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Summary: Stark arrives at Taskmasters dojo with Alessia, to propose a business proposition regarding the training of Kaji Aldewolf.
Date: July 14, 2010
Log Title: The Task at Hand
Rating: PG-13
/NYC - Master's School of Martial Arts//
This Dojo looks to be like just about every other Dojo known to man, save for the fact that the walls are lined from floor to ceiling with every weapon known to man. Theoretically these are just decorations, but anybody who's aware of who's Dojo this is knows better.
Today's an off day for the Taskmaster. He doesn't have any classes scheduled today so he decided to focus on the pesky task of paperwork. Damn owning a legitimate business. You have to pay taxes and cook the books so that the government doesn't find out your 'special room' in the back. His holo emitter is set to Tony Masters, a rather average looking thirty something year old guy while underneath is his mercenary uniform.
This visit was going to be unannounced to the owner of the Master's School of Martial Arts. There wasn't a chance in hell that Stark would call in advance to set up a meeting with the dojo owner, only to arrive and get into a fight with half the cities baddies that held a grudge against the Avenger. On the ride over Tony explained to Alessia who they were going to see, what the owner was capable of, and his hopes that this meeting will go off with very little gunfire. As it is, Tony is out and about in very casual clothing, and hiding under a black fedora. "I'm sure that Kaji is going to love being tormented by this man. I'm sad to say, I won't be able to witness it first hand, but if he's going to learn how to think the right way, and to build up his repertoire, this is a necessary step." Tony says to Alessia just as the car pulls up at the dojo.
Alessia had listened, made mental notes and silently done her checklist of weaponry on her person. Ah, the life of working security for Tony Stark. Red hair is twisted up and back today, anchored by silvery metal hairstick adorned with pale purple stones that match the button down shirt she's wearing with gray dress slacks and her usual heeled boots. She'd given Tony a curious look with the bit about Kaji, but as they emerged from the car, that was forgotten, her powers doing a mental sweep around the area even as her eyes took in what was visual.
"Well, let's just see how this ends up going, shall we?" Tony says as he tips his hat back a touch to address Happy who is trying to exit the car. "Stay here, the less potential threat we pose, the less I have to worry about." With Happy's understanding, Tony and Alessia make their way up to the front door of the dojo. With a hand extended in front of him, Tony opens the door, little chimes trill the arrival of patrons to the dojo to anyone that is within hearing range. Just to make things more obvious, he announces rather loudly, "Hey Tony! It's Tony. I've come to make a shop call!"
Taskmaster greets his old foe with a friendly sai thrown to the forehead, flipping up his office desk and diving behind it for protection. "Whatever it is ya think I've done, I ain't done it and you ain't got any proof!"
Alessia arches an eyebrow at seeing the man cowering behind his desk. "He always greet you like this?" Drawled in a soft murmur, even as telepathic and empathic fingers wander towards the wandering man's mind.
Dodging the incoming Sai wasn't all that difficult, even if it did knock off Starks hat. Tony turns around at the waist to watch the metal vibrate from where it stuck into the frame of the door. "Tony!" He calls out to the man cowering behind the desk. "I'm not here on business, well, I am. Different kind though." Tony watches Alessia as he crosses across the floor towards the turned over desk. "We have a history, but I'm not here to pick a fight with him. I'm actually here to hire him if he'll stop with the dramatics long enough for me to get to the point."
There's the soft, but distinctive sound of firearms being loaded and chambered, and Taskmaster reappears from behind the desk, the illusion has been dropped and he's in his full mercenary gear, holding a pair of guns. One .45 is aimed at Tony and the other at Alessia. He moves out from behind the desk with grace and fluidity, "Okay," he says, "I'll bite. Watcha want from me?"
“Is that really necessary? I am clearly not dressed for our usual tango,” Tony comments dryly. Even so, he doesn't provoke Taskmaster any further, simply leans over to pick his hat up off the ground before he addresses the man. “Look, I've weighed my options out and I hate to say it, you're the best man for this job.” Without so much as a by your leave, Tony crosses over to the knocked over chairs near the upturned desk, flips one back over and waves his hand towards one. “I'm here to make a proposal I think you won't refuse. I need you to train someone for me, in exchange, I make you a considerably wealthy man.” He's hoping that Alessia might pick up on his desire to get Tasky to lower the weapons, and enter a civil conversation, even though he's clearly making himself a visible target to do so.
Taskmaster's aim never leaves the foreheads of Alessia and Tony, although the fact that he hasn't just shot them outright is more of a testament to Alessia's empathy powers than she probably realizes. "I'm already a considerably wealthy man," says the villain cooly. "If ya can have the Avengers turn a blind eye towards me, I'll train whoever ya want."
"Do yourself a favor, an' put the guns down. Stark's totally on the level. He didn't come here to start trouble, but to look for your help with someone. Really, if he was here to kick yer ass, ya think he'd bring /me/?" A tip of her head, eyebrow arching as that slow empathetic morphine drip of calm is increased.
With both hands resting on the back of the chair, Tony regards the others in the room with a bit of curiosity. He had thought that there would be more violence before Tasky would settle down to listen, perhaps this was Al's doing. Knowing that Al was influencing Tasky made the Avenger smirk as he put his hat back atop his head. "She speaks the truth. What would a legit business man such as yourself need with a blind eye to his operations?" There is a hint of sarcasm to Tony's voice as he says this. "Oh, my manners," he teases. "Taskmaster, this is Alessia, my head of security. Now, since we know who everyone is, and I'm clearly not blasting you through a wall, can we all sit down and hash some things out?"
Taskmaster stands there for a good full minute considering his options, before relaxing the hammers on his weapons and holstering them. He doesn't seem to be all that impressed by Alessia's demands. "I'd think he'd bring ya here so ya can use yer powers ta make me agree with whatever it is he has in mind," he says. Turning to Tony he folds his arms. "So out with it."
.
Alessia laughs softly. "Honey pie, Ah might be handy, but Ah'm not /that/ handy. Just his security girl." She's still working on mellowing him out, but she won't try to coerce him into accepting whatever it is Tony's offering.
"Kouji, I am willing to turn a blind eye for a short time in exchange for," Tony pauses his addressing of the situation to find the appropriate wording. "Your instructional skills. As my other options are unavailable at this time, I need you to teach the ways of the force to a very /very/ green anthrowolf." At this Tony casts a glance over at Alessia to thank her for her help with Taskmaster, and to see how she is fairing now that things have seemed to calm down enough. "I need him to absorb various fighting styles, weapons handling, the usual. Mostly, I need you to work on his way of thinking. The man has raw talent but knowing how to pick a fight, what to do, how to work with a team…utterly clueless."
"Hah!" Taskmaster barks out laughter, as Tony explains the situation. "Ya ain't got Cap or anybody else around ta do yer training for ya, so yer getting desperate is whatcha mean." He snorts derisively as he moves around to pick the table back up. "I ain't interested. I'd be training some guy who'd just later be comin' round to put an end to my 'nefarious ways.'"
Alessia slides a glance to towards Stark, then back at Taskmaster. She's silent, standing in that parade rest stance.
Tony rolls his eyes behind his darkened shades. "Look, I need someone with your /abilities/, someone who's not going to go easy on the guy just because he's tied to me." Tony turns about as Tasky rights the desk, "You've got an edge that I need. I hate to admit it, as much as I dislike you and your /business/, you've proven you're resourceful and accomplished. This is why I'm here and not off looking up the next merc in town. I know you're all the bang for my buck, one stop shopping."
"Yeah, I get it," Taskmaster says as he starts to pick up the paperwork. "You need me." Once done he turns around and faces the Avenger, "But what you haven't told me yet was why I need you."
"Have you all ready forgotten your earlier request?" Tony asks Taskmaster as he moves to stand in front of the man now behind the desk. "As long as you work with my /boy/ I'll make sure that the Avengers are kept out of your erm…fatigues."
Alessia rolls her eyes. "An' here Ah was told you were a smart guy. Ya really think Tony is going to keep comin' after you, if ya take on one of his people to train, unless ya do somethin' to …" She falls silent as Stark talks over her.
Tony turns about to face Al, crossing to her side to offer her an apology. "I'm sorry for cutting you off mid sentence. I'm used to flying solo on these sorts of meetings but," and with this he turns back towards Taskmaster. "She's right. I'm not going to be in your way, nor are the others. I think that's at least a fair trade, considering I know what you're capable of doing during that time period."
The skull headed mask turns to Alessia, "Considerin' our history? Yeah. Yeah, I do. I'm expectin' that as soon as I'm done trainin' this 'boy' of his he'll be comin' after me." He turns to Tony, "After all, that's what yer proposin'. As long as I'm working with yer guy you'll leave me alone. I'll be done with him in six months and that's hardly a fair exchange."
Tony reaches up to stroke his hand over his chin before letting his hand fall back down to his side. He knew that this wasn't going to be an easy sell but with Cap gone AWOL again, and Logan simply not being an option, this was his only chance at getting Kaji some intensive work. Al has at least hit upon something that would be workable given that he can't out right give Taskmaster carte blanche in New York. “Myself, and my personal team, this man I want you to work with included, will not darken your doorstep lest you do something so off the wall that I /have/ to become involved.”
Taskmaster leans down on the table. "You do that, and you pay my usual retainer and ya got a deal," concludes the mercenary. "But I ain't gonna go easy on him, just 'cause he's yours. I hope he heals quickly."
Alessia can't help the twitch of a smirk, before she schools her expression to nearly blank. She'll just stand here and be cute.
Tony is relieved that a deal has been struck between himself and the merc. Reaching into his pocket a device is pulled out that looks vaguely like a usb flash drive. With caution Tony walks over to set the stick down atop the desk. "Everything you need to know about my friend is there. I insist that you use everything you've got in your arsenal against him, short of killing him. Wouldn't do me any good if you return him to me in a casket." As for the rest of the matter, a quick phone call placed from within his mind, transfers Taskmasters retainer to one of the mans offshore bank accounts. "You will find everything in order as far as I am concerned."
"It's good doin' business with ya," Taskmaster says, righting the chair that he'd knocked over and sitting down in it. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got work ta do."
