Artifice - Man x Man - Book Six

Chapter 27

"Artifice, make sure this is a closed network," I tell my shoulder as we prep in the loading dock. "No outside ears today."

"Of course, Nicolas."

I buckle the tops of my tall boots, focusing on the task at hand. It felt strange, dawning the lycra but going sans respirator. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, we won't need the respirators after today. 

Tyler stands beside me, impossibly close, and I can feel the nervous shiver in his body. "It's going to be fine; everyone knows their job," I reassure him, gaining a small smile.

Days had passed since the grand reveal that drove me deeper into my work, and farther from the man I called my husband, we had had a tremendous amount of time to work on his minimalistic skills. Thankfully, Tyler was a quick study, and while I didn't have the means to school him as I would in the school where I learned, we were finding the environment here more than adequate to provide the necessary stress it takes to provoke a Solomonari's instincts.

 But, as I had already come to realize, nothing beats real-world experience. "How's it looking, Rhea?"

She holds the tablet in her hands, nodding towards me. "There is some wind coming from the north. If you can direct the smog towards the ocean, it may dissipate more easily." 

The ocean, I think back to the maps I had been studying so diligently. So, I would need to aim east. We were far off the coast; one would think so close to a massive body of water would lend us to be quite overflowing with moisture, yet the barren wasteland that was New York was dwindling to its last drop. 

The news stations had been dire; they were talking about planning an evacuation, but with little places to go and minimal resources to get there, things were looking bleak for the city in the fog. It lent for the perfect time to test out our theory, to prove to myself that I could do this, that we could do this.

"I'll make a note of it." Walking to a small table, I load a few select pockets down with knives. "Tyler," I call, sliding a sheath and blade onto his belt. "Remember what we practiced?"

"Yes, sir. I've killed a few of these bastards already, I reckon these might come in handy. Are Verando and Marcello comin' along?" I flinch at his name.

"They're going to go ahead of us with Tonic and Reid to clear the building."

"And they are takin' Helen...?" He frowns.

Thinking about it, I tilt my head toward Rhea, and she shrugs. "Um.. no. I don't think so?"

"Well, she's gone, Sir."

"Go home, Helen." Verando snaps over his shoulder as the small group walks down the pavement.

"I'm coming with you. I'm just as useful as either of these two." She gestures pointedly toward Tonic and Reid, who collectively roll their eyes.

"Well, I'd toss Tonic off the roof at any given moment, which would lower your value. Go. Home." His voice is a low growl, and Marcello bumps him with his elbow.

"Let her come. She's been training when we aren't in the gym, she survived in your time did she not?" It's enough to make the gray-haired male narrow his eyes, and Marcello scoffs, unafraid.

 Ignoring the group, he surges ahead and trots up the short steps to a door to bang his fist once. Marisol appears, dressed in a snug lycra outfit, with Eddie close behind. She starts the tedious process of pulling her hair up as she walks down the steps.

"You're late." She comments, giving Marcello a wink as he regards her.

"We have a stowaway." Verando sighs.