imeeji_frontstage | (no subject)

[ Closer to night, he's heading back into the hotel from... somewhere... when he spots Intensity and changes directions, walking like someone on a mission.

He does pause when he gets close enough to see what he's doing, though. ]

... Shopping?

[Makes a noncommittal noise, not looking up]

You need something?

A word, yes.

[Finally looks up at him.

Oh. He has the serious business look on his face. So this is work related or he's in trouble for something.

Either way!

Pockets the phone and heads toward the elevator.]

[ Just raises an eyebrow at him when he finally looks up.

Goddamn Millennials on their Goddamn phones.

And the wordlessly follows him to the elevator. ]

[The elevator doors open before they get there, and the button for FiN's floor lights up as they step in.]

This about the last game?

No. I've learned everything I need to, so there's nothing more to say.

[Now it's his turn to raise an eyebrow at the wording. But you do you, Your Excellency.

And inside FiN's dorm they go]

[ Stepping delicately around the seams of the closed snake pit as they go. ]

Office?

[King.

...

King, he's not going to drop you in the snake pit.

Now all sorts of alarm bells are ringing.]

Of course.

[As he snaps his fingers and the office opens for King to enter]

[ Why thank you. He heads inside and hops up to take a seat at the work table, as usual.

Whenever the door behind Intensity closes: ]

I'm here for clarification on something.

[He leans his back against the door and crosses his arms]

Clarification for what.

Mercury shared a draft of his communication plan with the team - it was good, for the record - but he also mentioned something else in passing.

Specifically, he implied Yvette had been given the authority to decide how much information Heart has access to.

[ Unspoken but obviously implied: how much information he has access to. ]

Were you planning on using her as your Point of Contact?

I thought there were other better options for Heart.

[And you is also implied]

Of course not.

But it was apparently her call on how much of the document we could even see.

...

What document is this?

[ ... He sighs, some small fraction of the pent up tension releasing. ]

I think you asking that answers the question to my satisfaction, actually.

I provided a list of the original trusted points of contacts plus a short SOP. Apparently my first draft was lacking.

[Like giving two shits about the safety of the people on the mission and whoever was freaking about it afterward]

So I left it up to people more talented in PR than I was.

...

Did Mercury seriously open with telling you we were going to purposefully withhold information from you?

[Not that they won't, but---]

Fan-FUCKING-tastic.

Are you angry because it's not true, or because you didn't want me to know?

That depends.

You never answered my question before.

Do you want my protection or not?

[ Looking taken aback ]

... What?

You told me you don't need protection. And I asked if you were sure that's what you wanted.

You never answered.

So I'm asking you again.

Say you don't and I'll tell you everything. More than even Yvette knows.

Would that make you feel better?

[ His eyes narrow. Why the FUCK are you like this. ]

It's a pointless question. It's impossible to protect anything or anyone here.

That's because you think protecting is limited to brute strength and taking bullets for people.

I operate the way the producers do.

I limit options.

I see. Quite a few things make better sense now.

No, I don't want your protection.