198 Prescott Frustration
Frankie, being the son of the strongest and most influential gang in New York, was well aware of the existence of the Curtained World. The moment Vlad revealed his true nature, Frankie knew they were in serious trouble. Unbeknownst to them, they had attacked a building connected to the enigmatic and powerful figures of the Curtained World.
In the underworld, which included the mafia, gangsters, and similar organizations, they understood just how dangerous the inhabitants of the Curtained World could be. Sure, they were formidable in their own right, being the largest and most powerful gang in New York, but that was within the realm of normal human interactions. Normal people might fear them and comply due to the threat of guns, but did beings from the Curtained World, like Vampires and Mages, even bat an eye at such mundane threats? Certainly not.
This understanding led the underworld to establish an organization aimed at maintaining a balance and projecting an image of power and importance significant enough to make the Curtained World inhabitants at least think twice about their actions. They worked hard to amass wealth and influence, but that didn't mean they could match the likes of the Hightower or these supernatural beings on equal terms.
This situation could be likened to the relationship between bees and humans. Humans generally avoided disturbing bees because they didn't want to get stung. It hurt, but unless someone had a severe allergy, a bee sting wasn't lethal. However, if a human considered bees a threat or wanted their honey, they would find a way to get it, and they would succeed.
So, in essence, the Syndicate Union and the Hightower were like the bees and humans. The Hightower saw no honey worth pursuing in the Syndicate Union's eyes, and thus preferred to stay clear of them.
Unfortunately, by unknowingly attacking this particular building, Frankie had put himself and his gang in a perilous position. It was highly likely that they would be chosen as scapegoats to appease the Hightower's wrath.
While Frankie wrestled with his dilemma, in a corner of the hall, a misty form suddenly materialized from the air duct above the wall. It coalesced into the figure of a black-haired, beautiful woman in a business suit. It was none other than Maria, Daniel's secretary.
"Count, our lord wishes to capture him. He desires information," Maria stated urgently. "Please, be swift. The defense protocol will conclude in 1 minute." She then made her way toward the VIP elevator.
"It appears our lord has determined that you are a prisoner" Vlad remarked before his eyes took on a hazy, bright red hue. "Now... Follow me." A hypnotic charm emanated from Vlad's eyes, compelling Frankie to obediently trail behind him.
Unable to resist, Frankie followed Vlad toward the VIP elevator, where Maria awaited them, effectively bringing an end to the assault on the building.
Moments after the two vampires entered the elevator and ascended to the top floor, a swarm of metallic scarabs poured out of the pillars within the hall. They immediately set to work, repairing the damaged walls and tidying up all the bullet casings and shell casings. They even disassembled the damaged car into tiny pieces.
After the small machines had completed their tasks, they flew back to the porthole in the pillars of the hall and disappeared into it, taking all evidence of the fierce battle with them.
Then, the defensive plates and shutters opened, along with the release of all lockdown protocols.
"The Defense Protocol is now on standby. Thank you for your cooperation," the female electronic voice of the building AI announced, signifying the official end of the lockdown. Employees emerged from their hiding places.
The receptionist at the reception booth, which had returned to normal, began to greet the employees as if nothing unusual had occurred.
"That drill this time was quite intense; I thought it was the real deal!" one employee remarked to his colleagues.
"Yeah, I heard screams, gunfire, and even explosions. I also thought this time it was real. Thank goodness it was just a drill. This company's surprise safety drills are so intense!" his colleague agreed.
"It's good that the company compensates us a bit each time these things happen. It's helpful since I haven't met my quota this month yet, but I think I'll have something nice to eat this month," another employee, who appeared to be a salesperson, said with enthusiasm.
Outside of the building, despite the gunfire, explosions, and screams, as well as the car crashing into the entrance, none of these scenes seemed to bother the people passing by. It was as if they were witnessing an everyday occurrence or scenes from an action movie playing right before their eyes.
This curious indifference was a result of the enchantment field that enveloped the area, with the building at its center. This field subtly dampened the cognitive functions of ordinary people, making them incapable of recognizing that an attack had taken place at the building or that the scenes outside of their usual peaceful environment were unfolding right before them.
The enchantment field selectively affected the perception of those within its boundaries, ensuring that non-magical individuals remained oblivious to the extraordinary events occurring in their midst, all in an effort to preserve the secrecy of the magical world.
This enchantment field had been crafted through the collaborative efforts of Envy and Daniel. She had initially informed Daniel about a field that could prevent people from recognizing any magic or supernatural phenomena.
However, Daniel had taken it a step further, configuring the field to not only obscure magic but also to render people incapable of recognizing acts of violence as long as those acts were directed at the building or its occupants. However, this enchantment did allow for exceptions, ensuring that people could still recognize violence if they themselves were directly affected, all in an effort to prevent unnecessary harm and death.
—
"It seems that the enchantment field is working as we intended," Envy remarked, turning her attention toward Daniel, who sat in his office on the top floor, peering down at the tranquil scene below.
"Yes, it's a relief that this was resolved swiftly," Daniel concurred, observing the serene panorama outside.
While the enchantment field was highly effective at maintaining secrecy and averting panic, even — Prescot Estate —
09:30
Within the opulent halls of Prescott Estate, an aura of wealth and luxury was shattered by the with Daniel's fine-tuning, it couldn't guarantee the absolute safety of ordinary people if circumstances escalated to the point where attackers no longer cared about collateral damage and decided to bombard the building from a distance.
The door to Daniel's office swung open, and both Vlad and Maria ushered Frankie in for interrogation. Given Frankie's status as the son of New York's most powerful mafia boss, Daniel believed he might possess valuable information.
"Mr. Frankie Santono, please have a seat," Daniel invited, fully aware that Frankie was under the influence of Vlad's vampiric charm and would answer any questions posed to him. And so, the interrogation commenced with an eerie smoothness.
— Prescot Estate —
Within the opulent halls of Prescott Estate, an aura of wealth and luxury was shattered by the resounding roars of Prescott's unbridled rage. His towering presence moved like a tempest, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Expensive vases, exquisite porcelain figurines, and delicate crystal chandeliers all met their doom at the merciless hands of Prescott. Each invaluable piece was reduced to naught but shattered fragments, strewn carelessly across the gleaming marble floors. The once flawless mirrors that adorned the walls now bore the scars of his violence, their once-glassy surfaces marred by jagged cracks and splintered reflections.
"Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! All of them! Useless!" Prescott bellowed as he systematically demolished his furniture and extravagant decorations.
Even the grandiose flat-screen TV, a symbol of modern opulence, faced the same unrestrained wrath. Its sleek screen, once a portal to high-definition entertainment, now presented only a chaotic spider's web of fractured glass. Prescott's fury appeared limitless, as his rampage spared no corner of his lavish abode.
After some time of furious rampaging, Prescott managed to calm himself, or at least enough for his mind, still brimming with greed and ruthless plans, to function. He retrieved his phone and connected to the Syndicate Union Operator.
Impatience gnawed at Prescott as he waited for the call to connect. Once it did, before the operator could utter a word, Prescott demanded answers.
"Could you please explain why the operation failed? I did everything you asked, increased the reward, and yet it failed spectacularly. All those supposedly fearless, heavily-armed gangsters vanished into that building, and you declared it a failure without offering the slightest explanation!" Prescott's tone was far from pleasant.
He longed to unleash his pent-up anger and frustration, but he dared not, knowing that the Syndicate Union held enough power to make him disappear without a trace. Thus, he treaded carefully even with the operator of the Syndicate Union.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid I can't help you. Disclosing such information would go against protocol," the operator responded with a professional tone.
New novel chapters are published on fr(e)ewebnov(e)l.com