by The Kingpin » Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:58 am
As Lynch was looking through his papers, a ring sounded from his cellular phone, the number on it marked simply as Unknown Number, no digits shown...
"And here he comes" said a thin, pale man as he eyed Atlas walking through the door of the classy restaurant and bar that had been chosen as a meeting place. red carpets covered every inch of the floor from the entrance all the way to the doorways to the kitchen, beyond which white walls and floors were the host of constant work, cooking for the many patrons that attended the 5 star establishment. dark wood lined the walls and black and white pictures and portraits told a story of a time when Los Diamantes was much smaller and less known. candles flickered on the tables of patrons and dim yellow lightning gave a cosy atmosphere, while in one side of the large room a stage was occupied by a smooth Jazz band, soothing music being played to the voice of a dark skinned woman. At a glance, Atlas guessed she was in her mid 50s. she'd been doing this for a while. But her talent was undeniable. a crystal clear voice sang Nina Simone's Feeling Good as saxophones, drums, a grand piano and other instruments formed a tune that was soft on the soul and easy on the ear. as Atlas reached the table, he nodded to the pale skinned man, whose large glasses seemed easily half an inch thick, set halfway down his crooked nose. on his right was a slightly overweight man, a jolly smile on his face as he welcomed Atlas. "Gentlemen?" said Atlas with a smile. "The man of the hour. How're you doing, Atlas? Well I hope? Please, sit down, sit down" said the overweight man, thick head of short, wavy black hair doing a fair amount to hide how overweight he actually was. Atlas nodded thankfully as he sat down behind the corner table across from the two men. As he sat down, a waiter approached, notepad in hand as he stood at the Englishman's side. "How may I help you sir?" asked the waiter. "some water will do, thanks. As for a meal, medium rare rib-eye steak, 15 ounces should cut it. barbecue sauce and mash" responded Atlas with a grateful smile to the waiter, who nodded courteously, before walking off. "Not common to see you so cheerful, Atlas. Good news, I hope?" asked the large man with a cheerful smile that almost expertly hid his apprehension. almost. but not quite. "I'm pleased to inform you, Mr. Sandler, that I've managed to crack the project you asked me to look into three months ago" said Atlas, noting the man's expression relaxing nearly instantly. "That's fantastic news, Atlas. Please, call me Jack. No need for formalities here. How exactly did you find it though? This project has changed hands several times before it ended up with you. and everyone who looked at it gave up after a month with no progress" said the man with a smile, the thin, pale skinned man beside him listening silently. The Rep from the Board of Directors, no doubt. Even if one of the Executives was dealing with me, they'd need confirmation from one of their lackeys thought Atlas as he distracted himself with the waiter, who had returned with a large glass of water, crystalline cubes of ice shimmering within the drink. "Your drink, sir" said the waiter as he set the drink down on the table.
Atlas nodded to the man thankfully as he reached for his drink, taking a sip, before staring Jack in the eye with a smile, addressing his question. "Well, I'll tell you something Jack, it was hardly what you'd call a walk in the park. Had me baffled for the first week or so. But the right tools and the right knowledge can solve any puzzle. Once I figured out just what it was I was looking at, it was mostly smooth sailing. Ran into a few tough bumps here and there, but I eventually cracked it" he said. "Excellent work, Atlas. Excellent work. your reputation really is well deserved" said Jack Sandler cheerfully. Atlas simply nodded thankfully as the trio's orders arrived, temporarily pausing their discussion of business...
"Ah yes, organised chaos. the sign of a clever but ever-busy mind. To the perpetrator, a carefully woven web of belongings and intrigue, but to the bystander? Madness!"
–William Beckett, Lore of Leyuna RPG