Connecting

[Elsa Bellefonte]

The text Elsa had sent to Trevor's phone had been short, simple, to the point, and entirely backed by her sister:

Meet me at Silverlight; second floor private room. Friday night @ 9:00. Come alone or with Erika only.

Trevor would understand what it was about. Elsa had dropped enough hints. She also had little trouble believing that he'd agree to come either. He kept insisting that he wished to go straight, to use his powers and connections to benefit the school. Well, Elsa intended to see just how far he was willing to go with that. Though she felt far more comfortable meeting him then others she'd arranged this with. At the same time, she highly suspected that Trevor would be one of the few to notice that she'd been having clandestine meetings with a wide range of people, most of whom had some kind of significant pull at the Academy.

In fact, Elsa was nearly counting on it.

She took a sip of her sparkling water, settling back into the plush couch and feeling almost like some kind of movie starlet. She did wear one of her classier dresses, with her hair pulled into a semi-elaborate, but still straight smile. Unlike the rest of her meetings, she'd actually brought a folder with her too, several, in fact. Most had names: Elizabeth Edison, Beauregard LaRoux, Francois Laffont, etc. One or two were labeled expenses and funds.

Time to open the curtain and invite Trevor in.

Assuming, of course, he showed up on time. Elsa could see him arriving fashionably late...

Trevor Paige

[Trevor Paige]

Trevor wasn't late. Trevor was never late for anything. Period. His father used to always say 'if you're important enough, people will wait' and this worked for Mister Paige, billionaire head of the largest private military corporation in the world but not for Trevor Paige, newly minted college freshman and small time crook on the side. Naturally Trevor knew something was up. If he didn't prior to mistaking Elsa for his girlfriend, he certainly did now. Else was in no way subtle about her intent despite the lack of details. This was intriguing, to say the least and he figured whatever the Bellefonte twin had in mind it would probably be worth hearing.

The student was no stranger to the Silverlight, hell, he knew most of the places around Kalispell he wasn't supposed to go, so it came to no surprise he was allowed access with a flash of a smile and one of his probably half dozen false ID's he carried for just such an occasion. There was a brief moment, as he climbed the stairs leading to the private rooms, where he almost felt like a mafia don or criminal kingpin involved in some shady, back room dealings. This brought out a bit of a smirk. Just kids trying to play adults he mused. Kids with real world power and influence.

Trevor was clad in a simple black suit and matching tie. This was a meeting with Elsa, after all. She was interested in his network of contacts, not in how he was managing as an under-sized member of the Academy football team. He figured it would behoove him to dress the part. Along the way to the private rooms he'd ordered and managed to catch a drink, his usual, rum and Coke, but he waited until he'd been granted access to the meeting before bothering to take a sip.

Stepping into the room with his usual confident stride, Trevor's eyes caught Elsa already settled into the couch and flashed her a polite, professional smile and nod. "Good evening, Elsa. Or should I simply refer to you as 'Miss Bellefonte'?" He asked, actually being somewhat serious. He may have already known that Elsa had been busy lately, but details of her many meetings with their contemporaries had been scarce. He knew not of Elsa's plan and where he fit into it but wanted to offer her the proper respect nonetheless.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

"I'm not certain that you and I need to rely much on formalities," replied Elsa, though she kept her voice arch, almost teasing. She took another languid sip of her drink before gesturing for Trevor to take a seat. The private room had allowed them several expensive, comfortable couches upon which to sit and lounge. "You're looking quite sharp. Easy to see what Erika sees in you."

Half-teasing, naturally, since Elsa knew full that there were plenty of reasons for Erika to be with Trevor. Elsa still had her doubts and suspicions, but Trevor could've been absolutely perfect and Elsa still would've doubted him. That was pretty much what sisters did.

"Would you like anything? I can send for drinks or even a meal if you'd like. The Academy's picking up the tab, and believe me," she gestured toward a few bottles of sparkling water that were already on ice, "they can afford it." Another smile and another sip. Might as well engage in the prediscussion banter. He'd see the files and figure things out soon enough.

[Trevor Paige]

Trevor nodded politely as he made his way toward one of the couches near Elsa. His eyes lingered upon the girl for a moment as he attempted to grasp just how preposterous this all seemed. Something about it just continued to feel like they were just kids playing a game. Trevor knew better than this. He was all too aware of Elsa's pull not just within the Academy but in meta society as a whole and he, himself, had been privy to a number of transactions and deals that carried very adult, real world consequences. The money in his private accounts and his ever growing payroll was testament to that.

"Thank you, Elsa." He replied with a faint smile. With his free hand he unbuttoned his suit coat so he could sit. "And you look lovely, as always." Trevor returned the compliment genuinely. The young woman was business-like and a touch stoic, but there was also an overt beauty to her. This came to know surprise, however, as Trevor had fallen hopelessly head over heels for Elsa's twin. It just stood to reason The more reserved sister would catch his eye as well.

There was a faint shake of his head as Trevor settled into the couch. "I grabbed a drink on the way in, thank you." He replied politely, lifting the glass fill with the light brown liquid. Normally Trevor would have no problem bantering back and forth with Elsa. In truth, he actually enjoyed their brief exchanges. Elsa, in Trevor's mind, was possibly the only person he'd met not twenty years their senior that could play the word game as well as he. There was a great deal of respect for Elsa with her stern, blunt demeanor and her willingness to step out of the norm to see a goal through completion. Tonight, though, there was business to be discussed and while Trevor was no stranger to the small talk element of discussing business, he was curious and didn't figure Elsa would have an issue with skipping more or less to the point.

"I hope you'll excuse my bluntness." There was still no reason to be rude about it. "But I have to say you've created quite a stir among some circles." Trevor raised the glass to his lips and took a short sip. He'd be nursing this drink for a while. Alcohol and business never mixed well. "Clandestine meetings, being seen out and about in talks with some of the more... prominent members of the Academy." His eyes drifted curiously to the files Elsa had brought with her. "I was beginning to feel left out." He said with an amused smirk as his gaze lifted back up to Elsa.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

{I have no idea how this thread slipped out from my radar. Sorry about that, Pup}

Elsa nodded at Trevor's compliment, accepting it. While she wasn't actively reading his mind, her thoughts went to more or less the same place: he had fallen for her identical sister, so naturally he'd find her to be somewhat appealing. She was briefly reminded of those stories and films where the devil took on the shape of someone's lover in order to seduce them into their path. Elsa nearly chuckled at the reference, but caught herself in time. The smile would do well enough for the pleasant banter that they exchanged.

The last time they'd exchanged such words, Trevor had mistaken her for her sister. There would be none of that now, as he took the couch and got straight to the point. Elsa waited quietly, her attention on him all the while, swirling her glass slightly.

"Just a handful of close personal friends," said Elsa. She smiled, a slight challenge working into the expression. "I wanted to make some people sweat, especially those that would pay attention. If you hadn't noticed, I'd have been upset." She leaned forward, tapping the folders. "You already know several, but here's the full roster." And Trevor would be one of the few who already had the full list:

Elsa Bellefonte, Erika Bellefonte, Elizabeth Edison, Francois Laffont, Vera Marcello, Trevor Paige, Beauregard LaRoux, Roxana Strix. There was at least one name that Elsa intended to add that was noticeably missing, but she did want to see what Trevor thought of her selections as well.

[Trevor Paige]

Ah, so Trevor was now getting answers. Now all he needed to do was figure out the question and he'd be set. With a faint chuckle he didn't pull his gaze away from Elsa as she spoke. Make people sweat? Who at the Academy would need to be sweating over something like this? It all made the boy more and more curious. At least it seemed Elsa recognized few things of this magnitude that went on at the Academy escaped him. He may not always lend weight to rumors, but he certainly listened.

"Whether or not you're going about this with the right cast of characters depends largely on your desired outcome." Trevor pointed out. "You've dropped hints and I suspect what you're doing has the best interests of the Academy and it's students at heart, but what, exactly, is it you're planning?" He had to outright ask. He couldn't properly offer his opinion without getting the full explanation from the mastermind herself. Sure, Trevor had ideas, a few things he'd put together here and there from what he could but there was no substitute for getting the information directly from the source. "I have some... opinions on the assembled few, but I want to hear the plan first."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

"The plan is to set something into work for the inevitable," replied Elsa, not even breaking stride. She nodded and gestured toward the files. "last time SPECTRE attacked, we had a half-trained group of students in a squad and a few trained staff members on hand. Nothing went as it properly should have. Lives were lost, property destroyed, and too much got out of hand.

"So the plan is to set up a group of people who would be ready when something like that happens again. You and I are pragmatic enough to realize this isn't an if, it's a when,' Elsa met Trevor's gaze for a moment, nodding slightly. She took a sip from her drink before continuing. "I'm also taking something Erika said to heart. She compared me to Magneto, that horrible movie character that sought revenge on humanity. It's all too easy for someone with absolute power to do that. So I'm picking people that I have trust in, whose opinions I value, and who I know can check me," she gestured once more toward the files, "as well as people that will bring something of value to the school as a whole. We need a group of people in the know, making decisions and ready to step up in case there's a crisis."

Another pause, another sip. "And I shouldn't have to tell you that none of this is official or going public. I don't intend for anyone who doesn't already know to have concreted evidence of anything," save for Roxana's mysterious organization.

[Trevor Paige]

Trevor nodded faintly. He hadn't been present when SPECTRE attacked the Academy but he knew damn well what the government organization was capable of when left unchecked. He, like so many others still bore the scars, physical and otherwise, from his encounter with them. "To secure peace is to prepare for war." Trevor said soberly. It would probably come to no surprise the son of a man with a legal, privatized army would buy into such a philosophy. Trevor was still skeptical about the effectiveness of such a group, but he fell silent as Elsa continued detailing her plan.

"First off, aren't we past comparing each other to movie characters?" Trevor said with a chuckle, once Elsa had completed her pitch. "I would consider you more of a Garibaldi than anything." And yes, he spoke with a light tone indicating the comparison to the 19th century Italian general. "But in all of this." Trevor's expression grew serious once more as he paused to take a sip from his own glass. He eyed Elsa with a curious, but also suspicious gaze. "Before I fully commit, I have one more question. Given your plan, I know why I'm here." He started, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I know my reputation, and I'm also aware you suspect there to be more truths than lies among the rumors about me." He gave a faint shrug. "And you wouldn't be wrong. But has Erika spoken to you of my... family ties?" Yes, Trevor was being purposely vague. If Elsa was aware of his family's dirty little secret, she'd know exactly what he was referring to.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa nodded soberly, fully agreeing with the assessment. It also occurred to her that of all the people she'd spoken with, it would be Trevor who had the fullest understanding of what this was about and what it meant. It was almost reassuring to hear someone else going through things.

Nodding followed his chuckle. Elsa didn't quite catch the reference, admittedly, but a quick scan of Trevor's mind got her what she wanted. She waited while he set up his condition, listening intently. More nods followed as she agreed to his reputation, even admitting her knowledge of his shadier deals. They'd already discussed that to some degree in the past, so it wasn't all that surprising to be discussing it again now.

"She's given hints," said Elsa, pursing her lips, "enough that I have my suspicions and what have you. I was tempted to dig a little further, possibly conduct some research of my own but, well, I haven't had a reason to be concerned."

A pause, and she raised her brows. "Should I?"

[Trevor Paige]

Trevor smirked a little as he took a short sip from his glass. So Erika hadn't divulged his secrets, even to Elsa. That, in a way, was comforting to him as he, much like many of his ilk, had more skeletons in his closet than he'd care to admit to just anyone. "No, Elsa." He said sternly, without hesitation. "You have no reason to be concerned so long as you trust me." Trevor was relieved the faint rumblings of rumors a few months back had largely gone unnoticed. It allowed him to tuck his secret away with minimal fuss.

"I'm sure you're aware of the corporation I'm set to inherit." Trevor knew he probably didn't have to explain the global, private military company he was being groomed to take over in a matter of years to Elsa. She, of all people, had probably done her homework before asking to meet with him... or after he started seeing Erika. "TRN Security Inc. has made a fortune off government defense contracts." He said, looking to Elsa now. "One of those contracts came about a couple years ago as they were given just under a billion dollars to assist with the training and restructuring of a certain federal agency tasked with policing metas."

He didn't know how Elsa would take this news. He assumed she was intelligent enough to know he had nothing to do with the contract, nor did his parents really have a hand in dictating how SPECTRE used the resources gleaned from the private company but he also wouldn't blame her for being hesitant trusting someone who's family did have ties with the very agency she was hoping plan against.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa nodded, glad to hear it, though of course she fully expected to have a little more to support that assurance then just Trevor's word. Sure enough ,he kept going, talking about the corporation his family ran. Elsa knew the loose bits, as of course she'd done some work into finding out about the Paige Corporation. As Trevor finished, Elsa waited for a moment, then took a sip.

"Is that it? Your family helped fund a certain unethical government agency? I suppose that's something of a skeleton in the closet, but it's not a particularly frightening one. If anything," Elsa half-smiled, "it's to our benefit, as you clearly aren't going to be siding with an organization that intends to make certain you're extinct anytime soon, unless you've a death wish that I don't know about. Besides, I've already got Roxana Strix working for me and she works for some shadowy organization that beat her almost to death just for slipping up slightly. There's also Ellen," Elsa tapped the folders, "she's not there, as I'm having her come to me, but anyway, she'd be happy watching my family crash and burn. I've also got a juvenile delinquent and a few other rough types among the group. Takes all kinds to get a job done, after all."

[Trevor Paige]

"That's it." Trevor said with a faint shrug of his shoulders. It was nice to see Elsa didn't jump to conclusions. Half the kids at the Academy would call for a witch hunt after just hearing the word 'SPECTRE' being uttered in conjunction with another student. "I'm glad you don't instantly want to call for pitchforks and torches." He replied with a chuckle. "I'd hoped you'd be able to see the situation reasonably. Just... given the circumstances I felt it necessary to let you in on the little secret."

Trevor listened to Elsa's further explanation and then nodded satisfactorily. No, there was no death wish. Throwing himself at the business end of a loaded gun once in a lifetime was more than enough excitement for Trevor. "Okay." He said, nodding sternly. "You've convinced me. I'm in." He reached forward and set his glass on the table before settling back into the couch, his eyes coming to focus upon Elsa again. "What do you need from me?" He gave a faint smirk as a trace of his trademark arrogance gleamed in his eyes. "My resources are at your command."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa waved a hand dismissively, "The pitchforks are all on backorder this time of year, holiday season and all that," she smiled and took a sip of her drink, waiting while Trevor figured out things and nodded. He seemed to be taking this seriously, which was something of a relief after all the doubt that Elsa had gathered from the others.

"The main thing right now is to be prepared," said Elsa, setting her glass down and nodding. "That's why I'm contacting everyone and putting things into motion. We'll be putting out a Security Squad soon, and I'll need to purchase appropriate equipment for that. In a very short time we're going to have several visitors from various international schools showing for an event. It was set into motion before my grandfather was forced to step down, so we have to continue it so as not to look weak.

"They'll be circling like sharks and we're already gushing blood. So we need to figure out some way of fending them off, besides obviously equipping several students in body armor and preparing secret councils, of course."

[Trevor Paige]

"Well, it's nice to know I'm not going to be run out of Kalispell like Frankenstein's Monster." Trevor remarked with a bit of a chuckle. In truth, there was more relief showing than he let on. If Elsa was serious about this gathering of prominent individuals, which he didn't doubt, he was well aware it could be a very mutually beneficial arrangement.

A brow quirked, though, as Elsa drifted the conversation right into Trevor's territory. Now they were talking business he could sink his teeth into. He shifted a little, reaching out to reclaim his glass. This was certainly turning out to be an interesting meeting. "You're speaking my language, Elsa." He commented, sending a smirk her way as he took a sip from his drink. "I happen to be in very good standing with company who deals in such things." Obviously. "But there are some issues, if you're suggesting what I think you are."

Trevor sighed a little and shook his head. "If you want to legally obtain the kind of equipment you're going to be looking for, there's a lot that needs to be done." He explained. "Body armor is illegal for private use in the United States." He pointed out. "So are a lot of things you'll also want to get your hands on. Any private companies that make use of this equipment, such a my parents', are heavily regulated by the ATF and FBI." Suddenly, Trevor's eyes narrowed as he was struck with a thought. Slowly, steadily, that trademark smirk of his emerged as he shifted his gaze to look at Elsa. "But if you're interested, I think I know way to get around all that."

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa laughed a little, shaking her head. "Trevor, while I do want to make sure that we're prepared, that crack about the body armor?" she raised her brows, "that was a joke. I do want to make sure that we have better equipment, and that includes protective gear, but I would also like to not make any moves that would be too noticeably illegal, particularly if the government comes sniffing around," Elsa paused to take another sip. "Seeing as one of our biggest advantages last time came from the fact that we had the moral high ground: the only wrong we committed was trying to get our own back, and that," she pointed to Trevor, "makes us look like heroes."

Which was, of course, an opinion that Elsa wanted to keep nurturing. She took one last sip before sitting her drink down and leaning back.

"It may not be a bad idea to get very good equipment for a few individuals though, particularly those that I'm going to be putting as bodyguards over myself and Erika," Elsa again gestured toward the folder. "And yes, I'm picking a few students, because it'll be less conspicuous... which reminds me," she frowned, "Roxana Strix is a member of some sort of organization. I want information on it," she locked eyes with Trevor, a sort of blazing determination. "I think they might prove to be a threat, and I don't like that they can control one of ours in the slightest. If they're useful: I want to use them; if they'll be allies, then we'll ally with them. if they're enemies, I want to crush them so hard that other organizations will disband for fear we'll even look their way."