Chapter 776 Master
Anastasia almost fainted when she heard those words. She would have loved it if Khan had included the Nognes family in his statement, but everyone knew what he had implied.
The crowded roof wasn't the right place to discuss those matters, so Khan, Monica, Andrew, Gordon, Anastasia, and Luther gathered inside the ride, silently waiting for someone to speak.
"Gordon," Khan called once the cab set off. "Are you still aware of my father's location?"
"Yes, my Prince," Gordon confirmed.
"My fiancée and her parents will fly there after reaching Ylaco," Khan stated. "Prepare the necessary security measures."
"Certainly, my Prince," Gordon said, much to Anastasia's dismay. She wanted to complain, but the nobles' authority had filled the cab. She was powerless to do anything about that development.
"Andrew," Khan continued.
"My Prince," Andrew responded. "Welcome back."
"Contact Abraham," Khan ordered. "He works for me now. Have the Headmistress find a suitable place for him in the Harbor."
"Yes, my Prince," Andrew uttered, drawing his phone to complete the arrangements.
"Francis should coordinate with Jenny," Khan added. "I won't deal with all the ruckus on my phone."
Andrew and Gordon immediately got to work, sending messages and making calls to handle the various orders. Meanwhile, Anastasia remained in her dispirited wait, hoping something would save her from the imminent endeavor.
Monica was happy to see Khan in charge of everything, and some excitement about meeting his father kept her mind wandering, leaving only one exception inside the cab. Luther was also waiting for Khan to address him, but his demeanor was far calmer and colder than the others.
Khan was aware of Luther's mood, and his eyes slowly rose to meet his. The two didn't have the best relationship. Actually, they barely had one, and their few interactions had been far from friendly. That could be Khan's chance to punish him, but he had different intentions.
"Gordon," Khan called. "Mister Solodrey will give you a number once we land. Have my Cousins pay him that."
Gordon stopped dealing with his phone to inspect Khan. The latter kept looking at Luther, so Gordon's eyes soon moved to him, too. Following orders was fine, but Luther belonged to an inferior family, and Gordon wouldn't let him exploit the situation.
Luther was aware of that problem, too. He had hit the jackpot with Khan, but clearing his credit could create problems. He wouldn't only risk enraging the Nognes family for asking for too much but would also lose any remaining leverage on Khan.
"May I ask why, Prince Khan?" Luther questioned.
Luther began to worry about his faction. Khan was an unusual Prince, but the Nognes family still stood behind him. The nobles rarely settled for snatching a descendant. Engagements and marriages usually involved other massive benefits, and paying the Solodrey family could enable those practices.
"Our deal won't change," Khan reassured. "I'm just clearing my debt."
"Prince, there's no need for that," Anastasia intervened. "You don't have to worry about that issue anymore."
"Because I'll clear it," Khan stated. "I won't have my relationship bound to these matters anymore."
Anastasia could see the romantic intent behind the issue, but her political knowledge warned her about potential repercussions. Yet, Khan had already given the order. Her husband could only comply now.
"I apologize for my rudeness, My Prince," Gordon stepped in. "I advise you to have specialists run the numbers with Mister Solodrey as a safety measure to avoid miscalculations. Your family would be happy to provide them."
"That won't be necessary," Khan refused. "Mister Solodrey won't miscalculate."
Luther still had Khan's piercing gaze on him. His face remained calm, but his mind reached a sad conclusion anyway. He was helpless in that situation. Luther had to go along with the order without exploiting the beneficial situation.
Monica didn't like that development, but no one spoke anymore since Khan fell silent. A tense and awkward atmosphere invaded the cab while Khan reviewed the news on his phone, and the group had to wait for the landing in the second district to relax.
"We'll reunite at the teleport," Khan announced, leaving the ride hand in hand with Monica.
The sidewalk was clear, but the nearby blocks were crowded with reporters kept away by lines of soldiers. That familiar sight had gained new meaning, but the couple ignored everything to return to their flat.
"You didn't need to do that," Monica complained as soon as the elevator closed behind the couple's backs.
"Revealing the assassination attempt might force the involved parties to cover their tracks," Khan explained, directly heading for the living room. "The Nognes family might notice these movements, pointing at more people to eliminate."
"I wasn't talking about that!" Monica shouted, following Khan.
"If your parents want to deal with the noble side of my family," Khan uttered, searching for any remaining booze in the flat, "They have to greet my father first."
Khan opened the usual drawers but couldn't find anything. It seemed his flat desperately needed a refill, but Monica suddenly grabbed his wrist, forcing him to face her.
"I wasn't talking about that, either!" Monica cried. "Why are you giving money to my family?"
"First," Khan exclaimed, Monica's angry face filling his vision, "It would force my Grandfather's faction to show its allegiance to me. The network has to know I have its support, and involving your family will make the matter public."
"But-" Monica tried to complain, but Khan interrupted her.
"Second," Khan continued. "Paying off your father will free us of any obligations. From now on, anything I do to the Solodrey family will count as a favor."
"You didn't need to do that," Monica repeated, her voice losing intensity. She hated seeing her family creating problems for Khan, but his explanation was reasonable.
"Yes, I did," Khan declared, swiftly pulling Monica's waist. "Third, you are worth it."
Monica instinctively fell into a kiss, but her hands promptly reached for Khan's face, separating their lips.
"They are waiting for us," Monica weakly complained, her hands already losing strength.
"I don't care," Khan said, lifting Monica. She clung her legs and arms to him, letting him lay her on the nearest couch.
"I thought you had to help me pick clothes," Monica gasped when Khan's mouth went to her neck.
"I can't if I don't take them off first," Khan whispered.
"Scoundrel," Monica giggled, and passion soon took control of the couple.
The couple's passion left the group waiting near the teleport for a few hours, but no one complained when Khan and Monica finally showed their faces. The additional time also helped Gordon prepare everything so the teleportation could start without wasting more time.
Only Khan, Monica, and her parents teleported to Ylaco's training camp. Andrew and Gordon remained behind, but the new area had multiple teams ready to escort the group to the intended destinations. Still, when the four were about to reach their ride, Khan split up, heading for a different route.
"I'll reunite with you soon," Khan explained shortly before an escort formed around him and got farther from the ship.
No complaints flew toward Khan, but he didn't care. The familiar training camp quickly occupied his mind, making his thoughts wander through many memories. An important reunion was about to happen, and Khan hoped it would work well.
The prison area was quite distant from the teleport, and the long walk toward it attracted a lot of attention. Crowds of soldiers, students, and professors followed the escort team without ever getting too close. Many also waited by Khan's destination, but no one got in his way.
The trapdoor opened when Khan approached it, and his cold glance told everyone to remain behind. He slowly descended the metal staircase on his own, returning to a nostalgic environment. That dark and smelly area had been his first real training hall, and the figure smoking at the small table had been his first Master.
"Master," Khan announced once the trapdoor closed behind his back.
"I haven't been your Master in years," Lieutenant Dyester scoffed. "Not much of a kid anymore, are you?"
"This place didn't change at all," Khan said, his gaze wandering across the empty cells. "Though it feels smaller."
"Did the wealthy descendants spoil you too much?" Lieutenant Dyester snickered, puffing from his cigarette. "I still recall when you didn't know what Credits were."
"Are you checking on me, Master?" Khan teased, his face still cold. "Don't tell me you missed me."
"I can't turn on my phone without getting some headline about you," Lieutenant Dyester snorted. "Don't flatter yourself."
"Flattery isn't why I am here," Khan declared, reaching the table and staring directly into Lieutenant Dyester's eyes. The man had been an unsurmountable mountain during their first training sessions, but Khan's gaze only spotted weakness now.
"Why are you here?" Lieutenant Dyester asked. "Nostalgia?"
"I have an offer," Khan went straight to the point.
"What?" Lieutenant Dyester questioned. "Do you want to fix my life now?"
"No," Khan said. "It's something far more selfish."
Lieutenant Dyester avoided making additional jokes and threw the smoke in the ashtray. Khan claimed his entire attention, mainly because some sadness spread through the air.
"I want you to work for me," Khan revealed, "Join my guards. I need people I can trust."
"Trust won't do you much," Lieutenant Dyester pointed out. "I'm a third-level warrior who hasn't trained in years. I can't do much guarding for you."
"I'm more than enough when it comes to power," Khan claimed, not a hint of shamelessness in his voice.
"Why me, then?" Lieutenant Dyester asked.
"I have crossed many lines to get where I am," Khan explained. "I need someone who can warn me about which ones not to cross."