Ishtar smiled behind her helmet as the light faded from Bera’s body. Where oired old woman stood, a woman in her mid-thirties stood proudly. Her white hair had gone dark and curly and her eyes were as sharp as razors. She looked down at herself, running her fingers along the smooth skin of her arms and then reached up to her face. She took in a deep breath and Ishtar watched as tears welled in the woman’s eyes. Silence reigned around them as Ishtar took a step bad gestured to her.
“As agreed, Madame Lucci, forty years.”
The shouts that followed were deafening, everyone jockeying to get in closer. Some even began to grab at one another. Ishtar turned her head a Imperious wash out again. It was a useful ability that Madame Lucci had, too bad for her that it was unawakehe wave of pressure battered down on those gathered in an instant as she raised her head, “Behave,” She anded and a few people nearly colpsed to the ground, gasping for air. She held the pressure for a few more seds before letting it up and crossed her arms behind her back.
“Madame Lucci,” Ishtar rasped, “I trust you’ll be able to help me keep order with your friends here?”
Bera looked up from herself with a look of a deer in headlights. It took her a moment to find her words before she swallowed and nodded, “O-of course! Right away, Mistress Ishtar,” she turo the crowd, “Security! Make sure the line is even, everyone will have a ce to speak with the Mistress!”
In short order, the rid powerful of Europe fell into a quiet line and began their approach. The auto magnate from Germany had made his way to the front. He looked flustered. Ishtar grinned aended a hand, “Mister Vaught,” she greeted him, “My terms about our versation?”
“I agree,” He said hoarsely and took her hand.
“It’s a deal then,” She said, and lead him bato the ship.
–
Oer another she lead them bato the ship. Oer another she isoted them to ehat they wouldn’t be able to hear or surmise the price paid. It made little differeo her how far the slider went one way or another, but by doing this they didn’t dare u their . None of them wao be the one who tried to cheat the fountain of youth. Oer ahey took her hand and surrendered billions, buildings, nd, panies, whatever they could tain what they’d lost.
The money and property would be useful in building ASTA. The material goods were frivolous. She was curious as to how her powers would hahem though. Money was simply transferred into a bank at for her automatically.
Will I have a mountain of luxury cars waiting for me back at home? She imagi and frowned a bit behind her helmet, she hoped that wasn’t the case. That would be awkward to expin.
Despite the minor , each transaade her grin wider and wider. More funds for her goals and more product! This had been what she was most curious about. She’d noticed that some of the most exotid impressive powers she’d found had been unawakened and in the hands of the rich, well ected, or experienced. Marta and Amos’ powers had been remarkably simple but Jonathan Adders had givehe Gift of Youth, Bera had given her Imperious. The andora’s box had distributed everything was markedly unfair to the an, though she did have to admit that leaving these powers unawakened did tip the scales some.
This is it… these are the real treasures. She thought, wide eyed, as eaew product came in. Some were not as impressive sounding as others, but of the many that she acquired there were a few remarkable standouts.
Two of them had gods in their names! She’d never seen abilities like these before! She knew enough about mythology to hazard a guess as to what they did and it chafed her that she could only draw on one product at a time. If she could make even a few abilities perma, she’d be invincible! Literally maybe.
Most of the abilities were ones she’d hand out at some point, giving them to potential vilins to increase their effectiveness against the heroes. A few she would keep to herself ive to her inner circle. The five outstanding abilities most certainly fell into the tter category.
She allowed the st of her guests to leave and had to lean against the wall o the door, catg her breath. It was a little draining using Gift of Youth but she hadn’t reached her limit just yet. She was more shaken by how well the evening had gone, everything was falling into pce. She had es, power, money, and resources. Everything she o turn things around.
It’s not that simple, though, she reminded herself.
I still have to actually build the pany, make sure it survives scrutiny, spread it across the world, and build an army of vilins to force the heroes to cooperate. I also o spread my influence among the heroes too, keep a tight leash on them. Her expressio dark, Which means that I’ll be fronting some dangerous people iure.
She g her heads-up dispy, More importantly, I o make sure that I am at the helm when the rise of heroes happens. Not long now, that day is ing and Pandora’s Fsh will seem like small potatoes.
She let out a tired breath, So much to do… I o get back to New York.
A knock came to the door just as she was feeling a bit more rexed, the iations hadn’t been difficult, but keeping up the Ishtar performance was more exhausting than using her power. She gowards the door, “Yes?” She rasped through the voice modutor.
“Ma’am? Are you tired?” Marta posing as herself asked through the door.
“Yes,” Ishtar sighed, “It’s time we this up.”
“Very good, ma’am,” Marta said.
Ishtar let out another long breath, Man I just want to eat some snacks and take a damn nap, she whined a little but tered herself. There was time ter to ze about as Sonya.
–
Marta waited by the door until Ishtar emerged. It was hard to think of her as Sonya right now, it was like meeting a pletely different person. Not to mention the fact that she was currently wearing Sonya’s face. The masked supervilin stepped out into the small hallway, straight-backed and seemingly ready to take on the world. Yet Marta hadn’t missed the sighs of weariness oher side of the door. The speech modutor had some fairly det volume on it, she’d have to warn her about that ter.
She ined her head, still w a bit about how well tonight had gohe pn to sneak herself in as a member of the security team before turning into Sonya while on the initial patrol had been a bit nerve wrag. Yet the effect of having Ishtar suddenly on the ship with no expnation as to how she’d arrived had beey well received. She’d heard several of those in attendance sounding a bit cross with the security teams they’d brought with them to help protect the ship.
Everyone wanted a piece of Ishtar now.
“There are quite a few pnning oing back about you when they get back,” Marta said quietly as they walked down the hall.
Ishtar snorted, “They’re in for an unpleasant surprise,” She chuckled, “Do you know who, specifically?”
“Bandied versation,” Marta said with a shrug, “I don’t know their names, I’m afraid.”
“Doesn’t really matter,” Ishtar said, “In fact, it’ll probably send quite the message when they realize they ’t talk about the events here, Sonya, or Ishtar.”
“How did we do?” Marta asked.
“Fairly certain I’m iop fifty now,” Ishtar said, her tone a bit morbid, “It was disgustingly easy.”
“People are going to ask questions,” Marta said.
“True, but I’ll take care of that whe back to the states,” Ishtar said, “Have we gotten any word from the US Gover? I wasly subtle in New York when it came to the anti-monster munitions.”
Marta let out a sigh, “Not since you asked st before we left,” Marta said with a shrug and gri her, “Pretty sure they aren’t taking you seriously.”
“Oh well,” Ishtar said with a chuckle, “We ’t have that now we?”
–
The two of them stepped out onto the deck of the ship, uhe st time, there were no whispers or muted versation when she emerged. Instead, she was met with the ear looks of her many youthful guests, all of them now free of tired limbs and weak bodies. She’d healed them of what she could during the process, but there were some madies Touch of the Healer couldn’t treat. They’d have to get over their own personal aal issues themselves. She turned her head slowly, casting her gaze over the crowd, and took a deep breath. It was time to put on a show.
“I hope you all are satisfied with the your purchase today,” She said, raising her hand to her heart, there was some scattered g that turned into a full on appuse. She ined her head as gratefully as she dared before straightening, “Tonight was the first gathering of our little club, soon I hope to spread our little family across the world. A private gathering of the mutually blessed,” She gestured to all of them. “You must uand already that the world has ged irrevocably and you must suspect that things will only get worse before they get better.”
This brought a bit of murmuring and exged looks, there were several nods throughout the crowd, “Ladies alemen, while I ot truly see the future, I say that I have a strong idea of what is to e. We must be ready to protect what is ours, ehe survival of the human race, ahe bes of these ges,” She raised a finger, “And there will be bes.”
Smiles began to spread throughout the crowd, greedy smiles. She ighe bile rising ihroat and pressed ouring to Marta o her. She had to choose her w carefully or she’d choke, “I will use Sonya ovna as a mouthpiece of sorts when it es to my wider goals in the public eye. Make sure to listen,” She ined her head to Marta who stepped forward.
“When Mistress Ishtar approached me, I had just begun framing my pns for ASTA,” Marta said with all the charm and gusto she could bring to the table, a brilliant smile on her fad her arms outstretched, “She gave me the knowledge of who to seek out and what to pursue to begin building a strong foundation iroubled times. As your senior sister, I am looking forward t with you all.”
There was a moment of quiet, some staring daggers at Marta while others looked at Ishtar. The murmurs resumed when Ishtar nodded approvingly at her, “Thank you, Senior Sister,” She took a raspy breath, “As for Europe, I will be puttita Luc charge of this part of our club,” Ishtar tinued and o the now youthful Bera who curtseyed graciously.
The gathered rid powerful looked betweeta, Marta, and Ishtar. Many calg gazes already aowledging what just transpired. A clear hierarchy and they were at the bottom for now. They’re probably w what monstrous bes Bera and ‘Sonya’ are enjoying pared to themselves. Keep w, keep desiring more, I’ll use you all if it means achieving my goals.
Her eyes fshed, the faint sound of tig cealed by the helmet. “Now! Back to the party! Let us revel in our newfound youth!”
Gsses were raised and cheers filled the deck of the ship, people moved to approach Marta ata while few dared approach her directly. The one good thing about people like this, they tend to be qui the uptake with this kind of thing.
She smirked and stepped away, striding bato the ship as Presidents, Ministers and CEOs jockeyed for her favor.
And with this, Europe is mine.
She couldn’t help herself as the doors closed behind her, leaving her alone. She ughed.