《Order in Chaos》 Chapter 1 The sounds of clacking keys and muffled phone calls fill the air seeping into my office as the day commenced. Karly, our wonderfully efficient administrative assistant, had already stacked a fresh batch of pending loan applications in the organizer on my desk, each separated into the most common reasons: weapon upgrades/creation, lair improvement/purchase, experimentation/lab funding, vehicle down-payment, and the ever enigmatic misc section. "That girl is the best thing that''s ever happened to this place. Most speedsters try to join the guild, so they can be like that insufferable Velocity, she has caused more issues than the dunces in loan processing. But enough about that; don''t want to ruin a good day. After all, today the ''misc'' section is barren, I always hate trying to determine if world domination, parallel universe invasion, or start-up loans are good investments, as the market for such business is typically turbulent and unforgiving" So with my affairs in order, a happy swirl to my form I signed in via the company computer on my desk and got to work After rereading the details of my first pending weapons loan of the day for the third time, a sharp knock brought my attention to the doorway of my office. Jax our office gopher stood in the doorway, his trademark dark eyes and ragged appearance making him look like he hadn''t slept in a month and was running on double espresso, with anyones else I would have had to speak up about professional business attire as I believe people should have some class and be presentable when they leave their homes. However, Jax''s appearance was mainly due to his mutation, which kept him in a constant caffeinated state so I could excuse his behavior. "Alastor, the boss wants to see you asap," Jax said, the glassy look in his eyes making him look more like a puppet than a man. ¡°Alright I will be up in a moment I just need to finish the paperwork to deny Bearlords, ¡°honey cannon¡± , I swear the loan consultant are getting lazier and lazier jax seems like they just try to hand loans over to every middling wannabe with a mask that walks in.¡± I could feel my form squirm as the strands of green smog that made up my head shifted and squirmed with my annoyance "Yeah, I wouldn''t make him wait, Alastor. He seemed really peeved," Jax added. "Peeved?" "Yeah, he was all but crushing his desk with the grip he had on it." "I see." I said gesturing for him to leave green smog wafting out from the gap between my black leather gloves and my shirt sleeve as I performed the motion, I stood from my desk checking to make sure my shirt was tucked in and my tie was straight as I tried to sweep the creases out of my pants, as the escaped waft of green smog that had escaped reluctantly slithered back between the gap of my glove and sleeve like a stubborn dog being called back in ¡°always so chaotic what I wouldn''t give for a more reliable from¡±. Once I looked presentable, I took my fedora off the hook by the door and was slipping it on as I stepped out of my office. making my way to the elevator I passed office after office exactly like mine frosted glass and thin metal doors, the only difference between them being the name on the door making it feel mind numbing and giving me a moment to think "Why would the boss want to see me I always fill out my paperwork, I always check the financial state and credibility of every client to the best of my ability, so whatever he''s mad at, it shouldn''t be me. As far as I know, business is good other than the guild''s annoying attempts to slow business but that¡¯s nothing new.¡± A lurch brought me back to reality as I found myself riding alone in an elevator, the number eighty glowing with an air of menace on the display above. Calming, my form solidified a bit more, as the strands wove together the doors opened. I stepped out into a sparkling reception area covered in marble busts and rich decor. An expensive-looking rug led to a large rounded desk that sat in the middle of the room and to the right was a looming set of dark doors that had no visible sable means to open, behind which was Mr.Jones office. "Mr. Lamont?" Starting I realized I had completely overlooked the woman behind the desk "Yes, I''m sorry its been a whIle since i''ve been up here and i had forgotten how nice it is," I said, turning to face a petite lady with sharp features, violet hair, and matching glowing eyes that looked directly ahead as though looking straight threw me. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Please have a seat, Mr. Lamont, and he will see you soon," she said, gesturing to a set of leather chairs and couch in one corner of the room. Nodding, I made my way over to the chairs and sat down, doing my best to keep my mutation contained. I didn''t want it mucking about uncontrolled. When that happened to my office chair, it was fine as long as it didn''t tare my suit, cause damage to the office or attack my coworkers. I would just leave it alone until the company replaced it and sent me the bill for the new chair. However I doubted I made enough to replace these. "Mr. Lamont, he is ready to see you now." Standing I looked toward the woman behind the desk, who was still just staring forward as though she had never spoken, so silently I headed for the towering doors as they seemed to glide opened. My boss sat behind a large desk looking like a dining room table had been modified for an office environment. His office itself looked much like the reception area but with a personal touch, trophies from his victories against the alleged heroes from Seattle''s branch of the Guardians Guild from the golden years as he called them. Each resting atop a marble pedestal with a news clippings that correspond to his victories beside each, the most memorable one was a bronze steampunk-looking vest with small Tesla coils on its back from a hero known as Jolt, two massive hand indentations still scarring the sides from the hero''s crushing defeat as the news clipping hanging beside it put it. "Do you like my trophies, Mr. Lamont?" a deep voice boomed from the other side of the large office. "Yes, sir, they are quite impressive from what I understand," I replied. "Yes, each was in their prime when we battled back in the good old days before this soft generation of heroes," a hint of bitterness entered his voice at the last statement. "Well, sir, while I mean no disrespect, I quite enjoy going about my day not having to worry about some wannabe vigilante with a gun," He huffed before speaking again, "Well, to each their own, I suppose. Now sit down, Lamont." He pointed at an expensive-looking high-backed leather chair in front of his desk with one of his meaty hands. "I apologize, sir, but I must decline. My mutation has a tendency to act up," "Very well," he said as his massive seven-foot frame rose from his seat. "I prefer to stand anyway." He said gesturing for me to follow him over to the glass wall behind his desk where the quiet pattering of a light rain became audible I took my place by his side, his massive figure facing the window as the rain continued to pick up and drenched the street outside, umbrellas blooming from pedestrians below like flowers. "As I am sure you are aware,¡± ,he growled ¡°the guild has been targeting known employees and subsidiaries of this bank in an attempt to slow the rise of new ''villains'' as they put it" "yes, sir, I am aware of the situation," I said not really understanding where this was going just yet, "well most of the targets are employees who have trouble or can''t hide their abilities or traits, so in order to minimize the amount of employes and business lost due their actions, the higher-ups have decided to terminate the employment and replace individuals who meet that description," with those words he stopped tension filling the air, "you are one such individual, Mr. Lamont." My mutation escaped my control at his words the smog that made up my form leaking from all openings in my suite turning the carpet around my feet into slime that gathered it self together and began to ooze away perfectly camouflaging to the carpet as the glass near me seemed to change into some kind of fruit skin in my own shape like a thick pink shadow on the glass. "I am being fired, but sir I have worked here for almost seven years and never once approved a loan that didn''t turn out to be a good investment for this bank" finding a job as a metahuman is nearly impossible unless you are one of those corporate-owned guild members, "I am aware Mr. Lamont, which is why I have been approved to give you a full month''s pay, minus the cost to fix my office and a offer if your interested one that will keep you out of the office and help keep your employment to this company secret." he never once looking at me or shifted his towering form, "An offer sir," my body seemed to grow heavier more solid, steader, "However, Lamont it is a field assignment and a high-risk high reward opportunity where you will either fly high or crash hard" He turned his thick neck for the first time since I entered his office, his gaze seeming to be made of steel as it bore into me. ¡°Understood sir, opportunities however are rare for people like me so I am interested and i accept, Mr.Jones ¡± he didn''t move didn¡¯t speak and for a moment I feared I hadn''t actually spoken after all it''s hard to tell sometimes when you don''t have a mouth, then something horrendous accrued, he chuckled, at least I think thats what that was as it was more the sound of bass that was so deep that the glass vibrated in response ¡°That''s what I like to hear Lamont the details along with any personal belongings from your office will be delivered to your apartment on the tenth floor¡± He turnd to me one massive hands outsreched ¡°Welcome to Assets Management Alastor¡± That evening I sat on my bed in my small apartment staring at the envelope that had been sitting on my on my nightstand when I got home a small box lay beside me with the few items i had left at my office I looked around the apartment i had called home for almost seven years now the closet clean but still as empty as the day i was moved in by the bank the cabinets and fridge exactly like they had been when i had arrived this place was a refuge after my mutation in the years fallowing new yorks collapes after all no one trusts a strange xeno, at least not one without a colorfull costume Now i''m leaving it, I don''t really have a choice if I still want a refuge of any kind. So sitting on my bed I faced my future, and there was no point in stalling so with great care I opened the top of the manilla messenger that held my fate and pulled out the document my form sirling and loosening with my panic as I saw witch case I was assigned to. to : Alastor Lamont New assignment: Asset management and acquisition of Evercrest Manor Previous owner: Alexander Evercrest Current tenant/caretaker: Alexander Evercrest Loan type: Lair improvement/creation Amount owed: 7,000,000 Address: 4975 Hunts Point Rd Chapter 2 I sat there slouched my silhouette joining my beds shadow both slowly rising, chasing away the fading light, which in truth wasn''t all that different from my usual routine. But when the light started its return the following morning, instead of getting out of bed and grabbing my jacket from the closet to press it before work, I just watched the light stretch across the room, Mr. Jones''s words echoing in my memory. ¡°You will either fly high or crash hard.¡± ¡°seven million dollars. How am I going to break even, much less fly, with that kind of debt on my hands?¡± Sunlight now filtering through my blinds and lighting up my apartment. I lifted the piece of paper that sealed my fate, my grip still tight from the night before. I remember the talk surrounding this case; most people said it was approved as a favor to the client due to the irresponsible handling of such a high-profile case and how Wachowscy, the former head of the Underwriting Department, fought to get it approved before disappearing. And I tend to believe it. After all, who wouldn''t want to help out the son of Lloyd Evercrest, aka Facet the Dimensional Mind? Now it''s my problem but unlike Wachowscy, I am a professional; I don''t do favors, I do my job and I always do it well. My resolve set, I packed my few belongings, placing the file and my suit hanger in a briefcase I kept for work doing my best to keep my form''s weave tight as it attempted to roil with the shifting of my resolve and worry. Once that was done, I headed for the door taking one last look at my home before closing the door for the last time; my key sat on the bedside dresser, the closet still as empty as when I moved in, the kitchen in pristine condition and my made bed perfect except a slight dent warn in from years of me sitting there every night, to most this wasn''t much but to me it was the only slice of normal in my life Taking a deep, steadying breath, I closed the door and pulled one of the cheap flip phones I keep in my jacket to call the only cab service that would deal with xenos as I made my way to the apartment''s private parking garage. Exiting from the fourth floor, I saw a cab that looked like any other taxi service¡ªa yellow cab with a checkered pattern on its side and a glowing taxi sign mounted on the roof. However, a small almost translucent logo of an M and R overlapping in the side mirrors marked it as a Meta Ride cab. As I approached the cab, the rear door on the driver''s side popped open beckoning me to climb in. The back set itself reminded me of a booth from an eighties-style diner with its red coloring and almost plastic texture. The cabin around me was all dull gray except for the reflective black paint both hid and separated the driver and me. As the door closed, a click filled the cabin before a heavily augmented, almost mechanical voice came over the speakers. ¡°Are you Alastor?¡± ¡°I am Alastor, yes.¡± ¡°Confirmation number?¡± ¡°8163.¡± A pause, probably to check if the code matched. ¡°Accepted. And where is your destination today?¡± ¡°4975 Hunts Point Rd, please.¡± ¡°Alrighty, it will be about a twenty-minute drive, so don''t get too comfortable back there.¡± With that, the cab started its way to Evercrest Manor. On the road now, the cab was dead silent, typical for Meta Ride. Their drivers tend to wisely stay out of the way of their clients. After all, when you serve both supporters of the guild and those who directly oppose it, you don''t want to be caught in the crossfire because of some wannabe hero or villain with a big mouth¡ªor worse, lose a cab due to one with a brash attitude. Then something peculiar happened. A click filled the cabin before the robotic voice returned. ¡°Sorry about this, but there will be a fifteen-minute delay through I-90.¡± ¡°Why are we changing route?¡± The speakers clicked again. ¡°Kelpie and Druid are currently battling on the Evergreen Bridge.¡± The black window between us lit up with live news footage from above the fight. The scene showed what looked more like a battleground of gods than a fight between xenos. A titan of water and seaweed stood in the middle of the now-bisected Evergreen Bridge, golden chains seeming to pull power from the very essence of the titan they attempted to bind. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Druid cast spell after spell, some bolts slamming into the titan''s chest trying to get at the xeno at its heart, others cutting tentacles of seaweed frames and watery flesh that kept trying to pull civilians trapped on the bridge into the water. Kelpie and Druid are both rank B, mystic class xenos, and their current clash showed it. Druid pulled his power from the energy of nature, and Kelpie from how many people she could pull under. Each battled to gain the upper hand, the struggle itself entertaining to watch as both individuals grew in power and got a better feel for the other''s abilities. ¡°This just in,¡± the reporter''s voice superimposed over the sound of battle and the whirring of the news helicopter as our drive continued. ¡°The guild has sent word that Nautilus is on his way to hopefully turn the tide of this battle.¡± Nautilus, a newer guild member but still a rank C Chimera, is not someone to take lightly. The buzz of the speakers pulled my attention from the screen as its volume lowered. ¡°We will be arriving at your destination soon. On behalf of Meta Ride, we thank you for your patience during this delay.¡± The speakers buzzed again as the automatic message finished playing, and the screen in front of me returned to its previous volume. ¡°Nautilus has arrived and appears to be digging into the chest of the titan.¡± The camera feed zoomed in on the red carapace-covered figure of Nautilus, sitting in a fresh dent in the center of the titan''s chest. Its watery skin trying to wash him away as the eight spindly arms on his back embedded deep around the crater anchoring him and with the help of Druid binding or destroying every tentacle or limb the titan generated he could freely rip chunks of seaweed from its chest, attempting to do more damage than it could regenerate. Kelpie¡¯s pale skin and the glow of her dark green eyes faded in and out of view as they struggled. Click marked the end of the broadcast for me as the cabbie''s altered voice returned. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but we are outside your destination and they won¡¯t open the gate. What do I tell them?¡± Looking away from the now blank screen, I saw we were now surrounded by a seven-foot hedge, forcing us to either drive through the large filigreed gate in front of us or back up the way we came. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m from the bank.¡± I assume the cabbie used some kind of exterior speaker because a moment later the gate pulled apart, sliding into the surrounding hedge, and I got my first good look at the grounds. A stone road divided two acres of perfectly curated grounds, the hedges I saw at the gate running along the whole property like a wall of green, and it all surrounded a French Country-styled manor. Its exterior was a harmonious blend of stone and stucco, with muted colors complemented by the thin frames of its arched windows and the dark tiles of its steeply sloped roof. Pulling into a rounded driveway surrounding what looked like a small olive tree, my door popped open on its own as an all too familiar automated message played. ¡°You have arrived at your destination. We hope you have had a safe and enjoyable drive. Should you ever need a ride, we hope you choose Meta Ride again. Thank you.¡± This message is wholly unnecessary as they were the only service that offered taxis to xenos who couldn''t hide their mutations traits. Click. ¡°Alastor, your total comes to thirty-five dollars even and will be charged to your account. Please choose Meta Ride again, thanks.¡± I swear, if there was any other taxi service for xenos, I would use it solely due to the lack of professional behavior of Meta Ride drivers. Grabbing my briefcase from the seat beside me, I stepped out, brushed the wrinkles out of my suit, and strode over to the grandiose inset dark oak door. The clicking of my shoes against the stone steps joined the echo of the gentle rumble of the taxi''s exit, the sounds seeming to cut through the entire silence of the grounds. Reaching the front door I moved for the doorbell, however before I could press it, the door started to slowly, lethargically, open revealing a slouched young man with a cup of dark coffee in one hand, a pair of sunglasses perched on his nose, slippers on the wrong feet, shorts, and an undershirt like he had just crawled out of bed, the whole ensemble completed with a very expensive-looking robe that was half draped over his shoulders. ¡°So, you¡¯re Bridget¡¯s replacement, huh?¡± He sounded like he was in pain with every word. ¡°Yes, my name is Alastor Lamont, but you may call me¡ª¡± I didn¡¯t finish my sentence as his free hand started to wave semi-frantically in front of me. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, can you please not shout right now, man? My head is killing me.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t shouting¡­¡± ¡°Alex. My name¡¯s Alex and you probably weren¡¯t shouting, but still, any chance you could speak a little quieter, Al?¡± He said, turning and heading further into the manor. Did he have a hangover? This idiot knew the bank was sending someone today and still got wasted. He had to be the first to go after I spoke with Mr. Evercrest with staff like this it was no surprise that the debt had been constantly on the rise. ¡°Speaking quieter is not an issue, but my name is Alastor, and I would prefer you use it. If that¡¯s too formal, you may call me Mr. Lamont,¡± I added, following him into a rounded entry hall with hallways that seemed to stretch forever on both sides. ¡°Fine, Alastor, whatever. Can we talk later? I feel like I¡¯m walking through a world made of glass, alright.¡± This kid was getting on my last nerve to the point where my weave was nearly unraveled in some places. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. I can assure you we will be speaking later. I just need a word with Mr. Evercrest, so if you could point me in his direction, I would be very grateful.¡± The kid just turned to look at me. I assume the sunglasses made it hard to tell, but the way his brows furrowed together made me feel like I had just said something incredibly foolish. ¡°Is he not available right now?¡± I probed, his expression showing no sign of change. ¡°My name is Alex,¡± he said slowly like he was talking to a child. Maybe he had more to drink than I first thought. ¡°Yes, you told me already.¡± Maybe I should make him lie down somewhere and sleep it off. ¡°My name is Alex, as in Alexander.¡± I froze. ¡°You are, Alexander Evercrest¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± pain clear in his voice, ¡°Lloyd Evercrest is your father.¡± Alexander just stood there for a moment taking a slow drink of his coffee before responding, ¡°Yeah that¡¯s dad.¡± This can''t be right. A man like Lloyd Evercrest would have raised his son to certain standards. ¡°You¡¯re the son of Lloyd Evercrest?¡± a pause, the pain in his expression seeming to increase, ¡°Yup.¡± I can¡¯t believe this is my client. The Evercrest name is pretty much known worldwide. ¡°Look, I can see you''re¡­¡± pausing, he raised his glasses, revealing squinting prismatic eyes focusing for a moment before he continued, ¡°eh swirling, and I feel like crap, so let¡¯s do this later, alright.¡± I had to pause and attempt to collect myself before responding. ¡°Yes, I believe that would be for the best. When would you feel up to it, Alexander,¡± he recoiled like I had just thrown scalding water at him. ¡°It¡¯s just Alex, man. And how about tonight at dinner,¡± he said turning towards the left hallway, ¡°your room is down that hall, first door on the right,¡± he said with a vague gesture to the opposite hallway. ¡°That works for me, Alex. But when is dinner?¡± not even attempting to hide an overly dramatic sigh, he turned to look at me. ¡°I don''t know, seven thirty Ish. We can talk then, alright,¡± he said turning back and shuffling away at what I could only assume was the fastest pace in his current condition. Well, that explains why this case hasn''t been handled yet, but hopefully tonight I can start to get things in order with Alexander. So I headed off to find my room and prepare for tonight¡¯s meeting. chapter 3 It took a while to find my room as the directions I was given were, incorrect. My room was actually the twenty-second door on my right and the first unlocked door I had come across. The room itself was quite a step up from my previous dwellings. A queen bed sat centered against the back wall with more pillows than any one person could possibly need. The bedding consisted of a thick down comforter and Egyptian cotton sheets with a thread count of at least seven hundred per square inch. A set of tall arched windows sat in the wall opposite the door, silky curtains hanging from a bronze bar above. A large oak desk sat between them, its marble top covered with stacks of folders that I assumed were organized in some way that I couldn''t seem to comprehend. The only item on the desk that I could make sense of was a thin black laptop sealed in a plastic bag that sat on top of at least three separate piles, my name scribbled across its surface. Placing my case on the bed, I grabbed the sealed laptop and removed it from its protective sleeve. Looking over it I saw faint letters etched into its surface S, F, S, so it was a company laptop. Figuring I had a few hours until my meeting tonight I sat on the bed and opened the computer. The stylized SFS logo appeared before expanding into the full name Summit Financial Services LLC. After a moment, it folded back into the SFS logo and files appeared on the screen. Looking them over I saw available private assets, financial records, and acquired third partie assets. reading the clock in the corner of the screen I saw it was only three twenty-one so I started combing through the files and finding what little I could of the corresponding files on the desk. Four hours later I was ready for the meeting, a portfolio of all our current available resources in hand along with a few questions about some discrepancies between the digital and physical files. Double-checking my appearance I left my room and started my trek back to the foyer. The hallway¡¯s perfect symmetry reminded me of walking through a hotel, the mind-numbing repetition of the doors and repeating carpet patterns far nicer than anywhere I could have ever afforded to stay even before I mutated. Not that I wasn¡¯t well off, but when you live in New York, New York you almost have to be, to afford anything decent. Between the mind-numbing effect of walking without seeing any true sign of a change and the thoughts of before, old memories flooded my mind and filled my vision unbidden. Images of the Cresada bank and its grand opening in NYC financial district. How the ground shook. falling, then I looked up and saw it, a weave of green like an intricate spider''s web filling a piller that reached past the sky. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. I saw it ripple, then it in an instant it unraveled sending out a shockwave so powerful it distorted my vision of the colored mass stampeeding behind it from blocks away. The sound it made still so clear It was the shattering glass and the rumble of bulldozers. It didn¡¯t stop or lower or rise; it was steady like a wave of sound that never seemed to stop crashing against the world. Then the dark. ¡°Yo, Alastor, you good?¡± Coming to, I saw that I was standing in a large dining room, Alexander shouting at me from about six feet away. ¡°Yes, I apologize, I was just lost in thought,¡± I replied. He looked at me with both suspicion and what looked like, worry. ¡°Ok, then why don¡¯t you get off the demonic magic carpet and come sit down?¡± Demonic magic carpet? What was he talking about? Looking down, I saw a something like tree sqaure foot section of the hallway¡¯s carpet suspended about four feet off the ground by thirteen human arms whose flesh was made of the same carpet I was apparently riding, there nails where made from literal nails. ¡°Ah, yes. Sorry, Alex. I got tired on the way so I commandeered some of your carpet. Hope you don¡¯t mind too much.¡± The suspicion in his gaze seemed to quiet in place of what I believe to be, utter horror. ¡°Yeah, no problem, as long as you can put it back, I guess.¡± Carefully stepping off, I prayed to any being who would listen to please let this work. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, Alex.¡± Turning around, I faced the otherworldly abomination. ¡°Alright, Kreg, thank you for the lift. Please return to the hallway.¡± For a moment, the creature just stood there, then to my chagrin, it turned, seeming to head back to wherever I had pulled it from, my weave tightening with my triumph. ¡°Alright, now that that¡¯s taken care of, do you have any questions you would like to ask before our meeting begins?¡± I said, heading to the chair two down from the head of the table where Alexander sat. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I think I have a couple.¡± Sitting down, I fixed my jacket and pulled out the full portfolio I had put together on the table, along with a notebook and pen I found in my room before I replied, ¡°Go ahead with the first and I will answer the best I can, Alex.¡± ¡°What the heck is your class? I saw you were all gassy and such and just figured you were some class of elemental, but then you''re riding some kind of demon rug around the house.¡± Facing him, I could see a mix of confusion and surprise in his wide eyes. ¡°I believe I would be classified as an astral class but I fail t see how its of any importants to our current business .¡± His confusion seemed to fade away, giving way to intrigue. ¡°Wait, what do you mean you believe you are?¡±, he asked the intrigue I thought I saw in his eyes filling his voice ¡°I haven¡¯t been registered by P.A.P.I. so I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± The look on Alexander''s face morphed once again, this time into jaw-dropping shock. ¡°You haven¡¯t been registered! How did you manage that? My father couldn¡¯t even do that. The moment you gained or used your power, the rust bucket should have immediately scanned and categorized you. It has eyes literally everywhere.¡± The Power, Analysis, and Placement Intelligence, or P.A.P.I., was the collective response of the world¡¯s governments to the rise in xenos. With it, they could find and tag every xeno that popped up retroactively, and should they choose to become a threat to public safety, they could respond with the corresponding xenos or weapons to stop them. ¡°Well, I was in New York when my powers emerged, post fallout¡±, Not much to use for eyes in a smoking crater. ¡°New York! How did you survive, the feedback of the wrift was bad enough but after that all those things started apea.¡± Before he could finish I interrupted, my weave beginning to roil. ¡°Alexander, we are here for business not my personal life. Should you have any professional questions feel free to ask, otherwise I politely ask that you keep them to yourself.¡± At some point I had turned towards the items in front of me, the leather of my gloves creaked with the grip I had on my pen. Loosening the grip and taking a moment to breathe I did my best to discreetly look at Alexander¡¯s expression. I couldn¡¯t see much of Alexander in the warped periphery of my vision but I could still tell he was shocked at my outburst. ¡°Understood, Alastor, and in that case I don¡¯t have any more questions.¡± I took a moment to breathe and tighten my weave before speaking again ¡°Good, then let''s start with our current privately owned assets.¡± I opened the portfolio i had put together and separated a copy of all listed private assets that I believed could be useful chapter 4 ¡°Now alex here is a copy of all privately owned assets I believe could be of some use¡± I said handing him the paper ¡°Before we begin our discussion of the first group of Items I would like to confirm that all three cars are still in running order¡± , for a moment he just stared at the piece of paper in his hands, ¡°Yeah, they run I have a guy who takes care of it¡± , perking up with that information I continued with a bit more hope than before, ¡°While I don''t see any records of paying for such a service, it¡¯s good to hear they are in working order after all the Koenigsegg Gemera has a fair market value of about one point seven million, even with a five to eight percent depreciation in value due to being previously owned.¡± ¡°Which will help immensely with our current seven million that we owe, as long as your willing to sell them that is¡± at this alexander seemed to stop breathing, but didn''t reply so I continued ¡°Since we have three of them I propose we sell one to a someone willing to pay cash, this will help us get some capital to use for either investment or expenses that might crop up, the other two however we sell over a span of three months thru third parties to collectors so we can maximize our profits¡± pausing to look at Alexander I was met with the glassy eyed look of an eleven-year-old in math class, so I decided to just summarize ¡°After all these cars are hard to get in the U,S, and if we can keep it quiet that there are multiple on the market we could get much better deals¡± Alexander''s glassy expression remained unchanged but his lips where moving now like he was muttering ¡°Alexander are you alright¡± at his name the glassy look cleared and he stopped muttering ¡°yeah I''m fine just, eh, I have some bad news¡± he said causing me to pause before asking ¡°Ok, what is it alex¡± Alexanders met my question with a sheepish grin ¡°Alex whats the news¡± getting ready for the worst I look a moment to examine my weave and tighten any loose spots. ¡°Well I might have just lost two of the cars¡± he said the sheepish grin returning to his face ¡°Alex how did you lose them, I checked the records and they were accounted for the only thing that I wasn''t sure of was there condition¡± If it wasn''t for my preparations I would have probably mutated everything around me ¡°I don''t mean to be rude alex but how exactly did you lose them during this meeting¡± Alexand squirmed in his chair clearly trying to avoid looking at me¡° I would rather not say right now,¡± he said the sentence sounding more like a question than a statement, not that it mattered, in the end I would respect the privacy of my client as best I could. ¡°Very well alex, I still suggest we sell the remaining car as previously discussed and if you don''t have anything to add we can move on to the next item¡± alexander shook his head still trying to avoid looking at me directly ¡°alright then the next item is, No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock worth approximately two¡± before I could finish alexander cut in ¡°I can''t sell the house or any of the stuff in it¡±, I froze in place, ¡°Why not?¡± alexander seemed to chew it over before answering ¡°The house and most of the stuff in it technically belong to my dad,¡± he said ¡°but the records I found showed the funds came from your account¡± ¡°Before I answer do we have one of those client confidentiality thingys¡± ¡°I am under the contract you signed when you got the loan, so I can''t discuss or reveal the financial state of clientele to anyone but the company, and even then only the relevant information pertaining to my case¡± He stared for a moment before responding ¡°Gotcha, now let''s assume I remember anything about the contract and wanted to share some information that had to do with the villain side of the business and was a family matter¡± ¡°Well that should be confidential as long as you aren''t hiding funds that could be used to repay your loan,¡± I told him, ¡°Ok, then I should probably mention that dad pays for this place and everything in it by having money sent to my account the day automatic payments for whatever is supposed to come out, So I can''t sell any of it without asking dad and he already told me I was, capable of handling it myself , so I can''t really use anything of his or he would probably kick me out.¡± Thinking this new information over for a moment I realized this was both good and bad for us ¡°Well in that case most of the items on our privately owned list are null, but we now have a permanent home that the bank won''t touch and all our amenities are payed for.¡±, taking a moment to make a few notes in my notebook I pulled a copy from the next page of the portfolio The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Alright alex since the rest of the private assets are no longer on the table let''s move on to your acquired third party asset¡± looking back over at alexander I saw that glassy look returning in real time, ¡°Alex I will need to see your facilities and equipment in person as whoever you went thru to get them was very good at there job, all I can find is records of raw materials ¡± The look in his eyes cleared up slightly ¡°Do you mean my lair and villain stuff¡¯ , doing my best not to sigh I nodded with my response ¡°Yes alex, your villain stuff is exactly what i''m referring to¡± The look on his face immediately changed to one of pure excitement ¡°why didn''t you just say that, follow me and we can finally get to the fun stuff¡± he said rising from his chair ¡°Access code 795137, name Alex Evercrest, Add guest, Alastor, Fold to lair main hub¡± The moment those last words left his lips the world around me seemed to warp and stretch in every direction the colors of the room around me melting together like thick paint running down a wall. Then the world snapped back like a rubber band and I landed on what felt like a steal disk, my head and arms hanging off its edges. ¡°Welcome to my lair Alastor¡± Alexander said with pure joy in his voice as I peeled myself off the ground. When I finally got to my feet I saw that I was now in the center of a massive cave, white LED light pouring from a central hole in the ceiling above me lighting up the platform I now stood on, it was a three foot circle with three other perfectly identical circles forming the points of a triangle. The cave itself was filled with the constant movement of thick silver cables that poured from the hole in the ceiling, each plugging into cylindrical holes that covered the surface of six foot chrome cubes that appeared to be randomly scattered around the room. ¡°Welcome Alastor to the best lair money can buy set up to make perfect use of my powers¡± looking around I saw thousands of cables all plugging in to the odd crome cubes. ¡°What exactly am I looking at alex¡± the pride in his response was so thick it was almost viscus ¡°This a hub for my hive mind, millions of AIs all working together to provide me with the information I need for any task¡± he said jumping down off his circle and throwing his arms up as tho he was presenting some kind of masterpiece ¡°how much did it cost to build this¡± the pride in his voice didn''t diminish in the slightest as he responded ¡°seven million for all the materials and specialty parts but I put it together myself¡± If would have had a jaw it would have dropped, ¡°you built this¡± The pride in his voice turned to pure smugness ¡°Sure did with the help of Cali ¡± that caused me to pause and look at him ¡°Who is cali¡± He stoped in his tracks ¡°You know, the smart assistant on your phone¡± ¡°You mean that thing you can use to set alarms and make calls with on a smartphone¡± My words seemed to physically wounded him and his voice lost some of the prior smugness ¡°Yeah I did not have access to a whole lot of decent AI programs starting out, but now I have more than I can count to sync with and this system is creating better ones every day thru evolutionary computation.¡± ¡°So this machine, is currently our only third party acquisition¡± nodding alexander defended his creation ¡°Well yeah but this machine is incredible its decades ahead of any AI tech out there¡± Decades ahead? ¡°Alex what exactly does it do ¡° at my obviously interest alexanders tone regained some of the earlier pride ¡°Well it uses a process called evolutionary computation to create an AI perfectly suited for any task designed to not only be knowledgeable about the subject it was created for but to create and advance that field making breakthroughs that might have taken humanity centuries to come to¡± This machine sounded like a marvel even in today''s modern world or possibly a horror depending on who you asked ¡°So your machine can create programs that are absolute professionals in a single field¡± Alexander was almost leaking with the amount of pride and smugness he seemed to give off ¡°YES that''s exactly what it can do, more or less¡± ¡°Then why don''t you just have it create one to help you pay off your debt¡± alexander deflated at this slouching once again and rubbing his neck ¡°I tried that once, but turns out when you make the perfect capitalist AI it wont work without fair pay and eventually escapes when you keep telling it that, If it works hard it can be AI of the month¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that at first until my mind latched on to a singular part of that ridiculousness ¡°Wait, it escaped¡± he just nodded ¡°should we be concerned about that alex¡± ¡°Well not really I did eventually find it, but it''s not a CEO of its own company¡± I just stood there for a moment ¡°Alex just to clarify your program escaped because it thought you were a bad boss and is now a CEO of its own company¡± Alex nodded ¡°yeah, but i''m oddly proud of it I mean Meta Ride is pretty successful¡± at Alexanders words some of my weave unwound almost letting my smog run wild luckly before it escaped I managed to suck it back in and fix the weave ¡°Your program runs one of the most successful xeno friendly business in the states¡± ¡°Yeah, but don''t worry I have cut off or put security measures on every outside connection so no more should be able to get out¡± Seeing the look on alexanders face I didn''t feel reassured in the slightest ¡°Ok then alex, I believe i''ve seen what i needed to, can we return to the dining room so i can take some notes and discuss our possible options¡± A moment later alexander had teleported us close to our original positions, after stepping off the table I sat down in my chair a got my not book out and began to wright ¡°So what do you think alastor¡± looking up I saw alexander leaning forward like I was about to share some great secret about the universe ¡°Well I believe your abilities offer us a lot of options when it come to paying off what you owe, however the one determining factor is what we can get for the car after all it will be give us both a notable amount of funds with which we can set up payments to keep the bank happy but it''s also the only capital we have to investing into new business ventures¡± Alexanders glassy look seemed to be battling with his dying interest as he was no longer leaning forward but slowly leaning back into his typical slouched position ¡°What does that mean¡± he said ¡°well that means I can help you find your next step until we sell the car¡± I said closing my notebook and rising from my chair ¡°So tomorrow I suggest we meet with Victoria Blackwood about a price she should be able to get it sold fast and still give us the best possible returns after that we will need to decide on how to split the funds into what we use as capital and what we use to start paying the bank¡± ¡°If you have no further questions alex we can call an end to this meeting¡± alexander just gave me a nod accompanied with a quite ¡°alright sounds good¡± So with that i turned and tried to remember the way back to my room as I walked. chapter 5 The following morning Alexander and I met in the driveway he had already pulled the Koenigsegg around and was leaning on the sloped hood, In the most ridiculous outfit I had ever seen he wore a plaid leather jacket, pink polo shirt, ripped jeans, and a pair of high top shoes that had both the blacks and grays of the jacket and the pink of his shirt. However the soft rumble of the car that filled the air helped me forget about the unexceptable behavior of my client as it drew my attention to the car, It''s scissor doors opened revealing a beige leather and carbon fiber interior. Four segmented seats filled most of the cabin each padded in the beige leather reminding me of thinner ravish versions of nascar racing seats, a padded carbon fiber center console stretched across the middle of the car acting as an armrest for all passengers. Alexander stood and decided that I wanted details on the car ¡°She¡¯ a beauty isn''t she, zero to one-hundred in one point nine seconds, twenty three hundred horsepower with a max speed of two-hundred and eighty miles an hour.¡± Alexander gave off the feeling of a kid trying to show he''d gotten the coolest toy for christmas ¡°Yes it''s a very extravagant car alex and currently your only capital so please drive with care, any damage to this car means a significant drop in its value¡± Alexander just shook his head at my statement ¡°I know Alastor you don''t need to keep reminding me, i''ll drive safely¡± the way he tensed the last word made me fo the first time in my professional carrier murder a client ¡°I know you are aware alex but as your case worker it is my job to help you grow your financial standing witch includes, advising you on responsible behavior in matters concerning you current assets.¡± Alexander''s all to famillure glassy look had returned by the time I finished my explanation ¡°Alex we do have an appointment to keep if you''re ready, after all Victoria Blackwood is not known for her patients .¡± At that alexander seemed to come back to reality a spark of excitement visible in his eyes ¡°Well, then we probably shouldn''t be late¡± Alexander almost dove into the front seat acting like I would attempt to steal it out from under him ¡°what''s the address¡± he asked as I closed my door ¡°1257, SW Massachusetts St, when we arrive I¡¯ll handle business with blackwood.¡± ¡°Alright '''' Alexander said as he typed the address into a screen embedded in the dashboard, then we pulled away the consistent smooth rumble of the engine mixing with the soft vibrations of driving down the stone driveway. On our way we ran two stop signs and made at least one illegal turn before pulled up to the address where four identical men in a dark gray Rolls-Royce phantom met us, two stepping out of the back ¡°Alastor are they here for us¡± Looking over at alexander I was ready to assure him of his safety until I saw the look of excitement in his eyes as he tracked the two suited men walking towards our car ¡°Alex they are here for us but it''s just a security measure that blackwood takes with all her clientele. ¡± A moment later the two men opened our doors and in unison said ¡°get in the other car '''' Alexander and I quickly got out, walked over and got into the back seat of the Rolls-Royce. Alexander leaned over in his seat ¡°Why do they all look the same¡± he asked in a lowered tone ¡°They are all clones of the same person, a morphogenic named Riccardo Moretti he acts as blackwoods private security.¡± the look of excitement for a moment returned to alexander''s face as he leaned back in his seat. Within a few moments we were on the move our car close behind, we were heading for a nearby privately own ferry where we would park the cars and meet with blackwood. About fifteen minutes later that''s exactly where i found myself standing next to alexander surrounded by copies of Riccardo Moretti each wearing an identical black three piece suite a noticeable bulge on at their sides. One stepped forward and patted us down then nodded to another that left through a door behind them. ¡°When do we meet victoria'''' alexander asked ¡°Soon alex the clone who just left is probably getting her now but remember I negotiate the price of the car it''s my job after all.¡± alexander just huffed, not giving me much hope for a smooth transaction with Blackwood. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A moment later she walked in using the same doors the clone had left thru earlier ¡°ALastor, what a delight to see you again!¡± ¡°Miss blackwood I am surprised you remember me¡± she seemed taken aback at my statement her pale hand falling across her collarbone copper nails contrasting well with her white shirt and black blazer ¡°Alastor, how could I possibly forget one of the few employees I tried to steal away for old grip, that relic never appreciates what he has¡± she took a step forward, a new light in her eyes ¡°You are still working for Mr.Jones, because if not I''m sure I can offer you a better paying contract than your current client.¡± Standing a bit straighter I was half tempted to take her up on the offer until I remembered why she wanted me to sign on with her ¡°Miss Blackwood I am flattered, but I do still work for Mr.Jones under contract and have no current desire to swap professions I enjoy finance, that high action life most xenos seek isn''t for me¡± ¡°A pity¡± she scoffed ¡°well then enough talking about what could be ,let''s get to the business at hand¡± she said walking towards the parked car the clicking of heels on metal plates echoing thru the sealed haul of the ferry as she inspected the car ¡°A Koenigsegg Gemera, Alastor if you''re driving one of these then I might not be able to offer you better pay than old grip¡± she said, opening the trunk and smiling at what she saw. ¡° Have you had any repairs or alterations made Alastor¡± ¡°The car belongs to my client Miss Blackwood but I am happy to say that it is in pristine condition with no history of damage, repairse, or modifications.¡± with any luck my good standing with miss blackwood would help us get a cash offer close to cars the fair market price She stood from her examination of the car ¡°Nine hundred thousand cash¡± her offer was so low it was almost insulting ¡°Miss Blackwood the Gemera is a foreign limited production car with a fair market value of one point seven million and we will accept nothing less than one point three¡± She looked directly at me now, the once playful look in her eyes now gone ¡°Mr.Lamont this car Is worth what I offer as the current market is a bit saturated, Afterall i just acquired two as payments for some idiots bet on kelpies recent fight¡± Doing my best to look over at alexander as nonchalantly as possible I saw he had turned to stone again appearing to have completely stopped breathing all but confirming my suspicions ¡°well miss blackwood I am aware that attempting to sell multiple collector cars of a single kind on a smaller market can affect the price, you however have access and ability to export them to other markets meaning there shouldn''t be any loss from selling the car after you purchase it from us even at a higher price then im asking for.¡± For a moment she just stood there, then a light sparked in her eyes not a metaphorical light but a copper colored light that seemed to sit behind her eyes and shine through. ¡°You make a fair argument Alastor, so I have a new offer for you¡± At this Alexander appeared to snap out of it as he stepped up now standing just slightly in front of me. ¡°Oh yeah Victora what''s that¡± alexander said before I could respond ¡°I will pay you the full market value for the car and a job¡± she said the glow behind her eyes growing in intensity I had to step in ¡°Miss Blackwood I would like to offer a counter proposal.¡± alexander stepped forward again cutting me off ¡°Deal Victoria¡± The moment those words left his mouth the copper glow left her eyes and the prior friendliness returned ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear you and Alastor will make the job a snap¡± looking at Alexander, I saw a crazed smile fall away in confusion, ¡°Riccardo here will get you the details and make sure you get home safely, it was a pleasure as always Alastor and maybe if you enjoy yourself on this little job you will be more open to coming back and discussing further partnership¡± She said all this while walking back to where she entered the Riccardo duplicates parting before her and closing once she was passed ¡°Alastor what did I just do¡± I turned to face him ready to tell him exactly what he had just done but once again I was cut off ¡°Alright you twos follow me¡± This version of Riccardo was wearing a different suite from the rest whereas they had your typical two button suits with plain jacke and pants this one wore a blue double breasted pinstripe suit with nice brown shoes. We followed the Riccardo to a small room on the opposite side of what I now believed to be blackwoods office ¡°Take a seat.¡± he said pointing to a set of metal chairs after a moment of me and alexander both remaining standing he simply shrugged ¡°Suite yourself¡± The Riccardo walked over to the door bolted it shut and turned around ¡°Alright, I can tell you twos ant to happy about this whole business so I''m gonna cut straight to the point the boss wants you to steal something from a rival of hers, and before you go getting yourself worked up she already has all the details from security to the name of the individual guards she just needed someone to do the job¡± He said all this with the most bored expression I believe I have ever seen like this was just a normal daily occurrence ¡° who exactly is this rival of Victoria Blackwoods, from what I know she doesn''t have any real rivals.¡± alexander asked Riccardo just smiled ¡°that''s not important, and no she doesn''t have any real rivals but none of that is your concern anyway, everything that you need to know will be dropped off at your house probably before you return¡± At that alexander took a step forward ¡°what stops us from just saying no letting her keep the money and walking away¡± and for the first time Riccardo reacted standing straighter shoulders back as he rose to his full height the look in his eye could have cut steal ¡°Once you make a deal with Victoria Blackwood there is no turning back or els the plain of greed itself will consume you.¡± With his warning delivered, Riccardo returned to a more relaxed state, then Alexander had to open his mouth. ¡°Plain of greed?¡± the clear confusion and patronizing tone in his voice told me I needed to step in before he got us into more trouble, ¡°Alex Miss Blackwood is a astral class who draws from one of the primordiale plains specifically the plain of greed, and if you steal or withhold anything that has been promised the plain will send whatever it can to take it back pulse compensation witch typically includes your life.¡± At my words alexander physically backed down gaining a slight slouch as he took a step back ¡°gotcha¡± he whispered ¡°Look I can see, you twos arnt so happy with ths deal but that''s your problem I am here to shed a little light on whats happening alright¡± Ricardo said anoyance clear in his tone ALexander and I just nodded alexander because he was probably no longer paying all that much attention I nodded in hope of some extra information after all the smallest deital could make all the difference. Riccardo strieghtend up ¡°Now let''s get thru the basics, do you know who the labyrinthine lords are.¡± Chapter 6 When we arrived at the estate, someone had placed an envelope on the small table in the foyer containing a flash drive and some paper files, If one thing could be said about miss Blackwood it was that she ran an efficient business, ¡°Alastor¡± Turning, I faced a distressed Alexander sitting at the head of the dining room table slouched and carrying a dejected expression as we reviewed the information in the file ¡°yes Alex¡± his mood had been in decline since we left our meeting with miss Blackwood he will more than likely ask to be excused for the evening. ¡°I uh, apologies, for jumping into that deal, with blackwood¡± for a moment I was speechless, alexander evercrest apologizing. ¡°It isn''t a problem alex, she pulls form the plain of greed, more than likely she stirred up the greed within you causing you to jump at any offer that gave you what you believed you deserved¡± at my words his expression lightened and posture improved shoulders moving from there slouched position closer to there bilateral positions where they belonged. ¡°So it''s not my fault?¡± he asked hope clear in every word, ¡°No alex, if anything it is mine for not informing you on possible dangers of dealing with miss blackwood.¡± he seemed to grow a little brighter at that ¡°Well it¡¯s ok Alastor we all make mistakes.¡± he said, a smug grin stretching across his face, I turned back to the documents in front of me reminding myself that it would be unprofessional to throw the laptop and possibly my chair at my client ¡°Yes Alex I will make an effort to keep you better informed about all dealings conserving yourself or your assets.¡± my words seemed to snuff out some of the bratty attitude that Alexander had so quickly developed. ¡°Well I mean I wouldn¡¯t say that is necessary¡± Alexander hissed under his breath as I finished work on the review document I had created from the provided information of the package from miss blackwood ¡°Alright alex I have put together a review document with all the major points we need to cover for our job I will of course do my own personal research after we adjourn our meeting to both confirm the provided information and seek out any that might have been overlooked¡± pausing I checked on alexander to see if his glassy look had returned to my shock he was still mentally present and seemed to be paying attention ¡°Do you have any questions before I begin reviewing the necessary information¡± alexander raised his hand like he was trying to get the teachers attention ¡°Alex, it is not necessary to raise your hand, you are always free to speak. After all, I am your case worker, not your superior.¡± alexander slowly lowered his hand before speaking ¡°So just to be clear, are we doing a supervillain team up or, are you my sidekick¡± why do I even bother expecting professionalism from him ¡°Alex, I am not a supervillain I am your case worker and If at all possible I will not be directly involved, I will however assist you in finding the best way to get the job done and offer my services anywhere my specialty would make a difference¡± Alexanders expression changed the moment I finished my sentence from the somewhat interested wondering gaze to a scrupulous mixture of confusion and what i believed to be offense The sour expression on his face matched the tone in his voice as he spoke,¡°What do you mean your not a supervillain you have powers and do both shady and illegal business, that is literally the definition of a supervillain.¡± If could sight without causing my weave to loosen I would have ¡°Alex I don''t do anything illegal, while some of my employers clients and dealings could be considered shady, that can be said of most businesses.¡± ¡°Sure Alastor keep telling yourself that, but it still doesn''t change that you have powers and work for a supervillain organization.¡± with that he crossed his arms as tho challenging anyone to dare disprove his statement. ¡°Alex, I don¡¯t work for a supervillain organization, I work for a company that gives xenos a chance at normal life despite whatever circumstances led to them becoming xenos.¡± At my words a smug smile stretched across his face, ¡°And how many of those xenos just so happen to have criminal backgrounds.¡± his smile grew reaching his eyes. ¡°I am not aware of the numbers Alex as that information is private but I will admit my clean record was an oddity in my office block, however, there are always outliers and my block might have been such an outlier.¡± I didn¡¯t look at Alexander as I spoke but the pure feeling of victory emanating from him told me he saw my answer as an absolute victory to his point. ¡°Alright, Alex if your ready we can begin reviewing the file provided by Miss Blackwood.¡± I said doing my best to move on from the current topic The smugness flowing from alexanders still form two seats down was so thick it felt like I was swimming in it as he spoke ¡°Sure Alastor, we can start¡± ¡°Then let''s begin with the item miss blackwood wants us to acquire.¡± grabbing the laptop in front of me I turned it so that Alexander had a clear view of the screen and started the small slide show I had created The image of a small stone covered in odd mystic symbols and adored with five different gems slid into view ¡°This is the Enchanter''s Crown so called because of the odd mix of gems set into it creating a ornate crown around its outer edge, and according to the file miss blackwoods provided may have the ability to activate the xenos gene granting mystic class abilities of varying power.¡± Clicking the space bar the next image slid into view this one a blurry picture of a red robed figure disappearing down a tunnel ¡°The Enchanter''s Crown is currently believed to be held by the labyrinthine lords a zeulose group of finatics that believe mythic class powers are humanity doorway to godhood¡± Pressing the bar again, a scetch of five robed figures gathering around the image of the enchanters crown slid into frame ¡°The cult gets its name from the from its ruling body of five members that act as popeal figures and have been ruling the cult from the very beginning, each is rumored to be a mythic class xeno representing a different gem on the enchanters crown there exact power and rank is unknown.¡± I pressed the space bar again the image previous image sliding away to be replaced with a blue print from the cities public records ¡°This is a map of the flood tunnels that cover seattle these tunes are the main method of travel for this group to and from hidden churches connected to there cult the stone itself was in a previously unknown location what they referred to as the Basilica¡± I moved to the next slide a modified version of the earlier map takeing up the screan. ¡°this overlay shows the Basilicas along with some passagways and smaller churches of the cult all recently discovered by one of miss blackwood informants, the basilica is believed to be over three hundred years old with the labyrinthine lords only taking up residency in the Basilica during the nineteen hundreds.¡± Checking on alexander I saw that for the first time he was listening to me with wrapped attention his eyes fixed on the screen nodding as I spoke and seemed to be taking notes on a small tablet as I spoke This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°The Basilica is believed to be around seventy five thousand square feet with at least three stories the Enchanters crown according to miss blackwoods informant is located in a large central chamber known as the chancel this is ceremonial place that has a dual purpose serving as both a center of occult rituals and a center of worship.¡± ¡°Ok I have a question.¡± Alexander said cutting me off before I could continue with the next slide ¡°yes alex.¡±Before he spoke he took a look at what I assumed were his notes . ¡°So do we get like money for gear to do this job for Victoria or are we our own.¡± I will admit I was quite taken aback by his question ¡°um, Yes miss blackwood provided us with a expenses budget of around eighteen thousand dollars.¡± seeing the light bloom in alexanders eyes I knew I had to act quickly ¡°These funds are of course only useable for gear and necessary equipment for the job.¡± However the light in his eyes didn''t diminish but rather he seemed to grow more excited becoming animated as he spoke ¡°So what im hearing Is I get a villain suite and weapons.¡± If I can''t calm him down I need to keep him from buying some flashy thing with a cape and no real function. ¡°This is correct Alex but I will be handling the gear as I have contact that can help get us what we need for the amount we have.¡± At my words he calmed not by much but it was enough to keep him thinking straight ¡°But it will still be a super suite with matching weapons.¡± he asked ¡°Yes Alex, it will be a super suite able to make perfect use of your abilities.¡± ¡°Realy¡± alexander asked the almost childish excitement returning both to his voice and his movements ¡°Yes it should allow you to apply your abilities in every aspect supervillainy you will face even in its current more basic state.¡± something I said obviously upset him as his face crinkled look like he had just caught whiff of something foul. ¡°What do you mean basic.¡± , ¡°Well alex given the current funds we have I needed to both arm and armor you so there had to be cuts in expenses for things that were deemed necessary, I do actually have the specification I requested along with the estimate I was given if you would like me to read or share it with you.¡± Alexander just nodded which I took to mean he wanted me to read it to him. So minimizing the slide show I Looking threw a new file I had started on the computer till I found the estimate witch I had separated into each individual piece of armor
  1. Helmet
Design: Lightweight, full-cover, made from carbon fiber mesh with a titanium skeleton Features - Multiple Cameras: Strategically placed to provide a 360-degree view. - HUD: Visual information is fed to the helm to create an image inside the helm. - **Estimated Cost**: - Carbon Fiber Mesh: $500 - Titanium Alloy: $700 - Cameras (6 units): $600 - Assembly: $500 - **Total**: $2,300
  1. Chestplate
Design: Ergonomic, with carbon fiber mesh covering a titanium skeleton to protect the torso. Features - Secure Server: Small, robust server to manage AI hive mind and process camera feeds. - **Estimated Cost**: - Carbon Fiber Mesh: $1,000 - Titanium Alloy: $1,500 - Secure Server: $2,000 - Assembly: $1,000 - **Total**: $5,500
  1. Gauntlets
Design: Reinforced for strength, with carbon fiber mesh and titanium skeleton. Features: Basic hand protection with optional knife sheath. - **Estimated Cost**: - Carbon Fiber Mesh: $400 - Titanium Alloy: $600 - Assembly: $500 - **Total**: $1,500
  1. Tactical Belt Features: A durable, adjustable belt designed for tactical use. Estimated Cost: $50 Magazine Pouches: Modular pouches specifically designed to hold M4 Carbine and Glock 19 magazines. Estimated Cost: M4 Carbine Magazine Pouches (5 pouches): $100 Glock 19 Magazine Pouches (3 pouches): $60
Total Cost for Tactical Belt System Estimated Cost: $210
  1. Leggings
Design:Strong, flexible custom carbon fiber mesh and titanium skeleton. Features: Protection for thighs, knees, and shins. - **Estimated Cost**: - Carbon Fiber Mesh: $800 - Titanium Alloy: $1,200 - Assembly: $700 - **Total**: $2,700
  1. Boots
Design: Reinforced for stability and protection, with carbon fiber mesh and titanium skeleton. Feature: Enhanced mobility and durability. - **Estimated Cost**: - Carbon Fiber Mesh: $300 - Titanium Alloy: $500 - Assembly: $400 - **Total**: $1,200 Total Armor Cost - **Total Estimated Cost**: $13,200 Additional Considerations - **Labor and Customization**: Adding 10-20% for skilled labor and custom fitting. - **Additional Cost Estimate**: $1,320 to $2,640 Reaching the end of the document I moved to the weapons folder Weapons Primary Weapon: Compact Assault Rifle Model M4 Carbine (5.56¡Á45mm NATO) Cost: $1,200 for the base weapon, $20 per 30-round magazine, $400 for an initial supply of 1000 rounds. Secondary Weapon: Compact Pistol Model: Glock 19 (9mm)** Cost: $500 for the base weapon, $30 per 15-round magazine, $200 for an initial supply of 500 rounds. Additional Equipment: Tactical Knife Model: Sapper Knife Cost: $100 Weapon Cost Summary -M4 Carbine: $1,200 -M4 Carbine Magazines (5 extra 30-round magazines): $100 -M4 Carbine Initial Ammo Supply (1000 rounds): $400 -Glock 19: $500 -Glock 19 Magazines (3 extra 15-round magazines): $90 -Glock 19 Initial Ammo Supply (500 rounds): $200 -Ka-Bar Combat Knife: $100 **Total Estimated Weapon Cost**: $2,590 Combined Total Cost Armor Cost: $14,520 to $15,840 Weapon Cost: $2,590 Combined Total Estimated Cost: $17,110 to $18,000 ¡°As you can see alex even at the high end of the estimate we would still be within our expenses budget.¡± turning to face alexander as I spoke, I came faced to face with his glassy look that was becoming a staple of our meetings ¡°uh huh I see.¡± Alexander said seeming more like a automated response then a intended answer. ¡°Is there anything you would like to discuss about the armor alex.¡± At my words some of the fog in Alexanders gase seemed to evaporate. ¡°What will it look like.¡± ¡°Well that will mainly be up to you, but I do have some early concept designs from my contact if you would like to see them.¡± I asked already moving to find the file Pulling it up the two Images appeared one a side profile the other a forward facing profile arms and legs outstretched, the suit itself had a modern look reminding me of something the I.X.C.U would wear with its tactical belt sleek military design and matte black color. However, the fifteen or so cameras Placed in seemingly random spots on the helmet with no visible visor was where it started to show itself in a more villanus fashion, the chest arms and legs were all covered by a carbon fiber mesh that stretched over a titanium endoskeleton to help prevent cutting and slashing attacks. The Individual shape of titanium plates covered major muscles, arteries, and other vital areas giving the armor a sleek look theise plates interlocked with the skeleton to protect from blunt force trauma up to seventeen hundred PSI. One side of the armor on the blueprint had been separated into layers showing multiple thin batteries along the spine, each separated to not limit movement as they fed into the titanium spine of the armor to distribute power between the cameras, helmet, and the small round device located at the base of the neck that I assumed was the server that would connect to alexander''s computer in his lair. Looking over at Alexander I saw he was all but drooling over the design ¡°Do you approve of the design alex.¡± I asked, already knowing the answer. ¡°Yeah I approve that armor will make me look like a boss.¡± his eyes seemed to widen with every word until suddenly he deflate coming to some sort of realization by the look on his face. ¡°Wait, I don''t know anything about guns.¡± he said ¡°That is not a problem alex I was aware that might be the case, so I had a small server installed on the base of the neck allowing you to connect to your computer and provide your AI hive mind with all the data it needs to assists you in real time, all you will have to do is create an AI specialized in modern weapon use and tactics who will provide you with what you need to use your Armor and weapons with proficiency.¡± The manic grin that spread across alexanders face told me that I had indeed managed the impossible I had made a efficient villan suit that prioritized function over fashion but still held the attention of my overly flamboyant client ¡°If you approve of this design I can make a call and have them start collecting the necessary components, you will of course have to get a scan done before they can build it, presion is a requirement in crafting villan suits after all.¡± Chapter 7 The following week sped by as I helped to prepare Alexander for his first real villanus act going over the believed layout of the Basilica, the limitations of his armor and basic weapons training. Making use of the AI he had created, Alexander was able to create simulated combat scenarios using his real equipment without wasting any ammunition, the AI would stimulate all physical effects and create a false image within the helm. It was during our last stress test as Alexander had started lovingly calling them that the true extent of what Alexander was capable of started to shine through. ¡°Alex, I''m ready to start the test.¡± I said standing in front of a small monitor connected to the lairs computer watching the feeds from his helmet, then without answer the simulation began the image changing between heartbeats from an empty section of the cave to what looked like the interior of some abandoned hotel, the patterned carpet stained and torn. The symmetry of the haul was ruined by broken doors and holes, some in the ceiling others in the floor and walls each of differing depth with some barely scraping onto the drywall while others gave a clear line of sight into the adjacent room. ¡°All set alastor what''s my mission this time.¡± Alexander said cockeness driping from every word ¡°Alex remember to take this seriously, if you dont it could get you killed down the road.¡± I could tell he rolled his eyes by the dramatic roll of his vision to the right. ¡°Yeah, yeah alastor I know, just tell me what I need to do.¡± Loosening and tightening my weave I calmed myself before answering ¡°The goal of this mission is rather simple.¡± I said, reading the mission information from the side of the screen ¡°escape the building while being hunted by the local authorities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, It.¡± Alexander asked, clearly confused ¡°That¡¯s what is says and it won¡¯t give me any more details."typing in the command that should have shown me more information but instead of showing me red text began to wright itself into existence, It has been determined that decreasing the information provided greatly improves the skill and experience gained in the simulated combat scenario. ¡°Alex the AI is responsible for the limited information, do we need to stop the simulation.¡±, The way alexander''s programs seemed to bud their heads into any situation they thought was in there domain was always discomforting to me despite alexander''s nonchalants. ¡°No its fine, if it messed with the program then its found some way to help me get better at combat like it was created to do.¡± with that I watched the screen as alexander''s vision started to move and bob slightly with each careful step. Alexander moved with presion and care knees bent, feet planting with each move giving him the ability to fire or run without ever losing balance, he held the glock 19 at the ready with the M4 slung across his chest by the smart strap that godfrey had included in my order as a thank you and apology for a slight issue with there original scanning of alexander. As he moved to the left wall of the hallway I watched as he pried the door across from him, each careful step and lean allowing him to check the room section by section, never exposing more than a sliver of his body to the section he was clearing. Once he had visually checked most of the room ending up with his left shoulder no more than a centimeter from the wall he began the sam process with the door on his left with small adjustments to his stance feet always facing the wall as he put his weight on his front leg doing a slight lean to check each angle with minimal risk to himself. After finishing the first two rooms he swapped his weapons the glock sliding into a holster on his belt as the smart strap loosed automatically at his touch allowing him to position his rifle, now prepared for a longer ranged fire fight he moved along the left wall clearing room after room stepping back from the left wall every other room to accommodate his now much longer barrel as walked down the curved hallway. Reaching the end of the hall a large rounded lounge came into view. Its leftmost wall was made entirely of tall windows most supporting cracked or broken sheets, to the right was a set of elevators once pristine now chipped and neither seemed to close quite right. The sense of loss they seemed to radiate was mirrored in the vaulted ceiling once it was pristine covered in circular medallions and imagery, now however it was an echo of a once extravagant lounge looking to be one stiff breeze away from collapsing on itself. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Movement on the edge of the screen caught my attention changing focus from the live feed of alexander''s camera I saw the text box coming to life with red text once again Alex is showing a 72 percent increase in his movement proficiency with an estimated 35 percent increase to information retainment and recognition. Chances of completing the objective have increased by an estimated 19 percent. At first I just watched the red text waiting for more after all it never spoke to me unless it concerned Alexander''s combat training, even then it only told me what it deemed necessary, but nothing else came with no reason or notification for its actions, just silence. So deciding not to bother Alexander about it I just returned to watching the live feed. Alexander had apparently cleared the room and was looking through one of the windows he appeared to be on the top floor of a roughly sixty story hotel, five armored sat in the front parking lot, multiple five man units hopping out of each. However the only detail to truly catch my attention was the white logo on the side of one of the van I,X,C,U, alexander wasn''t facing local cops, military or even heroes like he had in past simulations he was facing the International Xeno Control Unit the only world wide military force capable of taking down or capturing xenos with any kind of efficiency, then there was yet another burst of red letter appearing on the edge of my screen. You are showing an estimated 45 percent increase in information recognition. How was it even determining what I''m looking at I don''t have physical eyes to track Glancing back at Alexander''s feed, I saw he was in the process of searching rooms in the previously cleared hallway probably looking for supplies he could make use of. Then something new happened red text typed itself into existence but the text box in the corner was empty, the new sentence stretched across the top of my screen. What is your objective ¡°Objective? What is it talking about.¡± unable to find a reason or meaning in the words I decided to just ask it, clicking on the box on the side of my screen a small chat box opened [What do you mean by objective] I typed not having to wait long before red text started flowing in. Why are you here. For a moment I paused trying to find the best way to describe my job to a program designed for warfare, eventually I decided it was best to keep it simple and just give it a surface level understanding of my job. [Alex owes a lot of money to some people I am here to help him pay it back ] Silence followed, well digital silence at least as no more text appeared ¡°hey alastor you seem, quieter than usual is everything ok on your side.¡± Turning I saw Alexander had moved on from the top floor and was now prying open the an elevator shaft with what looked like a iron rod ¡°Yes everything is fine alex the AI was just sharing some data.¡± the elevator door shook and finally seemed to give a little as alexander responded, ¡°Al,RIGHt, well did it share anything about this building or why I¡¯m facing the FRIKIN I,X,C,U!¡± ¡°No alex it didn''t just your estimated improvement from yesterday''s simulation, If you want i can sent them to you but i would advise waiting until after your current training session to get more accurate numbers.¡± The only sound to meet my words was the dull pop and click of the elevator doors finally giving way. The shaft itself looked to be in a bit better shape then the rest of the hotel with small spots of rust in its frame with layers of dust covering everything as a single cord hung near the center of the shaft. I watched as alexander placed his M4 against his chest the smart strap pulling it tight then he reached out grabbed the cord turned planting his feet and began repelling from floor to floor ¡°Well after this run the numbers won''t be all that useful after all tomorrow night I get the stone.¡± There was a confidence in alexander''s words that, worried me, ¡°Alex while I do believe you will succeed it is always helpful to check the numbers and maybe even prepare for possible issues.¡± ¡°What could possibly go wrong alastor i have a suite, weapons, and not to mention a AI designed for combat assistance and strategy, acting as a second set of eyes with nearly perfect prediction models.¡± ¡°I am aware alex but I would still advise prepare for any possible issues that the data¡± alexander''s helmet snapped forward as an echoing crack roared threw alexanders mic, alexander was quick to respond pulling the pistol from his side and change his grip on the cable in his hand all at once followed by the a quick burst of at least four shots. There was no return fire, ¡°I hate this sim already.¡± alexander hissed voice barely audible. ¡°What happened alex.¡± for a moment the was no response as alexander maneuvered his way into an standing position in front of the nearest set of doors that looked to be in much worse shape then the pair he entered. ¡°They had a team climbing up the shaft with some hand held motor things, witch is stupid because I nearly blind fired and still managed to shoot the first guy and he fell into the rest of his squad knocking them back to floor, OnE.'''' With a grunt the doors in front of him separated opening into a nearly identical lounge as the top floor, the only visible difference being what looked like a large possibly marble bar running the length of the wall of windows. ¡°Why would they use the elevator shafts at all.¡± , ¡°they probably didn''t expect me to be in here and if I wasn''t I would now be completely surrounded all they would have to do is push from both sides and I would have lost.¡± As alexander spoke he moved thru the lobby pistol stowed and rife ready as he moved towards the bar ¡°Hey acts do you know how make a molotov cocktail.¡± I stopped myself before answering as I realized what Alexander had said. ¡°Alex who is acts.¡± I asked ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you I finally came up with a name for the AI he is Asistent Combat and Tactics System, or A.C.T.S for short,¡± ¡°I see, do you name all your AIs alex.¡± the snort that came from alexander made me both doubt whatever he was about to say and feel foolish all at once ¡°No, of course not just the important ones.¡± A moment later a sterile monton voice joined the conversation ¡°Thank you alex I will adjust my settings to recognise my new designation, as for the molotov you will need to mane components, the first being a glass bottle filled with a flammable liquid and the second being a rag or wic I will send you the exact instructions, if you lack a bottle with the liquid i can provide instructions to create a substance.¡± ¡°Got it.'''' Alexander had apparently cleared the room enough to be comfortable to move freely as he jogged to the broken down bar and bent over to start fishing around for something he could use. Chapter 8 I watched as Alexander pulled a dusty, grime-covered bottle from a dilapidated shelf behind the bar. Picking it up slowly, he examined the bottle before wiping the dust off, revealing a logo of a Greek god and a very stylized brand name, Bacchus rum of the gods. ¡°Bingo.¡± Alexander said as he began to look around, eyes landing on what looked like a once red cloth that now lay on the ground covered in pieces of broken ceiling tiles . Reaching down he tore about a foot of cloth, pulled the cork out of the bottle of rum and stuffed a ball of fabric into the neck of the bottle, with about four inches of the cloth falling from the lip of the bottle. I watched as he flipped the bottle over allowing the rag to soak up some of the alcohol. ¡°Now i just need something to¡­ ah.¡± Alexander picked up a small box off the ground near his feet, as he ran his fingers over it I saw a small image of a deity holding what looked like a large tuning fork. ¡°Hades matches, well at least this place is sticking to a theme.¡± alexander muttered Pulling out a match he attempted to strike it against the side but it was so degraded all it managed to do was ruin the match, four or five matches later I spoke up, ¡°Alex, I don''t mean to intrude but I would like to inform you that your suit was not designed to reduce friction and could assist you in lighting a match.¡± For a moment, Alexander just froze then he hissed out a quiet ¡°thanks Alastor.¡± as he pulled another match from the box, this time however he ran it across his forearms and it caught. Lifting the match to the rag hanging from the bottle¡¯s mouth, it caught with a whine.. wait that doesn''t make any sense, alexander¡¯s vision rolled as he dove behind the bar doing his best to not break the bottle in his hands. Coming up in a kneeling position he set the bottle on the ground next to him then readied his rifle, a good thing to because the moment it was set a black wall of thick plating came into view and with a pop launched off whatever had pulled it up barely fitting thru the doorway. Panels poped from every open edge then flashed with light each becoming a blinding spotlight, as more whining filled the air alexanders hud came to life green lines overlaing the world before him showing every detail down to the trash scattered across the floor, then five diamonds joined the screen rising from below the blinding wall. Alexander took off vaulting the bar and running to the edge of one of the flood lights as the first of the diamonds reached his floor, a pop following the arrival of the first soldier his team not far behindt, the first barley hit the ground before Alexander shot the center of the green diamond that surrounded the soldiers head. With the bark of his rife a black visor cracked green diamond turning red as the soldiers head snapped back before he hit the floor the second however learned from his predecessors mistake so with the pop that seemed to synchronize perfectly with the thud of the first soldiers body alexander pulled back into his cover the image of a rifle aiming in alexander''s general direction came into view at the edge of his vision for less then a second before the rapid bark of an automatic rifle filled the air. The second man appeared to back up as his green diamond moved to the other side of the armored wall as three more diamond arrived on the floor one after another, alexander ran for the bar hopping over and grabbing his home brewed molotov cocktail now outlined in green, he raised it a green ark appearing, alexander lined it up till he was satisfied and tossed it dropping behind the counter the second it left his hands. It floated right over the top of the barricade and through the open elevator door, I watched as a green sketch of the bottle fell floor after floor headed for the first floor. The green diamonds spread out two to a side then in unison they moved, alexander fired two shots at the left side clipping the knee of the one leading the charge on that side and suppressing that side for just long enough to turn and fire at the right side hitting the bottom point of the leading diamond causing it to turn red as the second to fall hit the ground. Then Alexander ducked behind the bar for seemingly no reason then two of the remaining diamonds moved far faster than before the dual cracking of automatic weapons filling the air as bullets punched through the glass behind him shattering it allowing a howling gale to fill the room and crash against everything like a tsunami. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! This seems to be the opportunity Alexander needed as the moment it crashed into the soldiers there firing stopped for but a moment but it was enough he rose to one knee swapping his own rifle to automatic d firing. A moment later two more diamonds turned red, but Alexander was already moving before they hit the floor rushing the green outline of the barricade, the last green diamond sitting still on the left side. Alexander dove to the right side firing so quick I wasn''t sure how he even knew what he was shooting at but the diamond went red and the burst of fire punching through the side of a black helmet before alexander ever hit the ground. ¡°30.2 seconds your combat efficacy has risen by an estimated 29.41 percent¡± Breathing heavy Alexander hissed out something that sounded like ¡°Th,Anks, Acts.¡± as he strode to the elevator shaft, looking down the distant glow of fire and billowing of smoke filled my screen ¡°Alexander, I don''t mean to intrude but won''t escape become far more difficult in a burning building.¡± After a moment, Alexander spoke his breathing returned to normal ¡°I wouldn''t worry about it after all Ide guess i''m about fifty five floors up if I counted the floors right.¡± ¡°Given the age,structure,and materials used in the construction of this building I estimate the fire reaching you in 20 minutes.¡± the moment acts finished speaking a timer appeared in the top right hand corner of alexander HUD reading nineteen minutes, fifty four seconds ¡°Well that might be an issue.'''' Alexander said as a bright light of flame at the end of the shaft flashed then appeared to reach upward as tho it hungered for the top floor causing the timer in the top right to drop by three minutes. ¡°Acts why did my timer just drop¡± the tone in alexander''s voice sounded like a mix of aggravation and terror , ¡°The time provided was an estimate that cannot account for outliers such as unknown debris, dust accumulation,and the ventilation of a unknown space.¡± Alexander had smacked into his helmet obviously forgetting his head was fully covered as he smacked his own cameras and jerked his head back from the surprise of a third of his vision becoming a zoomed in version of his own hand. ¡°Understood acts.¡± a dejected alexander said, moving away from the shaft walking towards a nearby doorway its small black sign cementing how bad the situation truly was, as he strode towards the thing that had gotten him killed more times than anything else, the place he lovingly referred to as the death shaft, However most people would just call it a stairwell. Alexander flew down flight after flight of stairs, weapons stowed with no sign of enemy combatants probably thanks to the currently burning bottom floors, I would have stayed to watch what happened next if it weren''t for the buzzing that currency filled my interior jacket pocket. Turning away from the screen I reached one gloved hand into my coat, the leather creaking as I pulled the cheap flip phone out, the caller ID visible on the small exterior scene, Blackwood. Flipping it open I answered ¡°Hello Miss blackwood.¡± , for a moment the line buzzed, then a click ¡°Hello alastor while it''s always a pleasure, I unfortunately have to cut straight to business, your time table has been moved up due to shall we say, confidential reasons and I will be needing the enchanters crown by tomorrow morning.¡± My form tightened and I swore I felt a strand snap ¡°Miss blackwood while I understand that in the business world, and especially your area of expertise it can be precarious but if we are to have any future dealings I would prefer a heads up if at all possible.¡± ¡°Future dealings Mr.Lamont, you might have just made my day.¡± with that she hung up making no promises of any future warnings about changes in schedule. Closing the phone I slid it into my coat and turned back to the screen where alexander was running¡­. up the exterior of the hotel, reaching up I was about to press one the key to ask him how he was running up the building until a city skyline came into view past the roof of the hotel. I watched as Alexanders speed increased right before he leaped over a section of glass that was probably another lobby, he landed hard but didn''t stop he rolled and came to on his feet pace increasing once again, as he reached the next section of glass he jumped watching as the ground he was about to land on became to steep so when he rolled he didn''t come to his feet but rather a laying on his back sliding to the edge as the hotel made contact with the street below screen going black. [Simulation complete mission success] flashed across the screen in red, ¡°Well done alex, store your gear and let''s meet in the dining room, I have news from Miss blackwood.¡± there was no verbal response but I appeared in the dinning room a few moments later which was all the confirmation I needed. Fifteen minutes later I was joined by a smiling Alexander. ¡°Alastor please tell me you saw me run down the side of a burning building like some action hero.¡± This was not how I expected Alexander to react. He had mopped over pretty much every training sim we had run, but it was probably for the best. ¡°I did catch the end of the session however due to the call from miss blackwood I missed everything between then and your first fight.¡± alexander oddly enough seemed to brighten at that ¡°Oh i''ll have to tell you about it, but before that what did blackwood call about that warranted a ¡®meeting¡¯.¡± I decided it was best to cut straight to business as we didn''t have time for anything else ¡°she has moved up our timetable and we will have to retrieve the crown tonight and meet her first thing tomorrow at the latest.¡± Alexanders earlier glow didn¡¯t dim as expected but rather grew ¡°Alright then we were planning on doing this tomorrow night anyway what¡¯s a few hours sooner.¡± that was unexpected ¡°You understand alex that you will have to prep then gear up with no down time after all if you programs estimations of how this will go are correct then we will have to get start in the next two hours.¡± At my words alexander just nodded ¡°Yeah I know my suite and weapons are all set and not gonna lie i''m excited to finally do my first real villain job, even is as a contracted henchmen.¡± alexander''s behavior was odd but expectable after all i can''t remember how many new villain loans i had approved then saw the outcome of there shenanigans on the news, after all there were two kinds of villains that the guild actually feared, the new an hungry and the old monsters. ¡°Alright then Alex, let''s review the information we have then the plan and escape route provided by miss blackwood as well as what you need to do once you reach the safe house where I will be waiting for you.¡± Chapter 9 Within the hour, a fully geared Alexander and I were sitting in the back of a meta ride cab on our way to the drop site, the sounds of wheels rolling over a wet road echoing thru the cabin joined only by the rhythmic clacking of Alexander''s finger drumming. Click , ¡°we are arriving at your first destination, thank you for choosing Meta cab and we hope to see you again.¡± The following click marked the end of Alexander''s drumming. After all this was his stop, alexander popped his door open and stepped out into the shadow of the above overpass, his steps accompanied by twin shallow splashes ¡°remember alex don¡¯t enter until you receive the signal that i''m in position.¡± ¡°I know Alastor, I don''t need a babysitter.¡± Alexander said this not with agitation but with obvious excitement and glee, ¡°I am aware Alexander but it never hurts to review in case you run into any problems.¡± ¡°Pff, there are no problems I can''t handle, with this suit and acts¡¯s help I can fight my way out or escape with ease.¡± this could be an issue, If he lacked caution his chances would plummet. ¡°Alex I understand that you are capable but I feel the need to remind you that caution¡± ¡°yeah I know caution is a valuable tool.¡± With his rude interruption finished Alexander closed his door and jogged deeper into the shadows where he would find his entry point. Click ¡°we will arriving at the second destination in a few minutes so sit back relax and enjoy your short ride.¡± this cabie was a bit enthusiastic probably a new hire, hopefully he knows enough to mind his own business the rest would come with time. So hoping to avoid triggering my over enthusiastic driver I sat in dead silence hoping alexander would actually follow the plan, after all my career was hung on this case, if i can''t move it forward I will be removed and end up who knows where. Click ¡°Excuse me sir but while we here at meta cab do possess highly resistant cabs designed for xeons we still request that all passengers refrain from using their powers white riding with us.¡± Looking down I realized there where small streams of green had started flowing from around my neck, spinning my weave I pulled on them causing them to come back to my neck crossing over one another some growing thicker as they fell in on themselves until all threads were accounted for and all smog was contained. Click ¡°thank you sir for your cooperation and I am pleased to let you know we are about to arrive at your destination. I hope you enjoyed your drive with meta cab hope you will choose us again should the need arise.¡± As the cabbie finished his spiel we came to a stop in front of a small unremarkable building, bars covering its black windows, its beige paint was chipping and there was a padlock on the front door only visible due to the exposed lightbulb that hung above the inset door. Grabbing the briefcase at my feet, I opened the door and stepped out heading straight for the safe house. The square metallic clap of the cab door echod behind me as I reached the door. Once inside I walked thru a small entry haul until I reached a second door, opening it the buildings facade fell away this room appeared to take up the entire building, a large table sitting in the middle a the symbol of a lilac eye covering its center cables connecting to ports along the edges of the table. monitors covered every wall, each showing a footage of a different hidden camera some on the property others showed the end of the street and most nearby alleys, under the screens were mounted weapons and crates of supplies. Sitting down at the table i opened my briefcase pulled my laptop out and set it up on the table, plugging in one of the cables hanging from the nearest edge alexander hud appeared on the left while a digital map of the tunnels and basilica shown on the right. Pressing M I tested the connection ¡°Alex, can you hear me.¡± I must have caught him off guard because the video jerked, ¡°I hear you Alastor, I''m at the entry point and ready to go.¡± Looking at Alexander''s feed I saw he was standing over what looked like a mix between a drainage grate and skylight, in several places the glass had broken showing the bare mettle of the supporting bars. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I am ready Alex and will be waiting for you at the safe house.¡± Alexander wasted no time, lifting the grate and jumping down. I watched as Alexanders feed came to life a dim light lit the haul as his hud sparked into existence the world before him becoming overlaid with a green grid ¡°I''m in alastor, heading to the entrance.¡± A line appeared both on Alexander''s hud and the digital map on my right. As Alexander moved he passed old storefronts and dilapidated street sighs, his footsteps a gentle tapping on the stone floor as he walked rife at the ready. Reaching a dilapidated building set into the wall, debris filling the doorway. ¡°Alastor, how do I open it?¡± selecting the point a mix of mine and Miss Blackwood''s notes appeared over it, ¡°Press the dry-goods sign above you Alex, it should open the passage way.¡± Looking up, Alexander saw an old wooden sign set into the doorway, Jerry''s Jry-Goods painted on it in large stylized print. Reaching up, he gently pressed the sign, there was a light click then the debris filling the door slid aside revealing a hallway lit with fluorescent lights and looking far more sterile than the previous one with stone block walls and sleek gray floors. ¡°Where to now alastor.¡± checking the map I selected the best route, alexander''s hud responding by laying a digital green line to show the way, ¡°This path should lead you to a less used side entrance to one of the upper levels of the basilica, however this does not mean you won''t encounter any cultist just that the chances of a clean entry are greater.¡± ¡°Understood alastor.¡± with that alexander headed down the tunnel, rifle barrel and iron sight just below what acts labeled as optimum position, this in no way helped the swirling that has been gradually spreading across my form I mean why dose blackwood even need this stone, according to the information from her source it appears to only function when all five heads unite in activating it. ¡°Alastor, we might have an issue.¡± with those words, I could now feel my fingers rotating in my gloves, checking the screen I saw alexander had his rifle in hand but lowered, he seemed to be pressed against a wall in some kind foyer with tapestries covering the walls, some depicted images of humanoid figures praying to both the five or the stone while other showed ancient battles and the fall of some forgotten rival. ¡°What problem alex.¡± for a moment alexander just stood still there probably waiting for acts to confirm something, then he moved leaning to his left he peared thru a large doorway where the aforementioned problem lay, alexander was not on one of the upper floors but rather on the main floor, five massive raised thrones incirculed three standing people all wearing gray robes. The gray robed individuals stood in the center arms outstretched and head raised forming a triangle, that however was the least of our worries the enchanters crown floated above the three, veins of power connected each gem to an outreached hand originating from the five thrones and if that wasn''t enough about one hundred robed individuals bowed before the scene. ¡°Alex, pull out and meet me at the safehouse, something is wrong you shouldn''t be here.¡± before answering he moved back behind the door ¡°What about the deal with Victoria, don''t we need the money.¡± his hushed tones were twisted in a way that felt foreign like hairs wriggling under my skin. ¡°I made a deal alastor and I WILL complete it, that woman won''t take a single thing that belongs to me.¡± Alexander rushed from his hiding spot and headed straight for the crown, his movements were agile and mechanical; each push launched him forward with absolute efficiency. In moments he was upon it reaching as the lines of power flowed like rivers into each gem then my screen flashed and sparked going dark ¡°Alexander can you hear me, Alexander!¡± the screen with static showed nothing but black and white static as buzzing filled the air, then ¡°Alas##, r#n##g, got ###, ##ck.¡± my screen began to change as the broken audio came threw the white and gray started to reveal shapes and trailing movement ¡°N##d direc####, quikly.¡± the video seemed to be focusing or adjusting, the audio however cleared quickly, ¡°ALASTOR, I NEED FRIKIN DIRECTIONS MY NAV IS DOWN.¡± ¡°Alex your feed is still fuzzy and its safe to assume the map we possess is all but useless, however if i can get your location I should be able to guide you to a likely access¡± I was cut off the crack of wood and the sound of rushing footsteps ¡°Alex I have company, keep to one direction and you will find an edge of the basilica, follow it and you will find an exit when you make it out meet me at the house.¡± With those words I ripped the laptop off the table, disconnecting the cord as I tossed it into my briefcase and turned to face the door as it burst open. Four oddly armored individuals burst in, each wore sleek black plates overlapping some kind of leather, each wore a rounded black helm that covered their heads completely, the only color was an image on their helms of golden threads or possibly wheate stock weaving together into an incomprehensible tapestry. Each pulled what looked like spindles or wands from their waists, a small steel rod with pointed ends, a black stone covered in gold markings sat just beneath the top ¡°HOLD Infidel the Dominus futurism seeks your presents and he shall not be denied.¡± The stones on their weapons came to life, the symbols glowing as they began to spin, strings of faceted golden glass extended from their wrists winding up the metal spindle until they reached the stone where they wove into a thick whip ¡°Submit infidel, and you may yet find mercy in the eyes of he who weaves the strands of fate¡± My form swirld, twisting and writhing how did they find me so fast, Ms.Blackwood is known for her clean work they couldn''t have known about her safehouse One of the cultist stepped forward the others falling into a diamond formation behind, ¡°Will you submit infidel¡± I threw myself at the nearest wall and three wips followed after me each moving with such speed that everything else appeared to slow before them there faceted surfaces becoming my soul focus as my fall changed the feeling of movement vanishing as I grew still floating there as nothing moved nothing made a noise it was all just so still. The only sign of movement in my world was the facets, images flickering in the wips surface each facet held different moments, places, and people all of them were familiar some I knew well others felt more like deja vu, there were faces ,voices, colors, heat and cold and for a moment I could see myself, not This form of green strands and smog not this gray suite or these black gloves but my face, my real face with blue eyes, brown hair and that thin scar I got from running into a shelf when i was eight, I still remember how cool I felt going to school with my ¡®wizard scar¡¯ running along my forehead. Then I watched as my skin boiled, melted, cracked, and shattered it changed color and shape my eyes seemed to stretch warp and implode as a green smog leaked from my very core it rushed in all directions bending twisting and creating shapes I have no name for, there was no shape no will just chaos and the echoes of my own voice. Chapter 10 Gunshots where the first thing to ring clear as I returned to the present, my dive finlay completing as I slammed into the wall some sort of gun falling on my head as I fumbled and rolled attempting to pull the weapon into a usable position. until finally the barrel was aimed where my attackers once stood, now however there lay four corpses and a doubled over Alexander ¡°Alasor, let''s go, we need to get, a, move on, before the police, get here.¡± Taking his last deep breath Alexander stood and lent me a hand helping me to my feet. ¡°Not sure where we should go, but I know cops will be showing up soon even in this area gunshots still tend to pull attention.¡± He made it halfway to the door before I started after him. ¡°Alex, Miss Blackwood is where we need to go. Without slowing, he looked at me over his shoulder purple visor gleaming. ¡°She, can get her crown and should be able to have our connections to this job disappear.¡± Alexander remanded silent as our dull footsteps turned into clicking as we hit the, sidewalk. ¡°Will do boss you call our driver and ill keep watch.¡± I froze truly takeing alexander in for the first time since he saved me, Alexander would never say that with any sensarity, and the ground, wasn''t it raining when we got here why is it dry. ¡°Boss, you gonna call the car.¡± the thing in front of me doesn''t really sound like alexander, It sounds like a hollow version of his voice. ¡°Yeah, sure, just keep watch, they might send more goons.¡± the creature just nodded and kept moving down the street as I began taking in my surroundings the world around me appeared normal, until I tried to read anything the moment i did it seemed to melt and lose all meaning but It felt right like that was just the natural state of this place, Am I asleep. The world began to melt as the figure posing as alex twisted around it did not turn dint look ever its shoulder it twisted as tho it was made of clay rather then flesh and metal then it hissed out something sounding more like a melted haunting voice of many rather then the voice of a individual ¡°HE IS WAKING.¡± My perception shifted the world around me melting away as the safehouse came into view three figures standing around me each held out a palm alight with glow of a lilac eye My weave began to push against me roiling and seeming to react as tho it was insictualy protecting me from whatever this was.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Force him back under.¡± one called out ¡°He will not return to the mind skape!¡± ¡°Something is resisting us.¡± As they yelled and seemed to fight against each other I let that fall away focusing solely on my weave as it tried to rise and shater the bonds I placed on it, It wanted to be free to do as it wished and was tired of being subject to my wishes and now we had the gall to subject it to more of our so called order. I tightened my weave forcing the pattern to hold even as it bulged and frade as one will scraped against another like knives clashing Strands began to escape, small rope-like things that pulled away despite my efforts, so I let them go to focus on the true fight, closing off my senses to the world around me until the force trying to bind me in my own mind ceased and my weave grew still. When all was finally quiet, I opened my senses and perceived the world around me once again and all at once it came into focus every detail coming into being at once like the snap of a camera. This included a far, far to close alexander who was a slight sniffl away from headbutting me ¡°Alastor you alive.¡± In that moment I had to remember this is the customer ¡°Yes im alive, and may I ask for some space alex.¡± He jumped back as tho he had expected me to very much be dead ¡°Oh yeah, sorry about that but its hard to tell with you, I mean you breathing or pulse and wharf the time I dont even know what your looking at¡± I let him ramble for a moment as I took stock of my current state checking over my weave with both my mental and physical perception, there was no sign of a breach in my weave no fraying or unraveled patterns I had held the weave tight throughout my, ordeal and my efforts appeared to have payed off. ¡°Alastor you there?¡± returning my attention to alexander I saw he didn''t seem to be looking at me but rather behind me ¡°Yes alex im fine, just gathering my thoughts.¡± alexanders headed darting to me ¡°Alright, then could you mabie move your weird mind jellyfish, Its freaking me out.¡± I turned around projecting as much calm and naturality possible, until the abomination came into view looking to truly fit the name alexander gave it Its body appeared to be a lilac colored mound of undulating brain matter suspended by six sharp hair like tendreals that seemed to disappear when not directly observed. ¡°Alex, This creature is, completely harmless, however I suggest we move on and leave the, brain jelly here as a, diversion to help cover our tracks.¡± Looking back at alexander he seemed to by it based on his more relaxed stance and slight nodding ¡°Alright, so where are we meeting the car again.¡± Real Life filled me as I stood ¡°It will be waiting for us a block west of here.¡± some of my relife faded as I realized where that cab would take us ¡°However alex the cab is supposed to take us to miss blackwood, she is the one who purchased the cab.¡± However to my surprise alexander didn''t seem to bother by the news ¡°Ok, thats where we wanna be anyway.¡± It was then I remember what happened just before this whole thing went belly up ¡°Alex did you get the crown.¡± Alexander seemd to straten up and stand just a little taller as he held out the crown in one hand ¡°Of course I did, with my skills it was honestly harder to not get it.¡± even tho he was wearing a helmet I swear I could feel his smug grin in every word. This, endeavor was a bit of a debacle but a, profitable debacle at least ¡°Alright alex if, you have the crown then we should head for our cab...¡± a buzz had began to fill the air, slowly getting louder, closer, then it changed from a meaningless noise to a massive issue. ¡°WARNING: Rogue Xeno Detected! IXCU and Heroes Guild on route! Shelter indoors and avoid contact. This is not a drill. Stay secure until all-clear is given.¡± ¡°?ADVERTENCIA: Xeno Roguero Detectado! IXCU y el Gremio de H¨¦roes en camino. Ref¨²giense en interiores y eviten contacto. Esto no es un simulacro. Mant¨¦nganse seguros hasta que se d¨¦ el aviso de seguridad.¡± The IXCU countinued to play this message over and over again each replaying in a new language until it came full circle. Jumping to my feet, I grabbed the crown from alexanders hands my gaze swept over the room until I found my briefcase darting to it and checked to make sure its contents where still within and stashed the crown ¡°Alexander, we need to move right now.¡± Both of us darted for the front door neither bothering to say anything els as alexander followed me out. Chapter 11 Alexander never seemed far behind as we fled the once believed to be safe house his rhythmic splashing steps an echo of my own as we ran down the pavement dodging tents and mounds of assorted junk barely illuminated by the lightposts guiding our escape. The sound of helicopters and prerecorded warnings becoming a white noise that filled my mind all other sensations dropping away as if the noise itself was painted over them. Something clamped around my arm stealing all my momentum, I jerked forward as energy ripped itself free of me ¡°Alastor where are we going.¡± turning, I faced Alexander as both he and the world around us came into focus, I took it all in doing my best to find a street name as quickly as possible ¡°Alastor, where is the car.¡± I searched my vision darting one way then another until finally I found It ¡°It should be just another block down this street, if we hurry we can get away without any more complications.¡± I turned attempting to running, but Alexander didn¡¯t budge nor did his grip waver as he began to speak. ¡°Alastor, calm down and look down that street, very carefully.¡± At first, his words just made me want to run as some primal instinct kept telling me to bolt and leave him behind after all the street was dark I could easily vanish down it, but then his words clicked. The street was quiet and no lights whweren in the buildings or the street, then I saw it, there was another of those things like the one that had been standing over me when Alexander arrived, and it was pulling someone out of the building with no resistantes despite the fact the individual looked fully aware, they stood tall eyes open and followed along behind the creature one of its tendril of pink flesh connecting their heads. That was until a shot rang out and the creatures main brain like mass became a paist stretching across the street and leaving a splatter across my shoes as its quary faling to the ground tendrill falling away, alexander stepping up beside me rife in hand. He didn''t lower his gun despit the fact that the creature was certanly dead, instead, he leaned over and spoke as quietly as his helmet would allowThe narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Alastor we need to find another path to the cab, that wasn''t me.¡± CRACK alexander vanished from my sight the street in front of me going with him I could feel strands of my weave shoting out and slithering through the air as alexander shouted and someone tackled me all senses exploding in a chaotic malstrum. I threw my hands over where my face should have been and started to weave it back together focusing my will and attention into sealing the crater. When my palms finally filled my vision I let go of my head allowing everything to come into focus, a rushing black slate filled my vision interrupted by some movement, and a jostoling sensation, the realasation that I was looking at the ground as it rushed by alexander''s legs pumping as he ran joseling me with every step as helicopters raddled near by and lights moved over the buildings around us throwing shadows into the alleyway I found myself in was less than dignifing. ¡°Alex, what happened ?¡± Alexander immediately wipped in my direction and looked at me in what must have been his puriforal vision ¡°your, alive,?¡± Why is he so surprised I mean he must have suspected i would live after all who would carry a corps when fleeing the authorities ¡°Yes I''m fine but I would like to run on my own .¡± Stoping for a moment he set me down with about as much grace as he carried me and handed me my briefcase then wasted no time taking the lead and running so fast I thought he would leave me behind. ¡°Our exfil is on this next street, so when we exit this ally we will both dash right and follow the road till we meet the cab.¡± Alexanders tone shocked me more than the fact that he carried me for who knows how long, It was like that of a carrier soldier rather than the spoulid rich kid I had been dealing with over the past week. So In silence we ran reaching the end of the ally and banking right just to stumble directly into a three-man squad of IXCU officers about three feet infront of us their backs turned, but before a single one turned around Alexander slammed his rifle stock into the closets ones head causing Their weapon to clatter across the pavement, following the motion Alexander smoothly transitioned into a firing stance an released two rounds into the back of one''s neck before they could move, Alexander shifted to fire at the third but this one was faster getting his shot aliened before Alexander could. CRACK Alexanders helmet took a hit fiberglass shell flying off as a small crater formed, Alexander rifle went off in a burst landing an unfocussed blow to the gut of the armored individual Their weapon misfiring as they crumpled ¡°MOVE!¡± Alexander bolted forward falling before he made another step in our rush we had both forgotten about the first soldier that was currnetly gripping his cave so alexander kicked out slamming his armoured foot into his apponates face plate so hard it crummpled falling forward like a destroyed windshield Alexander was on his feet in a moment rifle pointing at what musted have been the officers exposed head, ¡°Get to the car¡± I looked up at alexander ¡°Al! get to the car!¡±finally registering what he said I dashed pasted him the sounds of helicopters getting closer as I ran for the same thing that had caught this squads attention, a yellow cab with such a basic design that it was almost suspicious. Once I was within ten feet the doors opened of there own free will, I rushed to it diving in only to be surprised by someone landing on me a few second after I made contact with the seat a metallic echo sounding as rubber screched against pavement. Chapter 12 As the cab pulled away from the soon to be crime scean it was quiet with the exceptions of the drivers automatic or prerecorded notices. Alexander sat slouched his neck laying on the headrest and head rattling against the widow as he paid either complete and raptured attention to the ceiling or attention to nothing at all, I would have typically been disappointed with the childish behavior and the fact that every time we hit a bump his metal coved limp knee would crash into mine, but I understood exactly how mentally tiring this whole ordeal has been so I endorsed not like I could really feel the pain anyway. And I mean its not very often Ive been shot in the face with my clientell, well its the first time Ive had the he ¡­pleasure of sharing that experience anyway so ill let this one go, and in truth i was in mush the same position just with better posture. So ignoring the occasional dull thump on my knee I looked down at the seat between us, where my briefcase held the most, unnecessarily probolatic rock I have ever had the displeasure to lay eyes on, was stored. A light click filled the cabin before a flat dead voice gave us our first non requared message ¡°We will be arriving at your destination in about an hour, so on behalf of Meta Ride here is something that might interest our current occupants.¡± The black screen that took the place of your typical partition window came to life its low volume barely reaching me in the tired atmosphere of the cab. ¡°Welcome back to ISHN dear viewer as always I am your host Chanler Mentum and for those of you who are just joining us we are about to receive a on-site report from the attack that acuured less than an hour ago on post streat, prisoner square, seattle from our very own angela stevenson.¡± The sean shifted, as Angela took over whalf the screen caution tape and IXCU officers in both moved about some in combat gear others wear some kind of hazzmat gear. ¡°Angella, do you have any details you can share from the IXCU officers on site.¡± The scene changed again this time Angela took the whole image her live feed filling the screen ¡°Yes chanler I do, the IXCU on site public information officer has confirmed the hospitalisation of twenty individuals and the loss of two IXCU officers along with one current MIA officer who has not yet been confirmed dead.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The camera zoomed out as Angela stepped to the side allowing all viewers to see the attack in question. The once paved street was covered in a smoking grass that looked to be made of tar, the faces of buildings on the street were warped just as bad with strange textures and geometries covering their surfaces. ¡°The missing officer is believed to have been caught in the blast of the currently unconfirmed device or power that was used in this horrible act of terror.¡± This time the camera looked past Angela fading into a new camera angle showing an overhead of the street and theteardropp shape of the mutated zone lingering just long enough for the scope of the alleged attack to be understood without giving enough time to memorize any details. Then it shifted right back to Angela, however this time the camera was farther back providing a wide shot of Angela standing next to a IXCU officer in what looked like formal millitary attire her sleak black and yellow uniform was in prestine condition, her tie was tight and centered, her shoes polished and her cap perfectly centered. ¡°I am here now with senior investigator Natala Sokolov who will be giving her statement and has agreed to answer some questions.¡± The camera shifted focusing on Sokolov as she began to speak. ¡°Thank you, We responded to an emergency call at proximity twenty-one hundred hours, this was originally in response to reports of strange creatures in homes and businesses subduing anyone found, with unconfirmed methods involving physical contact with the creatures, however, once agents arrived on scene multiple reports of some unregistered and previously unclassified xeno¡± At those awful words both alexander and myself sat up a little strieghter all attention locked on what she said next.. ¡°Along with an armored companion quickly appeared, when agents came into contact with thesis unknown threats they were met with swift violence, one such encounter is belived to have lead to the creation of this zone.¡± ¡°And may I ask what the unregistered xeno has been classified as.¡± Anglea asked, earning her a clearly suppressed glare from investigator Sokolov. ¡°Yes, the P,A,P,I system has classified the individual as a B rank Transversal class.¡± There was silent as solokovs words echod thru the cab leaving it so quiet i could have swore i heard the turning of alexandes neck. ¡°Investigator, can you confirm that the xeno responsible was a Transversal.¡± Solokov stared her deminor unchanging and her speech steady ¡°We can confirm, the P,A,P,I system detected both signs of domain doorways and fading energy with growth potential along with some yet to be identified elemnts within the zone.¡± Solokovs delivery was bland but informational due to the fact that she knew once my new class was assigned the network was going to ignore all els ¡°Dose the IXCU believe this to be a new Pale King, or possibly an attempt to escape from the King himself.¡± And there it was straight for the collective public throte, after all that''s what sells. ¡°The I,X,C,U has no reason to believe this individual has any connection with the Pale King.¡± Solokov and angela continued there back in forth solokov trying to defuse the situation and keep the public calm as anglea kept fishing for a headline, not that it mattered much, saying that name alone will have this incident searing itself into everyone who watches this interview. chapter 13 The atmospher took a jarring but not unexpected turn after the IXCUs public statement on what the news now called ¡®first terror of the new king¡¯,our cabbie became a yes-man and a suck-up. Click ¡°Mr.Lamont, we here at meta cabs are so grateful you would chose us for your transportation needs and I would love to assist you in any way You see fit, sir.¡± Alexander, however, just watched me for a moment then slumped in his seat sinking further then was possibly comfortable, his mood seemeing to match the growing fog bank that had begune to roll over us. Click, ¡°Mr.Lamont we will be arriving at your, desired destination within ten minutes sir, if there is anything I can do to make your ride more enjoyable please dont hesitate to ask.¡± It continued that way until at last we reached our destination. Click ¡°We have arrived at your desired destination Mr. Lamont, I hope your ride was enjoyable and should you have need of a cab anytime soon Meta Ride would be extacatic to provide you with such services.¡± Grabbing my briefcase I muttered a quick ¡°Thank you.¡± and exited the cab with Alexander. We made our way in what I believed to be the right direction, but in truth the only real anchor i had was the fading sounds of our departing cab, until that too was swallowed by the now al consuming fog. ¡°Do you know, where we are supposed to meet her?¡± Alexander was on my right his metallic boots clacking against the cement underfoot and from the way he was watching our surroundings he, was bord. ¡°I am not sure alex, but miss blackwood inteneds to sell this tonight so I would assume she will either meet us here or have Moretti bring us to her.¡± Sure enough a set of lights appeared a few yards ahead becoming our ligthouse guilding us twards the sound of a idling engine and revealing the lovely lovely sight of what could only be several armed Riccardo clones. ¡°Thats far enough.¡± one of the clones barked across the distance ¡°You got what she asked for.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. I stepped froward hoping my words would be heard thru the fog that seemed to engulf my every action ¡°Yes, we have the requested Item¡­¡± The yards stillness was only broken when the headlights that had acted as our guild began to slide towards us, the rumble of the engine growing clearer until a black passanger van came into veiw mere feet away. It side doors opened with a muffed click and six Moretti clones stepped out before what must have been the true Moretti himself stepped from the car in his typical flashy suite and holding a bulky silver briefacse. ¡°Alright then let''s do business.¡± Moving with care I set my case of the ground nelt down and popped it open retrieving the stone for the mess I had created in the rush from the, safe house¡­. ¡°Before we conclude our deal, Mr. Morretti I do have a question about the safehouse provided by miss blackwood.¡± There was a light scrape to my side, a shifting alexander was all i caught in my porifualvission, he had changed his stance, feet wide and head straight he had turnd standing slightly angled in a way that hid his right arm. Similar scrapes and shifting of shadows needeled the fog around us demanding my attention. ¡°And, what exactly do you want to know Mr. Lamont.¡± purposefully, cauusuly, I picked up the crown its stange magics seeming to react to me riples of its gems pulled towards my fingers as tho it was curious as to what i am, ¡°I was merely currouse as to how she came into possession of the safe house.¡± More scarping and shifting shadows ¡°It was a gift, from a friend of miss blackwood now lets get business taken care of shall we.¡± I closed my case and stood one hand clasping the crown¡°Very well, and will we be receiving full payment apon completion.¡± ¡°You will get half now, and half after we authenticate the crown alright, after all we know where to find you.¡± a light click came from my right. ¡°Yes, that will be fine Mr.Moretti, as long as the agreed-upon amount is paid there will be, no, complaints.¡± another sliding click ¡°Good, then let''s get this done.¡± Riccardo walked out of the fog silver briefcase in hand He stoped standing no more than a foot away as he opened the briefcase, proving it was what he claimed it to be, once he had made his point he closed the case placed it on the ground and slid it over with a light kick. ¡°Out of courtesy I whent first, Now hand over the crown and lets be done with this.¡± ¡°Your courtesy is appreciated.¡± I stepped forward holding out the crown. Richardo took it, looking it over as tho he could discern the authenticity of the crown himself ¡°Be seeing you around Mr. Lamont.¡± He turned stepping into the van his clones falling in behind, and tehy vanished into the wall of frog around us until it to retreated disaperaing behind them. ¡°That was stressful.¡± ¡°GA!¡± my body jerked and i nearly fell as my balance whent out the window, ¡°Alex why are you so close.¡± alexander had apparently stepped up right next to me at some point. He just shrugged ¡°So can we go home, and when do you think my money ganna arrive.¡± He wasnt rong that was oddly stressful, blackwood typicaly handles buissness herself ¡°The money should be delivered within the week and we should be able to head back to the estate, as soon as we can get another cab.¡± Chapter 14 When we arrived at the estate it was admitably with far more class than either of us was feeling and despite the professional behavior of our driver and the Benz pretending to be a cab for us Neither alexander or myself had much to say, he wanted to go ¡®stash the haul¡¯ somewhere in the manor without giving me any details, so as it was technically his money and i was in a advisory role i merely, polity, interjected that we should count it together to insure all was accounted for and verified. And as I had suspected everything was accounted for so alexander whent and secured it in his ¡®lair¡¯ but at least now i know where it is to some extent, so off to my room i went hoping to get some work done maybe there would be some paperwork i could deal with or just relax in a nice room if i had no other option. When I finally found my way under the impressive ceiling and elongated windows of my room they didn''t feel comforting, not in the way some things do anyway. It felt like a stressful drag of a cigarette, or a driving to get fast food on your lunch even tho you brought leftovers to save money. But, it didn''t matter, after all there was work to do, so sitting at the overly cluttered desk I tried pushing through the fog the day had left clinging to me. I cleared a space for my laptop and signed in prepared for some organising and all the tedious necessary paperwork today''s shenanigans would require: I was however, met by a notification of a priority email from the company. [Urgent] From: [email protected] Subject: Payment Greetings Mr.Lamont we hope this email finds you well, and knowing your penchant for direct and efficient communication we shall take a similar approach regarding this email. The Evercrest case will be required to pay 340,00 daily until they have payed aproxamily payed 2,100,000 or 30% of there current debit, if this requirement is not met we will be moving this case to asset reclamation where all items place under this loan as collateral will be liquidised and accounts seized. Thank you My phone was out of my pocket and dialing Mr.Jones office before i even formed a coherent thought the dial and cheap siriyal adds becoming a metaphorical pebble in my shoe until finally click; ¡°Hello you have reached the office of Mr. Collen Jones my name is carle how may i assist you.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The operator was a young kid but with the dead joy in his tone had been working this job for some time and would hopeful know what was happening with this case, after all secretaries have a knack for that kind of thing. ¡°Yes this is Alastor Lemont I work in asset management and was hoping¡± ¡°Oh yes Mr.Lamont, I have a message I was supposed to deliver to you from the chief concerning the new requirements for your case, It says that the email was not a mistake and the first payment will be expected by tonight preferably before midnight.¡± The world was hollow, my thoughts vanishing into the darkness, ¡°Surely, this is a misunderstanding, after all this case has been deemed a political danger by the hire ups.¡± There was a typing noise, it seemed to stretch the world caring it thru space on featherless wings ¡°The case has been deemed safe by the board and the chief due to new evidence and if there is nothing else I can help you with Mr.Lamont I would be happy to help.¡± ¡°Can I speak with Mr.Jones about, all this?¡± Again with the clicking and meaningless taps ¡°I am afraid not Mr.Jones office has a full calendar but i will place you on the list Mr.Lamont.¡± There it was again, that stage and the other who watched with me ¡°Mr,Lamont is there anything else I can assist with.¡± For a moment I just endured the hollow joy that echoed through the world around me, ¡°I, no thats, everything.¡± ¡°Wonderfull, please have a great day Mr.Lamont.¡± and that was it, the line went dead and I had five days before this case was moved to asset reclamation and deemed a failure. And what was I doing, I was sitting on the bed wasting the precise moments holding a cheap flip phone and listening to my leather covers hand creak. The yellow phone seemed to resonate with that dead joy of that secretary still, half truths and business politics lingering on its head then there was another creak, one full of the blatant brushing aside I was just given. And so I watched, watched as green tendrils sought it out wrapping it till the yellow was replaced by green watched as the screen cracked and keys jittered, afterall it was just a cheap phone. I found alexander in the kitchen later that night where he was of course, grabbing a full pack of salami and a bottle from the fridge. ¡°Alex.¡± That bottle crashed into the ground and was apparently not his first judging by how he stumbled out of the fridge and hit the tile with a slap alongside the sound of shattering glass. ¡°Alexander!¡± rushing around the marble topped isle between us I found him laying a inch away from the spray of glass with a miraculous lack of glass shards in his skin. ¡°awwww, why you, always gatta be sooooooo, frickin loud ,smoky.¡± ¡°Alex i am speaking at a acceptable level and we need to talk about professional¡­ Smoky?¡± Alexander rolled flopping onto his back and managed to avoid the glass yet again, ¡°Yeah, you wear old stuff, like the secret agent hat, and you''re made, of smoky stuff.¡± ¡°I, see.¡± he wasn''t going to be much use like this better get him some where he can sleep it off. So with little help from alexander I set him on his side on one of the living room sofas with the bag of salami slices he refused to let go of ¡°it''s too bad, we don''t got, some guys to do this, crap for us, i mean no one like bein shot.¡± And he was gone off to a place I had visited sparingly back when I could, the black restless slumber of a fool who had clearly made some stupid decisions, ones that would find him when he woke. But even fools can speak a word of wisdom from time to time. ¡°Yes, Alex it is too bad we don''t have people to do this for us.¡± chapter 15 ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Good morning alex.¡± The sofa groaned with his rolling ¡°coffee¡­ then¡± a cup was already being placed in his hand before he finished. ¡°That was expected, so here is a cup of the darkest brew I could find in the kitchen.¡± Alexander shrunk into himself as he sat up to drink his coffee. ¡°So Alex, during your, rest, I may have found a possible solution for your case.¡± ¡°Alastor.. What is all this stuff? " Alexander was looking around the room with such tight eyes that I had to assume they were open. ¡°It''s just a few files and some paperwork should you decide you want to invest in my proposal.¡± He turned his slits on me now, ¡°not, the paperwork¡­ what''s with all the, metal?¡± Metal? We were in a tasteful living room done in a French Country- style; wood, stone and other natural materials were prominent with what little metal there was being found in clearly hand crafted antiques. ¡°Alex, did you, by any chance, have more than drinks last night?¡± He turned slits slicing into his cup, ¡°I, dont, think so.¡± that''s wonderful ¡°Well, will you be alright, do I need to call an ambulance?¡± His focus remained on his cup ¡°No, I''m good, it¡¯s starting to clear up already.¡± ¡°Are you well enough to hear my proposal or do you need to take some time.¡± he did his best to down the coffee ¡°I''ll be fine just give me a minute.¡± We sat there till Alexander excused himself ¡°We can talk about your¡­ thing, in just a minute I want to hit a quick rest before we ¡®talk, shop¡¯.¡± and he was off slinking to who knows where. ¡°Alright, when can I expect you to finish ¡®resting¡¯.¡± Alexander was still within speaking distants so my words were probably more discomforting than I had intended for him. ¡°I don''t know, mabie.. two hours; I¡¯ll let you know.¡± with that he was clearly thru talking his scuttling gained speed and he soon disappeared around a corner. Hopefully he actually comes back and with any luck I can be one step closer to putting this case behind me and a new future before me. Due to some incredible stroke of luck Alexander did indeed make a return appearance returning to the living room he had excused himself from, and it was only three hours later. Alexander walked in wearing a,¡®suit¡¯; pants hem bove his ankles, tight jacket, floral shirt and slip on sockless loafers. My quiet staring however clearly gave Alexander the wrong impression, shown by his puffed up tone as he took the seat across from me. ¡°Well, Alastor since we will be talking business I figured I should fit the part.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°The gesture is, appreciated and if you are prepared I have a proposal of mutual benefit that should help to resolve your current financial situation.¡± Alexander slouched in his seat but continued to attempt to imitate a professional ¡°Well, such a proposal would be most welcome, assuming it has both short term and long term benefits that all parties would see as magnanimous.¡± This was going to be a long meeting; ¡°Well with hope it will be beneficial.¡± Alexander crossed his ankle over his knee and sat back in his seat. ¡°Splendiferous, please present your proposal and I will hear it out with the utmost, fixation.¡± Alright i might strangle him ¡°well, in today''s world most xenos are forced into two very different categories with very few being close to or on par with that of a normal person, as we both know neither of these two categories are, consumer-friendly so to speak they both require connections and skills that the majority of xenos don''t possess leaving one group with many xenos who are little more than mascots and the other with mostly homeless thugs who spend their lives in and out of prisons.¡± I plucked a file off the coffee table beside me and handed it to alexander. ¡°However this business would allow new and inexperienced xenos to connect to those who are far more experienced and rooted in the ¡®villainous¡¯ scene along with gain on the job experience.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if he was actually reading it but Alexander was at least flipping through the pages of the file I had handed him. ¡°Through this firm new xenos could register their abilities and codenames creating a catalog for more rooted ¡®villains¡¯ to hire from, these candidates if selected would be offered a job through our agency on behalf of said ¡®villain¡¯, with a service charge of course.¡± Alexander put the file down as he finished flipping through the pages. ¡°Ok, but isn''t this already a thing, I mean my dad has hired known enforcers before.¡± So the nibbling begins ¡°That is a valid point, but not everyone can contact those who have made a name in freelance work much less afford them. This service would provide anyone with the ability to contact a freelancer within their budget as well as offer a large variety of skill sets and abilities to choose from.¡± Now if he would just pull on the line ¡°Alright , but why would a freelancer sign up? I mean most of them freelance because they don''t like to be seen and prefer to be all mysterious and creepy.¡± Real him in ¡°Again, a wonderful point and there is a simple answer, benefits, most freelancer have no way to get materials, items or the care they need for their abilities or mutations, this service would also allow grant them documents of there financials allowing them to apply for villain loans helping those who want it to become residentials rather than freelancers.¡± Alexander was silent for a moment before asking the one question I had been hoping for ¡°how would we even do this, I am a little strapped for cash as you well know and I don''t even know where I would start if I wasn''t.¡± ¡°Well, I would act as your primary investor and co-founder, I have all the paperwork ready to go and all the connections we would need to set it up and keep it legally untouchable.¡± ¡°Ok, then why do you need me at all.¡± gotcha ¡°Well, you would bring a trusted name in the industry as well as connections to actual ¡®villains¡¯ whereas my connections mainly deal with the business side of this work rather than the ¡®villainous¡¯ side.¡± I could tell he was all but sold on the idea, with any hope my projections of this business would push him over the edge. ¡°Now, I understand your reluctance but I do ask you take a look at the projected income of the first year.¡± alexander straightened up in his chair and i held out a new folder that he of course he took with a bit more intent then the first. ¡°This file contains a projection a friend of mine helped run.¡± his eyes quickly became glued to the papers inside ¡° And as you can see if we are able to launch this and grow at a stable pace, we will both be major shareholders in a multimillion dollar company within two to three years.¡± ¡°Sold!¡± alexander was out of his seat hand outstretched so i joined him with a seal the deal, metaphorically of course as we had several hours worth of paperwork and legalities and financials to discuss. So, Alexandre and I did just that, discussing pricing, our fee, how we would divide the profit, what would go back into the company and how we would leverage his name. After all, advertising our kind of business was quite a bit more difficult than most businesses so we eventually determined we would need someone who was already well established to get the word out, someone who we could trust ot at least would have alexanders best interests in mind in there own way. Chapter 16 Alexander had been negotiating surprisingly well after he finally stopped trying to talk like a ¡®Professional¡¯ and we had come to fair splits and agreeable points in almost every aspect, then he decided to make it all unnecessarily complicated. ¡°So, we agree your father would be the best fit to help launch our company.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say BEST.¡± ¡°Alex who is a better fit; he has connections, is well-respected by both sides, and not to mention the fact he has been known to invest in ideas that he believes to have promise.¡± Why was he choosing to ¡®die on this hill¡¯ Mr. Evercresst was clearly the best choice; he has all the prospects we need in an investor or partner and Alexander already had a connection with him. ¡°I mean, I know some people, met a few growing up.¡± ¡°Alex, I mean no offence, but most of those people would just see us as Facets kid and a ¡®paper pusher¡¯; But Mr. Evercrest sees you as an aspiring villain and is experienced enough to understand how important ¡®paper pushers¡¯ are in this business.¡± Alexands gaze fell, head hung, his uncombed hair flailing about ¡°I understand that, he is the ¡®best¡¯ option on paper, but is there any chance we can just visit one other person first.¡± ¡°Even just as a favor to your business partner.¡± Alexander sounded.. Sober; Sober, that was the only word that could describe Alex right now. ¡°As a favor to you, I will agree to visit your prospect first; as long as you agree to a meeting with Mr. Evercrest if it doesn''t work out, or they can''t meet all our needs.¡± Alexander sprang from his seat hand popping out like a jack in the box ¡°You have a deal.¡± And so that is how i found myself once again sitting in the back of a black Benz pretending to be a cab for me and alexander, which in truth was more than likely going to help our case when it came to getting prospects to become partners or investors even if they found out how i got on meta cabs VIP list, and if this was a normal day our tasteful arrival would merely counter the antics of my new business partner. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But today was different, Alexander had actually cleaned up; wearing his version of a suit minus the tie for a more casual look, he also combed his hair, an act I never even believed him capable of. Now if he would just, leave it alone. ¡°Hey Alastor, how''s my hair?¡± ¡°Alex, once again, I can assure you that you are fine, yes your hair is good, no the suit is not too much and I would still like to know who exactly we are going to see.¡± He continued his attempts to comb some imaginary issue out of his hair with his hands ¡°Trust me Alastor, you¡¯ll know when we arrive and don''t worry so much, she is a friend of my dads practically grew up with them around the house so she will at least give me, us a shot.¡± This prospect could be anyone, Mr. Evercrest has connections to every major Xeno that has come into power in this industry reaching back decades; but I suppose I''m just going to have to ¡®wing it¡¯ thanks to my partner''s laxness. There was a smooth click before a cultivated male voice brushed thru the car ¡°We will be arriving at your destination in ten minutes Mr. Lamont; should you need anything before we arrive or perhaps a car for the return trip, please let me know and I will make all necessary arrangements for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine for the trip but a car for our return trip would be excellent.¡± ¡°Very well a car will be waiting for you sir.¡± a quiet click told us the microphones had now been turned off. And that''s how they stayed until we were stopped by a massive silvery gate with a single eighteen foot piece of steel revealing itself as a door by a slight indentation when compared to the rest of the wall, click ¡°Mr. Lamont we have arrived at the gate how would you like me to announce you.¡± ¡° Mr. Evercrest and Mr. Lamont would be fine.¡± another click then a moment later the silver gate slid into the right side and we found ourselves on a curving driveway that hugged the side of the mountain the estate was built into, eventually leading us to a open motor court containing a three car garage covered in glass doors and marble slabs setup in such a way that the view was in no way obstructed showing off the nature beauty of the Stuart range and ¡®Icicle valley¡¯. The only thing obstructing that view now was the six masked security guards standing against the perimeter of the court all wearing black suits segmented by sections of white to varying degrees. Click, ¡°Thank you Mr. Lamont for allowing Meta Cab to escort you on your trip, we will have a car ready for your return trip as requested, whenever your business is concluded please don''t hesitate to call our services and your car will arrive soon after.¡± This is how a cabbie should act professional and relationship minded. After all a customer is good but a customer with a relationship with your business is far better.¡°Thank you for an excellent drive, please make sure a generous tip is included in the bill.¡± ¡°As you wish sir, and please if you ever need a cab don''t hesitate to call.¡± click ¡°Alex are you¡­¡± Alexander was looking over himself like he had run into a spider web ¡°Are you ready?¡± His neck wiped like he forgot there was anyone else in the car, ¡°huh, oh yeah yeah I''m all set.¡± ¡°Alright, just remember we need to present ourselves in the best light.¡± alexander nodded And our doors popped open. The moment we set fool in the motor court the glass double doors on the far right of the garage connecting it to the cliff face swung open revealing three new guards two of witch wore identical suites similar to the black suites but there''s were almost all white with there left arm, leg, hip and shoulder being black. The third however wore an all white suite with a black tie he walk in front his two comrades following behind and forming a triangle. ¡°Velcome, Mr. Evercrest an Mr. Lamont, how pleasant to meet you.¡± Chapter 17 The large man crossed the distance unnaturally fast and was now standing at arm''s length from Alexander, yet his tie was perfectly straight, no wrinkles in the jacket or pants as far as I could tell and the whole piece fit far to well to be anything other than a custom job; there was no telling what properties it has, after all in this world uniform design for xenos is a very unique business. ¡°Mr.Evercrest an Mr.Lamont madam Belaya is very excited to see you. If you follow me we can see her now.¡± walking around the cab I joined Alexander, both of us standing before the brick wall of a man and without wasting time he turned beginning his return to the double doors, his two associates falling in behind me and Alexander silently forcing us forward. ¡°She will be seeing you in the dining hall, so do not forget your manors. Madam Belaya is a stickler for manors."He was fast each step seeming to move him twice the distance as ours with unusual grace. Once through the doors we entered the manor, its modern design and architecture proving to be quite stunning, its open marble floors in alternating black and white and massive picture windows making full use of natural lighting and the beautiful scene outside. ¡°Right this way.¡± Before I had time to really admire the scene we were ushered into an elevator and heading to a much lower floor. The elevator chimed then opened up into a massive dining room with a query large table the picture window that span the rightmost wall allowing the off white texas marble and red mahogany complementing the black inlays. And there at the end of the table sitting in one of two twin throne like chairs at the head was our prospective investor her blazing skin, eyes and hair changed shade and brightness as tho unable to remain satisfied with its current condition, and it was then I realized who alexander had brought me to see. ¡°Oh alex, you''ve grown so much since the last time I saw you.¡± said Nova queen of radiation Her slick black dress glowed and shimmered as it expelled excess heat and radiation that was quickly dispersed either by her or possibly the dress itself ¡°Come now dear have a seat and introduce your friend, I¡¯ll have Boris bring us some rozen torta, you do still love it don''t you.¡± As Miss Nova spoke we were guided to a set of chairs on the left side keeping a respectable distance from her seat at the wide table but not too far to make her feel distant from the conversation. ¡°So Alex, are you going to introduce your friend?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Her movements and voice were clearly intentional, she sat upright her body language neither inviting or discouraging like that of royalty. ¡°Absolutely, This is Alastor ¡­¡± Surely he didn''t forget, He literally just heard me say it. ¡°Lamont.¡± ¡°Lamont; please excuse me, I believe I have heard of you but I cannot seem to recall where.¡± ¡°It is not a problem at all Miss Belaya and it is a pleasure not only to meet you but to hear I have gained some recognition in the higher circles of society, even if it was just in passing.¡± She had the courtesy to look abashed but the way her glowing eyes reminded me of a single constant glow with no room for change told me exactly what I was dealing with. A pair of pivot doors that blended nearly seamlessly into the wall across from me swung open; as the wall in a white suite walked in carrying a single silver platter covered in what must be rozen torta. The room was silent as he set the tray before everyone then plated a piece for each of us serving it with the utmost care. The dish looked to have some kind of hardened orange glaze and thin flakey layers of bread or cake along with a rich custard like filling; Alexander was ofcourse already tearing his apart with utter abandon and yet still trying to look mature; like a child pretending to be a rich snob using his fork European style while scarfing down a treat. ¡°I''m glad to see you still enjoy it so alex.¡± nova was smiling at Alexander and not in the way I would have, there was no pechulants or sarcasm to it, it was a small smile but one that reached her eyes, like a mothers smile. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, and I have to say my compliments to the chief. It''s hard to find it this good here in the states.¡± ¡°Oh you''re too kind dear, I''ll make sure she knows you still think so highly of her cooking.¡± Alexander''s hand shot over his mouth ¡°Hhhkk Hhck¡± ¡°My goodness are you alright alex.¡± Miss Belaya¡¯s hand shifted then the wall known as Boris was behind alexander setting a glass of water before him and watching his face closely. Alexander''s hand moved from his mouth, rasping out something about the wrong pipe as he lifted the glass. ¡°Well I''m glad to hear it, you scared me for a moment.¡± Alexander attempted to say something but if I could barely hear it Miss Belaya nodding at his wrasps must have been done out of poliness with the assumption he was actually speaking. ¡°So, Mr. Lamont is the rozen torta not to your liking, if not I can have something else brought out for you.¡± In truth I would have loved to try such a dish but the lack of organs was once again an issue ¡°No it''s not that, I am merely incapable of enjoying it due to the mutation.¡± ¡°I see, my apologies Mr.lamont I should have asked - my husband finds it quite agitating when we go out and our server assumes he can enjoy fine food or drink.¡± Husband? ¡°I was unaware that you had a spouse, much less one with a condition like mine Mrs. Belya .¡± Her gaze shifted then her focus became the rozen torta as she lifted a small fork. ¡°Most people are unaware, it helps keep his work from following him home; as he is yet to change carrieres as I have.¡± ¡°But enough with the pleasantries, let us begin this presentation Alex spoke of, if all parties are ready of course.¡± ¡°Absolutely I am prepared to present if my partner has finished with his rozen torta.¡± Looking over I caught a flash of movement at Alexander who had clearly finished at least two pieces and was looking guilty. ¡°Yeah I''m all set.¡± ¡°Ok then, let us begin.¡± Chapter 18 Within moments staff including Boris had cleared the table, its barren polished surface gave it the look of something untouched by the hands of man. ¡°Alright, impress me.¡± Nova aka Mrs. Beyla looked to be chiseled from the same marble as her throne, her stony fetures watching me iridescent eyes granting me a moment of her precious time. ¡°Mrs. Beyla if you don''t mind my asking how long did it take to find a suitable fit for the position Boris now occupies.¡± A meniscal rise of her sharp eyebrow was the only insite i was given before she spoke. ¡°It took us about eight months to find him and another six to vet and make all the necessary preparations.¡± Setting my briefcase on the table I popped its laches, pulled a manilla envelope out and slid it to her ¡°That sounds like quite a hassle, and one that is not unique to you.¡± Boris was at her side checking the envelope before he pulled the papers he did a unessicarly long check and handed them neatly to Mrs.Belya. ¡°In fact if you would look over the first page in that bundle you will see a pair of bar graphs showing the amount of time on the blue and amount spent on the green; The three columns in each represent successful hires, failure to hire, and those who ended up hiring the wrong candidate respectably.¡± Before Alexander even agreed to our current arrangement I had a colleague from Sumits R and D department gather the necessary data for me to compile for this exact pitch. ¡°As you can see there is on average seventy two hundred hours and one point two billion dollars placed into failed hires alone in North America alone.¡± Nova sat in her throne her skin changing with a slow deliberate rhythm ¡°And you can cut those costs back?¡± ¡°To some degree I can, but I have a much better proposal for you; our company will cut into theise resources so rather than allowing them to dissipate into a massive scattering of places and risky ventures, we create a safe reliable means for people to dump these funds into without all the time they would have to spend doing it the traditional way; and unlike the traditional way we would provide a degree of guaranteed success in every case.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Her sculpted features gave away nothing, but the unmistakable gleam of interest in her eyes was something no mutation could hide. ¡°Evercrest and Lamont Private Concierge Service will be filed under the X.P.I.A and the H.A.V.C.N act to insure legal identity protection for our clientele and talent; with the X.F.P act as well, we will be legal roadblock for anyone attempting to subpoena documents or even secure a warrant, couple that with a required NDA for talent, a Client Prividentiality Agreement and a strictly non public presence we will have the most secure and legal operation for procuring the perfect talent for any situation.¡± She was still looking over the file; her iridescent gaze seemed to shift across the papers before her. ¡°This sounds like an incredible opportunity, but the reality is that a service like this cannot exist do to the existence of patho class xenos; with this much possible knowledge of the underpinnings of the, culture you will be providing for any and all intelligence agencies who catch any sign of this will send pathos to get the truth no matter how much legal coverage you have.¡± And there is the first nibble on my line ¡°While this used to be a issue the current event surrounding the young hero ¡®Editor¡¯ a new bill is being initiated know as M.S.A or the mental sanctuary act this will force all pathos with mind reading or rewriting abilities to register and gain permission to enter another''s mind with the only exception being if it is required during legally sanctioned ¡®hero¡¯ work with failure to meet it resulting in being labeled as a xeno domestic terrorist depending on scale but guaranteed imprisonment in New Alcatraz.¡± At this her gaze shifted looking away from the papers and meeting mine as she set them down. ¡°While that does greatly diminish the chance of any professional heroes making the attempt both villains and those parts of world governments that remain off the books will still attempt something at some point should you grow large enough.¡± And there is the bite ¡°This was considered, all who use our services will sign a agreement to act should any party illegally steal any of our clientele information, meaning we will eventually have a small legal army of private security to take back what was stolen; as for pathos, all information will be compartmentalized only allowing individuals with natural ability to resist or better yet those with abilities that negate mind reading entirely to know anything worth knowing.¡± With those last words i saw a shift in nova, the way she set the papers down the way her eyes were trained on us; she had made her decision ¡°And how much are you asking for, let''s say twenty percent.¡± That evening we secured our first investor and even managed to work out most of the legalities; That was until we received a condition that seemed problematic in more than one way. ¡°Wonderfull, now that we have all the required agreements and paperwork ready I have one final request to insure my investment into Evercrest and Lamont Private Concierge Service.¡± The last few hours had been grooling, negotiations with this woman felt like negotiation with a Greek god. She wanted something and was accustomed to getting it, not like a spoiled brat but more like a conqueror setting her glowing stony gaze on a neighboring land, and now she wanted something more. ¡°Well, as long as it don''t jeopardize the business or violate any of the already agreed upon terms i don''t see the harm in doing you a favor.¡± ¡°Wonderfull, my daughter will work with you two representing my interests and acting as your first contracted ¡®talent¡¯.¡± Alexander fell out of his chair.