Maya pressed into her seat as she lurched forward and lost control. Her tires screamed across the asphalt and a horn blared as she swerved across two lanes, barely missing traffic. She fought the steering wheel for control, and, at the last moment, shouted and yanked it in the other direction, barely righting herself away from the barrier.
Panting, she swept her tousled hair out of her face. A black van sped along beside her. Dressed in all black, the driver was rough and rugged, just like the last attacker that came for her.
Apex was onto her. She knew she’d gone to interview Synapse, and Synapse knew he had given her a faulty story. Maya held the steering wheel with a white knuckle grip. They were trying to silence her. They didn’t want her to poke all the holes in their story.
The driver extended a hand out of his window, and a ball of green energy swelled in his palm. Maya checked her rearview. No one was behind her. The ball of energy pulsed in his hand. She slammed on the brakes, slowing down abruptly and dodging the blast of energy as it struck the space in front of her car, scorching the highway bumper.
Maya de-accelerated and swerved to the right, but the moment she was behind his fan, he hit the brakes, too. Her heart skipped a beat as she tried dodging, but his van clipped the back of her car.
Her tail went wild and her tires screeched as she drifted towards the exit. Maya hit a pedestrian car mid-drift, and the world went head over heels. Road, sky, concrete, clouds — her car rolled down the exit ramp with the roaring crunch of metal. Maya clutched her head for dear life. Her airbags popped into existence, and her seatbelt restricted her deep breaths. Glass shattered. Cars roared past.
Before she knew it, she was sitting upside down in the grass beside the exit ramp. Her hands hung over her head, and blood trailed from a cut through her jacket along her upper arm. Her face stung with micro cuts, likely from the broken glass dotting her ceiling.
Her attacker’s van pulled to a stop beside her. Maya dropped her pistol on the ceiling and played dead, letting her head hang limp as a door opened and boots hit the concrete. He muttered and whispered as she stepped closer. An older man, likely a smoker. With a high-pitched whine, green light followed him as he circled her van, boots squeaking through the wet grass.
Maya hoped he couldn’t hear her pounding heart as she watched through squinted eyes. As soon as he crouched down to her level, Maya snapped, grabbed her pistol, and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit square in his chest. He exclaimed, firing wildly. A second blast of energy hit her car, rolling it backwards onto its side.
Maya unbuckled her seatbelt and fell to the passenger side, crawling through the front windshield onto the road. Her head pounded with a dizzying headache, but she didn’t have time to rest. Her attacker charged another shot. Maya rolled past a third energy blast and fired a shot into his shoulder.
The rain poured down as the man fell into the grass, clutching his bleeding wounds. Maya paced over and planted a foot on his shoulder, pinning his hand, watching him scream.
“Who sent you?!”
His cry of pain became a dry chuckle. “She was right. You really are powerless. You coulda let me kill you and made this easy.”
Though he raised his glowing hand again, Maya pulled the trigger one last time, painting the road with his brain. She sat down in the wet grass, reaching for a hat that wasn’t there anymore as rain rolled down her head.
Senior Agent Hale picked up the phone after a single ring. “Hello? Agent Wolfe?”
“I’m here, Hale, on the exit from the 95 onto Red Ridge. I need backup and a ride. She sent another after me.”
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“As far as the bureau knows, we’re here because Mindgame has possible connections to our case with Twotone,” Agent Hale said, pulling in front of the skyscraper that held Mindgame’s penthouse at the very top floor. “Do you need me to come in, too?”
Maya shrugged. “Sounds better to me if you came in only if I messed things up. I’ve been pretty good at that, eh?”
Agent Hale shook his head. “You’re ridiculous. Just go talk to the kid.”
Maya winced, bracing against the pain of the bandages as she got out. Her face still stung from the glass, but those would scar and heal.
Interviewing Mindgame was more important. The lobby was eerily similar to Synapse’s building, too. It must've been the same company, using the exact same ergonomic desks and “modern” elevator designs, leaving the real individuality to the top floor penthouses.
She asked to speak with Mindgame, but the receptionist said his mother would be down soon, insead.
Strange.
As Maya relayed the info to Senior Agent Hale, a few minutes later, an older blonde woman with a stocky build and a bob cut came out of the elevator, smiling at Maya. “Are you Agent Wolfe with the…what is it?”
“The Supernatural Investigation Unit, yes. Are you his mother? You still look so young!” Maya said, laughing and matching her happiness. People were more likely to give info if they were in a pleasant disposition.
“Oh, thank you! I thought this bob cut would do the opposite, really, but—oh, that’s not important. Did you have business with my son?”
“Well, as the 39th Fighter in the world, we believe he may have ties to a certain case we’re investigating. The bureau sent me to interview him.”
“Do you have a warrant?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Gra—” His mother cleared her throat. “Mindgame is still a child. He hasn’t been arrested or put in custody for anything, so…”
“I do not have a warrant, no ma’am, but his word may be invaluable towards solving the case.”
“But without a good reason, I just don’t think I’m comfortable with you questioning my son without a lawyer present.”
Maya tightened her grip on her notepad, tapping her foot. “Ma’am, I respect your authority as a parent, but I’m — we’re trying to save lives, here.”
“And I’m trying to save my son from incriminating himself. Please.”
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Maya’s train of thought paused. That please said a lot. She then noticed the nervous tension in the secretary’s glare, and in Mindgame’s mother’s posture. Despite leaning against the desk, she was twiddling her thumbs in nervousness, like she was a few breaths away from tears.
Another mind had forced its way into hers. It felt like a section of her thoughts had been cordoned off, like a second presence had entered her brain. The hairs on Maya’s neck stood on end, but the presence spoke.
Haruki Takahara has this entire building bugged. It’s not safe to talk here.
“One moment, ma’am,” Maya said. She pretended she was thinking hard while looking down at her notes, hiding the true freakout. This was his famed mental speech. This was Mindgame himself. Of course Apex would have the building bugged!
Yes, it’s me, and yes, that’s why my mother won’t let you through. If we do anything aside from denying any accusations, there will be consequences. It’s not safe here.
“I have a safehouse two miles west,” Maya thought. “Could you make it there in an hour?”
I can meet you there in thirty minutes. Make sure you aren’t followed.
With that, the presence in her mind disappeared, and she fulled returned her attention to the conversation with Mindgame’s mother, who still looked at her expectantly.
Maya smiled. “I understand, ma’am. Sorry to disturb your afternoon. Have a good night.”
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Nothing happened on the way to Maya’s safehouse. As they pulled up to the font door of an unsuspecting apartment complex, Maya didn’t know if it was because Apex hadn’t sent anyone, or if she knew she couldn’t because Hale was with her.
Really, it wasn’t her safehouse — it was his. Every Senior Agent earned the ability to rent access to safehouses across the world, hidden in locations only known to them. Hale claimed this one for her on the way there, and had to drop her off to tend to another case.
As Maya entered the front door, she wasn’t worried. This was her home turf. It was meant to be an average apartment building, complete with the stained tiles on the ceiling and the smell of moth balls in the main lobby. But, most of the staff were part of the SRB. Some were Agents in disguise, some were genuinely custodians.
Her “room” was a small apartment with a pile of dirty dishes, half washed dishes left to dry, and a TV left on a football game, but a clean desk with papers obviously stuffed into the closed drawers, and a late rent notice atop the pile of trash.
It was tempting to lay down in bed. Instead, Maya flipped the bureau laptop open, immediately greeted the sight of every security camera and heat signature sensor in the building, and a reading of local police reports. No one could even breathe hostile intent without her knowing.
Mindgame was clearly an exception. As she people-watched the other genuine residents of the building, she felt that familiar strange sensation as his mind connected to hers. She sat at attention, checking the cameras, but she couldn’t find the kid anywhere in the building.
Just how much range did he have?
More than you’d think, Maya.
Maya felt a pang of concern hit her heart, until she mentally facepalmed — of course. He’s a psychic.
Yes, it wasn’t that hard to read your mind and find your name. Don’t worry. I’m on your side. That’s why I can confirm that Synapse lied to you.
“How much did he lie about?” she thought, hoping she was doing it right.
All of it. He wasn’t there to protect Gigabyte at all. Haruki brought me with her to challenge Connor, but Sir Guardian, West Gale, and Synapse were also brought along for extra insurance, in case killing Connor afterwards went south. Synapse has been working with Apex for even longer than me.
Maya scribbled furiously, not wanting to lose a single thought. “But why? What does he gain? Hell, what do you gain?”
Safety. Haruki holds us in contracts bound by cruelty. We couldn’t talk in my penthouse because Haruki made it clear to us that if we go against her, she won’t just kill me, or my mother — she’ll kill our family and send us their disembodied fingers.
Maya’s shaking hand froze at the thought.
I already tried resisting once. That’s what happened to my Dad.
As if transmitting information to her mind, Mindgame showed her an image from West Gale’s point of view: a man pinned against a steel beam on a high floor of a half finished building. West released him, letting the fall and any stray beams on the way down kill him.
“She killed your father.”
She made West do it, and she’d do the same to my mother. And to Sir Guardian’s sister. Even for Synapse, Arise Health owns a controlling stake in the company that produces the element he needs to power himself. If he acts out of line, suddenly the company goes bottoms up, and he’s left with no power source. The chain continues the farther you go down.
But I’m tired of it, Mindgame continued. That’s why I helped Gigabyte, and told him what was going on. That’s why I’m helping you. I can’t avenge my Dad because Haruki killed the man who killed him.
Maya gasped. “West Gale.”
Right. The movie is a lie, and what Daniel Chase told you was correct. West sacrificed himself to save him and get the chip into Daniel’s hands, and he got it into yours. I’m glad his sacrifice wasn’t in vain, but my Dad is still dead, Maya.
“I’m sorry to hear about that. What was his name? I can reopen the case.”
Don’t bother. You already know who did it. She just needs to die. What else did you need to know?
“Well, if West Gale’s dead, is there anyone else connected to him that can give me anything on his connection with Haruki?”
Mindgame didn’t respond for a moment. Avanti Mirage. His ex-girlfriend, currently in Mage Country for the funeral. She was the last person West met with before the night we attacked the dojo. If you can get in contact with her, she might be a worthy—
The thought cut off in the middle of the sentence, and the presence disappeared, as if she had suddenly lost her train of thought. Maya bunched her eyebrows together, glancing around at the dim room. “Mindgame? You there?” she thought. Maya cleared her throat. “Hello?”
The presence returned, blaring with alarm. Maya. You need to get out of there. Now.
“What?! What’s—” Maya gasped. On her laptop, a broad figure stormed through the front door, and the cameras shut off. Every feed turned to black, losing connection.
Maya packed her notebook and laptop back into her backpack. “I need to know — who else does Apex have contracts with?”
Everyone below rank thirty four is working with her.
“How is she still connected to Arise Health? Do her parents know?”
I don’t know, but we don't have time to talk anymore! He’s coming up the stairs. You need to get out of there. Don’t even bother with the door — use the window. Just go!
“Wait! Who—”
Behind her, her room door exploded into a shower of wood chips, torm from its hinges. A tall man with broad shoulders, a brown beard, and thick muscles underneath a red and black military uniform stormed into the room, clutching a circular metal shield.
Sir Guardian himself had arrived. Mindgame's presence disappeared, leaving a single fleeting thought as Maya thought the same word.
Shit.