multiversallogs | shaping me up for the big time baby

Entry tags:

shaping me up for the big time baby

Who: Adrian, Aimery, Ava and Alexander
What: Meet the bosses
Where: House of Ego
When: backdated to Givdi morning
Notes: none
Warnings: Heavy doses of ego, lots of A-names

There are still a few finishing touches to be made on the decor, and the guest room they've converted to butler's quarters is relatively spartan still, but it's high time Messrs. Luthor and Veidt moved forward in their plans to establish themselves properly in Baedal. To that end, Adrian has arranged for Aimery and Ava to come by first thing in the morning, separately or together, to meet with himself and Lex concerning their employment. He's in his office, which lacks the view offered by his building in New York but is nonetheless tastefully appointed (thanks to Ilde). Since there's no one yet to answer the door, Aimery and Ava have already been given instructions to take the elevator to the third floor, where they'll find the two men's offices, their shared living and dining rooms, and the kitchen.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It won't do to have the new hires meet separately in the two offices, so Lex takes the liberty to join Adrian. Instead of taking a seat in front of the desk, he walks behind it to stand. It's important to give the initial first impression that he and Adrian are on equal footing.

"Good morning." He gives Adrian a polite smile and nod before withdrawing his CiD from his pocket and making notes for the day.

Aimery didn't arrive quite as early as he intended—he got a bit turned around on the way over— but it was still early enough to surely be counted as 'first thing'. He'd ironed his suit, made sure to polish his sword and scabbard to perfection, even spent a few shekels on a new tie and a good gladstone bag to carry his few belongings between the Inn and the Luthor-Veidt Mansion. Aimery wanted to look more than presentable, wanting to make as good an impression on Mr. Veidt as possible; Lex approved of him, obviously, and the job seemed trivially easy for him (maybe cooking wouldn't be trivial), but Aimery was nervous that he would somehow spoil a perfect job, an improved living situation, and the start of a fine friendship.

Well, not as nervous as he had been about starting the hostel or riding the Skyrail or a hundred other unfortunate situations, but still concerned. So on the elevator ride up, Aimery straightened his hair and swordbelt one last time before the doors opened, then swallowed his fear as best he could and stepped out into the living room. He hesitated a moment when he didn't immediately see either man or where to go, then headed for what he guessed would be their offices, calling, "Mr. Luthor? Mr. Veidt?"

A few moments later, the elevator arrives a second time, letting off a petite, dark-haired young woman who strides through the living room with assurance.

(That's just because she took a deep breath and a moment to compose herself and straighten her posture before the elevator doors opened.)

She's dressed much as she was when she manned the front office at her mother's practice: understated skirt and blouse, pumps, tasteful jewelry, not a hair out of place. She had to do some major foraging at the marketplace to pull this and a couple of other outfits together; hopefully no one will mind that at first they'll see the same three, rotated.

She can see a man up ahead, moving toward what she assumes must be the offices. "Hello!" she calls out, speeding up a little to catch up. "Good morning!"

Adrian greets Lex with a smile of the same sort, and a nod. "Good morning, Mr. Luthor. Our first new employees. I think we're beginning to make some progress, don't you?"

Whatever Lex's reply is, Adrian's attention is quickly drawn away by Aimery's voice, followed almost immediately by Ava's as well. He rises from his chair, with a 'ready?' glance toward Lex, and moves around to stand just in front of the desk to await their arrival.

[ooc: However you guys want to handle a tagging order is fine by me. Yell when you're ready for another Adrian tag! :) ]

Aimery heard the elevator open up behind him then footfalls, and he turned around just in time for her to greet him.

"Good morning! You must be Miss Lockhart, yes?" he answered, offering her his free hand and giving a polite bow of his head. For just a second he thought he recognized the woman, but he'd had plenty of moments similar moments in the city and thus far only two had been real. It was probably nothing. "I'm Aimery le Gode."

She shook Aimery's hand with a firm, warm grip. Her smile brightened a few degrees at his name, but it was clear that it was the name she was recognizing, and not his face or any past memory.

"Yes, that's me. Hello! I'm pleased to meet you. Mr. Veidt mentioned you'd be starting today as well. How exciting."

Ava was glad she wasn't the only new person around here.

"Shall we go in together?"

"Pleasure to meet you as well," Aimery agreed, impressed by her cheerfulness. Maybe her apparent lack of nervousness would balance out his own. He waved with his arm, gesturing for her to accompany him. "Certainly, I think they'll be just up here."

And even though they might've walked together the rest of the short distnace, Aimery would let Ava actually enter the office first because, well, ladies first. It's just polite, now-a-days.

Casting a quick glance at Lex as the two newcomers enter the office, Adrian steps forward to greet them.

"Miss Lockhart, it's very nice to see you in person. And you must be Mr. le Gode. Mr. Luthor speaks very highly of you."

Lex will allow Aimery to make any corrections regarding his name. He is not going to speak for the other man regarding how to be addressed.

Instead he moves easily with Adrian, giving Aimery a broad smile of welcome before he addresses Ava personally. "It's good to meet you, Miss Lockhart. Being hired by someone as particular as Adrian Veidt speaks volumes. I must say that a congratulations are in order."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Mr. Luthor," Ava replies, confident smile in place. "And thank you. I'm honored to be here and I look forward to working with Mr. Veidt. And you."

She turns and smiles at Aimery. "All of you," she adds. She may be working for Adrian, it's true, but she's not the sort who is going to therefore ignore everyone else around the place or play the game of him-and-not-you. They were all going to be working in this building.

"Please, Mr. Veidt, call me Aimery," he said softly after Adrian greeted him, extending his hand for a handshake. He offered Lex a warm smile and a polite bow of his head, half hello and half barely-bashful-thanks-for-the-talking-up. When Ava turned to him, he turned his smile to her as well; including him made for an excellent first impression.

"That sentiment is mutual. It will be a pleasure to serve such talented people," he glanced around Adrian's office idly, though he meant it to indicate more than just that particular room, "and to work in such a beautiful place." A little flattery never hurt, right?

Adrian shakes Aimery's hand, then offers his hand to Ava as well. "Aimery, then, if that's what you prefer. I feel confident that I can speak for Mr. Luthor just this once when I say that we look forward to working with such competent and congenial people. I am afraid we can't take full credit for the appearance of the building -- Miss Ilde Decima did a great deal of the interior design."

The compliments from all quarters do their intended work on Adrian's ego, and he looks very pleased with the entire situation. "I thought perhaps we might begin with any questions the pair of you have, if that's agreeable to you, Mr. Luthor?"

Lex follows the round of handshakes with his own and gives Adrian a look that expresses that he is fine with Adrian speaking for him in that instance, but not to make it a habit.

"Perfectly agreeable." He turns back to Ava and Aimery. "Either of us are more than happy to answer."

Handshakes all around! And then Ava smiles, and says, "Please, everyone, just Ava is fine.

My first question would concern work space and flow. Where I'm expected to be, any particular daily schedule you require me to follow, Mr. Veidt, things of that nature."

"My questions would be along similar lines," Aimery spoke after Ava, "Would you prefer meals at set times or upon request, any favorite foods, how you take your coffee..."

He trailed off, unsure if it was quite the type of questions they'd been inviting. Those might've been better off answered in a list, anyway. "And where to put my things."

Adrian nods approvingly at the questions, pleased that they're immediately focused on the jobs, and equally pleased that both of his new employees (fine, his and Lex's new employees) seem to have already given some thought to their potential duties.

"Miss Lockhart, once we're finished here, I'll be glad to sit down with you and go over my schedule as it stands right now. You'll take my calls when I'm busy in the labs or when I'm otherwise unavailable, you'll do errands when they're needed, you'll set appointments for me when they don't require my personal attention. I may from time to time ask you to assist me in finding sources for supplies I might need, and once Mr. Luthor and I put some plans in motion, there'll be paperwork to copy and file and perhaps occasionally some accounts to keep track of. I have no problem with allowing you to set your own hours, as long as the information I need for each day is available to me in the morning -- you can see to this in person or by CiD. As for work space, there is a desk in the lobby, will that do for you?"

He smiles at Aimery and turns his head toward Lex, giving space for the other half of this unconventional partnership to weigh in on the young man's duties.

Lex easily continues where Adrian left off, looking to Aimery. "We've already spoken about general duties of cooking and cleaning, but I should note that Mr. Veidt is a vegetarian and should have his meals prepared with that in mind. We're quite busy, so the meals will be on request. I would also expect either you or Miss Lockhart to answer the door and take any messages if I am away. I would also like you to look after the wine and have a newspaper waiting for me on the kitchen table in the mornings. I'm afraid that much of your duties for me will be told to you on the spot. You'll have to be flexible, an aspect that I will keep in mind as well. Coffee is with cream and sugar."

"As for where to put your things, I think this might be time to relocate and show you your room." He glances to Adrian, then addresses Ava. "I think it would be in your interests to see as well since you'll be working together. This way please." They take the elevator to the third floor, where the group passes the living area and kitchen space before arriving to Aimery's quarters.

Vegetarian? Didn't eat meat by choice? Aimery hid his surprise; he could handle it easily enough, he'd been raised near vegetarian by necessity himself, but made a mental note to ask about reasoning later, when it seemed more appropriate. Being required to have a newspaper waiting on the table might've struck him as being a bit much, but at the same time it jogged his memory a bit. He used to do that for someone else, hadn't he? Not because of a job, because of... he couldn't remember. Still, he nodded at Lex's words to show that'd heard, understood, and found them agreeable, then followed along as he was shown to his room.

And what a nice room it was. Bare compared to the rest perhaps, but absolutely an upgrade from the Inn, and emptiness meant he could more easily change it to his liking. He put his bag on the bed then headed over to peer out the window, then looked back towards the doorway, a broad, approving grin on his face, "This is lovely, thank you."

"Oh, this is lovely," Ava echoes from the doorway, pleased for Aimery. It's good to know he'll be settled in well, and comfortably.

And that he'll be out of the Inn. She doesn't trust the place but she's been there out of necessity. She'll be out soon enough herself, now that she's started here; she makes a mental note to find something reasonably nearby. She doesn't want a long commute and she certainly doesn't want to be stuck a long distance away should anything arise and she has to come in at an unusual hour.

"And as for the rest, gentlemen," she says, addressing Lex and Adrian, "that is all agreeable to me. A desk in the lobby is just fine, as are the duties as described."

She turns her attention to Adrian. "Mr. Veidt, what are your preferences with regards to having your information at the start of each day? You did mention that I could furnish you the information by CiD if needed, but I think an in-person meeting, when it's feasible, would be more productive. Even if it's just fifteen minutes at the start of your day. I could call first each morning, to make sure you're available; if you're otherwise occupied then I can certainly go ahead and transmit what you need for the day rather than interrupt you further."

Lex earns himself a slightly warmer-than-usual smile for pointing out his dietary needs to Aimery, but Adrian remains silent as they embark on their brief tour. Pleased that both Aimery and Ava are so amenable to the terms of their employment, he offers the young man a cordial nod of acknowledgment and turns to the young woman to answer her question.

"I'm an early riser, a brief meeting first thing in the morning would be perfectly suitable. I should mention, since the question was asked-" He looks at Aimery to include him in the conversation. "I take my coffee with cream and sugar, and I prefer it in the morning. Herbal tea at night, unless I'm working particularly late."

There's one more important detail he feels the need to impart. "Aimery, you'll be provided with keys and alarm codes to the entire building with the exception of the labs and the basement. Miss Lockhart, you'll have an entrance key and code, and a key to my office as well. I assume, of course, that discretion will be exercised in their use."

When Veidt spoke of keys and alarm codes, Aimery's eyebrows rose and his gaze flicked to Lex. He didn't need keys or alarm codes- he could walk right through any door, wall, or floor he chose. Had Lex kept that from his business partner, or were they simply keeping up appearances in front of Ava? She was bound to see him using it, maybe that's why he mentioned discretion.

"Of course," Aimery nodded as he rejoined the others. Whomever knew or didn't know about his ability, Aimery would be discreet both with it and with the house's security; opening a door was only slightly more effort than walking through it and there was no need to be flashy. At the least, he now knew where he wasn't to go.

"You can of course rely on my discretion as well," Ava assures them. That kind of trust placed in her is never misguided; she's a loyal employee and wouldn't dream of abusing that confidence.

"And I'll plan on spending a few minutes when I arrive preparing, and then I'll call you, Mr. Veidt, for a meeting."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

shaping me up for the big time baby

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject