Chapter XVII

The Auction

Alan is sitting in a swivel chair looking at a 15-foot screen mounted on the cave wall, scrolling through the screens showing the locations of past dig slights that were made by BORIS, with no luck, the dig sights were as far as he could tell completely without logic. If he didn’t know any better, he would have guessed that the old man had gone completely insane. Next to the screen was his brother’s laptop, abandoned. Alan had made several more attempts to guess the passcode to unlock the encryption but had had no luck. As Vernon walks up the platform with a tray of food.

“How goes the planning for this heist then sir.” Vernon said, and Alan didn’t fail to note the bitterness in his voice. He swivels round to face Vernon, who did not back down.

“Good, Dmitri is only about dying five times now.” Alan said smiling slightly but stopped at the look on his butler’s face.

“Sir, if I am being frank. This mission is madness. The only end result being Mr Jones death.” Vernon said.

“As long as it gets us that gemstone, I am willing to make any sacrifice necessary.” Alan said, he was fully aware he sounded like a petulant child but decided not to think about it, until Vernon brought him back to reality.

“That is an easy call to make when it is not your life on the line, sir.” Vernon said simply but with a degree of sharpness mixed in as well. He quite frankly couldn’t believe that Alan had seemingly not taken heed of his warning back in the medical bay.

“Vernon, this is the only thing that matters.” Alan said.

“Sir, you have a company to run. And there are other ways of getting stuff without risking people’s lives.” Vernon said hoping that Alan would listen for once.

“How?” Alan said. “If there was another way of stealing it, I would have thought of it.” Alan said. He was almost offended that Vernon had thought he hadn’t tried to come up with another plan.

“You are one of the city’s most powerful individuals.” Vernon said a note of exasperation in his voice.

“So?” Alan said.

“So, use that to your advantage and play the snotty trust fund brat that the rich and the powerful of this city expect you to be.” Vernon said taking out an invitation to an auction for the rich and powerful of the city. Seeing it Alan groaned, even in his younger days when he had been a lot less responsible, he had hated those things. Before Vernon started to turn a few of the pages until he stopped and showed Alan its contents. “And Sir, if you had not spent all your time down here you would have read that the gemstone that you so desperately need is going up for auction, by order of the Mayor.” Vernon finished slamming the paper down on the table. At this Alan jumps out of his seat and looks first at monitor and then back towards Vernon.

“Why, would that idiot auction of this world’s best chance of defending itself.” Alan said he was part horrified and part relieved.

“My guess is money. Wars are expensive after all. But more likely he is just an idiot, who knows nothing.” Vernon said, both were more than likely, The Mayor had never been known for his intelligence even when he had first come into the office. Vernon takes out a suit from the briefcase he was holding and hands it to Alan, before continuing. “Now I know you hate wearing this stuff. But I suggest you put it on and play your part in this fool’s errand.” Vernon said smiling. Alan takes the suit before putting it on the table.

“Alan Wolfrick. Billionaire snob. Shouldn’t be too hard.” Alan said before leaving to inform Dmitri and Charlie that their mission was off.

“Quite right sir.” Vernon said, a mere hint of a smile on his face, as he remembered how Alan had been as a teenager, and thought on the amount of trouble the younger son of Brian Wolfrick had caused the family.

“You weren’t supposed to agree with that vernon.” Alan replied as he exited the cave.

“I bid 350,000 creds!” Alan shouted, he was standing in the front row of the auction house and was to everyone else’s eyes at least completely wasted.

“Sold again to Mr Wolfrick.” The auctioneer said to cheers from the crowd, unaware of the act being put on for them. Vernon walks over to Alan.

“Careful now Master Wolfrick. You seem to be going slightly spending mad. As well as making enemies.” Vernon said looking around the room with caution, whilst people were laughing and cheering every time Alan had bought an item, he had also noticed some of those same people talking to each other under their breaths whilst casting dark looks their way. Alan looks over at Vernon before turning to the room at large.

“Now Butler, I think your forgetting that I'm your boss, not the other way around.” Alan said in a loud boasting voice which made everyone around him laugh again, seeing this reaction Alan too smiled, before he turned back to Vernon as the smirk disappeared and continued so only the old butler could hear him. “Sorry, but like you said I'm playing the rich, entitled brat that these people expect of me. Plus, if I only buy the artefact people would be suspicious, whereas if I go on a spending spree nobody will bat and eye.” Alan said before returning to his loud drunken voice. “Now butler, if you aren't going to be more useful go and check on the car, don't want it stolen by plebs now right.” Alan finished as at that moment the Mayor walks up to Alan a wide smile on his face. “Osmund, my friend! Great to see you here.” Alan shouted, which drove more people to give him dark looks, however none dared to voice their feelings with The Mayor present.

“Ah Mr Wolfrick, glad to see you here, and of course thank you for buying well… everything.” The Mayor said, shaking Alan’s hand and smiling back.

“The way I see it, I've got the money, may as well spend it right.” Alan said as The Mayor nodded his head.

“I couldn't agree more.” The Mayor said as a man walked up to join them in their discussion who Alan didn’t know but immediately was nervous off. The man was short, he had white, blond hair and a gaunt face, it was the man’s eyes however that un-nerved Alan, they were almost completely black, with the only white being the sclera and a small white point in the pupil. The Mayor, noticing the stranger decides to introduce him. “Ah Mr Wolfrick, may I introduce Captain Arnold Buckley, fresh from the patrols in the east.” The Mayor said, with a confidence that Alan thought was dangerous.

“You're going on quite a spending spree Mr Wolfrick. Why now?” Arnold said, he raised an eyebrow has he spoke. Something about the way that Buckley looked at Alan unnerved him slightly, it was as if he was seeing straight through his charade.

“Eastern Patrols, heh. Let me thank you then for keeping us all safe from the... Monsters and ghouls that lurk beyond the mountains.” Alan said trying to steer the conversation away and smiles only to be greeted by a blank stare from Arnold, although The Mayor, not hearing the jibe walks off closer towards the podium.

“I accept your, erm... Thanks. But you didn't answer my question.” Arnold said, his eyebrow still raised.

“I am indeed spending my money, may as well really. I've got the money to spend.” Alan said with a confidence that he no longer had when The Mayor had asked him the same question. Arnold smiled at this before speaking again.

“Clearly, I suppose you'll find a place to keep all this useless junk, you've been buying. Assuming for a moment you don't have an ulterior motive for buying these items. No?” Arnold said as he looked Alan up and down.

“No ulterior motive fellow comrade.” Alan said hoping to appeal at least to the fact that they were both soldiers.

“I see.” Arnold said before he gives a small smile before disappearing into the crowded room, as The Auctioneer returns to the stand.

“The last item is this little gemstone, which if I am at all honest with you ladies and gentlemen, I have no idea what it is but let us start the bidding at 100,000 creds.” The Auctioneer said before turning back to the room to start the bidding.

“100,000” Alan said simply, to glances from the room, the laughter he had previously been receiving from these snobs gone now that he was buying everything and spoiling their own fun. However, none of this seemed to concern The Auctioneer nods and looks round the room once.

“Very well. Going once, going twice and...” The Auctioneer said before being interrupted by a voice coming to the front of the room

“150,000” Geoffrey Randell said as he reaches the front of the room.

“Do we have 200,000 anywhere?” The Auctioneer said.

“200,000” Alan said after a brief pause.

“Hey, you little shit, how about you let someone else win for once.” Geoffrey said rounding on Alan but is halted further by the voice of The Mayor.

“Just for the love of god shut up.” The Mayor said completely red in the face, and after a shocked look from the crowd, The Mayor smiles and turns back to The Auctioneer who nods at The Mayor. “Please, continue.” He finishes

“250,000” Geoffrey said, looking at Alan with a smirk.

“250,001” Alan said with a smirk back at Geoffrey. There is murmured chatting amongst the crowd before The Auctioneer holds up his gavel.

“I'm afraid the bidding amount is in 50,000 lots, Mr Wolfrick.” The Auctioneer said looking around at the obviously slightly disgruntled room before Geoffrey speaks up to clear the dark mood in the air.

“Don't worry sir. 500,000” Geoffrey said.

“500,000.01” Alan said smiling at Geoffrey now who was going redder in the face.

“One Milli...” Geoffrey starts but is then interrupted by Alan who putting on his drunken persona decides to go all out.

“Two Million Creds.” Alan shouts at the room. It seemed that the bidding was going to continue, but before Geoffrey could so much as get his words out. The Mayor runs up to where The Auctioneer is sitting with his mouth agape, and starts hitting the gavel onto the table.

“Sold to Mr Wolfrick.” The Mayor shouts as a laugh goes up from the crowd and Alan turns to Geoffrey whose face has gone the colour of purple, then he begins to calm down and turns around towards Alan who has a smug grin on his face.

“Well, I would advise you start protecting yourself, sir. You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into.” Geoffrey said trying his best to keep his temper under control. Alan looks at him however and with a care in the world starts to speak.

“Geoffrey, it gives me great pleasure to say this but. You're Fired, now get out of my sight, before my butler gives you that free facial reconstruction that he offered you.” Alan said and walks off; however, it isn’t long before The Mayor catches him up as Vernon also makes his way towards him.

“Was that man bothering you Mr Wolfrick.” The Mayor said, a note of concern in his voice, whether it was faked or not Alan didn’t know.

“What, oh, no but I thank you for your concern.” Alan said smiling.

“May I ask, what is your interest in this gemstone?” The Mayor asked.

“My interest?” Alan replied looking in mock confusion.

“Come now, Mr Wolfrick. One does not spend that amount of money on an item without a reason.” The Mayor said in a fake tone of voice, but the façade was starting to fall apart as Alan could now see that he was smiling through his teeth.

“Your car is ready Master Wolfrick.” Vernon said, to Alan’s relief as he didn’t know how long he could have held out for in this nest of liar’s

“Ah, good. Well, thank you for hosting this event Osmund. And my check shall be delivered by tomorrow.” Alan said.

“Always a pleasure Mr Wolfrick.” The Mayor said to their retreating backs. As Alan and Vernon walk away the smile on The Mayor's face becomes sour as he turns and limps off back into the crowd to continue his false pleasentaries.