(MA) Shine Down the Road

[the_death_card]

They're coming up on the end of all this, and Jack has one more big item on his list to check off. He's been putting it off, both out of necessity and because this is a level of thievery that he never thought he would ever consider reaching. He's stolen all manner of things without a single feeling of guilt, but stealing a body makes him feel a little like a ghoul.

Still, it has to be done. Thanks to Henley, he has a nametag bearing his real face but a fake name that gets him into the building. His own lightfootedness gets him to what looks like a break room unnoticed, and he picks up a lab coat where someone's left it draped over a chair, shrugging it on and replacing the nametag with his own fake.

The door beeps as he swipes the badge, and he lets himself into the morgue, taking a moment to adjust to the smell of formaldehyde and other chemicals before he heads for the computer. Also thanks to Henley, he knows who he's looking for: a John Doe from one of the local hospitals that's gone so far unclaimed. He just needs to find where they are.

He finds the man's file on the computer and pushes back from the desk, heading for the drawers. Somewhere across the room, another door beeps and opens, and he takes a few quick steps to duck around a corner, peeking out after a moment to look for who might have come in.

There's no immediate sign of anyone, and he reaches for a nearby gurney, heading for the drawer he needs.

Comments

[magician_card]

There's no immediate sign of life, no, but Jack isn't alone.

A young man drifts into the room, humming cheerfully, his nose buried in a file folder, and at first, he doesn't seem to notice Jack. He meanders towards the computer in no particular hurry, sets the file down -- and makes direct eye contact with Jack. Apparently startled, he takes a step back, swearing. It takes him a moment to regather himself.

"You do know how to give a man a fright, don't you?" A beat, then, "You're aware that there's a John Doe here that bears a striking resemblance, yes?"

[the_death_card]

Jack keeps his head down as the other man heads for the computer, hoping he might be able to slip past the man and just be dismissed as the intern he's pretending to be - but then the man looks up at the same moment Jack glances at him. Jack stops practically mid-step - and then straightens with a grin, glad he's at least somewhat used to performing. At least he can lie convincingly.

"You know, they told me when I got into this line of work they'd work me to death, didn't think I looked that bad yet though."

[magician_card]

David lets out a bark of a laugh. "Well, they weren't wrong. You'll be lucky to see the light of day, whist playing intern."

His choice of words is deliberate, though he takes care not to make them seem so. He knows who Jack is. He's here to make sure this particular part of the plan goes off without a hitch. He's also been sworn to secrecy, but this isn't the first secret he's been asked to keep in service to the Eye.

"And while you look fine," he continues after a moment and in the direction Jack was headed, "I'd give him a look. He's in one of the drawers over there."

[the_death_card]

If Jack was expecting anyone else to be in on this, he might be looking for it. But he's not, so there's no real worry of him picking up on anything unusual.

Jack glances in the direction he'd been going, and then back at David, pointing ahead of them. "Over there? Which drawer?"

Like he doesn't already know, but.

[magician_card]

"Ah," David starts effectually, taking a quick moment to lean into the computer. After tapping a few keys, he gestures to a specific drawer. "B14, if I'm not mistaken. The John Doe, like I said."

[the_death_card]

"Right," Jack agrees, leaving the cart to head for the drawers.

The fact that it takes him a moment to find the right drawer isn't an act - and maybe he should be more familiar with things if he works here, but there's a reason he's pretending to be an intern.

When he does finally find the drawer, he makes himself not hesitate to open it, reaching in to pull the drawer out and then undo the bag.

"Huh," he tilts his head, looking at the body. The cadaver does look like him, but that's not as much of a surprise as he's pretending it is. They had specifically come looking for him, after all. "Man, you're not wrong. That's creepy."

[magician_card]

"You understand my reaction when I saw you, then." David pauses a moment, pretending to be absorbed by the computer, now that he has it open. "And you're not going to believe this, but the police are requesting he be moved upstairs. Apparently, they think they may have found someone able to identify the poor sod."

A beat.

"You wouldn't mind, would you?"

[the_death_card]

Jack blinks at him for a moment, trying to keep himself from smiling. This guy doesn't know the favor he's doing him.

Or, well. He does. But Jack doesn't know that.

"Oh, yeah, I've got it. Just, uh... viewing or whatever?"

That's where they take bodies to be identified, right?

He goes for the cart while he waits for David's answer, ready to get out of here in case someone starts getting suspicious.

[magician_card]

David hums. "There's a medical lift around the corner from the one you came down in. Take it to B1, and you'll find the viewing rooms just past the offices. Shouldn't be too hard to find the one you're looking for -- it'll be the one with all the police."

Which you should probably avoid, Jack.

[the_death_card]

Thankfully Jack is good at avoiding police, and he nods. "Thanks. Uh... guess I'll be back in a bit."

He won't, but.

That said, it doesn't take him long to figure out how to roll the tray containing the body off the drawer and onto the cart, and he covers the cadaver back up as he heads for the door, trying to keep from picking up pace until he's out of the room.

It takes him a couple of turns to find the lift and the exit to the bay where Merritt is waiting in a very somber black suit by a hearse they borrowed earlier and will return once they're done with it. They load the body quickly but not in a rush, just doing their normal, every day business - except for where Jack slides into the hearse's passenger seat as Merritt goes to the driver's.

He feels a little bad for lying to the other guy, but, well. It's not like he'll ever see him again.

Little does he know and all that.

[magician_card]

"I'll have dug up more little errands for you to run by then," David promises, flipping him a wave.

Little does Jack know, indeed. Some six, eight months later, David will be waiting for him behind another desk, his nose buried in a book rather than a computer, this time. Well, sort of. He's not exactly waiting for him, but he is manning the information desk at the Eye's Archive. He's so absorbed in whatever he's working on, he barely registers Jack entering, however.

"A moment, please," he offers, absently.

[the_death_card]

Jack is here at the archives to drop off a couple of books and pick up a couple of others; he's here at the desk because the archives are enormous and he got a little lost while looking for the area.

For a moment, he just stares at David before he huffs out a laugh and leans forward, elbows on the desk. "What's a few more moments to a dead guy, anyway?" he asks, grinning.

[magician_card]

David looks up at that, though the expression that flickers across his face before he registers who he's talking to is one of concern rather than surprise. Either way, it's quick to go and he smiles, now decidedly pleased. "Ah, if it isn't my favorite John Doe."

A beat.

"Hello, Jack."

Yes, he knows who he is, and did then, too.

[the_death_card]

Jack catches that and blinks, though his smile returns as David's does.

"Hi," he returns. "So they stuck you in there to make sure we got what they needed, didn't they?"

It's not like he had never heard of the Eye planting someone somewhere, but he was definitely not expecting to have back-up on his test. He absolutely appreciates it, though.

"I kinda... didn't get your name at the time though?" he begins, apology in his tone. This is definitely him asking now.

[magician_card]

"I wouldn't say stuck, exactly, as I do actually work as a mortuary technician as my day job, but yes, I was there to make sure that part of things went off without a hitch. Stealing a body isn't as glamorous as they make it seem in the films."

Or as easy. He's seen less security on a living person than he has on a corpse.

"Though, ah. I didn't offer, at the time." He's going to now, however, and so he sets his book aside and pushes to his feet, holding a hand out to Jack. "David. David Prashada, if we're doing surnames."

[the_death_card]

Jack makes a face. "Yeah, I'd kinda been putting that off to the last minute for that reason. Stealing money's one thing. Stealing a body...."

Like he had thought all those months ago, the whole thing had made him feel like a little bit of a ghoul.

Anyway, when David stands, Jack straightens, holding out his own hand. "Jack Wilder Shrike," he returns, and he's not waving his dick, he's just actually introducing himself. "Nice to actually meet you." He grins.

[magician_card]

"It was necessary," David reminds him, pragmatically, "and if it makes you feel any better, there was no one actually there, looking to identify him. I was just trying to give you an excuse to leave with him and make sure you avoided the very real police that were lurking upstairs."

A beat.

"But it's a pleasure." And he means that.

[the_death_card]

Jack huffs out a laugh, grin turning a little more crooked. "Yeah, it does actually. I mean, it probably shouldn't. But it does.

"And it absolutely is. Thanks for the assist with that, seriously."

[magician_card]

"A happy ending, then," he decides, his own smile taking on a crooked note. "And you're very welcome."

Sinking back into his seat, he asks, "So, what can I help you with today?"

[the_death_card]

Jack just grins back for a long moment before he shakes his head. Oh, right. He's here for an actual reason.

"Oh, yeah. I was dropping off some stuff, but I was trying to find..." He pauses a beat and reaches into his pocket for his phone. "A Structural Conception of Magic by Arturo de Ascanio. The computer's saying it's in, but I didn't see it on the shelf."

[magician_card]

"Ah, that may be fault of mine, actually," David answers, his expression shifting towards something torn between amused and chagrinned as he reaches for the book he was reading when Jack came in. Tucking a finger between the pages to mark his place, he holds it up so Jack can see the title -- the very same one he's been looking for.

"Great minds, apparently."

[the_death_card]

Jack blinks - and then laughs. "Yeah, definitely," he returns. "At least you're another check in the list of recommendations for it."

He pauses a beat. "Assuming you weren't using it to help you deal with insomnia or something."

[magician_card]

"Not as such," David promises, shaking his head. "I will admit I've no real interest in the cardistry aspects, given that that's not my area of expertise, but his essays on magic as a whole are fascinating."

A beat and then he adds, "I particularly recommend the Conception of the Magical Atmosphere section."

[the_death_card]

"What is your area? Besides helping smuggle bodies out of morgues?" he teases - but he's also actually asking. He's always going to be curious about what specific parts of magic people prefer to focus on, considering there are so many and so many ways of going about it.

Jack nods. "Yeah, definitely wanted to read that one. And the interviews."

[magician_card]

"Mentalism," he answers, leaning forward. "Though not in the same way your Mister McKinney practices it. Where he hears the thoughts of the living, I'm more ... well, to quote everyone's favorite film, I see dead people."

That's not entirely accurate, but it's not entirely far removed from the truth, either. Still, he's deflecting to a certain degree because he knows not everyone is comfortable with what he does. It's all fun and games until it's not just a cold read and some theatrics.

[the_death_card]

Jack returns his phone to his pocket and steps forward a little so he can lean on the desk. "Oh, like Max?" He pauses a beat. "Um.. Emil Maxton. I interned with him for a while after high school. He did the whole seance thing in his shows."

He doesn't know how far off he is, considering Max's shows were half-mentalism, half up close illusion - cold reads and theatrics.

He also doesn't mean to sound dismissive of David's answer, just saying he understands that area.

[magician_card]

"We've met, yes," David answers, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Whether it's because he sees his out in pretending to be distracted by the mention of Max or he's legitimately fond of him is anyone's guess, however. Probably a little of both. "Delightful man. And so rare to see a face like mine on the more public-facing end of the business."

There are plenty of people of color in the Eye -- it started in Egypt, after all. Not many of them make it on stage, though.

[the_death_card]

"Yeah, for real," Jack returns, making a face. "Way too many white people - uh... white men, mostly... in this job. But I think that's pretty much the case everywhere."

Jack is white, but he's not that white.

"You do stage stuff?"

[magician_card]

David gestures in his direction -- he's not wrong. When he lowers his hand, he shakes his head. "I've had my 'ill-conceived performances in the park' phase, as have we all, but presently? No. I work at the morgue, I help maintain the Archives, and I do research for the odd project that comes down from higher up.

"Do you anything outside the stage?"

That's not as judgmental as it might seem. He's genuinely curious as to what plates Jack might have spinning, beyond the obvious.

[the_death_card]

"Oh so you actually work there. I was assuming it was a one-time deal sort of planted thing."

It's not that he doesn't know there are people in the Eye who aren't stage performers - or even magicians in the traditional sense.

"I don't know if I could hang around dead people all the time."

He obviously knows someone has to man the morgues, but it's definitely not something he would want to do.

"I could hang out in here more, though."

He likes the archives and has since he first saw them. He knows there's more information in here than he could ever access in his lifetime, but he's definitely making an effort.

"Uh, besides the, uh... performances in the park," he returns with a grin. "That's most of it? Either doing the shows or helping plan for the next one. We're, uh... also looking for people we might try to deal with? Like Tressler and Bradley."

And yes, that was personal, but they have unique opportunities to deal with the corrupt, and he knows the others are also in favor of continuing that side of their shows too.

[magician_card]

"Well, I certainly didn't get my Master's in Health Science just for a bit part," David shoots back, shrugging. His official title is pathology assistant, and he helps with autopsies and such, but he also babysits the morgue when he's not cutting someone open. It's useful for more than just the fact that he can help aspiring magicians steal corpses. Sometimes, he can get the deceased to tell him things an autopsy might not.

He's not about to get into that yet, however, still keen on hedging on what his magic entails, and so he doesn't offer that much -- nor does he address Jack's comment about not wanting to hang around dead people all the time. Instead, he latches onto the idea that he might want to spend more time here, and raises one eyebrow, delicately, suggestively.

"I certainly wouldn't mind seeing more of you, while you're between gigs, though."

[the_death_card]

Jack laughs, shaking his head. "Yeah, uh. That'd definitely be some real dedication," he returns.

Never mind that certain people's fathers literally became a cop for a "bit" but that's entirely beside the point.

He blinks a little, not entirely surprised by the flirting considering it had come up before, but still a little caught off guard since he also wasn't expecting it. "Well, I am gonna have to return these books eventually," he teases - because yes, he knows that's not what David was getting at.

[magician_card]

"You do realize there's more than just books here, yes?"

If there's something tentative to that, it's because he registered Jack's surprise and the way he sidestepped what he was getting at there. He won't necessarily be entirely deterred until Jack asks him to stop, but -- well, he can't help the little twinge of hesitation. Blame his family.

[the_death_card]

Jack catches the doubt and smirks a little more, tilting his head. "You mean other than attractive archivists?" he returns because yeah, no. He's not asking him to stop. The opposite, actually.

[magician_card]

"Other than attractive archivists," David agrees, his smile returning in full, "though, I'll admit that was the part I was hoping you'd notice. Not everyone is so clever, but I should have known better in your case."