Lidding his eyes half way, Reaper forces an equally condecending smirk to his lips. "Don't flatter yourself." He continued in his flat tone. "You know what I mean by action, otherwise you would not have hired me."
"And, since we invited you, and the others you see on board, it would be most logical that we expect 'action', yes? But, of course, 'action' tends to lead to 'lost revenue', so we do try to avoid that if possible."
Reaper fell true to what she had read of him in his portfolio. To the point, no nonsense, hard. It was always convenient when the background information was accurate.
"Besides, Mr. Reaper, that sort of 'action' tends to make my staff unhappy, as they are the ones who have to clean up afterward."
"Then I would like to be shown to my room I suppose." His lip twitched. She hinted toward action but seemed to lean her preference toward none. He disliked it when he had to keep things clean...
Victor stood there and tried to surpress a laugh. He had never seen someone get pulled down by a woman so quickly before, it was a funny thing to watch. He walked over to a chair and sat down, a smile on his face. Victor then watched Reaper and the woman as they walked off.
Marantha noticed Victor working to keep a poker face. She nodded slightly in acknowledgement to him. His dossier had been quite accurate, as well. She would have to recommend a bonus for the person who put together the intelligence for this trip. He appeared relaxed and soft but was actually quite deadly. Somewhat of a sense of humor. Liked to observe, explore, gather information.
She turned to take Reaper to his room, putting on her best "Head of the Servants" mask. That particular role was becoming easier as she spent more time in it. The title became most galling when people (mostly the playboys and girls who were often on the ship) actually believed that it was her *only* role.
"You seemed unconcerned about our amenities, but I would be remiss if I neglected to show you the public places on the ship." Marantha pointed out the dining room, casino, small but complete gym, and the equally small (and equally complete) infirmary.
"So, Mr. Reaper, you have worked for some 'interesting' clients in the past."
"Yes, Arulco..." He sighed, that was probably one of his bigest mistakes. He liked to keep his actions quiet, but when your employed to help liberate a country from the grip of a usurping dictator, its hard not to be covered by the media... If they only knew half the things he had done though.... "As stated in my contract, I expect all documentation of my servises on this mission to be returned to me, so that I may see them destroyed."
"Of course. If a condition is in your contract, we shall comply with it."
As they continued toward his room, she maintained her "Head of the Servants" persona, pointing out the sauna and hot tub, the bar, and what was quaintly labeled as the "General Store." She gestured to the last and said, "If you need any basic supplies, you may come here to requisition them. We have a well-rounded stock of many different things--from sun-tan lotion and dramamine to...well, to the sorts of things that some of our more 'mundane' guests would never need. If you find that you are lacking something in your personal supplies, ask here and it might be available."
She wanted to dig a bit deeper, to see if she could get any more information about his former clients. That sort of knowledge was always interesting and often useful, and Striker and Masters were always appreciative--especially if it was information which could be used later to coerce favors or funds.
"Arulco is likely what drew Masters' attention to you. But that certainly wasn't the most interesting job you've done recently." Marantha gave every impression of having a full knowledge of Reaper's recent activity.
They came to his assigned room and Reaper turned to Martha with a condecending smile. "If you knew even thing one about some of the stuff I have done... You wouldn't still be standing here with me..." He warned in a drawn out whisper. His hand snapped out and caught hold of the doornob to his room and twisted. He kicked back lightly, letting the door slide open. No squeek, well kept floating toilet...
"Was there anything else? Care to show me to the head too?" He said with a sly smile.
Victor sat back and took off his glasses then closed his eyes, listening to every sound. He realized that the woman Marantha knew everything there was about him, well everything that was on file that was. A smile came to his face when he knew that a file never really said anything about a person and it never did about him. As he sat there he knew that someone would be watching him and noting down what he did so he just stayed where he was, the smile on his face.
Marantha matched Reaper's earlier condescending smirk and flat tone exactly, nuance for nuance, down to the half-lidded eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. Do remember one thing, Mr. Reaper. We are all professionals here."
Her face changed back to one appropriate for the "Head of the Servants," and Marantha turned and walked off.
"Where did Ryan go?" I demanded when I returned to the Galley. The man had gone missing.
"I don't know ma'am."
"Don't call me ma'am, I work for a living," I snapped back automatically. Old habits die hard. "We're having prime rib with burgundy sauce. How can you screw up prime rib? Holy fricking cow."
I stomped up to the new guy who stuttered, "I'm a veg-veg-vegit-it-tarian."
I rolled my eyes. "Go do the vegetables then boy."
I picked up the small 2way my staff had been assigned. Our frequency was Golf. Original, Golf for Galley, one of Hunter's chortling brainstorms. The man was weird. "Ryan, if your cute ass isn't in this galley in three and a half seconds, you'll be the prime rib we serve tonight. Acknowledge."
"Roger that."
I furrowed my brown. I heard the engine room in the background. Near the hold. I dialed into the current ops channel. "Heads up. India Minor spook. Converge."
"Roger. REMF it Muff. Out."
Grumbling under my breath, I turned my attention to the prime rib. Hunter didn't need my help.
"Dumb blond..." Reaper grumbled to himself as he closed the door to his room behind him. "T'was a shot at her tour... Not one for sex..." He dropped a duffle bag then hopped up onto his bed, landing along his back. Rolling to his side he unzipped the bag and pulled free his FA-MAS. "What a beauty you are..." He breathed with a lustful smile, then set to cleaning it.
"Just a bit egotistical, that one," Marantha thought as she walked away. "Imagining anything that he has done would intimidate me. If *he* knew about some of the things *I* have done..."
Marantha made her way to the surveillance room to double-check that all of the equipment was working properly.
Victor was starting to get bored just sitting here and doing nothing so he decided that a little bit of exploring was in order. He stood up and looked around to see if anyone was about and knew that would trust him as long as he was on the yacht The fools he thought with a cold smile as he walked towards the main area of the yacht.
As soon as he walked away from the bow Victor realized that someone was following him. He decided not to turn around, just keep walking as he didn't want this person realizing he had goofed. He walked into the main area of the ship and then decided that it was time to have fun.
Without warning he ran off down the corridor and heard the hurried footsteps after him. He started running a little faster but then he suddenly stopped and turned to see the man standing there, wide eyed at him.
"I knew that it was a nice day for a run- wouldn't you agree?"
The man monitoring the screens beckoned to her as she walked into the surveillance room. "This one is going to be a problem," he said, pointing to Victor. "Looks like an explorer."
Marantha replied, "Well, let him explore--let him think that he's getting away with something. Just keep him out of the sensitive areas, yes? And notify security that he needs to be watched."
She continued to watch the screens, examining this batch of "guests", learning about their personalities.
Victor looked at the man with a smile and then folded his arms and looked around the room, instantly finding what he was looking for. He saw the small hole in the top of the wall and knew there was a camera there and waved before he turned and looked at the man again.
"If you are going to follow me then I suggest you get some shoes that do not make any noise."
"Roger that, Masters, we are waiting finally confirmation from Marantha. Cast off set for sunset. Course is laid and clear." Strike made notations in the log.
"We clear customs?"
"The coasties will be here before Sunset. Who do you want on 'em?"
"Send Muff."
"What?"
"Don't question me Strike. There is a reason for that."
"The crates?"
"Not a concern."
"The passenger?"
"Not a concern. Send Muffin. Make sure she didn't bring those creatures this time."
"She brought 'em."
"Get rid of them Strike. Toss them overboard or something."
Watching the video screens, Marantha muttered under her breath, "What an incompetent..." She turned to the man monitoring the cameras and pointed at the guard 'chasing' Victor. "Patch me in to that fool's headset."
Marantha proceeded to tell the member of the security team, in no uncertain terms, just exactly how well he was doing his job. "You were supposed to watch him, keep him out of private areas, not run a marathon with him down the hallway. Now make up some excuse and get him away from the engine room."
Marantha watched through the video screen as the guard flushed and then turned to Victor. "I'm...um...I'm sorry, sir, you're not allowed to be in this area. Would you like me to show you back to the guest areas?" He flashed a quick, guilty look at the camera at the top of the wall.
Marantha rolled her eyes at the guard's eloquence. Just then, she got a call from Strike, asking if she was prepared for cast off. She gave her affirmation and then turned back to the screen, to see what brilliant actions the guard was going to take next with Victor.
Victor stood there and knew then that he had just received word to move him. He walked up to the guard and looked at him with a smile then turned back to the camera, looked straight at it and said, "I'm sorry to say but I would love to take a walk around for a bit and if you don't like it you can try and throw me overboard but I will tell you now; you will not get far."
He then turned and started whistling as he walked away from the guard. He then stopped and looked back at the man, "Well, are you coming or not or do you want me to lose my way and get stuck down here and wander into some part of the ship that you don't want me to go into?"
Before the guard could say anything Victor turned and walked away from the man then started whistling again. This was actually turning out to be a good day he thought as he walked down the hallway.
Marantha saw the guard start to tense for action. "Don't *even* think of turning the hallway into a public boxing ring," she warned through the headsets. "Victor is an Invited Guest. We do not brawl with our Guests. I'm sure you can think of a better way to get him back to the main deck."
The guard looked helplessly at the camera. Marantha sighed and rolled her eyes again. Where *did* Gregori hire these guards from? "When you get to an intersection of corridors, make a point of trying to "subtly" steer him away from the one that leads to the main deck. He'll most certainly try to go down the one that you apparently *don't* want him to follow. He'll be back to the main area before he knows what hit him. I'd hate to have to come down there myself."
Marantha continued to watch Victor and the guard make their way down the hallway.
Victor looked back at the guard as he started to walked down the corridors again. The person behind him was trying to guide him and Victor knew it and he was trying to see how far he could push the security of this place. He looked back to see that the guard was getting increasingly nervous as he neared a door. His hand went to touch the door but as soon as he did the guard rushed up and stopped him by placing his hand on top of his.
Victor looked at the guard and then down at his hand and said, "Move you hand now or I will personally break your hand and that you do not want."
The guard looked at him and tried to figure out what to do but before he had a chance to do anything Victor slammed his elbow into the man's abdomen, causing the guard to fall to the floor. Victor looked at the man with a grin.
"Oh, for heavens' sake. That guard is worse than useless." Marantha told the man at the console to call Gregori. "Inform him of the situation, and ask him to go pick up what's left of his guard. I'll let Gregori deal with that one."
Marantha left the surveillance room and headed toward Victor in a quick, but unhurried-looking pace. She was kept informed by the surveillance room of Victor's movement through the ship.
She rounded the corner and met him face to face. Putting on a friendly, amiable expression, she said, "Ah, Victor--the last time I saw you, you were enjoying the breeze. Did it get too chilly for you up on deck?" She casually took his elbow and switched to a lazy-afternoon strolling pace. "I never did get to show you to your room, did I? Well, what a happy coincidence that I ran across you here. We're not too far away from the guest quarters. I'm sure you would like to have a tour of the ship, wouldn't you? Lets start down this corridor--the dining room is not very far in this direction."
Why I was meeting the coast guard to inspect the ship, I'd never know. They'd probably get pissy and demand that Strike, or at least Hunter, take them around. I knew they were dying to find something. I planned on showing them the smelly brie.
Victor looked at the woman, Marantha with a smile that had none of the charm and warmth of a usual smile behind it and said, "I would love to know where my room is but I would also love to take a tour of the ship and I am sure you would love to take me on this tour; who knows what I might walk into when I am by myself. Hell, I might just walk into something that I was not meant to see and be killed for it."
I looked at Marantha then and saw the total conflict and confusion going through her face and knew that she was trying to decided what to do with him as Victor was becoming more than she had bargained for and that was something that he excelled at. He flashed her a quick, icy smile then moved his arm away from hers and started to turn away from her.