I was still worried about Annie, but I couldn't put that in the back of my mind because she was safe with her mom, Candace. Instead, I could proactively think about something more pressing: Sebastian Shaw.
For that, the next morning I assembled the whole crew. Those included and those who weren't. The faster I dealt with this, the easier time I'd have once the first round started.
"Are you sure, Jean?" I asked my pretty redhead.
"I am... if you both head to the front, someone has to take care of Mother-in-law" She answered enthusiastically.
"Oh my, you're making me shy" Veronica blushed.
"Then you go and protect mother-in-law while we take care of the shady business," said my pretty blonde.
"Oh my, stop it!" Veronica blushed further.
"I agree, we have to protect mother-in-law!" Grinned my pretty... mistress?
"..." Veronica didn't find it funny that Raven was calling her mother-in-law too, it seems she came to terms with the fact that I would have multiple girls falling for me left and right, but she had an issue with Raven who openly liked teasing her; her issue was that Raven was older than her... a lot older!
Veronica was thirty-four this year, and Raven was forty-two. All introductions were going perfectly until this detail was mentioned.
"I'm not quite keen on a lady your age going after my son" Veronica tried to be polite, but it looked like she was about to throw Raven out of the house at any moment, still... that blue-skinned vixen not only had blue skin but also a thick skin.
"What are you talking about mother-in-law?~ we are mutants, age is inconsequential for us".
Raven transformed into a pretty young lady with a buxom body, beautiful enough to leave Veronica in the dust, and that was a lot to say. Veronica could only crack her teeth in anguish.
"Still, you're too old! Don't be making jokes like that calling me mother-in-law!"
"No worries, I just want to suck your son's dick a bit, I don't want to marry him or anything like that" Raven sighed, she wasn't making things any easier but Emma and Jean were enjoying the exchange.
"Ray, stay away from this woman!" Veronica told me, for some reason, there was a deep blush in her face when she looked at me, "H-How can you have such a relationship with a woman that's older than me!"
"Oh come on, Veronica Andrews... I know enough things about you. Don't come here pretending you're a saint~" Raven hooked her arm around Veronica's shoulder, much to the latter's annoyance, "I know you did this and that with that person, and then this and that with this person when you were underage so don't come to me with–"
"Shut up!" Veronica covered Raven's mouth, it seems there is truly some underlying information there.
"Raven, why are you blackmailing my mother in front of me?".
!!!
"Sorry sorry!~" Raven apologised begrudgingly.
"M-Mother..." Veronica stuttered.
"Veronica?"
"A-Ah, hehe... nothing, sweetie. I'll make some tea, you said we have something important to talk about before I head off" Veronica giggled happily.
'What's going on with her?'.
...
"So what's the plan?" Emma asked me once the tea was on the table, I checked the time, we were still quite early, I did well in having Jean sleep here tonight.
"Call Fisk first so that we can have an appropriate conversation, he's involved in this too".
**
**
"Hello?"
"Hello..."
"Oh, Ray, it's been a while" Fisk answered jokingly on the other side.
"You don't need to be scared shitless over what happened last time–" Ray mocked.
"Who is scared, brat!? You are scared!"
"Yeah, anyway... I'm calling you because I'm about to plan the operation" Ray spoke cryptically.
"Operation... hehehe, I assume if you're calling me, it is because you want me involved".
"You don't want in? if so I will just call someone else-"
"Of course, I want in, brat! Stop being arrogant and eat some humble pie".
"So? What do you suggest?"
"When is it going to be?"
"Tomorrow, I'll enter through the front door" Ray said nonchalantly, "Rambo style".
"You don't know how to be quiet, do you? Going through the front door to fight that monster, do you want to alert the whole metropolitan police, SHIELD and everything in between?".
"I would prefer not, but I'm running out of time, I'll have to do a trip soon and I want to settle this before I leave".
"Where are you going to?"
"Narnia".
"Hahahaha... no seriously where are you going?" Fisk's voice was ominous.
"Why do you care?"
"I want to know too..." Emma said, and just by looks alone, it was clear they all wanted to know. Only Jean looked conflicted.
"Wherever you go there are going to be waves. If you go to Shanghai I'd stay away from the Chinese market".
"You don't have to worry, I'm going somewhere far".
"How far?" Veronica then asked, worried, nothing of this had been mentioned to her. It was at this junction that he had to reveal it, but not when Fisk was on the phone, listening.
"I will tell you later, the reason I called you is not for that, Fisk. You know what I'm planning to do, Raven already has what we need, there is no reason to not give the last step".
"Very well. Place: The Hellfire Club in Lenox Hill. Time: Next Wednesday, 9:00 o'clock in the evening".
"You mean?" Ray frowned, he didn't think evening was the best option.
"Anual meeting of board members. All the most powerful members of the Hellfire Club and the New York high society" Emma said, biting her nail, "Fisk, every time the meeting takes place, it is highly guarded–".
"So? Isn't that better?~" Fisk smirked.
"What do you mean–" Emma inquired, only to see Ray's hollow eyes again.
"There will be a lot to eat, brat".
"..."
Nobody except for Raven, quite understood what Fisk was trying to say, but he carried on,
"All of his most powerful mutants will be there, you can go there and have a banquet and to top it off, declare yourself the black king. Wouldn't that be wonderful?".
"Alright".
"Ray!?" Emma couldn't believe that Ray accepted such a flamboyant plan. He was literally going to go deal with Sebastian Shaw at the worst place, at the worst time.
"We will divide into groups. I'm going to need you to send some of your folks to protect Veronica, Fisk. I know Shaw already has some eyes on her, he just hasn't made a move".
"It is good that you understand, brat. I'll give some orders, if that's all on my part, I'll be off. You better do as you promised~" Fisk hung up the phone.
"You too are going to be with Veronica, Jean"
The redhead accepted reluctantly, after their recent failure, they weren't in a position to counter his orders.
"Emma, Raven and I will head to this event. Raven and Emma will be decoy and recognisance while I will attract Shaw to the front. Do you think he will be expecting us?" Ray asked Emma who shook her head.
"No, during the event there will be plenty of powerful mutants around, it is the moment where the Hellfire Club is most guarded, they wouldn't dare think someone is going to act funny during that time".
"Then we're on. Before the week is finished the Hellfire Club will be ours, and you will be free"
Emma's hands shivered, she smiled and nodded.
"It is hard to believe... but I know you can do it~"
**
**
While Ray decided on his plan of attack, other pieces moved across the chessboard. Meetings took place, and accords were signed.
In the Hellfire Club in Lenox Hill, two men sat opposite to one another, both of them wearing helmets, both of them not friendly to one another.
"You and I both have lost plenty to the same person, Erick".
"..."
"It is only natural we join forces to deal with this nuisance, even if temporary. We can take care of Ray Stark, we can take care of the Mutant Registration Act. Both simultaneously, for our best interest of my Hellfire Club and your Brotherhood of Mutants".
"Don't think for a moment there will be a second time, Shaw".
"Then you know what to do~"
Magneto flew off, irritated... but aware that the job was essential.
'Don't think for a moment I don't know what you have been doing, Raven'.