[color=lightgray][right][sub]Timestamp: Early Morning 
FT: [color=52796e][b]Maxine Gonzalez[/b][/color]
Small FT: [color=8882be][b]Elysia Fable[/b][/color], with mentions of [b][color=#B4CB81]O[/color][color=#B5C982]w[/color][color=#B6C883]e[/color][color=#B7C784]n[/color] [color=#B9C486]a[/color][color=#BAC387]n[/color][color=#BBC288]d[/color] [color=#BDBF8A]I[/color][color=#BEBE8B]n[/color][color=#C0BD8C]d[/color][color=#C1BC8D]i[/color][color=#C2BB8E]r[/color][color=#C3B98F]a[/color] [color=#C5B791]Q[/color][color=#C6B692]u[/color][color=#C7B493]i[/color][color=#C8B394]n[/color][color=#C9B295]n[/color][color=#CAB196].[/color][/b]
Introducing: [color=d97ff8][b]Helga Stephens[/b][/color] (she will be in the mainverse) 
[/sub][/right]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/9rbZVbq.png[/img]
____________________________________________________________________
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230617/79e3b363877eb6620460450f9b7f7969.png[/img]
____________________________________________________________________
[/center]
[indent][indent]There was a new journalist in town who didn’t know any better and Maxine Gonzalez was outside of the Edge of Sin, her territory, slowly losing her patience. Her and her friends had only taken a moment to go outside, on break of party planning so Elysia could smoke, for this fool to approach her like she ran the place. An audacious stranger expecting to understand the many secrets this town had to offer. Not even Kylee Grimm and Wesley Silo involved themselves with serpent and angel affairs. Fear Gorta too since the newest development was they rejoined their origin gang, making amends with Big Rey Gonzalez.

It was too early for this shit too. 

It was too early for [url=https://media.tenor.com/4idXc3vlu9MAAAAC/agatha-kathryn-hahn.gif]Helga Stephens[/url] from The Reformer. 

[color=d97ff8]“It’s interesting that an establishment like this is still running and crime litters the streets of Edenridge. Makes you wonder if people like Deputy Chief James and Chief Broadus have led this town to corruption.” [/color]

[color=8882be]“Max, I can take care of this if you’d…?”[/color] Ely's voice trailed while she flicked the ashes off her cigarette, losing her train of thought when she met the eyes of not her best friend but the Queensnake. Also known as Striker in the streets of Eden. [color=8882be]“Or we can go inside.”[/color] Ely double-backed, knowing that look, as did Indira and Owen. It was a little unnerving at times, especially since up until junior year, none of them knew that Max had any of this boss bitch energy in her. She kept it tidy behind a lady facade. Max was no lady though. She was the daughter of Craig Royce, Sylvester James and Victoria Mooney. A legacy of three Southside serpents. Striker, Rocky and Fates. 

Venom and poison ran through her veins just as much as the elements did. Fire, for her passion. Lightning, for her ambition. Water, for her love. Earth, for her intelligence. Air, for her dreams. Instead of saying anything in return, Maxine coldly watched the other woman scope the area, which led Ely to nod her head to the other two. After resting her cigarette in the outdoor standing ashtray, knowing well enough how much Max cared for the environment, Elysia Fable strolled back inside the Edge, leaving her dear best friend to take care of business.  

[color=d97ff8]“You know, I have connections. They could easily get you to talk,”[/color] Helga smiled, still on the offensive. She had been interrupting and bothering Max for the past week, having done her research and knowing that this girl here was married to no other than Reynaldo Gonzalez Jr. The King of the Southside Serpents. The reporter was persistent, and obviously desperate. Max could respect the hustle up to a point. Now, it was getting out of hand. Last night a few of the baby snakes approached her, the young ones just trying to make a living, and told her that this reporter lady approached them at their corner and tried to get them to talk about how things were run, putting on the disguise that she was interested in joining. She even went out of her way to dress the part. 

God, Maxine hated journalists. 

[color=d97ff8]“You got a lot going on, I’m sure, and I’m surprised no one’s cleaned this up. You, no less, who I learned cares about this town so much you have multiple projects going on in the background. It’s all so fascinating, don’t you think? How this,”[/color] Helga looked up at the Edge and back at Maxine, smug as if she had clear dirt on her, [color=d97ff8]“is the normal here.”[/color] 

Maxine didn’t need her husband to worry that a rat was trying to slip in their den and cause displeasure. Whatever this woman might have on the Gonzalez family, if anything, was not enough to get Maxine to bat an eyelash. Looks like Helga was banking on getting access to the Edge, thinking ReyRey was the backbone of the Snakes and not his wife. 

When the reporter finally shut the fuck up, Maxine, stoic in her demeanor, shouldering the burdens of Edenridge and carrying the crown of the Southside with her beloved, a natural born leader, not a parasite, took a step forward, incing ever so closely to the stranger. [color=52796e]“Let me tell you something, Miss Stephens.”[/color]

Grinning widely, Helga crossed her arms, with her small notepad and pen in hand, and gave the Edenite the floor, [color=d97ff8]“Please do.”[/color] Regardless if this went good or bad for her, she knew nothing would stop her from getting her story. She wanted to make slimy towns like Edenridge great again. It was her job to reform and that’s exactly what she would do. Some would say she was in over her head. She would say nothing was impossible, not even pipe dreams of taking down the Pinehurst Inquirer. Her dreams were attainable and it started with the most haunted town in the United States. Edenridge. 

Never raising her voice, Maxine narrowed her eyes and cooly admitted, [color=52796e]“I don’t like being threatened.”[/color] 

[color=d97ff8]“Oh, so what does that mean, [i]Queensnake[/i]?”[/color] Helga teased, amused at how this young girl carried herself. What? Only twenty five with a body that looks like anyone could snap in half? Helga wasn’t impressed and if she were being honest, Maxine did not look like she was meant for [i]this life[/i]. [color=d97ff8]“Does this mean you’re going to turn green? I’m [i]shaking[/i].” [/color]

[color=52796e]“No bitch,”[/color] Maxine leaned forward and hissed. Her serpentine eyes reached Helga’s soul, causing the woman to take a step back. Helga Stephens couldn’t look away and part of her didn’t want to, the other part of her was starting to realize that maybe force wasn’t the best approach. As if all calculated and planned, Maxine seethed, [color=52796e]“I turn red. I give no fucks okay? Now!”[/color] Striker slithered closer, backing the reporter to the wall of her business. The venom was reduced to a simmer, as Max forced a charming, winsome smile and heavily suggested, [color=52796e]“For your own good, I will advise you to back the fuck off.” [/color]

Even if she was growing increasingly afraid for her own life, Helga couldn’t help but counter, [color=d97ff8]“Why would I do that? Why would I let you and your husband continue to commit crimes? This town needs fixing and [i]you[/i] clearly aren’t doing anything about that.”[/color] The reporter stood her ground, even if dumbly. 

The way she sweated was more than enough to keep Striker in attack mode. Maxine’s cold green eyes scanned the woman’s body, before grabbing her attention again, trapping the Rat in the infamous Carlisle gaze. Mesmerizing, bone-chilling and absolutely haunting. [color=52796e]“You better be very, very careful where you walk. I won’t be as forgiving next time.”[/color] 

[color=d97ff8]“I’m going to stop you right there.”[/color] Helga raised her hand, putting it in between her and the pale skinned woman. [color=d97ff8]“Do you know who I represent?”[/color] She gestured to herself, as if everyone knew her name and where she came from. Without a doubt, Miss Stephens was becoming defensive, not liking the downright disrespect this little girl was showing her. Helga Stephens had more experience, more years and more knowledge than this wannabe snake would ever know. To think a frail girl like Maxine James would go on a power trip now that she was married into the Gonzalez family. [i]Please[/i]. 

[color=52796e]“I don’t give a FUCK.”[/color] Maxine growled, grabbing the woman’s chin and forcibly backing her into the wall. [color=52796e]“Remember who the fuck I am and,”[/color] the Queensnake leaned in close, her red painted lips inches away from Helga’s. She whispered, [color=52796e]“Back off.”[/color] It only takes one more wrong move for all of Max’s pent up aggression to unleash. It was then that Tate went to check on her. When she saw ReyRey’s best friend, Maxine released the reporter and left her rage and anger outside, refusing to bring that in her den. 

[color=52796e]“See you later, Helga Stephens. Or not.”[/color] The Queensnake disappeared from sight. It didn’t take long for the frazzled woman, a stranger in a strange land, to rush into her car and speed off. Maxine was annoyed but not bothered. She had better things to do like plan Mr. Beau’s retirement party. She had better things to do like be with her friends. She had better things to do like grab lunch with her father. She had better things to do like protect the empire her husband continued to grow and spend her days in his loving embrace. Maxine Gonazlez had better things to do and none of those things had a dumb reporter bitch named Helga in it.
[/indent][/indent][/color]