POV Jack, retired policeman, fresh host, his bio-stone bound by military

I already used heart medicine on myself. I felt ten times younger. All Devas I met, felt strong and healthy. Not like celebrities plastic and surface look, by like primal power. Celebrities are painted on surface. It let them look good on videos or pictures. It’s not real wellness. It doesn’t came from their bodies. I felt real health in me, even if it was only growing, not fully awaken. My stats page looked miserable as Devas said, but there was room for improvement.

Vivaldi provided two heart medicines monthly. That deal looked good for military. After I became host, I understood, that it was low number. I didn’t tell that to generals. I lied, I lied a lot. Story, we provided to them, was about some creature living in stone, that was partially symbiotic and produced heart mixture for host, if he fed it with proper food. For human heart mixture some human bodies needed to be added to menu. I already told them, that there was society in Poland, that had access to those living stones. I just explained, that they were selling heart mixture for money, big money. I lied, that that was all. And said, that host needed to be close to bio-stone once in a while or there would be no production. I left officers with that info. I knew they needed at least few days to think about info, they got. It was half illegal military operation, so they needed to find some way, that they would profit from it. We were counting on that way of action. It was better, if they came to me, with some request, than if we asked them for something. I knew, patience was needed. I needed to lie, till they would want something.

Sleuth was taken by military, but I had access on daily basis. Medics were monitoring me. They saw my improvement of health. I couldn’t do much about it. I was like fisherman. The bait has been dropped. If they wouldn’t react for it, we would try to steal bio-stone.

They reacted. After week some general’s adjutant came to me to talk about selling medicine. I said, that those people in War-Saw had proper company and they sold medicine for around million bucks for batch. His eyes shone with greed. It was step in right direction, but there were two generals, that were overseeing that operation. Still, I was sent to capital, to ask about conditions of cooperation. I had some military bodyguards, but they were not invasive that time and stayed in car, after I asked them in front of Devas headquarter.

I talked about my progress with Huntress and others. Coal was absent. We didn’t talk earlier by phone or internet about that, as I was afraid of spying. We created limits of concessions I could made and I was couched to made deal that would be more profitable for me.

After that they showed me some magic abilities. They wanted me to learn lightning or plasma ball for my safety. I also got health enhancement mixture. I learned lightning as plasma ball was weak against people with guns. All of that took few hours and soldiers were waiting in car all the time. I was ready to go back.

I met with two generals and one adjutant officer. Long years in military changed they way of moving and reacting. I saw military drill even as our meeting was kind of unofficial. I won’t describe them with their real names.

-= Nice to have you back Jack. – Said grayer one.

-= Thank you, mister general. Mister general. – It was way of talking to officers to greet pointing at military degree.

-= Do you have good news from War-Saw?

-= I can say sir, that I got some interesting offer. Should I share it now? – It was question, if adjutant should be here with us.

-= Peter, - Said taller general. – please wait, until, we will call you.

-= Yes sir. – Said adjutant and left us.

-= So, what can you say.

-= They want us to create military-civilian company and then we would sell medicine to international corporation. If medicine from my bio-stone was added, then totally, there would be eight batches to sell monthly. If we would add Vivaldi’s medicine, we would have ten.

-= So, they have another three bio-stones, maybe more if they are using medicine for themselves and families. So what would be prices.

-= It’s complicated sir, so I must tell something first.

-= Go on.

-= They offered me place in their company. Condition is, that they would have control over bio-stone after some point in time. Their aim is to have monopoly over medicine.

-= Did you agree?

-= Yes, sir.

-= You understand, that we won’t give them control over bio-stone. – Said taller one.

-= Yes sir, I told them that, but they asked me to show their offer anyway.

-= Continue then. – Said grey one.

-= Yes sir. – I was older than at least one of them and it was tiring to say yes sir all the time. – When civilian-military company would be make, consultants and later shareholders would have all income for first month from medicine, they would provide. Then, it would be five percent from all sale for one year and half of it for rest of business. They can assure, that they would provide at least six batches monthly. Condition is, after first month I would get bio-stone.

-= What is the price for batch? – Asked grey.

-= It’s from one and half million to two millions. Perhaps it could lesser with time as market would lose interest.

-= Why market should lose interest, it’s miraculous medicine? – Grey was relentless.

-= Medicine works only once on one person. Even those international companies would have problems with providing millionaires eventually. Or they are afraid of some competition. I don’t know.

-= So, it’s business for only few years and medicine would be copied. – Said taller. – Please go to your quarters, we will call for you, when you will be needed.

-= Yes sir. Sir. – I left.

They didn’t say, that offer was ridiculous, so I had hope. They would talk and create counter offer. Money involved were insane. They would be flabbergasted if they knew, that it was only part of trade Devas were doing.

I was called next day in the morning.

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-= In that shape offer is too unfavorable. – Said grey one. – But maybe after some negotiations, we could agree.

-= I am entitled to some changes in offer. For others we would need to contacts group in War-Saw. – I stopped calling them sirs.

-= We hope, that wouldn’t be necessary. – Gray one was ready. – First thing, who would be shareholders of that civilian-military company?

-= You and some civilians, you would choose.

-= Are you not included?

-= No. I would be in their company. Civilians are necessary in company due to some legal matters, but it should be your choice, who you put there.

-= Good. – Only grey one was talking. – Our conditions are like that. We want full income from our four batches monthly for two months, bio-stone would stay with us for first year and we want ten percent for two years.

I took out some notes. There were meaningless as notes, but I was couched to use them, as if I was pawn.

-= No deal. – I said.

-= Do you need to call them?

-= No. No deal at all. I had instruction, that if you overstepped too much, I should withdraw at all and cut myself out from military. I would only visit bio-stone from time to time. – I stood out ready to leave.

-= Stop. – Said taller. – Can you tell us, what was your instruction and what overstepping was meaning?

-= Yes sir. I just need to send info, that negotiations failed.

-= Don’t sent it. Just tell us. We used negotiation technique and you already backed off.

-= I’m not trader sir, I was policeman. I don’t know much about negotiation techniques in trading.

-= It’s similar, when you have suspect and try to push him and soften him a little.

Well, I knew that. You were ones pushed and softened at that moment, I thought.

-= Sir. I have instruction, that if you push for money up front, percentage and control of bio-stone over some stated points at the same time, I should withdraw.

-= Can you tell us those stated points? – Asked taller.

-= No. – I tried to look as offended person.

-= Ok, ok, - Said grey one. – Let us start from beginning. We are reasonable people here.

-= Sir?

-= Just sit down. It’s trader tradition to put prohibitive conditions at first.

-= Ok sir.

-= What’s the main point for them? I’m sure they told you something, that can start rational negotiations.

-= They told me, that percentage is closely related to time bio-stone stays under military control.

-= Why is that?

-= They counted risk, that you would withdraw with bio-stone after some time. You can have bio-stone even for two years, but then you should get less money from percentage, that from possible straight selling of medicines.

-= We can say the same. They would take bio-stone and run. There is a risk like that for us.

-= No sir. You can put legal conditions in trade agreement, that would lead to their bankruptcy in that situation. Even more, bio-stones existence is secret for now, if you tell world about it, they would be in troubles. They don’t have the same leverage on you.

-= If it’s that troublesome, why they even want to make deal? Monopoly, doesn’t seem like that.

-= I can guess. It seems, that international corporation is pushing them and harassing a little.

There was silence.

-= Can I ask you personal question? – Grey general asked.

-= Yes sir.

-= You seem to be angry at us. You change quite after you were chosen as host. Why is that?

-= Sir, can I say it directly?

-= Yes. I was used to cussing.

-= It was painful, brain melting experience to link with bio-stone and when I gathered myself, I felt, that military was responsible. I risked my life there.

-= Every soldier should risk his life in moment of need.

-= I’m not soldier, sir.

-= You agreed yourself.

-= Under pressure sir.

-= Let us stop that bantering. – Said taller one. He saw I was getting mad. – No one knew, how it would develop. Now we have deal to make. We should cool ourself a little.

We cooled ourself. Rest of negotiations was boring. They got two months of income from their medicine batches, after one month bio-stone would be sold from military to me and I would get it in my hands. They had six percent from income since third month, but they needed to take care of international corporation. It was for them to decide, how much would military get benefits from their civilian-military company. Agreement was signed for two years with option for prolonging. They got million each for spur and as show, that Devas company was reliable.

We talked about Vivaldi and his bio-stone, but I said, that people from War-Saw weren’t interested in that matter. I said, that they heard, that Vivaldi was troublesome. I thought, that if I was greedy and tried to make some moves on Vivaldi’s bio-stone, generals would get suspicious and renegotiate agreement. There was also some bad blood between me and Vivaldi.

POV Ghost

I lived in War-Saw quite comfortably. I started stalking Devas supporters. After few days I discovered, that there were Devas supporters, that had faint or stable aura similar to hosts, but much weaker. It took me some time, but I checked, that they were able to make magic. Well, I couldn’t see magic from some, but I was sure they could do it. I met some of them, had short talk and used my ability. Somehow people with aura were more resilient, but it was long shot for them to block me. Unfortunately they didn’t told me anything important. I couldn’t construct or learn magic from few sentences. Of course I was following them and saw few times, how they used magic abilities, but it didn’t help me. I thought, that if I could learn one magic, I would be able to grasp another too. I tried to get closer to Devas center, but Huntress, Coal and some others could feel me. I saw, when I was closing in, that they looked in my direction, searching for me in crowd. And I was quite far from them. It wasn’t host normal perception, when we were close to each other and fell each other. It was some ability, if I had to guess.

It was nice, that I could mark people, hosts, that didn’t have that ability. I stalked one young boy, fresh host, as far as I could say. He had significantly lower stats, that we, who met long ago at Mokotov field. I got to know his habits. I spent much time to plan our confrontation.

He was going back home from Devas center. He wasn’t alone. Some magic users, that he was obviously training were with him. With time, they moved on separate directions. Only he and one user was left together. It was perfect situation for me. I caught up to them quickly. He put some distance between us, because he felt me, when I was real close. Another guy wasn’t host, so was surprised. We were alone in alley by the park and I already was using my ability. I took Devas supporter as hostage. Before I started talking he said.

-= It’s as Huntress said, you want something from us. – He wasn’t scared. He knew, I couldn’t hurt other host too much, if even a little. But I could hurt supporter.

-= Oh, so she felt me. Useful ability.

-= Yes Ghost, it’s useful. – She shouldn’t know, that I was stalker. Perhaps she knew, what was happening with other hosts. Maybe except Diana, but I wasn’t similar to Diana at any picture.

-= So you heard about me. I have some request for you. It’s worth life of this guy. Are you following me?

-= Yes.

-= So, how can I learn magic abilities? I asked some of supporters about it, so don’t try to lie to me.

-= If you asked them, they would report that.

-= They would, if they could. What’s your answer?

-= Join Associated Devas and you will learn one magic ability for starters.

-= It wasn’t answer I wanted.

At the same moment, I was saying that, he attacked. He was moving faster than seemed to possible. Air was oily around him or it was something similar. I jumped into the distance. I didn’t kill guy I held. That wasn’t my master plan. I would have many more chances to talk, as they wouldn’t remember anything. I would go to the secret of magic with little steps. Or one big step if I were lucky. I ran. They didn’t follow me. I stopped some distance from them. I bugged guy I held. I took equipment, that let me eavesdrop on them. I didn’t hear beginning of conversation.

They stayed at place, where I attacked them. I saw them through binoculars. Host was calling someone.

-= Just stay here for a moment. – Said host to these guy. – Someone will come for us.

Then it seemed, that he talked to phone. I didn’t hear everything.

-= Yes. Ghost attacked, but didn’t hurt anybody. – Pause. – I don’t know. He asked about magic. – Laugh. – No, Rob remembers nothing and I have some wavy memories. – Pause. – Good, good. We’ll be waiting. – Some more silence. – No, no, I don’t think we should put him into Wicked Devas category. He was kind of harmless.

I squeezed my teeth. I could win with him, I had better stats. I was more dangerous than he ever could be.

-= Ok. – Pause. – Yes, we should inform everybody. – Pause. – I’m waiting.

That wasn’t true. My ability didn’t work on that host. I felt, it kind of worked, so why did he remember everything. There was some kind of lie. Then I thought about my situation. Should I apologize? I didn’t want it, but maybe that was the way. Otherwise I could be in trouble. If I only could learn magic fast.

I decided to ask other Devas supporters about magic before I would reconsider apologizing.