The boss of the Faerefly gang was going over reports. Nervously waiting for any update on the situation.
People were on the move, big people.
He'd received reports of multiple Amberston's rushing through the streets.
That wasn't the frightening part, however.
That honor goes to the mysterious figures that have been arriving with frightening frequency within the last few days.
All of them were big names from different factions. He'd already had to 'help' a few of them with their endeavors.
People brazenly asking for men or intelligence, some even claimed it was their honor to help them.
He spat at the bin nearby in disgust.
He remembered the names of the people that died, the men who'd offended the wrong people by chance. Those who lived weren't much better, people were stripped of all that they had and forced into hiding.
He gripped the papers tightly, but not tight enough to damage them. Paper was expensive and he couldn't afford to waste it.
The past few days, he'd met with these people. The nobles, the spies, the assassins.
With every visit, he felt more afraid.
On the surface, there was hardly any change. But for those who knew the city, it was chaos.
'And chaos is not something Mr. Brand tolerates.'
His breathing hitched slightly at the thought.
'They don't even know what they've done.'
The hidden specter that exists within the town of Heritage. The chilling wind that blows through on a whim. A threat that never seemed present, but was always there.
He could feel it in his bones. The sense of them being a wire's edge from being wiped out.
It was a sense he picked up from when they met all those years ago. The kind of thing veterans needed years of experience to hone and pick up on.
One day was all they had.
The feeling of being completely helpless. The feeling that something was determined with every fiber of their being to wipe your existence from this planet.
It never went away.
He reached with a shaking hand for a glass of vodka.
As he lifted the glass, a knock at the door startled him into nearly dropping it.
Holding the glass with both hands, he downed it before saying.
"Come in."
His second in command walked through the door anxiously. Almost forgetting to close the door behind him.
"Sir, it's bad."
"I know it's bad. Tell me how it's bad if you're gonna come in."
The boss said with a combination of annoyance and fear as the second started to pace around the room.
"Well, you know about the Amberston family? What am I saying of course you do."
He turned to face the boss and gestured with both hands.
"We're screwed. In every conceivable way, we're screwed."
"Calm yourself, man! We aren't dead yet! Unless the situation has turned into a complete clusterf*** within the time of my lunch break, I think we'll make it."
The second looked at him and took a deep breath before starting to explain.
"The Amberston family's prodigy has recently returned and is in the town, which is why all of this is happening. One of the members has been going around town in a bloody rampage trying to find him for several hours. Two more members are following and trying to keep her contained but are only making the situation worse."
"Large sections of the town are up in flames, and people need medical attention. Local forces are rushing to stem the tide. Brand's men are helping greatly from the shadows, but refuse to make any noticeable moves because of the visiting factions."
"The factions are scrambling to both send messages back, and causing their own havoc in an effort to find the young prodigy."
"All of it seems to be moving towards our business."
He paused to take a deep breath.
"And there is a group of seven shadowy figures lined up in front of the club waiting ominously for the past half hour for an appointment."
He emphasized the words appointment.
"Ah."
The boss said in a casual tone.
"S**t."
___________________
"No, wait."
He said interrupting the chapter's ending.
"I actually do have an appointment today for a dramatic entrance."
He said as he grabbed the papers he was just looking over.
"Wait, really?"
The second went over to go through the papers with him.
A couple minutes of searching later and, lo and behold, there it was.
"Huh..."
The both of them said in unison.
The boss turned to look at his second with a shrug.
"Silver lining."