“Fuck, they played me,” Eltessa grunted.

I closed my eyes, thinking of shutting the audio off and the audio from the microphone in my fingertip went dead.

Arson who was sitting at the table, playing with the fork I warned him about nodded, not in an approving way, but because he realised I was there for the discussion he had with Hallon. “Piece of shit Assassin.” He hissed.

I ignored it because that’s all he had now. A mouth to run his diarrhoea-infested lips.

Eltessa hunched over clasping her hands together. The gears in her mind began to turn and I sat there, waiting for the ‘leader’ of this mission to make a decision.

The decision was as easy as baking a cake. She knew damn well why I exfiltrated Arson, she just had to finally pull the trigger so I could get back in and get Hallon’s data and prototype so we could avoid the upcoming bloodbath.

“You trust Gean?” I asked, growing tired of the silence that permeated the air.

“No, he’s a scavenger like most people here.

“Good, I think they’re planning to sell us out to the Doasians.”

“That crossed my mind already, Cypher. I’m not an idiot.”

“Could’ve fooled me sweet lips.” Arson chuckled.

“Ugh…” Eltessa grunted. “Why didn’t you bring Hallon with you? If you’d brought him, I wouldn’t have to suffer through this fool.”

“Because Hallon’s useless right now. Arson’s more vital right now.”

“You’re not making sense Cypher. Hallon created the Hedgehog, we could’ve had him make the damn thing.”

“Hallon’s as useful as a cockroach on a leach. All the data regarding the Hedgehog is in Ranton’s office. They don’t get to supervise their data.”

“A bit overzealous doncha you think?” Eltessa firmly.

“Not really, They want to protect their investments. And if this Hedgehog is so vital, they’d make sure all the data would remain with the safest person.”

“Ranton.”

“Right…”

I plunked myself on the bed and let my head hit the wall. A cold shock shot down the back of my neck and I stared at the grey walls, hoping that this could all be a dream. “You should’ve brought Hallon, not this piece of shit.”

“And leave the data with Ranton?”

“Yes, at least Hallon could reverse engineer what he built.”

“You know better than that. Scientists are nothing without their notes.”

“I don’t want to negotiate with the Doasians again Cypher,”

“How was I supposed to know that they were going to reach out to us.”

“Reach out? What are you talking about? Gean was the one that reached out to the Doasians.”

“That’s not what the old wench told me,” I grunted.

“See Assassin? You need me more than want to admit.” Arson chuckled.

I snapped my head right, eyeing Arson. My wrist shot off from my arm and shot right past Arson missing his left eye by a whisker.

The moment the bastard realised what had happened he’d fallen out of his chair and hit the ground with a loud boof, sending waves of dust around the room. “What was that?” I grunted.

Arson spat curses and superlatives alike as he slowly picked himself up. As he stood up, I looked at him like the piece of shit he was and fought the urge to laugh at his discoloured nose.

Eltessa, who was to my left, pushed herself out of her chair and walked towards me. The little wind that fluttered within the room, brushed the hair that had been dangling in front of her forehead.

I pushed myself up, sitting up and straight and watched as she stood above me folding her arms. Trying to show your authority again? I thought, whatever.

“We need to talk,” I grunted, pushing myself off the bed. I didn’t look at Eltessa as I passed her on my way to the door, but I could feel the animosity exhuming from her.

I turned the knob, leaving her and Arson to their own devices. She eventually came after a minute of stalling and with a forced smile painted across her face. “I can’t go back to Doasians. Not now,”

“Bullshit, we know they lied about the reactor. We have the man that experimented on their children here. That’s more than enough leverage for us to have them fight off Lanton’s reinforcements.”

“Wait…is that why you brought him here, for leverage to have the Doasians and Lanton’s reinforcement square off whilst we get the Hedgehog.”

“Yes, why else would I take him and not Hallon? Eltessa. I need more fucking time. The fucking bunker is a maze and I’m not about to shoot my way through.”

“Maybe you should shoot your way through.”

“What?” I growled in disbelief.

“Not by yourself, but with the Doasians. You can have them join you whilst you try to find Ranton’s office.”

“That’s a bad fucking idea, especially with Ge— Wait, where’s Stryme?”

“He’s securing our exfiltration route.”

“Fuck…”

“What?”

“That old wench said that she had some men help Stryme.”

“That’s not possible, Stryme left on his own.”

“And what if he was being followed.”

Eltessa’s eyes widened as if the thought of him being followed never crossed her mind. I guess she was too busy with these ‘negotiations I thought.

“Shit! You’re right.”

“This mission is shit.”

“Complete and utter bullshit!” Eltessa agreed.

“Have you tried to reach Stryme?” I asked.

“No…he’s the one that usually contacts me.”

“God damn it Eltessa, he’s the only one that knows how to get us the fuck out of here!”

“I know Cypher!”

“We have to trade Arson for more time.”

“You know how this works Cypher. Trading him doesn’t mean shit. They might even kill the bastard on the spot.”

“We still have leverage, the Doasians are highly fanatical and religious. They will want the bodies of their kin back. We can use that plan of yours. Have them go into the base with us and lose them when a firefight starts.”

“What are you talking about, We?!” Eltessa huffed.

“Are you fucking serious Eltessa? You’re going to stay top side? Gean’s gonna leave your ass to dry with the Doasians. You know it. I know it.”

Eltessa pursed her lips in frustration then balled her fists. I shook my head because I was disappointed with how things played out. Especially with Gean. We might not have earned their respect or loyalty in the guise of the Doasians appearing, but to sell us like this…was expected.

I know this was just speculation, but I had a knack for studying human behaviour. A knack I couldn’t rely on on after Gonzada’s betrayal, but in a case like this…I had no choice.

It was to bring Eltessa with me or leave her to die. IT didn’t help either that Stryme wasn’t within the vicinity, because if he was. I would’ve gladly left her here for him to exfiltrate her with him…which no doubt was their original plan.

“I’ll come with you, but do you have a plan?” Eltessa said firmly.

“Yes, I have a map that’ll lead us to Ranton’s office.”

“A map?”

“Yes, Hallon gave it to me.”

“You spoke with Hallon?”

“Right after the argument he and Arson had” I answered.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You were ranting. I didn’t have the urge to tell you.”

“I see,” Eltessa answered hugging herself.

“We have to meet with the Doasians before they take us out. Arson should buy us some time at least. It’ll also be enough bait to bring some of us into the base. More than likely Ranton’s on high alert with Hallon’s disappearance.”

Eltessa’s eyes glistened as if she realised something. She turned to me and licked her lips. “This is the reason you exfiltrated Arson, isn’t it? You wanted to hand him over to the Doasians to buy us time from Ranton’s reinforcement. Then during the chaos, you would’ve lifted Hallon’s research data.”

“And the three prototypes he’s built.”

“Three prototypes?”

“Yes. Three, he mentioned them off-hand,”

“I see.”

“Eltessa, stop thinking. We have to get the Doasians on board.”

“I’m thinking.”

“Stop thinking and get your shit together!” I snarled.

Eltessa ignored me whilst she stared at the ground. As I stared at her, I felt a noose slowly wrap itself around my neck. I don’t have time for this I thought sourly.

After thirty seconds of silence. Eltessa turned to me and nodded. “Good. Let’s go.” I said.

“We don’t have a choice have we?”

“No.”

I stepped towards the door that led to my room but it swung open showing Arson holding the knob with a knowing grin painted across his face. “Let’s get this over with.” He said coyly, which blew my mind.

“What?” I said softly confused. “Why are you so eager to be escorted, they’re going to kill you for what you’ve done to their kids.”

“In life, you either live or die. If the Doasians want to kill me then so be it.” Arson said firmly.

The geneticist smiled smugly as if he knew something Eltessa and I didn’t know. The urge to punch him was roiling within but I didn’t want to waste my time with him anymore. “This doesn’t feel right,” I said. “You’re cooperating, something’s amiss.”

Arson shrugged, then looked at Eltessa waving at her as if she was some hooker he was trying to get attention. It was creepy as hell. She wrinkled her nose and turned her head, not giving him the satisfaction of her gaze. “Let’s go before shit goes to shit.”

“Right…”

I grabbed Arson by the arm and dragged him through the corridor whilst Eltessa led the way. The bastard followed willingly, which made me grow even more suspicious. I’m missing something, I told myself once more, but what?

We made our way through the Mess Hall and outside. The cold wind tickled the back of my neck, but thankfully my Furtiven Suit was finally dry, despite it still feeling slightly uncomfortable. “I might die from this cold before the Doasians put a bullet between my eyes,” Arson said coyly.

Eltessa and I ignored the bastard. It was clear, he was trying to bait us into talking and no matter how annoying he sounded talking through his nose, he just won’t shut up.

“Pick up the pace, we’re losing time.”

“I’m walking as fast as I can without making us look suspicious.”

“We’re already suspicious.”

“I don’t want to alert Gean to what we’re doing.”

I ground my teeth as I rounded our fourth building, but a dark glimmer appeared in front of me. Eltessa jogged towards it and by the time we passed the building the glimmer turned out to be a buggy.

Eltessa hopped into the jeep and swung the key instantly. Arson hesitated, but I pulled the bastard along the moment I felt his body resist my own. “What’s the matter Fellis, motion sickness gets the better of you?”

“I’m not getting in that death machine!” Arson complained.

“A bit late for that dontcha think?” I grunted shoving him into the back seat.

Eltessa stomped the accelerator and the jeep jerked forward, and then the scent of burnt rubber flowed into my nose. She swerved us through Sceleratus, barely avoiding a few buildings as she pummeled her way through the base.

“Are you sure you’re going to get us through the gate?” I shouted, trying to fight the wind as I spoke.

“We’ll be fine!” Eltessa shouted back.

She stomped the accelerator and braked heavily, turning right. I felt my stomach go right from the g-force and waited for the buggy to stabilise.

Lights pulsed into existence in the short distance. A large gate around eighteen meters high appeared behind the gate.

Two huts sat on opposite ends of the gate. I zoomed in on the huts, only to see no one around. I then switched to X-Ray Vision. Three skeletal frames appeared in each hut. “You only allow six guards per duty?”

“We only need six, the majority of the people are situated throughout the base. If a gate’s penetrated everyone’s meant to retreat.”

“Interesting.”

“Not really. We lack man and firepower, this is the best we could do.”

“Right…” I grunted, “right…”