Log [Alison, Leland] Chessboards and pawns...

[x-dazzler.livejournal.com]

After being summoned to a meeting with Leland, Alison finds out something rather disturbing. Then again, that's hardly anything surprising, it is?

The message she'd read in the newspaper, spotted in mid afternoon and requesting her attendance that very evening had been exquisitely polite - and blunt. This had stricken more than a few warning bells in Alison's mind. It had, somehow, always rather been implied that if there were anything urgent, Alison would be the one to need to reach him, rather than the other way around. This turn of events, she thought, nodding in thanks as the waiter pulled the chair for her, was rather disturbing.

"Minerva!" The booming voice made Alison turn before sitting, to see Harry Leland striding towards her, arms wide. "Armonde, two glasses of the Cuvey '88 for my lovely niece and a proud uncle. She's been declared an Oxford fellow, you know."

Leland leaned in close to Alison, kissing her dramatically on both cheeks, pausing briefly to whisper, "Despite your disguise, your walk and balance are unmistakable, Miss Blaire. For this evening, you must be my niece, Minerva. I shall explain once we have privacy."

The only response possible to that was a bright, welcome smile as Alison returned the embrace, without any apparent reserve. "Uncle Harry!" There was the ghost of an accent to her voice, as there might be for any American student having spent time studying in London for a certain amount of time. "You're making such a fuss about this," she added, cheeks flushing in what would have been seen as obvious delight at her uncle's behavior for anyone who might be watching.

The lavish meal carried with it an interminable amount of small talk, Leland expertly guiding the topics to current affairs and matters that would never reveal to the casual or professional observer that Alison, image induced appearance aside, was anything other than a doting student being treated by her proud and rich uncle.

As the crème brulée was brought for dessert, Leland nodded past Alison's head, and the partitions to their area of the dining room were drawn closed.

"One of the advantages of Hellfire, Miss Blaire," Leland finally spoke aloud, "is the availability of absolute privacy. The ability to carry out actions and conversations free from the prying eyes of the world. And thus, we find ourselves at a bit of a quandary, you see. The White King may be unknown to the world, but the effects of his actions have the Black Court in quite a state." Leland's beard quivered as he restrained a laugh. "Even that beast, Selene, fears what he may do."

She'd seen Pete over a month ago now and had nothing to go on regarding his actions other than the reports from Remy, Betsy or Jake in the database – most of which trended to reflect the Black Court's outlook on things in what at any other time would have been an amusing synchronicity. "They're contemplating doing something to find out what he's up to, or has he tripped something up without knowing about it?" She asked the question directly, deciding it was safe to assume that if Leland had summoned her here, it was because something urgent needed to be said or done about that state of affairs. Idle chit chat was not the topic du jour.

"He, or someone in his employ, has struck a blow at the heart of the Black Court - the specifics of how and what I am not at liberty to day. Yet in doing so, he has left himself, shall we say, exposed."

Leland removed a small black box from the inside pocket of his waistcoat, sliding it across the table to Alison.

"The contents of this box are what will save the life of the White King, guaranteed protection from reprisal and a restoration of his untouchability. I dare not deliver it myself or through one of my catspaws, for any interaction between the Black and White Courts is monitored with the closest scrutiny. As I find your relationship with Mr. Wisdom to be one outside the bounds of Hellfire, it falls to you, this dire task."

At any other time, Alison would have taken a moment to appreciate the flair for drama inherent in the statement and offering set before her. As it was, instead, she merely reached over and opened the box carefully.

Staring at the slick looking portable mini hard drive, Alison nodded slowly.

"I'll see to it he gets this as soon as possible."

Leland placed a hand over Alison's briefly. "Some quote the axiom, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. I am not one of those men. So long as Pete Wisdom remains White King, make no mistake - he is my enemy. Yet for that enmity, my hatred of Sebastian Shaw still festers like a canker in me, and I would have it appeased." He lifted his hand, nodding at the box. "Keep Mr. Wisdom alive, Miss Blaire. For his purposes, and mine."

Pausing for a moment, she looked at him, weighing his words. And then nodded in return, briefly. "I have every intention of doing my best to keep him alive, but I don't fool myself into thinking that it's up to me - ultimately, this doesn't lie anywhere else but in his hands." Pulling the box closer to herself, she closed it and then slipped it into the tiny handbag she'd brought along with her. "And I did not presume to think you were following that axiom, Mr. Leland. Presumptions in general would be doing you a disservice." And it would be plain stupid, as well, in this kind of game, she knew.

Harry Leland leaned back in his chair, rocking irreverently back on two legs with his hands folded over his stomach, perusing Alison. Finally, he gave a quick bark of laughter, a sound that conveyed less amusement and more astonishment. "I believe my peers underestimate you, Miss Blaire. I think you would have made a perfect addition to Hellfire."

"Shhh." She couldn't help it, despite the seriousness of it all and the fact that the mere thought of joining the Hellfire Club made her consider leaping out windows as acceptable escape methods. "You'll ruin my cover." Snapping the purse shut, her own words bringing her back to somberness though, Alison soon found herself looking more serious than anything else quickly enough. "I think it's safe to presume that timing is important here, though." She started to make  the preliminary gestures for a leave-taking, politely so.

Leland stood up, bowing slightly from the waist and extending a hand to Alison. "Indeed," he said before raising his voice slightly. "As always, my dear Minerva, a pleasure. Do give my regards to your mother before you depart, would you?"

"Of course I will, Uncle Harry." The waiter was opening the doors as she stood up as well, leaning forward to press a kiss to Leland's cheek - a niece saying farewell to an uncle she was fond of, all as it should be. "You take care of yourself now," she admonished him cheerfully as she took her leave, thanking the waiter as he bowed her along her way.