with the traffic bottleneck, driving from the north side to the center of the city was just too tiresome in the daytime. Even if her hybrid spent very little fuel while under city speed limits, the stopping and going could get annoying, even in the best of times. It was going to be insane when winter finally arrived with the first snows.
At the station platform, she stepped into the fourth car of the waiting subway train, wearing a dark business suit jacket with a crème blouse, and matching dark skirt. In her hand she carried a thin portfolio case for the mini-conference on demonology that she was going to attend in the downtown Hyatt. Her main interest being one related to blood and blood-eaters.
She found an empty seat in the center of the car and like so many of the local passenger avoided direct eye contact with others as the car filled. Seating there, she removed her new iPhone from her case on her lap, and immediately signed on to the 3G wireless connection with it to retrieve her new emails, before the train had left the station.
With Purity filling in at the store, Logan felt confident enough to take off for this conference he'd heard about in the Chicago Tribune three mornings ago. Given his renewed interest in anything involving Lincoln Park, the former Watcher wondered if the conference on demonology would include anything about that area. He theorized the government had some sort of knowledge about that sort of thing, given the rumors he'd heard and files he'd seen while at the Council, but Logan had to admit, he was curious to see what those in charge considered fact.
And how accurate that fact was.
Sitting in one of the few open seats on the subway train, Logan read through some of his notes on Lincoln Park. His print was so small the risk of anyone eavesdropping and reading something really juicy was minimal, especially since Logan hadn't yet uncovered anything on his own outside of what was already common knowledge. Registering for the event had been surprisingly simple; once the lady in charge of registration found out he was the owner of Chicago's new occult shop, she processed him immediately. Apparently, Thoth's Library had some credibility within the local supernatural community.
That was good to know.
( Any bigger ... )
Stepping off the train, Logan grabbed for his cell phone. He didn't necessarily blame Kathleen for her views, but the sheer gap between what she knew and what he knew was alarming on some level. If the world at large was to ever fully defend itself against the undead menace, it would have to do so with a full and accurate understanding of what vampires and demons truly were. If Kathleen was right and a "cure" was one day found? Then that would be fantastic, but based on what Logan knew, he doubted it.
Thumbing through phone numbers, the former Watcher eventually found the one belonging to the Tribune writer who'd been in contact with regards to doing a story on the store. It was probably a small thing, but Logan figured something like that might eventually help people learn the truth. Granted, the store was doing good business as it was, but the more people Logan could help, the better.
"Mr. Matthews? Logan Guevera. I'm free this afternoon if you'd like to do that interview.”
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| Excursion |
[14 Oct 2008|08:47pm] |
Though he was by no means an expert when it came to fashion, Logan had to admit – his black turtleneck and brown cargo pants looked a lot better when he had his beard and still wore his glasses. Then again, the former Watcher wasn’t out to impress anyone when he wore this particular outfit – it was just something he wore when he had to go do some covert snooping.
Comfort and style gave way to efficiency and wearing something Logan didn’t mind getting dirty. Sure, he met his eventual girlfriend when he last wore this outfit, camped out on that rooftop months ago trying to find anything he could about Lincoln Park.
But this? This was different.
Logan stood at the corner of Diversey Parkway and Halsted Street, nodding to himself. This was the place Rhiannon mentioned in the email she sent just after Logan arrived in the Windy City. He’d given the Slayer his word the last time they met that he would research the access tunnel, and this was his first real opportunity to do so.
The former Watcher dropped to a knee, taking the shoulder bag and resting it on the ground before opening it and pulling out a high-powered flashlight and his digital camera. He decided to leave the rest of the bag and its contents – two pens and a blank pad of legal paper – on the street, if for no other reason than it was one less thing to lug down into the sewer.
If someone stole the stuff, no big. He had plenty of paper and writing utensils back at the apartment.
Logan took one glance at the manhole cover, frowning at the sudden realization that he was just some regular human. Granted, that was why he’d already decided he wasn’t going to actually go into Lincoln Park – he had no idea what was on the other side of the military barricade, and he didn’t want to go in there without any supernatural backup. Still, the whole sewer thing already wasn’t looking attractive; having to pull off a heavy grate wasn’t helping.
With a deep breath, the bookstore owner grabbed each end of the cover, grunting and giving three hard tugs before the grate finally moved. Logan gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes together, finally managing to move the cover just enough to give him access to the ladder. Logan turned on the flashlight, just to see how far the drop from the ladder to the ground.
It wasn’t far, but the smell of the sewer managed to fill his nostrils. It was damp and putrid, thanks to a recent rain storm, and Logan covered his nose with his arm, gagging for a moment and coughing a few times as he turned off the flashlight.
Once he regained his bearings, Logan shook his head. “Oh, boy,” he said to himself, “this is gonna be loads of fun …”
( This close )
So once Logan was at the ladder, he cut off the flashlight and ascended back to the surface. The street was still deserted when Logan re-surfaced, and his bag was right where he left it. The former Watcher grabbed the bag and stuffed both flashlight and camera into it. He’d have to upload the photos onto his personal laptop before going to bed, but not before password-protecting the computer to ensure no one else could access it without his knowledge.
Over a year ago, this would’ve been the beginnings of the story of a lifetime. The by-line every reporter lived for and a Pulitzer Prize in the making. Now, it was a matter of high security, something Logan was only going to tell one person about. He’d email Rhiannon about his findings in the morning; what she did with the intel from there was ultimately up to her.
Though Logan couldn’t deny – he wanted in on this.
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| Raise |
[14 Oct 2008|06:54pm] |
Glancing at the clock, Logan smiled. It was about 15 minutes before 7:00, which meant Avery would be in to start his shift any minute. Logan appreciated having someone with naturally nocturnal hours to help keep the store open 24-7, and after giving Avery a few days off, the former Watcher was glad to have him back.
If nothing else, Logan could use the rest of the evening to prepare for his excursion into the freight tunnel leading into Lincoln Park in the privacy – and secrecy – of his own apartment. The bookstore owner now understood the need for discretion, and did everything he could to ensure no one else who didn’t already know about the access tunnel didn’t find out.
Placing a couple new volumes on telepathy and transmogrification in the appropriate section, Logan stood with a stretch. It had been a fairly busy day; not too hectic, but a steady enough stream of traffic to keep him on his toes. Business was solid, and once again the former Watcher smiled, knowing he’d made the right career decision.
That, and his phone bills were much cheaper without all those calls to London.
Avery parked his car in the garage about three blocks away from Thoth's Library, pocketed the ticket he would need to retrieve the vehicle later and set off toward the store. When he reached the shop, he peeked in through the window to see Logan at the counter. The vampire rapped lightly at the glass to announce his presence.
He was glad for the added safety and security, but it was odd having to be invited into his own place of employment every night.
Hearing the knock, Logan raised his head and gave a smile when he saw Avery on the other end. He walked the floor leading up to the door before pulling it open and stepping to the side. Having to invite Avery in every night was annoying, but it was the by-product of a spell the former Watcher thought was necessary.
As long as some other bloodsucker couldn’t just barge in and wreak havoc, the small inconvenience of having to stay until Avery showed up was more than worth it. Logan made a mental note at that moment to thank Izzy for casting such an intricate spell.
“C’mon in,” he offered the vampire. “I trust you enjoyed the time off?”
( Workplace Banter )
Logan shouldered his bag, taking one last glance around the space behind the counter to make sure nothing was out of order. He gave the doorknob to the back room a tug, making sure that door was securely fastened shut to keep out anyone who had no business handling the room’s contents. Logan didn’t need to arrive the next morning just to find the place had gone up in flames.
“Have a good night,” he told Avery on his way toward the door. “I’ll see you in the morning before you leave. And feel free to start the decorating – I rather like that idea.”
"Will do, boss," Avery replied, giving Logan a small salute. He leaned over the counter to call after his retreating form, "And I happen to like candy corn!"
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| Fancy Dinner |
[04 Oct 2008|11:32pm] |
Three weeks of steady sales, along with at least one purchase per week that threatened the four-figure range -- allowed Logan to finally cash in on that sirloin dinner he and Izzy had agreed on before the opening of Thoth's Library. The former Watcher was pleasantly surprised at how business had been, even though it meant putting up with a fair amount of wannabe mages and dimwitted teenagers. Logan learned early on that anyone with money had at least some legitimacy in that store. Even if he had to spend a lot of time telling people to put things down and move items out of reach.
Growing pains, Logan figured as he sipped at his wine. The longer the store was open, the more the weirdos would be weeded out. But thought of business could wait; after all, who could think about work when sitting across from someone as pretty as Isabelle? Granted, they were sitting in this restaurant with a name Logan couldn't pronounce, all dressed up to celebrate the store's success, but it had been a while since their last date. Logan wanted to just enjoy it.
"To the store," he said, holding up his glass. "And to the girl who helped me make it possible."
( Celebrating )
( Catching Up )
( An Idea )
"Might have to think of more occasions for us to dress like this," he said. "Shame for all that pretty stuff to go to waste."
Once they reached Logan's car, he opened the passenger side door for Izzy, not closing it until she was completely in. It may have been 2013, but as far as the former Watcher was concerned, some traditions would never die. Treating your girlfriend like royalty on a date was one of those things. Logan started the engine once he came around to the driver's side, pulling out of the spot and grabbing Izzy's hand again once they were off and running.
"So whaddya say? Dessert?"
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| So Far, So Good |
[03 Oct 2008|04:14pm] |
"Put that candle down!"
Logan couldn't have leaped over the counter fast enough, reaching out to grab the thick orange candle from the teenage boy's grip. "Saule's Flame is not for the uninitiated! Rub this thing the wrong way and all of Chicago would find itself drenched in sunfire. Literal, honest-to-God sunfire!"
Come to think of it ... what the hell was this large, carved candle doing in the main part of the store anyway? Logan could've sworn he put it in the back with everything else that far too dangerous for anyone who didn't truly know what they were doing. Probably an oversight on his part -- Logan was just glad he was in the store when someone saw fit to pick up this particular item. Granted, Purity would've probably noticed it too and responded likewise, with a potential f-bomb, but still ... the former Watcher felt so much better that he'd managed to catch the freckled teenager before he accidentally did something catastrophic.
The teenager frowned. "Do you ... at least have the new Anita Blake comics?"
Logan sighed, returning to the counter. "No," he said, trying very hard to keep his composure. "Thoth's Library isn't a comic book store."
He rolled his eyes as the boy left in disappointment, shaking his head as he punched the code into the back room. Setting Saule's Flame, a candle named after the Slavic sun goddess, on one of the shelves, Logan glanced at the back for the price tag. If it's potentially dangerous properties didn't merit room in the back, the $400 price tag did. In this store, more expensive generally meant more dangerous.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, the sun sat high and bright in the blue Chicago sky, and a beam of it played directly across the sign for Thoth's Library as Rebecca neared the front doors. With an afternoon to herself, she'd been spending it window-shopping, and when she realized she was in the neighborhood of the new bookstore in the area she'd decided to pop in and see what the establishment had to offer. She'd been curious anyway, and she had told Avery she'd likely stop by. She just hadn't said when. And really, this was the best way to avoid him.
Where this sudden burst of self-respect had come from the Englishwoman wasn't willing to contemplate, but she'd been out of sorts since her accidental encounter with Francess at Borders. She just didn't know how to approach the boy anymore, and every time she tried it seemed like he immediately started sidling in the opposite direction. It seemed as if she'd grown tired of embarrassing herself, at least for the time being.
Her heels clicked on the steps as she made her way towards the entrance, and she stood aside for a moment as a sullen-looking teenager moved past her with his hands stuffed into his pockets. "All I asked was if the latest Anita Blake had come in ..."
Rebecca shook her head as she stepped inside, giving her eyes time to adjust to the dimmer confines of the shop before taking that first cursory look around. Yes, she'd chosen the right time to make her first visit.
( Offering Assistance )
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| Keep the Receipt |
[29 Sep 2008|08:04pm] |
The succubi volumes were selling with disturbing regularity, even with the age advisory sign.
Apparently, traditional pornography no longer held any value for people, and they had to look for less conventional means to get off their proverbial rocks. Logan considered for a moment no longer selling those particular texts as he re-stocked that shelf, but he realized doing so would drastically affect the store's bottom line. Especially when such tomes as The Sordid Tale of Shiva and Her House of Four-Breasted Demons went for as much as 150 bucks.
So did it really kill the former Watcher to merely check for I.D. to make sure he wasn't selling demon smut to minors? Not really. Then again, he preferred that to a truly dangerous witch who would come in looking to buy supplies and ingredients for a spell designed to make people's intestines digest themselves. Logan was sorry he had read about that one as soon as he turned the page. Not much turned the man's stomach anymore, but that little ritual did the trick.
Thankfully, a series of demon coloring books had just come in. A small publishing company in Los Angeles created them a few months ago, looking to educate children about the newfound demon menace. Each page had a tip for dealing with vampires and the like as the children went at the pictures with their crayons and what not. It was almost cute in a way, and according to the dealer Logan got them from, a wildly successful idea.
American capitalism at its best, with a supernatural twist.
The low man always got the grunt work, it seemed. David had become all to used to filling every gap that opened at Our Lady of Victory; junior high theology teacher, babysitting network supervisor, training for the new servers, running the food bank at OLV's poor sister parish, St. Agata's ... the list just went on. So when a concerned member of the congregation - and a city alderman, no less - brought a disturbing and embarrassing fact to light about his teenage son, Fr. Denis had been rather chipper when suggesting that David handle the issue on his own.
The matter was simple enough: a seventeen-year-old boy had purchased what could only be called a spellbook. For the son of a conservative Catholic politician, it was a rather unsavory event. Even worse, David reasoned, was the child - for even a seventeen-year-old boy could be considered a child when it came to such things - was stepping onto a darker path best avoided by those who had any concern for their immortal soul.
There was some leeway in what the Church taught, but on some things, David stood firm: witchcraft was witchcraft, and it was evil. Fr. Denis had turned over the materials to him and asked they be returned to a store that had opened in the city not long before, making a thinly veiled suggestion that perhaps David might find such a task a more comfortable project than helping the Mother's Club with their annual poinsettia sale. The mere thought made David wonder, and not for the first time, how much the priest knew of his real reason for having been sent to Chicago.
Logan stood when he heard the door open, noticing the young man with a book under his arm. The former Watcher frowned for a moment, returning to his post behind the cash register. Was this someone returning something? The young man certainly didn't look like someone who'd already been in the store, but Logan wasn't exactly used to seeing people walking into Thoth's Library with things already on their person.
Setting two more books aside -- a couple updated volumes on vampire lore; apparently, someone found out enough information to truly get to the heart of whether or not vampires with souls actually existed -- Logan stood a little straighter and gave the new customer a smile that hid his confusion.
"Good afternoon," he offered. "Can I help you?"
( Naive )
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| Hired |
[27 Sep 2008|09:36pm] |
What part of “supernatural experience and knowledge is required” did these people not understand?
Logan sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose as his latest interview walked out of Thoth’s Library, some pimple-faced teenager who had more than a passing interest in all clothing black. The kid walked in claiming to have cast a protective ward over his house to keep out a neighborhood nest of Burrow demons, but in all actuality, the kid’s magick experience boiled down to seeing The Craft five times.
That might work at some fakes store, some place just trying to cash in on the newfound paranoia, but at a place as legitimate as Logan’s store, it was nothing more than an annoyance. That kid would probably shit himself if he ever saw an actual spell being cast.
That same pimpled youth pushed out of Thoth's Library, muttering under his breath about not wanting the job anyway. The witch gave him a sidexways glance, one dark eyebrow lifted, before shaking her head and regarding the newspaper clipping in her hand. If she was going to keep up this 'good behavior' thing, and move in with Rhiannon, then it meant a truthful, honest job.
One she could actually excel in and not be bored enough to leave after the first day. The small detail of never having worked an honest day of her life didn't even cross her mind. With a deep breath, Purity pulled the door open and walked inside. Taking another breath as she entered the book store. The paper, and faintly musty smell caused her lips to twitch into a smile. Yeah ... this place had a real good vibe. Hopefully she could pass the interview.
It was funny, to see her make an effort. She wore simple black dress pants and black boots. A crisp white shirt and a black tie, with a blazer-type jacket over it all. Stepping up to the counter, she swallowed her nerves and asked the gentleman there, "I'm looking to apply for a job." Similar to a kid, she lifted her hand with the newspaper clipping, and waved it around for a bit due to nerves.
( Experience )
Purity shook Logan's hand with a childish enthusiasm, grinning all the while. "You won't regret this, Logan, I swear, I can't wait to start. I'll dress smart and everything, I'll even pack a lunch so I can get accustomed to the shelves and where everything is to help customers who come in looking for specific things."
She was off on one again, and she finally took her hand back, practically skipping towards the door, backwards. "I'll see you on Monday morning! Have an amazing weekend, Logan!"
She sure as hell would. The man had no idea just exactly how much he had just done for the witch. Today was proving to be the best day of her life.
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| Doing Business |
[22 Sep 2008|09:29pm] |
The first day of business at Thoth's Library hadn't been horribly hectic, but there was a nice flow of people coming in. Most of them were just people walking along, coming in out of nothing more than sheer curiosity. Most of them did wind up buying something before leaving, though; even if it was something small like a couple candles or a tarot card deck or some introductory spell book. Fact was, things were actually a little busier than the former Watcher thought they would, considering he completely overlooked the concept of advertising for the place.
Logan had everything else covered, but apparently, commercials and ads in the local newspapers slipped under his radar. He sat at the counter with a notepad and calculator, crunching numbers to see if he could afford to put an ad in the Chicago Tribune now, or if he'd have to wait until some more money started floating in.
Upon first glance, it was plausible.
He glanced up from his paper to watch a woman gaze at the vampire books. He saw the bright blue tint to her hair, not to mention the plethora of rings sticking out of her ears and nose, and couldn't help but smirk to himself at the way she had fishnets not just on her legs, but on her arms as well. In his younger days, Logan found that look somewhat alluring, but now, particularly in the setting of a mystical bookstore, it was amusing.
Oliver had seen the flyers for Thoth's Library earlier that day, and he'd decided to stop in and see if the proprietor was the genuine article or simply another wanna-be. In the last year, shops all over the country had sprung up, claiming to offer the absolute best in magical protection and books, and he'd checked out several of them online only to walk away disappointed and frustrated after finding them to be all flash and no substance. Apparently, not even the changes the world had gone through lately was enough to stop charlatans from trying to make a buck.
The spellcaster stepped inside the shop and paused near the threshold, examining what he could see of the bookshelves and glassed-in cabinets from where he stood. He also saw the girl with the blue hair, and he could barely conceal his eyeroll as he moved further into the store. There was a man doing some calculations behind the counter, and Oliver moved closer to rap the knuckle of one finger on the solid surface.
( Your total comes to ... )
"Pleasure's all mine," the former Watcher said with a grin. "Welcome to Thoth's Library, Mr. Jerzyck."
Another goth chick walked in as the man left and Logan had to keep from rolling his eyes. If he had his way, more of his customers would be like Oliver, but he had a feeling he'd really start attracting the wannabe crowd, the ignorant few who still saw the supernatural as some sort of joke. Some part of Logan hoped those simple-minded ones saw a vampire face-to-face and lived to remember it, that way they could see why it was so serious.
And why it was so important for places like this to exist.
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| Guided Tour |
[21 Sep 2008|09:49pm] |
All the bookshelves were finally full. After nearly a week of near day-and-night work, and some well-timed help from Avery, Thoth's Library was finally ready for its Grand Opening. It was only nine hours away, too, and Logan was making sure the last few details were accounted for ... mostly that everything was where it was supposed to be and the place didn't suffer an attack of vandalism or some sort the night before its big day.
Paranoid? Perhaps, but this was Logan's baby. He wanted to make sure the store was actually around for its own opening.
He frowned at the purple felt Merlin cap sitting atop a crystal ball. He'd had the idea of wearing it when the doors opened in the morning, but one look at himself in the mirror with it on told the former Watcher he needed to never wear that thing again. It was fine for decorating the store -- and okay, possibly playing into magical stereotypes -- and possibly keeping any children accompanied by adults entertained, but it really had no place on his head. And on some off-chance someone wanted to buy it, Logan figured he could probably get 10 bucks -- 20 if he was lucky.
The former Watcher checked one more time to make sure the front door was unlocked. He then grabbed a magic marker and a piece of poster board, creating a sign he'd put in front of the succubi shelves. He wanted to make sure those books and their ... descriptive pictures didn't wind up in the hands of someone underage.
Succubi tomes -- mysticism's version of pornography.
Izzy had called Logan back after hearing his voicemail and gotten more precise directions than 'the shopping center on Wabash Ave.' She might be getting around the city ok these days, but it was still a huge city and she'd never been in the shopping center before.
The tech-witch looked at the sign displayed above the entrance to the store and couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in what Logan had accomplished, and in such a short time too! All from a few questions from her that had gotten him thinking. She spotted her boyfriend through the glass and knocked on the door to get his attention.
With a smile, Logan set down one of the books he'd cataloged, walking the length of the floor before pulling the door open and stepping to the side. Extending his left arm out behind him, the former Watcher beamed with pride, standing up a little straighter. Damn, this felt good -- and he was still hours away from the official opening.
He so wasn't sleeping tonight.
"My dear," he said, "welcome to Thoth's Library."
( Thinking Ahead )
Logan couldn't help but chuckle at the innuendo. "I vote for the latter," he said, partially out of practicality. "That rare sirloin might have to wait until I start pulling in a profit."
Fact was, steakhouse sirloin was a lot more expensive than Chinese takeout. And though Logan's finances helped secure a good bit of his store, he had little left over once rent and everything else was taken care of. The former Watcher was neither poor nor broke, but he wanted to be safe before the dollars started pouring back in.
The fact that he'd be taking a beautiful girl home with him instead was just a nice bonus. And yet another example of how well things were going for him.
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| Inventory |
[16 Sep 2008|12:12am] |
Wabash Avenue was actually a better spot for Thoth's Library than Logan thought. Not too far from The Loop, but far enough away that he didn't have to pay the ridiculously high rent. It was a nice little shopping complex, complete with a coffee shop -- which was where Logan sat as he waited for Emmeline to meet with him. He really didn't expect her to be in the area, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. Whatever books she could give him for his new store would be fantastic, and Logan was really getting excited with the prospect of this shop.
Actually, he was excited about his life as a whole. Between the store and Izzy, things were coming together nicely. Things ended horribly in Las Vegas and Denver, but the former Watcher picked up the pieces and did exactly what he came to Chicago for -- starting over.
If things kept going like this, Thoth's Library would be open by the end of next week.
It was difficult not to become nostalgic. There was so much history there. She'd already passed the place where Crystal's shop had been; long vacant, it seemed no one had taken up the place since the elderly witch had passed, and remnants of the gold script that had read 'Pandora's Box' still glittered there in the window. Not far away from Quigley's, the little seminary school that had long since become shuttered. It was so strange, as if those relics of her own life were simply film sets she had seen long ago.
Her life was desert now. And a little shop in a little town, with a little demon and his little dog. And a young Slayer who depended on her. Still. Business brought her back now and again, and a book auction in Peoria had brought her close enough to the city to pay a personal visit.
She pushed open the door to the coffee shop, adjusting the leather satchel on her shoulder and the thick binder beneath her arm as she went. Time and necessity had changed her; long floral skirts were relegated to the back of the closet and replaced with the ease of jeans; the light sweater and ankle boots remained.
( Diaries and a Favor )
[NPC Emmeline Keddle was written by Dew.]
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| Thoth's Library |
[09 Sep 2008|08:55pm] |
"I'm going to miss the warm weather when it leaves," Izzy reflected as she and Logan pulled into the parking lot of the beach park nearest his apartment. She had suggested that they spend some time at the beach to enjoy the warm weather outdoors while they could. The tech-witch stepped out of the car and gathered her bag from the back seat, looking forward to spending some more time with him now that they were officially a couple.
If Logan had known telling Izzy about Francis and everything else about his past would lead to the official consummation of their relationship, he probably would've done it a lot sooner. It was such a load off the former Watcher's shoulders, and the reaction he got gave Logan the strength to tell others, should the need ever arise in the future. The sex later that night was magnificent, but that still paled in comparison to how close he and Izzy became that night.
And this was even with the fact that Logan had gone months without getting any -- unless one counted all those vampire whores. And frankly, he didn't.
"You probably would love Vegas then," he said, glancing at his girlfriend through his sunglasses. He may have seen her naked, but few things looked quite as good as Isabelle Shaw in a bikini. Even if she was wearing a t-shirt and shorts over the bikini, she was still striking and stunning and all those other words that began with an 's' used to describe how smoking hot a girlfriend was.
"I wasn't there for the winter months, but I have a hard time believing the desert gets too cold."
"I don't know about that," Izzy rolled her eyes as she gave Logan a once over herself. He looked pretty buff in that t-shirt and swim trunks, and she counted herself a lucky woman. The other night had been incredible, and not just because it had been months since she'd had sex with anyone.
"I think I'd miss green grass and trees with leaves." She couldn't imagine living in the desert with nothing but sand and cactus for scenery.
( Note to Self )
With a chuckle, Logan removed his arm and dunked himself in the water before resurfacing and wiping his wet hair back. "If everything falls into place," he answered, "within the next two weeks."
He hadn't heard back from Emmeline yet, but even without any excess inventory, Logan felt he had enough to stock the shelves once the store opened. He'd accumulated some basic magickal supplies as well, since he wanted to make Thoth's Library a little more than just a straight bookstore.
Who knew? Maybe if business went well enough, Logan might put a coffee shop inside.
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| Right as Rain |
[01 Sep 2008|10:29pm] |
Izzy had tried to get over to Logan's the night after his phone call, but had ended up having to cover instead for one of the other waitresses at the bar last minute due to a sick child. She'd spent ten hours working both the early and late evening shifts on a game night and had been dead on her feet when she'd finally gone home, so visiting anyone just hadn't been an option. Now that the tech-witch finally had a night off, she was determined to spend some time with her ... boyfriend? Romantic interest? Izzy wasn't quite sure how to categorize Logan yet, as they'd only been on a few dates, but she enjoyed spending time with him and was getting very fond of him.
She stood outside his apartment door and knocked, hoping he was home. That was always the risk one took when doing an unannounced visit, you never knew for sure if they were going to be there.
Logan was practically swimming in texts now. Okay, that was a little bit of an exaggeration, but between all the books he'd acquired through various means over the past week or so, the former Watcher was well on his way to developing an initial inventory. All he needed now were the funds to set up a place to operate the shop out of, and Logan knew the amount he had set aside, while a fair amount, wasn't enough to do that. A loan would eventually be in order, but before doing that, Logan was trying to make sure he had actual books to sell before he opened the bookstore.
Otherwise, there'd be no point.
Upon hearing the knock on the door, Logan froze. Did Wolfram & Hart send another hellion to recruit him? Was Elise just that persistent? He certainly hoped not; everything that law firm stood for made Logan sick to his stomach, and the thought of that place having an interest in his services was unnerving at best. Reluctantly, the former Watcher rose to his feet and walked toward the door. Peeping into the hole on the door, Logan exhaled a sigh of relief. Wolfram & Hart hadn't come knocking again.
He opened the door with a smile, cocking his head to the side. "Hey there," he said, silently glad he'd elected to shave that morning. "Pleasant surprise."
"Hi yourself," she smiled in return, glad to see he was home. The tech-witch had taken a little extra care in her appearance before coming over; it may not be a date, but she wasn't going to let herself look sloppy -- even if she had spent most of the morning out apartment hunting. Izzy stepped through, giving Logan a peck on the cheek as she passed through. "I'm sorry I couldn't get over the other night, they didn't really give me a whole lot o' choice. Layed the guilt trip on pretty thick."
Logan returned the kiss to the cheek, closing the door and stealing a look while Izzy's back was turned to him. He chided himself for a moment for that display of typical male behavior, but he wasn't about to deny he enjoyed the view.
"That's cool," he said. "It turned out to be not as big a deal as I thought it was."
For a moment, the former Watcher panicked. The books were strewn about through the living room; he'd meant to arrange them all in stacks earlier in the day, but a last-minute run into town for a rare volume on werewolves derailed that plan. Though it wasn't the worst-looking apartment Logan had ever seen, it wasn't anywhere near his cleanest, and he worried Izzy would notice.
"How're things?"
( Admissions )
( The Other Night )
( Francis )
( Growing Closer )
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| An Offer He Could Refuse |
[26 Aug 2008|11:42pm] |
Logan frowned.
Sure, his personal collection of texts had grown substantially in the past couple weeks -- thanks mostly to a generous former Watcher who was unloading her volumes for cheap on eBay -- he was still missing a few tomes he really wanted for this store he was thinking more and more of opening. He knew that shop in Searchlight had Watchers' journals, but knew he wouldn't be afforded the same luxury; having been an actual employee of the Council, Logan had to turn all his journals in upon his termination.
Logan supposed he could offer something similar, keeping his own records of things he'd observed and researched over the years, but that would be something he considered after the shop was already open and well-operational.
For the time being? Logan was just trying to get a decent base of inventory. No use in opening an occult bookstore if there were only five or six rare volumes to sell. He would need to secure a constant stream of inventory, and the former Watcher took a few moments to jot down items aside from books he could also sell. Items of divination, candles and the like weren't out of the question, though the main focus of the store would be the books.
Logan didn't want to open a magic shop. That would scream a bit too much of his former boss.
( Politicking )
( Voicemail for Izzy )
Closing his phone, Logan planted himself in front of his books once more. Pulling out the business card Elise had given him, the former Watcher stared at it for several moments. He then tore the card into four separate pieces, flopping them onto the coffee table along with his notes and books.
Logan was suddenly tired. He was half-tempted to call Rupert in the morning and warn him that Wolfram & Hart had made contact. Logan decided otherwise, figuring he no longer needed to be in contact with the Council. This was something he could handle himself.
That gave the former Watcher another book idea; he wondered if there were books detailing just how bad Wolfram & Hart really was.
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| Too Damn Cozy |
[09 Aug 2008|04:14pm] |
After returning from Lincoln Park, Connor took a very hot shower to get the stink of the place off, then watched movies on cable until he fell asleep. His dreams were odd and disjointed, all teeth and wings and faces he couldn't see, but when he woke he felt more or less rested. Breakfast was two slices of cold pizza and then a couple of bagels from the lobby. He made a note to use the laundry room of the motel once he returned from his work search, then kicked the motorcycle's engine to life and sped out of the parking lot.
He had more luck the second time around, and by lunch time he had a couple of strong possibilities. He spotted a hot dog vendor with a pushcart in the commercial district, so he pulled the Honda into a parking spot and bought two dogs with everything, including sauerkraut. Armed with those, a soda, and a newspaper the Destroyer, found a bench under a tree to eat and scan the 'for rent' ads. All in all, Chicago was shaping up to be a place he liked.
Even though his trip to Starnes Investigations didn’t result in a job – instead giving Logan an awkward if necessary conversation – he didn’t leave that office empty. Michaela offered to refer him to someone else, and he had no reason not to take the former detective at her word. So it was with relatively little stress the former Watcher ate the rest of his hot dog, staring at his cell phone.
Two days since his date with Izzy – was it too soon to call again? Too soon to ask her out on date number two? Logan understood there was something to be said for tradition, a time-honored custom in which the man did all the work and the woman was merely free to waste it all with a simple “no,” but if anything, Francis had done him a disservice by taking the initiative herself.
It had its own benefits, but Logan knew he was in unfamiliar territory.
The former Watcher closed his phone, deciding to wait a little longer before calling. Chicago was really pretty during the day in certain parts, and this was one of them. Not quite Navy Pier at night, but nice nonetheless. The sun was out, which meant it was hot, but there were plenty of trees under which to find shade.
( Vegas East )
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| Moving On |
[07 Aug 2008|03:46pm] |
At some point before the end of his date with Izzy, Logan managed to get the address for the investigative agency she’d told him about. After fighting his way through downtown traffic – one of the few things the former Watcher didn’t like about Chicago – Logan found himself at the entrance of Starnes Investigations.
The name had given Logan momentary pause, but even as he stepped into the agency’s office, he realized the chances of it having anything to do with Michaela were slim at best. A detective in Las Vegas with whom Logan had a … contentious relationship was likely nowhere to be found.
Which actually made Logan upset on some level. Over time, he’d grown to realize the mistakes he made when it came to virtually all matters concerning the detective, and he felt the need to apologize for them. The former Watcher wasn’t interested in trying to dissect who made mistakes or what not, he just wanted to tell her he was sorry.
For whatever it might’ve been worth.
( Off-topic )
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| Tradition |
[06 Aug 2008|09:37pm] |
Isabelle Shaw swore as she glanced at the clock. The blonde was on her tenth change of clothes, trying to find just the right look for her date with Logan, and she was now officially running late. A peek through the blinds revealed the car he'd described waiting at the curb and she swore again.
Her bed was covered in discarded outfits and the witch stood in the center of the room in her underwear, tapping her finger against her chin. "I've gone insane," she muttered to herself as she moved to the closet one final time, "worrying over what I look like ... what am I, fourteen?" Izzy rummaged through her things, whatever she picked this time was what she would go with, no matter if she looked horrible in it.
She was simply out of time.
As much as the butterflies were fluttering in his stomach, Logan was surprisingly patient waiting for Izzy. He stood outside his car, thinking to himself that were he a smoker, this would be the time to light one up. Logan had heard stories over the years of women running late on dates because they couldn't find anything to wear, but it wasn't exactly like he had any experience with which to judge that rumor's validity.
Francis never put that much effort into her appearance, which was probably one of the reasons he found her so attractive. She never bothered to doctor herself up any.
Logan was pleasantly surprised with how he looked in his new jeans and dark green polo. The former Watcher had spent a half-hour deciding whether or not to tuck in the shirt, ultimately deciding it looked best untucked. They weren't going anywhere too fancy, so it wasn't as if Logan needed to get all dressy. Just enough product in his hair to get a certain look, and again Logan was clean-shaven and wore his contacts.
Logan may have been unemployed now, but he sure didn't look it.
( Dinner )
( Ice Cream )
( First Kiss )
( Movie )
Logan nodded as he held the door to the theatre open for Izzy. She had a point; the monotony infesting Hollywood over the past decade-plus was making good movies harder to come by year in and year out, which was why this was the first movie Logan actually paid money at a theatre to see in almost three years. Francis wasn't a big movie buff, so none of their dates included a trip to the multiplex. Instead it was just food, bowling, pool, darts and even a round of golf.
Definitely not traditional. Then again, the way this date with Izzy was going, there was something to be said for tradition.
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