Only Bison in Here

[amoral_savior]

Who: Topher & Penny
Where: Penny's office
When: Before Kevin's Crowning
What: Job talk
Warnings: none


Topher was nervous, not that it made much difference in his personality as he seemed to always be in a state of nervousness. This particular set of nerves came from sitting outside the very nice office of a very scary woman. Animal beheading scary. Topher tried very hard not to think about the poor creature that had faced Penny's wrath on the network. At least he wasn't a sweater. Gross.

The moment the office door opened, Topher was jumping to his feet trying to remember what Penny's last name was. He hated names. No, strike that, he hated the whole social interaction that required the remembering of names.

Forcing his smile to surface, Topher wiped the none existent sweat off his hand before holding it out to Penny.

"Um, ah, hi. Topher Brink." Oh god, she was going to think he was an idiot, or worse, common.

Comments

[fearisinthemind]

Topher's discomfort is blood in the water to Penny. The smile she gives him now has just a hint of teeth, a memory of fangs.

"Oh, your citizenship can be arranged, and I believe we can consider these blueprints the considerable price for that paid." She runs her hand over the desk, letting those bloodish nails appear again as a pack of miniature wolves zeroing in on the rolled papers. "In fact, we're so impressed-"

There's something ugly about how she says that-

"-that I'd like to personally invite you to a special opportunity. Have you ever worked in law enforcement, Topher?"

[amoral_savior]

Topher felt himself frown even though there was nothing in Penny's offer to really frown about. Well, accept the potential to once again work for something that might not be the best indication of good morals.

Hell, Topher never claimed to be a moral person.

"I've, um, worked for worse." The smile he offered was forced, but Penny didn't seem like the sort to really care. "I just need a lab. Um, and some other items. Oh, and none of those," he shoved a thumb at the Avox in the corner.

[fearisinthemind]

"I don't feel as if you're in a position to make demands." Penny's voice becomes razor-sharp and thin. "I'm offering you a gift. It's rude to try and make stipulations."

The dangers of working with Penny are that her mind is a landscape filled with tripwires and mines. Navigation requires constant vigilance, constant begging for forgiveness.

"Luckily for you, you'll have access to the laboratories in Peacekeeper Headquarters, which are, you can imagine, state of the art."

[amoral_savior]

Topher sucked in a breath and tried to remember that he's done this before. Sure, Penny was a bit scarier than Ambrose, but damn it, Topher was good. More than good and he was offering to make the Capitol look good for once.

"Their not demands. Look, I'm sure you've had some very smart people look at these prints and think they can duplicate what I'm showing you, but me? I'm not just a very smart person, I'm a genius, and I can tell you now that they can't." He tried to maintain eye contact even as he felt his heart trying to escape his chest. "I just need privacy and access to a few medical records. I can have a test ready for you in less than a month given the Capitol resources."

He leaned forward and tried to show that he was more than willing to give his genius to the Capitol. "What I'm promising you is a way to control more than some anti-Capitol villains. Everyone. I'm unlocking a way to help you keep everyone happy. To have Tributes that won't just give up and set themselves on fire because the Game is too hard. A way to send someone out in the Districts and know they will stay more than a little loyal to the Capitol. I'm laying this all out there and all I'm asking is for whatever help I need to actually have a tongue in their mouth."

He was probably going to die. This was stupid of him and Adelle would be the first one to slap him upside his head for daring to use the tech as a bargaining tool, but it was the only tool he had.

[fearisinthemind]

"Are you saying that I couldn't manage this on my own?"

Penny circles her desk, then the chair Topher's sitting in, like a shark under the plank. She leans in, letting her breath (it smells like green tea) waft over the bridge of his nose. She locks her eyes on his. If he looks away, she very well might sink her teeth into his throat.

And then she leans in, whispering into his ear and the hair along his temple.

"Are you saying you're more of a genius than I am?"

[amoral_savior]

He was going to be sick. Or pee. In all likelihood he was going to do both and then he would be killed for ruining her very fancy and very uncomfortable chair.

"D-different. I'm a different kind of genius. You are all about the fear, and my I say you are doing an amazing job. But this, um, this can be anything. Love, fear, respect, hatred, loyalty." Try as he might to keep eye contact, Topher is naturally a blinker. Blinkers are far from Alpha, which Penny clearly is in every situation.

[fearisinthemind]

Correct answer. Penny places her hand on Topher's shoulder and squeezes ever so slightly - just enough so he can feel her nails - before letting him go. Before circling back to her desk again.

"Fear can breed loyalty, but it's loyalty like an eel: step on it too lightly and it'll squirm out from under you. I'm interested to see what you're capable of, Mr. Brink. But you will be satisfied with the work environment we provide."

[amoral_savior]

Topher swallowed hard as he tried not to pull away from her touch. This whole "opportunity" felt like he was signing his own death warrant. All he had wanted was a nice, quiet place to work and maybe, maybe not have someone trying to kill him every other month.

"O-of course." For a long moment he just sat and starred at the Avox who had not once paused in his cleaning. "I should, um, I mean, I can start right away if you like. I just need someone to show me the way." And security access or whatever else they used in the Capitol to keep people out of all the good places.

[fearisinthemind]

"You're lucky you've come to the human resources department." She takes a seat with the kind of grin that's like a razor blade in a piece of Halloween candy. "But the basic paperwork is beneath me. The secretary out front will make sure you're on the payroll and that you've received the appropriate authorizations and benefits. Be sure to memorize your passwords, won't you?"

The Avoxes appear again - this time one bears a white labcoat in Topher's size.