Cridex

Chapter Twenty One

"Do you mean her harm?" Dane Archer questioned haughtily, crossing his arms as he towered over the man. His gaze made the other man's anger dissipate slightly, halting his step before he was a meter away.

"Sir, She was the one who caused all that havoc earlier-"

"You'll address me as councilman." Dane emphasized bitterly, his eyes flashing dangerously. "And this cyborg is an attribute to my net worth- she and the others purchased from your stocks, are now under my contract."

"Councilman," the man started sheepishly, "Surely you can understand my business with these pieces of scrap-"

Dane interrupted once more, his steely gaze leaving no room for argument. "Surely you can understand the basic exchange of money for goods- that I have bought these cyborgs to work in my household- and that any business you have with them you can take up through the city's attorney. Good day," He dipped his head in a respectful gesture far above the man's station, and ushered us forward.

"Thank you," I sighed out heavily, "I can't pay you back for your favor."

"You can," Dane ground out. I was taken aback by his hostility, but I credited it to the recent conflict he had to shutdown, "By dutifully fulfilling your service in my home."

I chuckled, "Dane-"

"You will address you as Master Archer."

"What?" I questioned incredulously, my steps slightly faltering as I looked to where Camden, Jonas and Imogen limped a few feet behind us, "What could you possibly mean?"

"Miss Kent," Dane spoke with a tight tone, "You mistake my motives for purchasing you and your compatriots for sympathy."

I fell silent and stared into his dark eyes, the sooty lashes around them narrowing his vision until the disdain I had been to overcome to see earlier was apparent.

"I purchased you to work in my household as my servants- a better lot than many in the stocks could have hoped for. I can assure you, my sympathies, if I had any to lying, traitorous, insurgents, do not lie with you. My loyalties, however, made it so that I could not afford to not purchase you from the auction house."

"You loyalties?" I looked about the street, slightly fuller as the morning hours dwindled into the afternoon, "Loyal to whom, may I ask? My mother?"

"Your mother?" He chuckled dryly and continued his swinging gait down the street, pausing at a wrought iron fence and pushing it open, leading us up the brownstone steps to his manor. "No, my loyalty is reserved for a much higher figure of authority."

I narrowed my eyes to examine his expression but his face was marble- unmoving and unwavering.

"One that I am not at liberty to discuss on the street," He gestured up the steps to the front door. "I will introduce you to my other staff, and you will be instructed in what duties are expected of you. When all is said and done at the end of the day I will call you- and only you-" He glanced behind me, where I heard the others shuffle uncomfortably, "Into my office."

I nodded and swallowed my bitterness and ascended the steps, where not a moment later an older man with watery eyes opened the door. He seemed taken aback by our prescence behind his Dane, but recovered quickly.

Dipping low with his arm covering his abdomen he bowed and welcomed Dane home reverently, "Master Archer, I believe that ROSE has prepared a meal for your return."

"Thank you, Etienne," Dane spoke, turning to shrug off his waistcoat into Etienne's waiting hands, and began pacing down the corridor, "You may tell ROSE to send it into my office- I have finances to go over this afternoon."