Indigo's Owl [Indigo Rewrite]

Chapter 26 - Wager

When the door to Chief's office was closed behind them, Shift watched Athira tilt her head back and mutter a curse under her breath.

"Time to put a certain someone's bed on the roof?" asked Shift.

"It's not as effective if he isn't in it at the time," muttered Athira. "Besides, with our other commitments, I don't exactly have a week to spend annoying Chief right now." She huffed. "At least it wasn't entirely useless. He confirmed that the Wardens are real."

"Did he?" said Shift. "He said he 'knew something' of them, but it could just be that they don't exist."

"He clarified he didn't know anything about Reader's hideouts before that," said Athira. "Which means he has intel on the rest. Even he's not brave enough to demand a favour from me without something solid. He has his limits, and I have mine."

Shift decided against asking what might happen when that limit was reached. "So, back to the original plan of searching those other buildings?"

"There's one last thing I want to try before we leave," said Athira, starting down the stairs.

She led him to one of the sleek, black bars that curved against the wall and leaned against the end. It wasn't long before the barkeep — a large, imposing man with dark hair long enough to be pulled into a messy bun — approached, leaning on the bar with folded arms in front of her.

"What can I getcha, Owl?"

Athira slid a crystal Black shard shaped like an epicore halfway across the counter, partially concealed by her palm. "The usual."

The barkeep's eyes flicked down. "I'm afraid that isn't currently on tap. Chief's given the silence order. Can't help ya out today."

"Has he now?" muttered Athira, her head tilting up towards the door of Chief's office. "How unfortunate."

"Could try askin' Crush," said the barkeep, jerking his chin towards the other side of the club. "Arena fighters get special exceptions the rest of us don't, and I know how much ya love talkin' to him. He's in his usual booth."

Athira's nose wrinkled beneath her mask. "Fantastic."

She pushed the Black shard the rest of the way across the counter. It was quickly scooped up by the barkeep and tucked into some secret pocket before he touched a finger to his head and turned his attention to the next customer.

"Who's Crush?" asked Shift. The name didn't ring a bell.

"An idiot," muttered Athira, standing up. "Remember how I was waiting for someone to leave before we came in?"

"The shovey one?"

"That about sums him up." Athira sighed and started walking away from the bar. "He's a Yellow Kinetic that spends all his time trying to challenge people to arena fights. I don't think he's seen sunlight in the last decade."

Shift followed. "We gonna go talk to him?"

"And let him think I came to him?" said Athira, her head turning towards him with the barest hint of a smirk. "I don't think so. I'll make him come to us. Just play along."

They headed to the other side of the club, taking a seat at one of the available booths curved around a table. Athira flopped down, leaning back and throwing a hand over the back of the couch, one leg crossed over the other. Shift, not quite able to let his guard down that much, sat opposite to keep a view of the space behind her.

It wasn't long before a server approached them — another teenager with a variety of scars peeking out beneath her clothes — asking if there was anything they'd like to order.