Rockford Apartments - Room 693

As nice as it would be to watch the results of his work, there was a log of meat that needed cooking. "Tell me if anything happens. I'm going to get dinner started." He left the garbage pit, stepping over a few pieces of trash as he went through the door. It would take some time to decide what to make besides the meatloaf, but there was nothing good on TV tonight and he didn't have any new books to read, so the possibilities were endless (relatively speaking, since there was only a finite amount of food in the world, as well as in the apartment right now).

Right on cue, news feeds began to pop up onto her computer screen, each providing a different angle of coverage regarding the situation. Glancing at the Box News channel feed, which was an aerial view via helicopter, showed that Old Jack had finally got the bad news relating to his fortune, and thus decided to take to the roof of his office building in a fit of rage and depression. The feed showed him balancing on the ledge, barely able to keep the gusts of wind from blasting him off into the oblivion he had put himself against.

"Hey! He's on the news now!" She called out, hoping John could hear. "Looks like your guess was right! The moron is on the roof of his building, I think he might actually jump!"

The news cast had several moving banners running across the screen, both on the top and bottom, each displaying information regarding what had happened, the most prominent message being how he had lost his fortune being "unknown", which it was going to stay that way if Alaura had any say in the matter. She did, by the way, and anyone who thought otherwise would see just how wrong they were. "Hey, you gonna watch this or what?"

He came in stirring a large bowl with a wooden spoon, making dough for some sort of breaded addition to the meal. Maybe rolls, or biscuits, or he could sweeten it and make cookies. That wasn't the concern yet, though. It was that guy about to jump off a building. He kind of deserved it, considering he was a panda killer, but jail seemed like more fun. Most criminals liked pandas, too, didn't they?

Other than a grunt, he had no real response to it, still stirring the bowl. "I'm going to go finish cooking." He waded through the ground garbage to get back to the exit, starting to wonder about the reaction that one guy whose diamonds he stole would have when he found out what happened to his cliche'd fortune.

"Just bring me some food when it's done, alright?" She said, indifferently shrugging at her roommates response, she turned her attention back towards her computer screen. She had no real feelings of if the guy jumped into oblivion or not; she had already gotten back at him by ruining what was likely his life's work. A few keystrokes closed the webpage and brought up several IRC chats, the likes of which were flooding with various reactions to the situation on the news, which brought a smirk to her lips as a few of them began to speculate who had done it.

It wasn't that hard for them to guess that it was, in fact, a "who", since to most experienced hackers it was obviously the work of someone who knew their way around and through various systems. She had decided to add to the conversation by throwing out her own speculations, theories, and opinions with the rest of the countless, anonymous individuals that were present, though none had any connection with herself.

(Holy timeskips, Batman!)

It wasn't often he was contacted directly for a job. It also wasn't often he'd accept any jobs on his own. Still, though, this was an insane amount of money, even for someone who theoretically had any amount of money at his disposal. This was at least three months worth of food and books, and maybe something nice for the apartment, too. All he had to do was throw some guy off a building, or something. Apparently, he was one of those CEO types who was all smiles and sunshine on the outside, but dumped toxic waste into the water supply like a Captain Planet villain. Wait, how did he even know what that was? Whatever, he'd do it. The last time he took on a rich asshole, all he had to do was reach in a hole and take all his riches. This would be good training, if nothing else, and this guy probably deserved what was coming for him. Either way, he'd use it as an excuse to steal everything he could off his computer and give it to Alaura. She always liked going through shady computer files.

"Going out. Be back tomorrow."

---> Mission

(OOC) Probably around Christmas right now.

That bullet left a scar. Couple, actually, but it was no big deal. Not like it was the first. The coat was more important to him, and that was totally wrecked on the inside. He'd have to get himself a new one for the holiday.

It was time for training, not shopping, though. Doing another set of fifty one-armed push ups with legs raised on the bed. Shirt lay in a pile across the room, since he didn't want to get it all sweaty and gross during all this.

He wasn't sure what it was, but he felt stronger recently. Easy answer was the numerous push ups, sit ups, and juice, but something was different. It wasn't physical, exactly. He felt it in himself, like his portals were somehow getting more powerful. That was it, actually. Why would they be, though?

Finishing the set, he slapped his other hand against the floor and moved his body into the air. He held himself suspended like this for a full minute lowering his feet back to the floor and standing up. That spot on his back still hurt a bit when he bent, like just now. Extending an arm, he created a portal to directly behind him. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he traced the outside with his eyes, hoping to find some sort of irregularity. There was none, especially considering it didn't technically have an "outside" to it.

One thing was certain, though - his back was shredded.

(OOC) Cashing in with this post about training. Level 2.

Seated at the computer as she always was, the passing of an entire day's worth of time seemed to have went by in an instant. Time just happened to move quicker when one's attention was focused on something far more interesting than the reality around them, didn't it? In truth, Alaura really didn't care about it. The world of coding, electricity and wavelengths were far more enticing than what actuality could present. It was more informative, empowering, entertaining, and overall more suitable to someone like herself, and thus the vast majority of time that she had was devoted towards exploring them.

Especially since John had made it back, just as he said he would, so there was nothing to worry about. She might have began to if that wasn't the case, especially since she took a minor interest in what he was going to do. The simple act of hacking into one of the man's electronics gave an adequate picture of the situation, and to say the least, she was glad he was able to get out of it without much detriment. A lot worse could have happened than a simple scar...

Adjusting the train of thought she was having away from such unpleasant scenarios, Alaura refocused on the computer screen, taking a drink of one of the half full soda cans that made up the countless dozens of empty others that decorated the desk around the monitor. She had been analyzing a variety of information that John had sent her from some guy's computer, and to say the least it was both interesting and crazy at the same time.

The first few folders weren't all that odd. Langley's stocks and similar information were things that she could have gotten herself if she really felt like it, a few magical keystrokes did wonders. However, the ideas on how to torture "monsters" that appeared in various other folders was, well, insane? This Ingolf was insane. She had no other word for it...

That was an excellent workout. Now he had to get some food, since all that sweaty muscle movement made him hunger. A shirt wearing and hand washing later, and he was the proud owner of a four-tiered sandwich. Time to relax and watch some shitty Rankin/Bass Christmas specials on the TV.