The Santayana Effect: The Meet
Mar. 29th, 2010 09:47 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsAdrienne goes to the Hellfire Club mansion to meet with Jason Wyngarde for the appraisal of his Black Court artifact, with Emma linked to her mind telepathically, and meets his 'assistant', Astrid Bloom.
It was strange visiting the Hellfire Club mansion when there was no party afoot, Adrienne mused as Driver left her at the front gate. She passed a uniformed employee to gain entrance into the mansion and made her way through the main foyer and up a spiralled staircase towards a private room on the second floor, taking in the decor with an eye that was familiar with assessing the value of expensive things.
The uniformed staffer led the way to a billiard room, where Jason Wyngarde and an attractive, petite African-American woman were seated with drinks in their hands. "Jason," Adrienne greeted with a smile and nod. "And who is this with you?"
"This is Ms Bloom. She's here to assist with the authentication." Wyngarde said, taking a sip of his drink. From his dismissive tone, it was clear that the woman was as much of a functionary in this operation as Adrienne herself was. The Englishman seemed bored, as if annoyed to be tasked with the job. It was more of an errand, likely important enough to Shaw to be taken seriously, but obviously below his opinion of his own importance to oversee what seemed to be an administrative formality. "Ms Bloom, if you can show Adrienne the seal. I'd like to wrap up this deal with the owner quickly, if possible. I have dinner plans."
"Of course," Astrid replied with a polite, if not a little sarcastic smile. Doing the bidding of someone else was not at all Astrid's style, but she knew she need to stay in line, at least for the moment. She drew out the box that the seal was kept in, a polished wooden box lined with velvet. Snapping the lid open, she turned it to face Adrienne, careful not to touch it herself.
"Ms Frost," she said with a little bit of an edge to her voice. This wasn't the Frost she had a problem with, but as far as she was concerned, they were all as bad as each other.
#Well, will you listen to that catty tone?# Adrienne thought, mentally smirking. #What's that about? I don't think I know this woman. And why would Wyngarde need someone to assist in an authentication when I'm using my powers?# Something seemed odd about that to Adrienne, and she certainly didn't feel comfortable using her powers in front of some strange women. #Maybe he doesn't trust I'll tell him the truth about what I find out? Can you read this Ms Bloom?# she asked her sister through the telepathic link Emma had established to make sure Wyngarde didn't use the seal to kill her when her mind was opened.
#Read her?# Emma’s mental voice was almost a purr. #I can eat her alive. I do believe you’ve just met the trap, Adrienne. Astrid is a telepath. She’s good. But I’m a lot better. As I’ve proven to her in the past.#
Adrienne kept her expression level as Emma explained, though her curiosity was piqued about how Emma and Astrid knew each other. "Bloom... I think I've heard the name before?" she mused aloud, turning to Astrid. "Have we met?"
"I doubt it," Astrid replied carelessly, not letting her apprehension show. "I certainly would remember you, if we'd met before." She let her arms shift slightly, as if tired of holding the box open for Adrienne.
"Adrienne, this is not a social call." Wyngarde said peevishly. "Ms Bloom is an independent contractor who we've retained for this. If you'd like to puzzle out any familiarity, please do it on your time, and not the Black Court's."
Keeping her face blank, Adrienne moved closer to Astrid and peered down at the box. Inside was a golden seal stamper, polished so it gleamed when it caught the light. Its handle was inscribed with the motto 'uno avulso non deficit alter'. Adrienne knew no Latin so the phrase meant nothing to her, but she took a mental picture of the seal for Emma. #Any idea what this is? Why Wyngarde wants it authenticated so badly?#
#My, my# responded Emma. #Just possibly Wyngarde really does want to know what he’s got. It’s highly likely you’re about to read the duplicate seal of the Hellfire Club that was created after the original was lost, which will make for a fascinatingly dull afternoon. If you and the Black Court have been very lucky, however, you might just find that you’ve stumbled on the long-lost original. Which should increase the debauchery factor considerably.#
"Jason?" Adrienne questioned, looking up at Wyngarde with eyebrows raised, "I'm assuming you want me to tell you whether this is one of the infamous duplicate Hellfire Club seals or the actual original, thought to have been lost a long time ago?" She wished she knew more about Hellfire Club history instead of having to fake it. "Wouldn't that be a happy day for you, if it were the original," she grinned, seemingly pleased and pretending she knew the significance behind what Wyngarde wanted her to do. #Is this just a cash value thing or is there another reason Wyngarde wants me to tell him whether this is a duplicate or original seal?# she asked Emma.
#The Club has some very arcane rules# replied Emma. #If everyone decides to play by them, it's possible that whoever has control over the seal and the original charter could dissolve the Courts and go back to a single ruler. Fortunately, no-one's seen the original charter in a very long time.# Her mental tone conveyed her wryness. #Perhaps Wyngarde is developing more ambition than Shaw suspects.#
Adrienne kept her face blank as she absorbed what Emma had said. #But my reading this thing might give him a clue as to where to start looking for this charter,# she pointed out, matching Emma's tone. #At least you make a good point about needing mutual cooperation in playing by the rules.# She was suddenly quite glad Emma would be seeing what Astrid (and by extension Wyngarde) would be seeing.
Without delaying any further, Adrienne picked the seal out of the box Astrid was still holding with her right hand and transferred it to her left to read it.
Wyngarde nodded to Astrid, more than a little annoyed that Adrienne somehow knew about the use of the duplicate seals. Only the Lords Cardinals of the Black Court and a few selected members were supposed to know that. Jason decided to accelerate his timeline for Frost. If the little bitch had put it into her empty head to try to be clever, it was better to eliminate her soon. A corpse used in the right fashion would be just as effective against Emma Frost, and Shaw in the end. As Adrienne activated her powers, Astrid Bloom reached out with her powers. She'd been given plenty of time to prepare her mindtrap, locking Adrienne into her viewing and passing control over it to herself, while Wyngarde piggybacked in to watch.
It was strange visiting the Hellfire Club mansion when there was no party afoot, Adrienne mused as Driver left her at the front gate. She passed a uniformed employee to gain entrance into the mansion and made her way through the main foyer and up a spiralled staircase towards a private room on the second floor, taking in the decor with an eye that was familiar with assessing the value of expensive things.
The uniformed staffer led the way to a billiard room, where Jason Wyngarde and an attractive, petite African-American woman were seated with drinks in their hands. "Jason," Adrienne greeted with a smile and nod. "And who is this with you?"
"This is Ms Bloom. She's here to assist with the authentication." Wyngarde said, taking a sip of his drink. From his dismissive tone, it was clear that the woman was as much of a functionary in this operation as Adrienne herself was. The Englishman seemed bored, as if annoyed to be tasked with the job. It was more of an errand, likely important enough to Shaw to be taken seriously, but obviously below his opinion of his own importance to oversee what seemed to be an administrative formality. "Ms Bloom, if you can show Adrienne the seal. I'd like to wrap up this deal with the owner quickly, if possible. I have dinner plans."
"Of course," Astrid replied with a polite, if not a little sarcastic smile. Doing the bidding of someone else was not at all Astrid's style, but she knew she need to stay in line, at least for the moment. She drew out the box that the seal was kept in, a polished wooden box lined with velvet. Snapping the lid open, she turned it to face Adrienne, careful not to touch it herself.
"Ms Frost," she said with a little bit of an edge to her voice. This wasn't the Frost she had a problem with, but as far as she was concerned, they were all as bad as each other.
#Well, will you listen to that catty tone?# Adrienne thought, mentally smirking. #What's that about? I don't think I know this woman. And why would Wyngarde need someone to assist in an authentication when I'm using my powers?# Something seemed odd about that to Adrienne, and she certainly didn't feel comfortable using her powers in front of some strange women. #Maybe he doesn't trust I'll tell him the truth about what I find out? Can you read this Ms Bloom?# she asked her sister through the telepathic link Emma had established to make sure Wyngarde didn't use the seal to kill her when her mind was opened.
#Read her?# Emma’s mental voice was almost a purr. #I can eat her alive. I do believe you’ve just met the trap, Adrienne. Astrid is a telepath. She’s good. But I’m a lot better. As I’ve proven to her in the past.#
Adrienne kept her expression level as Emma explained, though her curiosity was piqued about how Emma and Astrid knew each other. "Bloom... I think I've heard the name before?" she mused aloud, turning to Astrid. "Have we met?"
"I doubt it," Astrid replied carelessly, not letting her apprehension show. "I certainly would remember you, if we'd met before." She let her arms shift slightly, as if tired of holding the box open for Adrienne.
"Adrienne, this is not a social call." Wyngarde said peevishly. "Ms Bloom is an independent contractor who we've retained for this. If you'd like to puzzle out any familiarity, please do it on your time, and not the Black Court's."
Keeping her face blank, Adrienne moved closer to Astrid and peered down at the box. Inside was a golden seal stamper, polished so it gleamed when it caught the light. Its handle was inscribed with the motto 'uno avulso non deficit alter'. Adrienne knew no Latin so the phrase meant nothing to her, but she took a mental picture of the seal for Emma. #Any idea what this is? Why Wyngarde wants it authenticated so badly?#
#My, my# responded Emma. #Just possibly Wyngarde really does want to know what he’s got. It’s highly likely you’re about to read the duplicate seal of the Hellfire Club that was created after the original was lost, which will make for a fascinatingly dull afternoon. If you and the Black Court have been very lucky, however, you might just find that you’ve stumbled on the long-lost original. Which should increase the debauchery factor considerably.#
"Jason?" Adrienne questioned, looking up at Wyngarde with eyebrows raised, "I'm assuming you want me to tell you whether this is one of the infamous duplicate Hellfire Club seals or the actual original, thought to have been lost a long time ago?" She wished she knew more about Hellfire Club history instead of having to fake it. "Wouldn't that be a happy day for you, if it were the original," she grinned, seemingly pleased and pretending she knew the significance behind what Wyngarde wanted her to do. #Is this just a cash value thing or is there another reason Wyngarde wants me to tell him whether this is a duplicate or original seal?# she asked Emma.
#The Club has some very arcane rules# replied Emma. #If everyone decides to play by them, it's possible that whoever has control over the seal and the original charter could dissolve the Courts and go back to a single ruler. Fortunately, no-one's seen the original charter in a very long time.# Her mental tone conveyed her wryness. #Perhaps Wyngarde is developing more ambition than Shaw suspects.#
Adrienne kept her face blank as she absorbed what Emma had said. #But my reading this thing might give him a clue as to where to start looking for this charter,# she pointed out, matching Emma's tone. #At least you make a good point about needing mutual cooperation in playing by the rules.# She was suddenly quite glad Emma would be seeing what Astrid (and by extension Wyngarde) would be seeing.
Without delaying any further, Adrienne picked the seal out of the box Astrid was still holding with her right hand and transferred it to her left to read it.
Wyngarde nodded to Astrid, more than a little annoyed that Adrienne somehow knew about the use of the duplicate seals. Only the Lords Cardinals of the Black Court and a few selected members were supposed to know that. Jason decided to accelerate his timeline for Frost. If the little bitch had put it into her empty head to try to be clever, it was better to eliminate her soon. A corpse used in the right fashion would be just as effective against Emma Frost, and Shaw in the end. As Adrienne activated her powers, Astrid Bloom reached out with her powers. She'd been given plenty of time to prepare her mindtrap, locking Adrienne into her viewing and passing control over it to herself, while Wyngarde piggybacked in to watch.
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