Remote Access (Alastor x Vox)

Chapter 13

Rising to his full height, Vox let out a soft chuckle, seemingly amused rather than put off by her dismissiveness. His demeanor remained composed and affable as he pivoted towards Sir Pentious, who seemed momentarily encouraged by the attention.

The snake's tentative, hopeful wave was met with a momentary pause from Vox, who offered nothing but a blank, decidedly uninterested stare in return. The lack of acknowledgment visibly deflated Pentious's spirits.

Turning away from the disheartened inventor, Vox's gaze next fell upon Husk. The feathered feline stood slightly removed from the group, his posture closed off with arms crossed and ears pinned back, a clear sign of discomfort. However, the quick, wary look Husk shot in Alastor's direction hinted that Vox's arrival might not be the sole cause of his unease.

"Is that Husker I see..?" Vox greeted, placing his hands on his hips with raised brows.

"Ugh.. Here we go..." Husk muttered under his breath, a paw coming up to rub at his brow in irritation.

"Hehe... Word around town is you sling more drinks than cards these days," Vox continued, his tone laced with a mockingly playful curiosity. The amusement in his voice was unmistakably tinged with derision. "How's that been working out for you?" he inquired, folding his arms behind him and tilting his head slightly, his expression teasingly inquisitive as if barely suppressing a sneer of amusement.

Husk responded with a sharp scoff, a clear sign that he had anticipated a jab of this nature from Vox.

"I don't know.. Why don't you look around and take a fucking guess?" he shot back, his tone dripping with a mix of disdain and challenge. His gaze flickered briefly between Vox and Alastor, hinting at an unspoken comparison that lay beneath the surface.

At this, Alastor seemed to sense an opportunity or perhaps felt the need to assert his presence amidst Vox's provocations. He cleared his throat with a noticeable air of authority and took a step forward, as if taking it upon himself to start their confrontation.

"Well, now, this is a shock," Alastor declared, his arms crossing over his chest in a stance that mixed standoffishness with the jovial tone of his voice. "One of the notorious Vs has come to disgrace us with his presence... And here I hoped you'd retired from live broadcasting, considering how the last one went for you."

Vox, momentarily pausing as he raised a hand toward Alastor, glanced over at Charlie and the others. Their keen observation of the unfolding scene prompted him to carefully manage his response. With a strategic chuckle, Vox chose to play off Alastor's remark.

"Oh Al, mischievous as always, hehehe... I must admit, your little stunt was... inspired, to say the least," Vox conceded, managing to infuse his reply with a semblance of honesty. However, the eye roll and slight tension evident in his expression made it clear that the whole ordeal still irritated him deeply.

"I mean... A tad primitive, but I suppose it had the desired effect..." he added, his voice laced with a cool detachment as he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and turned to neaten his suit jacket. In response, Alastor's eyes narrowed, his displeasure evident as he scoffed at the critique and took an aggressive step towards the CEO.

"Primitive maybe, but at least I don't need to hide behind a screen to make my point..." Alastor shot back, his voice tinged with resentment, clearly still irked by being fooled by Vox's prerecorded message the day before.

"Me? Hide...? Ahehehe..." Vox couldn't contain his amusement at the accusation, his laughter genuine as he shook his head, hands poised confidently on his hips. "That's pretty rich coming from the guy who up and disappeared for seven years..." he retorted with a casualness that belied the pointedness of his words, daring to invade Alastor's personal space as he leaned in provocatively.