The Second Layer

Chapter 17: Garen

Chapter 17: Garen

As Garen descended the last step into Vanning's basement, he had to take a few deep breaths to steady himself and calm his nerves. Harken had had her aide give Garen a ride back to the city, since Payne was long gone by the time Garen exited the mansion. He'd considered asking the aide to just drop him off at his home, but in the end he'd decided it was best to come here. After all, if he was going to be Harken's new representative in the city, it was only right that he notify Vanning as soon as possible. And if the fireworks were going to fly over it, at least this would get them out of the way sooner rather than later.

He could sense two freaks inside the throne room, so as he crossed the hall and into the room itself, he wasn't surprised to see Payne standing not far from Vanning. Apparently the guy had waited around to confront him himself. Vanning's expression was calm, almost too calm, and the way he gripped the armrests of his throne implied an anger he wasn't showing. "Carnus, I wasn't sure you'd have the guts to face me," Vanning told him in a carefully controlled voice.

'Like you didn't have the guts to face Harken?' was the first thought to pop into Garen's head, but he wasn't suicidal enough to actually say it. Instead what he said was, "I did say that I'd stop by when I got back into the city to examine that larikin you said you might have. So, is it here?"

For a second the anger Vanning was hiding flashed into his expression, but just as quickly it was suppressed again. "Unfortunately, Lord Talen thought it necessary to take possession of that larikin himself, shortly after it was brought back to me."

And yet there Vanning was, showing no signs of having been executed, so maybe he hadn't needed to kill the freak to get the larikin after all. "That's too bad," Garen finally replied.

For several seconds Vanning sat there, just staring at him, his fingers making barely perceptible clenching and unclenching motions against the armrests of the throne. "Payne tells me that you felt the need to speak your mind to Harken about what you believe other freaks think of me, while you were in her presence. He also tells me that Harken said I wasn't to harm you for it. However, she never said anything about banishing you. And since you're not one of the little informants she apparently has around here to spy on me, she can't fault me for driving you from my city, since you'll leave it unharmed. So you have twenty-four hours, Carnus, to get your affairs in order and get out of this city. If you're here after that, then I will be able to kill you, not for speaking with Harken, but rather for defying my orders. So again she'll have no grounds for complaint."

Vanning was fond of banishment as a punishment for those he didn't kill. As a city leader, he was within his power to banish a freak from the city for so long as he remained its leader. And there were about a dozen freaks who'd had to leave the city because of such banishments. This was one case though, where he no longer had the authority. "Sorry, but I can't do that," Garen informed him evenly.

Vanning slowly rose to his feet, his eyes blazing, his anger now clearly showing on his face. "What did you just say?" he demanded, a savage grin beginning to spread over his face seemingly in anticipation of being able to attack Garen. Payne took a menacing step forward as well.

"I said I can't do that, not without violating the orders of a higher power than you. As of a little awhile ago, Angela Harken made me her official representative in this city, and placed me directly under her authority, in so doing removing your power to give me orders or to punish me for anything. Just before I left she also told me to tell you that if you wish to challenge her authority to do so, and try to punish me anyways, she'll come to the city herself to settle it," Garen informed them.

Vanning seemed caught between shock and an anger so intense he looked ready to chew nails. "You have to be fucking kidding me!"

"I'm not," Garen replied, reaching around to his back pocket to pull out the cell phone he was given, holding it up where Vanning and Payne could see. "You can call her yourself to verify it, if you like. But we both know that I'm not stupid enough to try and bluff about something like this."

"You think you can dictate to me who I can and can't punish in my city!?!?" Vanning demanded, his tone of voice rising with every word.

"No, but Angela Harken does. And if you disagree, I'm sure she'd love to know about it," Garen stated, concentrating on keeping his own voice calm and confident, and keeping his rising nervousness from showing.

Payne was just glancing back and forth between Garen and Vanning, seemingly waiting for some kind of direction. As for Vanning, he was glaring at Garen so intensely that Garen was certain that if looks could kill, he'd have been dead several times over. "And what is it Miss Harken wants you to do in this city, as her representative?" Vanning asked, his voice once more tightly controlled even if his expression and eyes betrayed his rage.

"I'm to act as an open observer. To report on all activity within this city. I'm also to sometimes act as a relay for orders she wishes to give to freaks of this city, including you," Garen told him.

"YOU!?!? GIVE ME ORDERS!?!?" Vanning shouted the words, losing what composure he'd managed to regain.

"That is Harken's wish, and her intentions in hiring me to this position. I'm simply the messenger here, delivering her intentions to you," Garen responded.

"You... You..." Vanning said, his hands tightly clenched and his entire stance screaming just how badly he wanted to lash out at Garen. "Get out. Now. GET OUT!"

Garen figured pressing things at this point wouldn't be the smartest move. So, inclining his head slightly towards Payne and Vanning, he turned on his heels and headed back to the stairs that would lead him towards the building's exit.