I own nothing…still…well, Merideth and Sylvia…but that's really it. Everything else belongs to Marvel
Merideth never left her room, not for the last week. The news of the man's death was more shocking than she thought it ought to be. It was impossible for her to have had anything to do with it. She couldn't influence anyone's thoughts. She kept thinking of Sylvia's face, the look of fear and bewilderment she had. Merideth was so sure it was the sheer fact that she had been stabbed, but she had said something about her eyes.
"M-Mer…?" A voice croaked beside her. She snapped out of her reverie and turned her attention to Sylvia.
She grabbed for her hand. "I'm here, never left." She smirked.
Sylvia chuckled and coughed at the effort. "Explains the smell." Merideth smiled.
"Glad you're feeling better, sug." She sighed heavily. Her abdomen had been wrapped heavily in bandages and the wound itself had been stapled closed after a short surgery to repair internal damages.
Sylvia wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, Merideth, however, felt she needed to find that Professor and get some answers. "I'm going to…I'm going back for a bit. I'm going to see my uncle. Your mum is here, she just stepped out to get some tea and check in with the doc. I…I need to know if…" Sylvia watched through bleary, medicated and groggy eyes as her friend fumbled for the words to say what she needed to.
Sylvia did her best to convey understanding by squeezing her handing and nodding. "I'll be here, I s'pose." She whispered hoarsely. Merideth nodded, holding back a flood of emotions. She hoped her friend would be fine, be on her feet again, she was terrified to leave her. They had been inseparable since they met. Sylvia had practically saved her life. Now she was leaving her to fend for herself. "It's ok, Mer. I'll be ok…" She squeezed her hand again, trying to reassure her. "Go. Come back in a hurry, Dove." Merideth nodded.
She had reached Las Vegas sooner than she thought she would have. It helped she had slept the entire way. A nearly twenty hour flight was sure to drive anyone mad.
She took a car to the club her Uncle had written her from last. Hellfire. What a name. She walked in, her hair seeming to soak up the smoke and sin permeating the building. As she wandered through, looking for any sign of him, she spotted his strangely distant assistant Emma. Who, by all appearances had been waiting the entire length of her flight for her.
She made her way through the heaving masses of men groping at women in their undergarments and stood before her. "Flight went well?" Emma asked with her usual detachment.
Merideth nodded. "Slept, is he in? I know this is horrible and short notice. I'm so sorry to put you all out like this." She began; Emma raised a perfectly manicured hand.
"You're family, there is no 'short notice' Merideth. Sebastian is waiting for you downstairs and he is thrilled you've come home to see him. I can't recall the last time I have seen him…well, he's never been excited to see anyone for any reason so this is a first." She smirked, turning and indicating that Merideth should follow. They sat at a booth and Merideth suddenly had the feeling her uncle was a spy or very…interesting…and she was suddenly very dull. She thought she ought to leave and come back when she had invented something fantastic, like fire, the wheel, was a spy herself, not a boring student who studied genetics and evolution at a university overseas. "Relax. You're among friends. Hungry? Of course you are, let me guess…you want a New York steak with those little mushrooms, that wine sauce Marlow does up so well, and a side of his butter rice. Wine? Red, your favorite is still here from the last visit two years ago on your birthday. Sebastian saves everything. Very good with details, you see. Well, I am." She gave Merideth a knowing wink.
Merideth had just been thinking of a steak, button mushrooms, Marlow the chef who worked here, the wine Sebastian had named for her, Blood and Honey, though she would never know why he picked such a dower name. It was a delicious wine, however. He owned the vineyard. He owned everything, it seemed. This club, vineyards', portions of the military, government. He was into everything…
"How…how do you do that? It's like you can read my mind…" She absently felt her head, as if there was a neon sign telling Emma all her thoughts.
Emma smirked and pushed a button in the center of the table. Yep, her uncle was that guy. A table that turns into an elevator, no one else has one of these. She wished her bed could do this; she'd never be late for her classes.
Moira had given Charles a full rundown of everything she knew, he had proven to be nothing she expected him to be. A man that could read peoples thoughts, now that was certainly something. And his sister, Raven, was a…well…she was blue and could be anyone. She could hardly contain her thoughts as they raced wildly through her head, unable to listen as someone was chattering about something equally important she was sure, but far less interesting…then it stopped.
"Don't be alarmed." She whirled around, half expecting the owner of the voice to be behind her. "Not here. If you want to know more, come to the parking garage. We will be waiting." Moira felt that she owed it to herself to know more. More about him, about Raven, about what was happening to them and what was really going on and why she was being left out of this, the most grand of grand loops.
"Damn it all, it's because I'm a woman." She said to no one in particular. She turned on her heel, walking straight for the parking garage, taking only her jacket and purse. It was incredible, no one moved. Not an eyelash, drop of water, no one seemed to even be breathing…it was as though time itself was held back while she passed the halls to her destination. "What an interesting man." She muttered, seeing a cup of coffee mid pour, the steam seemingly frozen in place. It was actually quite beautiful to see people this way, she had time to see them, study their faces as she walked by. If only it wasn't for the fact that there was a war, a General spying on the Government and no one believed her…because her leading sources were blue and telepathic, and she was, herself, a woman. "Damn it all…" She mumbled again, seeing Charles, a strange man in a black suit, and Raven, again with her beautiful blonde hair and bright smile. She knew him, could never remember his name. James, Jef…man in that black suit? "I'm in, I want to know. I want to help." She smiled, hoping she didn't sound as desperate she thought she did. Being a woman in what was so obviously a boy's only club was starting to grate on her. She was so much better at so much of this and these men were just…"Where do we start?" She pushed herself back to the present, and the charming man who was probably hearing her little internal monolog. She became acutely aware of his stare and wondered if she should try and hide her thoughts.
He chuckled. "It wouldn't work. I doubt you would know where to begin, and furthermore, there should be a need to keep secrets. I won't just go wondering in there on a whim. However; at the moment you do look terribly troubled." Charles noted, rubbing his temple. "You're among friends, Moira." He was quite good at putting her at ease.
With a curt nod, Moira turned and gave the ok. She was ready for this apparent adventure. "I've been…cleared…so to speak, to work with you. However, they don't believe me. I need to find real, solid proof. Can you help me do that? Can you help me unravel what I saw at that Hellfire Club?" She turned and looked at him directly.
Some of Charles cockiness had dissipated, he nodded simply. "Yes. I do believe I can." The car pulled up a long dirt driveway. Raven gasped in amazement at what she saw.
The facility was impressive, even by her standards. A little of everything. They didn't have time to enjoy it, tonight was their first real mission. Apparently Sebastian Shaw had been found, his Yacht was located and he would be apprehended tonight.
A/N: Well…I'm sure this won't follow the movie to a 'T' so to speak. I can't remember what that guy's name, now I have to watch it again just to see if he says it. Good movie, now I have something else to do today :) So? Suggestions? Comments? Critique?