xp_logs | Sanctuary, prologue: "I bought a church." (Nathan, Angelo) (Reply)

When he arrives at the boathouse in response to Nathan's email, Angelo finds out that his boss has indeed found a solution to the problem in Managua - and a creative one, to boot. It may however necessitate a trip to Central America to look after some of the details.

"Well, you don't look hungover," Nathan said disingenuously as Angelo came through the door of the office. He was sitting at his desk, working on the computer, and was giving off alarmingly chipper vibes. "Let me guess, no one successfully managed to spike the punch?"

"With me as a chaperone?" Angelo asked cheerfully enough. "One of the terrors of the school when I was in it? Nah. They weren't even really tryin', though."

"Kids these days." The office was looking immensely better than it had the previous week, thanks to Ellen's resolute efforts. Nathan figured he ought to be more appreciative, but the way the woman looked around fearfully for Rachel every time she came in irked him. "So," Nathan went on cheerfully, "I've been spending money like water."

"Have you now?" Angelo asked, amused, settling at his own desk. "On what?"

"I bought a church."

Angelo blinked, then eyed him. "...a church?"

Nathan's grin was positively beneficient. "Yes, I'm starting my own cult of personality." He laughed at the way Angelo was looking at him. "No, I'm not. The church is closed down, no longer operational. It's in Managua." He raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Nice, big building. Do you see where I'm going?"

"....a buildin' of our very own in Nicaragua. I think maybe I'm startin' to."

"Rollins checked with the board and okayed the idea, so I went ahead yesterday afternoon and closed the deal with the real estate agent in Managua. More importantly," Nathan said briskly, "Jorge Borgran - remember, the one who brought the problem to our attention in the first place - knows a number of people who would be well-suited to staffing a shelter-slash-vocational training facility for young mutants. And Charles knows a couple of people in the country who can handle basic powers training."

"Sounds like a really good place to start", Angelo said, smiling. "We're payin' to have it all fitted out too?"

Nathan nodded. "Feel like a trip down there this week?" he asked. "I want to check the place out, get whatever work needs doing started. Plus," he went on a bit more dourly, "we still have to sell the idea to the charming people at Managua's city hall who thought prison was a better option for these kids. It's probably best done in person. I'm waiting to hear back about an appointment."

"Prison was probably cheaper", Angelo said quietly. "But if someone else is payin' for it..."

"That's what I'm hoping. That if we offer them a way to make the problem go away that won't have Amnesty International and every other human rights group on their case, that they'll leap at it."

Angelo nodded. "An' if they don't... then we bring Amnesty an' the others into it ourselves."

"That's what we call 'moral suasion'," Nathan said primly.

Angelo laughed. "But, hey, it works."

"You're damned right it does." Nathan tilted his head, peering at his computer screen. "It's kind of pretty. The church, I mean. Not particularly run-down at all."

"Just means it'll take less fixin' up." Angelo got up and wandered over to look at the screen over Nathan's shoulder. "Why was it for sale?"

"I guess the diocese couldn't afford to keep it running. Ah, well. So long as it's got a roof and adequate plumbing, we should be fine." Nathan looked up at him, his expression slightly wicked. "Admit it. When I said I bought a church, you had a 'Oh, lord, he's lost it again' moment."

"Maybe", Angelo said unrepentantly. "But if you're gonna drop these things on me with no context..."

Nathan waggled a finger at him. "You're getting mouthy. Have I told you that, lately?" The grin made the severe tone sound like even more of a put-on than it really was.

It was kind of a dead giveaway, yes. Angelo grinned back at him. "You tell me that at least once a week."

"Good. Because I wouldn't want you to think I wasn't appreciating the mouthiness." He inclined his head at Angelo's desk. "If you're got the time, start looking up furniture suppliers and the like in Managua? I'd like to have some idea of what's in the area before I go down there. Makes drawing up the to-do list a lot easier."

"Will do. What kind d' you need - office furniture an' beds, right?"

Nathan nodded, still grinning as he turned back to his own computer. "I could get used to this. Throwing money at a problem so that it'll go away..."

"Makes a change from riskin' your life to fix it, doesn't it?" came the innocent question as Angelo headed back to his desk.

"Whole new levels of satisfaction," was Nathan's smug reply.