Moving Pieces Into Place

[stolenlives]

There were a few principles Jerrard lived his life by and first among them was: Never give any anything for free. Every act of charity for a price, even if it was not readily apparent. It was all in the planning. That was the problem with the criminal element these days. No patience. It was all ostentatious displays and maniacal cackling. No respect for the long con.

Tonight's act of benevolence was an art display at the Brooklyn Museum. He'd made some... acquisitions back in 1874 when excavations were ongoing at the Abri de la Madeleine shelter and such things weren't readily missed. And if they were, a few coins cleared the problem right up.

Jerrard smoothed down the lapels of his suit as he circles the glass cased displays. They aren't even his favorite pieces in his vast and varied collection, but they make an impression and that was his goal. The museum had been overjoyed to be loaned the prehistoric carvings and weaponry. It had generated headlines and press, building up his name in precisely the way he wanted.

A waiter passed with a tray of champagne flutes and he took one, sipping idly and keeping watch over his assets.

Comments

[ngm_hellfire]

She looked up from the deadly implements and gave the man next to her her attention. Her gaze was steady and unflinching. "Selene."

And she left her introduction to just that. She offered her hand to him. "These are your artifacts I assume, Mr. Prideaux? A rather fine collection."

It wasn't often she got to see things older than her that weren't mountains.

[stolenlives]

One of the first things he'd done when he arrived in town was to research who was at the top of the food chain in local society. Selene's name came up immediately, along with a few very provocative photos. This was a very fortuitous meeting.

He took her hand and bent to kiss the back, smiling pleasantly. "They are, indeed. And you're very kind. I confess to a fascination with the art of war over the centuries."

He had other, more benign pieces, but the weapons were always his favorite.

[ngm_hellfire]

Those provocative photos being leaked were done on purpose. Not that she would admit to that in any public fashion. In all her millennia on the planet, she had never hewed to the Puritanical streak that was prevalent in North American high society. She would take her worship in ways subtle and not so.

"War defines so many things about humanity. It would be a folly to not pay attention to it. Though these," she gestured to the cases, "are a bit before my time."

[stolenlives]

"A bit before mine, as well." Considerably. "I find that too many these days ignore the lessons of our past for faster means to more immediate ends. No respect for putting the proper time and effort into what they want."

Of course, he had more time than most to make that effort. Still, it was no excuse.

[ngm_hellfire]

"The hedonism of now is a heady experience, but it is small excitement compared to a far-thinking strategy coming to fruition. The young are usually short-sighted about such things." She leaned partially over a case to inspect a perforated baton piece.

"These are exquisite pieces. It makes me assume your demonic isle is more robust than expected." She smiled with faint hunger at her reflection in the glass before straightening up to face the display's benefactor.

[stolenlives]

Jerrard had lost patience for the young and since everyone he met was young (at least, to his knowledge), he rarely had patience for anyone. Unless they had something he wanted, of course.

He smiled again and dipped his head in a slight bow, acknowledging her compliment of the art and agreeing with her assessment. "It does remarkably well, although I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, given this country's insatiable appetite for such things."

Not just music and dance, to be sure.

"I have plans to expand my sphere of influence from the nighttime entertainment realm. As much as I enjoy my own, private island, I bore easily and find I need new challenges."

[ngm_hellfire]

"True, it does go back to catering to the hedonism of the now. Though the competition is usually cut-throat and fads change every other heart beat." Selene herself looked to long ventures. She did have people who worshiped her as a deity. That had taken time to build and so much power to keep.

"Ambition, I see." She smiled a little enigmatically. An idea was forming. Though she had things to sound out away from the museum later. "And whose attention were you trying to get with this display?"

[stolenlives]

"Well, yours, for one." He smiled over the rim of his champagne glass, taking a sip before he continued. "I make it a point to know who the important people are in any place and your name came up many times."

[ngm_hellfire]

The Eternal chuckled. "Flattery might get you somewhere."

She did like being worshiped; it was true. She set herself up as a goddess for a reason. Though she was occasionally fickle and bored without true devotion.

"Wise move if you have aspirations. Where do you want to go with such knowledge?"

[stolenlives]

"As far as I can get." He rolled his shoulders in a shrug and grinned. "Why set limits when there's always more to gain? It's always been my policy to take every advantage as it's presented to me."

[ngm_hellfire]

She let out a low, throaty laugh. "There are no limits, Mr. Prideaux. Or at least, not for the right people. When you have a destination in mind, please share. Those of us who aren't captains of industry have more interesting journeys."

She looked him over again, assessing something that made her smile faintly.

[stolenlives]

"Really? Perhaps I could tempt you to dinner and you might tell me about these alternative journeys?" Just being seen with her would improve his standing in the city. He didn't pretend to think she didn't know that. Of course, there was no hardship in having dinner with a beautiful woman, regardless.

[ngm_hellfire]

"Mm. You would have to learn my tastes," she commented as brushed her fingers across the case. The pieces inside shook in a tiny, hardly noticeable fashion. No harm done, but she had sounded out if anything was of mystical interest to her.

"That will take some time."

[stolenlives]

"I have all the time in the world and equal interest, I assure you." He caught the tiny movement in the case, but it didn't concern him. All things considered, these pieces... while irreplaceable... would be a small price to pay for the sort of power he was hoping to achieve.