(no subject)

[gone_byebye]

Today was one long string of busts from a little before sunrise to just before the close of the financial markets, then a breather, then two more busts. Ray would say October is starting early except that October already started early, given some of the seismic readings coming out of the Pacific and the number of tourists in Caribbean hotels reporting nightmares and worse. It's really not Ray's day and won't be for some time.

Especially since the last bust was in Chinatown and left a more lingering residue than he would have liked.

"[[Bar, if you would please be so kind, give me anything you can think of that'll distract me from the fact I currently appear to be unable to speak anything but Cantonese,]]" he says. "[[Thank you.]]"


[tinytag: Alyx Vance]

Comments

[gone_byebye]

"[[Hasn't happened since, fortunately,]]" Ray says. "[[Although it sort of reminds me. I picked up a collection of pictures of the city for you, if you're interested.]]"

[vance_prime]

Her eyes light up. "I'm very interested, thank you."

[gone_byebye]

"[[Here you go.]]" He digs out the data solid from one of his pockets; the advantage to having those plans in the holocomputer is that he can produce similar designs on a recurring basis if need be. "[[There should be explanatory notes with each.]]"

[vance_prime]

Alyx beams. "Sweet." A beat. "Um, the notes are in English, right?"

[gone_byebye]

"[[Yes, with options for four other languages. New York makes a lot of money selling pictures of itself to people from all over the world.]]"

[vance_prime]

"Huh. And there's really money in that?"

[gone_byebye]

"[[Quite a bit, if you're a city that's known the world over as a place people want to visit. If they can't get there themselves, pictures and books and postcards are the next best thing. Or if they've visited and want better pictures to remember the place by, they buy these and take 'em home.]]"

[vance_prime]

Alyx nods. This makes sense; it's what she's doing right now, after all.

"So what do I owe you?"

[gone_byebye]

"[[Nothing. It's a gift,]]" Ray says. "[[I do this kind of thing all the time for people, although usually it's books rather than just pictures.]]"

[vance_prime]

"Really?" She looks pleasantly surprised. "Well, thank you!"

[gone_byebye]

"[[You're welcome,]]" Ray says with a smile. "[[Any time.]]"