Tides of Zaun

XVI

The dimly lit corridor echoed with the sound of footsteps as Viktor approached cell 20416. He flashed his badge at the guard, who nodded and unlocked the heavy door.

As the door creaked open, Jinx's face broke into a smile. "Viktor! It's been a week! Anything new?"

Viktor lowered himself to the cold, hard concrete floor beside her. "God, this floor can't get any more uncomfortable."

"Tell me about it," Jinx replied, lounging back on her own concrete bed. "I sleep on a concrete bed."

They both shared a laugh, a brief reprieve from the heavy atmosphere that surrounded them. Jinx shifted to a more serious expression, resting her head on her hand. "So, tell me the good news and the bad news."

Viktor sighed, running a hand through his hair as he prepared to deliver the grim updates. "Well, let's go over some stuff. Your rocket killed several members of the council—Cassandra Kiramman and Mel Medarda, to name a couple. The woman who just took over the council? She's Mel Medarda's mother. Ambessa Medarda wants you dead, Jinx. She's planning to make an example out of you."

Jinx's brow furrowed. "What kind of example?"

Viktor met her gaze, his voice low. "Public execution."

A giggle bubbled up from Jinx, surprising Viktor. "What's so funny about this, Jinx?" he asked, perplexed.

She tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling, a distant look in her eyes. "They should've just drowned me when they found me at the river."

Viktor sighed again, his expression shifting to one of concern. "Jinx, I don't want you to die. I'm trying everything I can to save you. I'm even speaking to my best friend about this."

"The guy from the blueprints and books?" Jinx asked, her curiosity piqued.

Viktor nodded. 

She raised an eyebrow, a glimmer of hope igniting in her gaze. "Well, I hope he can let me create a weapon for him in exchange for my freedom."

Viktor chuckled lightly. "Well, he knows that you and I spend a lot of time discussing hextech and, obviously, our lives. I'll see if he'll consider it."

Jinx finally turned her attention back to him, her smile widening. "Maybe."

After Viktor left Jinx's cell, he made his way through the sterile hallways of the prison, the weight of the news he had just delivered hanging heavy in his chest. As he approached a familiar door, he took a deep breath before stepping inside.

Jayce was deep in conversation with Caitlyn Kiramman, her expression a storm cloud of frustration.

"I had to break things off with her sister because you aren't letting anyone know that Jinx is here, alive! Do you know how this is going to make me look after they execute her out in the open?" Caitlyn shouted, her voice echoing off the walls.

Jayce held his ground, his expression a mixture of determination and regret. "I love Violet. Keeping this a secret was so damn difficult because it's her sister. I get it—your girlfriend died. My mom died too. They both died here in the council room. But you need to have control over this situation, Jayce, or I will not hesitate to let Zaun know that Jinx is here and alive."

With that, Caitlyn stormed out of the council room, her anger palpable, not even glancing Viktor's way as she passed.

Jayce turned to Viktor, his tone shifting to something softer, yet laced with tension. "So, Viktor. What has your murder best friend said today?"

"She's not really bothered by the news of a public execution," Viktor replied, trying to keep his tone light. "But she is interested in whether you'd let her create a hextech device for you." He leaned in, lowering his voice. "If you give her freedom."

Jayce's expression hardened as he met Viktor's gaze. "No."

Viktor rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you keep visiting her every week, Viktor. She's dangerous, and she is a lost cause. Aren't you mad she has caused havoc for our council?"

"Your council," Viktor snapped back. "I was never part of it. Besides, you know she's a genius. She was the one creating all these weapons and ideas from the underground. Imagine if we knew she existed before Silco took her in. She would have been a perfect match for us. She would have a future. She would—"

Jayce cut him off, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "Imagine if you could stop sympathizing with a murderer. She does not care for the lives she's taken. Yes, maybe if she wasn't a murderer and terrorist, she could've been a great addition to our research team. But she is a murderer and terrorist, Viktor."

Silence filled the room, heavy with unspoken thoughts, until Viktor broke it. "How are you holding up? I know Ambessa isn't letting you grieve at all."

Jayce sighed deeply, the weight of responsibility etched into his features. "Governing a city like Piltover is hard. I don't blame her for giving me the hard task. It was her daughter who died, Vik. Mel was her only daughter, and she lost her to a rebel who was at war within her own little city."

He ran a hand over his face in sheer stress. "But she was your girlfriend. You deserve to mourn too," Viktor said gently.

Jayce looked at Viktor, his expression softening as the burden became too heavy to bear. Without a word, he stepped forward and hugged Viktor tightly. Viktor embraced him back, feeling the shared pain of their losses intertwine in the silence of the council room.

Caitlyn stormed out of the council room, her heart racing with frustration and confusion. The war was over, yet it felt as if it was only just beginning. The breakup with Vi had only intensified the turmoil swirling within her mind. Guilt gnawed at her insides, a constant reminder of the pain she had caused.

She knew Vi would be upset, perhaps even furious, when she found out about the decision Caitlyn had made. The thought of losing her trust weighed heavily on her heart. Would Vi even want to talk to her again? The uncertainty pressed down like a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe.

As she walked through the halls of Piltover, Caitlyn began to piece together the reality before her. It wasn't just Zaun causing chaos; the roots of trouble were sprouting from within Piltover itself. The council's dynamics had shifted, and with Ambessa Medarda's rise to power, the future felt more precarious than ever.

Caitlyn knew she had to do something about it. But where to start? The weight of that question lingered, taunting her as she paced. She had spent years fighting for justice, yet now she felt as if she were standing at the precipice of an impending storm, unable to see the way forward.

As she exited the building and stepped into the night, she felt the cool breeze against her skin, a stark contrast to the heat of her rising anger. The streets of Piltover were alive with whispers of unrest, and she realized that if she didn't act soon, everything she had fought for could be lost once again.

Determined, Caitlyn set her jaw, her mind racing with possibilities. She needed allies, someone who could help her navigate the shifting tides of power in the city. With each step, the fire of her resolve ignited. She might be feeling lost, but one thing was certain: she wouldn't let her city crumble without a fight.