Havoc's Dropship

Me: Well its not so much putting Him into a book, but that I want to write so badly I can hardly stand it. And so far he is the only character I have. I don't know what type of story I want to write, I don't even have an idea. All I know is I want to write and Hes in my head, so thats where I'm starting. *shrugs* I don't know what else to do, I'm new at this.

Vance is still over in by the wall, not paying attention to anything, or anyone

*Rachel nodds*

Alright.

*Turns her attention to Vance*

So, what kind of work makes you so cutthroat you can't afford allies?

Vance raises his head and shoots a bored look at Rachel.
"Not all allies are bad. Only a few are worth it. My work" He snorts "My work varries. I'm what you could call a personal consultant. I make money in anyway I can. I work for very important people." He gave her a quick wink "Very important."

*The edges of her eyebrow can be seen over the edge of her glasses*

Important hunh? *She crosses her arms across her chest* Well from your answers earlier, we can assume that none of your clients are "personally" important to you. Although, *pauses a long moment and the edge of her mouth twitches* What makes an ally worth it, Vance?

Vance shrugs
"What he knows, who he knows and what he has to trade for information. Everyone thinks that if you have money you have power. And to an extent they're right. But not all money is power and you have to know where that line is. Say some guys comes up to me and offers me millions of dollars of a job; but then another one comes to me with the same job, less money, but he has a long list of friends just like him that I can use to my advantage. I go with the second guy."

Cindys watching this exchange with wonder. She had no idea what kind of business Vance was in, and hardly understood anything he just said.

*Rachel uncrosses her arms and leans forward just a bit*

"could you clarify jobs, Vance?"

"Oh you know. I help business men make their buisnesses more successful. I'm a coach, a trainer. I learn tricks and short cuts and pass them on. I pick up alot of new skills along the way."
Vance readjusts his sitting position on the wall, "I'm a buisness man at heart, and you all know the world of buisness. Its a jungle. Dog eat Dog. I'm not a big dog but I'm clever and willing to play by the rules of the jungle, no matter what they are. As long as their is a big pay check in my future and the potential for more."
Vance stops to think then laughs under his breath. "I know you're about to say that before I said money isn't always the draw, but its still a big draw. You can't get along in this world without money."

sounds to me like your business is just a little on the shady side there Vance. *Rachel sneers a bit* And it is all about the money.

*sits back a bit and recrosses her arms across her chest*

*The woman grins at Havoc and extends her hand* My name is Listtly. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you, even though I do already know your name. You'll find I'm not a stickler for social boundries, or any other confines, as it were. *she turns her silver head over to acknowledge Rachel* I do believe you have something to that statement.

Vance. Why is it you are so addict to money? What is the allure? Fame? Shallow Fortune? Security? Saving a small race of people?

Vance barks out a short laugh.
"Well, Listtly was it, Even though saving a small race sounds like a load of fun thats not exactly what I'm into." He turns back to Rachel and sneers back.
"Of course its shady, do you know any job that pays as well thats not shady?" He genuinely laughs a little "Its what I do. I like the money, I like to see it get bigger in my bank account. I watch it grow and become better, always knowing that I will never do without. I'll have an escape. Its comforting."

Mmm... Yes. But what would happen if all of a sudden your account was drained?

*chuckles deeply* Oh, that wouldn't be fun now would it? Losing all that security, all that freedom. Tell me, are you often cowardly, or just on good days? *Listtly inspects her nails before gracefully leaving her chair to begin pacing* As I see it, your refusal to give us any more information than what you deem "necessary" is a hindrance to us. You are little more than a sneak thief, and black bag dealer. Those can be picked up over any counter, and with a better price. If you want to get into a book as anything more then a back stage puppet, I'd suggest you open your tight lips and tell us what makes you so special. Why, on goods green earth, would anyone put you into a novel? And we're talking the library shelf kind here.

*gasps* I'm sorry Havoc, I got carried away. Vance, answer Havoc first.

Rachel gives Listtly an impressed look before turning back to Vance.

Vance stands flexing his fists, his face steely. Cindy leans back in her chair, not knowing how he will answer the questions. Yes he's her character, but shes finding that He might be more then she can handle.

Vance looks over at Cindy, remembering that this is what he was here for and if he really did want to be put in a novel he would have to cooperate. Even if they were grilling him with questions that were meant to annoy.
He opens his fists, put stands perfectly still. "If my account, or should we say accounts were all drained I'd start over again. I've had nothing before, I know how that feels. I've learned from experience that I don't want that life again. I'll make more money."
It felt wrong to be telling these people anything just because they asked. In his world If you had money you'd live until you pay, if you had information you lived until you talked, if you had nothing you were pretty much disposable. He had money and information, if they took his money he'd still be able to get more.

He turned toward Listtly with a grim smile. "I'm not special. I never claimed to be. I'm here because Cindy wants to write a novel, she needs characters for that, she needs help. I'm all she has. I didn't want to be here, I'm here for her. Call me a coward if you will. I know exactly what I am, I'm not always proud of it but what can I do." He shrugs
"As for being in a novel, It would be nice. I've said it before and I'll say it again now, I'll answer your questions. I haven't been extremely forth coming, I don't want to. None of you seem to know what to do with the information I've given you so far, I dont see how more will help, but I promised I would."

Yes, money and information can be useful, and from your world it sounds like anyone can be bought. But what would you do if you found a man who couldn't be bought?

*Rachel turns her head towards Havoc and sighs*

Everyone can be bought. For some it is God, some money, others dreams or family. NO one, I mean no one is above being bought. You just have to find the right price. Isn't that right Vance?

*She stands and stalks back to Vance*

Now, get this straight, you might be a hard-ass jerk, but it seems Cindy wants to make you into a story. Thing is, you got to have some sort of weakness, some sort of trouble or doubts about yourself or about what you do. It has to be something interesting.

*Vance makes to reply and get up but Rachel stops him with a jerk of her hand and leans in closer*

Sit down and shut up a moment. Stories are about conflict. The best ones are internal. Doubt. Insecurity. Conflict.

You said at one time you had nothing, now you have everything. What is the story in that? Where is your conflict Vance?

*Steps back a bit as she sees the anger in his eyes, but just enough she is no longer in his "personal space"

What is your weakness Vance?

*Listtly claps for Rachel* You are daring arn't you? Bravo! *She smiles smoothly over to Vance* it doesn't sound like it darling, but we are helping you. You just need to helps us a little more. In fact after you answer a few of these I have a surprise for you. *winks*

Vance looks through thin eyes at Rachel and Listtly, whatever she has as his surprise wasn't incentive, but he'll answer the questions anyway. The choas in his head seemed to become more cluttered as he tried to pin point exactly the answer they were looking for.

He closed his eyes tight, inhaled and exhaled slowly. When he opened them the anger he felt had abated somewhat and he didn't feel the need to storm out of the room and slam the door. Or agrue a defense he didn't feel. Or punch Rachel.

He decided to answer Havocs question first. "Rachels right, everyone can be bought. But if I ever did run into someone who couldn't be bought in the typical sense, I'd try to use persausion. Everyone has a spot, soft, hard, what have you, but they do. You just have to poke and prod until you hit it. Use charm, sweet talk, anger, fear, threats, bribes... the list goes on." He grinned more to himself then to his audience. "I prefer making deals. You can make some excellent deals if you play your cards right; you might end up with more then you bargained for."

He took another deep breath, gearing up for the next question posed to him. His conflict. He dove right in "My parents didn't care about their children. They had them because thats what you do. You get married, have babies, live happily ever after. Or fake it. My parents faked it. My mother having a job with small children at home was unheard of in our small town. My father made enough money that she didn't have to work, so her job was even more curious. What did I care, I was the oldest, I had my own job sense I was 13. I worked for a cabinet maker who was trying to keep his family business running. I watched my sisters be neglected by my mother,I figured thats how moms treated their children, I don't even know if she remember she had an older son."
Vance started pacing. His life wasn't interesting, at least not to him. But he continued his story, again reciting it as it if reading from a biography of someone else.
"My father worked in his study all day, never leaving it except to retreve a book he left some where else. I don't know if he ever ate. My mom was always at parties, she was beautiful, men loved her, and she loved them. My father found her in the arms of another man, I don't think he cared. He just told her to lock the door when she left. After that, no one cared about any of us. My sisters were still in school, heck I was still in school though I rarely went."
Vances eyes grew cloudy, as if watching some far off picture. "One night one of my sisters snuck into my room. She was pale and sickly. I don't remember which sister it was, I have three. She told me that, Nova, I think, was sick and that she didn't know what to do. She looked so scared, asking me. She looked at me as if I was a stranger, a person to fear. She looked sick herself. How did I not notice my sisters fate when my mother left. Had it been weeks or months. After that I knew I had to do something. I wrote to my grandparents in America and told them what happened. Three weeks later we flew over to live with them."
He continued to pace the room.
"They spent all the money they had to bring us over. They weren't well off to start with. I worked everday after school with my grandpa, my grandmother home schooled my sisters. The day I graduated I left home. I sent money back whenever I could. I only returned home when my granmother died." He sighed "I don't know where my sisters are. I don't care where my parents are. I still send money to my grandpa. I don't remember many happy moments. But the first time I ever felt loved was the day I arrived, got off the plane and my grandmother was waiting with open arms."
Finishing his tale he glared at Rachel. "Enough conflict for you? Family drama, unloved youth. Do you need more or did that cover it?"

*Rachel gave him a wicked smile*

Inconsistant Vance. Your sisters, you know where they are. You may not contact them often but you know where they are. Why else would you have gone to work at such a young age? Why would you have written that letter to your grandparents?

*Her posture softened a bit*

Admit it Vance, you care for them and it scares the shit out of you to say it.

Vance locked his gaze on Rachel.
"Noo, I really don't know where they are. I'm not completely heartless, I couldn't leave small children to die, that would make me a villain. And I am not a villian. A bad guy perhaps, but not a villain." He shrugged his shoulders. "My Grandpa knows where they are. He keeps in contact with them and has off handedly mentioned them when he writes, which is approxamitely twice a year. I know they are alive, nothing more."

Now he stood taking a strong standing position "As for what scares me. Honey you have no idea what being afriad is. Its not of the thing Havoc threatened to sick on us, or of the "surprise" Listtly has in store. Fear is very real in the world I live in." He smirked "If I was afraid of admitting something so small as affection for my sisters, I would be a very poor man indeed."

*Listtly smirks at the reference to her "scary" surprise.* Tell me poppet, would you consider ever finding your sisters? Or perhaps, *tisk* turning your life around? I do believe a story could be made out of both of those scenarios ..

*Rachel turns her head a bit to Listtly*
He isn't the type. No he's the love 'em and leave 'em type. Aren't you Vance?

*Turns back to him*
As to fear... *she stepps forward just a bit* I know it all too well. That feeling in the pit of your stomach as it churns. You don't know if you're going to vomit or shit yourself. That feeling were everything is crystal clear, you fight, you flee, you hurt, you die. Or at least feel like you want to.

*the edges of her lip twitches*
But then again, there is a lot worse out there to fear than that.

*Sighs* One can hope.

Vance slouches, his body relaxing from the tense postion. He ran a hand over his face and through his hair. He faces Listtly. "My sisters are better off where they are without my trying to find them. They're happy, I hope. Lets leave them alone. But the turn my life around thing..." the sound of deep breath is heard "I don't know how to do that, but I could. I think." He shot a look at Rachel.
"That exact kind of fear is something I would gladly give up."

*Rachel is still tense but takes a deep breath before shaking her head a bit*

Then why don't you? What steps would you have to take to make sure the life you lead now never follows you to happily ever after?