04-10-2018, 11:50 AM
Dom rolled his eyes and shot Monserre a glance from across the room. The burly man looked over to Karim for a moment- he was speaking to Sun- and then ambled over. This could be a bit of fun. Not exactly like his old days on the force. He'd had a bit more of a free hand back then. As long as he was careful. You could lean on someone when you needed to. No real need to tune anyone up. Mostly a mental game, really. Get people to tell him what he needed to know.
But he and Julian were sick of being relegated to the back. Up top they had been the big dogs. They'd had different lines of work- probably woulda gone at each other back then. They'd had respect. He'd thought that once they learned the power Vellas would send them out. His elite team to take care of trouble. Like being in the ZARS or something. Only moreso.
He'd lay awake at night imagining all the cool things he'd do. All the hot women he'd nail. The rich and powerful watching him carefully, treating him with the respect he was owed. The battles against other Ascendants. His name splashed across the news or in the Scroll. And all the douchebags he'd known who'd slighted him would walk carefully.
But instead, he kept getting ignored. Singled out. Humiliated. And now this new punk all greased up to be sent topside and eat the best caviar and go to all the parties and get all the glory? What the hell had he done to deserve that?
There was only so much a man could take- would take- before he fought back. Let them keep ignoring him. He was stronger, now. And more skilled. And Julian was his bro. He'd have his back. Maybe even one or two of the others.
You don't tell men they are Ascendants and then expect them to bow and scrape and sit however many miles they were under the earth and just wait. At least not a man like Dom.
So maybe he and Julian took a stance that was a bit more intimidating. The guy didn't look that tough. And he knew he was the least skilled here. Mind games.
"Yeah? You just signed up? Just like that? And so the Ascendancy comes done to greet you all personal-like?"
He laughed as he looked at Julian. There was no friendliness in it.
But he and Julian were sick of being relegated to the back. Up top they had been the big dogs. They'd had different lines of work- probably woulda gone at each other back then. They'd had respect. He'd thought that once they learned the power Vellas would send them out. His elite team to take care of trouble. Like being in the ZARS or something. Only moreso.
He'd lay awake at night imagining all the cool things he'd do. All the hot women he'd nail. The rich and powerful watching him carefully, treating him with the respect he was owed. The battles against other Ascendants. His name splashed across the news or in the Scroll. And all the douchebags he'd known who'd slighted him would walk carefully.
But instead, he kept getting ignored. Singled out. Humiliated. And now this new punk all greased up to be sent topside and eat the best caviar and go to all the parties and get all the glory? What the hell had he done to deserve that?
There was only so much a man could take- would take- before he fought back. Let them keep ignoring him. He was stronger, now. And more skilled. And Julian was his bro. He'd have his back. Maybe even one or two of the others.
You don't tell men they are Ascendants and then expect them to bow and scrape and sit however many miles they were under the earth and just wait. At least not a man like Dom.
So maybe he and Julian took a stance that was a bit more intimidating. The guy didn't look that tough. And he knew he was the least skilled here. Mind games.
"Yeah? You just signed up? Just like that? And so the Ascendancy comes done to greet you all personal-like?"
He laughed as he looked at Julian. There was no friendliness in it.
"Good and ill.
We're like the wind,
we blows both ways."
- Mad Sweeney, American Gods
- Mad Sweeney, American Gods