As far as people went, she could hardly claim Kiefer to be a particular favourite of hers. There was an edge to him she couldn’t quite see, a question mark that was impossible to answer, a puzzle yet to be solved. Despite that, in an afternoon that had seen nothing but a constant tirade of enemies and sworn opposition, she would take anything - and anyone - sworn to their side. It was a welcome respite - but she still couldn’t allow the wheels of her mind to stop turning. Even now, even with him, they were put to work. After all, idle hands were the devils playthings. She preferred his occupied.
“Boss lady.” In the bright light of the sun, it was hard to see the smile that had begun to creep upwards from her lips, illuminating the whole of her face. “Now there’s a nickname I could get behind.” Even if it was meant as a jest - or carelessly tossed as an insult - it belonged to her now. And was a mark of respect. Sort of. “Hopefully you’ll look for it somewhere not too far in trouble.” The air had a certain potential to it - as if the sky were about to splinter at any moment. Perhaps she had merely been at war for too long.
She had to say, it wasn’t entirely uncomfortable.
“As much as I can be, trapped among the mundane and those who would seek to bring us ruin.” Bitterness crept into her tone, displayed without regret or condition. Perhaps she was drinking too much. Perhaps she simply wanted a way out - an escape where one could still be found. Her penthouse wasn’t so far away, nor the place she called a second home. She could wrap herself there - and rule from the roost, safe and secure. She was too exposed here…there was…too much. “Isn’t it a funny coincidence? That we all ended up here?”
Oh, how Kiefer loved to keep people guessing. It was one of his biggest thrills in life, watching a crease appear between someone’s eyebrows as they tried to work him out but the calculations just didn’t add up. He knew that was a dangerous position to put himself in when he worked for what was probably some of the most dangerous people in the country but as long as he got the job done, kept his head down and his ideas to himself, he liked to think he was in the clear.
“Me? Trouble?” He scoffed, “Have we met?” Not even Kiefer could make anyone believe he was anything less than a magnet for trouble. He was drawn to it as much as it was drawn to him, the thrill of being bad came naturally to him...probably like how being a model citizen became naturally to normal people. “Don’t worry, I’m keeping my nose clean,” he assured her, “at least tonight with this crowd.”
He thought it unusual that all of these factions would be brought into one place, especially on a day like today. It was an accident waiting to happen, a lot of dangerous minds and big personalities stuck together in a party was a recipe for disaster and Kiefer wanted to be prepared if and when everyone butted heads. It made him all the more bitter than he’d had his gun taken from him.
He nodded along as Victoria spoke. “Big mood,” he sighed, looking around the crowd surrounding them and picking out familiar faces, some friendly and some not so much. “I’m not sure ‘funny’ is the word I’d use,” he muttered, “I know they took our weapons at the door but I think my keys could be useful in a fight. Only if it came to that.”
