56

Chapter 56

Flange Orphanage, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, the Year 2022, Planet: Grimoire

This entire day had gone down such a pitch basket nearly to hell and back that Darmono wondered if he would ever see the end of it. Not to mention his discomfort at Moline's outright rejection of his pheromones. He distinctly recalled a time when that hadn't happened. So, what changed?

His mind ran through the night's previous conversation, and he scowled. Some of that trash Moline spewed was fiction, Darmono was certain, though he knew parts of it was bonafide truth. He'd been one of those myriad lovers but hadn't viewed it as a fling. Now he understood that Moline wasn't into permanent relationships. He just hadn't known the root cause of it. At least not until that fortuitous run-in with him when happening on that horrific scene of a massacre. Now that was just disgusting and a total desecration of an area that was once used for blessings.

It was far too close to the Orphanage's boundaries. Not only that but of late too many crises have been happening to the businesses. None of the residents and owners wanted to remain there.

Darmono could only assume one thing. Someone was after the land, the orphanage, and Director Moline. Whoever the perpetrator was, he, she, or they clearly wanted to drive him into the throes of insane despair at everything happening all at once.

Now all of this was happening, and a new trigger was causing all manner of chaos through the old butler's death. No matter how Darmono saw it, that death was rigged. He'd been to the doctor recently and was informed that he would have at least five more years of a productive healthy life, and now this happened?

Darmono shook his head wearily. There was no help for it. He would step in and provide labor specific to all the parts of the businesses and workload that was carried out by the orphanage and the land's residents. There was no way he would let Director Moline's dream die such a pitiful death.

Darmono looked around. His aide had to be somewhere nearby. "Ah, there you are, 1st Lieutenant Brinton."

Brinton saluted him politely. "Sir, what do you need me to acquire?" He'd been surveying the scene with grim resignation.

Darmono appreciated his quick understanding of the situation. "I want you to talk to the butler and find out what supplies and people are needed to cover for the shortage that'll occur soon." A sigh escaped him. He would miss the lieutenant when he received his discharge. However, Darmono knew that Brinton wasn't cut out for military life.

"As you command, sir." Brinton snapped a salute to him and made his way back to the side of Garnet Shamus who was engaged in a very heated conversation.

As for Darmono, he would take care of Director Moline. He nodded thoughtfully as he listened to what the butler was trying to get through to Moline but didn't think it would work. He also saw that Moline was in some physical distress. He couldn't move. Okay, now was his chance to get things going in a different direction.

The director's startled. "...Hey!" made him realize that he'd been thoroughly shaken out of his daze. Oh well, he would just have to put up with his presence for the time being.

Damn right no one would listen to someone who was in the midst of overwhelming grief. When he caught an opening to get Doyle distracted enough to remove him from Shamus' body, Darmono did so. "Shut up, you idiot."

Darmono hauled him to his feet and then hoisted him over one shoulder and carried him into the building. This would be one of the few times he could do so without immediate retaliation occurring, he grimaced. The circumstances weren't the greatest though.

He glanced at the now fuming Doyle who glowered at him over his shoulder. "Don't argue, I'm not going to listen," Darmono told him flatly and knocked him out with a tap to his neck. He looked around and paused. Hmm, where am I? Somehow, he'd become thoroughly lost without realizing it. The damn building was a freaking labyrinth.

Garnet appeared in a doorway. "You're looking for his private quarters?" She seemed surprised that he didn't know the way.

Well, that was no shock because of how he'd acted so familiarly around Doyle earlier. Darmono nodded. "I've only visited his office or one of the reception rooms." He admitted reluctantly. Even though the circumstances were one of the worst, he would take this time to become more acquainted with Moline on a more personal level. Test results, aside, he was curious about the man himself and always had been. Such as why would he intentionally sterilize his body to produce permanent infertility?

~*~

Several hours later, Doyle Moline awoke to the familiar surroundings of his bedroom, the soft ticking of a clock, and a fire crackling in the fireplace. He blinked. While his mind still grieved over the loss of Shamus, the other part of it ran through a list of immediate details he needed to attend to.

"Oh, you're awake." Darmono's voice caught Doyle's attention.

Darmono was sitting in a chair next to the fireplace. He was reading through a sheaf of familiar-looking reports.

"What are you doing here?" Doyle was confused. "I remember everything to the point of you slinging me over your shoulder." He looked around. "I see someone brought you here."

Darmono nodded. "You have a very efficient butler, in Garnet Shamus." He exhaled. "She's already assumed the mantle of authority in your name." He shrugged. "All I've done is provide the minimum of supplies and support the orphanage will need to keep it going."

Oh, so that was what he'd been up to this entire time. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost ten hours. It is just before dawn around five fifteen a.m." Darmono listed off what he'd deciphered of Doyle's usual way of doing things. "I believe you tend to wake up at this hour so that you begin your overloaded work schedule directly at nine a.m." He looked at Doyle with disbelief.

Doyle shrugged. "I have to stay in shape to remain both physically and emotionally as well as mentally healthy to keep sharp in this line of work." He wasn't going to deny that it was extremely challenging to keep up with.