RP:Partnership Meeting

Part of the The Dust Up In Cenril Arc

Summary: Things have been heating up for their business. They've seen increased gang violence, Elisilith has been extorting them, and they can't process the money they're making fast enough. Hudson calls a meeting with Emelyan and Eleanor, now that she's back. They agree to purchase The Office, preferred local dancing establishment, to help launder the money. Emelyan, who appears to have made a number of enemies through his own designs, suggests they enter the goblin slave trade, and makes a number of maniacal claims about destroying Cenril if the gang problems don't stop. Hudson and Eleanor are genuinely shocked by the ruthlessness of their partner but Emelyan is abducted before they can get real answers.

Conference Room, Cenril Bank

Hudson had called this meeting between partners off the usual cooking and distribution schedule. He'd even called it at the bank, in one of the conference rooms for high-rolling clients - that's them now, apparently - as opposed to The Office, or the newly established orphanage run by perennial pain in the arse philanthropic professor and moonlighting stripper Elisilith. Maybe Hudson had simply wanted the free coffee, it certainly was better here than at those other venues. He's first on the scene, and he sits in one of the leather conference room chairs and idly picks through a glossy wealth management brochure. There's plenty of unlaundered cash chilling literally under the mattress at his mum's house. He eats a maple glazed donut which had been placed in the room by special request. (What? Who doesn't like maple glaze...) He waits for Emelyan and Eleanor to arrive before setting the agenda: "I want to talk about two things, one of which is obvious, one of which is awkward. First, we need to launder the money better. I want to buy The Office. Second, Alvina found out. It's cool, for now."

Emelyan didn't take a seat. His bone structure no longer allowed for comfortable seating, and he'd some time before he could afford to recuperate. Missing his right arm and left leg, he leaned heavily on a crutch, his body devastated, and healing poorly. Seeing a child in such a state would be heart wrenching to most... even Elisilith hadn't argued when he'd come to her for sanctuary. He was hunted, still, and from beings far and beyond this world. Money wasn't at the fore of his concerns, but he'd neglected this duty for too long, stopping by only to make sure his golems kept perfectly producing using the alchemy labs he kept hidden from even Hudson. Several labs, several partners, a lot to micro manage, and no time. He scowled as though expecting news of the apocalypse, a perpetual mien of graceless anger adorning his features. "Buy it. Expand into legitimate businesses where possible, and increase community ties. I've established a reputation hunting rogue vampires that prey on the slums, and they've become an... enthusiastic clientele, the guard willing to turn a blind eye since they're safer on Firefly than in the arms of fanged undead." He winced, leaning against his crutch and slipping his hand under his coat to hold his ribs. "And coin is coin. If need be, I'll melt and repress it. It holds commodity value, no matter its form. Coinage is but a convenience, and unnecessary for our needs."

Eleanor was the last to enter, and she descended comfortably into a chair opposite Hudson, throwing up her boots onto the table, crossing one ankle over the other before addressing either male. "Th' Office, och aye? Coods wark." Leaning back in the chair, she sent celadon-hued eyes toward Hudson, her expression unreadable. "However, thaur ur other matters tae hink abit as well; we'll need protection, suin." The tension between The Oracle and the other gangs in Cenril had slowly been building since Firefly Steve hit the streets. "Ah hae mah yak oan someain fa coods ... provide us wi' th' weapons we micht a body day need. Armur an aw." Later this day, she planned to meet up with someone she'd hired to follow this would-be arms dealer around to make sure he wasn't working both sides. It was then that she turned toward Emelyan, his face still more or less unfamiliar to her; she scarcely trusted him either, but since he was in league with Hudson, she never brought this matter up. Despite her gaze staring in Emelyan's direction, her words were aimed at Hudson. "Whit dae ye plan tae dae abit 'er?" She had told him before to keep the girl happy, but of course Hudson preferred the more complicated route. Re-crossing her legs with her other ankle now on top, she reached over to snatch up one of the maple-glazed doughnuts, biting into it with pleasure before, around a mouthful of food, she said to Huds, "What's it gonnae tak' tae buy th' club?"

Hudson tries not to stare at Emelyan's physiological struggles, it disturbs him on many levels. Sort of ruins his appetite for the maple donut, so he puts that on pause while the meeting begins. Both of them are in favor of buying The Office. "Would be nice to also have an office of sorts, no pun intended. I'll uh... talk to the management," says Hudson, letting Eleanor bring the next item of business to the meeting. Yeah, both he and Emelyan were aware of the escalating tensions; he trades a look with the other dude as if to say, Yeeeeeap. At least Eleanor has a game plan that doesn't consist of raining down terror. Cough, Emelyan, cough. He's nodding along with the idea of a more organized approach and it thus takes him by surprise that the conversation has been redirected to Alvina. He looks at Eleanor as if she'd sprouted a second head. "I'm going to marry her, chill," he says, pouring cream into his mug. "She says she wants to do philanthropy to offset the crime wave that we're causing. So if there's anything......." He squints as he rubs his face. "I don't think we could place her at The Office, obviously, but I have someone else in mind for manager there."

Emelyan finds Eleanor looking at him, and decides the woman needs to be kept busy. "There is another matter to discuss, an enterprise equally profitable, and morally... questionable. I was able to convince Kelovath that it was the lesser of two evils, profitability besides. Eleanor, Hudson, Kelovath of Larket is your contact. You'll find a route established to the fermin sewers, and many fermin workers. I don't distribute in Larket yet, but I've developed a smuggling operation to move goblin slaves from Kregus. Honestly, they're hardly slaves. Things don't feel pain, can't be cowed with torture at all. If you don't feed them, they don't work. If you do, they'll do anything, and I do mean anything. Kregus suffers from overpopulation, starvation and famine, this releases that pressure. They sell best in Gualon, but there's a surprising call for workers in Larket as well. The church covers the operation, asks no questions. They are well paid to do so. I cannot directly oversee this operation, and will be maintaining minimal contact among the fermin, and with paladin Kelovath. I have little enough time to produce the Firefly." He coughed, and wiped blood from his arm, then perked up. "I have company coming. They've found one of my trail. Another assassin will be here within the hour for my head. I suggest we hurry this along." He sounded angered, and pained, but not worried. Perhaps... annoyed? "I would not be adverse to violent means or blackmail to control the rival gangs of Cenril. I've dismantled one, If I've time to dedicate, I'll take apart another. I recommend we spill more blood, however." He didn't offer any explanations as to why. Perhaps he was merely more bloodthirsty.

Eleanor eyed Hudson and his plan to marry Alvina, a blonde brow rising. She said nothing on -that- matter, however, and moved on to more important items on the agenda. "Ye will lae th' gangs tae me," she said, shifting a sharp gaze in Emelyan's direction; she didn't care right now for his methods, and was working on her own. It would be better this way, especially since the boy seemed to have a lot on his plate as of late. "If ye need mair tae buy th' office, lit me ken. Ah can also provide ... weel, let's caa it insurance." Not only could the rogue provide members of The Oracle's syndicate to stand guard at The Office, but if they went through with it, she intended to scar it with runes that would protect it from things like theft or espionage. The operation was too important to leave anything out. However, she was concerned about them moving product to Larket and Gualon; it would make things tricky when they already had people barking up their tree in Cenril. She shot Hudson a pointed look, but neglected to say anything further.

Hudson tries to calmly finish his maple donut and react in a manner that suggests that Emelyan has said mostly reasonable things here. It surprises him that Kelovath has entered the fray as a supporter of their product but perhaps his bachelor party had been good networking. "I'll take care of buying the Office and install someone there to manage it for us," he says, thinking immediately of hot witch and sidepiece Valrae. Her first. "I live in Larket, and I know Kelovath, so uh... I'll deal with this goblin slave... thing... Let's play Gualon by ear." Emelyan has a squirrelly look about him, so Hudson drains his mug and swings his gaze between the two. "All agreed? Business concluded?"

Emelyan nods. Eleanor seemed to pointedly ignore him, and as such, he'd rely on Hudson to handle her, and if she became a problem... to handle the problem. "Product will continue to flow. See to the slaves, I'll keep off of the streets, for now. If I don't see results, and our product flow is interrupted... I'll be forced to intervene directly. I'll make Cenril into a warzone if I have to, so get it done, Eleanor. Hurry on out, gents. This fight-" Out of nowhere, a silver flash slams into Emelyan, sending the crippled child into the wall, and they both fall through it, simply gone. Whatever he was fighting, it seemed it was his to handle alone, indeed.

Eleanor lowered her boots from the table and took another hefty bite of doughnut -- and promptly choked on it as Emelyan went flying through the wall of the conference room at the behest of some unknown force. Quickly, she stood, swallowing her bite and sending a perplexed expression toward Hudson. She tore her gaze away to glance sideways toward the space Emelyan had previously occupied, an annoyed grimace contorting her features. "Weel buck." El looked back toward Hudson, a vague smirk now captivating those full lips. "Ye dae ye, i'll dae me an' ... we'll lit heem dae ... heem." Meaning they each had a job to do. Even though she was only halfway done with her doughnut, she reached forward to snatch up another, shoving the first into her mouth with little ceremony. "Sae ... slaves?" The spell blade eyed Hudson. "Did ye ken abit thes?"

Hudson outright drops his donut, and stands alongside Eleanor, eyes wide and fixated on the space that had been formerly occupied by Emelyan. "What the-" he exclaims, followed by a series of expletives. He looks to the door of the room, contemplates summoning assistance, but then thinks better of it. He feels suddenly sick, and he's hardly listening when Eleanor asks him about the slaves. He manages to wave a hand at her. "No, of course not," he says, residually flustered still. "That's - that's not a thing that's happening. Even so I'm bros with Kelovath, I'll work it out with him. Right? I mean what else was I supposed to say?"

Eleanor wasn't morally adverse to the whole idea of suddenly being a slave trader -- she was much more concerned about the fact that Emelyan had sort of sprung it on them like this. She grumbled something under her breath before fixing Hudson with an even stare. "Guid. Meit wi' thes bloke, see whit he wants tae dae. 'en ... lit me ken." El nodded, then, and stuffed the second doughnut into her mouth. Around the food, she said something like, "See ye aroond." The rogue had a meeting with a pirate whom she'd already kept waiting long enough. That being said, she winked rather cheekily toward Hudson, still chewing her food, and made for the exit.

Hudson's hair is still on end from Emelyan's sudden departure. He rubs his forearms, which are prickling in a belated werewolf response. "See you," he hears himself say the words but feels as if he's having an out of body experience. He watches Eleanor depart, only belatedly reaching for his own donut.