2020-05-18 The Warehouse: 2000 Hope Briefing
The Warehouse: 2000 Hope Briefing
Storyteller: David
Location: Wu Sun Pacific, 2000 Hope
Date and Time: May 18, 2020 12:00 pm
Summary: Information dump
David has his way of getting into the building. He could walk in the front door, but where is the fun in that? Walking is for suckers. So he lands at Bunny's ledge again, and raps at the chamber window with his beak. Gently.
Tao is with Bunny in her office - though this time, it's he who stands at the side of the desk - tablet in his hands. "I finally read over that personnel file for Yesterday's interview. If she works out, I want to bring her in for a few more questions on some details here." The man talks, finger flicking against the screen. "Your informants did a very thorough job.." Tao praises.
The tapping on the window draws his attention. In fact, the feathered presence brings a tilt to his head. Curious. "Bunny.." He nods in the direction of the window, work forgotten - or, at least not so important for the moment. Curiosity wins right now.
"The network is well connec..." And she's about to hear more, when she hears the rapping of the beak against her window. Raising her brows, she lets out a soft sigh as she turns to Tao. "One of father's contracted spies within the corax." Bunny explains, as if to make sure he knows that the bird outside is not a threat or a danger to them. "He's the reason I insisted I have at least one window that opens."
A coy grin curls onto her lips as she heads on over towards the window. Even though it's the weekend, she wears a rather form fitting pencil skirt and a white button down blouse. Her heels click clack on the cold hardwood floor before she opens the window and steps to the side, letting the corax in.
David hops in, landing on the back of a chair. Looking to each of them. Invoking a gift, he imitates his human voice and speaks. "Good afternoon. Bunny. Tao. So I've done the initial ground work on the Warehouse I found. 9764 Jeopardy Lane in the Fashion District. It used to be the headquarters of Bundy Dry Cleaning Supply, but they seem to have gone out of business and sold out."
"My understanding is that Bundy moved out of state, and his lawyers are willing to meet with you to sell the building. While you guys handle that, I can run interference to keep the EPA out of it."
The bird begins to talk, and both of Tao's eyebrows raise in a mix of surprise and curiosity. Tao listens for now, arms crossing over his chest. "Bundy Dry Cleaning Supply." He tries the name like it might job some sort of memory. One that doesn't seem to come to him. "Any information on the former company? Do we know if they where connected to Pentex?" Straight forward and to the point.
"Then we can have Min-jung setup a proper meeting with their lawyers." That would be her chief of staff and personal assistant who t ends to take care of various matters. "I'd like to know more about their lawyers. The more dirt on them I can find, the easier the negotiation can be." Bunny offers as she runs her fingers through her dark locks. "But why did Bundy leave? Any intel on that?"
David flaps and looks to Bunny and to Tao. "They're in Tucson, so uh... you might want to do a video conference with them. Your contact is Frank Crantz. fcrantz@howedeweyllc.com. Tucson-based firm managing Bundy's assets after he retired."
"I don't know why he retired, or much yet about the old company. I know the company, owned as a sole propreitorship by Bundy, still owns the building. But they haven't had any operations in years, so technically the company is defunct with the State of California. The company was very small. Pretty unlikely they were a Pentex arm."
"Bundy's lawyers can probably tell you who they sold out to. That might be a clue about the spill, too."
"Hmm." It's what Tao can add to the current line of questions, and as a response to David's answer on Pentex. Though, after a moment - he does speak up. "Can you tell me more about the infestation? Do you have intel on that?" The wolf, concerned with hunting and killing the things, as the two speak of lawyers and contacts. Tao is more single minded.
"A simple Zoom can be setup there." And with that, she heads back to her computer, where she sends off an email to her PA and the contact information of Frank Crantz to setup an appointment. Surely, she could do it herself, but then why have an assistant?
Leaning back in her chair, Bunny's brows raise, apparently wanting to hear that as well. "If I send in a mortal clean up crew, the banes won't go after them, will they?"
David rolls his head to the side. "I freely admit I flew fast and far as soon as I saw a bunch of banes there. I do not have clear info. I'm not sure what kind of banes they are. They could be the type that can possess people. Sending in any civilians could be dangerous and empower the banes even more. But I don't know for sure."
Tao nods then. "Thank you." The wolf offers, greatful for the informational tid-bit. "I completely understand." He leans against Bunny's desk now, arms crossing over his chest - thoughtful. "I'll start building a team to go in, then. Perhaps see if I can't get a scouting party in there first, before we sweep, to get a good count on type and numbers." Tao may be mediocre at business in general, but this is far more in his wheelhouse.
"It's a good thing I didn't listen to Sandy and immediately send in a cleanup crew. I had already hired one pair, and she gave me reference to a mrotal crew." There's a grumbling of her breath. While she didn't have the best impression of many of the sept officers, this is just another strike against them now. "IDiot." Bunny continues as she sighs, sending off a quick email to place a hold on the cleanup.
"Well, don't get too crazy with plotting a sweep. Until the building is our officially and the title is in my hands, anything you or the others do will be trespassing of private property, and I don't want to have to deal with a PR nightmare if you get out there on record."
David flaps. "I'm glad we're acting on this. If I get any more information I'll spread it around."
Some short time later, a Monday video call is set up between Howe and Dewey. Frank is there with his paralegal Anna. "Good morning. I'm Frank, I represent Malcolm Bundy. I understand that..." he pauses and rustles papers, "Wu Sun Pacific is interested in buying?"
Frank is about 50 years old, with short, white hair, an orange tan, and a brown suit.
Anna is about 20, with long, black hair, and a gray pantsuit.
Cleavage. If you've got it, flaunt it. And she knows she's dealing with a man, so naturally, the webcam in the Zoom call is particularly focused on her neckline.
And what a neckline it is. Now Bunny's wearing a simple silk beige blouse, which probably leaves just enough to the imagination. "The Wu Foundation, to be specific." Deciding not to play with daddy's money on this one, since that requires a bit more effort on her end. "But yes, we're interested in purchasing the property. My understanding is that Mister Bundy decided to relocate to Arizona, and since then, it has been a bit of a community hazard with all the pollution it's producing."
Lifting up some sheets of papers, she cants her head to the side, "There are some reports that could be filed with the EPA, turning it into a potential superfund site, but that would be incredibly expensive for Mister Bundy, so I thought, since we at the foundation are very much into urban renwal and this would very much fall into our mandate, save Mister Bundy from the compliance pressures, if he could simply sell to us."
A bright smile curls onto her lips afterwards with a show of her pearly whites. "The previous emails have our bids for the building. I'm sure you all will find it quite generous given it's market rate and current condition."
Like the Paralegal at this point, Tao is is more a fixture of presence, than words - offering an agreeing nod to Bunny's words every now and again to show that he's actively listening - while plotting just how to handle the building in the mean time. Sit still for the lawyer talk, THEN we get to work.
Anna rolls her eyes. Frank gets right to it. Attention clearly somewhere on screen. "Now hold on, Bunny." Frank chimes in, raising a hand. "First off, nobody has any permission to go onto the property. That's trespassing, and it's dangerous becuase the building has been derelict for a good 8 years now. Second, the building is being sold as-is. The building will probably need torn down, I'll be clear about that. We make no warranty about legal, structural, zoning, or any other status. So if you're alright with that, you've got yourselves a deal."
"It's Miss Wu." Clearly, she did not give him permission to be so familiar with her, as she lets out a little pfft and then flashes her smiles once more. "Ah yes, it is private property in the middle of a downtrodden redlined area. It'd be a shame to have..." and she pulls out some other file folders, looking at pictures of the pollution, "A class action law suit by numerous individuals who are now suffering potentially linked cancers by living in close proximity to the building."
She lets the lawyer process just how much more of a headache will be there. If he wants to make a case as to how she was able to ascertain certain information, she certainly has stuff that should shut him up.. hopefully.
"Legal endemnity can be signed over of course, but if and only if you sign the contract." a beat. "And my offer is now reduced to 80% of the deal. Thank you for reminding me that we will need to compensate those poor families."
Mmm hmm. Mmm hmm. Tao continues to let Bunny do the talking - though, as she corrects on her name,e as she continues to build her case and /really/ start sharking the lawyer, the man's face lights up slightly. Yep, he's got some planning to do now, or at least that's the pleasant look he gives. Clearly, he sees this deal as being 'in the bag'.
Frank sighs. "Mal Bundy has authorized me to make the best deal possible for him. Given the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his retirement, namely the death of his wife, he does not have it in him to deal with these negotiations himself. Since you clearly are out for blood, I'm going to go ahead and agree. We sell you the property at your cut rate, you indemnify Mal Bundy going forward. Send the papers."
Perhaps if she wasn't in cold hearted bitch mode, she'd have her heart strings be tugged, but she's in the mode. Still, she hrmms for a few moments and puts up a finger. "Well, there is something else I'd like from you. Given his unfortunate circumstance, if you can provide to me who he originally sold his business too, and those contracts in the transaction, I'll bring it to 90% of the original deal."
A beat and a shrug later. "I like old people."
Yesssssss! Internally, Tao is doing an in-zone dance - spiking the proverbial ball in his head. You te'llem, Bunny. Externally, Tao watches the pair negotiate intently.
Tao is a lot less intimidating remotely. The Internet is a boon to those with the Curse. So they look at him, and at Bunny. "Sure thing, Miss Wu. When Bundy finally threw in the towel after his wife's death sent him into a depression, he sold out to a famous family name: Penn and Family. You probably have some of their cleaning supplies in your office. Good day to you both. Anna will receive your papers, and we'll expedite them with the California authorities. Good luck, thank you, and God bless." And the call terminates.
The adrenaline is clearly pumping through her system. While she doesn't experience the thrill of battle in terms of physical danger, this is her versionof the battlefield, and for the most part, it didn't even provide that much of a spar. The wolf blood running through her veins causes her eyes to twinkle just a bit. "Mmm, delicious." Bunny says, looking back to Tao, "It looks like we can shift Billy's attention to Penn and Family, while I also set my own staff on it." she coos, leaning back looking satisfied.
The call ends, and Tao actually gives a fist pump. Small, but genuine. "I agree. We should contact her soon, and shift her focus." He notes before taking a deep breath through his nostrils. "I have to evaluate how ready we are to move. I may have to meet with the others." The woes of being a Philodox. "There is one of them though, that isn't so. Bad." Not like the other riff raff, as it's been put. "This is to be OUR merit though, and glory for your father. That much understanding will be certain." If he had papers to shuffle, he'd shuffle them, finally able to put his two cents in on how to proceed..
