Elsewhere Byte Bash: The Seven

[Malik Cartwright]

Outfit

When I look out my window
Many sights to see
And when I look in my window
So many different people to be

They're strange, so strange
It's very strange to me

Maybe it was cliched of him to have it blaring. But it felt appropriate at the moment. An hour before the meeting Mac switched his outfit to something a lot more, professional. The swimwear from earlier might send the impression he figured.

As the other partygoers continued to dance and hang about the rest of the house, Mac had the upstairs room prepared. The door was guarded by security guards in an orange skull mask. The window curtains were drawn. The lighting was set to a dim orange hue that gave the room an eerie haze. The black walls looked faded with pencil-thin etchings of esoteric writing. The black leather seating and table were rearranged to a circle in the center of the room. Sitting at the center of the table was a ram's skull just like the one fixed to the black coffin downstairs.

Off to the side sat a private bar set up for guests. He made sure they had a variety from hard sodas to high-shelf liquors.

Mac sat down first with a drink in hand and a black binder in the other. He made sure his position was sitting facing the door and away from a window. A force of habit and trauma response. He wanted to be the first face his guest saw as they arrived.

Mac clicked on his earpiece. “ Just a reminder, one or two might need some assistance getting upstairs, ” he began “, please make sure that there's someone downstairs to attend to them. ”

Roger, a voice croaked back on the other end. Rust who had been hiding from the guest all day took off out the door and waited at the main staircase. The anticipation made the two of them excited.

First guest is arriving, another voice buzzed on the earpiece. Mac nodded and stood up.


“Send them in, ”

[Markus Eldridge]

Markus arrived at the party on time, just as he always did. He mingled with the guests and had a good time, despite not being much of a party person anymore. The Byte Bash, as he gathered, was its colloquial name, and it had been a delightful, lavish, and thrilling affair. Initially, he felt uneasy after realizing that his invitation had major differences from others, but he ended up enjoying himself. However, he excused himself from the other guests when he received a more exclusive invitation to a secondary event.

Markus figured that someone must have let slip that he was a ritualist, even though he was still quite new to the scene and kept his magic abilities low-key. Although it hadn't been confirmed, he assumed that Mac was involved somehow. One thing was clear: he had been promised power, but he was more interested in gaining knowledge, understanding, and connections. So he accepted the invitation for the time being.

As Markus walked through the throngs of people, trying to get used to the magical aura in the air and observing various arcane signs, he made his way back to the main chamber. There, he ran into Rust, Mac's companion, which confirmed his suspicions.

“Hello, Rust,” Markus greeted pleasantly. He had learned since their last encounter that some ritualists had animal friends and companions called familiars. Markus pointed up the stairs as he walked by, “I assume this is the way?” Though he didn't stop, he was relieved to have his suspicions verified. Rust's presence meant that Mac was present as well, and Markus was less worried as a result.

As Markus approached the chambers, security guards in orange skull masks stopped him and asked him to leave his phone and other communication or recording devices behind. Although he was annoyed, he understood and handed over his two phones, Bluetooth headset and smartwatch.

After surrendering his devices, Markus watched as the security guard spoke into his headset, announcing, 'The first guest has arrived.' Markus waited until he received confirmation to proceed before entering the antechamber.

“I see someone has a flair for the dramatic,” Markus chuckled as he took in the surroundings. “Is this your event, or are you just involved?” he asked, walking over to the bar to fix himself a drink before settling into a random chair, making himself at home. Despite the arcane nature of the event, this was not his first time attending a secret tech board meeting or security debriefing. This part of the evening he was comfortable with.

[Malik Cartwright]

Mac walked over and shook hands with Markus. He wondered if the others had found the place okay. It was confirmed that all the invites were sent to the correct addresses. Although, he had no way of knowing if they were coming or not. He left the invitation open. Not wanting to force anyone to do something they weren’t comfortable with. Especially in the case of some of them, meeting folks for the first time.

But seeing Markus gave him some hope. After all, he was the newest one out of all of them. And was sped through the motions faster than all of them. “ It’s great to see you, when the company is involved it likes to put on an event, ” he began “ and to answer your question a little bit of A and a little bit of B…downstairs is mostly them I just set it up and up here is all me. ”

“ Did you find the place okay?”

[Markus Eldridge]

Shaking the man's hand, Markus gave him a pleasant smile. It really was good to see someone he knew and trusted; though the party itself wasn't that strange to Markus, the atmosphere and air of magic were. “It's good to see you too. I can understand that. No one can say they don't know how to throw a party.” Markus would say with a smile, thinking towards the club where he had last seen Mac, it was the only other Byte associated even Markus had ever been to.

“ It Makes sense entirely; I like it. Orange isn't really my color, but it fits for sure.” He would say, looking around at everything and the decor. “I found the house perfectly fine and got dropped off without issue. Only one house in the area has a party with a large line out in front of it.” He would say with a smirk. He knew the house they were going to long before the driver had dropped him off, but even if he didn't MAPS had seemed to serve the driver well enough.

[Serafina Duarte]

face | outfit

Serafina felt Billy’s arm as he nudged her and then she intertwined hers around his. She stuffed her cane into a black Hermes Birkin, and trusted Billy to get them where they needed to go. The main floor was little more than a distracting maze to Serafina, but soon the music faded, the crowds thinned, and she could think again.

They ascended the stairs and the party below all but fell away. Her ears rang from the sudden silence and Serafina exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she held. She felt tight through the chest and her stomach churned. “Describe where we are, Billy.” Serafina said under her breath and hoped he was the only one in earshot.

[Billy Broder]

Outfit

Billy walked with Serafina by his side, glancing down to make sure he was keeping a comfortable pace with her as they walked the stairs. She was about a foot shorter than him and he didn't want his gait to make her trip, especially on stairs. His eyes roamed over the black halls and noted the etchings in the design but then swiveled toward the man in the orange skull mask. “Stairway, black walls, guard up ahead with an orange skull mask. Bit dramatic really.” Billy muttered to her as he glanced back up at the guard and nodded. He produced his invite and after a once over- the guard seemed more suspicious of Billy than the young woman next to him- they were passed through.

“Open room. Round table. Animal skull at the center. Blinds drawn. Bar to the left. Mac and someone I don't know.” Billy continued in an even monotone as he walked in. He paused a moment, letting Serafina decide if they would go to the left or not and he'd direct her toward the nearest seat from there. “Hey Mac. Nice place, do those windows over there open or are they just for show?” Billy asked aloud while gesturing with his head toward the windows with their drawn curtains.

[Malik Cartwright]

“ Originally it wasn't going to be Orange or have this many people but both the Company and Investors insisted on it because 'it's better for the brand' and all that jazz. ” Mac said. Setting up the theme for the event was like herding cats while pulling their teeth. Ram Skull insisted on it the loudest while Crow and Twin Serpent tried to slide their way in. He wasn't going to let that happen especially not tonight when he had his own business to attend to.

Ram at least allowed him to work without peeking into their meeting. He couldn't say the same about the others. Mac was about to add more when Serafina and Billy arrived. The buzzing on his earpiece confirmed they were walking up to the door.

“ Hello Hello, great to see you both, ” Mac replied “, windows open but tell your bird to use the skylight and I'll let him in. ” Mac pointed to the ceiling and a small square portion of the roof slid open revealing a skylight.

“ Billy. Serafina. This is Markus, ” he continued gesturing over to Markus “, Markus this is Billy an amazing Occult Scholar, and Serafina is an amazing Healer.”

[Markus Eldridge]

“I see,” Markus would say towards Mac, as he explained. “I can understand how investors can get a little extravagant in the name of branding. I just wish it didn't make us so obviously stand out.” Taking another drink, before he had time to add anything else or ask some of his deeper burning questions, movement at the door caught his attention.

Markus greeted the two newcomers with a friendly smile and took a moment to observe them. He noticed that neither of them was wearing orange, which meant that, like him and Mac, they were involved in some kind of magic and part of the meeting. Markus wondered what their intentions were – were they after the promised power, connections, or something else entirely? He also wondered if either of them had known his sister. The man appeared to be leading them, and although he whispered to the woman, Markus couldn't hear what was being said until he directly to Mac.

“Nice to meet you, Billy and Serafina. That is some high praise coming from Mac,” Markus said genuinely, knowing that Mac was skilled at charming people when necessary. However, this was not a social event where compliments were just thrown around. In meetings like this, words held meaning and significance. Markus pondered what qualifications were necessary to be an Occult Scholar and how similar a Healer was to a Doctor, but he decided not to ask those questions.

[Serafina Duarte]

Serafina absorbed Billy’s description of the space and tried to build up a picture in her mind. His take that this was all a bit dramatic coaxed a timid smile from the woman. The party below had been an assault on her senses, and Serafina could walk easily now the music was just a murmur through the floor.

Billy led her to a wide room, and she felt the air chance when he crossed her over the threshold. It was airier, the sound of their passage echoed differently than in their approach. She let him lead her to the closest seat, the where presumably Mac and his friend chatted about business; her father’s concerns.

“Great to see you, too, Mac.” Serafina said with a wry smile that knew the joke all too well. Then she turned her head in the direction of Markus’ voice and stared through him. “And nice to make your acquaintance, Markus.” She said warmly and spoke with an accent that could have been mistaken for Polish or Russian at first stab, it was in fact Portuguese.

Serafina felt her way into the chair and eased into it like it would break at any moment. Eventually, she settled with her hands in her lap. She would have rebuffed or otherwise downplayed Mac’s compliment, but he included Billy too. Denying her merit would deny Billy’s, so she took one for the team and didn’t comment.

Unsure of the dynamic and everything she couldn’t see, Serafina opted to see where the conversation, and their host, would bring them.

[Billy Broder]

Message Cantrip used

Billy made sure Serafina had a good seat and looked comfortable before walking over to the window he had initially asked about. The roof access was opening and that was great, but he needed to let Rowling know about it first. He glanced out to the sky and looked where he knew on a fundamental level his familiar was. Then he thought at the feathered mind. “Roof.” It was a short and simple message but he knew when the familiar received it and its position abruptly changed. After seemingly just glancing out the window, Billy looked back at Markus and smiled at him.

“Mac is too nice, Rowling does all the reading.” Billy said as his owl unveiled itself while swooping in from the ceiling access. It circled the room once, making note of everyone, before perching on Billy's offered arm. The wizard winced slightly at the grip of the bird but wasn't too worried. He made his way back over to Serafina, and deposited his familiar on the back of the chair next to his employer. “So what do you do Markus?” Billy asked while Rowling's eyes started taking in different aspects of the room, such as the table and skull.

As he waited he glanced at Serafina and considered sending her a thought stream about the room and Markus to help her... but he was still new to the cantrip and wanted to keep it on the down low for the moment.

[Malik Cartwright]

Mac didn't saying anything as he let the three get acquainted. Instead he fixed himself a drink and fiddled with his earpiece. Apparently, one guest was hashing out a mild disagreement on "who wore what outfit first" . Another was having a secret lesiason with his secretary in one of the palor rooms. And finally one guest challenged another to a "Break Off". Mac took a sip of his drink and walked over to the window to look down at the pool side.

“ Hey Rick, ” Mac began “, I don't mind them challenging each other to a 'Break Off', just have the guys throw the wards up. ” Mac waited for a response. As that was happening the skylight slowly closed up. The wards downstairs began to flash one by one.

Roger,

Mac stepped away from the window and sat back down.

“ Markus is a bit of a wild card for now, ” Mac sipped “, he's a bit of a prodigy...it's something you have to see for yourself. ” He finished his drink and listened for the dulled sounds of excitement coming outside.

“ However, I could say that same thing about all of us...which is why I called you all here.”

[Markus Eldridge]

Markus gave Serafina a pleasant smile, and she responded her accent was European and reminded him of some people he might have known in NATO. He didn't feel the need to comment further and instead would let her feel her way into the room as the owl entered. Refraining from chucking, he would raise an eyebrow. Billy commented about its ability to read. He wasn't quite sure if it was a jest or true. He was still learning about how such beings worked. Instead, he would focus on the next question and Mac's answer.

Markus saw no reason to hide his lack of experience and felt if this group was as good as Mac said, then such things would become very apparent very quickly. Rather than taking the fake it till you make it approach, Markus decided to be honest as he found his own seat. “Much as Mac said, I am still figuring that out. I am a student in multiple uses of the word. But, if you had to clarify it, I am pretty apt at cleaning messes.” Markus would say with a bit of a smile, thinking of some of the work he had done since his first circle with Mac and the minor bits of magic he only just finalized.

“I am, however, quite new to the city still. So finding my way, so to speak.” He would add, taking a drink. “I know what Mac does, throwing parties and wrangling guests when not helping lost souls,”

He would nod in thanks towards the man he spoke of, “But, I would love to know more about both of you.” His inquiry was not directed at anyone, and he was happy to open the floor until Mac wrangled them into whatever they were actually here for. Besides, he doubted the four of them were the only ones invited.

[Serafina Duarte]

Someone roamed the room. She heard the footfalls and the clink of glass in the direction where she supposed the bar lay. This person she assumed to be Mac, as Markus spoke again and Billy settled in the chair beside her. The ruffle of feathers said Rowling had joined them.

Markus mentioning helping lost souls sent a shiver down Serafina’s spine. Though she understood otherwise, she took his meaning literally and the parallel of her own tutelage was too tantalizing to ignore. She smiled to herself, the expression distant, as she pictured her collected soul in a bottle, buried to the stopper in a Morton’s salt container. That would have to do until she crafted a better-suited vessel.

The prodigy wanted more information on them, perhaps apt for a student in multiple uses of the word, but Serafina was hesitant to share more about herself until she had a better of idea who he was and what they were doing here. Maybe overly cautious, but by the tidbits Mac shared about his exploits, Serafina was wary of his work, and the company he kept by extension. Besides, they had more pressing matters on the table.

Serafina cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, not that I don’t enjoy small talk, but I am eager to hear from our host why he called us all here.” She apologized to the room for cutting to the quick.

[Billy Broder]

When Markus said he was good at cleaning messes Billy's head cooked a bit to the side like a dog hearing an unfamiliar sound. Billy himself fell far more firmly on the causing messes side of things... at least it seemed that way.

He didn't mean to do it, just seemed to keep happening that way. Mac called the kid a prodigy though, Billy wondered in what sense and was curious but kept his curiosity in check.

“I'm prone to wards myself.” Billy said, instructing Rowling to watch the new wizard's facial expressions to get a better sense of what terms or magics the man was familiar with.

When Serafina cut to the heart of things Billy shrugged and looked over at Mac for an explanation.

[Malik Cartwright]

Rust cutting through the tension, scurried inside the room holding a black box in his mouth. He hopped onto the table, placing the box down, and barking at the skull. Mac tapped onto the skull and it revealed to be a projector.

“ First things first, I am Malcolm Armstrong ” Mac took a sip of his drink “, today is my last day working as a marketing director of the Byte... Byte is both a social media company and a cover for our activities online. ” He hit a button on the table revealing technical information behind the app and company.

“ I was formerly a member of the Syndicate...yes supernatural crime family, destroy by in-fighting, no we were not involved with any cult-like behavior. ” Rust looked at him mouth agape.

Wait are you going to tell them everything?


“ Yes Rust I'm going to tell them everything, ” he continued “, I was a researcher and agent for a Lodge in New York but recently left due to...differences.” He could hear the slight muffled celebratory sounds from outside. He didn't hide the bitter expression on his face. Things were changing, him included. And it wasn't like he was completely out of House Hex.


“Let me cut to the chase...I'm an enchanter who wants to carve his own place in Easthaven, ” Mac continued “, however, that requires other people and also being a solitary practitioner only gets you so far. ”


“ So my proposal, ” he said opening the black box to reveal seven black rings “, help me get situated in the city and I'll beef up your elemental capacities...”

[Markus Eldridge]

Markus would lean back and take a drink as Billy spoke up, saying that he preferred wards. Raising an eyebrow, the redhead took a moment to recall what he knew. Before he had the chance to respond, about to admit that it wasn't magic, he knew much about Serafina would speak up with an apology. He would smile and nod; he actually didn't mind the interruption. “Of course, my apologies.” He would day, turning his attention wards Mac.

The response he had gotten was far from what he expected. Though, if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't that surprised. The way Mac had acted, the way he talked, the way he referenced his work, and the way he did business all matched the words he was now telling them. In fact, the part that was so surprising for Markus was that Mac was being so forthright.

A frown would cross Markus' face as he thought of the possibilities. He doubted anyone connected to Mac had led to the death of his sister, and whatever this crime family was didn't sound like the possible murder cult he had heard about. However, the proposition was an interesting one. Mac wanted to step up in Easthaven, though he did not specify what that meant, and he admitted that in order to do so, he needed help. The rings were interesting enough, and the promise of elemental strength was tempting, but Markus was there for different reasons.

“I see,” He would start slowly. Rather than ask about Mac's past, because frankly, Markus didn't care much, he would let others ask such questions if they were inclined. Markus wanted to know more about the man's plans for the future. “When you say you want your own place in Easthaven, what does that look like? What do you mean?”

Markus needed to know way more before he accepted any offers, and though he didn't care about power. He did feel this might be the right group to get what he really wanted. Information.

[Serafina Duarte]

Serafina hadn’t even known his name. He was just Mac to her. Malcolm Armstrong was a good name, a strong name, and it fitted him like a well-tailored suit. It was a name for the 9 o’clock news. Serafina tried to predict where Mac was going with this. The projector went unnoticed, though she cued in on the low drone of a fan from somewhere close. The technical information thrown onto the wall was for everyone but her.

Mac continued and Serafina suppressed a growing dread. The sensation tingled through her and settled behind her breastbone. It set her heart beating fast. Syndicates and Lodges, supernatural fraternities akin to gang-affiliated freemasonry. She knew Mac walked a dangerous line; he alluded to situations, people, and places before. Serafina stowed her curiosity and didn’t ask, not wanting to know. But here he was, telling everything.

Now Malcolm Armstrong wanted a place of his own. And he wanted their help in making it happen. Serafina didn’t see the rings that accompanied his proposal, but she would have enjoyed the play on matrimony.

Markus spoke first, and she let the question stand. Mac had been good to her, and she liked him. She wanted to hear Mac out, but if this headed where she presumed it did, she wanted no part in it.

[Billy Broder]

Billy listened to everyone speak... mainly Mac. Billy hadn't actually known Mac's full name and was surprised his nickname wasn't Mal but whatever. The build up too it had Billy narrowing his eyes.

Official agencies, crime orgs, lodges. It was all fine and good for some arcanists to group up but too many and someone would want to label it. Get them a name, a themesong, decoder rin- oh jeez Mac already had rings.

Forming a support group was all good in theory until it drew the wrong kind of attention. To say nothing of Billy's opinions on the Exchange- Mac himself just listed a stream of people that might lay claim or level grief at anywhere Mac may go.

Hard to think a group calling themselves the syndicate wouldn't try to bully and ex-member and his friends into favors. Gutted by internal strife or not.

Markus asked what Mac meant by carving their own place and Billy figured that was a good first question so let it slide.

Beefing up elemental capacities? Broder wasn't sure what that meant but he was starting to see things in a different light after looking through his Father's grimoire. Elements meant... less to him than they once did.

[Emily Reyes]

Outfit

The invitation to this strange shindig came to Emily by way of the Sewing Circle. This was a relief, because this was the only casual social arena in which she was open with her magic—how else would they know about her except by her attendance at the Exchange workshop? If it had been by any other method , she would’ve gone to ground rather than thought to attend.

Instead, the somewhat reclusive witch ran it by the head arcanist at the circle. Dorion, just Dorion. She had no idea what his first name was, but like many others at the Exchange, he seemed to prefer his surname anyway. She’d stood in his office, holding the ram skull invite like it might bite her. It was weird. It wasn’t her scene, and the ram skull was particularly disconcerting. It looked like some kind of Eyes Wide Shut shenanigans and that wasn’t her scene.

In turn, he’d looked it over with an air of amusement before judging it as a lot of hot air and flashy suits. Typical new age arcanist claptrap. Magical, certainly, but mostly harmless, which had Emily considering attending rather than writing it off all together.

She waffled for a bit before letting her curiosity win her over. That said, she refused to go alone, so she offered to buy Max dinner in exchange for being her bodyguard for the evening. Only after she secured his agreement did she snicker and tell him about the orange dress code. That didn’t fly, but they still had a plan, and Emily constantly steeled herself for it in the days leading up to the event. It was a struggle for the introvert to not talk herself out of it.

Finally, when the day came, she’d decided that she’d fretted too much not to go through with it. The emotional tax needed to be satisfied. Unfortunately, a combination of traffic and a late workday had them running late to the party, but they were still welcomed like VIPs when they arrived. That unnerved Emily, but she stayed secure as long as Max was in sight. It seemed he was able to get by on fake wizardry. He could talk rituals when he needed to, and she didn’t expect anyone to tell him to prove it. If someone did, and really forced the issue, then… well, they could deal with it like they dealt with other supernatural dilemmas.

Dressed in a two tone dress, she stood out amidst the orange. She was also adorned with her various crafted items, all practically disguised as jewelry. Her spellqueller, her light lattice, and the antique comb in her hair. The main party was incredibly flashy, but she didn’t spend too long there, knowing that she’d arrived long after the starting time.

As they were shown to the room, the man at the door called ahead to let the mysterious others know they were coming. Her stomach did flips as they were shown inside, and then quickly settled when she spotted two familiar faces. And a few unfamiliar ones as well.

Emily smiled to Billy (Seras too, but in this case it was the thought that counted). Stepping out of the way of the door, she noted she was likely the oldest arcanist here. God, what had she walked into. She was not only feeling too old for this, but the pomp and circumstance had her feeling too tired.

With a polite smile for everyone else, she said in a steady voice, “Sorry to interrupt. The traffic on the way over here was awful.”

[Max Kuryakin]

Outfit
Aspect

The whole thing was fucking weird, as far as Max was concerned, but he wasn't concerned enough to keep his amusement off his face as the pair had approached the building where it was all happening. He just couldn't deal with the Suffolk County Jail look. It was a little too Halloween for summer, he thought, even for New England.

Following Emily, though, he didn't have to deal with the orange stuff. He'd picked the one bespoke suit he had out of his closet, the one Leah had dragged him to get fitted for. It felt fantastic to wear, amazing what custom tailoring did, and it also felt expensive as all hell. The green wasn't too gaudy, but a non-traditional enough colour that he didn't look totally out of place. Next to Emily, he fit, which was the only thing that mattered, since he was here for her. Parties like this weren't his thing, but Emily had asked and he wouldn’t say no.

But as they got to what he had to assume was the VIP section, someone was quick enough to attend to Emily. Trailing behind, he did what every self-important dickhead did when he'd briefly worked as a bouncer in Boston and barely spared the muscle a glance as he followed right after her. He wasn't as decked out in jewelry as she was, but his cufflinks had come with the suit, and he had the fey's illusory ring on his finger this time, shivering with magic that he'd become familiar with. His dogtags were around his neck, maybe detracting from the whole look, but the pin that hung from it and the little glowing lantern Emily had made were too important to leave out, and the tags were non-negotiable these days.

Whatever metric they used to judge who was in prison orange and who wasn't, no one challenged Max as he followed Emily, hands in his pockets as he scanned the crowd and carefully assessed the people and the exits. As theatrical and funny as it was on the outside, having passed the threshold, he could feel magic shivering all over the fucking place, and it made his skin crawl. It intensified when he passed close by certain people, fading to a bare tickle in other spots. Not everyone was wearing something magical, or was doing something magical, but there was enough here to make Max’s nose itch.

All the magic around made him wonder if someone would challenge him, but then he had to wonder again, what was the metric? Max knew his blood was a bad idea in a ritual, but shifters could still perform rituals. He had all the theory in his head, had even scribed some circles even if he had had no intent of setting them off. He'd even puzzled out what kind of magic could change someone's shape, riding in on Emily’s coattails as she discovered the Sewing Circle, just through sheer academic interest. From the stuff he’d read, it didn't hold a candle to a werewolf's abilities, even if it could mimic it.

That didn't matter, though, as they led the pair to a more private room away from the party. Max didn't give a shit about being late, so he walked tall, even trailing by Emily's right side, not an ounce of nerves or unease. Maybe it was military bravado, maybe it was werewolf arrogance, but he made sure his attitude and body language spoke of someone who was supposed to be there. And he was, but for Emily, more than his own sake or the magic.

Once he was inside, though, there were a few surprises. Billy, for one. Mystery rave parties didn't seem his speed, but alright. Max arched an eyebrow, smirking just a little as he inclined his head at the guy. Their last talk had been about Billy’s love life, so Max couldn’t help but wonder how the kid had fared against his delusionally chosen paramour.

Then there was that guy from the subway disaster, Markus. So fresh to this whole thing Max had met him right after the Exchange had clued him in, but here he was not too long after. That escalated quickly, to go from there to here, in the middle of a magic party, but Max still offered the guy a less smirky smile and a two-fingered salute. Familiar faces, and all.

The third guy was only kinda familiar, like Max had seen him before. His memory wasn’t helping him much at all, the kind of cloudy that told him maybe it’d been a blackout. Max let it lie, and let Emily do the talking, just reaching up to settle his palm against her lower back. Just enough to remind her he was at her back and she had nothing to worry about that they wouldn’t worry about together.

[Malik Cartwright]

He was going to answer Markus's question but froze. It didn’t take a mind reader or one of those “empath” Tiktokers to read the room. They were skittish. He was starting to become skittish. And he felt like honesty was starting to bite him in the ass. He didn’t do well with being upfront, personable, or making connections. It used to be his thing and then it wasn’t. Magic replaced that. It gave him an excuse to be solitary. Got to keep the secret, right? The Syndicate offered protection from folks getting too close. That was gone. Hex House? Good for networking when it came to business, but not this. This involved, opening up. He didn’t feel like Mac in this moment.

He felt like Malcolm and Malcolm wanted to run away. Before he could make heads or tails as to how to move, a new person walked in. They never met in person.

What was really weird was Max walking in behind her. Max who he hadn’t seen since that night at the Club. He wanted to apologize for how crazy things got. But, time got the best of him. Rust looked up at the two of them and wagged his tail. He let out a light bark before running back over to Mac.

Trust your good boy, Mac boy.

Malcolm nodded as he got up to pull out two more seats out.


“ My earlier announcement of my background wasn’t to put you at alarm but as a cautionary of the situation for most of us, ” he continued “, it’s the same as with Mr. Eldridge's sister…Victoria, we both sought power, camaraderie, and understanding…and the wrong people found a way to exploit that. ”

“ The important thing I want is two things: One, I don’t want to keep seeing us practitioners fall one by one because we’re too skittish to work with each other. Two, I want us to be able to help ourselves without being under someone, having information withheld from us, or worst constantly having to beg for resources when we could pull it together. ”

“ I’ve been going through hell these last going on five years trying to stake a claim for myself only to be met with failure, death, exploitation, missing limbs, missing teeth, and honestly aren’t we all just fucking tired of being scared of each other. ”

“ Cards out on the table completely: Rings will be enchanted with Elemental firepower, the coffin downstairs and this whole party has components collected for the host…they’re yours to use, if you are looking for information this is the place for that. ” He opened the box of rings out on the table. They looked like ordinary ring bands.

“ Lastly, every member of the Syndicate, not a 'witch' is dead if that eases things. ”

[Markus Eldridge]

As Markus was relaxing in the room, two unfamiliar individuals walked in. The first person was a stunning woman who, like the group, was not wearing orange. She greeted some members with a smile, indicating that she knew them. Markus acknowledged her with a nod. However, the second person caught his attention. The redheaded person raised an eyebrow and turned towards him. Markus tried to appear unbothered, but he recognized Max who was also not wearing the orange attire of the 'normal' guests. The two of them, along with Goki, had been caught together in the transit system, not long ago. That event was a significant factor in Markus's decision to learn Magic from Max. He didn't want to feel powerless like he did that day.

Still, when Max gave Markus a nod and solute, the redhead would return it in kind with a slight smile of acknowledgment. Though it surprised Markus that Max was here, in some ways, it made him feel better about the situation. He knew Max to be level-headed, even if he was strangely fast, and Markus wasn't entirely sure the man was human; however, he was someone Markus could at least trust to keep his shit together if things went sour. As Mac spoke up again, Markus turned his gaze back to their host, giving the man his full attention. What Markus was not prepared for was the mention of his sister's death.

Almost without realizing it, the redhead would close up, becoming guarded, though he would not hide his gaze, if anyone looked his way, he would keep the majority of his attention on Mac. He didn't want sympathy or acknowledgment, and while it was true, he had absolutely planned to use this group, if he joined, as a way to find out more information. He had hoped to do it in his own time. To be thrown for such a loop was shocking, and Markus almost missed what was to follow as he took a moment to compose himself.

[Serafina Duarte]

Billy pitched his voice low and whispered the newcomers’ names. Neither name was immediately familiar to her. Only when the stranger spoke did Serafina realize who Billy meant. Emily had been kind to her, and the memory brought a small smile to Serafina’s lips. It also brought a healthy dose of worry being reminded of the artifact she lost that night. The box was still at large.

Mac backtracked for Emily and Max. Serafina didn’t know anyone named Mr. Eldridge, he was introduced as Markus, and she remained ignorant to any reaction the young man gave to the mention of his dead sister. But this wasn’t the thesis of Mac’s argument, only a side comment, and he went on.

If she understood him correctly; they were stronger together. He proposed a commune. A pooling of resources and knowledge, freely available to all. That held more promise than the laundry list of dangerous-sounding groups mentioned earlier. The mention of a coffin downstairs got a raised eyebrow from Serafina. What else had she missed at the party?

And knowing the Syndicate was dead, bar the witches, offered little comfort. As one of the last men standing, how much blood was on Mac’s hands?

[Billy Broder]

As they were talking two new people walked in. A tall woman and a sickeningly handsome man. They were dressed nice, nicer than Billy had ever seen, and moved with confidence. Tilting his head toward Serafina Billy whispered “Em just showed up with her friend Max.” Billy didn't know if Serafins knew Max or not so he added in the connection to Emily, though even as dense as he was he suspected they were more than friends.

Max arched an eyebrow at him and smirked, Billy gave him and small half-shrug then returned the nod- dipping his head a touch lower than Max had. They didn't really get along on this magic stuff, but Max was a good guy and if something dumb happened because a bunch of wozards got into a room together Max was a good one to have on hand.

Medical professional turned foreman and all.

Mac kept going and made his pitch a bit better this time, though when he mentioned all the magic talents in the syndicate were still stomping around Billy just heard that the group wasn't as gone as previously stated. His concern of old ties being leveraged seemed pretty valid.

The idea of a group willing to stand with him against outside interests wasn't something he could just write off though. Lest he end up in a shallow hole out in the desert. Two small holes in the back of his head.

Billy glanced at the new face? Eldridge. Lost a sister huh? Billy wondered what got her. He wanted to throw the blame on the Exchange right away but he knew all too well that they were just one of many monsters that could kill you in this world.

He kept his peace for now as he waited to see everyone else's reactions.

[Emily Reyes]

Emily had missed the first explanation. She’d missed the question. What she did not miss was the tension in the room, and Max’s touch was welcome while she wondered what they’d walked in on. Everyone looked very serious, which made her stomach drop. Was this a meet and greet like she thought?

They were seated shortly with the others, their chairs courtesy of Malcolm, the mysterious host of the event. Now that she had eyes on him, the mode of the invitations and the vibe of the whole event made sense. He seemed like a younger, perhaps even… goth-y wizard? Despite her caution, she liked his outfit, thinking it certainly added to the mystique, even if it seemed more runway than magical. With such a huge party and such a sense of fashion, she wondered if he wasn’t a very affluent wizard.

Emily sat down primly, edge of her seat, back straight, ankles crossed, hands folded in her lap. Tense, but not shy. Attentive, feeling out the serious mood of the room. She looked to the two people she didn’t know, thinking it wasn’t yet the right time to greet those she did.

The other man with him, the redhead. Emily was good with faces—she needed to be, considering her profession—so she was certain she’d never met this young man in her life. However, he still seemed familiar, like deja vu. The detective gazed at the redhead for just a moment longer than was strictly polite and then shifted her gaze to Max. Emily knew she could gauge quite a lot from the werewolf’s expression, especially when they were encountering a new situation, and to her mild surprise, he was greeting the redhead like he knew him. That was interesting.

But there was no time to ask as Malcolm dove into what seemed to Emily to be a recap of the things they’d missed, starting with the disconcerting way they’d been invited. That set the tone for her, and as the fashionable wizard went on, her stomach, which was already in her metaphorical shoes, twisted itself into knots. A faint frown set itself on her face.

This seemed like less of a meet and greet and more of an all hands. The mention of Victoria took her by surprise, and she thought back to her chat with the Inquisitor. It seemed her death was having a greater effect than Emily initially realized. It was inspiring others in the community to mobilize, band together and close ranks against the unknown threat that had taken the young witch’s life.

She didn’t hate the idea on its face. Reclusive though she was, she’d longed for a group of fellow practitioners ever since she set off her first ritual. The hours and days of studying alone and trying to teach herself things the Sewing Circle took for granted had been difficult and lonely even for her. However, there were two things that bothered her, and Emily worried her bottom lip.

The first was more personal. Emily barely knew some of these people and if they were asking to join forces, she needed more time to feel them out. She wasn’t even at the point of asking Billy and Seras if they’d like to pool resources.

The second was the nature of the ask, which seemed to be borne from fear. Victoria’s death stuck out to her as a major factor. Perhaps the witch felt more secure with a werewolf at her back, but something still didn’t sit right to her. There were systems in place for this, competent people working on it. Emily didn’t know all the details but desperate as it all seemed, there was an existing group they could rally around with plenty of resources and know-how.

She glanced around, trying to get a bead on Seras and Billy. They both looked somewhat amenable, or at least like they didn’t object, and she frowned thoughtfully. She thought they needed more information, especially if were going to apparently be wearing elemental rings.

Like the team of kids for Captain Planet. Or Nazgûl. Clearly, Malcolm was asking for a material commitment, especially since he was offering components. A spell, to bind them together?

Straightening up, Emily broke the quiet first. “It seems like you’re worried about our safety… Why not just go to the Exchange?” she wondered, serious and probing as she peered at the meeting leader.

Perhaps they didn’t know about the group? She knew for a fact that they were already working on Victoria’s murder, among other things. Unless the man had an ulterior motive… Emily was starting to think there was a strong possibility that he was making this case, throwing out the gory details like that, so he could convince everyone to join a group with him at the head. Illustrating it as a dire situation, like they needed to take the first port in the storm.

Emily had a strict policy about people and things that tried to play to her emotions, and her expression shuttered. She decided not to note that they were already working on Victoria’s case. The Inquisitor had made it clear they needed secrecy. Emily went on, “They have resources, and a group to learn with. It’s not completely free, but at least you know the asking price.”

She lifted an eyebrow at Malcolm, askance. Her point was, she knew what she was getting into with the Exchange. They were forthright in the ways that mattered and stayed out of her business. She could not say the same for this proposal. She needed a lot of convincing to take a magic ring. Lord of the Rings was practically a cautionary tale in that regard.

Still, if she had to take one, she vaguely hoped it was the one for Heart.

[Max Kuryakin]

Cinder (Concordance) Complete success

Max caught Billy’s whisper to the woman next to him, the werewolf finally taking in the other face he didn’t recognise. Billy’s phrasing made it seem like the woman knew Emily, which made him wonder if it wasn’t the crystal shop lady who knew both Em and Mathus. Blind, he remembered, which followed with how she didn’t turn her head to look and didn’t seem to look at anything in particular.

He wanted to ask if this was the Serafina that Mathus knew, have some casual conversation to distract himself from how the magic from earlier had crawled over his skin and set his teeth on edge, but the entire room was moving on. Instead, they got seated, chairs fetched by the self-declared host, which made Max judge his party planning chops. It wasn’t quite the moment to go ‘prison orange, really?’ and rib the guy for the weird corpo goth Halloween look of the whole thing, so he kept his tongue and sat down next to Emily, leaning back in a relaxed and confident pose, partly forced because of how he was still shaking off the discomfort, but Max had a long career of hiding his true feelings. Still, his expression was no less attentive. Evaluative, too, as Malcolm continued after he’d introduced himself.

There wasn’t any time for them to be introduced to the wider room, either, which threw the idea that this was a meet-and-greet out the window. Talk about cold open. Max listened, but the Syndicate thing and no witches being dead, he didn’t have any context for that, other than it being vaguely ominous.

But that fell to the wayside as Malik kept talking. When Vicky’s name came up, Max’s hackles went up, fresh off his talk with the Inquisitor about that whole clusterfuck. Then Malcolm kept talking, and Max felt a flush of anger at this guy... fear-mongering and using the corpse of his dead friend as a tool for it. With her brother standing right there? Real fucking low. The werewolf narrowed his eyes, looking at Markus and seeing some similarities now that he knew the relation, and spotting how the man closed off. Caught unpleasantly off guard, just like Max had been. So Markus hadn’t got a warning that this guy was going to use his sister’s death like that.

Max hid the irritation, knowing it wouldn’t do him any good. As tempting as it was for Max to point out that instilling fear in a bunch of people so they’d gang up never worked out well, if they took a look at history, he settled for silence. He couldn’t know if Malcolm was just desperate or manipulative, but encouraging fear with one hand and promising safety with the other was still a bad look. Manipulative, if he made an uncharitable judgement. Max wasn’t a stranger to that kind of talk, but it just told him to not trust whoever was doing it.

He didn’t interrupt the guy, even if Max felt the words weighting down his tongue. Instead, he dedicated that energy to carefully listen. Taking in every single word and every stated intent as Malcolm spoke. Like he’d been trained to do in his discussion classes for his Master’s degree, Max mentally broke down what Malcolm was saying. What he was actually saying. What he admitted to. His little speech said more about Malcolm than it did ritualists, thought Max. Admitting to trying to ‘stake a claim’ and meeting resistance only made Max assume he’d antagonised people, instigated all that trouble. Wanted to be at the top, so he’d fucked around and found out. More Malcolm’s problem than something shared with the rest of them.

Max let his eyes slide over the others in the room as Malcolm finished speaking, taking the measure of them, his thoughts and opinions putting themselves together as he took stock of the room. Markus still looked like someone had punched him in the gut. Serafina looked mostly blank, no notable expression on her face. Keeping her cards close to her chest, then. Even Billy was keeping a lid on it, which surprised Max. He was used to the guy talking over everyone. God, Max hoped Billy could see through this guy.

He didn’t have to look at Emily. Max could feel her in the back of his mind. She wasn’t convinced either, even if he couldn’t tell much of the nuance in her why’s and how’s. He felt the intent in her before she spoke and kept his silence to hear what she had to say, and inclined his head in a brief nod, agreeing. If things had been so bad for Malcolm, why not go to the guys who had the expertise in dealing with those who turned magic on others? If he’d avoided them, then Malcolm might just be the kind of guy who wanted to stay off the Exchange’s radar. Maybe not criminal, in that context, since they didn’t really deal in that, but magical recklessness. Of the kind that endangered others. That fit Malcolm’s story.

“The Circle’s asking price isn’t steep either, and they don’t push the scare tactics,” Max pointed out, a beat after Emily, calm. Getting pissy would get him nowhere, even if he thought the guy was slimy. “I’d be more concerned about the people you pissed off. You should get the Exchange on that, that’s what they’re there for.”

They really did not know what Malcolm wanted from them, in terms of hidden favours or leverage, but the Circle was upfront. What were a few enchantments in the face of a steady supply of resources and a well-stocked magical library? Malcolm came with a lot of ideas, but admitted to a track record that showed a failure to actually deliver.

[Malik Cartwright]

Mac did a couple of calculations as he got up to get another drink. His mind tried to piece together a few things. The Math ain’t mathing, as Kiki would’ve said. There were a few things off. Mostly with the latecomers. He only had one interaction with Max. The detective not so much. So he couldn’t say for certain what was starting to eat at him.

Maybe I should have Donald run the tapes just in case, he thought to himself as he took a sip of his drink. Better to be precautious than blindsided. He sent Donald a quick text: Rewatch the tapes for the latecomers.

“ Well, when you say it like that, ” he began “, it almost sounds like I should be fearing for my safety here then. ” He turned off the projector and sat back in his chair.

“ For clarification, for those who came late I want to reiterate that I’m not looking for a coven, circle, cult, or dance squad, ” he continued “, I just want to work with practitioners I have a rapport with and not the other options that vary from cult to…a powerful collective with no oversight, no third party protections, and weirdly enough have kept themselves in power. ” He put down his drink and made sure to sit up straighter. He turned his attention away from the other two towards Billy and Sera.

“ But I will answer this, I’m not asking for your loyalty, your friendship, or to be in charge…hell I think Serafina should be in charge if we’re going in that direction, ” he sighed “, I would be asking for the same protections, assistance, and healing that I’ve asked before. ” He turned his attention to Markus.

“ After all I believe that out of all of us she has the wisdom and experience to keep folks on the straight and narrow, it’s helped me recently decided how I want to move forward on my own terms. ”

“ As far as us, let me apologize for speaking out of term, ” Mac said lightly “, I let my emotions run faster than my brain, and I just want to reiterate that I will continue working with you in the future. ”

“ Last the rings, would have an elemental enchantment, ” he said sliding his blueprints onto the table “, I’m a craftsman, we’re taught to make things both as service but to show that we’re investing in our relationships. ” Mac then took the rings off the table and put them away.

“ However, it looks as if I’m stepping on their territory so I don’t mind backing off for other’s comfort.”

[Serafina Duarte]

Emily brought up the Exchange. Someone, who she presumed to be Emily’s friend, agreed. She’d heard of the Exchange and the Circle, not one person here hadn’t. She wasn’t some dark circle adept who thought human sacrifice was just a means to an end, and she had no reason for her hesitance beyond discomfort, but seeking help from those who made everything their business seemed a step too far.

First, there was no reason to involve them. With only a few unfortunate events beneath her belt, Serafina wasn’t that fearful. Thinking she was on some dangerous path would only put that intention into the universe. Second, the Exchange had better things to do with their time and resources. Those dark circle adepts wouldn’t hunt themselves. Third, and the most pressing, she didn’t want their noses in her business. Why court ruin?

There was a click somewhere beside her, and the susurrating hum died. She remained unresponsive when Mac turned his attention to Billy and herself. Yet when Mac had the audacity to suggest she should be in charge, Serafina drew a sharp breath and flinched as if Mac reached across the table and flicked her nose. The image of her leading this dissident group made her want to squirm. She wouldn’t know where to start.

Just when Serafina thought the torment was over, Mac continued. He praised her wisdom and experience, and it suddenly got very warm. A flush crept beneath her collar and up her neck to color her cheeks. This was beyond the pale, and Serafina exhaled a shaky breath, and seemed to curl in on herself.

The timbre and direction of Mac’s voice shifted and Serafina felt he wasn’t addressing her side of the table anymore. The metaphorical spotlight shifted, and she made herself relax. And besides, he offered a confusing apology. Curiously kept her engaged enough to follow the conversation and Mac’s eventual disillusion.

She cleared her throat and readied to speak. “I don’t think this is about territory, Mac. And I haven’t heard anyone asking you to back off. Only consider an alternative. ” She raised her shoulders and let them droop, a shrug for someone who only had the mannerism described. “I am all for camaraderie. I am open to collaboration. I can’t tell you how many books I need reading to me.” She gave a lopsided grin at her little joke. Billy knew better than anyone here that it wasn’t a joke.

“But as you say: I helped you onto this path?” She asked and still found that hard to believe. What had she said to cause that? “Where do we come into your plan?”

[Billy Broder]

Billy watched everyone as he tried to guage reaction to the offer and who seemed more or less interested. Or rather Rowling did. Billy's eyes were straight ahead but the owl let its head swivel back and forth freely as it watched and reported to its wizard.

Em looked like a mom getting bad news from the principal about her kid. Straight back at the edge of a seat. Prim and proper came to mind. Max looked like Max. Billy was still working on sussing out everyone's stance when Em brought the Exchange up.

He felt the bottom fall out of his stomach and he snapped his eyes over to her and then Max a second later. He didn't know they had ties to the Exchange. He didn't know.

He felt... cold. And very alone all of a sudden. Things seemed to start falling away from him as he crossed his arms in front of his chest to hide how tight he was clenching his hands.

If both of them knew it- He noted in the back of his mind Serafina didn't as who they were.... were they already in Easthaven. Had then been a presence here all along? He felt sick.

Focus William. came the voice of Rowling.

Billy glanced up, and he looked around the room a bit.

“I... um.... I dont have anything against team ups, any of you need help feel free to ask. But I don't think starting a band, so to speak, is a great idea.” he said. He was happy to help, but some distance was called for.

How well did he know everyone here after all? Certainly not as well as he'd thought. He closed everything off, a part of his mind spinning off into patterns and runes to distract himself as he let out a long slow breath.

Mac made some good points... Billy wasn't sure what he could do but he needed to start thinking long term and about he he could look after himself and his own. From anyone.

[Emily Reyes]

Emily put the suggestion of the Exchange out there out of pure curiosity. Max backed her up, pulling the conclusion along even further—they should be more worried about the people Mac apparently crossed than the Exchange. She glanced over at the werewolf and smiled faintly, the shadow of satisfaction that they were on the same page.

However, the silence that followed as Mac started texting was awkward and strange, making Emily feel drawn. The man’s response about his safety was even stranger. She was so focused on their host that she unfortunately missed Billy’s reaction. Instead, she just exhaled very slowly, keeping her emotions off her face. It was just a parade of increasing confusion anyway. A “powerful collective with no oversight, no third party protections, and weirdly enough have kept themselves in power” sounded bitter and pointed. Was he talking about these other people he’d been contending with? The Exchange?

She didn’t know enough to say either way and that troubled her, but she forced herself to relax. Or pretend to. Eyebrows knitting together, Emily slowly slid back in the chair as Mac went on till she felt the chair back. Legs crossing and arms folding across her stomach, her body language unconsciously closed her off, although she leaned toward Max, resting her shoulder lightly on his.

There was a lot going on. Mac wasn’t trying to start a group or ask for their loyalty, but he wanted Seras to lead them if they did happen to end up that way. Seras didn’t seem like a fan of that, now that Em was paying attention to other people in the room.

Then he was talking about getting ahead of himself, an apology. Followed by another explanation of the rings and how he meant to attach elements to each one, which was intriguing, but not something Emily could say she was fully convinced of yet. In fact, she thought that both Seras and Billy’s apparent uncertainty covered it all for her. What was Mac’s plan if he didn’t want to group up? She nodded, agreeing with Seras’ question.

The man wasn’t convincing her, but she wasn’t getting up to leave just yet. Holding her tongue, she looked over at Max again, lifting an eyebrow, silently conveying how perplexed she was. Her expression also carried a note of apologetic regret. She felt a little bad for dragging him into this.

[Max Kuryakin]

After they'd spoken, Max slid his eyes around the room, wondering if he could discern what the others were thinking by looking at their faces. He was given plenty of time to, as Malcolm said nothing immediately. Billy seemed a little restless. Unsettled, maybe? It was hard to tell why, with everything that it could be. Or maybe it was just the awkward silence, as the other man fiddled with his phone and got himself a drink.

Then Malcolm was talking again, and nothing was any clearer than before. He only repeated himself to start, reiterating as much as he'd already said, but as if it hadn't occurred to him? Max frowned a little, confused, but had little room to ask for clarification as the man was still speaking. About cults, powerful collectives, and power. Max had to assume he didn't have a strong enough handle on all the groups involved in the New England supernatural sphere to fully understand the subtext to what the guy was saying. Was it a shot at the Exchange? Max couldn't really know. His experience with them was limited. He only knew them in passing, and had never encountered them on business. Did he mean the Circle? Weren’t they a bunch of enthusiasts? Happily leafing through dusty books and cussing at ritual circles, even if one looked like a soccer mom. Complete nerds, if Max had to put a word to it. They'd been fun to talk to, the times he'd followed Emily to poke his nose in. Sometimes a little unhinged, with one guy talking about teleporting and chortling about putting someone in a lake.

Malcolm talked on, and Max's eyes flicking to who he now knew was Serafina as she flinched like Malcom had flicked her. God, the man couldn't read a room, could he? It looked like the statement had hit her more like an insult than a recommendation. A part of Max pitied the man. In the wake of everything, it just looked like he was scrambling, maybe a little frightened, putting up an act and having it crumble when anyone spoke against it, as mildly as they had.

So no mastermind, Max thought, or he'd be better at reeling himself in. The rings, whatever they'd been for, were removed, and finally someone else spoke. Serafina, taking on the voice of reason, and telling Max that much of what Malcolm has said was probably just things the guy had been thinking about, rather than anyone suggesting it. Billy spoke up too, turning down the idea. Max could tell something was bothering him, though, but he didn't know the kid well enough to pinpoint what it was.

Max looked at Emily, catching her look. He quirked an eyebrow, giving her a little smile, agreeing and reassuring her all at once. Their input had gotten more than a 'no', so Max kept his mouth shut to see if anyone else could make sense of things, eyes sliding back to those gathered around the table.

[Markus Eldridge]

It was a lot to take in, everything being said, the reference to his sister, the people around him. Markus had been in his element. At first, board meetings were his thing, yet now he was reeling. As the conversations continued around him, he would listen in, having taken a moment to catch his bearings.

Listening to what was proposed made a certain amount of sense to the upstart. Frankly, he had some uncertainty in trusting The Exchange with all things. This sounded like a collective but a loose one. A place where people could ask for help and expect to give it back in return, but without the same guidelines or expectations that might come with an authority group. The only problem with that is such a group has a major risk of turning into a cult, getting in trouble, or worse if any of them should turn hostile.


Markus listened as the one known as Serafina spoke up. Her questions and clarifications were sound. Markus wanted to know the answers. When Billy added his thoughts, the redhead would agree again. The rings also intrigued him, but for now, they felt like a back-burner item. Names are important; people you know you can call on and trust are useful. Visibly adjusting in his chair, putting in the effort to become more relaxed after what was said earlier, he would speak up.

His voice had become graven. “My sister, as far as I can tell, was killed because she trusted the wrong people. I trust you Mac, but I don't know most of the others in this room.” He would turn, looking at each of the others within the room. “I cannot make the same mistake.”

Taking a deep breath, he would continue. “I agree with what has been said; while I do not relish the idea of signing up for a cause I don’t fully understand. Whether that be this… collective or the Exchange. God knows this town can be dangerous, and going into the unknown alone gets people killed or worse.” Markus would pause, nodding towards Serafina. “Serafina is right. If I were against what I was hearing, I would have already walked out. I want to know more, and I am all for knowing more people to talk shop with.”