Lesly's Tales (2)
The next day, at just 3 AM deep into the night, Luis woke up to the sound of the chopper, as requested. He stood up and washed his face when a special forces soldier came looking for him before going downstairs. Then, with Fox and Nala waiting for the President, everyone boarded the chopper back into the skies. On their way to Lýmoca.
Meanwhile, Lesly was in Luis’s bedroom. After the programs, she felt like taking a little advantage and slept in his hidden bedroom. The face she had when she smelled his scent all over his bed… Regardless, she spent a few hours sleeping in there before waking up at 4:40 AM.
Lesly took a quick, refreshing shower and wore the same clothes she slept with, different to the last outfit she used in the last program last night. She was brought to a news anchor in Proteros. The day had just commenced, and this time, in a large debate that could last for hours, she brought a load of information to show who was the brighter person before the people of Lýmoca.
There, at just 5:20 AM, she debated for 2 hours. They brought up many different situations and issues to the extreme, but Lesly replied with equal extremism. Tit for tat, the ‘experts’ around the table then went for facts, saying hundreds of millions this, billions that.
They used facts and numbers, names, as well as agencies to explain what happened, when, and even the motives behind any circumstance. Lesly commenced each answer with denying the motive and revealing the actual one, which always seemed more plausible. Then, she revealed the actual thing that happened, which has naturally nothing to do with what was told.
Then, Lesly elaborated on the things that happened. Whatever the ‘experts’ brought out, she seemed to have it in her suitcase. When they least expect it, Lesly brings out a piece of information anyone can check either via internet or going to the governmental agencies for transparency.
People they backed, they said did better and the president ruined it, and even themselves were exposed with actual numbers, names, and evidence that backed her. It was a blood- diplomatic -bath. By the time it all ended, Lesly went for breakfast while snacking a bun with a smile.
She had another program at 9 AM, which she spent half an hour chatting about some small things and her experience in Luis’s government before she went to welcome Luis back. The helicopter had returned to Lýmoca half an hour ago, and would return to Proteros in no time.
Lesly watched the chopper enter the city from afar before becoming a most Luis-worthy aerial vehicle that descended half a hundred meters before her. Fox and Nala jumped down before it did, with its rotors still going full motor.
At last, Lesly saw Luis with his entourage and smiled. She just couldn’t help herself. A few minutes later, they went into the presidential district while Fox went to his boutique.
… At the boutique, Fox saw Fabiola walking around, tranquil and attentive, as she carried a digital board to type with a thin pen. She was careful to move around the clientele and attendants, while the clerks were busy and 1 or 2 other attendants in the computer room.
“Hey,” Fox walked before her and made her look up with big eyes. She went to hug Nala tight before squeezing his hand. While it felt like he was cherished less, Fox felt more comfortable. With the introductions done, Fox walked to the first main floor and looked around.
“How has it been? Have the numbers doubled by now? It’s been 2 weeks, almost entirely.” Fox asked. Fabiola nodded her head like a chicken pecking on rice with widened eyes. “More than doubled. Big bro, you’ll see when the month ends, it’s going to be crazy. I’m already screening another 24 employees and 4 clerks for the next 4 floors.”
“Don’t forget t-” Fox nodded and started speaking, but the lass interrupted him. “I will have other attendants who will be paid the tips or extra money tidying the boutique. They will clean and some will be replacements if one gets sick and bla, bla. I know, big bro.”
“Mn, you are allowed to keep studying in that academy, my bad.” Fox tousled her hair before adding, “I’ll be here all day if you want to catch up.”
“Hmm,” Fabiola looked surprised to hear that. She pondered for a moment before feeling a little sweet. She smiled, showing her canines, “Okay!”
“But don’t think I don’t know you’re just going to waste time here and then leave to do what adults do.” Fabiola pouted as they went to the storage backrooms. Fox defended himself, “Don’t talk like you’re 7. We aren’t… specifically. I and Nala are planning the next step outside the boutique.”
“Wah! Really!? Wait!” Fabiola was astounded. She looked at them like a beloved niece hearing her uncle did well with his wife. But a face of piteousness with tears threatening to spill showed next, “You aren’t leaving us behind, are you, big brother Fox? Your money to keep expanding…”
“Of course not!” Fox frowned and playfully knocked her small head. “I’m about to gain millions every month from our boutique, I’m not giving it away.”
“Oh… right,” Fabiola felt at ease, then like she lost an opportunity. Fox shook his head a little while Nala just blinked. Fabiola looked at her and asked, all smiles. “Miss Caolia, will you help big bro with his planning? I’d like to help, too. I may not own a steel factory, a car factory, and an infrastructure agency, but I am good at what I can…”
Fox shook his head watching the two walk to the deepest storage. Fabiola wasn’t as simple as before, when she just occasionally came during weekdays and helped in weekends. She even had time to search for Nala’s mini-enterprise and became her fan.
With the tight hug Nala let Fabiola give her, it was pretty clear Nala not only didn’t mind, but she must also want to aid this little lass.
“You can come,” Nala smirked and brought Fabiola into the room, ignoring Fox while knowingly swaying those hips a bit. Fox could never remain human before such extra thick, tight heart-shaped butt.
***
After catching up with Luis, briefing him the details of what he already knew by his WID, Lesly hugged him farewell before going to another program.
She went to Lyekes, where she had a 1 hour and 30 minutes long special where she answered the questions from the public and then gave each of those answers a detailed verification process. Lesly studied well, so even if she got something wrong at first, she’d immediately correct it.
Regardless, while she did this, Luis worked his part and even scheduled a flight to Lydfe. On the other hand, Lesly went to her suite in a hotel. She didn’t know what she’d do if she went to his bed again, even though she would be alone. If she slept while sniffing hard in her sleep and was caught, it would be embarrassing to see Luis, too forbidden.
Later at night, while Luis flew to Lydfe at 6 PM, soon arriving in an hour, Lesly went to a different kind of program. Tonight, there was a renown ‘celebrity night’ where many influential people would attend. One of them being social media, others like news reporters, and even old-renown actors and singers.
Of course, there was another thing: politicians.
Lesly Rivera was just another such type of people in the program this time. At 11 PM, she arrived after making some more preparations. Namely, studying and checking the profiles of many people she doesn’t interact or has contact with, whom she at least speaks once a year.
… Lesly walked around with an elegant, obscure purple satin dress, and a purse attached to her side. It wasn’t a tight lock, just enough to not fall off when walking past people. It would still need one to grab it so it won’t be taken away, and it had to be lightweight.
Lesly was a charming sight all the time, anywhere. She smiled and met many people that would never face her personally otherwise. While the celebrities were an important asset every now and then, Lesly didn’t intend to recruit any of them, as it was pretty foolish.
Walking around, she suddenly found herself meeting a chubby man, rather known and some might say even respected. Lesly looked at the man in mild surprise before walking to him, fearless. “Mr. Estandarte, I didn’t see you before. Hello.”
“The Lesly Rivera in person,” Muñoz Estandarte smiled, rising his glass before taking a sip, also taking his hat off before leaving it against his chest. “I couldn’t properly greet ‘the other’ side when the trial happened. I always felt sorry for that. I’m glad I can see you now. I’ve seen you have been busy lately?”
Lesly smiled like the word charm was invented because of her, “I’d like to think no politics can define the people we are. But yes, I have a lot of work to do.”
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
“What are you interested in? It’s rare to see a… National Front so out in the open.” Said Muñoz. Lesly moved a little, letting the music reach to them, with her shoulders back and forth and her chest a little left and right. “I’d like to talk about a lot of things— my party and president’s stead.”
“Not going to try tricking me, eh?” Muñoz smiled after his small eyes widened and his eyebrows jumped. Lesly shrugged a little, looking delicate, “As I said, we are people. Should politics define us, we’ll just be like little kids clawing at each other, waiting to see who backs away first.”
“So you want to enter the big ones?” Muñoz smiled. Lesly nodded with a semi open smile, “Can you put a word for me? I know your weight isn’t only on your belly, Mr. Estandarte, hahaha…”
Muñoz cracked up, narrowing his eyes from the big smile. “I’ll see what I can do, but I won’t promise anything. My body is my sanctuary, you know? I’m aware it doesn’t look that nice when I say it, but I have more pending matters… I even lost weight out of stress.”
Lesly grinned before waving at the side. Muñoz turned to see a beauty wave at her with a rejoicing smile. Then, Lesly smiled in a good nature, “If you can really do that, I’ll be really glad. I won’t take something for free. Since I want to have this opportunity to talk in the news, you can get as much dialogue with National Front’s deputies and senators.”
“Just behave yourself, please. Our people happen to be incorruptible!” Lesly winked at Muñoz, who blinked at her and laughed, looking at the fine figure from behind. Lesly’s smile slowly disappeared. She got tired of seeing the dishonesty in those eyes.
The beauty she waved at winked before walking away. Lesly smiled before walking elsewhere, intent to find more food to collect and mingle a bit. She had to take many photos where her quiet, casual beauty was seen more. That’s usually reserved for one person, but she had to sacrifice her ideals for a night.
Up until 2 AM, Lesly even accompanied some girl groups to drink and exchanged a few more smiling words with Muñoz during her stay in the program. Lesly also got to participate in some games while she was at it. From successfully identifying old musicians and songs, unique to Lýmoca’s culture, to historical curiosities.
Because of her status, some of those query games had their difficulty increased up a couple of notches. Even then, she took those queries and answered like a champ.
… By the end of the program, with all people coming out in groups, alone, and some drunk, limping and seeming wasted. Lesly walked alone to the parking lot with her legs a little limply, when Muñoz talked to her from the side, and frankly so.
“Miss vice president,” he smiled a little and kept his distance, “I have talked with some conductors. There’s been some agreements, and everyone would like to welcome the very well-known vice president, but only her. I believe the encounters other political parties will have with National Front will benefit everyone, but I have something more to say.”
“?” Lesly lifted her eyebrows and looked at Muñoz in silence. The latter gulped down and moved his lips before going, “If you ever feel the need to look for suitable replacements as the vice president, or your charge changes, which means it would be below your worth. 30 million a year are waiting for you in my Lýmoca’s Vanguard.”
“…” Big political party electoral campaigns only receive about 25 to 50-something million credits. To want to give 30 million a year to her was… something too much, to say the least. Lesly stopped and looked at Muñoz, mouth closed.
Muñoz nodded comprehensively, “It’s not just your worth, vice president Lesly. It’s what you’ll represent.”
With that, Muñoz walked away, leaving a thinking Lesly behind.
. . .
Days continued rolling. 3 days later, early noon.
In just 3 days, the nation seemed to accept the idea of the OCs getting exterminated. More than anything, the Lys let go of their misguided impression that they were getting attacked instead.
Lesly continued appearing everywhere in TV and social media, becoming a well-known figure that nobody minded remembering. Her eloquence was also deeply imprinted in the national chain. Every news anchor showed her with love wherever she went.
Lesly met more and more community leaders, who were also more proactive to appear wherever in their states with the trend. There were still rocky moments, but it wasn’t a complication. She couldn’t meet Luis that often, as he also traveled, but her images from the night program spread wild, especially those with Muñoz.
She was generating a clear image of what the government has been doing. Even with all the supposed evolution from times prior, there were still far too many people who coil be manipulated so easily. Just something in social media and feeling just like ‘they’ wanted them to feel. For no reason, simply because they could.
The more Lesly talked, and the more Luis had his morning press conferences and went to other states in the second half of the day, the more the people listened and thought.
Even when Lesly received backlash from a headstrong denial, a little proof-showing and a small elaboration were more than enough to give her the peace to calmly tell of the true happenings.
Luis, on the other hand, went to the Lymaospasó, Himperyia, and Jaewim states. Even though he met with the governors and some senators who were free still, as his last initiative was being studied still, Luis didn’t meet the Lyclan Cartel’s Rafas, Fox did.
While Fox had been at the Blackflower Boutique and didn’t return to the operations’ HQ, he did review the happenings. There was also nothing he could help with. Now, all was a matter of time, and he wasn’t the General to truly have a saying worth noticing after the planning.
… In Himperyia, after flying for an hour, Fox landed alone. Meaning, without Nala. He walked to a building in the state capital city. He waited inside a big room for 42 minutes before the door to his large room opened.
Outside, Fox could hear the sound of many cars moving about, all heavy enough to be considered armored vehicles. Fox was eating some peanuts and reading his WID, when the soldiers brought a young man before him. This young man was much older than Fox, and the leader of the Lyclan Cartel.
Fox looked sideways before getting off the table. In this large room, there were only 2 chairs and a small, low table between them. He walked to the table as the young man looked at him with widened eyes. His hands were handcuffed, as well as fore and afore his elbows, keeping his arms stiff yet ‘safer’ for everyone.
“Take those off, and bring me the pen and notebook,” Fox ordered the soldiers before seeing them out, indicating Rafas to sit at the table. Closing the door, Fox returned to see the young man rub where the 3 sets of handcuffs held him tight.
“Carlos Medena, el ‘Rafas’,” Fox sat on the opposite side with lazy polycoria eyes. Rafas looked shaken when directly facing those eyes, looking away for a few seconds. Fox placed the notebook and pen on the table and spun them before sliding them to the young man.
“I had my conditions laid out…” Rafas said, looking down with sweat trickling down his face. Fox tilted his head a little to the right, “I have read and heard them. But I have mine.”
“What are your conditions?” Rafas frowned and tried looking up, trying to get rid of his fear of those inhumane eyes. Couldn’t he be warned that the worst nightmare would be the one meeting him?
“Convince me,” Fox impassively replied. He opened the notebook’s cover and pushed it to lightly hit the young man’s torso. Rafas looked up with severe intentions. He was still fidgety about those eyes, but he had to see this through!
“What is that exactly?”
“You either convince me or I grow bored. Then, the military will have everything in their hands to take care of you, your people, their ‘people’, and the confiscated goods will remain as evidence.” Fox replied, unhurried. The young man frowned, feeling low. “Even their families?”
Fox tapped the blank notebook, “Your conditions are fine, your attitude right now isn’t.”
“Do you really have the authority to accept in… I don’t know. The general or president’s behalf?” Rafas questioned, almost imploring. Fox rolled his eyes without feeling stressed or annoyed, just slightly. “The President does back me, and General Edgar would rather see this happen.”
“Now, it’s only you who isn’t.” Fox jabbed again. The young man looked around for a second before writing his name and his situation. Just as he was about to proceed, he stopped and asked without lifting his chin. “What things should I write?”
Fox, who was just staring off to the side, looked at the young man and uttered, “Everything you ever came across during these years under your handling. Not a bit or half-truths. You can try keeping things to yourself, and those people will only be those people, and you go into a cell full of big, strong men to hold you.”
Rafas doubted no more, simply shaking his head a little as he wrote. After some time, he no longer shook his head and just wrote, filling quite a few dozen pages from the notebook. Even Fox was surprised. What kind of memory is that? Because peeking into it, there were even details of things that happened before the young man as a spectator, not from something that marked him.
***
Later that night, in Proteros’s airport after flying here from Lyemé state. Just as Lesly Rivera moved to the indicated vehicle, the White Blood waiting for her, Muñoz appeared before her.
“Muñoz?” Lesly smiled and lifted her phone, although she was already warned about Muñoz being there, and then walking to her. Muñoz walked to her with a slightly serious expression. He took his hat off and spoke to her rather sincerely, with a little extra underneath. “Lesly, is there any thought you have given to my proposal? You know, it’s the same for NSH, but I’d like your help in party. We are… lacking talent.”
“Muñoz, you know me and you understand my dedication. I believe you wouldn’t double the annual salary if you didn’t know I would not betray those I’m working with. I never intended for such acts. But I understand my worth now thanks to you, and I will do my best to honor and respect-” Lesly explained, calm and collected, with the occasional smile.
“Ah, I’m so sorry Lesly, I have to pick this up.” Muñoz interrupted her and walked away with a slightly slouching back, taking his phone out and waiting for someone to answer his quick call. Lesly looked down before walking to the empty taxi that rapidly unlocked the door for her.
Only Lesly Rivera knew how smug Lesly Rivera felt.
Muñoz did dial someone. A few waiting moments later, Galan’s voice sounded from it, “Estandarte, hey, did something happen now? Again? Hey, if not… That Lesly, why are you giving her so many chances? It’s going to look better for NF!”
“I was trying to recruit her. I wasn’t able to do anything. But Galan, the look in her eyes. She wanted that money for herself. I bet she thought about how much else she could wring from us. But I can’t. I’ll have to let her go.” Muñoz shook his head and pressed his lips hard. “Hey, can you help me with some reporters? Just the usual, you know. Llúevela(shower her) with those questions de mierda wherever she goes?”
“Uhh… yes, yeah. You do you, Muñoz.” Galan replied before hanging up, causing Muñoz to frown a bit, but he already expected it. They were just aiding each other under the table. Too much help would be obvious and counterproductive for both of their political parties.
…