They flew through the ventilation tunnel in silence, the only sound the nearly inaudible hum of the 'Phantom's' engine. The air was cold and smelled of old metal and dust. Leo was focused on piloting, but his mind was racing. The image of Yuki dancing with the Enforcer Drone, her black knife severing its systems with deadly precision, replayed in his head.
She wasn't just a chef. She was a warrior, and a terrifyingly competent one. How many more secrets did she hide behind her calm facade?
They emerged from the duct into a higher, quieter level of the Bazaar. It was an area of private docks, where sleek, expensive ships were moored. The hustle and bustle of the Scrapyard and the main market seemed a world away. Leo found an empty, dark dock and landed the scooter, finally deactivating the light-displacement cloak.
For a moment, they sat in silence, the adrenaline from the battle beginning to fade, leaving behind a deep exhaustion and an uncomfortable tension. The shared danger had forged a new bond between them, but it was a bond built on secrets and unanswered questions.
"You could have told me you knew how to fight," Leo finally said, breaking the silence.
"You never asked," Yuki replied, her voice even. She dismounted from the scooter and stretched her back. "And I don't 'fight.' I cook. It just so happens that the principles of deconstructing an opponent and deboning a duck are remarkably similar."
"That was no ordinary kitchen knife," Leo insisted, his gaze fixed on the hilt of the weapon still visible under her coat.
"No," she admitted. "It's a [Void Blade]. Forged from a collapsed singularity. As I said, it cuts the bonds that hold things together. It's a very useful tool in the kitchen... and outside of it."
Leo looked at her, trying to understand. "Who are you, Yuki? Really."
Yuki looked out at the swirling Void beyond the energy dome, her eyes reflecting the distant, dead stars. "I am a chef," she said. "And, a long time ago, I was a courier, like you. One of the best. Until the Syndicate took someone I cared about. Someone who was 'recycled'."
Her voice grew taut, heavy with an ancient pain that seemed to momentarily age her. "I tried to fight them then. I made mistakes. I was loud, angry, and reckless. I made a lot of noise. They almost caught me. I learned the hard way that you can't defeat a machine head-on. So, I disappeared. I built a new life, a new identity. I opened my restaurant, a safe harbor for those who know the ways, and I waited. I waited for an opportunity. For a weapon. For someone... chaotic enough to create a crack in the system."
She turned and looked at Leo, and for the first time, he saw a raw vulnerability in her eyes. "And then, you showed up at my door, smelling of ozone and dragon trouble."
Leo was speechless. He wasn't just her accidental protégé. He was her gamble, her long-awaited weapon. The weight of that realization was heavier than any delivery he had ever carried.
"The Syndicate won't give up," Yuki said, her professional composure returning, the vulnerability vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. "They sent an Enforcer. They don't do that for a simple renegade. The [Fragment of Forbidden Knowledge] has them terrified. And now that we've escaped, they will escalate. They will send more. Worse things."
"I know," Leo said, his voice grim. "I have to go to the Crossroads. I have to find the Hermit."
"Yes," Yuki agreed. "It's our only move. The Hermit's knowledge of the Regulator is the only weapon that can truly threaten them."
She looked at Leo's 'Phantom', a nod of approval on her face. "Griz did good work. This machine will give you a chance. But you'll need more than just a good scooter."
She took something from her belt, hidden under her coat. It was a small metal box. She opened it. Inside, on black velvet, lay a single object: a small, sleek earpiece, made of the same black metal as her knife.
"The Syndicate has eyes and ears everywhere," she said. "Your communications are not secure. This is a 'Shadow Whisperer.' It connects directly to your auditory nerve. It doesn't transmit sound; it transmits intent. It's impossible to intercept. With this, we can communicate, no matter what reality we're in."
She handed it to him. "I will stay here, at the Bazaar. I will try to find out who sent you that anonymous message. An ally within the system is something we cannot afford to ignore. And I will prepare. When you find the Hermit and learn how to get to the Regulator, you're going to need support. I'll be ready."
Leo took the earpiece. It was cool to the touch. He placed it in his ear, and the device molded itself perfectly, becoming almost invisible.
"Good," Yuki said aloud. "Now go. Time is a luxury we no longer have."
Leo mounted his 'Phantom'. He looked at Yuki, his mentor, his ally, a woman of deep secrets and quiet strength. He was no longer alone in this.
"Yuki," he said. "Thank you."
"Just don't get recycled, newbie," she said, a rare, small smile touching her lips. "It would be a waste of a good investment."
With a final nod, Leo activated the light-displacement cloak and accelerated away from the dock, his new scooter carrying him silently toward the portal that would take him back to the Crossroads. He had a mission, an ally, and for the first time, a real chance to fight back.