"Xavier." Stepping out of the lift into Xavier's penthouse, James walked over to the window and stared out of it. Looking at Newport from above, he smiled, "You said that the first domino fell." Turning around and looking at him, Xavier walked over with two glasses of wine and handed one over. "If that is the case, then it means we have to move before things spiral out of control."
Xavier nodded and took a sip. Smiling to himself, he followed James gaze back out the window. "You're right, but there is one issue, one I don't need to use my ability to see. Say we begin destroying the Gentleman Society, there will be backlash. It's a game of push and pull, one that the Gentleman and I have been carefully playing to make sure it doesn't spill into all-out war."
"But that luxury no longer exists, and you know it. Forget your vision; if we fight under the assumption that they only need one key, we can't be patient anymore." Xavier nodded and took another sip of wine in reply.
"You're right. I didn't sit idly in holding. I made a few calls through my lawyer. A lot of the upper brass in New Horizon who operate within the Unified States knew of my deal with the Brotherhood. Whilst some may not have liked me, and all of them hated that deal, they also understood it was necessary. The problem is that it was a nuclear option, and using it shows that I am being overwhelmed by whatever I'm doing. Those not in the know will see it as me losing control, but those who are, like Fredrick, will realise it means my enemies are getting close to accessing Zoktis. In a way that requires me to use everything."
James took a seat and lit a cigarette, "Your supporters will come and help then?"
"Some will. But as I said, I have many within New Horizon who dislike me." Xavier took a seat. Under his calm tone, James heard a deep annoyance and disdain for those people, "They will apply pressure to the very top to isolate me. At the end of the day, it's politics. I am a young rival who could easily make it to that position if I focused my energy. I just simply don't care, but that is not good enough for them. They see me as a rival to that position."
James squinted, "Forgive me, I have no clue about New Hozions' upper management. I thought if you were a Grand whatever. Isn't that the top brass who didn't answer to anyone?" Xavier laughed and shook his head.
"Anything with Grand before its name is the step below. We are the ones in line to inherit the New Horizon. Now, the successor is already in place; to be honest, the Grand Diviner. He's an old man who doesn't care about the squabbles of the rest of the guys, and luckily, he is neutral to me. But above him and the rest of us is the Forerunner. Before it became a religion, the title was Chairman, but that doesn't suit a religion at all." Xavier quickly explained.
"The Forerunner. Will he care about Zoktis?"
"Probably not. He doesn't need it. You already know there are abilities that flirt with the boundaries of Godhood and whatnot. He's one of them. Now make no mistake. Ability power isn't necessary for the head seat in most religious and political organisations, take the Children, their top guy has a basic ability to control water. But for us, if our core identity is that Godhood can be manufactured, it is very important. It's why I am such a threat to most. Because my limit isn't soemthing small. It's omniscient. Or so I think."
James took a deep breath. "So you have to play it by ear to see if you get help." Xavier nodded in reply and sighed.
"It's quite sad, but yes. Although it doesn't mean I can't make new allies. My power is very helpful when navigating a political space. Although they likely won't trust I don't have ulterior motives." Xavier finished his glass and clapped his hands together, "Enough about New Horizon, anything more will be pointless. I can fight a war, James, but what about you? This future I saw was not pleasant. I'm asking you as a person, can you do it, even if it means never being able to wash your hands clean again?"
James spent a moment thinking, sipping on his wine and smoking. Looking out at Newport, he took a deep breath and smiled, "I realised soemthing." Xavier raised an eyebrow, "I am a hypocrite." Looking back to Xavier, he smiled, "I hated the corrupt system that allowed people to walk free." James paused and finished his wine. Pouring himself another glass, he brought it under his nose and let the smell dance in it. "But now I realise, I hated it because it always helped the people I put away. When it helped me, I clung to it, even negotiated with it." James brought the glass to his lips and took a sip, letting the wine sit on his tongue for a moment, "I feel guilty about the people I put in danger, but I don't have them anymore. Anyone who's left is already willing to carry on with or without me."
With a deep breath, James set the glass on the table. Resting his finger on the bottom of it, he stared into it and swirled it. Its deep red looked like a pool of blood. "Yeah, I can do it." After a moment of thought, James said with a casual tone. "I've already gone this far."
Xavier's lips curled. He poured himself a drink, "Then, we begin tomorrow. New Horizon's reputation in the city is already in tatters. There is no point in salvaging anymore if we are in the end game."
"Will you get backlash?"
"Sure, but it doesn't matter anymore. I'll let it burn. However, this means I'm on borrowed time now. I'll try to extend it as best as I can, but I always knew that this moment would come with my goals for Zoktis." Xavier sighed and looked to the roof, "This is why I hated war."
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Sitting alone, Hopkins ate a meal within the Mayoral building, looking towards the painting at the end of the room. It showed the first mayor of the city, Cornelius Rickman. A fat man with a wide grin, wearing a suit tailored to hold his body in place. Lifting his fork to his mouth, he paused and looked behind him, seeing Alexander and Freya looking at him.
Looking down at his watch, he smiled, "You will have about five minutes before security arrives, assuming you made preparations about the alarm system in place." Alexander moved to the other end of the table and took a seat. Freya vanished, returning a few seconds later beside Alexander with a plate of food, placing it before him. "Stealing now," Samuel smirked and carried on eating without a change in emotion.
"I assumed you wouldn't have food for me, so I prepared some myself." Alexander took a bite and smiled. "How long has it been?"
"Don't act so friendly with me." Samuel's eyes hardened. Looking deep into Alexander's eyes, the two met each other's gaze. "You are repulsive."
Alexander took another bite of food before making a face and pushing it away, "Can we have a civil conversation at least once. I really don't understand why you hate me. What have I ever done to you?"
Samuel clicked his tongue and pushed his plate away, "You ruined my meal to start with." Alexander rolled his eyes. Samuel looked at him before sighing, "How long will this game of cat and mouse continue? I'm never giving it to you."
"Don't be like that, Phomias," Alexander said with a small smirk.
"My name is Samuel." Clenching his fist, Samuel replied, "Unlike you, I value every incarnation, every life." Licking his lips, Samuel scoffed, "You ask why I hate you, and I never made it clear, so I'll enlighten you because you're a fool. You're a plague on this planet, unable to understand your role. You belittle life as if it were meaningless, all because of your stupid desire, uncaring of what the consequences will be. The fifth can be forgiven because they are inherently broken, but you chose this course of action. It is disgusting."
Samuel rose and walked around the table. Freya moved to block Alexander, but was stopped from raising his hand, "So long as I exist, you will never get what you want." Samuel reached over and playfully slapped Alexander's cheek, pinching it afterwards. "My stupid little brother."
"I think you're wrong, Phomias." Alexander stood up. "A lot of coincidences have been happening lately. Why do you think you and I have appeared in the same city when before we would be separated by oceans?" Alexander smiled, "Isn't that enough proof?"
The door flew open as two guards stepped in, weapons drawn. Samuel looked to them and raised his hand to lower their weapons. Alexander fixed his tie and smiled. Grabbing Freya's shoulder, he waved to Samuel before vanishing from sight.