Work Text:
Cipher Nine's almost to the atrium exit when someone clears their throat behind him. He stops, turns.
Shit.
"Wonderful to see you again, Agent," Minder Twenty-Six says with a smile. "It's been far too long. How are you?"
"Fine," he says.
(She knows your mind. Who better to make a few additional modifications than the person who made you what you are?)
Ice, slithering behind his ribcage, through his viscera. He keeps his face professional-neutral. There's no evidence to suggest that she—
(But it's a reasonable assumption to make. Given how proprietary she is about her subjects, the pride she takes in her work, her demonstrable skill at changing how people think ... how you think ...)
There's nothing he can do about it now.
(If she discovers what you came here for ... well. You can imagine what will happen then. Eliminating the threat—)
Too risky. He's on camera entering the Intelligence complex, Watcher Three knows he was in the Archives, there are witnesses everywhere, he's done no prep work, there's no way to make it look like an accident. And if—if—she did install these "Castellan restraints," she knows the keyword. One wrong move and she'll use it. Worse—she'll know that he's aware of it.
Cipher Nine smiles back at her, thin and perfunctory, and then drops it immediately. "Was there something you wanted, Minder?" he says. No point in reciprocating the how are you. She knows he dislikes small talk. She knows he's uncomfortable around her. Ending the conversation quickly is entirely in-character for a version of Cipher Nine that doesn't know what was done to him.
"Just checking in on an old friend," she says. "Good hunting, Agent."
He nods and moves to leave. She doesn't stop him. He keeps his stride even and unhurried, not rushing, not running away. Running draws attention, raises suspicion.
(Interesting choice.)
"Shut up," he breathes, and then he's through the doors. The morning fog engulfs him, cool and damp; he angles towards his speeder on the landing pad, and only relaxes—marginally—when he's in the air again, the pale lights of Kaas City below veiled by the fog.
Quesh, IX serum, wait for it to take effect, hope it doesn't kill him, undo the conditioning.
Finish the mission.