|
Sometimes buildings go boom. Other times they just burn down. Out in the suburbs is one such building, which has apparantly suffered from a major house fire, but photos in police reports may suggest that there was an explosion there. The old house was a wood construct, and the floor plans suggest there was a basement in addition to the main floor. With the police gone, it's time for other parties to move in, such as insurance and other people who look more into things.
It seems the house held insurance with the same agency that Yuliya works for. With buildings being her expertise, the young woman is currently looking over plans on the front of the car that she's got from work. She's dressed in business attire, and has a camera case slung over her shoulder.
Fitz showed and had on a blue pea coat and a badge around his neck that was relativly non-descript but got him through to where he needed to go. Police forensics perhaps? There was in his hand a small scanner that had a screen not entirely unlike that of radar or sonar or perhaps some manner of geiger counter on it. :He too had his own camera which were not going to work well with winter mittens and this was the day his digits were super cold. His brow was furrowed and when he spoke it was eith a strong Scotish accent, though still clear in spite of the relaxed brogue. "Truly unfortunate isn't it? These things happening?" Words of compassion opening conversation to teh other assessing the scene.
Yuliya blinks in surprise when she hears a Scottish accent. "It is very unfortunate," she replies in a Yugoslavian accent. She glances up from the blue print that had her attention, and brushes down her suit as she offers a friendly smile. She considers the man and his camera and then the strange device that he's holding. She tilts her head to the side and purses her lips as she tries to make heads or tails of it. "I've read over the reports, but to say it is a house fire, it does not make much sense when you see the pictures." The device still has her attention, but she offers a leather clad hand in greeting. "Yuliya Muscovich, insurance assessor." She even has a name tag with her name on it, as well as the name of the multi-national insurance firm she's with. "I have not seen one of those things before. What is it?"
Fitz was nothing if not polite. He approached offering ahand to hergreeting the lady as a professional regardless of the poor and misguided opinions of many on professional and government fields. "Leo. Leo Fitz. I'm a contractor of sorts." Not… actually untrue!. "City likes to know of these things are tied to gas leaks or faults on the side of their infrastructure or if things in the substructures might risk things like collapse, sinkholes, panic. You know, 'unpleasantness'." When asked about the device he smiled proudly, though with humility, "It detects things like microwave emission, electromagnetic readings. Few things really. I was going to call it the Idiot Box because it keeps catching things sometimes I miss, but as we built it? Eh on the fence on that one… but I'm babbling. Apologies." Well at least he didn't assume people were stupid, there was that.
Yuliya offers a friendly smile when the man takes her hand. "It is nice to meet you, Mister Fitz," she offers in reply. "Oh, a contractor. I guess you're a civil engineer then?" That same friendly smile keeps up, not wavering at all. She seems to consider the possibility of gas leaks, and purses her lips. "It is a very distinct possibility," she replies. "The city built that? That is very impressive. If it can find live wires, it would be even better. But Idiot Box?" She offers a soft laugh. "Well it does sound better than beepy findy. Also better safe than sorry, after all." A polite smile is then offered. "No, I assure you that is quite alright Mister Fitz."
Fitz paused and squint, "Weeeeelll noooooo. Cities barely rebuild roads." He cracked a wry, amused grin. His expression lit up at the suggestion though, "Ooh beepy-Findy? I think you right might be onto something there. Really if it can read electric current in theory it should be able to pick up power lines. Usually have a fair bit of copper to them which tracks." He did say teh city outsourced to him to be at least honest. He paused and looked at the woman, "Have you a going theory then? Admittedly I jsut got on site and have little to go with other than 'Fitz, go look'. Hate to see another ground fault, ya know?"
"I do not know, the roads here are a lot better than some places in Europe," Yuliya admits with another soft laugh. Though at his comment about naming the Idiot Box to the Beepy-Findy, she kind of gives him a 'are you serious look', which is then followed by amusement. "Mister Fitz, you are certainly a unique individual," she then comments with a soft laugh. "Not in a bad way either." She listens to the explanation and then nods. "It actually sounds like a very handy device to have. I might have to beg the office to see if they can get us anything like that." She purses her lips and shakes her head. "I have several, though I do not think any are correct. I have only read the reports and looked at the blue prints I was able to pull."
"Long story short, is that it is a nineteen-thirties building. from what was sent to me, the owner was a World War 1 veteran and a hobby chemist," she says, informing Fitz. "So possible gas fire which got out of control? I haven't seen inside yet."
Fitz blushed with a grin and nodded giving her that. "Yeah North of Glasgow it's all rather hit or miss isn't it?" At the look he had to chuckle in spite of the look of disbelief, "Whaaaat? I can call it a BF reader and take solace that it's a Beepy Findy. It beeps. It finds. There's not really a need to stand on ceremony about it now is there, Ms. Muscovich?" This was a man who loved his science and clearly had too much fun with it. Though well enough he didn't butcher her name. The story though got a hike of eyebrows, "1930'? Prohibition era buildings always pose the interesting element of having hidden pockets off the original blueprints. But really how often do we get to look at something like that?" Hidden staircases? Yas! Banner day and all without being shot at. "Well we'll have to be careful as we go. They say who the building resistry was with? The um, the owner?"
Yuliya says, "I never did get across the channel, so I will take your word for Scotland," Yuliya replies, as she rolls up the blueprint and tucks it under her arm. She makes her way around to the car, and pulls out a file. She flips through it, and then offers it towards Fitz as she closes the door with her foot. "I think it was a Mr. Alexander Alexson, and I honestly thought my name was bad." She offers a laugh at the man's eagerness and she nods. "It will be interesting to see what secrets this old house hides."
A little shake of her head is also given. "I did not expect you to take the name seriously, Mr. Fitz," she then admits with a grin. "I guess there with the walky-talky, so beepy-findy does actually make a lot of sense."
"Shall we go and see what interest secrets Mr. Alexson has hidden?" she asks, complete with a mischevious smirk as she starts towards the open door of the house."
Fitz offered her a reprieve of, "Well I suppose it's beatter than calling a microwave a 'heaty eaty' so the BF Reader has that going for it. Besides you build enough things you run out of names and giving something a serial number isn't exactly definitive in purpose." Oh yeah, he had time to think about that one during many a long night at the lab. Eyes on the page, and curiosity undaunted, Fitz grinned at her amusement and the excitement of finding somethng interesting . "Yes, let's go see if they put the kettle on for us or if perhaps taht's what started this whole mess."