Gray hairs Ch. 1

There he was. A miserable old man. The father of the CEO of Mann co. He sat at his daughter Olivia’s desk, not knowing what to do. He was getting weaker every day. His Australium was running low. He was going to die soon. He knew that the minute he did those two old morons he dared to call brothers were going to laugh their asses off, as they dragged his old soul down to Hell. He had to know how to find the Australium to get it back. He hired a man to tail the Administrator down and get the Australium back, but that was taking longer than was expected, and he was in a time sensitive conflict right now. His machine was ticking it away, and he couldn’t wait. He looked on the desk, at a photo. His withered old hands holding his new little one. The company was no longer worth anything. Olivia was more valuable than the company, and he would leave her behind. She was too young.

He watched the silver little marbles slam back and forth constantly in a heated struggle to one up the other sneaky bastard on the other side. Soon their energy would die out, and no more would they be hitting each other. Both dead and motionless. Just like his brothers. And in the end when they were done with their fighting and died down, the only thing left would be him. Just him. Just Gray Mann

He swatted the desk toy to the ground. “AHHH!!!! WHERE IS IT!?!?!?!” He said snapping up to his feet. He marched over to the giant stuffed yeti “Let’s ask you! Maybe you have it, you hairy beast! What say you king kong?” He asked yanking it down to his face! He sneered straight at it! “You look like you’re hiding some secrets! You can whisper it into my ear.” He pushed it back. “ANSWER ME!” With a sigh he trudged back to his chair and sat down with a groan planting his face against the desk. He wasn’t ready. He might as well do what all old people did when they were topping the last laps of their life. Be boring.

“Hey, daddy! Look at this! I got an A+ in school today!” One of his robot Spies was walking Olivia home from school. He smiled happy that she was doing well. He would hate it if his daughter were to be ashamed of herself. He walked over to her, finding it best not to let her in on the fact that he might not have long to live.”That’s wonderful, Olivia. I’m proud of you.” He took the paper, and smiled. “I’ll put this on the refrigerator, when I get back home.” He quietly reached for an old newsboy cap, and put it on. He then shrugged out of the grey suit jacket, and put a lighter one on. He had an old tired look on his face. “Where are you going daddy?”

“For a walk.” He said softly. “I’ll be back soon. The robots will give you a snack if you're hungry.” He made his way out the door, and climbed into his car. He was reflecting on the "what if"s. What if his energy supply just broke all of a sudden, and the Australium starting dripping down his back? What if he died in the middle of driving, and took out a family with him? What if his sweet little daughter was left all alone? He was getting too worked up, and noticed he was starting to get flustered. He decided not to think about it.

By the time he arrived at the park, he had a whole bag of mixed seeds, he bought from the store. He found a nice park bench to sit on, as he tossed the little tiny speckles of seeds. It was a surprise that the doves saw him, and came down to collect his donations. There were other birds, in the park, but the doves were the only ones eating his handfuls. Then again he had heard that doves were the type to eat off the ground, while other birds chose to eat from a hanging bird feeder. What? Were his seeds not good enough for them? Picky snobs the others were.

“Excuse me.” He looked to his side A girl no more than twenty five stood next to his bench. She had messy dark hair, with green eyes. Her skin looked like she was an outdoorsy type girl. “What do you think you’re doing sir?” Her arms were crossed across her flattened looking chest. It seems that puberty had not done her any favors. Her dark army colored light jacket gave her layers to not flatter her form. She didn’t want to be looked at it seemed. What was she hiding?

“What on Earth does it look like I’m doing? I’m feeding the doves!” He said throwing the seeds out to the ground angrily. “Would you kindly leave me be? I’m busy doing old man stuff!” When he looked in her hand, she had a bag of seeds. Apparently she had some plans on bird feeding herself. “You have the same plans. Go off and feed elsewhere. It’s not like you own this bench.” He spat to her.

“Actually you might find that I do. Or at least I should.” She walked closer. “I come to this spot every Saturday afternoon. It was built by my boyfriend.” She pointed to a copper plate on the corner that read. “Donated by Matt Baker.” When he looked around he didn’t see this Matt Baker anywhere, so with him no place to claim it, and kick him off, the seat now belonged to him.

“Well there is no Mr. Baker in sight. So why not let an old man have it this one time, as you said you come every Saturday. I have only come this one day because I need a break from the stressors of everyday life. Or do you want to take this simple joy from an old man?” He gave her a stern look his face pulled into tight lines.

She felt gravely insulted. How dare he insult her lover. “...fine.” She said. She took the spot where her boyfriend usually sat. She pulled up her bag of seeds, and as if she were a bird whisperer, the flock crowded her way. It was like they took her in favor. Well it seemed predictable, since the birds saw her once a week. When they flocked her way she grinned in success. Even the birds from the branches came down. Gray huffed and tossed a little more seed to the ground and let his old mind wander to his daughter. She might like coming, and feeding the birds sometime, if these blasted rats with wings would come and eat his seeds that is. He sighed. Not even the birds would want to be with his old bones. His grip weakened, and the seeds poured between his fingers lightly. He was too old for old.

The younger girl saw that he was under some stress. She looked to the side, and thought of a way to help him out. “Hold out your hands.” She instructed. The grumbly old man did so, and she poured some in. She then took a few, and spread them in a line. A dove slowly hoped to the line working her way into his hand. She then flew into his hands. He looked down at the bird in his hand, and he felt an almost excited feeling in his chest. But it was short lived.. “Would you look at that?” He smirked coyly at the bird. Suddenly it raised it’s tail and in an instant his trousers had a splotch of white dropping straight on his thigh. He looked shocked and snarled. “Oh for heavens sake - Gross!”

The stranger found the instant much more humorous. She waved the bird off, and took out a handkerchief. “Not much of a nature man I see.” She handed it to the old man, as he angrily snatched it away. When her hand was held out, he saw a gold band around her ring finger. “A married girl, I see.” He said trying to stir some trouble. “Meeting this boyfriend behind your husband’s back?”

“Wha... Oh, no,no. This was a gift from my boyfriend, before he died.” No, she was faithful.

The old man's eyes shot open and he looked her dead in the eye. “I...I must apologize. I see now why this bench means so much to you.”

She grinned at the hump backed man. “Don’t worry. I am much happier with what I have in here.” She pointed to her heart. “This bench is... just a bench.” She shrugged, “He isn’t lived through benches, or Australium rings.” She laughed rubbing the spot on her hand.

The minute she said the word Australium, Gray’s heart began to pound. “Pray tell. Do you know where he got the ring?” His eyes were glued on the expertly crafted shiny band.

“He got it from some overseas mine he had ownership of. It seems it was filled with the junk.” She said waving the thought off. “It’s just a cheap gold wannabe metal. It’s useless ,unless of course you’re a scientist. Other than that it's just a brass substitute for gold.” She said. Apparently to her the prospect of the mineral meant nothing. He however knew that it was worth so much more. “What has happened to his share overseas since his departure? I assume he left it to you?”

“Mmm hmm.” She hummed nonchalantly. “It keeps me going whenever I fall jobless. For example right now. I prefer to stay on my toes, and I grow bored. If there were more buyers I might have enough money to live off of till I can find a proper job.” The stranger was a goddess in human form. She was such an idiot, that she had no idea how much money she could truly make. He was at first lucky enough to almost come across two hundred thousand pounds, but she had an entire damn mine at her fingertips.

“Say now! Hear me out child. Lets say that I'm a filthy rich old man with a need for Australium, and lets say I was willing to give you a job and pay you for your mine of junk. What then would be your response?” He grinned with glee smacking his fingertips together in the pyramid of evil scheming.

“Well, I assume you’re trying to give me a sympathy donation? Buy my mining company from me and give me a big fancy paycheck, that might last three months at most? It might not bring in as much income as I might like, but it brings something in.”

“No no! Not at all. I'm suggesting you work for me, I am Gray Mann and I own a company of my own. Surely you've heard of the Mann brothers? We only own about half the world dear. That Australium you possess means more to me than life itself and I would be willing to pay you substantial amounts of money for shipments of it.”

“An increase of income, and a job, hmmm?” She looked at the old man, wondering what exactly it was that made her so called “precious metal” so precious to this hunchback. Perhaps Matt left her something worth value after all. He was such a wonderful lover. She should have known better. “Well, Mr. Mann you’ve seemed to peak my interest. Might I get a description of what this job would be?”

“I have a young daughter named Olivia. She is still very young, and I work often so I don’t get too much time with her. The child has never had a mother and therefore has no female role model to look up to. I would like for you to be a live in nanny. That way you are taken care of in all respects, I get the Australium I need, and Olivia my sweet darling daughter gets someone to play with and take care of her, while daddy is working.”

“A maid?” She asked raising an eyebrow. “You want me to be a babysitter?”

“Well, Olivia won’t be your only duties. I do have a lot of space, that requires a ton of cleaning. But my main concern is for my little princess. I want her to have a playmate and a caretaker, so I can know she is safe at all times. The job is simple and easy, and Olivia will help with the cleaning. She likes cleaning. She makes a game of it. So what do you say? Are you willing to take the job or is it beneath you to help an old man raise a precious child?”

“How old are you?” She asked looking at the man, as if he were one hundred percent bat shit insane. She couldn’t help but wonder if this man was living proof that mammoths were once hunted by cavemen. Surely this old man didn’t bring the child into this world by his own work. That would be far too selfish. “Certainly you adopted, right Mr. Mann?” That could be the only explanation.

“Most certainly not! I had my daughter through the wonders of modern science.” He huffed and turned his nose to the sky.

She was at a stand still and started thinking of the costs. She would have something to do during the day. She herself never had children, and it seemed like a new exciting adventure. She would even be paid to do so. Not to mention her monthly check would be coming in, at an inflation. Still as long as the child wasn’t as stubborn as the old man, things would be okay. “Hire me, and at the first paycheck, you’ll get your Australium.” She held her hand out to grab his wrinkly one. “Deal?”
“Deal.” He grasped her hand as firmly as was possible and smiled genuinely at the girl. As evil as he was it was a relief knowing he would be able to live and oversee his company and his daughter, and keep himself away from those blasted idiot brothers of his. Dead as they may be if he himself died they would ultimately stir up trouble for him. Probably waiting at the gates of Hell wringing their hands as he thought about them.