Chapter 25: Down at the Bottom

Loveless tried to quiet her labored breathing while hiding in the bramble. Four days had passed since the end of the Millenia Derby and after an embarrassing defeat to a young girl in a newsie cap Loveless found herself abandoned. She knew that being under the White Horizon would make communications with up above near impossible but at the very least she had expected someone to come retrieve her. Her Vessel, ‘The Wings of Leo’ was completely out of commission and acted as a base of operations for the crew, who had grown tired and hungry. 

She believed her prayers for rescue were finally answered as she watched as a group of Gawain’s approached their vessel. Loveless came to the edge of the ship, joining the cheering crew who were excited to finally have help.

“Praise Leopold for bestowing such a blessing. I knew our suffering would bring us redemption!” Loveless cheered, clasping her wrinkly hands together. “We are eternally grateful! Please, many of my crewmembers are hurt and-”

Before the final words left Loveless lips, one of her crew members flew backwards at an alarming speed. It happened in an instant, one of the Gawain’s flew past her, slamming its silver coated green fist into another crew member and sending them flying. Loveless rushed back to their bodies but found each with gaping holes in their chests.

“What the Hell are you doing?” Loveless screeched.

When she turned many more Gawain had entered the ship and started slaughtering the crew left and right. Loveless channeled the small amount of Suffering Energy she had left and quickly launched herself away from the situation and out of The Wings of Leo. Unfortunately for her it was not far enough to be completely safe as there was still a group of Gawain’s on the ground. She kept using her energy to push them back, attacking their heads made of branches and leaves, but she was overwhelmed as they kept approaching like mindless zombies. She found herself backed into a thick tree trunk and the Gawain’s were closing the distance.

Once they were close enough Loveless gave a weak smile. “All those people you toy soldiers hurt, do you know how much suffering you’ve provided me?”

The Gawain’s did not notice but energy from the murdered crew was pouring out from the Wings of Leo and into Loveless. The deep blue energy surrounded her like a glowing aura and after clasping her hands together for a quick prayer, let the energy burst out in all directions creating a huge explosion. Once the smoke settled the small army of Gawain’s dropped lifelessly to the ground. For a fleeting moment she was happy to be alive but she knew at this point she was completely spent and defenseless.

“A good effort as expected, Deaconess.” A voice called out.

The smoke from the explosion filled the area but Loveless could still make out the body of someone approaching her, walking over the green bodies strewn about. As the smoke cleared Loveless was able to see the man for what he was. A handsome man with emerald green eyes and a matching cloak, with two long antennae poking out from his coiffed orange hair.

Loveless coughed, while laughing. “You must have been sent by the Ministry. I apologize for the damage but those Gawain’s were running rampant. Were you not properly trained on controlling-”

“You are correct, Deaconess Loveless.” The man replied, continuing to walk towards her. “I work for a higher authority. Your failure here has been deemed unfortunate and a blemish that must now be corrected.”

“Bullshit!” Loveless spat, scowling at him. “A minor set back like this isn’t worth extermination, if you just spoke with-”

“I was told to relay a message.” He interjected coldly. “Your work for the expansion of the Ministry into the roots has been appreciated. Your years of research both above and below the clouds cannot be understated. We will be sure to use anything you’ve discovered for our future endeavors on the roots.”

He paused for a moment, watching Loveless’ face. She clearly wanted to yell, blame him for lying but something stopped her. Deep down something was keeping her from speaking up, as if she knew it was all true. The man was now only a few feet away from her, stopping in his tracks.

“She did want me to tell you one thing. The reason for your failure is that after all this time you still couldn’t come up with an original idea.”

Loveless’ bones cracked and her body ached as she slowly stood to her feet. Her weary eyes could barely stay open as she looked at him. She tightened her fists and without a drop of suffering energy left lunged in his direction. He didn’t raise his arms, nor did he move his feet. Instead as Loveless jumped at him his humanoid face twisted and contorted to that of an insect and his mandibles separated to reveal a maw that snapped into Loveless’ body. Her carcass lay on the ground in two halves, as blood and entrails poured out.

The Bug Man’s face twisted back and he brought a hand to his mouth to wipe away the lingering blood. He looked down at the motionless Gawain’s and closed his eyes. On his back, underneath his cloak a dull orange light glowed and the same glow shone from the tips of his antennae. Within seconds each of the fallen green knights rose to their feet as if nothing happened. Each of them fell in line following the Bug Man as they left the bramble clearing, leaving behind the bodies of Deaconess Loveless and everyone who worked for her.

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“You call this a spread?” An old man grumbled as he sat down..

He and six other elderly men sat around a large oaken table, stuffing their faces with pastries. They were the Lancaster Foundation Investors, a group of men who use their combined financing to help the Foundation with their endeavors and as a trade off expect exceptional returns on their investment.. 

“I’ve been saying for years that Dupree was unfit for the role.” A different man, with a thick beard spoke. “He has half the wits of his aunt and he’s a shadow of the businessman his father once was. And when I started with the foundation I worked for his grandfather and-”

“Yes we know.” Another man interjected, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “But this does not change our situation. The Millenia Derby project was a disaster, an absolute failure. Casualties, injuries-”

“And don't forget the Ministry!” Another man said. “Deaconess Loveless has been missing since the race ended and we’ll need to give answers eventually. I mean, she has to be dead right? Can’t we say the race was too much for her, isn’t she nearly a century old?”

The men, all elderly themselves and way past their prime years guffawed in unison to the remark. A man standing near the window spoke up.

“It’s been nearly two months since the end of the race, at this point we can’t give an answer like that. The public is going to expect someone to fall for this, just like the White Expedition, why not let it be him?”

“Because without me you’re nothing.” a younger voice cut in.

The elderly men whipped around in unison to the door and their already pale faces turned a shade whiter. While laughing and scheming they failed to notice Dupree Lancaster himself standing in the doorway. As if their complaining and gossipping summoned him.

“Mr. Lancaster, apologies we did not see you and-”

“Save it.” Dupree said as he walked to sit at the head of the table. “Since you’ve already started without me, why don’t we get this meeting of the board underway?”

While a Lancaster family member was always the face of the brand, the Investors held considerable weight as far as running the company went. The Lancaster Foundation Investor board was created by Dupree’s great grandfather to have a fair way to oversee things done by the foundation. In truth it was an idea suggested by Dupree’s father to keep his famously alcoholic grandfather from pissing away the family’s fortune on cheap women and even cheaper alcohol. As time passed the council’s power and influence grew but every so often the current family head would need to remind everyone who was really in charge.

“So as you were saying, I agree that this event was not our greatest outing. Public polling over the last week has shown that support for the foundation has dropped nearly twenty five percent.”

“A-And the Ministry, how do we handle them?” One of the men chimed in. Dupree simply smiled and continued.

“Of course with the winning team along with Deaconess Loveless missing we really are in a bind in every direction. For the Foundation to move forward from this controversy sacrifices need to be made.”

The silence in the conference room was so heavy that a crumb falling to the floor sounded like a dropped boulder. The investors each shot glances at one another until someone finally spoke up.

“Well I think I speak for everyone when I say that a decision like this is quite mature and the right way to move forward, your leadership is respected as always Mr. Lancaster.”

“I’m glad you agree.” Dupree replied with a smile. “That is why with a heavy heart I will be announcing in a press conference today the disbanding of the Lancaster Foundation, effective immediately.”

The men rose into an uproar yelling and screaming expletives in Dupree’s direction before he was able to quiet them down enough to speak over the yelling.

“I appreciate that many of you worked with myself and my relatives for such a long time. When my family first rose to the upper echelon of these roots we did not have so many people making decisions like today. It’s time to return to those ways for the good of my family and this world.” 

Dupree then snapped his fingers and in walked a group of women holding silver platters carrying folders filled with papers.

“Each of you will willingly agree to step down and once you sign you will receive a check for what I believe is a fair severance package. In the documents you’ll sign you will find a gag order of-”

“This is bullshit!” One of the Investors yelled, slapping away the tray. “The Millenia Derby was your idea! You begged and campaigned it to us for years even though we knew it was a waste of resources and now that it’s proven true you’re placing the blame on us and sending us away with a measly check? I’m not signing a damn thing Dupree, you’ll hear from my lawyers and-”

“Shut. Up.”

Those two words cut the entire room down to size and Lancaster’s eyes matched his serrated tone.

“You decrepit misers have been feeding off my family’s name for decades. All you do is sit around collecting checks and living with a false sense of self importance when it is I who has the family’s blood running through my veins.”

Dupree rose to his feet and walked over to one of the women and grabbed papers from the folder.

“This contract and ‘measly’ check is more of a courtesy than any of you deserve. Each of you have enough skeletons in your closet to fill a root’s worth of cemeteries. You signing this and walking away guarantees that your names won’t be dragged through the mud for worse mistakes than financing a failed competition. Now each of you will sign these forms, take these checks and piss off into obscurity until you’re a meal for the earth, is that understood?”

The room was once again silent as the men all passed glances to one another. Without a word each member grabbed their contract and signed with no further debate or fuss. As they signed a slow clap filled the large meeting room. Everyone turned, including Dupree, to the now open window where a young woman sat on the sil.

She wore a powder blue lacy petticoat that matched her eyes paired with a puffy blouse. Her dress was adorned with sparkling gems and perfectly crimped frills. Her skin was fair as porcelain, protected from the sun by the large pink and white umbrella she propped against her shoulder. Her hair formed golden ringlets, propped on her shoulders and she gave a sickly sweet smile.

The entire room looked at the unknown girl with confusion but Dupree recognized her instantly and felt his blood run cold. Trying his best to keep his voice from shaking he demanded that everyone quickly sign and clear the room, to which they complied without a second thought. Once the room was empty Dupree rushed to lock the door to avoid any unnecessary interruptions.

“Miss MiMi!” Dupree exclaimed with a sheepish grin, rushing over to sit in a chair. “I did not expect a visit from you today, to what do I owe the pleas-”

“Does that make you proud?” She asked, unmoving from the window.

“I’m sorry?”

“Flaunting your power, your family name. Does it make you proud?”

Dupree didn’t know how to answer but was positive that silence wasn’t it. Instead he blurted a few nervously strung together thoughts that eventually culminated in saying he was proud of his family name and the work they’ve done.

“Interesting.” Mimi replied, leaving the windowsill and sauntering over to sit on the table. “If I came from an incestuous bloodline I don’t know how proud I’d be regardless of where my lineage began.”

She gave another sweet smile to Dupree, juxtaposing her vicious words and he had no other option than to fidget and smile back weakly.

“Well let’s get to brass tacks shall we? Your little minions weren’t wrong, this whole event was a disaster and Deaconess Loveless is now dead.”

All the color drained from Dupree’s face when she heard MiMi’s last words. “She…She’s dead?”

“Mhm.” Mimi nodded. “Consider yourself lucky that you aren’t a victim of the same fate.”

“But I fixed it! I fired the council and I have plans to get back in the public’s good graces. You see, I have a plan for another event. This time it will be a one man journey, an excursion up the stalk and I can finally-”

“I’m sure.” She interrupted, reaching into her small purse to pull out a lollipop. “But you and I both know that won’t be happening. Your job is to handle public perception down here. Your aunt did it, your daddy did it, his daddy did it, his daddy’s…you get the picture. If the Ministry is not respected by the people then what good is your branch of the family being left alive?”

“Oh please! Please!” Dupree leapt from his seat and kneeled at Mimi’s feet dangling from the table. “I know this was a disaster and I failed but if you give me one more chance I can turn this all around, I promise!”

Mimi looked down at Dupree like a farmer to a pig on its way to the slaughter. He was disheveled, blubbering like a beaten child. She moved the lollipop around in her mouth before kicking her feet at Dupree, causing him to scurry back to his seat. She sighed while digging back into her clutch.

“Well lucky for you, some very important people agree.” 

She pulled out a large box that seemed impossible to fit in her tiny purse and placed it on the table beside her. She then walked back to the window, standing inside it with her umbrella clutched.

“You will clean yourself up and give your press conference announcing the dissolvement of the Lancaster Foundation. After that you will also reveal a new invention that you were waiting until after the Derby to unveil.”

Dupree shuffled over to where the box was, standing to open it. Inside seemed to be another box with a square glass screen in the center. 

“What is it? A fancy radio?” Dupree asked, wiping away his tears.

“A new invention courtesy of the Deacons and Deaconesses in the Custerdome, for now you can call it a ‘Screen Box.’ We’ll be back in a month’s time with more information, so for now keep any answers you give related to it vague.”

Without so much as a goodbye or an opportunity for Dupree to ask anymore questions she leapt from the window. She floated down gracefully with the help of her pastel parasol leaving Dupree alone to ponder his new piece of technology.

Moments after landing safely on the ground, she found herself next to a buggy with a young girl in a suit standing outside ready to open the door. Mimi greeted the girl warmly, patting her curly white hair before entering the vehicle. The child made her way to the front of the buggy, fixing her goggles to prepare to drive.

“How was the meeting mum?” The young girl asked.

“A bore as always.” Mimi replied, pulling veneers from her mouth and revealing jagged, broken teeth. “I’ll never understand how anyone could live amongst the filth of these roots.”

“It’s only a fifteen minute drive to the clearing and we have a blimp ready to return us to the Upper Stalk.”

“Fantastic,” She replied, reaching into her purse to pull out a small pouch of Glintshard. “I’m sure Golden Boy has another mission for us, but before we go to the dome, we should make a quick stop at the factory.”

“Wouldn't you rather go to Sweet Street?” The sheepish driver asked.

“I’ll see enough of Gina’s face at the tournament in a few months.” Mimi sighed, looking up at the sky out the window. “Besides I’m sure you’d love a quick visit with your sisters, right Dozy?”

Mairzy smiled, fastening her goggles tightly. “As you wish mum, first destination Wool Works.”

The buggy coughed out a few puffs of smoke before sputtering away from the tall building, leaving behind a grateful yet confused Dupree preparing himself to somehow polish his newly tainted image.

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To Be Continued

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