Making Plans

August 04, 2015:

Melody contacts Morien for an opportunity with The Lights Charity Foundation.

Mutant Town

Characters

NPCs: Random Security Personnel

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: [*\# None.]


Fade In…

Two hours before the meeting, two small black armored SUVs slowly make they way from Lower Manhattan to the area known as Mutant Town before coming to a stop. Aileana is the first of Morien's security detail that steps out of the SUV. The mid thirties auburn-haired woman begin to give commands over her earpiece to the other details. "All right, I want eyes on the boss at all times. Any trouble we grab him up and we flee. We are not looking for a firefight. The rest of the group makes their way outside of the vehicles and do the best to try to blend into their surroundings, while planning to keep the eyes on Morien

At the time of the meeting, Morien arrives in a Jaguar with one bodyguard that he motions to stay by the car while he ways for the person that asked for the meeting.

Melody didn't know how long it would take for Shift's assets to be legally freed. And even though she tracked down the man who's name Shift had used, there was no way she could actually go at it alone. She wasn't good with the manipulation tactics, so she settled where she could best set up the foundation with him.. not as a figure-head, but him in thought. Shift was a known terrorist, after all.

So, calls were placed. And damn, it took a while. Morien Washington was a hard man to meet, a very hard man to meet. But she persisted, gave him the address of the small clinic in Mutant Town, meeting set.. match.. game. All she needed to do was wait.

This meeting, while business, was kept casual by her mode of dress. Simple NIN T-shirt which was newly bought, pair of black slacks and boots that made her just three inches taller. At least she was somewhat dressed, in her own way at least, and she wouldn't be too hard to spot. Seeing the jaguar draw up as well as the two men getting out, she frowns a little bit, slightly wary. Wary because she thinks that almost immediately, he wouldn't like her pitch at all.

It was a slow pace towards the two men, recognizing Morien from his business profile, a nervous smile placed upon her face as her hand grips her bookbag tight against her shoulder, the other lifting in an awkward wave. "Hi. Mr. Washington?" She calls out. He's guarded, no way she's approaching him willy nilly.

The bodyguard call seems like he is going to move, but Aileana quickly yells over the earpiece for him to stand down. She has worked with Morien long enough that once he waves a person off, he really doesn't want to disturbed unless he is in some immediate danger.

Morien peers over at Melody and tilts his head towards his right shoulder as he looks her over. "Ms. Kenway, It is a pleasure to meet you. I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Traffic is terrible at this time of day. He turns his gaze from Kenway to the clinic, then back to her. "So how can I be of help to you?"

Melody takes a step back as the guard takes a step forward, then slowly approaches again, her eyes upon the rather large man that she probably would have ran from if he said hello. Anyone who's taller than her? Is large to her. "Hi.." She says again, slowing her pace as she nears, standing at least two arm reaches away from Mr. Washington just to keep the peace.

"Well, you could be a lot of help, I hope. I mean, just by name alone but.." She gestures him along, hoping he'd follow, her eyes soon falling upon the windows of the clinic as a few people look out, then soon hide away out of fright and worry.

"I was hoping to start up a charity or a fund for the people of Mutant Town. As you know, this place is a near warzone with what's going on in the news, and I just wanted to help any way I can. But, I really can't do that without financial backing and name power alone. I mean, I could, but it would just frighten people because of my Father."

"My apologizes, but who is you father?" Morien steps further away from the Jaguar and holds the door open for the next group of young woman holding a toddler with dark orange skin. Morien offers a friendly smile as they pass by him, before turning his attention back to Melody.

Morien waits for the mother and toddler are out of earshot, before he asks Melody "Do you not believe that some mutants might be upset with my company? My company recently took advantage of another's company mistake at challenging the government over the Mutant Registration Act. Some people here might not like that.

"Dr. Arthur Kenway." Melody states. "He's almost a pariah for experimenting on his own kid who's a meta-human. They consider meta-humans their own." She shrugs faintly. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind my name at the helm because of that fact, after I get them to actually believe that I want to do good here." She pauses a little, taking a step to the side to allow the mother and child to pass through. His question? It was an odd one especially coming from the likes of him.

"I think they would, yes. Be upset that is." At least she was honest. "But these people are smart, and if not smart, they surround themselves with people who are. They could probably see it as a business tactic, you know?" Further into Mutant Town, Melody stops by a bench to take a seat, leaning forward to draw her bookbag down and away from her arms. "I think these people, though.. react better with a good reason and positive action."

As they move further into mutant town, a well groom man in his twenties wearing a blue hoodie and baseball cap takes a seat at a bench that is couple of benches across from Melody. He pulls his IPAD as he settles down on the bench. Anyone with a keen eye and a knowledge of security can tell he is part of Morien's security detail.

Morien walks over to the bench and taps his left foot on the ground several times as he thinks, "Why me? There are other people in the city that are bigger names than me? I would have probably gone to Stark or Worthington? At least, they spend their time among people with powers. You have already stated that you would have to convince them about your intentions, which I am not sure if you have clearly stated why they would doubt your intentions. I am really an outsider.

Morien stops tapping his foot and extends his left arm as he looks at his hand. "And what is long term goals of your foundation?

"Why not you?" She asks. "I mean, you're obviously a minority, like me. You're rich, unlike me. And you pretty much made a huge move that had heads turning. Its a risk and a gamble because your entire reputation could ride on this charity. And you.." Okay, this part is going to be awkward. "You seem really nice. And I don't think any big names like Stark or Worthington would invest in something for little ol' me that they couldn't do themselves."

She lets out a little sigh, leaning back against the bench, her eyes glancing around at the people who pass them by, yet settles upon the man with the IPAD as her eyes flick up and away as the information from the IPAD is attempted to be accessed. Gotta keep the skills sharp.

"My long term goals is to provide lasting care for the Smooth victims. To help those families ruined by that plague get back on their feet again. Scholarships for the children who were left behind by their siblings or parents. My long term goal really is to give them a fighting chance in life."

"I think I could probably do it myself now too, but I digress." Morien goes back to tapping his foot a few more times, "You are correct. My name and reputation would be at risk. I don't think my entire reputation would at risk. I might lose some friends at some country clubs, but most of them a couple of decades would probably not allowed anyone that look like me be a member anwyways.

Morien clasps his hands together and says. "Yes, we are both minorities, but you assume that I feel the same way about mutants that you do. You believe that I feel that someone being oppressed for being thought as inferior is different from someone being oppressed because they are superior are the same.

Morien counts on his fingers, "There are laws that ban steroids that gives athletes advantages, there are laws that ban the use of charcoal in apartments in California because it might cause fire, there are rules against cheating on tests, and there are laws against firearms. Mutants are gifted with powers that either mimic or surpassed these things that we have laws for. Why should I care about mutants, when a lot of people are suffering?

Morien crosses his arms in front of his chest and fixates his eyes on the young woman, "These the questions my board and investors are going to ask me? If you want your name somewhere at the helm explained to me why I should care about someone who was made better than me;regardless, they have been thrown into a ghetto."

Morien says, "Like I said before sell me."

"I know you could, but that's a huge risk I'm willing to take." And, she was prepared to do battle. But as he lays into her, she settles back upon the bench, her hand reaching up to smooth her hair away from her face, her gaze falling into a quiet contemplation. She was going to answer him, it would just be a moment.

"Why should you care?" She finally asks. "Because a lot of them, and possibly on a daily basis, save the world." She points out, "Look at Superman? Those people who stopped those pillars in Brooklyn? They live here too. They breathe the same air that we breathe and they care about us even though half of us probably don't give a damn about them. Think back in Selma. A lot of us were tortured, beaten, sprayed with water hoses like we're dogs and we still came back and wanted our due respect and wanted to help, live, and thrive like the rest of the people who live in this world. How come we can't feel like they do? Recognize the past as it was and see that it's being repeated, right where we stand?"

"This place is a warzone, Mr. Washington, and I really don't like it. I at least would like us all to change one life through our actions, because I believe that it'll create a domino effect. Besides, someone I loved truly died for this place. And I don't want his death to be in vain."

Morien plays the long game, and wasn't going to work on any mutant relationships problem until sixty or seventy years from now with possible solving the problem 100 years from the time he started working on it, but he has also didn't expect to have his company grow as fast as it did. He goes back to tapping his left foot again and says, "Did you know that many of the African-Americans that started the Civil Rights movements in the fifties were veterans. They were soldiers that saw a world where people saw them and respected them as heroes, so when they went home they made the country they bled for would see them as heroes. Heroes like some of the mutants here that helped stopped those pillars in Brooklyn.

Morien nods to himself, "I can understand your concept of domino effect inspiring others. What do you bring to the table beside your obvious passion?

Gah, it was like a job interview. And Melody hates those. "Well, I have my portion of savings and a donation from the Monarch of Khandaq. Which I hope to visit soon to hopefully gain his backing in the efforts to restore and help the people of Mutant Town. I don't have the charisma or anything but I do have the technical know how to fix what's broken." Machines. They're hers just as much as she belongs to it.

"And.. hopefully I can get backings from everyone in the tri-state area so that you.. or we won't be alone in this. I'm not afraid to approach people, at least. And along with my passion, I'm.. just.. not afraid anymore."

"And yes, I knew that. Most of the soldiers now and then still build this country off their backs. Just like everyone else."

Morien narrows his left eye slightly at the mention of Monarch of Khandaq, "Most people cannot call upon the Monarch of Khandaq for aid. You must travel in interesting circles. I will have to check with my legal to limit my financial liability, and I am sure you will be able to submit your financial records for my accountants to look over.

Morien furrows his brow slightly, "Hhmm, I think a fund raiser and charity ball would be a good place to make an announcement if everything passes the legal test. Morien bobs his head from side to side as he passes back in forth in front of the bench, "It seems doable. Does this place have a U.S representative, a state representative, or even an alderman? We will need to push for all of those things too.

"I guess you can say that." Well, he did show up to the funeral, she at least wanted to thank the guy in person. "He seemed like a really nice person." She smiles a little, then draws herself to a stand, fixing the backpack upon her shoulders as she gives a slight nod. Her gaze draws up towards the sky as she slightly rides the waves, keeping herself present enough for basic function. "I'm transmitting all of my financial documents as we speak. I am also scanning the proper area in Mutant Town to host a charity ball or a fundraiser. Though, I love Girl Scout cookies, hopefully we can do something with them as well and see if they would accept mutant children into their fold?" Ambitious!

"I can do the research and get back to you about the Alderman and Senate. But other than that, I was thinking of using.. The Lights as a name for the charity. Some guy who turned into a flaming skull dude gave me that name. Anyways.." She shrugs her shoulders and gestures across the way towards the guard. "I'm going to get out of there before that guy swipes me on Tinder and notices I'm around here."

"I will get back to you. We might change the location of the charity ball. Let me think about it." Morien quickly peers at his security guard and frowns. He mumbles to himself about Aileana needing to fire him, before turning back to Melody. "Have a good evening. I will be in touch."

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