Chapter 73: The Job
The wind of the Frozen North whistled with constant intensity.
Gabriel advanced without hurrying his pace, letting the hardened mud crunch under his boots. The civilized limits of the city had been left far behind.
Before him there was only the harshness of the slums, little-traveled paths, and a hostile nature that constantly rejected him.
He had followed the instructions given by Charles’s messenger.
His journey had been reduced to a long, uneventful walk.
At the edge of the Frozen North he found a man waiting discreetly beside an old wooden post.
They exchanged only a few words.
"Follow me."
Gabriel accepted.
Throughout the entire journey he remained alert. But nothing happened.
Finally, after walking down a long hallway hidden between small buildings, there stood a large stone building of considerable proportions.
It functioned perfectly as a hideout.
Its condition was unexpectedly much better than any other building.
It did not possess an extravagant aesthetic, but it conveyed a sense of strength.
Along the entire way no one had tried to stop him, despite receiving strange looks. Many continued with their various tasks after seeing him.
He no longer seemed to be considered an enemy.
All thanks to Charles’s will. A nod and the paths opened.
In that place his greatest protection was not his strength. It was the relationship he maintained with Charles.
That made him reflect, pondering different possibilities. He did not believe Charles was extending this olive branch merely because he liked him.
He continued advancing until he stopped in front of the main entrance. It was then that two men came out to receive him.
One was extremely thin and the other had a round and heavy body.
The skinny one smiled widely.
"Little rascal... come in, please. Our dear boss is waiting for you inside."
His eyes scanned both faces. He tried to remember if he had ever seen them during the previous conflict.
But apparently he had never offended them.
The fat one let out a laugh.
"Come on... don’t feel offended," he said, crossing his arms.
"You beat several of my brothers until their faces were unrecognizable. Their poor mothers could barely recognize them, mistaking them for pigs."
"Try surviving a siege of more than ten men. You’ll probably forget their mothers’ faces." He finally replied.
The fat one seemed to think about it for a moment and ended up laughing.
"That’s also true."
For a moment the atmosphere remained relaxed. But then a third man appeared.
His presence was completely different.
He dressed elegantly and his hair was perfectly combed back. He walked with his back completely straight.
He clapped slowly as he approached.
"Ignore these two. They only know how to compete to see who can piss farther." He sighed with resignation.
The other two seemed indignant.
"That happened only once!"
"And he cheated!"
The newcomer shook his head slowly.
"Gentlemen..."
Then he directed all his attention toward Gabriel.
"Follow me, please," he said in a soft and slightly embarrassed tone.
Gabriel accepted his invitation, but he never lowered his guard.
***
The interior of the building was much more spacious than expected. It was divided into long hallways, numerous rooms, and stairs.
Many men constantly walked carrying boxes, documents, or weapons.
No one remained idle.
Each individual seemed to know exactly what his function was. Some organized supplies, others cleaned weapons, and some copied documents.
He even observed men training silently in an inner courtyard.
There were no unnecessary arguments and indiscipline was punished severely.
It seemed like a body commanded by a hive mind. They were abnormally capable.
His eyes scanned every detail.
Every man seems busy. Each one has a defined responsibility. If I had to escape... it would be dangerous.
He continued walking.
From his observations, he knew that the organization did not belong to an improvised gang.
It was too efficient in its actions.
It did not seem like an empire built solely through luck or violence. There was planning and hierarchy.
That made it a much more solid and dangerous stone.
His guide continued advancing without stopping. He finally arrived in front of a huge oak door, with a golden handle engraved with eagles that stood out.
"Our tour ends here," he said politely.
"Please knock on the door and wait."
He did not dedicate more words to idle chatter and left.
Gabriel raised his hand and knocked firmly. When he waited, nothing happened.
Even so, he insisted. He knocked again and, despite the insistence, no one answered.
He thought of one possibility.
A strategy of intimidation? It was quite normal in those circles.
After several minutes he completely lost interest.
"A childish game..." he murmured.
He calmly walked away from the place.
He would not dedicate his time to waiting indefinitely. He preferred to observe the surroundings in a slight provocation.
He began walking through different hallways.
He quickly discovered paintings, doors made of good wood, and windows with tiles.
He received curious looks from several men, although none seemed willing to stop him.
Confusion was the first response he received.
As if they did not understand why a stranger was walking so casually through the facilities.
Gabriel continued walking with absolute calm.
Until he felt a heavy hand rest on his shoulder. He had not perceived his steps or his presence.
His body stopped completely. Alertness ran through every inch of him.
The owner of that hand was Charles and he smiled as always.
"My friend... What happened back there was a misunderstanding." His deep voice resonated naturally.
—
"Now let’s go back before my men start to believe you are one of them," he said as his smile widened.
Gabriel did not respond, which finally caused a laugh from Charles.
"They must have made wonderful faces! Seeing you walking around as if you were looking for the bathroom... It’s a very hilarious situation." He laughed while shaking his head.
"I got distracted. My attention was divided while observing the disciplined work of your men." He replied with deliberate calm.
Interest shone in Charles’s eyes.
"It also commits you. There is a big event in our hands, Gabriel. And we need young blood."
His expression had recovered the gravity of a leader. He began walking away from him.
But his words awakened an unpleasant memory.
The blood and the sacrifices.
For a moment his hairs stood on end.
"As long as the words are the right ones, Charles."
"I’m starting to appreciate that spirit very much," Charles told him.
***
This time both entered the office directly. Its interior was not luxurious, with shelves containing countless books.
A persistent aroma of tobacco covered the four corners of the room.
And there was a map that particularly caught Gabriel’s attention, on the wall.
Charles opened a small cabinet, taking out a bottle. Finally he placed two glasses on the table.
He served both calmly. The liquid was completely transparent with a reddish tone.
"Do you have experience with strong drinks? Because you’ll need it." He asked while pushing one of the glasses toward Gabriel.
He was not a big drinker, but he loved challenges. For a few seconds he contemplated his reflection on the glass.
He thought about the possibility of poison or a trap, but immediately dismissed the possibilities.
If his intention was to kill him or deceive him, it would be enough to break his neck or knock him unconscious.
He raised the glass and said:
"Let’s toast."
Charles let out a genuine laugh as they clinked their glasses.
The liquid descended, slowly burning his throat. It was bitter and intense.
But it left a pleasant warm sensation running through his chest.
Charles set the glass down on the table.
Then he slowly opened a drawer and took out a carefully folded letter.
"Listen."
He unfolded the paper and began to read in a calm voice.
"A few days ago, some ignorant commoners found a huge structure that they attributed to the gods."
He continued.
"Not content with discovering it, they spread the rumor among the population."
His eyes acquired an indecipherable complexity.
"Although they are already dead, the existence of the ruin is now public. Act accordingly... and, if necessary, kill."
There was a brief silence.
Gabriel remained completely focused, with each word forming part of a larger scenario.
The mysterious ruin, the missing soldiers, and the imposed silence.
The connections were revealed.
"My men intercepted this message a few nights ago."
His smile had disappeared completely, although his charisma remained present.
Even so, Gabriel noticed a colder will in his eyes.
"Let’s talk business, Gabriel."
The atmosphere seemed to drop several degrees in temperature.
"Tell me... are you willing to work for me?" he said, placing both hands on the table.
Gabriel held his gaze without fear. His response was measured, because he knew that any hasty answer would be a mistake.
Finally he spoke.
"As long as the information is correct, the price is right, and the chances are high... everything is possible, Charles." His eyes did not waver.
Charles did not say a word for several seconds. He smiled once more.
But it was very different from the open and friendly smile from before. This time it was much more discreet and insensitive.
"I could guess your words before you said them. I would not allow you to die, my friend. But this task has extraordinary importance, you know?" He replied while sipping from his glass.
His tone of voice was serene.
He stood up and walked to a window. He observed the large courtyard.
Without hesitation he added:
"There is something inside that ruin. Something I need to recover... And I am willing to pay the right price," he said as his tone descended with each word.
For a moment, silence became the dominant force between them.
Charles held the glass between his fingers. Then he asked the question.
It was unavoidable.
"Do you accept?"