If father dearest knew about my assignment, then I would react accordingly. If this was just a meeting due to his incessant need to have meetings, then good. There was no point in reacting just yet.
I walked right through the front doors and down a corridor, the sounds of bustling people slowly drifting down the halls. Luckily for me, I always wore my mask, but why were there people here in March? I knew where they should have been at in their training. None of them should have been making a sound for fear of being maimed or killed.
I stepped into the make-shift cafeteria, finding a group of around 80. Men and women alike, some younger, some maybe as old as 40. I wondered if they had kids that would miss them once they oh so tragically passed away from the program.
“There he is,” I heard someone whisper. “The one who never takes off his mask. The Ghost they call him.”
Yes, it is I.
“I’ve heard he’s killed over 1,000 Initiates.”
Some Initiates, some grunts. What were they doing here? Had father dearest truly changed the program that much?
“I’ve heard it’s way more than that.”
“No way.”
“Yes. I’ve heard that he’s the one who came up from Hell itself. The actual Devil.”
“The Devil’s ghost,” another said.
“I’ve heard he uses that cane to slam the hearts out the spines of those who cross him.”
It was strong enough to do so, but it would greatly impact the integrity of the wood. This cane was meant to last as long as I was. Having it crack was a fate worse than death.
I pushed through the door at the other end and headed down the hall to the open door. “You called?”
The crime lord was sitting at his desk, going over paperwork diligently. “Yes, come in.”
I took a seat, leaning back in the chair, watching as he shuffled around important paperwork aimlessly.
I wasn’t sure what the others saw when he did this, but what I saw was someone who was trying to look busier than he was.“Is business slow, dearest father?”
I couldn’t help but wonder why.
“Do you remember when we sent Clarke to become the assistant of the Superior Court Judge?”
How many years ago was that now? Why was it still an issue? Why not just kill him and replace him with an Initiate?
Oh, that’s right, because the mountain boy had yet to open his little school. Even if he opened it this coming year, we would still be dealing with these mishaps for the next few years. It wasn’t optimal, the fact that the next half a decade would be spent trying to readjust and plant our little seeds—which was part of the reason I was planting seeds of my own—it was better than never having the idea to begin with.
“I recall it,” I answered evenly.
“Well, Clarke has relayed to us that the Judge is working with an important client. A man by the name of Thomas Masters.”
I felt a smile cut across my face. “Is that so?” I asked, angling my chin. “And who, might I ask, is that?”
Malachi picked up a file and held it out to me. “Son of a well-loved Pastor in the Seatle area. Garrett Masters, he runs a church, the, uh…” He glanced at the tab on the file just as I reached for it. “Church of Daylight.”
I took the file from him and flicked it open, finding not much information on the two. “Why?” Dear little Thomas, why are you seeking a Judge? One who works on cases far above yours.Why have you not gone to an attorney first? So many steps you skipped.
He must have been using the church’s money, which was against the rules. Would he get punished? I had my doubts. His father might take pity on him due to my recent actions, but who’s to say?
“He’s petitioning the court to open up a non-profit in one of the poorer neighborhoods in Seattle. Something to help the community.”
Why does he need a Superior Court Judge for that? I lifted the top paper, reading over the documents, my eyes narrowing. “They’re family friends,” I said to myself. How was that possible? I did my research, I fell down every rabbit hole there was to fall down when it came to this church, to every single person there. I had cabinets filled with paperwork on each and every member, new and old. There was no record of Judge Manuel Ruiz having ever attended this church.
But I shouldn’t have been surprised. When rain comes, which it often does in this over-populated city, it poured, bringing with it, from time to time, hail.
