8926/Unwelcome Cargo pt2 - 'Unpacking'

Unwelcome Cargo pt2 - 'Unpacking'
Date of Scene:	23 August 2019
Location:	Apartment 30D, Croft Centre
Synopsis:	Elektra and the Shadow discuss certain business propositions in the wake of stopping the human traficking operation. An offer is made towards June's future. Numbers are exchanged.
Cast of Characters:	Shadow, Elektra

---

Shadow has posed:
    In the modern world, almost all information is digital -- which means that when you have not just one but two of the undisputed rulers of the digital world at your call, there are few secrets beyond your reach. Finding out where Elektra lives wasn't /easy/, per se, but it was never an insurmountable obstacle.

    Lesser people would likely find it intimidating to have the Shadow show up at their home - but the former leader of the Hand is likely made of sterner stuff. Plus, she'd issued the invitation herself.

    Still, there's a difference between showing up at someone's door and showing up /inside/ their home, and this is as much a courtesy call as it is a discussion, so the first hint Elektra gets that she has a visitor is when her doorbell rings.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra wasn't surprised the Shadow knew her, and she expected that they'd know where she lived. If they couldn't find her, then perhaps they weren't in the right profession. Regardless, she'd made it home. Opened a bottle of red to breathe, and stepped into the shower. By her calculations, she had enough time give or take a few.

The give or take was what she'd once lived for.

Stepping from the shower in her upper loft bedroom, Elektra, towel drying her hair, calls out, "Let yourself in and go ahead and pour. Make yourself comfortable. It's a decent enough year, though I wouldn't invest in the stocks. Low returns and fluctuating market prices aren't trending in their favour. Something to do with agricultural practices and a rennaisance in organic, local production. They're behind the curve. Shame. They're sitting on some prime real estate. I'll be down in a moment."

And true to her word, she is down in not much more than a handful of moments.

Should it not be the Shadow, someone is in for an introduction on why it's bad to go calling on strangers in a privately owned building catering to the super elite.. and in particular the apartment of a world class assassin.

She makes a point of pouring herself a glass and finding a seat on the leather couch.

Shadow has posed:
    By the time Elektra emerges, the Shadow -- or at least, someone wearing a black greatcoat and slouch hat -- is standing in her apartment, casually pouring two glasses. "Short term, perhaps, but they may surprise you in the long run. They're an old family business with a long, proud tradition of excellent vintages. The current head of the company and family is suspicious of changes and novelty... But he is also getting ready to retire. His son is significantly more willing to experiment and invest. He'll do well."

    They turn to face her -- and while someone might fake the coat and scarf, that piercing gaze that seems to see right through the skin and into the heart and soul of the observed is a lot harder to fake...

Elektra has posed:
There's a light line of laughter that issues from Elektra, the sound a sultry alto. "I see I'm not the only one who has been investigating. Sadly I'm not sure I could court the son, even for the vinyards, but young fools are impressionable, and I do have my charms."

She sobers some, "He'll have to. But he'll find the markets for the outlying support systems have a singular owner, should he go digging." Her glass is lifted to her guest. "I learned at the feet of my father. It isn't always the prize you want. I remember once, at a carnival, he asked me what the smart businessman would invest in - what of all the itmes there would I pick. I was five. I believe I chose the American confection cotton candy. It seemed to me to be all that was great and good of the carnival. He bought me a cone - pink, so very stereotypical - and told me, No, Ellie, you think too small. What is it that everyone here can not do without?"

She sighs softly, her smile taking on a distant, remembered edge that softens the woman as well, "He was a transporation magnate. For years I avoided his companies. And then I didn't. The future is digital. Transportation. And cornering the market essentials that the others can't do without. For our vintner, he'll get a fair price, but if he wants to keep the business, it won't be for a song."

The softening dissipates, leaving only the sterner, more contained woman behind.

"Change is inevitable. And I believe we have things to discuss."

Shadow has posed:
"Indeed," the Shadow replies, steepling their fingers. "The... /shipment/ you and I intercepted wasn't the only one of its kind. Mr. Cheng was very eager to answer my questions, but ultimately he knew less than he thought he did. The organization behind them has excellent security practices... But not /quite/ good enough; one of their mules was careless in breaking the money trail, and my associates were able to bridge the gap. Nothing that could be proven in a court of law, but I have several targets..."

Elektra has posed:
"I'm not surprised," Elektra says quietly. Matt would know her well enough to recognize the tight line of control she's exercising beneath that otherwise blase exterior. "The chain is always downwarddly mobile. Peons never know more than their immediate superior - if that - and the network beneath them. If they're placed hightly enough."

She sips her wine and contemplates the information that Shadow is sharing.

"I have a number of targets myself. Including a couple of agents that the Hand cut free as losses when they decided to lick their wounds."

Her smile is ever so cold as she says that. One might almost say there was a note of pride in the ice of it.

"Of course there's nothing provable. What's on paper is almost always legitimate. Otherwise you're a fool. But the networking, and the supply lines will follow similar paths. Of course, now that we've made a point of talking to Mr. Cheng, those holes will mysteriously dry up. The businesses will remain behind, but they'll be looking for new places to disperse through. That's what we're going to look for..."

She has to stop herself there, as she's not got the bulk of the Hand's resources behind her and that one is actually beyond her. She has no reason to suspect who or what is at Shadow's disposal, other than they'd found her tonight.

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow nods. "Watch the ripples on the water to see where the stone was thrown. In order to rebuild their networks, they'll have to move - and my people know what to look for."

    They shrug for a moment, signalling a change in topic. "That aside... I must admit I haven't had a great deal of success tracking down the Foot's activities beyond their local cells. Any that find themselves exposed are cut off ruthlessly, and the trail goes cold quicker than I can follow it."

Elektra has posed:
"I'm glad one of us has people," Elektra laughs. "I'm afraid my most useful resource might balk if I start using them like they're my own. It's.. a complicated arrangement."

Elektra shrugs.

"Easiest explained by saying we have a mutual acknowledgement, and as long as I don't flaunt certain matters, they're content to ignore certain facts." More like most of the facts weren't precisely known. They knew about the Hand. And that she wasn't dead. But her job as an assassin was likely not on their books. Then again, SHIELD did know of her association with the Defenders. It might be one of the few things that was keeping her from deeper scrutiny.

"As for the Foot, I have some leads there. Saki and I go back some distance. I think it may be time for another chat. Though speaking of such matters, I did run into the angry little girl again. I was wondering how you might feel about her finding a mentor."

It's likely clear who she means with that.

Shadow has posed:
    "She has... Reasons for her anger, and most of it is at herself," the Shadow replies. "As to mentoring... I very much doubt she'd be inclined to /listen/ to one." There is a chuff of what was probably laughter before the distortion mangled it. "But there are... Other ways."

    "But ultimately, that is between her and me, or others wishing to help her. We are discussing the Foot."

Elektra has posed:
"Yes, we are," Elektra says simply. "And she was one of theirs. Which is why I am asking you before I ask her. Or did you think I wasn't aware of what that tattoo she bears is?"

It's a pointed look that Shadow gets.

"Saki doesn't let his go without making statements of them. If she wants to be free, she'll need skills that I'm going to assume are not in your wheelhouse. I'm certain she's had excellent tutelage under the masters he's set, but what she really needs is someone willing to take that further." A pause. "And someone willing to walk into that fire with her to make certain she comes out the other side again."

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow nods again. "We retrieved her when a woman named Karai was preparing to make an example of her. So yes, we /are/ aware," the Shadow replies. "At the moment they have reason to believe she did not survive the attempted extraction, which at least bought us time."

    The second part of Elektra's comment earns her another one of those long, scrutinizing looks that would make lesser people quail, cry, and confess their every childhood transgression. "You are offering to teach her, then?"

Elektra has posed:
"She's careless in her ventures," Elektra says. Then, after a consideration, and a sip of wine, admits, "I am afraid I may not have helped. I misread a situation where, had I the full information, I would have taken a different tack. No matter now, what's done is done, but if I was able to find her that easily, following her trail, others will eventually. She's loud and large in her actions. She lets her anger rule her."

Again one of those pauses, this one longer and followed with a much quieter followup.

"She reminds me of someone I once knew." More succinctly stated, and now meeting where Shadow's eyes have given a piercing stare from,, "I am offering. Yes."

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow remains silent after Elektra finishes talking, then nods again, acknowleding both the things said and those left unsaid. "I will pass on your offer - and make sure she understands it's made in good faith."

Elektra has posed:
A nonchallant shrug that totally belies anything of the woman, or her reasons for the offer, or whether or not she's invested in the young woman accepting it or not. It's a facade she's cultivated since she was a young child; it comes easily enough.

"Now then, one of our mutual annoyances.. the Foot."

Shadow has posed:
    "They are consolidating their dominion over street gangs and organized crime," the Shadow replies, letting the facade go uncommented. "Some of the older crime families still balk at the notion of bowing to /anyone/, but since the recent massacre there has been no open challenge to their rule..."

Elektra has posed:
"An unfortunate byproduct of the Hand retreating. I regret that small matter." Though not how it had come about. "I've no doubt they'll return. Possibly even under the cover of the Fott's dominion. That doesn't solve the matter of the current situation, though."

"Are his coins still in circulation? I know he's been recruiting a healthy youth army via the guise of community centres and youth programs."

In this, her distaste for the matter comes through. Clipped, dry tones that bite off her words in ways that suggest harm.

"He grew bold. There wasn't enough to stand against him. Not given he was working with my allies to my destruction..." Elektra's words drift off there. "There is history. And a tale. I haven't decided yet how much you learn. Then again, neither have you."

Shadow has posed:
    "SHIELD is aware of the Coins and what they do, as are others. Their usefulness is becoming limited. Almost as importantly, I intend to demonstrate to some of the lower gangs that their coins won't protect them from me and mine. That should destabilize some of the foundation of his authority -- and I expect the Shredder to respond in kind."

    Another shrug. "The situation with Mutant Town is more... complex. The Foot stepped in as a protector, especially in the light of the recent Sentinel attacks -- and they were accepted as such because the rest of humanity barely bothered to lift a finger on the mutants' behalf. Unraveling that tangle... May be best left to mutants themselves; any direct action by mine would simply be interpreted as more anti-mutant oppression."

Elektra has posed:
"The coins were always a liability. He had to know that. Mind, their value is in hanging their own recipients. And SHIELD wasn't who I was referring to, but interesting. we seem to share an ally."

She listens to the situation in Mutant town, and nods. "We're not equiped for their needs. Nor am I certain they'd welcome the help, much as this isn't a singular battle."

She gives a faint smile, and sips before murmuring, "We convinced a group that perhaps the coins weren't as much of a guarantee of protection as they thought." Her laugh follows. "I got arrested. I have to say, that was a nice little twist on Saki's part. SHIELD dealt with the matter."

Shadow has posed:
    It's hard to read expressions on a face that's almost entirely covered, but those raised eyebrows are evocative. "Now that sounds like a tale all of its own," the Shadow comments.

    "And yes -- the best way of breaking the Coins' hold is to make their guarantee meaningless. The Foot will have to respond, possibly in force, or risk their word itself becoming meaningless..."

Elektra has posed:
"A tale, yes. I tell you what, carry my offer to the youngling, and bring me news back. I'll see what I can do from my end to discover what is what, and we'll compare notes on how to proceed with the Hand. Who knows, we might even swap tales at some point."

Her wine glass is set down. "This was.. enlightning. And if you ever need someone of my particular persuasion, you know where I live."

Shadow has posed:
    "I shall." The Shadow stands up once again, touching their hat in an almost gentlemanly salute. "And if you ever require my aid..." A blank business card is placed on the table -- blank, until Elektra looks at it and sees shadows drift across it, briefly forming a phone number. "Please do not hesitate to reach out."

    And with that, and a click of the door closing again, Elektra is the only person standing in her apartment...