Chapter 6

A sleek, black hover-limousine pulled up to the curb outside the most exclusive, corporate-sponsored safehouse on the Aegis Academy campus.

Cash Patterson rushed forward, his face stretched into a wide, sycophantic smile. He pulled the heavy car door open and bowed his head slightly.

Briar Thorne stepped out. She wore a custom-tailored, high-fashion combat suit that cost more than most students made in a year. Her stiletto boots clicked sharply against the pavement. She looked at the safehouse with an expression of mild boredom.

Cash punched a new override code into the keypad. The heavy alloy doors slid apart with a soft hiss.

The squad filed inside. Dallin immediately let out a loud whistle, his eyes wide as he stared at the massive, genuine leather sectional sofa and the state-of-the-art holographic entertainment system.

Briar, however, wrinkled her nose. She reached out with a white-gloved finger and swiped it along the edge of the doorframe. She inspected her fingertip, her lips curling in disgust.

"The air circulation system in here smells like poverty," Briar complained, her voice sharp and nasal.

Cash's smile faltered for a second before he recovered. "I apologize, Briar. The previous occupant was a commoner. She had no class. I'll have the cleaning drones run a full chemical scrub immediately."

Briar ignored him and walked straight into the master bedroom. It was the largest room, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a private training pod. This used to be Alana's room back in her old dormitory - now converted as part of the new corporate suite.

Briar opened the closet. A few of Alana's cheap, faded cotton t-shirts were still hanging there. Briar let out a loud scoff of pure revulsion.

Dallin saw his chance to impress. He pushed past Cash, grabbed the t-shirts off the hangers, and marched over to the wall-mounted incinerator chute. He shoved the clothes inside and hit the button.

A flash of bright orange fire illuminated the room, reducing Alana's belongings to ash in seconds. Dallin puffed out his chest, looking at Briar for approval.

He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, a nasty grin spreading across his face. "You know, I almost feel bad for the bitch. Almost. Because her first summoning ritual freshman year? It wasn't a failure. I made it fail."

Charmaine gasped, her hand flying to the silver cross at her neck. "Dallin! You tampered with a resonance circle? The backlash could have destroyed her mind!"

Dallin rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up, Charmaine. I just sprinkled a little anti-magic dust on the outer rune line. If she actually summoned a strong Eidolon, she would have left us. Who would have done our tactical analysis for free?"

Cash didn't look shocked. He walked over and clapped a heavy hand onto Dallin's shoulder, squeezing approvingly. "Smart move. A Conduit with a brain like hers is dangerous. You have to pull their teeth so they have no choice but to rely on you."

Jered leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. "If Alana had just signed Chet's contract, we could have squeezed two platinum-grade armor sets out of him before kicking her out. Brilliant sabotage or not, she was stubborn till the end."

Charmaine waved her hand, casting a minor holy purification spell that smelled like artificial lavender. "Let us pray she finds a warm bridge to sleep under tonight."

At the mention of Chet Wolfe, a dark, calculating gleam appeared in Cash's eyes.

"Don't worry," Cash said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm not done squeezing value out of her."

Dallin leaned in, his eyes hungry for gossip.

"Chet has a specific... appetite," Cash explained, a nasty smirk on his face. "He loves breaking arrogant women. Seeing them dragged through the mud. I'm going to sell him the details of Alana's current pathetic situation."

The squad listened intently.

"I'll tell Chet exactly which slum she's hiding in," Cash continued. "He can send his thugs to rough her up, and then step in to play the hero. Once she's desperate enough, she'll crawl into his bed."

Dallin barked out a laugh. "And when she does, we ask Chet for VIP black cards to his club."

The room filled with the sound of their shared, cruel laughter.

Briar emerged from the bathroom, having changed into a sheer silk robe, holding a glass of expensive red wine. She looked down her nose at them.

"I want all of you in the advanced simulation room at zero-six-hundred tomorrow," she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Cash, Dallin, Jered, and Charmaine instantly stopped laughing. They nodded eagerly, their spines bending like obedient dogs.

Briar turned and slammed the bedroom door shut.

Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the storm raged on, lightning flashing across the sky. Inside, the squad poured more champagne, completely blind to the absolute destruction heading their way.