Chapter 45 A Concerning Call
“Iwill literally find enough corners to park your asses in, and put you in toddler time-out, if you do not stop talking,” Severo growled, once again bringing an abrupt end to the non-stop whispering that his class had been partaking in since arriving that morning.
The Bureau was an absolute fucking mess.
People seemed to be running around, lost, confused, or just annoyingly incompetent, at performing even menial tasks without Cyrus and Killian there to wipe their asses.
He got to ignore most of it, since what they did on his floor had little to do with the two men, aside from when they were in the part of the year when trainees joined on duty agents, or when there were some sort of procedural changes.
But it had still annoyed the fuck out of him that his students seemed to want to discuss the matter.
Oh, and he had also gotten a total of six, at last count, calls from Cyrus’ cousin…a cousin he very vaguely knew, who he was going to continue to ignore. Which, thankfully, was easy to do since he’d blocked the man’s number… Even if he could still see the call attempts.
At the sound of footsteps, Severo looked towards the entrance of the gym, frowning as Seri walked in with Skya in his arms. Both of them looked irritated. Well, Seri was irritated, he could tell Skya was just copying.
Eyeing his class, he barked, “Pair up and spar. And before you even think that this is your chance to gossip, here’s your reminder that there are cameras, so I’ll know if you idiots start talking, and exactly who is getting sent to the corner. Have fun.”
With that said, he rushed over to his partner and daughter, and hurried them into his office. As soon as the door was closed, he asked, “What’s going on? I’ve only been here a few hours.”
Seri grimaced. “I got a call.”
“A…call?” Yeah, he was already not liking where this was going.
“Yes, from a man named Brom Grimm.”
That fucker! Severo’s jaw clenched, his gaze briefly flicking to Skya, he held back the tirade he really wanted to let out.
“He demanded I tell him everything I know about Killian and Cyrus’ whereabouts.”
He sighed. “What did you say?”
“I told him I don’t talk to strangers, and was about to hang up when he threatened any future work I have here. In which I told him I don’t respond well to threats, and threatened him right back with lawyers and your parents.”
“That’s my beautiful partner who I love so much.” Severo barked out in laughter, despite his rage at the situation. “Now, since I know you don’t have class, why don’t you go hang out at Bellamy’s restaurant. I can meet you there for lunch.”
“No, no class, but…I was actually headed there already. I’m going to have Bellamy watch Skya while I meet…” Seri trailed off with a frown.
“Meet?” Severo pressed.
“Emmet Finley.”
His brow rose at that. He knew Seri was forming somewhat of a friendship with his old grad program adviser, but he hadn’t thought they were close enough for the human to visit. “He’s here?”
“Yeah, that was the second call I got. A call that—” The Nymph bit his lip. “—I don’t know, for some reason, I found that call more concerning.”
“In what way? Should I be worried, and is there any reason to think it wouldn’t be safe to meet him?”
“I mean, he’s human, so I should be fine.
And it’s less what he… Well…” The man grimaced.
“You know that we kept in contact after reconnecting. We don’t talk a lot, but every month, either I or he reaches out to see how things are going on either end.
But we never really talk on the phone, it's usually just text or email. And I don’t know, there was just this tone to his voice.
It was off. He sounded…scared. It’s odd that I even realized it, since I don’t think I have ever heard him or even seen him appear afraid of anything. ”
“Did he give any details of what he wanted to talk about?”
“No. He was really vague, talking as if he just wanted to meet and catch up, like it was something we did normally. And not as if it was the first time.”
Severo frowned. “So as if he was worried someone was listening?”
“Yes… That is what my paranoia is telling me at least. That he was worried he’d be overheard. Red flags rising or not, I just couldn’t find it in me to say no. I mean, he was the only one who looked for me, so if he is dealing with something, I want to help.”
“Why don’t I cancel class and go with you?”
“No, no, it’s fine. I’m meeting him at Hidden Places. It’s somewhere I know is safe, especially after all the updated security shit Bellamy added. Bellamy is going to watch Skya for me, and he has also offered a private room with security. It should be fine.”
“If you are sure, I could easily get off. I am the head of my department.”
Mmm, okay, so it may not be super easy since his boss, Cyrus, technically just up and quit.
“No, no, stay. Go torture your students some more.”
“Torture!” he huffed in fake outrage. “I’ll have you know, I am a very kind and generous instructor.”
“Mmhmm,” Seri hummed while he gave him a brief kiss on the lips. Skya stretched to do the same with a giggle. “Have fun.”
Severo smiled as he watched the two leave, but that smile dropped the second the door closed. Pulling out his phone, he unblocked Brom and called him.
As soon as the call connected, he growled, “Listen up, Brom. If you ever call and threaten my partner again, I will track you down, drag you into the shadow realm, and leave your ass there to rot!”
“Threats as colorful as always,” Brom said dryly, the Fate’s voice full of arrogance.
“I can’t recall threatening you before, but if I did, it seems I didn’t do it thoroughly enough. Oh, and it’s not a threat, it’s me having a vision of your future, if you ever pull this shit again. My family is NOT at your beck and fucking call.”
“Yet, you work for us.”
“I work for the Bureau, you arrogant waste of fucking space. But if you want to be down three directors at this branch, and miss out on a brilliant mind who will ultimately make not only our lives easier but help ensure Cryptids are treated with dignity, criminal or not, then be my fucking guest. Keep pushing,” he ground out, before hanging up and re-blocking the Fate’s number when the man tried to call back.