From Ashes

[Ascendancy]

The construction site was busy with coordinated efforts. The workers dutifully ignored the Ascendancy. Part of the anonymity with which they contracted the job. No one crew would work from beginning to end, with only the engineers running the project to maintain continuity. As such, they would not know the tunnel’s purpose.

He walked a few meters into the tunnel, studying the walls as he could see through them, when a familiar voice turned him.

Allan’s proclamation made Nik lift a brow curiously. “Did he, now?” He asked. One or two extra Dominions would be wise. Michael was his first choice, except the Commander was assigned to more important work elsewhere. Alric was likewise engaged elsewhere. Allan was loyal and powerful, elements of the utmost importance to accompany them. He would suit the team. They waited only for Jay, who was supposedly in transit.

“Commander Vellas has trained all of you to the highest standards. I’ve no doubt you’ll do well, but recall your primary objective at all times. We are there to perform a service for the Custody, but you are also there to serve me. We’ll brief on strategy beforehand, but no matter what, the monsters in those tunnels cannot be allowed to escape. No matter what,” he emphasized the latter, locking upon Allan with a gaze that said they were all at risk. Everyone but him. Nikolai had zero intention of trapping himself in a subterranean dungeon for the rest of eternity.

“I’m sure you and the others are curious about this tunnel,” he gestured down the line of the hole as it plunged into the unknown.

[Nox]

Nox listened to her side of the story. He hadn't cared much then, and Sage hadn't really noticed she wasn't there. "Sage was never upset you weren't there. But he'll be upset if he knows you lost your job because of him. You don't mind if I don't tell him that right? Last thing you need is Sage poking his nose in things you don't want him in." Nox waved his hands around indicated the place they were in. "He's lost a lot and he's looking to rebuild his stash of information he doesn't need a reason to stick his nose in the Ascendancy's business. And you work for him directly, Sage following me around benefits me. And I can provide him with enough juicy underground secrets he doesn't poke around the governmental ones."

Nox smirked. "I take it you didn't want Allan to hear that story. I'm sure the Ascendancy already read the report on you."

Nox jumped up into the door frame and did a pull up. There was an added ease to the job -- very awkward. Nox knew he'd have to learn to balance that strength while he trained. It was an action he hadn't thought he'd be able to do easily or quickly.

[Allan]

Allan already knew he was expendable. He wondered what the Ascendancy might do if things went south. There were a lot of questions and he nodded his affirmation. He knew the job. He wondered if Nox knew the job.

"We do wonder. There is a game circulating -- a bet sort of. But none of us question it's necessity." Allan knew if the Ascendancy wished him to know he'd tell him, there was no point in asking. The conversations they had proved as much. They were not friends, but Allan hoped he was respected slightly. "Though they are awful noising -- when it's the dead of night and all the doctors are in their quarters you can hear the work from our rooms. The soft clang clang clang like we were working on an old railroad."

[Morven]

“Aye, you can skip the details. Just want him to know it wasn’t intentional. I don’t abandon patients.” She leaned back against the wall, arms still folded, and watched as Nox tested the new arm. “Wasn’t his fault anyway, and I don’t even regret spitting in that filthy scunner’s face -- Marcil would have been as happy with a dissection as repairing the problem. Excellent surgeon, but vile human fucking being. And the agents had already been sniffing about anyway. I’m sure they’d have still made their offer, ye ken? Just had extra incentive to accept it.”

“How’s that feeling?” She nodded to the arm, then barked a laugh for the comment. “Doubt Rikovi would much care for my sordid past to be honest. But as good as he is at keeping his own secrets, he’s got a flapping tongue. Enjoy that trip to the tunnels.” She grinned.

[Nox]

Nox laughed though it wasn't funny. "Sage is use to that treatment. His parents were the ones who did it to him to begin with -- all in the name of science. They wanted to dissect him too. Which is why he eventually turned them in." It wasn't the only reason. But Nox remembered Aurora in tears the day she found out he had horrible parents. Not that their parents were much better, but they were never bad with Aurora -- at least Dad never was. Nox tried not to growl.

But he was grateful for the change of subject. "Weird. Compesation is going to have to be worked through. I could probably do a one armed pull up with the new arm based on grip alone, but I'd be afraid of too much weight on the straps. But there was little effort with two hands." Granted he could easily do a pull up before this all. Though he hadn't really worked out to the extent he had before. Mostly out of fear of opening up the wound again. He turned to smile at her "I imagine it's going to take a little to get use to working with it. It's heavier than my arm, not much, but enough that I feel my balance shifted. Dancing and fighting are going to be new."

[Ascendancy]

“And what do you think of such a game?” he asked on quick whim. The invention of ruses to pass the time was a sign of too idle a mind. Perhaps it was time to deploy the team to various causes. Beyond the excursion below ground, there were needs in Africa and China, not to mention the efforts in Indonesia. After he left, he would make arrangements for the Dominions to have some personal leave. It would do good for morale to extend the hand of trust. It wasn’t as if they could truly disappear in this world. Not being who they were.

“The tunnel will connect the Facility to other key detention centers. Freeing up space in the Facility will enhance research endeavors and remove dangerous persons off-site. You will all learn these passages soon enough. It is inevitable that we will encounter criminal or terrorist channelers too dangerous for normal incarceration.”

He walked along the passageway. Metal and rebar remained raw. Electrical and other lines coursed overhead. It reminded him of the deconstructed car park the night the Dreyken clawed his arm to bloody shreds.

“Why do you want to go to the tunnels with Nox?”

[Morven]

She clicked her tongue in disgust. “Dinnae make it right. Aye, I knew about his parents.” Probably it was part of the reason she had let herself get too invested. Done was done now, though. Her attention returned to the arm. Beyond the healing she had already provided Morven was no expert, and she was a surgeon by training. Physio wasn’t her department. She snorted a laugh and agreed, “Aye, probably best not to break it straight away by pushing too hard. Not that I expect you wouldn’t just be offered a new one.” A brow rose, but it was a jest not a question. She didn’t care what he’d done to earn the commendation, or the special treatment.

“Dancing, eh? I suggest you eat and rest up, but like as not you’ll do as you please anyway. Since you’ve been healed before I’ll spare you the lecture. You can piss off whenever you’re ready.” She grinned.

[Nox]

Nox laughed. "I might need you to show me the way out." At least to the elevator. She pointed him in the right direction and he went. She was busy he understood. His stomach rumbled again, and he felt tired. It was going to be a long ride back to the Red Light District.

[Allan]

"The game is a distraction, but not always a bad thing. It's a comandrie thing. I've never bet anything." It was best to keep his own vices free of such induldgences. Lack of one could lead to another. Allan couldn't fall into the same traps as others did.

Allan nodded at the tunnel function. It made sense. Maybe it would mean less jerkfaces in the ranks too. Sometimes the criminals turned into good students. But Allan didn't have to like them. Not that he ever inquired too much about someone's past. "Like the guy we just brought in -- the disturbance at the block party between channelers." Allan hadn't gone out that night, he was on another duty at the time. It sucked, but it was what it was.

But then the questions turned back towards the tunnels and the former Atharim. "Nox knows about the monsters. Like the ones that attacked at the gala. He has knowledge about others, about the shadows. It's fascinating. What else is there to learn? And to learn first hand?" Allan's excitement was showing.

[Ascendancy]

Nikolai turned curiously toward his companion. “Allan, I had no idea you were so interested in the underworld,” he said. “He knows the lore, but information is cheap. You could read as many books on mythology as you desired and know just as much. Is that what you would do with the rest of your life if you could? Sit in libraries and read about the underworld? Or do you want to see it.” He smiled like he hinted at possible futures.