Sebastian Shaw swallowed nervously. There were a lot of new faces sitting around the Hellfire Club's meeting of the Inner Circle. But, despite how offsetting that was, it's not what concerned him tonight. Tonight he was afraid for one reason only. He was in the presence of Mr. Mildred Watts
"I believe that, at our last meeting, we agreed to think on the idea of allowing Mr. Watts to confront Excalibur." He paused. "I have given this a great deal of thought. And I for one am against it."
Whispers swept the room and looks of revelation and understanding were exchanged.
Mr. Watts leaned out of the crowd and quietly turned to face Sebastian. Watts was a small and unassuming man and immaculately dressed for someone who just came from a cage fight.
"But we each have a say, so I will poll the club. Emma?" Sebastian began.
"I'm against it too." She said quickly.
Sebastian paused. She had been very conservative lately and he thought Kurt Wagner might have had a part in that. Many more glances were exchanged about the table and some murmurs of dissent.
Sebastian turned to the next face in line. "An you Lexworth?"
"I'm for it actually." He smiled confidently and bumped elbows conspiratorially with Donavan, to his immediate right.
"I say yes as well." Donavan announced. Followed by more murmurs.
And one by one Sebastian went around the room. Only Watts sat silent, not being allowed a vote since he was the issue.
Finally Sebastian had to admit it. "Well, it looks like Mr. Watts is going to be given his chance. Congratulations Mr. Watts."
Mr. Watts nodded once, pleasantly in gratitude, stood up, put on his tiny little bola hat and left the room without a word.
Sebastian fought off a shiver. Lucky break… "Then I guess we are adjourned."
And everyone stood up and broke for the exits.
Emma paused and found a quiet moment with Sebastian. "Do you think Watts influenced the vote?"
Sebastian shrugged. "We may never know. Do you think he's up to the task?"
"If I thought he was up for the task I'd have voted for him." She said with a shake of her head.
Sebastian eyed her for a long second. "Would you Emma? Would you… really?"
For just a moment she looked frightened and caught. "What are you implying?" She asked at last.
Sebastian smiled. "Why… nothing Emma. Nothing at all."
And Emma felt a slight chill pass through her.
She pulled on her jacket and made a beeline for the door.
Damn Sebastian! She cursed mentally. Of course I would… But then she paused. Or would I?
In fact, Kurt had scared her as strait as The White Queen could get. Most of what she'd done to advance herself lately amounted to no more than insider trading – the way she stole all her money to begin with. And that hardly seemed anything like a real crime to her anymore.
I should have taken Kurt up on his offer. He could have kept Illyana and I apart, I'm sure of it.
She sighed. But I made my choice. She looked at her very expensive watch. I just hope it's all worth it…
She pursed her lips. Once she never would have considered such a thing. It had always been 'worth it'. Right up until the day she had to cross Kurt Wagner.
She stepped in to the elevator and looked at the operator. "Lobby please." She said softly.
The boy smiled and shifted the lever to start the car moving.
"Rough day?" The boy asked.
Emma smirked sourly. "Yes. I suppose so."
The boy nodded. "I know I don't have the stress that a lot of you big business types have to deal with." He began. "But you know what always makes me feel better?"
Emma's curiosity was piqued. "What?"
"I go down to Club 16 by the docks. Almost every Wednesday and Friday night." He nodded. "And I dance."
"Really?" Emma looked at him.
"Oh, I know I don't look the type." He smiled and looked at his slight potbelly. "But some friends took me two weeks back and we saw Tabitha Smith, Kitty Pryde and Illyana Rasputin. And you know where they're from, right?"
"Excalibur." Emma said dourly.
"That's right." He smiled and nodded. "Can you imagine? There I was just minding my own business and the next thing I know I'd been dancing with Tabitha Smith!" He barked a laugh. "I mean, everyone knows they're heroes and everything – with powers out the wazoo – but when you meet them face to face they're just regular fun loving people." He shrugged. "They come in twice a week and just get the whole place worked up."
She eyes him carefully.
"I've been hopin' to meet Wagner myself." He continued. "I'd like to shake his hand."
She was torn between her duty and her emotions. "I met Kurt Wagner face to face once." She said at last. "Before he became famous."
"Yeah?" The boy was impressed. "What's he like in person?"
She thought it over. "He's very kind. Very polite." She pursed her lips. "Very down to earth."
The boy nodded. "Well, you'd have to be, lookin' like that, wouldn't you?" He pressed.
She looked at him. "How so?"
The boy shrugged. "Well, lets face it… He's scary looking until you hear him talk about himself and his friends. Even that broadcast he did was a little scary. Like when he told those conspiracy people that he was coming for them. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that to save my life."
Emma smiled sadly. "Yeah, that's one place I wouldn't want to be either." She admitted. Despite the wealth, power, influence…
The boy smiled. "Lucky you've only got business worries then isn't it. Could always be worse. You could be a member of the Hellfire Club."
The lift stopped and the doors opened.
Emma fished a bill out of her pocket and put it in his hand.
"Wot?" He looked at it. "Excuse me, but this is a hundred."
"I know." She smiled. "Two dollars tip for the ride. The rest was for the conversation."
"Wow." He stared at the bill.
"Have a dance or two on me." She smiled and walked away.
"I sure will. And thank you!" He called after her.
She waved back over her shoulder without looking. "Don't mention it."
The boy blew an exasperated breath out through his lips. Don't mention it? It's the highlight of my week!
Emma crossed the lobby and slipped out the large glass double-doors.
She raised her hand and a cab jumped to the curbside.
"Where to?" The man asked her.
Out… She thought before saying: "Frost Enterprises on Wickson."
The driver pulled the little flag down and started the drive.
"What do you think of Excalibur?" She asked the driver.
He shrugged. "That Lucy Logan's a sweet one. Had her in my cab just under a week ago. She tips good too."
"Yeah?" Emma pressed. "Where was she going?"
The man smiled coyly. "I'm sure it was a private matter."
Emma eyed him in the mirror. "Would double your fare make it more public?"
He shook his head 'no'.
"What about four times? If you take the long way around?" She pressed.
"Are you a reporter or something?" He narrowed his eyes at her in the reflection.
"No. Just an old acquaintance of Kurt Wagner." She said, dropping his name in hopes of an answer.
The man looked torn. "I can't tell you where she went at first. That's a confidence as far as I'm concerned. But I could tell you what she was looking for."
Emma nodded. "Sounds fair."
The man eyed her for a moment and she pulled out two bills and handed them over the seat. He thrust them in to his shirt pocket and turned off the meter.
"She was looking for someone with a boat, no questions asked." He smiled. "Something large enough for a mess of people but small enough to escape notice if you know what I mean."
"A boat?" She was a little shocked. What would she want with a boat?
He nodded. "She was looking to buy it I think and make it her own."
"Did she find one?" Emma asked.
He shrugged. "Maybe she did. Maybe she didn't." He smiled. "But after she talked to the man about getting one, I did take her to the Harbor Master's office."
"Isn't that where you'd rent a slip to keep a boat in?" Emma studied him cautiously.
He nodded slowly. "That it is." He turned the corner. "Well, we're here."
She glanced in to her offices.
Then back to the cab driver.
"Take me to the Harbormasters Office." She told him.
And he smiled, then pulled down the little flag on the meter before pulling out in to traffic once again.