Becoming Tyler Kramer: The Hidden Billionaire Boss’ Revenge

Chapter 4

But Tyler always found his way through, always made it out. Even if he had to dig his way with his bare hands. Even if he had to use his own magic, which always felt like he was peeling his own skin.

Most everyone in Ashrone, from the highest to the lowest class, could use magic.

They were born with it.

Gems amplified it.

And people could amplify gems, used them – based on their original properties – for any number of things. From basic, ordinary, day-to-day uses to warfare.

Gems were used in clothing, in accessories, in handheld tools, in technology, in medicines. Everything.

They made items stronger, more durable, longer-lasting, more powerful.

They made people stronger, more durable, more – anything physical. But the better the owner’s body was at doing the thing the magic was used to amplify, the more powerful the effect would be.

It did not extend life.

It did not heal sickness.

It only made life easier, amplifying things that already existed, for the ordinary people.

The gems before Tyler could be used for many things, but their base properties made them most suitable for the work the inspector was about to perform.

He stared at the gems as each one pulled at him to varying degrees.

“You’re not listening to me…,” Raymond fake-whined, drawing Tyler out of his meditation.

“I’m listening, Ray. It’s just…you know…she’s the boss, if I offend her –” Tyler replied quickly, blinking.

He had not heard a word Raymond had said from the time he brought out his little friends.

“I won't let her mess with you like that. She’s my cousin after all!” Raymond declared confidently.

Tyler exhaled mentally.

He had played his cards right.

Tyler laughed lightly, for Raymond’s benefit.

“Thanks, Ray. I promise, if things go too far, I’ll bring it to HR,” Tyler stated placatingly.

“Fine. Make sure you tell me first, though,” Raymond stated flatly.

“But you said –” Tyler replied haltingly.

“I know. But…if it really gets to that point, come to me first, okay?” Raymond pressed.

“Has she ever…,” Tyler inquired hesitantly, letting his voice trail off.

“No. Not that I’ve ever heard. But those assistants of hers would probably have killed the guy,” Raymond replied lightly.

Tyler held back his laughter.

“Got it,” the diligent inspector remarked dismissively.

Raymond chuckled.

“You don’t like them. It’s okay. No one does. But she needs them to keep all the hangers-on at bay. Without them, our office would be filled with suitors day and night. No work would get done –”

“Ray,” Tyler cut in politely.

“Hmmm?”

“Where are you?”

“What? Me? Oh! Oh, right! I gotta go! I’ll call you later. Don’t leave the office for the rest of the week. Check things remotely, call the field team. Send your report on Friday, okay?” Raymond replied hurriedly, suddenly in a rush.

“Yes, Sir,” Tyler replied formally, a small smile on his face.

“Come on, Ty!!” Raymond fake-whined.

“Sorry. Sure thing, boss,” Tyler said breezily.

“There you go! Later!” Raymond called back pleasantly.

The line went dead.

Tyler hung up and sat back.

Finally, alone, with peace and quiet, he refocused on the gems again.

He reached for the middle one, the Junster.

Used for explosives.

It was his favorite of the three. Also, it was the only one that could send him back to the Vault, the maximum-security prison in Ashrone, in a heartbeat.

As he held the gem in his palm, he recalled the first Junster he had ever found.

==========

It had been in an abandoned mine across the border, in the city where his university was located. Almost nine years ago.

One of his first finds, after he had left ‘home.’

It had fetched him quite a bit on the black market. A half-inch gem could blow up a 50-meter radius. If activated with the right radiation – if using technology, or spell – if using magic.

Military nations stocked it. No arsenal in the world did not have it.

And Tyler Esteil had become a millionaire in a matter of months when he had discovered a vein in an ‘abandoned’ mine.

Which was still under his control.

For over nine years.

==========

As for the piece in his hand, he had plans for it. And, he didn’t need tech to execute it.

Another secret.

Tyler Esteil could use magic.

Not the magic of the masses.

But alchemic magic. The power to transform objects.

No one, except Tyler and his deceased mother, knew that Mud-Face was an alchemist.

Tyler’s mind drifted. As it always did whenever he performed any alchemic magic.

He recalled his past.

==========

As a child, the young Tyler simply played with the colorful stones that seemed to call to him from the earth.

They ‘spoke’ to him sometimes, and when they did, he would ‘talk’ back, and they would glow, become hot, or very cold. Sometimes, they would get very light in weight or extremely heavy.

He would show his mother, and she would stroke his cheek with tears in her eyes, and tell him he was doing good, but that he should never show anyone except her what he did with his toys.

‘Toys’ was his mother’s code for the gems her son kept finding and bringing home.

It was his mother who had taught him how to keep his ‘toys’ safe.

She showed him how to hide them inside other objects.

To the young Tyler, it had been a game he and his mother had played.

Since as far back as Tyler could remember, he had always known which gem did what, even before he knew their names.

Something no common or ordinary person could do without the use of tech specifically designed for that purpose.

But the young child sensed it, instinctively.

It was something his mother had never been able to explain. For most of his life. Until she was near death’s door, and he had been called back from his university.

==========

Tyler closed his eyes, steadying himself, pulling his mind back to the task at hand.

He never thought about his university days.

Never.

He couldn’t deal with it.

Focus, Tyler, he admonished himself.

Don’t get caught up.

Don’t get distracted.

We don’t have time.

We are too close to the start to become emotional.

About anything.

Or anyone.

He reminded himself firmly in his mind.

He inhaled deeply, eyes still closed.

Then, he closed his fingers over the small gem in his hand and channeled energy into it. It glowed, for an instant, then the light in his closed fist faded.