Julian Gallio (hellfireprince) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-01-06 20:29:00

Current location:	New York
Entry tags:	inactive - julian gallo, npc team - hellfire club

Prelude to Opening Night
"Paulo, let's make sure we have the extra cases of Patron on hand. I don't want us running out midway through the night. It's one the bigger sellers on this side of the Atlantic." Julian Gallio, known to most as Julian Howard, said to assembled team around him. He often had meetings like these with his staff to motivate them and keep the company goal in mind. The goal of the Howard Entertainment Group was to provide a complete sensory experience at all levels of the "performance" as it were.

He'd gone to each of these five men and women personally, selling them the idea of working for his brand, a fledgling in truth, but his idea, his ultimate goal was to make himself known on the nighttime scene through the Popular Outcast, the club they now stood in. The group stood on the spacious dance floor, with poles and cages at each of the corners for the female clientele that loved to put on a show for the boys. Of course, the fun kept the women coming back. The women, booze and hint of an illicit sexual encounter or two kept the men coming.

Julian considered himself as a purveyor of a service that most of the world's people needed, but never asked for: freedom.

"All right, people. Let's get back to work and get this place ready for opening night. Francesca, when my 2pm shows, please direct her to my office in the back. I'll be going over figures." Julian said, straightening his tie and cuff-links. Francesca came over and helped as the others dispersed to carry on their jobs.

"You look fine, Mr. Howard. Your meeting will go well." Francesca said in lightly accented Italian.

"Thank you, bella. I'm sure it will go well. Back to work now." he said, heading toward his office.

Upon entry, his visitor would find an onyx desk with a personal laptop with a leather chair behind it, in which Julian sat. There was a bookcase on the South wall, and a couch directly across from it. Julian often read or thought on the couch when he wasn't busy otherwise. When she entered, he'd stand and receive his visitor. Viveca Von Rohem.

This...was going to be interesting.

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ng_hellfire
2010-01-07 04:09 am UTC (link)

It was a nice enough place, Viveca figured as she saw it, complete with the required sleaze.
She herself was dressed with every available inch covered in black leather. The gloves had only the very fingertips cut out. Otherwise, she didn't want to take too many chances meeting the son of Daddy's Bitch-Goddess for the first time. Some of her own merchandise -- business was nothing like Daddy's, but business was good -- graced various parts of her face.

A few heavy metal songs stuck in her head just in case he was a psi, and she made her entrance looking absolutely calm.

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hellfireprince
2010-01-07 04:21 am UTC (link)

Julian stood as etiquette required in the presence of a lady, and came around the table, offering a hand to shake, taking in Miss VanRoehm's attire and wondering how much of it was caution (re:fear) and how much was her own personal statement.

"Miss Van Roehm, it's good to meet you. I'm Julian Gallio. I'm glad you could make it." he said. "I do hope you might come to the Outcast during business hours. I'm striving to show everyone a great time.

Did you find us easily enough?" he asked, flashing another charm school smile in her direction.

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ng_hellfire
2010-01-07 04:47 am UTC (link)

The head-to-toe leather clothes themselves are well cared for but well-used in a 'favorite outfit' sense, but she's shaking his hand with brand new and self-modified gloves. The various jewelry is all pure surgical steel.

She nods. "Nice to meetcha, Mr. Gallio." The Germanic trace in the standard New Yorker accent is slight. "I'll definitely keep it in mind, but we'd better go ahead and get it said before our last names hang over our heads too long." She meets his eyes, and she's good at hiding the fear. "I don't need a god, and I don't need a leash. Just so you know."
Then, on to the next point.
"I didn't have any trouble finding the place; which is good. Location's pretty vital in business, after all."

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hellfireprince
2010-01-07 04:55 am UTC (link)

"Ah." he said simply as she made her statement. He keeping his eyes on her a moment longer than might be necessary, going over her clothing. A favorite outfit, allowing her to be comfortable in the face of someone she did not feel at ease with. Cool, surgical steel used for the piercings, helpful in keeping whoever she’s facing more interested in her fashion sense than the mind working behind her eyes. Her face did not betray any fear, which he liked. Her words, however, gave away her thoughts about him and her version of his plans.

"Miss Van Roehm, I'm glad we cleared that up. You don't need a god and leashes, quite simply, are for dogs. You are too attractive for such things. I believe that you and I don't have to be at cross-purposes for the duration of any working relationship we might enjoy." he said, gesturing to the chair behind him, inviting her to sit as he moved back behind the table.

"Can I offer you anything to drink? I have coffee, bottled water, various spirits and soda." he listed, thinking she might demur and refuse.

"I'd like it if you and I could work with each other without letting what happened between our parents taint the endeavor. A fresh start, so to speak. What happened between them is, truthfully, between them. I am not my mother and you are not your father.

You are a member of the Hellfire Club. I want to be a member of the Hellfire Club. We both want to exceed our parents' level of success. We have the tools, and I know that I have the desire.

I can't speak for you, though. What else should you and I have understood between us before we go any further in this discussion?” he asked.

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ng_hellfire
2010-01-07 05:36 am UTC (link)

At the 'attractive' bit, there's a brief expression standard for proper Tough Chicks in the face of girlier compliments, but otherwise she just listens.

And, after a moment, sits. "Coffee'd be good, thanks. No sugar."

If he was just like his mother, he wouldn't bother dissembling at this point; he'd have Tried Things. That sure as hell didn't mean trust, but it meant something. And damn straight she wasn't her father. Daddy was a dog.

"The Shaws'll want to keep an eye on your every move, you know," she says after a moment. "Me? Well, gotta be frank." She generally was. "I just want to stay close enough to the top to not get shoved down. Like the Scarlett O'Hara crap, you know...'I'll Never Go Hungry Again'?" It's almost growled. "Takes more than most people think to make real sure of that."

"But yeah. I think we can do business."

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hellfireprince
2010-01-07 05:53 am UTC (link)

He presses a button on the desk. "Ella, two coffees. Black, no sugar in either." he says, then releases the button. A minute later, a Caucasian woman in a black blouse and skirt provides the coffee, smiles, and leaves.

"I'm sure the Shaws will want to know what I'm up to whenever possible; I could lose sleep obsessing over it or I can deal with it. I choose the latter. As for not getting shoved down, I agree. Look, I don't think anyone joins the Hellfire Club to stay in one place forever. Most do, but the ones who matter, like the Shaws, they don't." he said, taking a sip of his coffee, then letting his eyes settle on her.

"So, who, in your opinion, can the Hellfire Club do without? I know that all the positions are currently filled, but things change, Miss Van Roehm. Sebastian Shaw wants to continue his reign at the top, but I imagine there are people who want change that." he said easily, taking another sip of his coffee.

Suppose that you and I were to address such a malcontent for Mr. Shaw. What do you think that would garner in the way of trust or gratitude?" he asked.

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	ng_hellfire 2010-01-07 06:13 am UTC (link)
	Viveca grins. "Now you'd think the one to look at for something like that would be da Costa. But it wouldn't work. Da Costa's too much of a sure thing. Shaw can basically trust him to always be The Opposition. He's the perfect Angel You Know." "...It's a tough call." She's thoughtful. (Reply to this)(Parent)

hellfireprince
2010-01-07 06:31 am UTC (link)

"While I wouldn't suspect DaCosta outright, I wouldn't discount him, either. He's smart enough to keep his head down right now, but he could have something in the works for the future." Julian said.

"What about this Benedict Kine? I hear he's a leftover from Shinobi Shaw's rebellion and he turned on the guy he ran with to get on the winning side. Like his namesake.

A guy like that could be looking for a way to move up." he said.

"The only thing I've managed to gather so far is that Sebastian rewards those who do him a good turn. If we can find a malcontent...perhaps we can create one." Julian mused.

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ng_hellfire
2010-01-07 07:57 am UTC (link)

She listens.
"Little Mister Puppetmaster --" it was the more socially acceptable of her private nicknames for Kine. "Might not have the stones for that sort of thing anymore. And that backstabbing good turn does still count for something with Sebastian, plus the years of Under His Thumb credit Kine's got worked up. But the Shaws still don't trust him further than Regan can throw him."

"But even with a believable target, I've got to admit the idea of running a con on Sebastian sound real tricky to me, if that's what you're saying. Maybe even trickier than trying to hard and fast outvote him, and the pretentious power-plays aren't really my strongest suit, I've gotta admit." How did someone this basically truthful become one of the Inner Circle, one might ask? Blood. The kind in her veins and the kind under her fingernails.

"If we're going to need to take our time on this, and I guess we're going to, I can get you into the whole Lords Cardinal loop on the 'he's with me' clause to start with." A slight frown.

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hellfireprince
2010-01-08 03:46 am UTC (link)

"Kine is our likeliest target, so perhaps we'll have to wait for an opportunity to present itself. They don't trust him, so that gives us ground to work with. What kind of advantage does Kine provide except another vote in Sebastian's favor?" Julian said. Tend and sow the field, then reap. his mother always told him.

"And it's not a con if it's as close to the truth as possible. They trust Kine to do what he has to to stay in their good Graces. So him setting up to overthrow Louis Shaw isn't-- wait." he said, halting.

"We know that Shaw trusts DaCosta to stand against him, the same as he expects Emma Frost to stand against him. Perhaps we don't need to provide Sebastian with a probable threat." Julian mused. He set the coffee cup down and allowed his mind to work.

"Perhaps we need to give Roberto DaCosta the initiative to remove Kine for us? If it seems Kine has designs on DaCosta's position, DaCosta would need to act or be removed. If he removes Kine, that gets one person out of the way. However, that could also be read as an indirect assault on the Shaws' power base, since Kine has spent years currying favor and making himself useful.

Then, DaCosta draws attention on himself from Sebastian and the others. It could lead to a vote out for DaCosta, or a serious weakening of his stature within the Club, leaving a vacuum to fill." Julian said aloud, trying to follow the ideas to their conclusion.

"There isn't a White King to counter Sebastian's ambitions, and DaCosta and Frost are two against many. It could work, and yes, it will take time. If you're not wholly against the idea of sponsoring me into the Club, I'm willing to work with you." he said, then he saw the frown. He thought he knew what it was about, but he didn't voice his suspicion.

"How much of what I'm telling you do you plan to report to Sebastian?" he asked, smiling.

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ng_hellfire
2010-01-08 04:21 am UTC (link)

"Well, Sebastian thinks his creepy parlor tricks are pretty handy -- I've told him if he ever tries it on me he'd better keep it up for the rest of our lives because I'll rip his throat out when he lets me go."

And then she just listens. "It's an idea, I guess..."

And then he seems to make an assumption that's dead wrong. And Viveca's face just lights up. Julian has no idea how secure seeing him make a mistake makes her feel.
Or maybe he does, who knows.

"Heh. Just the most minimal, dumbed-down, obvious stuff about your wanting in," she says with utter sincerity. "A few accurate but vaguely stupid comments about business. I'm not his dog, either. But he won't be expecting me to say much, when he asks..." And the frown's there again. "Since he'll figure my eyes glazed over the moment I walked into the room with you, so I can't be expected to know much."

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hellfireprince
2010-01-08 04:46 am UTC (link)

"You don't pull any punches. I like that." he says. Her manner is a bit abrasive, but he expects such from Americans.

"Yes, it's just conjecture now. I'll be watching to see how things work out, and adjust my plan from there. I've got some other irons in the fire right now, and patience is a virtue." he says, considering just how long he has in comparison to the rest of them.

Julian smiles when she does, but for reasons of his own. Today's meeting was more productive than he expected, and Viveca acted as he thought she might. He would go over the tapes later and review everything, but for now, he had what he needed.

"Will you be contacting me again when the rest of the Lords Cardinal are ready to meet with me?" he asked.

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	ng_hellfire 2010-01-08 04:59 am UTC (link)
	"Thanks. Possession's a pet peeve." She listens and nods as she sips the last of her coffee. "Yeah," she says as she sets the cup down. "If you don't mind 'carrying my books' to get in on the meetings for a while, then I think we can do this." She stands. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hellfireprince 2010-01-08 05:06 am UTC (link)
	He stands as well, extending a hand to shake. "I don't mind getting to know people. Like I said, I'm not my mother. We can do do this." he says. "In the meantime, feel free to stop by the club whenever. I'll put you on the VIP list." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ng_hellfire 2010-01-08 05:09 am UTC (link)
	She shakes. "Be seeing you, then." (Reply to this)(Parent)

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