The Battle of Boise, Part I
Chapter Four: Arthur
Arthur Winston sat on a bench beside a walking path in a secluded park near the Boise foothills. There was a large pond nearby, and plenty of ducks and geese were in and around the water, noisily going about their business in the early morning sun.
Arthur was dressed more casually than usual, in pressed khaki pants and a dark blue, long-sleeved button-down shirt, along with a light grey tie. He was casually scrolling on his phone, awaiting the arrival of Bella Beguile.
“I am a bit surprised you agreed to this meeting,” she said from behind him.
Arthur was startled, although he managed not to show it; he had not heard the hypnotist approach.
“I could say the same about you,” he replied, his voice calm as Bella Beguile sauntered around to stand in front of him.
The sexy hypnotist was in her full silver-and-blue, leather-and-spandex costume including long gloves, tall boots and blue and silver mask covering the upper half of her face. Her silvery hair was in a ponytail, and her favorite gold pocket-watch hung around her neck, her customary large sapphire ring on her right middle finger.
“I thought we should have a chat, before things go out of hand,” Bella said with a smile, putting her hands on her hips.
“Indeed, I couldn’t agree more. I must say, I am not one for theatricality, but I genuinely love the look, Mistress Bella,” Arthur said, admiring the woman’s excellent figure.
“Thank you; I am sure you would prefer me naked and on my knees,” Bella retorted.
“That is certainly an option, although honestly not my first choice. Tell me, what can I do for you Bella?” Arthur asked pleasantly.
“I’ll get right to the point; stand down. Boise is not your city, and the hypnotists here are not going to bow to your rule. Your minion Deborah got herself taken off the board, and that tacky Donna is going to be next. Nobody takes my friends, and nobody puts restrictions on how I operate,” Bella said firmly.
“I see; and do you really think you have the support and resources to back up your little proclamation?” Arthur asked with a bemused smile.
“Try me,” Bella said simply.
“Come now, Bella. You are powerful, skilled and I believed, intelligent. Wouldn’t it be better to join my operation? You will have power, money, respect…all you have to do is act within The Spiral’s guidelines,” Arthur said reasonably.
“You mean be your puppet. No thank you,” Bella replied.
“It will be a shame to have to have an example made of you. Naked and on your knees before me will be the least of what happens to you if you insist on fighting me,” Arthur said, his demeanor shifting from polite to subtly threatening.
Bella snorted.
“Try me,” she said again.
“Oh come now, Bella. Nothing is going to happen in this park; I didn’t come alone, and neither did you. This will be settled elsewhere, and soon,” Arthur said arrogantly.
“You are right about that. I didn’t come here to listen to you posture and threaten me. I came to warn you. Back off, tell that cunt Donna to release Peggy McGinley. Stop trying to control the hypnotism community in Boise,” Bella said firmly.
Arthur Winston laughed mockingly.
“Or what?” he asked.
“Or, my associates and I will run you out of town, just like a pathetic villain in a western,” Bella said sweetly.
Arthur scoffed.
“Bella, Bella, Bella…you are powerful, and you have an impressive reputation. However, I happen to know your list of allies is short, and mine is not. If you want to take me on, be my guest. I will put that costume up on my office wall in The Spiral as a trophy, where you will be able to see it when I am fucking you in your ass,” he said with contempt.
“How classy. You want a fight, you got it. You have been warned,” Bella Beguile said.
The costumed hypnotist pulled a small object from her pocket and slammed it to the ground.
The air was suddenly filled with thick blue smoke; Arthur Winston stood, coughing, a golden pocket watch in his hand.
When the smoke cleared, Bella Beguile was gone.
Jayde was beside Arthur, having stepped out from behind a nearby tree and rushed over; she was dressed in stylish black athletic clothes, and she had a black diamond pendant in her hand, replacing the one Casey had taken from her. Three of her hypnotized goons, two men and a woman, quickly joined them with tasers in hand.
“Well, she does live up to the super-villainess image, doesn’t she?” Arthur asked, slipping his watch away and quickly composing himself.
“Yes sir, she does,” Jayde replied.
“Let’s head back to the club; Bella Beguile and her friends will be making their move sooner than I had anticipated,” Arthur said, turning and walking through the park.
“Come along,” Jayde said to her goons, following her boss.
The hypnotist’s Asian features were thoughtful as they headed for their SUV.
Jayde felt Arthur was playing a dangerous game, motivated by greed, pride and lust for power, which of course was common in the hypnotist community.
However, after the experience with Tiny Tough and now seeing just a hint of Bella Beguile in action, Jayde wasn’t so sure that Arthur was thinking things completely through.
She had an uneasy feeling he might be underestimating the costumed hypnotist.
Jayde pulled out her phone as she got into the back of the big suburban with two of her goons; the third was driving, while Arthur sat in the passenger seat. She sent her partner Sylver a text, requesting that they find a moment to talk privately later in the day. Her phone vibrated a moment later.
Sounds good, I was thinking the same thing, he replied.
Jayde put her phone away; in the front seat, Arthur Winston was on his, talking to Donna Mason.
“Bella rejected my offer, and she had the nerve to threaten me…” he was saying.
Jayde was silent on the ride to the club, lost deep in thought; she realized she needed to decide just how loyal to Arthur she was, and how much she was willing to risk to win this fight.