GeneCo- Main Entry

[Emilio Largo-Orinth]

Emilio held out a hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Largo," he said, keeping his face neutral. Still, his eyes flashed. He didn't much like his cousin, and the very idea of touching her hand sort of disgusted him.

[Eleonora Largo]

Eleonora looked from Emilio's hand and back up again, her expression skeptical. Something about the young man was bothering her, particularly his appearance. She took his hand hesitantly, gripping it a little too hard, and smiled coldly at him, her lips pursing a little. His hand was not the least bit sweaty, and even came off as a tad cold; this bothered her. Gazing into his eyes, she tried to read him, but didn't get very far. He had a wall up, definitely, but she could tell he was trying to control himself.

"A pleasure to meet you as well. You look terribly familiar. Maybe we've met before?" she said, not letting go of his hand. She glanced over at Alanna for a minute to gage her reaction.

[Emilio Largo-Orinth]

He felt her squeeze his hand. It was a bit harder than most, almost as if she was trying to break his hand instead. He tried to match her strength, but he wasn't that strong. So he settled for gripping her hand as long as he could, placing his other hand on top of hers.

"Well, I never forget a face," he said, lifting a hand to her cheek. He paused a few inches from her flesh, pulling it back and letting it drop to his side. "Though I've seen yours many times all over the news, I don't believe we've ever met in person." In truth, he hadn't really interracted with his cousin, so he wasn't surprised she didn't really know what he looked like. Especially since it had been a few years since he had been at GeneCo.

[Eleonora Largo]

She stared strangely at him as his hand just barely brushed her cheek, then fell to his side again. Her lower eyelid twitched; nobody usually had that kind of gaul, and the more she looked at him, the more he reminded of her of a Largo. The fact that she could not exactly pinpoint who was making her blood boil, and she wanted to remain in control as much as possible. Glancing back at him, she squeezed his one hand last time as a warning gesture and released it.

"Well, I guess you just look like someone I know, then." The words came out as a hiss. Sitting back down, she blinked rapidly a few times, then looked over at Alanna; something in her gut was telling her that Ms. Craft had more than a few extra cards up her sleeve, but she had just dealt one with this young man.

[Alanna Craft]

"Now that we have introductions out of the way," Alanna said with a hint of cheer and an all too pleased glint in her eye, "we should probably get to the matter at hand." She couldn't have predicted that Eleonora woudn't recognize her cousin, but it made things somewhat easier. True, her Sweet had told her that he had never really interacted with his cousin, but somehow she had always suspected that Ms. Largo kept her distant relatives under scrutiny, lest they try and step up to claim a legacy from GeneCo. While Alanna knew legally Emilio had no claim to any part of GeneCo, his Largo blood could be much more potent publicly if Eleonora hadn't already prepared herself for the potential appearance of a relative.

"VisN Incorporated would like to purchase one of the abandoned high-rises on the north end of the river. I believe it used to be the headquarters of Sanguire Telecommunications before that unfortunate incident with their CEO's murder. Since GeneCo. owns the building, I am certain it is still up to code. I had my attorneys draw up the paperwork," Alanna gestured for Emilio to bring out the file she had inspected earlier in the lobby. She folded her hands on the desk and leaned forward.

"I must confess, Ms. Largo, I could have handled this purchase through my attorney when I was living back east. I wanted to talk with you about it in person because of some of the unfortunate rumors that you and I are... enemies somehow. I know that once the press hears VisN Inc. moved into this town was discussed between us personally, they will desist in all their silly mudslinging." Alanna smiled. "Neither of our companies deserve to have their names tarnished by these ridiculous suspicions."

(edit: WeeGee, I don't know if you're playing El as personally violent as her father, stabbing people etc. If so, you can have El be the one who offed the CEO mentioned. If not, it's just a murder, and you can treat it as such.)

[Eleonora Largo]

((FM: We'll just say that El was behind the murder because she's a sneaky snake like that. ;D She sent Josephine to do it, FYI. We could probably use that later in the story...?))

Eleonora glanced over at Emilio one last time, but then focused all of her attention on Alanna. The woman looked too happy, and this was rather displeasing to the head of GeneCo. She hid her suspicion, though, by smiling as congenially as possible at Alanna. The CEO mentioned was trying to undo her progress of rebuilding GeneCo. by spreading lies, albeit some of them were true, but Eleonora needed no more "mudslinging," as Alanna had accurately put it. Folding her hands together on the desk, she gazed up at the ceiling for a moment. She had forgotten that a monitor was up there as well, and at the moment, the camera was recording a murder. It appeared to be a mob of zombie-esque people going after a Graverobber. A cruel little smile spread over Eleonora's lips, and she looked back down at Alanna with that same grin still there.

"I think a partnership would be splendid," she said. "You see," she pressed a button on the console on her desk, and the screens lit up brighter than usual, "If the two of us become partners, the two of us can both combat the scum that litters the streets." She stood up and went over to one screen on the left wall.

"Here we have an abuse of power. My GeneCops think they are higher than the law, and sometimes they go too far," she turned her and glared at the cop, "You don't feel up non-suspects, friend." Slowly, she traced her fingertips over the image of a young woman being man-handled by the offending officer, then lifted her head towards the ceiling. "Up there, a man's being killed rather brutally. Now, he is the lowest of the low, a...Graverobber, but should the public be allowed to do this? No. That's what the law is for. I don't have all these cameras for no reason." Sauntering back to her over-large chair, she plopped down and smiled eerily at Alanna.

"You may have that building. Really, you can much of anything, just ask me first, in person, of course. Part of this deal is that you, hmm..." she paused, then continued, "Help me with this crime problem. I know you're in the business of just selling products that GeneCo. needs, but maybe you could create some other ones. I know there's more behind those pretty eyes of yours." She didn't bother to conceal her sneer.

((Aaaand I've made El more cold-blooded than I thought I could. Hogeez.))

[Alanna Craft]

Alanna averted her gaze from the screen, keeping Eleonora's smug face in just the corner of her eye. "I don't know how VisN Inc. would be able to assist in keeping crime off the streets, Ms. Largo. We deal primarily in medical supplies and pharmaceuticals. We don't have anywhere near the scope GeneCo does."

VisN Inc. was a powerful business in the business world, possesing both the financial and legal potency to keep even GeneCo from swallowing them whole. But asside from a few workers like her Sweet, whose funtion it was to keep important goods and personel safe from competitors and the maddening crowd, VisN Inc. certainly wasn't the powerhouse GeneCo was. It wasn't because Alanna objected to the idea, but simply because up until this point she had feared if her company put its own police force on the streets it would both seem like overkill (because none of VisN Inc.'s goods were so expensive they had to be repossessed and because for the most part Alanna sold goods to powerful companies like GeneCo- and the day GeneCo couldn't pay their bill would be the day VisN Inc. ruled the economy) and it might have very well started a war Alanna knew she could not win.

However, seeing how very little control Eleonora had over her own GeneCops and Repomen- despite all of her security measures- was more than a little heartening. She leaned a little on the armrest of her chair. "Perhaps if you were a tad more specific in what you mean, I might be able to better understand exactly what it is you want from us."

[Eleonora Largo]

Eleonora noticed the relaxed gesture, and narrowed her eyes a bit. "Hmm, I thought you were more perceptive than that. What I want, Ms. Craft, is assistance via products. I want your company to build objects that would easily...paralyze a man. Maybe not maim or kill, but stop him dead," she chuckled at her pun, "in his tracks. I know that because we are so advanced in the medical field, due to my esteemed grandfather, your company is perfectly able to make what I want. My subordinates would use them, and your company would be paid for every successful machine, and more so. I know you're creative, Ms. Craft; you and your workers could come with some interesting devices."

[Alanna Craft]

"Such a device should be well within VisN Inc's capabilities. So, are we agreed, Ms. Largo, that I may make a new headquarters in the old Sanguire building?"

Alanna gestured for Emilio to pull out the paperwork. "And in exchange we'll give you any number of unique devices meant for GeneCo's police force. And the Reopmen, of course. If you require any other sort of down payment, we can provide one immediately."

Alanna was not fond of the idea of becoming a direct partner with GeneCo. Sanguire Telecommunications had also been a direct partner. All those blimps and screens that littered the skyline of Sanitarium Island had been the products of Sanguire Telecom. No one really knew what the story was behind their CEO's murder, but Alanna understood that he'd done something to cross GeneCo. She thought it may have had something to do with how he'd embezzled funds, of course there were also his more and more open outcries against GeneCo's ever since his son died from that tainted Zydrate.

Getting this close to GeneCo was dangerous. Dangerous, but necessary.

[Eleonora Largo]

Eleonora watched Emilio look for the papers, then looked back up at Alanna.

"Well, before we actually begin, I would like a witness to be here. Would you terribly mind if my head Repo Man stopped by? She's very trust-worthy, so there's no need to be afraid of her. Hah, I must correct myself, Repo Woman. But still, hold back on that, Mr. Orinth. Let me contact my lady first, and then we'll get started with the legal business. I just want to make sure that is all right with you, though, Ms. Craft." She looked straight at her, a thin smile on her face.

[Alanna Craft]

"Of course. For you, a Repowoman, and as my witness, Mr. Orinth here." Alanna had no qualms about waiting for Eleonora's watchdog du-jour. She did not believe that Ms. Largo had the brass to kill outright the head of one of the largest companies in her own office. Besides that, she had nothing to worry about- even though her eye surgery was a miserable failure, the procedure had been paid for (although Alanna's family had gotten that money back in the malpractice suit) and to her knowledge, her Sweet had no outstanding debt to GeneCo. Everything he was, everything he had now he owed her, which was precisely the way she wanted it.

While she waited, Alanna inspected her finely manicured nails. The actual legal proceedings involved in running a business could be so tedious. When it was a question of victory versus defeat, there was always a thrill, as with death versus survival, but so far it seemed she and Eleonora had reached a stalemate. Of course, she kept on her guard, but until Ms. Largo played her hand, all Alanna could do was wait.

[Eleonora Largo]

Eleonora nodded curtly and hit a button on her console. "Josephine, report to my office immediately. I need you here for legal business." She pushed the button again to end the call, and turned her attention to Alanna. "We'll just have to wait for her response. I would rather have my witness here before we get started. Mr. Orinth," she glanced up at him, "is fine to have as your counterpart." Leaning back in her chair, she kept her eyes on Emilio.

((F_M, I'm going to have Josephine get the message in her intro thread. If you don't mind just to keep consistency, could you post as Dr. DaVinci? It would be quick, just having Josephine bidding him farewell.))

[Josephine Moreau]

There was a knock on the door, and it slowly creaked open. Josephine stepped into the dark office, silently placing her large purse on the floor and hanging her coat on the antique rack nearby. She saw Eleonora at her desk and nodded at her, then sauntered over to the desk, stepping to stand next to her boss. Seeing Ms. Craft, she smiled, but said nothing. When Eleonora introduced her, then she would speak. For now, it was fine being a somewhat intimidating presence. She folded her gloved hands in front of her and glanced out of the corner of her eye at her boss.

((Just for the sake of speed and clarity, a bit of time has elapsed so that Josephine's arrived. It's just been a couple of minutes at most. I hope you all don't mind; I just thought it'd be easier.))

[Eleonora Largo]

Eleonora looked up at Josephine and grinned, then turned her attention to Alanna and Emilio. "This is Josephine Moreau, my head Repo Woman. She's in charge of the whole repossession staff. I trust her with my life, and I thought it'd be suitable for her to be here on such a monumental day." She looked back at Josephine. "Ms. Craft and I have put aside our differences and will be partners in business from now on. She's going to be helping us out with new repossession tools, among other things."

She smiled again, baring her teeth slightly, and looked from Alanna to Emilio and back again. Josephine was not the typical woman; she wore old-fashioned things and somehow almost always looked impeccable, even after a nasty repossession. Her blonde hair was perfectly coiffed and her clothes were classically fashionable. Not one strand of hair was out of place in her do. She was not the opposite of Eleonora, but the Gene Co. head sometimes didn't care if she looked a bit disheveled; it added to the mystique or "allure" or sorts that Eleonora was not typical either. To El's dismay, though, Josephine refused to get surgery. It bothered her, but she decided not to step on the cold woman's toes, just because she did actually need her around, and she was a rather pleasant conversationalist. A random, odd thought struck her mind about Emilio: she wondered if he compared at all to her Repo Woman. He seemed rather...curt. It was probably just his overprotective nature, though. That had been easy to spot from the get-go.