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WHO: The Birthday Boy and Friends. And acquaintances.
WHERE: Bewitched.
WHEN: Friday, April 12th. 7pm - 11:30pm or so.
WARNINGS: Soon enough.
SUMMARY: The worst surprise party in the history of surprise parties.
FORMAT: Just make your own sub-threads and jam! Please remember to tag yourselves in!

Zatanna's club is more than modest in size and has a distinct art deco feel to it; the structure remains almost entirely as it was when she bought it aside from minor fixes (mostly make sure it was safe and clean). The glass ceiling that spans the lofty entrance makes for an interesting start. It's easier to get lost looking up than down the halls that curve to a vast library of strange and esoteric texts, dressing rooms, and various currently unused rooms that the magician has sealed and locked.

Past the ticket booth (and what appears to be a currently-closed gift shop of sorts) is the main show room and a few others to each side of it. While these aren't closed, there's nothing special about them for the moment. The interior of the main room is as it usually is, with no new decorations aside from plenty of balloons littered across the ceiling. The floor has left room for those who choose to dance, but plenty of tables and chairs for people to sit at. The bar is busy with more than one man behind it mixing drinks. On stage, there's a live band. Her employees are in the crowd mingling, entertaining guests when they see fit (and if they so choose); mostly, they're keeping to themselves and chatting with whoever catches their fancy.

Outside there are chauffeurs and large, burly men taking the invitations in exchange for entry. It isn't impossible to sneak in with fake ones or through other means...

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[ Mitchell can tell the signs of a miserable James Bond. He'd been bodyguarded by the guy often enough that he can see the signs of stress when he's been pushed just a bit too far. He may be socially stupid, but repetition still bears that he can pick up on things.

So he swings close with two drinks. One supposedly for himself, but he's barely touched it, and the other for James, which he hands over with surprising smoothness. He gives him a half-smile, something bordering on exasperated. ]

Don't get too excited about turning another year older.

[While the drink is appreciated, Mitch still gets a huff of annoyance at the approach, an obvious and fairly childish (and totally passive aggressive) display that he'd rather be left alone at his own party.

That doesn't mean he can't accept the drink when it's offered.]

I'm nearing fifty. I can feel senility already setting in.

[ He choked a somewhat fake laugh. He could appreciate the sentiment of getting older. He didn't even let the huff bother him. He could bulldoze through any passive aggressive annoyance. After all, he was a politician. ]

Can't we all? Hell, I'm turning 45 this year. We're all getting fucking old.

When the fuck did I get older than you? You're supposed to be the old git.

[Wow, way to raise his depression, Mitch. Just let him down the rest of his drink all in one because he totally needs all this alcohol to survive tonight.]

Hey! [ He waves a hand. ] Why do I have to be the old fuck? Can't we both be old shit's and just get pissy with eveyrone else?

Hn, isn't that what we do anyway? [Let's face it, even James realises they're both grumpy old dudes, with or without the whole getting older thing.]

Well-- [ He pauses, and then insult settles in. ] Hey!

[ Look, it's still going to take him a moment. ] We're not that pissy yet!

[That gets a scoff of amusement, almost as if he's enjoying himself for a second there.]

Speak for yourself, you old bastard. I am.

Although I'm surprised you even ventured out of the office for this.

Hey, it's your fucking birthday, isn't it? How would you feel if I didn't show up, huh?

[ Well, alright, he knew that James probably wouldn't care that much, but not showing up would've been a pretty shitty thing for him to do. That was true. ]

I'd have considered you a good friend not to be taking part in this sodding farce. I imagine I want to be here even less than you do.

[See, Mitch, you can never get it right no matter what you do. You're always going to upset someone.]

[ He shook his head, just a touch of sarcasm apparent in his motions. ]

Tell you what, I'll buy you a drink sometimes later, when it isn't your birthday, just to make up for this, how about that?

[A beat as he considers the offer, eyeing Mitch as if he's expecting it to be retracted at any second, but when the back pedal doesn't come, he's carefully replying.]

Of your own free will?

Who are you and what have you done to Mitch?

[ He flashes him a grin. ] Look, I pissed you off on your birthday by being around. Don't expect me to not work during the thing, but it's still a fucking offer.

[ Couldn't please everyone, his ass. ]

Perhaps you just piss me off by being around, full stop.

[Except a small quirk at the corner of his lips suggests he's only joking.] I did have something that needed discussing as it turns out. Might do to have it done over drinks.

[ He shook his head, a hint of amusement creeping through. ]

Oh come the fuck on! You can't even give me a hint?

It's business talk, not something I think Zee will allow me to discuss at a supposed Birthday party.

[A pause as he sips at his drink, glancing around carefully to make sure there's no one too near. Apparently he's still going to try and talk business anyway.] Just the small matter of how much support I might get for re-establishing a certain intelligence group.

Oh. Really?

[His eyebrows lift, but he says nothing more than that about it. Instead, he's more willing to protest what Zee would do. Perhaps proving James's point by doing so. ]

I don't know, she can't stop us from talking. Even if she won't like it.

Well then, let's talk business. [And yet still said in the low tones of a man who doesn't want to be overheard, especially by a certain wandering magician that might pounce on him at any moment.]

So.

How much support would a man of your standing offer a certain imPort intelligence group?

Aha. [ He replied low, leaning forward just slightly. Business, he could do. Business was safe, and it was something the both of them could do. ]

I could offer a bit. Maybe not much on the public side-- [ he explained, tipping his head. He couldn't offer preferential treatment to imports in most situations. He had to be careful. ] However, in terms of contracts? I have some connections that would be really interested.

Mm, naturally. [He wasn't expecting public backing, not from Mitch and especially not for a spy organisation that might not necessarily behave themselves like they should.

But in terms of contracts...]

See, I knew you'd be useful one of these days. I'm not expecting funding or Government backing or any of that shit, but I need some assurance that you won't be kicking down our doors over some 'vigilante' bollocks or whatever your lot cook up. We'll do things by the book, lawful. [Beat.] And any of those connections you have, I need.

Hey, as long as you're by the book, I can't complain. I'm sure we'll be able to arrange something that would work in the case of any issues that arise in the future.

[ Mitchell, for all his wisdom, did want to see imports do well without it. Maybe a group working by the books would help that. ]

I'll send you some names. They might not necessarily be good people, but then again, who in Washington is?

Well, as by the book as I can be. [Which actually isn't very, but he's trying his best okay!]

I don't care who they are or what they want, so long as they can pay and it's not anti-imPort. I'll be soloing a lot of it until I can gather a team up again.

Hey, they might not like imports, but they don't exactly hate us like some people do. You don't have to worry about that. As long as you do good work, they'll be happy.

[ He gave him a faint, half-grin. He knew what James meant, he knew that he couldn't keep himself from doing it all the time, but hey, as long as he was trying to be by the book, he couldn't complain. ]

I'll work on the don't ask, don't tell policy in regard to the whole matter at any rate. Strictly business with any clients. And if City Hall need anything taking care of... [Bond is totally your man, Mitch. He still loves you sometimes. :c]

[ He laughed, softly. But he didn't necessarily say no, either. If anything, he ran a hand through his hair. ]

Don't make any offers unless you intend to keep them.

You never know, in the City. I might need to enlist you guys for security, or some shit.

[ Some shit, more likely. ]

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