Chapter 5 - The Talk

Before Nero started explaining the mission to the team, he told everyone about our little Portal escapade and about the rings.

"This is getting complex. Mummy that is actually a golem that can sacrifice mummies to do spell that is bad at fighting? That sounds like a plot." Noir spoke his concerns as he stroked his short gray beard.

"I am not going to lie to you all, if these rings are indicate of something we are probably dealing with something ancient, something powerful." Nero was not always cheerful and this was the proof of it

"Sir Nero, something doesn't make sense. Why did two ring fly on Sir Alexander's and Lady Lily's hand, but the third one didn't do that." Inquired Rohan the Rune Master.

"Excellent question, young man! That is for you to find out."

I cackled silently. Nero was the youngest there after Lily and me.

Nero threw the ring at Rohan and concluded. "Are there more questions or can we move to the real thing?"

All nodded and I took a look at everyone, Lily specifically. 'She is uncharacteristically quiet.'

She was fine before we fought. 'Is she bitter that she lost?' I didn't know much about her, but I knew that bitterness and Lily Manda don't go together.'

"Okay, the mission is simple. Go to Cairo, try to find something unusual, maybe a secret labyrinth or a room where you can insert your rings and voila, you should be teleported to wherever this leads."

"Are you fucking dumb? You want us to go to a city with more than ten million people and find… something?" I immediately voiced my concerns over his deranged plans.

"My dear student-" A few eyebrows shot up from my comrades. "-it is what it is. Direct orders for higher-ups."

There were only three people with a higher rank than Nero – the Three of Magi.

"This is a fool's game." I conclude my opinion with that.

"This is a fool's game." Alexander said to Lord of Space, not afraid at all.

Nero just shook his and chuckled. He went on to explain the roles of the team.

Noir was to lead and to give a level headed decisions, Alexander was to protect Rohan with all he has and assist Noir with anything, Rohan was to decipher the rings and to try to find whatever they were supposed to find, and Lily…

"Lily, you are to assist in battle and in any other way possible. This mission can be a great jump board for you, do it with the best of you abilities." Nero told her, obviously careful not to insult her.

Lily just grumped an okay. It was obvious to Lily that everyone else had an actual part to do in this mission and she was on it only because she had the ring.

Her pride doesn't want her to accept it, but there is nothing else she could do except prove them wrong.

"Now the we cleared all that up, you are free to go. Be on an airport tomorrow on 12:00 o'clock. Someone will wait for you four. Go now."

"Lily and Alexander, before you go, government officials were sent to your houses. They know that you are traveling to Egypt and that everything else is classified.

He waved his hand and teleported the team out to the Arena.

"Should we introduce ourselves a little bit more intimately?" Suggested Noir.

"We will do that tomorrow on plane. I want to rest now." Said Alexander.

Rohan and Noir nodded, both clearly tired and went on. The only one left were Lily and Alexander.

Lily also wanted to go, but she was held up by Alexander.

"Wait a second, Lily. We have a few thing to talk about. Walk with me."

Of course, she wanted to refuse, but the serious look on his face made he reconsider. 'It may have to do something with the mission.'

"Okay." She simply answered.

As they left the Arena and the building, they went to completely opposite side of their houses.

"Tomorrow is your first serious mission, right?"

"Do you just want to mock me?" Lily hissed.

"Just answer the goddamn question." Alexander hissed back.

She considered how to answer it, but in the end, she nodded.

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"For what do you need that information?" Lily inquired, but Alexander just gave her a look.

She nodded again.

"Wait a minute now." He told Lily.

They arrived at a small shop. It was classic mom and pop shop that barely scraped by.

"A pack of cigarettes, please." Alexander asked.

"That would be 3.74 credits." Said seller to Alexander.

He took a card from his trench coat pocket and let a machine scan it.

He was starting to irritate her now. He dragged her around, asked her around and the made her wait for him. 'He is an idiot. Why can't he be more like his brother?'

The machine accepted the money and they left with the cigarettes. They now went back to their houses

"You smoke?" Sneered Lily.

Alexander completely ignored her. "See Lily, tomorrow we are going to risk our lives and I need to know that you are ready for that. It is not a secret that there is no love lost between us, but this is more than just two us."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few second. "Lives are going to be lost, maybe even some from our team. You should take care that it doesn't happen because of you."

"Yeah, sure. Is that really all you wanted to say to me?" Half-mocked, half-inquired Lily.

She was already in multiple missions and while she may have not killed another person, she killed other…beings. He was treating a Lily like a child and she did not like that.

Alexander just shook his and said. "You are free to go."

"Hmph, I don't need you permission." Lily concluded their little conversation and left.

As I watched Lily leave, I couldn't help but shake my head again. I tried to warn her, to give her the Talk, that this was going to be mission above her. Above me even.

She clearly wasn't inexperienced, she was just under-experienced, but she was too proud to acknowledge that. 'Well, she is going to learn one way or another.'

To be honest, I don't know why I warned her. I guess she just reminded me of myself few years ago. Too proud, too arrogant.

As I approached my home, I hid cigarettes in my pocked. They were for the mission.

I greeted butlers and immediately went to living room. My father was there sitting on a couch and reading newspaper on his phone. I planned to go to my room, but my father's voice interrupted me.

"You know, I just read that a few streets away from us there was a Portal, it was quickly closed though."

"And?" I feigned ignorance.

"Well, it happened at the time you and Lily were away…" My father's voice was still.

"Do you indicate something father?" My father was usually a direct man.

"No, not at all. Just a funny coincidence. Anyways, government officials came and said that you got the job during vacation. You are to go to Argentina tomorrow."

Ah, so that's what he was playing at. I had a 'job' that was actually my alibi for missions. People come and say that I need to travel and voila, perfect cover up.

"Argentina? That is nice, anyways, I want to rest now."

As I went up, my father corrected himself. "Did I say Argentina? I meant Egypt."

"Okay, dad."

'You are too old to fool me, old man.' I smirked as I went upstairs.

My father and I were in impasse. He knew that something was going on but did not have any concrete evidence nor did he knew what exactly that something was.

The less he knew, the better it was for him, really,

As I sat on my bed, my phone vibrated.

Northern Northe: Hey bud, sup bud.

Alexander 'AR': Nothing much, tomorrow my job is leading me to Cairo I am probably going to clean ambassador's office.

Northern Northe: no shit, mine and sofia's family are taking at vacation you could totally hang out with us in ur free time.

Alexander 'AR': Sure, but can we discuss it later, now I am kinda busy.

Northern Northe is writing…

'Oh my fucking God. This shit can only happen to me.'

What was I supposed to do? I can't reject him since he might slip up with my or his parents and that would be disastrous.

'I will just deal with it as it comes.' I was probably worrying over nothing, after all, I would just meet with them once and then say that I am to busy.

As I laid in my bed to sleep early, I thought that I had finally everything planned.

Oh boy, how much was I wrong.