Coal Mine Street Police House

[Nicholas Wright]

Wright paused. He knew of paper work. In the manner that someone living in the Carribean knew of snow. He knew it as that thing they never, ever did.
"I don't even think we have a pen..." He muttered, looking around the derelict station.

He wiped the blood from the cut on his cheek (as he had now located it) away a little, just leaving a smear. So much for that. Oh well, he could get washed up later. He collapsed behind his desk, and went through some draws. There was a chinking of bottles, but no ruffling of papers. This didn't seem to concern Wright, who just pulled out more drink, and began to drink it.

"It's for the pain." He said defensively, catching Eleri's Look. Or at least, thinking he did. He just knew people like Eleri gave The Look. He didn't have to double check. He offered her one (reluctantly) because he knew if he did that she couldn't complain.

[Eleri Mortymer]

"Thank you sir, no." She said, not letting up on The Look. "Members of the police should not drink while on duty." She said coldly.

She made a mental note to empty Wright's desk out. She'd get in trouble for it, but she had a feeling getting him away from alcohol was going to be her biggest challenge.

From somewhere inside the region of her sleeve, she produced a handkerchief.

"I'd clean that cut up, sir. It looks nasty."

[Nicholas Wright]

Wright got the impression there was a lot of things he should not do on duty that he did. He also got the impression that Eleri wasn't going to be happy about him doing any of them.

"It feels nasty too. That's what the alcohol is for." But bitterness and responses like that were no match for The Look. Wright gave in. He took the hankerchief and wiped the cut clean. He even muttered a very very mumbled; "Thanks." That was unusual.

He also, however, managed to put a new plan into action.
"Oh look! A pen!" He cried, pulling something out of his draw, and handing it to Eleri. "Well, now you've got no excuse not to do that paperwork!" He said brightly. Anything to distract her so he didn't have to endure The Look any longer. And so he could carry on drinking, of course.

[Eleri Mortymer]

Eleri took the pen silently. She stood holding it for a moment, and looked around the room.

Failing to find any paper she was sure she could test it on, she scribbled a few lines on the back of her hand. Suprisingly, it worked.

She waited a few minutes more and then when it became obvious Wright wasn't going to oblige her, she cleared her throat.

"Uh... the forms, sir?"

[Nicholas Wright]

"What?" Wright snapped in shock. "You need forms too?" This paperwork thing was rapidely becoming more complicated. "I have no idea where-"

Luckily, at that point, Sergeant Nolan casually strolled into the office, handed Eleri the papers, and strolled back out. Wright blinked. Nolan really did keep the inside of the station running. And he knew there were things Wright was good at (although that list was probably quite short) and things he was bad at (that one was a bit longer, and definitely included paperwork).

"...Technically he's my employee, so I did that." Wright said, looking for credit. Or at least to escape a second round of The Look.

[Eleri Mortymer]

Eleri sighed and resigned herself to the fact that she was doing paperwork.

She looked down at the forms in her hand, and then at Wright. She considered asking for use of his desk, but thought better of it.

Instead, she cleared some space from a smaller table in the corner of the room and used that, giving Wright an extra Look as she went.

[Nicholas Wright]

Wright flinched under The Look, but managed to regain his composure by finishing off his current drink. He went into the desk for another, but pulled out something else instead.

It was a torch. Noticeably, with a UV bulb. It was old, and battered, and looked like something that might not quite work. Wright hit it a few times in silence, decided it still had some battery power in it, and headed down to the cells.

He came back later, noticeably without the torch, and looking pretty satisfied. He sat back down at the desk, and carried on drinking.

He hadn't actually killed the vampires. He'd just explained, very simply, that if they tried to get out of the cell, the small weight he had now hung up over the torch might fall down, and turn it on. And since it was stood on a stool directly opposite the cell, the UV light it shone out would be inconvinient to them.

Unfortunately, he only ever seemed to come up with ideas like that while drunk.

[Eleri Mortymer]

Eleri looked up as Wright left the room. She considered taking the opportunity to search his desk and remove any bottles, but she decided against it.

She concentrated on Wright, and discerned what he was up to. She got the general impression that it involved a UV torch and gave up.

She didn't say anything as he re-entered the room, and refrained from giving him a Look. Instead, she finished her paperwork, stood up, placed it on his desk and made her way to the cells.

She figured out what he'd done and smiled. Impressive. I doubt I would've thought of that.

She made her face stony as she came back into the office and sat back down in the corner, waiting for Wright to finish his drink.

[Nicholas Wright]

Wright looked through the papers. To his untrained (in paperwork at least) eyes, it was all filled out correctly. Perfectly, in fact. Especially since it didn't mention he'd removed an eye with a police radio. Those facts usually didn't need to go on paperwork.

Perhaps it was the drink (who was he kidding, it was definitely the drink), but Eleri had her uses, and it'd been a long, long time since Wright felt like he had done anything worthwhile.

"I'm making you a corporal." He said suddenly. "Effective immediately." He said 'immediately' with some difficulty. He had had quite a few drinks by now...

"I'm sure we've got an extra bar for your uniform around here somewhere..." He looked around, but only found bottles. He'd have to ask Nolan. He'd know for sure.

[Eleri Mortymer]

Eleri's face lit up. That had to be the fastest promotion since... well... ever.

"Thank you, sir!" She said, beaming.

She held back her disapproval for the amount of bottles that seemed to litter the desk. She'd just been promoted, aggravating the man who did it was not a good idea.

She sat, smiling for a moment, before she remembered something. She stood and strode over to Wright's desk.

"To be honest, sir, I feel like a fool asking, but..." She quashed her pride and asked. "Do you have another glass?"

[Nicholas Wright]

Wright had never used a glass in his life, and so only raised an eyebrow to this. He drank from the bottle and that was it. He pulled one out, and passed it to Eleri.

"Just take the whole bottle." He had plenty more. How he had so many was a bit of a mystery. But, then again, Wright was always broke, so at least it was clear why. All of his money had been spent on beer.

"As a corporal," He continued. "Your responsibilities will be to make sure all paper work is completed on time and correct." He added. It was a good condition for the promotion. It meant he didn't have to do anything and she did.

"Also, try not to get yourself killed arresting vampires. We got lucky this time..." He added in a grumble.

[Eleri Mortymer]

Eleri took the beer and opened it.

"My father told me always drink to a promotion." She said, by way of explanation before swigging from the bottle.

"Thank you, sir." She said seriously. At least if I do the paperwork, it might actually get done... She thought.

"I will, sir, although you shouldn't worry about that." She took another swig from her bottle. "I've had more than enough experience with them in the past. I know what I'm doing." She said wryly. "But thanks for the concern."

[Nicholas Wright]

Wright was already laughing.
"I thought police officers weren't supposed to drink on duty?" He asked, wishing he had the powers of The Look at his disposal, but finding that he really didn't.

He didn't bother to mention that she was wearing the uniform of a man who thought he could arrest vampires too. Heck, they all had at one point. Now, they were reduced to this. She'd learn, probably. And hey, they'd actually done some good today.

He could get used to this. If only every time it was that easy...

[Eleri Mortymer]

Eleri flashed Wright a Look over the top of her bottle as she drank. It had taken a while to get it right, but it was a useful trick.

She put her bottle on the table, half empty, and smiled.

"You know, you impressed me tonight sir. I'd love to see what you can do sober." She said this without a trace of malice or mocking in her voice, and she meant it.

Strange as it was, she actually had quite a lot of respect for the Captain already.

[Nicholas Wright]

Wright was suprised by this. Why would he be any better at what he did sober than when he was drunk? Things made sense when you were drunk. Well, no they didn't. But you stopped thinking about the fact that they didn't. When Wright was sober he spent all his time asking questions, like why were they in a city under the constant cover of night filled with monsters?

When he was drunk he didn't think about these things and just got on with the job. Still, he'd impressed her. That meant something. It actually made him proud. Pride. A feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

"When I'm sober I'm...distracted." He tried to explain. "The world is simpler this way." He went on, trying to give the vibe of his thoughts without having to fight through the alcohol for coherency.

"The world only makes sense when you don't think about it." He decided on, finally. "And this is a great way of not thinking about it." He added, taking another swig from yet another bottle of beer.