Criseria had been sitting at her desk with a stack of paperwork that was higher than she ever believed it could be. It had been such a busy day, and she had been receiving strange missives, recruiting new members and having random reports of strange things happening within the city, which she promptly sent her family out to take care of. 

TM-Scarface, her trusty RH man came in and seen that she needed a break from the headquarters, so he took her out for a drink and a nice dinner. He was always there to talk to her and to help her get the days work off her mind. After her 3rd drink, she started to think of the time since her family has been established, and what all @TM-Scarface has done for her.

He has stepped up around the headquarters by picking up any slack in this growing but flourishing family of theirs. He was always helping bring in new family members, and watching out for the newly recruited gangsters. Of course he was a great advisor and confidant. 

Though Criseria knew that alot of this was the drunken reminiscing of a tired Leader, she also knew that this had to mean something. However, she was too drunk to figure that out now. As they left the restaurant and lounge, TM-Scarface opened the car door, and helped her inside. They drove back to the Headquarters where her Penthouse Suite was located. Once inside, she quickly passed out. 

Upon awakening, she remembered the thoughts from the night before, and knew what she had to do. She headed to her office, and made a phone call to Don Hope_ to schedule a meeting for later in the day. Then she set to work on arranging the layout for the meeting she had planned. The agenda for the meeting will be very thorough because she felt this was a must for the city, and to reward such a gifted Right Hand. 

TM-Scarface popped his head in the office as Criseria was working on her agenda. "Criseria, I know you been drowning with all the paperwork, do you need some help?" Criseria looks up from her desk as she turns the paper over. "TM-Scarface, I am ok. If  you could just make sure I am not disturbed, that would be terrific."  He did this a couple times throughout the day, and she had to keep sending him away. He couldn't know what she was planning yet. Though she didn't normally keep her Right hand out of the loop, or out of the office. She was sure he was getting suspicious or concerned by this point. However she went back to working on her Agenda. To make her idea more appealing to the Don, she needed to make sure it was very thorough. After scribbling a few things down, Criseria glanced over at the list not wanting to forget any main points.  

• Point out that the Don's family was completely full, and that The Dauntless Assassins only had about 10 spaces left. The city was filling up fast and we need places to expand to, in order for our city to continue growing. 
• Explain all the points of TM-Scarface's Loyalty, Character, and Service already done for LA as her RHM, and remind her that he comes from a strong background; one that had previously served LA well.  
• Explain that he was excellent at recruiting, and being a good face in the streets of LA with all his wonderful Businesses. What better way to help bring more people to our lovely city.

Once the Agenda was finished she looked at the time. She still had about 3 hours until the meeting, so she ran upstairs to her quarters and then changed into her most impressive dress. She needed to make sure the right foot was placed forward. She came back down, and sent for TM-Scarface. Once he entered the office and sat down with slight concern on his face. "TM, I need you to do me a couple favors tonight. I have a meeting with Don Hope_ over in Los Angeles. I need you to keep things running here for me. I am not sure how long this is going to take. If all goes well, you will be filled in. However, I need you to be my ever watchful eyes and ears here while I am gone." Once said TM-Scarface nodded, but there was a question behind his eyes that he wanted to ask, but wouldn't as he knew it would come in time. Criseria responds to the nod by saying "Thanks for everything. I gotta be off now to Downtown, Los Angeles."

She gets to the front of The Dauntless Assassin's headquarters and gets the driver to take her to Don Hope_'s Headquarters. As she arrives, she is ushered up to the Don's office for their scheduled meeting where Criseria knocks.

“Hurry Garth, hurry please.  Criseria will be waiting.”  Shane shot a glare at her as he quickly tried to fix up her leg, glancing to Garth in the rear-view mirror, both men sharing a fairly exasperated glance.  They knew their boss very well, and yet they both found themselves fairly crazed by her haste and her impulses and rash behavior.

“Would you hold still dear Hope, it’s hard enough with the bouncing of the car without you being all excitable.”  Came the rather terse response from her bodyguard as they sped off toward her HQ.  “You really should postpone this meeting at least until later today and get this leg seen to proper.”

At this, Hope shot the man a withering glance as she shook her head a tad.  “I won’t keep Criseria waiting, any business that is vital enough for her to come see me in person needs to be tended to with the utmost haste, and besides…  I’m fine-“  Her word was cut off by the sharp pulling of the bandage.  And again, another withering glance.  The details of the last couple hours were incredibly fresh in her mind as she tried to calm it enough to go meet with her Beloved counterpart in Pasadena.  The woman had sounded excited on the phone, maybe even a touch nervous.  Criseria was usually so stoic, so unshakable, so whatever it was that excited the woman either boded very well for her city, or else very bad…  Then again she had come to learn cues from her friend and she didn’t think that the news she was bringing to the table was negative news in the least.  Either way, it was something that Hope was sure she wanted to hear.

So pulling up at their HQ, the woman hardly waited for someone to come around and let her out to help her.  She opened the door and pushed herself upright.  She hissed lightly as she put weight on that leg but shook it off quickly like a dog might some stray water.  She was fine.  She had to be fine and so it was that she walked with determination up to the door, waving off any help.  She had to be strong, it was something that was driven into her mind from a very young age and on up through her life.  She would be strong.  Heck if a bullet wound would slow her down.  Reaching the door, she hurried on up to her own office, but found just what she thought she would at the door.  A warm smile was given as her gaze fell upon her beloved Pasadena counterpart.  “Criseria…  It’s wonderful to see you!  Please, come on in.  I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting, have you been here long?  Garth could you be a dear and get us some water?  And perhaps bring something a little stronger to the table for later.”  She shot a quick look to her Bodyguard as she faltered just a little and he surged forward a couple steps.  She wasn’t a feeble kitten…  She just wasn’t used to taking a shot.  “Please make yourself comfortable Criseria.  You will have my full and undivided attention in just a moment, I really must change.  Can’t stay in this outfit any longer.”  The woman would be able to see right through the tough façade, she was sure.  But this meeting was about Criseria’s news.  And she was sure that they would get to talking about the events of the day eventually.  But as it were, Hope limped on over to her dressing area and began to quickly change out of her bloodied and stained clothes as she listened for if Criseria would wish to start the meeting already or not.

Either way, she would speak with the woman until finally coming out from behind the shade, fully dressed and looking fairly pristine except for her mussed bun there at the nape of her neck and haggard and almost nervous look in her eyes that she tried hard to shroud with her interest and eagerness to hear just what news Criseria brought her today.  Oh she hoped it was good news…  It just had to be.

Criseria followed Don Hope into her office along with her trusted bodyguard Garth. The look on the Don's face, as she looked at her bodyguard when asking him to bring something a little stronger to table, made Criseria wonder as to what was going on. Garth had brought the water, and the strong drink. However, for the moment she would just sip on the water as she thought. She had seen Don Hope limp to the dressing room. She knew she had the Don's ear, and that any news would be told to her as soon as she was ready, but she couldn't help but to be concerned, as this wasn't just any Don to her. It was her friend as well. However, she would wait just as she was suppose to.  There was some importance to this meeting, otherwise she wouldn't have asked for it.

As the Don returned to her Desk, dressed up but still worn out, she seemed eager to hear the reason as to why she had asked for this meeting. Criseria decided to start speaking so as to not keep the Don waiting any longer.

"Don Hope, I requested this meeting because I have noticed how our fair city has grown almost to capacity, your dear family is full and mine only has a few spaces left. We are needing to expand if we are going to indeed continue to grow." Criseria pauses and this time takes a sip of the stronger drink. She then continues "My Right Hand Man TM-Scarface has done a wonderful job for the family, was doing well recruiting new family members, a great advisor and confidant, not to mention he had a strong background, that was known for being loyal to Los Angeles. He has also made a nice name for himself on the streets.  I wanted to see what you thought of maybe giving him a chance at his own family under us in Los Angeles, in order to help us grow?"

A soft wince was given as Hope limped over to the desk.  She was incredibly curious as to just what news, or idea Criseria had to bring to her table tonight.  She lowered herself into her chair, enjoying the feeling of being off her leg.  Her eyes moved to Garth as he brought the drinks, and she gave him a warm smile and nod before he headed off to tend to another matter and allow the women to speak.  Hope noted how Criseria went only to sip the water for the time being.  For the time being, Hope would do the same.  Typically it was a good idea to keep a clear head when one had a meeting of importance to attend to.  And so it was that her Pasadena leader had her undivided attention.

Hope listened attentively as Criseria launched into her reasoning for coming today.  Each sentence, each word brought Hope more…  Well hope!  She had felt quite the surge of uncertainty just how she was going to handle her current situation, and her beautiful leader of the Assassins had just offered her exactly what she had needed to hear.  Criseria wanted them to expand, and she had a plan.  She listened intently, eager to hear more.  She too would take a sip of the other cup beside her, wincing just a little as it burned all the way down.  Back to the water she went for the moment.  Criseria’s words brought another smile to her lips.  TM-Scarface…  Hope would be lying if she said she hadn’t been watching this Grandson of her former Leader…  He was strong, he was sure, confident and charismatic…  All characteristics that his grandfather before him had shown.  And Criseria was willing to part with her right hand to see him rise on his own wings. 

Hope mused on this for a moment, taking a moment to get another sip of water before nodding slowly.  “I’ve spoken with TM-Scarface a number of times…  He is strong and he is ambitious.  I have no doubt that he will lead and lead well.  I can’t say we couldn’t use a strong leader right now either.  People are still pouring in by the truckload it seems like, and I know that if we don’t have someone else joining us soon, we won’t be able to keep up.  Let’s do it.”  She grinned a little in a coy manner.  “Only question is…  Who gets to tell him?”  She beamed at the woman before her who chuckled in some clear amusement.

Quick to respond, a reply leapt playfully from the other woman’s lips.  “Why both of us, naturally.”

“Done.”  Hope laughed softly before standing to shake Criseria’s hand before moving toward the door with a hopeful gleam in her eye.  “We’re doing it Criseria…  And we will continue to grow and thrive, this is the next grand step.  Let’s go let the man know.”  And with that off the two went laughing and chatting about the future as they went to deliver the wonderful news.

The drive was short, and Hope wasted no time.  She got out of the car and into the HQ they moved.  Criseria summoned TM-Scarface who rushed to her office with impressive speed.  He had begun to worry about his Leader, but when he saw the Lead of LA and his own Leader together with smiles upon their faces, he just knew something was up.  Hope straightened up and grinned to Criseria.  “TM-Scarface…  Los Angeles is in need…  And at a time such as this…  It needs you.”

Criseria nodded and stood before him as well with a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.  “Will you stand with us and become the next Leader to rise as we rebuild our beloved city?” 

Oh they certainly hoped he would say yes.