Chapter 159 - Bright Ideas

The terrace on the roof must've been a relatively recent addition to the architecture of Nightingale's headquarters. It was in the modern, smooth lines of it, in the clear tiled floor, in the several plastic chaise lounges standing next to the railings. There must've been a magnificent view of the wide streets below from there.

I didn't know. To know would require me to come closer to that railing and look. Nope, just nope.

Instead, I looked at the face of Prom Queen, and her enthusiastic companions, numbered three. They all looked as fresh and young as Prom Queen was, and shared some of that gleam she had in her eyes. I wasn't even surprised when I saw her here. Who else could've sent that note this way?

It was good to be right, it was good to be out of my room, doing something—hopefully—useful, it was good to have Panda at my side now. She played the role of a grim, armed to the teeth bodyguard or thug pretty fine. Though, if anyone knew her better, they'd know she was just her usual self. Except in vampire hunter gear.

Too bad JJ had to stay away, but I knew he was listening in, just a moment away with his speed. I didn't think that there would be a need for him to interfere, but… I was really used to have him around by now.

Before the conversation began, I took a second to plan my conversation strategy. I expected Prom Queen to try including me into her plans, whatever they were. And whatever they were, I expected them to be… too rash. Good, maybe, but too rash, or else she wouldn't have been in that cafeteria fight. One small thing I could do, is stopping Prom Queen from doing anything dangerous for her or others.

Yes, that sounded like an excellent goal. For that, I had to gain her trust and to make her accept my authority. First was one thing, second… would be harder.

"It's great to have you here, Diana! I knew you would be understanding." Prom Queen's eyes shifted to Panda. "And who's your friend? She isn't one of us."

Did she mean 'us' as witches or as supernaturals? If I had to guess, probably the latter. "This is Sveta," I introduced Panda by her actual name, "she is a friend. Will you introduce yours?.."

"Alyona," Prom Queen's eyes widened in mortification. "Of course, you won't know everyone here yet. These are my cousins, Yulya and Luyba, and our friend, Roma. All of us believe in going into the open when it's time, and we hope to convince as many people as possible. If you'd help us with that, Diana, it would be just awesome! Your word, as an arch-witch, will have much more weight than ours!"

"If I'm to help, I have to understand what I'm helping you with, first," I said, assuming a relaxed pose by sticking my palms into pockets of my jeans. Self-assurance, control—these people had to believe it. How old they were? Less than twenty… Twenty-one tops.

Wait, I was twenty-one. Gah, was I really that young, too?

"Right, right. We have a plan, all of us," Prom Queen gestured at her assorted team. "It's simple, really. There's no force stronger than the will of people, of all people! No Commandments can compete. All these years, we lived in fear of vampires and their imposed laws. Not common people with their judgements, but our own kind, other beings of magic and supernatural! But they are few, and they aren't united. Even when they come together into their Circles, they are one wrong word away from coming onto each other."

"Makes me wonder why we were afraid of them for so long," Lyuba muttered, flipping her long hair. "Shows how good they are in what they are doing if they still couldn't do shit with that demon outside."

"Exactly!" Prom Queen hit her palm with a fist, and her eyes brightened even more. "They already failed. The images, the messages, they are already on the Internet. The veil is lifted, and the truth is spread. All we have to do is to speak out, and people will know. And what the vamps would do about it? What they could do? Most of them don't even know from which side you approach a computer!"

I relaxed a little. This actually sounded like a decent idea. "So, basically, you want to just post on the Internet about how magic is real?"

"This is putting it simple, but yes! We will create our own, open Internet-communities, groups, forums… Post videos and photos with proofs, and so on. We could start anonymously, for safety, but eventually vamps will have to realise that their efforts of preserving the secrecy are useless."

"People might still not believe you. Say, it's all computer graphics, a hoax, blah blah blah." I countered.

"This is just a first step. We will prepare the soil, and then, we will go on TV! All stations will be ecstatic for an interview with a witch, and people will believe us when we are on First and Russia-One!"

"Does she just want to get on TV?" Panda murmured in my ear. I had to wonder. Two biggest and most respected channels, too.

I measured Prom Queen once again. Still too rash, but with some bright ideas in her. There were ways to find people through Internet, and not all vampires thought computers were diabolic machines that had no place in their mansions, castles, penthouses, but overall… I liked the idea.

It would be good to not have to hide my double life from the people I held dear. My grandparents, for a start. My business with normal people might drop or bloom if I went open, dependent on how I presented it—and my business with supernaturals… I had plans on that, too. Or I could keep hiding from the general populace. There were options.

There were other options, too.