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Scene Title | Two As One |
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Synopsis | Godfrey Wells is a man trapped between two worlds, but sometimes… |
Date | July 20, 2019 |
The moment the clock face slides away to reveal a staircase, the lilting melodies of piano music fills the air of the Times Square Building’s penthouse. Its high ceilings and cathedralesque structure gives it noble acoustics, making the notes sound ethereal and distant.
Shutting the clock behind himself, Godfrey makes his way through the unoccupied parlor and into the grand foyer where still there is no one to be found. Across the marble-floored hall Godfrey passes beneath chandeliers unlit and casting long shadows from the daylight spilling in through tall windows. Each of his footfalls click like the beat of a metronome, following the tempo of the song unconsciously.
When he finds the source of the music, it’s behind a partly-open door into a richly-appointed study of tall bookshelves and large tables. Documents and blueprints are laid out on the table and a baby grand piano is pushed into one corner, upon the bench is seated Antonia Garza, fingers deftly moving across light and dark keys.
“Godfrey,” Garza says without turning around, “come on in.”
The Times Square Building
West Downtown, Rochester NY
July 20th
11:18 am
“I should have guessed,” comes Godfrey’s smooth reply from just inside the door, followed by the soft click of it closing. “I must say, your playing is exquisite.” The brit was in no way a stranger to the keys himself. His footsteps still seem to hold some sort of time with the music as he makes his way over.
The dark sapphire of his suit looks bright over the black silk shirt under it. He’s gone sans tie and the first few buttons undone, it was the only hint that he doesn’t have an Yamagato meetings presently. This was Godfrey’s idea of a casual. There is always the temptation to brush fingers over the mirror-like surface of the piano, but he refrains this time… though he does watch the reflection of the Shedda leader in it’s reflection.
“I hope I am not intruding,” Godrey finally looks up to the man, his head dipping a bit in respect, now that he is standing alongside Garza. “But, I recently I received a rather… fascinating phone call and felt a need to share.” For all of his cockiness, when it came to the man on the piano, he reigned it in a little.
Of course, Godfey could have phoned it in, as well, but here he was wearing that cocksure smile, even though he felt a thread of anxiety over interrupting a man who could literally melt his face off.
Garza looks over his shoulder, briefly interested in the comment about phone calls, but then turns his attention back to the piano and seems content to allow Godfrey to come and go like the outdoor cat that he is. Shaw not withstanding. “My father insisted I learn when I was younger,” he explains plainly, “we’d just come to America from Italy, been Stateside about… four months. We’d moved in to this small apartment in Newark, just over the river from Manhattan.” As he talks, he continues to play, though Godfrey isn’t familiar with the tune.
“My mother was working in a shoe factory and my father was repairing pianos for a business down by the waterfront.” Gazra explains, motioning over to a small sideboard of crystal decanters normally kept in the lounge, a universal gesture for help yourself to a drink. “There was this old piano; an upright cabinet — Hamilton — piano. He’d have me practice on it in the shop while he worked. We’d get sheet music from the library, I’d spend hours there…”
Coming to the end of his song, Garza slowly lowers the cover on the keys and looks over to Godfrey. “Do you play anything?”
Later
President’s Office
Yamagato Industries
Yamagato Park, NYC Safe Zone
7:29 pm
“Take a seat Mr. Wells.”
The stark lines and regal appointment of Kimiko Nakamura’s office in the Yamagato Building normally would inspire a sense of wonder in first-time visitors, but when Godfrey Wells was called up for an unexpected meeting with the CEO of Yamagato Industries, he is left with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and a pit of anxiety churning in his stomach.
While Godfrey sits, Kimiko is sweeping her hand across the surface of her desk, pulling up one file or another. Briefly, she looks up to Godfrey, then back down to the glass top of her desk. “How long have you been with us?”
“A few years, I believe,” Godfrey offers with just enough pride, despite that thread of worry. He even manages to not show it. Unbuttoning his suit jacket, the companies liaison settles himself into the chair with a practiced grace. “Less so specifically in the Safe Zone headquarters. It will be a year this December when I was transferred here.”
Limbs settle on the arms of his seat, seeming almost made for Godfrey. An Italian leather clad foot perching up on his knee. An attempt to look at ease.
Maybe, the biggest hint to the the informed eye, Godfrey was wearing a silk tie to compliment the deep blue suit. Yamagato was a Japanese company and as such, meant a certain level of dress was expected of their employees.
Not that Godfrey would complain, his vanity enjoyed it.
“I admit, the call surprised me,” At least Godfrey isn’t too shy to admit such a thing. Nor is he shy in studying her as if trying to draw out her purpose, but just her expression and demeanor.
“If this is about KUKA Robotics, I assure you they have been looking quite closely at the latest proposal for acquisition.” Fingers smooth along the leather of the chair arm, while Godfrey offers up the report. “Seems Praxis has been sniffing around their skirts for that new Industrial design they were set to announce.” There is a flick of fingers in dismissal of that, “I doubt they can offer what we are, but the KUKA execs are holding out in hopes for a bigger windfall.”
“It isn’t,” is Kimiko’s cold and direct approach to the inquiry. “I called you here today to talk about a special assignment. One that is outside of your job description, but nevertheless I feel you are uniquely qualified for.” Leaning back in her chair with a creak of leather, Kimiko looks down to the desktop and her stare goes a little distant.
“Several months ago I let Monica Dawson go from the company. It was an… essential maneuver. I recognized that Ms. Dawson was personally close to unraveling something that our competitors at Praxis Heavy Industries were involved in. Something illegal.” Kimiko’s dark eyes cast aside. “So, I cut her loose in the hopes that it would attract the right attention. Bait, essentially. It isn’t that I don’t trust her, it’s that I don’t trust information security in an age of corporate telepaths and empaths.”
Kimiko looks up her faint reflection in the glossy desktop to Godfrey. “You may have also seen that our guest of last year, Major Tetsuyama, appears to be in some measure of trouble. I understand you and the Major are close, which leads me to why I called you here.” Kimiko’s brows furrow together. “I need you to get them out of Japan before the Japanese government tightens the noose, and I need you to do it off of Yamagato’s record.” Her eyes narrow, subtly. “I know the kind of work you did before coming to us. Otherwise you wouldn’t be my first choice. Or even my fifth.”
“Hard not to notice,” Any of it really, ”Miss Terrel has been quite vocal on all matters and has relieved me of some of m’ very best bottles.” Godfrey doesn’t say that those same bottled were offered of his own free will.
Sometimes, friendships with beautiful women require a willing sacrifice.
Though when Kimiko mentions who he was before coming to them, this brings Godfrey up short. Staring at her, there is a visible crack in the act(?) he puts on. A nervous shift in his chair — how much does she know? — and a clearing of his throat precedes a “Well… I’ve put it all behind me, haven’t I? With the chance you all have given me.”
Has he really though?
Earlier
The gesture toward the decanters, receives a dip of the brit’s head in thanks before he turns to take advantage of it. Deft fingers turn over a tumbler as he answer’s Garza’s question, “Same as you, actually.” There is a flick of his fingers at the piano.
“Though, I think m’ own father would have preferred I didn’t,” Godfrey offers up with a bit of a cocky smile. “No, I came to it on m’ own. It was love at first sight, in fact, when I attended a concert and saw that grand piano sitting in the center of the stage.” With a nostalgic sigh at the memory, he picks up the decanter of scotch.
A glance aside to Garza, Godfrey continues his own story, “So, while m’ siblings want to play football or cricket, I wanted piano lessons.” His tone a bit ‘go figure.’ “Broke m’ father’s heart, I think. Not the last time with.”
Once roughly two fingers have been splashed into the glace, Godfrey turn an inquiring brow to Garza; a silent inquire if he’d like something.
“I’m all set,” Garza says with a slow incline of his head to the side, positioning himself on the piano bench so that he’s facing Godfrey. “Your timing isn’t all that off, either. I’d been planning on coming to you for a meeting, but here we are now. You always have something of impeccable timing, as it turns out.”
Slowly angling a look from Godfrey over to the two chairs in the study, Garza pushes himself to his feet. “But, what I wanted to talk about can wait. What brings you here?” He asks, moving to one of the high backed chairs and settling down in, crossing one leg over the other and folding his hands at a knee.
“Oh, well,” Godfrey seems to preen a bit at the compliment, “seems fortune does indeed smile upon the wicked today.” His tumbler lifted in salute in acknowledgement of such.
Following Garza’s movements with dark hooded eyes, Godfrey sips the amber liquid, but doesn’t follow.. Once his leader is settled, only then does he move. Tucking a hand in a pocket, Godfrey swirls the contents of his glass gently, as he languidly takes himself that way, he starts to explain…
“I very recently received a rather distressing call from Major Tetsuyama Asi of the Mugai-ryu,” Godfrey motions to Garza, “You’ve seen the news reports I presume? Named murderer for a Diet member in Japan?” If he doesn’t he does now.
Instead of sitting, Godfrey just continues to pace just as lazily. “The thing is, I’m certain it wasn’t her. She’s being framed. More importantly,” he turns on heel and points, with glass in hand, at Garza, “based on views she expressed to me, I believe she could be influenced to our cause. She is very much on the fence.”
Here Godfrey knows it will be tricky, moving now to sit on the edge of the other chair, glass perched now between two hands. “So I came here, hoping to tip the scales in our favor.”
Later
There is no use in hiding it now. “However, you’re right. You’re… right. I was that and I admit that I may have been calling in a few favors with old contact or two for a way to get the Major out of there or off the hook. Especially, once I heard the lies.” There is a rare flicker of anger on behalf of Asi’s honor.
It doesn’t last long, Godfrey motions to the woman sitting across from him, with a brilliant smile. “But here you are. Offerin’ the solution I am looking for. Bravo, Ms Nakamura, for reminding me that I’m more than just a pretty face.
Godfey bows his head in respect to the woman.
“I’ll, of course, do as you ask. Do we happen to know where they are currently?”
“It may not all be lies,” is Kimiko’s clear and plain response. “But that’s a bridge we’ll cross once they’re safely back in the States. With Ms. Dawson and Ms. Tetsuyama are Luther Bellamy and Francesca Lang, both of whom I would consider it a personal favor if they were treated kindly and allowed passage out of the country. Mr. Bellamy is a partner with Raytech and I would prefer to stay on their good side, and Ms. Lang…” Kimiko looks down at her desk, then slowly shakes her head.
“They don’t deserve to rot in Japan all by themselves,” Kimiko explains. But it seems there’s a limit to her vast knowledge, and while Godfrey is also out of the loop, she isn’t aware of Miles, Eve, or the other two clones being involved in current events. “I’d like you to take a private jet and a personal effect belonging to Ms. Dawson and get them back to the States safe and sound.”
Leaning forward in her seat, Kimiko folds her hands and makes steady eye-contact with Godfrey. “As for their location, no. You may need to coordinate finding that out with Ms. Tetsuyama. If Asi is hiding their trail, there’s no options I have left to find them.”
When Kimiko looks down at the desk, Godfrey’s eyes narrow ever to slightly at brush off of further explanation with Ms. Lang. It only lasts a moment, something noted, before it falls into a look of mild disinterest. “Of course, I’ll bring back, whomever you wish me too; but Ms. Dawson and Ms. Tetsuyama will, of course, be m’ main concern.”
Because… priorities.
Earlier
Garza is quiet for a while after Godfrey grows quiet, looking at a space on the wall beside the other man’s head. It's only when Garza creases his brows in thought does it seem like he isn't lost in his own mind. “Tetsuyama…” he parrots Asi’s name back, averting his eyes to the floor before leaning forward and clasping his hands together between his knees.
“I've heard of her,” Garza says in such a way as to imply a more than casual understanding of who she is. “She's gone to great lengths to sanitize her personal history, but…” He changes his mind, breaks away from that train of thought without looking back. “I've been told that Skye should meet with her, lay groundwork. Your intuition appears just as sharp as ever.”
Rubbing his palms on his knees, Garza seems to be working something out in his head. The mental gymnastics of juggling an entire organization’s logistics appears to take quite a lot out of him. “Asi reached out to our allies, Mazdak, for help with a liberation of evolved prisoners in Japan. I think this might be the moment that we give her enough rope to either anchor her to our cause, or…” hang herself goes unsaid.
“I'd been wanting to talk to you, one on one,” Garza admits as an aside, “so your timing coming here couldn't be any more perfect.”
The fact that there is an interest in having Skye talk to Asi speaks volumes to Godfrey, brows ticking up ever so slightly; but his true feelings on that are hidden behind a carefully placed mask. His attention razor focused on the man across from him, showing intense interest in what Garza is saying. “Well, now I know what she was hiding when we spoke.” Neatly manicured nails tap on the glass in his own moment of thought.
“How… fascinating,” Much like Garza, it’s obvious that Godrey’s mind is in motion.
Fingers pause in their tapping, Godfrey’s attention on Garza. Again his head tips ever so slightly as if a dog catching sight of something interesting. “Vodka and tonic, if I remember right?” And he’s on his feet again, moving with purpose towards the gathering of crystal bottles. “If I may be so bold, you look like you have a lot on your plate at the moment,” the man declares, after finishing off the bit of scotch in his glass. There is no poking into what it is. “You take too much on yourself. You deserve a bit of pamperin’ and relaxation, same as the rest of us.”
While he refills his own glass, Godfrey shifts gears and admits, “I have been wanting a private chat, ever since m’ last assignment.” For once, there is something in Godfrey’s tone that says he might hold a different opinion of this other employer.
Taking a deep breath, Godfrey turns just enough that Garza can glimpse that confident smile, “But, that is less important, at the moment. How can I be of service to the cause?”
Later
As he sits there smiling at Kimiko, Godfrey couldn’t care less of anyone elses safety only that of his ‘drinking buddy.’ Everyone else, was just extra.
“You also, if I may, are presuming that Ms. Dawson wants anything to do with Yamagato again. It was a rather nasty break.” It is more of a caution to Godfrey’s boss that this may very well fail. He manages to even sound concerned. “What do we have in our arsenal that might sweeten the pot? I doubt our stellar health plan will be enough.”
“I have a special delivery for her, and an old friend.” Kimiko looks down to the desk and taps a couple of faintly visible touch-pad keys, bringing up a three-dimensional hologram of a cybernetic arm. Alongside it, a symbol of concentric blue rings manifests in the air, pivoting toward Godfray like a flat eye, the middle of which oscillates in brightness to the pitch of a synthetic voice.
«Hello Mr. Wells» the voice cheerfully indicates.
“Jiba, an artificial intelligence we’ve been designing for some years now,” Kimiko explains with a motion to the symbol, “and Ms. Dawson’s new arm.” The design hovering in the air shows none of the external design aesthetic that Marlowe Terrell had labored on in her spare time, but what Godfrey can’t even be aware of is what is internally stolen from Marlowe’s own design and reproduced by her own subordinates without her knowledge or consent.
“I would encourage you to sell her on cooperation,” Kimiko indicates, waving one hand to dismiss the image of the arm, but not Jiba. “We have more than enough connections at the Japanese Embassy here in Yamagato Park and the State Department in Kansas City in order to try and rectify the… damage that was done in Japan. Provided they’ve been able to collect enough evidence to implicate Praxis Heavy Industries.”
Dark brows twitch upward at what all pops up in front of him. They about reach his hairline as he is directly addressed by the AI. Well! A smile tugs up at one side as he studies the flat eye in wonderment.
Is he suppose to address it back?
“Uh.. Hello, Jiba.” Godfrey says, pulling himself away from the chairback; eyes dart between the two items. How had he not known about this? What a selling point that would be…
When the arm disappears, Godfrey finally focuses on Kimiko and he looks thoroughly impressed by what she was offering up to Monica. There is a wuff of air and he settles back again. “I have heard you were a heavy hitter, but… I’m impressed Ms. Nakamura. You have improved m’ odds.”
A glance flicks up to the AI, before Godfrey offers Kimiko a brilliant smile. “A private plane shouldn’t be too hard to obtain, I can be on m’ way rather quickly, if you’d like.”
“There is one other matter,” Kimiko says with a crease of her brows and an askance look to the side. “In the event that Monica chooses not to come back, or if she shows resistance in that, remind her that the enemies she has are numerous given the work she's done for Yamagato Industries in the past and her… personal career prior.”
Kimiko leans forward and narrows her eyes. “If Monica isn't a part of Yamagato Industries, it will be harder to leverage our resources to protect her and the people she cares about from the consequences of those actions.” She relaxes, just a little. “Just, perhaps deliver that softly.”
How curious.
Earlier
“Right now, unfortunately, it will be half the matter.” Garza says with a slow incline of his head, watching Godfrey prepare the drink. “Everything that’s happening in Japan with Major Tetsuyama could reach a breaking point any day now…” Garza slouches to the side and rests his elbow against one arm of the chair and his chin in an upturned palm. “I feel like our private conversation may need to take something of a back seat, at least until you return from Japan.”
What.
Attention fixed on Godfrey, Garza continues. “I’d like you to be the one that goes to help her, however it is that she needs it. I’ve already spoken to Jaiden as well, consider him your muscle for the assignment. If Asi gets arrested by the Japanese government they’ll neutralize her ability and throw her in a relocation camp and we may never find her again.”
Blinking a look down to the floor, Garza furrows his brows. “Our allies in Mazdak would like her to remain free, and my superiors feel the same way about her. But you and I need to be careful about how this is handled. If she learns too much too fast, she may never be able to reconcile her head with her heart and that could be disastrous for us.”
Well, that gets Godfrey’s attention.
Japan?
There is a brief pause in the midst of fixing the second drink, with an added flicker of concern over the direness of Asi’s situation. A glance is angled over at Garza as he starts to pour again. It was a lot to take in, but then… there is a chuckle.
“Me?”
Godfrey sounds rather amused by the prospect of his non-evolved self being the one to ride to the rescue. Turning with both drinks in hand, the Yamagato Liaison can’t help but think it was a joke, “Surely, you must be joking.” This was the sort of thing that someone like Vor was sent on.
The vodka and tonic is offered over and Godfrey takes that opportunity to study Garza. Whatever he sees, the smile falls away, “Wait. Y’re not joking. You truly want me to handle this.” It wasn’t a question, but an answer to the question in his mind. There is honest surprise at that level of trust offered with the job, though he quickly slips it behind that confident grin.
“Well, I guess I can't fault y’ur logic,” Godfrey lifts his glass in a salute to his leader, for recognizing the potential in the other man. “She and I do have a bond of sorts… and truth be told it has been a bit dull around Yamagato.”
Garza can’t help but make a somewhat self-satisfied shrug at Godfrey complaining of boredom as he takes the offered drink. “You may sing a different tune once you get back, but you’re the only one with a personal relationship with Asi.” Sipping from the glass, there’s a faint sizzle when the alcohol hits Garza’s teeth, but only for a moment. “Our relationship with Mazdak is a very important one, and the more we do to foster its development the better.”
Rolling his glass in one hand, Garza grows quiet for a moment. “This next operation we have coming up, against the Deveaux Society, it’s going to be a bigger profile. I can’t send you out on it, can’t risk endangering your cover within Yamagato. I’d like to think of this as an engagement olive branch, but,” he laughs to himself, “a thirteen hour flight isn’t exactly what I’d call a good olive branch.” Garza takes another sip of his drink, then sets it down on the small table beside his chair.
“When you get back,” Garza says, folding his hands together, “I’d like to talk about your future with us. Your larger role in things.”
The glass of Scotch lowers for a moment to tap lightly against the side of Godfrey’s leg. “To be perfectly honest, sir, I agree on the Deveaux assignment. I would’ve never presumed to ask.” In other words, no hard feelings, really. “And, a thirteen hour flight is nothing with the right company.” The wicked twist to his smile returns and “And I can’t think of a better companion for this trip than Mr. Mortlock. Capable that one.”
It was a chance to get to know another of their number and they can’t escape each other.
Later
Godfrey can’t keep that look off his face, fingers steepling in thought. He knew almost knew nothing about the woman, but this… this was interesting. However, it isn’t really his place to question those things, he’d check with his Shedda contacts for more information on the woman.
“I shall endeavour to deliver it as softly as a feather,” he assures with a confident smile, since changing words to fit an agenda is literally part of his job. “And push the idea that Yamagato would benefit from her return and that we will extend those benefits to her and those she cares about.” Hands spread.. Tada.
“But should she still refuse? I just walk away?”
Of course, Godfrey asks and he seems rather curious of the answer. If she knows a bit about his past, she’ll know why. There was almost always another contingency for a loose thread, even in business. Maybe its while he enjoys the business world so much, it’s not much different than the criminal world sometimes.
“If she knows what’s good for her,” Kimiko says with a furrow of her brows, “she’ll say yes. If not…” her eyes close and she shakes her head.
“We’ll cross that bridge.”
Earlier
Lifting the glass, Godfrey takes a sip while watching Garza out of the corner of his eye. Maybe trying to glean a secret from the man’s words. “When I get back…” He repeats, holding the glass up his glass and bowing his head in respect to the man sitting before him.
”I very much look forward to our continued conversations.”