Disobey

Chapter 2- Miami

"How will we be getting to Miami, Ms. Carroll?" Victoria or Tori as she so diligently asked me to call her.

"We'll be flying."

I heard Tori's footsteps stop behind me, though I kept walking.

"Like-like on a plane?"

I try hard to stop my eyes from rolling. "Yes, on a plane."

"I thought-but I thought planes were mostly put out of order?" She ran to catch up and was left in a half run to keep my pace. After all, at around six feet, I was a rather fast walker. "I mean, with magicians running rampant and all, they're one of the most dangerous modes of transportation."

"We," as referring to the Black Hands, "have our own private planes that can fly higher than a public plane, which is more out of reach of...those people. Not only that, but they've been partially built with Luminosium Delenium."

"With what?"

"Lumi- The same materials put on the inside of silencers to keep magic contained. If we happen to be hit with magic at that height, most of the damage will be nullified."

In the corner of my eye, I could see her childish features relax a little. "It's more reassuring coming from you." She paused, almost as if she was waiting for me to say something. "I mean, with all your advancements in the science division, I wouldn't be surprised if you had some input in the making."

"The design for the outer layering was mostly me, plus a few ideas of engineers who decided whether it would still be aerodynamic or not. " Tori's expression changed into a deeper form of admiration. "Don't look at me like that. Most of my work is in weapons and silencers. It's not often that I work on something that practical unless I receive a direct order from the Chief."

"Right. Of course."

I let my cool blue eyes drift over to her. "There's something else you wanted to say."

"No, nothing."

"Say it so you can stop looking at me like some kind of exhibit."

"Well, Ms. Carroll, I just look up to you. A lot. You're one of the biggest names in the Black Hands and you're only nineteen. And it's not only that it's that, unlike just about every other high commander, you're not from some big family and you don't have a famous background. You didn't pay your way to the top, Ms. Carroll, you worked for it. You're like...my hero."

"Hmm." I stopped walking to look at her. "Tori, go home and get your things. Pack for a week. We leave in five hours."

"Yes, ma'am."

She turned to walk.

"And Tori."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Call me Paige."

Her brown eyes brightened a shade. "Yes, Paige!"

---

I went to my home. A suite high up in an apartment complex in the center of the city. It probably cost more than the average citizen of The City earned in the majority of their lives. I made at least three times the average citizen made in their lifetime in two weeks, maximum.

I guess I had the option of donating, but the action seemed against the cruel personality I'd so carefully built for myself. Besides, none of the charities around here were to anything but the Black Hands, carefully organized by the Black Hands themselves, so nothing could be towards the magicians. It may have seemed cruel, in the long run, but our organization liked to make frequent donations towards shelters of all kinds and the less fortunate. So it wasn't all that bad.