Chapter 112
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Brian returned to his room as if in a fog. The head was completely empty. A strange and annoying ringing sounded in the ears. He wished to call Risa right now so bad, just to hear her voice that can wash away all the filth stuck on him after this nasty conversation. And then he would go and met her, and everything will become just fine. But his thoughts were interrupted by a voice from behind.
"Brian," - Patrick called quietly from behind, catching up. Brian immediately stopped and turned to meet the old butler. The man quickly covered the distance between them and stopped, intently looking at the face of the young master.
"I'm fine, Patrick," - said Brian, as if predicting the next question. - "I can't even say that we had a fight. Because it is somehow stupid to get angry at a piece of ice."
Patrick paused for a second, trying to make sure if his charge didn't want to add anything. But after a few seconds of silence, he spoke on a completely different subject.
"Miss Fisher is already here. I delayed her with a few questions about the housekeeping and other nonsense. But she twisted out of my hands as if smeared with butter. I think she is already in Mr. Winterbourne's office."
Hearing this, Brian immediately turned and hurried to his room. Patrick followed him. Going to the table, Brian found a small transmitter in his desk and crouched on a chair, inserted one earpiece into his ear, and the second passed to Patrick. With a grateful smile, the man accepted not only the earpiece but also the young master's urge to share information with him.
The first few seconds there was a strange rustling, then bang of the closing door and the sound of footsteps.
"Mr. Winterbourne,"- came girl's soft voice. - "I apologize for being late."
"Do not bother, Sybil. Go straight to the point." - a low male voice answered her.
There was a clatter of heels and the sound of a chair moving.
"I came with a report. Where do I begin?" - she continued a moment after.
Ian sighed and the chair creaked, must be, from him leaning back.
"To be honest, I'm so tired, Syb." - He finally replied. - "All this game seems to lead nowhere. For the first time, it appears that I am at a dead-end and there is no longer a way to hide from the hunters."
"Mr. Winterbourne, what are you saying? How can you think so when we are so close to goal?! Did something happen?" - Hurriedly asked the girl, pushing a chair and judging by the sound of footsteps, coming closer. Ian paused for a moment but answered.
"Bri came by. You know, I wondered when he would appear. I even thought out a speech to finally put him in place. I waited for him to jump at me or at least to punch me, but ... " - his voice sank.
"What did he do?" - asked Sybil almost on a whisper.
"He just left," - the man replied with a sad laugh. - "When he didn't attack me, I was a little disappointed. But then I read even more disappointment in his eyes. As if in a mere second, he wiped me out of his life."
"Oh, that boy!" - sighed Sybil. - "You do not need to pay special attention to this. He is still young and hotheaded. You know how much he was pampered since birth, he became too emotional. He'll calm down after a couple of days."
"Do you really think so? The what about Lana?" - Ian asked with notes of anxiety. - "This guy - Greg, he is her real Mate. If Brian finds out about our plan, I don't even know what foolishness he can do."
"Ian, calm down!" - the girl tried to soothe him, and strange shushing notes appeared in her voice. -" We need to think about a whole picture. How many shifters can you protect if you take the post of the Head of the Council? How much can you do for everyone? Think yourself! Now each of your proposals goes through such a long process of discussions, and what is the result? Changes are needed now, immediately. We do not have time to wait until these old farts finally come up with something with their moldy brains!"
"Syb, I understand all this, but ..."
"There can be no but, Ian. Yes, we had to arrange this little thing with the second murder, and your guns turned up at the right moment. But would this Greg otherwise agree just to fail his corporation and go into the shadows with Lana so simply? Or abandon Lana and forget about everything? Of course not! But he is a big public figure and the fact that he already claimed Ruslana as his bride to be pulled enough attention in the shifter's circle. Yes, you accidentally overlooked what happened to your daughter when she was in the Benne pack. But under you are thousands of people! And she is quite a big girl herself. How was it possible to understand by one hysterical call that it would all end like this, even when Alpha's of Benna Pack himself was not unaware of anything under his nose?! Trying to take on all sins upon yourself is stupid. You can not answer for everything. If they don't want to help, at least they shouldn't interfere. Besides, what you did with this Ralph completely redeems your inattention before."
There was silence in the office.
"What about Anthony? Greg probably guessed whose pistols were in question." - Ian finally spoke with doubt.
"We have already discussed this." - the girl replied with patience. - "When the hounds enter the game, only two choices will remain. Either Greg will act like a man and take it all on himself. And we will just scare him a little so that he'll quickly make the right decision. Or he will put the blame on his friend. And then we can scare your old friend Natalie a bit, too. You wanted her for a long time, right? She will surely be glad and so thankful if you save her foolish son once again, just think about it ..."
Brian took the earpiece out with trembling fingers and looked at Patrick with the eyes full of disbelieve as if trying to verify whether the man had heard all this too. Was it just a nightmare?
Patrick sat next to him with a grim face, squeezing the wire from the headset in his hand.
"What the hell is going on here?" - Brian finally decided to break the silence. - "What was that just now?"
Patrick suddenly looked up at him, and they were a clear regret in his eyes. Brian frowned, trying to figure out the reason.
"Sorry, Bri, my boy," - Patrick said softly, - "It's too early for you to know."
With these words, the butler, with lightning speed, took a syringe-pistol from his pocket and stuck it in Brian's leg.
"What? ..." - the word flew off Brian's lips a little earlier than the darkness covered him completely.
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Brian returned to his room as if in a fog. The head was completely empty. A strange and annoying ringing sounded in the ears. He wished to call Risa right now so bad, just to hear her voice that can wash away all the filth stuck on him after this nasty conversation. And then he would go and met her, and everything will become just fine. But his thoughts were interrupted by a voice from behind.
"Brian," - Patrick called quietly from behind, catching up. Brian immediately stopped and turned to meet the old butler. The man quickly covered the distance between them and stopped, intently looking at the face of the young master.
"I'm fine, Patrick," - said Brian, as if predicting the next question. - "I can't even say that we had a fight. Because it is somehow stupid to get angry at a piece of ice."
Patrick paused for a second, trying to make sure if his charge didn't want to add anything. But after a few seconds of silence, he spoke on a completely different subject.
"Miss Fisher is already here. I delayed her with a few questions about the housekeeping and other nonsense. But she twisted out of my hands as if smeared with butter. I think she is already in Mr. Winterbourne's office."
Hearing this, Brian immediately turned and hurried to his room. Patrick followed him. Going to the table, Brian found a small transmitter in his desk and crouched on a chair, inserted one earpiece into his ear, and the second passed to Patrick. With a grateful smile, the man accepted not only the earpiece but also the young master's urge to share information with him.
The first few seconds there was a strange rustling, then bang of the closing door and the sound of footsteps.
"Mr. Winterbourne,"- came girl's soft voice. - "I apologize for being late."
"Do not bother, Sybil. Go straight to the point." - a low male voice answered her.
There was a clatter of heels and the sound of a chair moving.
"I came with a report. Where do I begin?" - she continued a moment after.
Ian sighed and the chair creaked, must be, from him leaning back.
"To be honest, I'm so tired, Syb." - He finally replied. - "All this game seems to lead nowhere. For the first time, it appears that I am at a dead-end and there is no longer a way to hide from the hunters."
"Mr. Winterbourne, what are you saying? How can you think so when we are so close to goal?! Did something happen?" - Hurriedly asked the girl, pushing a chair and judging by the sound of footsteps, coming closer. Ian paused for a moment but answered.
"Bri came by. You know, I wondered when he would appear. I even thought out a speech to finally put him in place. I waited for him to jump at me or at least to punch me, but ... " - his voice sank.
"What did he do?" - asked Sybil almost on a whisper.
"He just left," - the man replied with a sad laugh. - "When he didn't attack me, I was a little disappointed. But then I read even more disappointment in his eyes. As if in a mere second, he wiped me out of his life."
"Oh, that boy!" - sighed Sybil. - "You do not need to pay special attention to this. He is still young and hotheaded. You know how much he was pampered since birth, he became too emotional. He'll calm down after a couple of days."
"Do you really think so? The what about Lana?" - Ian asked with notes of anxiety. - "This guy - Greg, he is her real Mate. If Brian finds out about our plan, I don't even know what foolishness he can do."
"Ian, calm down!" - the girl tried to soothe him, and strange shushing notes appeared in her voice. -" We need to think about a whole picture. How many shifters can you protect if you take the post of the Head of the Council? How much can you do for everyone? Think yourself! Now each of your proposals goes through such a long process of discussions, and what is the result? Changes are needed now, immediately. We do not have time to wait until these old farts finally come up with something with their moldy brains!"
"Syb, I understand all this, but ..."
"There can be no but, Ian. Yes, we had to arrange this little thing with the second murder, and your guns turned up at the right moment. But would this Greg otherwise agree just to fail his corporation and go into the shadows with Lana so simply? Or abandon Lana and forget about everything? Of course not! But he is a big public figure and the fact that he already claimed Ruslana as his bride to be pulled enough attention in the shifter's circle. Yes, you accidentally overlooked what happened to your daughter when she was in the Benne pack. But under you are thousands of people! And she is quite a big girl herself. How was it possible to understand by one hysterical call that it would all end like this, even when Alpha's of Benna Pack himself was not unaware of anything under his nose?! Trying to take on all sins upon yourself is stupid. You can not answer for everything. If they don't want to help, at least they shouldn't interfere. Besides, what you did with this Ralph completely redeems your inattention before."
There was silence in the office.
"What about Anthony? Greg probably guessed whose pistols were in question." - Ian finally spoke with doubt.
"We have already discussed this." - the girl replied with patience. - "When the hounds enter the game, only two choices will remain. Either Greg will act like a man and take it all on himself. And we will just scare him a little so that he'll quickly make the right decision. Or he will put the blame on his friend. And then we can scare your old friend Natalie a bit, too. You wanted her for a long time, right? She will surely be glad and so thankful if you save her foolish son once again, just think about it ..."
Brian took the earpiece out with trembling fingers and looked at Patrick with the eyes full of disbelieve as if trying to verify whether the man had heard all this too. Was it just a nightmare?
Patrick sat next to him with a grim face, squeezing the wire from the headset in his hand.
"What the hell is going on here?" - Brian finally decided to break the silence. - "What was that just now?"
Patrick suddenly looked up at him, and they were a clear regret in his eyes. Brian frowned, trying to figure out the reason.
"Sorry, Bri, my boy," - Patrick said softly, - "It's too early for you to know."
With these words, the butler, with lightning speed, took a syringe-pistol from his pocket and stuck it in Brian's leg.
"What? ..." - the word flew off Brian's lips a little earlier than the darkness covered him completely.
Brian returned to his room as if in a fog. The head was completely empty. A strange and annoying ringing sounded in the ears. He wished to call Risa right now so bad, just to hear her voice that can wash away all the filth stuck on him after this nasty conversation. And then he would go and met her, and everything will become just fine. But his thoughts were interrupted by a voice from behind. "Brian," - Patrick called quietly from behind, catching up. Brian immediately stopped and turned to meet the old butler. The man quickly covered the distance between them and stopped, intently looking at the face of the young master."I'm fine, Patrick," - said Brian, as if predicting the next question. - "I can't even say that we had a fight. Because it is somehow stupid to get angry at a piece of ice." Patrick paused for a second, trying to make sure if his charge didn't want to add anything. But after a few seconds of silence, he spoke on a completely different subject."Miss Fisher is already here. I delayed her with a few questions about the housekeeping and other nonsense. But she twisted out of my hands as if smeared with butter. I think she is already in Mr. Winterbourne's office." Hearing this, Brian immediately turned and hurried to his room. Patrick followed him. Going to the table, Brian found a small transmitter in his desk and crouched on a chair, inserted one earpiece into his ear, and the second passed to Patrick. With a grateful smile, the man accepted not only the earpiece but also the young master's urge to share information with him.The first few seconds there was a strange rustling, then bang of the closing door and the sound of footsteps."Mr. Winterbourne,"- came girl's soft voice. - "I apologize for being late.""Do not bother, Sybil. Go straight to the point." - a low male voice answered her. There was a clatter of heels and the sound of a chair moving."I came with a report. Where do I begin?" - she continued a moment after.Ian sighed and the chair creaked, must be, from him leaning back."To be honest, I'm so tired, Syb." - He finally replied. - "All this game seems to lead nowhere. For the first time, it appears that I am at a dead-end and there is no longer a way to hide from the hunters.""Mr. Winterbourne, what are you saying? How can you think so when we are so close to goal?! Did something happen?" - Hurriedly asked the girl, pushing a chair and judging by the sound of footsteps, coming closer. Ian paused for a moment but answered."Bri came by. You know, I wondered when he would appear. I even thought out a speech to finally put him in place. I waited for him to jump at me or at least to punch me, but ... " - his voice sank. "What did he do?" - asked Sybil almost on a whisper."He just left," - the man replied with a sad laugh. - "When he didn't attack me, I was a little disappointed. But then I read even more disappointment in his eyes. As if in a mere second, he wiped me out of his life." "Oh, that boy!" - sighed Sybil. - "You do not need to pay special attention to this. He is still young and hotheaded. You know how much he was pampered since birth, he became too emotional. He'll calm down after a couple of days." "Do you really think so? The what about Lana?" - Ian asked with notes of anxiety. - "This guy - Greg, he is her real Mate. If Brian finds out about our plan, I don't even know what foolishness he can do.""Ian, calm down!" - the girl tried to soothe him, and strange shushing notes appeared in her voice. -" We need to think about a whole picture. How many shifters can you protect if you take the post of the Head of the Council? How much can you do for everyone? Think yourself! Now each of your proposals goes through such a long process of discussions, and what is the result? Changes are needed now, immediately. We do not have time to wait until these old farts finally come up with something with their moldy brains!""Syb, I understand all this, but ...""There can be no but, Ian. Yes, we had to arrange this little thing with the second murder, and your guns turned up at the right moment. But would this Greg otherwise agree just to fail his corporation and go into the shadows with Lana so simply? Or abandon Lana and forget about everything? Of course not! But he is a big public figure and the fact that he already claimed Ruslana as his bride to be pulled enough attention in the shifter's circle. Yes, you accidentally overlooked what happened to your daughter when she was in the Benne pack. But under you are thousands of people! And she is quite a big girl herself. How was it possible to understand by one hysterical call that it would all end like this, even when Alpha's of Benna Pack himself was not unaware of anything under his nose?! Trying to take on all sins upon yourself is stupid. You can not answer for everything. If they don't want to help, at least they shouldn't interfere. Besides, what you did with this Ralph completely redeems your inattention before."There was silence in the office. "What about Anthony? Greg probably guessed whose pistols were in question." - Ian finally spoke with doubt."We have already discussed this." - the girl replied with patience. - "When the hounds enter the game, only two choices will remain. Either Greg will act like a man and take it all on himself. And we will just scare him a little so that he'll quickly make the right decision. Or he will put the blame on his friend. And then we can scare your old friend Natalie a bit, too. You wanted her for a long time, right? She will surely be glad and so thankful if you save her foolish son once again, just think about it ..."Brian took the earpiece out with trembling fingers and looked at Patrick with the eyes full of disbelieve as if trying to verify whether the man had heard all this too. Was it just a nightmare? Patrick sat next to him with a grim face, squeezing the wire from the headset in his hand."What the hell is going on here?" - Brian finally decided to break the silence. - "What was that just now?" Patrick suddenly looked up at him, and they were a clear regret in his eyes. Brian frowned, trying to figure out the reason."Sorry, Bri, my boy," - Patrick said softly, - "It's too early for you to know."With these words, the butler, with lightning speed, took a syringe-pistol from his pocket and stuck it in Brian's leg."What? ..." - the word flew off Brian's lips a little earlier than the darkness covered him completely.
