Factor Industries Charity Event: October 18th, 2016

[ceofactor]

Even for Benjamin Factor, arranging this charity event had been something of a challenge. Just as he held great influence in Gateway City, Thunder Corp's influence in Locke was great as well. But with time and money, all things were indeed possible in this case, and the Memorial Dance Hall was playing host to the night's events. It was a glamorous affair: politicians, captains of business, dignitaries, and celebrities had been invited. For whatever controversy that existed, the world legitimately wanted to heal the wounds left by the invasion, and that meant there were a lot of people who wanted to use events like this to either advance that cause, or to make themselves look good.

But they weren't the only sorts of individuals who had recieved an invitation.

Benjamin Factor had also made it so the Numbered would be invited to his little party. Arrivals through the teleporter would be greeted by drivers at the community center, and the same courtesy was extended to anyone who might live in Locke. The only stipulation? Was that anyone who came make an effort to make themselves presentable. If that was a problem, or anyone arrived without knowing, they had clothes on hand for people to change into.

Indeed, it seemed that the Numbered would be well provided for tonight. That being said, their presence would get people to talk, given the presence of news crews making live coverage. Nevertheless... "getting people to talk" seemed to be exactly what Benjamin Factor wanted to happen.

[Event Links: Event Speakers | NPC Interaction | General Mingle]

Comments

A

[purestambition]

Saretha is on the look out for quite a lot of things, tonight. Opportunities. People she hasn't seen in awhile. Reforging connections. Somehow, though...

This is not what she was expecting. No, she'd thought since her parents severed ties after the invasion that he was just this long distant thorn in her side she didn't really have to worry about... for now. Infinita City is something she still has to consider as an eventuality, and she's long since realized that, but...

She keeps her demeanor calm. Cool. There's barely a flicker of the annoyance surging through her, but she holds it all at bay. On the surface, at least.

I suppose they do let old men out of their towers every once in awhile. THAT particular thought dies before it even hits her lips, even as she finds herself striding up near him.

"Anton Keldek," she intones, observing him with a sidelong glance. "Here I'd thought Locke City was in your rear view mirror at this point."

[willdareanything]

There's quite a lot of all those here for those on the lookout for it. For a man like him though... not quite as much. No, this is more about the appearance. Arrive, make a donation, take part in a few quiet talks about future plans and business. And, of course, observe.

He's in a room full of people who will almost certainly be his enemies very soon. Best to take a measure of them now.

He turns his head slightly when Saretha speaks, interrupting a discussion with his assistant and turns to the young woman. For a moment, he studies her, almost as if working to place the memory of her face and then gives her a... pleasant smile. ... The kind someone might give to a child.

"Saretha Kaiser." He chuckles faintly, brushing aside her comment even as he greets her. "I haven't seen you for a very long time. You've grown up."

[purestambition]

That smile is well more than enough to make Saretha want to ask someone to go get Bakuzan for her. But she refrains, and her expression doesn't flicker, even as the urge of violence resonates deep within her. The condescending nature of the expression isn't unexpected, but she also takes it in enough stride with the knowledge the power he holds over her is a lot less than it once was.

So she likes to believe, at least.

And you've grown yet more wrinkles.

Dammit, okay. Maybe she is a little perturbed, still.

"Indeed, it has been... quite awhile."

Once Saretha was an adult, making her own decisions and investments, any other time she might have been dragged along towards meetings or parties that would cross her paths with this man, she opted out. Still, what he represented and what he'd done never truly died.

"Everyone grows up, hm?"

And dies of old age, hopefully soon.

"Still, after Mother and Father's retirement I suppose I wasn't expecting to run into you like this."

[willdareanything]

"Too long." He adds with a chuckle, never losing that simple smile. Even if it is an almost snakelike one.

Oh, he knows the girl's opinion of him perfectly well and it isn't one he could hold against her. The Kaiser name had once been a powerful and influential one in the world they'd both lived in once and his brutal takeover had been quite a blow to it.

A deliberate one as well, if he was being honest. Kaiser Solutions had been a nagging holdout for far too long and leaving the man in a position that amounted to a loud dog on a short leash had been more insult than anything else. It had taken a surprisingly long amount of time for the fool to admit his standing and quietly retire.

"I suppose it is, but when the whole world changes one must be ready to change with it and that means exploring new paths and opportunities." He shrugs a bit, pausing to have a sip from his drink before continuing. "But you know that. You've been making a little bit of a name for yourself, I see. Helped along by... circumstances."

[purestambition]

By circumstances. Saretha keeps her face cool enough at that last part, though the intent seems evident to her. What he's done, what he is doing, what he could do...

Very often, Saretha approaches her issues as if solving a puzzle. Flipping over every piece in her mind. Attempting to deduce where someone might be going, what they might be doing, what might happen. Just by her intuition alone, when faced with the numerous things she had as a Numbered, Saretha had - more often than not, to a degree that surprised even her - been right.

As such, what Keldek may be vying for with his city, by coming back here. There's a lot of possibilities, very few of them good.

So, she just smirks.

"Yes, well - you would know all about leveraging your circumstances, wouldn't you, Mr. Keldek?"

When in doubt, politely go for the throat.