Neon Lights

35

Angelo?

What the hell was he doing here?

Callisto froze at where he stood, heartbeat almost stop beating at how those colourful eyes shimmered with poorly concealed mirth. He flicked his gaze at Jean and he couldn't help but to note that they shared very similar features. The only thing separating them was the fact Jean had blond hair and a part of android plating meanwhile Angelo had silver hair with colourful eyes.

He had a sinking feeling about this.

"Come sit, Callisto," said one of the women near him. "We'll introduce you to our two investors. This is Mr Jean Fournier and that is Mr Angelo Fournier."

Callisto almost sat like a sack of potatoes on a random seat, eyes widening as the last name registered in his head. Angelo was a Fournier? Their father was a prolific politician of the Gulls and — uncomfortableness settled deep into him at the realisation.

"Hello," Jean said, his voice deep and smooth like it had been when Callisto first heard him speak the other night. "I believe we have met before."

"Yes," Callisto said, swallowing past a lump that formed in his throat.

"You have?" one of his coworkers said, eyes wide.

The attention on him was becoming uncomfortable. In the end, he could only shift his eyes to the table, heart racing against his chest. The atmosphere had grown tense despite nobody making a move to speak. After a few ticking seconds, Angelo sighed loudly, catching his gaze on him. The smile on that face was still there, stretched wider when those colourful eyes met his eyes and twinkled.

"Well," Angelo said, drawling. "Perhaps we should finally start the meeting?"

"Ah, yes," Jean said, nodding. "Just for courtesy sake, I would like to introduce myself. I'm Jean Fournier, one of the founders for Stargazer Co. And this is my younger brother, Angelo. He—"

"A consultant for Stargazer Co," Angelo said, his lips twitching wider upwards. "I'm a busy man, so let's get past this pleasantries to the meat of the meeting, yes?"

Brothers. God, could his life get even more fucked up? He had met with a Fournier — an unhinged maniac at that.

"Right," Jean said, his face a blank slate. Unlike his brother, this man did not emote very well, his eyes emotionless and his lips pressed together in a thin line. For once, Callisto preferred this over Angelo who had his eyes on him since he walked in here, a smile still playing on those pale lips.

"So," Angelo said, leaning forward and pressing his hands on the glass surface, his fingers intertwined together. "Callisto, you worked with Trignon before, have you not?"

When the words settled in his brain, Callisto had to stop himself from flinching. Angelo's colourful eyes were on him like he was assessing his predator. A shiver ran down his spine. All of a sudden, something made sense.

He didn't know why exactly he was here, but it did seem like everyone he met recently had been after about Trignon. After his notes about Trignon.

A lump formed in his throat. He couldn't find his voice, so all he could do was nod. His coworker on his right side shifted in her seat before she cleared her throat, earning Jean's eyes on him. Angelo remained looking at Callisto however, eyes kept firmly on him as if he was the next best thing he had seen all day.

It was unsettling.

"Yes, he was primarily in charge of Trignon studies," the woman said.

Jean remained silent for a moment before he said, "Was?"