Rift

Chapter 14: Only Sacrifice

Cree swears if Edith and Regan take any longer to finish their business here, he's going to commit suicide simply out of spite. The looping music is giving him a headache, and if one more thirsty noblewoman asks him to dance he might just shoot himself on the spot. Maybe that'll send the message because clearly his words do him no good.

The most excitement he's gotten is from hearing Imperium officers gossip occasionally. It's almost like they want to fit in with the nobles but know that they aren't also dressed in frilly gowns and suits.

"Have you seen Sandra and Wallace? They weren't at their post like they were supposed to be an hour ago. Mikael got stuck serving their shift," one officer says.

"Nah, haven't seen 'em. But at least it was Mikael and not us, amiright?" the other snickers.

"Damn right. I hate that guy," the first one agrees.

Cree chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Yeah, fuck Mikael!" he says to the officers with a smirk even though he's got no fucking clue who any of those people are. He's so bored, he doesn't even care anymore. This is his new form of entertainment.

The soldiers laugh in unison and nod to Cree. "See? Even he agrees!"

Cree nods back and laughs, despite feeling completely and utterly dead inside.

Regan still hasn't gotten back since The Director pulled him aside for whatever reason, and Edith and Kylen are still gone as well. At least Edith and Kylen have an agenda at the moment, they're going after the Utopia rift. But Regan talking to The Director wasn't a part of the plan, which is more than a little worrisome.

He's been keeping a watchful eye across the ballroom on Colin and The Envoy. Even though they're rather far away, he can still see that the look on Colin's face tells him all he needs to know. Maybe the old gearbox will want to join him on his self-preservative cliff-jump.

The possibility of that man, The Envoy, being Edith's son is also a great cause for concern. Why the hell would he be in league with The Director? Assuming it's true, it's also a point to seriously consider the different ways he could possibly have survived a bullet to the head at the age of eight. That's the same age as Reela, and the thought of anything like that happening to her terrifies him. He's glad she wasn't forced to come here with them. She's probably safer with May right now.

He would stop and try thinking of all the ways Edith's son could be alive, but he is nowhere near smart enough for that shit. He'll help Regan brainstorm, but on his own he's got no fucking clue where to even begin.

"You have such lovely hair," a woman purrs which snaps him out of his thoughts.

He grumbles and doesn't even spare her a glance. "I'm taken," he states automatically for the millionth time tonight and simply walks away, starting to make his way towards Colin. This is what this night has done to him. He's been limited to resorting to Colin of all people to give him a moment of relief.

But he stops when a woman pushes past him, seemingly in a hurry. He turns to see who she was, but she has already vanished into the crowd.

Curious, he spares Colin another glance before following the trail of that woman. He struggles a bit to maneuver through the crowd as all the people taller than him seem to not notice he's there, but he's used to that so he manages well enough.

He makes it to the end of the crowd and his eyes narrow into a scowl when he sees the woman again, now realizing that it was Jane Harvey. And here he was thinking the worst of the annoyances had already passed. He hadn't even stopped to ponder on where she was during all of this.

She looks like she's in a hurry, eager to get somewhere. She's rushing to a door in the back corner of the ballroom. Looking closer at her, he can see that her dress has some red stains, as well as on her hands.