5054/Meeting with The Boss: Caradenza and Shaw

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Meeting with The Boss: Caradenza and Shaw
Date of Scene: 06 February 2021
Location: Purgatory Night Club
Synopsis: =Sebastian Shaw and Allegra Caradenza trade notes, set up a lesson plan, and engage Allegra to play at the Hellfire Mardi Gras.

Nothing bad could ever come of that, right?

Cast of Characters: Alexis Carr, Sebastian Shaw




Alexis Carr has posed:
    Club Purgatory isn't generally open or busy during the day. The house lights are up as prep is done in the kitchen and in back of the bar, and tucked away in one of the booths Hellfire Club member Allegra Caradenza -- something of a rescue after 'jumping out of a window after her mutant boyfriend' -- was working. She has a notebook in front of her, along with a tablet, and appears to be doing plenty of research into designs for a costume for the future Mardi Gras celibration.

    Her dark hair was pulled into a bun, her olive-toned skin kissed with sun from a recent foray out to Westchester, the normally aloof virtuoso seems lost in her own world as she works.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Rarely does Sebatian Shaw not have work to do. CEO of a mega corporation, head of the Hellfire Club, and...other duties keep his attention pinned at basically full throttle all the time. Because of this, there are few times when he does not have a phone to his ear, or is in a meeting with someone.

Saturday mornings into early afternoons seem to be an exception to this. Shaw likes to spend that time walking around the Club itself, enjoying the emptiness and quiet. Time for him to reflect, and think, and plot. His latest leg of his tour of the building brings him in to the near-empty Purgatory club. Hands in the pockets of his pants, he glides across the dancefloor, and after a few moments of standing silently looking at the stage, he seems to notice Allegra sitting off to the side.

"Ms. Caradenza." He says by way of greeting, "It is a pleasure to see you here." He starts to walk over, "I hope I am not interrupting your work?" he asks as he realizes she is doing research of some sort.

Alexis Carr has posed:
    Allegra straightens when she hears Shaw's voice, her dark eyes turning from the screen in front of her to regard him with a smile.

    "Mr. Shaw. You are never an interruption." she comments breezily as she favors Sebastian with a genuine smile.

    "What can I do for you this afternoon? It's not often I find the 'adults' down here in Purgatory." the teenager adds, motioning to the seat accross from her -- as if Shaw would need an invitation to sit down at his own clubs!

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"You're far too kind, and I think it would be odd for an adult to be down here on a friday night, trying to tempt one of the young patrons up to his suite, don't you? That's what Saturday afternoons are for." He replies lightly with a wink, before he slides into the seat he's been invited to take.

After settling in -- and ordering a drink from the suddenly appearing, very frazzled looking waitress that comes over -- he turns back to Allegra and asks, "What is it you were working on, if you don't mind me asking?"

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "I beleive that if I were to find one of the adult members of the club attempting to requisition one of the teenagers, Security is to escort them to a more appropriate venue. The last thing we want is for a group of tech-savvy teenagers to tweet about improprieties; it's easier to let others infer rather than inform." Allegra replies with a raised eyebrow, though there might be just a touch of color to her cheek at the comment.

    "Oh, well, Mardi Gras is just around the corner. There's planning to do, designers to engage, just... jotting down some thoughts." she replies with a slight smile, "best to plan for the events, yes?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Notes the touch of color, but does not push. He's a gentleman after all. But he grins and nods and says, "Exactly. Though, the Dungeon is not for everyone. Some may find themselves up here. But if you ever do catch me here trying to pick up one of the younger members, please, escort me otu and make sure I've taken my dementia medication."

He takes his drink, and asks, "Did you want anything? On the house, you're my guest," he says, in case it's an issue of money for the young woman. "Anything you'd like." he adds. The comment about Mardi Gras brings a smile to his face, "Oh, I am glad to hear that. You send out invitations to an event and in the first few days after, there's silence, and you're not sure if anyone is going to come. Even if it's just you, it will be a sparkkling affair."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    Is there ever an issue of money with the Hellfire Club members?

    At the mention of the Dungeon -- not an area of the club Allegra has found herself in -- Allegra's color deepens a little more, and she gives a polite cough to hide the squeak in her voice at the subject, then confirms:

    "I hardly think a mind as yours requires such, but should you need a gentle reminder, I would be happy to oblige." she replies, her shoulders drawing up slightly.

    At the mention of the drink, Allegra gives a slight smile. "Oh, I'm sure my sprite and grenedine is /so/ expensive." she ventures almost playfully, and she produces said pink, fruity drink from her side, and gives a deep breath.

    "I do like attending to events here at the club, you meet some of the most interesting people -- though for certain, it's getting a little harder to hold up the fascade of 'innocent daughter of hate' the longer I remain here."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"The blushing at even the slightest mention of anything more adult than a chaste peck on the cheek really helps sell the innocent daughter angle though," Shaw comments, still grinning. His drink is a glass of white wine. Probably not the really good stuff -- that's for the Dungeon and the restaurants -- as he takes a sip, and then sets the glass, quite far away on the table, "And, yes, your grenadine and sprit is about to send me to the poor house. I'll have to work through my old age now because of it."

He then leans back a little on the chair, and asks, "You were elevated to Pawn under the charge of our recently departed Ms. Frost. How are you finding that position?" he asks, watching the girl closely.

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "I am but a young woman, Mr. Shaw, unexperienced in worldly things. I hope you forgive my naievette," Allegra replies, "and my expensive taste in drinks."

    At the mention of the position, she raises an eyebrow. "Ah, more than a social call?" she questions quietly, and then she steeples her fingers.

    "I'm afraid other than 'Learn about the members of the club and engage them in conversation', I've had precious little more to do. Conversation and inquiry has served me well, though, I've learned pleanty about the club members -- at least what they show on the surface."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Sebastian Shaw hmmms, "I'll find a way to get it back from you. Perhaps help introduce you to some worldly things," lightly. He considers her as she talks about what she has done of late, and nods, "Then, dig deeper. My advice would be make a few favorites, get close to them, and learn the secrets they have hidden away."

He crosses his arms, smiling at the social call question, "It can be. Would you prefer that? Me and you talking about whatever the current scandal is? Or, perhaps helping you pick out outfits for the party? Or...we could discuss that which it appears you are interested in."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "I'm comfortable discussing business if you are; with Emma currently enjoying retirement, I've lost something of a resource." Allegra replies, the innocent act dropping a little as she rests her chin on her hands, looking all the world like a bored teenager, though her eyes are lit up. "I should hope that there is more to risking myself for the Hellfire Club than playing birthday parties and chatting up the more inebriated members of the lower echelons, if I may be so bold to point out. You and Emma were the sole members to know." she purses her lips. "To everyone else I'm just Filipe Caradenza's poor, innocent, misguided daughter, released into the cold world as an act of rebellion.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
The waitress has long gone back to the back of the house, peeking out only occasionally to see if Shaw's drink needs refilling. There is no one else nearby who might overhear, and, it's his club he'll discuss what he wants. Shaw hmms quietly, "Well, tell me, who have you interacted with that has been of interest? Or what have you learned of note?" He crosses his arms over his chest, all flirtation gone as now he speaks to her more as an employee than the innocent debutante that should be guided through the world gently. "You made it clear you were interested in more, in the...secrets of the club as it were, show me a reason to give you more than the small glimpse you've had."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "I attended a party held by Owen Saul. Squeaky clean on the outside, green energy magnate, family man, good God-Fearing Christian. Also has four illigitament children in addition to his two sons, all of which are by his huose help -- most of which don't speak very much English, and are trafficked through massage parlors. I found he plies them with alcohol and drugs and threatens their employment via drug testing should they request any help with their children."

     Allegra sips her drink, then opens a file on her tablet. There's a long password on it before it opens. Names, ages, a few other members of the Hellfire club.

    "Scott Worthy, newer member in the Legacy league is trying to peddle drugs through one of the clubs upstairs. I managed to secure his supply and disposed of it, costing him something like eight thousand out of pocket. He has the name, but not access to the family funds, and he's putting himself in more danger by trying to secure a new supplier after not being able to pay the piper on the last shipment. There are some things I will tolerate, heroin is not one of them."

    She flicks a screen up. "And lastly, Juilette Io, heir apparent to the Io Diamond mine company. I was engaged to perform at a gathering at her penthouse. Classlessness ensued when they turned to attempting to evade charges placed on their cards by stating the food they were eating never showed up at their apartment. I don't like people who attempt to weasel out of paying their bills; they ordered over two thousand dollars worth of take-out and then by comittee threatened to sue the delivery servers. Five of them. I have a personal grudge against hurting food workers."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"That, is good work for a beginner. Send me that file." Shaw says, nodding to the tablet. "I will see about Mr. Worthy, and Ms. Io. Mr. Saul was...known to me. You missed that his company is laundering the funds from the massage parlors he gets his...girlfriends from. He is a useful tool...though I feel he has outlived his usefulness if you found him out so easily," he pats Allegra's hand and then picks up his wine, and takes a sip.

"I do not mean to discount your work, or your ability with that comment. That may have come off harsh. But, Mr. Saul should be better about covering his tracks." He thinks for a few moments, and then says, "I will put in an application for you to...improve your position within our organization, and I have a new assignment for you. There are two new vigilantes that have shown themselves in the City here. They seem to be true believers in trying to rid the city of corruption. I want you to feed them Mr. Saul. He is involved in trafficking of underage people, they will eat that up. Use that to get close with them. I will give you Mr. Saul's schedule, and you can arrange to have him strike when he is in the parlor of your choosing."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    Her eyebrows rise up, and Allegra gives a soft hum of thoughtfulness.

    "There's a chance they'll want to take me in then, since I got the information so easily." she states, encrypting the file and then sending it securely to Shaw.

    "Risk I'll have to take. I'll put an ear to the ground." she states, and then wrinkles her nose.

    "I'll make sure it gets taken care of, one way or another."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"They will not take you in." Shaw replies. "Think of a way around that. Now. On the fly. Were they to press you, how might you avoid giving away where you got the information?" As he asks this, he studies the girl closely. Her face, her eyes, the flush of her skin. It is an intense look he gives the girl.

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "My boyfriend is a police officer trainee, he happened to get a hold of an evidence file and can't do anything about it."

    Remarkably not a lie, not entirely.

    "I give them the information and they go on their merry way to eliminate Saul and end a potential fall for the Club."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"Good. And that it would." Shaw may have left out that the laundering that is going on and the trafficking are part of how well the inner parts of the club are staffed. But, details details. He reaches out to gently stroke a hand down Allegra's cheek, "You are a Pawn. And Pawns are regularly put into dangerous positions. But, you are one of my central pawns, I will not let you be lost so easily." And then he stands and asks, "Do you play chess, Ms. Caradenza?"

Alexis Carr has posed:
    The touch of physical affection seems so out of place that it startles Allegra, and she sits up a little straighter, lips pressing together as Shaw touches her. She takes a deep breath, and then lets it out -- the color hasn't left her cheeks.

    "I have a passing familiarty, as do all English schoolchildren." Allegra replies in her crisp accent, and she raises an eyebrow as she watches Shaw draw to a stand.

    "The pawns always go first and are the sacrifice pieces. Central to the plan, foot soldiers. I knew that well when I took the position."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"A very passing understanding by that explanation." Shaw says in a sort of flat tone, before he replies, "I request that you join me, Thursday nights, for lessons. It is a deeply applicable game for the world you are looking to walk into." He scribbles something on a business card, and holds it out to her, "Promptly, at seven, unless you have a prior engagement."

It might be an order? It might be an offer for her to get more face time with The Boss. It might just be he wants to play chess with someone? Either way, he adds, "The Pawns are vital to the end game of a well played chess match, and can be transformed into whatever their master needs. Remember that, Ms. Caradenza."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "I shall keep it close to my heart, Mr. Shaw." Allegra replies, her head canting to one side slightly. "Thursday nights at seven sharp." she adds, accepting the card. "Your flat?" she asks, glancing down at the scribble.

    She knew it wasn't an invitation.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"That card will get security to give you access to my flat, for our lessons. Yes." Shaw replies, sheeming pleased that she understands. He looks as if he's about to leave, when he stops, and turns back to her.

"One more thing Ms. Caradenza. I would like you to perform for part of our Mardi Gras celebration. It will be held in the Dungeon, which is -- as you know -- strictly 21 and older, but...exceptions may be made for exceptional people. You would be welcome to stay after your performance."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "I would be happy to perform. I'll set up a suitable program." Allegra replies, sitting up a little bit taller. "Would I be your guest for the evening then?" she asks, looking down. "I'll have to change my dress to match your attire if so. I'd hate to be uncoordinated."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"You will not, no. I am already spoken for in that regard for the evening. But, I will make sure to save a dance for you for after your performance. The slower the better, so that I might keep up with you." A little bit of flirting again? Shaw does seem to like to keep people off balance.

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "Very well, less work for me." she offers as a slight joke as she stands, as is proper, to bid the gentleman farewell. "Is there anything else for me today, Mr. Shaw?" she questions, raising an eyebrow.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"There is not Ms. Caradenza. Please, do not let me take up any more of your very important time with my meanderings." He replies, and gives her a very slight bow as he goes, "Fare ye well, I look forward to your performance...and our game."