Impatiently looking around the small quaint diner, Devan observed the people eating there. Sitting in his usual booth in the corner, the man was able to watch the restaurant moving around in slow hum. He knew all the waitress and most of the regular customers by name, which by the size of the diner and how far off it was from the busy parts of New York, was nearly all of the people there besides a family with two small children and an elderly couple enjoying their meal together. It wasn’t that he liked diner food, especially since he disliked the taste of eggs, nor did he enjoy the flirtatious conversations he had with the obnoxious, gum-smacking waitress that tried to talk to him whenever she had the excuse to do so, but it was the fact that he knew he was safe behind the walls of the diner that kept him going to the restaurant on a frequent basis. The relationships he created within the diner was something he knew would come to his aid if someone ever came to the diner and asked about him, knowing quite confidently that one of the waitresses, if not the gum chewing Claire, would call him on his phone to keep him in the loop. Not only has he been planting seeds with the patrons and the workers of the diner, he had been carefully laying down poems on the diner for the past five or six months which would not only protect him but the others as well while behind the brick walls of the diner from anyone that would try to bring harm, whether government or criminal. Although he knew there would be flaws and cracks that would allow people to maneuver around his careful work, he had one more layer of protection that would not only help him here at the diner, but the rebellion movement as a whole. Devan Aldrich to most was a simple man, working as a business consultant or another medial job to fit his role would try to fit into. Very few, even within the resistance, knew his connection to the resistance. Even S.G.N.3.
“You doin’ alright Devan? You’ve barely touched your coffee and by now you’ve normally downed your second cup.” A woman with more grey hair tied into a loose bun than blonde said looking at him with concern. The sweet smell of mint could be spelt off of her as Devan wondered if she always smelled like mint even when she was without gum.
“I’m just a bit concerned, that’s all. I had a client joining me today for lunch but they are late.” Devan said glancing at his watch. Eighteen minutes late to be precise. If they are only running a few minutes behind or even called him to say they were running behind, Devan wouldn’t have been too worried but without hearing a word from them, especially for a meeting this important worried him. With the rally against poets rapidly growing, another setback was something he wasn’t interested in happening.
“You’re a business consultant, right?” The woman said before continuing after Devan responded with a nod. “Don’t you worry, maybe they’re stuck behind traffic or something. There’s always something happenin’ in New York.”
“Yes, that’s true.” Devan said before Claire was called back to the kitchen as the elderly couple’s food was finished. He only hoped that the “happenin’ “, as Claire called it, wasn’t something that would be a concern to him. However as a paled face man in his late thirties entered the diner, Devan knew all too well that his hopeful wishes was all for naught.
“When?” Devan asked as the man slid down to his seat in front of Devan. “Never mind that, were you followed.” Devan said with a tone that didn’t leave his tone for a casual conversation but his eyes told a different story as he carefully watched the man for he would reveal to him by his actions or mannerism.
“No, no one followed or suspected me. I was hidden in the crowd well but I tell you what, it was close. You know how I was supposed to meet up with the potential S.G.N.4 before taking him here, well I was too late.” The man said before cutting off as Claire came with a cup of coffee. “Thanks, coffee will do for me.” He said waiting until the woman was out of earshot before continuing, fear lacing his words as he spoke in a hushed tone as if just speak about the subject was dangerous. “You’ve heard of Gilgamesh right? What am I saying, of course you have.”
Hearing the man’s name, Devan looked at Chase intently. Although he had only seen the man two times by luring him out with poets and watching him work at a safe distance so that he could see his newfound enemy, he knew that when the time came for the two to confront each other would bring a difficult battle for Devan. A worthy opponent to cure the thrill in life that he desired. With the game of chess set in motion, he was glad to see that the man had made his next move on the chessboard of life. “Ah yes, Gilgamesh. What has the little swordsman done this time?” Devan said concealing his excitement with a mild look of interest.
“S.G.N.4 is gone sir. He was in Manhattan and not only took number four down, but a few other poets that were with him at that time. We don’t think he knows the importance of that man seeing that the only people that knew about the plans we had for him was the Core and I know that the two of us and the three others wouldn’t reveal anything, even if their life depended on it. The man himself didn’t even know the plans we had or even the existence of the Core. I-I don’t think we’re in jeopardy but if-if you—“
“Don’t worry Chase the man was only toying with a pawn, he didn’t know the intentions we had of promoting him into another chess piece. We having lost the game Chase and I tell you what I have no intentions of losing.”
“Always thinking of chess arent’ you?” Chase said with a soft sigh. “What are we going to do about finding our next scapegoat? It’s only going to be a matter of time before the supposedly third leader of the resistance is taken down, especially due to his boisterous ways. Since everyone in the resistance thinks that the scapegoats are the highest rank, we have to make sure number four is taken under Michael’s wing if we want everyone to follow through with our plans of which leader is going to be appointed next.”
“How long do you think this is going to last?” Devan said abruptly.
“How long what is going to last? Michael?”
“No not Michael, he is nothing of importance to me. I’m talking about the Core. Besides the five that makes the core, there are only three others that knows of us to act as mediators between us and the scapegoat who Michael thinks that the three runs the whole thing and even those three don’t know who makes up the whole Core. The system seems to be running smoothly right now but what are we going to do once things get sticky and we have to sacrifice a few more chess pieces. This time it might not even be pawns.”
“I don’t know sir. Are you worried?”
“Of course not.” Devan said with a slight chuckle. “The game will quite fun once things start to move in that direction. Who knows, I might be able reveal my position as the rightful leader of the resistance then. Poor Gilgamesh doesn’t even know who he is playing against yet.”
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