26 An Advice
Ewan watched absentmindedly as the butler kept a tray of cookies and tea on the table.
Opposite him was Zane’s father, Herbert, reading a newspaper.
Ewan didn’t bother to ask how the older man had gotten his hands on today’s paper, when it was barely six a.m. The man had his ways.
What grasped his attention however, was the headlines of the first page.
‘Ewan Giacometti at the brink of deterioration?”
Ewan balled his fists. If the news was already on papers, then everyone in the city would see it soon, everyone would know of his incompetence.
His fists flexed and then relaxed. At this rate he won’t be surprised if his heart gave up on him.
He let himself inhale and exhale softly. This too shall pass away.
Then he continued checking out the paper. It was in the process that he discovered the owners of the paper. It was the KN press!
Why has he never seen the paper before? He wondered, taking note of the special effects of the pages and the quality of its paper.
It was unlike whatever paper he had seen and read. How come he has never seen it, not to
mention read it, before?
“How did you get this paper, Uncle Herbert?”
Herbert peered at Ewan from the apex
of the paper.
He held Ewan’s gaze for a while, and then shook his head. “Ewan, you really have to undo whatever wrong you did.”
Ewan stifled his response. He hadn’t done anything wrong!
Herbert closed the papers and kept it close to him. “The papers are rarely available. But whenever it is, they are distributed to the company’s subscribers.”
Ewan couldn’t help the widening of his eyes. “Subscribers? What does that mean?
He has never heard of subscribing to a newspaper. Blog, yes! But not newspapers! How’s that
even created?
“It means that some slots are created every month for whoever wants to join the subscription- for people who are not satisfied with their online website. Those, whose requests are accepted, are sent copies in the morning, whenever there’s a release”
Ewan wondered if he had been under a rock all this while. How could he not have known about this opportunity?
Did Sandro know about this? He didn’t think so. But he would have to ask.
C
26 An Advice
“Who delivers the papers? Isn’t it too early?”
Herbert bent forward and took a cookie from the plate, also collecting a cup of sweetened tea. “No one knows. We just see the paper at our doorstep.
Ewan’s hand suspended in the air–he had been about to collect a cookie from the plate. He hated too much mystery. “And no one has dared to stay on the watch?”
Herbert bit into his cookie. “No one knows when they are coming. They are very secretive. But I heard a gossip once, of a certain rich man who had studied their arrival patterns, and had set up watches for them for an entire week..
Herbert paused, and took a sip from his cup.
“And then?” Ewan asked, when Herbert showed no sign of continuing the story.
“He did see them, the delivery agents, but he never spoke about it, not after his company went under. No one else bothered to do the same after that. We just renew our subscriptions and collect our papers whenever they come!
That was the full confirmation Ewan needed. The company was surely working hand in hand with the hackers.
Ewan ate a biscuit, but it won’t go down. He drank tea, to help the swallow process. He was restless. This situation was perilous.
“So. you don’t know them? You don’t have much information on them?”
Herbert shook his head. “As I said, they are mysterious.”
“How much is their subscription? What’s their website? Can you send the address to me?”
Herbert nodded, picked his phone, and immediately sent a text, so he wouldn’t forget. “Their subscription is twenty thousand dollars a month. I’m not sure they would accept you though. seeing as they have a vendetta with you.
Ewan’s hand hovered over his screen as he struggled to process the name he was seeing on the screen, and the amount Herbert had just called for him.
In the end, the latter won. ‘Twenty thousand dollars for a monthly subscription? Where’s that done?! Are they reporting the end of the world?!”
Herbert broke out in boisterous laughter. ‘Calm down. Ewan. You will understand why when you read their papers!
Ewan furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the finely decorated and orderly paper.
Sure, the paper’s design might cost a lot, but was the news in there worth that amount in a
month?
“Can I have yours?”
Herbert hesitated.
Ewan honed the older male wouldn’t ehrinda nolics of not sharing
26 An Advice
“Sure, but you have to be careful about it. It is rumored that they have eyes and cars everywhere. If they see a non subscriber with their paper… I don’t know. But I heard the repercussions aren’t good. I’ll let you have it, when I am done!
“Thank you, Uncle” Ewan muttered, reclining into the sofa.
KN media. What were they hiding? How can Herbert be afraid of them?
“They have something to do with Athena, right?”
Herbert stared at him keenly, but Ewan didn’t break.
“Most likely. She has changed… in many ways. She is as secretive as them. I won’t be surprised if
she is involved.”
A pause.
“She is not someone you should have as an enemy, Ewan. I won’t advise it.”
Ewan had to cut in. “I didn’t do anything, Uncle, I just asked for her help concerning my town’s problem with the disease. But she asked for twenty percent of my shares! Can you imagine that,
Uncle?”
Herbert sighed tiredly. “What did you do next?”
Ewan blinked in astonishment. Was Herbert in on the plan? Why wasn’t he talking about the cruelty?
“Ewan, I have no part to play in your company’s issues. I called you here to give you an advice. My little research has shown that Athena has backings. It was confirmed when we had a scuffle once. I lost. I came out battered and beaten down.
Ewan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. A scuffle? Loss? Why didn’t Zane tell him?
“Apologize to her, Ewan. And if possible become her friend.” Herbert concluded.
Ewan exhaled softly. “But she is working with Zane to bring me down…”
Herbert shook his head slowly. “Zane might love Athena, but he would never do that. I think you should talk to him about this…”
Ewan’s phone rang then, stilling the uncomfortable emotions that had spread across his chest. Zane loved Athena.
He picked the call. A frown masked his face immediately. Athena?
He knew she was the one because he had saved her number earlier, just as he had done for her address.
He looked at Herbert.
“Who is calling?”
“Athena.”
“Well boy, hurry up and pick it. This might be your chance to save yourself and your company.
