Participants:
| Scene Title | Motivated Decision Making |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Adam knows a little secret and isn't above a little 'blackmail' to get what he wants. |
| Date | April 25, 2009 |
Pause Magazine - Nalani's Office
PAUSE, it's not in it's own building but instead occupies a great many floors of a large commercial building, imposing steel and glass. The meeting was set for the early afternoon, the receptionist had made Adam wait that ubiquitous 20 minutes before a petite blonde named Stephanie had come to fetch him. An offer of refreshments or anything else given, the fashionable young woman had guided him through the halls of the offices to the very back of the top floor.
It's easier to tell when your coming close to the sanctum of the queen bee of this particular hive. Things are a bit more tense, there's less talking and jabbering, more on task work being done. Office doors open but people busy with their work. The frost glass panes with occasional clear glass lets a person look in on two desks adjacent to each other, one brunette working tirelessly to answer the phone and type stuff up. "Ms Hollingwood will see you Mr. Monroe" He's not even being made to wait in a conference. She knows that advertisers are what keeps her magazine up. So through the double doors he's ushered, tended to then abandoned with the doors closing behind him. "I'll be with you in just a moment" Comes a muddle British accent, from another door further in the office suite.
Adam waits patiently, while in the waiting room, he flips through a magazine quietly while looking quite like a cat on the prowl. He smiles charmingly at Stephanie and says, "Oh thank you," he says, "An angel come unto to deliver me." he stands and walks through the offices in an interested manner, apparently quite confident in his presence. He walks almost as if he owns these halls and when he's led into Nalani's office, he turns and takes Stephanie's hand, bowing low to kiss the back of it. He gives her a nice smile before he walks in and makes himself at home in one of the chairs, waiting patiently, "No hurry, love."
Maybe it's the accent that lets him get away with calling her 'love'. She doesn't tolerate it from anyone except maybe Mohinder. That still gets her out of the side room quicker, a glass of sparkling water in hand and manicured brow raised. A lot more done up since when he last saw her in 'slumming' clothes. Which co-incidentally still couldn't pass for slumming if anyone had looked close. Today it's back to couture names and beyond the minute fashion. ""Ms. Hollingwood, Mr Monroe" The exotic woman chimes in when she's into view all 6+ feet of her, an equally feline look on her face. "Stephanie told me that you made an appointment in the hopes of purchasing some advertising in PAUSE?" Glossy mane tossed back over her shoulder, Nalani extends her hand to him. "A pleasure to meet you Mr. Monroe"
Adam stands as the woman enters in. He smiles a bit and tilts his head a moment in consideration, "Hello Ms. Hollingwood." he says. He reaches forward to take the hand and attempts to kiss the back of her hand, "Ah, I didn't know you were so lovely." afterward, he sits down and crosses one leg over the other, "Thank you for meeting with me. I was hoping to be able to discuss that with you. I'm somewhat interested in you…after all, the editor is the face of the magazine, I have to make sure that you're….representative of my interests."
"Editor in chief and owner of pause. I would hope though, Mr. Monroe, that you did your homework beforehand" Behind the desk Nalani eases herself into, one leg crossed over the other as she leans back in her seat. Her brown eyes watch him, head tilted just slightly to the side quizzically. "What would your interests be Mr. Monroe and how can I help you and your company? The magazine is one of the highest circulation for it's subject matter on the east coast, and we've recently undergone tremendous changes to make it more 'green' and reduce the impact that my company has on the environment. From the new inks that we use, the paper content to even how we run the offices"
"Well," he begins as he gets comfortable in his chair, "I'm interested in you specifically. For instance, I recently read an editorial from your magazine." nodding his head as if indicating you wrote it, "About the state of Staten Island." he tilts his head, "It seemed like odd subject matter for your magazine….I'm curious in your views, Ms. Hollingwood, since they would appear to represent the magazine."
"That is a one off editorial. I try to a void using my Magazine as a personal political platform. Politics has it's place, but when hundreds of people are displaced because the city chooses to turns it's back on them simply because of a bridge, there's something wrong Me. Monroe" Nalani's hands come together, steepled under her chin as she regards him a little bit closer from behind her desk. Thank you Company for declaring that they would need her late this evening. "Why did you really come here Mr. Monroe?" There's compulsion and want woven into the words. Silent to even the best audio kinetic. The weight of her will her brother had said, woven into the words. it's only a tendril though, that's all she usually needs.
Adam seems to pause for a moment, then says, "Why to learn more about you Ms. Hollingwood." he states simply, "And to see if you could represent my interests." he leans back in his chair, "That is what I said, was it not, Ms. Hollingwood?" he smiles lightly. He leans forward, "You are a fascinating woman, Ms. Hollingwood and I would like to know as much about you as possible."
"What then Mr. Monroe are your interests and how can I help you with them? You've stated such a few times now. I'm curious as to what it could possible be now. By interest I mean a topic other then me" Mild annoyance coloring her voice that she's not going to take the pains to conceal.
Adam leans back, "Oh, you would like to know my mission statement?" he questions, "Well, I suppose you could say that I wish to bring order to this world. Order from chaos." he pauses, "It's not an easy task. It requires….hard choices and sacrifice…" he shrugs, "But I'm sure you understand that sort of thing, don't you?" he questions, "Hard choices?"
"The start of my life was based on hard choices Mr. Monroe. So your coming with a request for sponsorship from the magazine for your charitable works? Or is this a personal donation that your hoping to secure from me?" He's hinting at something, but Nalani's remaining fairly, purposefully and visually ignorant of what he's possibly hinting at.
Adam smiles, "Neither." he says, "I suppose it's time to come clean, Ms. Hollingwood. I'm not an advertiser.." he pauses thoughtfully, "At least not the type who would advertise in your magazine." he smiles, "I suppose I should beg your pardon for that." he's quiet for a few moments and says, "I've seen you use your power, Ms. Hollingwood. It's quite impressive and might be quite useful. I would like you to work for me, Ms. Hollingwood…under the table, I suppose."
"The only power I have is the power to run a magazine and keep it from going into the ground Mr. Monroe, so unless there's some other power that you think I have, i'd surely like to know such" Shit. Where. Where had he seen her using it?. Inwardly the British woman is ripping through her mind, looking for a time, any time in which he might have been present, and seen her use her persuasion.
Adam smirks, "Come now, Ms. Hollingwood. Aren't we passed this sort of thing? Come now, we both know now this is more than a business meeting. And you know that I wouldn't suggest you have an evolved power if I didn't know that you did. Why don't we get passed this." he leans forward, "Wouldn't you like to work towards something?"
"I already do work towards something Mr. Monroe. My company and my magazine. Where did you see me use my ability?" Each word pronounced oh so carefully and a flood of her will following with it. She's not someone with finesse with using her ability. She's as manipulative with it as a five year old and cake. But a five year old can still eat the cake and Nalani can still choose her words carefully and Hammer them into the person. She needs to find out, so she can protect herself in the future.
Adam tilts his head, "I've seen you use your ability many times." he says, "Sometimes on Staten Island, sometimes elsewhere. Sometimes right here in this very office." he pauses a few moments, "You do and it is a very nice magazine and very successful. But…as you know, there's more to this world. There are extremely important things going on that supersede Pause." he pauses and says, "And I would like you to join me in working on those."
"And if I don't? If I choose not to help you in bringing Chaos to order" It's snapped out, Nalani loosing her patience with him loosing her patience with him and not bothering to school her face in front of him.
Adam arches a brow, "Do you really call what you say out of your window as order? It's a thinly veiled miasma of competing groups who hate each other. They battle for supremacy for the scattered remains of a once great empire. There's no order out there, Ms. Hollingwood. It takes someone to break through, to forcefully put things into order." he pauses, "But, aren't we passed threats, Ms. Hollingwood? I'm not here to threaten to hurt you or expose you, I'm here to explain to you that I see great promise in you and I would like you to come be my aide-de-camp."
"You got all this from a one off editorial piece that I did in lie of my pandering letter from the editor? Of course it's Chaos out there. by 9:30 we have to be all tucked away in our bed, safe from the ill's of the world while if you go beyond New York City's border, you can stay out till the cows come home. We had a bridge come down, an island that they've given up on. There's riots and now we've had more explosions. How exactly do you propose to use my ability to bring the chaos down a notch or two Mr. Monroe, i'm very curious. Because I don't pander nad be secretary to anyone"
Adam smiles, "I think it's been clear that I've been watching you for a while." he says, "So it's more than just one editorial piece, Ms. Hollingwood. I've had you on my mind for quite some time." he leans forward, "Look, Ms. Hollingwood, it's clear that you see all the problems that I do…and you might not think all my methods are quite.." he pauses, "That popular." he tilts his head towards one side, arching a brow as he furthers, "But I can't get this all accomplished using force and money…sometimes, people must be convinced. And that's where you come in."
"Fabulous" Because who doesn't like being used. "I think it's high time you left Mr. Monroe. i'm not the kind of person to be a right hand woman and play suzy secretary. Nor do I enjoy being used. You will get up and leave this office Mr. Monroe and you'll forget about my Ability and that you ever saw it being used" Much like with Cardinal and in making him stay seated, or Mallory and betraying her brother, Nalani's using the whole of her will this time around. Likely not to be enough when dealing with the likes of Adam Monroe, immortal.
Adam does stay seated. He's had over four hundred years to steel his will. He knows it is coming and he's prepared. He pauses, "Ms. Hollingwood, I'll leave you for now. But I won't be forgetting. And trust me, once I know something it's in the ether. I could imagine the wheels in your head starting to move, your imagination starting to work to attempt to get rid of me…but once I know something…other people know something. And if some results are not as what I want, then more people know something." he lets out a bit of a sigh, "I had great hopes for you Ms. Hollingwood, I hope you'll give my offer more thought."
"So now the threats come out" He's like the girl in the park. "let me guess, join you and you won't tell" Nalani rises from her seat, a few tissues plucked up from some probably overpriced kleenex holder to bring to her nose. "THat's the blackmail cost"
Adam considers this, "First…..blackmail is such an ugly word.." he says, "I prefer to think of such things as.." he pauses, "Motivated decision making." he pauses, "But how about we think of it as, continue to meet with me and I won't tell. Perhaps once you're somewhat less defensive, you can really get to know me and we can discuss the future. Yeah?"
"Motivated decision making" Each word with immense disgust. Free will taken away is a bitch. Hard to take her own medicine. "Get the bloody fuck out of my office Monroe." No reply to whether they'll discuss anything in the future. "Bleeding all over couture" More disgust. A good day has immedialty gone down hill.
Adam nods, standing. He bows a bit, "I would suggest you take my words to heart. There's no reason for you to discuss this with others and then I won't either and everyone will be happy." he pauses, "Until we meet again Ms. Hollingwood." he says with a smile as if the meeting had been a wild success, "You're much more beautiful up close." he says.
Nalani stabs at a button on the phone system on her desk. "Stephanie, Escort Mr. Monroe out" Success for him, dismal failure. potential revenue for her company, turns out to be outright, blackmail. Nalani shoots him a glare before she disappears through the door that she came from as Stephanie enters from the double doors that lead out to the rest of the office. "Mr. Monroe? This way, I'll walk you out" Perky, oblivious to what occurred within the boundaries of these four walls.
Adam smiles a bit, "Thank you Stephanie. Those are such beautiful shoes….do you have a boyfriend?" he questions as he gives a wave back towards the retreating Nalani.