BXBX NOVEL Chapter 210: Plans And Preparations
"But why wasn't I invited to this fight?" She pouted.
Red chuckled. "At least, that chapter is done and dusted. What about the Necromancer?"
"Still alive." Ezra answered. "And holed up at Star Heights."
"He'll be a pain in the ass." Gen noted. "Good. This way, there'll be good fights."
"What about X?" Olivia, who had previously been silent, asked.
"Gone to his hideout. He's no longer wandering anymore."
"That's good."
"The problem here now is Helena." Ezra sighed in pleasure as Red massaged his shoulders. "Her peacekeepers have been compromised. Griffin was talking about using her. We will be cutting ties with her."
"Unless mandated by Yuri, there'll be no business between us anymore."
Red smiled in satisfaction at hearing that. Helena was too ambitious to be allowed so near Ezra. Who knew what she would do?
"Right now, our focus should be on gathering resources. Olivia? How's that going?"
"Perfectly." Olivia answered. "We've got our people in the Investigation Bureau ready. The moment the war begins, we'll be in the perfect place to strike."
"Good." Ezra nodded.
He wasn't planning on staying in First City after this which meant that he couldn't gather resources the same way the other vampires would. That had made him think outside the box.
Instead of money and infrastructure, why not own the law?
He knew just how well the mortal authorities could be used against vampires. The Silent Hand had used it against him and it had almost worked.
With the Law of Secrecy as a shield, he should be able to corner a lot of vampires. But this was a weapon he couldn't use too much. Which was why he'd prepared something else.
"Red? Gen? Did we get it?"
"We did." Red answered, her smile growing. We were able to gather everything before the vampire parts of the City Lord's domain was officially shut down."
"Perfect."
He now possessed the most comprehensive list of all vampires and their assets in First City, outside of the City Lord himself.
With Itachi gone, his domain had been shut down. But in the small window between his departure and the closing down, Red and Gen had sneaked in, copying the list completely.
Red still had access to the T-Max building and with the copying successful, no one would ever know.
Now, he knew who his opponents were and all they owned.
In this war, he wasn't a pawn to be moved. He was the gamemaster, charting a course that would make him get out of everything with maximum rewards.
**********
Helena sat, tapping away on her desk.
She'd had her peacekeepers tracked X, watching until Ezra appeared. Then, she'd told Natalia.
The attack should be over by now, shouldn't it?
Who lived and who died? Who was the victor and who was the loser?
She had to know in order to plan her next steps.
Ezra had to survive the attack. He had the powers of all his wives and with X there, he should be able to kill Natalia once and for all.
Then, she'd know what to do.
Her eyes drifted to the flash drive sitting innocently on her desk.
Natalia's gift to her.
She replayed the conversation they'd had in the restaurant, considering her options.
**********
"I want us to kill Ezra Matten."
Helena leaned backward in her chair, watching Natalia as she sipped her wine. "And why should I help you?"
"I know. I know." Natalia waved her glass of wine in a vague direction, smiling. "You don't do things without benefiting from it."
"How about this?" Natalia set the glass on the table. "If you don't help me, I'll pick off your peacekeepers one after the other until there's no one left to serve under you."
Helena's gaze hardened.
"You think I won't do it?" Natalia laughed. "Think again. I've got nothing to lose anyways."
"You don't want me as your enemy, Natalia." Helena said, her voice cold. If Natalia went through with her threat, it'll be a huge blow to her operations. This couldn't be allowed to happen.
"Don't worry. I'm not a heartless bitch." Natalia grinned. "I've got a carrot to go along with the stick."
She reached out, picking a flash drive from thin air. She placed it on the table.
"What's this?" Helena asked.
"Ezra Matten's slush fund. Who knew he was stealing from Ascendant Capital?" Natalia said. "It's your to do whatever you want with. You can take the money for yourself or report it to Yuri. The choice is yours."
"All you have to do is give me information on Ezra Matten. I want to know where I can strike at him. What do you say?"
Helena stared at the flash drive on the table.
Natalia's sister-wives were dead. All she had left was the subjects under her who were not in a coven.
She thought back to what she'd seen at the Ascension well. Ezra on his own was now a one man army. He should be able to kill Natalia.
And with details of Ezra's slush fund in her hands, she could leverage it to get that same power from him.
"Alright." Helena nodded, sweeping the flash drive off the table. "You've got a deal."
**********
Helena grabbed the flash drive off her table, sending it into her pocket dimension.
Ezra had to be alive for her to be able to use it.
"Captain." Her door opened and one of her officers burst into the room. It was the officer she had watching the battle at the bar.
"Report." Helena barked.
"Ezra Matten and X escaped from the bar without any injuries."
Helena heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. And Natalia?"
"Captain, I saw Griffin."
"What?" Helena was on her feet in an instant. "Griffin? Not X?"
"Yes, captain." The officer answered. "Natalia was there with Griffin and a third vampire who called himself the Necromancer."
Helena's eyes widened in shock. "No."
Her mind went to the missing persons cases that had been occuring in Westside.
She knew of the Necromancer.
And she also knew that while she'd been scheming, he'd been gathering an army.
"Fuck."