Auction Twist?

One of the auction house workers stepped onto the stage after Sunny finished singing. "That was a truly wonderful performance. If you wish to contact her you may through the Novel Agency...."

I almost giggled at my own inside joke. I had given the auction house the ability to hand out the cards and such. So I had little care Sunny snuck over to me. Her face was a little red, but she had a huge smile.

She whispered, "How did I do?"

I gave her a thumbs. "You did solid. 8/10 performance in my eyes. You could've moved a little more and you trailed off at one point. Overall though I'm impressed."

She frowned, "Impressed?"

I shrugged, "I knew you could sing Sunny. I expected your great performance."

She paused and nodded the smile returning. So easily pleased likely because she expects misfortune everywhere she goes. I focused back to the auction house employee who was talking. "Now if you wish to go left or right into auction. You all know your seats, and we wish you get everything you need."

I moved to the left side I had acquired a private room. As soon as we entered the dark hall everyone split except me and Sunny. I opened the door to room 8. I motioned to her, "Sit down, if you see something you want just bid. Tap the remote for service."

Sunny sat down in the right side of me. The seats were plush velvet. They also seemed to recline. I noticed a few oddities of the room and rolled my eyes. Candles, music player, I knew the auction houses reputation. They certainly gave me a sound-proof room, one of the special luxuries. 

I turned to Sunny, "Don't mess with too many of those buttons."

She was already fiddling with the remote. "Why?"

I held out my hand and she passed me the remote. I analyzed it quickly and found the button I wanted to avoid. I tapped it once and a small shelf slid opened to reveal adult toys. "That's why."

Sunny was red face, "Oh! Uh, yeah I'll just... How do I order some whine and snacks?"

I clicked a button and set the remote down. A fridge in the room unlocked. "Search through it, no clue what they provide. However all the service is mostly self served. For those haughty types they could get an employee to service them though."

Sunny nodded and got up crawling over to the fridge. I shrugged and looked at the small stage. A masked individual walked in, "Welcome, That's keep this brief. This auction house is now under control of the Ancient Throne. If you do not hand over the merchandise we will kill your guests until eventually we kill you."

I frowned, this didn't happen the novel I wrote. Sunny jumped up and leaned forward. She was clearly trying to decipher if this was a joke or not. I reached for my pocket and took out a small gun. "Shoot anyone who comes in here. Even if it looks like me."

Sunny eyes widened, "Wh-What?"

I patted her head, "You really are bad luck. Now stay safe, lock this door." Before I left the room I grabbed the remote and pressed a button to turn on the rooms shutters. The room was dark, she should be safe.

Sunny tried to ask me to wait However I long since left. Within the dark halls I could feel eyes on me. Not too long after a masked woman walked out of the shadows. "So its the Silent Shade? I suggest you surrender."

The woman moved towards me with a knife. I grabbed her by the neck and twisted. I heard gun shots and few voices through the walls. If one of the Ancient Throne were summoning minions here it meant a severe change in the story. Good news they had no clue where the auction house kept the goods.

They were likely searching the building. The threat to the guests lives were likely a bluff. I turned on all my sensors and began charging electricity. If I had to fight I didn't care one bit about showing off. Just because they likely wouldn't kill the guests didn't mean they weren't dangerous.

They would kill anyone in there way. The only reason why they wouldn't kill the guests because that would attract to much attention. At most they can pass as terrorist or very skilled robbers. A cult wouldn't be even thought of. 

A shade moved toward me and I tasered them. They dropped and I checked their body. I sighed, yup, it was just a clone. The one I killed before was a clone too. Obviously since it walked out of the shadows. It's how the silent shade worked.

I shook my head, the only real one is likely the one who interrupted the auction right away. I made my way straight for the Auction house office. With infrared i could see people hiding. I leaned over the table. "Hello there? Can you tell me where..." I paused and looked up the auctioneer who should've been on stage. "Evan Sprouts?"

The man and woman who were hiding panicked at first. However it seemed something in them relaxed. "The one on the stage is Evan! Before the auction he started talking strangely and threw the grabbed the master. After that we saw him put on the mask and well."

i nodded, so it was just that simple. "Thanks. You should hide in one of the with the guests. This is a cult and they won't want to draw attention by killing big named people."

They nodded and I left, I found the employee hallway and entered what looked like a storage room connected to a kitchen. Made sense, however I had to taser another shade. They were not much, actually I'm a little glad i was the villainous AI. If Stella's nanites were released quickly they would have powers. 

For now they were just as strong as any human. Using this path I could sneak around to the stage and ultimately where I knew the items were being stored. I would steal them myself before capturing Evan Sprouts.

Though I might make it a deal that I kept them 'safe' after seeing that they had said merchandise. In the novel I had used this place as a setting a few times. One said detail was where the auction material was kept. I found the stair case of said location. It lead under the stage the it was fuck all dark.

Thankfully I had night vision, so I could see all the glass casings. I frowned, they all required keys. breaking the glass would be easy. However, that would totally expose this. I rubbed my chin in thought. I crossed the room to another staircase.

I popped my head out just below the stage. This staircase was well hidden. I charged another electrical attack. To my surprise though the man in the mask snapped his head towards me.

He spoke quickly, "Why do you interfere with our plans."

I pretended to be bored. "I don't know why, why is the silent shade so desperate? I thought you depicted yourself as a god. I guess the ancient throne are just a bunch of kids."

3 shades jumped out of the darkness and I tasered them all. "Man, am I glad you lot are weak to electricity."

The cultist, I wasn't gonna justify his position by using his name. Stared at me and he made a gurgling noise. I sighed here it comes, one of my stupid mistakes. I mean why would you put some kind of horror cliche into a reverse harem novel. 

Four long black tendrils stretched out of his mouth and eventually the man peeled open. To reveal a black toothy face. "All will surrender to the Ancient throne. To worship is to live, beg is to pray, embrace is to join."

The sound of horrified gasps from other guests were like applause. I yawned, staying calm was really the best way to handle the ancient throne. I'll kill the shadow that was coming out of Evan Sprouts and clean this mess up.

It couldn't move towards me due to my lazy and unguarded stance. Ironic when no guard is the best protection against such a creature. I taunted, "Man a toaster is more intimidating. At least those can scare me."

It screeched and lunged forward. One of its uh, leggy spikes? Stabbed towards me, I grabbed it and snapped it up. "ARGHHH! You know! You understand! What are you?"

I raised an eyebrow. If there was something that would ask me that. It would be either the main character Stella or the Ancient Throne. I mean Stella makes sense, but if a species of ancient space gods that lived through the 'cataclysm' didn't question my existence. Well who would?

The creature spoke, "Thoughts make no sense! how do you know! How? What are you? What ar-"

I grabbed another leg spike and twisted it 180 degrees. "Such a fragile creature. This is why you shouldn't listen in on people's inner monologues."

The silent shade whimpered, "You will be dealt with!"

The silent shade then released its grip on Evan Sprouts and the shadow form it was projecting began to dissolve. I waved, "I'll be waiting."

I expected this. They had many abilities similar to mind reading. So they could sense life and view souls. Its how they picked hosts like Evan here. The silent Shade was likely reeling from me. The body of a machine, a mysterious soul and my thoughts? I had no doubt they would view me as a monster.

I leaned down to check Evan's pulse. He was alive, however is jaw was broken and the skin around his neck was stretched out. Once this is over if the auction house doesn't help him out I'll do it myself. 

I picked up the microphone, and looked to the guests of the auction house. "Sorry for the interruption folks. Please wait until the authorities arrive, I am sure a few of you contacted your people. Once everything is said and done if you want an explanation ask the auction house and I'll have them send your message to me."

I nodded and jumped off the stage. That was simple enough, was barely a blip. Yet again, makes sense. Now I just have to figure out what caused this change. The butterfly effect was very much real and the better I can identify the waves. The easier it will be to carve out my own happiness. 

First I had to find where the auction master was and if I needed to have a little suspicion towards them.