New Beginnings (Pervaya Liniya Security)

[Edwin]

So far, Eddie's move to Moscow had been a rather interesting ride.  The incredibly dull life of a soldier in the current greatest city in the world had caused Eddie to seek other options.  He had not know he had caught the interest of Pervaya Liniya Security.  They had never attempted to contact him, instead they had sent one of their agents to test him.  He was sure that was what had happened with the entire situation with Rhi.  Turned out, the would be poisoner was a great wing-woman.  The rest of the night had been incredible.

Eddie had put the pieces together, determining that they had put her in "danger" to see how he would react to protecting others. To Eddie, it had just seemed instinctual, but apparently, their agent had seen enough to give him the card that he now carried: A Pervaya Liniya card with today's date on it, proclaiming a meeting with a Zhenya Disir.

Eddie entered the building, dressed in a nice suit and tie, not knowing what to expect with this meeting.  He felt that it was a good sign.  He doubted Mrs. Disir would waste her own time to bring him in and tell him he just wasn't a good fit, but he wasn't fool enough to think that he had earned the job yet.  Time would tell.  He had arrived early, not so early as to be annoying, but early enough to show that he took the meeting seriously and had no desire to waste his potential new employer's time.

Eddie approached a desk, a young lady sitting there typing at a computer. She looked up at his approach. "Good morning," he said with a polite smile.  "My name is Edwin Dean, I believe I have a meeting with Mrs. Disir."

[Zhenya]

Edwin was directed to take a seat, where he remained until he was escorted via elevator and led through into Zhenya’s office. The security protocols from the moment he entered the doors to the moment he was presented were completely seamless. Pervaya’s building was sleek but largely unadorned, leaning more into practicality than showmanship, and its public halls were mostly quiet. But Zhenya’s personal realm reflected her far more closely, for it was a beautiful space, filled with personal touch. A panoramic view of the city backdropped. The woman herself was not behind the desk, and she was standing ready to greet him when he entered.

Zhenya’s welcome was disarmingly warm. Pervaya had a somewhat ruthless reputation for its delivery, and the woman at its helm rarely met preconceptions for the head of Moscow’s most prestigious security firm. Her suit was clearly designer, her accessories tasteful and expensive, the most beautiful of which was her open smile. Her clear Chinese blood also sometimes gave others pause in the heart of the Custody, for her father and predecessor was Russian to his core. No one ever commented on it, though.

Her dark eyes took Edwin in, but it seemed nothing if not a pleasant judgement. Zhenya’s hand extended to shake his, and she placed her other hand atop when he did, making it something far less formal. “Mister Dean, welcome,” she said. Operators were not required to present themselves in a certain way – god knows they only ever managed to get White in off the rack suits when it was strictly necessary – but Zhenya’s eye naturally preferred them to look the part. She noted the suit, the short hair.

“Zhenya Disir. A pleasure.” She gestured to an arrangement of chairs that made the most of the view. The low table was already adorned with refreshments, which he was quite free to partake in. She sat first, crossing her legs, watching as he settled. “I’m pleased you responded to our invitation.” She made it sound benign, and of course she had already read the report, but she wanted to know what he had interpreted of the evening.

[Edwin]

Eddie was instructed to take a seat and when it was time he was escorted to the office of Mrs Disir. She met him at the door cordially, and he shook her hand, not the informal way she placed hers over his as they greeted each other. At least this portion of the interview would be a little more relaxed.

Eddie noted the difference in decor from the utilitititarian function of the building to the more personal decor of Zhenya’s office, noting also her designer clothing and jewelry. It made him happy that he had considered the private sector. Not that he was overly concerned with wealth, but it did have an impact. And Rhi had destroyed his favorite shirt, so there was that to replace.

He followed, and he let her sit before he followed suit, noting, but not partaking in the refreshments in the table. ”The pleasure is all mine,” he said with a polite smile. ”And I’m grateful for the invitation, even if the delivery method was unexpected. I had expected a phone call.” he gave a small laugh to show that he was offering a small joke. He quickly moved back to business. ”Honestly speaking, I found that process to be inspired, a good way for you to evaluate potential candidates. I’d imagine it’s very effective.”

[Zhenya]

He certainly had the impeccable manners employers preferred, which were especially coveted when the job was protecting younger members of the family. Especially daughters. A personable demeanour wasn’t so common in ex-military, which all of Pervaya’s operators were. Of course, they were a results focused company and so exclusive it didn’t actually matter, but it certainly didn’t harm. Zhenya didn’t observe him with anything approaching piercing judgement, but she was observant nonetheless. Matching client needs was part of Pervaya’s pride.

She smiled. “I think you have realised by now that the unexpected can be part of the job. It helps tell us what we need to know about a candidate’s inner qualities, something harder to discern on paper or during a phone call. Instinct can’t be taught, after all.” She leaned to pour herself a glass of water from the tray, making a gesture to inquire if he would like one too.

“Tell me what drew you to Pervaya, Mister Dean.”

[Edwin]

Eddie nodded in understanding. By “interviewing” potential candidates the way they had, they had gained significantly more insight to not only his skills, but his personality. He remembered thinking that protecting Rhi had been a good chance to practice in case he was hired here, but still he had let his instincts guide what he did. Especially when the shadows had come in during Rhi’s business meeting.

Zhenya poured herself a glass of water and inquired with a gesture whether he would like one. He raised his hand a declined politely, ”No, thank you.”

He continued into answering her question. ”When I looked into Pervaya, what really drew me in was your dedication to protecting people, not things. That’s where my interests lie.”

With the question, Eddie knew he was now in the second interview for his job at the company. He kept his answer short, not beating around the bush. But he was listening and would answer any questions completely.

[Zhenya]

A smile touched Zhenya’s lips for his answer. Physical qualification aside – and indeed, they only ever hired the best – she was always interested in the answer to that question. She knew each one of her operators on a personal level, some better than others of course, but Pervaya had a distinct air of family to those accepted into its halls. It was this overly familiar attitude that caused her problems sometimes, though she’d never actually crossed the line Lorcán suspected she had. More, it was a deeply rooted pride and loyalty that tied her here. She protected her own fiercely, including bending the law when she needed to. They protected the clients, and Zhenya protected them.

It was why she conducted the interviews herself, when it could have been delegated to any number of capable staff. Because she wanted to make her own judgments – because she wanted to be the first face to welcome into the fold. And because she wanted to know they would do what needed to be done when required – whether the law permitted it or not.

The interview continued in the same vein, in part directed by pre-decided questions, and in part conducted less formally, meandering down different parts according to the answers he gave. It was quite clear that she was interested in the person Edwin was as much as his past record and his qualifying skills for the work. Discovering his willingness to break the rules was a more delicate discovery of course – not the sort of thing that could simply be asked outright. But Zhenya’s touch was light and charming.

They spoke for the better part of an hour. She was always thorough, though it never actually took her long to make a decision, in part because when candidates made it this far there was a certain amount of surety in their suitability. By the time they met with Zhenya it was more about fit.

By the interview’s conclusion, she regarded Edwin with a smile. It was a warm one, not evasive. “Thank you for your time, Edwin. I shall not beat around the bush – I would like to offer you a position with us. You are quite welcome to take the time to consider it and peruse the contract first if you wish.”