Chương 142: 55 - THE COLLECTOR'S GAMBIT

German Casas walked the halls of the immaculate Hunter's Club Estate. A crowd of gaudy men and women were galavanting in the main areas, bragging about their latest kills and how exclusive their loots were. All the while, the serving men and women walked around with their drinks and platters of appetizers. It would've been a fine establishment even for pre-Zero Day standards. And he was proud of that for the work he'd put into it. But it was not his, and it was not meant to last forever.

Never did he spend the time to enjoy the place as everyone else did. Even when he mingled, it was a job. Many tried to stop him to chat, not to check on his well-being but to make sure they were still in good standing with the man upstairs.

"Have you seen, Madam Mauve?" German asked. It took three asks before someone finally told him that she was sunbathing out by the pool. He found the woman there in a tight blueberry one-piece and a large matching sun hat to cover all of her facial surgeries. She sipped on a daiquiri as the sun cooked her leathery fair skin.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite, German." There was smoke coming out of her mouth when she spoke, and yet no device to create it.

"Have you finally decided to stop working for once in your life to join me for a strawberry daiquiri?"

"Unfortunately, no," he said stiffly.

"Mitas Corlander has called for a meeting and requests the attendance of his best hunters."

"His best? Why, I'm honored that such a man thinks so highly of me that he wants to meet me personally to give me a reward for serving him so audaciously. You tell him I'll be there when he calls." Mauve said, closing her eyes like she was getting a solar massage. German stood still.

"That time is now."

"Now? I'm in the middle of… I mean, I'm not even dressed for…" There was no chance to German's face. No sympathy whatsoever.

"Fine. At least let me change, and I'll be there."

"You have ten minutes." The second person he was meant to find was closed inside of his room as he always was. When the door opened at German's knock, it was a beast who answered it. A glowing beast with the body of an ape and a disembodied flaming skull for a head. People called it the Skull Eater. German raised his eyebrows at the creature.

"I'm here to speak to Emil." The body of the Skull Eater disappeared, making way for German to see Emil inside the room. Dark-haired and darkly dressed, the young man was sitting on the white, fluffy belly of a giant bear lying in the middle of his room. The bear was touching all four walls as Emil used it for a bed on which he fiddled with a mobile gaming tablet and a screwdriver.

"What is it?" his voice groaned.

"Mitas Corlander requests your service."

"Can it wait till later? I'm not in the mood to give a shit right now."

"If you value your Hunter's Club membership, then it cannot." Emil stopped fiddling, dropping the tablet on top of the bear as if it never existed.

"I am powerless against the greater forces of the universe. It threads my heart with another needle of dread, and yet I must still answer its call. You understand what I mean, don't you, Gladus?" The bear underneath him blew a chill into the room as it croaked like a dying old man. German turned away.

"You have 5 minutes to report to his office on the top floor."

"Yes, sir." Those were the two he was required to get. All that was left to do now was to report back to Corlander for this so-called meeting. He pressed the button to the elevator and waited for it to arrive to the residential floor. But when it opened, he was surprised to see someone inside who didn't seem to be getting out on this floor. They didn't look like a hunter that he recognized, and they weren't dressed like one of the RazorWind forces.

He was an older man with a military cap and tight black windbreaker. His eyes were covered with sunglasses and the bottom of his chin by a salt-and-pepper goatee.

"Going up," German said. The only floor above them was Corlanders. The man smirked.

"Me too." German cocked his head and stepped into the elevator. He tried to read the man's thoughts, but his head seemed to be completely empty of any thoughts or intention. He'd have to rely on the old-fashioned way.

"May I ask who you are?" Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The man kept his smirk but stayed silent. When the elevator door opened, German was expecting to get cased by the mercs that were standing guard. But as soon as they saw who was inside, they stiffened to attention.

"Commander Hobbs," they both said, saluting.

"At ease." The man walked out of the elevator, no checks, no protocol, just right through to Corlander's door. A privilege that not even German was given. He stood just before Corlander's closed door and pointed, looking back at German.

"Is this it?" he asked. Knowing full well that this heavily guarded door was his only possible destination. German shrugged off the smug attempt to belittle him.

"That depends on what you're doing here, Commander Hobbs." Hobbs stroked his beard like he was some old wizard.

"Oh, he didn't tell you? Well, Corlander made a special call to one of our SAT phones, making a bid for my assistance personally. He must have quite the event planned for us. People like me are in high demand these days." German didn't speak any further as they felt the footsteps of the Skull Eater approaching. It had to crouch to squeeze itself out of the elevator with Emil in its arms. It just marched through all the soldiers, none of them having the strength to stop the giant gorilla creature.

It shook the floors as it stepped until it came to a stop in front of them.

"What are you two geezers doing? Isn't there a meeting or something?" German raised a hand.

"No demons inside Corlander's office." Emil groaned.

"Fine. Let me down, Biscuit." The Skull Eater gently sat Emil on the ground before his body turned into smoke and disappeared.

"The longer I have to stare at you two, the closer I get to my inevitable demise. Please, let's get this over with."

"After you," said Hobbs. The guards opened the door, and everyone walked into the room. Madam Mauve was already inside waiting for them, wearing a silk gown that hastily covered her bathing suit. Corlander was sitting next to the fireplace in a maroon colored suit, forcing himself to listen to the crackling of the fire. They all knew better than to speak before he did, and so they stood a long while in silence.

"Thank you all for coming," Corlander finally said.

"Madam Mauve and Emil. You two are greatly responsible for making me as powerful as I am now. Commander Hobbs, you have protected me and my family for decades now. And German… my most trusted advisor. And friend. Because of all your efforts, I've gathered enough loot to make me the most powerful man in the country." His eyes were beaming red, and there was a cacophony of colors streaming from his fingers as he was testing the limits of the Collector loot's ability.

"But…" The man stood with a dissatisfied frown.

"I'm still incomplete. Without the Bestower, I cannot attain my perfect form." As he walked to sit back at his desk, German could feel the weight of the shift in a literal way. The closer Corlander was, the more the air seemed to be sucked out of him. But he was the only one as the two hunters and the commander maintained semi-relaxed postures.

"It's a loot that will allow me to create any loot I wish from the palm of my hand. Once I get it, I won't need hunters anymore to fetch loot for me. My growth will then be without ceiling. Then it'll be solely up to me to bring this country back from ruin. But first, in order to get it, I need to take it from the man who has it." The man sat at his great wooden desk and crossed his legs.

"Now German has strongly advised me against an assault on Graceland. Apparently, it's the home of my stepdaughter. And they have amassed a powerful array of loot. Enough to rival even my own. He says if I attempt it, there's a chance I will die…" The glow in his eyes cooled as he glanced at German, who nodded back.

"I've had to heavily reconsider. Through all these years, he's never led me astray. But he still has the mind of the old world. In the new world, patience is not served. The new laws of nature reward bold action. If I don't take the Bestower now, their defenses will only fester, and my chances will further diminish by the passing day." German's expression remained stiff as stone as he stared at his employer. The others in the room were stirring inside themselves, seeing where this was going.

"That's why you all are here. As preparation for what might lie on that island waiting for us." Corlander's voice was eroded as a sign of his age, and he had to clear his throat.

"I'll need you to be ruthless. I'll need you to be focused. I need you to remove anything that might get in my way. Promise me the Bestower, and each of you will have a permanent place in the world I build with it. Nothing will be able to stand against me, and we shall have whatever we want…" Long after the meeting concluded, German was walking out on the path next to the mansion, where the trees converged as part of the estate's garden area. He straightened his tie, a habit to help maintain his composure.

"Tyene? Tyene?" he whispered to the trees. There was a rustle from the bushes behind him and a woman stepped out, covered in dirt and leaves, looking like she had been hidden there for days. Vienna Misling approached him cautiously with her short dark hair, sharp eyes, and emphatic beauty mark on her cheek. He took a step back. She was one of those people whose thoughts he couldn't read. It was like they were operating blank slates and yet still operated as if their control panel was remote.

It terrified him as he knew the woman wouldn't think twice about ending him.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Lady Tyene will not be attending this meeting," Vienna said stiffly.

"Why?"

"Because I'm here. Now what is it that you wished to tell her?" German studied her face, but she was one of the few creatures in this world that could mask her intentions better than he could. He supposed he had no choice but to tell her.

"I attempted to talk him out of it or at least buy you more time, but he only doubled down. He's brought in reinforcements. They will still attack the city, and I don't think they care who gets killed in the crossfire… including Tyene." Vienna raised her chin at him.

"Then you know what has to be done. You have a decision to make, and until you make it, I've advised Tyene not to come see you anymore… for her own safety. Understood?" After a brief hesitation, German nodded.

"Understood." Vienna reported to the outskirts of the mansion, where the estate ended and the public road began. The Corlander SUV was waiting for them there. Tyene was sitting in the passenger seat with the door open and a lit cigarette in her mouth. Vienna approached her, lowering her head.

"My lady… I've spoken the words exactly as you told me." Tyene smirked and petted her head.

"Good job, Vienna. Now let's see what he does."