Chapter 4: The Opiate of the Masses

[slowpoke]

Charon pauses to think for a moment. "Well family and ladies are complicated, I've been through alot, as of now I have a few....." Charon paused for a moment to think of how to phrase his next statement. "offspring, but I'm not currently seeing anyone."

Charon looks at Calithin "What about you. any women in your life?"

[Calithin Crest]

"You could say that."

I drink my apple juice and stare into the glass.

"It's all a little complex... It's good to treat these sort of things as kind of a game. I don't like to take it all too seriously. There is definitely potential though. I like women. I think they're fantastic."

I stand up and set the glass down on Charon's coffee table.

"I don't see why you don't have one though. You're a nice guy... Good job... Tastey variety of juices... Maybe it's just that there's no one you're interested in? Is that it? No one catching your eye? We can drop it if it's something you don't like to talk about."

[slowpoke]

Charon shrugged "It doesn't really matter, I find it hard to get attached to women, they tend to leave me in one way or another"

Charon smiles and sips frim his juice

[Calithin Crest]

"Barracuda."

I say this, and nod. It feels like the right word... I pick up my glass of apple juice and down the rest

"There are more important things than love anyway... Such as..."

I rummage through my pockets until I find one of my newly printed business cards. I hand one to Charon and smile proudly.

"One of these. Look at it. Isn't it marvelous? I chose everything myself from the paper to the lettering... Beautiful."

They're off white with silver lettering and a very nice water mark.

"You can go ahead and keep that. That's for you. Friends first, I always say."

[slowpoke]

Charon nods as he receives the card. "Makes sense to me, who else could you get an honest opinion about the layout of a business card from?" Charon finished his apple juice and yawned.

[Calithin Crest]

"So, so true."

I glance down at my watch and sigh.

"Well, it's getting pretty late, so I should get going. It was good seeing you though, Charon. I'll be sure to stop by again... Thanks for the juice! It was fruity and wonderful... Like Elton John. But drinkable and less sparkley."

I smile and wave a little as I make my way out of Charon's house and to my own apartment.

When I get home I remember that I have to look through my stuff for Tuesday's key and without much effort I end up finding it in with my clothes from the other day. I leave her a message telling her where I live, that I have it, and that she can stop by my apartment anytime to pick it up.

[Tuesday DeCastro]

Tuesday got Calithin's message and she was relieved, she had gone down to the hotel the night before and asked if she could buy a new key, instead of being warm and accomdating like she had hoped, they wanted an arm and a leg for it, and with how much the room was costing her, she really couldn't afford it. She ended up catching a few hours of sleep on one of the couches in the lobby.

She arrived at Calithin's apartment and knocked on the door, coffee in one hand, and looking just a bit tired. Tuesday could run on few hours sleep, nonetheless, she'd still feel a bit tired.

[kalaessa Artemus]

After kalaessa was done cleaning the dishes in the shop kalaessa grabbed her green hooded sweeter from the char and put it on as she made her way out the shop locking the door behind her yawning she put the keys in her pocket and began walking dawn the street putting her hood up and her hands in her pocket she was kind of tired after today witch seemed long for her then realizing that she had forgot her purse in the coffee shop she sighed training back walking back to the coffee shop unlocking the door walking then grabbing her purse she once again left the shop locking it behind her then continued walk dawn the street along the walk side

[Linnea Korpela]

Linnea was roughed up a little more and then was told that she could go. She was pushed toward the front of the prison and directed the rest of the way out.
As soon as she got on the other side she saw Eun.
"Hi," she said as she approached. "Thanks so much for doing that for me."
She smiled slightly and then looked around.
"I'm going to go home, I'm tired and dirty. Plus I should get ready to go to work tomorrow. I'm sure Jumula will expect me to be there and I'm sure he is also very upset."


OCC sorry about the delay i went away for the weekend.

[Calithin Crest]

I was in the kitchen getting myself a bite to eat when I hear someone at the door and quickly go to answer it.

"Hey, good to see you. Come in."

I let Tuesday inside and motion for her to sit down in the living room.

"Make yourself at home, gimme a second and I'll just grab your key... It's... Around here somewhere..."

I think for a minute as to where I put the thing and remember leaving it on top of the kitchen counter. I go grab it then come back to the living room, handing the key off to Tuesday with a triumphant smile.

"There you go. Hope it wasn't of any inconvenience to you?"

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

I work hard all day, finishing up the day at Charons. I don't have to weed today since I weeded yesterday and it takes a while to grow back. Today consists of some watering and planting new flowers. The work is comparatively easy and I feel happy doing it. I hum to myself as I dig some holes for planting seeds.

"Charon has such a nice garden..." I think to myself. I think of Calithin and wonder if he has returned to London. He has not been at the Helsinki office lately so I assume he must have gone to the main office in London.

I also think a little of Attis and Rose.

[Li Violette]

I pour over some reports from Red Infinity members in Cuba. They are now in hiding and waiting to see how events play out. It seems that it is now common knowledge on the Economic Council that Cuba is primarily owned by Dinari Dollar. My main orders to Red Infinity members in Cuba is to lay low and keep off of land owned by Dollar. I order to try to make alliances with land owners who are not selling their land to Dollar and to wait for things to settle down. I think it is a matter of waiting now.

I myself may have to visit Cuba personally, which is almost impossible because I don't want to raise suspicions. Maybe I could do a pro Manalist speech there. I ponder that and many other things.

For now, I look over some reports on world events and write out some ideas for speeches.

[Dinari Dollar]

With the passing of two days, Dinari is starting to feel more calm. He tries to be cheerful in that the United States at one time had good business relations with Cuba despite the mafia there. In fact, the mafia can sometimes be useful. Especially in dealing with rebels who might remain there. With this in mind, he tries to make the best out of his situation.

He orders the first hotels to be built in Cuba and this in itself cheers him up. It's been a long couple of days. He returns to his office and looks over his contract with Kaschei. There must be some good that could come out of it. He would rather deal with them than the Manalists, even if they are particularly frightening and violent.

Anyway, he has other things to be cheerful about. The new radiation eating plants should be arriving soon and that in itself makes him happy.

[Sidapa Amparo]

Alexei, you can post to me if you want to.

Sidapa is upset about having been left in Cuba. He feels angry that Venice Ashgrove got a fun mission and he got left behind. He sighs and starts walking aimlessly around Havana, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

With his hands in his pockets, he finds mild entertainment in kicking a small white rock as he walks...

[Tristan Tuzanic]

To Venice and Nadi

Tristan does not walk away very far when he hears Nadi talking to someone. He turns around and notices that she is now engaged in a fight with someone, but he is not sure what it is over. He observes for a while from behind a building and notices that it is over the Invisible Hand. The Manalists and the Invisible Hand often work together, so he wonders if he should step in. At the same time, he really doesn't want to see Nadi get hurt or arrested.

He approaches Venice and Nadi.

"Hey you guys, what's this all about?" He asks them.