Chapter 157 Patriotism
POV: Count Alteroni | Crimson Parliament Chambers
He had tried morality twice and lost both times, which meant it was time to try something else.
Alteroni stood at the Parliament podium and looked at eleven vampires who ranged from actively hostile to carefully neutral, and he set aside the arguments he had prepared about children's rights and humanitarian obligation and the basic decency of not imprisoning five year olds for scientific study, and he used the arguments he had prepared instead.
"The Hermetic Order," he said, "is a human organization operating an independent supernatural detention facility on British soil without Parliamentary authorization, oversight, or knowledge."
He let that sit for a moment, watching the room.
"They are holding twelve supernatural beings, including werewolf-vampire hybrids, in an underground facility beneath St. Thomas Hospital. They have been conducting research on these individuals for an undetermined period. They answer to no supernatural authority. They are not registered with this body. They did not seek our approval and they did not notify us of their operations."
Lord Deveraux, who was not one of Mordaunt's reliable allies but was not Alteroni's ally either, leaned forward slightly. That was the tell Alteroni had been watching for.
"You're saying human mages are running an independent operation in our jurisdiction," Deveraux said.
"I'm saying human mages have established what amounts to a supernatural detention and research facility in the heart of London, and this Parliament has no record of it, no oversight of it, and apparently no authority over it." Alteroni kept his voice level. "That is a sovereignty question. Regardless of what you think about the subjects being held, this body should be deeply concerned about a human organization operating independently in supernatural affairs at this scale."
He watched Deveraux sit back and begin talking quietly to the vampire beside him. That was two votes shifting, possibly.
Mordaunt was at the far end of the table with the expression he used when he was calculating, which looked from the outside like bored patience and was neither.
Alteroni continued. "If the Hermetic Order can establish facilities without our knowledge, operate within our territory without our authorization, and detain supernatural beings without our oversight, what else can they do without our knowledge? What precedent does our silence on this establish for the next human organization that decides our affairs are theirs to manage?"
He had been building to this point for two weeks, since he had first received the intelligence about the facility's location. He had known that the moral argument would fail because it had already failed twice with this body. He had known that the argument from self-interest, from power and sovereignty and the threat to vampire authority, was the one that had a chance.
He could see it landing differently than his previous speeches had landed. Fewer closed faces. More lateral conversations beginning around the table.
"I move that Parliament authorize an immediate investigation of the Hermetic Order facility beneath St. Thomas Hospital," he said. "And that pending the outcome of that investigation, all operations at the facility be suspended."
Three members seconded it simultaneously, which had never happened to one of his motions before.
The vote was called. Seven in favor, three against, two abstaining. It passed.
Mordaunt stood smoothly before the result was formally recorded. "I move for a recess before implementation is discussed." His voice was pleasant and carried no particular urgency. "Let's not be hasty. There are procedural questions about jurisdiction that should be addressed before we act."
The chair granted the recess.
Alteroni gathered his notes and watched Mordaunt move toward the corridor with two allies falling into step beside him, and understood that the vote was the easy part. Implementation was where Mordaunt would fight, and procedural delay was his best weapon, and Lily had been in that facility for four days already.
He needed to get a message to Callum.