Quoted By:
>Get down to business(?)
"Uh, I might have one." You drum your fingers on the desktop. "What's that?"
"Pardon me?"
Never mind: you're not asking for permission to lift a notecard. You do. Underneath the "IDA" is the silver surface of the name placard, into which is engraved "Cora W." Huh. "Are you new here, by any chance, Ida?"
Ida the receptionist looks uncomfortable with you using her name, though you haven't any idea what else she expects. "Uh... I am, yes, miss. What's your name? I can check the—"
She has small, sharp features and a pert bob cut and you feel certain you would've recognized her if you've seen her before, even in passing. But you haven't. Perhaps she's one of the people who fled in recently? "That's interesting. How new? As in a month, or a week, or..."
"A week," she says, and smiles nervously. "Well, a bit less than. 5 days. Are you sure you won't—"
"That <span class="mu-i">is</span> new. Why'd they hire you on?" You think. "Wait, was the old receptionist killed by the gooplicate?"
You can see her bottom teeth. "...Pardon me?"
"The gooplicate? Have you not— the evil clone? Who looked like me?" No recognition, just a glimmer of terror. "No, it <span class="mu-i">isn't</span> me, it's— it's taken care of, alright? It's not going to murder you. And I won't, either, so stop <span class="mu-i">looking</span> at me like—"
«I see you're as on top of your game as ever.»
Did Richard forget about being nice to you? Because—
«That was factually a compliment.»
You— okay. Great. You'll negotiate the sarcasm clause later. Ida's hands have dropped below the desk (for the pistol or the panic button, presumably), but she hasn't cut and run yet. "...I haven't been terribly on top of the news, miss."
"You mean you heard nothing about the <span class="mu-i">gruesome murders</span> that've—"
"I've been undergoing training since I was hired," she says stolidly.
"What does that <span class="mu-i">mean?</span> Do you not go outside to sleep, or get drunk, or—"
"Headspace keeps dormitories of its own, miss."
Really? You guess that'd explain why you've never seen anyone go in or out— but still, weird. (Gil, to your right, is rhythmically twanging his suspenders.) "Okay, um, fine. Can you just tell me if Cora got murdered? Or did she just quit, because I hear that your job sort of sucks... I mean, think of all the odd people you probably have to deal with."
«...»
You flick Richard on the snout. Ida has scooted her chair backwards. "Er, I'm not privy to all the details, miss, but I believe Ms. Waldrop fell ill."
(1/4)
