Chapter 11

THE BUTLERS OUTSIDE the meeting room have their ears almost bleeding due to the chorus of unpleasantly reoccurring sounds from the conundrummed men inside. They argued about the position they are in when Albert casually told them that Caine is planning to kill all of them.

The noisier ones, Charlotte, Roosevelt and Oswald kept arguing about; either the credibility of this intel; or the fact that they should change Albert’s mission to target Caine instead. Gustav is trying his best to calm the rowdy crowd, while Gilliam and Pierre looked towards the cause of all the commotion. 

“So, are we just going to target Caine then?” Albert added fire to the messy pile every now and then with a remark.

Pierre mouthed off “make them stop” towards the initiator to where Albert replied by making a stern look towards him. He conveyed a message of insurmountable conviction with that stare.

Pierre hesitantly nodded.

Albert defused the fire with that acknowledgement. “But you know what, I just read it in Blair Luna’s blog so it might not be real anyway.”

The three of them all gave a death stare at Albert who did not care at all. 

When there was finally peace and quiet, Gustav took that opportunity before any of the bleaters, belchers and gallopers speak again. “Thank you, Albert, for that information. Now let’s hear it for the Baron. If anyone wants to speak over him, then be my guest.”

Oswald, who was about to bash Luna’s media misinformation, just zipped his mouth in reverence to the Baron who started to address what happened to Ali. He apologized to Albert and offered his condolences towards the bereaved. 

“I know you considered him to be more than just a friend, so I’m really sorry about what happened to him. But I swear to you in the name of my father, that we had nothing to do with his death.”

Pierre also accounted the look he had, so he addressed it immediately. “If you complete this mission for us, we’ll consider the resignation you handed us two years ago.” The Baron did not want that to be the end of Albert’s work for them, but with what he’s shown lately, it’s more obvious that he’d be more of a threat only if they make him.

Everyone knew this. And they’ve made all peace with it for the meantime.

“Okay.” Albert answered shortly, not wanting to sway this consideration back away from his favor.

“Finally, your mission continues to circle around Ms. Rodrigues; not Charles.” With that, the Baron dismissed everyone. “Remember: clean, swift and precise.”

Everyone was being escorted by their butlers at a slow pace in carefulness of their brittle bones. Albert read everyone’s faces as they were passing by through him. While most of them speak of contempt and displease, there’s one in the middle of the room that showed contrast. It’s a figure, it’s...

A face. Unrecognizable though familiar.

I would’ve been scared if it wasn’t calling for me.

I sensed an intimate sensation with its silent voice. He calls out to me. And I’m responding.

Though I walk no step, I felt as if I was getting closer.

The steps of each person around us felt like warring cavalries in our clashing stillness.

His body got closer.

His face got closer.

His lips got closer. And mine did, too.

“Abe?” GD’s voice woke him up. 

Albert looked around and saw that it was only them that remained. He smiled at him and ruffled his hair like a brother. “How long was I out?”

They started walking towards the door. 

“About two hours. I know it is not recommended, but sorry for waking you up.” 

Albert told him that it was nothing to be pressed about. When they got out of the mansion, they proceeded to get a late lunch, temporarily switching off the gray scheme and turning on the color. Especially for Albert, who planned his date with Ana later.

Unbeknownst to Pierre and his croons, there was another meeting of the same caliber that happened at the very sunny office of the mayor. And they were just adjourning as well.

“Are you sure revealing this information is a good idea Mr. Mayor?” asked the journalist Blair. The tall, fair maiden stood at the door of Charles.

Charles tilted his head up to try and meet her with a polite look. “Yes. That will be all Ms. Luna.” 

She left with that while Charles walked towards his chair as VV waited until he was seated so he can speak. “Are you sure going public with the engagement would be that distracting to the Baron?” he asked.

“Well, it’s Caine’s idea. And, painful it may be to say this, but he’s the smartest out of us,” he laughs a bit. “Plus, that’s Blair, one of the most trusted journalists there is.”

Blair Luna, or “Moonlight” as the people call her, is a very prominent member of the BIG NEWS media outlet around the country. Politicians hate her, rich people hate her, and everyone else either loves or is indifferent towards the honestly unbiased herald. 

VV, as if not hearing any of the latter part about the social media lady, asked a question different than what Charles expected, “About the three of you; what I find interesting is that you were all raised together, trained together and even worked together; yet you all turned out so different. It's like putting three bags of popcorn in an oven and taking out a caviar, a bottle of brandy and a wolf in cosplay." VV is an idiot but sometimes his mind flies to some riveting places. 

"In assumption that that's not a stereotype for politicians, lawyers and, uhm...Albert, I'm here to tell that we didn't really have time to bond." Even as kids, they got separated with playtimes by their butlers for the most part. They only had a bit of interaction every day and even then, the really didn’t develop that much of a heartstring either. Although, they still think each other as their brothers, it’s only as unconventional at it can get.

That relationship stuck within them until their training phase towards adulthood. Even now, as adults past their fixer phase, they all have different play zones. In this time of their lives; Charles has politics, Caine has law, and Albert—in Charles' mind—received the shortest end of the three-pronged straw as he’s still loyal to Pierre.

"Yeah, but why do you hate Albert?" VV asked without sift. 

The Burgermeister channeled his inner Skeletor and released a short "Wat?"

The inquirer didn't respond but just waited for a response. 

"I don't hate him. I'm actually grateful because he's the one who brought Marge to my life. I think it’s not far off by saying he entrusts me to protect her now.” He opened. "It's just we had a lot of disagreements in the past; that's why we don't get along that much."

“Is that why we’re doing this? To protect one person? Because you could’ve done this anytime towards the company. Lord knows there were better opportunities than this. So why now?”

Charles looked back at him. “Because now, we can assure that they will also make their move.”

As both parties get ready their gear, swords and shields for the unforeseen head clashing in the near future, they all also prepare their gilded suits, self-promoting party toasts and rich-people-food appetites as they wait for the engagement party.