S C O R P I O N
I stormed into her cell without declaring myself to anyone. As if I needed to.
Proximo was already pressed on the table trying to communicate with the waste of air. He whirled at the interruption before stilling at the group of guards that poured in behind me.
"Scorpion." He said, slowly rising, "What are you..."
"I need to borrow her." I said in a bored tone as my men moved past me and made to seize her.
"Stand down." Proximo growled.
They did not.
He front kicked the first guard off his feet and drew a handgun on another. My guard merely turned to me waiting for orders.
"She isn't going anywhere." He snarled.
I appraised him a moment, tapping my foot. Then rolled my eyes and pushed off the wall. I did not have time for this.
"I need her face."
He froze and lowered his weapon. "What is going on, Scorpion?"
"Let's skip the fun part and talk in the fusion craft. I don't trust her enough for this." I turned for the exit as Dazz blew me a kiss. I flicked a finger over my shoulder, "–walk with me."
He grunted and took position at my side as my personal guard seized a swearing traitor.
"I thought we had an understanding–"
"Indeed we do. You are more valuable to me than my hate for her–" Another grunt at my side, "–regardless I need Hades to believe I would betray you." He snapped his head to me at the mention of him.
"What has that sack of air done now?"
"Something he will regret soon enough." I murmured with a slow smile. Proximo knew this look well–it was a look that put a short life expectancy on Merridian's Underworld leaders. "Hades would like me to betray you by giving Dazz to him and splitting us in the process." His eyes hardened and his fist tightened on his gun.
"What leverage does he have?" He uttered low.
I stopped before the fusion carrier hold and levelled him with an emotionless look.
"Makayla."
His entire expression shifted from blank irritation to lethal rage and back to my second in a matter of seconds.
"So how about we stop standing here and I become a very convincing version of your dreadful sister tonight." I deadpanned. "The only issue I have is finding someone to play Scorpion..."
His eyes moved in quick calculation before we both almost blurted, "Mackenzie." At the same moment.
I nodded, "She has the combat experience and build... hardly the swagger but it will do."
Proximo's smirk turned vicious. "I think I will play myself in a Falcon jet armed with enough plasma to melt an underground bunker."
"I go alone on this–"
"Scorpion–"
"No. As much as we believe him a simpleton he will kill her if I bring the Division. You can provide an extraction once I get clear of the shit hole he is holed up in."
"It has stealth capability for a reason..." He muttered, rethinking his own strategy. "What are the coordinates?"
Just as he said this a cynical encrypted message lit up on my wrist holo. I gave it a flat look before tilting it at Proximo.
"Sector 5?" He demanded in disbelief. "Need I even ask how he has a secure building in the upper Sectors."
"He was in the Emperor's pocket for a long time." I dismissed, striding towards my personal fusion craft. A door opened to me and a techie nodded at us with a fist to the chest. I met Proximo's eyes but his cut to the guards that were dragging his sister towards us.
I snapped by fingers before his eyes and he met mine in a dark glare.
"I won't kill her you buffoon. I just need to look like her."
"Scorpion, I know the risk you are taking here–"
I snorted a laugh before turning towards the craft and gesturing to the seat across from me. He dumped himself in it and glared at the guards that dumped his sister beside him before following. I smiled slowly at her and she kept an amused expression on her face.
"He's not too happy about this is he?" She quipped.
I remained watching her silently before waving for the driver to pull us away to the faceless maker. Dazz lounged in seat and leaned against her brother with a mocking expression. Proximo tightened his glove and watched the window.
"Isn't this cozy–"
"Dazz, if you don't stop speaking I will knock you out." Proximo cut in simply. It made her go silent. I laughed despite it and her amusement vanished. She shifted her leg and my guard trained a rifle on her more closely.
I turned my head to the side to take in Mackenzie. Her jet back hair was kept out of her face that was shrouded in a hood. Despite my gaze she held her sights on target.
"I need you to do something for me."
"Consider it done." She did without missing a beat and keeping a glare on Proximo's sister.
"We'll talk inside and away from this one." I drawled, nodding at a more irritated Dazz.
The flight didn't take long. We dropped swiftly between metals and glowing signs. My guards swept outside and encouraged onlookers to disappear quickly. I dropped from the doors and strode forward without delay.
Proximo took my right and my enemy was dragged behind us.
The door slid open before I could pummel it with a metal lined glove. An old woman appeared before me but I knew better. It didn't stop Dazz from scoffing behind us.
"I need a few faces. Double payment."
"My services are yours." The seemingly weathered voice cracked and she gestured inside. Whoever he or she was they probably did it for their own entertainment. The theatrics.
The room was the same. Holoscreens. Shelves. Chrome containers.
I unceremoniously dumped myself in the metal chair and waited. The faceless cocked an eyebrow.
"Could someone truly be wearing the great Underworld's leader tonight?"
I smiled slowly and watched the old woman.
"This will be used once. If I ever see it again this building and any in it will be gone."
A dark chuckle followed and warped deeper until a younger man morphed into form and leant an arm on a surface. His skin changed colour to a paler tone across his hands too. Dazz flinched in my guards grip.
"You've made upgrades." I noted.
He nodded and gestured for me to lie back. I did and swept my hood back as the scanner drew in close to analyse every square inch of my face. The rapid pulse of blue flashed across my eyes. Even my tattoos on my arm were noted.
"Where is the other face?"
I snapped a finger and my guards threw her into another seat. She struggled before one of my own threw a fist into her stomach.
"Not the face." The maker hissed, before dismissing them.
It took a few minutes before I could rise and see the results morphed into a tiny disk that would turn colourless on the neck. I spun it between my fingers as I waited for Dazz's hideous complexion to be recreated.
The moment it was done I nodded and Dazz was dragged back to the fusion craft with more swearing involved. At Proximo's anxious expression I gestured out the door.
"She's all yours."
He flexed his fingers before turning to me instead.
"I won't let you do this alone. Not after the risks you've taken to keep her here after what she's done."
"I'm fully aware of what she's done, Proximo. But I made a promise to the woman Hades has so here we are." I practically growled, finally losing the cool I'd maintained all night.
I slapped the other disk the faceless maker offered me onto my neck.
My face became his sister and Proximo jumped a step. The faceless maker appreciated his work timidly behind us.
"What will you do when he realises?" Proximo demanded quietly.
"Shoot him in the head." I stated, rising from the chair and rolling my shoulders.
Mackenzie came beside me and I held the small disk above her hand.
"Use this once. If it is not destroyed by tonight I will not be pleased... Clear?"
"Perfectly, Scorpion."
I pressed it onto her palm and she hesitated before meeting my eyes and pressing it to her neck. A mirror of myself appeared before me. I didn't flinch. I took a step closer and scanned every inch. The faceless had even managed to colour the eyes this time. I stood back with a nod.
"Pay him whatever he wants." I uttered, turning from the room and heading for the night.
* * * * *
We rode in silence.
Mackenzie shifted uncomfortably in a deep crimson cloak only one person should ever wear. I adjusted the criminal techie styled cargos that were Dazz's trademark with a simple black tank top. We even took lengths to make it at least look abused... My tattoos were a thing of the past down my arm and new neon blue took its place over my collarbones.
I threw a bomber jacket over the top to avoid the more noticeable tone in my arms you got from experience not a keyboard.
"Is this... Is this really the only way?" Mackenzie murmured in my voice. I soon got over it and levelled her with a look that did not negotiate.
"He wants to be my ally more than my enemy. The only thing you need to do is keep him talking. I will deal with Miss Xavier."
It sounded so simple in that fusion craft. The weapons I had on me were more than enough to go through two Silver Sun legions.
But things never were so simple.
We dropped before the glass tower and hopped out quickly. It took off without delay to show my promise in keeping the Division out of this. No rebels made to lunge at us. A gun wasn't in sight. The strangest thing of all was seeing Silver Sun guards open the doors to us.
I flexed my fingers and tucked my hands into the jacket pockets with a calmly amused smirk.
"Play the game." I murmured low, as Mackenzie grabbed my elbow and pushed me forward wearing my face and cloak.
As soon as we were through the doors the rebels started appearing around us but mingled with Silver Sun guards. Whatever Hades had been up to in these Sectors it was working... I kept my expression amused as Mackenzie walked me forward to another set of doors.
A group of rebels stepped before us and one took a comm to the ear before nodding to a lift.
We packed in the small glass box before flying skywards. The walls were exposed and showed lines of fusion crafts flying on high in the night. The silence was grating. I needed to know she was here. That this was truly where he held her for this game. If it was all to impress me into an alliance it was a fatal way of doing it.
The doors finally opened to the heathen himself.
"Scorpion." Hades drawled with a wicked grin at Mackenzie.
She kept a grim expression in place and answered him by throwing me forward. He caught my arms carefully with a more meaningful look and I resisted the urge to cut the shit and send a blade under his jaw. But I needed Makayla first.
"Where is she?" Mackenzie said low, in my voice.
Hades smile turned dangerous and he nodded at his guards–totally in control, totally relaxed and totally clueless that his greatest enemy was a hair away from cutting his throat.
"In good time, Scorpion!" He grinned, tugged my arm in his and leading us away. "I need to speak with my dearest first!"
She made a good show of spitting the darkest insults I had used before one of his guards threw his gun into her stomach and she slumped against them in a cough. Guilt slapped me in the face for her part in this but I kept the insufferable smirk in place and waltzed arm in arm with the rebel leader.
"Took you long enough." I noted, in Dazz's timbre.
"You knew it would." He drawled, brushing the side of my cheek with a glove. The revulsion that travelled me was unbearable. I couldn't kill him before I knew... "She really thinks I need the Division on my side to run this city." He chuckled, with those purple cartoon fucking eyes.
I forced a snort, "Can you blame her for trying?"
"I didn't know what to expect when they had you... I couldn't send the Silver Sun yet." He murmured, nodding to navy armoured guards as they opened ornate doors to a great hall.
"My dearest brother came in useful." I muttered, making to appear exasperated. "You could have come sooner."
"I'll deal with Scorpion soon enough." He growled, stopping in place and regarding a great fountain flowing down a great wall. I regarded it with a bored expression.
"As much as I'd like to see her dead, Scorpion will cause more problems dead than alive."
He raised an eyebrow and his face tattoos moved with it. "That is a change of tune." He drawled, pacing before me and considering. "Without her we can push the vacuum–use the Silver Sun force with it."
"Why not do that with her as leverage to keep my dearest brother at bay? He'd much rather plot hapless rescue attempts before prioritising a counter attack."
That was a faultless tactic. A leader's tactic. Which is why Hades expression became animated and hungry all at once. He drew my hand up and kissed it. Don't kill him yet. Play the game.
"You are ruthless." He murmured, drawing his lips back and nodding for us to walk. You have no idea. "Come. I think you'd rather like to see my guest."
My heart stilled. I trained my expression into a knowing cruel smile that he only returned like the clueless simpleton he truly was. He commed his guard from his wrist and we went through another series of glass doors, plush hallways and finally–
Two guards held her.
One had blood pouring from his nose and the other limped. My smile was entirely genuine now. They grunted holding her before him as Hades strode forward and tutted.
"Makayla why must you be so unkind to my friends?"
"Kindly go and fuck yourself." She retorted in a polite tone that held no such formality. Her eyes cut to mine–Dazz's and she practically spat in my direction.
"She saved you and this is what you do?" She snarled with fury in those blue eyes. "Proximo would have done anything–"
Hades grabbed her jaw stopping her words and I steadied my hand on my blade under my forearm. I counted half a dozen guards in the room quickly. Not yet.
"Now, now. Dazz has a bigger role to play than you." He uttered, shoving her jaw away. He stood from her and casually held two daggers before my hand. "I bet you missed these." I glanced down at them and feigned recognition, running a finger over it.
I took one from him.
"Care to give Scorpion's dearest a reminder before their reunion?"
"Gladly." I said soullessly.
Makayla had nothing but fearless contempt on her face for me–for what I appeared to be. I stole my mind away and became something else. Someone else. Because Alex would never do this to Makayla.
I flicked the dagger into my palm and rapidly sank it into her thigh. Despite it all she still held my gaze. The training I had searing into her came into play and she snarled into her teeth as I drew the blade out. I'm sorry Makayla.
"Fuck. You. She will–come for all of you." She grit out through another pant.
Hades clapped slowly as her blood flowed down her leg. A flesh wound. Missing every major artery but enough to appear damaging.
"I hope she's still alive to see Scorpion or she'll be most unhappy." He quipped, scanning her injury before nodding to his guards.
"Scorpion deserves to see her like this." I answered detached.
Hades mused this with a smile. "I suppose city politics can wait. I have missed your drive..."
I waited wordlessly avoiding Makayla's pained gaze while he summoned my personal guard wearing my face. She raised her head slowly and I tried my best to look unbothered.
"Alex was right–" She breathed, "I should have let her kill you."
I tilted my head calmly as my insides twisted. I wanted to take her pain away not escalate it. I stood before her closely before levelling that burning gaze.
"A shame we don't get second chances, Makayla."
She spat in my face. I shut my eyes and made to appear enraged instead of empty. A guard offered me a cloth before another punched her in the stomach. I'd end them all for this–where the hell was Mackenzie?
The doors finally opened and Hades opened his arms wide with them.
"Woman of the hour! There has been a change in plan!"
"Alex..." Makayla murmured through a breath. That look. The one that was meant for me. I hardened my stare ahead and strode past Hades to make a show of my contempt. The guards let me have her at Hades nod. I dragged her beside Makayla–but not before slipping a dagger into her hand and taking my place before them both.
I ripped her crimson hood back and stared at my own face. She stared back.
Three Division agents to six guards and one leader now. We were nearing our window. Makayla's eyes were only for my personal guard kneeled beside her. "Alex I'm so–"
I shoved the other dagger under her neck stopping her words. Mackenzie made a good part out of playing the enraged Underworld leader while I smiled. Hades dropped a hand onto my shoulder and looked between them both.
"Let's end this tonight–the city is ours for the taking." He urged, with fire in those foolish irises.
I let the blade kiss Makayla's neck a moment longer before drawing it back and nodding, turning to him with a serene smile. I took in every detail of his face while he smiled with a trust he shouldn't have given out so freely.
"I couldn't agree more." I whispered.
I plunged the dagger cleanly through his neck.
His blood painted my face and his eyes bulged wide in confusion and betrayal as he clawed for the dagger uselessly. I pulled the pistol from his hip and shot three guards before sending the dagger into the fourth. By the time Hades body hit the floor, Scorpion had killed the last few.
The room fell beautifully still.
Then Makayla rose painfully from her wounded leg and took the side of Mackenzie's face before kissing her deeply. A different feeling flashed through me searing hot. I flexed my trigger finger before shooting the ceiling and breaking her off my personal guard.
Mackenzie's jaw was slack in shock and Makayla turned a lethal look on me now.
"You think this changes anything?" She spat, picking up a guard's gun and levelling it at me. "I think I owe you for this." She glanced at her leg.
I smiled darkly and opened my arms lazily.
"Take your shot, Xavier."