Commanders issued orders around her.
Soldiers marched out of the front gate.
Veera returned to her base of operations.
Her teeth—
Ground against one another.
Soldiers' footsteps—
Halted.
Tightening their posture.
Veera passed them.
Her bandages—
Loose.
She opened the reinforced door and stepped in.
Her teeth—
Settled.
Veera's hand—
Pulled.
Fixing the gauze around her arms.
Her wounds—
Hidden.
She fixed her gaze on the map spread across her desk.
What…
Veera pulled her chair back, sitting down.
…a pain.
She reached for the open silver bag.
Hard candy sifted through her fingers.
Her clock—
Ticked once.
The communicator—
Buzzed.
Vibrating on the desk.
Tsk—
Her tongue clicked.
Veera pressed a button as she tossed a piece of candy up.
Marco's voice sounded through.
"Veera…"
He rolled the six-stone number in his fingers.
"…status report."
She chomped down on the candy.
"There's been…"
Another piece of candy rolled through her fingers.
She tossed it up a moment later.
"…no progress."
Marco clenched the piece.
"Find them…"
A small crack formed on the surface.
"…now."
Veera's face—
Tightened.
The candy—
Missed.
Falling to the ground beside her.
"Yes, sir."
Marco clicked his communicator off, setting the piece down.
It will…
He turned toward the window.
The mechanical city functioned below.
…be found.
Veera stood, pushing the chair over.
Her teeth—
Seethed.
A dark red glow surged through her veins.
Marco…
The communicator—
Split apart.
A diagonal cut—
Separated.
Creating two even pieces.
She moved over to a box of files, searching for a black-and-gold file.
Her eyes focused on it as she began to look through it.
You're mine…
The pages turned until she reached the cover.
The file—
Split.
Two pieces fell to the ground.
Her hands—
Twitching.
Forming into a claw.
The ground beneath her—
Cut.
Diagonal incisions formed—
Evenly.
Her body—
Shifted.
Standing before the door.
An endpoint—
Rested behind her heels.
A slash—
Connected.
Linking it to another point.
Veera reached for the handle.
The door slid open.
…Ruin.
…
Black coffee's aroma filled the room.
His eyes followed lines of ink.
Arthur's pen glided across a schematic.
He exhaled, placing the pen down.
This plan…
His eyes—
Focused.
On the ceiling above.
His posture—
Relaxed.
As his chair leaned back.
Sunlight warmed his shoulders.
…must succeed.
Dust swirled with the passing wind.
Arthur rolled up the different schematics on his desk.
He stood, holding them underneath his arm.
His mug rested between his fingers.
Arthur exited his office, heading for Tremor's workshop.
His footsteps—
Measured.
As his posture straightened.
He arrived at the entrance.
The metal door—
Opened.
Before he could reach it.
Jean stood before him.
Her eyebrows—
Raised.
"Good morning, sir."
Arthur nodded.
"Is Tremor available?"
Jean stepped out into the hallway.
"Yes, sir."
Arthur glanced at Jean.
She saluted before heading to the courtyard.
A faint smile—
Appeared.
On the side she couldn't see.
He stepped forward, closing the door behind him.
Tinkering echoed through the workshop.
A light blue glow guided Arthur.
Tremor sat at his desk.
A disassembled communicator floated in the air.
A wrench—
Turned.
Tightening a gear.
Arthur cleared his throat.
"Tremor."
Tremor's shoulders twitched.
The parts—
Fell.
His glow—
Faded.
Tremor looked over his shoulder.
"Yes, sir."
Arthur walked next to him, placing the schematics on the desk.
"This is top priority."
Tremor unrolled the first paper.
"What is this for?"
Arthur sipped from his mug.
"A suppressant."
Tremor's veins began to glow.
"How many do you need?"
Arthur placed his mug down.
"Enough to fit the premier of the central district."
Tremor sighed as he opened the other schematic.
His eyes—
Widened.
As he examined the paper.
"This is—"
Arthur tapped the desk.
"Can you do it?"
Mechanical parts—
Hovered.
Floating before Tremor.
His eyes—
Focused.
As he reached for a blowtorch.
"Of course."
A faint smile—
Formed.
Across Arthur's face.
He lifted his mug.
"And that other matter?"
Tremor pointed to three cards on his desk.
"Completed."
Arthur slid the cards into his pocket.
"Good work."
Tremor went—
Silent.
Focusing on the parts before him.
The pieces—
Merged.
Beginning to form a complete device.
Arthur turned, heading toward the door.
The first device took shape.
A small box with gears on the surface.
Two antennas stuck out from the top.
The middle—
Opened.
Waiting for its final piece.
A small tube—
Floated.
Containing dark fluid.