[center][img]http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3b75xmK7l1r6xi47.gif[/img][/center][right]Axell Corporation
Nashville, Tennessee
December 29[/right]It had been an ordinary day at work. Ginny was dressed in a nice blue dress which was covered by a white lab coat. Her blonde hair was tied back into a braid and bun.  A small pin was used to tap rhythmically on her work station as she waited for the mass spectrometer to finish its' work. When the doors to her lab opened she didn't look. She was far too used to people coming and going. While she headed up this lab, she still had various underlings to do whatever she deemed beneath her. 

When a very confused lab technician scuttled up to Ginny, she finally looked away from the lab equipment she was eyeing. The nervous technician was Joseph. An intern straight from the classrooms. Scared to death of women. Ginny was no exception, even though she tried to be friendly. Emphasis on tried.

"Yes Joseph?" Ginny prompted as the technician didn't speak.

At her words the poor kid looked like she had grown two heads and started spitting fire. His mouth opened and closed like a fish's. However no sound came out. Ginny sighed and looked to see if there was anyone else in the lab. She quickly spotted Richard who was trying to hide behind a Plexiglas divider. 

"Richard, really?" Ginny called exasperated over to the head technician. At her tone Richard burst out laughing. Something he had been undoubtedly holding in. He said something in the mist of it and Ginny lifted an eyebrow. Richard too a few bracing breaths, came out from his terrible hiding spot, and repeated himself.

"He has to learn to talk to you somehow." Richard wiped tears from his eyes.

Ginny rolled hers. "And this is a good way?" She gestured to the tech who had retreated from the room. Which caused them both to burst out laughing. Gradually they regained control. Ginny fanned her face as she tried to breathe.

"He looked like a fish." She finally got out.

Richard tried to return Ginny's imperious look of arching an eyebrow but failed and they both resumed their laughter. Eventually through a great force of will, they both returned to workplace accepted seriousness. Richard was the first to break the new silence.

"You have a courier." He said suddenly.

Ginny arched an eyebrow, a very telling habit. "A what?"

"A courier." The older man said with a large smile. "Little bumbling kid. Worse than Joseph. Anyways, says he has something for you. Only for you. Has to," Richard made air quotes. "Only deliver it to you and no one else. Insistent little feller." Richard shrugged. "Anyways, couldn't let him in, clean room and all. So he's waiting at the security station."

Ginny made a face of surprise and astonishment. "Well okay then." She shrugged. "Lets go see what he wants. You," She halted Richard with a finger. "Will stay and watch the Mass Spectrometer. As soon as the batch is done it needs to be analyzed." 

Richard sighed and deflated. "Yes ma'am." He made a great show of shuffling off in sadness to assume her vigil. The sound of her laughter followed him until she was out the door and it was again closed. 

Ginny's white pumps clacked on the linoleum as she stalked down the hallway. She moved at such a pace her name tag flopped against her minimal chest. Those she saw in the hallways nodded their head in greeting, but none stopped, all moving just as determinedly as Ginny. The way to the Security Station was down the main elevator, past the lobby and then you were there.

"Miss White?" One of the guards asked as she walked up to the security desk. He was one of the regulars and had often checked her in. 

"Able." She smiled. "How's the daughter?"

"Just as much of a pain as her mother." Able smiled broadly to show that he loved them both. They had meet at work and two years ago had gotten married. Ginny had attended. 

"Good to hear. One also hears I have a courier?" Ginny smiled at the shuffling boy who had been loitering near the security desk.

"Yes Ma'am. We scanned the letter, it's safe."

Ginny blinked and turned back to Able laying a hand on his and offering a warm open smile. "That was very kind. Thank you." 

Able blushed, in a aw-shucks kind of way. Ginny lingered a second longer before going to the courier. "I believe you have something for me?"

The young man nodded. He was just as Richard had described. His voice was soft as he spoke. "I need identification please, Ma'am." He stumbled over the last word. Probably only using it because Able had.

"Of course." Ginny carefully unclipped her Axell ID tag and held it out for inspection. It must have matched whatever the courier compared it to because the man nodded and passed her a very fancy letter. 

"Thank you." Ginny barely managed to get out before the man hurried off. She turned back to give Able a bemused look. The black man shrugged and Ginny ran a hand over the paper. Whomever sent this isn't skimp on quality. Then she turned the envelope over and stopped dead. With neat cursive lettering was her name. Not Ginny White, but BROKER.

"Everything alright miss?" Able's voice was concerned.

Broker didn't get flustered often, but this small change in her life was enough. She jumped at Able's voice before giving a small laugh.

"Of course. I just wasn't expecting this." She gave a small shrug. "I would say old friend, but it's been a long time since I could say that." She gave a wistful smile, giving guise that maybe an old lover was writing her. "Can I borrow your knife?" She questioned.

Abel accepted her lie without further ado and passed her his work knife. 

With a deft movement she slid it under the envelope flap and opened it on one edge. She passed the knife back to Abel. She eyed him carefully as she did so. He was curious. Too curious, the part that was Broker whispered in the back of her mind. Still she forced a believable smile onto her face. "If you don't mind, I think I'll read this somewhere private." 

Broker exchanged the proper goodbyes before making a retreat into the nearest bathroom. She commandeered a stall and locked it behind her. With shaking hands the woman opened it and read the contents. She checked the cash, then read the letter again.

[center][i][b]CESARE AND HIS ASSOCIATES REQUEST THE HONOR OF YOUR PRESENCE
FOR A LUNCHEON AND CONFERENCE
MONDAY, THE ELEVENTH OF JANUARY AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON
VIVIANO AND SONS FUNERAL HOME, THE HILL, SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI
[/b]

Enclosed please find one first-class air ticket to Lambert International Airport and $1000 cash for incidental or alternative travel expenses.

Accommodations will be provided.[/i][/center]
With a small frown Broker tore up the letter and flushed it. The money and plane ticket she secreted away in her bra. After that she took a few minutes to compose herself before returning to work.[right]Viviano and Sons Funeral Home
St. Louis, Missouri
Janurary 11th[/right]Broker emerged from her limo bundled in a luxurious fur coat. Ted, her bodyguard stood holding the door opened. No smile graced Broker's face. Nor any expression for that matter. Liam was further ahead near the other vehicles. He looked over the snow then held up a hand and made a quick sign.

Seven individuals. One very large. Two most likely female. The rest normal men, as far as Liam could tell. Broker barely inclined her head, yet he saw it and vanished off into the snow covered landscape.

By this time Ted had closed the door behind Broker and offered an arm for her. She took the offered arm without even looking at him. Time to join the party. Broker and her men were as prepared as they could be. Liam would watch over them from a distance and Ted would protect Ginny with his life. Both were extremely well armed.

Broker and Ted crunched over the snow and up to the Funeral Home. The doors opened soundlessly. Inside it was warm and voices drifted towards her. She tilted her chin and Ted grunted a [i]no[/i]. Broker released the pose, released Ted's arm and swept into the room. She pulled off her coat and passed it to Ted who hung it on a coat rack. There were no other coats there so Ginny assumed they all kept their belongings with them. The duo continued into the viewing hall.

The sight took Broker's breath away. (Mainly the very, very tall lizard walking towards the front of the viewing room. One she recognized from the news. There were not very many giant lizards.) Not that her face disclosed any of her secrets. Impassively she scanned the room. True to Liam's sign, there were two women. Both with black hair and red eyes. One was vaguely familiar. Broker set to remembering why to the back burner to run while she scoped out the rest of the room. A few Russian looking mobsters that all blended together visually. 

Broker and Ted moved aside, just in case there would be more joining them. Anyways, it offered Ted a better vantage point without the worry of someone stabbing them from behind. A very real worry. One that made her send a random minion she wasn't very happy with, with the airplane ticket to the town and message to never be seen again. According to Liam, the minion had lived through the flight. A very useful tidbit of information.

As Broker stood there she tugged off one glove and very covertly started eyeing objects that would aid her the most in determining the most about the seven individuals and why they were here.