Kingdom of isolation - you can't hide

Twenty Five - Alexander

Alexander

Age 25

Present

"I'm starting to get really impatient with your antics, Whitlock. You're still replaceable to me."

The screen in front of me, with a world map and little red markers dotted everywhere, has been the centre of my attention ever since I sat down in the office of my penthouse. I've been conducting business from LA since I find the place to be of greater convenience than Montana. Between LA and Vegas, I don't have much time to spend elsewhere that isn't an overnight trip. Having said that, I have ownership in almost every state in some shape or form. People come to me to propose their whack propositions. We have placed our mark in every industry. Stone Corporation is like the Nestle of the world but minus the part where we charge for free water and give poisoned baby formula to the poor.

"You can't fire me, I'm a delight to be around! Just have some patience, your majesty. My spidey senses tell me we'll be receiving some good news today."

Patience and I don't run in the same circle, despite what others might claim. The efforts to keep Aurora hidden have been doubled after my sudden arrival at the Hart kingdom a few weeks ago. I expected as much. It hadn't bothered me too much before since I knew I had all the time in the world to execute my plans. But, I'll admit, it has become rather tiresome now that there's zero way of locating her whereabouts. It's like I'm chasing after a ghost or someone who doesn't want to be found. I realise that I don't have all the time in the world and need to get to her before they smuggle her underground while I'm preoccupied. I stare at my cousin with enough heat to rival a volcano before focusing back on the map. So close. She was always so close and yet I missed it.

"You said that last time. And the time before. I'm starting to think your spidey senses don't even exist." I say with practised calm. Killian swivels in his chair to face me properly. Bruises litter his tan skin in shades of purple and black. His busted lip and black eye mirror my own. Three months into this partnership and we're still waiting to paint the town red. My skin itches the longer we're occupied with our business deals. Nikolas, despite being the least diplomatic and the only one actively avoiding his royal duties, has been helping me out with the legal paperworks from time to time. I'm not quite sure what he's up to in his spare time and I don't really care. As long as he minds his own business, he can do whatever the fuck he wants. Even if it's to chase a blonde bombshell with undiagnosed OCD like a fucking puppy. Actually, that's not entirely true. I do care about my mirror misusing his face and giving me a bad reputation.

"My spidey senses can't coax little miss sunshine out of her hiding spot. You'll just have to be a little—" a smirk followed by a wince, "—patient, your majesty. You'll be the first to know when she's on the move. They're playing it smart and not letting her use any of the aliases known to us. I've got tabs on Noah Evans and his wife too. Something will turn up soon enough. I can feel it."

I look away from the screen with a groan, leaning my head back against the chair.

"Feeling and knowing are two different things."

"Trust my spidey senses, your majesty."

I grind my molars. If he says spidey senses one more time—

An annoying pinging noise echoes in the room and instinctively I turn my attention back on the screen. Would you look at that..

Killian lets out a hearty laugh, the kind that has him toppling over his chair and crying out because he ripped open his stitches.