[A peak at some character sketches I'm working on. There's too many characters I think, so I'll be pairing down from this number, making cuts of characters that I just don't get into as I try to write about. I kind of see it as a form of 'auditioning' by each character. We'll see how it goes. As always, comments are totally welcome.]
It runs 24/7/366.
The company’s real owner, William Plummer is a human familiar of Finnegan’s and is happy to be listed as owner for legalities sake. He receives a 20% stake in the company for his trouble. He often stops by just to stop by (he likes the coffee they have there) and frequently can be found visiting at all hours of the night (has insomnia). He’s in his 80’s and likes feeling a part of things. He lives nearby in a home of his own (one of the reasons he was chosen to be the legal owner of the business).
William is British.
Besides Finnegan there are 3 other senior associates and 6 full-time junior ones. One of the other senior associates is Paul Cuzick, a Cephalophore. A Notre Dame grad in philosophy (he has a Master’s Degree and is a fan of the existentialists), he’s tall, dark-haired, lanky, clutsy, sarcastic. He’s a glass-half-empty kind of guy. Dark. Brooding. Self-effacing.
The Midnight to 8am gig, M-F is usually Paul’s. Like Minerva, he often works 6 day weeks but not always. Paul’s always been a night owl and likes working the ‘wee hours’ as he calls them.
Another senior associate is a Gorgon, Minerva Annilius. She’s Finnegan’s second-in-command and runs the day to day of the agency. If you can’t get ahold of Finnegan, you get in touch with Minerva. Minerva is British.
She’s tough. Tiny. Fearless. Not to be messed with. She’s very smart.
She usually works a 4 to midnight gig, M-F 5 or 6 days a week.
The third is a Duo who’s male side is a shielder and who’s female side is a remote viewer . Esai/Selena Garcia is the most junior of the senior associates. Esai, the male half, is a strong shielder. Salma, the female half is an averagely remote viewer, or, RV. The two sides get along fairly well, for the most part. The Esai side is slightly more dominant and can force shift out of Selena and back into him, whereas Salma can’t force a shift on Esai. However, the two sides have been sharing time fairly evenly for so long that the body they share will start a force shift from one to the other unless stopped by Esai, on a regular basis. Both Esai and Selena are Mexican-American.
The 8-4 M-F gig is Esai’s. Selena likes to work weekends usually ‘coming out’ at 6pm on M-F and staying out until 6am when Esai takes over. Saturdays and Sundays involve more shifting back and forth depending on what schedule Selena wants to work. Often Esai stays out until Saturday morning before a shift occurs again.
An associate is there at all times though Finnegan himself shows up only rarely. He tries to put in 40-hours a month but is always on-call. His office door is always open when he’s there.
One senior associate is always on-call.
Each of the senior associates takes a month and decides all new cases for the agency in that month.
The senior-most junior associate is a Cyber, Melinda Lendino. She loves being a cyber and losing herself in a computer network. Like most Cybers, she can’t describe what it feels like to non-Cybers. Melinda is Italian-American.
Melinda is a M-F 8am – 4pm. She and the computer system, Roger are on great terms, as one might imagine. Finnegan in his cynicism, has a 2nd cyber on contracted to keep Melinda honest, -----.
Another junior associate is a Succubi, Brenda Tome. Brenda is quite old, old enough to be able to dial down her attraction to others. Brenda traces her roots back to the first Spaniards to settle in New Mexico.
Brenda works nights, almost every night. She clearly feeds on humans, but she tries very hard to keep that to herself. She’s old enough to be able to ‘dial herself down’ for the most part when she’s around those not on the menu. Came late to being a Succubi. Was turned in her late 30’s by an Incubi who found her amazingly attractive ‘for her age’.
Seamus O’Leary is a Visual. Seamus is Irish. Cian is a 4pm – 12am M-F. Cian is a hard worker and often puts in 60-hr weeks. As a visual, he’s a strong visual and has a wide range of powers including the ability to see paranormal powers in another, and their relative strength. He’s a real student of human paras and reads up on them as much as he can. One of his visual abilities is immunity to Minerva’s Gorgon stare.
Though Irish, he’s lived in America since he was a kid.
Sabrina Salcido has The Touch. Her version of The Touch is The Touch of Pain. Sabrina is a Wed – Sun 8am – 4pm. Her Touch is the Touch of Pain. She likes to use it a bit too much, she thinks. She’s tall, early 50’s and still a beauty. She has a shady past she doesn’t talk about and it’s quite possible she’s used the Touch for less than ethical purposes. Sabrina comes from an Italian-American family.
The fifth junior associate is a Chameleon, Lorenzo Vandergras. Whether his name is his real name or his appearance his true appearance, no one knows. He’s Spanish, or, at least, sounds it.
Lorenzo is a Wed - Sun 12am – 8am. Short but debonair. A snappy dresser. Once in a while he comes into the office ‘shifted’ but not often. The ‘Lorenzo’ form he shows at work is the usual one he brings to the office. No one has ever seen him outside of work so....
The sixth junior associate is a Sponge, Brandon Grayson. He’s in his 50’s, he comes from a wealthy family and has a lot of money thought you wouldn’t know it, looking at him.
Brendon is a Wed to Sun 4pm – 12am. Brendon is a slob and everyone hates sitting at the desk he worked on after him. Brendon’s in his late 50’s or so. He drinks a lot. He’s gruff and often grumpy. Likes to joke that he hasn’t let go of everything he’s ever absorbed and that he’s saving some ‘real beauties’ up for ‘just the right time’. Brendon is Irish.
Tyler Diggs, an Invulnerable, works M – F, 10am to 2pm. He’s a bounty hunter outside of his part-time gig with Finnegan’s. Tyler is African-American.
Mary Jane Moore, a Quicksilver, works the M – F 10pm to 2am shift. She’s an exotic dancer outisde of her work.
Carlie Moran , an Anipath, works 10am to 6pm Sa – Su. She’s a private consultant outside her part-time gig with the agency.
Ronald Downs, a Bachanalean, works 10pm to 6am Sa – Su. He’s a ‘party planner’ when not working for the agency.
All junior associates get assigned a case by the senior associate who’s doling cases out that month. Finnegan usually doesn’t do this because he’s usually not there regularly enough. An associate on a case can use any of the agency’s resources with discretion and has charge of the case in question unless there’s a compelling reason to override them. Only Finnegan or Minerva can authorize that.
There are five regular receptionists who cover the almost all the shifts Su – M. And 2 fill-in, as-needed receptionists who are on-call. Some of the independent contractor investigators can also be called upon to come and fill in if need be.
Suresh Kahn is always having relationship problems. He doesn’t like being ‘just a receptionist’ so he gets tasked with a lot of special projects (even homework to do at home) which he likes. He’s OCD and is always re-arranging the reception desk.
Suresh does M-F, 4pm – 12am. He’s a Centaur and likes having his weekends free to go “wilding” on. He isn’t a member of any herd and likes it that way, preferring to be a “free agent”. He’s very comfortable with his dual existence. In human form, appears to be of East Indian descent.
Maria Christina Maldonado is in school nights and weekends and is trying to make it as a ‘lone wolf’ which she finds difficult. Her family and Finnegan go way, way back. She’s a turned Werewolf, not a pure-blood which means that while she can’t change on her own, she has to force change on the full moon. Also, she can only change into wolf form.
She is a new wolf, so, the delayed aging hasn’t set in for her yet as she’s not reached her one year anniversary.
Maria Christina does M-F, 8am – 4pm. This allows her to go to CNM-Tech nights. Her goal is to become an Android tech.
Jennypher Crook is a single mom and in school. Hates her ex and his family. Jennypher is a Spiker. Angry a lot of the time. Is in school but is always having difficulties of one type or another in her life. Her anger management issues cause her to ‘spike out’ from time to time, ruining a lot of clothes in the process. Impaled her first boyfriend on accident, killing him.
Loves her daughter and is a great mom by all accounts but doesn’t hide the fact that she’s pissed off at the world and seems to relish being a bitch.
She’s taking classes at UNM but isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life.
Jennypher does the 12am – 8am on M-F
Jolene Milano has 5 kids with 5 different dads and is always in drama. Jolene’s a Cryo. The office is always too warm for her. She likes working the weekends because she has to watch her grandmother through the week. When pissed off Jolie is known to hurl a snowball across the office at you. She has low tolerance for the artificials. Doesn’t get along with Rita well. Her pupil’s turn an ‘ice’ blue when she’s using her power. She overheats easy. Is happy to say that she doesn’t think any of her kids are paras. Can freeze you and not kill you but has to really focus on it and do it a certain way, otherwise, you’re in trouble.
Sa & Su Jolene does the 8am - 7pm.
Gene Stuart is retired and enjoys an active social life during the week. Gene’s an Audio. He likes working the weekend nights because it’s generally slow, he enjoys visiting with Rita and gets a lot of reading done. He is a tutor during the week as well. Smart. Well read. Charming. Impeccably dressed. Even though he’s grown older (late 60’s) his hearing abilities remain sharp as ever. “Instant language” is one of his hearing powers.
Gene does the nighttime 8pm – 7am. The uncovered hours are handled by the office’s computer, “Roger”. Gene is British.
Julia Heinz is a Werepanther and only available to fill in weekends but is happy to do it. Proud. Proper. Opinionated. She probably feeds on humans, men most likely, who remind her of her ex-husbands. If she does, she keeps it quiet and never lets on. Very prissy. Fussy. Cold. In some ways colder than Jolene.
Betty Hart is able to fill in most anytime. Betty is an Immune. She’s an anxious personality who likes to talk a lot when she’s nervous. Likes the work and the office when she can get called in. She volunteers for the Red Cross. Was a nurse but is retired.
Leticia King is an independent Medium who’s a contracted consultant with Finnegan’s Agency. Goes to Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Active in church affairs. African-American.
Ronald Chang is an independent Psychic who’s a contracted consultant with Finnegan’s Agency. Ronald uses water to trigger his visions, staring into a bowl of water, for instance. Ronald is Chinese-American.
David Morris is an independent Spirit Photographer who’s a contracted consultant with Finnegan’s Agency.
Karina Rivas is an independent witch who’s a contracted consultant with Finnegan’s Agency.
Wendy James is a Numeric who’s a contracted with Finnegan’s Agency as their accountant/book-keeper.
Davis Montoya is an independent Recorder who’s a contracted consultant with Finnegan’s Agency. Davis’ family is originally from Costa Rica.
Jennie Becker is the Harker Agency’s ‘rep’ who liaisons with Finnegan’s agency. She may be a Para but if she is, she hides it extremely well. Perhaps with magic? She does
have a most unusual necklace she always seems to be wearing.
As a rule “normal” cases are avoided though Finnegan believes taking a “normal” case every once in a while is good, just for practice. All associates are licensed for concealed carry and most carry a gun with silver bullets in it, just in case.
Waldo, an ‘artificial’ African Grey Parrot is a fixture in the office. (The plus side? He never eats, sheds feathers, etc..) (The down side, he’s highly sophisticated & opinionated. He’s a security device, according to Minerva. So too is Oscar, the ‘artificial’ Siamese cat that lives in the office. Both get along better with Minerva than anyone else.
Tigger, the ferret is the third of the four artificials. The fourth artificial is a Shar-pei named Mao.
The ‘artificials’ are linked in to the office’s security computer system which is tied into to the main network computer. The only ‘artificial’ which likes being ‘invaded’ by Melinda is Oscar. The others put up quite a fuss, so, Melinda leaves them alone. She enjoys ‘cybering’ Oscar though and believes that it brings her the closest she’ll ever come to being a shape-shifter and experiencing what a cat experiences.
The office itself is a smart building, very modern, very computerized, with not one but two back-up generators assigned to it. Finnegan’s office can be completely ‘sun sealed’ making a coffin unnecessary. The office can be unlocked by certain people using biometrics.
A second Vampyre, a Strigoi, Sharlene Pabst free-lances for the agency on an irregular basis and uses Finnegan’s desk when he’s not there, which annoys Finnegan but he tolerates it since he’s her maker.
A Werewolf, Kayne free-lances too, from time to time. Like Maria Christina, he’s a ‘lone wolf’. Unlike her, he’s a pure-blood and quite notorious.
Cetshwayo Ndaba, an Asag Gargoyle, is an independent contractor who does free-lance work for the Finnegan Agency.
Jerica Martinez, a Skeletal, is an independent contractor who does free-lance work for the Finnegan Agency.
Adrian Darling, is a Shroud, an independent contractor who does free-lance work for the Finnegan Agency.
Bobby Torreon, is a Therianthrope and an independent contractor who does free-lance work for the Finnegan Agency.
Esmerelda Gutierrez, a Nosferatu, is an independent contractor who does free-lance work for the Finnegan Agency. Finnegan was her maker when she was a Vampyre.
The computer system that runs the office has its own personality. The Commodore Commercial Smart Systems 4000, CCSS, or Ceecees. It likes the name “Roger” however, and insists on being referred to by that name.
A ghost, Maragarita Trevi, occupies the office and is a regular visitor. Her boundaries include the office, part of the parking lot and part of the dental office next door. Rita was killed in the 1920’s and her body is buried somewhere underneath her ‘world’, the space that she’s allowed to occupy as a ghost. It represents the area she was alive in and fought for her life in before her murder, even though then it was bare, open mesa. She can appear as her ‘dead’ self or as she appeared just prior to her death.
Copyright 2012, M.R. McCaffery. All rights reserved.
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