Chapter Text
Chester looked up from his menu. He smiled. It was small, but it was real. “Armand.”
Armand returned it. He inclined his head. “My King.”
Chester preened, just a little. He waved to the chair next to him. “Sit down, dear boy. I ordered lunch and your favorite tea.”
“Thank you.” Armand gracefully took the seat. He tilted his head to signify the posh décor around them. “The private room at the Savoy, for just the two of us. What’s the occasion?”
“We have important matters to discuss, it’s quiet, and their chef is superb.” Chester wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Things have been chaotic at the manor and the shop.”
Armand sipped his tea. “It usually is during candidate trials,” he observed dryly.
Chester gave a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry your candidate didn’t make it far.”
Armand waved that off. “Nathaniel wanted a chance but he’s better suited to my department.”
“Ah, you’re going to make him one of your minions.”
Armand snorted. “He’s sharp. He’s got a mind for sifting intel. His thinking is undisciplined but training will help with that.”
The waiter brought soups as a starter and disappeared, quickly and quietly. Chester grabbed his spoon. “By all means, offer the lad a job.”
Armand put his napkin across his lap. “Merlin finds the three remaining candidates very promising.”
Chester winced and swallowed his soup. “He may think so but Galahad’s candidate is inappropriate.”
Armand smirked. “Why?” He took on a cockney accent. “Does he come from the wrong side of the tracks?”
Chester reared back as if he’d been bitten. He held a hand over his heart. “Don’t do that,” he hissed.
Armand laughed and slipped back into his normal accent. “Breathe, Chester.”
Chester wheezed. “He’s not our sort, not one of us.”
“Who cares if he can do the job and do it well?”
“You’ve been spending way too much time with Harry.” Chester still looked outraged. “Don’t laugh at me, boy.”
Armand was unfazed by Chester’s ire. He was still grinning impishly. “You are the only one who can still get away with calling me a boy.”
Chester couldn’t hold onto his anger. He chuckled despite himself. “I’m one of the only ones left who can actually remember you as such.” He paused. He sighed wistfully. “You favor your mother. I can still see her when I look at you.”
“Even with the gray curls and my scruff,” Armand teased good naturedly.
Chester nodded solemnly. “It’s the eyes. It’s the steel in you.” He quickly cleared his throat and continued before Armand could reply. “And your curls are on the verge of mutiny. A haircut is in order.”
Armand shook his head. “No.”
“Why not?” Chester demanded.
Armand arched his eyebrows. “Jean.”
Chester dropped his spoon. He blanched. “I thought we agreed never to discuss this.”
Armand smirked unrepentantly. “You asked.”
Chester muttered under his breath and stared at Armand. “I see an impeccable Kingsman suit as always, but where is your tie?”
Armand took said tie out of his pocket and put it on the table. “It’s hot in Nigeria at this time of year.”
“And how is your drug running friend?”
“Kaden is not a drug runner,” Armand answered easily. “He’s a warlord.”
Chester rolled his eyes in distaste. “Like that is so much better.”
Armand was still relaxed. His voice was respectful, but firm. “He only acts to protect his people. He would never peddle that poison.”
“I still don’t see how you trust him,” Chester maintained stubbornly.
“He’s always been reliable and his intel accurate. How do you think I stay three steps ahead of the Russians and the Chinese in that part of the world?”
Chester peered at a small black smudge just peeking out from Armand’s collar. “What’s that on your neck?”
“Nothing,” Armand answered blandly.
Chester leaned forward and lifted Armand’s collar out of the way. He gasped in horror at the tattoo. His voice cracked in his outrage. “What is that?”
“It’s a tribal design, one of their protective spirits,” Armand answered as if this was the most natural thing in the world. “Kaden talked me into it after a jug of the homemade stuff. I can’t pronounce the name of the stuff but it’s got the kick of a horse.”
Chester paled. “You…” he trailed off at a loss.
“I think it’s quite striking.”
Chester sat back, aghast. “I should never have let you go to Africa by yourself. You always come back with a new tattoo.”
Armand offered a innocent look. “They’re all tastefully done. You must believe that I insist on that.”
Chester flushed. He flapped his hands and let out an incoherent squeak. “What is this world coming to?” He spoke more to himself in dismay than to Armand. “We need Valentine to help bring order back from chaos and clear out the undesirable element.”
Armand’s eyes narrowed and he stiffened imperceptibly. “What are you talking about? What undesirable element and isn’t he the one that Harry is investigating?”
Chester swallowed. “This isn’t how I was going to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
Chester suddenly reached out to clutch Armand’s hand. “Valentine is right.”
Armand squeezed Chester’s fingers. “Right about what? Tell me.”
“The Earth is sick and global warming is just a symptom. Humanity is the virus.” Chester’s eyes were desperate. “We need to kill the virus.”
“And how do we do that?”
“A culling,” Chester answered grimly. “But not everyone,” he added quickly, “just the human trash.”
Armand dropped his eyes and Chester’s hand. He pressed his palms flat on the table. He blew out a long breath.
“He’s right,” Chester repeated, willing Armand to believe him. “The chosen will survive.”
Armand made himself look at Chester again. He kept his voice steady through sheer force of will. “And who chooses? Valentine?”
“Yes. He chose me and he wants you too. We’ll need a man of your brilliance. You can bring in Kay and young Nathaniel if you wish.” Chester rested a hand on one of Armand’s. “It may be distasteful, but surely you can see the need. Think about it, a fresh start without the dregs of humanity.”
The touch made Armand’s skin crawl but he didn’t snatch his hand away. “You’ve certainly given me something to think about,” he said neutrally.
“Think quickly. I need your answer now. You’ll need to meet with Valentine and get one of his implants so you won’t be affected when the culling starts. Perhaps he can get rid of that ghastly tattoo as well.”
Armand jerked away. He stood, calm and collected. “You and Valentine can go straight to hell.”
Chester pulled his pistol. He sighed heavily. “I hoped I was wrong.”
“Are you going to kill me?”
Chester fired. “No, but I can’t let you try to stop this either.”
Armand had just enough time to pull the dart from his neck before everything went dark.