W. A. G. E. R.
Chapter Five
File No. 1799-1889
(VIII)
2011.5.3, 01:23pm, Londom, Trancy Manor.
Grell's car was stopped at the gate by three security guards who looked exactly the same.
"They won't let us in, Sebby…" Grell groaned.
"You literally just kidnapped Alois Trancy in broad daylight the day before. How could these three brats stop you?"
"You've got such a sweet mouth, Sebby. Not that I'm complaining…" Grell stomped on the accelerator and the red vehicle burst through the iron fence, into the garden and crashed into a thick wall of hedges.
Grell squinted through the hole on the green wall, "So this is the infamous Trancy hedge maze…"
"How very corrupt."
"Says the guy who lives in an equally, if not more, luxurious manor with a thirteen-year-old."
Unwilling to give further comments, Sebastian decided to ignore her and got out of the car.
As soon as he stepped into the garden, he found Claude standing on the balcony, smiling down at him.
"Here for vengeance, aren't you?"
"Where's my young master?"
"It's too late, Sebastian Michaelis. Your master has abandoned you."
"Liar! My young master wouldn't suspend me over a phone call! Claude, your evil plans will never succeed because nobody knows better about him than the man standing in front of you!"
Claude snickered, "You really think so? Why not let Earl Phantomhive tell you everything himself?" That was when Ciel appeared next to Claude.
Sebastian's phone started to ring. It was Ciel calling from above.
He immediately answered, "Young Master!"
"Sebastian, I will now tell you everything word by word. Before I finish, you are not allowed to interrupt. Have I made myself clear?"
Sebastian was ready to unconditionally follow all of Ciel's orders. "Please speak on, Young Master."
"Good." Ciel continued, "Sebastian, the suspension was indeed my decision. I know it's unusual for me to inform you of such a vital matter through a mere telephone call, but I only did it to make it easier for you to process. I never thought this would trigger an investigation into Trancy Corp. Moreover, I didn't expect that they would checkmate ahead of you. This is ridiculous. Originally, we each held 49.95% of the company stock, but I've always known that you wanted to become the biggest shareholder of the company. Once you were suspended, the board of directors took over your share. It was clear that this was the only way to recover my long-lost power. You must think they were Claude's puppets. But it is not true. Everything was my plan. Therefore hiring that man was also my call. The board of directors and their decision don't matter at all. The only solution left here is that you get out of this place quickly. Claude has taken over your properties and promised to sell me 0.05% of your share, so that I can have 50% and become the biggest shareholder of Funtom Cooperation. You dug your own grave, Sebastian. Stop badgering me and don't even think about turning the table. After all, we've worked together for such a long time. I would hate to see you in misery. Promise me, leave here now and we shall never see each other again."
Ciel was so calm and certain throughout the call that everyone would be convinced that he meant every word he said.
Claude stood next to Ciel, grinning as he listened.
But why would Ciel be so cruel to Sebastian?
Yet for Sebastian, and Grell, who was actively tapping Sebastian's phone while being unknowingly tapped by William, it was a completely different speech:
"Sebastian, the suspension was indeed my decision… But I only did it to make it easier for… an investigation into Trancy Corp. …I didn't expect that they would checkmate ahead of you… Originally, we each held 49.95% of the company stock, but… once you were suspended, the board of directors… took over your share. It was clear that… they were Claude's puppets… Therefore hiring that man was also… their decision… The only solution left here is… you… promised to sell me 0.05% of your share, so that I can have 50% and become the biggest shareholder of Funtom Cooperation…turning the table… Promise me…"
As Ciel spoke, he occasionally covered the phone with a finger, so that only a part of his speech would be delivered to Sebastian. Because Claude was standing right next to Ciel, he only heard the full version.
Still inside the car, Grell gasped in disbelief, "This kid is so much more fearsome than I have ever imagined…"
Sebastian appeared unusually calm as he ended the call, "Yes, my Lord." And he turned around to leave the manor. Although his stocks were controlled by Claude, but how could a PA of Earl Phantomhive be if he couldn't even get back what belonged to him? If he could hack into an online discussion set up by Ronald Knox, he could also easily recover his share through a few clicks on his phone. Seconds later, he turned around again to look at Ciel, "What is your order, Young Master?"
Ciel asked, "What do you mean, Sebastian?"
"I mean, you are the true master of Funtom Cooperation, and you will always be!"
Ciel smiled coldly, "Good. I've been waiting for this moment." Then, he turned to Claude and said, "Claude Faustus, I, the CEO of Funtom Corp., have decided to fire you."
Claude stood still in shock. He obviously never expected a kid so fragile and tiny could play so many tricks behind him. But so what? Even if Ciel was again the biggest shareholder of Funtom Corp., he was nothing more than an easy ransom for Claude.
"Enough! The game is over!" Claude seized Ciel by the throat with one hand and pressed his pistol with the other against the boy's temple, "Sebastian Michaelis, if you take one step closer, I'd…"
"You can't get anything by killing me." Ciel interrupted, "If I were killed, you would be even farther away from my fortune."
"Is that the last straw you prepared for me, Ciel Phantomhive? Of course I won't hurt you. Maybe you should worry about your faithful servant, because he'll be blown to dust once he steps out of this gate!"
"Blown…" Sebastian stared at the entrance – the gate was badly damaged by the car crash earlier but he could clearly see small red lights flashing at the bottom of the two stone pillars that stood on the sides. "A bomb again?" It appeared that once something ran between those pillars, the bomb would go off. "Bastard…"
Grell seemed to have noticed the same thing. But from the look of it, she had better remain a bystander. Claude seemed to be too frustrated to notice her anyway. Therefore she did nothing.
However, that didn't mean she was also ignored by Sebastian.
The moment after he found out about the bomb, Sebastian had rushed back into the car, " …" He pleaded as those crimson eyes of his turned watery as if he was about to cry, beaming an intoxicating ray that reminded Grell of a glass of red wine, "Could you do me a favor?"
Grell blinked, obviously unprepared for a moment like this, "What favor?"
Sebastian placed his hand on Grell's shoulder and asked, "Aren't you always eager to have some intense workout with me in this very narrow space?"
"What? How dare you… I'm offended!" Before Grell had even finished her sentence, she was pushed to the other side of the car with her head banged against the window, "What the hell…"
"No need to be shy, . I trust that this is not your first time anyway…" Suddenly, Sebastian's hand moved to the steering wheel.
"Wait!" Grell noticed his strange move, "What are you doing?"
But Sebastian has already started the vehicle – the red car dashed towards the gate like an unleashed wild horse.
Grell screamed, "No, the bomb would go off!" She tried to reach for the brake but Sebastian forcefully pinned her down again:
"Please trust me!"
Grell shook her head violently, "Not in a million years!"
The car was seconds away from the gate of death…
A silver car stopped outside of the Trancy manor.
It was too late. Even if someone managed to step on the brake, there was no way Grell's car could stop before the bomb went off.
Boooom!
After the huge explosion, Grell's red car turned into a burning fireball. The front gate of the manor was in ruins.
Behind the dust and smoke, Sebastian lied on the ground with Grell pressed under him.
It was only right before the moment the car triggered the bomb when Sebastian burst open the door on the other side and threw himself out of the car with Grell in his arms.
The car served as a sacrifice to get rid of the bomb.
"I told you it's going to be intense…" Sebastian coughed.
"Holy crap, you could have told me! I wasn't prepared at all!"
Sebastian smiled faintly, "So how was it? I mean, I think I've done my best."
Grell angrily shoved Sebastian off her body, "Done your best? Don't make me laugh! You ruined my car! What else do you want from me?"
Sebastian smirked and casually patted on the redhead's shoulder, "After all, I saved your life."
The blade of a clipper appeared right below Sebastian's chin, followed by a familiar voice, "Get your filthy hands off her."
Grell quickly rose to her feet, "Will!"
"Idiot, look at the mess you've made!"
"It's not my fault!"
"I'm not here to argue with you." William turned his face to Sebastian, "I don't care how you want to beat up Claude Faustus. Even if you wanted me to stay out of your way, it would be more acceptable than this." He eyed the crumbled metal corpse nearby.
Sebastian gasped in surprise, "You mean, as long as I stay away from … I mean, if I stayed away from her, you'll no longer intervene?"
"If you could really end him, that is."
Sebastian grinned, "You can count on me."
"We've made a deal." William impatiently ended the conversation by dragging Grell by her hair as he made his way back into the car, "Now, who's the one who convinced me that she can finish both Sebastian Michaelis and Claude Faustus on her own?"
"You have no idea what happened, Will!"
"I have no idea? I saw you lying underneath that vile being… Never mind."
It was not until the two were back inside the car when they finally had the chance to sort things out.
Grell rested her head on the back of the seat, still a bit flustered, "I know you care, Will❤."
"It doesn't matter whether I care or not. You obviously knew that I'd not be pleased with what you did…"
"C'mon, Will, don't be upset… That bastard turned my car into a piece of flaming junk, how could I possibly…" Noticing William's lack of response, Grell moved closer to the driver's seat and bestowed a kiss on her lover's cheek, "I'm sorry, Will."
Still silent, William adjusted his glasses and started the car.
From the way William behaved, Grell somehow foresaw the possible cruel plays waiting for her at home. In fact, she was rather excited about it. But still, the silence was killing her.
"Will," He lightly shook William's shoulder, "talk to me please."
"Buckle up."
Grell buckled up and asked again, "What's next, Will?"
"I don't want to talk about this right now."
"Are we really going to leave Claude to Sebby?"
"No point in not doing so… Although I'd prefer if I didn't have to outsource revenge to keep other men's hands off you."
"So that's why…" Grell moved her hand onto William's leg, "Do you actually want to see them get into a cat fight?" O how she enjoyed seeing William being all possessive and jealous.
Yes, of course.
"I'm not interested." William put Grell's hand back to where it belonged, "They can do whatever they want."
From then on, no matter how many gunshots were heard from the manor, or how many men had died, it would be none of Grim Reapers' business.
"Honestly, I'd prefer mutual annihilation."
XXXXX
2011.5.3, 05:18pm, London, William T. Spears's apartment.
The afternoon skies were dark and wet.
William switched on the lamp and reached for his glasses.
Grell lied beside him, still blushing from her post-sex glory.
"Will," She clung on the other man and asked, "are you not going to lie in bed with me?"
William gently shook her off, "In a moment."
"What are you waiting for?"
William was a bit irritated so he put a hand on the redhead's shoulder to keep her from squirming, "I'm expecting a call from Glasgow now. Not a good time."
Grell fell back onto the pillow but appeared on William's shoulder again after a few moments.
Instead of shaking her off, William only warned coldly, "In case you have forgotten, you still owe me a phone."
"How mean, Will… Plus, I thought I've told you a million times to not care about Alan and Eric anymore. Why are you still on it?"
"Am I supposed to follow everything you say? You obviously don't do everything I instructed you… More importantly, I have reached a conclusion earlier today. All I need now is a call to confirm that I was right."
"You sure care so much about being right."
"That is not my concern." William turned around and gently bumped his forehead with Grell's, "I only did it to destroy all those silly aerial castles in your mind once and for all."
That gave Grell a nice shiver, "You really mean it, Will?"
"Yes…" Will answered softly.
"Aww, how cold…" Grell couldn't resist crushing her lips onto William's.
William didn't shun from her.
The two fell back onto the bed again.
But this time, it was Grell who paused with a skeptical look on her face, "Will, do you remember promising me that you'd discuss everything with me from now on?"
"Yes. Why ask?"
Grell wrapped her arms around William's neck, "Because you never told me about your new bank account."
"Bank account?"
"Don't play dumb. I know what you've been doing behind my back… You know, I'm going to be upset if you still keep so many things from me, from your secret study to this secret account."
"What do you think the account was for?"
Grell withdrew her arms and began playing with her red locks, "Well, of course I could come up with somecreative guesses, but…"
William abruptly pulled the redhead back into his arms, "Do you really want to know?"
Grell replied, barely breathing, "Yeah, of course…"
William then tossed Grell's clothes onto the bed, "Get dressed now. I've got something to show you."
"What is it?"
"Something you've always wanted."
Something I've always wanted?! The top three answers on the list was bondage, candles and whip. So she asked, "Wouldn't it be better if I were naked?"
William frowned, "Honestly, what were you thinking?"
"Maybe you should just tell me what it is!"
William took his head and said, "Just follow me down to the garage."