Once more, with feeling

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Yes. He is not the only one lost, and others are severely injured in ways that suggest beyond normal-human force was applied. It is not about the money, I have more than enough that is not even in stocks, and I live on an island that provides my needs. But we cannot afford this...ROGUE to hurt innocent people, make those that hate us feel justified.

Nicolas stands, begins pacing like a caged cat, his duster flowing behind him.

I plan to make some inquiries tonight. There are shareholders who sold that I would not have guessed they EVER would. They are also unharmed. A few are not my favorite people, people who are...less than savory. I plan to start with them. They always seem to know when something is up.
 
As each of the members of the Six settled into the conservatory, Blaze remained standing with one hand at her hip. Even in her posture she seemed similar to Morgan yet remnants of the main steam Blaze’s posture shined through. With Ava and Alison in recovery, Blaze had an inkling this might be occurring. She nodded to acknowledge she understood what Morgan meant by taking a leave of absence to care for Harbinger and Persephone.

With the attention turned to Firebird, Blaze remained silent as the team debated whether or not she would be accepted as one of their own. It seemed the majority if not all of the team was fine with it, even welcoming and amicable. Nicolas was the first to vocalize his agreement along with accommodating to Blaze. She smiled but would kindly decline his offer, “I appreciate the thoughtfulness and the gesture, Nic, but I think it would be wise for me to stay elsewhere. Your going through a difficult time in your life and I wouldn’t wanna impose.” It wasn’t like Blaze minded but she knew Nicolas needed this time to himself, even with Mike out in the field. Blaze was also immensely independent, more so than main stream. In her heart Blaze didn’t want to be an inconvenience, which in her mind she knew she would be having to depend on the others. This Blaze had difficulty accepting help due to her own prideful nature. Plus she was much more pigheaded and stubborn.

Next, Haleigh offered her input on the arrival of Firebird and the topic at hand with Morgan and Nicolas. Blaze watched from her standing position as the hybrid spoke articulately from one topic to the next. Moving with a graceful fluidity that broached from one topic to the next. The fire elemental was surprised with Haleigh’s admission that she would ‘find no locked doors’ around. A brow arched high at this. Could Haleigh actually be offering her a place to stay at her compound as well or at least welcome there? Anything was possible it seemed but Blaze didn’t dwell on it either. Most conversations were open to interpretation. With their eyes locked, Blaze would casually nod, “Thanks.” Her words terse, not having much to say only to absorb what each team member felt and thought.

Lastly, Morgan offered her own thoughts and feelings to the matter at hand. Blaze seemed to agree with her sister, “I’d like to stay at the Rotunda, I think that’s a wise choice, Morg.” She always felt closer to being around her sister than any other place else. Even being around her personal space, especially with her Morgan gone. Blaze hadn’t commented much on her sister staying behind to care for the team, though for many of her own personal reasons. Firebird was vocal on a variety of levels but when it came to her sister she sometimes would be more reserved to speak in private with her. Even though this wasn’t her sister. But, Blaze had suffered from losing her sister in her time period to regaining one in this one to an extent. Even to be temporarily separated pained the fire elemental.

There was so much to learn, so much to be briefed on. Deep in thought, Blaze was snapped out of them upon Morgan’s suggestion that Haleigh brief her along with combat training. She didn’t object to it either way. “I have no problem with that.”

The conversation shifted to Nicolas and what he was going through. His words seemed strong yet dipped with emotion. Even his body language suggested how he had been feeling. Poor guy was going through agony with the brutal murder of his personal friend, Magnuss. The mutant’s mind would be obsessed on the death of Magnuss. Although Blaze couldn’t blame him one bit. With all of the tragedy in her realm she understood what loss felt like, having her own teammates taken from her one by one. Only having a trio of them left over to battle the evils of the world.

“Beyond normal human means? So, your saying someone like one of us was responsible for your friend’s death. But with all do respect, how do you know that this murderer(s) isn’t trying to bait you? You said you guys have been living in isolation for what months now?”

Blaze may have been impulsive but she had learned to be cautious as well throughout her travels in the world.
 
As Morgan suggested that Haleigh take leadership in her absence, Nicolas nodded as he paced. Haleigh would make the best fit, and her combat acumen was impeccable.

Nicolas paused as Blaze asked if this could all be a setup.

Definitely a possibility. Either someone is trying to take advantage of the power void we left OR...

someone who knows that we are alive, or at least suspects, is working to smoke us out. That is why I am wary of taking any of you with me as I investigate. I do not wish to risk blowing all our covers, especially if this gets UNPLEASANT.

Nicolas' emphasis of the last word indicated his own willingness and resolve as far as this issue was concerned...
 
speaking of "getting rough"

[ back in NYC, the tall, blue eyed chanteuse looks upon Helena as though she were looking upon a diseased creature.]

The name is DOMINIQUE and Mind your tongue, you cheap xerox copy, before i pull it OUT.

[she was referring to this being an "alternate" of the original Helena.]

If I wanted to see you battered and broken, i could easily have made it happen, but just as you two were curious about me, i realize you wouldnt have went through the trouble of a ruse if it were not for a specific purpose.

[ she seated herself and offered the two women to be seated as well. ]

Despite your associate's obvious lack of tact...and being in dire need of a dermatologist...I would offer you two a drink, champagne perhaps? My bar is fully complimented.

[ she spoke with a clear icy tone. not yet aware that her recent, violent endeavors in the take over of a large amount of stock in King Enterprises had come to the attention of the Six.]

and what is this proposal you are offering? most people wouldnt use a ruse to approach someone if all they were merely offering was a "proposal".
 
NYC- the parthenon

:: Malice watched as Helena and Dominique fronted each other off. Being an alpha female herself, she could barely tolerate most women (or men) she dealt with, HOWEVER, there were a select few whom had earned her respect ..or at the very least...TOLERANCE. she was willing to abide Dominique's hostility if only to offer the woman a chance to see the "bigger" picture of them working together. but having Dominique as an ENEMY would also make for interesting times. She felt the woman would be a challenge, not like most of her would be prey.::


:: after the two women exchanged insults, Diana audibly exhaled with annoyance.::

save the posturing before a catfight for a dynasty marathon.

:: the women sit down ad Dominique's invitation::

dom would be nice...1997 vintage.

:: Malice noted that Dominique had a CHAMBER MAID dressed in egyptian garb attended them. she appeared to be a youthfull woman, but had NO kind of mental "print" that malice could scan. as if she were ...::

an automatron?

:: they were served their drinks and Dominique began to converse with them.::

well, the ruse may have been "trite" by your standards, but you're obviously not a normal woman. neither are well. unusual methods are taken when dealing with unusual people. i'm sure you can understand that, Ms. Deveraux.

Quite simply, I am here to offer you membership to the Hellfire Club, and to our INNER CIRCLE where only men/women of POWER belong. the hellfire club rules the society, WE rule the hellfire club and only those who have shown themselves to be powerfull and of considerable background are offered such an opportunity.

:: Malice waited to see if Dominique would snap at this like a common person who just won the lottery or if she would delve deeper into this most unexpected offer.::
 
NYC- the parthenon

[ Dominique snapped her fingers and her mysterious chamber maid attended Malice's order for Dom P, 1997 vintage. Diana and Helena sat across from Dominique, in the large, sunken in lounge of the suite and as the woman in white began to discuss the hellfire club, Dominique showed no visible signs of surprise. in fact she seemed hardly moved.]

The hellfire club.

[ as the chamber maid brought forth her drink a mysterious tonic she waved the chamber maid away before addressing Diana again.]

As i understand it, the Hellfire Club was on the wane, following the disaster in New York city several months ago...something about a battle between a rogue metahuman calling herself Blackout and the outlaw band of mutants and metahumans called the Six?

[ of course she knew more than she was letting on.]

and now suddenly, you, a woman who has been off the radar SINCE that incident and this... "COPY" of Helena are here soliciting my membership to the Hellfire Club? How could this POSSIBLY be of any use to me? I have recently aquired CONTROLLING interest of King Enterprises...the company founded and until recently, ran by the young jet setting playboy Nicolas King.

I have traveled the world over. I am financially secure and posessed of plenty enough power to take care of myself.

I have no need for an "association" to a club that has, by all accounts become rather obsolete.
 
NYC- The Parthenon

:: Malice sipped her champagne, listening as Dominique hardly "jumped" at the chance. the woman obviously thought highly of herself and who knows...maybe it was JUSTIFIED? she was obviously enough of an enigma to Malice herself, who couldnt fully scan the woman telepathically.::

The Hellfire Club had, at that time been closely connected to MYSTECH, which as I'm sure you, was brought down by the nuisance of the Six as well as public/government scrutiny. those of us that did survive the backlash had to disappear for a while.

:: not bothering to mention that her own original body had been destroyed by Spellbinder and the six in their final grudge match.::

But that was then. This is NOW. the Hellfire Club has gotten back to its roots, thet elite secret society that manipulates the manipulators. some are born to play by the rules. WE MAKE those rules with no one ever knowing that it is the Hellfire club reaching out to many governments and other aspects of society around the world.

We are not alligning oursevles with egomaniacle entities who get fat and greedy and ultimately SLOPPY.

We are doing what we do BEST....moving in the shadows, letting OTHERS do our work for us without them even knowing who they really serve...and striking our enemies on OUR TERMS.

Helena and I have single handedly engineered the recent, gradual yet definate TURN AROUND in the "anti mutant sentiment"...it is one of many moves we are making to draw out our enemies...THE SIX.

:: she looked at Dominique::

of which NICOLAS KING was...IS apart of.

They are here...in HIDING. but I know they are alive...Helena and I have recently encountered them. If YOU have a special interest in Nicolas King, we can help you find him. Since even YOU have not been able to do so YET. we're offering you a seat in the SISTERHOOD, to be our new BLACK QUEEN.
 
NYC- the Parthenon

[ NICOLAS KING...ALIVE! Dominique didnt show it, but in her mind's eye...in her HEART, the FIRES OF RAGE flickered and swelled, if only for a moment. this wretched boy, who had been for so long out of her reach...it wasnt enough that she was destroying his legacy, she wanted MORE and as much as she hated to admit it, Malice and Enchantra had come to her with an offer she couldnt simply ignore. They obviously knew enough to know she WOULD be an excellent addition to the Hellfire Club.]

[ slowly setting her drink down, Dominique leans back, crossing her legs at the knee as she looks at the two women.]

You have information regarding the where abouts of Nicolas King? now that is rather interesting considering they are supposed to be dead. It appears my trip to New York was a good descision. They say that anything can happen here and probably will.

[ still not exactly sold on the idea of "joining a sisterhood", Dominique turned her attention to that target.]

You are the White Queen of the Hellfire club. I can only assume from her garb that she must be the Red Queen. If i am to consider your offer to become the Black Queen i would first like to attend a gathering as a V.I.P guest. I don't just allign myself to anything you know. One must remain selective, even when the invitation comes from a supposed "secret elite society".

My assets, my holdings, my livelyhood are my own. I do not wish to merge them with any others nor do i wish to have my identity divulged as of yet. it was one of the many things that has helped me to stage this systematic takeover of King Enterprises.
 
NYC- the parthenon

:: Malice could play the game. If Dominique wanted to be selective, Malice could be patient. She would be content to have Dominique as an ally OR an enemy, either way things were sure to be interesting. But the logic, the obvious BENEFITS to having Dominique as an ALLY loomed large.::

We are not interested in your assets, Ms. Deveraux, only the fact that you could help us flush the Six out, just as we could help you get revenge on your quarry. Each member of the hellfire club, even the most unsuspecting member comes from a background of wealth, privilage and..."good breeding" as some would call it. YOU are an enigma because no one knows who you are, has heard of you previously.

Your mystique, and obvious capbility aside, NO ONE is an island, Ms. Deveraux. The Six have survived all that they have because they are a TEAM. Even at their worst, they manage to pull together long enough to get through a crisis. I have a long, bitter history with each member as individuals and the group as a whole and I have come to acknowledge the fact that a change of tactics is in order.

Your membership to the hellfire club is one that in all honesty you deserve. your inclusion the INNER CIRCLE is a GIFT that should be carefull considered before you hastily pass it up.

:: standing up, she hands Dominique a small, well designed "announcement". ::

come to our "Black out" party tomorrow evening. You are a personal guest of mine and this announcement will ensure you are regarded as such. Dress is formal, yet sexy...all black. You can mix and mingle with those who are among our peers and WE can talk more then.

I think you know as wel as we do that we can all be of great benefit to each other. It's okay to want to APPEAR stand offish, Ms. Deveraux, even a woman of your obvious capability was not expecting a conversation such as THIS. But you will find that your goal of getting to Nicolas is better reached by letting us HELP YOU just as you can help US.

See you at the gathering tomorrow.

:: and with that, Malice and Enchantra bid Dominique good evening and show themselves out. once in the hall, Malice looks at Enchantra.::

Dominique is guarded, very well organized and calculated. she's more knowledeable about a RANGE of things than what she lets on, but inspite of all of that...there's something she's hiding. her psi shields are remarkable... now that we have a positive visual image of her, let's go back to mansion and see what else we can find out about her from our own database access. She's definately HUNTING for Nicolas, and I want to know WHY!

:: with that, the two women quietly and steathly exit the parthenon, returning to the Hellfire club.::
 
and so

<< and so, with more things coming together, more questions are raised both for the Hellfire inner circle and the members of the six. Of course one side realizes the answers may come in the form of violent confrontation with the other side.>>

<< The White and Red Queen return to the Hellfire Club, while Dominique retires for the evening to think about what she's been informed of and the offer.>>


back at Minerva's Mansion

<< in the conservatory, Blaze, Nicolas and Delilah have agreed with Morgan's descision to pass leadership to Haleigh for the time being. Firebird has been accepted as a new/guest member of the team and will find a home on Aerie with them and now they begin to turn their attention toward other things such as the murder of Nicolas' friend and the not so subtle take over of his company and the ripple effect its having on the stock market as well as in other areas.>>

<< who is behind it and why has yet to be determined, but since the Six WERE given the option to return to the outside world for missions of their choosing this looks like as good a time as any.>>

<< But before they can delve too far into it...Morgan informs them that she must leave...she wishes them all the best of luck and hugs them (giving Nicolas a kiss too :D ) promising Haleigh that she will be in touch about the condition of Ava and promising Nicolas she will keep in close contact with them. >>


<< Nicolas, Delilah, Haleigh and Blaze return to Aerie via stepping disc while Morgan, Karen and Mike stay at Minerva's. Karen has treated Mike's wounds , healing them and providing him with a sophisticated medkit for his future excurisions to the wilder parts of Aerie.>>

<< everything is going as it should be it seems and now the remainder of the Six is at Nicolas' mansion, free to discuss and plan their next move. They've no idea just yet of the unexpected opportunities that will aid them, including the arrival of another ally who will help fill the void of missing members in the team during this time of transition.>>

<< and so we watch>>
 
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