xp_logs | Matt and Warren -- A productive conversation

The biotech theft leaves Warren in the dark. Matt offers a solution. Kinda.

The mayhem at the office was getting to be too much. there was no where Warren could hide from the dismal stock figures and the warpath of his father. Hour after hour, Warren was fielding calls from his executives, meeting with accountants and drafting media statements....it was a madhouse and he had no solace or time to think. What a stupid move, not acknowledging the theft immediately. A few people had already been fired over that.

By five pm, he was done. His head throbbing, he texted Matt and asked him to meet him in his office. At this point, the younger man was the only person in the building he could trust and he desperately needed to process the day's events with him.

Sitting at his desk, he continued responding to emails as he waited for his friend.

Getting the text as he headed back to his desk from the bathroom, he detoured to the elevators. Taking it up to Warren's floor, he was surprised when Jolene told him to go on in without snark. That wasn't good. He knew things were happening, he wasn't an idiot, but he hadn't tried to find out what.

"Warren," he stated, leaning forward slightly on his cane. "You're having a bad day," the man smelled of stress and exhaustion, not to mention his heart rate wasn't sounding so good.

"No, really? How can you tell,"Warren remarked, catching himself before it came out too snarky. Leaning back on his chair, he tapped his fingers on the desk. "What have you heard? What's trickling down?"

Matt took a seat without being invited. "Everyone is freaking out and stressed. I've intentionally not tried to listen into what. It doesn't involve me and I've my own work to do still," it would be easy to find out, to listen in to everything, but that was the path to migraines and madness. Matt had learned to focus on what he wanted, near or far, and block out the extra stuff. "But everyone knows something has happened. Some of the newer people are worried about layoffs, but I don't think that's what it is, we would have had more rumblings before now."

Warren tapped his fingers continuously, his knees moving restless behind the table before he stood up suddenly. Hands clasped behind his back, he moved towards the window, staring out. "Biotech has a big project. Huge. It's been hush hush, but that's just a publicity angle. The grand unveiling is in a few weeks and today, a major component went missing."

He sighed heavily and rested his forehead on the window. "Did some digging around. The theft was reported to the media via a leak. It was supposed to be kept quiet. Now I wonder what else is being kept.". He cursed his father's strange secrecy around Biotech. No matter how many times Warren tried to get information, his father shut him down.

"We need more information," Matt replied. Well, Warren needed more information. He was just the sounding board right now. "What sort of item?"

Warren raised his hands in defeat. "That's it. It's some sort of a scanner, like at an airport. Four different labs across the country were tasked in creating the pieces and it's like they disappeared into thin air. I don't know what to do."

"Scan for what?" Matt asked reasonably. "And....you get it back. Whether it's corporate espionage or something more, it's yours and you get it back. Doesn't matter if it's a TV or a corporate thing," stealing was stealing and it had to be dealt with. "Any leads or info? Ideas on where they might strike next?"

"I wouldn't even know. My father has it all wrapped up so tightly." Warren sighed and walked back to his desk. "How can I get it back? I'm not a detective or anything......hey!" he gave a short laugh. "I AM a detective. I'll get XFI on this. Good thinking, Matt."

"For this, I need a raise," he replied, getting up. "You need any more thinking done for you?"

Warren rolled. "I'll make sure you get an excellent Christmas bonus and I'll take you out for dinner. You free tonight? I want to send Adrienne an email now, and then I'm free."

"Just the usual," ie, putting on his red suit and kicking ass to keep the people of Hell's Kitchen safer. "You interested in working out some aggression and frustration?"

The winged man was pepped. "Absolutely! And maybe we can do some field trips. Let me know when you're off."

"My place then. 7pm. Bring Chinese for us, then we can go out," thank goodness for roof access. It had been more of a selling point for his apartment than the hardwood floors and high ceilings. Then again, the billboard outside was a drawback for anyone not him.