Right. [What the fuck is this guy even talking about? Doesn't matter. If this is about lawyering, then it means money. Money is good.] I'll get the scotch ready and practice my serious face. You just come at you convenience.
[ So when Walt arrives, he has a blank DVD in his hands. He knocks on the office door to announce himself before opening it and heading inside. The CD case is placed down on Jeff's desk and slid in his direction. ]
[Jeff's sitting at his desk, practically side on with his feet propped up on an expensive mahogany corner. There's a glass of scotch in hand and he's wearing a three-piece suit that looks ridiculously expensive. This is one guy who likes to make a good impression no matter who comes to visit.[
Hello to you too. [His eyes flicker down to the CD and then back to Walt, but his lounging remains the same.] It's not a sex tape, is it?
[ Considering what nearly happened with Chilton, Walt pales a little. And then he narrows his eyes with a scoff. ]
What? No! It's a confession. It's the ace up my sleeve. And I need it in a place where neither Chilton nor Will Graham can get to it.
[ Can't really beat around the bush in regards to this. Walt drops a handsome sum of money on the table. More money than such a task would probably require -- clean and crisp hundred dollar bills bound together. ]
[Oh, money. Stacks of money. That's enough to get Jeff's undivided attention. His feet swing to the ground with a stomp and suddenly he's reaching for the CD like it's the most important thing in the room. Aaaand then reaching for the money too and sliding that towards him. The scotch even gets put down for this.]
Uh. Right. [Shit. No Will either? He didn't sign up for this!!! Except for the part where he's happily taking all the money.]
No problem. You got some kinda beef with these guys?
[ Walt takes it upon himself to drop into the nearest seat, watching with interest as Jeff snatches the money and the disk out of his hands. ]
Chilton more. But Will is Chilton's lapdog who moves on command. That little getaway I tried? Would you believe Chilton sent Will out after me just because he couldn't handle the possibility of me getting away from him? He's obsessed with getting me into therapy and won't take no for an answer.
[For now Jeff will leave both items in sight on the desk, but close to him, leaning forward with his arms folding in front of them like he's clearly not willing to give that money back without a fight. His now. Don't take money away from the bear or you get bit. At least if he protects that CD with the same amount of determination as the big stack of money, Walt might be in with a chance.]
You must have one seriously intriguing mind, Mr. White, if you got Chilts drooling after it. [It's good to flatter clients, plus there's a truth to his words. He knows enough to realise Chilton isn't that eager over everyone. What he's not sure of yet is which out of the duelling men is the asshole in all this. Probably both.]
But hey, I get it, he sounds like a clingy ex-girlfriend and you want an ultimatum that isn't a restraining order. Consider it safe.
[But why Will gotta get tangled up in all this? Silly Willy. >(]
Although... this place can kinda suck for contingency plans like this. Thing is, if the Porter kicks me out, and you suddenly got issues, you're back to square one. So either I tell you where I put it and we keep it between ourselves and run that risk, or you give me the name of one person you can trust to know where I put this. I mean, I got my own guys I can tell about this, but that'd mean cutting them in on some of what's going on here.
[ Just watch it if you want to understand, Jeff. Of course.....it's totally biased toward Walt. But a lot of it is the shady truth about Chilton.
Walt watches Jeff's actions -- the way he enfolds his arms around the money and the disk. He frowns at Jeff's choice of words. Clingy ex-girlfriend -- but he lets it go. ]
Tell me where you're putting it. Tell me just enough that I'd be able to figure it out if you got ported out. I don't want an exact location -- just in case he uses Matthew Lin to dig around in my memories.
I only want you and me in on this. If I get ported out for good, then it suddenly doesn't matter. You can give it to Chilton and he can rest assured that his deepest, darkest secrets won't be getting out. And if you got ported out, I'd find a way to deal with it. But no outsiders. Outsiders are half the problem in my business deals these days.
[Matthew too? Is everyone in this place just screwing with each other or has Jeff just managed to befriend a circle of people who are all pissing one another off? For now he's pretty sure ignorance and a whole bunch of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is going to be the game here. Sure, he's friends with a whole lot of these people, sure he sees Chilton for the occasional therapy chat, and sure Will might be his landlord, but this? This is strictly professional and a good lawyer doesn't et their personal life and their professional life cross.]
I'll sort out somewhere for it and let you know. Probably gonna be a safety deposit box someplace because this place isn't gonna cut right now.
[He's still watching Walt carefully, even as he slides a hand towards his scotch once more, and even as he slowly moves to sit back in his chair once again, leaving his precious money unprotected for the moment.]
So uh, business deals. We still talking about your pharmacy?
Jeff -- do you honestly think a pharmacist needs a safehouse somewhere, runs from a psychiatrist who specializes in torturing the criminally insane and his loyal FBI dog, and makes the kind of bank I've been giving you -- in cash?
[ Now, Walt knows Jeff knows they weren't talking about the pharmacy. But they needn't dance around the topic any longer because in Walt's eyes it was so obvious he was a drug dealer. ]
I run a crystal meth empire.
[ There. There's the ugly truth. ]
And as long as you keep me protected from the law under the law -- you will only just reap the benefits. In just one single year back home, I made eighty million dollars. Think about that for a moment, Jeff. Imagine it.
[Well, that pretty much clears up most questions that might have been lingering. walt might not exactly look the type, but what did a meth lord even look like anyway? And sure, he could be some crazy liar right now, but considering what he's requested of Jeff and the money he's been able to produce? It kinda all points towards drugs.]
... Eighty million? [That's too much for him to imagine. Even half that is too much to imagine. Even 10% of that is almost too hard to imagine. Suddenly the stack of cash at his arm seems pretty insignificant and yet... he wouldn't know what to do with the sort of cash Walt is talking about. Jeff does like the sound of it all anyway, enough that he keeps quiet about Chilton and about Will and doesn't push the matter further in regards to them. Best behaviour.]
Crime pays, I guess. Not that uh, you got any criminal involvement, Mr White. Not as the exemplary, upstanding imPort that you are, and I can keep that record nice and clean, no problem.
[ Walt casually sits back in the seat, eyeing him lazily. And just as casually, he says the words. ]
I mean, it's certainly in your best interest not to betray my trust. The punishment for such a crime is simply not worth it -- and you have such a photogenic face.
[ It'd be a shame to have to melt it off.....is pretty much what he's saying. Mr. White is a dangerous man, Jeff. ]
[The lazing is mirrored, Jeff's lounging intensifying as he sips at his scotch. He still hasn't offered Walt any, and whether that's purposeful or an oversight remains to be seen. Those words earn an arch of a thin brow as he considers them, but doesn't seem to take it all that personally.]
C'mon, Mr. White. You don't need to threaten a guy like me. Money is way more effective than any risk of face mutilation. Just keep sending it my way and I'll see you right.
[These are the words of a man who is perfectly used to using words to get himself out of every situation, and very successfully so. That bulk? Those muscles? The height? All for display.]
Money can do things to a man, Jeff. And I've seen it.
[ He's seen it first hand, truthfully. Walt became a monster of greed, wanting to earn more and more until his wife said 'how much is enough?' over that huge pile of eighty million dollars. Only that had been his wake up call. There came a point where you had too much cash. ]
But I have no need for the money. Not in this world. It's the work that keeps me involved. For the very first time in my life, I feel as though my knowledge and skills are being put to a good use.
So I'll pay you well, and I'll tip generously. But just know that anyone who crosses me usually winds up a in a barrel somewhere. And as long as you understand that, I think we will have a very prosperous business relationship.
[The money from Jeff's life helped keep him arrogant and self-centered, more so than he is now. It wouldn't be a stretch to assume the same would happen once again. But money is such a beautiful thing. It brings control and power, and Jeff loves that.]
I get it. I double cross, you kill me. No need for subtleties here.
[Not that Jeff thinks such a thing could ever happen to him. It's all mobster movie crap.] I should probably know about any other enemies you got, though. I'd prefer if they didn't track me down and do whatever crap meth war types do. I guess that's where powers become useful.
Chilton is the worst of my enemies. He's pretty much the cause of all my other enemies -- like a puppet master pulling the strings and causing everyone else to move against me. The man is unbelievably possessive and has no business working in the psychiatric field.
[ But considering the other option was Crane for an imPort psychiatrist? Well, the imPorts were fucked. ]
I suppose you should know that Chilton has Will Graham under his thumb. Graham will work to clean up all of Chilton's messes and keep him out of legal trouble. He also has Matthew Lin who is a demon with blood magic. He can get in your head and mess with your memories, so he's not to be taken lightly. And I believe Chilton has some sort of alliance with Lucifer as well? Yes. He used the literal devil just to try and secure me in his psychiatric care. The man is obsessed with me. I think he might even have a thing for me or something.
[ .....right, Walt. Sure. Like this obsession doesn't go both ways. ]
[This all sounds like crazy talk. Jeff knows every single one of the dudes spoken about and he's struggling to imagine much of this as reality. Lucifer doing what Chilton asks? Shouldn't that be the other way around? Welp, best not mention the whole Jeff was War thing.]
That's it? You got a meth business going on and the only guy you really care about is some sassqueen and his cronies? That's good news for me, I guess. Means I can sleep easy at night without worrying about gang wars. I can deal with the gangbangs.
Yeah. Sure. If he's causing you problems then I get that he's an issue. You ever want him dealt with, you just say.
[And by dealt with, Jeff mostly means asking Chilton really nicely to maybe stop because he's in the worst situation right now and would really love more money from Walt.]
I'm here to help, Mr. White. You need a place to hole up, I can get it. You need to disappear, I can do that. You need someone else to disappear, I can do that too. [Omg, no he can't.]
[ Make someone else disappear....... well didn't Jeff just say the magic words? ]
What if I just wanted someone watched? What if I wanted to know their movements and who they interact with and even what they say to the people they interact with? Do you have contacts that can do that for me?
[Paaaause. Well, watching isn't so bad. Plenty of PIs do that kinda thing.]
I could probably find someone. It'd cost though. I mean constant surveillance isn't cheap, especially when it's not exactly legal. You want Chilton watched? I mean... the guy isn't that interesting.
[ Walt shakes his head in response. For once, it's not Chilton. ]
There's a man who goes by the name of Joel. Works at Xavier's School for imPorts. Has a close relationship with a young girl named Ellie and someone from my home -- Jesse Pinkman.
Joel? Dunno him, I'll look him up. [Not taking any notes, which is probably a good thing. Far more focused on finishing off his scotch. It's only now that he reaches down to a bottom draw behind the desk and pulls forth a second glass, sliding it over to Walt and using the half full bottle on his desk to top himself up and then lean over to fill the other glass.]
So, other than him being close to this Jesse guy, what's he doing? What's he done? What's got you wanting to invest a whole crap load of money into watching him? [From a professional point of view Jeff really should be applying some sort of 'don't ask, don't tell' policy here, but curiosity reigns supreme here. Especially when he's somewhat fresh meat to all this meth dealing world. He's more used to getting people off drug and drink charges, not listening to the inner dramas of a meth business. It's like trying to follow a telenovela at this point, but missing out on a whole load of key plot points.]
He's a part of my operation by Jesse's request. But Jesse sometimes gets blindsided by father figures. I mean, I wasn't here so it makes sense that he would try to find a surrogate. But the trust may very well be blind because he needed someone to fill that gap. So I need to see for myself what this guy is about -- not through Jesse's rose-tinted glasses.
[ Which sounds a lot nicer than saying -- I need to learn his schedule so I know when the optimal time to murder him is. ]
At any rate, that's about all I need from you for now. I'll be in touch with payment and to see how you're progressing.
voice;
And.
I owe you some explanations. If you're to serve as my lawyer, it won't serve anyone's purpose to keep these things from you.
voice;
action;
I need you to keep this safe.
action;
Hello to you too. [His eyes flicker down to the CD and then back to Walt, but his lounging remains the same.] It's not a sex tape, is it?
action;
What? No! It's a confession. It's the ace up my sleeve. And I need it in a place where neither Chilton nor Will Graham can get to it.
[ Can't really beat around the bush in regards to this. Walt drops a handsome sum of money on the table. More money than such a task would probably require -- clean and crisp hundred dollar bills bound together. ]
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Uh. Right. [Shit. No Will either? He didn't sign up for this!!! Except for the part where he's happily taking all the money.]
No problem. You got some kinda beef with these guys?
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Chilton more. But Will is Chilton's lapdog who moves on command. That little getaway I tried? Would you believe Chilton sent Will out after me just because he couldn't handle the possibility of me getting away from him? He's obsessed with getting me into therapy and won't take no for an answer.
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You must have one seriously intriguing mind, Mr. White, if you got Chilts drooling after it. [It's good to flatter clients, plus there's a truth to his words. He knows enough to realise Chilton isn't that eager over everyone. What he's not sure of yet is which out of the duelling men is the asshole in all this. Probably both.]
But hey, I get it, he sounds like a clingy ex-girlfriend and you want an ultimatum that isn't a restraining order. Consider it safe.
[But why Will gotta get tangled up in all this? Silly Willy. >(]
Although... this place can kinda suck for contingency plans like this. Thing is, if the Porter kicks me out, and you suddenly got issues, you're back to square one. So either I tell you where I put it and we keep it between ourselves and run that risk, or you give me the name of one person you can trust to know where I put this. I mean, I got my own guys I can tell about this, but that'd mean cutting them in on some of what's going on here.
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Walt watches Jeff's actions -- the way he enfolds his arms around the money and the disk. He frowns at Jeff's choice of words. Clingy ex-girlfriend -- but he lets it go. ]
Tell me where you're putting it. Tell me just enough that I'd be able to figure it out if you got ported out. I don't want an exact location -- just in case he uses Matthew Lin to dig around in my memories.
I only want you and me in on this. If I get ported out for good, then it suddenly doesn't matter. You can give it to Chilton and he can rest assured that his deepest, darkest secrets won't be getting out. And if you got ported out, I'd find a way to deal with it. But no outsiders. Outsiders are half the problem in my business deals these days.
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I'll sort out somewhere for it and let you know. Probably gonna be a safety deposit box someplace because this place isn't gonna cut right now.
[He's still watching Walt carefully, even as he slides a hand towards his scotch once more, and even as he slowly moves to sit back in his chair once again, leaving his precious money unprotected for the moment.]
So uh, business deals. We still talking about your pharmacy?
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[ Now, Walt knows Jeff knows they weren't talking about the pharmacy. But they needn't dance around the topic any longer because in Walt's eyes it was so obvious he was a drug dealer. ]
I run a crystal meth empire.
[ There. There's the ugly truth. ]
And as long as you keep me protected from the law under the law -- you will only just reap the benefits. In just one single year back home, I made eighty million dollars. Think about that for a moment, Jeff. Imagine it.
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... Eighty million? [That's too much for him to imagine. Even half that is too much to imagine. Even 10% of that is almost too hard to imagine. Suddenly the stack of cash at his arm seems pretty insignificant and yet... he wouldn't know what to do with the sort of cash Walt is talking about. Jeff does like the sound of it all anyway, enough that he keeps quiet about Chilton and about Will and doesn't push the matter further in regards to them. Best behaviour.]
Crime pays, I guess. Not that uh, you got any criminal involvement, Mr White. Not as the exemplary, upstanding imPort that you are, and I can keep that record nice and clean, no problem.
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[ Walt casually sits back in the seat, eyeing him lazily. And just as casually, he says the words. ]
I mean, it's certainly in your best interest not to betray my trust. The punishment for such a crime is simply not worth it -- and you have such a photogenic face.
[ It'd be a shame to have to melt it off.....is pretty much what he's saying. Mr. White is a dangerous man, Jeff. ]
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C'mon, Mr. White. You don't need to threaten a guy like me. Money is way more effective than any risk of face mutilation. Just keep sending it my way and I'll see you right.
[These are the words of a man who is perfectly used to using words to get himself out of every situation, and very successfully so. That bulk? Those muscles? The height? All for display.]
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[ He's seen it first hand, truthfully. Walt became a monster of greed, wanting to earn more and more until his wife said 'how much is enough?' over that huge pile of eighty million dollars. Only that had been his wake up call. There came a point where you had too much cash. ]
But I have no need for the money. Not in this world. It's the work that keeps me involved. For the very first time in my life, I feel as though my knowledge and skills are being put to a good use.
So I'll pay you well, and I'll tip generously. But just know that anyone who crosses me usually winds up a in a barrel somewhere. And as long as you understand that, I think we will have a very prosperous business relationship.
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I get it. I double cross, you kill me. No need for subtleties here.
[Not that Jeff thinks such a thing could ever happen to him. It's all mobster movie crap.] I should probably know about any other enemies you got, though. I'd prefer if they didn't track me down and do whatever crap meth war types do. I guess that's where powers become useful.
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[ But considering the other option was Crane for an imPort psychiatrist? Well, the imPorts were fucked. ]
I suppose you should know that Chilton has Will Graham under his thumb. Graham will work to clean up all of Chilton's messes and keep him out of legal trouble. He also has Matthew Lin who is a demon with blood magic. He can get in your head and mess with your memories, so he's not to be taken lightly. And I believe Chilton has some sort of alliance with Lucifer as well? Yes. He used the literal devil just to try and secure me in his psychiatric care. The man is obsessed with me. I think he might even have a thing for me or something.
[ .....right, Walt. Sure. Like this obsession doesn't go both ways. ]
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That's it? You got a meth business going on and the only guy you really care about is some sassqueen and his cronies? That's good news for me, I guess. Means I can sleep easy at night without worrying about gang wars. I can deal with the gangbangs.
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Don't underestimate him, Jeff.
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[And by dealt with, Jeff mostly means asking Chilton really nicely to maybe stop because he's in the worst situation right now and would really love more money from Walt.]
I'm here to help, Mr. White. You need a place to hole up, I can get it. You need to disappear, I can do that. You need someone else to disappear, I can do that too. [Omg, no he can't.]
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What if I just wanted someone watched? What if I wanted to know their movements and who they interact with and even what they say to the people they interact with? Do you have contacts that can do that for me?
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I could probably find someone. It'd cost though. I mean constant surveillance isn't cheap, especially when it's not exactly legal. You want Chilton watched? I mean... the guy isn't that interesting.
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There's a man who goes by the name of Joel. Works at Xavier's School for imPorts. Has a close relationship with a young girl named Ellie and someone from my home -- Jesse Pinkman.
I want Joel watched.
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So, other than him being close to this Jesse guy, what's he doing? What's he done? What's got you wanting to invest a whole crap load of money into watching him? [From a professional point of view Jeff really should be applying some sort of 'don't ask, don't tell' policy here, but curiosity reigns supreme here. Especially when he's somewhat fresh meat to all this meth dealing world. He's more used to getting people off drug and drink charges, not listening to the inner dramas of a meth business. It's like trying to follow a telenovela at this point, but missing out on a whole load of key plot points.]
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[ AKA Walt is a big jealous baby. ]
He's a part of my operation by Jesse's request. But Jesse sometimes gets blindsided by father figures. I mean, I wasn't here so it makes sense that he would try to find a surrogate. But the trust may very well be blind because he needed someone to fill that gap. So I need to see for myself what this guy is about -- not through Jesse's rose-tinted glasses.
[ Which sounds a lot nicer than saying -- I need to learn his schedule so I know when the optimal time to murder him is. ]
At any rate, that's about all I need from you for now. I'll be in touch with payment and to see how you're progressing.
[ Walt rises to his feet. ]
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