xp_logs | Hellfire

Until twenty years ago, Endymion House was the home to the Danover family, one of America's original political dynasties. Then one day a woman appeared at a gala magazine launch in New York Harbor, where she introduced herself to Senator Danover, and told him she was a witch.

Today, Senator Danover is dead, his son is a senator in New Hampshire, the home belongs to Selene, and so does the family.

Tonight, the former Danover home is playing host to a gathering of some of the great and good of American high society. Figures from the worlds of politics, business and the media are rubbing shoulders in Endymion House's grand hall. Most of them are just there to network and drink, but some of them are there for a private ceremony, to take place behind closed doors. New members are being inducted into the club, including a senior record company executive, a decadent young Arab prince, and the wife of the governor of Arkansas. Plus, two promising members of America's latest uberclass. Two mutants from Xavier's school.

But these are not just mutants. These men are sons of two of the club's most senior figures. These men are heirs to seats of power. And they're not just being inducted. They're leapfrogging the other members, to join the club's revered Inner Circle. They're exercising the special privileges of their bloodline, and they're doing so in a most unconventional fashion. Rather than joining the ascendant Black Court of their fathers, they're joining the White Court, at the invitation of their mentor, the White Queen, Emma Frost.

Some of the club members are already bristling at the news. Frost has kept the White Court hobbled for over a year by blocking the appointment of a successor to deposed White King Donald Pierce. Everyone knows she plans to build the new court around herself, and today she finally makes those plans explicit, with the appointment of two unknown foreigners to two of the club's most senior posts. And not only is she stacking the deck, she's stacking the deck with mutants. Her message seems clear: The new elite, the world's future leaders, will be mutants.

So all eyes turn when the doorman announces; "Her highness the White Queen, with her consort, Mr Jacob Gavin Jr."

The announcements that follow are almost as noteworthy, at least to those in the know. "Mr Shinobi Shaw and Ms Sarah Morlocke; Mr Manuel de la Rocha and Ms Monet St Croix. Ms Alison Blaire, Ms Marie D'Ancato, Mr Shiro Yoshida, Mr Jonothon Starsmore."

The whispers go around. The White Queen is challenging the Black King by bringing his son to the court. Those who recognise Jake Gavin or Alison Blaire, or the name of the Clan Yoshida, or even the word 'Morlock', start looking for other motives. The rumour that every one of them is a mutant courses through the room like electricity. Mutants. Youths. A challenge to the order of things. A threat.

Emma strides in to the room hand in hand with Jake, clad in her ceremonial garb, a scandalous ensemble of white corsetry, thigh high leather boots, and a fur-ruffed white cloak.

Emma smiles at how easily she's stirred up so many of the powerful minds in front of her. She turns to the nine she's brought with her, glancing specifically at Manuel to see if he senses it too.

"Well, here we are," she says. "Go and have fun."

- * -

That the Hellfire Club exists is not a secret as such. People know the name. Some people know the history. But when the general public think about it, if they think about it at all, they think of it as history. A curio. If they know that it still exists, they expect it to be vestigial; a self-indulgent throwback for the ludicrously wealthy, with no real power to speak of. A barely glorified gentlemen's club.

That's exactly what it was for a long time. Then came a generation that wasn't content to rest on their wealth and settle for parties and perversions - though they didn't exactly forego those aspects either. This was to be a generation with broader horizons; a generation with an altogether bolder view of the future.

Sebastian Shaw was the first of this new Inner Circle. A ruthlessly ambitious man, he built himself up from nothing, returning his once prestigious family name to a position of honour within the club. He formed a Black Court with Paris Seville, in opposition to the White Court of Ned Buckman and Lourdes Chantal, and worked to fill the ranks with people of similar vision.

First among them was Selene, a self-professed sorceress who was brought to the club by the Black Rook, Friedrich von Roehm, an associate of the Danover family. She herself ousted Seville to take the position of Black Queen. Donald Pierce rose through the ranks of the club to take on the role of White King following the death of Ned Buckman and his queen, and Black Bishop Harry Leland's ingenue discovery, Emma Frost, soon followed Pierce into the White Court, leaping over many older and more experienced candidates in a fashion that would set the tone for this very night.

Of course, though these four may have shared vision, their methods were often at odds, and Pierce stood apart from his fellow royals as the only non-mutant among them. When it was discovered that Pierce was involved in the Sentinel project of one Steven Lang, Frost and Shaw worked together to remove Pierce from the club and shut down his operations.

Today, Pierce is absent, the post of White King lies long empty, and Shaw has taken over control of the Sentinel project, placing him at direct odds with Frost, and leaving Selene as perhaps the most powerful of the club's three leaders, since she alone can break the deadlock. So far, Selene has chosen to side with Frost, though she hardly shares Frost's interest in mutant rights. Whatever her reasons, they are her own, and tonight her reasoning may be swayed.

While the party continues in the main hall, a ceremony takes place in the mansion's cellars. Four thrones sit at the end of a room, flanked by Hellfire dignitaries. Selene sits in the first throne, Shaw in the second. The third is empty, and Frost takes the fourth. Each of them is dressed in their robes of office, ready to receive the club's latest inductees.

For each inductee, the ceremony has three parts. Blindfolded, and dressed in robes of their own, they are asked to repeat oaths of fealty to the court, in which they promise to respect the secrets of the club. The blindfold is then removed, and they are required to present themselves to each of the thrones in turn, where the king and queens will touch the handle of a dagger to their shoulders to show acceptance of their membership. If any two members of the ruling council show their blade at this stage, the inductee's application is refused. Finally, the inductee is presented with a chalice. He must turn to the assembly, raise his glass in toast, and repeat the club's motto.

The last of the inductions on this night are for the two new members of Emma Frost's White Court.

The penultimate appointment is Manuel de la Rocha, taking the role of the Queen's Knight in the White Court. Normally a son would be expected to go into the court of his father, and the de la Rochas are on the side of the Black Court, but the role of a knight within the club is a very personal one, and a high honour for a young inductee. The knight is, in effect, the queen's guardsman and personal aide. His fate is tied to hers, and his appointment is made entirely at her discretion. For this reason, neither Shaw nor Selene makes any protest to the boy's appointment, because blocking it would be a far greater breach of protocol than his moving from one court to another. When Manuel comes to Emma, she not only taps him with the handle of her dagger, but also presents him with a sword, the mark of his new office.

Finally, Shinobi Shaw. Though he has the Shaw name on his side, he too is joining against blood, with Frost as his sponsor, rather than his father. Given that he is the son of royalty, that alone is a point of great controversy. Given that he also has no reputation and no known portfolio, it is widely assumed that his appointment can only be intended as a snub to his father, and as a sign of a growing rift between Shaw and Frost.

Selene gives her blessing first. Since it's certain that Frost will give hers, Shinobi's appointment is guaranteed, and his father can do no more than make a gesture. Still, his actions will speak volumes, and all eyes are fixed on Sebastian as he draws his dagger and balances it in his hand. Will he present his own son with the handle, or with the blade?

Shinobi looks expectantly at his father. The only pairs of eyes not watching this pantomime are those of the queens, both keeping their amused attention fixed on the assembly.

The elder Shaw flips the dagger in his hand, raises it above his son's head, then brings it down to his shoulder, handle first. The message he has chosen to send is simple; he is not afraid, and he will not be cowed.

The ceremony continues wordlessly. Shinobi moves on to the next throne, the empty throne of the White King, where he bows his fealty to whomever will one day take that seat. Finally, he presents himself to his queen.

Emma draws her dagger and taps the hilt to Shinobi's shoulder, then presents him with his traditional mark of office. Once upon a time, it was usual to present the new bishop with a hand-bound Bible. That tradition changed when the White Queen of 1860 presented her bishop, her lover and favourite, with a hand-bound volume of Milton. Emma has chosen to present her bishop with the collected writings of Machiavelli. This will be his Bible.

Finally, Shinobi turns to make his toast. When he is returned to his seat, Sebastian rises to his feet, the queens joining hands with him on either side, and declares the ceremony over and invites the guests to return to the party.

- * -

As they file out, Shinobi looks expectantly back at Emma, but she shakes her head and tells him telepathically, {I'll join you later.}

Shinobi is quietly satisfied with his father's showing, even if a small little voice in the back of his head would have almost preferred the blade. Still, this is a less potentially messy turn of events, and so, he's pleased with it.

Tessa appears at Shinobi's side and takes his arm. Shinobi blinks and looks up from his book with an expression of surprise, which quickly gives way to a smile as recognition dawns.

"Welcome to the club, Shinobi", Tessa says. "Come on. Let's get a drink."

"It's been too long, Tessa," he replies sincerely, nodding his head in agreement before casting a quick look around for Sarah. "May my date join us? She'll eviscerate me if I leave her to herself any longer than I have to."

"Well, we can't have that," Tessa muses, arching a slender eyebrow. "Besides, I'm rather interested in meeting the woman who has pulled you out of your shell. The ring looks good on you." She paussd briefly before turning to the left, pointing towards a small gaggle of people, all without releasing Shinobi's arm. "Over there, near Miss Blaire, I believe."

"So she is," Shinobi grins, giving Tessa's hand a light pat. "C'mon. I'll introduce you. They should know not everything about my childhood was a horror, after all."

"Flatterer."

"Hush."

- * -

As the club members return to the main hall, Selene, Sebastian and Emma take a different staircase, which takes them up to Selene's library with a balcony overlooking the party.

Selene lights the candles in the room with a gesture, then opens a bottle of champagne and pours three glasses.

"Here's to interesting times," says Selene, raising her glass.

Emma raises hers in response, then steps out onto the balcony, where she scans the crowd. She can see Alison doing her best to outrage some stuffy Wall Streeters, while simultaneously hypnotising them with her bejewelled bosom. She can see Shiro talking intently to a Japanese businessman whom she doesn't recognise. She can see Sarah, dark and gloomy in a corner, her jealous attention switching by turns between Shinobi and Tessa on one side, and Manuel and his new sword on the other.

"You're looking very well, Selene," Emma notes. She's never seen Selene look quite so youthful and invigorated. If it were anyone else, she'd suspect plastic surgery.

"I've been eating well," Selene explains as she joins Emma on the balcony. "Are your students having fun?"

"They're not all students, Selene. Some of them are colleagues."

"But I'm sure you're trying to teach them, none the less," says Selene.

"I'm doing what I can for them," Emma replies. "As mutants, we may have advantages, but we also face different challenges. From without and within." She turns and looks in at Sebastian, who has chosen to hang back in the shadows of the library.

"You invest in your future, Emma. I'll invest in mine," Sebastian says, matching the intensity of her gaze.

"You're a race traitor, Sebastian," Emma says plainly.

Sebastian laughs. "Such an unpretty sentiment, Emma. You of all people understand where one's first loyalty lies." He adds with a smirk,"After all, before one can learn to love others, one must learn to love oneself."

"I expect you've spent a great deal of time loving yourself, Sebastian," Emma replies, turning her back on him to look back over the party. "Poor Shinobi. How hard it must be to have you as a father, with the added indignity that you may not be his real father at all."

Shaw refuses to dignify the insinuation. "Poor Shinobi indeed. He hates his father, and he has you as his new mother. He must be feeling terribly Oedipal right now."

"You can be the mother Shinobi will never have," Selene offers.

"Probably too late for that," Shaw suggests.

Emma turns again and smiles sweetly, tracing a finger down her neck. "You'd actually like to believe that, wouldn't you, Sebastian? That the son managed to get one of the few things the father could never have? Part of you still wants him to best you. Part of you is still actually proud. You didn't offer him your blade, did you?"

Sebastian steps forward into the candlelight. "He's my son," he says firmly, dismissing any suggestion to the contrary. "He is entitled to his place in the club, and he is entitled to make his own decisions. And if he wishes to fight me, he is welcome to try. He won't win, and neither will you."

"You'd kill your own son, Sebastian?" Selene asks, fascinated.

Sebastian glowers at her. "If he wishes to fight me, he will not win," he repeats, refusing to answer in any more detail. "You can play your little games all you wish, Emma, but you and your school are no threat to me. You lost one school already."

That actually makes Emma bristle. "Come after us at the school, Sebastian, and you'll soon learn what it means to lose a fight," she insists.

Sebastian laughs again. "I'm not scared of Xavier's little boy scouts. What are they going to do, engage me in another live television debate?"

"Charles isn't their only teacher," Emma replies icily. "If you really thought you could take that school, you'd have done it by now. Don't stand there in the costume of the Black King and lecture me about playing games. It makes you sound like a fool."

Shaw shrugs dismissively. "If I thought your school was a threat, Emma, it wouldn't be standing. If I thought your little maneuvres in the White Court today were a danger, I would never have allowed them to occur."

"And if you thought I wasn't a threat, you wouldn't have taken me to Paris and tortured me."

Shaw shakes his head. "I told you, Emma, that wasn't my doing. The people responsible have been dealt with."

"I know they have," Emma replies. "I was the one that dealt with them."

They stare unblinkingly at each other across the room, but it's Shaw who demures first.

"Enough of this nonsense," he mutters. He drains his glass and sets it down. "We have a party to attend to. You said there would be fireworks, Selene. I hope you weren't hoping to see them here in your library?" He glares pointedly at Emma.

"There will be fireworks, Sebastian," Selene assures him. "Come along. I'll show you down." Selene turns to Emma. "Are you coming?"

Emma frowns at Shaw, then shakes her head. "I'll be along in a minute," she says. "I know my way."

As the two of them leave, Emma returns her attention to the party.

This isn't a game. This is life or death, and she knows there are far more lives than just her own in the balance. The question is, does she really care about those other lives, or like Sebastian, is she really only interested in herself? Shinobi. Manuel. Jono. Sarah. Are these people just tools to her, or is she really trying to help them realise their potential?

- * -

Emma finishes her champagne, then heads out into the corridor and down towards the grand hall. On her way, she passes the open doors leading into Selene's atrium, where she spies a familiar statue in an avenue of lit pillars. A male nude, carved from white marble. He lies sleeping on a bed, two spears resting under his left hand, a dog alert at his feet. It's Antonio Canova's statue of Sleeping Endymion, for whom the house is named. Endymion, the mortal lover of the moon goddess Selene. The story goes that when Selene asked Zeus to grant him eternal life, he instead gave Endymion eternal sleep.

Emma knows the statue, and the myth. But she also recognises the pose for another reason. Marie had a dream like this, and she described it to Emma in detail. But it wasn't Endymion she saw. It was Alex. Alex Summers, asleep under the moon's care.

That's when she puts it together.

Emma walks briskly into the hall just as the party is making its way outside onto the grand stone steps at the rear of the mansion. She can't see any of the others, which means they must already be outside. Then Selene appears at Emma's side.

"Is there something wrong, Emma? You look distressed?"

Emma doesn't allow herself to be caught off guard. "There's been an incident at the school," she explains, without missing a beat. "I should probably leave."

"Anything I can help with?" Selene asks.

"No, thank you," Emma replies. "You should go and attend to your guests. Thank you for a lovely evening."

Selene smiles thinly, then heads outside, leaving Emma alone in an empty hall. She knows that if she uses her powers, Selene will pick up on it, but she also knows that her choices are limited. Indeed, if she's serious about her intentions, and the things she's said to Sebastian, then she has no choice.

Emma strides back out towards the atrium, away from the guests, and conducts a scan, looking for minds that are separate from the crowd outside. There are guards at various points in the house. There are servants. A couple are making love in the gardens, and someone is smoking weed in the garage.

Then she finds it. Faint and distant. The sleeping mind of Endymion. High in the barbican at the fore of the house, Alex Summers lies doped and drained. Alex Summers, whom she first introduced to Selene back at last year's solstice party. That's why Selene looks so invigorated. She's found a single mutant with enough power coursing through his body to feed her hunger.

And perhaps that's a good thing, Emma considers. She knows Selene is a monster. Though she chooses not to think about it, she knows Selene hunts. Perhaps it's worth sacrificing Alex, so that others can live. Perhaps it's worth sacrificing Alex so that Emma doesn't lose an ally and jeopardise her plans. After all, he left the school. He abandoned its protection. And he's already proved that he's a danger to others. The sensible thing to do, the pragmatic thing to do, would be to abandon Alex to his fate.

But Emma can't cling to these excuses. Alex is still part of the school, and she has sworn to protect the students placed in her care. Furthermore, with the state his mind is in right now, she may be the only one who can actually remove him from Selene's care without doing him permanent harm.

She scans a second time, this time looking for Jono, shining like a beacon on the psi-scape. From there, she can track the others; Manuel, Shinobi, Shiro, Alison, Marie, Sarah and Jake. Monet's mind is blocked, as always, so she'll have to hope that one of the others can persuade her of what she's about to say.

{This is Emma. Do not react to what I am about to tell you, but slowly make your way back inside the building, as if getting ready to leave,} she broadcasts. She takes a moment to compose her thoughts before continuing.

{Alex Summers is a prisoner in this house. Selene has been... feeding on him. I'm going to attempt a rescue, but you will need to help me. Selene's guards are well trained. Some of them may have powers. It won't take them long to realise something is wrong, and when they know, Selene will know.

{Jake, Manuel, get to the limousines, get them ready. Jono, Alison, when they're clear, create a distraction that will send the other guests away. The rest of you; Selene and her guards will try to stop me. I need you to stop them. In my diamond form, I can avoid Selene's detection, but I won't be able to communicate with you, so let me be clear; Selene is one of the most powerful mutants you are likely to face, and she won't hesitate to kill you. Try not to engage her directly, and do not let her touch you.

{That's all I can tell you. The next time you hear my voice, it will be your signal to rendezvous at the gates. If you don't hear from me within twenty minutes, or if it becomes too dangerous or if anyone is seriously harmed, just get away from here as fast as you possibly can.}

With that, Emma switches to her diamond form. The world goes silent as her psi-talent dampens. She hates being rendered as headblind as this, but she's convinced that it's the only way.

She heads back to the stairs, and by the time she encounters the first guard in her way, she can already hear the ruckus beginning outside. The guard shoots with one hand and raises the alarm with the other. The bullets bounce off, and she tears out his windpipe with the tips of her fingers.

- * -