Freak Like Me (Open)

[Hoyt McIntyre]

Chicago, Illinois 11:30 PM

What was it about the city that attracted people who wanted to disappear? No one ever decides to go hide out in the backwoods or the sticks somewhere. If someone wants to disappear, they disappear into the hustle and bustle of a metropolis somewhere. Makes things alot harder for private investigators hired to find people, but then again, maybe that was the point. Of course it was the point; when you hide, you don't want to be found. But hey, the more desperate someone is to find a person, the more they're willing to pay, and that was an upside to this job, at least to HOyt it was.

The bar Hoyt chose wasn't very busy tonight, at least not at this moment. He'd just wrapped up a job, reuniting a young woman with her mother after several years. They had been separated shortly after the Pluses made themselves known and everything went to hell from there. As was his custom, he'd promised his information was confidential. And technically, it was, unless he was hired to find them, which let's face it...didn't happen. So they were good.

At least someone's going to rest easy tonight, Hoyt thought to himself, taking a sip of his beer. He wasn't sitting at the bar. The location he chose was at the back of the bar, in a corner, by a window. This way he could see everyone in the bar and everyone who'd pass by. In his line of work, one could never be too careful.

One job down, but HOyt's work was never finished. His laptop was open, and he had a pile of papers next to him. This job, however, was one he wouldn't get paid for; it was for his own personal reasons. Using the bar's wifi, he was searching databases, but becoming more disgruntled, and the sips of beer he was taking becoming longer as time went on.

Still nothing. "This guy is good..." Hoyt muttered. "After all these years, I'm still at square one."

He let out a long sigh, politely asking the server for another beer. At this rate, I'll never know what I am...

The sheet on top of the stack of Hoyt's paperwork was a birth certificate. "Hoyt Alexander McIntyre"

[Jophiel]

Jophiel really had a thing for random day trips to various cities around the world. When you had the time and resources…why not? This time she had decided to go to the windy city of Chicago, which she figured was like the New York City of the midwest. Why she had decided Chicago, who knows.

She had spent the day walking around the Midwest NYC, liking it a bit more than the Big Apple, in fact. Maybe I should move out here. After a few museums and other touristy places, it was late already, but she didn’t want to go back just yet. Some more wandering and she found a quiet-looking bar despite it being prime bar time (weird, but she liked it!). Perfect, she could get a drink in peace (of course, in peace meaning that there didn’t seem to be too many drunk rowdy men to hit on her).

Jo went towards the back of the bar, where she figured she could find this quietness that she wished for after the long day, but found a man sitting at the very table she was going to sit at. She shrugged, it wasn’t that big of a deal, and there were more empty tables in the general back area. Sitting down at the table near the man, she couldn’t help but peer over at what he was doing.

Most guys here had beers or whiskey lined up in front of them and were either just staring into space or trying to cause some trouble, but his man looked like he was doing work. An odd location, to work on something that required a laptop and the several papers covering the table. Anywhere could be a sanctuary, Jo supposed.

He looked tired and stressed out; whatever he was trying to figure out was not going well. The server came over and she ordered a sangria and one, no, two pieces of chocolate tart. It all came quickly because of the lack of activity tonight, and Jophiel hardly hesitated in walking over to the table where the man was and putting a chocolate tart in front of him. “I could see that you’re a little swamped. A chocolate tart might not help too much, but pastries always make things a little better, at least for a moment.” Jo said with a smile.

It was then that she noticed that this man was not just a man. He was an angel. Maybe not a full angel, but she could tell that he had at least some angel blood in him. Interesting. Although she wanted to mention something, Jophiel figured this wasn’t the right time or place. She didn’t know this man, after all, and that was kind of personal.

[Hoyt McIntyre]

Every now and again, Hoyt would let out disgruntled growls or sighs, or some mixture of the two, just as he had every night for the past...well several years. "Figures my own case would be the impossible one..." he grumbled to himself as he finished the beer. But hey, at least the server was prompt. Unlike his results. Picking up his new drink he brought the cool glass to meet his lips again. This time, he let it linger, enjoying the taste of the smooth liquid as it entered his mouth. Setting his glass down, he glared at his laptop screen.

Yep. It was official, when Hoyt did finally find this guy...he was going to kill him. Okay no. Maybe not kill him. Beat him senseless, smack him around, strangle him, maybe call him a few choice words...then he'd kill him.

However, he was startled by a female's voice and the presence of a chocolate tart. He gave a nervous smile, nodding as he meekly accepted the tart. "Swamped? Not really. I wrapped up my last paying case not long ago. This is sorta...a personal thing. A very...frustrating...personal thing," he replied with a slight chuckle.

He had this...odd feeling about the woman though. He couldn't place it, but he always felt weird around other beings. He could tell whether they were human or not, and he got these other strange feelings relating to their intentions. Not that he often paid them any attention; after all he had no clue what they even meant or if it was just his imagination. Maybe the truth was he really wasn't anything special and it was all in his head.

In her case, he felt comfortable around her. Like he could trust her. "Thanks," he finally said after breaking his train of thought. Shutting down his laptop, he gathered his papers into a folder, and put both the computer and folder into the laptop's black carrying case.

"My name's Hoyt. Private investigator, if you ever need one."

Jophiel

[Jophiel]

Jophiel pondered for a moment and nodded. Personal things were always the most stressful, and unfortunately often the most complicated things. "They're very difficult, personal matters. It's easier just to detach emotions, which is nearly impossible in personal matters." She smiled as he accepted the tart, meaning he really appreciated and liked the tart. Or at least, that's what she took by the gesture. If he took it so she'd get out of his presence, that wasn't going to happen, although Jo didn't feel that this man would ever do something so rude. He certainly seemed to have the heart of an angel.

"Well, I won't ask you about what you're doing since it's not something for a stranger's ears, but if you want to talk, I'll be right there." Jo pointed to her table which was right next to his. "But I'll probably be talking to you whether you want me to or not, because I kind of have a problem with that." Jo couldn't help but laugh. She had been told more than a few times that she really really REALLY loved to chat people up and make them happy no matter the person, place, or circumstances. That was good for the most part, but some people just didn't like that, which she didn't understand unless they told her flat out.

"You're welcome. If you'd like some ice cream with it, just let me know, because I'm thinking about getting a scoop." A nice scoop of vanilla would be great with a chocolate tart, two flavors to balance each other out. Jophiel's brows furrowed slightly as he started packing away. "You don't have to stop working because of me, if it's because of me. But if you're taking a little mental break, that's good."

"I'm Jo. Nice to meet you, Hoyt." Private investigator, pretty neat job. "I don't think I'll need one, but if I do, you'll be the first I call." After the introduction there was a slight bit of awkwardness. Did she walk back to her table now and sit and eat alone, or did she bring the treat over and sit with him? They just met but would it be weird to sit with each other? Would it be weird to sit separately? Jophiel tried to think like a human, but they were prone to doing different things at different times, so that didn't help.

"Well, I guess I won't bother you anymore." she said with a chuckle. If he wanted her company, he'd stop her, and if not, she would already be walking back to her own seat.

[Hoyt McIntyre]

Hoyt gave a dry laugh. "Tell me about it...Been trying to get to the bottom of this for as long as I can remember, and I'm not one step closer than I was when I started." He let out a disappointed sigh, shaking his head and finishing his last beer. Maybe he should stop drinking so much, even if his tolerance was ridiculously high. Eh, maybe that should be his last one tonight.

"Nice to meet you to. And I...Ice cream sounds great," he replied, somewhat taken aback by her genuine kindness. Usually, people took advantage of him just because he was a nice guy, but this...this was nice. "Wait. You can sit here, if you want to," he called after her. He didn't know why, exactly, except that maybe he'd find her company refreshing.

"I mean, you're not bothering me at all. It's actually kind of refreshing, talking to someone that isn't paying me to talk to them, you know?" Man that sounded awkward...in the end, he usually did end up being completely awkward when he was talking to a woman and it didn't involve professional business. "I didn't stop because of you, it's just...frustrating."

He gave a sigh. "See, I've been looking for my father...I don't know anything about him, except that he left before I was born, and I don't even know his real name. My Mom isn't even sure what it is. But...from the time I was in elementary school, I knew I wasn't entirely...human. The problem is, I don't know what my father was, so I don't know what I am...I haven't gotten anywhere. Don't know anything..." He sighed again after spilling his guts, looking down at his half a pastry then politely waving the waitress over for another beer.

"Sorry about that, it's just...well, it kinda sucks."