confessions of a witch girl: The time weaver chronicles.2.

chapter 2: david lexton

The wind whipped his bangs to his face as he hunched forward, bracing himself as he walked against the bitterness of the winter air. Snowflakes feathered his hair, creating a tiny crown of white that slowly melted in to beads as he bustled ahead. The buildings towered over him reaching for the night sky, disappearing in to the winter fog that cradled the base of each structure. Why must every dinner Dave wants him at always be on the coldest nights, he questioned himself. When Dave asks- you comply, that was the first rule you learned when working for Time Corp. Probably the most important piece of information to pick up as a young tether-er.

Jake quickened his pace as he marched forward towards his destination. A high end bistro with an air of arrogance, a perfect spot for David to pick, Jake scoffed. He had grown to quite adore his obnoxious, boisterous boss over the years. He was a handsome man, tall with a lean muscled body, the kind you get from swimming and running, and doing out door activities, not the kind solely manufactured in a gym. His height made him quite statuesque, a looming six foot’ six inches, he towered over almost everyone he came across. If by some chance he happened upon a fellow mountainous male, he surely towered over them in personality and vigor. Dave was unlike anyone Jake had every met. He was as fierce as he was wealthy, and more famous than any celebrity ever was or would be. David Lexton ran the most important company in the New World. David was the CEO of Time Corp, he was the sole mind behind ‘The Regulation’. He single handedly, as he so liked to tell it, ‘stopped the corruption of the New World by ‘those Glinty S.O.B.s’.’ 

David believed entirely that Weavers were dangerous if left ‘un-tethered’, meaning allowed full reign and control of their powers. Dave had said on more than one occasion that the only one who should have more power than he was God, and even then Jake wondered if Dave didn’t think that he himself was God, or at least his descendant. 

Jake chuckled at his last thought as he approached the restaurant. He walked swiftly now, the wind had grown more bitter as his walk lengthened. He passed under the large structures over head, the tunnel systems that had replaced roads decades prior when vehicles had began to take flight. The tunnels prevented the many mid air collisions that had arisen, but they sure did nothing for the sky line. 

‘Sir.’ The host nodded at Jake as he fumbled through the brass framed glass door. 

‘Evening.’ Jake pressed together his frozen lips and forced a smile on to his frosty cheeks. 

‘Lexton is the name. David Lexton.’ 

Jake never grew tired of the look of sheer awe, terror, and exhilaration that seemed to come over people when Lexton’s name was mentioned. The matri-de seemed to instantly start glistening. Little sweat droplets began to form on his brow as he nervously fingered his moustache, 

‘Ah!Lexton!’ he said with a air of what he must have been trying to disguise as surprise of the knowledge Lexton was in his very bistro at the moment. 

‘Ah yes, Lexton is r-right over here, please follow me.’ 

Jake had temporarily rested his case on the red velvet chair beside the entryway; he now swung it back around himself and followed the plump sweating host in to the dining area of the restaurant. 

The whole dining room was outfitted in gold and red, the chairs were velvet and glossy in the glow of the candle light, and the golden accents of the brass finishing shone brightly through the dimly lit space. This was the place most celebrities chose to dine, along with other CEOs and high status folk of AOS, this was the spot one went to be ‘seen’ but only by the ‘right’ types of people. 

Jake followed the man along the dining room floor, eyes of fellow diners darting after him. Jake could only assume the entire establishment was aware of the presence of the dinner party he would soon be joining. 

The man turned left down a long hallway tiled in shiny black material Jake could only assume was some sort of elaborate stone. The black tile was marbled with a subtle deep red, its pattern causing the light of the chandeliers above them to dance. Nine black chandeliers hung above them mapping the long hallways with their glow. Their black and clear crystals swung gently to the sound of the piano that echoed beneath them. 

The hallway was lengthy and Jake’s shoes began to squeak beneath him as the snow from their skins had began to melt. He looked down at them and cursed the winter once more. 

‘Here you are Sir.’

Jake started as he nearly clamored in to the back of the sweaty matri-de. The man had grown even shinier than the marbled walls around them. His arm extended out in a welcoming gesture towards two black velvet curtains that hung from the ceiling and draped to the floor, creasing in to a cascade of fabric and sparkle. 

The man made no movement towards opening the curtain himself so Jake nodded and gave a quick smile as he reached out to pull back the shrouding fabric. 

To Jake’s surprise, he found himself in yet another empty room, even darker than the hallway, if that was possible, and much more elaborate. The walls were lined with more velvet and the floor and ceiling decorated with brass colored roses woven in to the very tile itself. The effect, albeit gaudy, was quite beautiful at the same time and Jake found himself lost for a moment in the sheer elaborate nature of it all. 

A laugh echoed from behind the door way ahead of him in a muffled melody. A large door towering nearly three feet over Jake’s six foot stature was now the only thing separating Jake from the dinner engagement. The laugh had belonged to David of course; Jake moved towards the large rose shaped handle. 

His hand pushed against the cold metal of the rose knob, and he stepped in to the new room. 

‘Jacob!’ Dave’s booming voice drowned out the other conversations happening around the room. The room was equally as dim lit as the prior entrance way and hallway Jake had just emerged from. He straightened at the sound of his name and held up his hand in an acknowledging wave. The room sported similar décor as the rest of the bistro. Red and gold fabrics draped down from the corners, cloaking the convened group in a sophisticated torrent of fabric. There were roughly twelve waist high tables scattered around the room, each one harboring several half-consumed drinks and appetizers on little plates, the tables supported the leans of the men surrounding them. 

The group within was obviously well dressed, expensively tailored suits and shirts decorated the crowd of men standing around the tables. Jake recognized most of them, fellow tether-ers and important members of the AOS board. 

‘Welcome! Welcome!’ Called David out to him. 

‘Come, please! Everyone listen up, over here, that’s right yup- attention this way please.’ His loud voice hushed the group immediately, creating a murmur of voices rather than the initial roar that had welcomed Jake as he arrived. 

‘This is the man- the man of the hour- our best tether-er!’ 

Jake grimaced at the lament; he hated this reference even more than he hated all of the attention that was now pointed at him. He knew there were greater tether-ers at Time Corp, he could even make some out in the subdued lighting of the room. He saw their distained faces and he knew they knew it too. Jake’s day as best tether-er had passed. He no longer felt the love for the job he once had and it showed in his work, but despite this, he still appeared David’s favorite, an annoyance for the other tether-ers he was certain. 

‘David- please, please, thank you…’ Jake trailed off awkwardly as he approached David and the group surrounding him. 

Dave was dressed in his usual best. His tailored suit was a silveresque grey; it seemed to fit his body perfectly. Every seam was in the exact right position that it needed to be to accentuate his form. His shirt was a bright lilac with a matching patterned tie. Jake wasn’t quite certain but the pattern looked as if it were tiny clocks… 

‘Jake- don’t be so modest! It is unbecoming!’ He slapped Jake across the back in a playful fatherly way and chortled his booming laugh. 

Jake avoided the eyes of the other tether-ers surrounding David, he hated playing along when he did not feel he deserved the praise. 

Jake scanned the room as Dave continued on a story that Jake’s entrance had halted. The room held about 35 or 40 people Jake estimated. Some he recognized, some he didn’t. He smiled awkwardly as his gaze was met by a few. It was strange, Jake thought as his stomach gave a small growl, he had sworn David had mentioned this was a dinner, but there was no set up for a proper meal to be had comfortably. Jake pictured himself cutting through a steak as he stood at one of the tall tables and scowled, now that would be uncomfortable. 

As if Dave had read his mind, his voice now echoed through the room demanding attention once more. 

‘Alright everyone, now that we are all here-‘ he nodded towards Jake with a friendly grin, 

‘We can move in to the tabled area, where we will be dining.’ 

What, Jake wondered, yet another room to be seen? Why were they back so far, hidden from the rest of the building? He scanned the room for a door and suddenly grew aware of a black screen at the far right of the circular room. 

‘This way everyone’ David started towards the screen, turning back and gesturing Jacob forward to walk beside him. Jake moved through the several others that had beat him to Dave’s side, 

‘Alright sir, you have me interested,’ Jake confessed as he kept pace with Dave’s wide steps. 

‘Do I now? Good!’ Dave snorted as they approached the screen. 

A large hand sporting two large gold rings extended forwards, folding the screen to the side like tissue paper. 

Jake entered the room. It was long with a large table in the centre of it. The table was so grand it would surely fit the entire group of forty men. Each chair corresponded with a beautiful plate and golden silverware, along side it a chalice filled with red liquid he assumed was wine. As ornate, as the room was it was not what held Jake’s eye. 

With a restrained gasp, Jake’s eyes traveled to the sole person sitting at the table. Hands clasped together before her, white hair cascading down her back, was a Weaver.