Chapter 4 Something Good and Beautiful

“Lou, you really don’t remember what she looks like?” Delian, fresh from the hospital, asked the bartender.  “Aye lad, I told ye already. She had her cap on the whole time. And the cameras also didn’t manage to catch her face.”

It’s been five days since that night, and all Delian managed to know was that she got in a black car with an obscured plate. He almost thought that she was a figment of his imagination after waking up with a bandaged head. “Thank God, she wasn’t,” was all he said when the night’s event was reported back to him.

Though he was relieved, he was equally as frustrated for forgetting her face. The Swedes did fail in their attack, but they succeeded in doing worse damage to him. Speaking of the two, no further news from the foreigners was heard as they seem to have gone under the radar. The Stockholm mafia also feigned ignorance at the current events.

But Delian was not interested in any of those. That was why despite the doctor’s stern advice for him to go home and rest, he still went straight back to Ambrosia. Only to be disappointed again.

“Go home, Delian. If the lass shows up, she shows up. Nothing else ye can do,” Lou urged.

Delian wanted to say, “If she doesn’t show soon, it’ll be too late by then.” He knew the Council has already prepared a bride for him. Delian was sure the wedding venue and all details were already arranged, all he had to do was show up and say “I do.”

“But you’ll tell me if you see her again,” he pleaded. A sudden memory of his mother flowed with his thoughts. “The world will definitely become better if you have something good and beautiful. Even just one.” He remembered her, still vibrant and gentle on her deathbed, as she caressed his distraught, young cheeks. “Just like mommy has you.” This could be his last chance for having that something good and beautiful.

The pub owner spoke again, pulling him back to reality, “Cannae help you if I don’t know what the lass looks like.”

Delian hated it but he had to be escorted to the door by his assistant, Rafiq Ayda. “The longer you stay out, the more dangerous it is for you,” he lectured the mafia underboss. “Whoever this Cinderella is, she’s not worth your life or mine. It’s my throat on your father’s blade if you leave unattended again.” The olive-skinned man let a frustrated breath out as he ran his fingers through his dark, brown hair.

“Her name’s Eirene and she could be worth our while. Better than whoever the Council chooses,” Delian groaned as they got out, pausing to lean on the wall. “Her knowledge about the terrorists in Rison and her military abilities are just some of my reasons.”

Rafiq countered, “What military abilities are you talking about? All you know is her name, not who she is.”

Delian held onto his stomach in pain, wishing for her pleasant touch again. “I know because she noticed the Swedes were onto me and decided to fight them off. Also, it shows that she’d been through hell because no ordinary person would react the way she did.”

“What you told me are acceptable reasons to employ someone, Del, not marry them,” Rafiq realized. His boss wasn’t usually this concerned about other people. Everything he did was to be on top of the mafia, no matter who was in his way. And seeing him become frantic over a woman was far from his character.

“So what’s your real motive?”

Not wanting to explain himself further, Delian responded, “Get your coat first, before concerning yourself with that.” Rafiq scanned himself suddenly realizing he did forget it. “Alright, stay here, and don’t you dare go anywhere.” Seeing that his boss was crouched down and panting, he knew he couldn’t move an inch anyway. “We should’ve brought all the guards here.” He quickly went in to retrieve his missing items.

Delian grunted in response and closed his eyes. “Come on Eirene, where are you?”

>>>

Damon snatched the mirror from Rein’s hand as the latter checked on her reflection for the hundredth time. “Nothing changed with your appearance since five seconds ago when you last checked. Seriously, just admit it. You like Captain Cleag.”

Rein gasped, “I do not! And it’s Special Agent Cleag now. He’s our handler for the mission so it’s important to look our best when meeting with him.” She tried to grab the mirror from her 6-foot-5-inched companion but failed.

“You look human enough.” Damon laughed at her, “For someone who doesn’t know how to wear makeup, you fixed yourself quite nicely today.” Noting the red tint on her lips and cheeks.

“Ugh, we’re almost there anyway,” Rein huffed after seeing Ambrosia emerge from the block. Though she had an awkward experience there, it’s still the best place to meet with Thane due to its neutrality towards all types of organizations, including the mafia. No one cared enough to spy on or fight each other there. Because facing Lou’s wrath was not worth it. Maybe Delian Leofric’s circumstance was an exception, but the Swedes knew nothing about the rule of the pub.

As they neared the place, Rein saw a figure hunched over and heard it grunting in pain. Concerned, she quickly approached and reached out her hand on the person’s back. “Hey, you okay?”

The man immediately stood straight, like he was shocked by electricity. Without looking back, he whispered, “Eirene?”

Rein raised her brow, “How did you know?” Then it clicked. That voice. That build. Of course, but what were the chances?

Her wide eyes moved to Damon as he, too, pieced it together. Too shocked to do anything, the three stood still for a few more seconds before Delian began to move. Hoping to finally see her again, he motioned to look back, but the action seemed to have worsened his condition. Looking for support with eyes closed tight, he held out his hands which were caught by Rein.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

The woman groaned, “Please don’t.” She helped him up but made sure his eyes were shut the whole time. Seeing that he was not aware of Damon’s presence, she signaled him to go inside on his own. Damon wondered why she’d go to such lengths to aid him when she could just let him be. “Why do I always see you like this?”

Chuckling, Delian replied, “What, good-looking? Charismatic? Endearing?”

Rein smiled at his optimism despite his current situation. “No, helpless.” Was he really as cold-blooded as people say? If her mission was really to end his life, she’d have accomplished it on just her first day without having to move a finger.

“So have you thought of my proposal?” Delian was pushing his luck but he didn’t care. He held on to her hand while she supported him from the back, preventing him from getting a glimpse of her. If someone were to see them from afar, they looked like lovers in a loving embrace.

“I don’t want to marry you,” she answered right away. “I won’t be here for long, so stop looking for me.” Rein was truthful to him, just like before. It was indeed her last day as a woman because starting tomorrow, she will be introduced to Erebus as Rein Evander, Alexi’s son and heir to the Evander mafia.

Delian bowed in utter defeat. The dismay hurt more than his physical wounds. “If I say I could buy you anything you want and you will have more power than any person in the city, would you say yes?” He hoped she would but at the same time wished she’d refuse because that meant she was just another shallow gold digger.

“What I want is something you can’t give,” Rein sighed. Delian was the key to the mafia but he wasn’t the endgame to the mission nor the answer to who killed her father. He wasn’t worth getting stuck with for the rest of her life.

Knowing that any minute, someone would pick him up, Rein prompted him to sit on his own and got up. “I better get going.” She stared with pity at his face contorted in discomfort. “I hope you find a bride, I’m sure there are many here who would say yes without question.” She ran in the opposite direction, choosing to hide in one of the alleys. She waited for Damon’s call that the mafia heir was driven off before entering Ambrosia herself.

Her guilt just doubled.

“I thought they’d never leave,” Damon exclaimed after Rein joined him in one of the private rooms of the bar. “So?” He asked with a teasing tone and wriggling eyebrows, having seen Rein and Delian’s earlier state. “Did you get to second base?” Only to get a smack on the head as a response.

“Who got to second base?” A deep and velvety voice inquired.

“No one!” Rein squeaked. Both marines shot up from their seats and stood at attention. “Sir!” They greeted, minding to lower their usual volume since they were in a different territory.

“I’ve resigned as captain, remember? You can stop greeting me that way. Just call me by my name, please.” Thane encouraged them to go back to their seats. “Now, let’s discuss Olympus Pitfall.” The name of the operation towards apprehending the mafia members involved with Rison’s terrorists, the group calling themselves Gorgon.

“By the way,” he turned to Rein, “you looked great in that suit. Damon sent me a picture. It was the best decision to let your uncle help us out.” Rein’s cheeks further reddened as she got more embarrassed about her disguise. “Thanks.”

“Well since this might be the last time you can move about freely, we don’t have to worry about the time. Here are the files you need.” Thane distributed white folders filled with extracted information about certain Erinyes members. “This is all we have, just basic details. Once you both get in, hopefully, we’ll fill in more of these blanks.”

Rein already knew most of what was in there. The Erinyes Council, for one, consisted of the Renaud, Dai, and Evander elders. That meant her uncle was in the files too. Though the Leofric family was known as the ruler, the Council still made some heavy decisions for them.

“The Gorgon in the last few weeks turned quiet. So we’re suspecting that they are brewing something,” Thane informed them. “Eirene, I need you to get inside the circle as soon as possible. And I know that is not an easy task.”

It definitely was not. “We have no choice,” was all she could say.

After an hour of more discourse regarding their future actions, Thane spoke up, “Then that’s all for now. But if anything happened during your first days here, you can tell me now.” Well, that’s just something Rein couldn’t do.

Taking the files close to her chest, Rein defensively responded, “No, nothing happened at all. It’s all good. Right, Damon?”

The dumbfounded Damon could only nod. His look gave Rein the impression, “You better know what you’re saying.”