5657/Friends in Red Places

Friends in Red Places
Date of Scene:	20 March 2021
Location:	P'yanyy Vdova, bar in Russia
Synopsis:	Magneto meets with the Red Room to discuss the solution to a certain problem. Woe to Senator Kelly.
Cast of Characters:	Yelena Belova, Erik Lensherr

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Yelena Belova has posed:
Magneto is certainly a man of great fame or infamy depending who you asked, and there has been some harsh attacks recently taken on his country of Genosha, and mutant kind in general. Talk of foul legislation to restrict and discriminate against mutants abound, lead by one Senator Kelly, it was only natural he might look for all manners of means to hurt the good Senator.

There are also many powers and players in the world of spycraft, but count on the Russians to ever be fans of anything that harms the optics of their once great rival, The United States.

It was only natural that after inquiry, a meeting would be established, and so the recently graduated Black Widow, Yelena Belova, is sent to meet with the esteemed man, to ascertain if there was business to discuss.

The meeting is set, ironically enough to a small bar named P'yanyy Vdova, and it seems to playfully hold propoganda material from the Cold War, parts dedicated to the legend of the famous Black Widow, Natalia Romanova, that so few even know is actually a real person and not a mere myth.

Yelena comes dressed in a slinky black cocktail dress with exposed back, fine jewelry about her in the form of a pearl necklace and a diamond beset bracelet.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
Magneto has not yet begun to exhaust his extensive contacts for these pockets are deep. It is with no small belief that the Russians of the Red Room might achieve what others in American had not, Erik makes his way to the bar where the meeting is to be held. When he arrives, it's in a black suit. Black long coat with matching slacks, shoes, and turtleneck sweater. He is without his helmet, but his long white hair is pulled into a neat ponytail with the length of his equally snow colored beard groomed.

When he enters, he makes his way to one of the tables nearer the back where he can keep an eye on the doorway. Not that he's overtly concerned of a double cross, but this is Russia... and Russia do love double crosses.

Nor is he under the suspicions that he's arrived unknown to those whom he is here to meet.

Yelena Belova has posed:
The stunning beauty in black soon approaches, her blonde hair coiffured elaborately, intertwined with hair ornaments that truly make her stand out. "Mr. Lensherr...?" Yelena asks as she approaches his table, "punctual, that is a show of respect, much appreciated, shall we sit and talk?" She asks, eyeing one of the chair to see if he will pull it for her, allowing him the chance of chivalry first. "Of course, no reason not to talk over drink, whatever you want, we'll cover..."

By the looks of it, the place is experiencing a slow night, that or every single patron is with the Red Room and regular clientele is forbidden on that night.

Erik Lensherr has posed:
Erik is old school and is standing up before she's ever had a chance to indicate the chair at all. He steps around the table with an easy, even charming, smile. "Some people call me that, yes." It's not the name for which he is most well known, however. The chair is pulled for her, waiting for her to take a seat before he does the same across from her.

The former Ruler of Genosha looks around the establishment, unafraid, but not wanting to test the waters either. "Would it be more convenient for us to continue our discussion in Russian? I know that you are well versed in multiple languages, if your training is to be believed, but when in Rome."

Lead with a joke, they say.

"Wine will be fine, thank you."

And to business.

"I believe you've heard of the situation growing heated in the Americas with one Senator Kelly and his band of rabble rousing trained monkeys?"

Yelena Belova has posed:
Yelena smiles sweetly as Erik doesn't even wait for her cues, and has already moved to pull the chair for her, "I heard you carry old world charm about you, younger man wouldn't be as cordial, I appreciate the gesture..." she doesn't call him Mr. Lensherr a second time, instead asking, "how would you prefer to be called? I am Yelena, or Ms. Belova if you wish to remain formal..."

The smile on Yelena's lips becomes far more genuine when Erik offers conversing in Russian, and she does so instantenously, "that is a very lovely courtesy, very much appreciated." She doesn't answer as to how many languages she speaks, but judging by how fluent and sans accent her English was, it is likely she can do well in any environment.

The wine is already served the moment he made the choice, not a modest selection either. "Yes, they do so love to attack their own citizens, folly. That man...he is dangerous to your constituents, is he not?"

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"I'm old enough to remember when courtsey was the norm rather than the exception." Erik says with a silent laugh. Though he is nearly one hundred years old, he doesn't look it. He's broad chest and muscular, only appearing frail when it suits him, and through great effort. Now it doesn't. His shoulders are squared, his posture straight, and his smile unphased.

Switching, as Yelena does, to a fluent Russian learned ages ago during the war.

"Ms. Belova then. Mr. Lensherr will be fine or Magneto, though it has been some time since anyone referred to me as such directly." Waving a hand as if dismissing trivality, she'll call him whatver she does. So long as it's with respect, it matters very little.

"He is. And to anyone different than him, I'd wager. For now his scorn seems singularly placed upon my people, however.. and he's with a great many resources, foremost of which is the Friends of Humanity. Who seem anything, but.."

Yelena Belova has posed:
"Ah...a golden age to be sure," Yelena muses, though by the looks of her, she likely hasn't experienced much of what Erik is relating to.

"I will keep to Mr. Lensherr for pleasantries, you may bring the name that strike fear to the fore when a lesson is to be learned. We need no such lesson, we respect you and your kind, in Russia, mutants help us a great deal and we value them for their part in making our country and people great." One would expect such talk from what is essentially a government representative, even if the most hidden and secret, but perhaps there's truth in that. Certainly there's not nearly as much bigotry in the open as there is in the US, perhaps for the way peace is enforced.

"It is our experience that when one self proclaims a friend to another, the next step is death..." she purses her lips, then offers, "aiding his downfall will be well aligned with our own motives, and you of course, have the means to pay...? We can have our very best to deal some damage."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"Indeed it was. Alas." Erik sighs wistfully, padrentry, then focuses upon the younger seeming woman with his hands fixed together on the tables surface. "That has always been quite fundamental amongst the agents of men, yes. From Germany all the way to Senator Kelly, where the flowery speach of friendship is offered with no value behind the word, so too does follow the harbingers of anguish. I've grown quite sick of it."

A large prt of why he's left Earth and only just now returned.

At the mention of payment, he nods. "I've a great deal of gold that I've held onto for many, many years. Spoils of an entirely different war, but far more lucrative. I assume Gold will be sufficient?"

Yelena Belova has posed:
"I very much respect all of your actions, going far beyond words, to fight men like him, and what they stand for. Every country should be so lucky as to have a citizen such as yourself," the words offered in respect, as there's no follow up in actually trying to check if he would align himself with Russian priorities, keeping it very simple, the terms discussed, payment for the work of top agents.

"It is still a currency of power, it would most certainly do, I would leave specifics to decision makers, I am here to ascertain we can act on this newfound friendship, and so far, that seems to be the case. Now, of this Senator Kelly, I understand you'd prefer a none lethal solution...a set of eyes on his ledger? His misdeeds, I'm sure there's a whole set of skeletions in his closet that may see the light of day..."

Erik Lensherr has posed:
"It shall not be the last that I face against men as this one. There will always be another, it is the nature of their ilk, but as long as there's stalwart defenders, so shall we all be better for it. You have my appreciation for your words." Erik dips his head and continues to watch Yelena. A curiosity mixed with a growing respect for the well spoken agent. Not that he should be surprised.

"Preferrably, yes. While he deserves the sword, I have learned that striking such men down often causes a reverse effect. Time and again, the deeds of the wicked come to punishment is meet with equal violence from others." Sad truth, but a truth all the same. "Eyes upon his secrets will suffice my needs. I have people who will put it to good use in toppling his stranglehold."

Yelena Belova has posed:
"Those who are put to the sword, oft becomes martyrs of a cause, yes, quite the conundrum, I applaud your forward thinking approach," Yelena raises her glass, "I think this Senator Kelley is about to have some bad days ahead of him..."