"That man is responsible for-" a guy I don't know anything about starts saying so but is cut off by
"Nothing." –the guy with a birdlike face. "He is responsible for nothing. And you all should get it through your skulls."
He says all of that with a smile, a sarcastic one obviously.
"But he-"
"Get lost!" The bird-face guy says and the old man with a gun points it at the guy who is constantly arguing. He shuts up and so does the rest of the crowd. The bear is already down. So, I guess … I am safe?
"Now," the bird-face man says, "I'm Cartel Hopkins. Nice to meet you, Irium."
He extends a hand and I shake it and get back on my feet. At the same time, what someone said to me earlier about a man with birdlike face who has a grudge against Remedy Corporations comes back to me. He could be the guy. Hell, I know the author, he probably is the guy.
"Now," He says, "I am sure you would quite surprised and confused as to why all these idiots suddenly started attacking you."
"No, I know that part. It was because they were suspicious of me" I say a bit sarcastically, "But I am wondering why they were THIS suspicious of me."
Cartel smiles and says, "Of course my friend, that's what I meant."
He motions to the old guy with a rifle and he bends over to open what seems like a manhole.
"This leads to a certain base I had set some years ago." He puts a hand on my shoulder and tells me to go in, "We can talk better downstairs. You see, there won't be anyone to disturb."
I can read between lines. I also have a lot of cinema experience. So, I know the implications those lines can have. Yet, I decide to go in. I know I am taking a risk but, at this point, there probably isn't any way to reach Telmakim without any risks now that an entire town thinks I am an arsonist.
*****
Staring down a dark underground path leading to a subway station, there are three people standing here. One is me obviously – your friendly neighborhood Danny. One is the demigod obviously – your unfriendly neighborhood Roswaisa. One is Grey – just Grey.
"So, like, what are we waiting for?" I ask.
"Not what; who?" Grey corrects me. "Since you have forced me to go on this little hunting session with you, I thought I'd call backup."
"So we are waiting for Jessica to arrive?" Roswaisa questions.
"Why do you think that Jessica is the only backup I can all?" He asks with a smirk.
"Because you are Grey." Roswaisa answers, "You are far less annoying without her around."
"…" Yeah, that'd shut up anyone. I am so glad Irium isn't here to watch this fun exchange. There's no particular reason, I am just glad I am having fun while he probably is not … and now I am worried about him again.
"So, how long are we waiting for her?" Roswaisa asks me. "I mean, if she takes a lot of time, we might lose the whole opportunity of catching Cartel."
Yes, that's true. But fortunately, when they were arguing, I spotted Jessica in some distance and saw her coming our way. By this point, she is already close enough that we can hear each other if he yell. So, I just casually ask Roswaisa to look in her direction.
"Well, I guess the waiting is over."
"You know," Grey, seemingly a bit annoyed by Roswaisa's attitude, says, "we only had to wait 6 minutes and 40 seconds for her to arrive. Is that too much?"
"I can destroy this planet from its core in 6 minutes and 40 seconds so yes, it's too much." Her retort shuts him up again.
"What!?" Roswaisa questions as he notices that I have been staring at her while pondering something.
"Nothing really, I was just thinking how you are the perfect pride for that asshole." And so I answer her.
*****
The place that manhole led up to seems like a setting that'd be cool only if you see it in a video game. It is dark and cold, as you'd expect but has been lit up a little by two lamps. There is also a table two chairs on the opposite ends of the table. One of the two lambs is on this table and other is on a box that seems to contain something important (as it is locked quite well).
"Please, relax!" Cartel says. I, him and the guy with the gun are here in the room and probably no one else knows this because the manhole has been covered up. If these try to kill me now and hide my body here, probably no one will find it for many years. Though, if that is what they were trying to do, Cartel wouldn't have acted humble and gentlemanly and 'offered' me to come here. Instead, he would have just forced me to come here by pointing the gun the old man has to my face.
"Come on, sit down, I insist!" Cartel says with a smile and takes a seat. I take the opposite one. The old guy keeps standing like a trained bodyguard.
"So, what do you want from me, Cartel Hopkins?" Cartel looks at me as if he doesn't understand why I'd ask something like this. "I don't think you saved me without wanting something in return from me. I just don't think you are that kind of person."
"I see." His smile softens as he says, "That's very perceptive of you."
"So?" I question once again what he wants and this time,
"Irium, let me ask you something." I don't stop him so he goes on to ask, "What do you do in a time of crisis, especially a crisis you are uninvolved in but will be affected from? What is the best thing to do?"
…
Well, the answer probably is-
"Use it to your advantage." I say.
"Precisely. I knew you'd understand." He says with a smile. "In front of us now, there is a crisis. And it's name is Dues ex machina."
"…"
"Her killing the Angels and Demons will cause great changes in the universe."
And, following the line of the previous question, I assume,
"And you, Mr. Hopkins, want to make use of this crisis to climb in the ranks, whatever your ranks are."
He smiles, as if to say yes.
*****