[ ... Well, and that takes care of that. He supposes that's the difference between the two of them - Alec wields the information he holds like an assassin's blade, something to be kept in the shadows and weaponized when one least expects it. But for Rufus, it's more like a baseball bat to the skull, blunt and sudden coming from a man who knows he can afford to be so.
He had his suspicions, of course, that Rufus already knew more about Alec than he was comfortable with, which is to say he knows anything at all. He wouldn't have agreed to this farce if he thought anonymity was on his side. ]
Can't blame a guy for trying.
[ He shrugs, sliding his hood away and letting it fall back. ]
[Though Rufus does not shrug — one might wonder if he would even deign to act so casual, for he looks like a man who was born and bred for the boardroom, straight-backed and always spinning business deals in his head — the words might as well be framed in an invisible one.
He moves to the other side of the bar, finishes off the drink already sitting there with a practiced motion, and ignoring the burn down his throat, sets the glass down. The youngest Shinra seems to regard Alec for a moment more, his air unaffected and expression hard to parse. Maybe he’s just committing the details of his face to memory. Hard to say.]
So, just how good are you supposed to be? I hear you have something of a reputation in circles that don’t like to do business in the public eye.
[ Yeah, he gets that impression very easily. Rufus doesn't hide what he is, he wears it loud and proud like a pair of very questionable pants. It must be nice to have that luxury, but Alec has spent too many years keeping everything about himself close to the chest to change now. ]
Good enough for you to entertain the idea of talking to me, apparently.
[ He sounds rather self-satisfied, smirking at the man across the room. Even if being here is bending - if not outright breaking - many of Alec's personal rules, he's caught the eye of Shinra's VP, for better or worse. ]
What I wanna know is what someone like you wants with a guy like me. I'd have thought you have, like, people for this sort of thing already.
[And that he does. From pencil pushers to directorial management, from hired guns in black suits to the military might of superhuman SOLDIERs. All tools in a wider toolbox, and all at his beck and call — with the exception of his father, whose directives would override even his own on a whim. But there isn’t a whole lot to be done about the latter for now.]
People who work for Shinra, at least. But some objectives require a more delicate touch outside of the company’s purview. And that’s where you come in, tugging at the strings of a few connections I know you’ve already made in the past.
[In other words, Rufus Shinra wishes to work outside of the company’s scrutiny, and that perhaps explains why Alec is here rather than in his office back at HQ.]
[ The only reason people come to Alec is because they want something "off the books", so to speak, but he would have thought an entity such as Shinra had ways of making certain paper trails disappear on their own. That Rufus is asking him rather than those suits of his must mean that this really isn't something he wants the company's fingers in at all.
Now he has Alec's attention, but he keeps any indication of that carefully out of his expression. One eyebrow quirks, and that smirk ticks just a bit wider. ]
Ah. Junior's got ambitions, huh? Alright, I think I might just hear this one out.
He could let that nickname get to him. After all, it could dig up a few lingering issues he has with the term, the young Shinra heir working in the shadow of his father. And that's not even accounting for the underlying thread of disrespect, something which he commands daily from all those who work for him. The employees at Shinra HQ react to his presence always, like he's a stone thrown into a pond and they're rippling his effect, in all their sycophancy. Sometimes it's grating, sometimes it amuses him. But none of them would ever call him "junior".
But Rufus doesn't care enough about Alec's opinion for it to matter, and that's the difference. It slides off of him like water.]
[ Darn, Rufus doesn't even seem mildly rankled by the nickname, but then, Alec calling him "Junior" must be tantamount to him having a bit of dirt on his shoe. Mildly annoying at best. Still, Alec isn't one to give up so easily, and that nickname is definitely going to stay in play.
Now both Alec's eyebrows take a hike up towards his hairline. He had somehow expected the name "Avalanche" to come tumbling (ha) out during this conversation, but not nearly so soon. ]
[No point in beating around the bush. Alec doesn’t seem like the type to play the delicate back-and-forth while striking a deal. All the better for Rufus, because he doesn’t take the same delight in it as others, either. He prefers to be blunt.
To the point, then, but with a careful eye on his reaction all the while.]
Not for the reasons you might think.
[To quash Avalanche under Shinra’s boot, all for daring to stand up against perceived slights. No, if he wanted to do that, why would he bother calling in Alec?]
You’re an information broker, and I have information that Avalanche would find… beneficial. In the end, it’s good business for you, working as a middle-man between the VP of Shinra and the terrorist cell that wants so see it all burn down. Right?
[ Thankfully, Alec is very well-versed in keeping up an air of cocky, smirky self-assurance, even when he's being thrown for a total loop. And throw him for a loop Rufus does, but not as much of one as Rufus might suspect, either.
Alec knows all too well what it's like to want to take the rug out from under one's parent, despite any family ties. Or, perhaps more accurately, because of them. ]
So you're asking me to ferry info - what I can only assume is Shinra info - to Avalanche? Shit, no wonder you don't want this anywhere daddy's fingers can get into it.
[The scoff that escapes him isn’t completely devoid of humor.]
‘Course not. I can’t say my father would approve if he knew.
[To say the least, especially if daddy dearest knew the scope of the plan germinating in his mind.]
So needless to say, this arrangement requires a certain amount of discretion. And a clear understanding beforehand — if you’re caught, I’m cutting you loose. No hard feelings; just business, you understand.
[ Alec has no qualms with taking Rufus' money - the man has plenty of it to spare, but he's not totally sold on this job just yet. Even if he was going behind deal ol' dad's back, that didn't mean he had anyone's best interests in mind but his own. ]
And I get it. That's how this job works. I don't know you, you don't know me. All standard.
But humor me for a second, here. What are you trying to do with this little act of subterfuge?
[ For a second, that smirk vanishes, the cocky velour falls away and Alec is very serious.
That he's even considering taking a job for someone this high up the ladder is a miracle - or perhaps a serious lack of judgement. Alec does not do jobs for people who keep the rest of the populace under their heel, and in fact most of the info he slides Avalanche's way is done anonymously and pro bono for just that reason.
However, there's only so much he, and even Avalanche, can do to the people who rule their little world. Right now, he's being handed an opportunity for some real impact, he just has to figure out if Junior here is truly the lesser evil.
He shrugs, his flippant demeanor sliding back into place as quickly as it had dropped away. ]
[For a moment, Alec’s smartass facade recedes, leaving only a serious look which informs Rufus of one thing: this one adheres to his own set of rules. That alone is nothing too unusual, but—]
Standards. [—he echoes. That implies the rules are steeped in morality of some kind, and that always makes things more complicated than need be.
But it’s good to know. It means that his reply should mean something.]
If I told you that my father’s time as President is up, what would you say?
[ Rufus is lucky Alec is here at all, given his particular set of morals, but he doesn't say as much. The man probably doesn't care, first of all, and second of all, Alec doesn't particularly like to advertise the finer points of his personal set of rules. Just how much of his work is done for free is a secret he means to take to the grave. ]
I’d say you’re not the only one who thinks so, but as the VP that would make you heir to the proverbial throne. Think you can run things better than dear ol’ dad?
[ It’s a casual question on the surface, but he really is going to have to pick the lesser evil here, isn’t he? If Rufus succeeds his father and turns out to be an even bigger asshole, then this is on Alec’s shoulders, isn’t it?
[For a half moment, Rufus’ eyes resemble ice, as cold as their color.]
Of course I will.
[Until the uptick of his mouth slides his confidence back into the usual well-worn grooves.
He moves to pour himself another drink. Whiskey, with a dark label and gold calligraphy scrawled across it. It’s scotch that most would never even see in their lifetimes, shimmering into a small glass as it fills.]
...I don’t know what you’ve heard, and I’m sure the rumors run the gamut. But I’ll make one thing clear: I don’t ride on my father’s coattails. Just because I’m flesh and blood doesn’t mean that my ambitions are exactly aligned to his.
[ Whether intentional or not, Rufus turns back on Alec the same trick Alec had used moments ago, a brief glimpse into something far more serious behind the veneer of business and confidence. Alec has yet to decide if he's impressed or not, but that certainly counts towards something. ]
I kind of got that impression when you told me you were going behind papa's back. So, if I'm following this correctly... you want me to feed info to Avalanche to get dad out of the big, comfy president's chair so you can take his place.
[He gives an amused hm. Rufus sets the bottle down, thinking for a moment as he drinks from the glass.
Should he take that as approval? Probably not. He gets the feeling that Alec is the type who keeps his cards close to the chest, his true opinions not so freely given. Fitting for an info-broker, at least.]
It's just business. If there's one person in all of Midgar who understands that the most, it's my father. He's the one who taught me as much.
[And if he's less than understanding, it doesn't matter. He'd be too dead to deride him for it.]
But I want you to feed more than just info to Avalanche. I want you to feed them funding, too. You'll take your own portion of the cut, naturally, so don't worry about that. All-in-all, a pretty simple arrangement if you ask me. Won't see the results for probably months on end, but it'll be worth it.
[ What a charming home life this guy must have, but then Alec really can't judge. He did much the same to his own mother, though perhaps his own endeavors were less about business and more about simple revenge, poorly hidden in the guise of justice.
Alec spends a very long few moments in consideration. He considers the man across from him, he considers the pieces of this frankly fascinating and unexpected puzzle he's been given, he considers the options. There is still a very real chance that Rufus will turn out to be just as bad or worse than his old man, but if it's Avalanche doing the heavy lifting, perhaps there is some benefit to be had from this arrangement anyway.
And if Rufus turns out to be a tyrant prince, then Alec will have to find a way to deal with it. ]
Thankfully for you, I've just decided I dislike you less than I dislike your dad. I'm in.
[That makes him laugh, low and pleased. This man's mouth probably gets him in trouble more often than not, but Rufus decides that he likes it for now.]
Perfect. Then it's a deal.
[Under the table as this is, it's not like there are documents to sign or officiate. Leaving a paper trail would be foolish, so their contract is binding only by their own words. Not the most air-tight way to go about it, but when he's working to unseat his father from the Shinra throne, he doesn't have much of a choice.
But a businessman's a businessman, and Rufus is one through and through. The deal's always got to be sealed somehow. A simple handshake could do the trick, but he always thinks in more grandiose terms.
He slides the bottle of scotch in Alec's direction, paired with an empty glass that matches his own.]
Customary to seal it with some kind of celebration, so pour a glass. I promise it's not poisoned.
[ Rich bastard, Alec thinks, as Rufus slings around a bottle of alcohol worth more than most people living in Midgar's shadow would ever see. But, the move is on-brand for what he expects of Rufus in their short time together, so he's not entirely surprised either. ]
This gonna come out of my pay?
[ Alec already said he doesn't drink on the clock, but one glass surely won't make much of a difference, plus it gives him the excuse to stick around and see if he can learn anything interesting about his host. ]
[He’ll drink to that, and the stuff goes down with a burn worthy of the gil it costs. Afterwards, he decides to indulge himself in a question or two, since he has Alec at his disposal.]
So— [The glass clinks against the bar.] —What’s your problem with my father?
[He grins, knowing that’s quite a question to ask, but Rufus never was the sort to hold his tongue.]
[ Down the hatch, and Alec would admit it is worth the price tag. He has no desire to live in a mansion in the sky, so he'll accept this little taste of what it's like before going back to his life under the city.
While the question Rufus flings at him isn't exactly expected, Alec replies almost instantly, ]
It's the mustache. Never trust a man with that kind of facial hair.
[ He makes a vague motion at Rufus with his glass. ]
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finalflight2020-04-22 12:49 pm
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He had his suspicions, of course, that Rufus already knew more about Alec than he was comfortable with, which is to say he knows anything at all. He wouldn't have agreed to this farce if he thought anonymity was on his side. ]
Can't blame a guy for trying.
[ He shrugs, sliding his hood away and letting it fall back. ]
I'll pass, thanks. I don't drink on the clock.
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[Though Rufus does not shrug — one might wonder if he would even deign to act so casual, for he looks like a man who was born and bred for the boardroom, straight-backed and always spinning business deals in his head — the words might as well be framed in an invisible one.
He moves to the other side of the bar, finishes off the drink already sitting there with a practiced motion, and ignoring the burn down his throat, sets the glass down. The youngest Shinra seems to regard Alec for a moment more, his air unaffected and expression hard to parse. Maybe he’s just committing the details of his face to memory. Hard to say.]
So, just how good are you supposed to be? I hear you have something of a reputation in circles that don’t like to do business in the public eye.
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like a pair of very questionable pants. It must be nice to have that luxury, but Alec has spent too many years keeping everything about himself close to the chest to change now. ]Good enough for you to entertain the idea of talking to me, apparently.
[ He sounds rather self-satisfied, smirking at the man across the room. Even if being here is bending - if not outright breaking - many of Alec's personal rules, he's caught the eye of Shinra's VP, for better or worse. ]
What I wanna know is what someone like you wants with a guy like me. I'd have thought you have, like, people for this sort of thing already.
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[And that he does. From pencil pushers to directorial management, from hired guns in black suits to the military might of superhuman SOLDIERs. All tools in a wider toolbox, and all at his beck and call — with the exception of his father, whose directives would override even his own on a whim. But there isn’t a whole lot to be done about the latter for now.]
People who work for Shinra, at least. But some objectives require a more delicate touch outside of the company’s purview. And that’s where you come in, tugging at the strings of a few connections I know you’ve already made in the past.
[In other words, Rufus Shinra wishes to work outside of the company’s scrutiny, and that perhaps explains why Alec is here rather than in his office back at HQ.]
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Now he has Alec's attention, but he keeps any indication of that carefully out of his expression. One eyebrow quirks, and that smirk ticks just a bit wider. ]
Ah. Junior's got ambitions, huh? Alright, I think I might just hear this one out.
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He could let that nickname get to him. After all, it could dig up a few lingering issues he has with the term, the young Shinra heir working in the shadow of his father. And that's not even accounting for the underlying thread of disrespect, something which he commands daily from all those who work for him. The employees at Shinra HQ react to his presence always, like he's a stone thrown into a pond and they're rippling his effect, in all their sycophancy. Sometimes it's grating, sometimes it amuses him. But none of them would ever call him "junior".
But Rufus doesn't care enough about Alec's opinion for it to matter, and that's the difference. It slides off of him like water.]
What's your working relationship with Avalanche?
[Asking for a friend. That friend is him.]
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Now both Alec's eyebrows take a hike up towards his hairline. He had somehow expected the name "Avalanche" to come tumbling (ha) out during this conversation, but not nearly so soon. ]
That entirely depends on why you want to know.
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To the point, then, but with a careful eye on his reaction all the while.]
Not for the reasons you might think.
[To quash Avalanche under Shinra’s boot, all for daring to stand up against perceived slights. No, if he wanted to do that, why would he bother calling in Alec?]
You’re an information broker, and I have information that Avalanche would find… beneficial. In the end, it’s good business for you, working as a middle-man between the VP of Shinra and the terrorist cell that wants so see it all burn down. Right?
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Alec knows all too well what it's like to want to take the rug out from under one's parent, despite any family ties. Or, perhaps more accurately, because of them. ]
So you're asking me to ferry info - what I can only assume is Shinra info - to Avalanche? Shit, no wonder you don't want this anywhere daddy's fingers can get into it.
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‘Course not. I can’t say my father would approve if he knew.
[To say the least, especially if daddy dearest knew the scope of the plan germinating in his mind.]
So needless to say, this arrangement requires a certain amount of discretion. And a clear understanding beforehand — if you’re caught, I’m cutting you loose. No hard feelings; just business, you understand.
[A phrase that could mean... a lot of things.]
But to make up for it, I pay well. Very well.
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[ Alec has no qualms with taking Rufus' money - the man has plenty of it to spare, but he's not totally sold on this job just yet. Even if he was going behind deal ol' dad's back, that didn't mean he had anyone's best interests in mind but his own. ]
And I get it. That's how this job works. I don't know you, you don't know me. All standard.
But humor me for a second, here. What are you trying to do with this little act of subterfuge?
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Does the answer matter?
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[ For a second, that smirk vanishes, the cocky velour falls away and Alec is very serious.
That he's even considering taking a job for someone this high up the ladder is a miracle - or perhaps a serious lack of judgement. Alec does not do jobs for people who keep the rest of the populace under their heel, and in fact most of the info he slides Avalanche's way is done anonymously and pro bono for just that reason.
However, there's only so much he, and even Avalanche, can do to the people who rule their little world. Right now, he's being handed an opportunity for some real impact, he just has to figure out if Junior here is truly the lesser evil.
He shrugs, his flippant demeanor sliding back into place as quickly as it had dropped away. ]
A guy has to have some standards, right?
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Standards. [—he echoes. That implies the rules are steeped in morality of some kind, and that always makes things more complicated than need be.
But it’s good to know. It means that his reply should mean something.]
If I told you that my father’s time as President is up, what would you say?
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I’d say you’re not the only one who thinks so, but as the VP that would make you heir to the proverbial throne. Think you can run things better than dear ol’ dad?
[ It’s a casual question on the surface, but he really is going to have to pick the lesser evil here, isn’t he? If Rufus succeeds his father and turns out to be an even bigger asshole, then this is on Alec’s shoulders, isn’t it?
Fuck. ]
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Of course I will.
[Until the uptick of his mouth slides his confidence back into the usual well-worn grooves.
He moves to pour himself another drink. Whiskey, with a dark label and gold calligraphy scrawled across it. It’s scotch that most would never even see in their lifetimes, shimmering into a small glass as it fills.]
...I don’t know what you’ve heard, and I’m sure the rumors run the gamut. But I’ll make one thing clear: I don’t ride on my father’s coattails. Just because I’m flesh and blood doesn’t mean that my ambitions are exactly aligned to his.
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I kind of got that impression when you told me you were going behind papa's back. So, if I'm following this correctly... you want me to feed info to Avalanche to get dad out of the big, comfy president's chair so you can take his place.
This is one hell of a job you're running, Junior.
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Should he take that as approval? Probably not. He gets the feeling that Alec is the type who keeps his cards close to the chest, his true opinions not so freely given. Fitting for an info-broker, at least.]
It's just business. If there's one person in all of Midgar who understands that the most, it's my father. He's the one who taught me as much.
[And if he's less than understanding, it doesn't matter. He'd be too dead to deride him for it.]
But I want you to feed more than just info to Avalanche. I want you to feed them funding, too. You'll take your own portion of the cut, naturally, so don't worry about that. All-in-all, a pretty simple arrangement if you ask me. Won't see the results for probably months on end, but it'll be worth it.
So are you in?
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Alec spends a very long few moments in consideration. He considers the man across from him, he considers the pieces of this frankly fascinating and unexpected puzzle he's been given, he considers the options. There is still a very real chance that Rufus will turn out to be just as bad or worse than his old man, but if it's Avalanche doing the heavy lifting, perhaps there is some benefit to be had from this arrangement anyway.
And if Rufus turns out to be a tyrant prince, then Alec will have to find a way to deal with it. ]
Thankfully for you, I've just decided I dislike you less than I dislike your dad. I'm in.
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Perfect. Then it's a deal.
[Under the table as this is, it's not like there are documents to sign or officiate. Leaving a paper trail would be foolish, so their contract is binding only by their own words. Not the most air-tight way to go about it, but when he's working to unseat his father from the Shinra throne, he doesn't have much of a choice.
But a businessman's a businessman, and Rufus is one through and through. The deal's always got to be sealed somehow. A simple handshake could do the trick, but he always thinks in more grandiose terms.
He slides the bottle of scotch in Alec's direction, paired with an empty glass that matches his own.]
Customary to seal it with some kind of celebration, so pour a glass. I promise it's not poisoned.
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This gonna come out of my pay?
[ Alec already said he doesn't drink on the clock, but one glass surely won't make much of a difference, plus it gives him the excuse to stick around and see if he can learn anything interesting about his host. ]
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[Of course he won’t make him pay for a drink in his own home. Rufus Shinra is not the gil-pinching kind of rich; he’s the pockets-overflowing sort.]
What, not to your taste?
[Most would be lucky to even get a whiff of the stuff.]
Could always pick out something different if you really want. I have plenty.
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[ This with a pointed glance at the bar, but ultimately Alec simply shrugs and takes the bottle offered to him to pour himself a glass. ]
This'll be just fine. I always wondered what it would be like to pour liquid gold down my throat.
[ Wicked waste of money, but at least it's Rufus' money. He lifts his glass. ]
Here's to working with you, then.
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To new business ventures and their success.
[He’ll drink to that, and the stuff goes down with a burn worthy of the gil it costs. Afterwards, he decides to indulge himself in a question or two, since he has Alec at his disposal.]
So— [The glass clinks against the bar.] —What’s your problem with my father?
[He grins, knowing that’s quite a question to ask, but Rufus never was the sort to hold his tongue.]
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[ Down the hatch, and Alec would admit it is worth the price tag. He has no desire to live in a mansion in the sky, so he'll accept this little taste of what it's like before going back to his life under the city.
While the question Rufus flings at him isn't exactly expected, Alec replies almost instantly, ]
It's the mustache. Never trust a man with that kind of facial hair.
[ He makes a vague motion at Rufus with his glass. ]
What's your problem with your father?
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