2018-01-17 - Rook to King Four

The repairs to the New York chapter of the Hellfire Club are underway. Much of the rubble has been cleared out, and a semblance of an exterior is beginning to take shape. Damage Control hasn't been brought in because much of the artwork that went into the design was, and is, simply irreplaceable. It was done by hand, and as such bidding is ongoing for artisans to come in and give their special touch to what will be a new and revitalized Club. One of the positive aspects of the Club's presence in any particular area, that old world aristocratic patronage.

Meanwhile, within the Club in the section that secretly survived unbeknownst to most outside of the X-Men, Sebastian Shaw and Selene are holding a meeting. Servants mill about preparing the long table at which the two members of the Inner Circle presently sit along with trusted Knights. A special bottle of merlot is brought to Sebastian for the occasion as he utters to a stately woman that would be known to those present as Sandra Morgan, aka Tithe,"Bring in Tessa."

Selene Gallio is waiting. For once, her expression is neutral. Her facade seemingly bored then. Internally, she is.. Focused. Perhaps amused to some degree. But, a bit to the left of Shaw and standing in a more relaxed posture, Selene waits. Her outfit almost shines, freshly polished with her skin pale and radiant. If anyone might blink or ask, she seems to be ready for something formal. So, as the event seems to be getting started, Selene has not taken her seat, and is just waiting. As members ofthe Inner Circle start to file in, Selene goes to casually ready a quick spell on the entrances to trigger when they are all present.

Tessa, the lady with no last name, swipes a cloth over the last edge of an ancient 15th century clock. With barely any issues, it is priceless. Irreplaceable. And now is so shined that Tessa could see her reflection in it. If she were looking, she has no actual interest in the reflection, the shine, or the clock. She knows what time it is.

It's time for Shaw and Selene to summon her for a meeting. Fully aware that this is yet another problem session, she reviews in her head the details of the household. How many times the new maid has been found in the guest's quarters, what she herself has done recently. All perfectly innocuous, she's even slept with a few guests herself to make it seem reasonable.

Counting down the moments, she quickly reaches to a computer and reroutes cash flow for one of the upcoming projects, and allows a second for the computer to catch up to her typing. The new computers will be in soon, and she's already arranged all the updates to her personal specifications. Nobody else in the house could program them, after all. She's made certain of that.

Ah. It's time. The door handle under her fingers feels exactly the same as every other time, as she enters the sanctum exactly on cue, then lowers her gaze to the floor and her hands together quietly. She looks exactly the same as always. Getting older, slowly, and excruciatingly normal.

Sebastian gestures broadly when the last of the Inner Circle file in, signalling for seats to be taken. He doesn't touch the bottle waiting for him just yet, no it is a special item for a special moment. Much like the room they are in, one of the few utterly unblemished by Alex's and Emma's tantrum. He is dressed in a silk tuxedo, complete with coat tails, that was laid out for today. To say it was specially tailored would be redundant as he is not a little man in any sense of the phrase. It even has frills about the wrists after the fashion trends of the 19th century to give him the appearance of an old world nobleman as he clears his throat to begin.

"Gentlemen. Ladies. As you are all aware, we have had a small number of troubles and dilemnas recently. Some of these are long abiding. The latter of these will be addressed in part this afternoon, and it is for this purpose that the meeting was scheduled. Before we begin in earnest, I open the table to any pressing issues or formalities that the seniority wish to bring forth that are NOT on the itenerary," Shaw's voice carries across the table, colored richly with his heavy New England accent.

Selene moves to take a seat over as Shaw begins speaking. One leg hikes up and over the other as the remainder of the Inner Circle comes in. Her seat is next to Shaw, and she appears relaxed. Her fingers go to rest on the table, and the spell she's setup triggers once everyone is in the room. There's the silent, virtually invisible clicking as all the doors go shut and the room is sealed from all outside access.. And inner access. Short of blowing a hole over in the wall no one is going to be going in or out until she's released the spell.

Selene herself appears to be relaxing, her expression shifting as Shaw begins talking to one of more amusement. "Yes, yes, get on with it." Her fingers lightly rap over on the table, her playing her role. In this case, her role is to give the atmosphere more o a sense of normalcy by playing up her general irritation.

The way that Sebastian is speaking gets no response from Tessa. She doesn't even think anything about it, her mind is on his needs and the most likely details he'll need for the issues that the Circle are likely to raise. She keeps them handy, reviewing her notes in her head. All of this is easily readable; she has no telepathic defense, nor is she faking.

A slight glance to Selene is merely that; a glance. She looks away to her lord, awaiting his next need. She has never needed to be commanded, always one step ahead of what he wanted from her. In this case however, she seems patient to wait.

Sebastian smiles languidly then as his large fingers steeple before him. For the next several minutes, the meeting will carry on per norm. Affairs of the present estate such as the status of the Club's repairs, minor revenue shortfalls resulting from their open conflict, and minor concerns with the Hellfire Mercenaries are addressed one by one. The stage is complete for normalcy, including a calmly nodding and humorlessly smiling Sebastian Shaw.

Then a bit of metaphorical sulphur drifts into the air as he intones with that out of the way,"Now for the aforementioned long abiding dilemna and trouble."

A glance from Sebastian to Selene is given, meaning clear to those in the known who can be counted on one hand with fingers to spare.

Shaw continues,"When we have a prisoner, and an escape attempt, it is generally considered extraordinary for a trusted member of the household to interfere with the detention and execution of intruders. Is it not?"

Selene is glancing at Tessa. Her mind goes to quickly probe it. Tessa's concsiousness would likely put up automatically that veneer of professionalism and unsurety as it always automatically did. To Selene, this would be good, it meant Tessa had no clue what was coming. Satisfied, and with the room sealed with there being no escape, Selene waited for the theatrics to begin. Selene casually returns the glance from her seat, her expression neutral as she turns up and over to Shaw.

Her expressino turns irritable once more as she glances up to Tessa, "Why yes, I thought you never miss. So were you aiming at me then? Little Rook, I do not enjoy being the target of one of our own." She gestures up at Shaw as he goes on.

Without pause, Tessa supplies Shaw with the information he needs for these minor concerns. She's either the best actress in the universe, or actually has no idea that she's in any danger. Not the slightest hesitation, and she moves exactly as norm. Perfect, at his side, Sebastian Shaw's rock that tells him the hidden secrets of each person in front of him. Save one: herself.

Then, Selene's little speech. This was always a danger. Shaw realizing that she was a threat, of any sort. And since it was a danger, Tessa has a plan in place for this situation.

She immediately does exactly what she's prepared, and abandons the 'Tessa' that has worked here entirely. She doesn't unmake it, she simply detatches her primary mind from it and leaves it alone to handle Shaw and Selene on it's own, placing additional layers of protection so it doesn't know that it's done anything wrong.

Effectively leaving it to die, as Tessa's eyes look up with actual, honest confusion. "Ma'am?" She literally has no idea why this is happening. Not anymore.

Sebastian has his bushy brows knitted as his eyes narrow with predatory intensity. His hands no longer steeple but intead fold over as his smile is no longer merely humorless but venomous. His mind is a razor with surgical efficiency as he doesn't dance straight to the point so much as bulldoze.

"Don't be coy. It's unbecoming. We had their assassin and the little fairy and you enabled their escape. No one else," Shaw's tone is a contradiction of the words and the state of his mind as he unfolds his hands and begins to open his bottle, a glass brought before him by Tithe. Not Tessa for a change.

Selene's words are likewise casual, but more amused, "Why yes. And a number of conveniences pile up. I was the one whom dealt with them in the hallway, your sudde appearance was not needed. I don't see a reason why you had to come out, you were the one that was left with the spy." she goes to tap her fingers. "So, please do elaborate onas to how exactly you managed to fail in all those ways that were so completely simple to have done your ask. And you were supposed to be the smart one." She's far more amused now than she lets on.

The doors are solidly closed, and no one is going out as Selene goes to tap her fingers a little more quickly.

Tessa looks from Shaw to Selene, as the two take turns. Then, as always, her gaze goes back to her master as she's unable to defend actions that she isn't certain about herself. "Coincidence. I was stepping past the maid's quarters and overheard their evening games, sidestepped the serving tray and was backed into the hallway when I appeared."

Her brow furrows as she attempts to recreate the events of the evening in question. "Lord British had been test firing my weapon, he ordered it be turned over to him, and I appreciate the Lord's firing skill, but it is legendarily hard on weaponry. There had been no time to maintain my weapon, it was barely half an hour before." All true, and the Lord in question blinks, recalling the event. Exactly as she described it, but he'd been unaware of his reputation in the circle. It is, fortunately, all true.

Tessa continues, looking slightly confused and slightly hurt by these accusations. "Though I should also mention that I am in no way trained to handle a spy of that caliber on my own, I am uncertain how I could have prevented their escape, My Lord." All to Shaw, she never forgets. She is His.

Sebastian chuckles mirthlessly as he admires the performance under way beside him. Utterly convincing, but his mind is not so easily unmade. Ask Emma Frost.

"You are one of only a few to engage their little assassin in hand to hand and walk away relatively unscathed. I witnessed this myself, you are hardly incompetent," retorts Sebastian at the shortselling of her spy training.

Sebastian would continue after a beat then, his tone dropping as he asks,"Was it you who informed the X-Men where our spy was kept? Seeing as Selene was actually injured and she was the only other down there it is patently obvious why she is not the one being questioned."

And then Selene smiles. "Why yes, how exactly did they know exactly where the spy wasin the tunnels? What chamber, what annex.. To strike exatly when the Inner Cicle was above? I fear dear Tessa that all those conveniences are piling up a bit too quickly." Selene's now aware taht -something- is off with Tessa. How her mind is processing things so cleanly even when being accused. Tessa is known for her calm and focus, but this is too abnormal.

Something is off as Tessa speaks and her mind is wide open, even as there is no sense of panic or open desperation in it. Just obedience. And that level of casuality within Tessa's consciousnessis enough to tell Selene that -something- is wrong. Her eyes narrow.

"Why, this is ridiculous," Tessa says, her brow furrowing as her exasperation finally forces it's way out. "I am fully aware of my abilities, but immune to mental probing I am not. Nor do I have super powers, and this world is filled with them. There are literally thousands of explanations for this, in the merged worlds, My Lords and Ladies."

The calm that Selene detected is actually not so calm, regardless of what the woman thinks she's reading in her mind. Tessa is a lot better at this than that, and she does keep emotions in play. "If there is an issue with my performance, I will correct it, but if there is an issue with my trustworthiness? Please. I can not function without it, My Lord."

Turning to Shaw, she pleads now. "I will offer my resignation before I cause harm to you or your cause, My Lord. Anything."

Sebastian hmms as his mind churns at what he is witnessing with his pet polymath. He is not psychic, so is depending on Selene's judgement with that aspect but he is certainly an old hand with body language. The big swirls his now adequately breathed merlot and takes a sip to process what comes next.

Gazing into the murky redness in his glass, Shaw intones,"I'll have you know, we have taken steps to commit to record our recent dealings and exchanges. As you said, your function is compromised without trustworthiness. You are quite convincing, I applaud your performance but as with all things it too must end."

Sebastian takes another sip from his glass, then salutes her. This signals Tithe to position herself behind Tessa with restraints.

Selene's psi scans continue to go over, even as she readies another spell at command. As Tithe goes over behind Tessa, Selene goes to trigger her spell. IT's a relatively simple one but also quick to pull off. As the spell fires, it would anchor Tessa's ankles to the floor. Then presuming that Tessa does not leap over in time the spell would have solid metal blocks forming about her ankles, them restraining her like cement shoes at a degree to which she could not simply jump out of them or remove them without a pickaxe.

Tessa looks back over her shoulder. She slumps, realizing that she has failed Shaw, her life and her pride fails. Unable to move, she actually falls as the blocks form on her feet, with her ending up restrained but laying on the ground, prone, before them all. And crying, because she doesn't understand. "My Lord!"

She's not just good. She's actually upset, confused, and lost. Yet for some reason a thought comes into her head, a mercy. It's confusing even to her since she's no idea where it came from, but it's gone just as fast. Selene catches a scent of it: somehow, a telepath sent her something. Utter nonsense, but it makes her calm a little regardless. Laying on the floor.

Sebastian rises to his feet, glass in hand as he maneuvers to stand over Tessa. His gaze is analytical over the creature before him. So convincing, but events don't lie and in his profession one cannot afford compromise. All of his eggs had been in this basket, and that would end.

Shaw kneels down beside Tessa, a hint of the suppressed rage knotting in his belly showing as his free hand moves to take Tessa by the hair at the back of her head and yank her head back. To call his strength bearlike would be an understatement.

Shaw hisses through contorted features,"A drink, to old time's sake," and brings the glass to her lips in a mockery of tradition.

With that, Sebastian tosses aside the glass and commands,"Remove her from this room!" before rising to his feet.

Selene holds up a hand, "Wait, the little whelp got a message. I have to pry it from her skull. It was ot from within the Club. She might have another contact here." Selene goes to take her chin over to face Tessa, and then regardless or not of whether Shaw gestured to her to go on or to stop she would make a noose of darkforce energies around Tessa's neck and head, as if smothering her. "NOw give me what I want. I am goin gto enjoy making it painful, darling. The faster you give it to me the less pain I shall be induced to inflict."

Darkness smothers Tessa's consciousness. Cut off from light, form sensation, from senses. LIke being suspended in a void, all existence cut away as Selene tries to pry through her consciousness over with a set of needles, jabbing tem into each facet of Tessa's brain where the darkness would be made to stab everywhere. From afar, Jean Grey is good. Doing emit scene for Tessa. :) It's easy.

Tessa has no defenses against Selene, so the pain that she puts the woman through is purely recreational. She has no secrets to find, there is simply nothing else in her head but the woman she's always pretended to be. A woman who is, right now, losing miserably.

And a voice that is NOT Tessa's repeats in the lady's head, and her lips repeat it as well for Shaw and the Inner Circle to hear: Utter nonsense.

"A man was sent a letter offering him a credit card, but he didn't like the terms. He chose to alter the contract, reprinting it to include unlimited credit at no interest, which the bank accepted. He received a letter a month later voiding his card, but he had already used it. Taking the matter to court, he eventually won his case."

That is all. Garbage, folly and ridiculousness, patently stupid. Yet it calmed her a little, as the guards come to take her. When Selene is done.

Sebastian is staring at the wall before him, essentially tuning out Tessa as Tithe takes her away when Selene is done with her. If he didn't, he would have likely flown off the handle in one of his infamous rages and he did not want that with so much of the club already ashambles.

Shaw utters crossly,"I think we may have underestimated Xavier. His morality clearly has its limits. Where there are limits...there lies hypocrisy."

With that, Sebastian smiles darkly.

Selene's mental fangs slip over and into her consciousness. "She's putting up a mask. Repeating it again and again" A simple sort of defense, but one that's ltierally being a sea of blanketing disruption. "Little $#!." Selene uses an obscentity from eons ago. "I can rip it from her brain, but it's likely something Xavier put in. Indulgent as it would be to rip it all from her, do you want to have me take away the fear when her head is cut from her shoulders since she'll be lobotomized?"

THat level of information can only be ripped at the cost of obliterating a mind if it's blocks Xavier has put into her. "I must give the old man credit. I didn't think he would put a deep trigger in one of his little toy sto prevent things from being taken out so deeply." She nods back over to Shaw in agreement.

Tessa is dragged off to a small, dark room. As another person looks out from behind her eyes. Waiting.