BLACK HAT ORGANIZATION – 08:47 PM.

The hall was alive with noise — laughter, the clink of glasses, the distant hum of some discordant jazz band playing from the corner — but none of it dared overshadow her. Lady Black Hat stood near the center of it all, a vision in red and black. The sharp lines of her sleeveless suit and the long dark stripes down her dress drew every eye in the room, and the brim of her trademark hat cast just enough shadow to make her smile gleam unnervingly bright.

A thin glass of whiskey twirled lazily between her claws, the amber liquid catching the light with each subtle motion. Her crimson scarf with its black-lined pattern swayed with every move she made, as if even her clothing knew how to command attention.

“Mhmhmhmhmhm…” Her laugh was smooth and sharp, rolling out into the room and making those closest to her straighten their posture just a little more, eager to stay in her favor.

She leaned back against the edge of a table, the glow of her monocle catching the golden light of the chandelier above as she regarded the crowd with pure satisfaction.

“Record numbers,” she purred, raising her glass ever so slightly as if in a mock toast. “More deals than ever. More fools signing away their souls. I do so love when the world remembers who’s really in charge.”

Her grin widened, impossibly sharp, and a ripple of nervous laughter ran through the room as if on command. She tilted her head, basking in the moment, letting the praise and chatter swirl around her like smoke.

“Go on,” she teased, her free hand resting on her hip. “Tell me again how brilliant I am. I never get tired of hearing it.”

The monocle glowed faintly red as she drank deeply from her glass, smiling like a predator that had just been fed exactly what it wanted.