Lucy’s Diary
I can’t stop thinking about that stuff we found in Harker’s search history. It’s concerning, and I’m starting to worry that maybe something really is wrong.
At first I thought I’d email Hark’s professor, and he’d respond with something about how he saw him yesterday or whatever. Then I’d stop worrying, Harker would see that yes, I do know who his advisor is, thank you very much, and there’d be some rational explanation for all of this.
And now? I don’t know. I’m thinking back to those weird dreams I’ve been having, and it just makes me uneasy, I guess? Like I know I should just talk to Mina and she’ll make me feel better, but there’s this whole part of me that just can’t stop thinking about all that stuff about bodies and murder and what if my brother really did kill someone? And okay, sure, I know I’m like one of those doctors who just got her license and thinks she has the Bubonic Plague or whatever, like, I have a true crime podcast, of course I’m going to start thinking about all this stuff. Everyone has nightmares about their family and their jobs, right? Ha, ha.
I just can’t shake this feeling that something honestly is wrong, and the problem is that when I let myself dwell on it, I just…get kind of intense about it. That’s why I’m not really telling Mina just how worried I am, because yeah, we all know Lucy does the “spiral” thing and I’m not even saying that I don’t.
But there’s something going on, and I know it, and I just want to figure out the truth as quickly as I can before I drive myself crazy. I’m hoping that going to Hark’s professor is a good idea, because no way am I going to call up the police and say, “Hi, my brother, a Black man, is missing and maybe there are murdered white people involved.” I’ve got resources and I can use them, and the sooner this is all solved the better.
Maybe I’ll volunteer for another shift or two at the hotel while we’re figuring this all out. Spare Mina my panicked ramblings, and let my mind quiet a little.
Google Hangouts
4:16 PM
Arthur Quincey
So I just met the good professor *heart eyes emoji*
Lucy Westenra
As hot in person as you hoped?
Arthur Quincey
Oh yeah. Definitely. Less Viggo Mortensen as Indiana Jones and more Viggo Mortensen as, like…hmmm
I don’t know—pick a hot professor and add more hair.
Mina Murray
So what happened? Besides your crush blooming before our very eyes.
Arthur Quincey
Well, he told me that he can't really give me like, all of Harker's research
Which, you guys, it's probably really boring
But he did say he'll tell me like, stuff they talked about as in, stuff/emails Van Hot Stuff sent to Harker
Lucy Westenra
I forgot about your hot-for-teacher thing but I’m so glad that my brother disappearing can revive old habits :\
Arthur Quincey
Luce, he really thinks your brother is really smart, I could tell. He doesn’t seem like the type who’d just say that to be nice.
Lucy Westenra
Saying my brother is smart is like saying the sun is gonna rise in the east: duh.
Arthur Quincey
I know, but he went on this thing about how most professors, if one of their grad students came to them and wanted to include a dating app in their dissertation research, they'd be suspicious it was gonna end up, like, a Huffington Post article (his words, said with horror).
Lucy Westenra
I mean obviously he likes my brother, I got that from his email. But is any of his esteem gonna help us find him?
Arthur Quincey
I think he's definitely interested in helping, yeah. Once he realized we weren’t actually trying to read Harker’s dissertation.
Lucy Westenra
Who on earth would want to read that?
Arthur Quincey
He said that from what he knew of Harker, if it were his brother, he'd be concerned since Harker usually emailed him like clockwork on Fridays.
Though he did say that he couldn't really speak to anything that Harker did outside of academia
Lucy Westenra
He didn't do anything outside of academia
Mina Murray
That we know of.
Lucy Westenra
I just have this really bad feeling and it keeps getting worse
Arthur Quincey
He's—I mean, he's a smart guy, Van Helsing. And he said he'd help us. Gave me his phone number and everything :)
Mina Murray
So…where do we go from here?
Arthur Quincey
I told him you were doing research on the names you found in his apartment in case they turn out to be related to his disappearance.
Van Helsing is going to go through his correspondence with Harker and see if anything strikes him as strange or useful and share it with us. I told him we'd share info from y'all's research
Mina Murray
Great—good job, A. Lucy? You want me to come over?
Lucy Westenra
…yeah, actually. If you don't mind.
I appreciate it, A. You don't mind working with Van Helsing on this, right?
Arthur Quincey
Hey, it's okay. Really, Luce. Let Mina take care of you, and nah, I don't mind at all. Quite the opposite >:)
3:32 PM
[Arthur Quincey would like to chat with you on Hangouts. Accept? Y N]
Arthur Quincey
Hello, Professor
A. Van Helsing
This is a rather intrusive business, Arthur.
Arthur Quincey
Hey, Professor, you hit the yes button. So maybe you like it ;)
A. Van Helsing
Good lord.
Arthur Quincey
Tell me the truth, am I the first person you've chatted?
A. Van Helsing
Within the confines of this box on my desk, in real time as opposed to email? Yes.
Arthur Quincey
You can also access this app on your phone, Professor.
A. Van Helsing
I think you'll find that's not true, given the specs of my phone.
Arthur Quincey
Pics or it didn't happen
A. Van Helsing
Pictograms?
Arthur Quincey
I…can't actually tell if you're joking, Professor
A. Van Helsing
Yes, Arthur, I'm joking.
Arthur Quincey
Good to know. And I suddenly just realized you probably have a flip phone with Snake on it, don't you.
A. Van Helsing
Half right. 50%. That's an F, Arthur. What are we doing here?
Arthur Quincey
Oh, I'm pretty sure this could amuse me for a really long time, Professor.
But seriously, thank you for talking to me. And Lucy is really…well, I think she's taking this hard and I feel kind of bad that I didn't take this very seriously. You sort of made me see that maybe my being so cavalier wasn't appropriate.
A. Van Helsing
You're welcome. I'm…also concerned about Harker. I had him as an undergraduate, did you know?
Arthur Quincey
I knew he went to Tulane, so I figured. I don't really know him that well, but his sister is one of the first people I met when I moved here from Georgia. She's wonderful, but they're like…night and day. For a while I honestly thought he might have just needed a break from…uh. Everything.
Wow, sorry. I don't have anyone to talk to about this because Lucy is Harker's sister and Mina is…well. Lucy's.
A. Van Helsing
Mina is Lucy's, meaning they are together?
Arthur Quincey
Yep
They were friends since they were kids, but then like, Mina did this grand confession in a cemetery and they’ve been together ever since.
Cute, right?
I mean, not to disappoint you. If you’d be disappointed about that. Them not being date-able, I mean.
Uh
Are you?
A. Van Helsing
What is it you're really trying to ask me, Arthur?
Arthur Quincey
Trying to find out who you're interested in.
I'm not sure if it's working or not tbh
Hey, sorry if that made you uncomfortable
A. Van Helsing
I—no. Not uncomfortable. I thought you were joking, I suppose. The line between teasing and joking is fine. I don't think I like not talking face to face.
It's difficult to read you.
No pun intended.
Arthur Quincey
Not a lot of people think I'm very complex. Open book, that sort of thing.
I'd suggest a video chat, but maybe not quite yet. I'm not sure if your computer has the specs to support it.
A. Van Helsing
I'm not surprised to hear that's the impression people get of you, since you seem to work very hard to appear so. I don't buy it, though. Smart people play stupid in very particular ways.
Arthur Quincey
I spend a lot of time creating a persona that works for other people as part of my job. Most people never notice, but it's never my intention to appear stupid.
And while I might find Mina and Lucy both gorgeous and wouldn't kick them out of bed for eating crackers, it's not just girls that gets my motor running.
A. Van Helsing
Am I flattering myself to think that your rather inappropriate comments about your friends are an attempt to get my attention?
Arthur Quincey
It would seem to me like I already have it, Professor
A. Van Helsing
Fair point. Now what are you going to do with it?
Arthur Quincey
…this is not how I expected this conversation to go. At all.
A. Van Helsing
Look, Arthur, you began this conversation with me. Much as I might like to believe that you simply enjoyed my company and wish to get to know me better, I rather doubt it.
Arthur Quincey
Actually, August, (is that really what people call you? I keep thinking of you as—well, Professor, because reasons—Van Helsing), that's true. As in, I did enjoy your company and am enjoying it now, and I would like to get to know you better.
A. Van Helsing
Most of my colleagues call me Van Helsing, or sometimes just Van, but I don't like it. My family called me August, yes. But my ex-partner and my best friend call me Gus.
Arthur Quincey
Your ex-partner…I'm guessing you mean as in boyfriend? Who is also your best friend? That's impressive. I'm pretty sure my ex-boyfriend blocked my phone number and my ex-girlfriend from college definitely blocked me on Twitter.
A. Van Helsing
Yes, my ex-partner is a man, and yes, he is now one of my best friends. But I meant my oldest friend, Jillian. Your relationships sound like they had fiery ends.
Arthur Quincey
I didn't expect you to just—answer questions so honestly. Sorry, that makes me sound like a dick. I appreciate it, I do. And I mean, the reason I contacted you is Lucy and Harker, but this isn't…about them. And if you're not okay with that, then it's fine.
And to answer your question, not really. I think I just show up on SM so much that my exes are tired of my face
A. Van Helsing
I can't imagine how that could happen.
And I value honesty. Very much.
Arthur Quincey
I do, too. But I'm so used to honesty being packaged and prettied up, all perfect angles and just the right filter.
Sorry, I'm—something about talking to you is making me say shit I don't usually say.
A. Van Helsing
If it's being filtered, it's not really honesty. Honesty has room for…strategic presentation, I suppose, but I prefer it without too much manipulation. I'm interested in what you're saying.
Arthur Quincey
"Strategic presentation", I like that :)
Well, I'm glad. I should really be asking you about Harker, I know. Would you rather I did that and left the personal stuff and my bad attempts at flirting out of it? You can let me know, and don't even worry about making the presentation of rejection strategic ;)
A. Van Helsing
I…no. You know you’re young enough to be one of my graduate students? Though much better dressed. But if your flirting is sincere, then I welcome it. I can't deny that I felt something between us this morning.
Arthur Quincey
I, uh, definitely felt something
Ugh, sorry, that was a terrible joke—you should be impressed, I never get this nervous. but seriously, so did I. It's definitely sincere.
A. Van Helsing
I am also nervous. I…I suppose I don't quite know what to say next. I've never attempted to flirt on a—what is this, chat?
Arthur Quincey
OMG, Gus. (I'm…look, that name reminds me of the musical Cats, which I loathe so can I call you Van?)
It's kind of hot you just said you were nervous btw (and yeah, it's chat)
A. Van Helsing
I got the feeling you were calling me Professor on purpose, no? Yes, I suppose I can suffer through Van, if you must.
Ah, well, I'm very gratified you think so.
Arthur Quincey
Yeah, because I like it. The professor thing is totally a turn-on. And I like the idea of making you like that name, Van. Just because no one else has.
A. Van Helsing
I must state for the record that I do *not* condone professors sleeping with their students. However, seeing you across the desk from me this morning…well…
As you're not actually my student, I would never presume to instruct anyone on what turns them on.
Arthur Quincey
Trust me, Van, I was enjoying seeing myself across your desk, too. And maybe on top of it. Bent over. (Too much? That might have been too much.)
Nope, I'm not your student but I bet you could still teach me a thing or two
A. Van Helsing
Hmm, well, I can tell you that your tendency to default to attention-seeking bravado when you feel vulnerable is rather charming, now that I know what it is. And I am not…averse to testing
the structural integrity of my office furniture, Arthur.
Arthur Quincey
I'm not even going to pretend to try and say I don't do that. I like how you use impossibly complex words to say things like "I'd like to fuck you over my desk and see if we can break it"
and for the record? That wasn't attention-seeking, it was the truth.
A. Van Helsing
Things can be two things at once, I propose. But I'm glad to know which side it was weighted on. And Arthur?
Arthur Quincey
Yes, Van?
A. Van Helsing
I'd like to fuck you over my desk. But I would prefer we didn't break it. Maintenance is so tedious when channeled through a university bureaucracy.
Arthur Quincey
I'd love to see that help ticket, though. And I…am having a lot of very nice thoughts right now, so it's making it difficult to remember what the hell I was supposed to actually talk to you about.
A. Van Helsing
As I recall, you mentioned simply enjoying my company and wanting to get to know me better.
Arthur Quincey
Yes, and you mentioned fucking me over your desk. These are both things I want to do
But I promised Lucy I'd ask you about her brother, and I don't—I don't want that to mess up whatever we've got going on here
A. Van Helsing
Of course. Ask away.
Arthur Quincey
This is not what I want to be doing/talking about/fantasizing about/thinking about/etc
But before we can get back to that—do you think Harker is involved in something because of Thrall?
A. Van Helsing
Do you mean, might Harker have gone out on dates, using Thrall, and…what, exactly? Killed people? Become involved in a group that kills people? Been kidnapped? Been killed himself? What are we talking about here, precisely?
Arthur Quincey
God I don't know, I'm still thinking about you, me and your desk
Just…if any of Harker's research involves Thrall and serial killers/murder/maiming/mayhem, could you let me know? and can we keep chatting but not about murder/maiming/mayhem/Harker?
A. Van Helsing
No, to the best of my knowledge, there was nothing in Harker's research that evidenced any desire for or interest in serial killers, murder, maiming, or mayhem. At least not in the drafts I've seen. (That was a joke, Arthur.) And, yes.
Arthur Quincey
Thank you for letting me in on that one, Van. Good. I could ask you about your favorite food/bands or we could talk about that desk some more…
A. Van Helsing
I don't think my desk puts out on the first chat, Arthur. Polish up your questions.
Arthur Quincey
I'll have them whipped into shape and strategically presented to you in no time, Professor
A. Van Helsing
I look forward to it.