Erasure and Affirmation (Hypernaturals 11)

Not ICE

"I am impressed, Helen. You were going to pay someone to work at the lodge anyway. Now that money goes to Ninovan's, who then plow it back into your other properties. Dahyum." Denise said, exaggerating it.

"I was serious in our meeting with Simi and Tobey about making all these changes. People will take better care of things if they pay for it or they otherwise have skin in it. Their idea about moving people to their house when they move here will also show that NOT taking care of something gets you the small house. It sounds childish, but people usually are." Helen said. "Its standard human psychology and motivation. Ninovan was founded on community, but you also have to have enlightened self-interest. Pride in one's self precedes pride in place."

"Why Alexander is such a scummy person." Denise said. "Never had to do a damn thing other than making kids or help others make them. He was given everything. Including the best house in Ninovan, just to keep him happy."

"That is exactly right." Helen agreed.

"I am not giving him anything ever again." Jessica said.

"I might give him something. He will not enjoy it if I do." Morgan said.

"I am sorry I made you so angry." Jessica told her.

"I learned my lesson there too, Jessica. Never again. Next time I do it Helen's way and knock you unconscious and drag you away." Morgan made that sound like an oath.

Helen smiled at Morgan. "That's my girl."

"There won't be a next time." Jessica said. "It's your turn to fuck up."

"How do we proceed?" Wyatt asked, ignoring all the family drama.

"We change nothing." Helen said definitively. "Not a thing. Not even your occasional question about internal things that they are cutting you off of. Act as if you think you are only being hung out to dry short term. In the meantime, let Denise and her Crew chase down a few leads. Can you tell us anything about the money trail that might give the Crew a starting place?"

"I and my agency will help as well, although this will need to be on very deep background. Since Vera is the Liaison, they cannot suspect Angel is looking into anything. Or the other Liaison. Sorry, Adrian. Angel. You will have to do wedding planning." Morgan said.

"Why is Adrian doing wedding planning?" Ginger asked, puzzled.

"He has to pop out of the bridal cake Vera told me. He therefore needs to practice making nipple spinners go around and applying whipped cream while dancing. or so I am informed. That matches what I have seen to some degree: At least the whipped cream part. I think Vera added the nipple spinners." Morgan said.

"It's very burlesque." Vera said.

"It is about time we objectified a man around here." Helen said, looking at me with evil intent. I never agreed to any of this, so I said nothing.

"Oh.. Very nice. I would like to see that." Ginger said.

"We'll make sure you are there." Angel said.

"I assume that the fact that the Siren Liaison is engaged to Angel is known up the Siren management line?" Helen asked.

"I did not think that was a secret." Ginger said. "It was not in a report, but we mentioned it."

"It isn't a secret. It is not different than the things already going on in Ninovan. How is Ninovan perceived? Any idea? The fact the Sirens are intermarrying and interbreeding with humans is not big deal, but what about with Vampires?"

"Siren legend made real." Ginger said. "I did not get a particular feel for that one way or the other."

"I thought they shut down the subject rather quickly." Wyatt said.