Cesare vs. Sylvia (Territory Claim)

[longterm]

Cesare was reading the paper, sipping his morning coffee when the news of the Sylvia Redbright scandal broke. Good. He appreciated that so far Samantha had held up to her end of the bargain. All things considered, he had hoped she would but certainly hadn't expected it from her. Over time, Cesare has learned that people can be slippery like that, especially when you give them an opportunity for it. So far, Samantha has been solid. He likes her.

That morning he arranges a meeting with the press in one of the private function rooms of his hotel, somewhere private, where he cannot be interrupted. He's dressed in a suit, though his normal, somewhat ostentatious cufflinks are traded in for something more modest, and he's standing at a lectern on which his speech is written, a speech that he had written weeks prior.

"I am not the representative for my Nest and I speak solely for myself. However, I am certain when I say that President Redbright's behaviour has been shocking, appalling and harrowing. She has lead not one, not two, but three of the most prominent factions within this city and she has done so with underhand deals, deception and subterfuge. It is dishonest. It is corrupt. And it is undiplomatic.

When given the opportunity to be the voice of the people, she has used this power not for good, but for her own crooked personal gain. She has betrayed the people she was charged with representing, and that is why it is only right that she surrender a portion of the territories that she has dishonestly acquired, and give them to the Night Council that she has cheated for so long.

I am asking not for my own personal gain, but as a concerned citizen who has had enough of her corruption. It is time that she be held to account for her actions."

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

"I know I'm not the first person who'd like a chat with you today, but if you have time for a few words...?"

Natasha glances at a chair, but pointedly waits for permission before she sits.

"Be nice to know where things stand."

[brightwitch]

Sylvia gestures at the chair and nods. "Please, sit. There's a lot of hot air being blown about at the moment. I imagine you've heard."

This is stuff dredged up from decades ago. Ridiculous. And yet it's created a media storm. Whoever did this didn't just leak the news, they planned it.

[outstandingbalance]

"And then some." Natasha figures there's someone behind this, and that person is getting exactly what they want. She can't say for sure yet who it was—but she can say who benefits.

She takes a seat.

"Still deciding what to make of it. Other than the fact someone really doesn't like you."

[brightwitch]

Yes, she's certainly right about that. But there's a power move going on here, one that has taken her by surprise, and right now all she can do is damage control.

Sylvia steeples her hands together. "Would you like to help?"

Words of comfort are one thing. What she could really do with is an ally to help fight the storm.

[outstandingbalance]

"That's more or less what I'm here to decide." Natasha offers a smile as she says it, the rueful kind that comes easily in times like this. It's an honest answer. She hopes that's the right play. "I'm leaning toward yes, if you give me a reason."

She sighs then, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. Not defensive, but she has an inkling just how big this could get. "I don't like what's happening here. I don't like knowing it's just the first step."

[brightwitch]

Sylvia's brows draw fractionally together and her shoulders tighten. That's not what she wants to hear. In a trying time like this she would expect the loyal support of her staff, especially someone like Natasha who has proven to be a valuable ally. Natasha shouldn't be questioning her, and Sylvia certainly shouldn't have to give her a reason to deign to offer her help.

"I don't like it either," she replies crisply. "But I think you might just be well-placed enough to find out the next step for me. How close are you to the higher-ups in the Islington Nest?"

She knows Natasha has some connections with other vampires. It's inevitable, really.

[outstandingbalance]

If it's a bush of, it's not one Natasha takes personally. She played the hand she had, and she'll follow it through. Instead of pushing, she sits forward a little at the question. It's not the most comfortable question, but there's no way she'd be able to stay in the city without some kind of arrangement. Not comfortably, at least.

"That depends. We're not exactly best friends, but for the most part they return my calls." It's an intentionally vague answer, not just because she worries about casting suspicion on herself, but also because she doesn't want to imply she has more leverage that she does. "Depends who we're talking about beyond that."

[brightwitch]

She has an answer for that, given who has just popped up in the news to attack her.

"Cesare Borgia," Sylvia replies. "Do you know him?"

[outstandingbalance]

"I do. Wouldn't say were friends, but he's been low-key trying to convince me to join the the nest since we met." She shakes her head. "He's also persistently condescending."

Which isn't why Natasha doesn't join the nest, but it is why Cesare's arguments in particular are unconvincing.

[brightwitch]

Her reply is to turn around her laptop screen so that Natasha can read the article on the front page.

"He's demanding that I give up part of the Redbright jurisdiction to the Night Council. Any idea why?"

The reason given by Cesare in the article is all to do with Sylvia's so-called corruption. But there's always more to the story.

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha skims the screen quickly, picking out the details. She can't say she's surprised. The real question is whether Cesare's play is opportunistic or if he had a more active hand in the leak. At this point, it was early to assume he was collaborating, but his demand doesn't come as a surprise.

"He hasn't made it a secret that he doesn't like you," she says after a moment."He resents your influence, and the fact you were until recently you holding three different positions of power. He makes a point to grumble about it occasionally."

[brightwitch]

Another opportunistic bloodsucker, then. She's not surprised either. "Does he? Never did that to my face." She shakes her head. "This could be nothing, a distraction. But the leak must have come from the Islington Nest. I'd like you to talk to Mr Borgia for me. Make it clear that I won't take notice of such ridiculous demands, but see if you can't do a little digging along the way. He might just know something."

This should be right up Natasha's alley, right? And Sylvia's putting a lot of trust in her by asking this, trusting a vampire to spy on another vampire and report back.

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha snorts at Sylvia's observation. She would have been mildly amazed if Cesare had been upfront about his suspicions with the woman herself. That wasn't the game he played—not least because ultimately he had no intention of negotiating with her directly.

"I can try. I can't promise he'll see me, or that if he agrees it'll be in a timely manner." Her lips twitch. The amount of trust being put in her doesn't go unnoticed, though she does let it pass uncommented on. They can recognize it once they see what the effort gets them. "I doubt it could do any real harm, at least."

[brightwitch]

"Thank you." And she means it. She could do with all the help she can get, really. This story is too big for Sylvia to deal with alone. She smiles, a little tired. "It's getting late. I'm sure this is your best time of day, but I should probably be getting home."

She turns the laptop back around to switch it off, then stands up. There can't be any more news stories about her between now and tomorrow morning, surely, and she'll go mad if she keeps looking at her email feed any longer. Best to sleep on it.

[outstandingbalance]

"My work's just getting started," Natasha agrees with a little smile, a little sad. This time of year is always difficult for her, without a daylight gem, but she makes it work somehow.

Lucky for her Sylvia's a late worker.

"I'll let you know when there's news."