Fortunatus Wright - Part 2 : Family Ties

[Stoat]

Credits:

Thanks to Petr (MarvinCZ) for allowing me the leniency to characterise Nobby Preston, and for the grammar corrections!


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Chapter 1

Life with the Privateers was good. Shipping through Kusari was taking a heavy beating, and the corporations from Liberty and Rheinland that traded there were kicking up a huge fuss with the Bretonian Government. Such was the state of affairs that Stuart had been placed under house arrest, and Fortunatus had been dealing directly with the Admiralty on behalf of the Privateers for months.

Nate rubbed his eyes as he hauled himself out of bed. His communicator was beeping incessantly, and when the Admiralty called they expected an immediate response. He slumped into the chair at his desk and opened the link.

"Wright here," he said, blearily.

"Ahhh, Sir Fortunatus! So good of you to finally pick up!" said an unctuous voice. Nate cursed silently. Colonel Lord Sir Alexander Bowers was a constant trouble to the Privateers, repeatedly calling for their disbandment and arrest. Nate had also discovered he was the second in command of the division that Martha had been working for when she was killed. Nate hated the man with a passion, and knew a confrontation about Martha would come soon. "You are required at the Admiralty offices immediately. Report to Major Walker as soon as you get here. Do not delay!"

The connection was terminated before Nate could say a word. He could feel his blood starting to boil. A jumped up twat with his head up his arse was how Stuart had described the Colonel, and Nate couldnt agree more.

Ten minutes later he was on his way to the Admiralty offices in Garrett House on Glebe Street. It had become the main co-ordination centre for the BAF since the Kusari invasion of Leeds, and the Admiralty had moved in there as well. At least, those of them that were brave enough to be on the front lines. Colonel Bowers ensured that his presence on Leeds was kept to an absolute minimum. Just another reason for Nate to hate him. He wondered what might have prompted Bowers to make an appearance.

Nate climbed the steps to the main doors and showed his BAF identification card to the guards on the door, who waved him through. He made his way to the lifts, and selected the 73rd floor. Before long he was entering the reception area for the Admiralty offices. He walked up to the reception desk.

"Fortunatus Wright to see Major George Walker."

The lady behind the desk looked up with a twinkle in her eye, and licked her lips flirtatiously. "Certainly sir. Please, go right through."

Nate couldnt help but smile. The Privateers had built themselves quite a reputation as dashing ruffians, and the attention they received from the women of Bretonia was nothing short of scandalous. It was only his memories of Martha that restrained him in that matter. He winked at the receptionist as he walked off to the Majors office.

"Bloody hell George!" he called as he threw open the door without knocking. "Where do you find these lovely ladies to guard your offices? I'll never underst........" He broke off as he saw that they werent alone. "Ah, Colonel Bowers. This isumm..well, you demanded my presence, Colonel, and here I am."

Nate flashed a quick look to Major Walker, who held an apologetically helpless expression.

"Yes, well, this wont take long. I am here to notify you in advance that Andrew Stuart," the Colonel deliberately left out the Sir, "has been released from house arrest. Theres some balderdash forthcoming about it all being some sort of misunderstanding. Anyway, the upshot is that your presence here is no longer required. Please hand over your pass to this building, and remove yourself forthwith."

The colonel fixed Fortunatus with a cold, dead glare, and held out his hand.

"Now, if youd be so kind, Mister Wright!"

Nate stared at the man in disbelief. The venom dripped from the mans voice. Something else was going on here, that much Nate knew. This was personal.

Fortunatus reached into a pocket, and pulled out his pass.

"Fine, here. But you have not seen the last of me, Colonel. We have unfinished business to discuss." He tossed the pass onto the Majors desk.

The Colonels mouth curled into a sneer as his eyes followed the trajectory of the pass. "I assume you are referring to your wife, Mr Wright. Well, theres nothing your pathetic attempts at investigation will reveal to you, beyond the fact that she worked for me. That she died protecting you only shows her incompetence. She will not be missed."

A blind rage descended upon Nate then, and he threw himself at the Colonel. A punch to the throat, followed by a kick to the groin and a knee into the face had the Colonel on the floor and unconcious within seconds. Nate fell upon the prone man, determined to throttle the life out of him, when a blow to his head sent him reeling. As he staggered to his feet, Major Walker forced him against the wall of the office.

"Nate! Nate, stop! Thisllll just get you court-martialled. Get the hell out of here!"

The adrenalin surge draining, Nate tried to focus on his friend. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his swimming vision, he pushed the Major away, and stumbled toward the door. As he opened it he looked back over his shoulder.

"Thanks George, I think I might have killed him there."

With that he left the room ran for the lift, his mind clicking back into gear. Bowers had clearly said what he did to get a reaction. It had succeeded, which meant Nate had lost the fight already. Cursing himself for a fool, he entered the lift. As the lift descended, his communicator chirruped. It was a message from Major Walker

"Fortunatus. I have been able to persuade the Colonel to let you get out of the building. He has no authority over you, and he provoked you with what he said. But he is royally pissed. Watch your back, and get off of Leeds as soon as you can. Good luck, my friend."

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