“You know Mr Black?” Naedon asked, confusion written across his face. “Yes…we’re acquainted quite well actually.” Mr Black said, turning towards the captain. I watched a vein stencil itself from Naedon’s right temple, stopping mid-cheek.

Great.

“You have a fine Operative here Colonel.” Mr Black said. “Operative?” Each Cobra Squad member mouthed to each other. “Yes. I’m familiar with Mr Cypher’s skillset, despite it having dulled over the years.”

“Dulled? Skillset?” Mr Black laughed. “I watched him kill a Reaver with their own broken sword…it was glorious.”

“So the Commissioner wasn’t lying,” Stelig asked.

“…it’s nothing to talk about,” I answered.

“Yeah…right,” Rynord said, shaking his head. “Those things are worth two N6 Special Operator teams.

“…Aren’t Reavers usually assigned to assassinate incorporable HVTs?” Tryzer asked.

“That was the case until three failed to kill the Latrina Emperor,” Naedon said.

“Three? I heard six were killed, strung up in the capital…like pigs.”

“I still want to know how you did it Cypher.” Mr Black said, turning to me with a knowing smile. Everyone then turned towards me, even Colonel Levisay whose eyes held an uncharacteristic interested gaze.

I ignored all of them, settling in the nearest seat then placed my cybernetic arm on the desk. “I’m not sure if I can continue this Rescue-Op, Sir.” I told Colonel Levisay, “I don’t have enough slethe.” I continued, lifting my cybernetic arm.

Mr Black strolled over, shifting through his dangling trench coat, placing a black vial in front of me. “I have you covered Cypher, don’t worry. I brought the team as well, so we’ll get that firmware patched up and have you working better than ever.”

…and just like that, my hopes of going back home are dashed. “I see.” I answered. “shall we begin?” Mr Black said, turning towards the Colonel, who nodded in agreement.

Mr Black flipped his wrist, making Colonel Levisay smaller. A map appeared showing the surrounding area of what seems to be an abandoned city. “This is Devil’s Reach, one of the few stadiums that survived the Imbibe.”

“hasn’t Devil’s Reach been run by rogue elements for decades,” Stelig asked.

“Ahh…you’re familiar with the lay of the land.” Mr Black.

“A bit,” Stelig admitted.

“Good…and yes. For decades rogue elements have popped up taking the stadium as their Base of operations. However, it seems as though it has some new administrators.

“New administrators?” Naedon asked.

“Yes and for two months.” The Warden said.

“Rival faction?” Naedon asked.

“I can’t confirm or deny, but I doubt it. I’m assuming that whoever kidnapped the girl, had intentions of bringing her here from the get-go, they just needed a base of operations.”

“But Devil’s Reach?” Rynord said

“Yes. If you’d gone in blind, more than likely you would’ve been taken out, which was their plan. I understand the girl’s father’s with you as well.”

“He is.”

“Hmmm…” Mr Black said, thumbing his chin. “Interesting…”

“What is? I’m wondering why he came, and not with his own set of bodyguards.”

“We’re serving as his bodyguards,” Naedon said.

“Colvolt Weitson is one of the richest men in the Antillean Federation, what makes you think he couldn’t BUY a damned army before he came into The Waste?”

I released a snide laugh, shaking my head and biting my lip. He’s right…that god damned bastard is right. There’s no reason why Colvolt hasn’t ordered an army down to get his daughter back…something’s amiss here, but what?

“Something on your mind Cypher?” Mr Black asked, with a snide smile.

“You know something don’t you?” I asked.

“I’m glad to you think of me as Brother Eye Mr Cypher, but sadly, I don’t know anything. I just look at what’s brought before me and digest it as best as I can.”

“Humph.”

Mr Black spun the map around, showing a large mountain a few kilometres off the city. “Gentleman.” Colonel Levisay said, cutting in. “Stelyne will provide a full briefing on what we’ve discovered at Belleview Port and The Broken Sphere. I hope this can provide you with a clear cut view of what you’re to expect dealing with these kidnappers.”

Stelyne materialised on the screen, sitting behind the desk. The illumination from the holographic projection was precise, despite the distance. Behind her, though, was the Warden, still scorching onto his chair, watching the hologram without speaking a word.

The man gave me the creeps, which, was something quite hard to do. But I guess I could understand him. He ran this place. His job was to ensure that his people survived, yet, strangers from The Federation came knocking at his door asking for help. Help, he could’ve refused, but didn’t…as long as he could get what he needs, for his people.

“The pile of bodies you left at Belleview Port were all former employees of Gartheon Defence Services, to be precise, Rikor Haek’s faction. They’ve recently quit.”

“Hmmm…so that’s why this contract fell into Colonel Levisay’s hand.” Mr Black said.

“Pardon?” Naedon asked.

Mr Black lips curled into a smile, showing his gold canine tooth. He rolled his shoulder’s and cracked his neck and licked his lips before he spoke. “Permission to speak Colonel Levisay.”

“It’s your show Mr Black, I have nothing to hide from my men.” The Colonel said.

“Thank you. Gartheon Defence Services is one, if not the highly touted PMC’s within the federation. Security for events such as the Auction at The Broken Sphere is usually handled by GDS, but with a decrease in manpower, they couldn’t meet the requirements needed to provide the job.

“…hence why we came in,” I said.

Naedon pounded the desk, flustered by my words. He balled up his fist, looking like hammers ready to beat the shit out of someone, but thankfully, I knew it wasn’t me. “That bastard sacrificed his men!” Naedon said.

“Sacrificed? What are you talking about Cap’” Rynord asked?

“Yeah, you weren’t there but when the Sonic bomb went off, they hardly put up a fight, it was as if they didn’t know about the Sonic Bomb either,” Stelig said.

“Ahh…now that you mention it. They didn’t seem as highly aware of their surroundings. Did they have enough training to record from the Sonic Bomb?”

That does make sense I thought. I rounded them too easily, picking them off one by one. “In essence, they were just there to slow us down…” I said.

“…or kill us,” Tryzer added.

“Possibly. I don’t think they knew what they were getting into.”

“Some of them their eardrums were damaged from the Sonic Bomb.”

“…or they were simply a terrorist group!” Mr Weitson said as he walked in. “Oh…apologies on my manners. Mr Cypher, good to see you alive…at least.”

I didn’t give the bastard a moment of my attention, but he made sure to piss me off by sitting next to me.

“Where’s Zanton?” Naedon asked.

“Resting.”

“Why did you bring him along, he ain’t no bodyguard.” Rynord hissed.

“Oh…you’ve noticed. Good on you. He is my secretary and he goes everywhere with me.” The man said dryly.

“Mr Weitson, this…simply won’t do,” Colonel Levisay said, resonating back in the holographic projection. “Stelyne, make the changes to the invoice.”

“Do whatever you want!” Weitson snapped. “I don’t care! as long as I get my daughter back…it doesn’t matter!”

“As you wish.” Colonel Levisay said, fizzing out of existence.

Stelyne resonated back into existence with a vein pulsing down her forehead. “Right.” She said calmly, but I knew she was forcing it. “The bodies Cypher left in The Broken Sphere haven’t been ID’d as yet, but I’ll see if I can have a contact within GDS to verify if they were on their parole.”

“Were you able to find out who financed this?” Naedon asked. “There’s no way in hell rioters could’ve organised that kidnapping within the Broken Sphere.”

“…or acquire a Sonic Bomb,” Rynord said.

“Acquiring a Sonic Bomb is easier than acquiring a real one.” Mr Black said, “you just need to have the right contacts within the black market. The real concern you should have is how did they took over Devil’s Reach, organise this kidnapping and escape, all, within three months.”

“Someone has to be backing them,” I answered.

“This is why I like you Mr Cypher.” Mr Black said, ”Sharp as always.”

“Who used to run Devil’s Reach?” Mr Black asked, turning to The Warden asked.

“Salamander the Girth.”

“The Girth?” Rynord asked, trying not to laugh. “Are you shitting me right now?”

“I, Shit you not.” The Warden replied.

“Who was he?” Stelig asked.

“Standard piece of shit that harassed the surrounding settlements in the area. The Carib Plains is split up multiple sections, the inner and outskirts of The Carib Plains or the Carib Waste as you all would so call it.”