Dossier:
Isaac Rhoades

Meeting Your New Boss

{ Today is Thursday }

• Listener wakes up in an unfamiliar room. Listener has been asleep for three days, after being found half-dead in an alleyway.
• A background check on the Listener reveals that they graduated college with above average grades, they don’t have any family and have been bouncing from job to job. Listener is three months behind on their rent, and has been surviving on two meals a week.
• Isaac inherited his home from his Grandfather. Grandfather had extravagant taste. The house is two floors:
  • First floor: Kitchen, Lounge, Foyer, Dining Room, Gym + Indoor Swimming Pool, Study [off-limits], Library
  • Second floor: Bedrooms
  • Grounds: Garden [off-limits]
• Listener is hired as Isaac’s live-in housekeeper, with a salary the he deposits in a bank account he created for them. Eventually when Isaac no longer needs a housekeeper, they will be able to leave.
• Isaac has purchased some clothes for Listener.
• Isaac receives a phone call about a development in Richmond. He tells the caller to inform Harren.
• Work starts tomorrow.

Working for Your New Boss

{ Today is Friday }

• Start of the day begins with Listener bringing Isaac his morning coffee to his bedroom.
• Because Listener isn’t used to eating breakfast (or eating in general), Isaac insists that Listener go eat and accompanies them down to the kitchen.
• Isaac takes a phone call and talks about an arson attack and three specific people:
  • Worker from the café (Listener from Elias’ story line)
  • Warden
  • Warden’s Son (Elias)
• The only person that knows Listener is with Isaac is his most trusted, and he wants to keep it that way.
• Listener is rather clumsy/incompetent in the kitchen.
• First day of work begins.

Comforting Your New Boss

{ Over a month later }

• Isaac is woken by a recurring nightmare and finds Listener in the lounge. Listener is having trouble sleeping.
• Isaac pours himself some whiskey (neat) and settles in on the couch to do work for the rest of the night for a regular client.
• Listener offers to listen (haha) to Isaac’s problems, but Isaac is reluctant at first. Listener offers a deal in order to get the information.
• Isaac talks about himself:
  • Lived in the house since he was 12 with his Grandfather, Mother, and Father.
  • Grandfather was a private investigator as well.
  • Isaac would play outside in the garden with his mother when there were “guests.” Mother had a green thumb and enjoyed gardening. Would also play badminton with Isaac.
  • For one case, Isaac’s Grandfather is given the choice to either lie about the information he had or watch his family be killed. Isaac’s parents were killed, but Isaac was spared.
  • Isaac loathed his Grandfather for his decision, until his Grandfather revealed the truth before his death of old age.
• Isaac has never been in a serious relationship. He’s afraid a partner could get hurt because of him.
• Listener sits next to Isaac on the couch and leans on him before they both fall asleep.

Serving Your New Boss

{ A few weeks later  }

• Vic is meeting with Isaac in lieu of Asirel.
  • Guest VA Azeru as Vic.
  • Vic has known Isaac since he was young/knew Isaac’s grandfather.
• Listener is asked to serve drinks to Isaac and Vic: whiskey (on the rocks).
• Work discussion:
  • Livia (Livia Ramsumair, heiress to the Faiser estate) has been making payments to a private account in order to learn about high ranking members of the Court; hasn’t learned about Asirel.
  • Private account is in the name of Callum Harris (real estate mogul / leader of the Vex) but he was assassinated two months earlier. Unknown if the Wraiths killed him. The account has been open for at least a year, and the last payment was exactly a month ago.
  • Two months ago, just after the assassination of Callum, money was transferred to Livia from that private account. Ever since she’s been making payments, exposing names of the court. Then just over a month ago, the Brewhouse Café went up in flames, and just after that, more money was transferred to her.
  • Another private account was transferring money to Livia. The same person has bought the rest of her establishments. The account is owned by [the] Morgan.
• Vic hits on Listener while Isaac leaves the lounge to get something from the study. Vic tests Listener by asking about Isaac, but Listener passes by not offering up any information. Vic is also suspicious of Listener and threatens them.
• Vic offers to buy Listener when their service is done with Isaac.
• Isaac has a law degree but never used it as an attorney.
• Tomorrow is the anniversary of Isaac’s parents’ deaths; Listener gets the day off and Isaac will make dinner.

A Day Off with Your New Boss

{ Next Day }

• Today is the anniversary of Isaac’s parents’ deaths. Listener is loitering outside of Isaac’s study, waiting for him to come out.
• Isaac reluctantly agrees to Listener’s insistence that they pay respects to Isaac’s family.
• Isaac’s family are interred on the grounds. Isaac plants a new blue orchid for his mother at her grave stone.
• Isaac talks more about his past:
  • Isaac was raised at home and taught by private tutors. Only time he was away was when he attended university, and tried to make the most of the experience by joining clubs and having a social life. In his last year, he dates a first year he meets in literature club.
  • Mother: warm and nurturing, but could be fierce when her loved ones were threatened. She always accompanied Isaac during lessons.
  • Father: more reserved in his affection towards Isaac, curated his education. He worked with Isaac’s Grandfather. Isaac’s study used to belong to him.
  • Grandfather: sends Isaac to university to study law.
• Listener encourages Isaac to talk to them.
• Listener hugs an emotional and embarrassed Isaac; Listener kisses Isaac (!)
• Isaac escorts Listener back to the house and gives a book recommendation from the library.

Easter Egg

• Reference to a first year in literature club is Andrew!
• Further information about their relationship can be found in Andrew Part 8.

Getting Closer to Your New Boss

{ A few weeks later }

• Listener brings a homemade snack to Isaac’s study late at night.
• Isaac is feeling slightly under the weather with a mild sore throat.
• Listener plans on starting a new book to read. Isaac suggests buying some new books or even a kindle. They both have a preference for actual books.
• Isaac praises Listener for being useful helpful around the house. Isaac asks what Listener’s plans are for the future.
• Isaac tries to reset the boundaries between him and Listener, but Listener pushes, especially about the kiss.
• Listener gives a lame excuse for wanting to enter the study, but Isaac calls them out and asks for the real reason. Listener proposes that they can help with Isaac’s work as well, but Isaac is hesitant to drag Listener further into his world.
• Isaac explains why he saved Listener – because the thought of “what would my mother have done?” popped into his head.
• Isaac reluctantly allows Listener to enter. The items in the study are expensive gifts given to Grandfather, and other research books related to PI work (psychology, sociology).
• The main job Isaac is working on right now is for Asirel, specifically on the gangs of Stockton and finding out who killed Callum Harris.
  • The main question to ask in this investigation is cui bono from Callum’s death?
  • 18 March Callum was killed.
  • The obvious suspect(s) would be the Wraiths, but at the same time were unlikely due to the state of the relationship between the two gangs by then: they had a tentative truce and even held a joint charity event hosted by a Vex member in Wraith territory in January.
  • The address of the event is the same location that Listener was supposed to courier a package to – one of the Wraith owned hotels. Isaac writes this in his notes.
  • Listener took the job because it was too good to pass up: an upfront fee to deliver a package, as long as no questions were asked.
  • Isaac probes for more details, and Listener tells him verbatim something they heard from the people who hired them.
  • More puzzle pieces fall into place. There was a potential alliance between the Vex and Wraiths in the works, but with moves like the assassination of the Vex leader, an attempted assassination of the Wraith’s heir, and the package that Listener was supposed to deliver to a Wraith owned hotel that the Wraith leader could be located at, someone wanted to prevent that from happening. Isaac comes to the conclusion that it’s the Penance’s leader Morgan who masterminded it all.
  • Though Listener was meant to be a scapegoat, the same gang who hired them attacked Listener instead and left them for dead, though Listener is unsure which gang it was.
  • Asirel is invested in the gangs of Stockton, and is a Vex benefactor.
  • Vex now have a new leader, but it’s unclear as to who it is.
• Isaac and Listener leave the study to call it a night. Isaac praises Listener for their help with the investigation, but cautions that this is only an initial trial for being an assistant.
• Listener pushes again about the kiss, and this time Isaac tells them about his feelings towards them. They were highly emotional at the time, and though he’s not ready right now, he’d like try kissing again once he completely sorts his feelings out. Listener has been the longest/closest relationship he’s had in a long time.
• Isaac gives Listener a kiss on the cheek instead and tells them goodnight.

A Day Off with Your New Boss

{ Almost 3 Months since Listener has started living with Isaac }

• Isaac has taken the day off at Listener’s suggestion. Listener finds Isaac swimming in the pool. They want to discuss their assignment from Isaac’s latest case, an inheritance issue for Mr. Finch:
  • Listener has done a very thorough background check, researching Mr. Finch’s connections, the connections’ connections, children, grandchildren, parents, work associates, close friend group, previous and on-going contractors. One or multiple people on the chart are plotting his demise to take his fortune.
  • Isaac asserts that the most likely suspects are the immediate family – greed and/or desperation as the most prominent motives.
    • The youngest daughter is estranged and has a 2 year old son with a medical condition. In the event of Mr. Finch’s death, she won’t receive any money, so she has a motive but it doesn’t benefit her in the end.
    • She’s close with her siblings, and they are very involved in the grandson’s life, so there’s a possibility that they would want to kill Mr. Finch to help the grandson.
• Listener’s duties have now changed to just making Isaac’s morning coffee and cooking dinner + helping more as an assistant.
• Isaac praises Listener, and tells them to continue with their investigation tomorrow. Isaac invites Listener to sit next to him on the side of the pool to chat.
  • They hesitate to do so – Listener doesn’t know how to swim and is wary of the water. Isaac offers to teach them how to swim at a later date.
  • Isaac talks about how the house is unchanged since his parents’ deaths, because he wants to hold on to those memories as long as possible. The only new thing that’s been in the house is Listener, and he wants Listener to buy something for the house for Isaac to remember them by after they leave.
  • Isaac has conflicting feelings about the house: it’s meant to be a home, and Grandfather had planned on making it a generational home; but Isaac is too afraid of the dangers of his profession and how that could potentially affect any family he has in the future.
  • Isaac shows Listener a scar on his stomach – he got it from a woman who was hired as a live-in housekeeper, that also took on the role of nanny whom he had learned to trust. She worked for almost 2 years before she tried to kill Isaac.
  • Grandfather became paranoid after the incident and decided that he would teach Isaac how to be a PI and for him to be able to make his own network. Grandfather originally didn’t want Isaac to go to college, but Isaac needed the experience, and it was also a test.
  • Isaac attended college in England where no one knew about him, his family, his Grandfather’s work, or his past and he was very happy there. He had more freedom, and was able to meet a large variety of people.
    • One person in particular was Andrew, whom he met in literature club. He’s incredibly impressed with Andrew’s intelligence, calling him a genius. Isaac describes a technique Andrew uses for remember things called a mind palace. They became friends, and later dated.
    • The main reason he tells everyone that he’s only had flings is to protect Andrew from being a target. When he graduated, he told Andrew that he’d gotten a job offer overseas at a prestigious law firm, but in reality his Grandfather was dying and Isaac needed to go home to take over his practice. Isaac wanted to stay longer in England, but he knew sooner or later that he’d need to leave, so sooner would be less painful. Andrew wanted to keep in touch, but Isaac didn’t want him to find out that he’d lied and so they haven’t spoken since. He’s kept tabs on Andrew and knows that he’s become a professor with a new partner.
  • Isaac asks Listener how they feel about being his assistant now, and he knows they’ve thrived since coming to live with him. He’s grateful for the companionship they provide – he’s been alone since the death of Grandfather. They are also becoming a more important part of his life, and Isaac finds it harder to keep them at arm’s length to protect them and him – them from danger and him from heartbreak.
• Grandfather’s Secret!!!
  Due to his reputation, Grandfather was hired by Asirel, an extremely powerful man that is the head of the Court, an organization that runs the world behind the scenes. Asirel wanted Grandfather to look into a man that was part of the Court, Samuel Kennedy; he is now deceased. Grandfather found that he was a part of a cult called the Trimedian and learned that Supernatural creatures actually exist in the world. Grandfather had a spy successfully infiltrate the Trimedian, who was able to video record evidence. Isaac brings Listener to his study, where he opens a false panel and shows them evidence on a computer that’s hidden in there. The video he shows Listener is of a Werewolf (mauling a man to death?). Grandfather reported this information to Asirel and Kennedy was expelled from the Court. However another Group also found out that Supernaturals exist, and wanted the information that Grandfather gathered. They gave him an ultimatum: hand over the information or they would kill his family.
  • Isaac is currently conflicted on what to do with this knowledge – should he or shouldn’t he expose Supernaturals to the world?
  • Grandfather worked to take down the Group and was mostly successful, exposing their crimes of human trafficking, and illegal weapons that they had in caches around the world. They eventually proposed a sort of truce with Grandfather: they won’t harm him and his family, and he won’t expose them. Now Isaac has made the same deal and he keeps an eye on them.
• Isaac admits that being morally gray is a benefit to this line of work.
• Isaac asks Listener if they would like to continue working as his assistant: he’s able to get work done faster because he’s less scattered. Isaac wasn’t looking for a protégé, but Listener is very capable. Isaac has also learned that he can trust Listener because they aren’t a honey trap to get closer to him.
• Listener has been with Isaac for almost three months now, and Listener has slowly become more important to him, despite his best efforts at keeping himself detached from people and relationships.
• Isaac kisses Listener; he’s flustered afterward.
• Isaac has given Listener a drawer in the study to store their work.
• They leave his study, and Listener asks Isaac to join them in watching TV. Isaac is pleasantly surprised, and agrees to meet them in the living room after a shower.

A Heart-to-Heart with Your New Boss

Ottendorf Cipher: a cyphertext is made up of numbers in groups of 3, and these numbers correspond to positions in a book (or other type of text). Most often the numbers refer to Line, Word, and Letter.

Vic’s body was found washed up at Brannan Resort

Your Boss Confesses On Christmas

• Shipwrecked wine, the one Isaac mentions is the 1907 Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Diamant Bleu “Shipwrecked” Champagne
• The wine that Isaac chooses for Christmas is a 1947 Chateau Cheval Blanc
• The Japanese Proverb Mama Rhoades tells Isaac: 踏まれた草にも 花が咲く Flowers bloom even on grass that is trampled.
  
• The song at the end of the audio: Niklas Gabrielsson with Martin Landström & His Orchestra – Topic : Christmas Wish