EX//MACHINA: EXORDIUM

Chapter XVIII - Shadows and trickery

Every day that passed by, it was getting harder and harder not to admit how much technology made life easier. And for Kimiko, that was especially true, considering how advanced Dead Hand's tech division was, and she was always at the receiving end of innovations. Between all of the devices she could use, the one on her forearm was proving to be the most useful. A small screen, almost like those "mobile phones" that were starting to become famous, but without the keyboard, leaving only a medium-sized screen. And there was another, even more impressive, detail: it worked by touch, and that was very useful.

Besides that, it had a lot of functions, like communication, interaction with Hyperion's systems and checking her tracker's locations in real time. The latter was being specially important, because she was using the tracking feature every minute of the day, first with Leah and now with Peter, and that's why she could track him easily. They were only a few minutes away from intercepting his car, and while they were walking, Kimiko was trying to finish an exhausting conversation. Unsurprisingly, Leah was disagreeing with her in another decision.

The nerve in that woman would be admirable, if it weren't annoying.

— So let me get this straight. — Leah said while trying to sound as calm as possible. — We are going to rescue the one responsible for all of this, and then take him with us to take down the ones that made him?

— Yes.

— Respectfully, boss, but have you considered the possibility of him being too dangerous? Turning Hyperion's weapon against themselves sounds good, sure, but are you this confident?

Again, she put sarcastic emphasis on the word "boss", and Kimiko was almost on the brink of killing her on the spot. Alas, the girl decided against it, and tried to refrain from doing something other than answering these stupid questions.

— First of all, I am the dangerous one, don't forget that. — Kimiko answered and immediately felt like she just said something cool. — And second, turning him against them won't be hard at all, as he already has a few reasons to. It was all in the file the shitty priest gave me. Actually, I might suspect he is a Birthed, that would explain a lot.

— Sure, you're the danger. And what the hell is a "Birthed"?

— Not easy to explain, and I'm not in the mood right now. — Kimiko sighed just thinking about how long she would need to think and speak in order for Leah to understand. — What matters is that the odds of him reaching my level are very high.

— Strange of you to say someone could actually reach your level. — the woman said while laughing, thinking about how Kimiko often put herself at the top of the world. — Are you trying to find someone to fight as equals?

— No, I'm trying to find someone to walk alongside me as an equal, although fighting casually is a good idea, it sounds fun. — Kimiko pondered that for a while, eventually exhibiting hints of what could be considered, in another world, a smile. — Besides, there's no way for him to actually get as strong as me, but I will be pleased if he could get close.

After this, the conversation was put on hold, but Kimiko felt Leah's uneasiness, probably because she still had some questions in her mind. By staying silent and keeping neutral expressions, that was the girl's way of being open to giving answers, so she convinced herself that if Leah kept being silent, that was her choice. Unfortunately for her, the woman eventually mustered enough courage — or indignation — to question once more.

— And what about him being the one responsible for this?

— What about it? Probably was Hyperion's fault, as he didn't seem like the sort of person to cause chaos for fun. Wouldn't be able to guarantee this, though.