Chapter 1: Fourth potential
A few hours earlier…
‘shit, it’s a messenger…’
Lister thought as he took a seat, staring at the bearded man with a paper cup seemingly lost in thought across the table, then taking a look at the forlorn café, golden rays of dawn casting long shadows on it’s dainty interior, empty save for a lone waiter in a corner booth.
The man looked up and nodded, acknowledging him.
“Mr. Lister, it’s a pleas…”
“What is it?”
He started but was cut off without suspense.
“As straightforward as ever I see, well then, due to some inconveniences Master Liam is unable to be here in person, requesting that I come in his stead…if at all, you may refer to me as ‘proxy’.”
The messenger said, his voice slightly less orotund and a bit more solemn.
‘Proxy, what a direct alias…wait!’
“What do you mean as ever, would you perhaps know who I am?”
Lister asked in a laid back manner, earning a painfully fake smile from the messenger.
“Why of course, it'd be a bit hard not to hear of a man with a repute like yours don't you think, however this is beside the point.... Master Liam sends his regards, a message and a gift.”
He said gesturing to the branded shopping bag on the table.
“The message first, I suppose you are aware of the Union’s sudden eradication movements.”
“The Adorned?”
“Yes, well it’s a bit more…troublesome than we thought it out.”
“oh, how so?”
Lister asked, hand on his chin as he stared out at the crowded streets beyond the café’s floor to ceiling window.
“Their target’s are recently discovered potentials.”
The bearded man said, keeping a keen eye on the other party’s facial expression.
Lister merely blinked, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.
“Well that explains this situation.”
The ‘proxy’ sighed,
“Indeed, Master Liam has left to secure a single candidate…and we have word that Naoka and her people are after two others…”
“Naoka, isn’t that a problem?”
Lister cut him off beginning to understand some implications.
“It is…With two ornaments and their respective wielders, Naoka’s ‘family’ possesses a dire advantage in the current state of affairs, if they were to obtain two or even one more potential and their subsequent ornaments whereas we only managed the one Master Liam is after, things would turn ugly for us…”
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‘Right, the only reason she hasn’t put an end to this is to avoid too many sacrifices, with two more ornaments however…it would be a completely different story. It’s the same reason the AU has withheld from clearing both groups…’
“.…however, that’s where you come in.”
The messenger said with a smile that forced Lister to look away from the window, his expression frozen.
“Relax,”
‘Proxy’ said in a placating manner.
“I don’t think Master Liam plans on sending you off to your death just yet, no, your assignment…will be to secure the fourth discovered potential.”
‘A fourth potential…’
Lister thought as he looked down at the table, the ominous realization dawning upon him. He sighed and looked back at the messenger, holding the man’s gaze for a moment.
“...And if I decline?”
He said in a somewhat threatening manner to which the messenger simply chuckled and took a sip of his drink.
“Well I guess it’s up to you to decide then, although…the alternatives will be far worse.”
The ‘proxy’ finished his drink and stood up then pulled out a white card which he slid across the table.
“I’ll be waiting for your decision then. In the meantime, make haste and choose wisely.”
He said in a low voice and made his way to the doors, pausing briefly, he looked back and smiled.
“Don’t forget the gift.”
With that, he turned around and pushed open the doors, leaving Lister with a strange, slightly wistful expression and a seemingly complicated decision to make.
‘Choose wisely…?’
Lister sighed internally and picked up the card, on it was a link and access code to an encrypted channel with the words ‘proxy’ written In bold italic below them.
‘There was never a choice to begin with.’
He took out his phone and accessed the channel, his thumb hovering over the call button for a brief moment before he tapped it, the ironically named ‘proxy’ picking up almost immediately as though he'd expected it—he probably had.
“Well this is unexpected…”
His voice was distorted through the speakers but it wasn’t enough to hide the sarcasm behind it.
“I accept.”
Lister said with a shake of his head.
“That was quick, much for the better though… I’ll send you the rendezvous info shortly, meet me there with our newest rec….”
He hung up on him and turned his attention to the shopping bag laying on the table. Looking through it’s content he found a handwritten letter and a black rectangular box, opting to read the letter first.
Dear fool,
The thing in the box is for the little dumb guy not you, obviously. I don’t think there is a better gift for a naughty little assassin than a bountiful contract, not that I haven’t given you enough of those already, sigh, I am far too generous a person.
Anyway, it will make communication an easier task for him, oh, what a truly kindred soul I am, helping a poor little mute desperately trying to maintain his elder brother’s sanity…no matter how little is left.
Your BOSS, The humblest man alive.
Lister facepalmed and shook his head derisively, genuinely disappointed by his friend’s lack of more ‘humbling’ words.
“Guess he was hard pressed for time.”
He muttered and crumpled the exasperating letter, violently throwing it back into the bag which he then picked and stood up—preparing to leave when he suddenly realised…the waiter never actually bothered them.
His train of thought was cut short by the sound of a notification.
He checked his phone to find two messages from ‘proxy’, the bearded man had sent him the rendezvous info and a short message: It pays to know people doesn’t it with a smirking emoji.
Lister sighed, stood up and made his way to the door, stepping outside his mind wandered to the grey haired fourth potential sleeping in an alley.
END OF CHAPTER ONE: Fourth potential