( * --- call me friend

“ THEY DID NOT CHOOSE THIS ISLAND, the program did. what they will have chosen is the place where they’ll move us next if they need more time to accomplish their goal. ” he felt unprepared. the decision would have been easy if he had really known what he needed to accomplish. allowing himself to become a victim to chance did not sit right with him. “ i’ve never seen a person outrun a bullet. seen plenty of attempts but... if they find us we will have only one option and i have to admit, i’d rather try something risky than get caught. ” [ @arayamahidol​, @kcliningrcd​, @sergiodarago​ ]

“ HOW FAR IS THE CLOSEST PATCH OF LAND ? anything around ten kilometers seems doable. i rather take my chances with sea than these people. ” knowing what pax aeterna’s plan for them was would have made decision making much easier. uriah did not think he was a person of interest to the organization  — but there was a possibility that he would be disposed of. “ this whole thing is a sick joke. ” [ @kvrvkin​, @kcliningrcd​, @arayamahidol​, @sergiodarago​ ]

“ THAT SPANISH DUCHESS, and none other than the king of france. the princess of venezuela too. have you heard about anyone else. four is maybe a mistake, more than that and it was planned. ” someone really had attended his party and fucking shat on his floor. “ i don’t know. people who have been wronged want heads and i think my neck is looking real good for them. ”

“ MEIXU IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CONFRONTED ME ABOUT IT. i’ve heard whispers of three others. but i’m hoping they distrust their company more than me. this whole thing is so fucking ridiculous. adult people. sophisticated people. how difficult is it to keep drugs out of a party ? there was an open bar for fuck’s sake ! ”

“ HMM ? ” positive or negative feedback ? meixu didn’t seem like the prissy type who’d complain about the temperature of her ice. he almost managed to clam himself in time for his whole sympathetic system to kick in. his heart was beating so hard against his chest that he was afraid it might burst through bone and skin. he stopped walking to give his answer the seriousness it required. “ that. ” jesus fucking christ. meixu ? why had it happened to the actually important guests ? “ this is the third time i’m hearing about it. i was hoping it was just a one time thing, something that might be considered a stupid coincidence. ” fuck, fuck, fuck. he’d murder minnie. her advice had been terrible. “ it wasn’t anyone from the hotel staff. they were interrogated. as for the guests... ” he offered her an apologetic look. “ i’m not in a position to ask them about this, i’m sorry. ” what if someone started blaming him ? he NEVER should have hosted a party. now he’d be remembered as that former president who got everyone drugged. “ i’m sorry it happened. were you alright ? alright considering the circumstances. ”

“ YOU HAVE TO KILL ME. did you hear ? drugs. someone laced drinks and at least a few guests were drugged against their will and without their knowledge. ” he buried his face in his hands. “ fucking kill me. this was supposed to be my own personal debutante ball. now everyone will remember me as that congolese guy whose party was the drug party of the year — and not in a good way. fucking fuck. ” the urge to kick the sofa overtook him and he immediately regretted it: searing pain shot up his leg from his big toe when it hit the surprisingly hard side of the sofa. more curse words escaped his mouth. “ do i publicly apologise ? do i tell people they might have been drugged ? do i deny it ? ” [ @mincnhlc​ ]

“ IT’S SERVED ITS PURPOSE THEN. ” there hadn’t been a pool party yet but plenty of embarrassing moments. he was happy. any criticism the actual party might receive would be overshadowed by the criticism that was going to directed at kings. KINGS. plural. “ ah no... i was getting her a drink and she disappeared and haven’t seen her since. ” 

“ WHEN ASALI DECLINED THE INVITATION, i thought i was gonna have a mwezi-less party... which is no party at all. thanks for coming. ” he pushed a drink into okeyo’s hand and gave the man a few slaps on the back. “ did she find something better ? ” [ @okcyo​ ]

“ YOUR HIGHNESS ! how have you liked the party. i’m glad you could make it. liked the food ? the drinks ? ” [ @fvmikc​ ]

“ I’D PISS HIM OFF. ” he could step out of line with nadya but she was the exception among the russians. everyone else forced him to straighten his back. “ mhm. ” he had another rhetorical question on his tongue but kept it to himself. had nadya always been so good repeating rehearsed statements ? “ oh, by the way. my advice for tonight is that you have to find the princess of mali here. i think you’d like her. ” he patted nadya’s arm as a goodbye while passing her.

“ YOU SAY THINGS TOO FLATLY. i take you seriously, ” uriah shrugged. “ i’ve been wondering about the meaning of medals since your brother’s wedding. i found the uniform a bit bold. which one of the ribbons did he earn when finland became his ? ” uriah’s forefinger vaguely swept back and forth on the front of his suit. it was in poor taste but so had been the czar’s chosen outfit.

“ SEE THAT MAN OVER THERE ? ” two of the fingers that had been wrapped around the new and cool glass point in the direction of a middle aged man. “ vice-president of rwanda. i didn’t think the medals would be appreciated tonight. ”

“ YOU’D THINK I WOULD HAVE GROWN TIRED OF THEM ALREADY. ” he said them so often that he barely noticed. the trick was to take everything he said with a grain of salt. “ i’m gonna see if i made the right call saving on entertainers. i considered hiring acrobats. ” there just had been no room for them. “ old fashioned. ”

“ I CONSIDER THAT A VICTORY. ” had a smaller party happened, he wasn’t sure how he would have handled her presence. their previous conversation still bothered him but it was easier to ignore when she occasionally disappeared from his view. “ i know when to save my money. ” he looked around before winking at her. “ i’m hoping someone will jump into the pool and drag a party with him. i like spontaneity. ”