Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
Rissa turned her attention back to the city lights, but something about her posture made Sin think she was proud of herself.
The only time he'd seen her like this was when she talked about the molecule she'd found.
The one that solved problems with quantum physics. This? It might be even more impressive.
Then, without looking at him, she said, "I know how Benedict really died."
That had his complete attention. "How?" he demanded.
She swallowed so loud he could hear it. "When I was taken to your trial, I rode in a limousine with him. I saw his nails and told him to seek treatment." Finally, she looked over. "He refused."
"No…" Sin breathed. "Rissa, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he said I couldn't." Her eyes refused to stay on his face, dropping instead to his hands in his lap.
"And he was right. If they couldn't use the Praetor's death to assume control of the Legion, then they would've used your downfall.
The trial was only the first attempt, meant to make a public display.
It would not have been the last, and losing your place in the Legion would be a death sentence for you.
I had to choose, Legate, and Benedict was right. "
"No," he breathed. "Oh, Rissa, but we could've saved him!"
"He refused," she said again. "He knew he was ill, Sin. He said he wasn't surprised, but he thought he was sacrificing himself…" She almost stopped there, and then added, "...for you."
For a little too long, Sin sat there silently. His hand slowly caressed the outside of her far arm, but his eyes were on the glow of the city below them. Finally, he pulled in a deep breath and pushed it out in a determined sigh.
"And you've been carrying this around the whole time, huh?"
"Yes," she admitted. "It was why I checked the web during that data transfer. I had been checking every chance I could because I knew you would want to say goodbye. Benedict asked me not to tell you, but I didn't want you to be with me when you should've been with him."
He pulled her closer, squeezing her lightly for a moment in a side hug.
"Thank you for that. I did get the chance to say goodbye.
I wish we could've…" His voice broke, making him clear his throat.
"It's not your fault. Someone poisoned him, and he asked for your silence.
You tried to make the best decision you could. "
"Was I wrong?" she asked.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I also think it was Joshua who poisoned him—or at least he had someone else do it."
"Me too." She turned to look up at his face. "If I was your partner, we could figure this out together and then stop it. I could help you, Sin."
He reclined back into the chair with a soft sigh. "You are helping me, Riss, but you can't be a priest yet. Deal?"
She groaned and shook her head. "Why no-"
A loud blast interrupted her. The echoes of it bounced through the city, the sound turning higher-pitched each time it reverberated. Neither of them moved for a moment, then they both jumped up together, scanning the skyline for where it had come from.
"I need a network," Rissa gasped. "I need a map of the city, centered around where we are, and I can tell you where that was."
A few blocks over, the windows were shattered out of buildings. A block further, a dim glow and a thick plume of smoke stood as an announcement to the tragedy. Even in the darkness, it was black, like a shadow against the night.
"It's Pharmacon," Sin said softly.
Rissa turned and looked to her right. "Sin?" she pointed.
The neon green sign in the distance proclaimed the company's headquarters—and was still standing.
"That's the headquarters." He pointed at the burning rubble just visible through the narrow streets. "That is the manufacturing center."
Rissa sucked in a breath and clutched the railing. "Stabiltrol," she breathed. "Oh, shit. Sin? Sin! That's what they were talking about!"
"Who?" He grabbed her shoulders. "Princess, breathe. We're ok, we're in one of the safest buildings in town. Breathe first, then explain."
She nodded. "The new Praetor is Joshua, right?"
"Yes," Sin said, then added, "I did not vote for him."
"Didn't think so. Look, the same MAC address that responds to comments on the Legion's social media under the name Joshua has been creating discussions in locked forums."
"What?" he asked.
She ticked things off on her fingers. "Same device. Same location. One for the church, one for an extremist group. Most likely the same person."
His head started bobbing as he tried to process that. "Ok? Do I want to know how you found this?"
"I'm an Ingénue." She waved that off and kept going.
"He's been inciting a group that calls themselves the Devoted.
They're civilians who support the Legion—usually radically.
They've been discussing lynching the enhanced.
Between the conversations in the group and some news reports, I've been able to verify eleven different attacks that were instigated in the main forum, all by someone with the same virtual address as the new Praetor. "
"Shit." Sin gestured for her to keep going.
"They've been making threats against both Pharmacon and OutLink for their support of cybernetics, along with a few others.
" She took a deep breath. "This morning, while I was waiting for an assignment, they were discussing the fireworks.
One person said it would be a show to make all of the enhanced cry.
" She pointed at the destroyed building. "That's what they meant."
"What about OutLink?" he asked.
She shook her head. "I don't know. They never name anything specifically.
I only know they meant OutLink because of the tangent about 'Brains.
' They just said they'd shut the whole thing down with their display, and that it would be a night to celebrate.
There were comments about barbecuing with the tears of the enhanced. "
"Rissa," Sin said, keeping his voice calm. "Are they going to attack OutLink?"
She looked up at him. "I don't know. They haven't hit more than one place in a single night, so probably not yet."
The words were barely out of her mouth before another explosion rang out. This one, thankfully, was further away. Still, Sin and Rissa both turned to the sound, hurrying to the railing so they could find where it came from.
***
Her eyes scanned the night sky, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but Rissa wasn't used to seeing the skyline like this. It all looked new to her.
Then Sin pointed. "There." And his arm slowly sank back down. "Shit. That's Sisec's cybernetics plant."
Sure enough, in the middle of the smoke and debris cloud, a holographic sign sputtered. The cloud made the lights look even more solid, but she could read the words, "SiSec Manufacturing."
"I'm getting you out of there." He dragged his hand across his jaw and stared out across the city. "Tonight. I already have you out—"
"No." She tugged at his arm. "Sin, you need to get Stabiltrol. Tonight. As much as you can."
He caught the side of her face and made her look at him.
"You, Rissa, are my angel. You come before all else, even me.
That's two fucking bombs, and there's no way I'm taking you back to another location that's already been targeted.
" He paused, holding her eyes for a little too long.
"We're doing this tonight. You can either help or make me kidnap you. Your choice."
She jiggled her head in agreement. "Then we're doing this tonight," she agreed.
Letting her go, Sin stepped back and pressed the spot just in front of his ear. Rissa heard him push out a tense breath, but the man only paced for two steps before turning back to her.
Then, "Davis." Sin paused. "Yeah, I know.
OutLink's at risk too. I need to get her out.
Is it ready?" Another pause. "Then fucking make it ready!
" Sin paused yet again. "Ok. She's got at least twenty minutes, and probably a while longer.
Yeah. Mm-hmm. And OutLink will come looking for her, so we need this quiet.
" The next pause was longer, and then, "Thanks, Davis. "
When Sin disconnected his call, he turned back to Rissa. "Ok, I have you a safe house. Let's go."
But she merely clenched her hands at her sides and raised her chin.
"I will go with you, Brother Sin, but I have my own conditions.
We need to get Stabiltrol, and we need to do it now, because as soon as the news announces which buildings were destroyed, there will be a run on it.
" She pulled in a breath. "We need to get it first."
"Riss…" he tried.
"No," she snapped. "Of all the problems I've been given, this is the one that's actually worth solving!
We are going across town. We will pass a pharmacy.
This is what you need to do to protect those who are too weak to protect themselves, and I'm helping, Sin!
You don't want to take me back, so this is my condition. Either you agree or I stay here."
He just lowered his head and shoved a hand into his hair. "Then you're really leaving me no choice. There's just one problem. I'm a priest, Riss. They don't just give that away, and I'm not exactly rich."
She simply smiled. "I know."