Page 35 of Sinner
“You’re saying he shouldn’t be seated at the head of the table because there’s no physical crown on his noggin?” West snorted.
“Did you just use the word noggin?” Yejun laughed.
“This is not a light matter,” Orson stated tersely.
“Then stop making jokes.” He shrugged when that earned him a shocked look. “If we’re questioning anyone’s right to be here, don’t you think it should be yours?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“He’s right,” West said. “Everyone here knows you’re in my father’s pocket, and since he’s currently on probation while the Club investigates, I’m honestly shocked you haven’t been voted out.”
They’d heard Demetrious wasn’t allowed within one hundred yards of the Club House. The information West had leaked was more than enough to strip him of his Essential membership altogether, but due to the Corleones having been a part of the organization for generations, they were giving him the dignity of an investigation.
It was also thanks to the few supporters Demetrious had left, like Orson, who’d demanded they not “destroy a man's reputation based solely on the made-up nonsense of a resentful son”.
With it still being Demons Passing, they’d no doubt have to wait until after the holiday had concluded before they were finally able to wave Demitrious goodbye for good, but they could survive a few more days.
That was about as much time his followers had left, too. Lake would uproot them the second he was able.
Starting with Orson, no doubt.
“Should we start the proceedings on that?” Lake suggested, almost as though reading June’s mind, then set amocking grin on Orson. “Or would you find that inappropriate? Should we wait until after my coronation?”
“How dare you!” Orson leapt to his feet and slammed a fist down on the table hard enough to shake it. “You ungrateful—”
“Hedrix has been spotted!” Gerty, another known ally of Demitrious, suddenly announced. She was staring at her multi-slate and quickly sent whatever message she’d just received to the center screen built into the table. A second later, an image of Hendrix taken from a CCTV camera outside a train station appeared.
“Where is this?” Sif asked, setting the issue with Orson, and therefore Demitrious, aside—no doubt exactly as Gerty had hoped.
Even though they were privy to it, Yejun and the others didn’t bother calling them out. Demitrious was treading water at this point. There was nothing he could do to change his fate, so it didn’t matter how long they allowed him to maintain his membership in the Club.
It wouldn’t last, and his tight grip over how things were run here had already been demolished. The trust was gone, and it wasn’t coming back, which meant he was no longer the threat to them he’d once been.
They didn’t need him anymore, not with all of their goals nearly accomplished.
And now they were closer to catching that other rat, Hendrix?
Beautiful.
“Just outside of Landing Seven,” Gerty said.
“That’s on the other side of the planet,” West whistled. “He sure ran far.”
As far as one could without a passport or a working ID. They’d logged his identity on the No Fly list, so there was nochance of him making it off the planet. Honestly, the fact that he’d been able to figure out a way to travel all the way to Landing Seven was impressive.
Yejun would expect nothing less from the man, though.
They’d spoken at length about things with Nix last night and had come to the conclusion that all evidence still pointed in Hendrix’s direction. Catching him meant they’d be able to force a confession out of him and take down whatever team of chemists he’d put together to create the poison, but he wasn’t any more of a threat than Demitrious was.
Less so, given the fact Hendrix didn’t have anyone left in his corner.
Hendrix had already lost everything. Even if he wanted to take them down for revenge, not only would he need to come all the way back here, he’d also need a means to do it. With all of his personal possessions and homes on lockdown and being watched by various government and Essential sources, there was no way he could gain access to the types of weapons he’d need. Certainly not more poison.
Sure, there was always the risk he’d get his hand on a blaster and come at them hot, but…Yejun didn’t want to live his life concerned over possibilities. Hell, he could step outside right now and get hit by a hovercar.
They were doing everything they could to ensure they stayed protected, and that was the best they could do. Nix had already promised not to go off on his own without telling them or allowing one of them to escort him, and that was enough to satisfy any lingering worry Yejun might have had.
“I haven’t heard anything from him,” Beck revealed, frowning at the photo of his father on the screen. “I’ve already reached out to all of his known contacts, but I’ll try again. He’s got a couple of friends in the area. Perhaps I can convince them to do what’s best and turn him in.”
