Brandon sat at his desk thinking over the events of the past weekend. He’d had fun with lucas, he really had, he was a good kid, but it’s just that, he was a kid. he could see a future with him, not the way he could with Jett but still. H opened his laptop, and checked though a few stocks, shuffled a little money around, not so much out of a need to do so, but as something to occupy his front brain while things percolated in the back
Things needed to change he thought. there was too much left to chance around here, and that made him uncomfortable. He liked to be in control and he liked to know where things stood. He loved Jett, and he knew Jett loved him, but so far Jett had only seen one side of him. he wondered if jett would feel the same if, or more likely when he saw the other side. The darker side, and he was sure Lucas would take issue, they were both still too….. human. That might be part of what he liked though, someone who still had a shred of the humanity that he long ago forsake. still, the business with marcus, and Jasper and all the rest was irksome.
‘Emilio, ihave a question for you….”
“Yes sir?”
“which do you think is better, leaving a madman in charge or having no one in charge at all?”
“I suppose sir, that depends on how easily the madman can be controlled”
“you know me well Emilio, thank you, I suppose that both answers my question and raises another. How does one control a man who values nothing, cares for nothing?”
Emilion began to open his mouth and Brandon stopped him “don’t worry i was more thinking out loud, you may go”
Emilio nodded and left the room quickly and silently as he was apt to do. Brandon mused to himself, he never really questioned WHAT Emilio was, but recently he’d seen being with similar powers. Namely Jasper, it was a curiosity though nothing more. Emilio was more loyal than anyone he’d ever met, that was all that really mattered.
So what to do? take over the city? Destroy marcus, perhaps even diablerize him? the idea was amusing but he doubted he could take marcus in any sort of fair fight. How would the others react? Vince? Peytra? both formidable in their own right, he’d not want to fight either of them in a serious battle. Could things really be left the way they are though? what of greg. surely he was not mortal, there was nothing specific, but the way jasper deferred to him… also there was just… an air about him. He could hire david, with Vince as an introduction surely he could afford the man’s services, and he;d heard tell the Immortal had taken out other dangerous targets effectively, but that still led back to the other problems , who to put in charge after?
He laughed to himself a moment at the thought of Prince-Vince. one who’d probably most qualified for the job, just and fair, and also the absolute least likely to want it. Peytra, hmm a Lasombra helping a Ventrue gain control of a city, the thought soured in his mouth, even so she was probably about as anxious to lead as vince. Mihai had the age, and it seems the wisdom from their chess games, but still he barely knew the man. The ambrosini’s were young yet, though it was possible they’d make good leaders, but therein lay another problem, “they” plural….
On the other hand, leaving things as they were, finding some way to at least influence the goings on, after all most of it did not result directly from marcus’ controll of the city, it was other influences, and drama that put things in such…. upheaval.
Perhaps a more practical approach was needed. He turned his attention to the laptop again, and started looking at business listings around town. property, buildings. This could work.
First, construction, yes thats a good place to begin, he’d need to buy the local construction companies,than any private security firms, alarm companies. All through exceedingly well buried subsidiaries of course. Brandon had played this game for centuries, 100 of the most gifted Forensic accountants in the world couldn’t unravel the onion like layers of his various holdings if they had 3 lifetimes to do it. After that was done he started buying up property, anything for sale, big o small, it didn’t matter what. then the businesses, he’d have ot make offers of course, but hostile takeovers of one sort of another were, well, frankly fun.
There would b holdouts of course, but that was the key, he would offer sch obscene amounts of money that anyone who didn’t sell was obviously being controlled a holding of someone’s obviously. then he’d narrow in and acquire those by…. other means. By this time tomorrow he’d own most of this city, included anything Marcus had a hand in.
of course he didn’t need to actively pursue this much further, he had minions to shake hands and exchange briefcases, he sat back and smiled. perhaps there might be a few people he’d have to meet personally, but that was no real issue. Soon the city would be his and things would get back on track.
Now as for other issues. He smiled, he hadn’t had this sort of fun in a while, it felt nice to be on the attack again, a predator pursuing his prey, maybe not in the most traditional sense, but in the financial world, he was an Apex predator for sure. If his heart could beat he was sure it would be racing right now. He reached for his phone and grinned, he had a few calls to make.