Thunder Corp Recruitment Drive

[raisednpcs]

Who: Everyone who agreed to be approached by Thunder Corp
When: September 21st
What: Thunder Corp is out to recruit
Where: Various Locations

On the date of September 21st, the visitations begin.

For some, they arrive in the form of men in well-pressed business suits. All of them are fit and attractive, almost artificially so, carrying suitcases that contain contracts they wish for those they approach to sign. Their friendliness is also absolute, though they are somehow aggressive at the same time. They've bought themselves into absolutely every location possible, either having traveled great distances with ease or simply found people where they would logically be. In any case, they approach their "targets" out of the blue, greeting them with an outstretched hand and an aggressively polite demeanor.

Still others receive a message in the form of electronic mail. The approach is different simply as a matter of personal resource. How exactly did they find out your e-mail address? Why, it's for the same reason they're able to approach people wherever they happen to be right now: They're Thunder Corp, and they are very resourceful! That's how!

A much more pressing question would be... how did they know you are a Numbered?

[OOC: There's two threads you can reply off of depending on how you decided to be contacted, ones for being approached in person, and ones for being contacted by personal e-mail.]

Comments

[raisednpcs]

The man smiled. "I said it would change your life, didn't I?" he said, flashing her a toothy grin. Even his teeth were pearly white.

"I represent Thunder Corp, and we'd like to give you this once-in-a-lifetime chance. Please, would you do me the courtesy of taking a ride with me so we could talk?"

[billkiller]

She rolls her stubbed-out cigarette between her fingers. Her nails are uneven, look like shit, in fact. It's been forever since she's had them done.

"Thunder Corp, huh? That's..." she furrows her brow, thinking to the news. "...Locke City, yeah? I've heard of that place."

She stares hard at the car. "Do you have a business card of something? No offense, but my mama always warned me not to get in cars with handsome men. Unfortunately, I've been alive just long enough to realize she was right."

[raisednpcs]

"I assure you," the man said, pulling a business card out of his breast pocket. "You have absolutely nothing to fear from me, Miss Machiavelli."

Indeed, his card was an official Thunder Corp business card, with the logo and a small disclaimer and everything. It seemed his name was Richard Rimes. How alliterative.

[billkiller]

Arlene steps forward, reaching out for the card the card and holding it up so she can read the lettering in the beams cast by the car's headlights.

"...seems to check out," she says, even though it doesn't actually prove anything. But she wants a change of scenery, badly, and though it shames her somewhat to admit it, it's been a long time since someone with a handsome face and a nice car just asked to give her a ride and talk to her.

She nods, handing the card back, folding her hands in front of her. After a moment, it becomes clear that she's waiting for him to open the passenger's side door for her.

[raisednpcs]

"Richard" grinned, and moved to do just that with little hesitation. "Of course," he said, opening the car door and motioning for her to step inside. "After you, ma'am."

[billkiller]

"'Ma'am?'" she repeats disbelievingly. "Please, Arlene's fine. Don't call me 'ma'am' for at least another 20 years... maybe not even then."

"Ma'am", after all, is devoid of most of the things that Arlene's coveted. Youth, sweetness, special treatment, femininity... it all flies by the wayside to be replaced by respect devoid of sex appeal.

She throws one last glance over her shoulder at the diner. She'll get in trouble for just taking off, but if this could change her life, really change her life, maybe she'd be resigning anyway. Her heart flutters with anticipation as she slips past Richard and takes a seat, waiting for him to close the car door behind her.

[raisednpcs]

The associate flashes her that grin again. "Very well, I'll call you Arlene, if you call me Rich."

Rich closes the door, and moves around to the other side, getting back into the driver's seat. Once he's sitting, he starts the vehicle up again, and in a matter of moments they're off.

"So let's cut to the chase, Arlene. This is about you being a Numbered. Thunder Corp is very interested in that!"

[billkiller]

She glances aside to meet his eyes and his smile, and then has to look away to keep from smiling herself. It would be too quick, natural and genuine, and it would mean that she'd already sacrificed what control over this meeting she holds.

"Rich." Like you must be, driving a car like this. "Got it." She rolls her window down as the car starts to move, feeling the slight breeze on her tired face, taking out her ponytail. Maybe if her hair is ruffled up a bit by the wind it won't looks so sad and disgusting.

"...how do you know I'm a Numbered? I'm not one of those who's always on TV or building towns or fighting monsters. I tend to live a pretty quiet life, actually."

[raisednpcs]

"Oh, let's not focus on that for now," Rich replied, all-too-quickly. "The point is we do, and now, it's out in the open between us, right? We can focus on the deal I'm offering you, not the 'how and why' of why we found certain things out."

He laughed now, concentrating on the road ahead. "So what do you think, eh? Pretty smooth ride, right? It runs like a dream... Maybe you'd be able to afford something like this, if you took our offer. A lot more!"

[billkiller]

That gets a quick, surprisingly shrewd glance from Arlene. She might not have even a complete high school education, but she's been exploited in her life and has learned to recognize a few red flags. The fact that she got into the car with this guy is sort of beside the point.

"It's out in the open..." she agrees slowly, listening to his laughter and trying to decide if it's kind.

"It's a great car. But I want to hear more about the offer, and what I'll have to do for the kind of perks you're offering."

[raisednpcs]

"It's a simple matter," Rich answered, keeping his eyes on the road. "You'll be paid handsomely, if you decide to work for us. You'll even be able to afford vehicles like this. In fact, we could probably even give you this vehicle, if you wanted."

He chuckled. "All you have to do is sign on, and work with us in Locke City. Help Thunder Corp get a leg up with the other Numbered, be a spokesperson for us. You know, basically PR... and helping us deal with certain other problems."

[billkiller]

"A spokesperson? Like... modeling?" she asks slowly, cautiously. It's exactly what she wants, whether or not it's exactly what he's offering.

"...I think I might be interested. Would I do a lot of interviews?"

[raisednpcs]

"... Mm, no, not exactly. More like, you'd speak up for Thunder Corp, try to get other Numbered to listen to you and follow your example. Represent us and advocate cooperation between Numbered and... well, humanity."

Interesting choice of words, Rich.

"But yes, interviews! Interviews would definitely be a thing that you could do!"

[billkiller]

She seems somewhat disappointed about that; she's been holding on hope for a long time that a modeling agent will find her again and offer her the life she always dreamed of somehow securing for herself. What the man's asking sounds like a lot for her, but she reminds herself that he did approach her, and if she wasn't qualified for this, he would not have.

"I can do interviews," she agrees. "Would I need to move? I got nothing here but my job, and I only have that because I got nothing else."

[raisednpcs]

"Well, that's going to be up to you," Rich replied. "If you want to move, you can. if you don't, well... there are ways of getting to and from Locke City easily. It depends on what you personally want to do. But if you do move, we can make sure you're... provided for."

[billkiller]

Arlene raises her eyebrows. Even though she's been in a situation a lot like this before, with handsome men making all sorts of promises, what the hell does she have to lose? She thought she'd never have another chance at something greater.

"I think that if I quit my job at the diner, there's nothing left for me here. I might as well move to Locke City, if you can hold up your end of that."

[raisednpcs]

"I see then!" Rich said, nodding with a short laugh. "Then we'll help you move and relocate right away! You just need to sign on with us officially."

[billkiller]

"No problem," Arlene says quietly, staring out the window and thinking about what her new life might entail.

"I guess I should put in my two weeks' notice, or... well. Actually, if this is effective immediately, I can probably afford to quit on the spot. Should only take a second." She laughs. "I've never had that kind of freedom before."