Ven: Part 2

Ch. 9 R and/or D

*0*

My fingers drum a steady beat on my palms behind my back.

This is...

Inconvenient.

I stare down at the few faces sitting at the table before me.

Most are pale and clammy, staring into a distance that doesn't exist.

Weak.

The lot of them.

Vendolyn endured what they did for much longer.

They experienced a drop in his ocean.

The fire never left his eyes, though.

Theirs have all been snuffed out.

All but one.

He sits straight backed and composed, his eyes wide and full of a fire that burns brighter than ever. He's pale, unnaturally so, his jet black dreadlocks a stark contrast to his face.

He alone awaits my words with bated breath.

The words that shouldn't have had to come.

I left Ms. Dictum in charge so I could focus elsewhere.

I tilt my head towards her slightly.

"Thank you all for joining us," she begins, a yearning fills her words, "I understand some of you might be a bit shaken by the procedure."

Several of them flinch.

Pathetic.

"You've all proven yourselves over the course of your career here in the World Government," she continues. "We couldn't be prouder of your accomplishments, from..."

I step forward, breaking her concentration.

I don't care about this.

"Effective immediately you are all rank two." I survey the people before me, "As such your only directives come from myself or Ms. Dictum here. You are relieved of any duties not given by one of us. That is all."

"Thank you, sir," the man with the alive eyes says in his gravelly voice. He stands gracefully and leaves the room.

The others slowly stand without saying a word and shuffle out with considerable effort.

"Send that man after your brother," I say. "He might hold out long enough for us to get there behind him."

"I had a whole speech planned..." comes a sullen voice in reply.

"After what I did to them, a speech is the last thing they want," a high nasally voice rings across the empty room.

A man stands in the corner of the room unnoticed.

For all intents and purposes, he is as plain as they come, an altogether smooth, featureless face, close cropped brown hair, and average sized blue eyes. It's what his hands can do that sends shivers down my spine.

"You would know all about that," he smiles.

It's the twisted, toothy smile of a monster.

"I have business to attend to." I say evenly. I round on Ms. dictum. "Don't interrupt me for something so trivial again."

I stride out of the room.

A waste of my time.