The Butler's Master

Retaliation - Part 1

[Retaliation – Part 1]

Kyren hiked his backpack further up his back, looking around in wariness that didn't need faking. Though he trusted his butlers to be keeping tabs on him while he put himself on the line, there were still many things that could happen before either of them could react.

Besides, all Kyren needed was to be recognized as the son of the Greaves-Crawford Household and one-placed bullet to achieve certain death. He might have put on a brave front back during the discussions, but deep down, he had to admit that being out here, infiltrating an underground organization where the laws and rules of a businessman didn't apply, scared the living daylights out of him. He had been fine working behind the scenes for Lyca Trading since he had been locked up in Kyrano's apartment and in the relative safety of four walls that he considered home. But he was now exposed to world-hardened men who were clearly more used at pulling gun triggers and swinging knives around rather than tapping buttons on a computer.

"Get your ass moving." Someone growled in annoyance and a rough push made him stumble forwards –almost hitting into the back of the well-built man leading the way in front of him.

"I-I'm sorry..." Kyren apologized lowly, swallowing his pride.

"You better be damned good at what Mister James wants, or we're going to feed you to the dogs. We don't need sissies like you." The man behind frowned deeply when Kyren turned slightly to catch sight of him.

"I will try my best." He promised, then kept his head down as he dogged the steps of the man in front of him –doing his best to ignore the eyes that were pinned on him.

Kyren kept his mind a careful blank and refused to scratch the itch on his chest. There was very good reason why the skin on his chest was protesting and screaming for attention –the microphone had been taped to his chest underneath his shirt. Kyren would definitely have preferred to be using much better and inconspicuous equipment for his undercover work, but he and his butlers were supposed to be working independently on this self-decided mission. Asking for premium equipment was equivalent to borrowing the power of the Greaves-Crawford Household, and Kyren was determined to bring down James Hague without help from his family.

Kyren found himself following the men who had picked him up from Town Square through a dimly-lit warehouse sitting in the middle of an industrial area not very far from his estate. Cargo and goods stacked on shelves on both sides, towering and only serving the purposes of making Kyren feel much smaller as he walked on the aisles between the shelves.

They reached the back of the warehouse, and Kyren was escorted through a fingerprint-locked door to find himself in a small office.

"Ah, you are here."

The same man who had rested a gun on his head just a week ago greeted with a businessman smile when Kyren shuffled into the room, jumping when the door slammed behind him. Kyren kept his shoulders hunched as he shuffled further into the room, accepting the handshake of greeting meekly.

A few seconds of exchanging gazes, and Kyren came to the safe conclusion that James Hague did not recognize him from a week ago. Not only was his hair cut much shorter than it had previously been, his butlers had done very well to apply some makeup such that his facial shape changed against the shadow casted by his baseball cap. Colored contacts hid Kyren's blue eyes, and he had purposefully worn baggy clothes to hide his true stature.

"Take a seat, don't be afraid. My guys look like they could tear you in half anytime, but they won't move unless I give them the signal to." James maintained his comfortable smile, and Kyren pretended that he did not recognize the evilness behind that smile as he took a seat opposite James from the table, nervously putting his bag on his knees. Kyren adamantly refused to look at the 2 big men who sat in a corner of the office, guns openly left on the table while they entertained themselves with cards. The two men who had picked Kyren up remained standing behind him, guarding the only entrance and exit to the window-less room.