10-14-2020, 08:44 PM
The clearing of a throat gave Jay a reason to look up from the drink. He’d not say no to a hot breakfast. But no buffets were sitting around for him to scavenge.
It remained to reason that the bloke who entered was the mysterious Mister Kane. How and why Jay ended up here rather than the Kremlin or another base of operations was likewise a mystery. Enough to keep him interested. For now.
“Last I looked, that’s me,” he said with the raise of his glass in salute. The man was about Jay’s height, maybe a hair taller, but broader. There was a sense of Kane as someone solid. Like a pillar of concrete. His accent reminded him of Natalie’s though. It was so strong that he half-wondered if his presence was in some way attributed to Natalie – or her family – which didn’t bode well if so.
“If you want an autograph, show me what you want signed and I’ll make my mark. What do you want?” he asked as they shook hands.
“I’m Adrian Kane,” he began. His grip was firm, but not crushing, confident but not dominating. Jay was just too fucking tired to reciprocate with much effort. He tucked himself into a chair and tossed his ankles on the table, lounging comfortably. Kane didn’t seem impressed by his casual posturing.
“Well, Adrian Kane, what do you want of me?” Jay said just as Adrian joined him at the table. The man folded his hands across his stomach, taking his time probably in some attempt to intimidate Jay. But only one of them could channel. Jay wasn’t exactly intimidated by handsome men in suits.
Just then, there was a tiny burst of energy. It popped and sizzled like a steak in a pan, but erupted and was then gone so fast, Jay barely knew it happened if it wasn’t for the residue that lingered. Steak and eggs sounded pretty good about then.
“I want you to teach me to channel… more. Better yet, Ascendancy wants you to teach me to channel.”
Jay laughed. Alright. So there were two channelers present, but Adrian’s power was as weak as a newborn kitten.
“There’s nothing I can do to make you more powerful. Either you’ll get stronger or you won’t. That’s not how this works. Besides, I’m the worst teacher alive. Pretty much any one of the other Dominions are better alternatives. Hell, I can send you to a handful of guys who aren’t Dominions who’d be better than me.”
To Jay’s surprise, Adrian nodded.
“I agree,” he said plainly. The intensity with which Adrian looked at him suddenly made Jay frown in discomfort.
“Suppose that’s for the best then. I’ll go-“ he started to rise, but Adrian interrupted.
“Ascendancy chose you. For gods knows why. He sent you to me. You’ll do what he says, I assume, Dominion Carpenter?” Adrian asked.
Adrian had him there. Ascendancy must have arranged it. Nobody else had the authority to pull him from the tarmac and drop him on the lap of some civilian asshole. Shit, he had nice hair though. Wonder what kind of conditioner he used. Maybe it was a treatment?
“Fine. But don’t complain to me when I turn out to be a waste of your time. But I’m not doing anything on an empty stomach. In fact, let’s put breakfast, shower, a nap, and a change of clothes on the list. Then I’ll think about how to bulk you up, Mister Kane,” Jay said, sly smile waiting to accept the slim negotiation.
Not much later, he enjoyed his steak and eggs in a penthouse suite
It remained to reason that the bloke who entered was the mysterious Mister Kane. How and why Jay ended up here rather than the Kremlin or another base of operations was likewise a mystery. Enough to keep him interested. For now.
“Last I looked, that’s me,” he said with the raise of his glass in salute. The man was about Jay’s height, maybe a hair taller, but broader. There was a sense of Kane as someone solid. Like a pillar of concrete. His accent reminded him of Natalie’s though. It was so strong that he half-wondered if his presence was in some way attributed to Natalie – or her family – which didn’t bode well if so.
“If you want an autograph, show me what you want signed and I’ll make my mark. What do you want?” he asked as they shook hands.
“I’m Adrian Kane,” he began. His grip was firm, but not crushing, confident but not dominating. Jay was just too fucking tired to reciprocate with much effort. He tucked himself into a chair and tossed his ankles on the table, lounging comfortably. Kane didn’t seem impressed by his casual posturing.
“Well, Adrian Kane, what do you want of me?” Jay said just as Adrian joined him at the table. The man folded his hands across his stomach, taking his time probably in some attempt to intimidate Jay. But only one of them could channel. Jay wasn’t exactly intimidated by handsome men in suits.
Just then, there was a tiny burst of energy. It popped and sizzled like a steak in a pan, but erupted and was then gone so fast, Jay barely knew it happened if it wasn’t for the residue that lingered. Steak and eggs sounded pretty good about then.
“I want you to teach me to channel… more. Better yet, Ascendancy wants you to teach me to channel.”
Jay laughed. Alright. So there were two channelers present, but Adrian’s power was as weak as a newborn kitten.
“There’s nothing I can do to make you more powerful. Either you’ll get stronger or you won’t. That’s not how this works. Besides, I’m the worst teacher alive. Pretty much any one of the other Dominions are better alternatives. Hell, I can send you to a handful of guys who aren’t Dominions who’d be better than me.”
To Jay’s surprise, Adrian nodded.
“I agree,” he said plainly. The intensity with which Adrian looked at him suddenly made Jay frown in discomfort.
“Suppose that’s for the best then. I’ll go-“ he started to rise, but Adrian interrupted.
“Ascendancy chose you. For gods knows why. He sent you to me. You’ll do what he says, I assume, Dominion Carpenter?” Adrian asked.
Adrian had him there. Ascendancy must have arranged it. Nobody else had the authority to pull him from the tarmac and drop him on the lap of some civilian asshole. Shit, he had nice hair though. Wonder what kind of conditioner he used. Maybe it was a treatment?
“Fine. But don’t complain to me when I turn out to be a waste of your time. But I’m not doing anything on an empty stomach. In fact, let’s put breakfast, shower, a nap, and a change of clothes on the list. Then I’ll think about how to bulk you up, Mister Kane,” Jay said, sly smile waiting to accept the slim negotiation.
Not much later, he enjoyed his steak and eggs in a penthouse suite
Only darkness shows you the light.