Quarter Books
Owner – Miles Agueax Jr.
Official history – Miles Thomas Agueax Sr opened Quarter Books as a post-retirement project in 1985 at the age of sixty-two. For thirty five years, it's been a place for books, hot beverages, the occasional impromptu concert, exchanges of ideas and heated arguments over politics, religion and the pursuit of happiness. It has never been robbed, vandalized, or entered by authorities on official business. All who enter are welcome and no one is turned away because they want to sit for hours reading, or come in only for a coffee on a cold day.
It does a decent business, the bills are timely met and the coffee and tea budget stable. While it doesn't seem to do much business in books, the goodwill Miles has generated over the years keeps him in the neighborhood's good graces.
The staff has two permanent members and another four positions with a high turnover rate. Often the staff is far more colorful than the clientele. Each seems to have their specialty interest and Miles networks with other bookstores around the world to obtain books that he feels will interest his clientele.
Miles owns the building that contains the bookstore along with a one story building in the back. The main building has three floors, two of which are occupied by the bookstore. The third story is his apartment. The second building is divided into five studio apartments. He rents them out to any staff needing housing. Empty ones are occasionally occupied by transient people.
Recently, Miles Sr passed away. Ownership of the property passed to his son, Miles T. Ageaux Jr. Miles Jr. runs the business and the rental property just the way his father did before him. While Miles Sr. is greatly missed, the neighborhood and clientele welcomed Miles Jr. into their lives and business continues as before.
Real history – Miles Ageaux Sr. was an open identity used by a skrull from 1985 to 2013. At that time, the identity was allowed to die and another skrull to take the identity of Miles Jr.
Miles Jr. is a skrull who was placed on Earth in the mid 1930s. He liked his new home and soon grew to believe it should be left as it was. He was not alone in this belief. There were others who believed as he did, a network of skrulls who went 'native' and blended into the population to live quietly among them.
Miles had several different identities over the decades, including that of Special Agent Scott of the NSA who liaised between the government and the Front Line, a group of forgotten superheroes that operated between WWII and the Fantastic Four's formation. Agent Scott delivered an unknown comatose woman to secret base that housed a cryogenic storage facility that contained many documented test subjects as well as several early 20th century heroes, notable scientists and military officers, including the last soldiers to assume the Captain America and Bucky identities.
Most recently, he was Nigel Worth, owner of a bookshop in London that employed Jenny Woolverton. Jenny was the only human employee in the bookshop's history and unknowingly worked with the skrull employees for several years while in London during her SHIELD agent brother's European assignment.
Miles Jr. has been a sleeper agent for SHIELD in return for special consideration for the skrulls who want to live in peace among the humans.
Miles Jr. - Appears to be in his mid-sixties, affable older gentleman with a slight paunch and a spring in his step. His remaining hair is gray, as is the slight beard rasp on his cheeks. He presides over the shop with a friendly attitude, occupying the same third floor apartment as Miles Sr. He was happy to hire the newly relocated Jenny based on her references and a phone call from his old friend Nigel Worth. In the interest of fair play, she told him she was a mutant. His only question was whether or not she turned into a dangerous creature when angered. Jenny replied that it could be possible if she didn't get her morning coffee. Miles Jr. observed that since he always had plenty of coffee in the shop it shouldn't be a problem.
Once again, Jenny is the unaware sole human employee.
Clarie Jones – A shy, nondescript brunette with a passion for gardening. She planted a tiny garden behind the shop and can be found there when she's not working. She is one of two full-time employees.
Bobby Smith – Gregarious, friendly, acts as an unofficial bouncer for rambunctious clients. He's the go-to guy for all things culinary, whether it be an old cookbook or where to find the best po'boys in town. He is the second full-time employee.