Free Web NovelChapter 90: Don’t you worry, we will soon be the best of friends!
"Now that everyone knows each other,
We will begin the briefing."
Alaric announced, the room lights dimmed and Evelyn Starling’s face appeared on the screen.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Famous.
The face that almost every person in the world knew.
"The protected subject is Evelyn Starling. Publicly, she is recovering from exhaustion and stress after a period of overwork. Privately, she is a survivor of the Velvet House incident and a confirmed target of the individual known as Orpheus."
Alaric spoke as the image changed.
A map of a hotel, a schedule, security routes, possible threat points and Alaric continued.
"Three days ago, during a controlled public movement, Starling was attacked by a group that is suspected to be linked to the supernatural world. Her private bodyguards delayed the attack until an Enclave Hunter placed nearby intervened and prevented her abduction."
The screen changed again, this time showing a damaged vehicle, broken glass, a hallway with blood on the floor.
"From this point onward, Starling is under direct Enclave protection. However, she cannot be removed from public life completely. Her disappearance would create public instability and attract supernatural attention. Therefore, our team will function as close-contact protection while working with her existing public security."
Alaric then looked at his team and—
"I will be the field commander."
He announced again, then he pointed at Lucian and—
"Lucian Cross will be assigned as close-contact support."
He spoke without a hint of bias in his tone, whatever his last name was, Alaric did seem like a good, unbiased leader.
Or at least, that was Lucian’s first impression of him.
But then—
"Excuse me."
Sarah Black raised her hand.
"Yes?"
Alaric turned towards her and Sarah frowned—
"I read the files.
I get that you will lead, she controls the movements, she is here for her medical expertise and I am here because I am me but..."
Then, she pointed at Lucian and—
"Why is he here?"
She questioned directly.
"From what I heard, he didn’t follow orders in the last mission. Are we sure he should be a part of a mission as sensitive as this one?"
Lucian stared at the woman and tilted his head with a smile.
Alaric watched him, then he turned back towards Sarah and—
"Starling personally requested his presence."
"She knows him?"
Sarah was surprised.
"It’s called connections, Street Girl."
Lucian laughed.
Claire’s mouth twitched when she heard those words.
Sarah frowned.
"You got this mission through connections?"
"You have no idea."
Lucian smiled.
"That’s enough."
Alaric spoke up.
"And you."
He looked at Lucian.
"Don’t forget, you are here because the protected subject asked for you, that is all. You do not have enough command confidence to sit here otherwise."
"I am still here anyways, aren’t I? This command confidence doesn’t seem very important."
Lucian shrugged.
Alaric, however, wasn’t fooling around.
"Cross. I will only say this one time.
Follow orders."
"Don’t worry, I am excellent at hearing them."
Lucian nodded confidently.
"Following."
Alaric corrected, Lucian just smiled. Alaric glared at him for one more second, then, he turned towards the rest of the team and—
"Keep in mind, you are working as guards of Voss Security Solutions, not as Enclave Hunters. You are not to reveal the existence of the Supernatural World under any situation."
The team nodded.
Alaric then changed the screen again, this time, showing a hotel.
"This hotel is one of our protected public-facing properties. Officially, it is a luxury private hotel used by celebrities, diplomats, and high-value clients. In truth, several floors are controlled by the Enclave.
Evelyn Starling is currently staying there.
Prepare yourselves, this is where we will be going. frёewebnoѵēl.com
We move in ten minutes."
The rest of the team nodded and started gathering their files and equipment.
Lucian remained where he was for a second, still looking at Evelyn’s picture on the screen. He still remembered the machine, how she was strapped there, asking for help even in her half-conscious state.
To think she was attacked again...
Just how unfortunate was that woman?
Lucian couldn’t help but wonder in his head, that was when Claire walked towards him. Lucian looked at her, Claire looked back, then she glanced at Alaric who was talking to the rest of the team and—
"Don’t try to provoke him."
She spoke with a serious look on her face.
"I would never do that."
Lucian answered, Claire just looked at him with a deadpan look on her face.
"There is a reason he was assigned as the commander of this mission."
"Because he is strong?"
Lucian guessed.
From the moment he saw Alaric, he could see it. Alaric wasn’t like other humans he had met so far. Alaric was strong, so much that if Alaric was there with them when Silas appeared, Captain Hale and others wouldn’t have frozen in fear like they did. Alaric’s presence alone would have raised their morale.
But—
"That’s not it."
Claire shook her head.
"Then?"
"It was to control you."
Lucian frowned at those words, Claire looked at him and—
"You did whatever you wanted before because Captain Hale couldn’t do anything to you. He is different, if you go against his words, he won’t just reprimand you.
The Enclave has given him the authority to take offensive measures if required."
Claire revealed and Lucian’s expression turned serious for a short second.
"Offensive measures, huh? Against me?"
His smile turned dangerous.
"Don’t underestimate him, Lucian."
Claire spoke with a solemn look on her face.
"Alaric is one of the strongest hunters in all of the Enclave, his name is well known in the Supernatural World."
"Him...?"
Lucian blinked.
"I know your instincts tell you how strong a person is, but do not trust those instincts blindly. What you sense is only the strength a being possesses.
Most humans do not possess any because we rely on weapons and artifacts, Ashcrofts are no different.
They may be stronger than normal humans, that must be the strength you are sensing right now.
But don’t think that is all there is to it because Ashcrofts too, are humans, and they are one of the elites.
The artifacts they possess are some of the strongest, these artifacts, combined with their White Marrow Constitution, make them a threat to even Sixth Veil Hosts."
"Sixth Veil?" ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Lucian raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"And he doesn’t need a lucky shot."
Claire spoke, looking at Lucian with a meaningful look on her face. Lucian looked back, then he looked at Alaric standing at a distance along with the rest of his team and—
"He really is strong huh..."
"He is.
So you better get along, because he won’t go easy on you."
Lucian heard those words, then he looked at the team that was discussing something without including him and—
"Get along with them?"
He let out a hollow laugh.
How was he supposed to get along with people who had already excluded him from the group without any apparent reason?
Claire looked at the group as well, wanting to say something, but before she could—
"Don’t you worry, we will soon be the best of friends!"
Lucian exclaimed excitedly.
Claire looked at him and once again, despite knowing Alaric was more than strong enough to handle him, for some reason—
She... couldn’t help but pity the Ashcroft.
