Artifice - Man x Man - Book Six

Chapter 53

-Verando's POV-

The gray-haired man departs the car, handing off the keys to the valet as he enters the rear entrance, touching a small black device in his ear. "I need someone competent to park my car." He murmurs into the device, light eyes tracking the patrons entering and exiting the venue. Evaluating the level of threat, and taking inventory of potential adversaries, it was hard to shut off the war mentality.  

He straightens his jacket, reaching to fasten the watch around his wrist, then flicks the sleeve to check the time. A man rushes out of the rear doors, looking to be in his thirties, dipping his front half to bow in respect. He's dressed in a lycra bodysuit with a variety of body armor layering his vitals and shoulders.

"Mr.Mercer. I apologize; I lost track of time."

"Hmm. A lack of discipline on your part, I'm sure. Is Ron inside?"

"Yes, sir." He nods, tired already from the stress of the conversation. 

Hesitating, the retired warlord glances slowly up and down the man. 

"Where is your sister?" 

Widening his eyes, the man's worst fears were realized. "Sir. Please. She did not mean to shoot you- She tried to make up for it, but it was too late." He stammers, kneeling down before the warlord in a sign of respect, an attempt to appease the beast that was his employer.

Verando rolls his eyes, "For god's sake, have some class, get off your knee. That's a costly suit, and you're supposed to be a professional."

Quickly, the man stands, trying desperately to compose his face. "Do you know what the problem is, here, Grayson? It's messy. That scene of the beach was an utter catastrophe; you could have so easily been caught if you had been any slower; I hired you to find these lycans as they occur, not chase them to my front doorstep like a bunch of amateurs."

"Sir-"

Verando fastened the mid button of his jacket, it was hard to remember that these people were civilians forced to be mercenaries. He couldn't expect the same from them as those in his own time; even now, he struggled to cope with the shift in humanity's tolerance for anything uncomfortable. 

"You were not needed in that chase with the cats; I knew exactly where they were without your gallivanting." He narrows his eyes; coming toward the actual reason he felt the need to put the fear of god into this man-child. 

Grayson deflates just slightly, shutting his eyes, knowing the punishment was coming.

 "Your reckless behavior resulted in my fiance almost getting hit by a vehicle. Offering to help was not part of the plan; if he had accepted, you would be dead, do you understand?" 

This wasn't about the bullet wound, it was the fact that I had been hurt. Someone so precious to him, someone who didn't deserve to be stuck in the crossfire. The road rash, the near collision with the car, my pain was his pain. 

"Sir." The man nods, exhaling under the weight of the intense stare. "Sir, we did not know you were among them. You were disguised to look as they did. We thought they had escaped you."

"Right, well, mistakes can be costly.." Verando checks the time once more. "Your sister, Grayson." Obediently, he presses a button on his belt to summon her. "Your job is to continue to find lycans. To continue to bring them to where Helen may find them, and if at all possible, do not allow my granddaughter to be eaten by these cats. You must work to get to the top when you are the lowest common denominator. 

Prove to me that you have the talents you claim to have, and I'm sure Nicolas will be very interested in meeting you; if there is any truth to your story. I'm not a man who handles disappointment well, you'd do best to stop threatening my tolerance on the matter. "