The Soul of Vegas: The Southern Quadrant

[JackDoggo]

“I’m here to tell you that you’re something special.”

The fuzzy, brown chairs and hard, redwood tables filled the meeting room’s atmosphere a sense of seriousness and dread. Smoke rose from the cigarette held by a single, powerful figure inside the room. It mixed with the room’s lights, giving it a mysterious atmosphere and making it harder for the young man to breath. An anxious edge filled the young man’s eyes as he nervously gazed around the room. Two, large men dressed in suits stood by his side. The men eyed him suspiciously and their intimidating looks kept him from doing anything but obey. Another man dressed in a suit sat across him. A hard, mad tension flowed from the man’s eyes. His name was Alvaro De Mattia, the Mad Eyed Boss.

Alvaro rested his chin against his palm and sighed, “I don’t like repeating myself, but I’ll say it again.” His voice was calm but with a harsh tone, sending shivers down the younger man’s spine. “I’m here to tell you that you’re something special.” He sat straight and pointed his gaze at the young man’s attire. A combination of metal and animal hide covered the young man’s body. Metal helmet, metal chestplate, metal armguards, and metal kneeguards were strapped on him. Various kinds of well-stitched leather hid underneath all the metal he wore. A large sword was sheathed on his back. From the appearance alone, one could say that this young man was a knight from somewhere.

The knight looked around the room one last time and said, “I-I don’t understand, Wh-what are you talking about?” His words were in japanese, but his tone was american. An unpleasant combination.

Alvaro raised his brow and clicked his tongue. “This is gonna be a hard one to talk to.” He pulled out his cell and punched out a few numbers.

As soon as the cell ringed, someone immediately accepted and a voice called out saying, “Good evening boss... What can I do for ya?” The voice was distinctly feminine, which gave the knight a tiny sense of relief.

Alvaro replied, “Come to my place. I need you to talk to a friend of mine.”

The voice paused for a few moments. The voice spoke, "I'll be there in a second, boss."

Alvaro's mouth curled into a smile. He whispered, "Good." He hung up and pocketed his cell. He went back to his cigarette, puffing out smoke every few seconds.

The young knight gulped as hot sweat rolled from his features. The thick scent of the smoke and the intimidating aura of the room unnerved him greatly. He quietly spoke, "What are you going to do to me?"

Alvaro paused, held out his cigarette, and crushed it against a nearby ash tray. His ears heard the unfamilliar words but his mind instinctively understood its meaning. "We are not going to do anything with you," he paused and pointed at the young knight. "You are going to do things for us."

The young knight shivered. All chances of escaping seemed hopeless in front of this man. He looked at the two large men stationed at his sides. He gazed at the unfamilliar piece of metal weaponry held at both of the men's hands.

They held handguns, Revolvers to be exact. The revolvers were pointed against the young man's body. It was a tiny action but it gave a silent warning that said, "Do anything suspicious and you're toast."

So the young knight backed down, slumped against his chair, and waited for his inevitable doom to come.

 

[Lore Weaver]

Juliet DiAngelo pushed the horn-rimmed sectacles up the bridge of her nose and sighed. Ding, ding, went chimed the elevator as it carried her further and furher away from the research in the haven of he lab, Alvaro rarely called her awry from her work, since in the end he was always the primary beneficiary of her efforts. The last such summons had been examining one of his "nieces: to make certain she hadn't contracted an STD,, more specifically pregnancy. As long a she didn't have to dress up in some skin--crawling dress and plaster on some make-up to accompany one of his associates to some mind-numbing social event , she could stomach whatever he asked. He had a stable of women more suited to that purpose than her at his beck and call but everyonce in a swhile it amused him to see her squirm under the harsh light of a ballroom on the arm of some toad whose hands tended to roam a but too freely, She always felt like running through a car-wash after one of those evenings.

But no matter what he asked, she would do it. Not becasuee he was her boss, and not even because he was virtually the only source of the extensive funding for all of her research projects. Not even becasue he knew a secret that could send her to prison for the rest of her life, and tear what ws left of her family apart,. no, it was her loyalty to him that had dictated the events that comprised that secret. She was loyal to him becauase of his power, , his wealth, his connections and the way he wielded them. Alvaro was one of the few in Las vega who could make just about anything happen and she knew he had a c vision for shaping the present and future of Las Vega, and possibly the entire country. She would do whatever was required of her, whatever she could do to aid him in realizing that vision, whatever it may be.

The elevator rocked to a stop, pulling her out of her thoughts as the doors opened. Long strides, quick strieds carried her to the double-doors of the apartment. Her medical nag dangled in one hand, she pushed the button that buzzed her in. When Albert, one of the many burly guards in his employment pulled oopen the doors and steppped asied, she entered with a nod.

"So which of your nieces is..."

Sliding the glasses into the front pocket of her lab coat and offered him friendliest of her smiles.

"I know this must be very disorienting for you. Just try and relax, My name is Juliet and I promise you no one is going to hurt you. "