Colin's posts

Evan just smiled as Blair told him all he did.

"Congratulations." he said.

"I knew you could do it." he told him.

"Now, you filling out the paperwork might take a bit of time." he continued. "And I only have so long for my lunch break." he reasoned.

"So how about we raincheck, and make it dinner tonight?" he suggested.

"We'll have something to be celebrating, after all."

Hal nodded again.

"Right." he said.

"Having said that, assuming you have the time, I would like to get started on the paperwork for hiring you." he told him. "Standard agreements, banking info, and other things." he continued.

"I'd like to have you start as soon as possible, which would be this coming Monday, provided we get the paperwork done now." he went on.

"Is that doable?" he asked.

"Or am I intruding on any plans?"

They made their way to the receptionist's area, and while Evan sat down in one of the chairs, Blair was beckoned to enter. He did, shutting the door behind him, and Sharp nodded once more upon seeing him.

"Hello again." he said.

"I could beat around the bush, lead you one way with words to surprise you wish the conclusion, make small chit-chat, but I'd rather get straight to the point." he reasoned.

"The work you did on those glasses was phenomenal, they look better than new." he said further.

"And Anya has said that not only is your glamour of top quality, you were a joy to work with." he continued.

"So, with that said, I would like to hire you on, full time, as a member of Glamour and Disguises." he finished.

Hal nodded in response.

"Thank you." he replied.

With that, Anya left, and Hal pressed the button for the P.A. system.

"If there is a Blair Cunningham in the building, please make your way to my office as soon as you can." he said. "Again, Blair Cunningham, to Agent Sharp's office, at your closest convenience." he repeated.

Blair WAS still in the building, as he and Evan were just making their way TO the cafeteria. They stopped when they heard that, and Evan looked at Blair.

"Guess you're making a detour." he said.

"Want me to tag along, wait in the receptionist's lobby for you?" he asked.

"Really, now?" Hal asked.

"Now THAT is a plus." he said. "It's good that he wasn't scared of you, and seems to be willing to learn and make friends here." he continued.

"Regardless, now you can finish the negotiations with Vic." he then said further.

"So THAT'S a problem pushed out of the way." he went on.

"As for Blair, I'll need to speak with him about his new employment." he continued.

"Do you know where he happens to be?" he asked.

"I've heard enough, then." Hal commented.

"Looks like he'll be joining the Glamour department ASAP." he said.

"...good thing, too. I was very concerned about finding someone quality to work there." he admitted. "Some of the products that are required are extremely high-level." he mumbled.

"Finding someone that does THAT level of quality is... well, to say 'difficult', would be an understatement." he went on.

"Seems like a genuinely nice boy." he said with a small smile.

"Just remember, he's taken." he then warned Anya with a smirk and a wink.

"Already, they look like they're doing a better job than the previous glamour." Hal commented.

"Well, then." he said.

"It seems that Mister Cunningham's work is speaking for himself." he told her.

"However, how was he? How did he act around you, how did he treat you?" he asked her.

"And how did he seem to act around the others that worked there?" he asked further.

"His attitude and such is also a big part of this."

Hal accepted the glasses and looked them over.

"...well, now." he said.

"Never would have guessed they'd been cracked." he commented. "Look as good as new, if not better than before." he said further, inspecting them all over, every nook and cranney.

"Spectacular craftsmanship, too." he went on.

"Well, that's half the battle." he said further.

"How are they for their intended purpose?" he asked.

"You generally have a feel for how good a glamour can be."

"Oh, I don't expect you to do so right here, right now." Hal assured him.

"You'll be taken to the department where you'll have all the tools and resources needed to do the physical repairs." he said.

"And the glamour is for a demonic contractor agent of mine, to hide her more... arachnid-like features." he went on, causing Blair to recall what Evan has said when the idea had taken hold of him.

"If you like, you can meet her and she can give you a more thorough explanation, and then you'll be taken to the department to see what you can do." he offered.

"She should be in the building currently."

Hal raised an eyebrow at the apology, as he reached into his miniature fridge and handed Blair a bottle of ice cold water.

"I'll be blunt." he said.

"You have none of the training or real education for a glamour specialist." he told him. "However, the references you gave, as well as the list of things you've already created, MORE than make up for it." he went on.

"I am a man that values practical skill over education." he then stated. "I realise that, with a lot of things, you cannot have the former without the latter, but it's taken on a case-by-case basis." he reasoned.

"So. I think I know JUST the way for you to prove as to whether or not you can be useful to the Glamour and Disguises department." he continued, before reaching into a drawer and pulling out a pair of glasses with a crack in one of the lens.

"These broke recently for one of my demonic agents." he said. "Do you think you can repair them, fix the glamour, and restore these to working, long-lasting order?" he asked.

This was a harsh test, to be sure, but this was what his department needed. And if Blair showed ANY aptitude for repairing them and making a glamour on them stick, he'd be hired.

About a minute after the receptionist had relayed that he was there, she beckoned him to enter. He did, and when he stepped through the door, he saw Agent Sharp sitting in his chair behind his desk, looking right at him through his tinted glasses.

"Welcome, mister Cunningham." he greeted him.

"Agent Sharp." he then introduced himself.

"Please, take a seat." he went on, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Care for a drink or water or something?" he offered.

The guard put down his paper, checked the ID, checked the clipboard he had, and then the small laptop off to the side, before looking at Blair momentarily, a serpentine tongue darting out from his mouth briefly.

"...checks out." he said.

"You need a guide to get you to Agent Sharp's office?" he asked.

"Or do you think you can make it there yourself?" he asked further, gesturing to a blue tile on the wall.

"Interactive map. You can use that if you think you can manage on your own."

"Excellent." the woman responded.

"I'll let security know you're coming, just tell them who you are, and say you're here for an interview." she told him.

"Have a lovely day." she finished.

"You too." Blair responded, before they ended the call and he hung up.

And now he had to ready himself for the interview. He was giving himself a half-hour to be prepped and ready and out the door, just in case traffic was bad or something.

Evan watched him go, and smiled a little.

"Good luck, sweetie." he said quietly.

Sure enough, the next day, Evan had handed in the cover letter and a copy of Blair's resume, and only a couple of days after that, Blair received a call from a number he didn't recognise, but it was from within the city. Besides, he'd hang up if it was spam or scam.

"Hello, am I speaking to a mister Blair Cunningham?" a female voice asked.

"You are." Blair responded.

"I'm calling on behalf of Agent Hal Sharp." the woman then said. "He would like for you to come in for an interview in regards to your resume and covering letter at your soonest convenience." she went on.

"When is the soonest you can be in for an interview?"