The pub's television blares a music video starring the Idol as I look out of the window nursing a beer. In the not so far distance, Ascension Tower stands all lighted up against the night sky, casting its dramatic, phallic shadow over the rest of The City. Tonight however, drones buzz around the pinnacle of the tower like flies, carrying containers. A simple landing has been built near the top of Ascension Tower for the drones to unload their cargo. Scaffolding overlays the upper floors of the tower as well, with workers crawling all over the place like ants. From the distance, I can see the sparks fly as the welders do their work, expanding the building.

"Working through the night." I observe, "The Host must be eager to get this new extension to the tower done."

The Voice rasps, "Those workers are preparing to install the mechanisms and electronics needed to activate the codex. Fate knows that with each day that passes, we draw closer to slipping from the noose. It has upped its schedule accordingly."

"Who's the lackey this time?" I ask, "I don't think that the work orders being sent out to the contractors have Fate's signature on them."

"Representative Michael." The Voice rumbles, "The same one who was going on and on about the three worlds uniting. We can safely assume that Fate has entrusted all matters concerning the codex to him."

"That's a pretty big shot Fate has got in her pocket." I grunt.

The Voice replies, "Which explains why Fate has got SOPO as her running dogs. The discrepancy in the sarcophagus's schematics that foiled us previously might also be due to his meddling. Not that it matters now."

"Hey, I got a question regarding the codex. Mind answering?" I query.

"Ask." The Voice rasps distractedly, clearly still concentrating on the construction work going on at Ascension Tower.

"The codex came from some ancient civilization right?" I say, "How is it compatible with modern technology? I can't even change my PC's processor without throwing the entire motherboard out."

The Voice grunts, "Do you remember the systems regulation unit that we retrieved at the sarcophagus?"

"That pile of junk?" I raise an eyebrow, "It was trashed in the warehouse explosion if I remember correctly."

"Correct." The Voice elaborates, "The systems regulation unit and the codex are a pair. With both in its possession, all Fate would have needed to do would be to hook up a monitor and keyboard to the SRU to acquire full access to all the codex's functions. The artificial ley lines laid across the URI would supply the codex with sufficient power to activate. Troublesome, but far from impossible."

"But the systems regulator thingy was damaged and is in our hands now." I point out.

"Which is why all this construction is going on." The Voice answers, "Representative Michael has placed an order for several supercomputers to serve as a replacement for the SRU. That is the reason for the tower's expansion and renovation. Once the construction works are done, the supercomputers will be delivered and installed. Even so, Fate will be unable to fully control the codex with this setup. That is the reason why it cannot selectively only remove the dimensional barriers that protect myself."

"What about the ley lines then? We stopped the URI, didn't we?" I say while frowning.

"The ley lines already laid are not going anywhere else soon." The Voice rumbles, "While the power they supply is inadequate, making good on the deficit is something that is again inconvenient and not impossible. At the worst, Fate can simply burn an enormous amount of pyroil or spirit crystal to get the energy yield needed to run the codex."

I feel a headache coming on as I reply, "Sounds like we did not do all that much damage after all."

"It only seems that way because we are on the death route, Transmigrator." The Voice consoles, "Fate will naturally do all it can to limit the damage caused by us. Nevertheless, the impact of the instability we have caused is already being felt. The activation of the codex has been badly delayed and Fate has been put to enormous expense in trying to restore its position. We must keep pressing forward. After all, death by a thousand cuts is certainly a thing."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I down the last of my beer and signal the waiter to bring me a fresh pint. One foot after the other. That's the most either The Voice or yours truly can do at the moment. Should I order food as well? Yeah, lets eat. It beats those shitty sandwiches waiting at the hideout.

As I wait for my order to arrive, I watch the music video playing on the TV with a morbid kind of fascination. I could never hear what the Idol was actually singing about whenever I was subjected to her spirit field. Everything she said was translated into a form of deranged shrieking. The difference now is that since I am watching a recording, I can actually understand what she is saying.

- Kiss Kiss Fall In Love -

Well it sounds like fairly normal teeny bop pop at least. Nothing too weird.

- When you saw me from the corner of your eye, a minute later I became pregnant -

Uh. A bit suggestive but OK, kids grow up quickly these days. The Idol may be trying to market to an older crowd anyway. That's what most idols do, if what I read about the industry is correct.

- You injected fresh life into me, all over me -

I cough awkwardly. Is there a ratings board in this world? Why don't you just scream 'Sex, sex, sex' at the top of your voice Idol? It would be more direct.

- and its mine all mine, now and forever more! -

"Is she singing about murder or castration?" I ask The Voice. Someone's projecting hard. As hard as she wants the Hero's hardness inside her.

The Voice responds with a metaphorical shrug as my order arrives, "Why not both?"

...

I hear a ringing sound come from the trench coat while I chew on the fried chicken I had ordered. It tastes good, notwithstanding the fact that the waiter who brought it to me was a hawk man. A bird serving up another bird as a meal. Mother nature really shows no mercy in this world.

I fish out the mobile Hernandez gave me and accept the call, "Yeah, hello."

"Smart ass." The familiar hoarse voice barks in my ear, "Was looking forward to seeing you at the station today after you put on such a show. Then my men tell me you're eating fried chicken while I am here buried in paperwork."

The Voice snorts, "The Commander is hiding in the black sedan parked just outside the pub."

I waive at the black sedan and say, "Its good. Care to join me?" The line immediately goes dead and Hernandez dismounts from the sedan and heads into the pub.

"Not in uniform today either? What happened to paperwork?" I ask as Hernandez takes a seat at my table.

"I dropped my daughter off at the Six Trees EV Theater just now. That idol girl, whatshername, is having a mini concert there and my daughter kept bugging me to take her." Hernandez says while lighting up one of his cigars, "Decided to drop in to look you up since I had some time to spare."

"You here to discuss how you're going to help me then?" I quip.

"Not so fast." Hernandez holds his hand up, "These things take time, especially the kind of help you want. I need to talk to people, set things up. I'll let you know when I am done preparing."

Just as I am about to protest, The Voice cuts in, "This is acceptable. The time is not right at any rate. More instability is needed before we initiate that confrontation."

"Well, don't take too long." I huff at Hernandez, "I'm working on a schedule here."

"I'll be ready when I'm ready." Hernandez waves my complaint off, "I came here to tell you that we're releasing your buddy Alley."

I just nod while tearing into a drumstick. Hernandez leans back in his chair and comments, "You don't seem surprised."

"What is there to be surprised about?" I ask, "Alley has no value to you locked up."

Hernandez laughs harshly, "We could charge her with embezzlement of Academy funds. Show some gratitude."

"What embezzlement?" I say with the most innocent tone I can manage. I know The Voice had cleaned up the evidence of Alley's wrong doing. That threat means less than nothing to me.

Hernandez just shrugs and accepts my rebuttal, "What embezzlement indeed. Well, you did your job at any rate. So, here's a reward for you." Hernandez hands me a letter written under ORPO's letterhead.

Scrutinizing the letter, I realize that it is an official notice that ORPO has taken over investigation of all my crimes committed in The City and that I have been released from remand after questioning. There is an addendum and counter signature from a Delegate Ramakrishnan stating that the P5 as the final arbiter on all matters regarding The City authorizes ORPO as the investigative and arresting authority for any of the existing cases against me.

"How in the world is this a reward?" I ask completely bewildered.

"It means that only ORPO can arrest you." Hernandez smirks, "You can now walk freely around The City and SOPO can do absolutely jack shit. If they try, feel free to resist arrest, we can't have police abusing their powers, can we?"

"You got the P5 to sign off on this?" I ask for confirmation.

Hernandez nabs a piece of fried chicken from my plate with a smile, "Some people still understand gratitude."

"And how long will your investigation into me take?" I question while folding my arms.

"If you stay on my good side," Hernandez says between mouthfuls of chicken, "Until the end of the world."

Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Literally.