I Just Want A Simple Life (ABO)Chapter 4

{ Chapter Four }

  CSOj95

Finian had laughed as his unusually determined son took hold of his hand and led them through their home. When Caius chose the dining room reserved especially for business meetings, the older Omega tried to hide his amusement. His baby had very clearly put in the time and effort, and just one look at the babysitter told Finian that his son was taking this very seriously.

So naturally, papa would follow.

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Inside of the room which Finian had lovingly decorated along with the rest of their home, his son directed him to a particular seat. It was one of the two which had the best positions in terms of the sunlight streaming through the glass-panelled windows. All of which usually had to be begrudgingly covered whenever Finian conducted meetings in the room, as they needed to be able to see the screens in front of them without disruption.

This didn’t appear to be that sort of meeting, and Finian’s heart only grew warmer as his baby swiftly took himself off to the corner of the room, where he fetched a silver tray. The tray balanced an assortment of different treats. But what the more experienced eye of the two noticed, was that they were predominantly biscuits with a fairly muted flavour. Finian’s favourite, when paired with tea. wjWQiq

He sat back in his seat and momentarily closed his eyes. Controlling the urge to wrap his arms around his beloved child and squeeze him tightly. Instead he watched on as Caius furrowed his cute little brows in concentration. He poured the herbal tea into one cup, and just when his papa believed he was going to join him in the tea-drinking, Caius then revealed a small and intricate pot containing milk.

They both had the exact same cup, and were able to enjoy a biscuit or two each. But the only time Finian couldn’t resist reaching forward, was when Caius took the cup away from his lips and left beneath a frothy moustache. He used one of the napkins which sat on the side of the tray.

Any previous tensions Finian had, courtesy of the outside world, were thoroughly ironed out by the time he had finished off his first cup of herbal tea. Although it was an expensive commodity in the current age, which only grew further as the older Omega requested that the fruits, flowers or even roots that his tea were made from, were free from genetic modification, he was still willing to allow himself a treat once in a while. 

His small fortune was carefully monitored— evidently by more eyes than he’d initially suspected— but he was still unwilling to spend with as much ease as other tycoons.

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By the time his cup was refilled, Caius seemed prepared to speak. He swiped a strand of his white hair behind his ear, and looked up at his papa.

Even though the table was large enough to seat around twenty people, the pair only took up a small corner. And the early afternoon sun which penetrated the morning’s broody clouds, cast a halo of light that engulfed them entirely. It was bright and warm, sending Finian into an unavoidable state of relaxation.

“I want to be homeschooled.” Caius revealed and his papa was clearly caught off guard, judging by the sudden creak that emanated from his chair as his back automatically straightened. His wide blue eyes took in the sight of his young son, wondering if he was joking. But Caius was a very quiet and serious child, so it was unlikely. 

Finian wrinkled his brows, “Baby, do you know what that means?” HvtScl

In response, his little soul put down his cup and straightened his back to mirror his fathers. And nodded his head. Obviously, he had prepared an argument in support of his decision. One that was written in large, juvenile and yet neat handwriting.

Something Caius shyly admitted to himself that he wanted to show off his papa, as the children of their current age were more than likely to live their lives without having written a single word. Their Communicators transcribed voice messages without fault. So in a sense, the board of education deemed the written word to be faulty, and so encouraged the systematic learning of advanced technology.

“Papa, no one wants to be friends with me.” The child admitted, but his expression was far from saddened by the fact. “I think I’m strange? Because most of them say mean things to me, but I don’t even know their names.” 

Caius knew his papa was more than eager to jump to his defence, as he always would do. So he scrambled to finish his argument, “The teachers don’t stop them from being mean to me, they always ignore me too. Then they tell me to be a good boy, to stop making trouble for my friends. But Papa, why do I have to be a good boy to those who are so mean to me?” OWqxuL

Finian tried to keep his composure. Finding that it was much easier to distract his hands by holding one of his beloved tea-cups. His thumb ran around the lip of the porcelain cup, only growing slightly in pressure as his thoughts veered down a dark path.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

His baby, who was normally in his own world. His baby, who rarely spoke to anyone other than him. His baby, who was entirely innocent… had been unknowingly tormented by those who possessed festering opinions about him and yet decided to take them out on a child. 

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But one look at his handwriting, and Finian was delighted to see that his baby was progressing at his own pace. Even if it had of taken him longer to grasp it, he would have never doubted his son’s ability and knew it was only a matter of time. jk6KLX

Ultimately, he knew how tender his little soul was. How perfect he was in his own way, and how he would have never noticed his own ill-treatment if it wasn’t blatantly obvious. Which was the fundamental sticking-point for Finian, and what made him want to wring some necks.

“Baby, you don’t have to go back there. If those people aren’t nice to you, then they are not nice people. And we don’t want to be around them.” Finian smiled wholeheartedly and leant across the table so that he could steal his son’s small hands. He gave them a squeeze. “When this short break from school is over, we will focus on finding something you enjoy, does that sound good?”

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Caius nodded his head, looking somewhat guilty. Wriggling one of his hands out of his papa’s grasp, he brought a few bundles of paper onto the desk in front of them. “Sounds good, papa. It’s just that… I already know what I want to study.”

Finian had to release his hold over the smooth little hand in order to get a good look at the drawings he had been given. His eyes widened when he found that they were far from a child’s scribbles. A lot of thought seemed to have been put into the compositions. Then there was the way the simple yet magnificent coloured-pencil drawing made him feel. fRpJ7

It felt like Finian was looking through his son’s eyes at their meadow home. Pure, unadulterated adoration. So when he looked back towards the young Omega, he found that Caius was looking at him seriously. But the blush on his cheeks hindered the mature expression he was trying to maintain.

Finian couldn’t help but want to tease the little one, so he carefully put the papers down and covered his own face with his hands. “Papa feels so bad, papa never noticed how good his baby was at drawing. I’m a terrible parent.” He anguished, his shoulders heaving up and down.

Across the table came a gasp, and with a creak of the chair, Caius dashed to stand in front of his emotional father. As a small ten year old, he didn’t reach Finian’s shoulders even when sat down. So he had to tilt his head up in attempt to meet his gaze. In response, the anguished older man couldn’t resist parting his fingers ever so slightly.

Which, in hindsight, was a foolish idea on his part. As the sight of the child peering up at him with big, identical blue eyes, Finian’s playful nature crumbled. He dropped his hands and latched them around his baby’s little frame, yanking him up and onto his lap. PnhGTB

Caius squeaked at the sudden action, but his papa was unrelenting as he smooshed them together. He dipped his head and planted a few kisses on Caius’ cheeks. “Your drawings are masterpieces, my little soul, and I’m so proud of you. You’re just like your me, you want to forge your own path.”

Caius rested his head back against Finian’s chest and lifted his chin so that their eyes met. “Does that mean I can study art?” He wondered, with clear excitement. Never had Finian seen his son light up at the prospect of learning. Something inside him seemed to give a huge sigh of relief. 

Finian had been around far too many Omegas, whose only goals in life were to ‘marry big’. It appeared to be their only ambition, as attempting to enter any Alpha or Beta dominated workplace was seen as too much hassle. This expected and complacent way of life was both infuriating and insulting to someone like Finian, whose own Omega parent was considered a strong character.

Who ruled the roost and had never been considered a docile. MAI45b

If he was still around, he would have also reacted in the same way that Finian had done when hearing their beloved young Omega’s desires for the future. From a young age, schools like the one Caius was currently at, and the finishing school he was originally intended to go to in the future, were built upon the need to prepare Omega’s for their ‘responsibilities’. To teach them how to be appropriate, how to be ‘well-mannered and unproblematic’.

They come to understand their roles from a tender age, which is why hearing Caius completely ignore it all and throw caution to the wind by asking to leave the preposterous educational system, was something Finian didn’t even realise he had been waiting for.

Smiling, the older Omega pressed his lips to his son’s forehead. Savouring the moment. “You can do anything you wish, and I will always be here to support you. If it is art you want to focus on, then you will get only the best art teachers to teach you.”

Caius was delighted to hear those words, triggering a whole new path in his life. He didn’t even spare a thought for his old classmates, or the vile content he was forcibly taught. Instead, he couldn’t stop smiling, his cheeks bunching up and sending his papa crazy. They clung to one another as if they had been parted for so long; Finian eventually taking interest once again in the drawings on the table. SePpXF

While Caius spoke, Finian gave him his undivided attention. But there was a brief moment where the older man glanced at his Communicator and sent it some instructions. On the other end of the transmission, Silas Quincy was flicking through documents on the screen in front of him.

Following his successful case of reducing Kalel’s reputation to ashes, he had been given his own office. Something usually only reserved for those with the highest commission bill, let alone for a Beta.

He had asked not to be disturbed whilst absorbed in his reading, until his Communicator beeped. The only line of communication he allowed to come straight through to him was from one individual in particular. And when he scanned the message from Mr. Finian Xue, the Beta’s interest was instantly sparked.

  AaVtyh

*\\* Silas, are you free to talk this evening? I have your next case. Thebaria First. *//*

 

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Thebaria First was of course the primary school that many influential families sent their young children to. It was a mixed school, where all genders were welcome. But when Alphas and Omegas reach their ‘peak of adolescence’, they part ways and attend the appropriate finishing schools. But the school which possessed copious amounts of financial backing, had its fair share of skeletons in the closet.

And Silas could see proof of that right in front of him, at the documents he had been scanning for many hours. A list of Mr. Xue’s expenses, courtesy of Kalel. The lawyer had been pinpointing the directions the money had been travelling in, and oddly when he looked closer, the primary school was one of the main beneficiaries. MKLIcx

Upon initial inspection, it wasn’t strange as he knew Mr. Xue’s young son attended Thebaria First, and the school fees were far from low. But then the Beta started to notice sporadic and increasingly frequent payments, ones which didn’t tie in with the annual payments for Caius Xue’s education.

More questions than answers began to arise, and Silas swiftly found that he couldn’t wait to once again sink his teeth into the another case. So naturally, he was quick to respond to the respectable businessman whom awaited his reply.

 

                *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//*   I8Vf2C

 

Ace Kohner was seated in his personal transporter, biding his time as he travelled from #OWS3 back to Nova. He had one long leg crossed over the other, the fitted yet cropped trousers stopped just above the ankle. Revealing a defined bone, and a chain made out of obsidian that dangled around it. A symbol, a tiny obsidian-cut bird that was mid-flight. Wings arched behind it, as if to swoop around with a mighty force.

The odd person who got close enough, whether it was one of Ace’s clients or someone who shared his bed for the evening, were able to catch a glimpse of the intricate piece of metalwork. And when they asked, Ace would easily tell them that it was a dove. A creature white and pure, synonymous with only the happiest of moments— marriage.

When in actuality, the man didn’t care in the slightest for the type of bird it was. Only for what it represented. wrGy2F

His hair, which matched the colour of the charm, was long enough to be flicked over to one side, creating an almost curtain effect as he read from his activated Communicator. The holographic screen expanded so he didn’t have to strain his eyes, adapting to the light inside of the transporter. Just as the advanced vehicle did itself, with the windows adapting as they moved, shielding the passenger from excess UV-rays.

As soon as his modified transporter, with only the sleekest of design, had entered the space which Nova claimed as their own, it came to a gradual halt. Without lifting his attention from what was in front of him, Ace flicked his fingers and his Citizen Authorisation Code was inputted. Which gave him immediate access to the planet below.

But the experienced traveller knew it would take a short while more before his feet touched ground. Since the tensions between Calix and Nova were gradually increasing, security measures around the capitalist planet had been heightened.

Ace didn’t even flinch as his privately-owned transporter was scanned, checking for any stowaways. Instead he found himself absorbed in an article launched by a publishing-house that were not hugely popular, and yet were widely respected.  LFDreg

The headline was clear in its accusations: Thebaria First To Know Your Secrets.                

The reason why it attracted Ace’s attention, was because no one had the power to get close enough to criticise the primary school which the Governing Body of Nova cherished so much. Only the number one media firms, predominantly run by Alphas, had big enough balls. But even they were being handed money under the table to keep their mouths shut.

So it was refreshing and exciting to see a lesser known publishing house attacking such a prominent name. And to make it worse for Thebaria First, the evidence was as durable as the charm on Ace’s ankle.

Apparently they had been taking bribes, making it easy for anyone on the outside seeking information on a child, or the affluent family they originate from, to acquire classified information. But that seemed to be only the tip of the iceberg, as the article displayed various clearly-captured images. Most of it was row upon row of financial information, which most would squint their eyes at in confusion. FiOSUn

But Ace could see it, he could see the repeated bulking-up of Thebaria First’s bank account. Large amounts of money, without any clear reason as to why they were receiving such amounts, were being handed over. Which is where the next damming evidence came into play; as it turned out, the money was being transferred from the bank account belonging to the very wealthy and quite controversial Omega, Finian Xue.

Who was the same individual who had almost had his money swindled because of an Alpha he believed he could trust with his finances while he took a step back to raise his son. Nearly all of Nova had woken up to that news, and it shocked many to the core. Most questioning to themselves how some Alpha’s could be so dishonourable. 

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Unknowingly setting themselves up to fail, along with multiple documents revealing obscure payments made to the primary school, there were also transmissions made between Thebaria First’s director and the Alpha, known only by Kalel, also came to light. All of which was conducted on the primary school’s social forum, which allowed teachers to get in touch with parents to let them know how their children were doing.

Which they boasted to be un-hackable. But it didn’t need to be hacked, not when the father of the child, whom the forum was intended for, was able to find the necessary password and obtain everything that was previously hidden from him.  rEosJW

Ace found it almost satisfying to read about, to see the complete unravelling of those who maintained absolute control. He had to snort, when he read the last sentence. 

‘Thebaria First’s director has yet to comment’.

By the time Ace’s private transporter touched down, having successfully passed all of the strict security checks, he was in a surprisingly good mood. He slotted his round sunglasses on and climbed out, flinging a coat over his shoulder when he found the weather to be as artificially tame as usual.

Now that he was on-planet, he checked his Communicator for local transmissions. A quick scroll and there was only a handful of messages that interested him. One of them, in particular, was surprisingly offering him a job. C4olcX

And when he flipped to the bottom of the transmission to see the name of the daring individual who had sent it to him, he almost broke his favourite pair of sunglasses as he yanked them off so quickly.

Instantly, he fiddled with the Communicator on his wrist, opening up the slide which still kept the article he was previously reading on stand-by. He had wanted to give it another read, given how invested he had found himself becoming. Needless to say, after a few moments of mad-man scrolling, he froze when he found the name he thought had sounded familiar.

“I definitely need a drink.” He laughed, sauntering off the landing strip with an extra spice of confidence to his already-alluring walk.

  R3W4w0

{ To Be Continued }