Lurkin

"Well, I have no other option than to agree huh?" I chastised my pitiful fate.

I only came here to join a gang and stack up some paper yet somehow ended up in the middle of a wild goose chase between the criminal hegemons of Zone 3 and the suits.

How did I even get myself into this situation? I just wanted a job. Well, I got one but this was of a completely different league.

I laughed inwardly at my current situation. This was clearly a death mission that nobody here hoped I would complete. Not even Taze. I'm sure they're just using me as a scapegoat and expect me to die during the mission so that they can say that it was the work of another corporation, thus drawing all of the heat off them.

Bermudez nodded, "Good. You can follow me and I'll show you his last known location." He said as he stood up and began walking toward the door.

"Follow me." He said.

Before I started following Bermudez I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I looked up and saw Taze staring at me with a look of...worry?

"What's wrong with you?" I asked coldly. Taze didn't come to my defense a single time during this entire encounter. Even when Tavares was debating on whether to kill me or not he still didn't say a word. Now he wants to stop me when I'm about to head on a suicide mission.

"I just want to tell you to be careful Dior." He spoke as his face immediately scrunched up from the dead look I was giving him. He knew precisely why he was getting the look I was giving him—no words needed to be said.

"I know you're pissed that I left you high and dry, putting you at Tavares's mercy but it was all a test to see how you would react." He began to explain, somehow hoping that this would make me see him in a different light, which was a pointless attempt by the way,

"A test for what?" I seethed, "To see if I'm a fed again?"

"NO." He answered through gritted teeth, "It was to prepare you for the dangers that come with street life. It's only going to get worse from here and you can die in a moment's notice so I'm testing so that when those moments eventually come you won't be softer than wet toilet paper and be able to stand your fucking ground."

I sneered, "You think I came from some sort of privileged background and decided to run away from home to get gain some 'life experience of my own?'" I chastised, "I'm from the slums of Zone 2, I'm sure I can survive the Criminal Underworld."

But to my surprise, Taze burst out in a slew of mocking laughter in response to my claim of surviving the Criminal Underworld because of my past experience of surviving the trenches of Zone 2.

"Boy, Good Christ you can't be this naive." He laughed in disdain, "You really think that you acting like a savage in the backwater wasteland known as Zone 2 is enough to prepare you for the infinite dangers of the criminal underworld? Be fucking for real."

"is it just not the same as the trenches with only a lot more politics involved because of the megacorps and the fact that not every superhuman wants to be a crash dummy and actually aspires to be more?" I asked, confused about what the issue was even about. I can take care of myself, I'm confident in my abilities of living as long as I don't get on the bad side of someone whose way too strong.

Taze just sighed and shook his head, he looked like a disappointed father not gonna lie, "You'll find out very soon." He said as he stepped to the side, "Go. Bermudez is not the type of person who likes waiting. Not one of his virtues, it would be a shame if he beat the shit out of you just because you took too long."

I was about to respond but stopped after realizing that Taze didn't want to talk anymore I just stayed silent and walked past him.

There would be time for us to talk again...hopefully.

I walked through the door and saw Bermudez leaning on the wall with his hands crossed and eyes closed.

"You ready?" He asked, sensing my presence as soon as I opened the door. He opened his eyes and turned his head to stare at me. Guessing he's looking for any signs of hesitation.

Bound to be disappointed.

"Yeah, let's just get this over with," I replied bluntly. I wanted to just sleep at this point. All this information that's just been dropped on my head was giving me a headache.

Bermudez nodded his head and before I could even realize it the wall that he was leaning on disappeared as if it was a mere illusion and I was thrown off the ledge and was freefalling full speed towards the ground.

But before I could even start screaming like a bitch I was caught by the collar of my shirt and was placed upright on the ground with absolute ease.

Taking a few deep breaths to settle my pacing heart which seemed like it was about to jump out of my chest I calmed down.

That was fast...way too fast.

It was then that I realized of weak and powerless I was. These guys could kill me and I wouldn't even know how I died. The fact I was talking mad shit to them even when I had barely any backing was insane.

But I felt like they weren't even offended by my behavior. Just indifference with some slight moments of amusement was all I felt from them. I small and unexpected source of entertainment on their otherwise boring day.

"You ready?" Bermudez asked, dragging me out of my thoughts, "The AV will be there in a few minutes. It will take us to the South Side of Zone 3 about a couple miles from the appretices last known location. I'll answer any questions you have when we board."