CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
"Thank you, Mister Rothschild." While Rhea expressed her deep veneration for Ives, she didn't know that the man she was addressing was undergoing a full on existential crisis as it dawned on him that the nightmare he had experienced was indeed real.
His eyes darted back and forth on a straight path as his mind raced to comprehend the new information he was now presented with especially concerning his mother.
'In those dead worlds, she was still alive. That means that those waves still exist. If she was meant to be alive this entailed that at one point or the other, Beelzebub's constant alterations created a world where she was no longer alive or the reverse might be the case.' Ives put the pieces together.
"Before you were born, I knew you and I know that allowing this woman to live would create a future where you meet a horrifying end." Beelzebub's warning to him resurfaced from the recesses of his memory.
'What is the order's real goal? How does Beelzebub or even I play into that?' Ives questioned himself as the weight of this new reality dawned on him, a world where the past can be tampered with for the pleasure of a crazed mind possessing a possibly immeasurable amount of wealth and power. And a terrifying brilliant mind to match it, one so brilliant he figured out a way to tamper with reality itself.
"You're welcome. Take care of your mother." Ives acknowledged Rhea's thanks before leaving in his car. Kaleb sat in the driver's seat alongside March who was quietly reading a book, the female colleague, Eva sat beside him in the passenger's seat typing something in a laptop she brought.
Ives somehow felt tense with them around, they were loyal followers of the order of the veiled initates. A cult like organisation which possessed tremendous influence and control over the power within Valkyren city and possibly beyond, full of intriguing and dangerous minds wielding god like power great enough not just to help them maintain their grip over their territories but also alter the very nature of the world itself.
This was a den of devils and if Ives decided to seek the truth, he might end up becoming their enemy.
'Was this the path to the horrifying end Beelzebub spoke of? If then did he know I would discover all this? What of those previous waves? Could it be possible that they might not be completely gone? Beelzebub referred to them as previous worlds and even said that he could only receive information from them but not the experience of his other selve. If then why am I remembering it. What of Rhea and could anyone else recall those other worlds? What makes us special? Can I save Mom?' The final thought is the one that held Ives in place far more than the others questions he tackled with, it presented him a reality where it was possible to revive the dead and regain what he had lost but what if doing so costs the lives of countless more worlds. Could he sacrifice that?
The day hadn't even reached its half point and he already felt tired, weighed down by the problems he now had to find a solution to. The answers he had to uncover and the difficult decisions he could have to make in the coming days.
"Focus on what you can control." Ives heard Eva address him directly without any noticeable reason for it.
"What?" He asked, surprised at her words which came at an unsettling moment especially when he was contemplating going against the order. A fellowship she is sworn to follow.
"I noticed you were spiraling so I gave you the words my father used to say to me whenever I can't find the answers to a difficult challenge.
'You don't to have all the answers now. Take things one step at a time and focus on what you can control'
As your bodyguard, I am also liable if anyone happens to you if you make a bad move so I cut that possibility by reminding you what's important. Forgive my insubordination, Mister Rothschild."
Ives tensed up even more, Eva had somehow sensed his inner turmoil despite him calmly sitting in place, facing away from them at the window without any visible form of unrest.
'This girl might be more terrifying than the rest.'
Ives knew the abilities of his two male acolytes but knew nothing of the only female in their group. A huge mistake if her abilities allowed her to view his most hidden intentions. Julio Arman betrayed the order and died a horrible death as the cabal used his life and family for a public display, how much more him.
"Thank you, Miss Eva. I will keep your suggestion in mind." Ives acknowledged her diligence.
"No worries, sir. We will be arriving at your building soon." Eva returned then continued on with her work.
Zeke met Ives with a smile wider than usual.
"Do you need so time to freshen up?" Zeke asked him as they walked together.
"No. Let's get down to business." Ives didn't want to waste a single time dealing with things he had no control over, the lure of business should be a sufficient distraction.
Ives and Zeke went up the elevator and stopped at the 48th floor where the conference room was.
There he met and shook the hands of two nerdy looking men possibly in their early twenties, they were there to present their newest innovation in hopes of convincing Ives of its investment potential.
"I'm waiting." Ives said to them.
They presented to him their brainchild, a form of wireless energy transmission that would allow them to transfer and extract energy from things over impossibly long distances using a unique frequency guide. This was basically teleportation and Ives viewed it with skepticism.
Until they handed him a phone showing another of their colleagues half a state away in front of a large device. He waved before pressing a button.
"Your phone, please." Zeke handed over a newly bought phone and the nerds placed a square piece over the phone and immediately it began charging. "It also works in reverse." They changed so settings and suddenly the phone began losing power, they even removed the square piece and the extraction continued almost as if the device had locked on perfectly to the phone's position.
"What are the applications?" Ives asked.
"Everything, Sir. Long distance supply of electricity without cables. It can even help in space travel by charging up the probes without solar panels. Then it's most best use. Endless energy, it can directly extract energy from the sun in huge quantities by creating a feedback loop."
This truly was incredible but they still needed to survive the final test.
"There are three things that makes an ideal profitable. One, it has to have consistent results that aren't up to chance. People don't buy products to gamble on whether or not they work sometimes. Two, it has give value. An advantage people are willing to pay for. Three, it has to be scalable, able to be turned into an affordable form that can be sold en mass not just to the wealthy group but regular folk. They are where the real profits lie. So tell me, Do you believe you invention can perfectly fit the three categories?" This question challenged them but their ultimate answer was a resounding yes.
"Zeke, get the legals ready. Then issue them a research grant of ten million and an ultimatum. Let them have this marketable by next year's end."
The nerds high-fived each other, their faces filled with pride.
"Yes sir. It will be done." Zeke responded.
"Make sure, all their claims are real. Get some experts you can trust to take a look at their device." Ives silently gave this order to Zeke, ensuring the nerds couldn't hear them.
"Right away, sir." Zeke accepted the task. All the remaining formalities were done and the nerds left, finally on a path to success. Ives hoped that it would stay that way for his sake as much as theirs.
"Our next engagement, sir." Zeke reminded him of his shareholder meeting with BlackRock firms.
"I haven't forgotten."
As Ives moved through the lobby, he remembered the previous wave where the Guang Union sleepers managed to reach this far into the city to blow part of his building up, there was no conflict or terror but the memories of that moment still lingered in his mind.
"Any problems, sir?" Zeke asked.
"No, everything's alright." He dismissed Zeke's worries, flabbergasted that somehow this people were seeing past his calm façade. He didn't know much of Eva but not nearly enough about Zeke to completely let his guards down with him. He had been loyal but with the order anything can change even time itself.
The meeting happened in OBSIDIAN DAWN, possibly the most luxurious hotel in Valkyren. Their conference hall was like a stadium, well furnished and comfortable for any sort of engagement.
The conference was virtual, BlackRock was a global conglomerate much like the one disassembled Zhou gin chemicals, meaning it was impossible for all their members to meet directly so the entire meetup was presented from a large screen while those present in Valkyren sat and wore headpieces, being to see the entire conference while also being able to participate if needed.
The meeting was mostly about the new dividend payout for the year, an election of directors and finally, addressing new environmental pressures concerning their numerous ventures and potential ways to address them.
Ives watched and never spoke up, he studied those present within the meeting and found many important figures sitted amongst those present. These giants dwarfed him in both wealth and status and he fell the urge well up within him to match them one day if possible.
The meeting went on for two hours before they concluded with a formal statement.
"Thank you for attending. Have a nice day."
Everyone stood and gave an applause then proceeded to shake the hands of those present, Ives interacted with those he shook, exchanging pleasantries and simple discussions. Most of them complemented him for achieving such status on his own at such a young age, many offered to introduce him to their daughters, nieces or relatives for matchmaking but Ives revealed he was already engaged with someone.
When the image of Selene appeared in his mind, Ives shook in angst that he had subconsciously accepted Selene as his main love interest despite not being ready to commit to her fully. She was just that impressionable and maybe she might be the perfect match if he was ever willing.
"Ives Rothschild, right?" He didn't need to recall the face of the owner of this voice, she left too much of an impression on him from the previous wave.
He turned to see the same mouth watering figure but now it had a face to it.
If he had to answer honestly, she looked like a matured version of Isolde save instead of a blonde hair. Hers had a silvery gleam and her eye colour matched that of her hair.
"Yes. That's me. And you?" Ives responded.
"Aldire Tell. Pleasure to meet the one who saved my dear Selene." She held out her right hand for a handshake but Ives took it and kissed it deeply.
"I'm sorry, what that might have done to you. Thankfully you weren't at the party or else Valkyren would have another precious gem."
"I actually was present to witness the whole thing, from the gore to the steamy finish between Selene and her lover, Marcus. In all honesty that was the only highlight of the party. My, I didn't know that finger sex could give a woman that much pleasure perhaps it was also partly thanks to the Exhibitionism added to the mix. Selene truly had a blast. Maybe now as the wielder of Beelzebub's Hollow body, you can engage in such play with her since she is your trophy."
Ives was caught off guard by her words but he understood what she meant by it.
She was egging him on, Ives studied her face for any sign of malice and found nothing on her tranquil expression only just a haughty look of clear indifference.
"Thank you but I don't feel comfortable talking about this. Good day."
Ives removed himself from her presence hoping to avoid whatever shenanigans the deer mask wanted to play.
"If you leave without my permission I will not be pleased."
Ives stopped in his tracks, alarmed by the fact that he might have to face another mask without his suit. He needed to find a way to make it more compact.
Aldire waited as Ives returned to continue their conversation.
"I apolo..." Aldire interrupted Ives.
"Regardless of whether or not I offended you, remember that I am still on a higher scale than you are both in the order and in society. Now answer, Did I offend you or not?"
There was now tension between them and Ives couldn't ignore it.
"Yes, you did." Ives said honestly.
"Good. I hate masks though I do love wearing them and what I love even more is finding new intriguing things to engage with and you, Ives are special because you are a man made out of masks. I wish to purchase you. How much?"