A multitude of various finger foods stretched across the set portion of the table, from small triangle sandwiches to various meat and veggie trays. Then there was the elaborate spread of silverware that Ashe was almost certain was genuine silver. The eagles stamped into each of them were certainly telling in that regard.
It seemed like a lot of effort to expend on a pair of guests, and Ashe wasn’t about to eat any of it before Crystal initiated things. She didn’t know the etiquette and had no intention of assuming and thus giving their host an excuse to level more harsh words upon her. She had no doubt she was in store for plenty of those over the coming night.
Ashe had to be careful as she eased herself down into the chair, she was still rather tender and didn’t want to make it worse before the main event even started. The butler had made no move to assist her, unlike Crystal whom he had pulled her chair out for.
Crystal was seated across from her, the table just wide enough to keep them out of arm’s reach, which had to be an intentional choice. She was also seated at the ‘right hand’ of the head of the table, which was less of a surprise given what she knew of the man. His daughter remained of use to him, so he would at least take the barest of steps to keep her from vanishing on him.
The waitstaff hadn’t moved an inch since Ashe and Crystal were seated, not even to offer them drinks. Meanwhile, Crystal wasn’t saying a word, just glancing from her plate to the door every few seconds. She had seemed so confident when dealing with Prescott, but now that she was about to confront her father, she seemed to have fallen back on old habits or something. Seeing her confident girlfriend appear so vulnerable, it didn’t feel right.
Ashe knew she was lucky to have a good relationship with her parents, not everyone got that, and Crystal was one of those unlucky ones. Not that Ashe wasn’t in the process of burning that trust to the ground. Crystal was a criminal, and Ashe was throwing herself right into the thick of things alongside her. She’d stolen things, killed to get what she wanted.
Ashe wasn’t a good person, but the things she did had a purpose in mind.
Her growing gang of girls back at the apartments was a testament to that. Nobody could take that from her, not the Iron Patriots, not the Viuda, and not even her parents. She’d saved those that everyone else had forgotten and discarded, and now they worked for her. And as she demonstrated, Inferno’s wrath would come for any that dared to harm one of her own.
Crystal was beginning to fidget in earnest, and Ashe hated seeing her like that. She knew Crystal maintained contact with the man, given she’d been present for his presidential announcement. She’d been just as out of sorts on that broadcast, now that she thought about it. Absently, Ashe reached her hand across the table, waving a finger at her in a silent offer of solidarity and comfort.
Crystal caught sight of it, a small smile creeping to her lips as she reached out with her own hand, only for the door to swing open just as she started to wave back. Crystal pulled her finger back as if she’d been burned, hand vanishing back into her lap, leaving Ashe’s arm extended across the span of the table.
Theodore Ellington stood in the doorway, wearing pressed khakis and a polo shirt, Prescott poised behind him, bowing lightly. He surveyed the room, expectant and borderline predatory in his gaze, as if he was just hoping something was out of place.
Seemingly satisfied, he began to walk. “Daughter, I see you still insist upon outlandish hair colors, though you appear well otherwise.”
Crystal sighed, barely audible. “Father, still failing to abide by ‘judge not lest ye be judged’?”
The man chortled, taking his seat. “I am not one to cast stones when my home contains so much fragile glass. Prescott, have the next course brought out in five minutes.”
“Of course, sir,” the man said, gesturing to the other servants who discreetly exited the room.
The senator’s gaze then fell upon Ashe and she had to fight back the urge to gulp. She’d barely flinched in the face of armed gang members shooting at her, stared Alejandro in the eyes under threat of death, yet this man elicited a primal sort of fear in her. She couldn’t explain what it was about the man’s gray-blue eyes, but they promised pain and death to all who beheld them.
“Now, who is this young man that you’ve brought into my home?”
A familiar sensation bubbled in Ashe’s stomach, a strange mix of indignation and mortification. She wasn’t misgendered often, at least outside of school, and having someone she had never met before do so struck her in a very worrying way.
“This is Ashe,” Crystal said, a slight snarl to her lips that showed her teeth. “My girlfriend.”
The man tsked, picking up one of the small sandwiches. “Lying is rather unbecoming of you, daughter. Just say you have a boyfriend, there is no harm in admitting that you have gotten over that aspect of your rebellious phase.”
Ashe wanted to interject, but Crystal held up her hand, glaring right back at the man. The earlier nervousness had fallen away, and Ashe was glad she’d found her fire once more. “Oh my apologies, let me just unfuck all those girls, that will make things all better, right?”
“So long as you’re taking dick again, I don’t care,” he said, popping the sandwich into his mouth. “I always said you just needed the right dick, I just didn’t expect it to happen like this, but I’ll accept it as a stepping stone to recovery from your sinful ways.”
“Excuse the fuck out of you?” Ashe snarled.
“Why do you even care about what I get up to in the bedroom?” Crystal demanded, standing as she slammed her hands on the table, making her plate jump. “You haven’t given a shit about me since I killed that bastard Kelly, so why start pretending now?”
It took Ashe a moment to realize, but Crystal had purposely drawn the senator’s attention. She knew that the man was dangerous, but would he be so brazen as to attempt something in his own home when she had been invited? Something told her that he wouldn’t care, and likely had more than one contingency ready to be acted upon if needed.
The man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Daughter, of course I care. Just because you fell into sin doesn’t mean I stopped praying for you, or cast you away.” He looked up, eyes locked on Crystal. “You are my eldest, my baby girl, and nothing will change that truth. You will always be welcome in my home, you know this.”
Crystal blinked, sitting back. “Wow, if you actually had a heart I might have believed that. You might want to fire your acting coach, that was shit.”
“Prescott, you heard the lady,” he said absently, picking up some odd pastry.
The butler bowed gently. “Of course, sir. I shall inform Derrick immediately and search for a better coach first thing tomorrow.”
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“Cheeky prick,” Crystal muttered.
At that same moment, the waitstaff returned, carrying three plates between them. They were quickly served, with the waiters bowing out of the way with a practiced grace. The dish presented was some sort of bone in meat, glazed in a sauce over mashed potatoes. The presentation was fancy enough, but it seemed distinctly southern in style.
Crystal’s sperm donor cut into the meat almost eagerly and took a bite. “Delightful. Tell the chef he outdid himself on the lamb tonight.”
“At once, sir,” one of the waitstaff said, disappearing back through the door.
Silence reigned for a moment as the senator ate his dish. Hesitantly, Ashe tried her own, and almost moaned at the decadent flavor. It might have been the single best thing she had ever tasted. She was already taking a second bite, almost without realizing it when slimy laughter cut through the momentary bliss.
“Not accustomed to fine dining?” Senator Ellington asked. “I shouldn’t be surprised, given your station in life and sinful choices holding you back. I’m certain the next course will prove to be a further delight.”
Ashe eyed the man warily, it was unnerving how he could easily switch from ultimatums and veiled threats to what seemed to be genuine interest in her opinion of the food. He’d not shown her an ounce of respect, pretend or otherwise, and insulted her besides the entire evening. Even now, he hadn’t been truly courteous, just curious.
Crystal had reluctantly started on her own plate, watching the man warily as she ate. Ashe knew it was all part of whatever play the man was attempting, but she was almost enough of a hypocrite to suffer the indignity for a meal that would cost hundreds at a sit down restaurant. Almost, but not quite. Her old social anxiety was back in full swing, much to her dismay. She didn’t like having to grin and bear it, but Crystal had been quite clear on provoking the man.
The next dish arrived moments later, some sort of miniature bird, served roasted whole alongside grilled asparagus and green beans. The smell wafting off the plate was positively heavenly, some herbal and spice combination wholly alien to her, but delightful all the same.
“Ah, cummin, an excellent choice,” he said, cutting into his own bird.
Ashe glanced at Crystal, growing more confused at the sudden change in the man’s tone. He hadn’t said anything disparaging since the first dish was delivered and seemed to be more focused on the meal than any other topic, as if nothing else mattered but the food. That continued without much fanfare right through dessert, which had been a simple cheesecake.
Once all the plates were cleared away, the Senator stood. “Walk with me.”
It wasn’t a request.
Reluctantly, Ashe stood, though she felt a bit more secure in her safety, having slipped one of the knives up her sleeve. It wasn’t terribly sharp, but it would do better to be armed and not need it, than to need a blade and not have one. Crystal came up beside her, grabbing her good hand as she did.
Prescott was following behind them, his footsteps completely silent in the spacious hall. It was more than a bit unnerving how he could do that, just completely fade into the background like a shadow. There was no doubt in Ashe’s mind that he was extremely dangerous. She had a sudden realization that if Senator Ellington needed someone dealt with, the old saying ‘the butler did it’ might well prove to be accurate.
It didn’t take long for them to arrive at a smaller room that Ashe quickly realized was the man’s personal study. The dark wood theme continued with his bookshelves, lined with the cookie cutter shelf filler that always cropped up in libraries that were mainly for show. That didn’t extend to the singular shelf behind his matching desk, however. It was lined with a multitude of mismatched books from modern classics to what appeared to be ancient hand bound tomes.
The decor was where the pleasantness ended, as behind his desk, mounted to the wall, was the most blatant bit of symbolism she had ever seen. A grand eagle forged in polished bronze, and in its talons, an iron cross was grasped firmly. Indeed, the iron cross was visible on most of the decorations that dotted the office, right down to his damn fountain pen.
Prescott closed the door behind them, and gestured to the two chairs across the desk from the now seated senator. Crystal squared her shoulders and marched up to the chairs, taking the one on the left for herself and Ashe seated herself to the right. She knew the butler was still lurking in the room, and she just knew that if she tried something she would be dead before the knife left her sleeve.
Crystal tapped her fingers along the carved wood of the luxurious chair, glaring at the man that had sired her. “Why did you invite us here? If it was just to mock Ashe, we’re leaving right the fuck now.”
“The purpose,” he said, all levity having fled as he leaned forward, arms steepled on the desk. “Is to make sure your new toy knows to stay out of the spotlight. I know full well his involvement in protecting Jason, both sides of it. I’m sure you’ve noticed that every mention of the injured ‘girl’ or the mysterious security guard that cut down the assailants has excluded any hint of identity. That was not an accident.”
Which meant Ashe had help from more than one angle in keeping her name out of the news. As much as it galled her, she was actually grateful to the man for that. The last thing Ashe needed was the media storm, even if it might help cast trans people in a more positive light nationally. She didn’t want to be that person.
“Well bully for you,” Crystal snapped. “Just get to the damn threat so we can be done with this farce.”
Senator Ellington chuckled, then snapped a finger. Ashe’s heart stilled as she felt the cold metal of a gun press to the back of her head. She hadn’t even seen or heard the butler approach, yet there he was.
“Very well, daughter,” Theodore said, smiling viciously. “The moment he makes trouble for me or mine, if he ceases to be an idle curiosity of yours? If your plaything starts becoming a problem to solve, well, the implication should be clear.”
“Not the first time I’ve had a gun to my head in recent months,” Ashe commented, forcing herself into the Inferno persona. She’d thought Alejandro to be terrifying, but Prescot was on a completely different level. “Might as well stop posturing, you aren’t about to stain the upholstery.”
“True,” he said, waving Preston away. “Your life is hardly worth the cost of replacing anything splattered by your filthy blood. I’ve made my point, I would think.”
Ashe couldn’t help the almost manic laughter that followed. “With all due… Actually, fuck that, you aren’t due any goddamn respect because you’ve extended none. Death doesn’t scare me, what scares me is a life spent pretending to be a boy. I made the choice to fight for my truth rather than curl up and die. I am a woman, and nobody will deny me that truth. Not a teacher, nor senator, nor the goddess herself. But the best part of that? I have you to thank for making it possible in this shithole.”
A loud snap echoed from beside her, Crystal looking up with a grin. “Right, the religious freedom act you rammed through the legislature before you left for DC. Probably the only bill you passed that was actually of use.”
“That and making it legal for teens to carry firearms,” Ashe added. “Had my CC for almost two years now thanks to you. Hey! Maybe you could make it legal for me to carry at school too, it would certainly make things safer for me.”
“I am pleased you approve of some of my policies,” he said, though it was through grit teeth, she’d finally hit a nerve! “So often those of your political persuasion fail to grasp the importance of the Second Amendment.”
Ashe’s smile grew wider, glad to have the man on the backfoot for once. “An armed population is safe from government overreach after all, that’s why so many of my trans brothers and sisters carry.”
“While true, don’t think that will always protect you,” Theodore Ellington said. “Remember my warning, and there will be no further troubles.”
“Just don’t cry if I send your next group of followers to come my way back to you in coffins,” Ashe said, standing up. “Don’t worry, we can show ourselves out.”
Crystal stood beside her, and once again caught Ashe’s hand with her own before her girlfriend turned back to face her father with a wide grin on her face that carried no mirth. “Oh, and I won’t be wearing a wig next time you need me for a press event or dinner, so do pick those carefully from now on.”
“It is amusing how you seem to think you’ve gotten one over on me,” the senator said as they stepped through the door. Crystal took the opportunity to flip him off which only served to draw a bit of dry humor from the man. Prescott moved to close the door, but it seemed that Ellington wasn’t without a few parting words.
“Do be sure to return my knife before you make your exit, Prescott will be most displeased if he doesn’t maintain the complete set of German silver,” the senator said, now facing the eagle on his wall. “It would be difficult to source more.”
Ashe barely had time to catch the meaning of that statement before the door closed with an almost deafening rattle.