Hiding in Plain Sight

Who: Nate and Ari
Where: school
When: second hour

Arienne had been informed early on that Nathaniel had returned to school. She was relieved that it had finally occurred--she'd been starting to think he was gone for good. But he was back, and that meant she could kick things back into action accordingly. Plus, she wanted to see him, what with the massive change in plans they were going to need to incorporate. She waited until she got a chance to talk to the counselor, so she could get permission to pull Nate from his class. He'd stepped up when her mother died, so far as the school populous was concerned, she was going to be doing the same for him.

When she knocked on the classroom's door, she didn't look for him until after she'd quietly handed the note to the teacher. Then she gazed across the room at him in a manner that suggested she was there and sympathetic, a somber sort of air about her. Saying nothing as the teacher informed him he was dismissed, she headed for the door and out into the hallway, waiting for him.

Nate was, once again, dressed entirely in black, as befitted someone in mourning as far as he was concerned. He’d stepped it up a level though, going for a full on suit, which looked odd when surrounded by the other, more casually dressed, students, but Nate didn’t care. In fact, he wanted to stand out. It was his aim to make himself look out of place amongst all of the other teenagers, to look older, more serious. The people he worked with had stopped treating him like a child and he wanted to give them no reasons at all to think of him as one, and plenty of reasons to for them to see him as an adult now.

He said nothing as he walked from the class, giving Arienne a polite glance as he he approached the doorway, for the benefit of the game they played, and then he stepped out passed her and waited in the hallway to see where she would take him.

"My sincerest condolences." She said, before she shut the classroom door, so that tidbit would be overheard. And, because they were still in the hallway, she continued her act. That, while starting to lead them towards the empty counselor's office she'd been told they could use. "I would like to take the time to offer you my services in any capacity you may need. You most certainly stepped up for me in my own time of need, so I'm uniquely able to understand what you may be going through, and while I would never have wished to return the favor in this specific manner, I am at your disposal, should you require anything. I can get your homework for you, tutor you if you happen to need it if you need to miss more classes, take over anything you may not have time for...anything you need." she told him. Which while true, wasn't her actual reason for getting him out of class, but he knew that.

This did, however offer up a strange opportunity to play around with their public social dynamic. People had definitely been whispering positive things when Nate had given Ari his 'support' when her mother had died. She imagined this would stirr that particular pot again.

"Thank you, and your offer of assistance is most appreciated. Especially as I am aware that you must still be in morning yourself," Nate responded, formally, keeping up the pretence that they were, of course, nothing more than rivals who were putting their differences side for the sake of doing the 'right' thing.

Ari let her eyes linger on him for a few long moments, a calculated move. There were some students in the hall up ahead, glancing in their direction. She wanted to put out there that she was feeling genuine sympathy for him, that perhaps her icy resolve towards him was being chipped away a little at a time. Subtle, but there. “You’ve missed some school lately...would you want me to set up a way for you to catch up?” she asked. “I could bring you assignments, or help tutor you in anything you’ve missed or will miss in this trying time.”

Nate gave her a look, as if he was questioning why she though he even cared about his grades. In truth, his grades were fine, and he had enough credits from his former schools that he didn’t need to be doing half the classes he was anyway to graduate, but that didn’t sit with his image, so he didn’t broadcast it. If anything, he worked at ensuring his grades didn’t get any higher than they were. “I think I’ll manage - it’s not like I’m in line for valedictorian like some,” he said, politely enough, but the barb was there.

Ari's jaw tightened slightly, but just that, and she clearly took the high road, and merely nodded. "I was just offering. You were quite supportive when my mother passed, and it's only proper the favor is returned." she said, though she made sure the worlds sounded like an excuse. Not blatantly, just a light undercurrent.

The corner’s of Nate’s mouth turned up, for all the world as if he was for a moment thinking of saying something barbed and cutting. Just for a moment, before he seemed to think the better of it and backed down, inclining his head slightly instead. “The offer is appreciated and, should I appear to be falling behind unnecessarily, I will take you up on it,” he said, his tone suggesting to whoever was listening that this was just the polite and socially acceptable response, rather than what he really wanted to say. For Nate, everything in public was an act. Every breath, every glance, every gesture. Nothing was really real.

Continuing to lead them where they were headed, she didn't say anything until they were at the office, giving the impression several times that she was going to say something more, but in the end didn't. Then she opened up the office, led him inside and shut the door behind them, where the act dropped in a heartbeat. "What's the damage?" she asked, after quietly locking the door, and she set her books down.

Nate turned to her, also dropping the pretence, shaking his head. “Not perfect - but it wasn’t going to be. Vassili Gregorovich is likely to take over, at least in the short term. He’s... It could be worse. He’s unimaginative, solid. Not easily manipulated. He doesn’t love me, but he doesn’t mind me - and as long as I don’t get in his way, he’s not going to catch on to what I’m doing behind the scenes. It’s better than them choosing to send some unknown over from Russia, so for now, I say we let him be. Long term, he’ll have to go, but if we can prep someone more to our use to take his place first, that’ll be better for us. Long term - Martens could be a problem. Do you have connections enough to ensure he has an ‘accident’ in prison? Or that he doesn’t even get that far?” Nate asked, his mind on the threat Eric had given him, even if it hadn’t been meant directly at him.

Listening, Arienne leaned back against the door for a moment, before she crossed to him. She sat down on the top of the desk in there, pulling her legs up indian style beneath her as she reached out to pull him closer. Though not to do anything like kiss him. Instead, she wanted a look at his shoulder. She hadn't gotten to see it since she'd carved the design into him. She could do that while listening to the status report. After all, they had a limited timeframe. They would need to multitask. "What's Vassili's main focus? Do you think he's going to make any major changes, or just slide in and perform the same functions?" she asked. "I'm sure you'll come up with a suitable replacement, when you do, let me know so I can be sure he doesn't accidentally wind up dead." She sighed. "I imagine we've got connections enough to arrange something terrible to befall Mr. Martens in prison. If he gets that far indeed--my brother is rather hell bent on finding him and torturing him for quite some time before he kills him. He was rather displeased."

“As long as he dies, I don’t care how it happens,” Nate said, coldly - a tone which didn’t sit naturally with the way he moved to stand before her, offering himself to whatever she had in mind. “He threatened our future,” he told her. “He didn’t think it would be aimed at me. He didn’t think I was a threat at all,” he added with a quiet snort of laughter. Fool man. “But he said if the Syndicate rose again, he’d be back. I don’t care what happens to him, but I won’t leave threats at our back. He needs to die.” His voice was calm, emotionless. Nate wasn’t reacting to what had happened to him, he didn’t care that he had been in that position, that he had been that close to a mass murderer who had threatened him and his family. What he cared about was a pure, sensible, business decision - as he saw it. “As for Gregorovich, his job will be to solidify what we have, close up the gaps, restore some order - with everything that’s been thrown at us in recent months, the Syndicate is weaker than it’s been for several years. He’ll be tasked with creating a solid foundation for growth.” That wasn’t all supposition. Nate had contacts, even if he hadn’t been able to be privy to the actual discussions. “I would suggest we allow him to do that, whilst we look for a more suitable replacement - then ensure that the replacement is in position to take over once Gregorovich has stabilised the organisation.”

Arienne reached up to carefully remove his suit jacket, setting it aside where it wouldn't get wrinkled. Then she set about getting his tie undone, and the buttons of his shirt, all as she listened, mind still on the higher task. She definitely didn't like the sound of some killer boogeyman in the night, threatening to return. That was definitely the sort of thing that needed to be taken care of far before it could ever come to a head. Yes, an 'accident' would need to happen, indeed. She didn't care how she had to get it done, she'd pull out all the stops if she had to. Hopefully, Max would have it taken care of in some fashion. Even if he had to hit up the jail. It couldn't be that great. "I'll see what me and mine can arrange." she promised. "Because I'm not even a little bit alright with the idea of some threat out there, waiting." Even if technically, the Syndicate wouldn't 'rise' again. It would be a different animal by the time they were done.

"As for the replacement of Gregorovich, that's fine by me. It wouldn't do to replace him too quickly, it would only encourage more chaos in your ranks which you don't need." She paused in thought, considering. "You know what you may need." she continued, tugging his shirt out of his pants to finish what she started. "You may need to start organizing a new group to add into the fold. With the O'Malleys gone, there's that hole in your ranks to start with. And with this, I'm sure you'll need more to bring to the table. Maybe if you can come up with a small enterprise to bring in, something you're in more control of than it may seem at first glance, it would help things later on." she suggested.

Nate gave her a look, a mix between pity, fondness and understanding. An unusually human look on the teen. “Already ahead of you,” he told her. “I have probably.... Twelve men right now who actually answer to me rather than the Syndicate. Not that all of them realise that’s the case yet,” he qualified. Nate was hardly open with them about the fact he was manipulating their loyalties. But that was what he was doing, stealing hearts and minds. It was so much stronger to have a man’s heart than it was to simply deal in favours - though he did that as well, of course. “It’s not a huge number, but I’m working on it. And they’re currently scattered. Mostly I’ve been targeting useful placements. People who can bring me information that I couldn’t get on my own. The exception to that is a guy who controls a group of four or five. Muscle. They do what he says - and he does what I ask him to.”

"No, I know you've been working on getting your own people. And you've been succeeding." Arienne said. "I'm talking more about some business venture. Something you procure and add in, something you can attribute to you, with no one else claiming credit."

Nate raised an eyebrow. “You have my attention,” he allowed. His mind had been focused on gaining control from within the Syndicate, purely on working the system, building up a structure that, if necessary, if he couldn’t gain a position of power, he could pull off what amounted to a coup in later years. The Russians would respect that enough to leave him in position for long enough for anything else to be too late. But he would allow there was another way - Arienne had far more vision than he did, a fact that he loved.

"Okay, I don't know what the O'Malley's brought to the table, but whatever it is, you no longer have. I believe I recall a pub or something that had their name on it. Even if you started small, if you brought a business in that you've got control of, you would be actively contributing to the financial stability of the organization, as well as getting more people on your side, better opinions, showing that you have vision and ambition that you're putting towards the good of the whole. If you can offer it as a front for other things, even better." she added. "There's got to be a hole somewhere you can fill in the operation. Start small, but find it and see about providing an appropriate filler." she encouraged, smiling at him. Then she shifted her gaze as she gently pushed his shirt away from his shoulder, down his arm so she could turn him and look over her artwork. “There are a ton of small, struggling businesses in the city. Find one who’s got an owner you can manipulate.”

“A bar would be difficult, given that I’m hardly of an age, but I can start to look for holes, certainly,” Nate mused. “It may take me a little while to gather the capital to start up something new, if that’s what it takes, but I think I can pull strings where necessary. Of course, there’s the whole ‘school’ issue,” he added. Which was a problem. Who allowed a ‘boy’ in full time education to also run a business. Of course, he would be graduating this summer, but a few months was a lifetime to someone like Nate.

"I can bankroll you partially." Arienne said. "I have savings of my own, which I never touch. So, I could give you start up capital." she offered. After all, she was investing in their future. "As for school, I do believe you should graduate. Though you could look into getting an expedited diploma." she said. "You and I both don't really have to be here. Not with the education we got overseas. Look around, see what potential marks might be. Then get back to me." she suggested.

Nate considered this. If there was only one thing she had taught him - and there was actually far more than one thing she had actually taught him - it was that there was something in stopping and thinking about things on occasion. “If you loan me capital, there can be no way it can be traced back to you,” he said, carefully, though he knew that they were both better than that. Still, it needed to be said.

She nodded. "I'm aware." she told him with a slight smile. She was looking over the way he was healing, something that she appreciated. Reaching up, she lightly traced her fingers around the marks there, not putting any pressure on him. "My birthday is coming up." she told him. "I've asked to have a masquerade ball arranged for my debut to society. Which, by the way, I would like you to attend. Costumes and masks are mandatory, of course." she told him. "But with my birthday, I could explain away expenses that may not actually exist. No one will be paying close attention."

Nate smiled. Costumes and masks. And the risk - that real, visceral risk. Walking right into enemy territory, with no more protection than some paper, wood and leather. A pretty picture between him and a very painful death.

God, how it called it him.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he told her, his voice dropping and darkening as he reached out to pull her closer. “And explain it away, lose the money - if I don’t have something by then, I will not long after. A good excuse shouldn’t be allowed to pass by.”

Arienne shifted, letting him pull her closer, and she put her arms up around his neck. Smiling at him in that dark, private little way she had just for him, she watched his eyes. "I'll get you what you need." she promised. She could pull it off. There'd be no problem. She drifted closer. "I have one other thing to discuss with you." she told him. "My brother has finally decided that he wants to meet you. Which could be tricky, since he tends towards wanting to kill people. But he wants to do it. He was rather upset about the flowers, not that that bothers me. I think he's a bit jealous. He doesn't want to 'share' me. He'll likely threaten you, for starters. Which I know isn't pleasant, but it'll make him feel better."

Nate took a moment, then leaned in and ghosted his lips over hers. Hardly a kiss, just enough. “Does he know who I am now? Or is that to be covered when we meet?” he asked, wanting to judge that in advance. Not denying that the meeting would happen. If Arienne wanted it, if she felt that it would not end in death on either side. He trusted her judgement.

"He finally asked." She confirmed. "So, I've told him, and he was upset, but he's still on board. I will ask that you don't make sudden movements, and try to be as up front as you can. You're loyal to me like I am to you, we're in this together, and he'll need to really see that. I am going to do my best to always remain between the two of you. I don't think he'll do anything to you, knowing what it would do to me, but I don't want to test our luck, either. So my best advice is just...try to let what we both know is true show. We're in this, it's us, we're doing this, together." she said, looking him in the eyes. There was worry there, something that she wished she didn't have but existed. "If you refuse, I can put it off for a while." She'd try, anyhow.

Nate met her eyes, serious as he’d ever been. “I don’t refuse,” he told her. He wouldn’t - he couldn’t. He never walked away from things, never backed down. It simply wasn’t in his nature. “Just tell me a when and a where and I’ll handle it,” he added.

She brushed her thumb along the underside of his jawline, a light, soft touch. "I'll work it out." she said. "I'm thinking late night, a warehouse, possibly someplace abandoned, just to make it neutral ground entirely. His main concern is me. He wants to know that you're not playing me, that you're not out to hurt me, or screw me over."

“There’s a place - just off the dock road. Abandoned now - the O’Malleys used it for storage and the Syndicate’s left it since then. Brick built - say’s ‘Harrison Flour’ on the west side, faded though. You probably want your brother to check it out first, so he doesn’t think it’s a set up.” And Nate would after that, of course. For the same reason - vicarious trust only went so far, after all, and he’d been more than warned off this guy in the past.

She nodded, marking the place in her mind. "Alright, I'll set something up. When are you going to be available?" she asked. He was going to have a lot of appearances to make, she imagined, so his schedule was going to be the one she was working by. Wouldn't do to have him disappearing when he was meant to be somewhere. "I would prefer if you didn't go armed, but if you are going to, please let me know in advance." she said, not outright telling him not to. That wasn't her call, and she wasn't about to make it hers.

Nate didn’t mention that he didn’t habitually go armed. His aim wasn’t as good as it could be, and he felt more confident with hand to hand. She didn’t know that though, and he felt no need to tell her given that it would be a weakness which would be corrected in the due course of things. “Friday night,” he suggested to her. That would give them a couple of days to get things straightened out, and it was easier to get away on a weekend night. He had the ‘teenager’ excuse, after all, even though he rarely used it. He didn’t want to be associated with his youth, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t pull it out when it suited his purpose.

"Before the gala? I'm expected to be in attendance." she said, though her tone indicated that if she had to be late, then that was fine. She would rearrange things accordingly, but if it could all be slotted in without schedule conflicts, that would be fine. "Or after." she added, if later worked better for him.

Nate considered this. “After,” he said, with a slow smile. It would be interesting, to go through the evening knowing what was coming. It appealed to him.

She saw his smile and returned it with one of her own. "After it is, then." she agreed. She pulled him a little closer, one hand tracing down the back of his shoulder, not where it would prod his wounds or anything, but close. "I'll of course let you know if there's any changes in plans." Though she didn't expect there to be. And she made a mental note to wear something he might appreciate to the gala so he could see it on her later in such a different context than a party.

He rested a hand on her hip as she traced him. “Of course,” he agreed, looking down at her. He didn’t doubt that for a moment. Communication between them was difficult, but Nate simply relished the challenge - it made things so much better for him.

Ari watched his eyes for a moment, before she pulled him in for a kiss. Their pressing business was technically taken care of for the moment, so she allowed herself an indulgence. There was something itching at the back of her mind to share with him, but she'd get there. After this. It was still novel to her to have desire for him at all. It still was an anomaly in her life, something that was very specific to Nathaniel.

He returned the kiss without hesitation, knowing they had done what she’d called him out of class to do. This, though, was something else. Something purely them. Something that should never have been, but so very much was, and nothing would change that. He would risk anything and everything for this, yet at the same time, he had complete confidence and faith in them that it hardly felt like a risk at all. Not really. It was simply... inevitable.