21. Blood and Wine

Mira let Gunny drive after he pleaded for a while and he eventually showed her his license as well. Mira could still not believe that he's old enough to do that, but she didn't think of him as someone who'd forge official documents. Gunny was thrilled to finally take the driver's seat and he raced his way to the cafe.

When they reached the location, they were in for a surprise. After the renovation, the entrance had become somewhat more open and therefore taller as well. There were ornate white metal chairs and tables outside as well as upstairs where there was an open cafe. It was decked with fairy lights and antique lamps. The entrance door also has been extended; earlier, two people could walk in together, now four could comfortably fit in. The interior was also largely changed. The concepts of the rooms remained but the rooms themselves had transformed into fairy worlds. The spiral staircase upstairs was covered with rice lights and it looked like a tree in the middle of the room. Mira and Gunny looked around.

Pama stood there talking to a handsome man with long hair; Mira could see only his side profile but he looked like Sive. Could it be? He looked even younger in this attire. Too young to be the father of a boy as old as Gunny or at least a boy his age according to his license. Mira nudged Gunny and walked to greet them both.

"Mira! How're you? Where's Kris? I've been looking for him ever since I reached here."

"I thought Kris must be here. He started before us."

"That's strange," said Pama, "Excuse me, I'll go and call him once."

"Hey dad", Gunny grinned.

"Hey there, champ. How's everything?"

"The situation is under control for now", he replied confidently.

"Hey guys," Pama came back, panic-stricken. "Come with me".

She guided them to the kitchen and from there to the backyard. It was quiet, considering the noise within.

"I just called Kris. He wasn't answering. I called Leibniz to check on him and I've got some bad news. Leibniz found Kris's car near the beach; we had put a tracker on his car, thinking something like this might happen. The keys were inside still, but he was missing. Leibniz checked the cctv and Kris was apparently drugged and kidnapped by some strange men. He seemed unconscious in the visuals. What do we do? "

" I'll handle this. You guys stay put. " Sive said.

" No, Sive, wait. This woman isn't normal. She's probably got some cards up her sleeve. Else how could she kidnap someone like Kris. You know his abilities, right. There's something fishy. She's not alone, I think. "

" Dad, as much as I hate to agree, I think she's right. We need to think this through. "

" Okay. I guess you're right. Call Leibniz over. The more, the better in situations such as these. "

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Kris opened his eyes; the room was swimming in blue and purple lights. There was an enormous love-bed in the room. If he didn't know better, he'd have thought this to be some shady love motel. He smirked.

"What gave it away?" A silky smooth male voice asked from somewhere in the room.

"Let me see.... Bad taste?" Kris mocked him.

"You're the one to speak? You could have made this easier, but no, you had to go to the council. You forced my hands, Krsna. Ooh. Do I call you that? Or should I stick to the alias? Kris Nadet, is it?"

The man laughed.

"Then what do I call you? Rhamnus or... Argus Alexopoulos?"

"Very clever, Kris. I see that you've caught on. Why don't we cut to the chase? I need to keep Helen happy. With her, I'm going to bring this council down. She's a brilliant tool when it comes to the hateful condition called masculinity. She's the right kind of disease for the fickle chromosome pairs."

The room changed to show golden interiors with heavy, ornate furnitures and lights. It seemed like a room with its own midnoon sun because of the many golden reflections.

"Strange, Rhamnus. You call men fickle, yet you have chosen to be a man? For the longest of time you were a woman. It doesn't even make sense anymore — your words and your actions. They don't tally. Moreover, what the hell does it have to do with me? Why have you been targeting me? "

"Didn't you hear me properly? This has to do everything with you. I need to keep Helen content and Helen... Wants you. So I need you to make her happy. As simple as that."

"Do you even know how insane you sound right now? Come on, Rhamnus, you don't have to play her games. If you want me to help you, I will. But her, I have deep suspicion of, and therefore I cannot trust at all. Quit doing such crazy things."

"Too late, Krsna. She's already on her way to meet her next sweetheart. Just you wait. Haha."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"So, I've traced Kris's phone and found its location. Coincidence or not, it's in GRCHMA." Leibniz told the group as soon as he met them.

"What else do you know?" Sive asked.

"The exact location is the new Chairman's chamber, and that man is someone who has quietly climbed to the top of the ladder in less than 12 months. Don't you think it's suspicious? He was appointed the head because he was one of those rare people whose direct lineage could be traced. And he belongs to the family of Oceanus. That's like an older-than-Zeus sort of family tree, so naturally, he had a say everywhere. Thus, he made his connections and reached the chamber where Kris's phone is, within a very short span of time. "

"Hmm. Oceanus.. Oceanus.. What is it that I'm forgetting..?" Sive wondered.

"Dad, we need to act quickly", Gunny reminded.

"Yes, let's head to the council office. I'll go with Pama, you and Leibniz see if you can enter without the security noticing you, and trace your way to the chamber. Mira, can you please stay here and manage the situation?"

"But.." Mira wanted to help too. She wanted to go to Kris as soon as possible. She wouldn't be able to stay here quietly, worrying about him.

"Please Mira?" Pama insisted.

Mira braced herself.

Just then Arabella walked in. "Hey, you!"

"Okay, guys, go on. I'll stay back." Mira turned back to Bella and went to greet her.