Ch. 11 Detained

Zephyr growled and fought against the holo-Chains with all his might, but they didn't yield. Every half-hour they gave the man a shock, 500 watts of electricity straight into his nervous system. It was pure torture.

The metal door on the side of the cell opened with a creak, revealing Zeke Jenson as he walked in with two armed guards.

"Hello Tempest!" Zeke said with a hearty clap, smiling widely. "I'm a big fan of your work, warrior of the east, a real force to be reckoned with, I was wondering where a crazy kid like you wandered up…"

"You don't know me, stop talking so familiarly…" Zephyr said quietly, straining against the chains as Zeke frowned.

Bam!

Zephyr coughed and spit out blood as he slammed into the white wall, courtesy of Zelle's kick.

"I know more about you than you think, we've been watching you since little Jack recruited your help, he even gave you a certain set of artifacts that I'd like returned… Now."

Zephyr spit toward Zeke, flipping him off as best as he could. "Eat shit and die asshole, I'd never give up my artifacts."

Zeke looked like he was trying to hold back his anger, but he stepped back calmly and smiled down at the man. "Have it your way then, not sure if Orion has told you anything about this place… But all of our toys break eventually…"

With those words, Zephyr's chains began shocking him, continuing well past the usual time. As he began to scream out in pain, Zeke left the room, laughing at the other man's pain.

A few moments later, Zeke was in front of Orion, looking down at him with pure hatred.

"Sup Uncle, do you mind loosening these chains? It'd be a shame if your nephew was uncomfortable right?"

"Still haven't lost that snarky attitude? Even after 10 years? Howard should have killed you that day…"

"But he didn't, he said he loved me like a son, bet that put a huge shit all over your plans right?" Orion said with a smirk, containing his urge to laugh.

Zeke's face tightened, a mixture of anger and disdain briefly crossing his features before he regained his composure. "Love is a weakness, Orion. It blinds even the best of us to the realities of our ambitions. But let's not dwell on the past. We have more pressing matters to discuss."

Orion tilted his head slightly, feigning interest. "Oh? And what would those 'pressing matters' be?"

Orion knew what Zeke would say before he even said it. "The nexus of course, intelligence department has been eavesdropping through your little girlfriend's phone. Nice job with that by the way."

Orion frowned, 'I told her to throw it out,' He thought to himself before focusing back on Zeke. "Who cares if I'm looking for it? You're barely government, and I doubt the big guys down north care if a student tries to find a mythological object."

Zeke chuckled, making Orion feel uneasy. It was a laugh devoid of any real humor, filled instead with a dark, knowing undertone. "Ah, but you see, that's where you're wrong, Orion.

The Nexus isn't just a myth, you know that deep down, And it's not just any 'student' who's been searching for it. One of the only technomancers born within the last 500 years. Besides, your brother, Jack, already found it."

Orion's heart skipped a beat. The casual revelation, delivered with such nonchalance, struck him like a physical blow. He struggled to maintain his composure, to not let Zeke see how deeply the news affected him. "Found it?

That's impossible. If he had found the Nexus, we wouldn't be here having this conversation."

"Oh, but it is true," Zeke continued, his smile growing wider, more malevolent. "Jack found the Nexus, alright. But understanding its power, truly harnessing it, is another matter entirely. He barely got the chance to scratch the surface before… Well before his untimely disappearance.

The implications of Zeke's words weighed heavily on Orion. If Jack had indeed found the Nexus, it changed everything. The power to reshape reality, to bend the fabric of the universe to one's will—the possibilities were endless, and terrifying.

"And now, we want you to finish what he started," Zeke said, leaning in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"You see, we've been keeping a close eye on you, Orion. And with some old dna tests, we've confirmed you have a certain... affinity for the Nexus. A potential that even your brother didn't possess… Well it's theoretical but I'm optimistic."

"Why would I help you?" Orion asked, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. "What's in it for me? Will you make me a real boy?" Orion scoffed, spitting on Zeke's shoes.

Zeke straightened up, his gaze cold and calculating. "Survival, for one. And perhaps, a share of the power. But make no mistake, Orion, this isn't a negotiation. You will help us, or you will suffer the consequences. And so will everyone you care about."

Orion's jaw clenched, a reaction he understood to show anger, did he feel angry? He couldn't tell.

"Everyone I care about? But I don't care about anyone Uncle, so you have nothing on me except my own life…" Orion smiled a bit, staring Zeke right in the eye as the man was wiping away Orion's spit.

"Your brother Jack is most certainly alive. He disappeared the same time the nexus's energy spiked. We scoured the site but couldn't find either of them, nor the Aria girl. Your mission is to find them both, as well as the Nexus."

Zeke turned and began walking out before looking back at Orion. "Oh and Orion, stop feigning emotions, I know the cold husk you really are, quit pretending already."

With that Zeke left Orion to his thoughts, confirming his participation in the mission.

"Jacks… Alive?"

Though the basement floor had no reaction, the facility of The TO went completely powerless for the rest of the night.

***

The next morning Orion sat at a large table, his father sat next to him, head down and murmuring under his breath.

Zeke stood at the end of the table, staring down Orion as the TO's higher ups looked at Orion, studying him.

Meanwhile, he was playing a game on his phone, unbothered by the incredibly wealthy and important people in the room.

"Ahem… Chief Executive Jenson of the research department has informed us of your… Special circumstances. We assumed hope had been lost when your brother died, but-"

"He's not dead," Orion interrupted, continuing his game and causing the women who was speaking to frown.

"Yes, yes… Anyway, you are our next chance at finding and harnessing the abilities of The Nexus. We planned to recruit your brother when he found it, but that won't be possible now."

Before anyone else could speak or continue the awkward and uncomfortable conversation, Orion put away his phone and sat up.

"Let's talk business. $50,000 a week, with a bonus of 10,000 at the end of every month until the job is complete. When the job is finished you will continue to pay me until I'm old and withering away."

"That's absurd!" A man burst out, standing up and glaring at Orion. "Don't get cocky you dirty synth bastard, I personally slit the throats of your kind and I don't mind adding one more to the-"

"Quit it Henderson!" The woman from before yelled. "Orion, your terms are fair and to be expected given the complexity of this job. We'll definitely accommodate that."

Orion nodded. "What's your name miss?"

"Bethany Morgan."

"I'm glad we have an understanding, Miss Morgan, there are two more things I want though..."

Morgan's lips noticeably pursed, but she nodded and gestured for Orion to continue.

"First, I want to do it my way, I don't need you guys up my ass the entire time, and the second thing I want is to make my own team, same reason as before, you guys suck."

Bethany Morgan relaxed. "That sounds just fine, who did you have in mind?" She asked, smiling, but that smile soon dissapeared once Orion answered.

"Zephyr, I want him to join me on this mission, and to be wiped clean of whatever crimes against The TO you have him detained for."

The room went up in a frenzy. Henderson began to protest, Zeke began walking toward Orion, and several others glared at him as if they wanted him dead right then and there.

"Stop!" Morgan yelled, causing everyone to freeze. "Orion, I understand the couple weeks you and The Tempest have spent must have been precious... But he is a criminal, he's killed many of our best agents, and he's slowed down many missions for others in the past... I can't grant him immunity but I will allow him to go with you if you agree on one thing."

Orion didn't like it, but considering the circumstances he let her continue.

"You will lighten up your earlier condition, I want one of my agents to accompany the two of you, if you can agree to that I will allow Zephyr to travel with you, and perhaps... Think about lightening his sentence, that's the best I can do."

"Deal," Orion said with a smile, standing up and chuckling to himself as he left the room.

He never expected them to agree to those terms, but with negotiations ended, there wasn't anything they could do about it now.

"Just you wait Jack, I'll find you soon..." He muttered to himself as he walked down the familiar halls of the facility...