Chapter Twenty-Six - Dressing Up for the End of the World
Despite being incredibly nervous and embarrassed whenever he was around Crysta, unable to push the possibly-maybe-future-relationship issue out of his mind, they'd made considerable progress on the new inhibitor by the day of the party.
Unfortunately it was a formal event, so everyone took Friday off to find something to wear. He managed to find a purple, gold flecked tie that somewhat matched his blue shirt. His jacket was still at Crysta’s place. He also needed a haircut, the bleach was growing out and his hair kept getting in his eyes, unfortunately the thought hadn't occurred to him until he was standing outside of Crysta's door to pick her up, since Clem and CJ were already at the Foundation.
He knocked on her door and she opened it wide for him. “Is it time to go already?” She asked. She looked gorgeous. She was wearing a strapless burgundy dress with gold detailing and a translucent shawl to match. Her hair was pulled up in a series of curls that glittered with small gold beads. She was…
Hugo cleared his throat, “Yeah, are you ready?” Crysta nodded, making one last adjustment to the long gloves she was wearing. “Oh. I need to get my coat.”
The doctor laughed a little, walking over to her couch where she’d laid the black jacket over the back of it. “I set it out so I wouldn’t forget it.”
Before she could walk back over, Hugo opened the portal; he didn’t want to mess up her hair with the burst of wind. She handed the jacket to him, and he reluctantly put it on, “Thanks. Let’s go.” As he watched her step through the portal, he realized his mistake. He should have said she looked nice. Crap.
Clem and CJ were in the lobby of the Phoenix Foundation, just breaking off a conversation when they stepped through. CJ looked cute in a shimmery purple and blue dress that flared at the waist. She’d clipped a black tie onto the neckline that had a gold butterfly on it. Clem was being Clem. He was wearing a white suit with a black tie, his new necklace clearly visible. Once again Hugo wondered if Clem had always been a little weird, or if working at Gideon Enterprises had done something to him. Hugo had been to one of Clem’s concerts before, but a person’s stage presence was always different.
“Oh my gosh, Dr. McFadden! You look super pretty!” CJ exploded. “How do I look, do I look ok?” The girl gave a small spin in her shimmery dress.
Crysta nodded appreciatively, “Yes, that’s a lovely dress CJ. The tie is an…interesting touch.” She smiled.
“I agree with CJ,” Clem said smoothly, walking up to Crysta and taking one of her gloved hands, “You look lovely.” He bowed, bringing her hand to his lips. Crysta looked incredibly uncomfortable through the whole gesture. As Clem stepped away from her, he looked straight at Hugo and flashed him a wide grin.
Hugo cleared his throat, “Alright, let’s go.” He stepped away from everyone to create the portal, a little surprised at the strength of the burst of wind this time, and then stepped through to the gates of Boris’ mansion.
The technology-manipulator was greeting people at the door, and he warmly shook Hugo’s hand, “Welcome. I’m glad you could make it. And your friends as well. Perfect.”
“Happy birthday, Boris,” Hugo returned. Boris was much younger, a teenager. There was a man in his arms, bloody and crumpled. Boris was screaming for help, tears in his eyes. Around them were scattered the bodies of the people who had tried to kill his father, “Thanks for inviting us.”
“Please, come in, mingle. Dinner starts at eight.”
Boris shook everyone else’s hands as they entered, telling the girls they looked stunning. He tried very hard not to give Clem an odd look. Clem just grinned, his handshake enthusiastic. He really is excited we showed up, Clem offered.
Yeah, I think he wants us to see something here tonight. I want to know what, Hugo responded
Well, I’ll poke around, see what the other guests think.
They went deeper into the mansion, following the steady stream of people filtering into the ballroom. A black woman with wavy, wild black hair, and from a look over her shoulder at them, Hugo saw equally chaotic dark brown eyes. She was walking with two people who appeared to be her body guards; two large, muscular men who were dark as she was, but unlike her tight black dress, were wearing bright colors. Their features clicked in his head and he realized he was looking at three of the thirteen Agency-catalogued powered Haitians. They had all been profiled as sociopaths and the woman, Asana Jones (if that was her real name), ruled over the Haitian drug trade. She was sometimes called Baron Samadhi and the leader of Yon Lougawou. Vitaly was here.
It gets worse, Clem’s amusement and dangerous excitement was clear, Look around the room.
Hugo swept his gaze across the elegant ballroom with its meticulously polished floors, ornate crystal chandeliers that gave the room a warm glow, large windows overlooking an elegant, precise garden, and the world’s powered criminal element dotting the landscape. Hugo saw representatives of the Yakuza, the Italian mafia, the Columbians, and a plethora of large and small organizations that were not tied down by any one nation. And the guests were just starting to arrive.
Vitaly was either going to try and kill them all, or force them into joining his cause. The Phoenix Foundation wasn’t a large enough organization to be considered a player, so Vitaly was probably not interested in them, they were their solely for Boris’ benefit. Was he calling in the favor?
Hugo immediately headed towards the edge of the room to one of the round tables sprinkled throughout the ballroom, taking a seat. Crysta and CJ followed him, but Clem had already wandered into the growing sea of people.
CJ made it to the table, but didn’t sit down, “I’m going to look around.”
Hugo shook his head nervously, “Don’t-”
“Just around the room, geez,” CJ interrupted, “I don’t want to get my dress dirty. Bye!”
Suddenly Hugo was alone with Crysta, and he shifted uncomfortably, regretting the tie and looking anywhere but at her. Clem was a wonderful target, mingling enough for the four of them; it looked like he was talking to anyone and everyone who would allow it, which seemed to be a disproportionate number of people, considering Clem’s sense of humor. It must have been the necklace.
Hey, even the Agency is here. They’re the catering staff.
How’s it going? Hugo asked, thankful for the distraction.
“Um…” Crysta was looking at him from across the table, her hands carefully folded in her lap. Hugo turned his attention to her, waiting for her to finish the question. “Well…if you’re not busy…would you…um…do you want to dance?” Reflexively Hugo glanced out at the dance floor, there were actually quite a few people out there, and she looked beautiful and he really didn’t have anything to do, he certainly didn’t want to talk to anyone. But there was the beginning of that vision that he couldn’t get to leave his mind.
Ohhhhh that’s why you didn’t want to show me!
Hugo’s face immediately turned red, You jackass! Stay out of my head!
Clem laughed, his thought bouncing along, We were having a conversation. Besides, I’m scanning all the minds in the room, I can’t exactly block one out. But don’t let me cockblock you dude. Just ignore me. Snickering. Lots of snickering.
Clem, I hate you so much right now. Clem just laughed.
But Crysta was looking down at the ground, her hands fidgeting in the growing silence. Crap, he hadn’t said anything. Shit shit shit, “Sure,” Oh god what was he doing? No. No, it was ok. She was just asking because she was bored. It was just to pass the time. Crysta was looking up at him, slightly startled, her eyes bright. But when she didn’t immediately move, he stood up first. He leaned towards her, his hand coming close to, but not quite touching hers, “Shall we?”
She finished the gesture and placed her hand in his, “Ok.”
He led her out to a quiet spot on the dance floor, and they danced.
Forever later, he felt like he was emerging from warm, calm wat
er, when Crysta spoke softly, examining his tie, “You look nice...all dressed up in the suit like that.”
Hugo immediately felt his face flush. His first instinct was to deny the compliment, or assure her that given the choice, he wouldn’t be wearing a suit at all, but that sounded incredibly ungrateful and inappropriate, so he stayed quiet while he picked through his scattered thoughts for something better. “Um… thanks.”
The small hand on his shoulder clenched a little bit and Crysta ducked her head. The little sparkly things in her hair glittered in the low light amongst the dark coils; stars in a night sky. Hugo almost choked on that thought, embarrassed he’d had it. He snorted at himself, which immediately caught Crysta’s attention. She looked up at him, slightly disappointed; her eyes were very bright. “You look very nice too,” he said quietly.
She smiled, and then shyly went back to examining his tie. She shifted her weight ever so slightly, but then seemed to change her mind about something, and stopped. He moved the hand against her back to compensate, and found that he’d unintentionally nudged her in his direction. He blushed a little as her body responded almost instantly, leaning against him, her eyes closing. And then everything was calm and warm again and it would be ok.
Eventually the music stopped and there was a chime signaling it was time for dinner. Crysta pulled away from him, a small smile on her face. They walked back to the table CJ was fidgeting at, her expression irritated, and then the three of them met Clem in the dining room. There was one incredibly long table, and it was assigned seating. He was next to Laura, the director of public relations for Gideon Enterprises, as Mr. Gideon's representative. They smiled at each other. Clem was on the opposite end of their little group, and he was sitting next to the representative for the Yakuza, who he was amicably chatting up about his favorite Japanese dishes, some of which were Vietnamese, but for some reason the guy didn’t mind.
Did you have a pleasant dance? Clem mentally sneered.
Clem!
You’re right, I already know. The thought was completed with a smirk, You should’ve heard what the doctor was thinking, it was-
Clem, I’m going to kill you and it’s not going to be pleasant! For a while he only got laughter in response.
However, as the ambient chatter in the room grew as the first dish was brought out, Clem finally decided to settle on business. So no one here has a clue what’s going on. The theories are entertaining though. The Yakuza guy is really hoping this turns into a fight. He thinks he can take everybody with his cute little invulnerability. But I could do things to him…Clem sighed. Anyway there’s someone here who gives me static like CJ. Haven’t seen them though. Think it's Vitaly?
Yeah. Just be careful.
Can do.
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Boris said from his place at the head of the table. There was a spot next to him that was empty. “In case you haven’t guessed already, this party isn’t simply for my birthday, but also as a reintroduction. Many of you knew my father before his unfortunate…accident, but I assure you he has made a full recovery and wishes to address you all tonight. If you’d all give him a hand?” Boris started clapping, and in a belated surge nearly everyone else joined in. Boris’ father, Vitaly, looking completely normal and not like a huge blue monster, came walking into the room, expression flat and serious.
That sir, is not a real person, Clem thought blandly.
How can you tell?
No thoughts, not even the absence of them. Nothing is there.
Hugo considered it for several seconds as he searched for someone who could make a pretend person. There was one very good candidate, Boris’ head of security, a man who locked himself in the security center and controlled made up, lifeless beings the Agency called constructs.
That fits the bill.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Vitaly's harsh tone carried even in the large room, above the clapping that was quickly dying out, “I am a man of few words, so I will make this plain. The world is changing, and we must change with it. We are powerful creatures, and in the coming age we will no longer be able to hide this fact. We must embrace it and take what is ours." Even if the man they were looking at was just a construct, his eyes were still hard and held a barely-contained viciousness, "If you are not with us, you will fall. I will give you a week to decide if you will join us. In the mean time, I felt it would be best to bring to your attention the fact that there are those who are already moving against us. An organization called the Agency has been monitoring us, caging us, sedating us for years, and you have all stood by and allowed it, or been blind to their existence. I suggest this be remedied, for your own survival.”
Oh shit. Hugo flicked his attention to Boris. The man’s mouth was drawn in a thin line, his eyes focused on the servers, some of which were quickly retreating to the kitchen. A few were staying to see what happened next, despite the fact that it might mean their death. It was clear now. Boris didn’t want this. He liked the world the way it was, comfortable, the entire digital age at his fingertips. An apocalypse on the scale Vitaly was planning would cripple his considerable strength. The Agency itself was probably a great source of amusement and information, and he'd probably hired them for the party so that they would have a heads up. Not that it would help if this many powered people were acting against them. They would need protection. As if sensing his thoughts, Boris glanced over at him, and Hugo just smiled to let him know he understood. The man’s attention returned to his father, who was leaning on the table, letting the chatter die down.
Vitaly was a powerful man, a lot of the older people are scared of him, especially since they don’t know who he’s got working for him. Surprisingly enough, a lot of them didn’t know about the Agency.
Hugo looked around the room, Who’s going to accept the agreement, and who’s going after the Agency?
Well, this guy’s not the Dragon, but he thinks they’ll do both. Everyone else wants to assess the threat level first. No one wants to partner with this guy if they don’t have to.
“Thank you for your attention, ladies and gentlemen. I look forward to hearing your answers next Friday.” He spun on his heel and left.
In his wake, Boris stood, “If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Now, please enjoy your dinner.” Then he sat back down and stared at his plate. Conversations sprung to life, filling the room with sound. CJ had food in front of her, so she seemed oblivious to the entire proceedings, but Crysta was looking at him, expression concerned. Clem was watching the room. Several people left almost immediately after the announcement had been made, but there were also others that went to Boris’ end of the table for further information. Hugo watched them all. The Agency had cleared out. Well, there was no harm in staying until CJ had finished her dinner.
So are we coming to the rescue of the Agency then?
I don’t want to discuss that here.
Alrighty, so what do you want to talk about? Future you smooching Dr. McFadden? Clem practically giggled the thought.
Clem, I am going to come over there and strangle you to death.
Clem pouted slightly, But you don’t need to touch me to do that, do you, Hugo?
Hugo opened his mouth, and then closed it, staring down at his plate.
Crysta set a hand lightly on top of his, giving it a squeeze. “It’ll be ok,” she said softly. He nodded.