The energy of Faux Folie was slick, intense, and full of undercurrents that only the sharpest could feel. Valerie sat at the bar, her back straight, eyes scanning the room – taking in the mix of politicians, criminals, and the city’s elite. She wasn’t interested in the glamour or the show; she was here for something more: Information. People often underestimated what a few well-placed words could uncover, and tonight, she was hunting for the right ones.
A stranger approached the bar, ordering their drink with the kind of casual confidence that hinted at a world she was still learning to navigate. Valerie studied them, her gaze lingering for just a moment too long. She kept her tone light, her words wrapped in effortless charm.
"This isn't quite the spot I would’ve expected you to pick," she said with a smile.
"What brings you here tonight?" Her question wasn’t just a friendly inquiry—it was an invitation, a gentle probe to see how far they would go, and what they might be willing to reveal about themself.
"Oh I love this song! Come and dance with me." Did Paige know the person that she was talking to? Honestly she wasn't sure given all of the masks. Was she giving them a chance to answer before she grabbed their arm and pulled them onto the dance floor? No.
She was comfortably tipsy, the fire of her latest scotch still dancing on her tongue. But it was enough that she was excited to dance rather than paranoid about who may see.
The stranger’s hand grabbed at Valerie’s arm, a tug that was far too presumptuous. With a sharp motion, she wrenched her arm free, the movement cold and deliberate. “Don’t touch me,” she warned, her voice low, clipped, and carrying a weight that made it clear this was no request.
Her posture stiffened and her eyes, framed by the delicate lace mask, narrowed with disdain. “Do you not have friends that will dance with you?” she asked, her words cutting through the music with a quiet venom.
open to: all
setting: some wine bar / lee's birthday roast
April 1st, 1971. The day that brought Lee Malkovich, and his sister Valerie, into the world they would get a kick out of haunting. Fifty-four years later, they still celebrate it together.
A wine bar in Manhattan is this year's venue of choice. Instead of making reservations, he enjoys the presence of strangers — in addition to friends, but especially enemies. "Fancy an Echezeaux, darling?"
Valerie didn’t usually drink this early, but after three hours of men talking in circles and pretending it was business, the wine bar was a necessary detour. Valerie had chosen a corner table, half-shielded by a velvet curtain — far enough from the bar to stay invisible, but close enough to clock everyone who walked in.
She was halfway through her second glass when his voice reached her. Her eyes flicked up over the rim of her glass. He didn’t look like trouble — which usually meant he was.
She set her glass down slowly. “Depends,” she said, tilting her head. “Is it a gift, or a trap?”
A pause. Then a half-smile, dry and amused.
“I’ll take a glass either way. I’ve had worse poisons.”
Valerie’s parents, Lori and Gabriel, Grew up in the rough streets of Las Vegas, bonded by their struggle and hunger for more. Gabe wanted out; Lori thrived in the chaos.
Gabe earned a college scholarship in NYC, planning to leave their past behind. At 16, Lori got pregnant. Gabe, scared and unprepared, ghosted her. He left for New York without a word.
Alone and struggling, Lori gave birth to Valerie on February 2, 1992. She dropped out of school, took low-wage jobs, and used men for survival. She lied to Valerie, claiming her father was dead.
Raised Valerie as a sidekick, not a daughter—forcing her to learn survival tactics young. Val grew up seeing power as something to take, but like her father, she wanted out. She enrolled in community college at 20, angering Lori.
Funded her education by working in a gentlemen’s club, learning manipulation and power. Graduated with two business degrees, became General Manager of the club.
At 32, Valerie learned her father isn’t just alive—he is a billionaire tech mogul. His company, Maeson Industries, specializes in security, surveillance, and under-the-table intelligence work for the rich and powerful. The business has deep criminal ties—blackmail, hacking, and power plays.
Gabe is dying and wants Valerie to inherit his empire. Valerie, uninterested in tech and media, declined but was pressured into overseeing the transition.
As she learns the company’s dark truths, she is learning that walking away isn’t simple—there are threats, enemies, and consequences.
Val is lawyered up, negotiating an escape that will leave her rich, safe, and untangled from the corruption. But getting out alive is the real challenge.
