The fall of Sebastian Shaw did not change much of the societal face of the Hellfire Club; it was still where the people who mattered gathered, just with one less cranky meglomaniac. But the effect on the Inner Circle and the plans Shaw had for them quickly disintegrated. His loss of power left a vacuum that nature only allowed for a moment.

Selene had waited for years, if not decades, for the opportunity. She had a lifespan long enough that while her whims could seem mercurial, the patience for her machinations to unfold seemed boundless. Once Shaw was arrested for his unfortunate assault on an international businessman, the poisoned whispers she had been planting since he slaughtered her followers took hold. Shaw's name was worth nothing, and someone of prominence needed to take control. Selene did it with smooth efficiency.

All of Shaw's promises were quickly discarded.

She was named Lady Paramount with her promises of righting what Shaw had taken so wrong. She embodied the hedonistic past of the Inner Circle but her alliances showed how she could rehabilitate the Inner Circle from the path it had been set on. Her dark yet silken touch seemed a balm after the iron grip.

All other chapters of the Hellfire Club around the world were still subordinate to the power of the New York chapter. However, Selene reversed much of what Shaw ordered. All other chapters would reform their ranking to her wishes. Once the more classically game rankings were applied, they formally acknowledged the New York chapter was in charge. Then it was in the other Clubs' hands to impress her and reap rewards from doing so. Selene's proper feudalistic system was more palatable than what had been put in place previously.

For the young, rich blood of New York, invitations were sent out for some functions held at the Club. After a couple, Selene had more secret invitations to those of Hellfire lineage, like Worthingtons, Wyngardes, Braddocks, and Frosts, as well as to those newer to society that showed promise Selene was looking for.

Selene kept tabs on the recipients of those special invitations and what they had done in the time after her ascension. When she had all of the international business settled, invitations to the young blood of New York City went out. They would be allowed, one by one, into one of the inner sanctum parlors where the Lady Paramount and Black Queen of New York City sat casually on the lone chair in the room.

One of her slender fingers idly tapped the rim of the wine glass with a very deep red liquid in it. The gatekeeper to the Inner Circle was ready.

Quinn sat in his room at the Symkarian Embassy, going over the particulars of his situation after his recent discussion with Tina. She was right. He needed to clear his name but he didn't know where to start. If he went to SHIELD and told them everything, they'd ask questions he couldn't answer. How did the Dutchess die? Why did he run? What relationship did they have? 

The answers to those questions wouldn't land well on him.

He needed to talk it over with Nika and see what she had to say but she was busy. He'd catch up with her later. He flipped through the channels on the television, looking for something to watch. Wait a second...

He'd flipped past E! but something drew him back. He went back to the channel and blinked as he saw Tina on the television.

"No way." he said, turning up the sound.

Yep. That was her voice. She didn't mention a TV show when they last talked.

He picked up his phone and dialed her number.
 

A few months had passed since Tina's boyfriend decided to confess to not being who he had said he was while simultaneously insisting that his feelings (and their relationship) were real. She had decided to go on vacation, then came back to New York for a bit, then decided that going back to the villa in Tuscany just would be uncomfortable and awkward. Steve-Quinn was welcome to stay as long as he wanted, though. She was mad, not going to make someone homeless.

She'd simmered down considerably, though, and decided to attempt to figure out where things were with them. She had no expectations, though she was pretty sure no Italian hookers had been involved. She left a message with Steve-Quinn asking him to meet her at a restaurant in New York. She knew he was in the city. She'd checked the customs computers.

(This post takes place after this post and this post)


Quinn returned home after working with Nika to find his targets and set his gear case and luggage next to the door as he came in, then put the flowers down on the end table near the couch. The house still smelled the same, though he wished it was taco night. Grumpy looked at him from the couch and promptly turned her nose away from him; she seemed to remember that he was persona non grata around these parts and Quinn sighed. Well, the cat hadn't ever really liked him so he couldn't be too upset about that.

Did Tina still feel the same way? That was the real question.

Quinn moved through the house slowly, but cautiously, wanting to make sure that it was empty before he got comfortable. He was still a little on edge after his mission and wanted to make sure that they weren't going to get ambushed the moment they stepped inside. He moved about the house silently, checking the kitchen, the rooms and finally the back patio. A look at the clock told him that Tina would be home any minute now and that he probably had some explaining to do when she got here. He didn't see the note he'd left her on the counter, so maybe she'd read it already. He could only hope she was ready to talk.

He took off his coat and washed his hands, then set about looking in the refrigerator for something to make for dinner.

 

.

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The Next Generation of Marvel Heroes

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