Fail-Safe

Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Bugger off! I'm busy!"

Six pushed through the door to Kyntak's office ignoring his brother's warning.

Kyntak was balancing himself on a swivel chair, precariously reaching up to his picture frame of neatly packed dirt. Kyntak carefully removed a box he had squeezed under his left arm and swiftly emptied the contents into the picture frame.

Six watched as several earthworms began to dig themselves into the dirt.

Kyntak pushed off the wall and landed in the now spinning chair. He grabbed the desk, the chair coming to a sudden stop.

"I always wanted a pet." Kyntak stated dreamily as he looked at the rapidly disappearing earthworms.

"Where did you get those?" Six inquired.

"Shuuushhhh!" Kyntak brought a finger to his lips.

Six gave up.

"Have you had any recent intel spikes on Gear?"

Kyntak propped his chin up with his fist.

"Not that I can think of. Why, you got something?"

Six shook his head.

"Just an informant who has a few concerns about their recent activities. But there's no concrete evidence or really any substantial information."

"Ah well, let bygones be bygones." Kyntak sung, spinning himself in his chair again.

"I don't think you used that quote correctly-"

"Hey!", Kyntak interrupted excitedly. "You want to see a magic trick?"

"Not particul-"

Kyntak thrust a deck of cards into Six's hands.

"Pick a card, any card!"

Fine, Six thought. I'll humour him. Then I can leave him to his earthworm fascination and get back to work.

Six efficiently shuffled the deck and drew the top card.

It was the Six of Hearts.

Six stared at it blankly.

"Now," Kyntak said. "Shuffle the cards again and give the deck back to me."

Six complied and handed the deck back to Kyntak. Kyntak took it and begun shuffling it himself, his eyes closed as he spun himself in a slow circle.

He stopped the chair in front of Six. He pulled a card out from the deck, holding it between his middle and index finger.

His eyes opened as he turned it to face Six.

"It this your card?"

Six found himself starring at the Six of Hearts again.

What? Six thought. How? There's no way he could have kept track of the card I drew.

Six suddenly lashed out and grabbed the deck of cards from Kyntak's hand.

"Hey! Wait a minute!"

Six quickly turned the deck over and spread the cards out in a fan.

All the cards were the Six of Hearts. All of them.

Six slammed the cards back down on the desk.

"I have work to do."

He left Kyntak choking on his laughter. The earthworms can look after Kyntak, Six thought.