2020-06-16 TPC: Talking Shop
Talking Shop
Storyteller: Nate
Location: A community garden and a gas station
Date and Time: June 16 2020
Summary: Doing some investigations the old fashioned way. By flirting.
Night time strolls probably aren't the best time for exploring gardens, but it does work pretty well for folks wanting to have a bit of privacy for a stroll through vegetation. After the pizza talk, Mariana texted Ikal directions for a community garden not too far from Skid Row and to make it even more convenient, she offers to meet at the Bawn and walk him towards the garden for the first time. It's not much, just two adjoining plots that had been abadoned for a while that now has a couple dozen raised beds installed, a tool shed and some benches. But it's got dreams of more! After tour of the simple garden set up is done, she heads right to the bench and takes a seat. "So... time to get down to business?"
Ikal had appreciated the offer, still getting his bearings in the enourmous metropolis. He wants to hear all he can about her work, what stories Mariana has covered. He knows better than to try and discuss the business at hand until they're somewhere safe and quiet. The community garden impresses him. Though there is clear room for improvement. Even in the dark, he's making notes to himself. Until at last, Mariana calls his attention with her words. "Ah. Si." He nods and goes to sit down with her. He continues in Spanish.
"So. I figure there are a few ways we could approach this. We discussed a few when they told me about what they wanted from us. But with you here, things will be a bit different. Better. Because you know how to find what you might be looking for."
"Probably. Just who is it that we're looking for?" Mariana's still been pretty sparse on details but that's never really stopped her from digging for more information before. "And do you have an approach you think would be best so far?"
"Ah! Right. Should have mentioned." Ikal gives an apologetic nod. "So. Snake told me that there are a couple of gas stations on the four-oh- five that we need to investigate. we need to find out who their suppliers are. Where their fuel is coming from. Because there's something off about the fuel they're supplying. Sandy said that they'd tried to find the information, but the cashier was too suspicious of them. So. They suggested I could go in and try and apply for a job. Using a fake name, but chatting up the cashier. Cause. Uh. Yeah." He runs a hand back through his hair, somewhat self-conscious.
Mariana nods at the this. "Applying for a job could probably work for you.... if I pretend like I'm working on a story that would probably get them suspicious. But even finding out what day their fuel delivieries are... find the truck, can probably trace it back to the refinery that way."
"Suspicious. Or just. They might not want to bother with answering lots of questions. But depending on who's behind the counter, one of us could go up and see what they know. All casual and indirect." Ikal pauses a moment, hesitating. "So I'm not supposed to take any risks. But. Not sure what you're up for. Could be that whatever I find out - you can use that to dig deeper. But. Well. Maybe there's something in back to find while I keep whoever it is distracted. Though. Can't promise how solid I'd be at that."
Ikal pauses before adding. "Snake mentioned that they'd gotten in the back and didn't find anything. Could be that they just weren't investigative reporters. But. Might also just be nothing to find." He gives a small shrug.
"Do you know what time Sandy tried to find out the information? Because if you can keep them occupied, I could try and slip in the office. See if anything might have been said after their visit... need the room to be empty for that trick to work though," Mariana gives a little shrug. "And if that doesn't work... backup plan of just stake out until we find outselves a truck to track down?"
Ike rubs at the back of his neck. "I'm not /positive/ I can keep them occupied. You'll have to see. Watch to see if I've got their interest. Or if like... I'm only just barely holding it. And I mean. We might get in there, and it's some guy that doesn't give me a second glance except to make sure I don't steal any doritos or something. And he's just staring at you. Then it's you that should go and see if they're 'hiring'."
He pauses a moment, and taking a breath, he stands. "Right. I don't know if there's anything more we can figure out or plan. Just gotta see. There's a few of them. We can hit the closest one. Then the next. See if we can at least find out when they get deliveries. Then from there... we find out more."
Mariana can't help but grin a little. "Don't worry if you can't keep them occupied... wouldn't be the first time I've had to try and fib my way out of somewhere I shouldn't have been. And probably won't be the last. But make some noise if it seems like you're losing his attention. Buy a few seconds if you can. But yeah, sounds like we need to see who is actually working the cash before we figure out which plan to run with."
Transition to the gas station!
This independent gas station follows the usual model; a large forecourt with a dozen or so gas pumps, and a small shop stocking all the usual snacks, magazines, hot and cold drinks (but the slushy machine is broken!) and random tourist junk.
A couple cars are pulled in and being fuelled up by their drivers, and visible through the large windows is a short queue of people waiting inside the shop as a late-teens-early-twenties blonde woman rings up their purchases.
Ikal suggests that Mariana should go in first. Someone new walking inside might distract the cashier. Better to let her fade into the background as much as possible before Ikal heads inside to try his luck with the cashier. He takes a few minutes, pretending to send texts on his phone. Until at last, he takes a steadying breath and heads inside. He makes straight for the queue.
Standing there, Ikal hopes to meet her gaze when she glances at him. And makes his best attempt at a boyish smile - shy yet /interested/. In her. Keen. But he takes care not to come on too strong. He just doesn't have that in him.
Mariana heads in and like any good gas station patron, heads straight towards the soda and beer coolers before starting to drift towards where she thinks the restrooms or office should be. She doesn't even turn her head when Ike enters the shop, but she does keep an ear out while pretending to ponder the pros and cons of each different energy drink flavor. So many to choose from!
You paged Ikal with 'Same! The whole Supernatural album is excellent and has lots of good songs for characters. I've used Put Your Lights On for a few :D'.
There's red energy drink, blue energy drink, orange energy drink and green too! Nobody is kidding themselves that these things taste like the fruits they supposedly contain, but the packaging does its best to convince. No wonder Mariana is having trouble figuring out what she wants; she's not the only one stood there browsing either.
Meanwhile in the queue, the cashier girl - Jess, according to her corporate 'My Name Is..' tag - rings people up efficiently, glancing to Ikal a time or two, the second time he gets a brief smile before she goes back to what she's doing, trying to get the queue down promptly.
To the side of the cash desk is a unisex toilet, where a man in his thirties is visible through the open door, mopping the floor. Presumably he's supposed to be doing that, given he's wearing the same uniform as Jess.
Ikal's soft smile grows as the cashier girl offers him that brief smile, as if pleased for a mere moment of her attention. He's patient in the queue. But as soon as it's his turn, he settles forward against the counter to talk to her. Her. "Hey. You got a moment? I want to work here. I'd like to fill out an application." He doesn't outright say it, but the way he's looking at her makes it obvious. He wants to work here because she works here.
The door is a bit more awkwardly placed than Mariana had hoped but as Ikal begins to talk with the cashier, she heads over towards the bathroom although gets out her phone to scroll while seeming to patiently wait for the man to finish mopping.
By the time the queue has cleared to the point at which Ikal is stood at the counter, Jess has been glancing and smiling a bit. "Oh hey, yeah sure, we totally have those," she voices in a fairly typical 'valley girl' accent, turning away to rummage under the counter and coming up with a very generic application form. "We only have a maternity cover spot open at the moment but hey - a few months is better than nothing, right?" She seems to be trying to encourage him to apply even with that short-term position. Handing over the form, she also hands a pen, which she probably shouldn't be giving away. There might also be a flutter of lashes.
Meanwhile over to the other side, the guy mopping the toilet eventually notices someone is waiting for it, turning and apologising, "Sorry ma'am, I'll just be a couple more minutes." His 'My Name Is..' tag suggests his name is Dexter.
Ikal takes the pen and lets his fingertips brush hers. A further attempt at flirting given that flutter of her lashes. "Mm. No, even just a cover spot. That's fine." He hesitates, trying to be smoothe about this. "You think we'd be working together? What's it like here. Ever... get quiet moments?" Best not approach questions like deliver dates too fast.
"No worries. Can use a few more minutes to stretch my legs before dealing with traffic," Mariana waves off Dexter's apologies with a smile and scrolls a bit more on her phone. But while she's waiting she also peeks out to see if there's any of the usual business licenses displayed. Maybe their target cares about regulatory compliance on things that'd be useful!
"Oh yeah, like there's only five of us, and there's gotta be two people in the shop all the time," Jess tells Ikal eagerly on the topic of working together. "So like, unless you're working nights and I'm on days, we'll totally be working together." Thinking about quiet times, she gives a so-so sort of gesture with one hand. "Not really, the 405 never really stops, you know?"
A cursory peek around the shop reveals all kinda licenses. Fuel storage, vapour recovery, fuel selling, tax notifications, safety notices, all sorts. The brands of gas and diesel being sold are popular ones, the same as they sell up and down most of the highways in the area.
Ikal winces as the cashier tells him the gas station never really stops. "Suppose not. But if we're working together late at night. Should be at least /some/ moments. Where it's just us. Unless. Oh, is that when deliveries happen? The snacks. The gas. Would we be all working on that?" Smooth. That was smooth, right? Ike certainly hopes it is.
Mariana tap-tap-taps away on her phone. Just working on an email. Perfectly normal. Even as she emails herself some notes about what she sees on the brands. The fuel storage and selling permits in particular.
"Okay ma'am, all done," Dexter tells Mariana, pulling his wheely mop bucket out and holding the door open for her. It smells overpoweringly of CLEANER and LEMON in there, the floor still damp from the mopping. But hey, it's all hers if she wants it.
"Um, yeah, we do the snacks. Sometimes the gas, though the delivery guys usually handle that once they've signed it in," Jess tells Ikal, biting her lip and looking hopefully at the young kinsman. "There's four deliveries, so they kinda rotate it?"
Ikal smiles to show relief. "Ah. So. We just have to sign them in." He hasn't forgotten the application. Here and there as he chats with her, he's filling it out. But the lion's share of his attention remains on the cashier. "Four deliveries though. That's a lot. And I guess they'd be turning up at the quietest times, wouldn't they. Three am?" He shakes his head, dropping his gaze before glancing back up at her. "Right when it would have been nice and quiet." Alas.
"Thanks," Mariana gives Dexter a nod as she steps into the bathroom. She doesn't actually use it, but will spend a couple minutes making it seem like she did. And wash her hands after.
In addition to the LEMON and CLEAN scents, there's also a motion-sensitive perfume spritzer in the restroom. So Mariana gets a squirt of GENERIC FLORAL #3 too. Just as well she doesn't have a wolf's sensitive nose, really, because that combination is pretty horrific when you can smell the underlaying chemicals.
"Yeah, the big ones are usually at night," Jess agrees, glancing away to serve a couple more customers while Ikal fills out the form, but constantly glancing back to him. "The small ones, well they're only for two of the pumps, so they come pretty much any time."
Ikal eases to the side so that he's not blocking other customers. He seems to focus on the form as he fills it out with made-up information. But then he blinks and glances up at her. He frowns. "Ugh. Any time? And just for two pumps?" He shakes his head - as if annoyed at their potential interruptions and in sympathy. "And just for two of them. All that trouble? Is it diesel or something? Why they need to come bothering you any time they want?"
One doesn't have to have a super powered nose to be offended by GENERIC FLORAL #3. Mariana's nose is still a bit wrinkled as she emerges from the bathroom and into the fresher air. But since Ikael still seems to be steadily working away for more information, she heads back to the drinks and chooses a Purple that Definitely Isn't Grape and peruse the chips aisle too.
"Yeah, like any time," Jess agrees. It's very annoying. She serves the last customer in the immediate queue and looks back to Ikal. "I don't know, it's like some deal the manager got," she replies, shrugging. "How's the application form going?" she then asks, looking down to what he's writing.
Purple That Definitely Isn't Grape might be trying to be Bubblegum or possibly Passionfruit. So says the label anyhow. Chips-wise there's the usual variety, and a pair of pre-teen kids squabbling over which 'family bag' flavour they're going to get. Joy.
Ikal smiles up at her and adjusts the application sheet so that she can see it. Apparently, his name is Jose Martinez. And he graduated just last year from a local high school that he made sure to get the name of before coming. He's worked at a 7-11 part time for a couple years. Nothing impressive. All fine. A bland application. But Jose himself keeps his focus on her. Because she's beautiful. And fascinating. And she's mentioned something that intrigues him.
Checking to make sure no one else is waiting, he leans in. "You think the manager's got some kind of deal going? That's weird, right? What do you think it is? Is it like... I mean do those delivery guys got a logo or are you talking like... black vans and sunglasses shit?"
"I.. uh, they've got a logo?" Jess sounds vaguely confused at the line of questioning 'Jose' has taken, notably withdrawing a little bit but still answering the question, lifting a hand to toy with her hair a bit. "G... huh. Green something." She shrugs, unable or unwilling to dig deeper than that.
Ikal seems to lose interest when it turns out they had a logo that she can't even remember. "Oh, they did? It's all good. Thought you were saying there was something going on with the manager. Like some sort of clandestine stuff or whatever. But eh." He shrugs. "Speaking of the manager. When does he get in? Should I hand this to him or..." He trails off with a slight tilt of his head.
"Oh it's okay, I'll make sure he gets it. I'm on split shift with Mr. Sutton later," Jess promises, brightening again. "Hopefully see you soon, yeah Jose?" She smiles cheerfully before turning back to a customer who has just moseyed up with like a dozen snacks and drinks and two pumps to pay for.
Ikal nods and nudges the application sheet her way with a smile. "Yeah. Here's hoping. I mean... I'll still be around either way. But yeah. Have a good night, Jess. And thanks." He lifts a hand before stepping back and heading off out of the gas station. Since there are cameras around the gas station, he doesn't stick around. He just heads off into the night to rendezvous with Mariana at the community garden.
Mariana waits until after Mr. Dozen Items gets checked out before putting herself in line. But will probably still beat Ikal back to the community garden seeing as she drove. The reporter may have also chugged the energy drink as she's pacing by the bench waiting for her fellow kin to show up for comparing notes.
Transition to the community garden!
Ikal has collected his thoughts on a sheet of notebook paper by the time Mariana reaches him. Notes all in Spanish. For her. He smiles up at her from where he sits on their earlier bench as she approaches. "Hey. So. I think it didn't go too bad. I don't know if I got much but. Well..."
He starts tapping out the points on the list he has made. "Four regular deliveries happen for the pumps. Usually at night. Rotating delivery guys." Next point. "Small deliveries also happen for just two of the pumps. Happen whenever." Another point. "Seems like the manager has a deal going with them. Name - Mr. Sutton." Last point. "The suspicious deliveries are tied to a company that starts with "Green-something. So those would be the ones to watch or look for."
"Huh," Mariana hmms a bit as she looks over the notes. "Small deliveries. Sure we could get some folks to take shifts looking out for them. But wonder if we might be able to find a traffic camera stream nearby to look for what might be the Green-Something fuel delivery..."
Ikal nods, bringing up an ankle to tuck under his other knee. "Yeah. Better than lurking. Though if we need someone to head back in, I guess I've got a reason to be there. I'll make sure I keep the burner phone on in case the manager calls. In case we need to go deeper. But hopefully you'll find something. And if you need... Well, I guess you probably already know Jason. Right? He seems like he knows his way around computers."
"I think I may have seen him around a time or two. But yeah, we got a couple of options besides just brute force waiting nearby and looking, but got that as an option too," Mariana gives the notes one more look over before passing them back to Ikal. "Good job with talking to her though. While you were, I managed to get a look at some of their permits. They only list two brands they sell. One disel, and one regular. But she told you they get //four// deliveries. So something's up with that."
Ikal tears the sheet out of his notebook and hands it over to Mariana to work with if she needs. "I think the four deliveries might be for those brands. There's diesal and regular on every pump right? But she said the other random deliveries were strange and only for two pumps. And seemed tied to the manager. So there's something up with him. Another lead. Maybe for the others to look into. Might end up a little much for us."
Mariana shrugs as she folds up the paper and slips in her pocket. "I mean, I can try looking into the manager as well while I'm at it. Wonder which two pumps it is that gets the special delivery... and think I'm gonna need to get to my computer soon."
Ikal nods, smiling up at her. "Guess its all up to you now. Hope you can find something." He eases up from the bench. "Let me know if there's anything I can do. I don't have a computer, but I can always head back in there." He nods, smiling up at her. "Glad you were there. Felt a lot better knowing there was someone watching my back. Just in case."
