end of dinner
Dominique eyes widen for only a MOMENT as Olivia proceeds to show her class, or lack their of, behaving more like a child in preschool than a young woman with any kind of decorum.
She then returned to her previous countenance but it was obvious to HER that this meeting was OVER at least with the MAJORITY of them. Dominique had NOTHING to proove or validate to these children. she owed them NOTHING and she could understand why some of them SHOULD be killed.
Olivia WAS right, Shade could and most likely was poised to pose a BIG problem for the Hellfire Club as WELL as these children. But at the same time, Dominique and the Hellfire Club (in theory) were really ALL that stood between the children and sudden, painfull annihilation, not just themselves but any of t heir families as well. But who had MORE to lose? CERTAINLY not Dominique and she wasnt ABOUT to be chastised OR checked by a petulant child who couldnt even figure out which fork to use with which course or worse yet, would probably STEAL her blind if she wasnt aware of what was going on.
"Yes. and I'm done as well."
Not needing to dignify anything ELSE the girl said, Dominique prepared to take her leave of these children, PERMANENTLY, when Brenda spoke up.
Brenda said:
"ALRIGHT, everyone. Let's just hold on a second here. I think we'd ALL benefit from taking a deep breath and a step BACK. Effy, Olivia, I KNOW where you're coming from, and I understand what you're trying to do, but to be straight, you aren't going about it the best way and you don't know EVERYTHING yet. We need all the help we can get, so rather than proving how tough and willful we are, we ought to be making sure we don't turn away a possible ally. [turning to Dominique] Mystech IS after us. Now I don't know if Shade IS working with them, or if they simply turned her on to us, or if her interests just so happen to coincide with Mystech's. But she confirmed their interest in us when she tried to recruit Rich and I earlier this evening. WHOEVER Shade is working for, whatever her reasons, somewhere along the way she decided that Rich and I would be wasted if we fell unto Mystech. We didn't capitalize on her offer to join her and we BARELY made it out with our lives. I don't think we'll be able to survive a THIRD attack. I didn't give her everything I HAD… but I won't be able to surprise her again. She's smart enough to take out the biggest threats first and without trying to sound smug, I think tonight she decided that threat was me when I managed to blindside her. You're right, we AREN'T ready for this, but I'm afraid we no longer have a choice. I personally would like to LIVE past Shade, and I don't want to join Mystech. What do you recommend we do?"
Dominique had a small but DISTINCT problem. KNOWING what she knew, realizing that BRENDA was involved in this...if something happened to THIS child, who belonged to two long time fans, business associates and FRIENDS of her's, it would in no small way be on Dominique's conscience. She'd already lost NICOLAS by some wild, inexplicable turn of events that came before even SHE could attempt to control the situation.
She felt a flash of regret. WHY had she given IN to the impulse to find the boy whom Nicolas had last helped? Had she not been so CAUGHT UP in trying to explore whatever REMOTE connections were left to her nephew's memory, she might not be here now!
BUT, just as Nicolas had needed her, his only living relative in the world, so too did the child of her friends...and this boy who was all she had left of Nicolas' legacy. If helping them benefited their wretched companions, she'd have to just chalk it up to an "occupational hazard" of sorts.
She looked at Brenda, and remained composed despite it being clear she was one move away from departing them.
"Brenda, I will say this to you in front of these other children. You and Richard both. I CAN'T turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to this because YOU are involved. You are the child of two close personal friends of mine and it would be beyond unkind to let you go to your death. If I had any REAL reason to hide anything from you...I would not have disclosed the fact that Shade is a member of the Hellfire Club. So do NOT allow yourself to be paranoid like that child over there...what else can you expect from a girl who is just a step ABOVE "street urchin"?
"Richard my nephew was your benefactor. He saught to help you when no one else could or would and that is why i found you."
"What should you do now? Well for starters do NOT allow yourselves to be governed by your adolescent emotions like your friends over there. What you are facing is very unfortunate. It shouldn't be this way but it IS and so NOW you're going to have to grow up and learn how to play the game and part of that game is knowing who to turn to."
"You have asked for my help, and I will give you that help but you just be prepared to sacrifice EVERYTHING including your "normal lives" for the time being UNTIL the immediate threat of Shade has been dealt with. You're a danger to your families, those of you who live with them and you can't go back to that "Foundation". Its too obvious a place. You're going to have to find a way leave them for the next few days. You can stay here...I OWN the wing of this hotel that my suite occupies and there are several rooms available. This way you are TOGETHER and close at hand. HOW you manage that is your problem, but in order for ME to protect you, you must be here...close at hand."
looking at Richard.
"There is also access to food, communication and other necessities that will make it easier for you. You can't fight to survive if you are not up to the task physically and mentally or without proper information."
" I will contact my colleagues, Diana and Helena [ the White & Red Queen] and inform them about Shade. Her actions can be considered a grave threat to the security of the Hellfire Club and as such, will require her to be dealt with...IMMEDIATELY. As a fellow magick user, I have the power to compell her to appear before me and
I will deal with her. "
standing up and preparing to take her leave.
"And finally? Keep THOSE two on a short leash. They will not win you friends OR favor with very many people."
"Return to the hotel in no less than 4 hours. That should give you each time to figure out what you need to do to be back here. Once this is over, you should be able to resume your lives as they were, free of the menace of Shade. For now, I am going to contact my colleagues and find out what ELSE is going on."
"Do not be late. I will be waiting to present you to your rooms later."
and with that, Dominique bids Richard and Brenda a good evening and takes her leave of them.
If Mystech WAS going to make any moves that some how conflicted with Hellfire Club's intersets in any given area...that would be an act of war. the Hellfire Club had several standing accounts with this hotel and with Mystech JUST reconstituting itself, there were still MANY enemies it had to consider INCLUDING the Hellfire Club. Dominique would angle this to her fellow queens that Shade was now a raving security risk to be dealt with...she would SECRETLY be urged on by her concern for Brenda and Rich, as well as the chance to perhaps find out if Shade OR Mystech had anything to do with Nicolas.
That was HER plan, and if these children wanted to live, regardless of what any one of them might have thought about HER...it was t heir best chance at not only regrouping and getting built up, but SURVIVING this nightmare.
But young people can get into an AWFULL lot of trouble even in the span of just a few hours.
