Checking Up

It's been a rather busy week for one Ivan Fontane. Hustling about to do all the work that he couldn't cover while out of state, picking up the slack that had built up as a result of being one man down, fulfilling all the promises and the business negotiations that he had been…The man had barely a chance to breathe. And that suited him just fine, being thrust into the environment of the job that he had worked so hard to get. It kept him busy, kept his mind still. But now? Now, things are slowing down, returning to their usual rhythm. And now that he's no longer running around like a headless chicken, Chloe has been summoned to Ivan's office.

"No, Marta. Schedule him for eight at Rosewood." Beat. "I understand, but the Senator would be there and while they don't normally back mayoral races it's important that McNaab be there for this one." A glance down at the clipboard and Chloe exhales a sigh. "Six for McNaab, I think the Senator's party is five or six. May as well book the entire restaurant for the night." Beat. "Tell them only to allow in the press on his usual list. No tabloids, no magazines."

It's not until she steps into the office that she hangs up the phone and glances to Ivan. "You needed something?"

When the woman steps her way into Ivan's space, she will find the professional sitting behind his desk, a rather weary but genuine smile on his face. Slowly, he begins to lift his hand to scratch at his head rather sheepishly. "Do I need anything? Oh, no. No, actually, I don't, so I apologize if I'm interrupting something important? You can go back to it, if you need to. I just wanted to touch base with you, Chloe. See how you've been doing here, how you like it and all. I know I wasn't exactly…here when you made the transition, after all."

"Interrupting something?" Chloe snorts. "There's always something," she says, wafting her hand to motion that away. Tucking the phone into the pocket on her business jacket she wrinkles her nose. "Your co-workers think too much, too loudly. The women are very catty, and the men just wander around undressing the women with their minds." Beat. "Graphically." Welcome to politics, Cornett.

"Otherwise, things have been fine." Beat. "Should I add you to the dinner party list? I will need to call Marta back for that."

"Yes, well, unfortunately, thoughts are something that you're bound to encounter wherever you go. As well as the…shall we say, flesh worship." Ivan remarks sympathetically, his brows quirked at Chloe. But then, as though just recalling his manners, he motions to one of the chairs before his desk, "Oh, feel free to make yourself at home, Chloe. And, yes, if you wouldn't mind arranging it so that I could attend, that'd be brilliant. So, the work-load isn't too much? It's relatively comfortable and all?"

Holding up a finger, she extracts her phone. Punching in the number relatively quickly, she barks, "Marta, make that seven in McNaab's party. The total being thirteen." Wrinkling her nose she adds, "The Mayor isn't superstitious but the Senator is. Book for fourteen, which leaves Mr. Fontane able to bring a date if he desires." It also looks better when the place settings are even.

Snapping the phone closed again, she shrugs her shoulders. "The work-load? You mean, fetching laundry and making dinner plans? Hardly. It's not like I've got to try to get him into somewhere like Nobu."

Ivan silences himself, content with watching as she calmly and proficiently makes the arrangement as planned. It's nothing much, but it still leaves the lad with a confident, fairly pleased smile upon his face. A brow is quirked when she mentions the extra seat, but nothing is said until after a laugh. "Well…I did tell you it'd be easy to handle, didn't I? But, as easy as it sounds, our last girl wasn't nearly as…quick as you were. Which makes sense, considering as she was fired for spending her days surfing the internet with relatively low productivity. Anyway, great. Now I've got to find myself a date to that thing."
There is a pause, during which he contemplates his words carefully. "There was one other thing I wanted to ask you, Chloe. I haven't been around here, but you have. You haven't heard anything…out of the ordinary, or the like, have you?"

"Far easier than the research necessary at the library. I've been busy with other things as well though not during business hours." She eyes him carefully, and then nods. "Better they assume you're bringing date whether you do or not." Chloe can pry and find out why he's got the attitude change, but with all the prying she's been doing on the sly she's just not going to bother.

"Nothing too far out of the ordinary. There are a few on McNaab's administration that are already siding with Mr. Wright's campaign. Difficulty there is that I can't determine if it's due to their beliefs, or due to the fact that he's showing higher in the polls at the moment and they don't want to lose their comfy jobs."

"That's not surprising," Ivan admits about the fact that a few seem to be jumping ship. "There are few things people dislike less in this world than change. I'd be willing to wager that the majority of those who work here would join Wright if given the opportunity. That is, if he wins, of course." As for Ivan's personal loyalties? They remain ambiguous, and the answer to the question of whether or not he would jump ship is hard to find. As for the change of attitude? There was no change in attitude. The 'great' was more wry, self-depreciatingly sarcastic than it was sincere, and the prospect of finding a date was made out to be a hassle.

"There are a few I'm keeping an eye on. I can't exactly bug their calls but I can find out what they're up to. I've no doubt at least one is leaking information to the tabloids." Chloe actually has a list written in her phone. Which looks nothing more like a list of coworkers that she's inviting to a party of some sort.

"McNaab needs a better community presence. As-is, thanks to the debacle that was the Unity Parade, a lot of those in the community don't like or trust him. He needs to get involved with some sort of event near the Housing projects. Maybe see if he can pull together a team for a charity game to support the DPD or at least raise money for them."

Ivan is silent as he considers her suggestions, but then, he ends up smiling. Quite broadly at that. "The Unity Parade. What a memory that turned out to be. Anyway, that sounds like a brilliant idea, Chloe. A team, for a charity game, comprised of…of people of interest, throughout the community. Prominent figureheads. And all proceeds will be given directly into fitting a new park within the projects and funding the schools. I'd almost suggest calling up Zane himself and asking if he'd be interested, but…well. Politics first, charity later, unfortunately. As for the coworkers…do you have any listed that you know, for sure, are doing so? If not, could I trust you with investigating them for me? And, if so, give me the names that you have. I'll deal with them."

"You may wish to contact the police department. I know they had one last month. With a contracting company that's currently working on Projects improvements and renovations." Chloe taps her finger to her cheek, peering at him. Now she's going to pry. All snooping in his mind without a care. "What a memory? It very nearly killed my…" Gritting her teeth and pushing down her annoyance, she flashes a bright smile. Face of politics. "There is a list of ten. At least two I have confirmation on. I will investigate further." Fingers motion for a pad and pen so that she can copy the names from her phone.

Ivan's mind is easier to penetrate than before - it is the mind of a wearied, beaten down man. Of a man with little hope for victory, but one too stubborn or dedicated to his cause to throw in the towel. Thoughts of his ill mother plague his mind constantly, followed by the pressing concerns associated with work - and behind all the concern for the community as a whole, there is concern for himself, and what he would do if he lost his job. And there, in the very back of his mind, is Rose. Pushed aside by more pressing concerns, much weaker, but still there. There is all the contempt he harbors for her, as well as all the love. There is his hopes as well as his fears and desperation.

Ivan honestly should have known by now not to trust anyone - women in particular. But, it seems he hasn't, so it doesn't even cross his mind that she might be probing his. "I'll do that, thanks. When you go back to your post, could you forward me the chief of police's number, please?" At the snapping, the man frowns slightly, looking a tad uncertain. "Yeah…what a memory. As in, not a good one. I recall, the fact that he nearly died…ah! Here." And with that, he scrambles to get her the paper and the writing utensil necessary.

The pad and pen are taken, the names scrolled through and written down. Chloe makes no apologies for her snapping, she's overly protective of Will at this point, thanks to a certain stubborn ass that's harder than Hell to read.

"Here they are. You'll want to look at Jones and Crouch. One's been offered five hundred thousand for photos of the mayor indisposed."

Watching him quietly she nods. "Look, I can make it easy on you and stand in as that plus one. I'd really rather not go to that dinner but it may be useful. I can read the Senator and his party." There's something else but Chloe's fairly certain her request might make things awkward for everyone.

Ivan looks over the names in a cursory sort of way, before nodding his head and discreetly pocketing the slip of paper. "Thank you, Chloe. I'll see to it by the end of today. The mayer indisposed huh? Dirty politics, but I suppose I can't complain. I chose my vocation, after all." He is about to continue on, to shuffle his papers and apologize for taking up her time, but then she speaks. And then, the look he gives her? Is unreadable, even to the psychic. "I…wasn't going to ask you, you know. You've done alot, too much even, for me already. But…" And here, he can't help the smile that is lighting his features. "Thank you. That would be wonderful. You don't need to, though, so if you'd really rather not, I can find someone else."

"I don't think the requests come from Mr. Wright. The man is absolutely one hundred percent clean. Running a clean campaign. I have no idea why the tabloids are interested, though I'm certain they're doing much the same with him as well." Chloe taps the pen against her cheek and then she shrugs. "I know you weren't. I offered. It saves you the hassle." Not a word about Rose or a wedding is mentioned. The check was to make sure she didn't misstep there.

"Now, my request. I'm dateless for this wedding, because it happens to be during the day. Normally I'd ask a friend, but asking you would be awkward due to the circumstances. Know anyone safe that I can ask?"

"No one is one hundred percent clean, Chloe. About anything, ever. If a man looks too perfect…then it's because you aren't really seeing him. The same thing goes for campaigns." With this lecture offered and solemnly delivered, Ivan can continue off. "For this wedding, huh? Someone I know?" Really, Ivan should know better. But, as it is, he is proactively trying to forget everything Tyler related, if only for the moment. "Do I know anyone safe…well…define safe, since that's a big concern of yours?"

Fingers tap against her head. "He's one hundred percent clean, Ivan. The only thing McNaab could dredge up in his past is the fact that a vampire murdered his wife and unborn child. Unless he's had training in keeping his mind completely free of any bad thoughts? He's going to run a clean campaign and there's nothing the media could dredge up except to gain the sympathy vote." She takes a deep breath, exhales and mutters, "Yeah, my brother's. Safe. As in, no putting the moves on me, no trying to put the moves on me. Platonic."

"Sure. For now." Ivan sounds unconvinced, and it's no surprise, considering his vocation. But this is not what's on his mind, really. Not anymore. The reminder of Hope and Robert's wedding is like having a bucket of cold water thrown over Ivan. One moment he looks fine - the next, rather shell-shocked. "…Oh." He tries, hoping for a normal tone. "Oh. Right. I…" His stomach feels like a bottomless pit. "Yeah. Uhh. Well…if my brother was here, I'd suggest you go with him. I could possibly make that happen, still. I don't know anyone else who wouldn't chat you up though, I…I'll see what I can do."

"Isn't there anyone gay that works here?" Chloe winks at Ivan, trying to pull him out of the shock. "Otherwise, I'll have to ask Mischa, and the problem with that is the whole love ribbon thing and if it's not worn off totally, and Will shows up after dark to the reception…" There will be drama, and she doesn't want to spoil her brother's day. "I guess I can always go alone, though Aunt Millie will run around and try to set me up with everyone single which is probably worse than me having to worry about Will." Rubbing a hand over her face she shrugs.

"I don't know what McNaab is planning for the campaign. I just know that he's got to be careful. Someone is trying to dig up dirt on him." Just like that she's back into the business, trying to get him to focus. If humor won't do it, work will.

"I…I'll see what I can do." It's feeble, to be sure. But Ivan is trying. And when he lifts his hand to his head, it's obvious that there is a headache of some sort brewing. Particularly when he opens up a cabinet to grab a couple of pain-relievers and dry swallow them without further ado. The expression on his face is now a grimace of some sort. But work! Work he can deal with. "What would Will do, Chloe. If Wright wins. What will happen, you think?"

"Best case scenario? Keep on going on like he is now. Possibly attempt to contact Wright and set up meetings in public locations to ensure that he can continue to keep this particular area safe for vampires." Worst case there? Move the area to Fort Worth which is also covered. Not a huge deal for Chloe. The drive isn't that far. "Worst case overall? I don't know. Probably nothing unless pushed. If Wright were to set up something like a vampire eradication program that would be different. I don't see him doing that though. That would be pure suicide."

Ivan nods his head slowly, pursing his lips slightly. "…Well. I hope for all our sakes, that if worst comes to worst, it'll be the best case scenario." Even if that would mean he'd be out of a job. One sigh later, and Ivan moves to his feet. "I'm going to go get a cup of coffee. Want one?" He prefaces his disappearance with.

"No, I'm g— " Chloe stares at her phone as it rings. With a sigh, she offers a wave and takes off out of the office. Her voice in the hall can be heard almost exasperatedly. "Donovan, we need that hall. We booked that hall. What do you mean you overbooked? The media is going to be there in less than thirty minutes." Beat. "Have them push the reception back by an hour. That should be more than enough time for the interview. Tell them they can keep our flowers or something. I don't care what you do." The phone is held away from her ear at the response, but she's already getting into the elevator to head over to the location to fix the mess.

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