The Tales Of Crowboy The Incredible: Of Ink and Power

Chapter Forty

       Okay, maybe I lied a little bit. Ki isn't technically my assistant. They started it out as that, but once we started dating, the Pures decided that they would give me a new one so I didn't get my personal life and my work life mixed up. Ki still helped me on paperwork though, if I was having a day where people were pissing me off. 

        Right now, he was sitting on the left of me, while my real assistant, and girl named Cherri sat to my right. There were 8 other people sitting at the table with us. Ki wasn't supposed to be here, but Cherri and I pulld some strings to get him here. Cherri said that her dyslexia (which she had mostly overcome) made it so she couldn't write and Ki had to help her (she had learned to read or write around a year ago). We were all just "crazy teenagers" apparently. And for whatever reason, we were all in almost in charge of one of the biggest illegal opperations in the Alt world.

        We were all sitting down, just starting the meeting. I had been a sitting there for almost ten minutes though, chilling with Cherri and Ki. It had been our tradition for a while now. Just to prepare ourselves for the meeting. Cherri hadn't been desensitized to violence, like Ki and I. Ki hadn't been desensitized to manipulation, like Cherri and I were. And I hadn't been desensitized to the fact that I was actually in charge of all these people, a dream that both Cherri and Ki yearned for. It was healthy for all of us. 

        "We have few topics today for this meeting, but they are important ones none the less." Mya, the representative of the Selectors said. The Selectors were the people that scoped out the kids that the Lures were going to bring in. Today, her hair was in a bright pink bob, a stunning contrast against her pale skin. "There's nothing from the Selectors that we need any of you all to adress."

         "Same with the Socials." DeVante said, clicking a pen. He was in charge making sure all of the kids were socalized right. The kids who had been 'saved', in case you were wondering. Not all the kids. Those ones just needed extra special care. He was one of those kids too, once. He knows what those kids need. What'll make them feel better. What will make them submit. "The Maria Kay case isn't causing us the problems we expected, and we don't have any other children to worry about. Therfore, everything is going well."

      "We have no recent major break throughs in the Science department." Jillian said, and pushed her curly black afro out of her eyes. Ki hestitated, opening his mouth, but then looking at Jillian to have her talk for him. Jillian shot him a glance that told him that she wasn't going to speak for both of them again. Jillian had somewhat adopted Ki when he moved over here, him being basically a prodigy in the Science department. Under the table, I felt Ki grab my hand and squeeze it. He was probably getting anxious. Meetings stressed him out a lot, especially when it was all the departments huddeled together. Ki, even though I love him to death, prefers being around dead bodies and unconcious children than to live talking people. Which, sure, sounded bad, but he preferred silence and control to a room full of adults and public speaking. And you better not be thinking how kinky and rape-y that sounds. 

       "We have gotten our hands on a newly developed numbing serum that growing Scalets use when the doctors have to cut their arms so that the scales can come in naturally. Normally, the scales feel like teeth growing in, and it's not very painful. Umcomfortable, yes, but not always painful. But because some people have little barbs on the end of their scales, when they grow in they can get stuck in that persons skin. There, they can grow fully under the skin, making that area subseptiable to infection and blocking the passage for other scales to get out and grow, and the only other option for that person would be surgery. So, this numbing serum-" Ki eyes shone as he went into full science mode. This was my favorite side of Ki- when he got so invested into science that all of a sudden he forgot the world around him, and only him and his brain mattered. 

      "Ki, I thank you, but we only need to why we got it, why it's used, and what it will do for us now. And breif." Jillian, even though she knew that Ki's most favorite thing in the world was working problems out in his brain, also knew that the people would think he's a little to day-dreamy for a kid his age if he kept on talking about this. 

    Ki snapped his jaw close in a second and tugged on his shirt. "Sorry. We got it for the purpose of having a heavy numbing remedy so Bleeders will be able to have more detailed work without worry of the post-procedure pain. In the past, there have been complaints from the kids forwarded to us by the Socials that it's too painful to adjust to their new surroundings. We think that inducing a coma while their bodies heal then giving a heavy dose of the numbing agent when they wake will be the best course of action. Doctors use it during a Scalets procedure so it isn't so painful when the scales are pulled from the inside out, as I stated before. I believe that it'll work for our proceders as well. It's taken as a shot or a pill. We think it'll help speed up the healing process, giving the kids more time to adapt."

      "Thank you, Ki." I said, in the most professional manner. A quick survery of the table told me that everyone seemed impressed. 

      "Jillian, you seem to be training your apprentice well. I see he'll take a more Science driven future?" George, the leader of the Harvesters, or Harvs, said. 

       "No, George, this is all Issekials research. He was the one who discovered the serum. This was all him. And Ki will continue to double as a Bleeder and a Scientist. We think it'll be benifical for him and for both fields of work." Jillian responded proudly. 

       "Thank you, Ki." Cherri said, and scribbeled down some inchoherent words. George side eyed her. He still hadn't figured out that the only reason that Ki was actually here was so Ki and I could be together like the rest of the people knew. "I'll send that along to the rest of the Socials as soon as this meeting is done. DeVante, you can rest easy on that one." Cherri winked, and DeVante just nodded at her. Oblivious. He was the most oblivious creature I had ever seen in my entire life. 

      "I think everything with the Shelts is fine." Vi said. "A few kids developed with invisibility and so now we're training them. Other than that, we haven't found anything on the border for months now." The Shelts (short for shelters), were in charge of conceiling all of the Pures. It was one of the most stressful jobs you can have here, and that's why it was a shock that Vi wasn't giving grim reports right now. Almost everyone on her staff had developed horrible anxiety working in this field. 

      "Oh, thank god. Some of the other communites have been having lots of reports of Lets coming way to close to their territory. The North East community was way to close to getting raided. We have a few parties going over to search, and we may bring some kids back with us. Mostly the young one's, but we don't know a lot about the condition of the community yet." Gray said. Gray was the current representative of the Presidents. The current leader of the Preses was away, and so Gray had stepped up. 

       "Okay. Okay. So we're all okay?" I said. "I mean, there are no emergency topics we haven't talked about yet? Cause now would be the time, or you may forever hold your peace." Only Vi and Cherri cracked a smile. Jesus. Toughest crowd I've ever seen. 

     "Well, I do think we have some news you might want to hear." Gray said, but Ki flinched. 

      "Gray, you are excued." Ki said, refusing to meet my eyes. 

        "No, Ki, you cannot give that order. Gray, if it is something important, please tell me. If you don't feel comfortable sharing with the whole group, you can pull me aside after and talk to me." I turned to my boyfriend, trying to remain toneless. "You, Ki, on the otherhand, are excused." 

     "Don't you dare say anything, Gray." Ki said, still not meeting my eyes. "You're going to ruin his entire day, we only got so far in-"

      "Issekial, do not bring personal matters into these meetings. Right now, you don't have any control over Zain here." Jillian said sternly. 

      "Well, Zain, I believe I have some good news for you. We found your parents. And your brother." Gray said. "And they want to talk to you."