Shaw held back a smile. He didn’t want to tempt her. Not because having his head smashed into the thick glass would hurt him, but because it would not. And then she’d know his secret, his little advantage, his mutation. Something he preferred to keep under wraps if he could.
He couldn’t fake nervousness, but he could hold back a smirk, and instead maintained a stony surface. He learned forward in his chair, elbows on his desk, thick fingers knitted together in a knuckly bridge.
“Believe me, if you wish to be hostile, negotiations need not be a peaceful affair. You can certainly get the “justice” you desire out of me without damaging my very expensive glass, and even more valuable skull case. And that way, there won’t be any authorities on your tail for such violent vigilantism. Don’t think of it as a compromise—think of it as having your cake and eating it too.”
@desertamazon
The first mistake he had made was to consider this a personal mission for her. It wasn’t justice, but closer to a contract. In fact,Artemis didn’t have any personal stakes in the man , beyond the payment that would come with whichever violent outcome that may occur. Her hesitation, her mention of a compromise came from the fact that her employers did not handle the cleanest money possible. Removing one criminal from the system on behalf of another doesn’t really make much of a difference. That said, she was not here for a compromise.
Artemis is no expert at reading body language - at least, outside of combat, she isn’t, so, she makes an assumption from the way he simply sat with a barren face at her threat. Cockiness comes to mind, but she has no idea why. The impact of his skull to the glass - thickness depending - would likely not kill him, but it would be extremely uncomfortable - if not that, then extremely inconvienent. Which, she may enjoy more. What she feels would end him, would be the fall, and that could look like an accident.
Without giving her abilities away, Artemis deliberately hesitates again. “This isn’t a negotiation, and this isn’t an assassination attempt.” Surprising, yes, but it wasn’t. It was a threat, one that did suggest violence, his death was not on the agenda, but that was’t all she was here for.
“My employer as a request, but I can put your head throughthe glass, if that is preferrable.”
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