Sam wiped the sleepy from her eyes, squinting through the early morning sun blasting through the gap between the buildings in front of her hotel’s entrance area. She subconsciously tugged at the shoulder strap of her messenger bag that pulled on her coveralls in an annoying manner. Dressed as a utility worker, she used that as a means to blend in with her everyday transit to and from the Enrai’s port entrance. Unable to think about breakfast yet, she eased her way down the sidewalk as she pondered the fact that two whole days had passed without uttering a word to Sebastian, Kaylen, nor anyone else about her conversation with Rex.

She begrudgingly accepted the fact, however, that today had to be the day to spill it before 2:50, assuming the worst if Sam left without informing Sebastian of the plan and moved forward without first checking in with Kaylen. The only thing left to decide was how.

Has Rex really not gotten in contact with her? Her not saying a word has me nervous as hell… as if she were waiting on me to ‘fess up first or something.

.

She used her pass to enter the port complex as she had been, making her way without incident to the LTAC holding area to pick up where she left off each evening to further her adjustments both in piloting the Arondight and in her strategies. But this morning would be different as the moment she slid her bag off onto the cart near the access ladder to the Ai20 frame, her watch vibrated as a call popped up.

“Enrai?” She thought aloud, noting not only was it a name she had rarely heard, but it was also from an unfamiliar calling app. Nevertheless, she swiped the call open and leaned over the guardrail she stood next to. “Hello?”

A recording that lasted mere seconds came to confirm her mobile had been successfully connected to Enrai’s network, automatically disconnecting the call before Sam had a chance to react.

“That was odd…” Instinctively pulling out her mobile, she scanned her app access pages to find no new call app, but the call just now was unmistakably real. Whatever. Back to business-

[Attention Ella,] a voice over a PA system called as Sam’s attention snapped towards it. [Please report to Emilia’s office immediately.]

Who-wait, isn’t that the…?

[Ella, to Emilia’s office immediately,] the voice repeated before hanging up.

Sam paused in thought, remembering that was what Rex had referred to her as the other night. Well, only one way to find out. Wasting no time, she quickly picked her bag back up and slung it hastily over her shoulder, hurrying off back to the main floor.

.

“Of course, you got his call,” Kaylen laughed ironically from the seat of her makeshift desk as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Or else you wouldn’t be walking in, huh?”

Already half on guard, the shock wasn’t overwhelming but it still stung for Sam, slowly but steadily entering, taking a seat the only chair nearby. “I never knew how to, well, explain anything properly, nor how to defend my decision.” The words came out with surprisingly little resistance, feeling as if she had already been scorned well beforehand. “So, he did call you as he said…”

“He’s a disgusting character, that’s all I know,” Kaylen spat as her frown deepened. “I’d love to know what you found in his business approach that got you of all people sold,” she then added as she locked in on Sam with a more serious gaze. “I didn’t think you were that trusting after all the living nightmares you’ve been through.”

“But,” Sam paused, knowing she should soften her rebuttal. “I mean, you heard what huge information he had for us. You know…”

“Yeah, says the guy who tried to off you the other night,” Kaylen shot back with news that shattered through everything Sam thought she had resolved. “You really think the Bishop rogue was the one calling the shots that night?”

Sam’s jaw fell agape as she took that punch to the gut. No way… it was… wait! What!?

Kaylen let Sam soak in the irony of it all, now sifting through papers inside a folder she picked up. Pulling out a single sheet, she passed it to her, allowing her time to snap back to reality enough to notice the offer. “I feel sorry for you in a way, but this is the type of shit people in spots like us call another just another bad spell. Now, read.”

Sam gathered her focus enough to skim the scribbled translations Kaylen wrote across what looked like a transmission record. Finishing up, her already shot nerves started showing through the slight tremors running through her fingers as she looked back at Kaylen. “You all… just found this out this morning? It was real?”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Rex must have wanted you dead before that Bishop group went rogue- I say rogue because they were Rex’s men. So was Reaper, remember? This little split happened the night they ordered that hit on you.” She saw some life coming back into Sam’s eyes the more she reaffirmed the actual standing of their situation. “Rex lost Reaper for good, and since you’re still alive, now he wants to use you instead of fight you.”

Sam could only shake her head. “I can’t believe this shit…”

Kaylen chuckled in disgust. “Like I said. Guy is a fucked up sack of shit, but here we are with a deal we accepted just because.”

“Wait, we?” Sam was feeling much more like she was prior to stepping inside. “You accepted it as well, knowing all that!?”

“Damn right,” she continued in her chuckle. “You think we have etiquette and follow rules? Girl, do you remember why I ever came here in the first place?”

Oh, right, to clear her name. And Reaper’s elimination is her only way out.

“You see?” Kaylen continued as she took back the paper and placed it back inside the folder. “Me agreeing is one thing, but you? You never consulted me and that’s the only thing I worry about as we start feeling the gravity of the situation we’re now in.”

Sam started recalling other important pieces of the end of their conversation, focusing on the one last unanswered question mark: “Two-fifty. What was that all about?”

Kaylen shrugged her shoulders. “Did he say that? Two-fifty? What, a time to meet? A part of an address?”

Sam shook her head in return. “He said in about two days, something about two-fifty, and me being ‘Ella’ for the time being.”

“Then, yeah, it’s probably that specific time,” Kaylen spoke back, straightening herself in her chair. “Listen, I got to help piece together more intel my group brought in since, well, I’ll tell you now. There’s some storm brewing between Bishop and Rex and it might not be pretty, and shit might all go down in the capital sometime this coming weekend.”

“The big SAU Senate voting session in Buenos Aires,” Sam mumbled as she recalled news tidbits she had picked up throughout the mostly sleepless nights.

“Yeah, has to be that.” Kaylen then turned back to her computer as if to resume work. “Anyway, that plus the new task I have of informing Hexa’s uppers of our new situation and requesting permission to move the inbound Galatine and Arondight as needed. Never know how things might change.”

Sam was breathing normally by now, having had time to process everything. Sounds like I got lucky this time. I really need to stop being so afraid of confrontation… not like I’m talking to my mother. She then stood up as if to excuse herself. “So, I guess I should stick to my own task at hand until then, I assume?”

“Nothing else you should do- and I mean that as in stay the hell away from that communicator unless we call you,” Kaylen half snapped just at the thought of more trouble coming from, in her opinion, Sam’s fatal curiosity.

“But, I did stay away. Rex was the one calling me,” Sam attempted to calmly rebut, drawing a wave from Kaylen instead of a fuss.

“Right, right, you still get my point?”

Sam nodded with a shrug of her shoulders as she left, choosing to keep the current if only temporary understanding they reached. But it’s not like I can just… get back to work. I HAVE to tell Sebastian about this before time is up this afternoon. She let out a heavy sigh as she approached the lift that would take her back below ground.

She stepped back into the Ai20’s cockpit but this time with her mind on the call before the task. She sat leaned against the now closed main hatch padding, head propped against her folded arms, letting out another difficult sigh. She knew this would be her last reasonable chance before work would suck her straight into lunch and the looming 2:50PM she still assumed to be the time Rex would call. By that point she knew she’d hit the point of no return if she didn’t come clean beforehand.

“6:45” read her watch as she hesitated for the hundredth time before swiping up the message function, tapping on Sebastian’s name.

“If you’re awake,” she spoke through the speech-to-text function. “Please call me.”

It was her hundredth slow, heavy sigh as well the second she sent it. And I still don’t know how I’m going to explain all of this without-

*Bzzt!*

Rang her watch’s vibrating call alert, triggering her heartrate to skyrocket.

“Hey,” she weakly spoke into her headset as she sat upright.

“Are you alright? You don’t normally call so early,” Sebastian asked, seemingly fully awake and alert.

Don’t lose it, Sam. She knew what she could and couldn’t reveal over an insecure line, but it would still take a lot of focus not to lose her restraint through the upcoming emotional rollercoaster. “Are you still coming to Bahia Blanca today?”

“That’s what Kaylen told me about thirty minutes ago. Did she not confirm with you?”

“I was…” Shit… Her stomach tightened by the second. “We… we were actually talking about what I might have to do today.”

“Oh, are you going to be around when I get there? She said I should be there maybe after lunch.”

Oh, wait… that soon? She had me thinking more like at night, but this might work out better!! Her tension eased up a touch, leaning her head against the padding in front, letting out a slower, quiet breath. “Yeah, I should be. I mean, now that I think about it, let me tell you what’s up when you get here. I can’t say too much.”

“Right, the line, yes?”

Another easier sigh escaped. Thank God he understands at least that much.

“Right. But I called because I thought you were coming later. I don’t know what’s about to happen to be a hundred percent sure, but it’s, well, kind of a big deal. Like, really big deal and I don’t want to just up and move on to something big without telling you everything.”

“No, no, I am coming, and I actually leave with Dani in, ahn, maybe an hour if I remember correct.”

“Ah, great, that makes it so much easier,” she spoke before realizing the content wouldn’t change. Shit, no it doesn’t. It might make him react even more strongly in person… fuck.

“Well, look, I know you are busy.”

“Yeah, in the cockpit as we speak,” Sam added with an awkward chuckle. “I guess I had better stay busy before they get mad at me.”

Sam ended up wrapping up the conversation and hanging up soon after, but just before that she had something pop up in her mind. Not a sigh was released this time as she quickly reached up for her helmet and loosely seated it in place on her head, pulling down the visor.

I have to try this idea out first before Sebastian gets here. This just might make the difference in how I approach this whole damn mess.

She saw Renzo’s status nearby lit up as active, signaling he was already in the cockpit chipping away at his practice. “Renzo, you got a second?”

[Cruella, very unexpected of you to stop me in the middle of your work.]

Yeah, he knows. I can tell in his voice.

[You got something?]

“I do. Can you come over here real quick? In person.”