– S C O R P I O N –

Sector 20. A part of the city that never quite knew where it stood among the classes. Not desperate enough to be caught up in trafficking of bodies and weapons... not high end enough to take a slice out of the city's lucrative drug trade.

They had Division 52 control of course. But I never found myself perusing the streets as I did in Sectors 40 to 52. Now was not the time to make a scene in any case. We needed to move as spectres from now on. Our planning, our movements–all needed to be kept in the shadows where the Imperials could not anticipate our next steps.

I moved with focus, ignoring the many holo screens notifying Merridian that the Emperor's daughter had now recovered from her "terrible illness" after many months. My eyes actively avoided the perfect image of Makayla Xavier's face that they splashed over the media. It made it too real. It made her too far away. It made her that pristine royal, a fake image, that pomp–

"This way, Scorpion." Proximo murmured darkly as he pulled a nondescript hooded cloak low.

I shrugged deeper into my own unremarkable clothing and watched his muscled back under a hood of my own. No guards trailed us. We were yet another couple of civilians walking among the puddles and coats of many.

Buildings were more clean cut and glass was used more heavily. It made the rain dance and the colours of the city bounce. No land vehicles roamed, this remained fusion craft territory.

We ducked into a thin and dark alley. Piles of trash heaped and rodents dashed between bags of reeking crap. It seemed that this Sector still had its cracks. At this rate I'd have a new pair of boots by the end of the night. As if reading my thoughts, Proximo booted a discarded box of rotting... something from our path. It smashed into a damp wall and scattered rats like insects.

"If I desired to walk through a sewer, I would have travelled back to that shit heap Hades calls a home." I quipped ahead.

Proximo turned the tattooed side of his face over one shoulder–it was struck with the bright blue of the neon holos high above.

"Perhaps you would like to show your own face in the Imperial tower? See how many steps you may take before becoming mist at the end of a plasma rifle." He retorted, not breaking stride.

I considered this.

"And what face would you wear to make it past the lobby?" I asked slowly over the rain.

"If you remember. We have ten to choose from." He said with a wicked smile.

Of course. The Imperial guard we had interrogated. The information we had gleaned even before they made the costly mistake of taking her from me.

"I want the blonde." I said curtly.

A snort sounded ahead as Proximo slowed before a metal door and turned to me.

"I'm aware you have taste but really..." He drawled.

I smirked at him under the hood that dripped liquid neon blue. "Should I get the chance–I want to tease her Imperial majesty before I need to reveal myself."

"Try not to blow our cover before we even have the asset, Scorpion."

I didn't respond. I watched instead as he held a finger to the intercomm and a crackle sounded before a beep. A quick bioscan ran over his features and the door made a large metallic clang. He wrenched the door back that looked ready to hold back a hit squad. His arm gestured for me with a smug look.

I strode past him and pulled my wet hood back. The interior was unexpected. White bar lights hugged the floor edges giving it a sleek, more expensive essence. Black walls with military grade sound block cladding led us to a singular, clouded glass door at the end of the narrow hall.

They hissed open in proximity and I eyed the dramatics with impatience.

"Delightful business!" I called into the darkened room beyond, uninterested in being made to wait. "It's lacking a face though." I said more darkly.

Proximo came to my side and made to clear his throat more prominently. Seconds ticked by, before a clash of metal and wiring sounded and a curse followed. My foot had tapped all of thirteen times before a scrawny man with a cloud of white hair adorned the temples.

My eyes did not miss the slight limp on his left leg and favouring of the right arm as they dangled. Wrinkles tore at his eyes and forehead. Being honest, I had expected better. The man looked like hearing and sight were a distant affair.

"That would depend on what face you seek." He retorted in a strangely crisp voice given his weathered age.

I folded my arms before me and openly let my eyes scan the surroundings. Metal bed chambers, holo tables, wires, cables, metals, littering the very space available–It was not the pitch that would entice me to gamble Makayla on. It was not the place. Not the person. In all of five seconds I had decided that my Second was mistaken.

"What little time I have, seems wasted." I cut my eyes to Proximo. "Find another."

What I did not expect was the slow laugh that left the old man's lips before me. The laugh that seemed to morph and warp before it was lighter in timbre. Feminine in tone. I saw Proximo's attention flick back to the old man that dragged a hand to press the under side of his ear.

Then his face fell away entirely.

Her face appeared before us. Or it was not hers at all. He or she now wore the face of a younger woman, not topping a day into thirty. Waves of hair tumbled down in light brown waves and I sucked in a sharp breath.

It was not often I so openly showed my emotion outside of my keep.

"Wasted time, perhaps. But you judge before you know which face you look upon." A clear female voice answered my stare.

"This is your true face?" I demanded. I took a step towards the smirking woman. "I see the face of those I do business with, so if they get the idea to betray me I get the idea to end them."

"Not a person in this city knows my true face, Scorpion and not the threat of death will sway me." She said far too calmly. "I have none you can take from me, they are but ghosts wearing faces of many. You come to me looking for a face to wear and I can help you. You come to me looking to see my face, and I cannot help you." She finished with a coy smile. As I took in the person before me I had to find some admiration in it all.

Unidentifiable. Down to the last strand of hair. The only piece of identity that had not changed were a set of pale green eyes. That. Was the only piece of this person I would get in our dealings.

I turned to Proximo. He cast me a raised brow in question.

"Very well." I uttered. Then gave the man or woman before me a slow smile. "Show me what you can do."

The face changed once more into that of the Imperial Emperor himself. I flinched before he drew a dramatic hand into the dark room behind.

"If you will, Leader of the Underworld. Let us see what face you shall wear." The emperor drawled darkly. It was both disturbing and impressive. Exactly the calibre we needed. Proximo had out done himself. If only he didn't look so damn smug about it.

The "Emperor" no longer had a limp at all.

– M A K A Y L A –

There was nothing the weeks of Proximo's training could have done.

Nothing could have prepared me for the crowd of Imperial guards that swarmed out of the rooftop entrance and took carbon armoured shields out. My gun was useless. Resisting became useless.

When they identified my person easily. When they knew who stood on the Emperor's rooftoop–though the security cams or bioscans they move without hesitation.

A stun round hit me through the heavy rains and then another. My limbs disowned me in an instant and I dropped to the ground harshly–muscles twitching. I tasted the blood in my cheek as my hair fanned out around me in the water. I could only watch as boots rushed towards me and pulled me to my feet.

Could only watch frozen, as the rain and roof left me and sudden warmth and bright lights hit my eyes as I was ushered down the hall of the most secure building in Merridian. When we had descended many floors in the silent lift, I was swiftly dragged out to the medical floor. After that, it was a mere pinch in my arm that sent me into darkness.

I'm sorry Alex.

* * * * *

When my eyes could finally open. I saw nothing but white. I blinked it away. Then cast my hand over my eyes. I noticed new attire. A close fitted silicon white top that sleeved up to my wrists and down my body like a second skin.

I took a long breath and steadied myself. Then I turned my head and made out my bedroom. My own untouched bedroom. The room that was my life and my ignorance. As if the Underworld were all but a distant dream of violence and wonder. Of a golden-eyed goddess with a heart that beat for me. That changed for me. That was now separated from me forever.

I bit down on my tongue as many realisations hit me like a slap. This tower. This fortress would never let me move from outside its walls for years at best. At worst it would be longer and visits outside Sector 1 were now off the table entirely. It was all over.

Alex and everything outside of Sector 1 was now a distant memory. Because nothing would keep my father from tying me to this world forever. Not now.

A familiar soft robotic tone announced my maid. Maids. Royalty... it really was such a distant concept to me now. Then Matty appeared in the doorway.

Her hands flew to her mouth and she was shrieking before she had even crossed the threshold.

"Mis–Miss Xavier! My goodness! Gracious! Madame, you truly are returned to us from the horrible ones responsible for your capture!" She gushed as she rushed forward and claimed me in a crushing hug. Her aroma of sweet and lilac hit me heavily and I found myself returning the embrace.

"Yes, Matty. Yes I'm back." I mumbled into her shoulder, carefully keeping the sorrow out of it.

She suddenly withdrew, collecting herself and righting her skirts. Remembering her position no doubt–a position that she didn't need to exercise with me.

"There was much speculation. So many false truths and rumours spread among the staff. You know how they talk." She told me, shaking her head and setting those worried eyes upon me. "Oh, Miss Xavier it must have been so awful. Outside the safety of inner Merridian and your guard. You are truly the daughter of Merridian having seen through such horrors."

I shook my head at her. "Matty... when you sent that message. When you risked so much to let me know my father works with Hades. You have no idea how much good you did."

Her face suddenly flushed out. "Though Miss, we must never speak on this... if the guard were to know–"

"I would sooner take it to my grave." I deadpanned.

"May that be in the distant future." She said with another set of worry lines.

I let out a humourless laugh and leaned back into the plush pillows. "Oh I have had enough dances with death to know how near my grave was."

A shudder ran through Matty at my words.

"We were told they took you from the craft. In Sector 3 of all places." She stressed with a troubled look. "Is it true, did the Underworld's leader take you away Miss?"

I gazed at her for a moment. Before I traced a hand along my sheets. "She more opened my eyes than stole me away..." I murmured, watching the fabric and not her eyes. "–she showed me many things about this city that I did not know. Places, people, cultures and realities. I would likely scare you witless with such fancies." I said with a half-hearted smile. Hoping to drag us off the topic of Alex as soon as possible.

My heart lay torn and broken. Thoughts of her were just dragging it through more hot coals. The mere memory of her face, her burning eyes that lit when the rare laugh that became common with us took hold.

Matty's chocolate eyes stared into mine with both curiosity and concern. She had looked after me and been my primary maid all my life. Her instincts were of my protection and I had no intention of letting her know just how many times my life had glanced with death.

"You seem, Miss. If it is not so bold... You seem saddened, that you have come back to us. Rather than the relief I expected." She ventured, tying her hands before her.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Matty you should always speak boldly with me either way, you know this. But you're not wrong." I sighed. "It would be very trying and long to explain and perhaps I will get some of the story to you in time but–"

"You need not say more, Miss. I will not pry from you. You should take time to rest. I will have dinner set back tonight and arrange service to your bedroom."

I relaxed and gave Matty a grateful smile. "You are a true friend. You were loyal to me even when my own allegiance was questioned."

"Always, Miss." She bobbed a curtsey and made for the door.

"Thank you, Matty." I told her, just loud enough for her to catch before her smile and body faded behind the sliding doors. I did not miss the new auto-locking feature in place as they did so.

The moment she disappeared was the moment the despair drew its claws around me. Alone and utterly empty. Torn from my other half so completely who was out there no doubt looking into every way possible to get into this tower.

It only made my thoughts turn darker. More terrified and hopeless. Because if Alex brought her people here. If she died for me... there would be no burning light in me to carry on. The colours from the world may as well drain away and take all matter with it. She cannot be allowed to try.

In my mind my thoughts were already solidifying. If it was one final thing I could do for us, it would be to keep her alive. To make sure she never attempted the madness I knew she would.

I needed to get a message to the crime lord and it needed to be clear. That the Emperor's daughter was now firmly seated at home with her family. Finally returned to Sector 1 and she was finally happy. She would need to remind the city that the Underworld must stay beyond the walls of Sector 10. A hideous lie to keep the woman I love from the death that stalked us for so long.