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Her people had done a good job. Silverlight had only been open but a week now and they'd already managed to find her some suitable options for her... Less public plans for the business. Still, she had to be careful, but she always was. Holding out the nondisclosure agreement out towards the new recruits, she pursed her lips. She laid the documents on the table.
"You've all been made aware of the risks." She said, her Russian accent barely noticeable. "Now, I'm not going to say this is your last chance of backing out..." They didn't know enough yet. Not enough to be a risk, but her people had made sure they'd stick around before giving them any information. "But really, we've already moved past that threshold, no?"
If she went down, so would they. It was that simple.
Their business took place in a small conference room within the hotel. Public enough not to be suspicious, but still on her home field. Some she met one by one, others in groups. They had all been through tests. She'd read their thoughts. Made sure they weren't going to ruin what she'd spent years working on. What her father had spent years working on.
She took a step backwards, arms folding behind her back. "Sign it."
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
She felt a lot of emotions as her, and a few others, were ushered in a conference room. She knew what she was signing up for and she was ready to take the risks if it meant money for her much needed drugs. That was the only reason she was here. Just fir drug money. But there was something exciting doing something this illegal.
She was slight, thin and petite compared to some if the others here. That was an unnerving concept, many of them could knock her out with one punch. Especially in her current state of self starving drug addict with a death wish. It would be easy for one if them to snap her. But oh well.
Silently she scribbled her name into the nondisclosure agreement, hand shaking a little. But there. It was done. She was part of this now. No backing out. Gwin shrank back, pulling her hood up.
To say this was really bad idea was perhaps quite the large understatement.
Colby was hyper aware of those around him, of the clearly physically impressive persons gathered which of course likely far outranked him in terms of mutant badassery. As much as he wanted to cast a quick evaluating look to his perhaps soon to be opponents, he was trying to be more concerned with making himself as invisible as possible. With his hoodie up and pulled close to his face and hands shoved into his pockets, he hung back as the others pushed forward, seemingly all too eager to sign themselves up. The last thing he needed was to be recognised, the police Detective's kid... Especially given the whole quite illegal aspect of the proceedings. Which of course, would bring most to the question of why. Why was Colby Cross in some out of the way conference room being commanded to sign a disclaimer.
He took in a deep, shakey breath, watching as a young woman scrawled her name. Her hand shook slightly. Was she nervous? He wasn't certain. But as much as quite a large amount of himself was firmly stating how truly bad of an ideas this was, a greater part of him knew that despite the obvious faults with his decision, he needed to do this. The Academy was far from going to let him push himself to his limit, and given how his ability seemed to trigger... If he wanted to understand it, research it further, for Luxanna... He needed this. Even though he could already feel the weight of guilt settling on his shoulders. He moved forward when he saw an opening, determined to get it over with, taking the pen and going to write his name. He puased for a fraction of a moment halfway, before hurriedly finishing it off.
Colby Kendal.
Well, he couldn't exactly write "Cross" now, could he?
"I'm guessing this doesn't come with a dental plan and health care?" He spoke lightly, casting a grin at the formidable looking woman who seemed to be the central organiser of the whole thing.
She looked over the group of people in front of her. Each of them had their reasons for being here. Some similar, some different. At the end of the day, Tanya didn't care.
One thought stood out from the others and her eyes had turned to the boy even before he spoke. "Don't take me for someone easily fooled, Mr. Cross." She tilted her head. "Sign it again." She stated simply before turning to the group as a whole.
"I know you have a lot of unanswered questions, and don't worry, they will all be answered, but first." She looked at a woman, whose thoughts had been circling around her petite frame compared to the rest. "You will all be properly taken care of here. Catagorized by weight class and power." After all; this wasn't a movie. There would be no fight to the death.
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
Gwin had a icy feeling of dread about this. This was a bad idea. But then those thought were batted down by the mere idea of being able to afford more drugs. They had become her life line now, and been as weed seemed to decline in its ability to stop her visions, she'd need money for harder drugs. She chewed her lip, breathing heavily
Well. At least she'd have to fight someone her own weight. That made it a little less daunting. It was a shame her powers weren't that good. Not useful in this situation anyway. Just think of the money. Gwin. It's all about the money
As Colby pulled away from the document he paused, having been caught off guard by the woman's words. A small flicker of unease rippled through him; It was bad enough he was doing this at all, but now that it was obvious the organiser knew who he was... The absolute most important thing in all of this was to conceal his actions from his Father and Lux... Would this woman think to blackmail him, or to inform them of his actions? ...No. Both seemed unlikely, given the woman's personal stake in the whole operation; What benefit was it to her to blackmail him or tell his family at this stage, when she wanted fighters and wanted to keep it all rather hush hush? Still, how had she even known his last name? Mind you, it wasn't like she was without means... Perhaps it was simply a further effort to keep this unhanded business under wraps, by finding out all she could about her employees. Didn't mean it wasn't just a touch unnerving, though.
"... Cross, of course, how could I have been mistaken?" Colby grinned, slipping in a little light knowing sarcasm. He hesitantly moved back to the paper, before hurriedly correcting his signature as roughly and almost unreadable as he could; Just in case anyone else signing it thought to take in the names of other combatants. She may not need to use his family ties against him, but that didn't mean someone else wouldn't. "... Guess your people do recon on "employees" eh? Although don't mind me taking that as upmost flattery that you'd remember my name."
