Lorna and Quentin: Guess Who Is Back
Apr. 21st, 2025 10:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsLorna arrives at XFI to talk to Quentin and has a peace offering.
It had been far too long since the last time Lorna had set foot in the building, but it still felt familiar. She had been busy these last couple of years and after much discussion with her family, she was back. She stopped at the open office door and knocked, "May I come in?"
Quentin had sensed Lorna's peculiar mind when she first approached the front doors to the private eye agency, so he was not completely taken aback when she appeared, but her presence nonetheless was a surprise. And not an unpleasant one, as she ranked high on his list of tolerable individuals.
"Depends, are you here as a client or a supplicant?" he asked in return.
Lorna walked in, "Supplicant." She said as she approached him. "I come with peace offerings and an apology. I never properly told you what was going on and I poofed. I mean Alex was still around for a while but I wasn't."
He shrugged, his expression remaining neutral. "It worked out well for me since I'd already bought into the company and was licensed. It was really a seamless transition, even Worthington couldn't fuck it up when he swooped back in. So. Are you coming back, too? And where is Summers?"
"If you would have me. Just regular ol' Lorna the PI, nothing more nothing less." She looked down at her fingers, "He is with the Moms. We helped them move to New York a few weeks ago and they are settling. He wanted to stay a bit longer with them, but encouraged me to get back out there."
"Sounds like trouble in paradise to me, but what do I know of monogamy? Especially for the straights." Quentin shrugged as he finally stood up from his desk. "I'll have to check the books, make sure we have the budget for another PI." A lie. They both knew he was familiar with XFI's finances, even if that was primarily Worthington's responsibility. Lorna would never have left XFI to Quentin otherwise, and he had never done anything to make her regret her choice to have him succeed her. From a business perspective, at least.
"We are a complicated breed." Lorna smirked as she watched Quentin as she pulled out a small baggie from her leather jacket. "Maybe I can tempt you with something from Nevada? I mean I have a little bit of something from each state."
This whole show Quentin was putting on, acting as if he was put off by the very thought of Lorna's return, came to an abrupt end when the drugs came out. "The way to my heart is through my lungs," he proclaimed, telekinetically summoning a package of rolling papers and a grinder from his desk drawer. "Is this the reason you left, actually? He couldn't stand your filthy drug habit so you had to find yourself a man who appreciates you for that?"
"It's like I can read your mind." Her smirk never fades. Setting the bag on the desk before she laughed and shook her head. "No. We are good. It was his turn to take a step back and my turn to step forward. One day we'll be on the same page. And I already have someone to share my habit with. Never turned me down yet."
He sat back down and scrolled through his phone while he rolled a joint with a deft telekinetic hand. "Darnell should consider starting his own DoorDash," he mused out loud, considering the mutant teleporter who ran a one-man moving company by day and served cunt as the drag queen Darkveil at night, "So we don't have to wait twenty minutes for the munchies to arrive. Here." He handed Lorna his phone to choose her treat. "Is your license still up to date, by the way?"
"The teleporter? He should. All the five stars he would get and the food would be nice and hot." She took the phone and started to scroll. "Every two years on the dot. This one is current until next year." She picked out her food and handed the phone over to him. "Anything I should know? I hear Warren is back. Keeping him in line?"
"I'm one of the top two telepaths on the planet and even I can't manage that single-handedly. But thankfully, I have Arthur for when things get tough." He swiped the joint and nodded at the door, leading Lorna out of his office. "Good thing about him being back is, he handles the finances and stays out of my way mostly. We have a couple new staff, too," he informed her as they headed up to Warren's upstairs fuck-pad, where they could smoke privately without bothering the rest of the building. "I think Inez started after you escaped. Tall, buxom, can punch through a bus. And Sam, who's not that different."
"Arthur is a good choice to help keep Warren in check." Following Quentin out of the office after putting the baggy back into her inner coat pocket. "Sounds like a growing madhouse. More staff is always nice. Keeps you from being overworked." Entering the upstairs loft to the familiar place. She rarely came up here and only did so to smoke. "How have you been doing?"
He spread his arms and spun around to face her. "After the community center, XFI is the first place everyone in this neighborhood comes to when they have a problem. We don't even need an advertising budget because word of mouth among mutants is so effective. And I still pull as hard as ever. So, life is great."
Lorna stared at him as she shook her head and smiled, "Holy shit. Look at you. You took XFI to the next level in a short amount of time. I am very proud." And she meant it.
"Yeah, well, it was time someone did. The world's falling apart and District X is the only mutant-majority place that's not, like, a doomsday cult or operated by megalomaniacs. No offense to your family."
"None taken. I can't be mad when it is true." Lorna walked over to the window and looked out to District X below. She lifted her hand as the metal lock unlocked and the window opened. "Don't worry, if you turn into a cult leader I'll let you know." Turning to face him.
"Bitch, I'll already know because it'll be on purpose. I stole all of Radha Dastoor's cash, I gotta do something with it." He joined her by the window to take the first hit and passed her the roach. "Speaking of, Alex didn't have any like long-term health problems after the Haven stuff, did he? Not that I'm worried, just, you know, due diligence or whatever."
Lorna couldn't help but laugh. "Of course it would. You still have the cash?" She raised an eyebrow as she took the joint and hit it. "Nothing long-term. He is back to normal. We traveled a lot. We got a van and just lived with nature after I finished school. I think we both needed it." She passed it back to Quentin. "He isn't far, his moms' got a place just outside of New York City, and he is helping there. Needs some renovations, but it is cute. In case you were wondering for due diligence."
"Nah, I actually gave it all to Hope and Sue to Robin Hood it to Haven's victims. And, wait. You lived in a van? What kind of granola-ass shit?"
"Very noble of you. Yup, a big renovated van. Has a bed, sink, mini fridge, shower. It is great for traveling. We could just get up and go." Lorna laughed and pulled out her phone to show him the pictures. "I still have it. I drove it all the way here." Giving him a big grin.
He grimaced. "I hope they made you pay double the congestion fee. I'll fine you myself if I see it outside."
Lorna feigned a gasp. "How rude. She isn't that ugly." Leaning against the wall. "But I plan on storing her once I have another mode of transportation. So she won't be tainting your eyes much longer."
"You know, if we expand, we could use a mobile office," Quentin pondered. Not that there was much of a market outside of New York for a mutant-centric detective agency, although maybe an expansion of services would create something for community to congregate around. "But not a fucking RV."
"No RV. I will never drive one of those. But a van might be more inconspicuous if you are thinking of a mobile office." Lorna said. She was on board for high ideas. "I mean the one I have is big enough for two people to live comfortably in, I am sure we can modify one that would fit XFI needs."
"Whether or not we need to expand, you might need a van, anyway, 'cuz we're running low on office space. Or you could just take Worthington's, he doesn't actually need one."
"Either or is fine with me. But you can't fine me if you see a van outside now." Lorna said, "It might be a good idea to start thinking long term about office space if we need more office space." Lorna said to him, "When do you want me to start?"
Quentin's phone dinged, indicating imminent arrival of their munchies, and he passed the joint back to Lorna. "You don't need to be sober for paperwork, so after lunch? Welcome back to X-Factor, Lorna. Don't fuck it up."
It had been far too long since the last time Lorna had set foot in the building, but it still felt familiar. She had been busy these last couple of years and after much discussion with her family, she was back. She stopped at the open office door and knocked, "May I come in?"
Quentin had sensed Lorna's peculiar mind when she first approached the front doors to the private eye agency, so he was not completely taken aback when she appeared, but her presence nonetheless was a surprise. And not an unpleasant one, as she ranked high on his list of tolerable individuals.
"Depends, are you here as a client or a supplicant?" he asked in return.
Lorna walked in, "Supplicant." She said as she approached him. "I come with peace offerings and an apology. I never properly told you what was going on and I poofed. I mean Alex was still around for a while but I wasn't."
He shrugged, his expression remaining neutral. "It worked out well for me since I'd already bought into the company and was licensed. It was really a seamless transition, even Worthington couldn't fuck it up when he swooped back in. So. Are you coming back, too? And where is Summers?"
"If you would have me. Just regular ol' Lorna the PI, nothing more nothing less." She looked down at her fingers, "He is with the Moms. We helped them move to New York a few weeks ago and they are settling. He wanted to stay a bit longer with them, but encouraged me to get back out there."
"Sounds like trouble in paradise to me, but what do I know of monogamy? Especially for the straights." Quentin shrugged as he finally stood up from his desk. "I'll have to check the books, make sure we have the budget for another PI." A lie. They both knew he was familiar with XFI's finances, even if that was primarily Worthington's responsibility. Lorna would never have left XFI to Quentin otherwise, and he had never done anything to make her regret her choice to have him succeed her. From a business perspective, at least.
"We are a complicated breed." Lorna smirked as she watched Quentin as she pulled out a small baggie from her leather jacket. "Maybe I can tempt you with something from Nevada? I mean I have a little bit of something from each state."
This whole show Quentin was putting on, acting as if he was put off by the very thought of Lorna's return, came to an abrupt end when the drugs came out. "The way to my heart is through my lungs," he proclaimed, telekinetically summoning a package of rolling papers and a grinder from his desk drawer. "Is this the reason you left, actually? He couldn't stand your filthy drug habit so you had to find yourself a man who appreciates you for that?"
"It's like I can read your mind." Her smirk never fades. Setting the bag on the desk before she laughed and shook her head. "No. We are good. It was his turn to take a step back and my turn to step forward. One day we'll be on the same page. And I already have someone to share my habit with. Never turned me down yet."
He sat back down and scrolled through his phone while he rolled a joint with a deft telekinetic hand. "Darnell should consider starting his own DoorDash," he mused out loud, considering the mutant teleporter who ran a one-man moving company by day and served cunt as the drag queen Darkveil at night, "So we don't have to wait twenty minutes for the munchies to arrive. Here." He handed Lorna his phone to choose her treat. "Is your license still up to date, by the way?"
"The teleporter? He should. All the five stars he would get and the food would be nice and hot." She took the phone and started to scroll. "Every two years on the dot. This one is current until next year." She picked out her food and handed the phone over to him. "Anything I should know? I hear Warren is back. Keeping him in line?"
"I'm one of the top two telepaths on the planet and even I can't manage that single-handedly. But thankfully, I have Arthur for when things get tough." He swiped the joint and nodded at the door, leading Lorna out of his office. "Good thing about him being back is, he handles the finances and stays out of my way mostly. We have a couple new staff, too," he informed her as they headed up to Warren's upstairs fuck-pad, where they could smoke privately without bothering the rest of the building. "I think Inez started after you escaped. Tall, buxom, can punch through a bus. And Sam, who's not that different."
"Arthur is a good choice to help keep Warren in check." Following Quentin out of the office after putting the baggy back into her inner coat pocket. "Sounds like a growing madhouse. More staff is always nice. Keeps you from being overworked." Entering the upstairs loft to the familiar place. She rarely came up here and only did so to smoke. "How have you been doing?"
He spread his arms and spun around to face her. "After the community center, XFI is the first place everyone in this neighborhood comes to when they have a problem. We don't even need an advertising budget because word of mouth among mutants is so effective. And I still pull as hard as ever. So, life is great."
Lorna stared at him as she shook her head and smiled, "Holy shit. Look at you. You took XFI to the next level in a short amount of time. I am very proud." And she meant it.
"Yeah, well, it was time someone did. The world's falling apart and District X is the only mutant-majority place that's not, like, a doomsday cult or operated by megalomaniacs. No offense to your family."
"None taken. I can't be mad when it is true." Lorna walked over to the window and looked out to District X below. She lifted her hand as the metal lock unlocked and the window opened. "Don't worry, if you turn into a cult leader I'll let you know." Turning to face him.
"Bitch, I'll already know because it'll be on purpose. I stole all of Radha Dastoor's cash, I gotta do something with it." He joined her by the window to take the first hit and passed her the roach. "Speaking of, Alex didn't have any like long-term health problems after the Haven stuff, did he? Not that I'm worried, just, you know, due diligence or whatever."
Lorna couldn't help but laugh. "Of course it would. You still have the cash?" She raised an eyebrow as she took the joint and hit it. "Nothing long-term. He is back to normal. We traveled a lot. We got a van and just lived with nature after I finished school. I think we both needed it." She passed it back to Quentin. "He isn't far, his moms' got a place just outside of New York City, and he is helping there. Needs some renovations, but it is cute. In case you were wondering for due diligence."
"Nah, I actually gave it all to Hope and Sue to Robin Hood it to Haven's victims. And, wait. You lived in a van? What kind of granola-ass shit?"
"Very noble of you. Yup, a big renovated van. Has a bed, sink, mini fridge, shower. It is great for traveling. We could just get up and go." Lorna laughed and pulled out her phone to show him the pictures. "I still have it. I drove it all the way here." Giving him a big grin.
He grimaced. "I hope they made you pay double the congestion fee. I'll fine you myself if I see it outside."
Lorna feigned a gasp. "How rude. She isn't that ugly." Leaning against the wall. "But I plan on storing her once I have another mode of transportation. So she won't be tainting your eyes much longer."
"You know, if we expand, we could use a mobile office," Quentin pondered. Not that there was much of a market outside of New York for a mutant-centric detective agency, although maybe an expansion of services would create something for community to congregate around. "But not a fucking RV."
"No RV. I will never drive one of those. But a van might be more inconspicuous if you are thinking of a mobile office." Lorna said. She was on board for high ideas. "I mean the one I have is big enough for two people to live comfortably in, I am sure we can modify one that would fit XFI needs."
"Whether or not we need to expand, you might need a van, anyway, 'cuz we're running low on office space. Or you could just take Worthington's, he doesn't actually need one."
"Either or is fine with me. But you can't fine me if you see a van outside now." Lorna said, "It might be a good idea to start thinking long term about office space if we need more office space." Lorna said to him, "When do you want me to start?"
Quentin's phone dinged, indicating imminent arrival of their munchies, and he passed the joint back to Lorna. "You don't need to be sober for paperwork, so after lunch? Welcome back to X-Factor, Lorna. Don't fuck it up."
