Frostbound

"That depends on the type of agreement," Austin said while leaning back in his chair. Not enough to prop it up on two legs and be impolite, but enough to show his curiosity on where this was going.

With his enhanced vision, Austin could see a vein on the man's forehead protrude from his antics but that only spurred him on further. Marcus reminded him of Thomas, Christopher's father.

Not to say he was a stick in the mud, but he didn't appreciate the frivolity Austin was showing to what he considered an important conversation. It was one of the main reasons he wanted nothing to do with leadership.

It was all serious and tense without any room for entertainment or fun. It was hard to make jokes when you were literally in charge of people's safety.

That wasn't the case for him now. He was off on his own and could do anything he pleased. His actions were linked to Frostheim, but nothing he did would push the boundaries, he wasn't that stupid.

Just the thought of the lecture from his mother on making enemies for trivial reasons was enough for him to act properly if a touch loose. Let alone what Abigail would say.

"While a trade agreement is a good start, what I'm looking for is one of a more... direct agreement," Marcus said ambiguously.

It wasn't hard to guess what he meant by that.

"You want help with your little bug problem." Austin guessed.

The man stiffened but didn't rush to deny it. It was obvious what the man was after but that made Austin curious about what he was willing to give up for such assistance.

"That would be the goal, yes, but any kind of support could be negotiated for," Marcus said.

While it would be fun to wring him for all he was worth, Austin couldn't do so. The letter in his pack spoke of what Chris was doing and he didn't have time to come down here and hunt bugs with him.