“I’m not sure your errand boy wants to play. He seems a little pissant about the mishap, I was misinformed about.”

“Pissant? Would you feel that way with a knife to your throat?”

I felt Hexan’s glare, enough to make goosebumps run down my back. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was impressed, but obviously. She was not. I took my head up from my dish and looked up at her whilst she share his annoyance with me.

I smirked, turning to Darlina, but ensured my eyes glared at Rikor’s as well.

“Do you plan to kill Elhisia?” I asked.

“Why would kill her? She has her purpose.”

“…and that might be?”

“None of your business.”

“It is my business. Elhisia provided me with a great offer for my help. I know nothing of you, I didn’t even know you existed till today!”

“My existence does not matter here. But yours does, you have the lineagecube. I need it.”

“At least you aren’t being coy with me.”

“Three days,” I said.

“What happens in three days?”

“That’s when I’ll decide whether to give you the lineagecube.”

“Decide?” Darlina hissed. “You’ll be lucky if I let you leave here alive!” She snarled.

“Cypher…we’re at the security block to the panic room, we’re trying to get in.”

Hexan eyed me sternly and turned to Darlina. “Ms Weitson, I understand your frustration. However, you did send three men after Mr Cypher, he hasn’t taken it well. He mentioned three days because that’s when he thinks he cool off…unless you’re willing to pay to quell his frustration.” She finished nodding to me.

“Humph..” I added, taking another sip of my soup. Then raised my hand for the maid to take the bowl.

“If it credits you seek, you could’ve said so! Fine. 50 Million Credits!”

50 million credits? Elhisia promised me 300? Does she think I’m a fool? Whatever…this will get the Naedon and the rest in.

“50 Million Credits? I’m starting to believe this lineagecube is has a lot more than that. Four days.”

Darlina’s jawline swelled as if she had an allergic reaction to what she had just eaten. She bit her bottom lip, then forced a smile. “I see you’re a man of principles.” She said.

“Hardly.”

The table went quiet, as the second-course meal was brought out to us. Hexan was uncharacteristically quiet, making me wonder if she was always this meek amongst the “elite’s” of the Federation.

The maids and butler placed a second dish in front of us and I couldn’t be more confused. It was a live Octopus swirling in the swamp of a gravy. When its eye blinked at me, I had trouble keeping my first meal down.

“Never had live octopus before?” Darlina asked.

“Why would I? I’m from the Gallows. I know of fishcakes and fried fish, with a dash of cumin to flavour. Octopus? Never. I thought these were extinct.”

“They are, or were, but with the advancement in cloning technology we were able to bring them back to life, they should be on the market in a few years. Once we get bored of them.”

“Bored?”

“Yes…bored, once we get bored, we let the rest of the Federation have a taste.”

“You have sounded like we’re begging for scraps.”

“Well…aren’t you? You from the Gallows, yes? Tell me, have you lived a life where you’ve never had to beg for food?”

“I have begged, and I’ve seen children die in front of me because I didn’t share my piece of loaf.”

“A realist.”

“You could say that, but I’m sure if you lived in the Gallows for two seconds you’d wish death upon yourself.”

“The gallows, I was born here…of course, I wouldn’t survive now, but if you were born here,” she said, raising her hands, “do you think you’d live much different than me.”

“Dirt is dirt and gold is gold, you can neither into a spoon.”

Hexan released a light laugh, which drew a confused face from Darlina then barked a question “What did you say?”

“He’s said that regardless of where one is born, high or low, who they are, will be shown regardless,” Hexan said.

Darlina chuckled and shook her head. “I feel like I’m begging for what’s mine!” Darlina snapped.

“five days,” I said.

The air within the room felt heavy, and the light from the chandeliers sprayed across the room, giving it an austere feel.

If my words didn’t hit Darlina were it, then nothing will. I know this wasn’t part of the time plan, but I was in a foul mood and needed someone to punch to relieve my frustration. Is this how Akatani feels? Having Shin-Lee and Hannah-Lee? I mused.

I did feel in control, but this was empty power, the power that was never mine. I wanted nothing to do with it. I just want my family back for Christ’s sake!

Rikor cleared his throat with a dry cough, then step forward. Hexan and I turned to him. “Let’s cool our heads before discussing any further.” He said.

“That’s fine by me,” I said, turning in my chair, looking at the maid. “Escort me to the bathroom.”

I pushed myself up and followed the made. She led me through a series of turns, with little to no light, that emanated through the cave-like structure.

It was unusually dark, but still lit enough for me to manoeuvre. At least I could piss in a piece I noted.

“Cypher, we’re having trouble breaking in the security system. It’s not an SS-Grade system, but an archaic one. We’re trying to break the encryption but our tools are too refined to make a breakthrough. Tryzer is working on a workaround.” Naedon said.

I didn’t answer.

The sight from cybernetic went dead, and so did my Cybernetic arm. I fell back from the sudden loss of power throughout my cybernetics and hit the wall behind me with a loud thud.

I tried moving, but with my spine-tingling from the strain of my cybernetics, I was at a loss why I couldn’t move.

“Holy shit, Cypher…we’re in!” Tryzer said over the mic.

What?

My cybernetic eye pulsed back on as if the light had been dimmed, sending a throbbing sensation to my brain via my SMB. My cybernetic loosened, and I felt the pain in my pain alleviate. What the hell just happened?

I looked up light, shook off what the hell just happened and stared at the stink as the water flowed through. I stimulated my SMB and was about to select the diagnostic check option before I caught myself. I’m on a mission…I’ll deal with that after.

The water eventually shut off after I wiped my face. I looked into the mirror and saw a face that couldn’t be mine. The heavy bags under my eyes were black as night, whilst my eye had small etches of redness to them. I pulled my cheeks, and they felt quite meshy, unlike their usual plumpness. The cheeks sunk into my face, almost making me look skeletal…by my standards. I took a deep breath, gathered myself and pulled the door free. “We’re heading up from the panic room, now entering the cellar,” Naedon said.

Valeon Epin was standing out of the bathroom, waiting for me. I looked him up and down and noticed his pistol had been unclipped. “Ms Weitson has asked me to show you around the house, that’s if you’re interested of course.”

“Well, as there’s nothing else to do, I could as well see how the wealthy live.”

Valeon led me through the house. We roamed through corridor after corridor after corridor. After three minutes, I truly felt confused. This wasn’t in the plans Hexan showed me…on my left, should be a pool hall, but all I’m seeing is walls after wall.

I switched to X-Ray sight and low and behold, the pool hall was there behind the concrete slab. Shit…the house is modular I groaned to myself, which means…they don’t want us to see anything.

In the short time, we had to plan, we deciphered that Elhisia was either on the bottom floor, close to the panic room or the top floor, away from everyone. I scanned the upper echelon of the house.

The amount of clutter and bullshit this house had, was worst than a dumping sight because I could hardly notice what was around me. I can’t even direct Naedon and the team, because this asshole is here.

We made a right, climbing a short flight of stairs, then came out to a gallery, that overlooked the main dinner table. The light from the chandelier beamed towards me like the sun, leaving my neck steaming from the heat.

Valeon lead me outside, which had three bodyguards on different levels down below. I marked them each for Naedon and the rest.

He carried me down another flight of stairs on the south side, which led me to the eastern side of the building. We went up a spiral staircase and to a door that was not on the map, which I pulled up digitally, to verify if my layout was correct.

It wasn’t.

The door slashed open and waves of cold vapour steamed through the door. Valeon walked in and I followed. When I got through the door, I saw something I didn’t expect. Elhisia Weitson lying on the bed hooked up the various machines. What the hell is going on?

Valeon walked over to the left side of the bed, whilst I walked to her right. I looked at her and monitored the machines that were on her left. She was alive alright, but last I checked, I only knocked her out. Why was she on machines?

“Darlina is something isn’t she?” Valeon said firmly, tone welcoming. “What’s all this?” I asked.

“What does it look like. Darlina’s controlling the situation.”

“Controlling the situation?”

“Yes. It’s really simple.” He said eyeing me with a grin.

“Simple? I see, explain it to me?” I asked.

“Two bodyguards down on the west side, we’re moving to the second floor,” Stelig confirmed.

“Yes…Control. I know you were the one that killed Rikor. You colluded with this bitch and fucked with my credits!”

“Are Elhisia people alive?” I asked softly.

“No. I just returned an hour ago from burning them to the ground.” He growled.

“I see, why to tell me this?”

“Because you have something the girl wants. I just want you.”

“Ah-ha, so this is personal?” I laughed

“Hardly. I don’t like people getting in my way.”

“You know how the business works. You get paid to do a job. You do it.”

“Paid to do a job? You betrayed Colvolt Weitson.”

“No…Weitson was outbid, you know math right? I’m sure you would’ve done the same.”

“No.” He said coldly. “I’m a professional, if I sign a contract, that’s it. If word got out that I fucked up that’s the end for me.”

“I guess Colvolt should’ve written a contract for me.”

Valeon’s hand balled into a fist. I could tell he wanted to jump over the bed and strangle me, but I couldn’t care less. Elhisia offered me Three. Hundred. Million. Credits. I was not fucking that up, over no contract.

Valeon’s lips drew a line, then went crooked as he hicked a laughed, shaking his head. “You’re a bastard you know that?”

“Is that a threat?” I asked. Please say yes. “It isn’t…I’m just saying if Darlina Weitson doesn’t get what she wants. I’ll destroy EVERYTHING you have and make them look like this.” He finished, hands open gesturing to Elhisia.

Silence separated us for thirty seconds. In my mind, I toyed with the idea of what I’d do next. Will this get bloody? Or will this go smooth? I hated crossroads such as this, but I hated people who threatened my wife and daughter even more.

“Well, let’s see if you can make that threat after I’m done with you.”