Just Doing My Job Who: Ava and Ezra, and a little bit of Zu When: Around 9 am Where: Phone!
After a pleasant time in Chicago, chatting with Seth, Ava flew home in time to beat the sun. She finished up a few other business-related tasks, then settled down with a book to pass a little more time. Though she herself was a night-dweller, it quite obviously didn't make sense to start a phone call where she had to make a request on a bad note by waking the man she had to speak to. So she waited until nine am before picking up the phone and dialing the number of one Ezra Ramas, blood hunter.
Ezra was up. He was still feeling stressed and worn out, but he was up. The stupid crow-- who had since introduced himself as Zu-- hadn't been a dream, and was perched at the foot of his bed when he woke up. It was irritating, to say the least, to have commentary while he shaved, made coffee, got dressed, brushed his teeth... not even the ghosts bothered him, then, and it galled him that he couldn't order this commentator away like he could, them.
When the phone rang, he was contemplating some kind of cage or even binding spell on a familiar, and he picked it up with an absent, "Ezra Ramas."
"Mr. Ramas," Ava said crisply when he answered. "This is Ava Carlisle. I have a job I'd like to discuss with you." She was never one to beat around the bush when she didn't have to, and she was eager to get to sleep before the sun rose much higher in the sky. "I trust you have a few moments free?"
Pushing the morning newspaper away and casting Zu, who was perched on the back of another chair, a warning glance not to interrupt, Ezra said, "Of course I do, miss Carlisle. What can I do for you?" He was sure it'd be a hunting job, given the caller. What else would Ava Carlisle have for him?
"I want you to visit the home of a new Fallen," she said. "On behalf of the Family, that is, at the request of the Hashmallin. An introduction, I'm quite confident you know how it works. These particular gentlemen - the Fallen and his human companion - will need particularly gentle handling." She didn't think she had to specify why - the only new vampires who needed gentle treatment were those who didn't want to be vampires.
Not a hunting job, then. Damn. Ezra absorbed that, nodding to himself. "That's fairly standard, with new Fallen, or so I've discovered.... I'll be sure to tread carefully. Anything in particular I should know about them?" If Ava was calling him specifically instead of the Hashmallin sending him the standard message, then there was definitely something going on here that required special instructions. Either that or she was taking yet another new vampire under her wing, and needed him to pave the way for her. Or perhaps both.
"I've only spoken with the human," Ava said, shrugging, though Ezra couldn't see it. "According to him, they want nothing to do with the vampiric community or the Family. Obviously, we would like to help show them everything the House can offer. Whatever the outcome, the Fallen needs to be educated. They have my card. Perhaps outside corroboration will help them to make the correct decision, do you not agree?" She was sure he already knew what the correct decision should be.
Yes, she was taking yet another new vampire under her wing. Interesting. "Am I going in gently selling you in particular?" Ezra asked, trying for vaguely amused. He wound up sounding a little tired, which was not how he wanted to come across.
~Feeling a little off-balance, Ezra?~ Zu asked, fluffing his feathers. Ezra ignored him.
Jessie the werecoyote said nothing. She hadn't said much of anything since Elizabeth left, actually, which was something of a relief, now that there was Zu.
"Should you happen to mention my altruistic hopes of providing said education, I certainly wouldn't take it amiss," Ava said easily, noting and summarily discarding the weary note she heard in his voice. She found she didn't particularly care what had him sounding that way, not so long as he still performed his job to House requirements. "You are up to the job, are you not, Mr. Ramas?"
"Of course." That time he sounded professional, like he wanted. Stick with professional; he could slip into that tone without effort, no matter how he felt, personally. Besides, he knew he could do it. Ezra never doubted himself or his abilities. "If you would not mind if I stopped by the apartment on my way over, I can pick up another or your business cards. A suggestion that seems completely unsolicited and unendorsed might carry more weight than one it seems I was convinced to give." His plan was to not mention Ava's interest all, and simply that the Family had sent him to offer his services. He was certain the "newly Fallen" would come up, and he'd offer Ava's card. If it didn't... well, he'd offer the card, anyway.
"Excellent idea," Ava agreed. "I'll leave the card with security downstairs for you to pick up at your leisure." The House wouldn't keep Ezra on retainer if he didn't have the skills required for delicacy and diplomacy, not with as many reluctant newly Fallen he was likely sent out to visit. "I advised the human companion I would give them twenty-four hours to discuss my offer before informing the House of their existence. Tonight will be the end of that twenty-four hours. You're welcome to visit on your own timeline, though I would prefer you contact them sooner rather than later."
"I was planning for this afternoon," Ezra assured her. As when he visited Ava the first time, he tended to try to introduce himself before sundown at the end of the day. It made it more likely to not wake anyone, and more likely that someone would be home. "So that will be before your twenty-four hours by a few, I imagine."
"It doesn't matter," Ava said, waving a hand, though no one would see the gesture. "They're aware that the House may have already known of them before I spoke with the human. If you should happen to give them that impression, all the better."
"Very well," Ezra said, part of his mind already working on what approach he might need to take, what potential precautions he might have to take, and difficulties he might need to plan for.
~This is another situation where a familiar might be helpful,~ Zu put in. Again, Ezra ignored him.
"What is the address?" Ezra asked, getting up and heading for the counter, where he kept a pad of paper and pencil for taking notes from messages and phone calls.
Ava read him the address from where she'd added it to her contact book. "One last thing," she said. "If you find the opportunity, I would like you to place a tracking spell upon the vampire and the human. They are a potential flight risk, and we would like to make sure they can't get too far without our notice."
Pausing before he set down the pencil at the secondary and much more unexpected request, Ezra repeated, "A tracking spell? One in which I can track them, or you can track them?" Because those were two very different results, and would require very different preparations.
"Whatever can be most quickly implemented," Ava said, making a snap decision. "I want it ready when you go see them. I have confidence in your tracking abilities and am quite certain the House will be alerted immediately should they go on the move." She assumed it would be easier for him to track them than to set up a spell for a non-witch to use. "I may require a spell that I can use myself, but as long as they are being tracked, for now it doesn't matter who does the tracking. You will, of course, be compensated for your efforts."
Well, if he was going to get a commission for the additional spell, that at least was something. "I'll see what I can come up with," Ezra decided, himself. If he could piece together something for Ava to track them with in the time allotted, he would, and if not, he'd use something more standard. "If that is all, I should probably get to work. Do sleep well, miss Carlisle." Given he was entirely certain she would be on her way to bed soon.
"Thank you," Ava politely replied. "Have a pleasant day, Mr. Ramas." He hadn't yet let her down on any of her requests; she certainly hoped that today wouldn't be the day it happened. Hanging up, she stretched and yawned. A productive evening, and now it was time for a well-deserved rest.
Flipping his phone shut, Ezra set it down and turned to Zu, now standing on the table and picking at the remains of his breakfast. "Let's see if all that bragging about how much more powerful you've made me had any truth to it," he told the crow coolly when he looked up at him.
Giving a derisive caw, Zu fluttered over to land on his shoulder. ~Let's get on with it, then.~