《Atlas Awakens》Chapter 16- To the Future
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Dillon rummaged through the pockets of the dead spies and pulled out their own personal contact devices as well as what looked to be a blueprint shard like what Kye had given him with the gun blueprints on. He pocketed the things and walked back to the bathroom where Kye was washing his face at the sink while Sebastian was cleaning up some of the sick that missed the bowl of the toilet.
"You doing alright Kye?"
Kye turned his head and gave a self-loathing smile.
"No. But thanks for asking."
Kye grabbed a towel from the towel rack and wiped his face. He walked past Dillon and entered the office where the bodies still remained. He sat down somewhat defeatedly next to the woman's body and tucked his knees up behind his out-stretched arms. He sat in silence and looked at the body before finally breaking the silence.
"It didn't really feel that good." Kye looked down into his lap. "I thought it would y'know, getting rid of someone who would almost certainly do the same if given the order. But I guess thats the distinction right. I decided to do it so I feel the full weight of my descision."
Dillon had taken his fair share of lives and ordered his men to do the same but Dillon was somewhat eased into the process by the Divine Academy. Their battles there were always to the death but due to some magic array they had built, those that died would come back after the battle. It helped adjust you to the feeling of taking a life. Kye had no such buffer, just a choice to make.
"For what it's worth Kye, I think you made the right call."
Giving a small smile and stood up.
"I know I said it didn't feel good, but I never said I regretted it. These people would have hurt those close to me once everything started to unfold. Just that I think this has taught me a pretty valuable lesson."
"And that lesson would be?"
"That sometimes doing the right thing isn't always easy."
Kye walked over to the office desk and pulled out three glasses and a bottle of premium whiskey. Pouring a standard drink in all three glasses, Kye passed one to Dillon and placed another on the edge of the desk for Sebastian. Kye took a small sip and looked at the bodies once more.
"I always figured that doing the evil thing was the easiest because you didn't have to care right? You just do whatever and if people die in the process then so be it. I figured i'd have to play that part while I was putting this whole thing together, the guy who doesn't give a damn about the concequences. But i'm looking at these three sorry bastards who were just following orders and now they're laying in a pool of their own blood. Gives some perspective on being a leader is all, knowing that the people I bring onto my side might end up like this if I slack off."
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Dillon nursed the whiskey as he listened to Kye. He completely understood what Kye was saying, as a leader himself he had men die under his command and it wasn't an easy thing to come to terms with. Knowing that they followed your orders and then died because of them put the blame of their death on you moreso than the person who killed them.
"So it's a grim lesson. I have to be better than the wastes of oxygen that gave them orders." Kye looked at Dillon. "And it's why I need good Iieutenants to help me run it all. It's why i've been seeking out people like yourself instead of just getting some fresh recruits from somewhere in the Free States and doing it all myself."
Now everything was falling into place for Dillon. It wasn't that Kye just had some childish desire to work with gangs because of some false image, it's that he needed skilled personnel and didn't have the time to train them. Given that his orders would be risky, he needed capable sub-commanders to make sure he didn't lose people. Somewhere in Dillon's heart, he felt a spike of pain as he remembered his own descisions and the lives they cost. He looked back at Kye with a renewed sense of respect.
"Then trust me when I say this Kye, i'll be working just as hard to make sure you don't get use killed out there as well."
With a bit of a smirk, the mood in the office lightened considerably as both of them looked at one another with a sense of burgeoning trust and respect. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and without waiting for a reply, four men in black rain coats walked in with bags and chemicals. They looked at the bodies and then back to Kye and Dillon, who were both slightly smiling and sipping from their glasses. Deciding not to say anything, one of the men tipped his hat to Kye and began dealing with the bodies and blood stains of the spies. After about 20 minutes of work, the three bodies were completely wrapped up and all traces of the bloodstains were gone. Putting the bodies into trash bags, the four men made their way out of the office and Kye sat down in his desk chair, breathing a sigh of relief. Sebastian walked into the room and took the drink meant for him and downed it in one go.
"What now young master?"
Kye thought for a bit before standing up.
"We'll go to the Kingdom of Speria and get in touch with this Tyson guy that Dillon put me onto. Once that's done, we'll see what leads spring up."
"When would you like to depart?"
"How long until all the paperwork to transfer all the assets to Dillon are ready?"
"I will have them completed by tonight."
"Then tomorrow morning. We can't afford to waste time."
Sebastian bowed and walked over to his desk in the office and began working on the asset transfer papers. Kye turned to Dillon.
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"I'm going to give you some pretty basic drills and exercise regimes for you to put your guys and the Skull Takers though while i'm busy with other work. I'd ask that they be somewhat ready to act as special forces for my military."
Dillon nodded and sat down on a chair opposite Kye's desk.
"We'll get to work on tooling up those workshops as soon as we can and get to working on those blueprints you gave us. I'll intergrate the Skull Takers into my gang and get to work on giving them the military treatment. I have a bit of experience since I served with the kingdom's military for a few years as part of being a prince."
"Please do, I'll let you know when I need the first shipment. It all hinges on these Wild Mares and if they're gonna be as easy to recruit as you make them out to be."
"Tyson's a good guy who knows when to take risks. If i'm behind you, there's no way he'd refuse."
Kye just nodded and closed his eyes as he lent his head back against the chair. With his eyes still closed, he began talking to Sebastian.
"Call Clara in and some of the maids as well to help pack my stuff up for the flight and tell the pilots we'll be going."
"Yes, young master."
With a deep sigh, Kye sunk deeper into his chair.
"I need to go relax. Wanna come with me to the rec room in the villa?"
He posed the question to Dillon who gave a slight smile and nodded.
The two of them walked out of the office and down into the foyer where there were two maids cleaning. They both bowed to Kye and he gave them a soft smile to which they both slightly blushed before resuming their duties. Dillon gave Kye a small elbow in the ribs.
"What's up with that?"
"With what exactly?"
"Those maids man. They blushed when you smiled."
Kye didn't remember doing anything that would make them infatuated with him so he just tilted his head.
"I think they were just kinda embarassed from being acknowledged by the 'young master' of the house is all. At the very least, I haven't done anything to them."
"Yeah? Well, whatever you say man."
Dillon gave Kye a good look up and down and had to admit that Kye was pretty attractive as far as physical features went. He was well kempt and had a nice physique. Dillon couldn't help but wonder what Kye had done to unwittingly charm them. His question found it's answer when they entered the rec room and Kye took off his jacket. He rolled up the sleeves on his shirt and messed up his styled hair into a more messy look. In one single change of apperance, he went from put together and serious gangster to handsome rich kid. The maids who were previously cleaning came into the room and stood behind the bar, ready to serve food and drinks for the two men. Kye grabbed two pool ques from a rack and handed one to Dillon.
"Let's play a game."
Dillon gave a smile as he took the que and their game began. After a few shots with the only words exchanged being some compliments on each others shots, Dillon asked a question.
"I never asked but, you're going to the Divine Academy right? Who were you blessed by?"
Kye didn't answer as he lined up his shot. He hit the white ball and sunk the 10 ball into the corner pocket he was aiming for.
"I got blessed by a Titan called Atlas. It's a rather big deal but for right now, it means I can't use my powers at all without some artifacts."
Dillon gave a whistle as he watched Kye line up another shot.
"Sounds like a pretty big deal. You been training the past few years?"
Kye hit the ball but missed the ball he was aiming for and hit another one of his.
"Training is all i've done the past few years. They didn't even let me sleep, it was just meditation to save time and restore my fatigue."
"Didn't let you sleep!? Fuckin' hell man, that's pretty brutal."
Kye shrugged as Dillon set up for his shot.
"I guess. I honestly prefer it from what the others have been doing. Just meeting up with one another and doing some token training as they socialise and make connections."
Dillon sunk the 4 ball and nodded.
"Yeah, thats why I joined the military instead of doing all that. Felt like less of a waste of time."
Lining up another shot, Dillon sunk the 5 ball.
"But it's probably gonna come back and bite you in the ass like it did me. I was lucky enough to have my Divinity War start when I was 17, but you're going in younger at 15. One of the tough parts about it is that the later years are all team battles where you have to work together with your house. Not having friends is gonna hurt you long term."
"Yeah, that's why i'm fine sacrificing my first year being in the normal class. I can hopefully make friends among them and make them vassals when I move up a class."
Dillon sunk the 7 ball.
"True enough. Vassals will probably carry you further than uncooperative housemates anyway."
Dillon now took a shot at the 8 ball and sunk it. He gave a grin and looked at Kye.
"My win."
They shook hands and went to the bar.
"A rum and cola for me thanks. What about you Dillon?"
"Gin and soda thanks."
The two maids poured out the drinks and placed them in front of the two. Kye raised his glass.
"To the future."
Dillon clinked his glass against Kye's and they both took long drinks.
"To the future indeed."
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