Frontier Town Industrial Park

[HelloYellow17]

Damn, this guy seemed to like his own range of vocabulary. He was about as direct and concise as a dictionary—though, given a choice between the two, Wes would have preferred the latter. At least a dictionary couldn’t look down on you with thinly-veiled haughtiness.

He shot Odette a side-ways glance at first when she offered the spike up to Nolan, but relaxed a bit when she asked what his intentions were first. He’d appreciated both her and Dave’s skepticism so far—it was a relief to know his companions weren’t ready to completely buy into this guy just yet.

And good thing, too…Wes reflected on the note from Gladion he’d read earlier. This group had all arrived seperately and at varying intervals, so he hadn’t had the chance to share the contents of the note with anyone else before now. And given how little this Nolan snob was revealing about himself, even after all these questions…he was no stranger to this sort of thing. He gave generic answers and dodged potentially incriminating or revealing information with a practiced ease. Wes began to wonder if he and Volclain might have been quite similar, if Volclain had ever cared enough to mask his sinister nature.

Maybe, just maybe, Wes could catch him off guard.

He stepped forward slightly and addressed the tall mon with a confidence he didn’t quite feel. “Nolan, was it? You wouldn’t happen to be buddies with a Greninja, would you?”

…What the hell does a Greninja even look like? The horrifying thought came a split-second too late. Is—is he a Greninja? Oh, hells, did I just make myself look stupid?

He met Nolan’s gaze unflinchingly and somehow managed to mask the internal, panicked shrieks in his head.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Lucien's warning echoed in the back of his mind as he tried to avoid eye contact with the inteleon.

Steven would not escape eye contact with Nolan without firmly looking away from him entirely.

“Certainly. But I’d like to know what you’re gonna do with it. It made me bleed when I’m supposed to resist it so I’m very interested in where it’s headed.”

"I'll return it to you," Nolan said, stiffly, taking the spike from Odette with a lanky arm. He examined it as the talking continued.

"Fair enough," he said. "I don't know how long you've been here, but I wasn't figuring you'd casually figured out all that from scratch in the space of less than a week, in between auditing metalworking businesses."

Nolan's expression so far had generally been either grim, or a kind of thin, polite smile. For a moment, it became a cold sneer.

"This work is not unrelated. I am auditing every business in this troublesome town in which Voclain had his claws. A necessary measure, when I lack the man's own books."

"So when you say your job is to gather evidence, who are you gathering it for exactly? You get hired by the local law enforcement, or is some other client taking an interest?"

Nolan's eye flicked up at Dave for a moment to stare a hole in him.

"I do most of my work for a government agency," he said, flatly. "Though I have a great deal of autonomy in this case."

"In that case, what interest do you have with us offworlders? And, how much of our appearance do you believe is in large part due to this shadow crisis?"

"Hmph."

Nolan put down the spike, and pushed it back towards Odette.

"It would not surprise me to learn that the growing problem of Shadow pokémon had some link to the appearance of offworlders on Forlas in unprecedented numbers. If you were brought here in relation to it, then that, naturally, should attract the interest of anyone with any awareness of humans. I should very much like to learn your purpose and intentions on Forlas... and whether you are, as I suspect, human."

“Nolan, was it? You wouldn’t happen to be buddies with a Greninja, would you?”

The Inteleon peered at Wes as if he'd just asked to relieve himself in Nolan's hat.

"No," he said, coldly. "No, I am not."

Nolan reached for his briefcase and withdrew a sheaf of photos from it.

"Every human on Forlas has the potential to do enormous good, or enormous harm," said Nolan, with a bitter edge to his voice. "Many do this world a great service. Not all, however, have benign interests..."

He selected one, and passed it to the first offworlder to reach out.

"Do you recognise this man?"

It was a black-and-white polaroid, of the grainiest quality – and quite distant from the subject – but still clearly showing the distinctive silhouette of a midnight Lycanroc.

 

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix eyed Nolan curiously. "As of now, it is to learn the reason why we were summoned here in the first place and follow that directive assuming no treachery or dishonesty, hence my interest in the shadows." She picked her next words very carefully. The inteleon gave her no reason to give away that aspect of herself just yet. "The others here can speak for themselves in regards to this topic, but before I answer for myself, I have a question, what are your thoughts in regards to the appearance of humans and offworlders on Forlas?"

As she questioned, she approached to get a look at the photograph Nolan produced. Her eyes narrowed upon viewing the contents. "We've never had an encounter but if I am not mistaken, I believe I saw him on a wanted poster calling him 'The Wolf'." She looked back at Nolan. "Correct me if I am mistaken in both identity and my following question: Are you insinuating that he is human?"

 

[Sinderella]

Odette blinked rapidly as Nolan snatched the pin from her. That didn’t answer her fucking question, but she bit down on her tongue as she watched him handle it. Waiting for something, waiting for him to indicate anything that might not have been clear to her at first glance. When he pushed it back to her with no other word, she narrowed her eyes ever so slightly as she picked it up. “Is it sufficient? Do you know if there’s any way to use it to figure out what these ‘mon are exactly?”

She didn’t press again; not as he explained his personal thoughts on the matter of her and the group’s connection to the shadow Pokemon. His words had her tilting her head. What, did he just want to hear some of them say “Yes, I’m human” out loud?

He obviously knew they were offworlders. From the whispers about and general context clues, she’d come to understand that “offworlder” and “human” were synonymous to a lot of the residents of this world. Did he not fall under that belief? Did he just like to hear things for certain? Did he want to know who would raise their hand first? If anyone?

She hadn’t yet formulated her carefully worded answer before Nolan spoke coldly to Blueball and retrieved a photo. That clearly struck a nerve. She glanced in the rockruff’s direction before she took it upon herself to take the photo. Opposable thumbs, and whatnot.

“Don’t know him, but there’s a wanted poster of this guy up, no?” she said, moving to pass the photo to the next person who wanted to look. “Is this your example of a human doing enormous harm?”

 

[Butterfree]

Dave squinted at the photo. "Could be any fucking Lycanroc on there as far as I can tell, but no, I don't know any." He vaguely recalled seeing the wanted posters the others were talking about, but if there was any kind of resemblance beyond fucking species, it was impossible to tell from that grainy mess. He didn't think he could recall seeing any Lycanroc around town, but fuck if he'd been paying attention to the species of every passerby every time he staggered home from the Wanderin' Zera.

The guy sure was preoccupied with humans. Gerome had warned them about letting on that they were human to these people, but odds were it wouldn't elude Nolan for long which of them were. No reason to make it easier on him, though.

He looked back up at the Inteleon. "So the government sent you here to look into Voclain? They know about his shady dealings?"

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Steven clenched his claws when Nolan mentioned that damned book again. He was auditing the whole town, but why? The mayor was clearly guilty, the notebook being the chief evidence against him, and if Nolan wasn't with law enforcement, why continue to pry? With Ignatius out of the picture, the town finally was on track to right itself. The last thing they needed was another government swooping in the second they were free of the last one...

Steven finally found his voice. "Which government?" he amended to Dave's question. "The mayor was technically government here and had been for quite some time. Which agency sent you here and why have they suddenly taken an interest in Frontier Town?"

He thought for a moment before coming to a decision, fixing Nolan with a determined stare. "And to show I want to have this conversation in good faith, yes I am a former human. You most likely already knew that, given I shared as much with Dakota. I also explained to him we don't know why we're here exactly, but we're here to help. And if nothing else, I want to help this town. You probably also know this as well, but they've been through enough. So please, I'd like to know the real reason you're here auditing businesses."

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes didn’t bother to hide his smirk. Sure didn’t take much for this guy to drop his rather thin mask of politeness. “Interesting. I think that’s the first direct answer you’ve given us all evening.” He caught Odette’s sideways glance and was glad he wasn’t the only one who found this snob shadier by the minute.

Nolan was quick to change the subject by whipping out the world’s most useless photo of all time. Wes only vaguely recognized the silhouette as one matching a poster he’d seen around town—one of the few that he’d given more than a passing glance on account of it being a Lycaroc…

He snorted and rolled his eyes. If this toad-on-stilts was going to be difficult, then Wes found no reason not do the same. “Maybe I do and maybe I don’t. Depends on why you’re asking and why you’re interested in him. How about we talk about that?”

He was going to add more when the Beldum spoke up—surprisingly straightforward for one who seemed so diplomatic earlier. Wes felt an inkling of appreciation for the metal mon’s bluntness. Looking Nolan in the eye, he gestured to the Beldum—Steven, had he said?—with a jerk of his head. “What he said. Cut the guessing games and tell us what you’re really here for.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

"What are your thoughts in regards to the appearance of humans and offworlders on Forlas?"

Nolan raised a brow at the Zorua's question. "I'm getting to that."

But questions and demands continued to flow from the group of offworlders.

I believe I saw him on a wanted poster calling him 'The Wolf'." She looked back at Nolan. "Correct me if I am mistaken in both identity and my following question: Are you insinuating that he is human?"

“Don’t know him, but there’s a wanted poster of this guy up, no? Is this your example of a human doing enormous harm?”

Nolan nodded, and was about to reply to Bellatrix and Odette – but didn't get the chance. His lids narrowed and his lips pursed as the questions became accusatory. His index finger twitched.

“Maybe I do and maybe I don’t. Depends on why you’re asking and why you’re interested in him. How about we talk about that? What he said. Cut the guessing games and tell us what you’re really here for.”

"So the government sent you here to look into Voclain? They know about his shady dealings?"

"Which government? The mayor was technically government here and had been for quite some time. Which agency sent you here and why have they suddenly taken an interest in Frontier Town? And to show I want to have this conversation in good faith, yes I am a former human. [...] So please, I'd like to know the real reason you're here auditing businesses."

"I appreciate the straightforward admission from the Beldum, at least," said Nolan, acidly. "Not so much the implication that I've been dishonest, or how this meeting to freely provide you information has turned into an interrogation. Perhaps you assume I am deceiving you because you do not understand the implications of what I've said. I will explain myself in perfect clarity. Perfect. Clarity."

Nolan gestured to the skorupi spike, and Odette's bandages.

"Attacks from Shadow pokémon are imbued with a unique, corrupting emanation. However, attacking someone is evidently insufficent to spread their affliction. Therefore, we must ask: 'how are Shadow pokémon made?' And by whom are they made?"

His hand motioned for continued attention – and silence – as he continued to speak, now gesturing to himself.

"The agency I belong to keeps tabs on humans and their activity, particularly in the Commonwealth and neighbouring Luctemarene regions. It is for this reason that I visited Frontier Town nearly a decade ago – to investigate Ignatius Voclain, Jesse Stranger, and other such individuals. At the time, I was satisfied that nothing was untoward. In Stranger's absense, however, Voclain has clearly become an unchecked, detestable malefactor. I told you truly – I am painstakingly recovering any and all evidence. Any and all evidence... that could lead me to his accomplices."

Nolan's hand now elegantly unfolded in the direction of the photograph.

"There is a larger purpose to Voclain's illicit incarcerations, in a facility which I have not yet located. It most certainly relates to the rise of Shadow activity, and it already has several links to human parties. Voclain himself, your own involvement, and the Lycanroc known as 'the Wolf'. This 'Wolf' displays the singular determination, tactical inventiveness, unpredictability, charisma, and raw strength of a human in pokémon form. He has been active in the region around Blaguarro, physically assaulting everyone from civilian merchants to Commonwealth soldiers, and has been described as practically a 'beast of shadow' himself by eyewitnesses. He is also the only individual who I believed could provide inside information on whatever organisation is behind all this."

Nolan let the thought breathe for a moment.

"Until, of course, I discovered you."

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

"My apologies," Steven offered with a slight wince. "I hadn't meant to imply you were lying. It's just that it's possible to tell the truth without fully revealing one's intentions. I had to ask..."

He closed his eye and bobbed up and then down, like he was taking a deep breath.

"...Because those records you're looking for? The hard copy of Ignatius' personal records?"

The records from which all they managed to do was go on a half-baked mission that got people hurt. He opened his eye and found Nolan's stare.

"I have them."

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes listened to Nolan’s explanation with narrowed eyes. Finally, an actually straightforward answer, but whether Wes trusted this guy’s intentions was another thing.

His suspicion wavered in favor of surprise and curiosity as Nolan went on, however. Before he could stop himself, he asked the question that had been nibbling in the back of his mind: “Are you saying you think this Wolf is…a former human turned shadow?”

Gods, he did not like that thought. And he liked saying so out loud even less.

"I have them."

Wes snapped his head over to stare at Steven in disbelief. What, now he trusted this snob enough to hand over those documents? Just like that? “You—”

You can’t be serious, was what he wanted to say, but it was clear that Steven was. Wes growled quietly in frustration. Horrible idea, in his opinion, but did they have any other option? Now that Nolan knew what Steven had, there was little use in backtracking now. He could very well withdraw his “cooperation” (if being haughty and coy so far could be called as much) at any moment.

He shook his head. “Those documents shouldn’t be handed out to just anybody,” he grumbled. “But if this guy really is who he says he is, then…what the hell, I guess.” Personally, I trust him about as much as I trust the Voice’s teleporting capabilities.

 

[Butterfree]

Dave glanced at Wes. "I mean, the guy doesn't sound like a Shadow Pokémon if he's known for 'charisma' and could give 'inside information'."

Okay. Okay. The picture was becoming a bit clearer. Nolan didn't know the location of Terminal Two, supposedly. After the recent Blaguarro trip, they did. Nolan was connected to presumably the government back in the Commonwealth, and he was supposedly looking into Voclain's business with the production of Shadow Pokémon, the same way they had been. Theoretically, they could help him.

Was he lying about it? Trying to fish out of them whether they'd discovered the facility yet? Plausible. Then again, Shadow Pokémon would be a problem for human supremacists, too, wouldn't they. A group who were more powerful than regular Pokémon, faced by some group or entity creating Pokémon vastly more powerful than either? But then what about Voclain? What was his investment in facilitating this?

(Also, an official government agency 'keeps tabs on humans'? What the fuck?)

Well, Steven was already apparently going for letting Nolan have Voclain's records and admitting he was human. So much for caution.

Dave exhaled through his nose. "Okay, suppose we're all a bunch of humans. So what? We were told we were coming here so you could tell us shit about shadow Pokémon, but then it turns out one of the things you're investigating is apparently us, which makes it sound like your litle friend Dakota didn't actually call this meeting for our sake. What do you want? And..." His eyes narrowed. "When you say you think we have 'inside information', what precisely are you suggesting there?"

 

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix eyed the beldum. Wasn't he the other person responsible for the wagon plan? She didn't have much to say in regards to his decision, rather her mind began to toss around any potential contingencies if this were to blow up in their faces in some way.

Her ears then followed Dave's voice and any other questions she would have asked Nolan died right there and then. The inteleon didn't seem to take very well to blunt questioning and this felt like kicking a proverbial beedrill's nest. She just hoped that neither would do anything to escalate.

 

[Sinderella]

"Attacks from Shadow pokémon are imbued with a unique, corrupting emanation. However, attacking someone is evidently insufficent to spread their affliction. Therefore, we must ask: 'how are Shadow pokémon made?' And by whom are they made?"

I'm not sure I entirely believe that, she wanted to say. I got struck and heard an eerie voice. Some others who got struck heard an eerie voice.

While it might not have been the affliction spreading, that had to have been some sort of sign that everyone who'd been hit with a Shadow move got cursed with something. She didn't feel any different, and her moves were no more or less powerful (last she'd checked), but could that voice have been...some sign of corruption? A warning that corruption was coming? Did it give them the ability to hear from whoever was causing the corruption as a whole, like some kind of unwilling hivemind shit?

But, did she dare ask about it? Nolan wanted to know what was going on with the Shadow 'mon just as much as they did; possibly more. Was this a zombie scenario, in where she needed to keep the specifics of her ailment under wraps lest she end up with her head blown off? Or, perhaps far more likely, in a cell somewhere? But, if she was afflicted with some slow-moving Shadow curse, she would want to be contained so she didn't hurt anyone...

Her eyes must have glazed over for a second. She was brought back by Nolan's acidic tone and the following commentary that came from the canines in the immediate area. Even Steven spoke up to offer the journal, which...she supposed didn't hurt. If there was anyone who could decipher the important bits in it, it was probably going to be Nolan. Provided he wasn't royally pissed off by the amount of interrogating he'd come under, and he certainly already sounded that way. Maybe if he hadn't been so fucking dodgy, there wouldn't be a need to drill him. But here they were. She needed to reel herself back in before she added to the (literal) dogpile and made the situation more touchy than it already was.

So, for the sake of her spinning head, her anger, and their investigation, she bit her tongue a little while longer.

 

[Jackie Cat]

“Are you saying you think this Wolf is…a former human turned shadow?”

"I mean, the guy doesn't sound like a Shadow Pokémon if he's known for 'charisma' and could give 'inside information'."

Nolan nodded slowly. "It is prudent to assume that with such incomplete knowledge of Shadows, we cannot reasonably deny that some may retain their higher thought. Perhaps his corruption is incomplete – or he simply has a singularly strong will. The worst case scenario is one in which he is involved in the underlying scheme somehow."

"My apologies, I hadn't meant to imply you were lying. It's just that it's possible to tell the truth without fully revealing one's intentions. I had to ask... ...Because those records you're looking for? The hard copy of Ignatius' personal records? I have them."

“Those documents shouldn’t be handed out to just anybody,”

Nolan's eyes widened, and he leaned forwards in his chair, marginally.

"Is that so? That shouldn't surprise me, I suppose..."

"Okay, suppose we're all a bunch of humans. So what? We were told we were coming here so you could tell us shit about shadow Pokémon, but then it turns out one of the things you're investigating is apparently us, which makes it sound like your little friend Dakota didn't actually call this meeting for our sake. What do you want? And... When you say you think we have 'inside information', what precisely are you suggesting there?"

Nolan scoffed, and his lip curled again into an expression of disdain.

"Did you believe that I would make time in my schedule to inform a group of strangers of a sensitive matter without hoping to learn anything myself? As I said before – I am not charging you a fee. All told, I shall be content to learn even a little valuable intelligence in exchange for all that I'm telling you. That is no swindle, sir."

The lizard smoothed down his black coat and cleared his throat, before continuing.

"I did not say that you have inside information. I believe that you could, in due time, provide it. Either by apprehending the Wolf, or by otherwise continuing to investigate this faction that produces Shadows and disappears ordinary pokémon."

He turned to Steven with a grave look.

"Although, it appears that you do, in fact, have Voclain's personal records. I'm sure you realise that those documents would be of considerable use in learning the operations of the group he was involved with. From what I've learned in the course of my own research, I'm confident that all he wanted out of the arrangement was private wealth, 'clean streets', and the satiation of his thirst for power. His conspirators, however, remain at large – and are of the deepest concern."

 

[Sinderella]

She nodded along with Nolan's words, fiddling with the ribbons on her sleeves absent-mindedly.

"Okay, so," she said in a breath, "to recap. You were trying to get answers out of the Wolf, who may or may not have a Shadow ailment, but we are clearly the more approachable party, so you want us to keep doing what we're doing, maybe catch this Wolf, and report our findings back to you and your organization."

She dragged the toe of her boot against the floor, briefly averting her gaze to mull over a thought. "Believe me when I say that I'm more than invested in figuring out what the fuck is going on here, and I have absolutely no intention to make your life more difficult." Provided you're telling the truth here. "But, from personal experience and those I've heard through the grapevine, getting close to those Shadows is...a recipe for a bad time, to put it so plainly. Do you want us to just kind of figure it out, or can your organization offer some aid?"

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

"Those documents shouldn’t be handed out to just anybody,”

Steven shot the shiny rockruff a pointed look. "Who said anything about handing them out?" he said with a scowl before quickly redirecting his attention back to Nolan.

"This gentleman is here on business, so I'd like to propose a business deal. Although, from the sound of it, you're probably thinking much the same thing." His gaze quickly met Odette's as well. It sounded like she was on the same page, too.

"We work together to decipher Voclain's documents and uncover who is behind the creation of these shadow pokemon."

"You get your information, we gain resources needed to take on the task, and we both see that these shadow pokemon are no longer able to terrorize the people of Sojavena."

"Does that sound like an agreeable arrangement?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Nolan's face shifted into something between satisfation and fascination.

"Now, this is interesting," he said, a kind of dry bemusement thick in his voice. "Now, I could insist on your giving me those documents – I have that legal authority. However, I would prefer to come to an accord. While I cannot formally affiliate with you – at least not without dispensation from my superiors, or else your joining my organisation – I can certainly honour a gentleman's agreement to cooperate in our mutual investigations."

The Inteleon's fingers went to his chin, and he became pensive.

"I confess I had little idea what to expect from your... group. You are, as you must know by now, unprecedented – and the accounts of Voclain's very public arrest hardly seemed credible. Having spoken to you in person, however, I'm starting to believe it would be in my organisation's interests to offer you permanent employment."

 

[Sinderella]

Odette once again sent Steven a look. Steel types really did stick together, didn’t they? It was good to know that they were wordlessly on the same wavelength. Well, somewhat. She couldn’t pinpoint just how much the beldum trusted Nolan, but judging by his tone, she could tell it was far more than she did—there was a lot that hadn’t been said, so she definitely wasn’t prepared to believe everything out of the lizard’s mouth. Plus, once again, he didn’t answer her fucking question. That was gonna piss her off, but she had to keep her head on.

She could discuss that with Steven later. Right now, she thought his approach to finding common ground was agreeable.

She suddenly felt like she was in her element. The sense of uneasiness about her apparent brush with the Shadow curse aside, she’d been in this position before. Though, perhaps, she wasn’t head over heels in love with the person propositioning her in this situation (because he was a fucking lizard), it was still familiar territory.

Strange Pokemon around Elusive Evil Organization and Elusive Unknown Organization that wants to find out more about Strange Pokemon and take down Elusive Evil Organization. So they reach out to parties with an “in” for help. She both wanted to slap her hand to her face in annoyance and sigh in relief.

“That’s interesting,” she said. “Hypothetically speaking, if we were to accept the parameters of ‘permanent employment,’ what would that entail? I’d imagine this would be the sort of thing you would want to keep under wraps, yeah? If too much gets out, or whatever suspects you may have catch wind of any involvement here, it would probably crumble any and all progress you’ve made so far on figuring this shit out. And possibly fuck us over even more.”

She was scratching her cheek now. “So, you get access to the journal, cooperation on our end, conditional on nobody on your end doing anything questionable, and we get what benefits from your organization? Info? Protection?”

Anything else you may know about Shadow ‘mon that you’re not saying? Answer my fucking questions, dude.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Wes couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He returned Steven’s scowl in kind. “Well, pardon me for not trusting this guy right off the bat just because he claims to have good intentions!” he snapped. He whipped around to glare at Nolan.

“You still haven’t told us who your employers are, or what they do specifically, other than this auditing business you’re a part of. And now we have to agree to join you with the scraps of information you’re barely willing to tell us? How do we know you’re not just trying to get in on the action or whatever Volclain was up to? How do we know you’re not just in this for your own gain—or your organization’s gain? You’ve told us what you do, but not what you want, or why. Let alone what they want.”

He curled his lip into a snarl. “And until you tell us more about that, I’m not giving you shit.”

 

[Butterfree]

"Did you believe that I would make time in my schedule to inform a group of strangers of a sensitive matter without hoping to learn anything myself? As I said before – I am not charging you a fee. All told, I shall be content to learn even a little valuable intelligence in exchange for all that I'm telling you. That is no swindle, sir."

Nice fucking try dodging that, asshole. Oh yeah, a guy invites you unprompted to meet his friend, then when you meet the friend he starts going off about how you fucking owe him something for generously finding a gap in his oh-so-busy schedule? What a dipshit. Translation: Dakota definitely set up this meeting so that this Inteleon fucker could meet them, observe them, and report back on them to his superiors.

"We work together to decipher Voclain's documents and uncover who is behind the creation of these shadow pokemon."

"You get your information, we gain resources needed to take on the task, and we both see that these shadow pokemon are no longer able to terrorize the people of Sojavena."

Dave peered at Steven. In theory, it wouldn't be a bad idea to make use of outside 'resources'. Fuck knew there wasn't a thing they could do about the shadow Pokémon right now, and over in Blaguarro people were still getting fucking abducted and zombified by the day. But Nolan conspicuously didn't answer Odette's query about exactly what kind of aid they could offer. Instead...

"I confess I had little idea what to expect from your... group. You are, as you must know by now, unprecedented – and the accounts of Voclain's very public arrest hardly seemed credible. Having spoken to you in person, however, I'm starting to believe it would be in my organisation's interests to offer you permanent employment."

Permanent employment? Just like that? After he'd spent the entire conversation shriveling up with disdain and condescension? It sure as hell wasn't that he was just that fucking eager to give them jobs. (And who the fuck would phrase a sincere job offer as "It would be in my organization's interests to offer you permanent employment"? Was this guy fucking trying to sound as shady as possible?)

Odette was already asking what exactly his 'permanent employment' was supposed to entail, so Dave didn't have to. But she'd barely stopped talking before Wes was off on a rant. Jesus, buddy, at least let us try to fish some more information out of him.