THE NICK OF TIME
(and other abrasions)
Acquainted With The Night
by
Al Bruno III
Chapter Four
First Avenue
Most citizens referred to the burgeoning eyesore Mr. Kriely called home as the Manor. It stood on the very edge of the city, dwarfed only in height by the Spire and almost as wide as it was tall. But what the general populace didn't know was that Mr. Kriely, the Monarchs' Regent only occupied a single wing of the sprawling compound. The remainder of it was divided between the training and living quarters of the Monarchs' legions of special troops and a number of laboratories devoted to experiments and technologies that were best performed as far away as possible from the human world.
Dr. Flesh sat on the fiftieth floor balcony, oblivious to the icy temperatures; the tea had long gone cold in its silver service, the pastries were getting stale.
“Howevah did you break your glasses?”
Dr. Flesh looked up to see a lanky figure in a silk robe, his hair was dark and there was something unnerving about the way he stared. “I stepped on them.”
“That's all?” A practiced smile lit up his face, he sat down at the table and poured himself some tea, “From you Ah'd expect a more exciting explanation.”
There was something different about him this time, Dr. Flesh was sure about it. It took a moment of unabashed staring for him to puzzle it out, “Are you wearing eyeliner?
“Yes.” He frowned at the cold tea, “Attendant! Could we get some hot tea?”
Moments later a bald, sexless figure in blue robes swept into the room and fetched the teapot. There was an Uzi slung over its shoulder. Dr. Flesh watched curiously after the servant, “Since when did you start arming your Attendants?”
Mr. Kriely frowned, “These are uncertain times, the only person whose loyalty Ah do not question is theirs.”
The Attendant returned with a steaming teapot and poured cups for each of them. Dr. Flesh sipped and nodded approvingly, “Darjeeling.”
“Exactly.” Mr. Kriely sat back and watched the Attendant add three sugars and a generous dollop of cream. “Ah couldn’t help but notice that you seem a little rough around the edges this morning.”
“I had a long night.”
“Whatever happened to rehab?”
“It wasn’t for me.” Dr. Flesh said, “Now I needed to talk to you about Dean Morgan of the Fourth Circle.”
“Him. He gets his orders from none other than Sandor Perth. Those Mystagogues think they can just oust us from the City. They think we've gone too far.” He snorted contemptuously and dismissed the Attendant, “Ah don't remember this ever being a democracy!”
“True.” Dr. Flesh gazed out at the skyline, the myriad architectures, the cars, and the horse drawn carriages, the teeming streets and the Spire looming over it all. “But he's just playing on their fears, people are scared.”
“Good.”
“Well, I just think that a little reassurance from our side would probably go a long way.”
“Ah'm not here to coddle the people, I'm here to lead them.” He stirred his tea idly, “Honestly, Ah never thought that you of all people could be so soft hearted.”
“I don't think-”
“And what pray tell does all this have to do with you?” Mr. Kriely raised a finger, “Have you been contracted mah dear friend? Has some Subdean eager for glory hired you to eliminate dear Morgan?”
“Perhaps.”
“You kill Morgan in public and you just might win back the Monarchs loyalty.”
“Their loyalty?” Dr. Flesh stood, “I always thought the question was my loyalty.”
“Do you have any leads?”
“Loads of them.”
“Lets hope so,” He stood, the front of his robe shifted open, giving Dr. Flesh a momentary glimpse of his bony chest, “Confidentially Ah' was about to take matters into mah own hands.”
“Aren't you worried about riots?” He turned to go.
Mr. Kriely's eyes gleamed, “Riot? Why would there evah be a riot? Everyone here is happy, or at the very least content.”
“Well I had heard rumors…”
“You really shouldn't repeat such things, it's practically sedition.”
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