Accidents of a Florist [complete]

4: A seed in foundations of mud

"Callia," sobs her brother into the phone as she drives back to the agency after her lunch break. "It's Lucie... she said that we... I mean, she said, she told me we had-" he hiccuped, "-to stop... I..."

Recognizing that Manuel is too distressed to express himself properly, Callia speaks to him in soft tones, assuring him that once she is home and he is home, she will be there for him to talk to.

"I shouldn't... I know I shouldn't be asking this of you... after what happened (Callia flinched)... but, I just... I need my sister." It takes all Callia has to not turn the car around and drive to the university to get her big brother.

She parks into the agency's parking lot and turns the car off, taking the time to give her brother some parting words imbue with the love and comfort she wants to give him. "I promise, Manu, that you'll get through this. For now, though, I have an important meeting to attend. Can you manage until tonight?" Once he catches his breath enough to speak, he gives her a 'yes', full of pain. Sending him a mental hug, Callia strides into the lobby, greeting the heads of the Half-Formed Mountain pack.

First, her hand is kissed by the self-important Alpha Kenan of the Half-Formed Mountain pack, then her hand is shaken by his alcolytes, Beta Johnson and Gamma Rosena. Although it's not Callia's first encounter with the wolves, yet she still is not used to the stark differences between the leading Alpha and his near-equals.

She escorts them to a soundproofed conference room, along the way, hurrying past a glass window through which Agatha negotiating with the leaders of Silver Dust are visible. Having fled that pack several years ago, she has always felt anxiety at the thought of meeting her previous elders despite having done so many times since joining the agency.

When she holds the conference room door open, Alpha Kenan strides in without so much as a thank you, the tails of his old-fashioned black suit flapping in his wake. He takes position at the extremity of the table without the ceremony his attire would suggest whilst his Beta and Gamma enter in a more subdued manner, acknowledge her as they pass her by. The two on each side of the Alpha as though they are mere colonels standing by a commander, deferential to him due to a clear power difference.

Callia joins them at the far end of the conference room and sets down her stack of files. "I trust you've brought the records I asked for?"

Alpha Kenan motions to his Gamma to produce them. "With such short notice, we had a hard time putting them together for consultation."

In Investigator and Command-speak, this means "we've conveniently lost some papers, and we've lost some others unintentionally." Giving the Gamma a sharp look (he seems more easily cowed than the Alpha), Callia takes the documents, skimming them. "I trust any missing records are not pertinent to the driver?"

"No m'am," says the Gamma quietly, earning himself a warning glance from the Beta. At this, Callia just looks at the second man questioningly.

"Would you like to improve on Gamma Rosena's answer, Beta Johnson? Us investigative services always appreciate positive interventions."

"No m'am," says the wolf.

"Moving on," Callia puts down the documents and pulls out her clipboard, turning to a blank page, "should the accusations prove true, how would you like to settle this matter?"

Alpha Kenan glares at her stonily. "The accusations are completely unfounded. We will pay no 'reparations' to Silver Dust."

"That is understandable, but should they prove true-"

"We will not pay for an accident!" Kenan slams his fist down, shaking the table. Not impressed, Callia notes this down with the air of a teacher making note of a child's tantrum. In the walls of the agency, she feels safe enough to confront a wolf twice her size. So, she presses on:

"You won't pay for an accident, that much is clear, Kenan," the dropped title makes his left eye twitch, "but what are you willing to accept as settlement between the injurer and the injured if it is not an accident? Keep in mind you are the representative of Broadshoulder here, not of your pack."

"We refuse to speculate given that this outcome is improbable."

"Alpha Kenan, this is my advice as an Investigator to my client: the severity of the injuries sustained may lead to much graver charges than those existing at the moment. Head home and reconsider your approach. Tomorrow, if you've changed your approach, tell me before our meeting with my associate and Silver Dust."

That being said, Callia packs up her papers and walks out, trusting the Half-Formed Mountains to know their way out.

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