Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
Chapter 13:
Roxas was minding the counter of the small Club the Family ran when a young woman with short jet black hair walked in with a friend of hers; her friend long auburn hair was pulled back with a ribbon. The short haired one seemed like she had sampled too many of the local drinks and was a little tipsy to say the least as her friend attempted to keep on her feet.
"So, is Officer Strife ever going to pop the-you-know-what, question?" the tipsy young woman with short black hair asked excitedly.
"Yuffie, you are so quick to ask, but if you must ask, no, he seems to have something on his mind lately," the auburn haired friend as she brushed a stray hair from her face as she answered her tipsy friend.
"Don't worry, Aerith, he'll come around," Yuffie turned to the counter and ordered a martini while Aerith took a glass of water; one of them had to be sober to get them home safely.
Roxas tried not to make conversation with anyone that came in due to fear of various secrets being revealed and leaked, but tonight, something seemed different; it could've been because this young woman with the auburn hair reminded him of someone. Someone like her was supposed to be dating his brother, but, he could never keep track of the young woman's name his brother was always talking about, but the mere mention of the name of the woman in front of him reminded him.
He could feel her eye's staring at him as if she was trying to ask for something.
"May I help you, ma'am?" Roxas asked nervously as he turned to Aerith.
"Huh? No, no, I'm sorry," Aerith lightly chuckled, "You just remind of someone."
"Oh, well, I've been told I have one of those faces," Roxas lightly sighed as the sound of Xaldin calling him turned his attention elsewhere.
"I'm sorry to break up this fun, but we are closed as of now, ladies," Xaldin ushered them out.
Roxas watched Xaldin usher the two girls out as Xaldin turned back to address him, "The Boss wants to see you," he locked the front door and pulled the curtains across the windows.
"Okay," Roxas, without any further directions as he took of the apron and headed to the back room where the Boss was waiting.
Xaldin and a few others began to set the Club up for what seemed to be a secret meeting; one or two men were to be stationed at the door while another was posted behind whoever was to lead the meeting. If anything was to go wrong, there were escape exits all over the Club, but in the air, the sense of foreboding and the feeling that someone was to become the scapegoat for the forthcoming meeting was coming to a head. There was a sense of the Club and even possibly the meeting being watched that had the men on edge.
"Alright, Axel, you and Demyx will be watching the front door, Saix will be beside the Boss," Xaldin paused as he heard a voice behind him.
"That won't be the case," Saix, in a straightforward tone remarked as he seeped out from the shadows of the Club.
"Care to explain that to the rest of the class," Axel sarcastically remarked as he leaned against the bar counter.
"The Boss intends to test the kid to see if he is capable of handling being a part of this Family; he plans to make him the one to be the head of this meeting," Saix soon heard the sound Axel falling onto the floor and then the sound of a shocked 'WHAT!?!' coming from the back room.
Roxas' eyes were wide with shock as he tried to pick himself up off the floor after he had fallen from his chair after hearing the immortal request from the Godfather as he tried to gain his wits back about him.
"Need I repeat myself? I would like you to go in my place for the meeting tonight and I want to test whether or not you are a good candidate for this Family," Xemnas calmly eyed Roxas.
"No, I understand; I'll do it, you can count on me," Roxas straightened up and the deal between the Godfather and Roxas was struck; it was almost as if he had made a pact with the Devil.