Infinite Consortium - Tuesday

[single_man_tear]

When Dean came into the store today, it wasn't the chair that gave him the jump scare. It was that damn terminator reject.

So for the first five minutes of the day there was Dean pointing his gun at the damn thing that he for sure had rebuilt itself and came after him. Again.

It wasn't until he found the note from Liliana saying "it was a two for one" purchase that Dean finally put away the gun and went to work.

So anyone coming into the store today would find Dean very busy dismantling the clockwork droid with a hacksaw and putting the parts in different containers which would later be buried in different places later in the week.

Except for the head of the droid which Dean had strapped to the top of the chair just because he was in a mood.

Comments

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Arden had never stopped by the Infinite Consortium before, but she had to poke her head in on the way to class. "You absolutely scandalized the squirrels this morning by not having a Venmo," she teased.

[single_man_tear]

"Why in the world would I need a dating app?" Dean said rolling his eyes. "For the first time in ten years I'm in a long term relationship. But, hey, good for the squirrels. I hope they're getting lucky."

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Okay, sorry Dean, but Arden had to laugh at that one. She tried to keep it to just a giggle, though. "You really are and old man," she teased. "Venmo isn't a dating app, it's a way to send money to people you know. So, like, if I asked you to grab me something at the store, rather than give you cash which nobody uses because it's not the 1900s anymore, I'd just Venmo you the amount I owed you."

[single_man_tear]

There was a pause as Dean's eyes shifted back and forth as he was thinking back to the conversations he had in the past two weeks and realizing what people were actually offering.

"So wait. How does that work exactly," Dean asked. "Can anyone set it up or do I need something to get it set up. Like... a bank account?"

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"You can set it up with just a credit or a debit card," Arden said with a shrug. "But that just means that you can't ever put the money in your account into your bank account. It just stays there until you use Venmo to pay someone else for something. But yeah, you just need the app on your phone, an email address, and a credit card, I think. Not even your social."

She leaned against the counter, watching him dismantle a...thing. "Who's asking you about Venmo instead of like, travellers cheques or whatever you use?"

[single_man_tear]

There is nothing wrong with traveler checks! Don't look at Dean that way!

"Eh, a couple of the other hunters have been hitting me up with questions and assistance," Dean said with a shrug.

And yes, he did think he was getting hit on.

"I didn't realize they wanted to throw some cash my way. Huh. So I just need a card or a bank account?"

The gears were turning in his head, Arden. Can you smell the smoke?

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Was there a car burning oil somewhere or was someone just doing donuts in the parking lot?

"Yeah," Arden said. "It's real easy." Even she had one, Dean. "You want me to help you through setting it up?"

Look at her! Barely sassing you!

...Out loud.

[single_man_tear]

If Dean had any idea there was a thing about kids helping old people with their phone apps he would absolutely have a different answer.

“I guess if people are handing out free money,” he said pulling out and unlocking his phone. “I shouldn’t be turning it down.”

He handed over his phone and started fishing through his wallet for a card that was somewhat legitimate.

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

If he'd known it was, it wouldn't be half as funny. "What kind of assistance and stuff?"

[single_man_tear]

“Oh, most hunters have to get information out of a few different places depending on the job. Some will pretend to be law enforcement. Health inspectors. If someone gets suspicious they hand them a card which has my name on it and I back them up. Or if they don’t know what they’re up against they might call for advice or information.”

He shrugged. “I just handed out a couple numbers about a week ago but my phone was ringing like crazy yesterday.”

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"That's what that was!" Arden said, snapping her fingers. "I thought there was a really obnoxious bird somewhere."

Because who kept their ringer on? Like a sociopath?

"You need an assistant like whoa," she sighed. "Just to remind you it's the 2020s, goddess."

[single_man_tear]

There’s a way to turn off ringers? How else are you supposed to know you have a call?

Dean let out a snort of amusement. “An assistant? It’s not like I’m running a business,” Dean said shaking his head. “Though… I have been thinking of doing less things on the road and helping people out more. Hunters out there need a resource ever since we lost Bobby and Garth retired.”

Not that Arden knew who these people were.

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Even less than Liliana might!

"So you wanna answer a phone all day, asking you inane questions about jurisdiction?" Arden snorted. "That sounds like a recipe to have you flinging your phone against a wall."

[single_man_tear]

“Maybe. But by helping those hunters out there it means there’s going to be less things that go bump in the night,” Dean said sincerely. “And that means less innocent people dying. And if one phone call out of twenty means one less traumatized kid I’m okay with that.”

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"That's what I'm saying, Dean," Arden said. "It's not the hunting calls you'll hate, it's the ones where you've gotta pretend to be Agent this or Deputy Director that, instead of taking the calls about how to stab a..." Arden looked around for inspiration "...creepy clockwork doll in the...gear...shaft."

Good job, baby girl.

[single_man_tear]

"I see what you're saying but to me, those are all the same kind of calls," Dean explained, as he yanked off the leg of the clockwork droid. "The cover calls are almost important as the lore."

He gave the leg a dubious look before tossing it into a nearby crate.

"Unless of course you want to be my assistant."

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"Me?" Arden asked. "But I don't know anything about--"

She paused and considered. Wait. She didn't know anything about that stuff, but she could learn. Especially because she needed rent money.

"I wouldn't do it for free," she warned. "And I'd have strict hours and stuff."

[single_man_tear]

“Yeah, I wasn’t thinking you’d do it for free and you can work whenever you want,” Dean said working on the other leg. “Whatever calls you get that results in a Venmo goes directly to you. Plus I’ll give you an hourly wage. I’ll train you on the basics and give you access to resources to learn the weird stuff and you can just back up the hunters in the field. I’d also have rules that you can’t break. Ever.”

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Arden nodded. "This is the kinda thing where breaking rules results in body counts," she said quietly. "I know all about rules you can't break. I've lived most of my life under them."

Not that she'd been so good about that lately. But this would be different.

[single_man_tear]

“These rules won’t kill anyone. It’s just for protection,” Dean assured her. “The first being that except for two other people off this island, Dean Winchester is dead. To everyone else out there, I’m Jim Hetfield. The second rule is you never go out on a hunt. Ever. The third rule is if a guy named Sam Winchester ever calls he goes directly to me. Don’t answer his questions. Just send him to me. That’s it. Pretty easy, right?”