DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER XXIV

S C O R P I O N

I stormed into her cell without declaring myself to anyone. As if I needed to.

Proximo was already pressed on the table trying to communicate with the waste of air. He whirled at the interruption before stilling at the group of guards that poured in behind me.

"Scorpion." He said, slowly rising, "What are you..."

"I need to borrow her." I said in a bored tone as my men moved past me and made to seize her.

"Stand down." Proximo growled.

They did not.

He front kicked the first guard off his feet and drew a handgun on another. My guard merely turned to me waiting for orders.

"She isn't going anywhere." He snarled.

I appraised him a moment, tapping my foot. Then rolled my eyes and pushed off the wall. I did not have time for this.

"I need her face."

He froze and lowered his weapon. "What is going on, Scorpion?"

"Let's skip the fun part and talk in the fusion craft. I don't trust her enough for this." I turned for the exit as Dazz blew me a kiss. I flicked a finger over my shoulder, "–walk with me."

He grunted and took position at my side as my personal guard seized a swearing traitor.

"I thought we had an understanding–"

"Indeed we do. You are more valuable to me than my hate for her–" Another grunt at my side, "–regardless I need Hades to believe I would betray you." He snapped his head to me at the mention of him.

"What has that sack of air done now?"

"Something he will regret soon enough." I murmured with a slow smile. Proximo knew this look well–it was a look that put a short life expectancy on Merridian's Underworld leaders. "Hades would like me to betray you by giving Dazz to him and splitting us in the process." His eyes hardened and his fist tightened on his gun. 

"What leverage does he have?" He uttered low.

I stopped before the fusion carrier hold and levelled him with an emotionless look.

"Makayla."

His entire expression shifted from blank irritation to lethal rage and back to my second in a matter of seconds.

"So how about we stop standing here and I become a very convincing version of your dreadful sister tonight." I deadpanned. "The only issue I have is finding someone to play Scorpion..."

His eyes moved in quick calculation before we both almost blurted, "Mackenzie." At the same moment.

I nodded, "She has the combat experience and build... hardly the swagger but it will do."

Proximo's smirk turned vicious. "I think I will play myself in a Falcon jet armed with enough plasma to melt an underground bunker."

"I go alone on this–"

"Scorpion–"

"No. As much as we believe him a simpleton he will kill her if I bring the Division. You can provide an extraction once I get clear of the shit hole he is holed up in."

"It has stealth capability for a reason..." He muttered, rethinking his own strategy. "What are the coordinates?"

Just as he said this a cynical encrypted message lit up on my wrist holo. I gave it a flat look before tilting it at Proximo.