Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 51

(Not enough attention is given to how much shorter Nic is than Randy LOL I've always wanted to do one of these, finally got around to sketching it out. Randy leaning on Nic's head,  with appropriate Nic response. Nic is 5'5, Randy is around 6'3. Stay tuned for a sketch of Lotta. I've been working on it for a couple days, just trying to get happy with it.) 

"You've just saved me the trouble of tracking you down." My words are cutting, venom dripping off the end of every note, yet Jonathan makes no move to indicate I had affected him. How could I when he was so obviously so convinced that he'd already won? He was the one putting out the warrants for Verando, he was the one funding Caspian in the minor leagues. "What do you want?"

"A truce." He muses. 

It was seeming to coincidental. I'd allowed Caspian into my home, then the demon apologized and now this worm of a man was attempting to call a truce? I was not idiotic, much as many liked to believe I was not only royal but uneducated. "If I had my magic you'd be vapor." I seeth, flashing my teeth.

"So violent." Jonathan tisks. I spy the bead of sweat at his temple, at the end of the day, this was a civilian, a political figure who had never dealth with the likes of me. "You might find a lot of people fear that exact response. Salvation is only offered to those who wish to remain under you and allow you to do as you please. Is there some truth in that?"

Randy glances towards me, he must agree with Jonathan. 

"I would adhere to the laws if they were fair and kept my family safe." I mutter under my breath.

Jonathan snorts, resting a folder on the table. "In the last.. year.. you've made zero calls to 911, yet the FBI has been to your home... thirty seven times. Mostly in the last three months. You've had to rebuild six times, there are countless bodies of mythical beings unaccounted for and the hero community as well as the dead city are so frightened of the consequences they won't speak against you."

"They are my family." I tell him sharply. "As were you before you decided to to turn on us. We were willing to help you with your transition."

"My wife left me, my life was ruined, nobody asked me or any of the others if we wanted this-"

I stop him, gritting my teeth, to my surprise he respects the intensity of my glare. I must be closer to an Alpha than I thought. "You were a part of the mission to turn soldiers into Lycans. Asking for a return on something you actively pursued once it'd been done is not logical or fair. You turned on us, Senator Campbell. I bet your wolf can't even stomach you."

He wrinkles his nose, irritated. "I don't have a wolf anymore, I refuse to acknowledge it. The longer I do that, the less likely it will ever appear again." Exhaling, he runs a hand through his hair, smiling at the waitress as she brings us our food. "Listen. I'm not a fool either, I understand when I'm on the side that is about to lose. We were all waiting to see if you and Mr.Mercer would claim a side and it appears that, once again, you're front running for the magic beings."

Even our enemies referred to him as Mr.Mercer. A sense of pride swelled in my chest as I straighten. 

"Support is falling fast, while there are purists who don't want magical beings to be considered 'human', there is those who also understand we are horribly outgunned in a war. The elementals are falling apart, while I admit it was a poor plan to threaten Mr.Mercer with jail, it seemed like the best option to get you out of our way to continue to dispatch them. At this point, the districts are dealing with massive magical outbreaks and we are running low on enhancer. People are getting desperate." He taps the table with the end of his fingers, taking a sip of his coffee. 

Which meant I had limited time if I ever wanted to be able to use again. I shake my head at my own audacity, zeroing back in on the Senator. "You want us to do your dirty work?"