{Enki | Pantheon}

Kyle knew without looking that Silence, Lucas, and Smith were hovering above the Pantheon. He could feel the familiarity of her memories and the presence of theirs beside her.

Why didn’t he alert someone?

Because Kyle was waiting to talk to Andrew about it while they reaffirmed his purchase on this Probability.

So now, inside Andrew’s memory scape was the right time. Only…

In this panel of his memories, Andrew held Rayne with the warmth from her magnesium field. It was uncomfortable, but so important. Softly, Andrew admitted, “She’s almost too brilliant to touch.”

Staring at it, Kyle muttered, “She always was just outside of arm’s reach.” He finally blinked and looked away, still keeping his eyes from meeting Andrew’s gaze. “Hey, man. I’ve been meaning to say something but—”

“Silence, Lucas, and Smith are watching us.” Andrew did not sound alarmed.

It made Kyle search his best friend’s—really, his brother’s—eyes. There, he found the answer to his next question. “Oh…” Of course. “In how many Probabilities are they up there?”

“One.”

The finality in Andrew’s voice sent a chill down Kyle’s spine. One? “Shit.”

Andrew nodded his agreement and sighed heavily. A sigh Kyle really identified with. Andrew said, “I keep trying to test it with my coin, but… I think I’m too close.”

Right.

A thought occurred to Kyle. “Do you think that’s why they’re up there? Because they know you wouldn’t be able to hunt for concrete outcomes?”

Andrew shrugged, and it was sad. “I don’t know.”

Kyle wanted to rally his brother. To assure him Silence and Lucas were capable of better than that and would never mistreat them that way. That they both came to their senses when they protected Para and Karter and set Rayne free.

But when Kyle opened his mouth, no words came out.

Instead, Andrew wondered aloud a question they’d all been thinking. “What did they gain by letting Rayne out? Why would Imminent bring her here in the first place?”

It was Kyle’s turn to shrug, maybe a little sadly. “You know? They want the big boom, and they want her to die with it.”

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Andrew’s eyes widened at the same time as Kyle’s, and they both blurted, “They want us to die with it.”

The memory scape bled away into bright white surroundings and the milling of armies around them.

“It’s about time you two came out.”

Andrew and Kyle startled and whirled to find a teary-eyed Sagan standing over them. They sat, surrounded by soldiers in the center of the battleground, near one of her conduits. She pointed at it with her thumb. “C’mon. Xelan wants us all there for Tameka’s signal.”

Been there. Done that. Still freaking out over it.

Andrew took her hand, stood, and looked down at Kyle. “This time it’s for real.”

Ah. Matrix knowledge. Kyle took both their hands, and they pulled him off the ground. “Let’s do this. Again.”

It did feel different this time.

F8, Pehton, Iuo, Legir, X, Kombuchi, Lamassau, Tumu, and Xelan all waited at the window.

They were the people to inform of Silence’s presence. Kyle glanced over at Andrew to find him staring back. He shook his head as if to answer the question Kyle had yet to ask.

Not yet.

“What’s bothering you?” Lamassau asked when he nudged Kyle.

Deflect. Kyle rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and came up with a lame cover. “Just a little overwhelmed is all. What with the billions of people swapping places here and there. I’m not even sure what I should be doing.”

Pehton humphed like she was her boyfriend or something. “No shit. I’m making things up as I go.”

“That’s not exactly a mindset we want to share in front of our allies, Warden.” Warm humor lightened Tumu’s words. “Scratch that from the record, Iuo.”

“Hah! No way.” They all turned to look at the Lamian Prince, recording on his stenography device. “I want history to know Imminent lost control of the Vast Collective to this confused band of fugitives.”

Kyle noticed Xelan’s grin broaden. He was proud of them, and it affected Kyle despite their usual differences.

Rayne was back. Tameka was apparently on her way any minute. Things were looking up for team Shadow.

“Amos, I’m ready. Over and out.”

Sagan opened a conduit, and Korac stepped through. Although he muttered for her ears only, Kyle couldn’t help but overhear. “You’re right. Triss won’t let us in. Pablo says any minute now.”

A smile tugged at Kyle’s lips. Sagan would make an exceptional mother. Still a little iffy as to Korac for a father, but the daughter of Triss and Razor could certainly do worse for a paternal figure—

“Rayne says she wants to have a word with you,” Sagan whispered to Korac.

“No.” Kyle didn’t care if he was being rude. “There’s no way you get to see her before I do.”

Pehton laughed, incredulous. Andrew groaned and rolled his eyes. Xelan, Tumu, and Lamassau all ignored him. F8 watched the interactions with barely veiled curiosity. Kombuchi, Iuo, X, and Legir had already placed bets on which “K” would see her first.

That reminded Kyle. Gently—oh, so gently—he skimmed Sagan’s most recent memory of Rayne—

And shut it right the hell down.

Kyle’s ears burned, and he kinda wanted to apologize for intruding on that intense kiss—

The people in the shrine stopped snickering and fidgeting to collectively stare at F8. The Monarch 3 Queen took a step toward the window. Then another.

Xelan peered at her as she passed him. “F8?”

Tumu frowned with his lack of prominent features and also took a step forward, staring out the window.

Were they seeing something Kyle had missed? And Xelan—

Nope, Wingmaster saw it, too. He had the same expression on his face, head full tilt, staring sideways at the view.

“There!” Sagan cried, pointed, and jumped up and down.

The eye of Torrentus… it moved.

Which could only mean that Tameka was alive and taming a hurricane.