Aeon Paradox

Chapter Three: Trust

Ruby pulled her jacket in close against the cool evening breeze, kicking dirt off her boots before ascending the steps to the worn five-story apartment building she now called home. It was not the best, but not the worst either. She'd been told it had once been an old brick factory, which gave it an industrial look that she enjoyed. The busy foot traffic on the street out front sucked, but at least it was recently renovated on the inside.

Moving from remote endless fields and rivers to the urban lifestyle had not been one Mia had quite adjusted to yet, but the cafe breakfasts in the nearby retail district were warming her up to the lifestyle as much as it was a drain on Ruby's meagre savings. It was worth it. What else was there but to make the kid happy?

"Excuse me, ma'am, you wouldn't have a light, would you?"

Ruby paused, fingers extended to put her code into the security door as she turned her head. There was never a shortage of roaming drunks trying to find a ride home in the back streets.

"Sorry, vape these days," she lied.

"Oh. Shame really. Heard a sensitive kinetic moved in here recently. New in town. But then again, maybe not so new — just gone for a while."

Her jaw clenched. She knew that voice and accent. There was no mistaking it.

So Sentinel Archer Quinn, the arrogant asshole, still operated in the city, it seemed. It had been a long time but their paths had crossed inconveniently more than once in her younger days on the city streets. She'd wondered if the Sentinels still kept tabs on her.

Ruby turned, habitual tension rising in her shoulders as she gazed down at the tall, well-dressed man on the footpath below. The fucker looked like he'd not aged a day. Mid forties, dark perfectly styled hair, penetrating brown eyes, permanent smug expression and the double chevroned pin of the Sentinels on his black tie. It was him alright.

Sentinels were the Sensitive bogey-men. An intelligence and enforcement organisation that was commissioned to deal with the more criminal and underground elements of the Sensitive community. They were well resourced and, while a private organisation. They worked as an elite force on a global scale with many nations and law enforcement agencies. Here, where sensitive populations were a little denser, they were a common sight.

"None of your fucking mind tricks, Quinn. I don't care how important you are these days. I won't hesitate to defend myself." She hated his type, always fucking with people's heads. He was a renowned and skilled mesmer, among other things.

A small smile cracked at the corner of his mouth. "Sentinel Quinn to you, Ms Fox. I'll admit I was just curious to see if the rumours were true that you were back in town."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "As if you did not already know. Just leave me alone. You think I would come back here to start all that shit again? No thanks. I know you fuckers keep tabs on everyone, even the stupid ones who get themselves and others hurt for the likes of social media."

"Care to let me explain?" he interrupted her.

"I care for you to fuck off."

He chuckled, "And here I thought the country life may have tamed you a bit."

She was not in the mood for this. Why was he here? She was no threat. Sure, she had done some unsavoury things and got caught up with the wrong people as a stupid kid, but that was not her anymore.

"Don't you have real criminals to be chasing?" She crossed her arms.

He shook his head in amusement. There would be no getting out of this. Better just to let him talk. The speech was coming.