The Tower of Faith
It’s a skyscraper that towers over the industrial zone known as Desolation. It’s so high in the sky that it stands over the poison cloud that is Desolation and its factories. It is said that it doesn’t take long at all in the toxic smog that is Desolation to inflict a fatal cancer.
So any meetings that the Cardinal Mariano Urizar takes are in the lofty section above the cloud of disease and ash. He even has a helipad jutting out of the side of the building for helicopters and VTOL craft.
A luxury helicopter lands on this helipad where Commander Zelalem Sirak Etefu stands with six other elite Shocktroopers. They are called the Blood Merchants for they sell weapons and other instruments of war to other clients within the Warhammer Corporation and without. They are on their guard as the man stepping out of the helicopter is responsible for shutting down much of Desolation and repurposing them toward other, less profitable, avenues. The Blood Merchants have been reduced to selling UOW’s action figures and other merchandise.
Jeremiah Vastrix steps out of the helicopter alone with a wide grin. He walks up to the only unhelmeted Shocktrooper of the bunch in the form of Commander Etefu and extends a hand.
Jeremiah Vastrix - Hello, Commander! I bet you are going to be very happy to see me today.
Commander Zelalem Sirak Etefu narrows his eyes at Jeremiah, seemingly unconvinced.
Zelalem Sirak Etefu - We will see, Mr. Vastrix.
Jeremiah’s response is to look at Zelalem with his eyes taking on a red gleam.
Jeremiah Vastrix - Trust me. Are you taking me to meet with the Cardinal or are we going to stare into each others’ eyes?
Commander Etefu swallows back some biting words and motions for Jeremiah to follow him.
Zelalem Sirak Etefu - Right this way, Mr. Vastrix.
Right off of the helipad, there is a large meeting room that the Commander takes him to. He and the other Blood Merchants take up guard positions by the door while Jeremiah Vastrix walks into the room and sees Cardinal Mariano Urizar sitting at the end of a large conference table. Jeremiah grins then grins even wider as he sees the distaste on the Cardinal’s face.
Jeremiah Vastrix - I’m glad that you could meet with me, Your Eminence. I bring glad tidings.
Cardinal Mariano Urizar - You gutted my main source of profit. I can’t see how you might bring me “glad tidings”, Jeremiah.
Again, Jeremiah’s eyes gleam red. Something that brings a curious look from the Cardinal. Jeremiah walks down to the head of the table and sits at the Cardinal’s right.
Jeremiah Vastrix - Oh, so you know. You address me by my body’s name, not by my name. Jeremiah isn’t doing the driving now, so to speak. It is a secret that I only share with you and these Blood Merchants.
Cardinal Urizar frowns as he regards Jeremiah and looks into his eyes for a moment before he blinks in surprise.
Cardinal Mariano Urizar - Michael? Is that you?
Jeremiah Vastrix smiles.
Michael Vastrix - My son found a usb drive hidden in my desk and sought to uncover its secrets. He found me waiting inside. The very drive that we made, my friend.
Cardinal Mariano Urizar - And so we are back to normal?
Michael Vastrix - Hammer Industries is back in the weapon game, my friend. I will call upon all of the human traffickers in the region that used to supply manpower to Desolation. They can eat once again now that Desolation will need workers to man the forges. See? I bring glad tidings, Commander.
Zelalem Sirak Etefu - I stand corrected, Mr. Vastrix. We will spread the word that we are back in the weapons game. Our clients have been chomping at the bit to get what they need.
Cardinal Mariano Urizar - We should celebrate the change of policy with a great feast! I will alert the kitchens. Would you like a room to freshen up, my friend?
Michael Vastrix - I would love such a thing. It has been a long flight to get here from Japan.
Not long later, Jeremiah is in his room and fresh out of a shower with a towel around his waist. He looks into a full length mirror and feels his chin.
Michael Vastrix - You could use a shave, son.
The mirror seems to animate on its own, showing Jeremiah Vastrix with an angry blue gleam to his eyes.
Jeremiah Vastrix - You monster! I worked hard to reverse the negative image of the Warhammer Corporation with Hammer Industries. I won’t let you corrupt the current company!
Michael Vastrix - I don’t think you have a choice in the matter, Jeremiah. I am in control now. Hammer Industries will weaponize the world and my plans to take control will move on.
Jeremiah Vastrix - I will take back my body somehow, father! This, I swear!
Michael Vastrix - For now, you’re just a voice in your own head.
A few minutes later, Michael Vastrix is dressed and in his business suit. He sits in the chair at a desk in the room and smiles into the camera.
Michael Vastrix - Lulu Biggs. You get to be my first opponent in the ring with me as champion. My first example of what I can really do. You see (he taps the side of his head at the temple). I already know everything that you can do. I know everything that I can do. I can and I will hurt you in ways that you never really thought imaginable.
Michael reaches back to the desk where a small bar sits. He mixes himself a dry martini and sips on it with an even wider grin.
Michael Vastrix - You might think that you are dealing with a goody two-shoe that wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Rest assured that I will do everything in my power to hurt your lard ass. Sumo trained they say you are. You’re more like buffet trained as in management will come to you after three hours of eating and tell you to get out as you are draining the profits for the month. I will take you apart a piece at a time. I’ll snap your legs, dislocate your shoulders, unhinge your jaw, and fill your mouth with broken shards of teeth. By the end of the match, you will know who your better is and it will be me.
Michael finishes his martini and sets the glass down onto the desk and turns back to the camera.
Michael Vastrix - So, go eat a six-pound steak and half a salad bar before we meet in the ring, Lulu. It will be the last bits of solid food that you will be able to eat for a long time. Run a mile as it will be the last you will ever be able to put one foot in front of the other. I don’t even know if they build wheelchairs capable of holding your bulk, but I’m sure that they will find something that will work. I don’t know if after I fcuk up your shoulders that you’ll be able to power the wheelchair. You might have to blow through a straw or rely upon a horse to drag your ass around like a god damned chariot.
There is a knock at the door and a voice on the other side.
“The dining room is ready for you, Mr. Vastrix.”
Michael Vastrix - See you soon, Lulu.