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Rain was soaking the obsidian asphalt of the N109 zone making Caleb nearly able to see his reflection in it as neon lights reflected off of the metal on his boots as he walked down the street. He masqueraded as a civilian in the lawless city time and time again for his own benefit. Times like these reminded him of her with a painful twist in his chest but tonight he had to ignore it.
He pushed through the rowdy crowds coloring the streets, fleeting conversations flying past his ears as he walked, something about a night club and trades. He chanced a look, a couple women and men probably from one of the local gangs. Nothing overly interesting that could keep his attention for long.
The N109 Zone was nothing like the convenient and comfortable lifestyle that Linkon city offered or the protocore powered Skyhaven and its research centers. Here crime was the power force of life and all the outlaws risked their lives for the chance to hit it big just once. Though regardless of how opportunistic they became, it could only go as far as Onychinus allowed.
It was the unwritten law that every citizen was aware of, if they didn't abide by it, they'd not be alive for too long to spend whatever they'd managed to earn in a short spurt.
Caleb ignored them as he got closer to his destination. He could see the sign from here in all its quiet deliberation.
Elysium
The low-key tavern served as a front for many illegal trades but he was only interested in intel. He hesitated before the door for a moment, his confidence wavered as he wondered if he could even afford it. His thorough research had brought up different results but nothing solid. He didn't know for sure if money was the only currency around here or if there were different ways to pay but if he judged by the entirety of how things were ran in the N109 Zone, it couldn't be that simple.
He pushed the door open and spotted the low-key tavern owner behind the counter, her curly brown hair in an up-do as she served a patron. There weren't many clients in the open space but Caleb could hear distant chatter and spinning roulette wheels, probably coming from a side room.
The dim yellow lighting and cigarette smoke made him hyper aware of every movement and sound, more so when he noticed the woman behind the counter glance at him and make her way in the back, disappearing from view. He didn't react to it, just sat down at the bar three seats away from the other patron and waited.
It had been a month since his fuck up on the phone with Sylus. If he could feel anything, he'd be ashamed but right now it was only a phantom nagging on the back of his mind that he couldn't really pinpoint. The chip was making it impossible to live through the feeling, as long as it wasn't a threat there was nothing to register and take action about.
Since that little incident, he'd been extra careful, willingly going through the pain of the fleet scientists recalibrating the chip until they made him fit into his role of the Colonel again. It was an excruciating, debilitating pain that he never had the pleasure to forget.
Not long after the tavern owner, less known as Aisslin, had left, she was back again, carrying a plate Caleb hadn't ordered.
“Apple Burst Special, for you," Aislinn's voice was seductive, mysterious in its simplicity.
She set the plate in front of him, giving him a short pointed look as she left the description card of the dessert and an envelope.
Salted caramel ice cream, fresh apples, dark rum and chilli crisp.
If you survived the 2036 gang war that devoured the streets of the N109 Zone, this is the dessert you can't turn down. A luxurious sweet and savory, slightly smoky ice cream on top of apple crumble made of apples caramelized in dark rum and chilli crisp. Finished off with an extra drizzle of chilli crisp on top for that extra bite.
Caleb put the description card aside and picked up the dark red envelope, conveniently sealed with a black feather. He broke the seal, revealing a thick piece of paper with red ink.
Nobody is better than the perfect enemy. Wouldn't you agree, my little spy?
I'll be waiting outside in half an hour. Until then, enjoy your dessert.
He wasn't surprised that Sylus knew he was here. He'd just hoped that it'd take more time to be found out than this. It sounded like he knew he'd be here even before Caleb had set foot in The N109 Zone.
He always knew.
Caleb didn't feel a particular way about that right now.
He picked up the fork and gathered some of the ice cream along with the crumble. He hadn't imagined there would be chilli crisp without garlic or onions but that's what this was. It stung his tongue as soon as it touched it, the ice cream did little to soothe it.
It tasted good… in a complicated, twisted way that he couldn't have imagined before trying it. The irony had him clear the plate and push it back. He hadn't even managed to put the fork down before Aislinn set a cup next to his hand. The real one. It made him think it was deliberate since he'd eaten with his right hand and not the left.
“On the house,"
It looked like a simple coffee with cream but he could smell the whisky without picking up the cup. Coffee, cream, whisky… and something. Something that was not quite right. He couldn't quite tell just by the smell.
Aislinn's eyes on him asked do you dare? He could feel the sudden tension in the air, the chip reacting, assessing the threat even before he consciously thought of this as such. He ignored it and took the cup to his lips.
Before he could drink, tendrils of red-black mist wrapped around it, making it feel weightless. His back straightened as he felt the presence.
"Hallucinogens, Aislinn, really?” Sylus sounded almost amused, but he heard the minor threat behind it.
"It's nothing but a sprinkle of fate,” She drawled, not even slightly ruffled. "I merely wanted to give him the full experience of our homeland, nothing more… nothing less,”
Sylus scoffed but didn't react otherwise. Caleb's hand was still hovering in the air but he now noticed the cup had disintegrated, not even a speck of it left behind. He put his hand down slowly.
“Your stay was cut short but it couldn't be helped," He could feel Sylus had stepped closer, his back burning with the heat that he could feel radiating from his body. He ran too hot, it was ridiculous. Especially since Caleb had been used to being the one with higher body temperature his whole life.
He didn't reply, neither did he acknowledge it. He could almost feel Sylus's frown without turning around to see it. Aislinn had left to tend to other patrons, leaving no distraction for Caleb, making him hyper aware of the presence behind him.
"Ignoring me now, my little spy?” Sylus didn't touch him but he didn't have to, the effect was instantaneous, the hair behind Caleb's neck stood up, the warning signals warring in his brain as the chip tried and failed to grasp whether the current situation was a threat to his safety or not.
Body temperature elevating
Estimating…
Heart rate higher than the norm…
Estimating…
He ignored it all. The chip was supposed to be on high alert, detecting threats, minimizing his reaction window. But all of this… wasn't about that. His reaction had nothing to do with planning an efficient attack. He'd stayed silent for too long now, he could feel the space closing in on him, the air thinning.
Deep down it irritated him that he couldn't finish his mission but it was nothing more than static, buzzing at the back of his head. He stood up abruptly, and walked past Sylus. He let him but followed behind.
In truth, Caleb wasn't sure what he wanted to do now. In theory after a total bust, he would've returned to Skyhaven and came up with another plan. Yet…
“You seem undecided, Colonel," Sylus's voice irked something within him as it usually did. It wasn't as intense right now but he knew it. The knowledge alone made him pause in his step, his face was blank, his body stiff as he turned around.
He didn't know what expression he'd expected to see on Sylus's face but it was nothing like he'd imagined. It stumped him. Those red eyes again… they weren't judgemental. Neither were they cold and calculating. Instead… he looked amused, with a pinch of something else. Fondness perhaps… Caleb didn't want to think about it.
Instead he kept looking, stupidly.
Why do I feel like that again… How can I even feel at all…?
“Fine, you caught me,” Caleb said, wanting an out. Needing an out, lest he did the complete opposite of what he should again. "Happy?"
Sylus chuckled, rich and predatory. “How could I possibly be happy, Colonel? When you've strayed away from me for so long,"
Caleb felt a cold then hot wave rush over his body, the chip had gone crazy with statistics at some point but even its technology couldn't handle the conflicting and intense emotions rushing to the surface, choking Caleb out unbidden.
No… This isn't what I came here for.
"Oh?” He could see Sylus frown now, taking a step closer, looking at him as if he'd heard his thoughts, as if he could see beyond the surface. "Something isn't quite right…"
Caleb didn't have the time to look away or step back anymore as he felt the pull. Sylus's right eye was glowing, he froze in place.
Leave.
Leave
Walk away.
Caleb…
You want to go with him.
Go…
No.
"Don't,”
"They leashed your desires,” Sylus growled. "Is this the honored Fleet technology that scientists died to create? Making obedient puppets?”
He sounded so disgusted, it made Caleb shiver. He pulled away, breaking eye contact.
"Fleet business is classified,” Caleb replied coldly. “I'll be leavin’,"
Sylus said nothing but the moment he tried to walk away, black-red mist wrapped around his body, holding without restricting. A gentle rendition of Caleb's worst fears.
You don't want to leave…
That nagging in the back of his head was back, tempting him, making him rethink.
What you want doesn't matter. Finish the mission as soon as possible.
“Caleb,"
Sylus's voice broke through the momentary delusion. The mist that enveloped him held a little tighter. He grimaced but didn't try to free himself. He wanted Sylus to let go… or to grip harder. He said nothing, the moment a stand still in his inner dilemma as he just stood there stupidly, unable to decide once again.
Distance and chaos… or proximity and silence.
Always the same two things rotating in his head, in truth he never willingly chose the first option even if he wanted to. Staying away from Sylus had proven to be in vain. He'd always relapse in the worst ways. It'd start unknowingly, one second he'd think of her, the next he'd want to visit Sylus… and by the end of the week he'd be strapped to machinery all over again if he didn't.
I hate that I need you. When did it start…
He didn't know how long he had stayed silent and unmoving but soon, he felt the mist loosening, slowly disappearing as Sylus began to let him go and for a moment he reached with his own hand, trying to pull it back, to pull him back.
No… no.
His heart kick-started again, beating fast enough to hurt as if he was losing something essential that he could only have once in his life, like… just like…
“No," It was pathetic even to his own ears, the weakness with which he wanted to beg.
What the hell is wrong with me…
He turned around abruptly, ready to humiliate himself once again…
Sylus was gone like mist.