The National Gala was taking place within Winterfield’s top modern art gallery, the tall angular building shone as the night lights of the city bounced off its glass exterior.

Already Gwyn could see a horde of photographers and reporters lining up alongside a long red carpet, snapping ravenous photos of anyone who walked along it. The last time she had gone to one of these types of events was when she was fourteen, she had been with her parents and they didn’t garner much interest in the paparazzi.

This time promised to be different as they were already snapping photos of the black limo she and her friends arrived in. Tatiana was the first to exit when a burly security guard opened the door.

She had dressed up in a long flowing black dress that barely covered her front, it draped sensuously down in twin flowing black strips from around her neck and cupped her generous chest. The fabric transitioned at her waist into a lengthy slitted skirt that allowed her long slender legs to stretch.

On her delicate feet she had a pair of strappy stiletto heels to match her dress, they made her look even taller and glamorous.

Once out and in the spotlight of thousands of flashing lights she turned back towards the open door, curled dark hair swaying with the movement. She ignored the snapping photos to extend a slim feminine hand towards Gwyn. She draped her own delicate hand into Tatiana’s, allowing herself to be lifted from the luxury car. As she stood up her arm fell naturally into the crook of Tatiana’s elbow.

Thankfully her friends had chosen an outfit for her a bit more low key than Tatiana’s bold choice in apparel.

She had on a sleeveless tie-neck top in a soft olive color, the tie itself was a brighter green to compliment her groomed and styled hair. Her lower half was clad in a gentle circle skirt that draped around her knees, it too was in a green to pair with her luscious locks.

A pair of olive-colored, oxford-style, small-heeled boots went over her stocking clad legs.

Behind her Marion and Cécilia exited the limo, the pair had coordinated their outfits. They had felt more comfortable in men’s wear style three piece suits that emphasized their wonderful muscular forms, the flattering black was broken up by splashes of color that matched their hair; Gold for Marion and Tiger Orange for Cécilia.

The striking pair behind them were glaring at Tatiana’s arm that affectionately linked with Gwyn’s, at her pouty look they rolled their eyes and linked arms together as well. She thought they looked extremely cute together.

As the fetching foursome strode unhurriedly towards the Gala, Gwyn felt her skill, Alluring Sight activate. Suddenly more people were paying attention to them, eyes were drawn not only from the sidelines but from the famous individuals that they shared the carpet with.

Beside her Tatiana drew herself up to look even more regal and attractive at the attention, she walked with a noticeable sway to her hips. Gwyn tried her best to match her so as to not embarrass her friend.

By the time they were safely out of sight from the general public inside the gallery Gwyn felt that her energy levels had suffered dramatically, she was truly an introvert at heart.

Unfortunately for her nerves, the Alluring Sight skill didn’t deactivate upon entering the building, just the opposite in fact. As they entered the main wing of the gallery where the Gala was being held the appraising gazes of the influential attendees fell upon herself and her friends.

Gwyn recognized some of them from various media outlets, there were politicians and movie stars mingling with singers and scientists. She even saw the current prime minister chatting away with a rather attractive starlet.

Instead of approaching any of the other celebrities around the room Tatiana made a beeline for a tall and broad man who was surrounded by laughing sycophants.

Fryderyk Rygiel Father of the Underworld

“Daddy, let me introduce my date for tonight. Daddy this is Gwyn, Gwyn this is my father, Fryderyk Rygiel.” Tatiana happily introduced Gwyn to her father.

Gwyn could feel the burning gazes of the other two in response to the unnecessary word Tatiana had slipped in.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, my princess wouldn’t stop talking about you. I was starting to think she was making you up.”

Mr Rygiel was a fairly large man, not fat but broad like a mountain. He had large calloused hands that engulfed hers in a gentle grip and as he laughed at Tatiana’s expense his big bushy black beard bounced up and down.

“Daddy!” Tatiana whined as her cheeks went pink from the teasing.

Gwyn had never heard that tone from her before, it was cute.

“If my princess causes you any problems I can sort her right.” Mr Rygiel chuckled once more, sending his beard bouncing.

Tatiana desperately dragged Gwyn away from him in embarrassment.

“I’m so sorry! He can be so much sometimes.” Tatiana groused.

The quartet powered their way towards the buffet tables, Tatiana snatched up glasses of champagne from a passing waiter. She downed one while offering the other to Gwyn, the other two scowled at her for not offering them one.

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“It’s ok, he seemed nice.”

Aside from the fact he was a mob boss and if the system was right he was probably the mob boss.

“I haven’t seen my father for awhile.” not that he was as pleasant as Mr Rygiel had been.

The girls each cast a sad look in Gwyn’s direction, she wasn’t trying to kill the mood on purpose.

“Hey it’s ok you have me.” Tatiana whispered softly to her.

Her warm hazel eyes met with Gwyn’s own green, the tender moment was only slightly spoiled by the other two as they tried to push Tatiana out of Gwyn’s sightline.

A small smile crept onto her lips as her trio of friends fought once more.

Just as she was about to suggest they take a look around at the artworks there were loud cracks of gunfire outside the doors which were then kicked violently open. Rolling in like a gun toting storm was a large collection of masked individuals. In a sudden and violent moment they had started caroling the attendees into the center of the packed gallery.

“Nobody move! This is a robbery, move to the center of the room now!”

Gwyn gasped as she froze in fright.

Tatiana grasped her hand in her own and dragged her under the buffet table, obscuring them with the dangling table cloth. Gwyn felt her Alluring Sight deactivate as she was now hidden from sight and wasn’t trying to garner attention.

“Stay here, we’ll deal with this.” Cécilia stated as she drew a pistol from her jacket and began screwing a suppressor onto the end.

Marion herself drew out a garrote in the form of a thin steel wire.

“Why do you have those?!” Gwyn whispered as quietly as she could.

The two girls looked at each other amusingly before chiming in unison “self-defense."

Gwyn turned to Tatiana's direction to seek out answers but was confronted with the sight of her exposed dark lacy underwear. The girl in question had rolled up her dress to access a hidden knife strapped to her inner thigh, as it was only the length of her hand.

“Why do you have that there?!” she whispered again as she peeked between fingers that did nothing to hide the indecent sight.

“Self-defense.” Tatiana snarked through her own pink cheeks.

From out of a small purse she also withdrew Gwyn’s taser and handed it over to its owner.

“I thought you might need it and I was right.”

Gwyn held the taser with a heavy amount of trepidation as she peeked out from under the table alongside Tatiana, hoping that she wouldn’t in fact need it. Gwyn and Tatiana had slipped off their heels as they waited, leaving their feet bare to better run.

During a small gap in the sweep of the gunmen, Cécilia and Marion ducked out from under the table and disappeared into the cloth covered tables that encircled the gallery. Despite the occasional goon throwing off the table cloths the two couldn’t be seen, until she spotted a side door across the way quietly open.

Two small flashes of light emitted in the corridor before Cécilia peeked through and gestured for them to come over.

“There! Let’s go.” Tatiana whispered before leading Gwyn over.

Tatiana weaved them under tables and and through partols, while not as nimble as the other two she was still able to get them to the open door Cécilia was peeking out from without being seen.

“Did you find a safe place for Gwyn?” Tatiana asked her as soon as they arrived.

Gwyn was starting to feel very awkward at being someone who always needed protecting.

“Only a janitor’s closet but it’s occupied now.” Cécilia gestured to a door in the hallway.

Gwyn saw that Marion was next to it, she was wiping blood off of the handle before throwing the rag back inside the closet.

“How did they even get in here? Weren’t there loads of guards outside?” Gwyn nervously asked, this was a National event, heck even the Prime Minister was here.

“I’d like to know that as well.” Tatiana replied grimly.

“Probably dead,” Cécilia shrugged coldly as she replied.

“What do we do then and why are we hiding?” Gwyn stuttered with fright as she awaited a response.

“I overhead them as we were moving, they aren’t here for money. They are looking for a girl, this is a kidnapping” Marion told the group.

While that was concerning there wasn’t much she or the group could do about it right now.

“The plan right now is to find somewhere safe for Gwyn then we see if we can get rid of some of these gunmen.” Cécilia informed Tatiana and Marion.

“I can help!” Gwyn declared as she held up her taser.

The other glamorous and dangerous girls gave her a fond look like you would to a puppy who thought they were a wolf.

“Aren’t you a pacifist?” Marion countered with some dark amusement.

“Not if it means losing a friend!”

“Hey, who said you’ll be losing us,” Marion chuckled, “have a little faith in us would ya.”

“There’s no point arguing here, those goons are heading this way.” Tatiana ended the conversation from her lookout by the door.

Quickly but quietly the team moved further down the hall with Marion taking point. Now that she had time to take her in properly, she noted that the blonde had at some point slipped into one of the jumpsuits the henchmen were wearing. On top of her head was one of the skull masks they had, ready to be pulled down and in her hands was a machine gun she had liberated somehow.

Marion approached a corner in the hallway, she peeked around it for a moment before pulling back to the group.

“There are three goons blocking the way,” She chewed her lip for a second, “I could get them myself but if they hear gunshots they’d just start killing hostages.”

Tatiana clenched her hands tightly at that, her father was still in that hall.

“If I can get close I can take care of one.” Tatiana flashed her knife menacingly.

Cécilia nodded “I can take care of one as well and so can Marion, we just need to get close enough.”

Gwyn had an idea, a dangerous one but it might work, “I’ll distract them.”

“No.” “It’s too dangerous.” “We can handle it.” All three simultaneously denied her.

“We can do it! I have an idea, if Marion escorts us to them they’ll just think we were captured, then we take them down once we are close enough.” Gwyn stated firmly while holding up her taser.

“It’s not a bad plan,” Cécilia spoke up coolly and received twin glares for her trouble, “but I’ll need that knife.”

Tatiana reluctantly gave her knife to Cécilia and as she wouldn’t need it Gwyn gave her taser to Tatiana, Marion had her garrote hidden in her closed fist. Once they were done trading weapons they set themselves up, Marion slid her mask down over her smirking face and stood behind them to act mean.