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PART 12
"The Inner Circle"
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Warren's limo pulled up to the door of the Hellfire Club at 9:55 that evening. His chauffeur opened the door and Angel exited wearing a suit with strong Victorian influences, and Betsy followed, wearing an elegant, floor-length, dark purple dress. Betsy looked around, noticing that most of the people around her were dressed in Victorian-era dress, the men in clothes very similar to Warren's, the women in rather revealing uniforms. The formality of the place made her feel very uncomfortable and she stayed near Warren at all times. They stopped at the doorway to show the guard the invitation presented to them by Mister Wyngarde.

"Ah, the crowning of Miss Frost, yes, you will want to take the left hallway and go down the stairs." The guard replied, pointing out the way.

As they walked through the expensively decorated building, Betsy found herself mesmerized by all the fixtures of gold and crystals. This place probably cost as much as the Xavier Institute, if not more. The place had a stuffiness about it that stifled Betsy as she politely nodded to everyone that they passed by. They proceeded down the stairs and found themselves in a room lit dimly by candles. There were several people seated in the small dark room, and Warren and Betsy quickly found somewhere to be seated as someone stood up at the front of the room, his face illuminated by the candles, giving him a ghostly appearance. He had jet black hair and wore sideburns, complementing very well the Victorian clothing he wore.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen on the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club," the man said, "as you very well know, my name is Sebastian Shaw. I am here to introduce our leader, Jason Wyngarde, and, taking her place n the Inner Circle as the White Queen, Miss Emma Frost." The man bowed out of sight, and the man who had come to visit Warren's apartment the evening before appeared, followed by a girl of no more than nineteen. She was very attractive, with shoulder-length blonde hair and ice-blue eyes. Her clothes were like those of the other women in the Hellfire Club, a white corset and a very short white skirt, with thigh-high boots. Men must have designed the clothing to be worn here, Betsy thought to herself.

"Tonight is a very important night, ladies and gentlemen. It marks the first day of the reign of White Queen Emma Frost. We are sure that she and Black Queen Selene will get along quite well, and will help our group fulfill both its long term and short term goals. Emma, please step forward." The girl complied, standing up beside Wyngarde. Her face was filled with excitement at the prospect of becoming the new queen, but she maintained an air of coolth about her. "Emma Frost, are you ready to assume the responsibilities that come with being the White Queen of the Hellfire Club? To serve and defend the Inner Circle, and give your full efforts to our goal of mutant domination?" Betsy turned several shades of pale. She wrapped her fingers around Warren's arm and whispered softly to him.

"I want to go... now!"

"Don't you think it might be better if we stayed, became members? We might be able to discover their plans and thwart them." Warren said reasonably. Betsy squirmed in her seat, watching the ceremony continue. Emma now had a white cloak wrapped around her, and Wyngarde was now proclaiming her the new White Queen. Everyone clapped, including Betsy, although it took everything in her to do anything that supported this group. Warren made her stay a while afterwards, so as not to be rude. Wyngarde approached them shortly after the ceremony ended, Emma Frost by his side.

"I hope this meeting has convinced the both of you to join our club... now, Mister Worthington, perhaps you understand why we felt it so important that you join us here?" Wyngarde said, a sly smile across his face. Emma, meanwhile, was eyeing Psylocke suspiciously. Betsy tried her best to put up mental blocks so that any psychics in the room would be unable to read her thoughts.

"Oh, yes, quite," Warren replied, sounding sincere enough that Betsy was even beginning to wonder, "both Elizabeth and I would love to become full-time members."

"Ah, yes, this is Miss Braddock, how do you do? I am Jason Wyngarde, known as 'Mastermind,' to most everyone here." He gave a gracious bow.

"Yes, a pleasure," Emma said flatly, a frustrated grimace on her lips. Perhaps, Betsy thought, she was one of the psychics that she'd been concerned about having her mind read by.

"Quite," Betsy replied politely, "but Warren and I were just leaving, I'm sorry we can't stay to chat." After they had all exchanged farewells, Betsy drew him out of the room.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" she murmured.

"I think it would be a bad idea not to join this group and find out what they intend to do," he replied, "anyhow, I doubt anything bad will happen to us."

"Famous last words," Betsy said with a sigh as they entered his limo and headed back home.

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TO BE CONTINUED
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