The skyscraper that held the Marveet's company offices was located in the Moscow business district, known to the locals as Moscow City. This was the place of skyscrapers and modern life, a couple miles downriver from the Kremlin and older portions of Moscow. Although technically within the greater city limits, the area really was like its own island.
In the last twenty years, more than a hundred new skyscrapers touched the clouds in this part of the city. Futuristic designs were the focus, and nearly all of them were designed in a way to push the limits of what was accomplished previously. The tallest buildings in the world were located here, eclipsing the previous world record-holders in the Emirates, Shanghai, and Mecca decades ago. Interestingly, most of the steel acquired to build the mind-binding construction projects were provided by the Marveets, the kings of steel. They made Scion Marveet a very, very rich man.
The world's largest steel company was ran by CEO and president, Scion Marveet. They employed hundreds of thousands of workers across three continents. He was also ranking member of the World Steel Association's executive committee, so he had eyes, ears, and hands everywhere. From metal, real estate, communications and transportation, the spine of the world was made from steel. In the enormous world of real estate, land management, and construction, the Marveets controled all barriers to entry for expansion in the CCD.
What really accelerated the Marveet empire into a worldwide name was the expansion of their high-grade construction steel corporations into lightweight composite materials that blended old-school aluminiums with high-tech fibercarbons. Industries spanning aviation, defense, and automobile depend on contracts elicited by Scion Marveet. They even held the patents on the redesigned, powerful cables that pulled elevators into the stratosphere.
Despite the fact that he was basically an heir to all this fortune, Jaxen still had to stop at the visitor's desk to obtain credentials. Usually, he would tolerate such things, but he actually paid rather close attention to the process. He'd never been in the actual offices before, and was rather curious as to how good the security really was.
So far, he was fairly impressed. He winked at Lawrence as they were ushered into a high-speed elevator. Most buildings this height would require switching elevators at half-ascent, but not in the king of steel's building. Tonight, they flew to the very top floor, thousands upon thousands of feet in the air in a matter of minutes.
An incredibly beautiful lobby greeted them when the elevator doors opened. Of course, the majority of the space was dim, and no one sat at the reception desk at this late of an hour. Luka stopped for a bioscan, which opened the magnetic locks on a glass-door. Beyond, the blue glow of a floor-to-ceiling salt-water tank ushered them toward the president's office. The interior was designed with hollow-steel structures like the skeletons of watery buildings. Through them swam exotic fishes from around the globe, and Jaxen paused to watch a shark swim lazily alongside. He almost hated to admit that it was pretty damn cool.
Luka tapped lightly on the president's door before escorting them inside. Exposed steel beams criss-crossed overhead. The tank extended to form an entire wall of Scion's office. Back-lit walls illuminated the other side. Finally, directly opposite, floor to ceiling glass windows exposed the wide expanse of the city skyline. At night, the river glowed with black sparkles from lamp-posts, and the red walls of the Kremlin stood in the distance. Overhead was suspended a stuffed bald eagle. Jaxen almost laughed.
Scion's back was turned. His voice on the phone.
"He's an important and busy person,"
Jaxen said to Lawrence quietly, but the sarcasm was easily conveyed.
Finally, Scion rose. "Hello, my dear," Scion's gruff voice greeted Lawrence as he approached her. With a broad, slightly sinister smile on his lips, he took her hand for a kiss.
He was dressed in a sharp pin-stripe suit. His hair was styled suavely and he'd grown a thick, black beard since Jaxen saw him last. Scion dripped money, otherwise. Jaxen recognized a Patek Phillipe Sky Moon timepiece with a black crocodile strap adorning his wrist likely worth a few million dollars. His shoes were black french calf with a python saddle. The tip of each almond-shaped toe was studded with diamonds in a regal pattern.
"Hi dad,"
Jaxen waited for him to actually notice he was there. Scion was going to be pissed when he realized Laurie was more than a pretty face, which she was. Prettier than most of the girls Scion paraded around. Excluding Jaxen's mother, of course.
Scion looked at Jaxen like he disapproved of his son's presence. Jaxen certainly stood out in a building like this. "I see your taste in ladies has improved, Jaxen, if not your taste in clothes."
Jaxen shrugged. "You wanted to talk to me."
He said as he folded into a silky black chair. "I know I am famously interesting, but apparently this couldn't wait?"
Scion touched one of the panels on the glowing wall of light and a bar opened. He poured himself and Lawrence a drink. Jaxen was apparently left out. Guess he wasn't back in dad's good graces yet.
"Last I saw you, Jaxen, you had been found naked and freezing to death in the country after giving your mother three months of panic over your absence. You come back with a bullshit story about being kidnapped and announce to all of us, rather palpably I add, that you can channel. Is that the word Ascendancy uses?" He took a drink and immediately poured a second, tapped it on the counter and drank it as well.
Jaxen shrugged. "Yeah. That's pretty much it. Although I didn't call being kidnapped by snake-people bullshit."
Scion's brows rose.
"Oh? Did I forget to mention the snake people before? The main one was about five feet tall, had golden scales for skin, slits for a nose, and bright slanted eyes. But there were others. Some were twenty feet tall. Others were tiny. Like babies."
He couldn't even bring himself to smirk at that. In fact, it took everything in him to not shudder at the memory. Fucking snakes.
"You're going to do something useful for once in your life, son." Scion circled, unafraid that Jaxen could potentially retaliate.
"Am I your son again?"
Scion ignored him. "You'll be attending the ball Ascendancy arranged with me and Vena. I am going to introduce you to Ascendancy as a channeler and you will graciously offer your services to him for what you are."
Jaxen's initial reaction was to laugh off the proposal, but having never met Ascendancy, the prospect to being allowed in the front door of the Kremlin was rather intriguing. He'd never forgotten about his plan to rob the imperial treasury.
"You'll pimp me out to gain his favor, then. Is that it?"
Jaxen stared his father down. Scion didn't deny it.
"Exactly."
Jaxen thought for a moment. "I want my things back, my old condo, and my inheritence restored."
Scion raised his glass, "Very well."
Jaxen squinted. This was too easy. What was his father's game? "I'm taking a date too."
He glanced at Laurie. A reporter inside the ball could cause all kinds of mischief, but for a moment, another woman's face danced in his mind. Oriena would be a fabulous partner inside the Kremlin, but she would be far less offensive to Scion. It was going to be hard to decide who to ask. Oriena may flat out refuse, but she would look glorious in a ballgown.
"You're there for one purpose, Jaxen. So long as you remember it and the date that you chose passes all the Custody checks," Jaxen chuckled. His father hadn't always approved of his taste in women.
Something was off about this whole deal. Scion was being far too agreeable. Jaxen didn't like it, but he had a couple of days to figure out his father's play. He looked at Laurie, but her expression was perfectly innocent. She was playing the dumb broad role flawlessly.
((ooc: Lawrence modded with permission))
"So?" said Loki impatiently. "This isn't the first time the world has come to an end, and it won't be the last either."
