They were on the road for a while but soon the steam car pulled up outside a building that made the Tangles look like a different world entirely.
Light spilled from tall windows, and even from the street, Kyrie could hear the muted sounds of conversation and buzzing music.
"We're making a stop first," Negan said, turning off the engine. "Won't take long."
Kyrie nodded, though his head felt heavier. The exhaustion from using his abilities all day was catching up fast.
His vision blurred at the edges, and he was even more grateful now for the goggles, they hid his strained eyes.
They soon entered through silver and brass-framed doors into the casino floor.
The Crown Casino wasn't exactly what its name suggested. It was dim, smoky, but definitely expensive.
Gas lamps cast amber light over card tables and dice games. Well-dressed customers moved between tables, drinks in hand. Dealers in brown vests worked efficiently around the clock.
Kyrie simply followed Negan through the crowd, his senses overwhelmed. Then something new activated.
An ache in his chest, like weight was added on his body. It was a warning.
[Skill Activated: Menace (Passive)]
Suddenly, Kyrie could feel them—hostile intentions spread out throughout the room. A man at the poker table, visibly angry about losing. A drunk customer keeping close tabs on another's coin purse.
The feeling wasn't overwhelming, merely present. Like background insight, he could turn on and off "
"This way," Negan said, heading toward a staircase.
Leonel's office was much quieter. It consisted of leather chairs,metallic floor, vents on either side of the room and a desk plastered in ledgers.
The man behind it looked up as they entered, balancing his glasses.
Leonel smiled immediately he saw Kyrie. Leonel was well dressed in charcoal black suit, golden rimmed glasses that hid those observant bright eyes.
"Good to see you upright, boy. Negan told me the episode was rough this time"
"Getting better," Kyrie said. Adjusting his voice to be steady despite the headache.
"He proved himself again tonight," Negan said, settling into a chair. "The collection went smoothly. Hall will pay tomorrow morning." He muttered with a relaxed smirk.
"Smoothly? " Leonel asked with an eyebrow raised . "I heard there was a complication."
"Nothing we couldn't handle. K-Y spotted an ambush before it happened. Saved me a rather unwanted scar "
Leonel's expression lightened, his gaze shifting towards Kyrie rather impressed, but still quite cautious.
He looked at Kyrie a bit longer. "Is that so? Well done, then. But don't push yourself too hard till you fully recover "
"I won't," Kyrie said.
The conversations that followed didn't involve Kyrie and as such he simply watched them as he didn't plan to intensify the strain on his body.
Finally, Negan stood, not leaving a shard of his charisma behind.
"I should get him home, quite a long day. He said flatly.
Leonel nodded as he spoke. "Take care, K-Y. And if ever you want something, you know where to find me.
They soon left Leonel's office walking down a flight of stairs heading back to the casino floor. Kyrie's vision remained blurred, so he had to pay extra attention on each step.
"K-Y?"
The voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
He turned around and there she was.
A young woman who seemed to still be in her prime years. She had white hair, brown eyes and wore a red waist coat over a checkered shirt of the same colour.
Her eyes stayed glued to Kyrie, her lips curled into a relieved smile with eyes squinted in surprise.
"Elaine" Kyrie said, the name flowed from his memories the very second his eyes reflected hers.
Suddenly, she moved closer to him as her arms flung over his shoulder in a hug, a cozy hug that merely lasted a few seconds before she raised her face and immediately kissed him.
Brett's instincts paused due to the sudden approach. But Kyrie's memories of similar situations flooded in. Her smiles, laughter, late night conversations they had.
Even the way she looked at him the last time they had spoken. The clear pain in her eyes when she decided to end things between them.
It all came rushing in at that moment.
Kyrie did the one thing he was truly great at which was adapting. And so he did. Slowly putting his arms around her, he rested them over her ass, giving it a soft squeeze, making the kiss deeper and memorable.
Seconds later, she pulled away a bit breathless with visible blush on her cheeks even as she observed him closely.
Negan at this time had sat at a nearby table giving them privacy.
"You're different today. Warmer! " Her eyes were still searching for something—-Anything.
"Maybe I just missed you," Kyrie said softly.
Elaine hid a blush the moment she heard that, playfully touching his cheeks, as he saw it clearly now in her emotions. She had left because he was unstable.
One moment he remembered her. The next, he didn't. She'd loved him, but she couldn't handle the very thought of someone she loved constantly forgetting who she was and maybe forgetting forever.
"When did they release you?" she asked.
"Today, actually." Kyrie winced slightly.
"Still recovering." He said while placing his hand over her shoulder to seemingly support his stance.
Her expression that held longing soon shifted to concern.
"You really do look exhausted." She exclaimed
"I am." He said, still instinctually holding her hand.
"I should probably get some rest."
She frowned slightly while nodding.
"Right... Of course."
She hesitated. "Will I see you soon?"
"Yeah," Kyrie said, and he actually meant it.
" Make sure to get enough rest " She said while squeezing his hand affectionately.
She looked around before giving a soft peck on his cheeks as she headed back to work.
Kyrie's gaze followed her turn even as she left. Her swaying hips carried him along on the ride.
She soon returned to her work post, not forgetting to sneak a few glances at Kyrie.
What sorcery was this body using he thought.
Having watched her leave, he immediately turned toward the exit, with his only focus being to get out of the casino and rest.
His hands were jerking slightly as he walked with Negan just behind him.
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a woman who stood at the other end of the room.
She was surrounded by other elite guests, a group of patrons in luxurious suits and dresses.
She watched him only for a few seconds even as they locked eyes with a smile still on her face.
She played with her pink hair, twirling it while biting her lower lips which were shaded with lipstick of the same colour.
The moment she knew his attention was won, she winked and looked away.
His fragmented memories stirred. Had he seen her before? The feeling was there, but the details seemed too deep to reach for now.
"You alright?" Negan said from behind, following his gaze.
He saw the woman across the room and nodded slightly.
"Come on, let's go, that one is trouble"
Negan said quietly. "Let's get you home."*
Kyrie allowed himself to be guided toward the door, glancing back once. The woman had disappeared now.
Inside the steam car, the exhaustion finally caught up with him completely.
His head pounded. His vision fading. Every part of his body felt weak and tired.
Leaning back on the seat, his eyes closed behind the goggles.
"Get some rest, K-Y," Negan said, starting the engine. "You've earned it."
Kyrie tried staying awake, but his body ignored. The day slowly replayed in mind—the hospital, the checkpoint, Lowe's exhausted eyes, Monte's limp body, Elara's kiss and to crown it all the mysterious woman's wink.
[Daily Quest Complete]
[Mission Complete]
[New Skill: Menace (Passive)]
[Ability Stored: Psychic Invisibility]
The notifications arranged themselves in his fading consciousness, but he couldn't focus on them even for a second more.
Slowly but surely, his eyes lost their light as he dozed off, lying there in the seat with heavy breaths.
Negan looked over at the boy, seeing him asleep, he shook his head in approval with a faint smirk on his face.
"Hell of a first day back, kid."
He muttered with pride in his tone.
He quickly turned back to the road and drove on through the night, the car's engine steady as the streets of Strevus stretched out under the ever watchful gas lamps.