Zanton was Elhisia’s price to be Chairman.

“Get ready,” Elhisia said firmly, tears flowing down her cheeks. All of us eyed her confused. Get ready? This is over!

“With all due respect Ma’am. You just killed our client. There’s nothing else for us here to do.” Naedon said firmly

“Stop playing ass with me. You know who I am, and what I am worth. I need your help now, will you give it, or shall I seek someone else to assist?

“Look around Mistress. There’s no one else but us to help.”

“Fine!” She snapped, “how much did my father offer you?”

The Cobra Squad looked at each other confused as if they debating lying to her. I knew they heard the amount I was getting for assisting her, but believing it…that was one thing. “Ten million Credits each.”

“Humph…he offered you two million credits each, didn’t he?”

Stelig eyes widened as if surprised. I couldn’t surmise if it were a low ball amount or Elhisia hit the nail on the head, perfectly.

“Stop dallying my people NEED help!” She shouted.

“You’re people?” I asked, confused. “…wait you’re seriously not expecting us to go back and fight off Valeon’s force?”

“YES! How else do you think you’re going to be paid?”

“Four of us, against a battered force is suicide. I don’t care if you outnumber Valeon’s men. You outnumbered them already, but we don’t even know if they survived the remnants of Rikor’s forces.”

“They survived!” Elhisia hissed.

“It’s all good to believe that, but fighting against Valeon is the same, possibly more vicious. And knowing your father he probably ensured they no one survives. They’re dead at the best princess. Let. Them. Go.”

“You said I had to choose between Zanton and them. I chose them. Zanton is DEAD!” Elhisia snapped.

“…and so will your people. You said you want to provide them with a better life. Do it, by protecting their families. You owe it to them, don’t you think? You have to survive or their loss would be for nothing!”

“...and if I return them home. It would be better suited for their FAMILIES!”

“It would...but not if you’re risked in the process it is not worth it!”

“I have to agree with Cypher, Ma’am” Naedon interjected.

“...but you will agree with me because you’re being paid to do as I tell you!”

“Money isn’t everything sunshine. Our lives have values and in a case like yours. It seems yours is meant to protect others” Rynord said.

“Agreed,” Tryzer said.

“By all means ma’am, let us escort you out of here”

“TO HELL WITH THE LOTTA YOU...I’LL DO IT MYSELF.” Elhisia screamed.

The heiress took three steps from us, heading towards my buggy as if she owned it. I dashed behind her striking her carotid sinus. Elhisia dropped to the ground with a thud and I heard the rest of the cobra squad groan.

“What the fuck did you just do Cypher?”

“Keeping her alive,” I said gruffly.

“...and what about our pay?” Naedon snapped.

“...don’t worry...I have that all figured out. It's up to you, to trust me.”

The Cobra Squad stood amongst themselves for five minutes, discussing whatever they needed to discuss. They had to figure out how to deal with both Stelyne and Colonel Levisay, not that it was gonna be my problem. I was the solution to all this.

Once they broke camp, Naedon approached me, face chiselled and stone-cold as usual. “...Fifteen Million Credits Each,” He said.

“Tell her that,” I said, pointing with my nose. I had placed the heiress in their truck, which had the log that was planted into the windscreen fully removed.

“Are you sure, she’s going to pay us?” Stelig said.

“Definitely.”

◆◆◆

“Everyone remembers the plan?” I asked, massaging my left. I was battered and bruised all over, and barely twelve hours had passed since I was roped into this gig.

What I hoped to be simple chaperone duty, turned into a faux-kidnapping which led to a battle between daughter and father the future of The Federation, her words.

If I knew this job would’ve been such a shit detail. I would’ve easily declined. On top of that, the whoreshit price that Mr Black quoted me. Two hundred million credits? For the painting, he traded for me? I doubt it. Paintings would never cost so much… that's just crazy.

“Yes,” Tryzer answered, stomping his foot into the accelerator showing his annoyance. “For the fifth, We know what to do. We head south, around the wall avoiding the turrets. Once we make it to the eastern side. We drop you off, entering the code.” He added.

“From there, you make your through the city, to rendezvous with us, hiding, whatever that thing is, to allow us time to have the Princess there to be debriefed,” Stelig added.

“Once Elhisia is debriefed, she will probably make an announcement of her father’s sacrifice during the negotiation to free her and will be named interim-Chairman for the meantime.”

“…finally, when she seeks you all out we will give her this,” Naedon said, showing a piece of paper. “For her to contact you, with the funds dispersed via cryptocurrency.”

“Right…” I said.

We sat in silence for the next ten minutes. I was battered and the scent of Colvolt's slowly decaying body surely didn’t help. In the middle, between me and Stelig, was Elhisia, strapped in head rocking back and forth from each swerve Tryzer made.

In time, we reached the outskirts of the eastern Wall. Tryzer had tapped in the code, which allowed us free access without trouble.

The vehicle floated in the air and hovered right into the semantic scanner, which hummed outside. Naedon had his head rocked back, whilst he caught himself. Stelig, legs were lapped whilst one of his legs tapped against the ground. Rynord was out cold, with dribble crawling down his cheek.

A bright red light engulfed the vehicle flooding through the cracks of the shutter windows. The guard tower officer strolled from his quarters once the scan was completed. “IDS,” The man asked from behind his black visored helmet. “IDS?” Naedon asked, confused. “The ID code we entered to shut the turrets down should have everything.”

“It did…but the code you used was meant for the western gate. This is the eastern gate…protocol.”

“Bullshit…we have 2 VVIPs here.”

“…and I don’t give a shit. Do I need to turn the turrets on to send a message?”

“What the hell are you doing?” another guard shouted from the tower. “Put them through, can’t you see, they got 2 VVIPs in their god damn truck!”

The guard officer turned ran back inside and peered at his screen. I couldn’t see his eyes, but no doubt the yellow belly bastard's eyes were gonna pop out of his eye socket.

The Large Black Gate split open in the middle and the light from Bridge City flooded through, despite the morning light still beaming brighter. If there was one thing I could say, it was that the skyscrapers that pierced the skies sitting in rows of hundreds seemed like spikes purposefully planted on the cement floors.

It wasn’t ugly, nor was it beautiful this side of the city. However, the stench of the city’s sewer system this far side floundered up and penetrated Vic’s filtration system leaving an acidic foul taste in my mouth.

It even made Elhisia groan from the stench, as she was still knocked out.

Below us, in the fort of the eastern gate were dozens of armoured vehicles with mechanics working around the clock. Soldiers sat in their respective corners. I know that vibe. Cliques for people who liked each other. It wasn’t a bad thing to have those in a base…but sometimes it wasn’t good for morale.

Once we made our way out of the Fort. Tryzer tapped the button for the shutters and the windows cracked open. A cold gust of wind struck me in the face, then sunlight…finally rising across the horizon.

The sky was light blue with shades of white-grey clouds painted across the horizon. It was enough to make me smile, despite how weak I felt.

“Stelyne’s calling Cypher. Best we drop you here.”

“No problem.”

Tryzer brought the armoured VIC down on one of the clearer streets. It took him a couple of minutes to find a space, and possibly a few expletives from Stelyne, but with our plan to get a few million credits…it was well worth it.

I hailed the cab, where the cabbie eyed me befuddled in a Furtiven suit. I plunked myself in his seat and pulled the DNA cylinder alongside me. I watched as the colours of the nanites shifted from blue to red and then eventually the appearance of black splotches.

The cabbie eyed me from his rearview mirror, spectacles pulsing with each blink he made. “Is that a BOMB?” He hissed.

“Unlikely…” I answered. “…its the key to my freedom,” I said, feeling my lips curling into a smile.

Debts. Paid. In. Full. Mr Black…you bastard.