True to Soran's word, Rito appeared after a couple of minutes, apparently confused and completely unaware why there was a big hole in the wall, but was happy to drop us off anywhere we wanted. It was at this point that I realized we had a huge opportunity.

"If we can use Rito, we can get pretty much anywhere," I said. "I'm willing to bet that acting as the logistician for the resistance, she'd been pretty much everywhere they could get her in New Eden, so she can put us pretty much anywhere in New Eden."

"Um, that's correct. They deliberately had me tag along on some missions just for that reason," Rito confirmed.

"Nice, Chariot. How'd you know that?" Tower asked.

"It's what I'd do if I had her working for me. Never hurts to be too prepared. But this is good for us, we can drop out of nowhere, circumvent the fortress armors...we can head straight for Blackett and Targa and take them out and stop this at its root without any more XPCA or Exhumans dying."

"Even in trying to ruin us, he helps us unwittingly?" said Jack, who'd been holding his leg ever since Soran dropped him on it. "Amusing. If...not overly convenient."

"If it is overly convenient, it may be by design," Karu said. "If we utilize his servant's powers to stop the XPCA, we are doing him a service. It may very well be that was his plan in bringing us here."

"Even if we are helping him, if it stops Blackett, I'm happy to oblige," I said, grinding my teeth.

"You're going to mess up your jaw if you keep doing that," AEGIS warned me. I stopped.

"Then if our course of action is decided, what of the implementation? Namely, where is whom to be delivered?"

"You mean...which of us goes after which of them?"

"Correct."

"I'm going after Blackett," I said.

"I'm going after Targa," AEGIS said at the exact same time. We looked at each other and blinked.

"Blackett's the one who tortured Saga."

"Targa's the one who's hacking me, or knows who did."

"Then that is decided," Karu said, dusting off her hands with a flourish. "I shall accompany Ashton."

"Me too!" said Tem.

"Actually," I said, turning back to AEGIS. "We should stick together, right?"

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

She chewed her lip and made a play at stroking her hair, but it wasn't there from where I'd cut it off, like an asshole.

"Right," she said. "But...I don't…it's been...months...and...maybe now..."

She trailed off ineffectually. I understood anyway. I'm sure she cared about Saga on some level, but whoever was hacking her...that was something which had been torturing her for months now. I'd love to go with her to sort things out with Targa…

But the thought of Blackett dying without me there to see it, or worse, of him hurting yet more of my friends because I sent them instead of me. I couldn't take it. Not when my heart still felt so fragile from thinking Moon was hurt.

"Well," Jack said with a pained air. "I do not think...I am fit for an open combat as you all seem to be planning. Since our good friend saw fit to drop me on my injured leg, I can move us around if needed, but don't think I will be much use for fighting. Or walking. Or...standing."

"We can get you my spare chair, honey," Steffie said, and gave his hand a squeeze.

"I think we need a lot of our big guns focused on the fight outside," I said. "Tower and Tem might be able to hold up against those fortress armors, Tem on offense, Tower covers for her. We need to stop the Exhumans from getting wiped out or all of this is for nothing.

"Hey, I know I caught a speeding bullet before, but honestly, that was all luck. And who knows what else those crazy things can do."

"I can help," Moon said, rising from her silent reverie. "Chariot forced his mind on me enough recently that I have an idea of their arsenal. And two sets of your power are better than one."

"And you're my partner," Tower said.

"Sure."

"So Steffie's with Jack and Lia somewhere safe, AEGIS will get the drop on Targa and squeeze her for what she knows about the hacking. And kill her," I added, with AEGIS' fervent approval. "Karu and I will take out Blackett, and Tem, Tower, and Moon are on the fortress armors and helping the resistance escape and survive."

"You do know how to put together a plan," Jack smiled. "I apologize for being useless."

"I should have had you punch a hole in his neck from the start, but that's not here nor there. I wish we could go after Soran too, but he could be anywhere...we already have an advantage here we can press, and I absolutely don't want us splitting up when we're going after him."

I just had to bury that pain and shame for now so I could focus on my hate.

"Are...we decided then?" Rito asked, seeming a little worried about how we were discussing Soran.

"Any chance you could tell us where you sent him?" I asked.

"None at all. Besides, I move a lot of things on a schedule without really worrying about who or what it was. Awfully hard to keep track, actually," she said, looking a little flustered.

"He was keeping an eye on his watch," AEGIS said. "Having to keep to a timeline might have been what saved Moon's life."

"Maybe," I said. "But speaking of time, let's not waste any more of it. Every second we're here, more Exhumans are getting hurt, and the longer Saga has to suffer alone. Rito...if you please."

"My pleasure," she said. "Viva la resistance!"

I stared at her. "Do...you guys actually say that?"

"Um...no. Just...always wanted to."

I just shook my head as we all turned away from Rito. To let her use her powers, yes, but also so I'd stop being embarrassed for the girl by proxy.