Chapter 98: Troublesome Kid: Part One

He stands in his office, between his chair and his desk. His toned, well built physique towering over them proudly. The culmination of years upon years of battle experience. Wearing his usual attire, a predominantly white tuxedo, he casually crosses his arms after pressing a few flat glowing buttons on top of his desk. As if in response, the desk emits a holographic screen the size of an average flat screen tv. The screen shows a man. An old man, with short blonde hair. Seemingly around the same age as the man in the suit. Much like him, he also has a full beard garmenting his face. However his, unlike that of the man in the suit, is a mixture of white and blonde in color, rather than light greyish. And unlike the man in the suit, who is black, he is, however, an old looking white man. The holographic screen only shows his face and about half of his upper body. He’s wearing a loose golden long sleeved shirt of a very stylish design. A testament to his wealth.

“Well, hello there, Andy. Long time no see, ey?” Chadwick utters casually as soon as Andrew appears on the holographic screen in front of him.

“Chadwick… can I help you with an something?” Andrew queries. However, it isn’t genuine. His tone… that nonchalant tone, does very little in hiding that. He, himself, cares very little about hiding that.

It’s obvious. From the condescending tone in Chadwick’s voice, and the nonchalant, meager expression on Andrew’s face. It’s obvious. While there may not be any considerable bad blood between these two, they’re definitely, without a doubt, the furthest thing from what people would classify as ’friends’. They both know, that, that “can I help you with something?”, was really more of a “what the fuck do you want?”. In response, Chadwick chuckles a bit before speaking. “Not really…” He utters. “I just wanted to get a few things across. First I’d like to offer my condolences on the loss of your son, Zeke. I’ve never had little ones of my own. I’ve always wanted one or two. Maybe ten even.” He jokes briefly, causing the only other person in the room with him to flinch slightly, a small whimper escaping her lips. With a smirk, Chadwick ignores it and continues. “But it just didn’t work out that way. Even so, I can imagine what you must be going through. I know how much you love your kids.”

“Hm…” Andrew pauses, his eyes narrowing as if trying to study Chadwick through the holographic screen. “Well… thank you, I guess…” He finally speaks. “Never expected you of all people to be the one to say those kinds of things. But I know that can’t be the only reason you called. So out with it.” He utters, his patience wearing thin, though his nonchalant expression does well in masking the fact.

“Heh.” Chadwick lets out a weak laugh. “Of course, it’s not all. The second thing I wanted to make clear, is based on your son’s killer, Raid.” Andrew’s eyebrows twitch briefly in furious abandon, immediately at the mention of Raid’s name from Chadwick’s mouth. Chadwick expertly ignores it to continue. “I’m sure you’ve seen the news by now. And if you have then that means you’ve also seen his attire. So you should know by now, that Raid works for the Warriors Association, and as a result, is under my protection.” His smile fades, face changing immediately. His expression turning dark, eyes narrowing thin. “So I’ll ask you to refrain from trying to kill him every goddamn twenty-four hours.” He adds with a piercing gaze that sends a shiver down the spine of the only other person in the room with him.

And of course, Andrew Reinhardt himself as well. Yet slightly, allowing him to quickly regain his composure, as if he never lost it to begin with. “Chadwick…” He utters in a calm, yet challenging tone. “Is that a threat? Do you even realize the weight of what you’re supposedly ’’asking’’ me to do?” He asks rhetorically, making sure to emphasize his sarcasm around the word ’asking’. “You’re telling me to leave the brat who murdered my son alone. What? Just because you said so? Just because he’s your employee?”

“Listen to yourself, Andy.” Chadwick shoots back. ” You make it sound like your son was innocent. What do you mean by ’’murdered’’? We both know the chances of your son having started the confrontation that lead to his death in the first place, are exceedingly high. Not to make light on your loss, but your son was no saint. If Raid had been the one to die, instead of Zeke, after being provoked first at that, you wouldn’t have even batted an eye. This is the Great Age of Warriors Andy, where the simple rule, most of the time, unfair as it is, is that, might makes right. And much like every existing Warrior in the world, your son isn’t exempt from this rule. My duty as a Branch Manager is to make sure that these types of confrontations among Warriors, have some level of fairness, however fragile. And from where I’m standing, Raid isn’t in the wrong.” Chadwick finishes with a commanding tone, as if to make a point. One that can’t be refuted.

Andrew grits his teeth, underneath his closed shut mouth, anger clearly starting to be visible on his face. “Is that it, then? You really call that fairness? Because from where I’m standing, all I’m seeing is bias.” He retorts, veins forming along his forehead. “Shall I take this to The Council? So we can see just how ’’fair’’ your judgements truly are?” He threatens.

“Really now, Andrew?” Chadwick’s expression twists, looking at Andrew almost as if something to pity, in response to the desperate measures he seemingly is willing to take. To the point of even addressing him formally now. “The Council? Are you sure you wanna go there? Sure you’re ready to ride down that road? If so, then go ahead. As long as you’re prepared to let everyone know about your Twelve Guardian Shadows. But if not, then please… leave the Country Leaders alone, alright? They’re busy enough as it is.” He sighs in genuine exhaustion.

“What?” Andrew’s eyes go wide at the nonchalant mention of the Twelve Guardian Shadows from Chadwick’s mouth. As if they’re but a casual everyday topic one would have with friends at a cafe or the like. Whereas he thought was a secret only a handful of people in the entire world knew about. “How do you know about-”

“You’re underestimating me a little too much, don’t you think? I’m a Branch Manager of the Warriors Association. Our information gathering skills are second to none. And you’re surprised that I know about your little secret team of assassins? Being a Family Head sure did well in inflating your ego, I see.” Chadwick palms his face as he sighs weakly. “You can have as many secrets as you want Andrew, frankly I don’t care as long as they aren’t hurting the innocent. And since I haven’t confirmed anything of the sort, no other Branch Manager but me knows about them. Your Shadows, I mean. ’Cause if they did, your family would be done for. But understand that I’m keeping my eye on you. One wrong move and it’s over for you, kid. So leave Raid be, and call off the Shadows, he’s already killed three of them, anyway, including number one. So at this rate, you’ll just be sending them to their deaths.”

“He what!?” Andrews eyes widen once again as he exclaims in response to Chadwick’s words, unable to process the idea of an F-Rank killing three high level A-Ranks.

“You heard me.” Chadwick’s expression turns smug, as if proud of an achievement not even of his own. “So unless you want to significantly decrease your ranks, I suggest you act smart, and take my advice. That’s all. Later, kid.” Without a second to spare, he taps a button on his desk, ending the call, as the hologram disappears as if sucked back in by the desk itself.

“Is it just me, or did he flinch when you mentioned him possibly having more secrets?” The only other person in the room with Chadwick, who had been silent the whole time, speaks as she slightly steps forward towards Chadwick, pushing her back off the left side wall that she was leaning against. A pink haired beauty. Curves in all the right places. Her emerald eyes gleam slightly each time she blinks. Clad in the usual uniform of the Warriors Association, a black and white suit. Yet unlike most, she wears no coat. The woman is none other than, Sakura. Sakura Suzuki.

“He flinched even harder when I told him I was keeping my eye on him.” Chadwick responds as he turns his head to look at Sakura.

“What? He did? I didn’t see that, though.” Sakura places her hand on her chin while tilted her head to slightly look up as if trying to playback the sight of Andrew in her head.

“That’s because he tried really hard to hide it.” Chadwick utters with a smirk on his face.

“I-is that so?” Sakura stammers slightly with an awkward smile. After a quick pause, she then clears her throat and speaks. “And of course, you were able to easily see through it, as a high level S-Rank.” She praises sincerely.

“Somewhat.” Chadwick shrugs his shoulders. “I kind of said what I did on purpose to see what reaction I would get. And oh, did he try so hard to hide it.” He taunts with a mischievous grin.

“But you know what that means, though, right?” Sakura asks rhetorically. She knows he knows, yet lays the question out there anyway.

“Of course.” Chadwick casually answers regardless. “Seems the Reinhardt Family may have some more secrets that even we don’t know about… which is something we oughta start looking into…” He adds, with his hand placed on his chin as he strokes his beard, wearing a contemplative look on his face.

“Do you think it could be related to-”

“I think it’s a possibility we can’t afford to dismiss.” Chadwick cuts Sakura off, quickly catching on to what it is she wanted to say. “You know what to do, don’t you?” He asks as he looks at her, stepping out between his chair and desk to push his chair under his desk.

“I wouldn’t be your right-hand girl, if I didn’t.” Sakura utters with a playful smirk.

“Great.” Chadwick’s chuckles. “Now as for Raid… that boy really is a troublesome kid…” He adds as he saunters around his desk and walks towards the door of his office.

Sakura almost instinctively follows close behind. “Don’t forget handsome, too… Did he really kill off three of the Twelve Guardian Shadows, including their strongest, Taipan?”

“Well, in actuality. He killed Sonoran and Taipan… the third one, Adder, was really taken out by Peyton. On that note, careful saying things like Raid being ’’handsome’’ in front of Peyton, the girl seems to be hopelessly enamoured with him. Just what is it with that kid and attracting older women?” He wonders earnestly as they step out of his office.

“Well, I, for one, wouldn’t feel the need to give him so much of my attention if the man I really was in love with would just take a few good seconds to look my way.” Sakura flutters her long eyelashes while looking up him as she says that, searching for a reaction as they stroll through the hallway.

Chadwick turns his head to look down at her as they’re walking, forcing a thin playful smile on his face. “Didn’t we have this talk already?”

“I know, I know… once eeeverything’s been soorted, and the world is fiiinally safe from haaarrm, yada yada yada…” She trails off in a slightly mocking tone. “You really know how to make a woman feel special, don’t you?” She asks. A question that feels both rhetorical and genuine at the same time.

Chadwick, being Chadwick, answers her regardless. As if to mess with her.

“I try.”

“You’re terrible.”

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