She immediately regretted saying it out loud.
La Mathesis gave her a sharp look, controlled, disappointed.
"Sorry."
Allen said nothing. The man who should have hated Mr. N the most was silent.
He wasn't conflicted. He was calculating.
Finally—
Allen: "It's not possible. Not yet."
Across the room, Osprey was barely conscious. After nearly drowning, he'd been stabilized and sedated. He was on propofol to keep him sleeping and drowsy, midazolam to prevent agitation, fentanyl for pain.
He wasn't supposed to be hearing any of this.
Not that it mattered. He already knew everyone wanted N dead. It wouldn't change a thing.
Farah (Osprey's Lieutenant) didn't agree with everyone, however."I don't like N. I've been around him a lot due to Osprey, but this feels kind of evil, no? To plot against the guy? I know he almost just killed him, but he's Osprey's childhood friend…."
Sho kept his thoughts to himself.God, Fare (Farah's real name) must be the first person I've met that's a literal bimbo. What do you mean he almost just killed him, but—
Sho rolled his eyes as his thoughts spiraled.'God, femininity is gross. No wonder they always get stuck in toxic relationships.'
Eric, Allen's lieutenant, finally spoke. His voice carried weight without effort. The bulky, muscular man had a similar frame to Elite Guard Rank 5; however, he carried a paternal maturity that was not present at the meeting.
Eric:"Strength is everything. If you're useful, you get paid. Only when we're weak are we replaceable. If we want to surpass Mr. N, we have to get stronger."
Farah clicked their tongue while cleaning under a fingernail. They posed with their hips hanging out, their body framed like a model, perfect tattoos, skin, and body frame.
Farah:"Okay… you're probably right. I just don't like your tone."
What they actually meant was: I like you. So soften up when you talk to me.
They were flirting. Poorly.
Eric's muscular face shifted, confused.
"I don't care what you like. Don't you still use firearms? Actual guns? Weapons so outdated they bounce off skin?"
He wasn't trying to insult them specifically. He just genuinely thought guns were primitive. Anyone who still depended on them, he would not take seriously.
Farah:"What? It's not standard issue. I customize—"
Why am I explaining myself to this boomer?
Eric:"They're still useless. Bullets are easy to dodge."
He said it bluntly. No malice. Just fact.
Farah felt like throwing their skateboard into his cranium.
Farah rolled their eyes with sass:"My rounds fire at Mach 10+."
Eric was done entertaining it, however. He crossed his arms, pretending not to care.
Demi scratched his nose, baiting.
"That's still pretty slow." He smiled.
Farah shot him a look.
"Let's test how slow it is, yam face."
Farah reached for their custom rifle from Ragah. Ragah, the giant, sighed and casually lifted it above their head, just out of reach.
Farah stretched upward, spine arching slightly, straining to grab it.
Sho thought to himself…Yam face is crazy…
From across the room—
Davidz:"…Wow."
He stared intensely, lusting over Farah, eyes glued to their hips and lower regions. Only God knows what he was thinking.
Sho caught him staring, stating,'I knew that innocent-looking kid was weird, son.'
Yara's Bible continued,"As we were saying, though… about Elite Guard Rank 1. All things considered, if he doesn't appear, what do we do?"
Osprey opened his eyes, smiling."Dreyfus is a bitch. That's just how he operates. He'll be there when the time is right." Osprey mumbled from his tub, still high off drugs, partially awake.
Rank 5 answered,"Yeah, sure, man."
Ragah commented softly,"Even if he doesn't show, we have Osprey, no? Aren't those two close in terms of combat value?"
Aspera nodded, but no one else said anything.
Everyone ignored Ragah once again.
Osprey was so drugged up, he started blowing bubbles in his water.
Demisaux added his two cents,"He will pop up. If we have any chance of winning, we're going to need that monster."
La Mathesis finally spoke, his voice elegant, polished."You're of a newer generation. What would you know of Dreyfus?"
Demi mumbled,"He literally trained me."