"Welcome, welcome. Good to see you all back. Welcome home – and my what a lovely home it is. I do appreciate being made so welcome and comfortable here. So charming. But please, Marius Junior here has just dropped off to sleep, so perhaps we can all use our calm voices, eh?"
Marius stared at the man, along with the rest of the team, as he spoke. He sounded calm, confident and composed – and they had no idea who he was at all. The man made eye contact with Nadia and then looked down at the broken cup on the floor.
"Oh – let me go get something to clean that up!" Nadia nodded, then left the man holding her baby, wandering towards the kitchen, stopping only for a brief peck on the check to her husband as she passed.
"I am not sure that I, or any of us here were responsible for inviting you in. But, here you are. Speaking of which – who are you?"
"Well, it's a lovely place you have here. A ranch, surrounded by nature. The horses. Wild vistas, far out from the city. Beautiful. And such a good place to bring up a little one like this, away from the pressures of the big city. Aswon…" the man shifted his gaze. "Could you perhaps get everyone a drink? You all look a little…well, ragged around the edge. I'm not surprised of course, you've had a long night, haven't you?"
"I guess." Aswon stared at him for a moment, but then turned to head into the kitchen, following Nadia. The rest of the group shifted uneasily – not understanding who the man was, but cognisant of the fact that he held Marius' child in his hands. Shimazu had him fixed with a stare and his right hand hung by the side of his body, ready to draw his sword if it became necessary. They also were unsure of what was going on with the two older people – but the German words for Mother and Father were close enough to English that they could work out what they were, though they had no idea on the impact of them being spoken. The woman was still staring at Marius, her jaw trembling a little, while the man had moved to wrap an arm around her shoulders, and was standing stoically as the situation developed.
"There's something magical about children, isn't there. Capable of so much chaos and noise, but also so much beauty and calm. Would you like to hold him?" He started to lift the baby out from his body, carefully moving his arms to cradle him gently as he passed him over to Marius who moved in automatically to take the child. "We must be careful, of course. They can be so...fragile, can't they?" The words were spoken in the same voice, but Marius felt a chill shiver run down his spine, and he quickly scooped up the baby from the man's arms, transferring him to his shoulder and snuggling the baby in tightly. The man turned to the older couple, and continued to talk, without missing a beat. "You must be very proud of your son. Very proud indeed. He's made a deep, personal sacrifice for the corporation. For a while, you lost a son – or so it felt. But he lost his entire family when he left, wandering alone for a while."
"But now he is restored to you, and not only that but you have gained a daughter, and now a grandson." His voice took on a lighter tone, as if just relaying some good news about a break in the weather, or some goods being back in stock again. Nadia returned with a dustpan and brush, and started to clean up the debris, carefully scooping the broken shards of the cup into the container, before standing and noticing that everyone seemed to be looking at her.
"What?"
"But it gives me great pleasure to see you reunited - or indeed united. Three generations of a family, all together, in the same place." The older couple gave a slight gasp, as they looked from Marius to Nadia and back again, seeing him nod in confirmation. Nadia suddenly caught up with the conversation and her head whipped around to face her husband's parents as the relationship clicked into place. She swung back to stare at Marius and the edge of a frown crept onto her face, indicating that someone was going to get a stern talking to later…
"Oh, oh no… I'm so sorry – this has, of course, come as something of a shock for you all. But it's important for you to all understand, that I very much wanted to reunite you all. To see the joy on ALL of your faces. But also to make you understand the stakes of what is at risk here. Lives are on the line, so many lives. This is a dangerous world in which we live, and human lives are so…fleeting. So fragile."
"I still do not know your name, sir." The courtesy at the end had an edge of steel to it, and Marius wrapped his arms protectively around his son, glancing over to check the positions of his parents, his wife, the rest of the team. There was a subtle motion as Hunter shuffled to one side, opening up a tiny little bit of space, while Shimazu shimmied the other way, making sure he had room to swing.
"Oh but of course, how silly of me. My name is Hans Brackhaus." He grinned, and the others in the team glanced over as Marius made a strange noise, almost like a tyre deflating. For a moment he looked as if he'd been poked in the solar plexus, a look of discomfort crossing his face. He closed his eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath, opening them again slowly and staring at their 'guest', clear and cold blue eyes staring into the slightly luminous golden orbs of the suited visitor.
"Ok, Mr. Brackhaus. It is perhaps time to lay our cards on the table." Mr. Brackhaus swiftly patted his pockets in a theatrical fashion, before smiling at Marius.
"I'm sorry – I have no cards to play. I'm more of a dice man, really. Rolling a dice to take the time to come here, to meet you, see what's going on. You've been making quite a name for yourself. All of you have." His eyes flicked around to the rest of the group. To the side, Marius' parents stood quietly, watching the situation with deepening frowns. They could see that there was something going on here that involved them, but was beyond them, a whole layer of unspoken communication. Both were very intelligent, and had reached fairly senior positions within Saeder-Krupp – and their political antenna were twanging as if they were in a den full of politicians scheming the night before an election.
"I wanted to come and check on you. Personally. To see what's going on. You've made a beautiful family, and you - " he gestured at the rest of the team, including Aswon as he returned with a tray of drinks, "all of you have banded together it seems. Admirable. But as it happens, I've come here to find out if you need anything. I wanted to come and show you…my sincerity. How much I care."
"If you're offering help with some of the situations we're facing, then I'm willing to enter into discussions, though I'm not sure how I'd pay for them." Tads said, her voice fading away as Marius swung around to face her, eyes blazing with obvious anger.
"But of course! I mean, a hero of the Russian Federation? A saviour of the people? It would be my honour to assist you!" Tads blinked in surprise at the sudden revelation, and looked around at the others, taking in their expressions as well. She had no idea what the name 'Brackhaus' meant to them, but it was clear to her that it meant something, and she wondering how big of a mistake she'd just made.
"Can we discuss this?" The question was more aimed at Marius, than Mr. Brackhaus. "Can we share our problems?"
"Are you out of your mind?" Marius didn't sound angry now – but genuinely bemused. As if he could not understand how Tads did not comprehend what she was doing.
"I understand that this might be making some of you uncomfortable – though some of you are, of course, as cool as cucumbers, it must be said." His eyes flicked around the team, briefly meeting their stares. "I could leave the room if you wish, to allow you to discuss things?"
"Well… nasty magical things. Evil creatures…" Her voice faded away again, certainty wavering as she caught the mood of the others.
"Evil magical creatures? Terrible. Shocking." The voice said the right things, but it lacked a certain level of sincerity, and the mouth was slightly upturned in a very sardonic grin.
"Perhaps we could step outside for a few minutes. Take a walk. Discuss matters."
"Of course, Marius. There are some of my people outside, but I will ask them to keep back, out of earshot. They get very nervous when I am out and about in public."
"You're just going outside for a quick… walk, Marius?" Kai studied his face and body language, searching for the slightest sign of a coded message or sign to attack – or do anything.
"It is fine, Kai. We will talk, I am sure." He turned to head to the back door, then paused and handed over the baby to Nadia, taking the dustpan and brush in exchange, before placing them on the table as he passed. "This way, Mr. Brackhaus. If you please."
"Of course, Marius. Lead on."
Hunter sauntered after them, taking up a position near the back door and looking out of the window to the rear of the property, watching as the pair wandered away from the house. He could see a pair of humans in suits further away, watching carefully. He heard the sounds of someone taking the stairs three at a time, and knew that Aswon was heading up to the first floor at a run.
"Got two goons out the back. Suits, eyes are constantly moving. Bodyguards of some kind. Bulges under the jackets, gotta be packing some heat."
"Got one more on the south side, looking around. Wait one… yeah, one to the front as well. Suspect we've got one north too. Checking the back."
"Do we attack?" Shimazu asked quietly.
"I think we need to be careful. Marius has his entire family here – and that's no accident. But there's also Rusudan and his family, too. I don't know for sure who they are, but these guys are pros. Very controlled movements, but they're gliding around the place. Top end wires or reflex boosters. And… oh drek. Ok, we've got a sniper out on the hill. Just caught a glimpse of them in astral. Not spotting them in the physical world, they're well concealed."
"What is going on? I don't understand who this Mr. Brackhaus is?"
"Tads – we might be in a lot of trouble. You know that Marius used to work for Saeder-Krupp, right? And he left, to get away from what they were doing. Let them believe he was dead, so they wouldn't use his family against him? Well, that's not the case any more…" Aswon sighed. "And there are rumours. Mr. Brackhaus might be a corporate fixer, a middle-man – sort of like Germaine, but only working for Krupp. Or he could be a drake, a senior captain working for the head office. Or… and nobody has ever confirmed this. Or he could be Lofwyr, the dragon. The owner of the whole corporation."
"I'm getting nothing from him at all. Nothing except what he wants me to see. It's like trying to read a block of ice." Kai muttered, frustration leaking through his normal composure.
"The same. Calm, competent, confident. No spikes, no alarms. Nothing useful coming off him at all," Shimazu added, "he's either crazy and convinced about his own skills and abilities – or he's a lot better at masking his emotions than we are at reading him!"
The parents glanced at each other, watching as Kai, Tads and Shimazu seemed to just stand there, their jaws working silently as they exchanged glances. The team paid them no attention, not realising that their sub-vocal communications made them look like they were on the verge of fitting. Instead they turned to Nadia, examining her in a new light. They'd found her to be a polite, friendly and helpful hostess in their stay at the Ranch so far – but that was before they knew that she was now their daughter-in-law.
"So. You are married to our son?"
"Ahh, yes. It seems that way. And it's now clear that Mr. Brackhaus made a corporate booking and neglected to detail all of the details of the people staying for a reason…"
"Ach – I was not aware of that. But it does explain things. Though, of course, Schroder is not that uncommon as a name."
"Perhaps. I would still have found it unusual, though. But yes – and this is Marius Junior. Would you like to hold him?" Despite any reservations they may have had about the situation, it appeared that the familial bonds seemed to overcome any immediate concerns, and she handed over the baby to her mother-in-law, watching carefully as she cooed over the baby.
"So – Mr. Brackhaus. Why are you here. Really. And what is it that you want?" Marius walked along slowly, not aiming to be anywhere in particular, his gaze fixed on the horizon. He wasn't sure exactly who this incarnation of Mr Brackhaus was, but he was certain he wasn't going to be able to read him for information – not if both Shimazu and Kai had come up blank.
"You must understand, Marius, that this offer is a genuine one. Sincerely." Mr Brackhaus gestured to the south-east. "Shall we head towards the elemental grove you have set up? It's such a nice place. Makes you feel alive to be surrounded by such raw nature, does it not?"
"No. But as you wish." Marius adjusted course slightly.
"You, right now, right here – you're in a position to load the dice. Not only that, but also to choose when you roll the dice – and that's a rare opportunity. I'm in a position to help you, and that also is a rare opportunity. I'm here to help you understand. You are valued. What you are doing is important."
Marius listened, and his suspicious mind filed away the conversation in exact detail. He noted that Mr Brackhaus didn't claim that he was valued *by him*. Or that what they were doing, whatever that was, was important to Mr. Brackhaus, or Saeder-Krupp. Now that his baby was not in immediate danger, his brain was running as fast as it ever had, trying to pick up on every nuance, every little detail, trying to establish just what kind of threat this was.
"We can help. Saeder-Krupp is a vast organisation, as you are all too well aware. The resources available are almost limitless – if it is deemed appropriate. We can be an ally such as you could only ever dream of – or something else. It is your decision as to what that is… but I remind you that you're not getting any younger. Now I mean this – that is not a threat. It's an objective statement of fact. But you have a family to protect, mouths to feed. Nappies to buy. You must think about these things. On the subject of nappies, are you going for disposable, or are you recycling? I could maybe send some down to help you out."
Marius struggled to keep his brain focussed, not taking the bait to speculate on what that meant, or to be distracted by the semi-random question.
"I leave that kind of decision to Nadia. As you are well aware, I am often away from this place, and she is entrusted to look after the child in my absence." He paused for a moment, seeing if there would be a response, but when none came he decided to at least test the waters on where Tads had been steering the conversation – it seemed as good a place as any other to start. "So – this surprisingly generous offer. Is this because of the entities that we seem to keep encountering? The alien creatures that cross our paths. Or is this some personal mission for you – or your master?" He wondered if he'd get some kind of indication on that last point, and if he could trust the answer if he did.
"You must understand that these things… they come from the outside. From Beyond. They seek to destabilise the situation. To bring change. Not chaos – far from it. Order. Terrible order. The Suffering. It is… not conducive to good business. To control. It interferes with my… with my employers plans. And by extension with your plans. You're still on the payroll, Marius. Consider your absence nothing more than a brief hiatus. But those things are concerning to us. To Saeder-Krupp. So what you are doing is good for us all. Good for business. And what's good for business is something we need to encourage – which is why I'm here to help. Our business is humanity, after all. So really it's in our interest. Surely you can see that."
Marius listened, trying to keep his face expressionless as he heard the 'correction' as to who the plans were affecting, trying to work out if the statement was intentional, or a mistake. A decoy or a subtle admission of his real identity. With a flash of insight he realised it didn't really matter. Even if this was just a fixer, sent to deliver a message – he was working on behalf of Lofwyr, and no doubt would report to him – so whether he was actually dealing with the Dragon disguised in meta-human form, or just a human proxy, it worked out the same in the end, and he should proceed as if he was talking with the single wealthiest and probably the most powerful single creature on the face of the planet. Of course, that didn't mean that he was going to roll over and show his belly, or fawn over him.
"Even if I were to believe, even for a minute, that what you propose is a genuine offer – and remember that I have seen much of the corporate structure and the machinations that are carried out by corporate assets – you have to admit that the company has a record of 'cleaning house' and disposing of assets when they are no longer useful."
"Perhaps. But let us think about some of the projects you have destabilised or effected recently. An entire mountain in Nigeria that still has its top, thanks to you – and millions upon millions of Novatech Nuyen scattered all over the landscape, personnel reassigned, demonstrations and public relation nightmares. Or perhaps certain members of your crew becoming matrix sensations for their horrific assaults of a testicular nature? I believe that clip has now been seen more than fifty-three million times on various matrix sites, and is the basis for over three dozen different memes indicating a variety of emotions and desires."
"I would not know or care about such things. I am just a pilot."
"Oh come now, Marius. You're so much more than that. Pilot, father, husband, son. They all have responsibilities don't they? Don't you feel the need to make a better world for your son? To leave a brighter future for him? We do…"
"I believe that what you… or your employer…" Marius leaned into the conceit, not really caring now which way it went, "want to do what is good for business. And yes, I agree – the resources available to Saeder-Krupp are enormous. Almost beyond comprehension, even for someone like myself, someone with an inside view. But my concerns are more immediate and local. I struggled to get out from under the corporate thumb once, to seek safety for my family – for both parts of my family. I will NOT get dragged back in, kicking and screaming, into that situation again." Marius paused, wondering how his statement would be taken. Lofwyr had a reputation for getting what he wanted, and not taking no for an answer. Even the smallest dragons were creatures of incredible power – but Lofwyr was a great dragon, some kind of superior being, even amongst their own ranks. He'd not seen footage of Lofwyr in his natural form, but there was footage floating around of other 'great' dragons, and any creature that was forty metres long and could breathe fire was impressive. But the rumours also said that their intelligence was unmatched amongst any creature that walked the earth, and their magical skills would make Tads look like a child playing make-believe. Given that he had first-hand experience of some of the physics-defying stunts that she could pull off, that probably scared him more than anything else. How could he fight a creature that could just decide that up and down should now be left and right, and make it happen?
"You have to understand, that nothing you have done is by chance. Nothing by accident. You were placed into a situation, and took advantage of it. Showed initiative. Took actions that you felt made sense, and gave you the best possible chances. That's what we call a 'go-getter'! Commendable. Something we try to encourage. You saw an opportunity and seized it! We're fine with that, really we are. But you're still a corporate man. Your parents are still card-carrying Saeder-Krupp employees. Very good ones, too. Your wife is now working with us. Your child – well, that remains to be seen. But you have to understand that if you get caught, it you are discovered by your – our – enemies, that they are at risk. It could be bad for them. Again – I say this not as a threat, but as objective fact. If there is one thing, just one thing you take at face value today, Marius, it should be this. They would be at risk. Others may join up the dots and see the picture, and threaten them. I can offer our protection, do our best to keep them safe. I can promise to protect them as if they were my own family. But we have to work together for that to happen. We have to communicate. Wouldn't you rather have a matrix address, a comm-code, a dead-drop location… some method of getting in touch, knowing that you could call on someone to help keep them safe?"
"You would promise to protect my family?" Marius wasn't sure about the power of promises – he certainly didn't think that it was anything but his honour at stake for breaking his word. But he'd spent enough time around Tads and the other magically touched members of the team to know that they had different opinions. If there was some truth to what they said, and some chance that a promise given could actually have some power – from such a creature – then even though he loathed the situation he found himself in, that might still be worth something.
Probably.
"I would. It's up to you to decide how much value you place in that promise." Mr. Brackhaus smiled at Marius, and Marius wondered if it was coincidence, or if he was reading his mind. If he was, then there was probably nothing he could do about it, and a grim realisation set in, making him sigh. He wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a test, but despite his protestations about being a dice man, it felt very much as if he was playing cards but had stacked the deck heavily in his favour. "Marius. We're here for the species. We're playing for the long term. This jewel we live on, floating through space – it's the only one we have, right now. Your heart – it's in the right place, I think. You know what needs to be done. You just have to reach that decision on your own. And I can understand that. Nobody likes to be forced. But sometimes you have to think of the bigger picture."
"Very well. I will assume then, that this is a legitimate offer of help from Saeder-Krupp. That you have agreed to help us deal with these creatures, these 'horrors'. But we are not going to be working as employees, or even contractors. We must be free agents, able to move around as we need to, following up on our work. We are not Saeder-Krupp assets, to be used at a whim, despatched by some manager that is just seeking to balance numbers on his system. If that is the case – and that you will keep a discreet but helpful eye on my family if something happens to me… then yes. Yes, I can agree to the offer that is on the table."
"Well, we're more of a hands-off operation in this case. You've been in the corporate maze before, and you've seen how the system works. But it's better if you're not in it, at least now. If you were, we might as well hang a neon sign over your head proclaiming your corporate affiliation. And while there are circumstances where that might help, there are just as many, if not more, where that would be a hindrance. But I appreciate your principles in stating your requirements, and we also value that."
"Ok then. If you give me your solemn word, that you are happy with what we do, and that this is a genuine offer with no strings – then I will recommend this to the team. But if there are strings attached here, then you know I will not take it – and you may as well get back onto your chopper with your men."
"Come now, Marius. You know that I'm going to say yes here, and that you will have to take me at my word. Really there's no choice, is there? But let us shake hands on this and walk away, and at least work on some semblance of trust. After all, your wife trusted me to hold and nurse your child. You should trust me too." Marius frowned as Mr. Brackhaus reminded him of the situation, then pursed his lips. He knew he was being manipulated, and he really didn't like it. It was possible that he and the rest of the team could take down Mr. Brackhaus if he wasn't actually a drake or a dragon, neutralising him and the security team. But that wouldn't stop the reinforcements, and he had to think of his family. His jaw tensed for a moment, and then he realised he was grinding his teeth together and made a conscious effort to relax.
"Fine. Let us return to the others, and I will recommend that we… associate ourselves with you."
Mr. Brackhaus extended a hand to Marius, and the pilot took it reluctantly. He half-expected it to feel cold and inhuman, or possibly even scaly – but it felt just like a regular flesh and blood limb, as far as he could determine.
"You won't regret this. It's great to have you back in the family. Now – let's get back to the ranch. I've got a strudel cooking in the oven, and it should be about due out!" They turned and both strode back towards the ranch. Marius walked quietly, his thoughts racing as he replayed the conversation and tried to work out just what the implications where for what had occurred, but Mr. Brackhaus whistled quietly as he walked, a medley of folk tunes from Germany that were reproduced with perfect pitch and tone. As they reached the corner of the building, the back door opened to Hunter's touch, and he gave Marius a look, deliberately ignoring their guest. Marius gave him a brief nod, trying to convey that he was as ok as the situation would allow, and Hunter returned it, moving back and out of the way to let them enter.
"Oh, Kai – I don't suppose you have clean hands do you? I could do with a hand dishing up the strudel?"
[I don't see that we have much choice. Not right now. We need to take this on face value and hope that we can detect whatever trap this may be when the time comes] Marius sent his thoughts over the link to Hunter, not trusting the general team comms for this. He wasn't even sure that thinking it was safe – but it wasn't as if it was unexpected, and if their guest was a dragon – well, he should know better. He glanced over to see that Mr. Brackhaus had lifted a large ceramic dish out of the oven, filling the kitchen with the smell of freshly-baked apples and cinnamon. He opened a drawer and pulled out a large carving knife and a spatula, then waved the knife in the air.
"I appreciate you might want to discuss this amongst yourselves, without feeling rude or constrained. So why don't I just cut this up, and perhaps Kai can find some dishes or something to serve into? And then Marius can tell you if he's coming back to work in a nice little cubicle or not. We do have dental, after all!" He gave a wry little chuckle to himself, then started to slice up the food.
"If you think that Marius would be happy in a cubicle, then I think your assessment or knowledge of him might not be as good as you think it is!"
"Well, Tads, there are cubicles, and then there are cubicles. Sometimes, we're in a box but we don't realise it because of how big it is. Either way, at least it's not a gulag, eh?" He finished slicing, and then motioned for Kai to bring over some bowls. "Come now. Enjoy. I'll just step outside – have no fear, I'm sure my dashing guards will keep me safe – so there's no need to worry, Shimazu. Nothing bad will happen to me, so you don't need to be concerned! I'll return shortly, once you have discussed things frankly." He smiled at Shimazu who just stared at him, and the rest of the team wondered what fresh barb he'd just tried to sink. "It's ok – Marius did very well in his negotiations. He's squeezed very hard, gotten a great deal. He's squeezed so hard in fact, that I wondered if he was Hunter for a moment there! But of course, it wasn't to the delicate areas, was it…?"
Marius held open the back door, watching as Mr. Brackhaus laid down the knife and strode out of the kitchen, then gently closed it behind him.
"Ok…."
"So – what have you signed us up for, Marius. We caught a lot of what you were saying, but nothing from his side. And you didn't sound happy with any of it."
"Well, he's telling us he is on the level. Because of what we have been doing about these creatures, these horrors… that he will leave us alone, mostly. Support us."
"Is he jealous because Ares have been helping us? Seriously… that's not a joke. Is it a dick-waving competition and he's gotten involved because another corp has?"
"It is possible, Hunter. I do not know – not for sure. I am not sure we will ever be sure – not until it is too late, anyway. But he implied several times that he was happy with what we were doing, and would support us. Never explicit and firm on the specifics. But they will help – rather than squashing us like bugs."
"Other than showing up here and implying that they could. Or might still."
"As to who it is – I am not sure. He asked to walk to the garden area, the place built for the mages. Claimed not to be a practitioner, but I have no idea what to trust there."
"Well, I gave his aura a once-over, and I got nothing from him – nothing that I don't think he wanted me to see, anyway. He's either one of the coolest and most self-assured people I've ever met that's punching way above his own weight, or he's advanced enough with his skills in magic that he can run rings around all of us. I got that, and I think Shimazu got the same kind of feeling." Aswon glanced over to Shimazu and got a nod of confirmation. "So, I don't trust him either. But we've met what… three… no, four now. We're pretty certain, or as far as we can be really, that we've run into Lung and Ryumyo, back in Japan. And then Aden, up in the mountains near Tehran. Oh – and Icemaiden, north of Seattle. She's not one we'd heard of before, so she's not a 'great', not like the others. Oh – and what looked to be Hestaby down in Nigeria. But if this is Lofwyr, than that takes us to being our fifth great dragon we've done business with, and sixth overall."
"And six too many." Marius snarled suddenly, before taking a deep breath and calming himself.
"Well… as long as this one knows we're not his pets, and not here to do his bidding… I'm not sure it makes the situation any worse, having worked for five instead of four." Aswon shrugged. "If his Nuyen is good, and we're not betraying our principles, then is it any different from any other employer? I'm not sure we should go around courting any more dragon attention, but if we've got it, then we should deal with it."
"He knows where we live. Where my parents and my sisters live. Where my wife and child lives. And he has made it clear that human life is 'fragile'."
"Yes, he did. But he also didn't just fireball the whole place. Take your wins where we can get them. We saw the ruins of Tehran – so we know what Dragons are capable of when they're pissed off… The question I have is, this deal – do we have to ask for specific things? For jobs? How is this going to work."
"They seem to be happy having deniable assets fighting the 'good fight'. Much like any other Shadowrunners working for a corporate presence."
"Well, we do have a track record of running into weird shit, it seems. We set out to be smugglers, but it does seem that we're embroiled in some strange goings on." Aswon shrugs. "I don't know why, but if it's going to get us pay and support, then maybe it's worth it."
"Just how bad are these horror things? I had assumed there was just one – the one we found in the temple. But now we know there are at least two. Are there more?"
"I don't know. We know that at least some dragons are interested in them. Maybe some of the elves too – that Eihran bloke. We maybe need to start doing some more digging, a bit of research. People that seem to be important, seem to think these things are a problem, or want to do something about them." Aswon looked over at Hunter.
"Yeah, yeah… I'll add it to the list. You know how many crazies I'm going to end up talking to finding out about this?" Hunter's grin faded away a little. "Of course, that's nothing if we find out that some of those crackpot theories are true…"
"The question is, of course, what the cost is going to be. Because he might say there's no strings attached – but there's a reason the people say 'never cut a deal with a dragon'… just because we've had some success in the past I think is more because of what they wanted, not what we wanted." Aswon looked around as he heard a scraping sound, watching as Kai pulled out a chair and sat at the table. The team leader didn't say anything though, just waved for Aswon to carry on, which he stared into space, apparently deep in thought. "So yeah… what's the price. That's what bothers me."
"Well, it's pretty obvious what part of it is. Bringing Marius' parents here is about the most blatant veiled threat going."
"We're fucked in every single direction." The normally precise diction and articulate vocabulary was notable by its absence, making the outburst from Marius all the more telling. His skin remained the same colour and texture – they weren't sure if he could flush with the replacement dermal sheath, but they could tell that he was irate and would have been flushed if he were capable of it.
"If there's nothing you can do to avoid this – why not push in. You're screwed no matter what you do? Ask for everything you can then. Take advantage of it, as best you can. Maybe you can make it suck less."
"I suppose so, Tads. I still do not like it. We have seen first-hand how people get hooked after dealing with the likes of the Triads, the Mafia. Once you are in bed with the devil, you cannot get out. And the corps make those crime outfits look like amateurs. Do you think this Brackhaus is going to take no for an answer?"
"No." Kai's voice cut across all of them, and they turned to look his way. He'd been remarkably quiet for the last few minutes, and like the others, his demeanour was far from its usual. Normally he could be relied upon to be somewhat irreverent, no matter how serious the situation was, always ready with a quip or random chaotic comment, a crazy scheme or observation. But now his face was different. He wasn't making any attempt to disguise his anger and frustration, and his voice was icy cold. "We'll support you on this, Marius – because we have to. Because you're in it up to your neck, and that means we are too. Hunter's said it before, but I'll say it now. We're not just a team, we're a family. And we look after each other. So for now, we work with this Brackhaus. But if he thinks we're going to forget that he came waltzing in here, waving his balls around, invading our HOME." Kai's voice rose in volume, charged with emotion and his eyes were cold, dark and hard.
Marius had a sudden flash of insight, and a cold shudder ran down his spine. He often found himself frustrated by the others, siding with Hunter as the other 'mundane' member of the team. In particular, Kai was often a source of constant irritation – his quips, his humour, his chaotic nature – they were all antithetical to how Marius worked and lived. And yet, somehow he was still here. Still leading the team, still guiding them along. There were times where Marius had sworn he would have been happy to leave him behind somewhere, or to throttle him himself. But he never did… somehow things always just seemed to work out. There was something about him, some inner presence. Marius' mind raced, thinking about things he'd read, knowledge gained during his childhood. The details were fragmentary, of course – so much had been lost during the crash, eaten by the virus that had swept around the world destroying computer systems in every country, every organisation, every government no matter who or what they were. There were huge gaps in the history of the world, and so much knowledge had been lost, eaten by the voracious appetite of the malignant code that had risen seemingly from nowhere.
But some knowledge remained. And his parents had been keen to educate him on whatever subjects they could, feeding his insatiable desire to learn and develop. So they'd given him huge amounts of material to study, and he had consumed it all – and thanks to his incredible memory, retained nearly all of it.
His mind now flashed back to previous periods of history, where charismatic people had motivated and inspired people, driven them into action and the world had trembled as a result. Wars had raged that spread around the world, leaders that had triggered revolutions that had purged millions. Marius looked over at Kai and saw that a flame of anger that had been lit, not just an ember that smouldered in the darkness, but a bright flame of rage, burning brightly. He had a sudden vision of Kai bending his will to rouse crowds, extolling them to do his bidding, building them up into a force, an army to strike at his foes – and for a moment he felt afraid of him. He remembered the mafia goons from the local town, taken up into the hills and dealt with. How Kai had suddenly taken action that was cold, harsh and incredibly brutal, without a shred of emotion or remorse. The mask had been removed, and revealed a monster that killed without apparent mercy. At the time he'd thought Kai was just being a dickhead – but now he wondered if that mask had been carefully cultivated to suppress those feelings, to protect those around him.
But now the mask was gone, and that rage had been rekindled and was on display, and seemingly focussed on Hans Brackhaus. Kai was just a man, and even as one of the tiny minority of magically talented people, many would dismiss his power. He wasn't able to hit a bullseye at two kilometres like Aswon. He couldn't dice a room full of people into chunks like Shimazu. He couldn't spray automatic gunfire and take down a mob of people like Hunter. And he certainly couldn't manipulate the earth to rise and fall at his beck and call, or summon spirits from some weird plane of existence like Tads.
In a way, what he could do was far worse. He could stand in a stadium and use nothing but the power of his voice, to bend them to his will. He could bring people to tears, or drive them into a frenzy. He could manipulate people to do things that would cross moral and ethical lines that would make others sick. Suddenly Marius wondered if he spent as much time not doing those things because he was afraid of what he could do, what he might drive people TO do, if he turned his mind to it. It would be a heady sense of power. Marius knew how it felt to jump into his vehicle, to feel his flesh fall away and be replaced with roaring jets, toughened armour, sensors that could see to the horizon – he knew the lure of those feelings, the appeal of augmentation and the ripples of power that came with them. What would it feel like to control the wills and emotions of hundreds of thousands of people? His mind flashed back to some of the historical documents that had survived the crash, the analysis of the rise of warmongers, driving the German people to mobilise and march across Europe, driven by the rhetoric of a charismatic leader that gave them pride and purpose.
He looked over at Kai, and wondered what kind of monster sat at the table across from him, and if Mr. Brackhaus had any idea what kind of rage he had apparently unleashed with his unsubtle threats and veiled menaces. He wondered if even a Great Dragon was prepared for the kind of trouble that such a man might bring to his door.
And then he realised that he wasn't actually too concerned – that it all sounded like a problem that was related to one Hans Brackhaus, very much a 'him' problem. In fact he suddenly realised that in all likelihood, his own hubris and sense of self would probably not let him see such a threat. If this visitor really was Lofwyr, coming to tend to matters personally, then he'd quite possibly just pulled the stopper out of the bottle and released a genie that could cause him no end of trouble.
And Marius was entirely fine with that.
"Does it really matter, though?" Tads asked, cutting across his thoughts. "I mean, I think we have to honour his position. Threats – veiled or not – have to be taken seriously. If he represents this mega-corp, then we should treat him as if he's as important as he could be. It's the safest way, right?"
"Yes. But we don't have to like it. And we won't forget it." Kai's voice enunciated each word clearly and distinctly. "I don't care for his approach, his manner, or his methods. But… we go with it for now. For now."
"I do not like it either. But he is here – now. And as has been pointed out, there is a risk to not only my family, but also Rusudan, and all the others that live here. And we have a duty, and a responsibility to them. We might wish to tell him to frak off, but we should not. For their sake, as much as ours."
"If he's been here for more than a few hours, he's also had chance to wander around the place and get ritual links from everyone here – us and the family – so that's something we should keep in mind, too. He doesn't even have to be here, if he has any talent." Tads didn't look happy at the thought, but carried on. "And if he is a dragon, maybe even just a drake – he might still have the power and knowledge to push a magical attack straight through my defences."
"Oh, that's a good point, Tads. I'd not considered that… but you're right. If they've got samples, it might not even be just one person – it could be a team, like the one we saw at Novatech. But they'd be pushing the pace, not us. If they got a group of mages together back at their HQ, they could do all kinds of nasty things to us from half a continent away…"
"He does not even have to use magic – remember you are dealing with the most powerful single business entity on the planet. Saeder-Krupp as a company have their own nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Tanks. Fighters. Satellite weapon systems. If they wanted to hurt us, he could launch a missile strike to wipe out Aswon's tribe as a punitive reminder of their power. Or dump toxic waste the length of the Nenet homelands. There are all kinds of things that are possible for a company with power like that." Marius frowned. "We all have our secrets, or things in our past. Even just forwarding on the current location of Hunter to someone like Zeta-Imp-Chem could make life difficult for us, for very little effort from them."
"True. But I don't see what we can do to stop that. Other than asking for some kind of guarantee from him – and that's only as good as his word. We've got no way to enforce it or check it out."
He stopped abruptly as the back door opened, and Mr. Brackhaus re-entered the room.
"Did you like the strudel? I do hope so…" He smiled over to them, then walked around the end of the table. Kai's eyes bored into him for a moment, but then the mask seemed to settle back in place, and Kai suddenly looked more like Kai, no longer a brooding malevolent demagogue, plotting his downfall – just a rather chaotic, but somehow charismatic guy of indeterminate Asian origins. "So, I hope you've come to a decision on our little arrangement? And I'm also sure you don't want me here any longer than necessary. So – is there anything you'd like? Anything at all?"
"Marius will negotiate for us." Kai said flatly, his eyes flickering across to the pilot.
"Really Kai? I'm exhausted. It was a long flight…"
"You know what we need. What we've discussed, and what we want. You'll be fine."
"Yes Marius, I'm sure you'll be fine." Brackhaus smirked at him, and Marius felt his temper rise a little, cautioning himself not to rise to the bait. "Well, I'll not load you down with tech – after all you good people live on the edge here, moving around as you do. You need to keep light, move fast. Too much gear will only slow you down. And besides, I think until we've established things a little better, whatever I gave you – you wouldn't trust. So perhaps I will send you a matrix drop box detail, provide a comm-code, some contact details. And then you can get in touch, when you do need something."
"Very well. We will not be greedy." Marius responded flatly.
"Good. Understand that if you ask for something, if we say no – it is not because of cost, or because you have displeased us. It will be because we cannot get you the thing you ask for. It is unlikely, given our resources of course, but it is possible – and you should take that under advisement. And in a similar vein – if you suddenly find yourself with a Saeder-Krupp tail, it is not because we wish to – it's because we need to. It will indicate that you have messed up in some spectacular fashion. And, of course, it goes without saying one would hope that should you find yourself in… disagreement shall we say… with some of our employees, it would be most appreciated if you can restrain yourself from killing them. Knock them out, or tase them, sedative patches – though please, no exploded testicles." He looked over at Hunter. "Those are remarkably difficult to grow in a vat and regenerate…"
"Sure. Whatever."
"But if you find yourself in one of our facilities, I will assume that you are doing something that serves… the bigger picture, shall we say. A certain amount of leeway will be granted. But that is not a licence to act with impunity or to seize what you want. I trust I make myself clear?"
"We want you to promise to stay out of our houses." Kai said quietly.
"No. I will not do that. But I will explain why, I can do you that courtesy. If I did – and I become aware of something happening – would you want Marius' parents to fall foul of a rival corporation's strike team, because I had given my word not to cross their threshold? Or if we found some 'runners about to launch an assault here, would you want me or our assets to stay outside because of an agreement not to infringe upon your space? No. We will give you your privacy, and respect your space – but we will not promise to do something like that, as such things so often come back to haunt you."
Marius focussed in on the words, wondering again if such promises had some kind of greater power or ability to bind someone to their meaning. Did that imply that this WAS actually Lofwyr, and that his own personal sense of honour meant something to him? He made a mental note to discuss it with the team later – but now was certainly not the time.
"So, before I take my leave, I ask you again – is there anything you have need of?"
"No. We're good." Kai's voice was still flat and calm, without his usual inflection.
"Actually – yes. I would very much like to know more about these creatures, these horrors. I don't like them at all, and I want to know how to defeat them, but also how to protect my friends from them."
"So what exactly do you want?" He asked Tads.
"A dossier on them. What they are, what their strengths and weaknesses are. Information about them, where they came from. What they want. Anything we can use to keep ourselves safe. Even just to talk to some other shaman or spirit that has dealt with them before."
"Well, I have nothing of that kind with me now – but we can see what we can find. Though do remember, in some ways you are on the cutting edge of the situation, and are no doubt discovering things that others do not yet know, or have yet to experience. So we shall have to see…"
Mr. Brackhaus looked around the room again, his eyes flitting from one team member to another. When nobody else said anything, he turned his attention to Nadia and the parents.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, and your child. Please look after him, and continue your fine work here at the ranch. Professor and Dr. Schroeder – enjoy your holiday. Your return flights are booked from Baku, I'm sure your son will get you to the airport at the appropriate time. But for now, I will be on my way." He turned back to face Marius. "Thank you again for letting me into your lovely house – perhaps I should send a gift basket when I get back?" Marius couldn't help but let his jaw firm up, his lips pressing together as he bit back a comment. "No? Oh ok then. Well, goodbye. For now." He turned and left the kitchen, pulling the door shut behind him and they watched as he headed towards the helipad. The guards appeared from around the corners of the house, converging on his position and following him towards the waiting aircraft, whose rotors were starting to gently spin as the pilot prepared for takeoff. Brackhaus and all the bodyguards climbed aboard – though there was no sign of the sniper joining them, which made Aswon very nervous. A minute later, though, the chopper lifted off, heading in a northerly direction, towards Baku.
xxx
It fell quiet for a moment in the kitchen as the team looked at each other, wondering who was going to make the first move. Marius broke the moment, walking to the corner and peering around it carefully, finding that Nadia was sitting with his parents, chatting, while his mother held Marius Junior in her arms, gently rocking him. It didn't look like the most comfortable of situations, and he eased back around the corner to give them some space for the moment.
"So – what do we do now?"
"I think we have to carry on as before." Kai ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing it down into place. "If we let them get inside our heads, they've won. I'm not sure what they win – but I don't want to give them an easy victory. It's going to be far too easy to change our plans because of what we think they know, or might do, or to worry about traps and being manipulated – and in the process walk into a trap, or be manipulated. So we have to just live our lives, and do our thing. But we won't forget them, or ignore what they're trying to do. We just don't let it drive us into anything hasty."
"Agreed." Aswon snorted. "Still not things to be trifled with, but when you've met half a dozen, it takes the edge off a little."
"So what now?"
"Well, I guess Nadia wants some holes dug – so I'm going to go and ask her about those." Tads said. Marius glanced around the corner again, and wondered if he should stop her – but decided that from the look on Nadia's face, perhaps she could do with a distraction.
"Nadia, Mr and Mrs Shroeder. Sorry to interrupt. I wonder if you could give me a hand over at the construction site Nadia? I have questions about the digging…"
"Of course Tads! Let's go! I'm so sorry, we'll have to continue this discussion later. Are you ok with the baby? I'll get Marius to come and collect him in a moment.
"We are fine, thank you. I'm sure we can catch up later." Nadia nodded and left the baby with her mother-in-law, then bounded over to Tads with a smile and started to babble away about the construction project, almost dragging the shaman to the back door. Hunter pushed the door open, and lowered his voice as Nadia passed him.
"Coward." He grinned at her, and she gave him a look – but her eyes fell away first as she admitted that there was a certain amount of truth to the statement. Still, she wasn't going to miss an opportunity to get away, and she headed over to the construction site with Tads in tow, outlining just what it was that she needed doing.
Marius took the hint however and moved in to take her place, sitting down next to his mother and checking in on Marius Junior – and then with his parents. As the others started to move off from the kitchen to find things to do around the house, they heard him starting to explain just where he'd been for the last eighteen months and why he hadn't been in touch with them.
"What are you doing Hunter?"
"Getting the bug scanner. If Mr Corporate Asshole has been here for a day or two, with his minions – who knows what they could have bugged. I'm going to have to scan everything. EVERYTHING. That's going to take some time… what about you?"
"I'm heading up the hill to see if I can spot the signs of where that sniper was, see if I can get any clue as to who or what they were, stuff like that." Aswon looked around. "You ok Kai?"
"Hmm? Oh yes. Right. Well, best get on with stuff I support. I'm off to find Rusudan and check on the books and the schedule. Let's see if we have any more surprises coming!"
The team dispersed around the ranch, carrying out their various activities for the next few hours, until they met up again at lunchtime. Several of them were yawning, their second wind from the excitement of the morning having faded away leaving them in a slump. The team gathered around the kitchen table for a light snack, while Marius Junior and his grandparents were set in the main lounge.
"No sign of bugs so far. Still searching, but I've got most of the downstairs checked over." Hunter sat back with a cup of coffee and tried to work out a crick in his neck.
"Good stuff. How are things with the parents Marius?" Kai turned to glance towards the living room.
"As well as could be expected. Actually – no, things are good. I explained to them about what we have been doing – in very general terms, at least – and they understand that we are movers of goods and services. I have also managed to explain, I think, on why I have not been in touch for this time."
"And how did that go?" Tads asked. "It must be hard for them to accept… but I'm sure they're happy to know you're alive?"
"They are. And I think they understand a little – but I have noticed that there are certain things that we have fundamental differences on." Marius sighed. "My parents are both very intelligent. Very, very intelligent. Mother is a Professor, who lectures in Advanced Robotics. She has a number of patents she is responsible for, and is highly skilled in the design of drones, pilots, software and sensors. Father is a division manager for Messerschmitt-Kawasaki, looking after their helicopter division and responsible for tens of thousands of employees."
"Mate – that explains so much about you…" Hunter grinned at him, but Marius just ignored the interruption.
"But they live inside a bubble. We used to live in Hamburg – but they have moved to Essen it seems, thanks to some civil disruption in the Hamburg area. They live in the arcology now. All their news comes from the SK channels. They shop SK. Their friends are all SK. Every aspect of their life is provided for by the corporation, and all the information they have is filtered through the SK media net. I can tell them things, and they nod, and smile, and say they understand – but I can tell that they do not, because it is information that is contrary to how they have been told that things are." He ran his hand through his hair, and his face was drawn and haggard, revealing his emotions even through the normally unresponsive dermal sheathing. "I am aware of course that many of the wage-slaves in the world experience this – but this is the first time I have seen it so close to home, as it were. I find it hard to rationalise just how much they believe the company line, how two people so bright and clever – can be so sheltered and blind to things in the world."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Nothing. I will be careful I think, and keep our discussions on topics that will not cause dissention. I will not change their opinions – at least not in the week that we have together here. The corporation has had decades to indoctrinate them, and that kind of inertia is not easily overcome. But if I didn't have a reason to distrust Brackhaus before, I do now."
"Well, we'll add it to the list. I'm surprised they didn't wonder why their son hadn't turned into plastic toy…" Kai grinned at him.
"They did ask – and I told them it was a series of upgrades and enhancements, and it provided some protective qualities. And frak you."
"And how is Nadia coping?"
"I think I can probably answer that one better – bearing in mind how long she chose to stay out with me doing 'essential supervision' on the dig site." Tads smiled, but glanced over at Marius to check his reaction. When she saw him give a slight not, she continued. "She was as surprised as they were – she had no idea who they were, and it looks like the booking was done as a corporate package. They were settled into the chalets and were relaxing – though apparently for both of them that meant being somewhere comfortable and catching up on their reading and research. Nadia tried to get them out horse riding and stuff like that – but they weren't keen. The furthest she got them was a brisk walk, which they both at least admitted was good for them. She seems to like them enough as people, and seemed to be getting on ok – but she's quite worried now that she knows about the relationship, and that they're family. She's very worried they won't accept her because of her culture and background, and that she's going to cause problems for Marius. But she's equally determined not to be walked over or have her life turned upside down by the situation. We actually had a long chat about it, while we were doing the preparations for the dig."
"And speaking of the dig – what is going on there?"
"Well, from what I can see, the scaffold is up just to hide the site, with a side effect of keeping the sun off people while we're working, and keeping the wind out a bit. But Nadia is planning a deep hole, a good thirty metres below ground level, and more than big enough to fit the Broadsword down into. There's some kind of artificial sports pitch that was delivered in sections, and some machinery – that will make the roof and open up to let us in and out. I didn't pay too much attention to that, as it sounded more like Hunter's kind of thing. But I have details of the earth that needs to be moved, and there is construction equipment and pre-fabricated walling to put in place to make the structure, and some tunnel sections to link up with the work we've already done. But in a couple of weeks we'll have an underground hanger that can be hidden from view. At least if all goes well."
"A couple of weeks? Have we got stuff to be getting on with that will take that long?" Kai looked around the table, getting nods from each of the team. "Alright then, couple of weeks it is. Marius – make sure you spend as much time with your folks as you need. Brackhaus may have bought them here to use as a threat, but let's spit in his eye and give them a good holiday and get some quality time with them. Everyone else – crack on with your plans, and do what you need to do. We'll try and get together breakfast and dinner to check in on stuff, see what's going on – ok?" More nods from the people around the table.
"Marius… you know I'm not really a gun person, right?"
"Indeed."
"Well, I've got something I've been working on. Hopefully you'll understand." Kai reached down and pulled up his quiver from the floor next to his chair, and laid it carefully on the table. He sifted through the arrows inside, pulling out a set of six traditional wooden shafts, tipped with hand-made steel broadheads. He checked over the first few, and found one in particular, and then handed it over to Marius, who looked at him in confusion. Kai just gestured to the arrow, and Marius bent in closer to examine it. Starting at the end of the arrow he checked the fletchings, and then the shaft, wondering just what it was he was supposed to see. Then, as he reached the arrow head, he snorted, and he began to grin.
"I approve."
Gently he laid the arrow down on the table, grabbed his cup of coffee and offered Kai a silent salute.
On the table, the arrow rocked gently from side to side with the residual motion from being placed there, until it slowed and stopped, revealing the very neatly carved name etched into the arrow.
'Hans Brackhaus'
"It's not a bullet – but it's the closest thing I could think of." Kai returned his salute, along with a smile that was entirely devoid of humour. "And we're not going to forget what he did."