She reads the contract carefully (she works at a legal firm, she has absolutely no excuse for not reading the contract).'

What costs is the State of California willing to cover?

Approximately everything.  Up to four teleport trips(there and back via Ablinger marble counting, two local) in full, they're willing to cost-share up to three more local teleports for legitimate purposes outlined as defined here. Accommodation is provided in a 4-star hotel, though the Jacuzzi only runs during daylight hours.  They've retained a stable of local professional guides and if none of those or any of the espers already on-site work, they're willing to portal in one(1) partner of her choice and cover the return trip as well.  Food is covered, as they acquired a good variety from a local grocery store that lost power.  Variety shouldn't be a problem unless Overcoat wants wagyu beef or something.

She's also welcome to order food from elsewhere, but delivery is drone-only and not to be considered reliable due to the multiple dungeon breaches and the earthquake.

Excellent. She relies on professional guides as a matter of course anyway so she's inclined to test compatibility with their available guides, that are willing to provide guiding at the work site.

She's quite unpicky about food, so that should be a non-issue.

Excellent.  They would love to have her at her soonest availability, they've taken the liberty of plotting the most direct Ablinger route, attached here.

It's already quite late on Friday in her time zone so she will arrange the teleport for midmorning Saturday her time, early morning in California.

Aaaaaaaaaa That's a fine and reasonable decision for her to make!  They can will wait for her!

Then she will show up at the designated hotel early that morning, and go for a brunch (for her) and meet and greet.

The search for compatibility goes as follows:

Meh.

Meh.

Better-than meh.

Decent, but has a conflicting assignment.

Yikes!

Meh.

Asymmetrical, but not in a way that works for Overcoat.

Meh.

Extra Yikes!

[a string of negative or meh results omitted in the interest of saving space]

"Hey, I think you found a winner."  The self-described 'winner' is wearing a dark green tanktop and a set of reinforced motorcyclist pants that have quite a few pockets in them.  And a smile at having found some decent compatibility!

"Seems like it. I'm Overcoat. I do low power but long lasting physical shields, including against airborne particulates."

"Sinkhole.  Short-range precog, sticky traps, strength and toughness.  If you can figure out how the hell any of those are related, I'll buy you a beer."  In two years' time.

"Yeah I've got nothing there. They have you on the cars? Or wrangling killer rabbits?"

"Cars, mostly.  They want the cute li'l fuzzy critters taken alive, if possible.  And, you know, they trigger on sudden movement, right?  And a lot of combat espers are a little, ah, jumpy.  Comes with the territory."

"Makes sense. It's a dangerous job. I respect it."

She wouldn't want that kind of job, at this stage in her life even leaving aside her backlash, but she does absolutely respect it.

Carol's many things, but 'immune to flattery' is not one of them.  "Well, you know, I couldn't have a power and never use it."

"I only work confluences. It's not that I don't want to help I just...well I tried working full time as an esper for a while and...it was not good for me. Most of the time I'm a paralegal."

She really hates her fucking backlash.

Well, she's a little judgy about it, but they can't get you for thoughtcrime.  "Makes sense.  Doesn't do you no good to burn yourself out, if you can only make yourself do it for the emergencies, that's more than most people manage."  And if everyone thought like that, the dungeons would win in the end, but.  I'm not gonna say that out loud, thank you very much.  And it means she's not looking for a partner, probably.  Great.

She's judged herself for it at times, but you have to do what you can do and not what you can't.

"Wouldn't do anyone any good if I ran myself into the ground. I like to think I do some good between confluences too, helping people sort out their legal problems."

Aww.  She looks like she needs a hug.  "That's right.  Believe it or not, there's more to life than running dungeons."  Maybe someday I'll act like that's true.

"And what do you do in your spare time then?"

More dungeons.  Sleep.  Mope.  "Oh, I travel a lot for dungeons, and I like to explore the places they send me."  When I have a local guide, anyway.  "Rome was lovely.  I also do bouldering."  

"I travel around North and occasionally Central America during confluences because my power is pretty situational. It's excellent for the things it's good for but it doesn't have broad applications. Never been as far as Europe before. Maybe we'll do a summer vacation in a few years when my younger child is old enough to really appreciate it. Not much point in hauling a five year old on an intercontinental flight when they won't understand what they're looking at. More pleasant for everyone to wait until they're old enough to be interested."

"That makes sense!  Can I see a picture of 'em?"  She pauses, then flushes.  "Uh, if you're doing the whole secret-identity thing, that's, uh."  Goddammit, how do you manage to fuck up asking a PARENT to see a cute photo of their TODDLER.

"It's a little secret, but not that secret."

She has a photo, of herself with two kids, one preteen girl and one preschool aged boy, and a man who is probably not an esper. It's a pretty generic professional studio photo.

"Awwww.  They're cute!"  Normally I'd ask for their names, but.  Not today.