“How did you find me?” she spoke up in her native tongue, unable to look at her captor as her sight was carried over to her wrecked car.

[Woah, don’t start all that- I never said I spoke English!] she joked back as she opened the back door for her, motioning her to climb in.

Kaylen deflected the attempted humor with a returned gaze, speaking with noted doubt: [But you are an Infinity agent. I heard your partner-]

[-My idiot brother-]

[-Whatever!] she snapped back.

[Who does this bitch think she is?!] Dani thought as she opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off once more even from that.

[-You don’t know shit about me or who I have been running from! And to think of all men it would be Vincent Vrey that catches me!? You don’t even know why he would want me, much less HOW he even knew how to get to me, do you?! How much is he paying you!?]

[Hey!] Renzo interjected frustratingly from behind the two as he walked up. [What the hell is the hold up?! Girl, get in the damn truck!] he fussed as he put a hand on her shoulder and tried to be as easy as he could without literally shoving her into the back seat. [We are good to go, Dani, escort squad and all. Shall we?]

Dani closed the door with an emphatic slam, shaking her head with a sigh. [Already tired of that bitch. Like I was just saying, it’s going to be a long ride to Punta Lara. Are we getting paid enough?]

.

▽　▽　▽

.

Kaylen had her head against the window, looking through the reflection in the sideview mirror of the quickly distancing city she had thought became her home no matter how unwillingly it may have been. The cold September wind chilled the pane, numbing the hot, swollen bruises on her cheek and forehead but did nothing to numb the mix of emotions storming throughout her mind.

[What’s up with her?] Renzo mumbled to Dani as he checked up on her as he did from time to time using the rearview mirror. [She’s way too quiet compared to who we are accustomed to bringing in back home. Is it an NAU girl thing?]

[How do you know she’s really from the NAU? Maybe she’s like Cruella?]

[She’s from Florida, read the damned file.]

Dani squinted with hands up in frustration at the direction of the argument. [What’s that got to do with her being quiet? Look, why don’t you just ask her yourself?]

[Hey,] he quickly and awkwardly spoke up with a lifting of his chin, making it clear he was talking to Kaylen. [We saw you have hundreds of hits on your name. All coming from anywhere from the NAU clear to Australia. I see you being all brooding and what not back there. We don’t give a shit… about you being behind that Apollyon Massacre last war. I heard you argue with my sister. We tried to be nice as we were allowed to be but-]

[-You call nice slamming into the back of someone on the street?!] Kaylen snapped back with disgust. [You call nice shooting at someone?! You call nice ignoring the one question I had for you?! And now you act superior because you got paid and provided by the richest, most corrupt man in the universe!?]

[Girl, shut ・ up!] Dani seethed as she slammed her fist into the dashboard.

Kaylen wanted to do much more than that with her hands, but they were magnetically locked to the seat frame below her.

[Look,] Renzo spoke back up, trying to regain his calm. [If it will make this trip easier, fine. Yes, we were rough with you and yes, we got paid well to do it because it’s our damned job. We got out of the fucking hospital not too long back and we don’t know what earful we will get for bashing cars during rehab. But according to the big man and according to the knowledge he gave us on what you will provide for us, we did what we do best. NOW,] he emphatically added as he tried to look her in the eye through the rearview. [If it will make you feel better, what was this question you wanted answered so badly?]

Of course, he only thinks business, she thought as she pondered what scheme he must be up to.

[Well?]

Might as well talk, this is better than the countless assassination attempts I have outrun. [How did you find me?]

[Oh that?] he chuckled without thought.

[I can’t help but wonder,] she continued with her face back against the window. [It’s been over a year since anyone outside of my family circle even uttered my real name.]

[Easy, found you in a day.] He felt her attention perk back up in astonishment. [He told me your address, gave me your picture, car model, license plate, even said you were on your way to drop off your husband at Espora today.]

Kaylen’s heart twinged upon hearing such detail as if her whole recent life had been under a magnifying glass. But the pain was magnified by the simple thought that it was Vincent Vrey. How did he find out all of that?! What the hell kind of connections could he possibly have way over here in southern Argentina?!

[You see?] Dani responded in observation of Kaylen’s reactions. [You just need to stop being a complete asshole. Have a real conversation with her, like the ones you attempted with Cruella last July.]

[I don’t know. Cruella was pretty damn stuck up but at least was easier to talk to. This one is giving me the creeps. Does she really have to be on edge like that? It’s not like we tried to kill her,] he mumbled in response, hoping he wouldn’t be too easily heard.

She waved her hands up in befuddlement once again. [Of course, she’s on edge you idiot. She’s been hunted for who knows how long? We are just the only ones successful enough to finally get her. And who knows, maybe we were the first not to try to kill her?]

[You are the first,] Kaylen interjected, having heard the latter half of the conversation as residual shock from that revelation moments ago still tugging at her attention span. [The only thing that made me give myself up without a fight was hearing you were Infinity.]

Renzo fought the urge to ridicule what he expected her to say of her chances to retaliate earlier but bit his tongue, letting her finish.

[Vrey is a businessman. No matter how much I hate him, he must have something on the table for me to benefit from, hence I let you take me,] she continued coldly and stolidly.

He now could only shake his head in disbelief, continuing to hold his responses. What IS her story!? Seriously, she really is giving me the creeps! He quickly glanced up at the rearview to see her staring back out the window, turning his head now to Dani with a look of impatience. His eyes seemed to speak: this really is going to be a long ride to Punta Lara.

.

▽　▽　▽

.

The Punta Lara Spaceport sat at the edge of the much-expanded cityscape of Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, leaving just enough wide-open space to continue providing services to and from Space as one of the only two in the entire continent. Unlike Sao Paolo in Brazil, this one strictly focused on civilian activity. The difference was most stark in that all of the security staff were privately staffed unlike the military police that surrounded its sister port.

The bright lights of the late-evening skyline reflected off of the window panes that Kaylen continued to gaze out of tirelessly. She was joined by Renzo alongside a pair of security guards inside a holding room with one seat left open at the end of the long table. The silence was long and droning, joined only by the occasional tapping of shoes going up or down the hallway nearby.

[You really like windows, huh?] he sarcastically opened his mouth, shattering the silence.

[I’m used to looking out to the beyond, always wondering where my life is taking me next,] she responded weakly yet resolutely.

It was now irritatingly biting his tongue that became something Renzo found himself doing just as much. Ugh… the cringe from this woman… She really must have an interesting back story. His sight continued, however, to hover over her as if he couldn’t help but look, either from curiosity or genuine interest. [It’s such a shame. Even for the absolute mess she is, she could be kinda’ cute if she cleaned up her look just a bit… and loosen the hell up.]

Footsteps grew closer once more but without distancing this time. The door suddenly opened and in came a handful of security guards followed by a rather elderly businessman he hadn’t seen in person, yet the face seemed somewhat familiar.

“I haven’t laid eyes on you since our time on the Norco all those years ago, how have you been?” Vincent’s voice spoke over the rustling, bringing a jolt through both Renzo’s and Kaylen’s spine.

[Oh, THAT’s him! That’s who kept talking to us about this. He really came all the way here?!]

Kaylen was quick to pick back up on her spiteful side. “I can’t imagine who all you bought just to get us all here in one room.”

[Hmph, almost forgot she was an NAU native,] he thought as he casually activated his in-ear translation.

“Now, Kaylen,” he responded in a smile as he cleared his throat, leisurely taking the empty seat. He then took in a breath, ignoring the hostile glare she beamed directly at him. “I do hope you understand I never intended to hurt you, but you have quite the reputation in front of you,” he continued as he placed his mobile on the table, pulling up a holographic display full of various articles and news bits. “Seems you have been on the run from… continent to continent… and all these murders you are accused of when you were just trying to defend yourself from international criminals and thugs…”

“Get to the point. I can be broken out when needed, you know. This wouldn’t be my first time doing so.” She continued pressing on, not noticing Renzo’s eyes rolling again. “So, what do you want from me, and what can you give me in return?”

“Leave us,” Vincent spoke to the guards. He saw Renzo starting up as well, placing a hand on his shoulder before he could finish. “Stay, son.”

[…Ok…] he stoically replied as he sat back down, leaning forward with a clearing of his throat.

The doors closed as the three remained, allowing a moment to pass before Vincent started the conversation back up. “Before you ask why he is remaining here, this young man might be pivotal in this whole ordeal, because, as you should know, he has a lost family to avenge, somewhat like you do as well.”

“Don’t you dare mention his name, and don’t you dare compare that loss to his,” she seethed, clenching her fists through the tightness of the cuffs that had them bolted to the top of the table.

[Wait, hold on… she has a husband. What is this?]

Vincent took a deep breath, avoiding what he could that would drag the ordeal in the wrong direction. “If you allow us all to work to complete one single goal, Kaylen, I can… no, I will get you your life back.”

Renzo noted Kaylen’s head tilt just ever so slightly as if her interest was piqued.

“I know too many politicians in the NAU who would love to make arrangements if this goal is met, because, you see, we all have a common enemy we needed eliminated.”

[A-ha. Those Cloak bastards. I wonder what he can do to explain this to her,] Renzo now thought as he listened in intently.

Vincent continued scrolling through the collection of articles before brining one up to zoom. “Here. See this? The NAU might be incredibly friendly to the pro-restoration movement like the Underground, they are wanting to keep a clean, peaceful approach. Seems like a certain one of their leader groups are causing the most… damage, in too many ways to define. This is where you come in.”

Renzo bit down in a separate realization. [Shit… forget about that, I now want to hear about what makes this chick so good of a pilot that she alone is supposed to make a difference all of the sudden. I thought Bas and their little team was supposed to be able to do all that but maybe they’re still not enough?] He then looked to Vincent over to his right, unknowingly cocking his right brow in anticipation. [This old man must have left some big details out when he debriefed me and Dani.]

Kaylen leaned back, peering back out the window with a nonchalant response: “I had a feeling those nightmares would come back to haunt me, so go ahead and tell me you expect me to operate Reign once more.”

[Wait,] Renzo remembered as his attention popped back to Kaylen across from him. [That’s right, this is the Apollyon Massacre chick sitting right there, what the fuck was I thinking? That was no human that could’ve done all that- That’s what this project must be; reviving ‘that’ thing again…!!] he thought as he began to shudder.

Vincent began to swipe away the main screen he had up as he let out a chuckle. “You do realize that infernal machine was never my invention to begin with, just the operating system. This,” he spoke as he brought up a single screen with a lock panel on it. “Is what I was wanting to discuss, and of course, all along with how I can ensure your return to your old normal life as I mentioned.” He then placed a hand across the empty square below the lock symbol momentarily, unlocking the blueprints to the LTAC frame now on full display.

[Holy…] Renzo’s jaw gaped in amazement, thinking he saw everything already when he received that first package of Ap50’s months back, but this one took the cake in his eyes.

Even Kaylen was afraid to admit her curiosity, expecting some kind of monstrosity to show up but instead saw a more gallant design, marked with elegant armor plating and the appearance of a savior, not a terror. She then noted the title of the frame PK-03X “Galatine”.

“You know,” she started, folding her arms, leaning forward on the table. “You always seem to follow the same schematic. This looks like a little sister to the Clarent*.” Her tone then changed back to the offense in a more subtle manner. “You really are expecting me to carry on some damned proverbial torch for Lance, aren’t you?”

He let out a sigh, seemingly in concession to the accusation. “Not necessarily, but I need a hero, or heroine, in this matter- No, we need more than that.” He cleared his throat, closing the image. “We had a team of heroes but they’ve met some serious obstacles. Our media team has been working overtime this past week on posting the acts of bravery my top pilots have been achieving since June, including Mr. Navarre here,” he continued with a casual pat on Renzo’s shoulder. “How would you feel if the world saw you as the avenger of those who massacred their families and friends? To shift the battle back in the favor of those who are out to protect peace, stop the violence, stop the riots, to help put a final stop to all of the chaos? The world would like to see such an addition, especially coming from you.”

Kaylen could only roll her eyes. “Alright. Enough. All this talk of fluff has gone on too long. At this rate, I won’t consider anything anymore unless you just spill out all the conditions. Objectively.”

[What a head case, is she stable enough to trust with all this?] Renzo thought as he looked to Vincent to see how he would reply.

Expecting such a response at some point in time, Vincent already began to put his mobile away, then proceeded to take out a digital contract card he passed to her. “You can read it over and let me know.”

She reluctantly accepted the card, holding it firmly in one hand and depressed the center of the card with her other fingers in a pinching motion, bringing up the text contents she could then zoom in on.

Some time had tediously passed, and Renzo didn’t realize his foot had already started bobbing up and down in anticipation. […Well!?]

Just taking down one target and in exchange I get a life no longer on the run… can I really trust this? Seems too good to be true… she pondered heavily, afraid to pull the trigger. But there’s no way I could ever even imagine wanting to just… willingly transfer myself to that soul sucking device. Her breathing became more tense as she felt the pressure mounting. It wasn’t because she felt forced to do anything, or anything like someone depended on her. It was instead the pressure of selling herself and how that would affect her own self-worth. You’re being used, Kaylen, this means Vrey never found another match for the system. Think, is this worth it? What would NJ think? Could I really just… go back home like this?

.

▽　▽　▽

.

●　● Akkadia One, Eden Space Territories

Al cleared his voice as he adjusted his posture in the seat he took at a quiet bar. There weren’t many around other than a few businessmen across from his view. “Yes, unfortunately, the son of a bitch found her already. And this comes directly from the project log updates.”

“That makes no sense. How?” Danielle’s voice could be heard on the other line. “You know what, never mind. I doubt he fails to bribe her. Give me extra time with Navarre. He’s going to need it.”

He then looked over to his right to the man sat next to him with a beer in hand. “You hear that?”

“Yes, sir,” Sebastian nodded without any hint of surprise or objection.

“Alright, Danielle,” Al continued as he stared into his mug with a defeated expression. “I know what I have to do as well. I can’t do but so much to slow the project unveiling as well as its actual roll out.”

“That was already the plan.”

“Alright, then. I will stay in touch once I get done with-”

“-No. Once I finish with our boy I have somewhere I need to be. I won’t be reachable.”

Al’s face cocked aside in suspicion-laced thought. No, I need to ask in person. Not on public lines. “Well, you do what you have to. I’ll always be around.” He ended the call and quickly put it away, letting out a long sigh. Besides, it’s not like I can expect her not to be who she’s always been. He turned to Sebastian once more but with a different intent. He knew this was his one and only chance to talk to him the way he wanted and didn’t want to squander any opportunities before the two had to part ways. He had, after all, gone through the trouble to invite him to drink in the first place, only happy enough just to get to know him in person.

“So, listen, I won’t bother you anymore with the responsibilities talks. I just need to ask a few more things.”

Sebastian had long read the atmosphere since the phone call had begun. “You want me to call my brother, right?”

Al put his drink down and began chuckling, shaking his head. He didn’t even get to put up his finger before his thoughts were interrupted.

“You want to ask why I know. Ms. Norris trusts me and tells me almost anything, because if it’s me on the ground, it’s me who needs to know almost everything,” he continued in the sternest tone, not giving an afterthought to the fact that he was speaking to one of the topmost superiors in the administrative ranks. “I thank you for the help you always give us and the time you make to fix everything, but it’s not just me but also your daughter who needs to know these things.”

“Touché,” he concurred as he picked up his mug once more, taking a casual sip. “I… well, I can’t tell you the whole story because we don’t have time,” he started, working up the better answer of the two options in his head: tell a shortened tale of the Apollyon Massacre survivor accounts he witnessed, or let him in on something else to appease and distract from the horrifying memories he wished to keep repressed, so help him the alcohol. “But I can tell you since Vrey found his girl, the project will go no matter how much we oppose it, so, we need things to at least work right.”

He pulled out his mobile once more, but this time not activating the holographic display on a blueprint he loaded up. “This,” he said as he pushed it towards him, “is something we need you and Sam’s team to make good use of to accomplish things before the project starts, but he won’t sign off on it unless he gets his pilot up here for neural realignment exercises.” He watched Sebastian study the blueprints of modifications and armaments for the Ap50 he had by now grown so accustomed to piloting, noting the curiosity blossom by the second. “Have your brother help convince her to join if he hasn’t already. If Vrey has to win, we must make sure our girl stays in the best spiritual and mental state possible.”

[I like this shield and booster upgrade. I bet if we see those Cloaks again, we can at least match their offense with better defense and evading capabilities. I need to ask about these heat source detection and prediction mechanisms sometime soon.] He was half listening, half in thought all the while until he pushed the mobile back in Al’s direction gently. “I will call him.”

“So,” he said as he placed the mobile back in his coat pocket. “I hope Space has been forgiving for you.”

“I couldn’t stop vomiting for an entire day.”

The straight-forwardness of his response once more drew a chuckle. “Apologies our artificial gravity doesn’t do the trick. But, I hope it was less stress on the stomach than my daughter. How are things between you two?”

[Hmm. She is more obsessed with her brother. I am just an afterthought lately- why do you ask?] he simulated speaking aloud before shaking the thought. [I think our relationship was formed out of convenience or something like that, so I wouldn’t really expect much at this rate, to be honest,] another fleeting thought came across his mind before opening his mouth: “pretty good, I guess.” A weak smile curled the edges of his lips as he brought his beer to them for a sip. The topic change was a bitter reminder of what had been nagging and tugging at his soul since his trip to Akkadia. It was something he couldn’t shake, and he had begun to grow tired of using his exhaustion and reoccurring nausea from the neural mesh network’s post-op rehab and training as excuses to not call. But he couldn’t let that become a theme here in front of the father. “But I am not one to talk romantic things, sorry.”

“Who the hell is,” he empathetically replied as he looked back ahead. “As long as someone as organized and has their shit straight at all times like you keeps her crazy ass in line, I can’t really fuss. I truly do thank you for always looking out for her. You mean a lot to her, you know.”

The burn started to sting even more, and the acid from the drinks didn’t help. “I think I will call my brother, now.”