"Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me."

― George Orwell,

– M A K A Y L A –

The night was an experience I won't forget. It seemed like the Queen of the Underworld enjoyed permanently throwing me into new situations just to watch my eyes widen. I couldn't help it, I was the kind of deprived you only came across in Sector 1. By no means a hardship of life compared to what I'd seen in the Sectors Alex had grown in... but an ignorance we all shared in the glass towers of the upper sectors.

Her eyes were always so different now. It cracked me every time to see the softness in the eyes I once matched to a demon. That burning gold may as well be honey. Though her fire fiercely burned on, she had something to hold her to humanity now. I had to believe it was me. The blood she saw on her hands was bearable with me at her side.

"You make me want better." She had said as she gazed at my eyes. My head was in her arms and our breathing had slowed down considerably.

We were in one of her safe houses. By no means shabby accommodation but nothing compared to the grandeur of her keep that had been burned by the rebels weeks ago. Her second was out preparing the next headquarters tirelessly to ensure standards were upheld.

I had watched her for a few seconds. "From yourself?" I asked carefully.

She twisted her mouth a little in thought. The action alone was adorable on her otherwise lethal beauty.

"I think so. I've never had to question the action I've taken before. I only wanted to reach the top so I can change the top."

"Were the previous rulers so bad?" I asked slowly. She knew what I meant. The flash in her eyes a mix of sadness and anger. I'd seen it only a few times so raw. I had always wondered at what the outer Sectors were really like before her ascension. My father always held them in the same regard.

"They didn't want power for change, they wanted it for themselves. It didn't matter what the costs were." She said in an empty voice devoid.

I loosened the frown in her brow with two of my fingers. She drew them down and kissed them before watching me again.

"We don't have to talk about this–"

"But I can see the questions burning at you." She finished with a small smile. "Who would I be if I denied you the past. Just another tyrant afraid of their own shadow." She snorted humourless.

"You don't give yourself enough credit." I told her seriously. "Maybe lower the death penalty a little but–" She threw me a flat look that said it isn't so simple.

"It's the language they speak here. It's hard to explain to one that speaks in champagne flutes and silk gowns." She grinned. I smacked her bare arm and it made a satisfying sound.

"Ask me about the outer sectors, I'll answer you." She said as her grin faded.

I pondered this. Tracing my finger along the ink patterns on her arm as I did so. It raised goosebumps where I went.

"When I saw your throne it had five daggers." I began. She waited.

"There were five rulers."

"Yes, detective." She smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "You killed them all and what, claimed all sectors from 11 to 52 in a night?" I deadpanned in disbelief.

"Give me a few more years." She said nonchalant.

I scoffed. "How did you manage that?"

"Reputation is an invaluable asset." She said in a darker voice. "When you see the most lethal leaders in the city start dropping like flies questions start to rise. Uncertainty starts to root and allegiance starts to shift. People do not trust change but you can trust they will not want to be on the wrong side of it when it does. I made sure to make my name heard in a very convincing way."

This made me raise a brow. "Do I even want to know?"

She tilted her head in regard. "You could handle it. But all you need to know is that my followers originated in fear but stayed for respect. The creatures that used to run the darkness had none. Not even for themselves. Proximo was second to a self indulgent pig before my time." I could only picture his lethal glares of exasperation at serving under such a buffoon. "–Lazuras could hardly fit in his own throne before I ended him. I was more than aware of what Proximo was capable of before I targeted him. He had his own flawless reputation for lethality and only stayed to get a foothold in the Underworld. I was aiming to avoid him completely in direct combat so my assassination of Lazuras had much more... finesse."

I gave her a questioning look.

"I have a guy... good with poison." She shrugged.

I shook my head between her arms with a look that said of course you do.

"Even when Lazuras was choking on wine in a crowd of his own mercenaries Proximo watched with particular boredom that day. He had already made his mind up I assumed. Not a day after, he approached my people and demanded an audience." She smirked at the memory as if it were one of her most cherished. "He knew the tide was turning even before the other leaders fell. The only thing quicker than that man's mind is his blades. He wanted to be sure of exactly what kind of ruler I was. The only way to do that is in the language of our sectors." She finished casually, as if that was all that needed to be said.

"And?!" I demanded, darting my eyes between hers.

Alex laughed and brushed some of my hair past my ear. "And now Proximo is very content at my side knowing exactly what kind of person sits in the throne. Feel free to ask him the details yourself, his description of the event is much more colourful." I grinned at her wide blue eyes.

"You fought Proximo? And he became your second based on that."

"Well he knew it was the only way I would consider him as much as he could consider me." She said easily. "He also had to go through a few of my personal guard but we ended on the right terms. I can show you the scar if you'd like–"

"You're all insane." I finished finally.

She grinned at me devilishly before planting a kiss on my forehead. "Yet here you are. Stuck in the middle of it."

"No where else I'd rather be." I responded easily, "You can't trust the sane these days.

Alex merely raised her brows at my words and nodded slowly. "Indeed, I agree with you on that Miss Xavier."

* * * * *

I had tried to drag her back into the bed when she told me she was to hold talks with Hades this morning. When she said how important it was they all played nice. I groaned long and loud.

She smirked down at me with her black trousers already on and still topless—revealing that perfection of toned stomach and curves to admire—

"Makayla I promise we will have more time later today. You will barely have to wait." She reasoned as she pulled a boot on around my hand that tugged on her leg in protest.

"Send Proximo. He will keep the conversation short." I retorted with a wry smile.

"He will deem Hades entirely unworthy of his time." Alex scoffed. "I would never ask him to waste it either."

"So why are you going?" I grumbled.

She smiled at me warmly before dropping in to kiss my head softly.

"Because he needs assurance we're taking this seriously. It's basically a slap in the face to send any other than myself. Waste of time or not." She muttered the last part.

I sighed and rolled onto my back on the soft double.

"Highly esteemed woman, really. I'm sure you can find something to do until I return." She said as she attached her comm link and threw a dark long sleeve top over her head. It fitted to her body like a second skin.

"I'm sure I could too." I said with a deliberate look at her body.

She laughed lightly before shaking her head. "You could join my second actually." She said with a pondering look. But I rolled up on the bed at this with interest. "He is scouting locations for our new headquarters as you know—"

"Consider it done!" I said eagerly. It was like shopping but on a scale of an entire building. So much creative freedom.

She had begun strapping a bulletproof vest to her chest. Her eyes watched my excitement with caution. "Proximo will give the nod on anything you find... try and make it reasonable. Nothing with a hundred floors." She finished as her daggers and guns were strapped across her waist and holstered against her thighs.

I pouted. "So no private sky garden then."

Alex smacked a palm against her face. "I'm leaving and you—" she swooped in for a stolen kiss which I barely had time to return. "—can comm Proximo once you're ready."

I gave her a mock salute as she leant back and those golden eyes gave me a wink. But before she could leave I rolled out of bed and grabbed her crimson cloak off the back of a chair.

"Forgetting something?" I called as she spun on her heel. She simply raised a brow at me.

"It looked good on you last night, how about you wear it today?" She shrugged from the doorway. I almost dropped it in shock.

"You're either in a very good mood or you want a target on my back." I stated eyeing the garment like it would attack me.

She rolled her eyes and strode up to me smoothly. Without further word it left my hands and was wrapped over my shoulders then clasped at the front.

"Very Sector 52." She murmured as she grazed my chin with a hand, let a dark smirk curve her lips and turned away leaving me standing there in shock.

I still had no clothes on.

When she left I felt her warmth go with her. I fell back onto my back with a much louder groan.

Okay maybe I oversold the enthusiasm to make her feel easier about leaving but maybe this day wouldn't be a total loss..

I swiped my comm from a nearby dresser and attached to my temple.

"Comm link Dartega, Proximo." I said calmly.

"Comm link requesting." A cheerful voice informed me.

"Makayla." A curt but formal voice filled my ear.

"Hey—llo there." I cleared my throat. "I heard you're helping Al—Scorpion with the property hunt?" I mentally slapped myself at the start.

A pause carried for a few moments.

"Yes." He gave nothing away.

I sighed. "Would you like some help with it?"

Another pause. "No. But you can meet me at the plaza square in sector 45... for the sake of company." He ventured the last part as if it were a foreign concept.

I bit my tongue holding back a laugh.

"Yes. Sounds great, I'll be there in 20 minutes."

"See you there, Miss Xavier." His smooth and dark voice replied. Was there humour in that?