Looking for a job (Troylus, Meecar)

(OOC: This post and following posts by Meerclar and Troylus were written together and split up for posting.)


Flynn welcomed Swan to his own house, letting him in with a flourish. He’d sent word earlier that day that he wanted to see Swan alone, and Swan arrived dutifully as requested.

Flynn’s house looked drab and ordinary from the outside. Within, however, it was over the top luxury, with paintings and marble statues, silver plates and swords, as well as tapestries hung on the walls.

Swan found the whole thing tasteless and gaudy. There was so much richness crammed together, with no thought given to style or aesthetic. This was not an opinion he shared aloud.

It was all to remind Flynn and anyone he took there that he was rich now, no longer that poor street kid who starved and was kicked down. He was powerful.

Swan didn’t choose to point out that nowadays Flynn WAS powerful, and he shouldn’t need to flaunt his wealth in quite such a manner.

Flynn opened a bottle of expensive whiskey, knowing he’d drank his second in command dry lately and wanting to make it up to him. “Sent a bottle of this to our Peacekeeper friend, Rutter. Sent it straight to the Academy, with a note giving my thanks for his help over the years.” They both chuckled and Flynn poured generous glasses. “Thanks for coming. I’ve got an idea I want to run by you.”
Swan accepted the glass gladly, taking a sip appreciatively before asking curiously, “You want to run it by me for my opinion or because you want my help with it?”
“Bit of both, I suppose,” Flynn said with a smirk and gulped down half his drink at once. “A drinking buddy of mine wants me to meet his son, Matthew, maybe give him a job.”
“Alright,” Swan nodded, his interest piqued, “What kind of job? You wanting me to take him around with me?”
“Well, the kid was second in his pre-Games class, and he is still one hell of a fighter. He was training to be a peacekeeper but he got some girl pregnant,” Flynn’s face darkened with anger at the thought of another woman ruining some poor young man’s life with the audacity to keep the child and make it his problem. “So they flogged him and gave him a dishonourable discharge.
“They flog you for that in the peacekeepers?” Swan sounded amused, “Not satisfied with just kicking you out?”
“No, that’s not right, not exactly. There was some long story about the girl’s father getting him in trouble on a trumped up trespassing charge...I don’t know. Anyway,” Flynn said, impatient with himself for being so long winded about this, “The boy still has a ridiculous notion that he couldn’t possibly be a criminal or break any laws. But he’s really smart and an excellent fighter.”
“Those are the BEST traits for a criminal,” Swan protested. “But what’s the plan, are we going to trick him into it? Find some kind of gateway crime?”

Flynn held out his index finger, “Two, less amusing, but might be more believable, we say that we heard rumours of traitors trying to hide their children from the authorities, trying to subvert justice and keep their children safe from the reaping. So we did the best we could and took the children and made sure the proper paperwork was done.”
“I like the orphanage idea,” Swan admitted. “Caring for little kids just makes me feel better about the guy I had to garrotte this morning. Also it’s funnier.”
“He alive to tell the tale?”
“Only if I did my job poorly, which I didn’t.” Swan admitted, “He was trying to organise a group of local businesses to take their case against you to the peacekeepers. I figured take out the ringleader and the rest go back to their holes.”
Flynn rubbed at his stubble, “So it was absolutely necessary, and you cleaned up carefully afterwards?” He trusted Swan, as much as he trusted anyone, but he disliked murder. It drew too much attention.
“Possibly I could have left it a little longer with threats to see if he quietened down, but I preferred him dead to seeing you killed. He’d lost his wife and kid a few months ago, some accident, but he didn’t have much to lose. He was pretty dangerous.” He sipped his whiskey calmly and asked, “Next time you’d prefer I leave it?”
Flynn shook his head, “No. Sounds like you did a good job. And one death now, saves having to kill a whole bunch of them later when they’ve rallied.”
“I hadn’t threatened him publicly, or even gone near him in a few weeks. I made sure nobody followed me. Broke in and killed him in his house where we were alone, made it look like someone broke in to rob the place and he came home early and startled the burglar.”
“Wore gloves? Dumped the valuables somewhere?” Flynn knew he didn’t need to ask. Swan was meticulous with these things, and new what to be careful of.
“Of course. Gloves and a mask. Valuables are well gone. They’re not going to turn up again.” Swan sounded slightly irritated at his professionalism being called into question, but he tolerated Flynn, knowing how much the man stressed about letting other people be trusted with things.
Flynn smiled at his oldest friend and stood to refill their glasses. “Good work. My thanks. Do you know if peacekeepers undercover have any ID or anything?”
Swan mused, shaking his head slowly, “No, but I think that would be a very bad idea. If someone untrusting were to search them and find it...That could be a very painful and messy end to their undercover mission. I think they’d just have a handler who kept an eye on them, like you said.”
“We need to find out everything we can about Matthew - especially his kid and if he still sees the mother. His father thinks she’s a piece of work, but then who wouldn’t after ruining his son like that?” Flynn recalled Ryan’s mother as she begged him not to leave her, pregnant and alone.

It sounds like the man answering the phone after half a dozen rings had been waiting for my call. Maybe my father had given up a heads up in a desperate attempt to secure me a 'real' job.
I'm nerously fiddling with the wire but his calm kind voice soon makes me feel more at ease.

“Matthew. Flynn speaking. I’m glad you rang. Your father has told me so much about you. I’d like to meet you, talk about some opportunities I might have for a clever young man like yourself. But I find these things are best done in person. How would you feel about coming to meet me for an interview? How about next Thursday afternoon, say 4pm?”

I can barely believe how easy it was to get an interview. Nothing but my name was needed...and most likely my fathers friendship with the man.
Since I'm jobless and otherwise not very busy I confirm."Thursday 4 pm. Where do you want me to meet you? Or do I need to bring anything?"

“My associate and I will meet you under that bridge. There’s an abandoned warehouse, meet you outside it. Come alone, and be careful not be followed.”
My brows shoot up in confusion even though he can't see it. "Under a bridge?"
That sounds sketchy to say the least.
"What kind of job are we talking about here?"
Under a bridge sounds harldy like a legal job unless he wants me to pick up trash.
Since my father talks so highly about his friend I agree neverthe less but make a plan to inform myself about him.

That same night I return to the house I grew up in and ask my dad about his friend.
He just shrugs and looks over the rim of his reading glasses.
"Business development as far as I know...oh wait...yeah, i think that's what it is."
"You don't even know?" I just shake my head at him. "Thanks, dad."
"Beggers can't be choosers soon." Wise words.

I don't stay around for supper but work out at the career training center and then make my way over to Kyanites house. Of course Mira is already asleep and her mother too tired to have a conversation.
"I just wanted to tell you that I have a job interview soon. Sounds like a steadier job, so I can contribute more."
She rolls her eyes and sighs.
"Beggers can't be choosers." I pass on my fathers clever words.

At 3 am that Thursday I find myself walking through the streets of my home town all the way to the run down East End and further where the river winds its way through the dirty part of the city that is decorated with warehouses and industrial buildings.
This afternoon I'm armed to the teeth because I find the choice of location really odd and want to come prepare. With a hunting knife on my belt and a few throwing ones in my back back as well as a small cross bow I slowly near the bridge scanning my surroundings for possible traps.

Swan would much have preferred to be meeting in a nice warm pub somewhere, but Flynn seemed to think that all the mystery and intrigue of a middle of the night meeting under a bridge gave a better impression of undercover peacekeepers. Swan didn't generally make a habit of openly disagreeing with his boss. The whole situation amused him, and would have amused him even more if it hadn't been freezing cold in the deep shadows under the bridge. 
He folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against a pylon, cultivating a look that was simultaneously indolent and watchful.
He noticed the young man approaching at the same time Flynn did, judging by the way his boss straightened up and glanced at him. The weapons Matt was carrying were obvious enough that Swan didn't bother to point them out to Flynn. He knew he would have seen them too. Swan shrugged and pushed himself off the pylon, coming to stand just behind his employer as Matt walked up to them. 


How exactly would a undercover peacekeeper stand? He mused. He straightened minutely, bringing himself to something like attention, but less formal, and listened at Flynn began the conversation.
His own introduction elicited the barest of nods in the direction of the boy.
He seemed clean-cut, but not stupid. He hadn't come unarmed, after all. Best to keep our wits about us with this one. At least until he's too deep in it to get out again.

The boy was curious, Swan noted, but wary. He clearly had intelligence as well as just muscle. It pleased him. They wanted someone who was smart enough to be useful, able to think on their own, but still trusting enough to follow Flynn. An idiot might be duped more easily but would be a problem in a position like a bodyguard where you needed to be watchful and smart. This undercover line was going to be a delicate one to walk.
"I work in construction mostly but since the winter is so cold there's not much work," the boy was explaining to Flynn, and then asked directly, "I'm a bit curious why we would meet here and not in an office...I thought you're running a business."

Swan approved. Matt had wasted no time with unnecessary pleasantries or chattering on and on about the difficulties of finding a job, or making ends meet, or anything else that Swan didn't care at all about. He'd answered the question simply and thoroughly and then moved the conversation on to something relevant.  Too many people liked the sound of their own voice, yet had nothing worth saying, in Swan's opinion. 

Swan shifted his weight and said grimly, "We're meeting here for our safety as well as yours. Until we know more about you it's best to be cautious. Our offices aren't really suited to this kind of business. Not if you're the man we're hoping you are. Your father gave us the impression that you were a man of honour? Someone trustworthy and honest? We're really hoping that's true."

Swan particularly found himself hoping it WAS true. Too many of he people he dealt with in his daily dealings as Flynn's second, were either idiots, or totally cowed, simpering wretches, just trying to scrape by an existence. They bored him. Aside from getting to intimidate them, and the occasional knee-breaking his job was fairly straightforward. He was looking forward to toying with someone smart, and capable. Mind games were what he lived for, and he particularly enjoyed a long game.

“Are you?” Flynn suppressed a snide comment at Matt’s question, reminding himself that his cover story was that of course he was an upstanding and virtuous man.

“Depends who you ask,” Swan muttered noncommittally, a slight smirk on his face. That statement could be true if they were peacekeepers or not. He glanced at Flynn though and added, “Things aren’t always what they seem.”


Flynn cleared his throat. He’d been silent long enough, weighing up the boy’s reactions and body language. “I heard from your father that you used to be training as a peacekeeper, but you were dishonourably discharged because of a woman.” Flynn didn’t bother to hide his disgust, horrified at the thought of allowing a woman to ruin a man’s whole career like that. So bloody selfish these females. He felt so glad that he’d only ever seen to his needs of late in a brothel where this sort of problem never came to light. Thoughts of his son Ryan and his dead mother flashed into his mind but he pushed them out. At least he had learned his lesson in a way that didn’t destroy his career, unlike Matt.


“Would you even want back in with them, after the way they treated you?” Swan prompted, stepping forward as Flynn paused,. “I heard they flogged you as well as kicking you out. Seems pretty harsh, with a baby on the way and all. Must’ve made you pretty mad at them?” His voice was quiet and gravelly, his tone soft; encouraging Matt to speak honestly without fear of insult or judgement.



Flynn watched Matt intently. A lot was riding on the way the young man answered this question; if he refused and said he hated the peacekeepers it would have to be with great caution that they proceeded. If he said he still wanted to be part of it, Flynn felt confident he and Swan could convince him of their vital work in the service of justice, and how Matt could help them further it.

(ooc note: this was written blurbing with Meerclar and myself. word count: 344)

"That's correct. A few days short of graduation.” Flynn looked impressed. He hadn’t known that Matt was so close to completing his studies. It was good, it meant he would have some connections still within the Peacekeepers, hopefully some of which didn’t dislike him after his dishonourable discharge. He seemed like a likeable young man, he probably had lots of friends.

Matt clearly thought his treatment was petty and ridiculous, and Flynn wanted to agree, but then he thought it was pretty stupid to join such a stupid bunch of people in the first place, with their over the top rules and restrictions.

“Sounds like someone just didn’t like you,” Swan agreed.
Flynn chuckled humourlessly, “Yeah. Our people seem pretty good at turning a blind eye when they want to, especially for something so trivial, so probably someone had it in for you.”

"Where is this going? Is there a way for me to get back in?"

Swan and Flynn let this question hang there and exchanged meaningful glances that they wanted Matt to see, but not be aware that they wanted it. Flynn noted the way the young man gritted his teeth, and started to feel unsure that he was going to take the bait. Flynn needed Matt to be keen to get back into the Peacekeepers good graces for this to work.

"I was...but the capitol knows what they're doing. There are certain punishments for certain delicts. I just had to take it."

Flynn only just managed to suppress a laugh at that. He admired Matt’s grit and resolution, but he struggled to understand how someone could tolerate being reduced to a dog, and being treated so poorly and still want back in. Well, someone strong and powerful, as he considered Matt to be. Flynn wasn’t interested in a bodyguard who was weak and vulnerable.

Swan was more understanding. As Flynn’s employee he knew there were times when you had to do something undesirable in order to keep your job, or just to make sure you kept the boss happy with you so you could get your way later.

"Why are you asking? I haven't committed any more crimes. I've kept a clean record and will continue to do so. Is this important for your job?"

Flynn tensed and looked to Swan. He sensed that Matt might be about to walk out without hearing them out, and that was not what he wanted at all.

Swan smiled at Matt, his whole posture shifting from guarded and thuggish, to be suddenly friendly and encouraging, as smooth and easy as if he had shrugged off a coat. He managed to look visibly relieved, as though he’d finally put down a heavy load he’d been carrying around. “We know you haven’t. You might have made a mistake, but you’re an honest person, and you have the strength to resist the easy path. As far as getting back in to the Peacekeepers, there isn’t a way I know of, at least, none official. But just like you got kicked out for pissing off the wrong people...there might be other ways in, unofficially. Back doors, which knowing the right people might open up for you. If that was something you were interested in?” He looked to Flynn, “I think the kid’s a good fit, Boss. Seems to know when to keep his mouth shut, and what’s important.”

Flynn nodded slowly, clearly appreciating his underling’s advice and counsel. It was true, of course, he DID value Swan very much, but right now he was trying to show Matthew how he might be treated himself if he were to join them. Flynn was not as talented as Swan at changing his manner and presentation, but he did try to relax, and seem more friendly and approachable. “He seems to be as his father described; intelligent, honest, and trustworthy.” He looked to Matt and repeated Swan’s question, “So, Mr Dunham, are you interested in working for the right people and restoring your good name in the Peacekeeper ranks, albeit unofficially?”