Atelo [MXM] [BOOK 1] ✓

CHAPTER 50: ALL AT ONCE

Marley freezes at her words, eyes slowly dragging themselves from the screen to meet her gaze. He doesn't need to ask her for details, since she's clearly pointing at something. Someone.

Marley follows her finger until his eyes land on a person on the opposite side of the room. The person is staring at the two of them with their arms crossed, not seeming at all concerned with the fact that they've been caught.

Marley practically feels his soul leave his body when his eyes land on Olucard.

Marley stands up, backing away from the computer, mission forgotten. Oh no, there goes the element of surprise. Their cover has been blown.

Marley can't do anything to alert the others of this new development, instead standing frozen in shock. Drey rushes to hide behind him, though he can still feel her peeking around his leg. It registers, then, that Drey is afraid of this man.

"Marlowe."

Marley thinks he may pass out, reaching behind him to hold Drey's head as Olucard stares at him unimpressed. Marley has no idea what to do here. He thinks about yelling for Nero or something, but gets the distinct sense that that would only attract more unwanted attention. This is very, very bad.

Suddenly, Olucard's eyes shift to stare at Drey, and an indecipherable expression takes over his features. In fact, the man appears almost calm. "Andrea Holly. No longer missing, I see."

That sparks anger in Marley, who reaches behind himself and picks her up into his arms, clutching the girl to his chest. He likes to ask before touching her, but he feels that this situation doesn't prohibit it.

"You should be asleep," Marley remarks, trying to casually inch his way toward the door. Yes, that's probably the best thing to do in this situation: escape to Nero.

"You should be in Gans."

"Surprise," Marley responds, but he pauses in his tracks when Olucard walks over to the office entrance and stands in front of it, arms crossed.

"When will you give up? The Westhem doesn't need or want you."

Marley clutches Drey tighter to himself, heart breaking at the realization that she's shaking. "This is bigger than the Westhem."

"Is it?" Olucard inquires, leaning back against the door. "I'll ask you this once, Prince: hand over the girl."

It's then, that something happens to Marley. Previously to this, he'd only stuck with Drey because he had to. He stole her from 1-A and he had to take care of the consequences. Now, though? Now it's occurring to him. When he saved this child, she became his responsibility. If anything bad happens to her, it's on his hands.

He will do anything to keep her from this man.

"Why don't you make me?" Marley responds, like Olucard can't do just that.

Olucard scans him up and down, and to Marley's horror, actually begins to do so. Marley feels a tugging at his limbs, soft at first. It gets progressively stronger, though, and Marley finally takes a step towards the director.

Oh no.

Growing more and more wary, Marley responds, "what do you want with her anyway? Why don't you just give up?"

Marley takes another step, the distance between them shrinking by the second. There are only about six feet between the two of them, and Marley knows it will take next to no time for that number to turn into a zero.

He needs to find a way out of this situation. What is a way out of this situation? He needs to send the email, he needs to... incapacitate Olucard? Yes! He's probably going to have to fight Olucard.