Hellfire Gala: Feast Fit for a King

[Sasha Sadovsky]

Sasha winced as soon as he heard various noises outside. *Maybe I should remain in the restroom for the rest of the evening. At least there aren't any loud noises in here. Perhaps with the exception of my multiple sobs* he thought. The ex-button man imagined Alison sitting and wondering if he was OK. *What should I do? I don't wish to force Alison to endure solitude, but I also loathe the thought of sitting near Mr. Dragotti and possibly hearing additional cruel words from him.*

[Lex Luthor]

A bald man in a rather expensive looking tuxedo entered the room flanked by two men in plain black suits with earpieces,the LexCorp logo emblazoned on their ties. A doorman quickly asked "Mr. Luthor, May I take your coat?" To which the man responded "Of course, Thank you my friend." Luthor removed his long fur coat and handed it to the doorman.

Walking towards the table Tony Stark sat at, he took a champagne flute from a tray offered by a waiter. Stopping for a brief moment he addressed his entourage, "You know what to do. Anyone so much as looks at a weapon, open fire."

He continued towards Stark, walking with a purpose as he toyed with the handle of his walking cane; a large emerald.
Coming within earshot of the table he said "Tony! Sorry I missed you at the board meeting last month. As you know LexCorp had a spot of trouble over in Africa, I was... forced to attend personally." Luthor was of course referring to the board meeting because he owned 17% of Stark industries, that 17% was bought during Stark's fascination with arc reactor technology, when Stark industries' stock was at an all time low.

[Iron Man]

"Oksana," Tony started to say as he turned toward Magnetrixx but then saw Lex Luthor walking over. "Shoot me now," he muttered under his breath before sucking it up and smiling back at Luthor. "Everybody seems to own a piece of me these days," Tony added with a dry laugh. "Lex, you remember Oksana, I'm sure," he said as he motioned for Oksana to stand closer to him. "You met her when we were at that conference in Gdansk two years ago. The one where Doom stomped in and demanded we hand over..."

Tony stopped for a moment as he saw Jackson getting ready to make a break for it. "Jackson, turn the repulsors off and sit down," Tony grumbled before turning back to Lex. "As you were saying, Lex, Africa. How did that all go over there in the end? T'Challa said you made a little stop at his front door during your trip."

Tony was praying Jackson would just sit down for a few minutes until he and Adaryn could sort this mess out. He didn't want Lex figuring out everything about Jackson just yet. 

 

[Karenza]

"Oh no," Kari said to Jean-Paul, Laurel, Logan, Dana and Pete as she saw Adaryn and Jackson with Tony Stark. "Logan, before you say a word..."

"Just don't break his nose, OK?" Logan replied with a quick wink as he took Kari's drink from her hand. "Baby sister. I get it."

"Kari, before you run into the fray, I think Pete and I might leave a bit early. This is really not my thing anymore, and these shoes are not as comfy as promised. Emma rooked me on that one," Dana added as she looked down at her feet. 

"You two do whatever you need to do," Kari said with a laugh. "And if you go to that pub you like, Pete, Dana still owes you from that last game of darts."

"Laugh, big sister," Dana said as she stuck out her tongue before Kari started to walk toward Stark and the group at his table. Jack was there with his friend Craig, and Alison was holding court there as well.

"Ryn, is there a problem?" Kari asked as she finally stood next to her younger sister and her nephew. "Tony, Oksana, good to see you, as always," she added as she nodded to the other man standing next to Tony. She knew Lex Luthor by reputation, but their paths, as far as she remembered, had never crossed.

[Jack Sparrow]

Jack looked back at the man Stark was talking to and wanted to hide. He knew exactly who Lex Luthor was, and that was not a very good thing at all. No, Luthor did not own a part of Jack's business, nor did Jack cause the man trouble on some distant occasion.  He just knew the man by reputation, and that reputation was frightening.

"Craig, should someone go check on Sasha?" Jack whispered quietly. "Not either of us nor Mrs. Brown. Maybe one of the staff? I don't want him in there causing a scene or something. I know I have been jumpy as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, and I will try to compose myself, but Sasha getting on the evening news is not a good idea."

[Lex Luthor]

Luthor laughed coldly "Doctor Doom... What was it he wanted? The Trident Project wasn't it? That old relic of Atlantis, charged with Olympian magics?" He looked at Oksana "Ah yes, I remember Agent Romanov. How are you dear?" 

Lex felt slightly uncomfortable upon the mention of T'Challa, however he hid it effortlessly.
"Yes, T'Challa was quite cooperative once I offered to assist him financially in return. Needless to say we returned from Africa with what I desired." Lex gestured to his cane, which on closer inspection appeared to be an adamantium pole with a large emerald as a handle.

"The metal will prove quite valuable, I believe."

For a brief moment Lex eyed Jackson, the cogs ticking in his bald head were almost audible.
He turned his attention back to Stark before anyone noticed, a glimmer in his green eyes which seemed somehow brighter than a moment before.

He changed the subject to avoid any silence. "So I hear Mr Reinhardt might be selling his stocks soon, this Wednesday he said. I thought I'd alert you to that before anyone else buys it up. A competitor for example."

[Iron Man]

Tony was prepared to duck as Lex called Oksana by Natasha's last name. This was going to get interesting if Tony didn't fix it fast. "I think you have your redheaded Russians confused, Lex. This is Oksana Petrov. Perhaps I should do that round of introductions after all. In a minute anyway."

As he thought about what Lex said about his board member Rinehart, Tony couldn't help but wonder why Lex hadn't snapped up the stock himself and not said a word. Now wasn't the time to look the gift horse in the mouth. It might bite, and Tony was not up on all his shots.

"Thank you for the heads up on Rinehart, Lex," he replied as he turned for a moment to Jackson. The words were going to come spilling out sooner or later. Might as well get to it now. "Clint Barton and Doctor Stephen Strange," Tony said as he motioned to both men standing next to Oksana. "And Kari and Adaryn MacFeorais and..."

"Oh for Goddess sake, spit it out!" Jackson yelled as he glared at Tony. "Jackson MacFeorais Stark. Nice to meet you."

"He gets that from me. Or I mean his father. Jackson is from another universe. Funny how all that works out," Tony added as he shook his head. "Adaryn is his mother, and Kari is his aunt."

[Sasha Sadovsky]

Sasha touched his mask. He lowered it until it concealed his face. *I'm well aware of my weaknesses. I know what will occur if I view my reflection without my facial disguise. My own ability will cause me to weaken* Sasha thought. He turned his head when he thought he heard footsteps.

''Who's there?'' Sasha demanded in a stern voice. His eyes narrowed in anger for a moment. Touching his mask again, he prepared to lift it in case anyone wished to harm him. *The footsteps could belong to Alison or Mr. Dragotti. Perhaps a random person. I refuse to harm those I care about* he pondered. Sasha lowered his hand and faced the mirror again.

*Perhaps I'm being a bit too paranoid. Maybe there aren't any footsteps at all and I'm imagining things. What Mr. Dragotti said to me was very painful. Am I being a coward by not facing him?* Sasha touched two sides of a sink before he trembled. He supposed his current bodily reaction answered his recent question. *At least my trembling body is honest.* He guessed he could disregard Mr. Dragotti for the rest of the evening, but he wasn't certain.   

[Craig Dragotti]

Mr. Dragotti glanced at the tuxedo-clad man and the latter's associates. He had no idea who the fellow was. *Hopefully the man won't cause any trouble* he thought. He turned to Jack after the pirate's question. A mental image of Sasha sobbing by a sink caused the man to roll his eyes. That was when he frowned and shook his head.

''Sasha tends to cry in a very loud tone,'' Mr. Dragotti said. His eyes widened in horror at the thought of Sasha lifting his mask in case anyone disturbed him. ''It would be a very good idea for someone else to enter the restroom. Sasha might use his ability to defend himself and someone could get hurt. Is that what you meant when you said you didn't wish for him to get on the evening news?'' He shrugged. ''I guess a person can be safe as long as he reveals who he is before he enters the restroom.''     

[Jack Sparrow]

"Yes, I'd hate to think someone might walk in and scare Sasha, and then he'd lift his mask and cause a problem. What if it were the mayor of the city or some dignitary?" Jack said to Craig as his eyes got wide at the thought. "We do not need someone running out screaming and having Sasha arrested. Cyclops would have a fit."

"Perhaps I should go check on him?" Mrs. Brown offered as she looked back and forth between Jack and Craig. "I'd tap on the door. I wouldn't walk in."

"That is most definitely not going to happen," Jack said as he stared at Mrs. Brown. "I do not need to pick you off the floor in some fit of fatigue because Sasha got scared. Craig is right. We should get one of the staff to handle this."

[Lex Luthor]

Luthor winced as he realized he had just called Oksana by Agent Romanov's name. "Apologies Oksana, My memory for names is not what it used to be."

Luthor eyed Jack Sparrow with suspicion *Likely more ragtag pirate filth. I had enough of them in Africa.*
"Perhaps my staff can retrieve your friend? You'll be gentle with the boy won't you Jones?"
"Of course Sir." The black tied employee replied.

Returning his gaze to Stark he raised his eyebrows "Fascinating..." He looked at Jackson "You must show me how you came through some time. Alternate universes are created with every decision made by a sentient lifeform, Meaning there are millions of earths devoid of human life and packed with natural resources and that dear boy is something worth capitalizing on, wouldn't you agree?"

Lex turned and saw Karenza Macfeorais, "Karenza? Gabriel sends his regards from Nairobi." he nodded to the red-head.  

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig's eyes widened after Jack's comment about the mayor possibly scaring Sasha. ''How ticked off would Cyclops be if the mayor was harmed?'' He turned to Mrs. Brown before he shook his head. Craig almost reminded her about Sasha, but Jack already did. He heard Lex's offer to get Sasha out of the restroom and faced him. ''Address Sasha and let him know who you are before you step into the restroom,'' he said to the employee.  

[Karenza]

{{Uh oh}} was the mental tap Kari sent to Logan as she stood near Luthor. Logan was almost always looped into Kari's thoughts, so he had heard everything until that point anyway, but the mention of any of her children set off her radar in slightly different ways.

"Gabriel? So you're the mysterious benefactor he mentioned in his last email? Our family has friends in Kenya, and I had thought it might be one of them. Whatever he is doing for you, I'm sure he's doing it very well. Gabriel is not one to just let the grass grow under his feet."

Kari was very proud of all her children, so it was no surprise she said what she had about Gabriel. She also wasn't stupid enough to think Luthor would expound on what exactly Gabriel was doing. "I take it Eileen is with him as well?" she asked as she looked at Luthor. Then she looked at Adaryn who was a bit beside herself about this whole universe-hopping business regarding Jackson. "And Jackson came through mystic portal as far as we can tell, along with my brother Roderick and his son Hugh. I believe you were evading Galactus in your world, right Jack?"

"Right and right, Auntie K," Jackson chimed in as he smiled at Luthor. "I take it you're a big science guy, too, sir?"

[Jubilee]

"Oh for Pete's sake!" Jubilee said as one of Luthor's men started to go to the bathroom to collect Sasha. "I'm going with."

"Jubilee! Let the gentleman handle it!" Jack said loudly as the pint-sized former firecracker followed Luthor's bodyguard to the men's room. "Alison is smart enough not to wander into the men's loo! Follow her lead!"

"I am not going inside. Cheez wiz, Captain Jack! I'm going to make sure Sasha doesn't freak out. I've had Monet walk in on me and scare me half to death. And since Sasha is so upset, well, he doesn't need to get more upset."

Jubilee followed the guard and waited to see if she was needed. She understood why Alison didn't go after Sasha. Some freak with a camera would snap it and put it up on TMZ. Jubes could care less who saw her standing by the guy's john.

[Jack Sparrow]

"Scott might be a tad peeved if anyone were harmed Craig," Jack said as he watched Jubilee follow the guard to the bathroom. "And I am sure he will not be thrilled if Jubilee gets into some sort of mischief or other. Why couldn't Sasha just keep sitting with Alison and leave it that?"

Jack turned and looked behind their table for a moment and saw Michael Priest, Loki and Aro making their way into the room. The pirate then turned very pale as he saw Cailleach walking between Aro and Loki. "Craig, we just ended up in the middle of a horror movie. It's the Night of the Doppelgangers," he added as he pointed toward Cailleach. "The evil mirror of our Karenza. Perhaps we should all go hide with Sasha now?"

Before he turned back to his companions, Cailleach blew Jack a kiss. Fire danced behind her eyes and just as quickly vanished. "Yes. We should hide. In Brazil, perhaps? Far, far away from that woman!" 
 

[Lex Luthor]

Luthor nodded to Karenza "Yes, Gabriel and Eileen where very useful in obtaining the metal we went to Africa for. It's called Adamantium, it's not found in many places but Africa is one of them. I needed it for my new cane. I'm somewhat of a philanthropist, hence using the rarest metal on the planet for a walking stick." He chuckled.

Lex looked at Jackson, smiling he said "Yes young man, I am a 'big science guy'. I'm Lex Luthor, CEO of LexCorp, Board member of Stark Industries and Presidential candidate for the United States of America. A funny question, Is there a Lex Luthor in the universe you came from?"

---
Jones was slightly taken aback when Jubilee escorted him to the men's restroom. knocking on the door he said "Sasha, This is Mr Jones, one of Mr Luthor's employees... I'm coming in now, Don't be alarmed."

Jones slowly creaked the door open and walked inside.

[chryseis]

Alexia listened to Thom and nodded with a smile. "Yes I would like that very much." She said as she looked over towards where Stark was sitting. "I am sure my father will be ok however I am not sure how some of the other Avengers will react but I look forward to meeting them regardless."

[Dorcha]

"Oh Jack I wouldn't worry too much dear boy....."A voice said as Mira walked up with a smile. "While there is a lot of unfinished business in this room tonight at least for one night there's peace among the ranks." She said looking over toward Stark. "Well almost peace."

[Craig Dragotti]

Mr. Dragotti shook his head in disbelief. ''All this fuss over one man,'' he muttered. He shrugged as Jubilee followed one of Lex's men. ''I see!'' Mr. Dragotti said after Jack explained why Cyclops would be enraged if someone got hurt. A frown appeared on his face. ''Sasha is a bit of a mother's boy. He can be a bit emotional about his feminine parent. That's why I used her to harm him until he ran to the restroom.''

The sight of Cailleach didn't bother Craig. One of his eyebrows went up when Jack began to freak out. ''How cruel is she?'' he asked. He prepared to use his pyrokinesis to protect Jack and Mrs. Brown in case the woman tried anything.

[Sasha Sadovsky]

Sasha ceased trembling and turned his head as soon as he heard a very unfamiliar voice. At least the man wasn't Mr. Dragotti.

Relaxing, he faced the fellow as his arms went limp at either side of his body. ''I am not sitting near Mr. Dragotti!'' he exclaimed. A tear slid down Sasha's face. Mr. Dragotti's previous words about his mother had been a lot more cruel than any past punishment he inflicted on him.

[Karenza]

Kari tried to keep herself in check as Luthor uttered the word adamantium. She knew in her heart of hearts that Logan was mentally preparing to come over and butt heads with the billionaire, and she prayed she could diffuse whatever might happen next. "Adamantium? Very interesting use," she said as she motioned to Luthor's cane. "I can only imagine what else you might use that metal for in your business dealings."

"We didn't have adamantium or a Lex Luthor in our world," Jack said as he eyed the cane. "At least no Luthor as far as I know. Dad might have known him and never told me. After you and Marrac vanished, Mom, Dad didn't say a lot most of the time, and it was worse when Galactus came. Niamh...when we lost Niamh in that one fight, Dad lost it."

"Jack, please, Mr. Luthor likely doesn't want to be bothered with our family stories," Adaryn said as she nodded to Lex. "My husband never mentioned your counterpart to me, but it is not unusual to have mirror images in other worlds. I would not be surprised to learn that there was one before Galactus devoured that dimension."

"Yes, alternate worlds can be full of a lot of surprises," Kari said quietly, thinking back to all her pieces that had ended up on world after world in the multiverse. "So, did Sebastian Shaw or Michael Priest invite you tonight, Mr. Luthor?"

[Jack Sparrow]

"Mira Mcgowan! As I live and breathe!" Jack said as he got up and hugged Mira. He had no issue with her at all, and frankly he was pleased to see her as she approached the table. "Craig Dragotti, this is Mira Mcgowan, also called Dorcha by some. She has been a good friend to me, and she is more than welcome at this table. Mira, Craig is a good friend of mine who is staying at my house in San Francisco. And you may not have met her, but this is Mrs. Maureen Brown, the force of nature who runs my household."

"A pleasure, Miss Mcgowan," Mrs. Brown replied as she nodded to Mira. 

"Please, join us. And I understand why you gave an odd glance to Stark, Mira. After what they did to some of the mystics in that ruddy Civil War, well, I'd want to stay away from the man myself."

Craig looked back to see what was going on near the men's room. "Craig, perhaps we should encourage Alison and Sasha to find another table when he returns?"

[Nephilim]

"Well, I am sure Logan can help smooth any ripples that might come up with the Avengers," Thom said to Alexia as he saw Loki entering the room. He moved to block Alexia's view of her uncle just a bit. He did not want the god of lies wandering over and being a bother to his sister. "Mother is very proud of the fact Logan is an Avenger, even if he makes little note of it most of the time. And Storm is an Avenger, and so is Hank McCoy. I am sure your introduction to them will be just fine."

Thom smiled as he looked over at their mother as she stood near Stark, Oksana Petrov, Dr. Strange and Hawkeye. "You may get to meet a few more of them than I thought," he added as he looked back at Alexia. "A few more just arrived. Would you like me to introduce you now?" 

[Craig Dragotti]

*There isn't any sign of Sasha* Craig thought as he glanced at the restroom door. He turned to Mira and smiled at her. He nodded at Mira in order to reveal how polite he was. Frowning another time, he faced Jack. ''Would Alison be comfortable with the thought of sitting far from us? She might assume we're punishing her by associating her with Sasha.''  

[Magnetrixx]

"Nice to meet you again, Mr. Luthor" Oksana said with a smile and gently shook the man's hand. She looked over at Tony and then to Jackson and then back to Tony. This apparently was the reason Tony was had called her and the others here. Of course she wasn't going to get into all this right now, - with all the others standing around them. She'd find out later what was going on.

"I'm lost," Clint whispered in Oksana's ear.

"Lost?" Oksana whispered back.

"Yeah … Who are all of these people?"

"Extended MacFeorias family members-"

Clint held up his hand. "Spare me the deets. Or I'm gonna have to start drinking." Clint shook his head and then grabbed a glass of champagne off a tray by a passing waiter.

"I'll fill you in later," Oksana whispered quickly and then looked back at the others. Oksana moved towards Tony and got close to his ear. "Some of the Avengers are off to look for Peitro, they're hoping he'll know the where a bouts of Wanda."