Mael Bordelon (voodoo_touch) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2010-10-03 11:20:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-07-29, cameron |
I'm not ready to be seen
Who: Cameron & Mael
When: Early morning, before the debate
Where: Cameron's office
Mael wasn’t sure what to expect when he requested an appointment with Cameron Calvert. He was as honest as he could be. He wanted to see him to speak to Cameron about his position on supernatural rights. He was from Liliya Kennedy’s office, yes. He was aware Liliya and Cameron had spoken before. It was still his desire to meet the man. He was newly hired, yes. The secretary seemed very unwilling to grant Mael the time of day. Nevertheless, after several questions and a lot of time spent on fake hold, Mael was informed he could be squeezed in for a quick conversation on Wednesday. Right before the debate. Very well, he’d take what he could. After all, what he intended to do would not require much time.
It had been a very, very long while since Mael had left his home without his trademark gloves but it would not do to be seen wearing them and then take them off. For someone like Cameron Calvert, that would certainly be a tip-off and Mael did not want to blow his first assignment for Liliya. A quick survey of his office, a quick conversation involving two brief handshakes...it would be sufficient to gather the information Liliya needed, he was certain. Wiping his hands on his pants, Mael took a deep breath and walked into Cameron’s receiving area.
Approaching the secretary (he assumed it was the same one that had given him so much trouble), he introduced himself. “My name is Mael Paris, I am here to see Mr. Calvert.” Without sparing him so much as a look, the secretary informed him that Mr. Calvert would be ready to see him in a while and if he took a seat, things would go much quicker. Mael tried to smile widely to show he didn’t have fangs, but the secretary wasn’t even looking at him. Sitting down in a not-so-comfortable chair in the waiting area, Mael folded his hands in his lap and waited.
Cameron was not sure why Liliya would ever allow someone from her office to come and speak with him. She’d always been more than capable of doing it herself while still getting her point across. Maybe it had something to do with her finally catching onto his uncomfortableness with her being a vampire. And that’s assuming that she works with humans. For all I know her entire office is made up of the bloodsuckers. In fact that was what he assumed about everyone who worked with Liliya. They were either a vampire, some other sort of supernatural, or a sympathizer. And that was, in a way, even worse than being one of them. So this Mael Paris? Probably a human who’d just been drawn in for some unknowable reason. Probably wanted to get bitten and turned himself. Ugh.
So when his secretary buzzed to let him know that the man in question had arrived, Cameron let him wait for a good fifteen minutes before having him sent in. Well, he looked ordinary enough, but then so had Liliya at first glance. Girl even knew how to smile to keep those fangs of hers hidden. Vampires needed to advertise that sort of thing. “Hello, Mr. Paris. Have a seat and tell me what brings you here.” Before father finds out that I’m taking business for the movement before finishing my reports.
“Good day, Mr. Calvert,” Mael said as he entered the office. There was seriously a puddle in his hands as he approached Cameron’s desk. For over a decade now, he had not gone anywhere without wearing his gloves and protecting himself. Now, he was willingly walking into an office with every intention of touching something or someone. His life had been flipped upside down in the last few months. He stretched his hand out as he approached. “Mael Paris. Thank you for your time,” he said with a smile.
It wouldn’t take much, as long as he was thinking about it. Mael hoped that the fact that Cameron knew he was coming from Liliya’s office meant he would be thinking about supernaturals and what he had planned for them. His office might also reveal some form of conversation between Cameron and someone else who was invested in the situation. Mael was surprised his hand wasn’t literally dripping with sweat, as nervous as he was. Calm down, he repeated to himself as he tried to maintain his smile without letting anyone know how nervous he really was.
That smile revealed that this man didn’t have fangs. Of course Liliya wouldn’t send a vampire. She may be the undead but she does still have a functioning brain somehow. Probably kept it fed by drinking blood from children when no one else was looking. Wouldn’t surprise him all that terribly much. Vampires did terrible things like that all the time and that was one of the reasons why Cameron wasn’t fond of them. Other than the part where they happened to be abominations that shouldn’t have been allowed to continue living. Or unliving. Whatever they were and whatever they did it was not right. After only a moment Cameron accepted Mael’s hand and gave a firm shake before letting go. “You’re welcome. Now, please sit down.” Once again, Cameron motioned at the chair on the other side of his desk and waited.
A quick flurry of images ran through Mael’s mind, including Amanda Blake. He’d scan his memories later to put two and two together. For now, he was simply trying to assemble the images in his brain. The man had a lot of things on his mind, obviously. Sitting down in the offered chair, Mael touched the seat, hoping to get some image out of it. It was simply one of the last person sitting in it and a typical business conversation that had nothing to do with elementals. “You have a lovely office, Mr. Calvert,” Mael stalled. The more time he could get in with Cameron, the better. “Mrs. Kennedy sent me here today to thank you for your participation in the debate. She hopes that this evening will perhaps persuade you to reconsider your firm stance on the issue. We’re incredibly hopeful a lot might be achieved with this debate. And we are interested in hearing your stance as well.”
What was this? Cameron didn’t show the surprise on his face but he felt it. Incredulous surprise because he didn’t expect this of Liliya. Or of anyone associated with her. If Liliya wanted to thank him then she’d do it at the debate, not send some new guy. Unless he’s not normal. She really would do that. Cameron didn’t doubt for a split second that she’d do that. “I’m sure that Mrs. Kennedy’s aware that my firm stance of the issues won’t be shaken by repetition of the same things I’ve heard since the Light. If she needs to be reminded of that then I’ll see her at seven. I really don’t understand why you’re here. To say that? If that’s it then the door is right behind you because there’s nothing more I need to hear.”
Apparently, normal diplomacy wasn’t going to work with this one. He’d really hadn’t gotten explicit instructions from Liliya except “get information.” He wasn’t entirely sure what he was and wasn’t allowed to say. And, really, his whole clairsentience spiel would go so much better if he was a blond, white girl instead of a serious-looking black man. Maybe he could pull off the gay vibe. Oh, hai girlfriend...no. He’d hardly watched enough America’s Next Top Model for that. J. Alexander wasn’t exactly on his top ten list of people to emulate. Nevertheless, Mael went for it. “I’m sure she’s not going change your mind on the matter, though we do hope to assuage at least some of your fears. However...oh my god, is this an authentic William S. Wooten desk?” Mael said, all the fake surprise and excitement he could muster blossoming forth in his voice as he leaned forward to run his hands over the top of Cameron’s desk. A random reel of images, snippets of conversations and emotions ran through Mael’s head as he tried his best not to flinch. “I heard they’re incredibly rare. How did you ever come by one?” Mael was certain Cameron’s desk was far too shiny and new to have been created in the 1800s but bad excuse became good excuse and whatever. He’d gotten what he’d come for. Now, if only he could regain control of his appendages and extract them from Mr. Calvert’s desk.
Fears? Cameron wasn’t afraid. He knew what was really going on and what should be expected and that supernaturals were more dangerous than anyone really thought. They didn’t think enough and that was the problem. Idiots. “What?” Cameron actually pushed himself back from his desk when Mael suddenly reached out to run his hands over it. “Excuse you? No, it’s not... it’s new.” Antiques were good and all but he didn’t need one for his workspace. Perhaps his home if Amanda was fond of it. “I actually don’t know what a William S. Wooten desk is, or who that is.” Things like this were nowhere near his forte. “You can stop touching it now and we don’t have anything left to discuss.”
Pushing against the desk to help himself up, Mael took a deep breath and smiled at Cameron. “I apologize. I’m a very big fan of antique desks, you see. I apologize for my momentary loss of control. I wish you the best of luck at the debate and I look forward to hearing your side of the matter,” Mael said easily, dragging his hands away from where they had seemed to be stuck to the wood of his desk. Pressing his palms against the side of his legs, Mael gave him what should be considered a polite bow in Asian society. “It was wonderful meeting you, Mr. Calvert. I hope to work with your office again very soon,” he added, clasping his hands in front of him. “I shall leave you to prepare for the debate now. Thank you very much for your time and patience.”
Looked forward to hearing his side of the matter, right, Cam believed that. Just about as much as he believed that he was looking forward to hearing anything that Liliya had to say unless it was tossing in the white flag she desperately needed to keep in her back pocket for just such events. “Good day, Mr. Paris.” Nothing else. Didn’t need to say or hear another word on the matter, he just had to finish a few things and then he could go pick Amanda up from the hospital.
Thanking Cameron one more time, he left the office to a dark look from Cameron's receptionist. Mael made a mental note to send her flowers. She looked like she needed it. He'd gotten what Liliya had sent him to find, however. It felt a little like cheating, what they were doing, but it was also politics and you had to lose a little bit of your so-called morals if you wanted to win the game. It was a hard lesson learned but Mael had learned it very early on. Quickly leaving the office building, he slipped on his gloves once he was out of sight and hastened to the other side of town to share everything he knew with Liliya. Mr. Calvert has nothing.