Chapter 91
The throbbing rumble of explosions rattled in my ears like an overactive bass line. didnt go smoothly this time. Miles was right that the man was disciplined, but he looked anxious, and any visible emotional fragility indicated a more significant underlying weakness. That observation was the only thing that kept me from visibly recoiling back from the bad connection. I couldnt afford to fail here.
I took his resistance apart, looking for the reason he fought so strongly. There was loyalty therenot the dogmatic loyalty, but loyalty to an individual, the sort I was thoroughly familiar with.
He feared death, but what he feared more than anything else was losing someone.
And I knew exactly how to handle that.
An image sprang up from my subconscious far too quickly. A scenario Id refused to let myself imagine, pushed below the surface, only to have its roots spread deeper and deeper.
I showed him an image of the end of the world. His axe carving through a faceless Users throat at the top of a pile of bodies. He whipped around then, looking for someone to fight, anyone. Only to find himself entirely alone.
Slowly, he moved from one city block to another. The buildings were shelled out husks of their prior glory, reflected on the ground in a continuous fractured layer of broken glass.
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As the hopelessness and despair overtook him, his mind harkened back to this single moment in time. If only he hadnt been so unflinching, so utterly focused on following orders, maybe he could have saved his family, his friends. The person he cared for, above all others.
But no. In this nightmare vision of the future, he was alone. And he would always be alone.
He began to leave his post at the door. Fuck this.
The woman caught his arm. Elias told us not to move.
And where is he? The man asked roughly.
Youre being an idiot.
I dont care. The man took off down the alley at a brisk jog.
I stared at him in alarm
Miles returned to the lit doorway and pulled a small black key from his satchel. It was lacking traditional tines, a smooth line of dark metal where the ridges would be. That was unexpected. Id thought hed pick the lock, or have a non-traditional way of forcing it open.
Id give my right nut for a snake cam, Miles muttered under his breath. He pressed his hand against the door. ticked in the back of my head, telling me he was using a skill.
Give me a second. I wasnt ecstatic about using Talia in front of a third party. The last encounter with the suits wasnt long ago. If one of them spotted her in my vicinity, it wouldnt be a hard jump to connect the dots. But maybe I didnt have to. Can you recon?
I will do literally anything if it means being out of this dagger. Talia rumbled back to me.
Stay out of sight. We know next to nothing about Miles, and giving him more information about my abilities at this point is asking for trouble.
Easy enough.
I withdrew and bent down. There was a rubber buffer at the bottom of the door, ensuring an airtight seal, but it was easy enough to move aside. Ignoring Miles curious expression, I forced the knife through the gap.
A small tendril of smoke rose from the gap, indicating Talia had taken her traditional form.
Miles blinked, looking from the doorway, to me, to the doorway again. And the point of that was?
I quietly relayed the information Talia was giving me. Three people. Two of them arent wearing gear, doing some menial work and trying not to freak out. The other one will be a problem.
Strength build? Miles asked.
Spellsword. I said sourly. Doesnt look the slightest bit concerned, considering the circumstances. Not sure how were going to do this, without one of them getting a chance to shoot off a message.
There was a long moment as Miles appeared to be deciding. He studied me again, as if he couldnt quite make up his mind until he finally came to a decision. You tipped your hand a little with the knife. Its only fair that I do the same.
