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[b][center][color=gray]Oh, Charlie.[/color][/center][/b]
[/h1][/sup][/color][indent][sub][COLOR=gray][I] En Luxuria ➟ The Charity Ball[/I][/COLOR][/sub][/indent][indent][sup][right][COLOR=gray][b]#nomorebillionairesplease[/b][/color][/right][/sup][/indent][hr]



[right][sub][color=black] 8:30 PM[/color] [/sub][/right]
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Charles Waine, a successful businessman that had the taste for only the finest things in life. The finest food, clothing, women, and drugs, if it hadn’t come at the hefty cost it wasn’t worthwhile to him. So sitting on the 27th floor of the Seattle Tower in the luxurious and exclusive Italian restaurant, [i]En Luxuria[/i], was not an uncommon thing for the man. Perhaps it was all too common, he’d host these meetings with interested buyers and investors, have them win his favor by showering him in praise and material goods, and promptly rip them off with prices only the 0.1% could afford. Tonight would be no different.

Charles Waine had been the unsuspecting owner of a gold mine. With the news of the missing Mayor on everyone’s television, there were a handful of people that had come knocking at his door, offering money and other lesser things to get the keys to the tiny studio on the outskirts of town. Even luckier that the apartment had gotten the attention of Westin Rex. Charles could care less why a pharmaceutical giant cared about some crappy place, he could do whatever he wanted with it, long as he paid up.

And Charles was determined to make the billionaire pay up, he’d convinced himself pulling one over on Westin would be a piece of cake.

No sooner had the sleazy smirk found his face did the near-empty restaurant gain three more occupants. Charles supposes all the other high-class individuals were attending the stuff gala tonight, that he opted out of ( not that he had been invited but wouldn’t have RSVP’d anyway). Three men approached his table, Oliver on the left of Westin, and to his right a face had not accounted for and could not place.

[color=ff4d00] “I hope you won’t mind my nephew joining us here for tonight, we have an engagement to attend after this and he was insistent on riding along with me.”[/color]

“I’m not sure an outside person should be he-” [color=b84221] “Oh c’mon Charlie, do I look like the type to out your sleaziness to the world?”[/color]

Heat rose to Charles’ face and his calf muscles tightened as he put pressure into the balls of his feet. A heavy arm slammed him back down into his seat, the unfamiliar man from before wrapping him easily in a one-arm hug-like embrace, the tips of his fingers pressing firmly into his shoulder, [color=b84221] “Ah-ah, I would not do that if I were you. S’pretty rude, don’t you think?”[/color]

A chill of fear ran down Charles’ spin in that moment, the realization of his current predicament becoming very apparent by the way Westin and Oliver took their seats calmly in front of him. Pulling one over on Westin? Rookie mistake.

One many people had tried and failed to do, Janus was a being of infinite existence. No human, who had a blink in time of life could compare to his that had begun at the birth of time itself. The thought almost made him chuckle as he gazed at the mortal in the embrace of a mad dog across from him.

[color=ff4d00] “I don’t think dragging on this meeting will be to the benefit of any of us, so let us not waste another moment. You have the key to a building I need access to. Oliver here was kind enough to pass along your requested price, and I am [i]kind[/i] enough to give you a chance to reevaluate your asking pri-”[/color]

“I have a hundred people asking me about that shit hole! What’s 20 million to a billionaire like you anyways?”

Janus gave a small sigh and leaned back in his chair, raising his hand to direct the mortal’s attention to the man sitting next to him.

Metus’ face was unreadable for a moment as he twirled a light weight fork between his fingers, his eyes focused on the metal as if appraising it, [color=b84221] “20 million is.. Hmm.. the price for a healthy man’s organs on the black market.”[/color] The words came out of his mouth and his face turned Charles, a twisted look of joy winding his lips into a dangerous smirk. The fear rolling off Charles had grown thicker, fragrant as he practically shook underneath his hold. 

[i]Pain[/i] The thought echoed in his mind along with images, scenarios and nightmares that Charles feared most. The prongs of the fork disappeared between the metacarpus of Charles’ index and middle fingers in a movement so swift it took a solid moment for any of them to react. 

[color=b84221] “Oh, man, sorry about that Charlie I was aiming for the table. Whew, you should be more careful otherwise you might end up missing a finger or two after all this.[/color] Metus retrieved the fork and wiped the blood from the prongs with the expenisve coat Charles was wearing. The whimpers from the fool of a man was like music to Metus’ ears as he tapped the fork against Charles’ temple, [color=b84221] “Now what’s your starting price, Mr. Charles?”[/color]

“M-Mr. Rex, p-please, I have a business to upkeep, I-I can’t give you-”

Janus held his hand up to cut the blubbering man off, [color=ff4d00] “I’m not asking you to [i]give[/i] it to me. I’m asking for a price, Charles.”[/color]

Charles swallows down what feels like a ten pound weight as his eyes nervously cast around to the three men at the table. There’s a pressure evenloping his chest that makes it hard for him to breathe, a fear he cannot escape slowly creeping upwards from his toes, it’s numbing and suffocating all at once. All he can think about is avoiding making the wrong move, his mind races flipping between prices, trying to settle on something that keeps his livelihood above the rising waters of Seattle but allows him to leave with his life tonight.

Charles doesn’t realize he’s nearly hyperventilating, gasping for oxygen like a fish out of water, the fear of pain, and being left with nothing consuming him completely. The only thing to pull him out of this haze is the piercing voice of an impatient god, [color=b84221] “Charlie, I won’t be able to leave you along if you lose yourself like that.”[/color] There’s an instinct to jerk away but the cool feel of metal on his throat makes him stop.

[color=b84221] “So your brain still functions-”[/color] [color=ff4d00]”Metus.”[/color] 

The clang of metal against wood allows Charles to breath again as the man, Metus, backs-off raising his hands in the air in a sign of surrender. Charles keeps his life for the time being, but expectant eyes are not longer lenient with their demands, “Five-Five Million?”

The quick movement he picks up from his side makes him throw his hands up in protection, but instead of anything piercing his skin its the sound of a clap. A slow clap that builds upon itself, but Charles isn’t interested in seeing what the applause is for, he tells himself.

[color=b84221] “Refreshing for someone to forgo their pride so quickly. Had you not practically pissed yourself a moment ago I might’ve taken an eyes for the annoyance anyways, but you did great Charlie, a fantastic treat to get me through the night.”[/color]

Janus rolled his eyes at Metus and turned his attention to Oliver who offered a shrug at the silent question. With a nod Janus extended his hand, [color=ff4d00] “We’ll settle on $3 million cash for the key, and call the other $2 million an expense for protection.”[/color]

“Protection, for what?” 

Janus only pointed his finger to Metus who now had a pale silver knife twirling along his knuckles and inbetween his finger. The sight was enough to seal the deal, Charles and Westin shook hands in agreement and Westin promptly stood up.

[color=ff4d00] “I’m glad we were able to arrive at an agreeable amount, you’ll have to excuse my nephew’s poor behavior, he can be a bit hard to keep on a leash. I’ll leave you in Oliver’s care now, have a fantastic night.”[/color]

Metus slammed his hand into the table abruptly causing Charles to jump in reaction, [color=b84221] “Take care Charlie, think about changing your life around, yeah? Lest you bump into me lurking about in the shadows for someone else to prey on. Or don’t and we can have a great time again soon.”[/color] A chuckle crawled out of his chest as he stood up without so much as a glance towards anyone in the building, only stalking off after his uncle.

[color=00b2ff] “Whew, that was [i]riveting[/i]. Like watching a thriller when you aren’t sure if someone is going to make it out or not!”[/color] Oliver exclaimed in a chuckle turning a briefcase towards Charles, [color=00b2ff] “$3 Million just as the boss agreed upon.”[/color]

As Oliver counts out 300 stacks of $10,000, Charles tells himself [i]this[/i] is his last time doing business with the men at the top of the world.[hr]

The glitz and glamor of the charity event are hardly more than a nuisance for both gods riding in the black limousine in silence. Neither are attending out of a desire to party, they’re beings that don’t rely on such frivoloties to enjoy their day to day. Janus would much rather plot and influence from the shadows, while Metus stalks and hunts from those same shadows. The Ball, full of gods and important mortals alike, was ripe with opportunities for both hobbies. 

[color=ff4d00] “There’s much to be gained from the evening-”[/color]

[color=b84221] “A godslayer is a bigger concern right now than a couple missing mortals. Focus too much on Timor and I and that pretty celtic might go missing next.”[/color]

Janus remains silent, his eyes held Metus’, the air around them becoming dense but neither budging. The opening of a door acts as a pressure release and the sounds of eager reporters and shouting fans floods in. Janus is the first to move exiting the car with a cold chuckle and being instantly bombarded with questions and pictures.

Metus slips by easily, his unfamiliar face attracting little attention compared to the arriving celebrities. A glass of champagne is the first item on his list, and quickly after it’s raised in ‘cheers’ to his mother who glares at him from across the room, an arrogant smirk coming to his lips.

[color=b84221][i]Oh, it was going to be an exciting night.[/i][/color]

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