The Fourteen Families of today are not precisely the sa as those of old. The Gracio Family was notoriously wiped out by Assassins over a century and a half ago. The Rodeos’ and Hickens’ failed business ventures have led to their fall to outside the top hundred wealthiest families in the city. Today, no one outside of those two families would seriously make the claim that they belong in the sa category as the remaining old guard.
Families like the Gleasons and Elesons have retained their place at or near the top, while relative newcors have arisen to replace the others. The Hamrsmiths were the first to be generally recognized as having joined the Fourteen nearly a century ago. Most recently, the astonishing six-decade-long rise of the Kalmár family has placed them firmly into the ranks of the elite.
- Fodorick’s Lonely Traveler – Guide to Lost Angels, Introduction
The Knife Fighter/Assassin/fuckhead suddenly seed to realize that Thompson still had an iron grip on him.
“Release !” he demanded. I was sure he was trying to shout, but it ca out more like a croak. Thompson laughed coldly.
“Yuri Kalmár, I am holding you on suspicion of attempted murder. I suggest you keep your mouth shut until your family’s Lawyer arrives. Until then, you will remain in custody. Am I clear?”
He spat more blood onto the floor. “You have no proof I planned to kill her! My family won’t stand for this unsubstantiated slander – “
smack!
His head rocked back from another slap.
“Attempted murder, Yuri. That is a charge even your family can’t make vanish, not when it happened under my jurisdiction. Perhaps, if you’re lucky, and very generous, we could persuade Azure here not to press charges. I strongly recomnd you keep your mouth shut and consider what you have to offer. JJ – take him to a holding cell. I want a full guard posted around the clock. No visitors, no exceptions. Instructors included. Clear?”
“Yes ma’am!” JJ responded like a soldier.
Thompson retrieved her privacy ward from the desk and vanished it. Instantly the chatter of voices outside resud. I realized belatedly that her ward stopped sound going both ways, instead of just sound leaving.
“Wait for two minutes,” she said, then stepped to the door. She paused, looked back, and suddenly there was an opaque barrier between us. It curved around the door like a shield, and I realized as she opened the door that it would prevent anyone outside from seeing us. It did nothing to block sound, however.
“SILENCE!” Thompson roared, and there was. She continued at a slightly lower volu.
“The situation is under control. I will make an announcent regarding the… incident once I am prepared to do so. Everyone is to return to their rooms imdiately! You will have classes on your regular schedule tomorrow, so get going. Now!”
There was a murmuring of voices and a lot of footsteps. I could only imagine the look she was giving them right.
Raylan’s voice was concerned, but not panicked.
“Wolf, sweep the dorm and make sure they’re all in their rooms, then set up a watch in the common room. You’re to make sure no one leaves – or enters – until it’s ti for class in the morning. Blur, get to the trainee’s dorm and do the sa. No arguing!”
I couldn’t hear them move, but I assud they did. A mont later, she stuck her head through the barrier – it was slightly terrifying to see her disembodied face hanging there, and I shivered.
“Let’s go, everyone. Azure, whose room will you be in, in case we need to find you?”
“Raylan and Zaire’s,” I answered imdiately. I’d shared a room with them before, and they were my two best friends at the Academy. I’d feel safer with them than anyone, even though the orcs were probably more dangerous fighters.
“Good,” she responded, then leveled another glare at Yuri. “Mouth shut,” she reminded him in an ominous tone, and then JJ was hauling him through the barrier and I followed gingerly.
It didn’t feel like anything, so I assud it was just an illusion, but I’d never actually touched one before. I thought I’d feel sothing, but there was nothing. Before I left the room, I channeled so mana into my armor, and stepped away from the blood that had been on my boots.
I walked the few steps down the hall to the next door, and knocked. Raylan opened it almost imdiately and imdiately yanked into a big hug, which I returned. There was a faint scratch running down his face, exactly where I’d been cut.
“I am glad to see that you are well, Gunner Az,” Zaire added, and I smiled at the warmth I could hear in his tone. He too was marked with the aftereffects of G’hala’s Skill, but it didn’t appear serious.
I freed myself from Raylan’s embrace and closed the door behind . “I hope you two don’t mind sleeping on your floor tonight, my room is off-limits for now,” I said, pulling my pack with my bedroll out of my Inventory.
I quickly shared the Thompson-approved version of the story with the team over the Comms as I set up my bedroll. They had many questions, mostly about what was going to happen to Yuri. Thankfully, I had no idea how to answer that, so I didn’t have to lie to them about my ignorance.
H’ruk was furious.
H’ruk and G’hala took turns, each proposing a more vicious death for Yuri, while the rest of us listened in stunned silence. I wasn’t sure whether to be horrified, laugh, or cheer them on. Finally, G’hala’s last idea left us staggered and H’ruk conceded defeat.
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