A week later in the change rooms at Dawn Logistics, a tangible awkwardness filled the air as the original staff was busy getting dressed and ready for the day. Every now and then, the group would glance over at a certain locker in the corner of the room, which had a sticky note with 'V.V' scribbled on it.
"…I just can't get used to it." The employee named Ryan said more to himself as he stared at the locker.
"You've been saying that every morning for the past week." The older employee replied with a sigh.
"But it's true, B! A three-piece suit is dangling in that damn locker as we speak! Who the fuck comes to work in a suit like that if he's employed by a logistics company?"
"And he also comes in smelling of really good coffee, but never brings any for the rest of us." The female employee chimed in from behind a bedsheet that was strung up in order to give her privacy.
"We have coffee here, Natalie." B replied as he began buttoning up his overalls.
"We have the equivalent of discarded coffee grounds, thrice reused." "Natalie grumbled.
"He barely speaks, or even acknowledges our existences…" The 'dopey looking' guy said, chiming in.
"Does he have to, Morgannin? He's here to work, and so are we. He's on time. follows instructions, and never complains. What more do you want?"
"Hmph."
The grumbling and the like continued for a few more minutes before Sonny burst in, looking grumpy as was the norm in the morning.
"Oi! Stop yer grumblin' and get ready to start work!" He boomed. "We're doing pickups for a courier today!"
As the three younger staff members all jumped and made a beeline for the door, B calmly closed his locker and began to walk out calmly before a pudgy hand on his chest stopped him in his tracks.
"So, how's he been, Bryant?" Sonny asked. "I heard you playing referee in there, so I guess you've been keeping an eye on him. Has this week been enough for you to form an opinion?"
"I don't understand him, Pop." Bryant responded with a shake of the head.
"Here we go…" Sonny replied with an eye roll and a shake of the head. "I knew I shouldn't have asked you…"
"I don't understand him at all. Everything they were saying is true, and it's hard to understand him. Even at lunch, he just sits and eats like some kind of robot – no conversation, no questions, just silence and chewing. You told us that there was absolutely no chance of him doing something to us, so we kind of took that statement at face value – but he's still… weird. I don't understand him, so I can't begin to try and evaluate him."
"You don't need to know his star sign or what he does with his toenail clippings or whatever, just work with him and tell me what he's like as an employee! What's so hard about that?!"
"Sorry Pop, I need to know. I need to know what drives him, what moves him forward, what—"
"Shut the fuck up, Bryant. It was a mistake asking you in the first place. Forget it and get to work."
"Pop…"
"Don't call me that! I don't have a kid as loopy as you." Sonny said dismissively as he walked out of the change room and into the lot, where everybody else, including Visuveus, was waiting
Soon enough, B joined the group and Sonny handed him a clip board with a list off addresses and pickup points.
"Today, we've been hired by a courier company to go collect a bunch of parcels and bring them over to the depot for sorting. As you know, the more we're able to collect, the more we get paid, so try and get to as many of the locations of that piece of paper as possible."
"Understood." B said with a nod before pulling the keys out of his pocket and looking at the rest of them. "Alright guys, let's go. Visuveus Vincent, you're up front with me."
"I'm alright in the back."
"We've already tried that – even with Natalie in the front seat. You were so folded up, it looked like a scene in a torture porn horror flick. You'll be up front."
"Very well." Visuveus confirmed with a nod.
Everybody climbed in, with the two tall men getting in last. The truck drove off and Sonny sighed and shook his head. As he made his way to his office, he was met with a cup of steaming hot coffee and raised eyebrow.
"What?" He asked as he took the coffee from the older woman.
"Why didn't you just tell Bryant about Vincent's daughter?"
"Because it's not my job to help him 'uNdErStAnD' anybody." Sonny griped and he impersonated Bryant's deep voice and inflection in a mocking tone "I didn't tell him to be so weird – he'll have to figure out how to navigate this himself."
Meanwhile in the car, the group was en route to the first address and old school, jazzy hip hop was blaring from the speakers. B was bouncing and rapping along, while those in the back ranged from jamming along, to fighting for dear life not to lose their minds. Visuveus was just looking out of the window the whole time, seemingly successful at tuning it all out. They arrived at the house around twenty minutes after setting off, and as everybody disembarked from the truck, there were various complaints that were mumbled. Bryant spoke to the client, who had already packed everything in boxes and after the forms were filled out, the boxes were placed in the truck and then it was off to the next address. This process was repeated right up until lunch, where Bryant parked the truck in a District close to the next destination. As per usual when they were out like this, the four of them pooled their money together and decided on what to eat, with Natalie and Morgannin heading off to get the food. Ryan, Bryant and Visuveus remained behind, with Ryan suspiciously eyeing the ex-con, who was standing towards the back of the truck, keeping an eye on it.
"…would you stop staring at him like that, Ryan?"
"Hush. Just look at him… acting like he's on guard."
"He probably is – as unnecessary as it may be."
"I'll tell you what's unnecessary – playing that music of yours at full blast for hours on end!"
"You know the rules, Ryan!" Bryant retorted instantly. "When it's your month to drive, you're the King of the Truck. I'm the King right now. Don't make me pull out the crown."
Before the bickering could go on for much longer, Morgannin and Natalie returned carrying parcels of food and drinks.
"Yo, Evil Dude." Natalie called as she set the food down inside the truck. "The food is here, so we're officially on our lunch break."
Visuveus glanced at the group before nodding and making his way over to them. He did not take anything from the freshly purchased food however, and reached for his bag before pulling out a simple looking lunchbox. He then walked towards a small clearing which had a collection of concrete tables and benches, sat on a bench and proceeded to eat his incredibly plain sandwiches. The group watched him in silence, before beginning to set themselves up.
"…I can't believe you've been calling him 'Evil Dude' for a week, yet you haven't had some kind of terrible accident." Ryan remarked with a shake of the head as he took his portion of food.
"Well, what the Hell am I supposed to call him, then?" Natalie asked with a dismissive shrug.
"I'm pretty sure he has a name." Morgannin chimed in without looking up from his food.
"Yeah, well he called you Dopey before, so you shush." She said as she looked at Morgannin.
"You're right." He quipped. "But I'm not the one tempting fate by insulting the mass murdering ex-on."
While the group sat there and discussed Visuveus, the man in question munched on his sandwiches, looking as though he had completely forgotten that they existed. If he had forgotten, he was forced to remember as Bryant's boots crunched the grass beneath them, alerting Visuveus of his approach. Bryant stopped right in front of the other man and just looked at him, prompting Visuveus to look up, and for the two men to make and hold eye contact in silence. The silence was both protracted and awkward, until Visuveus broke it.
"…is there something on my face?"
"…"
Bryant said nothing and continued to look at Visuveus for what felt like an eternity before turning around and walking off. The confused looking ex-con just watched as Bryant rejoined the group and continued eating.
'What the Hell was that?' Visuveus thought to himself. 'Luckily there was no malice or aggression in his demeanor, or I would have reacted… but.'