These boys are just poison (forward dated)

[demjiin]

WHO: Kaz Brekker and Catra
WHERE: The Factory
WHAT: Kaz wants to keep up the business arrangment he has with Catra
WHEN: right after Billy's hero city, June
WARNINGS: none anticipated, TBD



Kaz was allowing himself to make noise when he walked; his cane clicking in staccato beat, and the regular footsteps that most people had so he couldn't be accused of sneaking up on anyone. In one gloved hand, he held a paper napkin covered paper dish though that flimsy cover did nothing to stop the delicious scent from getting out.

Fresh bao was a meal in a bun on its own, but some of the bao buns were sweet too, stuffed with butter and browned sugar in case Catra had a sweet tooth. While he had used the idea of learning more of her own memories to tempt her into becoming his Spider, he wouldn't be able to rely on it again to make a deal with her. And this next step in his plan would depend heavily on recruiting Catra.

Comments

[heeeyadora]

The smell could have lured her in even without the noise Kaz made, though she stalked him from above for a while, sniffing at the air as she silently tracked him, before she was finally curious enough to drop down behind him.

"You know you're trespassing, right?" she accused, "Where'd you get those?"

[demjiin]

Kaz was used to a silent arrival from his usual Spider, so he didn't startle when Catra spoke. He just stopped walking and turned around to regard her.

"I did not know of anywhere else I could find you."

He held the paper plate out toward her.

"And I made them. It's not difficult, just time-consuming."

In truth, he had shared the recipe with the Diner as a whole, but it was his idea and his recipe to start with so that statement was still true enough.

[heeeyadora]

She eyed the food, still not quite trusting it was really being offered, before finally coming close enough to take a bao from the plate.

Catra couldn't hide her pleasure when she tasted it, practically purring, ears low. "What's the catch?" she demanded belatedly.

[demjiin]

Kaz smiled then.

"No catch. The food is all for you. Think of it as a thank you for services rendered."

He proffered the rest of the paper container full of buns.

"All I ask is that you listen to me speak while you eat."

[heeeyadora]

"..." She considered a moment before taking the container and sitting there on the floor, tearing away another bite hungrily, and nodding for him to continue.

"I'm listening."

[demjiin]

"Now that we're all back in Temba I'm still in need of someone who can listen at doors and windows. Hear conversations, look through papers left on desks, finding out who knows who, or innocuous things like shoe sizes and favorite childhood toys. You're already an accomplished thief and I know you can be just as good at never letting others know you'd been there.

I admit without the lure of money I can't be sure what would interest you in return. I do still offer something much better and much more subtle in the holding; power. If you know a person's secrets you then can control them provided it's a big enough secret and there is someone or something they want to keep that secret away from.

Working as a thief of secrets for me, in turn, would allow me to gather more information. Make mental connections. See vulnerabilities, and thus gather leverage. But while it would take both of us to make it work, you would have the real power behind the scenes."

The last part was a bit of a gamble, but if Kaz had read Catra right, he figured the odds would be in his favor.

[heeeyadora]

Her head tilted in consideration. It wasn't the first time she'd have fallen into the roll of second in command while ostensibly pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"...What do you plan to do with all that leverage?" she prompted finally. Power for powers sake, or was there some greater plan in the works?

[demjiin]

This time Kaz's smile looked far more predatory and far less friendly.

"A lot of things. It will be a long and very arduous task and it will mean using that leverage to get people to work together who normally would have nothing to do with each other, but in time I mean to find a way to the Atroma and teach them what their suffering will do for entertainment."

If they knew what it was he was doing, well the first step would be finsing a way to contact the Agrii without the Atroma knowing.

[heeeyadora]

She felt like there was a considerable bit of the plan she wasn't being let in on there, but it seemed like they wanted the same things in the end.

"...I'll do it for now," she agreed casually, leaving herself open to refuse in the future if she decided it wasn't worthwhile.

[demjiin]

There's quite a bit Kaz is leaving out. No doubt some things she would not like hearing about right now, and he hadn't fully thought out the plan yet. But he could see the rough shape of it and told her the eventual goal so she would know upfront that it would take time and work to get to that goal.

"Good. The first part will be easy; go to Jonathan's planned beach party. Since you're already known nothing will seem amiss with you there. See who is friendly with whom and find out what relationships or rivalries there are."

This is largely what Kaz will find Catra useful for; she could go where he wouldn't be able to without him raising some serious questions.

[heeeyadora]

Her features twisted a bit defensively at Jon's name, but Catra nodded. She'd all ready been planning to go. And if she wanted to keep some information to herself what was Kaz going to do about it?

"Why is this the second time I've had to infiltrate some kind of party?" she wondered aloud.

[demjiin]

"Because now that everyone that was part of Temba has returned to remembering who they are, there will be changes to friendships, relationships, and rivalries. It's important to know what those changes are and you are much more able to move freely and talk with others than I am. Therefore I want to hear all that you know, after the party. Even if it seems like useless information, I want you to tell me."

It's amazing what can seem to be useless information in Kaz's hands.

[heeeyadora]

She snorted softly, wondering what Adora would say if she knew anyone here thought she was better at socializing than they were.

"I'll see what I can dig up," she promised.