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[b]Time: Evening before Satellite Attack
Location: Forge’s Lair, Los Angeles[/b]

The quiet outside was interrupted by the far away sounds of sirens, the odd car passing by. The wind picked up in a light breeze, skittering dust motes across the concrete floor of Forge’s home before quieting again.

Unnaturally the wind immediately began to quicken once more, strongly blowing against the front door, rattling against the steel hinges. Dust went up in a cloud, bright blue light followed the wind lighting up the frame of the door. Casting a cold glow, briefly gaining intensity before filtering away with an audible close of a door. The wind died away then the sounds of heels clacked, approaching the warehouse.

The Ambassador knocked on the door stepping away to give some space.

Zoë looked up from her phone at the sound of a knock. Slowly, she got up out of her chair, stretched luxuriously, then pocketed the phone and strolled over to the door. She paused for a beat to allow her face time to reset, as she had been letting her power go for a minute. For once, she figured it might actually be good to have someone know what she herself looked like, instead of hiding it. Letting out a sigh of nerves, she hauled the door open and gestured for her guest to enter with a grandiose sweep of her arm.

[color=tomato]”Please, make yourself at home. I am afraid I could only find so much in the way of creature comforts before you arrived, but hopefully it’s not [i]too[/i] disappointing.”[/color] Saying that, she glanced at the client’s face and felt a slight blush start. [color=tomato][i]Mon dieu, I think I might be in trouble. She is not villainous looking at all.[/i][/color] She gulped and stepped out of the way.

“[color=thistle]Any effort toward hospitality is appreciated.[/color]” The Ambassador replied sweetly stepping inside, invisibly Bach followed behind her in full size, peering about as he did. “[color=thistle]Allow me to introduce myself, you may refer to me as The Ambassador. My associate Jacque had referred you to me. I have some work for you, if you are interested.[/color]” 

Her heels clacked across the concrete heading for the table set up with refreshments and... it was made entirely of iron. Bach froze at the sight of the furniture, hissing into Odette’s ear, “[color=darkseagreen]She [i]knows![/i] Surely this is a trap![/color]” 

Odette idly swiped at some hair, pushing Bach away from her personal space. Odette traced a hand over the back of the chair, “[color=thistle]An interesting choice in decor.[/color]” Her parisian accent sharp, without need to filter. 

[color=tomato]”Oh! Je suis désolé, it’s the only thing the store had on short notice, I’m afraid. You’ve caught me just as my operations have hit a high note, and unfortunately all of my more favourable furniture is indisposed at the moment. I don’t even have a cushion to offer.”[/color] She sat down hurriedly, using just the tiniest bit of her power to heat the top of one bottle of wine enough for the cork to pop out - one of her favourite party tricks, since she didn’t even need to touch a corkscrew or the bottle itself.

[color=tomato]”<As to business, I am [i]always[/i] interested>,”[/color] she said, slipping into the more comfortable mother tongue. [color=tomato]”<Jacque said you were looking to handle something with these terrorists who have been so bothersome as of late? What in particular were you looking for?>”[/color]

Odette noticed the wine, feeling the tiniest bit relieved. After the day she had, a glass would do wonders. 

“[color=thistle]<If I may.>[/color]” She said, easily slipping into French as well. She poured the flame flute just over three quarters full. “[color=thistle]<You are correct. The Hounds of Humanity have been a wrench in my own personal work while disrupting projects for The Shroud Syndicate in America. I work as an independant arm of the Syndicate, smuggling over borders is… my speciality. The Hounds have been moving significant product from coast to coast.>[/color]

Bach paced away, huffing angrily at the sight of iron. He circled the pair with generous distance. 

“[color=thistle]<It is forcing my hand to hire outside my contact list for more specialized personnel. Such as yourself, Forge.>[/color]” She smiled a pinkliped smile. “[color=thistle]<Your particular talents caught my eye. Tell me, have you any experience in supply disruption?>[/color]” Odette leaned forward on her elbows, cradling her chin in the heel of her hands, ankles crossed. Gazing at Forge, whom didn’t meet her eyes.  

Zoë felt her face starting to flush, and worked to school herself. [i][color=tomato]Calm down, this is a business meeting, damn you.[/color][/i] She managed to look the Ambassador in the eye for a split second and then turned her attention to very purposefully selecting a piece of cheese to eat and pouring out a glass of wine for herself as she spoke. [color=tomato]”<I have been known to cause some disruption, yes. I was in the middle of organising the results of such a raid when Jacque called, in fact. Would you prefer a seizure of their goods? Or perhaps a systematic destruction of their supply chain? I can manage either quite handily, in fact.>”[/color]

Bach finally slowed his angry pacing, deciding to scout around the warehouse on Odette’s behalf. Snooping into her kitchen.

“[color=thistle]<Excellent, yes that is precisely what I want to do. It has been no secret the Hounds of Humanity have been targeting metahumans and [i]other[/i] groups. Their edge stems from manpower and technology. I want to destroy their ammunition chain, one that carries a very special bullet and from what my sources have told me, parts to build weapons effective against all varieties of metahuman. Sound based.>[/color]”

Siddling to the edge of her seat, from inside her purse she slowly pulled a small vial containing the bullet Bach pulled from her shoulder earlier. Pausing, she shook the bullet around in the vial. “[color=thistle]<There is more to the Hounds hunting metahumans. I must ask, Forge. Do you believe in things unseen? Unexplainable phenomenon, people imbuing power from spirit or the supernatural?>[/color]” Odette held the vial in front of her.

“[color=thistle]<Do you believe there is more lurking in the shadows than in the light of day?>[/color]” Her icy blue eyes filled with intense curiosity.

Zoë stared at the bullet in the vial. Far shinier than any she had seen before, and she recognised the metal by the sheen. She whistled low in wonder. [color=tomato]”Someone would have to have a lot of that to make rounds out of it. That in itself might make it easier to find them.>”[/color] Her eyes flicked up at the question, meting blue with her own brown-flecked green. She swept a lock of blonde hair back behind her ear and leaned back, regarding her guest with a little more caution, though not a lot of suspicion. Her face heated up a bit, as well. 

[color=tomato]”<If you are talking about magic? I don’t know. I can burn half as hot as the [i]sun[/i], amongst other talents. Even so, I haven’t ever seen anything like evidence for what you’re talking about.>”[/color] Her fingers tapped out a delicate little ditty as she frowned slightly in thought. [color=tomato]”<That’s not to say I [i]want[/i] to not believe in things. My grandfather, he always left out the milk and bread and wine, every night, and his vineyard has always grown exceptionally well, even in bad years. He always talked about it being a blessing from the ‘little folk’, but mother and father always said it was just good fertiliser.>”[/color]

She sighed, blowing a small breath out and sipping her wine. [color=tomato]”<We live in a strange world, mademoiselle. I could probably be convinced to believe in just about anything at this point.>”[/color]

Odette grinned, pleased. “[color=thistle]<Your grandfather is a very smart man.>[/color]” 

Bach waited behind the countertop of the kitchen he nodded, exasperated but still in agreement with their original plan.

“[color=thistle]<I have money to spend and work to be done. If money is not all you aspire to have in this life, I have great deal of other rewards to give in good faith.>[/color]” Placing her wine on the table she stood, gracefully tugging the chair away. In her full height she snapped her fingers signalling the various elemental spirits that had travelled with her to come flowing into the warehouse. 

Earth sprites appeared at the doorways, squeezing in under frames and weatherstripping green following their every step, plant life sprouting across the concrete. Air sprites came flowing through the vents and window seals burst open with vigor. Water sprites came freely of the kitchen tap, the faucets opening completely. Finally the fire sprites danced on light following the scorch marks in the concrete, immediately interested in the likes of Forge. All were visible, small and singing the strangest of songs in a language of their own. Some danced with their own elements while others intermingled, adeptly avoiding the iron furniture. They came by the hundreds, colours filling the space with life and magic.

The Ambassador stood away from the iron, allowing the sprites to find perches on her arms and shoulders. “[color=thistle]<The Good Neighbours, Fair Folk, Little Ones. They certainly do appreciate your hospitality and manner. And I, whom they answer to. My full title is The Ambassador of the Fair Folk.>[/color]”

Zoë nearly choked on her wine as the spirits came, and for a split second, the air around her heated very quickly, her hair rising on the now swirling air. But she immediately cooled off as thoughts clicked into place, and at the non-threatening nature of the little ones. She scooted her own chair back, getting out of it to crouch down and watch the little firey ones. She was drawn to them as much as they were to her. She looked up at the Ambassador from her position, eyes wide. 

[color=tomato]”<They are real? This is no trick or illusion? My grandfather is right?>”[/color] She held out a hand, index finger out, gently reaching for one of them to hop onto, though none did. But the dancing and singing was more full of life than anything she had seen in [i]years[/i], and even though she couldn’t understand the words, the song made her feel more at peace than she had in some time.

[color=tomato]”<I will not say I don’t like money. That would be a lie, I do like some comfort in my life. But this,>”[/color] she gestured around her, [color=tomato]”<this is far beyond money, eh? Are you some sort of creature like them?>”[/color] She made no attempt at all to hide her stares, now, though they could easily be taken for awe.

Odette watched Forge’s reaction, pleased. This was always the easiest step, showing a little slice. Building the illusion from the ground up, lifting the veil as it were. “[color=thistle]<No trick, no illusion. The Hounds have laid their crosshairs upon the Fair Folk directly among others apart of the magic community. The bullets they use are blessed silver. I am unsure if they ship the bullets plain or blessed.>[/color]” She affectionately ran the tips of her fingers over the sprites heads, leaving the final question up to Forge’s imagination. A little mystery is always afforded.

“[color=thistle]<I am happy to pay you your rates for this first job but - pending this job is a success, I have far more to offer in the way of artifacts, magical convenience, healing, all you really need is a little [i]fantaisie[/i].>[/color]” The Ambassador explained, a number she could easily part with. Forge struck Odette as playing a part of an independant, starting up and building on a nest egg. Comfort couldn’t really be what she was working toward, she wanted to know what she really [i]needed[/i]. “[color=thistle]<I have a few tips on their routes and a facility where they produce the silver bullets. The job is yours if you want it.>[/color]”

Zoë stood up, reaching onto the table and retrieving her glass, draining the contents in one swift motion, then looked at the little vial with the bullet in it. Without asking, she snatched it up, opening it and dumping the thing into her open hand. She held it up, examining the markings from where it had been fired, then a little further out from her face, she made a gesture with her eyes at her fellow Frenchwoman and said, [color=tomato]“Regarde ici, s’il te plaît.”[/color] Within a few blinks of an eye, the metal was glowing, and then liquefying into her palm. It kept going, the heat coming off of it becoming nearly unbearable to stand less than a few feet from. Finally, it began [i]boiling[/i], until it was gone, not a trace left on her pale skin. 

[color=tomato]”<The silver, I think, shouldn’t be a problem, though I have no idea what to do about magic. Thankfully, I am very good at improvisation. For killing dogs, for ‘hounds’ sounds too noble, I charge a discount rate. The work you are proposing? I would think perhaps one hundred thousand would be reasonable, so let’s cut it down to seventy-five. And as for further work,>”[/color] she glanced up and down at the Ambassador, looking like she was judging something. [color=tomato]”<I think we could probably work something out, though I must insist that the dogs must be put down before I am willing to move on to other assignments. My own jobs have been drying up, either from clients dying in attacks or not willing to expose themselves, bunkering down. It is wonderful to see that someone else is looking to take the fight to them and burn out their dens.>”[/color]

She stared around herself at the little sprites, and shook her head, giggling a little and placing her hands on her hips. [color=tomato]”I owe my grandfather quite a few apologies already, I suppose one more is in order now,”[/color] she muttered to herself in English.

Odette smiled, templing her fingertips. She switched to English, following suit. “[color=thistle][i]Bien.[/i] Kill indiscriminately, destroy all they have built. I will have the cheque cut upfront through your agency.[/color]”

She extended her hand to shake, “[color=thistle]<It has been a pleasure, Forge.>[/color]”

The villainess took the proffered hand and cut a proper curtsy instead of the modern shake. [color=tomato]”<Indeed it has, Ambassador! I look forward to reporting a successful completion. Please feel free to stop by for lunch some time, once I get my new estate satisfactorily set up, of course.>”[/color]

“[color=thistle]<It’ll be a date. I’ll send you the tips I have.>[/color]” She replied, Bach had wondered back to her side sneering at the metahuman, unable to find anything really worthwhile. He was the only fey present still maintaining invisibility.

“[color=thistle]Until your report, [i]Au Revoir[/i].[/color]” The sprites all around her kicked back into energetic gear joining together in a cloud swirling through the rafters in the warehouse,  finally swooping around Forge before departing out a window.