Mixing Business With Pleasure [HADES/MADDY]

[Dante Hades]

"... So then I said to the cop, I said "No you're driving under the influence...of being a jerk!" Am I right, huh? Huh?"

Looking around at the table full of associates, sensing not even a flicker of amusement between them, he felt his nostrils flare slightly at the lack of response his joke had received and his glare burned through his assistants, Payne and Patrick, who both reacted almost immediately with identical fits of gut-splitting laughter. Hades merely narrowed his eyes, reminding himself to maim them later; he didn't know if he preferred the silence over their false howls. Picking up his glass of Scotch, he waved aside the lame joke before setting his glass back down upon the table and leaning back in his chair slightly. Observing his fellow business-owners, he pursed his lips momentarily, before speaking.

"I understand that Queenie over there...hey babe...", he began, tossing in a smooth wink to the now flustered woman dressed in red at the far end of the conference table before continuing, "...is one of the most successful businesspeople around town. The casino rakes in millions per year because the majority of Faraway's population is made up of deadbeats. But think about it...with more positive influences around like those damn celebrities, soon these deadbeats will see these goody-two-shoes fame-seekers as role models and change their ways, thus killing off places like Cave of Wonders and the Casino. What if I was to offer up, a solution?"

As the committee members exchanged looks of curiosity and confusion, Hades allowed a wicked grin to light his features in a sinister fashion, casting a glance over at Payne and Patrick who were looking both terrified and excited at the same time. Game...set...match.

Once the meeting had come to an end, Hades turned in his rotating chair and stared out of the huge glass pane which gave him a clear view of the city skyline from the Conference Suite, glass in hand. He couldn't help but think about how it would all be his; all in due time. After all, to be a ruthless businessman, a guy had to be able to make suckers out of his rivals.

[Madeleine Hatter]

Madeleine sat outside the office of her boss, Dante Hades, not sure how to bring up what had happened to her only hours ago. He would be enraged to say the least. Dante Hades was notorious for his temper, if not his way of handling issues from his employees. She shouldn't have even taken any of the supply of drugs that she was supposed to be selling to the sketchy characters that came across Fairy Dust. But she did, and now all of it was gone. Maddy wasn't exactly quite sure how someone could have taken all of the supply that she had without anyone realizing that something was going wrong. I mean, surely she wasn't the only person at Fairy Dust that night. The only thing she was sure of was the fact that she was in for a brutal punishment. One that she couldn't quite prepare herself for, no matter how much time she had.


She'd had to wait outside for quite sometime because Hades had been in a meeting, but once she saw people exiting the room, and the secretary had told her that he was free now, she moved towards the door, gaining the questioning eye of most of the people that were now leaving. Even acquiring a wink from Payne, one of Hades many, many assistants. She gave a slight grimace before moving around the outgoing traffic and entering Hades' office. She closed the door behind her, letting out a shaky breath. Maddy turned around, seeing that his chair was directed towards the picture window. She concluded that he probably didn't know that she was coming, and therefore the brutal temper might be even worse.

She cleared her throat softly, just to get his attention. "Um, sir?" Her voice slightly cracked out of fear. "I- uh- have something that I need to tell you. You won't be happy." She said honestly, looking down at the floor. "Just one thing before I tell you. Remember who your best seller is." She gulped down air, waiting to hear his response to what she had just said before going on any further.

[Dante Hades]

A satisfied smirk spreading across his lips, and the devillish man released a sigh of contentment; sure, he wouldn't rest until everything was his, and right now it wasn't, but with what he had been planning, there was no doubt about it; he'd have this city in his clutches in no time. It seemed like nothing could taint his delight at the prospect of being in control of this city. Not one tiny little detail could put a dampener on his mood today.

Or so he had thought.

As he brought the glass to his lips once more, he caught the faint yet familiar murmer of someone clearing their throat and calling on him from behind. Although he had been basking in the glory of a world that would soon be his, Dante froze in his seat momentarily as Madeleine Hatter spoke, the glass pausing inches from his lips as he took in her words. It was never a good sign when one of his employees, particularly Mad, came to seek him out. Usually she was quite good at going about her business without the need to hassle him. It was all part and parcel of their "deal." So when she mentioned that he wouldn't be pleased to hear whatever it was she had to say, Hades was hardly surprised.

Turning about in his chair slowly, setting the glass down onto one of the glass coasters on the table, little Maddy's boss smiled across at her; a smile which didn't quite meet his eyes. He got to his feet and moved at a steady pace, circling the table until he came to a hault, towering behind her.

"Madeleine...my sweet little Maddy...", he began slowly yet carefully, running his tongue swiftly across his teeth and leaning forwards a little to observe the wild-haired young woman before him, placing his spider-like fingers upon her small yet strong shoulders, in a firm fashion which could have been almost fatherly, if the stern apprehension upon his face didn't say otherwise. "This doesn't happen to have anything to do with my supplies...the same supplies that I just gave you ... does it?"

His words trailed off into a dangerous whisper, a flicker of anger underlying in his icy gaze.

[Madeleine Hatter]

Maddy swallowed hard. Even though he was smiling, she could tell that inside he was already beginning to get angry, and she hadn't even said what had happened yet. In all honesty, Hades was the only person that scared her. But boy did he scare her. Maddy felt him place his hands on her shoulders, and her body went stiff with fright as he said her name in an almost sweet but dangerous way. She looked up, directing her vision to a distant building that was in the view of the picture window

"Um. Y-yes it does, sir. I might have done something I shouldn't have." She paused for a moment, contemplating whether or not she should tell him the whole truth. That would certainly get her in a lot more trouble than telling him a half truth. But he would most certainly find out anyway. Wouldn't he? "I... took a dose of the drugs, and this must have happened while I was out on the drugs but, someone took the entire supply. I don't even know how it happened, or how no one saw it. But it did, and it's all because I did what I shouldn't have done. It's all gone, with nothing to show for it."

She let out a shaky breath, not noticing until now that she had been holding it in for a while now. She chanced a look at him now, turning her head to the side and peeking out of the corner of her eye, trying to see a glimpse of him and try to read his emotions. She knew he was angry, obviously. But what would happen to her? She tried not to think of the worst, but thoughts kept flooding her mind. All she could think about was that she hadn't made it to where she wanted to be yet. She was too young to die. Which seemed almost imminent at this point. But all she could do was hope that his rare mercy would show for her.

[Dante Hades]

He heard the waver as she breathed, not having to look her in the eyes to know that she was petrified. His firm grip remained upon her shoulders and he listened as the young woman before him spoke. He stared ahead towards the view from the large panel window, his expression stony. When she confirmed that yes, the drugs he had supplied her with - with the intention of profitting from as always - had gone, he almost felt as though a vein was about to burst in his head. His face was growing steadily redder, the sheer disbelief noticeable in the way that he ran a hand across his face before stepping away from his employee. For a moment, he couldn't even look at her. He leaned against the glass table, staring down at the ground and shaking his head slowly.

"I gave you one hundred grams, Hatter...", he began, his face burning a furious shade of magenta before he finally exploded, sticking his fist through the table in front of him and ignoring the ear-splitting sound of shattered glass as the entire piece of furniture crumbled. "ONE HUNDRED FUCKING GRAMS AND YOU BLEW IT IN ONE DAY!?"

He was facing the girl now, ignoring the fresh spill of crimson blood which seeped from his knuckles. His breathing was ragged, and for a moment it seemed like he was going to kill her - or maim her at best. And then, a moment had passed and he began to regain his cool - the fury still evident in his eyes as he strode over to Madeleine again, coming to rest behind her again almost snake-like. He placed his hands upon the sides of her face, tilting her head back very slowly so that her eyes were in line with the view once more.

"You see that window, babe?", he said in a cold whisper. "Find that coke ... or I'll do more than hang you out of it, Hatter."

He removed his hands from her pale skin and examined the shards of glass for the first time since he'd vented his rage out onto the table.

"PAYNE! PATRICK!", he bellowed, as his two goons immediately rushed through the doors at his call. "Have someone remove this mess...it's a hazard."

[Madeleine Hatter]

Maddy stood as still as a statue, waiting for the explosion. She watched as he walked away from her towards the glass table. Maddy could feel the rage coming from his voice, and then he exploded. His fist flew into the table, and Maddy came out of her trance and flinched. Her eyes grew wide and she staggered back as he now rounded on her, his eyes full of murderous intent. She realized that she was probably going to die now, cursing herself for thinking she might get some mercy. She closed her eyes, hoping that whatever he did, it would be quick and painless.

But instead, he merely put his hands on her shoulders again and lifted her head up to look out the window. He told her to find it, or she would be hung out of it. She gasped involuntarily in fear, only half hearing Hades scream for his cronies, telling them to get rid of the mess. She saw them glance at her with questioning in their eyes, wondering what had just happened. Obviously everyone outside was. She took this time to finally answer her boss. "Um. Of course, sir. I begin looking the moment I leave this building. I'll have it back before you know it." She said, trying to reassure him... and his mercy.

She felt like passing out, but she was trying to seem strong in front of her boss. If there was something Hades didn't want among his ranks, it was a wimp. She thought of things she could say to make her seem strong, like this whole scene hadn't affected her. "Sir, when I find it, and I will, if the person that took it is there... what do you want me to do to them?" She said, trying to put a sly grin on her face. The whole "Dealer" facade had to overrun the fact that she just let her "scared-little-girl" side come out.

[Dante Hades]

Hades remained still behind Madeleine, dragging his gaze away from her to watch the two buffoons now reaching for their cellphones, calling for further assistance in dealing with the mess. He allowed an exasperated sigh to escape his lips, bringing his injured hand up to inspect the damage, picking out some tiny pieces of glass that had found themselves wedged into his blood-stained flesh.

Clicking his fingers at a female employee now peering around nervously in the doorway, he ignored her completely as she brought bandages and began to clean the wound. His gaze returned to Hatter as she attempted to act as though nothing had happened, convincing him that the damage would be rectified. His face split into a wide smirk.

"You see, babe. That's more like it. Never lose the focus. Now, I'm cutting you a great deal of slack here...because you're one of my best employees", he began matter-of-factly, as though he'd just handed her his millions. "Your charm, your beauty, your insane mind, yada yada yada. It sells. And it sells big."

He winked at the employee-turned-nurse as she finished attending his injuries, checking out her pert rear-end as she slinked away, before flickering his attentions to the milky skinned miscreant still standing there. He caught her question, intrigued at the mischievious smile that spread across her delicate yet vibrant features.

"Bring me their head on a silver platter."

Nobody stole from Dante Hades without paying the penalty.

[Madeleine Hatter]

Maddy watched as the female employee came into the room, looking rather nervous and frightened. She had to feel sorry for her. The female must be new because Maddy didn't recognize her, and she didn't seem to know how things worked around here. She also couldn't help but feel flattered when her boss said that her attributes sold big. It was also true that she was his best employee. Maddy hadn't really come in contact with many other of his dealers, but she did seem to be the best, and Hades always had good things to say about her. So that was always nice. Plus it helped that she was crazy, so people were sort of scared to deny buying from her. But that was all in her favor, you know?

"Thank you, sir." She mumbled under her breath, turning the slightest shade of pink. She listened as he answered her previous question of what to do with the culprit should he be found, and his answer didn't shock her, but she still took an involuntary step back. She didn't doubt her ability to kill, obviously. But she did doubt her ability to decapitate someone. Was she actually strong enough to do that? She wasn't quite sure.

"No problem, sir. You can count on the Mad Hatter to kill." She told him confidently, an evil smirk spreading across her face. She'd figured out the ways to act that would please him the most, and if you acted like a crazy nut job, (not that Maddy needed to pretend.) he would be pleased to have you. That's probably how she's lasted this long anyway. Because she is one of the most crazy people in Faraway Island. Well, the fact that he held something over her head meant he had most control over her. He paid well though, so what was the point in trying to leave? That would only be ignorance on her part.

"Well, sir. If you don't have anything left to tell me, I think I'll get started on finding those drugs, if you don't mind." She said, a half-smile on her face . She glanced over at Payne and Patrick who were still trying to clean the glass up off the carpet. She laughed quietly, knowing that they were very skiddish and thinking that if they didn't apprehend every piece of glass, that they would be killed, or something. "Payne, dear. I think you missed some." She pointed to a random area of carpet, where there wasn't any at all. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing as he shouted 'Where?' and practically pressed his nose to the carpet in search of it.

She turned back to her boss, waiting for his approval for her to exit from the building, knowing it wouldn't be the best of ideas for her to try and leave before he had given his consent.

[Dante Hades]

Casting a somewhat irritable look at Madeleine, Dante swirled his glass of Scotch to perfection before indulging in a swig. Why did he have to hire such moronic little fuckheads to do his dirty work? Well, he knew why; it was because nine out of ten, they were: low-lives who worked for peanuts, they had no shame, they needed him either for money or protection or gear - sometimes all three. And then there was the fact that if you sold your soul to Hades, there simply was no going back. You belonged to him and he could do just whatever he wished with you; Madeleine had learned this lesson way back. Which was why, no matter how much she infuriated him or disobeyed his orders; no matter how much he frightened her, she would always come back to him. Blackmail was so underrated.

"What are you still doing here?", he responded sharply to the blood-thirsty Hatter. He narrowed his eyes. "Go. And when you track them down, remember to tell our friend with the "wandering hands" that Hades was asking for him."

Eyes bulging now as they roved the carpet - spotting one tiny speckle of glass that his two goons had missed, Hades twitched slightly, ignoring Madeleine completely now and instead, venting his frustrations on the unfortunate Payne and Patrick. The sound of his infuriated yells echoed once more around the room, to yelps of pain infused with apologetic squeals from the two "assistants."