"Listen, kid, I get you are smart, but you were put under me and I watched you die once already. I am not letting you walk into one of the most secure places in the world, with people that would see you as nothing but a bargaining chip." Diana said, her voice cold and her attitude unyielding.
Ciaran was dizzy from the slap, but he was already thinking of ways to convince her. One way was to call in the big guns, but that was a last resort, and he would rather be captured by Auroria. At least they would have the decency to admit they saw him as nothing but a tool.
He could try to lie to his partner and come up with some elaborate scheme to get him a correspondence with the Iron Lady, but he chose to be honest.
"I don't have a way to guarantee my safety. Well, I do, but let's just say I prefer death. So let's do it this way: Ask for the chemicals and tell them what will be done with them. Promise half of the finished product as payment. As a bonus, tell them that they can just give me a small sample, and whatever they give me I will turn into foam, and then give back to them, free of charge"
He said and looked at his partner. She didn't protest this time, so he continued.
"Whatever she answers, we know they are in a similar position as us. What I am offering is a sample first, and if I can manage it, a way for everyone to get through winter. I have heard of the dreaded General too, and two of her most famous characteristics are that she is tough with everyone but fair to her own people."
The Brigadier looked at his grandson. Seeing him under the boot of the lady had the old man feeling conflicted.
On one hand, he was happy there was someone who would reel in Ciaran's wild ambitions. On the other, when he made that joke about their relationship it was meant as just that, a joke. He could see that his naïve boy was developing a crush, what he didn't understand was why Diana was allowing it.
The girl was smart, and mature enough to understand where things were going, and yet she did less than nothing, she fed into the problem. Even more of a problem was the fact she didn't seem to push the boy away or conspire against him.
The man could feel genuine rage from her, when he proposed risking his life, and he had felt that only from one other person – his wife. When they were young, and even before this very mission that he was on, she got furious when he gambled with his life for glory.
"Fine, but you stay glued to me Rony, I am not letting you do anything stupid ever again." She said as she dragged him away.
They would stay the night at the base, and continue the negotiations tomorrow.
Suddenly the old man felt a presence and looked to his left. There he saw a man in a silver suit looking back at him, his expression even more confused than that of the Brigadier.
"How did you manage to get in touch? I thought I – "Before he finished that statement, all the silver in his body rotted away. The Magus fell to his knees and gasped for air.
It had been a long time since he had felt danger, but this was far worse. He felt helpless, like a child in front of an active volcano. And just like that, the feeling was gone, the silver went back to being in its normal form, and the old man was lifted to his feet.
The Magus looked at the Brigadier, but Edward Clades had stopped paying him attention, in fact, he had forgotten the Magus was even there.
Whatever did this to him was sending a warning, and Silver didn't push his luck and fled the scene. He had an angle to play here, a grand plan he was preparing, but as always, his game was one of many, and the players this time were scarier than usual.
Back to the dynamic duo, they were offered separate rooms, but both refused. Ciaran had become accustomed to his nightlight, that was her hair, and Diana wouldn't let this suicide alchemist alone for one second longer than needed.
"So, what do you really want with the General? Out with it Clades, there are other merchants, and I refuse to believe you just don't want to give your father's competitors business." Diana asked.
She had spent too much time with the boy not to see through his plans. And she didn't like he was excluding her from them. Just like the boy, she wasn't blessed with many friends, but in her case, it wasn't her choice. Her position in the family along with her talents made making friends almost impossible.
Ciaran was the first person who didn't see her family name and thought of her as an accessory for it. No, saw it as a convenient tool to poke fun at her, and get on her nerves, which made him an asshole, but still, the most pleasant person she had in her life. She wasn't willing to lose that over some mission, and a few worthless mortals.
"First of all, we agreed Diana, no family names. Second of all, you are wrong, I do care about my father's competitors, kind of. I care about them if you count the Kingdom of Auroria as one. I was fully planning to get kidnapped and sent to their capital as a prisoner. Well, they would have named me a VIP guest, but it would essentially be the same thing." He said as he gave her a wicked smile, which she wiped off his face with another slap.
If before she was irritated and thought him suicidal, now she was mad and certain he was a masochist. He knew those animals were prone to torture, and he knew she would hit him if he said it out loud and yet he did.
"I didn't include you in the plan because of who you are, and what they would do to you. And I can see your confusion, but tell me this, what happens if they take me?" He asked and raised his hands in defense.
'Does she really have to always target my moneymaker, damn?'
She was planning to give him a beating, but for the sake of fairness, she gave it a thought. Then her eyes went wide.
"The deal would be off, and your, no, our crimes would be forgiven." She said,
"And my Master's hands would be unshackled." He finished for her.
She looked at him, and the boy believed her on board. Then he got a knuckle to the head, as he was stomped into the ground.
"Do you think my grandfather is a moron? He would do whatever it takes to extend the mission. Hell, he might have even named you our official ambassador in the Kingdom." She said, her fury rekindled.
The boy got up and sat on the bed. Then he patted next to him, for her to follow.
She did, but she was on the verge of killing him, so she sat on her hands, as they already felt itchy.
"Listen, Diana, I will make you a deal, and it depends on you how our lives together will be from now on. I offer you a partnership, not like the one in the mission, but a real one. Fuck your gramps and his games, and fuck me and my schemes. You and me – we will be equals. I will never hide anything from you, and you from me, and we will get through this together, what do you say?" He asked her, as his eyes glowed in a bright blue light.
He didn't know why he asked. It made no sense to him. Logically, he didn't need to make this deal. She, on the other hand, needed him even less. And yet he let his desire take hold over him.
He felt the call, just like when he wanted those fucking hawks dead, he felt the same passion once again. This time the anger and the pain were replaced by trust and lust, but he didn't know that. The boy truly didn't understand what he felt, or what he had just offered.
Diana knew she knew what he was trying to do, and she knew he didn't realize the implications of his actions. And yet she was her grandfather's granddaughter, there was a madness in her that propelled her to grab his extended hand.
Her eyes glowed in a pale white, as she pulled him in, and gave him a deep kiss.
The boy didn't understand, but he didn't pull back. As he enjoyed the moment, the rest of the base was enjoying a hurricane.
At this place and at this time Dyrta cheered the birth of her new Apprentice.