NerwenGreen (1:38 AM): Thomas checks his messages and email. He chuckles at the first email, which is from Ryan and says "If you're reading this, you've figured out how to use your email. Congrats and hi. -Ryan"
AgujaCabra (1:40 AM): [he's gonna need computer points sometime :p ]
NerwenGreen (1:40 AM): [hehehe]
NerwenGreen (1:40 AM): Thomas begins doing various household chores, such as his laundry, and a bit of cleaning. He checks on all of his plants.

AgujaCabra (1:48 AM): At 3:30 AM, Thomas' telephone rings.. if he is still at home.
AgujaCabra (1:48 AM): [bah! we should leave it at the ring.. :p ]
NerwenGreen (1:49 AM): Thomas answers the phone. "Hello?"
NerwenGreen (1:49 AM): [leave it at the ring?]
AgujaCabra (1:49 AM): "Hello, Thomas... how are you this evening?" Gracian's voice responds casually from the other end.
NerwenGreen (1:50 AM): "I am well, thank you," Thomas replies. "How are you tonight?"

AgujaCabra (2:02 AM): "Fine, fine.. Listen.. I won't take up to much of your time tonight. I have some business in New Orleans, and am on the road right now... Have you seen Shepard lately? "

NerwenGreen (2:03 AM): "No, I'm afraid I have not. Is there a problem?"
AgujaCabra (2:05 AM): "Well.. " Gracian pauses a moment, as a touch of static fills the line, "He hasn't been answering his telephone that past couple of days, and I'd like him to look over the city while I am out.. "
NerwenGreen (2:07 AM): "Ah, I see," Thomas answers. "Perhaps he is still having some problems with dementation."
AgujaCabra (2:11 AM): Gracian sighs slightly, continuing after a moment.. "If you see anything unusual in the city, call me immediately.. I will make alternate arrangements if Shepard is keeping to himself. . but you don't need to report to any local authority. .... I'll get someone to stop by and rap on his door-- maybe the phone is out."
NerwenGreen (2:14 AM): "I have not been in the city these past few nights myself, but I will certainly keep you informed if I notice anything. Though I am not sure what would be 'unusual'." He pauses briefly, then adds "Would you like me to visit Shepard?"
AgujaCabra (2:18 AM): "Oh, well.. if it would not be out of your way tonight, then by all means-- do you need his address? "
NerwenGreen (2:19 AM): "Yes, that would be helpful."

AgujaCabra (2:25 AM): There is a slight sigh from Gracian's end, as he adjusts the phone a bit... "Actually, he doesn't have an exact address. Do you know Isle Fontenot?," his soft, French accent comes through lightly on the word, "He's out in the white stone houses along the northern end.. two rows over from the courtyard. Just ask around .. someone should recognize his name."

NerwenGreen (2:27 AM): "Will there be many people about at this hour?" Thomas asks uncertainly.
AgujaCabra (2:29 AM): "On that island? yes. . I can call someone else if this is any trouble. I will tell Shepard to have a number put on his building, just as soon as I get a hold of him. "
NerwenGreen (2:30 AM): "Oh, it will be no trouble," Thomas answers. "I am not busy tonight."
AgujaCabra (2:33 AM): "All right.. If you cannot find the place, don't worry. I wish that I had better directions for you. . " A slight pause, " Give me a call back later, if you were not able to speak with him for any reason... and please tell him to call me, if you can get in touch. . "
NerwenGreen (2:34 AM): "I will do so," Thomas answers.
AgujaCabra (2:37 AM): "All right. Thank you. " As an afterthought, he continues.. " .. I'm sure I don't need to say it, but exercise some caution with Shepard. He may be fine, but if there is anything wrong.. he is not someone that you want to get into an alteraction with."
NerwenGreen (2:39 AM): "Yes, I am aware of that," Thomas replies, amusement in his tone. "I will keep that in mind."
AgujaCabra (2:42 AM): "Good," there is some of the same amusement in Gracian's tone, although he seems slightly tense as well.. " I will speak to you later then. Keep me informed, and feel free to call if you need anything whatsoever."
AgujaCabra (2:43 AM): [He will say Goodbye if Thomas doesn't seem to have any more questions/ comments]
NerwenGreen (2:43 AM): "All right"
NerwenGreen (2:43 AM): [no, not at this time ... thomas will have more if he doesn't get ahold of shepard though]
AgujaCabra (2:43 AM): [sure :p ]
AgujaCabra (2:44 AM): All right.. so Gracian says 'Goodnight," and hangs up the telephone.
NerwenGreen (2:44 AM): okeydokey
NerwenGreen (2:44 AM): Thomas gets out his jacket again, puts it on, and goes looking for Shepard.

[Nov. 29, 2002]

NerwenGreen (3:10 PM): Thomas steps out of his house and begins walking toward town. He briefly considers flying directly over to the island instead of making the trip on foot.
AgujaCabra (3:13 PM): The treetops rustle lazily overhead, as a stray night hawk circles in the distance, and then juts away into the dark.. Thomas probably knows that there are some small canoes, generally bound to the near shore, that residents of the island use to traverse the lake. It would be simple to row, or to fly.
NerwenGreen (3:16 PM): He decides after a moment to take a canoe. [sorry for the pause, momentary distraction]
AgujaCabra (3:19 PM): As Thomas approaches the side of the lake, he can pick out a few left-over canoes, knocking together softly with the swell of the water. One small, faded blue boat has a simple waterproof lantern inside the hull, and the words 'public taxi' stenciled in white on the side. The other boats might be privately owned, but none say so explicitly. Across the lake, he can spot the queer, wooden facade of a rickety clock-tower, and a few shanty-style shops.. some planted firmly into the earth, while others are
AgujaCabra (3:20 PM): suspended by an elaborate array of posts and firm, wooden bracing. The stone buildings are barely visible at this angle, and tucked away to the back of the island.
AgujaCabra (3:21 PM): [that's okay. yow. this part of my city looks weird]
NerwenGreen (3:21 PM): [does "public taxi" mean that anyone may use the boat? or is there supposed to be a driver that you pay to take you across?]
AgujaCabra (3:22 PM): [anyone can use it... there are oars, and no one is about to pilot the boat. Sometimes there will be a captain.. he's asleep right now :p ]
NerwenGreen (3:23 PM): Thomas approaches the boat that says "public taxi." He peers cautiously inside.
AgujaCabra (3:24 PM): There is a shallow pool of water at the bottom of the hull, and two oars tucked haphazardly underneath the simple wooden seat. It appears sturdy, despite the cracked paint.
NerwenGreen (3:25 PM): Thomas climbs in cautiously and begins rowing toward Isle Fontenot.
AgujaCabra (3:26 PM): [hehe.. he might know that it's okay to use the boats. I know it is a little weird to just grab a boat and assume it's okay :p ]
AgujaCabra (3:26 PM): [custom of the island that he's lived near for 12 years.. he definately might know :P ]
NerwenGreen (3:26 PM): [okay ]
AgujaCabra (3:30 PM): The low lights of the patched together structures, cast only dim pools of shimmering illumination on the lake; though the starlight provides plenty to see by. There are a few ducks sleeping near the water, as he approaches the island.. and a few simple docks along the shoreline. Several canoes are tied by rope or chain to the dock post, and there are a couple black gondolas inside a covered dock, slightly further down the coast.
NerwenGreen (3:31 PM): Thomas finds a dock with room for his boat somewhere close to the stone buildings.
AgujaCabra (3:37 PM): This side of the island is partially enclosed by a low, coquina stone wall. Fragments of pink marble and coquina blend together with the whitened shell, to provide a faint touch of colour, and the nearest dock is lit dimly by an electric, iron lamp, set up on the stone shelf. Behind the wall, he can see a series of two-story, stone buildings.. many with stairwells incorporated into the outside wall, leading up to a secondary, elevated walkway that loosely traverses around the upper homes.
AgujaCabra (3:38 PM): [I have a picture that looks very close to this.. it's pretty. I wish I could scan it!]
NerwenGreen (3:38 PM): Thomas parks the boat and steps onto the dock. He looks for a way into the complex.
NerwenGreen (3:38 PM): [there's gotta be a scanner somewhere on campus that you can use :/]
AgujaCabra (3:40 PM): Near the dock, there is a break in the wall closed by an unlocked iron gate.
NerwenGreen (3:41 PM): Thomas enters the complex through the iron gate, closing it after he passes through. He looks around for someone to talk to.
AgujaCabra (3:44 PM): Sitting on a bench along the wall, perhaps 20 feet from the dock, Thomas can spot a man and a woman sitting together, talking over a six pack of non-alcoholic beer. The man is the coroner that came to pick up the woman from Thomas' house. He does not recognize the woman. There is also an older lady, walking along the street a few houses over.. carrying a sachet of plastic bags.
NerwenGreen (3:45 PM): Thomas approaches the older lady with the plastic bags.
AgujaCabra (3:48 PM): Thomas would pass under a simple archway, approaching the woman. There are no full spaces between the buildings.. everything is connected and interwoven together with the loosely packed stone. As she notices him approach, the woman brings the bag a bit closer to herself, and glances warily to Thomas out of the corner of her eye.
NerwenGreen (3:50 PM): Thomas looks casually around at the architecture, wondering idly whether it was designed by Shepard. As he reaches the woman, he nonchalantly falls into step beside her. "Good evening," he says with a friendly smile. "I am looking for a man named Shepard. Would you know where he lives?"
AgujaCabra (3:53 PM): Hesitating slightly, before she continues to walk on with Thomas, the woman frowns at the corner of her lip.. thinking. "I don't think that I know the name... " She adjusts her grip on the bag, which contains a few assorted groceries and a dusty pot of flowers.
NerwenGreen (3:55 PM): "Ah, well, sorry to disturb you then," Thomas answers. He nods politely and begins to move away. He looks around for someone else to talk to.
AgujaCabra (3:56 PM): [*cough* describe the albino man :p ]
AgujaCabra (3:56 PM): [sorry. ::hushes:: ^.^ ]
NerwenGreen (3:56 PM): [oh .. erm, can I rewrite that? :p]
AgujaCabra (3:57 PM): [hehe.. he can rethink it, and just talk to her again.. Or he can find somebody else :p Whatever]
NerwenGreen (3:57 PM): [guess he'll look for someone else]
AgujaCabra (4:00 PM): If he looks back towards the wooden structures, which he can see a bit of through the stone arches and passageways, he'd notice a few young men in flannel and torn jeans, hanging around outside a half-hidden structure. Two are smoking, and they all have a rather rough look.
NerwenGreen (4:01 PM): He looks for the coroner.
AgujaCabra (4:02 PM): The coroner is still over on the bench, leaning back a little to point out constellations to the lady.. who seems a bit disinterested, but still nods absently to his comments.
NerwenGreen (4:03 PM): Thomas approaches them.
AgujaCabra (4:04 PM): The woman smiles to Thomas a little as he comes over, leafing through a book on her knee. After a moment, the coroner notices him, and narrows his eyes slightly in thought.. as though trying to place you.

NerwenGreen (4:06 PM): [~He nods] politely at the two of them and [~says] "Good evening. I am looking for someone who lives here - a man named Shepard. Would either of you know where he lives?"
AgujaCabra (4:11 PM): The coroner smiles uncertainly after a brief pause, and looks up to Thomas. ".. How do you know him?," he asks quietly, but without any reservation.
NerwenGreen (4:12 PM): "He is a friend," Thomas replies.
AgujaCabra (4:15 PM): The man pales just slightly, and nods to that. ".. I think he's across from #27, on the ground floor.. I've seen him pop in the house there, but it's been a while."
NerwenGreen (4:17 PM): "Thank you," Thomas says. He pauses to study the man's reaction for a moment with a look of concern. "Is there something about him that frightens you?"
AgujaCabra (4:21 PM): "No," he answers after a moment, thinking that over... "he seems nice enough. quiet. . I don't think anyone has ever asked me about him before. We don't have visitors so late out here.. "
AgujaCabra (4:22 PM): [sorry :p people ranting to me in IM]
NerwenGreen (4:22 PM): [ah]
NerwenGreen (4:24 PM): "Ah, well, another friend asked me to visit him tonight over something urgent," Thomas explains. "Thanks for your help." He nods politely at the two of them again and begins to look for #27.
AgujaCabra (4:24 PM): [you have just scared the bejesus out of that man... :p ]
NerwenGreen (4:24 PM): [doing what??]
AgujaCabra (4:25 PM): [hehe... he saw the body at your house, and knows there were others at your house in the past.. He has also seen Shepard feed before, kind of :p ... Um. Now you're mentioning another friend!]
NerwenGreen (4:26 PM): [err... okay ...]
AgujaCabra (4:32 PM): Towards the center of the complex, the buildings seem to curve out a bit to allow for a central courtyard. There are bars fastening some of the upper windows, and pale yellow flowers growing along a trellis attached to one of the homes. There are numbers on a few of the doors, and Thomas could certainly find #27 after a bit of hunting. It has a slight overhang, from which a mobile dangles. The door is a rusted red colour, and the numbers are a faded bronze.
NerwenGreen (4:33 PM): Thomas knocks firmly three times on the door [~across from] #27.

AgujaCabra (4:36 PM): [hum. I think I have a piccie of the house. . I am so confused as to what the outside looks like :p It's similar to the other homes.. nothing distinguishing it from the mass.]
NerwenGreen (4:37 PM): Thomas looks at the buildings curiously as he waits.
AgujaCabra (4:39 PM): There is a lengthy pause, before the door cracks open a slim hair, catching on a thin chain lock inside. Thomas can see a pair of eyes, barely in the darkness, looking out at him tiredly. A twist of ivory hair can also be seen in the faint light.
NerwenGreen (4:42 PM): "I apologize for disturbing you," Thomas says quietly. "But Gracian wanted me to see if you were all right. He needs to speak with you."
AgujaCabra (4:45 PM): Shepard stares at Thomas for a long moment, responding softly without opening the door further, "What did he want to speak with me about?"
NerwenGreen (4:48 PM): Thomas glances around the complex quickly before very quietly responding "He has urgent business in New Orleans, and wanted to know if you would watch the city while he was out."
AgujaCabra (4:54 PM): Looking down breifly, Shepard responds with equal quiet.. Letting the door swing in another slim inch, and standing back from the door a but, in the dimly lit room. ".. Did he mention what business? . how long will he be out of town?"
AgujaCabra (4:54 PM): [oy... I had him do something completely different, realized he wouldn't, and rewrote the silly thing :p ]
AgujaCabra (4:55 PM): [*a bit.. not a but :p ]
NerwenGreen (4:55 PM): [oh? what would he not do? ]
AgujaCabra (4:56 PM): [let Thomas into his house :p ]
NerwenGreen (4:56 PM): "He did not say," Thomas replies. "He wanted you to call him."
NerwenGreen (4:56 PM): [ah I see :p]
AgujaCabra (5:02 PM): He nods faintly at that, glancing to something out of the corner of his eye, before letting his gaze drop wearily back to the floor. "I will phone him. . " After a slight hesitation, he asks, "... Why didn't Gracian call me, if he wanted to speak.. ? .. Did he only ask you to deliver a message?"
NerwenGreen (5:04 PM): "He says you have not answered your phone in the last two days," Thomas answers. "I am not aware of any others he spoke with about you."
AgujaCabra (5:09 PM): Frowning slightly, his eyes flicker up briefly from the ground, before drifting back again tiredly. ".. I see. Thank you for delivering his message. If you speak with Gracian before I do, tell him that I will watch the city.. "
NerwenGreen (5:10 PM): "All right."
AgujaCabra (5:12 PM): "good night." He looks back to Thomas steadily, with a very faint nod, and pushes the door closed again.
AgujaCabra (5:12 PM): [aaaaah! Shepard... be sociable!]
NerwenGreen (5:13 PM): Thomas nods politely back at him and goes back to the boat.
NerwenGreen (5:13 PM): [well.. one of these days the dementation will go away? ]
AgujaCabra (5:13 PM): [hehe.. one of these days :p ]
AgujaCabra (5:15 PM): [just a sec.. IMs and such. I think I need some food]
NerwenGreen (5:15 PM): [ok]