Fabulous Las Vegas 3 days ago The Gomorrah Hotel and Casino
Beautiful. Barron thought his hand pulled open a cabinet door and reached for an unknown bottle of whiskey. If House could see this he’d blow a circuit if he even had those. Barron had never truly learned what Mr. House was, not that it mattered now he was playing a whole new game the idea of World Domination in a Nuclear Wasteland was simply impossible one would have an easier time restoring the decaying cities back to their former grandeur after all; what good is it to take over a hellish world. This world on the other hand provided everything to it’s inhabitants, clean water, safe streets and ever power. From the Metahumans who prowl the night to the Mages who entertain vast crowds on the Vegas Strip; Barron had a hand in it all, scheming and dealing to all those who entered his Casino.
Gomorrah held a dear place in his heart, kind of. It was where he and Carol really made it big in his other world and it was the staging point for many of his endeavors. It was fitting that he’d rebuild it in this new world after eight years of living among these beings of power. Recently a Coven of Witches has been dissatisfied and a representative was to meet with Barron the Kingpin of Vegas as it were she had been referred through a friend and he was coming along to introduce her.
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Hekate strode down the streets of Vegas, her black curls cascading down her shoulders to the small of her back, her olive skin glowing brighter than the lights of the city. Though she was in human form, she maintained an air of divinity. She sported a backless, black, sequined dress with slits running down both sides to reveal her legs, and silver bands and rings fitted with an assortment of darkly colored jewels in the shapes of stars and crescent moons. It was a tad cliche, but she didn’t mind. Alongside her was a tall gentleman in a white suit, whose brutish features she had come to know in her time working with the Five Families of Vegas under the guise of Lydia Velis, another of her original creations.
“This way, Ms. Velis,” he lead her to the entrance of a casino, the name Gomorrah flashed overhead in bright neon colors. Gomorrah, eh? Shall it be leveled by heaven’s fire like its biblical predecessor? Hekate waved away her wicked thoughts as she entered the casino. Her company waltzed down the aisles of slot machines and blackjack tables, a few of them beginning to spin wildly in the patron’s favor. She pitied the poor souls who lost everything to these infernal machines, but reigned in her sympathetic influence so as not to upset the delicate balance of the gambling world, or the establishment’s owner, whom she had come to meet on the Five’s behalf.
Soon, Hekate found herself in a room a few floors up, beautifully decorated, and housing one man, who sat at a table with a glass of whisky, overlooking the entire establishment from what Hekate assumed to be a one-sided glass window. Her pale companion left her side to speak quickly with the affluent stranger, then spoke aloud.
“May I present Lydia Valis, standing regent for the Five Families of Las Vegas.”
Barron stood up gently pushing back the chair to not scrape up the carpet. Greeting Holland.”What. You practiced that? Right.” He said placing the glass down on the table and stepping over towards Mrs. Valis. “Welcome to Gomorrah, Mrs. Valis. Barron Vanderbilt Owner, pleasure to meet with you on behalf of your client.” Barron stood before her a tall man, whose face has been beaten like an old boxer cuts dotted his face and a crooked nose were prominent features of his face. His suit was well tailored, a black jacket and grey vest underneath with two tone colored shoes of black and white and a black tie around his neck. Barron turned to Holland standing vigilantly. “Leave us.” With that Holland stepped outside and waited.
“Now then. Would you like something, a drink or biscuit?”
Barron directed her towards the table and pulled out her chair. “So Mrs. Valis, what do you do when you’re not our acting regent. I like to know a bit about the people I do business with. Builds trust.”
Hekate shook her head as she sat down, ”I’m fine, thank you, and the pleasure is all mine.” She replied to his first question, then took a moment to get comfortable in her chair before answering the second. ”I . . . travel. The Five Families of Vegas aren’t the only parties I represent in the U.S. I also work with and direct similar communities in New Orleans and Boston, so I keep busy, but I don’t mind.”
She took a moment to look out the window and view the denizens of Gomorrah making their nightly rounds from one table to the next. ”This is quite the place, Mr. Vanderbilt. You certainly know how to profit from sin.” She smiled.
Barron moved quickly taking his seat and face Mrs. Valis as she spoke. “I have a lot of practice, all we are, are walking sin. From the clueless to the high and mighty and even the immoral the sins may have new names in these modern times but they are all the same. But now that I know a little about you, I suppose it’s only fair to let you ask anything of me.”
Looking her over through her fancy if yet cliche ensemble everything about her seemed odd, as if there was something under the surface, perhaps she knew something or had an ace up her sleeve. Leverage of sorts, something that her body language gave off. Whatever it was she was sure as hell confident enough and likely had the power to back her plays. Barron knew he had to play this carefully.
Hekate nodded, ”Right, well I’ll get to it then. As I understand it, your current interactions with the Five Families has consisted of you providing them with necessary materials for their workings that they themselves could not come upon easily. In exchange, you may call upon them for magical favors that suit your needs. However, we feel that this is far too passive and provides little to no protection for the witches whom you employ.”
Hekate took a moment, feigning sadness as she continued. ”You may be unaware, but two witches under your hand were recently killed on the strip. The police reports show that they were taken by a gang in the area, their bodies roughed up, their throats slit. Now, I know how this might sound, and I know what you may be thinking, why didn’t they defend themselves, why didn’t their coven take measures to protect them? Both important questions, but irrelevant nevertheless. They were working for you, and the families feel that you should have been paying closer attention to them, which is why I bring forward our newest proposal.”
Hekate produced a small invitation, set it on the table, then slid it in Barron’s direction. ”One of the more affluent members of our community has decided to host a gala on the eve of Walpurgisnacht. Historically, this has been a day where witches gather atop mountains and hills to invoke their gods and make merry, but the deserts of Nevada aren’t the most forthcoming. Instead, we have decided to get with the times and hold an evening of fun for the Five Families, witches from across the world, various members of the magical community, and you. All in attendance shall be awarded with a year of good fortune . . . so long as they agree to the terms that will be set before them. I will of course be in attendance, speaking on behalf of the Five Families and addressing their grievances. I would be honored if you would make arrangements to attend and hear the rest of what we have to say.”
Two fingers pulled the invitation off the table and pocketed the invite. “I’ve never been a believer of good fortune ironically enough, this coming from a guy who runs a Casino. I’ve seen gamblers walk out of here with nothing, but the clothes of their backs more often than someone hits the jackpot. And while it does happen I’ve never attributed it to luck. Didn’t believe much in magic either not until eight years ago that is, but here I am making the best of things. Maybe that is luck or maybe it is my perseverance and smarts.”
Barron dug through his pockets and produced a photo sliding it across the table to Mrs. Valis.”This man. He’s the suspect in their murder case. A low life named Saint James. I may have heard about their deaths too late, but I follow up. My men are busting down doors belonging to his little gang and I’ll nab him before he goes to ground. I’ll have this wrapped up before the Gala. I think the other gangs think I’m complacent, it won’t bring back the two witches that died, but it’ll serve to remind them that I’m the big man on top.” As Barron reached for his glass of whiskey his phone buzzed prompting him to look at it.
“Well. Speak of the devil.” Barron paused considering his choice of words.”I can say that right? Ain’t no laws against that. Well no matter. Seems my boys are on their game today, Saint James was loaded up just a few minutes ago. Caught him, window shopping some goods. I’ll make sure a clear statement is made and I’ll have my Sunday finest ready for the Gala. And a neat little package for you and the other Five Families a little vengeance if you will.”
Hekate smiled, her expression showing genuine elation. ”Forgive me for my harsh tone earlier, I had no idea that you were looking into things, but I’m glad it’s been settled. The others will be just as happy to hear the news.” She took the picture of Saint James into one delicate hand and, with a cold stare, it began to shrivel up and turn to ash. ”I’m sure he’ll get what he deserves, and so will you and your men come the gala. This act will no doubt strengthen the bond we seek to achieve, and I have a feeling that the families and I might be able to help you maintain your hold over this city, but enough business, we’ll have plenty of time to discuss things later.”
Hekate shifted forward, placing her elbows on the table, leaning in closer to Barron. ”So tell me, Mr. Vanderbilt, what do you do when you’re not profiting from the bad habits of others? Are you . . . married? Have any kids? You don’t strike me as the family man type, but perhaps there’s a soft heart beneath your hardened exterior.”
The glass in his hand tilted as he rose it to meet his lips ice slamming the inside of it as it once again was placed on the table. “It is my responsibility to ensure protection and I failed those two, I follow through as per my word. If I did not that would make me less than a man.” And as he finished Mrs. Valis moved closer, and began flirting. Barron scooted back his chair to distance himself and stared coldly into her eyes.
“I am married, do I seem that cold to you? Really. Any further advances and I’ll lop off that head of yours, no offence but I am a taken man making any further moves on me will dishonor my wife; I love my wife enough to kill you and anyone else that disapproves of your death. I am a Man after all, not a sack of meat to be devoured. Do we understand each other. As for Children, well you can’t blame us for not trying. All you need is a blacklight and this room lights up like a White Christmas.”
Hekate smiled as she recoiled. There were very few men who had resisted what slight advances she had decided to make in the past . . . it was refreshing.
”Don’t worry, love. I know when I’ve overstepped my boundaries. I thought you might be more like the other men in this business, but luckily, I was wrong. Not many would defend their wife’s honor in such a way. You’re a loyal, trustworthy man indeed, I look forward to our next meeting and eventually to our future business ventures.” Hekate nodded as she stood up, moving towards the door.
”I think it best that I make my way back to the others to tell them of our meeting and to prepare a seat for you among us at the gala. I also wouldn’t want to offend you any further than I already have, my apologies, by the way.” She moved quickly from the table to the door, turning away Holland as he came to escort her out.
Before she left, she turned back around and, with a strange confidence said, ”Oh, and about the ‘lopping off of my head,’ believe me, greater men than you have tried and failed.”
With that, Hekate made her way down the hall leading from Barron’s office, down to the ground floor, then vanished, leaving no sign that she was ever there.
The moment Mrs. Valis left was the moment Carol Vanderbilt entered the room not hiding behind a false wall nor listening in; merely coincidence that she and Mrs. Valis crossed paths for but a moment. “What did you think?” She asked as she hung her purse up on a nearby stand.
“That she’s dangerous. We should keep on her good side for now, at least until we know more about her.” Barron said as he walked over to his wife laying his hands on her hips. “That’s my Girl.” He spoke just as Carol placed her finger upon his incoming lips. “Not yet. What’s our plan?”
Barron stepped back disappointingly while reaching for the Gala Invitation. “We prepare for a Gala. It’ll be cutting it close, heading to Lost Haven the day before but I can manage.”
“Don’t make a move unless the opportunity presents itself. The Cowl is making a big play, we should see how it plays out before getting involved.”
“Sure. Sure. I’ll see what I can get off Mrs. Valis at the Gala. Do a little digging. Now then.” Barron said closing the gap once more. “Where were we?”
