Chapter 34: Big Plans
For a long moment, Bryan was completely silent. His face, usually showing a mocking smile, was blank. Then, his expression twisted into anger. His eyes narrowed into slits, and he glared fiercely at Billy.
"That mission," Bryan growled, his voice low and dangerous, "was not our mission. It belonged to the Roland Kingdom. Remember that." He spat the words out, clearly furious that Billy seemed to be taking responsibility for the failure.
Billy flinched slightly under Bryan’s glare. He nervously ran a hand through his messy black hair, looking stressed. "But, Captain," Billy argued, his voice less confident now, "they gave us the job of setting everything up! We found the assassins, gave them the poison, helped them get into the palace... How is that not our mission too, in a way?"
Before Bryan could explode again, the third man in the room finally spoke. This was Oliver, the middle-aged Syndicate operative who seemed calmer and older than both Bryan and Billy. He had been leaning against the stone wall, quietly observing. Now, he pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward slightly.
"Enough, both of you," Oliver said, his voice calm but firm, cutting through the tension. He looked first at Billy, then at Bryan.
"Billy, calm down. Bryan is correct. Officially, that mission was contracted by Roland Kingdom, using Karlos as the middleman. Our part in it ended the moment we connected Karlos with those specific assassins." He waved a dismissive hand.
"Whether that particular assassination succeeded or failed... it doesn’t directly concern the Spider Syndicate’s primary objectives."
Oliver paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked directly at Billy again. "What does concern us is the real reason you were sent to the capital. Did you gather the intelligence we actually needed? Forget the failed assassination for a moment."
A small smile touched Billy’s lips, chasing away some of his nervousness. He straightened up slightly. "Don’t worry, Oliver," he said, sounding more confident now. "I got everything. All the information we were looking for." He tapped the side of his head. "And that’s why I told you about the failed mission first. Because that failure? It’s actually a crucial piece of intel for us. It directly impacts whether our own mission here succeeds or fails."
Bryan stopped glaring and looked at Billy with confusion mixed with his remaining anger. "What are you talking about?" he demanded impatiently. "Stop talking in riddles. Tell us the whole story. Now."
Billy took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. "Alright," he began, speaking clearly now.