Participants:
| Scene Title | My Personal Offer |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Tracy comes to relay the Presidents interests in the Sylar Case and the offer of increased funding to hunt the midtown man. She also bears her own personal offer. The former is accepted, the latter is rejected. |
| Date | June 14, 2010 |
Federal Plaza - Audrey's Office
Ring finger, pinkie finger, thumb and forefinger wrap around the handle of the black phone, middle finger stabbing at an extension number. File on desk, papers attached within and read, a scowl brought forth from her face as she reads it. Someone picks up on the other end and Audrey is quick to light into them in the possible few minutes that she has before an arranged meeting with someone.
"Listen, are you sure there's been only one body? The snow this long, there's no way there was only one. I need to make sure that my request was understood" Demand more like it. "Any body with cranial trauma or that had the soot. I want any skeletons that might have been found in burned down buildings too, where the skull shows cranial trauma."
The door to her office is open, nameplate on the wall beside it stating that the person inside is Special Agent Audrey Hanson, looking ready to wind up a rant across the phone and vent her frustration at the inability to get their hands and guns on the Gray family. "Yes, I understand this was the only one that was found, I'm telling you that there has been more than enough time, for him to have done more. He's not been indiscriminate in the least with collecting…"
Tracy knows how it is. Those phone calls, those pesky phone calls that have to happen right away. She is informed that such is happening behind the door in front of her, and that Audrey will be with her as soon as possible. All the same, Tracy Strauss - Director of Communications for the President himself - steps into the room. Audrey, she is sure, will wrap it up.
Because what Tracy has to say is something that Audrey will very much want to hear.
She is wearing a tight black power dress with a blazer over it. Her hair is down, pumps are on her feet and pearls - always pearls around her throat. She waits, patiently, with an easy smile upon her face. Easy. Trusting. Friendly.
Christ, can they not keep the people outside her office until it actually is right on the dot ten am? Of course not. "Listen, I have to call you back, see what you can dig up further, I'm not satisfied with just this" Though that may be all that she has to be satisfied with. "My appointment is early and decided to come in instead of waiting like they were supposed to outside the door" The phone is put down, effectively ending the call early only because of the nature of the subject. If it wasn't sensitive, she might have carried it on for a few more minutes.
Audrey rises from her seat, straightening her navy jacket, fingers undoing a button on the garment to let it drape open. No offer of a handshake, just a rise from the chair to acknowledge the woman. "Tracy Strauss" She doesn't trust that smile. Never trust anything that smiles and has affiliations and aspirations in politics. Smiles are false, or conceal god knows what. "I'd appreciate it, if there's a next time, that you please wait outside instead of waltzing into my office when I'm on the phone." Not a request.
"What can I do for you today?" The winter has made her pale face paler and the freckles stick out just that much more.
"I'm terribly sorry," Tracy says, almost sounding sincere. She moves around the chair to take a seat, setting her small bag at her feet beside her. "I will try not to take up too much of your time. As you know, I'm here representing the President's interests in the matter of Sylar. I understand there have been some more recent developments," It is a statement of fact.
"As you can probably understand, Sylar is still one of President Petrelli's top priorities. That's why I'm here, Agent Hanson, to reinforce the White House's commitment to this task."
"As is the FBI and the local authorities. We are working around the clock to find ways to track and find Sylar Ms. Strauss. Our department works tirelessly. You can tell the President that he is in the area, and that the moment we have our hands on him, he will be one of the first notified of such. Was that all Ms. Strauss or do you have some magic device to hand me that will point me where he is or some secret method to detain a man who has so far, eluded captivity?"
God she hates the way they move and smile. Politicians.
"As a matter of fact, Agent Hanson, I just might." That probably comes as a little bit of a surprise to the other woman, and however much Audrey may loathe that smile, it just continues coming. "On top of some extra funding of course, if you wouldn't be adverse to that. I'm not here simply to apply pressure to your work, Agent. The President has no doubt that you are all working as hard as you can to catch this criminal. But he has not yet been caught, and so here I am. We want the same thing, and I am here to offer tangible support from President Petrelli."
She looks over the other woman curiously. "If you are interested, that is."
"Your presence Ms. Strauss, alone, provides pressure. If I don't take the support, then it sends a message to the President, if I do take, it sends another message. Maybe I'll decide whether I want to when you actually tell me what tangible support it is that President Petrellli is willing to offer." Audrey sits back in her chair, crossing her arms over diminutive chest to regard the sharklike blonde.
"Money, for starters," But that is dismissed as clearly not being the crux of the offer. "The second portion of this support is a personal offer of my own - someone from my office. And that is all I am prepared to say at this time. If you decide that you want to use what I have to offer, there will of course be some ground rules. You will not meet or speak with the asset without myself present, and this asset will not be speaking on the record. I am here to help you catch Sylar, not prosecute him. That's for the lawyers."
"Your personal offer is rejected. There are already enough hands in the pot so to speak and I have adequate manpower that the addition of another, one who is someone I don't know and therefore don't trust, will only come as a liability to the case instead of an asset Ms. Strauss. Too many people have been injured and hurt in the task of securing the midtown man and I'm not about to add another to the ranks. If FRONTLINE has issues capturing him, what makes you think that your associate will? And does the president know of this offer of your associate to my stable? I'll assume not since it's a personal offer."
Arms unfolded, a pen grabbed from a mug on her desk, Audrey starts to scribble something on a legal pad. "The presidents offer of increased funding is welcome though and will be used appropriately"
"I'm glad the President's offer is accepted," As to weather or not anyone knows about Magnes, she doesn't say. "I'm not offering someone to have a hadn in the pot. My offer is for you to consult with my asset, and if the information provided is useful? Use it. If not? Discard it. But that is, of course, your choice." She sits back to wait.
"You refuse to tell me who it is Ms. Strauss, and yet you press. I can't use anything off the record and you know it. Surely you're smart enough to realize that anything he says will be inadmissible yes? I use any of that information that doesn't come in an on the record capacity, then it can be used against me and against the government when everything comes to trial. That we unlawfully obtained evidence and information. The list goes on."
Scowling further, anger riding the edges of her face and the fine lines at her eyes. "You have just admitted to me that your associate has information regarding the midtown man, then it's legal and lawful duty to come forward without being draped across my desk as incentive to accept your offer" Audrey's eyes lift to land her gaze directly on Tracy's. "Or I can track him down and have him brought in, by any means available in my power Ms. Strauss"
"I think we're done here," Tracy says, smiling still as she rises. "The President will be very happy to hear that you will be able to use the additional funding." She nods her head once more, and seems content to turn and go.
"Yes, I think we are. I'll send a thank you card to the President Ms. Strauss. Assure him we are doing everything in our power to bring Sylar to justice and to answer for his crimes against the United States of America. Have a good day Ms. Strauss" More things scribbled on the pad. "One of my associates will see you out the door" Audrey watches like a hawk.
Tracy nods, and turns back toward the door. She swings her hips and struts her walk all the way out.