"Bourbon?"
"Yes, thank you."
Loki poured a glass and handed it to Temperance, then poured a glass for himself.
"Anyone else?" he asked.
Christian shook his head, and Fantomex raised a flask in his hand.
Loki shrugged and sat down on the couch. Fantomex was once again at the piano, and Christian was inspecting Temperance's closet.
"You look about as good in white as your mom does. Did she give you this outfit?"
"No, actually, Uncle Tony did."
"I like it."
Temperance nodded as she drank. "It has a necklace, too, but I have it to Nick."
"And what do you wear for your White Queen persona?"
Temperance stood and walked to the closet. She pointed to an outfit, and Christian let out a low whistle. "Jeez. I'm not sure how I feel about my niece parading around in that."
A white miniskirt, matched with a white corset and a shiny diamond-like belt with matching boots, hung up in the back of her closet. With it was a long white cape.
"I designed it myself," she said. She reached out and pulled the outfit out, and disappeared behind her dressing screen.
"Don't you think it shows a little bit too much?" Christian called.
"It's supposed to!" she emerged dressed in her White Queen attire, and Loki set his drink down.
"Well, I, for one, am all for it!"
"Hey, that's my little niece you're talking about," Christian said.
"I have no purpose here," Fantomex felt the need to supply.
Temperance rolled her eyes. "Well, I need to get going, I have a meeting. So you guys needs to scadatle."
She left her room, clipping her cape around her as she made her way downstairs. She passed through the tables, ignoring the men who openly stared, and headed for the hallway, where she descended a set of stairs into a very nicely furnished room.
Sebastian and Stella were seated on the sofa. Marie Millian, Goldie Smith, Hannibal James, and Gerald Hunt were there as well.
"Oh, there you are," Stella said as Temperance made her way to the sofa. She sat beside Shaw and crossed her legs. "We were starting to worry."
"I was just finishing up some work," Temperance replied. Shaw offered her a cigarette and a lighter, and Temperance took them. "Shall we begin?"
"Yes, let's," Shaw said. "Gerald, tell us about our European news."
"It has been very quiet in Paris, but our Hellfire branch in London has had some trouble with some anti-mutant sapiens. They crashed telepath night!"
"I trust you had them . . . neutralized."
"Of course, Mr. Shaw."
"Good. Goldie, our business accounts . . .?"
Temperance zoned out during the meeting, and out of the corner of her eye saw Loki sit down beside her, and Christian leaned against the bar. No one else appeared to notice, so Temperance just listened quietly.
"And then I think we should hire more shape shifters," Marie said.
"No way," Hannibal said. "I had this girl come in to my branch. Beautiful young thing, claimed to have mild telekinetic abilities. Turned out she was a man. My costumers were outraged."
"Shapeshifters are overrated anyway," Temperance supplied. "They're too perfect. Part of the reason of coming to see our dancers is for the customers to be able to use their imagination."
"Temperance is right," Stella said.
"I agree," Shaw said. "No more shape shifters."
Pleased with the fact that someone had agreed with her, Temperance left the meeting happy, going up to her bedroom and sitting on her bed.
"It feels good to have people listen to you, doesn't it?" Loki asked.
"Very much so," smiled Temperance.
"Your mother used to listen to every word I'd ever say," Christian told her. "It made me feel great."
"I make people listen to me if I want to be listened too," said Fantomex.
A glass of wine appeared in Loki's hand, and he raised it. "Here, here!"
Temperance laughed as she toasted them.
"Temperance? Darling, are you in here?"
Temperance's smile dropped as her mother entered her bedroom, her long hair wind blow and her blue eyes dazzling as always.
"Who were you talking too?" Emma asked.
"No one. Why are you here?"
Emma looked lightly hurt. "I needed to see you."
"She didn't want to see you," Loki said. "She only wants something from you. All she's ever done is used you. And that's no difference now."
"You don't want to simply chat," Temperance said coldly. "You obviously wanted something to travel all the way up here."
Emma sniffed snobbishly, looking down her nose at Temperance. "I'll have you know, young lady, I was just down the street getting my nails done when I decided to drop in and visit."
"Liar!" Loki hissed. "It's nothing but a scandal - don't listen to her, Temperance!"
"Quite an interesting story," Temperance said. "But you can leave now."
"Show her the door," Christian said.
Temperance gestured for the door. "Good-bye."
A fire burned in Emma's eyes. "Not my daughter. Who's in your head, Temperance? Come out where I can see you!"
Temperance started to panic; her heart speed up.
"Don't worry," Loki said. "She can't see us."
"Temperance Jean Howlett! You look at me when I'm speaking to you!" Emma shouted.
"Tell her to leave!" Loki shouted.
"Leave!" Temperance screamed. "In the name of Asgard, leave here now!"
Emma's eyes widened. "Asgard?" She screeched. "Asgard? He has something to do with this? Well, I've had enough!"
Temperance felt like her head was exploding; she shook her head and opened her eyes.
"What have you allowed her to do?" Loki yelled at Temperance.
"She allowed me to do nothing!" Emma said. "I broke through her barriers! I can see you, and Christian, and Fantomex! How dare you! How dare you manipulate my daughter in this way! I'll have your head for it, Shaw! I'll kill you!"
"Shaw?" Temperance asked.
Loki, Christian, and Fantomex suddenly melted together; the three of them formed the body of Sebastien Shaw, who smiled ruefully at Emma. "You always were bright, Emma."
"I still am," Emma said. She lunged at Shaw, who easily flung her aside.
"But you were also arrogant," Shaw said, looking at Emma's unmoving body on the floor.
"Thank you, Shaw," Temperance said softly.
"Oh, you poor thing," Shaw said, gathering Temperance in his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder. "Temperance, I am so sorry."
"No, Shaw. I'm sorry."
"Whatever for?"
"For this."
Something shinning flew across the room and landed perfectly in Temperances hand. Gripping the diamond dagger with both hands, she drove it deep into Shaw's back.
Shaw gasped, and a small trickle of blood came from his mouth. He crumpled to the floor, and Temperance stood over his body, looking down at it with disdain. Then she turned and pulled her mother up.
Emma groaned. "Temperance? What happened?"
"It's okay, mum. He's dead. I killed him."
"Oh, Temperance . . ."
Emma slid her arm around her daughters waist. Temperance laid her head in the crook of her shoulder, and looked on at Shaw's body coldly.
"You'll come home now?" Emma whispered.
"No," Temperance replied. "No, there's work to be done here. I can make the Hellfire place into something more, something better for the world . . . something Sebastian Shaw would despise."
"He's been controlling you for months."
"How long?"
"I'd guess right after you moved out."
"He'll pay."
"He's dead."
"I know."
Emma looked at her daughter. "I came to tell you we're leaving for a while," she said. "On a mission . . ."
"What sort of mission?" Temperance asked.
Emma kissed Temperance's head. "We've found Charles Xavier."
