Participants:
| Scene Title | Namaru |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Rupe and Miles have a chat about the bodysnatcher's place in Shedda Dinu. |
| Date | January 6, 2009 |
Old Lucy's: Back Room
It seems that Rupe has been usurping the back room lately, turning Isabelle's space into his own - at least temporarily. He's here now, and strides around the space, file in hand. Someone at the bar would have told Miles that he can come back.
Miles was at the bar, enjoying a drink, but he's soon notified of Rupert's presence, he then slides off the stool and moves into the backroom where Rupert is at. He looks behind him, and then glances into the room as he moves forward, looking around casually. "Hey, Mr. Carmicheal."
"Hello Sammy. Or do you prefer Miles behind closed doors?" Rupe's demeanor is casual, friendly. It's very much like going to see a college professor in office hours. "You seemed reluctant to have a chat with others in the room. I got the sense that you might want to have a little talk in private."
Miles nods his head,"Miles is fine, behind closed doors." He shoves his hands into his pockets, just standing there, looking a bit uncomfortable, acting a bit like he's at a job interview. He fidgets, shifts his stance around constantly, his eyes following Rupert's movements. "Reluctant? Perhaps a little. As you're probably already aware, I don't want everybody and their mother to know my dirty little secret. It's better that way, I think."
"Well, we're all about secrets. You keep ours, we keep yours. Everyone's happy," says Rupe with a wry little smile meant to put Miles at ease. "So. You don't have your own body? That's…very unfortunate. It must be very odd for you." Rather than feigning sympathy, he sounds quite genuine.
Miles gaze falls to the floor to the floor, nodding his head agreeingly. "You don't know the half of it." he responds flatly, a pretty straightforward comment coming from the man. He then lifts his head, giving Rupert a quizzical look,"But, I try to look at the bright side of things. I can be anyone, anywhere, and at anytime I so please. That's kind of a big plus, isn't it?" He chuckles lightly, but his playful demeanor is cut short as he looks at Rupert questionably, studiously.
"So… are you planning to tell me what my duties are going to be anytime soon?"
"You can be, but it must be hard to keep your sense of self. And to know that you have to be careful who you tell, or they'll lock you up," Rupe's sympathetic look remains. "And it's a talent that would be met with hostility anyway. But it's also one that can be put to very good use, if you're willing." He motions to the seat across the desk. He himself sits down. "Specific duties are still in the works. But tell me Miles, what would -you- like to do, and what would you like us to do for you?"
Miles scrunches up his nose, giving Rupert a funny look for a moment before he moves over to sit in the chair opposite of him. He shrugs his shoulders helplessly,"I don't know. What can you do? Obviously I'd like to have my own, permanent body, but that'll never happen. So, I guess I have to settle for other things less meaningful, material possessions one could say."
Miles sighs, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of notebook paper that obviously had been torn from a page. He stands and extends his arm across to Rupert,"This is the account I'd like you to transfer any and all funds into. I just want the cash, the other things I can buy on my own." Miles points at the paper after handing it to Rupert,"All the information is there that you need to know. Other than that, just tell me where to start, and as long as the pay is good, then you won't get any fuss out of me."
"What…exactly would you consider 'good' pay, Miles? Just so we're understanding each other." Rupe takes the paper, glances at it, then tucks it away in his laptop bag. He then folds his hands in front of him on the desk and raises his eyebrows.
"Well, thought that part was quite obvious… depends on the job really. If you're thinking anything like I'm thinking, then we're talking thousands, hundreds of. Right now? I don't expect very much until I've established myself, but if you want me to, just for an example, assassinate someone of high standing, then that is going to cost you a pretty penny, Mr. Carmicheal." Miles shrugs his shoulders thoughtlessly, leaning his head to one side, watching the expression on Rupert's face even though it seems that the man has his emotions under control and likely wouldn't show him any kind of surprised reaction.
"So you want to be a hired player? All right," Rupe inclines his head. "If that's what you'd prefer. But as a hired player, you're…" a wry grin appears, then flicks off. "Well, your role will be different from the others." He taps a pen on the table, then, "For the moment, we need information. Your skills would also be very useful for bringing people to us."
"What do you mean by that?" Miles gives Rupert a funny look again, raising his head upright, narrowing his eyes on the man intently.
"Hired player? My role will be different? " Miles frowns slightly at that, shaking his head,"So you think I'm not going to be a team player is that? Just because I want money? You want me to do it for free? As far as I understood, you said you got the resources and were willing to pay. I'm simply just taking you up on that notion."
Miles sighs, rising up to his feet, leaning on the table, staring Rupert down as he says,"What /do/ you want from me, Mr. Carmicheal? You want me to sell my soul to you? Is that it? You should know as well as anyone that you don't get nothing for free these days. If you want it, you got to take it. It's that simple… But I'm not going to lecture you."
Miles pushes off the desk, standing upright again, he takes a deep breath and then flatly says to Rupert, the noteworthy trait about Miles now is that when he speaks this time it's not necessarily cold but rather almost unemotional,"Look. I agreed to be apart of your little clique. I'm on aboard with your ideas. I don't want to see Evolved get hunted down like animals and forced to do things they don't want to do in a country that boasts about being 'Land of the Free'. I might not be a boy scout, Mr. Carmicheal, but even I know that's just plain wrong, and I don't want to sit idly by anymore, I'm antying up man. I'm tossing my two pennies into the pot. If you're worried that all I want is the money, you're wrong. I want to make change."
"The others will get money enough to make themselves comfortable, but I don't think - and I could be wrong, I admit - that any of them want hundreds of thousands of dollars." Rupe's brows go up, his tone matter-of-fact. "So if you're being paid significant amounts - and I'm not saying I'm not willing to do just that - then your role will be different. And I don't know if you'll be a team player or not. I don't know you well enough to know that." If he's agitated at all by Miles' demeanor, he doesn't show it. He remains calm and attentive.
"I'm glad you're on board with the ideals. That's why I thought you'd be with us. But in my experience, when a man's primary motivation is money, he's more likely to look out for himself, first and foremost. I am willing to pay you, Miles. But ask yourself - if I wasn't paying you, would you still work with us?"
"Despite what I'm capable of, I'm only human, Mr. Carmicheal." Miles responds, listening to Rupert's every word carefully, he then grins, sitting back down into the chair, in a bit of a relaxed position. Without further hesitation, Miles says,"I understand your position, Rupert, but like I said… I want to make changes, and the only way to do that is if I played a role in it." His gaze locked on Rupert's intently, keeping eye contact so that Rupert doesn't doubt him when he continues to say,"If you're all-in, then I'm all-in. I admit, I look out for number 1, but who doesn't? You're here for the same reason I am aren't you? You're evolved just like I am, aren't you? You don't even have to tell me what you're ability is, I don't care, all I know is, rather, all I assume is that we're both here for the same reason… To make change, to better our future and not just our future, but those like us. Our family and those closest to us." Miles pauses for a moment, to let his words sink in, before he says,"As for whether or not I'd be here if there was no money involved? .. Yes, I would be, but you're as aware as I am that I'm very capable of acquiring the resources that I need at any time."
"You see, Miles. The difference?" Rupe purses his lips, leans a bit over the desk, then looks at the young man directly, with an odd glimmer in his eye. "I'm willing to die for it. Especially if my death would ensure the continuation of our work, would preserve the secrecy so that we all don't end up in holding cells in some…government facility. But you're not alone if you're not willing to do that. So that isn't a prerequisite for working with us." He sits back and chuckles quite dryly. "But just so you understand my level of commitment. I looked out for myself for too long, and it got a lot of kids killed or put in jail. I'm not going to make that mistake again."
The academic looks thoughtful. He purses his lips. "If you're as capable as I'd imagine you are of gathering your own resources, then why do you want my money?"
"Why do I want your money? It'd be easier. Not to mention I could focus solely on the jobs that you give me. It's as simple as that." Miles shrugs his shoulders again,"As for willing to die?" Miles laughs, almost mockingly. "Go ahead. Kill me." He grins at Rupert mischievously. Pause. Miles just sits there silently now, waiting for Rupert's response or reaction to his statement.
"Why would I do that?" says Rupe, simply. "You'll have your money, Miles. But it's not a blank cheque. You can quote me what you think your services are worth at the start of each assignment, and I'll decide if you're worth the price, or whether we can do things without you." It's not mocking, it's not challenging. Those words are a simple statement of fact.
"Well, you're one that brought it up. I thought you'd like to test my willingness to die." He scoffs, shaking his head,"But since you're not inclined to test me. Then I suppose I'll just share a bit of knowledge with you…" Miles pauses, looking around before looking back to Rupert,"As far as I know. I can't die. My hosts can, but I do not. I just move on to the next body." He shrugs his shoulders,"As far as payment? I didn't really have any set ideas about how much you'd pay me. For all I care, you could pay me minimum wage, whatever. I'm simply asking you to pay me what you think I am worth. But you see, the only reason why I even asked for cash is simple. I don't know if I'm ever going to die, I'm sure there is some way or another, but as far as normal means? Nothing has worked. So for you? I'd think that you'd value a member that could operate in the field without worries of being killed. Being captured on the other hand, is another story."
"What happened to hundreds of thousands of dollars for an assassination?" asks Rupe without confrontation. It's a skill he has - saying things in such a way that they are as mild as possible. After a beat, he quirks a little grin. Then, "Well. That is very good to know. And you know I can help you too. If you want a host, someone of a particular standing, a particular age, build. Well, I know you're able to just take it, but I'd imagine there's always a risk of being expelled. I might be able to find you a willing host. Or…persuade them to be more willing." There's no moral judgment at all, and the fact that he's even offering - well, it says something about the man's own character.
"Like I keep telling you. I'm all-in. What I said before about hundreds of thousands? Well, I'm sort of new to this whole deal, so I just figured that that's how it worked." Miles sighs, shaking his head,"I certainly don't have as much experience as you do in these sort of matters, but I just want to make clear that I'm here and I am willing to do what is necessary." Miles looks the man over momentarily, then laughs, shaking his head,"Thanks, I appreciate the offer."
"How old are you, Miles?" Rupe asks. His voice takes on a kinder tone. "Really?"
"I'm twenty-six." Miles responds, tilting his head to the side slightly. "And my name is, Miles Porter. Just in case you decide you want to do a background check on me or something. That's how Phoenix did it. I still haven't heard back from them either." Miles scoffs,"No idea why they didn't want me in their clique." He smirks mischievously.
"Phoenix is…good-intentioned. They present a good face for the Evolved, so they have their uses. But they're not doing enough. They're not willing to do what it takes. But we are." Rupe never says 'I am.' It's always 'we.' He stands and walks around to the front of the desk. "You have a lot of power for a young man, and you've suffered a great deal as well. If you earn our trust, then you'll have a place to belong. You'll have people who won't judge you. We all want the same things. Freedom. Respect."
Miles glances up to Rupert as he moves around talking to him. He smirks a bit, looking downward for a moment before glancing up again,"Why is that when you said power, I suddenly thought about Spider-man and how his Uncle Ben said 'With great power comes great responsibility.' He chuckles jokingly. He then nods his head. "Right. Trust. It's what it's all about, isn't it? I knew that much already."
Miles gives Rupert a curious look,"So what's my first job?"
"I don't know yet, Miles. I haven't gotten that far. Right now we're just gathering people together. It will take awhile for us to get organized, for plans to form and logistics to be worked out. So you'll have to be patient. Get to know the others. I'm sure Isabelle can point them out." Rupe zips up his laptop case, a sign that he's preparing to leave. "I want you to be proactive as well. Don't just wait for direction from me. The key to our operations is that no one will ever know we exist. If you can think of a target or an operation, feel free to propose it."
Miles nods his head slightly, watching Rupert pack up and get ready to leave. Miles then rises to his feet,"I have an idea." Miles tilts his head to the side slightly,"How about some key phrases, or a code word or something to identify yourself as Shedda Dinu. As you see, that may be a little difficult in my position if I need to switch to a new body or something."
Rupe considers that for a moment, then nods. "Using the name of the group should be enough to at least get our attention. Please don't even use it outside of our circles. A name is a powerful thing, and we don't want it used against us like what happened to PARIAH." Then he looks Miles in the eye again and says, "Namaru. I'll make sure the others know it."
Miles nods his head agreeingly, repeating the word to himself, "Namaru.." He then smirks and nods his head again. "Oh, believe me, I know just how powerful a name can be." He grins a bit slyly at that, then he turns to move toward the door waiting for Rupert.
"It means 'mirror.' Seems appropriate for you," and then Rupe's pushing open the door to head out into the bar proper.
 January 6th: Gems of Wisdom from the Drunken Sage |
 January 6th: Serendipity |