Read Online Lucas: Origins Of A Demon by N.P. Martin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: N.P. Martin
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say?” Lucas is trying to keep his voice level, but the thoughts of having to run again so soon deeply unsettles him.
“Not a thing. They spoke to my boss, not to me. My boss says he never heard of you.”
“Then what?”
“They tortured him. He didn’t know nothing, though.”
Lucas is only half relieved. Leonard’s lackeys did not know his exact location yet, but they still somehow know that he is in the city somewhere. “Alright. Let me know if you learn anything more.”
“Sure. My fee just doubled though.”
Lucas squeezes the phone tighter. “Just keep me informed.”
CHAPTER NINE
After his visit from Ho Tepp that night, Lucas never saw the dark master again. In fact, there was word of Ho Tepp’s death not long after, although Lucas knew instantly the news of Ho Tepp’s death was untrue. Such a master practitioner of the dark arts can never die, at least not that soon. For whatever reason, Ho Tepp must have wanted to disappear for a while, perhaps become someone else. Who knew?
Lucas was too busy to care anyway. He was too busy tending to the massive intelligence network that he had built, a network that stretched to every corner of the known world at that time. Lucas was feared by the leaders of the world, even though those leaders did not know who he really was. They feared the persona of a secretive and dangerous man that Lucas had carefully leaked to the world. It would have been too dangerous for him to take direct credit for everything he had built. It would only be a matter of time before he became the worlds most hunted man. He would either end up dead, or in the forced employ of some unscrupulous and despicable leader. His own father was actively searching for the man behind all the power, anxious to recruit the cult figure known as the Dark Gatherer. King Rameses II wanted such a powerful figure at his side, perhaps to replace Ho Tepp. Though even if Ho Tepp still served the King, the King would still want the other most powerful man in the kingdom. Lucas’ father was greedy like that.
Lucas vowed never to end up by his father’s side though, not in any capacity, and certainly not as his father’s son. It was enough for Lucas to know that he now had the power to topple empires if he so wished, including that of King Rameses II. Lucas had no interest in bringing any empire to its knees, not unless he had to anyway. Sure, he used his power to influence all the time, but only to keep things balanced. If he thought a certain powerful individual or organization was over stepping their mark, disrupting the delicate balance of things, Lucas would set things in motion to have that individual or organization warned to stand down. If the warning was ignored, those in question would be quietly removed from their positions of power and replaced by someone or something that Lucas had better control over. Sometimes the offending person or persons were paid off. Most took the bribes to walk away. Those who didn’t were blackmailed into walking away, which was easy as Lucas knew every dirty little secret there was to know. On the rare occasion that blackmail didn’t work, threats of force were made, usually to the person’s family. It was a rare occasion when Lucas was forced to kill anyone, but he had done so. For the greater good, and to keep the grand scheme of things in balance, however precarious that balance often was.
Lucas was not a particularly moral man back then. His real interest in having so much power was in the machinations of power itself. He loved to work and control the delicate machine he had built. Loved to effect change whenever change was needed. In a way, he was as powerful as any god.
Which is why an actual god paid him a visit one night while he slept in his modest home in the center of Memphes.
The same god who urged Ho Tepp to pass along the Book of Universal Darkness to Lucas almost ten years before.
Isis.
At first he thought he
“Not a thing. They spoke to my boss, not to me. My boss says he never heard of you.”
“Then what?”
“They tortured him. He didn’t know nothing, though.”
Lucas is only half relieved. Leonard’s lackeys did not know his exact location yet, but they still somehow know that he is in the city somewhere. “Alright. Let me know if you learn anything more.”
“Sure. My fee just doubled though.”
Lucas squeezes the phone tighter. “Just keep me informed.”
CHAPTER NINE
After his visit from Ho Tepp that night, Lucas never saw the dark master again. In fact, there was word of Ho Tepp’s death not long after, although Lucas knew instantly the news of Ho Tepp’s death was untrue. Such a master practitioner of the dark arts can never die, at least not that soon. For whatever reason, Ho Tepp must have wanted to disappear for a while, perhaps become someone else. Who knew?
Lucas was too busy to care anyway. He was too busy tending to the massive intelligence network that he had built, a network that stretched to every corner of the known world at that time. Lucas was feared by the leaders of the world, even though those leaders did not know who he really was. They feared the persona of a secretive and dangerous man that Lucas had carefully leaked to the world. It would have been too dangerous for him to take direct credit for everything he had built. It would only be a matter of time before he became the worlds most hunted man. He would either end up dead, or in the forced employ of some unscrupulous and despicable leader. His own father was actively searching for the man behind all the power, anxious to recruit the cult figure known as the Dark Gatherer. King Rameses II wanted such a powerful figure at his side, perhaps to replace Ho Tepp. Though even if Ho Tepp still served the King, the King would still want the other most powerful man in the kingdom. Lucas’ father was greedy like that.
Lucas vowed never to end up by his father’s side though, not in any capacity, and certainly not as his father’s son. It was enough for Lucas to know that he now had the power to topple empires if he so wished, including that of King Rameses II. Lucas had no interest in bringing any empire to its knees, not unless he had to anyway. Sure, he used his power to influence all the time, but only to keep things balanced. If he thought a certain powerful individual or organization was over stepping their mark, disrupting the delicate balance of things, Lucas would set things in motion to have that individual or organization warned to stand down. If the warning was ignored, those in question would be quietly removed from their positions of power and replaced by someone or something that Lucas had better control over. Sometimes the offending person or persons were paid off. Most took the bribes to walk away. Those who didn’t were blackmailed into walking away, which was easy as Lucas knew every dirty little secret there was to know. On the rare occasion that blackmail didn’t work, threats of force were made, usually to the person’s family. It was a rare occasion when Lucas was forced to kill anyone, but he had done so. For the greater good, and to keep the grand scheme of things in balance, however precarious that balance often was.
Lucas was not a particularly moral man back then. His real interest in having so much power was in the machinations of power itself. He loved to work and control the delicate machine he had built. Loved to effect change whenever change was needed. In a way, he was as powerful as any god.
Which is why an actual god paid him a visit one night while he slept in his modest home in the center of Memphes.
The same god who urged Ho Tepp to pass along the Book of Universal Darkness to Lucas almost ten years before.
Isis.
At first he thought he
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