Normally Flint didn't really get involved in others' affairs. At least, not those of his friends - mopst didn't need him to meddle. But not?

Flint was agitated. Furious. And he was going to lay down hisx gauntlet - it wasn't like he had anything to be afraid of. He already had thew affairs of his plan in order - prepared to execute as he looked at his paperwork, blue eyes half-lidded with a calm, calculating calm before the storm. In a sense, Flint always lived Gagarin's sphere. Right now, he was a squall heralding the mesocyclone roaring in.

But Ezekiel - Zeke - Z - Or Susanoo - was stressed over his home life. His twin Zayne was driving him nuts - Zeke had matured before his twin, and that was fine, except his grandsire Hadrian was making it everyone's problem in the house. Condescending his friend for just trying to talk about it to his father or cousin. And honestly the more he looked the more Flint seethed. Adultery, so many illegitimate secret children, a coild-hearted b*****d to all of his children and grandchildren. He almost pit his sons on one another for his business and wealth when he died, not to mention he'd been sop wont to violate any morals possible for personal gain he noticed some things about Zeke's cousin Yolie, and his jaw set.

She was the family hard line.

Flint's eyes scoured the documents he found again. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, eyes going from half-lidded to narrowed as he frowned grimly at the papers his investigator found - somehow. When he'd shown his buysioness associates... No, none of them liked using his clout to fight back, but they knew it was also something that teetered between moral and amoral. And while he wasn't a criminal, Hadrian Tucana ran his business like a crime organization. So, with discussion and working with legal, Flint found a way.

Finally, as if the clock chimed midnight in a hellscape, a sharp rapping came to Flint's door and he set the papers down, looking up coldly.

"Enter." Flint called. After a minute, the still-imposing form of Hadrian Tucana entered, eyes narrowing as he looked down at Flint judgementally a moiment, and then smirked faintly.

"A tragedy, to lose your parents so young, girl." Hadrian drawled. Flint felt the corner of his eyue twitch instantly. "You deserve a huisband to provide for you--"

"Save it Hadrian." Flint's voice came smooth and cold as he straightened in his chair suddenly and Hadrian Tucana was forced to pay attention as Flint sat up, eyes narrowing. Hadrian sniuffed.

"Girl, don't you know who--" Hadrian began but was cut off as Eos rose to his feet slowly, hands folding behind his back.

"I know exactly who you are, Hadrian." Flint began. He began to emergw fully, walking slowly and languidly. He prowled like a hunter. "Every mismanaged deal. Every backroom agreement. Every dirty little secret. Like Maria. Oh I admit you're a clever b*****d, but you fail top understand exactly whom in hells you've pissed off."

Hadrian narrowed his eyes, Flint circling. Prowling not unlike a predator as he stared at Hadrian coldly.

"I never asked for my daughter to die." Hadrian hissed., "Caligula--"

"You intenti9onally kept her from her real partner and paid a business associate to do it. And let me tell you the DA is having a [good time with what I sent them. See his real name wasn't 'Caligula',." Flint motioned. "He was never even Italian."

An odd silence hung in the room. Hadrian tensed, listening to Flint with a stiff sort of horror, jaw set as he waited. Something in his eye told Flint Hadrian didn't know this himself. Flint found it fascinating.

"Who is he?" Hadrian asked quietly. Flint motioned.

"His name is Charles Riggsby. B ritish. Accused of--"

"Enough." Hadrian hissed, trembling.

"Enough? Haven't you given your family enough? Adultery? Pitting them against one another? tormenting--"

"b[]Enough." Hadrian barked. The elder's hands shook. He was hyperventilating and Flint watched silently as he steeled himself. "I never meant anything to happen to my daughter. I wanted better for her -- I wanted someone--"

"She had a good man. Yolie's father." Flint snapped.,

"I know that!" Hadrian snapped. "But he was always deployed! I wanted..." Hadrian was silent. Flint waited before Hadrian began agaiun.

"I didn't want my daiughter home when her huisband was deployed to some dusty desert base in the middle of nowhere wondering if her husband was coming home. Worried her spouse wouldn't come back to her because he was killed in tyhe line of duty." Jadrioan's jaw set firmly. Flint listened. "I was overseas deployed. I know what the eighties and Gulf War was like. I did NOT want it for my children. And then - damnit - Vincent and Regula had to enlist. Like--" Hadrioan went tight, then sagged. He looked old.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." Flint grunted. "You have PTSD and you're taking it out."

Flint paused. Hadrian hissed.

"I am hardly--" Hadrian began. Flint glanced at him silently. Hadrian stilled. "My wife died overseas you know."

"I know. You think I didn't mean that I knew everything?" Flint held a thick manila envelope up and sat, exhaling. "Telling your kids for years she was deployed wasn't protecting them you know. I sent them cipoiues of everything."

Hadrian stiffened. Flint rolled his eyes.

"Oh save it. None of your kids were shocked. I can keep it to yoiur family - on the condition you gfo into therapy." Flint huimmed. "And I will be watching old man. Ezekiel's my friuend. I look after my friends. And for ******** sakes let him branch away from Zayne. His twin's being an idiot." Flint stretched. Hadrian was shocked. Visibly he dsidn't expoect to be affor4ded any leniancey - given he seldom did. Hadrian seemed quiet a moment, before nodding slowly. Flint motioned lazuky, "And maybe get my gender right."

Hadrian paused, before realizing, laughing weakly before nodding. It was an unspoken given Flint woulf be watching. And unspoken expectation he'd do somewthing about Hadrian if Hadrian acted in bad faith again. Perhaps it wasn't Flint's place to police the man, but he had to protect someone and Hadrian seemed to respect that. Flint watched the Tucana patriarch depart the office in silence and exhaled with a sigh, slowly relaxing before he reached to his phone and dialed Exejkiel's number. Time to check on the Aftermath.