University Park
One of the most desirable neighborhoods in all of Dallas, University park is the perfect suburb. The homes in the area lean toward a lot of Spanish architectural designs and look to be extremely luxurious, and the yards are lush and green. Trees and lights line the sidewalks, making it extremely safe to walk the area at night. The sprawling neighborhood is also home to Southern Methodist University, and as a result many of the professors and research staff live in the area. Plenty of open-late restaurants can be found just on the outskirts of the neighborhood, as can a few nightclubs and the 24-hour Gym.
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Such a swank neighborhood as University Park isn't the usual hangout of the Muea Tseena Pack Beta. But, here he is, nonetheless, strolling down the street at a casual pace. His hands are shoved deeply into his pockets and his dark eyes scan the length of the street restlessly. It's almost as if he's looking for something, though what certainly isn't clear. Nonetheless, as he passes near one of the trendy food joints at the corner of the street, he pauses and heads over to the nearest newspaper box, fishing through his pockets for some change.
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Even if it is one of the more desirable neighborhoods cars still need to be towed and the beat up tow truck from Bunkers Garage can be found parked in front of the gym a slight ways down the street. Abbey is making her way out from the gym folding some paperwork up and sticking it into a pocket while she makes her way over to the truck. She pauses at the side of the truck pulling out a pair of gloves before flicking a few switches on the truck to release the chains. The car in question is a Honda model that has been parked in front of the gym for three days and needs to be removed.
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Working for the city has it's up sides and it's down sides, he gets to drive the city planner's vehicles and gets to use the city funds for projects. One of the down sides is when ever something strange happens, Derek "Al" Parker gets sent in with a team of botanists to figure out what it is. Al stands with Constance and Henry, two fellow botanists as they examine a tree that stands between two buildings by the paper box.
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Al says to Constance, "This one is showing signs of it as well. We'll need to figure out who is doing it." then she looks around the street and points up at the traffic light, "Cameras?" Al looks up and the light as well, "Yeah, the traffic cameras may have caught who ever is doing it. You two take the van, get the supplies and the man power, we'll have to pull them all up and re-root them. " the two assistance nod and head off towards the van they came in while Al stands there looking at the tree puzzling it out.
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The change thunks down into the metal box and Cinco pulls the protesting lid open. He fishes out a paper and scans down the headlines quickly. His ears rise and fall, however, as the conversation nearby catches his attention briefly. What? They want to uproot whole trees? He glances over to the trio, nostrils flaring subtly as the wind picks up and scents drifts his way. Amidst them, a familiar half-scent. Dark eyes scan features as Constance and Henry retreat. He doesn't recognize them. His gaze skips to the other man, whose features bear a passing resemblance to another he knows. That and the half-scent… Probably a relation. Pursing his lips faintly in consideration, Cinco glances down at the paper once more. He scans the headlines a second time and then shrugs faintly, folding it back in half and then in half one more time before tucking under his arm. Strolling casually toward the city worker, his head cants faintly. "What's wrong with the tree?"
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Abbey lifts her head slightly, peering over the truck to across the street where the others happen to be. She lets her fingers tap upon the side of the truck while she ponders what might be going on over there. Bits and pieces of the conversation is picked up, something about the trees it seems. Her pale gaze lingers on Cinco a few moments, well there's someone she hasn't seen in a while. She half pays attention to what she can gather from the conversation while she works on pulling the chains out from a ways from the truck so she can get them hooked up to the car.
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Having reached up to rub his stubbly chin Al takes a moment to respond, deep in thought. After a moment he catches up to the real world and looks over at Cinco, "Oh, someone has been killing the trees in the city. I'm not sure why. They didn't do a very good job. We are going to save them.
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Al looks back down at the tree and kneels down digging his fingers into the soil. He brings it up to his nose and sniffs it, "Someone is purposefully pouring poison on the roots. Someone, we don't know who, but we think it is the same people who have been vandalizing the city." he says, "The toxins are common house hold cleaners, mixed with salt water." he says then he puts the dirt on his tongue and rolls it around in his mouth as if trying to learn more about it…
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"Killing trees?" Cinco's heard of the fangbanger attacks, but not of anyone attacking trees. "So… You're saying the guys offing fangbangers are offing trees, as well?" Forgive his skepticism. The scent of the chemicals is harsh to his sensitive nose, however, and he clears his throat in reaction. A beat. "You're Mark Parker's kid, ain't you?" It's not really a question. The closer he gets to the man, the more the familiar sensation of treehugger tingles up his spine. "He's the only other guy I know that willingly eats toxic dirt."
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Abbey hums faintly as the talk turns to someone killing off the trees, and with poison no less. She hasn't been keeping up with the local news lately, other things being a litle more important. At the talk of someone eating toxic dirt she glances over once more and peers curiously at the man that is kneeling down. With the chains hooked up in place on the car she shifts and wanders across the street, having gotten curious on the whole tree conversation it seems. Her pale gaze drifts from Cinco then to Derek and she offers a slight nod and faint smile. "Afternoon." Is said before she peers at the doomed tree after the greeting.
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Spitting out the dirt the athletic tree-hugger stands up and dusts off his hands, "Yeah, that's my old man. He's 57 now and run off trying to save the planet still." the young man says as he looks at the trees, "I suspect it is just some kids, angry at the new city they are forced to live in after the relocation. We have a lot of displaced youth, angry at the world."
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Then Al looks at Cinco, and looks over at the new lady, "Howdy, Ma'am." he says politely. Then he looks back at Cin, "We'll uproot the trees, wash them, replant them and they will recover. We figured out it wasn't natural in time." he says then asks, "How did you know the old man? Do you work for the city?" he asks.
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"Abbey," is Cinco's brief greeting. "Afternoon." He shakes his head, then. "Naw. Your old man did some work for a buddy of mine on some land on the far side of town." Abbey would know the land, likely, since it's the 'wolf den territory out beyond the Grisly and her garage. The explanation about the kids passes without remark. It's an explanation he can buy. Makes for stupid kids, mind, but he's run into more than a few of that sort in his life.
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Abbey tilts her head slightly yo cast a faint glance back to Cinco. "Cinco, been a while." Is offered with a friendly tone before she glances back to Derek. "Good to hear that the trees will recover at least. Would be a shame to lose them all just from some childish prank."
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Looking back at the lady, Al says, "Oh, yeah, they'll be fine. Trees are tough people. It takes a lot to cut them down." he says with no small amount of irony. Slipping his hands in his pockets he says, "I'm taking care of Dallas while Dad is off playing Captain Planet in the flood zone. So don't you worry. The city will be just fine. Now what brings a pretty lady like you out here?" he asks her trying to make small talk. He doesn't seem to recognize the importance of the land reference at all. He must be really good at keeping secrets he didn't show any subtle signs of recognition in the slightest!
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Of course it helps that he doesn't know anything special was said.
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Werewolves, not that unlike vampires, have the senses to guess fairly accurately when someone is lying or concealing the truth. Little things are apparent — beads of sweat, a change in scent, an increase in heart rate. But all those are only any good if the liar knows he's lying. The best liars truly believe their own lies (at least for as long as they're telling them). Cinco doubts, however, that the Parker kid would have any reason to deny knowledge of the land, if he knew about it. Most of the native two-natured in the city have some idea about it, even those that aren't wolves. It's the outsiders that may not be up to snuff with all the latest details. "So, you got your pop's talent for trees, do you?" the beta asks casually, watching the arborist and giving a faint half-smile. "Good to know. You freelance on the side, like him?" Might as well find out.
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Abbey does know where the land is that is being talked about, but she won't be making any comment on the area. A bit of amusement is seen about the Captain Planet comment dealing with Derek's face. Her pale gaze turns to peer back at Derek at the pretty lady comment, which causes her to smirk slightly. A hand lifts and she half points out with her thumb towards the car she was working on getting ready to tow. "Oh, just in the process of towing a car that's been parked someplace to long." At the question from Cinco she lips quiet to allow a anwer to be given.
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Werewolves are good at detecting when people lie and the smile on his face, the way Al says, "Yeah, just like my old man, nothing makes me happier than a good day in the forest. " under his happy tone and his smile is something else, resentment hidden away very carefully but the way his eyes narrow, the way his scent changes slightly to smell of anger when he says it. "He trained me in all the old ways since I was a kid, I was practically raised in the dirt myself. I just got back from getting my masters so I can carry on his work, important stuff you know. People don't realize." he says as he looks up at the sky, "If we don't act now, if we don't make a concerted effort to curve our gluttonous and polluting ways, we're going to end up making things unfixable." but then he has a thought, "Say, if you wouldn't mind, could you ask the officer at the impound lot to give the city coordinator's office a call?" he asks Abbey as he reaches into his snuggly fitting jeans to pull out a business card, "It may be unrelated, but if one of the kids doing this left their car here and went to get drunk with their friends, we could get evidence for the investigating officer. It never hurts to check the lead. "
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Cinco absorbs the shift in scent and subtle changes to Parker's face without much outward change, himself. There's a subtle shifting of his ears, but that's about it. Really? He doesn't much care how the guy feels about following in his old man's footsteps — other than the fact he has to wonder how sincere the subsequent Greenpeace speech actually is. "Yeah, well, then, maybe I'll call you sometime," he says, instead, following up on his question as to whether the man freelances. "You got a number, or should I just call the city?" He leaves Abbey to respond to the question asked of her. He doesn't much expect anything will come of the idea, but anything's possible. Cinic much? Probably.
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Abbey hums faintly at the answer that Derek gives, she can pick up rather well that while he says one thing he feels something totally different. Still with the comments just offered she can't help but wonder about the rest of what was said from the male. At the talk of the officer she ahs softly. "Suppose I could take it over to the city lot. Seeing how it was near the area." She lifts a hand to take hold of the card. "I work for the city when it comes to towing cars for them, as this was a complaint from a private business it wasn't filed with the police." A glance is offered back to the tree a moment. "Though I'll make an acception and take it over to city lot and deal with the paper work." Which is something she doesn't like to do, the city wants to know everything when she has to drop a car off there.
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Al reaches into the pack pocket of his pants and pulls out a different kind of card. This one isn't printed by the city he keeps ones separate from his job. "If you need me for my father's work, call me at this one." he says offering the personal card to Cinco, "If you need me, give me a call day or night." he says and that part, that part he means. He may be pissed at his father for dragging him into this life but he won't turn his back on his responsibilities and he won't let people be hurt because of his daddy issues, "I mean it." he says to Cinco, "Any time." then he looks back at the lady, "Thank you. I appreciate it. This kid, if it is kids, are acting out against plants now, but they need help or it will get worse. They will be acting out against people soon. You can't hate the place you live and live happily." he says and from the sound of his voice, it's a lesson he knows very well.
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It's a lesson Cinco's bumped up against once or twice, himself. Nonetheless, he takes the card, glances at it, and pockets it. "Thanks," he says easily. "'Preciate that." He gives another bit of a smile, "If you're ever down by the Grisly Bar, stop in. I'll buy you a beer." It's about as magnanimous as he might ever be. He's not much of a conversationalist, nor is he much given to hearty displays of friendship or welcome. Something he learned from Donato, no doubt. He does, however, actually give a sympathetic glance to Abbey. Really, who likes dealing with the city? Or any authorities, really? Cinco avoids it whenever he can.
Abbey would rather avoid it if at all possible, even though the city would pay her a bit more then a private business would the paper work and questions tends to keep her from getting to happy about the payout. "Sure thing.. An ya I can understand that. Hopfully if it is some kids they can be found and stopped before it gets any worse."
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Al smiles back at Abbey and says, "Well, I better get going. Trees to save, air to be cleaned and all that. Breathing is good!" then he looks at Cin and says, "Thanks. I heard about that place. Dad never let me go there before I went off to college. Guess what he doesn't know won't hurt me. I'll see you there." he says then he nods his head and starts off down the sidewalk.
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Pulling out his cell he dials a number and says, "What's the update?" then a pause, "Tomorrow? Tomorrow?! Put him on the line! I will not tolerate his lazy yanky-ass killing off the trees in /my/ city just because he doesn't want to push the paperwork through!" yeah, as much as he dislikes the idea, he's his father's son to the core… As he walks away a colorful debate can be heard between him and the person in charge of contracting labor about how it's a matter of life and death! Life and death!!
