The inside of the craft wasn\u2019t particularly impressive. In total there was only three rooms on the vessel: the cockpit, the hold and a modest toilet about the size of a cupboard. The hold was bare aside from the two benches that lined the outer walls and a small display case nailed to the wall beside the entrance to the cockpit. An attempt had been made to clean the place but faded stains remained on the sticky metal floorspace. Doug and Kate attempted to get comfy on the bench to the left of the cockpit\u2019s door, Gratin settling on the bench opposite them due to the lack of room on the seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trio could hear movement from the cockpit, various banging and bumping noises emanating from beyond the door. Doug was staring a metaphorical hole in the door, too focused on what their pilot could possibly be doing to pay attention to his friends. It took a moment for him to realise that he was being spoken to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou seem tense,\u201d Kate noted as Doug lit up a fresh cigarette. He didn\u2019t waste any time once it was lit, shoving it straight into his mouth and taking a deep drag, only considering her statement once the nicotine was in his system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMajor Stanly Morrison was one of the most incompetent men I ever served under. He was a stickler for the rules unless they effected his own behaviour, in which case they magically became \u201cguidelines\u201d. We didn\u2019t exactly gel\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe seems affable enough\u2026\u201d Kate mused thoughtfully as she moved her eyeline towards the cockpit. The door was still closed and the noises had yet to cease: bumps, mutterings and the occasional swearword drifted across the threshold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh he is when he\u2019s been drinking and he likes a drink, Old Stanly does. It\u2019s partly why the officers liked him so much; friendly as anything and always able to acquire brandy when needed. Shame he was an idiot,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLooks like he was highly decorated,\u201d Kate pointed towards where the display case hung. All the medals the Major had earned during his illustrious career could be seen neatly arranged within. There were dozens of the things all shining out at the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe was good at passing the buck and claiming credit for his men\u2019s work,\u201d Doug waved a hand dismissively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe can\u2019t have been that bad!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFirst week of our campaign on Glamonis, we were gonna do a bombing raid behind enemy lines. Major gave us the coords only he got mixed up between enemy emplacements and a PSF unit\u2019s camp that were gonna go in and finish the job once the bombs had finished. We took out our own guys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s pretty bad-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwo days later, we\u2019re pinned down by enemy forces a few days away from the nearest friendly face when Stanley starts getting jittery. We see a ship approaching so he orders a mortar set up-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA mortar? For an incoming ship?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t get me started on that. We tried arguing with him but that just made him double down. Wiggins and Elvito did the best they could shooting the thing down but they shelled half the surrounding area doing it. Then it turned out that it didn\u2019t belong to the enemy at all! It was a supply drop meant for us! We didn\u2019t get another for the better part of a week. Nearly died of thirst.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh gods\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen we finally got back to base, The Major got wasted and decided he\u2019d go back and teach the arseholes that were shooting at us all week a lesson they wouldn\u2019t soon forget. He commandeered a drop ship and crashed it into our own dry dock. If that wasn\u2019t the reason he was \u201clet go\u201d then it didn\u2019t help matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Um\u2026\u201d was all Kate could say on the matter, the red head lost for words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd now we\u2019ve paid him to take us to Polaris. If I ever see that Gunner Manford again, I\u2019m gonna sock him right in the jaw. Assuming Stanly doesn\u2019t kill us first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Well shit.\u201d Kate muttered, making sure her seatbelt was secured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPretty much, yeah,\u201d Doug agreed, reclining back into his own seat and taking another deep drag of his cigarette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Do we need to worry about him recognising you? Do you think he\u2019d turn us in?\u201d this was said in a low whisper as Kate mulled over the potential consequences of flying with this man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe never bothered to learn anyone\u2019s names so probably not. He only ever called me \u201cSergeant\u201d. We were all just ranks to him,\u201d replied Doug after a brief pause, \u201cif he did remember me you\u2019d have thought he\u2019d have said something when he brought up the court martial…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ship lurched forward as the engine started, stalling the conversation, a cry of \u201cChocks away!\u201d being the main indicator that their journey had begun. The craft picked up speed as it hurtled down the runway, travelling at a slight diagonal trajectory. Doug clamped both hands onto the edge of the bench, swearing as the Hound\u2019s left wheel left the confines of the tarmac and ventured out into rougher terrain. The little craft skipped and jumped over various rocks and small mounds of dirt, sending its passengers bouncing in their seats. Kate, in the absence of an armrest, gripped Doug\u2019s arm to steady herself whereas Gratin braced himself against the wall, the mage muttering an alarmed prayer under his breath to Airolas in the remote hope that the god of air and travel would give them the blessings they clearly needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A particularly big ridge was soon utilised as a makeshift ramp and the craft was sent souring into the air where it stayed, The Hound gracefully looping around the airfield until it found the correct course for Polaris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA ha! Another perfect take-off by Major Stanly Morrison! All fair skies from here, gentlemen and lady!\u201d the proud voice of the Major called out from the cockpit. The mercs all collectively sighed in relief, the trio pulling themselves out of their braced positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBugger me, he\u2019s gonna get us killed!\u201d Doug muttered, clearly unimpressed by the \u201cperfect\u201d take off. Kate glimpsed at him, taking in the way he was puffing on his cigarette like an inhaler, the way his human hand was nervously running through his hair and the slight greenish tint to his complexion. Doug never liked being driven as a rule, a fact Kate herself had teased and hassled him about on many an occasion over the past three years. Being a powerless passenger being left to the mercy of whoever was driving left him feeling uncomfortable to say the least. She was the only one he really tolerated having in the driver\u2019s seat and that was only if he was in a good mood. The Major was far from being an exception from the rule, the rocky take off only cementing that. Doug needed a distraction, Kate\u2019s eyes drifting to the package Parkinson had given him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Standing up, Kate offered Doug her hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on. Lets put some of that ointment on you. Might take your mind off of all this,\u201dshe waved her other hand towards the cockpit. Doug peered up at her sceptically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think the Major\u2019s piloting will be all that easy to forget but if you\u2019re offering to oil me up then who am I to turn you down?\u201d he japed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t make this a thing, I just don\u2019t want you getting gangrene or whatever. Now go into the bathroom and take your shirt off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Sexy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShut up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cbathroom\u201d was essentially a toilet stall fitted into a cupboard with a tiny sink squeezed in for the sake of sanitation. It was an intimate space; not much room for two people. It was grimy with leaky taps and a toilet with questionable plumbing. Doug closed the toilet\u2019s lid so he could use it as a table. From there he set about removing his arm, jacket and shirt before making himself comfortable leaning against the sink. Kate left her coat and gloves with Gratin and was already pouring a dollop of the white paste into her bare hand as she entered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is going to sting,\u201d she warned. Doug nodded and braced himself. It wasn\u2019t so much the stinging sensation that surprised him but rather how cold the ointment was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh! Fuck!\u201d he instantly tensed up, leaning away from the freezing cream. Kate merely rolled her eyes as she kept her hand pressed to his injured side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be over in a sec, hold still!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMnn…ah…Faust\u2026!\u201d his injury began to ache all over again as Kate found herself pressing harder then she intended due to his squirming. She persisted, working the thick substance into his sore side. The skin was bright red and warm to the touch; the early signs of a potential infection. Kate was just glad they were able to treat it before it became a real problem. Doug merely focused on his cigarette as he felt his side throb, the possibility of getting sick far from his mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…You know, if the Major really is as bad as you say he is, it\u2019s not too late to head back to the airfield and find someone else\u2026\u201d she casually pointed out as she did her work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGunner said he was the only one going this way,\u201d Doug reminded her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to go straight to Polaris. There\u2019s other places we could go\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLike?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…The D\u00ecgu\u00f3 D\u00e0l\u00f9?\u201d she suggested hesitantly after a short pause, \u201cI know that the Blight would mess with your arm but it\u2019d make a great hiding place until the heat dies down. No social media or cameras to catch us. Lots of outlaws for you to beat up for kicks\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s real funny!\u201d guffawed Doug, the soldier amused until he caught sight of the red head\u2019s face, their eyes meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWait, you\u2019re serious?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, yeah, kinda\u2026\u201d she turned her gaze onto the floor, embarrassed. Doug continued to watch her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe promised Gratin-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know! I know…but things are a mess right now. We\u2019ve a bounty on our heads \u2013 a big one \u2013 and we don\u2019t know anything about what we\u2019re even walking into. That anti-magic stuff was scary, you saw what it did to Gratin\u2026\u201d Doug absorbed her sombre body language, Kate having stopped applying the ointment and was now wringing her hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow long would we even have to go into hiding for?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…I dunno…I just have a bad feeling is all\u2026\u201d this caused Doug to sigh. He could guess what this was really about. It wasn\u2019t so much a case of being afraid of what was waiting for them but more what could be lost if things went wrong…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRed\u2026\u201d he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in for a hug, \u201cwe won\u2019t go in blind, I promise. We\u2019ll do some poking around when we get up there,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe need to know the layout of the building, the size of their security force and what they\u2019re armed with for starters. That\u2019s not the kind of information that just falls into your lap,\u201d pointed out the redhead as she allowed Doug to embrace her but otherwise didn\u2019t react.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen we\u2019ll find someone who works security and ask them nicely,\u201d he pulled back enough to wink at her and flash her a smile so confident it could win awards. It was the kind of infectious smile that could usher enthusiasm out of a rock. Kate could feel the corners of her own mouth gravitating upwards as she closed her eyes and shook her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou always make things sound so simple. What if they\u2019re not talkative?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know how persuasive I can be. I can hold a conversation with anyone!\u201d laughter boomed out of him, drawing a small chuckle from Kate like a snake charmer luring a serpent from a basket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019ll be all we need, is it? You find it that easy to acquire that kind of information?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a talent!\u201d She found herself shaking her head in disbelief again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFine. Just promise me you aren\u2019t going to get yourself hurt again\u2026\u201d she gently placed a hand on his injury, slowly working some of the excess ointment into his skin absent mindedly. The act calmed the soldier down somewhat, the smile still in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI promise. \u2018Sides, I don\u2019t think I could afford the medical bill if I got myself much more banged up! You might have to put me out to pasture!\u201d he joked, drawing Kate\u2019s eyeline back up to meet his.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDoug, that\u2019s not-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI won\u2019t get hurt,\u201d he stated seriously before she could tell him off for having a bad sense of humour, \u201ccross my heart. I\u2019m a professional after all, I know what I\u2019m doing and I know my limits. This ain\u2019t it,\u201d he tapped his paste covered side, \u201cokay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kate stared up into those grey-blue eyes and saw nothing but confidence and earnestness radiating back at her. Doug had a determination about him that could convince her of damn near anything if he wanted to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And she would let him. She always caved in eventually. There was something about Doug that, no matter how strong a grip her own anxiety had on her, he\u2019d always find a way to pull her up onto her feet again. It was admirable in a way, Kate beaming that confidence back up at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOkay. To Polaris it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The moment was interrupted by an awkward cough outside the door followed by a tentative knock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy friends, Mr Morrison has made me aware that it would be a dereliction of duty to leave you two alone in such a confined space considering our\u2026 reasons for being on this aircraft. Might you rejoin me in here soon?\u201d came the voice of Gratin, the mage unaccustomed to such situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh gods,\u201d Kate muttered, \u201cthat old man is going to think we\u2019re a pair of sex pests at this rate\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHmm, he\u2019s not exactly the only one\u2026\u201d Doug muttered, remembering Gunner\u2019s thoughts on the use of the term \u201cmistress\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. Go join Archie, I\u2019ll finish up here. Try not to miss me too much,\u201d Kate tried to think of a suitable comeback, failed and settled for rolling her eyes instead as she shuffled past him and back into the hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It didn\u2019t take long for Doug to rejoin his friends fully clothed and re-armed once more. He paced the room for a few minutes, anxious energy building up as the occasional bout of turbulence buffeted the craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eventually Kate patted the spot next to her as she ordered him to sit down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m good standing, ta,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell I\u2019m not. You\u2019ll wear a hole in the floor at this rate and then where will we be? Sit down,\u201d she firmly told him. He obediently plopped down heavily next to her, his foot tapping to release some of the access energy. He was surprised when Kate offered him one of her earplugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s-\u201d he began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen I used to get a build-up of nervous energy, one of my old friends, Alex, used to use music to help me distract myself enough to get past it. So here, join me for a bit,\u201d Doug carefully read her features as he accepted the bud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe wire\u2019s pretty short, we\u2019re going to have to get all cosy\u2026\u201d he teased, trying to press her buttons in an experimental manner. Kate merely shrugged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf that makes you uncomfortable then I can take the offer back\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not be hasty,\u201d he laughed, scooting closer so that they could both wear a headphone. He slipped his arm around her so that she could get comfy beside him, Kate busying herself by setting up the music player. Doug glanced towards Gratin curiously, the mage staring off into a random point on the opposite wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo not worry about excluding me, I can mentally link up with one of you if I wish to partake in music time,\u201d stated Gratin simply, not focusing on Doug at all. The soldier continued watching his friend, a brow cocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had no hand in whatever this is, the mistress is quite unaware of what you dream about, Meatbag.<\/em> Gratin\u2019s voice cut into Doug\u2019s train of thought, the mage having guessed what Doug was thinking. Enjoy the moment, there may not be another.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThanks, Gratin,\u201d Doug muttered as he made himself comfortable. Soon music began to play, the two mercenaries falling into conversation about their favourite bands and the assortment of songs Kate had collected over the years, both classical and modern alike. Gratin listened throughout, basking in the comfortable warmth that slowly filled the hold as it radiated from the two humans enjoying one another\u2019s company. It was pleasant, a slice of peace that reminded the mage of why he had chosen to accompany these two in the first place, laughter and friendly chatter filling the next few hours until the sun set and the trio began to drift off for the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u204e \u204e \u204e<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salmanic Manor stood tall on the northern most point of the first plate. It felt like it was in a completely different world than the rest of the city, it being found in a gated community, walled off from everything else. Parkland surrounded the tiny district acting as a buffer zone to further insulate the wealthy inhabitants from anything that may sully their peaceful haven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The manor itself was a four storey tall grey brick building with a deep black roof, lighter stonework highlighting the windows and adding detail here and there to make it feel truly grandiose. As it was one of the oldest homes in the City, it had naturally developed a curtain of ivy along the eastern side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The house was big enough to have wings, each with its own sitting and drawing rooms, each in turn named after a grandmother Silverton had only ever read about in the great family tree that was displayed proudly in the centre of the library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every Salmanic to have lived in the City had lived here, each one improving the place in some way. The late Overton Salmanic had installed a steam room in the basement as he claimed the heat helped him think. Silverton\u2019s grandfather, Gilbert Salmanic, had built the greenhouses as a present to his wife, the two having been very keen on self-sufficiency so long as they could pay other people to do it for them. Silverton\u2019s father, Victor Salmanic, had constructed the observatory that stood proudly at the back of the grounds, where he spent most of his evenings with a glass of brandy and the regal looking red ledger where he had recorded most of his thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Silverton had yet to add his own mark to the place. He had only ever seen the manor as a sort of people receptacle; a place to recharge and escape the office. His wife, Cecilia, had shown more of an interest. She had renovated and restored much of it. Special attention had been placed on the ballroom from which she had hosted many a gala to raise awareness and money for a plethora of charities. The tabloids claimed her parties defined the social season, everyone who was anyone in attendance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key word was \u201chad\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her missing presence made the whole manor feel empty. It really was just a receptacle without her. It was part of the reason why Silverton preferred to stay at his penthouse these days although he was loathe to admit it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had expected it to be empty bar the Help when he arrived and yet, as his limo sailed up the long gravel drive, he was surprised to see a number of cars and vans parked up by the main entrance. Cleaning crews owned the vans if the livery on the side was anything to go by and the doors of the cars advertised an event planning service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Autumn Charity Gala\u2026 Of course\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When Cecilia had been here, she had ran four big charity events every year: The Faustmas Ball to raise funds for child poverty; The Spring Auction which saw antique collectors gathering in the ball room to battle one another via bidding wars with the proceeds being donated to the Lusinian Historical Society and associated museums; The Summer Art Show which showcased the works of up and coming artists and would provide numerous grants to The City of Light University by way of the hefty price of entry tickets for the event; and finally the Autumn Charity Gala which usually took place mid-Lupos and was essentially one big party where the wealthy guests were encouraged to donate vast sums of money to whichever charities were being sponsored that night. Usually these charities ranged from battling child abuse to helping regions of the D\u00ecgu\u00f3 D\u00e0l\u00f9 most affected by the Blight. Silverton had been dragged to most of them, Cecilia always claiming it would be good PR and that it would be good for him to engage more with his peers rather than stalking about his lair, hoarding his riches. He had resisted at first but at some point he had come to appreciate just how much she shone when she was in her element. There had been a time where he had considered seeing the way she sparkled when she smiled to be the greatest of his treasures\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had been avoiding these events ever since she passed away. He had little to do with their planning and if it were up to him then he would have ended them altogether. His PR teams had resisted, claiming it would be bad press and rather suspicious if he erased his wife\u2019s lasting legacy. Besides, it kept her<\/em> busy. The trick now was finding what he was after without drawing her attention\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFather?\u201d he had barely made it into the grand hallway when the suspicious voice of his heir and daughter greeted him. She was stood at the foot of the great stairwell flanked by the party planners who had been midway through demonstrating how the floral arrangements could be used to decorate the banisters, samples of Cecilia\u2019s favourite flowers, lilies, in hand for a visual aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Silvia\u2026\u201d he greeted awkwardly, coming to a halt. Silvia Salmanic was a young woman in her early twenties, her dark hair flowing over her shoulders in loose curls. Everything about her appearance was perfectly styled; from her make-up to her chiffon dress all chosen to enhance her femininity and make her seem as disarming as possible. If it hadn\u2019t been for the fact that Cecilia had short, blonde hair then Silvia would have looked just like her\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI thought you would be in school,\u201d Silverton stated blandly as he began to march towards the stairs. Silvia subtly waved off her planning committee and gracefully stepped into his path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy classes aren\u2019t until this afternoon, something you would have known if you had ever taken the slightest interest in my courses,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve been paying your tutors, haven\u2019t I?\u201d said the father as if this were all the proof needed to show he had been following her academic progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh yes, so I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be very aware of what their names are, which specialises in what subject and that I spent the majority of the weekend revising my itinerary for this semester with them,\u201d she rolled her eyes causing him to merely grunt in derision before she changed the subject completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are you doing here, father? You made it quite clear yesterday that you had no intention of even attending the Gala, let alone helping me arrange it. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d see you again until Faustmas…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you must know, I\u2019m here for something of your grandfather\u2019s,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy? You shut down everything he had been working on. You called the entire R&D department a waste of resources-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI did not come here to play Twenty Questions!\u201d he forcefully interrupted her, barging past and sending her staggering backwards a step, \u201cnow if you don\u2019t mind, I have matters to attend to!\u201d his gaze settled on the foot of the stairwell and his whole body froze. His breath was caught in his throat, his bionic eye locking onto the spot on the floor. It was like he had just ploughed head long into a wall of ice, everything seizing up. He could almost picture what had lain there the last night he had been here. The way she had crumpled<\/em>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n He could hear the planners beginning to whisper amongst themselves, sweat beginning to form on his brow. Silvia was watching him carefully, studying his body language. She took a deep breath and softly took his arm, easing him forwards and onto the stairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…I miss her too\u2026\u201d she spoke softly, eyes averted. Silverton rubbed his face with his free arm, tugging his other out of her loose grasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t\u2026 just\u2026 don\u2019t,\u201d he forced himself forwards and away from her, correcting his posture to obscure his own failings. He was the most powerful man on the planet and he was going to act like it, damn it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t need to be coddled and I certainly don\u2019t need you of all people to tell me my business,\u201d he stepped onto the first landing without looking back, Silvia hovering near the bottom of the steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFine,\u201d she was glaring up at him, her true feelings displayed on her face for the briefest of moments before she took a deep breath and forced the anger back down into the pit it belonged in, a sweet smile brightening her features, \u201cI will try not to show you any more concern, Father. I\u2019ll be right here if you have need me,\u201d Silverton merely grunted in response. His eyes travelled to one of the sets of large double doors that were located on this landing, his throat tightening once more. His old study was there, still locked up tight from the last time he had set foot in the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Silvia observed her father tense up once more, his hands balling into fists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI take it your Grandfather\u2019s old ledgers are in the library?\u201d he asked, tearing his gaze away from his old haunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, except for any relating directly to the company. I believe you put those in a vault at Salmanic Tower,\u201d she answered with a shrug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood. I don\u2019t expect to be here long. Nobody\u2019s to disturb me, do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOf course, Father, whatever you need,\u201d she stated, beaming innocence up at him. He grunted once more and strode confidently through the great oak doors that led to the library, doors slamming behind him as he shut the whole world out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The inside of the craft wasn\u2019t particularly impressive. In total there was only three rooms on the vessel: the cockpit, the hold and a modest toilet about the size of a cupboard. The hold was bare aside from the two benches that lined the outer walls and a small display…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[115,32,118,31,33,120,112,19,117,20,116,114,9,44],"class_list":["post-338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-mercenaries-tale","tag-airfield","tag-blaise","tag-diguo-dalu","tag-doug-mccracken","tag-gratin","tag-kate-odonnell","tag-major-stanley-morrison","tag-psf","tag-salmanic-manor","tag-silverton-salmanic","tag-silvia-salmanic","tag-the-flying-hound","tag-the-mercs","tag-vehicles-and-transport"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=338"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}