"So shall we start?" Katze began banishing the memory after he was invited to retake his seat, "time is precious and I'm certain you as like myself are a busy man."

"Of course," the man with the impeccable golden eyes stated resting the briefcase he had brought with him on the table, "my name is Roland Royce. I'm apart of Ceres' trading enterprise as well as the director for the Business Affair sector. Because it has been newly established I doubt you would have been aware of it at this point."

"No I am still a member of Ceres though not officially. With my ties to Midas I'm prohibited from becoming a part of the new Registrar for Ceres but I'm kept well informed, where possible. I also know who you are, what you do and what it is you represent so let's cut the small talk, no formalities necessary," Katze stated keeping his eyes on the man before him.

He wasn't sure why it was but the guy managed to rub him in all the wrong places. He didn't get that bitter vibe that he used to around those other guys he met with that had an ulterior motif. But he knew something was off, he didn't have blood on his hands but he wasn't squeaky clean either.

"You really are as shrewd as they say," Roland stated a small smile on his face seemed more like a painted portrait than something that was actually there.

"I see my reputation precedes me. But after going through the trouble of grabbing the attention of Blondies I'm certain my crude reputation is what you really want to talk about." Katze stated wanting to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Of course," he pulled several parchments of paper out of his briefcase and handed them Katze, "in fine what we want is to establish a trading union with Midas. But of course we can't do that unless we go through the various powers that rule. We know at this point you have no reason to trust us but we would like to initiate the idea of allowing us to exchange resources. We have no desires to impede on Midas beyond that."

In silence Katze read through all he had before him careful of reading through the fine lines and dissecting the pretty words. In essence it seemed like a pretty promising proposal one that seemed a lot more thought through than he was certain he could even think up.

"I'll have to run this through with my superiors thus I cannot give a definite answer," Katze stated after resting the document on the table over an hour later.

Whoever had drawn up the details for the proposal knew enough to put him or her on Jupiter's black list that much he could grasp since he wasn't exactly focusing on the proposal to establish a trading route but how much they knew of their dealing in it.

"I can't make any promises on this but I will get back on it with their valid response," Katze concluded smoothly.

"I didn't expect an immediate response and as you said time is of the essence and neither of us are very patient men," Roland stated as he closed his briefcase and rested it at his feet, "hopefully we can get a response within two weeks at best."

Katze refrained from twitching an eyebrow in irritation keeping up the professionalism required. Surely the man must recognize that this was no simple matter. Whether he either cared or not was beyond him. Roland didn't seem like a guy you could figure out at just a glance in fact it seemed quite the opposite.

"Please don't keep your fingers crossed on that. Decisions pertaining to these matters are not easily made," Katze stated putting the documents, now his for the keeping, into his briefcase.

"I value my optimism if nothing else. So I hope they don't toss this on the back burner," Roland stated offering a small smirk that irked Katze to no end.

"If this is all I'm left to believe that this meeting is adjourned?" Katze stated ready to put a hole in the forehead of the man that sat before him and save himself from any future dealings with the man.

"Please have lunch with me at least after all what kind of host would I be if I didn't at least have you join me for this much," a silent challenge was issued in those golden eyes.

"There really is no need to-,"

"I truly must insist after all there is something I'd like to ask you about, off the records of course, as one member of Ceres to another," his eyes studied Katze for the slightest reaction, "it pertains to a certain mongrel that goes by the name of Riki the dark."

Katze at that moment knew exactly why he had felt so uneasy but refused to let it show, "what of it?

"Did you happen to know him?"

"Professionally yes he once worked under me as a foot soldier or errand runner, he was one of the best we had," his voice never faltered, "but a year ago he un and vanished. I haven't seen him since."

"Oh," the look in Roland's eyes revealed that he was skeptical.

"Call me inquisitive but why do you ask?" Katze probed rather flippantly.

"No reason in particular rumor had it that he died in Dana Bahn but I doubt a guy like with the reputation I hear he holds could take a fall that deep…well not without a legit reason anyway," Roland stated with his eyes fixed on Katze, "personally though I do believe that he is alive. Like a said I'm an optimist and we would do well to have the former ruler of Ceres on our side where he belongs."

"Riki was no ruler,"

"Not officially. But he had enough influence to have been. He's the kind of guy that fights, we need someone with that fighting spirit, especially now during the reformation," Roland reasoned narrowing his eyes at the red head across from him.

"If I were you I wouldn't hold my breath but I wish you well. People need hope to live as futile as it may be," Katze stated whimsically as he got to his feet.

"And might I add that hope is not to be trifled with," Roland state to Katze's back, "and besides finding Riki is now our top priority regardless of where it is he may be hidden. I'm certain that we will find him; his place is here in Ceres, dead or alive. And you Katze are no different"

Katze glanced over his shoulder only to feel a shudder run up his spin. Eyes of the darkest gold filled with menace promising pain the likes of which he had never seen stabbed daggers into him. He gladly returned the favor, he had been to hell and back and whoever this guy was would have quite a lesson to learn since someone failed to tell him.

He would have to keep an eye on Riki and an ear out for Roland from now on.

Chapter

Chaos was the order of the day. Eos' security system had been breached and Riki was nowhere to be found. Only a minute after the discovery and they had all found themselves in meeting called to order by Orphe and in the omnipotent presence of Jupiter. The air was tense amongst the Elites seated in the room as the listened to one vase shatter to another around. The windows had already been completely destroyed when they had arrived.

Orphe continued his dictation of the report of the security breach most of which had eluded their attention as they ever so frequent stole glances at the stoic figure at the head of the head of the tabled that seemed to be the very embodiment of silent rage and malice.

According to all that was being lamented by Orphe the culprit had been apprehended before they had take two steps after trying to take advantage of the security rotation flow through Eos that only shifted twice every six months. Now the trespasser were left at the mercy of Raoul under Jupiter's order which was the worst possible option of interrogation at the end of which they'd be nothing short of a shadow of their former selves.

Jupiter was nothing short of pissed and even the blind could see it.

Of course they were all stabbed with rage and guilt for reason that was beyond them. Thoughts, that they were not sure were their own, reeled on and on. They should have done more to keep Riki safe to keep the future of their Syndicate within their sights; they should have done more to keep their children safe.

It was wrong to think such thinks but they made any move to correct themselves. It was wrong yes, but it felt so right. The thought of having a child of their own to pass on their legacy when their time expired sparked flames of envy in them they wished they never had. Was it wrong to desire what Iason had; the title of the favorite son, deviance that feared not the penalties for breaking the rules (or bending them as he often liked to say), a pet turned lover who was as dumb as a block of brick. Better said he had a lover who loved him in returned not because of the status of power he held, one who was going to grant the lucky devil the first off spring in Blondie history.

They banished the thought. Surely if Iason knew of them it would be the death of them all. Surely if he happened to overhear such things there be no telling what he'd do to them…

A vase sitting at the center of the table shattered dragging their attention. There was silence. For a brief moment they would have thought that…their eyes strayed to Iason.

Iason was no different from Jupiter passive on the surface but still letting his rage be felt as he sat in silence his face revealing nothing but they were certain that the temperature in the air condition room had dropped at least another thirty degrees since they had entered the room to see Iason exactly as he was now.

A few moments later Orphe called the meeting to a close saving them all from what felt as though would have been a massacre in the making. Leaving Iason whose lover was missing and Orphe the head of Security in silence they departed, knowing what was to transpire next, though it ached them in places they didn't know they possessed to confess, that it was now a meeting between only whom it may concern.

Iason grimaced paced his office infuriated fighting every fiber of his being so as to not go after Riki. They had found nothing on the tracer, which either indicated that it was disabled or broken. He raked a hand through his hair. Not only was Riki M.I.A but so was Hades. He sighed taking a breath to center his thoughts on Riki once again. The steady pulses of a heart beat and a fainter trace of fainter ones sought to sooth him for only a moment. Like this he could share in Riki's emotions and if he could focus enough he could hear his thought. At least right now Riki seemed calm, bemused to some extent and a bit uncertain at another.

Iason braced on his desk. To think that Riki would pull a stunt like this at a time like this unnerved him. He knew that Riki was willful and stubborn enough to make a world record but this was ludicrous. He could fall into labor at anytime and at this point anywhere.

According to Raoul's last examination after the ultrasound was done, the birth might cause a few complications especially with the knowledge the ultrasound had revealed. Unlike most human births with the slow pace of development the fetus had started out with the delivery date might be pushed back for a month or two during which time Riki would be bedridden unable to bear the strain. However there was also a good possibility that the birth stayed on course and Riki would deliver with nine months.

With that thought in mind Iason had thought for sure that Riki would toss away the thought of leaving Eos at least until after the delivery had fallen through. Iason grimaced inwardly at the prospect of how foolish he had been to believe that foolish thought.

He knew that if he set his mind to it then he could find Riki without hassle but for now he had to stay put. It was Jupiter's order for him to stay put, he should not be perturbed. If it was Riki who willing left then hopefully he would willingly return but if he had been taken, as highly unlikely as it were then, he shouldn't reveal how much concern the held and offer them the upper hand.

He took a seat behind his desk with his usual grace. He needed to remain calm about this. It wasn't as though Guy had somehow managed to saunter into town and steal Riki away yet again. This time the grimace he hid so well did show. Just the thought of that deranged fool made his blood boil. The unseen lights that illuminated the room flickered in response to his fury. The sense of Déjà vu that surrounded him wasn't doing much to aid in alleviating his insecurities.

"Is this a bad time?" Orphe questioned as he entered silently.

"This is as good as it'll get until the issues has resolved," Iason stated as the lights returned to their normal state, "What did you find out?"

"Raoul's report on those two that managed to almost breach security on the first floor," Orphe stated watching as Iason took to pacing the room once again, "according to all the memories Raoul had managed to pillage through before they flat lined, they worked for that group of delinquents Dead beats. The aim was to plant a fare amount of C4 at certain points they assumed to be blind spots, in and out within five minutes."

"Any names, possibly a leader? Do they have any ties to Ceres?" Iason questioned caught in his maddening prowl across the room.

Although he really doubted that the new leader in Eos would have anything to do with this. From all he had gathered from Katze's report on the meeting and the proposal that was still seated on his desk they were far too intellectual to try something so under hand. Whoever composed the initiative of the proposal knew that trying something like this would be like a declaration of war, a war they would lose with no chance of winning. It would clearly have given Jupiter a reason to obliterate them without remorse or regret and the bearer of hells wraith would be none other than her favorite child who would have been far too happy to see it through. There would be no questions, no attempt at negotiation and that far too well planned negotiation would have been for nothing.

When he had read it through it had felt as though he had been in a discussion with Jupiter herself. The irrefutable facts left it to be nothing short of an order than a negotiation. It seemed like something of his own making though the initial style was left blunt and the idea it posed was as bold as any he would have posed. No, whoever wrote it, whoever this leader, Fate, was, was far more intelligent and strategic in his moves to have made such a mistake.

"At the moment no such thing points to these lackeys being connected to Ceres. Apparently Dead Beat is a rebel group aimed at the destruction of the society Jupiter has established. These two are mere foot soldiers they didn't receive their orders directly from their leader," Orphe stated monotonously, "at the moment Jupiter wants a hush operation, covert and inconspicuous. Rest assured no stone will go unturned, whether he is here in city or elsewhere will be uncovered within a few moments. Until then I beg of you to remain patient."

Iason continued to pace the room in silence as Orphe left as silently as he came.

Patience wasn't what brought him this far especially when he wasn't a patient person to begin with especially when it Riki. Adding children to the equation turned one of the most influential figures on this side of the galaxy into a very troubled man who so happened to be discovering he had some very disturbing abilities.