DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER LIX

P R O X I M O 

I stared at his back.

The dark ink work etched into the muscles of his board back. They were new. Or at least they were not there when I had known Artella Maxim. A white towel was wrapped around his waist and the steam from the bathroom was still pouring into my quarters.

"When did you get that?" I asked in a low voice. My arm was propped behind my head as I scanned the intricate network that looked closer to the inside of a computer than it did to anything organic.

"A while back," he murmured, attaching his wrist holo and searching through my clothing draws, "It was a nice reminder."

"Of what exactly?" I continued, scanning the lines of code and black network of lines, "Your love affair with tech..." I drawled.

He half turned his head as he pulled out one of my combat skins.

"Something like that."

I sighed through my nose and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My muscles did not ache. I didn't have the scent of him plastered over my skin and yet... It was the best nights sleep I had had in years.

"Do you ever answer anything directly?" I grunted, stepping out of the sheets and approaching him shirtless. This made him chuckle as the fabric descended over his chest and his hair poked through the other side in a damp mess.

I pulled open another drawer beside him and kept my eyes on my hands.

I felt his burning gaze but decided on the same safe and unspoken action of remaining near yet not touching. I yanked my clothes out and let it shut as I turned my back on him.

"What is that code for Artella?" I asked, slowly pulling my shirt over me.

He was silent for a long moment. So long that I thought he wouldn't answer me and it would sit as yet another unspoken thing between us. There was already so much. His clothing ruffled as he adorned himself with the rest amount his discarded weapons. His guns clicked into holsters and I slid my combats over me and turned to him.

He was already leant against the door watching me.

"Maybe I'll show you."

I frowned as he scanned the entrance doors and the hallway opened beyond. He stepped through without waiting for my answer and set a quick march to the lift.

A number of thoughts clouded my mind about him.

'Work with me. You might like it.'

'What do you want, Proximo Dartega?'

'I like it when you say my name.'

'I chose feeling nothing gladly so I didn't have to face what I felt for you.'

'Picking up where we left off...'

Those dark eyes that held promise of something more than the pain and disappearance the contractor held about him. We were on different paths him and I. We always had been. Now converging slowly like an inevitable ship destined to sink.

The lift took us low. Dozens of floors passed until I realised who he was taking us to.

"How do you know where we keep my sister?" I growled.

He threw me a simple look that said it didn't need answering. I measured my breathing and crossed my arms tighter.

"What are we doing here, Art?"