DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER XVIII

S C O R P I O N

My head was still heavy. The pain was an annoyance constantly demanding attention I wasn't bothered to give. Who knew how long I had been out for. I let out a slow breath and reached for her across the sheets. They were empty. 

My eyes flashed open in the darkened room. 

My sigh turned in a groan that turned into a growl.

"Comm link, Makayla." I muttered, rising slowly and feeling my head spin. My feet sunk into the carpet and I took another breath to control it.

"Unavailable." A cheery voice informed me.

"Again." I grit out.

The line went like this many more times as I found the painkillers in the draw.

"Unavailable." She told me again.

"Makayla..." I murmured, shaking my head. I threw two pills in my mouth and went to the bathroom to sink them with water. I slapped my face with the cold refreshing droplets then levelled my eyes ahead at the mirror. Golden irises glared back.

The swelling was all but gone. The medics in this place needed another raise. I cut my jaw to the side and stared at the dark bruising before snorting and pushing back from it. My looks were only ever a weapon to me anyway.

"You have fifteen missed comm requests and a priority video feed." The joyous robot sang. "Personal guard reference numbers–"

"Show me the video link."

The hologram filled the dark room as I sat on the bed slowly taking in a woman in the Crypt. A woman that didn't conceal her face. One that looked calmly up at opponent after opponent as they entered and left either unconscious or broken. 

Makayla Xavier. Fought the dirtiest fighters in the outer sectors hand to hand. If I wasn't so damn angry at her I would have appreciated how she held herself. Her training. How she moved. The lethal efficiency in her strikes–it was almost like watching myself fight.

But every time she didn't complete a block or was attacked in any way it set my mind on fire. Every hit and danger to her life was unacceptable. She was everything and these creatures were nothing.

I commed her line again and left a voice message that was far calmer than anything close to what I felt. The video was timed at less than an hour ago. So she was still there. 

I watched the holo video for the tenth time doing rounds in the Division's inner circle before I stood up. I strode over to the book shelf. I palmed a sculpture between the books and they slid apart. The cool blue floor lights illuminated everything I needed for a day in Merridian.

I shrugged out of my clothes and slipped into dark combat trousers, a skin tight long sleeve compression top and then a Vanguard. Daggers. Knives. Ammo clips. Fusion pistols. 

Then I stared at the blood red crimson. The cloak that said more than needed in these streets. I ripped it off the wall and drew it over my head. The ruler of the Underworld was paying that shit hole a visit and they had better hope to hell no one was laying a hand on Makayla by the time I reached them.