14302/The Price of Doing Business

The Price of Doing Business
Date of Scene:	02 March 2023
Location:	The Working Office of Local Construction Workers Union #427, Brooklyn.
Synopsis:	Organized Crime rears its ugly head.
Cast of Characters:	Ares, Harley Quinn, Alexander Aaron

---

Ares has posed:
"Have you lost your mind?! Why? Why would you...nevermind."

John Aaron was a towering man, standing at 6'5" with a muscular build. It served him well in his construction work. Which he had proven to be quite the worker and motivator of his crew. He worked alongside them and had chosen not to take supervisory positions as he liked just being one of the workers and the camaraderie that came with the position. Yet, because he was well liked, he had been elected by the men in their shared local union as Branch President. He wasn't really thrilled but he was fine with serving as he fought for the rights of his fellow workers when needed but mainly, he took up space. At least once a week though, he did have to go in to the local working office used for the branch and check in for anything business related he needed to address.

As such, he had an assistant assigned to him in his capacity. And that is who was at the brunt of his raised voice and angry visage. "I would speak with my son on these matters."

And he stomped over to his desk to look down at the telephone there. With the ten thousand buttons and lights on it. Certainly it was less than that but it might as well have that for all he knew about how the phone systems in this place worked. He picked up the receiver and poked a few buttons but never heard a dial tone of any sort. Which led to him slamming it back down, something the phone did not appreciate yet it did stay undamaged, as John Aaron looked out in the direction of that assistant. "Get him on the phone. And I don't care that he's working!"

Harley Quinn has posed:
Mrs. Cunningham is used to these outbursts. With her being in the center of it. What's infuriating though is that she doesn't seem to really care, or get fazed. Which is telling much considering she is short-ish, running close to her 60s and with a pair of round glasses on her face. A face that can often go from severe to endearing in a matter of seconds. As if herding unruly children (or very loud ones!) had been most of her life.

"The phone is right theah, Mr. Aaron." when he announces he will be calling his son. And yes, Brooklyn born and made so there's that Brooklyn accent there on the woman. She paces into the room with Mr. Aaron, holding a stack of papers. She can understand the anger. It's all about the timing. For today it's the 'signing papers' day of the week. When John has to be signing up all the bureaucratic crap that comes to the office and that Mrs. Cunningham diligently gathers for this specific day. Wouldn't that just make anyone mad?

There's an endearing smile out of the woman and she walks to the phone when John just smacks it. She picks it up and deftly makes a call, putting it on speaker after.

"Remember Mr. Aaron, it's not your son's fault."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    It's fortunate that the call comes at the time it does.
    Later in the day after end of shift but before everyone's split up to head home. It was when the squaddies of the Tactical Response Team were gathered outside the Triskelion and talking about the day's activities that the phone buzzed in Alexander's jacket pocket. He pulled it free, brow furrowing as he didn't recognize the number since... his dad was not exactly one to reach out from his office.
    "Who is it, man?" Agent Kelso asked as he took a pull from his cigarette, leaning over Alex's shoulder to see the caller ID.
    Only for Alex to step away and hold up a hand, answering. "Dunno."
    But he takes a few more steps just to get off to the side, standing near one of those trees in the outdoor parks of the Triskelion as he finally answers.
    "Hey, go for Aaron." Might be surprising as it actually sounds... _professional_. And stuff.

Ares has posed:
As she picks up that phone and dials like it was nothing, John continues to stare at her with narrowed eyes. As though she did it on purpose to make him look bad. But when she said he should not take it out on his son, he let out a grumbling hmph noise and started to pace in front of the desk as the line rang once, twice. Then it was answered.

"Go for Aaron?" And that tone might warn Alexander that his father was in a mood. He'd been exposed to the man all his life, after all. John had a fiery temper though he tried to maintain himself as bluster and less violence these days.

And he respected those who could maintain despite him. It's why Mrs. Cunningham worked so well with him. A lesser woman would have run for the hill months ago. Even though a heavy breeze might send her flying down the street, she had moxy as the saying use to be.

"You sound pretentious." Which Alexander did not. But John continued.

"I have been notified by the union of an issue and we need to deal with this swiftly." He picked up a piece of paper off his desk, one that had been delivered by hand to him. Then he waved it toward the phone which honestly wasn't going to do a damned thing since it wasn't a video call. John began to pace in front of his desk, voice shifting in volume as he did so which might indicate what was going on to Alexander as well.

"There have been threats made to my safety. Due to my position with the Union. Thus the Union Board is Considering," John's tone stressed that word. "How to keep me Safe." The last spat out like it was insulting his mother. "Me! Do they not know who I am?!"

Which for Mrs. Cunningham may come across as a boast in some way since he was a humble construction worker who ran a branch of the union.

To Alexander, that meant something completely different.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Dolores takes in a breath at that start from Young Aaron. Not the best ways for this to go but oh well. And while John continues to pace the room she diligently walks to the front of the desk to place a document for him to sign. The first of many of the day. Maybe that will divert some of his anger towards it instead of poor Alexander!

She also knows better to say that if he sounds pretencious it might be in the genes! But no, Mrs. Cunningham is too wise for that. So instead she just smile at John, as if saying he's doing a good job and to go on and explain to his son what's going on.

She is listening in silence. All until that last boast. Which is why she clears her throat and says, "The board has suggested that yoh Fathah employs the use of a bodyguard." that's Mrs. Cunningham's voice, "... until these threats either stop or the police finds who's behind that. Also hello, young master Aaron.", beat, then she saying in a lower tone, "You still have to sign the document, Sir." she points at the paper John is holding up.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    One can almost see Alexander's features deflate in a way. Recognizing the voice, but also what it says, his comrades in arms would see Alex sort of take in a deep breath. Hold it... then exhale it slooowly as the tall man says Alex sounds pretentitious. He then murmurs quietly, "Hey dad."
    Though the words are likely lost in the flow of the other man's. He shifts his grip on the phone and holds it to his other ear, starting to walk a little further away from his squaddies while he listens. "What issue?" He asks in that small pause.
    Then his father elaborates and he listens, nodding slowly. "Threats to your safety?"
    He turns around, brow furrowing as he makes sure the rest of his friends are off a bit of a ways so they can't overhear it. He smiles a little to himself, but then shakes his head as he tries to get his thoughts fully on track.
    "Ok wait, first thing's first. Who is threatening you and how? And no they probably don't..." He starts to say that they don't know who he is before he stops and asks when he hears Mrs. Cunningham's voice, "Hey am I on speaker?"
    But really he should know he is by now.
    He listens, nodding along with Mrs. C's words, though he does find a smile growing on his lips. Until finally he asks, "Seriosuly? A bodyguard?"
    He takes a moment to cover the phone with one hand and for the briefest... barest moment. He indulges in a small wicked snicker.

Ares has posed:
"I am aware!" John says as he flaps that paper in the air a few more times for good measure. But even as he does so, he is grabbing up a pen and signing the paper she had put on his desk for him. Then continuing to pace. And should she place another down, he would sign it as well. Because he knew that Mrs. Cunningham wouldn't put anything in front of him that he shouldn't be signing. She was really very good at her job. And likely a good candidate for sainthood tolerating John as she did.

"The maggia, Mafia, whatever they call themselves these days. They did not appreciate my recent efforts with the Union that thwarted their attempt to corner the real estate market in a small neighborhood. They wanted to put the people out on the streets and use our contracts to hide their misdeeds!" Because he was ever a fighter for the people.

These days. No talking about the past.

"Thus they have threatened to..." He paused and looked at the paper still in his hand. But then he blinked and turned on the phone as though it was Alexander himself. "Did you just laugh?!"

And the stormfront is incoming as the blood that hadn't rushed to his face seemed to be heading there fast. He looked at the paper again and glared at it but in truth he was skimming over the rest as he'd kind of lost his temper at the first paragraph and not gotten very far.

Which had that color draining. And the first hint of a smile making the corner of his lips twitch. "Due to the threats to you and your family, the Union is considering providing personal protection for both you and any relatives. Of note, your son Alexander."

And his smile was absolutely feral as he put the piece of paper down and started to sign it. "Still laughing, boy?"

Harley Quinn has posed:
Oh, the papers will keep on coming. That's for sure! This is like when you take a toddler to have a shot at the hospital. You just distract them with other things and in the blink of an eye it's done and the pain wasn't even felt!

Is she comparing Mr. Aaron to a toddler? Of course not! ....

Yet might just get all the bad things about this day together so they don't stack up. Mr. Aaron looks angry enough as is and she doesn't want him getting too stressed. Because Mrs. C does worry.

And oh no, what did Alex do? Laugh at Mr. Aaron?! Such a cardinal sin. "I am sure he didn't, Mr. Aaron. These phones have been having this noise once in a while. I have told Jack to have a word with the phone company but so far nothing.." she lies smoothly. It's a nice white lie.

"We will try to make it as non-intrusive as we can, Young Master. But the board feels at this time we need to be taking these threats seriously. When can you come by the office so we get the details sorted out?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I..."
    Alexander's snickering could not easily be discerned. But then again... John Aaron has known him his entire life. So if anyone could pick up on that slight lilt to the tone of his voice... it would be him.
    "I totally was not laughing." He lied, but he did a good job maintaining it as he affected a serious tone.
    Then he reiterates by changing tenses. "I am totally not laughing."
    He clears his throat, and only then does it seem to soak through his brain as he nods and answers, his tone strangely being more polite toward Mrs. Cunningham as he answers. "I don't need a bodyguard. I'm.... I work for the government, ma'am. I can't really have some guy shadowing me while I'm here." His eyes lift up to the side of the building of the Triskelion, looking at the scaffolding of the repair work being done on the exterior of the building.
    "Besides, lots of things going on here lately."
    His voice changes slightly, being more direct and more gruff as he addresses his father, "So why are they wanting to do this? Liability reasons?" He could see that, if the board didn't take step to protect their interests...

Ares has posed:
The words from Mrs. Cunningham were considered but John was sure he'd heard something. Then Alexander said the same, reiterating the lie. There was that gruff hmph sound from John before he continued.

"It would reflect poorly if they do not protect those that represent them. They want to make a statement that they will not tolerate such insolence from the criminal element, while protecting their interests since I do well for my fellow members." Which he did. Despite his aversion to paperwork.

He added the signed paper about the threats and that he acknowledged the boards considerations. It didn't mean he agreed, just that he'd seen it and knew what they were up to. "Neither you nor I need a bodyguard. I say we get together and the two of us go take care of business. We can put their heads on pikes outside my house as a warning to others who seek to intimidate us."

Which to a normal human being, that's just a phrase that sounds threatening but really wasn't. John actually meant every word.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Mrs. C listens to the back and forth between father and son. Expected really. She isn't even sure if they will be accepting it but she hopes they do because one can't just take a threat from the Maggia in a light manner.

All until Mr. Aaron goes and threatens to put their heads on a spike. "Haha, very funny Mr. Aaron. But you know we don't condone violence here in the union." she says with that endearing smile of hers. She is sure he means it METAPHORICALLY. "We can't really do much until we have evidence that it was them. But I am told the police is doing good progress." she assures the union leader. Another little lie. The police hasn't said anything to her yet about the case.

"It would really help the union if you would take someone, young master. And also help your father."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Alexander was listening to his father and Mrs. Cunningham, nodding along thoughtfully until they got to the heads on pikes part which had him lowering his head and rubbing at his temples. "I know that you are thinking about doing that metaphorically, Father."
    That last word emphasized a little more than others. His thoughts working along the same lnies as good Mrs. C's were. He takes a deep breath, then continues. "But it likely wouldn't be in our best interests to... pursue that angle." His lips twisted a little.
    Then he shifts his thought process and works at his lower lip thoughtfully. "Alright so all we know is someone out there is making threats. That there are parties organized against you. We need intel." He says in that calm tone of his. "We need to know what's going on before we can get our forces together and aimed in the right direction. Be they the police, private security, or lawyers. Right?" He emphasizes that last word again, as if trying to make sure that his father is hearing him and is listening to the _very_ important qualifiers and definitions he's adding to these arguments.
    A pause then he asks, "Maybe we can have people look into that real estate deal in that neighborhood? See who stood to benefit. That way we can at least identify likely culprits, right?"
    But then Mrs. Cunningham tells him he should take someone as a bodyguard and he says, "Well, I spend my day in a very secure facility, Mrs. Cunningham." He rubs the back of his neck and then adds, "And in my off hours I am around fairly competent individuals." Which in some ways might be an understatement. "But maybe... I don't know. Maybe we can figure something out to at least take some of the heat off the back of the board."

Ares has posed:
John hears it but that doesn't mean he likes it. He frowns anew as he glances to Mrs. Cunningham after her admonishment which was followed by his son's. "Of course. Just words. Nothing more."

Because he would never just go start grabbing people by their throats, lifting them in the air then demanding answers. Nor would he then gut the person with a blade and leave them to bleed out on the floor slowly while he watched. Nor would he then take their head and indeed display them as lawn ornaments on spikes.

Because it was wrong. Or so society believed and he was part of society. Living as one of them. and as such, he had to behave as they did. If not for himself, for Alexander. Who had established this life for himself and was coming into his own as a man.

Thus John Aaron, the humble construction worker who happened to end up in a position in the union where he angered people quite often, had to continue to hide his nature. He had chosen to live as a mortal. Had chosen to turn his back on Olympus and his family. And been given Alexander which had made it all worthwhile.

"We will arrange a meeting. To discuss their...suggestion. Then we will take any information they can provide and begin to dig further, to learn who the true culprit is."