#* ⧣𝐼𝑁 𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑅𝐴𝐶𝑇𝐸𝑅 ⸴ that girl will eat your heart out

[exulcnsis]

The blonde gives a brief nod of her head, a faint hum escaping her lips as she does. "That wouldn't be a problem. It'd basically just be making a duplicate inbox for the tips to be sent to - if we were using something like a Google email account, it'd be difficult, but for confidentiality reasons I created the database in the framework of the website - anyone with moderator approval to post on the website or edit information can assign someone a password and username in order to access the tip box. That way, there's a record of who has access to the tips, if there are any issues. You can check the inbox at any time, as well as whoever gets assigned to keep track of it, or if a new person ever gets that assignment. It's all very adaptive - given the nature of the information, I figured cyber security and accountability was important." To everyone, of course, but her - she had eyes on every corner of the website, but he didn't need to know that.

"I think we'd be well prepared for a launch on Monday, as long as there's nothing you want to change. Color palette, which images I used from the portfolio you sent me - if everything meets your approval, I just have a final scan to do of the code to ensure everything is working properly."

He watched with a calm front, his arms folded before him atop the desk, hands clasped together in a note of interest for what played out before him. He'd asked for her to build him a website, one appealing to the public, but comforting in ways that would add a layer of trust without them realizing it. Her idea, as back channeled as it seemed, was brilliant. Only suggestion? Those tips actually came to him, or he had a level of control over seeing them if he wished. "What if I want a bit of the work? To see what's coming through? Believe it or not, I'm not afraid of a little extra work being put in front of me." He appreciated it though, her creativity, the way she'd taken his ideas and turned into something else entirely.

Xavier chewed at the inside of his cheek, a breath stilled in his chest. Did she believe that he didn't want to put in the work, or was it an easy assumption to make? "So, is it possible that I could have access? To dig through the tips whenever I'm feeling up to the extra work?" Not total control, but some, more than she was suggesting. That way, if anything about the club came in and it was worrisome enough, he'd cut it off before it reached anyone of importance.

"I want to be more than just a good look. I want to make a difference. This," he paused, his gaze darting towards the screen before returning to her, "is a good start. How long will it take to be ready to launch to the public?"

[exulcnsis]

Winter rarely thought much about what she did in her day to day when there wasn't a deadline to worry about - she was, generally, found wandering around and finding whatever suited her fancy, and then moving on to the next thing when she got bored. It was easier to find brief occupations than dealing with admit to the fact that there wasn't much in her life that meant anything. At least in the grand scheme of things.

No connections that mattered, no one to miss her if she stayed out all night. Her life, really, was simple. On the surface.

She's caught off guard by the presence of a large dog running up to her, but she can't resist the happy hum that escapes her, knees coming to rest gently on the ground as she reaches out to give the animal a few good head scratches before registering what the other says. "Oh, I wasn't worried a lick about him bein' dangerous," she hums, soft smile on her face as she looks at this Zeus in question. "I love animals. It's... surprisingly not uncommon for them to run up to me. Years ago, I used to be the one catching all the lost dogs in the neighborhood when they got lost and were too scared to run up to people."

. 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑: cemre sunar

location: town's square time: saturday afternoon status: closed for @exulcnsis — winter carver

Going out for a day to take a walk by the town. Sometimes it was hard pretending that everything is normal, Cemre almost envied other people in town that had no clue about what was happening between the clubs. When it came to her, she was constantly worrying if at any point they’d figure out that she was researching them and assume that she was a threat. Hopefully not! She was constantly afraid and, yet, that wasn’t something that refrained her from continuing her personal project. In fact, she appreciated taking Zeus for a walk from time to time because it gave her the chance to pay attention to people in Lancaster, get to know others, learn more about the population that was willing to talk to a stranger.

It was in the middle of paying attention to someone else’s conversation that she only felt Zeus pushing forward which caused her to lose her grip of his leash and watch as he would run straight to someone else. “Zeus!” She exclaimed, watching until he’d stop, inches away from bumping against someone. Promptly Cemre reached closer to the blonde. “I’m so, so sorry. I swear that Zeus won’t bite, unless he feels threatened and that’s not the case. Apparently he really liked you! To the point of wanting to run away from his own owner.”

[exulcnsis]

A faint hum escapes her lips as she gestures to an innocent-enough looking link to the side of his website. "Well, studies show that the longer a case goes unsolved and with no updates, the less faith the public has in the police and detectives. It has very little to do with you, realistically - you take the case to court, any investigating is on the shoulders of the department, but..." She clicks the link to navigate to the page, before a faint hum escapes her lips. There's a proud header above a submission form, proclaiming some sort of PR spiel about Xavier's desire to bring closure to families who may have lost hope - that he's here to listen to all of their concerns. "Attach your name to it, and suddenly people don't see them as submitting their anonymous tips to the police department, but to you. It's totally encrypted and tips are programmed to go directly to the police department, so you virtually have to do nothing. As long as they put some desk duty officer or probie on keeping an eye on it, and sending them to question on anything with validity, you'll get all the credit for any cold case that gets solved... Without any of the work." Winter's smile is bright as she looks at him, shoulders lifting in half of a shrug. "There's also always the option of spending the money to provide them with a few rounds of beers at a local watering hole, to get their willingness to tell anyone they talk to that 'DA Ramzi takes your concerns very seriously', but at the end of the day... That's credit to you that you don't have to work for. I even added an extra layer that automatically discards any IPs more than a hundred and fifty miles away from town, that way if any prankster finds it, we're not overwhelmed with bogus tips."

Everything she told him was true enough, at least - except for the fact that in reality, all of the tips were sent to her - but she'd be more than willing to forward things to the police department. She just wanted to know everything first, in case anything interesting showed up. "Presence wise, it creates a good look for you."

The creation of his social media presence wasn't a suggestion from the club, but it was important enough to maintain if they wanted to keep him in his position for as long as they could. Of course, it would take more than a well made website to gather votes. He had a plan for that though. Tough on crime in all the right ways and what he couldn't cover, he'd offer charm. It was manipulative, but every political game was. It was better him than someone else too far gone to know right and wrong.

"I'm sure we could find something more for you to do, but I understand. I'm sure you have plenty of people wanting your expertise. It would be criminal to take your work off the market." Website design was complicated enough and the career path itself was niche. How many other crafty tech gurus were roaming the streets of Lancaster? Truth was, her skill could prove useful. "I'll remember that."

Without hesitation, Xavier picked up the phone, a quick dial out and a couple of trills later, his secretary's kind voice rang through. A few jokes and a sweet request later, he was turning his attention back to the blonde. His dark gaze shifted between her and the computer screen, a smile stretching thinly on his mouth. "And what would that last piece be?"

[exulcnsis]

Her smile is easy, charismatic - if there's one thing that Winter is good at, it's being charming. She'd spent her entire life learning how to schmooze with the best of them, the perfect princess at events for her father, and though they'd never been quite as wealthy as the people they'd brushed shoulders with, the blonde had learned the art of confidence from those with money, and it had formed who she was when it mattered most. Specifically, when it came to work - when it came to people in power, they liked hiring people who were confident in what they were doing, and Winter had confidence to spare.

"As honored as I am, I think I'd finish it faster than you think I would, and then where would I be? Redesigning the website every few months because I got bored? I tend to stagnate working on one project - it's why my turnover rate is so quick," she hummed, though she did throw out an easy, "But I'm always available for consults, if you find yourself particularly desperate."

She sets the laptop on his desk, quickly closing the window of code on the side, because that's not something he needs to see - before turning the screen towards him. "Coffee would be amazing - like any true computer nerd, I do tend to live off of it. There's just something comforting about it, to me at least," she hummed, before running her mouse along the first feature of the website. "These are all the basics that every website should have, but the last piece here is something I added myself."

In another world, one far less corrupt than the one he lived in, this sort of thing could have been exciting. To know that the boy from Northern Jersey had made his dreams come true on the other side of the States. Upo winning, he'd allowed the pride to sink in and for every congratulations to mean something, but in the end, he was only there to do someone else's bidding.

"Keep speaking so highly of yourself and I might have to offer you a job here at the office. I'm sure we could find plenty of work to keep you busy." He needed someone with fresh ideas and a good mind to keep the social media front up and running, She could update whatever she wanted, keeping the DA's office (and his name) as polished publicly as she could. Given time, he figured he'd need that.

Xavier leaned forward in his chair, elbows falling atop his desk mahogany desk. It was even better than the one he had at home, it's stain as dark as his soul felt. "Let's take a look at what you've got. Do you want coffee? I'm not sure if it's just me, but there's no such thing as too much and quite frankly, I could use a pick me up right about now."

[exulcnsis]

Really, her web design business was just something she had to do in order to hide what she actually did - but there was something beautiful about it, even Winter could admit to that. Making something out of nothing, getting to see the look on her client's face when she pulled up their brand new website to see everything they ever wanted in front of them. It was powerful, in a way.

And Winter loved power.

"I don't know about that, I happen to like keeping busy, so runnin' around like a chicken with my head cut off sounds... Almost nice." Her nose scrunches up as she speaks, though the smile on her face proves she's not totally disgusted with the idea - merely thoughtful of what it might be like. She's always been the type to work on her own - the entire nature of her job relatively solitary - but being surrounded by people? It didn't sound half bad to her.

Setting her laptop bag down, the blonde settled herself into one of the seats before pulling out the sleek machine, immediately opening it and turning it on. "I'm nothing if not punctual - I don't think I've been late for anything a day in my life. It's one of my finer qualities." Her smile is soft, though she does offer him a brief, teasing wink. "I'll keep our appointments straight enough for the both of us."

Typing a few things quickly, she brings up the building program on her computer before opening a file. "I already took the liberty of building a framework based on what features you wanted included - the tweaks and adjustments are easy enough to do now that we have the base done. And I added a few other features I thought would be handy that you might not have thought of - but, again, they're just as easy to take out if you don't like them."

— winter carver ; district attorney's office.

He remembered setting the appointment, but it was the Friday after next, that much he'd been certain of. So, when his secretary mentioned having a Ms. Carver in the waiting area for the appointment he'd set, Xavier had no other option but to invite her in. A charming smile spread over his mouth as the door opened once more, a blonde slipping past his secretary's petite frame before the door closed behind her. A quiet laugh rolled off his tongue as he leaned into his chair, his usual suit and tie affair traded out for something more casual. "You'll have to excuse me. For the sake of being honest, I completely forgot we had something on the schedule for this week. Things have been a little crazy around here. Believe it or not, but this job isn't half as fun as it looks." Between the backlog of cases and the mess his club had gotten into, he had his hands full. He nodded towards the seats before his desk, fingers tapping at the armrests of his own chair. "I appreciate you stopping by. I'm glad at least one of us knows how to keep up with scheduled events. We can work in here, or there's a conference area a few doors down. Whatever you need, just let me know. I'll make sure you get it." @exulcnsis