Page 47 of The Ruler
“What does that mean?” Pearl asked when we passed the shop.”
Finn shrugged. “Outdated models mean sex-bots that you can’t buy spare parts for anymore. As long as you don’t mind her missing an eye or a finger, or repeating the same words over and over, it’s fine.”
“Boulder, you guard Pearl,” I reminded him although we had gone over the plan countless times.
I wasn’t comfortable with her being near potential danger, but we knew from our source that Edward had a strict no-weapon policy. I figured he was afraid of being shot by someone loyal to me.
Weapons or not, I had still made sure Pearl wore thin protective armor under her clothes like the rest of us, and that my guards had the surrounding streets covered; no help would arrive to save Edward today.
“Okay, let’s pay Edward the lowlife a visit.” I growled low and nodded my head as a go.
Finn and Magni walked in first. The bouncer by the door didn’t stand a chance before Magni fired the numb-gun. The impact would last around twenty minutes before he would be able to move again.
The filthy small bar reeked of unwashed bodies and stale beer. And behind the bar counter a topless female bar-bot missing a nipple raised a hand to wave, making it obvious that she was missing half of her index finger as well. “Welcome,” she said smilingly.
I followed right behind my brother and Finn, heading straight for the large round table where Edward sat with six other men. On the surface of the glass table was a large logo from a beer brand, enhanced by a pale bluish light from underneath the table that made the men look even more pallid and washed out.
“So this is where you keep your secret meetings?” I mocked Edward, who was as ugly as I’d heard him described.
“Lord Khan,” he said and squared his shoulders, searching the other men’s eyes for support.
I moved closer, swiveled his chair around, and leaned closer to his face. “My father let you and your sister live and this is how you repay my family’s mercy?”
“Your father killed my brothers and my dad,” he spat back at me.
“That’s right,” I snarled. “Because your father was a dictator who tormented his people.”
Edward pressed his lips together.
“I’m going to make it easy for you, Ed,” I spoke slowly and threateningly. “Swear your loyalty to me right now or say goodbye to your friends.”
He had the nerve to snort loudly. “It would take me weeks to say goodbye to my friends; I have thousands.”
My nostrils flared in anger. I should have reacted when I first heard about his little meetings weeks ago. Things like this could easily escalate and get out of control.
Edward raised his chin in defiance and faced me with resentment written all over his face. “You can kill me but two more of my kind will take over. Your days are numbered.”
I was tempted to break his neck right then, but I took a step back and looked at his pals. “You really think this fucker will be a better ruler than me?”
They didn’t say it out loud, but their eyes spoke volumes.
“And what are his promises, huh?” I asked. “Why would you follow a loser like him?”
A few of them exchanged glances before a red-haired weasel of a man spoke up. “He promised us women,” he said. “Real women.”
“Interesting.” I folded my arms and looked back to Edward the lowlife. “And how exactly are you planning to deliver on that promise?”
He narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest. “We’ve got billions of them across the border – it’s fucked up that we never get to taste real women when there’s more than enough for all of us.”
“Aha.” I signaled for him to go on.
“We’re going to tear down the borders and go get our women.”
“Really?” I nodded, interested. “That sounds like a fucking master plan.”
“Yeah.” One more of the men got up. “We’re tired of having a weak ruler who lets women run the world. We want change.”
“A weak ruler?” I pinned the man with my stare but he was too stupid for his own good and pointed to Magni. “Even your brother is being made a cuckold by Momsiboys, and the whole country knows it. Fucking failures you two are.”
