The Deadman

Robert could sense that Gia Silva was in her world. She has gloomy disposition and this anxiety of not being understand the world around her.

It made him ask if she was afraid.

“I know that being hunted can be rather troubling, Ma’am. But you should relax.”

“Oh, it’s not that, Oswald. I’m… well it’s that I am not used to this kind of world.”

Robert could guess that she was the type to stay inside her home. She was pale and she had visible bags under her eyes. Her eyes were everywhere and she seemed to be wary of her surroundings.

“I understand. It can be troubling to be outside. Especially when you’re not the type, right?”

She looked down. Robert stayed his eyes on the road. Once in a while, she would turn his eyes towards Gia. Her long hair and demeanor made him curious about her.

“You don’t look the type, Mr. Oswald. To be afraid to go outside.”

“Haha, I may not look like it, Miss. But I am the type that prefers to stay at home and watch cartoons.”

“Oh.”

Robert tapped his fingers on the wheel. He stopped the car as the lights turned red.

“You know how you’d think that the world will fall apart. Afraid that something might happen. I get anxious like that and this world has one hell of making you scared.”

“I appreciate the kind words, Enforcer.”

“No need, Miss. I just hope that I can be of good use.”

“It’s okay. I really do appreciate this. Uh, I thought that you’d be more stern, Sir.”

He’s curious about her tone. Her soft-speaking voice. Her demeanor reminded her of his star. It’s perhaps because of this that he found himself softening.

“I fancy myself as a professional, but we are still the same age, Miss.”

“That’s right.”

He sees her lowering her guard a bit. She realizes that with their current arrangement. She had to trust him in protecting her or at least be the shield that would give her a chance to escape.

With her opening up. Robert asked her for things. She was still hesitant to reveal some of her worries regarding her family. But she was willing to tell him about the Magi Families.

Old Families that survived the years. Their names have changed but they have always had connections to Kings and Queens of the past. The chosen families are always at the center of history.

A generation of families that had spread their blood. Creating a dynasty that would never perish until the last drop of their blood vanishes. Her family was part of a branch and lately has been trying to strengthen their position.

It was because of this desire that they had come to meet people who are not so kind as to let them go when they try to get a slice of the pie. She was not interested in the affairs of her family.

She has a goal that she couldn’t say. Robert didn’t ask for details. He kept on asking why, when, and what he should be wary about. It was a long ride to her personal villa. The place that she mostly stayed and remained to study

“Please take this.”

Robert took the necklace from her. When he wore it he felt something connecting to him as he entered the villa. It’s a boundary space. Similar to what he felt when entering Lesnik’s living space.

“So no one can get in?”

“Yes. Uh, we will be the only ones who are around her. If you will, you can enter and exit the living space. I will inform my people that you are my guard.”

Robert stopped the car next to the villa. She went in first and told her servants while Robert sat on the hood of her car. It was a villa that was facing a small lake. It’s peaceful. With leaves rushing everywhere within his view.

It made Robert think of his plan once. How he’d move somewhere near a lake. Never really did even get close to it. Gia went back and told her to come in.

He went inside the villa and followed her to the upper floor where most of her research was happening. Robert looked around. Full of runic writings and tomes that were placed on the shelves. He could smell materials polluting the air. Most of them were from creatures.

“You must have been very busy.”

“I am. Although that peace has been broken lately. I do love my family, but this research is as important to me.”

“May I ask what it may do?”

“I cannot tell you.”

Robert wanted to find a rebuttal, but couldn’t find one. He pulled up a stool and watched Gia Silva tie her hair up and then started working. His role here was to be his bodyguard. The rest of it was watching her work on whatever she was doing.

She was focused. When she started working it felt like she had forgotten that he was around. Lit by the lights of her lab. The gloominess that surrounded her was gone, leaving only the image of a woman who wanted to do her work in silence.

Robert kept his guard up while watching her back. She did not speak. So he didn’t speak as well. The rest of his mind went to his own world as well. Recalling memories, sorting them, and making sure that he wouldn’t forget himself.

He was Kato Lores more than Robert and that was that. He didn’t need some life-changing event to accept that. He’ll keep the name, but he’d never abandon himself.

He shook himself off the trance. He looked around him and found that the afternoon turned to night. Miss Silva was still working on her research. Still so determined to progress in what she was doing. Robert stretched his limbs first before calling to her.

“Miss, have you eaten?”

“I will be…”

She did not move. She remained laser-focused on her work. Robert didn’t want to intrude so he went down to the kitchen. He got food from their fridge after asking a servant.

He ate at the kitchen table, washed the plates, and then went back to Miss Gia who was still working. He placed the plate on the side table. She stopped moving, slapped her cheeks lightly, and started eating.

“You are dedicated to this, Miss. For a second I thought you weren’t going to eat at all.”

“I do need energy. I don’t want to collapse from overworking,” she said.

“True. If the stomach’s empty. You can’t really think straight. The problem becomes harder to deal with.”

“It does.”

She was sensible at least. Even though she was pale and gloomy. She was still healthy and fit. Robert can guess that she just doesn’t sleep as much.

“What is it?”

She looked up. Robert leaned back in his seat and shrugged quietly.

She raised her brow and then continued eating. She took her plate with her and then came back after a few minutes. She was about to go back to her work when she stopped and looked at him.

“If you want to, you can go outside. I will be fine, Mister.”

“No, it’s my job and I have to make sure that I’m around. You’re a Conjurer, Miss. You can probably fight better without my help. But it’s part of the job to guard you.”

She nodded her head.

“Then do whatever you want, Mister.”

With that, he stayed near Miss Silva.

Robert was always alert. He kept watching him and throughout the days watching Miss Gia. He came to appreciate her dedication to her work. Her focus and commitment to it.

She’s a sensible woman despite her single-minded focus. She Did not forget about the people around her. Perhaps it was one of the things that made Robert think that it was worth guarding her.

Of course, beyond the Villa, there was news of Magi Families going on a rampage. Creating untold chaos that was not shown to the local populace.

If there was one thing that Robert understood from the magicians and the Agents working for CASE was how powerful they were. How dangerous those who wield these powers are.

Being involved in that side of the world means that you must have the skill and the ability to do so in the first place. He wasn’t able to the bigger picture until he saw Gregory Hawke facing Marba’s words without fear.

He couldn’t even stand when the demon spoke his words. And yet Sir Hawke called forth a flaming sword that removed Marba’s taint on the world. He hasn't even seen the full might of an Agent. He could only imagine what a Full-Pledged Magi can do.

Robert knew what his place was in the world. He knew when not to stand up to tanks and boldly show himself to the line of sight of a fighter jet. Standing up to these monsters in human form was just another form of suicide.

He could fight them but that would take a lot of effort on his part. Hence why he had to create his gadgets and make something that would give him the edge.

What he was hearing outside of the Villa was astonishing. Strato’s group was hitting people hard. Launching an unstoppable campaign that would only stop until Guzman or Ferric comes out of their hole. It didn’t help that the Magi Families were seriously fighting those who got involved with producing Bathory’s Wine.

These people are like a storm hitting many places.

It reminded him that there were others at play.

That there were people who had taken an interest.

He might have brought down the heat on these people.

But he also understood that this was their own will.

That these people have their own agendas for doing whatever they want. If anything he was far more impressed that despite whatever it was they were hitting Guzman and Ferric. The two remained steady. It also doesn't mean that it wasn’t just the OTS that the Magi Families were after. The moment they got out of their own seclusion. These Families decided to settle old scores. Bring the fight to families who didn’t sign the pact.

He couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to. There was no reason for him to think otherwise either. You do not face a storm hoping that you can stop it.

He was just an Enforcer working for CASE. From the start, he wasn’t someone who they assigned to that sight of the world like Scaletta. He could deal with the occult and investigate people who are involved.

But that was that.

There were things that he needed to know where his limits were. The past accidents and encounters as of late made him realize that. He wasn’t going to complain that he had gotten a job like guarding Miss Silva.

And as days passed he became thankful that Miss Silva preferred to stay in her villa. She was a woman who was possessed with the mental fortitude to keep the focus on whatever she was doing.

It was around afternoon however that Robert heard something explode. He sprinted as he could and found Gia flung back by an explosion. Most of the charms that she wore were withered. He looked at his eyes and could tell that she suffered a concussion.

He took something out of his pockets and made her sniff the smelling salt. She jolted awake and as she did she looked at her research. She trembled and then a great fury came to her.

She swung her arm and slashed the walls of the villa.

Creating this blade of lightning that tore through the walls.

Reeling her anger back in.

Robert caught sight of her face.

That desperate face was wet with tears.

She wiped her eyes and then blinked.

Telling herself that she could do it.

That she can do this before the millennium bug kills all the magic.

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