They were late.
Those bastards kept me waiting here for almost two hours.
Fucking pompous rich people.
I exhaled, shoulders sagging tiredly.
The hood on my head slid off a bit, I quickly placed it back on.
Careful to not let anyone know some non-gifted person sat at a bar for gift users.
Someone slid a black paper to me.
I stilled, gaze snapping to it.
VIP suite 38.
Finally,
I downed the rest of my drink, took the envelope and began walking towards my destination.
Two guards stood outside the door.
Their gaze snapped to mine as soon as I stopped in front of them.
"Who are you?"
I showed them the envelope.
One of them spoke into their walkie, then opened the door, ushering me in.
My eyes drifted around the room.
Four guards stood at each corner of the room, hands on their weapons, ready to discharge if a snail so much as exhibited any hidden intent.
A tall man stood close to a woman and a man, conversing quietly.
The woman sat down, holding the hands of whom I assumed to be the daughter, her lips trembling slightly.
I walked closer and all eyes zoned on me.
The tall man walked forward first, hand outstretched.
"My name is Steve. You must be the recommendation from Mr Stone."
My nerves prickled in awareness.
A strong gift user.
I nonchalantly slid mine into my pocket. "Yes."
His lips pressed into a thin line.
"Very well, these are our clients." He said pointing at the man and woman. "I'm sure Mr Stone must have briefed you about everything."
I nodded.
He walked forward and I followed, stopping just in front of the girl and her parents.
"This is Rosalie and these are Mr and Mrs Demarco."
"I asked for gift users, not just one. What the hell is wrong with Stone?" Mr Demarco shouted.
"Please be calm Owen, I'm sure the guy is extremely strong for Stone to send him alone." Steve said, then turned to me.
"What is your gift boy?"
I grunted in annoyance.
That sly goat, he really was going to leave me to tell them myself huh…
I stared at the wall, hoping to block out the look ok their faces when I say it.
"I don't have any." I deadpanned.
They all stared at me in shock.
Hmm… I whistled quietly.
I wonder how long till they fully processed it.
"Do you think this is a joke, boy?" Steve asked.
"Do I look like a clown Steve and my name's Vincent, not, boy."
"Who cares what your name is." Owen screamed.
His wife placed her face in her palms, crying.
The girl on the other hand just sat there, staring at her phone.
"Calm down Mr Demarco, I'll have Stone sort this out." He said, taking out his phone.
"You better do, and have him find someone else—"
"—You won't be getting anyone better than me you pompous ass,"
Steve stilled, hands clutching his phone to his ear.
Mr Demarco stared at me with pent up rage. "Just who the hell do you think you are, scum?"
I groaned. "It's Vince—"
"Like I fucking care?"
"Please Mr Demarco, calm down—"
"Don't tell me to calm down you fucking bastard, my wife has been crying since weeks ago, my daughter's life has been in constant danger and my life…" he chuckled humorlessly, raising his hands up.
"It's been a fucking mess since this stupid shit came to light."
He heaved heavily.
"I had to drain a billion dollars from my bank account and what do I get? This." He screamed, pointing at me.
Movement from the corner of my eye had me pulling my gaze from an enraged Owen to the floor.
It was subtle, but I could see the floor moving like water, something was steadily drawing towards us.
Or someone rather…
Invisibility.
Or the ability to move underground.
I didn't know which, and so… I couldn't attack blindly.
I glanced at Steve as he tried to reason with Owen.
He was the best bet to deal with this.
But it seemed no else had noticed.
I only had the advantage of surprise.
The person kept on creeping in slowly.
Ahh… I groaned internally.
This was going to be a pain in the ass… but I didn't really have a choice did I.
I unsheathed my knife slowly and waited.
One.
Two.
Three.
I drove my knife to the ground, drawing a painful screech from the person.
Steve and Owen stopped their squabbling immediately as a figure emerged from the floor.
Twisting and turning in an eerie way.
Finally—
His body took shape turning into a man.
He breathed heavily, clutching his shoulder as blood dripped from the wound where I'd stabbed him.
The guards unsheathed their guns, training it on the figure.
Steve's right hand changed, forming a gun.
Mr Demarco moved to a defensive pose in front of his wife and daughter, casting what looked like a see through blanket over them.
"You bastard," the intruder screamed.
I grinned.
Everyone stared at the person, but my eyes were scanning the room.
I'd deduced that his gift was the ability to move underground.
An amazing ability for this situation.
But he didn't seem to have any battle experience… and whoever hired him knew that.
If I hadn't noticed he could have easily moved to where their daughter was and drew her in.
Which meant, his gift could not only hide him…
I moved.
Fast.
Just in time, throwing my knife at the wall.
Another figure.
No… three figures emerged from the wall beside one of the guards.
Sadly, one of them reacted in time, using the guard as a shield and the knife I threw embedded itself in his skull.
"Seriously Mikey, you couldn't just avoid getting hit could you." One of them said,
"Shut up," Mickey screamed, adding pressure on his bleeding shoulder.
"Ren, Ali, come in" Steve screamed into his walkie.
Nothing came back.
Then—
The door opened.
A huge man came in, dragging the body of the two guards stationed at the door beside him.
Steve's eyes widened in horror.
Owen dropped to the floor in despair.
His wife hugged their daughter tightly, trembling with fear.
The man dropped the bodies, eyes moving around everyone in the room till they landed on the girl.
"We are taking the girl."
I scoffed, unsheathing a curved knife and my dagger.
Taking a defensive stance in front of the girl with a large grin on my face.
"I'd like to see you try."