The Second Layer

Chapter 15: Garen

Chapter 15: Garen

Garen laid on a very plush bed, relaxing. Angela had said she'd wanted to talk to him further, but had a few things she wanted to do first, so she'd sent him to a room of his own to wait for her. She'd given him his pick of the human slaves to keep him company, but he'd politely declined. Taking advantage of those with broken spirits who had no real choice in the matter wasn't exactly his style. Besides, there was already someone he was interested in. And though he wasn't in a relationship with them, so it wouldn't have technically been cheating, he still wouldn't have felt right about it.

So he just lay there, staring up at the red bricks of the basement ceiling and passing the time by trying to figure out what the leader of the region could want with him, until finally there was a light knock on the door. He wasn't given a chance to ask who it was before the door opened and Angela slipped in, closing it silently behind her.

"Sorry about the wait," Angela said, offering him a smile.

"It's not a problem," Garen replied immediately.

"So, Garen. Now that Payne is gone and you no longer need to be diplomatic. Tell me what you really think of Vanning," Angela instructed him.

"Well, he pays well. That's about the only good thing I can say about him. And for the most part I try to limit my contact with him aside from receiving jobs and getting paid. Overall, I don't like him, but there isn't much I can do about it, so I tolerate him," Garen responded.

"And what about me? What do you think of me? And please, be honest. I won't hold anything you say against you," Angela told him.

Garen hesitated for a second, but he figured his best bet was to do as she said. "I don't know you. I've heard good and bad things about you, but as a leader you're pretty well respected in most circles. As for your home here, well... This sort of place isn't really to my taste, but I've known freaks who enjoyed far worse, so."

Angela seemed to consider his words for several seconds before finally giving a short nod. "I need a representative in your city. With the way Vanning has been acting lately, I need someone there who openly serves me. Who it's clear will make reports to me. The people who report to me in secret are helpful, but I need something more than that, now. Perhaps if I have a clear representative in the city, Vanning will think twice before continuing with the sort of actions he's been taking lately."

"If anything, all he'll probably do is attempt to hide his actions from your representative. Vanning really doesn't strike me as the kind of person who's willing to stop. Which raises the question, why haven't you done anything about him, yet? Everything I've heard about you implied that you wouldn't tolerate such behavior from a city-leader who was a friend, much less someone like Vanning who won't even come to speak to you himself. So why have you left him in power this long?" Garen asked.

"I have my reasons, and unfortunately I can't share them with you. But that doesn't change the fact that I want you as my representative in your city," Angela stated.

"Why me?" Garen queried.

"You had the guts to tell me what the freaks of your city really thought even with Payne standing right there. Which means you'll already be in hot water with Vanning. You strike me as the type who's willing to take and follow orders without wasting time or looking for shortcuts. And more than that, I have a good feeling about you, Garen. And my instincts are rarely wrong," Angela informed him.

"So what exactly would my responsibilities be, as your representative?" Garen pressed.

"It's rather simple, actually. I would give you a cell phone, already programmed with the numbers of a few of my closest aides. You would observe the goings on within your city and call in regular reports, which they would pass on to me. My informants would still make their reports to me directly, so you'd never know who they were, but if there was anyone in your city who wanted to openly send a message to me they would come to you, and you would pass it on. And there might be times when I would wish to give an order to Vanning or someone else, but for some reason or another I either didn't want to give it to them directly, or couldn't seem to contact them. At which point I'd call you and you'd inform them of the order for me," Angela explained.