Title: Subterfuge
Prompt 2/10: Chocolate
Update: 8/17/2018
There were a lot of things Alan expected of Richard Mackey. As someone he considered of less moral fiber than his own friend in the more underhanded aspects of business, there wasn't anything the man wasn't willing to do keep the business running on the model he and Dillinger Jr. created in the span of five years. However, the more naive part of him hoped that the information he'd gotten from his wife was altogether wrong, because he wasn't sure what he could do if and when it happened.
(Actually he was pretty sure he couldn't do anything, but the idea that he could kept him afloat.)
FCon was one of the many opponents in the field of games and software development gunning for them. They had the better overall advantage of sweeping in and absorbing the entire business from underneath Flynn's legacy.
Or rather, sweeping the entire business from underneath Flynn's son.
So, of the events he expected to unfold over the course of the day, walking into the last-minute meeting and finding the executives of FCon sitting at the long table, Mackey and Dillinger Jr. hunched over the table, scribbling furiously with their mechanical pins wasn't on the list. The ring leader, Eva Popoff, stood next to Mackey's chair, a look of pride on her face. The older man looked up from the table and elicited a smile from the fiery redhead.
Their hands met, clasping in good nature... and business. Leaning past Mackey, Eva reached over and tried to shake Ed's hand. Dillinger Jr. intercepted her hand, sweeping it into his grasp and pressed the back of her hand to his lips. Alan watched her fingers twitch, and curl underneath her palm, nails pressing into her skin. Instead of being put off (like he expected, because, hey, she was dating his son), she beamed at the young man. "It wonderful seeing you again, Ed," Eva smiled.
"Likewise, Evan."
Alan felt the aftertaste of his chocolate bar go sour in his mouth as he stepped further into the room. "What's going on?" He asked. The energy in the room came to a screeching halt, all eyes directed themselves toward the old programmer like wolves made aware of meat. Eva untangled her hands from Ed Jr.'s, her hair seemed have a life all its own as it masked the right side of her face as she turned to face him. Like a slinky spider, she pushed the papers into her suitcase. "Mr. Bradley, what a surprise. I was told you were out to lunch," Her tone was smoother than refined alabaster.
"I was," He answered, unnecessarily terse. "I just came back. Now, what's happened?"
"Nothing you need concern yourself with, Mr. Bradley," Seth Crown stood from his seat, obscuring Eva from his line of sight. Alan held back a swallow at the man's impressive size and broad figure. "We've concluded our business with Mr. Mackey and Dillinger, so we'll be on our way." He looked to Esmond Baza, who'd chosen to remain seated for the moment. The smaller man rose from his chair and straightened his suit jacket out in a show of frustration. Eva stepped out from behind Crown's figure and proceeded toward the door.
Alan watched her pass with suspicion, a untrustworthy look was rewarded with a small smile and the bow of her head. Eva's hair blocked her face from his view as she stepped out of his line of sight. Seth and Esmond followed after her, the same Cheshire cat looks on their face. When the doors of the room closed, Alan looked to Dillinger and Mackey; the two men were watching him with similar expressions, full of pride and an underlining guilt that was hard to miss with the way their jaws shifted underneath the skin.