Hope and Sue

[xp_trance]

At an HFC event Hope spots something she does not like and decides to do something about. Sue decides to join in with the fun.

"Gross." Hope muttered to herself as she spotted a young man hurrying away while looking upset. She threaded through the crowd towards a somewhat more quieter spot and sipped her champagne, eyeing the cause of her disgust. A Mr. Otto Franken was eyeing the keys of his new car with a satisfied look.   

 

"Please, that's nothing," Sue turned an unimpressed look on the...well she wouldn't give him the honor of declaring him a man, "Last year he had an aspiring actress give him her portfolio, he got to choose who saw it. Imagine your entire career being held in his hands."

 

Hope shuddered at the thought. "I'd rather not. And not only your career, but so much of your dreams. I have seen him do this before. Has anyone ever won the bet and gained... I think it was an apartment? Has it always been that?" 

 

"Pretty much, it was a present from his grandparents so he owns it free and clear, in case anyone decides to check on the bet, Which you know," she took a sip of her champagne as she turned her back on the man in question, "anyone should. Though if you were smart you wouldn't even play the game in the first place, it's a weighted deck."

 

"The odds do seem stacked against most people, especially since he is the one who can pick the bets." Hope observed as another young woman walked away, the man tucking a lovely cocktail ring in his pocket. "And he is very careful in whom he picks as well. People who stand quite alone and whom he can risk to anger without any consequences. Mostly newcomers, so to speak..."  

 

"Well, if you were in his shoes, wouldn't you try to do your best to stack the deck too? Why risk anything when you don't have to, it's the same in business, the best businessman takes risks when they have control of the deck so they can choose just what that risk entails. Picking on the weak and vulnerable, that's even better really. I'm surprised more of my wonderful peers haven't jumped in."

 

"Sure he should be stacking the deck... as long as he is picking on someone his own size." Hope watched him a moment longer, pondering. "He is basically just a huge coward... who I believe deserves a lesson..."  

 

The blonde twisted her head around to glance at Hope for a moment before shaking her head, "I know that look, he's really not worth it and well...if the girls he's approaching want to exist in this world then they need to be ready to deal with situations like this and deal with the consequences. There are people a lot worse out there. Everything you said is true, and he's a world-class jerk but," she took a sip of her champagne without looking at Hope, "the girls are easy targets because they want to desperately to be a part of this world without understanding what it's about. No-one picks on anyone their own size unless they have to, you don't think I'd ever go looking for a fight with Harry or Julian?"

 

"Worthy or not... he is still a slimy creep who deserves to be taught a lesson." Hope's eyes narrowed as she studied him a moment longer. "I wonder... he looks about the right size for me to sharpen my teeth on." At Sue's look she added: "And an nice apartment in the Upper East Side is nothing to sneeze at. Not all of us are born with a silver spoon."   

 

"You don't seem to do too badly for yourself," Sue pointed out, tipping her glass in Hope's direction as a cool smile pulled at the corner of her lips. "Besides, that was a very nice dig there." Blue eyes twinkled in amusement as she twisted to glance at Hope, pursing her lips for a moment before her voice dropped. "Those with a silver spoon...they're not immune to people like him too, the stakes are just...much higher." Surreptitiously she turned as if surveying the room, "He looks about the right size for a good scratching post...just be careful you don't end up in over your head, or catching the eye of the wolves."

 

"I can handle him." Hope was confident of that. "Besides, people tend to underestimate me... now what could I use to bet with..." She removed her moonstone choker and surveyed it for a moment. "Hmm, I could do with a little more." 

 

"You're really gonna do this?" Blue eyes flicked over to stare at Hope as Sue shook her head in wonder, "He's honestly not worth it but if you really really wanna do it, you don't want to come on too strong otherwise he'll get suspicious. Something that appeals to his greed or a need to one up his peers is the best way to draw his attention."

 

"Then jewelry is not going to cut it..." Hope said thoughtfully as she replaced the choker. "But he will take non-material things as well... maybe information or something... But nothing serious..." She tapped her chin with her finger, then her eyes lit up as she looked at Sue. "Sue, you cannot tell you would not enjoy it if this guy got a taste of his own medicine."  

 

"Well sure, as long as it's done in the most public and humiliating way possible," a smile tugged up the edge of the young woman's lips, "I mean, I'm only human after all. Oh god," the blonde shot Hope a long-suffering look, "You're turning out worse than Warren, I used to think you were the one person I wouldn't have to worry about. What scheme are you hatching now?"

 

 "I think him having to face his grandparents on how he lost the apartment will already be humiliating enough, but I'll see what I can do. I wonder... if I offer him something really tempting, he might loose sight of his goals?" Hope turned her eyes again towards him, her eyes narrowing before looking back at Sue. "I was wondering if you were willing to make something that tempting for him." 

 

"Oh that's easy, you dangle a lure in front of him that he can't resist," Sue's voice dropped low, just drifting to Hope as she turned to glance into the room, one hip resting against the bar as she let her blue eyes rove across her room, her lips pulling up into a coy  smile as she caught the eye of one of the party goers, taking a sip as she tipped her glass in his direction. The smile on her face transformed into a smirk as he walked into a table, "People see what they want to see, and when they do it blinds them to what they really should be thinking about. You want to get him to come after you, don't be too out there but dangle a lure he'd kill for. A way for him to make a splash in the pool that's dominated by a few big fish." She turned to face the younger woman, raising one hand to gesture at the room, "Everyone here is all about 2 things, poking holes in one another, and trying to grow, you want to get him to come at you all in? Make him think you know something, have something he could use to pull down Julian, Harry or me, something that would bring him up to our level or pull one of us down to his level. He'll jump for you before you even have a chance to catch your breath."

 

"Hmm..." Hope looked thoughtful for a long moment, working through a possible plan. "Do you think you create a document or two with financial information he could potentially take advantage of? I would say that would be very very tempting to him. It gives him something to directly increase him monetary worth without first having to pawn or sell some jewelry or a car. I think it's also tempting enough to keep him from looking too closely."  

 

Well now, Sue's blue eyes settle on Hope, a faint amusement twinkling the back of those orbs as she raised a finger, tapping it against her lips, "Something tempting, that he'd jump on without thinking too much about it. It'd have to be something that plays right into his prejudice then, something he desperately wants to be true. I think we can probably whip up something that'll grab his attention. Although," she turned a smile on Hope, "don't think there won't be repercussions when people realize what you've done. Welcome to the game Miss Abbott."

 

"Well, I plan to win this game." Hope stated with confidence. "So no one will have to know. But otherwise..." She pulled up an innocent, confused expression on her face. "But I told you that it was good information if it was true. And I trusted my source. I could not have known it was false." She playacted in a low voice.  

 

A small smile touched Sue's face as she took a sip of her champagne, "It's a good act Hope, but trust me on this, when you're done everyone will know what you did. Mostly, they just won't care enough to make a big thing of it."

 

"Hopefully they will take it me being willing to play the game." Hope replied. "I know it is a gamble, but much of what is done in this world..." She gestured, indicating the room around them. "... is exactly the same."    

 

"Speak for yourself," a wry smile touched Sue's lips as she placed her now empty glass on the bar, "me, I much prefer gambling when I can control the deck. Stacked odds are my favorite ones."