Chapter 12.

HERA.

The Council: five members excluding myself and that dirty bastard of a chess piece Magnus. Five members that decided what direction the Gray went. Five members that frustrated me. The chess piece frustrated me too, but he was useful. However, he was just a pawn. Like the rest of them.

We sat in a circle, the five members sat opposite me and the chess piece. Mr. Stone in the middle, the Preacher to his left, Meredith to his right. Lucy and Grayson filling out either side of them. They were just like me – in their own little worlds that is. No one else is like me, the two other people that were like me are just that – a past tense.

The Council was talking amongst themselves as they often do. They had a sound canceller switched on, so I could only watch their erratic movements on mute. The Preacher was shouting at the other members, blonde hair perfect as always. Meredith was glaring at me, I glared back. I'd tried to kill that old hag several times, she was like a damn insect. God was testing my resolve, one day she'll learn not to underestimate me.

"So, Hera," Magnus said, his deep voice soft, filling the void of sound in the large office. "How are things going with the Rogues?"

"I'd tell you they are just fine, but you probably know otherwise." I tapped my metal nails against the black table, I could feel his eyes boring into me, that smile of his giving away everything and nothing.

The Council members switched off the sound canceler. The Preacher looked defeated, Lucy stone faced as usual, her bald head gleaming underneath the white lights. Mr. Stone had his fingers folded, a grim line drawn across his lips. Poor man, too old for such chaos and fighting. Luckily for him, I'll be in charge in a few months.

Mr. Stone cleared his throat, his wrinkled mouth pulled down. "Hera."

"Mr. Stone."

"That man that attacked during Memorial Day, he is one of your Rogues. Correct?"

"Incorrect."

"Bullshit," Preacher hissed. "Then why would he be listed as one of yours in our records?"

"Preacher, there's no need for curses," Magnus chuckled. His eyes bounced off of me and onto Mr. Stone. "Council, this is the fourth time this year an attack has devastated our wonderful city. My proposal to you should be considered at such a time."

My fingers paused above the table.

"I will admit that your proposal was not taken seriously earlier this year," Grayson said, husky voice carrying in the vacuum of noise. "But Mr. Stone, we should consider it now more than ever."

"Something like that cannot be accepted," I interjected.

"And why would that be, Hera?" Lucy cocked her head, slim fingers crossed over each other. "You still value your own power over the safety of the people in the Gray?"

"Arrogant and pitiful," Meredith spat.

I bit down my words. I was still playing chess, move one piece, God moves another. "I object because-"

"Because what, Hera?" Magnus said, he was standing now, all eyes drawn on him. Apart from mine. I'd never look up to another person. "Our systems would make sure that any faction Listing people would be vetted. So that tragedies like this wouldn't happen again." His eyes came to a rest on me.

"What are you trying to say?" I continued tapping on the table. Another move forward, another piece fallen.

"Stop beating around the bush, Magnus," Lucy cut in.

"I believe that the attacker was a Rogue. Sent by Hera to destabilize the Gray so she could move her soldiers into better places around the city."

The Council members sat back in their leather chairs. Their eyes digging into me. My gun called for me to do God's work. But it wasn't the time. Not yet. My battalion have not mapped out the entire city yet, a few more months and God's work will be done.

"And you think I'd put a hundred of my own people at risk for a goal like that?" I smirked.

"A hundred …" Magnus whispered. I was the only one close enough to hear the mutter, his eyes glazed over for a split second, coming back to the pale blue soon after.

A chess piece had revealed itself. A knight. Jumping between us. That would reset the game. Another long night tonight, more drinking, more deadly silence. Damn you, Hunter. The one time I need you most and you aren't here.

"So you finally admit you have your soldiers crawling over our city," Meredith said. "The agreement was for them to stay in Rogue territory and no further."

I crossed my legs, I was mentally resetting the board. I didn't have every piece like the old days, but I didn't need every piece to win. Time and strategy, I needed that to win. And the Unit, and my dear Daniel should know where that is.

"And they have."

"We've had reports of them breaking into territory out of your jurisdiction," Lucy said, her sharp voice competed with my nails. I wonder how easy her neck would be to slit, she was a small woman. Wouldn't last a day within my ranks.

"I don't know what you mean," I smiled. "Extremely kind factions have sold themselves to me. So their land is my problem, Lucy."

"The whore runs a protection racket," Preacher spat.

"You'll be the first I bring forward on judgment day."

"Enough." Mr. Stone stood up, his heavy rings pressing against the table. "Magnus, we will look over your proposal."

I sat up in my chair, a minimal movement. "But Mr. Stone-"

"Enough, Hera," he muttered. "This back and forth isn't bringing us any closer to finding out who the attacker is or why he did what he did."

"Moreover," Meredith continued, "your power in this city is going beyond what we permitted. So having your soldiers join with our Watchmen would ensure the city's safety."

"Which is a necessary," Grayson nodded. "Both the Berserkers and the Nomads are creeping closer towards us. The Watchmen alone won't be sufficient."

"And letting this megalomaniac lead the fight against them would be suicide," Lucy concluded.

I let out a slow laugh. She leaned further into her chair like I was repulsive to her. Strategically boxing me in, giving me two options. One: hand them my battalion, in turn leaving me with nothing. Two: going against the council and being vetted. That wouldn't affect me directly, but it would affect my people – unable to do business, not allowed anywhere, which would turn into them leaving.

I nodded, slow and calculated. "One week. That's all I ask for. I will find out who and why."

"A plea from the mighty Hera?" Meredith sneered. "Seems we've finally shaken your foundations."

"Don't push it you old bitch," I spat.

She shot up from her chair, hands slapping down onto the black touchscreen glass. "You speak to me like that?!"

"And I'll speak to you however I want." I stood up, readjusting the holster on the small of my back. "I congratulate all of you with your planning. And scheming." I directed the sentence at a still dazed Magnus, he was staring at the floor, his mind far away. "But don't push yourselves or your boy scouts onto my territory."

"Jumping for empty threats in a time of need. Childish," Grayson said.

I began walking out of the room, my back turned towards them. They didn't deserve another second of my time. I had things to do. Better things to do than play chess with people who don't know how to.

I paused at the large black doors, their gold accents danced down their edges. White walls highlighting them. "A word of advice for all of you: train your Watchmen next time. You should find what's left of them in your children's rooms tonight."

The Preacher barked, "Get the hell out of our office."

And that's what I did. I heard the small unit of my soldiers fall around me, hidden in the shadows of the long corridor. In a few months, those words would come back to them. Lord show no mercy when Judgment Day falls on those fools.