See the vultures circling in a dark cloud

[milieus]

Who| Jennifer, Calendius, and Eponine
What| Eponine has threatened Jennifer and demands a meeting. At last, she agrees to meet with Eponine, but not without her lapdog Calendius there to act as a bodyguard.
Where| Jennifer's office in the Tribute Center
When| Presently.
Warnings/Notes| Possible language, and violence.

It was foolish to agree to meet with Eponine, but the girl had seemed so desperate that Jennifer felt vaguely sorry for her. Though she'd been spat on the last time the girl had come to her office, Jennifer felt secure this time, with a pair of Peacekeepers posted outside of the door and Cal flanking her chair, free to pace the room however he please. Really, Jennifer was looking for an excuse to let him off leash, and if Eponine's prior behavior was any indication, he'd get his chance to really lay into her at some point.

"The moment she steps out of line, you know what to do," she said to Cal as they waited for Eponine to arrive. "I won't be spoken to like that again. I won't allow it, Cal. I won't."

It had been bad enough the first time. At least now she wasn't alone. She could count on Calendius to put an end to any of Eponine's nastiness before the situation got out of hand. If nothing else, he was good for intimidation.

Comments

[perfectus]

"I do?" He balked slightly at her, surprised to be let off the leash so early on. From everything he knew about Eponine, it was entirely called for and honestly, he would have stepped in if the situation got heated with or without her permission. Asking forgiveness would be much easier and besides, Jennifer shouldn't have to deal with anyone speaking to her like that. It was purely ridiculous. "Yeah, I do."

Absently, he paced around her office, taking in the decor and the knickknacks around. It wasn't the first time he'd been in there, of course. Far from it, in fact. But it still seemed comforting to familiarize himself with his surroundings all the same. He also felt mildly uncomfortable just sitting around and waiting. It made much more sense to keep moving. "Is there anything I should know about this girl other than that she's stupid and probably crazy? I read her file, but that only gives you so much, you know, Jenny?"

[milieus]

"Yes," she answered, eyes fixed ahead on the door. "I'm going to have her arrested when this meeting is through. I'm within my rights and it's well overdue. You know she spat on me the last time we met in person."

That part wasn't really a question, more of a statement of fact. An embarrassing fact, truth be told. There was nothing quite so revolting as that. Aside from the Peacekeepers who'd hauled Eponine off to her quarters, Jennifer hadn't told anyone about the incident. That she confided it to Calendius now was significant.

She would have told him more, except the posted guards outside knocked, to alert them of Eponine's arrival. "Send her in please."

She stole one last glance at Cal, then settled in for what was sure to be a bumpy meeting.

[gardienne]

She was apprehensive, definitely. She shouldn't have kicked off on the network. She shouldn't have said such horrible things to Jessica. She shouldn't have said anything to Buddy or to Calendius. She definitely shouldn't have threatened Jennifer, and she really definitely, definitely shouldn't have agreed to the meeting, even though it was she who had wanted it.

Outside the door, she had donned, as requested, the muzzle held out by the Peacekeepers. It felt awful wearing it, and the straps holding it on hurt her a little. Had she not been so tired, so resigned, then she might have cried.

But she was resigned. She was resigned that she was going to her death, or to be Avoxed. She had already written a little note in her room to Sigma and to Felicity, asking them to look after Eva and Orc, sharing her possessions between her few friends, leaving Eva's house to Sigma. She was scared, but she was determined not to show it. So it was with her head held high, and her hands clenched into fists that she was pushed into the room.

She stood in front of the two Capitolites, a scrawny teenager in a pinafore dress and a spit mask, trying her best to look defiant, and definitely unconcerned for her fate.

"I am glad you said you'd meet me. I did not want to make a fuss on the network." Her voice is muffled, just slightly, by the muzzle.

[milieus]

"Didn't you?" Jennifer asked, shooting Calendius a quick glance. "You have an awfully strange way of not making a fuss on the Network, Miss Thenardier. In fact, you have an awfully strange way of showing your gratitude for the generosity which has been shown you. I have to admit, you puzzle me. More so than that, you're a public nuisance."

She pointed to the chair opposite her desk. "Sit her down, Cal. Please, help our guest to get comfortable."

[perfectus]

"Right," Calendius nodded, moving quickly, efficiently. Even if he had lived all his life in the Capitol, he prided himself on his athleticism and it showed. No sooner had Jennifer given the order (and it was an order, however it was phrased), than he'd crossed the small distance in the office and appeared, looming behind Eponine. He maneuvered her, muzzle and all, to the chair situated across from Jennifer's desk and pushed her down into it. It wasn't particularly harsh, but firm enough that he left no room for argument.

"Chin up, Jenny-- Mrs. Blackwood is being nice. Don't be a bad sport about it." Task completed, he backed away again, still remaining at least in Eponine's peripheral vision. She had to remember he was there, after all.

"Anything else, Jenny?"

[gardienne]

"I don't need -" But Cal was already behind her, already pushing her down.

She sat without a fight, and looked again, apprehensively, from Cal to Jennifer.

"My Pa used to say I were a nuisence in Paris." She wanted to lick her lips.

"But I didn 't mean to be so, nor ungrateful , truly. I just needed you to listen to me. You understand, yes? Nobody listens unless I make a fuss, especially not you. It is not so much I look for . I just want the brand, to look like my mama, and her name, like she gave me. That is it!"

[milieus]

Pleased by Cal's display of obedience, Jennifer sat back in her seat, a thin smile on her painted lips. There was no amusement in her eyes, however. Her usual look of professionalism had been replaced by something hard. There would be no playing around now, no gentle diplomacy. And there would be no way Eponine would leave the office with anything she wanted.

"No." Jennifer said flatly. "You are wholly undeserving of any of the generosity which has been shown to you over the years. You're a criminal. You're the cohort of a traitor. You have demonstrated that you are incapable of showing any form of respect, not to your fellow Tributes, not to me or the other staff of the Center. You can't even speak to your mentor in a decent manner, and she's been trying to spare your life. And let's not forget what you put Cyrus Reagan through in order to appease you. You are, by far, the most ungrateful individual ever to sully the title of Tribute and you aren't entitled to make any requests nor will your requests be granted. Ever. I've been lenient with you, Miss Thenardier. I've been willing to overlook so many of your appalling decisions and write them off as ignorant eccentricities. But stupidity can only excuse so much, and you are beyond the threshold of tolerable idiocy. You are welcome to plead all you like, but you've crossed the proverbial Rubicon. There is no going back for you."

She looked Eponine squarely in the eyes as she spoke, like a queen tearing apart a pawn. She held that gaze for a moment before turning her attention to Cal, the knight, ready to strike at her command.

"Beginning today your excuses hold no weight. You've had years to adjust to the expectations. Your tantrums will no longer be tolerated." Sometimes kindness just didn't work. Some people needed to be pushed in order to be corrected. Eponine clearly needed pushing. "And you'll be held accountable for your behavior. Do you know what happens to criminals here? Calendius, would you care to explain to our guest about what happens to people who threaten officials? I'm sure she's curious to know."

[perfectus]

Boggling slightly at the invitation to speak, Calendius couldn't help huffing a little bit. He needed to get a handle on what was acceptable to reveal. Everybody knew what happened to people who stepped out of line, but consciously talking about it like this, even when invited, seemed dangerously close to criticism. What's more is that while everyone knew, it wasn't as if Cal had a problem with it. People who upset the status quo, people who didn't conform and contribute to Panem's society? Well, they deserved whatever it was that they got, even if that usually wasn't pretty for anyone involved.

"If they're lucky, they're just executed." He crossed his arms, stepping close behind Eponine's chair again. "Sometimes the Capitol goes after their family first, as a lesson. Anybody close to you, really. Sometimes President Snow or the Peacekeepers want to make an example of someone. Then I guess they just wish they were dead."

He was only slightly looming. Just enough to be sure that his presence would be noticed and considered. "You've been tortured before, but you got out of it. Some people don't. Or by the time they do, their tongues have been cut out. Where do you think Avoxes come from, anyway?"

[gardienne]

Eponine shifted uneasily in her chair, flinching as every insult from Jennifer as if they were slaps to her cheek. Two peculiar pink spots formed on her cheeks, signs of her growing anger, and at last, she had to start to retort.

"But I have done nowt to that Cyrus. He were going to hit me. He had me locked in each night, with needles stuck in my arse. He is not a kin-" but Jennifer's persistence silenced Eponine once more, until Jennifer insinuated her stupidity.

"I only say stupid to shut Cruentus -" but again, it was no good.

She fidgeted as Jennifer began to detail her expectations and sanctions. No requests, no favours? No hope. And then Cal began to talk, from somewhere behind her, and she twisted in the chair to see him. She listened in silence.

"I told you, I am not stupid." She snapped when he asked about Avoxes. Personally, Eponine had decided Avoxes were not so bad if they took your mind, which she thought they did. But in truth, the whole thing made her more that a little scared, and she drew her legs up, into a ball, dirtying the chair with her boots.
"I know what you do." She tried not to sound afraid. "And I know that is why Ian is not here, and Howard. But there is only Grantaire I am close to and he is only there for a warm body. So you can't hurt nobody else. Please.

[milieus]

Why would she do that? Why would Eponine be so foolish as to name another Tribute and put him in danger? Jennifer could slap her for her stupidity. She had no intentions of harming the innocent, but she was certain her office was bugged. There were Peacekeepers just beyond the doorway, for crying out loud. How private could Eponine think the conversation was?

"Enough." She rose from her seat. She crossed the room and gently placed a hand on Cal's forearm . In truth, she wasn't speaking to him at all. She felt safe enough in the situation to let him relax a bit. For now she could handle Eponine. Smiling, she loomed over Eponine boldly, sure of her superiority. "You've been granted leniency so far, but that's over now. You've run your mouth for the last time, Miss Thenardier. I've decided to file a complaint against you. The Peacekeepers will take you into custody once our chat is over. Now, if there's anything else you'd care to discuss before I call them in, I suggest you get to it now."

[perfectus]

A brief moment passed in which Cal thought of interjecting. Not in Eponine's defense, of course. The girl was absolutely indefensible. Rather, Calendius thought of lending a word or two to help Jenny. He leaned in as he did, almost moving to smack Eponine upside the head for good measure, but he stopped himself short. Whatever she deserved, whatever her stupidity merited, he reminded himself that Jennifer was usually more in favor of words and nonviolent censure than what the Tributes traditionally received.

As such, he resumed his imposing lean. A subtle reminder that however Eponine might protest, he was there not even a breath away from her to make sure she behaved herself.

[gardienne]

"Custody?" She shook her head. "No - no, you can't put me in prison. I've done what you said, I've not harmed no one, not even thieved." She looked up, first at Cal, so close she could have bitten his perfect nose and show him, and then at Jennifer. There is fear in her eyes, a fear she can't hide, even as she stuck up her chin and scowled behind the spit mask. She hated being locked in.

"There is no point me saying nothing else, is there? You won't listen, you won't do it, and I will still have to go to your stinking prison. Is that so?"

[milieus]

"That's exactly so." Jennifer circled around the furniture, a shark around her prey, before coming to a stop right in front of Eponine's seat. "It's time well past time you learned your place."

With those words, she purposely turned her back to the other two and slowly walked toward the door, leaving Calendius ample time to say or do something without his boss directly witnessing it.