NPC blog

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“Ah.” Anthony drank some more, finishing off the goblet in record time. Responsible was code for ‘get back to the family business and settle on the fact that he was supposed to watch over drones in some office somewhere’ but he could read between the lines. The family accounts were cut off, so that meant his personal funds were on the line—which meant returning destitute if this expedition didn’t pay off. Wonderful.

“Jeeves. Calm your nerves and sit down,” he replies softly yet firmly, closing his eyes in a moment of exhaustion. “You’re not in trouble, you’re the messenger. Just be a dear and relax. Only one of us is going through a crisis right now.”

Jeeves had always liked Anthony best of the Perez family, part of that was due to their closeness in age, but part of it was due to how Anthony actually treated Jeeves like a person; not just a carrier pigeon or mule. It didn’t mean that Jeeves was comfortable with Anthony by any means, but he was glad that at least Anthony wasn’t lashing out at him. 

Jeeves sat down across from Anthony, his hands folded in his lap, “I’ve booked an extra ticket back home, out of your parent’s account, in case you’d like to return now. No one will think any less of you for not going through with this.” 

Well, if that wasn’t ominous. Grabbing the wine from the counter, he poured one for himself, and then set one down for Jeeves. Or maybe he was going to drink that too—depending on what the man said. “Spit it out then, Jeeves; I’m not getting any younger, and I’m sure mother’s gardens need tending to.” Anthony drank. It was all that he could do, after all.

Jeeves flinches at the change in tone. He should have been used to the volatility of the rich by now, how easily they’d pull off their smiling masks, but he wasn’t. It still shook him. He gulped. “They would like to inform you that you access to the family accounts has been indefinitely suspended. Until you can prove yourself more responsible. . .they’re cutting you off.” 

“Good to see you, Jeeves!” Anthony has a smile on his face, small and sincere, though he’d like to think about anything else but his parents right now. Bless their heart. “Don’t tell me they had you drag yourself to Cairo for this—a telegram would do.”

Jeeves did not smile, he merely averted his eyes. “They thought perhaps this message required a more personal touch.” He pretended not to detect the irony of the Perez’s considering sending someone else to do their dirty work ‘a personal touch’. “It’s about your financial situation.” 

“Mr. Perez, sir?” interrupted the young man, “I hate to intrude but I have a message to relay. . .it’s from your parents.”