After getting home and eating a comically large dinner, Briggs and Sali ended the day with a talk. Well, talk was a bit of an overstatement as it was more like a one sided admonishment…
"Do you understand how dangerous it was for you to head out on your own in this city? It's okay to rebel while we are at the lodge since there aren't many people around and I can track you pretty easily, but here, you could actually get lost and I wouldn't be able to find you…", Briggs paced around and tried his best to keep a level tone.
"Then there is the fact that the police could have found you all alone. With your accent, it would be easy for them to realize that you are not a native. If the police noticed and found you wandering, they could have taken you in and tried to find your family. I handled everything by putting you on my registry but there are ways for the De Montes to track...", he went on for a full thirty minutes. Going into detail about everything Salimoon did wrong. Salimoon tried to pay attention but Briggs' point was getting lost.
The gist of it was that she was reckless and now, all of her expeditions outside of the house would have to be supervised. That would put a hamper on the things that Briggs wanted to accomplish but there was nothing that he could do about it. Sali showed that she could not be trusted to be on her own anymore.
Briggs even made a comparison of her from the last few years to the current her, "...and that brings me to my evaluation of you Salimoon. You are too impulsive and childish despite the age that you said you were. How are you acting like this when you are supposed to be older than me? I mean…", not stopping for another thirty minutes as he talked about her character.
The talk was only interrupted by a call that Brigg excused himself to take. Sali didn't want to overhear but as he walked away, she picked up some details on Brigg's side of the conversation.
"The move went smoothly, even smoother than last year because I am familiar with the area now. Yeah, we are in the city rather than in the lodge. Free huh. Tomorrow might be good. I'll give you a call in the morning to go over the details…", Briggs moved into his office on the first floor and closed the door behind him so Sali couldn't overhear with her sharp senses.
'He's either speaking to the realtor lady or a business associate. He's been making a lot of those for his brokerage business. I believe he went out to meet some of those people on some of the days that he trusted me enough to stay home alone,' Sali knew that other than when they were at the lodge, Briggs gave her a lot of trust and freedom so that she didn't feel the need to break it. Then she scoffed to herself as realization hit her.
'It's not trust that I lost with Briggs. It's respect. He has been training me to be stealthy and I got caught right out the gate. Then there is the fact that I wasn't brave enough to leave this house until I understood some of the language,' Sali pursed her lips in thought.
"I mean, where would I have gone? I didn't know Polish well enough to have a conversation or read directions when we first moved out here so there was nowhere for me to go other than stay home,' she rolled her eyes as she put all of her errant thoughts aside. She jogged upstairs to the second floor and hopped in the shower to wash away her guilt and shame.
'This is the only convenient thing about having a male body, I don't have to cover my whole body with a towel,' She wore a towel around her waist and exhaled violently as she took stock of her six pack and hard chest. She worked for it, sure, but for her age, it was simply impossible to appear to be this developed. With a frown, she turned on the tv in her room on the third floor. She got dressed and watched some news as she did so.
According to the international station, the newest war in the world, that had started in the middle continent, was ramping up to the point where the nations were calling it a potential third world war. The news casters speculated that the war was about ideological differences or Oil, but Sali knew that it was the blowback of what occurred at her family's compound. Such a violent war would serve as a crucible to test her family and the foreign soldiers that were using the De Monte family medications as performance enhancing drugs. Sooner or later the war would reach a crescendo and following lull. That would be the most dangerous time for her as the De Montes and governments responsible for the invasion on her family compound would be interested in finding her if they haven't already shifted focus. She went to sleep listening to the news, having developed the food- itis that dictated that someone was sleepy after a good meal.
'Alright, today we will get somewhere. Hopefully…', the next day, Sali woke up with a bright attitude as she shedded her pajamas and pulled out a startling outfit from her closet and dresser.
"Hopefully, huh. Hm, let's see if Briggs is alright with doing things related to my quest," Sali got dressed and ready to head outside. She caught Briggs in the living room with his shirt off doing some reps on an ab trainer. He had weights in his hands that he kept over his head for some added difficulty.
"Morning," Briggs turned his head and noticed his "daughter" in white jeans and a short pink, purple, and blue tie dye tee.
"I see you want to go outside today," Briggs finished his reps as he spoke, letting nothing stop him from the morning routine that only seemed to get easier with each passing day thanks to the blood contract that he was under. As Sali's upper level increased, so did his potential and as he pressed it, Sali would once again become filled with strength. It was a feedback loop of power that would only end when one of them stopped pressing their own physical boundaries.
"I do, can you get ready quickly?"
"I can. But it depends. How do you want to handle your quest? Do you want to subdue or destroy the HENS in this city?"
Briggs continued his reps, counting in his head until he hit 100 for the third time.
"About that, I've been giving it some thought and the quest specifically said filth…", Sali sat down on the couch and placed one leg over the other.
"HENS isn't very specifically filth since it offers some premium services at a discount for those that can't afford it, like health care. So at most, it's an annoyance or upsetting element to this world. With that, I think the Filth of Hajnówka is something very specific to me or at least, my sensibilities," Sali pressed a finger to her lip in thought.
"Oh, like what," Brigg slowed his movement, moving deliberately to make the workout burn more.
"I was thinking that maybe the Filth of the city is something like human or organ trafficking. Or something to do with children since It used to be my priority," Sali revealed a bomb that Briggs wasn't entirely prepared for.
"Oh. I see," Briggs said.
"Yup, pretty much every country has it but there is something that I find very upsetting about just taking people from their families and lives just to profit or pad one's pockets," Sali reasoned.
"Why do you think that is the case? I can think of at least three things that are worse than trafficking," Briggs frowned but didn't mention what was on his mind since it made him sick to his stomach upon remembering the details of some jobs that forced him to interact with an unsavory sort.
"I came to this conclusion because of those kids. They tried to capture me and had someone that they were going to bring me to. For money or respect according to what they were whispering," Sali was reminded of her own son from her original life and frowned just as if not deeper than Briggs. She would have lost her shit if he was ever harmed or taken. Now she could only hope that her husband, Gilly, could take care of their baby boy by himself. He was a solid man, a good man, so she wasn't worried it was just…
"Why are you crying," Briggs paused his situps and furrowed his brows.
"Sorry, I was just thinking of my past. Before I became a champion to the gods," Sali said.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really, I just miss my kid and husband. I just can't see them since they live in another world. I think," Sali wiped the tears that she didn't know were falling and crossed her arms.
"I, believe I understand," Briggs finished his last few reps with an odd expression on his face..
"Personal feelings aside, I want to head out and track the lead that my system is pointing to," she said as she subconsciously opened up the quest tab on her system. Whenever she was in the quest tab, there was a numbered golden line in her vision that led toward a distant location, (1.a) and (1.b). She suspected that the line diverged as she got closer to her targeted location but since she was so far away, they seemed to be overlapping into one line.
"I'm almost done, I just have ten more to do. I also want you to know that we're not going to track your quest just yet. Probably, we might not even get to it today since there is something that I need to do today and a few things that I need to purchase and then make," Briggs finished his final set and wiped down the sweat covered workout gear with a clean rag and spray. He folded the equipment and placed it in a corner of the living room so it was not intrusive.
Briggs then took a quick shower and dressed in dress pants and a loose fitting collared long sleeve that had buttons a quarter up the chest He hadn't drunk any of Sali's blood after their last bout in the cabin's gym so he was covered in fresh scars that had turned into white lines and patches all over his body. He used the sleeves to hide them.
"Where are we going and are we taking the truck?"
"Don't worry about it and no, we aren't since the places that we have to go to aren't that far," Briggs led the way outside and locked the door to their house behind Salimoon. The two walked in relative silence for about forty five minutes as they took in the streets and passerby. They walked fast, covering distance as if they were jogging. They ended up over at a street corner where there were many cars heading into and out of a parking lot across the street.
After about ten minutes, Sali got bored and asked, "So, what or who are we waiting for?"
"I made plans to eat with someone for brunch so we are waiting for her to show up before the reservation time," Briggs said.
"And what time is that?"
Just as Briggs was about to start speaking, he smiled, placed a finger up as if to gesture that he needed time, and walked into the parking lot after a car that drove in.
"She's here, give me a moment," Briggs left Salimoon and opened the driver side of the car for someone. A beautiful and short woman with shoulder length hair and thick bangs that framed her face stepped out of the car with a smile and allowed Briggs to take her hand and help her. She wore light blush and lipstick that enhanced her already formidable beauty.
"Ah. I see. It's the realtor lady," Sali nodded a few times as she realized that her "Father" brought her to be a wingman on a date.
"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner but I brought my daughter, I couldn't find a sitter," Briggs guided Taylor over with a wary look on his face as he brought her to the entrance of the parking lot where Salimoon waited.
"That's okay, where is she?"
Briggs coughed and pointed to the tall and muscular child that waved toward them. Taylor looked at Salimoon and couldn't hide her surprise as she nearly tripped over in her heels.
'What the heck?! Is this the same little girl? How? She looks so grown,' she blinked a few times then looked at Briggs in stupefaction. It's been a few years since she had seen the Salimoon but she had grown at more than ten times her peers. It was to the point where she had never seen anything like it.
"Little Moon, It's nice to see you again. My name is Taylor if you don't remember me. We met once a while ago. You grew up very fast, my goodness," Taylor reached out a hand to shake it with the child.
"Yeah, I think it's my first growth spurt. And I remember you. Even if I forgot I have been constantly reminded of your name because of how often Briggs talks about you," Salimoon shook and smiled slightly, she liked being called Moon, it sounded smoother than being called Sali. Maybe she should consider changing her nickname.
"First? Haha, he talks about me, does he?"
Taylor looked a bit perturbed, thinking, "Why does she call her dad by their last name? I would get it if she called him Charlie but it's weird. Are they distant despite living with each other?"
"Only good things, I swear. And we believe it's her first growth spurt because her mother went through the same thing when she was young. Apparently, she grew quickly compared to other children her age. If Sali is anything like her, god rest her soul, my baby girl will grow up just as fast," Briggs chimed in and held Taylor's hand as he led her to the front entrance of a building with a fancy sign. It was a Sunday morning so the building, which was a diner, was respectably full. Briggs did not stand on the line that had formed and walked directly up to the front desk.
"Im here for a table of three. The reservation should be under Charlie Briggs. I called in yesterday and placed a deposit over the phone," Briggs spoke sharply and with authority which overwhelmed the 20 something year old at the front. The poor young man went through his notebook and nodded.
"Yes, of course Mr. Briggs. Your table is ready, please, follow her," the young man called over a waitress that was walking by and had her lead the group through the restaurant. She grabbed a handful of menus from the front desk before she led them.
Upon entering the veranda section, Sali noticed that there were only a handful of cloth covered tables and each one had a vase full of flowers. There were blooming vines covering railings just outside of the windows and potted plants covering each wall inside. Almost all of the tables were empty as it seemed they were only available by reservation since they each had a card on the table that said whether they were reserved or not and at what time. There was an old couple with snow white hair and liver spots sitting in a corner sharing their food at a table for two but they were the only other people in the veranda location.
"This is where you are seated this morning madam and sirs. Please enjoy your dining experience today, your server will be here shortly," the woman led them to a table just off center in the room as she placed the menus down in three different spots. She picked up the plaque that has Briggs name and the time that he said his party would be in.
"Thank you," Briggs addressed the young lady then pulled out a chair for Taylor.
"Thank you Briggs," she placed her purse on the back of the chair after Briggs moved away. He sat across from her. Sali immediately looked at the menu and got to choosing what she wanted in her head.
"This is a nice place," Taylor took in the floral decorations and smiled as she inhaled.
"It is. It is also close to our home if you can believe it. Hah, I'm sorry for choosing this spot over the many that were closer to your place. I saw that you got another rental based on the plates," Briggs slightly frowned as he spoke. He thought about how he inconvenienced Taylor and it brought him heartache.
"No. This place is not that far from me actually, and I didn't get a rental because of you. My newest client lives outside the city, like you, for most of the year and she's pretty old so I need to be able to travel," Taylor smiled and didn't add that the old woman often called her over because of loneliness and just wanted someone to talk to. A few moments later, as Briggs and Taylor laughed off the awkwardness, a different young man came by with a tray full with glasses and a carafe of lemon and cucumber filled water. Service was fast and dedicated apparently. This young man was handsome and put together as he professionally placed the waters down.
"Hello to you all. My name is Sven and I will be your server today. I have water here for now but…", Sven placed the tray under his arm and pulled out a notepad.
"If you would like something else to drink please let me know," Sven flashed a smile, showcasing his pearly white teeth.
"I'm okay with the water for now," Taylor said.
"As am I thank you," Briggs nodded along.
"I would like a big vase or bottle of orange juice," Sali interjected before Sven could proceed to his next prepared statement or question.
"I will do just that young man," Sven nodded.
"I'm a woman Sven," Sali stared at the young man in his eyes and didn't back down even though the moment felt tense.
"I see. Forgive me then young lady," Sven cleared his throat.
"Would you like me to stay while you're all deciding your appetizers or entrees or do you all still need a minute or two? I suggest our chef's special omelette if you are having a hard time deciding what you want," The young man waited for anyone's response only for Salimoon to take him by surprise yet again.
"I want a couple of things," Sali smiled deviously.
"I am prepared to serve you, young lady, tell me what you desire," Sven, ready to make up for his faux pas, stared at his notepad like a soldier at the forefront of his legion against a horde.
"Ahem, I want the sunrise special, two orders of waffles, these two," Sali pointed to two waffle orders, one said that it was served with fresh wild berries while the other was served with bananas and a chocolate drizzle.
"Then I want the steak and eggs, the yogurt delight, and the egg white omelet with bacon, sausage, and cheese," Sali said what she was in the mood for. The entire time Briggs didn't bat an eye as he surfed the menu for his items.
"Alright," the young man wrote everything down and was about to place the notepad away, thinking that the boy's, ahem, the girls, parents allowed her to order for the table when…
"I would like an order of belgian pancakes, another steak and eggs, and an omelet with spinach, mushrooms, and onion. For our food, you can bring it out as it's ready. You don't have to wait to bring everything," Briggs grabbed Sali's menu and passed them both back to the Sven.
"Are you sure that you want all of that?"
Sven gulped as he placed the menus under his arm.
"Yes, we are sure," Briggs nodded with a smile that now seemed somewhat monstrous.
"Madam, is there anything you would like or do their order cover you," Sven asked with hesitation. Taylor suddenly cleared her throat and took a sip of water to calm her nerves as she rationalized why Briggs and Salimoon would order so much.
'They probably want to bring some home to eat later,' she thought. Taylor passed Sven her menu with a blush.
"I would like to have the chefs special," she locked onto the cutlery that was wrapped in cloth. Sven's surprise was replaced by a professionalism not typically seen in someone as young as him as he wrote everything down and retreated with a smile.
"Madam, would you like to have that come out as soon as it's prepared or would you like to wait until everything else is on the table?"
"I can wait until all of their food is out," Taylor said. Sven nodded and headed to the kitchen.
"So, little Moon, have you started school?"
"I'm homeschooled. Briggs is a good teacher, or at least he's good at getting teaching material. I learned how to speak and read Polish in a few months," Sali drank some water and smiled. There was a refreshing tinge that came from good water.
"How's your work been? Briggs told me that you have been out on your own for the last few years," Sali somewhat lied. Briggs hadn't told her anything regarding Taylor, she had just overheard him speaking with her on multiple occasions and pieced together some information about Taylor's life for the most part over the last few months that she had been able to understand. This was practically the only piece of information that she knew about Taylor.
"It is going very well, I sold 7 homes this year and I'm in the process of finalizing an 8th. Work aside, where are you two originally from," Taylor couldn't help but ask.
"We are from England. At least, I am. Sali was born in South America but her mother was from North Africa," Briggs smiled from where he sat and sipped his water.
The three sat in the restaurant and talked like a family would, talking about things that didn't matter as if it did and easily shifted to serious topics as though it were second nature. There was a smile on Taylor's face throughout the whole conversation, only falling when Briggs basically refused to talk about his Salimoon's mother, God rest her soul. The most that she had gotten was that she tragically passed when Salimoon was born.
"So why Salimoon? That's a rather peculiar name," Taylor suddenly said.
"Well. Her mother initially wanted Luna but I wanted Sally to pay respect to the grandmother that raised me so we compromised," Briggs said. Taylor nodded in surprise, and was about to ask another question when the first round of food came out.
"Here you go sir and young lady. Ma'am, your food will be out shortly," Sven placed four plates on the table, nearly filling the available space.
"That looks good," Taylor spoke with a laugh as she admired what was on the plates.
"Do you want some?"
Brigg's and Salimoon's voices overlapped for a moment as they unwrapped their utensils. They both had two plates so it was easy to separate their food and give her some.
"No, no. I have my own, please, enjoy," she smiled as the two nodded seriously. She was then surprised to see that all of the food vanished in the father and daughter duo's mouths like they were black holes voraciously consuming the matter around them.
"I should have ordered another plate or two," Briggs touched his vacuous stomach and frowned as the two meals that he ordered practically did nothing to satiate him.
"That's why I got six different things you fool," Sali laughed at Briggs' despair.
"Are you sure that you can eat more than what you have already ordered though," Taylor looked a bit bemused. At some point, she realized that this father daughter pair really could pack away their food.
"Yes I can, but I don't want to put Sven through the wringer so I will deal with my hunger," Briggs sighed as Sven brought out a few more plates.
It was stunning to Taylor how Briggs and Salimoon finished their meals at the same time as her despite having many times more food. Sali specifically. Taylor couldn't fathom how that little girl was built to be able to eat so much as Sven brought out the last two of her dishes after she and Charlie finished their own food.
"I could go for dessert," Salimoon finished her last meal, the omelet, and tapped her stomach.
"Hm. So could I. What about you Taylor? Do you want something to end our meal," Briggs perked up at the suggestion.
"I could go for something, yes," She blushed at the mention of more food. She could, in fact, eat another meal with how hungry she was since she skipped dinner last night and breakfast this morning in expectation of this brunch meeting. Sven came by not even a few moments later, like clockwork as he logged in the tempo at which the family of three packed away their food.
"Sorry to bother you Sven but we would like to place another order," Briggs said.
"It's no bother at all sir, do you need the menus again or…", Sven paused for a moment to leave the question open ended.
"Do you need the menu," Briggs tapped Taylor's hand and asked with a look of worry.
"No, I know what I want," She placed a hand on top of his and nodded.
"Then Sven, can I order a coffee, light and sweet with a whole pound cake," Briggs ordered first.
"Of course. And for you madam?"
"Coffee, black with two shots of espresso and macaroons," Taylor ordered.
"Young lady?"
"I just want a sundae," Salimoon said. While they all waited Briggs and Taylor continued to talk and got to know each other better. They had talked over the phone for years now but this was their first time meeting in person in a few months so it was as if they were making up for lost time.
Salimoon, being an adult, knew when to interject and support her "father", making the weirdness that she was so big seem like a distant memory. After two and a half hours since being seated, the family of two said their goodbyes to Taylor as she got in her car and headed off.
"That was nice. She's nice, you should talk to her more, go out again sometime soon. Preferably, without me so it's more of a date," Sali elbowed Briggs in the side after Taylor's rented car turned the corner down the street.
"I should? I could. But I will keep our meetings as short and as few as possible. I have you to worry about. And your family. Not to mention those other champions. What if they found us or if those champions suddenly decide to oust you from their group and there is a fight? I couldn't put her through that. It is fine enough that we can meet as friends like this," Briggs sighed heavily.
"Alright then. Are we going to start looking into my quest now or is there something else that you wanted to do?"
"We have to head to the store and buy a few things as I've said before, follow me," Briggs walked for another twenty minutes and led Sali into a hardware store. He bought a few things, enough to completely fill his and her hands with bags as they walked home. It wasn't until an hour later that an upset Salimoon walked into the living room with bags in tow.
"Let me guess, I have to wait until you do something with all of this stuff right," She exhaled roughly.
"Very astute. I have to build a few contraptions just in case things go sideways and you can't handle it," Briggs immediately got to building his what-have-you while Sali went upstairs to watch the news.
There was something about a world renowned faith called the Monolithic Sun Church doing a big gathering in Europe, a festival, in a joint celebration with another church or faith called The Shepherds of Golden Horn that originated from western Nepal, north India. It sounded like mumbo-jumbo but it piqued her interest as she spoke outloud, "Golden Horn? Wasn't Death's hero supposed to be from that group in the author guy's story? Why have they made themselves known? I thought they were supposed to be a background piece of information. Is there something different about them now?"
Sali raised up the volume and paid attention. Some of the words were difficult and she couldn't understand but through the use of context, she was able to figure out most of what was said thanks to the images on the screen.
The festival was a new public display of worship for the Sun, the Stars, the Gods and heroes that represented or fought against them in the faith of the Monolithic Sun Church or Temple. Seemingly overnight, the Monolithic Sun Church's doctrines, their beliefs, changed. Sali made a note to look into the MSC sometime later but there was no need as the network came prepared. They found a well respected theological professor and brought him onto the program to talk about the changes but, instead of shedding light on the situation, he only made the waters muddier as he brought up the amendments that nearly every church and mainstream faith had made in the world.
"It was as if…", as the old man put it, "Every major faith has suddenly had a major revelation and they all received the same information."
Sali frowned as she heard the old man speak. The changes that every religion had were small but each change made their core tenets ominously closer to what the Shepherds believed. It was scattered and fragmented, like each world religion had a piece of the greater truth but Salimoon could see the bigger picture thanks to the information that she received about the original story. She didn't freak out even though something like this never happened in the book. It probably did, as she thought about it, in the background of the text or in a cast off line that the author said one time. Either way, it didn't matter or change what she thought about the world.
This was still her second chance and she would live it to her fullest. That said, she fell asleep to pass the time until lunch. She spent most of her time either sleeping, eating, or working out. And since there was no private gym, she decided to do more of the former two.