Got Your Money [Claudia, Sigurd]

Physical labor and regular interaction with subordinates wasn't something Claudia was particularly opposed to, but it was something she'd naturally fallen out of the habit of as she'd found more success. The shipping business, and soon after the Duvalier Group on the whole, hardly required she walk the floors, test and assess the fruits of manual labor. By contrast, this new facade at Cambronne Heavy Industries put her into a position where she seemed to always be assisting the employees with one thing or another. Wearing a suit seemed pointless, given how regularly she had taken off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves, but such was how Ms. Cambronne had always run things, and Claudia had no intention of abandoning her new life simply because it wasn't to her natural taste.

No, if anything, it was refreshing. Whether that was the taste of freedom, or simply some sort of bleedover from Cambronne's memories that she'd assimilated, was impossible to say for certain. Regardless, Claudia walked briskly toward her office, jacket slung over one shoulder as she checked her watch for the time. Perfect, still on schedule. Her favorite mercenary should likely be here by now. After all, she'd told him to come to Brazil whenever he was finished with his work, and even as "Ms. Cambronne," she'd sent him a warm invitation.

It was simply a matter of seeing what the supposed dragonslayer did now. Particularly with the intelligence she'd paid him so handsomely to collect.

Another day, another job. He's grown tired of the back and forth, the hoops and hurdles. However, his need to secure a worry free retirement always kept his curse fresh. Even now, out of the corner of his eye, his stoic gaze could see it laying against the jeep's door. He could feel its waxing presence call to him. Nevertheless, he made sure the radio blasted as he made his way to where he's needed.

It was surprising to see something so familiar after watching the news. He had thought he'd go without pay, but his subconscious knew that it wouldn't be the end. Miss Duvalier's not the type to let her grudge be buried so easily, not like Sigurd is conscious of it. No one hires a mercenary like him unless they have one though, and she's lucky he's not the type to pry.

Still, he's disgusted by the idea that the dead's not dead, but he lives in a world where the dead is hardly actually dead. There's just a weird normalcy to this weird cycle of life, and Miss Duvalier's blatant trivialization of it always made him wary. That didn't stop him from pulling up and stepping out of his vehicle, fully armored. He's not the type to let his guard down, not even around her, especially not around her.

Ah, there he was. Always punctual, and always professional. That was why Claudia had made a habit of hiring him whenever she needed something handled, and information on what exactly had occurred in Africa was at an absolute premium right now. The Gotei and Vandenreich both had made no small headache when it came to that, and with this new life in Trestrellas, her network didn't quite have the reach it used to.

In time, though. In time. For now, she simply walked briskly toward the entryway of Cambronne Heavy Industries headquarters, greeting the mercenary with a warm, confident smile and an outstretched hand, the other in her pocket as she kept up a profoundly casual air. Francesca Cambronne, after all, was a friendly and sociable woman, a far cry from Claudia Duvalier.

"Good to meet you, Sigurd. Ms. Duvalier said you're one of the best in the business, and she kept me up to date on what you'd be bringing here. Course, I didn't think everything'd quite go this way, but the world keeps turning and all that. C'mon, let's walk and talk."

Gesturing to follow, Claudia then gave a short wave to one of the other employees passing by, her grin never falling. Oh, it felt so strange to be so chipper, but it wasn't unpleasant.

He said nothing as he followed behind, unsure of what to make of this. Claudia's dead, presumably. He has no reason to believe she is despite the news. As a person who used to go on covert operations, situations like this are a dime a dozen. It's hilarious that the populace eats it up though. However, Ms. Cambronne comes off friendly. Sigurd can't say he's interacted with her too much due to his profession, but if Claudia's telling him to come here, then... Well, he'll not think too hard about it. He's here for a paycheck, not to play mental gymnastics.

"I have everything you need," He'd finally put out, pulling out a small flash drive.

"Oh, yeah? Everything is a big claim, but I won't complain if you've got all the R&D for the competition on there."

Claudia knew, of course, exactly what sort of intelligence to expect from this flash drive. She was the one who'd had him seek all this out in the first place, after all. But that little quip had crossed her mind in the spur of the moment, and she'd found it amusing enough to say. Oh, this new life of hers really was having more impact on her than expected, hm? She might have thought that was a dreadful thing, but then again, she'd intended to go undiscovered, hadn't she? If it came naturally to act differently, all the better.

"I'll see to it that ample payment is wired to you, then. I wouldn't want you to think I'm going to cheap out on you just because I'm not quite as wealthy as Ms. Duvalier was. Tell me, are you available for another job soon? Ah, anything to drink?"

As they walked into her office, a luxuriously-decorated area with a stunning view of the sea, Claudia poured herself a cup of black coffee, taking a sip of it as her gaze, cheerful and almost playful, turned back to the mercenary.

In the world of killers and whatnot, it's not hard to find someone who'd sell out their own for a quick buck. Sigurd had his ways of securing whatever he wanted, using backhanded means to gain any upper hand available. He's never suffered any consequences either, but that's because he's not one to broadcast himself for the world to know. He'll know who he's talking to eons before they know who they're talking to, but guess when it comes to this particular spiderweb of companies, he's become something more than a simple myth.

He's become a reliable business partner, and part of him hates that, but part of him is complacent with having a steady workflow. Either way, he doesn't have a quip to fire back, nor does he answer her at first when she asked about another job or a drink. His eyes simply scanned her office for a second, taking in the atmosphere. He's gauging whether he wants to continue this. With Claudia gone, he's unsure of his future here, of if these people are reliable and secure. It's a shame, but he's was somewhat accustomed to that woman's dastardly charm.

"Oh, the silent, stoic type, I see. Well, I'll pour one for you, and you can decide if you're interested."

Claudia smiled a little more as she made another cup of coffee for Sigurd, setting it on the far side of her desk for him if he wanted. She could have sat neatly in her office chair, but that wasn't really her style nowadays. Instead, she simply sat on her desk, one leg casually crossed over the other as she studied the man before her.

"We here at Cambronne Heavy Industries are in the business of knocking things down, Mr. Sigurd. That puts at odds with certain people here on Earth who would rather just build upward forever. Building is all well and good too, of course, but you can't do that forever. I'll be honest with you, we've had explosive growth in these past couple of years. Forming Trestrellas only made it even faster. We've got eyes on us that we aren't used to, and we could use assurance of a big strong man to scare off anyone who would want to ruin what we've put together here."

Another sip of her coffee, and Claudia's gaze shifted to her office's floor to ceiling windows, a view of the gulf that was formerly Brazil that most would have killed to have. Miss Cambronne had certainly had extravagant tastes for her mediocre performance, hm?

"So, how would you like a position as security consultant? Don't worry, I know you're a man who's probably in high demand, so I won't make you stay here all the time. I'd just like to ask that you be on call if something comes up. I'll happily pay a salary that's more than in line with the pay I've already given you. And benefits, of course."

What benefits those were wasn't particularly clear, but Claudia's smile seemed to snake its way into something just a little bit more sly. Even after all of their dealings, she didn't quite know what it was that made this man tick. She rather wanted to see what he might want.

He did not move in the slightest, listening to every word from Miss Cambronne's mouth. He does not know what she meant by knocking things down, but he can only surmise why she'd have enemies if she does what first came to mind. Having himself being tied to something like this could prove problematic for any future endeavors, but he did work with Miss Claudia a lot. If anything, he's being asked to have something similar to what he allowed the deceased.

However, she promised more, didn't she? What possible benefits could she mean? Why the sly grin? It wouldn't be the first someone has tried to find what's underneath the armor, but Sigurd knows to never let anyone in, especially an unknown.

"I figured. Every business claims they're doing something, but it's the same back and forth I've come to know."

His arms folded over his chest, his expression hidden, but he is definitely frowning. Something about his stance is giving it away.

"I will give you the same I gave Miss Duvalier, simply because she pointed me in your direction. Call me when you need me. If that means paying me a salary, so be it. I will share a number that you, and only you, are allowed to contact me through. If any other gets a hold of it..."

Well, he'll not share any specifics of what'll happen. He might simply disappear. He might appear under her bed. Who knows, but Miss Cambronne is probably happy with what just occurred. Claudia didn't have a specific number to call him on, but she also didn't pay him a salary. You adapt to what you must.

He was such a treat, wasn't he? So serious and stern, but that was what Claudia liked about him. Much fun as it was to try and see Sigurd squirm, this was still an important matter, rebuilding important connections when it came to business.

"I'm quite honored. Well, you give me the destination, and I'll have 150,000 dollars wired to you. Unless you prefer to be paid in cash, which of course we can still arrange."

Emptying the cup of coffee, Claudia's expression seemed to grow more serious, the sly grin shifting into a more genuine smile that always came when she was doing what she loved. This was business, and it would lead to hurting people.

"Rest assured, nobody will be calling you but me."

"Then I will have the phone sent to you tomorrow. If that is all..." He thought about it for a second. "I will have information about an account on this phone. Send the money there. I like to only carry a specific amount of cash."

He does not know what comes next in this situation, but he does know that this woman's smile is edging dangerously too close to a familiar look. Maybe this is why Claudia sent him here. Another woman like her? Why not send your best worker to someone you know will treat him exactly as wanted? However, Sigurd isn't here to dissect anything.

"If that is all... I will be on my way. Any requests you have, be sure to send a message my way. A salary man must make his keep."