Aleksandr Sobolev looked up towards Sabastian.
He was sitting down on a sofa, putting cubes of sugar on his tea.
"Would you like some tea?" Aleksandr offered to Sabastian in a calm tone.
Sabastian walked forward and sat in front of Aleksandr across the table on a sofa.
"2 spoons of cream and a cube of sugar, please." Sabastian replied to Aleksandr accepting the invitation of tea.
Aleksandr nodded as he poured some tea in a cup, putting two spoons of cream and a cube of sugar as Sabastian preferred his tea.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing someone of your stature, Young Master Heilige?" Aleksandr said as he handed the teacup to Sabastian.
Sabastian took the teacup from Aleksandr.
He took a sip before looking at Aleksandr.
"Minister Sobolev, I'm a friend of Ian McCullum. Whom the police have taken into custody for questioning." Sabastian said in a humble tone.
"I see." Aleksandr replied somberly.
He was silent for a moment before he asked Sabastian.
"Do you know anything about my son, Aleksei?"
Sabastian shook his head.
"I haven't seen him nor have I ever met him. We don't know anything about him or his whereabouts, Minister Sobolev. The police are unnecessarily suspecting my friend and took him into custody without any evidence that he is related to Aleksei's disappearance!" Sabastian voice was sharp.
He focused a bit of his fierce sword intent on Aleksandr.
Aleksandr flinched.
Some of the guards were alarmed sensing the sudden shift in Sabastian's Aura. They were about to act when Aleksandr waved his hands towards his guards.
Signalling not to interfere.
Sabastian reined in his sword intent, before continuing.
"Minister Sobolev, I just arrived in Russia for a vacation with my friends. It is Ian's first time out of his country. Yesterday we went sightseeing when Ian got acquainted with Aleksei. Ian told us, that they bonded pretty quick because of their similar taste in hobbies. Indeed, they were seen together but that doesn't mean my friend is responsible for Aleksei's disappearance. After being acquainted with Aleksei they went to a nearby restaurant to chat more when the incident happened. When my friend came to his senses, Aleksei was nowhere to be seen." Sabastian stopped and didn't say anything more.
He said what he needed to say.
Aleksandr stared at Sabastian.
He observed Sabastian for a couple of minutes before opening his mouth.
"So, what do you want me to do, Young Master Heilige?" Aleksandr asked in a sharp tone.
His emotions were visible in his face, Sabastian could see how frustrated this old man is.
Aleksandr probably found out by now that Ian has nothing to do with Aleksei's disappearance.
Sebastian could see how worried the old man is for his son.
He felt pity for him but that is it.
Aleksei is not his friend but Ian.
He doesn't care about Aleksei, and it's not his problem or the misfits.
Sure, he would have helped the poor old man if there was any benefit to him or the misfits. But there isn't.
So why should he help?
Sabastian replied to Aleksandr, he has been wanting to say this ever since he arrived at this manor.
"Minister Sobolev, please, I ask you to release my friend from custody." Although the words Sabastian said sounded like he was requesting Aleksandr but the look in his eyes said otherwise.
It was not a request but an order!
Aleksandr Sobolev went into deep thought.
He thought for a few minutes before he picked up the intercom on the table in front of him.
"Bring the boy, Lamar."
5 minutes later, Ian was escorted by a couple of guards into the room.
Seeing Ian, many questions popped up in his head but Sabastian dismissed them for now.
Ian sat beside Sabastian, he was puzzled by everything that happened so far to him today.
He turned to Sabastian and saw his friend too was also confused by the current situation.
He then turned to the old man in suit, in front of him.
He didn't recognise the old man, but he found the old man a bit familiar.
'Weird.' Ian inwardly muttered.
"The police suspected him wrongfully. I apologise for the inconvenience caused by the police. I agree and I too think he was not involved in Aleksei's disappearance. Now that your friend is free, you may leave, Young Master Heilige!" Aleksandr said to Sabastian.
Sabastian nodded before getting up from the sofa.
Ian followed suit after Sabastian.
"Thank you, Minister Sobolev." Sabastian thanked the old minister before being escorted out of the room by the guards that Ian arrived earlier.
Sabastian was a bit surprised by Aleksandr.
He didn't think that Aleksandr would have let Ian go so easily.
From what he knows, Aleksandr Sobolev is a prideful man.
That old man has never compromised in his life, even against lofty figures similar to himself.
Aleksandr Sobolev has never bent his knees before them.
'Well, whatever it is, my goal was accomplished.' Sabastian said to himself as he left the manor.
~~~
At the room, Aleksandr Sobolev was leaning on his sofa with his eyes closed.
He seemed to be in deep thought when he suddenly opened his eyes.
Picking up the intercom, he called for his head of security.
~~~
At the hotel suite, the misfits were sitting at the sofas.
They just arrived at the hotel, from Aleksandr's manor.
"That quick?" Ana.
"How did you free him?" Zulkernyn
"Why do I feel like s*it all of a sudden?" Erisviel.
Sabastian and Ian didn't answer the questions the others asked them.
Instead, Ian spoke up with a serious tone.
"We should do something!"
"Aha, now I know why feel like s*it!" Erisviel said in a tired tone.
Feeling irritated by Ian's words Erisviel snapped.
"What do you mean we should do something? May I remind you, Ian, we are here to take a break from work! Not to go around and poke hornets nests."
Ian rolled his eyes.
"We need to rescue Aleksei!" Ian said to the others.
"Rescue? Ian, how can you rescue someone who's missing and don't know their whereabouts!" Erisviel snapped once more at Ian.
"He's not missing, he was kidnapped." Sabastian spoke up.
He started at Erisviel intently.
"'ow?" Ana who was sitting beside Sabastian asked.
But Sabastian only stared at Erisviel and didn't reply to Ana.
Erisviel sighed.
Sabastian's eyes on her made her feel aggravated.
"We are here to take a break for f*CK sake! Tsk... Making me work on my days off, tsk..." Erisviel clicked her tongue as she placed her tab on top of the table in front.
"The current state of affairs in this country is a bit complicated. The ruler of Russia is an eighteen-year-old girl. Natasha Viktoria Tepes, the only daughter of the late monarch Avram Tepes. Currently, she's being tutored by the previous head of the Vassiliev family, Yuri Vassiliev. Yuri Vassiliev is the regent of Russia because Natasha Tepes is not of age yet. After taking charge of the empire, Yuri Vassiliev dismissed the corrupt greedy politicians. He shook up the whole parliament. So there is an election coming up to fill the seats of the parliament. Aleksei's kidnapping is related to the election. He was kidnapped by an organisation called 'Twilight Throne'. And Twilight Throne is connected to Death Parade." Erisviel briefly informed the rest of the misfits about what she gathered in the meantime Sabastian went to pick up Ian.
Hearing Erisviel, others formed a smile on their face.
Erisviel got more annoyed seeing their smiles.
The moment Ian was taken by the police, she knew.
She knew that there will be no break for the misfits in this vacation.
"I see that the police are also involved. Looks like they wanted to make me their scapegoat. Lucky for me, the Minister's people got to me first..." Ian said as he skimmed over the information on the tab before passing it to Zulkernyn.
"So Death Parade, huh... They have a pretty wide network around the world. They want to build up forces in different parts of the world... The current state of affairs in the country is a perfect opportunity for them to plant some members in the parliament." Zulkernyn read some of the information before passing it to Sabastian.
"I'm not even surprised. If I were in their shoes, I would have done the same. These kinds of opportunities are hard to come by." Sabastian said reading the information on the tab.
Ana turned to her friends one by one before stopping on Sabastian.
"Zo vhat's the plan?"