Every time I get shocked or disappointed at this gigantic underworld, I remember just how crucial "hiding in plain sight" could be. Before entering, I never would've imagined having a massive high-tech basement beneath a rinky-dink home.

Nexus nervously whistled as the lights automatically revealed a modified bunker with a gaming chair, multiple computers, and endless piles of paperwork. Each set of items had Nexus's signature stigma: a purple eye in an octagon fashion. When I got my whole view, Nexus then held out his hand.

"Hand me the drive," he said deadpan.

Given the circumstances, the man was incredibly calm, causing my month-long burden to feel very heavy in my eyes.

"If you try anything at all."

"Lady, you're the one with the gun here. I'm a genius, not suicidal," he said casually.

Deciding he was right, I handed him the hard drive and watched him get to work. Compared to the frantic workshop of Wiz, Nexus was much more of a diligent and quiet maestro. He used an array of delicate tools from his workbench, leaving me to sit back and listen to the sounds of tiny sparks and running fans. While he continued to work, Nexus asked some questions.

"So what exactly is on this thing? It must be pretty important if you tracked me down for it. No one's traced me and after this, I'm going to keep that way," he said in a sour tone.

"I guess we'll find out soon," I said deadpan.

"Oh, so you don't even know? That makes this interesting, then. I've always loved a good mystery."

"Is that why you got into this gig? You wanted to reveal mysteries?"

"Something like that. Growing up around these neighborhoods, people would always tell me the same shit: the truth will set you free. Me though? I think it does the opposite. Most fat cats and bigwigs would rather spend every pretty penny to keep a white lie front and center."

It was here where I was more thankful than ever to be wearing a mask, so only I could cringe at how true his statement was as Nexus continued.

"So then I wondered if the truth can tie people up in such nasty knots. How much fun would it be if someone could pull the thread?"

"And you thought you could occupy that role behind a mask? Little hypocritical, don't you think?"

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

He then gave out a small chuckle.

"Ain't no way I'm getting moral grandstanding from the woman who lined up a stick to my face not even ten minutes ago. If we all lived squeak-clean lives, you wouldn't even be here right now, I bet. Nothing I do differs from your average mudslinger, hack writer, or P. I. If it's a dog-eat-dog world out there, I don't see why can't I watch the carnage from the pen?" he said matter of factly.

I wanted to smack him right then and there, remembering how badly Asad wanted his slice of heaven. Before I could fire back, though, Nexus was already done.

"Finished. Now let's see what's inside here."

He then put the flash drive into his main computer, and as I watched, Nexus' hands blur across his keyboards. Suddenly, I realized just how close I was to my goal. In my impatience, I felt both time and my heart slow down to a pathetic crawl until the fateful pin dropped like a carpet bomb.

In Nexus's haste, he botched up dozens of images over the screen, some documented dossiers, other recorded calls, and mission statements from Eclipse. At first, it came so otherworldly fast I could barely process it until I saw one name jump out to me: Leopold Ortez.

I then forced Nexus to zoom in on his file and, when I finally read the document, forced myself to see his frozen face in death with his child bawling his eyes out at some "phantom lady." Sheer emotion clamped down whatever words, instead balling up my heart and fist as Nexus articulated for me.

"What in the fresh Illuminati fuck is this?" he said deadpan.

The worst part was I already knew the answer as I saw what happened after Leopold's untimely death. I didn't kill him out of some self-serving satisfaction or radical justice. The mayor was already going to spill out every dark detail from his campaign to protect his son from the constant harassment journalists would throw at him.

Details that looped racketeering, drug trafficking, and extortion back to Eclipse before I stepped in, at least. Now Barcelona has Anoil Augustus, Leopold's former right-hand man, and Eclipse's current puppet politician. My last wisps of denial worked into overdrive as I searched my other "conquests," hoping and begging at least one veiled truth wouldn't keep me at night.

But it never came. All it did do was make every story itch even further into my now teary returns. The past two years, I slid through more quickly than a monorail, remembering all the killing, training, and running I did to escape Asad's haunting laugh.

Only to end up being a prisoner again. I tried to mask it all this time.

All sense of rationality and intelligence vanished instantly as I backed away from the screens and slowly curled into a ball. I was muttering mindlessly into the void for every innocent soul I took with crimson hands.

"CrapandahalfCrapandahalfCrapandahalfCrapandahalf."

I probably would've stayed in my endless spiral until I remembered Rebekah's dying tirade.

"No, you already know, and soon the entire world will too."

The moon emblem on my back grew harsh and forgiving as I thought about at least one thing my wretched soul could do.

"Um, scary lady? I don't mind if you have a breakdown on the floor, but please do it outside now that I've finished your favor?"

"No, you aren't done yet. You've still got a job to do." I said with numbing apathy.

Nexus hid his evident frustration behind an exhausted sigh.

"And what exactly is that?"

"I want you to release every data in that drive."

"Release to where."

"To every mudslinger, hack writer, and P.I., you can find it. Live tv, social media, anonymously or not, I don't fucking care which, just so long as it gets out there. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, but I'm only doing this cause I'm way too interested to see what happens next."

Nexus started thunderously clicking against his keys as he called me over his shoulder.

"Anything else, scary lady?"

He never got his answer back, though. I had already vanished long before then. I didn't have a second to waste. Even in my defeated state, I knew damn well with every step the havoc I unleashed and the fallout coming after. Rebekah's scooped-out corpse peppered my rattled brain to my makeshift headquarters. Where I ensured there was no going back.

Saddled up in a motel bathroom no bigger than a closet, I spread my various gadgets over my shirt, Including a taser I now had over my exposed tattoo. The hum or crackled electricity then spat and sparked into the air like a cobra's flicked tongue. Before committing the deed, I felt my hovering hand cowardly bend and shake like the bolts above me.

Desperate tears even left my eyes, knowing anything I did would only delay the inevitable. Delay what I rightfully deserved. Still, after spending so much time under Eclipse's afterglow, I couldn't let them roll around in the shadows anymore or die at their beck and call. Overpowering apathy and resolute resolve then welled within my soul while I turned back towards Eclipse in a single stroke.