Chapter 103 (Patreon)

Sonya was relieved that Astaroth decided not to make a second appearance in her circles of conversation for the rest of the night. He was still ever present, still a constant awareness at the back of her mind, but she managed to at least push him to the periphery. She couldn’t kill him here as much as she wanted to. She had her priorities and it was good enough knowing where he currently stood in the world. Her knowledge of his early years before becoming a Herald was fuzzy at best at any rate. She did have Marta keep a close eye on him, though.

She had other things to worry about, after all; “Do you have any policy proposals for tomorrow, Miss Chernovna?” The representative from China asked, shaking her hand briefly. His power wasn’t anything to write home about.

She inclined her head, “I have a few things in mind, Mister Ma,” Sonya said with a small smile, “I do want to make sure that things are progressing properly with the Dharan project, after all.”

The thin, balding man raised an eyebrow, “That can’t be all,” He said leadingly.

You’re going to have to try harder than that. She thought with a coy smile, “Perhaps a discussion for later,” She offered as she pulled her hand away and sipped at her drink. Ugh, wine, I’m so sick of wine. Every party it’s wine or spirits. I need to hit a club after this or something, they’ve gotta have soda or something sweeter.

“Do you like it, by the way? I contributed many of the drinks,” Mister Ma asked, eager to ingratiate himself. She knew of China’s desire to poach her from the United States, not that she was loyal to the country in any real respect. New York was just convenient. Still, they were a little overbearing about it.

She studied the drink with her senses, grumbling inwardly at using her powers for pedantic things, but was fortunately interrupted by another person who approached. She glanced in the woman’s direction and narrowed her eyes a fraction. Her lips curled upward and she turned her gaze back to Mister Ma, “Forgive me, it looks like I have someone I need to catch up with a bit, Mister Ma,” She said and turned, walking towards the woman waiting expectantly to the side. Mister Ma opened his mouth but Marta put herself between him and Sonya.

“Thank you,” Sonya muttered before brightening at the pretty face in front of her. Dark hair fell down in curls around slender shoulders and a pretty neckline accented by jeweled earrings. Dark eyes stared into hers. “Representative Ileva,” Sonya said politely, canting her head to the right, “You look lovely.”

“Chernovna,” The woman said, locking eyes with Sonya, “I wanted to speak with you about a private matter.”

Sonya raised an eyebrow and looked the woman up and down, before staring her right back in the eyes, “I don’t tie up women I just met unless they ask nicely.”

The woman’s nostrils flared a little and she cleared her throat, shifting a bit under Sonya’s luminous stare, “A family matter.”

Sonya’s expression shifted a bit but she kept her thoughts still, “Not much to say, is there?”

The woman glanced around once before speaking, “You were a target of Grelen’s Education Policies, he isn’t-”

“I know what happened when I was little, I’m not stupid, Representative,” Sonya said with a sigh, “I also know that the man who instituted them and the policies themselves are already abolished by the current Kremlin,” Sonya added. She looked down at the wine, it seemed a bit more sour than before, “I don’t have any attachment to specific people in my homeland, if that’s what you are getting at.”

“I simply wanted to express to you that the Kremlin wants to build a better relationship with ASTA, and that mending that bridge would be a good place to start,” The woman said.

Sonya shot a glance towards the Chairman, At least they didn’t send an obvious honey pot. She thought before looking at Ileva, “Consider the matter well and truly behind me. I have no relationship with my parents and don’t care for one. They have new names and new lives, let them enjoy it quietly,” Sonya said with all the pleasantness she could muster for a part of her life she cared very little about, “The Kremlin doesn’t have to worry about me. I’m here to support all heroes and Earth as a whole.”

<Blackrazor, look into Representative Polina Ileva’s financials and anything shady. Have your people in Russia be thorough.>

<Yes, Mistress.>

“I am relieved, then,” The woman said with a perfect smile, “Perhaps we can talk a bit more at length as the conference proceeds?”

<Basics, She has ties with many people who have extended connections to organized crime but is not directly involved herself. Well connected among the elite in Russia. Greater detail may take a few days.>

<More than enough. I’ve been meaning to expand the club into Russia.>

“I think that would be a marvelous idea,” Sonya said with an easy grin and held out her hand, “Please, Call me Sonya from now on.”

The woman took it and they shook briefly, “Polina then.”

–

The rest of the party was a cyclical dance of politicking and conversations that Sonya spent most of her time listening to. She tried a few times to approach Mikayla and Bernetta to check on them but the Chairman had taken it upon himself to show her guests around with all the pageantry he could muster. It was fun enough just to watch how Bernetta eased comfortably into everything while poor Mikalya just stared in awe at nearly everything. More importantly, the less time I spend around them while here, the less of a hassle they’ll get from parties interest in me in the future.

“You’re in your element,” Marta said as things began to wind down. She stood at Sonya’s right, surveying the room and casting small stares at anyone who approached to give her charge a little breathing room.

“Hardly,” Sonya grunted and glared down at her drink, “I’d rather be out having fun. I hope there are a few good clubs open this late.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Marta said, “Just get the politics over with and enjoy the rest of the week. The conference is only for a few days.”

Sonya clicked her tongue, “Yeah I know. What’s he doing?”

“Hovering with his charge and the Representative from Australia,” Marta said, “He looks so different,” She added, leaving out ‘from the memories’.

Sonya glanced up in Astaroth’s direction, “Mm, not in his prime yet,” Sonya muttered and squeezed her glass a little, The faint creak of the glass shifting a bit beneath her fingers drew Marta’s attention and her hand rested on Sonya’s shoulder, “I’m fine, just surprised. Changed the whole mood for me.”

“Some people are leaving,” Marta pointed out, “Maybe get out of here, get the ladies to the hotel, and go find yourself a club to lounge in?”

Sonya leaned back against her dear friend’s hand, “Let’s do that.”

–

Mikayla and Bernetta were only too happy to comply with Marta’s suggestion when they approached the pair, happy to be free of the boisterous Chairman. Sonya led them out of the building before getting them back to their hotel. She didn’t expect to see them much more until after the conference itself, but it was nice to know that they were getting a proper vacation without much in the way of real excitement. She owed Mikayla that much at least. After the two women retired, Sonya and Marta found themselves on the sidewalk outside a late-night club on the streets of The Hague.

“A speakeasy, really?” Sonya murmured.

“Turns out there’s not much in the way of legitimate nightlife here,” Marta pointed out.

“Especially not to my tastes,” Sonya grunted, “Okay then. Are you coming in?” Marta gave her an incredulous look and Sonya laughed, “Alright, alright, I’ll ‘slip’ back to the hotel when I’m done. Go rest.”

Marta inclined her head and bowed a little, “Have a wonderful evening, miss.”

Sonya gave her friend a smile and slipped up to the door, knocking twice before flashing a slip of paper with the phrase they’d managed to dig up with a bare minimum of effort. They weren’t trying very hard to keep it under wraps if you had a bit of money to throw around. She smiled as the door opened and was led down into a comfortable lobby by the innocuous man in a suit. Another door opened for her and music flooded into her ears along with the pleasant scents of night-club life. She took a deep breath and savored it before sliding inside.

The club itself was spacious, the basement of the building above having been completely remodeled from its original state. Wood floors and cool lighting gave it a relaxed vibe. Off to the right was a long bar with a few bartenders working while on the left was a small expanse of tables where people sat and spoke in quiet tones. A stage near the back had a single young man sitting on a stool playing guitar. She swept her gaze over the room checking names and raised an eyebrow. Interesting.

She turned away from the tables and walked to the bar, slipping onto a stool and glanced up at the pretty brunette bartender standing behind it. The young woman turned to her with a bright smile and paused, catching herself as she locked eyes with Sonya. Sonya looked up into her face, resting her chin on her palm. “Something sweet and bubbly,” Sonya said and winked at her. The bartender cleared her throat and turned away hurriedly, going to prepare something.

That’s more like it.

She let herself relax and listened to the music, going as far as closing her eyes as her senses expanded around her. She could feel the woman mixing the drink a few feet away, the way the air moved, the scents of the combined ingredients. She caught little spots of heat throughout the room, places where passion was reaching a breaking point. She sensed movement as people got up to go wherever the night would take them. She opened her eyes and looked up into that pretty face again as a stylish glass was filled with pinkish white fizzy liquid.

“Night Queen Fizz,” The bartender said.

Sonya glanced at it and then up at her with a raised eyebrow, “Aren’t you perfect?” She asked playfully and the bartender moved forward only to step back a bit as someone moved in to sit next to Sonya. Sonya had felt him approaching but had pointlessly hoped that she would get a few moments of blasted peace. She should have left when she saw his name.

“Scotch,” The man grunted.

The bartender frowned a little but obliged, pouring a glass and setting it down for him before stepping away.

Sonya looked down at her drink and sipped at it, not looking up at him, it was delicious, peaches and lemon. She’d have to come back here later. “Martin Fuller. What is the ex-Chief Inspector for Pandora’s North America branch doing in a place like this?”

“I figured you’d show up here eventually, it’s your kind of place,” He grunted next to her, picking up his glass and taking a long sip.

“Drinking again?” Sonya asked.

“Yeah,” He said and set the glass down.

“Your partner in the NYPD would be disappointed,” Sonya said.

“Sure would,” Martin grumbled, “Ironsides would be too.”

“Then stop,” Sonya said casually, sipping her drink again and savoring the sweet-tart fizz, “I can set you up with treatment or someone to talk to. Perhaps we can talk about your troubles.”

“I don’t want to talk to you, I want to talk to her,” Martin growled.

Sonya set her glass down with a click and glanced in his direction. He looked down at her from his greater height. His cheeks were sunken, his hair was even more of a mess than usual, his beard was patched in places and his whole demeanor was a bit on the feral side. His eyes, though, his eyes were strong. A bright burnished gold that blazed like lamplights beneath his hooded brows. He stared at her with all the hate and barely restrained violence of a hungry, desperate wolf.

She snorted at him and looked back at her drink, “Signed it did you?”

“Didn’t give me much of a choice,” He growled back and took another swig of his drink.

“You always have a choice, sometimes you just don’t realize the choice is there,” Sonya said evenly, “People should be more careful of what they say. I’ve heard that faeries can strike deals without the other party even realizing.”

“I’d say that’s a myth, but I know better,” He grunted, leaning against the counter in front of him, “Now bring her out.”

Sonya took a long sip at her drink, “You’re spoiling my evening.”

“I don’t very much care,” Martin said.

“No, you do not,” Sonya said with a sigh, “I don’t appreciate you referring to her as a separate person.”

“Isn’t she?” Martin hissed.

Sonya shot him a hard look, “Watch yourself, Fuller, I don’t have a lot of patience these days.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Oh, struck a nerve, did I?”

She sighed and gestured politely to the young bartender who hurried over to her. She reached out, “I’d like to pay, please,” Sonya said and the young woman frowned a bit, “It’s nothing for you to worry about cutie, your drink was fabulous. I’ll be coming back once the atmosphere is a bit better, when do you work next?”

“...tomorrow night?” The bartender said.

“What’s your name?” Sonya asked.

“Noe.”

“Noe, adorable,” Sonya said and took the small device the girl handed her. She pulled out the phone she used for her public life and after a moment stepped away from the counter having dropped a sizeable tip. “See you tomorrow, Noe,” Sonya said and glanced at Martin, “Let’s talk, killjoy.”

He frowned and turned, nodding to one of the doors near the stage, “They have rooms to stay in back there.”

Sonya’s nose wrinkled, “You do understand what those are for, right?” She asked.

He gave her a deadpan look and she rolled her eyes, “Fine,” She followed him back through the door and down a dark hallway before he opened one of the doors with a key. Her lip twitched, “You’re staying here?”

He said nothing as they stepped inside, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it while she took a look around the unkempt space. There were notebooks everywhere, maps, diagrams, photos, he was tracking everything she was doing. She glanced his way and raised an eyebrow, “All you need is a kooky website,” Sonya chuckled, “Truth is out there.”

“Let me talk to her,” He growled.

Sonya frowned again, “I don’t-”

He stepped forward, his eyes blazing with golden light, “Now!” He bellowed.

She didn’t flinch, she didn’t even blink, she just returned his stare before sighing. Her fingers twitched as her arms went a little slack and she closed her eyes. She listened to the ticking inside of her head, let it all wash away, she pulled the mask up in her mind and slowly let it slide into place as a coldness washed through her.

TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK

Ishtar opened her eyes and looked at Martin from across the room, her eyes narrowed, “Detective.”