Though they were near the finish line and should have been joyous, everyone seemed to just sit around while waiting for Osman to arrive with the last shares. Announcing a complete a takeover of the republic would seem illegitimate if one didn’t have all the shares and told the population that the “rest of was on the way.” While they were waiting, Anson decided to start planning ahead. Sitting Baldwyn, Cyril, and Deo down near the stage, Anson planned what would happen after the republic was taken over.

“We have a lot of things to deal with before things calm down.” Anson said. “We have to find the Chairman, organize the rest of the mercenaries who didn’t join us, knock out any splinters or other opportunities who want to take the opportunity of instability to loot or make their own run for the Chairmanship, we have to figure out what type of government we want to run, and lastly we have to find a time to sleep in between all of this.”

“And we have to deal with Libo and Teoland,” said Cyril. Once pigeons bearing the news of the takeover rich them, they’ll probably threaten war if we don’t give back the Chairmanship back to Hektor or concede resources, men, money, etc.”

“If I was them, I would just start sending troops over the border immediately.” Deo said.

The rest of them rolled their eyes at Deo as Baldwyn brought up another point. “I don’t even know want to be here. I just wanted my money and get out of the city to retire.” Also agreeing was Deo who looked to the front of the building and noticed some movement. Soon the rest of the group looked and discovered it to be Osman walking in with a couple of triad members around him.

“Finally,” Anson said as he got up from the stage. “It’s been forty-five minutes, where have you been?” he asked as he approached his new partner. Osman smiled and said there were a couple of delays. “Doesn’t matter now, though,” he laughed as he hugged Anson.

Looking around, Osman smiled and giggled to himself. The guards remained silent as a statue with Anson looking at one of them for a moment. A Sovan guard for the Kadon Triad Leader. That’s strange.

“You have ensured me a great future,” thanked Osman, speaking in Kadon.

“Where are the shares?” Anson asked back in Sovan, cutting through the pleasantries. He was staring at Osman’s hands, noticing that they were empty.

“They’re outside,” responded Osman excitedly said, still talking in Kadon. “Come on and bring the rest of the shares. People are waiting for the big announcement! Let’s get this thing all wrapped up, shall we?!”

Anson looked passed Osman, trying to look outside, but all he could see was a mass of mercenaries facing away from the building. “Why do have a Sovan guard?” asked Anson, pointing at the man in question.

Turning around, Osman tried to immediately dismiss the concern. “It happens,” he said before trying to get Anson to get the shares once again.

“What do you mean it happens?” Anson asked. “He’s one of five, presumably triad members, that I hope you personally picked to protect you. Why is that man a Sovan?!”

“Hey, you know you’re a Sovan too, right?” Osman asked, now speaking in Sovan himself. The mercenaries in the building were now staring at the two men.

“I know I am a Sovan,” snapped back Anson. “Where are the shares? What is going on? Why didn’t you walk in with them? You saw the mass of mercenaries standing outside, so you must have known that there was nothing to fear.” Anson’s neck was heating up, with a couple of sweat beads forming. He leaned forward and was centimeters from grabbing the man’s face. “You have them, right?” There was no response. “Right?!”

Osman sighed, looking down. “Fine, I’ll get them, but you should come with me. You don’t have to bring the rest of the shares with you.”

Anson paused before nodding. That’s fine, he thought to himself. “Just give me a moment.” He then turned back to his group.

“He had the shares, right?” Deo asked.

“Yeah, yeah,” Anson responded, rubbing his neck. “But it doesn’t make sense, if that was it, why didn’t he just bring it in?”

“I don’t know,” responded Baldwyn. “Maybe he just got spooked. Once you see the shares, it should be fine.”

Anson nodded along. His reasoning made sense, but something still felt off. However, that feeling hadn’t stopped him so far, so Anson went along. “But for now, keep the shares close and near to exits just in case. Except you,” he pointed at Baldwyn. “You just keep Hera close.”

Anson then walked back up to Osman and the two men walked alongside as they went back outside to the pitch-black night. The only illumination was the partial moonlight and candles dotting the area. After cutting through some of the mercenaries Anson laid eyes upon the last of the shares. 40,000 of them in duffel bags on the stone ground. Anson reached to grab them, but Osman stopped him. “Don’t grab them.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Anson looked down at the bags, confused. “Why not?”

“Because they are not yours,” Osman smirked. “Alright boys! Get him!”

Anson’s heart sunk as he looked forward and from the same streets and alleys that the mercenaries emerged from less than an hour before, marched what sounded like thousands of men, slowly revealing themselves from the darkness. Anson stood next to Osman as the first lines of men filtered in. In front, stood a man that Anson thought stopped being a factor ages ago.

Ahead of everyone else walked a man that was taller and bigger than most mercenaries that ever lived. A man that seemed like an idiot to most men but now Anson had discovered was ten steps ahead of him. Mercenary Commander Eros approached Anson in full battle armor, holding his helmet in his arms, and greeting Osman before facing the man who was supposed to carry out a coup on his behalf.

He gave a soft smile to Anson as he remained stiff and shaky. Anson looked upon all of the mercenaries behind him in awe. “You said I was dead,” Eros said in Sovan, deeply yet in an academic voice.

“You weren’t supposed to be in the city,” responded Anson.

“Thank you,” Eros responded, reaching out his hand. “This coup worked out better than I imagined.” He looked in front of him. All the mercenaries that Anson had recruited and lied to looked upon their former boss with awe and glee. Seeing a man that they had gone to war for in such a time must have been euphoric, or at least that’s what Anson made himself believe. The man couldn’t bear to look behind him. Nearly a foot taller than Anson, Eros looked down before tilting his neck back up and addressing the crowd.

“I would like to thank every single one of you for what you have done today. I have been informed that this traitor told you that I was dead, and that a bandit had also said that I had taken a deal with the Chairman. Please speak up if that is not accurate.” No one said a word.

“Let me assure you that I am not dead,” he said smiling. “And that I have taken no deal to betray you behind your back to dissolve the mercenaries in exchange for a regular army service. I was the one to approach the Chairman about a proposition. I offered to give him the Sovan shares of the Lake Republic, and to be delivered in an efficient and relatively clean matter in exchange for healthy financial compensation for me and, more importantly, for you.”

Anson didn’t try and argue or weasel his way out of this. He had already escaped failure too many times. Even the easy way out wasn’t appealing. He had small knife in his belt he could use to stab Mercenary commander Eros in a vain attempt to escape, but as the man looked down once more it felt like a griffin was breathing down his neck. Besides, either way, the Chairman would win. The only thing that would accomplish is causing unnecessary deaths.

“Also,” Eros said quietly to Anson. “Thank you for your service on the high seas. I wouldn’t have chosen you for this operation if I didn’t think you had a chance at fulfilling it.”

Once again, Anson didn’t say anything, with two guards grabbing each of his arms to restrain him and a third patted him down to disarm him, pulling out the small knife from his belt before walking away. Together, Eros walked to the stock market as Anson was pushed behind him, with Osman shadowing him with the shares in his hands.

As they entered the building, some of the mercenaries who didn’t hear what happened outside, noticed a restrained Anson and were about to jump in an attempt to break him out, but the sight of their boss in a full battle armor, a smile, and most importantly, not dead, stopped them from attempting such a foolish thing. The only thing of significance that did happen when they entered the building was Anson calling out to Baldwyn, Cyril, and Deo. “Run!” he said. It was the only thing he could get out before his guards covered his mouth.

Anson then relaxed his body, keeping his head down as he could hear his comrades trying to escape, quickly realizing what happened. Soon, they were at the stage again, and Anson was sat down in the same spot where a moment earlier he had shares delivered to his feet.

Eros ordered some men to find a blowhorn if able so he could make a speech. All the while, Anson sat on the stage as Cyril was quickly caught and brought right next to him. They exchanged looks for a moment but didn’t say anything in shame. Deo was caught soon after, but strangely enough, Baldwyn still wasn’t caught by the time someone had found a blowhorn.

It was hard to even think at such a moment. It felt as if Anson was dreaming as he looked around. Most of the people looked like a blur. Only a representation of the failure that Anson was going through, especially Vasos, who didn’t even try to run and just stood there, looking up at Eros as if he wasn’t brought along nearly the entire coup.

Mercenary Commander Eros started his speech, in Sovan, by explaining the same thing that he explained to the people outside before moving on to the fates of the men who carried out the coup in Eros’ name. “Anson Xenos Eilas, Cyril Adonis Bakas, Deo Illias Eparco, and Baldwyn Alexander Eilas—wherever that coward is hiding—all disobeyed direct orders and broke the explicit rules I gave them. The plan was to rid this country of the Sovan Triad by robbing them, and only them, instead, these men got greedy and regretfully tricked all of you into joining them.

This is understandable, however. Money is the reason you became a mercenary in the first place,” he laughed with the crowd soon joining along. “Furthermore, all you need to know for now is that your compensation for ‘acquiring’ the Sovan shares will be distributed equally within the coming week, and that these men’s fate will be decided by me and the Chairman. Though, as a head’s up, I advise you to keep a slot open in your schedule to enjoy a nice execution sometime in the coming days. Thank you!”

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as the guards brought the three men up to their feet and through the front of the building. Even Deo remained silent during this process as he realized the severity of the situation. Though, surprisingly, another man joined them. Vasos was now being ushered alongside as they realized who he was, though this was not easy as Vasos first insulted then bargained for Eros to let him go.

The last thing that Anson saw before leaving the stock market was when he turned around for one last look at the clock. It was midnight.