Unlike the first version of this chapter, where it was Nathan's point of view, I have decided to change half of it over to Dell. It makes more sense considering he is around at practically every scene of this chapter.
Like any other day, Dell did his morning routine while listening to the newscast on the radio. Like most other days, the news is about whatever the Church is up to, but Dell is more concerned about the lack of talk about people causing trouble. For others, it's a good sign, while for him, it is troubling. Without news of recent attacks, it means the attackers aren't around anymore.
"Do you think it's as bad they said it was?" Naria asks him from the floor.
Dell hesitates on the answer and eating his breakfast. He does start eating again but cannot bring himself to voice his worries that those stationed around this area might all be gone.
Naira knows though, being his daemon, she is always part of his thoughts, but she does fortunately not speak further about the subject and does him the favor in turning off the radio.
Eating in silence is better than listening to the news. Dell shouldn't get worried, but it's hard not to when so many of those out fighting have become his friends. Two of them especially, and he would never know if they— the phone call breaks the silence, Naria jumps and does a small run under the table. Annoyed that a phone startled him, Dell gets up and answers whoever is calling this early in the morning. "Dell here."
"Mr. Conagher." A male voice speaks in a business tone, instantly clue Dell in who this man might be calling for. "My employer wishes to make a large commission from you and will pay handsomely for the work."
Yeah, it sounds like a Magisterium bootlicker, most likely a Colonel wanting to get a few war zeppelins to impress the higher-ups. Naria grinds her teeth and would've done it on the caller if he has been here in person, but Dell keeps his voice leveled and void of his agitation that the Magisterium does not take a hint. "Certainly, what would your employer like? I have one that offers long travel in stock, or is he more into a larger ship that works as a second home?" He asks all business-like, well aware that's not what this man wants.
"No, he was thinking about something with weapons and—"
"Oh, then you got the wrong zeppelin engineer." Dell purposely interrupted the caller, hiding his smirk behind an apologetic voice. "I only build ships for commercial use, none fit for battle."
"Yes, you have mentioned that in the past" The man replies, now with a colder voice, a growl in the background can be heard. It sounds like the caller is getting just as agitated as Dell is about this old song and dance. "But I am sure you can make an exception. My employee can pay you quite handsomely and knowing your family history—"
"Sorry, but if you want a master engineer in weapons, you gotta ask Frank Conagher." Dell interrupts again, this time with a firmer voice. "I don't build such things." At least not for the Magisterium.
"I am sure we can—"
About there, Dell drops all politeness. "Look, it does not matter how many times you ask or how much money you got. I am not going to build any sort of battle zeppelin." He returns to his table and reaching for his unfinished breakfast. "Tell your boss my answer is no and will stay that way." A bite and when done chewing, Dell adds; "Unless the ship is commercial, then we can talk. If not, find another engineer." and with that, he ends the call.
"Stubborn bastards." Naria remarks up to him, he nods in agreement, but that's just how it is when having a family history such as his. "Better finish up," His daemon tells him while stalking over to the table. "for I am about ready to bite the leg off the table!" Dell chuckles but does finish up and heads to work so to ease his anger. Can't have Naria do end up chewing something, and he has to repair it.
Working on the zeppelin helped his mood, push his negative thoughts about the call aside, and focus on doing something he likes; which is to build. Does not matter what it is; as long he can build, Dell is content. The sound of bell-chime and Dell turns, well aware it's Nathan as it's still too early for costumers. The young man appears at the door and Dell instantly can see that Nathan has gotten into a fight. His face is bruised and the kid is instinctually protecting his left side. "Looks like someone got rolled over by a truck." Naria remarks, and Dell walks over to check on these injuries. "How bad is it?" He asks this reckless young man.
Of course, Nathan tries to avoid the subject of how beaten up he really is. "I'm fine, nothing to worry about." Nathan smiles and makes a move to start working, but before he can, Dell intercepts him by getting in his way, and true to his nature, Nathan objects annoyed. "I told you I'm—" without asking, Dell checks the spot and a simple touch made Nathan jerk and cry out in pain. "Argh, that hurts!"
"Yeah, we can see how fine you are." Naria deadpans, which made Nathan's daemon disappear behind a barrel from embarrassment. The beaver looks up to him, "Better do something about it." Dell will do just that. "Sit." He commands Nathan sternly, ignoring the kid's immature groan and leaves to fetch a special essential oil he brought. It is good for bruised skin or strained muscles. With the bottle in hand, he returns to the now seated young man. "What in sam hill were you thinking boy?" He asks Nathan, harshly as this isn't the first time this kid has gotten into fights. This is however, the worst he has seen and whoever Nathan picked a fight with; sure gave him one hell of a beating. "You can't pick fights with whoever is pissing you off." He pours some of the oil onto a cloth Naria got for him and places it onto Nathan's bruised skin.
The young man jerks from the sudden cold this oil gives off but relaxes when the soothing sensation it causes is registered. "I got a reason this time." Nathan muses. Dell gives him a look and Nathan explains further, "Those guys were hurting someone else. I couldn't just stand by and watch."
No, he supposes Nathan wouldn't. People might shun him, but this young man still got one hell of a sense of justice. Dell locks eyes with Nathan for a moment before he breaks the sharp stare with a sigh. He can't criticize Nathan for this, he did do the right thing after all, but it almost cost him his ribs. "In that case, I won't say anything about your actions." He lets Nathan hold the cloth and leaves the young man so he can open up the shop. Out in the shop, he calls out to Nathan. "But I would prefer if you were a bit more careful in the future! At some point, your luck will run out!"
"I'll try to remember that the next time some asshole decides to torment a defenseless girl!" Nathan calls sarcastically back.
Dell rolls his eyes but is not really surprised by the reply; if he should describe Nathan in one word, it's cheeky.
"Keep up the cheek and we'll make you work regardless the pain." He calls back and Dell chuckles at how that shut the kid up. "Wish it was that easy with his old man." He muses to himself, but apparently, it wasn't low enough.
"Wait... you know my father?" Nathan asks.
Naria lets out a small curse for the slipup, but guess now the cat is out of the bag; Dell reckons he can reveal enough to remind Nathan that only himself is holding him back. "Yeah, I know him." He replies and resuming his work on the zeppelin frame. "We go way back."
"Why did you never tell me about him?"
"He asked me not to." and knowing the question would come, Dell adds to the young man with a smile. "He was afraid stories about him would make you think you lived in his shadow."
With Naria making the knowing remark. "Doesn't that sound familiar?"
Nathan drops his head, but that faint smile does not go unnoticed for Dell, "Yeah, it does." and as Nathan looks back up, the young man has a small frown on his forehead. "So, you owe him? Is that's why you let me get this job even though I don't know frick about machines?"
Of course, he would think it like that, and maybe it's partly true. Dell did accept Nathan as his helper because he's his friend's son. But it has nothing to do with favors. "He only asked me to look out for you, not offering you a job." Dell replies the young man, "In fact," he starts to laugh about the last talk he had to Nathan's father. "He's most likely going to think he owes me for letting you have this job." and eyeing his friend's son. "He has this boring viewpoint that every kind gesture should be reimbursed. But he tends to forget I'm doing this for you, not for him."
"Oh." is all Nathan can say about this— for about five seconds. "What can you tell me about him? How did you meet?"
Dell chuckles but thinks he opened this can of worms enough for today. "Sorry kid, but with the job your old man is doing. Knowing less about him is safer." Nathan is understandably disappointed about the answer, but it just as it has to be. "There's a reason why he left."
"To do this dangerous job?"
"To protect his family." Dell corrects him, and that seems to hit Nathan from how his eyes wide from that reply. Before he can say more about the subject, the doorbell to the shop chines; signing he got a customer. Dell gives Nathan a shrug and leaves to service his customer.
Out in the shop, a familiar face meets him. "Ah, miss Tyrell." He greets this young woman, while Naria is watching the white dog suspiciously, which he calmly ignores. "Here to see the progress of the zeppelin?" Dell asks all business-like, hiding his suspicion. He knows the real reason she's here and it's not for Mr. Loke zeppelin commission; that's just a coverup. She really here to keep an eye on him. The resistance has been wary of him ever since he unofficial started supporting them. Of course, they have their reasons with the parents he got.
"No, I'm here for personal business." She replies and after a small moment of silence. "I've heard the one who helped me last night works here." Her daemon turns his gaze to the door leading into the workshop. Naira warily steps between him and the door.
So she's the one Nathan risked his skin for, well, kid sure got the heart the right place. Brain on the other hand... "Here to check on his work ethic?" He asks and does worry if the resistance finds Nathan as a possible member. Doubt his old man would be happy about that.
"Relax Dell," She assures him with that collective confidence that is second nature for her and her dog daemon shows the same by sitting down, not at all bothered by his daemon's intense staring. "I simply wish to thank him for having gotten me out of a sticky situation."
Yeah, Dell does not believe that for a second. Miss 'Tyrell' is too loyal for the resistance to do anything outside their best interest. But since she's being (as far as he knows) direct to why she's here. Dell supposes it wouldn't hurt, but he will keep a sharp ear on her. He leaves the desk and leads her into the workshop, "He's in here." which straight away catches Nathan's attention. Young man's eyes widened in recognition and it seems he fancy her from how Nalini straightens herself up, trying to look regal in her rabbit form.
Miss Tyrell before confident posture, changes into a somewhat nervous approach, and Dell can't honestly say if it's an act or if she's sincere, for even her daemon is a brilliant actor. "I never got to thank you for saving me." She says, giving Nathan a small smile. "So... thank you."
Dell heads over to his work, but makes sure he can hear their conversation in case she tries to recruit him.
"It's nothing." Nathan brushes her off, "I beat knuckleheads like them for—" the sudden cut of his bragging made Dell turn to where they are. Nathan is hunched from his injured side.
"He tried to look tough, didn't work." Naria whispers to him. Under his goggles, Dell rolls his eyes, "Clearly" and resumes work.
"You're hurt." Miss Tyrell points out in a sad voice. "Ugh. I shouldn't have gone there without support!" This catches Dell's attention. It seems she really got herself into something she couldn't get out of. Maybe this thank is legit. "Anyway, thank you for risking your own safety for me, considering I was ignoring you the last time we met." Dell has to stifle down a small chuckle from that remark.
"Hey, I don't blame ya. It's not like an upper-class daughter would ever give a—"
"oh, I'm not Mr. Loke's daughter, just one of his servants."
This is all just an act, Dell knows this young woman got herself hired by Lenard Loke to use that as her cover while doing her business for the resistance.
"Oh okay, so..." A moment of silence, "what were you doing downtown?" Nathan asks her and Dell will admit that he's curious about that as well, but he stays quiet and pretends to be busy with his work.
"It's embarrassing really." Dell turns to check, Miss Tyrell looks embarrassed but her daemon is calmly watching Nalini trying to impress him by changing into a dog herself. "I was sent out to buy a special fabric for the lady but ended up getting lost." Miss Tyrell lets out a small laugh. "Still new to this part of the city."
"I can show you around if you like." Nathan offers, giving her a toothy smile "I know pretty much every street."
From how she returns the smile with a sweet one, Dell realizes she wanted him to offer her this. She was trying to use Nathan. Can't say he's surprised, but still... "Thanks, I would feel a lot safer." Nathan beams but is quickly replaced with one of horror when Miss Tyrell turns her gaze down to his daemon with; "Quite the unusual daemon you have."
"There's nothing wrong with me; it's just how I am!" Nathan exclaims so quickly that only a fool wouldn't know that people have gotten scared about his ability in the past.
She looks up to him, a small frown of confusion but also got a knowing look in her green eyes. "People are scared of you, aren't they?"
Nathan drops his head, "yeah..." and that's where he seems to realize her indifference about Nalini. "You're not scared?"
Which she returns with a smile, "Should I?" Again Dell can see Miss Tyrell is doing this to get closer to Nathan. He does not like it, but cutting in only will make the young man ask questions he cannot answer. One look at him, and she, fortunately, gets the hint that she's pushing his hospitality. "I better get going. Mrs. Loke is expecting me to babysit while she and her husband are out." and she starts to leave, does stop near the door, where she smiles back to the smitten Nathan. "I will see you soon again?"
"Yeah, sure." Nathan replies and with her gone, he looks at Dell with a wide victory smile. Dell returns it faintly but knows that this resistance infiltrator is not interested in forming a legit relationship with Nathan. He's nothing but an asset to her, but Dell decides to keep that to himself, having no wish to break Nathan's bobble unless she starts using him too often.
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Right as Dell asked him to pack up for closing, the bell at the shop chimes, making both him and Dell turn to the door. Instead of waiting for Dell to come to them, this newly arrived strolls into the workshop. That action catches Nathan's attention. Unlike most customers who are dressed in expensive clothing, this guy is dressed in awful casual clothing. A leather-brown shirt and darker brown pants, and the only thing that might catch people's eye are what Nathan thinks is a cowboy hat, but it's really hard to tell. This new arrived could easily have been mistaken for a shipyard worker with that weatherworn and tan skin from having been outside most of the time, but he does not get the built. Most people at the shipyard a muscular, like Dell. This guy is lanky like him. Nothing special about this guy, could easily be mistaken for a local– if it wasn't for his daemon.
It's a falcon of some sort, not something seen by the city folks. Nathan has only seen such a bird in books but never as a daemon shape. She does not look like the falcon in the book, which was a bluish color. This bird of prey is orange with black spots all over the body. It really got his interest and wonder; 'What personality gives someone a falcon as their daemon?' and knew he would soon find out.
For it looks like this intruder is someone Dell knows as he greets the man with the red falcon like a friend.
"Long time no see Down Under" Dell shakes hand with this weather-worn and lanky man, who replies chuckling: "Sure has, but it seems I haven't missed much."
"Oh hardy hah." Naria responses back, and Nathan notices straight away that this new arrived is used to Dell's daemon's lack of care about that social norm. "At least we're not the one who returns with scars by each visit."
The man barks a laugh at that combat; his falcon daemon casts Naria one look before turning her gaze to him. For such a small bird, that orange falcon sure got one intense stare. Nalini shift, uncomfortable by the stare the other daemon sends their way, all the while unmoving on the man's shoulder. "Each got a story there, mate." Nathan perks up; he recognizes the dialect and realizes this guy must also be from the Kingdom of Auister like his mother's side of the family. Guess that makes sense why he didn't recognize the daemon's animal shape. She must've taken a form from a bird of prey found in the Kingdom of Auister. People's daemons tend to take shape from their home country.
The man from Auister learns up against the worktable in a relaxed manner. "How has work been faring?"
Dell shrugs, "The usual, the rich think I'll give them more than they pay, and the soldiers keep pestering me for a contract; you know how it is." He replies as if this is a daily headache. Nathan will admit he has never paid much attention when his boss talks to his customers as it's really not his business. The new arrived nods he does indeed. Dell utterly abandons his work (which is a rare sight), clearly more interested in speaking with this friend of his. "How's your work been going?"
The man grabs the tip of his hat with a sigh, hiding his eyes underneath it. "It's been bloody hard. The hunts have been shit and lately, it feels more like it's hunting us than the other way around."
"So you're a hunter?" Nathan asks, unable to keep his mouth shut anymore. The man eyes him and like his daemon, those brown orbs are sharp and Nathan doubts much can avoid that gaze. The man simply nods and Nathan's curiosity raises. "Cool, what are you hunting?" Rright about there, Nathan notices that this guy's hat got large teeth around the crown, even has a necklace of the same teeth. His best guess of what animal these teeth come from. "Crocodiles?"
"Among other things." The man replies, he eyes Dell, "Though what I have been hunting lately really likes to tear the party apart."
Not sure what that meant, only it made Dell frown in a way Nathan has never seen him do before.
"It sounds bad." Dell takes a seat and Naria find a spot at his feet; she's fiddling with something. "Anything I can do? Perhaps even the odds against this beast you're hunting down."
The man shifts on his feet, "Maybe..." he muses and glances over to him. Nathan notices suspicious in the man's eyes and he has no idea why. The man turns back to his boss, giving him a look Nathan has no idea the meaning of.
"Best you head home now." Dell speaks, glancing at him.
Knowing something is going on, Nathan hesitates, but a look from his boss, he grabs his jacket and leaves the workshop.
"Let's hear what they got to say." Nalini suggests, and Nathan do just that. He heads over to the front door, opens and closes it as if he was leaving, then waits. He hears Dell say: "How bad are things? I haven't heard about any attacks these past months." Sign they fell for it and as quietly as he could, Nathan sneaks over to the desk. It will allow him to hear the conversation and give him a decent hiding place in case the two got the idea to leave.
"It's worse," The man sighs. "they have wiped out every team stationed here in New France."
"Does that mean...?" Dell asks hesitantly, and Nathan realizes his boss is scared of whatever answer the man will give him.
A moment of silence, "They are all dead. We found Scottie, but sadly he didn't survive his wounds."
"What about Kreel? Surely she must've slipped away."
"Yeah, Spook always said she was bloody good at hiding in plain sight." The man of Austier seemly admitted, but Nathan did not like the tone of his voice, and even though he didn't know the Kreel, he gets the dreadful sense that she got killed too. "But I don't think she got away this time. The whole team got turned into a bonfire." Nathan's eyes wide at what he just heard, realizing that this guy most likely wasn't talking about an animal hunting trip. "I have been trying to call for possible survivors, but those bastards have found and cut our communication."
"Does that mean the Elite...?"
"I don't think the Church got them or found Headquarters." The man replied and this time, he sounds very confident about it. "Only found our communication towers. Which means getting in contact with anyone long distance is out of the window."
What is this? Some kind of group of soldiers? Nathan is not sure and it's not like he can ask his boss and this other guy.
"Do you know how they found the teams?" Dell asks after a moment of silence. "You always said they moved around a lot, and those that don't have reinforced bases. They all had ways to protect themselves."
"You got that right. But it seems like they got themselves a new alethiomist— which is one hell of a chance. Finding people able to read those things are rare." another sigh from the man. "And this one is bloody good at the job..."
"What do you mean?" Dell asks and Nathan would like to know too, even though he does not know half what the man from Auister said.
"Usually, it would take an Alethiomist week to decipher the alethiometer message, and it would give most teams plenty of time to relocate, though halt any major attacks as they require weeks of planning. But this new reader." A moment of silence before the man speaks again. "They are bloody good at their job."
"How many teams are left?"
"Not a bloody clue, all I know that the teams Spook and I helped out are all gone." A tired sigh, one Nathan has heard from his mother when she hears certain news from the radio. "We have lost a lot of good people in such a short time..."
"Anything I can do?" Dell asks quietly. "I may have something that can–"
"No, keep your head down." The man stops Dell in a stern tone. "The Resistance might need your skills, but it's too dangerous for you getting into the fight." Resistance? Does that mean this guy and Dell are part of the terrorists the radio sometimes talk about? No, no, that can't be right. None of them looks like trigger-happy people who want to destroy anything on their path. "I'm only here to update you on the latest events before going after Spook." Who the hell is this Spook?
"You sure I can't persuade you to stay a little while?" Dell asks, sounding like he really would like the company and someone he can talk openly with. "I'm sure, Nathan's old man can do without you babysitting him for a few more hours." Wait what?! Spook is his father?! Nalini changes into a rabbit, and Nathan has to hold her down before she starts running around from this startling revelation.
Good thing too, for the man with the crocodile teeth lets out a bark of a laugher at what Dell said. "Don't let him hear you say that." A moment of silence. "Ah what the hell, been long I last rested in a real bed."
"Knowing you Down Under," By the sounds of it, Dell is closing up shop. Oh uh... "you can sleep wherever, as long you got the hat." Again the man laughs. After a moment, the two head to the main door. "You're lucky; I bought a nice steak at the marked yesterday."
"Better than a proper bed." The door closes, making it hard to hear the last of that conversation, but it did clue him in that they are leaving the area.
Nathan waits a while before he leaves his hiding spot. Nalini takes a swallow form and flies over to the alarm box. "You got three minutes before it starts blaring." She warns him and Nathan hurries over to the front door, but as expected, it's locked. Good thing he always carries a lockpick for such a situation. It takes a bit longer than wanted, but pick it he did and before closing, Nathan makes sure the door locks again. When out, he hurries away from the shop.
The trip back home allowed him time to think and Nathan got many thoughts from what he heard. "I don't know Dell at all." He admits quietly to his daemon, who nods in agreement. From how Dell excluded him and how secretive they both were when he was around, it's clear this is not something he should speak about at home. He doubts his brothers would believe him that his father and boss are part of the terrorists who have for decades harassing the Church and causing discord in society. Nathan never would've thought that Dell was part of them, but he was wrong by what he heard, and then there was the part about his father, like Dell and that man, also part of the terrorists. Nathan wants to ask his mother more about it, but from how Dell had shut that conversation down, it seems this is not a topic he can take up with others, not even his mother. Well not with his brothers around, at least.
"Maybe if we play it smart, Dell might slip up again and tell us more." Nalini suggests and Nathan likes that idea, but he also has to be careful not to reveal he has been eavesdropping on him and that other man.
Nalini takes her dog form, wagging her tail from the excitement he felt of tricking their boss into telling them more about his father. "Let's wait for a day or so." Yeah, perhaps that would be best. Who knows, maybe Dell will reveal what form his old man's daemon has.
Even though it is rather late, it's still early autumn and the winter darkness hasn't yet come, so the sun is still up and allowing Nathan to see the streets of his home city instead of relying on the street lamps he has to during winter. Still cold though, but every city located near the Atlantic inlet has to deal with the cold weather the waters bring with it.
Nathan decides to quickly stop at a shop and buy himself a snack with the money he earns at Dell, and munches it down the moment he leaves said shop, well aware he won't get to enjoy it back home without one of his brothers being an ass and trying to take it from him.
He walks while eating his snack and does not really pay his surroundings much attention. He has been walking down this street ever since he was ten and knows what to look out for.
Right as Nathan trots over to a trashcan for what remains of his now eaten snack, Nalini suddenly starts growling. He turns and spots Lokk and a few of his gang members. The leader smirks at him as if he's walked into their domain or something but this street is part of his gang's turf. Nathan smart enough to know that trying to fight these three alone and in the condition he's in is a foolish idea. "There's not far home; we can get the others." Nalini voices, he agrees with her, turns to speed off but right as he does, someone that looks a lot mangier that Lokk's daemon is at his face and before he can do anything, the man puts him into a headlock and forces a cloth against his mouth. Nathan of course struggles, but only a few inhales of the cloth's fumes and the world go dark.
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The runt drops to the ground and that freakish demon turns docile in reaction to her human's passing out. Lokk smirks at this victory, maybe that gang of brothers won the battle, but he will win the war. Starting by removing one of them and get a nice sum of money for it. He walks over to the man who took the runt out and expectantly stretched his hand out.
This mangy man with a raccoon for a daemon looks like he wants to deny the pay, but Lokk is used to that and a sign, his two members quietly surround the man. "You know the deal." he tells the man.
The lesser Magisterium man glances at them, and his raccoon gets a bit nervous but it does the trick. "Better be worth it..." The man grumbles and throws a nice sized bag over to him. Lokk catches it and cannot stop grinning from the weight he feels from the bag. He would've done this ages ago if he knew how much that freak was worth. "He will," and a nod to his members, Lokk leaves, calling after the man; "You know how to get me if you want more brats!" which has turned into an excellent part time job.
Lokk and his gang celebrated with the money they got for Nathan's capture and hadn't much care they have once again removed someone from their family. Causing endless distress to his family that wouldn't know that their brother and son got taken by people, the children and those gangs living in the area have come to call the Catchers. And those people who hasn't been affected: Rich or strong supporters of the Church, all blissfully unaware about those captured by this branch of the Magisterium, could suffer a fate worse than death.
But even if these people heard how many of the lower class had lost a child to these illusive Catchers, they wouldn't care, nor that yet another mother and four of her sons would search the city far and wide in search for their son and younger brother but destined to fail in finding him.
I thought it was best that Nathan shouldn't be included in the talk about the Resistance. From how I have made future chapters, people of that organization survives by being vigilant to none members. Even if that person is offspring to one of the members. It did allow me to make the conversation between Dell and Sniper much more open than I did last time.