worthless-weight-in-gold:
Hopefully not too much. Didn’t sound like the fun type of bump in the road to deal with, just having to invent some excuses for why he didn’t know something and that was always annoying. Jim didn’t like it when people got the idea into their heads that Moriarty wasn’t all-knowing. Meant they started taking stupid risks, easy to lure out and trap, no game or challenge involved. Boring, dull. At least he’d be able to keep himself entertained by poking at Jaime. “I’m sure it won’t be too long. We did grow up together.” And shared half their genes. Like any of that mattered, given the extreme and clear differences between the two of them already, and Jim followed up the statement with a polite smile that made it obvious he’d been joking. It would likely be a road.
“Ah, I see.” Jim didn’t truly blame them – sure, he had some women in his network but none were really in the inner circle. Then again, that had more to do with his preferences than it did with fundamental issues with the fairer sex. Although they could be quite emotional. “Well, I don’t think you’ll run into any issues with that in my inner group if you ever do fancy working with them directly. One of them is – oh, it’s something terribly modern – something fluid? Sometimes a woman, sometimes a man.” He waved his hand. “Point being, no one has any issues with him, so if you ever have the desire to come have a higher profile over here there should be less annoyances.” Well. People had plenty of issues with RIah, but that was mostly because he was a bitch rather than identity. Anyway, it could be fun introducing people to his sister. Jim was pretty sure he’d mentioned he’d had one to Sebastian, but probably not to anyone else. Certainly had never indicated she was still alive – not that he’d said she’d died either, but people did make assumptions. It would be more of a fun way to introduce people to the idea he’d have a business partner, going forward. And he could see if that made people think they could have some sort of emotional threat over him.Could seduce traitors in waiting to make their pathetic little shots, give Jim some food to play with for a while.
He could introduce her to Manor as well, since he was relatively sure women liked to flock together when able. Girl-talk necessities, or something. And it’d mean Manor would be given someone to interact with other than Sebastian. Her technology business likely existed in America as well, so it could be a showing of good faith.
“So I could be more of just a different side of Moriarty to your employees, but it would likely work smoother to introduce you to the inner circle of my network. They’d notice; and besides, we have safeguards on our safeguards. While I have no doubt you’d be able to learn everything to be able to correct dupe them into thinking you’re me for distant communication, I do a lot of in-person talking for direct orders.” Easier all around to just tell them they could take orders from her. And then tell them later to report everything she said and did to him, of course, but that was obvious. “And then for everyone else – yes, let them be confused.” Maybe they’d work out there was two, maybe they’d think Moriarty had a fractured personality, maybe they’d think there was an entire conglomerate that operated under the name of Moriarty. Endless possibilities. Jim rewarded Jaime’s suggestion with a smile. “Fun.”
Jamie smiled, and it was a slightly warmer and more genuine smile than one she usually gave. It was not out of honest emotion for Jim -- now the shock that he was still alive had worn off, she harboured only a slight fondness for him, merely by their long-ago association. She was not so sentimental as to assume they would be close now that they had discovered one another, simply because of their shared blood. Jim -- for all his flamboyance and over-the-top demeanour, Jamie had a suspicion that her brother was just as pragmatic as she was. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but she assumed he wasn’t going to put much stock in their shared childhood, being so long ago and brief as it was.
She listened with polite interest as Jim continued to speak. She doubted that a situation would arise in which she had to work with his inner circle directly, but it was still good to know what his group consisted of. “That’s useful to know,” she said, taking a sip of tea and placing her cup down again. “Likewise, if you ever wished to work with my close circle -- those who know of my true identity -- I will ensure that you are treated with the same respect and dignity that they treat me.” She was sure a few of her closest employees would actually relish working for a man. She had no concrete evidence, but reason told her that many of them would have preferred it if she were a man. Vikner had implied misogynistic tendencies on occasion, and were he not so good at his job, Jamie would have removed him long ago.
Yet another difference between their operations reared its head when Jim said he often gave orders in person. Jamie preferred to text her employees, even those close to her, and she used complex codes to pass on information, in order to delay anyone unfamiliar with the code, should the texts fall into the wrong hands. Jim seemed, unsurprisingly, to not take such precautions. She agreed, however, that meeting his inner circle, while she was in the country, seemed like a logical thing to do. She did not miss his subtle compliment, but let it pass by without mentioning it all the same. “Yes,” she agreed with a small smile. “Fun.”
She had the distinct sense that their meeting was drawing to a close, and she stood without warning and flashed a smile at her brother. “I expect you’ll be in touch with the relevant information and dates,” she said. “I have kept my schedule fairly loose, so I should be able to meet your inner circle at your earliest convenience.” Habit forced her to conclude this meeting as she would any other, as if this was not her long lost brother, but she was sure he would expect nothing less. She reached into her pocket and removed a business card, one reserved only for business partners, and placed it on his table top. “I have no doubt that you could find me easily,” she said, “But this is much quicker.”
