Backroom deals: tag Victor [INACTIVE]

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Not at all," he said quietly. "Sit where you like."

Jack rubbed his chin, looking at the wall above Harvey's head. "Now, Mister..." He realized he didn't know the man's name, so just settled for 'Mister', "...you talk about business. You need my help? My talent?" He chuckled darkly. "I do my work for myself, admittedly, Mister. Though I suppose cleaning the streets counts as a service to the city."

He had been killing all his life, even small animals as a child...it wasn't something that he'd started as an occupation; it was part of him, a part of his life, like brushing his teeth. Killing was just something he did. Yes, it had to be carefully planned, but, like brushing his teeth, he started feeling slimy and strange when he didn't do it for awhile. He did it to keep himself from going insane, without thinking twice. The only kill he was haunted by was his first, and even that, he didn't think about often.

Would you brush your teeth as a favor to someone?

[evan3]

Harvey sat back, giving the appearance of being comfortable yet he was still ready in case Mr. Griffith decided that he would be better off dead.

"My employer isn't interested in you as a mere assassin. I need you to collect a rather large quantity of blood from an...unwilling donor." He gazed at Victor, his sunglasses almost boring into the man. "Of course If you accept you will be supplied with an address to deliver the package and the money will be left at you doorstep and that will be the end of it."

"I'm sure you're interested enough in medicine to be intrigued."

[JACK THE RIPPER]

He snorted. "I only kill prostitutes, Sir. Dishonorable women who no one will miss. You seem to think I'll find your person and kill them without another word, without asking any questions," he said, waving away Harvey's suggestion with a thoughtful frown.

"In short," Victor said, watching him calmly, "give me a reason why I should help you." Inside, he was laughing. The foolish man comes into his territory expecting a favor from him. A favor that he couldn't possibly grant when it would be easier to just dispose of him completely.

[evan3]

"As I mentioned before you will be helping the advancement of medicine, and Elizabeth Stride is a prostitute, and free of diseases."

Not to mention the fact that she shared his bloodtype, but he didn't mention that. He feared it would give too much of the game away. Though wasn't she surprised when he had merely injected her with the proposed components of his antidote then sent her on her way. But he had paid her enough and he did detest the company of lesser minds. Of course he was rather enjoying this meeting and considered becoming a regular at the bar once this business was done.

Harvey paused to emphasize the importance of the stated fact. "That is why speed is of the utmost importance, and also why my employer chose to contact the closest thing to a professional readily available."

He smiled a charming grin which showed under the bandanna. " Besides, you're an artist. Think of it as a commission"

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Closest thing to a professional!" Jack laughed, bearing his teeth like some sort of jungle cat. "That's a good joke. Closest thing." It was something he had studied for all his life; he was a professional.

He couldn't grasp, though, why this man needed his help--if he was capable of coming in here and "commissioning" a girl, he was perfectly capable of going out and killing her. If wasn't that hard. "It's your game," he said quietly, "you play it. And I'll play mine."

It was supposed to be tempting, he knew it; Victor had a thing for medical science, and he did kill prostitutes. But there would be nothing to it if he did it for someone besides himself; it would just be a job. He didn't take orders from people, anybody, not even this man who was in danger of reporting him. Inside, he was burning knowing that this man had even a little bit of power over him.

[evan3]

"How do you know this isn't part of the game?" Harvey asked smiling. Of course the main part was he wanted to stay under the radar and something like that even if it was only once would definitely put him on the radar.

"What I must do must be done in the strictest of secrecy." He realized that he had just referred to himself instead of a fictional employer and hoped that Mr. Griffiths wouldn't pick up on it. "My employer wishes that under no circumstances must any attention be drawn to him."

He paused, adjusting his gloves. "Besides the payment need not be monetary."

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Jack suddenly became agitated. "It's isn't a matter of pay," he said gruffly, "it's a matter of I refuse to do this kind of work for other people. I don't work for you."

He paused a moment, catching his little slip up. So the man had come alone? Obviously, he underestimates me, Jack thought bitterly, crossing his arms again. Losing his calm demeanor, he began to pace--something he usually didn't do in situations where he was threatened. It was always examine the situation with a cool smirk...but he could find nothing of the sort, certainly not in Victor and not in Jack either. The man could shut the door on his little games with a signal.

"Besides!" he cried out suddenly, throwing a piercing glare over his shoulder, "I can't trust you. You'll just throw me to the cops and have it through with. Then you'll get your blood and your recognition." And swept around, both hands now planted firmly on the desk, glare still in place.

"If you want the job done, spill the blood yourself."

[evan3]

"Often it's the one who isn't holding the cards that has to trust the other one."

Harvey stood up, ready to defend himself if necessary. "I didn't want to come to this but, If you complete this task for me then I will give you the evidence I have against you, if you don't then perhaps the cops would be more interested in what I have to offer?"

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor straightened up, watching him silently for a moment, his eyes burning with intense hatred in the moment. He walked around the desk, toward Harvey, as if to pace; instead, he kept going and grabbed the man by the collar. Grabbing the nearest sharp implement--a letter opener--he held it to the space right below the bandana. "Move and I will cut," he hissed.

For a moment, he stood regarding him, and then the rage seemed to go up like a mushroom cloud. "Well, then! You see it, you see Jack!" he cried, his hair a mess and his fingers twitching uncontrollably. "Show your face like I've shown mine!" In one quick movement, he'd pulled away the bandana and sunglasses, shoving Harvey a bit away from him.

His eyes widened and he dropped what he was holding.

[evan3]

Harvey struggled trying to keep his face hidden. However it was all in vain. He felt the cool air against his skin, and saw the look of horror on Victor's face. Damn. HE KNEW!

"Now you see why I've kept my face hidden, and now you might have an inkling of why I need that blood..."

He paused getting ready to shed his clothes and become completely invisible. "And now you have violated my darkest secret and have become an obstacle to my ambitions. And obstacles were made to be removed one way or another."

He waited then continued, watching the man carefully for signs of attack. "However I meant what I said calling you an artist, and our purposes are still aligned."

He watched the man intently ready to react to any bodily clues of an attack.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor lowered his arms slowly, staring at him. The man was invisible. The man was invisible...completely capable of evading capture, wherever one tried to look.

"An eye for an eye," Jack spat suddenly as he began to pace again, like an insane animal. "You know my secret as I know yours, and now you can't go to the cops."

He looked up. "On the other hand...I can't kill you." He said those words with a cringe; admitting that he couldn't kill someone was something that he'd only done one or two times in his life, and it disturbed him. The thought of not just not wanting to kill someone, but not being able to was unbearable. How else could he defend himself?

[evan3]

Harvey fought the urge to kill the man right here and now. Yes he knew, but Harvey still had leverage over the man. And he noticed the cringe as Victor admitted his fear. Of course there were ways of making him visible, however Harvey was reluctant to share this as it would result in a loss of power.

"Now perhaps we can negotiate this alliance in a civilized manner." Harvey suggested in a neutral tone as he picked up the bandanna and sunglasses, replacing them on his face.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Go to the devil," Victor shot at him. "I've been making civilized deals all my life. I'm sick of being civil. I'd rather it be civil blood."

He stopped pacing, circling his desk and sitting down, running another hand through his hair. He only succeeded in making more fall into his eyes. He hadn't felt this disheveled in about fifteen years, and even then, no one living had been around to see him like this.

"I am this close to slitting your throat," he growled, like some kind of demon.