Prologue – Pete Delta shits himself and flees –

Present. City of Newark

Vince Delta arrived at the firm early wearing sunglasses and hung over from a late party with his college furturnity brothers. It had been a part business and pleasure event.

Mini Dallas, his asistent met him at his office door with a long cup of steaming hot coffee and clear plastic bag of glazed dounuts.

“Good morning Mr. Delta.” She said in a bright voice.

She gave him a sheepish smile but her gaze was watchful of him. He walked over to her and put his bag down before taking the the cup of coffee and taking a long drink from it. He stared at her.

“What happened, Mini?” He asked forcing the words out.

“Mr. Delta is waiting for you in his office. Your brother didn’t come in today. It has to do with a case they were taking on. Mr. Delta is calling an associate’s meeting in two hours. It doesn’t look good.” She said.

Vince nodded staring at his grandfather’s office door. He headed to his grandfather’s office and got out his phone and started dialing his brother. He didn’t pick up.

– This is Pete Delta. I’m busy at court or with the ladies get back to you when I can.-

Vincent heard the beep afterward. “It’s Vince. Call me. I just want to talk. I don’t like being the last one to know when something is wrong.” He said and hung up his phone.

Vince didn’t knock. He just walked into his grandfather’s office. Andrew Delta was puffing on a thick cigar behind a messy desk with paper documents on it and desktop computer to his right. He didn’t look up.

“I’m busy Vince. Can this wait? Oh. We have a company meeting in a few hours. You need to be ready for it.” Andrew said.

“What the fuck happened?” Vince said softly.

Andrew looked up slowly. “Pete bailed on us. We took on a case and he chicken shitted out. I have to deal with the fall out. We might lose-“

“Pete wouldn’t chicken shit out of a case. He’s the best lawyer we have here. I want to know what type of case it is and how you talked him to doing it.” He said.

“I think you better modify your tone. I’m still your fucking boss kiddo.” Andrew said.

“Don’t give me that bullshit. I’m a partner in the firm and I got a right to know what case you discussed with Pete without me having a word in the discussion.” Vince said.

Andrew stared at him. “Pete gave you a share in his take in the firm?”

“Yeah.” Vince said.

“Fucking shit.” Andrew roared slamming his fist down on his desk. “Now your in the middle of this shit.” He said and picked up one of the papers and shoved it into Vince’s hand.

Vince read over the first lines of the contract and noted how the heading glowed in a purple hue glow. “You took on a magical contract? Are you nuts?” He asked.

“Read the whole thing, not just the damn headline.” Andrew demanded.

Vince did a quick read of the page scanning it and then kept reading until he got the jest of it but he still had one question that didn’t make sense. “How the fuck did you get Pete to sign on to kill some Orc asshole that wants to rape some half Orc bitch.” He asked.

“It’s a legal case. It isn’t like the fucking old days. He freaked out. All he had to do was argue the case and if it came to it. All he would have to do is maybe end it in a boxing match. Pete was a fucking golden gloves champion in college.” Vince said.

Vince stared at him. “You read him the contract right. Line for line.” He asked.

Andrew leaned back in his seat. “I read him the jest of the contract. You know Pete can’t read he has a brilliant legal mind though.” He said.

“Pete is dyslexic not illiterate or dumb. You tried to trick him but he must have figured out you were leaving details out of the case to him. Why the fuck did you try to play your own favored grandson, I wonder.” Vince asked.

Andrew waved him out of the room. “Get the fuck out of here. I’ll deal with this shit on my own.”

Vince held up the contract. “There isn’t a name on who the champion has to be for the girl but there is a line about a debt being cleared if the delta champion is successful the champion’s prize of alliance will be will be put in his hands and the house Delta’s honor restored. I’m guessing the debt is something the firm owes the party we’re representing. How much was the loan? Twenty grand. Fifty grand?”

“A hundred thousand in gold coins, the land this firm sits on and my word of honor. Are you thinking of taking on the case as lead counsel?” Andrew said.

“There isn’t anyone else but me old man. You don’t seem up to the task though it is about your honor and the firm’s money. They can keep the prize of alliance whatever the hell that is. Send the proticulars of the case over to Mini and instead of freaking out the whole damn firm and do something useful and find out where my brother went. I’ll handle things from now on.” He said raising to his feet and walked out to the door.

“Her name is Ahlar Ross. I believe she went to the same university as you did.” Andrew said.

“Nice name? Send the rest of the details to me.” Vince said without looking back.