Pittsburgh

Across the way, Ulrin and them were in a similar position. They also found that they had to take public transport to get anywhere soon. Something neither he nor his escorts would have. Forcing the agent to essentially buyout an entire bus just to get the dwarves on board. They still weren't happy, but having enough space and without crowds was worth it.

Despite his attempts at conversation, the dwarves didn't want to speak to either the agent or the faux camera crew following them around. The sooner this is over with the sooner they can go back home, Ulrin thought as he glared at the cameraman and considered breaking something.

"Holiday Drive." The driver called out, signaling their destination.

The dwarves grumbled and made their way towards the front, the driver held out a hand as if expecting something. But the dwarves ignored him. As did the agent and the others. The driver grumbled at not being able to squeeze out a little bit more from them and drove away, leaving the dwarves and humans standing in front of their goal.

"So what we're going to do is-" The agent started before being interrupted by Ulrin and the other dwarves, and gnome, marching towards the doors.

"You can remain, manlin'. I know how ta conduct business." The dwarf declared and pushed open the doors to reveal the interior.

A woman behind the front desk perked up momentarily before getting a board look on her face.

"Can I help you?"

"We are here ta see a Mr. Cavandish." Ulrin replied.

"Do you have an appointment?" The secretary asked.

"Yes! It's under Smith!" The agent replied as he hurried in after them.

The secretary rolled her eyes and tapped some keys on the computer in front of her before turning back towards the dwarves.

"You're clear. Go on up to the fourth floor."

"Thank you! Now Mr. Ulrin-" The agent started before seeing the dwarves gone.

"Ugh! Did you see where they went?" He asked the secretary.

The secretary pointed a long-nailed finger towards the stairs.

"Thanks."

Ulrin and the dwarves made their way up the stairs, the sooner they can get done the sooner they can be rid of that insufferable human, he thought as they climbed the stairs. Quintin didn't do very good climbing the stairs. While an inconvenience for the dwarves, it was more physical than the gnomish busybody would prefer.

But eventually they reached the fourth floor and pushed open the door. To reveal the agent and the faux camera crew.

"How did you get up here?"

The agent pointed towards a couple of doors that chimed and opened and closed to either let on or let off people. Ulrin grumbled and walked past the agent, who followed along as he tried to get the stubborn dwarves to listen to him.

"I know you know how to conduct business. But we have procedures and-"

But Ulrin wasn't listening and forced his way through the doors and towards where he saw a pair of wooden doors with the name of the CEO Mark Cavandish. The dwarf forced his way through the doors as the agent tried his best to stop him. The dwarven patriarch marched into the well furnished room as a man in a gray suit was speaking with others along the long desk.

He looked up from speaking and peered at Ulrin.

"Can I help you?"

Ulrin stood straight as he peered at the human CEO.

"I am Ulrin! Son o' Alrin, son o' Elrin, head o' the-"

"Can you hurry this up we're in the middle of a meeting." The CEO interrupted.

Ulrin's beard bristled at the slight. But breathed deeply through his nose to calm himself. He gestured to the chests of treasure beside him.

"I wish ta purchase yer rail company."

The CEO and others around him cocked their eyes and looked on in curiosity.

"Oh? And uh, what's your offer?"

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Ulrin gestured for the dwarven warriors to lift the lids of the chests, revealing glittering jewels, gold coins, crowns and other treasures forged and made by dwarven hands! Ulrin puffed with pride and turned to the CEO and other humans, only to find their expressions not quite what he expected.

They were surprised and awed. But not near as much as they should be at seeing such wealth laid before them. But ever the business dwarf, Ulrin continued.

"I have come up with an appropriate offer fer yer company. I have with me tha treasures o' a dozen holds! More than enough fer any o' you ta live off o' fer years! With this-"

He was interrupted by the CEO snickering to himself. He coughed and gestured for Ulrin to continue. The dwarf bristled but continued anyway.

"This fortune can care fer yer family's fer a long-"

"*snicker* I'm sorry! I can't do it! Rosie was this your idea?" The CEO asked and gestured to a woman near him.

"No! But can I get his card! My kids would get a kick out of him!" The woman to his right said with a laugh of her own.

Ulrin's beard bristled even more.

"You dare mock me?"

"Oh come on Santa! You can drop the act! Who hired you? Was it Steven? Dennis?" The CEO continued as he started to laugh some more.

Ulrin's face turned red with fury.

"I AM ULRIN! SON O'-"

"Yeah we heard that already, look Mr. Durin-"

"ULRIN!"

"Whatever. Even if we consider for a second that you aren't just an early Santa gram, that's what? A couple hundred thousand in those chests at best? That's of course even assuming they're real and not just props."

"They are treasures forged by-"

"Yeah don't care. As I was saying. This company is worth BILLIONS! I'm sure you think you're wealthy, but I can guarantee that even if those chests of yours had actual gold in it, it wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket to coming even CLOSE to buying this company. I'm sure you could maybe, and that's a big maybe, buy a few stocks with it. But you sure as shit ain't buying out the company with it."

Ulrin was red with indignant fury, even his own warriors had their hands around their weapons in a white-knuckled grip as they barely held themselves back at righting insult after insult thrown at them! If it wasn't for his promise to not fight he'd have them all killed for such disrespect!

"Look, whatever your name is. How about I write a check for oh, forty thousand dollars? And you and your merry band here can go on retainer? This was the best laugh I had in years and I would love it if you could come back at around Christmas! The rest of the board and their kids will get a kick outta you! We can even use the chests as props for Halloween!" The CEO remarked and wrote out a check and offered it to the dwarf.

Ulrin put his hand on the hilt of his sword, he was shaking in barely contained fury! NEVER had he suffered such insult! The only thing stopping him from exacting dwarven justice on them all as they laughed was the agent that stood between them and gave Ulrin a look that said to drop it.

He snarled and turned away while barking out an order to the others. They closed the lids to the chests and marched away, the laughter of the humans behind them acting as daggers in their backs.

"Oh come on! We're sorry! We'll even give you some gingerbread cookies and candy canes for your trouble! Even have a elf outfit for your little friend there!"

But Ulrin wasn't listening by then. He stormed back through the doors and damn near toppled over someone bringing coffee to the board. His warriors followed along with Quintin close behind.

"Quintin. Make note of this insult."

"Already have Master Ulrin."

"Good." He rumbled deeply.

-----

"This is it?" Allwin called out as he and Aerin looked at the building.

"Yup! US Steel." The driver called back.

Allwin flicked a gold coin towards the driver.

"Can you wait here?"

"Hell yeah! Just let me know when you're leavin'!" The driver replied cheerfully.

With that, Aerin and Allwin made their way over to the doors and pushed through them. They walked over to the desk where a woman sat.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, we're... investors. We're here ta see yer facilities." Aerin replied.

"Oh! Hold on one moment!" The secretary replied and picked up her phone and began to talk into it.

"Alright! Our floor manager will be here shortly! If you'll just wait over there!" She replied and gestured to some seats.

The dwarves nodded and made their way over. But after feeling the poor quality of the seats, chose to stand instead. Allwin picked up a magazine about cars while Aerin went over and tinkered with the water cooler. He went to drink it before spitting it out.

"Tha water tastes foul!"

"Oh? It's supposed to be purified water?" The secretary said.

"Purified in what?! Tha gutter?!" Aerin replied back and threw the shitty paper cup away before pacing next to Allwin.

"Why are you so angry?"

"I'm angry because this is a joke! We're supposed ta believe that humans are tha masters o' this world? Look around! This place is fallin' apart! There's filth everywhere! Even tha 'purified' water tastes worse than sea water!" Aerin retorted just a slight too loudly above a whisper.

"Still, we're here because o' Da! Can you at least temper yerself fer now?"

Aerin grumbled and continued to pace. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long as a man in a blue coveralls emerged from a side door.

"Heya! Richard Fitzgerald! I heard you're prospective investors?"

Aerin snorted while Allwin extended a hand.

"Aye! Aerin and Allwin! Sons o' Ulrin! Son o' Alrin!"

"Well ain't that an introduction! So what are you lookin' for exactly?"

"We wish ta potentially invest in yer manufactorin'. If that's alright?"

"Of course! Come on!" The man said and gestured for the two dwarves to follow.

The man led them through a series of hallways before emerging into a large factory floor filled with the sounds and heat of industry! Large chambers for superheating metal lined one wall that spat out long rectangles of white hot metal while heavy iron buckets poured molten metal into casting chambers.

"So this is where the magic happens!" The man yelled to be heard over the sounds of pounding steel.

The dwarves were stunned by the sounds and sights. Even Aerin was silent at the production capacity in front of them as they watched as large steel beams were pumped out in short order before being carried away to another part of the factory.

"Amazin'!"

"I know right? Not quite as modern as we would like it to be, but it'll still do the job!" The man replied over the din and led them deeper within the factory.

"Not modern?" Aerin asked.

"Nope. There are better ways to make steel around. But it's also VERY expensive to get that sort of equipment! Not only that, but with outsourcin' we're not makin' as much as we used to. Which means we're not quite at the head of the curve so to speak. But that's what you're here for right?"

Allwin elbowed his brother. Aerin nodded and pulled out some paper and charcoal while Allwin spoke with the man.

"Aye! We've been investin' fer years! And what better investment than metal!"

The man appeared happy to hear his statement and led Allwin deeper in while they talked, leaving Aerin to sketch what he could see and write down what Allwin was able to get from the man, who seemed more than happy to tell them the secrets of making American Steel!

They didn't remain long once they determined they got what they could. Aerin nudged Allwin and gestured to show that they were done. Allwin turned to the man.

"Thank you Mr. Fitzgerald fer tha tour!"

"Of course! I'm always happy to talk about my work!"

"And we were glad ta hear it! We've gotta go now though."

"Oh, so we'll be hearin' from you soon then?"

"Aye! We see a bright future in steel!" Aerin called as he and his brother left the man.

They got out and entered their temporarily private bus.

"How'd it go?"

"Good! He told us everythin'!" Aerin said excitedly.

"About what?

"How to make steel!"

"Well that ain't no secret. Hell, anyone can Google it nowadays." The driver claimed.

"What?"

"The internet? You wanna know how makin' steel works? Or what they do in there? Just Google it. I can tell you in about five minutes what you just spent an hour in there for." The driver stated as he began to drive the dwarves back to the train depot.

"So... we didn't need ta come all tha way out here?"

"Nope! I'm glad you did though! This'll make a nice Christmas gift to my lil girls!" The driver declared and patted his pocket that held the gold coins he was given.

Aerin looked down at his notebook and sat it aside with a huff. But at least they got what they wanted. Even if there was an apparently easier way to get it. Hopefully their father had a good time though.