Bryan marched out of the Oscar family estate and directly to his car. But he was holding the handle of the vehicle when he heard his name from behind and he turned to look at Claire who was running after him. He felt his heart plunge as she ran right into his arms and her floodgate broke. "You won't be coming back, will you?" She asked. Bryan gritted his teeth. She couldn't even hide her regrets and lack of trust in him. "You think that I'd give you up?" He asked. Claire shook her head, not knowing what to say. She could see the vicious eyes of her mother trailing her even as she stood outside the building. How was she going to explain to everyone that her husband had been the one to bring the family down? He'd once again be the reason for shame and ridicule upon herself and her mother. "This isn't the best kind of thing to say right now. I need you to be strong, Claire. I need you to be strong and not question my abilities too, Claire," he advised. Claire looked up at him with w
Bryan watched as all the men around him stared at him with wide eyes. "How did you get in here?" One of them finally decided to ask, mirroring what was in the kind of everyone else in the large hall. "That doesn't matter, do I have a deal?" Bryan asked loudly. He could see that from the way all the men were staring among themselves they knew something but didn't want to say it. "How about you tell us something juicy and we might help you find your friends?" Someone started from the crowd. Bryan looked at the man, he was round and portly and he had a face that could give a child nightmares. "Yes, you can't just come in here and begin to tell us what to do, what do you have to offer us?" Another man asked. Bryan arched his eyebrows at him, "Do you have any idea what you're asking for?" He asked.The man shrugged and replied, "We don't owe you anything, we don't have to tell you jack, are you going to keep to our rules or shall we show you the way out?" The thick man asked. Bryan h
Bryan walked out of the brewery with Derek propped up on his shoulders. He couldn't hold his weight for much longer and he quickly made him lean by the side of the building. Derek seemed to be weighing a ton and this was testament to the fact that he had been drugged just like the man had said. Bryan could see that the men from the upper floor were still staring down at them from a vantage. He wondered how easy it would be for them to find out that Bryan's army (like he threatened) were actually not outside and he had been bluffing.Without looking up anymore so as not to give himself away and put them both in danger, he turned to Derek and said, "We have to hurriedly get the hell out of here." Derek nodded in very slow motion and then tried to get off the wall but he stumbled back and nearly dropped to his knees. At once, Bryan propped up against him again to keep him steady and stop him from falling over. "What did they give to you?" He asked and the lord shook his head. It was cl
Bryan looked at the bridge that loomed at the distance, he snapped his seatbelt in place and looked at Benjamin as he did the same. The bridge was the shortest route back to the suburbs and it was just a few minutes away from the Oscar family estate. "Let's do this!" Benjamin cried out as he heard the engine of the car rumble and he leapt onto the bridge. The weak wood gave away under him and as he drove, he could hear the crushing of the wood under the string tyres of the car.Bryan yelled out as the ace almost somersaulted right at the edge of the bridge just before he got into dry land. "Fuck!" He swore loudly as he heard the screeching of the brakes, signifying that he'd just gotten to dry land.He took a turn and with a sideways view, saw that the bridge had collapsed under the weight of the car. The other SUV was still at the other end. There was no way they could make it across the bridge - there was no other bridge as a matter of fact. "That was insane," Benjamin said as he l
The Hall was quiet once Bryan walked in. All the members of the family were just as he had left them, fuming, angry, and trying to drag his name in the mud. Freda was speaking as Bryan walked in and he could hear her trail off at the sight of him. "I don't know how I ever met a man like him! I regret the day that I gave my daughter to__" But that was all she could say before she saw the man that was walking behind him. Her mouth hung open and she couldn't help but frown at the scene before her. "Is that...lord Gudling?" She asked with a stunned tone. Derek, who was now fully recovered from the drugged stupor, thanks to the antidote that was given to him, walked to the head of the table. Maxwell who never stood up for Shine was suddenly at his feet and he growled at one of Claire's uncles to get up and offer his seat to lord Maxwell. "Let the master of the Gudling family sit, how dare you make him stand when you're occupying a seat?!" He snapped. He hissed as the man got on his fee
Maxwell visibly deflated in his seat. How could such a word be said in the presence of his entire family? He had a reputation to keep and that reputation had been upheld all through the many years that he was the lord of the Derek family because he didn't let anyone tell him what to do. "What's going on? Why would you try to defend a nobody like him?" Freda asked in a high-pitched voice. Maxwell snapped at her at once to keep quiet and not disrespect or question their guest. "You can't ask the lord silly questions, Freda. He has the right to do whatever he wants!" He snapped. Freda had to keep quiet and lean back in her seat but her eyes remained fiery. "I will make sure he is taken out, he has to be banished!" She whispered harshly to Claire who was already getting hopeful. Maxwell sighed heavily, it was clear that he was hesitating and didn't want to send Bryan off. Maxwell did not need to be reminded to punish any disobedience. He didn't also listen to any pleas when it was tim
Claire stood firm despite her shaky hands and feet as the lord of the Oscar family surprisingly declared her as the new CEO. Everyone was shocked. "This is really happening," someone said weakly among the crowd but just one glare shot at the entire table made everyone keep shut. Derek signed the contract successfully and gave Bryan a smile. "I'm honored to finally be able to pay back this debt, you've been a hero," he said loudly.Bryan gave him a single nod and then nodded at his wife too who was looking his way. "I made a promise to you, darling, I've just fulfilled it," he stated. It was at this time that Tom got on his feet and raised his hand, asking for the opportunity to say something. Grandfather Maxwell was in a pleasant mood because he had just secured the contract with Derek so he wasn't so touchy anymore. As a matter of fact, he was more inclined to hear what others now had to say. Apparently Tom knew this and that was why he raised his hands. "If we have successfully s
Maxwell stood at the head of the table, looking at Tom with such fierce expression that he almost caved. But even though his feet were shaking and he was a trembling mess, he didn't want to say anything to confess. First, because he thought that Bryan would never have an army man that knew him, and secondly because it was going to be doom for him to confess that he had tried to harm the exalted lord Derek in any way or form.But to his shock and everyone's dismay, an army officer walked right into the room and marched straight to where Bryan stood. He bowed to him respectfully and said, "Supreme master, I am with the evidence."Tom's eyes became saucers and he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. Was it possible that he would be taken to jail? What would be his punishment? Could he lie his way out of it? These were some of the things that went through Tom's head as he saw the army man. Benjamin stood right beside Bryan, waiting for him to give instructions. He didn't want to do a
When he arrived at Freda's house, he could hear raised voices from inside. He stormed in to find Claire and Freda in a heated argument."Get out of here, Bryan," Freda snapped. "This is between me and my daughter."Bryan stood his ground. "I know everything, Freda. There's no need to hide it anymore."Claire turned to him, eyes wide with shock and fear. "Bryan, please don't bring it up. If Grandfather Maxwell finds out what I've done..."Bryan took a deep breath, his resolve strengthening. "I'll confront the situation, Claire."Freda laughed derisively, her voice dripping with contempt. "You think you can convince Maxwell to forgive her? She’ll always be under my control."Bryan's eyes blazed with determination. "We'll see about that at the family gathering this weekend."Freda's expression turned from contempt to anger. "You have no idea what you're dealing with, Bryan. Claire made her choices, and now she has to live with them."Bryan stepped closer, his voice low and fierce. "She m
That night, Bryan woke up with a jerk. The cold sweat on his forehead same as the ice creeping down his spine. He had just had the weirdest dream. Or was it a dream? He couldn't tell. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, feeling the cool wooden floor beneath his feet. He needed water, something to qunwch his dry throat that felt like parchment paper. Yawning, he padded softly with bare feet to the kitchen, he moved through the darkened hallway, the silence of the night making his soft footfalls resound. The house was as dark as his thoughts. Speaking of thoughts, Bryan hadn't been able to keep his mind blank since the incident with Jenkins. Neither had he been able to wrap his head around all that the old man had told him. But somehow it made perfect sense. The odd stares, the way his aunt hated him but somehow loved his brother, it all made sense somehow. As he reached the kitchen, he flipped on the light and blinked against the sudden brightness. He headed for the cabinet
Bryan drove like the devil was on his tail, arriving at the classic bar Jenkins had picked out for their meeting. It was a beautiful garden bar just outside of town. As Bryan killed the engine, he pulled on his coat and baseball cap, trying his best at disguise before stepping into the place.**The garden bar was indeed a fitting spot for Jenkins, considering his love for flowers. Just as Bryan looked to the left, he saw the old man's hand guiding him to a corner table. Bryan walked over and shook his head in disbelief."I was hoping you only sounded different, but you look different too," Bryan said.Jenkins was dressed in a thick fur coat and a hat. He nursed a cup of coffee with his gloved hands."Sit down, boy. I have to be quick," Jenkins said.Bryan noticed that gone was Jenkins' stammering and broken words. He spoke fluently now, almost as if nothing had ever been wrong with him. Bryan sat down, looking at him curiously."You're running out of time. Your brother and uncle have
Bryan staggered back a little, struggling to process the jarring change in Jenkins’ voice. The old man he had known was frail, his voice barely rising above a whisper. Yet, the voice on the phone now was strong and assertive, unrecognizable as Jenkins'. He glanced around, half-expecting to see the old man materialize in front of him, but there was nothing—just the lingering sound of his own breathing and the hum of the city around him."Jenkins?" Bryan asked again, his voice edged with uncertainty. He wanted to be sure he wasn’t speaking to someone else, someone who had somehow gotten hold of Jenkins’ phone. His skepticism was palpable, though he hoped it wasn’t the case.“It’s me, Bryan. You said I should call you right? You did give me your card,” the voice on the line said. Bryan could almost hear the confidence emanating from the speaker. It was a tone of authority that starkly contrasted with the frailty he had grown accustomed to.“You sound different,” Bryan said, his laugh com
After a few minutes of driving through the busy streets of the city, he went easy on the brakes as he turned to the quiet suburban area. Peterson was always one for his space and privacy and perhaps one could say that he was the most secretive member of the team. When he arrived at Peterson's place, he met with his son, Chad just as he rang the doorbell and the maid allowed him in. “Hey, boy." Bryan said as he stepped into the house. Chad looked at him oddly and then for a second, recognition flashed in his eyes and he stepped aside. “Mr Bryan," he said with a thin voice. Bryan gave him a slight nod and moved into the living room, taking the plush seat that he was offered. “We weren't expecting such an important guest," Chad said with a smile that was obviously as fake as the Picasso painting on the wall. “I never planned to pay the visit either,” Bryan replied. Chad was eager to show him around and also asked to serve him breakfast and a cup of coffee. But Bryan was already gett
Bryan quickly tried to regain composure from the information that had just shaken him. If someone else was the supreme warlord, then it meant that the council had convened to terminate his own title and somehow found someone else worthy of such ordination. "Last time I checked, there was no one who could even compete with me. No one was worth being the supreme master, talk more of the supreme warlord. Had they suddenly dropped their standard?" He asked out loud but to no one in particular.He couldn't believe it. He was the best, the greatest, the supreme. No one could match his skills, his strategy, his leadership. He was the one who had been chosen, who had been destined for greatness.Who could even replace him? Who was worthy of such a title, the supreme warlord? Bryan snickered, wondering who could even stand behind him, he was second to none. There was no one he could think of that was even half the man he was. All his generals needed a lesson on night and courage. They couldn't
Bryan was already seething with hot wrath. How could his general even think that he'd want to hear about any territory and political bullshit when all he was trying to do was aimed at giving his life meaning? For a second, he felt stupid for even picking the call in the first place. It didn't make any sense to talk about the territory when his mind kept playing back to Uncle William's words and that of Josiah. “Hello, are you there?" Ben's voice came through the speaker, dragging him from his intense thoughts. “Stop!" He snapped suddenly, without any warning. “I've had enough of this bullshit!" He said with a fierce look. "Come up, what are you talking about!” Ben asked as his voice rose. Bryan told him that he had no interest in talking politics. He was sick and tired or running in circles. “What I need right now is a fucking compass! I need someone, something, anything, to take me to where my past is. I want to know what I am, who I am, what went wrong,” he bit out, "Not some pol
The next day, Benjamin called Bryan as early as daybreak. Bryan was still sleepy when he heard his phone ring and he rolled out of bed to grab it. "Hey, Ben, you're waking me up rather early, what's up?" He asked, his voice groggy with sleep.Benjamin first apologized for calling him up so early and asked how his previous day had gone. Bryan sighed, wondering how he could possibly recount his day to his friend. It was one hell of a year and it left him sour. "That's a long story, Ben. I don't think I want to talk about it," he replied, rubbing his eyes.Ben laughed and told him that he knew he'd gone home and he could guess that it wasn't such an easy day since his brother wasn't the most friendly person. Bryan scoffed, calling his brother unfriendly and was just trying to coat it up. Josiah was outrightly harsh, he was everything that someone would never want his own brother to do. "That's falling far from the mark," Bryan said, his voice laced with sarcasm.Ben sighed, telling him he
Jenkins laughed again, the sound a little too shrill and mechanical. "You can't choose your family, Bryan. They're stuck with you, no matter what."Bryan's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "I don't want to talk about my family, Jenkins. Can you let it go?!” He asked with a harsh tone. But for a second, he couldn't help feeling pity for him. Once again, he was clearly not mentally well and it showed. "Have you been taking your medications?" He asked with a low tone, his worry evident.Jenkins scratched his head, his eyes clouding over. "Yeah, they said life can't be the same again. I guess this is what they mean. Everyone thinks I'm insane," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Bryan's eyes bulged, he couldn't believe that he'd just made the man feel bad. "I didn't mean that at all, I was just trying to make sure that you're fine," he said, his voice softening.The old man smiled and waved him off. "Yeah, you don't have to say it, I can see it in your eyes," he replied,