Governor Johnson turned to escort us to his office, but I held back and looked at my remaining team.

“You guys hang back with Lacy and the others. I’ve got this.”

“You sure?” Jerome growled, his helmet turning to lock onto Craig.

I nodded, following his gaze to stare at Craig as he shook the governor’s hand with a beaming smile.

“I’m sure.”

Lex’s wings fluttered and I could feel his hesitation through our bond. But I felt steady—steadier than I’d ever felt in Craig’s presence—and he felt that, too.

“Good luck,” he said simply.

I placed a hand on his wing and winked.

“Who needs luck? I’ve got Fate Herself on my side.”

That sent a shiver of revulsion through him but I chuckled to ease his mood.

“I’ve got this.”

Frank met my eyes—an unusual occurrence for him—and I could see the concern there.

“I’ll keep an eye out for red threads, but I won’t be able to warn you.”

“Tell him,” I said, pointing at Lex. “He can pass along the message.”

His eyes widened behind his glasses, then he nodded once.

Turning back without another word, I strode toward Craig and Johnson. Michelle was there at his shoulder, casting me a worried glance.

I forced a smile and nodded to let her know I wasn’t going to go on a killing spree, but it didn’t seem to put her at ease much.

Truth be told, I had considered it. A rampage, that is.

My greatest enemy had just offered himself up on a silver platter, unguarded by his horde of Jree and all the people I cared about had left his range. And there were no redos, so if I killed him now, it would put an end to the Craig saga once and for all.

The only thing that stayed my hand were the dozens of soldiers, the most powerful man in California, and the slew of cameras on the other side of the hall. By killing Craig, I’d put an end to one problem—granted, it was a major fucking problem—and open up a thousand more. I’d become enemy number one for the entire United States—and probably all of Earth. The videos of me ripping Craig’s clean off his neck would circulate across the globe faster than Kim K.’s sex tape.

So I did something completely alien to my entire being; I faked a smile and stayed my blade. Red was itching across my back, projecting image after image into my mind of ways we could kill Craig and escape. I calmed her with a thought with the promise of the blood to come.

“Good to see you, Dirk,” Craig said with a smile.

“Oh, you know each other already?” Johnson asked with a pleased look.

Craig turned to the governor with a wry smile.

“We dated the same woman.” He gave an embarrassed shrug.

Johnson guffawed, slapping Craig on the arm.

“You dogs. That explains the tension between you two.” He put a hand on each of our shoulders and I had to force myself not to swipe his arm away. With my enhanced Strength, I’d probably break his wrist and screw everything up. “Listen, boys. You two are gonna make me the most powerful man in the world. And I look out for my own. Stay at my back, smile, shake hands…” He looked between us with a serious expression. “And when I’m president, you two can write the check. Yeah?”

Craig’s smile grew wide, but I could see through his facade. He had no intention of being this man’s stooge. It would be the other way around and it was on me to stop him. Johnson looked at me, his eyebrows raised in question. I gritted my teeth and forced a smile on my lips. Couldn’t bring myself to speak, but Johnson didn’t need much by way of confirmation.

“Now we’re talking!” He clapped both of us on the shoulder before turning to Michelle. “When’s that idiot arriving?”

She pulled out her phone and scrolled through for a moment before looking up.

“ETA, three minutes.”

Johnson clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Guess we gotta skip that drink, boys. Better be out there when he arrives. Best time for a photo op.”

He took off without another word and Craig followed. I reached out to stop Michelle and she pursed her lips.

“Remember what I told you about him, right?”

She nodded. “Kilgrave.”

“That’s for real, Michelle. And it’s not just one person. He could grab a dozen minds without you even knowing it.”

She sighed, turning to watch Craig and Johnson.

“What can I do about it? I don’t have magic and I sure as hell can’t have him arrested on your say so.”

I shook my head. “Not asking for that. Just keep your eyes open. He’s a misogynist and probably overlooked your importance. If I had to guess, you’re barely on his radar.” Her eyes narrowed at that. “I’m not trying to be a dick, just giving the facts. You’ll be in the best position to know if Johnson gets compromised—if he isn’t already.”

She chewed her lip, then nodded.

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s catch up.”

When we found Johnson and Craig outside the building, they were talking in low tones. But my Perception was high enough to catch the tail end of their words.

“…more marketable, son. But nobody roots for second place. Get that top spot and—”

He cut off when he saw us approaching.

“Dirk! We lost you back there.” He gave Michelle a lecherous look and winked. “I told you to take care of him, Michelle, not take care of him.” He turned to Craig and laughed his ass off, like a sex joke was the height of comedy. Craig politely chuckled, but when the governor looked back at us, I saw the subtle sigh he let out. But I also knew that Craig didn’t do things on accident; that sigh had been for me, his way of trying to signal to me that he also didn’t think much of the man.

That didn’t mean shit to me. I knew Craig for what he really was.

“Lighten up, Michelle,” the governor was saying. I looked over to see her arms crossed with a scowl on her face. “Just giving ya shit.” He looked at me and chuckled. “Plus, I think HR’s got bigger concerns right about now.”

Before Michelle could respond, the crowd of paparazzi cordoned off below burst into a frenzy. Johnson turned at the noise and gave me a nod.

“Here comes Bank. Come stand by my side. Craig, stand on the other side. I want you two flanking me while I go kiss the ring.”

Sighing, I did as he asked. The motorcade was pulling up with quite the fanfare. The paparazzi were crowding the barricades, while nearly a hundred soldiers pushed them back. The caravan of cars were thirty deep—police, humvees, and so on. Dead center of the motorcade was a long, black limo, and it pulled up to a stop below the stairs.

“Come on, gents, it’s showtime.”

Johnson began walking down the stairs, his head held high as he approached the limo.

Three Secret Service agents burst from the limo the moment it stopped, surveying the crowd as one of them went to open the back door.

A short man with grey tinging his temples climbed out of the limo. Behind him, two more people in suits hopped out—his aids or something, I imagined.

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A fourth person appeared finally, dressed more casually and clearly uncomfortable with the occasion. He was a tall man with a wiry build, balding up top but with a thick, black beard covering his jaw. His skin was heavily tanned and despite his obvious discomfort, his first course of action was to scan the rooftops above and then the crowd around them.

I didn’t think he was the president’s bodyguard, given how uncomfortable he was with the crowds, which only left one plausible option.

He was a Climber.

It seemed the president had brought one of his own show dogs and the man was just as uneasy with the pomp as I was.

Johnson met President Bank at the bottom of the stairs and they shook hands with broad smiles. Their tone, however, didn’t match the facade they were showing the cameras.

“Mr. President, pleasure to have you in our humble—”

“Too important to meet me at the airport, Trevor?” The question was innocent enough, but the steel in the president’s voice carried the intention.

Johnson, the consummate politician, kept his face even.

“I wanted to personally oversee the preparations for your arrival. It’s not often we’re graced with the president’s presence.”

“Save it, Trevor.” Bank eyed Craig with narrowed eyes, then turned to look at me. When he took me in, his eyebrows rose. “What’s with the cape? Didn’t know Superman was one of your aids.”

I let the words wash over me without so much as a flicker on my face. Instead, I was watching the man I suspected was a Climber. He dismissed Craig and Johnson in an instant—which was a a mistake, though I didn’t blame him—but when we locked eyes, his posture shifted. It was a controlled shift, not something I would have picked up without my enhanced stats. A slight bending of his knees, a shift to his front foot in case he needed to lunge. I didn’t know what it was about me, but he seemed to pick up that I was a threat and he prepared accordingly. I simply nodded in greeting and he returned it. But his eyes never left me as I turned back to the president.

“Ignore the cape, Mr. President. This here is the man responsible for putting America at the top of the Leaderboard. Dirk Damascus, in the flesh.”

That got the president’s attention and his eyes widened briefly. He held out his hand and I shook it.

“Pleasure to meet you,” he said. He nodded toward Johnson with a smile. “What did this old cheat offer you to get you to stand at his side?” He smiled to soften the insult, but Johnson’s tight expression told me it hadn’t softened it enough.

I forced a chuckle. “He gave me a company of soldiers that I trained to help save the people still trapped in the Tower.” The Climber at Bank’s side stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to reappraise me. I turned my attention back to Bank and shrugged. “And a pile of cash, Mr. President.”

Bank tilted his head with a smile, then burst out into a laugh. He turned to Johnson who matched his smile, though it didn’t touch his eyes.

“You son of a bitch! Why didn’t I think of that. Bobby here only agreed to come after I pardoned his brother.” He elbowed the Climber at his side, oblivious to the man’s unmasked scowl.

Craig, not used to being ignored, held out his hand.

“Mr. President, I’m Craig Allen. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Bank gracefully pivoted, giving Craig a hearty handshake.

“Mr. Allen, don’t think I forgot about you.” He gave Johnson a wry look. “The number one and the number two at your side? Be careful, Johnson, or I’ll think you’re coming for my office.”

Johnson and Bank laughed heartily, while Craig, Bobby, and I were more tame in our expressions.

“Come on, Mr. President, let’s get a drink.”

Bank gave him a scolding look, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes.

“It’s 10 in the morning, Johnson…” A smile slowly replaced his frown and he slapped the governor on the arm. “Ah, fuck it. Let’s drink. You still have that Macallen ‘26?”

Johnson smile was tight as he nodded.

“I save that for you, you know that—”

Everyone froze in place as if time itself had stopped. Then the panic started. Gasps went up from the crowd and the police and Secret Service escorts shot into action like a kicked anthill.

Bobby and I shared a concerned look as we both realized what we were seeing.

Bank muttered under his breath.

“Not again…”

Humans of Earth, firstly, congratulations to those Climbers who have successfully cleared the First Floor. You are a credit to your race…even if some of you possess unsanctioned advantages. Fret not, those individuals will be dealt with accordingly and the sanctity of the Tower shall be restored.

In other news, it has come to my attention that many of you have procrastinated on entering the Tower. I highly encourage those of you who have yet to enter do so now. To incentivize you, I’ve decided to release the next wave of demons early! I find that primitive races such as yours don’t always understand what is best for them, but all they need is a little…push.

To that end, this wave has been augmented slightly. Do not panic! Safety can be achieved within the Tower!

Anyways, that is all. The second wave should be hitting right…about…now!

Secret Service swarmed Johnson and Bank, enclosing them in a wall of bodies.

“Mr. President, we’re moving!”

The two men were whisked away before they could even register what was happening. Down the stairs, the crowd and paparazzi were panicking, pushing against the barriers and police to enter the State Capitol building. The police looked on the verge of being overwhelmed.

Michelle sprung into action, racing down the stairs as she yelled commands.

“Let them through! They’ll be massacred out here!”

The police ignored her at first, but then a call came in on one of their radios and they were peeling back up the stairs, followed closely by the crowd.

By my side, Bobby, the President’s Climber, had pulled a wicked looking sniper rifle from his Inventory. It looked like a .50 cal I’d seen in a shooter video game and I whistled appreciatively.

“That thing’s hot.”

He pat it lovingly, his eyes trailing up to the roof.

“I’m heading up there.”

He started to run toward the front door and I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He looked at my hand, his eyes narrowing.

“I can get you up there faster if you’re interested?”

His eyes relaxed and he nodded.

“Follow me,” I said, then ran over to the side of the building. “I’m gonna pick you up.”

Before he could respond, I wrapped him in one arm and locked him in with Friction energy. Then I scaled the wall at a sprint, reaching the top in seconds.

“Hot damn,” he gasped, eyeing me in surprise. “Wasn’t expecting that.”

I chuckled, then spotted the Secret Service agents on the roof who were suddenly aiming guns at us. Holding up my hands, I stepped in front of Bobby and cycled my Mass to the max.

“Hold your fire,” I shouted. “We’re with the president.” I nodded toward Bobby. “He’s gonna lay down some sniper fire on the demons.”

Four of them approached, their guns still pointed at us. One was talking into his wrist, no doubt asking for guidance from his command. After back and forth, he looked up with wide eyes.

“You Dirk Damascus?”

“In the flesh. And this here’s Bobby…uh…”

“Bobby Lancaster.”

The agent said the name into his radio, then nodded a moment later.

“You’re cleared. Just keep it down site and watch for civilians. It’s a cluster out there.”

Bobby nodded. “Where you want me?”

I left him to the agent, leaping over the side with Red flared wide. As I floated back down to the stairs, I scanned the crowd. To the left, I spotted my party, along with Nikki, Athena, and Lex. I angled that way as I continued to scan for that golden-blonde hair.

“Where the fuck are you?” I muttered to myself.

“Dirk!”

Lacy was waving me down and I waved back even as I kept scanning. But Craig was nowhere to be seen.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

I landed next to them, cursing under my breath.

“Anyone seen Craig?”

At the mention of his name, the mood went from concerned to panicked. Nikki’s mouth dropped open, Lex honked, and Amos clutched his pigeon tightly to his chest.

“Maybe he went inside with the president?” Lacy suggested.

I groaned. “Shit, that’s the last place we want him. Lex, what can we expect from this wave? How much harder will it be than the imps?”

He flapped his wings and rose up to my shoulder. “Normally, I’d say it’s nothing we couldn’t handle…”

“But?”

He sighed. “Null said he augmented it. That could mean brutes, fliers, even burrowers! I…I don’t know how far he’ll go!”

“Goddammit,” I muttered. “Okay, Lex, get in the air. We need your eyes up there calling out whatever you see.” He took off without complaint, which told me just how serious he was taking this. “Lacy, how far can you extend your illusions? Can you hide this whole crowd until they get inside?”

Her eyes went wide.

“I-I don’t know!”

“Try!” I turned to Byron. “Start buffing us.”

“Which ones?”

“Anything, just get them going! Amos, send your pigeons up to support Lex. If there really are flying demons incoming, he’s gonna need it.” The Aussie nodded, whispering to Lala before sending her and her siblings off. “Mama G, were you able to make another [Heaven’s Delight]? Amos can’t take it, but the rest of us can if the worse happens.”

She nodded, pulling it from her Inventory and handing it to me.

“Thanks. Jerome, can you handle the crowd? Last thing we need is people stampeding each other trying to get to safety.” He grunted, then took off at a run, his armor and helmet suddenly in place. I turned to Frank. “You’re on Craig watch. I want you sticking at Lacy’s hip while she works her magic, okay?”

“O-okay, Dirk. Bu-but what if C-Craig gets me?”

Shit, I didn’t have an answer to that.

“Lacy, can you [Fortify] Frank while you cast your illusion?”

“Yeah, but then I’m vulnerable. It’s single target!”

“Damn. We’ll just have to rely on Frank calling out any red threads well in advance.”

She bit her lip, but nodded agreement.

Next, I turned to Athena. Her eyes darkened as she realized what was coming next.

“Athena—”

“No,” she interrupted, her lips tight in a frown. “I’m not gonna go hide in the building with the cowards. I can fight!” Her tone was almost pleading.

“And what if Craig mind controls you?”

She faltered, then set her lips. “He w—”

A voice in the distance called my name.

“Dirk!”

Looking around, I couldn’t spot anyone waving for my attention. Michelle was still down the stairs organizing the crowd with Jerome as support.

“Dirk! Up here!”

I looked up to see Bobby leaning over the roof edge, pointing in the distance.

“You need to see this!”

I cupped my hands around my mouth.

“What is it?”

He shook his head in disbelief. “It’s Craig! He’s with the demons!”

What…?

“Be right back.”

I boosted my Agility, leaping halfway up the building with a single jump. Climbing to the roof took me less than five seconds, and I was at Bobby’s side a moment later.

“He’s fighting them?” I asked the man. “How?”

Had he taken over some soldiers to take the fight to the demons? That didn’t make sense…unless he was trying to win some political clout.

But Bobby was shaking his head with a scowl.

“Not fighting them.” He indicated the scope on his rifle. “Take a look.”

I squinted at the man in confusion, then did as he suggested. Looking through the scope, I shifted it around until I found that shining gold hair in a sea of red and black. My stomach flipped and I gasped.

“No fucking way.”

Craig was sitting on a hulking demon’s shoulders, a smug grin on his face. All around him, the wave of charging demons shifted as he pointed a finger.

Right toward the State Capitol building.