At The Precipice Of Something New

Something Suspect

Diamond City
March the 15th, 2288
15:22

"Well, well. Our newest visitor, the detective, a cage fighter, and our city's most prolifically irresponsible citizen. What could possibly have brought the four of you up here?"

Piper scowled at Geneva just about the second the two women met eyes. Stepping off the lift up to the mayor's office, she crossed her arms, biting her tongue. I've got a few ideas about you and what you get up to. Lucky I'm not here to try and see if they at all pan out today. She glanced towards the lift, waiting for Nick, Cait, and Nora to step off and over towards the secretary's desk as well. His usual self, Nick adjusted his hat, and then offered Geneva a polite smile. Hesitant around the synth, Geneva merely gave him a short nod, raising an eyebrow when she saw Nora's tired and anxious gait and the way Cait had looped an arm around her. Cait winked at the mayor's secretary when she and Nora joined Piper and Nick just in front of her desk. Geneva eyed her closely, caught somewhere between amusement at her mannerisms and concern. That girl has something of a reputation around here, though I don't imagine she's aware of it. Seems to me the only people in this city who actually like her are Piper, Vadim, and the Bransons. Unaware of or unbothered by Geneva's critical gaze, Cait let go of Nora and sauntered right up to the mayor's secretary, leaning forward and propping her elbows up on the secretary's desk, and grinned, causing Geneva to push her back a little, rolling her eyes.

"Again, I have to ask," Geneva irritably said. "What could possibly have brought the four of you up here? Especially..." She warily looked between Piper and Cait. "The two of them."

"Sweet as always, Geneva," Piper said dryly. "I can see why the mayor hired you to decide who –"

"Are you done crowding the reception area, Miss Piper?" Geneva testily cut in. "I don't get the sense you're the one who's here for an even halfway decent reason."

"We need to talk to someone about Kellogg," Nick said, sending Piper a pointed look before she could say anything more. "The man who used to live in the west stands."

Geneva raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"Well, firstly, do you know why he left town, by chance?" Nick sighed when she shook her head. "He left with the kid he had with him, didn't he?"

"Truthfully, I can't remember if he left with that kid he came to town with or not," Geneva said, a tinge of suspicion to her voice. "We foreclosed on the property shortly after he left, locked it up, and never thought much of it or him. It, at least, seemed clear he had no intention to return."

"So, you have the key?" Nora said, relief washing over her when Geneva nodded. "Could you give it to me? I need to have a look around in there."

"I'm afraid that's above my purview," Geneva said, frowning when Nora's face fell. "If there were anything belonging to the man you have a claim on, you could ask the mayor to hear you out. But I can't – and, more to the point, won't – guarantee anything."

Nora looked between her and the city security guards, who seemed rather focused on Cait and Piper.

"So, I can just head in and talk to McDonough?"

"You can," Geneva said, standing up to open the doors into the mayor's office. "But, I'll warn you, he's not going to like you bringing that reporter into his office. You might want to ask her to wait outside."

"Awe, look at me," Piper said, following after Nora, Nick, and Cait. "I'm so frightening! A twenty four year old, 5'4'' and half asleep reporter is such a threat, such a menace to –"

"Piper!" McDonough narrowed his eyes when he saw the reporter slip past Nick and Cait to stand beside Nora, arms crossed and a defiant smirk on her face. "How many times do I have to tell you not to come near this office?"