6302/Take-Out Chinese

Take-Out Chinese
Date of Scene:	22 May 2021
Location:	The Centinel Hotel - Mutant Town
Synopsis:	Emma is triggered. Business is rearranged.
Cast of Characters:	Emma Frost, James Proudstar

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Emma Frost has posed:
The Centinel hasn't even been up, in its new form, for a year before its reimagining strikes. The construction crews-most mutants, most hired from Mutant Town-are back at work, this time repurposing parts of the building into a broader outreach centre. This requires delicate work since the hotel itself will still be in operation, albeit at reduced capacity and cut rates, while construction progresses.

Having poured a lot of herself into the project, Emma Frost, the progenitor of the project, is being more hands-on than is usual for her works. Tonight is one of those hands-on nights, in fact, as, long after the bulk of the workers have streamed out for the end of their shift, her ghost white Bentley crawls up to the site, parking next to the site manager's trailer.

Dressed like she came straight from her offices (which she likely did), she clambers out of the car in her unique take on a business suit (most business suits don't involve thigh high patent leather boots with spike heels) and strides to the trailer, opening the door with her keys and stepping inside, ready to go over the dailies for the past few days of operations in a ritual that's become a habit averaging three times a week.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar has been working hard, overseeing several teams and providing the kind of support only someone who can bench press bull dozers and bend metal in his bare hands could provide. He also grew up poor, not being able to hire someone else for even simple repairs, he knows wiring, and carpentry, masonry and plumbing. His time at Xavier's has refined these skills, he cold probably be a really good construction manager at one of these units in the city. But here is, helping other mutants, teaching kids to use their powers to earn a living. He cold smell your Bentley a few blocks away, your perfume when you pulled into the parking lot. He takes the elevator down from the worksite, an empty wing of the hotel, work done without out powertools, the crew moving like ninjas in the night. He arrives at the ground floor and is on his way to meet you as you enter the trailer, "You know we can do this in your office, I don't want you to get that suit dirty."

Emma Frost has posed:
"I like to get a feel for things, James," Emma says with a smile, tapping her temple. "Not just the project. The projects." Her hand sweeps in a gesture to the dark, dank streets of Mutant Town. "This is for them, after all, so I need to see how they're viewing its progress as well as how the numbers speak."

She stands aside to let James enter, then heads to the site manager's desk and starts picking up the reports in the "unprocessed" pile to look through in reverse chronological order.

"Of course the numbers don't say everything. The hands that do the work know things that can't be put into numbers." Rare is the executive who can admit that. "What's your feel, James? Anything problematical arising?"

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar smiles and takes a seat in front of the desk putting his feet up, it seems overly casual with the 'boss' but then you've hear him take to Professor Xavier, openly and at volume disagreeing with he founder's dream and his tactical desisions. You know that this is a test, and James watches you, though you also know that his gaze lingers a bit too long on your bodice, and that he has already taken your scent the beat of your heart, the stress in the way your holding that file.

    James nods slowly, "That's why I signed on Emma, I trust that you are trying to help down here and we could use it, they could use it. It will be a few years before I get my MSW and can actively assist on anything resemble a scale, but for now, I teach and I build." James shrugs and watches you going over the books, not a skill he possesses but one he respects. He lets their be a silence as he considers, "Well, I've been looking over the site projects for the last few days, thinking this might be coming. The guys are talking, your foreman and the supplier, it's subtle but they're ripping you off, charging you for a higher grade of material than you're receiving but not on everything, it's the just the high end stuff, most won't notice but, with what your losing you could bay a couple dozen more guys and we need to jobs. "They're human, but I don't think it's even that sort of prejedice. It's just how they do business. I can run the Foremen stuff and Mike can pick up the slack with logistics, you won't see any delays with them gone, in a week you promote Tony to my spot and I can go back to my day job. He's a good kid, loyal. Mike will take care of you if you run everything for him."

    "Also, you've got a couple of realy talented kids in Homer and Archie, I think they cold do some real nice installation pieces to make the decor really sing. I would pair them with a designer and see what they come up, maybe Angela, she has a good head on her shoulders, let the take the south lobby, that fountain needs something, it's beautiful but it could be more."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma listens carefully without interruption as James goes over his suggestions. The reveal of the quality con game does not surprise, though the brazenness of it does. Apparently the people involved don't know who they're dealing with.

The supplier will. Tomorrow. When the hammer comes down. But first... evidence.

"Congratulations on the elevation, James, under the proviso that we can get enough evidence. I hope you wear the foreman suit like you wear the groundskeeper suit at the mansion: with exceptional aplomb and attention to detail. Pass on my congratulations to Mike in logistics."

While she speaks she's fingering through the purchase orders and delivery orders, checking that the delivery papers say what the purchase papers say. "I think we're going to have to do a visual inspection of the items in question. If we find two mismatches, the elevations go in effect and once that happens you're in charge of arranging the rest of the site-specific details."

She moves for the door, ready to head into the building. "Coming?"

She naturally already knows the materials being mentioned, but as a courtesy is pretending that James has to lead her to them.

"Let's get the evidence, pictorial and paper, and tomorrow morning I will bring the hammer of Frost down on the supplier's head. You'd think after the last two major obliterations people would learn not to try and steal from me."

Her voice is calm. Collected. And chilling to the bone.

"Oh, and call for Chinese delivery. We're going to be out here a long time. Unfortunately there's no good restaurants open who will deliver into Mutant Town, so..." Emma shudders. "Lee's will have to be it."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar watches you stand and walk around the desk, his gaze lingers, "Oh, I wouldn't miss it." He stand easily but motions for you to lead the way, he has no need to be coddled. "If being a forement were my in my career aspirations, I'd be very impressed and touched by your acknowledgement. I grew up poor one a ranch on the reservation Ms. Frost. WE had to know how to make do on our own and I've been managing the ranch since my parents were killed along with the rest of the tribe. "I had to learn how to manage projects and manage teams and do it from a distance. Tony can do it, and he'll have me on speed dial." James smiles, with a wink, "The mansion is easy peasy after that, though the freshman a few sophomore girl's clogging their toilets and sinks with anything they can find is a bit trying in the beginning of the year. They apparently enjoy watching me climb under the sinks." James smirks and shakes his head, "I cannot even fathom what you and Betsy must go through."

     At your last JIm laughs and shake his head, picking up his phone, and looks up a contact, he waits until a woman's voice answers, "Hey Soong! It's James. Hey girl, I'm down at the construction site again, listen, the big boss is coming in and I need a Proudstar, with crab rolls for a half hour, "Can you hook an Apache up? Yeahm I know, people are hungry Soong, listen you add three extra large PFCs and have you guy tell them Savage said to let him in. Okay? Yeah, no problems you have my word. Right, I will." James hangs up and snorts, "Lee's? I would give flurry Lee's, if you've eaten that on the regular you're braver than I ever thought." He grins, "Tip the guy well, maybe an extra 10% and he'll come back anytime you call. Word will get around and the all will." He sends you a text with the name and number, it's from a place in Brooklyn.

Emma Frost has posed:
"You don't have to imagine it James," Emma says with a wicked glint in her eyes. "Say the word and you'll have it all. Every stray thought from every student that's ever reacted to me, male or female. Some of the fantasies can get quite elaborate."

Then the glint gets even brighter.

"I can even replay yours if you'd like," she adds with a wink. She holds up a hand to stop anything James might respond with. "And please, no apologies. This is the burden of being a telepath: you see what people really think of you. Thankfully for the likes of Betsy and me that tends to be flattering, albeit often mixed with unnecessary judgemental content."

She pauses. Then drops the final bombshell.

"Yes, that includes your thoughts while I was working the books. Thank you. I spend a lot of time sculpting it, so I'm glad you noticed."

Chuckling she leads on to the deliveries and starts comparing what's in the books to what's on site. Interestingly, frank thoughts of and discussions about her physique don't faze her in the slightest. No, anger comes when she does some mental calculations.

"A project for a poor district and they feel the need to skim!" she fumes, standing up, face flushed and distorted into actual ugliness by rage. This is the Emma people don't want to see directed their way. "And then they dare judge US as morally bankrupt!"

The anger is as sudden as it is overwhelming, her body trembling as she suppresses the overpowering urge to just punch, kick, and scream. "I will have these deadheads decapitated and placed on a pike outside the construction site as a warning to those who come after them!"

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar chuckles and smiles but he doesn't stop admiring, he isn't the same as he was when a teen. James is a confident adult, with a complicated series of relationships, "I'm pretty sure I remember them on my own, but others, should i pick and choose or you want to share highlights? I'm fine with bragging." His own gaze has a bit of a twinkle.

    Jame nods, "They see you as fair game another rich mark. But you do have a point and... "James clears his throat a bit, wondering if you remember his own fantasys largely revolved around anger and its proper application "Might be a bit of an over reaction but I wouldn't want you to not explore those feelings... tell me more."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma calms down from Greek Fury levels to slow burn. "Of course I meant it metaphorically." Of course. "Legal wouldn't allow me to decapitate them and have you ever tried to argue with the legal department?" She chuckles bitterly. "Even I'm afraid of them and I can make them permanently live out their worst nightmare for the rest of their days."

Deep breath. Fumbling for a cigarette. Lighting it. A deep drag is taken and expelled noisily.

"Let's get back to the trailer. You and I have a full night and morning ahead of us tracking the shaving."

And off she storms, duster-like blazer trailing behind her like one of her trademark cloaks, boots clacking, skirt and blouse whispering as she walks with deadly purpose back to the site manager's trailer.

"I'll need coffee!" she calls out over her shoulder. "Then something alcoholic for later."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar shivers just a little, "I am pretty sure more than a few of them would be into that." James watches you take that long sow drag and cracks his neck, "Yeah, we'll totally get to the bottom of this." he watches you go, "Me too, I'll put on a pot." He heads down the stairs to catch up with you in the lobby.