If Tristan had been in a good mood when he landed it sure didn't last long. As soon as he debarked the plane he was besieged with people demanding his attention and paparazzi taking his photos. His men weren't very nice about pushing people out of the way if they didn't back up on their own.

Shortly the group made it to the vehicles that were waiting for them. Tristan sighs in relief, but knows that this is just the beginning. "Sir, we have several government officials, local and national that are demanding meetings."

"Set one large meeting up. At that time I will be answering questions and going over what I plan to do in the future. If that doesn't satisfy them they will have to wait their turn for a smaller meeting. I'm afraid not many of them will be happy with answers I'll be giving. I sure as hell am unhappy about many of the answers. I certainly can't expect them to be either."

"Yes, sir. I have one set up tomorrow at noon. I'll be having food brought in, nothing fancy, but at least you all will be able to eat. Afterwards I'll set up individual meetings."

"Parker, remind me to give you a raise. You've been the best secretary I've ever had." Tristan says sitting back and closing his eyes. The pressure in his head is terrific. At least with Parker he won't have to worry about things getting done. He's wishing that Tom was there, but then is thankful that he isn't. If any one can help fix things with Eva, it's Tom. He doesn't know what he would have done if he hadn't taken Eva's advice.

"Have the miners and their families meet tonight. They deserve answers before any one else." Tristan finally says.

Tristan sends most of his men away once they reach the trailers that had been brought in for his use. Lassiter follows Tristan in rather than leave. "You need to get rid of the tension  you are carrying boss. If you don't you'll cause yourself injury."

"Have you been talking with my doctor?" Tristan tries to be light hearted but the throbbing in his head keeps him from being so.

"What?" Tristan says as Lassiter takes Tristan's jacket off him. 

Lassiter smirks before replying, "My manager says that there isn't anything like a good massage to relax over tight muscles. In all the years I've fought, I'd have to say he's right." Lassiter waits for Tristan to take off his shirt before he goes behind his boss and starts rubbing him down.

"Fuck, Lassiter, perhaps I should put you as my personal masseuse?"

Lassiter gives a little snort, "Not really my area of expertise. I'm much better in cyber security etc."

"One of the reasons I was going to find Cain for Eva was I wanted him to become one of my lieutenants. I'm going to make a new position, one over security, both physical and cyber."

"Boss," Lassiter stops rubbing Tristan's back in shock. As the words sink in he gets back to work. "I don't know what to say. It's an honor is the least that I could say."

Tristan gives a snort of his own. "I'll work you hard. The reason I'm making this position is to take some of the pressure off of me and a lesser extent off of Tom. We're working eighteen hour days and the doctor says I have to lighten up. Besides, if I can get Eva to stay with me, I want time with her. I have looked at you for some time for the role but didn't think you had the necessary knowledge in the cyber portion. That's why I was so angry that I didn't know."

"I'm sorry, truly sorry boss. I had no idea that it would be that important for you to know. If I had had an idea I would have told you far sooner than you found out. As it is, Eva could very likely go through any of your files, at least until she hit my firewalls. But then again, she knows how to break them from me." Lassiter shrugs even though Tristan can't see it. "If that girl ever decides to learn computer science there wouldn't be anything she won't be able to get."

"You've found videos of her and her abuse, right?" Tristan looks back at his man.

"Yes, and although she's shared more with you than any one else, I can guarantee that there is far more that she hasn't shared."

"You didn't seem upset that she is or at least was dating me." Tristan is testing the waters right now. Although Eva is hurt by Lassiter he knows that he means a great deal to her.

Lassiter snorts out, "I think you are perhaps the only person that could handle Eva. Oh, she's not high strung or high maintenance, nothing like that. If anything your money and position in society will be against you with her. No, what I'm referring to is her darker side. Eva isn't an angel by any means. She has blood on her hands just like you or I."

This announcement, of course, gets Tristan to turn around completely. "What the fuck do you mean. You better explain yourself."

"Peace, boss. It's just that when living in the streets, well, it wasn't very safe as I'm sure you are well aware. Sometimes the predators stalked her and although I did my best to discourage it, they went after Eva. I taught her some moves to protect her and some of them are as likely to kill as incapacitate. I know of three for sure that she killed. I suspect as many more, but she didn't volunteer the information and I wasn't going to ask her. She was already skittish about seeing me. If I had pressed she'd likely have disappeared. Just like she'll do with you if you press her."

"Shit, I had hoped to keep that part of my life from her." Tristan says a bit sick. Eva had already suffered enough, she didn't need to have the death of people on her conscience.

"Boss, Eva was brought up in the dark side of life. She didn't have a problem with the killing. She understands that there are times when it is necessary. She is also very aware of when those times are necessary. I bet when you told her about who you are and what you are she had no problems with the what, did she?"

"No, I thought it was because Jamie was the gang leader for where she lives."

"No, although she didn't have problems with that either. She is a very pragmatic person."

Tristan sits there thinking about all he's learned about Eva in the last little while.

"Now you know about Eva, are you still interested in dating her?" Lassiter demands, albeit respectfully. He doesn't think it would take much to set his boss off once more.

"Now, more than ever, I think." Tristan says absently then looks thoughtfully at his man. "You are aware of what the ceremony to become my lieutenant includes do you not?"

Lassiter is confused by this question. "I've seen the hand scars from the knife cut."

"Yes, that is part of it. But there is more. Tell me Lassiter, have you ever been with a man?"

Lassiter smirks, "Eva wasn't the only one that lived or practically lived on the streets. You do many things to earn money, Boss."

Tristan is very thankful that the meeting is finally over. His body is demanding sleep. He had only gotten a couple of hours before he'd had to fly down here and thought he'd be able to sleep on the way down. That had been derailed with the news he'd heard. After that he'd been too worked up to sleep. 

Lassiter had helped him to relax. Far more than he'd anticipated, but it was now late and his body is screaming for sleep. He stumbles up the stairs of his trailer and barely manages to open his door. He doesn't even bother looking for a light and makes his way to his bed.

Kicking off his shoes he falls face first on top of the covers and doesn't even feel the covers being pulled over him. Lassiter sets the alarm clock next to his boss before securing the trailer and leaving. He'd gotten all the information he could and now it was time for him to return to the States. The pilot is already getting the plane ready for takeoff.  Lassiter nods to the man set to guard the trailer and leaves. 

Lassiter just hopes that when he faces Eva once more that she'll forgive him. He never once thought about how she'd feel if he left like he had. When Jamie confronted him he felt guilty and almost went back to her, but by then he was working for Tristan and it would have been very dangerous for her. He'd already been getting threats and he couldn't bring danger to her.

As he flies back he sighs. Eva reminds him so much of his sister that died just a month before he met Eva. His sister and mother were killed in a drive by shooting. A rival gang to Jamie's. Jamie had retaliated of course, but it was too late for his mother and sister.

Of course it wasn't his real mother, if there is such a thing. Lassiter understands Eva at least about the foster system because he was dropped off as a newborn, just hours old at a hospital. He never knew his birth parents. His paper work just stated his name and birth date including the time. No name of mother or father.

The couple that adopted him did so in a last ditch effort to save their marriage. It didn't work and when they divorced when he was two they left him back in foster care, neither one wanting him. After that it was one foster family after another. Until the last one. She would have adopted him, but she didn't meet the requirements. So she fostered him and his sister until he aged out. She helped him get an apartment in the same building as her and made sure that he went to college. She wanted him to make something of himself.

His sister never made it to graduating high school.

He finished college then after his foster family was killed he got into the underground fighting. That's when he met Eva.

It was also when Tristan scouted him. 

He was thrilled at being scouted by Tristan Wederer and asked to join the mafia. They were happy to have him.

With them Tristan found a new family.

Then he found Eva. It was the closest he ever came to regret about joining. 

For the rest of the flight he thinks about his time with Eva. He doesn't even notice the tears leaking from his eyes.