[Jacob]

*Setting: The large conferrence room, on the 412th floor, in the Horals hotel was a-buzz with excited chatter and gossiping from both the Orkhid Generals, and other high ranking officials, and the Reporters. All the males in the room, including the Reporters, all wore black tuxedo's with white shirts and black bowties. The women wore extravagant dresses which showed off their slender physiques as well as how much they earned. The large crystal chandeliers, which gave the room a certain cosey glow, swung gently from side to side, reflecting off the large windows and thus making it hard to see into the night sky. At the back of the red carpetted room was a long table, capable of seating ten people, elevated slightly on a wooden platform. Behind it sat four members of the Council and five of the, thirteen strong, Medical Council. The remaining eight of the Medical Council merely stood nearby, looking slightly pissed off at the fact they had no place to sit. The large, polished wooden doors of the room opened, and yet more well turned out Orkhids stepped into the room, smiling as they spotted people they knew and waving happily. Mudokon waiters milled through the crowds indifferently, holding up trays of drinks or food. Up at the table Wyles shifted uncomfortably, his hair was greyer now and his right eye fully blind due to the cateract, his left however was vaguely better.*

Wyles: "You think they'll be this happy when the new Head Councillor is revealed?"

He whispered this behind his scarred right hand and into the ear of Jaxxson who grunted an acknowledgement from his right. Jaxxson was of similar stature to Wyles, but less decrepid looking. He had bags under his grey eyes however and his jet black hair was greying at the sides. Both he and Wyles knew that the announcement would come as a big shock to the lot of them when they found out about Abraham, and he knew the press would make a meal out of it. Sat to Wyles' left was the newest members of the Council, although apparently nobody in the room had noticed that they were there, and if they did, hadn't made the connection that they were new Councillors. Nor realising that the other Councillors were not around, which gave some substance to the rumours that they were dead.

Jaxxson: "Still, let's hope for the best, Adele could still turn up and finish him off any moment now, couldn't she?"

He smirked and muffled a laugh with Wyles, the two females turned to them, looking confused and put out that the two males weren't initiating conversation with them. Moments passed and more and more important Orkhid figure heads filed into the room. And with every person that entered the room that wasn't Abraham, Jaxxson and Wyles' hopes built up. Had their hopes and prayers been answered? Had Adele finally killed Abraham off, against all odds? But as their hopes built to a cresendo, Abraham entered. Arm in arm with his beautifully turned out fiancé. Her long brown hair flowing over her shoulders, her pale grey eyes scanning the room as she smiled at everybody she made eye contact with. Her pale skin matching perfectly with her white dress which was embroided with diamonds and other expensive and rare stones. Around her neck was a silver and diamond cross, which caught the light and glittered merrily. Abraham wore an all black suit, but instead of a white shirt, wore a black one. Setting him aside from the crowd. The only thing that was white on his being was his hair. Both of them were closely followed by Abrahams three trusted friends. The crowd parted, smiling politely yet secretly loathing him with all their might. As they moved slowly to the front of the crowd and towards the table, Abraham unlinked with his fiancé and climbed up onto the platform, were he then moved around and took the seat to the right of Jaxxson and the left of the Head of the Medical Council. A sea of confused murmurs immediatly filled the room, with Abraham smiling pleasantly at all the confused faces.

Abraham: "I see we have a good turn out, i notice a few old faces; Alenzandor."

He raised his hand and waved slightly to a tall Orkhid, his face was skeletal and his cheeks sunken. The hair of the being overly gelled and a gingery-black colour whilst his eyes were grey. Slowly the Orkhid raised a hand and waved back, smiling weakly.

Abraham: "The Cales."

He smiled and nodded at them, both looked quite shocked at being mentioned, but waved all the same.

Abraham: "I heard about your son, still, i hear he's doing quite well now, hm?"

Abraham smirked maliciously as they both tried to hide their embarassed and infuriated faces behind their glasses of Champagne.

Abraham: "But, this is not a reunion. It is a dinner to find out who is the next Head Councillor and to celebrate them."

He paused, smiling as he looked along the table at the other Councillors. And then at the crowd, he knew what they were all thinking, they all wanted it not to be him, they all wanted him sat amongst the Councillors and talking like this to be some kind of joke.

Abraham: "But, i am sure you have already guessed who it is, and if not, then..."

He winked at his fiancé, who was now drinking some red wine as she listened and was now flanked by Reporters who had carefully pushed their way to the front of the crowd to get the best pictures.

Abraham: "...i shall put you out of your misery. I, Abraham Conrad, shall be the new Head Councillor who replaces Councillor Gianni Vakesh. I shall be in charge of the future Orkhid regime. And i shall be the one to lead our race to victory in all our future projects."

Immediatly flashes from the camera's had devoured the entire table were the Councillors sat. The clicking of the camera's barely capable of masking the shocked gasps of horror, which were then, not so subtley, turned into gasps of awe and applause. Abraham looked at them all, somewhat surprised at their reaction, yet he knew it was to be expected.

Abraham: "But before the celebrations commence, i would like to explain the absence of the eleven other Councillors."

He cleared his throat.

Abraham: "When i was first appointed Head Councillor by the Council, i felt privilaged and proud. I had finally made the Conrad bloodline a respectable one. After all the hassle with my family, i felt that i'd never even be approached by the Council, let alone join them. I thought that i would never become respected enough to control what went on throughout the regime."

Slowly he stood, walking behind both Councillors Jaxxson and Wyles.

Abraham: "But, when i finally was elected, i saw it as a chance to do something worthwhile and good. To make some important changes, not only in the regime itself, but in the Council quarters. And, i am sad to say, that these changes did not include the eleven Councillors missing here tonight."

Reporter: "Councillor - Is it true you had them killed?"

Abraham looked down at the Mudokon, who was holding up a dictaphone, his false expression of sadness breaking slightly with frustration before slowly turning into a laugh.

Abraham: "Heheheh, no, no, no. Of course not. They were some of the most respected Orkhids throughout Oddworld, i wouldn't dream of ordering their deaths. I don't know where you heard that story from, heheh, but i would like to know..."

The last couple of words were absent of friendliness, and a certain sinisterness dripped from them.

Abraham: "But, even though..."

Reporter: "Where are the Councillors then? Why haven't they been seen for a couple of days now?"

Abraham: "I do not know, maybe you can ask the same person who told you i killed them. Anyway..."

Reporter: "Could you tell me why their families haven't been seen for the past couple of days also, Councillor?"

Jaxxson and Wyles looked at each other, both got a certain air of pleasure out of being witness to Abrahams roasting. Abraham however was grinding his teeth in pure frustration and anger.

Abraham: "No. I could not. And if you would kindly be quiet whilst i finish. Ahem - but even though my changes do not include the eleven Councillors missing, it does include our two newest Councillors. Councillors Mormolia Caleen and Safire Terrel."

He smiled, looking at them both as they stood to a slow starting applause. Mormolia was dressed in a tight fitting red velvet dress, her hair tied back with only a strand of red fringe hanging down her face. She nodded and smiled, waving slightly as flashes of light spat out at her. The second Councillor was wearing a green dress, her eyes were a icy blue and her hair a golden brown. Though she was more rounded than Mormolia, Safire was still an attractive woman. The faces of the crowd however said it all, they seemed shocked and sickened that a Head Councillor who hadn't even been announced had already fired the original eleven and then gone and brought in two women to fill their places.

Abraham: "For those of you looking for the rest of the new Councillors, this is it. Under my new regime, only five Councillors shall be allowed - this extends to the Medical Council as well."

He cast a glance over at the group of Medical Councillors, all of whom were looking sick with fury.

Chief Medical Councillor: "I OBJECT!"

The room went silent, even the reporters stopped taking pictures and instead just looked in shock and awe. The Chief Medical Councillor stood to his feet, his young face shaking with fury as his brown eyes stared Abraham in his blue. Running a hand through his shaggy brown hair in despair, the Medical Councillor took a step towards Abraham, obviously uncontrollable with fury as one of the other Councillors tried to pull him back to his seat.

Chief Medical Councillor: "THIS IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS!! FIVE COUNCILLORS!? HOW THE HELL..."

*Gunshot*
Following the loud bark of the gun, there was a surprised gasp and the crowd immediatly backed away from the wielder, who was, obviously, one of Abrahams friends. His yellow eyes were staring intently at the Medical Councillor, who's left ear was now bleeding as he grasped it, shaking.

Abraham: "Marvo! Put it away!!"

The Orkhid nodded and then slowly lowered the gun and tucked it into his trousers, still staring menacingly at the Councillor whom he had fired at. Abraham scanned the crowd quickly, ignoring the bright flashes from the camera's which had now started up again.

Abraham: "I think this would be a good time to start the celebrations...ahem."

The Mudokon waiters immediatly started rushing through the crowds quicker than usual as Abraham gave a nervous glance at the injured Councillor, knowing full well this would not sound as he had hoped it would in the papers the next day.

(OOC: Bah, crapness!!)