Nicolai Stone

I never want to hurt Sienna, but my words did and they tasted like ash against my tongue. But I did what I had to do to push her away--and I knew she knew I was pushing her away.

Everything I'm doing is for her, she will see that soon enough.

That's been a couple hours ago when I told her those hateful words, causing her to run off out the office. My very being wanted to chase her--to tell her I didn't mean any of it and I wanted to hold her in my arms for comfort. Instead I stayed behind my desk watching her run out.

So here I am sitting down at my desk looking into paperwork. Paperwork of my soldiers who will be transfered from my estate.

Step by step is what I'm taking right now.

"You carry the world on your shoulders man." I hear Dimitri say, walking in and closing the door behind him.

I place my pen down on the desk, "what do you want?"

Dimitri grins, "you think me and Don don't know what your playing at?"

"I'm not playing. I'm simply preparing the operation for the event." I say, irritable.

He takes the seat in front of my desk and leans forward with a serious expression, "you've been leaving late at night and staying in this office for a while now. So I took the time to follow you."

I try not giving a reaction to his words but fucked up when I look away from his intense eyes, "I've been under alot of stress lately--so I go to the bar..."

Dimitri nods, "da, only you aren't going to the bar just to get smashed, yeah? When I followed you into the bar I seen you sit in a booth all alone...until someone sits across from you in the shadows."

Dammit, Dimitri.

"To find out who it was, was a true shocker. But then I put it all together. Now, what do you say to that?" He asks, voice deep and sounding a bit on the offensive side.

I keep my mouth closed, whatever he is thinking isn't exactly what it looks like in the slightest.

He will ruin my plans if anymore people knew about this.

Shit, I can't keep nothing from my best man so I might as well tell him something. Anything to get rid of that expression on his face.

"If you tell so much as anyone Dimitri, you will be meeting your fate. Doesn't matter if we grew up together or that you are my second in command." I threaten him, voice edged like a double sword.

He gives me a nod to continue.

"The man I was with at the bar is none other than Edmond Galeon himself as you already know. After the ambush and car wreck with Donovon and Sienna--I was scared that at this point Edmond would do anything to get to my wife..."

"That night we found Sienna I made it my upmost mission to find out his motives. Why did he want to endanger her? Why is he willing to be wreckless? So I sent one of my soldiers to correspond to the Galeons. To meet me, unarmed at the bar." I reach for my lighter and flick the lid open, "I knew he would come without doubt. Because I made a deal with him...a deal that will change everything."

Dimitri growls, "the fuck!? All this time you've been meeting with our enemy?"

Flicking the lighter closed, 'why be foe with him when it benefits being on the same side? Will it give us the better hand? That... I do not know but it is what I'm dealing with."

He slams his fist onto my desk, "what deal did you make with him?" He demands.

I lean against my chair, "to purchase his subjects to me and I will return the favor with an alliance contract with him."

"Subjects? Alliance contract? You've got to be shittin me, boss. How could you side with Edmond? After everything you are willing to give up your Empire to that bastard?" He grits out, anger laced with each word.

I turn my head out and look out the window seeing the barracks from here, "all is in plan. Soon you will see it. But now, I've talked too much."

Dimitri stands up from the chair, "what subjects are you talking about?" He pries.

Sighing, "there still will be a War. Don't forget that. I'm just choosing a side---and I want you, Don, Sienna, and the rest to choose the side I'm not on." I change the subject from the subjects.

With that, he barges out the door of my office.

I'm on a roll with running people out of my office today.

But this is for the better. I told Dimitri what little I can give him.

This morning Julian showed me the Galeons transactions and the receipts that show subjects. I wasn't surprised about it.

Because I'm the one who bought those subjects---people.

It's the least I can do to save them having the soldiers open their barracks as a safe haven for the people I bought. That's why I gave my soldiers a gag order--to not let anyone outside know of this. If Edmond knew my true intentions, my plan will go to waste.

So for now, I'll be on the enemies side.

Sienna will hate me for this, I know she will.

But that's what I'm willing to do to protect her at all cost.

The event is close by, and time is running out. I need to find out more.

Picking up my phone I place a call.

"Stone, how are my subjects doing? You find them to your liking?" Edmond greets on the other line.

My jaw clenches, "da, indeed. Let's meet up tonight at our usual place. I have some more questions before bringing in the contract."

"See you then." He hangs up.

The bar is as empty as its always been, mainly because I give this bar my personal business alone which gives the owner a good advance at the end of each month.

I walk over to the booth in the shadows away from everything and take a seat.

If only it were that easy to take Edmonds life with every chance I get alone with him. But I can't, it wouldn't stop his Empire or his businesses. His wife or other soldiers would take reign. So I have to take precautions---even if it means forfeiting my own livelihood.

If I show Edmond that I'm willing to be on his side than he would have to share information.

One can only hope.

"My wife is starting to question my late nights all because of you." Edmond mentions by way of showing his appearance. He takes a seat across from me wearing an Italian grey suit, cigar in hand. "How's my daughter?" He asks.

Lifting a hand for the bartender I reply with, "two shots of tequila and a classic rum for this man." Ignoring Edmonds greetings.

I try to cool myself off at his blatant question of how Sienna is doing. He has no right to ask of how my wife is doing.

I brush it off with a shrug of a shoulder, "we are here on business. I would like for you to be honest foremost. You give me little to go on when you talk about your business."

The bartender places our drinks on the table, Edmond was the first to chug down his rum before speaking, "fine. What is it you want to know?"

I have to choose my words carefully at this point, "when I bought the subjects from you, you didn't mention that they'd be kids...now believe it or not I'd rather you give me what your actual subjects are...is it by chance you are hiding something from me? Answer me and if you don't then I will take this as a forfeit from the alliance contract."

Calling his bluff is the easy way so far, so I try to find the right buttons to push. I know he needs my alliance as much as he is putting off.

Edmond clears his throat while scratching his fading hairline, "no need to do that now. I'll explain everything."

That was easy enough.

Doormat behavior top tier.

He looks flustered by my intense stare when he finally speaks up, "I hired a scientist long ago during the first War. It was around the time your father murdered my entire fleet with his soldiers. My men were slaughtered in the ruins of Russian ambush. When I received word about no one making it out alive--I've grown restless and stricken with grief. I've been bested beyond imaginable. Until one day the scientist I hired named Jon Homlock proposed a solution. At first I was against his theories and plans. Thought he was a mad man at first. Then one day I married my lovely wife. We were happy, at least at the time until we found out she couldn't conceive a child." He looks away from me and frowns, "years gone by until I've met with Caspian, we hit it off pretty good. We both were unstoppable until he left my side and to find out he become alleys with your father. To find out he only went to be with you and to help you kill your father is when I realize he wasn't a traitor after all."

"Caspian came back to me, he trusted me...he said his crimes have caught to him and he gave me one last request. To raise Sienna and to protect her. So me and my wife took her in---my wife---she fell in love with Sienna as her own. Yeats later, Caspian had sent his oldest son to retrieve Sienna but I refused..."

"You killed him." I cut in with a fact.

Edmond lowers his head and dare I witness remorse? "Yes. I panicked."

I take a shot of my tequila before speaking, "have you spoken to Caspian lately?" I ask, knowing for a fact he hasn't and knowing full well he doesn't even know Casp is out of prison.

Edmond shakes his head, "I couldn't face him knowing what I did to his own child."

Of course, "continue." I coex, wanting to know everything.

"After I took Caspians sons life I guess you can say my mind wasn't in the right place. So when the scientist Jon Homlock approached me again I had accepted it. Not knowing fully what I'm getting into. I started buying women off the streets and paying men to impregnate them--solely for the purpose of making more soldiers. To bring up a new horizon and stronger than ever army. Jon came up with what's called an 'S Serum'."

"S Serum?" I question.

He nods, "it's a special formula that has genetic markers from hybrid technology. It's suppose to regenerate wounds in a matter of seconds. Also causes great hunger since it works the body in overdrive to healing. The serum also enhances strength, stealth, and intelligence like no other. Every boy that has been born and hits a certain age of fourteen gets the shot. But, to the scientists utter humiliation, none of the injections worked. Once he injects the S Serum into the chest of those boys--one of two things happen..." he trails off.

I raise a brow for him to continue, my anger simmering deep within me.

"They die instantly or they reject it by becoming a literal walking dead person."

Zombies? "You must be joking. Are you just flapping your gums, or do you like hearing yourself talk? The fuck are you going on about?" He must have gone truly insane with old age.

Edmond frantically shakes his head at me, "it's the truth. I have no reasons to lie at this point, do I?"

I look at him for a good minute with narrowed eyes. To my utter pissiness, he seems to be telling somewhat the truth with the way his eyes are looking.

"So let me get this all summed up. You are selling kids as subjects that was going to be your soldiers with the S Serum, but back out of it because it hasn't worked out so far?" I mutter in disbelief, "what kind of SYFY shit is this?"

Edmond lips tilt down, "yes. But I forgot to mention one more thing. And when I do, you will sign the alliance contract with me and be my partner."

I don't want to at all, but I have too. To know more, to find every piece of puzzle before destroying it all in one.

I nod.

Edmond reaches for my other full shot glass of tequila and downs it before speaking.

He says, "only one subject accepted the S Serum. He broke free many years ago and what the scientist found is shocking."

Only one subject survived the serum injection.

"Not only the serum can give strength and regeneration. It can also enhance other markers as well. Such as this person can change identities with ease---like changing the color of eyes, or the color of hair."

A literal super human? Is this man for real?

I was in deep thought until he speaks up again.

"It was the very first injection of the S Serum. It was subject 4 who had survived."

Subject 4... I wonder who that could be?

Edmond slaps a piece of paper on the table in front of me, "now that I told you most of it, you can return the favor and be my partner."

Is it possible to have a devil sign over his life to another devil?