Shooting The Moon

Participants:

adam_icon.gif sabrina_icon.gif

Scene Title Shooting the Moon
Synopsis Adam hires on Sabrina as his Personal Assistant
Date May 25, 2009

A cafe somewhere

There are places to sit and coffee!


It's a perfectly nice cafe to be sitting having coffee at, but Sabrina has yet to order. Instead she's wearing her smartest dark blue pencil skirt with a matching little jacket over a cream colored shirt with her hair pulled back in a no-nonsense bun, tapping the toe of one of her high heels nervously against the floor as she waits. Or maybe impatiently. There's a black leather folder on the table in front of her, right by the sadly empty coffee cup. "No, thank you." She says again to the waiter who keeps hovering. "I'm waiting for someone…" she trails off and eyes him like maybe she might be waiting for him. Maybe this is some kind of trick! But then she shakes her head and looks up at the clock on the wall again. She got the time right. She knows she got the time right. Time is like her -thing-.

Adam strolls into the cafe like he owns the joint. Perhaps at some point he will, but he does not yet, but he clearly still has that attitude. In his hand is a single manilla folder and he strolls around for a moment. He opens the folder and starts to consider it against the gathered crowd and eventually joins it to the impatient woman near the back. He closes the folder and smiles, making his way towards her. He offfers a hand, "Hallo." he says, "I'm Adam Monroe."

Maybe there was a terrorist attack and that's why he's late. Or maybe—interrupted in mid-thought, Sabrina looks up when addressed and then immediately stands, taking his hand and giving it what she considers a firm shake. It's pretty girly. He gets a professionally polite smile. "I can see why you might need an assistant, Mister Monroe. Sabrina Fairfax."

Adam doesn't appear to quite catch her meaning for a moment and then ahs, "Well, perhaps, Ms. Fairfax." he sits down at the table and motions for her to sit. He flips open the folder, "I have to say, I was most impressed with the resume…might I ask why you want to be a personal assistant, you seem as if you could be doing much more than that."

Sabrina takes a seat as indicated, keeping one hand in her lap and setting the other down on the folder she brought. It has copies of her resume but since he seems to have one she doesn't offer. She's got a Harvard degree (history) and previous work as a legal assistant pre-bomb, and pretty much volunteer and non-profit work post-bomb. "There are a lot of people in this city, Mister Monroe, who could probably do much more than they currently are. There are currently not a lot of opportunities for people with degrees in history to really get out there and help the city, so I thought I'd try something different. The non-profit sector is, as you might well be aware, not exactly profitable."

Adam ahs and nods, leaning back in his chair and flipping absently through the pages of the resume. "Well, let me tell you what I would require, Ms. Fairfax. I need someone who is always on, yeah? I would need you to be available twenty four seven. Now, you might not and actually will not be working all that time, but I would need you to be made available at a moment's notice. I will need you to keep my schedules, I'll need you to run menial errands for me, dry cleaning and the like. I'll need you to anticipate my needs before I have them. I may ask you to come with me to meetings, I may ask you to go to meetings in my stead." he pauses in a thoughtful manner, "I may give you topics or subjects that I'll ask for you to keep up with in the modern news, keeping me abreast of things. I need someone who makes my life easier." he looks back towards Sabrina, "Does this sound like a job you can do?"

Sabrina gives him a very faint smile, "Sabrina, please. And I am very good at keeping schedules, both my own and other people's. Remembering dates is kind of key when you're a history major. So I believe you will find my research and note taking skills quite efficient. To actually answer your question, Mister Monroe, yes I do believe this sounds like a job I can do." She leaves off the 'easily' but her posture and her tone pretty much implies it.

Adam considers Sabrina carefully, studying her for some long moments before returning to anything about the job. There's nothing lecherous about the stare, but it is intense, as if he were trying to take a measure of the woman. Eventually, he closes the folder and nods. He folds his hands in front of him and lays them on the table, "Alright. In compense, I offer a salary of two hundred and twenty thousand dollars along with full medical and dental benefits. I offer no vacation time. I will be understanding about social or family responsibilities, but please believe me, I will always put my schedule above yours, I believe I pay well for the privelege. I currently have no office to work out of, nor am I sure I ever will have one. My base of operations, so to speak, changes often. I will expect complete discretion and will have you sign confidential disclosure forms to that effect. I may also make up nicknames for you, it's what I do. While they won't be vulgar, I can't guarantee they'll be flattering." he considers the woman, "I propose we have a thirty day trial and then I will ask you to sign a contract if that works out. Yearly, perhaps. You'll also be expected, should the situation somehow arise, to give me three weeks notice if you plan to not renew the contract and work to finding your own replacement. How does this sound…Sabrina?"

It is only because of careful, careful composure that Sabrina's jaw doesn't drop. Blue eyes widen just a little nonetheless when he names the salary. Nobody's perfect. She clears her throat before she speaks, "That is very…generous of you, Mister Monroe." The underlying message there is 'holy shit!' though she's really doing her best to keep it out of her voice. "Of course, I understand completely. You needn't worry about social or family obligations. My life is my work and my father still hasn't forgiven me for choosing the land of the Yankees over that of the Sox." She watches him briefly to see if there's any reaction to that. He might be a Yankees fan, you never can tell with people. "My time is yours. A thirty day trial is perfectly acceptable. I will do my best to exceed your already obviously high standards, Mister Monroe."

Adam seems to understand the joke only vaguely at best, apparently Adam Monroe is not a baseball fan. "Alright, Sabrina. I'm going to have my lawyer draw up the necessary papers." he pauses and opens the folder again and slides a paper full of numbers and people and such, "Familiarize yourself with these." for a man of such means, it does seem a tad short. Either he's a hermit or he's holding back, there's nobody that would stick out as noteworthy on the list, so it's likely the latter. "Right now, my calender is free, but I suspect that will change soon. I will need all of your relevant data not in the resume…social security, drivers license number, etcetera." he pauses, "And what sort of phone do you have, Sabrina?"

Sabrina reaches out to pick up the paper, giving it a very quick scan before giving him another one of those faint smiles as she tucks it into the folder she brought. "Consider it done. I have…" she digs a hand into one of the suit jacket pockets, pulling out an old, somewhat bulky flip phone, "A Verizon. It came with the phone contract." She feels a little lame admitting that, but covers it up by flipping through a couple of papers, pulling out a pen. "Here is my address along with a list of references should you want to check them. And…" she scribbles some numbers on there. "My social security number and my drivers license. Oh, and my phone number is on there. Of course."

Adam nods, "You will have to buy a new phone. Something more state of the art. I will want you to be available at all times." he pauses and takes out a wallet. He counts out some money and slides five hundred dollars across, "Get a new phone, whatever the absolute best coverage is. Consider it a signing bonus." he pauses thoughtfully, "I hope you understand, Sabrina. I do not pay such an exorbitant salary solely for your dedication. I could get the same sort of work schedule for less than half of what I'm paying you. I'm paying so much because I have secrets and you will end up privy to some of them. I expect the utmost discretion and secrecy." he looks up finally, giving a look that might be chilling at worst, perhaps even terrifying at best, "I am not the sort of man who takes disloyalty well and I am a man who can make people's lives difficult. You won't get this sort of package for the work short of working for perhaps the president himself and even then I'm not so sure. Are we clear on that?"

Holy shit! Who carries that sort of money around? Sabrina looks from the money to Adam and for a second or two there is uncertainty there. That is a scary look! What the hell is she getting herself into?

…a better god damn apartment and position in the world. That's what! With a nod, Sabrina reaches out to pick up the bills. "Crystal, Mister Monroe." She replies, regaining her smooth composure once again. "I will be sure to retain the receipt for your records. I take pride in my work and I don't expect any employment with you to be any sort of exception. Is there any in particular, besides loyalty, that you are looking for? I study some languages, in your business dealings are there any that stand out as important to know? Is what I'm wearing now all right for the dress code? And," she tucks the money away before she asks this, "When does the thirty days start?"

Adam waves a hand at the dress code question, "Unless I specifically state, you could wear a tube dress for all I care. Obviously, when I have meetings or ask you to work in my stead or accompany me somewhere, certainly, what you're wearing is fine, but I'll ask you to get a better wardrobe…something more varied and formal. You'll need clothes for operas and benefits and the like.." he pauses at the language question, "I would suggest knowing as many languages as possible. I speak a half dozen or so myself, so it'd be best to fill in the blanks. Chinese dialects will likely be important." he pauses, "Ah, also, be sure to keep up with the scores from Manchester United games." apparently he's a soccer fan. "Since I've given you your signing bonus, the 30 days starts now. It will be incorporated into the contract. Also…get good with the computers. I can google and such, yeah? But I'm hardly an expert."

"I'm very good with computers." Sabrina says, jotting down some notes even though she doesn't really need to. Chinese. Clothes. Manchester United. "If you ever have need of it, I do some programming. Nothing too complicated but I can do databases and the like. If I can't find it in a library I can find it on the net." She tells him with confidence. "I'll work on Chinese dialects. I've been brushing up on Japanese lately, it won't be much of a stretch."

Adam arches a brow for a moment at the last few statements, they seem odd to him. Odd enough to study the woman, but not odd enough to make much of it, but he does file that way for his future reference, "Alright." he pauses, "Once my lawyer draws up the contract, I will advance you thirty thousand dollars of your salary. Start up costs and the like. You'll likely get direct payments from him from a trust or some legal corporation entity or whatever it is moguls do today." he pauses again, "Become familiar with New York City, Sabrina. I plan to buy a portion of it. I'm currently looking at small businesses."

That brings a smile to her lips again, though like the others it's still rather faint. Never a full one. "I've lived here for six years, I remember when there wasn't a hole in the ground. So I may be able to help you with your acquisitions. At the non-profit I was always looking into real estate where we might build and contacting construction companies and architectural firms to see what could be done. I've stalked some of the city council to try to get plans passed as well." There's a pause, "Maybe stalked isn't the right word to use during an interview. In general, Mister Monroe, I think I could be good for you."

Meanwhile in the back of her mind: THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS?!?! She could buy SO MANY COFFEES with that!

Adam hmms, "Very well, then begin to compile a list of businesses that can be bought. I'm looking for social places; bars, clubs, bowling alleys, that sort of thing. I'm not necessarily looking for profitable enterprises, but I don't need money pits either. Find out who their owners are, who's already put out feelers to sell…etcetera etcetera." he pauses and looks back up towards Sabrina, "Do you have any questions for me?"

Sabrina pauses thoughtfully after jotting down a couple more notes. She's so good at doing this note taking for show thing. When she's done she sets the pen down and leans back in her chair, hands folded in her lap. "What exactly is it you're looking to do, Mister Monroe? Besides, I assume, change the world." That's meant to be a joke. Really!

Adam smiles faintly, since it's not really a joke. He studies Sabrina and then offers, "I'm looking to insinuate myself into the entire infrastructure of New York City without actually insinuating myself. Does that make sense, Sabrina?"

"It makes perfect sense." Sabrina replies, closing her folder and tucking the pen in the little pen holder thing it has. "You have to be very good to pull off a gambit like that. And have a discreet staff. Luckily for you, I am particularly clever -and- discreet. It's a good move. You make yourself known you have people challenging your every move and trying to block your ambitions. Keep yourself somewhat apart while making key transactions and before anyone realizes they're playing a game you've already secured the board. The business version of shooting the moon."

Adam nods a bit, "It's good you understand that." he stands from his seat, "Well, I'll be contacting you soon about the contract. Expect to hear from me in a day or two about that. I'll call you in the meantime if I've need of you, you can be sure of it." and with that, begins to leave the place.

As he stands, so does she. "Of course. Thank you, Mister Monroe." Sabrina says politely and she only sits down when he's mostly to the door. Then she lets out a long breath and picks up her folder, pulling it down onto her lap. That went pretty well. That went ridiculously well! Nothing good will come of this.


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