Page 38 of Kings of Lust
‘Let’s get this started.’ it was Brax who was helping me set things in motion. Not because of some newfound conscience, but because I suspected he didn’t want to discuss his part of the deal with Ferris. They may have been besties, but apparently not close enough to keep him from asking me for arewardfor his trouble.
‘Do I go first? Or does any of you want to start?’ I asked.
‘You go,’ Ferris nodded,authorizingme to take the lead.
‘Ok. So this is what I came up with. I was thinking that if we could try and stop the rebellion, maybe there won’t be a reaction out of the Elite, or at least not one as severe as the one they’re considering. Perhaps we could try and pay off the rebellion leaders to tone things down. I don’t know...a nice house, maybe a car.’
Brax didn’t seem to agree ‘These men have ideals. It won’t work. They don’t want nicer things just for themselves. I know them. They want a better life foreveryoneliving in the Pit. They all stand together, forming a union.’
Though I wasn’t entirely sure what he said was true ‘I’ve lived in the Pit. I know better than anyone else that any ideal dissipates when it comes to a full pocket. People get killed there for a piece of bread and a bottle of milk. You know as well as I do, that if the price was right they would sell their own mothers. And same goes for the Elite.’
Cole also decided it was his time to speak ‘Even if Brax would be successful in buying off a few of the Annelids rebel leaders, the Elite still won’t reconsider their plans. It’s not so much the Elite as a whole’s decision, more like one man’s. The governor. He’s the one behind all of this. I haven’t been sitting around for nothing. I did some digging. I asked my father to have an unofficial chat with him since they’ve been friends for ages. The man isn’t going to back down on his plans. This was his idea all along. To suppress the Annelids. It’s not even about the money. It’s about blood superiority. He believes that the Elite’s superior genes cannot be tainted with free access between the Pit and the Hills. This is more of a one-man thing than the entire Elite. Unfortunately, this one man has absolute power of decision,’ Cole took a small pause to light himself another cigarette. ‘From anyone else who we’ve spoken to, the Elite is reticent to go to war. They’re all scared little cowards. No one wants to get their hands dirty. The Annelids are already their slaves, if not by force, then certainly by fiscality and underpaid services.’
‘So you suggest we rid ourselves of him, therefore eliminating the problem?’ Ferris spoke, lighting himself a cig.
‘He has a few acolytes, but those won’t be a problem. Just leeches kissing up to the big boss to secure their places when all hell breaks loose. And it’s going to happen. I don’t know when exactly. But it’s going to be soon.’ Cole filled up his glass as soon as he stopped talking as if the speech had drained the life out of him.
‘We need to find out how soon,’ Ferris continued.
‘Well, I think I have a way of making that happen. You’re going to laugh now, but I can get you in.’ Cole spoke, looking in Ferris’s direction. ‘A true royal blood supporter with an impressive portfolio would get a seat on his ship in no time. You could then get access to all sorts of information.’
‘That involves leaving the house,’ Ferris muttered.
‘You’re Ferris Ayers. People come to you, not the other way around,’ Cole shrugged, acknowledging his superiority. He was making Ferris sound like the president or something, while to me, he was just Ferris— the slightly psychotic king.
‘Ok. Set an appointment. I’ll see if I can raise his interest somehow.’ Ferris rolled his eyes accepting the burden of having to socialize with another living person.
‘I say we kill him. I know a few skilled hitmen. Make him disappear.’ Brax was the only one that could come up with that idea, or with the necessary contacts.
‘Murder creates martyrs. We don’t need someone else filling his shoes,’ Ferris took a seat on a large armchair next to the fireplace, rubbing his hands together as if coming up with a master plan. ‘We need to discredit him. Take away any chance to present his idea to the public. At least not from the position his function provides.’
‘We need to ensure he is removed from his position,’ I continued his thought, trying to figure out a way of how to make the plan work.
‘We need someone on the inside. Someone close to him. Someone who could give us a hint of what to look for. Embezzlement, taking bribes, playing favorites at public auctions... Anything.’ Brax was trying out a moredocileapproach.
‘I know his stepson,’ Cole shrugged as if thatwasn’ta crucial piece of information.
And this seemed to annoy Brax. ‘And you’re just mentioning it now?’
‘I thought my father’s relationship with the governor was enough. Besides, Camden is a real piece of shit.’
‘Kinda like you?’ Brax laughed, unwillingly expressing my own thoughts.
‘Yeah. Kinda like me,’ Cole smiled, realizing he wasn’t falling behind when it came to model behavior. ‘He and his friends are throwing a party next weekend at some fancy mountain resort, down in Emerald city. Only creme de la creme allowed.’
‘A party which you will be attending.’ Ferris presumed.
‘Not exactly.’ A whiff of regret and anger was flickering on his face.
‘You weren’t invited?’ Brax asked.
‘I was, but...shit... How should I put this,’ Cole made a short pause. ‘The whole thing has some costs.’
The way he said it, left me under the impression that Brax and Ferris weren’t aware of Cole’s financial situation.
‘So?’ Ferris asked as if everyone else also had an unlimited bank account such as his.
‘Fuck. My father made some investments lately.’
