If You Go Hunting A Tiger... (Chapter 8)
Apr. 29th, 2023 11:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aliyn_ravenI never wanted to live in their world. They dragged me here by force. Well, let them learn to live in the reality that I will create from their world.
*****
Novel, modern urban fantasy, our world.
*****
Ajax, thanks for the preliminary reading.
"Enough cheap blackmail," I cut him off. "If Dave deal a small harm to my granny, it will ruin the affairs of TGS very much. Doctors are obliged to keep everything secret about the patients but they are obliged to draw attention to someone who is dangerous to them. Especially if they can glorify their own account on social networks with this. Doctors are humans too, and they want a lot of views. And even Dave can't buy them all."
James glared at me with rage. When this sleepy fish gets angry, he becomes very sexy. But he is a boor and a bandit. Therefore, James goes for a walk in the forest, as far away from me as possible.
Helmut said, "Go to the sewing room, Herrin. You will be provided with everything you need to study."
"Where to?" I was astonished. "Why not the garden shed?"
"The sewing room is for ladies who are busy with fine needlework. Even the British royal family has a sewing room! And not only princesses but also princes make embroidery and soft toys for charity auctions."
"And the British royal family makes a reality show out of every their sneeze and fart, not to mention family scandals, and all just so that the taxpayers, out of curiosity for the next series, do not vote for the abolition of the monarchy."
"You…" Helmut began but I interrupted him:
"Nothing is ever heard of the rest of the royal families. They work out their content by doing troublesome things like the administration and logistics of cultural and social projects without making a fuss. Many people outside of a monarchical country do not even know that it is not a republic. And only the British royal family is always at the top of world news."
"Herrin, Eleanor is in the lady's study room right now. I doubt you want to see her. You need permission from the Chairman to study in the gentlemen's study room. And even more so, you need his permission to get your own study room. And the sewing room has a work table where you can write."
"I will not go to any rooms!" I said. "A football team can practice in my living room. Rearrange the furniture so that there is a work area with everything a designer needs and a meeting table for four. I want to be ready to do any business."
"Ladies and gentlemen don't do room zoning," James replied arrogantly. "This is the lot of the plebeians, who have no means for a decent house."
"I'm not interested in what and how professional slackers and their bedding do. A business lady doesn't waste time running around when there is no real need for it. Only idiots throw time away because they don't understand how it is profitable to invest. Therefore," my voice became commanding, "you have half an hour to make areas for work, guests, tea drinking and simple relaxation in my living room, including a large-screen TV, music center and massage chair. Although you can put an armchair in the bedroom, it's not significant."
That's it! If Dave needs me, let him pay.
"This is impossible!" Raoul exclaimed. "This is not your home!"
"I'm the heiress of this house, am I not? Therefore follow the order."
"Signorina…" Marco began to fly in the face of me too but I cut him off:
"You all totally screwed up with your shitty stylist. So now you do what I say, and do not argue. You, Marco, are with me in the garden. The rest are to work."
I went to the garden doors. If these four use violence, then I declare a war in which I will not take prisoners. I have a phone with a message for Fatima.
James stepped in my way.
"Young miss," he began with a fuse, but I growled like an angry tigress:
"Go from here! And if you don't do as I say, I'll tell Dave that I saw you four selling drugs to the servants!"
The convoyers was flabbergasted. And I continued the attack:
"Dave is a bandit, he will believe and start checking. And he will find many of your crimes against him because you are bandits and thieves!"
James bulged his eyes and stepped towards me, but Helmut stopped him.
"Start looking for furniture. And you, Herrin, besides Marco, will be escorted by Raul."
I didn't argue. And it's such a good win. My escorts walked behind me, were silent, and didn't interfere. I took a walk in the garden, you can count it as gymnastics, and returned to the room.
Now it's a completely different matter! A lot of useless space was intelligently organized, and the room became habitable and comfortable. But as I got closer to the work area, I cursed hard. These bastards didn't bring a laptop or a tablet, but they put only one marker board and they brought markers for kindergarten drawing but not for design!
There were several sheets of children's paper for drawing and the school dictionary of Old-Alnorrian on the table — it is a paper book, they didn't even load any textbooks and dictionaries into the book reader. I hate paper books because there is no interactive instant search in them, it's only for stupid schoolchildren who need to stretch the imitation of learning activities for a whole lesson.
I immediately expressed all these claims to the convoyers but the potential teacher — a good-looking old man in a blue suit — looked at me with poorly hidden irritation and asked if I knew how many types of writing were in ancient Alnorria. In response, I asked how to write down the phrase "Krempira imr dedelane", that is, "We having hurled the deadline", if etiquette forbids writing congratulations with vrel; walsur is intended for less significant events; tumguk creates too many signs for a postcard; and dimtush is rough, this letter style fit only at the airport signs "toilet" and "cash desk".
So what? There are three types of writing in Japanese that are used simultaneously, and one of them has two readings. The Celtic languages had three scripts, and each was also encrypted. The Alnorria of old times didn't really stand out from such a company.
The old man looked at me with interest, introduced himself as a doctor of linguistics, Robeto Gatti, and advised me to use syllabic rather than letter dimtush.
I sighed and began to write. The syllabic notation is more ancient, we studied it less in the courses, and it was not in the dictionary. I couldn't help telling the convoyers what idiots they were if they didn't bring Gerstein's dictionary. Moreover, markers with a standard sting, it is very inconvenient for them to do calligraphy — styluses for graphics tablets have at least five nibs for a reason. And it was not out of idleness that the Alnorrianishes of the old times, who adored calligraphy, invented seven types of feather sharpening.
"I don't like her…" I said. "The view is not marketable, boring. The inscription should catch and caress the eye, but this one is not. What if the syllable in the center of the inscription is replaced with tumguk?" And I wrote. It was really catchy and attractive.
"It is a controversial decision," Gatti displeasedly answered.
"Controversial" does not mean "wrong," I objected. "You just need to choose the shape of a postcard that will make the combination of different types of writing correct — a triangle or a circle… Or… a ritual frame! There are eight types in eight variants of its, something cannot but fit. And color symbolism. Yellow background, blue and red frame, white lettering. If you violate the canons in such a way that you get a message that is impeccable in meaning, then the violation of the canons turns into merit. Our ancestors liked to show off the ambiguity of ceremonial letters and painting for screens. But I don't remember all the frames. And there is no reference book."
Gatti looked at me with no small interest and drew a frame from a group of honoring warriors. But I didn't remember its additional meaning. And Gatti said:
"To be on time for the deadline is a significant victory in the competitive war. And this is always the protection of possessions, in other words, of the company, associated with their expansion, that is, with a new order. Therefore, the Chaush frame is best suited. Write in it, Miss Terrent."
"Mx Kelvin," I clarified. "My mother was not married to Albert, but I have professional diplomas in the name of Kelvin."
I made an inscription, I myself remembered one of the round frames for the wishes of successful trade, intended specifically for warriors, and made an inscription in a circle.
"This is for the chocolate medals," I explained to Gatti. "They are ordered at least as often as sugar postcards."
"Not bad," he nodded with liking. "Very well, Mx. Kelvin. Now make a ligature for the quadristella."
I nodded and sat down at the table. The quadristella, a rhombus with concave sides, vaguely resembling a star, was one of the Alnorrianishes' favorite forms for fibulae and rings. Now such quadristellas are back in fashion, they are molded everywhere: on coffee cups, on branded folders for papers, on a restaurant menu…
I drew a grid of the golden ratio on a sheet of paper - Gatti was surprised again but immediately smiled approvingly and quietly. Looks like I've proven my skills. However, this is not the kind of thing that really needs my attention. I drew a rhombus on the grid and began to make a ligature, focusing on how the grid affects the rhombus. I ruined four sheets of paper with unsuccessful attempts but still made something decent.
"That’s well, it's a draft," I said. "I would not let it go on sale but we can already work with this source."
Gatti looked shocked.
"That's wonderful, dear Mx! You have talent! The best calligraphers would have competed for the right to call you a student in the old days, and the city authorities would have given you the right to vote as a man. The gift of a ligature calligrapher is very rare. The sorcerers of the tribe were chosen from such people in pagan years. Mx Kelvin, you definitely need at least a bachelor's degree in order for your talent to flourish to its full potential."
I was surprised. My artworks did not stand out in any way In the courses. But the teaching there was not brilliant, specifically in terms of Old-Alnorrian and calligraphy.
"I didn’t even make it to high school, what’s a bachelor’s degree?" I muttered.
"You have completed a professional two-year course, I understand correctly?" Gatti asked. "Do you have work experience in your specialty?"
"I have been officially working since the age of thirteen. My granny is the owner of a candy shop. I took the course for three years. First, confectioner was the main profession, after chocolatier as an additional specialization."
"That's the equivalent of a full school education," Gatti said. "Even with the first year of university, or at least the first semester."
"I know. Half of our group enrolled immediately for the second semester. But I won't be able to pass the exams. I couldn't do it even at school!"
"No need," said Gatti. "If you take a prize in the university competition for workers, then you will enter without exams. After all, you do not apply for discounted tuition, and even more so for a scholarship. Universities are interested in the talents that will glorify it, and are more than lenient towards those who are already working in their specialty."
"The teachers in the courses didn’t say that," I doubted.
"If they say this, then who will pay for the elective for exam preparation?" Gatti chuckled. "Contests are popular with high school freelancers and senior workers. But everyone who works legally is allowed. And you do not have to participate as a confectioner or chocolatier. Design is a broad field. But you can get into both Alnorria linguistics and history with a ligature."
"Thank you," I said. And Gatti looked at my convoyers.
"Bring your lady all the literature she needs for the preparation, in a form convenient for her, and modern equipment. Just because I can't read the screen after the accident doesn't mean I've ever banned students from using the latest technology. There is a printer in this world, you know!"
The convoyers looked… They looked very strange. As if the fact that I had an aptitude for ancient Alnorria calligraphy mattered to anyone but me. They were shocked and even scared. I didn't understand anything. What is so special about calligraphy? Well, it's trendy. And you can quickly find a job with a good salary. But a software tester, which is made by AI, earns much more, and this profession requires more important abilities.
I decided not to fill my head with the fantasies of fools and focus on the lesson. I have accumulated a huge number of questions to the doctor of linguistics!
We did a good job, and the convoyers even brought brushes, pens and paper for calligraphy, special ink and paints. I didn’t know how to work with anything, the courses were only markers with different types of stings and styluses for a graphics tablet, but it never hurts to learn something new. Gatti left closer to lunch, and I ran to the bathroom to wash off the paint and mascara, with which I was heavily smeared. Nothing, I'll practice and be a real calligrapher! Handwritten folitvons — a beautifully written wise saying or its ligature, enclosed in a painted frame, which in the Middle Ages everyone claimed to be culture hung on the wall — are also back in fashion. And they pay well for it. Even if the design fails, I don't have to stay in the candy shop for the rest of my life.
There was nothing interesting at lunch, even Dave was wandering around somewhere, but this was for the best - his face did not add appetite. The thought that my children might inherit their great-grandfather's looks made me shiver. It is a serious motive to be child-free or to take foster children.
I decided to take a walk after eating to shake the fat and then to work out my calligraphy, but now Japanese one. I studied this language at school, and since here you can pump it better than anywhere else, you must use the opportunity.
But as soon as I went out into the garden, Dave called Helmut and demanded to bring me to him. Eleanor was standing at the door of his office. She looked kind of worn out and tired. But that's not my problem.
But Dave managed to intrigue me. As soon as I entered the office, he threw newspapers at me. I picked up the one that fell on the table next to me.
Paper newspapers are not needed in the days of cheap large-screen smartphones and penny high-speed Internet but all self-respecting news centers do duplicate especially important messages on paper, only now newspapers are not twenty pages, as before, but four or even two, and are not printed in the morning and in the evening every day, and special editions as needed and at any time of the day. I don't know why people are still buying such leaflets, but if I see newspaper vendors appearing on the street, I immediately look at the news in the phone application, which collects them from all the news sites: there is something very interesting and extremely important.
This time, I was the news. More precisely, the fact of the appearance of a granddaughter at the head of the TGS. Wow, how fast! I expected the special issue to be in the evening. How did Fatima manage to stir up the media in such a way just through a message in the guestbook of their sites? But it is not important. The main thing is that now I am in control of the situation.
"You pay me compensation and return the inheritance," I said to Dave, "and we quietly part ways forever. Or the media will know about the kidnapping and all the rest."
"The Terrent family cannot be so disgraced that one of them leaves the family!" Dave growled.
"You were supposed to take Grandma and me to America on your plane and pay for accommodation in some tourist center while the police catch Diongs Tinoliadis here. I wouldn’t even know that you were my relative, I would think that my grandmother wanted to relax or won a trip in the lottery. Now rake the consequences of kidnapping and theft of inheritance."
"Chris", Dave said, "send these four to the farm. And for Miss Alex, I found more reliable gentlemen."
Horror darkened my eyes. What is this old freak up to?
"Don’t even hope to force me with drugs and violence!" I yelled. I was shaking like some hysterical hen. "The press will demand an independent check of my health."
And I also hoped for Eleanor. Not just because she was waiting at the door. Eleanor is my chance to escape from here.
Or does she hope to kill me and do something to this end? After all, Eleanor categorically does not want to pay me a single brang!
https://www.wattpad.com/story/330893564-if-you-go-hunting-a-tiger
https://archiveofourown.org/works/44014216
*****
Novel, modern urban fantasy, our world.
*****
Ajax, thanks for the preliminary reading.
"Enough cheap blackmail," I cut him off. "If Dave deal a small harm to my granny, it will ruin the affairs of TGS very much. Doctors are obliged to keep everything secret about the patients but they are obliged to draw attention to someone who is dangerous to them. Especially if they can glorify their own account on social networks with this. Doctors are humans too, and they want a lot of views. And even Dave can't buy them all."
James glared at me with rage. When this sleepy fish gets angry, he becomes very sexy. But he is a boor and a bandit. Therefore, James goes for a walk in the forest, as far away from me as possible.
Helmut said, "Go to the sewing room, Herrin. You will be provided with everything you need to study."
"Where to?" I was astonished. "Why not the garden shed?"
"The sewing room is for ladies who are busy with fine needlework. Even the British royal family has a sewing room! And not only princesses but also princes make embroidery and soft toys for charity auctions."
"And the British royal family makes a reality show out of every their sneeze and fart, not to mention family scandals, and all just so that the taxpayers, out of curiosity for the next series, do not vote for the abolition of the monarchy."
"You…" Helmut began but I interrupted him:
"Nothing is ever heard of the rest of the royal families. They work out their content by doing troublesome things like the administration and logistics of cultural and social projects without making a fuss. Many people outside of a monarchical country do not even know that it is not a republic. And only the British royal family is always at the top of world news."
"Herrin, Eleanor is in the lady's study room right now. I doubt you want to see her. You need permission from the Chairman to study in the gentlemen's study room. And even more so, you need his permission to get your own study room. And the sewing room has a work table where you can write."
"I will not go to any rooms!" I said. "A football team can practice in my living room. Rearrange the furniture so that there is a work area with everything a designer needs and a meeting table for four. I want to be ready to do any business."
"Ladies and gentlemen don't do room zoning," James replied arrogantly. "This is the lot of the plebeians, who have no means for a decent house."
"I'm not interested in what and how professional slackers and their bedding do. A business lady doesn't waste time running around when there is no real need for it. Only idiots throw time away because they don't understand how it is profitable to invest. Therefore," my voice became commanding, "you have half an hour to make areas for work, guests, tea drinking and simple relaxation in my living room, including a large-screen TV, music center and massage chair. Although you can put an armchair in the bedroom, it's not significant."
That's it! If Dave needs me, let him pay.
"This is impossible!" Raoul exclaimed. "This is not your home!"
"I'm the heiress of this house, am I not? Therefore follow the order."
"Signorina…" Marco began to fly in the face of me too but I cut him off:
"You all totally screwed up with your shitty stylist. So now you do what I say, and do not argue. You, Marco, are with me in the garden. The rest are to work."
I went to the garden doors. If these four use violence, then I declare a war in which I will not take prisoners. I have a phone with a message for Fatima.
James stepped in my way.
"Young miss," he began with a fuse, but I growled like an angry tigress:
"Go from here! And if you don't do as I say, I'll tell Dave that I saw you four selling drugs to the servants!"
The convoyers was flabbergasted. And I continued the attack:
"Dave is a bandit, he will believe and start checking. And he will find many of your crimes against him because you are bandits and thieves!"
James bulged his eyes and stepped towards me, but Helmut stopped him.
"Start looking for furniture. And you, Herrin, besides Marco, will be escorted by Raul."
I didn't argue. And it's such a good win. My escorts walked behind me, were silent, and didn't interfere. I took a walk in the garden, you can count it as gymnastics, and returned to the room.
Now it's a completely different matter! A lot of useless space was intelligently organized, and the room became habitable and comfortable. But as I got closer to the work area, I cursed hard. These bastards didn't bring a laptop or a tablet, but they put only one marker board and they brought markers for kindergarten drawing but not for design!
There were several sheets of children's paper for drawing and the school dictionary of Old-Alnorrian on the table — it is a paper book, they didn't even load any textbooks and dictionaries into the book reader. I hate paper books because there is no interactive instant search in them, it's only for stupid schoolchildren who need to stretch the imitation of learning activities for a whole lesson.
I immediately expressed all these claims to the convoyers but the potential teacher — a good-looking old man in a blue suit — looked at me with poorly hidden irritation and asked if I knew how many types of writing were in ancient Alnorria. In response, I asked how to write down the phrase "Krempira imr dedelane", that is, "We having hurled the deadline", if etiquette forbids writing congratulations with vrel; walsur is intended for less significant events; tumguk creates too many signs for a postcard; and dimtush is rough, this letter style fit only at the airport signs "toilet" and "cash desk".
So what? There are three types of writing in Japanese that are used simultaneously, and one of them has two readings. The Celtic languages had three scripts, and each was also encrypted. The Alnorria of old times didn't really stand out from such a company.
The old man looked at me with interest, introduced himself as a doctor of linguistics, Robeto Gatti, and advised me to use syllabic rather than letter dimtush.
I sighed and began to write. The syllabic notation is more ancient, we studied it less in the courses, and it was not in the dictionary. I couldn't help telling the convoyers what idiots they were if they didn't bring Gerstein's dictionary. Moreover, markers with a standard sting, it is very inconvenient for them to do calligraphy — styluses for graphics tablets have at least five nibs for a reason. And it was not out of idleness that the Alnorrianishes of the old times, who adored calligraphy, invented seven types of feather sharpening.
"I don't like her…" I said. "The view is not marketable, boring. The inscription should catch and caress the eye, but this one is not. What if the syllable in the center of the inscription is replaced with tumguk?" And I wrote. It was really catchy and attractive.
"It is a controversial decision," Gatti displeasedly answered.
"Controversial" does not mean "wrong," I objected. "You just need to choose the shape of a postcard that will make the combination of different types of writing correct — a triangle or a circle… Or… a ritual frame! There are eight types in eight variants of its, something cannot but fit. And color symbolism. Yellow background, blue and red frame, white lettering. If you violate the canons in such a way that you get a message that is impeccable in meaning, then the violation of the canons turns into merit. Our ancestors liked to show off the ambiguity of ceremonial letters and painting for screens. But I don't remember all the frames. And there is no reference book."
Gatti looked at me with no small interest and drew a frame from a group of honoring warriors. But I didn't remember its additional meaning. And Gatti said:
"To be on time for the deadline is a significant victory in the competitive war. And this is always the protection of possessions, in other words, of the company, associated with their expansion, that is, with a new order. Therefore, the Chaush frame is best suited. Write in it, Miss Terrent."
"Mx Kelvin," I clarified. "My mother was not married to Albert, but I have professional diplomas in the name of Kelvin."
I made an inscription, I myself remembered one of the round frames for the wishes of successful trade, intended specifically for warriors, and made an inscription in a circle.
"This is for the chocolate medals," I explained to Gatti. "They are ordered at least as often as sugar postcards."
"Not bad," he nodded with liking. "Very well, Mx. Kelvin. Now make a ligature for the quadristella."
I nodded and sat down at the table. The quadristella, a rhombus with concave sides, vaguely resembling a star, was one of the Alnorrianishes' favorite forms for fibulae and rings. Now such quadristellas are back in fashion, they are molded everywhere: on coffee cups, on branded folders for papers, on a restaurant menu…
I drew a grid of the golden ratio on a sheet of paper - Gatti was surprised again but immediately smiled approvingly and quietly. Looks like I've proven my skills. However, this is not the kind of thing that really needs my attention. I drew a rhombus on the grid and began to make a ligature, focusing on how the grid affects the rhombus. I ruined four sheets of paper with unsuccessful attempts but still made something decent.
"That’s well, it's a draft," I said. "I would not let it go on sale but we can already work with this source."
Gatti looked shocked.
"That's wonderful, dear Mx! You have talent! The best calligraphers would have competed for the right to call you a student in the old days, and the city authorities would have given you the right to vote as a man. The gift of a ligature calligrapher is very rare. The sorcerers of the tribe were chosen from such people in pagan years. Mx Kelvin, you definitely need at least a bachelor's degree in order for your talent to flourish to its full potential."
I was surprised. My artworks did not stand out in any way In the courses. But the teaching there was not brilliant, specifically in terms of Old-Alnorrian and calligraphy.
"I didn’t even make it to high school, what’s a bachelor’s degree?" I muttered.
"You have completed a professional two-year course, I understand correctly?" Gatti asked. "Do you have work experience in your specialty?"
"I have been officially working since the age of thirteen. My granny is the owner of a candy shop. I took the course for three years. First, confectioner was the main profession, after chocolatier as an additional specialization."
"That's the equivalent of a full school education," Gatti said. "Even with the first year of university, or at least the first semester."
"I know. Half of our group enrolled immediately for the second semester. But I won't be able to pass the exams. I couldn't do it even at school!"
"No need," said Gatti. "If you take a prize in the university competition for workers, then you will enter without exams. After all, you do not apply for discounted tuition, and even more so for a scholarship. Universities are interested in the talents that will glorify it, and are more than lenient towards those who are already working in their specialty."
"The teachers in the courses didn’t say that," I doubted.
"If they say this, then who will pay for the elective for exam preparation?" Gatti chuckled. "Contests are popular with high school freelancers and senior workers. But everyone who works legally is allowed. And you do not have to participate as a confectioner or chocolatier. Design is a broad field. But you can get into both Alnorria linguistics and history with a ligature."
"Thank you," I said. And Gatti looked at my convoyers.
"Bring your lady all the literature she needs for the preparation, in a form convenient for her, and modern equipment. Just because I can't read the screen after the accident doesn't mean I've ever banned students from using the latest technology. There is a printer in this world, you know!"
The convoyers looked… They looked very strange. As if the fact that I had an aptitude for ancient Alnorria calligraphy mattered to anyone but me. They were shocked and even scared. I didn't understand anything. What is so special about calligraphy? Well, it's trendy. And you can quickly find a job with a good salary. But a software tester, which is made by AI, earns much more, and this profession requires more important abilities.
I decided not to fill my head with the fantasies of fools and focus on the lesson. I have accumulated a huge number of questions to the doctor of linguistics!
We did a good job, and the convoyers even brought brushes, pens and paper for calligraphy, special ink and paints. I didn’t know how to work with anything, the courses were only markers with different types of stings and styluses for a graphics tablet, but it never hurts to learn something new. Gatti left closer to lunch, and I ran to the bathroom to wash off the paint and mascara, with which I was heavily smeared. Nothing, I'll practice and be a real calligrapher! Handwritten folitvons — a beautifully written wise saying or its ligature, enclosed in a painted frame, which in the Middle Ages everyone claimed to be culture hung on the wall — are also back in fashion. And they pay well for it. Even if the design fails, I don't have to stay in the candy shop for the rest of my life.
There was nothing interesting at lunch, even Dave was wandering around somewhere, but this was for the best - his face did not add appetite. The thought that my children might inherit their great-grandfather's looks made me shiver. It is a serious motive to be child-free or to take foster children.
I decided to take a walk after eating to shake the fat and then to work out my calligraphy, but now Japanese one. I studied this language at school, and since here you can pump it better than anywhere else, you must use the opportunity.
But as soon as I went out into the garden, Dave called Helmut and demanded to bring me to him. Eleanor was standing at the door of his office. She looked kind of worn out and tired. But that's not my problem.
But Dave managed to intrigue me. As soon as I entered the office, he threw newspapers at me. I picked up the one that fell on the table next to me.
Paper newspapers are not needed in the days of cheap large-screen smartphones and penny high-speed Internet but all self-respecting news centers do duplicate especially important messages on paper, only now newspapers are not twenty pages, as before, but four or even two, and are not printed in the morning and in the evening every day, and special editions as needed and at any time of the day. I don't know why people are still buying such leaflets, but if I see newspaper vendors appearing on the street, I immediately look at the news in the phone application, which collects them from all the news sites: there is something very interesting and extremely important.
This time, I was the news. More precisely, the fact of the appearance of a granddaughter at the head of the TGS. Wow, how fast! I expected the special issue to be in the evening. How did Fatima manage to stir up the media in such a way just through a message in the guestbook of their sites? But it is not important. The main thing is that now I am in control of the situation.
"You pay me compensation and return the inheritance," I said to Dave, "and we quietly part ways forever. Or the media will know about the kidnapping and all the rest."
"The Terrent family cannot be so disgraced that one of them leaves the family!" Dave growled.
"You were supposed to take Grandma and me to America on your plane and pay for accommodation in some tourist center while the police catch Diongs Tinoliadis here. I wouldn’t even know that you were my relative, I would think that my grandmother wanted to relax or won a trip in the lottery. Now rake the consequences of kidnapping and theft of inheritance."
"Chris", Dave said, "send these four to the farm. And for Miss Alex, I found more reliable gentlemen."
Horror darkened my eyes. What is this old freak up to?
"Don’t even hope to force me with drugs and violence!" I yelled. I was shaking like some hysterical hen. "The press will demand an independent check of my health."
And I also hoped for Eleanor. Not just because she was waiting at the door. Eleanor is my chance to escape from here.
Or does she hope to kill me and do something to this end? After all, Eleanor categorically does not want to pay me a single brang!
https://www.wattpad.com/story/330893564-if-you-go-hunting-a-tiger
https://archiveofourown.org/works/44014216
