The Prince of Astoria-Chapter 86: LXXXVI - Hot On The Trail (Part 1)

"The food was good, but the Pennies in Astoria is still way better. They still use the original recipe," Money commented to Etienne.

Etienne and Money walk past a line of people and go through the grand entrance of the Rin-Carlson hotel.

"I should’ve stopped by that one and brought it out to Portland..." Etienne’s voice trailed off as they walked through the opulent glass doors of the entrance.

Money studied his reaction and snickered, "I thought you said you’re familiar with this place."

Etienne looked around, at the crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the abstract art hanging on the walls, "I am. But seeing something as a kid is completely different from seeing it as an adult. I feel I have a different appreciation for it now."

Money looked around and nodded his head, "Yeah I get it. It’s nice, isn’t it?"

Etienne and Money made a left into an area marked "Conference Hall" and entered a large room full of people that looked like an auditorium. All of the chairs and tables in the room faced the large stage at the other end. The conference hall was lively and full of people. Dozens of voices blend into a steady inescapable murmur. Three massive crystal chandeliers dangled overhead, and the expensive looking carpet under their feet was bright with color.

"Smells like money in here," Etienne muttered.

Money sniffed the air, "I don’t smell it."

The air carries a mixture of expensive perfumes, fresh coffee from the stations along the walls, and that particular scent of new carpet and polished wood that luxury spaces seem to share.

Etienne chuckled, "Not like that. What I mean is...I can tell the people in here are affluent. It just has that vibe, like the old events my parents used to host and attend.

Every few moments, laughter breaks through the general buzz of conversation, sharp and bright.

Money and Etienne trudge their way through the event, attempting to find a seat. As they got closer to the front, Etienne noticed a few individuals sitting on chairs on the stage, conversing amongst each other.

Etienne tapped Money on the shoulder and motioned to them, "Who are they?"

Money sighed deeply, "That’s them. The Good People Company. They’ve been acting as Julian Mason’s posse during his campaign."

Money pointed to a middle aged woman in a white and silver dress and square black designer sunglasses.

"I’m sure you remember Mr. Robert. He was one of the very first backers and members of the Fellows," Money stated.

"Of course I remember him," Etienne said, "Dad used to rave about how lucky they were to have him all the time."

"Well, he passed not too long ago. A year or two, if I’m not mistaken. Anyways, apparently Mr. Robert left everything to his young wife, Mrs. Georgia, including his executive position. I wonder if there wasn’t some foul play happening there, with Mr. Robert being so advanced in age..."

Money shook his head, "Whatever the case, Mrs. Georgia doesn’t share her late husband’s charitable spirit. She doesn’t spend any money on charities or community projects like Mr. Robert did, instead she only spends it on improving the Fellows themselves. A new place for us to meet in, new furniture and equipment, things like that."

Etienne crossed his arms, "You said a while ago they’re trying to turn the Fellows into a country club. So I’m guessing she’s in support of that."

Money gritted his teeth, "All of them are. Especially him—" Money pointed to a young man with spiky hair wearing a garish Hawaiian shirt and flip flops, "Monty Barris. The king of nepotism. He inherited his father’s company, Chris’ Chicken, one of the fastest growing fast food places in the country. He’s all but running it into the ground pulling a classic greedy business move, trying to expand too much too fast. As he’s said many times, his membership in the Fellows is a compulsory part of his position as CEO, he has to be with us. And he hates it."

"Why?" Etienne questioned.

Money laughed, "Can’t you guess? He hates having to share his money, having to donate to causes and projects that don’t benefit him. So he’s the loudest about his disdain for the current iteration of the Fellows, and he’s equally as loud about his desire to change it."

Etienne looked at the other member on the stage and spotted his cousin, Lionel, staring directly at him through the crowd of people.

"Whoa, that’s creepy," Money commented, "Your big cousin isn’t too much better than them if I’m being honest. Up until this point, he’s been neutral at best as a leader. That sounds reasonable at first, but when you have a group that wants to completely upheave everything the group once stood for and change it into something commercial, being neutral isn’t good enough."

Etienne stared back at Lionel as he responded to Money, "And you said the talk I had with him last week didn’t help? When I was there with him, he seemed pretty understanding."

Money laughed bitterly, "Did the talk really go as well as you think, prince? I’ll be honest with you, in the last week, it seems like it’s gotten a lot worse. He’s completely stopped returning my calls and texts. And it seems like he’s been spending more and more time with the Good People Company. Your talk might have had the opposite effect, if I’m being honest."

"Sounds like he didn’t like my conditions," Etienne thought to himself, "I was hoping if I threatened him, I could get him to hand over the Fellows. My cousin has more conviction than I thought."

"Hey!" A voice called out from behind them, "Shubham Patel? Can I talk to you?"

Money turned around quickly. He glanced back and Etienne and quickly said, "I’ll be right back," before walking up to the man.

Lionel launched out of his chair on the stage and stormed over to Etienne.

He swims through the crowd of people, and stands in front of Etienne within a few seconds.

"Etienne," He states flatly.

"Lionel," Etienne responds in the same tone.

"I see your recovery is going quite well. You look good," He stated robotically.

"Thanks Lionel. It took a while but I finally feel whole again. More than anything though, I’m just grateful to have survived."

Lionel smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, "Of course you survived. You’re a Blessad. Something like that wouldn’t take you out."

"Something similar did kill my parents though," Etienne thought to himself.

"What do you want Lionel?" Etienne asked, "I know you didn’t come over here just to flatter me."

"You’re right, Etienne. Look you’re a grown man, and it’s not my place to tell you who to hang out with. But I don’t know if you should be hanging out with Money."

Etienne’s eyes widened, "Money? What’s wrong with Money?

Lionel’s voice dropped to a low, conspiratorial whisper, "I know you’re not as clueless as you like to pretend be Etienne. That guy is party to a conspiracy. My mom and dad’s mansion getting attacked, my townhouse, the townhouse we grew up in getting torched, and a recent threat I received from a metahuman. All in the last six months. Ever since the members of the Good People Company have been gaining prominence."

"He thinks Money is behind all of that, or at least aware of it?" Etienne thought to himself, "That helps for my vigilante persona, but putting Money in a position like that is..."

Etienne crossed his arms, "How do you even know Money is behind it? He works at a pharmaceutical company. He’s not some ingenious supervillain. The guy can barely figure out how to work a computer."

"I’ve had my suspicions already," Lionel bit his fingernail, "I know he doesn’t like the way I run things, and I know he hates I haven’t tried to maintain the status quo with him and Stone. But he doesn’t understand. The things he thinks are working are having diminishing returns. We just aren’t helping as many people as your parents did, even when the Fellows are operating perfectly."

Etienne sighs, "Tell me what this has to do with your conspiracy again?"

"I don’t know if he had anything to do with the attack on my parent’s mansion, probably not, but I know he orchestrated my townhouse burning down. He probably told his guy to scare me up, but it went wrong, or maybe he planned it like that..."

Etienne’s hands flew up, "You don’t even know? How can you—"

"Listen," Lionel cut him off, "He sent somebody after me. Last week. To threaten me. I think it was he same guy he used for my townhouse. The guy said as much to me. And get this. The guy told me I need to surrender the Fellows to Money. It doesn’t get more blatant than that."

"Damn, it really was a mistake for me to say that," Etienne thought to himself.

As they talked, feedback from the speakers blared out, silencing almost everybody in the room and caused everyone to cover their ears;

On the stage, a handsome young man with pale skin in a light grey suit tapped the microphone and smiled.

"Sorry about that everyone, I was running a little late. Are we ready to get started?" He asked, with charisma and confidence.

Lionel snarled and turned away from Etienne, "Just think about what you’re doing Etienne. And who you’re hanging out with."