Sooooo, the jewelry box...I'd like for it to be a surprise, but if you want me to tell you what I have planned, I can :)
freedomliveson
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STATUS: Taking off early thanks to crazy personal stuff. Posts on Tuesday! 7 yrs ago
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TheElvenJedi
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7 yrs ago
Current
Taking off early thanks to crazy personal stuff. Posts on Tuesday!
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7 yrs ago
Life can be...just wow. Lessons learned from my hiatus: it's ok to be vulnerable with those you care about, the people who love you will always remain in your life and be true to what you want.
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8 yrs ago
Aaaaand work got busy again. Breaking my rule of posting on Friday, but that'll be when I have time again.
8 yrs ago
Tied up at work! Be back tomorrow.
8 yrs ago
In the words of a famous Scottish king; "T'was a rough night". Taking off early for the weekend. Posts back on Monday!
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Bio
"She'll make soap out of you. That's what she does. Makes soap out of people."
-Little kid, Big Fish
-Little kid, Big Fish
Most Recent Posts
"No, it isn't, but then again..." Yerbol minimized the picture, rapping his fingers on the edge of the laptop.
"Jiang has always had a...wilder side to her that drove our aunt absolutely insane. When she was transferred into my custody a few years ago, it seemed to disappear most of the time, but more than once I had to show up at her high school to deal with allegations of a fight or a prank on an assistant principal she had organized. I'm just hoping she doesn't get into trouble she can't get out of...well, I hope she doesn't get into any trouble at all." He laughed as he brought up some of the electronic files contained on the flashdrive.
"I think I'll dig my nose into this a bit more before attempting to sleep." His eyes narrowed as a picture of their target became centered on screen, biographies and data packets flanking the image.
Time to work.
_____________________
Rain barraged Hong Kong island, the moisture a normal occurrence this time of year. While conditions were grey and dreary, Yerbol could appreciate what the rain brought to the island in terms of creating the gorgeous floral foliage that blossomed on Victoria Peak and the various gardens that were meticulously kept up by both citizenry and public services. Of course, it could be difficult to appreciate all of that when transplanted onto the main island, which was swimming with tourist traps, merchants hawking their wares and underground shopping centers that promised high end electronics for cheap(they WERE cheap, but high end would be a rather generous term). The IMF had booked them at the Mandarin Oriental, which was situated near ferries that could take them to Kowloon and the New Territories, making it a rather convenient way to get there and back. It didn't hurt that it was a five star hotel with a knack for ensuring that their guests were taken care of, especially ones that booked suites on the top floors. After walking into the suite, Yerbol whistled lightly.
"Well, they certainly didn't spare expense. Is it always this nice?" There was a rather large living area with a sectional couch, flat screen television mounted on the right wall and a balcony just beyond that. Two bedrooms were present to either side of the living area with separate doors, Yerbol silently thanking whoever gave them the room for giving both agents some privacy. He withdrew his cell phone and turned it on.
"Eight pm. We can probably hit the hotel where our girl was last seen. Sound goo-" A sharp knock at the door. A brow arched as he looked from the door to Lilith. The knock came again, this time more forceful, demanding. He quickly dropped his duffel bag and withdrew the handgun he had brought with him(glock 19), slowly making his way to the door as the knock came once more.
"Who's there?" A quick shuffling could be heard just as Yerbol brought his eye to the peephole.
"No one." He reached for the handle, looking back to Lilith before opening the door fully. At his feet lay a jewelry box gilded with jade, colored crimson with shades of ivory. There was a small padlock on the front, but nothing else was on the box.
"Take a look."
"Jiang has always had a...wilder side to her that drove our aunt absolutely insane. When she was transferred into my custody a few years ago, it seemed to disappear most of the time, but more than once I had to show up at her high school to deal with allegations of a fight or a prank on an assistant principal she had organized. I'm just hoping she doesn't get into trouble she can't get out of...well, I hope she doesn't get into any trouble at all." He laughed as he brought up some of the electronic files contained on the flashdrive.
"I think I'll dig my nose into this a bit more before attempting to sleep." His eyes narrowed as a picture of their target became centered on screen, biographies and data packets flanking the image.
Time to work.
_____________________
Rain barraged Hong Kong island, the moisture a normal occurrence this time of year. While conditions were grey and dreary, Yerbol could appreciate what the rain brought to the island in terms of creating the gorgeous floral foliage that blossomed on Victoria Peak and the various gardens that were meticulously kept up by both citizenry and public services. Of course, it could be difficult to appreciate all of that when transplanted onto the main island, which was swimming with tourist traps, merchants hawking their wares and underground shopping centers that promised high end electronics for cheap(they WERE cheap, but high end would be a rather generous term). The IMF had booked them at the Mandarin Oriental, which was situated near ferries that could take them to Kowloon and the New Territories, making it a rather convenient way to get there and back. It didn't hurt that it was a five star hotel with a knack for ensuring that their guests were taken care of, especially ones that booked suites on the top floors. After walking into the suite, Yerbol whistled lightly.
"Well, they certainly didn't spare expense. Is it always this nice?" There was a rather large living area with a sectional couch, flat screen television mounted on the right wall and a balcony just beyond that. Two bedrooms were present to either side of the living area with separate doors, Yerbol silently thanking whoever gave them the room for giving both agents some privacy. He withdrew his cell phone and turned it on.
"Eight pm. We can probably hit the hotel where our girl was last seen. Sound goo-" A sharp knock at the door. A brow arched as he looked from the door to Lilith. The knock came again, this time more forceful, demanding. He quickly dropped his duffel bag and withdrew the handgun he had brought with him(glock 19), slowly making his way to the door as the knock came once more.
"Who's there?" A quick shuffling could be heard just as Yerbol brought his eye to the peephole.
"No one." He reached for the handle, looking back to Lilith before opening the door fully. At his feet lay a jewelry box gilded with jade, colored crimson with shades of ivory. There was a small padlock on the front, but nothing else was on the box.
"Take a look."
Hi hi! Again, my apologies for the delays. I'm trying my best to post along with grading duties and teaching kids, so things have been hectic. Thank you so much for your patience! I have some time tomorrow night to get you a meaty response :)
Yerbol once again chuckled, volume a bit louder than the other ones. A sly smile crossed his face as he told her:
"Better to be an honest man who has a grip on reality rather than a dishonest one that gets absorbed by the lies they tell." He leaned back in his seat, turning his head just for a moment to find the flight attendant standing close by after serving another passenger. He relinquished his glass to her, allowing her to walk away before he turned his attention back to Lilith.
"I've found that dishonesty can prove to be a hindrance in my work. Of course, as an Interpol operative, I was not involved in...'cloak and dagger' operations. My job was to ensure that people were brought to justice and tried in a system that attempted to ascertain the truth about a matter." A pause.
"Call me naive, possibly gullible to the ways of counter-intelligence, but I would imagine that employing some shred of honesty would be beneficial. I wouldn't expect us to run around shouting our innermost national secrets to anyone who asked, but doesn't one benefit from transparency? Even the worst of the worst criminals that I have dealt with appreciated having the truth spelled out for them." His laptop screen, which had once been dimmed, came alive, the onboard wifi allowing him to receive an email. The notification gave a preview of the message along with who sent it. He quickly examined the screen, but then his gaze lingered. He opened the message in full and a few moments later smirked.
"Excuse me, but my sister sent me a message regarding her transition. This is her first year of college and her first year on her own, so I naturally wanted her emailing me to tell me she was alright." He shifted the screen slightly so Lilith could see the picture of a smiling Jiang, a few boxes behind her on a desk.
"She was always a great kid."
"Better to be an honest man who has a grip on reality rather than a dishonest one that gets absorbed by the lies they tell." He leaned back in his seat, turning his head just for a moment to find the flight attendant standing close by after serving another passenger. He relinquished his glass to her, allowing her to walk away before he turned his attention back to Lilith.
"I've found that dishonesty can prove to be a hindrance in my work. Of course, as an Interpol operative, I was not involved in...'cloak and dagger' operations. My job was to ensure that people were brought to justice and tried in a system that attempted to ascertain the truth about a matter." A pause.
"Call me naive, possibly gullible to the ways of counter-intelligence, but I would imagine that employing some shred of honesty would be beneficial. I wouldn't expect us to run around shouting our innermost national secrets to anyone who asked, but doesn't one benefit from transparency? Even the worst of the worst criminals that I have dealt with appreciated having the truth spelled out for them." His laptop screen, which had once been dimmed, came alive, the onboard wifi allowing him to receive an email. The notification gave a preview of the message along with who sent it. He quickly examined the screen, but then his gaze lingered. He opened the message in full and a few moments later smirked.
"Excuse me, but my sister sent me a message regarding her transition. This is her first year of college and her first year on her own, so I naturally wanted her emailing me to tell me she was alright." He shifted the screen slightly so Lilith could see the picture of a smiling Jiang, a few boxes behind her on a desk.
"She was always a great kid."
Question for you:
How long would you like for the two of them to talk? I was thinking maybe I could post, then you, then I can transition us to Hong Kong? Or do you want to do that?
How long would you like for the two of them to talk? I was thinking maybe I could post, then you, then I can transition us to Hong Kong? Or do you want to do that?
A bump
"Always boils down to who you know, doesn't it?" Yerbol said with a small smile, adding rather quickly:
"Not to say that you don't have the skills to succeed, but I've become aware in my twelve years working in the intelligence community that connections are a very worthwhile investment to have." He shifted in his seat slightly as he continued:
"You know, I always wanted to go into the CIA." He chuckled.
"I romanticized a bit, thought it was the ultimate crime fighting operation that I could join to the change the world. My path, however, didn't lend itself very much to intelligence." There was a pause, a clearing of the throat. He took another sip of his cocktail, swallowing harder than usual.
"My apologies. This is...a bit of a sore spot for me." Yet he was going to tell her anyway, in the spirit of partnership. Having had a partner for a while in Interpol, he knew that divulging intimate details(not TOO intimate) helped the other person feel trusted, thereby boosting their willingness to invest trust in the other. It was a rather beneficial cycle that had to be instigated by someone in the pair. Might as well be him.
"I was born in the States, but flitted around between Hong Kong, Taiwan and the States. My father was a suit warehouse owner. A traditional Asian economist." A chuckle.
"We moved around a lot, but finally settled in Chinatown when I was twelve and my sister, Jiang, was five. Three years later, my father passed, leaving me to take care of my sister. I felt overwhelmed, burdened. We had an aunt in Conneticut who took us in and I finished my education up there. By then, I was chafing underneath an aunt who thought I needed to follow in my father's foosteps and take over the business and I just...well, there were other reasons, but I wound up in a Marine recruiting office. The recruiter convinced me that I could make a difference in the world. I did not need to rely on bloodlines or money...all I needed was my self determination. I signed up that day and..." He looked down, a slight laugh escaping his throat.
"Forgive me. I feel like I'm giving a confessional more than a biographical sketch." Yerbol paused briefly before asking:
"Why did you instantly take the CIA job? Surely there were other agencies or paths you could have taken."
"Not to say that you don't have the skills to succeed, but I've become aware in my twelve years working in the intelligence community that connections are a very worthwhile investment to have." He shifted in his seat slightly as he continued:
"You know, I always wanted to go into the CIA." He chuckled.
"I romanticized a bit, thought it was the ultimate crime fighting operation that I could join to the change the world. My path, however, didn't lend itself very much to intelligence." There was a pause, a clearing of the throat. He took another sip of his cocktail, swallowing harder than usual.
"My apologies. This is...a bit of a sore spot for me." Yet he was going to tell her anyway, in the spirit of partnership. Having had a partner for a while in Interpol, he knew that divulging intimate details(not TOO intimate) helped the other person feel trusted, thereby boosting their willingness to invest trust in the other. It was a rather beneficial cycle that had to be instigated by someone in the pair. Might as well be him.
"I was born in the States, but flitted around between Hong Kong, Taiwan and the States. My father was a suit warehouse owner. A traditional Asian economist." A chuckle.
"We moved around a lot, but finally settled in Chinatown when I was twelve and my sister, Jiang, was five. Three years later, my father passed, leaving me to take care of my sister. I felt overwhelmed, burdened. We had an aunt in Conneticut who took us in and I finished my education up there. By then, I was chafing underneath an aunt who thought I needed to follow in my father's foosteps and take over the business and I just...well, there were other reasons, but I wound up in a Marine recruiting office. The recruiter convinced me that I could make a difference in the world. I did not need to rely on bloodlines or money...all I needed was my self determination. I signed up that day and..." He looked down, a slight laugh escaping his throat.
"Forgive me. I feel like I'm giving a confessional more than a biographical sketch." Yerbol paused briefly before asking:
"Why did you instantly take the CIA job? Surely there were other agencies or paths you could have taken."
So, today was my first day back in the classroom and my brain feels like jelly...will post tomorrow xD
Hey there!
1. I am so sorry for being delayed in my posts! This first week back to work has been crushing me in terms of brainpower. I'm hoping that I'll be able to post once or twice a day. Forgive me if my posts aren't as regular as that, but I teach kids, so things get hectic here xD
2. I moved both Lilith and Yerbol onto the plane ride over as a way to get to know each other...is that cool? I can revise if you want to do something else and that is not a problem at all :)
1. I am so sorry for being delayed in my posts! This first week back to work has been crushing me in terms of brainpower. I'm hoping that I'll be able to post once or twice a day. Forgive me if my posts aren't as regular as that, but I teach kids, so things get hectic here xD
2. I moved both Lilith and Yerbol onto the plane ride over as a way to get to know each other...is that cool? I can revise if you want to do something else and that is not a problem at all :)
As she spoke, he couldn't help but admire her professionalism. Interpol had been a great place to hone his skills, but there was a kind of unprofessional air that the agency had been hit with for the past few years or so. Reports of fraternization with suspects, weapons being discharged for no apparent reason and the odd romantic scandal between officers made Interpol the laughing stock of the intelligence community. Lilith's behavior was a breath of fresh air, a reminder that an intelligence agency had operatives that actually took their work seriously. Not that he was opposed to being friendly or even growing fond of co-workers. He had to leave a few friends behind in Barcelona, good people that seemed to be the only coherent officers in all of Interpol.
“And please continue with what you were saying as well, knowing where you transferred from might be good to know after all.”
A smile crossed his face.
"I was an Interpol officer. Barcelona. Before that, I was in the States with the Army and I must say it is good to be back home." He opened his folder, then skimmed past the bulk of information they had just reviewed to the very back where a boarding pass was attached, laminated against the folder. He removed it, chuckling.
"Suppose I won't be able to enjoy home for very long." Yerbol pointed to the date in the upper left corner of the document, which read August 21st.
Tomorrow.
"I'm surprise they're sending us commercial. The IMF doesn't have their own backdoor aviation program?" His phone buzzed. Then again. He chose to ignore. A light sigh escaped his lips as his eyes met with hers.
"I must take care of a few things before I leave. Say we meet at Dulles tomorrow? I hope we can chat on the way over. It is a long flight." He approached the door, then stopped, turning his head to say:
"Do be prepared for rain. Hong Kong isn't the sunniest place this time of year."
_____________________
Seated in the overstuffed leather chair, cocktail in hand, Yerbol felt slightly guilty for those beneath them on the 747 that didn't have such luxuries. Then again, if the IMF was paying for it, why not? He took a sip, looking down at the makeshift table with his laptop open. They had been on the flight for about an hour, Yerbol attempting to settle in. Now that they had reached cruising altitude, it would be a good time to actually get to know his partner. He took another drink before looking to her.
"How long have you been with the IMF, Lilith?"
“And please continue with what you were saying as well, knowing where you transferred from might be good to know after all.”
A smile crossed his face.
"I was an Interpol officer. Barcelona. Before that, I was in the States with the Army and I must say it is good to be back home." He opened his folder, then skimmed past the bulk of information they had just reviewed to the very back where a boarding pass was attached, laminated against the folder. He removed it, chuckling.
"Suppose I won't be able to enjoy home for very long." Yerbol pointed to the date in the upper left corner of the document, which read August 21st.
Tomorrow.
"I'm surprise they're sending us commercial. The IMF doesn't have their own backdoor aviation program?" His phone buzzed. Then again. He chose to ignore. A light sigh escaped his lips as his eyes met with hers.
"I must take care of a few things before I leave. Say we meet at Dulles tomorrow? I hope we can chat on the way over. It is a long flight." He approached the door, then stopped, turning his head to say:
"Do be prepared for rain. Hong Kong isn't the sunniest place this time of year."
_____________________
Seated in the overstuffed leather chair, cocktail in hand, Yerbol felt slightly guilty for those beneath them on the 747 that didn't have such luxuries. Then again, if the IMF was paying for it, why not? He took a sip, looking down at the makeshift table with his laptop open. They had been on the flight for about an hour, Yerbol attempting to settle in. Now that they had reached cruising altitude, it would be a good time to actually get to know his partner. He took another drink before looking to her.
"How long have you been with the IMF, Lilith?"
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