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Julian meets Louis's stare evenly standing unmoving. He raises a hand to anyone looking to intervene, requesting that they do nothing.

"I...really wish you hadn't done that, Louis." Julian says. For as Julian raised that hand to ward off interference, tw of the silver serving trays on the table by the door rose from the table and zoomed directly toward Louis Shaw.

The first one hits him in the back of the head. The second hits him in his back. As he sags to the floor in pain, Julian looks down at Louis.

"Anyone who did to your grandfather what you just did to me would be dead faster than his head could spin. It's true, Louis; I hate your guts. You have this sense of self-entitlement that I find utterly rankling and to top it off...you're a Shaw." Julian says, walking around the man.

"But, we have need of you here, Louis, and I want to extend an olive branch to you and Mr. Thorn, because I believe that everyone in this room wants what /I/ want. Not just money and power, but the ability to reshape the world to our desires." Julian says, looking at the assembled as he adjusts the lapels of his coat.

"Before now, you had a king who was willing to help you only so long as it benefited him first and foremost. I don't want us all working against each other all of the time. Some competition keeps us strong and ready.

But I expect us to close ranks against outside enemies. It has ever been the way of the Hellfire Club, this will not change." Julian tells them, walking about the room.

"However, I'm also not going to demand tribute or tell you that I want fifty cents of every dollar you make, either. You have profit and plans. I want to all of us to get even more. Power and money only go so far, but...in time, we shall set foot in vistas untouched by previous incarnations of the Hellfire Club. Wakanda, Atlantis, Latveria, Attilan, Genosha. These places are no longer closed to us because of their leaders.

The future is happening in this room right now, standing with me." Julian says, looking at everyone in turn as Louis Shaw tries to rise.

"America has always been the ripest fruit on the tree, but there are others and we can have them, if you'll but walk with me. Even you, Louis, because you're worth something, too. Now, back to business." Julian says, returning to the head of the room.

"Viper is the new White Rook. I hereby strip Regan Wyngarde of the title of Black Queen and bestow this title and honor upon one Viveca van Roehm." Julian says, looking to Viveca.

"Do you accept?" he asks, extending a hand.