Elias walked towards Ivy and cut the rope loose. He removed the gag in her mouth and also the one that was used to cover her eyes.
Immediately, she sprung up from the chair and glared at Riven.
"What the fuck?"
"Hey, hey... Relax now sweetheart," Elias stopped her before she could rush towards Riven.
"You two are lucky I didn't kill you on the spot," her sharp voice cut through the air.
"Kill us? Did we even harm you? We were just..." Ivy was about to complain again when she heard the sound of a gun cocking. She immediately slammed her lips close.
"One more word and I'll shoot your rotten brains out," she threatened. After a short while, she slipped the gun behind her after they didn't say a word.
She was sure they were both undead. She saw the signals on her computers and also, they smelled so fucking bad. She had wasted a bit of their time to see if they would change but neither of them seemed to be infected.
Riven turned on her heels and motioned for them to follow.
"Get up. You're stinking up my hideout. This way."
They followed her through a narrow backdoor from the warehouse they had been dragged into. Hidden behind it was a tunnel, lit with flickering blue lights. Elias glanced around. This place wasn't made by the city; it was her personal maze.
Smart.
"Where are we? Where are you taking us to?" Ivy whispered.
"A tunnel that connects to the east district. Her base is probably near the edge of the city," Elias muttered.
The lady didn't respond until they reached a steel door. She pressed her thumb to a scanner, and it hissed open, revealing a clean space filled with weapons, gears, glowing gadgets, and a workbench.
"Strip and wash up," she ordered, throwing towels at them. "You stink like the dead. I don't need to ask. I know you two are the ones who caused the number spike. How did you get in?"
Elias raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Of course, she was right about them sneaking in.
'How was she able to find us? It can't just be by our scent!'
Elias thought to himself with his eyes glued on her.
"I'm sure this girl is something else. Dangerous. Really dangerous" he mumbled.
"Are you going to answer or what?" She asked.
They answered her while scrubbing down in the attached washroom.
"We managed to sneak in through the maintenance tunnel," Elias answered, groaning as he scrubbed his body.
"Maintenance tunnel?" She asked, folding her hands as she sat on the bench just outside the attached bathroom.
"He meant to say the waste disposal tunnel," Ivy responded, and Riven squeezed her face like shit.
"No wonder you two smell even worse. How was no one able to notice that? Ugh!" She gagged, turning her face away.
"Probably because we aren't that filthy... Your nose is just... too sniffy!" He answered, stepping out first, bare-chested, his hair still dripping wet. Water rolled down the side of his neck.
She looked up from her seat and paused.
System Notification:
> > [Target: Riven Halcroft | Lust Level: 4% | Loyalty Level: 0%]
He blinked.
'Just two per cent more?' He thought. 'Seriously? How much harder do I have to try?'
The cold stare returned to her eyes immediately after. She tossed Ivy a clean shirt and looked away like nothing happened.
After they cleaned up, Riven watched Ivy explore her gear rack. Elias's eyes scanned the walls, new model rifles with crystal chambers, knives that shimmered with electric energy, and gloves powered by light orbs. This wasn't military-grade. It was way beyond that.
"You made this?" Elias questioned.
"Yeah," she replied proudly.
"At least, your hands work more than your nose does," Ivy rolled her eyes, still exploring them.
Riven didn't react. She was used to being called a freak for having a super sensitive nose. She sprung up from where she was seated and walked towards their old clothes and gear.
"Your gear is trash," Riven said flatly. She picked up their old guns and tossed them into a bin without blinking. "I'll give you new ones. Try not to die with them."
She handed them a weapon each. Elias's was a sleek black gun with a glowing core in the centre.
"Energy orb model. Shoots a hundred rounds before needing a reload. No bullets."
Elias tested its weight. It was light but solid. Ivy's was a bow with static veins that buzzed faintly.
"You're going to give me this?" She asked.
"Yeah... I hope your hands work better than your mouth," she said and turned away. Ivy sneaked closer to Elias.
"She isn't going to forgive me, is she?"
Elias looked back at Riven and back at Ivy.
"You two are of the same gender, you'll settle it your own way," he said, admiring his new gun.
They talked and laughed a little, and for a while, it felt like they were just three people bonding in a strange new world. Riven actually smiled once when Ivy accidentally triggered her glove and shocked herself.
Maybe she forgave her after that happened. Just maybe.
But the moment passed quickly.
Riven wrinkled her nose.
"Your smell is better now, but still not great. I keep forgetting why you're here."
Elias pulled out the compass.
"We're looking for this symbol."
She took the compass and turned it over in her hand. Her brow furrowed.
"There's a message embedded inside. How the hell did you not see this?"
Elias blinked.
"A message?"
Elias watched as she tapped the compass's side. A soft hum buzzed and a faint blue light blinked on. The girl squinted, her fingers gliding across its surface until a hidden latch popped open. A small hologram flickered into view. It was cracked, damaged by time and maybe blood, but the message was clear.
A man's voice came through, cold and sharp.
> "If you're hearing this, Vark... then you're still alive. That's disappointing."
There was a short static sound.
> "You should've stayed dead. You're a curse to this world, and I won't stop until I wipe you out completely. This city is just the beginning. This message is just to let you know that I will find you. Wait for me... Brother.
The message ended in static.
Elias's breath hitched. The voice. That last word... Brother.
His eyes widened, and the room fell into heavy silence.
While Riven and Ivy were worried about what was going to happen next, Elias was worried about something else.
'I have a brother. No, I mean... Vark has a fucking brother?'
[END OF CHAPTER TWENTY]