Olly Briggs

The Grandmaster, accompanied by two Controllers as guards, collected him later that afternoon. They made their way in an uncharacteristic silence through the Academy. A car was waiting for them out front, destined for what Olly assumed would be the central tunnel station. However, he was surprised to see them drive right past it. He normally wouldn't have cause to be nervous but the Grandmaster was much stonier today compared to any other previous interaction he'd had with her. He gripped the fabric of his pants as he turned to watch the grand building disappear from view.

"We're heading to a more secure tunnel network. Only specific people and accompanied guests have access to it," she explained simply as if reading his mind.

He released the tension in his hands and hoped she hadn't noticed. He was glad she told him. If anything, it showed that she was giving weight to his and Sarah's concerns for safety.

"That makes sense," he said as he chanced a glance at her.

She met his eyes and gave him a thin lipped smile. He felt the urge to fill the silence with small talk but before he could think of anything to say the car stopped in front of a mundane looking building. They got out and he looked around. It was grey and blocky with a tall chain-link fenced perimeter that was topped with barbed wire. Several Controllers were stationed inside the fencing around the building. A single gate seemed to serve as the only access point and it was flanked by two rather stern-looking Controllers. It was unremarkable in the sense of it being somewhat ugly and unassuming, unlike the stately Guild Headquarters, but the heavy security presence gave away it's importance.

Abigail lead him through the gate with ease; neither Controller asked any questions of her. They merely nodded as she approached and opened the gate for them to proceed. Once they were inside she was greeted by a woman who was waiting for them outside what appeared to be a locked tunnel inside the atrium. Olly speculated that she was not a Guild member based on the sharp two-piece suit that she wore.

"Hello Grandmaster, I'm here to accompany you and your student to the Mayor's office today. Please follow me," she stated primly.

Definitely not a Guild member. One of the Mayor's people.

Abigail nodded at her and a nearby Controller approached the tunnel. Though he had been exposed through his studies, Olly had never seen a locked tunnel in person. The entire gateway was blocked off with glowing gold bars, such as those of a cell door, spaced far too close together for anyone to squeeze through. In the very center of the bars was something that resembled a lock. Strangely, instead of a keyhole, it only had an indent the size of an index finger.

"Authorizing access for Grandmaster Abigail on behalf of Mayor Tarry's office," the woman announced to the Controller and procured a document that she presented to him.

"Access granted," the Controller responded, "We'll await your return Grandmaster."

Olly watched in awe as the Controller placed his index finger onto the indent. After a brief moment the lock glowed and the bars melted from the outside towards the lock until just the lock remained hovering in place. After a few seconds it turned from bright gold to a dull yellow. At that point the Controller grasped the lock in his hand, removed it, and stood to the side. Now free to access the tunnel, the Mayor's office staff member led them through. It was a short walk that ended in a similar building in what he knew to be Occaigh's first district. From there, a short walk outside led them to the Mayor's office building.

Though he recognized the grand foyer with the marble floors and wood panelling, Olly realized he had never been to the Mayor's office in person. He had seen press conferences take place here on television but it looked even more stately in person. They were accompanied up an elevator that featured sound-muting, plush velvet walls, and when they finally reached the top floor a red velvet carpet led the way into the Mayor's office suite. The space that the elevator opened into was large and open. Several assistants had very pristine looking desks in the open concept space but several smaller offices also lined the walls.The far side of the room separated into hallways that seemed to lead to two wings.

The assistant turned to them. "Grandmaster, I will accompany you to the Mayor's office. Mr. Olly Briggs will be escorted to a private room to speak with Mr. Eli Briggs."

Abigail nodded and another similarly professionally dressed assistant appeared near Olly.

"I'll see you shortly, Olly," she said before following the assistant once more.

"Right this way, Mr. Briggs," Olly's assistant offered and led him down the opposite wing that Abigail was walking down.

Olly looked over his shoulder to see where she was going. She did not look back at him.

He allowed himself to be led into a small, but no less dignified, meeting room. He took a seat in a comfortable chair at the long, gleaming table. It was only a moment before the door opened once more. Eli entered the room hurriedly with a frown on his face. Olly noted how out of place his uncle looked despite apparently working here. His clothing, while sharp and well tailored, didn't have the same pristine political gleam. It was brighter and flashier. In a place like the sixteenth, dressing to stand out was reserved only for people who felt safe to do so. Up here, it was borderline improper.

He was caught off guard by how relieved he was to see his uncle. It also brought him no shortage of comfort to realize his uncle hadn't changed. Whatever work he was allegedly doing for the Mayor hadn't changed him. Olly had felt changed enough for the both of them.

“Olly? What are you doing here? What’s wrong” Eli asked worriedly.

There was a very mild satisfaction in catching his uncle off guard. He knew his uncle kept secrets from him. He knew he kept tabs on him. But despite all of that he just wanted the comfort of someone who he believed at least acted in his best interest. Before he realized it, Olly had already gotten to his feet and crashed into him for a hug.

For a moment Eli seemed too stunned to react and kept his arms up. However, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around Olly's shoulders.

“Is everything okay? What do you need?” he asked without hesitation.

“The briefing with the Mayor. It’s about me,” Olly confessed as he pulled away, and recounted the events of the field trip while his uncle stood in a sympathetic silence.

“As punishment, we’ve been selected for a media tour,” he finished lamely.

Eli grimaced. “So a dog and pony show?” he sighed heavily. There was worry there and it wasn’t reassuring.

“Abigail's in with the Mayor right now telling him the same thing. I told her I needed to be the one to tell you," Olly said, "It’s not good, I know. But I don’t know what to do. I need help.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. Just let me think for a second,” Eli ran his hand through his hair and leaned heavily against the table.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“You once told me that she owed me a favour. Is now the time to cash it in?” Olly asked somewhat desperately.

Eli exhaled and steepled his fingers. He pressed them to his mouth thoughtfully.

Finally, he dropped his hands and looked down at his feet.

“If you try and call it in now, I don’t think you will have a career as a Conductor. Or in any Guild for that matter," he said carefully in a low voice, "I will support you no matter what, and I know I asked you to withdraw previously, but I fear the repercussions of using the favour like this. I fear she may have been waiting for an excuse to ask this of you. She won't take backing out of it kindly.”

Olly breathed heavily. ... your future will be something entirely of your own making. This is a gift. Could this be what Lola meant?

Eli looked up at him with a heaviness Olly hadn’t seen before on his face. It aged him far beyond his years.

It wasn’t the right time. They both knew it.

Withdrawing from the Academy when he had her goodwill may have been a valid option. But using the favour to deny her the media tour would likely lead to a withdrawal on much worse terms. Eli was right, this would not end well. Not to mention, he still needed the resources the Academy offered. Now more than ever.

“I think I have to stay,” he tried to sound brave as he said it.

Eli gave him a grim, thin-lipped smile and clapped him on the shoulder. “I trust your judgment. I’m sorry you’re in this predicament. It was never my intention that you would end up on her radar,” he said sincerely.

Olly thought about the time they had argued about his decision to become a Conductor, instead of Eli’s intended path for him as a Cartographer. But there was no gloating here. Eli truly did not carry the satisfaction of having been right.

Eli’s eyes darkened slightly. “That said, I fully intend to speak to her. Come with me.”

Without a further word, Eli led him through to the other wing and straight into the mayor’s briefing room. Olly wondered how long he had been working for the Mayor. He seemed extraordinarily comfortable leading the way and the Mayor’s assistant did not make any move to stop him from entering the room unannounced.

They found the two seated across the desk from each other. Tarry looked troubled whereas Abigail looked as confident as ever.

“We’re just about wrapped up here. Ready to go, Olly?” Abigail asked cordially as she looked up at them.

“Not so fast,” Eli snapped so quickly Olly had to do a double take. He never rose his voice. He could usually command a room with his ability to quietly manipulate situations.

Abigail raised one eyebrow and the Mayor looked unsure for only moment. Eli made sharp eye contact with him and Tarry nodded with wordless permission to proceed.

“What are you going to do to assure their safety?” he demanded.

“As I’ve informed Mayor Bennett, we have updated our security protocols significantly. They will be protected the same way as any Guild member travelling for business would be,” she said matter-of-factly. But Olly could see in the way her lip curled that she did not feel like he was entitled to this information.

“You know what you’re asking them is above what is reasonable. Why them, and why now?” he further questioned.

“Mr. Briggs I daresay you know why,” she looked moderately smug.

“I’d like to hear it directly from you, if you would be so kind,” he said bitterly.

Her expression appeared to storm over and she sniffed angrily. “I don’t have to explain myself to you but since we have a mutual interest in protecting Olly I will oblige. He has a very unique set of skills and comes from a much less privileged background. This is inspirational and should not be kept hidden away from the masses. The Mayor agrees with me in that we have an optics problem that needs solving and that this would be a mutually beneficial solution.”

“Now I didn’t say it like that-” Tarry began but Eli cut him off decisively.

“Not to the detriment of his safety. Have you considered that someone coming from his background leaves him more vulnerable to criticism and danger? If you were serious about this you might consider including your students from more privileged backgrounds,” Eli insisted forcefully.

“Their families would-” she began.

“Never allow it? I can hardly think of why,” he said sarcastically, “It’s certainly not lost on me that you picked two of the most outlier students of this incoming year to be your poster children.”

Fury radiated off of her.

“What do you want Eli?” she asked in a low voice.

“What I want is for you to have some assurance that the threat of the Fellowship of the Shadows is under control. If it isn’t, they’re going to be all over this. I did not send him to your school to be a political pawn and I certainly didn’t send him there to be bait for one of the biggest threats to our world.”

“We will not hide from terrorists!” she hissed back angrily.

“And yet you are okay with letting children be your shields! Both from political blowback and the danger of the group that means to do you harm. The one you continually fail to control and contain," he barked back.

She straightened up. “I don’t expect someone of your station to understand the intricacies of my position but I assure you that we aren’t sitting on our hands doing nothing.”

“Perhaps you ought to do more,” he challenged.

“Perhaps YOU ought to reign in the scoundrels you deal with. The dissenting in the lower boroughs in all of Flexibilis' societies are going to be the real test of this work.”

"Abigail I would caution you to show restraint," Tarry said warningly, "This is inappropriate and the boroughs are not your concern or jurisdiction."

Abigail looked affronted. “Mayor, I apologize but we do not exist in a vacuum. If Mr. Briggs wants to ensure his nephew's safety he would do well to pull his own strings.”

“I fully intend to. I want to know that you would do the same,” Eli said seriously, “How do you propose to perform this feat with your callous and pretentious attitude towards those you theoretically would like to broaden your recruitment to?”

For a moment nobody spoke.

She seemed to wrestle with something internally but finally broke first. “The affection and esteem I have for your nephew does not extend to you," she said with pure venom in her voice, "That said, I will recruit a few volunteers from the more typical backgrounds."

“Good. In return, I will ensure that the Fellowship of the Shadows are not only unmasked but further contained. And I will do it with or without your help, and if only for him and his friend. The rest of you can be damned,” he said bitterly.

They stood across from each other as if sizing the other up. Finally, and mirrored to the point where Olly could not tell who made the first move, they shook hands.

Olly and the Mayor briefly made eye contact as if mutually wondering what had just happened.

“Meet me outside when you’re ready Olly,” Abigail instructed before sweeping out of the room.

Eli took a deep breath and with an unreadable expression on his face turned back to Olly. He clasped his hands on either of Olly's shoulders.

“Trust no one but your friend and take care to protect her too. You need all the allies you can get over there and I fear she has less value than you to the Grandmaster. Having someone expendable may be what makes bringing you into the public eye an acceptable risk,” he explained darkly, “Do you understand?”

Olly felt his chest clench. “Yes,” he said breathlessly.

Eli softened. “Be smart, be aware, and above all, stay alive.”

“I will,” Olly promised.