..... People Die

"Sir? Sir?" Marty looked up at the stewardess and blinked as he returned to his current situation which was on the 747-400 that was preparing to land at JFK. "Please fasten your seatbelt, sir. We're approaching landing pattern." He smiled an thanked her as he fastened the belt securely and watched out of the plane window to see the familiar skyline that was home. So much had changed in just a few days since he left.

Marty had found Dominic's first question after he laid out his 'requirements for employment' as it were amusing and not surprising, all things considered. Why had Marty so quickly accepted the realities of magic and Marty's first part of the reply had Dominic throw his head back with hearty laughter, which left Marty himself grinning. "Oh I don't know. Perhaps jumping off a bridge and landing in your motel room works wonders?" He then went on to add that it all made sense and everything he had looked into, everything he had studied and broken down as best as his science, the woozle research he had conducted, and the books they had let him read allowed had all shown it had a logical foundation and basis. Marty explained that it was not that he did not believe things like magic could not exist but that besides the fact he had never known it did, it was things happening with no logical reason for it to do so that he had trouble with. He found magic to be a science in itself.

Dominic found Marty's requests workable and immediately took care of the last one by sending two of his best people to quietly craft wards around Marty's family home as well as to Marty's apartment. Those were set up to recognize Marty and anyone he willingly brought there with him as well as Dominic and all of his staff, including Fifi. Anyone attempting to enter when Marty was not home other than them would set off the enchantments. Dominic also had 'adjustments courtesy of MTech' made to Marty's new Android phone as well as his netbook and his computers at the apartment so they would survive magical events. They had parted at the airport, shaking hands with Dominic wishing Marty good luck. Marty told Dominic after this was over, checking out that 'hypothetical time travel room' was next.

From there it was an uneventful but thoughtful flight home and soon enough, Marty found himself going through customs once again and hailing a taxi to his apartment where he stopped in long enough to deposit the carry on bag he brought back and take a quick shower and change before heading out to visit the head of Smoking LLama.com.

McQueen's mood when she had left the party, despite the appearance of a few people at the event, was somewhat euphoric considering that her men had located Marty and either he was coming back to work for her or he'd be taken care of so that anything he may have stumbled across would not be revealed. Yes, things were improving.

Until she could not reach the two agents from the Paris Office and had the office manager there contact the Prefecture to report them missing. McQueen hated doing that but it would have been more conspicuous to not do so considering they were the only people who would be in a position to report their employees missing. What McQueen now referred to in the employment packet as 'a thorough background check' was very thorough to include making sure they were disposable. In the early days, back around the time she had hired Harper, it was strictly feeling someone out. It was rather clear to her that Martin Harper did not have a large group of people looking to spend time with him. She knew he had parents but also remembered the funerals he had taken leave time for. McQueen had thought she probably should have sent flowers or something but it just wasn't her way.

Which is why she had not worried about the alternative choice if Martin Harper refused to come back. No one would miss him and apparently, judging from the article that she had seen in Woozle reader, she wouldn't even have to deal with disposing of the body. Apparently the currents of the River Seine took care of that for her. Yes, things were looking up.

Which is exactly what she did as she heard her door open and the voice of her Administrative Assistant desperately trying to tell someone she possibly couldn't see them without an appointment. As the figure came through the door anyway, McQueen required all her self-control to not gape at the sight of one Martin Harper entering despite protests.

"It's okay," she told the girl. "I need to see him." Indicating the seat across from her desk, she sat back down. "You look well, Harper," she told him.

The girl had fussed but Marty had no intention of no completing his mission, or at least step one of it which was confronting McQueen and getting his job back but on his terms. "Surprisingly, all things considered," Marty told her as he tossed two newspapers on her desk before taking the seat she indicated. "Got your message you wanted to see me though your messengers seemed to not like my initial answer too well as you can see by the Le Monde." Marty had seen the initial article in a copy of The Global Voice that Dominic had brought him but had brought to her a watered down version that omitted the comments about the green light. "Had to make a fast exit as you can see."

McQueen glanced at the papers he tossed nonchalantly on her desk, raising an eyebrow at him as he did. "Your initial answer?" she asked, since the team had not reported back in. She reached for the Le Monde and read the jumper story realizing that it must have been Marty making his escape from Michel and Donald. She was not going to give anything away. "I have no idea what you mean by them not liking your reply," she admitted. "They were simply to tender my offer to you and bring your response back to me, which I have to admit, they have failed to do. However, I do still wish you would consider returning. I was upset that morning to learn my best employee had been arrested for something as vulgar as a street brawl. Then you simply wouldn't give any explanation..."

As she spoke, McQueen looked at the international edition of the Herald he had given her, McQueen could see it was turned to the article regarding the missing persons report she had filed. Again, she raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any knowledge of what happened to them?" she asked, wondering if he could have possibly gone after them? He was not known for being a violent person in all the time he had been employed there. However, she returned to the main topic, his return to the fold. "Seriously, I admit I erred, Harper. I do hope you can forgive that and consider returning to work?"

Marty sat back in the chair, appearing rather relaxed with his one ankle resting on his knee and his arm stretched out, resting on the crossed leg. He expressed an air of confidence and remained noncommittal as McQueen spoke and protested any knowledge of any further instructions beyond sending an offer for his job back. He shrugged when she asked him if he had any knowledge of the whereabouts of the two messengers, responding with a simple, "Last I saw them, there was something about them going to work for Disney World." Which was close to the truth. Victor and Dominic had explained that casting an unforgivable curse, which is what the killing curse known as kedavra d'avada (avada kedavra in English) was. They penalty should have been death but they had transfigured the pair into animal forms and were going to see about settling them in at the Paris Disneyworld or zoo.

Marty listened to her insistence that she wanted him back and when she was done, gave what could be considered his counter-offer. "If I were to come back, I would want some changes in the set up of my lab and office," he began. From there, he specified which area he wanted for his combination lab and office, knowing exactly which of the rooms in the brownstone had both a fireplace and windows. One advantage was that it would be on the street level of the building while McQueen's offices were on the top floor, putting some distance between them as well as his desire to hire an assistant for himself and that he already had someone in mind.

That euphoric mood McQueen had been entertaining was dissipating rather quickly ever since the commotion started in the outer office. It was frustrating to scan the article in the Paris paper and see that her Paris agents had apparently failed miserably. Now, not only was Martin Harper alive but sitting in front of her with a rather interesting list of demands for returning to work. If McQueen did not know better, she would swear that Harper knew that she had been ordered to get him back or dispose of him. However, she told herself that if he knew that for sure, he'd have to realize that she could just avail herself of the second option.

No, apparently, he did wish to return to work and decided to use this incident as a bargaining chip. McQueen leaned back in her chair and listened, calculating the requests in her mind. She had no major problems with his request for the office space. It was empty anyway and no one seemed to want that much space. McQueen had to give it to him that it would work well for his purposes having the area for books and desks as well as the sink and counters for his testing. As for the assistant, she had several people that might fill that spot so she mentioned, "What about Sterling or Chrisom?" she asked him.

Marty raised an eyebrow, himself, at her suggestions for assistants. "Sterling's a klutz of major proportions. Last thing I need during a test is something dropped or spilled," Marty responded. "Chrisom is not techno savvy at all and I need someone who can work several of the programs I use. Besides which, they have their own assignments to deal with and there's no guarantee they would be free when I need them." Marty had spent part of the flight considering anyone in the New York office she might suggest for assistants and making sure he would be able to provide reasons they wouldn't work. His time spent paid off as she tossed out a couple more names and he deflected it, sticking to the fact he knew who he wanted.

Marty resisted the urge to smile at the tiny signs of frustration that McQueen could not restrain such as the slight crease of a frown as she could not sway his choices and the frequent tamping out of her cigar which was followed moments later by her relighting it. Hearing the sigh, he knew she had gave up and when she affirmed this by giving in, he simply nodded and stood. "Very well then," he told her, "We'll be in Monday and can do his paperwork then." With that, Marty made his way out of her office and back out onto East 98th where he headed to 96th Street and the Subway entrance, taking the train back to the village.

Stopping in D'Agostino's he picked up a few groceries, including some ingredients for his dinner. Heading back to the apartment, Marty let himself in, locking the door behind him and setting the bag on the counter. Putting the perishables away, he took out a large pot and put water on to boil while he then set about unpacking his bag from the trip.