MOVING PIECES I (Ch. 91)

"Old man" Warden calls staring towards Hans, 

"Sorry kid, I can't bail you out today, you two gave a heck of a show, but it ends here" Hans states,

"Why?" Warden questions,

"Bosses orders, i'll lay it out for you, join MERCHANTS, or be annihilated, keep in mind, you've left a wolf in a den of sheeps" Hans comments, Nathan growls catching on with ease,

(That bastard!), 

(The Runaway...) Warden mules eyes tightening with anger, "you...",

"They're fine kid" Hans sighs, "if you won't listen to me maybe you'll listen to him" he concludes pulling a tablet out, the screen lights up, Dexters face accompanies the darkness, his smile the bearest of tilts in expression, but nevertheless triumphant, 

"I believe we've met already, let me skip the nonsense and keep this simple, join MERCHANTS" he states, the accompanying pause invasive, suffocating, Nathan raises his lungs to speak, the he pauses, the realization of powerlessness, his duty to his family, he gives Warden a glance, his friend defiant,

"Think about you daughter, what kind of life do you want to give her?, To live miserably like her parents did?, Like you have?, What about those girls?, You think they'll get anywhere in life serving tables?, I admire your duty to your family, to provide and protect, what's more important, pride ir survival?", Nathan's jaw clenches as he ponders desperately on a way out,

"A sh...",

"I accept"  Nathan accepts reluctantly,

"Nathan Smith, Warden Chase, welcome to MERCHANTS" Dexter grins with an ever wide smile.

The waves crash against shore, the starry nights sky illuminates the cemented path, meters before him Darwin puffs on a cigarette, his tattooed knuckles mingling with his steamy breath, 

"To think you'd call me here",

"I found him" Darwin replies,

"Where" Duke questions his demeanor shifting swiftly,

"The First affiliate",

"Then we hit there next",

"You can't" Darwin replies sharply,

"And why is that?" Duke questions a frown donning his visage, 

"It's suicide, there prepared, Dexter's planning a war, if you want to kill a snake you take it's head" Darwin replies,

"I'm not here to further your agenda Darwin" Duke replies frowning deeper, Darwin smiles, 

"This has always been a case if mutual benefit Duke",

"Corinth comes first",

"Very well, but if we're to succeed we'll need help",

"THE RUNAWAYS?" Duke questions,

"Where else?" Darwin replies,

"I doubt money will be enough to persuade those two" Duke replies, 

"Maybe not, but i'm pretty sure Dexter has plans for them, we have to move fast before he makes his move, his bosses boss have gotten impatient, playtime is going to end soon Duke, the adults need to go to work" Darwin replies,

"What do we do if he makes a move on them before we can get things in order?" Duke questions,

"I've been watching our forces movements, so far Dexter hasn't given the order yet" Darwin replies,

"And the mercaneries?",

"Kaiser's on standby, Hans runs the agency from HQ, though i'm unfamiliar with their other executives things should be fine for the time being, you just get in contact with THE RUNAWAYS as soon as possible" Darwin concludes, "keep in mind if there is a time where i must betray you to prove my loyalty i will",

"You're loyal to no one Darwin, don't kid yourself" Duke stares, Darwin smirks, 

"A valid point".

Rows of men and women in black suits stand beside their black mercades cars outside the airport's private landing section, a plane billows through the air landing swiftly, the hatch extends open, a stair way is attached, Rachel donned in a suit and it's trousers steps out silently, accompanied by no one, waiting at the foot of the stair ways's side is her aide, 

"Evelyine" Rachel speaks, 

"Rachel" the white haired beauty smiles brightly, her amethyst eye's shining brightly, accentuated by the mole beneath her left eyes left and bottom lips left, 

"How us he?" She questions, "Raven's been quite busy lately, a troublesome one he is, i guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" she smiles,

"Oh?, Is that so?" Rachel questions with a tone of amusement, "quite a troublesome child i have", Evelyine chuckles as they make their way toward's the exit,

"I think he got that from his mother",

"It's definitely his fathers fault, the Voss men can't just stay out of trouble can they" (They really can't) she smiles reminiscently.

Rachel and Evelyin step out the doors their demeanor changed, 

"WE GREET THE MATRIARCH!!!" Her waiting subordinates greet with a slight bow,

"At ease" she commands, 

"My queen" Evelyine calls, as she leads her towards a white mercades bearing the insignia of their organization, the SYNDICATE's Raven, with it's wings stretched out both ways in full, it's beak high, and it's dark, opaque, at the mercades cars head is a metallic construct accentuating this.

Once in the car their journey to HQ begins,

"Any news concerning MURAKAN?",

"Negative ma'am, it's been all quiet, we have our observers working overtime to find out what it is he's been up to" Evelyine replies,

"Very well, keep up the good work".

Jayson makes is way up the steep mountains side, it'd been a month since he came here under the recommendations of his coach, the man who had long been residing at the mountains top was a solitary monk, huge and hulking man, his bald head matted with the constant thin film of sweat ever reflecting the sun's glare, coupled with his thick beared and mustache,

"Faster!" He growls downing the last of his Jin bottles contents, on Jay's back is a giant fridge full of booze, the monk smiles giggling like a child as he swings it's door wide grabbing an alcohol bottle as he pops it and down it's contents,

"I've been at this for a month!" Jay bellows, the monk looks away from his phone screen as he turns to Jay with predatory eyes, 

"As you are now, you will not survive my training, another lap down the mountain" the imposing monk's voice booms before turning to his phone screen then giggling like a child.

THAILAND, THUNG YEE PHENG MANGROVE.

Yanick dodges to the side, his retaliation coming swift as his shin connects with air, his opponent had dodged, he lifts himself while his striking leg held air, he twists his hip to locking his upper body then twisting his legs to land low as he compresses then lunges forward, his opponent plant's his right heel into ground, his knee rises high aimed to connect with Yanicks Jaw. Yanick forms his guard when his opponent twits his standing heel into dirt as his knee bends around the guard and shin extends connecting with the side of Yanicks head, the seemingly powerless hit floors him as he struggles against unconscious, his master looks down at him with a smile, 

"You're almost there kid, just a bit more" the short dark skinned Dominincan man laughs,

"Ye..s..ma..st..er" he struggles before seeing black.

Jimmy sits across from a teen with dirty blonde hair and a lion mane like hair, 

"It's time, I'll get you Zagreb, you'll get me Voss",

"Cerberus was it?, I'd like to have a 'chat' with him" the teen grins fiercely,

"Do as you will, Zagreb is currently under the control of several medium and small scale gangs, your executives should be able to clean them out withing a week" Jimmy replies,

"Four days" the teen replies,

"Do as you will",

"And the other parts of the country central?",

"The East, Belgrade maybe, the west and south, suicide", The teen frowns, his lips twisting in snarl,

"You underestimate us",

"It's not about underestimating you, it's about facts" Jimmy responds, "Our deal ends with Zagreb, move towards the other area's at your own peril", 

"Very well" the teen replies rising to his feet, he makes his way towards the exit, pausing only when he recalls an omitted questions,

"An the center?",

"You'll die" Jimmy replies looking him with a bank stare, the teen exhales forcing away his body's pilling steam.

"Oh?, With such certainty?" He questions while reigning his anger back,

"Get me Voss first, then..." Jimmy trails shooting him a despondent smile.