Streets of Seattle
8:45 PM
After a quick side trip to Ben's rental car where he grabbed a small camera bag out of the passenger seat, he and Max decided to walk the few blocks it was to Crash. They walked down the quiet Seattle streets, Ben entertaining Max with tales of his and Logan's adventures, disasters, and schemes from their days at Yale.
"So what did you end up doing after you graduated?" Max asked as they stepped off the curb to cross the street. "Well, I had my journalism degree in hand, but after I got a job for the New York Post, writing about politics of all things, I made a startling discovery. I hated writing, I was good at it, but I hated having to wake up and do it everyday. Now this really sucked for me, and I was getting ready to just quit, but a photographer suddenly quit, and some great soul suggested I learn how to work a camera and temp for them till they got a replacement. One week later I was an official full time photojournalist."
"That explains the camera bag. Are you any good?" Max asked bluntly.
"Well, I've been doing this for just over 6 years now, I've gotten two Pulitzer prizes back in New York." Ben replied just as bluntly.
"Well then, I see you're a passably good photographer then." She stated, laughing. They walked the next few blocks in silence. Ben decided to put his plan into action. Subject one had passed with flying colors, so it was now time to test subject two. "Max, what would you say if I asked you out to dinner, say tomorrow night?" He studied her face out of the corner of his eye, gauging her reaction. He saw her slightly wince. "Well, I'd have to say no, because I am interested in someone else. Even if it is against my better judgement."
Of all the reactions that Max could have expected, the large smile that Ben was wearing was not it. "Ok Max, time to let you in on my little secret. No offense, but you are so not my type. I generally stay away from women who look like they could kick my a*ss. So that was just a test."
Max glanced over to him quizzically. "Test for what?"
"I'm going to help you get Logan." Max stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Ben icily. "What?" She drew the words out in a way that clearly said 'Give me a reason to kick you.'
"Don't even bother to deny that Logan isn't your 'other interest.' The sparks that fly off of you people singe innocent bystanders. You don't have to worry about me telling Logan anything, I am the one plotting against him with you."
Max crossed her arms and stared a little longer at Ben. "Fine, like you said, I can kick you're a*ss if need be. Ok, so I want Logan. What makes you think he in any way wants me? He has made no indications of such that I have picked up on."
"You aren't me. When you work at my job, you pick up on how to gauge human emotions. You didn't see the look in his eyes when you walked into the kitchen. He completely spazzed when I ever-so-casually asked for tips of scoring with you." Ben saw the look in Max's eyes. "What, I knew he was so long gone on you, I had to make sure! Anyways, you were harder to figure out. But after my little experiment I've decided to spend my time in Seattle playing cupid."
Max started walking again; they were about a block away from Crash. "This better not embarrass me!"
Ben took that as an agreement. "It won't because you are going to know very little. All you have to do is go along with whatever I do. Lesson one is Logan has a very large jealous streak. Use it to your advantage. Just play along with me, and whatever he says I said, I did. I'll take care of everything else." By then they had reached the entrance of Crash, a mixture of music and voices flowed out. Max grabbed Ben's arm and weaved their way through the crowd and to the door. Suddenly she stopped and glanced at Ben. "I have friends. They are all convinced that Logan, as Original Cindy refers to him, is my sugar daddy. You need help with this little plan of yours, go to them. But I don't want to know, the little I know, the better." Ben grinned impishly. "Now you're getting into the spirit of things. God, I love a good conspiracy."
8:45 PM
After a quick side trip to Ben's rental car where he grabbed a small camera bag out of the passenger seat, he and Max decided to walk the few blocks it was to Crash. They walked down the quiet Seattle streets, Ben entertaining Max with tales of his and Logan's adventures, disasters, and schemes from their days at Yale.
"So what did you end up doing after you graduated?" Max asked as they stepped off the curb to cross the street. "Well, I had my journalism degree in hand, but after I got a job for the New York Post, writing about politics of all things, I made a startling discovery. I hated writing, I was good at it, but I hated having to wake up and do it everyday. Now this really sucked for me, and I was getting ready to just quit, but a photographer suddenly quit, and some great soul suggested I learn how to work a camera and temp for them till they got a replacement. One week later I was an official full time photojournalist."
"That explains the camera bag. Are you any good?" Max asked bluntly.
"Well, I've been doing this for just over 6 years now, I've gotten two Pulitzer prizes back in New York." Ben replied just as bluntly.
"Well then, I see you're a passably good photographer then." She stated, laughing. They walked the next few blocks in silence. Ben decided to put his plan into action. Subject one had passed with flying colors, so it was now time to test subject two. "Max, what would you say if I asked you out to dinner, say tomorrow night?" He studied her face out of the corner of his eye, gauging her reaction. He saw her slightly wince. "Well, I'd have to say no, because I am interested in someone else. Even if it is against my better judgement."
Of all the reactions that Max could have expected, the large smile that Ben was wearing was not it. "Ok Max, time to let you in on my little secret. No offense, but you are so not my type. I generally stay away from women who look like they could kick my a*ss. So that was just a test."
Max glanced over to him quizzically. "Test for what?"
"I'm going to help you get Logan." Max stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Ben icily. "What?" She drew the words out in a way that clearly said 'Give me a reason to kick you.'
"Don't even bother to deny that Logan isn't your 'other interest.' The sparks that fly off of you people singe innocent bystanders. You don't have to worry about me telling Logan anything, I am the one plotting against him with you."
Max crossed her arms and stared a little longer at Ben. "Fine, like you said, I can kick you're a*ss if need be. Ok, so I want Logan. What makes you think he in any way wants me? He has made no indications of such that I have picked up on."
"You aren't me. When you work at my job, you pick up on how to gauge human emotions. You didn't see the look in his eyes when you walked into the kitchen. He completely spazzed when I ever-so-casually asked for tips of scoring with you." Ben saw the look in Max's eyes. "What, I knew he was so long gone on you, I had to make sure! Anyways, you were harder to figure out. But after my little experiment I've decided to spend my time in Seattle playing cupid."
Max started walking again; they were about a block away from Crash. "This better not embarrass me!"
Ben took that as an agreement. "It won't because you are going to know very little. All you have to do is go along with whatever I do. Lesson one is Logan has a very large jealous streak. Use it to your advantage. Just play along with me, and whatever he says I said, I did. I'll take care of everything else." By then they had reached the entrance of Crash, a mixture of music and voices flowed out. Max grabbed Ben's arm and weaved their way through the crowd and to the door. Suddenly she stopped and glanced at Ben. "I have friends. They are all convinced that Logan, as Original Cindy refers to him, is my sugar daddy. You need help with this little plan of yours, go to them. But I don't want to know, the little I know, the better." Ben grinned impishly. "Now you're getting into the spirit of things. God, I love a good conspiracy."