Chapter 10
"And yours?"
Alfred gave a polite smile that looked far more sinister than it should have been. "Satisfactory thank you. The salmon is particularly well seasoned. Now however," he patted his serviette, folded it onto the table and brought his knife and fork together his plate. "It is time to discuss a more serious matter."
Valentina nodded seriously, a bitter look crossing her features. "Of broken bonds and loyalty."
"The forming of a battle plan." Marcus finished, unnaturally darker than his usual self. Alfred's face pulled into a prideful smirk; the three of them exchanging a look, causing his hidden bodyguards in range to have a chill run up their spines. "Quite. Your Aunt Eleanor was always a rotting weed on the old family tree, but now she has crossed a forbidden line. Her and that weasel Downton. Neither will forget the day they turned their backs on the Montgomerys!"
"So what's the first step? Unleash your army of lawyers? Assassins? Terr-"
"It's best not to talk so loudly about such things around me, dear grandson." Alfred quickly cut in. "Accusations tend to be easily taken in my line of business, and you never know whose listening."
The siblings nodded rapidly with wide eyes, sneaking looks around for potential spies while Alfred rolled his own eyes with humour. "As you said to Downton, there is barely a case for them to stand on, especially since the company is still reaching its targets under your management. But there will be more to this than simply defeating a lawsuit."
"Wait a second!" Valentina interjected incredulously. "How- You hacked my phone conversation?!"
"Ye- well no, not personally, but my PIAKR team. Or more specifically, Timber."
Marcus, with a very confused expression said "Er, Peakraa?"
"No. PIAKR, for Protection of Internal And Kin Relations. The team was founded By Ares Defence to monitor Montgomery members in case of any possible threats. Each member is assigned a relative to monitor who delivers week reports to myself. Any significant happening, like that phone call, are of course notified immediately."
"Well I suppose that explains how you knew so quickly." Valentina muttered. "But what's Timber?
"Who, rather. Miss Kerry Timber is your guardian. Blake Lau is yours, Marcus. I assure you, they know the meaning of secrecy and are completely…devout."
"Right..."
"I've got a guardian? Awesome!" Marcus punched the air after a quick gulp from his glass of juice. "Can I get him to beat people up for me?"
"If you'd like."
"Marcus I doubt that's in his job- wait what?!" Valentina snapped her head back to Alfred, who shrugged, somehow extremely elegantly. "Their sole purpose is to protect you. Lau personally is ex-army. Demolition expert to be exact, though he can still throw a punch."
"That's sick! Common Vallie stop frowning, we have our own fucking power rangers!"
"Just be quiet for one second!" she snapped angrily. "You mean you've been spying on us? Are there cameras our houses? Do you have people stalking us?"
Her burning eyes would've frozen a mere mortal, however Alfred returned it with his own intense, amused gaze. "Communication devices are all tapped yes. I have people on stand by for uncover work, but that isn't a constant and only for higher risks, such as a threat to your immediate safety. The cameras are only thermal, however in the case of the Manor, it is bug free." The last part was said rather bitterly and disappointedly.
"Why just the Manor?" Marcus was yet again calm again. Even he who pranced around half naked in front of a camera as a career found it disturbing that on the other side of the world some one could watching him shower, even if all they could see was the colour coded heat of his body.
"I'm afraid I can't answer you too specifically. Just know that it was an agreement between Lionel and I, and that will not change anytime soon. I give you my word on that. Lies are for the weak to hide behind, and I did not get where I am today with fictitious words."
Valentina snorted. "How did Ares come about then?" they held another short staring contest, Marcus watching closely.
Finally, Alfred answered, "Creating an illusion of truth, or submitting it altogether is not a lie."
"Nice way of putting it." Marcus bit out.
The older man shook his head, "I don't lie. It's not something my brother and I ever did. If there is something I don't want say, I won't say it. I'll misdirect, leave my answers open to interpretation even. But upon my own future grave, I do not lie."
"Don't tell me that you're actually planning to be cremated?"
Draco Malfoy (aka blushing waiter) returned right at that moment to inquire about dessert. A sharp no thank you from Valentina (mimicked by the others) sent him hurrying away to collect the bill. [I'd like it interject here that I mistakenly messed up the gender of the waiter. To clarify, it's a waiter not waitress so a guy. – Renzin]
The three of them stayed in silence, lost in there own thoughts. Marcus' frown was evident as he pondered those words. Valentina was in a simple mental state; Alfred's body language, passionate words and eyes told her that he was sincere. Discretely, Marcus looked at his feet and thumbs; according to a birthday present from his sister (a book on body language), they were important factors. Alfred's feet were relaxed and flat on the ground, while his thumbs were folded outwards, opening up his crossed palms.
Alfred himself was in a state of mind where he was so concentrated on his companions; he could feel his adrenaline crash around his body and his transplant heart throbbing as if he had just been exercising. Outside, he retained his dark, intimidating mask. He needed his grandchildren to trust him, and for them to form a deep bond, for he was a man who truly believed in the strength of a strong clan. The Montgomerys had been this way for generations, and he was thankful that his brother's less than extraordinary offspring had at least in turn given them Marcus and Valentina. To him, they were true Montgomerys, and since the death of Lionel, the closest relatives to him (that he counted).
Finally, the siblings shared a long look, silently agreeing before they turned back. Valentina gave a small toothless smile, while Marcus face-splitting grin was similar to that of a puppy having its belly scratched. Alfred internally sighed.
Valentina broke the silence finally. "So Grandpa Alfred, if legally beating them to pulp is too meagre for you, what else are you thinking for our ex-aunt and lawyer?"
Alfred gave a devilish chuckle that gave them chills. "We're not just going to beat them; I want them eradicated, pulverised, annihilated!" On the last word, his emotion got the best of him as he slammed his fist against the table. After awkward pause, he coughed and gingerly rubbed his hand while Marcus muttered. "How close to the destruction and weapons bit do you get at Ares, huh?"
Casually, he answered, "Until the company was over 800 workers, I was my own head of design and testing."
Valentina giggled nervously and scratched the back of her neck. "What are the details? Are we talking…illegal stuff?"
"Now, now, death is not the answer, though I do like your thinking." Alfred smirked again at her red-faced protests. "I however was thinking along the lines of destroyed reputations, being cut from the trust fund, publically disgraced. Why not throw in a partially fake assault as well? In the case of Downton, no firm or independent law practice will want to touch him with a 100 yard gutting knife."
Marcus silently mouthed 'gutting knife?!' to Valentina, who shook her head to ignore him. To Alfred she said, (after a moment of thought) "Ok, I can deal with that."
Marcus gaped at her. "Sis?!"
"Common bro, they're trying to take away what's rightfully ours! They betrayed us, Marcus. You know what that means. As long as Mum and Dad don't get involved, why not? I want to feel safe and ensured that what's mine will stay mine, and that I don't have to worry about the people who should be behind us pulling out a dagger."
Marcus' eyes darkened with a rarely seen fierceness. "…Okay then." He looked up to Alfred who became even more excited as he saw the change in him.
Valentina ended up agreeing to stay several more days with Marcus, where each day they would meet with their Grandpa to plot. Once reaching Marcus' apartment (which was decorated with lots of reds, whites and glass) she pulled out her stash of supplies that she always left there, washed and changed into more comfortable jeans and a black and white striped shirt with sleeves above the elbows. The spare bed was in the same room as Marcus' double bed, as the former was the pull down one that was already installed into the wall. Carefully, she folded her previous clothes and belongings on a spare chair and made herself at home on top of Marcus' bed, pulling out her phone.
She lay on her stomach as she pondered. Since Alfred was supposedly monitoring only the communication pathways to Manor, that meant that Dekna was still safe and undetected. However, leaving him in the dark about where she would be in the next few days would be a bad idea, especially since he actually liked her now. The idea of an indestructible lizard tearing up Manhattan was way too B star movie for her tastes, but she needed to be careful what she said. Hesitantly, she picked the phone back up.
Speaking into the voice mail of her own home landline (that thankfully Dekna knew about now), she said "Hey Denny it's Vallie. Change of plans, I'll be staying with my brother for the next few days. Thanks for looking after Tiny for me. Bye, and stay safe!" She couldn't help her worried tone at the end, but at least the voicemail was innocent enough. Would Alfred really suspect her of harbouring her new alien bezzie?
The realisation that she had been living with an alien for over 2 months hadn't really sunk in. Maybe being a Montgomery truly meant that it never would, that she would stay in this dream state forever.
It didn't really bother her as much as it should have.
Her eyes fell on her text messages, seeing one that was new. Excitement sprung inside when she saw who it was from. Since she was in town, surely she would have time to see Tilly and her other friends?
The text read like so:
Val! Need 2 tlk 2 u + c u asap! Urgnt!
Unfortunately, Tilly was one of those texters. Translated, Valentina made out that something major had happened, and that Tilly needed to get a hold of her. At that moment, Marcus strutted into the room, stretched in front of the open window, fished out some clothes and said "Whatcha doing?"
"Talking to Tilly. I think I'll go down to see her."
"Hn."
She briefly looked up, then back down again. "I wouldn't walk around naked, bro. That woman opposite our window's staring at your dick." Personally, she had become immune to Marcus's lack of decency.
Again, he grunted as he pulled on his shorts, waved with a big grin at said peeping tom. "She always waters her flowers around the times I change. It's nice to have the company sometimes."
"You need to buy a cat."
"You first- wait, never mind." He whined as Valentina snorted, "Shut uppppp!"
"Never!" she giggled. "Ohhhh! We can buy a white cat so you can matc-" A pillow was her answer.
After reacquainting herself with the subway, she walked the last block to Tilly's current workplace, Weyland Industries. She still had the laminated pass badge from Tilly, even though security still had to call the department she was in to confirm. This procedure was carried out as she expected, the head of the department giving her access to the elevator to the correct floor after recognising her.
As she walked over to her best friend's cubicle, the scent of citric perfume and Nutella flushed her nostrils. A couple of smiles and nods went her way from co-workers who were either being polite or recognised her from previous visits. A soft, warm smile pulled at her lips as she spotted a hunched over blonde, familiar form, who whipped around eyes widening when she said, "Hello friendo. How's that virtual world of yours?"
Ohhhh ANOUTHER post?
Let's just say that I want to get moving with the plot hehehe!
Love,
Renzin xo