Who: Archer Avery and Thomas Lansing Where: The Capitol, Thomas' office What: Avery and Lansing's weekly meeting, and a little personal advice When: Thursday, 2pm
Thomas sits behind his desk, solid polished mahogany, leather top, carved with dozens of angels in effigy. He loves this desk for the symbol that it is - the man who sat behind it before him was a man who climbed to the top in a soft world of soft people. The man who sits behind it now is one who clawed and maneuvered his way to the top, ruthlessly, in a ruthless world.
He knows that, and it doesn’t bother him. He’s proud of the fact that his family can have anything they want, can live safely behind high walls guarded by people who weren’t as smart as they were, fed by scavengers who didn’t have the foresight that they had.
Adelaide can have pretty things, and raise their son in the best circumstances available.
He’s looking over supply requests from the hospital, and he frowns at the letterhead. She’s there again, and texted to inform him that she’ll be staying the night - an elderly patient with a fractured hip, she says, is confused and continually trying to get out of bed, and the hospital needed someone to sit with the woman, to remind her over and over throughout the night to stay put so she doesn’t hurt herself further. Adelaide informs him that she volunteered to do just a single night, because most of the help is burned through, and need a break.
The charitable idea isn’t at all like her. But then, neither is volunteering at the hospital in the first place. They say motherhood can do things to a woman’s mind. He may have to put his foot down, soon.
He scratches his chin with the end of his pen, and turns his thoughts to the meeting he’s about to have, a weekly check-in with the Chief of Police. Sometimes, when there are pertinent matters that need attention, Olinger joins them. Today it is just Thomas and Avery, hardly a few bare minimum items to check in about, unless Avery has something new. The issue of the Blobs kept them in contact frequently throughout the week, and most things have been discussed by now.
Thomas knows that the new Chief is a steady man, and when Grady needed replacing Thomas spoke highly of him to the Mayor as a man who will do what needs to be done - and who, Thomas thinks, will abide by the rules and traditions of his station. That is important - rogues are dangerous. O’Brien, for example. Thomas personally doesn’t trust that loose cannon as far as he can throw him.
His door is open, and Thomas looks up when the big man appears, punctual as always.
“Afternoon, Chief,” he says, and gestures toward the seat across from him. They have enough of a routine that he doesn’t need to invite him to sit. “How’s our city holding up?”