The office is a two room affair, and it's pretty easy to see why. The first room is a polished, minimalist affair, with a few framed photos of Mrs. Piper, the face of the operation, accepting various runner-up awards mixed with a few stills from documentaries. A black and white retro-minimalism, two chairs in front of the desk, a slightly nicer chair behind it, and a mini-computer on the desk next to a small framed photo facing away from everyone but the desk's owner.

The room is also very empty. So Elodie steps in and knocks on the wall, gently, tap-tap, and gets a "CUMIN!" from the other door in the office. The back room shows the other side of the partnership. It used to have a kitchenette, that much is clear, there's a small counter with a microwave, sink, hotplate, and fridge that's been condensed down to about half the space it normally would because the rest of the space is cluttered as hell. A rats nest of cables, scavenged servers, a couch duct-taped to patch the holes with a rainbow pile of blankets and pillows heaped on it. The blanket pile shifts a as black-furred head pokes out of it and peers through neon green AR goggles. "Ya the replacement? M'Priyah."

Priyah, it turns out, has no idea where Bechemal 4-550, aka Bessie Piper, is. "Diva, m'yeah? Dragged herself up, ambitions. Here for showtime and bits'n'bobs. Mad't Bigsby. Doesn't want you, needs a camera. S'yeah. You're shiny, take the shine from Pipes." She's wearing a ragged band shirt and black jeans, and Priyah generously offers to share her instant ramen, or at least that's what Elodie tranlates "Noods?" as when she emerges to make herself some... breakfast? Probably? "Bigs'smart. Doesn't want the trouble. 'M staying here, work remote, good gig. You'n Pipes go in person, earpiece f'you'n'her, call for deets. Stay safe, m'kay?"

There isn't another place to sit and Priyah has shamelessly taken the entire couch to eat her noods, so it's almost a relief when the front door beeps. Elodie emerges from the computer cave to a frigid stare from Mrs. Piper. "Ah, good, Bigby's replacement is here. Don't sit on the chairs, you might break them."

Oh this is going to be a peach of a job.