cascade | kotlc

22. Distitopiknian from Shanghai Tower

tw: death, hanging, bl/od

"Alright," June whispered to Tam. "Straighten that suit a little."

"This thing is so fucking uncomfortable," he complained, shifting the heavy fabrics of his grey tailored suit. The threads lining the fabric were too jutted out, and they must've chafed Tam's skin like iron wires would. June was thankful she was a female and got to wear a dress, which was actually a convertible skirt connected with a tassel. She had the sinking suspicious they would have to fight, and she wasn't doing that in a dress with a two-foot train. At least literally every single male was staring.

"Remember, we're here just for that briefcase," Biana muttered, tossing her hair and fidgeting with an intricate ornament decorating her neck. It was a hidden pocket knife. Her ring was hidden beneath an elvin style white-laced glove -- it was the only elvin clothing they brought to the mission.

Technically their mission wasn't sanctioned. It wasn't a Team Echelon mission, not with Faye still stuck in the Healing Center. Fitz was tracking them in his helicoper, though he promised to jump in if he ever needed to.

"Yes, we know," Tam replied, hugging Biana around the waist. His tie was unstrapped and hanging loose, and June fussed with the strings, trying to tie them together again. "The exchange will happen on floor ninety-seven. The secret code word is 'Dystopia'. Speaking of which -- are you sure this is a good idea?"

"We should be fine," June reminded him, nervously tugging at the comms disguised near her lips. She was also wearing specialized contacts that recorded everything they saw, but it also made her practically blind in one eye. It was how Faye would have to see from now on. "This is for Faye."

Biana nodded, pulling out her iPad and slipping into the women's washroom. June hesitated for a moment before she pulled Tam in, breathing out a sigh of relief when it was unoccupied. She locked the door and let Biana work.

"I've rigged the elevators for you," she explained after Calla did her magic. "I'm not exactly sure how these work, but all entry into the ninety-seventh floor will be prohibited. The stairwells are located here, here, and here." She pointed to three glowing dots in the iPad's projection. "This is the master key." The iPad buzzed like a 3D printer, whirring mechanically and spewing out metal filaments that reorganized and folded into a small key. "Comms check?"
"Copy." June swallowed, pumping her arms and practicing her lines. Her Mandarin wasn't very fluent, and Councillor Emery had imprinted all human languages into her mind. But knowing how to speak a language wasn't the same as actually being able to speak it.

"Good luck." The key pressed into her palm and Biana unlocked the door, letting June and Tam pass through before she locked it again. "Remember -- get that briefcase and get out."

"I know," Tam promised. "We'll be done in a jiffy."

"Since when was that the case?" June grumbled, making her way up an escalator and gripping the handrail firmly. People mingled around her, chattering loudly, smiles on all of their faces. None of them seemed to realize the Neverseen were planning to trade the most dangerous material ever, in this tower, in a few hours.

"We still don't know what exactly distitopiknian is," Biana said through the intercoms. "I can reasonably predict it to be, you know, something dangerous, if it's what Lady Gisela or even the Neverseen are going for. But if it's corrosive, or toxic, or-"

"I get it," June murmured. The elevators slid open before her, thankfully unoccupied, and she stepped in. Tam closed the doors and chose the ninety-seventh floor. Dim elevator music rang out, the last tendril of calm among their racing heartbeats.

"You'll do great." The voice seemed to come from a PA from atop the elevator. "I've taken control over the security systems. All cameras are off -- this mission is officially a go.