Snippet #1246351

When Gabriel came back to the Medici Tower, he went straight to his office at the penthouse level. It was a huge office, even by the standards of millionaires. He worked quickly in getting rid of the more annoying tasks that needed doing, and dismissed his accountants who complained about his absence without leave. Then, finally, he picked up the phone and called down to the R&D department of the Medici Group, located in the secret basements of the Medici Tower. Normal was the one who picked up the call. They talked for a few moments before Gabriel got to the point:

"What do we have so far?" He asked. Normal's reply wasn't satisfying:

"I-it's encrypted, sir." He said. "I - I need t-to decrypt it be-before we c-c-can read the d-data. I-it's a fa-fail safe the c-computer system uses for instances l-like this. B-but we got 73 p-percent o-of the harddrive's c-contents. I-it's fairly c-certain th-that we g-g-got our hands on s-something useful."

"And how long will it take to decrypt?"

"I-it's hard t-to say, s-sir. M-maybe twenty-f-four hours...maybe t-twenty for years..."

"Let me know when you have something." Cross said. He threw a glance at the wristwatch and sighed. "I got to get over to OTO and meet those old retards. You can reach me on my cellphone." He hung up and looked at the swarthy man sitting in a corner of his huge office. "Mr Hunter. With me." His bodyguard stood up and followed him out into the hallway. His secretary, a beautiful young woman named Helen, looked up when he stepped outside. He said: "I'm going out for a while. Forward any calls to my cellphone." She nodded with a "Yes, sir". Gabriel and his bodyguard entered an elevator soon after, and descend the Medici Tower, until they stepped out into the huge lobby on the ground floor.

Gabriel stopped to talk to a couple of business associates while Hunter went to fetch the car. Their discussion was brief, and soon after, Gabriel stepped outside and entered the vehicle. Hunter took him away from there immediately. Neither of the two spoke during the drive. Finally, the car stopped in the center of the city, in a large, temple-like building marked "Order Templi Orientis". Hunter left the car and opened the door for his employer, who stretched his muscles as he stepped outside. He looked up at the magnificent temple-building with a disgusted expression on his face.

He sighed.
"I hate these people." He muttered. "A bunch of powerful old farts...so content in their status quo of power that they have lost every ounce of ambition. Losing your ambition is worse than losing your lust for women. Once you have no ambition left, your life isn't anything more than an empty, hollowed-out bag of flesh anymore." He spat in disgust. "Someone should just put them out of their misery. Kill them all, and take the power for himself. I intend to be that someone."

"You will be, sir." Hunter replied.

"Soon. Very soon." Gabriel muttered. "I'll take you with me to the top, Jonathan. You have my word on that." He patted his friend and bodyguard on the shoulder, and then added: "But for now, let's see what they have to say. Come on."

The two disappeared into the building.