2013.07.31 - A Deal with the Devil

Justin Hammer's week has started out on a downward slide, and it isn't looking any better come Tuesday morning. The late meeting he was in last night left him with more to think about than he already had, and a renewed hatred of everything Stark. Things were more chaotic than usual in the labs with the number of critical projects he had running, and the setback in the munitions research building cost him a couple days worth of work on /that/ little project.

Then, on top of everything else, the Imperator of Genosha wants a business meeting.

There are so many reasons Hammer would love to work with Magneto, but just as many that he doesn't. A risk taker Justin may be, but he isn't stupid. There are things in his facility, projects he's currently working on, that having Magneto anywhere near could potentially bring disaster. Military secrets, his work for the Asgardians and SHIELD...

The contract he took on with Shaw...

As luck would have it, at least that little pet project is squirreled away in the Queens facility. Looking out over the main facility from his office window, Justin watches as the people and vehicles move about the Staten Island compound some 20 stories below. He takes a drink from the stainless steel travel mug of coffee he has as he waits nervously for the announcement that his 10AM has arrived. This is his second mug of the stuff this morning, in an attempt to try and focus his mind.

"Mister Hammer... uh... Imperator Magneto," his secretary stammers, stumbling over the unfamiliar title. Magneto breezes past the woman as if she's not even there, wearing a double-breasted suit and smart patent leather shoes. He looks every inch the businessman and legendary PR director that catapulted the Mutant Centers into the spotlight. His sole concession to his title is a small brooch on his lapel, a laurel rendered in purple and scarlet.

"Mister Hammer," Magneto says with a courteous nod. "You look a man who is in need of some good news." He smiles reassuringly at the fellow, an expression that looks positively beatific on his patrician face. He pats his suitcase and sets it on the desk, standing with his fingers interlaced just below his sternum. "I hope I do not disappoint you," he says politely.

The announcement from his secretary Liz breaks Justin out of his thoughts. He has just enough time to swivel his desk chair around and look like he /wasn't/ staring off into space before the door to his office opens and his 10AM walks through the door. The CEO pulls on a smile, though someone who's good at reading people will likely see it's a false front, and stands as Magneto enters. "Imperator Magneto, good to see you again, my friend," he says offering his hand across the desk after the mutant leader has set down the case he was carrying. "I'll take all the good news I can get. Please, sit, make yourself comfortable. Can I offer you a drink?"

"Certainly. Scotch on the rocks, if you have it," Magneto says. He settles into one of the high backed chairs with a relaxed posture. He accepts the drink gratefully from Justin, taking a sip, and then the suitcase pops open, moved by unseen fingers. "Mister Hammer, your company has been one of my most reliable consumers of the rare earths we are digging out of Genosha. I want to explore that relationship and see what else it is we can do for one another," Magneto explains. A small sphere of metal- iridescent and glimmering oddly under the light- lands in Magneto's palm. From there it goes to hover in the air between him and Justin, glittering under the light. "Pure unobtanium," Magneto informs Justin, eying the other man's face. "Chemically completely pure. I take it you know how valuable this is," he adds with a faint rise of his eyebrows. Understatement indeed- that much unobtanium, and at that refined purity, could buy and sell a commercial office building several times over.

Hammer fixes the scotch without hesitation, pulling down a bottle from the glass-fronted cabinet that costs more than some people's yearly salaries. He'll spare no luxury in speaking with Magneto, after all he'd prefer to live through this meeting. He sits down behind his desk after passing off the glass to his guest. The case opening itself gets an arched brow, but otherwise Hammer stays quiet, letting the Imperator speak. He knows what Magneto can do, his control of metals, but seeing even a small demonstration is enough to remind him that the mutant could quite effortlessly destroy his entire compound.

It's amazing how much we actually rely on metal, isn't it?

The unobtanium sphere catches Justin's eye and he watches as it comes to a stop between himself and Magneto. He resists the urge to reach out for it, instead just watching the patterns of light on it's surface. "That's enough to barter for a block of prime Metropolis real-estate," Hammer replies, his eyes looking back to the older gentleman. "If I were to guess. Worth more than gold, and twice as useful."

"By measure of volume, more valuable than diamond," Magneto agrees. The perfect sphere of unobtanium lands neatly on Hammer's desk. Magneto looks utterly at ease, sipping his scotch. "Call that a... demonstration. That I have come to barter in good faith, and can deliver in kind," the Imperator assures Justin.

"Genosha is wealthy, but we lack manufacturing capabilities," Magneto says rather matter-of-factly. "Even my personal research labs are woefully underequipped. We need advanced manufacturing capability on-site. Outsourcing all of our industrial work overseas is not a feasible operation, long-term." Magneto takes a sip of his scotch. "I am interested in procuring enough industrial manufacturing equipment, including lab equipment and robotic assembly workers, to keep my people gainfully employed constructing a more technologically advanced society."

Once the sphere has landed on his desk, Justin finally reaches for it. He picks it up, rolling it over in his fingers. This one small sample has got to be a sizeable percentage of all the mined unobtanium in the world, and something Hammer never thought he would see. If it were in his possession he would have armored guards and trucks and bullet proof panels surrounding it. Yet Magneto simply carries it in a briefcase as if it were something as common as a steel ball bearing. That alone is unnerving.

"Manufacturing equipment? Not exactly what I'm best known for, but I think we could strike a deal." Justin seems to relax slightly, carefully setting the sphere back down on the desk. If it were weapons it would make him edgy. But if he merely supplies the equipment? Well, he can't be held responsible for what is built with it. There's just enough flexibility that he can work a good plausible deniability cover into the deal. "What's the time frame you're looking to work within?"

"Immediately, if not sooner," Magneto says with a wry smile. "I know it's not your forte. But you have the years of contacts in place that will expedite the process. Ordering a new assembly line is a simple process for you. For me, a challenging effort in logistics." He rolls his wrist, the scotch slithering over the ice in his glass. "I can lend myself on occassion to expedite shipping particularly large shipments, but generally we will need airlift support for most deliveries. I imagine we will need engineers, construction supervisors, and so on during the initial startup phase. All will be protected by executive order," he adds, with a reassuring flick of his fingers. "And paid handsomely. All I'm asking, Mister Hammer, is that you help Genosha achieve independence from the technology we need so desperately to thrive."

The CEO rests his elbows on the desk top and interlaces his finger. He takes a moment, then nods. "Lets make this happen, then." He smiles, a bit more genuine and less nervous, but still something more fit for a used car salesman. "I'll need a breakdown of the specifics- what sort of research and manufacturing you'll want to start out with so that I can put together the proper equipment. Depending on what you're going for, some of it's pretty specialized and could take weeks to get assembled, so the sooner the better."

"Of course." Magneto smiles warmly at Justin. "I'm glad to see we can work together." He rises from his seat and with a flick of his fingers, leaves the perfectly formed sphere to twirl on Justin's desk. "Consider that a down payment. I believe the current market value is, oh... two point six million?" he considers, a bit diffidently. "You now have four times as much unobtainium as any other research lab on Earth. I would consider it a personal favor if you'd enlighten me what interesting ideas spring to mind from it."

Magneto pauses, and gives Justin a level look. "Also, Mister Hammer... I assume confidence is implied. I've been told I am a 'terrifying friend to have'," he says with a wry smile. He falls silent for a moment, and then the room- the entire /building/- begins to shake, a minor earthquake that sets everything a buzzing. "So imagine what kind of enemy I could be if I am crossed." He smiles again, all warm and friendly, as the shaking stops, like a light switch thrown. "Do we have an understanding?"

Of course, it was only a matter of time before the other shoe dropped. Justin's expression sobers at Magneto's words, but quickly drops to something lower as the building itself rumbles. Out of instinct he catches the ball of unobtanium as it rolls across the desk, palming it as he braces against the tabletop. In the moment of eerie silence following the tremor, he looks about the room. A crack in the wall, tiny but perceptible, traces across the wall from the door frame and to the left. A reminder of what kind of a deal Hammer is striking, and who he's working with.

The phone on the desk gives a shrill beep followed by Liz the secretary's voice coming through the speaker, "Sir, are you alright? I think we had an earthquake!"

"Yes, everything's fine, Liz. Have security make an announcement," Hammer replies to the woman before quickly cutting off the speaker phone. He looks back to Magneto, and draws a nervous chuckle. "Of course, of course. We're both respectable businessmen here. And if you want to stay off the client lists, I can completely understand. I know, things are a bit, I mean, unstable for you right now. But I can assure you, if I say I'll deliver, I'll deliver. You can count on that." His eyes flick back to the crack in the wall for a brief second.

"Of course." He smiles again at Justin, and rising, brings the briefcase winging to his hand with a gesture. "Farewell, Mister Hammer. I will see myself out." He inclines his head by way of farewell and simply walks out the door, blowing past the startled employees without a second glance.

Justin stands instinctively as Magneto does. He flinches when the briefcase rejoins it's owner, seemingly of it's own accord. He doesn't get a chance to offer his own parting words, simply standing there as the powerful Imperator takes his leave. After Magneto is out of sight, he looks down to the small sphere in his left hand. The deal is done, he hopes he can take the heat of working with the devil.