The Meeting

As they parked, a man stepped out the shadows towards the car wearing what seemed to be a very out of place traditional style montsuki, with a solid black kimono worn over a white Nagajuban paired with a hakama. He stretched out his hand, waiting for the car keys to be placed in it. Typhon stared for a moment, but the man's hand did not retreat. Reluctantly, he handed them over and the man placed them inside the kimono before finally speaking, "Follow me please." He said leading the way to the elevator not far from where Typhon had parked. Deici and Typhon exchanged glances before following.

The ride up was quiet. The man needed no introduction, Daemon, his reputation and propensity for violence silenced even Deici. Typhon wondered what his latest assignment might be that warranted such a ridiculous disguise, whatever it was the white Nagajuban would be stained red when it over. They reached the top floor without incident; Typhon released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. A pair of silver embroidered doors led to a large meeting room filled by a long, dark mahogany table which could seat up to twenty-five people at a time. Large window walls on all sides overlooked the entire city providing a breathtaking view of the metropolis against the night sky. Seated at the table were the company's biggest investors, each in charge of a branch of the tech firm, all with varying agendas.

Daemon ushered them inside closing the doors behind him. He walked to the head of the table, positioning himself behind one of the executives and locking eyes with Typhon.

Typhon didn't react, his emotions shielded behind years of training. 'Fuck!' was all he had time to think before Zeus started to speak.

"I'm glad that you both could make it," Zeus Archon said looking at Deici, the smile on his lips never reaching his eyes. "You both know why you are here so let's get straight to business, Deici you have the floor!"

Deici's eyes danced as he prepared to step forward but Typhon beat him to it. "Archon! What are you doing here?" This man had been a sore on his ass for way to long, festering and spewing puss on everything good in his life. Zeus Archon had made it his mission in life to destroy Typhon at any cost, his hate stemming from the hit placed on his siter fifteen years ago, a hit Typhon had executed. He should have killed him that day, but it wasn't in the contract. The kid hadn't seen his face, but he had heard his voice as he reminded her of how she had sealed her fate before blowing half her face off. Years later, a simple bodyguard gig had them cross paths, and damn if the kid didn't remember the voice of the man who had taken his last remaining blood relative. Just his luck that the kid was now one of the most powerful men in the underworld, and one of the most ruthless. Too bad for Zeus that Typhon was protected, and the hit had been sanctioned. His sister a fellow assassin, had broken a cardinal rule.

"He's here because we believe his company has the tech needed to replicate Deici's augmentation." Leon Apophis replied, shooting daggers with his eyes at both Zeus and Typhon. "Keep your petty squabble to yourselves!"

If looks could kill Leon would have died twice.

Deici stepped forward angry that his spotlight had been stolen. He began to recite a speech that Typhon had heard so many times he knew it word for word. "My augmentations are unique; I have had them for as long as I can remember. Which means that they grew as I grew, something truly amazing. I don't know who implanted them, or where the surgery was done. Many specialists have studied them, but none have been able to replicate them. Since augmentations are biological hardware and cannot be removed and placed in another body mine will die with me."

"That's why we need to find a way to replicate them!" Akuma the director of the far east branch shouted.

Deici looked annoyed at being interrupted.

"Just give the demonstration so the data can be captured for the research team, we have all heard his speech before." Leon interjected.

Deici stepped back, entering a space in the room that was devoid of carpet. They had learned the hard way after too many expensive floor coverings had been destroyed. Smiling he removed his silk Armani shirt revealing how intricate and beautifully intertwined his augmentation was with his muscle and skeleton, barely discernible from his skin, if not for the very visible silver lines with a soft barely visible glow flowing within them going in beautiful symmetry along his arms, back and chest, ending under his still-worn gloves. A true work of art. He closed his eyes, activating it and was gone in an instant, scorched tiles the only evidence of what had just happened.

Zeus rose to his feet his eyes wide in awe as he searched the room, his jaw slack in disbelief. "Where is he?"

The meeting screen mounted on wall behind them lit up with an incoming video call. Leon tapped the accept button and Deici could be seen sitting on the sofa in the rented apartment sipping a glass of red wine. "Typhon, I'll leave the rest to you." He said disconnecting the call.