12093/A Sweet Offer

A Sweet Offer
Date of Scene:	29 August 2020
Location:	Berri Sundae's Hotel Suite, Metropolis
Synopsis:	Mercy meets Berri to make her an offer most would be foolish to refuse. They talk business, and a few more personal questions.
Cast of Characters:	Mercy Graves, Berri Sundae

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Mercy Graves has posed:
The address Berri gave Lex after the strange fight with Iron Man wasn't bothered immediately. But within a week or so, a phone call was given. A request for a meeting, to discuss a job offer. Not from Lex, but a woman's voice. She introduced herself as Mercy Graves, his second in command, and everything in news reels and computer databases confirms that to be true. A brilliant business woman in and of herself, all research would point to many reason she's his trusted second. And she has been for almost a decade.

At the exact arranged time, Mercy strides up to Berri's door, giving a crisp, respectful knock. She's in a sharp, bespoke tailored black suit lined with angel hair thin gray pinstripes. The skirt hits her knees and fits tightly, but there's a slit all the way up the side made for giving her a freedom of movement that might be needed for bodyguarding activities. As she steps into the room, she gives Berri a polite, respectful smile. "Ms. Sundae, is it? I've heard excellent things about your fighting prowess."

Berri Sundae has posed:
Sure enough, Berri was where she had said she would be...not that looking at the hotel records had admitted to it. Different staff within the place would speak of a different woman, a different description occupying the luxury suite...it payed to have confusing witnesses after all! That knock was noticed, but perhaps eerily, the door had opened after that first rap of knuckles. In all likelyhood, Mercy had been told of Berri's appearance, the young woman with the two-tone hair and mismatched eyes. With the door opened, the woman actually blinks, looking Mercy up and down before tilting her head and stepping aside.

Herself? Berri was dressed in the pants and boots her of 'work' attire, but the usual half-jacket and parasol was absent leaving her only in the corset she tended to prefer. No words come from the girl, but there's a nod of acknowledgement and greeting all the same.

Mercy Graves has posed:
How quickly the door opens is a bit surprising, but Mercy takes it in stride. If anything, she looks a hint more pleased. The other woman is as on top of her game as Lex said. Mercy shuts the door behind her and secures the lock on pure habit. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I know you initially encountered other assets of Lex Corp but... ultimately, I'm the one who handles making certain everyone gets paid. And that they're a good... Alliance to make. Mercy Graves."

The blonde offers her hand with that, warmly but business like, the hand shake of someone considering the other an equal and opening with such a pitch in her body language. If the corset and the parasol bother her, she doesn't let it show on her face, though her pale eyes do flicker to the side to take each thing in, noting the woman's particular style.

Berri Sundae has posed:
The hand is taken, a shake a formal enough greeting met with a nod before she steps back. Still no words, but there's a questioning raise of her brow as the girl steps into the kitchenette of her suite, retrieving a bottle of orange juice she almost certainly had no intention of paying for and leaving the offer hanging for a moment for a moment before she reaches for the notepad she'd left laying on the bench. Smooth cursive writing asks the question her voice won't before she pushes the note towards Mercy.

     <What is the job?>

Straight to the point, but Berri was nothing if not portraying a fair amount of confidence in everything from movement to the 'innocent' expression she favoured.

Mercy Graves has posed:
A slight shake of her head is given towards the offered orange juice. Here on pleasure, not business. Mercy does, however, follow the younger woman across the suite, studying her as they go. Idle surface thoughts are the initial profiling and evaluating soeone at a first meeting. Wondering if Berri is too young, deciding she probably is *that* dangerous to be parading about with a parasol. Perhaps a momentary flutter of jealousy of youth and that Berri had caught Lex's eye, but it lasts only a heartbeat.

As Berri writes things down, Mercy looks momentarily more amused. She tilts her head and thinks, louder than before, directly at the woman. ~Can't you hear this? Can you project, as well?~ But her blue eyes do read the offered note, and she mutters aloud, "...More of a long term offered relationship. Jobs and tasks as they come up... But not a specific one to start."

Berri Sundae has posed:
A little flutter of her eyelashes, an upturn of the corner of her lips overturns the look of 'innocence' before her shoulders come to a shrug. A 'voice' sweet enough to match the appearance and name of the woman who sounded like a dessert heard, but not with the ears as Berri's gaze fixes on Mercy. <<"I can...but I was curious just how much Mr Luthor had told you. Sometimes it's far more interesting to keep people guessing. And telepaths make people oh-so-nervous.">>

She actually winks, a sip of her own drink offered before she moves to sit herself down upon the couch, folding her hands in her lap. <<"A...retainer of sorts? Or more of a confirmation of interest? It's sweet of him to send you to confirm what he said previously. But if you are the one who...coordinates? That does make sense.">>

Mercy Graves has posed:
Mercy watches how she moves. There's a quiet, automatic background commentary in her mind, filing away how physically trained Berri seems, what sort of muscle scructure she has, how she chooses to occupy the space. It's like Mercy is literally building a computer analyzed profile of the telepath, but by her own natural instinct. It might unnerving to be pieced apart like that, but at least all her thoughts are respectful. Not disregarding the woman's training because of her style.

The blonde makes her way over to the couch area, folding neatly down into sitting there. She's content to let all conversation go unspoke now. It is more secure. <<"A retainer. We like to know that we have first access to your skills and abilities. You'd receive a monthly stipend equal to 250,000 a year to spend as you please. If you wish to live in LexCorp tower, you may do so for free but the stipend will drop to 225,000 a year. Still a steal compared to actually paying for a condo there, but it means you will be closer to us. You may take other work, but we wish to know what it is and have veto rights on any other jobs. You will generally report in to myself or Hope, but Mr. Luthor will sometimes have special tasks for your... abilities.">>

Berri Sundae has posed:
In some ways it was similar to how she'd 'felt' when she'd sensed Lex's system interlinked with his brain scanning her, but far more natural and less 'mechanical'. Certainly Berri could appreciate the cautious nature of not under-estimating her. Even if she often went out of her way to foster that overconfidence around her most of the time, at least in those she was sent to deal with. It was tricky to read the consideration on that face, instead it really was just...staring that most might find a little unnerving.

Within the mental connection, her voice continues.

<<"Veto, but not exclusivity...and I imagine a reasonable expense account for jobs specificly for yourself and Mr. Luthor, especially for issues that require specific solutions. Some things are...less affected by my abilities...or most things, when it comes to certain metahumans.">>

Ironically, androids and constructs had proven far more dangerous than Kryptonians for the meta-criminal!

<<"Tell me Ms. Graves...how do you feel about working with someone like me?">>

Mercy Graves has posed:
Mercy's legs cross neatly, disciplined hands folded in her lap, every inch of her business as she watches their new possible employee. Mercy looked like the weapon she was supposed to be, dark and sleek, the callouses of someone who is on a shooting range daily on her hands, her muscles toned to the point she is almost sharp to look at, her body all severe angles and trained planes.

She bows her head in affirmation to Berri's question about expense accounts. <<"Yes, of course. Any tools or expenses in the field while on work for us would be fully covered. And health insurance, of course. Every benefit you could imagine. A 401K and pension.">>

That last question makes her momentarily surprised. It was not what she expected from the woman. <<"I think you could be highly dangerous... but highly useful. Reasons I'd prefer you on our side.">> That's all honest, but there is a sheen of worry behind it too. Secrets Mercy is being carefull to wall and hide away.

Berri Sundae has posed:
Finanaces seem to be to the girl's liking. At least as far as anyone could tell. Perhaps it was a by-product of being able to read the minds of others, or maybe that 'blank' innocent look was well-rehearsed, but it was certainly a tricky feat to know exactly what was going through the 'icecream' criminal's mind.

Honesty was appreciated, but that little 'tang' of secrets concealed has her head tilting the other way. She -could- dig, but there's every chance Mercy would realise it and that wouldn't make for the greatest of first impressions, would it? The younger woman smiles, nodding her head in acceptance before stretching her arms over her head, a silent yawn escaping her lips as they continue their mental conversation.

<<So, how do you intend to contact me? If I happen to be somewhere other than the 'Towers' I mean..."

Mercy Graves has posed:
The woman across from her sits neat and straight as a pin, her crossed legged, mostly casual pose the sort that is worn in attempts to put someone else at ease, not because she's actually comfortable. Every inch of Mercy is practiced and precise, that much is clear as their conversation continues.

<<We will provide you with a LexPhone which you will use for communications with us. It's all encrypted and privacy locked to you and LexCorp technology. If it's ever put in authority hands, it will automatically fall back to a simpler mode without any of our personal data on it. We will expect you to keep this with you at all points in time. You can use it for other purposes if you wish, but we do not require it to be your only phone. Simply that you have it.>> Mercy continued the mental communication fairly smoothly, now getting a bit more of a hang of projecting thoughts more clearly than the things in the background of her mind.

Berri Sundae has posed:
Useful, and curious...if not a little branded, but clearly Mr. Luthor took more than a little pride in his inventions and actions. Hands lowering down to her lap, Berri nods her head once more. Of course she was aware that now and then some of her other employers tended to act against each other as much as the law, so perhaps some communications on a phone Lex could almost certainly access wouldn't be in her interest. Then again, perhaps he'd simple make her a bigger and better offer?

Something to ponder...

<<Very well. Works for me.>>

Mercy Graves has posed:
<<Excellent. Then, if you aren't opposed, we can sign the contract using your brand new phone and you are welcome to move in any time this week. We will have the suite ready and cleaned for you by noon tomorrow.>> Mercy's smile seemed quite genuine. She was always happy to get another effective asset on the team, and it seems she's evaluated Berri to be quite effective, indeed.

She reaches into her pocket, pulling out a sleek, thin but tall black leather box. The top is unfolded to reveal a slim design LexCorp phone inside. She powers it up quickly with her own thumb print, but quickly moves to giving Berri access. A contract is already drawn up on the screen...<That's the contract, what we just discussed and a few NDA matters about LexCorp technology. You are welcome to read through it but, when you are ready, just give your thumb print to accept and it will be sent directly to our servers.>>

Berri Sundae has posed:
Of course she'll read it. She had the luxury of time and comforts for the moment...and it really payed to know what you were getting into in a life-or-death business. Another nod of her head, the telepath makes to stand, eyes sweeping over the phone before gesturing to the door.

<<I'll read it end to end and look over them all. But for now there's a bubble bath with my name on it.>> A quirk of her lips, she offers a little nod in acknowledgement and farewell alike. <<I look forward to working with you Ms. Graves.>>

Mercy Graves has posed:
"I greatly look forward to it, Ms. Sundae. You know how to find us. My number is already in the phone." With that, Mercy stands neatly, offering her hand to Berri for one last, firm shake. She doesn't seem rushed about the contract or worried. Offer made, she turns neatly on the ball of her foot and slips back out of the room.