DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER LXIV

A R T E L L A 

Altitude: 7,050 feet

Weather: Nominal

Oxygen: 100%

Armour: Active

I snapped the visor over my face and dropped a nod to the pilot. He jutted a hand and the lights flooded the space in green. I let myself drop from the edge of the carrier craft. 

The crippling waves of remorse and rage I had were locked tightly away inside the unfeeling part of me. I couldn't fix this–I couldn't see the light leave Ryko's eyes if I let it in just yet. I could be a monster to revenge the innocence and easy laugh Dex had since the first day I saved him from the streets. No brother in blood but he was in bond.

Every job. Every overseas contract. I had guarded his identity with my life. He was never a blip on any of my many enemies radars until this woman. This woman that had greatly miscalculated me.

The night raced me with the city lights. Sector 5 loomed rapidly. The towers almost high enough to hit the cloud line in the darkness. She thought she was safe in one of Merridian's most secure sky towers. She calculated that taking Dex's life outweighed the consequences. 

Or she simply did not know who I was.

"–he'll kill me when he finds out I know." Dazz's voice spoke calmly in my ear.

I kept my eyes on the landing space between buildings as I altered my flight path and dodged fusion craft traffic. The thrusters were a marvel of engineering fitted into the fusion proofed suit seamlessly. 

"There's many things–Proximo doesn't know yet. You're good at keeping it–that way until necessary." I stated over the winds, sending the thrusters sideways and spinning as I fell faster.

"Just make sure you end it tonight." She retorted simply. "There's only so many times that boy can forgive me."

I smiled without any joy.

"Who do you think I am?" I murmured, watching the blue lines light up my distance and speed to drop point.

"A rather skilled killer... There's very few people on this planet that scare me, Art. That's why I made sure to get on the right side of you."

"Don't forget that–golden personality." I said dryly, smashing my chest and deploying a small break chute. I threw my hands forward and burst thrusters towards the balcony edge at the same moment my boots did. I raced down in speed in the illuminated night–completely untraceable on radar. Dazz made sure of it.

I rolled into the landing as I pressed my chest again and the chute went back into my armour. I continued walking out of the move and rolled my shoulders once. I checked the pistols locked to my hips and the grenades along my shoulders.

"We're good. Confirm activity." I remarked.

"Clear."

I nodded, moving quickly to the vast wall of glass and the tech lock. I pressed Dazz's codebreaker against it and it took less than three seconds this time. I had tested it on Division vaults and it took north of ten seconds.

"Upgrades." I noted.

"I do try my best." She said sweetly.

"Can you stay on comm for long?" I asked, running through the stages of rage Proximo would be throwing her way at my AWOL status. Those brooding grey eyes and lethal tattoos drawing into his scowl. We had the beginnings of getting back to what we were and yet the Imperials had to find a way to end that...