Art, wine and more: Marie-Ange and Hope

[xp_trance]

Marie-Ange and Hope reach an interesting prospective deal. 

"You mentioned you had something you would like to discuss?" Hope remembered as she shrugged on her silk robe. She didn't pose often for Marie-Ange, but she had slowly grown more comfortable with the lack of clothes she usually wore. 

 

Marie-Ange set her charcoal down, frowning at her sketchpad. Compensating for the lack of depth perception was a journey, and her art was still suffering, but she was finally seeing a return to her previous style and form.  "First, to thank you for sitting for me on the regular. Between you and Quentin, I have enough continuity of subjects that I can rebuild my art muscles, as it were."  

 

"Are you happy with the progress you are making in that regard?" Hope moved towards a small side table where a wine bottle and several glasses were arrayed. "I happen to have an excellent Merlot. Would you join me for a glass?" 

 

"It is touch and go, and yes, please." Marie-Ange shook out her wrist and then rolled it a few times before wiping charcoal off her fingertips.  "I find I have to correct more, but ironically since I am drawing so much more, the practice helps with other bad habits I had developed."   

 

"It balances each other out in some ways? I mean between having to compensate, but loosing the other bad habits?" Hope glanced up from where she was pouring two glasses of the Merlot. A moment later she put the cork back on the bottle and handed over a glass over Marie-Ange. "Tell me what you think."  

 

 Marie-Ange took a sip, and then almost immediately a longer drink.  "Do you know, Amanda and I used to break into the wine cellar and drink on the roof. There was a merlot that this reminds me of, it was almost...  well, I would call it a dessert wine, if the term was not so saturated with wine that tastes like an ice pop but it was all plums and mocha notes." 

 

"That sounds like one that I would have enjoyed. There are too many wines nowadays that taste like either someone turned over the sugar pot in the wine or the tannins are about to burn of your tongue. I am finding more and more you have to know where to look." Hope reached over to grab the bottle standing next her them. "This wine house has become one of my favorites."  

 

"I am going to send you a few bottles from a winery we visited in France over the winter holiday."  Marie-Ange said, making a note to herself on a scrap of paper.  "We all -- all of X-Force - went over the holiday and I think you would appreciate them as much as the rest of us." 

 

"Thank you so much. I look forward to trying them." Hope's eyes lit up in true pleasure. "It looks like X-Force does not only get to visit 'interesting' places, but also the occasional 'fun' place?"   

 

"Amanda has a house in France, and so much of our job is travel, we overlap fun and interesting."  Marie-Ange said.  "Can I be blunt?"  She didn't wait for an answer.  "You are a bit wasted where you are. I could use someone with your skills, if you want to travel to strange and interesting places and be terrifyingly competent and organized and well dressed."  She paused. "And I know all the people who trained you, so I would not have to worry about bad habits to unlearn."

 

Hope sipped her wine while looking thoughtful. "I have to admit it is an interesting offer. From what I have learned about the work you do I very much think it is valuable and that I think that I could play a role in there..."   

 

Marie-Ange tapped the rim of her wine glass.  "You have soft skills that we could use, and maneuver in society in a way naturally that many of us do not."  She smirked.  "Or who are a bit conspicuous these days. The trade-off was worth it but this stands out. Undercover work is much more difficult with an eyepatch."

 

"Yes, I see how that could be a challenge." Hope nodded slowly. "It's tempting, Marie-Ange. I have to admit that. It sounds like an excellent challenge. But I am not sure I have the stomach for certain duties that might fall to X-Force. I am comfortable moving in grey, even very deep grey areas, but I think you go a few steps further than that." Her tutelage in her grey skills from various members had at least given her an idea of the kind of roles they played.  

 

 "You mean killing."  Marie-Ange was blunt.  "Not all of us do, or have. Most only in the same circumstances you might as an investigator, or as part of Emma's Hellfire Court."  She tilted her glass at Hope.  "I am not a particularly good example of a typical member of my team. I run operations, I have to dabble in shadows and death."

 

"It is not just the idea of wetwork." Hope explained, using the term Wade had taught her. "I have known for a long time I want my own business when I am done with college. Over the last year I have decided I want to end up with my own crisis management firm. Perhaps combined with some work for XFI. And my work there actually prepares me for that plan. But to work for you... it would be well-nigh impossible to combine the two from what I have seen." 

 

"A counterpoint, Wanda finished a doctorate and teaches. Gabriel tends bar. Felicia does...  inscrutable Felicia things, I am actually not sure, but I know she has outside enterprises."  Marie-Ange pointed out.  "You know Emma, of course. It is not impossible. I make X-Force my full time job, but if it was not for X-Force, it is likely I would operate in a similar manner for another organization."  She set the wine glass down carefully.  "I am not going to give to you the firm sell, if it is not a job you are interested in now, it is still open for later."

 

"Perhaps, but when Emma came in she already had established herself. When I start my company, it will require my full dedication until I can manage to establish myself. The work you do is important and it would be unfair to you if I accepted a role within X-Force, but could not give it the attention it deserves. But I would like to keep it in mind for the future."   

 

"Of course."  Marie-Ange gave the younger woman a smile - and then a nod.  "How do you feel about contractor rates? If I cannot have you on staff full time...  I would like to retain you as a consultant. It would be terrible to have to tell Doug his favorite protégé turned down investment money for her company, after all."   

 

Hope's eyes lit up with curiosity. "That sounds a lot more feasible." She admitted. "Though I have to wonder a bit on what type of things you would like me to consult on. If only to set the appropriate rates."  

 

"Probably the same things you are doing for Ms. Dane. Social infiltration, occasional scouting work when we need someone who can walk through walls, event planning."  Marie-Ange tilted her wineglass at Hope.  "I do not have an event planner on staff, and you would probably not be surprised at all at how often our cover stories involve going in as the caterers or hired help. Having someone who can talk the talk, as it were? I can fake it but you live that particular life." 

 

After a moment of thought, Hope nodded. "I am in. How about we discuss the rates later and toast on a new and hopefully fruitful cooperation?" She hefted her wine glass just a bit. 

 

"Of course."  Marie-Ange raised her own glass.  "And I will bring a bottle from the vineyard in France when we negotiate rates."