14312/The Price of Business: Phone Call Aftermath

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The Price of Business: Phone Call Aftermath
Date of Scene: 03 March 2023
Location: Main Foyer: Triskelion
Synopsis: Alexander gets a phone call from his father and Evil Women (tm) are eavesdropping thus leading to lots of questions.
Cast of Characters: Alexander Aaron, Monica Chang, Jessica Drew




Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Hey, go for Aaron."
    It had started so simply, the young SHIELD agent answering the phone in his typical work-like way. Only for whatever was said on the other end to just make him... deflate so slowly, a sigh that was less a sound and more entirely composed of body language. It was a thing that was seen outside the Triskelion in one of those wonderfully cultivated and tended park areas that was used so often by the staff to have lunch or get a chance to have some fresh air. It was a good place to recenter and get a handle on things, to catch up on the world...
    Though now, young Alexander had wished he had let the call go to voice mail.
    He had distanced himself from the rest of the TRT squad that had been lingering as their early shift had ended. He moved across that small park with the cellphone to his ear. One could make out a few words said from him.
    "Hey dad."
    Which set the tempo. He turned to the side, a hand lifting to his head. Then something was said, though more murmured.
    "Threats to your safety?"
    Another moment, then his brow furrowed. "Am I on speaker?"
    He took a moment as he turned and walked a little further away, a small snicker touching his lips if barely given breath.
    Followed quickly by a more serious somber tone, "I totally was not laughing."
    "So why are they wanting to do this? Liability reasons?"
    He continued to pace as he spoke on the phone, and for those that knew Agent Aaron they could tell that this... was out of the ordinary for him.
    "I know that you are thinking about doing that metaphorically, Father."
    "But it likely wouldn't be in our best interests to... pursue that angle."
    He shifted the phone to his other ear, "Alright so all we know is someone out there is making threats. That there are parties organized against you. We need intel."
    He turned and lowered his voice slightly as he murmured, shaking his head a little. "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. 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."
    Shortly after that he nodded and then said, "Alright, talk to you soon." And then the phone was ended as he took a moment to pocket it in his jacket, frowning to himself.

Monica Chang has posed:
It was rude to eavesdrop. But this was a building with lots of people focused on espionage. Combine that with the natural curiosity of human beings and they were perhaps the most nosey people on the planet right above journalists. Thus it was smart of Alexander to be move away from his squad as he was talking.

Course that brought him closer to a bench where Monica had stopped to dig in the backpack she was carrying for something, putting it down on a bench to give her easier acces. And though she wasn't looking at him, her ears perked up and would be swiveled his direction if she were a feline pretending to be ignoring him and failing miserably.

Thankfully her ears did not swivel.

She became more concerned as she watched his body language, the way he was moving, so very different from what she was used to. It had her glancing his direction openly and tilting her head to the side in question as he hung up the phone and tucked it away.

"Everything okay?" she asked softly.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Certain words put the agent on alert; she freezes, her not very healthy lunch swaying in a bag clutched in her hand to listen. Not that she has the habit of lurking, Jessica instinctively stays out of sight behind the trunk of a large tree, listening. She quite naturally is good at hiding - light-footed as the organism that gifted her genes. Nurture refined the skills grafted to her genome. And, she can hear a pin drop at a hundred yards.

'Threat' was the first word to make her pause. Alexander's tone of voice, patient with an edge of exasperation, a special voice reserved for relatives draws her further into spying. While she waits, she extracts her bagel with cream cheese from the bag and takes a bite.

Another word pings her interest which if graphed would be peaking now. 'Secure'.

Just as the conversation ends, she leaves the tree and walks nonchalantly around its corner, munching her bagel. "Hi, Monica. Afternoon, Agent Aaron. How's it going?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Curiously enough, Alexander did not so much mind the proximity of Agent Chang to his conversation, as if her own being presented its own cloaking device that allows her to be near and privy to those words. Somehow she slipped beneath that radar even though he knew she was in that area.
    Jessica, however, had actually evaded his awareness as she emerged in nearly the same moment that Monica asked her question, she uttered hers. So he ended up looking between the two of them and for a moment he smiled a warm smile as he stepped a little to the side. Just a little to be out of line of sight of other people near or who might emerge from the doors into the Triskelion. He cocks his head toward Monica, "You have that lil... thing you used before?" The white noise and electronic countermeasures generator... since really, any spy worth their salt should have access to such a thing.
    Once it's set and he's given the nod to continue he looks between them.
    "Ok this is gonna..." He shakes his head and lifts his eyes upwards, half-smiling. "Sound weird. But you both know my dad. My... you know. Father." Even with the ECM generator he doesn't mention his name name. "He works construction. Also does union work, been doing that for a while now. Well... you work that job for a time in New York and Jersey you eventually end up butting noses with people with suitably bent noses and a penchant for marinara sauce."

Monica Chang has posed:
At the request, Monica nodded and reached into her bag again. A moment later she pulled her hand back out with nothing in it. "We're set," she offered, letting them know that they had dead silence in their area from any sort of security measures such as cameras or audio. The one she had with her usually didn't have a lot of range but it would be enough for their conversation at least. And likely the conversation would be over before anyone would notice the dead spot. If they even did. After all, it was a leisure area so didn't really draw a lot of attention from those on monitor duty.

As he explained, there was a brief moment of utter confusion on Monica's face. Then the last words finally translated to something in her brain and she got that ooooooh moment in her expression. "Your father? Like your father father?" And he could see she was putting together how that would be a very bad thing indeed. For those making the threats.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Expecting to be brushed off by the Agent with a polite answer, Jess keeps her surprise to herself. Her silent listening, okay, let's call it for what it is: eavesdropping, was also prompted by a private experiment. Could or would Agent Aaron sense her presence? She has recently been playing with going quiet psychically, quieting the mental noise that everyone generates.

Monica's device merits another eyebrow rise which she also hopes doesn't show. The scientist anticipates her own exclamation which she does show. Alexander's family to put it in one word, no three words is frightening and awe inspiring. "Marinara sauce? Well, that's bad. At it again, are they?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Leaning back against the tree from which Jessica had emerged from behind, Alexander crosses his arms over his chest, the brown leather bomber jacket hanging on that SHIELD uniform and combat fatigues rather well. He takes a deep breath and nods at Monica sa she says his 'father father' not that he has another, but it definitely puts the focus on the aspect he's trying to accentuate as he says succinctly,
    "Yeah."
    He then pushes a hand through his hair, uncurling it toward them as he gestures, "So, normally not like... a super big deal really. In the greater scheme of things. But apparently with prior incidents, when a Union rep is threatened by certain parties, the union board and support have a legal obligation to protect the investment the union members have made in their representatives. Which means the board has to act to take 'reasonable' precautions for legal reasons."
    He works at his lower lip for a moment then says, "Which, in this case, means he will likely be assigned a security detail or a bodyguard." His lip twists, "Which ok, is kinda funny when you think about it. Since they don't know that my dad is my dad. But this sorta complicates things."
    Then he looks at Monica and adds, "They also apparently... are considering getting me a bodyguard."

Monica Chang has posed:
As he explains, Monica hand moved to lean against the side of the bench. Not bothering to sit down as she didn't expect to be here that long really. Still her bag was resting in the seat she might have been occupying for the moment.

The explanation has her lips twisting up and she can't hide a smile. "Your father is going to have a bodyguard. Your Father father." Stressing since she was following his lead and not saying a name or what his father was but they all knew that John Aaron was far more than a human. The idea of some bodyguard trying to prevent him from being hurt when he could likely smite whatever threat it was in an instant was enough to make her giggle.

Until she got that pointed look and the mention that Alexander might be getting one too. Her eyes widened a bit as she considered the ramifications. And despite them all, she burst out laughing for real now. "You?! Having a bodyguard too?" She glanced toward the sky. "Not sure what I did right but thank you!" The words murmured as though she was thanking some higher power before looking back at Alexander. "I fully support their decision to do so. You should be kept safe. It's a dangerous world." Sage nods. "And marinara sauce stains." Followed by more giggles.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Despite knowing that Monica's cloaking device works, Jess looks around them quickly before saying, "Wha..t?" Her voice rising, the British accent making the T staccato. One edge of her mouth quirks upward at Monica's repetition of father.

"That's like defending nuclear armaments with a hand gun."

She no longer holds back, the curl of her lips becoming a frank smile of amusement. Glancing between the two of them, noting Monica's relief at the notion of him having a bodyguard, "You going to make that official? Does the union know where you work?"

With a nod and a snort of laughter to Monica, "Yes, yes, it does. Not that Alexander needs a bodyguard, especially not here."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Alexander rolls his eyes up to the sky then allllll the way back around away from them both where he half-lids those eyes and they seem to vibrate as he just _feels_ such annoyance and expresses it in perhaps one of the most visceral eyerolls man has ever seen. But the expression of annoyance is tempered with a half-smirk that is accompanied by him shaking his head as if realizing that he should have expected such a reaction.
    He takes a breath. Exhales in a way that most people hear only in exasperation when they're dealing with an obstinate two-year old. But his smirk warms into a smile. "Laugh it up, you pair of hoopleheads."
    Another chuff of exhaled breath, chiding them as he then says, "But... no. I think the board thinks I'm still in college maybe. I have no idea what my dad entered into his paperwork."
    Shaking his head he grumbles, "So he's going to have to... play nice. And I get the vibe they're going to ask me to play nice too. So... I dunno. I'm going to learn more this afternoon."

Monica Chang has posed:
She's trying, she really is. But Monica is fighting a losing battle and the eyeroll that comes in all the way from orbit was only making it worse. But she finally seemed to be sobering as he explained a bit more.

"Pretty sure they won't let you have a bodyguard here. But when you are off work, is that something you can argue for? I mean, you tend to hang out with...like minded people." Meaning people like her and Jessica. Those that can handle themselves in a crisis, likely far better than some poor bodyguard. Throw in that the bodies being guarded could likely take down a small city if they wanted. A thought then she made that a big city in her brain.

"Play nice? So your father is wanting to go..figuratively speaking," she adds, just in case they are overheard by someone. "Scorched earth? But can't because of lack of information and having to maintain a ...certain appearance as a union rep." Translation: Be normal and not a god of war.

Jessica Drew has posed:
"You are going to have an interesting time at playing nice, Aaron."

Jess crosses her arms defiantly, hoping for a moment that his eyes stick in their elaborate distain. "A real body guard will -not- like the ideal of protecting you only when you get off work and get home. Anybody worth their salt will be at the gates to pick you up everyday you're not in the field. Try hiding that?"

She taps a foot, exhaling audibly, as she looks down considering her words, "I hope they get a real professional for your father. For you, for that matter."

She nods at Alexander, saying to Monica, "His father is pretty good at politics, I'd say."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well, he also has the agreement with SHIELD not to... you know. Do things. to such an extent." Alexander rubs the back of his neck thoughtfully as he answers Monica's questions. "I mean he can be subtle. When he wants to be. But with a bodyguard around... doesn't give him much leeway to work on stuff."
    Then he takes a deep breath and walks over to that bench where Monica had set her gear down. He sort of half-smirked at Jess as he hopped up onto that bench, not sitting on the seat but instead sitting on the back of it with his shoes on the benchseat proper. He leans forward resting his elbows on his knees and looks thoughtful. "I get the feeling that the board are doing this mainly so if something happens they can show they took reasonable precautions. A bodyguard for me though..."
    He shakes his head, "That'll... be weird. And yeah can't rightly bring them to work but in off hours..."
    A look to Jess and he shakes his head, "I am sure that whomever they hire will feel... like things were misrepresented to them. Not sure how to help them avoid that."
    "And I can't tell the union people that I'll be fine because I hang out with squaddies, soldiers, and..."
    He gestures to Jess and Monica as if to demonstrate the caliber of people he spends time with. "Evil women bent on a life of vengeance and mayhem." He finishes his statement, grinning a little as he declares them so.

Monica Chang has posed:
Monica glances over at Jess' assessment of John Aaron and gives a nod. Then glancing back to Alexander as he continues. She was a little surprised at the mention of the deal he had with SHIELD as that was something she wasn't aware of before this moment. After all, she didn't need to know it. He wasn't in her work assignments and it wasn't something that came up with conversation between Alexander and herself typically.

At mention of them being evil women? He might not get the reaction he expected as she just nodded sagely while murmuring, "True, true. I accept my title of Evil Woman. Trademark. Can that be trademarked?" she added in an absent sort of afterthought.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jess shrugs acceptingly at the Evil Woman moniker; she has been called much worse by people she esteemed much less than the young agent. Arms still tightly crossed, Jessica looks upward as if beseeching the heavens for help, then levels her eyes on Alexander. "Since when do...people like your father keep agreements especially if someone is stupid enough to target you?"

A thought occurs to her, and she adds, "Does the Union know why he was threatened? They're not stupid and know how to hedge their bets. He's not the only union rep to be under the marinara gun."

Finally, with a reluctant sigh, she asks, "What do you want to do?" The question implying how long do I have to keep this silent till things get figured out.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Alexander's smile had a hint of amusement to it as he says, "No you can't trademark things that are ubiquitous throughout reality. Like trying to trademark the phrase 'cold ice, wet water, warm fire.'" The young man's grin broadens a little as he shoots a glance at Jess, knowing that Monica was fully aware of his sense of humor. Such as it is. So her reaction might be all the more amusing.
    But when Jess asks her question he spreads his hands a little, "Well, he was serious about the whole... you know, living as a mortal thing. But that needs cooperation from a lot of avenues. Sometimes weird things rear their head, sometimes bad things happen. I mean I wasn't there, but the impression I got was he made agreements with SHIELD to behave himself and sometimes they'd run interference for him when things might happen. Like when the thing with Bacchus and Hades came up."
    Which Jess would recall considering that's how they had met, when she enjoyed playing bad cop a little too much, in his opinion.
    Then she asks details about the union and reasons behind the threat so he elaborates, "Apparently my dad didn't go for some plan the Maggia had for a neighborhood, turning people out and making land bids using the construction contracts as cover? Something like that. So think he got an offer he couldn't refuse and then refused it."
    When she asks what he wants to do he shakes his head, "I don't know. I'll learn more when I meet with him face to face. I'll try and forestall the bodyguard thing. If it gets pushed on me then..." He pauses and makes a face, "Shit, I'll talk to Agent Gibson and whomever he points me at."

Monica Chang has posed:
"I suspect your father doesn't generally go for Godfather style threats, no," Monica agrees. Having not met the man, she doesn't know for sure. But what she has been told by Alexander here or there seemed to supported that belief. And mythology supported it.

Interesting he'd cut a deal with SHIELD. She'd have to ask more about that in time. After all, they'd be hard put to stop him if he didn't want to play polite.

"So that is why they are suspected. But guessing they need proof for the ability to prosecute?" Because that tinged her interest. "Maybe SHIELD could help with that. On the down low if nothing else. Since y'know, we're your work family."

Jessica Drew has posed:
"I think TM after my name is so much better than, her highness before it, don't you, Monica?" She smiles and nods at Monica then drops her arms and seats herself on the edge of the bench. Not looking at Aaron, "We can use our resources to look into things. It's not my area of concentration."

Craning her head, she shoots him a quick smile, "Alright, I'm in until I'm not. I'll let you know when or if I say something to," she points upward with a hoof of her thumb, "the mucky-mucks and look into things on the quiet."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I mean..." Alexander rubs the back of his neck, "In an ideal world I don't... want people to know about it at all. I don't want... weirdness or attention beyond the normal weirdness and attention." His lips twist up a little as he looks at Jess.
    He pulls one of his legs up into his lap, hands around his ankle as he lets it sit there, the toe of his boot bouncing up and down as it's clear he was filled with a restless energy. "But if it goes from a possibility to a probability I'll... try and get ahead of it." He rubs the back of his neck, frowns. "Maybe take a leave of absence and do what I can to... address it."
    Which could mean a myriad of things.
    "I'll keep you guys up to date, and let you know if I get an idea or three." He crinkles his nose.
    "Mafia people. So weird." He says, as if still trying to wrap his mind around things.