A/N: Sorry for the delay in writing and reviewing! I had to move back home and it's been a little cramped. Such is life. Expect more updates….when I manage to write them.

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Emma Frost stood silently inside the Hellfire Club's Inner Sanctum as Pierce raved and ranted.

"You screwed up Frost!" He bellowed, crushing yet another crystal wine snifter in his robotic fist. "Your new Golden Boy is going to wreck our plans!"

"Pierce do calm down before you give yourself an heart attack." Frost said coolly. "While I admit that the report Evan provided on Vladimir's behavior at Sky High was…disconcerting, it does not warrant a panic attack."

"I have to agree with Emma." The Hellfire's Club White King smiled at Pierce's rage. "Your behavior is not befitting that of a White Bishop of the Hellfire Club." He added blandly, his warning clear.

Pierce turned purple. Both being in the White circle, Pierce's was a direct subordinate to the White King. Technically to the White Queen as well, but Pierce was a notoriously angry man who often forgot himself when speaking to Emma Frost or other mutants on the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle. He was a bigot, no doubts there.

However, speaking back to the White King was another thing all together. He was no mutant, but a very dangerous man to cross all the same.

"So…" Pierce said, holding onto his temper with both hands. "What do you suggest we do Xanatos?"

David Xanatos, White King of the Hellfire Club, regarded the Inner Circle carefully before answering.

"Do, Pierce? We do as the Lord Imperial instructs." Xanatos said simply. Sebastian Shaw, Xanatos' counterpart as the Black King nodded.

"He is correct." Shaw agreed. "But first we need to establish for the Lord Imperial what has occurred and what options are open to us. Emma, this is your student and your plan. What can you tell us?"

"Per the Inner Circle's instructions, I selected one of my students for the procedure Mr. Sinister and Dr. Von Reichter devised," Frost began, indicating the Black Knight and Black Pawn, respectively. "I altered his memories and psychically implanted the new persona. In order to prevent a…repeat of the Phoenix Fiasco, I put up shields to keep all but the most powerful telepaths and psychics out of his mind. Unfortunately, the stress of the battle left his mind vulnerable to Trinity's psychic attack, which destroyed my fail-safes and unleashed the new persona, without any means of controlling him."

"So the Hellfire Club Champion has gone rogue." Pierce said. "There's no way we can use him to capture the Phoenix now!"

"How long until the new persona takes control entirely?" Xanatos asked Frost.

"It is…difficult to say. There is a way to remove the programming, a telepathic signal I can transmit…"

"But that would mean the entire project was for nothing!" Lex Luthor Black Rook protested.

"Nevertheless, it is unwise to have agents operating outside our control." The White Rook responded. "I know what it means when an…apprentice refuses to follow orders."

"You would, Slade." The other White Rook, Emmanuel DaCosta sneered. The two Black Bishops spoke up.

"This is pointless." Harry Leland argued. "We might as well eliminate the boy and find a new way to create a warrior capable of bringing the Phoenix to us."

"A pity, his trial run against the Misfits seemed to be going so well." Ra's Al Ghul agreed. "But we cannot allow a being of his power to run around outside our control. If we cannot control him, then we should eliminate him."

"Yes! Dispose of the 'Omega Hellions!' They'll be of no use without Tubarov and a loose end to be taken care of." Pierce said eagerly.

"I will not kill my own students!" Frost shot backed hotly.

"Then let Cobra do it." Pierce said. "I propose that we allow Cobra to eliminate those superfluous Hellions and let them keep any genetic material they desire. In return, we give Cobra Commander the rank of White Pawn in the Hellfire Club, allowing us control of Cobra." It was a shrewd suggestion. The position of Pawn was the lowest rank in the Inner Circle. It could be held by two or three people and was a convenient platform to ascend the Inner Circle's higher ranks.

"And with Cobra's absorption of Hydra, we will have our own private army." Luthor mused. "I second that proposal."

"I call the question." Al Ghul demanded.

"Very well." Xanatos sighed. "I call for the votes of the White Circle of the Hellfire Club."

"The White Pawn votes in favor of the proposal." Vlad Masters, White Pawn and Special Representative of the Senior Partners of Wolfram and Hart voted.

"The White Knight votes in favor." Norman Osborne said.

"The other White Knight votes no." Magneto said. "Cobra is unreliable and untrustworthy."

"The White Rook votes yes." Emmanuel DaCosta voted and was opposed by the other White Rook, Slade.

The White Bishop Donald Pierce obviously voted in favor of his proposal as did the other White Bishop, Wilson Fisk.

"The White Queen votes no." Emma Frost said stubbornly.

"The White King also votes no." David Xanatos agreed.

"I call for the votes of the Black Circle of the Hellfire Club." Sebastian Shaw proclaimed.

The Black Pawns Dr. Von Reichter and the enigmatic man known only as the Kingmaker voted in favor.

The Black Knights Maxwell Lord and Mr. Sinister canceled each other's votes. Sinister wanted to examine Vladimir for future study.

The Black Rooks Lex Luthor and Dr. Doom also voted in favor, as did the two Black Bishops, Ra's Al Ghul and Harry Leland. Selene, the Black Queen voted against, probably in the interests of getting something out of Frost later. Shaw voted for.

Thirteen to six in favor of Pierce's proposal.

Frost dug her nails into her palms. That meant the Inner Circle would officially propose Pierce's idea to the Lord Imperial, who would almost certainly support it. He was not a merciful man in any event.

Frost almost missed the Lord Imperial's entrance as she was brooding.

"All hail the Lord Imperial!" The Inner Circle proclaimed as he entered the room and took his position in the middle of the room.

"I understand that the plans of the Hellfire Club have begun to falter." He said coldly. "What does the Inner Circle propose to do about it?"

"We propose that we allow Cobra to dispose of our failed experiment and his friends." Pierce said. "Giving Cobra Commander their genetic material for their experiments and a position of White Pawn might be suitable enough an enticement to bring Cobra—and Hydra—under our direct control and eliminate the rogue all in the same swoop. We may then use our resources to propose another way to capture the Phoenix."

"See that it is done." The Lord Imperial commanded. "We must have a Herald for him when the time comes if he is to spare Earth and install us as the rulers of the world. I have lived a long time. I intend to live a good deal longer. Is that understood?" He addressed the Inner Circle.

"Yes Lord Imperial."

"Good." Vandal Savage smiled. "That's very good."