Jacqueline Marie Fortier's Story

Astrid had no idea why she was sitting in a room with mostly strangers. The only one she knew was Brandon. He was the reason why she was here too, insisting that she come here and how important it was. Even though Astrid only knew Brandon for a short time, she came to like the guy and even trust him for some reason. It was probably because he was currently one of few people who know she had unique abilities and learned he had the same. She was coming to understand that there were more like them too. Curiosity caught ahold of Astrid and she wanted to know more. However the more she learned, the less she wanted to be involved. Still, here she was. Sending Brandon a frown for talking her into coming here, she continued to listen carefully to all who spoke. Astrid prided herself on her listening skills and stored away all the information mentally.

When another blonde hair woman came in, Astrid did say or do anything as she surveyed the new arrival. Even before the young woman started talking, the American music master knew she'd been in a scuffle. Hell, she still looked like she was ready for action. Something told Astrid that this woman was not to be messed with. The same could be said for the other people she didn't know. A part of her felt sorry for Mr. White for the situation he was in. It definitely wasn't right and that struck a cord inside of Astrid. She knew what it was like to have to be judged without knowing all the facts. Only this time someone was setting up the Golden Tones where the results would be terrible. Time was definitely on GT's side and the person responsible for this mess would have to be found quickly. The question was where to start.

Unease was settling into the back of Astrid's mind too. Astrid was a practical person, but she also had instincts and she trusted those more than concrete facts. She had her iPod and headphones with her for precautional reasons. She waited to see what would happen next.

Dean White's stress seemed as if was at its limit as it was, and for Jack to barge in in such a violent state wasn't helping it one bit. He could only do so much to glare in her direction, wondering in his head why the rambunctious girl would even begin to think just barging in on his important meeting was even remotely okay.

"Jacqueline, will you please? I am at my limit with this. If you would take a seat and keep silent, that would be very much appreciated, thank you!" he practically shouted, hoping that it would be enough to make the girl understand.

Dean's thoughts went back, and now he found himself wondering why he had even hired the girl in the first place. Truth be told, he had no hired muscle in his Ensemble in the first place. They were all just old men who sat around listening to records and playing with powers beyond their control. Violence was not really a part of their lifestyle. If anything, the burly guards who kept watch in Blue Moon Manor were a recent addition, and even they were non-Music Masters who would prove to be useless against any real attack.

"Aye, so are we gonna just sit around and listen to your whinin', or are you gonna try to actually persuade us?" Mick asked, his patience clearly wearing thin. Dean wiped the sweat off his furrowed brow.

"Ah, yes, I was getting to that. I am very much willing to pay six digit sums to each of you if you take part in this. Consider it an adequate reward once you clear the good name of the Tones." the older man said, but Mick chuckled under his breath in response.

"That sounds mighty fine and all, but who's to say we'll make it back alive to pick up our bank deposits? It'd be mighty easy for you to promise us somethin' only to send us off to die." the British boy pointed out, while Dean regained his composure and waved off the possibility than any of them might not come back alive from this quest.

"I wouldn't worry about that, if I were you." the older Music Master said, as a shadow moved from the door behind him. "I've obtained some extra help. Jacqueline was just the start, really."

A plume of smoke accompanied the sultry figure of a tall and electrifying woman, who emerged behind Dean White with flair and poise. Her long black gloves and ruby dress shimmered in the light of the room, and her delicate cigarette holder seemed only to intensify her look. If one didn't know better, one might think she walked right out of 1925 and into the Dean White's dining room.

Even Mick lost his composure for a moment, as this brunette beauty made her presence known. It was a combination of her figure, her face, and her wardrobe that made it almost impossible to not stare.

"May I introduce you all to the exquisite Ms. Suzy Rogers." Dean told the group before he motioned to Suzy, who simply gave the group an almost devious smile before taking a seat.

"Oh, don't bother with all the the pleasantries, dear." she commented, clearly enjoying herself as she scanned everyone around her with striking eyes. "I'm sure we'll all get to know each other soon enough. Yes, I think we'll all get along splendidly."

Mick's mind cycled through the situation ahead. Clearly, there was more to this than he realized. He thought about the possibility of death that came with helping the Golden Tones, but then he thought about the money involved. With enough money, Mick realized that he could pay someone off in Gracious Door. And paying someone off meant that he could escape the dreaded Ensemble and be back to the one place he knew he belonged...with his family.

Mick furrowed his thick eyebrows as he examined this woman for a distance. She was absolutely beautiful, that was for sure. A looker in every sense of the word. He couldn't tell how old she was, but it didn't matter to him. She was certainly worth being around, if anything else.

"Well, I think I'm convinced." Mick stated, with a small smile. He looked back towards Brandon and the friend he had brought along, Astrid. Then of course there was Dean's other hired gun, Jacqueline, but Mick assumed she would be involved either way.

"But I can't say I speak for everyone. I just know that certain...elements, have made me realize, I'm in." Mick pointed out.

He couldn't help but wonder...was this all really going to be worth having to possibly face a myriad of Music Masters who'd probably wipe the floor with him and his company? Mick could only guess on what Brandon and Astrid were thinking and if they were ready to agree to this madness in the first place, even with this Jacqueline girl and the mystifying Suzy in their group.

Brandon's composure remained mostly solid during Jack's rather brisk entrance, though he did wince a bit when she entered. He had heard the scraping noises from across the building, of coarse, and suspected that the visitor would be friendly, since Dean didn't seem bothered by the scraping or the bursting open of doors. The mask which the girl wore was slightly chilling, and the blood she wiped off of her hand was all the more disquieting. So this was one of the other Music Masters Dean had hired, it seems.

A move which Dean seems to regret now, Brandon thought to himself after Dean's little outburst. What good would it do you to yell at one of your employees, and directly into her face, for that matter?

Brandon almost felt sorry for dragging Astrid into this, and peering in her direction, he saw that she'd been glaring knives at him. Brandon widened his eyes and turned his head a bit, motioning to the fact that he hadn't been expecting anything like this either. They'd come to meet some amazing guy who was an elite member of the so-called "amazing" Golden Tones, only to meet a frail old man who was begging for help and hiring the assistance of some of the sketchiest people around. And apparently, Jack wasn't the last, as Dean soon pointed out, signaling the appearance of some lady who could have been Dean's wife, for all Brandon cared.

"Oh, don't bother with all the the pleasantries, dear. I'm sure we'll all get to know each other soon enough. Yes, I think we'll all get along splendidly.", the lady said, giving the group a once-over with a rather suspicious glare as she sat down. Brandon, feeling offset by the developing situation, tilted his head down a bit and brought his right headphone over his ear while leaving the left behind his other ear. He glanced at Mick after doing this, who was silently pondering to himself and probably mulling over the facts. Lots of money and super brownie points from GT, with the bonus of working alongside the striking (yet extremely suspicious) Suzy Rogers. Brandon could also see Mick watching Suzy from a distance, and he wondered if Mick was really going to let that factor in to his decision.

Hopefully it hadn't, because Mick agreed after half a minute of silence. "But I can't say I speak for everyone. I just know that certain... elements, have made me realize, I'm in." Mick said, peering to Brandon and Astrid for their responses. Was it worth it? This was a hundred-thousand dollar deal they were getting into, just to kill one guy. Yet they had no leads, how would they track the assassin before his next move? And Brandon would be putting his family and friends at risk too, if he chose to accept the task... Though, seeing as Jack was wearing a mask, he assumed that he could quickly make one of his own so his identity would be kept hidden. All facts considered, as long as this wasn't some sort of trap, Brandon had nothing to lose.

Brandon peered around and could have sworn that the lady Dean had summoned was peering at him through the corners of her eyes. She must have looked away pretty quickly, though, because Brandon wasn't sure whether or not she really had been looking in his direction. He frowned a bit at this, but let it slide. Music Masters alone were easy to underestimate, and Brandon had run into people who underestimated his physical abilities quite often back in California. New York wouldn't be any different.

With a sigh, Brandon voiced his opinion. "Well, I see nothing to lose. I guess I'm in.", he simply said, right before his cell phone vibrated in his pocket, and he fished it out to see who had texted him. It was a black LG slide phone with a sideways keyboard, which he favored over the newer and "smarter" designs which were beginning to be introduced to the market. He'd always favored some of the older things.

The message had come from Kyrian, both Brandon's fatherly figure and occasional boss for when Brandon decided to work at the restaurant. A man who carried respect almost naturally and drew shivers from those who dared to think of bringing him bad news, he had been a large part of Brandon's life since his middle school days. Drawing away from the past, Brandon opened the text to see what it read.

"Busy tonight, HS and college sports teams, need you down here", so the message read. Though he had a choice whether to help out or not, Brandon rather enjoyed working at Kyrian's, and at the moment was not enjoying Dean's mansion atmosphere. Plus, a little tip money goes a long way, as Brandon has found out. Though he was offered six digits of hard cash for helping the Golden Tones, it wouldn't be coming for a long while.

"Something's come up, and I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself. Family in need, you see." Brandon said, attracting Suzy's gaze and almost stopping him in his tracks. Damn, what was with her? It's as if she wants me to sit back down. Brandon resisted the temptation, and made his way to the door. "Mick, text me if anything comes up.", he added, before closing the doors behind him.

As he exited the mansion, he pulled his other earphone on and changed the song on his iPod, turning up the volume so he could hear the music. The two guards were talking among themselves, distracted as Brandon slowly began to hover, then suddenly take flight as the song rushed through him. The effect was almost immediate, a burning rush that flowed through his legs at first for running speed, then spread to his arms as he willed himself to shoot skywards. As he slowed himself, he felt a cold chill pass through him, diminishing as he ceased deceleration. He had a moment to think about how he left Astrid there, and felt a little sorry for leaving her there alone. But Astrid knew Mick, though if only a little bit, so at least she wouldn't be left alone with a masked nut and a shaky old man.

Okay, which way to the restaurant..., Brandon wondered to himself, and soon saw a landmark in the middle distance he had remembered to take note of. He flew off and away from the mansion, musical fire trailing behind him, toward the establishment he called his day job.

As Mr. White continued with the discussion, Astrid kept an eye on all the other people in the room. They all to seem on edge, especially Mr. White. The old man sounded like her favorite violin instructor. He was generally a good natured man, but he did have his limits. Mr. Stanlisky had been her first instructor and while she was his prized student for years, some of the others tested his patience because they liked to cause mischief. The thought distracted her momentarily, but when Mick started talking, Astrid was all ears again.

"Ah, yes, I was getting to that. I am very much willing to pay six digit sums to each of you if you take part in this. Consider it an adequate reward once you clear the good name of the Tones."

Six figures?! Astrid was normally excellent at hiding her true emotions, but even she couldn't stop her eye brows from raising. At least she didn't gapped. Her first thought was that there had to be a catch. There normally was. Than her brain started working again. The place she was at was very luxurious. Even for someone like Astrid, who came from a poor background, knew quality material when she saw this. This place had to cost an arm and a leg. Six figures for each person here was bound to be chump change for Mr. White.

Thinking about the offer now, Astrid pondered if it was worth the risk. The last thing she wanted to do was get involved in something that was none of her business. At the same time though, she knew immediately what she could do with that money. In her free time, she often helped out at a nearby orphanage, but it was in desperate need of updates. The building itself was in Brooklyn in a rough area and was a fire hazard waiting to happen. Astrid worked part-time and half of her earnings went towards the orphanage. There was another problem with getting involved though, if she got involved, she could possibly be getting them involved. However, would these ensembles really go so low as to target kids? It was a pickle.

Astrid was still thinking of her decision when Ms. Suzy showed up. Immediately Astrid looked at Brandon and Mick to see their reactions to the beautiful woman. Both reacted, but in different ways. Brandon seemed a bit more tense and Mick looked a little flummoxed, even though it was for a second or two. Resisting the urge to grin, Astrid instead looked back at the brunette. There was something about her that made Astrid uneasy. It was no wonder Brandon tensed up a bit. Maybe he was feeling the same thing. She would ask him later. However, soon both him and Mick gave their answers. Mick left as soon as he got his answer and soon Brandon's phone went off. Looking at him as he checked it. Suddenly he stood up and said he had to leave. Astrid instantly knew what was up. It probably had something to do with his day job.

They must be really busy to need his help, Astrid thought.

In fact, that was how Astrid met Brandon. It wasn't far from the university she went too and heard about it from other students. She decided to check it out and Brandon had been her waiter. She felt something about him and it wasn't long before they became friends. It was only 3 weeks ago that they found out about each other being a music master. That eventually led to this situation.

Astrid's thoughts where interrupted when the other blonde talked to her. Being called blondie was something Astrid hated hearing. Ironic that it should come from another blonde. Astrid looked at Jack and the talked for the first time that evening.

"My name is Astrid." she replied in a bit of a harsh tone before looking at Mr. White.

Going with her gut, Astrid finally made up her mind.

"I'm in. Is that all?" she asked simply.

She honestly wanted to get out of this place.

Mick crossed his arms as he listened to the golden sound of agreement around him. With Jack, Astrid and Brandon on his side, where could he have gone wrong? Sure, Brandon might have run off to take care of his business down at his restaurant job, but at least Mick knew for a fact he could count on him when he needed him.

"Looks like you got yourself some takers, Dean. Get 'im while they're hot." the young Brit quipped before flashing a smile. That smile of course, was directed at one Suzy Rogers across the table. But she had such a powerful, sultry expression on her face that Mick wasn't sure if she even knew he was eyeing her. Or maybe she did, and she was just so used to it, she just didn't care.

Nevertheless, there were more important things at hand. Mick fished into a jacket pocket for his music player; a beaten-up old I-Pod more than two years old. He considered listening to music at a time like this, when Suzy leaned over to whisper something into Dean's ear as the rest of the room descended into discussion. After all, even with some tunes playing, he'd still be able to hear everyone talking as clear as day. That was just one of the pros of being a Music Master, after all.

But something caught his attention right before he popped an earbud into his left ear. Something up above.

He squinted to see what could be up their in the darkness of the impossibly high ceiling. Even with the golden ambiance and multiple lights, the fact that it was night did obscure a large part of the ceiling above. But when Mick glanced up into the darkness, he could have sworn he saw something.

It was only when he could hear the sound of music, a sound of black men singing in high voices, that suddenly he realized his fears were all too true.

The music burst into room like thunder, and the ambush was equally surprising and forceful. A towering Sentonal, a fusion of a stereotypical Native American and a monstrous eagle, crashed into the dining table with considerable force. Mick and the others were sent flying back as its tomahawks dug deep into the masterwork wood, splintering it apart and causing even more of a ruckus.

The world spun as Mick struggled to regain his composure, kicking aside his falling chair as he surveyed the situation. Behind the Sentonal, a tall African-American stood, his hair clad in a small afro and a gleaming white smile on his face.

"Do it quick, Mighty Gee. Don't have all day here." he said in a upbeat tone. His Sentonal didn't hesitate, wrenching the two tomahawks from the table's remains and turning its attentions to Dean White himself. Mick could see the look in its user's eyes, and he could see Suzy rushing to get a song effect out. The truth was though, she wouldn't make it in time.

Mick was quick to pull up a song, and it was perhaps through sheer luck that the gushing red of Strawberry Fields Forever came out of his hand just in time. The burst splashed onto the man's face as a tomahawk went flying through the air at Dean White. In the resulting confusion of being swept up in his psychedelic fantasy, the man's control on his Sentonal wavered, and the tomahawk, a part of the Sentonal itself, literally swerved in the air. It missed Dean White by inches, landing hard into the wood table right in front of him. As Dean's heart pounded in his chest and he counted his blessings, his bodyguards were quick to scoop him up like a child in an attempt to get him out of danger.

"You chaps alright back there?" Mick said to his comrades, as his music and the man's music clashed in the air. He could only hope they were okay, but he had little time to think on it as the man's attention was now turned to him.

"Hey boy. Don't be a pain in the ass. Dexter don't like no pain in the ass." the man said, as his Sentonal clambered before him. The tomahawk returned in an instant, pulled by some unseen force.

"Sorry to ruin your sport. Maybe you should get going before it gets really rough." Mick shot back, but Dexter chuckled.

"Oh, you don't know rough, boy. But I'd be glad to show you rough." he said with confidence.

Without hesitation, the Sentonal shot its arm out, and suddenly a very real and very deadly tomahawk almost half the size of Mick's body was hurtling straight in his direction. One hit, and he would be bisected in an instant.

Clearly, Mick thought, taunting this guy didn't turn out to be one of Mick's brightest ideas...

Astrid was thankful that one of her attributes was speed. At the time of the initial attack, if the blonde had been sitting where she originally was, than she would have been squashed like a bug. Luckily, the music master could sense something moments before the ambush and jumped out of the way in time for the Afro guy and his sentonal to come crashing through the roof. Still the surge of energy Astrid felt caused her to crash into a nearby wall. It knocked the wind out of her and she had to take a couple seconds to catch her breath before staggering up.

The first thing she saw was all the destruction around her. What a mess! It was then she saw Jack facing off against this guy with an afro. Astrid was behind them so their foe had yet to see her. She would use this to her advantage while she had one. It wouldn't surprise Astrid if this fight destroyed the whole building.

After assessing the situation, Astrid quickly equipped her own iPod and headsets, and turned on Winter which produced her overture. She figured that while Jack would keep the setonal busy, she would focus on the music master herself. Taking a deep breath, Astrid grounded herself as violet energy swirled around her feet and looking at the intruder, she waved her hands at the same time and pointed at Dexter, sending sharp projectiles towards him.