[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLmM4YzFjZC5WbWwyYVdGdUlGZHBiblJsY25NLC4w/gf-ordner.inverted.png[/img]


[hr]
[color=C8C7CB][b]Time:[/b][/color] Morning
[color=C8C7CB][b]Location:[/b][/color] Vivian's room in her apartment
[color=C8C7CB][b]Interaction with:[/b][/color] Alexander [@FunnyGuy]
[/center]

The piece of paper in Vivian’s hands crinkled slightly as she lifted it closer to her face to examine it. The page itself was an old receipt, with ten digits scribbled on its wrinkled surface in messy writing. [i]A lead[/i]. Vivian’s grip on the piece of paper tightened. Her search for information about New Paeonia wasn’t bearing much fruit, and now she might have just found a way in. Even though the posh gated community wasn’t too far away from Ember Grove, it was strange how little the locals had to say about it. 

Vivian spent her time off yesterday at Alexei’s, playing billiards. She didn’t mind being at work in her off time — to be honest, there wasn’t really anywhere else she wanted to go, since her social life hadn’t really developed much since moving into town a few months prior. Her coworkers were her main friend group at the moment, and they got along well. Alissa, in particular, was quick to help Vivian adjust to her new environment and job. It made her disappearance weigh that much more heavily on Vivian’s heart, and she felt responsible for making sure she was safe. Progress on the case was slow, however. The police didn’t seem to think Alissa was missing at all, but Vivian never held high hopes for the efficacy of local cops anyway.

Vivian was in the middle of practising trick shots when a guy approached her to play a round, introducing himself as Devin, an Ember Grove local. Their conversation began with small talk as they took turns around the table. Devin’s skills were decent, but he was quick to notice Vivian’s. She already had the intention of asking the local about New Paeonia, but to her surprise, he was the one to mention the community first. Apparently, some old rich guy who lived there was paying a lot for a skilled player to show him the ropes. At first, it seemed too good to be true. Vivian’s search was at a standstill, but suddenly, a guy literally walks into her life offering a load of cash and a literal free pass into a gated area? Suspicious, definitely, but Vivian was still curious about the offer. He wrote down the contact details for the job on a crumpled receipt.

As Vivian stared, the numbers on the receipt started to look more and more like dollar signs. Noticing her own greed, Vivian laughed, and placed the piece of paper down back on her nightstand. Instead, she grabbed a half-empty box of cigarettes and walked over to the window in her room. The panes were stained in a dingy hue, and made a low screech as she lifted it open. Paint was chipping from the wooden windowsill, which Vivian leaned against as she lit a cigarette and took a long drag from it. It wouldn’t take more than a glance at Vivian’s room to understand why she might be in need of some extra funds. Her shitty apartment was tolerable at best. The floorboards creaked with every step, and the sparse collection of furniture in the room was second-hand. Vivian made an effort to DIY some stuff, but a roughly sanded and stained shelf in the room was evidence enough that crafts weren’t her forte. Teaching the geezer how to play billiards was starting to sound more tempting. The money was a bonus of course. Her priority was finding Alissa.

After taking a final puff, Vivian extinguished the cigarette in an ashtray that sat by the window. She had made her decision, and dialed the number from the paper earlier into her phone. It rang a few times before she heard someone pick up on the other end.

[color=C8C7CB]“Hey, heard someone was looking for pool or billiard lessons?”[/color]