– S C O R P I O N –

I didn't hesitate to pull Makayla forward and secure her lips firmly with my own. Her warmth seeped into my skin like honey and it took everything I had to break us apart just as quickly. The way she had dropped into this mess after unconsciousness and taken such quick action...

This woman had my heart and now my back. I could trust her just as I could when I walked over to the fallen fusion gun and set it in her arms. Her visor was still in tact and glowing blue–illuminating her already crystal clear eyes. Mine had no such luck as I had twisted us around before impact onto the roof and took the metal first.

Our speed had almost hit the sound barrier as we crashed through the skyline. The handful of imperial guards that investigated did not last long. But they would not be the last either.

When I finally turned away from her to start my climb I cast my gaze back as the golden-haired goddess dropped to a knee and levelled the gun at the rooftop entrance. A small smile cut my lips before I activated the mag gloves and began ascending up the sheer glass and metal wall.

The winds were raging with the rain at this height and each gust was a cold slap to the face. I blinked away the water that blurred my vision. My braided hair whipped back sharply and sent loose wet strands across my face. But I maintained my climb.

"Scorpion, we have planted three jammers successfully. How close are you?" Proximo's deep timbre came into my ear.

I palmed another hand up and heard the warped sound of the magnet latch on. Then exhaled evenly.

"Moving up the face to plant as we speak." I huffed out in response.

"Did you have any issues with the emergency landing?" He inquired.

"A small–" another exhale, "–greeting party." My left hand yanked me upwards. "It was considerate of them."

Proximo chuckled over the winds. "As fun as that sounds we will have their attention now guards have gone dark." He ventured warily.

"Makayla can keep them busy for now." I retorted as I swung myself up faster.

"I must agree. I trained her like I would train myself."

"Which is why–" Inhale, lift. "–I am not concerned. Let me comm you when I have planted the jammer." I finished in another breath.

"Very well." He ended the comm.

When my next glove placed me just a few feet away from the lip of the target enclave for the jammer I heard fusion rounds fire off. My head whipped back down in her direction and the momentum took my left glove with it.

I crashed into the side of the building with only one hand secured to its side.

"Fuck!" I growled. I swung myself to secure both hands to the same point. Then took a deep breath. I looked down. At least 20 floors high from the rooftop Makayla was. My boot thrusters were good but not that good.

I glared back up at the remaining few feet. Finish the job. Finish the damn job and shut off his satellite network. I heard more gunfire now and had to move. I kicked my boots against the glass and fired the thrusters. In the next blink I deactivated my remaining mag glove and was propelled upwards the remaining distance.

I crashed onto the upper lip and rolled into a crouch.

The jammer was off my back in the next second and planted between the network of metal bars and cables that made up the buildings' signal receiver. When I smashed the side button and flicked up the metal rod I waited only to see one green light blink before I turned back to the edge.

Below I could not make out figures over the rain. And I could no longer hear gunfire. It froze my heart.

I swung my hand down and secured the mag glove. Then I let myself drop, falling quickly before I activated my boots and countered the speed to slap my glove against the side again. I kept this up until I was only a few floors from the ground and jumped.

I landed in a fast roll and was on my feet in seconds.

"MAKAYLA!" I yelled across the winds. I whipped my head around the enclosed balcony with nothing but bodies and weapons littering the roof. I spun around but there was nothing.

She was gone.

I ran over to the rooftop entrance and kicked at the door. It did not budge. So I pulled a pistol from my hip and sent plasma rounds into the lock pad. It sparked wildly but did not move.

"What have you done–" I clenched my head, "What the fuck have you done!"

I dropped the gun and punched the door repeatedly until I could see dents in the metal. The tech in my glove fell apart and I stared at it. I ripped it off me and cursed in a snarl.

"I lost her–damn it Proximo–she's gone! She's fucking–"

"Slow down, Scorpion. Calm your mind. What is your situation?"

"My fucking situation is that I left her. I shouldn't have left her. She's not on the roof, those god damn Imperials have her Proximo."

The comm went quiet for a maddening few seconds before he cleared his throat.

"This is what we will do. We will continue down to the extraction point–"

"Like hell. I will leave without–"

"Scorpion, you are no use to her raging on top of that building waiting for more to find and overwhelm you. They will be sending more I guarantee you that."

"I should let them. I will end them all for taking her from me." I snarled into the comm.

"Make the jump. Drop to our extraction point. We will have numbers and calm strategy on our side and we will get her back. I promise you."

"FUCK." I shouted at the air around me.

"I will expect you in 10 minutes or I will come for you myself." He informed and terminated the comm.

I paced around like a wild animal. She was here. In the tower. In Sector 1. The most secure place in the city I couldn't leave. But I could not storm all damn 250 floors myself. I ripped my head away from the door then. Making my call.

I ran at the edge of the roof and threw myself straight off the edge.

The winds yanked me sideways but I didn't care. I let them, before slipping into a thin form to pick up speed. The rain hit my face harder but I couldn't feel the pain, the cold–feeling was nothing without her.

I pulled the backup chute as late as possible. Perhaps I shouldn't have at all.

* * * * *

I had barely shrugged out of my parachute before a heavily armoured fusion craft dropped before me with a faint blue glow.

The doors opened.

"We have work to do." Proximo uttered in his classical deep timbre. His black trench coat with its blood red arm was in place over a close fitted suit.

"No shit." I snapped, as I slid past his arm into the plush interior.

A drink was offered to me as we ascended but I stared the service man down until he wisely slipped the glass away from view. I turned to Proximo—who already watched me closely.

"Are you going to stare or give me useful information?" I demanded.

His tattoos twitched as he clicked his tongue and spun a dagger in a gloved hand.

"Mind over matter. I need yours clear to proceed from here."

I clenched a fist against the seat. "I need no lecture—"

"But you need to get a hold of your emotions before you cause more issues than solutions." He reasoned with an impassive look.

His cool was maddening.

"What is our play. We need an in. She is being held in the most secure location in Merridian." I growled as I unflinchingly met my second's stoic steel eyes.

"We have never delved into Sector 1's Imperial tower—" he held up a hand as I was about to start snapping insults, "—yet that is not to say it is impenetrable." He allowed as he drummed a heavy hand against the chair arm. "It is the heart of the Emperor's kingdom, his crown jewel. Yet it is run by people. People are invariably flawed and can be exposed."

I finally leant back in my seat and let him speak freely. He dropped me a curt nod before continuing. "To break a system quite as secure as this we will need inside men and outsiders infiltrating for maximum effect. It won't be enough to storm the castle, guns drawn—this needs finesse." He said with heavy implication.

I leant forward with my arms on my knees.

"Your proposal?"

"We need the invisibles. The service staff. The maids, the building maintenance, the cooks. Those are our insiders. Their clearance is not extensive but they can access every domestic floor—including bedrooms. They are unequivocally easier to bribe and we already have an ID on Makayla's personal maid." My heartbeat began to quicken at his words. He was making things seem possible again.

"—outsiders. We need imperial uniforms, key cards, bio lenses and hand mods for identification checks. These grunts have direct and close personal contact to the Imperial family and security access to all floors. And Scorpion..." he hesitated and I waited cautiously as his dagger stopped spinning in his hand. "We need Dazz on this."

"No. Not a chance." I dismissed without thought.

"She works a security system better than anyone—"

"Get someone else." I snarled.

"You have had your differences but this is bigger than that. Think of who this is for." He prompted with those calculating eyes, seeing more in me than I ever displayed.

I let out a long breath and cast my eyes away to the city flashing by outside the tinted windows. Somewhere, she was there. Either terrified and angry, or resigned and defeated. I could stand no thought of it.

I turned back to him. "You work with her, relay what we need but I want no contact with her. If she takes one step out of line..." I let my sentence end there. Proximo nodded.

"I will ensure no lapses on this. She is my sister but it is you I follow, Scorpion." He said sternly, perhaps more to himself than to me.

I gave him a brief nod, I did not need clarification on his allegiance. But Dazz... that was another matter.

If she blew this as she had done on our last project. Drawn those clear lines of allegiance else where... It was not worth thinking of the lengths I would go to make her pay. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to stop myself—Proximo's sister or not.

The stakes were too damn high.

"This will need time. Correct preparation, I'm afraid you are going to have to exercise patience."

I gave him a flat look.

"You speak to me like I do not know how to run an operation."

"No, Scorpion. I speak to you as a realist. As a candid and logical voice to your goals. You need no lecture but sometimes we all need that cool wind to right our raging mind."

I watched him. He watched me.

I allowed the smallest smile to drag my lip up before raising my arm to him. He clasped my forearm tightly with his before turning our arms and releasing them. He cracked a vicious smile.

"This promises to be our most ambitious project to date. You know I favour a challenge."

I snorted, "Proximo, this borders beyond the realm of insanity but of course you deem it a challenge." I quipped as I leant back.

"You won't catch me on the sidelines."

"You think you can pass as an Imperial?" I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Not even I would dare."

"It just so happens I have come across a very valuable asset in facial nano skins... highly convincing to each hair."

I cocked a brow. "Don't leave a girl in suspense, let me pay this asset a visit. I'm sure it comes down to a price."

He merely tapped a finger against his blade and leant his arms over the seats.

"Indeed."