Arc 3 - Interlude V: Best In The Business

(Reverence 6, 59 / 9:03AM)

10 hours before…

Water drenched the endless cobblestone, leaving roads tarnished to travel. Citizens stomped through, as not even donkey carriages could venture through. Along with trains, they can’t enter nor leave; especially when the tracks are flooded as well.

“Of all times it rained!”

His voice hoarse and rough, a chubby man sent his balled hands to the table. Eyes encapsulating the dimly lit candles, the woman next to him clicked her tongue, while the woman behind him had her hands in her pockets.

“These things happen.” Said Ada.

“Yet this allows the enemy a chance! Waiting for an entire day!? A whole day!? Just whose side is this city on!?”

Near the couch Doug sat on, was a bar, with many bottles of wine and beer stacked on the shelves. Locked away from normalcy, there were also three chandeliers lighting the ceiling above them. But nonetheless, Doug hunched his body forward, his eyes crinkled and furrowed.

“This gives Luke Fenix an advantage. He could be coming here any minute! Any second where—”

“You’re worried about one man?” Coming out of the back door, Briggs had both of his hands in his tuxedo’s pockets. Wearing his usual fedora, along with his all black clothing, his shoes squealed against the polished wood.

“Luke is the least of our worries. With most of their strike force taken, it would be a miracle for him to raid this train successfully.”

“But it’s the way he fights. You’ve heard of him, you’ve seen how he operates. He’s dangerous.”

“So why the extra yards?” Briggs took off his fedora, and rested it against his side.

Feeling his eyes, although he didn’t glare, Doug allowed a small shiver to run down his spine. His sausage fingers planted on the couch, he moved his eyes to the floor.

“We took a lot from him, and he’ll be back. I just know of it. A man with nothing to lose, is scarier than a man that’ll lose everything.”

“And you’re right.” Briggs walked toward Doug.

Ada felt a dribble of sweat form on her cheek. Betty was also on edge, her butt hanging on the edge of her seat.

“Take away a man’s purpose, his reason for fighting, and you’ll get nothing more than a ghost. So tell me Zirardge…”

Briggs locked eyes on Doug. Doug kept his face and body firm, even when he felt death’s eyes stare at him. As if the reaper’s scythe rubbed against his back, he breathed in, and then out, but those small exhales of breath couldn’t soothe him.

“What do you see me as?”

“You’re an agent, an agent that works for me. Your paychecks are gifted from yours truly.”

“Then you forgot our conversation many moons prior.” He thrusted his hand forward. Grabbing both of his chubby cheeks, although no blood was drawn, Doug quickly rose, and along with Briggs.

“I don’t do this for the money.”

Ada immediately jumped up, her hands raised to imaginatively calm down Briggs. Meanwhile, Betty aimed her hands at Briggs. Doug’s teeth clattered from within, like he was munching down on a piece of wood.

“Ghosts haunt those that do them wrong. They exact vengeance, they exact justice, but what they never do is quit.”

“W-W-What are you?”

“You have a man like me, working for a coward like you. Even if he does raid the train, you know how it’ll end.”

He felt fingers press against his shoulder. Turning to his right, he took note of Ada’s quivering irises.

And turning to his left, he noticed the pale face Betty had. Seeing that she was on the verge of crumbling, he let go of Doug’s face, and made him sit down. For the richest man in the world, that title couldn’t save him from Brigg’s frustration.

“Just because we have the same enemy, doesn’t make me qualified to like you. Consider yourself lucky that I even tolerate you.”

Putting his fedora back on, Briggs and Ada began their walk to the door. His hands in his pockets, while she was by his side, all that was left was Betty and Doug. Their nostrils wrinkled, and their cheeks tattered in stress, Doug slammed his balled hand into the table.

“Who does that man think he is?! Intimidating me like that would put him in bars!” Pushing himself out of his seat, he was about to kick the table, until he closed his eyes. Taking in air through his throat, he let it wallow and brew before exhaling it out. “Yet they're the best in the business. That man may be cold… but he’s a powerhouse amongst fighters. Not even their strongest fighter could beat him.”