Undercover Offer

Participants:

elle_icon.gif ryans2_icon.gif

Scene Title Undercover Offer
Synopsis Elle approaches Ryans as she was asked to do and offers herself to be an undercover agent.
Date August 12, 2010

Fort Hero: Assistant- Director Ryans' Office


Elle's perhaps waited a bit longer than she should have to do this meeting, reflecting on the circumstances of Monday's meeting. It'll still work out for her, though. She's got a frown on her face today, wearing 'civvie' clothes consisting of a pair of bermuda shorts and a tank top. She lacks her usual heels today in favor of flip-flops. Vicodin makes heels a bit more difficult to handle than she would prefer, and so she has forsaken her favorite click-shoes for the soft slap of her shoes against her heels as she walks.

Gingerly, she approaches Ryans's door, raising her good hand to offer a knock. She keeps that foul, disgruntled look on her face all the while, scowling at the doorframe as she waits for an answer.

"Enter."

The word gruffly and short, the man saying it busy over some paperwork he's been able to get his hands on. This Assistant-Director Benjamin Ryans slides shut slowly, as he settles back into his leather desk chair, elbows moving to rest on the arms. His shift of weight makes the chair creak softly.

It's dressed casually, his white dress shirt is pressed and neat, tucked into a pair of dark blue jeans. It's a style of dress he's adopted recently, possibly a sign of his rebel ways maybe? His hair is a bit tousled, leaving a few short locks of hair laying on his forehead.

There is no real expression on the old man's features as the door swings open. "Elle." He at least manages to make his tone pleasant. "What can I do for you?"

Elle opens the door and steps in, frowning as she closes the door behind herself. "Agent Ryans," She murmurs in greeting, her flip flops smacking against her heels as she makes her way over to a seat and flops down. For a moment, she just stares at him, frowning in silence. It's almost awkward, really. Then again, Elle never was much of one for social grace.

"I probably should've been at the meeting, but I really didn't…well." She turns a scowl down at the paperwork on his desk. "A few days before the meeting, Harper approached me."

A hand motions to the chair across the desk from him. "I am all ears." Ryans offers, with a small ghost of a smile. "You were not the only one missing from the meeting and it's probably better you were not there. It wasn't the best face of the Company." There is no denying the cluster that the meeting was. It was a sign of the organizations fracturing, it saddened the old man, but it doesn't surprise him.

It's a long time coming.

"Harper made one snide comment too many about the agents that perished in the Midtown explosion." Fingers laces together, his head tilting ever so slightly as he studies her. "So… I am going to guess he made a job offer?" Brows lift slightly, as he has been expecting it. Who would be a better candidate, especially with the family strife? "Tell me what happened?"

"So I heard. I didn't really want to see him, in any case." She's heard all about the meeting, and really…it's worked out in her favor. How better to get on Ryans' good side, than to play on that hatred for Harper?

"Yeah, he made a job offer. Asked me to come to the Institute as an Agent. Spewed promises about how I would get the appreciation I deserve, and how they appreciate their agents." She offers a roll of her eyes, before turning to look at Ryans, attempting to make eye contact. "I didn't give him an answer. I told him that I would think about it…because I thought you might like a little bit of a chance to talk to me first." Suddenly, she offers a small, rueful smile. "I thought you might think of something for me to do about this." A simple suggestion, really, but hopefully Ryans will understand what she's hinting at.

"You can take it or not… I can not stop you from it… and I want stop you." It's probably not exactly what she is expecting to hear. "However, before you take it… you should know they are no different then what the Company was." His mouth tugs to one side into a unhappy look. "And in many ways worse."

Chin lifting slightly, Ryans' eyes drift to the folders on his desk in thought. How much to say to her. Not everyone that is in his circle know everything. It's on purpose that he does that. "Allison had a right to be angry — I do not blame her for it, but I couldn't discuss the Darryl case in front of Harper. Being an agent of the Institute, he's just as responsible for what happened to him." A heavy sigh escapes the older man, before he focuses on the blonde.

"Darryl was an innocent man that the Institute wanted to kidnap and ended up killing when he sacrificed himself to save an innocent woman who one of thier Agents was attempting to kill." Ryans explains softly. "They attacked Richards, running her off the road so they could try to grab him, which started this whole thing." There is a touch of guilt, his head bowing a bit, "Keeping Richards out of the loop was necessary to keep the man safe. The Institute has been kidnapping innocent people for experimentation." His head shakes slowly, moving to lean forward in his chair, making it creak. "I know we did that too, but I never supported that. I was a bag and tag man… going after the killers."

The girl leans forward, listening to Ryans with a small smile upon her face. "I didn't say I wanted to join them, Agent Ryans." She leans her elbow against his desk, and her chin is rested against her hand. "I told him maybe because…well, I figured that you might think of something for me to do about it." She raises her brows. "Like, maybe get you some information."

Then, she leans back, scratching idly at the edge of the bandage that covers her shoulder. "Honestly…I might not have the best relationship with my dad…but the Company has given me a chance where I wouldn't have been given a chance otherwise." Never mind that the reason she wouldn't be given a chance is because of the Company itself and the way she was treated while growing up. "So…if you want me to tell him yes, then I will."

Eyes narrow slightly at the girls offer, Ryans watches her thoughtfully for a long moment, arms moving to rest on the desk, propping him there. "I will — have to thinking on that Elle. Even with your sketchy relationship, your father is a friend and if I risk his little girl like that… it might be my head." He's being honest with the blonde. "I know I'd have your father's head if he asked my girls to step into the viper pit. We don't know what kind of environment you are stepping into."

Lips press together firmly, his eyes dropping to the desk. A pen setting there is plucked up and the tip tapped on the surface of one of the folders. "However…" His eyes lift to her, his head turning slightly. "If you decide to go of your own accord, I won't stop you… and you know my door will always be open."

It's a subtle way of saying… If you want to share things, I'll listen, but I'm not supporting it.

He'll have to see if Rebel is willing to keep an occasional ear on the young woman, make sure she's okay, if she decides to do such a thing. At least the Institute is something the two of them can agree on.

Elle offers a smirk, tapping her fingers against the arm rest. Her eyes raise up toward the ceiling, before returning to Ryans. "I might not like my dad much…but I can't just sit back and watch while the Company gets further and further into the viper pit." She peers thoughtfully at Ryans, before continuing. "Either way, though, I'm in a viper pit. It's no secret that the Company is facing scrutiny…I might as well at least try to help, y'know?"

She glances back up toward the ceiling thoughtfully, tapping at her lower lip with an index finger. Then, she smiles to Ryans. "I'll let you know if I find anything out…I've spent the past three months researching the Institute, and now they want me? This is a perfect opportunity. I'd be dumb to pass it up."

"The Company is dying, Elle. It's only a matter of when it goes belly up." Ryans offers that bit of truth with a small sad smile. "And if recent events are any hint… well… it'll be sooner then later. Within the next few months." The old agent would be a fool not to admit that the end is near. "The government is just hovering and waiting for the right time.

"Like I said… I won't support what your doing, but I will listen to whatever you bring me." He pulls a file towards himself, leaning back in his seat. "Be wary of what they tell you. I've received bad information before." He'll be wary of anything brought to him, despite the fact the source may be on his side.

"More importantly, just be careful out there, kiddo." Ryans warns her, his concern for her safety real. The youg blonde across from him, even if her raising was horrible, she's been sheltered.

The petite blonde nods slowly. "I know it is…the least I can do is try and take a chunk out of our enemies as the Company dies." She tilts her head toward Ryans for a moment, before raising to her feet. "I'll do my best, and get you what info I can. Don't know how much I can help, but I can certainly try my hardest." She offers a small smile.

"Thank you for your concern, Agent Ryans…I really do appreciate it. I'll be careful. Promise. Just…don't tell my dad what I'm doing, okay? I know he won't like it…" She nods, and turns to make her way toward the door. Her hand on the doorknob, she pauses, turning to peer at Agent Ryans. "You be careful too, okay?"

"Always." The old man says with a real smile, creasing the corners of his eyes, showing more of the true age of the man. That smile also says he's lying, cause Benjamin Ryans is a man who takes risks. History isn't made by being careful.


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