The hum of the city council building faded into the background, a distant murmur against the more immediate, vibrant energy that crackled between Aurelia, Revara, and Crystara. Celestial Muse, poised and radiating a confident allure that even the sterile surroundings couldn't dim, turned her gaze from Crystara to Revara.
"So, the arrangement stands," Muse said, her voice a rich contralto, a subtle power beneath the charm. "Crystara, Pulse. You'll be taking the unit adjacent to Revara's family home. Consider it a temporary relocation, a protective detail cloaked as new neighbors. Pulse's… unique capabilities and Crystara's sturdy disposition make you an ideal pair for this particular task."
Crystara, perched on the edge of a polished desk, swung a bare leg, her booty shorts riding high, her T-shirt stretching over the firm swell of her breasts. Her crystal-hard skin shimmered faintly under the harsh office lights, an unyielding beauty that belied her streetwise swagger. "Ideal? Don't make me laugh Muse, I know you choose me because I'm one of the few people you could only trust. Just make sure the unit is complete with furnitures, utensils and etc," she quipped, a smirk playing on her lips, "and of course that the fridge is stocked. My powers run on good snacks and bad decisions, not necessarily in that order."
Muse gave a dismissive wave, a hint of a smile touching her lips. "Details, Crystara. We'll handle the logistics. The priority is Revara's safety, and by extension, her family's. We can't allow any, shall we say, unwanted attention to fall upon them." Her eyes, sharp and intelligent, swung back to Revara. "Speaking of attention, Revara, where exactly is your family currently residing? We need to pinpoint the location for Pulse and Crystara."
Revara, still processing the sudden shift in her life, cleared her throat. "We're… we're currently in the downtown sector, a five-story building, apartment 2B. My parents and I live there. It's… fairly central." She recited the full address, her voice a little shaky.
Just as Muse was about to input the information into a sleek data pad, a new presence made itself known. The air in the room, already charged with the undercurrents of power and hidden agendas, thickened. A man stepped leisurely into their space, his presence an unnerving calm. He was tall, lean, with faint silver eyes that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. His suit, a shimmering black tuxedo, seemed to be woven from shadow itself, clinging to his form with an almost liquid quality.
"Long time no see, Celestial Muse," The man's voice was smooth as polished obsidian, dripping with an unsettling superiority. He spoke as if he already knew the end of every conversation before it even began.
Muse didn't even bother to fully turn, her posture remaining defiantly casual, though the subtle tensing of her shoulders was imperceptible to anyone but those who knew her intimately. Her gaze remained fixed on Revara's data. "I'm not in the mood, Obsidian Veil," she retorted, her voice losing its previous warmth, becoming cooler, sharper, like ice cracking. "Go bother someone else. There are plenty of other rifts for you to phase through."
Obsidian Veil chuckled, a low, dry sound. "Can't do that, Celestial Muse. You already know why I'm here. I'm just here to get a member of my bureau." His silver eyes flicked to Revara, a possessive glint in their depths.
Muse finally straightened, turning slowly. The movement was a deliberate act of power, her body a testament to disciplined strength and alluring grace. "And I guess you know why I couldn't possibly give Revara to you, or to your bureau." Her voice was a silken challenge.
Obsidian Veil's face twitched imperceptibly, a momentary loss of his unnerving calm. "You couldn't do that, Celestial Muse," he purred, his voice tightening ever so slightly. "She's a member of our bureau. Her signature is on the registry."
"She's just a member, not a property, Obsidian Veil," Muse shot back, her gaze unwavering. "And she decided to visit our bureau for a while. A perfectly voluntary, temporary reassignment, I believe." The emphasis on "visit" and "temporary" hung in the air, a silent defiance.
The shadows around Obsidian Veil seemed to deepen, a subtle shift in the light that made his already dark suit appear even more absolute. "Don't push your luck, Celestial Muse."
Muse's lips curved into a confident, almost predatory smile. "Well, I'm somewhat a gambler. I always push my luck. But how about you, Obsidian Veil? Wanna push your luck against me again, huh? Another dance, perhaps? I recall our last one ended with you rather… displeased."
Obsidian Veil ignored the jab, his silver eyes sweeping over Revara, a tangible pressure in his stare. "Revara," he commanded, his voice now laced with an undeniable authority. "You are ordered to come with us right now. We have so much to discuss."
Before Revara could even open her mouth, Crystara chimed in from her perch, her smirk sharp as broken crystal. "Like using her as a sacrifice, perhaps?"
The words hung in the air, an unexpected, brutal truth. Obsidian Veil's composure shattered. "No." he snapped, the single word sharp and entirely out of character for his usual composed demeanor. His eyes narrowed, a cold fury flashing, but the sudden reveal had clearly caught him off guard. "I guess this discussion ends here," he said, regaining some semblance of control, though his previous superiority was now fractured. He turned to Revara, the possessiveness back in his gaze. "Revara, I expect you to report by tomorrow. Your absence will be noted." With that, he simply… faded, the shimmering black of his suit dissolving into the deeper shadows of the place, leaving only a faint chill in the air where he had stood.
Muse let out a soft sigh as the last trace of him vanished. The air seemed to lighten, but the tension remained. She pulled out a sleek communicator, her fingers moving with practiced ease. "Skye, are you busy?"
A crackle, then a voice, light and airy. "Nah, just hanging around on a billboard, admiring the view. Why, something's up?"
"Yeah," Muse said, her gaze flicking to Revara, then Crystara. "I need you to go to the location I'm about to send you and guard the place until I arrive. Be cautious when an awakened suddenly shows up in the area. Especially if it's from Revenant Authority or any bureau that has a connection with them. Consider them hostile until proven otherwise."
"Got it," Skye's voice replied, no further questions needed. The line clicked dead.
Muse immediately sent the coordinates, then looked at Revara, a determined glint in her eyes. "Let's go, Revara. Immediately to your home."
Across the city, far above the bustling streets, people paused, craning their necks. A fleeting streak of motion cut through the sky, a whisper of wind and speed. Skye, a blur of motion, navigated the urban canyons with practiced ease, her enhanced speed and agility making the concrete jungle her personal playground. She moved like a phantom, a whisper of wind, until she settled, light as a feather, on the rooftop of a five-story building. The location Muse had sent was directly below, Revara's apartment.
Skye scanned the area, her senses sharpened, immediately noting the subtle vibrations of the city, the hidden currents of energy that hummed beneath the surface. The rooftop was mostly gravel and tar, a few HVAC units humming softly. She was just taking in the details, confirming her position, when a heavy thud landed near her, shaking the very structure of the building.
Skye spun, already in a defensive crouch, her eyes narrowing. Another awakened individual. This one was different. He was fully covered, head to toe, in dark, segmented armor that absorbed the light. No visible insignia, no badge, just an anonymous, intimidating presence. His helmet, sleek and featureless, offered no hint of a face, only a pair of dark visor slits where eyes might be.
Skye straightened slowly, her hand hovering instinctively near her own side, her muscles coiled. "You live here?" she asked, her voice calm, though an undercurrent of tension vibrated in the words.
The man stood perfectly still, a statue of black metal. He just stared at Skye through the dark slits of his visor, a palpable silence radiating from him. Finally, a voice, deep and resonant, filtered through some internal modulator. "No... just came here to pick someone up..." The way he said "pick someone up" was devoid of warmth, hinting at force rather than invitation. His gaze lingered on Skye, assessing, calculating. "How about you? Do you live here?"
Skye, her eyes still fixed on the armored man, her mind racing, noted the vague, almost predatory edge to his question. "No..."
"Then what is your business being here, huh?" The question was less a query, more a challenge. The air crackled, heavy with unspoken threats.
The two awakened individuals stared at each other across the grimy rooftop, a silent, deadly ballet of anticipation. Skye, agile and swift, against the unknown, armored hulk, each waiting for the other to make the first move, knowing that the slightest misstep might lead to a brutal, gory dance, or worse, a devastating failure to protect the unsuspecting family below. The city lights twinkled beneath them, oblivious to the silent war about to ignite on their rooftops.