Party, Party

Chapter 28: Searching For 1010

"I'm not the prince in shining armour
I'm the villain who takes the maiden away
And when I take her,
I'm not giving her up."

         ~ Atlas

Atlas Solani's POV

"Boss."

She's going to get away.

"Boss?"

I know she will, she always manages to.

"Boss!"

My head whips up to look at the boy in front of my desk. His lengthy hair hangs over his ears, contrasting the similar appearance of the boy next to him. My eyes narrow at the one who spoke while I rub the back of my head.

"Pardon me. Yes, as soon as the Z team reaches the Court of Imperial Affairs, have them send out a message via the private network that runs through that suburb." I state with complete confidence, but have to hide my surprise when I see the dismay on the boy's faces.

"Atlas..."

My eyes travel to my side, where my second in command stands. Adjusting his glasses, he bites his lip with a nervous look on his face.

"The boy's asked what you had wanted to do with witnesses, if there are any left."

Shoot.

My mind had been wandering off lately. A lot more than it usually had in the past two years.

I'm Atlas Solani, rank 9, 999,999,964, Leader of the Nox Mafia; one of the deadliest and unrivalled organisations in all of Stellarum. We're killers, thieves, pillagers of the worst kind. We're monsters, and we like it that way.

For the past two years my group and I have been investigating the corruption and uprisings that have been schemed up and plotted behind our backs. We're vigilantes of sorts, but we're far from heroes.

Trying to find the leader of the rebellion group has been a pain in the ass. There's a God damn lot of Outer Town trash I've had to clear out to get this far, but that far isn't even close to where I want to be.

Clearing my throat, I clasp my hands together formally. "Yes... Well, do what you like."

The boys look at each other oddly then back to me, sympathy in their eyes. "We're gonna get her back, Boss."

I nod in the slightest. "I know."

"No, you don't." The broad, white haired male, dressed in his turquoise kimono sits up from his position near the stairs to my desk and faces me directly. "Ever since the ball last night, you've been pacing around more than the four eyes next to you." As he exhales, a strand of his hair flows to his cheek bone. "Why didn't you grab her there and then?"

Swallowing, I lay my palm flat on the desk. "I didn't want to scare her off."

"I agree with the rat in garments over there." The man who's still sitting down inputs, his sword drawn to his knees in a knightly fashion. "I know her, Boss. She'll run at the first sign of a threat. By god, if she hasn't booked it already then I wouldn't even know who she is anymore."