| Mar 14, 2016 2:29:28 GMT -5 |
Post by Alfred F. Jones on Mar 14, 2016 2:29:28 GMT -5
it's a
revolution
Word count: 1137
Tags: Vash Zwingli
Alfred hadn't been to the Underground in a while. Long enough, Alfred hoped, that anyone he had encountered had completely forgotten about his existence. He looked different, after all. Just a typical businessman. A typical businessman with light brown hair and dark eyes, that is. Alfred was here on business. Freedom Fighter business, yes, but business nevertheless.
Alfred wasn't really supposed to be working on anything for Gilbert's factory other than helping him with planning and coordinating the FF's cooperation, but Alfred had specifically asked to step in for this case. It was a unique situation after all, and one that Alfred hoped to take advantage of.
He remembered when the arrest had happened. Read about it in the papers, actually, which had sent Alfred into a spiral of research. He had dug through layers of people professing their shock and indignation, with demands for the government to more carefully comb through their ranks to weed out any potential mutants.
Alfred's reaction, like most people in Archadia, had been disbelief, and if he was honest with himself, perhaps a little disgust. How had someone in power, who could have done something for the betterment of mutants, simply just turned a blind eye for so long?
Then again, Alfred was hardly one to judge. Alfred had done plenty in the U.S. that he wasn't exactly proud of. So he did his best to set his own opinions on the matter aside as he focused on the task at hand.
Alfred had done his share of research on Vash Zwingli. It had, unfortunately, involved a fair amount of probably inaccurate translation, as he'd found himself examining articles from Switzerland on the Zwingli family. He got the gist of most of it though, enough that Alfred should theoretically be well-versed in the man's experiences.
At any rate, Zwingli could potentially be a great source of information. The newspapers had all been rather vague on exactly what Zwingli had done in the government, which had struck Alfred as unusual. He'd worked in something associated with mutant control, as far as Alfred could tell, and a position supposedly near the top. Zwingli was an untapped fountain of information, and perhaps, now that he was in the same situation that he had landed countless others in, Zwingli would be willing to talk.
Alfred entered the main administrative office of the Underground, giving a smile to the woman at the counter.
"Welcome to the Underground. How may I help you today?"
"Hi, I'm Ryan Carlson with KNP Materials and Manufacturing. I'm here to interview a potential candidate for our future factory, Mr. Vash Zwingli."
The woman nodded, typing a few words into her computer before looking back up. "Yes, your appointment is in ten minutes. A guard will escort you to the interview room. The mutant will be restrained at all times and your conversation will be recorded. If you wouldn't mind signing this waiver..."
Alfred took the clipboard and pen from the woman, making careful note of her words. He'd anticipated as much. It would be immensely difficult, Alfred was certain, to conduct a real conversation knowing that they were being monitored. Alfred would have to choose his words carefully, and hope that Zwingli could read between the lines. Alfred had a backup plan to alter any audio just in case anything sensitive might slip, but the less footage he manipulated, the better. Luckily, Gilbert had told Alfred of several other interviews that had been conducted prior to this one and how they had gone, which would hopefully have convinced the Underground that there were no underlying motives for the factory itself.
Alfred made quick work of the waiver, skimming through the various clauses about how the Underground was not to be held liable for any accidents and more details about how their session would be recorded “for security's sake.”
Alfred had just signed off the paper and returned it to the woman at the front desk when a guard buzzed in. “This is Dmitri. He'll be escorting you to your interview.”
"Thank you, Anastasiya." Alfred gave a smile to the woman before heading into the Underground with Dmitri.
It was a short walk to the interview room. "Right in here, sir," Dmitri said gruffly. "The mutant is already inside. Would you like me to accompany you during your interview?"
"No, I think we'll be alright." The previous interviewers had done the same, so it shouldn't be a surprise, and Dmitri did not insist on entering in after him.
"Hello Mr. Zwingli," Alfred said easily.
Alfred observed Vash with a careful eye, comparing it to images he had seen online. Overall, not that different. Short, blonde hair, piercing green eyes, and a scowl. Looked about right. And, well, Alfred wasn't certain, but he definitely looked short. He was shackled to the chair. Alfred had considered shaking the man's hand, but it really looked like that wasn't an option. It would be awkward, and probably just make Vash more guarded against him.
Alfred wondered if that frown on his face ever disappeared.
"I'm Ryan Carlson, with KNP Manufacturing," Alfred said, settling into his more professional persona as he sat himself across from Vash. He reached into his briefcase, taking out a folder on Vash and opening it before offering Vash a faint smile. "In case you're unaware, KNP is looking to start a factory here. I'm here interviewing potential candidates to work in the factory."
Alfred paused. "I have to be honest, Mr. Zwingli, you're not typical of most candidates we're considering for this program. Your recent entrance into the Underground, for instance, makes you unusual. However, we are rather interested in your history. You have experience working in an administrative sense, something that most mutants in this place lack. This interview, more than anything, is to give KNP a better understanding of who you are personally and how you would work in this kind of environment."
Alfred folded his hands on the desk. "I know this is probably sudden, and you're most likely disinclined to speak to someone such as myself, but this really is an opportunity I'd like you to consider. I can give you a more detailed description on how we envision the factory to be, if you'd like to hear that. Before we get to that though, let's talk more about you. How would you describe yourself? Are you interested in working at all?"
To be honest, Alfred hadn't the faintest idea how Vash would respond to these questions. Alfred simply wanted to see what kind of state of mind he was in, and most importantly, whether or not he could have the answers Alfred sought. That would all come later, of course. Right now, this had to look like a legitimate interview for KNP before they could get anywhere.
Alfred wasn't really supposed to be working on anything for Gilbert's factory other than helping him with planning and coordinating the FF's cooperation, but Alfred had specifically asked to step in for this case. It was a unique situation after all, and one that Alfred hoped to take advantage of.
He remembered when the arrest had happened. Read about it in the papers, actually, which had sent Alfred into a spiral of research. He had dug through layers of people professing their shock and indignation, with demands for the government to more carefully comb through their ranks to weed out any potential mutants.
Alfred's reaction, like most people in Archadia, had been disbelief, and if he was honest with himself, perhaps a little disgust. How had someone in power, who could have done something for the betterment of mutants, simply just turned a blind eye for so long?
Then again, Alfred was hardly one to judge. Alfred had done plenty in the U.S. that he wasn't exactly proud of. So he did his best to set his own opinions on the matter aside as he focused on the task at hand.
Alfred had done his share of research on Vash Zwingli. It had, unfortunately, involved a fair amount of probably inaccurate translation, as he'd found himself examining articles from Switzerland on the Zwingli family. He got the gist of most of it though, enough that Alfred should theoretically be well-versed in the man's experiences.
At any rate, Zwingli could potentially be a great source of information. The newspapers had all been rather vague on exactly what Zwingli had done in the government, which had struck Alfred as unusual. He'd worked in something associated with mutant control, as far as Alfred could tell, and a position supposedly near the top. Zwingli was an untapped fountain of information, and perhaps, now that he was in the same situation that he had landed countless others in, Zwingli would be willing to talk.
Alfred entered the main administrative office of the Underground, giving a smile to the woman at the counter.
"Welcome to the Underground. How may I help you today?"
"Hi, I'm Ryan Carlson with KNP Materials and Manufacturing. I'm here to interview a potential candidate for our future factory, Mr. Vash Zwingli."
The woman nodded, typing a few words into her computer before looking back up. "Yes, your appointment is in ten minutes. A guard will escort you to the interview room. The mutant will be restrained at all times and your conversation will be recorded. If you wouldn't mind signing this waiver..."
Alfred took the clipboard and pen from the woman, making careful note of her words. He'd anticipated as much. It would be immensely difficult, Alfred was certain, to conduct a real conversation knowing that they were being monitored. Alfred would have to choose his words carefully, and hope that Zwingli could read between the lines. Alfred had a backup plan to alter any audio just in case anything sensitive might slip, but the less footage he manipulated, the better. Luckily, Gilbert had told Alfred of several other interviews that had been conducted prior to this one and how they had gone, which would hopefully have convinced the Underground that there were no underlying motives for the factory itself.
Alfred made quick work of the waiver, skimming through the various clauses about how the Underground was not to be held liable for any accidents and more details about how their session would be recorded “for security's sake.”
Alfred had just signed off the paper and returned it to the woman at the front desk when a guard buzzed in. “This is Dmitri. He'll be escorting you to your interview.”
"Thank you, Anastasiya." Alfred gave a smile to the woman before heading into the Underground with Dmitri.
It was a short walk to the interview room. "Right in here, sir," Dmitri said gruffly. "The mutant is already inside. Would you like me to accompany you during your interview?"
"No, I think we'll be alright." The previous interviewers had done the same, so it shouldn't be a surprise, and Dmitri did not insist on entering in after him.
"Hello Mr. Zwingli," Alfred said easily.
Alfred observed Vash with a careful eye, comparing it to images he had seen online. Overall, not that different. Short, blonde hair, piercing green eyes, and a scowl. Looked about right. And, well, Alfred wasn't certain, but he definitely looked short. He was shackled to the chair. Alfred had considered shaking the man's hand, but it really looked like that wasn't an option. It would be awkward, and probably just make Vash more guarded against him.
Alfred wondered if that frown on his face ever disappeared.
"I'm Ryan Carlson, with KNP Manufacturing," Alfred said, settling into his more professional persona as he sat himself across from Vash. He reached into his briefcase, taking out a folder on Vash and opening it before offering Vash a faint smile. "In case you're unaware, KNP is looking to start a factory here. I'm here interviewing potential candidates to work in the factory."
Alfred paused. "I have to be honest, Mr. Zwingli, you're not typical of most candidates we're considering for this program. Your recent entrance into the Underground, for instance, makes you unusual. However, we are rather interested in your history. You have experience working in an administrative sense, something that most mutants in this place lack. This interview, more than anything, is to give KNP a better understanding of who you are personally and how you would work in this kind of environment."
Alfred folded his hands on the desk. "I know this is probably sudden, and you're most likely disinclined to speak to someone such as myself, but this really is an opportunity I'd like you to consider. I can give you a more detailed description on how we envision the factory to be, if you'd like to hear that. Before we get to that though, let's talk more about you. How would you describe yourself? Are you interested in working at all?"
To be honest, Alfred hadn't the faintest idea how Vash would respond to these questions. Alfred simply wanted to see what kind of state of mind he was in, and most importantly, whether or not he could have the answers Alfred sought. That would all come later, of course. Right now, this had to look like a legitimate interview for KNP before they could get anywhere.
i suppose
by Worldie for Leia
