Reroll

I start with the normal formalities, “Hello,” I glance at the woman's name badge, “Ms. Fairchild, I represent the winged woman that visited the Children's hospital….”

“The Angel?!” she doesn't let me finish.

“She's a normal human that went through some extraordinary events and wants…” I begin.

“An angel, here… at my desk…” okay, she's shocked out of her senses.

“Technically no, but she’d like…” it feels odd speaking in third person.

“An actual angel! Here!” Okay Ms. Elaine Fairchild, I give up.

I shake my head, “I suppose technically the word also means ‘messenger’, which actually does fit, so sure.  Regardless, we’d like….”

“How about I take you straight to the CEO, Joe Negri,” the other woman speaks up, “I don't imagine the right form even EXISTS for what you're after.”

I check her badge: Betty Aberlin, “Certainly Ms. Aberlin. Go ahead and…” I feel Ms. Fairchild slip a card in my hand.  I glance at it… and QUICKLY palm it before finishing my reply to Betty, “...lead me to the person at the top of the chain here.”

Betty takes me to an elevator, types in a code… which I don't bother remembering, given that I don't need the elevator at all… the door opens, she presses another button, and we ride up… and up… and up.

I check the lights… ah, we're going to the top floor.  Of course.  We get there after about a minute, and the door opens… to a short glass hallway to a small building, surrounded by a lawn.  This rooftop is set up like a half-acre lot with a house.. there's even a white picket fence around the edges to keep people from falling over by accident. The glass hallway connects to a wrap-around porch on the little building, and Ms. Aberlin walks up, pressing a doorbell.

A minute later, a man in a black suit and red tie answers the door.  

My ‘Al’ with Appraise lets me know a meaningless detail, “That's a silk suit.”

He greets me with, “That's a good costume, but It's not Halloween.”

I hop up and hover a foot off the ground, “No, it isn't. I'm sure you've heard of the winged woman who did a rather lot of healing at the Children's Hospital nearby?”

‘You're trying to tell me you're the dead angel?” he turns to my guide, “Ms. Aberlin: Have my assistant hold all my calls and meetings until further notice; you're dismissed.”

As Ms. Aberlin quietly walks away, it's my turn to talk, “No, on three different counts.  First, I'm not her,” that part is a lie, but I have lots of Bluff, “I'm her proxy: A bit of magic given form and a close semblance of life to deliver messages and negotiate on her behalf.” Partially true, that. “Second, she didn't perish. She was injured, yes, but had allies in the crowd due to expecting something of that nature, and is taking some time to recover… but will be fine on Sunday,” Technically true, but misleading, “And third, she's not a divine being.”

The look of confusion on Joe's face is PRICELESS, so I continue, “She was a normal human not too terribly long ago. She was involved in an event about which I can't speak, and was subsequently empowered. Her allies are posting a video later today, saying she's negotiating with this hospital to use the space for a repeat performance of the Children's Hospital healing… hopefully minus the violent interruption by pawns of the folks hunting her.”

Yes, I'm focusing on being diplomatic here: Skill checks are crazy useful, they're non-magical magic.

He considers, “She did get shot in the face, so I certainly can't say it's paranoia… and all she wants is the space?”

“And your employees as organizers - based on what happened at the Children's Hospital, there's going to be quite a crowd, and she'd rather there not be any tramplings…” I pause, “plus, of course, that way your staff can bring patients who can't bring themselves.”

Joe considers a bit, “By any chance is that what happened a few days ago? Did your mistress… what's her name, anyway?... Come by quietly and heal everyone?”

I consider: Risky either way, and the truth is easier to keep straight: “Yes. Names sometimes have power… let's go with ‘Alice’ for this discussion. Was it a problem?”  Also, it feels weird being called a mistress, but it is the female form of ‘master’, so… whatever.

Joe rubs his temples, just below hair that is starting to go gray, “Come inside, I need a drink.”

I follow him in as he backs into ‘his’ house, and see a smaller, but quite luxurious, living room, which includes a wet bar.  He gets two wine glasses, and pulls out a whisky bottle, filling both.  He hands one to me as he takes a sip, “Okay, so… that happening once is not a problem. We're running at around ninety-five percent capacity most of the time, and have a waiting list; the hospitals in the surrounding areas are in a similar state. We're just getting more patients in as we confirm everyone your mistress touched is fine and send them home.”

I take a sip… good stuff… as he takes a breath and continues, “But that won't work forever. You save people's lives; that's good. Wonderful, even.  But if she does that over and over again… well, what happens to any business that doesn't have customers?”

“You'll still have customers,” I laugh, “More of them, even: They just won't stay as long. Alice cannot be everywhere, can only heal so quickly, and a lot of folks who need her services will need life support until she can get to them. You'll even use all of your diagnostic equipment more: I don't imagine the FDA has fully approved ‘magic’, so everything will need to be verified. Your surgery bays will still see use for cosmetic stuff, as well as the emergency stuff when Alice isn't available. Oh yes, and she can't do much about mental issues: You'll make money hand over fist.”

The CEO thinks for a bit as he takes another sip, “All right… I can buy that.  I can have the lawyers draw up a contract…”

I shake my head, “There's no point. Alice bears no resemblance to who she used to be. For practical purposes, she has no legal identity. No contract would be enforceable.”

Mr. Negri sips his glass; my ‘Al’ with Sense Motive lets me know he's thinking hard on that one, “It's still good to write down mutual expectations so everyone knows what they're getting into.” He takes another sip, “No legal identity is rough… where is she living now?”

Again… risky, but this guy might be able to help, and have reason to do so… “An abandoned house, along with a few others in a similar situation.”

The CEO purses his lips, “That we can solve readily enough… this wasn't a one-off event that empowered Alice, then.”

Statement, not question, but I answer anyway, “No. The organization hunting Alice…” I take a sip, “...has good reason to exist.  As far as she can tell, most of those affected by similar events turn into absolute monsters that not only kill unaffected people, but convert people into more of the same. In most cases, if they weren't killed very quickly things would get very, very bad.  So the organization engages in a silent war of extermination… the only true beefs Alice has with them are their lack of discrimination and their methods.”

My ‘Al’ with the Heal skill makes a suggestion, “You might want to lay off on that cup… it's just whiskey, but it's potent stuff, and this body is not immune.”

Point taken.

The man in charge of the hospital considers that, “And again, ‘shot in the face’, so it lines up with available evidence. Hmm.  Okay, so… here's my pitch: Alice does these mass healings here, once a week… exclusively, and on a schedule.  You said you're looking at Sunday?”

I nod, and he continues, “Works for me. Individual charity healings of people with little to no means of paying are fine, but the big dog and pony show is always here, as an eight hour shift.  Walk-ins are fine, we don't charge for them.  We also don't charge admitted patients for your services; we still charge for other hospital expenses as normal - the room, any life support, any meds, and so on.  I set Alice up with a contact who's job is to keep Alice happy, who will have a budget of a hundred grand a month for that purpose.  That means Alice wants something, she gets it.  Food, lodgings, clothes, cash, cars, whatever: Ask the contact, she'll make it happen as best she can if it's legal and within the monthly budget - do keep in mind, large purchases - cars, boats, land, and such - cannot be instant due to legally required paperwork, so that kind of thing WILL have a delay.  As Alice doesn't have a legal name, all large purchased assets will be officially owned by the hospital, held in trust until such time as Alice has a usable legal identity, at which point, they're hers.”

Huh, I wasn't thinking about money… that works out to over a million a year. Huh.  That's… um. More than I thought I'd see in my life.

I manage to keep my shock inside as Joe continues, “We'll do a six month trial run. If we're both happy at the end of that time, great; we keep it up as-is and continue for another year. If not, we renegotiate. How's that sound?”

My Sense Motive ‘Al’ lets me know what's up, “He's a shark. He's hoping to catch you and make you happy enough that you don't realize just how much he's making off you so you don't even think of checking with anyone else.”

Hmm.  Bird in hand, though… I can go shopping for a better deal later, this is just a six month commitment. This gets us somewhere nice quickly, and I was planning on doing basically that for free, so no loss there.

“That is within the parameters Alice gave me; I can agree to it.  And I do see your point on the written nature…” we go through the formalities; he calls a secretary up, we go over the terms again while she types it up where she is.  The CEO also has her send it to legal for the official wording.  I'm to have Alice meet his team Sunday at eight am for the final review and official signing for the formal agreement, so we can have the actual event at nine.

We're even done before my proxy fades away to nothing, which is good, as I have a card to follow up on....