Owner	Pose
Alexander Aaron	For three hours he had been kept waiting. Three hours while Elizabeth Rockefeller was busy working the crowd at his party. HIS PARTY. James Bauer positively was seething. It wasn't fair. All of this nonsense. Strategic Homeland... whatever. Strategic assholes more like it. The blond man in the seventeen thousand dollar suit sat in front of that small table, his arms folded over his chest, his legs crossed delicately. He shakes his head, chewing his lips, and sometimes his nails. At one point he stopped to wipe some dust off his seven thousand dollar leather shoes from Italy. Then he took a deep breath and let out a sigh that would sound the death knell of the waiter or waitress that was serving him.     If this was a restaurant.     Meanwhile, inside the room that looked through the one-way mirror at the man inside... Alexander Aaron had his hands full.     "Alright Dad. We're doing this the right way." The two had arrived fairly recently, and with Bauer in the interrogation box, and with these two outside of it... it was Alex's job to keep his father from... losing his proverbial shit.     "Not so much this guy, it's... you know, the guys behind him. Who is working through him? We need to learn more. Right? So let's just sit and watch and... you want something to drink?"
Ares	Ares was already pacing. A tiger locked in a small room and not able to find an exit. Though there was a window, a way to see out. Into a small room containing Mr. Bauer. A man who had apparently hired someone to kill John Aaron and his son as well. Or at least John. He wasn't too clear on those details. What John did know is this was ridiculous. If they just let him in the room with the man, he'd have answers in minutes. If they let Alexander in there, it would be seconds. Which brought his dark eyes to his son, the one that was trying to be the voice of reason. To an irate God of War. This did not bode well for how this night might go. "Beer. And none of that American shit that tastes like water," was his automatic answer as he forced himself to stand still, crossing his arms over his barrel chest and glaring at the man on the other side of the window. The one with the soft hands and expensive suit who had likely never been in a fight in his life. For Ares, it was like looking at the human version of a marshmallow. Though, admittedly, SHIELD probably didn't generally have been available. It was usually more coffee, tea, soda, water.
Daisy Johnson	It had been a quick grab-and-run. Standard SHIELD mission! Plucking a target from somewhere without no one being the wiser. It was a good thing that SHIELD was on the good guys side because what they could do was scary enough as is. But now Daisy is getting ready to be the baaad girl. Maybe that's why when she is getting those large coffee cuppas she gives them over to Jessica. "There." It means Jessica gets to be the good cop tonight. "We need to figure out who's working through him. We know a name, Nicolai Teliski, russian, Odessa Mob connections, not a good guy to cross. Strikes me wrong that some realtor like this is involved with those people so ..., we need to figure out who's behind him." She stops near the door, "Ready?" and then opens it, letting Jessica lead the way in.
Jessica Drew	Nothing like a brisk interrogation to pass the evening. Jessica doesn't envy anyone in a 72-hour lock up. Upon reflection she realizes years of being in the same job and in the same apartment have softened her - she likes her own bed and doesn't sleep as well in strange places. Age. Through the interrogation room mirror, she watches the suspect in his bespoke gold-lined suit and hand-made diamond-soled shoes, thinking that if she had gotten soft about where she sleeps this man has lost touch with reality. Or, at least, the reality of most of the world, and, likely that he doesn't give a flying fuck. Though if she had been removed from a party meant to impress, she'd be pissed. Super hearing has some terrible inconveniences - Jess can outdo any millennial for her ability to tune out the world when she wants. She doesn't want, there is a cacophony of heartbeats around her - some slow and strong like Alexander and Daisy, one slightly accelerated like Ares. Their subject who masks his stress at being taken from his caviar has a little problem with blood pressure this evening and a benign heart murmur. Taking the coffee cup from Daisy, she nods, affirming, "Ready. Let's do it."
Alexander Aaron	Bauer is not a nice man.     His first words are aggressive, growled, sharp.     "About fucking time!" He shifts in his seat and turns his chair slightly to look at the two women, one then the other. "Before we're done here you both are going to give me your badge numbers." He points at them both, as if damning them with that index finger. Point point.     In the room with Ares, Alexander looks sidelong at Bauer, and to be fair his thoughts... are not too far away from his father's. There is a part of Alexander that recognizes the world as under the 'Laws of Man', but there is part of him... an instinct... that does not care for them.     Luckily that instinct has been tempered.     "Alright, a beer." He says as he moves toward the door, but not to get the beverage himself. He is required to be in that room. He simply opens the door to the hall and tells the agent on duty to please get a non sucktastic beer.     He slips back into the room to stand at Ares' side. "You realize after we release him you can't go clobber him. Right?"
Ares	That brought a smile to John's face as he heard he'd get to clobber the guy. "If it is not done on Earth, it does not fall within their laws." And this is how he thought. If Bauer lived through this night, it was going to need the push of something really important to convince Ares. And right now, he wasn't in a mood to be convinced. At the words from Bauer to the ladies as they entered, there was the faintest of noises from deep inside John's chest. It almost sounded like a growl. "If he continues to show such disrespect, give him just a taste of fear. I want him to embarass himself from pissing his pants in front of them."
Daisy Johnson	A brief exchange of looks with Jessica is telling. But at least Daisy doesn't roll her eyes even if she really wants to. She can't really suffer Karen's... But it makes her job easier. Of being a bad cop. She makes her way to the table and opens a folder. Inside there's the pic of a large man. Nicolai Teliski. "Good evening, Mr. Bauer." she points to the image on the folder, "We already know of your connection to Little Odessa. So you can drop the act." she says. Direct to the point. Sharp! That's why Jessica is there to smooth things over. "And tell us who you work for."
Jessica Drew	Is Jess self-conscious about having bought her tailored and well-fitted black suit in the basement of Bergdorf Goodman? Not one wit. She even likes her shoes, government agent black with a moderate heel. It must be age. She doesn't like how the balls of her feet feel after a day in jazzy high heels. She overhears the reference to the laws of earth from father and son and eyes them from the corner of her eyes. The growl reminds her of recordings she has heard of sub-sonic elephant herd growls. It fits. But on to business, in a role that surprisingly isn't her strongest. Good cop. While Daisy gives him the low down, Jessica sits in the other chair facing their subject and fusses with aligning her folder on the table and the cuffs of her suit. Their subject's heart rate jumps slightly at the affront of being questioned. She gives Bauer a sympathetic smile and nods, remaining silent. Let him want someone to tell him this will all be over soon and that he can go.
Alexander Aaron	"Dad," Alexander says then in that smaller voice, he always seems... just a little younger around his father. Though he shakes his head, "It's not that simple."     Though perhaps for his father it is, though Alexander is often reluctant to use those powers. "There's this thing called due process..."     Meanwhile inside the room Bauer has his arms refolded across his chest as he scowls at the two Women of SHIELD. "First off. Go to hell. I want my lawyer."     He sniffs affectedly then says, "Second, I want both your names. Badge numbers. Whatever. Do you people even have badge numbers? Whatever, serial number. Whatever I can use to identify you for my fucking lawyers."     "Third!" He says, then takes a breath as he struggles to come up with a third, to which he finally just says. "Fuck you, lawyer." Seemingly not having it. Though for the agents in there, having trained so well at reading people, when Daisy put forth the image of Nicolai Teliski they saw a momentary double take.
Ares	"It should be that simple." John was a simple man. Or a simple god. Depending on the point of view. As John, he was a humble man who worked hard and did everything to provide for his family. It was the almost stereotypical vision of a family man. On the other side of that same coin was a being that was War itself. Conflict. All the darkness that came with that. It fueled him and he kept it contained just below the surface. But there were times it was closer to that surface than others. Threatened the role he played in being a father to his son as a human in this world. Ares started to move again, beginning the pace anew. "The human process is ineffective. Slow. We could end this. We /should/ end this," he growled, unaware that Jessica could hear everything said despite them being a room away and well insulated. But then her hearing would pick up a new sound. *SLAM* As he heard the words from that little room, he drove his fist into the wall on the left in that separate room. Not the wall with the glass. That might damage it. But his fist went straight through the drywall and bent a metal beam that was in the wall behind it. There was a momentary feel like a minor quake in the floor but then nothing more. Good news! It wasn't a load bearing wall at all so it was more cosmetic damage. "I will give him a name if he wishes one so desperately," he sneered and was heading for that exit door.
Daisy Johnson	The minor quake has Daisy snap her head up as if she had heard something. Then she exhales. Could be worst, Ares could had just barged into the room and shaken the man up and down until he spilled his beans. But that wasn't the way. No matter how tempting it was to get this guy a good scare. The look from Jessica is telling though. Bauer recognized Teliski. And that just means this wasn't just some contacts hiring a group. There's a close relation to this group somehow. "You were brought in for your own safety, Bauer. Because why would a realtor have any kind of relation to a Russian mob operating out of Little Odessa?" there's a faint smile. "So we had a little digging around, seems like it's not the first time you deal with them, is it?" She just ignores the pleas for a lawyer. It's not like he's under arrest or that SHIELD is a normal law enforcement organization. They are a spy org first.
Jessica Drew	Angry is good. Angry people do and say things they regret later. It's ideal in an interrogation. The thumpathump of their subject's heart increases slightly. Jess, hoping he has no hidden health problems, opens his file to check. Bingo. Baxtrostat. Wow, worse than she thought; the man needs to go on a regime of diet and exercise. Behind her, now that she has her hearing wide open, she is treated to an interesting tantrum to the rhythm of pacing feet that ends with a boom. Did Ares put a hole in the wall? They all heard it. Eyes on the subject she shrugs, saying blandly, "Difficult case next door." Then after another telling glance at Agent Johnson, "All in due time, sir. We'd like you to get you home as soon as possible."
Alexander Aaron	"Hey, no no no." Alexander quickly hurried after Ares, a hand going to his arm. "Seriously, you gotta stay here. Look, trust them. Agent Drew and Agent Johnson are good at their jobs, father." The young Olympian steps then in front of the door spreading his arms out as if that would stop the advance of the God of War.     "Give them time. We've got time on our side, right? Time's on our side. Give them some time."     As the Olympians have their quarrel, Bauer can't help but have heard that heavy /SLAM!/ It was enough to get him to look toward the door the women entered through, then he looks back toward Daisy and Jess, his brow knit together with a hint of confusion. "The hell was that?"     But then he listens to Daisy and lifts his chin a little, eyes tightening. His response to Daisy sounds like a kneejerk, "No idea what you're talking about..."     Though he is listening, "I make an honest living, selling high end real estate to the affluent and influential." He clears his throat. "Sometiems pieces of property are sold, then change hands several times. I just make the initial point of sale."     Though Jess can feel that subtle shift in his pulse. At first he had been rather sure of himself, but that image of Nicolai... troubles him.
Ares	As his son bodily blocked him from going out that door, the younger Aaron would feel the full weight of his father's gaze. That anger was there in his visage. His eyes were narrowed, breathing heavier only because that is what one did when they were angry. In truth, he didn't have to act human at all if he chose not to. But in this form, it was automatic to do so. Then he let out a "BAH!" and turned back to the room, coming to a stop at the center of the glass but about five feet back from the window itself. In case he got the urge to go punching something again. "We have time. They will be naught but dust and it will be but a blink of an eye for us," he murmured in that deep bass voice.
Daisy Johnson	The shift in attitude is noted. And what Daisy gets from JD's look is telling too. There's a difference to the man ever since that picture was showed so that's a focus point. But one needs to give him time to stew. "Yes, we could talk about some of your deals..." she opens up another folder, turning it his way. "We followed some of them, they all lead the same org, after we get through the shell corporations in the way." she even made a little graph to make it easier for Bauer to follow it, "All leading to the Little Odessa Mob. All leading to this man." she points to Teliski's picture. "And all leading through you.." her lips press to a line. "It's dangerous waters you are swimming in." She tells him, "... the kind of waters that may make you a persona non grata among your peers if this is leaked to the justice department."
Jessica Drew	There are moments that Jessica regrets not having had 'normal' parents in her life. Not that many people do have that luxury. Still, she is glad that she doesn't have Alexander's father to contend with - it would be enough to make a person phobic. It is neither the time of the place to ask the father and son if they -can- be killed. Would dead be dead? They may have time, but SHIELD doesn't. They have seventy-two hours. The phrase 'naught but dust' echoes in her ears as she aligns a stray paper neatly into the file and regards Bauer with an edge of warm worry for his welfare behind her professional mask. Interrogations are so hard. She, of course, wants to spare him the worst- whatever Agent's Johnson's worst may be. Let him think the worst.
Alexander Aaron	"I..." She has her talons in him, and Daisy can feel him start to give. His lips part, he says nothing at first, then he ahems and clears his throat. His lips tighten and he just shakes his head a few times, one eyebrow raised. "That's... I have no idea... about that."     Another clearing of his throat. "Could I get some water, please?" Ah, he said please.     In the room, Alexander says quietly to his father. "See, they're already making headway. We do it like this, dad, and you can keep... you know, keep being John Aaron. I mean if you want to smite them, then hell... you can. Could. But then well, it's back to Olympus, right? And really, fuck those guys." His lip twists a little.     Though finally Bauer in that room says, "I knew something was fishy with those guys. I suspected something. But... it's amazing you came up with this. It's good to know. I'll cut off all ties with them." He nods a little quickly.
Ares	Ares stared through the window as the agents started to make progress, started getting answers to the questions they were seeking. In some odd way, it made him think of his sister Athena, but then he pushed that down very quickly and ignored it like he preferred. Mention of Olympus drew his gaze back to Alexander and he gave a terse nod. "Fuck them all. And not in the pleasurable way." They were Olympian Gods after all. There were certain rumors that ran in the stories of their mythology on Earth. "Very well. I will wait until you tell me that I am free to deal with things in my way." A boon indeed from the father to the son. "For now." Because it was too good to be true that there might not be a limit.
Daisy Johnson	"Don't you ...?" There's a faint, sad smile from Daisy, "You know Teliski though.." fingertips brushing over the picture again, "But maybe you didn't know of his illicit operations..." she lets out a sigh. "See, that might be a problem... For you." she leans back on her chair again, closing both folders, almost as if finalizing things. Maybe they are done here. "If you don't know anything then we might as well just let you go." she says back to Bauer, "Let you go free. After the 72 hours period of course. Let you go back to your life. Though I wonder how that would go for those people you claim to not know. I am sure they would be curious to go looking for you to know just how much you would shared to us." There's a long pause. "But if you really don't know anything you wouldn't be in danger at all from their questioning, would you? They do hate snitches though.." Daisy doesn't particularly like being ruthless like this but her years in the spy business has taught her sometimes they need to do this kind of stuff.
Jessica Drew	Thirst - a classic stress symptom and a delaying tactic. Good. Agent Drew depresses a button under the table and murmurs for the benefit of those listening to the session. "One water bottle, please." To SHIELD's credit the door opens behind them and a young man in a suit and tie that screams government spook deposits one on the table and leaves. Jessica opens the bottle, palming the cap, and pushes it toward Bauer with a slight nod, inviting him to take it. See, we don't mistreat people. From what she is hearing in the corridor, they might not need to treat him badly. They can leave that in Are's capable hands. Jess makes a barely audible sound, clearing her throat at Are's wish for them all. Fixing her limpid green eyes on the subject, she assures him, "We protect the people that cooperate with us, sir. And, have a great track record for keeping them alive. We can give you protective custody." See? The big bad shot won't hurt you if you don't wiggle.
Alexander Aaron	At that reassurance, Alexander seemed to deflate a little. It was like a final consideration and an oath given that assured him that at least this man's life was secure for now. He takes up a place beside Ares. Then Alex folds his arms over his chest, breathing a little easier. He shakes his head, "You know, they're not bad people. Here. I mean. SHIELD. You could do worse. Like. If you got tired of doing construction."     Alex sort of half-grinned at that.     Within the room, Bauer looked between the two women, his eyes shifting back and forth a little faster now. "Wait, what? 72 hours?" His eyebrows widen a little as he considers what Daisy says. Instinctively he looks toward Jess, aware on some level that they're running the old game on him. Yet under pressure people sometimes forget.     He accepts the bottle of water and takes a quick sip. Then another that turns into a series of swallows. He sets it down. "I don't want protective custody. Fuck that... I'll tell you what you want to know, but I need to... I need to get out of here fast so they don't think I was... fuck. Spilling my guts. What do you want to know?" Which he's about to do.
Ares	The good news? Those with normal hearing the other room couldn't hear the bark of laughter from Ares at that one. He reached over a hand to thump his son on the back, a hearty impact. "Indeed. Ares, Agent of SHIELD. Though, I profess that I would have difficulty taking orders," he admitted with a big, toothy grin to Alexander.
Daisy Johnson	Sometimes it's all about those classics being proven true. Daisy inclines her head as Bauer finally relents and agrees to talk to them on what they want to know. "You can start by telling us your connection to Little Odessa, and Teliski. Did it come from you the hit on the union worker, or from them?" There's a lot they want to know though, but for now that should suffice.
Jessica Drew	That last reply was hardly reassuring. How would SHIELD contend with the God of War loosed on the world in the form of a SHIELD agent? Jess brings herself back into the here and now, tilting her head with a faint encouraging lift of her eyebrows to Bauer as their subject caves remarkably fast. There is so much more they want to know. But, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Alexander Aaron	"What? No. I mean. No." Bauer tilted his head over toward Jess as if seeking some form of support there. But then he looks back toward Daisy. He takes another sip from his bottle of water then says, "Look. At first all it was was like, get all the i's dotted, the t's crossed. Let people who... otherwise couldn't own property to have their own part of the American Dream, right? That's what I was trying to do." Clearly he was being helpful!     "Then they kept asking, and I was doing it more often. Directing them to people who could help them. And sometimes they'd come back with a tip to me about a really good property at a low price that'd sell well." His payoffs.     "But then... I was trying to clear the path for some of his friends, you know, to get some property. When this... asshole. Just pure straight asshole with a rod up his ass. He just... he demands we go about this in like, the old fashioned way. Permits settled entirely, everything fixed up to code. And I'm like... fuck this guy right? And that's when I met Teliski. And this guy he had... well he had started to muck up my business beyond what... what Mr. Teliski was helping me with. But Mr. Teliski says he has a way to get this guy to lay off. I say sure. He asks me what it's worth, and I suggest to him that maybe... he can have more favorable terms on his next purchase. And like that... that was it."     Bauer straightens up, "I didn't know it was going to be anything else... oh shit did they kill him?"
Ares	Alexander could hear a pin drop in that room. So could Jess for that matter. Even Skye perhaps on some level because John Aaron, construction worker, Union leader, hidden Olympian, God of FUCKING WAR, had gone still as a statue. He wasn't eevn breathing. That aura of danger around him started to expand out. But then something stopped it. Something that went through the head of the giant man. And her snarled. "Of course he needed permits and everything had to be to code. Trying to endanger people for his own profits." Then he smiled. Not a pleasant smile but one that showed he would love to cut the man open just to see what might be inside there. Was it marshmallow?! Followed by a chuckle as he added. "If he believes me an asshole, I have done well in my tasks."
Daisy Johnson	"You are smarter than that. You know what you were getting into." Daisy replies back to the guy, raising her shoulders in a shrug. "And you know these people are dangerous. Dangerous enough that you may be in danger when you get a foot out of here." She notes. Daisy starts getting up to her feet, "Not that we are in the business of arresting sleazy realtors. So you will be free to go. But you may want to be careful in the future." A nod is given towards the glass window. They had the info they wanted.
Jessica Drew	It takes superb control for Jess not to roll her eyes at Bauer's noble reasons for illegal transactions and ignoring building codes. Behind her straight posture and sympathetic nod, she berates him for ignoring the old fashioned protections. Fuck them sums up Bauer's attitude toward anyone that won't immediately benefit him. Lacing her fingers together on the table, she leans slightly toward the subject projecting belief as he avows innocence of all the consequences of unleashing the Russian mafia on someone. Riiight. With warm concern, she adds, "We -will- take care of you, Mr. Bauer if you can give us more information concerning your contacts." Just clearing the path here. She glances up at Daisy when she rises, then throws a final look at Bauer without any pretense of concern for his welfare. With a scrape of her chair, she also stands and waits for the door to open.
Alexander Aaron	"Seriously?" Bauer looks concerned as he looks back and forth between them, "That's it... I'm set? I mean... I had no idea, right? I didn't do anything wrong." The influential real estate agent... the the STARS, holds his hands up. "But good to go right now?" He starts to slide back in his seat, the chair scraping the floor a little. Though he doesn't try to stand up, on some level a little fearful of the two women.     When Jess gives her final words for the man, he gives a nod. "Great then, I'll... sure. I'll give you what I need. So long as I can go."     In the observation room, Alexander turns toward Ares and says, "So ok, you see what we're doing here. You know that we're making progress. So you let us handle things from now on, right? We'll call you in when things might need your deft touch. But for now, let us handle things." It was part of the deal, to prevent Ares from... being Ares.     Alex steps back toward the door to start to shepherd his father out and away before he could get ideas about the fate of Mr. Bauer.
Ares	There is a long moment of contemplation as Ares weighed the words from his son. True, they had gotten the information. True, that he needed to restrain himself. True, he should let them take the lead, much as it irritated him to leave such things in the hands of others. A control freak to the core was Ares. Yet, a glance to his son. To see the person that was the only reason he continued to do what he did in this mortal role. That was all it took for him to nod once, capitulating. "Indeed, it is in your hands." And he moved to the door to exit without any more outbursts.
Daisy Johnson	"Good to go." Daisy doesn't really seem to keep the man back. Sure, they could send him over to the criminal trials but this isn't the big fish they are after. They need to get through the Little Odessa Mob. Besides, Daisy intends to surveil the heck out of the guy on the next few weeks. So there's that too. A spy always has a backup plan! Daisy takes both folders and neatly tucks them under one arm. "Just be careful with your deals in the future." and stay out of Ares's turf if you want to live. But hey, if he's smart he will back off.
Jessica Drew	That last slip of the tongue from Bauer was telling. Not what -you- need but what -I- need. Nothing like narcissism to make the world go round. Her eyes slip toward the one-way mirror as she gathers up her folder. Ares being reasonable is as surprising as Bauer telling the truth. "We will process your release, sir, as soon as we can, and get you back to your party."