Silver Reign

Three: Diversion

//Previous subject lacks critical information.
//Switching subject of report for further details.
//Report: Blackwell, Darius
//Rome.
//Inside an Axion factory.
//Designation: Capitoline Facility.
//Begin log.

"This news was announced on the network a few hours ago," Cassius pressed. "Director Blackwell, where have you been? Why are you wearing civilian clothes?"

I felt my heart skip a beat. To my dismay, the Administrator was clearly more astute than he seemed. As I feigned another smile, my mind raced. Did Cassius already know about my capture following the loss of Project Themis?

I tried to keep my gaze away from the nearby loading cart. I'd seen Jackson duck behind the detached railgun when we had first entered, and assumed that Amani was behind it, too. Whatever happened, I knew that he had to keep Knight's attention away from my newfound allies.

The irony of this situation certainly did not escape me.

“I was aware of Olsson's disloyalty, but the betrayal of Greene is news to me," I remarked, feigning a haughty tone. "I will deal with each in turn, but I wanted my arrival here to be a surprise in case you yourself had any traitorous intentions."

A flicker of confusion crossed Cassius's face, but was replaced with a beaming grin. 

"Of course not, Director," he rebuffed, "I am loyal to the true leader of Axion Industries, after all."

Every fiber of my being wanted to cut and run, telling me I had been found out, that Cassius was moments away from betraying me.

I mentally scolded myself. I had been too focused on hunting down SPEAR to see my own company rotting beneath my feet. Now it was gone, a shell of what I had created. My formerly organized army was now controlled by selfish barbarians—each no doubt under the guidance of the traitorous consultant known as Hesiod. 

Andros Oakley had already tried and failed to kill me—was Cassius Knight next?

Without any other options, I followed Cassius's lead as we continued walking along the factory floor. While I anticipated a trap of some kind, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Cassius's intentions were true—we marched up to the base of an unfinished Erebus mech. The Erebus was covered in metal scaffolding, but it was clear to me that its half-built frame had been vastly modified.

To my surprise, Cassius’ smile was genuine. His reasons for bringing me down onto the factory floor were honest. The man was still loyal to me!

For a brief moment, it occured to me that I had a chance to return to my old life. Two of my greatest enemies were hiding not twenty metres away from me, trapped deep in a factory that I owned. I could claim not to know them—that it was Cassius’ fault that two random rioters had managed to slip inside. The Capitoline Facility was more than large enough for me to rebuild Axion's army, to crusade across Europe and dethrone or destroy my traitorous subordinates.

Then I remembered the anger in Andros' eyes as I left him behind in Nevada. The hate in his voice as he smashed through the Firmament, trying to take my life. I remembered Yamantau, the crushing feeling in my chest after I had taken those lives with my own two hands, and the madness that had almost consumed me afterwards.

I would not make the same mistakes again, even if my only desire was to save my own selfish skin.

So I said nothing to Cassius, and followed him away from where my new allies were hiding.

“So,” Knight began, “everyone loves the design for the Erebus you provided us. We've already improved on the insurgents' Prowler, making the Erebus stronger and faster than its predecessor, with greater radiation shielding. But I believe we can do better."