A Little Mouse, In Over Its Head [Claudia/Arlette/Eliane, Alastair]

Operations in the City of Lights had been all well and good, but the Duvalier Group was certainly not so small as to justify Claudia or her guards staying in any one place for particularly long. Indeed, given the political climate in both Vastime and the surrounding areas, there was more business than ever before in their original base of operations. Every return naturally meant that a proper perimeter needed to be secured around Claudia's penthouse, and that meant one of the only times that her twin guards were separated.

As always was the case in situations such as these, Eliane volunteered to go out. She was more personable, after all, and the last thing they needed was Arlette killing someone on account of being approached the wrong way. Not that it would really matter, but having to deal with that paperwork was always at least a bit annoying, and Claudia never did seem happy about having to part with hush money like that.

Well, then again, it wasn't like Eliane had never cost the boss a little hush money, but she usually cost less. That thought alone was enough to put a smug little smile onto her face as she walked casually down the streets of Vastime's capital. Oh, she did wonder if there was anything interesting to do around here...

It was the meetings in the big cities that worried Alastair more than those in the wildlands. If something went bad he could hardly cut loose here, it was a cage of infrastructure and innocents. Still, he had to play up the tourist because he was certainly a figure that stood out in a crowd. Having an untameable mop of fiery red hair did that to a man, and he knew he would hardly make a good secret agent because of it.

Moving through the streets, he was looking for some accommodation for the night. It was tomorrow when he was scheduled to meet with the local operatives, which meant he was going to have to fend for himself. He had not been looking for anywhere flashy, somewhere on the outskirts would have been ideal but there had been a distinct lack of options, but that put him a little out of his depth now.

He was scanning every building, amber eyes moving above the crowds as he tried to avoid making any awkward eye contact.

The same as always, it looked like. The same people, the same irritating little pests running around with their parents nowhere in sight, the same everything. Well, if nothing else, everything being the same made securing the area a whole lot easier--

Ah. Now, this was certainly something very new. Eliane's memory was nothing if not pristine when it came to faces and names, one of the many things she'd been trained well for in this line of work. Even if she hadn't, though, she really doubted anyone would have missed that face and that hair. Oh well.

It made a good opportunity for her to get a few laughs.

"Well well, mister~ And here I thought I wouldn't be seeing you again any time so soon. Come on, let's walk and talk, enjoy a little extra time together."

Eliane could have given Alastair an opportunity to respond, to fully parse the situation before she simply took control over it. But that wasn't the sort of person she was at all, and more importantly, it was much more amusing this way. Wrapping her arms both around one of his, in a manner that seemed affectionate but was in fact rather entrapping, Eliane simply began to walk down the path she'd already been going down. If he didn't follow along, well, she'd just drag him with her. He'd understand what was happening here, anyway.

Probably, at least. But it would be funnier if he didn't.

Alastair was not easily startled, but being approached so openly on the street was enough to give him a moment of shock. His gaze snapped down to stare at Elaine with a look that blended surprise and confusion, but she was already walking away. He recognised the particular appearance of Lady Duvalier's bodyguards from the few meetings that he had been involved in back home, though she was still not someone he had expected to run into on the streets.

Then she was latched onto him and he was only more alarmed, taking a moment to fall in step with her as she was guiding him away. It did give him the slightest of reprieves to try and process exactly why she was here and talking to him.

"Good afternoon, Miss. I did not expect to see you here either."

He did not struggle against her grip, instead placing his free arm on top of her own in an attempt to make the embrace seem as natural as possible. They were an odd couple already but perhaps now they would just look like a pair of quirky tourists.

"To what do I owe the pleasure? I do not believe I informed the Duvalier Group that I would be passing through."

"No, you certainly didn't, and I was hardly expecting you to come by. But I'm surprised to see someone we do business with mysteriously present around the Duvalier Group headquarters right as we return home. A woman could take that as pretty menacing, you know."

Eliane's voice had lowered through her little spiel, her smile shifting from smug to outright sinister as she looked into Alastair's eyes with what was quite clearly a threatening intent. The sort of look that told someone exactly how willing you were to crush them underfoot.

...Of course, it then shifted right back to her usual sly expression.

"I don't think they'd send you of all people to come keep tabs on little old us. No offense, of course. Something tells me you're here for something else, and as a client, we're all too happy to help out however we can. Like, for instance, making you look a little less like a poor lost puppy."

The woman's grip on Alastair's arm shifted from the vice-like hold it had been to something a little closer to a genuinely affectionate gesture, one that certainly would have seemed more natural to anyone who saw the two of them. Of course, if he happened to actually be smitten by her charms, that was a bonus.

Her menacing smile was certainly off-putting, but the bodyguards of Lady Duvalier were hardly expected to be pleasant characters when they were dealing with potential threats. That said, he genuinely meant her no harm and as such had very little to worry about. He could not imagine what they had to gain by taking him out, given how irrelevant he was to the grander scheme of things, so it was only a potential risk to them if they did so.

"I suppose I am surprised that you even remembered me, honoured even. I know the Duvalier Group deals with a lot of clients on any one day."

Alastair felt the pressure release on his arm, which was a small relief, so, in turn, he returned his other arm back to his side. The whole gesture looked more relaxed now, a little less of an attempt at a grapple and more like something that normal people would do.

"As for my business, would you believe me if I said I was here on holiday? Vastime is such a lovely country when you give it some time, the climate is right up my street."

His porcelain skin might have suggested the opposite at a passing glance but, taking a moment to actually study him, it did indeed seem that Alastair was well adjusted to the heat. He was sweating, just a little, but hardly more than any of the natives - and perhaps that was because a woman had nearly ripped his arm off. Still, his gaze was serious but not in a threatening way. He was a serious individual after all, so it could be said he was keeping up appearances.

"There's no success to be found in treating our business partners as if they're expendable, now is there? A little care goes a long way in our line of work. After all, who would you want to buy a case of medical supplies from? A typical business man, or me?"

Though Eliane gave him what was obviously a flirtatious look, and one which was quite well-honed at that, her actual attitude made it clear that there wasn't terribly much meaning behind it other than to convey a point. But, of course, if it did work, that was all the better for her.

"I wouldn't believe that for even a second, but I'm also perfectly content to let you keep on pretending. It's cute."

The condescension was fairly transparent in that statement, though it wasn't really as though she actually wanted him to go anywhere. If anything, she rather liked having someone to toy around with while she handled this little patrol.

"Well, Mr. Holiday Man, I'm sure the boss would be happy to say hello if you've got a little time to spare."

That was, of course, a lie. Claudia was never happy about anything. But Eliane knew she'd probably enjoy the opportunity to make a better connection with someone in the Vandenreich.

Her looks were certainly flattering, especially given how effortlessly she weaved them into the conversation, but Alastair was glad that this was not his first time meeting the woman or her company. He would certainly have naively believed in her interest elsewise, now it was just a passing curiosity. She was a pretty young businesswoman, after all, but he was fortunate that he had a prettier woman back home. Still, Elaine seemed to enjoy the dance so what good would it do to take it from her?

"There is certainly some truth to that, the Duvalier Group does have some unique perks and attractions when it comes to doing business."

Of course, he had not expected the simple lie of being on holiday to find any traction. He had wondered if she would make a more concerted effort to let him keep up that cover story.

"Then this tourist is happy to keep such good company for a while longer yet. If Lady Claudia wishes to speak with me then I would be honoured, but remember that I am only here as myself. Not as an authorised agent of the Vandenreich or anything else."

"Oh, we do indeed. Especially for our most loyal clients."

It was just in Eliane's nature to tease, if only to see how people reacted, how she could mess with them even further. It was funny, and it wasn't like there was too much in her life that could be counted as "leisure time."

"Of course, of course. I didn't even know you were with the Vandenreich, actually. You seemed like such a charming, normal guy here on holiday. Why would I ever guess you were here with them?"

The sly smile that was omnipresent on Eliane's face only grew all the more as she teased at him. If he wanted to maintain the pretense that he was on holiday, then she was perfectly willing to help him maintain the illusion. It was in no small part for her own entertainment, of course, but it was still important to keep up the appearance for business reasons. The last thing Eliane was looking for was to be replaced.

"Well you're in luck, since I'm about to head back to the penthouse. Ooh, maybe if we make it up fast enough, you might get to catch Arlette in her workout clothes. Guys like that sort of thing, right? Or is the boss more your type? She'll spend whole days working in her underwear, you know, but don't tell her I said that."

Or do. Either one, it'd probably be entertaining if he did. Eliane simply kept that same smile as always with every step, as she led the way into Duvalier HQ as if security hardly even mattered. She was a little bit above all that, after all.

Now here was someone who was definitely trying to get a rise out of him, in some way or another. Though it did make Alastair wonder exactly what he was getting into with this venture, he did believe there was something practical going on beneath all these layers of suggestive comments and longing stares. But he should not play into it, would not play into it, any more than necessary to be civil.

"I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page, business is not why I am here."

His cheeks did flush with colour as she mentioned the potential of catching her colleagues in their small clothes, squirming just a little against her grip. Of course, the chance of that being a genuine possibility was likely around zero percent but even still the thought was scandalous enough alone. Not that he should even be thinking about it. Squashing down those thoughts, the faintest hint of a smile crossed his lips.

"I have no desire to catch your employer unawares, that might be counterproductive to future negotiations. We should be professional, even if you are just doing me a favour, and avoid such risks."

Unlike Eliane, who was far above the clearance of the numerous security checkpoints, Alastair did exchange a few serious glances with various agents. None dared to approach him whilst he was locked in this embrace, but he did quietly hope that he received a similar escort when it came time for him to leave.