Ice Cream (RP)

Max smiles in a way that she hopes is reassuring. "Course I can. He ain't gonna bother you again, consider your account there settled." Inwardly though, she's far from confident. She has a feeling that the particular black marketeer she will be dealing with is Jack the Merc. She had reluctantly dealt with him in the past, and found him to be extremely dangerous, and just as psychotic. She would have never agreed to muscle him out before her change. But now she was a werewolf, a force to be reckoned with, and that gave her the confidence to try. Besides, the thought of him squeezing people in her territory brought out a fury in her that would be frightening if it weren't so delicious.

When Blossom explains that she can't be treated Max raises her brow incredulously. "Really? I thought this was a surgery clinic, what is your doc? A faith healer?" A little suspicious after that song and dance, she nonetheless takes off her jacket and shirt and allows Blossom to take pictures of her mauled stomach. "Alright. If he can't help me, he can't help me. We'll do the consultation anyway. And the discount is greatly appreciated." She's too stubborn to admit that she can't afford the bill if the surgery is actually greenlit but... she can't afford the bill, and it's not her intention to force the clinic to work for free. She thinks about ways she might raise the money. Save up? Borrow it from someone powerful? Take out a loan? None of it seemed very likely.

She lists her fee for strongarming Jack. It's quite expensive itself, but certainly nothing near the astronomical price she'd just been quoted, and it even includes a 20% discount. "I only take payment in cash, of course," she concludes.

Persephone looks at her phone, sends a quick text, and looks up the bookstore on her map app. Then she turns to Benji and says, "Given the distance and drive time, my date schedule, and my private car being ready when we get downstairs, she can have one hour. Then I must return here for my date. Tell her we will arrive in about 20 minutes."

She turns to Circe and says, "If you wish to accompany us to the occultist bookshop, get your things, because we are leaving. And I need the condo empty when I return."

She prepares to leave, looking at Benji to join her. She doesn’t pay much attention to Circe, allowing her to do whatever she likes.

For her part, Circe gets a very annoyed and insulted look but grabs her things with a huff and joins them to go.

Max chuckles indulgently. "Nothing in this city is free, Blossom. You're welcome to deal with him yourself, of course, but if he is who I think he is, you'd better leave him to me. I'll take half the payment up front, and the other half upon resolution of the matter. Do you have the cash on hand? If not, I'll swing by tomorrow and pick it up." All in all, she's a little upset that she had to have this conversation, but she's pleased how this turned out. She came in with almost nothing and was going to walk out with a job and an opportunity to solidify her hold on her territory. That last part always felt good to the beast lurking within.

She gets dressed quietly. "Alright, seems I misjudged you. You aren't turnin' away folks because their parents weren't rich, or because you're bigots. I'm gonna let you do business as you see fit in that case."

"So," she says conversationally as she begins to head back to the reception area. "When's my consultation?"

"Uh-huh, tomorrow. I'll be by in the afternoon," she says as though the matter is settled.

Bumping into the doctor in the hall, she smiles when their eyes meet. "Ah, you must be the doctor. Your lovely associate here was just about to schedule me a..."

Max trails off when she sees Emma, her eyes going wide and her lips parting in shock. She pushes past Moss to get a closer look. "Emma? I mean... Emma Harper? Holy shit you're my favorite author! Your supernatural erotic-thrillers are the tits! Damn... sorry to just walk up to you like this but... I mean, can I shake your hand?"

As they ride, Persephone turns to Circe and says, very matter of factly, "Why not call up that wannabe father figure you were flirting with the other night? He seemed the type to want to protect a defenseless young woman--though you should be ready to pay his price, of course."

Circe is appalled. Persephone sneers at her expression and replies, "Don't be naive, girl! You think a man twice your age is interested in you for your mind? Hardly. If you are so prude, then here, get a hotel." She fishes out a credit card and hands it to Circe.

Circe is so stunned by the casual cruelty of the exchange that she just takes the card, agape.

---

Once at the shop, Persephone walks in, uninterested in books, instead seeking out Yasmine.

Max gives Emma a reverent handshake. "Yeah, I loved it. I mean, none of its real of course, but all the same you've got one hell of an imagination." She puts a hand on her hip and looks at Emma appraisingly. "You do know about the real stuff though, right? I mean, you and the doc were just talking about faeries, so you must."