LOG | Warren, Vanessa, Bishop and Jennifer

[x-highflying.livejournal.com]

Walters and Worthington meets X-Factor Investigations. It goes... well, it goes.

Backdated due to my fail in posting!

Warren and Jennifer had made the decision about the location for their new office - it was the space Jean-Paul had shown him, not far from the XFI offices. He'd also told Jennifer about Bishop's proposal, and arranged a meeting between his new partner and the private investigators they would be working with. He'd thought about doing it in public somewhere, but had ended up just deciding to show Bishop and Vanessa the new office space at the same time. So he'd given them all the date, time and address and asked them to meet him there.

He was there waiting for them when they arrived, the space still empty but for the desk chair he was sitting on, a low back allowing him to drape his wings over the back. There was also a small coffee table in front of him, with a bottle of scotch and four glasses.

One should also come prepared with these things, after all. Though he was very sure that everyone joining him could drink him under the table in a heartbeat.

Jennifer raised an amused eyebrow at him when she entered the room and saw the table. "Scotch, Warren? I didn't realize this was going to be a party, I would have dressed up."

Warren grinned back. "Now now, when I throw a party, you'll know about it." There would be invitations. Caterers. Possibly even decorations.

"I think there are rules about meet and greets and alcohol. Important ones. I wouldn't want to mess things up by breaking the rules."

Vanessa glanced over at her partner before rapping on the door. "You know having lawyers on retainer will only encourage me to skirt the law more, correct?" She smiled at Bishop, mostly joking and slightly amused. It was unlikely much of anything could discourage her from skirting the law when she wanted to, or deemed it necessary for that fact. It had been Lucas' idea to put Warren on retainer and while Vanessa had been iffy on a professional relationship with her...sort of ex sort of maybe not an ex-boyfriend she hadn't put up a fight about it. Lawyers were handy and they would likely bring X-Factor more business as well.

"I've been thinking about that. Instead of threatening you with the law, I'm going to keep the office in line with body slams." Bishop smirked slightly as he joked back, still facing the door instead of Vanessa.

"As your lawyer, I feel like I should advise against that." Warren opened the door, grinning at Bishop and nodding to Vanessa before stepping back to let them in.

"Come on in. Jennifer's already here."

"See, he's on my side." Vanessa grinned. "I like this whole having a lawyer bit. Warren tells you that you shouldn't do things and I can simply stand here and be smug," she said as she stepped past her partner and into the office. "Though I suspect you'll have issues being taken seriously without furniture. People are very superficial and particular that way."

"Warren is leaving the choice of furniture to me", Jennifer announced cheerfully, standing to greet them. "Pleased to meet you... Vanessa, isn't it?"

"Yes," Warren replied with a smile. "Jennifer, this is Vanessa Carlysle and Lucas Bishop. Vanessa and Bishop, this is Jennifer Walters." There, introductions made.

Bishop waited his turn patiently and took Jennifer's hand in his giant bear paw to greet her. "Warren likes to enable Vanessa. I assume you'll be the partner that supports my views?" His voice had the slight edge of a joke to it.

She shook his hand with a smile, obviously unfazed by his size. "I think I'll try to be the partner who arbitrates. People don't seem to like arguing with me, for some reason."

Vanessa looked the green woman up and down at that comment. Aside from her height and the physical aspects of her mutation there was very little about her the metamorph found imposing. "Perhaps the people you've come across are easily intimidated," she offered lightly. "If no one's on Lucas' side I fear he will wind up outnumbered and out voted more easily than ever." Vanessa sighed, shaking her head with a small pout and patted her partner on the shoulder. "Pity, I finally had hope for you striking more points in your 'win' column, too."

"After a tackle someone in the office once or twice the dynamic will change." Bishop said factually with a slight smile as he moved around to a chair.

"I'm pretty terrified of her. I remember the devastation she wrought through our graduating class," Warren said with a grin, waving to the other seats in the room for everyone to take a seat.

"In the absence of an actual conference table, this will have to do, I guess. Drink anyone?"

"Why not." Jennifer smiled. "Just a small one, though."

"I assume a drink for everyone. Makes business more tolerable." Bishop observed as he took a seat and waited perfectly patiently for a drink.

"It is also a brilliant way to squirrel someone into a deal that isn't quite as beneficial as they would have pressed for ordinarily," Vanessa pointed out lightly. " I'm onto you, Worthington. Though I won't be drinking for other reasons." She took a seat with a smile and joked, "I'm the designated walker." She looked over at Jennifer and quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want to get in business with someone as shady as Warren, who is clearly trying to set us up to be taken advantage of?" she asked in that same joking tone.

Jennifer grinned, settling into her chair. "I think I can control his shadier side if he looks like giving in to it."

"I am still in the room, you know," Warren replied, his tone lighter than he felt. Vanessa might sound like she was joking, but he didn't entirely appreciate jokes about him in that vein. "You are, of course, perfectly able to leave if you think that's a possibility. I wouldn't want you agreeing to something if you didn't feel comfortable with it." Warren took his business dealings pretty seriously.

"You should hear what she says about me while I'm still in the room." Bishop offered to break the tension. He felt it build a little with the joking. Pleasantries could be a tricky thing for less stoic people.

Vanessa found Warren's lack of sense of humor interesting. She made a mental note that he had apparently recently lost that and moved on, smiling at Lucas. "I only say the sweetest of things about you. Really, because I've a spot for you." She pointed to the approximate location of her heart. "Right here, Lucas. Right here."

Warren chose not to respond or react to Vanessa or Bishop's statements, simply pouring three of them drinks and leaving Vanessa's glass empty, as requested.

"I've looked into usual retainer arrangements, and prepared some notes based on them, and my own thoughts on the matter, just to get us started. Take a look, and let me know what you think..." He passed them all the printed pages he had prepared, diverting the discussion back to why they were here.