DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER LI

"Yes,
You will rise from the ashes,
But the burning comes first.
For this part, Darling,
You must be brave." 

― Kalen Dion

M A K A Y L A

"Art, I've told you–we need an armoury I want to do this now–where are we going?!" I demanded, trying to rip my hand from his giant grasp. It was like fighting a statue.

He barely cast me a look as we moved deeper into the streets of 52. I wanted lethal weapons and a lethal contractor yes but I didn't sign up to be carted around the furthest sector without a word. What could he possibly need from here–

He released my hand suddenly and I stumbled before a rusted pile of welded metals stacked on top of each other. Flats. Homes. Lives. All in a crowded heap of collected metal and cloth. Desperate faces passed us by in blurs and others tried to make the most out of their meek existence. Even in organ snatcher territory I hadn't seen such desperate circumstances.

Only now did I notice Artella was gone.

I spun on my heel scanning the darkened alleys and chaos of material and smell. What the hell–why was he doing this now when we needed to act–to end the one thing keeping me from...

"Makayla."

That voice shot through me like a charge to the chest. Electrified, I turned to it.

There she was. 

Half cloaked in warm orange light and that crimson cloak. Her gold eyes burned like the makeshift fires the locals made from metal barrels. She was always as beautiful as she was lethal.

It had felt like a century since we had spoken directly. Yet it was only days.

I inhaled the air of sector 52 slowly before I raised my head to her. The leader of the Division watched me back making no moves forward. She was painful to look at. So painfully like the woman I fell in love with.

"What are you doing here, Alex." I stated flatly, desperately trying to control the raging pulse in my veins. 

She appraised my combat clothing. Then my weapons. Finally my eyes.

"I know I said I would give you space..." She returned, calmly watching me. Half her face was painted in shadow, but the half I could see was tense with anticipation. I waited.

"I know why you went to Artella and what you plan on doing–"

I puffed out in exasperation.

"There's nothing you can say to change my mind. It's not like you acted any different with Velron."

"I didn't kill him." She answered quietly. "It wouldn't have changed anything if I did."

"So you'd like the Empress alive?" I drawled with lethal calm.

She shrugged off the wall in frustration and stepped out of the rusted metals. I appraised her more closely now. She was more herself than ever before. Cloaked. Armed. Unbroken and prepared to take action into her hands. I smiled bitterly back. 

Now you show yourself when I'm ready to fix things. When I'm prepared to end her.

"Listen to me–"

"I'll pass." I snorted, stepping out of her reach. The pain in her eyes made me falter but I couldn't stop now. Merridian didn't need a female version of my father on the throne.