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“One instructor noted that Kage was able to disassemble complicated toys that were far above his age level and put them back together in record time, over and over again. He demonstrated a strong memory and a flair for problem-solving, utilizing exceptional methods and shrewd perception. He was even in the newspaper for winning spelling bees as a sixth grader, blowing high schoolers out the water.” Grandpa sighed, but remained otherwise quiet.

“Kage, however, also began to show intellectual aggression, whatever the fuck that is, and peer manipulation.

Anti-social behavior. One instructor noted that he had the markers of an up and coming psychopath, possibly sparked by a childhood traumatic event.

“He appeared to become obsessed, they write, with discussions of death and how people were killed, and joked that every week the king of his family murders a man, and he gets to watch, hence, Kage has a vivid but disturbing imagination. He even memorized the most notable killers in US History, reciting their names in alphabetical order as some sort of party trick. In his teen years, he was admitted into Sunnyside Behavioral Psychiatric Hospital due to an attempted murder on a family member.” Sivero paused, snatching the paper from his eyes.

“…And now, I know who that family member was… Kage Wilde was placed on various medications, some of which seemed to exacerbate his symptoms. Kage went on a warpath it seems after his mother managed to have him discharged from the hospital after years of on and off stints in this facility, and several others. However, he returned to the Sunnyside hospital, filing claims of mental, physical, medical and emotional abuse, and won a small settlement. Soon thereafter, the hospital was forced to close due to lack of funding, and endless lawsuits from other former patients. Why did he try to off his own fucking grandfather at such a young age, Cyrus?”

“…Sivero, your guess is as good as mine.” He shrugged. Two of his men stepped in front, placing the table back on its feet.

“Bullshit. Cyrus, you have set a ball in motion that you can’t stop.

That’s what’s happened here. This man has somethin’ on you, and you want him close so you can watch him, but also exploit him.

The only reason you didn’t kill him is because you want to use him!

He’s a killing machine. I don’t typically tell you how to run your business, and you don’t tell me how to run mine, but here’s a little advice: You don’t ask for a favor that you know can’t be refused, without supplying all of the facts.

We would have planned this differently if I had known, or told you to take this request and shove it up your ass.

I’ve been around you and your family for years.

I’ve never laid eyes on this man. Now I know why.

I took your word, and as a man, our word is our bond. You’ve broken that.”

“Sivero, what would knowing about Kage’s intellectual prowess, depressing childhood, and a damn spellin’ bee he had in grade school have told you? Helped you prepare?” Grandpa took a long inhale from his cigar and tapped the ashes in the ashtray.

“It’s not the little details that were needed.

It’s the big picture… knowin’ that this man is not only your grandson, but also a natural hunter, slick, and does not think like us.

He does not play by the rules like us. He doesn’t reason like us, and he is a fuckin’ basket case, and according to this report, he got that way for a myriad reasons.

Now you wanna sit there, like a bowl of spoiled vanilla pudding, look me in my eye and act like it’s no big deal.

He’s out of his fucking mind, and beyond being negotiated with.

There is no talkin’ to this man! There is no strong-arming.

No dirty persuasion. His first language is violence, and he doesn’t stop speakin’ it until everyone is dead!

What is the first rule of war? Know thy enemy! ”

“Kage can be influenced. He can in fact be spoken to, but you just have to know how to—”

“My guys were to rough him up, get him to sign that contract of yours. Period! You said beat him up, make him hurt. They didn’t even have a chance!

It’s like he was already waiting for them.

My nephew paid the ultimate price for a feud he should’ve never been in.

He’s been tryna off you since he was still in fuckin’ diapers, and you sent my brother’s boy on a death walk!

You may as well have called the coroner in advance.

He ain’t got shit to lose, Cyrus! He runs his own fucking life, and he can disappear like that!

” He snapped his fingers. “EVERY FUCKIN’ BODY, INCLUDIN’ YOU, THAT HAS ATTEMPTED TO INFLUENCE THIS MAN, brIBE THIS MAN, TAKE OUT THIS MAN, RUIN THIS MAN, HAS ENDED UP EITHER A DAMN VEGETABLE OR DECEASED!

My family has slayed many giants, Cyrus, but information is power!

You purposefully kept that information from us because you knew I’d refuse the job! ”

“Wrong!” He slapped the arm of his chair. “I figured someone of your status, someone he wouldn’t suspect, he’d have more respect for. It had nothing to do with—”

“We’re done here, Cyrus. You sent a lamb to be slaughtered by a wolf, and that wolf is rogue.” Grandpa swallowed at his choice of words.

“If it’s any consolation, I’ve been affected by this, too. Kage killed some of my best men. Several of them, actually. You know how hard it is to get good help nowadays. People want the glory without the guts and gumption. Not only that, but he also turned my daughter, his mother, against me.”

“Boo-fuckin’-hoo. Do I look like I give uh shit?” The man pointed to himself then shrugged.

“No, you don’t, but you need to be told that you’re not the only one that has been affected by my grandson’s actions.

In fact, when I had him collected, along with my other problematic grandsons, for an important meeting to discuss their futures last year, it took fifteen men to take Kage down, and two of ’em died in the process.

He was one of the hardest ones to get. I had planned his retrieval to the letter, months in advance, but he still got the jump on me and put up a hell of a fight.

I was only able to get him because he wasn’t on his own property.

No courtside advantage. And he was drugged.

” He added under his breath. “My men had to hold him down and give him a Benzodiazepines cocktail.”

“You’re really fuckin’ unbelievable.” Sivero smirked. “You think that information helps ya? IT DOESN’T! It makes it even worse. If these guys weren’t in this room protectin’ you like you were some sovereign king, I think you know what I’d do to you right about now, Cyrus.”

“Sivero, even without them, I might wipe the floor with you. Don’t you threaten me, or call me stupid and weak, you arrogant fucker.

I’m from the country, I ain’t stupid. You think us good folks from the southern states are idiots.

Your men fucked this up. Kage was none the wiser until they followed him into the gotdamn gas station.

All those witnesses? Cameras? How reckless!

So stupid! Your men share some of the blame. Own it!”

“THEY TRIED TO HELP YOU, PER MY ORDERS!”

“And I specifically said, don’t let Kage get them alone, no public confrontations, and don’t let him get to his house, either!

There’s a shitload of artillery, cameras, and booby traps.

I made that mistake. He knows that forest too well, and he’ll use it against anyone and everything.

Don’t take him somewhere completely desolate to try and corner or trap him—he’s a wolf!

I told you a side road was perfect; I even gave the best spots.

If there’s folks around, he’s more careful about his reactions!

Without an audience, he’ll let loose! Show you his ugly side!

Like you said before, wolves always find a way out!

He’s too tall to hide, so what does he do?

He finds a way to blend in. They, uh, your guys, that is, managed to keep him off the land, and that was good, but they got him somewhere remote, against my instructions.

You can’t point the finger at me, because I warned against that. You should’ve made that clear to them.”

“Oh, so suddenly this is my fault, too, Cyrus?” The man looked mad around the eyes. Insane. His lips curled and he exposed his pearly whites. A tremendous heat came over him. Sivero wanted blood…

“I’m just sayin’ that the location played a big part in things goin’ awry. It’s difficult to beat him when he is in his element. Kage is a loner, Sivero. He loves bein’ by himself. In the dark. He’s a spooky son of a bitch. I’ve paid for this, too.”

“Oh no… you haven’t paid yet, but you will. You will pay, one way or another. As for Kage, he won’t be working for you.”

“I don’t think that’s your call.”

“It ain’t my call, but it’ll be your ass.

You won’t get what you want, fucker, because he’ll be dead.

No rebel human grenade for you, ol’ boy.

Kiss that dream goodbye. I’ll be makin’ certain of it.

Knowledge is power, Cyrus.” He tapped his temple.

“You left the good parts out. I was the wrong man to cross, but you’ll find that out soon enough… ”

Sivero snapped his fingers. The men with him turned in unison and headed out the door…