DIVISION 52 - BOOK I

CHAPTER LII

"You're like the phantom greeting me,
We plot in the shadows, hang out in the gallows,
Stuck in a loop for eternity."

–  S C O R P I O N  –

Electro bass blared over the packed, dimly lit Crypt. 

Here I'd find Dazz. The final piece to kick off our trip to the Emperor's tower. I pulled a dark hood lower and kept a shawl drawn over my face. My eyes were coated in black coal. Only burning gold eyes took in the Underworld around me.

Proximo shouldered a drunk out the way. The man whirled in anger and took a swing. My second dropped him in the time it took for me to pull my cloak aside. My hips swayed with a pair of titanium daggers. 

I slipped quickly between bodies taking us deeper into the shadows and swell of bodies and dancers. Lounge chairs lined the edges of the room.

I caught sight of a lone figure leaning on her elbow, nursing a glass of Junak under purple light.

I tapped Proximo's shoulder before he could dismantle a group of swaying morons begging for a fight. His eyes flashed to mine in the dark and I jutted my head left. He followed and we made our way over to Dazz.

A man caught my waist before I took my seat with a lazy grin. I wiped it off him as soon as I had a blade angled at his throat. He dropped his hand like it burned and stumbled back into Proximo. He only grinned savagely down at the weedy man before aiming a gloved thumb off into the crowds. The man darted away into the noise.

"Still such a charmer." Dazz bit out over the music.

I slid into the booth and Proximo took a seat beside me. I leant back into the seat and eyed her unimpressed. I was not here for words only observation. The moment I saw those grey eyes flicker with doubt–with ulterior motive–I would be gone and we'd be finding another to gain us security clearance. I pulled the shawl down to my neck.

"Sister." Proximo said flatly. Her eyes remained trained on me and I did not flinch from them. "We're here for one reason–"

"Making her pockets deeper." She snapped, and raised her eyebrow back at her brother. Her assumptions were normally correct, but not tonight...

She laughed bitterly when I remained silent. Flicking aside her blue plaited hair and throwing back her drink. She raised a hand to her wrist and placed an order for another bottle. She had a VIP table and service–it made me wonder what work for the Crypt she had dabbled in.

"Let's make this quick and simple then. I'm aware you're not willing to work for Division 52, so think of it as a personal favour to me." Proximo said slowly over the music.

Her eyes raced with an anger I found tiresome and marginally boring. It came from nothing other than mislead ideas of true revolution or injustice. It came from a child.

"Say what you're thinking, Scorpion." She sneered at me. "I can practically see the self glorious disgust dripping off you."

I gave her a cool look and smirked. She slapped a fist against the table. The immature actions of the child I expected. This was the kind of thing I had no room for in this operation. 

"500,000 credits." Proximo said flatly and my head snapped to him. That was not what we had agreed. But when Dazz realised this from my reaction she finally grinned and set her elbows on the table.

"What was that Prox? You'll set 500 large aside for a hack?"

I glared death at my Second and his sister was lapping it up. At the shift in my cool and control. But Proximo remained watching her with a serious expression. He was taking a gamble, one I hadn't ask him to make. But it was her reaction he was betting on–the bold figure that I clearly had no consent in setting.