touchoflife (touchoflife) wrote in sector9, @ 2013-06-13 20:49:00 |
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Entry tags: | » leslie j. kingsley iii, » rylee nox |
Who: Rylee and Kingsley
When: the past
Where: Kingsley’s office
What: an interesting meeting
Kingsley was obsessed with his family tree, mostly because he was still so very bitter about his father’s refusal to recognize his existence. He’d kept close track of every generation since, and he held in his brain a disturbing number of details about every single relative currently living. He kept tabs on them. But always at a distance. Kingsley didn’t desire to meet any of them. They’d never believe his story. Plus, they were all so very privileged. All but a handful.
Rylee Nox was like Kingsley, or one of her descendents had been anyway. A bastard. A child unclaimed by a father who whored around. But unlike Kingsley, that bastard had remained human and gone on to produce offspring. Miss Nox was oblivious. It was too far in her past. But Kingsley knew who she was. He probably knew her better than she knew herself.
He’d not intended to recruit her, it just turned out that way. And when the opportunity presented itself, he grabbed hold of it, and her. Now she was on her way to his office, as he’d instructed. Strangely, he was nervous. It was an irrational emotion, since he felt no affection for the young woman, and she would have no idea of their connection. But he’d not interacted with a family member since his mother’s passing.
---
Rylee wasn’t entirely sure how she felt right now. she’d just agreed to join some sort of covert group that did work around the world. A covert group of people like her. Well, not entirely like her. she didn’t drink anyone’s blood or turn into a really pissed off version of the family pet once a month. But still, they were more like her than the people walking around oblivious in the city streets. And being a spy? That was kind of cool. It didn’t hurt, either, that she could cut off any last connections to her past this way. No one giving their condolences or offering those inane pitying glances. Fuck that shit.
In any case, Rylee was more curious than anything, though she still wasn’t entirely sure how she felt. Not excited. she was feeling too crappy to be excited. Maybe... reluctantly hopeful. Eh. Hopeful wasn’t right, either. Regardless, she’d arrived at the director’s office. No more letting her mind wander. Not when she’d already animated her damn phone a couple of times in the short walk down here. Time to focus.
Pausing in the doorway, she spoke up. “Director? I was told to come see you.” The harsh edge that usually colored her tone wasn’t present - she knew how to play it professional. she had interviewed for college, after all.
***
Kingsley rose from his chair and motioned to one across the desk from him. “Please, have a seat, Miss Nox,” he said in a smooth, flawless English accent.
When she’d done as invited, Kingsley lowered himself back into his own chair and adjusted his tie even though it wasn’t crooked. “I like to meet with all new recruits. With some.. I even make the offer.” He did so on a case by case basis. It all depended on the circumstances of a recruit’s arrival. Kingsley could be <i>difficult</i> for some new recruits to process. A softer touch was sometimes needed.
---
Rylee nodded and took the offered seat. Great, a Brit. They had like, zero sense of humor. she was so screwed. Not that she was a goofball, but like a lot of Americans, she had the general impression that the British were a bit uptight. Uptight and she did not get along.
“Ok...” Rylee said, furrowing her brow. Made sense for him to meet with everyone. Made people feel “special”, some psychological bullshit to make the transition easier or more meaningful, somehow. But she didn’t quite understand what he was getting at when he mentioned that he made the offer to some recruits directly. What? Was she not good enough? Was he trying to let her know she was going to have to work her ass off to get approval? The point was... she didn’t know what his point was. she’d hold off on a snap judgment. For a few seconds anyway.
***
She was far too easy to read. Kingsley elaborated, answering the questions she hadn’t even asked out loud. “A stronger hand is needed with some recruits, while others...” he nodded toward her, “Benefit from a more gentle approach. Given your recent loss, I felt it best you learn about the agency from another and be given a small bit of time to adjust before meeting me.”
---
Gentle? There was nothing fucking gentle about her. Or fragile. Like she was just gonna fall apart because the old man had up and died on her. Rylee glared at Kingsley like he’d just told her he’d had his way with her mother. “I don’t need to be treated any f-” hard swallow and cough as she realized that was probably a mistake and changed her mind mid-word, “differently than anyone else here, alright? He was a foster parent. Not like we were actually related. I’m fine,” she insisted icily.
***
“I’m well aware he wasn’t a blood relative,” Kingsley stated quite matter-of-factly. He wasn’t at all phased by her mini outburst. If anything, it proved he’d been right to have another high level staff member handle the offer made to Rylee. She was on edge right now. Kingsley’s personality would have set her off and possibly resulted in her refusing to join the agency.
“Is your room comfortable enough?” he asked, almost out of the blue.
---
Rylee looked like she had something to say in response to his statement, but was caught off guard by his mundane and polite question. she blinked at him and then studied him with a distrustful look. What was his game here?
“It is. Thanks,” she said almost grudgingly. she didn’t have a reason to be impolite to his question.
***
“Excellent. Your training will commence in several days. I suggest you use your time wisely until then. Explore the facility to acclimate yourself with it. Sector 9 can be confusing for many newcomers. Also be sure to get your rest. Recruit schedules only <i>appear</i> to be easy when you’re reading them on paper. They’re far more challenging that you realize, and your training will take years to complete... if you ever do. Not all recruits become agents. There’s only so much we can do to help you succeed. If your abilities fall short, or your attitude gets in the way... you may fail. And I cannot promise you a staff position.” Kingsley didn’t continue. He didn’t tell her what happened to the failed recruits who were unworthy of a staff position.
---
Rylee watched the director as he gave his little speech. Well, duh. This was a fucking covert operation. If the training was easy they’d all die out there and the agency would be through before she ever finished her training. When he warned that she might fail, she snorted. she couldn’t help it. Yeah, her attitude. It was a problem. “Listen, Director. I don’t want a staff position, and you probably wouldn’t want to give me one. Do I look like the kind of person who could handle some snot-nosed kid giving me the kind of attitude that <i>I</i> dish out? Probably not. I’ll be one of your agents. And I don’t want any help getting there. I want training and preparation. But in the end, I’ll earn that position. Think that’ll work for you?” she asked. It was Rylee’s version of an olive branch. she didn’t want his lecturing or his warnings. But she understood that he had to give them. she was offering a kind of compromise. sort of.
***
Kingsley pushed his chair back and stood, then he walked around his desk to stand in front of her. His hand reached out in offering. “I look forward to the completion of your training. Should you have any questions or concerns, my assistants are always available and can notify me of any emergencies or requests.” They’d been in place long enough to know what warranted calling Kingsley.
---
Thank God. Rylee was self-aware enough to know that how she dealt with shit put most people off. And while she didn’t really want to piss off the Director, she couldn’t change herself. she was glad he understood. Or at least wasn’t pissed off. The redhead stood and took his hand, nodding. “Alright. Thanks for the welcome, Director,” she said.
***
It took a great deal more than Rylee was capable of dishing out to truly upset Kingsley. Few people got under his skin. He’d been through a lot in his many years on Earth. He did not rattle easily.
Kingsley shook her hand, searching for some familiarity in it, before he relinquished his grip. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Nox.”
---
Maybe surprisingly, Rylee offered him a brilliant smile to his response. see there? Nothing fazed her. It was all just water rolling off her back. “Ciao,” she said with a bit of a wave and waltzed out of his office. Boy was she glad that was over. Her and authority figures didn’t always mix so well. But he had earned considerable respect for not rejecting her peace offering. Apparently, they could get along. That was good.
***