The World Where She Fits

TWWSF 12: McArden-Davies and Dark Circle

After a few minutes the bartender came back with a man in his fifties. "Velkomin Miss Bethany," he bowed his head and motion his hand, "This way please, the Master is waiting."

Pagpasok namin sa pinaka-opisina ng bar, may pinindot lang na switch ang lalaking sa tingin ko ay butler ni Sir Viktor at bumukas ang pinto sa likod ng mini book shelf. Tumambad sa amin ang hagdan pababa at isang maliit na tunnel. Isang hallway ang nilabasan namin, pagbaling ko sa gilid ay nakita ko ang napakaraming display ng wine sa loob ng cellar.

Inihatid kami ng butler hanggang sa tapat ng isang pinto ng library. He knocks three times before he opened the door, let us in and close the door behind us. In the far corner of the room, there stood a man holding a goblet looking at the beautiful garden outside. I saw a bottle of white in the table, must be the one he drinks.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Those flowers are my late wife's favorite," Sir Viktor glance towards us before looking back in the garden not really waiting for a reply. He sips from his wine before finally turn to face us. "It's good to see you again, Bethany," he said with a small smile in his lips. He opens his arms for me.

"The pleasure is mine Sir Viktor," I said giving him a hug. "This is my cousin, Shawn Grey Pierre," introducing Grey to him.

"Ah! Erin's son and the next successor of MGE," Sir Viktor offer a handshake which Grey accepted.

"Please to meet you, Sir," Grey formally greeted the old man.

He tapped his shoulder, "Viktor Steinsson. It's an honor to meet Sir Aron's descendants. You look like a male version of your great grandmother. Your great grandfather will surely be delighted to have you as his successor."

"Thank you, Sir," Grey give him a small smile.

"Have a seat you two," Sir Viktor motion us in the sofa. "How's your brother Nash?" he asked without looking at me. He pours some white wine in the empty glass in the table. "It's a pity that your father will not be able to have his son follow his footstep."

"My father is doing fine Sir. He is fulfilling his duty diligently. He has much greater responsibility being the only son and Heir of my mother's family" I answered while accepting the glass of wine.

"That's good to hear," he took a sip in his newly refilled glass. "Shall we go down to business? You're here for the thing that I'm keeping, right?"

"Yes, Sir. I believe that this is the right for Grey to know the truth. I can't let him take over the MGE without knowing everything."

"Are you ready to hear everything, Shawn?"

"I'm curious and confused, I admit I'm not prepared for this but I want to hear everything. Whatever it is I have to know," Grey answered.

"Have you ever heard about Dark Circle?" Sir Viktor pointed Grey with his hand holding the glass.

"Dark Circle?" Grey nods his head, "I think I heard of it." He turned to look at me, "You know the one in Megacity tagged as creepy mansion, Shan? There are rumors that it was owned by Dark Circle." I just nodded as an answer. "But why are asking me about it, Sir?" he confusedly ask.

"Do know you what is it?" Sir Viktor asked Grey instead of answering him.

"Based on what I heard, I can guess that it is an underground organization. They operate an illegal business."

"You are right," Sir Viktor stand up, "now, follow me." He opened a secret door inside the library. Pumasok kami sa isang secret room. It was bare, you can see nothing inside except for a small table in the center of the room. Sir Viktor put his hand in the small monitor beside the table and the center of the table opens. A glass box emerges and inside of it is a book. Kinuha ni Sir Viktor ang libro at inilapag mesa, sa harapan naming ni Grey.

"Dark Circle Ledger," basa ni Grey sa label ng libro. He looked at Sir Viktor surprised with what he saw, "Why are you showing this to us?" he paused, "and why you're not surprised, Shan?"

"This is what my family have been keeping for the McArden, Shawn. This is the dark secret of MGE." Sir Viktor explained.

"I'm sorry Grey, for keeping something like this from you," I said feeling sorry.

"Wait a minute," he sighed. "If Tito Ethan about this thing, why bring it to the authorities so that this Dark Circle will be stop. Then, why are we keeping this as a secret?"

"You don't understand, Shawn. MGE keep this a secret because your great grandfather, Sir Aron is the one who establish Dark Circle to protect MGE."

"What?" shocked is all over in Grey's face. He froze, after a few seconds, "but why?"

"Based on the story of my father, the economy was not good at that time. Sir Aron was trying to expand his business on the other country. He was so busy to notice that there are a lot of organization eyeing his business. Those organization wanted to used his business as a front for their illegal transaction. Your great grandfather doesn't want that, he doesn't want to involved MGE in any illegal dealings."

"They were armed and their connection with the government is something else," I continued. "In one of his business deals in Germany, our great grandfather met our grandfather, Kurt Martin Davies. Our grandfather's father has run a group of people who doesn't have good background, they were from jail with records of murders. But they were not that bad according to Grandpa. They fighting for an underground organization in Germany too. That organization happened to kidn*pped our great grandfather, Aron McArden."

"Sir Aron was rescued by your Grandfather Kurt during their attacked of that organization but he lost his father too," Sir Viktor continued the story for me. "To make the story short, Sir Aron funded Kurt Martin Davies to establish the Dark Circle. In return, Sir Kurt used the Dark Cirle to made sure that no one will touch the MGE again. Sir Kurt meet your grandmother Eris Juliene McArden, they fall in love and get married. One way or another, Dark Circle is part of MGE."

"As the only son and heir, Ethan was tasked to protect both MGE and Dark Circle. It's not an easy thing to do if I may say but Ethan pull it off. He has a McArden and Davies blood after all. It is the same for both of you. The time has come for Ethan to step back and let the new generation manage to what your descendants left behind." Sir Viktor walks to Grey and put his hand in his shoulder, "now, it's up to you, Shawn, to manage and protect MGE and it's secret as it is in Bethany shoulder now the future of Dark Circle."

"What?" Grey hastily turned to me, "is it true?"

I nodded, "Yes Grey, it's true. I am officially DC Org's Heiress."

"But why?" he asked with a knotted forehead.

"Because no one will be aside from me. It should be Ate Yen, and she's been trained for it already but you know she took a different path all of a sudden because of me. Kuya Shi, as the only Ishida Heir, can't do it just like he can't be a successor of MGE. You can't Grey, MGE is enough. Don't worry I can handle it," I give him an assuring smile.

"Oh God!" he put his hands in his face in frustration. He is calmer than what I am expecting him to be. "What about Kaye?"

"She can do what ever she wants Grey. The responsibility ends with you and me. Aside from helping us in managing the businesses we have, there's nothing else."

"Thank God," he sighed in relief. "I don't think she can handle something like this."

"She can," Sir Viktor interjected, "don't doubt your sister, Shawn, she's McArden-Davies too. It's in her blood."

"I know Sir Viktor, but she's a brat," Grey said that earned a laugh from the old man. "By the way, I haven't heard the reason why MGE decided to entrust this thing to your family, Sir?"

"Sir Aron decided to let someone not related to MGE or any from your family to keep this book for safety, so that no one from the enemy will be able to trace it, not even the people who are part of MGE or Dark Circle. To avoid falling this important piece of information into the wrong hands."

"You mean, you're not close or related with our family yet you decided to this dangerous thing?" Grey gasped.

"In order to pay our debt in the McArdent family, we are willing to do this, generation by generations. We are not where we are right now if not because of your great grandparents. Our connection to your family was cut off before it even started, so that we fulfill our task without worrying that we might be discovered."

"That's bad," said Grey in a small voice, He then look at me, "are you sure no one followed us here Shan? I don't want Sir Viktor to be in danger."

"Don't worry Grey, no ones following us and if ever they did, they won't think that the ledger is here." I answered.

"I hope so," he said without looking at me. He is opening the ledger and reading its content, "there's a lot of big names here, eh?"

"That's right Shawn, once this ledger will go out to the public, many well-known people will face their downfall." Sir Viktor said.

"Even without showing this ledger they will face their downfall, Sir Viktor, in the near future. Especially if I don't like corrupt politicians and people who take advantage of their status." I said smirking while looking at the ledger in Greys hands.

"I know you'd say that, Bethany." Sir Viktor said while shaking his head in disapproval with me. "Anyway, I already told you everything, you don't want to let the people in the bar notice that you've been gone way too long, right?"

"Yeah, right." Grey close the book and returned it to the box, "I think we have to go, Sir."

"That's what I'm saying," Sir Viktor close the chest and locked it. "I will accompany you back to the bar," he said when we go out from the secret room.

We said goodbye to Sir Viktor when we reach bar office. The man who brought us to Sir Viktor's house opened the door of the office for us, letting anyone see. It was to let people think that we talked to him inside the office this whole time.

Grey and I decided to have few drinks before leaving. We drink in silence, no one attempted to talk until I told him that we should leave. Grey drive me home in silence too. I understand him though. He needed time to process what he learned and think about it.

"Are staying for tonight?" I ask when reach home.

"I think so," he replied.

After resting for a few minutes, I took a shower and go down to have dinner. Naabutan ko si Grey sa dining area. "I thought you don't have an appetite?"

"Nah, nagutom ako dahil sa mga nalaman ko," kumuha siya ng pagkain at naglagay sa plato niya bago inabot sa akin. "Is there anything you haven't told me yet, Shan?"

I slowly nodded my head, "Yes, there is. I think this is the most important thing."

He put down his spoon and look at me, "What is it?"

"Ahm, how should I say this?" I murmured. "The Dark Knights and Black Angels are part of DC Org."

"What? Are you serious?" he looks at me wide eye.

"Yes, I'm dead serious. Though they didn't know yet except for Chase and Ace. I think their parents didn't tell them yet.?"

"You mean their parents is part of Dark Circle?"

"They are, and not just a simple member. Some of them holds a high position in the organization. They are parts of the Huddle, the highest position that a member can achieved. Tito Rayn is the Head of the Huddle. It is next to the Grand, which is Dad."

"Oh gosh, you just can't get away with Chase, sweetheart," he's shaking his head in disbelief. "Not bad, 'coz I'm not the only, the DK are still together in this."

"That's right, so, is that mean you are still willing to accept MGE?"

"Why not? It's the family's legacy, Shan, there's no reason not accept it."

I heave a deep sigh, "Thanks goodness."

Grey laugh, "You've been worried all this time?" I nod and give him a sheepish smile.

He pinched my cheek, "We're a family, sweetheart. You don't have to worry, okay?"

A week later, the party for the Foundation of MGE and to officially introduced Grey to the business world as the successor of MGE happened. Just like what I thought, there are people who accepted Grey without asking but there are people too, who are questioning Grey and demanding him to prove his worth. Seeing him smartly dealing those people, not allowing them to intimidate him made me smile.

I think it's time to go back to Megacity, I thought.