Chapter 28 Bait & Bla
The convoy proceeded smoothly at first, the hum of the armored van’s engine filling the silence. It was awkward—unbearably quiet, even for . Shouldn’t soone say sothing? Crack a joke? At least ask about the damn weather? Instead, I felt the weight of eyes on , and the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
Sitting in the van with Jonas, Lion King, and Vortex, I tried to make sense of the oppressive atmosphere. My instincts told sothing was off, but it was hard to pinpoint what. Maybe it was nerves... this cargo was the mission’s crown jewel, after all.
I decided to prod Jonas for answers, testing the waters. “Jonas, how long have you been Mathilda’s right hand?”
He didn’t get a chance to answer.
“Enough,” Vortex cut in sharply. “No talking.”
I was about to retort, but Jonas smiled. It was an unnerving, friendly grin. And in one smooth motion, he pulled out a pair of pistols. Before I could react, he fired.
Pain erupted across my chest as the first bullet grazed . The second shot sent Vortex crumpling to the floor. My reflexes kicked in, and I scrambled for the exit, trying to phase through the walls.
But I couldn’t.
The air felt heavy and suffocating, my powers refusing to respond. A nullifier. Jonas was a fucking nullifier.
I barely registered the realization before Lion King’s foot smashed down on my shoulder, slamming to the floor. Pain shot through , and I groaned as his weight pinned down.
“Jonas, you’re a nullifier all along…” I hissed through gritted teeth, my mind racing for a way out. “Fucker.”
Lion King didn’t respond, but his golden eyes glead as his foot pressed harder into . I twisted to look up at him, only to see his body partially shifting—his human form giving way to rippling muscle and a mane of golden fur. Shifter. Of course, I knew.
I needed ti. Just enough to think.
“I know the first half of the password to open the cargo,” I blurted out. It wasn’t a calculated lie, just pure survival instinct. “Nightgard cracked it before I killed him. He didn’t finish decrypting, but I got enough to matter.”
That made them pause. I caught the flicker of hesitation in Lion King’s movent, the faintest falter in Jonas’s unwavering grip.
“The cargo,” I added, dragging the words out to give myself another second, “is hiding a Precog-9.”
Their reactions were imdiate, their stiff postures betraying a mix of disbelief and apprehension. They hadn’t known. I’d guessed right... They had no idea what was inside.
That could an Mathilda didn’t know… Either Mathilda was lying about her sense of hearing could spread across the entire ship or that she purposefully made her minions uninford about the content of the cargo. I was banking on the fact that she was unaware of the cargo’s contents and that she didn’t hear Nightgard confessing to the first half of the cargo’s password.
Jonas pressed the barrel of his pistol against my temple. “How do you know this?” His tone was even, but there was a sharp edge of suspicion. "Precog-9? Don't tell it's Nightgard? Using a dead man as an excuse... How convenient..."
My mind scrambled for a plausible answer. It wasn’t enough to sell the lie; I needed to sell myself.
“Royal,” I said quickly, my voice tinged with just the right amount of desperation. “Royal told . He hired personally, said he had a deal with Sharpy after her crew was ambushed and slaughtered. I’m bait, okay? He sent here to lure out the traitor. Once Sharpy figures out who targeted her, she’ll activate sleeper agents Royal planted among the crew.”
"You are bluffing!"
"Bluffing? No, I am not!" I forced a bitter laugh. “I’m useful, Jonas. I can tell you more.”
There was a tense pause. Lion King’s weight didn’t lift, but his claws didn’t sink into either. Jonas’s expression was unreadable as he exchanged a glance with Lion King.
“Talk,” Jonas said coldly, his gun still pressed to my head. “Quickly.”
I took a shallow breath, praying my next lie would stick.
I didn’t stop talking, letting my words spill out like a flood. “It was a mistake leaving Sharpy on the ship! Don’t you see? By the ti you return, there won’t even be a ship left. She’s probably planning to take it for herself! But I can help you... I’m not just so random freelancer. I’ve got plans, big plans back in Markend. You need alive!”
Lion King crouched beside , his predatory gaze locked onto mine. Without a word, he reached down and yanked off my hat—and with it, my bonnet. The cold air bit at my exposed skin, and I flinched involuntarily.
Lion King’s expression shifted, a cruel smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh, he’s just a kid,” he said mockingly, tilting his head to study like a curiosity. His claws flexed against my shoulder, their sharp edges reminding that he could tear through in a heartbeat. “What’s your call, Jonas?”
Jonas didn’t answer imdiately. His pistol stayed trained on , his eyes narrowing as he weighed his options. I could feel the tension between them, a silent conversation playing out over my pinned body.
I decided to press my luck. “You don’t want to kill ,” I said, forcing confidence into my voice. “Not yet. If you do, you lose your only leverage against Sharpy and Royal. Think about it... if I’m dead, they’ll know you’ve gone rogue. But if I’m alive, you’ve got a bargaining chip.”
Lion King chuckled darkly. “Bold for soone in your position.” His claws pressed down slightly, not enough to draw blood, but enough to make my muscles scream in protest. "Why do you think we isolated you and Vortex of all people?"
Vortex was a teleporter, and I am an intangible... Our survivability was off the charts. What should I say to make them believe I was no threat to them, and I was more useful to them alive than dead?
"I am in here for the money," I confessed. "I got... student loans..." That was a lie.
Jonas finally spoke, his voice calm and asured. “He’s got a point. Killing him now is ssy. But keeping him alive… that could work.”
Lion King grunted in acknowledgnt, his claws retracting as he stood up. He lood over , his shadow stretching long in the dim light of the van. “Fine,” he said. “But if you try anything stupid, kid, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Jonas gestured with his gun. “Get up.”
I pushed myself to my feet, my shoulder throbbing where Lion King’s foot had pinned down. My hat and bonnet lay forgotten on the floor, leaving feeling strangely vulnerable without them.
Jonas stepped closer, his gun still aid at my chest. “You’ve got one chance, Eclipse. Prove you’re useful, or you’re dead. Understand?”
I nodded, swallowing hard. “Crystal clear.”
Lion King snorted. “You’d better hope you’re as smart as you think you are, kid. Otherwise, you’re just dead weight.”
The van lurched slightly as the convoy continued its journey. I glanced out the narrow window, catching a glimpse of the sprawling wilderness beyond. My mind raced, searching for a way to turn this disaster around. They weren’t going to trust , not completely. But if I could buy enough ti, if I could figure out their endga… maybe, just maybe, I’d get out of this alive.
I stared at Vortex’s lifeless body, sprawled awkwardly on the van floor. Blood pooled beneath him, glinting in the dim light. That could have been . My pulse thudded in my ears, but I forced myself to breathe evenly. I needed to stay sharp.
“I’ll give you what you want,” I said, my voice steady despite the rising tension. “The first half of the password is Delta-7-1-4. Consider it as goodwill on my part, and that I am willing to beco your accomplice. The only ones who know the full password are the clients and Royal, right? Blackout’s your best shot at cracking the rest of it.”
"You are either stupid to share the password so easily like that, or you are an idiot."
Lion King's words had rit, but half the password was useless to ... and was more useful to to incentivize Jonas. Moreover, a Precog-9 didn't really appeal to my greed. The cargo held no value to . In the end, I'm just a start-up grunt. Lastly, by giving up half the password, they perceived that I've learned from Royal, they would think of as a traitor. It was the best move I could think of.
Jonas tilted his head, his sharp gaze pinning in place. “You’re suggesting we force Blackout to cooperate?”
I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “It’s your best bet. Blackout’s a genius when it cos to tech. Everyone knows that. She’ll figure out the rest of the password if you apply the right… incentives. But you don’t have much ti. I believe Royal might have set up a trap for this betrayal. If you wait too long, you risk losing everything.”
Jonas exchanged a glance with Lion King, who shrugged. “Sounds plausible,” Lion King muttered, his tone laced with disinterest.
I continued, using the montum to muddy the waters. “But there’s a catch. If you push too hard, the other freelancers will notice. I don't think you have their loyalty. They’ll figure out what you’re up to, and then it won’t just be you have to deal with—it’ll be all of them.”
Lion King smirked. “Let them co. I’m not afraid of a little resistance.”
I bit back a retort, focusing instead on the bigger picture. I needed to turn this situation to my advantage, to plant seeds of doubt and force the others into action.
“If you want my advice,” I said, “stirring up conflict is your best option. The freelancers are a loose alliance at best. Pit them against each other, and you’ll have a better chance of keeping control. Otherwise, they might unite against you.”
Jonas studied for a long mont, his expression unreadable. Then he lowered his gun slightly, though his finger still hovered near the trigger. “You’ve got a silver tongue, Eclipse. I’ll give you that. But don’t think I trust you for a second. Keep your advice to yourself.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to trust ,” I replied smoothly. “But I know how this works. You keep alive as long as I’m useful, right? And I’m telling you... if you play your cards right, you might actually get a better deal out of this conundrum.”
Jonas didn’t respond, but I could see the gears turning in his head.
At this point, it was revealed that Jonas was the traitor... and Lion King too. If Jonas were working alone, he'd have killed Lion King. And if they weren't working alone, it ant there could be more. But, who were they receiving orders from? That was the ultimate mystery. I found Mathilda as the most suspicious person right now. Chances were, she was the mastermind behind everything.
I glanced at Lion King, whose golden eyes glead with amusent. “You’re banking on survival, huh?” he asked, his tone mocking. “Smart move, kid. But don’t get too comfortable. We’re not done with you yet.”
I didn’t doubt that for a second. Jonas and Lion King weren’t going to let walk away from this, not without ensuring their plans succeeded. But I wasn’t naive enough to think I’d survive by playing along.
That was where Sharpy would co along.
If I could buy enough ti, Sharpy would have no choice but to act. She’d need to rally the freelancers to convince them that fighting back was the only option. And Gladiatress and Berserker… I wasn’t sure where their loyalties lay, but I’d have to gamble that they weren’t part of this ss.
A ‘cause.’ That’s what it always ca down to. Sothing to unite everyone against a common enemy. If I played my cards right, Jonas and Lion King would provide exactly that.
But for now, I had to focus on staying alive... and keeping the flas of suspicion burning just bright enough to set everything ablaze.
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