#brett christophers

[probablyasocialecologist]

Veiled by discussion of headline global trends in new renewables capacity investment is the fact that almost all the incremental progress is currently being made in one country: China. Trumpeting 2023’s 50 percent growth in annual global capacity installations as a global achievement is wrongheaded, given that China by itself delivered nearly 80 percent of the increment. And the IEA, for its part, expects China to continue to be the sole meaningful over-achiever. It recently revised upwards by 728 GW its forecast for total global renewables capacity additions in the period 2023–27. China’s share of this upward revision? Almost 90 percent. While China surges ahead, the rest of the world remains stuck. This raises a crucial question. What is different about the development of solar and wind resources in China from the rest of the world? The main answer is that in China, such development is capitalist in only a very limited sense. Certainly, the entities centrally involved in building out new solar and wind farms in China are companies. But almost all are state-owned. Take wind. Nine of the country’s top 10 wind developers are owned by the government, and such state-owned players control in excess of 95 percent of the market. Moreover, the state is far from being a passive shareholder in these companies. The companies are best seen as instruments wielded by the state in the service of achieving its industrial, geopolitical, and – increasingly – environmental objectives. The best example of this concerns the gargantuan ‘clean energy bases’ first announced by President Xi Jinping in 2021. To be built mainly in the Gobi and other desert areas by 2030, these new bases will have a combined capacity of in excess of 550 GW – more than Europe’s total solar and wind capacity at the time of this writing. Such development is as far from ‘capitalist’ as is imaginable. This is the state, in its most centralized and authoritative form mustering whatever resources it needs at its disposal to ensure that it delivers what it has said it will deliver. Add to this the fact that the banks financing all the new renewables development in China are generally also state-owned and directed, and a stark reality comes into focus. This is essentially central planning in action. Does the profit motive figure? To be sure, it does. But usually only marginally, and it is ridden roughshod over whenever Beijing deems fit.

[alanshemper]

Brett Christophers (The Price is Wrong): We must not mistake China’s success on green energy for a global one

21 July 2024

unpaywalled ⬇️

[greenfutures]

A review of Brett Christophers’ book The Price Is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won’t Save The Planet

[nextwavefutures]

Turning utility companies into investment vehicles

Turning utility companies into investment vehicles isn’t going to end well for anyone except the investors. New post at The Next Wave.

Image: UK Parliament/Gabriel Sainhas One of the current mysteries of British political economy is that our privatised water companies have promised to spend £10 billion to improve our sewage infrastructure, but that we’re all going to pay for it—while they are still paying billions of pounds to their shareholders. Another mystery is the plight of Thames Water, Britain’s largest water company,…

[judgingbooksbycovers]

Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World

By Brett Christophers.

[nothingofpracticalgardening]

20 Versions of Sherlock Holmes Ranked from Most to Least Likely to Set a Building on Fire in a Fit of Rage

[spncrscasey]

Mine (m.c.)

Fandom/Characters: Chicago Fire - Matt Casey x Fem!Reader, Sylvie Brett, Stella Kidd, Kelly Severide, Blake Gallo, Wallace Boden, Christopher Herrmann, Joe Cruz, Darren Ritter

Word Count: 3.5k

Summary: You and Matt Casey had been secretly dating for a while, and it had gone smoothly since you worked at different firehouses. However, you were offered a job at 51 which despite seeming like a great idea, only made everything complicated.

Warnings: hurt/comfort, a bit of angst, a bunch of fluff, pet names, mention of anxiety, protective matt, kissing, happy ending

a/n: my first fic!!!!! (on tumblr that is lol) i used to write a lot on another platforms but haven't written for fun in forever (other than for school, ew lol.) so i might be a bit rusty so just yk excuse that until i get back into my flow :) anyways i hope you guys like it <3

For the last three years, you've been working as a paramedic at Firehouse 20 alongside Violet Mikami. During that time, you've come to know Blake Gallo as a result of his on-and-off relationship with her. Although he's a great guy, what made him even greater is the person he introduced you to about a year ago— your boyfriend, Captain Matthew Casey of Firehouse 51.

Where could you possibly start? His mesmerizing, smile and his charming personality drew you in in an instant. You never realized how the occasional encounters, transformed into intimate late-night conversations. And before you knew it, those late-night talks grew into romantic dinners and memorable dates.

After months of both of you dancing around one another, he finally masked up the courage to ask you to be his girlfriend. Without a moment's hesitation, you instantly said yes.

Six months have passed since then. Both of you had mutually decided to keep it private for some time in order to prevent any interference with your jobs. The only individuals who had known were your respective Chiefs, just in case something happened.

Your Chief also knew you could handle a busier station such as 51. So, he had just offered you the vacant paramedic position that was left after Foster left for Med School.

Initially, you were excited about the offer because it meant working with your boyfriend. However, now you're uncertain about accepting it as you're not sure how he’d react. While you believe he'd be as thrilled as you are, there's this nagging feeling that it would complicate things.

So you decided to call him.

"Hey Matt," You said once he picked up.

"Hi babe, everything okay? You rarely call me during shift." He replied, voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine." You assure him before nervously adding, "It's just... I have something to run by you...”

"Go ahead sweetheart, what's up?"

"You know how Foster left and ever since then there's been an open paramedic spot at 51 for a while now?"

He hums encouraging you to continue.

"Well, my Chief spoke to Boden and they both agreed that I could fill that spot if I wanted to."

"That's fantastic news!" He said excitedly. "Do you want to?"

You sighed. "I do want to. I think it would be nice to work with you and the experience of working at a busier station? That would benefit me, by a lot. I’d be able to learn so much."

"Then what's there to run by me? This is your decision Y/N." Matt questioned.

"It's your house! I don't want to interfere with the little family you all have built and make things complicated considering we'd be working together while dating and what if they take it the wrong way thinking I only got the spot because I'm with you-"

"Hey! Y/N, sweetheart, breathe." He says cutting off your rambling, trying to calm you down.

"What?" you ask, voice exasperated.

"Baby, no one's going to think anything like that. You're an amazing paramedic and you earned your spot because you're good at your job. Also, no one knows that we're together so they won't suspect a thing. We don't even have to tell them yet if you don't want to.” He said reassuringly before continuing, “And you wouldn't be interfering with anything, I can assure you that we'd all love to have you at 51. This is completely your choice though, so whether you want to transfer over here or not, you have my full support, regardless of what you decide."

You smile at Matt's words. "Thank you." You pause for a moment before resuming happily, "Okay I'm going to go tell Chief that I'm accepting the position! I'll talk to you later Matt."

"That's my girl." He says smiling before hanging up.

You swiftly head to your Chief's office and let him know that you completed the transfer paperwork and are ready to begin at 51 as soon as possible. He nods, smiling, and assures you that he will push the request forward.

It was now Monday. Which also happened to be the same day you started your first shift as the new paramedic of Firehouse 51.

God were you nervous.

You had spoken to Matt multiple times and he continuously reassured you that you had no reason to feel anxious because everyone would adore you. So why were you still panicking?

Matt liked you, Gallo liked you, and so did Boden after the short interview you two had.

You had also heard a lot about each of them through Matt, and they all sounded like wonderful people. So the odds of your new coworkers welcoming you with open arms were pretty high.

Yet despite your best efforts, you couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that was coursing through your veins, leaving you a nervous wreck.

You let out a sigh, trying to calm your nerves as you approached the Firehouse. You bumped into Gallo on the way which instantly relieved your worries. Seeing a familiar face put your mind at ease, melting your fears away, even if it’s only for a moment.

The two of you engaged in an easy conversation as you walked into the building together.

Upon entering, you spotted a table near the rigs with several individuals seated around it. Gallo eagerly ushered you towards them, quickly introducing everyone.

"Squad, this is Y/N Y/L/N, our new paramedic!" He said as you smiled, waving at them.

Gallo then pointed at a tan, blue-eyed man who was sitting at the head of the table. "That's Lieutenant Kelly Severide. Head of Squad and those are his Squad members."

He quickly got up and shook your hand. "Nice to meet you Y/L/N."

You recognized him now. He was Matt's best friend, they'd been through thick and thin together. It was sweet actually, finally getting to put a face to the name you've been hearing so much about.

Gallo took his time introducing you to the other members of Squad, all of whom greeted you with kindness and respect.

As he slipped into conversation with them, you took the opportunity to excuse yourself and find your partner, Sylvie Brett, who you’d be spending most of your time with.

She stood out easily, being one of only two women in the house. You spotted her in the kitchen, chatting with another girl who you figured must be Stella, Severide's girlfriend. Matt had spoken to you about how amazing they were as a couple, and it always made you happy to hear about them. With a deep breath, you made your way over to them.

"Hi!" You smiled. "I'm the new paramedic here working with... Sylvie Brett?" You ask unsurly, turning your head to glance at the blonde hoping you're right.

"Yes, that's me! Hi!" She answered enthusiastically, hugging you. Matt had mentioned how sweet she was but the embrace still caught you by surprise. Regardless, you hugged her back, accepting the kind gesture. Once you pulled away you waved at the other woman who smiled back at you, introducing herself as Stella Kidd.

After conversing with them for some time and getting to know one another, you headed off to the officer quarters with the hope of seeing your boyfriend.

Once you approached the office that was referred to Matt Casey, you knocked.

"Come in." You heard so you stepped inside, closing the door behind you.

"Hi baby," You said, smiling at him. He looked up from his desk, features softening as he noticed you.

"How's my favorite girl doing?" He asked standing up to give you a brief kiss on the cheek.

"I'm great! Everyone here is so nice and fun to talk to. They've all been so welcoming." You answered excitedly.

"See, I told you everyone would love you. What's there not to?" He asked rhetorically, making you smile as he placed his hands on your waist pulling you in closer. Matt's inability to keep his hands to himself never fails to make you laugh. It was all quickly forgotten though when he drew you in for a more passionate kiss when he noticed that there weren't any prying eyes on you.

As time passed, days turned into weeks, and before you knew it, you had seamlessly become a part of them. Each member of the group welcomed you with open arms, and it felt like you had found your place within the close-knit family they had formed at 51. It seemed like you had found a lasting bond and a sense of belonging with everyone there, envisioning a permanent future among them.

You became good friends with Sylvie and Stella, established a nice mentorship with Hermann, and created a sibling-like bond with Severide.

Most importantly though, to your knowledge, no one had suspected your relationship with Matt.

You wanted to say something, you really did. You didn't want him to think you were ashamed of being with him. But you didn't want the people you had grown so close to to think that you were only offered the position because of your relationship with him; even if you were confident that they weren't the type of people to believe that.

It was an ordinary day. You and Sylvie had just returned from responding to a call— nothing too serious, just tending to a man who had been cut by a broken mirror. Together with Sylvie, you bandaged him up and sent him to Med for stitches, wishing him a speedy recovery.

You were restocking the ambulance when Sylvie spoke up, "So, did you see the way that guy looked at you?"

You almost choked on your spit at her statement, not expecting it. "How did he look at me?"

"Oh c'mon- there were literally hearts in his eyes every time you spoke up while bandaging him!" She exclaimed a bit too loudly making you shush her.

"Who had hearts in his eyes?" Matt chimed in as he walked up to you and Brett, joining your conversation.

"No one," You say brushing him off but Sylvie interjects. "This guy we were helping earlier, he totally had the hots for our new paramedic over here." She said, nudging you with her arm in a teasing manner.

"Oh, did he?" Matt asked in a tone that sounded like he was joking but you could see the way his body tensed.

"It's whatever, nothing serious. It's not like I'm going to go on a date with him." You roll your eyes trying to dismiss the situation.

"You should!" Sylvie replies happily, "You're pretty and single. He wasn't bad on the eyes either, if you know what I mean. Go have some fun girl! Who knows, he could be the love of your life." She adds, winking.

Matt gave a half-hearted smile and walked away without acknowledging Brett, leaving her looking up in confusion. "What was that about?" She asked.

"No idea," You say shortly, despite knowing exactly what was going on.

Matthew Casey was jealous.

It was quite surprising because he had never shown signs of being the jealous type. In the past, if another man approached you in his presence, he would politely ask them to leave you alone, making it clear that you were already taken. Or he’d simply put his arm around you in a protective, not-so-friendly manner, letting everyone know that you were his. It never bothered you. You found it cute, actually.

But this? This was different. He had never acted this way, which concerned you.

After you were done restocking the ambo you made your way to his office, hoping to ease the tension.

You sighed as you knocked, hearing a quick come-in before stepping inside. You noticed he had his head buried in paperwork, not even acknowledging you as you came in.

"Matt, honey, what's wrong?" You asked, worried when he still didn't look up at you. You waited for a moment before continuing once he didn't reply, "Baby talk to me."

He sighs before finally looking into your eyes. His ocean blues never failed to make you weak in the knees. So intimidating but beautiful nevertheless.

"I don't want to keep this a secret any longer." He eventually replied, motioning between the two of you.

"I don't want to either but you know we can't."

"Why can't we?" He said, tone a bit sharp, causing you to flinch for a second.

"Because-" you were cut off by a knock on Matt's door making you straighten up.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's someone here to see you Y/N." Said Severide as he poked his head into Casey's office letting you know before heading out.

You quickly glance at Matt sighing before leaving his office, silently apologizing. You hated leaving mid conversation but this could be important. You noticed him trailing behind you as you walked out but chose not to comment on it.

Once you were outside, you recognized him as the man you had sent to Med earlier. The same man who had 'the hots' for you apparently, according to Brett.

This was going to be a long conversation.

"Hello!" He said, way too ecstatic for someone who had just been discharged from a hospital.

"Hi there, how are you feeling?" You asked, keeping the conversation polite.

"Better thanks to you, you saved my life."

"Oh, you know, no big deal! Just doing my job."

"Well, I was hoping to take you out on a date as a way of saying thank you." He said with confidence, catching you off guard.

"I'm very flattered sir but you don't need to thank me, let alone take me out on a date. I'm happy to help, love what I do." You say, hoping that gets rid of him.

By now, you were fully aware that most of the members of the firehouse were watching the interaction occur from behind you. Hence why you were aiming to wrap it up as soon as possible.

"No, no, I insist. We'll have a great time together!" He pushes.

"Like I said, thanks for the offer but I'm going to have to decline. Feel better." You say, turning around.

Before you had a chance to walk away, he grabbed your wrist harshly. Pulling you backward, making you lose your balance, and almost causing you to fall.

"Woah woah woah-" "Back off!" You hear the men hurriedly interject pushing him away from you before Matt yells, in a tone that sends shivers down your spine. "Get your hands off of my paramedic before I call the authorities. You have no right to touch her, especially after she said no."

Boden hears the commotion and steps out of his office. "What's going on over here?"

"This man put his hands on Y/N after she rejected him Chief. He was just leaving though weren't, you?" Matt replies, glaring at the man making him quickly walk away.

The second that he was out of sight, everyone turned to you. Stella speaks up, "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry guys, I'm fine." You say looking around at all of them, reassuring them that you're okay. "Thanks for the help. I'm sure he won't be coming back any time soon, especially after the way Casey glared at him." You add chuckling, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere around you.

"You'd almost think you guys were dating with the way he attacked him to defend you," Severide commented casually, using a tone that sounded like he knew something. Which you decided to ignore for the time being.

At the mention of your boyfriend though, you looked up hoping to catch a glimpse of him but noticed he was nowhere to be found which alarmed you.

As the crowd dispersed and engaged in their own conversations, you discreetly slipped away and made your way to visit Matt in his quarters, marking this as your second visit there in the last half hour.

This time though, you didn't even bother knocking and simply walked in.

When he noticed it was you, he quickly stood up concerned, “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Oh, I'm alright. Don't worry, it was nothing I hadn't dealt with before in this line of duty, you know how men can be sometimes.” You answered, nonchalantly.

You both stayed quiet for a moment, not knowing what to say. Finally, you decided to break the silence, “I'm sorry, Matt. I don't want to argue with you, so if it'll make you happy, we can go tell them right now.”

He sighed, turning around in his chair to look at you, “Y/N, this isn't just up to me, we’re in this relationship together. We have to make decisions like these as a team. I love you and I want everyone to know that but if you're not taking this seriously and want to go on that date instead then-”

“No! This is serious to me Matt, I love you and you know that.” You cut him off before he's able to finish the sentence. “I have eyes for you and only you, no one else matters to me but you, Matthew Casey.” You add firmly, making sure he understands that.

“Then what’s the issue here?” He asks, tired of the constant back and forth you've been having today.

You sigh and sit down on the edge of his bed before replying, “I just- I've become so close to everyone here in the last few weeks and I don't want their opinion of me to change after they find out that you and I are together. I don't want them to think that I'm only here because of you.”

“Baby…” He says in a softer tone, getting out of his seat to come sit next to you.

You don't look at him once he's sat beside you, opting to look at the floor instead.

“Hey, look at me.” He gently says taking your hands in his, grabbing your attention.

You hum as you bring your eyes up to meet his.

When he's sure you're not going to look away, he starts speaking, “Listen to me, everyone here? They're the most amazing and supportive group of people you'll ever meet. They won't dare say anything of the sort because they'd be beyond happy for us. And if they slightly even think about it, I won't hesitate to go all ‘Captain’ on them.” He says, making you chuckle.

“Besides, I don't want idiots like that guy who can't take no for an answer, hurting you again for a nonexistent chance of taking you out.” He adds.

You lean forward, pressing your forehead against his, and after a moment passes, you mutter a simple, “Okay.”

“Okay?” Matt questions.

“Yeah, okay, let’s tell them.” You reply, nodding enthusiastically.

“I want everyone to know that this handsome man right here,” You say pointing at his chest with a teasing tone, “Is of the market and mine only.”

“Yeah?” He grins.

“Mhm,” You say with an even bigger smile, before leaning in to press your lips against his.

As your lips finally touch, a wave of stillness washes over you. It feels as though the entire world has come to a halt and all that exists is the shared connection between the two of you. At that moment, nothing else matters except for the feeling of his lips against yours.

His delicate hand caresses your face, making you smile into the kiss as you pull him in closer, wrapping your arms around his neck. There's no need to hide your love for each other anymore, allowing your affection for one another to be expressed freely without the fear of secrecy. The rush of emotion flowing through you is intoxicating and God, it is an exhilarating feeling, one that you had never felt before.

Before the kiss could progress any further, you heard cheering outside making you pull away. You glance out the window to understand what the fuss is about when you notice that the blinds were left open, meaning that all of 51 just saw you kissing Matt.

Your cheeks flush with warmth, causing you to bury your face in Matt's shoulder as he laughs at your reaction. He wraps his arm around you, pulling you closer in a tight embrace.

You look up at him, mouthing an ‘I love you,’

He whispers back, “I love you too.”

He quickly leans in for one more peck against your lips, before bracing himself for all the questions you're about to receive once you head outside.

“You guys were betting on us?” You asked amused, raising your eyebrows at the exchange of money happening right in front of your eyes.

“Well, what were we supposed to do!?” Cruz exclaimed defensively, earning a giggle from you.

“I mean, we all knew you guys were head over heels for each other, that was obvious. We just didn't realize you had been together prior to all of this.” Added Ritter, shrugging.

“I can speak for everyone though when I say that we are all very happy for you two.” Said Herrmann, making everyone nod in agreement.

As soon as the initial stage of shock died down, Stella and Sylvie rushed over to you, enveloping you in a group hug, requesting all the juicy details. While Kelly simply gave Matt a supportive pat on the back, smiling at his best friend.

Soon, the questions regarding your relationship began pouring in. Matt drew you closer, wrapping his arm around your waist as he answered each of them one by one. You rested your head on his shoulder, closing your eyes briefly, basking in the serenity.

And at last, you found yourself finally feeling at ease. Your family knew, and they were happy for you. Which is all you could ask for.

[chicago-pd-is-weird]

Hank Voight x Fem!Reader - Pt. 1

Request for @maximeseveridecasey - I hope you like it! Part 2 coming soon.

Synopsis: Reader is a bartender at Molly's with a boyfriend who is bad news. Hank Voight is investigating the case, but soon becomes smitten with her.

TW: Reader is victim of abuse

You were tending the bar at 2PM on a Friday. You weren’t sure why the bar was open that early, seeing as the only customers you had were the old men and day drinkers who had nothing better to do. Herman, however, seemed convinced that it was bringing in enough revenue. You didn’t mind, so long as you got a paycheck. You were saving money so you could leave Chicago, and moreover, leave your boyfriend.

It was getting hard to hide the bruises from Herman, Otis, and Gabby. You often wore long sleeves despite it being summertime, and the makeup had on often sweat off in the middle of rush hour, revealing the bruises on your neck and face. If anyone asked, you quickly made up an excuse and changed the subject.

Your thoughts were broken by the little bell ringing as the door opened. A man in his mid-fifties walked in and looked around. You figured it was another day drinker, or one of those people who stopped in because they were meeting up with someone. Nevertheless, you walked over as he sat at the bar. “Hey there, what can I get you?” You smiled.

He hummed, looking you over, then set something on the bar. “Guess.” He pulled his hand away, leaving a badge in its wake.

You looked at him when you heard his unique voice. He sounded like he smoked eight packs a day, yet he didn’t smell like smoke. You glanced at the badge, then sighed, turning and grabbing two shot glasses, putting one in front of him, and one in front of you. Then, you grabbed your liquor of choice and poured two shots. “On the house.” You took your glass and held it up. The man seemed intrigued, but matched you, clinking your glasses together before you both took a shot. “What can I do for you, sergeant?”

He laughed, looking at you as he set the glass back down. “Do you know me or something?”

You shook your head, putting one finger on the star still sitting on the bar. “It says so on your badge. Dead giveaway. Should’ve used someone else’s.” You shrugged and took care of the glasses and liquor before leaning down on the counter, a cocked eyebrow. “What do you need?”

“Do you know Gregory Sanders?”

You stopped at the name of your boyfriend. You sighed deeply, standing straight again and grabbing a cloth to wipe off the bar. It wasn’t dirty, but you wanted to busy yourself. “I don’t think you’d be here if I didn’t.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“You still haven’t introduced yourself, Sergeant.”

A corner of his mouth pulled him to smile. “Hank Voight.”

“(Y/N) (L/N),” you replied, not looking up as you obsessively found something to do with your hands.

“So, tell me about Greg.”

“What do you want to know?”

Hank watched you struggle to find something to do, seemingly amused. “What does he do for work?”

You scoffed. Considering your boyfriend was a full-time gun dealer, it almost made you laugh. “Nothing. I bring the paychecks.”

“Yeah? That might be true to an extent, but you should see his bank statements.”

“I have nothing to do with that.”

“That’s not what I asked… Besides, it’s not you I want. But I could arrest you and bring you in for drinking on the job.”

You scoffed again, rolling your eyes and leaning down on the bar again to look into his eyes. “You could. But you can’t charge me with anything. Go ahead, I’m sure my bosses will be ecstatic that I have to close the bar because of you. Just make sure your house doesn’t catch on fire anytime soon if you do take me in.”

“Right, because this is the firefighter bar?” Hank hummed. “I know those firefighters. I’m sure I could smooth things over.”

“You said your name is… Voight?” You laughed softly when he nodded. “I doubt that. They kind of hate you.”

Hank matched your amusement, chuckling as he pulled a card out of his jacket. “Maybe that’s true too. You’re pretty smart, I’ll give you that.” He slid the card over to you on the bar, then grabbed his badge and clipped it back to his belt. “Find me if you feel like talking.”

With that, he got up and left the bar. You looked down at the card, which was his business card. Taking it, you put it in your jeans pocket just as someone else came up to the bar. You looked up, but frowned when you saw it was Greg himself. You walked over and grabbed his beer of choice. You hated it when he drank, since his tab usually came out of your paycheck. You set it in front of him after opening it. “Hey baby,” you said softly. “What’s going on?”

“Who was that?” He asked. “Travis told me a cop was here.”

“Yeah he was a cop,” you replied with a shrug. “A lot of cops hang out at this bar. It’s owned by firefighters. First responders are all a club.”

“A sergeant?”

You scoffed. “So? Just means he’s allowed to day drink more than the foot patrols.”

He grabbed your arm, squeezing it tightly, right where he had left bruises previously. You gasped and let out a small yelp in pain but couldn’t escape his strong grip. “Shit, that hurts, Greg,” you whispered as your body contorted in an effort to escape him.

“What the hell did you tell him?”

“Nothing, I swear! He came in, asked about you, and I told him I have nothing to do with whatever you do on a daily basis. That I work to support us both!”

Greg squeezed harder, then finally let go, making you recoil and rub your aching arm. You bit your lip as tears brimmed your eyes.

“You better not talk to the cops. You know what will happen.”

“I know,” you whispered.

Greg took a deep swig of his beer before getting up and leaving, Travis leaving with him. You sighed, grabbing the still-full beer and swigging some yourself before putting it below the counter to drink later.

—

When work got out, things really ramped up at the bar. You got busy. Greg didn’t hang out when the bar was busy, because there were so many cops around. You started to sweat again, especially due to the long sleeve and pants you were wearing, rolling up your sleeves to reveal the fresh bruises in an attempt to cool yourself. Nevertheless, your makeup betrayed you and once again showed off the bruises on your neck and your cheeks. You wanted to get to the bathroom to touch it up, but not before Sylvie and Stella caught you. The two looked you over with a frown.

“(Y/N), who does this to you?” Sylvie asked.

“Nobody,” you replied quickly. “I’m just clumsy, you know?” You quickly poured them another shot of whatever they were drinking.

“Come on, (Y/N), there’s twenty cops in this bar who would be happy to help you,” Stella protested.

You sighed and shook your head. “Stella, Sylvie, I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine.”

“Whoever you’re protecting isn’t worth it if they do this to you. They won’t hurt you if you tell us,” Stella protested.

You scoffed. Of course, Greg would hurt you if he ever found out. He would probably kill you. You shook your head and walked away from them to tend to someone else at the bar.

“Hey, (Y/N),” Erin said with a smile as she walked up with Jay. You knew the two pretty well, as they were there with the normal crowd most nights.

“Hey Erin, Jay,” you nodded to each of them. “What’s the choice tonight?”

“Just beer,” Jay said with a smile.

“Coming right up.” You grabbed two beers and popped them open, setting them in front of the two. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Actually,” Erin said, reaching out to take your hand. She didn’t want to touch your bruises, so she pulled you gently by the hand to come closer. “You okay?”

You sighed. “Yes, I’m fine. We have this conversation a lot, don’t we?”

“You have new bruises a lot,” Jay replied softly. “We’re just making sure you’re alright.”

“I’m clumsy,” you said with a shrug. “Besides, one of your cop buddies came around today.”

“Yeah?” Erin asked.

“A sergeant,” you replied. “Voight, I think was his name. I guess he’s investigating someone. Thought I had something to do with it. Threatened to arrest me, too.”

Jay and Erin looked at one another, then Jay swigged his beer. Erin hummed and looked back at you. “Voight is our boss. He’s the guy who practically raised me.”

You took a sharp breath. You’d just wanted to change the subject. Now you didn’t want to talk at all. “Sorry I said anything,” you said softly. “I don’t want to get in the way of your investigation.”

“(Y/N), we’re investigating Greg Sanders. You were identified as someone on his contacts list.”

You sighed. “Like I told Voight, he’s my boyfriend, but I don’t have anything to do with whatever he does. All I know is I work when the bar is open, and sleep most of the other time. Greg comes home sometimes to get his… fill. We have sex, I fall asleep then get up for work. That’s it.”

Jay looked up at you. He had those puppy dog eyes that could make the hardest person melt in an instant. “We think he’s pretty rough with you, considering the bruises. We just want to help you, especially if you don’t have anything to do with his… dealings.”

You shrugged and turned away as someone else came up to the bar, letting the conversation end there. You got busy again, filling and re-filling drinks, running and paying tabs, and keeping it as clean as possible.

.

When the bar finally closed for the night, you swept the floor and made sure everything was clean for the next day. It was Saturday, your day off. Christopher walked out from the back, handing you an envelope. You opened it and counted out enough to cover the tab your boyfriend had run up that week, which had been more than half of your paycheck. You sighed as you handed it to him. “For Greg’s tab.”

“You know, he should pay for his own drinks,” Chris said softly. “Is there a reason you’re still with this guy?”

You shrugged as you continued to sweep the floor. You knew he’d kill you if you ever broke up with him. That’s why you had to leave Chicago. You knew this week’s paycheck wouldn’t contribute much to your sad savings for the trip away. You had barely $100 saved up and you’d been saving for three months.

Chris sighed. He tried multiple times, like many others, to reach you. You simply wanted to leave Chicago and go somewhere nobody could find you. “Alright, just let me know if you need anything. All I’m saying is you deserve better.”

—

The next day, you woke up in the afternoon, due to being up until last call. What really annoyed you, though, was an obsessive knocking at your front door. You groaned and threw on some clothes, yelling down to the door. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” You rolled your eyes and muttered under your breath a curse at whoever was on the other side of the door. When you finally opened it, you were shocked to see Travis, who pushed himself past you and inside. “Travis? What the hell is going on?”

“(Y/N), it’s not my fault, I swear it.”

“What? What’s not?”

“There’s a cop and he’s pissed.”

“What cop? Where?” You looked back to the door, which was still open, seeing Hank Voight standing on your porch now. You hadn’t seen him before because of Travis’s frantic nature. “Sergeant Voight, what’s going on?”

Voight pushed into the house with you, shutting the door behind him. “You’re both going to come with me. Either we can do this quietly, or I can bring three squads down and make a big show of it with the cuffs.”

Your eyes landed on Travis. “What the hell did you do? Does Greg know?”

“It’s not my fault! He threatened me!”

You scoffed and looked back to Voight. “I know my rights.”

“That’s the wrong answer, (Y/N). I’m trying to help you.”

“I don’t need your damn help or anybody’s. I’m not going anywhere, so go ahead and drag me out in cuffs. I’d like to see the warrant for my arrest.”

Voight looked you over, then turned his gaze to Travis. “Come on, big boy.”

“I-I didn’t do anything! I brought you here! What more do you want from me, man?!”

“You have a warrant, Travis. Failure to appear in court for your weed possession.” Voight walked over and grabbed Travis, pushing him against the wall with his hands behind his back. “I’m taking you to the station and booking you.”

You rolled your eyes. “What’s the deal, Voight? Cops always make a deal when they try to threaten people with petty things like this. Especially when they’re of your rank and position.”

“Deal is, you both come quietly, or I force you both with me.”

“Why?” You crossed your arms. You hadn’t realized it until then, but you were wearing a short sleeve shirt and a pair of shorts, which showed off all of the bruises on your body. You also didn’t have any makeup on.

Voight brought Travis over, then leaned in to very quietly whisper in your ear. “There’s bugs all over your house. Can’t talk here.”

You let out a breath. “Cameras too,” you muttered before recoiling away from him. “You’re going to have to arrest me, then!”

“So be it,” Voight said with a nod, then took out a radio to call for squad backup. He put cuffs on Travis and led you out to the front porch with him. A single squad came for backup, the two cops taking Travis and cuffing you. Voight put you in his own car, the others taking Travis in theirs.

As you rode with Voight, you looked up at him from the back. “What is this?”

“I know he hurts you,” Voight said. “Erin and Jay are concerned. They wanted me to get you out of there. From the looks of your body, I’m glad I did.”

You blushed, suddenly feeling exposed as you tried to cover yourself, which was impossible due to your cuffs and choice of clothing. “I’ve never told anyone what he does. They don’t know what's going on.”

Voight sighed, glancing to the rear-view mirror. “Plus, your boyfriend is a felon. Drug running across state lines? I’ve heard that he even took a few loads to Canada.”

“Look, I don’t have anything to do with what he spends his time doing.”

“That’s why I have to protect you. For all he knows, you were arrested. In reality, you’re in protective custody until I put the cuffs on him and put him away for life.”

You scoffed. “Yeah, right… If you really wanted to help me, you’d get me out of the state instead.”

Voight didn’t say anything back, driving you to the district as you looked out the window, wishing you could just start over.

--

2 Weeks Later

--

You were put into protective custody by Hank and the others. Erin often came to check up on you, sometimes with Jay. You always brushed it off and made snide remarks, but it was only because you were afraid he would find you. You were confined to a safehouse on the outskirts of the city for over two weeks before a firm knock came to your door. It wasn't Erin, seeing as she usually brought her key and knocked softly. You were terrified, grabbing a knife from the kitchen and trying to peek through the front window. You could tell it was a man by the way he was standing and the firmness of the knock. You couldn't see his face, though, and that terrified you. You took a breath and positioned yourself behind the door, holding the knife up, then unlocking it and opening it, peeking around to stab whoever may have walked through.

His reflexes were faster than yours. He grabbed your wrist which was holding the knife, but his voice made you stop when you began to struggle. "(Y/N), (Y/N), hey, it's just me, it's Hank."

You let out a breath, dropping the knife as you trembled. You pulled your hand away, panting as your adrenaline pumped. "I-I'm sorry, I thought you were-"

"Don't worry about it," he replied. "I didn't mean to scare you." He gently laid a hand on your shoulder, then pulled you a little closer to him. It was subconscious, but you followed him without protest. He shut the front door and led you to the small sofa, sitting beside you and rubbing your back to calm you, one hand on your knee.

You looked down. Again, you'd been wearing shorts due to the heat of the Chicago summer. Your skin looked much better, still pale, but at least the bruises were fading. You gently set one hand on top of his on your knee. You looked up at him as you finally calmed down. "Why are you here?"

"I came to tell you that you're safe now," he said softly, still rubbing your back with his free hand. "I put Greg in jail, along with everyone in his crew."

You looked into Hank's eyes. The chocolate orbs surrounded you, comforting you. You couldn't quite explain it, but they made your soul feel warm, like how hot chocolate feels on a cold winter's night. You blinked once, then looked down. Tears welled in your eyes. "Is it... really over? He won't get me if I leave here?"

"That's right," Hank replied. "He won't." You took a breath, nodding as the tears threatened to spill. Hank gently reached his hand up to cup your chin with his fingers, making you look up at him. "Hey, don't worry. I said I'd protect you and I still mean it."

You smiled softly, looking over his face. He was an attractive man, something you hadn't quite noticed until then. He matched your smile, bringing his other hand up to stroke a piece of hair from your face. "Let's get dinner to celebrate. Tonight."

You blushed. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, then I'll help you move your bags from here to wherever you want to go. I hope you're not still planning on leaving Chicago."

You hiked your shoulders, sighing softly. "I don't know anymore. I just want to start over and put all of this behind me."

"I'll set you up in my guest room."

.

Suffice to say, you didn't spend the night in the guest room. The spark you and Hank had over dinner was enough to light an entire forest on fire all at once. You found that you came from similar backgrounds, born and raised in Chicago. You even went to the same school, albeit you were several years younger than him at the time. When Hank got you to his house, the night ended with some bourbon and a lot of gentle kisses. You weren't drunk by any means and Hank had taken his sweet time with you. He made you feel truly loved for the first time in your life. After years of abuse, Hank's love was refreshing.

--

The morning came all too soon when Hank's alarm went off at 5:45. You whimpered softly, Hank groaning and rolling over to shut it off, leaving you cold for a moment before he came back to embrace you. You hummed as you pressed backward into him, loving how his strong arms wrapped you up. He chuckled softly, pressing kisses to your neck as he rubbed your waist. "Good morning," he muttered into your skin.

"It is with you holding me," you replied softly, smiling. The time you'd spent with Hank was some of the best time you'd ever had on Earth. He made you happy.

"Mmn, too bad I have to get to work," he said softly.

"You have some time, don't you?" you asked, turning around in his arms. "Work doesn't start until eight."

"Yeah, but I have ComStat at seven in the Ivory Tower. The life of a Sergeant." He shrugged, nuzzling his nose softly against yours with a gentle smile.

You matched his smile, even giggling a little. You pushed yourself closer to him, connecting your lips with his in a gentle kiss. The passion and love flowed from both of you as he pulled your waist closer.

"Mmn, I think it's going to be a good day, seeing as I'm waking up like this," Hank said, one hand reaching up to cup your face, stroking his thumb over the apple of your cheek.

"I think so too," you replied, still smiling, wider and brighter than ever as you rubbed his chest.

[holmesxwatson]

[holmesoldfellow]

December 1987 edition of the Radio Times commemorating 100 years of Sherlock Holmes

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Donald Trump has lately made clear he wants little to do with Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for the next Republican president that has attracted considerable blowback in his race for the White House.

“I have no idea who is behind it,” the former president recently claimed on social media.

Many people Trump knows quite well are behind it.

Six of his former Cabinet secretaries helped write or collaborated on the 900-page playbook for a second Trump term published by the Heritage Foundation. Four individuals Trump nominated as ambassadors were also involved, along with several enforcers of his controversial immigration crackdown. And about 20 pages are credited to his first deputy chief of staff.

In fact, at least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration had a hand in Project 2025, a CNN review found, including more than half of the people listed as authors, editors and contributors to “Mandate for Leadership,” the Project’s extensive manifesto for overhauling the executive branch.

Dozens more who staffed Trump’s government hold positions with conservative groups advising Project 2025, including his former chief of staff Mark Meadows and longtime adviser Stephen Miller. These groups also include several lawyers deeply involved in Trump’s attempts to remain in power, such as his impeachment attorney Jay Sekulow and two of the legal architects of his failed bid to overturn the 2020 presidential election, Cleta Mitchell and John Eastman.

To quantify the scope of the involvement from Trump’s orbit, CNN reviewed online biographies, LinkedIn profiles and news clippings for more than 1,000 people listed on published directories for the 110 organizations on Project 2025’s advisory board, as well as the 200-plus names credited with working on “Mandate for Leadership.”

Overall, CNN found nearly 240 people with ties to both Project 2025 and to Trump, covering nearly every aspect of his time in politics and the White House – from day-to-day foot soldiers in Washington to the highest levels of his government. The number is likely higher because many individuals’ online résumés were not available.

In addition to people who worked directly for Trump, others who participated in Project 2025 were appointed by the former president to independent positions. For instance, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr authored an entire chapter of proposed changes to his agency, and Lisa Correnti, an anti-abortion advocate Trump appointed as a delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, is among the contributors.

Several people involved in Project 2025 didn’t serve in the Trump administration but were influential in shaping his first term. One example is former US Attorney Brett Tolman, a leading force behind the former president’s criminal justice reform law who later helped arrange a pardon for Charles Kushner, the father of Trump’s son-in-law. Tolman is listed as a contributor to “Mandate for Leadership.”

The extensive overlap between Project 2025 and Trump’s universe of allies, advisers and former staff complicates his efforts to distance himself from the work. Trump’s campaign has sought for months to make clear that Project 2025 doesn’t speak for them amid an intensifying push by President Joe Biden and Democrats to tie the Republican standard bearer to the playbook’s more controversial policies.

In a statement to CNN, campaign spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez said Trump only endorses the Republican Party platform and the agenda posted on the former president’s website.

“Team Biden and the (Democratic National Committee) are lying and fear-mongering because they have nothing else to offer the American people,” Alvarez said.

HERITAGE PLAN BECOMES A POLITICAL HEADACHE

Behind Project 2025 is the Heritage Foundation, a 51-year-old conservative organization that aligned itself with Trump not long after his 2016 victory. Heritage is led by Kevin Roberts, a Trump ally whom the former president praised as “doing an unbelievable job” on a February night when they shared the same stage.

Heritage conceived Project 2025 to begin planning so a Republican president could hit the ground running after the election. One of its priorities is creating a roadmap for the first 180 days of the new administration to quickly reorient every federal agency around its conservative vision. Described on its website as “a movement-wide effort guided by the conservative cause to address and reform the failings of big government and an undemocratic administrative state,” Project 2025 also aims to recruit and train thousands of people loyal to the conservative movement to fill federal government positions.

One organization advising Project 2025, American Accountability Foundation, is also putting together a roster of current federal workers it suspects could impede Trump’s plans for a second term. Heritage is paying the group $100,000 for its work.

Many of Project 2025’s priorities are aligned with the former president, especially on immigration and purging the federal bureaucracies. Both Trump and Project 2025 have called for eliminating the Department of Education.

But Project 2025 has lately become a lightning rod for other ideas Trump hasn’t explicitly backed. Within “Mandate for Leadership” are plans to ban pornography, reverse federal approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, exclude the morning-after pill and men’s contraceptives from coverage mandated under the Affordable Care Act, make it harder for transgender adults to transition, and eliminate the federal agency that oversees the National Weather Service.

Its voluminous and detailed plans also run counter to Trump’s desire for a streamlined GOP platform absent any language that Democrats could wield against Republicans this cycle.

Roberts recently faced backlash as well for saying in an interview that the country was “in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

Three days later, Trump posted to Truth Social: “I know nothing about Project 2025.”

“I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” he wrote.

In response to Trump’s social media post, a Project 2025 spokesperson told CNN in a statement it “does not speak for any candidate or campaign.”

“It is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to use,” the spokesperson said.

Trump’s campaign has repeatedly said in recent months that “reports about personnel and policies that are specific to a second Trump Administration are purely speculative and theoretical” and don’t represent the former president’s plans. Project 2025 and similar policy proposals coming from outside Trump’s campaign are “merely suggestions,” campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita wrote in a statement.

VAST NETWORK OF TRUMP ALLIES

However, Trump’s attempts to distance himself from Project 2025 have already encountered credibility challenges. The person overseeing Project 2025, Paul Dans, was a top official in Trump’s White House who has previously said he hopes to work for his former boss again. Shortly after Trump’s Truth Social post last week, Democrats noted a recruitment video for Project 2025 features a Trump campaign spokeswoman. On Tuesday, the Biden campaign posted dozens of examples of connections between Trump and Project 2025.

CNN’s review of Project 2025’s contributors also demonstrated the breadth of Trump’s reach through the upper ranks of the vast network of organizations working to move the country in a conservative direction – from women’s groups and Christian colleges to conservative think tanks in Texas, Alabama and Mississippi.

New organizations centered around Trump’s political movement, his conspiracy theories around his electoral defeats and his first-term policies are deeply involved in Project 2025 as well. One of the advisory groups, America First Legal, was started by Miller, a key player in forming Trump’s immigration agenda. Another is the Center for Renewing America, founded by Russ Vought, former acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, who wrote for Project 2025 a detailed blueprint for consolidating executive power.

Vought recently oversaw the Republican Party committee that drafted the new platform heavily influenced by Trump.

In addition to Vought, two other former Trump Cabinet secretaries wrote chapters for “Mandate for Leadership”: Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller. Three more former department heads – National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe, acting Transportation Secretary Steven Bradbury and acting Labor Secretary Patrick Pizzella – are listed as contributors.

Project 2025’s proposals for reforming the country’s immigration laws appear heavily influenced by those who helped execute Trump’s early enforcement measures. Former acting US Customs and Border Protection chief Mark Morgan and former Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Tom Homan – the faces of Trump’s polarizing policies – contributed to the project, as did Kathy Nuebel Kovarik, one of the policy advisers pushing to end certain immigrant protections behind the scenes. The Project 2025 chapter on overhauling the Department of Homeland Security was written by Ken Cuccinelli, a top official at the department under Trump.

Some of Trump’s most contentious and high-profile hires are credited with working on “Mandate for Leadership,” including some whose tenures ended under a cloud of controversy.

Before Trump adviser Peter Navarro went to prison for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena as part of the House investigation into the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, he wrote a section defending the former president’s trade policies and advocating for punitive tariffs.

Other contributors include: Michael Pack, a conservative filmmaker who orchestrated a mass firing at the US Agency for Global Media after he was installed by Trump; Frank Wuco, a senior White House adviser who once promoted far-right conspiracies on his talk radio show, including lies about President Barack Obama’s citizenship; former NOAA official David Legates, a notable climate change skeptic investigated for posting dubious research with the White House imprint; and Mari Stull, a wine blogger-turned-lobbyist who left the Trump administration amid accusations she was hunting for disloyal State Department employees.

The culmination of their work, spread across 900 pages, touches every corner of the executive branch and would drastically change the federal government as well as everyday life for many Americans. In summarizing the undertaking, Roberts wrote in “Mandate for Leadership” that Project 2025 represented “the next conservative President’s last opportunity to save our republic.”

“Conservatives have just two years and one shot to get this right,” Roberts said. “With enemies at home and abroad, there is no margin for error. Time is running short. If we fail, the fight for the very idea of America may be lost.”

[thekenobee]

Let’s settle this once and for all-

Tag yourself!

[erika111111]

The cast of Until Dawn + GIFs

Rami Malek as Joshua Washington

Hayden Panettiere as Samantha Giddings

Noah Fleiss as Christopher Hartley

Galadriel Stineman as Ashley Brown

Brett Dalton as Michael Munroe

Meaghan Martin as Jessica Riley

Jordan Fisher as Matthew Taylor

Nichole Sakura as Emily Davis