17030/Recognition from the King

Recognition from the King
Date of Scene:	27 January 2024
Location:	The Strait Lace Steakhouse - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	The Black King invites one of the rising stars of the Hellfire Club to dinner, and finds out _why_ she is rising...
Cast of Characters:	Sebastian Shaw, Lois Lane

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Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Miss Lockwood was approaching her second month working at the Hellfire Club, and had acquired in a short time a reputation for high performance. Her dedication to her tasks were admirable, and when Sebastian Shaw asked for a list of employees that may be worth more exclusive appointments, her name had made it to the top. He did recall his initial meeting with Miss Lockwood, although he knows that she would not. It was during one of the many more clandestine parties, and he had attended masked. But she had impressed him enough that he did not move beyond her name on the list.

Lois receives an invitation in the mailbox she had obtained for the fake identity she was using to infiltrate the Hellfire Club. It was vague on details, but full on intrigue. It stated a date and a time, the Strait Lace Steakhouse within the club, and only one direction - Your choice in attire. No need for uniform.

There was no signature or name on the invite, but there was the international symbol for the King in Chess, Black, on the bottom. Her investigation so far had whispered that the title of the true master of the Hellfire Club went by the appellation of the Black King, so it was not hard for her to include that he was likely to be her unnamed host.

Lois Lane has posed:
Balancing a full time job with this part time gig in another identity is difficult. How in the world did Clark maintain this?

Still, when she got the invite, her brows raised. Much like the Hellfire Club, the invitation was cryptic. A mystery wrapped in an enigma and all that.

Pursing her lips, she decides to go for dress to impress. The evening finds her in a red gown, something that would make any Miss Universe proud to wear. Favors were asked and strings her pulled for her to be in something like this, and so she decides to find out more about this potential Black King.

So off she goes to the location of the invite!

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Perhaps surprisingly, information about the Black King is rather hard to come by. Lois usual sources seem to be aware that such a man exists, although reports vary about what he truly does. Does he run a secret cabal? Is he at the top of a pyramid of a hedonist society? Does he simply market himself well? And no one seems willing to even speculate as to who he actually is, other than what his role means and does.

But it would appear that while Lois may have wanted to prep, the mystery will be unfolding for her in short order. Upon her arrival to the Hellfire Club, invitation in hand, she is led to the Straight Lace Steakhouse. She has visited there once or twice, often running a message to a guesst or member. And it seems like a normal steakhouse, other than of course being staffed by those in the employ of the Hellfire Club.

Upon her arrival, Lois will be led to a table in the back where there is more discrete options for guests. Seated at the table is a man wearing a well tailored black coat of the Victorian era, a purple vest beneath it, and a lacy white silk shirt whose ruffles spill out from sleeves and collar. He nods to the attendance and Lois in turn.

"Miss Lockwood," says the attendant, as a means of explanation, as he addresses the man. "Mister Shaw." And then he turns and slips away.

Lois Lane has posed:
Following along the attendant, Lois takes in the goings on of the steakhouse. Clandestine meetings and other shady deals could be happening right under her nose, so she wants to pay attention to everything.

Still, she's led to the back, and she immediately freezes in her tracks at the recognition of the man before her. Surely, she's seen him on the cover of Forbes. He's one of the richest men in the world after all, being a billionaire and all that.

With a bit of an ahem, and a nervous swallow, she forces a smile to her lips, clearly somewhat nervous and slightly intimidated in his presence. "The Black King, I presume, Mister Shaw?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Sebastian Shaw's lips quirk into a smile. "Sebastian," he gently corrects, as he reaches up to beckon towards her. There are no place settings on the table, the only article being a singular glass of an amber filled liquid. It is a table with room for four, two on one bench, two on the other, and Sebastian occupies the inside seat of the far bench. A variety of choices presented to Lois.

"I am the owner of the Hellfire Club, and I have heard many wonderful things about you since you joined us, Miss Lockwood. I thought perhaps it might be time to introduce myself, and get to know a bit about you." His eyes scan over her form, taking in the details of the red dress that she decided to wear. "I like to do that with our most valued employees."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Please, Laura." she says in return. If they're going by first name basis, she might as well have him call her by her nom-de-infiltrator name. Deciding this might be a good chance to see if she can get in even deeper with the club, she takes the seat next to the illustrious Shaw.

Taking her seat, she crosses her legs to get a tad bit more comfortable. "There isn't much to know. My story isn't as interesting as yours. Just a small girl from a small town."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
There is some subtle indication that if that were an informal test, "Laura" passed. Sebastian gives her a smile as he twists a bit, opening up his posture to allow her to slide in. His arm goes up to rest along the back of the bench. His eyes drift down as she crosses her legs, but return in a respectfully brief amount of time to her face.

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong." Sebastian smiles warmly at her. "I am just a small boy from a small town." He pauses. "Well, perhaps not so much a small boy anymore, but the town has not grown any for my having let it." He ruminates on that for a moment, collecting his glass and taking another sip with his free hand. "If you are from a small town, what brought you to New York?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Giving him an appraising glance, she offers a cheeky grin. "I would hope you're not small at all, Sebastian. It would be a shame if you were." Lois teases with a soft and impish chuckle, before she leans back in the seat.

"Pursuing a dream. I wanted to make it big, maybe win a Puli..." and she pauses. Is her actual identity mixing into her cover? Still, she finishes what she started. "Pulitzer."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
With such an obvious tease thrown out there, Sebastian is forced to laugh. "Oh, rest assured, Miss Lockwood, if given the opportunity you will find that there is nothing worth being shamed about to be found there." He watches as she leans into the seat, settling in. His eyes still those of a hawk, or some other predator.

That word brings up an eyebrow. "This is an interesting path to pursue if that is your dream, Miss Lockwood." He leans over towards her, lowering his voice. "Unless you feel that my club is a stepping stone to those pursuits."

Lois Lane has posed:
Oh shit. Did she get caught already. "Why, is there something I should expose? Is that what you're intimating, Sebastian?" A warm smile curls onto her lips afterwards. It seems that on some level, she can play with such predators. She's spoken with Lex Luthor after all.

"But a girl can't just be wanting to tell a good story? One that will be remembered for generations?" Lois asks.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"My club is home to the world's most powerful, influential, and in many cases, private people, Miss Lockwood." Sebastian considers her for a long, long moment. "They speak here freely, knowing that what is said here, what happens here, remains here. I can assure you, what transpires here on a daily basis may be worth a lifetime of Pulitzers."

"Hmmm." Sebastian considers. "I can understand the appeal. What sort of story would you want to tell, Miss Lockwood?"

Lois Lane has posed:
There was an NDA that she signed upon her employ. "I've already heard more of my fair share of potential stories, but I have not reported on them. I value someone's privacy in matters." Lois admits ruefully, flashing a toothy smile in his direction.

"And as to what story I'd want to tell? One with a lot of drama. Something truly worth a Pulitzer."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
While she may have signed an NDA, Sebastian knows just how valuable those are. If it came to devices to compel silence, he had other far more potent ones in his arsenal. There are worse things for a reporter to face than a contractual lawsuit. He considers her words, and nods. "Privacy is at the cornerstone of everything we do here."

There is a lot of thought given to what she says. Sebastian reaches out to reclaim his glass, bringing it to his lips, taking a sip, swallowing it, and then setting the glass down before he replies. "There are many great stories hidden within these walls, Miss Lockwood." He turns a bit more fully to face her, shifting his legs such that his right briefly brushes against hers before he settles. "But the greatest of them is the true story of Sebastian Shaw."

Lois Lane has posed:
The story is supposed to be about himself? That definitely catches her attention, and she watches him, her brows raised at such a bold statement.

"Oh? Is that so, Sebastian? Well, imagine I'm a reporter. Pitch me." she challenges.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
There is a smile that crosses over his face as he sees her interest. "Ah, Laura, do you really think that I am the sort who would give it up on our first date?"

He retrieves his glass from the table again without taking his eyes from her, bringing it to his lips for a long sip.

Lois Lane has posed:
Date? There's a bit of surprise as he catches her off guard. She ahems and regains her composure, grinning in his direction.

"Well, it all depends. I am a whore for a good story." Lois admits ruefully. In this case, somewhat literally even!

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Something about the smug smile that Sebastian displays at her reaction indicates that it was intended as a tease to throw her off-guard. Was it a date? Probably not really. But who knows.

As far as the last goes, he arches an eyebrow. "Oh, I do not think that you are quite that, Miss Lockwood." Despite the very obvious practical matter that she might literally be. "I think you are someone willing to do whatever you have to get what you want." He smiles at her. "Much as I am."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Once I set my mind on something, I do what it takes to get what I want." she says with a sage nod, knowing that much about herself. It's one of the reasons she's a damned good reporter after all. She doesn't give up, especially once she has a bite.

"So what is it that you want then, Sebastian?" Lois wonders.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"I suspected that about you," replies Sebastian as he brings the glass up to his lips, and finishes the amber liquid before setting it down. He turns his gaze to regard her a bit more seriously.

"Everything."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Everything is rather ambitious, but I have to appreciate the ambition. But certainly, there has to be priorities with a wish list that long? Tell me your top three." Lois asks, leaning back, crossing her legs to get a tad bit more comfortable.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
The act of the motion draws his eyes. Not at all unlike a predator. They linger before returning to meet her gaze.

"Priorities?" Sebastian considers for a moment. "It would be nice to find an equal so I could share in my burdens, but thus far I have not been able to find anyone suitable to the task." More thoughts. "World peace." There is not necessarily irony in his tone there. "I am not sure that I can say what a third might be. Everything else is just..." He waves his hand. "When I see something I want, I get it. And then I seek out the next thing that I want, thus on the cycle goes."

Lois Lane has posed:
"I think we all want to find a partner in life. That's one of the more difficult things, I imagine." Which would explain her lack of dates as of late. Sad.

A bit of a skeptical chuckle can be heard at the mention of world peace. Her brows raise at him, tilting her head as she gives him a 'Really? I don't believe you.' sort of look.

And then he moves to the third, simply just taking what he wants. "I can appreciate a man who knows what he wants. Most men don't know what they..." and she pauses, pursing her lips, "Change that to boys rather. Boys don't know what they want. A man does."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"There is much profit in war," offers Sebastian, skipping her answer to his first point and diving straight into the one she did not verbalize. "That is where people like Tony Stark and his father made their fortunes. Trask. Stane." Sebastian shrugs. "My technology and holdings have been about offering life. A better way to live. Clean power. Nuclear energy." He smiles towards Lois. "So for my interests, personal and professional? Peace is far better for everything I stand for than war."

There are implications laden in what Lois has said. "A man would _never_ fail to appreciate what he has, and would consider himself all the more fortunate if a boy had not." He leans over towards Lois, narrowing his gaze a bit a bit. "Do you want to talk about how it was with your boy?" He smiles. "Or do you want to see how it can be with a man?"

Lois Lane has posed:
"Too much profit." Lois says with a bit of frown. She's covered war and it's atrocities ranging from the greed of men to the dark things that tend to happen during conflicts that escalate needlessly.

"So are you a futurist then, Sebastian?" she quips, as she continues to watch him, her gaze running over his frame before she swallows a bit as he leans in and whispers.

"There hasn't been anything with said boy." she explains. "Too confused. Not decisive enough. Why do you ask? Think you're man enough for me, Mister Shaw?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"On that, we both agree," replies Sebastian with a solemn expression on his face.

He laughs at that title, but nods. "One of the first. I have been fighting to rid the world of its need for coal as long as I can remember." He does not explain why. Perhaps that is part of the story he is 'offering'.

As she leans forward, he considers her words. "A shame," he murmurs. "For you. Missed opportunity for him." He continues his lean forward, and unless stopped, leans in far enough to bring his lips towards her ears to whisper. "I believe I am man enough for anyone, Miss Lockwood. But I suppose that is a question you shall have to answer for yourself, hmmm?"

Lois Lane has posed:
"Definitely a missed opportunity. You'd think putting out signals would make a man act." Lois says with a bit of annoyance, but she suddenly shudders as she feels the heat of his breath upon the shell of her ear.

Her gaze washes over him, lingering here and there for a few moments before biting on her lower lip. "And you're going to show me just how much of a man you are, Mister Shaw?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"One would think." replies Sebastian. "One would also think that regardless of signals, a man might act, respectfully of course, simply out of desire and appreciation."

Her question earns a soft laugh. "As a respectful man, Miss Lockwood, I would say yes." A pause. "But only, of course, if you would like to see it."

Lois Lane has posed:
Clucking her tongue on the inside of her cheek, Lois gives him a lidded look before letting out an impish giggle. "Surprise me, Mister Shaw. You have my permission." Lois grins toothily and waggles her brows. "But I do think you shouldn't do it here. We're in a nice and proper restaurant after all."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
There is moment where Sebastian regards Lois, considering her response. His lips twist into a smile.

And in a rare display, Sebastian Shaw indulges in a moment of humor. Lifting a finger, without taking his gaze from Lois, he offers a quote.

"Check, please."